Things to do in Dubai this weekend

You know that moment on a Thursday afternoon when your work buddy asks what you’re doing this weekend and your mind goes blank? Well worry no more, friends, because What’s On has the perfect solution, whatever mood you are in.

You can now get the latest happenings from Abu Dhabi with our list of Things To Do. Click here.

ENTERTAINMENT

Check out the latest movie trailers and cinema listings of films being release in Dubai this weekend. Click here.

CHECK OUT A METEOR SHOWER
The Dubai sky will be lit up by a meteor shower in the early hours of Saturday morning, one of the biggest and best astronomical events over the UAE for some time. An historic moment in astronomy, experts predict Dubai residents could see approximately 1,000 shooting stars per hour. Watching the shower in a location away from areas free from light pollution will be key and that’s why The Dubai Astronomy Group is hosting an event out in the desert.

For full details on the event, click here.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
Justin Timberlake is the sort of man who could make other men chew their knuckles with jealousy. He’s a singer, movie star, dancer, style icon and he’s done it all by the age of 33. But strangely, he doesn’t inspire hatred. Justin is a guy’s guy who’s been through the cheesy pop machine with boy band ‘N Sync and come out the other side to make great music. He’s appeared in good movies (The Social Network, Inside Llewyn Davis) and some not so good movies (Runner Runner, Friends With Benefits, In Time) without ever becoming an insufferable little twerp.

For our full profile on the man, click here.

Friday May 23
Du Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi,  9pm, Dhs300. Tel: (800) 86823 Taxi: Du Arena. ticketmaster.ae

BOYZONE AT DUBAI TENNIS STADIUM
Ahead of their 20-year anniversary tour, Shane Lynch told What’s On how the band, who sold 36million records, have grown up. You can read the interview with him right here.

Thursday May 22
Dubai Tennis Stadium, Garhoud, Dubai, 9pm, Dhs255. Tel: (04) 2824750. Metro: GGICO. tixbox.com

CASSY AT BLUE MARLIN
Known for throwing down flawless DJ sets and releasing tracks on Cocoon, Perlon and Ostgut Ton, vinyl addict Cassy also chalked up two years behind the counter at Hard Wax record store in Berlin. On Friday she’ll take to the stage at Blue Marlin. Ahead of the show, our friends at Hype caught up the star to chat all things vinyl. Read the interview here.

Friday May 23
Cassy at Blue Marlin, Ghantoot Al Jazira Island Hotel. Friday, 1pm to 11pm. Free guestlist on (056) 1133400. Taxi to Ghantoot Al Jazira. bluemarlinibiza-uae.com

MACHU WARRIORS WITH TIM GREEN
UK DJ and producer Tim Green keeps his fingers in a few different pies – his house and techno output finding homes on various labels, from Dirtybird to Cocoon, and more recently his own Disc Over Music label. Put together on the fly, his live shows are also shot through with cheek and charm. Discover for yourself, in an interview with Hype, for your reading please right here.

Friday May 23
Machu Warriors with Tim Green, Story Rooftop Lounge, Holiday Inn Express, Dubai Media City, Friday, 9pm to 3am, Dhs100. Tel: (050) 3599798. Taxi: Holiday Inn Express, Dubai Media City

PUROBEACH URBAN OASIS END OF SEASON PARTY
Hidden away at the back of the Conrad Hotel, Purobeach is beautifully laid out across 3000 square meters, with lawns, patios, trees and a waterfall. The roar of Sheikh Zayed Road is quickly forgotten – in fact, it is barely heard – as you saunter along its tropical paths lined with flowering plants while clutching a cocktail. There are shady cabanas and plenty of loungers and chairs from where you can surreptitiously check out the good looking crowd from behind your aviators. On Friday, they host their end of season party.

Friday May 23
Conrad Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 11am to 2am. Tel: (04) 4447111. Metro: World Trade Centre. conradhotels.com

THE ACT
To celebrate the Cannes Film Festival, The Act Dubai is hosting a glamorous Hollywood glitz event in partnership with Moet & Chandon. There will be a red carpet entrance and an extra-special show of live music, dance and world class cabaret. For food, dine on award-winning Peruvian dishes.

