April 2016 | Issue # 203
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T HE AV EN U E S | MA RIN A MALL | PROMENADE | MUTHANA | MO HALAB | AL KOU
ecc CASUAL COOL Men’s choices in laid-back clothing – though occasionally haphazard creating the unique male sartorial style that makes casual irresistible.
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T HE A V EN UES | M O H ALAB | AL KOUT
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co FEMININE FEELING We welcome spring by reconnecting with nature once again. Brighter fabrics and natural materials are key to the earthbound look that accompanies the transition. Shapes are organic. flowing and full of life.
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M A RIN A M ALL | PROMENADE | MUTHANA
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Int 2016 has been off to a difficult start to say the least, and it doesn't look like its getting any better any time soon. Low oil prices, combined with uneasy regional rumblings, combined with a global recession, combined with many companies laying people off to improve their bottom lines,or at the very least, reduce their losses, has led to a general feeling of doom and gloom here in K-town. Empty shops in empty malls are a common sight nowadays. Yet, it's not all bad. In February we had the amazing Yacht Show, and in March we had what was probably the best event of the year - the Kuwait Food Festival where we bazaarites had our very own Chill Out Lounge that was visited by thousands of people over the course of three days. We ate, drank, smoked shisha, and had some of the best pecan pie in the world (you know who you are!) all while getting to know our readers better, and getting a better idea of what they like or dislike about bazaar and the sort of content we generate. I'm not one to toot one's own horn, but the love we felt was quite overwhelming to say the least! This issue of bazaar took us on a curious quest for creativity with Design Scientist and Art Psychotherapist Dr. Amar Behbehani in up close and personal. We also drank our way to health with Khalidah Al Essa at her all-new Bluezone Juice bar, and explored the future of social media with Hind Al-Nahedh. The incredible Samia Al-Duaij shared with us her vision for Green Living, and Lynda Higgs spoke to Dr. Will Le Quesne about the future of the world’s oceans. The common thread shared among all of these wonderful people is sustainability, where we learn that the concept goes beyond its basic definition and should encompass all aspects of our lives. We also met with the famous Facehunter brought to you by Studio Nuqat, and marked our calendars for the release of H&M’s 2016 Conscious Exclusive collection. Flip over to our spread of this modern collection filled with historic charm to check it out! When it comes to uncovering the latest dining gems (we have to also sustain our hunger, you know), we revisited Rio, Kuwait’s premier Churrascaria to uncover their latest menu additions with our appetites in tow. We also found our new favorite joint for all things curry and delectable Indian cuisine: Hotel Calcutta at The Avenues. Not just that, we’ve come up with a solution for all sofa surfers looking for a new bite to eat, in the form of our new delivery-only column: bazaar eats in. This month, we start off with the Peking-Duck only concept, Quack! If you know of any delivery concepts worth mentioning, be sure to hook up this content team.
About the Cover:
March 2016 | Issue # 203
www.bazaar.town
Our cover artwork this month is brought to you by none other than incredible artist, Shurooq Amin. Titled, The No.2 Ladies Detective Agency (The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith), the Mixed Media canvas is actually sized at 110 cm x 90 cm, and was completed by the artist in 2016 as part of her upcoming series of work, It’s A Mad World. Don't miss the artist's up coming exhibition at CAP Kuwait.
The bazaar team... Boss Ahmed El-Adly
Operations Tim Burns
Business Development Ihab Mokalled
Design Ahmed Al-Ashab
Content Coordinator/Staff Writer Yasmine El Charif
Staff Writer/Online Media Amira Haroun
Staff Writer Yasmine Dalloul
Communications Hala Y. Sharara
Editor Alia Al Duaij
Contributing Writers Ayman Nassar Barry Rodrigues Dr. Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg Kuwait Anime Club Lynda Higgs Nejoud Al Yagout Strawberry Girl
Contributing Photographers Mohammed Al Ameer Muneera AlKhulaifi
Syndicates & Sources
Printing British Industries for Printing and Packaging
members of:
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).
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Happy reading!
tel. 2461 0017 – fax 2461 0018 info@bazaar-magazine.com www.bazaar.town | Al Argan Complex, Shuwaikh Free Trade Zone @bazaargram bazaarmagazine @bazaartweets
Ahmed El-Adly
No one likes to be dumped;
recycle me, please.
fiat
INDEX APR '16
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ABEER2
FACEHUNTER
SHUROOQ AMIN
MAC LEB
DR. AMAR BEHBEHANI
April is Autism Awareness Month, so to honor it we’ve included an interview with Abeer Yousuf Al Safran of the Abeer2 voluntary center. Read about the work that Abeer2 does for the special needs community and what it means to be autistic and living in Kuwait.
The Nuqat Studio sessions are among us, and one of our own was lucky enough to attend one of the Tasweer workshops! For all photography enthusiasts, the adventures of one bazaarite brushing up on her street style photography skills under the instruction of a legend is a definite page-turner.
Locally loved mixed media artist, Shurooq Amin is making a Kuwait comeback with her latest series, It's a Mad World. Read our interview as we pick our cover artist's brain about her constantly evolving work, and her upcoming showcase at CAP Kuwait in association with Dubai's Ayyam Gallery.
This month’s Truth or Dare is brought to you by Mohammad Chehimi, or as he’s known in the photography world, “Mac_Leb”. Discover Mac’s photography secrets, how he chooses his subjects, and his general likes, dislikes and life ethos as he plays our favorite game; Truth or Dare.
For Dr. Amar Behbehani, working in the field of creative education while simultaneously helping people with her talent as an art therapist is the most natural thing she can do! Have the privilege of meeting her in this month’s Up Close and Personal.
Hind Al-Nahedh p.56
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HOTEL CALCUTTA
HIND AL-NAHEDH
Looking for a new go-to spot to satisfy your Indian food cravings? After our visit to Hotel Calcutta, it’s safe to say that we have the brand new Indian eatery on our minds. Join us in our discovery of this tantalizing nod to the Bengal region of mystical India.
Hitting a rut with your social media marketing and need some inspiration? Why not follow Social Lobby founder Hind AlNahedh’s lead and revolutionize the concept of on demand radio in Kuwait! Read up on this media mogul’s way with podcasting, and why she thinks it’s the future.
92 THE URBAN ANALYST Fashionality is back, and this month’s is a real treat. We’ve tracked down the stylish and super intelligent Taiba Al Nassar – AKA: The Urban Analyst to discuss what tickles her fancy when it comes to fashion. What makes Taiba so special besides her impeccable way with words? She’s only 16!
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SAMIA AL-DUAIJ
BAZAAR EATS IN
Freelancer Lynda Higgs gives us Because we love ordering our lunch the scoop on Kuwaiti born and to the office (and eating it as a bazaar bred scientist and environmentalist, family!) we decided to try something Samia Al-Duaij. Read up on Samia’s different this month. Read up on our thoughts about sustainability, and experience with delicious delivery only what it really means to be Green in concept Quack, specializing in globally Kuwait. loved dish: Peking Duck.
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BLUEZONE JUICE BAR
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Gone are the days where organic, vitamin enriched snacks, juices and smoothies are out of reach! Thanks to Khalidah Al Essa’s Bluezone Juice Bar at Sultan Center, healthier options are way more accessible in Kuwait. Read about the journey and why it’s so good in this issue.
When we heard that there have been minor updates and alterations to the beloved Churrascaria’s menu, we couldn’t resist a revisit. Join us on a journey of excellently prepared meat – like they do in Brazil, and read up on why we love that there’s a little part of Rio de Janeiro nestled in Kuwait City.
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Hotels & Health Clubs
Malls
Al Salam Mall Arraya Haagen Dazs Galleria Al Hamra Elevation Burger Mall 360 Dunkin Donuts Marina Mall/Crescent Casper & Gambini Chocolate Bar Johnny Rockets P.Q. Paul Souq Sharq Starbucks Haagen Dazs Breadz Symphony Mall Juan Valdez The Avenues Elevation Burger Johnny Rockets Paul Starbucks Airport Mall Starbucks Dar Al Awadi I.O. Center Spoons Chocolate Bar Salhiya Complex Starbucks
Stand Alones
4 Boutique Alghanim Marine Alghanim Showrooms - Safat Al Rai,
Shuweikh, Sharq, Fahaheel beau-Tique cosmetics British Embassy Brush Salon CAP Gallery Cookie Dough Dar Al Funoon Dar.Nur Gold Class Lounge - Grand Cinemas Al Hamra I. O. Center Italian Center Jacques Dessange Salon, Shaab KAICO Kuwait Airport Business Class Lounges N Style Nail Lounge Media Elephant Pink Moon Boutique Sultan Gallery THE One The Chairman's Club USA Embassy
Schools & Universities American International School American University of Kuwait Australian College Kuwait Bayan School (Hawalli) Boxhill College BSK - British School of Kuwait Universal American School
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Adolfo
what's on? LIVING YOGA FESTIVAL 2016 Date: April 22nd-April 23rd 2016 Location: April 22 Al Shaheed Park, April 23 Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) rooftop, Shuwaikh The Jivamukti Yoga Kuwait Collective is excited to announce the Living Yoga Festival 2016. Step onto the mat at Al Shaheed Park on April 22 where Sydney–based Advanced Certified Jivamukti Teacher Chris Johns will lead a free Electro Jivamukti Yoga class through flowing sequences distinct to the Jivamukti method, choreographed to the innovative, deep vibrational sounds of local Kuwaiti electronic music producer Empty Kuarter. On April 23, fly higher with your practice on the rooftop of the Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) where Chris will lead a challenging, intelligently sequenced 2-hour workshop that will encourage you to spread your wings and fly. After the asana class participants will be treated to a Nada (sound) healing session and a whole lot more. Vegan refreshments and snacks will also be available. There will be more than a few surprises on the night with an eclectic mix of contributions by artists & musicians. The yoga class and workshop are physically challenging, but open to all levels of practice. Pre-requisites are a BYO yoga mat, a basic familiarity with yoga, and good physical health, and a desire to challenge yourself and explore! All money raised will be donated to a local Kuwaiti charity. You can follow Living Yoga Festival and Jivamukti Yoga Kuwait on Instagram and Facebook @jivamukti_yoga_kuwait for news, images and updates from the team with details on event registration and ticket purchase. LINES - CURATED BY AMIRA BEHBEHANI Date: April 17th-April 26th 2016 Location: AM Art & Design Gallery, Kuwait City Before the advent of photography, newspapers and publications all used line drawings for the images they wanted to publish, and illustrators would use simple lines to create the most intricate of drawings. Today, line drawing continues to be popular among artists and illustrators for its unique visual simplicity yet sophisticated and direct effect. This exhibition, curated by Amira Behbehani, presents the work of nine artists and architects whose works reflects the variations in technique of the most important element in drawing – Lines. Using different mediums, the collective will show their own interpretations of the LINE. Artists & architects featured are: Jamal Al Yousif (Artist – Bahrain), Mahmood Al Daoud (Artist – Syria), Tarek Butayhi (Artist – Syria), Eilidh Middleton (Architect – UK), Alexandra Zambon (Architect – Italy), Thuraya Baqsami (Artist – Kuwait), Mahmoud El Maghraby (Artist – Egypt), Waleed Shaalan (Architect – Eygpt) and curator Amira Behbehani (Artist – Kuwait). For more on Amira, visit her on Instagram @amira.behbehani. RED BULL ART OF CAN: CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES Date: April 16th 2016 Location: Register online Following the success of Red Bull Art of Can 2011, the event is returning this year and will be giving talents from Kuwait the chance to go with inspiration to new heights. The Red Bull Art of Can offers a platform for anyone, regardless of age, who wants to explore their creative talent. Artists, students, grandparents and all those in between are invited to submit their works of art. The Red Bull Art of Can is a true expression of one's imagination, with little or no restrictions placed on the budding artist. First place prize is 1,000 KD, the second place prize 750 KD and third place prize is 500 KD. As for the displayed digital category, the 1st place is 1,000 KD. The closing date for applications is 16th April 2016 and the last day for receiving the artworks is 31st May 2016. The organizers will afterwards shortlist the entrants qualified to participate in “The Art of Can” exhibition based on creativity, theme and final presentation. Applications can be submitted online by registering at www.redbull.com/artofcankw, rules and terms can also be found here. Alternatively you can call the hotline 6640 6020. PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS Date: April 8th and 15th 2016 Location: Around Kuwait A professional photographer with a passion for the genre of Street Photography, Lynda loves to explore her environment and observe the details of daily life that give a place its character. Her popular Street Photography and iPhone Photography workshops offer participants the opportunity to learn new skills, become more confident about shooting in a public space, and see their city from a new perspective. With a maximum of 8 participants on Street Photography workshops and 6 on iPhone Photography Workshops, participants get plenty of opportunity to ask questions and learn from Lynda. Her next workshops are taking place on of 8th April (iPhone Photography) and 15th April (Street Photography). All levels are welcome at both workshops. You can book your space by calling 5593 4604 or lyndahiggsphotography@yahoo.co.uk or at www.lyndahiggsphotography.com/workshops.html. You can follow Lynda on Instagram @thesometimephotographer and Facebook: LyndaHPhotography.
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www.lindafarrow.com
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- Sharq
22409341
- Kuwait City
- Sharq
- Fahaheel International intoptique Optique
what’s trending April 2016 As much as we work our hardest to give you one rocking print issue after the other, we’re socially active (or try our best to be, we are bazaar humans after all) and we love it! Find us online: It makes our day when we see your tweets/mentions/likes/comments/shares about your favorite features and more. facebook.com/bazaarmagazine
What: @quack.kw Info: Peking duck done right Editor’s Note: Delivery only!
What: @theurbananalyst Info: Young fashionable Kuwaiti blog Editor’s Note: Fun and sassy!
What: @theapprovedmarket Info: Health approved snacks, eats and products Editor’s Note: shop guilt free!
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What: @porenaturals Info: Fresh handmade bath and skincare Editor’s Note: Cupcake lip scrub=YUM!
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What: @if_koweit Info: The French Insitute of Kuwait Editor’s Note: Follow them for interesting events!
instagram.com/bazaargram
What: @kuwaitdogwhisperer Info: Specializing in doggy discipline! Editor’s Note: Good behavior is only a call away
What: @Yislamoo Info: Greeting cards and more from beautiful Arabia Editor’s Note: Awesome lifestyle brand
What: @bebegatekw Info: Baby accessories galore Editor’s Note: Perfect for a baby shower gift!
CBK
truth or dare
BEHIND THE LENS WITH MOHAMAD CHEHIMI By bazaar staff
Photography is one of the most sought-out art forms of our generation. It seems these days it’s “easy” to become a photographer, as long as you have a smart phone with an impressive camera, or a professional SLR. But there are people like Mohamad “MAC” Chehimi who more than just dabble in the art of photography with gusto, and this truly shines through in his work. Though a Lebanese citizen, Mohamad is born and bred in Kuwait. As an architect, his affinity and dedication go to his day job first. In a little under 15 years, photography has become a major part of his life. Mohamad says he’s been shooting since 2003, and hadn’t ventured towards the professional path till 2009 – his professional-grade photography would lead any viewer to assume otherwise. “It all started with my summer visits to Lebanon, where I would frequent my uncle’s studio to develop the 35mm films I had shot using my dad’s Yashica Diary camera. During my college years, my photography boomed when I started shooting for a magazine called Origami, which gave me the chance to earn my first penny out of what used to be a hobby.” From hobby to second (or first?) profession, Chehimi had definitely gone places. An avid traveller, he enjoys shooting landscapes he visits, but also frequents what he refers to as his “favorite fields of photography:” fashion, portraits, and sports. “But I generally shoot everything, and I’m so enthusiastic to experiment – after all, that’s how we all learn!” What’s great about Mohamad’s work is that he really enjoys capturing underground artists in their element. “I believe in their art and appreciate how they’re giving more to the community, which is why I enjoy photo shoots with them.” To him, it’s important that creative people in Kuwait stick together, and for them to help each other out. “I like to help them shine, because we simply shine together as a productive creative community.” And shine they do, in his photos! Is it his aim? What about his use of natural light? He won’t divulge the secrets of his skill too much, but he does give us a sneak peak: his camera collection! “I’ve been lucky to collect cameras, starting with micro ones (Minox) and ending with larger formatted cameras that gave me my fare share of trial and error. I currently shoot with Canon, depending on the subject. Each subject deserves a different camera.” After getting him to prove his point by snapping 28
an expert selfie with what we can only assume is his Canon, the savvy photographer agreed to play our favorite game. Kuwait, let us introduce you to the man behind the lens, Mohamad “MAC” Chehimi. How would your mother describe you in one word? A good soul. How would you describe your mother in one word? The reason. What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked? How much do you make? What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? Book a ticket to Nepal and leave in less than 24 hours. What is your theme song? "Viva La Vida" by Cold Play. What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented? Skyscraper. Where would you like to live? What is your dream retirement location? Live: Santa Monica, LA. Retirement location: Barcelona. What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind? “Less is More” - Mies Van Der Ruhe. What animal best describes the kind of partner you’d be interested in? Manta ray.
What do you miss about your childhood? Exams being my biggest concern – and less to worry about. If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Pau. How would you describe your handshake in one word? Welcoming. What is the toughest part of your character? I’m a perfectionist. Who is your favorite historical figure? The Samurai. What in the world do you least desire? Lying. What do you think is lacking in the world, which if there was more of would make the world a better place? Green: whether it be green buildings, living a green lifestyle (recycling), or green trees. Why do you think most girls/guys like you? I’m spontaneous and a good listener. Finish this sentence: “Happiness is a thing called…” … ART. To check out Mohamad’s amazing photography, follow him on Instagram @mac_leb and check out his website at www.behance.net/MohamadChehimi-MAC.
promenade
THE DOG WHISPERER The Do’s and Don'ts of doggy discipline with Timi Cissna By bazaar staff
They say that dogs are man’s best friend, and the saying is usually true. When people love dogs, they truly LOVE them, and for good reason, too: they’re cute, playful and extremely loyal. However, when a dog acts out, it can be a little… too much for some people. Enter Timi Cissna, certified dog behaviorist. As someone who feels such an affinity towards the beloved domestic pet, her way of charming them into obedience has earned her the title: Kuwait’s very own Dog Whisperer. “As a young child, when people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would always answer with ‘I want to be a dog!’” laughed the Californian ACK student as she affectionately scratched her beautiful 6 year old Brindle Nala’s ear. Nala, the Cissna family dog is as well mannered as she is adorable, trotting along by her human’s side and patiently performing the many tricks she has up her sleeve. From “sit”, to “shake hands” and “play dead”, Nala is a pro, which goes to show that she was raised properly by the best – and it doesn’t hurt that Timi is expertly trained in the field! Timi received her certification as a dog behaviorist from the British College of Canine Studies in 2015 – she certainly knows her stuff when it comes to doggy discipline. “I’ve always loved dogs and felt inspired by Cesar Millan, the actual dog whisperer, and the way he would rehabilitate different dogs’ issues. He led me to believe that when a dog has an issue, it’s usually people and their environment who create them.” What environment would that be? It’s all about energy, according to Timi. This is what she explores in her services as a Dog Behaviorist. She starts the process by visiting her clients’ homes to familiarize herself with both the dogs and their humans. “I go to their house because when a dog is in its environment, that’s when they’re at their realest. They’re more likely to act a little different when they’re outside of that environment, and by visiting their home base, you can understand what type of energy is usually feeding their behavior.” Her interaction with the dog’s “parents” also tells a similar tale, as she can pick up on the errors people make when it comes to handling their dogs: whether it be wrongful discipline, such as shouting or whacking 30
them on the nose with a newspaper when misbehaving – actions that would likely fuel a dog’s aggression rather than nurturing them towards the path of good behavior; or neglect. “I get it. In Kuwait, the weather tends to get extremely hot and we don’t have the luxury of giving the dog a lot of exercise. In Arab culture, dogs are also not usually allowed in houses, which can also make them feel neglected. These factors contribute to the dog’s acting out, which is why most dogs in Kuwait have the common issue of being hyperactive or aggressive.” But it’s all fixed when Timi comes into the picture. She likes to teach the dogs’ human counterparts about energy and intent – how to stay strong and stern when it comes to letting their dog know right from wrong. She deals with the issue at hand, and has the human watch and interact with the dog so that they learn how to address the issue so that it doesn’t happen again – or at least as often. But the key boils down to energy. “If you discipline a dog with the proper energy of sternness, letting them know who’s boss, and you do that 19 times but on the 20th time your energy changes, then all the
progress goes away in a millisecond. The dog won’t remember what happened those past 19 times, you have to stay consistent to keep them well behaved.” Other than energy and consistency, what else keeps your dog disciplined? “Eye contact and the Touch.” The Touch is a more researched, fool-proofed method to get your dog to listen to you. Taken from a biological standpoint, you touch (and actually, gently touch) between the shoulder and behind the ear of the dog to let them know when they’re doing something wrong. In Timi’s world, dogs are complex creatures to understand, but simple to connect with. “They’re like children – you have to teach them right from wrong, but when they get it, they will always behave! Just remember to be gentle and stern, and don’t forget that energy is key.” So when your dog starts to act out, The Dog Whisperer is only a phone call away. Having trouble with your unruly dog? Follow Timi Cissna @kuwaitdogwhisperer for more information. Help is just a click or call away! Photography by Muneera AlKhulaifi.
TAF
up close and personal
A CURIOUS QUEST
DESIGN SCIENTIST AND ART PSYCHOTHERAPIST DR. AMAR BEHBEHANI By bazaar staff
I met with Dr. Amar Behbehani on International Women’s Day last month. I couldn’t even think of a day more fitting to speak about her remarkable talents and unrelenting thirst for knowledge, empowerment and creativity. Building a great career is a universal ambition, yet it doesn’t come easily. It takes grit, passion and determination. For one Dr. Amar Behbehani, however, working in the field of creative education while simultaneously helping people as an art therapist is her life-long 32
ambition. In constant pursuit of knowledge and never hesitating to ask ‘why’, Amar successfully bridges the gap between art and science. “When I was seven years old, I had a beautiful art teacher who sparked my creative intelligence,” began Amar, “I was born with a disability, or what I call an exceptional ability, without my left fingers. Yet, I was taught how to weave. Another music teacher taught me how to play the piano.” Amar’s childhood education experience in Kuwait reflected a time and society that truly believes in the
importance of creative education. While ‘creative education’ might not have been an officially declared field of knowledge at the time, Amar considered her educational hub as the first marker of inspiration. “I didn’t know I was inspired at the time! All I remember were these beautiful women who played a role in my creative skill enhancement, and I developed my various creativities accordingly.” Excelling at her studies was never an issue for the design scientist. It is Amar’s curious quest, however, that led her on an educational
journey around the globe. From studying Mass Communications and Fine Arts at The American University in Cairo, undertaking an MFA in Graphic Design and Visual Communication in New York’s Rochester Institute of Technology, to finally arriving in Florida to complete her PhD in Art Education and Art Therapy. The journey, in and of itself, is remarkable. She said, “I loved living in Cairo, it was such an enriching experience, but I wasn’t happy upon graduating because I always felt that there was more to be discovered. I didn’t like being labeled either as a communications specialist, or an artist. I believed in the function and methodology of art. There had to be a science to it.” Upon returning home as one of the first Kuwaitis in the field, her curiosity was further piqued when the Ministry of Education labeled her education as an arts degree, which then led her on a journey across the pond to New York. She enjoyed a beautiful two-year experience doing her MFA in New York, presented her work at conferences, and even worked as a media agent to the university as well as being a TA. She recounted, “I was in my element—I knew that I was going to graduate and be a teacher, fully convinced with what I was doing.” Towards the end of her MFA, Amar wished to focus on helping children with learning disabilities through her art. “If we visually enhance our educational materials, individuals with special needs would be able to enhance their intelligences.” To demonstrate her message, Amar designed new reading books for the New York’s school district. This was tested out for an entire semester where readability increased by 60%. It all made sense to Amar. She was armed with a design specialty, and wanted to prove that art and design could be used to improve a person’s well being and quality of life through a PhD Program in Florida. In doing so, she completed a masters in Psychology while working in the arts education field. She trained to become an art therapist, while still pursuing her passion for arts education. Amar’s experience in Florida exposed her to individuals with various disabilities and illnesses, from working with Alzheimer’s sufferers to rehabilitating prison mates. One PhD later, Amar learned that if you don’t follow the protocols of education, you cannot lead them. “While I might have my own reservations about certain procedures, the desire to evolve from teacher to educator kept me going. I never liked rules that never made any sense. So I decided to break them, constructively, that is.” Today, Amar divides her time between Kuwait University teaching design education, typography, graphic design, design sciences and Soor Center as an art psychotherapist. “I worked for it, I’ve been wanting this since I was 19.” The notion of creativity from a
design education perspective and embracing our innate and applied creativities is an ethos that Amar lives by. Her students, usually introductory students, are exposed to both philosophical and scientific approaches to creativity. “They know I have expectations, as we are a small department that is still new. Students expect a challenge, and I never underestimate their intelligence. I help them engage their spatial, visual intelligences. I want to be a teacher that is remembered, like I remember my educators.” As an art therapist, Amar engages her empathetic side, and the experience resets her mental space. She explained, “I love how art can also be healing, and seeing my clients react positively is a truly rewarding experience. These intelligences that I know now made me better understand myself and my childhood.” She recalled the 1990 invasion as her breaking point. “I never realized that until I became an art therapist. We didn’t know back then what PTSD meant. All I knew was the need to be emotionally independent and self reliant.” Amar also enjoys her time doing non profit work, is an honorary board member with Nuqat and acts as an Education and Innovation consultant. She is also a board member with the International association for women, Soroptomist International Club Kuwait. As part of a group of professional women coming together as facilitators, the association is recognized by the UN and is geared toward women in Kuwait from different cultures and walks of life. She said, “the association aims to spread awareness, advocacy and action through our role as facilitators and professionals. As an art psychotherapist, my work is very quiet, and I can provide my expertise to accomplish these aims. We have our full rights as women in Kuwait, but before we could argue that women are deprived of their rights, we need to start educating society. We wish to raise empowered women, and teach men how to treat women through leading by example. We start with ourselves. What I do as a human being, I do as a woman first. I expect people to treat me the same.” Believing in divergent thinking means breaking the mold, and according to Amar, following the rules that break the rules, “that’s a process that only you could create for yourself, justify it with science, and empathize it with art, and then you are good to go.”
