Thursday 21
Chill out at an appropriately named lounge: Grand Millennium Abu Dhabi has just opened a new spot for unwinding with friends, Chill Out Lounge. Visit after work for shisha, light bites and mocktails, and, of course, great views of the city as it’s on the 31st floor of the hotel. House band The Bottle Rockets will keep you entertained all evening.
Open daily 7pm-midnight. Grand Millennium Al Wahda (02 443 9999)
Watch local films: The annual Zayed University Middle East Film Festival ends today, and if you’ve missed out on the chance to see some of the most exciting local talent then head down there for a chance to see the finalists and be part of the closing ceremony.
Dhs10, available at the door. noon-4pm screenings, closing ceremony at 6pm (02 599 3111) http://zumeff.com
Rock out to some banging tunes: Start the weekend as you mean to go on by headbanging the night away at PJ O’Reilly’s rock night. The live band will belt out tunes by the likes of Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses and Aerosmith while you show off your best dance moves and pray no one has a camera.
Le Royal Méridien (02 674 2020)
Float in a pool: Head to Abu Dhabi Golf Club for their new Thursday Floating Films, where you can watch two movies in the pool, on inflatable pool chairs, or buried in poolside bean bags, free of charge. Pizza, pasta, burgers, salads, ice cream and popcorn will be available to buy at the pool bar. Today’s films are Cloudy with a Chance of Meat Balls at 7pm, and Iron Man at 9pm, both rated PG.
Entrance is free, (02 558 8990)
Friday 22
Help Japan: As the Far East continues to suffer seismic misery, Abu Dhabi’s Japanese community is rallying to help their homeland. You can do your bit (and clear out some junk) by joining in with today’s table-top sale. Tables can be bought for Dhs75, and vendors are free to keep all money they make, if they wish.
3pm-7pm, Hiltonia Beach Gardens (02 692 4247)
Go mad for movies: Take advantage of that capital’s great outdoors before it gets too hot. Khalifa Park is hosting Mad About Movies, outdoor screenings of your favourite movies. Tonight they’re showing Kangaroo Jack at 7pm followed by Batman Begins at 9pm.
Park entrance fee Dhs5. Khalifa Park (800 22220)
Try out a brand new brunch: While we’ve long associated Left Bank with toe-tapping tunes and quality beverages, the uptown lounging spot is now looking to win over our bellies, by launching a new brunch today. We’ve yet to try it out, but with their evening menu offering some of the best bar food in the city, we’re hungrily intrigued as to what we can look forward to.
12.30pm-4pm. Dhs250 including bubbly and house beverages. Souk Qaryat Al Beri (02 558 1680)
Watch movies for Earth Day: To mark Earth Day and celebrate its fifth year in operation, Masdar has teamed up with Abu Dhabi Film Festival to show Oscar-nominated documentary Waste Land. This powerful and uplifting movie follows Brazilian artist Vik Muniz to a dump outside Rio de Janeiro, where he creates works of art in collaboration with people who collect recyclable materials to survive.
Free. 7pm. Registration is essential. Rsvp at www.adff.ae
Saturday 23
Bowl a virtual fast one: With only two nights to go before Sheraton Abu Dhabi’s Wii events come to an end, you might want to try your hand at a spot of bowling. Go on, earn that next drink with a spot of virtual fitness. If you get in enough practise, you might even win – or at least not make a complete fool out of yourself.
Tavern, Sheraton Abu Dhabi (02 677 3333)
Watch waiters race …for charity of course. Waiters from Rotana hotels across Abu Dhabi will be put to the test with races and other challenges taking place all afternoon. Spectators can win prizes including shopping vouchers, airline tickets, and hotel stays, and proceeds go to the Ability Centre for Special Needs.
2pm onwards. Amphitheatre at Khalifa Park. Visit www.rotanatimes.com/waiterrace to register
Salute St George: Expect the pubs to be packed this evening, as the city’s English contingent set about celebrating their dragon-slaying patron saint in typically raucous fashion. Couldn’t care less about football or tea? Order a pie, call everyone ‘guv’ner’ and you’ll blend right in. The English fare at Captain’s Arms is particularly good.
Le Méridien (02 644 6666)
Hear some inspirational ideas: If you’re in need of a little creative motivation, check out today’s TEDx talks, where 12 of the region’s boldest, most successful entrepreneurs will be sharing the secrets that put them on the path to success. Entry is free, but you’ll need to register your interest online in advance to get through the door.
10am-3pm, Abu Dhabi University, www.tedxabudhabiu.com (800 23968)
Sunday 24
Eat a ridiculous amount of chocolate: It’s Easter Sunday, so unless you’re gobbling chocolate at the rate of a lonely spinster who’s just broken the heel on her favourite pair of shoes, consider yourself a disgrace to humanity. For those in a caring, sharing mood, The Chocolate Gallery is an excellent spot for last minute gifts with a creative twist.
