bazaar November 2020 issue by bazaar magazine

November 2020 | Issue #250 www.bazaar.town

2021 A YEAR OF HOPE

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Int Aaaaand just like that, its suddenly November 2020! This is when I’d usually make some smartass comment about how time flies when you’re having fun, but due to the circumstances, I think I’ll pass. It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since the whole COVID-19 crisis started (remember back in March when we all naively thought that schools and the airport might have to close for two weeks max?) and now people are actually planning their Zoom Thanksgiving dinners, and making staycation plans for the Christmas break, and some of us (me!) are already panicking about the distinct possibility that 2021 summer plans might be derailed as well. It really is a brave new world, and not one that any of us are particularly fond of. So, let’s focus on things we know are certain instead. You’re holding one of them, the November 2020 issue of bazaar Magazine and we think it is beautiful even if we are biased. You can be sure that it is full of creatives, interesting people, things you can still do and restaurants you can still dine at. November (aka Movember) is also Men’s Health Awareness Month, so we’ve spoken to Dr. Telal Mudawi, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Hadi Clinic to tell us what we should be looking out for and how to keep our hearts healthy. Diabetes is another serious and prevalent disease in Kuwait and Dr. Nabila Abdella, Consultant of Internal Medicine and Diabetes at Taiba Hospital explains more. Mental health is just as important as physical health, especially now so we urge you to read Susannah Joy Schuilenberg’s column. We still want to give the boys their toys (and pretty fast cars). If you are a Porsche owner, you will be happy to learn that Behbehani Motors have unveiled their new state of the art maintenance facility that will keep your most-prized vehicle purring smoothly. A car’s speed and looks are important, but safety has proven to be something that is just as valuable. We were privileged to speak more with Lotta Jakobsson, Senior Technical Specialist for Injury Prevention at Volvo Cars who explained car safety to us and how Volvo’s research has impacted car safety on an international scale. The health professionals above would probably tell you that a healthy diet is good for you, but we like to indulge ourselves for a more balanced life. Breakfast is the new black and we tried Amiti Noura’s new menu. It is a true Kuwaiti treat and the perfect fuel for a shopping marathon at the Avenues. If you fancy some culinary travelling along the Mediterranean coast, Solia is your destination. All of your favorite classics from the region but modernized for the discerning foodie. Alas, one needs arts and entertainment too for a healthy life! We met up with +Aziz of Kuwaisiana again to find out what he has been up to. For Truth or Dare we met up with content creators @eatingwiththeoffice gang who have taken Instagram by storm with their fun and hilarious adventures ordering lunch at work and they tried their hand at yummy Egyptian food from Matbakh Yusria. With the change in weather, we’re ready for a wardrobe update, but without hurting the planet. H&M’s AW20 Conscious Exclusive collection creates beautiful clothing from sustainably sourced material that would have been otherwise discarded as waste.

The bazaar team... Boss Ahmed El-Adly

Operations Manager Ihab Youssef

Content Manager Yasmine El Charif

Mixed Media Solutions Jennifer Cádiz

Design Shadi Mofeed

Staff Writer/Online Media Farah Barakat Yasmin Gamal

Online Producer/Project Manager Umika Pidaparthy

Communications Hala Y. Sharara

Editor Alia Al Duaij

Contributing Writers Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg

Syndicates & Sources Fast Company LA Times MCT International Newsweek

members of:

Printing British Industries for Printing and Packaging

w w w. b p aw w. c o m The views expressed in bazaar magazine are those of the respective contributors and not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff (but sometimes they are).

Take a deep breath and count your blessings, then jump right into this issue.

Happy reading! Ahmed El-Adly

tel.2571 6122 info@bazaar-magazine.com www.bazaar.town | Zahra Complex, Salmiya. 8th floor, office 35 @bazaargram bazaarmagazine @bazaartweets

No one likes to be dumped;

recycle me, please.

INDEX NOVEMBER 2020 74

LEXUS LC 500

VOLVO SAFETY

Fall in Kuwait has us dreaming of cruising on the Arabian Gulf Road in one of these fancy new Lexus LC 500 Convertibles. Exhilarating performance meets human-centric design for a truly fabulous driving experience that makes you want to take your next road trip. Read more about the car in this issue.

bazaar interviewed Lotta Jakobsson, 2018’s recipient of the prestigious Golden Diesel Ring and senior technical specialist at Volvo Cars Safety Centre to find out more about car safety, her research and Volvo’s vision.

If your office mates are hilarious and you are a die-hard foodie, then ordering lunch in the office is an exciting thing. Chalisa, Donna, Walid and Kris have taken Instagram by storm for their everyday funny food-shenanigans.

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H&M CONSCIOUS EXCLUSIVE

BREAKFAST AT AMITI NOURA

SLEEP WELL WITH MUJI

Waste doesn’t need to be discarded as proven by H&M’s AW20 Conscious Exclusive Collection. The designers are repurposing materials into sustainably sourced textiles to create exquisite pieces. Find out what treasures can be created from trash.

A flashback of old Kuwait meeting modern times, Amiti Noura takes us back to our auntie’s house where we fall in love with saffron all over again. With Kuwaiti cuisine being the inspiration behind this local concept and tucked away in the Souk, it is perfect for catch ups and family get-togethers.

If your dreams aren’t as sweet or your sleep isn’t as sound as you want it to be, there is something you can do about it. From changing your bedtime routine to your environment and mattress, we have all the secrets to the perfect snooze.

EATING IN THE OFFICE

HEART HEALTH CARE AT HADI CLINIC Most of us don’t even think of our hearts until the beats falter. And no we’re not talking about love or heartbreak, we’re talking about the actual organ that keeps you alive. Dr Telal Mudawi Mudawi answered our most pressing questions about our heart health and the available services at hadi clinic. Read the interview at bazaar.town

62 MUDHAWI’S LIST Women in Kuwait are sharp, smart and extremely competent, and seeing more of them in elected offices benefits the whole community. Mudhawi’s List is Kuwait’s first independent platform that is positioned to help women running for elected office positions by connecting them with volunteers and in-kind donation providers to run successful election campaigns.

LEXUS LC 500 P. 74

AT HOME TOGETHER

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Collection available from Nov 15 2nd Avenue & Grand Avenue - The Avenues and www.visionexpress.me

what's trending November 2020

What: @tossed_kw Info: Healthy Salads that taste so good Editor’s Note: Eco-friendly salads for on-the-go peeps!

What: @moki.kw Info: The smartest notebooks in Kuwait Editor’s Note: Lock your thoughts away with a pass lock or fingerprint

What: @homeatopia Info: Comfort food, elevated Editor’s Note: Enjoy delicious meals from this American-inspired concept

www.bazaar.town What: @moondaughter.kwt Info: Accessories with a whimsical spin Editor’s Note: We might eat the gummy bear chains

What: @planteriakw Info: Home, office and business plant styling and consultation Editor’s Note: You can also find unique plants here for sale!

What: @locks_breaker Info: Get your lock picking kits here Editor’s Note: For educational purposes only

What: @kabeshkan Info: Elegant and modern household items Editor’s Note: Working from home? Get the keyboard organizer

What: @dbloomskw Info: A boutique plant and flower business established in 1984 Editor’s Note: Chili bouquet anyone?

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MAMA HEPBURN Fashionable over 50 By bazaar staff

I am a defender of social media. Like any tool, whether it is good or bad depends on the people wielding it, be they the content creators or the viewers and the choices they make. And it was on Instagram that I came across Eman Bani Hashim’s (AKA @Mama.Hepburn) account. The nod to style icon Audery Hepburn is spot on because of the shared elegance, poise and unique fashion style. Her bio simply reads “A hip and #stylish mama in her 50s, proving that age ain’t nothin’ but a number,” and it tells it just like it is. She is #lifegoals when I grow up. I instantly fell in love with her outfits, her beautiful tablescapes and her decor inspo ideas. A couple of days later I found myself speaking to Eman on the phone only to discover that she is even more dynamic, passionate and an absolute delight in person. An Emirati mama in her late 50s only just recently retired after a long career in the field of diplomacy followed by academia. Her job roles meant that she always needed to be impeccably dressed which is something Eman absolutely loves and does superbly well. If you spend a couple of minutes perusing her Instagram feed you will notice that she is unafraid to make a garment of her own. She told me that she loves customizing ready-to-wear pieces and adding her own personal touch on them. You might even recognize her wearing the local brand @dear. nin’s gauzy dress in ivory. She replaced the lining with a specially made full dress in a soft brown for modesty and a pop of color. Small changes like this are what elevate her looks. As women age it becomes more difficult to dress fashionably. Brands advertise for a younger crowd and trends seem to pander to the twenty somethings. From rips in jeans in unfortunate locations to itsy bitsy crop tops, it appears that clothing designers forget an entire age-group. Eman believes that her demographic has both the ability and the desire to dress well and she wants to help women see that they can still look stylish, dynamic and ready to take on the world while looking fabulous. She is also a supporter of more ethical and slow fashion. And she refuses to chase or covet brands. Eman believes that you needn’t be decked from head to toe in designer items to look great. You will see her mix and match items from highstreet brands as well as more expensive and bespoke garments. My favorite thing about Eman’s style is that it is bold and eclectic without being loud. You will notice her statement necklace or her sunglasses. She will add a belt to alter the silhouette or choose shoes that will change the vibe of a dress. She is not a fan of symmetry and will mismatch her earrings and is uninhibited in trying the unconventional. There are so many subtle styling tricks that anyone can pick up from her. Presentation is extremely important to Eman. And it is less about other people and how they see her and more about how she wants to feel. Even if she’s spending the day at home she will still get dressed in an abaya or something more comfortable but never dowdy or frumpy. While many of us might run errands looking like we just finished a yoga class, Eman insists on getting dressed to the nines. 34

[Continued...]

Grand Avenue - The Avenues | Souq Sharq | The Gate Mall

Her can-do DIY attitude extends to her home and kitchen as well. She fearlessly redecorated her own bathroom by painting the walls, bathtub and adding framed art on the walls. Instead of riding the high-speed consumption train, Eman loves to reuse already owned elements in her home and rework them for a new look. She finds inspiration in everything and likes to try it out right away. Colors and textures in a dress might give her an idea for a cake and she will head straight away to the kitchen to test it. And now that she’s no longer working full-time she is enjoying the more hands-on approach at home. If you are invited over for brunch she will make sure that everything matches from the napkins, flatware to the dessert and juice because she loves a theme. And she will bring out her best china everyday, because if you don’t enjoy your things, who else will? Unlike many women, Eman is unafraid to share her age with the world. But she’s also quick to add that she does take care of herself. Finding a balance between her work and her home, she still tried really hard to make time for herself to work out and to eat well. She added that even the busiest woman can take the stairs more often and try to walk as exercise if she can’t go to the gym. We talked about what she would like to do next and she would love to create a platform for women where they can connect on these issues. And where Eman could share more of her tips about recycling, sustainability, decor and fashion. Personally, I can’t wait to sign up! Follow Eman Bani Hashim on Instagram @mama.hepburn for fashion, food and decor inspo no matter how old you are. 36

[...Continued]

truth or dare

EATING IN THE OFFICE

Joining the office gang for a lunch fit for a pharaoh By bazaar staff

Trying Egyptian concept Matbakh Yusria

They’ve taken the internet by storm, and if you haven’t seen these local guys already you must check out @eatingintheoffice on Instagram. This team of foodies has taken the typically mundane and made it a celebration, and it’s probably the perfect time for everyone to get back to basics and experience the sheer joy that can come with A. having a job and B. eating lunch daily. bazaar decided to find out more about these young creatives, and we secured the deal by offering to bring lunch. What could be more share worthy than authentically hearty Egyptian fare from Matbakh Yusria, just like aunty makes.

There’s actually four of them in the office gang but you’ll only ever see three on camera. Chalisa, who has the best expressions, Donna is the South African one and Walid sports the curly hair. Kris is off-camera but really needs to be because she is so busy, “herding her cats” offers Donna, which are the office gang. Kris is the logistics master that keeps everything together whether it be ordering the food or organizing where the content needs to be and when. “We can’t function without her,” volunteers Chalisa. On the day with bazaar, Kris plates beautifully all the Matbakh Yusria dishes with each condiment and layer perfectly assembled so everyone gets a real taste of how everything is prepared. Chalisa is the newest to Kuwait so the platform @eatingintheoffice is a great opportunity for the gang to explore food culture in Kuwait with her. “The food is so different”, says the Thai/ British expat. Donna interjects excitedly, “She just had her first shawarma and is obsessed,” “I love labneh too” adds Chalisa, and then we all start throwing in what she should try with labneh like “try Doritos!” or “with zaater is delicious!” Donna continues to explain how much everyone in the office loves food and that it’s usual for the office staff to sit at one of the two large tables and eat together. One day they were sitting down and Chalisa said, “You know what guys, I think we’re funny, I’m just going to film us as a joke.” Chalisa put the camera on, they tagged the video, the concept reposted it and all of a sudden @eatingintheoffice was born. Donna chimes, “We were getting DM’s from all sorts of food places and we just thought what’s happening?!” Concepts and Instagram followers seem to be attracted to Chalisa’s style of editing “Gen Z babies are on top of it”, says Donna adding, “People relate to us being as awkward as we are.” And this truly is the joy of watching the office gang together. There’s lots of side eye, silly moments, realizations and real moments. There’s no filter and when we’ve seen such a backlash against the fakery of it all particularly with the scandals befalling so many influencers of late, it’s joyous to see real people enjoying themselves, sharing experiences and appreciating each other. “We started out for fun and it’s still fun, we still enjoy food, and we’ve gotten closer because we spend every lunch, every day together,” Chalisa confides. Donna tells us that they would honestly like their account to be known for supporting small

The fabulous foursome get deliveries every day businesses, “Because that’s what Chalisa really set her heart on.” It is now more vital than ever to support independent Food & Beverage concepts by giving them much needed exposure. “Especially start-ups because they’re starting something from the heart. Our support for these types of concepts is something Chalisa has willed into existence, and they pay so much attention not only to the Instagram worthy things but to their flavors and their tastes, and they deliver the food themselves.” Even while bazaar is there, deliveries from local concepts that we’ve been wanting to try start arriving. When it comes to content for IG Stories Walid has a great sense of humor so he is responsible for this, and Chalisa edits the static posts. She loves it so much that editing @eatigintheoffice is listed as her hobby. “Walid and I are quite serious when it comes to our SK (@seoul.kool) work, so [with this] we just want it to be light and fun.” Walid agrees saying, “We just have fun with it. We film with our phones, no lights or anything!” If you see the ring light behind the scenes, it’s because it is being used as a stand for the cell phone being used as a camera.

bazaar is curious to find out where all the fans are coming from, considering how incredibly cosmopolitan the office gang members are. Walid ventures, “Mainly Kuwait but we do have from different countries, Morocco, Saudi, Thailand. “We have stans,” says Donna and then we all digress into a discussion about Eminem and the origin of “stans.” The food arrives and we get completely distracted once more. bazaar asks the office gang which dish they think of when they think Egyptian food. “Pasta, rice and lentils,” offers Chalisa, Donna agreeing, “that’s the only Egyptian one I think we’ve had,” Walid adding that he’s never eaten Egyptian. So, Matbakh Yusria is the perfect concept to share with them. bazaar starts to explain the influences behind Koshari as Kris sets out the family sized delivery of the Egyptian street food dish as well as Molokya, and Hawawshior “meat cake” as Chalisa describes it, and for dessert the classic Atayef. You will need to watch the @eatingintheoffice post on Instagram to see the hilarity that ensues and the office gang’s wonderful reactions to the dishes, but suffice to say much enjoyment was had by all.

[Continued...]

TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE

How would your mother describe you in one word? Donna: Mate. Walid: Sweet. Chalisa: Vivacious. How would you describe your mother in one word? Donna: Superhuman. Walid: Giving. Chalisa: Home. What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked? Donna: This question. Walid: Do you want to work in Kuwait? Chalisa: Do you eat dogs in your country? What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? Donna: Move to Kuwait. Walid: Turning my hobby into a job . Chalisa: Went to Prague with a backpack for New Year’s on a solo trip. What is your theme song? Donna: Just hold on we’re going home- Drake. Walid: HEAVEN - Troy Sivan. Chalisa: Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles. What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented? Donna: Yummy. Walid: Peace. Chalisa: Oh my God. Where would you like to live? What is your dream retirement location? Donna: Close to nature, Spain. Walid: Morocco, Marrakech. Chalisa: Wherever my best friend is. What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind? Donna: Be the change you want to see in the world. Walid: Fake it ’til you make it. Chalisa: Good food, good mood. Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life? Donna: A Panda. Walid: A Tiger. Chalisa: An Otter - insert an otter emoji (bazaar couldn’t find one). Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it? Donna: All the good candy. Walid: Not having a phone. Chalisa: Having my grandparents. 40

[...Continued]

Getting lunch outside of the office If you could change your name, what would you change it? Donna: Judy. Walid: Shawn. Chalisa: Chili-sa, thank you Jen for the recommendation (bazaar Chili-sa likes it spicy). How would you describe your handshake, in one word? Donna: Fist bump. Walid: Awkward. Chalisa: Air shake (because of social distancing). What is the toughest part of your character? Donna: My resting bitch face. Walid: My will to achieve a goal. Chalisa: Easily distracted. Who is your favorite historical figure? Donna: Sara Baartman. Walid: Mother Teresa. Chalisa: Mozart . What in the world do you least desire? Donna: Okra. Walid: Pepperoni. Chalisa: Licorice.

What do you think is lacking in the world, which [if there were more of it] would make the world a better place? Donna: Kindness. Walid: Understanding. Chalisa: Free food. Why do you think most people who do, like you? Donna: No idea, you should ask them. Walid: I’m a good listener, and friend. Chalisa: I love sharing food. Finish this sentence: “Happiness is...” Donna: Good Food. Walid: Being in nature while it’s raining. Chalisa: Happiness is happy people.

Follow @eatingintheoffice, @seoul.kool and @Matbakh.Yusria on Instagram. Images courtesy of Eating In The Office.

VI BY VOGULARITY Kuwaiti Fashion Gone Global By Social Culture Club

It is almost as if VI by VOGULARITY was destined to become popular. The aesthetic of the label is minimalist ready-to-wear loungewear, just what we’ve all been wearing since the beginning of March. The Denver-based brand takes an integrative approach to fashion. The gender-neutral garments and accessories are easy to wear by anyone and are desired by everyone. We spoke about Vi by Vogularity with Founder Abdulaziz Akbar and Creative Director Aisha Alnouri to learn more about them, the label, and what it takes to do what they’re doing. Can you tell us about yourself and what you do? Abdulaziz: My name is Abdulaziz Akbar. I recently graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a major in Petroleum Engineering. I am specialized in economics, finance, and business strategy - as well as problem solving. I graduated in 2019 and moved back to Kuwait. Aisha: My name is Aisha Alnouri. I’m currently studying Visual Communication at Kuwait University. It’s the umbrella term that we use for everything related to design and graphics. It uses all aspects of the disciplinary arts to send you a message through any visuals that we can use. It has everything to do with graphic design, typography, photography, illustration, and so on. How did you get into fashion? Abdulaziz: I’m a person that values individualism and creativity. What better way to express that than through fashion and art? Fashion to me isn’t just clothes and what’s in style. It’s an art form. A means for self-expression and authenticity. It has no boundaries, that’s why I love it. In October 2018 I decided to create my own label and called it Vi by Vogularity to create a bridge between the worlds of fashion, art, and technology. What are you most proud of as a label? Abdulaziz: We always try to push the limits and go beyond what people expect. As such we love to merge fashion with technology. This year due to the pandemic we decided to help the up-andcoming creatives in Kuwait and invite them into our community by creating a one of a kind virtual internship. Even though the setting was new and challenging for all of us, we managed to create a lot of innovative and interesting elements that people should anticipate to see very soon. Virtual events, galleries, and a virtual internship program of 11 amazing creative people working under Vogularity Capital. What do you think of the fashion scene in Kuwait and hypebeast culture? Abdulaziz: I think we have a unique fashion scene in Kuwait. Easily recognizable in the gulf. But we do lack variance in taste. I think most people tend to stay away from self-expression and use materialistic brands to create an image of self-worth. But that’s just my perspective. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m right. 42

[Continued...]

Aisha Alnouri

Aisha: To be honest I do find our fashion scene to be extremely diverse. You see everything from the overly conservative to the liberal. We have a very wide range of people that, thanks to the internet and globalization, have found what makes them feel good and comfortable. As for hypebeast culture I have conflicting opinions. There’s a lot of people who wear something just because it’s expensive and has a specific logo on it. But if you actually look at the core of it you’ll notice that it’s comfortable but also outgoing and fun. People often forget that when it comes to fashion it’s not about finding the most expensive thing and wearing it. You have to wear the clothes and not have the clothes wear you.

Abdulaziz Akbar

What’s your advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps? Abdulaziz: Very simple; get out of your comfort zone. The most difficult and important thing is the execution of your idea. How much research and development you do. At the end of the day an idea is made of many assumptions and at any point in time that idea is held back by one thing: the riskiest assumption. Working on anything else other than that limitation is a waste of time and money. If you’re not sure how to do that you can always outsource, there’s nothing wrong with that. I recently ventured into this area with Vogularity Capital. Unlike VI by Vogularity, Vogularity Capital is a business strategy company and advertising agency that helps small businesses establish themselves. We do extensive research on brand and marketing strategies based on our experience. Aisha: When it comes to anything it’s always dedicating yourself to one thing. Being 100% focused on that and making sure that it’s what you wanna do and dedicate yourself to it because it requires a lot more focus and drive than just having an idea and wanting to do it. You have to become 100% committed. You can find Vi by Vogularity @byvogularity and Social Culture Club @socialcultureclub on Instagram. Find the full interview on bazaar.town.

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WE ARE NOW ONLINE IN KUWAIT!

!‫ﻣﻮﺟﻲ اﻵن أوﻧﻼﻳﻦ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻜﻮﻳﺖ‬

www.muji.com.kw

up close & personal

YAN LIU Discovering the intricate creativity in producing award winning quilts By bazaar staff

It was purely by chance that a bazaarite discovered the creative work of Yan Liu; she’d been sharing photos of her prize-winning pieces within a choir’s WhatsApp group. But once bazaar saw a few more images of the art Yan was creating in a medium which we’d previously failed to appreciate as so complicated and beautiful, we had to find out more. Yan has Chinese roots but spent much of her life in Canada, got married, has raised two now adult boys and arrived in Kuwait in 2010 following her husband’s job. Despite her impressive academic career in Science and Engineering, Yan concentrates her efforts on the family instead of employment and now with her children creating lives of their own, keeps herself very busy with hobbies such as singing and performing with Ahmadi Music Group, exercising, travel and photography, cooking, Bible study and with textile art which is where she is really coming into her own. Way back in 2003 while working in a particularly stressful environment within IT, colleagues would discuss the calming and therapeutic effect that the arts could induce, like painting for example. It was here that Yan decided to look into quilting with two of her friends from church, but she didn’t have the right equipment to be able to sew properly, and she gave up on the idea even though she liked the idea of the process. Then, once in Kuwait ten years later, the opportunity arose again with Kuwait Textile Art Association (KTAA) and this time Yan could access the tools needed, and she credits a woman called LeAnne from KTAA with kindly helping out in these matters. Yan explains that quilting is like a sandwich where you have the intricate design that Yan plans, cuts and sews together and then sandwiches with batting between that designed top and the backing. There are three layers, hence the need for a good quality longarm quilting machine, which unlike a regular sewing machine offers a much larger workspace for the larger and bulkier projects. The very first design Yan created she called “Thirteen Birds.” It was made from Walmart bought materials, and it won first place in the beginners’ category competition at the 2012 KTAA exhibition. This garnered the full support of her husband who said, “Oh, you are somebody, it looks like you can do this and win,” chuckles Yan, justifiably proud of her husband’s belief in her. 46

When it comes to buying materials in Kuwait, Yan can buy limited items from Souk Al Safat locally known as the material souk, and Dubai Souk near the National Library and Sadu House. When Yan travels this provides the opportunity to buy other textiles from Europe or raw silks from India, for example, so she’s always on the lookout. It’s not easy to tell how a fabric will work just by feel, although you can get an idea the more experienced you become. However, Yan insists, “You must run the material through the machine to know how it will respond to quilting.” And it is this dedication to preparation that Yan conscientiously puts in that makes her results so exquisite. She doesn’t shirk the work. Yan is also an excellent photographer, handy when you get inspiration from everything you see around you. The comparison to the original photograph from her adventures in Iran which inspired “The Potter” is uncanny. The proportions are perfect, these large clay-covered fingers molding a vase out of glistening mud, you can feel the energy in the Iranian artisan’s hands. When asked where she finds her inspiration Yan expresses that fine art, painting, sculpture and even architecture can be very interesting, “Especially modern architecture that you find in Finland, Sweden and Canada.” This is where her photography helps to capture the scenes which she finds most inspiring. Yan goes on to describe architecture in Iran and India where religious significance is embodied in their design. It’s fair to say that Yan’s significant global travel profoundly affects her understanding of life around her, appreciating the many years of culture inherent in the surroundings she absorbs, and making sure to visit museums and national galleries wherever she goes. Another source of subject matter can just be everyday life as Yan sees more than just what can be observed by the naked eye. Hundreds of years of dignified artistry goes into the Persian potter making his vases for example, and she thinks about the generations of experience captured in the moment when she took his photo while he concentrated. “Who is this potter, how many kids does he have, what else does he do?” Yan asked herself when observing him. It’s his mystery that inspires her. This respectful curiosity is possibly why the work is so stunning, and it’s not surprising that Yan chooses Jenny Bowker when asked if she admires anyone in the textile art world. Jenny is a renowned talent who also depicts real life scenes from her myriad journeys across the globe. A kindred spirit perhaps.

When it comes to the technical and practical details, bazaar can’t imagine how long it must take to create these pieces. Where does one possibly begin? Yan humbly says that it’s just a matter of choosing your colors and materials, and then your shapes and threads too. But six to eight months of constant commitment at the very minimum to produce one quilt means that it’s not as simple an endeavor as she makes it sound. When Yan describes free motion quilting and thread painting it’s pretty obvious that this is rather complicated and highly skilled craftsmanship. “Quilting is my life,” answers Yan simply when asked what does quilting mean to her. “This is one way of expressing feelings.” “You’re a visual

storyteller,” said someone to her on Facebook. When asked about all the emotions she goes through when completing a project Yan explains, “In the beginning there’s inspiration, passion, excitement, Oh, I’m going to do this!” But, during a project she describes that there can be impatience, torture and self-doubt as well as the sheer physicality of it all. Eyes can get tired! But when she sees how viewers react upon seeing her quilts in exhibition, the excitement and energy comes back again. It’s an incredible journey, and it is with eagerness that bazaar receives the news that Yan is exploring a new way of producing her textile art, where it’s unplanned like a physical manifestation of jazz, and we can’t wait to see the results. [Continued...]

