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 YOUR WEEKLY WHAT’S ON WEEKEND FOR ABU DHABI RIGHT HERE**

ENTERTAINMENT

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

WORLD CUP SPECIAL

We created to the definitive list of places to catch all the World Cup action over the next month. Kicking off on Thursday June 12, there are 64 games for you to sink your teeth into, so you better checking some of the best spots off. Below are five of our favourites.

Level 9 (by Hype)
What’s the deal? This urban space – converted to a FIFA World Cup fan zone – promises ‘a full Brazilian experience’ throughout the tournament, with 20 viewing spaces with big screens and large flat screen TVs amidst samba-style décor. If you missed a game, there’s a ‘re-run’ match every evening at 6pm before the day’s main live action starts. There are special offers on beverages every match day from 6pm to 8pm and prizes for fun challenges, such as the Instaprint Man Of The Match, Adidas goal challenge and score predictor.

TV COUNT: 20 viewing spaces with big screens and large flat screens

Level 9, Media One Hotel, Media City, Dubai, daily from 6pm. Tel: (04) 271000. Metro: Nakheel.

Story Rooftop Lounge
What’s the deal? The vibrant nightspot in Dubai’s Knowledge Village is undergoing a football makeover to give fans the ultimate South American experience. And they’re claiming it’s the best value of anywhere in town. Enjoy games on their seven screens and jumbo projector, with drink deals by the bucket-load, too.

TV COUNT: One giant and seven other

Behind Zayed University, Dubai Media City, Dubai. Tel: (055) 7730010. Metro: Internet City. facebook.com/StoryDubai

Wings And Rings
What’s the deal? Football and chicken wings go together perfectly, so indulge your passion for both at this new DIFC bar. Get a pitcher of beer and two meals for Dhs200, or choose five bottles for Dhs99. Coming with a crew? Dhs600 will get you a table reservation with four appetisers, four mains and two pitchers.

TV COUNT: One giant and 16 other

Liberty House, DIFC, Dubai, daily noon to 2am. Tel: (04) 3596900. Metro: Financial Centre. facebook.com/originalwingsandrings

La Fabrique
What’s the deal? Come and join the fun at Pullman Dubai Deira City Centre Hotel and cheer your favorite team in front of 12 TV screens and a projector. To keep you entertained between the matches dart and pool competitions will be taking place, with daily draws for guests to win one of the many giveaways from free brunches to dinners, and even night stays.

TV COUNT: One projector and 12 other

Pullman Dubai Deira City Centre Hotel, Deira, Dubai, daily 5pm to 3am. Tel: (04) 6038201. Taxi: Pullman, Deira City Centre. Metro: Deira City Centre.  pullmanhotels.com

QD’s
What’s the deal? All matches will be shown on big screens inside a tent. Packages start at Dhs125 per person including snacks, or Dhs150 to include mezze and a main course. Both packages include unlimited coffee, tea and selected juices. No alcohol will be served.

TV COUNT: Four big and 12 other

Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Dubai Creek, Dubai, daily 5pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 2956000. Taxi: Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. dubaigolf.com 

OH, AND WHEREVER YOU ARE GOING, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE WORDS TO THE ‘OFFICIAL’ UAE WORLD CUP SONG!

DUBAI SPORTS WORLD
Nobody wants to play outside at this time of the year, so let’s hear it for Dubai Sports World, which has all your favourite outdoor sports, indoors. Sprawling across 20,000sqm in Dubai World Trade Centre, the emirate’s largest indoor summer sports venue offers 11 weeks of family-friendly sports in a temporary, air-conditioned space. Now in its fourth year, last year’s event attracted more than 100,000 sporty types, from children to seasoned athletes. Prices per hour range from Dhs50 for a badminton court to Dhs300 for a seven-a-side rugby pitch. As well as tournaments, open days, clinics and training sessions, Dubai Sports World will host a series of Sporting Weekends, featuring local, regional and international sports stars. So now there’s no excuse to forgo outdoor hobbies just because the outdoors is a no-go.

