Weekly A to Z, October 15th.

The traffic is crazy one.

(Can we all agree next year that GITEX and other major conventions are held at the old Expo site?)

Lots of great deliveries this week. Forrey and Galland sent over a beautiful box for Diwali and from Sangre de Toro, paella and wine for Spanish National Day. Feeling a bit lazy, I was also happy to welcome lunch from the House of Clouds portfolio: pastamigusta.hoc, bbeirut.hoc, and shakchick.hoc. #gifted

Out on Wednesday to Carna, but not before stopping by Fi’lia to have a peek at some of the new upcoming menu items and have an interesting chat with Chef Sara about women-led kitchens and hiring women — something she seems to have no trouble with but so many others do (the talent IS out there, friends, and it’s time to stop making excuses). At Carna, the AED350 tasting menu is a great lesson in sustainability and offcuts. Cheers to Claudio and the team. Have a look at some of the highlights here. #invited

On Thursday, I was delighted to attend a World’s 50 Best breakfast event with William Drew, Director of Content for W50B, at 11 Woodfire*. I’ve got my calendar marked for the MENA 50 Best Awards taking place on January 30th, 2023, in Abu Dhabi. Will I see you there? Any predictions? (Also, more breakfast meetings, please).

Closing out the week with a trip to ARN to see Helen and chat all things food (and perhaps enjoy a delicious Liège waffle from La Maison, who were also in the studio). Catch my visit here (I’m on from around 34:05).

Otherwise, I’ve been happily getting back to work on my latest manuscript (which I am so close to finishing), progressing on my Sapaad articles, and pitching again.

Links, please.

• Signing up for The Tasting Class’s new boxes! The first product is live. LHD

• What does it mean to lose a Michelin star? The Takeout

• When a meal is a tasting menu, what is the message? Resy

• Yes, I want this $50 candle that smells like tomatoes. Flamingo Estate

• Calculate your carbon footprint. Climate Hero

• Here for Eggo Nog. VinePair

• The real story of curry. Food & Wine

• A temperature tip for sabering champagne. Tasting Table

• Hard shell or soft shell? Texas Monthly

• Are you the person you used to be? New Yorker

• Is everything too amaze? LitHub

• All aboard this sake train. Food & Wine

• What is umami? The Kitchn

• Say it ain’t so, is the .gif on its way out? The Atlantic

• As a St. Patrick’s baby, I’m curious about the origins of green beer. Tasting Table

• Raisins are the worst Halloween ‘candy.’ The Takeout

• Would Poppy like a tasting menu? Robb Robert

• Why we love a list. New Yorker

• I would go on this James Bond European tour. T&L

• How CBD-infused cocktails will make you feel. Tasting Table

• What is the most important position in a restaurant? The Takeout

• Is it okay to have an unremarkable life? NYT

• Sandwiches cut diagonally taste better. Washington Post

This weekend? Over to Flamingo Room to try some of the new dishes.

Next week? Spinney’s for a special lunch, The Nice Guy at Emirates Towers, Il Borro (does anyone need an excuse?), and potentially a networking event. It’s all about balance, people.

If you enjoy this newsletter and want to support me, consider sharing this newsletter on social media, ordering from these restaurants, purchasing my books (or these novels — all free to read on Kindle Unlimited), or buying me coffee. Archives of the Weekly A to Z can be found here.

C.