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE What do you most value about your friends? Kindness and patience; honesty with integrity; intelligent and adventurous. Which living person do you most admire? Jenny Bowker in quilting; Kevin Chen and Jason Chen in ordinary life. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Strong in faith in all circumstances, loving relationships with families and friends, fulfilled personal goals and harmonized humanity in the community. What is your greatest extravagance? My Bernina sewing machine and fabrics; travel costs. What is your most treasured possession? Family photos and videos; quilts I made, besides my family. What is your greatest fear? Loss of freedom and terminal illness. What is your most marked characteristic? Passionate and impatient. Which talent would you most like to have? I am greedy - dancing, singing, painting. What is one trait you have that you are most grateful for? My Science and Engineering background enables me to create arts with structured framework . What is the human trait you most dislike about others? Dishonesty and laziness. What is it that you most dislike? Cockroaches. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Awesome! What are your favorite words to live by? Kindness, patience, gentleness and self-control. Where would you most like to live? Rocky Mountains or Alps. If you could have any job, what would it be? Stage Actress of Musicals, Restoration Artist. What would you consider your greatest achievement? Giving birth to my two sons and raising them. What do you hope for the future? Travel the world to have my personal quilt exhibitions, visiting my friends and grandchildren. For enquiries contact Yan through Facebook @yanliu. Follow Kuwait Textile Art Association on Instagram @kuwaittextileart. All images courtesy of Yan Liu. 48

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RALLY ANDALUCIA IS ON

A four-stage dash across southern Spain has put the Red Bull Desert Wings in top gear ahead of the 2021 Dakar Rally By bazaar staff

Following the frantic high-speed action at the Andalucía Rally it’s evident that the world’s premier off-roaders are back on the pace and already focused on their next trip to Saudi Arabia.

The car contest at the Andalucía Rally promised to deliver a heavyweight clash of off-road driving talent and it never disappointed. Even after crossing 1,000 kilometres of perilous terrain in southern Spain, the leading cars were still trading blows right up to the finish line. Coming out on top was three-time Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) behind the wheel of his Toyota Hilux. Podium finishes on all four stages – as well as a decisive stage win on day two – put the Qatari in front of his rivals. “We tested a lot of things that will help us at the next Dakar. Now we’re looking forward to the Dakar where our aim will be to win.” – Nasser AlAttiyah Second place went to Carlos Sainz (ESP) who finished the rally in his native Spain with a stage win on the 220-kilometre final day. Third placed Yazeed Al-Rajhi (KSA) was followed home by 13time Dakar champion Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA). All these candidates for victory at the 2021 Dakar showed that they still have what it takes to push for 50

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rally-raid’s biggest prize. “We got a lot of answers here that we needed before we go to the next Dakar” shared Carlos. The accelerated learning curve of the Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team continued in Spain as the three drivers with an average age of just 21 grew in confidence as the rally progressed. This confidence was underlined by Mitch Guthrie Jr. (USA) winning the final side-by-side (SxS) stage to take third overall in the category. Also, very excited for the next Dakar, Mitch Guthrie Jr shares “This feels like a really important learning experience for the next Dakar.” Kevin Hansen (SWE) and Seth Quintero (USA) will also take plenty of positives away from their first-ever rally-raid contest. Rallycross star Hansen impressed the team with his consistency as he took his OT3 to fourth overall. “Today we had a really, really good stage. We tried to push in the beginning and catch some speed. We had one tricky moment with the navigation but overall we kept up a great rhythm.”

– Kevin Hansen Another participant, 18-year-old Quintero showed incredible mental resilience to battle back from a tough start in Spain and end with a podium finish on stage four. “We’re sitting third and that’s great considering how our rally started. I’m really looking forward to the next rally that we do,” said Seth Quintero. In the bike race, the overall win was claimed by Kevin Benavides (ARG) on his Honda. The Dakar winning members of the Red Bull KTM Factory Team kept up the pace throughout the rally with Toby Price (AUS), who was the best placed of the bunch in fourth overall. Two-time Dakar champion Price put his focus on regaining the feel of racing ahead of his trip to Saudi Arabia next year stating “Now we’re going to do more training and get organized for January.” 2018 Dakar winner Matthias Walkner (AUT) bagged sixth place while the Andalucía Rally finished on a massive high for rookie Daniel Sanders (AUS) who took the stage win on the final day in Spain.

Also getting in plenty of hours in the driving seat in Spain was India’s top off-roader CS Santosh (IND). Pleasantly surprised, Sanders shared “I thought I might be on my way to a Top 5 result and then at the finish line they told me I was number one. That was pretty awesome.” We agree. 2017 Dakar winner Sam Sunderland (GBR) joined top female rider Laia Sanz (ESP) in retiring during the opening days of the rally due to injuries caused by crashing on the route. Both Sunderland and Sanz are confident they’ll be back to full fitness before the start of the 2021 Dakar next January. The upcoming Dakar, the second to be hosted by Saudi Arabia, now becomes the full focus of all the off-roaders and the teams that paid a visit to Andalucía. Machines will be further tuned and athletes will undergo strict fitness regimes as the January 3 start date of the next Dakar looms on the horizon. To find out more information about the Dakar Rally, visit redbull.com. 52

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THROUGH THE LENS OF + AZIZ

Kuwaisiana’s Chapter 2 release of Khaleeji and Arab-American identity is here By bazaar staff

Working in Arabic and English, Kuwaisiana is a full-bodied band producing a danceable, dynamic sound that draws on world music and indie rock. Led by Kuwaiti singer-songwriter +Aziz (pronounced plus Aziz), the 6-piece blends funk, rock, ska with New Orleanian jazz, adding a unique twist to what Indie Arab Rock can sound like. Their most recent drop and follow-up is scheduled to be released early this month and we can’t wait to hear it! If you’re like us and you’re wondering where the term Kuwaisiana came from, it is actually a combination of the two words, Kuwait and Louisiana. Born out of +Aziz’s desire to explore parallels between American and Khaleeji cultures, Chapter 2 is the band’s followup EP to Chapter 1, which was released through Universal Music MENA. The band’s debut record, Chapter 1 was released in 2018, which was followed by a US tour. This 22-minute EP deepens the band’s exploration of the day-to-day experiences of ArabAmerican youth and the evolving viewpoints of Khaleejis living in the Arabian Peninsula. It will be self-released on Bandcamp and then published to streaming platforms. Lyrically, +Aziz explores the cultures he knows so well through his metaphor-rich lyrics, which sustain a tension between conversational and a more evocative, poetic perspective. Kuwaisiana is making progress at a time when so much of the world is in flux. +Aziz’s ability to channel his concerns into familiar choruses give us a taste of the modern Arab-American experience. In 2018, Kuwaisiana did two short runs into Texas since the first album. Their tour was deliberately small scale because it was the band’s first round putting something like that together. However, they were able to connect with phenomenal people as they scored themselves gigs across Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. When asked about the tour +Aziz shared with bazaar: “Because I didn’t tour at all in my 20’s, planning these short tours for Kuwaisiana has taught me so much, especially since I am trying

to move 5-6 people. I also did a run to Detroit and back as a solo artist. I guess you could say I love to drive!” We all know this pandemic has affected many musicians in different ways, and even inspired some. When asked what type of music he enjoys listening to, +Aziz prides himself on being a typical music guy in that he loves to buy music in older formats and listen to everything. When asked how he is staying busy these days, he states “I’m listening to lots of Boiler Room sets (house music), going through my cassettes and watching interviews on Youtube.” Although he has not been able to perform this year, staying still has helped +Aziz be more present in his song writing and helped him lean into a more easy going, less planning-oriented lifestyle. +Aziz added “this is a good time to go inwards, flesh out my song ideas, sift through my emotions, improve how I manage myself, etc.” It’s possible this pandemic has rewired how we all connect to music, perhaps even made us appreciate it more. +Aziz has continued to play with his drummer Matthieu on and off throughout the year but time off has brought him to rethink everything as a musician. “We’re all learning new skills as we make this Virtual Pivot. I never had a home studio until all this happened. I started putting music together for friends’ films! It’s also inspired me to put a greater focus on building out a community of direct supporters on Patreon.” For those living under a rock, Patreon is a monthly subscription service where supporters receive perks for supporting a creative. Critical of what’s happening in the world and generally drawn to darker themes, +Aziz expressed that Chapter 2 is a continued exploration of cultural parallels between Khaleeji and Arab-American narratives when it comes to family, friends or strangers. “The theme of finding strength in the face of adversity and upheaval

is pretty consistent. The world is in a nearapocalyptic scenario; I’m juxtaposing this reality with a leisurely, casual, care-free perspective that makes the listener wanna get up and dance.” We sure do all need that right now. Diving more into conversation about the EP itself, +Aziz shares that the listener will truly get a taste of what makes the band so unique. “Deepening our dancy sound with songs like Cymbals of this City, playing around with bilingualism on songs like Bara7a and Guwwa. My bandmates have been relatively consistent so I’m trying to make the most of our gelling together. This album has less “genre-hopping” than Chapter 1 and provides a more consistent experience.” We absolutely fell in love with Kuwaisiana’s merging of Arabic and English tunes, which seem so effortless and had to ask how the band makes that happen. Especially that +Aziz carries an American and Khaleeji dialect. He comments “There’s such a vast difference between my American accent and the Khaleeji dialect, but my identity is grounded in this schism. Matthieu’s drumming has been really helpful in opening up my playing style and it’s created this “epic” feel that can support both languages. I think that’s what makes it all seem natural and effortless.” And while this may all seem effortless to the naked eye, the behind the scenes is a lot bigger than it seems. +Aziz adds “It takes a while to arrive, but once the music hits right, our songs blossom into a dynamic landscape with lots of room to play lyrically.” Although this may be fairly local to our region, +Aziz brought mention to language swapping bilingual music being a thing since the late 90’s. “You can find in Cheb Khalid’s "Aicha" or Yousef Al-Omani’s "Ghaly Aly" (‫)غالي علي‬. Growing up I listened to J-Rock (Japanese Rock) and I really loved the playful way they fragment languages

to make it work for the song. I’m also inspired by Sigur Ros (a band which sings in a madeup language) and James Joyce, an iconic Irish novelist who also made up his own words.” They say what we can do is only limited by our imagination, and we agree. As far as future plans, Kuwaisiana will be releasing all music as singles. For Chapter 3, it will stretch on to infinity for as long as it makes sense. In the meantime and during these unexpected times, +Aziz will continue to be present and be there for his people on Patreon. A musician who truly believes in his supporters, he shares with bazaar that his “supporters help [him] transition, edit lyrics and test musical ideas/directions.” His overall vision for Kuwaisiana is to simply continue connecting with Khaleejis and Arab communities around the world while improving his song writing. +Aziz ends the interview with some sweet words to bazaar and our readers “You know, bazaar has a special place in my heart because your publication captured my story in 2015, when I had first moved to New Orleans. Thank you for helping me tell my story!” We are always stoked to see local, passionate artists build their dreams from the ground up. +Aziz has combined genres, languages, and still manages to make extraordinary music. We wish him the best in his future endeavors and can’t wait to see what Chapter 3 holds.

To keep up with Kuwaisiana, follow them on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook @kuwaisiana, or to check out +Aziz’s first article with bazaar in 2015, head to bazaar.town.

THE GUIDE TO BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL LANDLORD IN KUWAIT Know the ins and outs of investing in Kuwait’s real estate market By bazaar staff

Some rules to achieving success in real estate hold true regardless of wherever in the world you are. However, every real estate market has its own challenges and quirks – and Kuwait is no exception. As a manager of a family real estate portfolio that includes residential towers, luxury apartments and commercial property developments, Mohammed Alhusaini told us more about his role. He begins by saying, “[my job] is to optimize the performance of the family’s existing holdings, as well as structure new deals to expand the portfolio value and improve cash flow within the company.” Alhusaini also explained to bazaar what the seven key rules of success are when dabbling with the Kuwaiti real estate market and how to become a successful landlord. 1. Master Your Sector When it comes to sectors within the real estate market, there are three: residential, commercial and industrial. Although no one sector is inherently ‘better’ than the other, each has different challenges and rewards associated with it. Alhusaini advises future investors “to choose one sector and become an expert in it rather than to jump between them.” Residential real estate includes villas, tower blocks and apartment buildings. This sector is the simplest to grasp, but is the most oversupplied of the three. As a result, residential real estate in Kuwait is very competitive. The commercial sector is mostly made up of office and retail spaces which require more involvement from a property management point of view, since most people need to hire dedicated onsite staff to manage tenants’ requests and maintain the property. Commercial tenants are highly price-sensitive, driving competition between landlords. Despite these challenges, the return on investment for well-designed, well-managed commercial properties is high. This is especially true as in most industries; companies must rent a physical space to obtain a business license. Finally, the industrial sector encompasses specialized spaces for industrial activities like warehouses and factories. These spaces often require special permits. 2. Use Leverage to Increase your ROI In Kuwait, real estate loans are not as straightforward to obtain. Term limits are often in the single digits, and interest rates are high. As a result, using debt to your advantage and operating properties to their full potential is essential to growing your portfolio. To do that, you’ll need to nurture a strong relationship with a bank. 56

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3. Understand Your Risk Tolerance Leveraging your property may seem like a no-brainer, but investors new to the real estate market should understand that taking on debt comes with risks. Once you have purchased your first property and are ready to move on, you’ll have to make a tough choice about how to grow your property portfolio. Growing too slowly and relying on pure-cash transactions will tie up your capital, limiting the size and value of your portfolio. On the other hand, overleveraging for growth can be dangerous. Although high risk often results in higher rewards long term, it is important to make a conscious decision about how much you’re willing to take on. Although the long-term effect of leveraging is positive, it is important to understand that while the debt is being paid off, a highly leveraged property will be operating on a far lower margin of safety than one purchased with cash. Additionally, it is important to note that property appreciation in Kuwait has been unstable for the past decade, and on a downward trend since 2016: losses as a result are also magnified by debt. 4. Learn to Navigate the Legal Landscape If you plan on building, buying or selling properties in Kuwait, you need to be aware of the various permits required. Code violations are extremely common, and can cause significant damage to the value of properties in escrow, or even scare off otherwise qualified buyers. Although purchasing a residential property is the most accessible point of entry for many, the law bars businesses from owning some types of residential properties. This diminishes the true value of a residential real estate portfolio to a lending institution. As a result, you may find it near impossible to use an existing residential property as leverage in a new transaction, unless you have a very strong existing relationship with your bank. 58

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It is also common for legal issues to arise. Developers in Kuwait often face long waits for legal permitting, and suffer from a lack of structured information about the correct order and importance of obtaining them. The best way to tackle this is by hiring a third-party expert to help you with the entire process and avoid costly mistakes. 5. Buy-to-Sell, Buy-to-Hold, or Broker? Three of the most popular strategies to make money in the real estate industry are Buy-to-Sell, Buy-toHold and Brokering. Each of these strategies has its own advantages and disadvantages. To find out more about each of these strategies and read the full article, head to bazaar.town “Although I personally prefer to invest in Buyto-Hold properties, combining the two strategies of buying-and-holding and buying-and-selling is what makes for the most successful deals in my experience” Mr. Alhusaini shares. By combining the two strategies, you don’t need to worry as much about either one. For example, a distressed property is to be sold for 70% of its original price. An investor who is only interested in the short-term gains will not be willing to bid much higher, in order to preserve future profits. However, a Buy-to-Hold investor may be more willing to purchase the property at 80 or even 90% of its market value, as their potential for profit is based not only on the final sale price of the property, but also on its earning potential while it is being held. 6. Invest in Property Management If you own a rental property with one unit, managing it yourself is perfectly feasible; however, you should be prepared to deal with late night maintenance calls and rent collection issues. Once your portfolio expands beyond five or so units, operating the properties is more or less a full-time job. Investing in a high-quality property management service is key

As far as managing your properties, you have a few options: owner-operated, property management firm and internally managed. 7. Equip Yourself with the Right Software There are two main types of real estate softwares that you need to consider: property management, and accounting software. Property management software is used to organize and keep track of rent collection and property upkeep. If you hire a property management firm, they will most likely have a preferred software that they will use for your portfolio. Accounting software, on the other hand, is focused on the financials of maintaining a profitable property portfolio. One piece of software that incorporates both property management and accounting is the Banani app, a mobile platform developed specifically for landlords. Million-dollar question: Should I invest in real estate? Like any business, succeeding in real estate requires passion and a competitive spirit. Kuwait is no longer a straightforward real estate investment; It is no longer undersupplied and land prices are not growing like they used to. Kuwait has seen its fair share of downturns and market irrationality. Despite this, property sales are made every day, proving that there is still an opportunity for investors to make profits on real estate in Kuwait: the market rewards those who are methodical in their approach. If the points above were more encouraging to you than discouraging, then you might be well suited to investing in real estate in Kuwait! For more information regarding the app, or investment advice head to bananiapp.com or follow them on Instagram @bananiapp for more information. Photos courtesy of Bilal and Abdul on Unsplash.

DR. NABILA ABDELLA

DEAL WITH DIABETES AT TAIBA HOSPITAL By bazaar staff

In the Arab world, many physicians will tell you that they pursued medicine as a career because their parents pushed them in that direction, or they felt it would be a prestigious choice. Dr. Nabila Abdella, Consultant of Internal Medicine and Diabetes at Taiba Hospital has a very different story. “As a high school student I was fascinated by the humanitarian aspect of practicing medicine and very curious about understanding how our body functions,” she says. Dr. Nabila goes on to explain how she was a voracious reader of A. J. Cronin’s work, who was a Scottish physician and novelist. His writings heavily featured doctors as protagonists and pondered questions of medical ethics. Dr. Nabila is exactly the kind of doctor you want on your side if you are dealing with diabetes. She was thoughtful, soft spoken and visibly compassionate when we met with her. She was also pulled to studying and specializing in the field because Diabetes is a disease that covers almost all aspects of internal medicine and affects almost all of the body’s organs from eyesight to the kidneys and the heart and nerves. Diabetes Mellitus, commonly known as Diabetes is a considerable problem in Kuwait. In 2000, Dr. Nabila published a paper on the prevalence of diabetes in Kuwait and showed that over 14% of the adult population of Kuwait had some form of the condition. Now the number is closer to 25% according to the International Diabetes Federation, with similar figures all over the GCC. All countries in the region are in the top ten in the world for prevalence of diabetes. It all starts with a hormone called Insulin, which plays a key role in the regulation of blood glucose levels. The hormone regulates how the body accesses, uses and stores glucose and fat. If your body needs energy, insulin sends signals to the liver, muscle and fat cells to get glucose from the blood. Once energy levels have become sufficient in the body, the hormone signals to the liver to store extra glucose as glycogen and eventually fat in the body. There are two common types of Diabetes; in Type 1 the body destroys its own insulin secreting cells in the pancreas through an autoimmune process. Meaning that the patient’s body no longer produces insulin in response to their food intake leading to life threatening high levels of blood glucose. Type 1 Diabetes patients are 60

By bazaar staff

DR. NABILA ABDELLA

Presentation in International Diabetes Federation , Vancouver, Canada 2016

Press Conference Taiba Hospital

Kuwait Medical Association Meeting insulin dependent through injections or pumps that deliver exogenous commercially available insulin. Type 2, on the other hand is considered a “lifestyle disease”. In most cases it is related to obesity and insulin resistance (when the cells in muscle, fat and liver stop responding to insulin), creating an imbalance between the production of insulin by the body and the increased demand on insulin production which leads in the long run to exhaustion of the insulin secreting cells in the pancreas. Managing diabetes is a long game and patients need the support and care of medical professionals who understand how to treat it, but also how to help the patient maintain and remain compliant with the plan. Taiba Hospital offers clinical services in a friendly, highly professional atmosphere. They are currently forming a more comprehensive department for the care of diabetic patients consisting of a Nurse Educator, nutritionist and chiropodist under the supervision of three physicians who specialize in diabetes. Dr. Nabila herself enjoys working at the hospital, “it is an enriching experience, with easy access to all specialities of medicine,” she explained. There are many things anyone can do to help prevent developing the disease. “Lifestyle change is the cornerstone of diabetes prevention,”

Dr. Nabila told us. She further explained that a large scale study in the USA and Finland showed that a mere 5% decrease in body weight and 30 minutes of exercise only five days a week showed a significant reduction in the development of Type 2 diabetes. Dr. Nabila recommends that everyone make sure that they maintain a healthy body weight and work on losing weight if they need to. She adds that young people should avoid consuming too much fast food, especially calorie dense and low nutrient meals. A simple walking program is something anyone can do anywhere and she urges us all to commit to at least 30 minutes

a day. Regular medical checkups are something everyone should schedule too, especially if you are experiencing excessive thirst, urinating more than usual or have gained or lost unexplained weight recently.

Taiba Hospital is located in Sabah Al Salem, off of route 30 on Road 3. Call them 24 hours at 1808 088. For updates and information, visit the website taibahospital.com, and follow them on Instagram @taibahospital.

kuwait kulture

MUDHAWI’S LIST

Connect, support, succeed By bazaar staff

Two dates remain deeply etched in my memory. May 16, 2005, and May 17, 2009. The first date marks Kuwait’s parliament passing the law for women’s rights to vote and run for office, while the latter saw the official election of women into Kuwait’s National Assembly. Both dates represent a long journey toward solidifying the active role of Kuwaiti women in society. Women’s suffrage meant that for the first time ever, the voices of female Kuwaitis are finally heard, and they can make a difference to everyday life for local communities as elected officials in various government posts. It took four years of arduous work to see women in government, and the journey is far from over. The same notion can be said for women in other parts of the greater MENA region. I do recognize that change needs time, but I also believe that there are clear hindrances that aspiring women in Kuwait and the wider region need to overcome. Without getting into spidering political or social discussions here, we want to focus on the logistics instead, and pose these two questions: What does it take to reach mass audiences in Kuwait? How could women in Kuwait run successful election campaigns? With the coronavirus pandemic, traditional methods of reaching audiences have evolved toward online platforms. The rise of the number of live sessions on our Instagram story feeds can be daunting, and trying to keep track of official information about local female candidates running for office these days can be tricky, especially that rumors shared on social media are a dime a dozen. Enter Mudhawi’s List, Kuwait’s first independent platform that is positioned to help women running for elected office positions by connecting them with volunteers and in-kind donation providers to run successful election campaigns. They’re all about the virtual logistics, in this case, getting women the right support to help them achieve their goals. I spoke to one of the platform’s co-founders, Leanah Al-Awadhi, about the aims of Mudhawi’s List to learn more, “Our definition of elected office positions range from parliament seats, to the municipal council, coops, student unions, boards of sports clubs, NGOs and beyond. We are interested in bolstering the number of females in leadership and policy making positions in this part of the world. The fifth United Nations Sustainable Development Goal is to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”, we aim to address and tackle this universal challenge through our platform, initially on a local and regional level.” The platform is founded by Dr. Al Anoud Al Sharekh, Asrar Hayat, Dalal Bouresli, Iman Dashti, and Leanah Al-Awadhi. Leanah also told me more about why the name Mudhawi was picked, and this is to intentionally give the platform a voice that is deeply rooted in

strong local female values. Mudhawi is a common traditional name, denoting the wise Kuwaiti woman who supports her fellow sisters in all of their endeavors. Mudhawi brings to light the issues that matter. The name is heartwarming, and it reminds me of all the meaningful conversations I usually enjoy when attending regular zewarat at the homes of my female Kuwaiti friends. Everyone usually wants to help whenever I ask a question, big or small. Mudhawi’s List is a platform to help women rise, and the account is already garnering a major organic following on Instagram. You can find up to date information about current female candidates running for seats in parliament in Kuwait’s National Assembly. I especially enjoyed the “Day In the life of a candidate” video segment. You’ll also find valuable research on the representation of women in politics in Kuwait and the GCC, and information on the value of having women in government and the positive impact this has on societies. When I asked Leanah about where this information was sourced from, she informed me that the platform is supported by a team devoted to gathering the rich content that is shared online, thanks to research directors Abir Al Mutawa and Zainab Al Sammak. Currently, Mudhawi’s List is helping women run for various elected office positions in Kuwait such as Member of Parliament in the Kuwait National Assembly, Member of The Kuwait Municipal Council, Member of The Co-Operative Society Boards, Member of The Kuwaiti Student’s Unions and Member of The National Sports Committees. All of these are key roles in shaping everyday Kuwaiti society, and logistically, Mudhawi’s List is helping the women running for these various roles through their social media presence on Instagram and Twitter where women are fairly promoted and given a podium to share their views. In turn, I do hope that their work encourages more women to run and to be present to make a change. For more information, follow @Mudhawislist on Instagram and Twitter and keep your eyes peeled for mudhawislist.com, launching very soon.