From June 11
Dubai World Trade Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 8am to midnight. Tel: (04) 3064000. Metro: World Trade Centre. dubaisportsworld.ae

RELATIVELY SPEAKING
Mistaken identity, marital angst and wry wit – Relatively Speaking set the tone for the last five decades of Alan Ayckbourn’s much-loved and much-performed plays. The 1967 premiere of this play in London’s West End so impressed the theatrical master Noël Coward, that he wrote Ayckbourn a telegram lauding the “beautifully constructed and very funny comedy”. Praise indeed. The action of Relatively Speaking centres on a young hero who mistakes his pouty girlfriend’s older lover for her father. The girlfriend plans to break up with the older man and recover some compromising letters, but the boyfriend and the man’s wife are hot in pursuit. There is a dark truth in the hilarity that has made Ayckbourn one of Britain’s most enduring playwrights. The play was revived last year in the West End, to rave reviews, and is staged here by the Dubai Drama Group. Read our review right here.

June 11 to 14
Centrepoint Theatre, Ductac, Mall Of The Emirates, Wed to Sat 7.30pm, Fri and Sat 4.30pm, Dhs90. Tel: (04) 3414777. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. ductac.org

DJ MARKY
DJ Marky has been a global ambassador not only of drum ‘n’ bass, but also of his native Brazilian scene for over 20 years now. Alongside his own fluid and funky productions, plus those he releases through his label Innerground Records, it is as a DJ that Marky is most celebrated – a three-deck technician who can do logic-defying things before your very eyes. With a mix compilation on the horizon for Ministry Of Sound and his passion for football evident, Marky hits Dubai on Thursday June 12 to celebrate GlobalFunk’s massive 11th birthday bash. Read an interview with him right here.

GlobalFunk’s 11th Birthday Bash, Level 41, Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City, Dubai. Dhs100. Thursday, 10pm to 3am. Taxi: Media One. Metro: Nakheel. facebook.com/globalfunkdxb

CHECK OUT IRIS
Walking into Iris at The Oberoi in Business Bay is a strange sensation. You zoom up to the 27th floor in a lift, walk in the bar and you feel like you’re inside. But then, seconds later, you get a whiff of fresh air and you feel like you’re outside. The glass walls go up and then simply end, leaving the roof open, but still enabling the large fans to keep you cool. It’s a clever trick to pull off at this fantastic rooftop bar with a view of the Burj Khalifa.

The crowd is glam, gorgeous and well-dressed, but they want to have fun, as well as be seen. It was jammed the Friday night we dropped in, so grab a seat where you can and get friendly with the people next to you. The DJ was great, particularly on a version of Eric Clapton’s Cocaine with a dance groove underneath.

This summer Iris are doing cocktail pitchers at Dhs150 and their happy hour of 50 per cent off drinks runs Sunday to Thursday, 6pm to 8pm. Platters of food were far more than just bar nibbles with the lime marinated grilled chicken leg, seared tuna and steak salad all standing out. But the mini burgers were perhaps the best we’ve ever had in Dubai.

The Oberoi, Business Bay, Dubai, daily 6pm to 2am. Tel: (056) 9511442. Metro: Business Bay. facebook.com/Iris-Dubai

LEARN THE ART OF SUSHI
TOKO Dubai have launched weekly sushi masterclasses which will aim to teach the traditional technique. Led by sushi specialist, Chef Lin Htet Aung, the classes run every Sunday at a cost of Dhs300 per person and will see guests supplied with all necessary ingredients in order to make their treats. During the two-hour session you will learn how to prepare and create a selection of fresh sushi and nigiri dishes, alongside tasting and sampling all the essential elements that makes this Japanese tradition popular today. The evening finishes with a sushi/sake tasting.

Toko, Vida Downtown Hotel, Sundays 7.30pm, Dhs300. Tel: (04) 4428383.

HOUSE OF AFRIKA
South African producer and DJ Jullian Gomes is flying to the UAE for a guest appearance at Dek On 8. The acclaimed artist will be the main attraction at the pool bar’s popular House Of Afrika night on June 13.

