DHS 10 NOVEMBER 2010 ISSUE 391

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RUGBY
SEVENS
2010
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YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE

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DISCOVER DUBAI’S
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BEST BEACH CLUBS

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Dinner is served daily from 6.30pm to 11.30pm and lunch, Thursday through Saturday,
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Contents
Features
17 34
7s heaven Yasalam
The boys are back F1 is roars into the
in town for the Dubai capital and this year
Rugby 7s Prince, Kanye West and
Linkin Park are coming
25 along for the party. We
Life's a beach give you the low-down
We go in search of
Dubai's best beach 40
clubs Curry collection
We prepared our
30 palates and overdosed
Dubai World on the spicy stuff to find
Championship Dubai’s 30 best curries

p40
Ones to watch in the
golf tournament, plus
we chat with Louis
Oosthuizen

p25
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 3
The round-up
67 91
Art Music & clubs
Beautiful People in Band of the month
Bastakiya, going green Juliana Down and
in Al Quoz and five to what's happening in
see this month clubland

74 97
Shopping Travel
Pay attention men, Going long haul in
Sophia says you ARE Catalonia, relaxation,
judged by your shoes, Sri Lankan style,
plus our essential explorer Adrian Hayes’
beach reads top tips and November's
best deals
77
Mind & body 111
Jet lag treatments, Hot list
haircuts, LPG magic Dubai's top bars,
and a trip to Jasmine restaurants, brunches
Spa and spas

86 130
Sport & outdoor Backchat

p47
Our running mission Catboy on how he'll
continues, plus Mr face his midlife crisis
Fitness tackles your
health questions

14
Salaam
What's what in Dubai
in November

44
Films
Our verdict on George
Clooney's starring role
in The American, plus
Burke & Hare, Saw 3D
and more

47
Eating out
La Petite Maison,
cooking with Vineet
Bhatia, 12 new
brunches and The
Critic on why fresh
is best

65
Competitions
Get your hands on
prizes including

p77
brunches, dinners
and energy drinks. For
more, see pages 72, 94
and 128

4 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010

29040AE_WHATS_ON_NOV.indd 1

PROJECT MK-8111 UAE WHAT’S ON MAG (SPREAD) ISSUE/POST DATE NOV 10

10/25/10 2:09 PM
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 This month we’ve been...
Editor-in-Chief
Obaid Humaid Al Tayer
Group Editor & Managing Partner
lan Fairservice
Group Senior Editor
Gina Johnson | gina@motivate.ae

Editor
Mark Evans | marke@motivate.ae
Deputy Editor
Helen Spearman | helen@motivate.ae
Features Editor Karting with Juliana Down, p91
Gareth Rees | gareth@motivate.ae
Chief Sub Editor
Iain Smith | iains@motivate.ae
Senior Designer
Sheila Lyn Carino | sheila@motivate.ae
Editorial Assistant/Picture Researcher
Karen Sequeira | karen@motivate.ae
Picture Researcher - Gulfpics
Wayne Fernandez | wayne@motivate.ae

Contributors
Naveed Ahmed, Victor Besa, James Brennan,
Louise Browne, Stef Burgon, Vikram Gawde,
Rubbing shoulders with Gordon Testing curries,
Robbie Greenfield, James Houghton, Catherine Ramsay, p55 p40
Jarvie, Russell Kempson, Richard Luck, Farooq

Editor’s note
Salik, Simon Smedley, Sophia Triantafillou,
Tom Watterson, Adam Workman

General Manager
Production and Circulation
S Sasidharan | sasidharan@motivate.ae
Production Manager
Sudhakar Chandran | sudhakar@motivate.ae
Production Controller
Murali Krishnan | muralik@motivate.ae
General Manager – Group Sales
Anthony Milne | anthony@motivate.ae
Senior Advertisement Manager
Dale Isaac | dale@motivate.ae
Advertisement Manager
Varsha Bhatia | varsha@motivate.ae
General Manager, Abu Dhabi
Joe Marrit | joe@motivate.ae
Advertisement Manager, Abu Dhabi
Darryl Wiley | darryl@motivate.ae
Annual Subscription GCC Dhs120 other countries US$70
(including Airmail charges)
Head Office: PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971 4 282 4060, Fax: +971 4 282 4436,
E-mail: motivate@motivate.ae
Dubai Media City: Office 508, 5th Floor,
Building 8, Dubai, UAE,
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E-mail: editor-wo@motivate.ae
London: Acre House, 11/15 William Road,
London NW1 3ER, UK,
E-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae
Can I be completely honest? I’m not really a rugby fan. It’s not my
fault – I’m from a part of the UK that’s obsessed with one sport, and
one sport alone, and that’s football. The idea of spending any time
at all watching a sport other than the beautiful game – and my
beloved Sunderland, specifically – just seems, well, weird. Yet the
longer I live in the Emirates, the more I’m becoming embroiled in the
whole brouhaha that is the rugby sevens.
I remember my first visit, some five years ago, at the old Exiles ground. New to Dubai
and already badly missing my footy fix, I thought I’d give it a whirl; see what all the
noise was about. Talk about an eye-opener. Where were the mounted police? What
about the gangs of grown men trying to kill each other? And what were those
Australians doing, laughing and joking and singing songs? Were they drunk? They
looked spangled – but kind of ‘happy spangled’. I’m not going to lie to you – I didn’t
like it. I didn’t like it one little bit. At one stage, some people, complete strangers,
yeah, they just said ‘hi’. Hi. That was it – like they knew me and were just having fun?
Weird, man, I’m telling you.
Five years later and I’m coming around to the idea. My footy obsession in hand,
thanks to live games on TV, I’m able to acknowledge that there are other sports out
there. And as a well-rounded individual, not to mention What’s On editor (OK, just as
What’s On editor, one out of two ain’t bad), I can appreciate the rugby sevens for what
it is – a really fun weekend. Let’s face it, the sevens is a Dubai institution; it’s about so
much more than just a game of rugby. And this year, like tens of thousands of others,
I’ll be there, amongst all the action and the excitement of a great weekend.
Just don’t expect me to wear a rugby shirt.
Enjoy the issue.

Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 13


Salaam!
Petite November
What’s hot
Harp-guitar
Jiminy Cricket! It’s a harp and a guitar. And
Jason Carter, one of the few musicians to
master this wondrous instrument,
is coming to town this month
to show us how to play it.
Nov 15, The Fridge, Al Quoz 4,
Street 26, Dubai, from 7.30pm,
Dhs50. Tel: (04) 3477793. www.
thefridgedubai.com
What’s your pin?
We don’t know how, we don’t know why
– we just know that someone, somewhere
sorted it all out and that the proposed
ban on Blackberry is now off. BBM to your
heart’s content. Ping!
Gawd bless ‘er
Britain’s head of state, Queen Elizabeth
II, hits the capital this month, along with
her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, for
a two-day visit. It’s the second visit to the
UAE for the monarch, who’ll be in the
Emirates on the 24 and 25, before going
onto Oman. Flags at the ready.
What’s not
My building’s bigger than yours
Just when you think you’re king of the castle,
someone comes along to knock you from
your top spot… A Saudi building company
has revealed plans to build the world’s tallest
building in Jeddah, which will nab the crown
from our very own Burj Khalifa. Boo. Still,
these things take time, so until then… we
rule! And our dad can beat your dad in a
fight. Probably
Cost of living
GETTY/GALLO IMAGES
Experts are claiming that the UAE is going to
see prices rise because the dirham is pegged
to the slumping dollar and a global currency
war is taking place. In layman’s terms. Prices
could rise.
14 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
We're officially part of the Twitterati.
Follow us at WhatsOnDubai for
exclusive updates on nightlife,
restaurants and more around the
UAE. Tweet yourself.
Guess list
What was that? You heard
what?
70%
JEAN RENO
The French star of Leon appears in The
Philosopher, a short film by Fujairah director
Abdulla AlKaabi’s that is set to show at DIFF
(December 12 to 19), and rumour has it Reno
will be front and centre at the festival.
50%
ALAIN DUCASSE it or won’t its that does the rounds every
This one came from a star source. Cough, couple of months, but one of our most reli-
Gordon, cough, Ramsay, cough, splutter. able tech informants thinks there may be
The French-born chef has 27 restaurants something in it this time. And after all, the
around the world, including the three Skype’s the limit (excuse us).
Michelin star Alain Ducasse at The Dorches-
ter in London, so we wouldn’t be surprised if
Gordon was right. 10%
REMM ACRA
15%
SKYPE TO BE UNBLOCKED
Lebanese designer Remm Acra is set to
open a boutique in Beirut this month, which
will be her first outside of New York City.
This is another one of those constant will Next logical step? We're hearing it's the UAE.
This month we’re going to…
DIVAZ
Having attended the lavish opening of Divaz, the
new floating venue at Jebel Ali Golf Resort, we
know it’s a splendid setting for a party. The vessel
can accommodate 200 revellers and whether you
opt to sail off into the waters of the Arabian Gulf
or stay anchored in the hotel’s private marina,
you’re sure to rock the boat. We soon found our
sea legs, that’s for sure. Anchors away, aye-aye,
captain and shiver me timbers.
Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa, Jebel Ali, Dubai.
Tel: (04) 8145108. www.jebelali-international.com

Five Questions… Beverley Knight
British soul singer Beverley
Knight has risen from the
British underground scene
in the mid-1990s to become
an R&B institution, scoring
an MBE along the way. She
plays the Chequered Flag
Ball this month
What’s in store for us at the ball?
I’ll be doing a few songs, about 30 minutes
or so. There’ll be a collection of old and new
– mostly old, so people are familiar with the
music. And we’ll be keeping it quite upbeat
as well – after all, it is a celebration. I’m
hoping to loosen everyone up a bit. When
you go to formal occasions the tendency
is to feel you have to be quite stiff in your
approach. When I hit the stage it will be all
about having a good time.
Are you a fan of Formula One?
Yeah, I’m a big racing fan. I’ve been to
Silverstone in the UK more times than I
can mention to see the Grand Prix and
I’ve been to Monaco as well, which was
fantastic. I always try and catch it on TV, but
neither Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button
are doing fantastically well, which I’m quite
gutted about. Back home I drive an Audi S5
convertible with a V6 turbo charged engine.
Oh, nice. You won British quiz show
Celebrity Mastermind answering question
on fellow Grand Prix performer Prince.
Are you pals?
Prince and I have worked together and
I’ve had the privilege of singing with him
on stage a few times. He very kindly flew
AMBER LOUNGE
You’ll do well to bag one of the
few remaining tickets, either for the opening
Friday night or the closing Sunday evening,
but if you do, expect to be in amongst the
stars. Aerosmith's Steve Tyler and Hollywood
actress Neve Campbell graced the lounge in
2009. We expect to see more stars this year.
If we can get in.
Nov 12 and 14, Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton
Abu Dhabi, Dhs76,000 for a table of eight.
www.amber-lounge.com
me to his rental home for the 2008 Oscars
and got me on stage on the night to sing
with him. As a lifelong Prince fan, that was
unbelievable. It still remains the greatest
experience of my life.
Prince isn’t the only royalty you’ve hung
out with though, is he?
No. I did get to meet the Queen. She’s ever
so cute. Very little. I got on with her as well
as anyone can get on with the Queen. She
speaks to you, you don’t speak to her and
she didn’t know much about my music
or me. Very sweet natured, but one firm
handshake. She doesn’t take any nonsense.
What’s happening after the ball for you?
I’ll be recording a new album this month,
which is a tribute to British Soul. So look
out for that.
Nov 12, Chequered Flag Ball, InterContinental
Hotel, Abu Dhabi. Tel: (04) 4456842. www.
chequeredflagball.com
SCREENWRITING CLASSES
The old adage is that we all have a novel
in us. But these days it seems we all have a
movie. If you want to persuade the money
men that your probing exploration of the
effects of the financial crisis on a family of
camels is a winner, you’ll need some help.
Sign up to screenwriter David Tully’s (The
Witching Hour) four-week course and maybe
you’ll see your film in the cinema one day.
Nov 27, SAE Institute Dubai. Tel: (04) 3616173
www.dubai.sae.edu
BOOK IT NOW
Grab your tickets for these
five upcoming gigs...
JONAS BROTHERS
Nov 18
The teen-pop sensation that is the
Jonas Brothers has sold more than
eight million records, so they’re clearly
doing something right. A certain sell out show.
Yas Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Dhs150,
Dhs350 to Dhs450 with hotel stay. Tel: (02)
5098000 www.thinkflash.ae
NELLY FURTADO
Nov 26
The Grammy Award-winning star
releases her greatest hits album,
Lifestyle, this month, but expect
her to wow the crowd with her hits,
including I’m Like A Bird, Promiscuous and Say
It Right.
Yas Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Dhs150,
Dhs350 to Dhs450 with hotel stay. Tel: (02)
5098000 www.thinkflash.ae
AKON
Dec 3
R&B star Akon’s fourth album
Akonic hits the shelves this month,
just before the Grammy-nominated
rapper flies into town for a one-off Dubai gig.
Dec 3, Dubai World Trade Centre Arena, Dubai,
from 7pm, Dhs300 to Dhs850.
Tel: (04) 2958599
GUNS N’ ROSES
Dec 16
Can Axl Rose and the boys recover
after the recent criticism of their
Leeds and Reading performances
in the UK? We reckon so. Here’s hoping
they’re on form in the capital.
Yas Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Dhs150,
Dhs350 to Dhs450 with hotel stay. Tel: (02)
5098000 www.thinkflash.ae
BRYAN ADAMS
Dec 17
All we want for Christmas is 1980s
musical legends, apparently. With
Guns N’ Roses set to play Yas Island
in December, rocker Bryan Adams has
also decided to stop off during his world tour.
Dec 17, Dubai World Trade Centre Arena,
Dubai, from 7pm, Dhs250 to 500.
Tel: (04) 3913460
Find us at
www.facebook.com/WhatsOnDubai
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 15
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Email: BAArestaurants@jumeirah.com

jumeirah.com
 The
magnificent
Sevens
As the hot-potch fleet of vehicles cruises up

7...
the Al Ain Road, luxury coaches breezing past
rickety old mini-buses and gleaming 4x4s

Things
burning off the stretch limos and taxis, it is
one of the strangest migrations out of the city

that make
that Dubai ever sees.
But, then, the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby
Sevens is no ordinary event. It is not only an
annual glimpse of top-class sport at its best,
but also a multicultural, multifaceted festival
Sevens
that brings together every class of humanity.
From the oval-ball fanatics to the oil barons; special
from networking banking execs to awe-struck 1) They only play seven minutes each
young families; and from ladies who normally way...
do lunch to excitable teenagers seeking a new
thrill. The Sevens is just unique. 2) Except in the final where the halves NUMBER OF TOURNAMENTS
From December 2 to 4, all are welcome at the last TEN minutes.
THAT COMPRISE THE IRB
The Sevens stadium, the purpose-built arena
which is likely to fill its 50,000 capacity on every 3) During the knock-out stages, drawn
WORLD SEVENS SERIES
day of the 72-hour extravaganza. And learning matches are resolved by playing five
the words of the choruses of Sweet Caroline, We minutes extra time.
Will Rock You and maybe a bit of The Proclaimers
is an absolute must if you want to feel at home 4) All kicks at goal, including penalties
amid the raucous masses. and conversions, must be drop goals.
Do not be afraid to improvise, either.
Brandishing inflatable Springboks is a 5) Players who receive yellow cards are
favourite pastime for some South Africa fans. 'sin binned' for two minutes.
And it might get you noticed around the
6) Sides can name five substitutes, three
ILLUSTRATIONS: LINDA COULTER

world, too. The 2009/10 series was broadcast

to 141 countries across six continents. of whom can take the field.
However, the muscle-flexing, fleet-footed
players will get down to the serious business. 7) And if the game’s still undecided, the
Like those from Samoa, the reigning Sevens teams play five minutes of sudden death
champions, New Zealand, the recent extra time – which is to say, the first team
Commonwealth Games gold-medal winners that scores wins.
in Delhi, and England, who always enjoy huge
support here.
All the spectators have to do is choose
their favoured mode of transport for the
journey. Book it now. Be there... or be
severely square.

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 17

 DUBAI RUGBY 7S

With the abbreviated

version of rugby union
returning to the UAE this
December, What’s On shows
you the players to watch,
the places to celebrate and
remembers some great
moments in the sport

7…
Players to
watch this
year
MIKAELE PESAMINO
The Samoan try machine was one of the main
reasons the Islanders claimed their first World
Sevens title last season.

LUKE MORAHAN
After eons in the sevens doldrums, the Wallabies
are back in the running thanks to young talents
such as Robbie Coleman and Luke Morahan.

TOMASI CAMA
He shares his name and his flair with his Fijian
legend father. However, Cama’s carving out a
major name for himself in All Black colours.

DJ FORBES
There’s a reason New Zealand start every IRB
Sevens season as favourite for the overall title: it’s
because of quality players like Derek 'DJ' Forbes.

RHYS WEBB
A scrum-half with pace and guile in equal
measure, Webb played a pivotal role in Wales’
shock World Cup Sevens victory in Dubai in
2009.

ISOA DAMU
Fijian-born but playing in England’s colours,
the pride of the British Army is one of the most
dominating forwards in the game today.
GETTY/GALLO IMAGES

BEN GOLLINGS
Described as the 'Sachin Tendulkar of sevens'
during the Delhi Commonwealth Games, you
can expect the England ace to add to his world
record points total.

THE WORLD RECORD NUMBER OF POINTS SCORED

BY ENGLAND’S BEN GOLLINGS

18 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010


7...
Sevens
legends
JONAH LOMU
Long before he ran over Mike Catt, 'The Whale' cut
his teeth on the short game, running in tries and
demolishing opponents while still in his late teens.
ANDY RIPLEY
The lanky number eight played on the wing during
England’s inaugural World Cup Sevens victory in
1973. His death this year was felt by all rugby fans.
ERIC RUSH
He played his 15-a-side rugby on the wing, but the
appropriately named Eric was a key member of the
All Blacks’ sevens’ pack for well over a decade.
DAVID CAMPESE
OK, so he’s utterly unbearable, but the last time
the Wallabies were a real force in rugby sevens
was when Campo was still in the squad.
WAISALE SERVEI
The Fijian wizard guided his team to any number
of titles, including the Sevens World Cup in 2003.
Continued to weave his spell well into his late 30s.
ANDREW HARRIMAN
A Nigerian prince with an Olympic sprinter’s
speed, Harriman carved up the opposition to
see England to unexpected World Cup Sevens
success in 1999.
RUPENI CAUCAUIBUCA
A prop forward with the speed and grace of a
gazelle. The only thing harder than stopping this
Fijian monster is pronouncing his surname.
THE WORLD RECORD
NUMBER OF TRIES SCORED
BY ARGENTINA’S
SANTIAGO GOMEZ CORA
7...
Great
moments
in rugby
sevens
PAIN-ER SCULLY
When diminutive England scrum-half
Dave Scully faced off against Fijian giant
Mesake Rasari, few gave him much
chance of survival. The dump tackle that
followed was voted 'Moment of the
Tournament'.
CYRMU FOR THE CUP
The Celtic nations have had a pretty
rough time on the World Sevens
circuit but at the Dubai World Cup
in 2009, there was no stopping the
indomitable Dragons.
AUSSIE! AUSSIE! AUSSIE!
OH! OH! OH!
The Wallabies arrived at the 1999 World
Cup with a team boasting the mighty
David Campese and Michael Lynagh. And
promptly lost to Tonga!
GLORIOUS MUD
In 1992, the international home of sevens
was turned into a quagmire by torrential
rain. Not that this stopped Fiji running
rings around the red-hot favourites from
New Zealand.
KENYA KICK IT
At the 2009 Adelaide Sevens, Kenya – so
long sevens whipping boys – made it all
the way to the final. The minnows have
since become one of the most dangerous
sides on the circuit.
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
When rugby league team Wigan
were invited to participate in the 1996
Middlesex Sevens, few gave them
a chance of winning. Naturally they
destroyed everything in their path.
WHERE THERE’S A WILL...
England captain Will Carling was all
set to score in the 1990 final of the
Middlesex Sevens when he was picked
up in the in-goal area and dumped into
touch.
DUBAI RUGBY 7S
7...
Essentials for
the sevens
HAT’S MORE LIKE IT
It’s bound to be boiling so cover your head or
else the only thing you’ll have to show for your
day out is a strong dose of sunstroke.
CREAM OF THE CROP
And while you’re about it, take some sun block,
unless you intend to get so red that you’ll have
no choice but to support the Celtic countries.
THE UNSURE THING
Yes, we all want to see our side win, but the nature
of rugby sevens means nothing’s ever certain. Go
hoping for success, not expecting it.
WE HAVEN’T GOT BOOS FOR YOU?
The Sevens is one of the last places where the
Corinthian spirit still thrives, so don’t ruin everything
by heckling the ref/the Welsh/your mates, etc.
UAE FOR ME!
Whoever else you’re backing, be sure to get
behind the boys from the Arabian Gulf. If it
wasn’t for them, the Dubai tournament might
not even exist.
THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK
Don’t worry: the bars won’t run out of beer. Be sure
to pace yourself, otherwise you’ll be toddling home
before the Plate final.
‘THE OLYMPICS OF RUGBY’
That’s how a New Guinea player once described
sevens. Approach the tournament with that
attitude and you’ll have a great day, regardless
who wins.
NUMBER OF TRIES SCORED
BY SAMOA’S MIKAELE
PESAMINO LAST SEASON
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 19
Season open. Game on.
For reservations, please call 04 405 2703.
Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O. Box 75880, Dubai, U.A.E. Only at Shangri-La

Down to
business
England’s head coach
Ben Ryan reveals to
What’s On why his lads are
here for glory, not a party
There will be many bizarre sights to see – by
day and night – when the Emirates Airline
Dubai Rugby Sevens hits town. Some
hilarious, some not. But do not expect any
England player to be involved in the off-the-
pitch fun and frolics.
Ben Ryan, the England head coach, runs
a tight ship with high jinks – especially of
the nocturnal variety – not on his agenda. It
is highly unlikely that the Irish Village will
receive an after-dark visit from any member
of his 12-man squad.
Ryan, 39, is not a killjoy. Far from it. He
appreciates the value of down time during the
frenetic two-day senior tournament and, as a
former player, readily recognises the need for
rest and recuperation.
Yet as sevens rugby has progressed from
merely an ugly sister of the traditional 15-a-
side game to an attractive and full-time sport
in its own right, there is little room for extra-
curricular activities.
“When one player does the wrong thing,
it’s like an advanced rash,” Ryan said. “You
just can’t stop it. There’s no curfews, I’m not
like that, but there are rules and the guys have
got to adhere to them. And they do. They’re a
very good bunch.
“I don’t know, in my playing days, if I
could have been as professional as some of
my 20-year-olds are now. It might be a party
atmosphere in Dubai, but we won’t be there
to party. We’ve got a job to do.
“It’s going to be a dry fortnight for us.
Going out for a few beers just doesn’t feel
right. You can’t go out into the early hours
and expect to perform the next day. It just
doesn’t work like that.”
Even if England should win the event –
the first leg of the 2010/11 HSBC Sevens
World Series for the first time since 2005, the
celebrations will be low-key, too. A sore head
is not the best way to prepare for an early-
morning flight to Cape Town the next day,
en route to the second leg in George, South
Africa.
Still, Ben Gollings, the England captain
and sevens points-scoring legend, and
his colleagues should get some R&R at a
midweek barbecue that is also likely to be
attended by the South Africa team. “It’ll be a
nice social get-together,” Ryan observed. “But
we’ll still knock six bells out of each other
when we get on the pitch!”
An indication of how seriously the Rugby
Football Union in England now treats
sevens can be gauged by it awarding central
contracts to eight players, including Gollings.
It eliminates the club-versus-country
dilemma that Ryan and Mike Friday, his
predecessor, often faced. Ryan now has first
call on his players.
And an indication of Ryan’s passion for the
sport can be gauged by the angst frequently
etched across his face when he conducts his
post-match interviews, especially if England
have performed poorly or have been on the
wrong end of a contentious decision. He lives
every bone-crunching tackle and try-scoring
scamper along the touchline.
Mind you, he did see the funny side
of things when, playing for Cambridge
University in the Varsity match at
Twickenham, he was tackled by a spectator
TEAMS WHO’LL CONTEST
THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT
IN DUBAI
DUBAI RUGBY 7S
dressed as a Viking. “The horn on his helmet
gave me a pretty dead leg!” he said.
And he is quick to accept the eye-catching
sexiness of sevens to the rugby womenfolk
around the world. “Yes, the players are mostly
good-looking lads and all are in good shape,”
Ryan conceded with a chuckle. “And, yes, they
do run around in such tight-fitting kit.”
Ryan’s eyes are on success with England.
To better the disappointing fifth-place
finish in the World Series last season; to get
over the dismay of narrowly losing out on
a bronze medal when finishing fourth in
the Commonwealth Games in Delhi; and
to prepare for the Olympic Games debut of
sevens in London in 2012.
With an essentially young and now settled
squad, victory in Dubai could prove a small
stepping stone. “We were a bit depressed in
Delhi, a bit down,” Ryan revealed. “We all felt
that we wanted to get to Dubai straight away.
We were already salivating about the prospect
of going.
“I do love the place, the whole event. We
get phenomenal support from the huge expat
community, it’s almost like being at home,
and the stadium will be rocking for the big
games. All of that spurs us on. We’ve worked
really hard to get where we are and we’re just
seeing the fruits. We want to win in Dubai,
we want to win the World Series.”
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 21
DUBAI RUGBY 7S
7...
Post-pitch
parties
CHI
Billed as the unofficial sevens after-party, free
buses will travel from The Sevens to vast, multi-
roomed Chi, where resident DJs will be playing
the best of 80s and 90s tunes. Indie, house and
R&B will be pumping out of Chi’s other rooms,
while fancy dress is not only welcome, but
positively encouraged.
If it was a team, it would be: The United
States – Big, brash and ultimately a bit cheesy.
Al Nasr Leisureland, Oud Metha, Dubai.
Tel: (04) 3379470
BARASTI
Rammed with fans sporting rugby jerseys
from across the globe, Barasti is the place to
be seen during the sevens tournament. The
Pacific Island themed bar is right on the beach
at the Le Méridien Mina Seyahi hotel and free
buses will run there from the stadium.
If it was a team, it would be:
Samoa – Polynesian hospitality
by the beach.
Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach
Resort & Marina, Al Sufouh
Road, Dubai Marina, Dubai.
Tel: (04) 3993333
DOUBLE DECKERS
Red phone boxes and coats
of armour adorn the walls of Brit-
themed pub Double Deckers, based in the Al
Murooj Rotana. With cheap drink deals and
great music, Double Deckers is an English
expats home from home and the ideal place
to celebrate, or commiserate, the team’s
performance in this year’s sevens tournament.
If it was a team, it would be: England – A
slice of Blighty in Dubai
Al Murooj Rotana, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai.
Tel: (04) 3211111
ROCK BOTTOM
Not only popular with fans, the Regent’s
Palace hotel, where Rock Bottom is based,
is also a favourite with the big international
teams travelling over to play in the sevens.
With the usual line-up of karaoke and DJs on
Friday, as well as a live band on the Saturday,
playing all your favourite sevens anthems,
Rock Bottom is the perfect party place for after
the rugby action. Just go easy on the bullfrogs.
If it was a team, it would be: Wales – Tonnes
of fun and a song is never too far away
Regent Palace Hotel, Trade Centre Road, Bur
Dubai, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3963888
22 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
AUSSIE LEGENDS
A haven for sport and antipodean spirit, Aussie
Legends is on the ground floor of the Rydges
Plaza hotel and is everything you would
expect from an authentic Australian bar. With a
number of imported lagers and sport playing
on its numerous big screens, Aussie Legends is
great for a post-sevens boogie.
If it was a team, it would be: Australia – Get
your Down Under fix at Aussie Legends.
Rydges Plaza Dubai, Al Diyafah Street, Satwa,
Dubai. Tel: (04) 3982222
NEZESAUSSI
Nezesaussi is a sports fan’s heaven, located
in the Al Manzil hotel in Old Town. Full of TV POINTS ON OFFER TO
screens, rugby memorabilia with a fantastic DUBAI’S WINNING TEAM
range of southern hemisphere inspired food
on its menu, Nezesaussi is a great option to
continue the sevens party, but it is a great
place to start, too. The bar will be laying on IRISH VILLAGE
special breakfasts before the tournament If it wasn’t for the
starts and will offer free buses to the ground. Middle Eastern
If it was a team, it would be: South Africa/ heat, you could be
New Zealand/Australia – A shrine to mistaken for thinking
tri-nations rugby. you were in a corner of
Al Manzil Hotel, Downtown, Dubai. Dublin in this cosy Irish
Tel: (04) 4285888 themed pub and beer
garden. After a frantic day
of rugby action, grab a Guinness,
treat yourself to a hearty bowl of Irish stew
and soak up the craic.
If it was a team, it would be: Ireland – The
closest thing the Emirates has to the Emerald Isle.
Aviation Club, Garhoud, Dubai. Tel: (04) 2824750
Dec 2 to 4, The Sevens, Al Ain Road, Dubai
Thurs free, Fri Dhs170, Sat Dhs230, season
ticket Dhs300. www.dubairugby7s.com
CAREER POINTS SCORED BY FIJIAN SEVENS
LEGEND WAISALE SEREVI
 Oh we do
like to be by the
seaside, at a swim-up
bar and snoozing under
a palm tree. Slap on the
factor 15, here’s our pick
of the best beach
clubs the UAE has
to offer
DUBAI’S BEST BEACH CLUBS
Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort
WHERE?
LE MÉRIDIEN MINA
SEYAHI BEACH
RESORT
Feel like you’re on holiday in the heart of the
city with a day at one of Dubai’s best-loved
shore-side hotels. Home to Barasti, the city’s
largest private beach, five outdoor pools, 14
restaurants, massive grounds and a huge range
of water sports, this is an obvious pick for wiling
away a day catching rays.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
In addition to the beach and pools, you’re
guaranteed a sunbed, umbrella and towels.
Children can get involved in the Penguin Club
where they can try snorkelling, soft play, jewellery
making and movies. Meanwhile, adults can hit the
beach for activities including kayaking (Dhs40 for
30 minutes), waterskiing (Dhs150 for 15 minutes)
and lasers (Dhs140 for an hour).
HOW MUCH?
Dhs175 or Dhs100 for children on weekdays,
and Dhs250 or Dhs150 for children at
weekends. Under-fours are free.
DETAILS
Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort, Dubai Marina,
Dubai. Tel: (04) 3993333. www.starwoodhotels.com
26 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
WHERE?
LE ROYAL MÉRIDIEN
BEACH RESORT & SPA
Maya, the upmarket Mexican restaurant
at this beachfront beauty, has topped our
brunch Hot List and now the weather is
cooler we think it’s time to rediscover its
charms.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
On Fridays from 10am to 6pm you’ll get
access to three swimming pools and the
beach, then enjoy lunch from Maya on the
terrace from 1pm to 4pm, while a live DJ
and Mariachi band provides the soundtrack.
There’s 30 per cent discount on drinks, too.
HOW MUCH?
Dhs300 for the day, including lunch.
DETAILS
Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai
Marina, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3165550
The Cove Rotana

