Dates for the diary

The Sheraton Bahrain Hotel is bringing festive activities to the kingdom this Christmas.

There will be a special Christmas Eve dinner buffet at Al Safir Restaurant from 7.30pm-11.30pm for BD13.900++ for adults. Children from four to 12 years get 50 per cent discount and below four years eat for free.

Christmas Day lunch at the same venue will feature roast turkey, tenderloin steak medallions, Christmas cakes and desserts for BD19.900++ for adults, with a 50 per cent discount for children aged four to 12 and free for under-fours.

Christmas Day dinner will be served from 7.30pm-11.30pm and is priced at BD12.900++ for adults, with the same pricing as above for kids.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa will host a Bahrain Food Festival on February 27 from 10am onwards. It will start with the Farmers’ Market, where guests can savour traditional Bahraini breakfast or to refresh themselves with a saffron juice. In the afternoon, BBQ and live cooking stations will be set-up at Overlook.

For more information, call 17586499 or email rc.bahrz.restaurant.reservations@ritzcarlton.com

This festive season, a Spanish Christmas meal will be offered at La Vinoteca Barcelona, Adliya, while a traditional Christmas lunch or dinner will be served at Café Amsterdam.

La Vinoteca Barcelona will offer an array of Spanish dishes. Choose from four different menu selections, including the ‘traditional’ (BD26++ per person), the ‘innovation’ menu (BD23++ per person), the ‘tapas’ menu (BD23++ per person), and lastly, the menu designed for large groups and parties, the ‘food pass’, carried out in a finger buffet style (BD22++ per person).

Alternatively, you can enjoy a more traditional Christmas instead at Café Amsterdam.

There is a three-course set menu for BD19++ per person, a ‘feast’ option for BD24++ and another ‘food pass’ menu available for BD19++ per person.

Beverage packages and takeaway menus are also available if ordered by tomorrow.

There will also be a Boxing Day brunch combining both restaurants on December 26, from noon to 5pm at BD26++ per person.

For more information or for reservations, call La Vinoteca Barcelona on 17007808 or 32000171, or Café Amsterdam on 17007404 or 32000177.

In celebration of National Day, City Centre Bahrain is exhibiting 10 C-shaped works of art throughout the mall for shoppers to enjoy.

The giant C-shaped canvases, designed by a group of talented artists from across the kingdom as well as from the Bahrain Arts Society, were inspired by the theme - ‘A Tribute to the Kingdom’. Each structure represents a part of Bahrain’s rich heritage and culture and will be on display until December 31.

For details, visit www.Facebook.com/CityCentreBahrain or www.citycentrebahrain

Today (December 17)

The third round of the 2014/2015 Bahrain National Drag Racing Championship takes place this week at the Bahrain International Circuit. The meeting will kick off with a Test and Tune session tonight. This will be followed by Qualifying tomorrow and Race Day on Friday.

More than 100 drag racers from around the Gulf, as well as a handful from the US, are expected to take part in 13 different categories with 10 for cars and three for motorbikes.

Tickets can be purchased at the gate and cost BD2 for the Test and Tune night. For Qualifying and Race Day, tickets are BD5 for both days at the Start Line Grandstand, while tickets are BD3 for both days at the Batelco Grandstand. Tickets are half-price for children aged up to 12.
 
The Bahrain International Circuit is hosting a National Day Festival. The event will feature live music from local musicians such as Khalid Fouad, Miami and Yousef Alomani, as well as children’s entertainment, cultural shows, a bazaar and fireworks display.

The event will run from 4pm-10pm and entry is free. For more information, call 17451099.

Words BookstoreCafé, Budaiya, is featuring an exhibition titled ‘Picture a Story’, which showcases the works of artists and illustrators as they visually describe a piece of literature that inspired them.

The event starts at 7pm.

The Bahrain Noor El Ain Festival is running across the kingdom until February 16, offering numerous shopping bargains. For more information, call 17000710.

Seef Mall is celebrating Bahrain’s National Day by hosting a community arts initiative. The event will run until December 27 and showcase traditional Bahraini games, music and handicrafts.

Tomorrow (December 18)
Popular organist and composer Alistair Auld, former director of the Manama Singers, will hold an organ recital at St Christopher’s Cathedral in Manama at 6pm.

Tickets cost BD5 and are available from the cathedral office. Children enter free. Call 17253866 for more details.

The Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa is beginning its holiday season festivities with the lighting of its Christmas tree and a choir performing traditional carols. The event will start at 6pm in the hotel’s Saraya Restaurant.

The Royal Country Club’s Family Movie Night takes place in the gardens from 6pm. All are welcome to attend and entry is free. Festive family favourites will be shown over the Christmas period.

The Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa, Seef, hosts a Seafood Night every Thursday at its Lemon Tree restaurant. On offer are lobsters, shrimps, octopuses and more. The cost is BD14++ for adults.

Friday (December 19)
The Baharat restaurant at Le Meridien Bahrain City Centre is hosting a ‘Fizz Fare’ brunch every Friday until January 2. Running from 12.30pm-4pm, the brunch will have many varieties of sparkling selected beverages on offer and features numerous international live cooking stations and an assortment of international classics and modern fusions.

The brunch will be accompanied by popular Bahrain jazz duo Two Blue.

For reservations, call 17171000 or email restaurants.BCC@starwoodhotels.com

Head to the Royal Golf Club for its Links Friday Carvery Brunch, which includes a range of starters, live cooking stations, traditional carved meats, desserts and more.

There’s also a special section for children. The brunch, from noon to 4pm, costs BD18 net for adults, including unlimited selected soft drinks, and BD27 net for adults, with unlimited selected house beverages. It’s BD9.500 net for under-12s and children aged four and under eat for free.

For details, call 17751262.

The Lemon Tree, at the Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa, Seef, hosts a Friday Family Brunch from noon until 4pm. The buffet includes dishes from around the world, including Middle Eastern favourites, plus live cooking stations and entertainment. There are also activities for children. The brunch costs BD18++ for adults and BD9++ for kids.

The hotel’s Tea Garden Café also has a ‘High Tea’ offer, which includes a collection of tea, pastries, sweets, sandwiches and cookies every day from 3pm-6pm for BD7++.

Saturday (December 13)
A Bahrain Farmers’ Market is being held at the Botanical Gardens, Budaiya, from 8am until noon.

The Westin Bahrain City Centre has set up a cookie decorating station at City Centre Bahrain’s Winter Tales display in the Central Galleria. Bring your children along and decorate home-made gingerbread. For BD2 you can decorate one cookie and all proceeds will go to The Palm Association, which directly helps needy Bahraini families.  The station will be open today from 3pm-6pm.

For additional information, call 17171441 or email restaurants.BCC@starwoodhotels.com

Tuesday (December 16)
JJ’s Irish Restaurant, Adliya, is hosting another season of its annual Karaoke Idol contest. Back for its 10th year, the Grand Final takes place tonight. The winner will receive BD1,000.

For more information, call Siyana on 39329083.