Dubai is a ‘global city,’ says actress Millie Bobby Brown

Dubai is a ‘global city,’ says actress Millie Bobby Brown
'Find Your Story' - Al Qudra Desert 2. (Supplied)
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Updated 11 April 2025
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Dubai is a ‘global city,’ says actress Millie Bobby Brown

Dubai is a ‘global city,’ says actress Millie Bobby Brown

DUBAI: British actress Millie Bobby Brown has said Dubai is a city unlike any she has visited before, highlighting its multicultural character and distinctive atmosphere.

The “Stranger Things” star commented while filming a new global campaign for the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, alongside her husband, actor and model Jake Bongiovi.

Called “Find Your Story,” the campaign highlights a range of activities and attractions available for visitors to Dubai, including those on short stopovers.

The short film follows the couple during a layover at Dubai International Airport, where they discover a mysterious script that guides them on a cinematic journey through key locations. Featured sites include Al-Seef, the Museum of the Future, Burj Khalifa and the Al-Qudra desert. It ends on a cliffhanger, encouraging visitors to continue their own story in the city.

The film marks Brown and Bongiovi’s first on-screen appearance together. Discussing her excitement about the project, Brown said: “Dubai is such a global city and it’s different to any place that I’ve ever been to. It really does feel like many different places all in one city.”




'Find Your Story' - Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi. (Supplied)

After visiting Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, she added: “This is going to be one of my core memories. This is unbelievable. I’m looking at it, I’m working under it … it’s very cool.”

Bongiovi added: “We love Dubai and the desert is unlike anything I have ever seen before. Exploring the city was really special and we have created many unforgettable memories during our time here.”




Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi star in Dubai’s latest tourism campaign. (Supplied)

Written and co-directed by Argentine filmmaker Armando Bo, who won an Academy Award for “Birdman,” the campaign film also features direction by international industry award winner Felipe Gomez Aparicio.

“In this short film we knew that we were telling a story, but we were also showing the world how amazing Dubai is. The locations are perfect to showcase what the city has to offer,” said Bo.

Diego Guijarro, the director of photography, said: “It was really an amazing experience to shoot here – the landmarks, the landscapes. I knew it was something I always wanted to do, it was a place that I have never been before.”


Recipes for success: Chef Gabriela Chamorro offers advice and a passion fruit ceviche recipe  

Recipes for success: Chef Gabriela Chamorro offers advice and a passion fruit ceviche recipe  
Updated 40 sec ago
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Recipes for success: Chef Gabriela Chamorro offers advice and a passion fruit ceviche recipe  

Recipes for success: Chef Gabriela Chamorro offers advice and a passion fruit ceviche recipe  

 DUBAI: For Gabriela Chamorro, cooking is not about complexity; it’s about heart, intention and staying connected to her roots. 

As founder and executive chef of Girl & the Goose, Dubai’s first restaurant dedicated to central American cuisine, she offers a personal take on traditional dishes from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama. 

Chamorro focuses on thoughtful cooking that highlights the essence of each ingredient. Whether it’s a humble tortilla or an intricate yuca gnocchi, every dish is designed to share a story and evoke a sense of home, she says.  

When you started out what was the most common mistake you made?  

I believed that complexity was the best way to showcase my skills: the more elements on the plate, the more impressive the dish. But over time, I’ve learned that simplicity, when executed with intention and love, is far more powerful. I used to overcomplicate dishes by adding too many elements or overthinking the presentation. Now, I find that true mastery lies in perfecting something humble, like a pipian verde, or a well-made guirila.  

What’s your top tip for amateur chefs? 

Recipes are helpful, but your intuition is your best tool. Taste as you go and let your senses lead the way. I see cooking as a conversation between you and your ingredients. It should feel like a warm embrace, not a stressful performance. Stay present and enjoy the process. And invest in a good set of sharp knives; they make everything easier — and safer — in the kitchen. 

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish? 

Lime is a game-changer in central American cooking. Its bright, zesty acidity lifts and elevates flavors, adding a refreshing pop to any dish. It doesn’t just add flavor, it adds soul. Lime is the kind of ingredient that turns something good into something unforgettable.  

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?  

I’m definitely someone who notices details, but when I dine out, I’m more focused on how the experience makes me feel overall. I look for warmth and a genuine sense of care, both in the food and in the service. You can taste when a dish is made with heart and intention, and you can feel the difference when hospitality goes beyond being just transactional. It’s that human touch that stays with you.  

What’s your favorite cuisine to order? 

