Here's How To Make The Most of Your Eid Weekend At-Home

Since staying in is the new going out, as Eid arrives, MOJEH recommends ways to celebrate this very special occasion with fashion, film, art, music and travel – all while staying safely at home

THE JOY OF TRAVEL PLAYLIST
We may not be able to jet off anywhere for the long weekend this Eid, but this can’t stop you from enjoying the thrill of a longed-for luxury getaway. At a time when international travel is not possible, One&Only has created an exclusive playlist, curated by friends of the brand from around the world to celebrate ‘The Joy of Travel’. Including songs that evoke personal memories from past travels, the playlist has been curated by the luxury hotel chain specifically to enjoy at home, to inspire wanderlust and dreams of future discovery of incredible locations, once the world is open to be explored again.

Contributors range from fashion designers Clare Waight Keller and Emilia Wickstead, to culinary personalities Giorgio Locatelli and Mauro Colagreco, as well as acclaimed sporting stars, adventurers, influential editors, renowned actors, models and luxury furniture designers. Comprising all manner of mood-enhancing music, from 60s classics to rousing road trip anthems and mellow chill-out tunes, it’s the ultimate ‘stay-at-home-whilst-cultivating-your-wanderlust’ soundtrack. The full track list can be found at Oneandonlyresorts.com and the playlist is available on Spotify.

WELLNESS AND WANDERLUST
If you’ve set this Eid weekend aside for some serious rest, relaxation and a chance to reflect on your lifestyle, download COMO Shambhala By My Side. Launched by the luxury hotel group this week, the new digital wellness companion brings together the holistic expertise honed at both Como Shambhala Urban Escape in Singapore and Como Hotels and Resorts wellness locations around the world.

Giving users the opportunity to access Como’s rich network of international experts, and provide a sanctuary for those seeking tranquility and inspiration to stay active during these uncertain times and beyond, the platform offers a comprehensive range of thoughtfully-created experiences led by a panel of internationally-accredited specialists, from meditation experts and nutritionists to life coaches and naturopaths in easy-to-follow video tutorials that can be accessed via a smartphone or a laptop from anywhere in the world. Offering some much-needed escapism from lockdown, think about it as pre and post-stay care by accessing Como’s lifestyle experts whilst we can’t travel to our favourite spa destinations. Csue.comoshambhala.com

HAUTE COUTURE BY CHRISTIAN DIOR
Missing this season’s couture shows is another blow to the fashion industry thanks to Covid-19, so we’ll be taking an alternative route of fashion escapism this Eid weekend by going behind the scenes of the Christian Dior autumn-winter 1949 haute couture collection, courtesy of Dior’s YouTube channel, and indulging in Monsieur Dior’s captivating creations in this fascinating documentary, as narrated by the couturier himself.

With the founding of his House in 1947, defined by the New Look revolution, Dior transformed his dreams into irresistible creations and his visionary spirit enhanced the beauty of women around the world. “Couturiers embody one of the last refuges of the marvelous. They are, in a way, masters of dreams,” he said in his autobiography. Through the wonder and fantasy of his collections, Monsieur Dior became the magician who shaped his muses’ happiness. (Re)discover this exceptional story thanks to the delectable and engaging documentary Haute Couture, directed by Henri A. Lavorel in 1949, which notably reveals the secrets of 30 Avenue Montaigne and the creation of its icons, offering an extraordinary introduction to the founding couturier’s “kingdom of dreams” from the comfort of your sofa (or boudoir.) Watch here.

OBLONG ONLINE TOURS
Italian Art Gallery, Oblong Contemporary, has launched an online virtual gallery tour for its space on Dubai’s Blue Waters island, using the latest video graphics and techniques to showcase the gallery and all of its artworks. “Being an Italian and having a corresponding branch in Forte de Marmi, Tuscany, where Oblong started, the fight against COVID-19 is something very close to my heart,” says Paola Marucci, Founding Partner of Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery. “We have set-up our Dubai branch virtually so art lovers can continue to enjoy our conceptual art and sculptures, no matter the scenario. It is important that whilst we fight the virus in every way possible, we also try and prevent it from stopping our lives and love for art.”