WHERE?
THE COVE ROTANA,
RAS AL KHAIMAH
It’s a village-style resort built into a
hillside overlooking the sea, with villa
accommodation boasting private pools. It’s
well worth a stay, but it’s only an hour’s drive
from Dubai and offers a quiet day in the sun
if that’s all you’re after.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
There are two packages. The Beach Day
pass gets you access to the 600m beach and
two infinity pools, a voucher (for Dhs50 at
weekends or Dhs30 on weekdays) to spend
on massage treatments or food and drink at
the resort. The other option is the Swim &
Dine offer, which includes a huge lunch buffet
at international restaurant Cinnamon, then
all-day use of the pools and beach. Towels are
included, but you’ll have to get there early
for sunbeds and umbrellas. Watersports are
available at extra cost and there are a number
of dining options from beach bars to Basilico,
a rather smart Italian with a lovely terrace.
HOW MUCH?
Beach Day pass is Dhs150 at weekends or
Dhs100 during the week, while Swim &
Dine costs Dhs220 at weekends, Dhs175 on
weekdays and Dhs100 for under-12s.
DETAILS
The Cove Rotana, Ras Al Khaimah.
Tel: (07) 2066000. www.rotana.com
Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort
DUBAI’S BEST BEACH CLUBS
WHERE?
JEBEL ALI GOLF
RESORT & SPA
This grassy spot is a long-time expat
favourite, but a recent renovation means it’s
pulling in new additions, too. Truly family-
friendly, it’s 15 minutes from Dubai Marina
and a world away from the skyscraper scene.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Your day pass gets you access to the gardens,
800m of private beach, three pools and 15
restaurants. You’ll get towels, sunbeds and
umbrellas for lounging, plus water polo,
beach volleyball and football if you’re feeling
a bit active. Children are the real winners here
though, with three to 12 year olds getting
access to the supervised CoolZone which
offers free activities from face painting to fish
feeding for younger ones to PS3 challenges
and water sports for over-sixes.
HOW MUCH?
Weekdays cost Dhs180 per person, weekends
Dhs220 and you can pay Dhs300 for access
plus a barbecue lunch.
DETAILS
Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa, Dubai.
Tel: (04) 8145555. www.jebelali-international.com
WHERE?
LE MÉRIDIEN AL
AQAH BEACH RESORT,
FUJAIRAH
A must-do mini-break, this hotel’s pool is either
a tranquil retreat or party zone, depending on
the day. Live music, giant frozen cocktails, a
swim-up bar, day trips and cracking poolside
cuisine create a daylong staycation to remember.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
The hotel’s Day Out package gives you access
to the huge pool and lengthy beach, plus
loungers and towels. On Fridays you’ll also
get a buffet lunch. Adults can get involved in
free activities including water volleyball, beach
volleyball, and aqua aerobics, while children
are welcome at the Penguin Club, where they
can try pizza making, T-shirt painting and
visit the mini zoo to see the rabbits. Water
sports are also available at additional costs,
with a full-day Discover Scuba course priced at
Dhs550, boat trips to Musandam for Dhs300
and snorkelling session for Dhs150.
HOW MUCH?
Dhs100 on weekdays and Dhs50 for children
aged six to 12. Under sixes get free pool and
beach access but will be charged Dhs50 for the
Penguin Club. On Fridays you can pay Dhs199 for
pool access and buffet lunch. Bargain.
DETAILS:
Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach
Resort, Fujairah. Tel: (09) 2449000.
www.starwoodhotels.com
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 27
DUBAI’S BEST BEACH CLUBS
Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa
One&Only Royal Mirage
28 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
WHERE?
HABTOOR GRAND
RESORT & SPA
At the heart of Dubai Marina, the five-star
Habtoor Grand has had a resurgence of late,
with the Horizon pool bar attracting low-key
revellers and party people packing out the
Friday brunch at The Grand Grill. It’s in
the perfect spot for a day of lazing, a quick
change then hitting up some nearby bars with
your new suntan.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
You’ll get access to the large private beach,
two pools and landscaped gardens, plus
towels, sun loungers and umbrellas. Activities
such as beach volleyball and football kick-off
during cooler afternoons, and there’s also
water sports available at extra cost, including
20 minutes of waterskiing for Dhs200,
parasailing for Dhs250 and an hour of
kayaking for Dhs50.
HOW MUCH?
Weekends (Thursday to Saturday) and
public holidays cost Dhs175 and Dhs125 for
children, or Dhs150 and Dhs100 for children
during the week.
DETAILS
Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa, Dubai Marina,
Dubai. Tel: (04) 3995000.
www. grandjumeirah.habtoorhotels.com
WHERE?
ONE&ONLY ROYAL
MIRAGE
Surely one of the most stunning hotels in
Dubai, the One&Only is an Arabian style
tribute to luxury. Designed for the winter
months, many of it restaurants come to life
when the cooler weather starts, with Beach
Bar & Grill and Eauzone becoming hot
property. For a taste of the good life, pay for
a day pass and pull up a lounger. They even
clean your sunglasses, for Pete’s sake.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
You’ll get access to the pool and beach
facilities at both The Palace and Arabian
Court from 6.30am to 7pm, sunbeds,
showers, towels and water. Children can enjoy
the playgrounds, while the grown-ups can
turn their hand to snorkelling, sailing and
more at the boathouse at additional cost.
HOW MUCH?
It’s not cheap at Dhs250 per person when
you book ahead, or Dhs300 for walk-in
guests. Children between three and 11 years
of age are charged at Dhs175, with under-
threes free.
DETAILS
One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai Marina,
Dubai. Tel: (04) 3999999.
www.royalmirage.oneandonlyresorts.com

WHERE? WHERE?
SHERATON JUMEIRAH HILTON DUBAI
BEACH RESORT JUMEIRAH
Situated at the end of The Walk at JBR,
the Sheraton is a little more peaceful than
other beachside offerings. Boasting a wide,
palm-lined beach, lush gardens and plenty of
activities, this is a family-friendly choice for a
day in the sun.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Children are well catered for, with story
telling, Wii, arts, crafts and movies all
going on. Outside, you’ll be able to use the
pools and beach, with sun loungers and
towels thrown in. The weekly entertainment
schedule offers a swimming clinic, water
sports and sand castle building so call ahead
to see what’s happening.
HOW MUCH?
It’s a mere Dhs100 during the week, or
Dhs60 for those aged between five and
16. Come the weekend, it will set you back
Dhs180 or Dhs100 for children.
DETAILS
Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort, Dubai
Marina, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3995533.
www.starwoodhotels.com
Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort
Wavebreaker’s is a What’s On favourite for
a sandwich in the sun, or beer on the deck
while watching the sunset. The only place at
the Hilton we love more is the swim-up bar,
cocktail in hand. Oh happy days.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
That swim-up bar is all yours as part of
the pool pass. You’ll also be able to use the
gardens, private beach, get towels, loungers
and umbrellas and have access to the hotel’s
many restaurants. There’s even a golf buggy
that delivers cold drinks, ice creams and
shisha up and down the beach. Very civilised
indeed. If you’re in the mood for action then
a range of water sports are available at an
additional cost.
HOW MUCH?
Thursday to Saturday a pass will set you
back Dhs250, or Dhs180 from Sunday
to Wednesday. Access for children costs
Dhs95 throughout the week.
DETAILS
Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, Dubai.
Tel: (04) 3991111. www.hilton.com
DUBAI’S BEST BEACH CLUBS
HATTA
(CHLORINATED)
POOLS
Hatta Fort Hotel might not have a beach,
but the stunning views of the mountains
and a bargain pool day deal might steal
you away from the sands. From Saturday
to Thursday, pool access costs Dhs50 (or
Dhs30 for children), while the weekends
will set you back Dhs90 and Dhs50
for junior sun seekers. Included in the
price are umbrellas, lockers, changing
room access, cold towels, fruit, children’s
games and use of the two temperature
controlled pools from 9am to 6pm.
Hatta Fort Hotel, Hatta. Tel: (04) 8099333.
www.jebelali-international.com
Hilton Dubai Jumeirah
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 29
DUBAI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP & RACE TO DUBAI

3'$
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The nail biting climax of
European golf’s big cash
tournament The Race To
Dubai goes down right here
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Newly crowned Ryder Cup heroes, fresh from
their victory in Wales, together with the other
60 best golfers on the European Tour will
return to Dubai’s Jumeirah Golf Estates this
month to compete for a staggering $15 million
in the second instalment of the new Order of
Merit Finale. Last year, current World Number
Two Lee Westwood produced a majestic four
rounds of golf on Greg Norman’s purpose-built
Earth course to fend off the challenge from
plucky young Irishman Rory McIlroy and
win both the inaugural Race To Dubai and
the Championship, but this year it is German
superstar Martin Kaymer in the driving seat.
It has been a truly sensational 12 months
for European golf. After clinging desperately
for so long to the coat tails of the US PGA
juggernaut, the Tour now boasts the victorious
Ryder Cup team, three out of four of this
year’s major champions – Martin Kaymer, 3'$
$-3$13 (-,$-3 A good week here could literally transform
Graeme McDowell and affable South African The Dubai World Championship surprised a golfer’s career. And with so many great
Louis Oosthuizen – and Lee Westwood, the everyone last year. So often these finales fail players near the top of the standings, a tense
new World Number One in waiting. Even if to match the hype, and the initial omens finish is almost guaranteed.
the Race to Dubai has apparently failed in its weren’t promising. Badly affected by the
bid to attract major US stars to take up a joint global economic meltdown, the unfinished (3¨2
%1$$
membership of both tours, there can be no residential development surrounding the Those humanitarian folk at Jumeirah Golf
doubt that the new format has helped revitalise course drew heavy criticism from the UK Estates and DP World are offering free entry
a circuit that now visits 26 countries. press, but Jumeirah Golf Estates ultimately to spectators for the second year running,
staged a superb tournament with a ensuring big crowds and a great atmosphere.
6'8
&. compelling plot and a great champion in Lee
Westwood. The novel viewing stations on the 3'$
".412$
3'$
++23 1
" 23 course (including the Left Bank bar on the Greg Norman’s Earth course received
For the chance to see a golden generation of 17th hole) and lively entertainment in the mixed reviews from the players last year
European golfers who have the potential to village capped a memorable debut but there is no denying the heavily hyped
break all manner of records for the continent. final four holes provided a worthy stage for
Nick Faldo and his six major championships 3'$
#1 , the thrilling finish. Rory McIlroy will not
remains the benchmark, but there are several Because this is the climax to the entire have fond memories of the treacherous par
young players – not least Kaymer and the season, there is so much more to play for 4 16th, while almost everybody struggled
precociously talented Rory McIlroy – who have than if it were a regular tournament. As well with the long, difficult 18th closer. It will be
the potential to eclipse the English legend. With as the tournament purse of $7.5 million, interesting to see if the Tour moves the tee
both players focusing increasingly on the big there is a further $7.5 million in bonus cash forward on this monster to present the big
tournaments in America, our advice is to make for those who manage to secure a top 15 hitters with the temptation of going for the
the most of them. spot in the final Race to Dubai standings. creek-guarded green in two.

30 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010





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Having bagged his first
major title at the US PGA
Championship in August,
Kaymer has started to
win with, well, Germanic
efficiency. The first player
since Tiger Woods to win
three tournaments in a
row is in the form of his
life and hot favourite to
land the Race to Dubai.
6$236..#
Worksop’s finest should
arrive in Dubai as the
new World Number One,
injury and the on form
German Martin Kaymer
permitting. It’s been an
incredible year for the
world’s most consistent
player – all that is missing
for Westwood is that
elusive major trophy.
,"(+1.8
There must be a lot
of pressure on Rory’s
shoulders, but the
tousle-haired youngster
with a lolloping gait
makes the game look
infuriatingly easy at times.
You will not see a more
natural swinger of the
club, and it’s incredible to
think he’s still only 21.
/.4+3$1
Flamboyant, fiery and
always fashionable,
2010 was the year the
Englishman’s golf finally
began to shout louder
than his outfits. A win at
the Accenture Match Play
in February and another
barnstorming Ryder Cup
performance have left
Poulter in rude health.
,"#.6$++
McDowell won the US
Open at Pebble Beach
in June, but likened that
challenge to a friendly
round with his dad
when compared to the
cauldron of noise he
faced on the 16th green
at last month’s Ryder Cup.
where he proved he is
one for the big occasion.

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 31

 DUBAI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP & RACE TO DUBAI

++
' (+
*(-&
+.4(2
Open champion senstion
Louis Oosthuizen

As Louis Oosthuizen poses for a photograph,

gently cradling the much-coveted Claret Jug
that he won at the Open golf championship
at St Andrews in Scotland in July, the
backdrop is utterly breathtaking.
From the 41st floor of HSBC’s global
headquarters at Canary Wharf, there is
a stunning view of Central London and
its many landmarks, not least the strange
twizzle-shaped tower, ‘The Gherkin’.
It is a spectacular skyline not dissimilar
to that of Dubai, though on a smaller
scale, and, for Oosthuizen, the diminutive
and softly spoken South African, a
reminder of one his favourite European
Tour destinations.
When the Dubai World Championship
tees off at Jumeirah Golf Estates this
month, Oosthuizen will be in his element.
“Yeah, I love Dubai,” he said, with that
familiar and endearing gap-toothed smile.
“And I just love that Abu Dhabi-Qatar-
Dubai stretch of tournaments. I always
seem to do well on it. Two years ago, I
finished second in Abu Dhabi, second in
Qatar and, when Rory McIlroy won in
Dubai, I finished seventh. a bit too far behind as well.” WGC-HSBC Champions tournament
“It’s always a nice stretch to get to because That Oosthuizen has fallen off the pace in Shanghai, China, this month and is
we play quite a bit of golf in South Africa in since his startling seven-stroke win in the also joining the lucrative PGA Tour in
December and then I’m going to head over Open, his first Major success, is in no small the United States, adding to his hectic
to Hawaii for two tournaments there. So I part due to an injured left ankle, which he schedule on the European Tour. It is
think I’ll be quite nicely played in by then.” sprained when on an hunting expedition in another life-changing move for the
Next season, in January and February, the South Africa. Displaying rather less accuracy amicable “farm boy” from Mossel Bay on
Gulf schedule also includes a tournament in than he did at St Andrews, he came a cropper the Western Cape.
Bahrain. This season, though, 28-year-old while chasing kudu and oryx. “As Open champion, there’s a lot of
Oosthuizen believes that the climax to the “I took a bad shot at an oryx and had to get new responsibilities,” he said. “And all of
Race To Dubai campaign at Jumeirah could off the truck to go after it,” he recalled. “I saw a sudden, in the little town where I live,
prove a damp squib. it but I didn’t have a shot so I ran around the everyone knows who you are. You can’t go
Martin Kaymer, the in-form German, bush then stepped in a pot-hole. Man down! anywhere some days. But I’m sure that, in
holds a substantial lead over the chasing “I strapped up the ankle and it was fine. a year or so, it’ll all die down. It’s not a bad
pack and might prove impossible to peg I didn’t feel anything. But when I took thing, it’s just a case of getting used to it.”
back. “The way Martin is playing, it’s everything off two days later, I could see it
such a big gap to get to him,” Oosthuizen, was more swollen than I thought. It’s been a
Nov 19 to 22, Jumeirah Golf Estates,
who lay in sixth place in the rankings in slow recovery, it’s been very frustrating, but Dubai, free online registration. www.
early October, conceded. “It’s going to be I’m getting there.”
GETTY IMAGE

dubaiworldchampionship.com
difficult for anyone to catch him. I feel I’m Oosthuizen is due to return in the

32 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010

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The pit stop
parties
There’s more to F1 than
cars. As the capital’s motor
sports bonanza returns, so
does the series of gigs and
concerts that is Yasalam

An intimate
evening
with…
For anybody who noticed a testosterone-
heavy slant to Yasalam’s flagship gigs (Prince,
Kanye West and Linkin Park), feminine help
is at hand over the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
weekend thanks to an intimate three-night
stand at The Yas Hotel.
The soulful tones of Gabrielle (November
12) kick things off, a genuine popstar in her
native UK during the 1990s after debut single
Dreams hit number one. Recent years haven’t
treated her so kindly, though a new studio
album is reportedly underway.
Sugababes (November 13) are
unrecognisable from the fresh-faced teen girls
that in 2000 embarked on the most successful
career of any 21st century female act thus far.
It’s more than simply growing up, however:
all the original members have since quit.
After parting ways with rapper Jay-Z’s Roc
Nation label in March, the new-look trio are
working on their next LP.
Corinne Bailey Rae (November 14) has
courageously risen from the ashes this year,
meanwhile, tackling her husband’s death with
sophomore album The Sea. Though failing
to replicate her multi-million-selling debut
record’s success, it did win favour with critics,
picking up a Mercury Prize nomination and
countless plaudits en route.
Nov 12 to 14, Longitude Bar, The Yas Hotel, Yas
Island, Abu Dhabi, Dhs800. www.theyashotel.com

34 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010

 Motormouth self-promoter and, since
July, Twitter fiend extraordinaire,
Kanye West’s egotistical-slash-
strangely self-aware opinions
have pebbledashed the media as
anticipation builds for new album
Fantasy
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
These are just an edited handful of his
best/worst/bizarre/banal quotes and
tweets from recent weeks…

On himself
“I’ve learnt to accept what God
has given me, without covering
it up with ego.”

On personal hygiene
“At the crib I use really nice napkins
instead of paper towels. Got the
idea from the YSL bathroom.

Kanye West Waaaaay nicer.”

On music
“Sometimes I think in the back of
Date: November 12 my mind (I know that’s redundant)
In terms of building anticipation for album
releases, few artists can compete with
“Man, ninjas are I wonder what Thom Yorke’s doing
right now?”
Chicago’s crown prince of collegiate hip hop,
Kanye West. The run-up to latest opus My
kind of cool. On women
Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has swiftly
become a drama of ludicrous scale acted out
I just don’t know “Please don’t let girls start wearing
dark lipstick again. I just think girls
to the amusement/entrancement of the entire
world wide web. First, a bizarre episode where
any personally” need to know that guys don’t really like
black lipstick.”
West earned international column inches
after making Steven Holmes, an entirely – Kanye West On technology
unknown man from nondescript English city “For a year and two days now I
Coventry, the only person he ‘followed’ on haven’t had a cell phone to get
Twitter. At time of going to press, West has away from the commercial and
just posted a supposedly banned version of pop worlds.”
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’s ’s cover art,
a crude painting of two naked monsters that, On women and
frankly, deserves censoring for artlessness technology
over any obscenity. Such online tomfoolery, “Why is [it] so sexy to me when I see
alongside various controversial incidents, [a] girl pull an iPad out her purse?”
have threatened to overshadow the fact that
West’s music alone is more than worthy of On, um, well…
worldwide attention. Consistently evolving “If baroque and mod had a car crash
over four studio albums to date, 2008 what would that ambulance look
departure 808s & Heartbreak was perhaps his like?”
most notable sharp career turn, majoring on
Auto-Tune voice effects and often swapping “Man, ninjas are kind of cool. I just
rapping for singing. Headline-making antics don’t know any personally.”
continue to keep Kanye West in the limelight,
but with a genuinely great back catalogue
to call upon, he continues to execute a rare
balance between pleasing the masses and his
GETTY IMAGES

own disparate whims.

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 35

 YASALAM
Linkin Park
Date: November 13
Ubiquitous on the post-millennium metal
scene, it’s difficult to construct a concrete
argument against any band – like Linkin
Park – who have sold more than 50 million
albums. Hybrid Theory was the record
that catapulted the Californians to global
dominance in 2000, a polished alloy of blunt
nu-metal bluster, angst-riddled anger and
stadium rock magnitude that ticked all the
right boxes for a generation of rebellious
teenagers. Led by dual mouthpieces Chester
Bennington and Mike Shinoda, the sextet
have, to their credit, attempted to refine
that template over three studio albums that
have followed, toning down rap influences
while pushing a sound nearer to American
alternative rock. This year’s A Thousand
Suns – based around themes involving
atomic warfare – even drew comparisons to
vanguards of intelligent rock music such as
Muse and Radiohead. One facet didn’t alter,
though: continuing to shift units against the
tide of recession and falling record sales, A
Thousand Suns shipped 241,000 copies in
the US during its first week on the way to
topping the Billboard charts. Mere days before
their Yasalam appearance, the inaugural
International Linkin Park Underground
Summit takes place in London, a mark of the
GRAPHEAST
cult of fan devotion that surrounds the band.
36 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
Prince
Date: November 14
Given the name that his parents bestowed on
him, Prince Rogers Nelson was never likely to
work in an office. Stardom was the only real
option, a route the pocket-sized Minnesota funk-
rock legend has traversed with hitherto unrivalled
flair across his celebrated 30-year career.
Operating for almost all of that time outside the
constraints of trends or fads, briefly surmising the
52-year-old’s highs and lows is almost impossible.
Suffice to say, however, that most followers won’t
be hanging out for selections from latter-day
albums such as this year’s newspaper/magazine
covermount freebie 20Ten. The countless classic
cuts from his impressive repertoire chiefly hail
from earlier years; indeed, many would argue
he has never bettered much-heralded 1980s LPs
1999 and Purple Rain. Notching total record
sales into a remarkable nine figures, it’s probably
only a seeming willingness to out-weird himself
that has prevented Prince from doubling or even
tripling that figure. But whether as Prince or an
unpronounceable squiggle that led flummoxed
onlookers to label him The Artist Formerly
Known As Prince, he has always known how
to pull off live shows equal parts brilliant
showmanship, eccentric imagery and
timeless songs.
Even by eccentric popstar standards, the Prince threw a hissy fit earlier this year,
man born Prince Rogers Nelson’s career killing his website and declaring the
has been defined by especially weird, information superhighway an outmoded
wonderful and often contrary watermark dirt track. At last check, the Internet was
moments. Here are the top five… struggling on regardless.
1 Changing
a symbol
his name to
4 Covering Radiohead
Typographers globally endured mild
Not crazy itself, but the diminutive star
was made to look smaller than usual after
panic in 1993 when Prince switched to demanding the removal of YouTube footage
an unpronounceable squiggle vaguely showing his live take on Creep. Thom Yorke
resembling a hummingbird’s tongue and co overruled him. Ouch.
licking juxtaposed male and female gender
symbols. A sly marketing ploy, mind.
5 Refusing to play
1999 ever again
2 Giving away albums
Prince has twice handed out
latter-day studio albums as national
After wheeling out signature tune 1999
during a Millennium Eve concert, Prince
vowed to consign it in the 20th Century. The
newspaper/magazine covermounts, song proved bigger than the man by 2007,
notably in the UK, with supposed though, reinstating it to his set.
subversive intent. The subtext? Either
flagging sales or a genius tax write-off.
3 Claiming the internet
was ‘over’ November 12 to 14
, Yas Arena, Yas
ab i, ad mission free with
A prior pioneer of online releases, Island, Abu Dh
www.yasalam.ae
F1 race tickets only.
On the Corniche
When Formula One motor racing arrived
in Abu Dhabi for the first time last year,
the UAE’s long-running spirit of going one
bigger, better and more glamorous took
over. The associated Yasalam festivities
went way beyond the planet’s premier
motor sport championship and its legions
of devoted petrol-heads its triumphant
inaugural run attended by almost half a
million people. It was a no brainer, then,
that Yasalam would return for 2010,
building up to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
feature race itself on November 14.
This year Yasalam is based around 2009’s
three most successful elements: Live On
Abu Dhabi Corniche, Live Across The
City and after-race concert series Live
On Yas Island. With the former two
programmes completely free to the public,
Yasalam again provides a citywide month
of cultural breadth surrounding what
would alone represent one of the largest
extravaganzas on the region’s calendar.
And the line-up is deservingly stupendous
38 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
for an event resplendent in a name that
translates to ‘wow’, boasting something for
revellers of all ages.
Live On Abu Dhabi Corniche’s chief
attraction comes as worldwide music
luminaries light up Beats On The Beach
at Al Sahil Beach (November 10 to 13).
Multi-million-selling dancehall king Sean
Paul raps up the opening night’s pinnacle,
followed 48 hours later by evergreen
English pop beauty Sophie Ellis-Bextor,
smooth New York rapper Fabolous
and Lebanese idol Nancy Ajram. The
contrasting talents of enigmatic R&B star
Kelis and Lebanese Dabke vocalist Fares
Karam close the final evening. In slightly
more sedate scenes, the F1 FanZone is
open to November 14 with all manner of
motor sport-related attractions, driver
signings, F1 race screenings, plus extreme
sports demonstrations, while Grand
Prix images are on display at Abu Dhabi
Galleria (to November 14). Beach cinema
screenings run to November 2, with South
American-themed activities running over
the weekend of the season’s penultimate F1
race, the Brazilian Grand Prix (November
5 to 7).
Live Across The City, meanwhile,
continues with an illustrious exhibition
of F1 imagery in The Art Of Racing
(until November 14), complemented
by work from local schoolchildren, and
an interactive F1 media zone (until
November 14). Between all that, students
and professionals alike compete in pedal
car modification contest Corniche Beach
Customs on November 7.
And the Yas Island fun isn’t entirely
exclusive to those with race-day tickets
(which gain access to concerts from
American megastar triumvirate Kanye
West, Linkin Park and Prince, November
12 to 14). There are post-gig after-parties,
which will be open to all planned, too.
www.yasalam.ae
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ABU DHABI Tel: 02 6745000 AL AIN Tel: 03 7541150 DUBAI: Deira City Center Tel: 04 2953780
Radisson SAS Tel: 04 2229687, Dubai Mall Tel: 04 3399330, Emirates Mall Tel: 04 3412424
 curries
What’s On and Dubai 92 joined
forces to find Dubai’s best curry. And
here they are, all 30 of them – from
pavement cafés to celeb chefs, we
scoured the city and scorched our
taste buds in the name of research.
Here come the spice sweats…
1 3
TAWA MURGH RAYAN
CHUTNEY’S
9.5/10
This curry of tender chicken leg GARETH’S
in a tomato and onion gravy PICK
with black pepper and coriander
is cooked on a traditional iron griddle. Rich,
complex and delicious, there wasn’t a trace of
the sauce left after the testers mopped it up
with paratha. Book a table now.
Chutney’s, Mövenpick, Bur Dubai, Dhs56.
Tel: (04) 3104340
2
CHICKEN JALFREZI
BRICK LANE
9/10 EDITOR’S
PICK
Aimed unashamedly at the Brit
curry-loving market, Brick Lane’s chicken
jalfrezi packs the right blend of tomatoes and
spices to keep Anglophiles and more happy.
We expected a lot, and they delivered, from the
first bite of the chunky chicken pieces, to the
last bit of spicy sauce. Outstanding.
Brick Lane, Barsha, Dubai, Dhs30. Tel: (04)
3996786. www.bricklanedubai.com
40 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
CHICKEN TIKKA MAKHANI
MASALA
9/10
Creamy, garlicky and delicately
HELEN’S
spiced, this melt in the mouth PICK
chicken dish has the subtle smoky
flavours of the tandoor oven. Served
in a small copper pot, it is comfort food at its
subcontinental best.
Masala, Jumeirah Bab al Shams, Dubai, Dhs62.
Tel: (04) 8096100
4
SHAAM SAVERA
5
CB & GB’S
OPTIONS PICK
9/10 PRAWNS MASALA
Don’t be fooled by the appearance of this dish INDEGO BY VINEET
– what looks like limes floating in tomato soup 9/10
is actually a veggie dish delicious enough to Not the cheapest curry in town by any
tempt even the most dedicated carnivore, stretch of the imagination, but everything
with spinach kofta stuffed with malai paneer on Bhatia's menu is sublime. Plump prawns
cheese in a honey and tomato gravy. Not poached lightly in sweet coconut milk
too spicy, a decent portion size and a sauce enlivened by a deft chilli spice. Splash out
perfect for dipping, we’ll be trying this again. on this gem.
Options by Sanjeev Kapoor, Dubai World Trade Indego by Vineet, Grosvenor House, Dubai
Centre, Dubai, Dhs50. Tel: (04) 3293293 Marina, Dubai, Dhs190. Tel: (04) 3176000