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THE IDES OF MOVEMBER

Beware The Ides Of Movember ~ (‘Julius Caesar’ With Apologies To Shakespeare) By Susannah Joy Schuilenberg

It’s Movember again. The one month a year that we all (or at least most of us) focus on men’s health and how important it is to ‘get checked.’ Movember originally became a Thing in the effort to promote prostate cancer awareness, and how, just like breast cancer in women, this cancer is most easily and successfully treated when caught in the early stages. Since then, Movember has morphed into a more general emphasis on all facets of men’s health. This is a good thing because quite frankly, men are the worst at doing the regular ‘maintenance’ needed for upkeep. I know men who faithfully change the oil in their car (or have it changed) following a rigorous schedule designed to keep the car in optimum condition. They themselves, however, haven’t been to a doctor for a checkup in forever. Guess what happens when we switch to mental health? The stats are abysmal. Men don’t go to counselling. The World Health Organization (WHO) created a special mental health task force, the “Gap Action Program” (mhGAP) in 2017, based on its Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020. It was evident that mental health is a huge factor in quality of life, and it wasn’t being identified or addressed. Poor mental health is also associated with rapid social change, stressful work conditions, gender discrimination, social exclusion, unhealthy lifestyle, physical ill-health and human rights violations. That sounds a lot like life. ‘Rapid social change’ and ‘stressful work conditions’ are something most of us deal with every day. In the last two decades, the number of individuals experiencing burnout, anxiety, depression, or stress-related illnesses has increased exponentially, and we know from research it’s not just because we’re paying more attention now. Just think of the speed with which our lives have changed because of worldwide access to the Internets. The nature of work has changed, bad economics has created the working poor, social unrest is happening all over the world, climate change is accelerating, modernization, polarization, more natural disasters, multiple manmade disasters, and the abuse of power creating legions of victims, keep us on edge and

stressed out. That’s all on a macro level. If we scale it back to the micro level, as individuals we deal daily with a bombardment of mental noise that makes it difficult to hear ourselves think. Sometimes, the degree of internal noise we live with is crazy making. Here are some key facts from WHO’s Special Task Force on Mental Health: Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Mental health is an integral part of health; indeed, there is no health without mental health. Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. ‘How does this fold into Movember?’ you ask. In our beautiful and often cruel world, we human beings are subject to mental health issues. In fact, at some point, the statistics say we are likely to experience mental illness. We also know from research data that you know someone who is struggling with mental health. What the data also tells us is that men are the largest demographic for poor physical and mental health. There are a variety of reasons for this, and they are, for the most part, preventable. Men are statistically ‘first’ in a lot of sucky

categories; most likely to die as an adolescent, most likely to die a violent death, most likely to die of a treatable condition, most likely to be homeless, most likely to go to war, most likely to die on the job, most likely to be alone in old age, most likely to complete suicide… this is not a nice list, gentlemen. Why not make yourself an outlier? Get off that bell curve. Go to the doctor regularly for that physical. Practice good lifestyle habits. Manage your stress by maintaining a reasonable work/ leisure/play balance. Take care of your mental health by seeing a therapist once a year for a checkup for your psyche. Kiss dogs and play with babies…Oh…wait. Kiss babies and play with dogs. Take time with your families. Enjoy life in the ways that rejuvenate your inner landscape. Don’t become a statistical footnote in the WHO report – take responsibility for your health. All of it; and live a long and satisfying life. It’s entirely possible that Julius Caesar might have lived longer if he’d heeded the warning. You might, too.

Susannah is a leading psychotherapist, registered professional counsellor and Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling based in Canada. Find her on Twitter @aboutthattrauma, Instagram @SuJo1963 and Facebook @william. associates. Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash.

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Dr. Ing. Lotta Jakobsson talks safety with bazaar Dr. Ing. Lotta Jakobsson talks safety with bazaar

SAFETY FIRST WITH VOLVO Discussing Volvo’s vision with Dr. Lotta Jakobsson By bazaar staff

Professor Dr. Ing. (Doktoringenieur - Doctor of Engineering) Lotta Jakobsson is 2018’s recipient of the prestigious Golden Diesel Ring for her commitment to child safety and vehicle safety research. Awarded by the Association of Motor Journalists (VdM) in Germany, Lotta is the 72nd member, only the third woman, and just the second non-German to receive this honor. bazaar was delighted to be given the opportunity to discuss safety, research and Volvo’s vision with the award-winning senior technical specialist at Volvo Cars Safety Centre.

In 2006 Britney Spears shocked the world when she drove one-handed with her 4-month-old son on her lap. Unfortunately, you don’t have to look too far to see incidents like this on Kuwait’s roads, or to see children with their heads popping out of sunroofs, or kids jumping around in the back seats waving at passers-by. The Ministry of Information Traffic Law State of Kuwait 2019 Section 2 Safety and Reliability Requirements Article 47 – 4 states that seat belts must be fitted in the front and rear. Article 36 – 8 states that not wearing a seat belt incurs a fine of not more than 66

fifteen dinars. International organisations such as the Auto Driver Club on adcidl.com suggests that in Kuwait Children under 10 should not be in the front seat and Lotta recommends that up to four years of age toddlers should be placed in the back, strapped into rear-facing child seats with the corresponding airbag disabled, stressing that the main reason for fatalities in children is that they are not restrained at all and secondly, that they are not using child restraints like a booster seat in addition to standard belts. When pressed on how to tackle the culture of lack of restraints

especially for children, Lotta suggests social pressure, “The best way is to inform about why [child restraints are needed], and the best target group is those with babies, and then [parents] will start to use seatbelts themselves.” When it comes to seatbelts, many of us may have seen on film tests done with crash test dummies. The E.V.A – Equal Vehicles for All initiative consists of over one hundred research papers undertaken by Volvo since the 1950’s and is freely available for anyone to download, and research expands on the rudimentary

Volvo - safety as standard

Toddlers should be in rear-facing seats until the age of four

Children should be in a booster seat as well as seatbelts until ten years old

Volvo Cars Safety Innovations – A history of world firsts

2015 2005

1998 1991 1959

Three-point safety belts introduced as standard equipment in front seats

Side Impact Protection System (SIPS)

Door Mounted Inflatable Curtain (DMIC)

2007

Integrated 2-stage booster cushions and safety belts load limiter adapted for children

2018 Blind Spot Information System

Inflatable Curtain (IC)

Child safety booster cushion

2014

1994

Side Impact Airbags (SIPS-bag)

Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS)

new Volvo cars

Oncoming Mitigation by Braking

Auto brake in intersections

City Safety

New patented Front Structure

2003

1986

2008

2020 Speed cap on all

Run-off Road Mitigation

Cyclist Detection with Full Auto Brake

Whiplash Injury Protection System (WHIPS)

2004 (BLIS) 1978

2013

Large animal detection

Run-off Road Protection

Pedestrian Airbag Technology

2012

SARTRE (Safe Road Trains for The Environment) on public roads (research project)

Rollover Stability Control

2002 (RSC) using gyro sensor and DSTC

Three-point safety belt introduced in rear centre seat

Volvo rearward

1972 facing child seat

early beginnings of safety tests with dummies representing the mid-size male. Volvo recognizes that not everyone in cars is the size and weight of earlier standard dummies. Since 1995 various sizes of female dummies have been used in Volvo tests, including a virtual pregnant representation since the early 2000’s and a mid-sized female crash test dummy used for whiplash evaluation in rear end impacts. Volvo has the capacity to test twice a day informs Lotta, but they perform as many tests as are required, thousands of them in virtual simulations using mathematical models of the crash test dummies, the human models, and vehicle specs differentiations. “It’s important that we address as many of the population in size and shape when designing restraints, and the fact that people are various sizes, it becomes very obvious when you are basing your developments from real world data.” Deciding to place side airbags not in the door but in the seat was a pivotal change in recognizing these differences as the airbag moved with the adjustment of the seat position. “You must always have the mindset that these are the people of different sizes that we want to protect,” continues Lotta. Volvo has a number of safety features that can be described as active or passive. Active features can include the Lane Keeping Aid, Blind Spot Information System, Active High-Beam Control, Driver Alert Control and City Safety. Passive features are considered so because it’s

only until you need them that they are operational. Things like the airbag, collapsible steering column and collision mitigation support. bazaar asked if Lotta ever could envision a time where active features would be so fully functioning that passive features would become null and void; would there be a time when car on car impact becomes a thing of the past. Interestingly, Lotta says no. There will always be collisions even when cars become driverless. The only way no impact distancing could occur would be on tracks like for trains, and that’s not what cars are. “Cars represent freedom of movement, to get you from A to B,” says Lotta, going on to explain that collision impact active features will work together in a more intelligent way with passive features that could slow the car down for example. There goes the vision of future flying vehicles with force field shields then. Although, if any company were to invent it, it would be Volvo. When asked about Vision 2020, reducing the number of people that die or are seriously injured in road traffic accidents to zero and if there is much left to do, Lotta says that while the language of 2020 was retired last year, it is a vision and a mindset that continues to be important. Lotta explains, “There is still a lot to do and we are mainly focused on driver behavior related challenges and the continuous work on improving the protection of the car as well. The important thing is the mindset is relevant to everyone.”

Finally, Lotta is asked if there’s one thing of which Volvo can be most proud. Immediately she answers with the seat belt. Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin invented the three-point safety belt in 1959. After sponsoring the research and development, Volvo gifted their designs to competitors in order to save lives and the three-point seat belt was universally adopted by the motoring industry. Volvo continues to share its safety features progress, but Lotta laughingly adds, “After we’ve released our Volvo vehicles first.” In regards to continued research and development Lotta acknowledges that, “You can’t be leading in safety unless you have your own knowledge, otherwise you’ll be a follower by definition. That’s the key for our success, but it’s based on the very firm mindset that Volvo really wants to protect people inside and outside the car. It’s in our genes.”

Volvo is brought to you by BNK Automotive. Follow the account @volvocarskuwait on Facebook and Instagram, and call 9500 0000 for sales or message 2209 9999 on WhatsApp for more information. [...Continued]

SQUARE KUFI, ROUND PLATES Celebrating the beauty of Arab script and hospitality with one set of porcelain plates By bazaar staff

Rita Merheb has been a Graphic Design professor at the American University of Kuwait since 2009. Before she came to Kuwait, she taught Graphic Design in various universities in Lebanon. She holds an MFA in Graphic Design, and an MA in “Multimedia for Education.” She also worked in the field of Graphic Design in both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia before she started her teaching career. As a Lebanese designer who was raised and lived most of her life in the Gulf, Rita was looking for an identity that is well rooted in Arab culture, while embracing the contemporary art movements around the world. Taking her prior understanding of the culture, her research, and the market needs into consideration, her aim was to create art pieces that are inspired by the culture, the generosity, the welcoming spirit and hospitality of the Arab people. “I have always been fascinated by Limoge porcelain, to the point where I became a Limoge plates collector. Out of this passion of mine, I started thinking of designing my own plates, and last Ramadan, I thought it would be the perfect time to launch my own collection of designer plates. I chose Ramadan because this is the time of the year where people use lots of plates for their futoors, ghabqas, and niqsas. My first collection was basically greeting statements we use during the holy month of Ramadan,” says Rita. The “Moua’ayada Collection by Rita” ‫معايدة‬ is a set of ten plates with ten distinctive, yet similar and cohesive designs. Each adorned with a different message, written in Kufi Style that fills the outer edge of each plate in a very stylish and innovative design. Hayyakom, Nawartoona and Bil Aafiah are just some of the statements on the beautiful porcelain dishes. Limited editions of 50 pieces each of Moua’ayada “felicitation” and welcoming statements used by Arabs on daily basis and on special occasions, are printed in Kufi Style on the plates, using luxurious Gold, Rose Gold and Silver ink, on off-white high-quality porcelain—a combination which makes those plates complete, timeless, ultra-chic, classic, and elegant. The Kufi script is the oldest calligraphy type of the Arabic script that is derived from an old modified Nabatean script and was developed around the seventh century CE. The script was extensively and exclusively used to copy the Qur’an Al Kareem by the orders of the Rashidien Caliph, Uthman bin Affan. 70

Square or geometric Kufi, like the one used on Rita’s dishes, is a very simplified rectangular style of Kufi widely used for tiling. The Square Kufi, or the Murabba’ Kufi, is very popular these days because the simple lines are very fitting in the modern decoration. It is absolutely straight with no decorative accents or curves shown. Due to this absolute rigidity, this type of script can be created using square tiles or bricks. It is popular in Iran and in Turkey, where in the latter, it was popular as a decoration on buildings during the Ottoman empire. The design process of the plates required an ingenious and innovative technique through which the designer took the rigidity and straightness of Kufi and reproduced it in a perfectly proportionate rounded look to fit on the circular shape of the plates. A technique that is very time consuming and requires a lot of patience and complicated calculations to get precise dimensions and proportions for the right design. Production wise, the biggest problem was to find a place that can print on plates to deliver high-quality material and finishing. This was Rita’s latest personal project among many other projects that she works on whenever she has free time from her educational responsibilities. According to the designer, the target audience for this project is a very specific group of people, who have a very artistic touch, a great taste for elegance, and who pay good attention to details. And we agree because we absolutely want them. Stay up to date with Rita Merheb’s design adventures on ritamerheb.com and Instagram @rita.merheb.

THE EXCITING RISE OF MERCH

Why does it feel like it just happened all of a sudden? By bazaar staff

The concept of branded merch(andise) is not new. But it seems that many local brands have suddenly caught the bug and there is a new habba in town. We already have our Starbucks travel mugs and our band tees, so we were absolutely ready to support our local concepts and artists. Here are two truths (the truth has become a flexible social construct which we intend to abuse): humans love buying and owning stuff and humans love being part of an in-group. But also merch is just another way of advertising who you are, the causes you support, the concerts you have been to and who makes your favorite fried chicken. It is a form of self-branding that helps you find your people and belong to micro-communities. In an ever more disconnected world, being able to find emotional connections has a strong pull and companies understand that. We all want to sit at the popular kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lunch table and have the physical evidence to prove it. But we also want to tell people that we care about Breast Cancer by wearing a pink ribbon or that we support Human Rights with our shirt. So it can also be a way to advertise and give a voice to certain issues. So while thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a personal benefit for the individual buying and exhibiting their tokens and 72

trinkets, the brands make money out of it too. It is especially important for smaller and independent operations. Just think of all the artists, authors and YouTubers who can support their creative adventures if more people bought their pins, posters or whatever it is they choose to sell. While we are seeing an increase in more creatives using options like Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee, being able to offer a tangible item is more likely to help audiences part with their hard earned cash. Local brands have been showing us that they can get really creative. White Bottle, for example, created a branded hygiene key that is shaped like a, you guessed it, a white milk bottle that you can use to open doors and press buttons without having to touch anything. No oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s merch game is as strong as The Real Lovebird who hit the ground running when they opened their doors. The pickup only concept has everything from bucket hats to beaded bracelets. Their merch even has its own section on their website and can be delivered to your door while their delicious boneless, hand-breaded, fresh, local chicken breast cooked in 100% refined peanut oil can not.

BBT, the self-proclaimed Best Burger in Town hosted a special event in the summer at their Shamiya Branch and were selling tshirts, hoodies, floaties and other hip items in their signature white and red colors with their logo. DOH! got in on the action a little differently. They partnered with Dabdoob app, a digital toy store and created organic play doh making kits for kids. It was one of the more interesting experiments because it was a collaboration between two very different concepts and a unique product. Arabica, the brand not the coffee bean, comes to us from Kyoto, Japan, but we still want to give them an honorable mention. They do offer coffee drinkers the expected paraphernalia but we have our eyes on the white on white embroidered canvas shoes. We think merch is a genius idea and would love to see more of it in the future, especially from independent content creators and brands that champion our values.

Photo by Lex Sirikiat on Unsplash.

‫ األڤنيوز‬- ‫السوق‬ The Souk – The Avenues 73

THE STUNNING LEXUS LC500 CONVERTIBLE ARRIVES IN KUWAIT FUSION OF THE LEXUS DRIVING SIGNATURE ‘EXHILARATING PERFORMANCE’ WITH A HUMAN-CENTERED CONVERTIBLE DRIVING EXPERIENCE By bazaar staff

The much-anticipated convertible version of the Lexus LC 500 flagship coupe made its global debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November. The LC lineup is representative of Lexus’ evolution towards becoming a luxury lifestyle brand, providing driving pleasure and excitement to enrich customers’ lifestyles. The new LC 500 Convertible joins the coupe as aspirational halo models for the entire Lexus lineup, providing unique driving experiences that stimulate the senses, and express ultimate beauty.

[Continued...]

The exterior of the new LC artfully blends the coupe’s unique roofline with the character of a convertible, achieving beauty with the top open or closed. The interior design considers how details such as the tonneau cover and seating materials become part of the design impression when viewed from the outside. The new model follows the coupe’s “Exhilarating Performance” driving signature, providing a sense of unity with nature and an exhilarating driving experience that can only be enjoyed with a convertible. The interior body structure has optimal placement and shape of braces to yield high dynamic performance faithful to the driver’s intentions. And thanks to the car’s robust and sensual sounding V8, the LC 500 Convertible accelerates in a pleasantly linear manner. To further enhance the driving experience, the LC 500 Convertible comes equipped with neck heaters and a transparent wind deflector― supporting the leading comfort and quiet that is Lexus’ DNA. A stunning design with the top up or down, 76

featuring Lexus’ signature attention to detail With the exterior styling based on that of the LC coupe, the convertible retains excellent aerodynamic performance and optimal weight distribution, incorporating functional beauty into the design. The soft-top roof provides a unique silhouette and sporty disposition befitting a convertible. The line of the rear trunk lid has been lifted and widened to create a dynamic side view and emphasize the low-and-wide stance. To ensure that the convertible version of the LC 500 retains a beautiful silhouette when the top is lowered, the automatic folding mechanism stores the top under an integrated tonneau cover. Because the designers incorporated a beltline that kicks up at the end of the doors, the vehicle’s profile is characterized by a body that wraps around the cabin, providing an overall tight and clean appearance. The 4-layer soft top has been designed to retain the flowing roofline of the coupe, without the supporting frame visible through the fabric. Furthermore, the fabric of the roof has been carefully selected and manufactured to ensure

optimal tension and no wrinkling, with improved sound insulation. The color palettes of the exterior and the soft top, as well as the elegant hues of the interior, were carefully selected and combined to cater to the LC customer’s high sense of style, taste and diverse lifestyles. The interior features details such as gradating quilting and perforation pattern on the upper portion of the seats, as well as the “L” logo embossed on the back of headrests. When opening and closing the soft top, the movement is carefully controlled especially at the beginning and end to yield a sense of quality and safety for the driver. The movement of the top and the tonneau cover have been precisely synched to achieve an elegant and natural movement, while ensuring class-leading opening and closing speeds. The roof can be opened or closed while the vehicle is traveling at up to 50 km/h, and an animation display within the instrument gauges allows the driver to easily monitor the top’s operation progress.

[Continued...]

Fusion of the Lexus driving signature ‘Exhilarating Performance’ with a convertible driving experience The body structure of the LC 500 Convertible was newly designed to achieve a rigidity level supporting Lexus driving signature equal to the Coupe, while simultaneously offering both beautiful styling and sufficient luggage space. Thanks to the strategic placement and shape of the rear suspension tower brace, the car’s structural rigidity has been significantly enhanced. The brace is composed of lightweight die cast aluminum to minimize added weight, and a “PERFORMANCE DAMPER” is adopted for high-quality ride comfort. Other braces are located under the body, and materials such as magnesium and aluminum are used to achieve both high rigidity and light weight. The naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8, mated to the DirectShift-10 automatic transmission, gives the LC linear-yet-invigorating acceleration. Power output is tuned according to the driving scene, with smooth acceleration character

during normal commuting, and acceleration at the limit when the driver desires. In order to make the LC 500 Convertible’s V8 more enjoyable when the top is down, a sound generator transmits sensual engine intake sounds through the dash panel, while an exhaust valve enhances the powerful engine sound. Thoughtful in-cabin experience reflects Lexus’ “Human Centered” philosophy In order to create a space that excites the driver for open-air driving without hindering conversation in the car, Lexus focused on aerodynamics such as the beltline and rear molding. In combination with the transparent polycarbonate wind deflector, wind flow inside the car is suppressed and excellent quietness is achieved. Sound management is a key part of Lexus’ DNA, and the interior space of the LC 500 Convertible stimulates the senses with emotional engine sounds. Active Noise Control (ANC), combined with sound insulation and

absorption techniques, suppresses unwanted noises and unpleasant sound frequencies. The audio system faithfully reproduces the original sounds of each instrument, vocals, and recording environment. Additionally, the acoustic design automatically changes with the top up or down, providing an acoustic space that can be enjoyed in every situation. The Lexus Climate Concierge is used to automatically control air conditioning, seat heaters, neck heaters, and the steering wheel heater, all while considering whether the top is up or down - making the convertible version of the LC 500’s cabin comfortable for its passengers regardless of the temperature outside.

For more information on Lexus in Kuwait, call the team on 1830030. Check out their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube @Lexuskw, or visit lexus.com.kw.

THE Lexus LC 500 Details Overall length (mm)

4,760

Overall width (mm)

1,920

Overall height (mm)

1,350

Wheelbase (mm)

2,870

Roof operation (seconds)

Open: 15 / Close: 16

[...Continued]

THE H&M APP IS HERE! Shop on-the-go and benefit from exclusive in-app offers today! By bazaar staff

Life is super hectic these days, we’re constantly on the move, rushing between meetings and production jobs and we need a wardrobe to support that on-the-go lifestyle. While we simply can’t always just nip out to head to our closest H&M store, shopping our favorite H&M drops is now super easy with the brand new H&M App! H&M’s highly anticipated mobile App is now available in Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, and it’s the first shopping App for H&M in the Middle East and North Africa. For the first time, everything customers already love about H&M – from fashion and quality at the best price, in a sustainable way for the whole family – is available to purchase from any smart device. The H&M App is shopping made easy and is a great way to offer customers the ability to shop whenever and wherever they like. Customers can choose to receive their purchases via home delivery or pick-up in-store through the Click and Collect service. The H&M App offers exclusive “App-only” deals, an extended H&M assortment, and gives customers the ability to save items in their basket for later, in the “My Favourite” tab. Customers will be able to enjoy shopping from their fingertips - including fashion for Women, Men, Teens, Kids, Home, Plus Sizes, Maternity Wear and a complete collection of Lingerie, Beauty, Footwear and Accessories. So the next time you’re in the mood to indulge in some online retail therapy, or you’re after the perfect outfit for your next socially distanced outing, shop the H&M app wherever you are. It is important to mention that your smartphone region settings must be connected to you where you are currently residing to access the app. So, if you’re connected to the UK App store and you live in Kuwait, you will definitely be missing out on all of the amazing offers going on in the H&M MENA app! Believe us when we say, the offers are amazing.

We've got a special basket code for you! Make sure to enter 10Bazaar at checkout when shopping the H&M App and get 10% off everything in your shopping cart! Scan the QR code now to download the H&M App for iOS and Android. 80

6 ENGROSSING RED BULL TV DOCUMENTARIES

A curated selection of excellent programs for sports enthusiasts By bazaar staff

Demand for documentary filmmaking has taken off in the last few years with Red Bull leading the way. Red Bull TV is a treasure trove for subscription-free, on-demand films. From the celebrated library of high-caliber documentaries are six films that exemplify the range and quality available to viewers.

Karl Meltzer

Jorge Prado

Nitro Team

Pierre Gasly

Ride: All in Red Bull Edition Going all in for the professional motocross riders means more than full-on surrender. For them, it means putting in the hours, showing up, trusting in the program, and the team. For the few that do prescribe to this ethos, like Marvin Musquin, Jeffrey Herlings, Jorge Prado, and Cody Webb, the journey is long and worthwhile. For them, there is no other way to climb to the top of the podium. Karl Meltzer: Made to be Broken The Appalachian Trail covers 3,500 km and passes through 14 U.S. States. For ultrarunners, it remains one of the greatest challenges. In this film, Karl Meltzer and team give it their all in his final attempt to complete the trail and break the land record. This would mean completing the journey in less than 49 days. A superhuman task if there ever was one. This is a film about the power of the human spirit, family, teamwork, execution, and what it truly means to never give up and follow through on your dreams.

Reverence: A Journey into Fear Elite mountain bikers understand fear. They grasp it, know it firsthand, they live and grow by it. Fear is always around to be conquered. In this gripping feature you will meet Darren Berrecloth, Cam McCaul, James Doerfling, Matt McDuff, and many more in their journey against fear. For these extreme athletes with heart, the only way to defeat it is to face it. Offline: A Snowboarding Escape The Global Nitro snowboarding team takes control of the camera, giving curious viewers an all-access pass at the life and times of a snowboarding group. The teammates live and work together all hours and have fun while they are doing so. This is the kind of movie that only a snowboarder could make. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quirky, sincere, and promises that the life of extreme athletes is never one for those who favor a dull moment. Open the Doors: Scuderia Alpha Tauri Professional F1 drivers Danil Kvyat and Pierre

Darren Berrecloth Gasly unveil their new racecar and prepare for their first race of the 2020 season in this documentary. See how they manage their routine and health and get a look at the sheer amount of work that goes into preparing for a single race. It takes dozens of individuals working together to get a team to the finish line, and this is the perfect film to prove it. Underdogs: A Documentary about Hip-hop Culture Pulling away from the athlete-themed filmography of the above, art and musicians are featured as well on Red Bull TV. This is one such documentary, by director and producer TĂŠo Frank, whose love of extreme sports brought him into filmmaking. Hiphop is the focus of this documentary, as Frank takes the audience for a behind-the-scenes look at the urban art, and the people who make it. You can watch all of these interesting films at redbull.com/int-en/collections/films. Find more more @RedBullKuwait on Instagram and Twitter, and @RedBull on Facebook, or visit redbull.com

@AshasMiddleEast 83

A SEAMLESS SERVICE EXPERIENCE AWAITS

Behbehani Motors Company welcomes Bodyshop and Porsche Heritage Service Centre customers at its new facility By bazaar staff

Behbehani Motors Company, one of Kuwait’s leading automotive companies and exclusive dealer of Porsche and Volkswagen since 1957, welcomes customers of Behbehani Motors Company Bodyshop Facility and Porsche Heritage Service Centre at its newest state-of-the-art facility in Shuwaikh. This is the place where dreams are made of, from bespoke customizations to the most accurate inspection to ensure that your vehicle is maintained to the most precise standards. The facility boasts an impressive, large scale multi-functional complex that is designed and equipped with the latest technological advancements to meet the needs of the Behbehani Motors Company customer base as well as provide them with a seamless experience while getting their vehicles maintained and repaired. The multi storey facility incorporates a brand-new dialogue bay inspection station, which further increases the accuracy levels of vehicle diagnostics, featuring specific bays dedicated for each metal work required, whether aluminum or steel-based. “The new facility underpins Behbehani Motors Company‘s commitment to the local growing market by investing in facilities and sites which will increase customer satisfaction by elevating the overall customer journey, and at the bodyshop and service centers level as well. This development has been in the pipeline for years and we pride ourselves in being the pioneers in bringing technological advancements, especially on an environmentally friendly basis, to the facility. Our customers continue to be at the forefront of our priorities and the driving force behind the launch of our innovative services, facilities and the multiple initiatives aiming to serve them in the best way possible,” said Peter Green, Group General Manager at Behbehani Motors Company. Since Behbehani Motors Company has always regarded Porsche as a brand that defies time and strives to provide the utmost care for all classic Porsche vehicles, a dedicated Porsche Heritage Service Centre has been introduced in the new facility to provide an unparalleled service for Porsche vehicles. Porsche owners with vehicles dated four years or beyond are eligible to receive a number of exclusive privileges similarly as provided to classic Porsche owners. Get your Porsche pampered the right way at Behbehani Motors Company’s latest state-of-the -art-facility, as the service bays’ spacious layout allows every Porsche vehicle to go through a thorough cleaning and inspection process prior to being transitioned into the service or repair stage. Engine Repair Cabins at the facility are also fully equipped with all the essential tools to perform all engine repairs and maintenance with precision. The smart-repair department at the facility specializes in providing protective 84

offerings to your prized vehicle’s exterior and interior. The dust-free installation rooms at the department are used for fitting computer-cut stone guard protection over the vehicle, which is handled by dedicated lifts to complete the process. Additionally, UV and IR protection films can be fitted inside the vehicle for the ultimate dual protection. A 10,000 meters squared central parts warehouse is well equipped in the facility for all the brands under Behbehani Motors Company to allow for immediate access to all necessary parts required to carry out servicing and repairs without any delays. The efficient planning of this special space means fewer trips to various destinations, making for a one-stop shop for all of your vehicle needs. The state-of-the-art facility also features designated stations for wheel alignment and alloy wheel repair, in addition to other offerings including repairs and programming processes for sensors, cameras and windshield. The facility services also feature exclusive Gas Catalytic Infrared drying, a first-of-its-kind process in Kuwait, delivering a faster and fully cured paint finish. This not only helps reduce repair times, but is also ultimately better for the environment. The entire team is highly trained to apply the newest technologies utilized at the facility to support with carrying out all maintenance and repair work as seamlessly and precisely as possible to ensure every customer’s satisfaction. Behbehani Motors Company has been determined to provide environmentally friendly equipment at its facility and designing processes to ensure the environment is well cared for. This is reflected in the facility’s usage of specialized water recycling tanks and solar panels to

generate renewable energy. Electric vehicle chargers are also installed throughout the facility to reiterate the company‘s commitment in paving its way towards a sustainable future for the automotive industry. A designated section at the facility on the ground floor showcases a wide range of the Porsche Driver’s Selection items, which are carefully designed to enhance the Porsche driving experience with accessibility and style in parallel with the accustomed Porsche luxury and sophistication. The unique items offered are available on display at the facility, which can be purchased or pre-ordered as well.