The virtual tour will allow users to experience a spread of talented artists’ work, from a variety of different disciplines and backgrounds, including Colombian minimalistic marble sculptor, Gustavo Velez, hyper-realistic photography painter, Enrico Ghinato, conceptual animal sculptor Stefano Bombardieri, leading Latin American painter, Julio Larraz and classical sculptor, Igor Mitoraj, who echoed old Roman and Greek cultures with a post-modern twist. Oblongcontemporary.com

EXPLORING THE EARTH FROM YOUR SITTING ROOM
Discovery has the cure for explorers suffering from cabin fever this weekend, with an array of shows designed to let minds wander to lands afar, as part of the channel’s Destination:Escape curated special. From the bitter chills of Alaska, to the desert heat of our home city of Dubai, and everywhere in between, there’s hours of worldly adventures to help ease the itchy feet of avid explorers and adrenalin-seekers.

On our ‘must-watch’ list? Wild Dubai, which highlights the city’s heritage and important conservation work being carried out in reserves across the Emirate. Unearthing an array of unexpected – often hidden – species, such as the Arabian horned viper, flamingos, scorpions and mice, the documentary takes viewers beyond the city limits and into some the homes of these captivating creatures. We’ll be looking forward to exploring our city’s wildlife from the safety of the sofa on May 31.

STEP BACK IN TIME WITH RENE CAOVILLA
Loving your shoe collection is a given, but exploring the history of your favourite footwear brand makes every step in those beloved heels all the more meaningful. So why not indulge in luxury Italian shoe label René Caovilla’s four episode video story #CaovillaWonder, this long Eid weekend, and explore the excellence and Italian passion that has lasted almost a century. Covering the history of one of Italy’s most glamorous designer dynasties, it’s a shoe-loving girl’s must-watch. Find #caovillawonder world on @renecaovilla.

GROUNDBREAKING FILM FIRSTS
Nominated for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival, FEST International Film Festival and the London Film Festival, Saudi Arabian director Haifaa Al Mansour’s film ‘The Perfect Candidate’ launches exclusively to OSN Store this Sunday. Directed by one of the most significant female cinematic figures in the Kingdom ‘The Perfect Candidate’ tells the story of a young doctor Maryam (Mila Al Zahrani) who challenges protocol by standing as a candidate for the local municipality in Saudi Arabia.

Maryam’s only desire is for the dirt road outside the local hospital to be surfaced, but no one takes her modest political mission seriously. Depicting Maryam’s political mission as a multi-layered family drama, Al Mansour outlines how the new candidate is supported by her sisters and how her father, a musician, worries about her progressive values. On tour with his band in conservative areas, he realises Maryam’s mission is about creative openness and freedom of expression. Available on OSN Store from Sunday May 23, and launching on linear channels this July to coincide with the occasion of Eid Al Adha.

SAVE THE SEAS
Home schooling may well have run all your teaching reserves dry, but learning how to save the world’s sealife is something we’re never too exhausted to be a part of – especially when it’s coming from one of the world’s most beautiful destinations. Luxury hotel chain Six Senses have launched the At Home with Six Senses program, structured around the brand’s key wellness pillars of Mindfulness, Eat, Sleep, Move, Live Naturally and Connect. As part of this initiative, Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives has created the home-based Junior Marine Biology Program for budding conservationists – which can also be enjoyed by environmentally-passionate parents too.

With short videos and demonstrate activities hosted by the resort’s team of marine biologists, each week, the team take turns to introduce manta rays, corals, turtle and reef fish, as well as exploring seagrass and mangroves, the vital habitats for supporting a diversity of marine life. Broader topics cover science research, sustainability and how to stay involved over the longer term. Although the structure, by necessity, is slightly different to what children might enjoy on holiday in the Maldives, the objective is the same – aiming to help foster an understanding of marine biology and see first-hand the importance of marine conservation. Follow #AtHomeWithSixSenses on social media channels @SixSensesLaamu, @SixSensesHotelsResortsSpas and @SixSensesSpas; Sixsenses.com