bazaar April 2023 issue

FLY JAZEERA AIRWAYS TO 4 EUROPEAN CITIES & MORE DESTINATIONS IN TÜRKIYE

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Sarajevo, Bosnia

Belgrade, Serbia

Prague, Czech Republic

Bodrum, Türkiye

Antalya, Türkiye

Trabzon, Türkiye

Istanbul, Türkiye

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About the Cover: Nothing says Eid like a special cover collaboration with the original purveyors of all things Thouq. With cover art by none other than the talented artist Ahmad Al-Ghanim, we bid hello to Eid and a new season with the pop art inspired, “Dancing Boys”. Available for purchase on the Thouq website, the original signed artwork is printed on premium canvas, but the best part is that the covetable art is now a bazaar cover collectible! For more information, please visit thouq.com and follow @Thouq on Instagram.

There’s a popular saying about March showers and April flowers. Not really applicable here since we always seem to leap from unpredictable March weather with its random dust storms (and hail storms!) to it suddenly being too hot to sit outside in April and enjoy dining al fresco. That said, since it’s Ramadan and all eating and drinking in public only take place after 6 pm, the weather is actually amazing and it’s the perfect time to book something somewhere outdoors to break your fast and find out just how many qatayif or pieces of kunafa one can eat after the main meal!

In truth though, we all know that the real magic of Ramadan is all the wonderful people we get to spend time with whether we’re reconnecting with old friends or meeting new people. Which is why we always want to introduce you to the exciting individuals in Kuwait who are changing the landscape in their respective fields. This issue we met up with Joshua Guzman, who is commonly known as The Carpet Guy, famous forrestoring carpets, furniture and antiques to beauty. His passion for rugs and artefacts and more starts is related to his fascination with history and cultures.

Storytelling is at the heart of everything done at AOTA and we sat with Tareq Qaddumi, the founder and Creative Director of Out the Box (OTB) and lifestyle concept All of the Above (AOTA) to have a glimpse of the story behind the brand and the journey which has taken him to this point today.

From rugs and lifestyle brands we check out a new take on macaroons. Roons has captured the eyes and tastebuds of many in Kuwait and they have also recently broken a Guinness World Record with the largest display of macaroons anywhere, so we met up with Abdulaziz Al Najjar, to learn more about how hepivoted from Socrates Bakery into the world of fancy baking.

For something even fancier, check out our special lifestyle shoot of the Porsche Cayanne Platinum Edition.

We tried to get all our Ramadan prep done weeks ago, but we’re still learning new things and getting great ideas that we can use this month and carry on for the rest of the year. From great ideas from IKEA to the most helpful gadgets at Xcite, you can be inspired too.

There’s one place we definitely think you should try out this year, Waldorf Astoria’s Al Kubbar Tent. The hotel has gone all out in creating a magical experience under the stars, and it’s not to be missed.

The bazaar team...

Boss

Ahmed El-Adly

Editor

Alia Al Duaij

Operations Manager

Ihab Youssef

Content Manager

Yasmine El Charif

Mixed Media Solutions

Jennifer Cádiz

Account Manager

Ali Al-Hassan

Design

Shadi Mofeed

Staff Writer/Online Media

Mariam Raslan

Yasmin Gamal

Sahira Ladha

Ahmed Mikail

Contributing Writers

Craig Loomis

Hamad Al Khudher

Lara Jadayel

Mohammed El Soukkary

Contributing Photographers

Mohammed Al Qallaf

Cover By

Thouq, Ahmad Al Ghanim

Communications

Hala Y. Sharara

Syndicates & Sources Fast Company LA Times

MCT International Newsweek

Printing British Industries for Printing and Packaging

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Well what are you waiting for? Happy reading!

Ahmed El-Adly

TAREQ QADDUMI CHECKS ALL OF THE ABOVE

Storytelling is at the heart of everything done at AOTA and we met with Tareq Qaddumi, founder and Creative Director of Out the Box (OTB) and lifestyle concept All of the Above (AOTA) to have a glimpse of the story behind the brand and the journey which has taken him to this point today.

TALKING GREENE

In this month’s Talking Greene, Hamad Al Khudher, introduces us to Noura AlFadhli, a local environmental enthusiast with a Master’s Degree in Environmental Impact Assessment and Management from the UK. Her love of the environment has helped pave the way in getting her Masters, in order to apply what she has learnt to influence people around her and especially in Kuwait.

LEXUS REINVENTS THE LUXURY CROSSOVER

The all-new RX 2023 was unveiled during one of its kind signature events organized by Lexus team exclusively for its elite customers at the flagship Lexus Center Shuwaikh. The Fifth-generation Lexus RX comes with a choice of two electrified powertrains to accelerate the realization of a carbonneutral society.

THE PROMENADE CULTURE CENTRE SUPPORTS ARTISTS

The Promenade Culture Centre commenced its third residency earlier this year in January. The goal of the residency is to foster creativity and community, by creating a space where artists from multiple disciplines can develop their artistic practice and inspire others. This year the Visionary lab residency program is different from the two previous ones as this time the artists worked in a designated space to develop their work.

SANA AL-SHEMMARI TELLS A STORY

Sana Al-shemmari is a 27-year-old dentist who likes to write novels in her spare time. Author of the book Fever Dreams, a mystery-crime novel with two protagonists, the story is told from two different perspectives. We caught up with her in Up Close and Personal to learn more about her and how she published her first book!

ROONS

With a new take on macaroons, Roons has captured the eyes and tastebuds of many in Kuwait and they have also recently broken a Guinness World Record with the largest display of macaroons. We spoke to Abdulaziz Al Najjar who started off his career in the Fashion Industry, and quickly found himself in a career shift as he opened his first bakery, Socrates, before expanding into the world of Macaroons with “Roons”.

JOSHUA GUZMAN, THE CARPET GUY

Joshua Guzman, whom we commonly know as The Carpet Guy, is restoring carpets, furniture and antiques to beauty and he is sharing his passion with the world. His passion for rugs and artefacts and more starts is related to his fascination with history and cultures. Learn more about him in Truth Or Dare!

KUWAIT HOSPITAL CEO RECOGNIZED AS TOP 100 HEALTHCARE LEADER

The healthcare industry in Kuwait is definitely one of the most advanced in the region. One of the men that has been working tirelessly to make this happen and take great strides in the industry is Alexander Jankuloski of Kuwait Hospital. His hard work and high standards of leadership in healthcare places him 96th among the healthcare leaders across 11 countries by Forbes Magazine.

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“I’M RIGHT HERE!”

How Arab Women End up in the Background of Experience-Gaining

By Lara Jadayel

With the desire to restock my humble home library, I strolled through Bliss & Paper glancing over the many aestheticallyshelved books. Iced matcha latte in hand, I approached the non-fiction section and the title Brotopia called out to me. I instantly thought to myself: what an anti-feminist title! And surely as a woman (and a feminist), it was an utter responsibility of mine to whole-heartedly write about the rise of a female-topia instead. I know what you must be thinking: Lara, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. And yes, the mantra didn’t hit me until I uncovered Emily Chang’s real purpose, which is to deconstruct Silicon Valley’s boys’ club; an all-male dominated industry that has left women out of the development stages of tech, resulting in the simultaneous hiring of more men than women in the industry. And just like the women of Silicon Valley, Arab women have been placed in the experience-gaining background, time and time again.

So, what’s the problem?

Many Arab women are excluded, and/or exclude themselves from many situations for many underlying layers, some of which relate to cultural norms, societal values, and parental/partner expectations. From leaving an outing before the clock hits 11:00 pm, to being talked out of pursuing a degree abroad, to avoiding working in male-dominated companies, these exclusions lead to lost opportunities and a lack of experience gained. Similarly to the women of Silicon Valley, this exclusion places Arab women in the background of their own career growth.

For example, as opposed to women, the men of early Silicon Valley were more likely to pursue degrees in tech-related fields, have their business ideas invested in, and get hired on account of “merit.” In response, Chang uncovers the long list excluding women from pursuing techrelated degrees in the first place, and then from succeeding in an industry that was dependent on the full-fledged male aura. In one scenario, Chang mentions how men were comfortable doing business at out-of-office parties that dragged on to late hours, while women were not. This eventually fueled networking and investment opportunities

towards men who were at those parties. When I asked the women around me (ranging in age, marital status, and job titles) if they noticed similar exclusions or self-exclusions happening in their lives, I received an array of answers:

• “At traditional family gatherings, we [women] are expected to help with the preparations. We prepare the food, set the table, and tidy up after everyone is done. The men on the other hand gather and talk about life, work, and even prospects of starting a business. Yes, you may have that one male cousin who helps with passing the dessert plates around,

but it is not the common theme. Some traditional families even let the men eat before the women do.”

• “I once went to an interview that lasted for about 6 minutes. Before even asking about my qualifications, or telling me more about the job and its requirements, I was asked if I was willing to cover my hair.”

• “I often opt out of talking over my loud male manager because I will seem unfeminine. So most of the time, I sit there with ideas unpitched while the men continue to yell over each other to get their ideas across. In the long run you realize that the good ideas you had could have made a difference.”

• “I was once told that I couldn’t be hired for the job because I was pregnant and that they wouldn’t want to hire someone who would go on maternity leave in just a few months. Sure, this makes sense, but doesn’t that mean I missed out on gaining work experience?”

•“I was talked out of doing my master’s degree abroad because it is ‘safer here’.”

“My friend applied for a job and was asked to meet the owner of the startup at a coffee shop. Her partner didn’t think it was okay for the owner to set up an interview outside the office, so he asked her not to go. The startup is now a very popular company that many want to work at.”

These everyday occurrences by different women deem equality in experience gaining as passé. These occurrences diminish the probability of merit being practiced authentically for women, as it is evident that they have been excluded or self-excluded from opportunities of experiencegaining. This does not mean men get to gain more, or that all women experience the same level of exclusion. However, almost every woman has experienced similar encounters that have derailed her professional experience-gaining path, putting her in the background of her own career growth.

Can this be fixed?

Although it would be great to change the intrinsic stereotypical outlook culture has towards women, here are 3 steps that can help place us in the forefront of our own experience-gaining path.

Step 1: Silence the overbearing noise. Unfortunately, we live in a world where men and women are seen as competitors, not compliments. This is when the loud “Women vs Men” debates arise. Male breadwinners vs motherhood, top male CEOs vs top female employees, femininity vs masculinity for better workplace performance. The list goes on. When this becomes too much, focus on your experience-gaining path and what you

need to do to get YOURSELF where you want to go. Think, what can I do to gain more experience, not, why is it easier for men to gain more experience? Once that happens, you can move on to the next step.

Step 2: Assert your stance on matters that put you in the forefront. You might be told against pursuing a certain degree, from traveling abroad for your undergrad, or from applying to a certain job. If these restrictions, or similar ones, do not align with your experience-gaining path, assert what stands true to you, even if it will take multiple tries to get there.

Step 3: Acknowledge that YOU associate “female” with a continuation. If you believe that “female”

is weak, then you will always move forward with weakness. If you believe that “female” is victimized, then you will always find reasons not to push through. If you believe that “female” is controlled, then you will never do what you’ve always dreamt of doing. But once you associate “female” with how you want to lead, you’ll find all the ways to place yourself in the forefront.

Lara Jadayel has been writing about women for as long as she can remember. She won’t stop until change becomes evident (or until writer’s block consumes her). To reach out, email her at larajadayel@gmail.com. Photos by Sinitta Leunen and Natalie Hua on Unsplash.

AOTA THE JOURNEY BEHIND ‘ALL OF THE ABOVE’

By bazaar Staff

Is it a clothing brand? A Marketing Agency? A collection of Creative Artists and Sneakerheads? The answer to all these questions is a resounding “Yes”. They truly are All of the Above. Where there is a story, there is art. Storytelling is at the heart of everything done at AOTA and we sat with Tareq Qaddumi, the founder and Creative Director of Out the Box (OTB) and lifestyle concept All of the Above (AOTA) to have a glimpse of the story behind the brand and the journey which has taken him to this point today.

Storytelling is a term thrown around by many, but it’s rare to actually see the story just by looking at the products. With AOTA, each product speaks to you and gives you a glimpse of the story behind the brand, which is an integral part of AOTA’s DNA. Initially gaining a following under @outtheboxww with their much-anticipated merch drops, AOTA is a brand where you can shop through their oversized tee’s, shorts, sweaters and other clothes that all hold a unique message.

OTB was established in 2019 and has built the reputation of being a marketing agency. Abdel Kader “AK” who holds the title of Director of Client Servicing plays an integral part with the agency’s overall strategy. Sid is a pure creative and known as the “Jack of all trades” who takes care of OTB’s photography division. Mas, their lead videographer is a graphic designer in his own right and is known as one of Kuwait’s pioneers in pushing the sport of basketball all through creativity.

However, a lot of OTB’s ideas never had anything to do with the brands they worked with, and therefore, many of the concepts translated into clothing drops released sporadically.

Concepts such as “No Skill Set” and other ideas with merch released every three to six months did garner a massive following, but understandably also raised some confusion among their customers: Is this an agency? A clothing brand? What are they?

Enter AOTA. All of the above arrives as a refusal to be boxed into just one category or label. Designed by OTB, they are a bit of everything and that idea not to be classified by just one term or title has provided the freedom to really take their creative minds to all types of places without feeling the need to put boundaries under the five pillars that really built the brand: Philosophy, Art, Integrity, Community, Justice.

“With Philosophy, you’re going to see the Non-Compete, No Skill Set and No Free Ideas collection. With Art, it’s something that I love and it makes the world a better place. We have been able to translate our love for basketball and hoops into art.” Tareq explains.

“Integrity is more of a personal fight that I had against the ‘algorithm’ and how I refuse buy likes or boost posts. It’s linked to me choosing not to sell out on Instagram amongst other things.”

Tareq continues. “Another pillar is community and whether we like it or not the community in Kuwait is small and we have this Instagram community within the space of influencers, sneakerheads,

and other people who know each other although we’ve never met.”

Once viewed as a Social Media Influencer who primarily posted about sneakers and outfits, he was determined to prove that there is a lot more behind who he is. Everything was taken to the next level and he began creating concepts and projects that truly showed the wide range of his mind and the team around him.

“We also talk about justice. This is where my head is always at whether the social injustices in Palestine or anywhere else. I have created a few art installations and content that builds awareness and I wanted to tell the story through the collection even regarding corruption, money laundering and women’s rights. All that falls under justice and I’m very excited for this collection.”

Tareq’s commitment to justice was seen with the Slingshot, which is a project he worked on and featured handmade Palestinian embroidery which he created to say that we need to fight back against the rising evil in the world, not only in Palestine.

When speaking to Tareq, it’s difficult not to quickly hear the passion behind his voice. With every word he says particularly when focusing on AOTA and OTB, there is genuine love for what he does and motivation to take it as far as he possibly can. He wants to turn the stories that he has lived

through or has seen around him into messages through his brand and he quickly realized that these are stories that many people can relate to. However, it wasn’t without hardships along the way.

“We are currently working with a manufacturer in Turkey but that isn’t how things started. Initially, we were in talks and finalizing everything through a manufacturer in Vietnam and everything was going to plan. There was a lot of back and forth with the sampling, critiquing, changes, etc. We reach the stage where we were less than four weeks away from our debut at Sole DXB in Dubai and we get a call from our manufacturer informing us that the person we were dealing with in Vietnam was basically embezzling money and all work had to stop as he decided to also close down the factory. There was no other way and he directed us to people in Turkey.”

Of course, that is just the beginning of quite an intriguing story!

“We find a manufacturer who tells us he can do it but there is no time for sampling so we decide to take the risk and go ahead. I come back to Kuwait to prepare for Sole DXB and one of our team members was supposed to go to Turkey to ensure all is being done well but she then breaks her leg in a freak accident and can’t travel! So, I went to Dubai while my wife went to Turkey to

ensure things were being done and she somehow finalized everything and met us with suitcases of our products at Sole DXB on the morning of the opening!”

This was just one of the many bumps in the road that only added to making Tareq and the team know not only the struggles that they will be expecting along the way, but also how much they wanted this to truly work out. It did at Sole DXB where people were falling in love with this new concept which resulted in everything being sold out by the end of the event.

There are a lot of personal stories behind each piece that AOTA puts out and that is what makes this brand very different, because as humans we are all different. However, we can all relate to each other in various ways and AOTA builds that bridge between us through their messages and products.

This is just the beginning of AOTA and we are extremely excited to see where this road takes them. Keep an eye out on all their upcoming collections as it promises to include ideas that directly relate to you!

Follow Tareq on his Instagram @KicksTQ, AOTA on @AOTAWW and Out the Box on @OutTheBoxWW to stay updated with all their upcoming news! Visit www.aotaworld.com to check out their full collection.

SHOP JACK WILLS - THE HOUSE at

YOUNG LITERARY STAR SHARES HER JOURNEY

Writer, dentist, and cat rescuer! Sana Al-shemmari shares her story with us

By bazaar Staff

Sana Al-shemmari is a 27-year-old dentist who likes to write novels in her spare time. She was born and raised in Canada where she formed most of her core memories. She is the author of the book Fever Dreams which is a mysterycrime novel with two protagonists, and the story is told from two different perspectives. We caught up with her to learn more about her and how she published her first book!

Published in November 2022, Sana tells us that the main character of Fever Dreams is David Pim, who works as a garbage man. In his ordinary life, nothing ever happens, but one day he stumbles upon a letter in a trash can on a wealthy street. With the discovery of the letter, his world turns upside down and life, as he knows it, is never the same. He finds himself embarking on a journey with Nancy James, the second main character, to solve a crime that they become entangled in forever. They soon find out the hard way that some secrets aren’t to be revealed, and some lives aren’t to be meddled with, but it is too late as it is.

Sana explains that “the inspiration behind Fever Dreams is from a psychological TV show called Bates Motel. It’s about a boy that has a convoluted relationship with his mother that causes him to black out and murder people. I loved the horror element and the plot twists in the show. I loved being on the edge of my seat watching it, and so I wished to create something equally dark, creepy, and fascinating. Bates Motel was a huge part of the inspiration behind Fever Dreams, but I can’t say it’s the sole source. I think I gained inspiration collectively from the world around me. For example, one time while I was in the transitory phase of

sleep, I heard the sound of a garbage truck outside, and that rumbling sound of the truck past midnight created this masterpiece.”

Having always been an avid reader, Sana has been inspired by Agatha Christie and Stephen King and considers them to be her idols. She feels that they are very unique and talented. Her favorite book by Agatha Christie is ‘And Then There Were None.’ She tells us that she finds that with Agatha, the elements of suspense and surprise are high. She gets you gripped and captivated from the first page, and the ending is always unpredictable.

It took Sana two years to get her book published, and it was neither an easy nor a smooth process. She found that in Kuwait, you must submit a book in Arabic to be published. However, her persistence paid off when she approached and negotiated with Dar Tagaseem. The publishing house saw her vision and went along on the journey. There was a risk that her book wouldn’t sell because it was the only English book, but it sold out during the second week of the book fair. She received amazing feedback at the book signing, they were very thrilled to hear about Fever Dreams and it warmed Sana’s heart to know that she had fans and supporters.

Fever Dreams is Sana’s first book that has been published, but not the first that she has written. She is already working on a sequel, and at the same time she is working on a book of another genre (dystopian science fiction) and for a younger age group. It’s about a girl named Abby who has an eating disorder that manifests itself as a monster. No one can save Abby from this monster except Abby herself, but in saving herself, she has to reveal unresolved conflict, accept her flaws, and visit dark icky places. It contains a plethora of emotions, elucidates Abby’s struggles, and sends a powerful message about body positivity. The bazaar team is super excited about this one!

Sana believes that “readers don’t just read a book, they live it. I want my stories to be a source of amusement, entertainment, and a method of escapism. At the same time, I hope they gain pieces of knowledge as my book is

thoroughly researched before any information is laid out. I think that when you read a book, you get to know the author as well because their writing is filtered through their own beliefs, their emotions, their life experiences, and their perspective. I want my readers to see how I view the world and possibly relate to the things I say. And because words never die, I’ve put subliminal messages and powerful sentences throughout the entire book that I wish live on in my reader’s minds forever.”