Behbehani Motors Company is committed to ensuring the health and safety of all its customers and staff, therefore the facility currently operates in accordance with all precautionary measures enforced by the government. Directional signage and informative banners are made available at the facility encouraging customers to practice social distancing and to utilize the sanitization stations available across the facility.

For more information, and to visit the new Behbehani Motors Company facility located in Shuwaikh Industrial Area, please call 1870 870.

bazaar hit list

HIT LIST - THE FALL EDIT

All the reasons why Fall is our favorite season By bazaar staff

Fall is a magical season. The weather is perfect. We can wear boots again. And we can start dreaming of desert camping. We had a discussion at the office and realized that everyone loves the months for different and possibly surprising reasons. Here’s what we had to say. Farah (Mixed Media Content) Fall Fave: Fuzzy Socks Why: I love the fall because the time has finally come where wearing my fuzzy socks to bed every night doesn’t seem ludacris. Jennifer Cádiz (Mixed Media Solutions) Fall Fave: Comfort Food Why: Cooler weather is the perfect time to make deliciously hot, cheesy affairs, creamy risottos, rich stews and spicy soups. Tom Yum is my go to soup in the Autumn but anything that warms up your insides and is highly calorific makes you feel great when the days are short and it’s chilly outside. Wrapping yourself up in a quilt indulging in Netflix may be what we’ve done all summer but it feels like 86

you’re pampering yourself rather just keeping sane when accompanied with steaming hot chocolate stuffed full of melting marshmallows. Umika Pidaparthy (Online Producer) Fall Fave: Cozy clothing Why: A disclaimer: I totally love summer outfits! Shorts, cotton tees, dresses are my go-to during vacation in the blistering heat. But when the weather starts to cool, I jump at the opportunity to layer up in cardigans, full-sleeve blouses and colorful scarves. That means I am super comfortable all day, whether inside or outside the office. Pair it with boots and add on a coat for colder weather/winter and you can’t help but look put together with minimum effort!

Yasmin Gamal (Mixed Media Creator) Fall Fave: Walking to work Why: I am very fortunate that I live 12 minutes away from the office. That is if I walk at a semibrisk pace. And yes I have timed it. I usually enjoy my walks from November until March. It is a great way to start the day and a perfect way to unwind on my way home. If I am in the mood for more exercise I will take the scenic route. By the time I am home, I have completely disconnected from work mode and ready for chill at home time.

Photo by Alex Geerts on Unsplash.

HEART HEALTH AT HADI CARDIAC WELLNESS Dr. Telal Mudawi tells us what we should be doing By bazaar staff

We rarely think of the muscular organ pumping blood in our bodies every day. For an average person, the heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times in our lifetime. We only remember our cardiac tissue when something is wrong (or love is involved). Dr. Telal Mudawi, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Hadi Clinic had all the answers to our burning questions.

Dr. Mudawi joined Hadi Clinic in May 2017. Before that, he was in the United Kingdom for over two decades, where he held several senior clinical, advisory and leadership positions. Dr. Telal was the National Cardiology Clinical Adviser for the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman. He was also the Divisional Clinical Director for Medical Specialties at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Greater Manchester, in addition to his full-time clinical position as a consultant interventional cardiologist. His long and illustrious career started because even as a child he was fascinated by the profound impact that heart disease has on families and communities, and because of the immense influence that his input can have in positively transforming the lives of patients. What is your favorite thing about being a cardiologist? The feeling that I experience when I see the results of my intervention before my eyes. It is substantially gratifying to watch my patients improve so dramatically after suffering a potentially life-threatening heart condition. It feels like heart issues are on a rise. Is this true? Unfortunately, this is true. Coronary artery disease is responsible for about 30% of all adult deaths in Kuwait. Pursuing a sedentary lifestyle together with unhealthy eating and smoking are major contributing factors to this rise. Also, conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol are direct risk factors for coronary artery disease. 88

Dr Telal Mudawi Consultant Interventional Cardiologist

What are the most common cardiac issues? Coronary artery disease, which causes heart attacks and heart muscle damage. Atrial fibrillation, which is an electrical problem that causes irregular heartbeats and can cause brain strokes. Heart failure, which is heart muscle weakness and inability to function properly. This can cause breathing difficulties and leg swelling. These three conditions are manageable, but can be serious or even lifethreatening if left untreated. What are the warning cardiac signs that people should be on the lookout for? And when should someone seek a doctor quickly? If a person starts to experience uncomfortable heaviness, pain or burning sensation in the centre of the chest while walking or climbing the stairs, this could be a sign of coronary artery disease and a warning that a heart attack could happen in days or weeks. Therefore, medical advice must be sought quickly so the condition gets diagnosed and treated before the heart suffers irreparable damage.

What do you love about working at Hadi Clinic? The duality of family yet professional atmosphere. We in Hadi deeply care about the welfare of each other and that of our patients. We adopt a holistic approach in managing our patients. Hadi gives me a sense of purpose and belonging to a larger cause. I feel proud to be part of such a caring healthcare organization. What makes the cardiology department at Hadi Clinic special? Our purpose is not to merely diagnose patients, give them pills or perform procedures on them. Rather, we aim to help patients transform their lives to the better and tackle the root causes of the problems that caused their heart condition. We give our patients the time they need to express their symptoms and share their concerns. We individually tailor our management strategy to fit each patient, taking their physical and emotional needs into account. We deeply care about regularly following up on our patients to ensure the longevity of our

Cathlab results are maintained. Our ultimate goal is to help each patient use his heart condition as a vehicle for positive lifestyle transformation. Many of my patients have told me that their heart attack was the best thing that happened to them, for without it they would never have discovered what healthy living would have felt like. What services are available that are exclusive to Hadi Clinic? The fact that we offer the full range of elective and emergency cardiac services, including clinic consultations, non-invasive imaging modalities, invasive catheter-based coronary intervention, implantation of pacemakers and defibrillators in addition to performing electro-physiological studies and therapies. We also have a full functioning cardiac care unit that is appropriately equipped to care for unstable cardiac patients 24/7. Furthermore, we have just launched a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program which we aim to expand and develop more. Could you please explain to our readers what the non-invasive cardiac services are at Hadi Clinic and why these might be beneficial to a patient? These are the cardiac investigative tools that do not involve inserting catheters or wires onto the heart. We have the full range, including ECG, 24hour Holter monitoring, external loop recorders, exercise treadmill test, echocardiogram scans of all modalities (standard 2D, contrast and stress), coronary CT scan and cardiac MRI scan. Each one of the above tests serves a specific purpose. The cardiologist decides which test is needed based on the condition of each patient. What is the 24-hour emergency service and what kind of care will patients get? A heart attack happens suddenly and unexpectedly, anytime of the day or night. When it does, part of the heart muscle becomes deprived of its blood supply

Rehabilitation Center and the patient becomes critically ill very quickly. Every minute that passes thereafter can mean the difference between life and death. The blocked coronary artery must be unblocked quickly via emergency angioplasty; a life saving procedure that we perform at Hadi Clinic 24/7 with an extremely high success rate. We’ve experienced many occasions when patients’ hearts would stop beating altogether on arrival, yet we would manage to successfully fix the problem and they’d walk out of hospital only days later. Not only do we manage the patients’ cardiac condition, but we also cater for their emotional wellbeing. We understand the significant psychological impact that can be unleashed by suffering a heart attack. Feelings like fear, anxiety and stress are common after a heart attack, which we handle sensitively, with empathy, care and compassion. You also offer cardiac rehabilitation, who is this type of care for? And what does it entail? This service is offered to patients during their convalescent period after the initial medical treatment for a heart attack or heart failure. Cardiac rehabilitation is a structured program that involves supervised physical exercise, gradual optimization of medication dosages in addition to provision of education about healthy living and risk factor modification.

What advice would you give to people to make sure that their hearts stay healthy? With very few exceptions, it is exceedingly rare for people adopting an active & healthy lifestyle to develop coronary artery disease. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that people must: - Not smoke. - Stay active. Daily exercising is even better. - Eat healthy foods and maintain a healthy weight. - Ensure they receive adequate treatment and follow up for conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. More importantly, prompt cardiology advice must be sought if symptoms of exertional chest pain develop.

Hadi Clinic is located in Block 8, Jabriya on Road 30. Call to book an appointment: 6688 4053 or book online: www.hadiclinic.com.kw. For more information follow them on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook @hadiclinickw. 89

bazaar weekends

DIGITAL DECLUTTER

Clean out your devices, feeds and make more virtual space By bazaar staff

We’ve previously discussed decluttering your living spaces, but what we often forget to clean out is our phones and computers. You might be reminded to delete some photos when your phone runs out of space or you can’t install another app but just because it doesn’t weigh anything it is still healthy to get rid of the “virtual” dead weight. Not only is it better for your phone it is also good for your well being. This is going to be an involved process and a weekend is the perfect time to plan to sit down and do it slowly. Cull your media Go through your photo gallery and delete duplicate, blurry and unusable images. If you had set your Whatsapp to automatically download and save images you might have to delete thousands of memes too. Might be a good idea to turn off that feature now too. If you want to keep your photos but not necessarily on your phone you can set it to upload to iCloud or Google Photos. Repeat the process with voice notes or other types of media you might be holding on to (unless it is for blackmail purposes). Delete the apps Go through all of your apps and decide if you actually need it and if you don’t, delete it. The trick here is to make sure that you have the data from the app. Some apps save the data elsewhere or you can export it before you tap that delete button. Shopping apps can usually be replaced with the browser and will leave you with so much more space on your phone. If you are trying to beat a phone addiction, then deleting the apps will help eliminate the temptation too. And move apps that you can’t delete to a harder to access location so you have to work to get to it. Unsubscribe from paid services If you are the type of person who easily subscribes to different services and then forgets about them, visit your account and make sure that you are not paying for anything that you are not using any more. You might also have to go through your credit card statement to make sure you didn’t miss anything. Leave the groups We’ve all been added to annoying Whatsapp groups. If a group is draining your emotional wellbeing and battery life, just leave it. If it is 90

awkward (because grandma will get really upset) then you can try muting it for a week. Turn off notifications This is something that will really help you become less distracted. Turn off ALL notifications on your phone, unless it is something that needs to be dealt with instantly. This gives you the power to decide when to look at your phone instead of constantly being pinged by the little evil device. Free the feeds If you’ve watched The Social Dilemma then you must be aware of the problem, if you haven’t, go do it now, we’ll wait for you. Unfollow anyone who makes you feel bad about yourself. Unsubscribe from mailing lists and block bullies. You do have control over what you consume, so exercise that

power. Our greatest takeaway from this film was the importance of intent. Start your day with that mindset, know that social media may be polarizing, yes, but it can also enrich your life further. Make sure you update and back up Finally, make sure you are automatically updating your software and backing up. It is one of those things you will be glad you did when you lose your phone or it crashes, because you were prepared and there’s a backup somewhere you can restore from.

Do you have a tip we can use? DM us @bazaargram on Instagram. Photo by Szabo Viktor on Unsplash.

2nd Avenue – The Avenues | Grand Plaza – The Avenues Corniche – Arabian Gulf Road | SIDRA Restaurants – Mahboula

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EXPLORE THE BEAUTY OF WASTE WITH H&M’S AW20 CONSCIOUS EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION Interview with H&M’s Creative Advisor Ann-Sofie Johansson and Designer Ella Soccorsi By bazaar staff

H&M’s AW20 Conscious Exclusive (CE) collection is about creating beauty from waste. Almost every exquisite piece is crafted from a sustainably sourced material made from waste. What’s normally thrown away is purposefully transformed into treasures to be loved and valued, allowing us to appreciate the potential of waste and be inspired by the creativity that comes from having to reuse things. Innovative fabrics and processes that transform food crop waste into a natural fibre or fabrics made from sustainably sourced wood pulp, or use a unique garment-to-garment process, can be found in pieces such as opulent evening gowns in black and green jacquard taffeta, yellow jacquard or festooned with dusty green flowers, mingling with voluminous tops and tailored suiting. Menswear also makes a return to Conscious Exclusive with a classic tuxedo, luxe suiting and floral print separates. Prints throughout the collection are inspired by floral wallpaper that has peeled off over time or tapestries from days gone by, while flower appliqués and moth motifs allude to both life and decay. Just in time for the festive season, Conscious Exclusive AW20 will be available at kw.hm.com from 1st December. Dramatic volume, softly structured shapes and glamorous ruffles collude with an edgy undertone to create a darkly alluring collection for the holiday season. Key womenswear pieces include a yellow off-the-shoulder recycled polyester floral print dress with a voluminous ruffle along the chest, a dusty green short-sleeved mini-dress that floats by in a cloud of chiffon flowers made from closed-loop polyester, a black taffeta-like recycled polyester mini-dress with dark green woven-in flowers, statement puff sleeves, deep v-neckline and nippedin waist, and a forest green body-con recycled polyester cocktail dress with a ruched bodice and asymmetrical puff shoulder. There’s also an emphasis on versatile separates that can be dressed up or down, such as a black cropped blazer and wide trousers, both made from Naia Renew (a cellulosic fiber made 92

from sustainably sourced wood pulp and recycled waste plastics, and blended with silk), a voluminous black fil-coupé recycled polyester sleeveless top with multi-colored woven-in flowers, and a black taffeta-like Naia Renew blouse with puff shoulders and voluminous sleeves. Key menswear pieces include a black double-breasted recycled polyester, tencel and wool blend tuxedo with detachable flower embellishment, a yellow floral jacquard workwearstyle jacket made from recycled polyester, and a black workwear shirt and pair of trousers made from Agraloop Hemp Biofiber, which is made from food crop waste. Bold, edgy choker necklaces and earrings in a variety of recycled metals provide a rebellious contrast to the poetic clothing, with moth and grasshopper motifs as a nod to well-worn beauty. Gold and silver tones are effortlessly mixed and matched. High-heeled mules made from VEGEA, an innovative vegan leather, come with removable sock boots also in VEGEA that can be embellished with clip-on decorative shoe clips or chains in recycled metals. A classic bowtie is made from Naia Renew, while sunglasses have a slimmer profile and supersonic vibe, and crafted from the state-of-theart material Made of Air – a new material partly made from waste biomass and designed to combat climate change. To tell us more about the line, Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M whose role is to focus on sustainable design and the history/future of CE answered a few questions: Eight years into CE, and the collections keep getting better year after year. Can you tell us more about the newest sustainable materials used in the AW20 CE Collection? For AW20, there’s Agraloop Hemp Biofiber – a 2018 Global Change Award winner and launching worldwide with this collection – which converts food crop waste into a new natural fiber, in this case oil-seed hemp. Naia Renew is also new to H&M and launching worldwide with this collection. Naia Renew cellulosic fiber is produced in a closed loop chemical system from circular sourced content – 60% wood pulp and 40% recycled waste plastics that includes post-consumer carpet fiber and other post-industrial plastic packaging materials. What are some CE sustainable material innovations that are now applied in H&M’s wider collections? Can you give us examples? It’s almost taken for granted now, but we first introduced Tencel in 2010 and it is now found widely across H&M’s collection – we’re one of the biggest users of the material. Tencel is derived from sustainable wood sources, harvested from certified and controlled sources following stringent guidelines, and comes from natural forests and sustainably managed plantations. Tencel is also produced in an environmentally responsible closed loop production process, which transforms wood

pulp into cellulosic fibers. A more recent example would be ECONYL, which made its debut in 2018. A 100% regenerated nylon fiber made from fishnets and other nylon waste, ECONYL, can be found across the H&M Group as well as the main H&M collections. Why was waste the key subject and inspiration behind the fundamentals of this CE AW20 collection? For AW20, we really wanted to be trailblazers – pushing the limits of creativity and sustainable fashion – by creating beauty from waste, which obviously has such negative connotations and realities. So nearly every exquisite piece is crafted from a sustainably sourced material made from

waste. What’s normally thrown away is purposefully transformed into treasures to be loved and valued, allowing us to appreciate the potential of waste and be inspired by the creativity that comes from having to reuse things. Agraloop Hemp Biofiber is the one of the newest, defining sustainable materials introduced for CE AW20. What is so special about this material? How did this material evolve into everyday classics like workwear shirts and trousers? Agraloop transforms low-value agricultural waste into high-value and new natural fiber that’s then applied to yarn or textiles. For this collection, the Agraloop is made from oil-seed hemp, but the Biofiber can also be made from wheat, rice straws,

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pineapple leaves and sugarcane. Around the world, crop residues are many and too much to compost effectively. This waste is normally left to rot or burn, creating methane pollution, crop disease and air pollution, but with Agraloop this waste becomes a valuable resource. For Conscious Exclusive AW20, Agraloop Hemp Biofiber can be found in a blazer, overshirt and trousers, where it lends an elegant and durable element, plus a natural hand feel. Where do you see the CE concept going in 2021? We’ll definitely continue exploring new sustainably sourced materials, which are often at the cutting edge of innovation and make their debut at H&M with Conscious Exclusive to be later scaled up and used in the main collections. We’ll also continue to be driven by curiosity and a hope for the future of fashion. We also had a few more questions for designer Ella Soccorsi, who focused on the collection’s inspiration, design and materials: This CE collection is pushing the envelope, literally putting waste front and center and positively using it as a way to present hope. How did this concept inspire your designs for this collection? As a design team, we talked a lot about wanting a world based on a positive future rather than continuing on the dangerous path the planet is currently on. The selection of sustainably sourced materials made from waste was therefore intentional, and in this way, we’ve created something beautiful from waste and learned to appreciate the value of what’s around us. It also inspired the prints in the collection – one comes from a floral wallpaper that has peeled off over time, another took cues tapestries from days gone by, while flower appliqués and moth motifs throughout allude to both life and decay. How has working on this CE collection been different from previous CE collections? I think because we had a strong focus on waste, our minds were very much on transformation and challenging what is considered “waste” to begin with. Which is very different than focusing a collection on, say, a historical figure or era. We also brought back some menswear for this collection, which we’re very excited about, and of course, we’re in the middle of a global pandemic, which affected everything from working together in the studio to production. What was it like working with CE’s signature sustainable materials for Autumn Winter? Any challenges? It’s always very exciting to work with such innovative sustainable materials, which for AW20 was made even more exciting because there are two making their worldwide launch – Agraloop Hemp Biofiber and Naia Renew. In terms of challenges, there’s often some amount of trial and error with obtaining

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the look and feel we all want, but we’re really happy to work with so many of these amazing innovators and factories. How did you decide on how each material can be best used to create a one-of-a-kind garment? There’s a lot of research and testing involved with the materials we use in Conscious Exclusive because we’re often incorporating new, innovative fabrics. We work closely with our industry partners in this, and sometimes we just know exactly what we want – say, for example, a jacquard woven with recycled polyester – and sometimes we let our instincts about a material’s structure or hand feel guide us.

What are some of your favorite pieces from this collection? From all the dresses, the long multi-tiered dress in the floral print is probably my favorite, but I really love the black cropped blazer and matching wide-leg trousers. With the high waist, I’d also add the chain belt, which can also be worn as a necklace. The gold and silver chain has a rose flower embellishment and a grasshopper decoration, which would be subtle additions to a monochrome look.

Shop the H&M Conscious Exclusive AW20 collection online at kw.hm.com and through the H&M MENA app from December 1st.

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s m e t i w e n e v i s u l exc o o r e v i l e only on d

IMPROVISE

Challenging times calls for businesses to embrace this one multi-faceted skill By Sunil Prashara

Among the many lessons from the coronavirus pandemic, this period has taught us the importance of one skill: Improvisation . Improvisation is innovating without a net. It’s inventing on the fly rather than according to plan. It is also the way many global organizations have had to operate as they’ve struggled to survive a world turned upside down by COVID-19. While improvisation isn’t a comprehensive strategy, at its core, it boils to flexibility, which is increasingly important during a pandemic . Organizations have been, and will continue to be, confronted with an even greater need for rapid and efficient transformation. They will have to be proactive, innovative, and “gymnastic” in their responses. For a certain stretch of time, the need to improvise tests your organization’s mettle. The process makes you see the world differently and consider unconventional options. But improvisation doesn’t come in just one flavor. Organizations improvise for a variety of reasons, and their improvisation often comes in stages. Here are some of possible approaches to incorporating improvisation during the coronavirus crisis. Invention from necessity At the most basic level, most organizations improvise out of necessity. As a result of the crisis, organizations are facing unavoidable change at the strategic and tactical levels. In some instances, this means overhauling entire business processes or customer engagement models. That’s because one salutary effect of a crisis is that it shakes our faith in “sacred cows,” or long-standing practices and procedures. Pharma companies are radically re-timing the development period of bringing their vaccines to market. Companies across industries are shifting their entire user experiences online. Experimentation Other organizations improvise as a way of experimenting, or trying new approaches. This is planned improvisation. It’s generally less existential than improvising out of necessity. It’s more akin to what a jazz musician does to stretch his or her talent and abilities. We see this style of improvisation most clearly in how organizations are adapting to remote work; for example, by testing new virtual teamwork tools in order to create shared work environments. They’re also learning how to exert leadership and management oversight in a virtual world—to strike the right balance between

micromanagement and ensuring productivity. And they’re refining how they approach communications to improve efficiency and productivity during interactions. It’s been a great way to foster connection, even while socially distant. It helps us spark collisions that mimic those that occur in-person. Eye on the future The last stage of improvisation meditates on what the future looks like . The most advanced organizations are already reimagining the world of work , post-pandemic. And they’re assessing the value of all the actions they improvised during the pandemic to determine which ones they’ll bring forward into a future that they know will be less predictable than the past. Most of these actions will be operational in nature. Now that many companies have gotten a handle of the dynamics of working from home, how do we want to deploy the workforce to meet our goals, in terms of productivity, profit, and personal work-life balance? The decisions we make will have significant implications for everything from technology to human resources to real estate.

Many of these steps will focus on how we work. This crisis has underscored the importance of certain skills when working in a virtual environment, like collaborative leadership, communications and emotional intelligence. Some have termed these “soft skills”—I prefer to call them “power skills.” In fact, “collaborative leadership” and “empathy for the customer” are the teamwork skills rated most highly by project managers in our company’s annual survey. It took the global pandemic and the wholesale move to a virtual work setting to more broadly underscore their importance as a way of humanizing work. Most likely, many leaders will capitalize on these skills as the traditional office takes on a more hybrid form, mixing virtual and physical work spaces, as a result of the pandemic. Improvisation, as noted, is not a strategy, and it certainly can’t serve as a roadmap for organizations over the long-term. But this crisis has laid bare the underlying fragility of our economies and business models. And it has accentuated the importance of adopting a more agile and improvisational style in how we approach the months and years ahead.