6 14
RESHMI KADAI
CAESARS
8.5/10
Generous pieces of chicken lurk in a creamy
sauce, flecked with herbs and full of taste.
We didn’t expect such a strong contender
from Caesars (the name fooled us, you see)
but the Reshmi Kadai cleverly achieves the
balance between mild and invigorating.
Caesars came, saw and conquered.
Caesars, Garhoud Bridge Road, Garhoud,
Dubai, Dhs38. Tel: (04) 2821960
7 10
MURGH MAKHANI
AMAL/ARMANI
8.5/10
High-end Indian from an Italian hotel?
Apparently so. Amal’s chicken tikka dish
blends spices, cream, yoghurt, tomato and
dried fenugreek leaves to create a smoky
classic. It’s expensive, but the restaurant is
something of a stunner, which certainly helps.
Amal/Armani, Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa,
Dubai, Dhs120. Tel: (04) 8883888
8
BEGUM BAHAR
ANTIQUES BAZAAR
8/10
Hidden away in Bur Dubai's Four Points
Sheraton, this veritable treasure trove of North
Indian cuisine has buckets of charm, paired
with authentic, often eclectic, singing and
dancing. The chef's special chicken Begum
Bahar is somehow at once rich, creamy and
spicy with every fork full. It's flavour at its
finest, served with cumin rice and a fluffy,
buttery garlic naan on the side.
Antiques Bazaar, Four Points by Sheraton, Bur
Dubai, Dubai, Dhs55. Tel: (04) 3977444
9
PRAWN MASALA
IZ
8/10
A rich, verdant green, coconut-infused sauce this no-frills combination of
conceals a generous helping of succulent
prawns in this delectable curry. Cooked
in front of your eyes while you perch,
salivating at the casual bar dining set up, the melange of meat and vegetation you'll be
tantalising wait is worth it when you get a
fresh roti dipped in.
iZ, Grand Hyatt, Dubai, Dhs70. Tel: (04) 3171234 Dhs15. Tel: (04) 3315353
ISTOCK
Goa Prawn Curry – Masala Craft
Nalli Patialla – The Bombay
NALLI PATIALA
THE BOMBAY
7.5/10
Oft heralded as one of Dubai’s finest curry
houses, The Bombay’s lamb shanks certainly
do their bit to continue its good name.
Cooked in a rich medium spicy gravy, the
good quality meat is tender and boast just
enough of the chef’s special home ground
masala. A sophisticated curry at a good
price indeed.
The Bombay, Marco Polo Hotel, Deira, Dubai,
Dhs46. Tel: (04) 2720000
11
BHINDI MASALA
ATRIUM
7.5/10
A veggie twist on butter chicken, this curry
has a similar sauce mixed with ladies fingers,
annatto seeds, tomato, black pepper and
cashew nuts, resulting in a new favourite at
the What’s On camp.
Atrium, Grand Millennium, TECOM, Dubai,
Dhs50. Tel: (04) 4299999
12
MUTTON PALAK
RAVI’S
7.5/10
BEST
For when you can’t decide BARGAIN
between meat and veg,
falling-off-the-bone mutton and swampy
spinach-strewn curry sauce is the perfect
compromise. A more rustic and traditional
hard pushed to find this side of Peshawar.
Ravi’s, Satwa Roundabout, Satwa, Dubai,
13
GOA PRAWN CURRY
MASALA CRAFT
7/10
A truly authentic Goan curry packed with
plump prawns. The sauce might seem a
bit flimsy for many, but it does well to play
second fiddle to the fresh seafood and is
perfect for drenching steamed rice with
subtle flavour.
Masala Craft, Aviation Club, Garhoud, Dubai,
Dhs65. Tel: (04) 2829626
30 CURRIES: TESTED
MUTTON ROGAN JOSH
INDIA PALACE
7/10
The dark gravy and beautifully cooked lamb
of this traditional dish is enough to either
put hairs on your chest, or sort out your
sinuses. It’s not a light choice, but instead
packs a punch with fragrant spices and rich
flavours. A hearty dish.
India Palace, Garhoud Bridge Road, Garhoud,
Dubai, Dhs35. Tel: (04) 2869600
15
MUTTON ISHTEW
ASHIANA
7/10
This lamb stew in a spicy tomato, onion,
cinnamon and mace flavoured sauce is
extremely flavourful, with the right amount
of spice, resulting in a 'light' but well-
balanced dish. A perfect complement to
saffron rice.
Ashiana, Sheraton Dubai Creek, Deira, Dubai,
Dhs84. Tel: (04) 2281111
16
BUTTER CHICKEN
THE RUPEE ROOM
7/10
Our old pal, the butter chicken, made an
appearance at The Rupee Room, flanked
by a naan bread the size of a double duvet.
While the curry itself wasn’t exactly bursting
with taste, the kurmi naan (topped with
fresh tomato sauce, spices and cheese) was
strong enough to improve the overall meal.
Good teamwork.
The Rupee Room, Marina Walk, Dubai Marina,
Dubai, Dhs58. Tel: (04) 3905755
17
DHANIYA MURG
ASHA’S
7/10
If we were giving points purely on
presentation, Asha’s offering would be a
bit further up. A really lovely looking plate
of food, this chicken curry is cooked with
coriander seed and cashew nut gravy. The
level and complexity of spice was good, but
the sauce could have been a bit richer.
Asha’s, Wafi, Oud Metha, Dubai, Dhs69.
Tel: (04) 3244100
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 41
30 CURRIES: TESTED
18
LAL MAANS
MANVAAR
7/10
If you’re a sensitive type, this hot and heavy
lamb dish may prove just a little bit too much.
A fiery stew of tender lamb on the bone filled
with Rajasthan chillis and a generous helping
of spices, it packs a serious punch. But if you
can get past the heat, the smoky taste may
just win you over.
Manvaar, Karama, Dubai, Dhs30. Tel: (04) 3368332
19
LAMB PASSANDA
BRITISH TANDOOR
7/10
Priding itself on serving British style Indian
cuisine, we were expecting a lurid dish the
colour of traffic cones. However, this mild
curry of tender lamb, creamy yoghurt sauce,
almonds and gentle spices gave more of
a nod to the subcontinent than expected.
It’s the kind of curry your mum would like.
British Tandoor, Interchange One, Sheikh
Zayed Road, Dubai, Dhs50. Tel: (04) 3211778
20
GOSHT ROGAN JOSH
KEBAB KORNER
7/10
We considered deducting points for
spelling 'corner' with a K, but a taste of their
traditional Kashmiri dish convinced us to
play nice. Complex and fragrant, it’s a meaty
feast with chunks of lamb in a dark, gingery
sauce that made us want to have a satisfied
nap afterwards.
Kebab Korner, Highland City Hotel, Bur Dubai,
Dubai, Dhs60. Tel: (04) 3938538
21
ROGAN JOSH
ZAFRAN
7/10
One of Dubai’s newer Indian additions, this
Mirdif City Centre hot house serves up a
rogan josh in the form of a hulking Australian
lamb shank. Slow-cooked in stock, with gravy
to pour over and a variation of guacamole on
the side, it was unlike any other curry we’ve
had. Not one for traditionalists, but very
enjoyable all the same.
Zafran, Mirdif City Centre, Mirdif, Dubai, Dhs48.
Tel: (04) 2840987
Rogan Josh – Zafran
42 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
Laal Mass – Claypot
22
LAAL MASS
CLAYPOT
6.5/10
A lamb curry that is high on spices and taste,
but low on chunks of actual meat. The lamb
in question is pretty much left on the bone –
which while delicious to taste, does require a
lot of chewing and grinding to get at it. All the
hard work is worth it though, as this traditional
red Rajasthani effort is fantastic with rice or
naan breads to soak up the spicy gravy.
Claypot, Citymax Hotel, Al Barsha, Dubai,
Dhs30. Tel: (04) 4078066
23
PEPPER CHICKEN THE
KEBAB CONNECTION
6.5/10
Bit of a head scratcher, this one. What makes
a curry a curry? This dish has everything you’d
expect – chicken, cream and a kick – but the
peppery sauce would be equally at home on
the side of a steak. Still, the homemade taste,
charred bread and hefty portion means it still
does well in the taste test.
The Kebab Connection, Swiss-BelHotel, Al Mina
Road, Satwa, Dubai, Dhs55. Tel: (04) 3459992
24
MURGH MAKHANI
BOMBAY BY THE BAY
6/10
Top marks for presentation, this creamy dish
consists of boneless tandoor chicken in a
tomato sauce flavoured with fenugreek and
ginger, all topped with herb butter. Heart
attack central. Out taste buds were a little
underwhelmed, but this is a decent intro to
the world of curry for a newbie.
Bombay by the Bay, Marina Promenade, Dubai
Marina, Dubai, Dhs42. Tel: (04) 2328585
25
SATVIK KOFTA
GOVINDA’S
6/10
This 100 per cent vegetarian restaurant
serves up healthy and holistic fare, but
without using onion or garlic. Fear not
though, this veggie speciality is still full
of flavour with balls of kofta beautifully
presented and accompanied with mataji
paratha (Dhs6). Not the perfect main meal,
but a good shout as a side dish to share.
Govinda’s, behind Regent Palace Hotel, Bur
Dubai, Dubai, Dhs26. Tel: (04) 3960088
26
JHINGA CURRY
GHARANA
6/10
We were initially put off this one by its oily
appearance, but the smell was too good to
ignore and a tentative fork speared a giant
prawn. We were sold. Perhaps one to share
rather devour alone, this dish is greasy
but great.
Gharana, Holiday Inn, Al Barsha, Dubai, Dhs60.
Tel: (04) 3234333
27
MURGH LAHORI
GAZEBO
5.5/10
Wow. Not curry as we’ve ever had it before,
this North Indian lamb dish is more like a
giant plate of pickles. Incredibly sour, if you
like mouth wateringly sharp flavours then
this is the one for you, but our palates might
not be quite ready.
Gazebo, Next to Sharaf DG, Mankhool, Dubai,
Dhs33. Tel: (04) 3599713
28
VARUTHARACHATHU
HIGHLAND GARDENS
5.5/10
Well, it gets the award for
GREAT
the trickiest name, but if we
VALUE
didn’t know it was chicken it
could have been an X Files job
– case of the unidentified meat. The sauce
was actually pretty tasty with a coconutty
sweetness, made for butter naan dipping.
Highland Gardens, Garhoud, Dubai, Dhs12.
Tel: (04) 2828979
29
CHEMMEEN MANGA
COCONUT GROVE
5/10
This good-looking prawn curry came with a
delicious dosa that was a welcome change
from parathas. The dish itself, however, was
over-spiced and a little heavy handed
with the coconut (taking that restaurant
name too far), leaving us picking at the
dosa instead.
Coconut Grove, Rydges Plaza, Satwa, Dubai,
Dhs60. Tel: (04) 3983800
30
TIKKA MASALA
DELHI DARBAR
5/10
To prepare this dish, cubes of boneless
chicken are marinated in tandoori masala
and yoghurt. That is where the juiciness
and flavour comes from. They are then
grilled and cooked in a butter-
based gravy of cashewnut
and almonds. Bit too rich
for us.
Delhi Darbar, Karama, Dubai,
Dhs25. Tel: (04) 334717
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 FILM
The American
WHO? George Clooney, Irina
Björklund, Thekla Reuten,
Johan Leysen, Paolo Bonacelli,
Anton Corbijn (director)
TAGLINE ‘From the director of Control’
ONCE UPON A TIME... Veteran assassin Jack (Clooney)
decided to call it a day, just as
soon as he polished off one last
assignment in Italy.
IDEAL IF YOU’RE IN THE Watch the most charismatic
MOOD TO... American actor of his generation
do his whole charismatic
American thing.
WATCH THIS IF YOU Anton Corbijin’s acclaimed debut
LIKE... picture, the Ian Curtis/Joy Division
biopic Control, and edgier George
Clooney offerings such as The
Good German and Confessions Of
A Dangerous Mind.
TOP TRIVIA Before he moved into movies,
Anton Corbijn was one of the
world’s most celebrated stills
photographers.
WHAT’S ON TEN WORD Not classic Clooney, but you have
REVIEW to admire his ambition.
RATE OR SLATE? ★★★✩✩
44 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
Burke And Hare Saw 3D
Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis, Isla
Fisher, Christopher Lee, Tim
Curry, John Landis (director)
‘No job too small. No body too
big. No questions asked’
Williams Burke and Hare (Pegg
and Serkis), who made a living
selling corpses to Edinburgh’s
medical schools, discovered
they could become really rich by
bumping people off instead of
simply grave robbing.
Get behind two blokes all right
thinking people would detest.
John Landis’ horror classic An
American Werewolf In London
and Simon Pegg’s bloody superb
Shaun Of The Dead.
Pegg’s on-screen wife is played by
his Spaced co-star Jessica Hynes
(nee Stevenson).
A film crying out to be described
as dead funny.
★★★★✩
Tobin Bell, Carey Elwes, Costas
Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Sean
Patrick Flanery, Kevin Greutert
(director)
‘In eye-popping 3D’
Survivors of Jigsaw’s demented
genius met up with self-help guru
Bobby Dagen (Flanery), unaware
that their revelations would spark
off a new cycle of horror.
Watch a sub-par Saw movie
in 3D.
Saws 1 to VI. It might also appeal
to those who got a kick-out
of recent 3D horror releases
such as Piranha and The Final
Destination.
While the other Saw films had
relatively short schedules, the use of
3D technology meant this picture
took almost half a year to complete.
The appeal of Jigsaw
remains a puzzle.
★★✩✩✩

Jackass
3-D
Johnny Knoxville, Bam
Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius,
Jason “Wee Man” Acuña, Jeff
Tremaine (director)
‘They’re back. In 3D’
Johnny Knoxville and his brave/
incredibly stupid band decided it
was time to perform a new set of
inspired/insane stunts.
Watch grown men demonstrate
that they really don’t know better.
The earlier films, the first of
which saw the boys patrol Tokyo
in panda suits while the second
featured Johnny Knoxville
being rundown by a yak while
blindfolded.
Bam Margera was attacked by
a woman with a baseball bat
during shooting. The assault left
the skateboarder with bleeding on
the brain.
Genius to some, boorish idiocy
to others.
★★★✩✩
The Hole
Chris Massoglia, Nathan
Gamble, Teri Polo, Bruce Dern,
Chelsea Ricketts, Joe Dante
(director)
‘What are you so afraid of?’
Teenage brothers Dane and
Nathan (Massoglia and Gamble)
found a hole in their basement
leading to a place where they
must confront their worst fears.
Watch a couple of contemporary
kids have the bejesus scared out
of them. Which if you’ve just
been cut up by one of them on
his poncey scooter, could prove a
genuine delight.
Joe Dante’s excellent kids ‘n’
horror combos Gremlins, The
‘Burbs and, er, Gremlins 2: The
New Batch.
Be sure to stay for the unnerving
post-credits sequence.
This month’s third 3D offering’s
the pick of the bunch.
★★★★✩
Khatta Meetha The Death And
Life Of Charlie
St Cloud
Akshay Kumar, Trisha
Krishnan, Rajpal Yadav,
Johnny Lever, Urvashi Sharma,
Priyadarshan (writer-director)
‘From the director of Bhool
Bhulaiyaa’
Ambitious road builder Sachin
Tichkule (Kumar) found his
dreams crushed at every turn by
corrupt Indian bureaucrats.
See the Bollywood equivalent of
The Full Monty or Brassed Off:
pictures that aim to entertain
but contain powerful political
messages.
Above-average rom-coms, and
are interested in seeing what such
films would be like if they came
with lots of dancing and any
number of show-stopping tunes.
Massive Bollywood star Akshay
Kumar started out life as a waiter
in a Bangkok restaurant.
It’s unsubtle, but there’s no
denying it’s fun.
★★★✩✩
FILM | NEW RELEASES
Zac Efron, Charlie Tahan,
Amanda Crew, Donal Logue,
Kim Basinger, Burr Steers
(director)
‘Life is for living’
Charlie St Cloud (Efron) was
left distraught by the death of
his younger brother, only for a
new love and the spirit of his
late sibling to provide his life
with fresh purpose.
See Zac Efron take another
step along the road from teen
stardom to sophisticated movie
actor.
The sort of films you have to
watch through teary eyes.
Since filming, Zac Efron
has grown a full beard and
moustache. It looks rubbish.
Efron’s good, but this well-
intentioned film is waterlogged.
★★✩✩✩
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 45
 DISHING OUT THE WORLD’S MOST ORIGINAL

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ABU DHABI AL AIN DUBAI SHARJAH AJMAN UAQ FUJAIRAH RAK

EATING OUT
How many curries does it take to
floor a journo? Nope, it’s not a joke.
Curry is an extremely serious matter
indeed. For three days straight we
tested red curries, yellow curries,
brown curries, veggie curries, lamb
curries, chicken curries, naans,
popadums – the lot – so you,
dear reader, know where to go to
indulge in the best examples of this classic Indian
dish (p40). And as if that weren’t enough, we also
visited the renamed Indego by Vineet to sample
the Michelin starred chef’s new menu and took a
cooking master class with Vineet Bhatia himself
(p52). You can also enjoy our verdict on our new
favourite restaurant La Petite Maison (p48) and the
new menu at Emirates Palace’s Sayad (p51), plus
we have little chat with celeb chef Gordon Ramsay
(p55), the UAE’s newest brunches (p59), The Critic
on growing and catching your own dinner (p62)
and a Saffa barbecue (braai) at Dubai’s Els Club
(p63). Now eat it all up like good little readers and
we’ll let you stay up to read the Arts section. The
answer, by the way is, 30.

Gareth Rees, Features Editor

NOBU

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 47

 EATING OUT
On the
menu
A tasty trio of
newsy nibbles
BUILD YOUR OWN
It’s not often we’d be
advising you to visit an
'all day dining' restaurant,
they tend to be a little
on the dull side, but Al
Manzil Hotel’s Conservatory has
launched a new menu concept
– and, as we discovered recently,
produces some rather good
burgers (try the lamb and be
prepared to get messy). You are
encouraged to chat with the chefs,
who will then create bespoke
dishes based on those featured
on the new lunch and dinner
menu. There’s also a salad bar and
live cooking stations. And Pierre
Gagnaire-trained chef Antoine
Christian is overseeing it all.
Al Manzil Hotel, Downtown,
Dubai. Tel: (04) 4285923. www.
southernsunme.com/almanzil
ROCOCO TREATS
November 14 marks the start of
an Italian Festival at Sofitel Dubai
Jumeirah Beach and Rococo chef
Enzo Neri has a few surprises in
store for us. The Italian chef has
launched a special three-course
set menu available for Dhs195 and
will prepare dishes using a different
Italian seasonal ingredient (pears,
chestnuts, aubergine, raspberry)
each week until December 4. There
will also be cooking classes, (Nov
10 and 29), where you can learn to
cook with chef Neri in the kitchen.
Rococo, Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah
Beach, The Walk, JBR, Dubai. Tel: (04)
4484860. www.sofitel.com
MAMA MIA!
Have you ever wondered why
Italian men make so much of a fuss
about their mamas? Maybe it's
fancy tasting Italian cooking just
like mama used to make it (and still
does, it seems)? To prove this, chef
Doretta Calchetti will be preparing
a special a la carte menu for
lunch and dinner at Grand Hyatt
Dubai’s Andiamo restaurant, from
November 6 to 11, and holding
a cooking class on November 10.
Mamma Doretta promises chicken
livers with black olive cream and
Bringoli pasta with rabbit. That
does it for us.
Nov 6 to 11, Grand Hyatt Dubai,
Oud Metha, Dubai. Tel: (04)
3172222. www.dubai.hyatt.com
48 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
La Petite Maison
The Dubai branch
of LPM becomes an
instant classic
Probably the easiest way to judge a
successful restaurant is by how full
it is. Yet a bustling dining room
can still be something of a rarity
in Dubai, where even the finest
restaurants might be far from
full, or worse still, empty. There’s
nothing more dismal than eating
in silence, just the shuffling of the
chef ’s restless feet emanating from
the dormant kitchen.
Contradictorily, the fuller the
restaurant, the more intimate your
experience. When all is alive about
you, conversation flows. In an
empty restaurant, the unfilled space
and silence slaps an oppressive
hand across your mouths.
La Petite Maison, on only its
fourth night, was chock-a-block. The onion tart, a wafer of A small rowboat of classic
Not just busy – full to the brim. crisp pastry, smothered with vanilla crème brulée was faultless
A visitor to the Emirates would sweet onion and several small and a tart, naughtily named
have thought LPM was a Dubai slices of anchovy arrive first, summer berry froth with a
restaurant stalwart, not the new quickly followed by a vast creamy milky yoghurt ice cream and
kid on the block, although it soon cloud of burrata festooned with several crisp vanilla nuggets
will be. tomatoes and basil and a magical of doughnut was jolly, but the
Confident door staff, not at all mix of fishy sardine, sweet grape cheesecake… The cheesecake
surprised that yet more guests and tomato. Three carpaccio was the cheesecake to end all
were upon them, guided us past plates follow suit, all layered with cheesecakes. And all meals.
the bar and its pre-meal tipplers, fine slivers of sirloin, marinated Do we need to tell you to book
and through an efficient army of salmon with pink peppercorns a table?
waiters swooping from table to and fresh scallop, and a bowl of
table. Moving at lighting speed, warm prawns sitting gracefully in
they’re recommending a dish to a mildly peppery puddle of olive
a couple in the corner, delivering oil. We couldn’t find fault with Need to know
several plates to a large table of any of these uncomplicated but
suits or pouring a glass of wine for delightful dishes. Location: DIFC, Gate Village
a few hipsters coolly nodding their A supple meaty hunk of turbot 8, Dubai
approval of yet another wonderful was given a homely heft, baked Tel: (04) 4390505
hors d’oeuvres plate. and served in a petite cassoulet Web: www.lpmdubai.ae
You could be in New York or with white wine, olive oil and a Open: Sun to Fri noon to
London. The place is alive. handful of soft and gorgeously 2.30pm and 7pm to 11pm
But back to those hors vinegary artichokes. But the dish Cuisine type: French (Niçoise)
d’oeuvres. LPM promotes a de la nuit consisted of several juicy Must eat: grilled lamb cutlets
sharing concept, naturally – it’s lamb cutlets, the exterior sticky Bill for two: Dhs930 (without
the best way to eat – shared food and charred from the grill, the alcohol)
guaranteeing a united experience flesh below magnificently pink.
and steady conversation from the
off. The waiter will advise you to In tweet form… Our new favourite
try three or four dishes, which restaurant in Dubai. Book a table.
is plenty, but we ran our taste follow me
Now. Follow us at WhatsOnDubai and
buds over seven – it pays to be WhatsOnAbuDhabi
thorough, after all.
What’s On
Awards 2010
The people’s choice
awards have arrived
– voting has closed,
you have had your
say. But who will
those winners be?
The time has come. The reckoning
is over. You have cast your votes,
either online, via SMS or the
old-fashioned nomination card-
filling way. One of you is set to
win the grand prize – a five-
night stay at the luxurious Four
Seasons Resort in the Maldives,
with return flights. But the real
winners will be the restaurants
that take home one of those
coveted What’s On Awards and
the honour of hanging a What’s
On winner’s plaque outside their
people-approved establishment
on November 7.
Last year’s big winner was
Zuma, which it turned out was
not only our favourite Japanese
restaurant in Dubai, but yours
too. Chef Colin Clague and his
team walked off with no fewer
than four What’s On Awards. Can
they do it again? Or will another
restaurant usurp that Favourite
Japanese title? One thing is for
sure, Zuma can’t win the coveted
Best Newcomer award two years
At your leisure
Abu Dhabi Golf Club,
serving up the best in quality entertainment
and leisurely dining options.
1/4 AD
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Every Monday from 6pm
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Every Thursday from 7pm - 10pm
ALL YOU CAN EAT BBQ & ALL DAY A LA CARTE DINING
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Every Friday from 7pm - 10pm
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Every Saturday from 7pm
NEW HOME-MADE POOLSIDE PIZZA
Take - aways are also available
running. Which young prince
will be passed the crown by the
mighty king Zuma? Who will win
Favourite European, Italian
or seafood?
The answer is that we don’t
know (unless you’re reading this
after November 7, that is). That’s
the beauty of allowing you, the
people, to choose. After all, you’re
the ones who pay to eat in these
restaurants and you’re the ones
we’ve been buying what is now
the best-selling entertainment
magazine in the UAE for these
past 31 years. Without you,
neither the magazine, the awards
nor many of these restaurants
would exist. So thank you.
And goodnight.
1/4 AD
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 49