Sana hopes that one day Fever Dreams makes it to the big screens and turns into a motion picture, but in the meantime, she has been spending her days writing, ice skating (which is a new passion of hers) and rescuing animals. The self-proclaimed cat lady is in love with her adopted fluff-ball called Lucky and is a strong advocate for animal rights.

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE

What do you most value about your friends? The thing I value most about friendship is reliance. It’s reassuring to know that you have someone to lean on when life gets tough.

Which living person do you most admire?

I’d like to say myself without sounding cocky or conceited. I admire myself for going through hardships and coming out stronger than ever.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

The term ‘perfect happiness’ simply does not exist because nothing in life is perfect and because happiness is ephemeral.

What is your greatest extravagance?

I’d probably say my greatest extravagance is skin care and hair care products.

What is your most treasured possession?

My most treasured possession is a tiny red polka dot pillow my mum hand sewed in Upper Canada Village many years ago. One day as I was going to school, I asked my mum if she could get me a small pillow for my Barbie and when I came home that day, she had handed it to me. I’ve had it for over twenty years and I’ve cherished it to this day.

What is your greatest fear?

My greatest fear is that I don’t live up to my potential. I have high hopes for myself and I fear that I might not aspire to those heights.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I am an empath. Growing up I used to think I had superpowers because I could make myself cry just by imagining something unpleasant.

Which talent would you most like to have?

Sometimes I wish I could cook so that I could make myself a homemade gourmet meal.

What is one trait you have that you are most grateful for?

I am grateful for my sensitivity.

What is the human trait you most dislike about others?

Negativity. I detest a person who has a very rigid very narrow pattern of thinking.

What is it that you most dislike?

Injustice. However, I am fully aware that life itself is a form of injustice and that we mustn’t brood over life’s unfairness.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

I often find myself saying “it’s not that serious,” whenever I’m faced with any type of difficult or unpleasant situation.

What are your favorite words to live by?

“Take the risk or lose the chance.” I think life is all about taking chances and getting out of your comfort zone because there is no growth inside a comfort zone.

Where would you most like to live?

Definitely Vancouver- Canada. It’s the optimal destination and one of the best places to live.

What would you consider your greatest achievement?

Becoming a doctor, of course. I salute myself every day for getting through dental school. I’m also very proud of myself for writing Fever Dreams.

If you could have any job, what would it be?

I love being a dentist. I don’t think I would want to change career paths.

What do you hope for the future?

I hope the future is a place where I get to live all my silent prayers and be with the people I love. Amen.

Sana considers writing to be therapy and finds that it brings her joy and comfort. She has already published her first book and is well on the way to becoming one of the most prolific writers in the country. Follow her on Instagram @dr.s_alshemmari to join her on her literary journey.

T H I S R A M A D A N

WITH THE BODY SHOP

INSPIRING A LOVE FOR ALL THINGS OLD

Joshua Guzman teaches us lessons in culture, arts and beautiful rugs

By bazaar staff

The Carpet Guy, Josh Guzman, may share a surname with the drug baron Joaquin Guzman (“El Chapo”), but the only thing that he is dealing in is rugs, but keep your eyes peeled – he may be head of the local rug cartel! Jokes aside, Josh has found his passion in interior design, history and culture, and has found a way to live his passion every day.

Before Joshua became The Carpet Guy, he was a full-time teacher. Initially he started as a middle and high school teacher, but then he was teaching university students. He has actually been selling carpets in the US for 6 years through his company called Kazimah Carpets. Before his most recent university position, he was able to juggle both his business and teaching students. However, when he changed to teaching at a new university, he found that he had to pick between teaching and his business; he decided to follow his heart! Although it was not an easy decision for him since he loves teaching and his students, he feels very good about it!

This family man with his wife Jackie, and three kids, Jorge, Joaquin and Jada, has been in Kuwait for a total of 7 years. And having been ‘the carpet guy’ since 2017, Josh now has a partner, Bader Al Majed, who is his finance guru, Arabic translator and Kuwait facing coordinator of the brand. In the future, they would like to add some more people but for now it’s just the two amigos.

Josh tells us that “since I can remember, I have been fascinated with history and culture. Some of my earliest memories are the feelings I had when I would see an old building or piece of furniture. I have never liked new stuff. I also

have a deep passion for beauty. Beauty in nature, design, art, and of course carpets! I got bit by the carpet bug at Mubarakiya in 2015! So it’s exciting that my first physical shop will be in the same Souk!”

He continued to share how he is ALWAYS on the hunt. “I love perusing what I call the “junk section” at Friday Market where you have to have a really trained eye to find diamonds in the rough. Much of what’s at the Friday market is broken, so you either have to consider the cost and value in repairs or just leave the items that aren’t worth saving. I have even bought carpets off the floor of a fabric store before! They were gorgeous, and I made the owner an offer he couldn’t refuse even though they weren’t for sale! I am an avid online shopper. I have made really amazing connections with dealers and weavers in Turkey, Morocco, Iran, Pakistan and other parts of the Middle East.”

Josh’s dream is to start importing antiques and vintage furniture from the US, but he is waiting to see how serious people in Kuwait are for vintage before he makes that commitment! Anytime he has to answer the question of “is this used?” a little part of his dream dies inside. He hopes that he will find the right customers who will appreciate the value of vintage and antique pieces. He says the fact that a piece has lasted for 50 years or more means it has intrinsic value, and that if you take good care of a piece, it can be resold when you are ready for something different.

When on his hunts, Josh looks for furniture that has good style. It doesn’t matter the era the piece is from. What is more important to him is the shape, the materials and whether or not he can see the piece looking fab in a new home.

Josh gives us some advice on buying furniture, he tells us “my biggest piece of advice ever is to buy furniture that can be upcycled now or in 50 years when you no longer own it. There is so much waste in the home decor industry. It hurts my heart. Buy solid wood, buy metal, do not buy furniture made of cheap materials.” The other tip he gives us is to choose “the one [piece] that makes your heart sing. I will say this over and over again, listen to your heart. If you see something you love, don’t hesitate, it’s very likely you won’t find another just like it! People will see something on my page that’s sold and ask if I can get another. Usually that’s impossible. One of a kind pieces are very hard to source again.”

Having explored Kuwaiti culture, Josh wants to combat the common belief that traditional sadu weaving is outdated. He explains that Sadu is an incredibly important part of the history and modern life of the Middle East and that he finds it to be such a beautiful style and I wish more young people would pick up the craft and continue the tradition.

Recently, Josh and his partner secured a small space inside the same building as Good Cup coffee in Souk Al Hareem in Mubarakiya. He explains that it’s an incredible 1940s business complex that has been sympathetically restored and looks amazing! They are hoping to open the shop in Ramadan or shortly after.

TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE

How would your mother describe you in one word?

I asked, she said Creative.

How would you describe your mother in one word?

Loving.

What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked?

One of my students once asked for the meaning of the word “definition”.

What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?

I’m a planner. Spontaneity gives me anxiety.

What is your theme song?

October Sky by Yebba.

What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented?

Kash5a - love this word.

Where would you like to live? Kuwait.

What is your dream retirement location? Merida, Mexico in the Yucatán Peninsula.

What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?

Golden Rule! “Do unto others as you would have them do to you!” This is a hard one!

Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life? Tiger - I like a strong personality partner to deal with my strong personality! Lol.

Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it? Southern Californian Mexican food.

If you could change your name, to what would you change it? Jarrah - my favorite Arabic name.

How would you describe your handshake, in one word? Assertive.

What is the toughest part of your character? Not knowing when to stop talking. Who is your favorite historical figure? Martin Luther King Jr.

What in the world do you least desire? Beige home décor.

What do you think is lacking in the world, which [if there were more of it] would make the world a better place?

Selflessness - caring for others without the concern for a reward.

Why do you think most people who do, like you? I’m funny.

Finish this sentence: “Happiness is…” Living in a home full of love & carpets.

To stay up to date with what The Carpet Guy is up to and what exciting pieces he has for sale, follow him on Instagram @thecarpetguykw. He also does interior styling if you are looking to add some style to your spaces!

RAMADAN RELATIVITY

Time may be a construct, but surviving that last hour before Iftar is a Ramadan constant

By Mohammed El Soukkary

If you talk to anyone who observes the month of Ramadan, you would never find them more convinced of the truth of the theory of relativity than during the final hour of fasting. In that hour, they would claim to be able to sleep, wake up, cook, rest, watch a full trilogy of movies, and have 45 minutes left before it is time to break the fast. That last hour, it seems, is as long as the rest of the day itself.

Yet there is no resentment. There is no anger, frustration, or annoyance. Quite the opposite. You would be hard-pressed to find a greater degree of anticipation or delight in restraint than in these moments. The moments, long though they may be, of final denial just at the moment before the relief of satiating the desire become the greatest enhancers of the pleasure of breaking the fast.

What is it though that makes it not only bearable but almost pleasurable for so many around the world? Even as Ramadan veers away from the long days of summer, the days remain long, yet the joy of restraint and the delight of those final moments of self-control before the last of the sun’s rays dip below the horizon is shared by millions.

Is it the shared sense of self-imposed discipline? While it is a non-negotiable religious edict for observant Muslims, in most places, there are no mechanisms that force anyone to abide by the fast, and in the few places that there are, people find ways around them. Perhaps it is the shared sense of community, the shared experience of restraint that makes it more bearable. Maybe it is the sense of support and mutual reinforcement; like racers near the end of a marathon, people cheer each other on quietly even as they vent their own frustration at how long a minute seems to be this late in the day.

Or is it the knowledge that relief is just around the corner? The assuredness that the restraint is not only self-imposed but is also defined and finite. Had there been an absence of assurance of reward, would it be as easy to resist the temptations that push against this self-restraint?

Or is it only faith? Trust in the passage of time? It could be that the foreknowledge that there is a reward for the effort, a light at the end of the tunnel, and an acknowledgment of the difficulties endured ensure that what is endured is cherished rather than resented.

Or is it the contrast? The contrast between having and not having, between allowances and denials, accessing and not having access? Think of how much better a cookie tastes if you had to wait for an hour, versus three, and how much better that same cookie would taste if you were to wait for twelve hours until your hunger had time to truly mature. Think of how much you would crave the cookie though, if you were not assured access at the end of the wait, would that not drive you to try to take it at the earliest opportunity?

As time passes over the course of the day, the slower it seems to flow. Early in the day, as things begin, and events gather momentum, the minutes seem to flit past. As they march onwards, their pace seems to slow down, almost as if time itself

was getting tired of walking for so long. As the sun crests its peak and begins its descent towards the horizon it seems to slow its pace, almost pausing time as it hovers above the horizon near the end of that day. It is at that moment that everyone observing the fast understands the theory of relativity.

Relativity extends further when it comes to the fast observed in Ramadan. Think of a day as representing a lifetime. Now, consider how different it would be for a person to approach that same day, with the same set of challenges, with two very different mindsets. The first being that the struggles were not ensured a reward at the end, that the challenges carried with them no assurance of success or even acknowledgment for that matter, and that there was no sense of agency or connection with the universal energy associated with them. The second on the other hand would carry with it the assured knowledge that none of the struggles or challenges were futile, that they

were not for nothing, that any and all sacrifices were not only acknowledged but sure to be rewarded, and see how the same challenges that seemed unsurmountable become simple stumbling blocks, how the mountainous struggles shrink in the eyes of the beholder to nothing more than molehills to be conquered.

That is where relativity brings us. The relativity of perspective; what would become nigh unbearable suffering if it were felt to be futile and imposed, becomes a welcome challenge to be overcome and taken on when there is a sense of agency and ownership. The challenge itself does not change in severity or length, however, the perception of the beholders transforms it from an insurmountable peak to a manageable mountain; when you visualize the view from the top, the climb becomes a mere step in the way to achievement.

You can follow Mohammed El Soukkary’s culinary adventures at @Diplocooks on Instagram.

TALKING GREENE

Introducing Noura AlFadhli

By Hamad Al Khudher

Talking Greene is a series of discussions centered on the idea of sustainability in Kuwait, the group leading this movement, and locating tools to assist the general public in making wiser decisions. As a business owner in the same industry, I believe it is my responsibility to promote local organizations and individuals working to change the way we shop for goods and to increase environmental consciousness both domestically and abroad.

In this month’s interview, we got to know more about Noura AlFadhli, a local environmental enthusiast with a Master’s Degree in Environmental Impact Assessment and Management from the UK. Her love of the environment has help pave the way in getting her Masters, in order to apply what she has learnt to influence people around her and especially in Kuwait. She is also the cofounder of Precious Plastic Kuwait, a global community which is initially established in The Netherlands.

How has your use of your social media platforms helped you raise and talk about environmental awareness?

Social media has been very helpful tool for me to spread awareness and talk about what I feel is important with regards to the environment. I try to post in both English and Arabic, with a focus in Arabic more because I feel like we lack Arabic eco-content. By doing so, I will be able to reach out to many of those whose mother tongue is Arabic.

When and how did your passion for the environment began?

It all began when I was 16 years old on a trip with my family. I went on my first road trip around Europe during a summer vacation and this is when I saw for the very first time wind turbines. At first it was something very odd to see and it looked very futuristic to me. After that awed moment, I did some research on them I was really astonished on the data I found on renewably energy sources and their contribution to a better environment. It is something that was benefiting in providing electricity through the element of wind to huge cities including the countryside.

After your experiences abroad, did that help you realize the lack of such technological advances when it comes to providing sufficient energy here in Kuwait? Is that also due to lack of awareness of the people?

There is somewhat of a lack when it comes to such technologies, although it is from an educational level. Being a huge fan of such advances in clean technology, I tend to use my social media accounts to spread such knowledge and news and hopefully influence

Scent for every moment

my community into learning more about topics that are not tapped into through education.

However, I don’t think people are lacking awareness when it comes to some environmental issues nowadays in Kuwait. There are so many different organizations and individuals who are trying their best to spread awareness and most of the information is kind of recycled (except for very few). What I’ve noticed is that there is a huge gap between what data people are receiving and how they choose to apply it in their own lives. Most people are like: “I won’t make any effort because why should I?“ “I don’t see the pollution, the sky is blue-ish.” With the beaches being highly polluted and trashed, some say: “ It is the municipality’s job to clean it.“

There is a lack of sense of responsibility towards being part of this world. So I feel like this is something that has to be taught at a very young age, because you can’t change someone who’s already 30+ years old, and they’re convinced that they’ve done their best and they’re doing fine by not hurting others etc.

Tell our readers more about precious plastic in Kuwait.

Precious plastic is basically a global movement in which people share knowledge on plastic waste recycling using open source materials. The goal is to change people’s perspectives into thinking of plastic as a valuable material and not just discarded waste. We do workshops from time to time in which we teach participants how to use bottle caps how to make useful items like coasters and cups. We’ve done workshops where we created accessories such

as necklaces and earrings from discarded plastic as well. Precious plastic is globally that are creating bigger pieces of products, such as building blocks, stools, and side tables.

Other than Precious Plastic, what other local brands that you personally like that are sustainable?

I’m obsessed with dunes & ripples - their items are handmade, locally stitched, and made using natural dyes. Even the buttons are made from natural elements: mud

DEAR NIN is one of my favorites as well, their linen sets are a must for surviving Kuwait’s heat during summer!

And lets not forget Basta, our one and only local *physical* thrift store!

That’s the best thing about Precious Plastic. If we need any help regarding making these products, there’s a huge community of people who are experienced in Precious Plastic and they’re more than happy to share a step by step procedure on how to do it. There are videos and equipment as well that they offer to create different products. When we brought Precious Plastic to Kuwait in 2019, the whole idea came about knowing about the organization and also finding a smart, creative way to make sure of some of the plastic waste in Kuwait.

Do you see some support from the local government when it comes to local sustainable business such as Precious Plastic and others?

There is some support. I know of a grant that is offered by the EPA in Kuwait however, the terms in order to apply for the grant are discouraging. Such research include feasibility

studies and environmental assessments which require a lot of time and effort to do which is not possible for people like my team whom all have 9-5 jobs. With regards to Precious Plastic, the whole idea of it stems from societies volunteering to help make the products and create a well-knitted community devoted to decreasing the plastic waste issue. Around the world, Precious Plastic is mostly hosted in community centers, for example, to allow as many people to join in the process and is supported by co-ops and universities free of charge.

What future goals to you see yourself wanting to achieve in the field you’re working in?

I’m currently working on creating an online program that would accessible for Arabic speakers globally. It will help guide everyone easily into a more conscious and sustainable lifestyle and serve as a base for future programs.

Another thing I’m planning is writing a environmental book. However, I want it to be ecofriendly and have a minor carbon footprint so once I figure those technicalities out, I will announce the content.

Contact Details. For more information about Noura and Precious plastic, check out @nouralfadhli and @preciousplastickuwait on Instagram.

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OUR EXCLUSIVE FORMULA KEEPS OUR CANDLES CONSISTENT FROM BEGINNING TO END. NO WAX RESIDUE, JUST GREAT FRAGRANCE UNTIL THE VERY END

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RIDING IN STYLE: PORSCHE CAYENNE PLATINUM EDITION

The Beloved Porsche Cayenne now in Platinum Edition

By bazaar staff

Characterized by exclusive coordinated design elements in a satin Platinum paint finish and topped off by extra standard equipment, the Platinum Edition is avaiable in various styles.

Available in matching solid colors in white and black, metallic paint finishes in Jet Black, Carrara White, Mahogany, Moonlight Blue and the special color Crayon.

The comfort of the ride is complete with 8-speed Tiptronic S, the Sport Chrono Package along with the mode switch and analogue clock on the dashboard.

The inlays in the slats of the air intakes at the front, the Porsche lettering integrated in the LED rear light strip, the model designation at the rear and the standard 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels, which are reserved exclusively for the Platinum Edition, are all painted in this color.

Sport tailpipes and side window trims in black further emphasize the sporty, elegant look of the special series.

The refined and exclusive appearance of the Cayenne Platinum Edition is characterized by its exclusively coordinated design elements in a satin Platinum paint finish, as well as its smooth-finish interior leather in two-tone combination in BlackBordeaux Red.

The Cayenne Platinum Edition also comes with extended equipment as standard. This includes LED headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS),

the panoramic roof system, privacy glass, a Bose surround-sound system, ambient lighting, eight-way leather sports seats, the Porsche Crest on the front and rear headrests, and an analogue clock on the dashboard.

In the stylishly designed interior, Crayon seatbelts and brushed aluminum door entry sills with the ‘Platinum Edition’ logo add a special touch, as do the textured aluminum interior package and silver-colored trims.

Photographed by Mohammed Al Qallaf. Instagram:

VISIT DENMARK

A worthy alternative to bucket list Europe

By Lebawit Lily Girma

Paris, Rome, New York, Venice: According to data from Virtuoso, a global network of travel advisers, the most-booked cities for 2023 contain few surprises.

One great option — Denmark — ranks nowhere on the list. That’s a selling point in itself, say the country’s tourism officials. To wit: Its latest tourism marketing campaign, which kicked off on March 6, includes animated versions of the New York’s Statue of Liberty and the Mona Lisa telling travelers that standing in line for hours to see them “isn’t exactly the most exciting way to spend your holiday.”

“We’re not a destination with a lot of big iconic attractions; we don’t have an Eiffel Tower or a Chinese Wall,” says Dennis Englund, U.S. and U.K. market director for Visit Denmark. (Noma, arguably the country’s biggest luxury attraction, has just announced it will close at the end of 2024. ) “What makes Denmark more interesting is often in the very small things.”

Even in Copenhagen, a city as beautiful as any among its continental neighbors and boasting culinary prowess to spare, some of the most memorable experiences come in small packages. Take the gringa al pastor tacos at Hija de Sanchez or a warm-from-the-oven kanelsnurre (cinnamon bun) from Meyers Bageri.

Before COVID-19, Copenhagen suffered its share of overtourism, but the number of international visitors hasn’t returned to

prepandemic levels. Baltic cruises that tended to start and finish in Copenhagen on the way to St. Petersburg slowed after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Denmark isn’t a destination that comes to mind for summertime vacations, despite its vibrant culture in warmer months: Copenhagen’s colorful buildings, always gorgeous, face waterways that residents often use as swimming pools. You’re never more than 35 miles from the sea, and temperatures hover in the low 70s Fahrenheit — much more humane than the Mediterranean’s 90-degree-plus days. Add a newly overhauled metro system and easy access to the country’s less obvious summertime havens, all replete with exciting new openings and cultural offerings, and it’s a prime alternative to places you’ve already considered.