Humans present perfect imperfections, therefore perfect does not exist but the pursuit of happiness does exist. That is my idea of happiness. What is your greatest fear? My greatest failure would be to be fearful. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? My body, only because I want more health; I want to be 60 and still be able to have 12hour days! What is the trait you most deplore in others? Hypocrisy. I don’t like people who are untruthful. Which living person do you most admire? My parents. Career wise, my dad inspires me. My mom I admire for her suppor t and always challenging me to accomplish more. They are both leaders who built themselves from scratch. What is your greatest extravagance? Loving, but not in a romantic sense. I have the passion for creating love and would do anything for it. I don’t believe that emotion could be created easily. Creating the oppor tunity to love, and for people to love something new. The actual pursuit of love. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Technically speaking! What is it that you most dislike? I dislike hate, and the fact that we have a culture of black or white: hate or love. Labels, and not seeing the spectrum of light. Which talent would you most like to have? So many! Playing instruments is one of them, specifically the cello. If you could have any job, what would it be? I would have been a surgeon, like my father. What would you consider your g r eat est achi evement ? It has not come yet. What is your most treasured possession? A bracelet my mother gifted me as a graduation gift for my PhD. What is your most marked characteristic? My soul. I have an aura that is well grounded, and I know so. Where would you most like to live? New York City! Manhattan is a little place, often perceived as ugly, but fifteen minutes away from a beautiful mountain and sea district. It represents art and design culture, where everybody has something to offer. What are your favorite words to live by? Life is a pursuit of challenges so I would always say: One step at a time.
Up Close & Personal Questionnaire: What do you most value in your friends? True friends are my chosen family, and I value that chosen family that allows me to experience genuine communication, honesty, and the experience behind it. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Contact Dr. Amar Behbehani at: amar@Nuqat.me. Photography cour tesy of Mohammed Al Ameer, Photo Nu @Photo_nu_ on Instagram, www.photo-nu.com. 33
ELECTRONICA ARTIST ETYAN AT RED BULL
MUSIC ACADEMY SESSION KUWAIT
“There isn’t a time I can think of when music wasn’t my main passion” By bazaar staff
Music unites. This is not just a common saying, rather, it is what happened for two days at Dar Al Athar Al Islamiyya in Yarmouk Cultural Center. The Red Bull Music Academy has brought together artists from different parts of the world to Kuwait in order to share their passion and participate in the second Red Bull Music Academy Session Kuwait. The academy gathered musicians, composers, producers and vocalists from Kuwait and gave them the opportunity to be part of workshops, talks and share their experience with some of the most talented international and regional musicians. One of the notable attendances during the sessions and the live performance of Kuwait Rising Music Festival was Samer Etienne Chami aka Etyen – Music producer and Electronica musician from Beirut. When did you start a career in music? I put out the first Etyen EP and started performing about three years ago. Before that, I was playing in bands as a guitarist and singer. I eventually started recording by myself and then producing – I realized I was good at it and thought this is what I wanted to do. When I went to London, I enrolled in sound engineering and mixing courses and once I returned to Beirut, I released my first EP Happy New Year. Was music an intrinsic passion or did you have to learn it? I have taken courses in sound engineering and mixing – as a child I learned to play the piano, which rather formed an important base for me. I come from a family that has a deep connection to music – my father was a musician and I have always been musically involved. I taught myself guitar and a bunch of instruments growing up and there isn’t a time I can think of when music wasn’t my main passion. How do you feel about being part of the Red Bull Music Academy session? This is not my first time participating in a RBMA event. A month ago, I took part in RBMA Bass Camp Dubai and it was fantastic! I have participated in many other Red Bull Music Academy events in Lebanon in the last 34
few years. I met Zahed Sultan, the host of the event in Beirut during a Red Bull Music Academy special event in Beirut last year that we were both playing, and this is how I got in here. It is a great opportunity to be here, the interaction with the audience is great. What inspires you as a musician? Nature inspires me a lot. For instance, I was part of a musical residency in seclusion in the mountains of Saratoga, California along with other musicians – this was the most inspiring time of my life! I say nature because I truly believe that music is a part of nature; everything around you speaks and produces sounds; the trees, the wind, the running water. I am also influenced by people’s ideas (that speak to me) – philosophers, novelists…etc., and my own experiences, obviously. Other than nature, what gets you wanting to create music? Heartbreak or any human experience exchanged with someone else, like love and friendship – it all inspires me to create music. How long does it usually take you to put together a track? It really depends, sometimes inspiration will
be flowing through and the idea develops and matures without me even thinking about it. I have done tracks in a day, others over weeks where I leave it and then go back with a fresh outlook. I think it is important to let ideas simmer in your head but also take initiative and let yourself go when you feel inspiration coming. Who did you grow up listening to? I listened to lots and lots of different stuff. My favorite band growing up was Sigur Ros – an Icelandic post ambient rock outfit. I went through many phases and was really into Radiohead for a long time. As an adolescent, I listened to a lot of rock, from progressive to classic to punk and so on. Are you currently working on something new? I am currently working on a billion things. Releasing 2 EPs this year besides 6 or 7 different collaborations with artists internationally. Music videos, new live concept, so much really, you will have to follow me on social media to stay updated! Keep up with Etyen on social media, by following on Instagram: @sameretienne, Facebook: ETYEN and Twitter: @ETYENmusic.
new look
A PIECE OF FRANCE IN KUWAIT Discovering the French Institute of Kuwait in all of its glory By bazaar staff
Hidden in Jabriya’s mélange of lush greenery and concrete is the French Institute of Kuwait, a sleepy and poetic villa that captures the peaceful vibe of the borough’s quieter side. Established in 1969 under the title Institut Voltaire, the French Institute rebranded itself as a cultural and educational hub of all things Français in 2012 as Institut Français du Koweït (the French Institute of Kuwait). Made up of two charming villas, a staff of twenty people, a library, a café, and a beautiful garden with tables and comfortable seating, the French Institute houses an array of courses for all levels and ages, taught by eight full-time teachers and various substitutes. The atmosphere exudes France, and visitors, students or otherwise, can instantly feel embraced with a desire to explore the culture further. “The French Institute is a tool to promote French culture,” says Cutural Counsellor of the French Embassy and Director of the French Institute, Monsieur Issam Taleb. “We do this by implementing the vision of HE the Ambassador, and this includes what France is best known for: gastronomic culture, dance, fashion, cinema, music, studies, literature and tourism, etc.” It isn’t all about learning a language at the French Institute, although their extensive classes prove them to be the ideal place to brush up on your passé composé versus your imparfait. The Institute also offers a supportive outlet for the arts and creatives. For instance, the French Institute partnered with Cinescape Kuwait, offering an opportunity for students to submit application forms to experience a funded trip to Paris, where they will be sent to the renowned La Fémis Cinéma School. “We want to put Kuwait on the map with films and show the world that there’s real talent here, and what better way to do that than in Paris? Last year, we sent three students.” If cinema is not your thing, the French Institute also wants to send young artists to live in Paris during a month , in order to experience la vie bohème in the most artistic city in the world, because, as Monsieur Taleb believes, creatives need the space and opportunity to thrive. “This generation is an extremely creative generation, and we want to give them the opportunity to grow.” The French institute offers many cultural events for the public, Francophone and otherwise. During the month of March, with other embassies they 36
organised the Francophonie 2016, a festival that featured different events from lectures to concerts and film screenings from different French speaking nations around the world. Don’t fret if you’ve missed it, because the Institute is dedicated to showcasing events such as these on a regular basis! Upcoming interesting cultural events are sure to happen in the near future! They particularly enjoy bringing in French musicians such as Souad Massi and Dorsaf Hamdani to perform their beautiful music at venues like the Yarmouk Cultural Center or Shaheed Park, and have partnered with Nuqat, Loyac, Reuse, Sabab, Green Caravan Film Festival, to stand in public solidarity towards their support of creative education. Other than your basic French classes ranging from A1 to B2, they offer different classes that are dedicated to perfecting your French speech in professional conversational settings: law, business, diplomacy, medecine. If you’re looking to pursue an education at a French university, the French Institute can be a helpful tool. They offer guidance and assistance with filling out your applications and helping you decide on where to study, as well as aid in visa applications and bursaries. Issam states that “More that 12,000
Kuwaiti students are studying abroad, and currently only 120 of them are studying in France! We want to increase that number and will do whatever we can to help.” For that purpose they created an office called Campus France Koweit. The Institute also has a great library where you can check out books and return them at an allotted time, and where children can enjoy story-telling activities. Whether you’re a French citizen or from another French speaking country, looking to learn a new language or improve your French speaking skills, or just a creative looking for a space to showcase your work, this is the place for you. It’s a relaxed yet professional and organized atmosphere that is extremely accessible and welcoming. Discover Kuwait’s piece of France and what the French Institute has to offer. The French Institute is located in Jabriya Block 12, street 6, villa 41. For more information and to stay updated on events, check out their website at www.institutfrancais-koweit.com. Follow them on Facebook: Instutfrancais.dukoweit, Instagram @if_koweit @campusfrancekwt, and Twitter and Youtube @IFKoweit. Photography by Muneera AlKhulaifi.
regencey
HANGING WITH HAWRAA By Nejoud Al-Yagout
Obviously, Hawra’a Khalfan– the founder of Kuwait Writing Club (KWC) - is not an unseen force in Kuwait, because her voice is a potent one, pushing the envelope of what is deemed the norm in our region, and pushing others to write in the process. In fact, her desire to extend her passion for writing to others is also evident in her choice of profession as a Language Arts teacher. Here, I make an attempt, hopefully not a feeble one, to demystify this enigmatic soul. When and how did the idea of a Kuwait Writing Club spring to life? The Kuwait Writing Club is a sister club to the one which was initially founded in Riyadh in 2010. Hala Abdullah and Mashael Al-Blehed founded the Riyadh Writing Club to have a place to unleash their pens and throw their words out in the world. Hala then reached out to me in April of 2012 and helped me bring the KWC to life! The idea of the club is to create a safe haven for writers of English in the Middle East to freely express themselves. As with many clubs, sometimes, unfortunately, you have to reject writers. That must be very difficult. What criteria are you looking for exactly in a writer? There are two major pillars that keep our small community of writers standing; the first being a good grasp of the English language, which is imperative as members are also asked to provide feedback to one another during our meetings. The second and most important is the passion, the drive, the love for writing. This love is the fuel that pumps in our veins and pushes us to break down the walls our surroundings have built; it is the thirst that thrives within our entire being and drives us to write, write, and write. These two pillars work together to keep our club afloat so, at first glance, we ask applicants for samples of their writing. We prefer that their samples consist of both poetry and prose, as it gives us a better idea of the applicants’ writing abilities. We evaluate applicants based on their English writing skills and the way their words are weaved together. If the applicant is a good contender, we then send over the rules of the club- which is what indicates whether an applicant has a drive to write. Our club rules are quite strict and if the applicants agree to them, that shows us that they have a drive to write and are willing to work hard to build up their skills and be a part of our small community. Tell us a bit about what to expect if someone is accepted to the club. After initial acceptance, they are informed of the upcoming meeting details and the topic that it will revolve around - during which we just win them over with our exquisite charm so they’ll keep on comin’! You write both poetry and prose. Are you thinking of publishing a book one day? 38
I have been thinking about publishing a book since I was twelve. Every time I walk into a bookstore I think about having my book on a shelf and daydream about a stranger picking it up and taking a step into my life. The only thing that holds me back is the perfectionist in me. It. Has. To. Be. Perfect. What are the themes you explore the most in your writing? And is it a case of art imitating life? I like to focus on themes that I have a personal attachment to feminism being one of the most prevalent in my writing. I focus on social issues and comment on them indirectly (or sometimes blatantly). I think of my writing as a way of holding
up a magnifying glass to our society. So, before I set you free, tell us… Would you ever give up everything to write full-time one day? I would never be able to do that as I have two major inclinations in life: the first being to teach and the second to write. I don’t see either of them above the other. If anything, I think I’m at my best when I’m doing both at the same time, as they nourish different parts of who I am. You can find more information on her website: www.hawraakhalfan.com or on Instagram @hawraakhalfan.
solaris
IT'S A MAD WORLD
Artist Shurooq Amin makes local comeback at CAP Kuwait By bazaar staff
For artist Shurooq Amin, her latest series titled It’s a Mad World arrives full circle since her last exhibition in Kuwait. A true believer in self-progress and evolution, the artist might feel some apprehension prior to her upcoming show at CAP (Contemporary Art Platform) Kuwait, yet she is mostly excited to share her work with her local community. Since the shut down of It’s a Man’s World four years go, Shurooq has been wonderfully represented by Ayyam Gallery, giving her a platform to raise her voice uncensored and showcase her work in both Dubai and London. We couldn’t deny our elation and pride, however, when we learned about Ayyam Gallery’s recent endeavor with CAP Kuwait to exhibit Shurooq’s It’s a Mad World. A showcase of Shurooq’s work in Kuwait marks a creative milestone not only for the artist, but for anyone who believes in art and its importance. It's a Mad World consists of 18 ar tworks and an installation, and is curated by the renowned Mar tina Corgnati. Like all of Shurooq’s work, literature plays a key role in the development of her pieces. In It’s a Mad World, titles of various literatures are twisted to convey the purpose of the series of work itself. She explained, “It star ted subconsciously with Society Girls in 2010. In Society Girls I wrote a fusion of my poetr y and Nizar Qabbani’s poetr y onto the canvases as par t of the background. Then slowly the words left the canvas and became significant in the titles as in It’s a Man’s World (2012), in Popcornographic (2013), in We’ll Build This City on Ar t and Love (2014), and at the Venice Biennale in 2015. The titles became my way of 40
A Handful of Lust (A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh), Mixed Media 110 cm x 200 cm, 2016.
connecting the image to the message in an even more sarcastic, ironic way. I suppose having a PhD in Ekphrasis (the connection between ar t and poetr y) has influenced my work as an ar tist.” We sat down for a quick chat with the Shurooq to learn more about her upcoming exhibition at CAP Kuwait. How does it feel to exhibit your work once again in Kuwait? Thank you! I’m ver y happy and excited, but also slightly apprehensive. When people ask me if I think there might be trouble, I say that lightening doesn’t strike in the same place twice. Then they say it could strike three times! But on a serious note, Kuwait has come a long way since then. There are three factors involved in this: First, I think Kuwait is ready for me now. When I exhibited It’s a Man’s World in 2012, with its transparent por trayal of the hidden lives of men in Arab society, the countr y was not ready for those images. But since the shut down of that show and censorship of my work, many younger ar tists began to be more brave and explore society’s taboo issues, as I opened the door for them, so to speak (that was the second factor, that more ar tists in the region began to tackle sensitive subjects). Thirdly, in addition to that, I have proven myself as a fixture in the ar t world. My work is consistent and I am evolving not only as an ar tist technically and conceptually, but also as a human being in giving back to the community and in using my work as a vehicle for change.
Why did you change the original title for the show? The title was supposed to be Apocalypso Now, because I had a dream of Ed Sheeran singing his “I See Fire” song to my title. But then, after living with it for a few months, the title organically transformed into It’s a Mad World. There was a phonetic and syntactic connection to the title of It’s a Man’s World which was shut down in Kuwait four years ago, and since this was my Kuwait comeback show, so to speak, it seemed ver y poetic and relevant. Can you tell us more about your inspiration behind It's a Mad World? Like all of my other series it grows out of the previous one, like a lizard’s limb. They are all connected. It depends on what is happening around me in the world: my world, your world, the world on the news. The installation, The Last Sip, for example, is extremely relevant and timely for me. Geographically, it is also site-specific, as it explores the damaging ramifications of alcoholism in a society where alcohol is forbidden. How is the work different this time? First, it is technically better, as my craft keeps evolving ever y year. Second, it is conceptually more global and powerful. I brought Syria (the destruction of the cities), Chernobyl (the 1989 catastrophe and subsequent abandonment) and Taima (the area in which the bidoon live in Kuwait) into it as backgrounds for juxtaposing the
madness of our world today. The exhibition is curated by Mar tina Corgnati. Would you say that the time you spent with Mar tina at the 56th Venice Biennale greatly influences the direction of this exhibition? My time at the Venice Biennale was ver y inspiring, and my time with Mar tina at the Biennale was ver y influential. To be surrounded by greatness means you absorb some of it and become inspired. Mar tina and I clicked right away (she is an incredibly beautiful soul and has a balance to her, a grounded-ness that is contagious). So when she suggested that she would like to work with me, it seemed only natural that she should curate my show. How do you spend your time between exhibitions, and what does it take for you to star t working on another ar twork? Good question. For me to star t working on another exhibition is easy. Like I said previously: Once the concept is finished for this one, and the message is complete for this series, then I get ideas and screams in my head that need to be heard so I write them down or sketch them in my notebook (ever y series has a separate notebook). If I don’t write them down, I would go mad. I need to physically extricate them out of my brain, so that I can be at peace. About three months later, I usually start itching to get back into the studio because the conceptual part of my process is done. This takes about three months. Then there are [c o ntinu e d...] 41
It's a Mad World, Mixed Media, 220 x 200 cm. [...continued] six full months of actual studio work that could take anywhere between 6-12 hours a day. I do everything manually, there is no Photoshop used in any of these paintings. I do the photo shoots myself, then printing, then collaging manually, then adding layers of images via acrylic painting until the final message/image is ready to be varnished. I do not worry about where it will be exhibited; I do not worry about how it will be perceived; I just do the work that needs to be done, and say what needs to be said. 42
What's next for Shurooq Amin? That’s a loaded question: I am already conceptualizing my next show, believe it or not. No idea where it will be exactly, but pretty sure it will be with my representative galler y, Ayyam Galler y in Dubai, for 2017. Events that are already in my calendar: for 2016, I am invited to be a PhD examiner at a university in Italy, a speaker at a conference in a university in Italy, I have a long ar tist residency in Italy in the summer, then a show in Cairo, another biennale that
I cannot speak about yet, and a couple of speaking engagements. So it is a ver y busy productive year for me. Bring it on.
It’s a Mad World, a solo exhibition by Shurooq Amin curated by Mar tina Corgnati, is scheduled to take place on April 9 at CAP Kuwait. For more information, visit shurooqamin.com, follow the ar tist on Twitter and Instagram @shurooqamin and Facebook: Shurooq Amin.
Taiba
PROF. KHALID AL-BEGAIN Meet KCST’s first President By bazaar staff
With plans to change the face of education and bring to Kuwait the endless possibilities that come with academia, Prof. Khalid Al-Begain has set a new standard at the Kuwait College of Science and Technology (KCST). Not only has Prof. Khalid secured that KCST recieve technichal and academic support from IIT, but has also affiliated the university with the prestigious Japanese academic institution, Kanagawa Institute of Technology. This marks the beginning of his new-found journey. Holding two patents to his name, one of which has turned into a fullyfledged company, Prof. Khalid is superbly wellrounded and versed in the world of technological advancements. One of his patents – known now as My Lifeguard – is a surveillance company with a mobile application that puts the user in charge of their own surveillance. “This was created back in 2005 with a PhD student of mine long before the time of smartphones!” Prof. Khalid explained. We got the chance to sit with the very first president at KCST to find out more about his vision for future students. As the first president of KCST – what do you want prospective students to know? It’s always a privilege, and a huge challenge, to be the first president of a university. Any academic would have dreamed of being in a position like this. I’ve been preparing for this role over the span of ten years now, because I believe that I’ve gained enough experience throughout my time in academia and achieved a lot with my research as well as trained for managerial work. A combination of these three factors has ignited in me the vision to create an institution that provides engineering degrees but with leadership capabilities. This, is what I want prospective students to know. That they will be getting the education and foundation from a university that produces leaders. Where do you see KCST going? KCST is in a special and privileged situation. As a private university that started with a strong foundation due to its offered programs – they’re all very strong engineering programs based on a very respected and internationally recognized curriculum designed by experts from IIT. The founders asked me to lead the process of establishing this university, alongside all my highly respected colleagues here, with a vision for KCST. This entails developing a university with supremely high standards and quality of teaching with a strong emphasis on research, 44
strong student support, and of course, aiming to become the strongest private university in Kuwait and the region. We’re all working very hard to achieve this goal – and expanding beyond the three programs we currently have to offer prospective students. As the Director of CEMAS at the University of South Wales, how do you see the opportunities for KCST students in conjunction with CEMAS? The idea behind CEMAS – the Center of Excellence in Mobile Applications and Services – is based on an idea I had in 2008 to make the University of South Wales not only a base for education and teaching, but also for innovation. CEMAS provides the staff the opportunity to engage students with the industry and its innovation as well as developing high impact products that are closely related to what consumers need. Dealing with 170 companies through CEMAS, 70 projects have been turned into award-winning products that are considered the first of their kind. What we hope for, as we grow KCST, is to bring in the same concept to embed innovation into our processes. Whether it’s teaching or research, we aim to provide our students with special experiences. To date, what do you see is your most valued accomplishment?
First of all, I have to say my family, of course! I have three beautiful and intelligent boys – two of whom are in university and one is still in school. But on a professional level, it’s the number of important and prestigious positions I still hold in conjunction with being the President of KCST. I’m the President of the European Council on Modeling and Simulation, which is a very significant scientific organization in Europe and I’m very proud to be organizing our 30th conference this year in Germany. I also acted as an expert witness on major international court cases on the topic of technology – which is a very unique opportunity for any academic to work on court cases like the Nokia vs HTC case amongst others. My biggest achievement and most valued accomplishment to date would have to be a combination of everything I’ve done – I can’t just name one because I’m very proud of all of them. KCST is located in Doha, off of the 7th Ring Road. Visit www.kcst.edu.kw or call 2497 2970, 2497 2826, 9929 8626 for more information. Follow @KCST.KW on Instagram. For more information on Prof. Khalid Al-Begain make sure to check out his LinkedIn profile: uk.linkedin.com/in/khalid-al-begain-b311276.