Sayad
Emirates Palace’s fish
restaurant welcomes
a new chef and menu
There’s an overwhelming sense of
calm in Emirates Palace’s Sayad.
Maybe it’s the large aquarium
taking up most of the space at the
restaurant’s doors, its occupants
drifting happily around the tank,
or even the soothing shades of
aqua of the décor inside, but
whatever it is it made us feel, well,
calm. Calm and aquatic.
Named, rather aptly, after the
Arabic for ‘the fisherman’, Sayad
unashamedly takes its cues from the
deep, with its cutesy fish-embossed
tiles leading to an intimate terrace
and impressive views over the
marina and out to sea.
Armed with a new menu, as
provided by the equally new chef
Shaun Anthony, the restaurant
is set to take on the abundance
of seafood eateries in the capital
(including the excellent Nautilus
and Finz, to name but two) for the
title of king of the sea.
Anthony is no slouch, having
learned his trade under the
watchful eye of no less than
Gordon Ramsay, so the bun fight
(or should that be cod fight?) is
most definitely on, and with an
impressive array of ocean offerings
on his menu, the competition
should take notice.
We started with an amuse-
bouche of white anchovy mousse
with potato chips, its light dusting
of smoked Spanish paprika giving
it a spicy edge and setting the tone.
The North Atlantic Ocean trout
with white asparagus and almond
crumble was off-the-boat fresh;
its gentle poaching producing a
meltingly tender result, with the
crumble adding texture. Followed
by smoked haddock veloute with
parsnip, quail’s eggs and ratte
potato – the haddock’s milky flavour
combining with a parsnip purée to
give the dish a sweet and earthy feel
– it was certainly an impressive start
for chef Anthony’s menu.
A main course of halibut with
wild mushroom, artichoke and
tomato was cooked to perfection;
the girolle mushrooms adding to
the rustic texture, while the basil
In tweet form… Abu Dhabi seafood
fans take note: Sayad means business
follow me Follow us at WhatsOnDubai and
WhatsOnAbuDhabi
from the cherry tomatoes and the
sherry vinegar foam brought out a
surprising richness and acidity.
To end, we ambitiously opted
for a lemon tart, although it was
always going to be foolhardy
manoeuvre, and despite enjoying
a bite or two it was quickly game
over. Will it be game over for the
rest of the capital’s fish restaurants?
It’s certainly seafood for thought.
Need to know
Location: Sayad, Emirates
Palace, Abu Dhabi
Tel: (02) 6905643
Web: www.emiratespalace.
com
Open: 6.30pm to 11.30pm
Cuisine type: seafood
Must eat: halibut, with wild
mushroom, artichoke and
tomato
Bill for two: Dhs800
(without alcohol)
EATING OUT
A taste of
things to
come
Three new ways to
fill your belly
YELLOW LOUNGE
What’s On loves to
lounge – who doesn’t?
– so we’ve been waiting
for the opening of Yellow
Lounge since we heard rumour
of a champagne bar hitched to
French brasserie Rive Gauche
some time ago. Now it’s here.
We’re talking hors d’oeuvres,
champagne, cocktails, an
extensive wine list, music and
themed nights. With Red Lounge
recently opening at Raffles, we’re
thinking the lounge might be a
new trend. You heard it here first.
The Address Dubai Marina, Dubai,
Mon to Sat 7pm to midnight. Tel:
(04) 4367777. www.theaddress.com
MAISON SUCRE
We’re sure our cupcake feature
last month inspired you to rush
out and gorge yourself on the
dainty delicacies, but if you
haven’t had your fill, Maison
Sucre, the capital’s newest bakery,
will be happy to stuff you to the
gills with fluffy sponge and sugary
icing. Or, if cupcakes ain’t your
thing, there are tarts, pastries and
made-to-order cakes.
Corner of Khaleej Al Arabi Street and
Zayed the First Street, Khalidiya, Abu
Dhabi, Sat to Thurs 9am to 11pm,
Fri 10am to 11pm. Tel: (02) 6396622.
www.maisonsucreuae.com
JAMIE’S ITALIAN
Is he coming or isn’t he? Rumours
of Jamie Oliver making his Dubai
restaurant debut have been doing
the rounds for a number of years
– the restless, crusading cook has
even paid us a visit, but we’re yet to
see a real commitment. Until now.
We’ve been promised that a branch
of Oliver’s popular Jamie’s Italian
(15 UK restaurants and counting)
will open at Festival Centre late
this month, boasting 290 covers,
a pasta bar and a menu brimming
with Mediterranean classics. The
man himself may even turn up to
give it his ‘pukka’ seal of approval.
Wicked, as the Essex chef himself
would say.
Festival Centre, Marina Pavilion,
Dubai Festival City, Dubai
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 51
 EATING OUT

HEF
Indego by Vineet CELEB C L
SPECIA

Vineet Bhatia’s new

menu reminds us
just how unique the
chef’s talent is
Vineet Bhatia. He’s the chef
who made his name in London
revolutionising the cooking of
his homeland, becoming the
first Indian chef to win a coveted
Michelin star and going on to
open several restaurants around
the world – including, in 2005,
Indego at Grosvenor House
in Dubai.
The restaurant now renamed
Indego by Vineet has been the
only Indian restaurant in our Hot
List from day one. Why? Because
nobody does Indian cuisine quite
like Vineet Bhatia. It’s not just
the wonderful food – plenty of
Indian restaurants in the city
do wonderful – it’s the thinking A well judged crab and lentil is where Bhatia’s mastery is really a stranger. The classic onion and
behind it. Traditional Indian soup served with several crab on show. tomato rogan josh, on the other
cooking techniques have been fritters was magnificent, while We sampled several prawns hand, joined it as they strolled
questioned, everything broken three hunks of monkfish were precisely poached in coconut with serenely down our gullet. Sides of
down to the barest essentials coated in a zingy, deep green herb a chilli masala edge, which the sweet, fresh South Indian vegetable
and reconstructed as works of tandoori coating that stirred the waiter insisted were the house stir-fry, thick Tadka dal and a
art – cleaner flavours, fewer but palate, preparing the ground for the speciality. It was pretty special, basket of flawless naans did the
carefully combined spices, elegant supple, sleek fish beneath. The best but the two lamb dishes we trick for two, leaving just enough
presentation, smaller portions. start to a meal one could wish for. ordered were astonishingly fine. room for two light desserts.
European élan combined with a Though the menu proffers Pot-roasted ginger lamb chops – Chunky strips of pineapple
depth and complexity of flavour numerous biryanis and a handful sold, we hear you cry already. We’d piled high like jenga blocks
that is unmistakably Indian. of sharing plates, the section just like to add that the chops were adorned with sweet spices and
You couldn’t hope to replicate it. promising contemporary Indian flawlessly prepared and the korma pepper, served with a dollop of
Bhatia is, undoubtedly, a genius. spiked with a cheeky hit of truffle pineapple sorbet. And a small
Now, the great man himself oil which got along with the ginger selection of rose petal, vanilla
doesn’t captain the good ship like an old friend. The slow-cooked, bean, roasted coconut and
Indego, but the dishes are all his tender flesh of the Kashmiri lamb almond and mango smoothies.
and now we have shown we’re shank distanced itself from the Some distance from the usual
ready for Indian fine dining in bone without so much as a fork heavy and cloying Indian
Dubai, the menu has been refined prod and sat there looking at it like desserts. All hail Vineet Bhatia.
to reflect the level of cuisine
found at Bhatia’s Michelin starred In tweet form… A new menu from the
Rasoi in London’s Chelsea. world’s foremost Indian chef, showing
You can enjoy a six-course off his consummate and unique skills to
tasting menu for a startlingly follow me
the full. Follow us at WhatsOnDubai and
reasonable Dhs550, but we WhatsOnAbuDhabi
plunged right into the a la carte.

“Nobody does Indian cuisine quite like Vineet

52 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010

Cooking
by Vineet
Our favourite Indian chef, the
multi-Michelin starred Vineet
Bhatia, was kind enough to
invite us into his kitchen, where
we prepared this simple dish
that even the clumsiest of
cooks could handle.
VINEET ON…
…the new name
When we arrived in Dubai not many people knew
who we were or what we were about, so we weren’t
confident using the name at that stage. As time has
passed all our various restaurants have started to
carry the ‘by Vineet’ tag. Now people associate a
certain kind of quality with the name. It shows it’s
one of ours. Simple as that.
…menu changes
There’s a slight change with the menu. We’re tilt-
ing more towards what we do in London. We’ve
contemporised the cuisine a bit more. When we
first came here four or five years ago it was slightly
different, it had to be tamed because Dubai was a
new market. Trying to pitch Indian fine dining was
a gamble, which paid off. It was not as elaborate
as London. Now it will be more in tune. After this
Need to know menu change, we will gauge reaction in the next
three to four months and I’ll come back in March
Location: Grosvenor and make a bigger change. We want to take it to the
House, Dubai Marina, Dubai level that we’re doing things in Europe.
Tel: (04) 3998888
Web: www. …Dubai diners
grosvenorhouse-dubai.com The climate here has changed a lot. People’s taste
Open: Mon to Sat 7pm to buds have changed and they now appreciate and
midnight acknowledge the concept of fine dining Indian. It’s
Cuisine: Indian the norm now. Each restaurant has a head chef and
Must eat: green herb an element of individuality, but any new additions
tandoori monkfish I will decide. They don’t change dishes. I come four
Bill for two: Dhs900 or five times I year and I keep an eye on things.
(without alcohol)
…the Bhatia style of cooking
There’s nothing wrong with the old fashioned way,
but it is very heavy. You end up with food leftover
Bhatia” that you can’t eat. The dishes we do here wouldn’t
work in Bur Dubai or Karama, because it’s a differ-
ent audience. There they expect to get something
EATING OUT
a lot more robust. The people who dine here
appreciate sophisticated flavours. When you come
into a place like Grosvenor House, you expect
something grand.
…copycats
I’m very happy with people copying me – it’s the
greatest form of flattery, but, obviously, nobody
would acknowledge it. It does encourage me to
innovate and I always have an ace up my sleeve.
We have a kitchen at home, which is a miniature
version of the restaurant kitchen. That’s where it
all happens.
…Abu Dhabi
We’re looking at opening up a restaurant in Abu
Dhabi in July next year. It will be similar – fine din-
ing – but it’s not finalised.
ASSORTED SEAFOOD
IN RAW MANGO CURRY
INGREDIENTS
200g cubed hammour fillet, eight
pieces scallop meat, 300g lobster
chunks, ten shelled and cleaned
prawns, one pinch turmeric
powder, one tbsp lemon juice, salt,
two tbsp corn oil, one tsp mustard seeds,
two sprigs of curry leaves, one finely sliced
small red onion, one tsp chopped garlic,
one tsp chopped ginger, one pinch turmeric
powder, 800ml raw mango gravy, 100ml
thick coconut milk
PREPARATION
Marinate the assorted fish with the salt
and lemon juice and one pinch of turmeric
powder and put aside. Heat corn oil in a pan
and add mustard seeds. Once it splutters add
the curry leaves, red onion, garlic, ginger, and
sauté until onion is translucent. Add turmeric
powder and sauté. Add the hammour, prawns
and lobster, and sauté for three minutes
on a low heat. Add raw mango sauce and
allow to cook until seafood is almost done.
Add scallops and cook for further three or
four minutes. Add coconut milk, check the
seasoning and serve with rice.
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 53
 EATING OUT

Ramsay CHEF
CELEEBCIAL
SP

“I haven’t finished learning”

He’s suffered a rash of
restaurant closures, a jarring
split from the CEO of Gordon
Ramsay Holdings – who also
happens to be his father-
in-law – and recently said
goodbye to yet another
of his protégés, Angela
Hartnett. But if Gordon
Ramsay is having a tough
time he doesn’t show
it, and he's definitely
not ready to hang
up his chef's jacket
just yet

So, what do you think of

the newly refurbished Verre,
then, Gordon?
I can count on one hand how many
times I’ve been upset at Verre in the last
nine years. Based on the reports I’ve had on
the restaurant reopening, we’re 80 per cent
of the way there. We’re not perfect, but we’re
getting there.
Were you worried about giving head chef
Scott Price so much freedom at just 29?
I don’t want to be cloned and I don’t want
them in a straightjacket. What he has is an
amazing palate and I trust that palate. Scott’s a
trusted lieutenant and he’s got to find his feet.
On the back of his brilliant pedigree he’d be
an absolute fool if he messed it up with just 40
to 60 covers a night. I’m not saying we’re un-
touchable, but we certainly set the benchmark
in Dubai. So I’m very proud of him and, more
importantly, he’s going to go a long way. What
this kitchen has spawned over the last decade
is quite extraordinary. Some of the best chefs
in the UK have come out of Verre in Dubai.
Like Angela Hartnett?
Sure. It’s been a significant week. Angela
is now lock, stock and barrel holding the
baby and owning 100 per cent of [London
The masterclass
Gordon Ramsay joins us in
the Verre kitchen for one of
Scott Price’s masterclasses
“I can sense him, he’s definitely around,”
chef Scott said, his head darting this way
and that trying to spot his boss before his
boss spotted him.
Ramsay seems to have that effect on
people, but when he finally did arrive he
was, well, not chirpy exactly, but certainly
animated, chatting as we prepared a
fine apple tarte tatin and slightly No need to worry, though – if you sign
overcooked our duck. up for a masterclass, Scott will do plenty
We must admit we were quite looking of talking without the big man there
forward to a rollicking, but the celeb chef and you’ll get a Verre apron, recipes and
spent most of the time making fun of his breakfast thrown in. Masterclass. Done.
young protégé – most notably for not Verre, Hilton Dubai Creek, 10am to 2pm,
talking enough. Dhs950 per person. Tel: (04) 2271111

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 55

 EATING OUT
restaurant] Murano. To think that she came
out here and set up Verre right at the begin-
ning, sadly just a week after 9/11 – the worst
time for any opening anywhere in the world.
But we weathered the storm, we went from
strength to strength and it’s become a great
breeding ground.
You have a reputation for having quite a
bad temper. Any need to shout at Scott
today?
No, no need to shout at him. I have a great
relationship with these guys. I know how
difficult and what a pain I can be at times. But
when it’s good, it’s good. When it’s bad, they
need to know it’s bad.
If Michelin came to Dubai, would Verre be
good enough to win a star?
Verre would get more than one Michelin
star. There are big restaurants over here, but
I’ve eaten out, I’ve seen the competition,
and Verre would be edging on two or three
Michelin stars.
That’s a bold call.
There would be a lot of Michelin stars. Not just
Pierre Gagnaire, Locatelli, Nobu and the Gary
Rhodes aspect, but there are some extremely
good restaurants in Dubai. I’ve come across
phenomenal Chinese and Indian, for example,
and it [Michelin] would be the icing on the
cake. If you can put a Michelin guide in Vegas,
you can definitely put a guide in Dubai.
You know quite a few big name chefs. Is
Dubai still on their radar?
Dubai is very much a place chefs still want
to come to. Alain Ducasse is on the verge of
signing somewhere. Guy Savoy is looking
again. It’s a bit of a draw.
Can we expect some more Gordon
Ramsay restaurants?
I would like to do something else, but it has
to be the right opportunity. Perhaps some-
thing more relaxed – a steakhouse or a grill
or something with a little bit more of a lively
buzz as opposed to the fine dining room.
Not planning on stopping any time soon,
then?
I’m 43. Three big openings next year. The Sa-
voy Grill next month. I think that’s enough for
a year. Stopping? That sounds like getting old
and boring, right? No, I’m not going to stop. I
need to keep going and I’m naturally excited
about food, but I also get bored very quickly.
Bored enough for a return to the kitchen?
No plans to return. Definitely not. I don’t
want to die behind the stove and I like my life
outside the kitchen. There are cooks and there
are chefs. I love cooking, I absolutely love it,
but my god, I’ve served my time behind the
stove. I’m still getting better. I haven’t finished
learning. But do I need to be at the helm and
start deboning duck and lamb, filleting sea
bass at half past seven in the morning? No,
not really.
56 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
RAMSAY STREET
Ramsay protégés that
have flown the nest
Marcus Wareing
Having worked for Ramsay
for 15 years, Wareing left –
rather unceremoniously – in
2008 to open Marcus Wareing
at The Berkeley Hotel, which was named
best restaurant in London by the Harden’s
Guide the same year, ahead of Ramsay’s
own three star Royal Hospital Road.
Jason Atherton
Ramsay appointed Atherton
executive chef of Verre in
2002, following stints at
Spain’s El Bulli, working
under the mighty Ferran
Adria, Frith Street and L’Anis
in London. He later returned to London
to run Ramsay’s Maze, but left in April
planning to set up his own restaurant.
Angela Hartnett
The most recent of his
charges to strike out on her
own, Hartnett started at
Ramsay’s Aubergine along
with Marcus Wareing in 1994
So you’ll continue doing what you’re and worked at numerous
doing, despite the press? You don’t really Ramsay restaurants before
like the media attention, do you, Gordon? opening Verre in 2001. Hartnett won a
No, not really, no. I hate it. I’m a chef. Unfor- Michelin star at The Connaught Hotel in
GETTY/GALLO IMAGES
tunately, the profile was built on the back of 2004 and most recently ran the kitchen
the success – not because it was being chased. at Ramsay’s Murano in London. Just last
The press have been phenomenal, but it has month she bought Ramsay out and is
its dark side as well. If you dance with the now chef and owner of Murano.
devil, don’t be surprised if you get burnt.
APPLE TARTE TATIN (FOR SIX)
INGREDIENTS
15 red apples, 400g caster sugar, 350g unsalted butter, one sheet of
rolled puff pastry (available pre-made in supermarkets)
PREPARATION
Place the sugar in a pan and caramelise. Slowly beat in the butter, being
careful not to split caramel. Pour caramel into a large, round ovenproof dish and leave
to cool. Quarter all but one of the apples and remove the seeds and core using a knife,
halve the remaining apple and remove the seeds and core using an apple corer. Place
one apple half in the centre of the dish and place the quarters around the centrepiece
to form a circle. Roll out the puff pastry to 3mm to 4mm then cut a circle a little larger
than the dish and cover the apples with it, making sure to push the edges of the pastry
down in-between the apples. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or
until pastry is cooked and crisp and the caramel dark brown. Turn the mould over onto a
plate while hot and lift off the mould. Serve with ice cream.
novotel.com

Le roi du foie gras lui-même

all the way from his own Lab in France freshly to you.
Chef Robert Chaffanjon is back! Do
not miss his marvelous specialties during his seasonal
Famous Festival at Le Beaujolais Restaurant
From October 26 to November 4, 2010
Together with live performance of the
French accordionist Frank Gergaud
&
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ARMANI/HASHI
What was that shooting pain we felt? Oh
yes, it was Armani/Hashi being so hip it
hurts. Not only is the address a sure-fire
way to wow, their new brunch is all that and
then some, with stunningly fresh seafood,
unrelenting Bollinger and killer views.
Throw in the sushi buffet, a la carte mains,
a children’s room complete with nanny and
enough sake to sink Molly Brown and you’re
onto a winner. A very cool winner.
Best for: Sophisticates
Armani/Hashi, Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa,
Downtown, Dubai, noon to 3.30pm, Dhs290
with soft drinks, Dhs380 with selected
beverages, Dhs585 including Bollinger and
Dhs145 for children aged four to ten. Tel: (04)
8883888. www.dubai.armanihotels.com
Armani/Hashi
Warehouse
NOBU HIGH BRUNCH
Nobu co-founder Robert De Niro once
said :“There’s nothing more ironic or
contradictory than life itself”. Fortunately,
business partner Nobu Matsuhisa leaves
the twaddle to Bob, while he busies himself
creating such dishes as his legendary black
miso cod. Enjoy that and more with Nobu’s
new brunch, which boats an impressive a la
carte menu, wine, beer and sake tasting in
four hours of Japanese fusion fun.
Best for: Nobu fans
Atlantis The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, noon
to 4pm, Dhs320 without alcohol, Dhs490
with alcohol. Tel: (04) 4262626. www.
atlantisthepalm.com
EATING OUT
Enjoy our round-up of
Dubai’s newest brunches
DUSIT THANI DUBAI
A pan-Asian feast in the truest sense, you can
enjoy phad Thai from Thailand, sushi from
Japan, a Chinese dim sum station and curries
from India and Sri Lanka, as well as fruit and
ice carvings for the eminently sensible sum
of Dhs200 with house beverages. The 24th
floor of the Dusit Thani Dubai is the only
place to be on a Saturday.
Best for: Those who overspent on Friday
night and need a quality feed
Dusit Thani Dubai, 133 Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, Sat noon to 4pm, Dhs145 food only,
Dhs175 without alcohol, Dhs200 with house
beverages, Dhs259 with sparkling, Dhs449
with champagne and house spirits. Tel: (04)
3174515. www.dusitthanidubai.dusit.com
WAREHOUSE MALT
DRUNCH
Pull on your loosest trousers, take a deep
breath and swot up on your knowledge of
rare malt-based beverages. Starters, a main
course a la carte and a dessert buffet should
line the belly, but the real action arrives in
liquid form, with a choice of more than 50
beers. Cheers!
Best for: Beer lovers
Warehouse, Le Méridien Dubai, Garhoud,
Dubai, 1pm to 4pm, Dhs159 to Dhs259. Tel:
(04) 7022560. www.lemeridien-dubai.com/
en/dining
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 59
 EATING OUT
The Gramercy
WAFI
This isn’t a brunch, it’s a lunch, or rather six
lunches. Choose to dine at Persia Persia,
Mahi Mahi, Medzo, Carter’s, Thai Chi or
Seville’s for just Dhs225.
Best for: Picky people
Wafi, Oud Metha, Dubai, noon to 3.30pm,
Dhs130 without alcohol, Dhs225 with alcohol.
Tel: (04) 3244100. www.wafi.com
SHERATON DEIRA
A cold buffet, eggs and pasta made to order,
a buffet and a dessert corner – all for under
Dhs150. Can’t say fairer than that, now,
can you?
Best for: Those on a budget
Sheraton Deira Hotel, Al Muteena Street, Deira,
Dubai, 12.30pm to 4pm, Dhs109 without
alcohol, Dhs149 with alcohol. Tel: (04) 2688888.
www.starwoodhotels.com
DHOW PALACE HOTEL
There’s nothing flashy or complicated about
this one, but with its all you can eat buffet
and rock bottom price tag, it’s ideal for
big families looking to fill up on a Friday
afternoon.
Best for: Families
Dhow Palace Hotel, Bur Dubai, Dubai, noon to
4pm, Dhs79 with five drinks, Dhs39 for children.
Tel: (04) 3599992. www.dhowpalacedubai.com
SLOANE’S
Certainly not for revellers, Sloane’s brunch
is looking to appeal to a more cultivated
clientele looking to enjoy a civilised
lunch, choosing from an Italian buffet and
various live cooking stations with a glass of
sparkling wine.
Best for: A quiet lunch
Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina, Dubai, 1pm
to 4pm, Dhs220. Tel: (04) 3998888. www.
grosvenorhouse-dubai.com
60 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
THE GRAMERCY
Not really a brunch at all this, more an
afternoon meal, but labels be damned.
Choose from The Gramercy’s impressive
French-leaning a la carte menu until 5pm,
then enjoy drinks and a dance until 9pm. The
DJ plays “New York style beats“, apparently.
Best for: Pushing on into the evening
DIFC, Unit 7, Level 2, Building 3, Dubai, 2pm
to 5pm, Dhs175 without alcohol, Dhs325 with
alcohol. Tel: (04) 4377511
CARAMEL RESTAURANT
& LOUNGE
Set menus are the order of the day at
Caramel. No matter which of the three
packages you choose, you will be able to
choose two appetisers, one main and a
dessert from the a la carte menu. Resident
DJ Kirk spins tunes throughout.
Best for: Lounge lizards
DIFC, Dubai, 2pm to 5pm, Dhs300 without
alcohol, Dhs395 with house beverages,
Dhs495 with Laurent Perrier. Tel: (04) 4256677.
www.carameldubai.com
Caramel
Sheraton Deira
Wafi
THE CAVENDISH
Choose one of the two brunch packages
with alcohol and you will have access to The
Bonnington’s pool facilities after enjoying
European and Asian fare at the hotel‘s
signature restaurant, The Cavendish.
Best for: A post-brunch dip
The Bonnington, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai,
12.30pm to 3.30pm, Dhs145 without alcohol,
Dhs245 with house beverages, Dhs345 with
premium beverages. Tel: (04) 3560600.
www.bonningtontower.com
AL BUSTAN ROTANA
If variety is the spice of life, then Al Bustan‘s
Grand Friday brunch is a sure fire winner.
With a smorgasbord of different cuisines
you are pleasingly spoiled for choice. The
aptly named Choices restaurant joins forces
with The Blue Elephant and Benihana
restaurants to offer a mouthwatering mix of
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Italian
delights. And the frozen ice cream plate is
one of the best dessert offerings in town.
Best for: Dessert
ISTOCK
Al Bustan Rotana, Casablanca Road, Al
Garhoud, Dubai, 12.30pm to 4pm, Dhs199.
Tel: (04) 2820000
 THE LAID-BACK AND LIVELY MEET AND MINGLE

AT The Address MONTGOMERIE DUBAI

Contemplate the sunset and spectacular views, sip liquid

refreshments, indulge in sumptuous grilled cuisine and unwind
in surroundings that capture the essence of urban chic. Nineteen
and the Sunset Terrace & Lounge present a vibrant, yet relaxing
atmosphere, perfect for an elegant Friday Brunch or Saturday
Roast. Additionally, stop by with friends for a light bite mid
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Visit The Address Montgomerie Dubai, seven days a week, and enjoy
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 THE CRITIC
James Brennan knows
food. Having written on
everything from bhajis
to burgers for a string of
international publications,
James is now the
Middle East chairman
of the World’s 50 Best
Restaurants judging panel.
Don’t miss his monthly
musings every issue.
Fresh food. It tastes better. We all
know that. If it’s a choice between
that leathery old tomato that’s
taken on the look of a Dr Who
baddie in the back of your fridge,
and that shiny, proud new tomato
bought from the supermarket
only yesterday, there’s no contest.
But I’m talking about even
fresher than that.
Sure, you can be really
obsessive and set up camp outside
Spinneys to get the pick of that
morning’s delivery of tomatoes,
but you’d just look plain weird
doing that – at best. At worst,
you’d be arrested, and prison
tomatoes aren’t particularly fresh
– in fact, they aren’t tomatoes,
they’re potatoes. No, I’m talking
real fresh food. The freshest you
62 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
can get. The kind you grow or kill
yourself.
“Grow it yourself?”, I’m
imagining hearing you cry in
overplayed disbelief. “This is the
UAE,” you add, still whining. “The
laws of nature don’t apply here, it’s
hotter than the planet Mercury,
soil turns to glass, even the palm
trees have to be imported from
Taiwan, and they’re made out of
vulcanised rubber...” etc. Yes, we
all know it’s hot here, but growing
your own herbs and vegetables in
the Emirates is a cinch, as long as
you take care of them.
“But I don’t have a garden,”
you persist annoyingly. Well, you
don’t need a garden. OK, if you’re
planning on growing an orchard
of banana trees, then perhaps you
do. But you can get great results
growing your own cherry tomatoes
and herbs on your balcony.
You start the seedlings off on a
window ledge indoors while it’s
still hot outside. But when the
plants are a few weeks old and
the weather is more temperate,
it’s time to get them out in the
open where they’ll flourish in the
glory of the UAE’s greatest natural
resource: sunlight. As long as
you keep them watered regularly,
they’ll thrive. I should know – I
did it last year, along with some
“WE ALL KNOW IT’S HOT
HERE, BUT GROWING YOUR
OWN HERBS AND VEGETABLES
IN THE EMIRATES IS A CINCH,
AS LONG AS YOU TAKE CARE
OF THEM”
coriander, oregano and basil, and
wrote a really smug blog post
about it on my blog, duguzzle.
blogspot.com.
The benefit of growing your
own cannot be overstated. It’s
the freshest food you can get
and you can really taste the
difference. The tomatoes are
sweeter and juicier, the herbs
more fragrant and vibrant. And
when you consider that fresh
produce immediately begins to
slowly decompose as soon as it’s
picked, it’s got to be better than
supermarket stuff that’s spent
days in storage and transit before
it even hits the shelves.
So that’s growing your own
sorted, what about killing your
own (vegetarians may leave
the room in a spasm of moral
indignation now)? Now, I’m not
advocating picking off pigeons
with an air rifle, however much
fun that might be. Neither am I
saying you should keep a herd of
sheep on your balcony. But you
can go sea fishing, or even better
– crab hunting.
Night-time crab hunting tours
near the mangroves of Umm Al
Quwain, armed with nothing but
a spear, a bucket and a murderous
disposition, will re-acquaint you
with the cave dweller within. And
it will reward you with delicious,
fresh crab. The freshest you can get.
 EATING OUT

Join the Saffa carnival

Enjoy an evening
of family fun at
The Els Club

Unless you hail from South

Africa, you probably won’t know
what a braii or a sokkiejol is – we
had no idea – but now‘s your
chance to find out. For non-
Saffas, a braii is a barbecue and a
sokkiejol is a dance, often involv-
ing hundreds of people, both of
which you’ll find at the Els Club’s
South African festival this month.
The organisers expect to draw
a crowd of 1,000-plus for the
festival, who’ll also enjoy a potjie pot set over hot coals. range for the olds, including thing a ‘jol’, apparently. Whatever
cook-off judged by a special There will also be bouncy ‘breaking the glass’ – ie thump- you call it, it’s sounds like a fun
‘celebrity’ guest – possibly Els castles, face painting and clowns ing a golf ball as hard as you can party to us, bru.
himself – with ten teams of four for the diminutive members of at a plate of glass in an attempt Nov 26, The Els Club, Dubai Sports
competing to prepare the best your clan and various golf com- to smash it and claim victory. In City, Dubai, 4pm to late, free. Tel: (04)
potjie or layered stew in a large petitions on the flood-lit driving South Africa they call this kind of 4251010. www.elsclubdubai.com

A REAL TASTE OF IRELAND IN DUBAI

Opening in November
First opened in Dublin in 1964, McGettigan’s Irish Pub has now arrived in Dubai!
Enjoy the craic in Dubai’s first and only Irish family owned and run Irish Pub!