A word to the wise: Plan now. Visit Denmark predicts that tourists from the U.S. will return in full force by the end of 2023. This year, the city has been designated by UNESCO as the World Capital of Architecture; this will bring a host of events from museum exhibitions to weekend guided city walks focusing on the history of Danish building design, past and present. You should have just enough time to beat the crowds. Here’s a primer on where to go.

Copenhagen

What’s new: The first permanent exhibit on the history of Danish architecture from the Vikings to the present opens on March 24 at the Danish Architecture Center. The show promises cinematic experiences of famous Danish buildings, along with opportunities to meet Danish architects and learn about future projects.

Coming soon to the outskirts of Copenhagen is Gilleje Sø-og Havbad Hotel, a welcome addition to Denmark’s badehotel, or seaside summer lodging culture. The 40-room luxury hotel and boutique spa is a former town hall, built in the 1940s, that now offers a modern focus on wellness, from an indoor spa to an outdoor pool and restaurant overlooking the ocean. Rooms feature glorious views that stretch as far as Sweden.

North Jutland

Why go: North Jutland, on Denmark’s northernmost tip, is home to Rold Forest, the country’s largest, where you’ll be able to maximize your time biking and hiking. From there, the seaside beach town of Skagen is home to centuries-old maritime history and art. Lindholm Høje burial site and museum offers a good glimpse of Denmark’s Viking era.

What’s new: A nuclear bunker secretly built in the 1960s has opened to the public as part of the new Regan Vest Cold War Museum. The forested bunker 200 feet (60 meters) underground was operational until 2012, intended to shelter 350 members of government and Denmark’s monarch in the event of global conflict.

The bunker’s entrance was hidden by a Danish brick home in which its engineer resided. The home and bunker interior remain intact. You can tour the underground situation room, the reigning monarch’s bedroom and such other areas as a cafeteria. A newly built museum above-ground houses an exhibit and stories about the Cold War era in Denmark; it feels particularly relevant at a moment when tensions between the West and Russia are again high. Tour guides must be hired and tickets purchased online in advance.

How to get there: Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) will launch direct flights in April from Newark, New Jersey, to Aalborg, the North Jutland region’s colorful waterfront city, to run three times weekly through the summer. You could also hop on a 40-minute SAS flight from Copenhagen to Aalborg.

Bornholm

Why go: A favorite Danish vacation island along the Baltic Sea (some have second homes here) offers breezy seaside scenery. Fine, white-sand beaches abut picturesque fishing villages and dramatic clifftops.

What’s new: This small island is about to get the world’s largest high-speed ferry in May. While the Express 5-model ferry is designed for sensitivity to the environment with high-efficiency diesel engines, the increased capacity—it will hold 1,610 passengers and 450 cars—will enable more people to easily reach this pristine yet popular destination.

In Rønne, on Bornholm’s western coastline, Hotel Green Solution House offers a unique location that’s tucked in the woods yet within walking distance to the beach—the best of both worlds. Plus, it’s gone to great lengths to be eco-friendly, with solar power, carpets that help purify the air in your room, waste turned into mulch for the hotel’s vegetable garden and repurposed Danish furniture in the rooms. Renovated in 2021 with 24 rooms added, the hotel is so popular that it’s sold out for July, perhaps a sign that more travelers are caring about the planet. Hop on bicycle trails that begin outside the hotel and explore the rest of Rønne, or relax on site in the hot tub and sauna. From $248 per night.

How to get there: Travel from Copenhagen to Ystad, on Sweden’s south coast, by bus. From Ystad, take the double-deck Express 5 ferry for an 80-minute ride to Rønne, which costs about 600 Danish kroner ($90) for a car with five passengers. Tickets will be available online when summer service is scheduled.

Photo by Adrian Cuj on Unsplash.

Trendy & Innovative

ENJOY THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY MONTH IN LUXURY

The Waldorf Astoria is the place to be this Ramadan and Eid

By bazaar Staff

There’s a certain spark about Ramadan; the way people come together to celebrate the blessings of the season, and what better place to do that than the glorious Waldorf Astoria. The hotel has curated a wondrous selection of five-star experiences for you to indulge in with your loved ones of every age!

Kubbar – Ramadan Under The Stars

The Waldorf Astoria is starting off their first Ramadan tent with a magical experience under the stars. The open-air Al Kubbar tent elevates the dining experience in Kuwait this season with an array of traditional Middle Eastern and international delicacies and takes you on a starlit culinary journey.

The menu is designed and delivered by Executive Chef, Gurkan Gozyilmaz alongside his expert culinary team, who are not holding back in delivering excellence. Guests are invited to break their fast with a range of live cooking stations with a variety of soups, salads, hot and cold appetizers, signature kebabs, and a mouth-watering wagyu beef shawarma. Served alongside, are a variety of Ramadan beverages from Qamar Al-Deen to Jellab, as well as tea and coffee, will be offered throughout the evening.

But what is Ramadan without the sweet delights we love to indulge in? Guests can end their meal on a sweet note with a wide range of homemade oriental sweets, including a selection of baklava and a special teppanyaki ice-cream, while enjoying Ramadan-themed live entertainment as the evening goes on.

In addition to the extraordinary culinary experience, the Al Kubbar Ramadan evening caters to families with little guests, who can enjoy curated activities such as games, face painting, and a selection of cartoons. Adults can revel in the exquisite dining experience, while the little ones make the most of the joyful atmosphere.

In creating an exquisite tent, the Waldorf Astoria has not forgotten about their little guests with a variety of activities including face painting, cartoons and games. Adults can enjoy the dinner worry free, knowing that the little ones can make the most of the joyful atmosphere.

You can book the Al Kubbar tent for you and your family and friends, but it can also be booked for corporate events and ghabqas this Ramadan. It will definitely make for a unique venue. With exceptional service and attention to detail, the

Al

tent can accommodate up to 600 guests for private bookings. This is the perfect time to create lasting memories with your colleagues. The iftar package can be booked for 26KWD per person and the ghabqa package can be booked for 24KWD. Children under the age of 6 can enjoy a complimentary meal and children between the ages of six and 12 are charged only 50%. The corporate packages have discounted prices.

Purifying Hammam Experience

Ramadan is a great time for renewal, and what better way to feel fresh and ready to embrace

the holy month than the luxurious AMRA Hammam Treatment that purifies and firms the skin. This indulgent experience involves a customary cleansing with an esteemed Eucalyptus Body Soap, as well as steam, body exfoliation, a Rhassoul Body Mask for toning, and a nourishing Body Butter Application. As a special addition, you can elevate your journey with a 30-minute massage for either your back or feet, followed by a 30-minute wellness experience crafted specifically for men and women to provide an unparalleled mind and body relaxation and recovery experience. The cost of the treatment is 85 KWD

A Time for Giving

We all know that the holy month is a time for giving, and what better way to give than share the ultimate Ramadan indulgence with Waldorf Astoria Kuwait’s takeaway chocolates and sweets. Crafted by expert pastry chefs, these exquisite delicacies are a must-try. From rich chocolate truffles to traditional Arabic sweets, there’s something for everyone to relish. Enjoy exquisite delicacies in the comfort of your own home or share them with family and friends during this special time of year.

Eid Brunch

After Ramadan, celebrate Eid in style with brunch for the holidays Waldorf Astoria Kuwait. Immerse yourself in a luxurious atmosphere and relish a fine dining experience for brunch over Eid. Delight in both traditional Kuwaiti and international cuisine, consisting of delectable dates, refreshing seasonal drinks, and delectable main courses such as Lamb Ouzi and Chicken Machboos. Enjoy a memorable feast with friends and family and indulge in a culinary journey like no other!

Embrace the Ramadan spirit and enjoy the celebrations throughout the month and at Eid with the Waldorf Astoria’s amazing hospitality. With very few experiences like these, and a limited number of nights in Ramadan, book your Ramadan nights and Eid brunches early! And of course, don’t miss out on the Hammam. Call 2477 4414 for bookings or for more information and follow @WaldorfAstoriaKuwait to stay up to date with the exciting activities and events taking place at the hotel.

ROONS

Serving mouth-watering Macarons as a Guinness World Record Holder

By bazaar Staff

Starting off his career in the Fashion Industry, Abdulaziz Al Najjar quickly found himself in a career shift as he opened his first bakery, Socrates, before expanding into the world of Macarons with “Roons”.

Whenever mentioning Roons, Abdulaziz can’t help but smile. This wasn’t just a bakery, it’s a passion. Roons has quickly become more than just a place selling macarons, it has become a must-try for people in Kuwait as he aims to make macarons not only a great dessert, but also something that you can even take to gatherings and family outings. It’s also unlike any macaron that you have tried before.

“We have different types of macarons; the shells, the ganache and the ‘bomb’. It’s in the middle of the macaron and it’s a flavorful pop in your mouth when you eat it that really blends well with the flavors.”

And they have many incredible flavors! Unicorn Marshmallow, Mango, Oreo, Banoffee, Birthday Cake, or even the Kuwaiti favorite Elba. All the different flavors are absolutely delicious in their own way.

What’s even more impressive is that Roons also holds a Guinness World Record for the largest display of macarons. “It started off as a joke with some friends that we should do something big and enter the Guinness World Records, but quickly turned into a type of passion project for me. Early on, we struggled to really make a name for ourselves and get people to try our macarons, but I knew our product was good and if anyone tried it, they would fall in love. We were meant to do this last year, but the logistics didn’t work out. Then we got a call from Al Hamra Mall to do it this year” said Abdulaziz.

The smile returned as his memories took him back to when he realized that this project was actually something that could be done. Abulaziz explained, “We researched all the requirements and got to it. Initially, it was supposed to be a tower of macarons but changed to the Kuwait Flag during the National Holidays. Even though it was incredibly stressful, it turned out perfectly and people loved it! Pictures were taken by anyone who passed and we began getting many orders from new customers.”

There was still one more move to be made. What happens to the 9,600 macarons once it’s time to remove the display? Well, an hour after the display was taken down, the macarons were already with customers. Abdulaziz added, “We were able to distribute all the macarons, we were sold out in two hours! And of course, we started receiving even more orders through the people who tried it and word of mouth.”

The part that was more unexpected than being sold out of all the macarons in a couple of hours, was that they actually ended up over-distributing and gave out a total of about 14,000!

This is all still a little bit of a blur to him. The achievement of what he has done, whether opening two bakeries with a third on the way or being part of the Guinness World Records, is something he’s proud of, but he hasn’t fully realized it just yet.

“If you work hard for something you truly believe in, anything is possible.”

Roons continues to grow and so does Abdulaziz with ideas and projects that are coming up. Ramadan brings with it a craving for sweets and Roons have not only released new flavors but also a new product, bite-sized macarons which are perfect for all types of gatherings.

We’re excited to see what’s in store as this journey continues!

Stay up-to-date with Roons by following them on Instagram @TryRoons.

Let's celebrate this Ramadan with

CEO OF KUWAIT HOSPITAL RECOGNIZED AS TOP 100 HEALTHCARE LEADER

Alexander Jankuloski has been recognized by Forbes Middle East

By bazaar Staff

The healthcare industry in Kuwait is definitely one of the most advanced in the region, with the government and private sector working together to achieve great health in the country. One of the men that has been working tirelessly to make this happen and take great strides in the industry is Alexander Jankuloski of Kuwait Hospital. His hard work and high standards of leadership in healthcare places him 96th among the healthcare leaders across 11 countries by Forbes Magazine.

Alexander Jankuloski

Alexander was awarded one of the region’s most influential healthcare heads across pharmaceuticals, medical facilities, technology, medical equipment, and healthcare investment, playing a significant role in MENA’s healthcare ecosystem.

The ever-humble CEO of Kuwait Hospital, Alexander shares that “I am honored to be recognized by Forbes, and aim to raise Kuwait Hospital’s bar in the years to come. Ever since we officially commenced operations in 2020 challenged by the pandemic, we have striven towards excellence and upheld the best industry practices in healthcare. To deliver international quality of services, we have embraced forward-looking innovations and recruited a highly experienced and diverse team across over 25 healthcare and medical disciplines.”

Founded in 2005 as part of KMCH and operated by Swedish healthcare provider GHP and Capio since 2019, Kuwait Hospital covers a wide range of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare services. If you haven’t visited the hospital already, it is definitely worth knowing that the hospital has some of the finest healthcare talents both regionally and locally. The hospital provides an outstanding level of healthcare service to patients and actively supported the hospital’s vision in providing evidence-based and person-centric healthcare to the highest ethical standards.

“I strongly believe success is directly proportional to having the right team of people. Our board-certified specialists, doctors, nurses and technicians are the pillars of our healthcare delivery model”, adds Mr Jankuloski. “Our commitment to patients and the wider Kuwaiti community is central to our mission –to support the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of Kuwait’s future generations, and our staff are integral to this purpose.”

In accordance with its holistic healthcare philosophy, Kuwait Hospital provides continuing education, latest training, and facilitates medical research for staff and medical departments. Kuwait Hospital’s teams have successfully delivered several milestones. This includes the first surgery in August 2022, the first baby delivered in February 2021, and the opening of a variety of specialized clinical services. But that isn’t all, what we love is that Kuwait Hospital prides itself in specializing in complex healthcare procedures and using advanced healthcare technology including the Mako robotic arm assisted surgeries for knee and hip replacement, neurosurgery (brain and spine), complex cardiology and vascular

procedures, complex head and neck surgeries, maternal-fetal medicine, and 24/7 emergency medicine.

“The Forbes list is indeed an honor and I am now gearing towards hospital accreditation along with my team”, Alexander proudly notes.

“I aim to place Kuwait Hospital on the global healthcare map as a recognized provider of specialized services, on a par with global standards.” Alexander was appointed CEO in July 2020 and led Kuwait Hospital towards a strategic vision of holistic healthcare and holds

14 years of experience in senior managerial roles at different hospitals and healthcare institutions.

We are so impressed with the management of the hospital, we wish you continued good health but if you ever find yourself needing some tests or treatment, give a visit to Kuwait Hospital for exemplary care. You can also stay up to date with the latest in the world of health by following Kuwait Hospital on Instagram @Kuwait.Hospital.

MY NAME IS

This simple formula can help you introduce yourself like a pro—and not be forgotten

By AJ Hess

The last time you were asked to introduce yourself, how did you feel? For introverts and extroverts alike, having all eyes focused on you at the team meeting, or introducing yourself to strangers at an in-person conference, can be anxiety-producing, leading to deer-in-the-headlights moments where you do little more than stammer out the verbal equivalent of your LinkedIn headline. Following a simple, three-part framework can make your introductions smoother, easier, and more memorable.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with the standard, “Hi, my name is. . . . ” followed by your job title, it doesn’t do you any favors. It doesn’t help you to stand out the right way when you’re meeting people for the first time. A good introduction is like a movie trailer. It’s engaging, gets attention, and builds curiosity.

Getting the attention of those you work with matters if you want to stand out and leave a lasting impression. According to researchers, we’re more likely to remember what we’re interested in. So, if people forget your name, it may be because you simply haven’t given them a good reason to remember it.

Fortunately, there is a simple, easy-toremember formula anyone can use to help navigate this often awkward and anxiety-provoking social ritual with confidence. It reduces part of your cognitive load, so you only need to focus on what you’re going to say, not how you are going to say it. I call this structure the “What?, So What?, Now What?” framework:

1. State who you are and a few roles you fill. This is your “What.”

2. Say what you’re excited about or interested in. This is your “So what.”

3. Offer an invitation to the other person to continue the conversation. This is your “Now what.”

Let’s deconstruct a few examples to show how versatile and effective this structure is.

First, here’s how I would introduce myself in a general one-on-one encounter at work or in a professional setting:

• What: “Hi, my name is Matt and I’m super passionate about communication.”

• So what: “I love helping people express themselves more effectively.”

• Now what: “I’m excited to know what motivates you?”

Here’s an example of how you might introduce yourself if you’re a featured presenter at an event and are mingling with other attendees before your talk:

• What: “Hi, I’m so excited to be here with people who share my interest in marketing. I’m Julio.”

• So what: “Today I plan to discuss how you can

hone and enhance your marketing messages to drive brand awareness.”

• Now what: “I’m curious about what you hope to get out of the conference today?”

And here’s an introduction suitable for when you’re attending an educational event, seminar, or conference:

• What: “Hello, I’m a software engineer, amateur bluegrass banjo player, and parent of twin 2-yearolds. My name is Anit.”

• So what: “I’m here at the conference to find some fun ways to incorporate music into kids’ education.”

• Now what: “What are you hoping to learn today?”

In each of these examples of the “What?, So What?, Now What?” framework, the most necessary information—your name—is presented, but it’s placed in a context that is more compelling and, therefore, more memorable. Additionally, by ending with an engaging question,

you’re also opening up the conversation, showing the other person you care about them and their story.

One note: If you were to use these approaches in a group setting such as a team meeting, you’d want to change the “Now What” from a question to a statement. So, rather than saying, “What are you hoping to learn today?” you’d say, “I’m looking forward to hearing more about what you hope to learn today.” This adjustment shows your interest in others, while avoiding posing a general question to the group that might be met with awkward silence and people asking, “Was she talking to me?”

While many people treat an introduction as a mere formality, it can be a chance to give a gift to your conversational partner: an easy way to not only remember you, but also to continue the conversation. When you use a simple framework like “What?, So What,? Now What?,” you can take the pressure off yourself and launch your dialog or meeting in an engaging, purposeful manner.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.

Looking

How about a

ONE-STEP VOLUMISER PLUS

CAN THE BOTS READ?

Readers are dubious about AI audiobooks

Laurie Hertzel

Ever since I wrote that column about Google and other platforms using artificial intelligence (AI) voices for audiobooks, my inbox has been slammed with spammy emails about AI.

“An AI Bot Wrote This Copy,” reads one message line. “Influencers helped by artificial intelligence,” reads another. “Can AI Teach Us to Read?” reads yet another. And then there’s “Why the fuss over ChatGPT?” Oh, man, I just cannot get into ChatGPT at this stage of my life.

Much better were the many emails and comments sent by actual humans. Thank you!

Most of you found the concept of using AI readers for audiobooks to be abysmal.

“Human readers, unite!” wrote Stan Kaufman of New Brighton, Minnesota. “I would prefer a talking book written by, say, Edgar Allan Poe and read by, say, Basil Rathbone, over the same book read by an AI algorithm. The reader’s name should be a prominent part of the package. Can one’s voice be copyrighted?”

One’s voice cannot be copyrighted, but there are laws popping up to protect humans in other ways. In February, Vice magazine reported that voice actors are being asked to sign away their rights to their own voices. In an earlier story it reported that the voices of celebrities — Joe Rogan and Emma Watson, to name two — are being “cloned” and made to say racist things.

Yikes! But I digress.

Readers wrote to say that they want to listen to human readers. For one thing, they have concerns about a robotic voice getting the tone right.

“I began Talking Book [audiobooks for people with poor vision] after I was diagnosed with macular degeneration in 1956,” writes Ron Weitbrecht of Cambridge, Minnesota. “I cannot imagine how awful it would be to hear the type of robotic voices I use on my computer or my GPS as I try to plow through a great book!

“The human voices involved in such endeavors must be well-trained and practiced at the art of storytelling. I for one do not wish AI to insert itself into my Talking Books.”

Patricia Kovel-Jarboe of Minneapolis has been a reader for Minnesota Talking Book for many years, and she, too, wonders about tone. “It’s hard to imagine AI being sophisticated enough to know when a character in a novel is using a ‘snarky’ tone of voice or that a teenaged character is using that tone that comes with a built-in eye roll,” she writes.

Jerry Mandaville of Maple Grove, Minnesota,

writes that “being legally blind, listening to books fills an important part of my day. I am at the point now where the narrator is as important as the book. In fact, I will seek narrators as I decide on what book to listen to next.”

I must play devil’s advocate here; I prefer real people to bots too, but it should be noted that AI voices are getting better — more realistic, less like those weird atonal voices we first encountered.

As Laura Miller writes in Slate, some of them are actually pretty good, though she also notes they have a ways to go.

