https://arab.news/crqrp
ABU DHABI: Fans of K-Pop supergroup Blackpink were treated to a concert and surprise birthday celebration for band member Rose at the group’s performance in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night.
230128 Blackpink bornpink Abu Dhabi
LISA – Lalisa + Money
@ 차오 CHAOhttps://t.co/dbHsubeh1T#연준희 #베이비주 #babyzoo #YGX pic.twitter.com/qJJFt5kLs5
— 마쥬 (@mybabyzoo) January 29, 2023
The chart-topping group hit the stage and performed a number of their greatest hits — including “Pink Venom” and “Lovesick Girls” — before Korean-New Zealand singer Rose, whose birthday is on Feb. 11, was surprised with a multi-tiered cake on stage. She is set to turn 26.
thank you abu dhabi blinks for a very early bday surprise for rosé . We all know that there’s no born pink world tour sched for february but you guys are the best, look how happy she is.
ROSÉ CONQUERS ABU DHABI#ROSÉ #BLACKPINK pic.twitter.com/LFb3rRFguL
— calista (@rowzey27) January 29, 2023
Bandmember Jennie was also spotted visiting Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque before the show.
Abu Dhabi is the second Middle Eastern stop on the “Born Pink” world tour after the group performed in Riyadh on Jan. 20.
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DUBAI: British supermodel Naomi Campbell was spotted in Abu Dhabi visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque this week.
The 52-year-old catwalk star shared images of herself at the touristic hotspot in the UAE wearing a leopard print abaya with a grey headscarf.
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Campbell visited the mosque with her daughter. In some of the pictures she shared on Instagram, Campbell can be seen standing in one of the mosque’s halls holding her little girl’s hands.
“Splendor of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque,” she wrote on Instagram to her 14 million followers. “Thank you (for the) breathtaking tour,” she added, thanking her organizers.
Since announcing the arrival of her daughter in May 2021, Campbell has only shared a few images of her child.
DUBAI: Christie’s Dubai has transformed itself into a veritable garden until Feb. 3 to present its latest jewelry-selling exhibition, “Garden of Wonders,” featuring pieces estimated between $10,000 to a whopping $4.5 million.
Partnering with A2Z, an art advisory service founded by Abdulrahman H. Al-Zayani for private clients in the Gulf who wish to expand their jewelry collections, the exhibition is an opportunity for visitors to dive into an exotic garden filled with jewelry inspired by nature.
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The exhibition features a finely curated selection of pieces made from precious gemstones including diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies alongside a large selection of important natural saltwater pearl pieces, including pearls originating from the Gulf region.
“It is a privilege for Christie’s to work with A2Z. Our friend, Abdulrahman, has been a colleague for years now, but he was a collector even before he was a colleague. He’s always had good eyes and is an esteemed friend,” said Julien Brunie, senior director and international head of private sales jewelry at Christie’s, in an interview with Arab News.
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Brunie went on to explain how the partnership with the art advisory is a way for Christie’s to ensure quality and selectivity in the pieces they offer.
“Christie’s is the world’s leading auction house since 1766. We have a fabulous network of experts, clients, friends and collectors. But we don’t have Christie’s branded pieces to sell. So, we bring to the market what we think is the best,” added Brunie.
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The exhibition is led by a stunning diamond bracelet by Harry Winston comprising 99 emerald-cut diamonds of 141.00 carats in total with a central stone of 11.32 carats. Made in 1975, this comes from a private collection in the Middle East.
Al-Zayani, who founded A2Z advisory in 2018, spoke about the designers and jewelers to watch out for at the exhibition.
“We have bigger, older names such as Harry Winston, Cartier and Van Cleef. And then from the newer names, we tried to collect or curate from all over the world. This time we’re starting from India with jewelers like VAK, for example. Vishal (Kothari) is a very young, dynamic guy based out of Mumbai, and he works very nicely with cutting stones. His prices are not steep yet. He just recently showcased his work at Bergdorf Goodman in New York. So, he’s fun,” said Al-Zayani, adding other up-and-coming names like Greek designer Nikos Koulis, Brazilian designer Fernando Jorge, and London-based jeweler Noor Fares to the list.
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Al-Zayani also pointed to the establishment of Christie’s Dubai as a catalyst for the growing interest in jewelry collection in the Middle East. “I think Christie’s has definitely added a lot by creating this space in Dubai International Financial Center. They’ve spent beautifully on it, and it’s next to the nicest restaurants. It’s a very nice atmosphere and, most importantly, you feel so safe. Even if you’re walking on the street with a $10 million ring, there’s no way anyone’s going to touch you,” he said.
Brunie chimed in to also point out that the Middle East, in general, has always had good taste when it comes to jewelry.
“We were discussing only yesterday about the collection in the region and that it’s rare to find outdated pieces in the region. You find classic pieces. That’s something that speaks to the taste for good jewels here,” said Brunie.
DUBAI: “The Real Housewives of Dubai” cast member Nina Ali is exiting the show after just one season as the Bravo reality series gears up to start filming season two.
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“It was an honor to be a part of the debut season of The Real Housewives of Dubai, and to help Bravo bring this beloved franchise to the city I call home,” Ali posted on Instagram. “I’m grateful to the network, Andy Cohen, and the team at Truly Original for welcoming me into this extended family and for embracing the diversity of riches Dubai has to offer.”