From a well poured pint of Guinness, or a shot of

Jameson, to Irish breakfasts and other fine Irish fare –
McGettigan’s has it all, plus so much more – live sports,
entertainment and the friendliest service in town!
Nearest Metro - Jumeirah Lakes Towers
Valet parking available at Bonnington.

Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers Plot J3-J4, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, P.O. Box 37246, Dubai, U.A.E.
T: +971 4 356 0000 F: +971 4 356 0400 E: info@mcgettigansdubai.com www.mcgettigansdubai.com

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 63

Win with What’s On
WIN! DINNER FOR
SIX WITH WHAT'S
ON AT VERRE'S
CHEF'S TABLE
Having dined at Scott Price's chef's table
and looked on as Gordon Ramsay himself
gave it the official nod of approval during his
flying visit in October, we know this is a fine
prize. And as if dinner for you and five friends
wasn't enough, What's On will join you for the
evening. To win the opportunity to dine with
us at one of the finest restaurants in Dubai, just
answer the following question.
Where was Gordon Ramsay born?
a) Glasgow
b) Shanghai
c) Dubai

ON
CLICHKMOTIVATE.CDOS
M
IT A
.WINW ND LO
WWW TER THIS A ITIONS
TO EN E COMPET
MOR

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 65

The ultimate pampering experience
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 ARTS
COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND GREEN ART GALLERY

p68 In the eye of the

beholder
p69 Art alert
p69 Down Bastakiya way
p70 Five to see
p71 Lover’s leap

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 67

 ARTS
In the eye of
the beholder
An art studio for young adults with
special needs, Mawaheb from Beautiful
People opened in Bastakiya last month.
The concept was adopted from similar
ventures in the Netherlands and
aims to help integrate special needs
individuals within the community while
encouraging them to discover new
skills. Manager Sonja Tatton takes time
to tell What’s On about the project
How did the opening go?
On October 1 we held an admissions day. It was an opportunity
for the parents and their children to come to the studio and
have a look around and talk to us about the programme. The
day was a huge success and for me in particular the day was
a proud moment. To see how grateful the parents were about
there being something like this in Dubai for their children was
worth all the effort that it has taken to establish the studio. We
plan to have the official opening later in the year.
What do you hope to offer Dubai’s special needs
community?
We hope that the community will embrace the studio and
know that Mawaheb from Beautiful People is dedicated to
inspiring and teaching new skills to their children. People
68 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
COURTESY OF THE ARTIST SALMAN
can apply to attend for a minimum of one day a week
and a maximum of three days a week for the year from
September until June. Essentially it is a place of acceptance
and understanding of each other, where young adults can
come and learn not only artistic skills, but develop their self
confidence and feel valued.
Is the studio open to visitors?
Absolutely! We love visitors. We are very fortunate to be
located in an area that is immersed in local and international
art and culture, so we already have a lot of passing interest.
It is also important that we encourage people to drop by and
see what wonderful things people with special needs can do.
An important aspect of our vision is to educate people to
the fact that although someone has a disability, they can still
contribute to society and make a difference. We guarantee
that whoever walks through those doors will leave with a
smile on their face.
What are your plans for the future?
We currently have a weekly programme that we offer our
students which is under the direction of our resident artist,
Gulshan Kavarana. Our plan is to have a series of workshops
in various mediums of art from visiting artists. We also
have plans to teach students cooking skills with a trained
professional in our small commercial kitchen. Eventually we
would like to open a small café, where the public can drop
in for light refreshments while marvelling at the wonderful
artwork. Essentially, we are studio for everyone to enjoy.
Sun, Tue, Wed, Thurs, Mawaheb from Beautiful People, Villa
40, Bastakiya, Bur Dubai, Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 3532100. www.
mawaheb-dubai.com.

Art alert
COURTESY OF THE ARTIST SARAH
Skills set
There’s something about the
winter months that seems to
encourage a thirst for creative
knowledge in What’s On’s
collective psyche. If you feel
the same, look no further
than Art Sawa’s truly inspiring
programme of courses and
one-off classes. This month
alone offers everything from
a five-session intro into the
history of art (starting from
November 8) to a one-off
music appreciation masterclass
on the eclectic oeuvre of one
John Cage (November 30).
The Al Quoz gallery also offers
regular workshops in audition
and performance preparation,
seasonal crafts and the like.
Check out the website for
details.
www.artsawa.com
Down Bastakiya way
– three more reasons to visit Bur Dubai
XVA GALLERY
Set in the winding backstreets
of Bastakiya’s traditional lanes,
XVA Gallery continues to be
one of the best reasons to
venture Creekside. Its cutting-
edge exhibitions arguably
set the standard for Dubai’s
contemporary art scene. And
the shop and café aren’t half
bad either.
www.xvagallery.com
Art Prize winners
announced
Now entering its third year,
the Abraaj Capital Art Prize
continues to go from strength
to strength. Famously feted as
the world’s biggest art prize, for
the first time this year the US$1
million prize pot is to be split
among five – rather than three, as
in previous years – artists from
across the Middle East, North
Africa and South Asia. Jananne
Al-Ani (Iran), Nadia Kaabi-Linke
(Tunisia), Timo Nasseri (Iraq)
and Hamra Abbas and Shezad
Dawood from South Asia will
each work with guest curator
Sharmini Pereira to produce
original works that will get their
first public airing at Art Dubai
2011. Can’t wait.
www.abraaj.com/acap
MAJLIS GALLERY
Twenty-one-years-young
this month, Majlis continues
to enchant with its relatively
traditional roster of artists,
on-site craft shop and oh-so-
peaceful courtyard – an oasis in
the middle of Bur Dubai’s traffic-
clogged madness.
www.themajlisgallery.com
ARTS
On the move
It’s all change again over in Al
Quoz as Green Art Gallery
prepares to up sticks from
its longstanding Jumeriah
home and settle into a brand
spanking new warehouse
space in – you guessed it – Al
Serkal Avenue in December. Al
Quoz has long been touted as
Dubai’s answer to East London
or Downtown New York’s art
scene, and with a fistful of
some of the city’s most exciting
galleries now located in one
(easily walkable!) place, it looks
like that prediction is finally
set to come true. About time,
we say.
www.gaagallery.com
DUBAI MUSEUM
It’s amazing just how few of
the emirate’s residents have
paid a visit to this, the official
guardian of Dubai’s maritime
and cultural history. Make
like a tourist for an afternoon
by wandering its cool, calm
corridors in the restored
Al Fahidi Fort – you won’t
regret it.
www.dubaitourism.ae
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 69
 ARTS

Five to see

ÅBORDELINES: DECONSTRUCTING EXILE

The final show in Green’s Jumeirah gallery is a cracker – a
group exhibition of work by contemporary Palestinian artists.
Unsurprisingly given the artists’ background there is much musing
on identity and displacement, all deftly handled and thoroughly
thought-provoking.
Until Nov 30. Green Art Gallery, Villa 23, 51st Street, Jumeirah, Dubai.
Tel: (04) 3449888. www.gagallery.com

ÑMEZZO
Not all art needs a gallery
setting, as this exhibition at
Aspen in the Kempinski Hotel
ÅSUSAN THOMPSON: BOTANICAL ARTIST demonstrates. Courtesy of
Botanical art was a favourite of the Victorian era, but fell out of the Vindemia Art & Antique
favour as the 20th century progressed. This charming exhibition Gallery it features the work of
of Thompson’s delicately intricate close-ups of plants and flowers, self-educated Lebanese painter
however, shows us all what we’re missing. Georges Bassil, who finds the
Until Nov 18, Majlis Gallery, Al Musalla Roundabout, Bastakiya, Bur Dubai, inspiration for his ”ballerinas” in
Dubai. Tel: (04) 3536233. www.themajlisgallery.com the voices of Billie Holiday and
Umm Kulthum.
Until Nov 21, Vindemia Art &
Antique Gallery, Aspen, Kempinski
Hotel, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai.
Tel: (04) 4270219

ÉPINS AND NEEDLES

The heavy stylisation of Hayv
Kahraman’s works belie the
subtle layers of their message.
COURTESY OF THE ARTIST: THE THIRD LINE GALLERY

In this, her first solo exhibition

in the UAE, the artist uses
depictions of childhood games
to play with meanings and
notions of gender. It gives a
whole new meaning to the
nature/nurture debate.
ÅRABBIT IN WONDERLAND Until Dec 1, The Third Line,
Using both painting and video animation, Farideh Lashai takes the behind Spinney’s warehouse, Al
rabbit of the title on a journey through the kind of eccentric world Quoz 3, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3411367.
of which Lewis Caroll would be proud. There’s a dark heart at the www.thethirdline.com
centre of all this, however, as the artist muses on her homeland,
Iran, and its place in a changing world.
Nov 3 to Dec 9, Gallery IVDE, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1, Dubai. Tel:
(04) 3235052. www.ivde.net

70 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010

 THEA
WIN!
TRE T

Lovers’
If you ICKET
for th 'd like to s S
We ha e grand to ee When H
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For yo pairs o nada they Met Sally

leap
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tion.
a) Billyin the origin
b) Billy Crysta al mo
l vie?
c) Billi Connolly
e Pipe
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Forget ”to be or not to be” or the meaning of life – one of the

most pressing questions of the past few decades came courtesy
of perennial Hollywood classic When Harry Met Sally in 1989.
So, can a man and a woman ever be just friends? While we
may disagree with WHMS’s conclusion, there’s no doubting that
Sally and Harry’s journey from frenemies to star-crossed lovers
is one of the most entertaining this side of the gender divide
– and not just because of that now famous diner scene (“I’ll
have what she’s having...”). Great news, then, that this particular
celluloid gem is now getting a new lease of life on the Dubai
stage courtesy of Popular Productions.
The stage version of When Harry Met Sally caused quite the
stir when it first hit London’s West End in 2004. Since then,
productions have been staged pretty much constantly, from
New York to Edinburgh. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal may have
defined the characters on screen, but Sally and Harry’s real
charm lies in Nora Ephron’s original screenplay – cleverly
adapted and brought to life on stage by playwright Marcy Kahan
– which goes a long way to explain why the play has been so
successful: it is the story, rather than the stars, that defines it.
Which is not to say that the Madinat production isn’t without
its stars: both John Cusworth and Gillian Budd are West End
actors of good standing, while Popular Productions has been
responsible for sell-out UAE shows from Woman In Black to
Blood Brothers. Will we be battling for a front row place on
opening night? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
Nov 16 to 7. Madinat Theatre, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai. Tel:
(04) 3666546. www.seewhenharrynetsally.com

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 71

 Win with What’s On
Another bumper month of prizes. For your
chance to win, visit www.winwithmotivate.
com, answer the questions and keep your
fingers crossed

WIN! BRUNCH FOR EIGHT AT

AQUARA
Round up some pals, commandeer a table at Aquara and go nuts
on the seafood buffet. Just don’t forget about that dessert room.
Heaven really is a place on earth. If you fancy a free Friday brunch at
this gorgeous waterside spot, you’ll have to tell us…
Which of the following is not seafood?
a) Oysters
b) Crab
c) Corn on the cob WIN! STEAK DINNERS FOR TEN AT
PALERMO
That’s right – you and nine friends could be enjoying the steak night
at Palermo at the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club. Held every week
on Mondays and Tuesdays, there’s a meaty feast of steaks and grills,
all served in the welcoming restaurant or on the terrace under the
stars. For your chance to win this fantastic feeding frenzy, answer
this question correctly:
Which of the following is a polo term?
a) Pukka
b) Chukka
c) Mukka

WIN! A YEAR’S SUPPLY OF

MONSTER ENERGY DRINK
Are you flagging? Need some energy for the next 12 months?
Luckily we have a year’s supply of Monster Energy drink to keep you
going through late nights and morning afters or, if you want to be
a traditionalist, get you pumped up for sporting action. To get your
hands on a case (24 cans) per month for 12 months, tell us:
Which of the following ingredients won’t be found in Monster
Energy?
a) Taurine
b) Unicorn tears
c) Ginseng
WIN! BRUNCH FOR FOUR AT THE
AL BUSTAN ROTANA
To celebrate the launch of brunch at Choice’s restaurant at the
Al Bustan Rotana, we have a table for four to give away. Top
restaurants like Benihana and Blue Elephant serve up exotic
dishes, alongside Italian, Indian and Arabic favourites, plus enough
desserts to keep Dubai dentists in business for years. To be in with a
chance of winning a table for four, correctly complete this saying:
Variety is the spice of…
a) Life
b) Strife
c) Rife

72 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010

 SHOPPING
THE SKATING RINK, ROBERTO
BOLANO
Chilean author Roberto Bolano
blew this pop stand called Earth
back in 2003, but the success in
English translation of his novel The Savage
Detectives in 2006 set loose a flood of Bolano
books in English, including this story of
crime, politics, infatuation and figure skating
set on Spain’s Costa Brava. Read it, then read
the entire Bolano canon before two more
translations in 2011.
If you like this try… Blow-up And Other
Stories, Julio Cortázar
A JOURNEY, TONY BLAIR
You may not like Anthony Charles
Lynton Blair, but he's the man took
the reins of Britain’s Labour party
in 1994, led them to a landslide
election victory after 18 years in
opposition in 1997 – the first of three electoral
triumphs – sat at the head of government as
Prime Minister for a decade and changed the
face of British politics forever. This stout tome
covers everything from 1994 to 2010. Anyone
interested in British, or indeed world politics,
will devour it in days.
If you like this try… The New Machiavelli,
Jonathan Powell
DEAD LIKE YOU, PETER JAMES
British crime writer Peter
James is a big name amongst
fans of the genre, and his series
of novels featuring Detective
Superintendent Roy Grace, of which Dead
Like You is the sixth, has brought some of his
best sales. It follows Grace as he attempts to
solve the murders of two women in Brighton.
Thrilling stuff from an accepted master of the
crime genre.
If you like this try… The Girl With The
Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson
74 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
ESSENTIAL
BEACH READS
Kickback on the beach and enjoy the autumn
sun with one of these ripping yarns
WALKING TO HOLLYWOOD,
WILL SELF
Walking to Hollywood is an
exploration of French theorist
Guy Debord’s psycho-geography
(the effect of environment on an
individual’s behaviour and emotions) in the form
of a fictionalised memoir in which the author
himself appears in the form of the main character
Charles Ryder. Of course it is. Will Self wrote it.
Split into three sections, the surreal action unfolds
during a walk through LA and the East Coast
of Yorkshire. A strange book, but then strange is
Self’s modus operandi.
If you like this try… Crash, J G Ballard
FREEDOM, JONATHAN FRANZEN
Published just two months
ago, Freedom has already been
dubbed a ‘modern classic’ and
the embodiment of the ‘great
American novel’, and its author
Jonathan Franzen ((The Corrections), whose
mug was recently plastered across the cover of
Time magazine, hailed as the saviour of America
literature and the heir to literary giants Updike,
Bellow, Roth and DeLillo. So, let’s just say this
family drama in which the characters spew out
references to pop culture, is a pretty good read.
If you like this try… Underworld,
Don DeLillo
JUMP!, JILLY COOPER
Ah Jilly, you gap-toothed lovely.
The purveyor of horsey romps
returns with this small town tale
of an aspiring racehorse and
the characters that surround
her. There are wealthy trainers, handsome
stable lads and more toned thighs in jodpurs
than you can shake a whip at, so you’ll be
transported from desert sands to the English
countryside at galloping speed.
If you like this try… Polo, Jilly Cooper
THE GLASS PALACE, AMITAV
GHOSH
With almost too much plot to
cram into one book, this epic love
story crosses borders, generations
and class systems. Cleverly
weaving India’s rich history with intricate
fiction, The Glass Palace is a classic rags-to-
riches saga following an extended family’s
journey that will keep you gripped from
beach to bar to bed.
If you like this try… A Fine Balance,
Rohinton Mistry
BERNARD SUMNER:
CONFUSION, DAVID NOLAN
This impeccably researched
account includes memories
from former employees and
schoolmates of Sumner, a
founding member of Joy Division and
New Order. Nolan bravely handed over his
work to the man himself and the result is a
book packed with footnotes from Sumner
confirming and also disputing various tall
tales. Recommended for curious musos and
post-punk nerds.
If you like this try… The Hacienda: How Not
To Run A Nightclub, Peter Hook
ONE DAY, DAVID NICHOLLS
Catching up with two characters,
Emma and Dexter, on every July
15 over 20 years from the day they
leave university. One Day is a rare
novel that successfully jumps through great
chunks of time, leaving the reader guessing
where the next chapter will take them. The
superbly written protagonists aren’t always
likeable, but guide you through a full range of
human emotions, resulting in a moving read
just crying out to be made into a film.
If you like this try… Juliet, Naked,
Nick Hornby
 Got a fashion
question for
Sophia?
E-mail
Sophia says... editor-wo@motivate.ae

We drag the oh-so stylish Sophia Triantafillou away

from the helm at Emirates Woman into the grubby
What’s On office to answer your wardrobe woes

I'm in need of a smart pair of
shoes – none of those ones
that curl up at the ends or have
buckles or pennies stuck to them.
Just smart, shiny and stylish. Tips?
Jeff, Old Town, Dubai
My mother always told me “you
can tell a man by his shoes” and I am
afraid to admit she is right. One of
the biggest fashion faux pas a man
can make is to wear shoes that are
old, have a (high) heel or a rubber
sole. If casual is what you are after,
look no further than Tom Ford, who
does about the best slippers and
loafers around. Hermès and Bottega
Veneta are also excellent choices for
shoes that (if you look after them)
will last for many years to come. If
you need some dress shoes, head to
your nearest Louis Vuitton boutique
for some sleek designs that are sans
buttons and buckles.
Shoes by Louis Vuitton
I live in Abu Dhabi and
commute to Dubai a couple of
times a week. My wife hates my
backpack (from my university
days). Can you suggest a bag
that doesn’t look too feminine
and fits all of my stuff in it?
Paul, Abu Dhabi
You definitely need a suit bag that
will not only hold your suits, but
ties and cufflinks too. 'Roll ons' are
also really easy and come with
front pockets that can fit a laptop
or files safely inside. Gucci at the
Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi have
a luggage range for the fashion-
forward gent, but if you are looking
for something a little more casual
(and inexpensive) Zara has
some great choices.
Bag by Gucci
I have a wedding to go to next
month and was planning to
wear my favourite new LBD to
the reception until someone
told me that wearing black does
not coincide with proper wedding
etiquette. Is this true? I don’t want
to upset the bride on her big day.
Polly, Bur Dubai, Dubai
First things first, you can wear
black anywhere so please don’t
hesitate in wearing black
to this wedding. Black is a
forever-chic option and can
be accessorised with striking
stilettos and A bag to make
a certain fashion statement.
Add a hat with some netting
and stand out from the
crowd in style!
Lanvin

AARON MAREE
presents

I N N O VAT I V E M I D D L E E A S T E R N
NEW AGE D E S S E R T S
F O R T H E N E X T G E N E R AT I O N

“I hope this book is a learning tool for someone else. If even

one apprentice can use it to succeed or to re-ignite that
flame of passion for the industry that I love, then I, too, will
have succeeded.”

Dhs
145
Available at all leading retail outlets in the Gulf and at

PO Box 2331 Dubai UAE Tel +971 4 282 4060 Fax +971 4 282 789 books@motivate.ae
PO Box 43072 Abu Dhabi UAE Tel +971 2 677 2005 Fax +971 2 677 0124 motivate-adh@motivate.ae

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 75

MIND & BODY

SANCTUARY SPA, THE PULLMAN

p79 His 'n' hers

p80 Jet set
p81 A cut above
p82 The verdict
p82 Spa deals

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 77


His‘n’hers
Our guy and gal check out Grand Millennium’s Jasmine Spa
His
SHIATSU
TALK US THROUGH IT…
The Japanese shiatsu massage
technique involves applying firm
pressure with the fingers, palms
and thumbs. There’s no messing
about with this treatment. You
arrive, change, lie down on a table
in a slightly chilly room and then
receive some serious prodding and
pummelling (in a good way).
THE BEST BIT?
My muscles were extremely stiff
from training for the Dubai
Marathon (Run with us!, p82), but
a series of stretches at the end of
the treatment left me loose and
ache free. One of the most effective
massages I’ve ever had.
ANY AWKWARD MOMENTS?
Treatments are administered sans
pants. Just before you disrobe
there’s always a slight worry that Dhs340 for 60 minutes, Dhs490
you’ve made an underwear error.
But naked was, indeed, house rules. minutes.
MIND & BODY
Hers
LYMPHATIC
DRAINAGE MASSAGE
HOW WERE THE DISPOSABLE
PANTS?
They weren’t. Not a throwaway
thong in sight.
SLEEP FACTOR?
Nope.
WHO SHOULD GET
INVOLVED? TALK US THROUGH IT…
Firstly, a very well informed
Anyone looking to rid themselves
therapist explained that the mas-
of some particularly persistent
sage doesn’t use oils, just pressure
strains and pains. It would make
a grand post-sports massage.points on lymph nodes to release
toxins. I was duly warned that I
If you’re looking for relaxation,
might feel a bit dizzy and tired
luxury or pampering, do not seek it
with shiatsu. afterwards. She started to mas-
sage various points from throat to
HOW MUCH AND HOW LONG? feet and I promptly fell asleep. SLEEP FACTOR?
Loads, thanks very much.
for 90 minutes, Dhs590 for 120 THE BEST BIT?
After a brutal week of deadlines, WHO SHOULD GET
6am starts and birthdays, a mid INVOLVED?
afternoon nap was just what the Lymph fluid retains toxins and
sleep doctor ordered. After wak- waste, so if you’re embarking on
ing, the world was a better place. a detox regime or diet this treat-
ment to rid the body of nasties is
ANY AWKWARD MOMENTS? a great place to start.
I suspect I might have kicked the
therapist as I dozed off in one of HOW MUCH AND HOW LONG?
those ‘I’m falling off a step’ type Dhs300 for 45 minutes, Dhs360
dreams. for 60 minutes, Dhs540 for 90
minutes.
HOW WERE THE DISPOSABLE
PANTS?
Absent. After looking high and Jasmine Spa, Grand Millennium,
low I resigned myself to wear- TECOM, Al Barsha, Dubai, 10am to
9pm. Tel: (04) 4299999.
ing my own. And very nice they
www.millenniumhotels.com
were, too.
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 79
 MIND & BODY

Jet set
Whether you’ve been abroad or
just had a big night on the tiles,
we’ve rounded up the best jet lag
treatments to restore skin, boost
energy and cheat sleep

DESTINATION
Jet Away at Sensasia Urban Spa
N
DESTINATIO Spa
eatment at Amara
JET LAG MASSAGE
FLIGHT TIME
Jet Lag Tr
GE
JET LAG MASSA
90 minutes

FLIGHT TIME IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

75 minutes
The Jet Away treatment looks at reviving your whole being,
T kicking off with a peppermint footbath and inhalation of
TERTAINMEN
IN-FLIGHT EN ath in your
private essential oils to awaken your senses. The full body is a
with a footb from the m
enu
ent begins your music
clever combination of light to medium pressure, lymphatic
Your treatm ch oo se assage bed
wh ere you ca n
on to a heat med drainage to get rid of water retention and bloating, and gentle
ga rd en e in sid e owering
ssical). Mov h before sh stretching, leaving you in a dreamy state.
(we went cla et Body Polis with a 45-minute
-m in ut e Butter-swe at ed sk in , Amara Spa
for a 30 ur dehydr with a steam
en revive yo ial. Finish off
outside, th Hy dr a Radiance fac ONBOARD MEALS
in
Anne Semon nch.
a spot of lu
shower and You’ll be welcomed with a refreshing chilled tea then post-
treatment indulged with Sensasia’s sensational ginger tea,
which is served with cucumber and carrot sticks. Top marks.
ONBOARD
MEALS included,
ne menu is
olside cuisi es, noodle sa
lad,
s lu nch from the po sa nd wi ch
A deliciou ur dough WHAT’S ON SAYS
ba rb ec ue chicken, so s on offer.
with d juice
al fruits an
fresh season The ‘whole body’ approach is a winner, working a treat on
that nasty post-flight bloat and tricking your mind into feeling
ze well-rested, even if you’ve been on a plane (with a five-year-
SAYS won’t snoo
WHAT’S ON u probably old kicking the back of your seat) for the last 14 hours.
and while yo nd looking)
like
ber one spa, ve feeling (a
It’s our num yo u’l l lea
treatment, perb.
during this our kip. Su
a sold 12-h TICKET PRICE
you’ve had
Sensasia Dhs440 Firsts
Urban Spa Clas
TICKET PRIC
E st
Fir ss TICKET HOTLINE
Dhs570 Cla Sensasia Urban Spa, The Village Mall, Beach Road, Jumeirah,
Dubai. Tel: (04) 3498850. www.sensasiaspas.com
NE to 10pm.
TICKET HOTLI Dubai. 9am
bai, Deira,
rk Hyatt Du tt.com
Amar a Sp a, Pa
w.duba i.p ar k.hya DEST
Tel: (04) 60
21234. ww INAT
Revi
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DESTINATION tali
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Mass
Jet Lag at The Spa FLIG age
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90 m
inute u ary
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FLIGHT TIME
JET LAG MASSAGE IN-FL
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80 minutes ENTE
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Follo MEN
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pres ing an e
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IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT the v d to p ic weeke
iews repa n
mus from re fo d, a Revit
Take your pick from a selection of several Aromatherapy ic t r a
muc and an e he 24th the work lising M
Associates oils before hitting the table and enjoying a period h-ne v e ns fl oor, ing w assa
pres ed g
of intense body brushing (one of the most pleasing sensations sure ed dark ofter tow the treat eek. Afte e, was
truly mass n ess. T el co men r adm
we’re ever experienced) and a few stretches (don’t worry, fi a v e t s ir
minu rm, awa ge using herapist ring our tarted w ing
no effort on your part). The therapist then applies pressure tes fl k e S e it
ew b en, tone ssential am then yes to cr h soft
y, bu a o e
to all the right spots on your spine and administers an t the nd ener ils of ber began a d ate
ONB re m g g
outstanding massage. OAR ay ha ise. Unfo amot an eep
D ME ve be rtun d min
ALS e n a li a te tt
The
Pu ttle s ly the 90 o
ONBOARD MEALS date llman k leepin
s. Gu eeps g.
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ee din healthy
We enjoyed three cracking cups of restorative ginger tea ing. with
WHA herb
– soothing, but with a gentle kick – prostrate and blanket- T’S O al te
N SA as, w
covered in the relaxation area. We like ginger tea. A lot. YS ater
This and
was
a
The Sp
Pullm an ov
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WHAT’S ON SAYS more a m
than is in
lived certainly der to go
up to o fo
After a ten-hour flight from Milan, we couldn’t have asked for its n ne to wat r more m
TICK ame ch an a
a more peaceful, cosy and luxurious spa. The changing room is ET PR
ICE
. d the ssages. T
treat h
vast and the slippers are first-rate (we’re still wearing them).
Dhs4 men e
75 t

TICKET PRICE TICK

ET HO Business
Firsts Class
TLINE
Dhs625 Sanc
Clas
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Duba y
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(04) Pu
TICKET HOTLINE 3772 llman, M
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www ll of the
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The Spa, The Address Dubai Mall, Dubai Mall, Dubai, 9am to man mirates,
hote
9pm. Tel: (04) 4388025. www.theaddress.com ls.co Al Barsh Sanctuary Spa
m a,

80 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010


A cut above
Trust is paramount when it
comes to choosing a barber
– you don’t want any old
clown with a tub of Brylcreem
and a penchant for pruning
going at your glossy locks.
Here are just a few of our
favourites
MANCHESTER SALON
There are numerous budget BUDGET
barbers to be found in Dubai.
What’s On has a friend who
had his hair cut for his wedding at Four
Brothers, Ras Al Khor Industrial Area
for just Dhs15. And they threw in a scalp
massage. And we have it on good authority,
from one of our colleagues with very a fine
haircut, that Manchester Salon is the place
to be. “There are plenty of good Indian bar-
ISTOCK
bers, but look for a Filipino guy called Grace
working on the second floor – he’s the best,”
our pal says.
Al Muteena St, near Lulu Hypermarket, Deira,
Dubai, Dhs20. Tel: (04) 2625577
NIVEA HAUS SPA
Located at The Dubai Mall, Nivea Haus’ The
Barber Shop is one of the friendliest and most
efficient sheering stops in Dubai. We’ve been
visiting once a month for a year now and
every cut is identical. When a man can sit in
that chair without worrying or administering
instruction, he knows he’s found the barber for
him. Ask for Abed – a true gent. He
remembers exactly what length
and style we desire and even the MID-
chat we were having the last time RANGE
MIND & BODY
we sat in his chair. Dhs100, including a wash.
Job done.
Dubai Mall, Dubai, Dhs100. Tel: (04) 4340777.
www.niveahaus.ae
TONY & GUY BLOW
If you’re going to spend big on your wig, OUT
it’s a good idea to go for a well-known
name – not always a guarantee of quality,
but we’ve entrusted our hair to the pros at Tony
& Guy on many an occasion and never left
feeling, or looking, silly. T&G has been around
for almost 50 years and all of its staff are fully
trained and carrying the special Tony & Guy
Diplomas to prove it. If you want the cheapest
cut on offer make an appointment with a
regular stylist, or for an extra Dhs35 opt for the
style director. We recommend Chris – top cuts,
and he knows his football, too.
Emirates Towers Hotel, Sheik Zayed Road,
Dubai, Dhs200 to Dhs235. Tel: (04) 3303345.
www.toniandguy.com
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 81
 MIND & BODY

Spa news LPG facial THE

The latest openings
and offers from the land The latest high-tech facial
VERDICT
of beauty promises more than a good
old rub-down – in fact its USP
is to deliver a non-surgical
facelift – so no pain and all
gain? What’s On finds out…

THE SALES PITCH

THAI PRIVILEGE SPA
Celebrate Diwali with Thai Privilege Spa
this November. Their themed package
includes a 60-minute face or body
therapy, herbal bleach for the face,
mani-pedi and L'Oréal hair treatment,
worth Dhs745 in total but costs Dhs499
this month.
Villa 1047, Uttamah Villas, Al Wasl Road,
Dubai. Tel: (04) 3489679
Not all of us on What’s On are into cutting-
edge gadgets. In fact, for some of us, down-
loading songs from iTunes is about as high-
tech as we get. So when LPG called about
their techie facial treatment, we weren’t
overcome with excitement. But when we
heard the bit about it being a ‘non-surgical
facelift’ our jaded ears pricked up. It could
be said that the treatment is a bit like a gym
session for your face – lots of exercising of
the epidermis, but without you having to lift
so much as an eyelash. Sounds good to us.

