The Luxe Diary has curated your list of art, fashion and food events that you will love this month. From where to eat, what to see & what to do, we have you covered.
From the launch of the new Friday brunch at the Armani Hotel, to the opening of Sean Connolly at Dubai Opera via Michelin starred Mexican magnificence at Emirates Palace, from the Van Cleef & Arpels L.A. Dance Project at Dubai Opera to the highlights of art events at Alserkal Avenue and the launch of the new season of Alserkal Lates, we have it all here.
Where to Eat & Drink.
Sean Connolly at Dubai Opera | Downtown Dubai | Opening 1 September 2017

New on the Dubai restaurant scene and the first restaurant to open at Dubai Opera, we are excited to announce the opening of Sean Connolly’s contemporary brasserie serving seafood and steak. Sean Connolly, British born chef, takes his inspiration from Australia and New Zealand specialising in oyster and seafood dishes.
We particularly love the interior design. 20th century modern designs pieces complement Dubai Opera‘s architectural style with the use of natural wood, pastel soft furnishings and contemporary lighting. This is one to try!
For Information and Reservations click here or call 04 362 7312.
Michelin Star Mexican Chef Carlos Gaytan | Sayad | Emirates Palace | 16-21 September 2017
Emirates Palace and The Embassy of Mexico in Abu Dhabi welcome you this September to a week-long exploration of the gastronomy of Mexico.
When you hear the words Mexican food, people often think tacos, burritos, and street food, but Mexican cuisine is much more varied and nuanced than most people know. It’s colourful, bold, and fun, and who better than Mexico’s first Michelin star chef to take diners on a flavourful tour of the world’s most misunderstood cuisine?
From 16-21 September in Sayad, delve into Mexican cuisine with 5-, 7-course and à la carte menus prepared by Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Carlos Gaytan, owner of the famed Chicago restaurant Mexique. The chef’s visit coincides with Mexican National Day on 19 September so book your place now for the menu and the fiesta of the year at Emirates Palace.
For Information and Reservations click here.
Jean-Georges Dubai | Four Seasons Jumeirah | Wednesday Nights throughout September

The French chef behind a global empire of Michelin-starred restaurants chose Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach as the home for his first signature outpost in the Middle East – Jean-Georges Kitchen – in the Restaurant Village.
This month, on Wednesday evenings, head to Jean-Georges Kitchen for an exclusive tasting and pairing experience.
For Information and Reservations click here and call 04 343 6118.
Le Mardi c’est Permis | Bistrot Bagatelle | Fairmont Hotel | Tuesday Nights
The fabulous international dining hot-spot, Bistrot Bagatelle, revamps its most popular French night with Le Mardi C’est Permis. The weekly event, signature French party extravaganza with flowing drinks, delectable food and ‘anything goes’ approach is key to having a good time, French style, of course.
Adding to allure of the evening and new this season, every other Tuesday, a live performance will pay homage to a popular French Diva, like Dalida and Edith Piaf or play tribute to an influential period of time in French music.
Known for serving French classics with a twist, including Tartare de Boeuf, Salad Landaise, Gnocchi à la Parisienne, Pâtes au Foie Gras, and Loup de Mer. Top off the savory dishes with sinful sweets like the Bagatelle Mousse aux Chocolats, Moelleux à l’ananas, and a fine selection of sorbets.
After hours, the venue comes to life with the energy of the crowd as resident DJ Sam Starks drops the best beats to make everyone move while enjoying the best selection of wines, carefully crafted cocktails, and flowing bubbly.
So, slip into your French couture and prepare to indulge in all the flavor, frivolity and flair of France with Bistrot Bagatelle’s Le Mardi C’est Permis, every Tuesday at Bistrot Bagatelle.
For Information and Reservations call +971 4 354 5035 or email reservation@bistrotbagatelledubai.com
Armani Brunch | Armani Hotel Burj Khalifa | Friday Brunch | Launching September 2017
This September, Armani launches a choice of two signature Armani brunch experiences. Enjoy a culinary journey from Northern to Southern Italy celebrating the best of the Italian coastal and traditional recipes at Armani Deli from 16.00 to 21.00. Or take the early shift by enjoying a relaxed family affair at Armani/Mediterraneo with a luxurious international selection taking you from across the South of Europe to the Levant.
For Information and Reservations click here.
Festa Italiana | Trattoria Toscana | Souk Madinat | 15 September to 31 October 2017
Whether it’s authentic pizza from Naples, creamy risotto from Venice or fresh seafood from the coast of Capri, there’s no denying the Italians know best when it comes to world-class cuisine. And this September sees the launch of the inaugural Festa Italiana at Souk Madinat Jumeirah’s Trattoria Toscana – a culinary celebration that takes guests on a gastronomic journey through the exquisite towns of Northern, Central and Southern Italy, with different specialities on rotation each fortnight.
The brainchild of Trattoria Toscana’s artisanal Head Chef Antonio Iacovelli and his dedicated team, Festa Italiana runs from 15 September to 31 October. During Festa Italiana guests will be able to tuck into specially-curated dishes and beverages inspired by the unique cuisine of each region, from northern Milan through to Rome and Tuscany, right down to the exquisite southern coastal areas of Puglia and Sicily. What’s more, the restaurant will be adorned with traditional Italian decorations to showcase the celebrations and really set the mood.
For Reservations call 04 432 3232 or email restaurants@jumeirah.com.
What to See & Do.
L.A. Dance Project – Van Cleef & Arpels X Dubai Opera | 28-29 September 2017
On 28-29 September, Dubai Opera will host a GCC premiere by dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied, with the support of Van Cleef & Arpels. Born out of Van Cleef & Arpels’ partnerships with Dubai Opera and L.A. Dance Project, this contemporary dance show brings together visual artists, musicians, designers and composers, and the Gems Trilogy.
L.A. Dance Project will present the following works and choreographers: Murder Ballades by Justin Peck, Hearts & Arrows and On the Other Side by Benjamin Millepied.
For Information and Reservations click here.
Manifesto | Cinema Akil | Warehouse 68 Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai | 8-12 September at 19.30
Manifesto is a 2015 Australian-German multi-screen film installation written, produced and directed by Julian Rosefeldt. It features Cate Blanchett in 13 different roles performing various manifestos. The film was shot over 12 days in December 2014 in locations in and around Berlin. The film integrates various types of artist manifestos from different time periods with contemporary scenarios. Manifestos are depicted by 13 different characters, among them a school teacher, factory worker, choreographer, punk, newsreader, scientist, puppeteer, widow, and a homeless man.
For Information and Reservations click here.
Bruno Boudjelal: Frantz Fanon | The Project Space, NYU Abu Dhabi | 7-27 September 2017
The Art Gallery at NYU Abu Dhabi is pleased to announce the next show at its auxiliary venue, The Project Space. Presented in collaboration with the Arts and Humanities division at NYUAD and on loan from London’s Autograph ABP, Bruno Boudjelal: Frantz Fanon will exhibit an installation of twenty-three photographs by Bruno Boudjelal that reflect Boudjelal’s search for reliable traces of past histories and the imprint of Fanon’s memory.
Boudjelal’s visual journey takes him south of Algiers to Blida, where Frantz Fanon worked as a psychiatrist in a hospital at the time of the Algerian revolution during the 1950s. This is where Fanon developed his most important thesis on racism and colonialism as an intricate web of oppression that was not only economic and political but above all, deeply psychological.
For more Information click here.
Line of March Pouran Jinchi | Third Line, Alserkal Avenue | 13 September – 21 November 2017

