Thursday 3
Be spellbound by magic: Ask celebrities like Nicolas Cage or Tom Cruise who their favourite magician is and they won’t mention any of these Blaines or Copperfields. Instead they’ll probably tell you how their jaws dropped when they saw the unbelievable illusionist skills of Gaston Quieto. The Argentinean magician, who regularly mesmerises hosts of A-listers at Hollywood’s Magic Castle club, is in Abu Dhabi tonight to deceive your eyes.
Dhs190-Dhs350. 7pm. Aloft Hotel, Khaleej Al Arabi Street. www.timeouttickets.com
Bombard yourself with French beats: France’s DJ booths must be deserted at the moment because all of the city’s mixmasters seem to be here at our very own Yacht Club. The latest in the long line of Gallic turntablists is DJ Hosse, who’ll be performing tonight backed with a guy called Thierry on percussion and live vocals by Criss. Get your designer clobber and get dancing.
Free. From 8pm. Yacht Club, InterContinental Abu Dhabi (02 666 6888)
See a cello virtuoso: Having picked up the instrument aged just six, American cello player Yo-Yo Ma is without doubt one of the most naturally gifted classical musicians of our generation. He’ll be performing a one-off concert in the capital tonight, with support from Italy’s Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale.
From Dhs120. 8pm. Emirates Palace Auditorium www.timeouttickets.com
Do a good deed: The Future Centre for Special Needs is holding its annual gala fundraising dinner this evening, with all proceeds being pledged to help children with learning difficulties in the Gulf region.
British Embassy, Al Hosn (02 666 9625)
Friday 4
Feel the need for speed: Following a sell-out weekend last year, the Yas Drag Racing Festival returns to amaze your eyes and batter your ear drums. As well as
the on-track action, ticket holders also get to access the garages and see the work that goes into propelling a man from 0-500kmh in less than four seconds.
Until March 5. Dhs50. Yas Marina Circuit, www.yasmarinacircuit.com (02 446 0384)
Hear Argentina’s finest spinner: When it comes to satisfying hordes of euphoric dance music nuts with smooth house beats, Hernán Cattáneo ranks among the best. After a lengthy residency at Buenos Aires’ Pasha nightclub, he now peddles his immaculate mixing skills across the world. Allure nightclub is the latest pitstop for the shaggy-haired mixer tonight.
Dhs150. From 10pm. Allure. Yas Marina and Yacht Club (050 596 9543)
Be soothed by an alfresco classical music concert: Before the sweltering heat of summer kicks in, we feel we need to spend as much time as possible outdoors. So the chance to hear one of the world’s finest classic music ensembles – the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale – perform some musical gems in the stunning outdoor setting of Al Jahili Fort could be hard to miss.
Dhs20-Dhs50. 8pm. Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain, www.timeouttickets.com
Fill up on meat: If the standard Friday brunch no longer sets your taste buds alight, check out the new carvery at Cooper’s. It’s relatively cheap, includes a free flow of beverages and offers as much roasted meat as you dare slap on your plate. Lovely.
Dhs159. Noon-4pm. Cooper’s, Park Rotana (02 657 3333)
Saturday 5
See some old style boats racing: Back in days of yore, the dhow was the vessel of choice for seafaring folk of the region. Nowadays, it might have been superceded by the motor boat, Jet Ski and the like, but some people are dedicated to keeping alive the art of sailing the traditional wooden craft. Get to the Breakwater today and you’ll see these mariners race some 60ft dhows around Abu Dhabi’s bay.
Free, 2pm. Abu Dhabi Breakwater
Get a double dose of Yo-Yo Ma: Missed the cello genius’s performance at the Emirates Palace? Don’t fret, because he’ll be appearing as part of the Al Ain Classics series this evening at Al Jahili Fort, where he’ll be showing off his sublime skills. Well worth the lengthy drive.
Dhs50-Dhs200. 8pm. Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain. www.timeouttickets.com
Keep the littl’uns quiet: Tired of the little monsters complaining they’re bored? Silence their nagging with a trip to the Fun Garden at Le Méridien hotel, which is running until June. On Saturdays, kids aged four-10 can enjoy activities such as pottery or cooking, while sporty Mondays and interactive Wednesdays offer up a different range of choices.
Free. Monday and Wednesday, 3pm-6pm, Saturday 2pm-6pm. Le Méridien, www.lemeridienabudhabi.com/en/children-event
Experience home-grown theatre: Tonight’s your last chance to see Chaos, a piece of theatre conceived, rehearsed and performed by New York-based drama company Theater Mitu. Fusing dramatic traditions from Asia, the Middle East and beyond, expect a highly memorable evening.
Free. 8pm. Corniche (gate 6) www.theatermitu.org
Sunday 6
Gorge on sushi: Sunday night is all about the sushi buffet at Sho Cho. Although having an all-you-can-eat spread in a sushi-loving city such as ours is a brave move for the owners of this stylish bar and restaurant.