I tend to gravitate toward Middle Eastern cuisine, perhaps because it evokes the same warmth, generosity and layered flavors that I associate with Latin hospitality. There’s something deeply comforting about a vibrant mezze spread or a slow-cooked lamb dish. They speak volumes without saying a word. 

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home? 

I love making a simple dish, like a fresh tortilla with cheese, cream, scrambled eggs, gallopinto and a quick avocado salad. It’s the kind of meal that feels like a hug and transports me back home.  

What customer behavior most annoys you? 

When a customer treats one of my team members with less respect or kindness than they would offer me. I believe in mutual respect across all levels. The magic of hospitality only thrives when everyone — guests and employees alike — feels seen, valued and appreciated.  

What’s your favorite dish to cook and why? 

Fried fish with tomato sauce and rice, just like Mireya from Masachapa, Nicaragua (a major influence on Chamorro’s cooking) makes it, is my absolute favorite. It’s a nostalgic recipe that transports me back to the coastal breeze, the rhythm of the waves, and the warmth of a family keeping their traditions alive with love. Every time I prepare this dish, I feel deeply connected to my roots, to home, and to the simple joys of life. Cooking isn’t just about the food, it’s about preserving a piece of something timeless and meaningful. 

What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?  

Our yuca gnocchi served with a rich, delicate lobster bisque demands precision and patience. Yuca can be unpredictable, and achieving the right texture for gnocchi requires a delicate balance: too soft and it falls apart, too firm and it loses its melt-in-your-mouth quality. Then there’s the bisque, which needs layers of flavors to develop, offering depth and elegance. But, when it all comes together, it is magic. It’s a dish that humbles me every time, reminding me of the importance of attention to detail and the heart put into each step. 

As a head chef, what are you like? Are you a disciplinarian? Or are you more laidback? 

I’m a very passionate chef who holds high standards, but I believe that the best kitchens are built on mutual respect, joy and collaboration. I lead with kindness and purpose because a great service should feel like a well-rehearsed dance with people you trust.  

 Chef Gabriela’s passion fruit ceviche 

Ingredients:  

500g organic seabass, diced into ½ inch pieces 

120g passion-fruit puree 

80g coconut cream 

50g red onions  

10g ginger 

15g garlic 

10g coriander stems 

10g celery 

3g salt 

Passion fruit coconut cream preparation:  

Peel and clean the onions, use only the hearts. 

Remove the leaves from the coriander, only use the stems. 

Peel garlic and ginger. 

Dice all the vegetables. 

Coarsely blend all the ingredients on medium speed along with the passion fruit puree.  

Strain through a fine mesh. 

Combine with the coconut cream and blend on medium speed. 

Refrigerate until ready to use.  

Plating:  

Place the raw fish in a serving bowl, pour the passion fruit coconut cream on top of it, and garnish according to taste. 


Fashion and family: Amir Adnan heiress takes father’s legacy forward with sustainable vision

Fashion and family: Amir Adnan heiress takes father’s legacy forward with sustainable vision
Updated 22 May 2025
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Fashion and family: Amir Adnan heiress takes father’s legacy forward with sustainable vision

Fashion and family: Amir Adnan heiress takes father’s legacy forward with sustainable vision
  • Parishae Adnan, 30, celebrates taking over as CEO with debut collection Nakhlistan, which means oasis 
  • Aims to take her father’s iconic brand into future rooted in climate sustainability, cultural integrity

KARACHI: The name Amir Adnan has been synonymous with menswear in Pakistan for over 35 years. 

Adnan launched the eponymous men’s fashion wear brand in 1990 and several sub-brands since, and is widely credited for glamorizing the long-sleeved sherwani outer coat in modern times.

Now, it’s time for his daughter Parishae Adnan to take the helm of Adnan’s fashion empire as CEO and transition the company, Shapar Private Limited, into a future rooted in climate sustainability and cultural integrity.

Last week, Parishae, a 30-year-old managerial economics graduate, launched the company’s summer collection, Nakhlistan, which means oasis, a show she has conceptualized and that she exhibited as a formal celebration of her appointment as CEO in May 2024. 

“It absolutely feels incredible, I feel a lot of gratitude, taking the legacy forward,” Parishae told Arab News in an interview last week.

Adnan said it was always clear that his children would take over the business. 

“My children were raised while we were working in the workshops, and they’ve been seeing this all along. My eldest daughter, Parishae, she worked with me for three years and now she’s become the CEO of the company,” he told Arab News.

