January brings the new year and the time when we all embrace something new – a fitness regime, a hobby, a favourite haunt. But Dubai loves to buck a trend, so below we’ve rounded up four of the most fun new places to be found around the city this month.

NEW ROOFTOP LOUNGE
The Story is a new Media City hangout promising a quirky combination of eclectic artwork, Peruvian food and international house music. The rooftop lounge has installed chef Angelica Espinoza to provide the menu and DJ Nader Razdar – a veteran of Pacha Ibiza and Fabrik Madrid – to provide the tunes. The bar is located behind Zayed University, and is likely to lure the post-work crowd for sundowners.

The Story, behind Zayed University, Media City, Dubai, daily 5pm to 3am. Tel: (04) 3659911. Metro: Nakheel. facebook.com/storydubai

FLEURS
This pop-up venue only opens on a Thursday and Friday. Why the name? Because it’s shaped like a flower. Bloomin’ marvellous.

Radisson Royal, Dubai, Thur and Fri, 11pm to 3am. Tel: (050) 9139148. Metro: World Trade Centre. fleursclub.com

POST-BRUNCH TERRACE BASH
Looking for a bar-slash-club with a breezy terrace and great views? You won’t do much better than the recently-opened 2Liv at the rather grand Sofitel Hotel on The Palm, which has resident DJs Alex Seda from Miami and the UAE’s Ejaz Ahamed on duty. But if you head there on a Friday afternoon, after your brunch perhaps on, you’ll find yourself at the new party Eats Retro. The opening night sees DJs Mark Pickup and Ben Thompson behind the decks, with a live percussionist to keep sneakers squeaking on the dancefloor. You’ll hear deep house and nu disco grooves with house tracks from the late 1980s and 90s to make even the most flint-hearted clubbers go misty-eyed for their youth.

The Sofitel, The Palm, Dubai, Tue to Fri 10pm to 3am. Tel: (055) 9867180. Taxi: Sofitel, The Palm. sofitel.com

FRESH LADIES’ NIGHTS
1) Rooftop lounge iKandy Ultralounge has introduced a ladies night to mark its re-opening at the Shangri-La Hotel. Every Monday ladies will get three complementary cocktails. iKandy has also unveiled a shisha lounge and installed a female resident DJ for its seventh season.

 Shangri-La Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Mon 6pm to 9pm. Tel: (04) 3438888. Taxi: Shangri-La Hotel. shangri-la.com/dubai

2) Wednesday is now ladies’ night at Embassy Dubai, with a vintage-inspired vibe, offering gourmet canapés and three free cocktails for girls between 8pm and 10pm. DJ Dzarate provides the tunes and entertainers mingle all night.

Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina, Wed 8pm. Tel: (04) 3176000. Metro: Dubai Marina. grosvenorhouse-dubai.com