Spiralling therapist or kitchen chaos? What to watch first from Emmy nominations
From dramas to comedies, some of the most highly rated TV series from 2025 have made the list, including Adolescence, The Last of Us and the latest season of The White Lotus. Some of the shows that Enas and Farah have recommended before on the podcast made the cut, such as The Bear 's new season, and Shrinking, a comedy about a grieving therapist who says too much.
Also in this episode, the hosts explore the Arabic roots of common English words and trace their journeys. Coffee, for example, originated in Yemen and evolved from the Arabic word ' qahwa '. Others are less commonly known, such as candy – which evolved from the word 'qandi' meaning sugar, and hazard, taking its root from 'al-zahr', or dice, an object used in games of chance.
Enas and Farah talk about the spread of the Arabic language through ancient trade and how it reflects the region's golden era of knowledge and innovation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arabian Business
33 minutes ago
- Arabian Business
Dubai shopping malls launch virtual worlds on Roblox platform
Dubai shopping malls have been recreated as virtual worlds inside the globally popular Roblox gaming platform. As part of Dubai Summer Surprises, Mall of the Emirates and City Centres are revolutionising the shopping experience with the virtual activation. For the first time ever, players worldwide can explore, play, compete, and win in fully reimagined digital versions of these iconic malls. Dubai malls launch in Roblox Inside Roblox, gamers can navigate interactive maps and enjoy custom-built mini-games. At Mall of the Emirates, players can race through the Ski Dubai Coin Collector game, dashing through a snowy virtual landscape to collect coins and unlock surprises inspired by the real ski attraction. They can also tackle the paced Store Parkour challenge, jumping and dodging through zones themed around fashion, beauty, and entertainment. City Centres' virtual world offers equally thrilling experiences with the Super Park Coin Collector course and Store Parkour challenges designed to test speed and skill. This innovative move targets a new generation of mall enthusiasts—especially Gen Z—who thrive in online gaming environments. By merging the physical and digital shopping worlds, Majid Al Futtaim is making mall visits more interactive than ever.
The National
12 hours ago
- The National
Founding Flavours: Inside Fishmarket, the 37-year-old Abu Dhabi restaurant where Muhammad Ali dined
Founding Flavours is a new series from The National celebrating the UAE's culinary pioneers and the restaurants that helped shape the country's cultural identity The sea bream lies on the board as Fishmarket's chef Sawai Jampakaew slices it open lengthways with the skill that comes from decades of repetition. The knife glides beneath the spine, then the belly, until the fish lies butterflied. 'He wanted the fish to be served elegantly, but without too much fuss,' the Thai national recalls. 'So it was seasoned lightly. And because he knew we specialised in Thai food, he ordered a green curry, not too spicy, to be served on the side. He was a very elegant man. His team said he liked things very organised.' Jampakaew is referring to then French president Jacques Chirac, who dined at the restaurant at InterContinental Abu Dhabi in 1997 during a state visit to the UAE. Instead of using the private room upstairs, reserved for guests of his stature, Chirac and entourage chose to sit among weekday diners at one of the tables along the restaurant's circular wall. The sea bream remains on the menu to this day. The moment lives on in more than memory. A photograph of Chirac with Jampakaew and hotel staff hangs on one of the restaurant's curved walls, part of a gallery documenting decades of distinguished visitors. There's also Muhammad Ali who visited the restaurant in the early 1990s, according to Jampakaew, with former staff recalling how tall he was and that he indulged in a seafood platter. Fishmarket opened in 1989 on the InterContinental's beachfront promenade, nine years after the hotel itself. The restaurant became one of Abu Dhabi's early ventures into luxury hospitality, offering a fresh concept for the capital: a Thai-run seafood spot where diners chose their own fish and the menu is on ice rather than the page. Guests would walk to the chilled display counter showcasing the freshest catch, select what they wanted, and instruct the chef on the cooking style and accompanying sauce – usually Thai green or red curry, sometimes Chinese-style with ginger and soy. Fried rice and noodles are offered on the side. The growing buzz reached the ears of Jampakaew, who had worked in small seafood restaurants in Bangkok before moving to Saudi Arabia in 1989 to work in industrial kitchens in Riyadh. He was ready to return to restaurant work – this time leading a team and cooking dishes he knew intimately. 