Fairmont Bab Al Bahr (02 654 3333)
Hack an iPhone: Twofour54 tadreeb is giving away two days of free introductory workshops for enthusiasts looking to learn more about the geeky world of apps. Head down there for a full-day workshop on user-centred design and app development on the iPhone, Nokia and Blackberry. Booking advised.
Free. www.twofour54.com/tadreeb
Hunt some eggs: For Easter brunch, Choices has a massive international menu with free-flow house beverages and bubbly. Parents of egg-crazed monsters rejoice, the hotel is organising an Easter egg hunt that’ll keep the kids busy while you dine.
Dhs188, half price for children under 12, free for children under five. Choices, Yas Island Rotana (02 656 4000)
Fly a falcon: Falconry is an integral part of Abu Dhabi’s heritage, so visit the Shaheen Xtreme falcon camp to learn about these birds.
Starting from Dhs225. Shaheen Xtreme (02 832 7859)
Monday 25
Get scrubbed: It might be an old-fashioned treatment, but it’s also the newest spa craze sweeping the capital: the hamam. Book yourself into the newest branch of Tips & Toes for an all-over body scrub using traditional products and you’ll be left with baby-soft skin and feeling extremely clean.
Dhs200 for Hamam Ritual. Tips & Toes, Khalifa City A (02 557 2255)
Arrive and Drive: Karting is just about the most fun you can have without getting a speeding ticket. Yas Kartzone’s Arrive and Drive allows you to show up on the day and jump into a go-kart for 10 minutes, with minimal fuss. Full race gear and mandatory briefing included. Dhs100 for 10 minutes, Dhs80 for kids under 12. Drivers under 17 must be accompanied by an adult who must sign a waiver.
2pm-10pm, Yas Marina Circuit (02 446 0384)
See a monochrome masterpiece: American artist and former imam Abdul Badi Abdul-Musawwir paints mainly in black and white, using his relationship with Islam as his subject matter. Catch his first UAE solo show this week.
Salwa Zeidan Gallery (02 666 9656)
Tuesday 26
Pretend you’re in Spain: Lemon Tree’s Spanish Night is the perfect excuse for the city’s señors and señoritas to put away all the tapas and jugs of fruity mixed drinks they can manage.
Dhs145 per person. Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi, Muroor Road (02 657 4858)
Shoot your friends: War. What is it good for? Loads of stuff, actually. Stamina, teamwork, spatial awareness, developing an unhealthy obsession with one-upmanship, and uh… fun. We’re talking paintball war, of course; although it might feel a bit too real in the heat of the moment.
Dhs150. 10am-10pm. Armed Forces Officers Club, Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street (02 4415 900)
Feed a tiger: And by that we mean baby tigers, and bottle-feeding. If this doesn’t squeeze every last awwww out of you then you’re the hardest person in the capital.
Dhs20 for adults and Dhs5 for children under six. Family & Kids Park Zoo, Abu Dhabi (02 563 3100)
Pick up the spare: How long has it been since you smashed some pins? Too long, we reckon. Head down to the Emirates Bowling Village in Marina Mall tonight and rekindle your love for the lanes.
Dhs15 per game. 10am-3am. Emirates Bowling Village, Marina Mall (02 681 1185)
Wednesday 27
Catch some theatre: Tonight sees the start of Resuscitation Theatre’s three-night run of The Seagull, a classic Chekhov play about love-stricken artists. The group are famed for their stripped-down, accessible style, so you needn’t worry about it all going over your head.
Dhs50. 7pm (02 4952 000)
Tap your toes: Fancy a little live music? Get along to Mai Café tonight, where guitarist Danny Shirran starts a new weekly residence. The plucky Canadian will be strumming acoustic tunes while you sip cool ones by the pool and wonder why you never bothered learning the guitar.
Free. From 7pm. Aloft Abu Dhabi (02 654 5000)
Drink on the cheap: Female? Thirsty? Poor? Check out Left Bank tonight, where members of the fairer gender can get five drinks for an excellently thrifty Dhs5. That’ll give you something nice to do while you think about how you’re going to pay your rent, won’t it?
8pm-10pm. Souk Qaryat Al Beri (02 558 1680)
Join the Supper Club: Foodies can unite at Pearls & Caviar’s Supper Club. They’re offering an all-you-can-eat set tapas menu, which includes fishy delicacies such as wasabi prawns and tuna tatare. Go for the food, stay for the views over Maqta Creek and Sheikh Zayed Mosque.
Dhs195 per person. 7pm-11.30pm Pearls & Caviar (02 509 8888)
