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Culture Bites summer list: easy reads and flight-friendly flicks
Culture Bites summer list: easy reads and flight-friendly flicks

The National

time31-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The National

Culture Bites summer list: easy reads and flight-friendly flicks

On Culture Bites this week, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews offer some inspiration for a richer summer with their recommendations of what to read, watch and see during the holidays. For long flights, the hosts suggest skipping cinematic spectacles and opting instead for breezy, entertaining films that are more suitable for smaller screens. If video is not an option, Enas and Farah also share some ideas for podcasts and audiobooks to enjoy. The holidays are a good time to pick up a bingeable book. Farah recommends Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez for an easily digestible read. Enas's pick is The List by Yomi Adegoke, a novel about a journalist who seems to have it all until a list changes everything. For globetrotters planning a holiday to Amman or Edinburgh, the hosts also suggest standout museums and exhibits to visit there.

Spiralling therapist or kitchen chaos? What to watch first from Emmy nominations
Spiralling therapist or kitchen chaos? What to watch first from Emmy nominations

The National

time24-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The National

Spiralling therapist or kitchen chaos? What to watch first from Emmy nominations

This week on Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss their favourites from this year's 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.

Is it a bird? Superman and 'winged' Zayed National Museum
Is it a bird? Superman and 'winged' Zayed National Museum

The National

time17-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The National

Is it a bird? Superman and 'winged' Zayed National Museum

In this week's episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews give a preview of the Zayed National Museum which is set to open in December. The building has already become a landmark of Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Cultural District. Its five steel structures are shaped like feathers, inspired by the country's tradition of falconry, and the museum itself will tell the story of the UAE over 300,000 years. Enas and Farah highlight some of the main galleries to visit and notable pieces to view, including a full-scale replica of a Bronze Age Magan boat and an Iron Age stamp etched with a camel motif. On the big screen, James Gunn's new Superman has audiences drawing parallels between its storyline and real-life events. Social media users have drawn links from the film to Israel's war in Gaza, with references to military might and political dynamics. Farah has watched the film and talks to Enas about the scenes that appear to resemble the conflict.

Tips for a kid-friendly, cultural summer in Abu Dhabi
Tips for a kid-friendly, cultural summer in Abu Dhabi

The National

time10-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The National

Tips for a kid-friendly, cultural summer in Abu Dhabi

In this episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews offer some inspiration for an art-infused summer with respite from the heat. Enas discusses a family day out at Saadiyat Cultural District, including a stop at teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi. The Japanese multisensory digital art concept was founded in 2001 and has expanded across the globe, most recently to the UAE where it opened a 17,000-square metre space in April. Enas tells Farah about the installations that captivated her and the interactive features her children most enjoyed. In the entertainment world, Syrian television is preparing for a revival after US President Donald Trump removed sanctions on the country. For decades, Syrian dramas dominated screens across the Arab world but the civil war, and subsequent financial challenges, disrupted the industry. Farah and Enas talk about the creative and economic boost that easing sanctions will bring to Syrian actors and producers.

How big is Abu Dhabi's role in Brad Pitt's F1 film?
How big is Abu Dhabi's role in Brad Pitt's F1 film?

The National

time26-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The National

How big is Abu Dhabi's role in Brad Pitt's F1 film?

In this episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews join the hype around F1 The Movie, the thrilling motorsport film that was partly filmed in Abu Dhabi. The Nationa l's arts and culture editor William Mullally returns to the podcast to give his take on the film on its UAE cinema release day. He talks about the fine details that went into the production to make the race scenes as real as possible, and to capture the emotional experience of being a motorsport driver. He also gives some hints, but no spoilers, about the Yas Marina Circuit scenes in the movie and other Abu Dhabi landmarks that made the cut. With summer in full swing, the hosts suggest good books to read, inspired by The National 's staff. Farah shares some of her favourites, including All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. They also talk about the staff's picks, ranging from the classic Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres to the biographical The Ungrateful Refugee by Dina Nayeri.

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