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

These are our favourite things in the UAE right now…

Meeting my favourite F1 driver at… Tumi

Like many who got hooked on Drive To Survive, I’m a massive F1 fan, so the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is one of my favourite weekends of the year. And so when the opportunity arose to meet my favourite F1 driver – Lando Norris – this week, I jumped at the opportunity. Ahead of the final Grand Prix of the year, Norris was at Dubai Mall to celebrate the reopening of the futuristic new Tumi store, where the brand’s SS25 pieces were proudly on display. The store is well worth a visit to ensure you’ve got everything you need to ensure you’re ticking off your travel bucket list in style next year. And who knows, you might even spot a racing driver while you’re there. – Alice Holtham-Pargin, Group Editor

@tumitravel

Getting race weekend ready with… JD x McLaren

Yes, this is a double dose of F1 and Team McLaren loves this week, but I really am hoping team Papaya take the constructor’s championship this weekend. As a warm-up for the F1 weekend, Jack Daniel’s x McLaren have been popping-up with their garage party activations at bars across town, and it cumulated with a special garage party in Al Quoz this week. Cool driver-inspired cocktails, race sims, reaction games and live music made for a fabulous way for us to get ready for a thrilling weekend of F1 fun. See you there? – Alice Holtham-Pargin, Group Editor

@makeitcountuae

Trying to teach myself the art of… Cryptic Crosswords

Pick – Crosswords. Ick – Cryptic Crosswords. They say golf is the best way to spoil a nice walk, well adding to a suplimentary level of enigma to an already deliberately obscure crossword clue just immediately saps the dregs of fun from it. But, again – like golf, there is something inexplicably addictive about the level of unrewarding complexity. So I’ve committed myself to the, what I understand is a multi-year journey, of becoming fluent in cryptic crosswords. Why? I can’t rule out the idea that its subconscious allure to smugery. So if you wan’t to know where I’ll be over the weekend, see the clue for three down, nine letters ‘place of waiting, oddly urgent cry heard by the guard (9)’. – Miles Buckeridge, Deputy Editor, Dubai

Experiencing the new and nuanced flavours of… Nespresso

Have you seen that movie Limitless? The one with Bradley Cooper where he takes that medication and then gradually unlocks more and more of his brain potential, discovering new and increasingly complex aspects to his cognitive functioning. I think coffee might be the closest (legally licensable) substance we currently have to that fictional uber nootropic. And that’s why, particularly around deadlines, you’ll find me inhaling the stuff like its candy-flavoured oxygen. That doesn’t mean I’m not picky about what coffee I drink though. Even in the throes of chemical dependency, I’m still a coffee snob. And my latest recommendation, if you too are a sucker for the brew, are the new Nespresso pods conceived in collaboration with celebrity chef Jean Imbert. Within the velvety range you’ll find Unforgettable, Almond Croissant Flavour and Peanut and Roasted Sesame Flavour. I’m on cup number 12 for the day now, so as I’m writing this – I’m also coding an algorithm to predict the next Salik Gate locations. Drink coffee responsibly kids. – Miles Buckeridge, Deputy Editor, Dubai

@nespresso

Dodging mosquito bites with…. Free Me Mosquito Repellent

I think I’m a mosquito magnet, so much so that I actually have scars from particularly large ones. Usually, the smell of mosquito repellents makes me nauseous but this one smells like a Jo Malone perfume. Also, since I started using it, any part of skin that I’ve covered will not get bitten, which is obviously the whole point of a repellent but I’ve tried and tested so many and, let me tell you, so many don’t actually work for me. This one is a natural concoction made with organic essential oils of citronella and lemongrass so you can use it on the smallest of family members too. It’s also a family-owned business, and made in the UAE, which I love, love, love. Take that, mosquitos…. – Madie Murphy, Senior Reporter

@freemecompany

Cutting getting ready time in half with… eyebrow lamination

Good brows can change the whole shape of your face. I have fair hair so mine often disappear, and I have to then spend at least 10 minutes in the morning drawing them back on. As a lazy person, who will do anything for her life to be easier, I tried eyebrow lamination and I’m never going back. I go to Lauren in the HER Salon in Motor City, she gives me brows that suit my face and they also give me an instant facelift. Snatched. – Madie Murphy, Senior Reporter

@hersalon__

Heading to the capital this weekend for… Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024

It’s been held in Abu Dhabi for the past 15 years, but I have never seen a race in Abu Dhabi. I did hear it though, ages ago when The Prodigy were performing at the then-called du Arena. But this year, I signed up to cover the event for What’s On and, after watching Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive just to get up to ahem… speed… I am kinda pumped to watch the action take place in front of me. I am honestly rooting for Nico Hulkenberg, but I also will most likely have to contain my excitement if I spot Carlos Sainz (to be fair, I already liked him even before watching the Netflix series because he is absolutely hilarious on Instagram). Can’t wait to zoom on over. – Aarti Saundalkar, Arts & Culture Features Editor 

Meeting up with friends for Japanese at… MogiYa in Al Seef

When it’s winter in Dubai, there are a couple of dishes I usually crave for, and one of them is ramen. What is it about the humble noodle in a spicy broth that is just so comforting and delicious? Over the long weekend, I met up with friends, and rather than going for our staple hot pot spot of choice, we tried something new and went to MogiYa in Al Seef. And it met expectations. The Japanese interiors boas a ton of décor and art, and the restaurant has shelves packed with comics, toys, memorabilia, and much more. The staff were amazing, and the food was just perfect. For my mains, I opted for the spicy shoyu ramen with homemade chicken broth, and I added the chili garlic paste to kick up the heat level to my liking. Lip-smacking goodness in a bowl. I can’t wait to return and try their hotpot next. – Aarti Saundalkar, Arts & Culture Features Editor

Once again, appreciating my soberness(ness) at…The Emirates Dubai 7s

The joy of being the sober one is that you’re the fly on the wall. You get to witness the moments you would never otherwise, see people in avatars you would never on a normal day. This past long weekend, Team What’s On was at The Sevens, being the dutiful media partners that we are. I spent the whole day out and about, taking content, talking to people, meeting uber cool strangers, doing what I do best, and by the end of the night I saw a version of my dear colleagues (a certain someone whose name starts with M and ends in ilo and rhymes with Hilo) that I will remember and cherish forever. Drunk people are hilarious. – Manaal Fatimah, Online Reporter

Kicking off my wedding week with my favourite people at…my bachelorette

I love surprises. Surprising someone else and being surprised – such wonderful ways of making someone feel special, letting them know through actions that you thought about them, about what they like and love. This past weekend my wonderful friends threw me a surprise bridal shower and it was the nicest time I’ve had in a long time. We spent the evening on a yacht, in this beautiful weather, with music and the beautiful sights of the Dubai Marina. It’s something I’ll cherish for life, a weekend of being a sort of singleton girl with all my gal pals before I’m not. – Manaal Fatimah, Online Reporter

@theraredxb

Media: Instagram, What’s On Archive