Team What's On pick their favourite things in the UAE right now

These are our favourite things in the UAE right now…

Adding to my bucket list meal at… RSVP

I confess, I’ve not spent much time at Boxpark. But that’s set to change now I’ve dined once at RSVP. This chic French restaurant has bags of style, but still feels welcoming and accessible. The menu is a brilliant array of classic French and more Mediterranean-influenced dishes, all served up by a team that appear to know the menu inside out. Order the escargot and extra bread on the side to make sure you can mop up every mouthful of the garlic butter, but be sure to save enough room to try both the fragrant shrimp curry and a hearty bowl of the lobster pasta, where they don’t scrimp on pieces of fresh, meaty shellfish. For dessert, it’s got to be the raspberry creme brulee – a portion that’s big enough to share, although no judgement if you don’t. – Alice Holtham-Pargin, Group Editor

@rsvprestaurant

Getting summer holiday ready with… PalmaDusa

Dubai-born, Italian-made swimwear brand PalmaDuSa is the most recent addition to the homegrown swimwear scene in the UAE, and it’s safe to say I’m already obsessed. Their newest collection Butia, has been designed by Lebanese fashion designer Tia Dib, and as well as all-pleasing monochrome shades, there’s a gorgeous palm print and a deep mauve hue. Whether you’re looking to shop for one piece swimsuits, flattering bikinis, or flowwy cover-ups, it’s the sort of collection that takes you from beach to bar effortlessly. – Alice Holtham-Pargin, Group Editor

@palmadusa

Getting creative with… Etihad Airways

Aside from being the UAE’s national carrier and launching a cool new route what seems like every other week, Etihad Airways has also been unveiling some really nice designs that adorn their planes. In just the last few months, we’ve seen them celebrate their 20^th anniversary and carry a design of champion football team Manchester City, and this week, they launched a great new livery celebrating Warner Bros. World  with some of its most iconic characters on either side of the plane. There was a time when I thought getting vinyl on your car was cool, but this is simply next level. – Dinesh Ramanathan, Deputy Editor, What’s On Abu Dhabi

@eithad

Learning to forecast the weather with… Twisters

Every other film I’ve watched on the big screen this summer was preceded by the trailer of Twisters, and I suppose their marketing worked because I eventually bought a ticket to it. If you’re a fan of storm chasing, doomsday cinema, freak weather, or just want to feel fortunate sitting in your seat with a tub of popcorn, catch this one. You join a team who literally find their way into the eye of the storm, and willingly. You just don’t have to deal with the what-ifs. Enjoy. – Dinesh Ramanathan, Deputy Editor, What’s On Abu Dhabi

@voxcinemas

Continuing down the self-care path with a hydrafacial at… Mandarin Oriental Jumeira

Last week I took care of the knots in my back at Sofitel SPA with L’Occitane and got my hair pampered at Casa Aire Wellness. This week, I’m doing something to get rid of the dull, pigmented skin on my face. I have started doing my bit at home, but I needed to up the ante and get help from the professionals. Mandarin Oriental Jumeira have a new 90-minute hydrafacial which includes lymphatic drainage, deep cleansing, exfoliation and LED light therapy which will leave the skin flawless and radiant. Fingers and toes crossed it does the trick because my skin needs all the help it can get. Pigmentation, begone! – Aarti Saundalkar, Online Reporter

@mo_jumeira

Looking back on the year gone by with the… Day One app

It’s hard for me to keep up with my journalling, but Day One has truly helped. I may miss out on writing for a week or two (at one point, a month) now and then but, since this lovely app is on my phone, I can always open it up and write in it whenever I need to get my thoughts out. I found myself reading old entries this week and it helped remind me of some pretty amazing memories I created for myself. Not to mention how much I have grown over the past 12 months. I urge my friends to use it and the best news is that it’s free to download and there’s a premium version in case you want the extended features. Happy journaling! – Aarti Saundalkar, Online Reporter

