Slip-on socks
It's summer and as well as the choice of clothes from your wardrobe being limited, so are your shoes. It's hot folks, and heat, beating down on your ballet-pump cladded foot as you walk from car to office unfortunately equals sweat. And sweat in closed pumps means, unless you are a very lucky and blessed individual, that your feet will smell. Help is at hand. Wear these tiny, hardly noticeable slip on socks with your favourite high heels, pumps and other shoes you might otherwise avoid wearing in the heat. I found mine at Daiso in Abu Dhabi's Al Wahda Mall.
* Felicity Campbell
'Best kept secret' that proves itself
"Best kept secret" is a moniker that's flung around rather haphazardly these days. Bice Sky Bar at the top of the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Resort even goes so far as to self-proclaim it. Nonetheless, we are amazed that this low-lit spot has so far skipped our radar. Unmarred views across the Arabian Gulf from the 10th floor, the sound of the waves echoes up to the terrace and, at this stickier time of year, the elevation snags the cooler breeze coming in from the sea. Bear in mind, this place errs a little on the romantic side. But it is a fine (slightly pricey) alternative from being among the masses sweating it out down below and you can order from Bice's Italian menu, too. Daily, 6pm-2.30am, (04) 318 2520.
* Christopher Lord
Scanbox
The world is becoming evermore geared towards the mobile worker. Wi-Fi is on tap in most cafes and employers are looking for those happy on the hoof. But there's one element of the paperless office that is yet to be triumphed - the scanner. Signing invoices and sending documents makes these boxes one of those unfortunately necessary hindrances.
Enter the Scanbox, a smart new invention by the Melbourne-based designer Phil Bosua that has trounced its US$12,500 (Dh46,000) target on the crowd-funding website Kickstarter and will soon go into production. The Scanbox's simple design (a box with a small window, basically) turns the camera on the back of any smartphone into a fully fledged A4 scanner. The device is completely collapsible making it easily storable in any laptop bag and the quality is also good enough to be a visual video aid during presentations. Want to get your hands on one? Just Google "Scanbox Kickstarter" for the pledging page, and $15 (Dh55 plus shipping) will have one winging its way to you next month.
* Christopher Lord
Combustion Vege Burger from Burger Fuel
I've never even approached the sort of burger obsession brandished by many out there, and only occasionally "let my hair down" with a patty, bun and miscellaneous salad mulch and sauce combo (usually at 3am when my taste buds have been all but annihilated). But my nearest branch of Burger Fuel (www.uae.burgerfuel.com) in the Dubai Marina has an item on its menu that has become something of a favourite in the Ritman household. Ignore any warning lights that start whirring with the sound dreaded V word (it unnerved me at first) and sample the delights of the marvellous Combustion Vege, laden with peanut sauce and sporting a healthy hint of cumin and coriander. It even comes without the usual post-fast food remorse (well, assuming you've avoided the rather nice kumara fries, which is going to be hard).
* Alex Ritman
Bought it, love it, can't live without it
Microplanes are, quite simply, brilliant. These super-sharp graters allow you to mince garlic and ginger in seconds, zest lemons and limes with ease and grate nutmeg, cheese and chocolate very finely indeed. I guarantee this simple, inexpensive gadget will save you time in the kitchen and quickly become an indispensable part of your kit. In fact, I'd even go so far as to urge you to buy two; one for pungent raw garlic, ginger and the like and the other for chocolate, citrus fruits and spices. Microplanes can be bought from kitchen equipment stores such as Tavola. Prices start around Dh85.
* Emily Shardlow