“It’s not common, especially in this industry that we are working in, the fashion industry, to see legacy go on from one generation to another.”

The picture shared by Parishae Adnan on September 28, 2018, shows Parishae Adnan (left) posting for a picture with her father, Amir Adnan, at Fashion Pakistan Week 2018. (Parishae Adnan)

And Parishae has plans for her father’s company, with her major aim being to introduce and integrate environmentally conscious practices into its operations.

“We need to do anything, even if it’s a little small step,” said Parishae, who explored fields like acting, hospitality, IT, and supply chain before finally embracing fashion designing.

“One of the first things I did was I changed our packaging material, making it recyclable.” 

In 2021, she launched the ‘House of Parishae,’ a collection grounded in sustainable couture, with her debut show featuring 35 pieces created entirely from upcycled clothing, extending the life cycle of garments and promoting conscious consumption.

“The idea that couture, high end couture luxury can come out of upcycling or recycling, it’s not an idea that was digestible to the public in Pakistan,” the designer said, pointing to inspirations like Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. 

“People here usually don’t go for that concept for their event wear. They don’t want to spend so much money if it’s going to be recycled or upcycled.”

But Parishae is resolved to take her vision forward — all the while staying true to what she has in common with her father: a deep connection to Pakistan’s cultural identity. 

The designs of Adnan, who was born in Lahore to a bureaucratic father and a mother from the royal family of Dhaka, often draw inspiration from the sartorial heritage and timeless attire of South Asian nobles.

“If I go back in time and I look at my forefathers, photographs or paintings, they actually wore what I’m making right now, literally,” Adnan said.

Parishae too sees cultural identity as central to her vision, especially in an increasingly globalized and digitally connected world.

“As globalization is on a rise, it is even more important in this day and age to understand where your roots are coming from and it’s even more important to keep an identity, a cultural identity, in order for you to realize who you are and where you belong to,” she said.

“I wanted to be a pioneer for change, not in the West because they already have that. It’s actually trying to help us here because you never know, there might be a next generation that looks at this story and gets inspired by it and says, ‘Let’s go, it’s been done before, we can do it better’.”

And her father is proud. 

“For every parent, whether you’re a father or a mother, it’s always your dream to see your children outdo you,” Adnan said. 

“For me to see my daughter excel in my lifetime ... is one of the best gifts I could have asked from Allah.”


Julian Assange open to political action as Cannes hosts documentary

Julian Assange open to political action as Cannes hosts documentary
Updated 21 May 2025
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Julian Assange open to political action as Cannes hosts documentary

Julian Assange open to political action as Cannes hosts documentary
  • WikiLeaks founder makes surprise showing at festival
  • The Six Billion Dollar Man documentary premiered at Cannes and it highlights Assange's extradition fight

CANNES: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is at the Cannes Film Festival this week for the documentary “The Six Billion Dollar Man,” is thinking about how to become politically active again once he has fully recovered from prison, said his wife, Stella.
Assange, 53, returned to his native Australia after pleading guilty last June under an agreement with US officials to one count of illegally obtaining and disclosing national security materials.
The plea ended Assange’s five-year stay in a British prison, which followed seven years at the Ecuadorian embassy as he sought to avoid extradition to Sweden on sexual assault allegations.
Assange denied those allegations and called them a pretext to extradite him to the United States over WikiLeaks.
WikiLeaks in 2010 released hundreds of thousands of classified US military documents on Washington’s wars in Afghanistan and Iraq — the largest security breaches of their kind in US military history — along with swaths of diplomatic cables.
“He was in a very grave situation in the prison. He’s recovering from that,” Stella Assange told Reuters in Cannes.
“But now he’s coming to understand how grave the situation outside (prison) is and thinking, making plans to find the means of what to do about it,” she added.
“He’s very, very concerned about the state of the world and the state that we’re all in right now,” said Stella, who met Assange in London in 2011 while working as part of his legal team.
Julian and Stella Assange, wearing a brooch with a picture of British designer Vivienne Westwood holding a sign saying “Stop Killing,” walked the red carpet on Wednesday evening.
Julian has so far not spoken at any of his appearances.
Assange’s extradition fight 
The documentary from Emmy-winning director Eugene Jarecki takes on the tone of a high-tech international thriller to recount Assange’s fight against extradition, using WikiLeaks footage and archives, and previously unpublished evidence.
Jarecki, who began filming before Assange was released, said he never expected to see him walk around Cannes as a free man.
By inviting Assange, the festival was sending a message about the need for freedom of information and a free press, Jarecki told Reuters, as those values are in decline in many parts of the world according to an index from Reporters without Borders.
The director called Assange “a canary in the coal mine” in foretelling the US government’s current moves to exert more control over media access to US President Donald Trump.
“If we had taken that bit more seriously, we might have seen a bunch of this coming,” said the US director.
Assange’s lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, told Reuters that the film portrayed the WikiLeaks founder as he should be shown.
“This film is absolutely necessary in terms of telling the story of free speech and what Julian Assange, his case means for the world, not just for him, but for the world,” she said.