Download here

Blown away (literally) at dinner with… Dyson

Dyson has just launched its brand-new hairdryer (although calling it just a hairdryer seems like an understatement), the Dyson Supersonic Nural™. To celebrate, they threw an epic launch event at Dubai’s incredible theatre-meets-dining experience, Krasota. It was my first time dining at Krasota, the brainchild of celebrity chef Vladimir Mukhin. Then again, it’s not your everyday restaurant, with prices for the luxe tasting menu starting from Dhs1,500 per person. The evening began in the bar area with exclusive cocktails and activations from Dyson, including a hair salon and fashion illustrations by the one and only Sara Japanwalla. Then, we made our way into the restaurant, where our names were projected onto the table. Here, we discovered more about this game-changing new dryer: the technology, the scalp protect mode, five different attachments (including one that smooths flyaways), and it even learns your styling preferences, including heat and airflow settings. As I said, calling this just a dryer would be an understatement, and I can’t wait to try it out. Then to the food: each of the fine dining dishes was served with its own immersive art show projected all around the room and on the table. Dishes served in giant shells, warm ice cubes, painting tools for cutlery, and the waiter changing outfits with every course to match the art. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before and a must-visit for art lovers.  – Tamara Wright, Online Reporter 

@dyson_arabia / @krasota.restaurant.dubai

Brunch makes miso happy at… Zuma

Zuma is one of the most sought-after brunch spots in town. After my first ‘Baikingu’ brunch experience last Saturday, it’s easy to see why. Despite peak summer and a seemingly empty city, the impressive two-storey restaurant was full of chic Dubai brunch-goers. Start off by helping yourself to fresh oysters, sushi, and robata at the live stations. There’s also a selection of starters that can be ordered à la carte to the table, including crispy fried shrimp, prawn tempura, and miso soup. We opted for the Champagne package (Dhs795 per person), which includes a selection of sake pairings served by Zuma’s very own Japanese sake sommelier, as well as mini espresso martinis. For mains, you might be tempted to order Zuma’s famous miso black cod, and I get it. However, the roasted lobster with shiso ponzu butter and grilled Chilean seabass with green chili and ginger dressing are what foodie dreams are made of. The Zuma brunch is fine dining at its best – a brunch for foodies to socialise over high-grade Japanese dishes with impeccable service and always-topped-up glasses. We didn’t expect anything less. What did come as a pleasant surprise though was the atmosphere: a cool, relaxed, family-friendly vibe that made the experience all the more memorable. – Tamara Wright, Online Reporter

@zumadubai

Good bye blonde – sort of, thanks to… Tara Rose Salon

I’m tired of being a blonde, I know we have more fun – and we do, but it was time for a change. So off I went recently to Zandri at Tara Rose, who took the time to sit with me and listen to what my hair goals were. Slowly but surely we will be getting rid of these blonde locks, but instead of a quick buzz to do so, it’ll be a slow and steady wins the race to a more natural copper/red ish brown. Tara Rose was such a gorgeous salon with such friendly staff and just overall a fantastic salon experience that is also extremely reasonably priced for the level of service I received. – Shelby Gee, Junior Reporter

@tararosesalon / @hairby.zandri  

Leaving the pups in very capable hands at… My Dogtel

Jet and Lily, the duo behind What’s On Pets are divas and only deserve the best given their fame and status. This is exactly why when I, or my brother, go on holiday the only place that we can confidently leave them is at My Dogtel. Firstly, the place is gorgeous and the two are always seen having a ball (pun intended). But the team at My Dogtel are extremely attentive to them, and their needs and are constantly updating us on anything and everything we helicopter parents might need. I will happily leave the pups in their more than capable hands. (see above, Jet being a scoundrel, Lily posing, the pair tired after a long day of play). – Shelby Gee, Junior Reporter

@mydogtel

Doing girly things with the girls at…SOON Izakaya

Let me just say, the ladies night at SOON is a steal of a deal. I caught up with some friends this past week and our little group of four went to the underground bar for a night of girly things (usually involving ordering cute drinks and taking pictures) and the vibe was just what I’d like. The space has a true underground, ‘cool’ person feel to it, and it was packed for a Tuesday night. We love to see that – not only is the food great, the music is pumping and if you’re looking for an easy night out where you can leave your troubles behind and just have a good time. – Manaal Fatimah, Junior Reporter

@soondxb

Learning the art of sushi at…Salvaje

My partner and I went to a sushi masterclass at Salvaje this past week and it was quite possibly the most wholesome class I’ve ever taken. The wonderful chef took us through all the basics and we tried all the sushi he was making, after which some volunteers went up to try it for themselves. Of course, my partner was one of them, which is honestly great for me – homemade, authentic sushi in my future – and I can say with pride that he crushed it. We had dinner afterwards, and it’s been one of the nicest meals I’ve had in a while. Hits across the board and we had some great company to make everything better. – Manaal Fatimah, Junior Reporter

@salvaje.dubai

Media: Instagram, What’s On archive