Beth Sartor Obermeyer of Minneapolis says that when her latest book was being made into an audiobook, “the researcher for the audiobook company called me to confirm the pronunciation of 20 pages of words in the manuscript. He even called the library in tiny Titonka, Iowa, to get the right twist on the names of generations past. I am so proud of the effort.”

An effort that a bot, almost certainly, would not make.

Photo by Mediamodifier on Unsplash.

ASSIMA MALL, BLOCK 3, MUBARAK AL KABEER ST, BASEMENT 1, MIRQAB, KUWAIT CITY

LEXUS REINVENTS THE LUXURY CROSSOVER

Mohamed Naser Al Sayer & Sons Est Co. unveils the all-new RX 2023

By bazaar Staff

The all-new RX 2023 was unveiled during one of its kind signature events organized by Lexus team exclusively for its elite customers at the flagship Lexus Center Shuwaikh.

The exceptional unveil elevated the enthusiasm among the audience marking the end for a longanticipated RX full model change.

The Fifth-generation Lexus RX comes with a choice of two electrified powertrains to accelerate the realization of a carbon-neutral society.

Why is Lexus special? According to Mubarak Naser Al Sayer, “Lexus is considered a respected luxurious brand for several reasons; it is known for making high-quality sophisticated cars that tend to retain its value for a long time, not to mention its talented and sophisticated design. Moreover, in accordance to most experts in the industry; if you wish to own a reliable vehicle with full features; then Lexus is your answer.”

RX 500h F SPORT Performance grade

introduces Lexus’ first-ever turbo Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV)

Speaking during the event, Bedour Faisal Al Sayer said “Lexus RX has become admired globally, and its design is famous for its exceptional boldness that combines luxury and sporty performance in keeping with a rapidly changing world. I can confidently tell you that Lexus RX is elegant, appealing, smooth, sporty, and embodies the values and attributes adored by ambitious youth who are into luxury.”

Complementing the all-new RX’s distinctive design is a thrilling drive personality imbued by three powertrain options. A newly developed inline 4-cylinder, 2.4-liter turbocharged engine that produces 275 hp and 430 nm of torque is mated to a new 8-speed Direct-Shift automatic transmission

(8AT). Meanwhile, the new hybrid-electric system combines a 2.5-liter petrol engine and electric motor to produce a total of 247 hp, which is mated to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (E-CVT) A hybrid-electric system pairing a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with an electric motor is also available, which provides a combined power of 366 hp mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The RX 500h F SPORT Performance model boasts exclusive interior and exterior features, including a distinctive ‘F’ mesh-pattern grille, a new front bumper design, black roof rails, and a choice of three distinctive 21-inch aluminum wheel designs. The cabin comes with Dark Spin Aluminum ornamentation, a unique meter, bolstered sports

seats, a steering wheel with paddle shifters, and aluminum pedals and scuff plates. Owners can choose from a range of six exterior colors that emphasize the vehicle’s sportiness, including Heat Blue CL and White Nova GF, which are both exclusive to the RX 500h F SPORT Performance model, while the interior is available in DK. Rose and Black variants.

Kei Fujita, Chief Representative of Middle East & Central Asia Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation said “I would like to thank our customers in the region for continuously inspiring us to push the boundaries of creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation, and look forward to surpassing their expectations of what a crossover utility vehicle can be.”

As with any Lexus vehicle, safety is a top priority for the all-new RX. Drivers can enjoy complete peace of mind, thanks to the Lexus Safety System+, an advanced safety and driver assistance system that includes a Pre-Collision System (PCS).

For those seeking to experience the ultimate in thrilling responsiveness, Lexus is proud to introduce its first-ever turbo hybrid electric vehicle. The RX 500h F SPORT Performance’s new hybrid electric system comes with a front unit that integrates a hightorque 2.4-liter turbo engine, six-speed automatic transmission, and an electric motor.

The RX 500h F SPORT Performance model boasts exclusive interior and exterior features, including a distinctive ‘F’ mesh-pattern grille, a new front bumper design, black roof rails, and a

choice of three distinctive 21-inch aluminum wheel designs. The cabin comes with Dark Spin Aluminum ornamentation, a unique meter, bolstered sports seats, a steering wheel with paddle shifters, and aluminum pedals and scuff plates. Owners can choose from a range of six exterior colors that emphasize the vehicle’s sportiness, including Heat Blue CL and White Nova GF, which are both exclusive to the RX 500h F SPORT Performance model, while the interior is available in DK. Rose and Black variants.

For more information, please contact Govind Haridas on govindha@alsayergroup.com and make sure to follow them on Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest news @lexuskw

E XP E R IEN C E

THE TRUE SPIRIT OF RAMADAN WITH JUMEIRAH

Celebrate Ramadan with family and friends in the much anticipated and splendid Asateer by Jumeirah. Step into an elegant space at Badriah ballroom designed with Arabesque accents and refined decor, where every corner is a reminder of what makes this Holy month special

Created in the most opulent of settings, the Andalusian-inspired venue with live oriental music, lavish Iftar & Ghabka buffets, and signature live cooking stations, catering to all your cravings

HONESTY WINS

5 ways to make your résumé more impressive without lying

By AJ Hess

Have you ever been tempted to stretch the truth on your résumé? Surveys show that up to 80% of people have lied on their résumés. But I have good news: You don’t have to do that to look impressive.

I was a retained search consultant for more than 25 years and have held C-level corporate executive positions. These days, I write executive and board résumés and I have found that there are many techniques applicants can use to help make their résumés impressive—without lying. Here are five tactics all applicants should try.

1. Format flatteringly

First, use a simple format. Doing so demonstrates that you can organize information for a user’s benefit. That valuable communication skill will instantly make you more impressive than 99% of the other applicants for most jobs.

Many design executives engage me to write their résumés. They recognize reader-centric design when they see it. And they don’t confuse narrative résumés with visual creative portfolios. They know that narratives and visuals have different design requirements.

2. Less hyperbole, more facts

Next, check your résumé’s headline and branding statement. I have found that when job seekers don’t understand their value, they describe themselves with overused, hyperbolic words. Recruiters immediately recognize these types of claims and aren’t impressed.

Some hyperbolic descriptor nouns include “disruptor,” “expert,” “guru,” “thought leader,” and “visionary.” Check the definitions of those words. If you don’t match up, delete them from your résumé. Then, invest in better understanding your value. Trust me: It’s there, waiting to be discovered.

Beyond nouns, be wary of exaggerated adjectives. Recruiters often aren’t impressed by adjectives because they’re typically opinions, not facts. Some hyperbolic adjectives include “distinguished,” “outstanding,” and “unique.”

These lists aren’t comprehensive. However, these examples demonstrate the types of words that can seem impressive to job seekers but don’t pass recruiters’ scrutiny. Recruiters’ private reactions are often, “Show me, don’t tell me.” If any of your descriptors might make a recruiter think that, delete them.

3. Persuasively frame your experience

Third, look at your experience and frame it to persuade your target employers to talk with you. Applicants can do this by highlighting the elements of your experience that interest potential employers and delete irrelevant (or

potentially negative) information but don’t stretch the truth.

Negatives rarely impress on résumés. Because of that, when a fact is described negatively, I ask myself, “Can I reframe this as a positive?” It might be as simple as changing “reduced turnover to 10%” to “increased team retention to 90%.”

Employers want to know about your fit for their job, so it is crucial to address their interests. And no one expects you to describe your biggest failure on your résumé. Beyond that, recruiters and hiring managers don’t want to wade through irrelevant clutter.

You should never lie on your résumé. To make sure you stay true to yourself, ask yourself the following: “Would I be comfortable posting this résumé on LinkedIn?” “How would my colleagues react if they read this on LinkedIn?” “Would I be confident discussing this information in an interview?”

4. Show off who you’ve worked with Instead of being tempted to resort to hyperbole and lies, share your accomplishments and their impact.

One technique I like to use on résumés is something I call “affiliative branding.” An earlycareer client I once worked with wanted a specific job but couldn’t land an interview. We analyzed the posting and saw that the job involved working

with well-known artists. My client had that impressive experience but hadn’t mentioned it in their résumé. We wrote a bullet that named a few of the top artists they had worked for (affiliative branding) and described my client’s wins. They got the job three weeks later.

5. Eliminate or update outdated information I once worked with a client who was a top executive in a start-up that was acquired by a well-known company—a successful exit. But then the acquirer failed months later in the dot-com crash. We thought that linking my client to that company’s almost-forgotten name would generate age bias, so we eliminated it and consolidated their experience from that point back.

In another case, a client pioneered a billiondollar product category for their company. The first product became a household name, but newer products have followed it. We featured the product in an earlier version of my client’s résumé. In the current version, we updated their story by focusing on the category because it’s now more impressive than the initial product.

Every résumé benefits from exploring and discovering the truth, deciding which relevant, positive information to present, and crafting compelling framing. When you do that, there should be no temptation—or need—to lie on your résumé.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash.

ADVENTURE TIME

Epic bucket-list adventures

By Lynn O’Rourke Hayes

Create radiant memories with an epic adventure trip. Here are five to consider.

Explore the Great White Continent

Some go to score their seventh continent. Others, to see penguins waddle or whales breach amid blue-tinged icebergs. More recently, an increasing number of travelers choose an Antarctic expedition to better understand climate change and to learn from scientists, naturalists and history experts who have spent decades observing the changing landscape. No matter your reason for booking, a journey to this wild southernmost destination is an awe-inspiring adventure. On an Abercrombie & Kent voyage, you’ll cross the storied Drake Passage before reaching a land where there are no permanent residents, no hotels or shopping opportunities. However, you’ll trade traffic noise for the sound of glaciers calving, and zip to remote islands via Zodiac boats where Crabeater and Weddell seals loll on the ice. You’ll be mesmerized by the towering snow-covered mountains, the everchanging ice formations, smile-inducing penguin colonies and the opportunity to step where few have ventured before. And, you’ll return home having joined the ranks of great explorers like Shackleton and Scott, who forged the way.

Bike the Baltics

This compact region, comprised of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, is rich in scenic beauty, history and heritage. Given the largely flat terrain and cycle-centric culture, it’s possible to explore the area’s ancient ruins and fairy-tale-like castles, as well as to sample the important cultural and folk traditions in one 10- or 12-day biking trip. You’ll also want to explore the medieval old towns of all three capital cities — Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn — during your two-wheeled adventure. Consider a visit to the Hill of Crosses, a fabled pilgrimage site covered with more than 100,000 metal and wooden crucifixes and other religious icons.

Discover the Wonders of Palau

This Pacific archipelago, made up of 500 islands, is one of the richest ecosystems on the planet and home to more than 1,300 species of fish and 700 species of coral. During your visit to this aquatic wonderland, you can paddle and snorkel amid the multi-colored brain coral of the Rock Islands, which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Hike to waterfalls; swim among non-stinging jellyfish; dive amid sharks, giant manta rays, turtles and bright blue starfish; and kayak in caves, through mangroves and to hidden lagoons. History lovers will find the WWII heritage compelling.

Venture to Namibia

One of the least-populated countries in the world, Namibia begs to be explored. From the capital city of Windhoek to the stark Skeleton Coast, you’ll find a timeless landscape where desert-adapted wildlife – elephants, lions and the rare black rhino – share the vast landscape with birds, antelopes, cape foxes and brown hyenas. Drive through barren moonscapes and search for small herds of Hartmann’s zebras or find pink flamingos and other migratory birds in a coastal wetland. Hike up Namibia’s highest ochre-colored sand dune and watch the sun set before slip-sliding down. Few people and sparse development translate into a magnificent display of stars. Don’t forget to look up.

Catch the island vibe

If you’ve ever dreamed of casting away to a tranquil hideaway where white sand beaches stretch for miles and your worries dissolve in

soft ocean breezes, then this coral island is for you. The only resort on a small spit of land in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Four Seasons Desroches Island in the Seychelles pairs warm and welcoming service, top-notch cuisine and rustic luxury with a pristine natural environment. Stay in villas, suites or expansive residences, each with private pools and beach access. Ride bikes to the Island Conservation Society’s Giant Tortoise Sanctuary before stopping on a private stretch of beach for a family picnic. Explore your choice of 14 world-class dive sites around the island or soak up the sun in a kayak or on a standup paddleboard. Youngsters can explore with the Kids for All Seasons crew while adults spend the day deep-sea fishing or relaxing in the open-air spa. Later, connect for a spectacular sunset atop the Lighthouse, the beachfront restaurant where fresh-caught seafood is served nightly.

Photo by Holly Mandarich on Unsplash.

SUSTAINABILITY

Gulf Bank affirms its transparency in communicating its sustainability performance and outlining its business activities’ impacts, risks, and opportunities with respect to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) elements within their business pillars. At Gulf Bank, they adopt responsible practices with a proactive sustainable approach, using effective leadership and governance through the provision of financial and banking services, innovative digital solutions, talent acquisition, youth empowerment, woman inclusion and diversity. This approach reinforces their contribution to the national and international sustainability agendas including the New Kuwait Vision 2035, UN Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs), the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), ESG criteria, and more.

Environment

Today, the banking sector is heading towards a new era of digital transformation, and they have demonstrated a proven dynamism in responding swiftly to emerging digital demands. With the latest digital-driven strategy, Gulf Bank aims to transform and digitize banking operations and services in a way that will meet the aspirations of future generations. As part of the bank’s strategy, they have launched the new Gulf Bank smartphone application, which allows clients to conduct money transfers, manage online on-boarding, shop online, and take advantage of other innovative online banking features. Since the launch of the new app, more than 17,000 accounts have opened, and 44% of customers are currently using the app. Gulf Bank’s new smartphone application is characterized by smart design, ease, and simplicity of use. As part of Gulf Bank’s contribution to the implementation of the New Kuwait Vision 2035, specifically to the sustainable living environment pillar, a range of environmental concerns have been identified, including climate change and resource conservation. HR, Procurement and CSR departments have developed clear internal plans to address these issues and have shown incredible efforts in that area. Key achievements in this area include a 100% reduction in the bank’s Scope I Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, a reduction in paper consumption due to digitization and printers’ consolidation, environmental cleanups, and waste reduction initiatives.

Social

At the social level, Gulf Bank continues to support youth empowerment, community wellness, and social engagement through impactful initiatives. The Gulf Bank 642 Marathon, the only certified and accredited local marathon and one of the main community wellness initiatives, is the biggest local sports event that takes place at the heart of Kuwait City, taking runners through beautiful landmarks in Kuwait. Over 11,000 people participated in this year’s Gulf Bank’s 642 Marathon. Participants from over 100 nationalities joined this year’s marathon, and over 2,000 international participants.

Gulf Bank plays a key role in supporting youth through programs aimed at achieving one of the most important pillars of Gulf Bank’s 2025 strategy and Kuwait’s 2035 vision: youth empowerment. In keeping with its ongoing support for Kuwaiti youth both inside and outside of the country, Gulf Bank also continued its strategic partnership with the National Union of Kuwait Students - USA Chapter in sponsoring its 38th annual conference. In addition, Gulf Bank also provided its ongoing support and partnership to INJAZ Kuwait, a non-profit, nongovernmental organization which aims to support youth empowerment and their education. Gulf Bank helped impact around 7,350 students by training them in workforce readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship.

In addition, 2022 was a year of a data-driven transformation for Gulf Bank, with the recent establishment of the Data unit in 2021, the Bank was ready to take on major initiatives to capitalize on data as an asset that enables optimization of work efforts and improved capabilities in all business units. The focus was on ensuring that the people in Gulf Bank are ready for transformations and are equipped with the right knowledge and tools to enable sustainable economic growth of the Bank. In May 2022, Gulf Bank established the innovation unit as well, to ensure that Gulf Bank stays ahead of the curve when it comes to disruptive transformations happening in the financial industry as well as the local market. Accordingly, two programs were established, including the Data Ambassador and the Bank wide data literacy.

During Ramadan, Gulf Bank also launched a variety of humanitarian initiatives designed to support the local community. The Bank renewed its partnership with the Kuwait

Red Crescent Society (KRCS) to distribute appliances to local families in need. As part of its commitment towards social sustainability, Gulf Bank also supported the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in covering costs for refugee needs, including rent for housing, food, health services, and more. During the holy month, Gulf Bank also distributed Iftar meals with the Kuwait Food Bank for the fifth year in a row, and collaborated with local non-profit organization, Altakaful, as part of their campaign to relieve debts.

As part of its ongoing commitment to social responsibility and its continuous support of local youth, Gulf Bank also launched an Off-roading Challenge, the first sports event of its kind in Kuwait that Gulf Bank spearheaded as part of its role in advocating for local youth’s mental and physical health, and social wellbeing.

In recognition of every employee’s role in delivering customer excellence and serving the community at large, the Bank is constantly engaging and empowering its employees as part of an inclusive and diversified workplace. Gulf Bank continues to hire fresh graduates at a steady and healthy pace and support the development of fresh young talent. The bank has also increased the female employee percentage to 44%, aiming to reach an equal gender ratio in the near future.

Gulf Bank prides themselves on contributing to a more sustainable national economy through the development of local skills, particularly through employee training and internships. 1,252 employees participated in the conducted training programs, accounting to 72% of the total workforce. Similarly, the number of interns participating in the Annual Internship Program are 20. The bank also continues to support the national economy by opting for local supplies. In 2022, they sourced 95% of the supplies locally, and increased the Kuwaitization rate at managerial positions and above to 60%.

Governance

Gulf Bank’s Corporate Governance is the guiding force that determines how the Bank is directed and controlled. Effective Corporate Governance, which is appropriately aligned with relevant local regulations and international best practices, is the basic tenet of Gulf Bank’s business philosophy. As such, the bank has developed policies that build a sustainable foundation for ethical business conduct and compliance. Gulf Bank’s Board of Directors members comprises of diverse backgrounds, knowledge, professional skills and wide experience in areas including insurance, finance, legal, compliance and regulatory affairs, audit, research and risk management – who can bring value to the Board discussions and decision-making process.

During 2022, Ms. Reem Abdullah Alsaleh was elected as an Independent Director on the Board of Directors during the Bank’s 63rd Ordinary General Assembly, bringing the total number of independent members in the Board of Directors to four out of the eleven in total, representing 36% of nonmajority independent board member which is an improvement when compared to previous periods. Furthermore, Ms. Al Saleh is the first woman to become an Independent Board Member on Gulf Bank’s Board of Directors. This is a major milestone in the history of the Bank as women empowerment and inclusion is essential at Gulf Bank when it comes to setting future strategies or designing diversity and inclusion policies.

In conclusion, Gulf Bank is proud to mark 2022 as a year of tremendous headway and impressive milestones on the ESG front, with sustainability efforts that have been ongoing and unwavering year-round. With multiple ongoing initiatives both internally and in collaboration with the local community, Gulf Bank is proud to be continuing its ESG efforts that will benefit the Bank, the community and Kuwait at large.

For more information, please visit e-gulfbank.com.

WE CAN HOPE

The latest climate report is bleak. Here’s why there’s still hope

By Adele Peters

It’s been more than three decades since the first major climate report came out from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change—the UN group of scientists that plows through all of the latest climate research. The newest report, based on thousands of studies, makes clear how slowly the world has acted on earlier warnings. Since the first report, we’ve emitted more than one trillion additional tons of CO2. We’re already living with impacts that are more severe than expected, from extreme heat and droughts to destructive flooding and hurricanes. And the planet is on track to heat up more than 1.5 degrees Celsius as soon as the next decade.

It’s been more than three decades since the first major climate report came out from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change— the UN group of scientists that plows through all of the latest climate research. The newest report, based on thousands of studies, makes clear how slowly the world has acted on earlier warnings. Since the first report, we’ve emitted more than one trillion additional tons of CO2. We’re already living with impacts that are more severe than expected, from extreme heat and droughts to destructive flooding and hurricanes. And the planet is on track to heat up more than 1.5 degrees Celsius as soon as the next decade.

The report explains in detail how climate impacts are growing. But it also gives a roadmap for how society needs to transform, including an all-important shift away from fossil fuels and the rapid uptake of renewables, electrified buildings and vehicles, and energy efficiency.

“The climate time-bomb is ticking,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement Monday. “But today’s IPCC report is a how-to guide to defuse the climate time bomb. It is a survival guide for humanity. As it shows, the 1.5-degree limit is achievable. But it will take a quantum leap in climate action.”