The Third Line presents The Line of March, a solo exhibition by New York-based artist Pouran Jinchi. With her new body of work, Pouran returns to a fundamental preoccupation – theparallels between art and language as modes of communication – while extending her artistic expression in new directions.
The title of the exhibition is borrowed from a painting by the 18th century French artist Jean-Antoine Watteau, who depicted the lives of common soldiers in times of war. Pouran studied photographs of the German city of Koblenz, where architectural fragments that remain from thedestruction of WWII have been integrated into modern architecture. She unearthed a black and white photograph from 1920s Leningrad showing Soviet chess masters playing the game on a massive chessboard at the Palace Square using soldiers from the Red Army as the black pieces and sailors from the navy for the white pieces.
For more Information click here.
Roshanak Aminelahi | Gordafarid | Ayyam Gallery Dubai, Alserkal Avenue | 13 September – 26 October 2017
Ayyam Gallery Dubai (12, Alserkal Avenue) is pleased to announce Gordafarid, the solo exhibition of Dubai-based painter Roshanak Aminelahi.
In her debut exhibition with Ayyam Gallery, Aminelahi will present a new series of mixed media paintings that are inspired by ancient mythology, such as the Shahnameh, an epic poem written in 1000 A.D. Included in the exhibition are monumental portraits of Persian warriors alongside the objects that represent specific stories. For the artist, these captivating figures not only speak of her Iranian heritage and the rich culture in which she was raised, but also reflect the diversity of Dubai, where she has lived and worked for more than a decade. Although the new series was composed with the ‘filter’ of Persian culture, her latest paintings reflect universal subjects like war, love, and heroism—poetic themes that are shared among the many cultures of this cosmopolitan city.
For more Information click here.
Alserkal Lates | Alserkal Avenue | 27 September | 18.00-21.00
Alserkal Avenue will open the art season with Alserkal Lates on 27 September. From 18.00 to 21.00 explore the new exhibitions from the contemporary art galleries that call the Avenue their home. Guided tours of the exhibitions will depart from outside Nadi Al Quoz at 19.00 and 20.00.
For more Information and to book your tour click here.
Lest We Forget: Emirati Adornment | Warehouse421 | Mina Zayed Abu Dhabi | 24 September 2017
Due to its popularity, the Lest We Forget – Emirati Adornment: Tangible & Intangible exhibition has been extended until 24 September 2017 at Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi, offering the public an opportunity to further explore Emirati culture through this beautiful, compelling exhibition of ‘tangible’ and ‘intangible’ forms of Emirati adornment.
The exhibition presents personal objects of adornment shared by Emirati contributors along with memories, reflections and works of art that these objects inspire. Bridging the gap between past and current generations, the exhibition features both historical and contemporary examples and practices.
Lest We Forget – Emirati Adornment features ‘tangible,’ concrete, and physically lasting forms of adornment, including garments, burqa, jewelry, weapons, attributes, and accessories. It also considers ‘intangible’ adornment that is temporal and impermanent — the enhancement of the face and body through the application of evanescent henna, kohl, fragrance, and cosmetics, as well as through grooming, nail care, and hairstyles. The exhibition acknowledges ‘intangible’ cultural heritage: the creative spirit, knowledge, skills and aesthetic sensibilities that are passed down from one generation to the next.
An innovative community-based national initiative supported by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, ‘Lest We Forget’ seeks to document Emirati vernacular heritage and cultural identity and share it through exhibitions and publications.
For more Information visit www.warehouse421.ae.
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