A DATE!”

… I say confidently to plans I know I’ll never stick to. Not because I don’t want to. It usually applies to lovely opportunities to catch-up with friends, planning weddings, sharing important milestones, or long-distance friends with whom a get-together is long overdue. But as we all know, the menial day-to-days of life have a habit of getting in the way. Before we know it, months have passed since we set up that coffee date, or those sundowners got rescheduled, or the apologetic “rain check?” text is sent as the cinema gets postponed for a third time.

Even as I sit down to write this letter, I feel as though the traditionally sluggish January has gone by at record speed. We’ve blinked, and February is here. A month associated with romance, love, and quality time. Don’t worry, this isn’t going to transcend into a mushy letter where I part wisdom on you about love. I’m certainly not qualified in that field.

Instead, I lean on the words of a man you’ll also find in this issue, Kevin Hart, whose upcoming gig you can read all about on p27. A quote I read by the former Chief Island Officer of Yas Island reads “I don’t care how busy I am – I will always make time for what’s most important to me.” And if a man with a schedule like Hart’s can make time, it’s a pretty poor show if I can’t.

So, I’m using this issue, packed with 26 date nights from A to Z, as my inspiration to make plans and stick to them. Whether you tick them off with your significant other, your visitors from home, or that friend that never usually manages to stick to plans, I hope you do the same.

Enjoy the issue,

EDITOR’S PICKS

Wedding dress shopping at… You&I

Bridal

I’m currently in the (very slow) process of planning my wedding. It’s daunting, but at least one area – finding my dream dress – has been made easier by the opening of You&I Bridal. A new bridal boutique in Dubai Media City, there are more than 70 dresses to try on, making the process super easy.

@youandi_bridal

– Alice Holtham, Group Editor –What’s On

Making every little bit count with… Deliveroo

Deliveroo’s new in-app function allows you to round-up (to the nearest dirham) your order total, with the rounded up sum being donated to worthy UAE charity, Emirates Red Crescent. A token gesture for us, the individual –but as a community of al desko diners, it all adds up.

@deliveroo_ae