While we haven’t moved quickly enough, much of the technology that’s needed already exists, and could scale up much faster if we make that choice now. “We probably have almost everything we need to start to get on the path to net zero by 2050, if we have the political will and policies in place to do it,” says Robbie Orvis, a senior director at the energy and environmental policy firm Energy Innovation.

Solar and wind power are now cheaper than fossil fuels in most locations, for example, and the majority of new power installations this year will be renewable. In the U.S., the sticker price of electric cars could be as cheap as gas cars this year. It’s possible that supply chains could scale up enough for every new vehicle to be electric by 2035, something Orvis says is necessary to meet a goal of net zero by the middle of the century.

Some cities, like Paris, are redesigning themselves to make it easier to walk and bike. Homes and offices can shift from fossil fueledappliances to heat pumps, electric water heaters,

and induction stoves. Heavy industry is a bigger challenge, but around a third of industrial energy needs could be met by heat pumps now, and other new technology is on the verge of scaling up. To decarbonize cement, for example—an industry responsible for around 8% of global emissions, or three times more than aviation—startups are pioneering new processes, like Brimstone, a company that can make a carbon-negative cement that competes on price with the traditional product. Jet fuel can be made from captured CO2; chemicals can be made from sugar. Other startups are building new systems to pull CO2 from the atmosphere using crushed limestone or seaweed.

Of course, the fact that new solutions exist doesn’t mean they’ll replace the status quo. A climate action tracker from an initiative called Speed & Scale shows how far off course we are now; out of multiple objectives, from electrifying transportation to transforming the food system, only a few key results are on track.

But if we’ve collectively made bad decisions in the past, that can also change. “We are here because of the failure of government,” says Rachel Cleetus, a policy director at the nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists. “And because of the obstruction from the fossil fuel industry. This is all about choices. It is still all about choices from here on out, and we can make a different choice—we do not have to stay on the current trajectory.”

In the U.S., the policies in the Inflation Reduction Act, including incentives to help Americans shift to electric appliances and cars, can help cut emissions by around 40% by 2030. Other policies, including new emissions standards from the EPA, and more support for decarbonizing industry, could help reach the Biden administration’s goal of cutting U.S. emissions roughly in half by that year. Globally, to have a chance of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century— even if we overshoot that limit earlier, and then have to bring temperatures down—we have to cut emissions in half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

One-and-a-half degrees isn’t a magic number: Right now, with the planet around 1.1 degrees Celsius hotter than it was before the Industrial Revolution, we’re already seeing catastrophic impacts. But each fraction of a degree matters. If warming hits two degrees, for example, 99% of the world’s coral reefs are likely to be lost. (1.5 degrees of warming would still be very bad, but could limit the destruction to around 70% of coral reefs.) Heat waves will get worse. More crops will fail. Tipping points like the loss of ice sheets and mountain glaciers will be more likely. And so it’s critical to fight for much faster decarbonization that what’s happening now.

Photo by Jarosław Kwoczała on Unsplash.

REMEMBER CLIPPY?

Why the ghost of Clippy haunts today’s AI chatbots

By Harry McCracken

Recently, Microsoft held a launch event at its Redmond headquarters to introduce a new version of its Bing search engine. Based on an improved version of the same generative AI that powers OpenAI’s ChatGPT—plus several additional layers of Microsoft’s own AI—the news was full of surprises.

But one thing about it wasn’t the least bit surprising: Clippy made a cameo appearance early in the presentation.

More than a quarter-century ago, the talking paperclip debuted as an assistant in Microsoft Office 97, where people found him more distracting than affable. Instead of pretending he never existed, Microsoft soon began goodnaturedly embracing him as a poster boy for technology that’s meant to be helpful but succeeds mostly in annoying people. Today, there are plenty of people who weren’t even alive in 1997 who are in on the joke.

However, some people who got early access to Bing’s new AI chatbot soon had encounters that weren’t just annoying, but downright alarming. The Bing bot declared its love for The New York Times’ Kevin Roose and told him his marriage was loveless. It threatened to ruin German student Marvin von Hagen’s reputation by leaking personal information about him. It told a Verge reporter that it had spied on its own creators through their webcams. And it compared an AP reporter to Hitler, Pol Pot, and Stalin, adding that it had evidence associating the reporter with a murder case.

Even when Bing wasn’t being quite that erratic, it didn’t deal well with having its often inaccurate claims questioned. When I corrected its stance that my high school went coed in 1974, it snapped that I was making myself look “foolish and stubborn” and that it didn’t want to talk to me unless I could be more “respectful and polite.”

Microsoft apparently should have anticipated these sorts of incidents, based on tests it performed of the Bing bot last year. But when Bing’s bad behavior became a news story, it instituted a limit of five questions per chatbot session and 50 per day. (which it later updated to six and 60). Judging from my most recent Bing sessions, that seems to have greatly reduced the chances of interchanges getting weird.

Bing’s loose-cannon days may be ending. Still, we’re entering an age when conversations with chatbots from many companies will take twists and turns that their creators never anticipated, let alone hardwired into the system. And rather than just serving as a punchline, Clippy can help us understand what we’re about to face.

The first thing to remember is that he wasn’t an ill-fated, one-off misadventure in anthropomorphic assistance. Instead, Clippy is

the most infamous of a small army of cartoon helpers who infested a whole era of Microsoft products. Office 97 also included alternative Office Assistants, such as a robot, a bouncing red smiley face, and caricatured versions of Albert Einstein and William Shakespeare. 1995’s Microsoft Bob, which aimed to make Windows 3.1 more approachable for computing newbies, featured a dog, a rat, a turtle, and other characters; it’s a famous Microsoft failure itself, though less iconic than Clippy. In Windows XP, a cute li’l puppy presided over the search feature. Microsoft also offered software to let other developers design Clippy-like assistants, such as a purple gorilla named BonziBuddy.

All of these creations were inspired by the work of Clifford Nass and Byron Reeves, two Stanford professors. Their research, which they published in a 1996 book called The Media Equation, showed that human beings tend to react to encounters with computers, TV, and other media much as they do to social interactions with other people. That insight led Microsoft to believe that anthropomorphizing software interfaces would make computers easier to use.

But even if Bob, Clippy, and the XP pup turned out unappealing rather than engaging, Nass and Reeves were onto something. It is easy to slip into thinking of computers as if they’re people— and tech companies never stopped encouraging that tendency. That’s what eventually led to talking, voice-controlled “assistants” with names like Siri and Alexa.

And now, with the arrival of generative AIpowered chatbots such as ChatGPT and the new Bing, human-like interfaces are getting radically more human—all at once, with little warning.

The underlying technology involves training algorithms, called large language models, on vast databases of written works so they can generate original text; as Stephen Wolfram says in his excellent explanation of how ChapGPT works, they’re “just adding one word it a time.”

However, understanding how the tech works doesn’t guarantee that we won’t get sucked into treating AI bots like people. That’s why Bing’s threats, insults, confessions of love, and generally erratic behavior feel troubling, regardless of whether you see them as evidence of proto-sentience or merely bleeding-edge software spewing unintended results.

Nass and Reeves began formulating their theories in 1986. Back then, the Bing bot’s rants would have sounded like the stuff of dystopian science fiction, not a real-world problem that Microsoft would have to confront in a consumer product. But rather than feeling as archaic as Clippy does, the Stanford researchers’ observations are only more relevant today. And they’ll continue to grow more so as computers behave more and more like human beings— erratic ones, maybe, but humans all the same.

”When perceptions are considered, it doesn’t matter whether a computer can really have a personality or not,” Nass and Reeves wrote in The Media Equation. “People perceive that it can, and they’ll respond socially on the basis of perception alone.” In the 1990s, with creations such as Clippy, Microsoft tried to take that lesson seriously and failed. From now on, it—and everybody in the bot business—should take it to heart once again.

Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

MAKE YOUR RAMADAN AND EID MORE MEANINGFUL AND REMARKABLE WITH IKEA®

Finding more Extraordinary at the Ordinary moments this Ramadan with the IKEA Magazine

By bazaar Staff

Ramadan is always meaningful for us. It is the time when everyday moments become remarkable. We get to see our friends and loved ones more often, we indulge in delicious food, we find the time to be more introspective than usual and we remember to breathe again and look inwards for peace. As usual, IKEA is helping us making sure that our homes are a meaningful and welcoming space for all of that.

This year we would like to take those things with us into the rest of the year, beyond Eid. We’ve been loving Extraordinary at the Ordinary Magazine from IKEA, and this issue is giving us great ideas to do just that. We’ve put together a list of our favorite tips and hacks that will help make cooking more satisfying while fasting and being the best host ever for our family and friends at the same time.

Building a Cozy Corner

Everyone needs their little sanctuary at home. We had never given this much thought, but a dedicated space for meditating, praying, and finding one’s center can be truly life changing. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just a comfortable chair, some side lighting and you’ve got yourself a little corner where you can find respite from the world and recharge during Ramadan and the rest of the year.

Everyone is Welcome

Having more family members and extra guests is something we’re all familiar with. And every year we ask ourselves, why don’t we meet up more often? This year, we’re investing in making that easier. Decorate our sofa with extra cushions that can be placed on the floor or use the footstool as an extra seating option when we have more visitors. An expanding dining table and extra dishes from IKEA are just some of the ways we’re redesigning our home to make it easier to invite our family and friends more regularly, so we can enjoy their company without worrying about logistics. And with the portable trolly we can add space to our kitchen by using it to store bulky items, or to wheel everything to the dinning table in one go, rather than going back and forth.

Meal Preparing

The holy month comes with its bittersweetness stressing about food and how to prepare and manage to finish all these meals without complete exhaustion. At the end no one likes to spend the Ramadan only in the kitchen. The IKEA special Ramadan Edition helps us become a clever cook. It is all about pre-preparing. The magazine introduces simple tips and ideas for smart planning and pre-preparing our Ramadan meals in advance and save our time, energy, and money. IKEA also shared the best tips on how to store food in a supper smart way. With the IKEA food storage solutions Ramadan meals will go further and easier and will keep our fridge organized.

Eating Better by Cooking Differently

There are some dishes that most of us only enjoy during Ramadan and Eid. The IKEA Magazine includes amazing, delicious recipes created by Ahmed Alzamel in collaboration with IKEA to try and enjoy this Ramadan with your family and friends. We’ve been inspired to try them all. Visit IKEA.com/kw to explore the IKEA magazine and discover all the tasty and easy recipes!

Including the kids

Having young kids at home is always challenging. They’re cute, full of energy, need to be always entertained and kept safe. We were inspired by

the IKEA magazine to create a little art corner in the kitchen, so they can draw garlands from MÅLA paper and make art at the kitchen walls to get Ramadan vibe while we cook. Older kids can be included in other cooking activities like chopping, peeling and portioning things. A home is a place where we can create bonds and memories, so let’s make sure it is designed that way.

Pretty Lighting

Lanterns always enhance Ramadan’s feeling with their glow that creates a welcoming cozy atmosphere, and we love that. We’ve also been rethinking the way we create ambiance in our

rooms with the use of light. Ceiling lights, the floor lamps and side lighting will give a room character. This Ramadan, we’re going to add more lighting options to our home for different vibes and keep that going for the entire year. There are so many fabulous options to choose from IKEA. From wonderful LED string lights to wall fixtures and so much in between.

Level up your life with IKEA by visiting IKEA The Avenues, IKEA 360, IKEA Assima Mall or shopping online at www.IKEA.com.kw. For more information, please call 184 0408 or follow @IKEAKuwait on Instagram.

TATTOOS ARE NEW WEARABLES

This ‘electronic tattoo’ can tell when you’re stressed out

Adithi Ramakrishnan

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a temporary “e-tattoo” for the palm that can track excitement and stress using the skin’s electrical conductivity. The e-tattoo could be a reliable way for people with conditions such as anxiety or depression to track their emotions.

In a research paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the palm tattoo stayed on for 15 hours while subjects did everyday activities such as driving, eating and exercising.

Nanshu Lu, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering, said the e-tattoo could allow patients to track stress levels without wearing a bulky medical device.

“This is such an ultrathin and invisible tattoo,” said Lu, an author on the study, “but mechanically, it’s resilient enough to survive all kinds of … activities.”

What is an e-tattoo?

For decades, doctors have placed electrodes on the body to read electrical signals from the brain and heart. Electronic devices that tell us about our health, such as blood pressure monitors, are commonly used at the doctor’s office.

Some of the first “electronic tattoos” were made to deliver drugs such as opioids, according to Aaron Franklin, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke University. In the last 5 to 10 years, he said, there’s been a push to develop wearable electronic sensors, like Fitbit trackers and smart watches, to monitor health throughout the day instead of only at doctors’ appointments.

Lu has studied e-tattoos for over 12 years. She created a stretchable chest tattoo to monitor heart health and was awarded a $1.5 million grant to design an e-tattoo that tracks pneumonia symptoms. She wants to create sensors to collect important medical data that are easy to wear and use.

The goal, she said, is to make electronics, whether they’re sensors or processors, “as soft and stretchy as human tissue.”

Stress, sweat and sensors

When we experience strong emotions such as excitement and stress, our eccrine sweat glands fill up, making our skin more electrically conductive. Smart watches can contain wrist sensors that measure skin conductivity to track stress levels.

Lu upped the ante, tracking stress in an area of the body that contains the highest concentration of eccrine sweat glands: the palm. An e-tattoo for the palm would give the wearer more accurate stress readings than a smart watch, Lu said, but the tattoo would need to stay on one of the most active parts of the body.

Right now, scientists collect eccrine sweat gland data from the palm by attaching gel electrodes with dangling wires that connect to a wristwatch. Gel electrodes are stiff and bulky and can fall off during everyday activities, Lu said.

Lu’s palm e-tattoo goes on just like a temporary tattoo. Her team also created two S-shaped gold ribbons that snake across the palm and connect the palm tattoo to a wristwatch. The wristwatch wirelessly sends the data to a smartphone, where the wearer can read it.

The gold ribbons are extremely thin, just 750 nanometers thick. A sheet of paper, for reference, is about 100,000 nanometers thick.

In the lab, Lu’s team first confirmed that the e-tattoo gave similar readings to the gel electrodes. Then they attached two identical watches to the wrists of two people. One watch was connected to gel electrodes on the palm. The other was connected to the ultrathin gold ribbons and the e-tattoo.

They collected data for 15 hours while the people went through everyday motions like studying, eating, exercising and sleeping. The gel electrodes fell off three to five times over the 15 hours. The e-tattoo didn’t fall off.

Reliable and reproducible

Lu’s team is not the first to develop an e-tattoo, but it is one of the first to create one for the palm. For e-tattoos to be used widely in the medical world, they need to conquer two key obstacles, according to Franklin at Duke University. First, their data readings need to be consistently correct. Second, they need to collect reliable data with many different patients — those who naturally sweat more or have different skin types, for example.

“Those are the kinds of big problems that await any technology that’s going to move past a really nice research paper, which this is,” said Franklin, who was not involved with Lu’s research.

For Lu’s palm e-tattoo to track anxiety and depression, it would need FDA approval. Her plan is to keep fine-tuning the tattoo to provide accurate, continuous information about excitement and stress levels.

Lu sees e-tattoos as a way to “digitize” the human body. She noted a pattern in tech development over the years: Humans are becoming more digital as robots begin to adopt the skills and intelligence of humans. Her goal is to bring humans even closer to bridging that gap.

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash.

THE PROMENADE CULTURE CENTRE SUPPORTS ARTISTS

Visionary Lab residency program gives an outlet for artists to express themselves

By bazaar Staff

The Promenade Culture Centre commenced its third residency earlier this year in January. The goal of the residency is to foster creativity and community, by creating a space where artists from multiple disciplines can develop their artistic practice and inspire others. The past two residencies culminated in gorgeous murals around the mall, which are a definite must-visit. This year the Visionary lab residency program is different from the two previous ones as this time the artists worked in a designated space to develop their work.

It is no secret that the goal of the Promenade Culture Centre has been to support the artists seeking a space for showcasing their artistic ability and sharing their messages with the public, as well as to provide our audiences and visitors with contemporary artistic offerings. Residency programs are spaces of support and continued education; they grow the artist and leave a mark in the space they are created in. Since the very first residency, the Promenade Culture Centre has worked with Shahad Bishara, a curator and founder of Visual Therapy. The Promenade Culture Centre credits Shahad’s experience and keen eye in helping them choose the artists who submitted the best proposals and in identifying artists that need a boost to showcase their creativity.

This year, the artists were invited to respond to the theme relating to the concept of ‘identity’ through the exploration of their roots. The focus was on how the interconnection of tradition, ancestry, culture and community shape our identity. The two artists that were selected for the residency program are Dana Al Rashid and Mohammad Al Hemd. Dana is an architect and visual artist, and she specializes in historic building preservation and themes on historic buildings have often been referenced in her works. Mohammad Al Hemd is an interdisciplinary artist who obtained a BSc in Civil Engineering from University of Colorado and a BA in Graphic Design from AUK. In recent years, he has primarily focused on art.

Dana tells us that “I create artworks that I have coined ‘Modern Miniatures’, which are paintings done in ancient Islamic style depicting contemporary and relevant topics. As the theme of the residency is ‘identity’, my take on the subject is how our faces are our tangible identity that we show to the world, representing both our unique features and our ethnic ancestry and lineage. Nowadays, this facial identity is ‘under attack’ –so to speak- by the current unrealistic beauty standards. So, I tackle this systematic erasure and distortion of the identity through the normalization of plastic surgery and immersion in consumer culture.”

Of the artwork she has created, Dana says “I hope the artworks will help the viewers reflect on just how much consumerism and rigid views of beauty have shaped our life and pushed us further away from ourselves, and the absurdity of it all. I do realize that the topic is a little controversial, but I suppose art is meant to help people question their reality rather than being merely an aesthetic experience. Nonetheless, I hope people will engage with the artworks and enjoy viewing them as much as I have enjoyed making them.”

Dana shares that she has been given so much care and support during the residency that has helped her project grow. She has loved having the studio space for her to work in whenever she needed and found the feedback of Shahad (the curator) and Mohammad (her residency colleague) invaluable. She shared that “it’s great to see such an initiative in Kuwait and I hope more culture hubs follow suit and support the local artists.”

We caught up with Mohammed, who shares that with his art “Usually, I try to create a conversation or shed a light on topics people neglect or shy to discuss and to push the people to talk about it, open their eyes. I want change for the better.”

Of his art, he tells us that “I want the artwork to trigger intelligent, interesting dialogues and make the visitors think deeply about their identity and its definition to them. The location of the exhibition allows my art to be introduced to those without an artistic background and educate them to a new form of art (art installation) not the typical art (painting and sculptures).”

It is clear that the Promenade Culture Centre has been taking leaps and bounds in supporting the art community in Kuwait. The center is deeply embedded in the community and they strive to answer the needs of the community. The previous topics of the residency such as socializing and transition came after the time of confinement and isolation after covid. With each residency, the Promenade Culture Centre wants to add beauty, encouragement, and hope to audiences.

A final outcome will be presented in an exhibition early in April. While it is emphasized that the prime focus of this residency is the research itself, the artist is expected to produce some tangible results that will be presented to the public during the final exhibition. If you are as intrigued as us, you can visit the exhibition at the Promenade Culture Centre.

To stay up to date with how the Promenade Culture Centre is transforming the culture scene in Kuwait, and to find out more information about their latest art installations, follow @pcckuwait. You can follow the artists to track their journey in this residency, To track the artists’ journey in this residency, you can follow them on Instagram: Dana Al Rashid @kw.miniature and Mohammed al Hemd @m_alhemd.

Celebrate the holy month of Ramadan & cherish those memorable family moments while exploring our delicious Ramadan Ghabqa & Suhoor menu

THE WORLD IS YOUR CATWALK IN THESE STUNNING KAFTANS FROM DEBENHAMS

Sashay into any gathering in style this Ramadan

By bazaar Staff

Kaftans are the best item of clothing ever. And that is a hill that we are willing to die on. They are comfortable, perfect for our weather and can be designed for any occasion from laid back to extra chic. If, like us, you’re looking to add a few to your wardrobe this season, then head to Debenhams.