June 13
Media One Hotel, Media City, Dubai, 4pm to 3am, free. Tel: (04) 4271000. Metro: Nakheel. mediaonehotel.com

SUSAN HEFUNA: ANOTHER PLACE – last chance
With Sharjah’s current crop of exceptional exhibitions coming to a collective end around the middle of the month, we’re recommending you hightail it to the emirate fast. Our pick of the bunch is this awesome (in every sense of the word) collection of work by Egyptian-German artist Hefuna, which offers site-specific installations and sculpture alongside photographs, drawings and video.

Until June 13
Sharjah Art Foundation, Heritage Area, Sharjah, free. Tel: (06) 5444113. Taxi: Sharjah Art Foundation sharjahart.org

SYRIA’S APEX GENERATION
Civil war in Syria has dispersed a once vibrant art scene in Damascus, as more and more native artists seek new homes abroad. This new exhibition unites some of these displaced artists in two Dubai galleries, in a bid to keep contemporary Syrian art alive. Syria’s Apex Generation explores the myriad ways artists are responding to the conflict, focusing on painters who launched their careers in the 2000s.

June 9 to August 2
Ayyam Gallery, Alserkal Avenue and DIFC. 

Alserkal Avenue: Street 8, Al Quoz 1 Dubai, Sun to Thur10am to 6pm, Sat noon to 6pm, free. Tel: (04) 3236242. Taxi: Street 8, Al Quoz 

Ayyam Gallery DIFC: Gate Village Building 3, DIFC, Dubai, Sun to Thur 10am to 6pm, Sat noon to 4pm, free. Tel: (04) 4392395. Taxi: Gate Village, DIFC. ayyamgallery.com 

WHY NOT JUMP OUT OF PLANE AT SUNRISE
Up there with invincibility, the ability to fly tends to be top of most people’s superpower wishlists. The closest we can get to experiencing either is to hand ourselves over to someone, strap them to our back, leap from a plane at 13,500 feat and hope that when they pull a cord, the parachute will open.

Some of us handle this remarkable situation better than others. Some, What’s On web editor Matt Fortune for example, run through the very worst possible outcomes over and over in their head until they convince themselves out of what is a truly incredible experience. Read the full account of our experience here.

Skydive Dubai is open throughout the summer between 6am and 10am, with jumps priced at Dhs1,999. Tel: (04) 3778888.

Water Polo World Finals
Eight national water polo teams vie for the title of men’s World Champions, with Serbia, Hungary and Montenegro qualified at time of going to press. For those unfamiliar with the sport, water polo is a pool-based game in which two teams of seven players attempt to throw a volleyball-like ball into the other team’s goal. Players need to be fit and strong, treading water constantly while shrugging off tackles and throwing and catching the ball with one hand. A shot clock forces the team in possession to go for goal within 30 seconds, and the ferocity of fouls warrants the need for a ‘sin bin’.

June 16 to 21
Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Sports Complex, Dubai, Dhs20. Tel: (04) 2648717. Taxi: Hamdan Sports Complex. fina.org

WORLD CUP EAT SPECIAL

To celebrate the World Cup kicking off in Brazil this weekend, we’re bringing you the best Brazilian restaurants and a brief guide to other countries in the tournament.

Fogo Vivo
‘Living fire’ is the translation and it all makes sense when you sample the meats from the grill. Every Sunday and Monday you can enjoy the Brazilian Grill Experience with 12 cuts of meat, a starter, a selection of desserts and unlimited caipirinhas.

JA Ocean View Hotel, The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence, daily 6.30pm to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 8145599. Taxi: The Walk. jaresortshotels.com

Foguiera
There are more than 15 cuts of meat here, plus a huge salad bar, a selection of ceviche and freshly baked cheese bread.

Ramada Plaza Jumeirah Beach Residence, JBR, Dubai, daily 6.30pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 4398888. Metro: Jumeirah Lake Towers. ramadaplazajbr.com

Chamas
Passadores strut around clutching great swords of meat – 18 cuts – carving them on your table before your eyes. The meat keeps coming as long as you leave your coaster with the green side face up. Flip it to red to pause the meat fest.