'I didn't really hesitate, as this was the opportunity I'd been looking for,' he says. 'I arrived in Abu Dhabi and I remember we only had a total of six staff, so basically we were doing everything. Prepping, cooking, advising customers on which seafood to try and share, serving and cleaning. 'And you know what? This is what I loved about it immediately. For such a luxury hotel, this had the soul of a family restaurant, where everyone worked together without complaints. This was something the visitors maybe hadn't seen before in these kinds of big hotels.' Three decades on, Jampakaew is the longest-serving member of staff – greeting regular guests by name, remembering their favourite orders, and rarely changing the menu or its cooking methods. One exception is his version of the popular dynamite shrimp, made with a red Thai curry–based sauce instead of the usual mayonnaise-heavy mix. 'In the 1990s there were not many Thai chefs like there are now,' he says. 'For many, I was a point of contact, and I would advise them that Abu Dhabi was a great place to really show what you can do – because people here are good and provide good work environments.' Jampakaew didn't foresee the wider Thai hospitality footprint in the UAE, with hotel brands such as Anantara and Dusit Thani opening popular properties, and Thai chefs now working across the country. But a certain VIP guest did. Jampakaew says cooking for former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2009 – also seated in the general dining area – was not memorable for what he ordered (a stir-fried noodle dish with mussels and squid), but for what he said. 'He comes in, sees me, and says, 'You see? I see nearly 100 Thai people working in the UAE now,'' Jampakaew recalls. 'Then he looked at me and, in a very nice way, said 'thank you' for what I was doing to represent Thai culture in the UAE. That just made me feel so proud.' The famous visitors made headlines, but the real draw was consistency. 'You know why people come back?' asks Jampakaew. 'Because we don't change. Same fish, same way of cooking. I make butterfly fish the same way I learnt in Thailand. If the fish is good, don't touch too much. Make it clean. Let the flavour come out.' The restaurant itself has received only minor updates during broader hotel renovations over the decades. The original brown chairs were replaced with indigo-cushioned seating, and the gravel path leading to the restaurant became a wooden walkway. 'The rest is the same, and they didn't touch my kitchen. The food counter is the same,' Jampakaew says. 'I remember we were thinking 'why change something when it's working so good'?' That loyalty runs both ways. When he retired in 2018 after 26 years of service, former staff and long-time customers gathered to bid Jampakaew farewell in a tearful send-off. After a few months at home in Bangkok, he was surprised by how much he missed the kitchen, the regulars and the routine. So when he was asked to return to help galvanise Fishmarket as it emerged from pandemic-induced closure, Jampakaew didn't think twice. He rejoined in 2021. 'I wanted to come back because this restaurant deserves to get back to where it was,' he says. 'I knew I made the right choice because the customers were so happy I was back, and they made me feel like this is my home.' Now, he no longer knows when he will leave – and it doesn't matter. 'As you get older in this job, what you remember really is not how much money you made or what you did with it,' he says. 'It's about how you make people feel happy with your skills. I learnt that, like life, every customer is different. Some like spice, others don't. Some want extra lime, others prefer less herbs. Everyone is different – but if you remember what they like, they feel special.' After our conversation, Jampakaew returns to where we found him – at his cutting board, blade in hand, fresh fish waiting on ice. Fishmarket stands as a reminder that some things are worth keeping exactly as they are.