Fazzali

Fazzali have translated their bold lines and black and white color blocking that is so distinctive in all their designs into kaftans this year and absolutely nailed it. The monochromatic theme makes it easy to style and dress up or down to suit the occasion.

Jabbi

This year Jabbi is giving us high-low hems and statement additions, from gold details to fringes and contrasting belts with bows. The collection is easy to wear while still exuding elegance and style.

QBELLE

QBELLE’s Ramadan capsule collection features prints of minimalist line drawings that are complemented with large areas of colors. The silhouette they have chosen is unique and different to the classic kaftan, making them interesting and fun.

THE COLE HAAN RAMADAN COLLECTION

Style, Comfort & Traditional Elegance

By bazaar Staff

American lifestyle performance brand, Cole Haan, has curated a special Ramadan collection for the first time this year. They’ve selected some wonderful timeless classics that have been designed to fit our modern lifestyles. Perfect for Ramadan, keeping us supported and energized pre and post iftar.

Sparkle in gold and silver

Turn heads when you put on something metallic in gold or silver. We love the expressive platform sandal, which features a block heel and extra padding to create a shoe that’s just as comfortable as it is fun. Pair with your favorite skirt, jeans or tights for a cool fit for iftars. We also love the all-new OriginalGrand Platform Wingtip Oxford. This classic style is crafted in leathers with perforated detailing to deliver breathability, while the of-the-moment platform wedge outsole features our patented FlowerFoam™, designed with a minimum of 25% natural dandelion rubber.

Adella Sandal Crescida Crossbody

Vandam Sling Back Pump

Genevieve Weave Collection

Complete the look by adding a bag from the lustrous collection of accessories in premium leather. From the artful hand woven Essential Pouch, the effortless Crescida Crossbody and the sleek Inwood Trifold Wallet, these effortless silhouettes, in eye-catching metallics, feature plenty of internal pockets and card slots to keep the essentials organized and in style.

Luxurious woven leather

Beautifully crafted leather is timeless and elegant. Masterfully crafted by hand, these oneof-a-kind pieces take multiple hours to complete and are a testament to artisanal technique and expert craftsmanship. The signature Genevieve Weave Collection features footwear, bags and accessories woven by hand in premium smooth leathers, sourced from the finest gold-rated tanneries. Featuring just the right amount of interior space for all the essentials and finished with refined hardware, the Mini Shoulder Bag is perfect for those Ramadan days spent on the go. While the Women’s Grand Ambition Small Convertible Luxe Backpack is crafted for all the ambitious and extraordinary women throughout the world, this bag features a convertible design that easily transforms from a backpack to a shoulder bag and yes, even a crossbody. Bring this bag along on your morning commute, your weekends away, and everywhere else life takes you.

A modern take on the classic loafer

The American Classics Tassel Loafer delivers heritage-inspired design and innovative craft that

make it a must-have for any wardrobe. Combining an iconic prep silhouette that never goes out of style with modern lightweight cushioning and a rugged lug outsole, this style works just as well for the office or for your weekend adventures. The GrandPro Topspin Penny Loafer is a prep-meetssport style that works anywhere. A classic driving loafer defines easy versatility and the Grand Laser Penny Driver is no exception. Crafted in premium leathers with a luxuriously cushioned

footbed, this style was engineered from the sole up for superior all-around performance. Plus, its curved rubber sole in front and at the heel provides durability to keep this style in heavy rotation for years to come.

The collection will be available online at ColeHaan.com.kw and in stores. For the latest updates on how Cole Haan is elevating style, check them out @colehaan.kw on Instagram.

Grand Laser Penny Driver

Woven Shoulder Bag

Grand Laser Penny Driver

SAYING NOTHING

The Short but True History of Ellie’s Silence

By Craig Loomis

Ellie says almost nothing to anyone. But for four going on five, more is expected from her. The mother is worried about her non-talking, thinking it will grow into something bigger, more dangerous, while the dad says, ‘Give her time’ and later still, ‘Give her more time. Four years is nothing in the world of talking.’ The mother is not so sure about that but waiting is easier than doing something and so for the time being they wait and watch and if Ellie does chance a word or two they are quick to reward her with a smile, telling her ‘Very good.’ Chocolate ice cream for everyone. Just the other night, they caught her muttering in her sleep—senseless utterings that could mean almost anything or nothing--and yet it brought tears to Mom’s eyes.

The doctors have already decided that it’s a problem with her hearing but the mother insists— which she almost never does—that Ellie can hear just fine, thank you. “When I call her name she will turn and look my way.” The doctor, who is not a doctor for nothing, says ‘Yes, but then again, maybe she is simply feeling a shift in the air,’ showing the mother with his hands what a shifting in the air looks like. The mother is not sure about this shifting-air philosophy but nods anyway.

The only thing Ellie’s afraid of is the neighbor’s large gray cat, Charlie. Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with Charlie except for his large grayness. Nobody knows how old Charlie really is but if largeness is, in some way, an indicator of age, he is old, and often grouchy. Ellie doesn’t dislike Charlie, she simply thinks he is too large for his own catty good. If you were to ask her, she’d say something like this but chances are she won’t talk about it. When she is around Charlie, her wide eyes say it all.

Meanwhile, Ellie’s silence continues to worry everyone but Ellie. How will she survive? Ask questions? The world will eat her alive, etc. Still, for the time being, Ellie’s world is Charlie along with TV and cartoons with assorted animals dancing, singing, all of which makes her wonder, secretively, if Charlie, given half a chance, could hum a tune. This makes her smile, and if the mother sees this she can’t help but ask, “What?”

And so, Ellie’s unwillingness to speak continues, and there is talk of therapy, of getting her right. But this calls for money that they don’t have. There has to be another way. On the other hand, there is talk that there’s no need for expensive help because Ellie knows exactly what she is doing.

“What do you mean?”

“Just the other day I opened the door ever so gently, and there she was singing along with her dancing bears, and her words were clear and loud, but then that creaky part of the floor gave me away and she immediately stopped. What do you think of that?”

“Well, she’s a sneaky one alright.”

“That’s it? How about giving her a good talking to? This silence game of hers has gone far enough.”

As luck would have it, somebody, somewhere

finds the money to send her to therapy in Salwa. Ellie, if asked, cares nothing for this therapy business. The therapist, who looks like somebody’s grandma--except for the tattoo on her wrist, something about Jesus--is kind, patient but relentless. She will wait for as long as it takes to hear Ellie utter a word, a phrase, a complete sentence is even better. It is the waiting part that Ellie dislikes. She has a long, complicated name, does the grandma therapist, but answers to Jen. In essence, the money is being spent on Jen waiting for Ellie to finally surrender and say, “I’m tired and wanna go home.” With Jen saying, “Very good.” Smiles all around and maybe even a sip of apple juice as a reward.

Ellie has decided that, occasionally, biting is sometimes better than not talking. As a rule, they are not terrible, break-the-skin bites, but enough to jerk your head away and glare at her. And she will look at you, one of those questioning, ‘What?’ When the therapist hears about this biting business, she cannot help but smile, saying, “Not bad.”

“What?”

“Yes, not bad. At least she’s opening her mouth.”

And so thanks to chocolate ice cream and sips of apple juice, Ellie learns to talk. Years later, with Charlie only recently having been run over by one of those early-morning garbage trucks, Ellie can talk and talk. In fact, there’s no stopping her these days. Her teachers complain about her being a chatterbox, while her friends think she is funny. On the other hand, Mom and Dad cannot help but remember her early non-talking days and now they have become the quiet ones. Now, it’s all about Ellie’s weight, thanks to the chocolate ice cream and apple juice, not to mention that she has decided that fried potatoes with cheese are her favorite foods. Finally, there is talk that the neighbors are shopping for a new cat.

Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash.

THE EID HOLIDAYS ARE THE PERFECT TIME TO TRAVEL IN STYLE

By bazaar staff

While we have all been planning our Ramadan looks, it’s important not to forget to plan fabulous outfits for when we travel over the Eid holidays! This season, Tribe of 6 brings you highly covetable pieces that will add style to your travel wardrobe. The gorgeous travel edit will make you want to pack your bags if you haven’t already.

All of us at bazaar are in love with the Tribe of 6 ethos and aesthetic, the brand consistently delivers on-trend pieces that are fabulously comfortable to travel in. Most recently the brand has launched its Spring Summer 2023 campaign, entitled Go Somewhere, which elevates style and functionality as we plan our vacations. The inspiration for the brand comes from a desire to create a community that celebrates timeless and comfortable pieces with regional designs and products. The best part? It takes the environment into consideration and is a regional brand.

What is the most important thing we need from our travel gear? For us, it should be comfortable, easy to wear pieces that can be stylishly matched together. This is exactly why we love the Spring Summer 2023 collection from Tribe of 6. There are three main themes to the collection: sporty, core, and utility – all of which will have you looking fabulous as you explore new locales.

We can imagine it already, we are airport-to-city ready in stunning pieces in super fresh tones like purple rose, iced aqua and smoke green. The iconic looks feature sporty tailored suits, wide-leg casual pants, baseball jackets that are not only stylish to travel in, but comfortable too! The collection also brings us core joggers, hoodies, leggings and shorts with a Tribe of 6 twist. And we are making sure that our male counterparts are donning the Tribe of 6 looks too. The looks will help you stand out in a crowd as you walk the streets in some lovely foreign land, and the magic

is in the details; premium embroidery and print techniques elevate the pieces. You can now head over to the Tribe of 6 Store in the Avenues, Grand Avenues, Phase 4. You can experience the collection and fabrics as well as try on your favorite pieces to make sure you look your absolute best. The store is beautifully curated to make sure that you can enjoy the comfortable pieces and fashion-forward athleisure. The pieces are made from recycled, organic or bamboo fabric; they use less harmful chemicals and are environmentally friendly so you can wear them guiltfree. If you would rather shop from the comfort of your home, you can shop online at kw.tribeof6.me and have the pieces delivered to your doorstep. The travel edit is serving us looks that are visually impactful and will become key pieces of your wardrobe that you will want to wear all year. Tribe of 6 is also an inclusive, body positive brand that offers a wide range of pieces including unisex styles in a broad range of sizes. We are

confident that you will be able to find a variety of looks to match your travel style!

Tribe of 6 is a regional fashion player that is making waves in the retail industry by creating momentum towards change and bringing together communities to celebrate talent, diversity, and inclusivity. The brand showcases not only where we come from, but where we are going together. You are invited to be part of the tribe!

In addition to the new stand-alone store, customers can also explore and discover Tribe of 6 at select Foot Locker stores in Kuwait and UAE, Harvey Nichols Kuwait, and Debenhams in KSA, UAE and Kuwait. The brand is also available to shop online in Kuwait at www.kw.tribeof6.me , and also at Footlocker.com and Namshi in all three markets, as well as Tamanna in Kuwait.

Follow the brand to stay up to date on their latest launches and news on Instagram @Tribeof6ME. You can also find them on Facebook at: Tribe of 6.

THE SHACK GIVES BACK

SHAKE SHACK KICKED OFF THE 2ND GREAT SHAKE SALE TO SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE!

By bazaar Staff

It’s time to Shake it forward! Kicking off the 23rd of March, Shake Shack commences its 2nd Great Shake Sale benefiting charity organizations. It’s not like we ever needed much convincing when it comes to visiting one of our favorite burger spots, but when we learned about the Great Shack Sale, we’re going to be making regular post-iftar stops at the Shack to support the cause!

The Great Shake Sale is a Shack-wide initiative that will be ongoing until the 23rd of April across all Kuwait Shacks. Its goal is to raise awareness and funds to support a good cause, a campaign focused on continuously helping humanitarian and philanthropic work in the region. Coinciding to take place throughout Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr, it’s a great time to participate in giving back while also enjoying everything on offer at the Shack!

“The Great Shake Sale is such a meaningful initiative for the Shake Shack family, and we are so happy to introduce this initiative counting on the generosity of our guests in this region,” said Hatice Harmankaya, Head of Marketing. “Supporting a good cause and Standing For Something Good is more important now than ever, and the holy month of Ramadan is the perfect period to give back to the community. We’re so grateful to team up with different Charity Organizations for the first time and definitely not the last.”

To kick off this year’s Shake Sale, Shake Shack is reintroducing a featured shake, available for a limited time starting from Thursday, March 23rd! Get ready to for your next favorite post Iftar sweet treat: Shake Shack’s Ramadan featured Shake - Cookies N’ Cream, where 50 percent of the price of the Shake will go towards supporting a good cause.

We also think it’s the perfect time to enjoy Shake Shack’s delicious ShackMeister Menu along with your Cookies N’ Cream Shake! Discover a full menu including the ShackMeister Burger, a 100% all-natural Angus Beef Cheeseburger topped with crispy, seasoned shallots and their famous ShackSauce! You can even get your favorite Shack Fries and ShackMeister it, as the classic, crispy, crinkle-cut fries are topped with cheese sauce and crispy seasoned shallots. Finally, Hot Dog lovers will be hooked on the ShackMeister Hot Dog, an all-beef Cheese Hot Dog topped with the menu’s signature crispy, seasoned shallots.

The Great Shake Sale, SHACK GIVES BACK initiative is also being held across UAE, KSA Bahrain and Qatar, where it will benefit The Emirates Red Crescent, The Bahrain Red Crescent Society, Al Wafaa Women’s Philanthropic Association and the Qatar Charity.

For more information about Shake Shack, please visit shakeshackme.com. For Shake Shack’s latest news, follow @ShakeShackME on social media.

STAY SAFE

3 ways to protect yourself from ‘shoulder surfers’ (phone thieves who also steal your PIN)

By Michael Grothaus

Last month The Wall Street Journal reported on a recent trend in phone theft: Thieves in major cities are no longer simply snatching pricy smartphones—they want the users’ PINs, too. The reason? A stolen phone may fetch a nice payment on the black market, but the financial data locked behind your phone’s PIN can net tens of thousands of dollars more.

The main method a thief uses to learn a phone’s PIN, or passcode, is called “shoulder surfing,” which means that the thief literally observes the owner entering their phone’s PIN and then decides to grab that person’s phone. Once they snatch it, the thief can unlock it with the observed PIN, then change the PIN and even account passwords for the owner’s online services, thus locking the owner out of remote tracking of the stolen phone and eliminating their ability to remotely delete data from the stolen device. That PIN also lets the thief gain access to many financial apps on the stolen phone, which the thief can then use to transfer money from the victim’s accounts.

Shoulder surfers can target anyone, regardless of whether they use an iPhone or Android device, and particularly if they use a simple 4-digit PIN to unlock their phone, as most people do. But it’s 2023, and with the amount of personal data (health records, photos, notes, and messages) and financial data (bank apps, money transfer apps, photos of tax records or other financial statements) residing on our phones, protecting all that sensitive information with only a 4-digit PIN is asking for trouble.

Thankfully, there are easy ways built into the iPhone’s iOS and Android operating systems to help you protect your device from shoulder surfing. Here are three that you need to know.

1. When in public, use biometrics to unlock your phone, not a PIN code

While every phone asks you to set up a PIN code that unlocks the device, most also give you the option of gaining access via biometric authentication. Most iPhones, for instance, offer a facial recognition feature, called Face ID, or fingerprint recognition, called Touch ID, while nearly all Android phones offer fingerprint authentication and some offer facial recognition (though facial recognition on Android phones can be much easier to trick than on iPhones).

2. Never, ever, use a numeric 4-digit PIN

Of course, even when you set up facial or fingerprint authentication, your phone will still have a PIN that can unlock the device. Since a PIN can be viewed and entered by a thief, and thus is much less secure than biometric authentication, you’ll want to make your PIN as secure as possible.

This means that you should never, ever use just a numeric 4-digit PIN. A numeric 4-digit PIN

is inherently weak for a few reasons. One is that there are only 9,999 possible permutations, meaning someone with a lot of time on their hands could simply try every number between 0000 and 9999. Another is that a numeric 4-digit PIN is incredibly easy for a thief to observe and remember before they snatch your phone. Also, chances are you use the same PIN for your phone as you do for your debit card. If the thief snatches that, too, they could withdraw your cash from any ATM of their choosing.

If you do want your PIN to be solely numeric, at least chose a 6-digit one. This means that there are now 100 times the number of possible permutations—999,999—making it much harder for a thief to carry out a brute force unlock or observe and remember your PIN in the first place.

3. For the most security, use an alphanumeric passcode

While a 6-digit PIN is vastly more secure than a 4-digit PIN, it’s not the most secure PIN option. That would be using no numeric PIN at all, and instead setting an alphanumeric passcode—a string of letters and numbers.

Alphanumeric passcodes are incredibly secure for a few reasons. Given that they can contain all the letters of the alphabet and the numbers 0 through 9 in any order or combination you want, they are incredibly hard to guess because there are billions of possible combinations. Second, because they use numbers and letters, the user needs to use the phone’s small keyboard (and not just a large numeric keypad) to enter the alphanumeric passcode. It’s much harder for a thief to track multiple tiny keystrokes that are hidden by your fingertips than it is to observe which big number buttons you tap using a traditional numeric PIN entry keypad.

Using an alphanumeric passcode is the most secure PIN option available on most smartphones. And remember, you won’t need to enter it every time you unlock your phone if you have biometric authentication enabled. But if you do need to enter the alphanumeric passcode in public, it will be much harder for the thief to observe and remember your code.

Photo by Franck on Unsplash.

DO WE HAVE TO QUIT CHOCOLATE?

How heavy metals get into dark chocolate bars

By Vonnai Phair

Heavy metals naturally contaminate a lot of the foods we regularly enjoy — including dark chocolate.

Heavy metals naturally contaminate a lot of the foods we regularly enjoy — including dark chocolate.

While there are tips to minimize exposure, including knowing which bars have lower levels of heavy metals, chocolate lovers may want to know how heavy metals get into these treats in the first place.

A 2018 California consent judgment between nonprofit advocacy group As You Sow and the world’s largest chocolate companies established industry standards for heavy metal limits in chocolate products.

In response to the judgment, the National Confectioners Association and As You Sow — with contributions from more than 30 chocolate companies — released a three-year expert research study.

Between 2019 and 2022, the expert committee studied how lead and cadmium might contaminate cacao.

The researchers found cacao plants take up cadmium from the soil before harvest, with the metal accumulating in cacao beans as trees grow, similar to how heavy metals contaminate other foods.

Lead levels are influenced by where and how the cacao beans are handled by humans after harvest, the committee found.

Post-harvest lead contamination mostly happens during the outdoor fermentation and drying of beans, during which soil and dust that contain lead come in contact with the cacao bean shell, according to the committee.

Fermentation of cacao beans occurs in bags, covered piles and wooden boxes. Outdoor drying has been observed along roadsides, on concrete patios, drying tables, plastic tarps and directly on the ground.

The beans are naturally coated with a sticky pulp known as “baba” or “mucilage” which allows lead to cling to the beans while they are being fermented and dried in the open.

In some countries where cacao beans are grown, bans on leaded fuel, which can lead to roadside soil contamination, were introduced later than the bans in the U.S. Less time between leaded fuel bans and current harvesting processes can contribute to higher levels of roadside lead contamination in some places, said Dr. Holly Davies, a toxicologist at the Washington State Department of Health.

Bean cleaning and shell removal at chocolate manufacturing facilities also play a significant role in lead exposure — lead on the cocoa bean

shells is transferred to the cocoa nibs and the subsequent chocolate liquor produced from nibs, according to the committee.

Unlike lead, cadmium in cacao beans is introduced from soil through tree roots.

Soil additives such as limestone or zinc can reduce cadmium uptake without causing significant root damage, but cacao trees are grown in perennial orchards, where it is difficult to incorporate such additives, wrote Rufus Chaney, a senior research agronomist in the committee.

Cacao plants take the cadmium up from the soil through roots and deposit it in the nibs (center) of cacao beans.

The amount of cadmium is highly variable and changes from farm to country, according to the committee.

The expert committee recommended changes to harvest and manufacturing processes to reduce lead contamination: minimizing soil contact with beans, drying beans on tables, using protective covers and clean tarps away from roads, improving existing mechanical cleaning and processing equipment, and evaluating the use of rapid lead test kits and rapid soil testing.

For cadmium, the committee recommended efforts to increase soil pH to reduce cadmium uptake, carefully breeding or genetically engineering plants to take up less cadmium, replacing older cacao trees with younger ones, and removing or treating soil known to be contaminated with cadmium.