N.A.I.L.S THE TREATMENT

Marina-based ladies rejoice. We visited
this new neighbourhood salon expecting
a standard mani-pedi experience.
Instead, we found lovely treatment
rooms downstairs, a range of top-notch
massages on offer and the charming
therapists using totally organic products.
What a nice surprise. The Thai massage
We’re at LPG HQ with Marimel Rodrigues,
the softly spoken training manager for the
brand. She guides us into a room with a
pretty scary looking machine; it’s the sort
of thing that looks like a prop from of an
episode of Grey’s Anatomy. We’re worried
that it was going to be pretty invasive – but
Marimel ensures us we will leave looking

(Dhs360 for 75 minutes), administered
by the firm handed Sharon, was our
pick, but we’ll be back to try the highly
recommended Hot Stone treatment
very soon.
N.A.I.L.S, Trident Marinascape, Marina
Boulevard, Dubai Marina, Dubai. Tel: (04)
4473688. www.nailsorganicspa.com
MANDARA SPA
Awaken your body and mind with the
115-minute Sultry Citrus Body Buff by
Elemis at the Monarch’s spa, at a
special reduced price this month. For
Dhs700 you’ll get the foot ritual, exotic
lime & ginger salt glow, mini facial,
Elemis bath and Balinese massage with
body oil. The offer also includes your
choice of Elemis bath products to take
home, worth Dhs300, and you’ll get
access to the health club, pool, steam
room and sauna.
Mandara Spa, The Monarch, Sheikh Zayed
Road, Dubai. Tel: (04) 5018888
82 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
simply better, not red raw or remotely sore.
We lay on the spa bed and she removes
eye and face make-up. She then starts up the
machine. It sounds like a vintage steam engine
and is surprisingly soothing as it chugs away.
The Hoover-like attachment manipulates the
skin at a faster and more effective rate than any
therapists’ fingers could move, plus the ‘suck-
ing’ sensation increases your blood flow, and
feels pretty nice, too. She uses different attach-
ments for specific areas of the face, going very
gently around the eye area, and firmer around
the jaw line. The treatment doesn’t last much
longer than 30 minutes – so it doesn’t take too
much time out of our busy schedules, always
good when you’re explaining to the Editor
you’re off for a facial at lunchtime.
“The treatment is a bit like a gym session
for your face – lots of exercising of the
epidermis, but without you having to lift so
much as an eyelash”
ISTOCK
THE VERDICT
Despite it not being the most luxurious
treatment in Dubai – no yummy oils, cleans-
ing of chakras, fragrant candles, heavenly
scalp massages, or nice herbal cuppa to
finish – you certainly come out with more
refined and lifted cheekbones and a clearer
complexion, which means we’ll take this
quick treatment over a lengthy oily rub-
down anytime. A course of six sessions is
recommended, but you do notice a differ-
ence from day one – so yes, it really is no
pain, but plenty of gain.
LPG at Tips & Toes, Jumeirah Beach Residence,
Dubai, Dhs160 per session. Tel: (04) 4293477
THE
ULTIMATE
19TH
HOLE.
DON'T MISS GOLF'S
ULTIMATE PARTY
It's the sporting event of the year. The world will be watching. And
this is your chance to take part, as 60 of the game's greatest names
go head-to-head. Enjoy four days of dawn-to-dusk partying and say
you were there when the 2010 Dubai World Champion was crowned.

Visit www.DubaiWorldChampionship.com
for free tickets and information on premium hospitality packages.

25-28
NOVEMBER
2010
 SPORT & OUTDOOR

p87 Mr Fitness
p88 Run with us!
p89 Sport shorts
ISTOCK

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 85

 SPORT & OUTDOOR
Got a fitness
question for
James?
E-mail
Mr Fitness editor-w @m
o otivate.ae

Our resident exercise guru

answers your health and
fitness questions
Are supplements a con? I’m a healthy
30-year-old guy with a good diet,
so don’t feel like I’m missing out on
vitamins. What are the benefits?
Noel, Bur Dubai, Dubai
There are many useless supplements,
but there are ones that I believe do add
value. Two basic supplements everyone
should be using are a quality omega
three fish oil and a multi-vitamin. Don’t
skimp on price, you get what you pay
for. Google the benefits of fish oils and
you will find that there isn’t anything
that they don’t help with, from improved
cognitive function (IQ) to a reduction of
inflammation in the body to helping lose
body fat. Winner.
What’s a good exercise to do to start
working out again? I’m a little out of
practise and want to get back in the
swing of things.
Praveen, Oud Metha, Dubai
A good activity should be something that
you enjoy and that you will actually do.
Consistently. Perhaps going to the gym
bores you, or the thought of going out for
a run sends you into cold sweats. How
about trying something like rollerblading?
It’s surprisingly tough, great for the legs
(look at all those ice skaters) and low
impact. Another option is to get out onto
the open waters and crack on with a bit
of kayaking, again a great workout for the
arms and abs. If you fancy challenging
your balance and stability, then why not
try some paddle boarding? Start off short
and build up your effort levels.
What’s the deal with exercising
and eating? Should you eat for the
exercise you’re about to do or the
exercise you’ve just done? If I exercise
in the morning I’m always exhausted
by lunch – am I not eating at the right
time?
Sunita, Karama, Dubai
There could be numerous reasons why
you feel exhausted by lunch and one
could be to do with what you are eating.
However, without knowing what you are
eating, what your training sessions consist
of, how much sleep you get and possible
hormonal issues it is hard to say what the
exhaustion issue is. A simple thing to do
is to have half of a workout shake (protein
and carbs) before you train and the other
half once you have finished. So if you’re
training at 7.30am, have half at around
7ish and then the other half at say 8.40am,
just after training. I would then advise
you to have a solid protein and carb meal
at about 10am, to aid with the recovery
process, before having lunch as usual.
I can’t afford to join a gym so I’m
jogging now, but know I should be
doing some strength training, too.
What can I do at home?
Brodwin, Deira, Dubai
You’re right. Strength training has
numerous benefits on the body, such as
increased muscle tone, the burning of more
calories at rest, increased bone density and
the reduction of the likelihood of injury
just to name a few. You could start off with
a simple body weight work-out and add a
bit of a twist to it by making it an escalating
density work-out and you’re onto a winner.
L Renegade row 30 seconds work: 30
seconds rest.
L Split squat 30 seconds work each leg: 30
seconds rest
L Push-up variation 30 seconds work: 30
seconds rest
L Single leg dead lift 30 seconds work each
leg: 30 seconds rest
L Mountain climber 30 seconds work: 30
seconds rest
Work through from one to five in a circuit
format. Work each exercise for 30 seconds
and then rest for 30 seconds before moving
onto the next. Record how many reps you
are able to complete for each exercise and
repeat the circuit twice with a 60-second
rest in the middle. At the end of the two
circuits total up how many reps you have
done in the 15 minutes (that’s your density)
and aim to beat it next time.
What Mr Fitness James Houghton
doesn't know about staying healthy
isn't worth knowing. In his seven
years as a personal trainer, he's
helped West End actresses lose the
pounds and worked with the Arabian
Gulf rugby sevens team to keep them
in peak condition.

wagamama
The Greens
Tel 04 361 5757
wagamama
Al Fattan Towers
Tel 04 399 5900
PROUDLY OPERATES (Open daily noon to midnight, deliveries)
info@rmalhospitality.ae www.rmalhospitality.com/wagamama.asp

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 87

 SPORT & OUTDOOR
Run with us!
The long, gruelling road to
the longest race of our lives
(some longer than others)
has begun. We’ve talked a
good game, we’ve started
training – now it’s down
to business. Our running
guru and veteran of many
marathons Chris Miller talks
diet, training schedules and
why it’s still not too late to
run with us!
Right, by now you should have been inspired
by last month’s Run with us! column to
sign up for the Dubai Marathon, RAK Half
Marathon or the Dubai 10km Road Race and
started running. But you probably don’t have
any idea what you’re doing and might already
be wishing you hadn’t committed yourself to
such a titanic task.
Do. Not. Fear. Chris Miller is here. Chris
is a well-being and fitness consultant at The
Energy Clinic in Dubai. He is also a keen run-
ner and veteran of a number of long-distance
races. And, if you’ve managed to haul yourself
out of bed for one of our free Monday morn-
ing What’s On training sessions with Chris
at Safa Park, you’d know he’s an encouraging
trainer and a nice guy to boot.
So nice in fact that he’s given us these top
tips about diet and training.
Tested: Adidas MiCoach
Let’s face it, personal trainers are pricey.
Luckily, the re-launched Adidas MiCoach
(this one without the need of a Samsung
phone) comes with this little fat-busting
gizmo. It talks wirelessly to a heart rate
monitor and stride sensor, recording your
workout stats and giving you access to
mountains of data via the MiCoach website.
Just strap the heart rate monitor across
your chest, stick the handy Pacer dongle
to any pair of runners (it attaches at the
laces, so you won’t have to buy specialized
shoes) and you’re ready to go. The first
time you power the MiCoach up, it will
ask you to run a qualifying session where
88 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
RUN WITH US!
Join our free weekly What’s On training session with Chris and Mr Fitness at Safa Park, 6.30am every
Monday. For more information, contact gareth@motivate.ae. Also keep an eye on our Twitter and
Facebook (WhatsOnDubai) for updates and our blog (www.runwhatsonrun.wordpress.com) for
more detailed advice.
you’ll need to walk, jog and sprint at certain
intervals. It will then tailor-make your own
personal workouts to any fat burning, cardio
boosting or distance goals you fancy.
Diet tips
L Make sure you’re eating some form of
protein with every meal (beans, meat)
LEat fruit and or vegetables with every meal
LMake sure you eat breakfast (something
high in carbohydrates like oats)
LTake Omega three (Norwegian Gold)
and multivitamin supplements (Time For
Change)
LStart to experiment with sports drinks
when running 60 minutes or more
Training schedule
(four sessions per week)
1 A long run, progressively increasing the
distance each session
2 Run a shorter distance at a faster pace
3 Interval training session (join our free Safa
Park sessions, Monday, 6.30am)
4 Strength training session, focusing on legs,
hips and core
And remember – it’s not too late. “The first
time you run a race you’re running to finish
it,” says Chris. “There’s plenty of time left to
train, even for the marathon.”
There’s even real-time
audio coaching, with the
pebble-sized gadget barking
orders to'speed up'or 'slow
down' as well as delivering
handy stats (time, distance, pace)
based on your workout. After your run,
connect the MiCoach to your computer via
USB, and it will give you calories burned,
heart rate and intensity stats.
It’s compatible with any MP3 player
packing a 3.5mm audio jack, which means
Eye Of The Tiger on repeat, right?
Adidas, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, Dhs495.
Tel: (04) 3477007. www.micoach.com

Sports shorts
Your bite-size guide to
the sporting month
What’s this? Zen
Zen Yoga instructor Lucy Roberts
has plenty to offer this month.
First up, there’s cardiolates
– a cunning blend of cardio
and Pilates that works the
heart and lungs and helps
strengthen your core and
improve posture (Thursdays
9am). Or if you’re really keen,
Lucy is holding five daily sessions between
November 21 and 25 at Media City. You
can sign up to one for Dhs100 or all five for
Dhs450.
Nov 21 to 25, Zen Yoga, Dubai Media City, BBC
building 10, Dubai, 7am to 9am, Dhs100 to
Dhs450. Tel: (04) 3670425. www.yoga.ae
Masterstrokes
Fancy a dip? How about a 1km swim around
the Burj Al Arab. Sign up to the Swim Burj
Al Arab event, donate Dhs275 to medical
organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres, and
take part in either the competitive or the
family swim from the Burj to Jumeirah Beach
Hotel. Go on, it’s all in the name of charity.
www.swimburjalarab.com
SPORT & OUTDOOR
Howzat!
With Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium,
ICC HQ and Freddie Flintoff turning up in
everyone’s local watering hole, Dubai
is fast becoming a cricket hot
spot. And this month, sports
fans, we will be treated to
the first test match between
Pakistan, who will be looking
to put the scandal surrounding
their recent disastrous tour of
England behind them, and the
more settled South Africa – obvious
ISTOCK AND GETTY/GALLO IMAGE
frontrunners. A soft seat cushion, a large
and silly hat (the sillier the better) and a few
cold ones – there is no better way to spend a
sunny day (or five).
Nov 12 to 16, Dubai Sports City, Emirates
Road, near Dubai Autodrome, Dubai, free to
Dhs150 for five days. Tel: (04) 4251111. www.
dubaisportscity.ae
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 89
 The boys line up with
everything to race for
JULIANA
Deputy editor Helen
dons an attractive vest
DOWN
What’s On took the boys from Juliana
Down go-karting to blow off some
steam after being cooped up in the
recording studio. The new album,
Empires, is out next month – a heavy
Victory! Friendships are blend of alternative rock roars and
addictive lyrics that is already getting
forgotten on the track solid air-play on Dubai radio. Lead
singer Dia H yelled, “We’re back and
Shot on location at Dubai Autodrome
ready to rock!” as he ripped around
the track with Sari R (guitar), Vee
(bass) and Lionel (keyboards). After
already opening for Muse, Justin
Timberlake and Velvet Revolver, we
reckon 2011 will be the year Juliana
Down explode onto the international
music scene.
www.myspace.com/officialjulianadown
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 91
 CLUB DIARY
This month’s mightiest nights in Clubland
5
CTRL @ Catwalk
The underground house night returns for
another instalment of DJ Afroboogie-led
fun, with guest appearances from the
Substance and Warped crews.
Catwalk, Golden Tulip, Barsha, Dubai, 9pm to
3am, free. Tel: (050) 4517002
Sundowner Sessions @ Sundowner
WEEKLY
Laid-back beats by the pool, courtesy of
resident DJ Chris Smith.
Sundowner, Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Yas
Island, Abu Dhabi, 5.30pm to 9pm, free. Tel:
(02) 6563053
Terry Francis @ Digital
Double bubble from London, as sometime
Fabric man Terry Francis takes over Trilogy's
main room, while the ever-reliable Norman
Jay sets up camp on the Rooftop.
Trilogy, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, 9pm to
3am, Dhs130 to Dhs150. Tel: (050) 7258277
GETTY/GALLO IMAGES
92 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
6
Play @ Nasimi
WEEKLY
Beach games, happy hour from 3pm to
5pm, barbecue and live Radio 1 broadcast
of Schooly's soulful sessions might just be
the perfect way to end your weekend.
Atlantis The Palm, Dubai, 3pm to late, free.
Tel: (055) 2004321
10
Ultimate Ladies Night @ Zinc
WEEKLY
It’s club classics all the way at the popular
cabin crew hangout, with more drinks
deals than you can shake a FACE card at.
Zinc, Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, 10pm to 3am, Dhs75, free for ladies.
Tel: (050) 1515 609
12
Mylo @ Digital
5 MustHaveSoul @
Skylite EW
WEEKLY N
Simon Reid, the man
behind soulful dance night
MustHaveSoul, bares his
own about the new night
in Abu Dhabi
Why the move to the capital? What's
the appeal with Skylite?
Once we saw the venue we knew it
would work for our style of music. It's
not pretentious, has a great location
– on the roof of the hotel, overlooking
the F1 race track. And it has a great
Funktion 1 sound system. We're
hoping people from both Abu Dhabi
and Dubai will come down, party with
us and stay the night. We'll be running
a free coach service from Etihad Plaza
for Etihad staff, too.
So how do you feel about the city’s
scene at the moment?
I feel it’s an untapped market, still
5
Norman Jay @ Digital
very much in its infancy. All it takes
is good music. There are amazing
events planned for Yas Island, and it
could become a hub for activity for the
capital. We hope to be a big part of it.
Who should come to MustHaveSoul
@ Skylite?
Everyone is welcome; we're not
pretentious. Our parties are all about
giving people good music and nights
they'll remember. The event is on every
Friday so we want people to come
down and let their hair down, have a
good time, enjoy their surroundings
and dance.
And what can we expect tune-wise?
We pride ourselves on our music policy.
People who come to MustHaveSoul
can expect the very best in what we
call 'soulful dance music'. So expect
anything from soul, funk, disco and nu
disco, to soulful and deep house music.
Plus, we'll be bringing an international
guest once a month.
What are your winter 2010 anthems?
Look out for something very special
coming from one of our DJs – Sean
McCabe featuring Stephanie Cooke
coming soon on Kingstreet Sounds,
Also I think Hippie Torrales featuring
Rosie Gaines' Never Quite The Same is
up there, too.
Sum up MustHaveSoul in five words
or less.
Must have good times.
Skylite, The Yas Hotel, Yas Island,
Abu Dhabi, 4pm to 2am, free,
promotional room rate of Dhs550
including breakfast. Tel: (055) 6160643.
www.musthavesoul.com

80s @ Stills
WEEKLY
DJ Fadi takes you back to the 1980s
every Wednesday night. Dig out those
legwarmers.
Stills, Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Yas Island, Abu
Dhabi, 8pm to late, free. Tel: (02) 6563053
12
Mylo @ Digital
Trilogy continues to ship over the big boys;
this time it's Mylo providing the soundtrack
for your Friday night. Expect slick electronica,
big basslines and a few screaming fans.
Trilogy, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, 9pm to
3am, Dhs130 to Dhs150. Tel: (050) 7258277
Acoustic @ Abu Dhabi Gold Club
WEEKLY
Acoustic music every Friday night with
Danny Shirran.
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Sas Al Nahkl, Abu
Dhabi, 7pm to 10pm, free. Tel; (02) 5588990
13
Just Sundays @ Cavalli Club
WEEKLY
Glam clubbing for glam people – expect
the music on the commercial side, and the
people on the well-to-do side.
Cavalli Club, Fairmont, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, 8pm to late, free. Tel: (04) 3329260
19
Mr Mr’s 30th Birthday @ Audiotonic
One of our great musical mates celebrates
the big 3-0 with Matthew Charles, Julian
Jinx, Vas Floyd and Raxon all taking a
turn behind the deck, live on Radio 1.
The birthday boy will also be playing a
set at 8pm.
360˚, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, 4pm to
2am, free. Tel: (050) 1076405
26
Zane Lowe @
Nasimi
20
Saturday Night Fever @ Alpha
WEEKLY
Retro-loving fun from the Alpha residents,
with disco and more on offer.
Alpha, Le Méridien Village, Garhoud, Dubai,
9pm to late, Dhs50, free for ladies and FACE
card holders. Tel: (050) 9130165
Grant Nelson @ MustHaveSoul
Celebrate MustHaveSoul’s first birthday
with special guest Grant Nelson, regarded
by many as the pioneer of UK house.
Support from residents Simon Reid, Tristan
Bain and Dan Chadwick.
360, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, 4pm to
2am, free. Tel: (055) 6160643
25
Norman Doray @ Armani/Prive
The man behind Apocalypse spins the
tunes for Armani’s ever-glam crowd.
Armani/Prive, Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa,
Dubai, 10pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) 8883888
Ministry of Sound @ Barasti Beach
A beach-side spectacular with MoS tunes,
stilt walkers and fire dancers providing
the entertainment, plus giveaways and
drink promotions.
Barasti, Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Resort &
Spa, Dubai Marina, Dubai, 5pm to 2am,
Dhs100, Dhs50 before 10pm, free for ladies.
Tel: (04) 3991313
26
Evren Ulusoy @ Audiotonic
Turkish delights from Evren, who brings
his brand of deep house to the offshore
party. Expect backup from Mr Mr, Vas Floyd
and Raxon.
360, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, 4pm to
2am, free. Tel: (050) 1076405
Layo & Bushwacka @ Digital
Breakbeat fun from the UK duo, who are
sure to draw a big crowd.
Trilogy, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, 9pm to
3am, Dhs130 to Dhs150. Tel: (050) 7258277
Soundwave @ Nasimi
The little brother to the mammoth
Sandance, this beach party will feature
Zane Lowe DJing and Nightmares On Wax
with their full live band. Expect sandy fun
from afternoon to late.
Atlantis The Palm, Dubai, 2pm to late, price
TBC. Tel: (055) 2004321
27
Karizma @ MustHaveSoul
The Baltimore-based spinner drops by for
a night of house action, backed up ably by
Simon Reid, Tristan Bain and Dan Chadwick.
360˚, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, 4pm to
2am, free. Tel: (055) 6160643
11 Retrospect @ 360˚
Martin Rushent, legendary
punk, electro and pop
producer, has worked with
some of the greats. Now in
his 60s, with a son in electro
band Does It Offend You,
Yeah?, we caught up with
him ahead of his first trip to
Dubai
What can the 360˚ crowd expect
from you?
I’m going to be doing my 1970s and 80s
set. A mixture of The Human League, bit
of Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Spandau
Ballet, Ultravox… a whole range of early
80s artists from ones I’ve produced and
some I really love.
You worked with seminal post-
punk band Joy Division. How did
that come about?
I loved Joy Division. I just thought they
were fantastic. I remember going up
to see them in Manchester, before
anyone had heard of them and they
were playing in a tiny little hall above
some shops. They were just amazing.
I couldn’t believe it. I told them to
come to London immediately to do
an album.
CLUB DIARY
19
Mr Mr @ Audiotonic
So which era do you most fondly
remember?
I had a great time in the mid to
late 70s with Buzzcocks and The
Stranglers. That was a lot of fun and
a lot easier than making ‘80s records.
They were touring bands so you
just plonked them in the studio; you
got a good sound, recorded them,
dubbed the vocals, mixed it and
went home. Then we moved into
the 80s and the machines started to
develop – and they were primitive
back then and a nightmare to work. I
remember thinking “I came into the
music industry so I wouldn’t be a bank
clerk, typing on a keyboard, and that’s
exactly what I’m doing”.
And how do you feel about
advancing technologies these
days?
I can do things now in five minutes
that used to took me a day. I’m well
chuffed!
Who are you working with now?
The band I’ve just finished working
on are The Pipettes. Very pop and the
other end of the playing field to Does
It Offend You, Yeah?. They had an
album out a while ago, very gimmicky,
but they’ve made lots of changes.
People react to it like Marmite – either
thinking it’s the greatest pop album
ever made, or they just hate it.
Many industry insiders have called
you a pioneer. How do you feel
about that?
I think they’re dead right! There
weren’t many of us doing it back in
the day and over the last 20 years I’ve
been listening to electro and dance
and they’re still using little tricks
that I developed back in the 80s. The
remarkable thing is when I meet real
heroes of mine, like Grandmaster
Flash, and they say I was the biggest
influence on their work. It’s amazing.
360˚, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, 8pm
to late, free. Tel: (050) 2269440.
www.myspace.com/mrushent.
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 93
 Win with What
What’ss On
ON
CLICHKMOTIVATE.CDOS
M

ISTOCK
IT A
.WINW ND LO
WWW TER THIS A ITIONS
TO EN PET
COM
MORE

WIN! A MONTH OF TRX

CLASSES
TRX is the latest exercise craze, and we have a month of
unlimited classes at The Aviation Club to give away. The
dynamic sessions involve equipment suspended from the
ceiling, so you use your body weight to build strength and
flexibility, while controlling difficulty. If you fancy a month of
free full body work-outs, then answer this question…
TRX was developed by a military man. Was he a…
a) Navy SEAL
b) Navy Dolphin
c) Navy Manatee

WIN! BRUNCH AT ARMANI/

HASHI PLUS A SIGNATURE
TREATMENT AT ARMANI/SPA WIN! A BARBECUE NIGHT
Italian-style luxury is within reach with this amazing prize. The winner
can enjoy brunch for two at Hashi, Armani’s stunning Japanese FOR SIX
restaurant, complete with sushi buffet, Robati grills, a la carte mains
You and five chums could be enjoying an evening of meaty,
and Bollinger (see out review on page 59). They will also receive a
charred goodness (with drinks to wash it down) at the new
90-minute Crema Nera signature treatment in Armani/Spa, one of
cook out night at City Centre Hotel & Residence. Every Friday
Dubai’s most stylish urban retreats. To be in with a chance of winning
and Saturday night there’s lamb chops, steaks, jumbo prawns
this five-star experience, simply tell us:
and more on the barbie, plus salads and desserts with live
What is Mr Armani’s first name?
entertainment from the resident songsters. If you’d like to give
a) George
it a try, you’ll have to get this question right:
b) Giorgio
Which of the following are you unlikely to find on a
c) Gino
barbecue?
a) Burger
b) Kebab
c) Lemon sorbet

94 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010

THE MAKING
OF A MARQUE
06.11
race heritage.

2010
What makes a great marque an icon? Passion, emotion, innovation and a thoroughbred

Invitation: @V\HYLPU]P[LK[V^P[ULZZHZLSLJ[PVUVMZL]LYHSJSHZZPJ7VYZJOLPJVUZÅV^UPU
from the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. Exhibited in Dubai for one day only, do not
miss this chance to embark on a journey into the legendary Porsche history.
Date: Saturday, 6th November 2010
Time: From 12:00 pm onwards
Venue: Porsche Centre Dubai
1st interchange Sheikh Zayed Road, near Mazaya Centre

www.porschedubai.com
 TRAVEL

p99 Wild at heart

p104 Island fever
p108 Travels with....
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NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 97

Family Fun Day. BBQ-on-the-lawn.
Saturdays are Fun days, thanks to the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club’s very
own hawksbill restaurant!
Starting from the 23rd October, and running every Saturday until the
27th November, you can eat as much as you can at our BBQ on the lawn.
There’ll be jumping castles, face painting, kids’ golf and a variety
of games, with loads of prizes to be won.
We look forward to welcoming you all to what promises to be a great
day out for the entire family. We’re only minutes away from Abu Dhabi’s
Corniche, and there is ample parking available.
For all reservations please telephone 02 499 8107
or email fb@sbgolfclub.ae
Visit us at www.sbgolfclub.ae

And as if the BBQ wasn’t enough, there will also be popcorn, candy
floss, hotdogs and corn-on-the-cob to fill those empty spaces!