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THE EVOLUTION OF THE “MARKETING” PROCESS By Barry Rodrigues
I have been part of the marketing scene in Kuwait for over a decade and a half now, and it impresses me seeing how far we have come from the last century. This is more so the case here in Kuwait, where we operate in a seemingly small yet volatile market that is as diverse as it is unpredictable. During these years, I have involved myself in various initiatives revolving around marketing. From choosing marketing agencies to pitching for new business, from conceptualizing campaigns for clients to executing them on their behalf, from launching product campaigns to executing big events – all within the marketing sphere. I have had the privilege of working with some of the top companies in the region as well as fledgling startups that have grown from strength to strength over the years. Sadly, I have come to the conclusion that most marketing companies in Kuwait have stopped innovating. It seems as though they’ve found one or two successful formulae and are stuck with them. The art of innovation has long been overcome by the greed to generate more revenue. Barring a few advertising and marketing agencies that have stood the test of time and delivered on their promises to their clients, very few have found continued success. In the past, marketing in Kuwait had always been about “face-time” as opposed to actual results. So naturally, according to local perceptions, a good marketer was someone who was popular. It was all about PR and connections. Anyone who was in the news and got a lot of coverage was considered a successful marketer and from there on, the product or service sold itself. Mind you, Kuwait has seen several successful campaigns that evoked great sentiment and created emotional bonding with customers thanks to creative thinking and excellent execution on behalf of the marketing agencies. But the reality of the matter is that for every successful campaign that was executed, there were at least a dozen or more unsuccessful ones. Fast forward to 2016, the marketing process has taken a drastic turn for the better. Thanks to innovative technologies that revolve around the Internet, a modern day marketer has to prove himself or herself in different ways because almost all effective marketing avenues have gone digital via the Internet. Digital marketing unlike traditional marketing, is more scalable, cost effective and most importantly, measurable. Overall, the marketing process has evolved into more of a science and less of an art. I’m not saying that there is not art involved in marketing, just that the art needs to be skillfully worked into the scientific process and substantiated with facts, figures and eventually, results. New media technologies are being created every day to not only 46
help consumers make better buying decisions but also to help marketers choose better channels and get the most of their efforts in the digital world. New Internet technologies and changing consumer habits are forcing brands to think outside the box. Consumers are changing and so are their buying habits and behaviors. They want facts on which to make buying decisions, not broad generalities that advertising of the past was most notably known for. Thanks to the plethora of media from email marketing to Search Engine Optimization to blogs to social media, the dynamics of the marketing ecosystem have changed drastically and provide product owners with better control over their marketing activities. With all advancements, however, come the usual questions. How should you target the market? How should you allocate your budgets? What marketing touch-points should you cover? How should you balance your campaign between digital and conventional media? What metrics should you use to measure success? And so on and so forth. To add to the complicated decision making process, there is a rise in a new breed of digital marketing agencies that have started sprouting up in Kuwait. While some of them have good
intentions, others want to simply take advantage of the unsuspecting clients, thanks to their limited understanding of internet technologies. These self-dubbed “internet marketing geniuses’ claim to be able to manage your social media accounts better than you, give your brand better penetration into the online marketplace and ultimately deliver unprecedented results. If you weren’t as confused when you started reading this, chances are you probably are by now. So where do I come in? This is my inaugural piece on marketing and every once in a while, I will shed some light on the latest in marketing innovation that is taking over the world and how companies in Kuwait are reaping the benefits of technological advances to take their businesses forward, so make sure you check up on this column regularly. Barry Rodrigues is Head of Marketing & Product Development at Future Communications, and an associate advisor with the International Advisors Group in Kuwait. Barry also provides pro-bono consulting services for small businesses to help them achieve their marketing objectives. For comments, please email Barry at barry @nexgenconsulting.co.uk
Jeep
A SEASONED SURFER’S GUIDE TO THE
WORLD’S BEST SPOTS TO HANG TEN By Alex Wade
John McCarthy, a renowned Irish big wave surfer, summed up the appeal of the sport to me. “Surfing is the most blissful experience you can have on this planet,” he told me. “It’s a taste of heaven.” Without buying into cosmic clichés—well, not too much—McCarthy is right. But it’s not all been good. I’ve seen the rise of localism, where Neanderthal fools believe that only they have a right to surf their breaks, and the spread of surfing’s all-pervasive commercialism. (Take a trip to the casinos of Las Vegas: Surfing imagery is as prevalent there as diamonds and fast cars.) And I’ve had some bad injuries, including broken ribs and one that left me needing neck surgery. Broken bones, worn joints, the changes middle age bring—all these things have made me adopt a more mellow approach, only surfing when the conditions are just right. But here’s the thing: Even now, after a good session, I can’t stop thinking of the last wave I rode. After all these years, that feeling still makes me want to paddle back out for more. So that’s what I do—because you never forget your first wave, and your last one takes you right back to where it all began. Not convinced? Try surfing—or even just watching it—at any of these world-class breaks. Near the village of Bathsheba, on the east coast of Barbados, is an experts-only reef break known as the Soup Bowl, rated as one of the best by 1148
time world champion Kelly Slater. Down the coast at Surfer’s Point is also a perfect wave for beginner and intermediate surfers. Ask for the charismatic Zed Layson, a Bajan who runs the show there, and he will have you up and riding in no time. Oh, and the water temperature is 77 degrees Fahrenheit all year. Santa Cruz has many fantastic surf breaks, but Pleasure Point may top them all. With good surf rolling in 320 days a year, this right-hand point break offers a number of different peaks. Nearby Steamer Lane is the home of the famous O’Neill Coldwater Classic contest. The cliffs above Santa Cruz’s breaks make them great for surf watching. Once dubbed “Lanzagrotty,” the Canary Island of Lanzarote off the west coast of Africa has undergone a makeover in recent years, becoming an eco and sports haven. Europe’s first underwater museum, the Museo Atlantico—featuring remarkable work by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor—opened in February. But for all the changes, one thing has stayed the same: the surf. It’s not for nothing that Lanzarote is known as “the Hawaii of the Atlantic.” The powerful right-hand reef break at La Santa is a classic, while there’s also an ultra-heavy left-hand slab. Neither are for beginners, however—and watch out for the sea urchins (they’re everywhere). This wave on Oahu’s North Shore is still the surfer’s paradise, a proving ground for elite surfers from all over the world. It’s a photogenic wave—fast, hollow and crystalline—but also deadly. More people have
been injured or killed surfing Pipeline than at any other surf spot. It’s definitely not for amateurs, but if you fall into the expert category, Pipeline is where reputations and memories are made. If not, you can watch the action from right on the beach. Jeffreys Bay, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, has a legendary wave named after the town: J-Bay. The fast right-hand point break offers tubular heaven, but there’s just one problem: sharks. J-Bay is where Australian surfer Mick Fanning, three-time world champion, was waiting for a wave in a contest last year when a shark attacked him. But you could learn a trick or two from him: Fanning punched the shark and survived unscathed. The average surfer rarely needs to complain of tired legs—the typical surf ride lasts for 10 to 20 seconds. But the Peruvian left-hand point break of Chicama, situated halfway between Lima and Peru’s border with Ecuador, is believed to be the world’s longest wave: You can surf for 4 minutes here—and leg cramps are a concern. Once deserted, Chicama now draws crowds from around the world. The upside is that this remote surfing outpost now has plenty of accommodations, from budget to luxury. With awesome waves such as Kirra and Burleigh Heads along the Gold Coast, it’s easy to see why Australia has produced more surfing world champions than any other nation. A suburb of the city of Gold Coast is even called Surfer’s Paradise. Crowds aside, surfers of all abilities can find somewhere to surf here.
promenade workshops
THE FUTURE OF KUWAIT'S YOUTH Interview with INJAZ-Kuwait's board member, Meshaan Al-Meshaan By bazaar staff
What makes your future? We all know the drill – we go to school: primary, secondary, college, university, then on to do our Masters and PhDs. Then, somewhere wedged in between the latter halves of our educational lives, we figure out what it is we want to do—if we’re lucky. A lot of people don’t have the luxury of playing around with career options before going off into the world and being an adult, but INJAZ has started a revolution for Kuwait’s youth, by helping them explore their options earlier in life. INJAZ-Kuwait (INJAZ), a non-profit organization established in Kuwait in 2005, has a mission to prepare Kuwait’s youth to succeed in the global economy by implementing a variety of programs in private and public middle and high schools, vocational colleges and universities. With eleven different programs including the flagship Company Program, Kuwait’s youth are given an opportunity to learn about and build experiences in Entrepreneurship, Work Readiness and Financial Literacy, all under the guidance of top companies and qualified volunteers from Kuwait’s private sector. In doing this, INJAZ has bridged the gap between studying and working by giving students, aged 11 to 24, the chance to explore their potential and possibilities into their future. Behind ever y great organization is a superior suppor t system. INJAZ’s par tners and board members come from a variety of different businesses, and among them is Meshaan Al-Meshaan, Chief Business Development Officer of ALARGAN International Real Estate Company. As a board member of INJAZKuwait, Meshaan has contributed to the organization’s development by providing volunteers for programs, venues for events and conferences, and, as a previous Company Program Competition judge has driven the youths to success with vehement guidance and a share of his exper tise. “To suppor t an organization such as INJAZ 50
Meshaan Al-Meshaan and the youths involved in it, we have to be active. The role I have as a board member, as well as ALARGAN as a par tner, is essential into driving these students towards the private sector.” To Meshaan, along with INJAZ and its suppor ters, one of the aims of this organization is to remind the students that there’s a whole range of oppor tunities in the private sector when it comes to choosing a career. With its four th annual CPC approaching in June, bazaar met up with Meshaan to talk about his experiences as a former panel judge of the competition, his involvement
with INJAZ as a board member, and why he thinks the organization is a vital experience for the youths of Kuwait to engage in during their educational years. Can you tell us about INJAZ’s Flagship Program: Company Program? The Company Program targets high school and university students, ages 18 to 24. The classroom turns into a real star t up with the help of a mentor or an entrepreneur, and students come up with a business idea, study its feasibility, sell stocks to raise capital and produce a business plan. INJAZ then provides the students with a platform
at a mall for thir ty days to help encourage product/ser vice sales. This is followed by an exciting annual national competition, the CPC, which I had the pleasure of being a judge for last year. Can you tell us about the annual Company Program Competition (CPC)? The CPC is a two-day competition facilitated by INJAZ, where each group of students is assigned a booth to showcase their product and/or ser vices throughout the two days. At this time, they get a chance to compete for three awards: Best Company of the Year, Most Innovative Product, and Best Social Impact. The competition is fair because we split the competitors by level, where various high schools compete against each other and various university students compete against each other. The succeeding companies that win Best Company of the Year award will then par ticipate in the regional Company Program Competition and represent Kuwait. What was your role in the CPC? I was par t of the judging panel for the university student companies in last year’s CPC. University students’ companies were judged based on the following categories: Company Repor t, Booth Visit, Public Presentation and Panel Inter view. I also saw some high school students’ projects, however, and I was surely impressed! Can you tell us about your experience as a judge? I saw some amazing projects, and they are great examples of how students should not be underestimated. Although they are young, some of the most creative projects I had seen came from their level! There was a group that had a por table shade for your car which you could fit around your car to protect it from the sun or rain wherever you parked. Another group had a por table wheelchair ramp to assist the disabled if there weren’t any wheelchair friendly ramps available in a public or private space. The experience was impressive and fulfilling – I really enjoyed it. I felt it allowed me to look at things from a different perspective. You find these students are encouraged to do more and dedicated to what they create, and this experience gives them a platform where they believe they can produce this in the real world. It was amazing to be a par t of that and I look forward to doing it again. What does INJAZ hope to achieve for Kuwait’s community by providing programs such as these? INJAZ hopes to bridge the gap between education and the workforce by facilitating eleven soft skills and communication programs in both Arabic and English that cover three pillars: Entrepreneurship, Work Readiness and Financial Literacy.
An ALARGAN volunteer mentoring students through INJAZ's career success program.
CPC high school competition winners of the best company of the year award. It’s truly a privilege that we have programs facilitated by an organization such as INJAZ in Kuwait, and I wish we had it when I was in school. I feel that this organization shifts the educational system from the standard method of learning and gives students a perspective on the paths they’ll take in their future. Do you have any words of encouragement to share with Kuwait’s youth? I strongly encourage students who are currently in private and public colleges, universities and high schools to try out programs by INJAZ, especially the Company
Program. You will not realize until you get into a realistic company setting, and with the CPC INJAZ-Kuwait in partnership with the private sector is giving you the opportunity to do so. You can also benefit from the volunteers who are putting in the time to guide you, and understand that having INJAZ accessible to you is a privilege – take advantage of it. For more information about INJAZ-Kuwait, please email them at: info@injaz-kuwait.org. You can also follow them on Instagram @injaz_kuwait, and check out their website at www.injaz-kuwait.org 51
TOM CLANCY'S THE DIVISION By bazaar staff
What a wait we have had for The Division. Announced back in 2013 at the E3 conference, we were quite literally spoiled with a lengthy gameplay demo in which, I imagine, everyone watching was drawn in and praying for a time machine to fast forward to release day. But now three years have passed and the game is upon us. How does it stack up? First things first. As we gamers know well, early game trailers and demos are rarely a reliable source to judge a game on. Ubisoft (the developer of The Division) especially are notorious for glamming up their game demos with scripted chat between the players in the video, carefully rehearsed gameplay scenarios and pixel perfect camera placement, and even running the demo on hardware that doesn’t resemble that which the game is to be released for (hello, Watchdogs). BUT… For the purpose of this review, I re-watched that first E3 demo that got me hooked on a new and unknown franchise 3 years ago, and it has to be said that for the most part that demo is pretty accurate of the game that I find myself finally playing. Sure, bullets don’t leave individual holes in windows, and it doesn’t look QUITE as next-next generation graphically, and I am yet to find anyone online that can play as a drone, all of which were in the demo. But these are small gripes. Set in an abandoned wintery Manhattan following a smallpox pandemic that was transmitted via 52
banknotes on Black Friday (the story was the first thing that grabbed me, incidentally. Nice to not have yet ANOTHER game with a boring military/war plot), you play as an ultra-elite Division agent whose job it is to keep the streets safe of rioters and other threats, and find out just how the virus was introduced. The game, while not demo levels of stunning, is still visually beautiful. As you walk down the various streets of Manhattan, you see and feel the effects of the virus in everything you do. The streets are littered with debris, abandoned cars, looted homes, signs and notices asking for information on loved ones and so much more. Audio recordings that act as collectibles play further on this, and show snippets of what happened just before and during the outbreak. Occasionally, you find citizens approach you for help, whereby you have the choice to give them an item of food or drink, or just walk away and you can’t help but give to every one of them, even if you only have one left for yourself. You feel responsible for these people and with all that said, the game does an amazing job of immersing you in this world. The game itself is online only and is classed as an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game). There are hundreds of missions and side missions to complete, but you have the choice of doing it alone or with a group of friends. You will run into other players all the time during the game, in the safe house areas where you go to restock and discover new missions. They cannot harm you here, but in the Dark Zone…that’s a whole other set of rules. And yes,
the Dark Zone is as terrifying and nerve-wracking as its name suggests (to the point that in my 20 or so hours on the game so far, I have only wondered into it for 5 minutes before running back out and vowing to not return until I am significantly leveled up). Leveling up is a big part of the game (naturally, with its RPG roots), and the higher your level, the better weapons, armor and equipment you can get…and of course, tougher enemies. You can craft items and there are a huge variety of mods you can make to equipment to cater for any scenario. The game is still new of course and with that come teething issues. For me, only small ones so far that I hope are addressed in future updates. The standard ‘new game server issues’, where you can get disconnected randomly from the game (but luckily the auto save feature is frequent and accurate). Every NPC you run past in the street comments negatively toward you, as if they feel threatened, even if you do nothing and when you refuse to buy from the vendors in safe houses they almost always say something snidey to you. These are MY only complaints so far…I guess I just have an issue with bad manners in video games! I highly recommend The Division to anyone that likes action/shooting/RPG elements in their games, and while I am having more than enough fun playing solo, it only gets better when a group of you get together in New York to take on some missions together. Now, I’m off to level up before I venture back into the Dark Zone. Wish me luck…I’ll need it.
ACK
THIS STARTUP IS USING GAMES TO MEASURE CREATIVITY—AND
TEACH US HOW TO UNLOCK IT By Jessica Hullinger
Angad Singh thinks there’s a good chance that within 20 years, your job will no longer exist. And if it does, a bot will do it. "It seems obvious," he says. "The nature of work will be completely different." By different, he means that anyone currently doing "non-creative" work will be made redundant in favor of software or robots. So long, assembly line workers. Good luck, white-collar paper pushers. Anything that can be automated will be. Even professions once thought to require actual human beings, like law and medicine, can be at least partly robotized. "It will be super different, but in a good way," Singh says. "It’s the way we want work to go." For someone predicting the mass unemployment of millions, Singh is incredibly optimistic about the future. That’s because he believes everyone has the ability to be creative, and he thinks his company, Lemonade.io, can teach them how. Lemonade was founded in 2014 and is backed by New Enterprise Associates, which also invested in Duolingo, Box, and Coursera. Its advisers include David Kelley, the founder of design firm IDEO and Stanford’s d.school, and Jerry Yang, the cofounder and former CEO of Yahoo! Inc. Singh envisions a future where Lemonade's creativity technology integrates with everything in the modern workflow, from Slack to Gmail, and gives employees real-time feedback on their work to help them think outside the box. But before Lemonade can train people to be creative, it needs to train its own technology to be intelligent enough to know what creativity looks like. That may sound a bit freaky to anyone who thinks of imaginativeness as being some sort of divine gift, but actually, we’ve known for a long time that creativity can be quantified. In the '80s, a Harvard professor named Teresa Amabile created the Consensual Assessment Technique, which is still used today and operates on the assumption that when multiple people are asked to evaluate how creative something is, they all tend to be consistent in their answers. "People have very similar opinions of creativity," says Singh. In other words, what we humans consider creative is pretty predictable. It usually boils down to novelty (is the idea somehow unique?) and value (does the idea solve a problem?). Computers can learn to assess both of those things through machine learning. But that takes data. Lots and lots of data. That’s where games come in. 54
Lemonade's first product is a gaming app called Funder that asks players to create parody pitches for companies. These pitches are then voted on by other users. The more votes a pitch gets, the more creative it’s considered to be. But where Funder really gets interesting is on the back end, where it records the process by which players create their pitches. Every keystroke, every backspace, every time a player writes a pitch then deletes it entirely, all of that is recorded, and any patterns are turned into data. Singh explains: "We want to have a large enough data size to say things like, ‘All the people generating awesome ideas are also the people who are staring at a problem for a minute before they start typing anything.’ Or, ‘They’re submitting not their first idea, but their fourth.’" IDEO’s David Kelley says one noted trend is that people who stick with a problem and keep building on others’ ideas generally come up with better solutions. "This is something that I believe Lemonade can do at scale," he says. "Allowing people to continuously innovate and persist with a much higher likelihood of coming up with breakthroughs." Funder launched in December and has generated 3,000 pitches so far and 25,000 votes. Because it’s a game, people want to use it, and keep coming
back to play. It just so happens they’re contributing to a massive database of creativity research in the process. "Creativity is playful in nature," says Kelley. "An exam-like setting is bound to hinder it. Even at school we often play games to help people get over their fear of not being creative by lowering the stakes and celebrating failure." Singh’s goal is to build tools that can apply in the enterprise space to help with things like assessing people for creativity during the hiring process or replacing consultants and augmenting training. "That’s the kind of stuff we’re talking about," he says. And that kind of stuff could be incredibly valuable. Many CEOs already consider creativity the most important skill in the workplace, and firms are doing whatever they can to encourage it. Adobe recently launched an artist-in-residence program; Infosys is running innovation workshops; IBM is investing in design thinking. "Many big companies think they are going to be irrelevant soon," Singh says. "They are paranoid and buying insurance policies against dying." Singh says several companies are already knocking on his door, and Lemonade plans to release more apps in the coming months to increase its data collection. "People are born creative," he says. "If we can empower them to tap into that creativity, that is really powerful."
flamant
THE SOCIAL LOBBYIST
Hind Al-Nahedh on social media and the future of podcasting in the region By bazaar staff
In a country where 96 percent of Internet users utilize various social media platforms, we cannot deny the fact that social media is here to stay. The questions that are usually on everyone’s mind, however, arrive as the following: Should you share it on Facebook, Snap it, or tweet it? Is social media use in Kuwait merely a trend, or is it because users in Kuwait truly want to stay connected? More importantly, are we making social media work for us, or have we become slaves to the latest updates? For digital media consultant, social entrepreneur extraordinaire and CEO of Kuwait’s renowned Social Lobby Hind Al-Nahedh, knowing how to make social networking work for you should always be your priority. Hind’s experience spans over ten years in the industr y. The journey from traditional to new media continues to teach Hind priceless lessons, yet she makes the transition appear seamless. Hind’s incredible work includes: Heading up the social media depar tment at VIVA Telecom, star ting up Global Investment House’s female empowerment technology initiative Ghalia.com.kw, being president of Kuwait’s Social Media Club, consulting Kuwait’s Ministr y of Youth and successfully launching the Shabek campaign, and star ting her own social media Marketing company Social Lobby. We can absolutely claim that Hind has utilized social media for channeling positive change. Today, you could easily tune in for her weekly online podcast, Go Social Smar t, to gain a better understanding of how people from different walks of life are making use out of Social media. Alternatively, you could follow Hind online, alone, to uncover a wealth of information about her activities, 56
social entrepreneurial endeavors, and the various projects she is involved with. People from afar, let’s call them social obser vers, can be quick to assume that she’s online for the sake of being online. However, the social media guru knows exactly what she is doing. More impor tantly, she knows why. With a career in promoting technology, Hind’s early star t with NOKIA in 2000 firstly indicated to her that the Kuwait market is “tech savvy, adaptive, trendy and likes to spend a lot on mobile. I got a glimpse on how this culture engaged with technology even prior to my time with VIVA. The lifestyle in Kuwait is trendy, and the rise of Social media amplified this lifestyle.” Hind’s interest in social media was initially sparked during her time with VIVA Telecom in 2009. Coinciding with VIVA’s launch in Kuwait, she spearheaded a new digital approach to marketing at a time where telecom companies didn’t consider the aspects of engaging the youth online. With a
fully-fledged online campaign, Kuwait’s VIVA launch was enriched with digital aspects that fully engaged the youth demographic in Kuwait. “With the suppor t of the MarkComm depar tment at VIVA, I attended a new media seminar that fur thered my desire to create a social presence for the brand. We launched the Book Your Number campaign online, and that captivated the youth market.” Hind also wanted to star t up another digital depar tment within the Marketing and Communications depar tment solely dedicated to digital marketing, and fully integrated with the company’s other marketing activities to convince management that these youth segments actually exist. She added, “Experimenting with a brand that was willing, and more impor tantly, is excited to utilize these types of tools and platforms was a rewarding experience.” The kickoff of digital depar tments coincided with the rise of bloggers in Kuwait, prior to the Instagram phenomenon. This fur ther reminded Hind
that social media was here to stay. From there, she decided to follow her ethos. She said, “To be honest, social media puts the public back into public relations. Ever yone is online, and ever yone has a voice and a public relations position to talk about the brand itself. Marketing, technology and PR, are all merging, where one needs to be a multipotentialite in order to perfect an entrepreneur of the social field.” What, exactly, is a multipotentialite? This is a person who isn’t necessarily a specialist in a certain field, yet is interested in several fields and how to maximize the benefits involved in utilizing their various talents and interests. Her light bulb moment for Social Lobby arrived when she worked alongside Khalid Al-Zanki to bring the renowned “Crush It” seminar by Gary Veynerchuck to Kuwait. As soon as Hind decided to build a career around what she is most passionate about, everything began to fall in to place. She said, “We are a data-obsessed society, [continued...] 57
[...continued] we need connectivity wherever we are”. When it came to Hind star ting a family, while working on launching her own company, yet still impar ting knowledge about bestusage social media practices online, she realized that “social media can be adapted to suit our needs as modern women. With Social Lobby, and even the Go Social Smar t Podcasts, I hope to set an example for other women to follow suit.” All of these activities organically poised Hind towards success with Social Lobby and social entrepreneurship. At the end of the day, her goal is to engage the private and public sector with the community to resolve issues. That’s what makes Social Lobby different. Perhaps, that’s what makes Hind different to the typical social Influencer. As with everything else in life, balance is key. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by social media, Hind is taking the smar ter approach. “It’s always a choice. We don’t need to be frazzled, we should feel empowered by social media. Tr ying to do ever ything, without adding value to people, is pointless and would affect your credibility.” Hind makes an excellent point, as knowledge is plentiful online, and this is what brought her attention to podcasting. “You want to educate, create great content on iTunes that is easy on the ears and people would learn from.” The good, the bad, the ugly, and the distractive; all of these aspects come with the social media territor y, and this is why Hind’s Go Social Smar t podcast aims to shed light on the impor tance of balance and best-use practices in social media. For example, Hind speaks to mothers about kids’ addiction to technology, and how using social media could make things better and not worse. She explained, “The most expensive online currency is people’s attention. We are living in a screened life, filled with distractions. There are little things that anyone could do to better their usage online, and the quality of your time on social media. Going offline is actually cool now.” The impor tance of creating time online and offline makes all the difference to Hind. It reinforces her beliefs, and what she chooses to do online. With the weekly Go Social Smar t podcasts, Hind not only tackles these issues, but also brings a human element with real interaction to listeners in Arabic. You could even catch some of the podcasts live on Periscope, where users reply with live feedback during Hind’s sessions. “No matter what, we are human after all. Because of how fast life is, we want things instantly. The pace of life has changed and so have our lifestyles.” 58
Hind loves inter viewing people. “If I wasn’t Hind at Social Lobby, I would want my own TV show! I love stories that inspire, meeting people and extrapolating information and knowledge. Social media is about being you, while being social with someone you are meeting or inter viewing makes the process more realistic, making for great engaging content.” “It’s important to get to know the people using social media in Arabic as Arabic language content is lacking in Kuwait and the region. There are merely a very few books written about social media platforms tools and tips in Arabic. When it comes to podcasting however, people have had enough of traditional learning messages. Go Social Smart podcasts offer a thirty-minute talk that you could listen to at any time.” Podcasting is the next big thing. Publishers are dropping their audio files to inter views online, and people enjoy listening to interesting content while on the go. Hind said, “Various media platforms are gearing up for Radio on Demand. TV went on demand, so why not radio? It is the future of media. Many people forget the impor tance of sharing great content in a language
that the listener would understand. Out of respect to the extended audience in the region, the use of Arabic is key.” Well, are we going to fall into the same trend-driven trap? Will we all be podcasting by next year? The numbers might indicate this, but that’s not the point. At the end of the day, content is king. “As long as the content is informative, and I get to always be myself, what I like and dislike opinion-wise, would be clearly communicated. As long as the field is handled smartly.” She added. “Always being a couple of steps ahead is a matter of your choice,” Hind concluded, “people might call me crazy for investing in podcasting today, but I believe in the work that is being done, and that it is truly doing good to listeners.”
Tune in to Hind’s weekly Go Social Smar t Podcasts on iTunes or visit kuwaitpodcasts. com/gosocialsmar t. Follow Hind Al-Nahedh on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Periscope @HindRelations. Photography by Muneera AlKhulaifi.