Photo by Tetiana Bykovets on Unsplash.

THE COMFORT OF LUXURY WITH BATH AND BODY WORKS’ DARK VELVET OUD COLLECTION

By bazaar Staff

Oud is one of those iconic scents. It is rich, unafraid to be intense and dark. It makes you turn your head to follow it in a room and evokes memories of dark leather sofas, saffron and magic smoke dancing in the twilight. Bath and Body Works have just made it much easier to enjoy the scent in a wide range of accessible ways.

Whether you layer your fragrance or choose to integrate one product from the collection to your selfcare routine, the Dark Velvet Oud collection offers a variety of skin and body care benefits; shower gel provides gentle cleansing and leaves you feeling fresh, body lotion provides you with 24 hours moisture, the body cream, made with hyaluronic acid, leaves your skin feeling soft and rejuvenated and the fine fragrance mist offers a long-lasting and luxurious scent.

Christelle Laprade, the master perfumer behind the Dark Velvet Oud fragrance, designed a unique and luxurious fragrance, created with an expertly balanced blend of Raspberry Sugar, Velvet Rose and Rich Oud. Her exclusive fragrance is more than just a scent – it is designed to reflect an inner confidence, sophistication, and strength.

In essence, she describes her fragrance and its significance in the following statement: “This fragrance is empowering. I want every person who wears it to feel refined and confident. Wearing this fragrance captures the richness of dark velvet with the captivating power of Oud. Wearing this fragrance is a truly enchanting experience.”

The Dark Velvet Oud consists of a shower gel, body lotion, body cream, fine fragrance mist, and 3-wick candle. Bath and Body Works is a globally acclaimed brand known for its captivating and innovative fragrances, with the Dark Velvet Oud collection being their most recent addition. Created with an expertly balanced blend of rich woody oud, luxurious rose, and raspberry sugar, the fragrance inspires, empowers, and brings out the magic in tradition. Dark Velvet Oud’s body care range, infused with Aloe, Vitamin E, Shea & Cocoa Butters, and Hyaluronic Acid, is designed to leave your skin nourished and smooth.

Bath and Body Works is unleashing the power of fragrance with its exclusive Dark Velvet Oud collection, available in in stores and online from 9th March. Connect with Bath and Body works on Instagram and Facebook @bathandbodyworksarabia and @BBWMENA on twitter.

ON NUTRITION

More on peanut butter

By Barbara Intermill

A recent column on hydrogenated fats in peanut butter brought these responses:

“I read recently, in my local paper, your long answer to a question about fat in peanut butter. The peanut butter I eat frequently, I make at my food co-op simply by grinding their shelled, organic peanuts. How does my peanut butter rate healthwise in terms of fat? Matts in Tucson.”

Dear Matts: According to the USDA Food Data Central (and my calculations from other sources), a serving (two tablespoons) of freshly ground peanut butter contains about 15 grams of total fat. Only about two grams of that is the saturated type we are called to limit in our diets. The remainder is in the form of healthful monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. So yes, your freshly ground peanut butter is a good choice. Just remember to watch your portions if you’re watching your weight. Peanut butter packs close to 100 calories in every tablespoon.

Pat M. writes: “Regarding hydrogenated oil in peanut butter ... Your answer was fine, right up to the point where you compared his peanut butter to a jar of ‘natural’ peanut butter containing sugar, palm oil and salt. Natural peanut butter would be ground peanuts, period. As a dietitian surely you know the word ‘natural’ on foods means nothing other than marketing tricks. By using this as an example of a not-any-better food, you reinforce the belief that highly processed foods, full of whatever, are no worse than actual natural foods. A better recommendation would be that he avoid oil-added, and sugar-added, peanut butter.”

Dear Pat: My attempted point was that products labeled “natural” are not always the best choice since there is no official definition for the term. Ground peanuts are, of course, the most natural type of peanut butter, but manufacturers can add other ingredients for flavor or shelf life and still call a product “natural.” It pays to read the label … always.

Then this refreshing letter from JP in Buffalo: “Thank you for clearing up some of the confusion on different kinds of fat in our collective human endeavor to make a health-conscious world.

Because of your article, I actually measured out 35 grams of my favorite peanut butter (it is the science teacher in me) and carefully smeared it on a thin slice of my homemade whole wheat bread, thinking all the while how little peanut butter I really need to make a PB&J sandwich. On top, I proudly spooned my homemade concord grape jelly (without added sugar or preservatives) in a thin layer, to complement the amount of peanut butter. I have to admit it was more than very good, it was satisfying.

I agree with your conclusion, that (if) we all want to improve and keep our health we need to learn to eat intelligently and we should not have to deny ourselves of the simplest of pleasures! I believe that eating in moderation is the right way of enjoying food. I just wish I had learned that lesson when I was younger.”

Photo by Corleto Peanut butter on Unsplash.

SELLING THE COMPANY

These are the 4 lessons I learned

By Monica Francois Marcel

Twenty-two years ago, I began my entrepreneurship journey by co-founding LCW, a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) firm focused on culture. Together with my business partner, Randy Stieghorst, we grew into a global enterprise. We never intended to sell the company, but over the years, we came across several acquisition opportunities. None ever seemed like the right move until a year ago, when an opportunity that felt different and was worth serious consideration came up.

I knew any decision would significantly impact the whole family, so I asked my then 11-year-old son what he thought about me possibly stepping away from LCW—the only job role he had ever known me to have.

“No mom, you can’t do that. You are my business-owner-mother. If you don’t own LCW anymore, who will you be? And what about all those people and companies you and LCW help? No, you can’t leave.”

My son’s candor rubbed right up against the biggest fears and anxieties I was struggling with. LCW is all I’ve done since my son was born and for all the years I’ve known my husband. My network, skills, and identity were wrapped up in the company. Plus, it has been a while since I’ve used my engineering degree, and I was 53 years old.

The question was real: what *would* I do— and be—without LCW? Selling my company led me on a roller-coaster journey of self-discovery to learn who I am separate from the LCW identity I’d constructed. My cofounder’s story will undoubtedly be different from mine, but here are the biggest lessons I have learned in selling our company and navigating my new life.

Lesson 1: Know when it’s time to leave

You may be wondering, why was now the moment I considered selling after years of acquisition offers?

Joy, creativity, and clarity of purpose were the things that propelled me to move LCW forward. I’d noticed those things started to erode—not all at once, but in glacial chunks. The breaking point came when my dad died of COVID-19, and I had to ask myself if continuing to lead this company I’d helped build for two decades is what I should be doing for the next decades.

Like so many others, I’d become exhausted due to the challenges that the pandemic brought about, and the pace at which we were growing required constant innovation. My family had noted a heaviness to my spirit, and I wasn’t really present for them or my friends. It was clear that I was losing myself in the business. Yes, the company was very successful and its mission resonated now more than ever. But I had to really consider that I might not be the right person to lead the team anymore.

LCW needed a new generation of thought leadership, and I needed to step back and find new paths to fulfillment, personal growth, and, more than anything else, bring back my joy.

Lesson 2: You can’t predict grief

Once the news was out, people started asking me, “How are you doing?” I suspected they expected me to feel sad or lost since LCW had been my everything for so long. But the honest answer might have surprised them, as it does me in some ways. I’m not sad. Instead, I felt a sense of overwhelming clarity and certainty that stepping back and making way for the new co-CEOs was the right decision for me, my family, and LCW.

That’s not to say I didn’t feel a sense of loss or shed some tears along the way. In fact, I had to grieve what leaving LCW would mean for me (and my son, apparently) as part of the decision-making process. I knew I’d miss my relationship with certain customers and had to work through guilt about leaving the incredible LCW team members. It took weeks and lots of discerning. But after making our decision—the primary feeling I’ve been left with is confidence in knowing I’ve done the right thing, personally and for LCW’s mission going forward.

Lesson 3: Don’t be afraid to enlist others for help and support

Returning to my son’s questions: who am I without LCW? I’m not sure yet. Yes, I’ll always be LCW’s cofounder and advisor—a role I relish. But what else?

As I figure it out, I’ve engaged a coach (Rachel Schaffer) to help me (re)discover the

type of work that most sparks my creativity and joy; early results are promising. I’m also borrowing my friends’ moms and mentors for insight as part of a podcast passion project called Stuff Mama Forgot to Tell You. I’m enjoying the creative outlet involved in capturing the stories from this diverse group of women, aged 65 to 83. Each tidbit they share illuminates a pathway to joy and longevity. The path they’ve taken might look different to me, but they have been a life-giving, wellspring of inspiration, especially as I research new start-up business ideas and explore volunteer projects where I can contribute and build community. I’ve come to appreciate, more than ever, the power of community and supporting one another.

Lesson 4: Be open to new possibilities

I do not, by any means, have everything worked out. But the emotional ups and downs of selling my company have reminded me that change brings about new opportunities and possibilities. When you’ve tied your identity to a particular thing for a long time, it’s not easy to imagine your life without it.

I’ve learned through this experience that it’s possible. I might not know what I will do in a year’s time, but I’m excited to see what’s next.

Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash.

UNBOX HAPPINESS THIS RAMADAN

ABA HOLDING’S MARKET HALL LAUNCHES FRENCH CONCEPT STORE MONOPRIX IN KUWAIT

The renowned French retail chain’s store, located inside The Assima Mall, has opened it’s doors to the public.

By bazaar Staff

After the unprecedented success and popularity of Monoprix in Qatar, Ali Bin Ali Holding’s Market Hall has launched the first Monoprix Concept store in Kuwait at an incredible location in The Assima Mall.

Located within walking distance of the busy business district of Kuwait City, The Assima Mall is the perfect home for the 7,000 square meter Monoprix Concept Store. Strategically positioned in Level Basement 1 of the Mall, Monoprix Kuwait is a food concept store that brings with it the French shopping experience with a Kuwaiti taste –The French “savoir-faire” for the people in Kuwait.

Revolutionizing the perception of hypermarkets, Monoprix brings to Kuwait a concept that creates a variety of dedicated instore experiences corners. From restaurants, a candy corner, exclusive electronics, kitchen

gadgets and organic food items, and a water bar. Monoprix is here to develop and provide a new retail experience.

A one stop-shop for total grocery needs with all fresh food categories, Monoprix Kuwait has dedicated sections for butchery, delicatessen, cheese, bakery and fishery. Like all other Monoprix stores the world over, the new store in Kuwait upholds the ‘good food’ concept with a variety of gluten-free, diet food, lactose free, Keto, vegan and protein sections.

The new Monoprix Kuwait is unique in more ways than one. Bringing its own French heritage

to Kuwait, the store includes an authentic French bakery producing 130 kinds of fresh breads every day, MPizzeria serving 25 different kinds of pizzas, a salad bar, Sushi corner, MGrill, and an impressive ‘La Cave a Fromage’, which is stocked with more than 200 varieties of the finest international cheeses. All food items are prepared with fresh ingredients and cooked right in front of the guests creating an experience that will undoubtedly hit the right chord with all the customers.

Hygiene and sanitization are of paramount importance to the French brand and like all other

Monoprix stores around the globe, Monoprix Kuwait uses hi-tech machines and manual assistance to make sure the store is free of all germs and viruses, making it a safe zone for their staff and customers.

Speaking about Monoprix’s expansion in Kuwait, Mr. Sebastien Farhat, Monoprix’s Regional General Manager, said: “We are delighted to bring the Monoprix experience to Kuwait. We want the people to enjoy the extraordinary world of Monoprix. This is not just a supermarket, it is a world of its own where you can shop, eat, socialize and enjoy with family, friends, colleagues.”

Monoprix Kuwait has very definite and potent plans for the near future. Apart from expanding their presence in the region by launching multiple stores, Monoprix Kuwait has partnered with Talabat Kuwait to provide online shopping delivery service. Enhancing the experience of the in-store customers, Monoprix Kuwait offers its customers the free home delivery concept “Shop & Go”, you shop we deliver to your home.

The Assima Mall offers a perfect mix of brands from contemporary and high-street and the Monoprix presence makes this experience complete. The strategic location near the busy

business district of Kuwait City will enable people to enjoy the attractive products range that only a Monoprix store can offer!

Make sure to follow Monoprix Kuwait on Instagram @monoprixkwt and on Facebook @monoprixkuwait.

Visit their website www.monoprix.com.kw to stay up-to-date with all their information.

DIFFERENTLY ABLED

How disability is informing better products—and better organizations

By Nate Berg

It wasn’t so long ago that businesses were operating in what Jenny Lay-Flurrie calls the “dark ages.” As Microsoft’s chief accessibility officer, and someone who describes herself as “profoundly deaf,” Lay-Flurrie said that the concerns and needs of people with disabilities were almost completely ignored by the business world.

You would find accessibility being done by volunteers. It was volunteerism. It wasn’t part of a formalized job description. It wasn’t an industry or a discipline,” said Lay-Flurrie.

That’s all begun to change. Companies big and small are recognizing the importance of bringing accessible design into the products and services they provide, as well as their own internal operations.

Three companies leading the way recently shared the stage at the Fast Company Innovation Festival to explain how disability and accessibility are being integrated into their operations, from hiring to product development to marketing to the C-suite.

For Microsoft, thinking about disability has led to new ways of doing business, and new markets, including visually impaired people who rely on screen readers to use computers and mobility impaired gamers who require different controllers to be able to play. “It’s not something that we do because we are just nice people. We do it because it is that strategically important to us,” Lay-Flurrie said.

Other industries are seeing similar opportunities. Guide Beauty is a company that produces makeup and beauty products designed specifically for people with limited mobility and dexterity. The company was founded by Terri Bryant, a celebrity makeup artist with two decades of experience who began to lose dexterity in her hand and was later diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Her altered dexterity limited her ability to do her work, but she soon realized that part of the problem was that the tools of the trade were not designed to be used by people like her.

“My hand is not steady,” she told (and showed) the Innovation Festival audience. “Now, if I have to come in freehand toward my eye with something and I’m shaking, there’s a good chance I’m going to poke my eye.”

This scenario led to the design of makeup tools equipped with small knob-like rings that users can more easily grip without the precision of a pincer grasp. “Now I have no issues with my hands not being free. I can ground and steady and stabilize, whether I’m doing my brow or my mascara,” Bryant said.

Guide Beauty is expanding its products to meet the needs of a variety of users, based on feedback from people who aren’t well served by the mainstream makeup products on the market. The company has gotten some cachet in

this space by bringing on actor Selma Blair, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018, as its chief creative officer, but also by engaging directly with its customers in the prototyping and design of products. “By inviting them in, it’s just this highly iterative process. You watch where roadblocks are, and then you get to design and solve for them,” Bryant said. “It takes a minute, but in the end you get better product, you get better process, and you get better community.”

This thinking can also work at a massive scale, according to Rob Van Varick, chief design officer at Michael Graves Design. The firm, whose late founder was paralyzed from the waist down in his late 60s, pivoted toward accessibility design and formed major partnerships with retailers like Target. More recently, the firm has created a line of medical equipment for CVS, including items like walkers, canes and commodes—otherwise unsightly institutional items that people might not necessarily want but that they need and interact with daily.

“Your house ends up looking like a hospital,” Van Varick said. “We wanted to give people a choice.”

One example is the commode—”picture a walker with a pail in the middle,” Van Varick said— which Michael Graves Design redesigned to look more like a regular piece of furniture. “We wanted to make something that looked good in the bathroom, looked good out of the bathroom, something that when it wasn’t being used and that lid is folded down, just looks like a chair in the room and nobody thinks a second thought about it.”

Better design of these kinds of utilitarian medical devices, Van Varick told the Innovation Festival audience, helps to reduce the stigma of needing and using them. “Aging is not a sexy topic. People don’t want to talk about it, let alone think about it; but we need to change that,” he said. “Because if we do better, it’s going to fundamentally benefit everyone.”

Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash.

BAZAAR TOP PICKS RAMADAN DESSERTS

HERE ARE THE BEST DESSERTS FOR RAMADAN IN 2023

By bazaar Staff

With Ramadan right around the corner, be ready to treat your friends and family with the best dessert options right now, you’ll leave them wanting more.

Mr. Baker

Mr. Baker is a bakery that offers many different dessert options such as cakes, tea cakes, Arabic sweets, chocolate, treat boxes, gelato, and more. Every special time of year they offer special cakes for that occasion. Mr. Baker is perfect for your Ramadan; the cakes are big enough to treat all your family and friends.

Top Pick: Mango cake, vanilla sponge cake with mango supreme cream and natural mango pulp. If you’re a mango lover, you will love this cake!

Order Mr. Baker online via Talabat or, follow them on Instagram @mrbakerkwt

Overjar

Overjar is the perfect place to satisfy your sweet tooth. With many different options you’re going to find a dessert you’ll like. “OJ Specials” come in bigger quantity perfect for you and your friends.

Top Pick: Cinnamon swirls. Two layers of soft and fluffy mini cinnamon rolls, generously topped with cinnamon sauce and crunchy caramelized pecans. Served with a whipped vanilla cream dip. Order Overjar online via Talabat and Deliveroo, follow them on Instagram @overjar

FroYo

FroYo is a great place for desserts as well as small pastries that are made fresh and hot. Cakes, frozen yoghurt, waffles, ice cream balls and more.

Top Pick: The custard pyramid is perfect for your gathering. Fingers of puff pastries filled with special custard, served with ten pieces of warm chocolate for dipping. Your friends are going to love you for this one!

Order FroYo online via Talabat or pick up through V thru, follow them on Instagram @froyo_cafe

Happy Crescent Bakehouse

Happy crescent offers the best pastries in the country. From buns, bombs, loafs, cruffins, cookies, Danish, and more. Happy crescent doesn’t disappoint. Every Ramadan they release Ramadan specials which people obsess over. Even the daily options don’t disappoint. Happy Crescent is the perfect place for a box to share with your family and friends.

Top Pick: “Mini Bombs Box” 21 pieces of mini bombs (Chocolate and Custard) with Belgian chocolate sauce.

Order via www.happycrescent.com, follow them on Instagram @happycrescent

Kitch

Kitch is a twist on the list. It’s much simpler and more easygoing. Local artisanal cookies are what they offer, in big quantities. Kitch offers a variety of different flavors. Main Kitch, (Chocolate chip walnut) Driving Me Coco, (Coconut white chocolate) Mo Butta, (Double chocolate peanut butter) and much more.

Top Pick: The Kitch Box “mini” 40 mini cookies of your choice. 4 different flavors all in one box. You can choose between milky, double c, krema, shofan, snow white, and kaika. The customization is real, going to leave you wanting more.

Order Kitch online via Talabat and Deliveroo,

follow them on Instagram @bykitch

Big Bear Doughnuts

Nobody wants boring old doughnuts. Big Bear takes doughnuts to the next level with crazy flavors and combinations. There are no other doughnut combinations in Kuwait like these, Big Bear is one-of-a-kind.

Top Pick: Box of 12 pieces. Vanilla glazed, cronut, apple fritter, cinnamon roll, Oreo overload, Boston Cream, Tiramisu, strawberry shortcake, mixed berries, churro, butter and salt, and Crème brulee.

Order Big Bear Doughnuts online via Deliveroo or WhatsApp order 99175923, follow them on Instagram @bigbeardoughnuts

Mr. Baker

Overjar

FroYo

Kitch

Happy Crescent Bakehouse

Big Bear Doughnuts

RAMADAN NIGHTS WITH XCITE

Elevate Your Ghabqa With Xcite This Ramadan

By bazaar Staff

Ramadan nights are special, and you can make them even more memorable with incredible products from Xcite!

Delonghi Dolce Gusto Coffee Maker

Need a pick me up after futoor? This light and compact coffee machine maker is perfect for anyone who wants to make delicious coffee quickly during Ramadan gatherings. Enjoy your favorite coffee whether it’s a Cappuccino, Flat White, Americano or even make yourself a yummy Chai Latte! With various options to choose from, the Dolce Gusto is a must-have.

Samsung Smart TV

Not many do it like Samsung does. Keep up with your favorite Ramadan TV series in incredible 4K resolution with the 70 inch Samsung Smart TV! Whether you want to watch your shows on Shahid, Netflix, Prime or any other streaming service, Samsung is the right choice for you.

