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

These are our favourite things in the UAE right now…

Enjoying a summer staycation at… One&Only The Palm

Before the tourists flock back to the city, I checked-in to One&Only The Palm last weekend for a staycation to celebrate three months since our wedding, and I think it’s firmly become my new Dubai staycation spot. With its understated Arabian glamour and intuitive but not invasive service, it’s a brilliant display of Dubai luxury, without being in-your-face. We loved the gorgeous sea views from our contemporary suite, located in one of the mansion buildings within the neatly manicured grounds. For leisure, the Guerlain Spa is a sumptuous and inviting space for relaxing massages using oils inspired by local ingredients, and the adults-only Safina pool is chic and sophisticated, serving up refreshing cocktails (order the gin-based Safina) and chilled vibes. For dining, two Michelin Star stay is a lesson in masterful French fine dining, while breakfast at Zest pairs healthy juices and a decadent pastry display with a la carte eggs cooked to order. – Alice Holtham-Pargin, Group Editor

@oothepalm

Catching up over lunch at… Maison De La Plage

We’re spoiled for choice when it comes to drinking and dining at Palm West Beach, but one of my favourite spots for a mid-week lunch meeting is Maison De La Plage. One of the latest entries to The Club, it comes from the culinary mind of Chef Izu Ani, and is a near-faultless demonstration of his ability to curate Mediterranean dishes in the most fabulous of settings. Their impressive array of salads (prawn and halloumi is my go-to) is perfect for a quick business lunch, and if you don’t go for that, go for the bread basket. The still warm focaccia with a drizzle of olive oil is *chef kiss*. – Alice Holtham-Pargin, Group Editor

@maisondelaplage_

Experiencing the best of British at… Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Until Heston Blumenthal came along, being invited to take a tour through this history of British food probably wouldn’t have appealed to many. Bit heavy on the dripping and provocatively titled desserts, would likely be the reply on the RSVPs. But the mercurial British chef, tinkerer in the arcane gastronomic arts, and arch-culinary wizard of groundbreaking method, came along and changed all that. And in a partnership that seems fated by the stars, the Dubai location of his Dinner by Heston restaurant is teaming up with another British F&B image-restoring icon too, premium sparkling wine house, Nyetimber. The result is a special, limited edition five-course menu (available until Sep 22, so get booking now) enhanced by the British bubbly (Dhs1,200). I tried it out, selflessly for your benefit of course, and can confirm it’s exactly the sort of beautifully eccentric art you’d expect from the maverick chef Heston. – Miles Buckeridge, Deputy Editor – Dubai

@dinnerbyhbdubai

Going back to the sci-fi classics again with… Rendezvous with Rama

Sci-fi, by its very nature, is almost always ‘ahead of its time’ but this literary classic from the pen of Sir Arthur C. Clarke CBE, was light years ahead of its 1973 publishing date. I’m about three-quarters of the way through this rich, tension-fraught story of man’s first encounter with extraterrestrial intelligence and I genuinely cannot believe it hasn’t been turned into a film yet. I cannot recommend it highly enough, the flu I had this week on the other hand, one star, lousy, cannot endorse.

Ingesting an unhealthy amount of salt water at… Surf Abu Dhabi

That’s on me, because I am a terrible surfer – so first things first, shout out to their super instructor Matt who had the patience to deal with my drama. But jokes aside, the facility is beautiful. Surf Abu Dhabi is finally ready to open its doors on Hudayriyat and it’s gotten beach goers, sport lovers and thrill seekers excited. They’ll be opening to the public soon, so make sure to give the facility a try. Don’t let the folks in the movies have all the fun. – Dinesh Ramanathan, Deputy Editor, What’s On Abu Dhabi

@surfabudhabi

Learning more about wellness… with Charme d’Orient

This fragrant range of self-care and wellness products includes scrubs, liquid soaps and more, and I was introduced to it by the wellness gurus at Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi’s Namm Spa. They help you relax and rejuvenate, and leave you looking, feeling and smelling great. That said, have you checked out the spa’s new Hammam Room? You can catch a glimpse here in our video. Have a nice weekend. – Dinesh Ramanathan, Deputy Editor, What’s On Abu Dhabi