The Fun Day runs from midday until 5pm, whilst the BBQ – which costs
AED80 per person – concludes at 3pm.
 TRAVEL | CATALONIA

Wild at heart
From bustling Barcelona
to tiny fishing villages
near the French border, LONG
northern Catalonia has HAUL
something for everyone –
in almost every language.
What’s On takes a tour of
Spain’s ‘Wild Coast’

“Bonjour Mesdames!” The hotel receptionist

is smiling brightly, but we are perplexed.
Travel can feel discombobulating at the best
of times, but even allowing for jet lag and
time differences we take pride in at least
knowing what country we’re in. “Bonjour
Mesdames,” she tries again, her smile a little
tighter. We glance, faintly baffled, at one
another before shrugging and offering a
muffled “bonjour” in reply.
We are standing in the lobby of the Hotel
Duran in the Catalonian city of Figueres,
northern Spain. Fittingly for a city that is the
birthplace of Salvador Dali, the experience
thus far is shaping up to be decidedly surreal
– why is the Spanish receptionist in a Spanish
hotel speaking to us, clearly a couple of native
English speakers, in French?
The answer is quite simply geography.
Figueres may lie 30km inland from the
French border on the northern Costa Brava
(‘Wild Coast’), but it shares some of the
traits of its Gallic neighbours including,
we’re discovering, a certain freedom with the
language. Around these parts, French and
Spanish are mixed and mingled with dextrous
ease. That’s when they’re not all speaking the
official second language, Catalan.
Confused? There’s no need to be.
Spanish geo-politics may baffle (there are
17 autonomous communities within the

Costa Brava
seascape

Barcelona's Parc
Guell at sunset
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NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 99

 TRAVEL | CATALONIA

Three more
reasons to visit
the Costa Brava
El Bulli
Consistently voted one of the world's best
restaurants, Ferran Adria’s El Bulli restaurant
is a short drive from the resort town of Roses.
The chef who put the gastro into molecular
gastronomy has announced that next year (it
only opens from June to December) will be the
restaurant’s last. Get on the waiting list now.
www.elbulli.com

Empúries
This ancient city on the Gulf of Roses was
founded by the Phoenicians in 600BC. After
them, the Greeks and Romans both had their
turn. The result? Ruins from each of the three
cultures can be seen here, including stunning
floor mosaics and the layout of the original
Greek harbour.

Girona
Northern Catalonia’s second city offers all the
trappings of urban life – culture, fine dining and
enough shopping opportunities to make your
bank manager weep – at a considerably more
relaxed pace than Barcelona.

Kingdom of Spain, of which Catalonia is one), but

the best way for the average visitor to approach
anything is to simply go with the flow.
In Figueres the flow goes pretty firmly in one
direction – this is a city that is all about its most
famous son. From the props and drawings that
adorn the Hotel Duran’s walls to the mind-boggling
theatricality of the Dali Theatre-Museum, in this –
frankly otherwise unlovely – place there’s no escaping
Salvador Dali. The great Surrealist conceived the
museum as his gift to his hometown and it would
seem that it is one that just keeps on giving – visitors
flock in their thousands to visit it every year.
Dali also looms large in the pretty town of
Cadaqués , about an hour’s drive up the coast.
The artist spent his childhood summers here and
later settled into a home nearby in the tiny fishing
village of Port Lligat. If you haven’t had enough of
the moustachioed one’s personal proclivities (we’ll
say no more about the decidedly dodgy swimming
pool), you can join the merry band of tourists on
the next leg of their Dali-homage. Either way, make
sure you leave plenty of time to explore Cadaqués.
There are some places that defy description and
this is one. Almost everyone we meet tells us this
town is special, but no one quite manages to put
it into words. We’re none the wiser after a visit to
Cadaqués Museum where Cecelia Baldes, who
moved to the town from her native Barcelona 20 Girona
years ago, explains the town’s je ne sais quoi in

100 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010

 TRAVEL | CATALONIA

terms of a particularly magical “energy”. “You either

really love this place or you feel nothing,” she adds.
“It’s not in the middle.”
Certainly, Cadaqués’ beauty is undeniable:
whitewashed stone houses with terracotta tiled roofs
are piled around the kind of picture-perfect horseshoe
bay of which postcards are made. The town was, until
relatively recently, only reachable by sea and even
today, dozens of boats, big and small, continue to bob
in the bay. This remoteness played no small part in
allowing the town to escape the high-rise building
boom that has blighted much of the rest of the Costa
Brava in recent decades.
But it takes more than that to attract the stream
of artists who, since Picasso visited 100 years ago,
have been making A steady pilgrimage to the
town (it boasts more art galleries per square metre Top: neighbouring bays, and hours lolling indulgently on
than anywhere else in Spain). Or to explain how View of the town’s tiny, pebbled beach. By night we hop the
Chinese developers became so enchanted with the Costa Brava’s many bars and restaurants that line the waterfront,
place that plans to build an exact replica of it over beaches and grazing on tapas at the strip’s open-air restaurants
a 100-acre site in Xiamen Bay – allowing Chinese villages and tapping our feet to live bands at L’Hostal, a
holidaymakers to get a whiff of the town’s magic Above right: dimly-lit dive that counts Mick Jagger and Nobel
without ever having to get their passports stamped Casa Batlló Prize-winning author Gabriella Garcia Marquez
– are currently underway. among its guests. Whatever the key to Cadaqués’
We leave the Cadaqués conundrum to the mysterious energy may be, we are entranced.
experts, choosing instead to spend a couple of So it’s a shock, four days and three hours
days soaking up its charms, no questions asked. travelling time later, to find ourselves pulling
This involves a day walking around the Cap de into Barcelona’s Passeig de Gracia station to be
Creus peninsula watching waves crash and seagulls confronted with the push and pull of city life.
soar up and over the rocky headland, another Barcelona is arguably Spain’s most vibrant city. It
spent puttering gently by boat in and out of quiet certainly takes the award for its most eccentric.

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 101

 TRAVEL | CATALONIA
Santa Maria church
Our first sight upon leaving the station is
the writhing, skeletal artistry of Casa Battló
(casabattlo.es), a private house designed by
Antoni Gaudi, the architect whose still-
unfinished cathedral, La Sagrada Familia,
serves as architectural mascot for the city and
remains its most visited attraction.
Further quirks abound over in Montjuïc
Park where 4,500 pastel-coloured lightbulbs
and many thousand litres of water nightly
bring the Font Màgica de Montjuïc (that’s
Magic Fountain to you and me) to life. Eat
your heart out Dubai Fountain – this baby is
kitsch with a capital ‘K’.
But Barcelona is as sophisticated as it is
idiosyncratic. With time short, we stop for
a quick coffee in the magnificent Boqueria
indoor food market on La Rambla before
heading to the Gothic Quarter to wander
through its narrow cobbled streets, pay
102 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
homage to Picasso (the artist spent his youth
in the city and is honoured with his own
museum on Calle Montcada) and gorge on
tapas at legendary local favourite Cal Pep’s
zinc-topped bar. From there it’s a short stroll
down to stylish charms of Barceloneta. This
once working class neighbourhood was given
a makeover for the Olympics in 1992 and
hasn’t looked back since. Now it’s all smart
apartments and beachfront bars, a place
where bathing beauties cycle and rollerblade
the waterfront by day and live la vida loca
by night.
La Sagrada Familia
catherdral in Barcelona
The village of
Cadaques
The newest jewel in the city’s style crown,
however, is a further short stroll south.
Designed by famed local architect Ricardo
Bofill, the sail-shaped W Hotel has been
called the city’s answer to the Burj Al Arab.
Pitch up poolside and you’ll be treated to
magnificent views over the Mediterranean,
fine cocktails and an absurdly pretty crowd
of fellow loungers. We settle in, order a
signature wet mojito and raise a glass. Finally,
a language we fully understand.
Need to know
Getting there
Emirates flies daily from Dubai to Barcelona
via Madrid from Dhs4,300 in November
Accommodation
LHotel Duran, Figueres. Tel: (+34)
972501250. www.hotelduran.com
LSalvador Dali’s hometown is good base
for visiting spots along the northern
Costa Brava
LW Hotel Barcelona. Tel: (+34) 932952800.
www.whotels.com.barcelona
Spain’s hottest new hotel opening, bar none
Currency
1 Euro = Dhs5.1
 TRAVEL | SRI LANKA
Island
fever
Lazing, surfing, strolling and
eating, Sri Lanka’s southern
shores offer our very own The
Critic, James Brennan, idyllic
respite from city life
I’m in the classic beach holiday position. Feet
up, pointing towards the sea. Head down,
peering up through gently whispering palm
fronds at a powdery blue sky. My right hand
is toying idly with caster-sugar sand, and my
left appears to have merged with the atoms,
floating somewhere in time and space. Waves
crash up against megalithic rocks that emerge
from the water like prehistoric beached
whales. The rhythmic swoosh of the tide has
soothed me into a state of stupefied bliss.
Thing is, I hate beach holidays.
Under normal circumstances, the mere
suggestion of a beach holiday would have me
reaching for a Trans-Siberian Railway time-
table or a map of the West Papuan rainforest.
The brain-blotting torpor of just lying there
on a stretch of granulated rock, clutching a
John Grisham novel and waiting for the sun
to turn me into a human glow stick doesn’t
usually appeal. But then there’s Sri Lanka.
I first visited the teardrop-shaped island to
the south east of India in 2006. It was almost
two years after the Boxing Day tsunami
claimed thousands of lives and devastated
communities along its east and south coasts.
The country was still in the grip of a long and
violent civil war, yet I found the indomitable
spirit and friendliness of the people instantly
endearing. But it was the raw natural beauty
of the southern coastal areas around Galle
and Unawatuna that poked a hole through
ISTOCK
my prejudice.
104 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
SHORT
HAUL
Now the civil war is over and I’m back
in Sri Lanka, enjoying the beaches again.
I’m lounging at Dalawella, a quiet stretch
of guesthouses and mini-resorts just south
of Unawatuna along the Galle-Matara coast
road. Here the shore is as serene and idyllic
as the laws of nature can allow. All that travel
stress – from airport hassles to the four-hour
night-drive from Colombo – peels away with
each majestic rush of seawater. Did you know
more people are killed each year by falling
coconuts than shark attacks? Well, that’s all I
have to worry about right now. I glance up at
the tall palms overhead. No coconuts. As you
were.
The beauty of this particular beach holiday,
above most others, is that you can easily find
a pace to suit your mood. When the most you
can be bothered to do is perspire and reach
for ice cold drinks, Dalawella is perfect. You
can just lie there, luxuriating in the gentle
sea breeze as tiny hermit crabs scurry over
the rocks, and fishermen cast their lines from
stilt poles driven into the seabed. They sit
patiently for hours on wooden cross beams a Above:
few feet above the sea, motionless so as not to The view
disturb the fish. The sun goes down drowsily, from Galle
like an old man getting into bed. lighthouse
When you feel like upping the tempo
from such bone-idle inertia to something a Right:
little more invigorating, there’s Unawatuna. An idyllic Sri
Slightly more developed than Dalawella, and Lankan beach
just a few minutes away by tuk-tuk, Unawa-
tuna’s beaches are busier, but no less beauti-
ful. Scattered around a network of quiet lanes
set back off the main road, there’s a range of
accommodation here, from cheap B&Bs, to
all-inclusive resorts. There are beachside ca-
fes, bars and restaurants to flit between after
sunset and, while the vibe is suitably sleepy,
there are plenty of opportunities to socialise
with locals and fellow lazy travellers.

The most stressful thing you might do
here is haggle with a tuk-tuk driver over
fare. A return trip along the coast road, past
Dalawella to Koggala and Ahangama, should
cost you no more than five hundred Rupees.
And there’s good reason to make the short
journey. The white sandy beaches get even
more picturesque along the way. A haven for
wildlife, Koggala Lake attracts a rainbow of
exotic birds, and the nearby Ananda spice
garden provides the opportunity to stock up
on citronella oil to ward off the inevitable
squadrons of mosquitoes.
Should you really wish to get the blood
pumping, Ahangama is to the surfer what
Dalawella is to the beach slouch. There are
precious few attractions here other than the
galloping waves, so it’s hardly ever crowded
TRAVEL | SRI LANKA
and you can ride those breakers until you run
out of surf wax. If you haven’t already spotted
them trying to dodge your board in the water,
you can visit the nearby Sea Turtle Farm &
Hatchery, where baby turtles are nurtured
and released safely back into the sea.
After a few days of somnambulistic pot-
tering around the beaches of Dalawella and
Unawatuna, I head to the town of Galle, a few
miles down the coast. As my tuk-tuk driver
threads through a mesh of growling buses
and chugging lorries, I feel my heartbeat
readjusting to the rhythm of town life. Galle’s
new town is a Stockhausen symphony of
car horns, motors and urban noise. It’s the
cranking engine room of the region, vibrant
with life, but hardly the most attractive spot
on the coast. Galle’s old town, however, is an
NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 105
 TRAVEL | SRI LANKA
Where to stay
DALAWELLA
SRI GEMUNU
For the laziest
phase of
your holiday,
the relaxed
simplicity of
this colonial-
style beachfront
hotel will hit the spot
perfectly. Rooms with air conditioning are
fine, but the sea-facing fan-only rooms are
just as good, especially when you open
the shutters and let the gentle breeze and
crashing waves lull you to sleep at night.
Just try not to sleep too much during
the day.
www.sri-lanka-resort.com
altogether more alluring prospect.
The Galle Fort was completed by Dutch
colonialists in the late 17th century, and is
now a Unesco World Heritage Site. Tracing
a peninsula overlooking the old harbour, the
sturdy ramparts stood resolute against the
2004 tsunami, while much of the new city
outside the walls was destroyed. As a result,
restoration work on many of the old Dutch
houses and administrative buildings inside
the fort carried on unimpeded, and some
have been returned to their former pomp.
The Galle Fort Hotel was a gem merchant’s
mansion that was saved from ruin by two
Australian entrepreneurs and transformed
into one of the best colonial-style boutique
hotels in Asia. Its faithfully restored exterior
is certainly befitting of the best-preserved
colonial sea fort on the entire continent.
But it’s the dark-wooden splendour of the
interior that evokes a sense of a golden age of
travel – where sundowners can be sipped on
the terrace as the day wraps itself up in the
purr of the ceiling fans. I make it my base to
explore the old town.
The next morning I amble through the
snug streets of the fort, admiring the histori-
cally sensitive restorations here and there, but
also the crumbling old facades that have been
untouched for centuries. The fort I visited in
2006 was a deathly quiet, drab and slightly
unwelcoming place with few tourists. Now it’s
a thriving and colourful working community
with shops, museums, schools and places of
worship. Walking past the peeling walls of the
old police station, I peek through the door of
the local Vice Squad. In the deserted office,
the walls display faded newspaper clippings
106 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
UNAWATUNA
UNAWATUNA BEACH RESORT
With its family swimming pool, tennis
courts and lively bar area, this is the place to
come if you’re looking to interact with other
human beings. An all-inclusive package
means that don’t have to leave the complex,
but tuk-tuks are available outside when
cabin fever finally sets in.
www.unawatunabeachresort.com
Fishermen fishing
on stilts in Koggala
of past cases cracked, while an old Adler
typewriter waits on a spartan desk. It’s like
an exhibit in a museum, but then so are most
things in Galle Fort.
I follow a path that hugs the ancient walls
to where a 1930s art deco lighthouse stands
over the Point Utrecht Bastion. From there I
continue along Hospital Street to the National
Maritime Archaeology Museum, which has
recently reopened after a hefty donation from
the Dutch government. From ships’ wheels to
old compasses, the museum displays a raft of
exhibits salvaged from the many wrecked
vessels that surround the Galle promontory.
Like my beach-holiday preconceptions,
they had been dashed on the rocks of Sri
Lanka’s stunning southwest tip.
GALLE
GALLE FORT HOTEL
Karl Steinberg and Christopher Ong’s
renovated Dutch mansion house is a
masterpiece of colonial restoration. A
template for any would-be hotelier who’s
thinking of transforming a rundown
property into something truly magical,
this boutique hotel gets it spot on, from
the stately reception rooms to the serene
swimming pool and the classically styled
rooms. If it wasn’t so neatly done, it might
resemble an upmarket auctioneers, there
are so many beautiful antiques scattered
about the place. But should a particular
piece catch your eye, our friendly
proprietors will gladly listen to offers.
www.galleforthotel.com
Seeing the town
in a tuk tuk
Need to know
Where to eat
Galle Fort Hotel
It’s that place again. We wouldn’t be
recommending it if it wasn’t truly
exceptional, but it is. The setting,
overlooking the softly lit courtyard
swimming pool, is perfect and the food
is just as good. The menu changes every
day, but you can be sure of superbly
executed home-made Asian fusion
food with Sri Lankan flourishes, from
crumbling crab cakes to icy fruit sorbets.
How to get there
L FlyDubai direct to Colombo, from
Dhs700
LTransfers by taxi can be arranged
through hotels, or you can negotiate with
drivers at the airport
Currency
100 Sri Lankan Rupees = 3.25 Dirhams
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 TRAVEL | TRAVELS WITH...
Travels with…
Adrian Hayes
UAE-based polar explorer
Adrian Hayes holds the
record for reaching the
North Pole, South Pole and
Mount Everest in the quickest
time. Having travelled to
more than 100 countries, he
knows a thing or two about
taking a trip. As he prepares
for two major expeditions in
2011, the British adventurer
proffers some of his hard
won travel wisdom
A trio of deals for the
thrifty traveller
PACK FOR PHUKET
Luxury Hotels by Dnata has just gained
a new property and the Centara Grand
Beach Resort Phuket is offering some
alluring opening rates. Located on Karon
Beach, all rooms have sea views and the
property boasts four swimming pools, a
tennis court and spa. Just Dhs554
for a deluxe room and Dhs1,157
for a luxury pool suite. Based
on double occupancy, the
offer is valid to December 24.
www.dnata.com
108 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010
What’s the best holiday
you’ve ever had?
That’s a difficult one, but I guess
Krabi in Thailand. Sun, sand, sea
and, erm, rock climbing. Seriously, it’s such a
stunning location that I went three times in 18
months a few years back.
What’s been your biggest travel disaster?
A small team and myself were doing some
diving work for the Fijian government and
I’d planned a four-day sport diving stopover
in Guam on the way back to Hong Kong.
I arrived in Guam with a heavily swollen,
poisoned foot – somehow incurred in the
last week in Fiji – and, turning up at the
US military base for some medication, was
hospitalised for the full four days whilst they
worked out what it was. They eventually put
HOT FIVE
It seems discount airfares are all the rage in
the UAE at the moment, and Etihad has five of
the very best to rouse your winter wanderlust.
Fly economy to Bangkok (Dhs1,895), Kuala
Lumpur (Dhs1,905), Frankfurt (Dhs2,435),
Munich (Dhs2,525) and London (Dhs2,505)
without straining the bank balance. The offer
is valid to December 31 and you can travel
to March 2011. We’re thinking a cheeky long
weekend in Munich would quell the post-
Christmas January blues nicely.
www.etihadairways.com
TRAVEL
EXTRA
my whole leg in plaster. But I went back to
Guam a few years later to make amends.
If you could advise people to visit one
destination what would it be?
Nepal. Do a mountain trek amidst some of
the most stunning scenery and the friendliest
people on the planet. And see how it changes
your perspective on your home country.
What are your three top tips for surviving
a long airport stopover?
Always have something to read. A small stuff
sack with eyeshades and ear plugs goes with me
everywhere, along with a small air pillow. I can
sleep on any aircraft, noisy bar or even a ditch
with something for the neck, eyes and ears.
What item do you never travel without?
A fold up toothbrush and small tube of paste.
Disgusting as it may seem, I’ve gone for 70
days without washing at all and am pleased to
report you suffer no ill effects whatsoever. Your
teeth, however, is the one exception.
What destination serves the best food?
I love Indian food, so anything and anywhere
in the sub continent.
www.adrianhayes.com
“I’ve gone for 70 days
without washing at all”
WINTER WONDERLAND
We look forward to the launch of the
Emirates Holidays Ski & Winter Holidays
brochure. We can’t ski, but we really like
looking at the pictures of snow-capped
peaks and be-goggled skiers gliding down
snow-blanketed European mountainsides
with seeming ease. For us any attempt
at recreating this feat would end in
broken bones, so the Dhs3,562 package
ISTOCK
to Innsbruck, Switzerland is
more our speed. Economy
flights from Dubai to
Munich and three nights
accommodation and
breakfast. Valid to March
31, 2011.
www.emirates-holidays.com
 We may be renowned for
our pristine golf courses.
But our course of choice
is served off the green.

You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy a meal on the stunning grounds of the Yas Links Abu Dhabi on Yas Island. From delicately prepared
spiced duck breast and pan-seared foie gras at Barranca, to the celebratory ambience of a bite with the boys at Hickory’s Sports Bar;
indulge in a little taste of the good life. And let our award-winning chefs show you what it means to dine with a difference.

For enquiries and reservations, please contact +971 2 810 7777 or visit www.yaslinks.com
THE HOT LIST
Key
New entry

Non-mover

Up

Down

p113 Bars
p117 Restaurants
LA PETITE MAISON

p121 Brunches
p125 Spas

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 111

 THE HOT LIST THE
FINEST FOR
BEVERAGES
BARS AND
BITES

Caramel Belgian Beer Café Zuma

ATMOSPHERE LOCATION BEST FOR PRICE WHAT’S ON INFO

SAYS...

1
Consistently full The leafy terrace Ideal for after-office It’s not cheap Building 3, DIFC,
Mini lobster Dubai, Sun to Thurs
of DIFC types, offers welcome cocktails that (hardly surprising
tacos, 11am to 2am.
post-work, and the respite from the morph into dinner. for DIFC), but
mac'n'cheese Tel: (04) 4256677.
beautiful people concrete jungle Next thing you ladies get half
and martinis. www.carameldubai.
later on. Come beyond. We’ll be know, it's midnight. price Cosmos on
Caramel What else can com
Friday, you’d better there on Friday Trust us, we've been Tuesdays from 6pm
we say?
book a table. afternoons for the there. More than a to 9pm.
new late brunch. few times.

2
Fridays start chilled, Slap bang in the Posing, posing and Pretty expensive Guaranteed Jumeirah Beach Hotel,
with lazing on sofas Arabian Gulf, 360˚ more posing to top – especially if you Al Sufouh, Dubai, Sun
to wow, we're
shisha at hand. is accessed by golf tunes. Saturdays are make a day and to Thurs 5pm to late,
willing to Fri and Sat 4pm to
Then darkness falls, buggy (or walking a bit more laid-back night of it. overlook the 2am. Tel: (04) 4068769
the music rises and if you prefer, but though. service for the
360˚ the off-shore party that’s not very views.
„ begins. Dubai is it?).

3
After a long, hot Right on the sand, There’s always a Annoyingly Love it or hate Le Méridien Mina
summer it’s finally Barasti is a multi- familiar face at expensive for such Seyahi Resort &
it, you know
bearable out there, level venue with live Barasti – we defy a casual bar, Barasti Spa, Dubai Marina,
you’ll be there Dubai, 11am to 2am.
so pull up a day music, beds on the you to go and must be raking it in. soon. Tel: (04) 3993333.
bed and order a beach and hordes not bump into www.lemeridien-
Barasti frozen cocktail. around the pool, someone you minaseyahi.com
hoping they won’t know.
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4
Full of friends An evening on the Fantastic food, Some of the beers A cold drink on Crowne Plaza Festival
sharing food at terrace will relax extensive drinks are pricey, but there City, Dubai, Sun to
a balmy night
tables, couples even the most list, cosy design and are budget options Mon 6pm to 2am, Tue
looking at the to Wed noon to 2am,
drinking on the distressed Dubai that European vibe and the food is city? See you on Thurs and Fri noon to
terrace and chaps dweller. This Festival will win your heart. reasonable. the terrace. 3am. Tel: (04) 7012222.
Belgian at the bar enjoying City pub offers valet www.ichotelsgroup.
Beer Café some post-work jars. parking, too. com

5
Tres swank indeed. The Armani hotel Top quality people As steep as the Burj The terrace and Armani Hotel, Burj
There’s the world’s in the world’s watching and Khalifa. We paid Khalifa, Old Town,
DJ line up could
largest LED screen tallest building. The dropping your Dhs400 for three Dubai, Mon to Sat
well propel 10pm to 3am. Tel: (04)
for crying out loud, hottest address in dirhams faster than drinks. Prive up the 8883888.
not to mention those town. Dress up. you can gasp 'how Hot List. www.armanihotels.
Armani/ illuminated booths much?' com
Prive and the newly
opened terrace.

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 113

 HOT ON
BARS THE HErkEHyaLttSDubai
ace, Pa
11 The Terr tion Club
ge, The Avia
12 Irish Villa t Club & Marina
13 The Yach
The Westin
14 Senyar, lam
Ba hr i Ba r, Mina A’Sa
15

Neos 360˚ The Gramercy

ATMOSPHERE LOCATION BEST FOR PRICE WHAT’S ON INFO

SAYS...

6
It might primarily Zuma was one of Getting dolled up You’ll pay top Building 6, DIFC,
We adore Zuma Dubai, Fri to Wed
be a restaurant, but the first residents in and feeling grown drawer for a drink at for its slick
the upstairs bar and this new nightlife up, before enjoying this world-class bar, noon to 2am, Thurs
space, hot staff noon to 3am. Tel: (04)
terrace are buzzing hub and it certainly a few sakes. but choose wisely and cool crowd. 4255660.
with work hard, play set the standard. (mojitos aren’t too We can’t stay www.zumarestaurant.
Zuma hard types. pricey) and you’ll away. com
emerge relatively
unscathed.

7
Packed come In the middle of The deals. Ladies Mid-range – unless Can be a bit of The Address Dubai
Thursday and more the Marina, this is get complimentary you’re a lady and Mall, Dubai, 7.30pm
a meat market,
chilled during the the city-style bar Cosmos on it’s the weekend, to 2.30am. Tel: (04)
but maybe you 4367777.
week, Blends has this area was crying Thursdays and in which case like that. No www.theaddress.com
shot up the Hot out for. Fridays (8pm to leave your purse at judging here.
Blends List for its people 11pm). Freebies in home.
pleasing. a smart bar are a
rare find.

8
Despite the Old Town is an easy Cocktails, bar Top quality Left Bank is Souk Al Bahar, Old
midnight finish option for most, nibbles and cocktails will set Town, Dubai, 7pm
suitably swank,
(boo), Left Bank adding to Left meeting people. you back about to midnight. Tel: (04)
without being 3684501
is still a reliable Bank’s people- Commandeer a Dhs50, while intimidating.
choice for a casual pleasing charm. booth or nab a snacks are pricey.
Left Bank date or impromptu high table near the But who can resist
night out. bar and see who mini burgers after a
you bump into. few drinks?

9
Where else in Dubai The Gramercy adds The perfect place Generally not too A NYC-style Unit 7, Level 2,
can you eat lobster a cosy touch to to head after work bad, but some of Building 3, DIFC,
hangout, with
while watching DIFC, with warm for some garlicky the new additions Dubai, noon to
Noo Yawker midnight. Tel: (04)
the English wood, chandeliers snails and glass of to the menu are Anthony at the 4377511
Premiership? and raised booths. crisp white. Or beer on the pricey side. helm.
The Nab one of them, and a burger. Choose wisely.
Gramercy quick.

10
Neos is dominated On the 63rd floor Those views reduce Drink slowly and Take visitors The Address
by a jaw-dropping of The Address almost everyone stay away from Downtown Dubai,
or business
window, shiny art Downtown and to tourists with spirits. Dubai, 6pm to 2.30am.
contacts. They'll Tel: (04) 4368927.
deco pillars and a you’ll need to their noses crushed be impressed. www.theaddress.com
large bar. It attracts take two lifts to against the glass,
Neos a well-heeled crowd reach Neos’ lofty, martini in hand.
so don’t expect a luxurious heights.
rowdy night.