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WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
HAVING BEATEN HUMANS AT BOARD GAMES, WHAT’S NEXT? By Tracey Lien
When a person’s intelligence is tested, there are exams. IQ tests, general knowledge quizzes, SATs. When artificial intelligence is tested, there are games. Checkers, chess, Go. But what happens when computer programs beat humans at all of those games? This is the question AI experts must ask after a Google-developed program called AlphaGo defeated a world champion Go player in four out of five matches in a series that concluded recently. Long a yardstick for advances in AI, the era of board game testing has come to an end, said Murray Campbell, an IBM research scientist who was par t of the team that developed Deep Blue, the first computer program to beat a world chess champion. “Games are fun and they’re easy to measure,” said Campbell. “It’s clear who won and who lost, and you always have the human benchmark,” he said. “Can you do better than a human?” For checkers, chess, and now Go, it seems the answer is now a resounding yes. Computer algorithms beat world champion-level human players in checkers and chess in the 1990s. Go — an ancient board game developed in China that is more complex than chess — was seen as one of the last board game hurdles. Board games, Campbell said, were perfect tests because they have clear rules and nothing is hidden from players. The real world is much messier and full of unknowns. What’s next, it seems, is for AI to get messy. With AI having conquered what exper ts call “complete information” games — the kind in which players can see what their opponents are doing — Tuomas Sandholm, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University who studies ar tificial intelligence, said the next step is “incomplete information games” like poker. “The game of two-player-limit Texas hold ‘em poker has almost been solved,” said Sandholm, who described “solving” a game as finding the optimal way of playing it. “In the larger game of two-player no-limit Texas hold ‘em poker, we’re right at the cusp of it. We currently have the world’s best computer program, but we are still not better than the ver y best dozen or so humans.” 60
Games are typically chosen for the specific challenges that researchers want their AI to be able to overcome. With board games such as chess and Go, computer programs are put through the ringer to see if they can learn from past matches and determine the best next move. With Texas hold ‘em, it’s about interpreting actions as signals, and figuring out the next best move without knowing what the opponent has in their hand. All these things have real-world applications, Sandholm said. In complete information games, AI can help people search through large databases and do calculations and modeling. In incomplete information games, it can be used in situations where there are lots of unknown factors, such as negotiations, cybersecurity and auctions, and even in planning medical treatment. Some robotics exper ts believe AI will one day get messier than that, taking algorithms out of controlled game environments and into the open world. “That’s next,” said Thomas Johnson, founder of MotionFigures, a star tup that is bringing robotics and AI to toys. “The challenge will be putting AI algorithms into practice in open environments where the rules are not all given to it upfront, and adaptation is required to be successful.” Algorithms such as AlphaGo only know how to play Go. Oren Etzioni, executive
director of the Allen Institute for Ar tificial Intelligence, believes the next step could be for AI to learn to play (and beat world champions) at any game. Or, as his institute is doing, putting AI through standardizing testing. As in, the SATs. Or eighth grade science tests. “The scientific part of it isn’t complicated,” Etzioni said. After all, it’s not hard to get a computer program to remember and regurgitate facts. What is hard is getting computers to apply their knowledge to ever yday situations. “The question in the test doesn’t require the computer to give a definition of gravity or recite an equation, but to describe a real world situation,” he said. “For example, ‘There’s a ball rolling down a hill.’ This is the paradox: The hard part for the machine is easy for the human. The machine is struggling to figure out what does it mean when it says ‘the ball is rolling down the hill’?” There are no shor tages of benchmarks and tests that come after Go. And that doesn’t even get into benchmarks for different types of ar tificial intelligence, such as emotionally intelligent AI, speech recognizing robots, or computers designed to understand language. “It’s an exciting field to be in,” said Johnson. “I think it’s incredible and it makes me stop and think what the next 10, 20 years is gonna bring in AI.”
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THE PAIN OF CHANGE By Dr. Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg
Last month, I’ve had the delightful privilege of spending a week in Kuwait. Coming back after 15 months in Canada, I was reminded over and over of the things that I love (and don’t love) about Kuwait as I went about my business. Kuwait has changed in those months. The traffic is as bad, if not worse, than ever, and it seems that people’s tempers are shorter. The air of Kuwait is not as clean as Canada’s, and I was very aware of that as I ran along the Corniche. Ahhhh… running along the Corniche. Life hardly gets any better than that. Everything is as it should be, only better. The stretch of sidewalk by the new restaurants is all repaired, the greenery was clipped into submission, and there were many, many people out enjoying the beautiful weather. The Avenues is still awesome (and those cranes! Does this mean MORE Avenues??) and one of my favorite places for my favorite pastime – people watching. (Oh, the people you see!) My eyes felt comforted by the steady parade of black abayas and white dishdashas, trendy adolescents, and the smoke-free environment (So great. When did that happen?) I’ve been to the Souq, to Marina Mall, and to the Soor Center. The towers have been all spiffied up and are open again to the public. How groovy is that? And that new Shaheed Park! What a gorgeous place. 62
I thought when I got here that I might not want to go home again. The year of transition from Kuwait to Canada has been very painful. This was made more difficult by the reality that there is nothing in common between my life in Kuwait and my life in Canada … except me. Everything else was different. Change is painful. Even good changes. I returned to Canada to be near my daughters and grandsons. It was my choice, and I would choose it again. That this was my choice doesn’t alter the impact of the emotional and psychological pain of the change itself. I was grieving for the life I’d had in Kuwait (which I loved) and struggling to find my place in Canada. Anytime we change something in our lives, there’s a period of transition – what is sometimes called, “living in the gray space.” Our normal equilibrium is disturbed, nothing feels familiar or comfortable, and life just isn’t smooth. Our mental supervisor has to work overtime because the environment doesn’t feel “normal” and we live with a sense of internal disconnection. It took all the way to early February this year before I had the spontaneous thought, “I’m going to be okay with this.” The pain of change is caused by the grieving process – even if we never acknowledge it. Even good changes mean loss. Taking a new job, finding a new home, moving to a new city, or country. Even when those changes are completely by personal choice, we can’t make embrace something new without letting
go of something old, and that is a loss. Here’s what I learned from my year of living in the gray space: •Acknowledge the loss, and grieve •Be kind to yourself •Be patient. Time does have a way of changing things, slowly and subtly. •Expect things to feel difficult; even ordinary things that wouldn’t ordinarily cause a second thought •Accept that it will be difficult to totally invest in building something new while still grieving the loss of the old All these things happen along a continuum, and the period of “living in the gray space” will vary depending on how big the changes are. Moving from Kuwait to Canada was a big change. I’m not completely settled yet, but as I contemplate getting on the plane tonight for the marathon trip home, I am more settled than I was. It was an amazing experience to live in Kuwait, and insha’allah, I will return often, but it was the right decision to go home to my family. The pain of change is very real, and the discomfort of living in the gray space is mentally and emotionally tiring. But the transition is just that – a transition – and as we invest in the new circumstances, they become the familiar, and the sense of equilibrium returns. Wait for it. Follow @DrSusannah on Twitter and Instagram.
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DRINK YOUR WAY TO HEALTH Khalidah Al Essa’s Bluezone Juice Bar By bazaar staff
There’s nothing quite like grabbing a post-workout smoothie or a fresh shot of wheatgrass before heading home. The health benefits alone of proper smoothies – no not the shakes with ice-creams and complex sugars – and cold pressed juices are reason enough to make the Bluezone Juice Bar a regular pit-stop. With fridges stocked with their cold pressed concoctions at several Sultan Centers, you really have no excuse. The real treat though, lies within the walls of the Sultan Center in Shaab.Also known as home to the Bluezone Juice Bar, this is where certified Health Coach Khalidah Al Essa blends some of her favorite combos for you to enjoy. Khalidah’s dedication to coaching Kuwait back to prime health is what motivated her to star t this juice bar. “I love helping people, and I found that this was the most effective way of doing so,” Khalidah laughed, “People come in for a smoothie and talk to me about ailments and I tr y to help them as much as I can.” Completely in her element, Khalidah believes that she’s found her passion amidst all the juices, foods and her customers. “Ever ything we ser ve is fresh and organic, we make ever ything here,” Khalidah explained, “from our cakes to our juice mixes, we can mix absolutely anything you’d need to fit your requirements and taste.” The Bluezone Juice Bar is the ideal place to go to get a meal supplement and healthy snacks. With ever ything made in-house, even the nut-milks and coconut milk are made fresh and bottled for later use, you’re guaranteed absolutely no preser vatives or harmful additives. Fresh and chemical-free offerings are what makes Bluezone Juices special. Even their protein shakes lack the processed protein powders found in most places! “We add natural proteins to our smoothies,” Khalidah added. From chia seeds to nut-butters and tahini, Khalidah ensures that nothing processed goes into the making of their smoothies, cakes and energy balls. 64
“People in this day and age aren’t eating enough, nor are they eating the right foods,” Khalidah elaborated, “such as fibers, good fats and carbs.” This is where Bluezone’s smoothies come in. Measured precisely to provide the consumer with all the benefits needed for a healthy lifestyle, the smoothies are packed with nutrients. What their coldpressed juices lack in fiber, they make up for in vitamins and nutritious benefits instead. A prime example to that is their Turmeric Shots.The fun-sized jar can make two ser vings depending on your taste-buds,
which you can drink on its own or add to your favorite smoothie or juice mix. Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammator y proper ties, can help keep your immune system in tiptop condition, when consumed daily and over a period of time of course. Catering to anyone interested in a healthier lifestyle, Khalidah loves receiving feedback from her customers. Keeping ever yone’s taste in mind, Khalidah created smoothies to suit all palates, from children to all the chocoholics out there, while making sure that ever yone gets a healthy
dose of superfoods. All the sweeteners added are all natural and unprocessed like dates, raw and manuka honey, maple syrup, nut butters and bee pollen. “Naturally, for our bites we use coconut and date sugars,” Khalidah smiled. Their bites are highly nutritious and super yummy at the same time. Bluezone Juice Bar’s snacks are all dair y, gluten and processed-sugar free, offering granolas and trail mixes along with protein bars and superfood bars as well as muffins. This makes for guilt-free snacking for ever y nutritional requirement! Did we mention that most of her snacks and bites are raw? With the exception of loaves and muffins, her protein and superfood bars are entirely raw as well as the trail mixes, aiding in the conser vation of the snacks’ nutritional values. “Ever y smoothie and snack we offer at Bluezone has been consumed by my family and I time and time again,” Khalidah explained reassuringly, “Nothing here is new to me, I make it a point to add things I’m one hundred percent sure of.” Khalidah also samples the leftover smoothies in the blender when a customer asks for a special combo, “I’m always curious about my customers’ creations and I like to know what flavors they like.” Khalidah even samples her own creations regularly to ensure the quality and consistency, “I sometimes find myself having to alter some ingredients due to the seasonal offerings and the actual flavor the produce has at cer tain times of the year.” She even prepares some of the fresh fruit to freeze in order to add a thicker consistency to some of the smoothies and to give the illusion of added ice to the smoothie. “I don’t add any ice to the smoothies,” Khalidah laughed, “I add some frozen fruit instead!” But the question on ever yone’s mind regards the name. Why bluezone? Named after the five regions of the world that are known as longevity hotspots, Okinawa, Sardinia, Nicoya, Icaria and a group of people living in Loma Linda, California, Khalidah hopes to bring good health and longevity to Kuwait through her juice bar. While you can use your Sultan Card at the Bluezone Juice Bar, keep your eyes peeled for their cute 'To-Go' mason jar related offers as well as their own loyalty card!
The Bluezone Juice Bar is located past the fresh produce section at the Sultan Center in Shaab. Bluezone juices can be purchased at the Sultan Center in Sharq, Shaab, Hawalli and Salmiya. Follow them on Instagram and SnapChat @BlueZoneKW for more information and offerings! 65
KIDS TAUGHT IN GREEN
SCHOOLS ARE WAY MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE By Charlie Sorrel
Green schools aren't only effective at helping the environment—they can also produce kids who are more knowledgeable about environmental issues. "The idea is that by being exposed to this innovative design every day at school, along with a sustainable school culture fostered by educators, students will inherently learn and appreciate the importance of green buildings," says Laura Cole, a professor of architectural studies in the University of Missouri's College of Human Environmental Sciences. A study, led by Cole, set out to test whether "Teaching Green" middle schools actually made a difference to the kids taught in them. She defines the schools as "places where architects and 66
educators have aspired to use the school building to amplify student understanding of environmental sustainability," and notes that, until now, the efficacy of these schools has not been well examined. The results show that kids, as we already know, learn by mimicking what we do, and not what we tell them to do. Students taught in green schools "had much higher levels of environmentally friendly behaviors while at school, such as recycling and turning off lights," says Cole. They also showed much better knowledge of environmentally friendly practices in general. The schools include obvious features like easyto-use recycling facilities, plus less obvious ones like open-air hallways (which don't need to be heated or cooled), repurposed construction materials, and exposed beams and other architectural features that
let kids see how the places are put together. While purpose-designed schools are great, ripping all our schools out to replace them with greener buildings is impractical, and more than a little environmentally dodgy itself. But existing schools can participate at lower levels by introducing greener practices. "Anything educators can do to utilize existing space can help their students’ green building literacy," says Cole. Around 50% of all fossil fuels burned go to heat up buildings, cool them down again, and power their lights and appliances. Teaching future and current generations of kids to turn out the lights, or not leave the faucet running, or to maybe put on a damn sweater instead of cranking the heating could some day have an impact on future energy use.
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PIGEONS WITH BACKPACKS ARE LIVE-TWEETING LONDON'S AIR POLLUTION LEVELS By Louise Jack
If you happen to be in London any time soon and notice a pigeon going about its business sporting a tiny backpack, you are not witnessing a new avian fashion trend. That pigeon is performing a valuable public service. The backpack is equipped with lightweight pollution-monitoring sensors, and that pigeon is part of a flock of 10 currently sweeping the British capital, measuring levels of nitrogen dioxide and ozone, the gases principally behind harmful urban air pollution. The project, Pigeon Air Patrol, is by Plume Labs, a technology company that helps people monitor and track their exposure to air pollution. Data collected by the pigeons is reported through Twitter, and Londoners who tweet their location to @PigeonAir will receive an instant response from one of the flock on the level of pollution in their area. The project's website also allows people to click on a live map for a reading, and users can download the Plume Air 68
app for more information and advice on how to avoid pollution. Created by DigitasLBi, with support from Twitter, Pigeon Air Patrol aims to raise awareness of air pollution. Creative director Pierre Duquesnoy says he had been interested in air pollution for some time and noticed that most Londoners were unaware of how serious the problem is. "We realized that the two main reasons why people ignore the problem are that air pollution is invisible and that it is scientifically complicated," he says. "So from there I looked into an idea, which would make the invisible visible and raise awareness of it. Nothing or no one can zip [more] quickly around London to monitor air quality than a pigeon (drones can’t fly across the city), especially during rush hour when pollution is at its most deadly. And pigeons have always been great at delivering important messages to humans," Duquesnoy says. The pigeons are actually racing birds supplied by Brian Woodhouse, a well-known U.K.
pigeon fancier. The flock members will return to normal life once their mission is complete. It is hoped that the campaign will demonstrate to Londoners, in a tangible and immediate way, the impact of air pollution. It’s further hoped that people will be encouraged to sign up as beta testers for a human version of the equipment with the overall aim to build a "collaborative, human-powered air-quality monitoring network across London," according to Plume CEO, Romain Lacombe. "Having 100 beta testers will make the information viable across London. There are, for instance, only 12 monitoring stations in the congestion charge zone," Lacombe says. The information will also help Plume Labs support a scientific study of air pollution crowdsourcing with Imperial College London. The Plume Air app covers 200 cities worldwide, including New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Beijing, and Paris. DigitasLBi is looking into starting up other Pigeon Patrols internationally.
kidzania
REALIZING THE GREEN DREAM Interview with Samia Al-Duaij B y Lyn d a H i g g s
Once the preserve of “tree huggers”, environmental awareness is very much a mainstream construct in the 21st Century, with terms such as “green economy” and “sustainable development” as a part of our everyday language. But what does all this Green talk actually mean, and who is doing the talking? More importantly, is there any concrete mechanism in place to implement and manage sustainable development and a green economy? To fi n d o u t m or e , I m et w i t h Sam i a Al -D u a i j. A Kuwa i t i b o r n s c i e n t i s t a n d env i r o n m e n t a l i s t , Sa m i a i s t he M E N A Con su l t a n t t o t h e E PA on b e h a l f o f th e Wo r l d B a n k , a n d s e e s h e r s e l f a s a ben e fi c i a r y o f Ku wai t ’s i nv e s t m ent i n edu c a t i o n . T h i s i nv e s t m ent a l l o wed her to c o m p l e t e a B Sc . i n M ol ec u l a r Bi o l o g y at t h e Un i v e r sit y o f M a n c hes t er, b e f or e re t u r n i n g t o Kuwa i t . “ I b e g a n my c a r eer as a f or e n s i c sc i e n t i s t a t t h e M i ni s t r y of I n t er i o r, af t e r w h i c h I jo i n e d t h e Ku wai t I ns t i t u t e for S c i e n t i fi c Re s ear c h. A f t e r a f ew ye a r s I wa s r e a d y f or a c hang e a n d i t hap p e n e d t h a t a t t hat t i m e t he Kuwa i t Sc i e n t i fi c C e n t r e wa s bei ng d ev el oped. As I’d a l way s had a l ov e f o r t h e m ar i n e env i r o n m e n t I a p p l i e d f or a r ol e w i t h th e i r t e a m a n d s pent t h e nex t t w o- andhal f ye a r s w o r k i ng i n w hat wa s t he m os t fun jo b I’v e ev er h a d . We l i t er a l l y b u i l t th e a q u a r i u m f r o m s c r at c h, s our c i ng ani m a l s fr o m t he G ul f and f ur t h e r a f i el d. O n e o f t h e h i g h l i g ht s was w o r k i n g w i t h a t e a m fr o m t h e Tw o O c e a n s A q u a r i um i n C a p e To w n , So u t h A f r i c a t o f e t c h t he Tig e r S h a r k s n o w i n Ku wai t ’s Sc i ent i f i c Cen t r e Aq u a r i u m.” 70
Wo r k i n g i n t h e m a r i ne e nv i r onm e nt l e d t o S a mi a b e c om i n g m or e i nv ol v ed in m a r i n e c o n s er v at i o n w o r k , par t i c ul ar ly t h e p r o t e c t i on o f t ur t l e s , and t hi s i n t ur n fu e l l e d a d e s i r e t o f u r t her h e r s t udi es, t h i s t i m e a t Ki ng ’s Col l eg e , L o n d o n, w h e r e sh e c o m pl et e d h e r M a s t e r s in Env i r o n m e n t , Pol i t i c s and G l obal i z at i o n. “ Env i r o nm e n t al Pol i c y i s a m i x of s c i e n c e a n d pol i c y m ak i n g . H aving a l way s b e e n a p o l i t i c a l per s on, a nd a s so m e o ne w h o c ar e s about the e nv i r o n m e n t , i t s eem e d l i ke a g ood f i t . I n fa c t , my d i s s er t a t i on f o c us e d on M a r ine Po l i c y a n d t he i s s u e s f ac e d by p o lic y m a ke r s i n Kuwa i t .” H av i n g c o m pl et e d h e r M a s t e r s , Sam ia s p e n t t w o y e a r s w i t h Kuwa i t Pet r ol eum In t e r n a t i o na l i n Copenhag e n , a s an e nv i r o n m e n t a l c o n s ul t a n t . “ T hi s wa s n’t r e a l l y w h e r e I wa n t ed t o b e , t houg h , so w h e n a n o p p o r t uni t y a r os e t o appl y f o r a r o l e a t t h e Wo r l d Bank , as par t of of the Wo r l d B a n k ’s d o n o r c o u n t r y em p l oy m ent p r o g r a m .” At t h e end of t he pr o g r a m she a p p l i e d fo r a s t af f pos i t i on w i t h the Wo r l d B a n k , w her e s he w o r ke d a s a m e m b e r o f t h e i r M i d d l e E a s t a n d N or th Afr i c a (M E N A ) E nv i r o n m ent U ni t . From J u l y 2006 unt i l J u l y 2 0 1 3 , s he f o c used o n n a t u r a l r e s our c e m a n a g em e n t and p r ov i d i n g s a f eg u a r d s u p p o r t f o r Wo r ld B a n k p r o je c t s ac r os s t h e M E N A r eg i o n, i n Eg y p t , Yem e n , D j i bout i , J or d a n, L e b a n o n , Ir a q a n d t he G CC) f o c us i n g on M a r i n e Iss ues , F i s her i e s , Co n s er v at i o n, Env i r o n m e n t al s af e g uar d s , E nv i r onm e nt Im p a c t As s e s s m ent s a n d E nv i r o n m ental Ec o n o m i c s. Wo r k i n g a s a Tas k M a n a g er f or t he Gulf In i t i a t i v e , b a s ed i n Wa s hi ng t on, Sa m i a’s r o l e i n c r e as i n g l y f oc u s ed o n Ku wai t and B a h r a i n , an d a r eg i o n a l i n i t i at i v e (f or m a r i n e e nv i r onm e n t p r ot e c t i o n ) . “ I d e c i de d t o l eav e my f ul l t i m e s taf f p o s i t i o n a t t he Wor l d Ba n k i n s u m mer 2013 a n d r et u r n t o Kuwa i t , a n d I n ow w o r k a s a c ons u l t ant w i t h t he E PA , as we l l a s w o r k i n g i n t h e Re d Se a r e g i on.” “One of the most impor tant outputs o f t h e p r o g r a m w i t h t h e E PA , i s c o s t i n g the Effect of Environmental Degradation in economic terms, or working out h o w m u c h o f K u w a i t ’s G D P i s l o s t to environmental degradation. For example, air pollution is the highest contributor y factor here in Kuwait, with par ticulate matter contributing to an increase in respirator y diseases. T h i s i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d t h e E PA w i t h a tool to highlight the impor tance of environmental issues to key policy maker s in different sector s.
I n ter ms of ec onom ic c osts, the ef f ec t of air pollution inc ludes lost m an hour s due to illness, c ost of disease c ontrol and treatment, the impac t on the f ood c hain, and degradation of the land and marine env ironm ent. When y ou go to a body suc h as the m inistr y of F inanc e and say : “ B y the way it’s going to c ost y ou this m uc h and we are losing that m uc h in our f isheries sec tor” , well, they listen.” Par t of the EPA’s remit is to draf t and implem ent a v iable env ironm ental polic y ; in shor t ensuring that Kuwait wor ks towards a sustainable and green ec onomy. One of the most ef f ec tiv e way s of im plem enting ef f ec tiv e env ironmental polic y is through the introduc tion of new, greener tec hnologies, whic h is som ething a num ber of ministries are c ur rently wor king on as a direc t result of the passing Law 4 2 of 2 0 1 4 . “Of course, introducing greener technology
p r o d u c e s p a r t i c u l a r chal l enges , as i t requires funding and buy-in from the public. One technology that is being introduced by the Ministr y of Electricity and of Water, is solar power farms, to reduce reliance on current power plants and desalination. The capacity for successful implementation of solar energy projects in Kuwait, and the wider region, is limitless and sustainable.” There is no doubt, in the minds of ever yone involved, that moving to a greener economy will require huge changes in behavior, by individual members of society and by business, but the new policies being implemented, in conjunction with the EPA, are more streamlined than previous laws, and friendlier to small businesses, which should help in the facilitation of the process. As Samia obser ves: “ Ever yone managing this proces s appreciates that initiatives like recycling, efficient use of water and electricity, [continued...] 71
[ . . . c o n t i nu e d ] e f f i c i e n t m a n a g e m e n t of m a r i n e r e s our c es , et c . r e q u i r e re g u l a t i o n . It ’s a t op dow n p r oc e s s , and i f yo u l o o k a t t he c h a n g es i n E u r ope, t h e UK a n d US , ov e r t h e l as t d e c ade o r m or e , peo p l e c h a n g e t h e i r b e h av i or bec a u s e of r e g u l a t i o n . I t i s n ’t g oi ng t o happen ov e r n i g h t , b u t t h i s does n ’t m e a n t hat ev e r y o n e o f u s c a n n o t d o s o m et h i n g t o ef fe c t r e a l c h a n g e.” Anyo n e w h o wa n t s t o pl ay an a c t i v e ro l e i n p r o t e c t i n g t he e nv i r onm e n t w i l l fee l , a t t i m e s , as t h o u g h i t ’s v er y d i f f i c ul t to i n fl u e n c e t hi ng s o r m ake a r eal i m p a c t . H o wev er, Sam i a i s abs o l u t el y cl e a r t h a t t h r o ug h o u r c o n s um e r c h o i c es and sm a l l c h a n g es i n o u r behav i o r, t he ac c u m u l a t e d e f f e c t w i l l be o bv i o u s : “ S i m p l e c h a n g es , t hat we c a n a l l m a ke , w i l l h av e a pos i t i v e ef f ec t . Fr om th e o bv i o u s t h i n g s l i ke s w i t c h i n g o f l i g ht s to u s i n g fewe r b a g s at t h e s u p e r m a r ke t ca n e ffe c t p o sit i v e c h a n g e. By c h o o s i ng to b u y o n l y w h a t we n e e d , r a t her t h a n own i n g s t u ff ju s t b e c aus e i t ’s i n f a s hi on or we l i ke i t . B y r enov at i n g a n d r e c y c l i n g w h a t we a l r e a d y ow n , and by not t h r ow i n g out s o m u c h . We w i l l hav e a p o s i t i v e i m p a c t o n o u r env i r o n m ent , as s o l i d was t e d i s p o sa l i s o n e of t h e bi g g es t pol l u t a n t s i n our m o d e r n, c ons u m er i s t so c i e t y.” We c a n a l s o hol d s o c i et y a c c o u n t abl e. For e x a m p l e , a s Kuwa i t i c i t i z e n s we h av e a p o l i t i c a l v o i c e, t h r oug h o u r Pa r l i am e n t and o u r M Ps - w ho a r e a l l ul t i m at e l y ac c o u n t a b l e t o us - a n d we c a n us e t h i s vo i c e fo r p o si t iv e c hang e . O n e o f t h e c at a l y s t s t hat l ed t o t he for m u l a t i o n a n d es t abl i s h m ent o f L aw 4 2 was c i t i ze n s u s i n g t hei r pol i t i c al v o i c e i n re a c t i o n t o t h e U m al H a i m an i nc i d e n t , w h i c h l e d t o t h e penal i z i ng o f s o m e nonco m p l i a n t fa c t o r i es i n n e a r by Sh u a i b a . Ad d i t i o n a l l y t he new l aw has a d o p t ed th e p r a c t i c e o f St r a t eg i c E nv i r o n m ent a l Ass e s sm e n t a s a t o o l f o r i n c or p o r at i n g env i r o n m e n t a l c ons i d e r at i o n s i n pol i c y dev e l o p m e n t a n d l and u s e p l a n n i n g . O n e o f t h e r es u l t s o f t h i s i nv es t i g a t i v e pro c e ss i s t h at t he E PA i s n o w h e a d e d by t h e Pr i m e M i ni s t er, a c hang e t hat h a s l e d t o i t h av i n g t h e p o wer t o i m p l e m ent re a l c h a n g e . Al l o f t h i s i s t he r e s ul t o f ci t i z e n s e x e r c i s i n g t hei r pol i t i c al p o wer to e ffe c t a p o sit i v e c hang e f o r t he e n t i r e co m m u n i t y.” Citizens can learn more about Law 42 and the government’s environmental policy by visiting www.epa.org.kw, but more impor tantly, they can play an active role if they believe there is an instance that needs to be brought to the attention of the EPA, by accessing either the eMISK (environmental 72
monitoring information system of Kuwait) or Beatona (our environment) por tals on the EPA’s website.” Yes, Kuwait is a sm all c ountr y in a big region, but it is uniquely plac ed to play a piv otal role in the im plem entation and m anagement of ef f ic ient and ef f ec tiv e env ironm ental polic ies that c an be used as a template f or the entire Gulf region. On whic h point, I will leav e y ou with these thoughts f rom S amia: “We could look at so many possibilities for developing solar technology and a green economy. We could be leading the region in developing these technologies. The cost benefit ratio is heavily weighted towards benefits, with minimal impact on the environment. Kuwait, in fact, should be the R & D center, for solar power. We have the funding, talent and intellectual ability, the natural resources are there … everything is there, but it’s not being utilized enough - yet.
