Four To Look Forward To

Although it's much better than it used to be, Dubai is a cultural dessert in the Summer. It's too hot and everyone goes away. Thankfully, as the end of August arrives, so do the people. Here's what I'm looking forward to over the next couple of weeks:

1. A Touch Of Clay- September 7th - 28th

Next month some friends and I are taking part in a series of pottery workshops led by master potter Mubarakka Nandi.  Hopefully we'll be churning out beautiful ceramics like the ones crafted by Mubarakka (pictured) but even if I end up with something resembling the ball of clay I started with, it'll all be worth it because I'll finally get to use a pottery wheel and quietly sing Unchained Melody with my eyes closed.

2. The Scene Official Launch- 12th September

Pier 7 has been on a roll and it shows no signs of slowing down with the opening of its latest restaurant, The Scene. Headed by British celebrity chef Simon Rimmer the restaurant, consisting of an open plan dining area, lounge and terrace is currently in its soft launch phase. However, come mid September, the restaurant will be fully fledged (and fully licensed). If the recent media preview is anything to go by, expect well executed hearty fare in a Shoreditch inspired setting. 

3. Alserkale Galleries Night- 15th September from 7pm

The Alserkale galleries night makes the opening of  the 2014-2015 arts season. The Avenue in the heart of Al Quoz has long been a mothership of sorts  to the city's creative class which has continued to grow in numbers and influence. With several galleries such as Mojo, Ayaam and Carbon 12 simultaneously exhibiting, it's boung to be a great social and cultural event. 

4. Boyhood- September(ish)

This uniquely epic project by Richard Linklater is essentially a coming of age story. A story that took 12 years to film as we follow Mason (Ellar Coltane) from the age of 6 to 18. It's fascinating to watch him and his parents, played by Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette on screen. The actors age as their characters evolve in what is probably the best example of method acting captured on film. Boyhood was set for an August release date in the UAE but according to Gulf Film, the film's regional distributor, the release has been delayed until the film can be submitted for censorship. It should be out sometime in September. 

Four To Look Forward To

An Education

I grew up in Deira which is now considered old Dubai. I remember walking to the Gold Souk, taking 25 fil abra rides across the creek to Meena Bazaar and going on weekly trips to the fish market.  Deira Fish Market is just down the road from where my family used to live. It was my mother's domain and the place she could demonstrate her incredible bargaining skills and her ability to spot the best produce from a mile away. She was determined to pass these skills on the my sister and I  so every other Friday morning, while my friends in normal households were in bed or watching TV, we'd be down in Shindaga getting lessons in market etiquette. It was crowded and noisy and my mother added to the chorus with 'don't touch!', 'say thank you', 'and hold my hand', 'no thank you'. For a while I probably demonstrated the exact behaviour my mother was trying to discourage however, as I got older I realized that the more cooperative I was, the sooner we could leave. Eventually what used to be an arduous chore, slowly became one of my passions. When I would come home from university I actually looked forward going. I learned where food came from, to appreciate the effort that went into procuring and producing what we ate and the importance of getting to know the people behind the counter. Although my parents are no longer in Dubai and I now live on the other side of town I still try to go as often as I can. My sister and I paid a visit to our old stomping ground last weekend and through the familiar buzz were familiar faces asking 'where’s mama?’ 

An Education

Food for Thought

Roast rules

I look forward to Ramadan every year. For me it's one of the best parts about living in Dubai. I love the social/ cultural part of it- lovely family meals, drinking copious amounts of Moroccan tea and playing cards into the early hours. The one issue I have is the amount of food that goes to waste. I can't help but feel that the extravagant Iftars hosted by five star hotels around the city are fueled by greed when Ramadan is actually about giving. Ofcourse food waste  happens all year round but it seems especially wrong for it to be happening now. Food is piled high and thrown away at a time when we're supposed to be thinking of those in need.

