Top things to do in Dubai — week of 23 March

Yallah, week of the 23rd. Decent week to be in town — weather is finally not punishing, the founder calendar is properly busy, and Friday night in Meydan is the strongest it has been all season.

I keep a running shortlist on Rifio so I am not tabbing through Luma and Platinumlist all afternoon — the Dubai this-week page refreshes daily and the search actually works.

Monday: Soft start

Monday in Dubai is a lie everyone agrees to ignore. There is one decent thing — a small product design meetup at A4 Space in Alserkal, free RSVP, eight people in a room with one projector. That is it. Cook at home.

If you are restless, the free Dubai meetups list will not help you (wrong city, my bad) but the Rifio Dubai page will.

Tuesday: DIFC Founders Mixer at the Penrose

The most useful 90 minutes you will spend this week. The Penrose, Gate Avenue, 6:30pm. Two short founder talks, then drinks. The crowd is half VC, half operator, very few tourists.

Free with RSVP, fills up by Sunday night, do not wait.

Wednesday: Comedy at the Junction

The Junction in Alserkal does a midweek comedy bill that nobody outside the regulars seems to know about. AED 80, five acts, the headliner this week flew in from London. It is BYOB which is half the appeal.

Get there for 7:30, it starts at 8 sharp.

Thursday: Alserkal Avenue Late

Galleries stay open till 10. Concrete is doing a new show, A4 has a decent reading room thing, and the warehouses behind run pop-ups every late. Free, walkable, eat at one of the cafés on the way out.

Wallah this is the most Dubai thing on the list — half the room is in linen, half are in trainers, everyone is taking a photo of the same neon sign.

Friday: Soho Garden, late set

The Friday line-up at Soho Garden in Meydan is the strongest of the spring. AED 150 on the door, more if you want a table, but the floor is fine. Get a cab, do not drive, you will not be in any state to.

Eat at Trèsind first if you can get a 7pm slot, then taxi over by 11. The room does not warm up untill midnight.

Saturday: Brunch then beach

Pick a Friday brunch — yes I said Friday, in Dubai brunch is mostly Saturday now after the weekend shift but the old guard still does Friday — and go to one of the JBR ones. Otherwise: Kite Beach 4pm, paddle in the water, AED 35 on a fresh juice, watch the sun go.

There is a free outdoor cinema at La Mer Saturday night, bring a blanket. Nobody knows about it which is the point.

Sunday: Recovery, long lunch, somewhere good

Skip every event listing and go to BB Social in DIFC for a long lunch. Their Sunday menu is calm, the room is mostly couples and a few quiet tables of finance people pretending they are not working.

If you absolutely have to do an event, there is a Sunday afternoon talk at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library that runs free, English language, sound speakers.

That is the week. Twelve things, mostly DIFC and Alserkal, with a Meydan detour because it is March and the weather demands it. I will be at the Penrose Tuesday and Soho Garden Friday — say salaam if you see me.

Save the ones you fancy on Rifio so you do not forget — the Dubai events page is the easiest way to filter by night and price.