#DKNYSTATEOFMIND

DKNY LAUNCHES FALL 2020 CAMPAIGN AMPLIFYING POWERFUL VOICES By bazaar staff

The wise know: words matter. Language connects communities, articulates individuality and creates lasting change. And if the dynamism of 2020 has taught the world one thing, it is the unstoppable power of individuals who stand behind their words. Evoking the zeitgeist of the past year and inspired by the power of speech, DKNY introduces the fall 2020 #DKNYSTATEOFMIND campaign. 98

#DKNYSTATEOFMIND lauds the spoken word, championing its ability to incite transformation, encourage positivity, and connect like-minded individuals from across the globe. Shot by Brianna Capozzi, the campaign’s multinational cast includes Aiden Curtiss, Yasmin Wijnaldum, Ansolet Rossouw and Indira Scott. For the #DKNYSTATEOFMIND men’s campaign, multi-hyphenate artist David Alexander Flinn starred, art directed, and self-shot the menswear images. To further praise the courage of the outspoken voice, DKNY identified a group of multifaceted individuals, whose words of independence, resilience, and love embody the #DKNYSTATEOFMIND

sensibility. The recognized talent includes celebrities and cross-discipline change-makers from the fashion, entertainment, sports, and music industries. Each luminary received a one-of-a-kind, #DKNYSTATEOFMIND sweatshirt, personalized with a self-authored quote by the VIP. Unique to each celebrity, the bespoke hoodies symbolically honor diverse perspectives, and celebrate those who fearlessly use their words to shape our beliefs, drive our behavior, and ultimately, forge our future. Such a beautiful message to display. In addition to the custom VIP sweatshirts, DKNY developed three, limited-edition hoodies. Featuring the brand’s own #DKNYSTATEOFMIND maxims, the

gender-neutral pieces evoke the energy and New Yorkattitude, intrinsic to the brand. Individuals can shop and share their #DKNYSTATEOFMIND exclusively at dkny.com

DKNY is located in The Avenues (2nd Avenue and Grand Avenue), 360 Kuwait (The Fountain and The Oasis), Al Kout Mall (The Mall and Souq), Marina Mall, Promenade, Gate mall, Awtad Al Jahra, also available at ontime.com and home delivery: 55199767. For updates and fashion ideas follow @dkny.me and @alyasra on Instagram or call 1820012. 99

9 WORKOUT PRODUCTS WILL GIVE YOU BIG RESULTS

And won’t take up too much space By Lauren Steele

I’ve been running this summer. A lot. It’s been the perfect low-risk way for me to get out and about, breathe some fresh air, and get a lot of (really good) exercise. But as of late, my motivation to get out and log miles has been waning. First of all, the air quality for those of us out west is leaving much to be desired. Second, after months of logging miles, my joints need a break. And third, I miss strength-building workouts. But alas, all of my favorite boutique studios have been shuttered for some time, leaving me with fingers crossed awaiting their brick-and-mortar return. Well, no more. I’m gearing up and getting my living room ready for all the burpees, hip thrusts, and curls that online classes can throw at me. And honestly, it doesn’t take much to get it ready. All of this gear can fit neatly into a corner when not in use. Here are 10 lowprofile, high-reward home workout accessories. Bala Bangles: Goodbye, clunky ankle weights! Onepart jewelry, one-part weight, the Bala Bangles are the chicest ankle and wrist weights I’ve ever laid eyes on. And at just 1 pound apiece, these lookers are perfect for adding just the right amount of resistance to yoga, barre, running, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts,the additional effort adds up! Hyfit Gear 1 System: I don’t have the space for a giant workout machine, and I don’t want to have to break out any hardware to hang up a resistance training system. I know I’m not alone in that. That’s why the Hyfit Gear 1 smart resistance system is a winner. You can easily anchor it to anything,wrap it around a tree, a beam, or even a door (thanks to a handy little no-tools-necessary anchor). The super modular system comes with fitness trackers that are embedded within the resistance bands and connect to a mobile device,delivering workout data in real time so you can view stats like the number of reps completed, exercise duration, speed, and resistance used. ProsourceFit Loop Resistance Bands: Monster walks, hip thrusts, squats,none of these exercises (or my booty muscles) have been the same since I started using resistance bands. And praise be to these high-quality, won’t-rip-in-half, plastic-free fabric bands. The set comes with three different resistance levels (ranging from 20 to 55 pounds), and a handy bag to stow them in when not in use. And they’re less than $20 (KD 6). Tangram Smart Rope Pure: In case someone hasn’t told you, jumping rope is one of the best strength100

building, heart-pumping, coordination-building exercises you can do. And it torches some serious calories. But if you don’t have a good rope, you’ll waste time (and heartache) untangling hopeless lengths of plastic. Fortunately, not only is this rope from Tangram high quality (it uses two sets of ball bearings in each handle to ensure smooth, natural motion with a lightweight, resilient rope) but it is also smart,as the name suggests. The Smart Rope’s inhandle sensors track full revolutions of the jump rope so you can see just how many calories you burned up while jumping. Gymshark Resistance Tubes: It was at Kore Fitness in NYC in 2016 that my love-hate relationship with resistance tubes first blossomed. These tools are perfect for weighted rows, curls, flys, kickbacks, and pulses that burn like the fires of Hades,a quality you really can’t get with any other piece of equipment that is this light and mobile (or cheap). Zenstyle Platform Bench: For anyone who doesn’t have the room for a full-out bench in their workout space, let me introduce this handy height-adjustable stepper. Made popular in the aerobics VHS workouts of yesteryear, this little tool can double as a stepper

and as a bench,boosting your range of motion. It’s perfect for abs, step-ups, hip thrusts, and any exercise that you need a nonslip platform for. SpeedWeight Adjustable Dumbbells by NordicTrack: If ever there was a piece of workout equipment that I lusted for but could not afford, the SpeedWeights are it. These sleek, space-saving dumbbells adjust with a simple click between 2.5 and 12.5 pounds,making them versatile and perfect for weighted HIIT workouts (like my current favorite, Sculpt from Corepower Yoga ). If you have room to splurge on one fitness item for yourself this year, let these be it. Theragun Mini Massager and Wave Roller: You can’t have a good workout if you haven’t recovered from the last one. These two products from Therabody will get you there. First is the portable, powerful Mini Massager, which can fit in the palm of your hand but delivers 20 pounds of force. Next is the company’s foam roller, which takes things up a notch by adding vibrations (there are five settings) and a smart grooved design that helps apply pressure to all the right spots. Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash.

ORDER AHEAD YOUR SHACK FAVES NOW! Visit order.ShakeShack.me or scan the QR code

Order online now and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have your order ready to enjoy at the Shack or safely sealed and waiting for you to pick up and enjoy at home.

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THE MUJI FALL LOOK

Cozy bookworm, sleek minimalist, edgy urban dweller - timeless style inspo from MUJI By bazaar staff

When we think of fashion cities, Paris, Milan or New York usually come to mind. However, some of the best designers and streetwear looks have come from Tokyo in recent decades. A quick stroll down Harajuku, Shibuya, Ginza or Shinjuku will leave you inspired, awed and completely rethinking your wardrobe.

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There are so many different and interesting fashion subcultures in Japan but their general style is robust, pragmatic, slightly oversized, comfy and leans heavily on natural fabrics and impeccable workmanship. Perfect for fall fashion, whether you want to get cozy on the couch or explore downtown Kuwait. Whatever the season, our destination for that put-together but still very comfortable look is always MUJI. But more so during the cooler autumn months. FIND YOUR NEUTRAL We’re not sure who made the rules about what colors are neutrals, but we think that all the colors at MUJI can be considered neutral. Black, navy, gray, olive green and beige are all perfect jumping points for an outfit. It is always a good idea to pick one, then start adding items that complement or contrast with it for a full outfit, depending on your style preference. LEAN ON LINEN Linen is a magical plant-based fabric that keeps you cool in the summer but is a great fall and winter layer. MUJI has a fabulous collection of dresses and shirts that look great when matched with tights and boots or under a chunky knit cardi. Linen also tends to age very well, the more you wear and wash it the softer it gets. WARM UP WITH WOOLENS We usually shy away from heavy wool clothing in Kuwait because of the warm climate even

during the coldest months, but MUJI designs and makes fabulous shirts and dresses that are made from very fine merino wool that is much lighter than what you are normally used to. The thin layer will keep you warm but not overheat. BALANCE THE SILHOUETTE We love pairing the wide legged pants with more fitted tees or shirts for a more streamlined look. Balancing your outfit will largely depend on your body. There’s no right or wrong way to do it and you might want to experiment. For example, if you are broader in the shoulders you might want to try the long linen dress shirts for a leaner and longer look. OVERSIZED NOT NOT-YOUR-SIZE Many of the items at MUJI are on the boxy or oversized side, which is perfect for easy wearing. But that doesn’t mean that they should swallow you up. If you are new to this aesthetic, it might be tricky at first. But the rule of thumb is if a shirt, top or dress fits properly at the shoulders then it is your size. For bottoms make sure that the waist is comfortable. The clothing should look drapey and not overwhelming. LAYERS We love the haori style jackets at MUJI, they are a must-have layering piece in any wardrobe. They work well with jeans, skirts and even over dresses. You can easily mix and match colors for visual interest. Adding long necklaces too

can add subtle layers without being too much. Or try wearing a shirt over the beautiful linen dresses. ACCESSORIZE Most of the time the addition of the right accessory elevates an outfit from clothes to a “look”. MUJI has a beautiful collection of scarves and light shawls. There are so many different ways of wrapping a scarf that are creative and exciting. Spend an evening practicing so you can get ready in a minute. DENIM MUJI stocks an amazing collection of organic 4-way stretch denim that is very competitively priced. Their jeans are the kind that you know will last you for decades because of how well they are constructed and the high quality materials they are made from. YOUR AESTHETIC Because most of the items are in solid and neutral colors, MUJI’s clothes are like an artist’s blank canvas. You can play with them to create whatever aesthetic you are into. They’re made from the best natural fabrics so they will last for a long time even if your personal style shifts and changes.

For MUJI fashion visit the MUJI store in Grand Avenue – The Avenues. For more information, follow MUJI on Instagram @mujimiddleeast.

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BIG PHARMA NEEDS TO CHANGE

Ending the pandemic will require big pharma to put ethics before profits By Nicole Hassoun

As COVID-19 surges in the United States and worldwide, even the richest and best-insured Americans understand, possibly for the first time, what it’s like not to have the medicines they need to survive if they get sick. There is no coronavirus vaccine, and the best-known treatment, remdesivir, only reduces hospital recovery time by 30% and only for patients with certain forms of the disease. Poorer people have always had trouble accessing essential medicines, however—even when good drugs exist to prevent and treat their conditions. In the U.S., where there is no legal right to health, insurance is usually necessary for medical treatment. Remdesivir costs about $3,200 for a typical treatment course of six vials, though critics argue its manufacturer, Gilead, could make a profit off much less. Internationally, high drug prices mean that critical medicines are often available only to the richest patients. Access to medicines, in other words, is usually an ethical problem—not a scientific one. And that’s going to complicate the global coronavirus fight. Experts worry that any COVID-19 vaccine is likely to have a high price tag and, as a result, be unequally distributed according to countries’ purchasing power, not need. With a little imagination, this challenge can be overcome. My new book, Global Health Impact: Extending Access to Essential Medicines, documents how in past epidemics, from polio and Ebola to HIV, the international community managed to get lifesaving drugs to patients—no matter where they lived or how much they earned. It took years for scientists to identify an effective treatment for HIV. But by 1997, most people diagnosed with HIV in Europe and the U.S. were living long and productive lives thanks to antiretroviral drugs. Meanwhile, the disease was still killing 2.2 million people each year in sub-Saharan Africa because pharmaceutical companies claimed it was impossible to lower the US$10,000 to $15,000 annual cost per patient for antiretrovirals. In response, human rights activists galvanized a global AIDS campaign, educating African patients about antiretrovirals, giving them the tools they required to demand treatment, and even suing drug companies. Eventually, mass protests erupted in

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South Africa and elsewhere, shifting public opinion on access to medicines. By 2000, competition from generic drug manufacturers brought the price of antiretrovirals down to around $350 per patient per year, allowing millions more worldwide to take them. Other examples include the adoption of ‘ring vaccinations’ in the 1960s—a contact-tracingbased immunization strategy pioneered after mass vaccinations failed to stop smallpox—and a 2010 campaign to give children in Afghanistan their polio vaccinations at the circus. Ending the global coronavirus pandemic will require a similar creative resolve. Recently, the U.S. agreed to pay $1.2 billion for early access to a promising COVID-19 vaccine in the United Kingdom and secured first access to another by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, enraging citizens of those countries. Such arrangements also harm manufacturing countries such as Brazil, Egypt, and India, whose people have little access to the medicines their factories pump out. Unequal access to COVID-19 medicines isn’t just a moral problem. In a global pandemic, an outbreak anywhere threatens people everywhere. There is some creative resolve on display in the COVID-19 fight, though. For example, the Medicines Patent Pool —a

United Nations-backed organization that encourages companies to share their patents in order to speed up innovation —is pushing this method for advancing the research and development of COVID-19 drugs. Other health experts are proposing new medicine distribution mechanisms that would send drugs and vaccines where they’re most needed based on the net health benefits a population would receive. That plan and others require smart data use. The Global Health Impact Project, a research collaboration that I direct, measures the effectiveness and availability of lifesaving medicines. The idea is that if we know which drugs are actually addressing pressing health needs and where, policymakers and health organizations can craft more targeted treatment access plans. Such information could be also used creatively to reward drug companies for their global health impact. Governments could create an international prize, say, that awards funds to companies based on the lives saved by their COVID-19 drugs and other essential medicines. That could offset profit as the primary motivation for drug research, development, and sales. And if pharmaceutical companies don’t voluntarily help people in poor countries, those governments can do what they’ve done in past health crises: Let other companies produce generic versions of patented medicines, to protect the common good.

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MADE TO ORDER Williams Sonoma Home will give you the home of your dreams By bazaar staff

Your home is your sanctuary and haven, but it is also a reflection and representation of you, your style and lifestyle. Trying to find the right pieces of furniture, textiles and décor elements off the shelf or in-store is not always easy for the truly unique individual. There are so many little details that can make or break a room. You might love the couch but want it upholstered in a different fabric. The dining room table is great, but would be really perfect if the stain was slightly warmer in tone. Now, Williams Sonoma Home can make all your décor dreams a reality. There is no need to live in a space that doesn’t truly embody and portray your personal aesthetic. The team at Williams Sonoma Home, prides themselves in offering high quality and elegant design solutions that are unique to the brand. They offer excellent services and products ranging from exotic furniture to interior design décor. The design team is highly trained and specialized in helping you realize your vision of the perfect home for you. They don’t just help you choose items from the store, or how to place them in your living room, they can now make the perfect item that will tie the whole room together. The new “made to order services” are designs that are customized just for you. Made to order products help you express your individual sense of style through quality pieces of furniture. One of Williams Sonoma’s core values is placing high value on their customers’ opinions and satisfaction. For that reason, they are always compelled to go the extra mile,making sure that anything you dream of can be a reality. Just like we don’t want to be wearing the same shirt that everyone is wearing, we also don’t want the same bedroom everyone has. There’s no onesize-fits-all when it comes to living spaces. We also appreciate it when our rooms are an ode to our lives, memories and way of life. Maybe you want the pattern on your sofa to remind you of the special trip you took to the Maldives, or the art on your walls to be an ode to your lifelong pursuit of the arts. This is all now a possibility with your made to order purchase from Williams Sonoma. When you commission a made to order product from William Sonoma you will be getting something that is as unique as you are. Williams Sonoma home has always strived to make sure that they offer original designs that have not been produced by other designers, and this takes it even further. The beauty of the process lies not only in getting a completely unique piece,but their integrated services with professional interior design specialists make it that much more exceptional. For instance, they offer a complete home or room makeover if you need one. This makes sure that your unique furniture fits perfectly and blends in harmoniously in your home’s theme and colors. Even the most beautiful chair needs to look cohesive in the space where it will be placed. The brand only works with impeccably skilled craftsmen and only source furnishings and textiles from the best producers across the 106

globe. Craftsmen who still honor and respect the art of making furniture using traditional methods for items that will last you a lifetime. The in-house designers at Williams Sonoma, believe that home is at the heart of everything, creating unique collections which help you to realize the perfect aesthetic for your home that reflects your own personal style. By listening to you and your needs before making and designing furniture, the in-house designers can help you create the home of your dreams. Look no further than Williams Sonoma Home where everything about quality and elegance is re-imagined to match your personal design style.

You can find Williams Sonoma at Grand Avenue - The Avenues (2228 3101). Check out Williams Sonoma Home on Instagram @WilliamsSonomaHomeMena and Williams Sonoma on @williamssonomamena. 107

EMPOWERING ENTREPRENEURS

These are the issues that matter most to entrepreneurs By Lydia Dishman

Small businesses are the backbone of the global economy. Think 90% of firms that account for more than 50% of employment, according to the World Bank . Those numbers were expected to keep growing, prior to the pandemic. Just look at how the ranks of women-owned businesses in the U.S. alone increased 21% over the last five years, adding $1.9 trillion to the GDP and employing 9.4 million workers, according to a report from AMEX .

This of course was before COVID-19 took hold worldwide earlier this year. And while many businesses were forced to close temporarily and layoff or furlough workers, women were disproportionately affected by these job losses. Underrepresented founders were also more heavily impacted and received less funding to maintain their businesses. With such massive potential to the U.S. and the global economy at stake, Fast Company and Inc. were eager to learn about the challenges and opportunities lay ahead for these business owners. In their third annual State of Entrepreneurship Survey, they polled 391 entrepreneurs. In years past, they focused on women. This year’s report now includes male and non-binary founders from all over the world, although 82.6% are running U.S -based firms. And although the majority (57.8%) have fewer than 10 employees, their companies range from sole proprietorships to venturebacked startups across 28 industry sectors from advertising and retail to real estate and utilities. The bulk (80%) of respondents reported

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bootstrapping their businesses with their own savings, but the good news was that 67.9% indicated they were profitable in 2019. Even better, 65% have been able to stay open, 63% didn’t have to do furloughs or layoffs and over 40% of founders said their revenue had stayed the same or increased during the pandemic. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t challenges. Eighty-one percent of founders said they cut unnecessary expenses and 39% deferred or reduced executive pay to make ends meet. This has taken a toll, with nearly half (46.9%) reporting that they’re working more hours than before the pandemic. Among the issues keeping them up at night (44% were suffering insomnia and 62% were experiencing anxiety), 43.92% said they were concerned about maintaining morale among employees and 40.20% wanted to ensure employees stayed productive. Still concerning, but to a lesser degree was employee retention, diversity and inclusion efforts, and managing those who were sick or had sick family members.

On a larger scale, these founders were looking at the broader geopolitical landscape and expressed concern about a range of issues including Economy, Education, Healthcare, Climate Change and the distribution of wealth in the US. With the uncertainty of the pandemic still reverberating, all these concerns add to the stress which an overwhelming majority (81%) of founders say they are feeling. Forty-eight percent went so far as to say they were just exhausted. But there is another small bright spot: Nearly half (46%) say their employees are about as productive working remotely and they themselves are also feeling more productive in this environment. This may be because, among those founders who were juggling managing their companies with home schooling children, their spouses were putting in just as much effort in care giving.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.

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VIRGIN MEGASTORE IS BACK! You can’t see us, but we’re doing a happy dance By bazaar staff

For those of us who grew up in Kuwait, Virgin Megastore was the hangout space. We would spend hours perusing the aisles for incredible books, CDs, gadgets and so much more. When their doors closed down, it was the end of an era. But those sad days are over, because Virgin Megastore has reopened its doors in Kuwait’s landmark destination of The Avenues.

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While the opening was interrupted by lockdown back in Feb, we’re doing a happy dance because now that things are back to normal (almost, we’re getting there!) we’ve visited the store so many times to relive the glory days, and to discover Virgin Megastore’s latest and greatest. Without a doubt, Virgin Megastore is still our favorite entertainment and lifestyle destination, and they’ve added so much more to the store. There’s something for everyone here, from gadgets galore to home amenities that you simply won’t find anywhere else, and all under one roof. Stationery lovers will spend hours mulling over which notebook to choose, and we especially fell in love with the kitchen section, complete with all of the latest gear from Joseph. We also really appreciated the Gentlemen’s Hardware brand selection of amazing BBQ tools like the burger press, perfect for this season’s outdoor gatherings. If you’re hunting for a gift for your loved ones, we’re pretty sure that you’ll find what you’re looking for here. Now that we are also spending more time at

home, the vast selection of board games, toys, and puzzles is perfect for family night. The store design is iconic, featuring Virgin Megastore’s new urban industrial look that beautifully brings in exposed wood, concrete and metal finishes all tied together in a 700 m² area where customers can enjoy a fun and relaxing 180° shopping experience. All you have to do is let your eyes guide you, glance over at the music section and you will find amazing retro-inspired music players by MJI and turntables from ION and Crosley. A stroll over to the electronics section will have everything you need from laptops to the latest tech accessories. Virgin Megastore is the IT lifestyle destination, as the space is split into different sections allowing featuring a wide range of products from multimedia gadgets, the hottest gaming gear, best-selling books and music, as well as trendy fashion items and novelties. Virgin Megastore also launched a range of services and their Circle loyalty program has great exclusive rewards and offers. You can register in

store, or wherever you are by simply downloading the Virgin Megastore Circle app to start collecting loyalty dots by shopping in store or online. Upon joining, you instantly get a welcome gift in the form of double dots on your very first transaction. This sets you up to collect more dots to redeem more gifts down the line. The Virgin Megastore Circle loyalty program also gives you early access to product releases, as well as more discounts and promotions to boost your loyalty dots. Music lovers will get one free album for every 10 CDs/Vinyls purchased, and bookworms also get the same offer upon purchasing 10 books. We’re all about a loyalty program that motivates us to grow our hobbies, and we actually signed up for the Circle app in store while stocking up on some novelty mugs for the office. It’s been a while since you’ve had a little fun while shopping, right? Head on down to Virgin Megastore and re-ignite your passion for the little things that bring a smile to your face. We promise, you won’t regret it. Virgin Megastore is located at Phase 2 in The Avenues. For more information, check out @VirginMegastoreMe on social media. Shop online at circle.virginmegastore.com.kw! 111

READY FOR THE ROBOT REVOLUTION?

Contactless delivery robots may soon hit a sidewalk near you By Rob Pegoraro

The future of autonomous vehicles is coming slower than expected—maybe less than 10 miles per hour. But delivery robots don’t need to move even that fast to take groceries to customers. Where they’re going, they may not even need roads, just sidewalks. And now their inhumanity isn’t a bug but a feature for pandemic-weary shoppers anxious for touch-free deliveries. “The demand for contactless delivery at an affordable price has permanently increased,” says Ryan Tuohy, senior vice president of business development at Starship Technologies. That San Francisco firm—set up in Talinn, Estonia, in 2014 by two of Skype’s founders — brought its six-wheeled robots to George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, in January 2019, where they transport groceries and snacks for a $2 charge and have become a routine sight on that campus. Starship plans to have these battery-powered conveyances making deliveries around 15 U.S. colleges this fall. That commercial availability alone puts the company farther down the road than more ambitious ventures into fully autonomous, passenger-carrying vehicles. Pre-pandemic, this company and others looking to make robotic deliveries work —for instance, Mountain View, California-based Nuro, which is testing its golf cart-sized R2 vehicle in Houston with Kroger and CVS —already had the advantage of a simpler problem to solve. Now there’s increasing demand for their solution too. “Our customers loved them!” emailed Tracy Stannard, owner of Broad Branch Market . That neighborhood grocery in northwest Washington, D.C., used Starship robots this summer until Starship needed to redeploy them for use on its campus markets. Stannard said she did see some customer confusion about how to use Starship’s mobile app to coordinate delivery and then open the robot’s cargo compartment. “We did have ice cream melt when a person failed to meet the robot in a timely manner,” she wrote. In the United Kingdom, Starship robots have been performing food and grocery deliveries in the town of Milton Keynes since late 2018, and the coronavirus threat boosted that business as well. “We have seen that grow 5X since the pandemic came,” says Touhy. Starship robots are much slower and simpler than the self-driving cars being tested by such 112

firms as Google’s Waymo subsidiary. They only hit 4 mph, run four miles on a charge, and eschew expensive Lidar in favor of a suite of cheaper sensors According to a 2017 presentation from Starship’s computer-vision lead Sergey Kharagorgiev at the Codiax conference in Romania, each robot packs in nine cameras, eight ultrasonic sensors, and four radars, plus GPS and various motion sensors. Tuohy summed up the design philosophy as “use inexpensive hardware and make software do the work.” Starship also has human teleoperators standing by to step in if a robot gets too confused. Does not compute Promising though these bots are, they have gotten into mishaps, some as simple as the occasional case of a robot getting stuck before a kind human frees it. In late July, one drove into a canal near Milton Keynes. Last October, the University of Pittsburgh paused testing of Starship robots after one wheelchair-using student tweeted that one partially blocked a curb ramp; the school resumed tests after Starship tweaked its software, then pronounced the service operational in January. Tuohy declined to discuss that case but said in general Starship aims not just to be safe but to “feel safe.” Sidewalks and streets themselves can complicate a delivery robot’s life, even though the Americans with Disabilities Act’s mandate for step-free surfaces should ease their path. “Many areas still don’t have ramps or have large cracks in sidewalks,” said Nico Larco, director of the University of Oregon’s Urbanism

Next Center . He also said it’s not obvious whether delivery robots should take the sidewalk, the bike lane, or the traffic lane. Lisa Nisenson, vice president for new mobility and connected communities at West Palm Beach design firm WGI, says that “mobility lanes” for vehicles slower than traditional cars may not answer this problem. Imagining one occupied by, among others, a 10-mph delivery robot, a 17-mph driverless shuttle, and an 18-mph electric bike, she asks, “Who passes whom, and is the road really wide enough?” Existing laws don’t always fit delivery robots either, adds Jennifer Huddleston, director of innovation and technology policy at the American Action Forum, a Washington-based, free-marketminded nonprofit. “You may have existing sidewalk regulations in communities that make it difficult to deploy these devices,” she said, saying e-scooters encountered similar regulatory obstacles. “It’s going to depend on city code to city code.” In 2017, Virginia passed a law regulating “personal delivery services” that limits delivery robots to 10 mph. That’s above Starship’s pokey pace but far below the 25 mph top speed of Nuro’s R2 vehicle. And a street and a regulatory scheme that works for a few may not scale up as robots from the likes of Starship and Nuro are joined by others—for instance, Toyota used part of its CES 2020 exhibit to show off such delivery shuttles as its Micro Palette. What happens when there are 10 or 20 of those?” asks Larco of the streets of tomorrow. Nisenson takes that question further: “What happens when there’s 100?”

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THE MAKING OF AN ARTIST Ahmad Tea explores what it takes to make it in their latest campaign By bazaar staff

The family-run UK tea company, Ahmad Tea launched their latest global brand awareness campaign that focuses on the people who give their all to make their dreams come true. The campaign is wholesome, heartfelt and an ode to the years of dedication, passion and commitment it takes to become a master of your chosen field.