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily noon to 3pm, 6pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 3311111. Metro: Emirates Towers. ihg.com

Frevo
This churrascaria has a TV screen showing games. Get Brazilian snacks such as bite-sized steak skewers and fried calamari, with caipirinhas on the side. The minimum spend is Dhs150 per person.

Fairmont The Palm, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, daily 8pm to 3am. Tel: (04) 4573338. Taxi: Fairmont The Palm. fairmont.com 

REST OF THE WORLD…

USA 
Tony Roma’s
The USA is all about going big and Tony Roma’s wings and burgers will never let you down in the size department. The New York strip steak, followed by some cheesecake, is the perfect fuel for a late night staying awake to watch the game. Anybody wearing a World Cup jersey who orders a main course gets a free dessert.

China Court, Ibn Battuta Mall, Jebel Ali, Dubai, daily 11am to 11.45pm. Tel: (04) 3685655. Metro: Ibn Battuta. tonyromas.ae 

RUSSIA
Bolshoi
Named after the opulent Bolshoi Theatre, classic Russian dishes abound (think borscht and dumplings) with plenty of entertainment to boot. Fermented potatoes in liquid form ease digestion. Polka dancing is positively encouraged and requires footwork akin to what you’ll see on the pitch.

Moscow Hotel Dubai, Al Maktoum Street, Deira, daily 8pm to 3am. Tel: (04) 2288222. Taxi: Beside Grand Stores. moscowhoteldubai.com

BELGIUM
Brussels
Recently known as Brussels, Bapas does fine mussels, and even better premium Belgian beers – the perfect fodder for an in-depth discussion on the merits of Belgium’s midfield. You could also try Cafe Belge.

The H Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Sat to Wed noon to midnight, Thur noon to 3am, Fri noon to 1am. Tel: (04) 3858881. Metro: World Trade Centre. h-hotel.com

GERMANY
Der Keller
Der Keller is a meat-lovers’ heaven and fans of premium beers won’t be disappointed either. Grab a mixed sausage platter, some pickled cabbage and strap yourself in for a delicious evening – all done with supreme efficiency, just like the German back four.

Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, daily 6pm to midnight.  Tel: (04) 4068999. Taxi: Jumeirah Beach Hotel. jumeirah.com

MEXICO
Fuego
Signature dishes include slow-cooked lamb shank barbacoa, but a wagyu beef taco is our way of saluting the plucky Mexicans in the World Cup. Here’s a free joke to try in Fuego: Why did the Mexican push his wife off the cliff? Tequila!

FOR A GUIDE TO MEXICAN COOKING, CLICK HERE

Souk Al Bahar, Dubai, daily noon to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 4490977. Taxi: Souk Al Bahar. fuego.ae

PORTUGAL 
Picante
Go for the bitoque, aka rib-eye steak with fried egg, boiled rice and homemade potato chips. For dessert try the pastel de nata, a traditional egg custard with coffee mousse, which is loved in Portugal almost as much as Ronaldo.

Four Points By Sheraton Bur Dubai, Khalid Bin Walid St, Bur Dubai, daily midday to 3pm, 7pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 3977444. Taxi: Sheraton, Bur Dubai. picantedubai.com 

ARGENTINA
Asado
It’s all about the grilled meats at Asado. The fabulous flesh is prepared on a ‘parrilla’, an open grill in the centre of the restaurant. Feeling hungry? Grab a cabrito entero asado – a whole roasted goat. And keep your eyes peeled for Maradona…

FOR MORE STEAK RESTAURANTS, CLICK HERE

The Palace Downtown Dubai, Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, daily 7pm to 11.30pm. Tel: (04) 4287806. Taxi: The Palace Downtown Dubai. theaddress.com 

AUSTRALIA
Tom And Serg
This cool Aussie-run hangout gets a lot of attention for its milkshakes and burger, and many who claim it does the best poached eggs in the city. We’re pretty sure the Aussie football team’s nutritionist would not approve of the devilish Lamington cake.