We send talented people abroad to get the best education, but they aren’t returning because they don’t see oppor tunities at home. We should give them oppor tunities, which would allow them to contribute their intellectual capital to the countr y’s future and to helping contribute to a greener economy. By creating a greener economy and oppor tunities for talented young Kuwaitis and by using our political voice, which is unique in the region, we can all effect change in a positive manner, to protect the countr y’s environment and economy, both for now and for the longer term.” Get in touch with Samia Al-Duaij by emailing her at samia.duaij@gmail.com. Follow Lynda Higgs on Instagram @TheSometimePhotographer, F a c e b o o k : L y n d a H P h o t o g r a p h y. F i n d Lynda's work a t w w w. l y n d a h i g g s p h o t og r a p h y. c o m . P h o t og r a p h y b y L i n d a H i g g s .
just ask
bazaar apps Literally at your fingertips
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FLO MUSIC PLAYER
MIMICKER ALARM
Sharing songs using your smartphone is challenging at best, and can quickly squash a listening experience. Flo Music is an app for your smart phone that allows a host to download the app, invite friends and family to join your group, and all enjoy a shared music experience. Flo uses WiFi networks to connect everyone. Turning a WiFi network into a virtual jukebox. And Flo will even work without WiFi, acting as a hotspot so the music never stops. And with Flo Sync Mode, you can put away that headphone splitter and still share the same tunes as all connected devices play the same music at the same time.
Most of us hate our alarms, don’t we? Who wants to be woken up when they're having a lovely dream about their teeth falling out? But I hate Mimicker Alarm even more than most. Not only do you have to switch it off in the morning when you're tired (ugh), but 'this foolproof alarm' won’t switch off until you’ve actually achieved something, and it can tell whether you've done this by using your camera. For example, it might ask you to pull a certain face or snap a picture of certain color. This task always involves something physical and it almost always has the intended effect.
NO MORE VOICEMAIL
STARBUCKS APP
It sounds like a dream — no more having to thumb through your voicemail, deleting messages from people you don't want to talk to, or worse, dialing in and and listening to them one by one. With No More Voicemail, it's a reality. Using conditional call forwarding, it sends all your ignored and unanswered calls to an endless ringing loop, ensuring you never have to deal with another voicemail again. Should you decide you miss the inconvenience of phantom voices on your phone, it's just as easy to deactivate and put things back as they were.
Now customers across Kuwait can use their phones to pay for their favorite beverages and treats in store. This latest digital innovation follows last year’s successful launch of the mobile app for iOS users. More Starbucks customers are discovering what some customers have already learned: it’s easy to download the app and convenient to pay with a quick scan of your phone. Downloading the app and joining My Starbucks Rewards gives customers the chance to receive valuable rewards and enjoy special benefits. You can find out information on the app and programme on the Starbucks website: www. mena.starbucks.com.
PROMO CODES: SUPPORT DEVS
MSQRD
Promo Codes: Support Devs gives you the chance to win an app you would normally have to pay for every 12 hours. Promo Codes itself is free and you don't need to pay anything to enter its lottery, just launch the app and tap I'm Feeling Lucky. You will be taken to the app store page of a particular app which you may or may not win. If you don’t, well hey, don’t worry, maybe you will next time. Of course, part of the app's intention is to promote apps: it’s expected that some people will be interested in buying an app if they don’t win it.
MSQRD is an app that takes the best feature of Snapchat (filters), improves on them greatly and just stops at that. In the last month, MSQRD has really taken off, becoming the number 1 app for iOS and Android, being featured on multiple prime time TV shows, being used by celebrities posting to their social media, and most recently, being brought by Facebook. To use it, just open the app and swipe left or right for the required filter. There is a decent selection, from celebrities to animals and cartoons. Then, take your picture/video and share away. Simple!
crocs
75
TASWEER-
STREET-STYLE PHOTOGRAPHY
With Studio Nuqat and the Facehunter By bazaar staff
When we first learned that the fabulously fashion savvy Facehunter was coming to Kuwait, courtesy of Studio Nuqat, to give a workshop on the elements of street-style photography, the office collapsed into a fit of giggles. Long time fans of this Swiss-born Parisian street-style guru, we couldn’t wait to interview him and sit through his three-day workshop. But how does one even begin to write about the person solely in charge of your “cool” status? – according to the French Elle of course. As is evident from the endless fashionforward feeds we scroll through on Social Media, trends start on the streets. That’s where Yvan Rodic, aka the Facehunter, captures the greatest moments of street-style. If that wasn’t enough, this master of all things cool also founded the world’s first content-marketing agency solely for Snapchat! Known as A Little Nation, this production company and creative studio is dedicated to mobile storytelling. Why? Because we live in a digital world! Yvan has proved that there’s nothing he can’t do. Armed with his DSLR and Clip-on Fisheye Lens for his smartphone, Yvan is out conquering the digital world one snap at a time. This being his second time in Kuwait – his first time was very brief – he looked forward to exploring the country and documenting his style finds all while giving a workshop on the elements of street-style photography. 76
To st a r t us o f f , Y v a n i n t r o d u ced h i m se l f a n d hi s onl i ne p e r s o n a – l ike h e ev e n n eeded t o – w i t h an ex c e l l e nt p r e s e n t a t i o n o n t h e hi s t or y o f s t r eets t y l e p h o t o g r aphy. Sp e a k i ng f ondl y of his fe l l o w p h o t og r apher s a n d t h e i r s t y l e s, Yv a n we n t o n t o s h o w us e x a m ples o f e a c h . Fr o m To m my To n ’s b e a u t if ul Fa s h i o n Week c a p t ur e s , A dam Ka tz ’s t h i s-i s -n o t -s t r e e t - s t y l e- phot o g r a p hy t a ke o n h i s i m a g es , t o Sc ot t Sc hum a n ’s y earr o u n d p o st s of t h e av e r ag e J oe ( or J ane! ) o n t h e s t r eet s . W i t h n o t hi ng but r e s pec t fo r a l l t h o s e i n t he i n d u s t r y, Y v an went o n t o e x p l ai n h o w e a c h p h o t og r apher – i n c l u d i n g h i m s el f – s t ands o u t f r om the o t h e r. Ea c h a pi oneer of s o r t s i n t heir c h o s e n s t y l e, Y v a n ex pl ai ns t h a t w hi l e a l o t o f t h e i mag e s s eem c a n d i d , m o s t are m a d e t o l o ok a s s u c h, “I t ’s about f i nding t h a t p e r fe c t m om e n t ,” Y v a n e x p l a i n e d, “ a n d so m et i m es , y ou s i m p l y need to r e c r e a t e i t .” A ke e n ey e f or s t r eet - s t y l e , Y van – l i ke o t h er s i n hi s f i e l d – doesn’t n e c e ss a r i l y l ook a t j u s t t h e c l ot h i n g “ I t c o u l d b e a l ook , a m ov e m ent … ” Y v an s t a r t e d , “ In a way, i t ’s h o w t h e p e r son c a r r i e s t h e m s e l v e s i n t h e i r c l o t hes.” B e c a u s e a ny s t y l e a f i c i o n a d o w i l l tell yo u t h e bi g g es t f as h i o n f a u x - p a s is wa l k i n g a r o u n d w i t h c l ot h e s t h a t we ar yo u a s o p p o s ed t o y o u wear i n g t h e m. “ N ev e r t r y t oo h a r d, i f y ou’r e t r y i ng too h a r d ,” Yv a n el abor a t ed, “ we c an a l way s t e l l ;” a n a i r of e f f o r t l es s l y - c o o l i s w h at t h ey’r e o n t h e pr o w l f or. W h i l e we l i v e in a n e r a o f d e s i g n e r s dr e s s i n g I t - g i r l s at Fa s h i o n We ek f o r w hen t hei r phot o g r a p hs a r e t a ke n by Y v a n a n d h i s peer s , m ost s t r e e t -st yl e p h o t og r apher s l ook f or the av e r a g e l y d r es s ed but i n c r e d i b l y s t yled i n d i v i d u a l e x u d i n g c o n f i denc e . N o t hing d e m o n s t r a ted t h a t bet t er t han D ay 2 of t h e w o r k sh o p . S t e p p i n g out i n t o Ku wai t Ci t y s ear c hing fo r b a c k d r o p s and m o m ent s t o c apt u re, we we r e r e a dy t o a p p l y Y v a n ’s t e c hni ques a n d d i s c ov e r our o w n s t y l e. G ui ding u s ev e r y s t e p o f t h e way, Y v a n w ould g o a r o u n d l ook i n g at t he i m a g es we’v e c a p t u r e d whi l e g i v i ng us poi nt e r s on h ow we c o u l d i mpr ov e t h e m . Y v an was al way s e n c o u r a g i ng us ev er y s t ep of t he way, no m a t t e r h o w f r u s t r at e d we we r e w i t h our c a m e r a s o r s u r r o u n d i n g s . H e was happy t o h e l p w h en as ked and s o m et i m es ev en d i r e c t e d a m om e n t f or us t o c a p t ur e . With h e l p fr o m th e e n l i s t e d m odel s a n d f el low wo rk s h o p p e r s , o u r t r i al s a n d t r i b u l a t i ons we r e s u p e rb l y a m us i n g . O ur d ay ended w i t h u s b e i n g abs o l u t el y ex haus t ed y et t h r i l l e d t o hav e a m em o r y c a r d f ul l o f fun s n a p s we ’d t a ken t h r oug h o u t t h e d ay –
our assignment: pic k out som e images we lov e, f igure out our theme and sty le, and bring them in the nex t day. On our third and f inal day, we all gathered around a projec tor and watc hed our im ages pour through f or ev er y one to see. I t all star ted with a sim ple statem ent f rom Yv an, “ Tell m e about this photo,” and we’d go on ex plaining why we c hose it and what drew us to it – f rom the moment we c aptured it, to why it was selec ted. An open disc ussion, we were all able to disc uss eac h other’s c hosen photographs and enc ourage eac h other to take our new-f ound talents f ur ther. B y the end of it, Yv an and the good people
at Nuqat were kind enough to give us c er tif icates for par ticipating . A nd jus t in c a s e you were wondering why Y van is kno wn as the Facehunter, “I literally hunt for faces ,” he s miled, “that’s how I bec ame the Facehunter.”
Explore Yvan Rodic’s work further by following him on Instagram and Twitter @facehunter an d on Snapchat @MrFH or s impl y go to www.facehunter.org. To learn more about his Snapchat agency, go to www.alittlenation.com. Find out more about Studio Nuqat and all upcoming workshops by going to www.nuqat.me or follow them on Instagram @Nuqat. 77
KENDRICK LAMAR'S
SNEAKY ALBUM RELEASE WAS ALL ABOUT RELIEVING
THE PRESSURE By Dan Solomon
Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly wasn't just the most critically (and presidentially!) adored album of 2015—it was also the sort of artistic statement that threatens to overwhelm a young artist's career. It was Kendrick's third album, coming after a promising debut and a powerhouse major label breakthrough. The pressure was on before he released To Pimp A Butterfly—and after the year he's had, that pressure was at an all-time high. And not every artist deals with it well. Lauryn Hill followed up a similarly epochal breakthrough by retreating for four years, then releasing her new music only in the form of an MTV Unplugged live recording; Outkast did it by waiting three years, then releasing a soundtrack album to a movie that the duo starred in; in both cases, the world's been waiting over a decade for a proper studio follow-up. The pressure is off Kendrick Lamar, though, because in the middle of the night during March, 78
with no fanfare, he released Untitled Unmastered, a follow-up to To Pimp A Butterfly that comes less than a year after the release of that career-defining album. The eight-track album is short—it runs around 35 minutes, compared to the 70+ minutes of both TPAB and Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City—and it sounds a lot like To Pimp A Butterfly. It doesn't try to hide that, either. While Untitled Unmastered is an on-brand sentiment for Kendrick Lamar, it's also a plain description of the release, on which all eight songs are called "Untitled," followed by a date—and six of those tracks have a date from mid/late 2014, when he'd have been knee-deep in recording Butterfly. ("Untitled 3," marked with a date of 05.28.2013, sounds more like an early sketch for that album's sound, while "Untitled 7," marked 20142016, is a mashup of studio rap—produced by Swizz Beatz's and Alicia Keys's 5-year-old son, Egypt!—and Lamar's home guitar recording.) When you follow-up your critically adored, presidentially endorsed masterpiece less than a year later with a surprise album full of either b-sides or tracks
that your friend's kid produced for you, in other words, you're saying two things: One, you're not overwhelmed by the pressure of living up to what you've already created, and two, you're going to keep experimenting. It's got much more in common with how Radiohead followed-up Kid A—by dropping Amnesiac ten months later, and letting the fact that that album's B-sides were so good that they could stand alone as one of the better albums of the following year, speak for the band's bright future. It's too early to declare Untitled Unmastered one of the best albums of 2016—the year is only two months old. But it is a fine companion album to To Pimp A Butterfly, full of songs that sound a lot like that album without being straight retreads. It's imminently listenable, thoughtful without being self-serious, and even if it's more an indication of where Kendrick has been than where he's going, it clears him some space to get to his next level without worrying about how he'll follow up To Pimp A Butterfly—now, he's already done that.
Mac
THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY By Ayman Nassar
What do an engineer, a marketeer and an MBA student have in common? This is not the start of a bad joke, rather a testament to the diversity of talent that broadcasts over the radio every morning to thousands of eager listeners. We’re talking of course about the Breakfast Show on RK FM99.7, with Aki AlMubarak, Tee Saab and George Tarabay, whose delightful antics and witty banter plaster a smile on our faces on the tedious drive to work during the week. We bombarded the trio with a set of unconventional questions to give our readers a different spin on the radio dial and hopefully help them understand/appreciate the efforts that go into the morning show. Would you say your celebrity has affected you? Aki: Of course. It added more responsibility. People get associated with everything you say and begin bonding with you; you’re their morning caffeine so everything you say counts. I have to be precise and cautious about everything at the same time try to be me. Tee: Never had and will never do. George: Yes, only in the sense that I’m more aware that people know me more than I think they do. It's a breach of privacy that you’ve invited and the beautiful part is, they become friends you never met. If you weren't on the radio, where would you be? Aki: I started with TV as a host and I still host TV shows, so that and more art work. Tee: I’d be on television because that’s my passion. George: Mastering martial arts with Mr. Miyagi or using my home studio as a pretend radio station because I cannot imagine my life without radio. It’s always been my #1 media as it embodies the magic of the voice alone and strips you away from any visual aid to get away from the shortage in thinking process. What are your thoughts early in the morning? Aki: Several things, how to start my show in terms of topics and how to present them. The biggest challenge is the playlist, people think creating a playlist is easy, it’s not! Starting with good music has a huge impact on whether people will keep tuning in or not. Think of it as a breakfast meal, if it contained some ingredients that you don’t like you won’t eat it all, it’s the same with music maybe one song will ruin the 80
mood and make some listeners tune off. Tee: The flow of the show, what we’ll discuss and monitoring the ads. George: How lucky I am to be doing what I’ve always wanted since I was 19. Radio has and always will be my one true love (after my wife, hazelnut chocolate spread... bread... and film making.) What is your worst on-air slip up? Aki: That happens a lot! I can't think of one only! I don't take them seriously. We laugh at them most of the time. It’s part of being human. I do get embarrassed though when I mispronounce listeners' names! Tee: Several words that I stutter on but they turn out funny. George: When my brain goes: "ok, no more words. So, what you gonna say now?" I literally shutdown trying to figure out what I was saying and why I just forgot it so I dive into an analysis process that further prolongs the awkward silence and now I’m aware of that silence too. It's a self-feeding cycle. Who was your favorite on-air guest? Aki: Honestly I cannot pick one, we had many
great people from different backgrounds and numerous fields. You get the sense of who listeners love as well, we had many guests where people would call and ask to get their contact info. Tee: Every guest has their special presence and character but I loved hosting celebrity chefs Jenny Morris and Reza Mahammad. George: We had many guests it’s unfair to try and single one out. They’re all special and contributed plenty of expertise. Personally, I enjoy having bands as they pump life into the studio that people can feel through their radios. What is your best memory? Aki: How I started! I would never, ever in my life forget my first day on air! I was literally out of breath and couldn’t speak due to how nervous I was. My hands were shaking like there was no tomorrow, thinking of how many people are listening just made me go crazy. It’s funny that never happened on my TV shows. Tee: All of them. George: When people text us saying they laughed at something I said, it means a lot because it feels awesome reaching people
Left to right: Tee, George and Aki.
through the show. It mesmerizes me how 3 people talking to each other can reach this vast majority of the population. I know the science behind it, but it still baffles me. They say two's company and three's a crowd, do you feel that is true? Aki: Actually three’s a party. It’s vital to have more than two at the studio or on the show. It’s more fun, energetic and more diverse especially when you talk about anything you start to have more points of view, more arguments and more fun, I like it. Tee: No, three’s a team! Especially us! George: All great stuff come in 3's: a triple burger, a triple pointer. I love being on the show with my colleagues and I can’t imagine it without them. Our differences complete each other and that’s what makes the mix successful. What question do you wish people would stop asking? Aki: Are you Kuwaiti? (Laughs) I don’t mind when they ask me, it’s the question I’m asked the most. I love interacting with my audience, on social media I answer all questions, we are here because of them and they deserve our
time and attention. Tee: Do you really wake up at 5:00am every day? George: What does the studio look like? Are you happy doing radio every morning? Did you have any eye-opening experiences on the radio? Aki: Of course! The fact that you’re part of people’s lives changes a lot in you. I’m much happier now, the idea of going every day to put a smile on people’s faces made me realize I should be happy too, and more grateful for what I have and what I’m doing. Tee: It’s tough working on the radio as people only hear your voice, you can't make mistakes you must be extra cautious, especially with what you say. People must know your personality through your voice and sometimes that’s challenging. George: It taught me that people sometimes might be shocked when they meet us, and that is just marvellous to me. People unconsciously associate looks and characters to us based solely on our voices. They project similarities onto us, and then when they meet us, it’s completely shattered and that shocks them. We get to play with it and have fun ourselves.
If the camera adds 10 pounds, what does the mic do? Aki: 10 pounds of responsibility! (Laughs) It’s fun but you have to be focused and sharp for 2hrs counting parts and splits of seconds because they do count and affect many things like if you talked too much or too little, you take everything into consideration. Radio is a very straightforward media, you use one tool of communication which is your voice, so people will notice mistakes immediately and can love or hate you for that. Tee: Adding pounds to me is no problem but being behind the mic is a huge responsibility because some days I’m pretty sure of what to say and all of a sudden I just go blank! The mic is scary sometimes, but funny scary. George: The mic ads to your personality. Behind that mic, it doesn't matter who we are (Bane reference) what matters is what we say. We’re no longer pretty, ugly, fat, slim, tall, short etc. That’s something that really keeps you on your toes. To keep up with the team, follow them on Instagram: George @georgetarabay, Tee @teesaab and Aki @aki_almubarak. 81
COSPLAYERS HADEEL AND PUFACHI By Kuwait Anime Club
Kuwait Anime Club (KAC) is a social club for anime, gaming, and comic fans in Kuwait. Founded by Mashaan Almashaan in 2014, KAC was established to connect and support fans, artists, and cosplayers in the country. Hadeel and Pufachi are two such cosplayers based in Kuwait. We were lucky enough to get some time with them and ask them about their craft to give people an insight into the world of cosplay, specifically in Kuwait where it has grown in popularity in recent years. How would you describe cosplay to someone who doesn’t know anything about it? Hadeel: Cosplay is short for costume play. It’s a form of art or a hobby in which people portray and dress up as characters from anime, films, video games, and comic books. Pufachi: Cosplay is the art of dressing up as characters from games, animation, and movies. When getting into character, the cosplayer is not only involved in putting on the costume, but also in living the character. What got you into cosplaying? Hadeel: Frankly, I never saw myself as someone who would seriously get into cosplay until I found out that there was a cosplay community in Kuwait back in 2013. I thought to myself, “Wow! These things exist in Kuwait?” So, I joined the fun. Pufachi: Events that took place in Kuwait encouraged me to cosplay my favorite characters and get to meet new people that share the same hobby. Do you consider it something serious or just something for fun? Hadeel: When it comes to cosplay competitions, I like to take it seriously to keep myself motivated. But other than that, I do it for fun, especially when it’s with my friends. Pufachi: As an art form, I would consider it to be serious but as a hobby, I do it for fun. What are the pros and cons of cosplaying? Hadeel: The pros is that you get to meet new people, have fun, live the character you’re portraying, and the experience itself is worth it. As for cons, it can be time consuming and you might spend a lot of money on it. Pufachi: You get to make new friends and enjoy expressing yourself while cosplaying your favorite characters. The cons would be that the materials you would use to craft such costumes could be costly. Is it difficult balancing between cosplaying and everything else in your life like family, friends, and work or school? Hadeel: Balancing it out shouldn’t be a problem. It all depends on how you handle everything together. 82
Pufachi: Not really. You just have to manage your time well. It was hard in the beginning since I became a mother, but in time, I managed it. Did you get any criticism from friends, family, or society? Hadeel: Criticism is everywhere you go and in whatever you do. It shouldn’t be a bother. Pufachi: Like all arts, you would definitely get people who would either criticize or love the character that you bring to life. Will you give up on cosplaying some time in the future? Hadeel: I’m not planning on quitting any time soon, but I cannot predict the future. Pufcahi: Only if I feel that there are more important matters to attend to. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? Hadeel: Hopefully a successful person. As long as I’m happy then I’m good. Pufachi: I would like to be cosplaying with my kids and grandkids and to be the best cosplay family. Are you planning anything soon as a cosplayer? Hadeel: Not really, just joining contests.
Pufachi: Let’s just say that I like to give a few surprises. What are your plans for the Middle East Film & Comic Convention in Dubai? Hadeel: Catching up with my friends from the gulf, hopefully getting the chance to meet the celebrity guests, shopping, and cosplaying new characters there. Pufachi: Well I’m so exited to share this experience with our new baby Lily. I’m sure she’s going to enjoy it so much with me and her father. As for the cosplay plans I prefer keeping it as a surprise. Any last comments? Hadeel: If you have a goal, chase it. Pufachi: I would like to summarize that cosplay is an art form that requires skills in crafting items, make up, acting, and enjoying the moment as the character itself.
You can reach Kuwait Anime Club on Instagram @kuwaitanimeclub, Mashaan Almashaan on Instagram @iammashaan or contact him at mashaan@mashaan. com, and Pufachi on Instagram @pufachi_cosplay.