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Ali also added that she has some “exciting opportunities” coming up.
“2023 has already brought many exciting opportunities my way, including an emerging new business, new home and new adventures, so for now I’ll be moving my attention away from the show to allow myself the space to focus on new challenges,” the businesswoman, entrepreneur and mother of three added.
ABU DHABI: Japanese eatery Myazu in Riyadh has been named the best restaurant in Saudi Arabia by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants MENA list in a ceremony held in Aby Dhabi on Monday night as Dubai’s Orfali Bros Bistro nabbed the overall top spot.
The ranking is voted on by a body formed of 250 restaurant experts in the region, known as the Academy. Each member casts seven votes for those that are – in their expert opinion – the best dining experiences in the MENA region.
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The top 10 consisted of eateries from around the region, with a heavy showing from Dubai, including Moonrise in Dubai at number 10, Zooba (Zamalek) in Cairo at number 9, Fakhreldin in Amman at number 8, Kinoya in Dubai at number 7, George & John in Tel Aviv at number 6, 3 Fils in Dubai at number 5, Ossiano in Dubai at number 4, Fusions by Tala in Manama at number 3, Trèsind Studio in Dubai at number 2 and Orfali Bros Bistro in Dubai at number 1.
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“Also crowned The Best Restaurant in the UAE, this Dubai establishment is the restaurant embodiment of three brothers from Aleppo, Syria. The dining experience here is focused on storytelling, where every flavour, ingredient and technique has played a special part in the trio’s story. The atmosphere, with the rhythm set by the work in the two-storey kitchen overlooking the dining space, is fun, indulgent and at times nostalgic,” the organization posted on Instagram shortly after the announcement.
Commenting on Saudi Arabia’s best restaurant, the organization posted: “Under the leadership of chef Ian Pengelley, (Myazu) is a spot where harmony reigns in texture, aromas and flavors. Some dishes push the envelope of gastronomic craftsmanship while others focus on Japanese fan favorites, but all are set apart by a sophisticated presentation that has become part of this restaurant’s DNA.”
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The eatery ranked number 18 on the list, just after Tawlet Mar Mikhael in Beirut.
Meanwhile, the Middle East & North Africa’s Best Female Chef Award 2023 went to Palestinian chef Salam Dakkak and this year’s Estrella Damm N.A. Chefs’ Choice Award went to Moustafa Elrefaey of Zooba in Cairo.
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Here is the full list of restaurants:
1. Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai
2. Tresind Studio, Dubai
3. Fusions by Tala, Manama
4. Ossiano, Dubai
5. 3 Fils, Dubai
6. George & John, Tel Aviv
7. Kinoya, Dubai
8. Fakhreldin, Amman
9. Zooba, Cairo
10. Moonrise, Dubai
11. Reif Kushiyaki, Dubai
12. Kazoku, Cairo
13. Zuma, Dubai
14. OCD, Tel Aviv
15. Lowe, Dubai,
16. Baron, Beirut
17. Gaia, Dubai
18. Myazu, Riyadh
19. Tawlet Mar Mikhael, Beirut
20. Em Sherif, Beirut
21. LPM, Dubai
22. Sachi, Giza
23. Marble, Riyadh
24. A by Yuval Ben Neriah, Tel Aviv
25. CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Manama
26. Hoseki, Dubai
27. La Grande Table Marocain, Marrakech
28. Coya, Dubai
29. Shams El Balad, Amman
30. Sachi, Cairo
31. Masso, Manama
32. Animar, Tel Aviv
33. Coya, Abu Dhabi
34. La Closerie, Tunis
35. 11 Woodfire, Dubai
36. Sufra, Amman
37. Iloli, Casablanca
38. LPM, Riyadh
39. Sesamo, Marrakech
40. Milgo Milbar, Tel Aviv
41. Alee, Amman
42. White Robata, Kuwait City
43. Zuma, Abu Dhabi
44. Jun’s, Dubai
45. Reif Kushiyaki, Cairo
46. +61, Marrakech
47. 13C Bar in the Back, Amman
48. HaBasta, Tel Aviv
49. Hakkasan, Abu Dhabi
50. Bonjiri, Salmiya, Kuwait
DUBAI: The 2023 Sundance Film Festival — which took its final bow this weekend in Park City, Utah, after its first in-person edition since 2020 — saw three Middle Eastern films winning awards, including “The Persian Version,” “Shayda” and “Animalia.”
Iranian American director Maryam Keshavarz’s “The Persian Version” won the Audience Award and Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award in the US Dramatic Competition. c
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The film follows a large Iranian American family gathering for the patriarch’s heart transplant when a family secret catapults the estranged mother and daughter into an exploration of the past.
It was one of three films at Sundance this year to be directed by Iranian women, the others being “Joonam” and “Shayda.”
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Noora Niasari’s “Shayda” took home the Audience Award in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. The film follows Shayda, a brave Iranian mother, who finds refuge in an Australian women’s shelter with her six-year-old daughter. But when her estranged husband re-enters their lives, Shayda’s path to freedom is jeopardized.
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The third regional film to win an award at Sundance is “Animalia” by Morocco’s Sofia Alaoui, who took home the Special Jury Award for Creative Vision. The film follows a young mother-to-be as she experiences an alien invasion with a sense of dread that slowly turns into liberation.