Thursday May 22
Shangri-La Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, May 22, 10pm, booking required. Tel: (052) 8119900. Taxi: Shangri-La Hotel. facebok.com/TheActDubai

DUBAI MOVING IMAGE MUSEUM
It’s Cannes Film Festival week over in Europe, so get in the mood for movies with a trip to one of the most fascinating museums in Dubai, which also happens to be the only one of its kind in the UAE. More than 200 artefacts document the moving image from the 1750s to today. Don’t leave without visiting the gift shop.

MCN Building, Tecom, Dubai, Sun to Thur 11am to 7pm, Wed 11am to 9pm, Sat noon to 7pm, Dhs50, Tel: (04) 4216679. Metro: Dubai Internet City. dubaimovingimagemuseum.com

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
Four Chicago estate agents scratch, claw, beg, borrow and steal, all in the name of making a sale in this gripping play. The plot is based on playwright David Mamet’s experience of selling property in the 1960s. Premiered at London’s National Theatre in 1983 to ecstatic reviews, the play won a Pulitzer Prize before transferring to Broadway and picking up a Tony. The cast of the 1992 film adaptation is the stuff of Hollywood dreams: Alec Baldwin, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, and Jack Lemmon to name a few. Mamet’s quick-fire dialogue and searing wit have made this a classic of 20th-century theatre, performed here by The Courtyard Players. You’ll never set foot in an estate agent’s again.

May 23 and 24
The Courtyard Playhouse, The Courtyard, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, 7.30pm, Tel: (050) 9861761. Taxi: Next to Lime Tree Café. courtyardplayhouse.com

THE CRUCIBLE
In 17th-century Salem, Massachusetts, a group of vengeful girls send their neighbours to the gallows with accusations of witchcraft. Each of the accused is given hope of redemption if they name other guilty parties, sparking a murderous spree of score-settling. Arthur Miller wrote this Tony Award-winning play as an allegory for Senator McCarthy’s hunt for Communists in the 1950s, and, as a result, stood before the House of Representatives’ Committee On Un-American Activities. He was convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to name associates. The Crucible was adapted for film in 1996 starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder, and remains one of the most performed and studied texts in American drama. Dubai theatre group Backstage revives the play with local actors.

May 22 to 24
Kilachand Studio Theatre, Ductac, Mall Of The Emirates, Thur, Fri, Sat 7.30pm, Sat 2pm, Dhs100. Tel: (04) 3414777. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. ductac.org

HETTY FEATHER – last chance
Abandoned by her parents, Hetty Feather lives a grim life in Victorian London’s Foundling Hospital. Determined to find her birth mother, the plucky Hetty hatches a plan to escape on the busiest day of the year: Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. Will matron Stinking Bottomly foil her ploy? This stage show,Hetty Feather,  is based on the hit book by Dame Jacqueline Wilson, one of the UK’s most celebrated authors. She was British Children’s Laureate from 2005 to 2007, and won two British Book Awards Children’s Books Of The Year for Girls In Tears and The Illustrated Mum. The show stars Phoebe Thomas, a regular on UK TV’s Holby City, Family Affairs, and Teachers. Local theatre-in-education group Art For All hosts the production. For an interview with Dame Jacqueline Wilson, click here.

May 16 to 24
Centrepoint Theatre, Ductac, Mall Of The Emirates, various times, Dhs120. Tel: (04) 3414777. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. ductac.org

RITZ-CARLTON ART GALLERY
Cementing its place in the Dubai art scene, The Ritz-Carlton DIFC has expanded its art collection with more than 20 new sculptures on loan from the neighbouring Opera Gallery. Highlights include Jack The Dog, a sculpture of a bright purple bull terrier by Fabienne Arietti and Dominique Maraval; a tree made out of recycled books called Cypresse by Frederico Uribe and Mauro Corda’s L’Espadon; and a three-metre aluminium swordfish that sits in the waterfall in The Sunken Garden. Guests of the hotel who book a Discover With You package will get a guided tour of the art collection with Annamaria Bersani, the Opera Gallery general manager. Or you could sneak in the hotel lobby and take a look at the book tree and purple dog.

The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3722323. Metro: Financial Centre. ritzcarlton.com

KAABA PICTURE AS A MISPRINT – last chance
Former Abraaj Capital prize-winner Hamra Abbas returns to Dubai with a playful and complex solo show. Working with notions of religion and deity, the exhibition challenges us to question what these mean, most significantly in the series of coloured abstracts representing that most holy of buildings, the Kaaba, but also conversely in a series of renderings of famous artists, modelled in plasticine.

