Things to do in the UAE this week, from market pop-ups to special dinners

There are plenty of things to do in the UAE this week — foodies in Dubai can book a seat at a special chef's table event in DIFC, while artists in Abu Dhabi can learn from a veteran in digital animation. Here, The National rounds up seven things you can do from February 6 to February 12. Emirati artist Jalal Luqman is hosting a digital animation workshop at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi. A prominent figure on the art scene, Luqman is a mixed media artist, who has been instrumental in the introduction of digital art in the UAE and the wider region. He is a sculptor, curator and author, whose work has been shown in the US, UK, China and Japan, among other locations. The masterclass is part of a series of Luqman's digital art workshops that will run until March. Entry to the class costs Dh240. More information is available at culturalfoundation.ae . The annual Ataya Exhibition is taking place this week at the Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, where local and international vendors will have a range of products on offer — from fashion to homewares. Entry to the event costs Dh75 and will benefit Ataya's Nahr Al Hayat fund, which helps finance health and medical services for children in underprivileged communities. The exhibition is open from 3pm to 10pm and will run until Friday. Chef Bethany Kehdy is taking over the kitchen of Boca in DIFC for a special three-night dining experience, traversing the diverse culinary scene of West Asia and North Africa. Kehdy, a bestselling cookbook author who lives in Dubai, is a passionate advocate of the region's cuisine — covering the Armenian highlands, parts of the Caucasus, Anatolia, Cyprus, the Levant, the Sinai Peninsula, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Iraq and North Africa. The dinner is part of Kehdy's advocacy to change how people refer to the region. She believes it should be Wana, instead of Middle East and North Africa (Mena), which she says "blurs our identity and location, depriving us of our own self-identification, self-determination and self-worth". The Once Upon A Time in West Asia and North Africa dinner pop-up starts on Tuesday, and will run until Thursday. 7pm-10pm; from Dh545; DIFC; 04 323 1833 Celebrate World Pizza Day at American smokehouse Brew House, which is offering a buy one, get one free deal on a variety of pizzas . The menu includes classics, such as Margherita and pepperoni pizzas, as well as specialty pies topped with wild mushroom and pulled beef. The offer is available from noon to midnight, and by 9.30pm, resident musician Randy will take to the stage to provide entertainment throughout the night. Noon-midnight; prices vary; Business Bay; 050 448 0493 Home-grown cafe Spill the Bean in Dubai is hosting a single-day wellness market in Sustainable City. The pop-up will run for six hours, from 9am to 3pm. Local vendors and artisans will be on site selling products with a focus on sustainability. Some of the pieces for sale include natural candles, handmade jewellery, as well as items of clothing. Emirates Bio Farm will also be at the pop-up to sell fresh produce. Visitors can also take part in a complimentary yoga class. Japan's popular DJ Koco is playing at Honeycomb Hi-Fi in Business Bay, Dubai. The DJ, also referred to as Shimokita in Japan, is known for his distinctive sound combining hip-hop , rare funk and obscure disco. He is regarded as an expert in using 45 rpm discs, 7-inch vinyls that are known in the industry to be difficult to move, scratch with and manipulate. Koco calls himself a vinyl nerd. Three seating options are available, from 9pm to 1.30am — the first seating is without a minimum spend or cover charge; for the second two seatings, indoors cost Dh450 per person and Dh350 for the terrace spots. More information is available on Honeycomb Hi-Fi's Instagram page The InClassica International Music Festival in Dubai opens Sunday, with performances by Japanese violinist Fumiaki Miura, Italian conductor Massimiliano Caldi and the Turkish Cukurova State Symphony Orchestra. The show marks the beginning of a 20-day classical music festival, as part of which musicians from around the world will perform in the emirate, including a pianist and an orchestra. Other performers in the festival include the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan and the Savaria Symphony Orchestra. Tickets start at Dh150. More information available at inclassicaconcerts.com .

Things to do in the UAE this week, from market pop-ups to special dinners

Food, music and charity take are in the spotlight