@dusitthaniabudhabi, @charmedorient_middleeast

Figuring out where to next after leaving my heart in… Amsterdam

Okay, yeah I know this is not something in the UAE. But I’ve been on my annual leave this week and I jetted off to Amsterdam in The Netherlands. And I fell in love. My primary goal was to see the Van Gogh Museum, which I did and I can say it was absolutely brilliant. I managed to spend at least four hours there, whereas Trip Advisor said it would only take around 90 minutes to two hours to see it all. During my research, I discovered many other treasures which made me extend my holiday from three days to six. There’s the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, Kroller Muller Museum – the second museum in the world with the most Van Gogh paintings after the Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandts House Museum and Royal Palace Amsterdam. Besides all these wonderful museums I immersed myself in the city, walking along the very many canals, taking trams like the locals and just soaking it all in. Now that I’m back, the only question on my mind is… ‘Where can I go next?’ – Aarti Saundalkar, Online Reporter

Excited to head to the capital to watch… Chicago The Musical 

There are some musicals and their fantastic tunes that stick with you forever. For me, that musical is Chicago. If memory serves me right, it was the first musical I’ve ever seen and I absolutely loved it. I’ve seen it twice now, and my two-hour journey from home all the way to the capital proves my love for it. You can bet I will be prepping for it by listening to the banging tunes over the weekend. My favourite number? Cell Block Tango! – Aarti Saundalkar, Online Reporter

etihadarena.ae

Just the patatas bravas at… The Ninth Cut

This week I was lucky enough to enjoy a sneak peek into the brand-new butcher meets steakhouse called The Ninth Cut. Now it’s a cool concept to be shopping for meat and then wander into a gorgeous restaurant that serves said meat and more. But in truth, their patatas bravas are where it’s at. The potato is so delightfully crisp, with a soft center, wonderfully salted and flavoured and then placed delicately on a spiced tomato sauce, if I don’t go back for the lamb ribs and dessert I will be back for those taters. – Shelby Gee, Junior Reporter

@theninthcut

Learning how to make my own pickled onions… At home

There’s a comedienne that I follow on Instagram, her name is Aletta, and she is very South African and very Afrikaans – but exceptionally hilarious. She also happens to be quite the cook and often shares reels with recipes for how to cook her favourite dishes with hilarious quips. One of the first things (I think) that made her go viral is her home-made pickled onion recipe. And since I have been following her, I have been dying to try the recipe for myself. So, I finally took the plunge, bought a mason jar, and did it. If you want the recipe: I used about a kilo of red onions with, half a cup of brown sugar dissolved in a cup of hot water, and then one and a half cups of white vinegar added to the sugar water. Add the onions to the mixture and let it cook in that vinegar overnight and you will have an entire jar of delicious, pickled onions. Aletta says you can add any sort of spices, nothing ruins her day more than chewing on a pepper corn when she just wants to enjoy her burger. – Shelby Gee, Junior Reporter

@alettafrancina

Catching up with dear friends at… Uchi

Uchi in DIFC is smaller then you’d expect – but it’s also cosy, quiet and the perfect place to meet old friends after a long time. We had a little lunch catch up at the DIFC spot, and not only was the food delicious and wholesome, it was such a welcome break from the loud, large spaces that are a Dubai staple. A beautiful bar takes up much of the space in the middle and the service is welcoming and warm. Stories were exchanged, memories recounted and palates satisfied. I’d go back. – Manaal Fatimah, Junior Reporter 

@uchi.uae

Feeling camp (fraudulently) in my new…Sam Edelman Michaela Mary Jane Flats

Nothing about me is camp. Not even one bit – but some days I like to pretend like I’m not painfully basic and wear something like that. I recently jumped on the ballet flat mary jane bandwagon and bought a pair from Sam Edelman. These flats are uber comfortable, uber fashionable and very much worth the money I shelled out. Might just buy in more colours. – Manaal Fatimah, Junior Reporter 

@sam_edelman