Max
THE PROMENADE CULTURE CENTRE Alyah and Noor’s call to creatives nationwide By bazaar staff
Kuwait’s art scene is constantly expanding and there’s a growing demand for creative spaces. With that in mind, the good people at The Promenade are in the process of creating a cultural hub for all to enjoy! Aptly named the Promenade Culture Centre (PCC), their goal is to provide Kuwait with a creative space for activities, workshops, exhibitions, talks, and so much more. The Promenade’s newest addition to Kuwait’s booming creative realm is here to cover every aspect of culture. We met with Marketing Manager Alyah Al-Jasser and the Promenade Culture Centre Manager Noor AlSadoun to find out more about this incredible space. But before that, we want to get to know the wonderful ladies managing the PCC. 84
An amateur ar tist, Noor Al-S adoun passes the tim e with doodles – or so she c laim s. “ I t’s a hobby of mine, I wouldn’t really c all my self an ar tist,” Noor stated with a shy smile. Ac c ording to Alyah AlJasser, Noor has c reated two c harac ter s that appear in m ost of her doodles! A c om ic -strip doodler of sor ts, Noor’s talent and lov e f or ar t is what drew her to the PC C . “ I would lov e to dev elop my skills and see my self enlisting in all the ar t wor kshops that would be hosted at the PC C to lear n as m uc h as I c an,” she laughed. When it c om es to Alyah, her bac kground in branding and c om munic ations, as well as wor king as a sty list – all within the f ashion industr y in B arc elona – has spar ked her interest in the PC C . “ The thing about all of us is that we hav e dif f erent tastes in ar t and what we’re interested in,” Alyah ex plained, “ but we all agree on the need f or c reativ e spac es in Kuwait and we all c om e together to bac k the PC C as a plac e f or the ar ts. Per sonally, I would lov e
to see a language exchange program!” With this much love and appreciation for any thing creative and cultural, the P CC is managed by a team that will tr uly deliver on the sp ace’s promis e. The PCC is s plit into two giant areas taking up half of the s econd floor in The Promenade, and is a multifaceted c ultural space. One of thes e s paces is the Multipur pos e Hall for all kinds of ex hibition s , s creenings and viewings , while the o ther is divided into clas s rooms and wor ks hops that could hos t different lear ning experiences . P roviding c reativ es s pace to expres s t h e i r a r t i s t i c ambition, the PCC aims to let the ar ts c o m m u n i t y s h i n e . T h e r e ’s s o m e t h i n g for ever yone as the two spaces can run separate events and cultural activities h a r m o n i o u s l y. W h e r e o t h e r c r e a t i v e a n d cultural hubs end, the PCC essentially b e g i n s . T h e P C C i s T h e P r o m e n a d e ’s w ay o f g i v i n g b a c k t o t h e l o c a l c o m m u n i t y. By providing a space for ar tists and creatives alike, it gives ever yone the
oppor tunity to promote and showcase their wor k as well as planning activities t h a t a r e r e l e v a n t t o t o d ay ’s s o c i e t y. What the PCC wants people to know is that all creative types no longer h av e t o f e e l l i k e t h e y a r e l e f t o u t , b u t rather that they are all welcome into t h i s i n c r e d i b l e s p a c e . Vo w i n g t o t a k e aw ay t h e l o c a l g r o w i n g c o n c e r n f o r a lack of creative spaces, the PCC will b e o p e n i n g t h e i r d o o r s t h i s s u m m e r. I n d o i n g s o , w i p i n g aw ay a l l t r e p i d a t i o n s and reinforcing a message of change. “ R e c l a i m i n g H awa l l i ” i s h o w t h ey e x p l a i n e d T h e P r om e n a d e ’s i ns p i ring l o c a t i o n . T he ent i r et y o f Ku wai t Ci ty ’s s ky l i n e a n d t he A r abi an G ul f c a n be a d m i r e d fr om t he g i a n t w i n d o w s a r ound t h e PC C w i t h o u t a ny o b s t r uc t i ons. T h i s r e c l a i m e d ur b a n s p a c e i s j u s t the m o t i v a t i o n a ny one n e e d s t o c r e a t e or l e a r n . W i t h eas y ac c es s t o T he P r om e n a de a n d PC C fr om a ny w h e r e ar o u n d Kuwa it, i t ’s o ff t h e 3 r d Ri n g Ro a d , t her e ’s no e x c u se n o t t o g o .
A plethora of ac tiv ities are to be ex pec ted to take plac e at the PC C – f rom wor kshops and spoken-word gigs to ar t and m usic al showc ases. Ex hibitions, sem inar s and galleries galore – the PC C is gearing up to bec ome Kuwait’s new f av orite c ultural spac e. The PC C has f ur ther alloc ated spac es f or soc ial groups, c lubs and c ultural d i waney as, so those that m ight seek shelter to meet up with their groups and v arious soc ial c lubs no longer hav e to wor r y about the loc ation of their nex t m eeting . Ev en drama wor kshops and theater rehear sals would also f ind a hom e at the PC C . The team behind and in charge of managing the PCC come from a place of value to the center. With ar tistic backgrounds and a deep-rooted appreciation for the ar ts, the team’s focus is on creating a space that provides Kuwait with an amazing cultural hub in the hear t of the countr y. The PCC team will also be on the hunt for new and amazing ar tists for some of their own self-initiated and curated exhibitions – star ting with
their launch later this summer! Welcoming and encouraging all local talents in the ar ts and musical scenes, the PCC wants ever yone to apply to use the space at any time. Their ultimate goal is to fill up their events calendar with wonderfully curated activities. The PCC is already accepting applications for residencies and they want YOU to contact them!
The Promenade is located off the 3rd Ring Road in Hawalli, off of Tunis Street – the PCC is located on the second floor. For information about how to book a space or residency at The Promenade Cultural Center, please call 2227 7130 or email a.aljasser@alothmanpor tfolio.com and nalsadoun@alothmanpor tfolio.com. Follow the PCC and The Promenade on In st agram @promenadeculturecentre and @thepromenadekw for updates. 85
TO QUIT SMOKING, IT’S BEST TO GO COLD TURKEY, STUDY FINDS By Melissa Healy
Just rip off the bandage; dive into the freezing water; close your eyes and take it. For cigarette smokers who waver at the edge of a decision to quit and consider strategies to ease the transition, a new study finds that the all-in approach is more likely to work than wading in slowly. In a clinical trial that pitted would-be quitters who stopped smoking altogether on "quit day" against those directed to wean themselves off the butts over two weeks, researchers found that those who went cold turkey were more likely than gradual taperers to succeed in quitting for four weeks and for six months. The differences weren’t overwhelming: at four weeks, 39.2 percent of the gradualists were no longer smoking, compared to 49 percent of the do-it-nowers. At six months 15.5 percent of the gradualists and 22 percent of those who stopped smoking on quit day were “former smokers.” But in a group of this size, those differences are considered statistical proof that quitting abruptly is a superior strategy to tiptoeing into the decision. The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in March. Those numbers also underscore a somewhat depressing truth among cigarette smokers wishing to quit: Failure is common. Most studies have shown that roughly one-infour quitters who use medicines to aid in their effor t is able to remain abstinent for six months, and many who make it that far subsequently relapse. Successful quitters tend to have one thing in common: Most of them tried to quit many times before succeeding. The study was conducted in Great Britain, where par ticipants included 697 people who smoked at least 15 cigarettes a day or who had diminished lung capacity consistent with regular smoking. To par ticipate, subjects had to agree to quit within two weeks of enrollment. They were then assigned to either an abrupt-quit or gradual-quit group. Enrollees in the gradual-quit group did get to choose whether, in the two-week period over which they were to stop smoking, they would taper their daily cigarettes, obser ve smokefree periods, or smoke on a schedule. While they followed those gradual-quit patterns, they wore nicotine patches and got fastacting nicotine products, including gum, tablets, lozenges and sprays. At a nurse visit one week before their finalquit day, the gradualists had reduced their cigarette consumption, on average, by 48 86
percent — just shor t of the 50 percent goal. By quit-day, they had reduced on average by 68 percent (shor t of the 75 percent goal). The abrupt-quitters were issued nicotine patches, which they wore for the two weeks leading up to their “quit day.” After that, they were issued nicotine-replacement products to ease their withdrawal. And despite being told not to alter their smoking patterns as their quit-day approached, they did decrease their smoking by an average of 29 percent. After the two-week period was up and cessation began in both conditions, both groups experienced withdrawal symptoms and urge intensities that were roughly the same. The provision not only of nicotinereplacement products but of schedules, structure and professional encouragement for gradual quitters likely “optimized” those par ticipants’ likelihood of success, the researchers said. And yet, their success rates still fell well below those of abruptquitters. The latest finding falls in line with other research on quitting. It may be that those who choose to quit gradually are not as committed to quitting as are those willing to take the plunge, but since par ticipants
here were randomized to their condition, this study suggests that different levels of motivation might not fully explain the different rates of success. The researchers acknowledge that this is hardly the last word on the best way to quit. In a large population of smokers, the gradual approach might feel kinder and gentler to many smokers, and prompt more to attempt quitting more often. Quitting gradually is, at least, sometimes successful. So, over time and in a large population, getting more people to tr y might result in greater reductions in smoking than abrupt quitting, they acknowledge. Here’s what the American Cancer Society says about quitting, and the oftendiscouraging statistics: “The truth is that quit smoking programs, like other programs that treat addictions, often have fairly low success rates. But that doesn’t mean they’re not wor thwhile or that you should be discouraged. Your own success in quitting and staying that way is what really counts, and you have some control over that. Even if you don’t succeed the first few times, keep tr ying. You can learn from your mistakes so that you’ll be ready for those pitfalls next time.
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bazaar goes dining
HOTEL CALCUTTA
India’s vibrant flavors and glorious colors By bazaar staff
The thing with Indian cuisine is that each region has its specialty. The subtle and, at times, not-so-subtle flavor profiles beautifully combine to give you a perfect dish every single time. Highly influenced by flavors reminiscent of the colonial West Bengal region during his trips in India, Thamer AlAbduljaleel came back to Kuwait with a venture that would transport everyone back in time, sans time machine – and Hotel Calcutta was born. More than just a restaurant, Hotel Calcutta is a nod to India’s colonial era evident in both dishes and décor, but with a fantastic twist of course. You quickly realize that with every step you take, all you want to do is take photos of everything. From the beautiful woodwork as you enter and the old school “hotel reception” (fully equipped with traditional copper room keys), to the whimsical paintings of tigers reimagined as maharajas and the pink marble-top tables – snap-post-repeat. Everything was thought out carefully and beautifully executed to bring you a taste of colonial Bombay in Kuwait. Personally overlooking every step in both decorative and culinary process along with his culinary partners, Thamer’s exact vision is what we sampled and enjoyed throughout our visit. Poppadum and dips were brought out in an instant as we perused through the menu in search of our feast. We ordered a Saffron Mango Lassi and the cumin flavored Mast Lassi to get begin, and then the soups, salads and star ters poured in. Let it be known that you’ve never had lentil soup until you’ve visited Hotel Calcutta and had their Mulligatawny. Bold statement this might be, but trust us, their take on the comfor ting Indian specialty, resplendent with pieces of apple, spiced chicken and 88
rice, is not to be missed. With the Sev Puri, crispy cases are filled with sprouted Mung beans with a tamarind and mint chutney, offered an explosive sensor y experience. But the appetizer that completely stole the show, and our hear ts, was the Lady F inger Jaipuri: a beautifully spiced crispy batter coating delicious okras then lightly fried. Have it alone or dip it into the herbed yoghur t, either way we couldn’t physically stop eating. From the grills, we went with the Tandoori Chicken Tikka. Cooked in a traditional tandoor, the chicken is covered in a fier y marinade before being grilled to perfection.
Being absolute curr y fiends, we ordered two diverse dishes: The Coconut Prawn Curr y and their signature Hotel Calcutta Dal Makhani. The prawn curr y comes in a split coconut filled to the brim with a deliciously fragrant coconut curr y while the Hotel Calcutta Dal Makhani is a slow-cooked-over-night black lentil butter y stew. To accompany our grill and curr y feast, we had plain rice as well as butter-laden naan and light roti. Lastly, from the Chawal & Roti menu, we went with a superbly palatable Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Bir yani. This glorious pie-like dish comes with a crispy crust filled with fragrant rice, tender pieces of chicken, boiled eggs
and drenched in gravy. No words could truly por tray how delicious our meal was. Just when we thought we were done, desser t came along. Desser t at Hotel Calcutta is nothing shor t of spectacular. We fell in love with the Gulab Jamoon Cheesecake that cleverly blends tradition with modernity. A first glance reveals a normal cheesecake, but upon closer inspection, you will find pieces of traditional, sinfully sweet, Gulab Jamoon. Fear not, the creamy cheesecake filling cleverly cuts into the sweetness of the Gulab Jamoon, giving you a delightful flavor with ever y bite. If you're after some
chocolate decadence, then the Spiced Melted Chocolate fondant will do the trick! We also fell in love with the smar t take on a classic bread and butter pudding in the form of the Naan & Butter pudding. When we asked Thamer about why they chose to incorporate Naan bread into this dish, he wickedly replied with a smile, "Why not?" With this pudding, the delicate sweet flavors one usually would expect with the bread and butter pudding are elevated with the use of Naan. From flavor to texture, this desser t is a winner! If you're craving something cold to lightly finish off your Indian feast at Hotel Calcutta, then we highly recommend
that you tr y the Masala Karak tea homemade ice cream. For the more adventurous, there's also a curr y flavored offering. Expect an explosion of flavor with ever y teensy spoonful, this desser t comes with a mighty zing!
Indulge in the flavors of the colonial West Bengal region with every visit to Hotel Calcutta. Located in the SoKu area of Grand Avenue – T h e A v e n u e s , f o l l ow t h e m o n I n s t a g r a m @HotelCalcutta for incredible imagery. Call them on 2220 1088 for reservations and inquiries! 89
bazaar movie night The latest from the big screen playing in cinemas across Kuwait in April.
BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE
10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
EDDIE THE EAGLE
Synopsis: Following his titanic struggle against General Zod, Metropolis has been razed to the ground and Superman is the most controversial figure in the world. While for many he is still an emblem of hope, a growing number of people consider him a threat to humanity, seeking justice for the chaos he has brought to Earth. As far as Bruce Wayne is concerned, Superman is clearly a danger to society. He fears for the future of the world with such a reckless power left ungoverned, and so he dons his mask and cape to right Superman's wrongs. The rivalry between them is furious, fueled by bitterness and vengeance, and nothing can dissuade them from waging this war. However, a dark new threat arises in the form of a third man: one who has a power greater than either of them to endanger the world and cause total destruction!!!
Synopsis: After surviving a car accident, a woman wakes up in an underground cellar, where most of the film takes place. She fears she has been abducted by a survivalist, who tells her he saved her life, and that a worldwide chemical attack has left Earth's surface uninhabitable. Uncertain what to believe, she decides she must escape, no matter what dangers she may face outside. 10 Cloverfield Lane is from the same people that brought you hand cam monster/disaster movie Cloverfield back in 2008, yet director JJ Abrams has made it clear that this is not a sequel to that film.
Synopsis: Eddie the Eagle is a 2016 BritishAmerican biographical sports dramedy film directed by Dexter Fletcher, staring Hugh Jackman and Christopher Walken. Cut from the Olympic ski team, British athlete Michael "Eddie" Edwards travels to Germany to test his skills at ski jumping. Fate leads him to Bronson Peary, a former ski jumper who now works as a snowplow driver. Impressed by Edwards' spirit and determination, Peary agrees to train the young underdog. Despite an entire nation counting him out, Eddie's never-say-die attitude takes him all the way to a historic and improbable showing at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta.
BEFORE I WAKE
DEMOLITION
THE BOSS
Synopsis: In this intense and heart pounding supernatural thriller, Jessie (Kate Bosworth) and Mark (Thomas Jane) decide to take in a sweet and loving 8-year-old boy, Cody. Unbeknownst to them, Cody is terrified of falling asleep. At first, they assume his previous unstable homes caused his aversion to sleep, but soon discover why: Cody's dreams manifest in reality as he sleeps. In one moment they experience the incredible wonder of Cody's imagination, and in the next, the horrific nature of his night terrors. To save their new family, Jessie and Mark embark on a dangerous hunt to uncover the truth behind Cody's nightmares.
Synopsis: Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal), a successful investment banker, struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his fatherin-law, Phil (Chris Cooper), to pull it together, Davis continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions. Davis' letters catch the attention of customer service rep, Karen (Naomi Watts), and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two form an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son Chris (Judah Lewis), Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.
Synopsis: The Boss is an upcoming 2016 American comedy film directed by Ben Falcone and produced, co-written by, and starring Falcone's wife Melissa McCarthy as the titular character. Initially announced as ‘Michelle Darnell’, the film is based on a character McCarthy created for the Groundlings. Universal was at first unable to decide on the gender of the film's antagonist. The story follows Michelle Darnell (McCarthy), a titan of industry who is sent to prison after she’s convicted of insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America’s latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget.
Release Date: April 1st Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Cast: Ben Affleck/Henry Cavill/Amy Adams
Release Date: April 7th Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Horror, Thriller Cast: Jacob Tremblay/Annabeth Gish/Thomas Jane
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Release Date: April 1st Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-fi Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead/John Goodman/ John Gallagher Jr.
Release Date: April 7th Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Comedy, Drama Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal/Naomi Watts/Chris Cooper
Release Date: April 1st Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Biography, Drama, History Cast: Taron Egerton/Hugh Jackman/Christopher Walken
Release Date: April 7th Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Comedy Cast: Melissa McCarthy/Kristen Bell/Peter Dinklage
For more details on movie timings and the cinema nearest you, visit: Cinescape: www.cinescape.com.kw or Facebook: Cinescape – Kuwait National Cinema Company. *Above programs are subject to change without prior notice.
that alsalasil
THE URBAN ANALYST TALKING PASSION FOR FASHION WITH
TAIBA AL NASSAR By bazaar staff
Fashion is a timeless interest that men and women alike have invested in, and it’s in our natural human instinct to “Peacock”, or to always want to look good. But there’s a difference between peacocking for others and for yourself, especially when at a young age, you have a passion for fashion to the point where you’re investing all of your creativity in it. Enter Taiba Al Nassar, Urban Analyst. Taiba, – the sixteen-year-old fashion blogger who’s taken Kuwait by storm, started her blog The Urban Analyst in 2014 – while many of us at that age were still secretly playing with Barbies. What makes Taiba so special besides the fact that she’s so young yet so dedicated and well written? That she has a passion for fashion, and isn’t afraid to experiment with anything out of the ordinary. With her interchangeable rainbow colored hair and eclectic sense of style, we would like to welcome her into the pages of bazaar as April’s fashionality! 92
Does fashion ‘make’ the person or does the person ‘make’ fashion? People definitely make fashion. Different backgrounds and tastes are brought to the table from people who choose to express themselves through what they wear. To me, that is why fashion is ever-evolving. It is driven by the fusion of different cultures and personal artistic choices. In your opinion, what make the best statement pieces? Why? There's so much you can do in the shoe department! The shoes I choose to wear can completely change the course of my day, let alone the vibe of my outfit. I can put on sneakers and feel casual and cool, or put on combat boots and walk with an automatic boost of power in my stride. I also really love making bold hair choices; I've been through just about every color of the rainbow. Having funky-colored hair just adds an edge to every look. What is an essential part of any wardrobe? Go-to sunnies. How would you describe your style and what inspires it? My style is dynamic: edgy, yet still put together. I always find inspiration in the unapologetic women of the punk scene, and female artists in general. They have created a voice for women not only in music,
but all over the world. Nothing makes me happier than turning on the radio and hearing someone representing an entire population of women who aren't afraid to say "you know what? I'm not sorry." Because of them, so many more of us aren't afraid to express ourselves exactly how we want to, and with me, it just so happens to be through my personal style. How do you get inspiration for your designs? I’m inspired by just about everything; art, music, architecture, and whatever else I happen to cross paths with. I also find inspiration from my travels. Exposure to different cultures and environments never fails to spark creativity in me. Who from the fashion world would you love to collaborate with? Maybe somewhere down the line I’ll be working along side Anna Wintour and Anna Dello Russo, but with my current state of mind and what’s going on in fashion at the moment, I’d love to be on Rihanna’s design team for her Puma collaboration. Their debut at NYFW this season absolutely killed it. Is there such a thing as the perfect accessory that fits all? I don’t think so. Pieces that make me feel good, might not work for you and vice versa, but that’s what I love about fashion. There are so many
fashionality things you can do with fashion, and you do not get the same freedom to express your originality and yourself with anything else. Do you think there is validity in this statement: “I can’t pull it off,” - and why? That’s nonsense! Telling yourself that automatically limits you from so much. Sometimes rocking those sky-high platforms or sequined sweater is all you need to get you out of a style rut or change up the standard routine. When you have the confidence, “I can pull it off” will not even be in your vocabulary. What does it take to become a style innovator? I think to be innovative, especially in fashion, the most important thing is to be original. Once you trust your own taste, being an innovator just comes with the territory. What’s exciting right now in fashion? Vetements has been sweeping the fashion scene. The rebel/skate vibe that their pieces give off is so addictive. I’ve always been a bit of a rocker, so I’m loving the punk influences in fashion right now! Who or what has been your greatest fashion influence? I get the biggest jolts of inspiration when I travel. The fashion scene in London is just crazy. Whenever I pop over for fashion week my mind just buzzes endlessly with ideas, leaving me inspired for the rest of the season. In addition to icons like Madonna and Courtney Love, I’ve always admired Rihanna’s style. She has always been such a boss, with her style and otherwise. Who are your favorite emerging designers, and what is it that you love about them? I’ve had my eye on Hyein Seo for a while. She is a Masters student at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, and I absolutely love her pieces. I’m also really into Claire Barrow and Nicopanda. What is the highlight of your ‘style’ career so far? Attending London Fashion Week has definitely been the highlight. I remember a time when that was only possible in dreams, so actually getting there is still so gratifying. Every Fashionality has as a style obsession, what’s yours? I’m in love with chokers! I’ve been throwing them on with everything recently. Do you follow any fashion influencers (Instagram/ Blogs etc)? If so, who are they and which would you recommend? Yes! I’m always inspired by Ascia AKF (@Ascia_AKF), just because she is pure sunshine. I also love these accounts: @thegreylayers, @handinfire, and @victoriaalamas. To be stylish is to be fashionable: true or false, and why? In a way, the statement is false. Fashion is indefinable; it is what you make it. Personal style comes from wearing what YOU like and what makes you feel good. It is more self-expression than anything else.
Check out Taiba’s impressive blog today! www.therubananalyst.blogspot.com, and follow her on Instagram @theurbananalyst. 93
LOTUS ARTS DE VIVRE
The luxury of art By bazaar staff
Coveted by royalty and adorned by celebrities and heads of state alike, Helen von Bueren’s Lotus Arts de Vivre exudes extravagance. What was initially created as a hobby business by art connoisseurs Helen and Rolf von Bueren, has manifested into a full-fledged family business. Creating intricate pieces from jewelry and bags to invaluable home-décor – Lotus Arts de Vivre takes the rank of heirloom worthy artistry. The works of art created at the hands of dedicated craftsmen have traveled the world over, catching the eyes of some of the world’s most prolific personalities, will be exhibited in Kuwait this month. Hailing all the way from Thailand, Lotus Arts de Vivre has always been a labor of love. Amongst the first expats to move to Bangkok, Rolf and Helen fell in love with the artistry found in the region. Traveling far and wide, they’ve gathered inspiration for designs and materials across Asia to create wondrous works of art. In doing so, the Buerens have succeeded at preserving a piece of old Siam’s Asian traditions. Now run by Helen and Rolf’s sons, Sri and Nicki, Lotus Arts de Vivre has evolved with a new generation of design and aesthetic on an international scale. One-of-a-kind creations and the rare craftsmanship behind such beautiful designs has put Lotus Arts de Vivre on everyone’s hyperbolic “to-covet” list. Modern and ancient styles mesh seamlessly in their creations and every intricate detail makes each piece phenomenal in its own right. While their boutiques and representatives are situated far and wide across the world, Lotus Arts de Vivre will be exhibiting to the public their immaculate wonders in Kuwait for two days only, April 25 and 26 - the 24th is reserved for invitations only. We got to the opportunity to sit with Nicki von Bueren to learn more about these stunning designs beforehand to pick his brain. 94
Chessboard decorated with diamonds, rubies and Sterling silver
Scarab parrot handbag decorated with scarab wings, gilded Sterling silver and diamond settings with silk lining
Cinnabar red lacquer and Sterling silver camel stool decorated with brocade and carpet
Nicki von Bueren Is this your first time in Kuwait and the region? No, we have held several exhibitions in the region including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai. Will Kuwait, or the region, possibly be seeing the opening of a boutique in the future? We ver y much hope to have a boutique in Kuwait soon. How do you see people responding to your stunning creations? By doing exhibitions in the region we are able to see peoples’ reactions to our various designs which are generally inspired by different combinations of materials and techniques found around the world. In Kuwait we have had a very positive response to our designs for both the jewelry and home collections. Is every piece created a one-off? In jewelry, over 70% of our creations are oneoffs while in the home products division, around 50% are. In an ideal world we would only produce one-off pieces but it is very difficult to maintain a business with only oneoff pieces.
