Weekly A to Z, June 10th.

The forward planning one.

We had SUCH a good time at the Hilton RAK! Honestly, if you have a pup in your life, the dog-friendly rooms at the property are perfect. Poppy was able to run on a beach and do attempt a bit of swimming (and then pass out in the cozy provided dog bed). The property is heavily involved with rescue centers in the emirate, and I can’t wait to return. Find our visit here. #invited

A minor tech update. It’s time to say goodbye to my beloved Minnie Mouse light, used at countless dinners. Influenced by Dan, I’ve just ordered this powerful little number, which I look forward to leaving at a restaurant sometime soon.

On Wednesday, I made my way to The Artisan to try some new dishes (in excellent company). Check out my visit here. #invited

On Thursday, I might be the last person in Dubai to have dined at Lila Taqeuira, and I totally get the hype. Go for the tacos (I had a difficult time deciding which ones to try), and stay for the churros. Looking forward to future visits and upcoming projects for the team! #invited

Friday saw me over to Alici, which was pretty much the perfect way to end the week/start the weekend. #invited

Finally, a massive thank you to Galleries Lafayette for sending over some delicious Pierre Marcolini chocolates. Spinneys also surprised me with a lovely basket of tomatoes. Cue a fresh salad in my future. #gifted

Links, please.

• Congratulations to the Top 51-100 restaurants on the World’s 50 Best! Delighted to see Ossiano enter the list at #87 (and super curious about where Tresind Studio, Orfali Brothers, and Fusions by Tala end up). W50B

  • A bit of a deep dive on the list (there were A LOT of changes). Robb Report

  • And friend Sarah also weighs in. Connecting Travel

  • And PS, next month's Ossiano x El Celler de Can Roca collab looks amazing! Instagram

• A bit of backstory about Top Chef. Hollywood Reporter

  • We’ll miss you, Padma. Instagram

  • And yes, I still think Chef Ali should’ve been in the finals. Instagram

• Are wine certifications really necessary? VinePair

• What to wear for a passport photo (editor’s note: I will never do better than my passport photo at 18, everything since has been terrible).¹ The Everygirl

• Chicken nuggets + Tetris = winning. Nerdist

• Consider a sponsorship for K9 Friends as we enter our most difficult months.

• How to tip around the world. CNN

• Are we ready for Botatouille?² Buzzfeed

• In case you need this: the kindness of strangers. Cup of Jo

• Room service is more interesting than you think. The Takeout

• Who owns a recipe? Eater

• How do you feel about dogs in restaurant policies? The Guardian

• Always here for Grimace content. NRN

• Is it time to rethink boxed wine? NYT

• A fascinating read about light-up food (aka triboluminescence³). Snack Stack

• When it comes to navigating online hate, food creators face a tough choice. Eater

• For my American elder millennials, a cover story on Dave Matthews.⁴ GQ

• Here for these undergraduate excuses. New Yorker

• How much can you vent to your friends? Self

• Sandwiches of history. Instagram

• Nike x AFC Richmond. Nike

• Let’s talk special cheese on Succession. GQ

• Tell me more about the history of the frozen margarita machine. Garden and Gun

• Inexpensive decor items to bring back from travels. Apartment Therapy

This weekend? Adulting and heading for the Sunday Roast at Coterie, which I’ve heard great things about.

Next week? A few new places on the lineup, including Emmy Squared Pizza, a session at Tanne, and a visit to Dubai Eye next Friday afternoon.

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C.

1. Eric and I were going on our honeymoon, and my passport photo was so bad that the gate agent looked at it, then looked at me and shouted for everyone to hear, “Girl, how much weight did you lose?”

2. My brain really wanted to correct this to ‘boatatouille,’ which is also not a real word.

3. Real talk, did you know what this word meant?

4. Yes, I sometimes love this Spotify station.