Dhs110. From 8pm. Sho Cho, Souk Qaryat Al Beri (02 558 1117)
Give your brain cells a workout: While there are many quiz nights going on in the city, very few can be counted on for the competitive atmosphere that grips Hemingway’s every Sunday night. Remember, though, they come down hard on cheaters, so leave your smartphone in your pocket.
8pm. Hemingway’s, Hilton Abu Dhabi (02 692 4567)
Watch an all-star cricket encounter: England take on South Africa in the Cricket World Cup today. Abu Dhabi is home to plenty of expats from both countries, so if you’re after atmosphere, try NRG, which is always one of the busiest sports bars in town.
12.30pm. NRG, Le Méridien Abu Dhabi (02 644 6666)
See some soccer enemies face off: There’s no love lost between English football teams Liverpool and Manchester United. Expect a fiery encounter when they meet in the English Premier League today.
4.30pm. Abu Dhabi Sports
Monday 7
Watch Jonny Depp play a lizard: Rango is a new animated adventure, which features the vocal talents of Jonny Depp and concerns a chameleon who tries to save a village from a group of marauding bandits. The movie, which goes on general UAE release this week, should appeal to both children and Depp’s legion of female admirers.
Toughen up: Get in shape with Easy Line circuit classes. They are designed for all ages and abilities, so, no matter how embarrassingly unfit you are, there’s bound to be someone worse at this class – meaning you can leave feeling like a hero.
Dhs40/60. Friday, Monday & Tuesday, various times. Grand Millennium Al Wahda Health Club (02 673 1111)
Check out the city – from the sea: Join the Abu Dhabi Ocean Warriors’ surf, ski and kayaking club, and enjoy the sights of the city while riding the ocean waves.
Monday-Friday 6am. Marina Mall, Ras Al Akhdar (02 681 2310)
Learn to salsa: If you find yourself blessed with the luxury of some excess energy, check out the new salsa night at Étoiles, where seasoned experts are on hand to offer dancefloor guidance. After the classes, the DJ kicks up the tempo until your feet can take no more.
Free. 8pm. Étoiles, Emirates Palace (02 690 7999)
Tuesday 8
Laugh it up: It’s gag time again, with Andy Askins, Jo Caulfield and Joe Rowntree hoping to cause muscular discomfort in your midriff with another two hours of top-drawer stand-up comedy. Get down early, grab some nachos and enjoy.
9pm. Heroes, Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi www.timeouttickets.com
Take your bundle of joy to the cinema: Having a baby restricts you from numerous activities. Going to the cinema is one of them, because a wailing nipper can be highly annoying to your fellow film watchers. Luckily, CineRoyal has just started mother and baby cinema watching sessions every Sunday and Tuesday morning, so they can enjoy the latest blockbusters without fear of tutting.
CineRoyal, Khalidiyah Mall (02 681 9444)
Gawp at fossils: A month in, and The Dawn of History, an exhibition of archaeological discoveries in Al Ain, is pulling big crowds. Not checked it out yet? Don your best Indiana Jones hat, jump in the car and savour this chance to look at something old.
Until May 2. Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain
Toss yourself happy: British expats will be excited to learn that today is Shrove Tuesday, better known as Pancake Day. Sofra Bld at the Shangri-La whips up one of the finest crêpes in the city, or you could get some eggs, flour and chocolate syrup (essential, that last one) in and have a crack yourself.
Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Bain Al Jessrain (02 509 8888)
Wednesday 9
Watch a piano maestro in action: When it comes to nifty fingerwork on the ivories, Evgeni Bozhanov is up there with the best in the world. The Bulgarian pianist is showing off his virtuoso skills at Al Jahili Fort tonight as the Al Ain Classics series continues.
Dhs50-Dhs100. 8pm. Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain. www.timeouttickets.com
Dunk stuff in cheese: We can thank the Swiss for some pretty useful inventions, such as the multi-purpose pocket knife, and they can also claim credit for fondue. Should you be up for dipping bread and meat in a communal bowl of melted cheese, head along to the fondue night at 18 0Z.
Dhs199. 18 OZ. One To One Hotel (02 495 2000)
Fire at will: Fancy handling a weapon? Head on down to the Caracal Shooting Club, which boasts a 25m shooting range, or a laser simulator room for the scardy-cats.
Armed Forces Officers Club, Al Maqtaa, www.caracalshooting.ae (02 441 5900)
Get in the mood for St Patrick’s Day: Ladies with a penchant for freebies could do worse than to head to Irish bar PJ O’Reilly’s tonight, where they can bag themselves some free mixed beverages.
From 9pm. Le Royal Méridien Abu Dhabi, Al Markaziyah (02 674 2020)