Harpers Bazaar Arabia
13 hours ago
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
Celebrate Book Lovers' Day with The Emirates Literature Festival's Summer Reading List
Award-winning stories from the Arab world and South Asia that are luminous, lyrical, and unforgettable Some books don't just tell stories – they pull you gently into other worlds. This summer, Ahlam Bolooki, CEO of the Emirates Literature Foundation, invites you to explore the quiet streets of Oman and the buzzing alleys of Cairo, with her selects of great summer reads, ahead of International Book Lovers Day on August 9. From memoirs of longing to novels full of wonder, the voices of these outstanding authors remind us that reading is not just an escape but an inlet to feeling more deeply, and experiencing the world in a new light. Wherever this season takes you, rest, recreation, or reflection — let these stories walk beside you. Hoda Barakat – Hind, or the Most Beautiful Woman in The World Winner – The Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) 2025 In her latest novel, Barakat's protagonist Hind lives with acromegaly — a condition that sets her apart from the world's idea of beauty. With quiet power, the novel explores loneliness, resilience, and what it truly means to be seen. A thoughtful exploration of the human body, identity, and the quiet dignity found at the periphery of society. Leila Aboulela – River Spirit Winner – PEN Pinter Prize 2025 Step into the life of Akuany, a young girl whose fate intertwines with Sudan's shifting terrain in the late 19th century. As colonial forces advance and uprisings swell, Akuany's world is remade — through loss, enslavement, and the unwavering care of Yaseen, a merchant whose promise binds their lives across years of upheaval. Hisham Matar – The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between Winner – Pulitzer Prize for Biography 2017 The biographical tale of a son for his father lost to the Libyan regime, this memoir is a deeply emotional tribute but one that serves as a tool of reflection. Written with restrained beauty, Matar's words ache with dignity. It is, quite simply, a masterpiece. Jokha Al Harthi – Celestial Bodies Winner – International Booker Prize 2019 This beautiful novel follows three sisters living in Oman as their lives gently shift between old traditions and new ways. Jokha's writing feels like a quiet conversation — full of love, loss, and the small moments that define mankind. It's a story about family, change, and the quiet power found in balancing the past and the future. Deena Mohamed – Shubeik Lubeik Winner – Grand Prize, Cairo Comix Festival Set in a city where wishes can be bottled and sold like commodities, this graphic novel trilogy blends magic, bureaucracy, and longing. Deena's Cairo is at once fantastical and deeply real. What sets Deena Mohamed apart is her innovating narration with intersecting story arcs and a visual design that is beautifully unique. Moo Abedin – Raiiken Awarded at MEFCC (Middle East Film & Comic Con) An epic graphic tale that draws on Gulf mythology and universal heroism. Moo Abedin's Raiiken is cinematic in scope and rich in cultural soul — a striking example of how Arab creativity is expanding across genres. Roxi Nafousi – Manifest: 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life Global Bestseller – Translated into 10+ Languages Part guide, part personal reflection, Roxi's voice is gentle and empowering. In a world that often feels uncertain, this book is like a candle lit just for you — a reminder that hope and healing are not far. Saud Al Sanousi – The Scrolls of Mud City Shortlisted – 2025 Sheikh Zayed Book Award Set in pre-oil Kuwait, this epic trilogy brings to life the experiences of fishermen, traders, and visionaries during a time of great change. The story draws on myths, beliefs, and history to offer a vivid and immersive portrait of Kuwaiti society. Al Sanousi's poetic prose is a landmark in Arabic literature that aptly captures the spirit of a nation standing at the threshold of transformation. Mehran Gul – The New Geography of Innovation Winner – Financial Times/McKinsey Bracken Bower Prize for writers under 35 Mehran's insightful non-fiction explores how creativity and innovation are reshaping cities and communities around the world, with a special focus on South Asia. This book takes readers beyond the usual tech hubs to reveal surprising places where creativity and progress bloom, often against the odds. A must-read for anyone curious about the future of innovation and how it touches lives in places we might not expect. Keshava Guha – The Tiger's Share Guha's latest novel dives into family tensions and changing traditions in contemporary Delhi. When their father decides to leave his estate elsewhere, siblings Tara and Rohit must face deep questions about inheritance, gender, and loyalty. Sharp, insightful, and full of heart, it's a powerful look at what family really means today. Images Supplied