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The campaign features four different individuals who have been practicing their art for years. Alice Kinsella is an English artistic gymnast and member of the British national gymnastics team. She is only 19 but she is already a star in the sport. In 2018 she was Commonwealth Games balance beam champion and in 2019 European champion too. Gymnastics is a highly competitive sport, yet Alice has already put in the hours, effort and passion to be the best. “You’re going to have some low points. Training 24/7, you do get injuries. Say I have a bad competition day, I try and block it out, move onto the next day, forget about it, but I know it’s hard because you’ve put all your training in, you’ve worked so hard and when it doesn’t go the way you want it to go, it’s quite a horrible feeling, but tough days make you stronger, so just keep going. That’s the life of the sport. Keep following your dreams, keep working hard in training, never ever give up,” says Alice. Jaleesa Gemerts, AKA Lady Groove, on the other hand, chose to do something completely different. “Everyone’s purpose in life is to make life easier for others, so making them feel happy is very important to me,” she explained. So, she makes music with her drums. She packed her bags in 2012 and left for Amsterdam from London to study music. It only took her 18 months and she had already joined a drumline and performed as part of the opening ceremony of UEFA championship’s final. Jaleesa says that, “To be an artist you have to be consistent and passionate. If you want other people to benefit from it you’ll have to keep working at it and make sure people get to see what you’re about. If I keep going more

people could hear about it and more people could be moved by my art. And some of those moments will stick with you forever.” When we mention arts, we often think of painting and Kyle Barnes easily fits the bill. The award-winning portrait painter was born in Northern Ireland but is currently based in Southampton, England. The Towry prize from the National Open Art Competition, ‘Young Artist Award’, the ‘People’s Choice’ Award at the Royal Ulster Academy and the Whyte’s Award at the Royal Hibernian Academy are already on his resume. He sees his art as a way of helping people relate to the subject of the painting. “A portrait artist’s job is to translate that character onto canvas to allow other people to see that, tap into that, read it, relate to it. To be an artist, I think you need a lot of patience and perseverance. Just go for it, just keep trying, keep fighting through the critique that you get. You need inner strength, not letting things muddy that up along the way. Keep

fighting through that, keep aspiring and keep being inspired. Yes, never give up,” Kyle sums up. You might not think of tea tasting as an art, but it absolutely is according to Master Tea Taster William Manning. Being able to perceive the subtle flavors of a tea blend is something that takes years and a seriously discerning sense of taste and smell to achieve. “When you find the perfect blend,” he laughs, “it’s [an] euphoria actually. It’s the top of the mountain. To be an artist takes a huge amount of dedication and passion, and really wanting to achieve something at the highest level. That doesn’t come without a lot of hard work. It’s about you wanting to get to the top of that tree,” William explains.

Get a dose of inspiration and watch the video on @ahmadteaarabia on Instagram. 115

5 AGILITY SECRETS FROM THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY

This one formula invented by software experts can help increase your agility By Tracy Brower

Agility comes down to a few key habits: coordinating the many demands of your life; staying strong enough to endure the hurdles thrown at you; and balancing the competing demands of work, health, family, and mental health. While these may seem like tall orders, the Agile Manifesto may be just what you need for a new perspective on how to engage the speed and reflexes you need now. Originally written in 2001 by a group of software specialists as a philosophy to drive effectiveness in tech development processes, agile practices have become known as some of the most innovative ways to enhance performance and productivity. At its inception, the approach was avant-garde—putting people first, thinking of work differently, and focusing on constant improvement—all had the fundamental effect of empowering people and helping them to be resilient to shifts in customer requirements and market needs. Likewise, this is the principles’ relevance to now. The world is shifting and we’re grasping for a way to thrive during tough times. Agile can offer the right response. Here are five lessons from tech’s agile systems to help your personal agility. Take small steps Things are overwhelming today. From politics to the pandemic and from killer hornets to the spread of wildfires , it can feel like Armageddon. One way to respond is to break things down into smaller segments. In agile terminology, this is called “deconstructing work.” Consider the big things you have to accomplish and separate them into small tasks and responsibilities. Put these in sequence and check them off your list one at a time. Take this approach for the big project at work and the small ways you’ll fulfill its requirements. In your personal life, consider the significant demands you face and break them into less daunting chunks. Putting things into more manageable terms is good for your psyche and your motivation, but it will also increase your chances of success. Work in tandem The best of an agility-based work style values people over process and prioritizes the team.

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Working through difficulty and challenge can be especially stressful if you feel alone. Take a lesson from agile practices and form coalitions with others. If you need to complete a tough task, ask for input or advice, or engage others to help. If you’re struggling to keep perspective, find a support group and share your challenges to gain new thinking. If you’re lonely or feeling isolated, seek a group with common interests. Experiment One of the hallmarks of agile practices is to test, try, tinker, and experiment. Rather than waiting for perfection and then releasing a new method, agile processes tout the benefits of failing often and failing early, taking incremental steps toward success. You can translate this to your coping skills by ensuring you experiment. At work, try a new approach to your project, and in your personal life build a new skill. Avoid the paralysis that can come from stress and keep moving forward by giving yourself permission to be less than perfect. Learn, stretch, grow, and explore in order to be agile. Serve others A key element of a successful agile process is to keep the customer involved. In your work, seek feedback from the people who receive your outputs and look for input about how you can improve your effectiveness. In your personal life,

focus on how you can add to others’ experiences. Bring your positive attitude to your children or partner. Add your great sense of humor to interactions with your friends and contribute perspective to volunteer work. Overall, consider how you serve others with your best skills and talents—one of the foundations of agile. Focus on improvement The agile model is effective because sets of tasks are performed in sprints—short cycles for which the team receives regular feedback every few weeks. You can apply this lesson from agile by always focusing on how you can get better. When you’re staying home and can’t go as frequently to the office, the fitness club, or even social gatherings, there is a risk you’ll stagnate. Seek out new challenges at work. Raise your hand for the tricky project and offer to help a colleague. In your personal life, look for the opportunity to improve your fitness levels or spend time with family and friends (in physically distanced ways). Times are tough, but you can be agile in your work and personal life. To apply agility to your life, take small steps, work with others, experiment, support your social circle, along with continue learning. Together, these will help you be as flexible, coordinated, and balanced as you can be—all important traits to endure, survive, and thrive through this challenging period.

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HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH POTTERY BARN We’re getting serious holiday vibes from Pottery Barn’s seasonal collection By bazaar staff

And just like that, the holiday season is upon us. What has been one continuous blur of a year has flown by, and we can’t think of a better way to embrace winter than to celebrate the little things in life that make it all special. Getting ready for the glittery season is all about those magical holiday decorations. At Pottery Barn, you will be spoiled for choice, with options for inside and out to turn your home into a festive wonderland. We paid a visit to Pottery Barn and perused their website to bring you our festive favorites!

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Embrace the colors of the season Bring joy to your nearest and dearest, and adorn your home with holiday decorations in festive shades of red, green, silver, blue and gold. You don’t need to go overboard, as it is these little touches and accents that you can find everywhere in the Pottery Barn Holiday Collection that will add a festive vibe to your home. Think tartan-print throws and pillows in wintery shades of green, red and blue like the Buffalo Sherpa Back Throw or the Cambridge Plaid Reversible Pillow Cover. Bonus, a deep crimson Persian Rug like the Aamir Persian Rug will stay with you long after the holiday season has passed. It goes without saying that to instantly get those holiday vibes going, you can’t go wrong with decorative ornaments from the Mercury Collection in silver and red to prettify your holiday tree, entryways, and dinner table centerpieces. Planning holiday decorations indoors and out Plan your holiday decorating ideas with festive products from Pottery Barn with collections that will add warmth and joy to your home even after the New Year. Keep the festive feeling throughout your home with outdoor decorations to add more coziness to your garden, patio or

balcony. The Mercury Tree selection of scented candles and Glitter Snowflake Votive Candle Holders will add the perfect touch indoors or outdoors, and bigger statement pieces like Merry Reindeer Brass Objects will immediately add that marvelous holiday touch your living room space. Throw in a selection of festive pillo ws with pieces like the Merry Lumbar Pillow Cover, Cozy Teddy Faux Fur Peppermint

Pillow, or the Clarke Gnome Shaped Pillow and you’re good to go! If you prefer understated wintery touches, you will love Pottery Barn’s Holiday selection of throws like the Cozy Pom Pom Throw or the Cozy Cable Knit Throw. Your bedroom can be a winter wonderland with the Forest Gnome Organic Cotton Sheet set or the Jolly Bird Reversible Percale Comforter and Sham set.

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Prep for festive dinners The holiday season is never complete without the right dinnerware to set the mood. At Pottery Barn you will find a wide selection of seasonal dinnerware featuring traditional and modern motifs. We absolutely adore the Nostalgic Santa Dinner Plate set for bigger family get-togethers, and the Gnome Bowl and Mug set are great for smaller family breakfasts. Mix and match holiday plates with your current dinner plate settings for a table that looks both new and familiar, and don’t forget all about that merry red! Make sure to select lots of beautiful red accents to place throughout your home. Centerpieces present the perfect opportunity to inject dashes of festive colors to your dinner table. Choose holiday wreaths and the bright leaves of Poinsettia plants to decorate your dinner table. You can even level up and add an even classier touch with Pottery Barn’s Antique Mercury Glass Candle Holder. Adorn your home with lights Holiday decorations are all about light. Make your home bright with a variety of festive light fixtures, and endless candle choices from Pottery Barn to add some sparkle to your home once the sun sets. With candle holders that make a statement, to elegantly chic options that come to life once you light the candle like the Floating Glass Candle Holders, your home will be instantly transformed into a holiday haven, whatever you choose. Twinkling decorations get better every year, so always be on the lookout for new ones you love. From glittery accents to shiny metallics, choose special pieces like the Faceted Mirror Trees, or the

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glimmering Mercury Trees to add a special touch. We especially love the Pre-Lit Snowy Pine Tree to add that wintery glow to your home. Juxtapose shades of silver and white with brass accents like the Antler Hurricane Candle Holder or the Rough Cast Brass Pillar Candle Holders. The sparkle of the Glitter House ornament is the right touch to add some shine to your special holiday tree. Speaking of trees, Pottery Barn has a wide selection of sparkling ornaments to give you ultimate festive feels, from snowflake shapes, wintery hot chocolate, merry reindeers, and so much more.

Let your holiday decor be a reflection of your home, family and holiday spirit. Whatever you decide, Pottery Barn has gorgeous choices to make this season one to remember for years to come.

You can find Pottery Barn at First Avenue – The Avenues. For more information, please call 2228 3364, and follow @potterybarnmena on Instagram. You can also shop Pottery Barn at https://www.potterybarn.com.kw.

Your everyday, right away

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FESTIVE FEELS WITH H&M HOME

Celebrate the holidays with natural materials, warmth and modern rustic aesthetics By bazaar staff

This festive season, H&M HOME invites us to a warm and personal collection, where natural materials and rustic aesthetics take center stage. Ready for a season where our home is more important than ever, the collection includes beautiful decorations, graphic cushion covers and easy updates that allows us to relax and take care of our family and friends. And since our homes have been our safe space lately, what better way to style them than now.

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Key pieces from the holiday collection include a wide range of warm blankets, seasonal cushion covers and plump vases in recycled glass. The trend is casual with an industrial look, where natural materials and playful prints of winter wildlife and traditional checkered details invite you to cozy up on the sofa. With the colder months just around the corner, this drops just in time! For the family sit downs, the collection has so many different options you can choose from to beautify your feasts! From gold-toned dinnerware, wooden bowls and trays, to rustic stoneware, these will surely be the center of attention. An array of candles and candelabras which can also be purchased, can help set the mood together with the majesty of deep red. In the bedroom, earthly tones, washed linen and scented candles will inspire you to stay in. The modern rustic aesthetic of the collection also includes British influences with a vintage, yet eclectic, look, that will set the tone for a magical season, whether you are following old family traditions or creating new ones. “In the very beginning of our design process for this collection, we started thinking about our own homes and holiday traditions - and no period during the whole year can really be compared to this magical time, when it comes to creating a cozy and relaxing atmosphere at home. This year the holiday period at H&M HOME is all about tradition and caring and sharing. We want to celebrate ‘small happiness’ in the form of relaxing experiences, sensorial rituals and moments of generosity. We think celebrating with our loved ones, caring for one another and being generous with time and love will be of essence this year,” Evelina Kravaev Söderberg, Head of Design and Creative at H&M HOME. For time spent in the kitchen, and holiday bake-off’s, the collection also includes fun and inspirational ideas for kids and family helping create wonderful new memories and traditions. Since

many of us start decorating a few weeks before the holidays, the new range of holiday ornaments at H&M HOME are magical and perfect for decorating every room in the home. Regardless of your budget, vision or occasion, H&M HOME has something for your space. With pieces so gorgeous, your home will be the coziest, most holiday decorative house on the block.

The H&M HOME holiday collection will be available across all H&M HOME stores and you can shop online at kw.hm.com and the H&M MENA App with prices starting from KD 1.990. For more information about this collection and for inspiration follow @hmhome on Instagram and on Facebook @hmMiddleEast. [Continued...]

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GET MORE DONE

With the help of this counterintuitive practice By Justin Pot-Zapier

You can’t have more than one top priority. You just can’t. Deciding to prioritize one thing means, by definition, deciding not to prioritize something else. This is as self-evident as it is easy to ignore—which is why it’s important to be intentional about it. The alternative is trying to do everything, which defeats the whole purpose of setting priorities.

You can’t dedicate forty hours to five different projects next week—at least, not without some kind of Hermione Granger-type time travel. We all know this, in the abstract, but fail to keep it in mind while planning. It’s easy to make every project the top priority, but that actually means that we have no priorities. I’ve been burnt out enough—and confused by time travel plots enough—to know what that leads to: Getting nothing done. That’s why it’s a good idea to be explicit about which projects aren’t a priority, not just which ones are. A weekly list of deprioritized projects We’ve been thinking a lot about priorities at Zapier this year. Everyone here writes a weekly Friday update , which until recently was moreor-less a weekly list of completed tasks. That approach lacked focus, so we changed things up: now everyone outlines what their top priority was in the past week and what their top priority will be in the week to come. This exercise forces us to think about which project is most important and commit to making progress on it.

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But, like I said, there’s a flip side to deciding on a priority, and that’s deciding what’s not a priority. Michael Shen, Director of Advertising and Paid Media here at Zapier, decided to make this explicit every week. And so he has, using his weekly update to catalog not only the things he prioritized but also the things he intentionally didn’t prioritize. “Deprioritization is normal, but we don’t yet do a great job of it at Zapier,” Michael told me, adding that making this change has given him both clarity and balance. “Since making this change, my work-life balance has been so good that I feel pretty guilty about it.” He shouldn’t feel bad—he set a priority and stuck to it. For Steph Donily, Head of Content and Communications at Zapier, publicly admitting to deprioritizing projects is, in part, about setting a good example when it comes to work-life balance. “It’s not comfortable admitting that I can’t do everything myself,” said Steph. “But I have to deprioritize projects because I want to make it clear that it’s ok for my team to do the same thing.”

It’s important to note that deprioritizing something doesn’t mean not doing it—it means not doing it now. Both Steph and Michael are explicit about this in their updates, stating that these are projects they will get to eventually. They just weren’t the most important thing to invest time in at the moment. Decide how you will, and won’t, invest your time You only have so many hours in a week, so make sure you’re using them for the things that matter most right now. Pick one priority every week and stick to it. You might be able to finish five projects next week. That doesn’t mean all five projects are your top priority. Prioritization is about figuring out which things you will invest your time in, in the short term. Deprioritization is about figuring out which things you need to put off until later. Prioritizing one project means deprioritizing something else. That’s just how it is. You can ignore this reality, or you can be intentional about addressing it.

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EMBRACE YOUR STAY AT HOME WITH CHRISTY Debenhams has hand-painted unique bedding from the UK

By bazaar staff

If you have not paid the Debenhams home section a visit then drop everything you’re doing and go! The store has a wide range in different collections ranging from bedding to dining. Not to mention their impeccable clothing options in store that you can grab on your way out as well. It’s our kind of shopping spree! Christy is a UK-based brand whose story began in 1850 with the invention of the towel as we know it today. Christy's in-depth knowledge of cotton and textiles, gained from over 170 years of being in the business, has ensured their luxury bed linens are as highly valued as their towels. All Christy products are lovingly designed in their studio in Cheadle, England. Their bedroom collections can be found in Debenhams Kuwait. They range from unique hand-painted designs on duvet covers, to impressive bed throws and cushions. Each piece within the bed linen and duvet collections is available in a high thread count, giving you a luxuriously soft handle yet a crisp, clean look. If your sacred space is in a need of a makeover, Christy can definitely help turn it into a magical sanctum. Some of their wonderful collections include:

The Gardenia in Dusky Pink

Delamere A striking, hand-painted watercolor design. Delamere is painted in a spectrum of on-trend green tones, bringing a sense of calm and a connection with nature. The water droplets and ink marks in the design give a more abstract and modern feel to freshen up any stylish bedroom. For those who love to feel grounded, this one is for you. Gardenia A dramatic cascading floral in beautiful color tones. This fabulous floral is a true showstopper featuring a hand painted artistic design digitally printed to capture every brushstroke. Gardenia will bring wildflowers dancing in the wind into the heart of your home. Here’s to planting sweet dreams. Available in Prussian Blue and Dusky Pink. Iris Garden Hand painted in the Christy design studio, this vibrant bedding brings a dreamy meadow inside. On a soft, muted base, shots of coral, aqua and violet dance across the bed. Warm accents and pigmented earthy tones give the design a wonderful depth and richness. Iris Linen An array of wild blooms overlapping a serene linen tone. This pretty design brings a fresh take on the meadow trend. Leaf and floral silhouettes combine to create a contemporary take on a classic concept. Two worlds colliding effortlessly. 126

The Delamere

The Iris Garden Nikko Available in two stunning color palettes, and printed on a smooth 230 thread count sateen, let this beautiful floral envelop you for a luxurious night’s sleep. We don’t know about you, but we love being basked in luxury. Available in Cerise and Mineral. Sakura Sakura is a contemporary take on a pretty floral. Available in two rich colourways, each will add a splash of colour to your bedroom scheme. Let the smooth sateen and warm colours cocoon you whilst you drift off to dreamland. Available in Blue and Buttercup. Marrakesh Inspired by the beauty of Moroccan tiles, add a taste of the exotic to your bedlinen with this striking Marrakesh design and dream of foreign climes as you sink into the crisp cotton percale. Available in two sophisticated shades Marrakesh will add a touch of glamour to any bedroom. Available in Blue and Gold. Bethany If big bold patterns aren’t your thing, this easy-going semi plain will coordinate with just about any style. Available in two on trend shades, Bethany’s crisp percale and subtle design provides the perfect dreamy escape. Available in Ochre and Pomegranate.

Follow @debenhamsmiddleeast on Instagram and Facebook for all the latest updates. Shop the CHRISTY HOME collection at Debenhams in Grand Avenue - The Avenues and Souq Sharq. Call Customer Service: 1821 212.

The Gardenia in Prussian Blue

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LEARN TO CREATE LAUGHS

This class—developed by Stanford lecturers and comedians from SNL and the Onion—will help you bring humor into the workplace By Lauren Steele

Workplaces around the world have changed in 2020 in ways that we never anticipated, leaving many colleagues struggling to form virtual bonds with one another and develop camaraderie over Zoom, even as they deal with the emotional toil of this doozy of a year. That’s why the online learning platform edX has created a special professional program that’s designed to energize teams, create more resilient workforces, and bring joy to the virtual workplace— by infusing it with humor.

The program, called Remotely Humorous, consists of three skills-building courses created by a pair of lecturers from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business: Naomi Bagdonas, a media and strategy consultant who moonlights as a stand-up comic, and Connor Diemand-Yauman, the co-CEO of Merit America, a nonprofit that offers professional skills training to people without college degrees. Bagdonas and Diemand-Yauman took the bones of their Stanford class, which explores the importance of workplace humor through a behavioral science lens, and revamped it by collaborating with writers from renowned comedy institutions like The Onion and Saturday Night Live. The result is a highly entertaining series of video lectures and assessments that walk students through the importance of bringing laughter into the workplace—and the right ways to deploy it. “Naomi and I have this shared belief that humor is one of the most powerful tools we have,” Diemand-Yauman says. “It can make teams more bonded and effective, and help leaders be more authentic and trustworthy. And it’s especially relevant now.” The shift to remote work, he points out, have left many people feeling particularly isolated and lonely. And during tumultuous times, he says, “we need humor more than ever…. It reveals our humanity, defuses tension, and bonds us in ways that wouldn’t be otherwise possible.” Remotely Humorous may be lighthearted, but it’s grounded in science. The curriculum is based on research that demonstrates how humor improves both work life and professional growth. A series of studies conducted by researchers from Wharton and Harvard, for example, have found that using humor in the workplace can make someone seem 128

more competent and confident. It can even help them land a job. (A survey of executives conducted by Hodge-Cronin & Associates found that 98% preferred employees with a sense of humor.) A ground-breaking study by psychologist Alice M. Isen found that humor aids people in creative problem solving, in part because laughing makes us more relaxed; when we are in fight or flight mode, we can’t access higher order thinking. Bagdonas and Diemand-Yauman structured their program in a traditional way, with videos and assessments that are packed with research and evidence-based recommendations. But there’s a twist. “Unlike most other online courses, it’s heavily based on activities,” Bagdonas says. “So you can take it with your team and do the activities together. It’s almost like an intensive culture boot camp—just with slightly fewer trust falls.” (Because all classes on edX are self-paced, you can register on edX and begin taking Remotely Humorous any time you want.) The lectures themselves, meanwhile, showcase office humor done right. “We had such a blast filming the lectures, which are really more like part lecture, part sketch comedy,” Diemand-Yauman says. “And we didn’t shy away from sharing the joy of creating this project with our learners: each lecture includes some of our favorite bloopers from each take.” The first course in the program focuses on reigniting your sense of humor at work and learning

comedy techniques from the pros. It also goes deep into the neuroscience of humor. The second course is about understanding the cultural enablers of humor in an organization and the conditions that foster an environment where joy comes more easily, and how you can create those conditions. The third and final course focuses on making a fundamental shift in your teams and organizations to get humor to stick. According to Bagdonas, that involves “leveraging… the legends that have been told and retold about your organization over the years, the rituals that define your work culture today (even the most seemingly ridiculous), and the daily offers [signals that you’re open to humor] that colleagues make to one another,” Bagdonas says. In creating the course, Bagdonas and DiemandYauman committed themselves to living out its values. “Having fun—while creating a product we really believe in—was a crucial part of the process,” Bagdonas says. “And it was also a litmus test to ask, ‘Are we practicing what we’re teaching? Is it working?’ These are questions we were constantly asking ourselves.” At a time when levity may seem hard to come by, Remotely Humorous not only gives learners permission to laugh and have fun, but also helps us understand how important that is. Get Remotely Humorous on edX - $132 (approximately KD40). Photo by Marcela Rogante on Unsplash.

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BETTER SLEEP, BETTER LIVING The secret to a good day, is a good night By bazaar staff

Are you waking up tired? Tossing and turning all night unable to get some sleep, no matter how many sheep you count? Do you feel exhausted all day, but too tired to get some shut-eye? The quality of your sleep affects you in the short and long term.

A study by Paula Alhola and PĂ¤ivi PoloKantola showed that not getting enough sleep had a direct impact on your cognitive abilities. Our memories, attention space, response time and decision making skills suffer when we are sleep deprived. In a nutshell, we turn into stupid zombies. But you probably already knew that. The problem also extends far into the future. The risk of conditions like obesity, hypertension and heart disease increase with the decrease of the number of hours of sleep. If you want to know how much you should be sleeping, listen to your body. If the amount of shut-eye you are getting is 130

not negatively affecting your performance during the day then you are absolutely fine. Being so focused on a specific number of hours can actually backfire. But allowing yourself to follow your bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural rhythm will help you discover the magic number for you and your body. However, if you are having trouble functioning then you need to rethink your bedtime. Despite knowing all of these things, it is not always easy getting to bed on time, and even when we do, it can be challenging to actually fall and stay asleep. We asked Japanese lifestyle brand MUJI for some better sleep advice.

Sleep is different, sleep changes Common wisdom tells you that 8 hours a night or 90-minute sleep cycles are ideal for everyone. The truth is that this might be dubious advice. Sleep changes from person to person and even differs across life stages. Toddlers and grandparents do not have the same needs. That said, you can start at 8 hours and see if you need more or less. There are times in life when you are forced to function on less hours of sleep than you need, so you must at least try to make them count for more.

What you can do: MUJI has great beds and mattresses that will help you get the deep sleep you so sorely need. The simple bed frame is made from solid Oak wood which gives the bed its natural light color. The classic design also comes with practical features like the curved wood spring that acts as a double cushion when combined with a mattress. This helps disperse body weight to minimize pressure on the waist and back. It can also be disassembled easily for more convenience when moving from one space to another. Additionally, the independent barrelshaped springs have been individually wrapped with non-woven fabric so that each coil moves separately to enable the best hardness for sleeping position. What happens during the day affects your sleep Your need for sleep accumulates over the course of the day, depending on when you woke up and how much energy and effort you used up. If you make sure you stay active during the day and move enough you have a better chance of sleeping well at night. Stress is another sleep killer and while you can’t completely avoid it, you can always do the things that help bring your levels of it down. Take a walk, call a loved one or just meditate before you go to bed so you slip under the sheets in a better mood. Use an aroma diffuser before bedtime with a calming scent like lavender to signal to your brain and body that it is time to slow down. What you can do: Improve your well-being, boost energy levels and promote good sleep with MUJI’s range of aroma diffusers. The device uses ultrasonic waves to vaporize water and desired

essential oil in the tank to produce a cool, dry, fragrant mist. The diffusers come in different sizes to suit various spaces including a portable version. It is flame-free, making it safe for use around children and pets and while you sleep. Sleep is how you live Your choice of pillow, bedding and the amount of light in your bedroom are all factors that will affect the quality of your sleep. Invest in high-quality pillows for sweet dreams. You can even consider switching out your duvet in the winter and summer for the right amount of tug or warmth. What you can do: Choose a pillow that lets you sleep a third of the day. There are several options at MUJI. The Feather Pillow uses waterfowl feathers which are light and maintain volume. It is characterized by the comfort of a soft enveloping feel around the back of the head. The Urethane Foam Low Repulsion Chip Pillow is made from the perfect blend of low-sinking low-rebounding urethane and high-rebounding urethane having moderate elasticity. Or you can opt for the Polyester Pillow which uses hollow polyester wadding for the stuffing, and has a light and soft feel. It is fluffy and comfortable to use. Enjoy your sleep Sleep should be enjoyable and your bedtime routine should reflect that. Slipping into comfy pajamas will signal to your brain that it is time to relax. Soft comforters and bed sheets will improve your experience. High-quality cotton will keep you cool and comfortable all night long. What you can do: Prepare for those cozy, chilly evenings at home in the comfort of flannel

pajamas. MUJI pajamas are designed to be tag-less and seamless to avoid tugging and discomfort, and to aid in better sleep. They’re made from 100% organic cotton and brushed on both sides to ensure that worn-in feel from the start. When you are asleep your body is touching more than your PJs, your duvet needs to be perfect too. The Natural Linen Thin Duvet Cover is made from a blend of linen and eucalyptusderived Lyocell making this duvet cover naturally cool and smooth against the skin. MUJI bed linen is made of high-quality material; a soft touch that invites you to a pleasant sleep.