Until May 27
Lawrie Shabibi, Unit 21 Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 3469906. Taxi: Alserkal Avenue. lawrieshabibi.com

SUMMER SPECIAL

SPEND A DAY AT THE BEACH
What’s On profiles the best beach clubs in Dubai, including prices, watersports and more at Meydan, Dubai Marine, Riva, Club Joumana and Habtoor Grand.

DUBAI MARINE BEACH RESORT AND SPA

The beach: It’s pretty small – just 60 metres wide – but what the beach lacks, the pool area makes up for with two adult pools and one for children, plus plenty of room for numerous loungers.
Watersports: None, but use of the gym is included in your day pass along with a buffet lunch at Taverna restaurant.
Best for: This beach club rarely gets too packed, meaning it’s good for those who want to relax.
Prices: Fri Dhs225 and Dhs100 for kids; Sat Dhs200 and Dhs100 for children.

 Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai, daily 8am to 7pm. Tel: (04) 3461111. Taxi: Beside Jumeirah Grand Mosque. dxbmarine.com 

MEYDAN BEACH

The beach: If you can switch off from the JBR construction, the 100-metre beach and three swimming pools are a highlight.
Watersports: None on offer but you can play table tennis and beach volleyball.
Best for: Leave the kids with the grandparents and enjoy the adult vibe at Meydan Beach.
Prices: Fri Dhs495 (including Dhs250 food and beverage credit) and Dhs125 for children; Sat Dhs250 and Dhs125 for children.

 The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai, daily 10am to 7pm. Tel: (04) 4333777. Taxi: The Walk. meydanbeach.com

RIVA BEACH CLUB

The beach: If you don’t fancy taking a dip around the palm, the climate-controlled pool is a must. The beach club also boasts an outdoor bar and restaurant.
Watersports: Stand up paddleboarding and kayaking is available.
Best for? We spotted a lot of young families, probably due to how friendly the staff are towards children.
Prices: Fri and Sat Dhs175 and Dhs85 for children.

Building 8, Shoreline Apartments, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, daily 7am to 7pm. Tel: (04) 4309466. Taxi: The Palm Jumeirah. riva-beach.com 

CLUB JOUMANA

The beach: An impressive 800-metre-long stretch of private beach, complete with a large beach club with facilities including sauna and Jacuzzi.
Watersports: Everything and anything from kite surfing to kayaking is available with varying prices.
Best for: Clubs are available to keep children entertained while the parents chill out, meaning this beach club is perfect for families.
Prices: Fri and Sat Dhs325 and Dhs160 for children.

Jebel Ali Golf Resort, Jebel Ali, Dubai, daily 9am to 6pm. Tel: (04) 8145555. Taxi: Near Jebel Ali Shooting Club. jaresortshotels.com

THE HABTOOR GRAND BEACH RESORT AND SPA

The beach: The selling point of this beach club is the three swimming pools, including an infinity pool at Horizon Lounge. There’s also a beach volleyball court if you are feeling energetic.
Watersports: Plenty on offer, including banana boating, kneeboarding and parasailing.
Best for: While kids are welcome at the other pools, Horizon Lounge is strictly adults only and attracts a livelier crowd, making it a good place for those in the mood to party.
Prices: Fri and Sat Dhs250 and Dhs125 for children.

Al Sufouh Road, Dubai Marina, Dubai, daily 8.30am to 7.30pm. Tel: (04) 3995000. Metro: Dubai Marina. habtoorhotels.com 

LOOK AFTER YOU 

GET YOUR CLAWS INTO JUSTIN
The most dedicated JT fans needn’t stop at a tour T-shirt – now they can display their devotion on their hands too. The Nail Spa is offering this fun Timberlake-inspired nail art from Dhs20 per nail or Dhs150 for full set.

The Nail Spa, Ibn Battuta Mall, Ibn Battuta, Dubai, daily 9am to 9pm. Tel: (600) 544001. Metro: Ibn Battuta. thenailspa.com

BE A SKINNI-MINI 
If those well-intended plans of hitting the gym in January never came off, SensAsia Urban Spa have a secret remedy to reduce bloating. The 90-minute Skinni-Mini treatment focuses on the thighs and stomach to help you fake your way to a great bikini body.