Who, in your own words, is your typical or ideal client? Our clients are generally people who appreciate art and design and are social leaders and not afraid to try something new. Generally, they are bold and have a strong personality. But basically, anyone who appreciates our designs is an ideal client! Could you tell us more about how each piece is created? We are always creating pieces in our workshops in Bangkok where we have approximately 100 very talented craftsmen. Each piece is created partly with skill, and partly with love. You have to like what you do in order to create an object for others to either wear or place in their homes. It’s a very personal business and we enjoy sharing our creations on a daily basis with those who appreciate them. What are some of your favorite pieces created? We create handbags out of bamboo, use scarab wings and fine lacquer in jewelry, and utilize natural cinnabar lacquer in our home decoration pieces. They all have a story and will hopefully make you smile when you look at
them. One of my current favorites is a parrot handbag made from scarab wings which took almost eight months to complete. What makes the craftsmanship so different than any other? It is the combination of materials and designs that we incorporate in every piece that makes our designs stand out and are always recognizable. What is art to you? Art is something to admire, it stands out and creates conversations. “Lotus Arts de Vivre is…” Wearable and accessible timeless arts for everyone. Make sure to check out Lotus Arts de Vivre at the Al Jahra Ballroom in the JW Marriott, Kuwait City when it's open to the public on April 25 and 26. April 24 is reserved for invitations only. You can look at their stunning work online by going to their website www.lotusartsdevivre.com. Follow them on Instagram @LotusArtsdeVivre, Facebook: LotusArtsdeVivre and Twitter @LAdV_News, or call them at 6655 5929 or email them at kuwait@lotusartsdevivre.com for more information. 95
H&M CONSCIOUS
EXCLUSIVE
A modern collection full of historic charm By bazaar staff
Recently recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the world’s most ethical companies, it comes as no surprise that H&M would deliver us with yet another astounding Conscious Exclusive Collection for the year 2016. While many companies preach about their sustainability practices, we find that H&M merges the gap between the notion of sustainability and fashion effortlessly.
For the H&M 2016 Conscious Exclusive Collection, marked online by the hashtag, #HMConsciousExclusive, recyclable materials create sustainable fashion by delivering our conscious wardrobes with a modern collection that is full of historic charm. The brand’s inspiration for the collection offers a 300-year-old ode to costume design at the Musée des Ar ts décoratifs, Palais du Louvre, in Paris. The collection was timed to launch to coincide with the opening of the renowned exhibition, Fashion Forward - 300 years of Fashion at the Musée des Ar ts Décoratifs, 96
and conveys designs that come alive with painterly and sophisticated elegance. While many might argue that histor y repeats itself, the H&M design team delved into the museum’s collections of archival fashion to create key pieces that were inspired by the last three centuries of haute couture. Fashion histor y need not repeat itself in this case, as the result is ever-socontemporar y and ar tistic. The collection arrives as soulful, progressive, and most impor tantly—conscious. "Working with innovative sustainable materials and ornate embellishment, the collection is a layering of references, shapes and textures topped off by intensely decorative accessories and deco-inspired bijoux,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, Creative Advisor at H&M. We’ve long learned that fashion reflects key social aspects of any given society, and what we see with H&M’s 2016 Conscious Exclusive Collection depicts today’s fashionistas. Easy dress silhouettes are key, with languid dresses, ar t-inspired kaftans and sculpted skir ts. Prints are inspired by age-old costume design, adding a dash of surprise by turning dresses into trompe l'oeil paintings or sculptures. A long ball gown with a deep neckline features a marble draping print; a liquid dress is adorned with a slice of Botticelli's Three Graces. Shor t dresses and painter blouses ooze nonchalant sophistication; creating an electric and eclectic shor t-circuit between present and past. “One of my favorite pieces from the collection is the mini asymmetric dress that was inspired by a painting by Gustave Moreau. I love the mix of a conscious, sustainable fabric and an old painting. It’s great to be able to have sustainable clothes that still look red carpet-ready,” says Julia Restoin Roitfeld, the face of the campaign. Creating such bespoke designs using sustainable materials is truly impressive. The materials used in the collection include organic silk, hemp, recycled linen and Tencel blends, as well as new innovative materials such as beads and rhinestones made from recycled glass and Denimite − a material made out of recycled worn-out denim, which H&M is the first fashion company to use.
The H&M 2016 Conscious Exclusive Collection will b e a va i l a b l e f r om A p r i l 7 t h 2 0 16 exclusively at the Grand Avenues location, and will feature women’s clothing and accessories. For the latest updates, check out the hashtag, #HMConsciousExclusive online. Follow H&M Kuwait on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @HM. 97
bazaar music "Music can change the world because it can change people." – Bono
THE WHITE ALBUM
SUPER
HONEY
By Weezer
By The Pet Shop Boys
By Katy B
Weezer's tenth studio album is filled with the colorful mess of people from the West L.A. beach scene. We meet a pack of heroic slackers in “California Kids,” fall in love with a girl from the cannoli shop in “Thank God for the Girls,” and float past tambourine-playing Krishnas in the sugar-sweet hook of "(Girl We Got A) Good Thing.” And while most of the White Album’s portraits are painted with overdriven guitars and Beach Boys-inspired “oohs,” none is more cathartic than album’s closer, “Endless Bummer,” which begins as a acoustic beach-fire singalong and ends with a blistering solo.
The sires of synthpop, Pet Shop Boys, have announced their 13th studio album. Due out this month via their own x2 imprint, Super sees the UK duo once again working alongside producer/ mixer Stuart Price, who filled the same role for 2013’s Electric. Super is preceded by the lead single “Inner Sanctum”, a song that continues the thread Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe began on Electric. The track crawls along its pulsating beat, ominous synth hums rolling underneath the stirring house grinder. Like many of Pet Shop Boys’ songs, the single is an ode to the type of club culture they helped define.
British pop singer Katy B is set to drop her new full-length project, Honey, this month. At the end of last year, she shared a taste via lead single “Calm Down,” a nice piece of bouncy dance-pop and a collab with Four Tet and Floating Points. It turns out the entire thing is a collaborative project with 19 other artists total, including Major Lazer, Craig David, the HeavyTrackers, Novelist, and many more. It seems with so much input from artists of such varied genres and sensibilities, the breadth of sounds on this thing will be broad and awesome.
By Royce Da 5’’9’’
LAYERS
II By John Carpenter
LOST THEMES
THE DIARY
Layers is Royces first release in over 5 years and the album promises to be more introspective than previous efforts from the Detroit emcee, but that doesn't mean it'll be any less lyrical. Royce utilizes a number of different producers throughout the 17-track project, including Nottz, DJ Khalil, Mr. Porter and Jake One. All producers who just as much of veterans in the game as Nickel Nine. Rick Ross and Pusha T are the only emcees to get the nod for a feature, and they both appear on the album's title track and 14th song.
John Carpenter has been responsible for much of the horror genre’s most striking soundtrack work in the fifteen movies he’s both directed and scored. The themes can instantly flood his fans’ musical memory with imagery of a menacing shape stalking a babysitter, a relentless wall of ghost-filled fog, lightning-fisted kung fu fighters, or a mirror holding the gateway to hell. The allnew music on Lost Themes asks Carpenter’s acolytes to visualize their own nightmares. As is Carpenter’s style, repetition is the key to the thundering power of these tracks, their energy swirling with shredding chords, soaring organs, unnerving pianos and captivating percussion.
Ever since J Dilla's death in 2006, a steady stream of posthumous material has been released, with varying degrees of legitimacy. But this one is particularly huge, and totally legit: The Diary is a lost vocal album Dilla completed in the early 2000s. It's set for release via Dilla's own Pay Jay imprint (which is now managed by his family and estate) this month. The Diary is a collection of Dilla's raps over production by Madlib, Pete Rock, Nottz, House Shoes, Karriem Riggins, and more. However, both "Anthem" and "Trucks" feature production by Dilla himself.
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bazaar eats in
A NEWFOUND LOVE FOR PEKING DUCK The bazaar team goes “quackers” for delivery-only concept Quack By bazaar staff
The jig is up, Kuwait – we know your indulgent secret: you love to eat in, and so do we! There’s nothing better than curling up at home with a gourmet feast, some great company, and a good movie or television series. Or maybe you just never feel like cooking and aren’t too keen on going out! No shame, we have the best solution for you in the form of this delicious equation: gourmet cuisine + delivery only=ideal. A delivery-only concept, their offerings arrive at your doorstep with zero disappointment and delicious flair – talk about gastro genius! This month’s concept is duck – Peking duck, to be exact – by the wonderfully pun-inspired concept known as Quack. We’ve tracked down this new deliver yonly eater y that specializes in this ancient Chinese dish. The concept, created by Ahmad Alkhaled, was born 5 months ago with the focus on his infamous take on Peking duck. “Before I created this concept, I would receive overwhelming comments and demands from friends and family members after tr ying my Peking duck at gatherings.” Which just goes to show that the Quack offering is in high demand. Of course, we just had to give it a tr y! Ordering a day in advance, our food arrived hot and in neatly packed containers with the concept’s brilliantly minimalist logo. A charming duck with the words “Quack est. 2015” printed below, and warm wishes from Ahmad himself to enjoy the food. Ahmad sent us their specialty, the Quack Combo meal, which consisted of the famous Quack Platter – the main event on their menu – and a generously por tioned Chinese Salad. The Quack Platter is a DIY Peking duck station containing duck meat, sauce, cucumbers, green onion and a pile of single-por tion pancakes. The exper tly shredded duck meat was tender and easy to maneuver onto the fluffy pancakes for a bespoke Peking-style creation. Coupled with the platter’s freshly chopped cucumber slivers and green onion, each individual 100
wrap provides the perfect crunch to your liking. We also recommend skipping the vegetables for a round or two to enjoy the duck meat sandwiched between the fold of a pancake, but slathered with Quack’s special sauce – a thick molasses that created a rich, sweet contrast to the savor y dish. The Chinese Salad comes in a large container filled to the brim with mixed greens, (fresh lettuce and Lollo Rosso) and accompanied with thoughtful additions of cooked corn kernels, sesame seeds, and a delightfully light, tangy sesame dressing. It was the ideal pairing to our Quack Platter – because who doesn’t love to add more onto their plate without feeling like they’re overdoing it? Salad as a side also leaves room for more delicious DIY Peking duck wraps! Quack’s menu is simple, offering options between the Quack Platter, the Quack Combo, and the Chinese Salad. Don’t let the small menu fool you, though: these offerings are all made to share. Both the Quack Platter and Quack Combo contain
enough food to feed up to three people, so make sure you double your order if you’re with a larger group. Their Chinese Salad, on the other hand, is full of leafy greens and is enough to feed plenty, so salad fans will be left satisfied. We definitely enjoyed our Quack experience and are glad we discovered it! But like all other deliver y-only concepts, we can’t help but wonder – is a dine-in restaurant on its way? “I have plans for opening a small restaurant in the near future with dishes that revolve around our famous Quack Platter. I’d also like to add some spring rolls and duck salads – but we’ll see what happens!” One thing’s for sure, whether we’re eating these delicacies in a restaurant, at work, or on our couches, we’re looking forward to delving deeper into a new food-love affair with Quack’s Peking duck.
Follow Quack on Instagram @quack_kw for deliver y and more information.
nuqat
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ABOUT A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE AND THE WORLD’S OCEANS By Lynda Higgs
Have you ever considered the effect that your regular indulgence of chocolate has on the oceans? I hadn’t given this much thought either, prior to my conversation with Dr. Will Le Quesne (pronounced: le Kane), the Senior Marine Scientist, from the UK, on the CEFAS (the Centre for the Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, a UK government agency) and EPA (Environment Protection Agency, of Kuwait) joint project, established to develop a long term national marine environment monitoring and management program for Kuwait. CEFAS has been with Kuwait for over 15 years, a par tnership which is facilitated through the British Embassy in Kuwait and is the result of the longstanding friendship between the Kuwaiti and UK governments. Prior to joining the CEFAS-EPA project in 2014, Dr. Le Quesne spent 15 years as a marine environmental scientist. He has advised the UK government, European parliament and the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, amongst other bodies, working on issues relating to biodiversity management, conser vation and understanding how to interpret scientific understanding to provide practical advice to policy makers and managers. He told me: “CEFAS and the EPA have worked together on projects since 2001. One of their joint projects was an investigation into some of the impacts of the Mishref Pumping Station incident. I was involved in talking with the EPA when we were developing the project and as a result I was appointed as lead scientist on the CEFAS-EPA joint project.” Will explained that the marine environment provides a lot of social and economic benefits to all of society. “If we look at a map of Kuwait we can see that, as the economy boomed following the discovery of oil, traditional economies became less essential, but nonetheless, the strong ties to the ocean, which are part of Kuwait’s cultural identity, remained. As personal wealth and the population grew, so the city expanded along the coastline. Primarily for economic reasons, but with time it has been about quality of life and leisure.” 102
Probably the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about the maritime economy is the fishing industr y, but the sea also: •reduces the impact of climate change •absorbs over half the CO2 released by mankind •recycles essential waste products - but only to a point •provides fish for food •is used for shipping •offers tourism and recreation, which greatly increases people’s quality of life •provides tidal and wave energy •connects us to cultural links to the past All of these benefits depend on the health of the marine environment, yet the sea is becoming busier and the ability of the
marine environment to provide all of these ser vices and benefits is being stretched, possibly to breaking point. Ever y aspect of modern life impacts on the marine environment, but as Will obser ves: “Whilst it’s unrealistic to expect that we suddenly stop living the way we do today, we manage our impact on the environment through our consumer choices. When purchasing fish products, for example, we can look for products that bear the labels of organizations such as the Marine Stewardship Council 1. (https://msc.org).” We can also look at how we can manage the ongoing development of society, from our neighborhood to our countr y, from our
region to the entire global village, in a sustainable manner. “It comes down to the role of organizations such as the EPA and CEFAS, and to the concept of sustainable development”, says Will. “We all understand that there are huge benefits to development, but that there also huge benefits provided by the environment, so we ask how can we guide the development process so that it is sustainable and has minimal impact on the environment. An organization such as the EPA looks at the balances and trade offs, as there is no one perfect solution in terms of how you can maximise environmental benefit, nor how you can maximize the benefit from development. The role of marine scientists such as myself, and of organization like the EPA, is to work out how to structure and manage these trade offs for the benefit of society as a whole, in terms of what is impor tant in the environment, what is the benefit of protecting it and how to protect it effectively. For example, if we, as consumers, chose to eat locally and sustainably caught fish, this alone would have an impact on fish stocks, ocean-going vessel traffic on the seas, and breeding grounds.” While it’s easy to put monetar y value on fisheries and the tourist, it’s less easy to value sectors like climate regulation and coastal protection. According to Will, a recent study has estimated that the total benefit of the marine environment to the global economy is $ 2.4 trillion (KD72 billion) per year! In terms of the marine environment, Kuwait’s Environmental Protection Law, Law 42 of 2014, provides the EPA with a mandate and a requirement to monitor the state of the environment and to report on the state of the marine environment. “One of the challenges the government and the EPA face is that it is quite tricky to monitor and manage the implementation of policy, due to the number of different sectors that impact the marine environment: including the fishing industry, leisure, waste, coastal development, etc. One of our challenges is bringing all these bodies together; part of our role is to provide the best possible scientific information to enable Kuwait’s policy makers to influence not just local, but regional environmental policy and legislation.” “I think the EPA is doing work in this field that could be a good template for the wider region. Kuwait’s marine environment is a small part of the Gulf, and pollutants and marine life travel across borders, so to gain the most benefit from any a regionally coordinated management program, such as the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME, which is the UN Environment Program’s Regional Seas Program) can provide a forum to
coordinate regional management.” So, back to that piece of imported chocolate and its effect on the world’s marine environment. Well, in order for you to buy that chocolate, it has been transported by commercial shipping, which requires harbors, which impact on the coastline. Additionally, ships have a direct impact on local marine species, as they introduce invasive species through the release of ballast water and oil into coastal waters. In our modern, global, industrial world, almost all the products we use are transported by commercial shipping. By choosing to consume less (from food to clothes and electronics), by recycling waste and re-using items we already own, and by making smart,
informed consumer choices, we can reduce our impact on this delicate and essential part of our shared environment. Editor's Note: The MSC is an environmental certification body that provides independent certification of environmentally sustainable fishery products.” Lynda Higgs is a photographer and writer, with a passion for Street and Mobile Photography. Fo llow her on Ins tag ram @ TheSometimePhotog rapher, Facebook: Lyn daHPhotog raphy.F ind Lynda's work at www.lyndahiggsphotography.com. P h o t og r a p h y b y L i n d a H i g g s . 103
bazaar a la mode CURVES APRIL ACTIVITY: ARMS, LEGS AND CORE January, February, and March have come and gone, and what better way to keep up with your New Years resolution than Curves For Women? Offering a proven 30-minute workout, common sense weight loss and all the support you need to reach you goals, Curves is the first fitness and weight loss facility dedicated to providing affordable, one-stop exercise and nutritional information for women only. This April, we’re focusing on your arms, core and legs through focused sessions that strengthen your major muscle groups. It doesn’t matter what level of fitness you start with, you will find a variety of ways to work out and improve as you work towards your goals! Easily adaptable into any busy schedule, check out our focused spot session details below: Armed & Ready: Ready, aim, fire! Spot toning exercises that will help you get sleek, toned arms. Focusing on the upper part of your body, Armed & Ready involves the following nine exercises: Arm Circles, Arm Pulses, Bicep Kickbacks, Standing Shoulder Press/Lat Pulldown, Bicep Curl, Pec Dec (Free Weight Chest Fly), Punch it Out, Upright Row in Static Sumo Half Squat and Lateral Raise/ Front Raise Combo. Killer Core: Are you ready for a full body workout that will strengthen your core? Try a new spot toning class! Focusing on the middle part of your body, Killer Core involves the following nine exercises: Alternating Standing Bicycle, Standing Side Crunch, Good Morning, Double Arm Reach, Standing Trunk Twists, Single Leg Balance, Triangle Press, Turbo Punch in Quarter Squat and Oblique Crunch in Quarter Sumo Squat. Strong Legs: Focus on tough-to-tame spots like your thighs and rear end. Focusing on the lower part of your body, Strong Legs involves the following nine exercises: Squat, Sumo Squat, Calf Raises, Front Lunges, Side Lunges, Reverse Lunges, Deadlift to Upright Row, Jumping Lunges and Front Lunges with Forward Knee Lift Different from personal training or a gym membership, the atmosphere at Curves For Women is one you can’t help but get involved in. Whether going with a family member, friend, or on your own, you’re bound to find a strong, supportive community of confident women whose bond will make you come back for more. Why wait? Change your life today. It’s not a competition, it’s about improving your life. For more information about Curves For Women, please call 2226 1739, check them out in Instagram @Curves_Kw or visit: www.CurvesMe.com
NEW LOOK SPRING/SUMMER 2016 Fashion for women for the New Look Spring/Summer 2016 season is heavily influenced by hothouse florals, graphic and sporty silhouettes, and a sophisticated twist on 90s trends at fast fashion obtainability. Street-ready jackets, pale wash denims, pleated skirts, lace accents and boudoir-inspired dresses and camisoles are expressed in neutral color palettes, highlighted with sizzling pops of colour that emulate the warm weather season. Castaway ushers in the season with rumpled denims, washed linen, macramé and embroidery. Woven stripes, dip dyes and slub jersey contribute to the overall vintage look and feel. Shells, straw, embroidery and woven fabrics crown the carefree pieces made for warm weather lounging. Shades of khaki, gray, black and white usher in the Geo Sport trend. Easy wear pieces take on athletic undertones in relaxed silhouettes. Sporting detail is reflected in bomber jackets, sleek tops, knit pencil skirts and wide leg cropped trousers. Swimwear receives a new season twist with a color and shape update. High neck styles are the key look for the summer months, in ladylike prints and scalloped edges. Plunging fronts, multi-straps, fringe and slashed cut-outs are perfect for pool parties and seaside holidays. Cover-ups in relaxed silhouettes come in crochet fabrics for playsuits and kaftans that easily go from the beach to the city. Overall, the looks embody the New Look womenswear Spring/Summer 2016 collection, furthering the brand’s reputation for affordable and trendy fashion. The New Look Menswear Spring/Summer collection recalls feelings of nostalgia in old-school college motifs, retro prints, washed and worn fabrics, and 90s-inspired sportswear. The suede that was so popular in Autumn/Winter 2015 reappears in lighter, brighter tones for the warmer months. Along the same colour palette, camel, tonal grays, and relaxed blues are key shades for the season. Muted pastels provide interesting highlights to compliment the base tones. Wardrobe staples like t-shirts, denim and button downs are re-imagined in weathered prints and washed-out jersey. Bomber jackets are must have statement pieces in navy and khaki. Japanese workwear styling meets East London detailing, with laid-back layered looks in a modern artisanal twist. The trend builds on the Hipster theme, with more emphasis on textures and a smart/casual aesthetic. The Spring Summer Collection is available at all New Look stores throughout Kuwait at The Avenues, Al Bairaq Mall, Al Salam Mall and Promenade Mall. 104
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naz
NEW FOOTWEAR BRAND ARNAA LAUNCHES AT HARVEY NICHOLS KUWAIT This March sees Farah Sultan launch her debut collection at renowned international luxury retailer, Harvey Nichols Kuwait. The Arnaa Spring Summer collection combines Italian artisanal skills with a whimsical, spirited sensibility. Founder and creative director, Sultan, draws inspiration from the botanical universe, the pop fantasy culture of the 1980s and the elegant detailing of turn of the 20th century footwear. Exotic hand- stitched 3D leather blooms in brilliant shades of primrose pink, turquoise and violet are a leitmotif throughout the collection. The erotic orchid features on the Taranto style – a patent leather cone heeled sandal with a leaf decorated ankle strap. The cherry blossom flower (symbol of grace and beauty) is embroidered onto the pointed vamp of the Carlotta flat, turning an everyday staple into a celebratory statement. Throughout the collection, Sultan deploys her signature black and white stripe pinstripe pattern as graphic piping as well as on inner soles and statement vamps. The optic detailing sets off the vibrant color palette of citrine, rose gold, tangerine turquoise and pink bringing new energy to classic styles such as the Suva – a platform pump with a cigarette heel and striped vamp. Sultan, who was born and raised in Kuwait city and trained in footwear at Ars Sutoria in Milan, insists on both comfort and delight. Her shoes are ergonomically designed and incorporate hidden internal cushioning and strong heels to allow for easy, elegant movement. Founded in 2015, the Arnaa brand is a handcrafted ‘Made in Italy’ collection that fuses artisan skills with innovate shapes and decoration. Arnaa is currently stocked in luxury department stores and boutiques in London, Milan and the Middle East. To see the latest designs by Farah Sultan, check her out on Instagram @arnaaofficial, and for Harvey Nichols in Kuwait, @harveynicholskuwait.
SLOAN’S ICE CREAM MAKES MIDDLE EAST DEBUT The wait for Sloan’s Ice Cream in Kuwait is over. Now, residents in Kuwait can take in the irresistible sights, smells, tastes and sounds of Sloan’s Ice Cream, a Willy Wonka-esque paradise. An iconic sweet retreat widely known for its colorful presence throughout South Florida, Sloan’s has made its highly anticipated arrival to the Middle East with its first location in Kuwait. The truly unique concept combines innovative ice cream flavors with eye-catching elements, including bright pink and green walls, as well as endless amounts of candy, pastries and toys. Ali and Dima Al-Mutawa, co-owners of AFM Establishment LLC development group, are opening the new location in the mall and have plans in place to open four additional locations in Kuwait. “When my wife and I visited Sloan’s in South Florida, we knew we found a special place,” said Ali, who also owns a children’s clothing store in the Promenade Mall. “We are very excited to introduce Sloan’s to Kuwait. Once people step inside and smell the sweet treats, we know their senses will be soaring. We can’t wait to welcome everyone in.” Sloan's are located on the M2 floor at The Promenade mall,on the 3rd Ring Road, opposite Qadsiysa. Follow The Promenade on Instagram @thepromenadekw.
KERASTRAIGHT LAUNCHES NEW VOLUME ENHANCE SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER If your hair is feeling limp and fine and in need of a volume boost, try KeraStraight’s Volume Enhance range. Designed to transform lifeless, tired-looking hair, Volume Enhance Shampoo delivers long-lasting, volumizing results with every wash. KeraStraight Volume Enhance Shampoo and Conditioner both include special formulated KS Complex. This innovative compound, made from African and Amazonian fruit and plant extracts, protects hair from the elements and help it stay healthy and strong for longer. Strengthen, hydrate and nourishes your hair, without weighing it down. Exclusively distributed by beau-tique cosmetics international. Call 2225 1285 for more info or visit beau-tiqueonline.com. 106
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ﻧﺤﻤﻴﻬﻢ...ﺑﻜﻞ ﻗﻠﻮﺑﻨﺎ
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Kuwait Child’s Rights Society was established in 2008 as a result of the high prevalence of child abuse in our society so that we could be their voice and help them secure a better way of living.