Visit the MUJI store in Phase 2, Grand Avenue – The Avenues and Al Kout Mall. For more information, follow MUJI on Instagram @mujimiddleeast. 131

bazaar techno

BOSE SLEEPBUDS II EARPHONES Originally launched as a crowdfunding campaign and released to the public in 2018, Bose’s original sleepbuds use a combination of noise-isolating tips and ten soothing sounds to help wearers get a solid night of shut-eye. These new Sleepbuds II improve on the formula in several notable ways. They’re built around a new, more reliable battery that lasts a full night on a single charge. An upgraded bluetooth le radio ensures a stable connection, while new materials on the curved body eliminate the dreaded “pillow squeak”. Combined with improved noise blocking,five new masking sounds, they make falling (and staying) asleep as easy as ever.

AEKLYS BY STARCK PAYMENT RING Human contact has never been more taboo and everyone is looking for ways to limit it. We have tap-and-go cards and Apple Pay, but the Aeklys by Starck Payment Ring offers a completely touchless way to settle up without even reaching into your pocket. Designed by Philippe Strack, the new smart accessory is equipped with patented technology from Icare to link up to your credit cards and business cards for a seamless way to exchange information. Just press down on the ring and wave it in front of a reader to make a payment. Its software automatically updates and there’s no battery to recharge.

SAMSUNG THE PREMIERE UST LASER PROJECTOR We might have been spending more time than usual watching movies recently and we absolutely need a new projector. The latest entry in Samsung’s line of lifestyle displays, the premiere is the world’s first HDR10+ triple-laser projector. Its ultra-short-throw design allows for the display of images up to 130” from directly in front of a wall or screen. Its 4K resolution is accentuated by a peak brightness of 2,800 lumens and outstanding contrast. A filmmaker mode ensures a great viewer experience and the built-in woofers and acoustic beam surround technology completes the all-in-one design.

CHROMECAST WITH GOOGLE TV Google has in the past used a multi-prong approach to smart TV, with the Chromecast serving as nothing more than a box accepting streams from other devices, and some sets launching with Android TV built-in. With the Chromecast with Google TV this ends. While it still resembles the past chromecast devices, it runs new software dubbed Google TV that aims to consolidate all the various streaming services into a unified interface. It supports 4K HDR streaming, Google assistant voice commands, and a remote.

RUARK R3 COMPACT MUSIC SYSTEM The sleek R3 music system is the latest creation from British company Ruark audio. The compact audio player looks like a great piece of classic design, and delivers sound, style and features in perfect harmony. The 30-watt system features a built-in CD player with network streaming, aptX bluetooth and a radio. With its OLED display, large format clock and built-in alarm, it makes a premium bedside system. Choose from a classic rich walnut wood finish or a grey lacquer and enjoy the look and sound of it!

AFTERMASTER PRO Aftermaster Pro improves audio for TV, movies, and music. The device assists in correcting sound issues when you’re receiving a fishy signal that gives you uneven sounds. It features a proprietary digital sound processor that evenly distributes sound through all of the available frequencies. Aftermaster pro gives you louder, clearer audio using your TV´s existing speakers or sound bars. The device has 2 HDMI ports and 3,5mm in and out jacks, a power jack that you can plug into a socket or a battery for portable use.

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Source: Uncrate.com and blessthisstuff.com

‫أصناف سيجنتشر‬

‫ديد‬

NEW ‫ج‬

SIGNATURE ITEMS Let’s get messy

@shawarmamatic

MOVEMBER order.shawarmamatic.com 133

NEXT 100% ORGANIC LINE GOTS certified cotton thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe and gentle on babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skin By bazaar staff

Little pink cheeked cherubic babies are the most adorable things in the world. Throughout childhood, our young are quite vulnerable and as parents we want to protect and shield them from the world. We make sure they receive only the best nutrients and avoid feeding them harmful substances and toxins. If you are already buying organic, natural and healthy fresh fruits and vegetables to make home-made fresh baby foods then you definitely understand the importance and we should be thinking the same way about their clothing.

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Baby skin is sensitive, and we should protect it by making sure that only the softest and safest fabrics touch it. And nothing is as gentle as cotton, but only if it has been grown and treated properly. Studies show that organic cotton is safer for infants. We rarely think of how cotton is produced. But for any cotton to be labeled organic, farmers cannot use toxic chemicals such as herbicides, insecticides and pesticides. The cotton plants must grow naturally while keeping all the nutrients intact. Moreover, organic cotton is superior in quality and baby clothes made of organic cotton

helps keep your little one healthy and happy! Next celebrates fashion for newborns and toddlers with a range of organic cotton wear made from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton that is responsibly produced to strict environmental and social standards. As parents we also want to make sure that the planet, we leave for our children is protected so they can live good, long and healthy lives. The organic collection isn’t just great for kids, it is just an explosion of cuteness. From cute rompers in soft pastels to body suits, the organic collection is delicate on the skin with no harmful

dyes or chemicals used, thereby keeping your baby – and the environment – safe. So, if you really want to make a difference in your baby’s life, health and future, then organic cotton baby clothing is the way to go. There’s really no better way to dress your baby than in real, organic, comfortable, and toxin-free clothes from Next. Check out the Organic Baby and Mom Gift Box with the baby organic line available at Next Stores now! Next has 13 locations across Kuwait. To find your nearest location visit www.alshaya.com. 135

live like the 1%

Aston Martin V12 Speedster

BOOM XB-1 Supersonic

Devilet-gemini

Fragrance Flask

Singing Bowl Set

Goopgenes Body Butter

Aston Martin’s newest limited release is the Speedster, recalling the open-cockpit prototype race cars of the ‘50s and ‘60s. The Speedster rides on a totally new bonded-aluminum chassis, although purists should insist it’s aluminium, and wears carbon fiber bodywork, meaning the car will get the most out of its 700 horsepower, twin-turbo V12. Adaptive dampers and massive carbon brakes are visible, meaning the road-holding should match the acceleration. You’ll need some wasta to get your hands on one of the only 88 built. Try offering more than the 290,843 KD ticket price.

For only 274 KD you can get your hands on 24ml of exclusive fragrance encased in 18K Rose Gold plated stainless steel. Choose from three of Douglas Little’s Heretic line scents: Dirty Rose, Dirty Neroli, or Dirty Lemon to mask the stench of the great unwashed should you be unfortunate enough to come within sniffing distance of the poor masses. “For me, nature is wild, provocative, sensual, spiritual and serene,” says Little, and this is perfect for when faced with wild non-working classes. Personalization of up to 150 characters is available.

Boom is a jet for when Zoom isn’t quite good enough. Supersonic air travel designed to get you to where you need to be face to face while everyone else is stuck in quarantine or curfew. Backers and creators reading like a who’s who of 1%ers: Gulfstream, Spacex, Nasa, Boeing, General Electric, Amazon, LinkedIn and Lockhead Martin, this project has been underway for six years and is now being rolled out. The 71 feet long aircraft is cheap at the price of 61,230,000 KD but that’s without any specific interior configuration or any other unspecified optimal extras.

While hunkering down in your mansion, get away from all the stresses being suffered by others with meditation. Here, you have everything you’ll need to aid your meditation practice, in one beautiful bundle: a petite pillow, mallet, and a hand-hammered brass bowl crafted by skilled artisans in Nepal. Don’t worry about how much they were paid for their services, that’s what meditation is for! The incense and vegan soap are all handmade from sacred plants and raw ingredients said to help better connect with your spiritual practice.

These wireless headphones won’t cause much of a headache at only 91.500 KD if you lose them. Incorporated are novel technologies, including interior decompression chambers to ensure optimum pressure and Ear Active Matching that automatically adjusts the frequency for movement (while running from protesters, for example). Two microphones help with all three levels of active noise cancellation and two levels of transparency while 10mm high excursion drivers deliver crisp sound. They offer up to 8 hours of battery life, with another 16 supplied by the USB-C, Qi-compatible charging case.

“We wanted to create something that encouraged and supported our feeling good in our own skin. And this,” Gwyneth Paltrow flashes a huge grin and holds up a tub of thick, rich, lusciousness. “This is it! It’s unbelievable. I use it every single day. I promise you, it’s a head-to-toe miracle for your skin—you are going to be obsessed.” One wonders the size of the body they tested this nourishing repair body butter on, but for 184 KD you can subscribe to delivery of a 6.1fl oz container which is supposed to last you for 30 days.

live like the 99%

Food Box Kuwait

This organization provides a variety of food boxes for companies and individuals, containing the basic foodstuff materials. Boxes come in several categories and each category has different components for different occasions. Boxes are also tailored for cultural food tastes such as the Filipino Cuisine food box and Indian Cuisine food box options. The essentials food box includes rice and canned proteins and you can even have multiple addresses put on your orders for delivery. The family food boxes contain frozen goods including chicken and vegetables. Incredibly you can order 50 meals with either fish, meat, chicken or pasta package options which is ideal if you’ve got many employees you want to provide for or would like to donate to a particular group in need. There is even an essentials baby box, or pet box for cats. Taking the worry out of logistics and bulk buying, the Food Box has thought of everything to make these trying times a little easier. Follow their account on Instagram @food_box_kw or visit the website foodboxkw.com to view menu options. Sources: uncrate.com, goop.com

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SAY HELLO TO SPICY MAPLE CHICKEN AT ELEVATION BURGER

Discover the latest local chef collaboration with Chef Abdulrahman AlKhashan By bazaar staff

Elevation’s 3rd local chef collaboration (LCC) is back in the form of the Spicy Maple Chicken sandwich! Delivering on that ever-so-addictive medley of sweet and spicy flavors envisioned by local chef Abdulrahman AlKhashan, the Spicy Maple Chicken sandwich brings together the clever combination of Maple Chipotle sauce and Jalapeno relish with Elevation Burger’s USDA Certified Organic crispy chicken strips, real sharp cheddar cheese and fresh lettuce.

What’s not to love about Elevation Burger’s local chef collabs? From the South American inspired flavors that Maryam AlNusif brought with The Chimmi, to Chef Khaled Al Baker’s celebration of earthy Portobello mushroom flavors with The Bello, we look forward to Elevation Burger’s LCC every single year. But due to this year’s exceptional challenges brought on by the ongoing pandemic, we simply had to wait a little longer to get our hands on this special sandwich of joy. Trust us when we say, it’s absolutely worth the wait. Chef Abdulrahman is no stranger to Elevation Burger’s scrumptious offerings. The Johnson and Wales culinary school graduate has always been a fan, and laughingly told us how he doesn’t think anyone couldn’t be, “My usual order is the Elevation Burger topped with lettuce, tomato, mustard, ketchup, and jalapenos.” Knowing this, we now have a better understanding of

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why he chose to add a spicy element to his latest collaboration with Elevation Burger. Chef Abdulrahman’s culinary experiences have taken him to Denmark, Germany, the US and Kuwait, and his seasonal, ingredient-driven approach to cooking allows him more freedom “in creating dishes and being inspired by multiple cuisines and flavor profiles,” he said. We also spoke in detail with TABCo CEO Abdulaziz AlTuraiji to learn more about why Elevation Burger began the Local Chef Collaboration program in the first place, he describes how the movement of localization and supporting local concepts and people is of utmost importance to their business. “For us, ‘Ingredients Matter’ is not just a slogan as it goes beyond our food. In fact, what we mean by Ingredients Matter is that the people in our community are the ingredients that matter to us the most. Here

at Elevation Burger, for every product launch, we think of how to launch it in an innovative way and how to localize it and share our values with the community we live in. We believe that businesses should always support localization, and for us, our Local Chef Collaborations, also known as “LCC” is a platform for the local chefs to express their unique style and elevate their skills to give our customers an exceptional Elevation Burger experience.” Chefs are selected for the LCC program based on their credentials and knowledge, Abdulaziz said, “Their ability to work with our ingredients, ability to dedicate time towards training our team - as we are focused on the consistency of the recipe - and most importantly, the chef should be local. Although we welcome all chefs, this initiative was created two years ago with a specific mission dedicated to the community’s local chefs.”

TABCo’s passion for localization is a part of every aspect of Elevation Burger’s operation, “since the establishment of TABCo food, the company operating Elevation Burger stores, we were invested in supporting the local talents and developing their career. And that is reflected in our long-term partnerships with different parties such as LOYAC, The Proteges Program, sponsoring athletes, TABCo’s summer internship program, our LCC program, and much more.” Late last year, Elevation Burger approached Chef Abdulrahman to begin the latest collaborative journey toward the Spicy Maple Chicken sandwich and arriving at this specific combination was absolutely a joint effort. Chef Abdulrahman told us that while he never worked with a concept like Elevation Burger in the past, he was impressed by the entire process. He said, “The attention to detail in their development process is very different from how I’m used to working in casual and fine dining establishments. Elevation Burger adheres to a very meticulous approach in their operational procedures which is necessary to ensure a consistent product across 13 branches, and this is what we wanted to achieve with the Spicy Maple Chicken sandwich.” Abdulaziz also commented on working with Chef Abdulrahman, “It was such a great experience; we learned so much from him. We were supposed to launch the product early this year however with the COVID-19 situation we had to postpone the project for a while and wait for things to get better to finally launch it. Nevertheless, Chef Abdulrahman’s commitment was impeccable through it all and only made the experience more exciting!” As for deciding on the unique sweet and spicy flavor profile, Chef Abdulrahman always knew that he wanted to make a spicy burger. He explained, “Once the development process started, I created a few different sandwiches and as the tastings went on we agreed that the best one was the Spicy Maple Chicken.”

"TABCo’s passion for localization is a part of every aspect of Elevation Burger’s operation." "‘Ingredients Matter’ is not just a slogan as it goes beyond our food." The flavor profile was absolutely supported by Elevation Burger’s team, as Salem Abdulhadi - Supply Chain Manager at TabCo also explained, “Selecting the final product is a joint effort among all the parties involved with the goal of bringing the chef’s vision forth and to build on Elevation Burger’s food values. The Chef initially presents a selection of creations and then these creations go through an elimination process, once we’ve all agreed on the product, it then goes through an improvement process to elevate the product’s food values where possible. With this product, we ensured to complement our USDA certified organic chicken with freshly made daily inhouse sauces such as the jalapeño relish which consists of fresh herbs and high quality jalapeño and pickles as well as using real Canadian maple syrup for the chipotle maple sauce." It’s important to mention that this is the first LCC to feature Elevation Burger’s USDA organic chicken and that the key takeaway here is that you don’t need so many ingredients to make

a delicious sandwich, you just need the right quality of ingredients, and that is something that Elevation Burger prides themselves on. This is exactly what you get with the Spicy Maple Chicken sandwich, delectable crispy chicken, the tangysweet maple chipotle sauce matched by the bite and freshness of the chopped jalapeno relish and lettuce, and a slice of really good, real cheddar cheese to bring it all together. The best part? You can order the Spicy Maple Chicken Sandwich for delivery, also a first time offering from Elevation Burger. It will only be on their menu for a limited time, so hurry up & order before it’s too late!

Interested in joining TABCo’s team? Email career@tabcofood.com. For more information and for Elevation Burger’s latest, follow them on Instagram @elevationkw.

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bazaar Apps

HOPS

RAKUGAKI AR

PHOTO WIDGET

SAVEE

TODAY IN LIFE

UNIVERSE IN A NUTSHELL

If you have been struggling to get your steps in, get some help from Hops. It is a gamified activity tracker that motivates you to be more active everyday by bribing you with kawaii (cute) characters and challenges. The spirits of trees called Hops live in the forest and your everyday activities in the real world help them grow. You earn energy and crafting material for any activity you do. And you can then use the material to make items for your avatar. Great for kids and adults.

iPhone users can finally customize their homescreens with the introduction of iOS14. We easily take dozens of photos everyday and what better way to enjoy them than having them displayed on our phones which we look at more than 50 times a day. You can choose which photos are shown and how often they get updated and can create as many widgets as you like. Bonus tip: add flash cards or motivational quotes in an album to learn something new and feel better about life.

Today In Life is more than just a planner, kickstart your days by reminding yourself of your goals, your sources of motivation, what makes you happy in life, and then plan your day with tasks and schedule. In a busy life itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to lose focus of what matters and get bogged down by tasks in your to-do list. The app helps remind you of things that matter so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lose perspective and remain motivated throughout the day.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to have your drawings come to life, your wait is over. Download the Rakugaki AR app, draw something on a piece of paper, whiteboard or any surface really and take a picture. It is a little fiddly at first but you have to make sure that the app scans the entire drawing and then watch your little character start interacting in their little virtual space. Highly entertaining for any age.

We are such visual creatures and the older among us probably remember creating mood boards and scrapbooks from magazines, photos and even packaging. Savee is a platform for you to find the best visual inspiration & save images you love. Best of all, no ads or tracking. Browse a curated collection of visual inspiration from a community of designers, architects, photographers, and worldclass tastemakers. Save pictures straight from the web, Instagram, or your library. Get inspired & inspire others.

This app was created in collaboration with Tim Urban, the brain behind Wait but Why. You can seamlessly travel from the smallest things in existence, past the coronavirus, human cells and dinosaurs all the way to the largest stars and galaxies and marvel at the whole observable universe. You can learn more about each object or simply enjoy the sheer scale of it all. At a time when the world feels both extremely infinite and infinitesimal at the same time the app helps bring some perspective to our place in it.

play.google.com itunes.apple.com 140

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BREAKFAST AT AMITI NOURA A taste of old souk traditions in the heart of modern-day Kuwait By bazaar staff

A window into the legacy of authentic Kuwaiti cuisine, a breakfast experience at Amiti Noura has definitely been on our list of must-trys for a while now. Easily accessible from Grand Avenue at The Avenues, the spot is perfect for catch ups and family get togethers, tucked away in the Souk for a cozy and quiet atmosphere. Upon reaching Amiti Noura, we instantly felt a flashback of old Kuwait meeting modern Kuwait. Decorated with traditional colors, the overall vibe was heartwarming and welcoming.

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Inspired by the cooking of everyone’s favorite Aunt, the restaurant is known to bring together families and friends over dishes defined by distinct flavors and spices. As we walked in and were seated at our table, we couldn’t help but notice the bright natural light spilling into the place giving it an airy feel. The sadu lounge inspired seating area exhibited a touch of modern tradition. We were hungry and ready to eat, so, the waiter suggested the second available breakfast special called the “Riyoug Platter”, which means breakfast in Kuwaiti. Without hesitation, we knew that was the order we were placing. We were an indecisive crowd when it came to deciding what we wanted to eat for breakfast, Riyoug Platters are a great way to satisfy people who want to try different things. While waiting for our food to be prepared, we were served traditional Arabic coffee and dates. This tradition is a sign of Kuwaiti generosity and hospitality. The rich Arabic coffee infused with cardamom came in an ornate coffee pot from which was poured into the traditional small finjan serving cups for us. The Riyoug platter arrived at our table with a selection of classics such as balaleet which has a distinct taste of saffron, mixed cheese platter with olives and veggies, eggplant hamssah, fried eggs, labneh and hummus. For our manakeesh lovers, we ordered the halloumi and cheese with zaatar. The cheese platter excited us more than usual. The twisted cheese reminded us of our childhood years and the fun in eating it. The tannour bread is made fresh daily, all day long, in-house which works great for dipping into the labneh, hummus and hamssah. It’s also smaller than normal leaving your bread hot and fresh without getting stale at the table. People love it so much that they always want to take a portion home!

Another notable mention and a Riyoug option on the Amiti Noura menu is the one which includes nakhi, bajella (which are chickpeas and broad beans, a common staple in Kuwait), eggs with tomato, eggplant hamssah, mixed cheese platter with fresh vegetables. For dessert, there is a superb selection of sweets ranging from darabeel, which are crispy rolled biscuits, rahash, a tahini-based halwa and baksam, a type of rusk. If you are someone who has not tried Kuwaiti food in the past, let alone classic breakfasts, then Amiti Noura is a wonderful introduction to traditional food. To finish off the breakfast experience, piping hot karak tea was served in a gorgeous kettle and placed on our table. Now we all know that karak tea is much more delightful than ordinary black tea. For us personally, watching the tea get poured from

a distance (the traditional way) was entertaining. Karak tea, which originates from South Asia is made with black loose tea leaves, crushed cardamom saffron and sugar. Although sugar is sometimes omitted depending on preference, evaporated milk may be used instead. Overall, the Arabian hospitality truly shines during any meal at Amiti Noura and we were so glad to start off our day there! This grand breakfast is definitely not one to miss. If you’re looking for delicious, Kuwaiti traditional meals that recreate the experience of dining in at your aunt’s house then this is the place to be!

You can find Amiti Noura in The Souk – The Avenues. To stay up to date with their news follow them on Instagram @AmitiNoura. 143

bazaar music

MOVEMBER MUSIC

Since its inception in Australia in 2003 now more countries and people than ever take part in Movember raising awareness on prostate and testicular cancers. In the US in 2014 Movember also included men’s mental health and suicide prevention as a focus and by 2030 the Movember movement aims to reduce men’s premature deaths by twenty five percent. MOVE in Movember is a 30-day physical fitness challenge that encourages men to be more active and in Kuwait the weather now is perfect to take that extra brisk half hour walk along the beach, quick dip in the ocean, or jaunt around any of our beautiful parks. With our favorite amalgamations of mustachioed musicians playing on your beats by dre, there’s no excuse for keeping still this Movember!

CHECK YOURSELF

ELTON JOHN

Elton: Jewel Box November 13, 2020 A career-spanning eight-CD box set where John has personally selected the tracks for the collection, which includes rarities, demos, B-sides and fan favorites from throughout his long career. “To delve back through every period of my career in such detail for Jewel Box has been an absolute pleasure. I find it hard to comprehend just how prolific [lyricist] Bernie [Taupin] and I were during the early days. The songs just poured out of us, and the band were just unbelievable in the studio.”

MARC SCIBILIA

Seed Of Joy November 13, 2020 Work began on the record before coronavirus, but it was birthed while Scibilia was witnessing the cycles of life and death in close, personal terms. “We had our daughter two weeks before we found out my father was terminally ill,” says Scibilia. “When the country and the world shut down I went into my basement studio and spent three months recording and finishing the record,” says Scibilia. “I collaborated with people via Zoom for a couple of the tracks but mostly I was on my own. It was a really effective time for me.”

JACK NAME

Magic Touch November 20, 2020 In a time rife with alienation, Magic Touch, the third album by the ubiquitous and mysterious Jack Name, offers the comfort of contact. With a body of work that ranges from the catchy to the cacophonous, Name has earned the reputation of a musician who’s difficult to define. For over a decade, he’s been a fixture in the Los Angeles underground. His songs have appeared on albums by U.S. Girls and White Fence; he’s produced recordings for Cass McCombs and collaborated with Ariel Pink.

HIRSUTE HITS

ZZ TOP

The complete Studio Albums (1970-1990) Out now Featuring the two most famous beards in the business ZZ Top released their debut studio album ZZ Top’s First Album in 1970. The Texan trio consists of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard. Their style first incorporated boogie, hard rock and southern rock influences, and has evolved over fifty years with a signature sound based on Gibbons’ blues guitar style ZZ Top one hundred tracks from ten albums, remastered for a meatier mix. Probably best loved for “Gimme All Your Lovin’ ” from Eliminator 1983.

FRANK ZAPPA

Strictly Commercial: The best of Frank Zappa Out now Frank Zappa did more than name his kids Moon Unit and Dweezil, he was a renowned poet of note, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, musician and band leader. He released more than 60 albums over thirty years as a solo artist and with his band, “Mother of Invention”. As a self-taught composer and performer, Zappa’s diverse musical influences led him to create music that was sometimes difficult to categorize. He continued this eclectic and experimental approach whether the fundamental format was rock, jazz, or classical.

Sources: amazon.com, rollingstone.com, billboard.com 144

DEMIS ROUSSOS

Forever & Ever: Essential Collection Out now With 21 of the crooner’s hits, this is a must for fans of the suitably seventies shaggy singer with Greek and Egyptian roots. A comprehensive collection of one of the most recognizable and adored songwriters of our time. Well known as a solo artist and band leader, Roussos’ progressive rock music is best showcased in his work in the group Aphrodite’s Child. The tracks in this collection include his smash-hit “For Ever and Ever”, plus several tracks from his early, psychedelic days, alongside all his international hits.

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BREAKFAST AT SOLIA Wake up to the flavors of the Mediterranian By bazaar staff

We agree with the experts who say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But probably not for the same reasons. A good breakfast puts us in a good mood ,fuels our psyche and our bodies, allowing us to seize the day and make the most of it. The secret to a good breakfast might be a balance of nutrients, but a great breakfast is what you can expect at our favorite Mediterrenean-inspired concept restaurant, Solia.

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Prepare yourself for a true feast and a journey across the beautiful ports, cuisines and flavors of the Mediterranean. We want our first meal of the day to be colorful, fresh, textured and a lot of fun. Dips are a huge part of any traditional breakfast spread and we love the Labneh With Honey & Nuts offered at Solia. It might sound like dessert, but it also includes lemon and chili relish, the acidity and heat balancing the sweetness perfectly. If you don’t normally feel adventurous in the morning then opt for the classic Labneh. You can never go wrong with zaatar and olive oil. The pita chips that come with the dish are so crunchy and toasted you will probably ask for a second serving before you are finished with the first. Pair it with the humble falafel that has been re-imagined as falafel fingers, the same wonderful warmth and goodness of

a falafel in a much smarter shape that is much easier to dip in the delicious tahini sauce that comes with them. If you believe that no breakfast is complete without flatbread or mana’ish, you have come to the right place. There is a Za’atar Man’oosha with your name on it in the Solia oven made fresh just for you. If you need some extra protein, try the Baked Egg Fatayer, prepared with eggs, parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, fresh basil and thyme powder, it is a power-house of nutrients and goodness. But what we really love is the Beedza (no, it is not a typo). It is a margherita pizza, specially created and developed by local chef extraordinaire Ahmad Al-Zamel prepared with San Marzano tomato, mozzarella, garlic & olive oil.

