Life & Style | Leisure

Hip hangouts: Movies, munchies and more

We have your weekend planned

By Farah Andrews, Scene magazine
Published: 13:49 July 10, 2012

Image Credit: Supplied picture
Every Wednesday night, starting at 7pm, familyfriendly movies will be shown in the boutique-chic pool at tucked-away retreat Desert Palm on Al Awir Road.

Movies and Munchies

Our glasses are now steaming up as we leave the office, which is our official summer-has-started signal. And while there are plenty of things that irk us about this time of year, we love that it means ‘movie in pool’ season is back. Every Wednesday night, starting at 7pm, family- friendly movies will be shown in the boutique-chic pool at tucked-away retreat Desert Palm on Al Awir Road. Lie back on a lilo, sip on some ice-cool drinks and enjoy some classics. Next Wednesday, they’re showing Stuart Little, with the movie nights then taking a break for Ramadan, and returning to the big screen after Eid.
Cost Free
Desert Palm Hotel, Al Awir Road, Dubai | From 7pm | 04 323 8888

The Eighth Liwa Dates Festival

If you fancy doing something completely different this weekend, this is it – the week-long Liwa Dates Festival features a souq selling handicrafts made by over 300 Emirati families, heritage and craft classes, and, most importantly ‘beauty’ contests for the best ‘ratab’ (half ripe) dates, as well as best mangoes and lemons. The exact schedule wasn’t available at the time of going to press, but check on their website today and it should be.
Cost Free
Liwa City, Al Gharbia, Abu Dhabi | All day, July 12-18 | www.liwadatesfestival.ae

The Laughter Factory

Don't miss this weekend's last-chance comedy nights, featuring the smart and sassy Brit comedienne of Funny Business fame, JoJo Smith, inventive classical music comedian (you have to see it to understand it) Rainer Hersch, and, last but not least, Canadian Sean Collins, who, interestingly, started out life as a counsellor on a children’s psychiatric ward.
Cost Dh140
Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach (Thursday July 12) and Almas Tower, JLT (Friday July 13) | From 7.30pm both days | thelaughterfactory.com

Signature experience at Armani/Peck

This gorgeous deli not only has the flooring that would be in the kitchen of our dream home (that’s dramatic black and white tiling for those who don’t know), but it’s also one of the best spots in town for Italian soul food. And the new Signature Experience on Wednesday nights sounds like just our thing: you get a family-style dinner (fit for sharing), starting with Cold cuts, Cheeses, Seafood salads and followed by Risotto with saffron ossobuco alla Milanese and Orecchiette with seafood ragout and asparagus, and culminating in a Beef tenderloin tagliata-style and Red mullet with tomato, olives and capers. Oh, and don’t worry, they finish off with Tiramisu or Sicilian cannoli (the latter creation – fried pastry with a ricotta cream filling – is in our top five desserts of all time).
Cost Dh240 per person
Armani Hotel, Downtown Dubai | 7pm-11pm, every Wednesday | 04 888 3444