Get your roast on

Tom & Serge is an example of a restaurant that's put a bit more thought into their Iftar offering. Granted, it isn't traditional fare and you do have to queue (gasp) but I really enjoyed their Ramadan Nights Rule the Roast concept. Who doesn't love a roast dinner? The standouts for me were the beef with a generous dollop of the spicy mojo and the roasted pumpkin. I also heard good things about the lamb. The price point is reasonable at AED 80 for a regular plate or AED 95 for a larger tray and the portions are generous but not over the top. The communal tables and the aforementioned queuing force you to interact with strangers. This can be good thing. I sat opposite a Norwegian surfer who claims to have caught the best wave of his life in Oman  a couple of weeks ago. Socialising aside, my favourite part of the Tom & Serge experience is that they give you a little take away box so you can take any leftovers home. It's a small gesture but an important one.




I watched a documentary a couple of years ago called Dive about people who forage for food in dumpsters. These people are desperate or hungry. They have homes and jobs and families but they choose to source their food from what supermarkets throw away. Granted, it's a bit of an extreme lifestyle choice but it's all perfectly good, mostly still packaged food that would have otherwise gone to waste.

We  partake in a culture of excess where taking and consuming more than we need is the norm. I'm not saying that people should forgo supermarkets or that you should go out and become  Freegans but we could all commit to producing less waste, to taking only what we need and being more conscious with our choices. According to sustainability experts WRAP UK,  60 per cent of all household food waste could be eaten and  FoodCycle estimates that at least 400,000 tons of usable surplus food could be saved from supermarkets each year.These are UK figures. I shudder to think what they are in the UAE.

Food for Thought

Jamie’s Italian

Last week some girl friends and I went along to Jamie’s Italian in Festival City. I was excited to go and try it out. I’ve been a Jamie Oliver fan since his Naked Chef days so this was a big deal for me. As we walked in, we were greeted by the usual suspects- exposed brick, wood burning oven and fresh produce on display. I had a good feeling about the dinig experience that awaited us. We sit down and the first thing we notice is that there’s no bread basket (gasp). The manager did his best to explain that there’s an issue the bread recipe and they can’t get the right flour and they have to import it. I zoned out due to low blood sugar. I hadn’t eaten yet. We decide to put the incident behind us and order. Our waitress seemed nice enough but she walked off mid order to attend another table and then wandered back to us as if nothing had happened. The starters were great but the service and the food got progressively worse. The food wasn’t awful but if you’re paying Dhs 90 for a burger, it should be spectacular and it wasn’t. Also, there was no tiramisu as there are yet to obtain the required license.

In spite of all this I haven’t given up on Jamie’s Italian just yet. Next time we go, we’ll probably just order a bunch of starters and share them. They’re much better than the main courses. Also, it might be better to wait until after they’ve actually launched. Hopefully they will have ironed out their kinks by then.

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Jamie’s Italian

Brownies make it Better

I was browsing one of my favourite feminist blogs yesterday and I came across this ad for Sugar in the Raw. It was originally published in a food magazine called Bon Appétit. Regardez…(click to enlarge)

Obviously, the staunch feminists were all up in arms about it but they need to chill. Yes, I could definitely sit here and wax poetic about how the ad talks down to women, trivialises the emotional fallout out of a break- up and glosses over the seriousness of infidelity, but I won’t. In a month (yes, month) dedicated to rosy-cheeked weapon wielding toddlers and gaudy displays of affection, it provides some welcome comic relief. Who cares whether or not these brownies can fix you when you’re broken in the heart. The fact is it’s pretty funny and extremely effective because I’ve been craving that brownie since I laid my eyes on it.

Brownies make it Better

Cold Comfort

Newsflash! It's cold and raining in Dubai. I know the 23 degrees isn't exactly cosidered cold in most of the world but by our standards it's positively freezing! Call me crazy but I really look forward to this time of year. It opens up a whole new world in terms of fashion choices. Don't get me wrong, I love a summer dress as much as the next girl but i totally agree with mantra that says 'variety is the spice of life'. I have a whole collection of jackets and blazers and cashmere cardigans that spend most of their time sitting in my wardrobe, feeling abandoned. Time to release them from their garment bags and show them some love. When I'm at home, weather like this makes me want to curl up under a blanket whilst reading one of the great novels (or watching TV) and eat a big bowl of creamy mashed potatoes. I found this recipe a while ago. It's delicious and really easy to make. I'll be tucking into my little hug in a bowl while i catch up on War and Peace (or the Golden Globes coverage).

Cold Comfort