The Village Mall, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, daily 10am to 10pm, Dhs515. Tel: (04) 3498850. Taxi: The Village Mall. sensasiaspas.com

HELP BREAST CANCER ARABIA
We’re big fans of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter and they’ve scored extra brownie points by teaming up with Breast Cancer Arabia. With every bottle sold, Palmer’s will donate Dhs1 to Breast Cancer Arabia to help fund research and patient support. Beauty with a conscience – we like it.

Boots Pharmacy, The Dubai Mall, Downtown, Dubai, Sat to Wed 10am to 10pm, Thur and Fri 10am to 11.30pm, Dhs46. Tel: (04) 3399383. Metro: Burj Khalifa/The Dubai Mall. palmers.com

BOOK TICKETS FOR PAUL MCKENNA
Hypnotist and self-help author Paul McKenna will present two shows in Dubai from October 3 to 6, with tickets available on What’s On Box Office. ‘Change Your Life in Two Days’ takes place October 3and 4, followed by ‘Persuasion, Influence and Presentation Skills’ October 6. You can read an interview with him, right here.

TRY HYPNOTHERAPY
Mention hypnosis and you might think of a man in a tuxedo swinging a pocket watch in front of someone before making them prance around the stage clucking like a chicken. But the hypnosis at Biolite – dubbed a ‘mind spa’ – is very different. Find out all about our experience right here.

Biolite, Villa 57, Al Thanya Road, Umm Suquiem 2, Dubai, Sun to Thur 11.30am to 5pm, Dhs750. Tel: (04) 3466641. Taxi: Al Thanya Road. biolitedubai.com

TOP UP YOUR TAN
Being the palest person on the beach is not an accolade that many people want to win. So why not give yourself a helping hand with a Vita Liberata spray tan. Not only is it non-toxic and organic, the colour develops into a flattering golden caramel after just six hours.

The Cure, Building 10, Media City, Dubai, Sat to Thur 9am to 8pm, Fri 10am to 8pm, Dhs110. Tel: (04) 3916485.  Metro: Nakheel. thecure.ae

EAT AND DRINK

NAY
Emirates Financial Towers is the kind of cold, glassy edifice designed for some serious number crunching. Tucked inside, however, is a glamorous new restaurant and lounge, with excellent Lebanese food and live music. A large outdoor terrace caters for your shisha needs, and the attentive staff is eager to please. Look clever by pronouncing the name right: ‘nay’ sounds like ‘nigh’ (an ancient Middle Eastern flute).

Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC, Dubai, noon to 4pm, 6.30pm to 12.30am. Tel: (04) 3516660. Metro: Financial Centre. nayrestaurant.ae

MARKETTE
Markette is a very pretty café/restaurant that looks like you’ve walked into the kitchen of an old farmhouse. Pots and pans dangle from hooks; jars and bottles sit on shelves, and dark green cupboards line the walls around an open kitchen. Opened by the same team who brought us another good Dubai Mall eatery, Social House, the food at Markette hops around France, Italy, England and Mexico. The large international menu comes on pieces of paper, which are stuck to strips of cardboard.

The Dubai Mall, next to aquarium, Sun to Wed 9am to midnight, Thur to Sat 9am to 2pm. Tel: (04) 3398173. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. facebook.com/markettedubai

HAPPY HOUR
You’ve heard of prohibition-style cocktails, but what about pre-prohibition drinks? That’s what you get at Porterhouse’s happy hour where, from 4pm to 7pm Tuesday to Saturday, it’s two for one on quirky drinks from the 1850s. Grab a spot on the terrace and raise a glass.

Sofitel The Palm, The Palm, Dubai. Sofitel, The Palm, Dubai, Tue to Sat 7pm to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 4556677. Taxi: Sofitel The Palm. sofitel-dubai-thepalm.com

ST TROPEZ JAZZ NIGHT
St Tropez Bistro, the cute bar and brasserie in the Kempinski Hotel, Mall of the Emirates, have launched a new night featuring the jazzy tones of Anita Williams. The icon of the genre will be joined by her band every Thursday dan Friday evening at 8pm from this week, Thursday May 22. Anita and her band will be playing weekly every Thursday and Friday evening from 8pm onwards from Thursday 22nd May. Inspired by the neighbourhood bistros of the French Riviera, St Tropez also serves up a menu of French dishes like steak tartare and frogs’ legs.