Al Joud Center, 15a Street, Al Quoz, Dubai, daily 8am to 4pm. Tel: (056) 4746812. Taxi: Ace Hardware. facebook.com/tomandserg

DO YOU HATE FOOTBALL?
If the sight of 22 men kicking a ball puts you to sleep, head to Cavalli Club for their anti-World Cup party, Leave Your Boyfriend At Home. Ladies get chocolates, flowers and a spread of Italian delicacies. There’s live entertainment too – and definitely no football.

June 17
Fairmont Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, 9.30pm to 1am. Tel: (800) 2282554. Metro: World Trade Centre. cavalliclubdubai.com

OTHER EATS

WHEELER’S
Wheeler’s now has an eight-course degustation menu of fine seafood at the Marco Pierre White restaurant at weekends. Each course is served with a paired drink.

Gate Village, DIFC, Dubai, Fri and Sat, noon to 5pm, Dhs225 with soft drinks, Dhs375 with paired drinks. Tel: (04) 3860899. Metro: Financial Centre. wheelersdubai.com 

CAESAR’S CONFECTIONARY
It may not look terribly smart from the outside, but this simple café is a decent stop off for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. Inside, there are a few tables lined up in front of a massive chiller cabinet filled with slices of cake and a large selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian savoury pastries (we tried the Dhs3 cheese and mushroom puff and it was darn tasty). Caesar’s is also open for breakfast, serving up egg dishes. You can order your own cake here and, judging by the huge five-tiered creations on display, anything goes.

Al Barsha, Dubai, Sun to Thur 8am to 10.30pm, Fri 9am to 11.30am, 3.30pm to 10.30pm. Tel: (04) 3407790. Taxi: Next to Al Zahra Hospital. caesars-uae.com

LOUNGE WISH CAFE
This is a smart and spacious shisha café with a dazzling purple and white colour scheme. Guys settle into comfortable white leather chesterfields and puff away while watching football on TV or look at their phones. There’s a menu of Arabic food and a karaoke night on Sunday from 9pm to 1am featuring songs in Arabic, Spanish, English, French and Italian, run by the marvelously-named Teddy J Karaoke.

Al Barsha, Dubai, daily 10am to 2am. Tel: (04) 3996555. Taxi: Next to Al Zahra Hospital. loungew.ae

LOOK AFTER YOURSELF

1847
Mark Father’s Day at 1847 grooming lounge with a free reflexology session with any treatment.

Jumeirah Emirates Towers Boulevard, Dubai, daily 9am to 10pm. Tel: 04 4221847. Taxi: Emirates Towers. 1847uae.com

BOOK A YOGA SESSION
Tough day at work? It’s time to unwind. Let’s Go Yoga is running a variety of sessions for adults and kids during June at a new location on Al Bateen Beach. If you’re working to a busy schedule, the regular Core Strength Vinyasa class could be for you, which runs every Tuesday at 7.30pm to 8.30pm, and is regarded as one of the most effective yoga classes to achieve maximum yoga benefits (calorie burn, strength, flexibility, focus, self-awareness, confidence) in the shortest amount of time. “It allows you to ignite both the inner and outer body through movement and breath,” says course organiser and yoga expert Sasha Quince.

Let’s Go Yoga, Al Bateen Beach, Abu Dhabi, 7.30pm to 8.30pm, Dhs30. Tel: (02) 6341425. Taxi: Al Bateen Beach. letsgoyogame.com

USE VEGAN-FRIENDLY NAIL POLISH
We’ve all heard plenty about the benefits of a vegan diet, but vegan-friendly nail polish is a less familiar concept. If you like the sound of it, Dubai’s N.Bar nail salons are now stocking LA-brand Lauren B. Beauty – a range of eco- and vegan-friendly polishes in quirkily named shades like Venice Beach Venue and Where’s My Oscar?

Palm Strip Mall, Jumeirah Road, Dubai, daily 9am to 9pm, Lauren B. Beauty products from Dhs60. Tel: (04) 3461100. Taxi: Palm Strip Mall. nbaruae.com