My Abu Dhabi
Chad Glass is the man behind Maya Fridays beach parties in the capital
I live near the airport so I always find it’s a bit cooler than the city, and I try and get out jogging and walking as much as possible at Yas Park [1]. I’m a big fan of Hanoi Naturally [2], the Vietnamese restaurant at Al Muneera. I love the coconut curry and my wife generally goes with the beef broth. The staff are friendly and the tasty food is simple, fresh and affordable. Saadiyat Beach [3] is still one of my favourite places in Abu Dhabi, after working here for the past three years at Turquoiz at the St Regis Saadiyat Island. Turquoiz has shut to become Buddha BarBeach and I’m pretty sure it’ll be one of the go-to places when it opens. Driving up Jebel Hafeet [4] is a great way to spend a day. I haven’t been for a while but the drive down is brilliant. I love the views and clear air at the top of the mountain. We tend to grab a coffee outside at the Mercure Hotel while there. Next up, I have a shameless plug, as I DJ at their rooftop bar, but I like Catch [5] off the Corniche. The staff are fantastic. I love to head out on my friend’s boat a couple of times a month to wakeboard around Yas Marina [6]. I’m not the greatest and find I spend more time in the water than on the board, but it’s a brilliant day out. My last one is the Louvre [7], which hasn’t opened yet but it’s on my bucket list of things to do – I’ve lived here nine years and this is one of the most exciting projects to open in the capital in that time.