Art - you can’t beat it, but, you can burn it, which is what Pablo Picasso, the father of post-modern paintings did to keep himself warm as a struggling artist. I bring this to your attention because many of the paintings that survived his own personal conflagration can be seen for the first time in the UAE in Abu Dhabi - a superb treat for the thousands of art lovers across the Emirates.

Picasso had his first exhibition at the tender age of 13 - albeit in the back room of an umbrella store - so during his full 90 plus years he managed an odd masterpiece or two. In fact a total of 186 works will be displayed at the Gallery One of Emirates Palace until September, many of which are said to display the connection that Spain has with the Arabic world, especially the south of the country.

Abu Dhabi is setting itself up as the art capital of the Middle East which means we should get more of these kinds of treats. It is a massive coup for the capital to have pulled this off - Abu Dhabi is the second city and the only Middle Eastern venue on a nine nation tour which kicked off in Madrid.

Personally, I am hoping a Saatchi tour comes next. Anyone who has seen one of Maurice Saatchi’s more challenging collections - with old favourites such as the Chapman Brothers, Damian Hirst, and Tracey Emin thrown in - would love to see how Picasso’s siblings thrice removed would go down in the region.

Sponsored by the Tourism and Development Investment Company (TDIC) and Mubadala Development Company, the exhibition runs between May 27-September 4. The exhibition is open 10am-10pm everyday with Tuesdays 10am-4pm reserved for women only.

There will be an informal, multi media evening called Artscape on the 17 June.

For more information you can call 02 6908206.

The UAE has Bon Jovi mania at the moment.

News about the band is in newspapers and magazines, the music is getting more airplay than ever before and I am pretty sure it is only a matter of time before leather pants and bouffant rocker wigs appear in shop windows.

The rumours of a Bon Jovi concert in Dubai seem to have been around since we started Time Out magazine more than five years ago.

And now its official. They’re coming. Not to Dubai, but neighbouring Abu Dhabi. But this is one of those events it is worth making the drive across the country for.
Like Elton John and JustinTimberlake before them, Bon Jovi will be playing at the Emirates Palace.

I chatted to Tico Torres and Richie Sambora from the band on the phone the other night and these guys are very excited about the gig. Their first in the Middle East. See more extracts from that interview over on Ahlanlive right now.

As ever Time Out will be bringing you the best coverage of the event in the run up to the gig.

But you have got to get your tickets quick.

I’ve just put my head around the door of a very busy ticket office at Time Out towers. My colleagues there started selling tickets at noon today and they tell me the demand is very high.

My advice is to snap them up while you still can to avoid disappointment.

There are less than four weeks to go, but until then enjoy the video below. Bon Jovi in all their hairspray glory:

Hello Mr President, I understand this will be your first visit to Dubai since you moved into the Oval Office.

Rumour is that you booked all the Palace Suites at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.

Very nice. I am sure you will be very comfortable there.

It is, after all, one of Time Out’s Abu Dhabi favourites.

And your room looks nice.

Make sure you make time to grab a bite to eat at some time during your stay.

The hotel scooped three prizes at the Time Out Abu Dhabi Restaurant Awards last year.

I recommend the lamb chops marinated in orange and parsley at the hotel’s Anar restaurant.

It is a little bit pricey but they accept American Express so you should be OK.

Then you’ll be here in Dubai on Monday.

Don’t forget about your work-life balance.

Yes, you will be concentrating on diplomatic duties. But, if you do have time for some fun, Dubai’s got a lot to offer a man like you.

This itinerary should help. Hope you enjoy it - we’ve tried to include some of your favourite things.

Start your day in Dubai with a hearty Tex-Mex breakfast. Just like you would enjoy back home. The Hard Rock Cafe is one of the first stops on the road in from Abu Dhabi and seems like a good place to start your day.

After getting your fill of good old fashioned Texan food you can cross Shaikh Zayed Road for a game of golf. The Emirates Golf Club is going to be host to some of your finest sportsmen later in the month. Tiger will be here and it is important that you work on this swing:

Or how about a spot of fishing? You once said that your finest moment since coming to office was catching a big perch in your lake. What better way to crown your Middle East visit than by beating this personal highlight? There is some great sea fishing to be done if you care to venture out into the gulf.

If you forgot to bring your rod then a simple afternoon of sailing is a great way to explore the region.

You’ll be hungry after this, so stop in at Johnny Rockets. Just trust us. it is your type of place.

In the evening we have a real treat. The new season of the Dubai Little League starts this week. The first game of the new season is actually on Friday so you might miss out on that. But all week there will be lots of baseball activity as umpires get their last bit of training and uniforms are dished out. The standard might not be as high as the Texas Rangers when you used to own them. But it a good start.

Finally, you should make time to visit the President Hotel. It might not be as luxurious as the Emirates Palace but it does have your title up in lights above the front door.

Enjoy your trip!

Elton John has announced he is coming to the UAE.

 This is going to be absolutely huge.

Get your tickets here. They’re bound to sell out fast so avoid disappointment.

Click the video below to get a preview of the great man on stage.

 Our friends over at Ahlanlive have got more news about Elton’s upcoming visit. Check it out.