This week’s editorial musings from magpie’s nest
The quote It took me 15 years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give up because by that time I was too famous Peter Benchley
Musical notes Dubai Opera’s big musical Singin’ in the Rain is in its last couple of days (last performance is 14 December) and there’s a whopping 70% off tickets if you use promo code EMAAR70 at dubaiopera.com – tickets are normally AED 340 to 890, but this deal means you can get a seat (admittedly right at the back) for a bargain AED 102.
Last-minute Christmas If you’re stuck for a gift for a local, think about a membership to the NYUAD Arts Center – lasts for a full year from date of purchase, available at multiple levels from a starting AED 350, gives advance bookings plus discounts and special member-only events.
Top words Oxford’s Word of the Year is brain rot, defined as “supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as a result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging”. Not exactly a word as such … Elsewhere, Merriam-Webster went for polarization as its word of the year, which seems a lot more serious.
Art now Several new shows are opening in the next few days. Three we like the look of: The Third Line’s group show on the tension between the public and the private, fear and fantasy … Farhad Ahrania on the flip side of the 80s … Zé Tepedino‘s Hassan Sharif-like ways with found materials …
Saudi money talks Saudi Arabia has pledged €50 million towards the €262m refurbishment of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, due to begin later this month. As part of the deal, France will assist Saudi Arabia with several cultural initiatives including a new photography museum in Riyadh, restoration of several heritage sites, and conservation work.
Notre-Dame insights The New York Times has a brilliant interactive feature about the restoration of Notre-Dame – “each day we have 20 difficulties. But it’s different when you work on a building that has a soul. Beauty makes everything easier”.
Burj NYE A team of more than 110 from 11 countries is working on “the most captivating New Year’s Eve celebration in Dubai’s history” – a nine-minute performance called Beyond Dreams featuring original music, lights and lasers, and of course fireworks. You can see it for free from the usual spots, but if you want the special treatment you can pay AED 580 to park yourself in Burj Park. Sounds expensive? Well, you do get “uninterrupted views of the NYE celebration and shows” and one F&B voucher worth AED 60 …
Smell like a winner? I’m just going to leave this here: here’s a line of perfumes aimed at “patriots who never back down, like President Trump. This scent is your rallying cry in a bottle. Featuring Trump’s iconic image and raised fist, this limited-edition cologne embodies strength, power, and victory …” Fight Fight Fight Perfume For Women costs $199 (so does Fight Fight Fight Cologne For Men, but it’s on pre-order). Perhaps predictably, Victory By President Trump (perfume and cologne) is sold out.
Brown nose Your Pantone Color of the Year (a colour that captures “the global zeitgeist … reflecting collective desire in the form of a single, distinct hue”) is Mocha Mousse, “a warming, brown hue imbued with richness”. Hints of comfort eating and some alpaca wools – or Nazi uniforms and poo? Take your pick …
Bluesky starter pack of the week A collection of major news outlets that have joined the Bluesky platform (including The Guardian, Reuters, NPR, Financial Times, WSJ, and Wired) is here.
Something for the weekend Match the synonyms here.
Things we didn’t know no.94 Your brain burns 400-500 calories a day. That’s around 20-25% of your total energy requirements.
Earworm of the week Ramones : Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight)
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