Tradition drives the contemporary at Downtown Design Riyadh fair

Tradition drives the contemporary at Downtown Design Riyadh fair
Updated 21 May 2025
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Tradition drives the contemporary at Downtown Design Riyadh fair

Tradition drives the contemporary at Downtown Design Riyadh fair
  • Rugs, light fixtures, furniture seek to redefine modern design
  • Carpet ‘The Noorah’ based on Saudi Arabia textiles on display

RIYADH: Design is always evolving, but at Riyadh’s first Downtown Design fair, it is tradition that is shaping the contemporary.

From elegant, oversized rugs to gleaming light fixtures and bold statement chairs, artisanal pieces line up the exhibition halls at Riyadh’s JAX District, showcasing a medley of heritage pieces that are redefining what modern design looks like.

Trame Paris’ collaboration with Maison L. Drucker brings new meaning to Parisian cafe bistro chairs. The “Enlace” collection utilizes an algorithm to generate unique digital patterns that make every customizable chair a one-of-a-kind piece.

Ismail Tazi, founder of Trame, said they were “continuing this conversation between technology and craftsmanship.”

He added that as an Arab he was “very proud because ‘algorithm’ is derived from Al-Khwarizmi — a Muslim scholar who was born in today’s Uzbekistan.

“So it’s really something that represents me today and how I’m looking to balance my own heritage and still be part of this cultural revolution and define a new Arab aesthetic within this digital revolution.”

Iwan Maktabi, a brand that specializes in contemporary takes on antique rugs, displayed a number of eye-catching carpets — particularly a piece called “The Noorah.”

Made of handwoven wool and silk, the black base of the wall rug stands out with pink, orange, and silver accents, embellished with gold motifs; and is inspired by traditional Saudi Arabic textiles.

Jordan-based Naqsh Collective centralizes the concept of engravings, which is one of the first forms of art.

Blending architecture and design with traditional embroidery methods, their work becomes a mode for storytelling. One of the pieces on display is derived from the embellishments on women’s thobes, specifically around the collar.

Nermeen Abudail, co-founder of the collective, said: “In this piece, we talk about how the ladies did their embroidery in the backyards. They sat together collectively creating motifs inspired by their flora and fauna.

“Each pattern comes from a region. Amulets, flowers, cyprus trees — each holds a name, comes from a region and tells a story of why it was embroidered.”

Each piece is hand-cut, inlaid, and finished with solid brass on walnut wood.

The four-day event, running until May 23, showcases collectible works and ultra-high-end collections presented by international galleries, independent designers and manufacturers.


Brad Pitt’s ‘F1 The Movie’ to premiere in Abu Dhabi this June

Brad Pitt’s ‘F1 The Movie’ to premiere in Abu Dhabi this June
Updated 21 May 2025
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Brad Pitt’s ‘F1 The Movie’ to premiere in Abu Dhabi this June

Brad Pitt’s ‘F1 The Movie’ to premiere in Abu Dhabi this June

ABU DHABI: Brad Pitt’s Formula 1 film will return to Abu Dhabi for its regional premiere on June 25, ahead of its official Middle East release on June 26.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, “F1 The Movie” was partly shot at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by FORMULA 1 (@f1)

The Apple Original Films production follows fictional former driver Sonny Hayes (Pitt) as he returns to Formula 1 decades after a career-ending crash, teaming up with a struggling race team and a hotshot rookie played by Damson Idris.

The cast and crew will return to Abu Dhabi for the red-carpet premiere after filming 29 days across the emirate, including at Yas Marina Circuit and Zayed International Airport. The production involved 284 local crew members and 15 interns, supported by local partner Epic Films and the Abu Dhabi Film Commission’s rebate scheme.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Warner Bros. (@warnerbros)

Mohamed Dobay, of the Creative Media Authority, called the return “a fitting closing moment” to a project that has made a significant impact on Abu Dhabi’s creative economy. The film is one of 180 major productions supported by the Abu Dhabi Film Commission since 2013.