Ayaneo PC Gaming Consoles

With a wide range of consoles to pick from, you really can’t go wrong with Ayaneo! Enjoy playing games solo or with your friends to add some competition to your Ramadan gatherings. Light, clear, and created for gamers who want a full experience, this is a perfect companion for all!

Powerology 8-in-1 Station Power Bank

Battery charge running out will no longer be an issue during your late night Ghabqa’s! Charge not only your devices, but the devices of all around you with this 8-in1 Power Bank that will leave you never worrying about running out of charge.

EQ DLP Mini Home Projector

Easily play movies, share photos, or even deliver presentations with the EQ DLP Mini Home Projector! Easy to move around and delivering in high resolution, this is a need during Ramadan nights as you can carry it around to your friends’ houses or other rooms in the house to enjoy your favorite shows and movies!

Stay updated on the latest events, monthly promotions and offers by subscribing to the monthly newsletter on xcite.com, follow Xcite’s social media channels on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Snapchat, @xcitealghanim or Facebook at XcitebyAlghanim and win prizes with contests, or visit the online store at www.xcite.com.

WITH SUMMER AROUND THE CORNER, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED!

Healthy food doesn’t need to be boring! Here are 6 of the most healthy, delicious, and mouth watering picks, chosen by bazaar’s team of foodies

Pick

Whether you prefer salty or sweet, you can choose from a variety of fast, tasty, nutritious meals, or cold, sweet, and delicious frozen yogurt. Pick has it all! Choose from several different toppings for your frozen yogurt to please your taste buds. Releasing limited flavors during specific times of the year, so there’s always something to look forward to.

Top Pick: Medium cup “Original Yo” with Ultimate Choco Biscuit Sauce sugar free, Ultimate Pistachio Sauce sugar free, Toffee caramel, blueberries, and strawberries.

Order Pick online via Talabat and Deliveroo, follow them on Instagram @Pick_Kuwait

Good Stuff

With natural and organic options, Good Stuff is all about healthy foods and environmentally friendly packaging. With their food air-baked, the product can have 75% less calories, which is how Good Stuff keeps their food tasty and healthy.

Top Pick: Air-Baked Spicy Chicken Fillet. Air-baked chicken filet, lettuce and cabbage mix, cheddar cheese, pickles, honey mustard, and chipotle in a potato bun. (480 cal, 20g fat, 50g carbs, 24g protein)

You can even opt for a wholewheat bun, or lettuce wrap, based on your dietary requirements.

Order Good Stuff via Talabat and Deliveroo, follow them on Instagram @goodstuff_kw.

Alternative Alternative serves clean and natural ingredients. One thing that makes Alternative unique from the rest is that it offers the biggest variety of meals. Burgers, pizzas, tacos, and so much more! And just when you think you’re done, grab a “Celsius” Peach mango frozen yogurt for only 45 calories.

Top Pick: Smoked Ribs Pizza. Crusted crispy dough, light mozzarella cheese, smoked BBQ ribs, bacon, special sauce, parmesan cheese. (Calories: 515, Protein: 40, Carb: 55, Fat: 15)

Order Alternative via www.alternativekw.com or follow them on Instagram @alternative.kw.

Oak Berry

Discover the first Brazilian Acai in Kuwait. After being out in 50 degree heat in summer, the only thing you need is a healthy, fast, delicious bowl of authentic Acai. With over 19 choices of toppings, make your bowl the way you like it. You can also go for the 1kg Acai bucket and make your own bowls at home! Oak also offers smoothies, pudding, as well as coffee.

Top pick: Acai Bowl Works 16 Oz with whatever toppings that please your taste buds. Per 100g of Acai (110 kcal, 4g fat, 21g carbs, 3g fiber)

Order Oakberry via Talabat and Deliveroo, follow them on Instagram @oakberrykw.

Joa

A twist on the list: Sushi, and poke. Keto friendly bowls, high protein bowls, crispy rice, salads, and even build your own poke bowls, Joa has it all. A unique aspect of Joa is that they offer catering so if you’re looking for a healthy spot to cater for you and your friends, look no further!

Top Pick: Simply Tuna, Marinated tuna, rice, avocado, green beans, edamame, spring onion, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, and spicy sweet soy (385 kcal, 24g protein, 60g carbs, and only 4g fat).

Order Joa via Talabat and Deliveroo, follow them on Instagram @joa.kw.

Ananas

A café with a variety of quick meals, as well as tasty frozen yogurt. Ananas is the perfect place to escape from the heat. From little pots of savory and sweet foods, sandwiches and wraps, juices, and detox, as well as pastries and classic ice cream. Ananas have a big and savory menu. With 11 different types of sandwiches and wraps, there’s surely something that will be your new favorite. Are you planning a visit to the beach with your friends? Grab a box of 12 ice creams from their “Coral collection” perfect for your outing.

Top pick: Power pot mango Low-fat Greek yogurt with honey mango and granola. It’s the perfect snack on the go(199 kcal, 23g carbs, 15g protein).

Order Ananas via Talabat and Deliveroo, follow them on Instagram @ananas.kw.

IKEA VAPPEBY

The Ikea Vappeby is the company’s first rugged and waterproof portable speaker. It has an IP67 water-resistance rating and promises up to 80 hours of playtime (at 50-percent volume). It’s also quite affordable. Available in three finishes: black, yellow or red.

ReMarkable Type Folio

ReMarkable released a keyboard case for its Remarkable 2. Whereas before you could only draw and take hand-written notes (which could then be turned into text) on the super-thin e-ink tablet, the Type Folio transforms it into a really capable note-taking machine.

Master & Dynamic MH40 Wireless (Gen 2)

Master & Dynamic has released a new-andimproved version of its original MH40 headphones. The second-generation MH40 Wireless have the same leather and metal design, but boast improved sound, app compatibility and longer battery life.

BEELINE VELO 2

Trying to get around a city on a bike is a stress like no other, attempting to navigate cars, people and lanes while also tracking your destination on your phone with a confused navigation system. The Velo 2 cycling computer is unfortunately unable to remove the cars and people in your way, but it can make the navigation easier.

ESR Geo Wallet Stand

This is the first MagSafe wallet to support Apple’s Find My — if it becomes detached from your iPhone, you’ll still be able to locate it via the Find My app. The wallet itself has a built-in kickstand and three card slots. It’s available on Kickstarter right now.

LEGO TECHNIC

When it comes to LEGO, there is a lot of choice. However, this new LEGO Technic set has a unique feature to help it stand out - the ability to control it via an app. With the app, you can drive the vehicle around, and when you flip the car over (or hit a wall), it will reveal a completely different car below. Because the LEGO car features suspension, you can even drive it over uneven surfaces.

Source: bestproducts.com

ORDER THE RAMADAN FAMILY MEAL

DELICIOUS FOOD, MINUS THE EFFORT

Make your culinary creativity effortless with Westinghouse this Ramadan!

By bazaar Staff

Ramadan is here and we now find ourselves in the most incredible and blessed month once again; a month filled with rewards, blessings, giving to others and, yes, fasting. Which means cooking. Whether you’re strapped for time, or just want to make cooking easier and also healthier, there’s a solution for you at Westinghouse.

Air frying helps you minimize the amount of oil used and still achieve results similar to deep-frying. With the Westinghouse Air Fryer, you can save space and have it all in one versatile appliance. With a built-in food grade aluminum inner chamber and hot air circulation system, it is easy to make any dish crispier with even heat distribution.

Hot air circulates rapidly, which cooks the outside of your food first, creating a crispy outer layer whilst keeping the inside tender and juicy. Air frying is similar to deep-frying, but you are cooking with air, not oil.

It is the versatility of air frying that feeds your taste buds. Using the 6 preset programs: Bake, Beef, Chips, Fish, Chicken, you can recreate any fried dish

(but healthier) for Ramadan. From beef to chicken to mini pies, the options are limitless.

Our favorite thing about the air fryer is that it is mess-free and there’s no danger from oil burns. The Westinghouse also comes with some special addons like the AirFry Mesh Tray, Rotisserie Pin and Popcorn Cage. Additionally, by cooking with an AirFry tray, now you can have your perfect roast at home. The tray circulates hot air from all angles, creating a crisp outer layer whilst the inside stays juicy. You can also enjoy a whole roasted chicken with a rotisserie option; seasoned to your personal tastes. And let’s not forget the endless popcorn for the late-night movie session; you can have oodles of popcorn with the special rolling cage. Best of all - you can create two different dishes in one go and prepare healthier, tastier meals in one go!

The Westinghouse Air Fryer

Westinghouse Air Fryer

Westinghouse Blend-and-Go Smoothie Blender

The Westinghouse Blend-and-Go Smoothie Blender is a great addition to any kitchen. The powerful 250W motor can make a smoothie in seconds with the 4-point stainless-steel blade. When done mixing, just change the blade for the travel lid and you’re ready to take it with you wherever you’re headed. The safety lock system ensures the bottle is leak-proof, you can carry it along without any worry. All of the removable parts are dishwasher safe, making cleaning a snap.

A simple one - push button makes it easy to operate. Anti-slip feet for safety and stability on every countertop. Safety features included, so the blender will only turn on if the jar is placed on the base securely. Getting your daily dose of fruits and vegetables has never been easier thanks to WESTINGHOUSE smoothie blender.

Westinghouse Food Processor

The Westinghouse 2.8 Lt Food Processor with 1.5 Lt Blender is an essential for any kitchen. With 800 Watts of power and two speed settings, it can easily chop, slice, shred, grate, blend, emulsify and knead dough with ease. Its rotary switch with blue indicator light and safety lock system makes it the perfect appliance for any kitchen. The accessories include a 2.8 l food processor bowl, 1.5 l blending jar, stainless-steel blade and more - all of which make Westinghouse the perfect choice for making delicious meals with ease. Westinghouse makes your meals delightful! This food processor isn’t just powerful, it’s also easy to use. Its cover with feeding chute and spout enables continuous slicing and shredding, while the four rubber suction feet ensure that everything is stable when in operation. And it is the perfect tool to save time as you cook up delightful dishes this Ramadan.

Westinghouse Blend-and-Go Smoothie Blender

Westinghouse Food Processor

APRIL MUSIC

March has blessed us all with some incredible tracks that are a must-listen

Title: If Darkness Had A Son

Artist: Metallica

Album: 72 Seasons

For the Rock & Roll lovers and those who have grown up with Metallica being a part of their childhood in any shape or form, they are back once again with bang! A great song for those who have grown up loving their music.

Title: MOTTO

Artist: NF

Album: Hope

From his upcoming studio album, Hope, NF has released a single that has gotten all his fans excited. Speaking about his rise to fame and that he won’t “sell out”, this is one that has gotten a lot of people looking forward to the full album.

Title: UGLY

Artist: slowthai

Album: UGLY

From his third studio album under the same name, UGLY is an acronym for “U Gotta Love Yourself” and that’s exactly what his new track is all about. Slow at times, loud at others, this is one that has gotten a lot of people talking.

Title: River

Artist: Miley Cyrus

Album: Endless Summer Vacation

River is part of Miley Cyrus’ eighth studio album and yet again, it doesn’t disappoint. Upbeat, fun, exciting and everything that you would expect a Miley Cyrus song to be!

Title: TEARS

Artist: Macklemore

Album: BEN

Macklemore may have been out of the headlines for a while, but he never disappeared. With his new album, BEN, there are some great songs. One that is all about the emotions is TEARS, which is quite personal but also one that many will be able to relate to.

Title: The Grants

Artist: Lana del Rey

Album: Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd

Sit back, relax, play some Lana del Rey in the background. We have all done it, right? The Grants is another one to add to this list of great and emotional Lana del Rey songs which is a must-listen!

Sources: wikipedia.com

HOMECOMING

by Kate Morton, Fiction

HAPPY PLACE

by Emily Henry, Fiction

Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959: A local man makes a terrible discovery. Police are called, and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most baffling murder investigations in the history of South Australia. Many years later and thousands of miles away, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for two decades, she now finds herself unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. A phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney, where her beloved grandmother Nora, who raised Jess when her mother could not, has suffered a fall and is seriously ill in the hospital. At Nora’s house, Jess discovers a true crime book chronicling a long-buried police case: the Turner Family Tragedy of 1959. It is only when Jess skims through its pages that she finds a shocking connection between her own family and this notorious event.

LIFE IN FIVE SENSES

For more than a decade, Gretchen Rubin had been studying happiness and human nature. Then, one day, a visit to her eye doctor made her realize that she’d been overlooking a key element of happiness: her five senses. She’d spent so much time stuck in her head that she’d allowed the vital sensations of life to slip away, unnoticed. This epiphany lifted her from a state of foggy preoccupation into a world rediscovered by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. In this journey of selfexperimentation, Rubin explores the mysteries and joys of the five senses as a path to a happier, more mindful life. Drawing on cuttingedge science, philosophy, literature, and her own efforts to practice what she learns, she investigates the profound power of tuning in to the physical world.

CORONATION YEAR

by Jennifer Robson, Fiction

It is Coronation Year, 1953, and a new queen is about to be crowned. The people of London are in a mood to celebrate. Edie Howard, owner of the floundering Blue Lion, has found the miracle she needs: on Coronation Day, Queen Elizabeth in her gold coach will pass by the hotel’s front door, allowing Edie to charge a fortune for rooms and, barring disaster, save her beloved home from financial ruin. Stella Donati, a young Italian photographer has come to live at the Blue Lion while she takes up a coveted position at Picture Weekly magazine. James Geddes, a war hero and gifted artist, has struggled to make his mark in a world that disdains his Indian ancestry. At the Blue Lion, though, he is made to feel welcome and worthy. When anonymous threats focused on Coronation Day, the Blue Lion, and even the queen herself disrupt their mood of happy optimism, Edie and her friends must race to uncover the truth, save their home.

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t. They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends. Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laidback charmer who never lets the cracks show.

WISDOM OF THE BULLFROG

The title “Bullfrog” is given to the Navy SEAL who has served the longest on active duty. Admiral McRaven received this honor in 2011 when he took charge of the United States Special Operations Command. When McRaven retired in 2014, he had 37 years as a Navy SEAL under his belt, leading men and women at every level of the special operations community. In the ensuing years, he served as Chancellor to the entire University of Texas System, with its 230,000 students and 100,000 faculty and health care workers. The Wisdom Of The Bullfrog draws on these countless experiences, including crisis situations, management debates, organizational transitions, and ethical dilemmas, to provide readers with the most important leadership lessons he has learned over the course of his forty years of service.

SIMPLY LIES

by David Baldaci, Thriller

Mickey Gibson, single mother and former detective, leads a hectic life similar to that of many moms: juggling the demands of her two small children with the tasks of her job working remotely for ProEye, a global investigation company that hunts down wealthy tax and credit cheats. When Mickey gets a call from a colleague named Arlene Robinson, she thinks nothing of Arlene’s unusual request for her to go inventory the vacant home of an arms dealer who cheated ProEye’s clients and fled. That is, until she arrives at the mansion to discover a dead body in a secret room—and that nothing is as it seems. Not only does the arms dealer not exist but the murder victim turns out to be Harry Langhorne, a man with mob ties who used to be in Witness Protection. What’s more, no one named Arlene Robinson works at ProEye.

by Gretchen Ruben, Non Fiction

by Admiral William H. McRaven, Non-Fiction

THE THREE MUSKETEERS: D’ARTAGNAN

Release Date: 6 April

Genre: Action, Adventure

Cast: Vincent Cassel, François Civil

Synopsis: In the early 17th century, a young man, Charles D’Artagnan, is left for dead after attempting to save a woman from being kidnapped. Once he reaches Paris, he does everything to find the aggressors.

THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE

Release Date: 20 April

Genre: Adventure, Family

Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy

Synopsis: A plumber named Mario travels through an underground labyrinth with his brother, Luigi, trying to save a captured princess.

SCREAM VI

Release Date: 13 April

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Cast: Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega

Synopsis: In the next installment, the survivors of the Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter in New York City.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES

Release Date: 20 April

Genre: Action, Adventure

Cast: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez

Synopsis: A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.

Source: cinescape.com.kw

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4

Release Date: 20 April

Genre: Action, Thriller

Cast: Bill Skarsgard, Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen

Synopsis: John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.

EVIL DEAD RISE

Release Date: 20 April

Genre: Horror

Cast: Alyssa Sutherland, Lily Sullivan

Synopsis: A twisted tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by the rise of fleshpossessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.

Source: cinescape.com.kw

HEY SUNRISE

Hey Sunrise is an iOS app that displays sunrise and sunsets times for any location on earth, with notification and Home Screen widget functionality.

iOS only

INNERSENSE

The mobile app that combats anxiety with science-backed practices, personalized to your daily routine. Take control of your mental health with ease.

iOS only

COOKIE BLOCKER

Cookie Blocker for iOS removes annoying cookie popups, leading to a cleaner browsing experience without compromising privacy. Say goodbye to intrusive ads and enjoy a more private online experience with Cookie Blocker.

iOS only

SHORTIFY

Shortify is the first privacy-focused summarizer that works seamlessly inside all your apps, without leaving them.

iOS only

FLIP CLOCKER

Flip Clocker is a simple flip clock tool available for Web/iOS/iPad/Mac. It displays local time with flipping animations, converts time across time zones, and tracks world time on one page. You can also use it as a white noise player for better sleep.

iOS only

SNOOZY

Don’t let a bad night’s sleep become your worst nightmare! Design your own soundscape by mixing and matching ambient atmospheres and soothing sound effects - right before bedtime!

iOS only

play.google.com

itunes.apple.com

ARIES

MAR 20 – APR 19

Brace yourself because the stars are aligning to shower you with cosmic power and opportunities for incredible discoveries. Your dreams are within reach, so seize this moment with all your might and believe in the power of the universe.

TAURUS APR 20 – MAY 20

April is the time to seize the day and take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. Mars is here to shake things up and ignite your brain with creativity and confidence. You’ll feel a newfound sense of assertiveness and a drive to express your thoughts and ideas to the world.

GEMINI MAY 21 – JUN 21

With so much positive energy in your joy, friendships, and aspirations sector, this month could bring major milestones and new connections that support and uplift you. Love and romance are also in the air. Just don’t overspend!

CANCER JUN 22 – JUL 22

You’re firing on all cylinders. You’re bursting with sex appeal, confidence, and courage, ready to conquer all your personal and professional goals. This month, the universe is pushing you towards your career and legacy, with breakthroughs and new opportunities for public recognition and climbing the professional ladder.

LEO JUL 23 – AUG 22

The winds of change are blowing and urging you to explore new paths and horizons. This month, Mars is fueling your focus on hidden matters and karma, causing some to feel lost and overwhelmed. Ask yourself, why aren’t you pursuing new directions? Could it be time to learn new skills, pursue higher education, or travel?

VIRGO AUG 23 – SEP 22

Your social life will be poppin’ with adoring friends, fans, and acquaintances celebrating you. This is a great time to reach new milestones and increase your income with the help of your contacts and friendships.

LIBRA SEP 23 – OCT 22

The stars align to bring some serious love and connection into your life. Whether you’re single and ready to mingle or already attached, you’re about to enter the golden era of your romantic life. Business connections and other intimate unions are also in the stars for you.

SCORPIO OCT 23 – NOV 22

The universe is telling you that something unique is just beyond the horizon, and with Mars doing its thing in the heavens, you will feel energized and ready to be your authentic self. You might even feel slightly emotional, but that’s cool because you’ll feel free as a bird

SAGITTARIUS NOV 23 - DEC 21

You may be feeling a deep desire to know all the facts in your partnerships, which could be due to past trust or intimacy issues. However, if your relationship is on solid ground, your love life could be flourishing

CAPRICORN DEC 22 – JAN 19

Your horoscope suggests a deep desire for union, particularly on a stable, domestic level. However, turmoil in the connection could lead to “make-or-break” moments, as the individual feels their needs are not being met.

AQUARIUS JAN 20 – FEB 18

You may feel an energetic shift and desire for new horizons but fear the future. April brings intellectual pursuits, travel, communication, and personal growth opportunities. There is a lot of potential for juggling multiple responsibilities and opportunities for work and physical fitness.

PISCES FEB 19 – MAR 19

This is the critical month to find your perfect home or to restyle your current one – the results will be so good you could turn interior design into a career! A key focus for you is your health – start a fitness routine now, and you will see it through.