114 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010 OCTOBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 114

CHILLED OUT REGGAE VIBES
MOUTH-WATERING CARIBBEAN SIZZLE

The Address FOR A SULTRY SATURDAY

Welcome to Sultry Saturdays at Cabana, with our all-new Caribbean

BBQ featuring spicy island delights and optional pool access.
Chill by the water with reggae vibes and indulge in our chef’s
BBQ feast including grilled firecracker prawns, a live chicken
Fajita station and fresh island salads – served up with stunning
views of the world’s tallest building. Come on down and feel the
rhythm Cabana-style, with Sultry Saturdays at The Address Dubai Mall.

Every Saturday: 12.30pm – 4.30pm

Dhs 155 or Dhs 245 with selected house beverages
Pool access: Dhs 100 per person

T +971 4 438 8999 DINE.DUBAIMALL@THEADDRESS.COM

WWW.THE ADDRESS.COM
A BUSINESS HOTEL
THAT SPECIALIZES
IN ASIAN TASTE.

HOW COME?

When it comes to Asian cooking,

we mean business.

Welcome to Cristal Hotel.

For the executive who still
can’t quite manage to perfect
chopsticks, an Asian buffet in
GEMS RESTAURANT for only
AED 99*, guarantees you’ll have no
problems eating as much as you like
(optional knife and fork provided).

Call us a Hotel if you want,

we prefer to be thought of as
dynamic hospitality.

Try us, you will enjoy.

Call 02 652 0000

Zayed the 1st Street, adjacent to Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre
Web: cristalhotelsandresorts.com

* Subject to 10% service charge and 6% tourism fee DYNAMIC HOSPITALITY

 THE HOT LIST
THE
ELITE
OF THE
EATING OUT
RESTAURANTS SCENE
West 14th

La Petite Maison Rhodes Twenty10

MARCH 2010 WHAT’S ON 117

ATMOSPHERE INTERIOR FOOD LOCATION PRICE WHAT’S ON INFO

SAYS...

1
The best you’ll White panelled French, or more DIFC. Home We ordered DIFC, Gate
See our full
find in Dubai. walls with specifically to the two too much and Village 8,
paid Dhs930 verdict, p48 Dubai, Sun
Tables at LPM moulding aplenty, Niçoise restaurants
have been in contemporary (from Nice), heading up the (without to Fri noon
alcohol), but to 2.30pm
demand since artworks dotted with sharing Hot List.
La Petite two could and 7pm to
day one. about, dark, bare encouraged. easily eat well 11pm. Tel: (04)
Maison wood floors and a for Dhs650 4390505. www.
long bar. (without lpmdubai.ae
alcohol).

2
It will be Light and Chef Colin DIFC, now Dhs1,000 for Knocked off the Building 6, Gate
interesting to bright with the Clague ensures home to our two. The Ebisu Village, DIFC, Sat to
top spot, but
see how Dubai’s minimum of that the menu two favourite Express lunch Thurs 12.30pm to
it will always 3pm, Sat to Wed
foremost fuss. Make your never becomes restaurants. menu (miso be Dubai’s 7pm to midnight,
Japanese reacts way upstairs boring. Order plus main) is best Japanese Thurs and Fri 7pm
Zuma to its sister for after dinner the veal cutlet. Dhs62, or the restaurant. to 1am. Tel: (04)
restaurant, LPM, drinks. Ebisu (miso plus 4255660. www.
taking the top three courses) is zumarestaurant.
spot. Dhs120. com

3
Pleasant and Statues of Having met Still at Dhs900 Dining at Grosvenor
inviting. The golden gods up with Vineet Grosvenor (without Indego House, Dubai
waiting staff and a cabinet to discuss the House. There’s alcohol), which this month Marina,
represent the of shoes, but revamped a lovely terrace for this level of reminded Dubai, Sun to
other than that fine dining is us just what Thurs 7pm to
pinnacle of menu, we for a pre or
Indego by it’s comfortable well worth it. Vineet Bhatia 11pm. Tel: (04)
politeness. European-style booked a table. post-dinner 3176000. www.
Vineet See our verdict, drink. has done for
fine dining. Indian cuisine. grosvenorhouse-
p52. dubai.com

4
Buzzing, as White walls, Always check At this time of Dhs400 for two. RG is still one Souk Al Bahar,
ever. Even dark wood the specials year prime- Old Town,
of our most
we – yes, us – floors and a board. Don’t dining territory Dubai, Sun to
regular spots Wed noon to
were forced to chalkboard miss the Riv’s is on the terrace. for dinner 11pm, Thurs
accept a second advertising the Dhs80 and Overlooking the and always a to Sat noon
Rivington sitting recently. daily specials. Dhs100 lunch Dubai Fountain. safe bet for an to 11.30pm.
Grill Humph… menus. enjoyable meal. Tel: (04)
4230903. www.
rivingtongrill.ae

5
Personable Understated Special Deira, but it’s Dhs395 for Chef Scott Price Hilton Dubai Creek,
restaurant and shipshape – occassion? Go worth the taxi three courses, Sun to Fri 7pm to
is a guaranteed
manager Alex the very model for the chef’s ride. Dhs495 for 11.30pm. Tel: (04)
the six-course safe pair of 2277550. www.
Gomez keeps of a modern table. If not, hands.
menu, Dhs695 gordonramsay.
things ticking fine dining order the beef
Verre for the chef's com
over nicely. restaurant. Wellington table.

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 117

 HOT ON
RESTAURANTS THEodesHMEezEzaLniSne
11 Rh
Ristorante
12 Armani
13 Margaux
rma
14 Terra Fi
15 Asado

Reflets Par Pierre Gagnaire’s Okku

PRICE
ATMOSPHERE WHAT’S ON
INTERIOR INFO FOOD LOCATION PRICE WHAT’S ON INFO
SAYS... SAYS...

6
Upmarket New There’s exposed Go for the 300g Oceana Beach Dhs550 for If you’re
Oceana Beach
York steakhouse, brick in the Australian rib Club is not easy two without Club, The Palm
gents’ toilet. to find. Suffice looking for Jumeirah, Dubai,
with an open eye – beautiful – alcohol, making Dubai’s best
kitchen and We’re talking and choose the to say it’s on The it cheaper noon to 3pm
cool, stylish and Palm. Print out steakhouse, and 6pm to
warm, inviting biggest knife than your here it is.
West 14th sexy. the map on the midnight Tel: (04)
lighting. from the four on website. average Dubai 4477601. www.
offer. steakhouse. west14th.ae

7
Chef Franck Contemporary The new menu Recently voted Three courses for The new menu Park Hyatt
Detrait’s new sophistication. promises some the top hotel in two for around is the perfect Dubai, Deira,
menu is sure to An open kitchen exciting dishes, the Middle East, Dhs615. Dhs280 Dubai, Sun
excuse to
attract the hoards and a vaulted including foie Park Hyatt Dubai per person for to Fri 7pm to
gras terine with has long been revisit Traiteur midnight. Tel:
this month, but ceiling that is the three-course – as if you
Traiteur apple jelly and our favourite in (04) 3172222.
Traiteur is still one of the most ginger bread and the city. set menu. needed one. www.dubai.
the ideal place unforgettable roast scallops park.hyatt.com
for a romantic design features stuffed with
rendezvous. in the city. Comte cheese.

8
Alive with the Think Paris, The dishes that With its own Dhs1,000 and November is all InterContinental
same level of think glamour, emerge from private floor at then some, but about lunch at Dubai Festival
anticipation think ever so Reflet's kitchen the InterCon, the three- Reflets. City, Dubai, 7pm
children feel slightly camp. are not mere Reflets is a course lunch to 1am. Tel: (04)
menu, available 7011128. www.
around the tree food, they are truly exclusive
Reflets Monday to ichotelsgroup.
at Christmas. edible art. destination. Friday, is just com
Par Pierre
Dhs180.
Gagnaire’s

9
We dined at Gary describes it Unfussy food, At the right We spent Gary Rhodes Le Royal
Twenty10 as ‘gangster’ and skilfully prepared. end of town Dhs630 for a Meridien Beach
knows what
recently spent a good Order the lamb in Dubai meal for two. Resort and Spa,
he’s doing and Dubai, 7pm to
and, though five minutes rack rare. Marina. We’d You could easily makes sure his midnight. Tel: (04)
intimate, every justifying that advise a table spend more, or if staff does too. 3995555. www.
Rhodes table was taken. description to upstairs for a you were careful,
Twenty10 Guaranteed garyrhodes.com
Book ahead. us. We’re happy more romantic a little less. good times.
to go along evening.
with it.

10
Book ahead. Subterranean Go for yellowtail Number Dhs700 should We’re guilty of The Monarch
People are still and sultry with sashimi, black One Sheikh buy you three selling Okku as Dubai, Sheikh
talking about a touch of the cod or our Zayed Road. courses, sushi the low-budget Zayed Road,
Okku. illicit (although, particular A respectable and sashimi. alterative to Dubai, 7pm to
Zuma, but it’s midnight. Tel: (04)
of course, it favourite – the address for a 5018777. www.
Okku isn’t). crispy rice. respectable good enough
to stand-alone. okkudubai.com
establishment.
We apologise.

118 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010 OCTOBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 118

 THE HOT LIST
OUR
PICK
OF THE
BRUNCH
BRUNCHES BUNCH
Thai Kitchen

Traiteur Spectrum On One

ATMOSPHERE FOOD LOCATION BEST FOR PRICE WHAT’S ON INFO

SAYS...

1
A live jazz Chef Franck Eating alfresco Those who truly Up to you. Park Hyatt
Traiteur has it Dubai, Deira,
band, an open Detrait and his on the terrace appreciate the Dhs295 sans all – class, fine
kitchen and team produce is beautiful this joie de vivre. alcohol, Dhs425 Dubai, noon to
cuisine and 4pm. Tel: (04)
a few glasses the some of time of year, or with house music in the air. 3172222. www.
of bubbly the best quality those looking beverages, dubai.park.
Traiteur guarantee a French brasserie for a special Dhs550 with hyatt.com
lively time. fare in town. afternoon can Veuve Cliquot or
book the private Dhs1,500 with a
dining room. limo pick up.

2
The The broadest Three rooms It’s ideal for A wallet- OK, we may Madinat
quintessential spread in the and a terrace, impressing whacking whinge about
Jumeirah,
Friday brunch city. From oxtail so plenty of visitors, and any Dhs495. Dubai, 12.30pm
will never want choice. Thumb the price, but to 4pm. Tel: (04)
burgers to sushi, serious bruncher it’s still one of
for custom, an abra and 3666730. www.
Al Qasr has will visit Al Qasr our favourite
Al Qasr despite its not check out the jumeirah.com
too cheap price something to fill bars at Madinat at least once a brunches ever.
tag. Book ahead. the belly of even Jumeirah when year.
the fussiest of you’re full.
diners.

3
As with dinner, Fresh sushi and DIFC, the newly The best Kitsu package You’ll never Building 6, DIFC,
booking ahead sashimi and an crowned king of Japanese food (no alcohol), Dubai, 12.30pm
go wrong with
is essential exhilarating the Dubai food in Dubai. Dhs315. Kowaku to 4pm. Tel: (04)
our favourite 4255660. www.
for the ever- selection of scene. package (with Japanese zumarestaurant.
popular Zuma dishes from the alcohol), restaurant. com
Zuma brunch. If you regular menu. Dhs425. Kyasha
have a large package with
group, call well champers,
in advance. Dhs550.

4
Definitely one Endless tiny Now the A relatively Dhs225 with Superb food, Park Hyatt
for relaxing sharing plates weather is inexpensive alcohol. alluring location
Dubai, Deira,
rather than laden with tasty cooler, take a and peaceful Dubai, noon to
partying. and no chance 4pm. Tel: (04)
Thai treats. table outside afternoon with of having to 3172222. www.
and enjoy the a few pals. negotiate a dubai.park.
Thai Kitchen view of the swarm of party hyatt.com
marina. animals.

5
Not as hectic All the boxes on Right beside Visitors and a Dhs425, which Don’t miss Madinat
as its bigger our list of high- the water. Take sophisticated makes it a bit Jumeirah,
the turtles
brother Al end brunch a wander onto gathering of cheaper than Dubai, 12.30pm
its Al Qasr next- swimming to 4pm. Tel: (04)
Qasr, but not a fare are ticked the terrace friends. in the water,
door neighbour. 3668888. www.
shrinking violet – champagne, to check out which you can jumeirah.com
Mina A'Salam either. steak, seafood the cooking watch from the
and sushi. stations. terrace.

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 121

 BRUNCHES HOT ON
THE11H EELS
Nobu Al Qasr
Beer Café
12 Belgian ba
13 Yalum
ne
14 Media O
Aq ua ra, Yacht Club
15

Bubbalicious

PRICE
ATMOSPHERE WHAT’S ON
FOOD INFOLOCATION BEST FOR PRICE WHAT’S ON INFO
SAYS... SAYS...

6
Outside in the Authentic It depends. Do A relaxing day Dhs300 for Le Royal
Ay carumba! It’s
sun – just where Mexican from you want to out in the sun, pool and beach Méridien Beach
you should be feel the sand a bargain day Resort & Spa,
the team with good food access from
at this time of between your out in the sun. Dubai Marina,
fronted by celeb and drinks too. 10am to 6pm,
year. A laid-back toes, or take a And there’s Dubai, 10am to
chef Richard plus lunch and
beach party dip in the pool? a live DJ and 6pm. Tel: (04)
Maya with Mexican Sandoval. The choice is a 30 per cent 3165550. www.
mariachi band drink discount
food and a few yours. to liven things leroyalmeridien-
cold ones. between 5pm dubai.com
up a bit.
and 7pm.

7
House music, Fresh seafood Dubai's only A lavish Dhs290 with Keep and eye Armani Hotel,
lively chatter buffet, robati designer hotel. afternoon of soft drinks, on this newbie.
Burj Khalifa,
and the grills, a la carte bubbles, sushi Dhs380 Old Town,
reassuring mains – try the and serious with house It has the Dubai, noon
chop-chop from Angus beef – sake for the beverages, potential to rise to 3.30pm. Tel:
the sushi chefs. and platters of grown ups. Dhs585 with up the list. (04) 8883888.
Armani/Hashi It’s an elegant tempura. A supervised Bollinger, www.dubai.
affair that’s far room with Dhs145 for armanihotels.
from stuffy. entertainment children aged com
for the nippers. four to ten.

8
Brash, bleary You can choose Garhoud is at Beer. Just don’t Dhs159 for Garhoud’s Le Méridien
and dominated three courses the other side try and drink draught beers very own beer
Dubai, Garhoud,
by beer swilling from the a la of town for a them all. (bargain), Dubai, 1pm to
Dhs259 for a festival. 4pm, dhs159 to
blokes. carte menu, but lot people, so
choice of 50 Dhs259. Tel: (04)
the beer takes you could have
Warehouse beers from the 7022560. www.
pride of place a long taxi ride Beer Book. lemeridien-
Malt Drunch here. home. dubai.com/en/
dining

9
Spectrum is a Eight kitchens Spectrum has Eating your Dhs550 for fizz, A solid all- Fairmont
stalwart brunch, serving up its very own way around the Dhs395 for the rounder in Dubai, Sheikh
likely to be cuisine from floor (floor one, world. Hops and Vines the high-end Zayed Road,
in any Dubai Europe, unsurprisingly) option which category. Dubai, noon to
veteran’s top 3pm. Tel: (04)
Thailand, China, dedicated solely buys you house
Spectrum On ten, so it’s never 3325555. www.
lacking punters. India, Japan and to food, drink beverages, or fairmont.com/
One the Middle East, and merriment. dine for Dhs295 dubai
plus a port and sans booze.
cheese room.

10
Welcome to Thai treats Dubai Marina, Parents looking Dhs450 for free- Great food, a The Westin
the carnival at Spice which leaves to keep the kids flowing Laurent Mina Seyahi,
Cuban band
with a Cuban Emporium, red plenty of entertained Perrier, cocktails, Dubai, 1pm to
meat cooked to and a bouncy 4pm. Tel: (04)
band, bouncy options for a while they enjoy beer and wine, castle? Works
order on a char 5117136. www.
castle, video post-brunch their food (and or Dhs299 for us.
grill at Hunters starwoodhotels.
Bubbalicious games corner, and a lavish tipple. drink). excluding com
petting zoo and buffet at Blue alcohol.
a cinema. Orange.

122 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010 OCTOBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 122

 Weekly Happenings at the Top
Saturday - Jazz Night
Live jazz band and special deal on pre-selected
beverages.
Doors open at 18:00 hours

Sunday - Chill out with Rosemount

Watch the sun go down over Media City every
Satu Sunday whilst relaxing with a glass of Rosemount
rda
Jazz N y grapes and chill out music by resident DJ AnOn.
ight
Doors open at 17:00 hours

Tuesday - Ladies Night

Ladies receive three complimentary glasses of bubbly.
A blend of sophisticated Soul, Funk and Commercial
House Music by resident DJ AnOn.
Doors open at 17:00 hours

Wednesday - Latino Night

Mixture of Latin Music including Salsa, Meringue and
nt day
Wednes
u Samba by resident DJ AnOn. Special offers on
day emo
Sun by Ros ht
Dro
p pre-selected beverages. Latino Nig
Doors open at 17:00 hours

Thursday - Pink Paw Party

Have a blast at Tamanya Terrace rooftop bar every
Thursday with an evening of progressive house tracks
spinned by DJ AnOn. Ladies in pink will be awarded
with a free drink.
Dress Code: Pink touch
Doors open at 17:00 hours
TT uu ee Thursday
s sd
LaLdaide d ayay Pink Paw Party
isesNN
igihgth Friday - Favela Chic
t
Live the spirit of Favela Chic as Tamanya Terrace
bounces into the weekend with resident DJ AnOn
and HUSH on percussion, spinning funky electro
Brazilian beats. Special offer on Brazilian cocktails.
Door opens at 18:00 hours.

ay
Frid ic
la Ch
Fave

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City

PO Box 211723, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tel: +971-4-366-9111, Fax: +971-4-361-1011
radissonblu.com/hotel-mediacitydubai
tamanya.mediacity.dubai@radissonblu.com
 THE
THE HOT LIST DADDIES
OF THE
HEALTH AND
SPAS LEISURE
SCENE

Amara Spa Banyan Tree Al Wadi

MARCH 2010 WHAT’S ON 125

THERAPISTS MENU THE SPA PRICE WHAT’S ON INFO

SAYS...

1
Knowledgeable There’s a lengthy One of the most There are monthly Park Hyatt Dubai,
A treatment at
and professional, and luxurious list beautiful spaces offers that take Deira, Dubai,
these relaxation of treatments on in Dubai, Amara Amara makes 9am to 10pm.
the sting out of
experts will take offer. Grouped has a courtyard everything Tel: (04) 6021234.
the steep prices –
you from stressed by theme, there’s with daybeds, a better. We www.dubai.park.
but the quality of
Amara out to blissed out. an emphasis stunning outdoor love it. hyatt.com
We recommended on rituals and pool and each products, spa and
Sue if knots packages that treatment room therapists more
are your main include pool and has a private than justify them.
problem. health club access. outdoor shower.

2
Quiet, kind and Innovative and Asian chic with Choose wisely and Check out our The Beach Club, Al
with a firm hand imaginative, you’ll splashes of jewel you’ll get an hour- review of the Jet Nafura, Shoreline
when necessary, find treatments tones; the cosy long massage for Lag treatment Apartments, The
Sensasia’s staff you never knew rooms are a true Dhs310. on page 74. Palm Jumeirah,
Sorted us out Dubai,
are trained to the you needed. retreat. And the 10am to 10pm.
Sensasia highest standards. We love specific dressing gowns are no end.
Tel: (04) 4227115.
Urban Spa massages like the best in town. www.sensasiaspas.
the Hi Heeler for com
aching feet.

3
There’s a mix Talise sets itself The treatment Various, but the The Optimal Al Qasr, Al Sufouh,
of nationalities apart with its rooms are linked 80-minute Royal Dubai,
Health
and specialities, naturopath, life by leafy outdoor Hammam is a fair 9am to 10pm.
Assessment Tel: (04) 3666818.
from massage coaching and pathways, with Dhs450. (Dhs1,495 until www.jumeirah.
therapists to a GP. medical testing, an outdoor pool December 1) is com/talise
Talise Spa This spa is packed in addition to the tucked away for superb.
with experts. large spa menu. those day-long spa
sessions.

4
Modern zen There are You’d never expect It’s pricey, but Quiet and The Address
awaits at this separate menus this shrine to worth it for luxurious, with Dubai Mall, Old
vast spa, with for ladies and de-stressing to the quality of quality added Town, Dubai, 9am
experienced gents. Particularly be mere minutes treatments and extras, this spa to 9pm. Tel: (04)
is a true retreat. 4388888.
therapists on recommended from the hectic snooze you’ll enjoy. www.theaddress.
The Spa hand to guide you is the Jet Lag Dubai Mall. It’s the com
from reception to treatment (see perfect antidote
relaxation. page 74). to an afternoon of
shopping.

5
An international There’s no As stylish as you’d Not as bad as The unique Armani Hotel, Burj
mix of staff. treatment menu expect from you fear, with 90 Khalifa, Old Town,
'decide for you'
We had a as such, just book Giorgio. It’s a sleek minutes costing Dubai,
approach is 9am to 9pm.
knot-busting a time slot (from space with dark Dhs650, up to great for spa Tel: (04) 8883888.
South African. 90 minutes to a greys and clean Dhs2,500 for a newbies. www.dubai.
Armani/Spa Impressive. full day) and the lines. Should full day. armanihotels.com
therapist decides. appeal to men as
well as the ladies.

NOVEMBER 2010 WHAT’S

OCTOBER 2010 WHAT’S ON
ON 125
125
 HOT ON
LSOnly
THE HEa,EOne
SPAS &
y Sp
11 One&Onl Mirage
Royal l,
rContinenta City
12 Spa Inte ai Fe stival
enta l D ub
InterContin Dubai Marin
a
13 N.A.I.L.S, nd Spa,
14 The G ra
tt Dubai
Grand Hya Al Maha
s Spa,
15 Timeles rt
Desert Reso

Lime Spa The Spa

THERAPISTS MENU THE SPA PRICE WHAT’S ON INFO

SAYS...

6
Male and female The menu invites Shared steam and Mid-range, with Desert Palm, Al
What could be
therapists are you to 'drop sauna facilities a 60-minute Ann Awir Road, after
available with your robe, cares make it an ideal better than a International City,
Semonin massage
their extensive and guard'. destination for rub down then Dubai, 9am to 9pm.
for Dhs450 and an
knowledge. Cheeky. There are couples. We steak at Rare? Tel: (04) 3238888.
hour of reflexology
Lime Spa They’re happy to Anne Semonin especially like the Nothing. www.desertpalm.ae
answer questions, treatments, plus clever two-way for Dhs395.
or just let you a choice ranging windows so you
nod off. from ear candling can look out over
to sculpting rituals. the polo fields.

7
The female Each month Hidden away in Well priced at We tried a 1074 Uttamah Villas,
therapists at this brings new an Al Wasl villa, around Dhs350 fruity orange
Al Wasl Road, Jumeira,
ladies-only spa treatments and the spa is a cosy for an hour-long Dubai, 10am to 10pm.
undergo two discounts. You’ll escape with a massage. Keep an facial a few Tel: (04) 3489679. www.
years of training find everything lovely garden for eye out for those weeks ago thaiprivilegespadubai.
and the results from blow-dries to yoga. special offers, too. and are still com
Thai Privilege are impressive. luxury rituals, all glowing.
Spa with a Thai flavour.

8
The team at The extensive list It’s an impressive You’re on The Palm A spa that Atlantis The Palm,
Atlantis will greet covers gentlemen’s spa with a huge so expect to pay will have you Palm Jumeirah, Dubai,
you with ginger shaves, expert staircase, beautiful the big bucks, 10am to 10pm. Tel:
with two-hour wanting more (04) 4261020. www.
tea, treat you to pedicures, lengthy ‘floating’ walkway (and asking for
packages costing atlantisthepalm.com
some high quality rituals and more. and underwater- a pay rise).
Spa & Fitness Dhs1,000. They’ve
pampering then Particularly themed treatment priced it with
Centre bring more tea. recommended are rooms. tourists in mind,
the Clarins facials. but it’s worth
treating yourself.

9
All graduates Asian-inspired It's a bit of a trek to Five-star prices The Rainforest Banyan Tree Al Wadi,
from the Banyan therapies in exotic RAK so you need for five-star Ras Al Khaimah, 10am
includes an ice
Tree Academy, treatment rooms. to spend the day treatments, but to 10pm. Tel: (07)
igloo, tropical 2067777.
so you're in safe (which means an hour in The showers, www.banyantree.
hands. spending big) to Rainforest (a hammam and com
Banyan Tree make the journey hydrotherapy more.
Al Wadi worthwhile. experience) is only
Dhs77.

10
Super friendly Try the fourhanded Seriously soft Slightly above Enjoy a The Monarch, Sheikh
and dedicated to Mandara dressing gowns, average at Dhs470 Zayed Road, Dubai,
massage
making your me- Massage. You’ll Elemis facials for the 65-minute 9am to 10pm. Tel:
and lunch at (04) 5018888. www.
time as enjoyable be pushed, pulled and the beautiful Muscle Ease Okku or Ruth’s themonarchdubai.
as possible. and pulverised steam room were massage. Chris for only com
Mandara Spa into a state of our highlights. Dhs299.
somnolence by
two therapists.

126 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010 OCTOBER 2010 WHAT’S ON 126

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128 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010

 Backchat with Catboy
Just reading back on some of the things
he did makes me want a hot chocolate and
an afternoon nap. Most of it is 18-year-
old man’s business. The dangerous bits
are plain insanity. Anyone around my age
knows that even sitting down wrong hurts,
so why risk anything more severe?
So, my idea is to compile a list of a
different kind – “things to avoid before
you’re 40”. You can kick-off with every
extreme sport you’ve not mastered yet.
I can already snowboard pretty well, so
Can you have a mid-life crisis audience on stage. He learned to dance I’m willing to do that again, but the only
the samba with a beautiful Latin lady. way I’m, say, jumping out of an aeroplane
without the crisis? If anyone He passed his motorcycle test. He visited and putting my life in the hands in a piece
can, Catboy can places around the world he’d always of nylon is if the plane itself has been
wanted to see. He also skydived, bungeed, confirmed by an on-board aviation expert
swam with sharks, got tattooed, drove race as 100 per cent, definitely crashing.
It’s my birthday this month. I'll be 39. So cars, lived in the wilderness, grew his own I enjoy travelling, but let’s be honest
far, I have to say this may well be the most food, climbed mountains and pretty much – everywhere is a package holiday these
anti-climatic, non-event of all my birthdays everything else in the Big Book Of Mid-Life days. The only exception is to tramp to
to date. Next year it’ll be surprise parties, Crisis Clichés. darkest Papua New Guinea and shack-up
balloons on the gate, jokes about being Whilst he was midway through this list, with a tribe that’s never seen outsiders
halfway to death and the whole shebang, we had brunch together. I don’t know if before. And how much fun is that going
but for the 39th, there’s none of that. spending an afternoon of all-inclusive to be? It’d be a month before you learned
Of course, there are those who make the debauchery with a grumpy broadcaster the Hiri Motu translation for ‘Can I watch
39th a memorable birthday by making a list was on his to-do list, but it certainly could Top Gear please?’ I think I’ll stick to en-
of things to do before you’re 40. These lists have been. During the afternoon he suite hotel rooms and room service, thank
seem to mostly contain ways to nearly kill regaled me with his adventures and I have you very much.
yourself. Perhaps the idea is that by almost to say, I was rapt. It sounded fabulous. As long I can get through the next
losing your life, you realise that, yes, your Proper Hemingway stuff. Grabbing life by 365 days pain-free, debt-free, employed
best years are over but at least you have a the short and curlies. and weighing relatively the same or less
few more to enjoy, even if you can’t enjoy As the afternoon went on, I thought to than I do now, my list, whilst not very
them with quite as much vigour as you did myself, “when I’m 39, I’m going to make my inspirational, will be complete.
before. own list”.
A couple of years ago a friend of mine Well, in a couple of weeks I will be and I Catboy hosts the Catboy & Geordiebird
made and completed such a list. He had have to say that nothing could be further Breakfast Show, Sun to Thurs, 6am to
singing lessons and performed before an from my mind than doing any of this stuff. 10am, Dubai 92. www.dubai92.com

Don’t miss next month’s What’s On for Bryan

Adams, Creamfields, DIFF 2010 and festive fun

130 WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2010

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