For art lovers like myself, there's nothing more exciting than coming face-to-face with your favourite works. There's nothing worse however, than coming nose-to-nose with them, as a close friend of mine recently discovered.
Upon paying a visit to the Opera Gallery in the Dubai International Financial Centre, said friend (who shall remain nameless) made a beeline for the collection of oil paintings by impressionists such as Renoir and Monet adorning the panelled walls.
The atmosphere was one you would expect of any sophisticated soirée: the crowd was cool, the nibbles minuscule and the red carpet thick.
Rolled out especially for the occasion, ladies in Louboutins navigated the rug much as they would a polo pitch: sinking and wobbling all the way. Men, conversely, did the soft-shoe shuffle, gliding effortlessly through the colourful halls. My friend was doing much the same and, following an arduous journey from work to the gallery, as he spied a rare Degas across the room, things appeared to be looking up. That was until he stopped looking down.
Striding purposefully, eyes locked on the target, he suddenly found himself airborne and hurtling towards the unprotected canvas. Arms extended, he somehow regained his balance and catastrophe was avoided with centimetres to spare.
The saboteur responsible for this fateful art trip? A humble plug, normally on full display like a modern installation, but on this occasion hidden under a mole mound of carpet.
A close call indeed, but my friend must try harder in the future if he's to enter the big league of motor-skill mishaps.
Last year, an art lover visiting New York's Metropolitan Museum left red-faced and nearly $100 million (Dh363.3m) lighter as she "lost her balance" and ripped a six-inch tear in a Picasso painting.
One saving grace: the tear occurred in the lower portion of the canvas and no future admirer of the Spanish painter's work need ever know.
Equally as impressive is the museum-goer in Cambridge, UK, who tripped over his shoelace and smashed three 17th-century Chinese porcelain vases from the Qing Dynasty.
First prize, however, goes to the child who made his dislike for minimalist sculpture quite clear to his parents by vomiting on Carl Andre's Venus Forge at the family-friendly Tate Modern in London. Let's hope it wasn't the same piece that sold at Sotheby's in New York a year later for $2.6 million.
Well, art is supposed to make you feel something positive, so they say – even if that is positively unwell.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)
Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),
Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),
Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm)
Benevento v Napoli (6pm)
Parma v Spezia (6pm)
Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)
Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)
Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (All UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (11.30pm)
Saturday
Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
FA Augsburg v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen (6.30pm)
SC Paderborn v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Borussia Monchengladbach (9.30pm)
Sunday
Cologne v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
Mainz v FC Schalke (9pm)
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Liz%20Truss
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Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
Company%20Profile
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Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs
A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.
The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.
Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.
Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Roma 4
Milner (15' OG), Dzeko (52'), Nainggolan (86', 90 4')
Liverpool 2
Mane (9'), Wijnaldum (25')
Company%C2%A0profile
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