Thursday May 22
Mall Of The Emirates, via Kempinski Hotel, Dubai, Monday 7.30pm to midnight, Dhs99. Tel: (04) 3413415. Metro: Mall of the Emirates. sttropez.ae

KARMA KAFE
Karma Kafe, a What’s On Awards winner for favorite pan asian restaurant, is offering a signature tasting menu with a bottle of wine for Dhs395. Running throughout May, the offer includes dishes such as a contemporary nigiri selection, lava prawns and Wagyu grade 9+.

Karma Kafe, Souk al Bahar, Downtown Dubai, Dubai. Tel: 04 423 0909. karma-kafe.com 

UMAI
Hokkaido, known as Japan’s final frontier in the Far North, is renowned worldwide for its delicious seafood. And for a limited time only – in fact, Friday May 23 is the last night, guests to Umai at The Oberoi can sample the delights of the freshest, seasonal seafood whisked from the clear waters of Hokkaido straight to your plate.  Enjoy a specially crafted degustation menu from Dhs390 or Dhs550 with the Sommelier’s Choice wine pairing.

The Oberoi Hotel, Business Bay, Dubai, daily 6.30pm to 11.30pm, Fri 12.30pm to 3pm. Tel: (04) 4441444. Metro: Business Bay.

BUSHMAN’S
A wall lined with boomerangs, wire sculptures of kangaroos. It’s not what you think – all this Australia paraphernalia is tasteful and clever in this sophisticated but fun new spot on The Palm. The menu is not what you might consider traditional, consisting of seared emu fillet, gamey-tasting smoked kangaroo, yabby tail crayfish and eucalyptus smoked Tasmanian salmon. There are also roaming ‘salt gurus’ lending advice on the best type of salt for your dish. To read our review, click here.

Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa, The Palm Jumeirah, daily 6.30pm to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 5678304. Taxi: Crescent Road east of Atlantis.

CASA DE TAPAS by Good
Spanish cuisine is woefully underrepresented in the UAE, but this new eatery is addressing the balance with its traditional dishes, and lashings of sangria. Part of the renovations at the Dubai Creek Yacht & Golf Club, you’ll find Boardwalk below and cool rooftop bar Cielo upstairs, with Casa De Tapas in the middle, like a delicious (Iberian ham) sandwich. The drinks menu is vast, with some great G&T cocktails, but the tapas selection might just blow you away – all the usual suspects are there (hello patatas bravas), but with some special dishes added such as fried king fish, seabass baked in rocksalt and a Flintstone-sized slow-roasted milk fed baby lamb shoulder. Of course, have churros to finish. It’s rustic, laidback and there’s a man called Lorenzo at the helm. Muy bueno.

Dubai Creek Yacht & Golf Club, Deira, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3427590. cielodubai.com

ORIGINAL WINGS & RINGS by Good
Fast, good food and a relaxed vibe (think beer pong and the game on TV, rather than cosy date night) make for an evening at Dubai’s newest American sports bar. Specialising in – you guess it – wings and rings, this isn’t the place for a guilt-free bite, but if you want to all out with deep fried pickles, margaritas and more dipping sauce than you can shake a chicken wing at then it’s a solid choice. The food arrives quickly, the dress code is distinctly low-key and there’s sport on the screens – what more do you need for a boys’ night out? Don’t answer that…

Liberty House, DIFC, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3596900. facebook.com/OriginalWingsAndRings

SATURDAY SUNDOWNERS
Cargo’s Sundowner Saturdays mean the weekend can last that little bit longer. And what better weekend to start than a long one? Between 4pm and 8pm, What’s On’s bar of the month for April offers laid back jazz and soulful house tunes, while hungry hippos able to choose any four dishes from the starter menu for just Dhs99. Alongside the usual Happy Hour beverage offers , Sundowner Saturdays mean Cargo’s signature Bloody Marys are just Dhs35, bottles of sparkles are Dhs195 (usually Dhs320) and you can share a bucket of beer for just Dhs140 for five bottles.

Pier 7, Dubai Marina, Dubai, daily 6pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 3618129. Metro: Dubai Marina. cargo-dubai.com