The region's year-round sunshine might not lend itself to the traditional autumn cliches – or fall aesthetics, as the phenomenon is called on social media – but that doesn't mean we can't lean in where we can.
And switching up our morning coffee order is one way to join the seasonal fun. While the autumn equinox will take place on September 23 in the UAE, officially welcoming in the new season, coffee shops and cafes across the Emirates have already begun rolling out themed flavours and beverages.
Pumpkin spice may be the first that comes to mind, but there are plenty more options to try.
Caribou introduces Spiced Okinawa
Caribou is keeping it simple this year with two new flavours to mark the season. First up is Spiced Okinawa, a blend of cinnamon and black sugar (unrefined cane sugar), which is available in hot or iced lattes.
Despite the temperatures dropping over the next few months, the autumn season in the UAE will still be a warm-weathered one – perhaps why the American coffee chain has added a yuzu matcha cooler to its autumn menu, too. Matcha green teas is blended with the Japanese citrus fruit, for a more refreshing caffeine pick-me-up.
Caffe Nero opts for salty and sweet
First invented in the 1970s, salted caramel didn't hit its peak until the 2000s. Between 2018 and 2021, every confectionery had received its salted caramel makeover: ice cream, chocolate and, of course, coffee.
Now, Caffe Nero is bringing back the trend with its salted caramel oat latte, available hot or iced, being the drink of the season. Sticking with the sweet and savoury theme, the coffee chain recommends the drink be enjoyed alongside its new bambolinis sweet mini doughnuts filled with chocolate or pastry cream.
Juan Valdez's take on pumpkin spice
Spilling well beyond the coffee world, pumpkin spice has become a scent and flavouring in its own right. There are pumpkin spice latte candles from Bath & Body Works, Dove cinnamon pumpkin pie bar soaps and Two Faced pumpkin spice eyeshadow palettes.
So, we can't fault Juan Valdez for sticking to a classic. The coffeehouse's seasonal reveal shared on Instagram includes a pumpkin spice latte, cold foam latte, milkshake and Nevado, the latter is a cold blended drink with espresso, non-dairy milk, flavoured syrup and whipped cream.
Located in Dubai's Jumeirah Beach, having opened earlier this year, it is the Colombian coffee chain's first in the UAE.
Jumeirah Beach 2, Dubai. Open 8am - 11pm daily.
Floral coffee twist at Pret
Making sure it has something for everyone, sandwich and coffee chain Pret has not only added a fail-safe pumpkin spice latte to its seasonal menu, but also a limited edition botanical rose latte and toffee hot chocolate.
To complement its limited edition hot drink selection, lemon cheesecake and chocolate mousse have also been added to the autumnal menu. Having made its way to the UAE in 2016, participation in its seasonal menus is becoming more popular here (particularly its Christmas sandwiches) as in the UK, where it opened its first store in 1986.
Various locations across the UAE.
Dunkin's hot and cold spiced lattes
Beating many of its coffee chain competitors to it, popular doughnut and coffee house Dunkin' launched its pumpkin spice latte in the last week of August. Keeping it simple, a hot or cold latte featuring the flavouring are available to try.
Various locations across the UAE.
Maplenut lattes at Costa Coffee
The UK-born coffee chain (although with its first international store opening in Dubai in 1999, it has a long history in the UAE) has been quick to the mark with its seasonal flavours, and this year, it's putting Maplenut front and centre.
Maple sweetness is balanced with roasted hazelnuts as a syrup that can be added to hot and cold drinks, with the special Maplenut latte, iced latte, frappe and cold brew available to order.
Available now until October 31. Various locations across the UAE.
Where to get a pumpkin spice latte year-round
While it's fun to get into the Autumn spirit with a warming latte, there's no need to wait for the season if you're a pumpkin spice devotee. Here are some coffee spots serving the sweet treat every month of the year.
Endless Cafe
Located in Dubai Marina, this specialist coffee shop serves colourful coffee flavours year-round. Alongside the pumpkin spice, visit to try their red velvet, pistachio, or saffron and almond lattes.
Sparkle Tower Shop, Dubai Marina. Open daily, 6am to 2am.
Donaccino
If you're partial to a doughnut alongside your caffeine boost, then stop by a Donaccino restaurant or place an order online. With vegan and egg-free options, its ideal for those with intolerances, too, and has year-round pumpkin spice on the menu.
Available online and in various locations across Dubai.
Knead Bakery
Alongside selections of delicious pastries, this Abu Dhabi bakery and patisserie serves up the classic autumnal drink all year.
Plaza 30, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Street, Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi. Open 7am to 10pm daily.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
ENGLAND SQUAD
Team: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Ben Te'o, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Joe Launchbury, 5 Maro Itoje, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Chris Robshaw, 8 Sam Simmonds
Replacements 16 Jamie George, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Harry Williams, 19 George Kruis, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Danny Care, 22 Jonathan Joseph, 23 Jack Nowell
Scoreline
Liverpool 4
Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Mane 61', Salah 68'
Manchester City 3
Sane 40', Bernardo Silva 84', Gundogan 90' 1
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
