The home interiors trade show calendar kicks off this weekend in Paris - with Maison et Objets trumpeting "anti-gloom" concepts for "better living". According to research, most residents in the UAE chose to stay at home or attend a house party to see in 2010. Perhaps, better than any decorating scheme, a party is the best way to turn a house into a home. Nightspots - such as London's Bourne & Hollingsworth and The Back Room in New York - are fighting back, by serving cocktails in teacups with accompanying dinky sandwiches, so that people feel cosy and comfortable - more at home, so to speak. As I always say, living well is the best revenge.
A new site for architects - a hybrid of Linkedin and Flickr - has recently entered cyberspace. One wonders what took them so long. Developed by architects for architects, Architizer flags up projects, company profiles and jobs - making it very timely, given the closure of magazines and the ever-increasing competition for clients: architects need to find new ways of getting their work out there. The site's interactive map is inspired - great for archi-tourists. Looking at the People section, Architizer could also become a cool dating site. (Oops, scrap that. We don't want Etisalat blocking it.)
Coinciding with the launch of Dubai's architectural splendour, Burj Khalifa, Brand Dubai (an offshoot of the Dubai Media Affairs Office) organised Dubai Forum - a day of architectural talks (which, disappointingly, was under-publicised).
Financial woes aside, Dubai has been particularly vilified by international architectural critics, so one panel aimed to discuss the role and responsibility of the architectural press. After the Fox News commentator Judith Miller pleaded for more open debate, Francis Matthew, the editor of Gulf News, justified the lack of architectural criticism on home turf by the fact that, until recently, the size of the UAE population didn't merit it. Hmm... never mind that the buildings, more than anything, are what put Dubai on the map. It was fascinating to witness such a free-flowing discourse (and a very feisty Mishal Kanoo) and the reactions of the audience. Brand Dubai should have jumped on this debate as a credible, positive story about Dubai and made sure it got plenty of mileage.
Back to the main lineup at Dubai Forum, and it was down to Salameh Abdul-Hadi, the former media advisor to Amman's Royal Palace, to remind us that architecture brings people together; he found it inspiring, he said, to witness the multitude of nationalities gathered where he had dined the previous evening. He also explained that Dubai is simply attempting to do what Muslims did hundreds of years ago: create another golden age. Amen to that.
Design buffs with some spare cash might want to pick up a Charles Rennie Mackintosh original - namely the new £100 bank note (Dh600) that Scotland's Clydesdale Bank has released, featuring the legendary Arts & Crafts architect. How wonderful to see that Mackintosh has now joined the exalted ranks of Le Corbusier and Thomas Jefferson (who appear on Swiss and US notes respectively).
Yvonne Courtney is the co-founder of designtastic, a design/ publishing consultancy and ezine
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Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Cofe
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 80-100
Amount raised: $13m
Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group
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Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
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Honeymoonish
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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
The%20specs%20
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
Results
UAE beat Nigeria by five wickets
Hong Kong beat Canada by 32 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – Ireland v Jersey
7.30pm, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – Canada v Oman
Race card
1.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
2pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 84,000 (D) 1,400m
2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,200m
3pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1.950m
3.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,800m
4pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 68,000 (D) 1,000m
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPECS
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Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
More from Mohammed Alardhi
What is double taxation?
- Americans living abroad file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service, which can cost hundreds of dollars to complete even though about 60 per cent do not owe taxes, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service
- Those obligations apply to millions of Americans residing overseas – estimates range from 3.9 million to 5.5 million – including so-called "accidental Americans" who are unaware they hold dual citizenship
- The double taxation policy has been a contentious issue for decades, with many overseas Americans feeling that it punishes them for pursuing opportunities abroad
- Unlike most countries, the US follows a citizenship-based taxation system, meaning that Americans must file taxes annually, even if they do not earn any income in the US.