My favourite hang-out and Dubai's best experimental music venue has always been great. But it's also been a little out in the sticks of the industrial quarter and a nuisance to track down for newcomers. That will no longer be the case after September 10, when the space reopens in Alserkal Avenue, a hub for galleries on the fringes of Al Quoz.
Relaunching with a performance by the Iraqi-Canadian hip-hop artist The Narcicyst, the event coincides with the start of the art scene's winter season, when all the galleries reopen with new shows.
The Narcicyst (Yassin Alsalman) is a master of poignant socio-political commentary, often discussing events pertinent to the region and delivered with a knack for wordplay.
Also showing on the opening night is a taster of Kalubela, a vocal and aerial extravaganza that blends western and Arab stage stylings. Think rhythmic acrobatics and soaring voices in this energetic stage show, ahead of its Dubai debut at the First Point Theatre at Madinat Jumeirah in October.
With the Afif Jazz brothers and Funk-Dubstep-Motown mash-up Bull Funk Zoo on the roster, getting access to decent, unlikely live music in Dubai has just got a lot easier and I can't wait to be in the audience. Visit www.thefridge.com for more information.
* Christopher Lord
JetLag Genie
With a multinational population who crave journeying home and a thoroughly comprehensive airline network flying to and from our shores, it's probably fair to say people who live in the UAE are more versed in air travel than most. Consequently, at some time or other, most of us will suffer from the wearying and disorientating effects of jet lag.
Last week in this section, Saeed Saeed reported on some of the unusual and innovative techniques being proposed as ways to beat the condition, including homoeopathic and herbal remedies.
However, whenever I have a foreign trip in the offing, I reject these outdated and scientifically dubious methods and instead reach for a bit of modern technology.
It's generally agreed that altering your sleeping habits before a trip alleviates jet lag, and the JetLag Genie app for the iPhone and iPad helps you do just that. All you do is input your travel dates, the destination of your flight and your usual sleeping hours and it devises a personalised alarm clock for you. This gradually modifies your sleeping patterns so they're closer to the time zone you're travelling to, meaning when you reach your journey's end it seriously softens the jet lag blow.
Hence, you're less likely to succumb to daytime lethargy or wake up in the middle of the night convinced it's time for breakfast. JetLag Genie, for the iPad and iPhone, US$2.99 (Dh11).
* Hugo Berger
Silky moisturiser
The tea-based products of the Paris-based Thémaé first grabbed my attention with the Silky Body Moisturizing Cream, which contains natural macadamia oil. Normally, I'm indifferent to body moisturisers - one seems to work just as well as the next - but when I slathered on a sample at the St Regis's Iridium Spa in Abu Dhabi, it made a visible and silky difference to my skin. The effect justified the Dh420 price, for a splurge. Right now the spa has a special, where if you purchase two Thémaé products, it throws in a bottle of Huile Des 4 Thés Organic Certified Body, Hair and Face Oil, which normally costs Dh300. It has become the crowning glory of my morning beauty routine, adding a soft, healthy glow to my slightly tanned skin without making me look like an oily bodybuilder. I've also worked it through the dry ends of my hair before a shampoo to make it soft and shiny again. Just don't skip the shampoo-your-hair part or you'll end up looking like you just came from a massage.
* Maureen Gannon
iPad keyboard
The iPad may have revolutionised the way we use touch screens, but I still hold a special affinity in my heart for keyboards. Typing, if you're fast and good at it, is a satisfying way to get work done, to reply to those emails, to type up that to-do list, to write that journal entry. I ordered mine, a Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard, from Souq.com for just under Dh100. It's so sleek and thin, it allows for fast, responsive typing and it doubles as a protective cover for the iPad as well. This is one iPad accessory you won't regret purchasing.
* Hala Khalaf