There are so many exciting dishes that you can try. The fusion of so many different cuisines and culinary traditions in the region at Solia sends your taste buds to so many wonderful places. The Egg Sliders With Avocado is an unexpected delight. Buttery potato brioche sandwiches that hug the perfect creamy scrambled eggs and guacamole on molten Gruyere. Or the Baked Halloumi, that is served in a wonderful cast iron skillet. Tasty halloumi cheese, plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green olives, black olives, dried oregano and fresh thyme play really well in a cacophony of color and flavors that will wake you up from the deepest slumber. If, like us, you want to end on a high and very sweet note then the Cinnamon and Honey Dip is for you. A light-as-air blend of cream and butter. The sweetness of the honey and cinnamon give it an exciting kick that will satisfy your sweet tooth. Solia’s French Toast is another perfect choice. It is pure indulgence with the buttery rich French brioche, caramel sauce and Gorgonzola Dolce, topped with nuts and fresh berries to seal the deal. If you are feeling something healthier, allow us to suggest the seasonal fruit platter. Only the finest, freshest produce and fruit make it past Solia’s high quality standards. The perfect way to end a meal. You can have all of this delivered to your home or office, but we still prefer to visit the two locations. We usually head to the restaurant at The Forum in the Avenues before we embark on a marathon shopping spree. And when we’re in a more mellow and chill mood we love spending the warmth of the morning sunlight at the Murouj location.

Solia is located in The Forum – Avenues and Murouj, for more information email solia@hajery.com, call the hotline 180 0005 or follow them on Instagram @soliakw. 147

bazaar movie night

OUR FAVORITE FILM RELEASES: A trip to the cinema might be a while away, so we’re bringing back movie night at home!

ULTIMATE HORROR MOVIE CHECKLIST

HUSTLERS Release Date: September 13,2019 Genre: Drama, Comedy Cast: Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles Synopsis: Destiny, who begins her job at the strip club is not making that much money. Infatuated with her co-worker’s ability to make the dollars, she becomes friends with Romano who shows Destiny how to swindle their ultimate client, the Wall Street frequents. After the recession hits Wall Street especially hard, their profits are affected and the ladies devise a plan to bring the men back in and take their lives back.

SHIRLEY

LITTLE

LATE NIGHT

THE CALL OF THE WILD

BECOMING Release Date: May 6, 2020

Release Date: January 25, 2019 Genre: Comedy, Drama Cast: Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, Max Casella Synopsis: A late-night talk show host’s world is turned upside down after a female staff writer joins her team as a diversity hire. The decision brings about unexpected change and hilarious consequences to the office, as the women are separated by culture and a generation. Somehow, they become united by their love of a biting punchline.

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Release Date: June 5, 2020 Genre: Thriller, Drama Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Odessa Young, Michael Stuhlbarg Synopsis: Shirley, a famous horror writer finds inspiration for her next book after she and her husband take in a young couple. Rose and Fred, the young couple who came to stay with Shirley and Stanley, decide to turn this short term stay into a long term one when Stanley asks Rose to help take care of Shirley. This inspires Shirley to continue her writing while the two women get closer until something goes terribly wrong.

Release Date: February 19, 2020 Genre: Adventure, Drama Cast: Harrison Ford, Omar Sy, Cara Gee Synopsis: A vibrant story of Buck, a big and kindhearted dog who is a crossbreed between a St. Bernard and a Scots Collie. His carefree life is turned upside down when he is stolen from his home in California and deported up north to be sold in Alaska, where he ends up in Dawson City, Yukon. Forced to fight to survive, eventually taken by his last owner, John Thornton, to proximity of the Arctic Circle, somewhere between Yukon and Alaska, he progressively depends on his primal instincts, sheds the comforts of civilization and responds to “the call of the wild”, as master of his own.

Release Date: April 8, 2019 Genre: Comedy Cast: Regina Hall, Issa Rae, Marsai Martin Synopsis: Jordan, a successful mogul who doesn’t take no for an answer and torments her employees on a daily basis is given a taste of her own medicine. Being bullied when she was younger, Jordan unexpectedly transforms into a 13-year old version of herself right before a very important client presentation. Jordan now has to depend on April, her assistant who is having a hard time dealing with13-year-old Jordan who has an attitude problem.

Genre: Documentary Cast: Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Adrian K. Collins, Gayle King Synopsis: A memoir of the former United States first lady Michelle Obama and how she ended up excelling at school and meeting an up-andcoming lawyer named Barack Obama, who would become her partner. Realizing that she really wanted to help people more than be involved in the intricacies of contract law, Michelle left her job at a respected law firm to work in the world of nonprofits, community outreach and mentoring.

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PRE-ORDER BEFORE YOU BLAZE Check out Blaze Pizza’s new contact-free ordering and payment platform By bazaar staff

Just the thought of a fast fire’d Blaze Pizza is enough to make our mouth water, and now getting our hands on the tasty hot stuff is a few easy taps away! Discover the all-new platform order.BlazePizza.me for a safe, contact-free experience when it comes to choosing, ordering, paying and picking up your dream pizza, whether for dine-in or takeaway. We love this innovative way to satisfy every Blaze Pizza craving. The platform is also available in Dubai and Abu Dhabi! We love that Blaze Pizza is now close to us, wherever we are! Heading to the chalet this weekend? Order ahead by visiting the new website and pick it up on the way! Whether you’re staying in, or dining out, the new Blaze Pizza ordering platform is here to simplify your life and is created with your safety in mind. Whether you are picking up or dining at the store, all precautions have been made to guarantee you a delicious and safe experience. If you’re in your car and fancy blazin’ it up anywhere near Blaze Pizza’s Ahmadi, Jabriya, or Arabian Gulf Road locations, you can do so without leaving your vehicle. Blaze Pizza offers car service at these three locations with your items safely handed to you by members of staff observing the strictest of hygiene standards which you’ve come to always expect from the brand. When you get the urge for a hot slice of Blaze Pizza while hanging out with friends and you want to dine at any of the Blaze Pizza locations, using the online platform order.BlazePizza.me will safely get you blazin’ faster. To make things super simple, when you’re in the restaurant you can scan a clearly highlighted QR code which will quickly take you to the online platform from where you can order and pay contact-free. Make sure to select the correct Blaze Pizza location when you’re online and select the “dine-in” option to choose from the correct menu for your perfect blazin’ experience. We love dining at Blaze Pizza because the high energy of the staff adds that extra bit of joy to our pizza adventure, and here’s a bazaar dine-in hack; try mixing the Blood orange Lemonade with Passion Aqua Fresca to your taste for a refreshing mocktail. We can’t stop 150

recommending Blaze Pizza’s latest offerings, like the deliciously healthy and low-carb Cauliflower Crust pizza with your favorite toppings paired with indulgent potato wedges. We’re especially fond of Blaze Pizza’s spicy Hot Link Signature pizza with extra Halloumi cheese, and we also loved the vegan Chorizo as a pizza topping! If you are in the restaurant and you want to order your Blaze Pizza items to go, there’s that option too, all easily done with the new website. When visiting order.BlazePizza.me, you can select English or Arabic, and it’s a good idea to register to keep a history of your order. This way, when you log in you can re-order with just one click, or remind yourself what toppings you chose on your last Build-Your-Own (BYO) pizza. If you’re ordering takeaway just click on the items you want, (here you can choose the 14 inch pizza which is exclusive for delivery and takeaway and not available for dine-in). Of course, all the 11 inch Signature pizzas are there for you to choose from as well. You can also build your own salad if you want a change from the classic Caesar or Greek salads on the menu. Don’t forget to choose sides like bazaar’s fave Dough Knots; mmm…cheese and garlic pesto deliciousness! Choose from three desserts (who doesn’t love a warm brownie?) and order your cold drinks too. You can then pay online, choose a time for your oven hot items to be ready and they will all be freshly prepared, fast fire’d, bagged and sealed to your order, waiting for you to collect! The entire process on order.BlazePizza.me can be done in minutes in a completely contact-free manner. So, however you want your Blaze Pizza experience you can at least trust that it will be safe, contact-free, convenient and now even faster; as if 180 seconds fast fire’d wasn’t fast enough. For contact-free ordering and payment visit the website order.BlazePizza.me. For the car service visit the Ahmadi, Jabriya, or Arabian Gulf Road Blaze Pizza locations. You can also enjoy dining at Blaze Pizza at Grand Plaza – The Avenues and Murouj. Follow @BlazePizzaMiddleEast on Facebook and Instagram @Blazepizzame for the latest updates. 151

bazaar books

RHYTHM OF WAR

by Brandon Sanderson, Epic Fantasy

WE KEEP THE DEAD CLOSE by Becky Cooper, True Crime

After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage. Now, as new technological discoveries begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength. At the same time that Kaladin Stormblessed must come to grips with his changing role within the Knights Radiant, his Windrunners face their own problem. Adolin and Shallan must lead the coalition’s envoy to the honorspren stronghold of Lasting Integrity and either convince the spren to join the cause against the evil god Odium, or personally face the storm of failure.

A PROMISED LAND

THE BEST OF ME

by Barack Obama, Memoire

by David Sedaris, Humor

A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making—from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy. In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency—a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office.

INSTANT KARMA

For more than twenty-five years, David Sedaris has been carving out a unique literary space, virtually creating his own genre. A Sedaris story may seem confessional, but is also highly attuned to the world outside. It opens our eyes to what is absurd and moving about our daily existence. Now, for the first time collected in one volume, the author brings us his funniest and most memorable work. In these stories, Sedaris shops for rare taxidermy, hitchhikes with a lady quadriplegic, and spits a lozenge into a fellow traveler’s lap. He drowns a mouse in a bucket, struggles to say “give it to me” in five languages, and hand-feeds a carnivorous bird. In these pages, Sedaris explores falling in love and staying together, recognizing his own aging not in the mirror but in the faces of his siblings, losing one parent and coming to terms—at long last— with the other.

BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD

by Marissa Meyer, Young Adult

by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Magical Realism

Chronic overachiever Prudence Daniels is always quick to cast judgment on the lazy, rude, and arrogant residents of her coastal town. Her dreams of karmic justice are fulfilled when after a night out with her friends, she wakes up with the sudden ability to cast instant karma on those around her. Pru giddily makes use of the power, punishing everyone from public vandals to karaoke hecklers, but there is one person on whom her powers consistently backfire: Quint Erickson, her slacker of a lab partner and all-around mortal enemy. Soon, Pru begins to uncover truths about Quint, her peers, and even herself that reveal how thin the line is between virtue and vanity, generosity and greed . . . love and hate.

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The story was this: a Harvard student had an affair with her professor, and the professor murdered her in the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology because she threatened to talk about the affair. Though the rumor proves false, the story that unfolds, one that Cooper will follow for ten years, is even more complex: a tale of gender inequality in academia, a “cowboy culture” among empowered male elites, the silencing effect of institutions, and our compulsion to rewrite the stories of female victims. We Keep the Dead Close is a memoir of mirrors, misogyny, and murder. It is at once a rumination on the violence and oppression that rules our revered institutions, a ghost story reflecting one young woman’s past onto another’s present, and a love story for a girl who was lost to history.

The question we often ask ourselves and others is; If you could go back, who would you want to meet? In a small back alley of Tokyo, there is a café that has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. Local legend says that this shop offers something else besides coffee—the chance to travel back in time. Over the course of one summer, four customers visit the café in the hopes of making that journey. But time travel isn’t so simple, and there are rules that must be followed. Most important, the trip can last only as long as it takes for the coffee to get cold. Heartwarming, wistful, mysterious and delightfully quirky, Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s internationally bestselling novel explores the age-old question: What would you change if you could travel back in time?

Source: Goodreads.com

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THERE’S NO LIMIT TO PINKBERRY JOY Everything we love about the frozen yogurt specialists By bazaar staff

If ever there was a place of pure joy it must be Pinkberry, where you can delight your taste buds with the most delicious of treats be it simple frozen yogurt, with toppings, or seasonal flavors. bazaar decided to take a deep dive into the scrumptious offerings at Pinkberry. From the latest Crunchy Waffle Cone serving option to refreshing smoothies, and so much more, there's something for everyone at Pinkberry. The freshly made and frozen yogurt that we’ve come to love comes in several flavors where everyone can find a favorite. If you like to keep things tropical choose the pomegranate, or passionfruit. These are a little sharper, fruity and tart if your tastebuds favor this. For those with a sweeter tooth there is your classic chocolate, or the seasonal pistachio, and of course for those of you who can’t decide there is always Pinkberry’s original flavor frozen yogurt. It’s a lot of fun choosing which toppings to scatter over your chosen frozen yogurt flavor. Do 154

you pick freshly cut fruit, dry toppings on sweet and rich sauces? Now you can feast your taste buds as well as your eyes as Pinkberry has announced unlimited selected toppings where customers can comfortably fill their cup. Of course, if you want to keep it super luxurious you can still splurge on the divine Milk Chocolate, Peanut Butter or Pistachio Crunch. If there is one thing that we do know and love about Pinkberry is that there is always some new combination to try out. This is why we’re always so happy to go back to Pinkberry time and time

again. There is certainly going to be some new addition to try or the latest innovation to enhance your Pinkberry experience. So, what does Pinkberry have in store for you now to indulge in? Introducing the Waffle Cone! This premium cone adds a whole new level of enjoyment to your Pinkberry experience adding taste and texture to your frozen yogurt concoction. With every bite you get that perfect crunch, and nothing feels and tastes better than a delectible drizzle of one Pinkberry’s sauces dripping with flavor to complement your waffle cone. It also

feels like you’re getting a little bonus layer of joy added to your frozen yogurt, and even better, no container to throw away! If you want to go even further with your cone of deliciousness, try dipping your waffle cone in rich, sweet chocolate or pistachio sauce and a coating of sprinkles. For those of you that wish to keep your cone king, then don’t detract from it, choose a simple swirl of original frozen yogurt topped with kiwi and strawberry keeping things fresh and appetizing. Is it ever really too early in the day to pick Pinkberry? For a healthier choice, why not partake in a Pinkberry parfait? With a layer of yogurt, fruit, granola and more yogurt you’ll get more of the right kind of sugars to get your juices going in the morning, with the granola giving you more long burn energy. This is a delicious treat for a quick lunchtime snack, or a pick-me-up before the gym. No two parfaits at Pinkberry are the same because you can customize them to suit your flavor preference, and they can be naughty too.

And who doesn’t like a little bit of naughty to their sweet treats? Get ready to spoil yourself! Try a layer of the original frozen yogurt, a layer of chocolate frozen yogurt, intersperse that with brownie bites, marshmallows and wafer rolls. Really, the options are only limited by your creativity considering the number of different ways you can add all sorts of topping, sauces, textures and flavors to your parfait. Another quick and easy treat that you can make as healthy or as naughty as you like is the Pinkberry Smoothie which comes in five blended flavors. You can decide to keep it fruity by selecting mango and pineapple from their various smoothie options or go to the dark side and choose a cookies and cream smoothie. Now that the weather is getting cooler this signifies the arrival of some of the heartwarming favorites that are now around this time of year. Lotus is a forever favorite for everyone who is a fan of this rich biscuit taste or the more indulging taste of smooth chocolate hazelnut

because nothing warms your insides quite as much as thick, rich, sweet goodness. All year around Pinkberry will bring back something you loved or introduce something else to fall in love with, so keep your eyes peeled for the frozen yogurt brand’s announcements on social media. But nothing says treat better than a good deal and wow does Pinkberry have a great offer available right now in store and for delivery! The perfect package comes in four (think of a four leaved clover), and what good luck is coming your way because you can now choose either four small cups with toppings or four mini cups with toppings at an amazing price! What a fantastic feast and we know where to find them, at Pinkberry.

The Waffle Cone offering is available at Pinkberry at The Avenues, Jabriya and Fashionway stores. For more information and for the latest updates follow Pinkberry on Instagram @pinkberryME.

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bazaar around town Bazaar Ad 26x31 - Red 2020.pdf

10/22/20

1:45 PM

“RED” ACCOUNT – GULF BANK We love spending our hard-earned money and there’s no greater reward for spending than getting cash back. “red” account was created for High school, College and University students between the age of 15-25 years old and the lifestyle they lead. With numerous features and benefits this card gives you more than what meets the eye. Like to spend money? Gulf Bank is the first bank that offers cash back every month just by using your debit card! With discounts at renowned retail stores and dining outlets, this debit card doesn’t fail to impress. That’s not all, just transferring your “student allowance” gives you the chance to win 12x your student allowance!

CMY

Go “red”! Because “red” suits you. For more information on Gulf Points, please visit e-gulfbank.com/en/ personal/accounts/youth-programs/red/points or follow Gulf Bank on Instagram and Twitter @Gulf_Bank or on Facebook and LinkedIn @GulfBank.

SPLASH LAUNCHES AW` 20 CAMPAIGN “IN LOVE WITH FASHION” The Middle East’s largest high-street fashion retailer unveiled its Autumn Winter 2020 collection with “in love with fashion “campaign representing a mix of inspiring fashion styles for both women and men. The winter line-up collection for women features sustainable wardrobe alternatives made from eco-friendly and ethically sourced materials such as organic cotton and recycled polyester. You will notice a mix of glamour and femininity with a hint of sportiness in the collection. Vibrant colors and textured fabrics are key trend drivers this season. Modest dressing has been made contemporary with new embellishments and details. Tailored and relaxed looks which easily takes you form day to evening in style. The mood is vibrant colors and a bold palette. Pandemic restriction has made us believe in self-indulgences and curating happiness all around. The menswear collection is a cozy yet functional, modern look in a gentle color palette. Comfort is the overarching story across menswear this season. Soft Winter products consisting of light to mid-weights in new knit patterns. New length coats and trend driven padded jackets and gilets are super easy to wear and style. Elasticated waistband Trousers, bi- stretch fabrics for movement, soft hand feel through finishes and washes done in menswear. Stay home style with loungewear and matching sets is peak post pandemic fashion and are perfect for stay cation too. Elevated Sweatshirts in contrasting fabrics, embroideries and quilting are key styles this season. Skinny Rib Knits are key layering pieces and Formal Macs are again elevated with clean styling details and longline shapes, evening styles in menswear are unique and different this season to indulge in for all festive celebrations.

The collection is now available in Splash stores across the GCC and online at spalshfashions.com.

BEE A TIGER – KENZO Kenzo’s Spring Summer 2021 collection is optimistic, hopeful and oh-so timely. The references, ideas and concepts of this collection are as eclectic, varied and contrasted as the states of mind, that Felipe Oliveira Baptista, creative director, went through since the beginning of the pandemic. Dichotomies have never been so visibly contrasted and harsh. The world is crying, so are the flowers in all the prints we have developed for the collection. Archival Kenzo poppies and hortensias were given a digital crying effect. From flowers the primal feeling of protection and cocooning came an ode to the bees, the regulators of the planet. Now, more than ever we are overwhelmed by a sense of urgency to take care and protect our world. The collection features bees and the beekeepers with their mesmerizing clothing and hats that echo so strongly the fragility and distance imposed and needed today.

KENZO is located at The Avenues and 360MALL. For more information, visit Alyasra Fashion on Instagram @Alyasra. 156

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bazaar around town

SLEEP WELL WITH MUJI A better night’s sleep in a good bed can all add up to a better you. MUJ’s bed frame is made from solid Oak wood which gives the bed its natural light color. Its classic design also comes with practical features that help make sleep more comfortable. One of which is a curved wood spring that acts as a double cushion when combined with a mattress. This helps disperse body weight to minimize pressure on the waist and back. It can also be disassembled easily for more convenience when moving from one space to another. Along with a good bed you need a good pillow. Choose a pillow that lets you sleep a third of the day. MUJI’s feather pillows are made from light and firm waterfowl feathers that comfortably wraps around the back of your head with a soft touch. Invest in a good bed with MUJI’s Sleep Well offer! Spend KD 12 and save 3 KD on bedding, aroma diffusers, pajamas and more. Shop in store or online at www.muji.com.kw.

ATTENTION KUWAIT SWIRLERS: THE WAFFLE CONE HAS LANDED AT PINKBERRY! Get ready to level up your Pinkberry experience with the delicious Crunchy Waffle Cone! The world’s favorite non-fat frozen yogurt concept is giving us the ultimate sweet treat which can be paired with any of Pinkberry’s tart or sweet frozen yogurt flavors. If you fancy the perfect swirl with the perfect crunch with every bite, then enjoy it with a waffle cone. Plain old class style, dipped in soul satisfying chocolate sauce and topped off with festive sprinkles for a more indulgent experience, or our unique pistachio sauce. What’s not to love about a Crunchy Waffle Cone, especially when it is paired with your preferred frozen yogurt flavor and topped with the toppings that make your heart happy. So what are you still waiting for? Head to Pinkberry today and get a taste of this amazing experience! Waffle Cones are available at Pinkberry The Avenues, Jabriya and the Fashionway store in Salmiya. For the latest updates, follow @PinkberryMe on Instagram. NEXT 100% ORGANIC LINE Your baby is the most precious thing in your life. So why not treat them as such by dressing them in organic cotton. For those of you who are already on the organic bandwagon when it comes to their food, it’s time to take the next step and make sure they’re getting organic care on the outside, too. Next celebrates fashion our newborns and toddlers with a range of organic cotton wear made from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton that is responsibly produced to strict environmental and social standards. From cute rompers in soft pastels to body suits, the organic collection is delicate on the skin with no harmful dyes or chemicals used, thereby keeping your baby – and the environment – safe. Studies show that organic cotton is safer for infants due to the absence of toxic chemicals such as herbicides, insecticides and pesticides, cotton plants can grow naturally while keeping all the nutrients intact. Moreover, organic cotton is superior in quality and baby clothes made of organic cotton helps keep your little one healthy and happy! Check out the Organic Baby and Mom Gift Box with the baby organic line available at Next Stores now!

RAISING CANE’S COMING AGAIN TO THE AVENUES! Heads up Raising Cane’s fans another restaurant is coming to The Avenues this November. The new restaurant will be located in 1st Avenue on the first floor of the mall, beside the Cinema. So this would be the perfect opportunity for Kuwait Caniacs to grab a bite at the best chicken finger meals in town before or after a movie (once cinemas have opened up again) or even if they happen to be shopping at The Avenues near 1st Avenue. This new location marks the 10th restaurant in the country and the 3rd one in The Avenues, following the opening of their other stores in The Mall and in Tekzone. Raising Cane’s known for their famous chicken tenderloins meals uses only the highest quality ingredients; with 24-hour marinated hand-battered chicken tenderloins, premium crinkle-cut fries, golden-brown buttery Texas toast, secret recipe handmade Cane’s sauce, and creamy coleslaw. Following a handmade, cook-to-order system that ensures a great-tasting chicken tenderloin meal served hot and fresh every time!

You can discover more about Raising Cane’s latest news on Facebook RaisingCanesME and on Instagram @raisingcanesme.

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bazaar scopes

TAURUS APR 20 – MAY 20 Remember the story of Ferdinand the bull? All he wanted to do was sit under the cork tree and smell the roses – until one day he sat on a bumblebee and they thought he must be ferocious enough to fight the bull in the ring in Madrid. With the Scorpio Sun in your house of relationships, joined by Mars, the planet of passion and desire in Scorpio, you may feel like that bull who sat on a bumblebee.

GEMINI MAY 21 – JUN 21

SCORPIO OCT 23 – NOV 22 This is your month of rebirth, healing, regeneration and maximum intensity. Whether you express the scorpion, snake or phoenix/eagle energy of Scorpio is up to you to decide. And this month is particularly powerful for you as Mars, your guardian angel planet of desire and action joins the Sun in Scorpio on the 11th. Expect things to really heat up after the 11th as you become one with your passion.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 23 - DEC 21 There’s always the potential for lots of behind the scenes activity in this month, as the Scorpio planets flow in your 12th house of dreams, inspiration, spirituality and your unconscious. Wherever you need clarity and direction in your life, ask for answers in your dreams, because while the body sleeps the soul never does.

CAPRICORN DEC 22 – JAN 19 While you usually know where you’re going, your path up the mountain may not be all that clear. The monthly horoscope advises you to take a long hard look at the quality of your relationships, both personal and business and if they are pulling their weight. This is a great time to set boundaries and ask for what you want.

AQUARIUS JAN 20 – FEB 18 You may feel like you’re waking up after a long sleep. It’s time for magic in your career this month as the Scorpio planets travel in your 10th house. You feel a powerful sense of mission. You are the humanitarian of the zodiac and it’s time to express your uniqueness, originality and inventiveness in your job and move beyond all restrictions and eliminate what’s not working once Uranus moves forward.

As the adaptable, versatile and sometimes scattered and flighty air sign of the zodiac, you’ve been wondering what hit you as life has been fraught with power struggles lately, with Pluto, the planet of power, dancing opposite your Sun in Gemini. And you’ve been learning to surrender, haven’t you?

CANCER JUN 22 – JUL 22 It’s not easy being you, you say, dear crab? There’s no question that you’ve had to be more disciplined and responsible for your feelings and your emotional wellbeing. You know now that you’re just as capable of abandoning you as anyone else and you’ll have one more opportunity to create those internal structures that truly support who you are now.

LEO JUL 23 – AUG 22 While you are normally gregarious, fun-loving and outgoing by nature, you may be feeling more private, withdrawn, introspective and reflective. This is the time to entertain yourself in the privacy of your home and celebrate the miracle of your inner life. It would be good to undertake a project in your home so that you have a physical outlet for the intense, powerful energy of Mars.

VIRGO AUG 23 – SEP 22 What a ride you’ve had for the last year as you expanded on every level possible, perhaps even your waistline? Mercury, your guardian angel planet, leaves the focused, determined, penetrating Scorpio energy and journeys into optimistic, exuberant, enthusiastic Sagittarius. Quit being so anal about everything having to be just so. You can miss the miracle of life if you’re so focused on every little detail.

LIBRA SEP 23 – OCT 22 You’re having a ball now, aren’t you, oh lover of relationships, teamwork and cooperation, with Jupiter, the planet of growth and expansion, travelling in your sign. If you’re cashing in now, it’s because you deserve it. Of all the signs in the zodiac, you recognize the value and the gift in all relationships and now’s the time for you to reaffirm that every match is made in heaven.

PISCES FEB 19 – MAR 19 Your head may be spinning as you step up to who you really are, this month. You are in a creative re-awakening and are coming into your own. The dazzling planet Uranus puts you at the center of divine change which may also feel like your own personal revolution so that you can discover the real you. Reinvent yourself and revise your personal life itinerary.

ARIES MAR 20 – APR 19 According to your horoscope, this month is the time every year when your interactions with others intensify, as the Scorpio Sun travels in the part of your chart where you merge your energies with others on every level – psychologically, philosophically, intellectually, financially and sexually. What adds to this powerhouse energy this year is the cycle of Mars, your ruling planet also in intense, magical Scorpio after the 11th.

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Source: yearly-horoscope.org

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