The weekend is finally here, and we’re going to make the most of it with new restaurants, hit musicals, free gigs by chart-topping singers, and cut-price hair makeovers…
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Thursday 19
Check out Tom & Serg’s new dinner offering
We’ve often wished the hip eatery was open past 4pm – and it looks like they read our mind. The Al Quoz fave will turn into Shaka King come evening, with a Hawaiian-inspired menu full of healthy – but not bland – dishes. You can either dine in, take-away or get it delivered, and star dishes include fresh fish salads (also known as poké bowls) and designer burgers.
Shaka King at Tom & Serg, 15a street, Al Quoz, Dubai. Sun to Sat, 6pm to late. Tel: (056) 474 6812. tomandserg.com.
Treat yourself to a hit show (while it’s here)
Cats, one of the West End and Broadway’s longest-running shows, currently putting on a limited run of performances at Dubai Opera. The show is based on verses from a 1939 book by T S Eliot, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, and takes place in a junk yard on the night of the “Jellicle Ball”. Here, a tribe of cats come forward to decide which one of them will ascend to a place called the Heaviside Layer and then be reborn. Since its inception 35 years ago, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical has entertained more than 73 million people in more than 300 cities so if you haven’t yet been to the Dubai Opera, here’s your excuse.
Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai, Dubai. January 16 to 28, showings at 2pm, 7pm and 8pm. Tickets from Dhs275. dubaiopera.com.
Friday 20
Catch Jessie J at Mall of the Emirates
The star behind Price Tag will be heading down to the mall as part of the Dubai Shopping Festival to deliver a live – and, incredibly, free – acoustic performance. If you’re one of five lucky fans, you may even get the chance to meet the superstar herself. To be in with a chance, head to Mall of the Emirates’ Facebook page to like and tag a friend in their latest Jessie J post. And even if you don’t win, get on down to sing along to her hits including Bang Bang and Who You Are.
Mall of the Emirates, Al Barsha 1, Dubai, show starts at 6pm. Tel: (04) 4099000. facebook.com/malloftheemirates.
Mix lunch with some serious shopping
This concept store pretty much sounds like a match made in heaven. Offering a mix of food and design, you’ll find Scandi-cool homewares and contemporary bits and bobs alongside a Mediterranean-inspired cafe headed up by popular Dubai chef Izu Ani. So if you need to pick up a birthday present and feel peckish at the same time, look no further.
The Lighthouse, Building 6, Dubai Design District, Dubai. 8am to 11pm, closed on Saturdays. Tel: (04) 422 6024. More info on Facebook.
Have a brunch fit for royalty
Let them eat cake (and lobster, oysters, gourmet cheeses, duck and more…). (Also Marie Antoinette didn’t actually say that, it was a famous misquote). But anyhow, you can feast like a French royal at the St Regis’ weekly brunch, which kicks off with a signature sabering before you dig into seafood platters, a la carte waiter-served dishes, and then roll home after hitting the desserts.
Brasserie Quartier, St Regis Dubai, Habtoor City. 12.30pm to 3.30pm every Friday. Dhs460 with soft drinks, Dhs550 with house beverages and Dhs650 for premium bubbles. Tel: (04) 435 5577. bqdubai.com.
Catch some alternative Arab tunes
Love a bit of Arabic music but not a fan of the more mainstream stuff? Well, Wasla Music Festival is set to bring both local and regional alternative artists to the city, including Mashrou Leila from Lebanon, Jadal from Jordan, Emel Mathlouthi and Salhi from Tunisia, Souad Massi from Algeria, Abri and the Funk Radius from the UAE and Neobyrd from Egypt. Sounds like it’ll be an eclectic night.
Media City Amphitheatre, Dubai Media City, Dubai. January 20, 2pm to 2am. Tickets from Dhs235. Tel: (052) 8103385. waslafestival.
Saturday 21
Chop those locks for less
We don’t need an excuse for a pamper, but hey, we’re using The Nail Pavilion’s post-Christmas deals as a reason anyway. Until January 26, the JLT salon is offering a cut and blowdry for Dhs250 or – if you want to make a real day of it – a haircut, blowdry and mani-pedi for Dhs400. Split ends, you’ve had your eviction notice.
The Nail Pavilion, Cluster Y, JLT, Dubai, Sun to Sat, 9am to 9pm. Tel: (04) 422 9791. More info on Facebook.
End the weekend with a calorie blowout
We ditched our only-clean-eating resolution at about 12.04am on January 1 (hey, everything in moderation, right?), which was just in time for Claw’s new ‘monster shake’ creations. Now while we wouldn’t recommend one of these ice-cream-loaded treats on a daily basis, sometimes you just need to give your sweet tooth a look in. These five varieties, ranging from Dhs35 each, and we’ve got our eyes on the peanut-butter-and-jelly flavoured one…
CLAW BBQ, Souk Al Bahar Bridge, Downtown Dubai. 12pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 4322300. clawbbq.com.
Images: Supplied
