8 epic things to do in Abu Dhabi this weekend: July 1 to 3

The best things to do with your stoppage time this weekend…

Look there no penalties if you don’t do all this stuff below, but if you do it’ll help you reach your goal of having a great weekend. And you might save a little too. Which we think is a perfect match.

Thursday, July 1

At the movies this week

There’s a bumper collection of blockbusters available to watch this week. Alec Baldwin bonnets up for a reprisal of animated infant antics in Boss Baby 2: Family Business; The Ice Road stars Liam Neeson in his deminishingly credible guise as an action hero, it’s unlikely to be a career highlight but there’s a considrable set of icy vistas to enjoy; The Forever Purge is the fifith and final film of The purge franchise and it explores the idea of ‘what if the murder never had to stop’; finally, heist movie The Misfits, starring Pierce Brosnan and entirely shot in Abu Dhabi, gets it’s UAE release.

Tickets: Book now

Claws for celebration

One of the city’s top picks for tapas, Warehouse has always been a classy joint — but their promotion for the first half of July is seriously sophisticated. Plates of lobster-based tapas and glasses of bubbles are available a la carte from Dhs49, or as combo packages from Dhs160 (two plates and two glasses of bubbles). You can also get five lobster tapas dishes and a whole bottle of Italian bubbles for just Dhs350.

Warehouse Wine & Tapas, Pearl Rotana Capital Centre – Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street, near ADNEC, from July 1 to 15 4pm until 1am. Tel: (02) 307 5552, @thewarehouseabudhabi

Air miles, summer styles and bargains in the aisles

If you’re looking for a sign to go shopping this weekend, this is it. Sales don’t come much bigger than the one attached to Abu Dhabi’s Summer of Style campaign. It’s nothing short of an extravaganza with up to 80 percent off selected items across 3,000 shops in malls all over the emirate. Whilst you’re racking up those savings at the till, you’ll also have the opportunity to win some wild prizes. Spend over Dhs200 on your Visa card in any one of the more than 4,500 participating stores to be entered into a draw to win prizes including cars and literally millions of Etihad Guest Miles.

Friday, July 2

Euro-nly shot on target

This Friday the mighty Spain take on underdogs Switzerland (8pm), whilst Italy face number one ranked Belgium (11pm) in the quarter finals of the UEFA Euro 2020 cup. And with alfresco and non-fresco (shh we’re claiming it) seating, decent pub snacks (baos, the baos) and a vibrant atmosphere — Waves would feature in our first 11 every time. Their daily two-for-one happy hour will be running throughout the tournament between the hours of 5pm and 8pm. There will also be a very special bucket deal. The details of which will follow shortly.

Waves Bar & Outdoor Lounge, Novotel Al Bustan – Airport Road, open daily until 1am. Tel: (02) 501 6088, novotel-abudhabi-albustan.com

Clymbing to new heights

Clymb’s instructors will be putting on a special, completely free-to-watch “Dare to Soar” flying show every Friday at 6pm, between July 2 to August 28. See them drop, see them spin, see the hurtle to within nerve-jarring proximity of the wind tunnel’s edge. Whilst you’re watching, you can actually score yourself a 20 per cent discount to actually take part in the aerial fun yourself. Just scan the QR code on the tunnel screens for reductions on bookings all the way up to September 30, 2021.

Saturday, July 3

Oar inspiring cinema

Louvre Abu Dhabi is all about coming up with oar-iginal ways to experience art, but one of favourite recent concepts is the idea of a kayak-in cinema. Paddling around under the dramatic canopy of the Jean Nouvel dome, stopping to catch a short film projected on one of the interior building walls. Organised in partnership with Sea Hawk.ae and the recently reopened Louvre Abu Dhabi Children’s Museum, showings will take place 6pm, 7pm and 8pm, this Saturday. On screen, it’s a short film called ‘Hair Love’, about a young girl trying to style her unruly hair. Babes, moving into summertime here in the UAE, we feel you.

The price, which includes kayak rental, is Dhs126 for adults and kids — and can be booked through the sea-hawk.ae website.

This brunch and pool pass deal is straight up fire

Rosewood’s Aqua has acquired a reputation for grilling, thrilling and filling stomachs with only the finest fair. And the popular Wood & Fire Saturday brunch comes with access to that dreamy Insta-famous pool. Brunch menu highlights include tuna tartare, duck rillette, and flank steak. As a final little incentive, guests will get 20 per cent off refreshments poolside before or after the brunch.

Aqua, Rosewood Abu Dhabi, Al Maryah Island – Abu Dhabi, Staurday 12.30pm to 3.30pm, Dhs310 for food only, Dhs410 with free-flowiing house. Tel: (02) 813 5550, @rosewoodabudhabi

Reif encounters

The inaugural Food Forward escapade for 2021, is genuinely worth salivating over. One of the best-respected, hardest working, virtually omnipresent chefs in the UAE, the magnificent Reif Othman will be locking toques with local culinary genius, Chef Faisal Alharmoodi. The menu born of the collision between these binary food stars will be available between July 1 and July 10, and includes highlights such as marinated black cod, jalapeno sauce (Dhs195); grilled Wagyu A7 fillet, truffle mayonnaise & yuzu koshu soy (Dhs325); oven baked baby chicken, with spicy teriyaki (Dhs125); and Rice Mushroom Pot, seaweed butter (Dhs175).

Tori No Su, Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, July 1 to 10, bookings can be made on the abudhabiculinary.ae website

Images: Provided/Getty