. وﻳﺎﻛﻢ ﻧﻘﺪر...ﺷﺎرﻛﻮﻧﺎ ﻗﻀﻴﺘﻨﺎ ﻋﺒﺮ اﻟﻤﻮﻗﻊ ا ﻟﻜﺘﺮوﻧﻲ
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bazaar goes dining
RIO REVISITED
Kuwait’s premier Churrascaria By bazaar staff
Since 2013, RIO has been one of our favorite go-to spots for a deliciously indulgent, meat-filled meal. The concept is so unique in Kuwait, with its all-you-can-eat ethos served directly from a swordlike skewer of expertly grilled, USA imported, 100% choice, tender meat. Usually, a trip to the Churrascaria, (a traditional Brazilian grill restaurant that serves meat) entails a group of loud bachelorettes gorging the bride on grilled meat before her big day, but in Kuwait, the 250-year-old Brazilian tradition is suitable for any occasion – whether it be a birthday or holiday lunch, or just a hankering for endless protein after the gym. When we learned that the beloved eater y had implemented a few tweaks and twists to their menu, we couldn’t resist a review. Thus, appetite in tow, and taste buds ready to submit, we decided to revisit RIO. Nestled within the busy streets of Kuwait City at the bottom floor of Jawhara Tower, RIO’s décor and ambiance was immaculate as ever. Ever ything felt familiar until we were graced with the presence of a menu, laden with delicious additions. Needless to say, we were stumped when it was time to order, but had no problem taking our time as we sipped on fresh Caipirinha cocktails and noshed on their famous cassava flour cheese rolls. After fighting temptation to order ever ything off the menu, we ended up with the Mushroom Bruschetta. Have you ever had one? Neither had we, but let us tell you that this is the only way anyone should be eating bruschetta from now on! A pile of melt-in-your-mouth, perfectly seasoned mushrooms bursting with flavor atop a beautifully toasted piece of fresh bread. Coupled with a rocket salad drizzled with homemade balsamic and crumbly shaved parmesan, tones of sweet and savor y make up this amazing appetizer. At RIO, you have the choice to order from their a la car te menu, or to opt for the ultimate experience, the Rodizio RIO, 108
which features a color coded card to control your food intake. For our main course, we looked to their a la car te menu and went for the sampler size of the classic Rodizio RIO – the Espetinhos, which is a delightful alternative to those who feel that they can’t handle the all-youcan-eat aspect of the Churrascaria and would undoubtedly flip their cards to red way too soon. The Espetinhos contains an offering of 6 skewers of your choice, from the cuts offered in the Rodizio RIO, and a skewer of their signature pineapple. Along with a choice of two sides, it’s the perfect little meal for those who don’t want to commit. Our platter consisted of a skewer of a mélange of each cut of meat: grilled prawns, a beautifully tender grilled chicken breast, tenderloin, strip loin, sirloin and a lamb chop– all ser ved with an array of
tantalizing dips from homemade barbecue sauce, picante sauce, sweet mustard sauce and aioli. While browsing RIO's a la car te menu, we couldn’t pass up their burger. Made with a deliciously grilled, in-house grinded patty sandwiched between two soft-aspillow buns and topped with cheese and playful fresh veggies, the RIO Burger, along with the sliders, is the only burger item on the menu – and it’s so good that it deser ves to be. Though we had our own lovely meals to tuc k into, we couldn’t help but s ample bits of our fellow diner’s decadent Rodizio R I O ser v ice. The Rodizio, Por tugues e for rotation, is as enter taining to watch as it is to e at. Bas ed around the overall c onc ept o f the Chur ras caria, the Rodizio R I O inc ludes a hot or cold s tar ter,
yo u r c h o i c e o f t w o am a z i n g s i des , and e n d l e s s a m ount s o f m eat i nc l u d ing s ev e n b e e f c u t s , f o u r c hi c ken c uts, c h i c ke n s a u s ag e s , g r i l l ed pr aw n s and l a m b r i b c hops . T h e s er v er a p p e a r s with a skewe r p i l e d h i g h w i t h f r es h l y g r i lled m e a t , o f whi c h h e e x p e r t l y c a r v e s onto yo u r p l a t e , a n d y ou s i m p l y di g i n a nd e n joy! Wa n t t o t ake a b r eak but ar e n’t fu l l ye t ? S i m p l e s o l u t i on – f l i p y o u r c ard ov e r t o r e d i f y ou n e e d a b r eat h e r, t h en b a c k ov e r t o g r e e n w hen y ou f e e l like yo u ’r e r e a d y t o i n d u l g e s om e m o r e. With b o t h t h e Ro d i z i o and E s pet i n h o s , we we r e a b l e t o pi c k f r om a s el ec t i on of the e l ev e n si d es t hat a r e on of f er i n RI O’s m e n u : sa ut é e d m u s hr o o m s , r o a s ted p o t a t o , v e g g i es , s we e t p o t at o e s , a n d the t r u e sh o w s t opper s of t he s i d e s , b r eaded p o l e n t a c h ips and c as s av a c h i p s .
The whole experience ends with a taste bud exploding grilled pineapple spiced with cinnamon. Warm pineapple coupled with the taste of cinnamon and brown sugar, you’re given the pleasant illusion of eating a guilt free cinnamon bun! But if you want to fur ther satisfy your sweet tooth order desser t! We just had to order a round of rose and French vanilla-infused black teas to go with our traditional “let’s share!” Tiramasu pudding and chocolate fondant cake. The perfect way to end a perfect meal. RIO is truly a great experience. From the moment you walk into the ambient restaurant and are embraced by the welcoming Brazilian Bossa Nova music playing in the background, you know that you’re in for something special. And what’s even more special about RIO is that their menu offers variety! Where one may assume that they wouldn’t have much choice
at a Churrascaria, RIO would prove them wrong. The a la carte menu includes a range of salads, both of vegetarian and protein infused varieties, wraps, and even pastas! So if your fellow diner isn’t one to feast on copious amounts of meat, you can be rest assured that even they will leave satisfied. So if you haven’t been to RIO yet, we highly recommend that you pay them a visit. With the all-inclusive price of KD 15.500 for a full course Rodizio meal, don’t forget that this price contains a whole lot of value guaranteeing you a decadent experience. If you’ve already been to RIO and frequent the place, then we think you should pay them a revisit. RIO is located in Kuwait City, on Ali Al Salem St. at Al Jawhara Tower. Reach them by phone at 2226 0788 or online at www.RIOkw.com or follow them on Instagram @RIOkw. 109
bazaar checks it out CROCS CELEBRATES MOTHER'S DAY IN-STORE WITH CUSTOMERS Crocs released a new collection of women’s shoes for Mother’s Day and, to make the occasion all the more special, invited children to celebrate their mothers with a handmade personalized card created in-store. From March 17-19, Crocs stores at the Avenues, Marina Mall, Discovery Mall and 360 Mall, set up art and craft tables for store visitors to design and color their own, personalized Mother’s Day card and gift bag while mothers browsed the new collection. All purchases were packaged in Crocs custom-made Mother’s Day bags along with the cards. Crocs supports open and interactive communication with its customers and takes this opportunity to celebrate Mother’s Day and show its appreciation for women. The new collection is available at all Crocs stores at 360 Mall, The Gate Mall, Discovery Mall, Marina Mall, Al Liwan Mall, Kout Mall, Sama Center, Souk Al Mubarkiya, The Avenues, Al Salam Mall and Kuwait International Airport.
LINDA FARROW SPRING/SUMMER 2016 COLLECTION For Spring Summer 16, Linda Farrow takes you to a remote island, one of still serenity and pure refinement. A modern escape, the collection is inspired by and celebrates the nomadic lifestyle of the twilight traveler. This collection embarks on a rural retreat complete with desert and gold hues. Bohemian inspired with an emphasis on over-sized pieces, the collection adopts blanched blues, tea-rose and mocha infused acetates that are teamed with homogenous lenses. An effortless fuse of natural and innovative elements, one key story for this season is the involvement of aluminum, providing a contrast between shiny and satin finishes. The cage-inspired frames from Autumn Winter 2015 have evolved to a single mechanical temple. Teamed with the softer acetates for the season, the reduced temple size allows for cleaner and more subdued lines. The temple features 24 individual soldering points and a signature pointed tip shape. In a similar perspective, Linda Farrow has developed the titanium range of sunglasses using Japanese titanium plated in 18-22 carat gold. Succeeding in creating a super luxurious collection. The new Linda Farrow collection takes you on a journey towards pure excellence. Drawing it’s inspiration from a world rich in contrast, the brand is able to reinvent itself season after season. The Linda Farrow collection is available from International Optique. For more information contact International Optique on 2571 4007/9723 4753, www.intoptic.com , info@intoptic.com or Instagram: @intoptique.
ESCAPE THE ORDINARY THROUGH THE NEW ECCO INTRINSIC SNEAKERS ECCO, the leading Scandinavian footwear brand introduced the new Intrinsic sneaker collection, a stylish line designed for urban living. The new series embraces a contemporary aesthetic through three distinct high-end designs with a modern appeal available in knitted textile, yak leather and chukka styles. The Intrinsic collection combines ECCO’s renowned soft leather with the patented special knitted textile for men and women who prioritize athletic living while staying completely on-trend. ECCO recently hosted a custom-made pop-up store at Marina Crescent enabling residents of Kuwait escape the monotonous, daily routine that they are accustomed to and explore the Intrinsic lifestyle. The three-day pop-up store featured live graffiti art by renowned artist Monstariam in addition to an eclectic display of the Intrinsic collection. You can find ECCO @ The Avenues mall, 2nd Avenue – Marina mall – Promenade mall - Muthanna complex – Mohalab complex and Al Kout mall. Check out their Instagram account @eccoarabia
CAMAIEU: LATEST TRENDS AND UNIQUE FASHION IDEAS FOR A COMPLETE FEMININE LOOK The French leader in ready-to-wear fashion for women with more than 1000 boutiques worldwide, including 600 in France, showing amazing and eclectic collections currently in vogue. Camaieu's collections are for women between the ages of 20-40 for every occasion, with quick work and party solutions as well as more elaborate looks. The Camaieu brand highlights an energy that is natural, feminine and sensual, representing a woman of character and personality, distinct for her effortless vitality, elegance and simplicity. Visit Camaieu in Kuwait at Al Kout and Avenues malls. For more information, visit www.camaieu.com.
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"طيبة" يستعني بأفضل الخربات يف قسم األمراض الباطنية عن اإلستعانة بأحد أفضل الخربات الطبية يف قسم األمراض الباطنية بهدف، الرائد محلياً يف تقديم الخدمات الصحية املتميزة،أعلن مستشفى طيبة ويف السياق ذاته كشف املستشفى عن توفري العديد من العالجات الحديثة يف قسم الباطنية تشمل.تعزيز مستوى الرعاية الطبية املقدمة للمتابعني وال تنحرص عىل تشخيص ومتابعة حاالت الربو وضيق التنفس الحاد أو املزمن والكحة الحادة أو املزمنة وحساسية األنف والجيوب األنفية والصدر ً "متاشيا: قال السيد راشد الفضالة نائب الرئيس التنفيذي يف مستشفى طيبة، ومن جهته.وتوقف التنفس اإلنسدادي أثناء النوم املصاحب للسمنة نعمل عىل تطوير قسم األمراض الباطنية باإلضافة إىل باقي العيادات األخرى،"مع حملتنا الجديدة تحت عنوان "سالمة الصحة هي نبض الحياة وكذلك اإلستعانة بطاقم طبي متمرس لرنتقي ونتفوق عىل،مثل قسم جراحات العظام وقسم أمراض الجهاز الهضمي والكبد وقسم أمراض القلب عبدالسالم النجار. ويزخر قسم الباطنية يف طيبة بكفاءات طبية عالية تتمثل يف كل من د."باقي أقراننا بل ونصل إىل مستويات عاملية من الرعاية وليد السليم. و د، محمد بهزاد استشاري األمراض الباطنية والصدر والعناية املركزة. و د،استشاري األمراض الباطنية وأمراض الدم واألورام الرسطانية . ميشيل موريس استشاري األمراض الباطنية. و د،استشاري األمراض الباطنية وطب الطوارئ
ORIGEM LAUNCHES ITS SPRING SUMMER 2016 COLLECTION Founded in 1994, Origem opened its first store in Porto and has since grown with stores in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates. It is presently one of the leading Portuguese fashion brands in the Middle East. Origem women's wear blends contemporary style and exquisite fabrics give the modern sophisticated woman attractive options offering a range of stylish formals and trendy casuals laying emphasis on style and design. Origem also offers accessories like bags and shoes that complement the range. The design represents a subtle fusion of simplicity and elegance with a classic European flavor. Visit Origem in Kuwait at The Avenues and Al Sharq malls. For more information, visit www.origem.pt.
QUIZ Quiz is an international dynamic fast-fashion retail group for females, delivering catwalk styles and the latest trends from the fashion capitals of the world. The Quiz collection offers glamorous fashion for every occasion from glitzy evening gowns, cute prom dresses and heels to sparkling accessories. If chic is your style, Quiz is your go-to store for all things gorgeous! Quiz Clothing brings the very latest women’s fashion straight from the catwalk to the shop floor. High fashion clothes for women that are up-to-the-minute, stylish and totally affordable. “This season at QUIZ we’re welcoming in the spring months with soft colours and exciting prints. It’s time to add a bit of sparkle and glitter to that wardrobe with creativity and style! From our beautiful pastel coloured evening gowns, complete with diamante detail to our exciting new range of sparkling footwear, all your style needs are sure to be covered this season. Whatever the occasion may be - proms, weddings, glamorous events or even for day to day casual wear, step into spring with style.” Visit Quiz in Kuwait at Avenues mall. For more information, visit www.quizclothing.co.uk.
LOYAC INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS! Last February, Hamad AlOtaibi, a long-term LOYAC supporter started a 3-month internship in Rome's International Fund for Agricultural Development. AlOtaibi currently works in the Arab and Gulf States Liaison Office with the mission to strengthen the cooperation with member states in the Arab and Gulf region and also with the multilateral and bilateral financing institutions located in Italy. For the time being, AlOtaibi is assisting in the coordination of activities aimed at constructing a more solid partnership in the region. Transformative Vietnam: This Asian cultural adventure satisfied every history buff, adrenaline junkie and curious traveler! On a 7-day journey through Vietnam, LOYAC explorers visited historic war zones, biked through some of the most ecologically diverse national parks in the region, and volunteered at family-run vegetable farms. By the end of the program, participants had achieved a higher sense of self awareness, tolerance and social responsibility. For more information on Loyac in Kuwait and their various events and programs, visit www.loyac.org.
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Turkish Food Done Right!
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GIVING AUTISM A HELPING HAND Interview with Abeer2 cofounder Abeer Yousuf Al Safran By bazaar staff
In April 2015, it was reported that more than 2,000 people residing in Kuwait are diagnosed with autism. The disorder, identifiable in children between 30 months and 8 years of age, requires specialized attention and care. Abeer Al Safran has been responding to this need in society since 1999 by co-founding Abeer2 Voluntary Team for people with special needs. Al Safran is a Kuwaiti mother of four who feels very passionate about aiding those with autism and people with special needs. She holds a Master’s Degree in Private Education and Autism 114
Disorder and is currently pursuing a PhD in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In addition to her academic background, Al Safran has 18 years’ experience in the private education field, whereby she has dealt with many cases of individuals with special needs.. In light of World Autism Day on Saturday April 2, 2016, bazaar decided to spread awareness in support of this cause by conducting an interview with Al Safran about the charitable Abeer2 and the noble work that they do. Do you believe that we have a severe awareness problem in Kuwait with regards to children with special needs? If so, how can we change that?
Unfortunately, people with special needs and their families are subjected to difficulties in Kuwait. There is a lack of a clear educational policy and specialized curriculum for each individual with special needs. As a result, they feel isolated within their communities, as people don’t understand their needs or abilities. This is especially true for those who are above the age of 21, as there is a shortage of educational support. This places a need for qualified individuals who can support those with special needs and help them explore their capabilities and hobbies. This way, the community can begin to accept who they are by understanding their differences and needs.
Educating ourselves is the first step towards helping people with special needs reach their true potential. How have the volunteer group’s efforts evolved since its inception in 1999? In 1999, Abeer2 began to provide services that were different than those you would find at institutions or schools. Throughout the years, we have continued to develop our programs to ensure that we deliver the best support possible. For instance, we have a strong focus on evolving their conversational skills, behavior, pronunciation and many other important everyday requirements that we overlook in our daily lives. We also encourage sports-related activities, such as horseback riding and bowling. Socializing is also important, whereby we plan trips both locally and abroad, like camping. As our efforts have evolved, we have become a stronger team. This would not have been possible without the support and cooperation of parents and external organizations. Hand in hand, we have fueled our determination to continue to provide the best services that we can seven days a week, including public holidays. What are the main duties of the volunteer group? We do not neglect the needs of the parents in this journey. Abeer2 provides counseling services to reach convenient solutions for problems that they face. No matter what, we are always ready to provide the support and assistance needed for whoever seeks it. How does Abeer2 make a difference in the everyday lives of autistic children? I believe that it is the environment we provide that makes a difference. We work collectively to provide a fixed and specialized place where they can learn, play, and spend enjoyable and productive times with their friends. We are all committed to our roles and have a lot of faith and passion in what we do. What are some of the group’s greatest achievements since it began its efforts? The achievements that our children with autism have accomplished are infinite. They have achieved so much and have conquered their challenges. They have made us very proud on both a local and international level! For instance, they won the Olympic Games for the Disabled in North Africa and also participated in many exhibitions and events where they displayed their artistic capabilities. They are not disabled – they’re gifted. What is Abeer2 planning for Autism month this April? Coinciding with World Autism Awareness Day on the 2nd of April, the teams, in collaboration with GUST and Horizon FCB adver tising agency, have star ted a campaign to suppor t Abeer2’s effor ts
Abeer Yousuf Al Safran, cofounder of Abeer2
through donations and volunteers. We will also hold lectures on ASD and showcase ar twork created by the autistic individuals who are a par t of the Abeer2 family. I strongly urge businesses to suppor t us, especially since World Autism Awareness Day is around the corner. I am confident
that there will be many helping hands throughout this campaign.
For more information on the Abeer2 Center, check out their website at www.abeer2.com. Follow them on Instagram @abeer2_volunteer_team. 115
حمودالخرضصاحبالصوتالعذب By Strawberry Girl
بجانب األغاين الرومانسية والعاطفية ،اشتهرت األغاين اإلجتامعية واألناشيد أيضا وأصبح الناس يستمعون إليها أكرث وقد اشتهر بهذا النوع من الغناء عدة مغنني من الخليج والوطن العريب .حمود الخرض مغني ومؤلف كويتي شاب اشتهر بغناء األغاين اإليجابية واإلنسانية والهادفة ،وأصدر عدة ألبومات غنائية وشارك يف حفالت فنية مختلفة. بدأ حمود الغناء عندما كان طفال يف العارشة من عمره ،مع عمه الذي كان فنانا معروفا يف ذلك الوقت .ويصف تلك الفرتة قائال" :لقد كنت أذهب معه إىل اإلستوديوهات وأراقب كل خطوة يقوم بها .لقد راقبت الطريقة التي يكتب بها كلامت األغنية ،وكيف يضع اإليقاع ،ويركب الصوت ،وكيف يؤدي عىل املرسح .لقد تعلمت من تجربته مام أدى إىل تقليل الخطوات إىل نجاحي". بعدها حصل حمود عىل عدة عروض من فنانني آخرين لإلنضامم إليهم يف ألبوماتهم .مل يضيع حمود أي فرصة ووضع طاقته وجهوده كاملة ليخرج أفضل ما لديه .وقد نجحت أغنيته األوىل "الحمد لله" كثريا .ويعترب حمود ردود الفعل اإليجابية من الجمهور إنها كانت وسوف تكون الوحي لتحسني أدائه وإلصدار املزيد واملزيد من األغاين .وقد حققت أغنية (Keep Me )Trueنجاحا باهرا قبل 4سنوات تقريبا ،وكذلك حصدت أغنيته "كنت
أنت" أكرث من 40مليون مشاهدة عىل اليوتيوب ،وأصبحت ثالث أكرث أغنية عربية مشاهدة يف العامل يف العام .2015 كام أن حمود يقوم بتلحني األغاين أيضا .لكنه أيضا يف بعض األحيان يستعني بألحان فنانني آخرين إلضفاء التنوع عىل أغانيه إلرضاء كافة األذواق يك يقدم شيئا مختلفا دامئا .ويضيف" :ال يوجد موضوع معني ألغنيايت فمواضيع األغاين تختلف دامئا .ميكن أن يكون املوضوع إجتامعيا ،أو روحانيا ،أو محفزا أو أي يش آخر .لكن مهام كان موضوع األغنية فإنني أحرص عىل أن يحمل رسالة إيجابية". لقد اشتهر حمود الخرض بعد أدائه املتميز وأغانيه املختلفة .وهو يؤمن بأن شهرته أتت عىل عدة مراحل وليس بعد عمل فني معني .وكام ذكر سابقا فقد بدأ الغناء يف سن صغرية ،وبعد كل أغنية قام بأدائها تعرف عليه جمهور أكرث .لكنه يظن أن أكرث الناس عرفوه بعد اإلعالن التلفزيوين "فكرة" لرشكة زين لإلتصاالت والتي تم عرضها خالل شهر رمضان قبل عامني .ثم أصدر أخر ألبوماته "أصري أحسن". و قد لعبت وسائل التواصل اإلجتامعي دورا مهام يف حياة حمود ويف شهرته، كام يبدو أنه نشط جدا ومتفاعل مع هذه الوسائل .ولدى حمود اآلن أكرث من مليون متابع عىل اإلنستغرام ،كام أن لديه 255ألف متابع عىل تويرت،
ولديه أيضا مئات األالف من املتابعني عىل برامج التواصل اإلجتامعي املختلفة مثل صفحته عىل الفيس بوك ،وعىل برنامج كيك ،وسناب تشات وغريها. و يؤكد حمود أن وسائل التواصل اإلجتامعي أساسية اليوم بالنسبة ألي فنان يك يتمكن من التواصل والتخاطب مع جمهوره ومعجبيه .وقد أصبح تنظيم حساباته عىل برامج التواصل اإلجتامعي وتحديثها من ضمن منط حياته اليومية .وأصبح األمر أسهل اآلن بفضل الهواتف الذكية. لقد حصل حمود عىل شهادة البكالوريوس تخصص إعالم من جامعة الكويت .بعدها أمىض دروسا يف البيانو والصوت يف تورنتو ،كندا .وكذلك درس كورس يف املوسيقى يف كلية بريكيل للموسيقى .ويغني حمود يف عدة لهجات ولغات أيضا ،إال أنه يف الغالب يغني باللغة العربية الفصحى واللهجة الخليجية .وقد غنى سابقا باللهجة املرصية وكذلك باللغة االنجليزية. و قد شاهد األغنية املصورة ( )Keep Me Trueأكرث من 7ماليني مشاهد عىل يوتيوب .ويرى حمود أن من أهم أسباب نجاح هذا الفيديو كليب أن األغنية كانت بالعربية واإلنجليزية ،مام زاد من تداوله وجعله يصل إىل عدد أكرب من الجمهور .ويرى السبب اآلخر يف نجاح هذا الكليب أنه تم تصويره بطريقة احرتافية يف لوس أنجلوس مع املخرجة لينا خان. 116
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bazaar around town PORSCHE AND THE 919 HYBRID TITLE DEFENDERS IN THE WEC AND AT LE MANS After the successful 2015 season when it took overall victory in Le Mans and won the constructors’ and drivers’ World Championship titles, Porsche finds itself in the role of the title defenders in 2016. Accordingly, the two Porsche 919 Hybrids with around 900 hp will carry the starting numbers 1 and 2. This was confirmed during a press conference in Paris by the Le Mans organisers, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Team Principal Andreas Seidl said: “Competing with the starting numbers 1 and 2 is an honour and a challenge at the same time. We expect even stronger competition in 2016, but still want to be able to fight for race victories and try to defend our titles. In February our intensive test and training programme kicked off in Abu Dhabi.” For Porsche’s third season since the return to the highly sophisticated top category of Le Mans prototypes, the cutting-edge 919 Hybrids have been significantly developed with the basic chassis structure and the powertrain concept remaining the same. Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1: “Independently from our sporting targets, our most important task is to gather know-how for Porsche for future technologies. The WEC’s unique efficiency regulations, with the huge technical freedom, is the right platform for the company to develop and test innovations for road going sports cars.” Back in November, Porsche announced the driver line-up that goes back to 2014 would remain unchanged: World Champions Timo Bernhard (Germany, 35), Brendon Hartley (New Zealand, 26) and Mark Webber (Australia, 39) will share the number 1 car. The number 2 sister car will be in the hands of Romain Dumas (France, 38), Neel Jani (Switzerland, 32) and Marc Lieb (Germany, 35). By offering exceptional technical freedom, the regulations for Class 1 Le Mans Prototypes (LMP1) place strong demands on engineers. The hybrid system of the 919 combines cutting-edge downsizing turbo technology with efficient fuel direct injection for the two-litre, four-cylinder combustion engine, and uses a lithium-ion battery to store electricity from two different energy recovery systems (brake energy from the front axle and exhaust energy). The 919 Hybrid produces a system with power of almost 900 hp and provided Porsche with many important inspirations for the development of future road-going sports cars. The latest example is the 800-volt technology for the purely electrical powered Mission E concept car. The high voltage technology allows for extremely short charging times. The four-door concept sports car will go into production at the end of the decade. Visit the Porsche Center in Al Rai, on the 4th ring road. Call them on 1870 870.
THE WINNING FOUR – THE NEW-GENERATION AUDI A4 The new-generation Audi A4 is a fascinating synthesis of technology and esthetics. All the technology in the brand’s bestselling family has been redeveloped so that it yet again defines the benchmark in the segment. During the development work, high priority was placed on the reduction of CO2 emissions. All technologies were focused on reducing drive resistance. The new Audi A4 has just arrived in Kuwait at Fouad Alghanim & Sons Automotive Company showroom, the exclusive dealer of Audi in Kuwait. A good example is aerodynamics: The A4 Sedan has the best drag coefficient in its class at 0.23. The new models also have impressively low CO2 emissions. The most powerful engine for the Middle East will be a four-cylinder unit with 252 hp, S-tronic and quattro wheel drive. Driver assistance systems and infotainment are of luxury quality. A new generation of four-cylinder TFSI engines with newly developed combustion methods sets benchmarks in terms of fuel consumption, emissions and performance for four-cylinder gasoline engines. Expected arrival date for the the A4 Sedan in the region is first quarter of 2016. Three different TFSI models will be on offer: 35 TFSI with 150 hp (1.4 engine), 40 TFSI with 190 hp (2.0 engine) and the top of the range engine 45 TFSI with 252 hp (2.0 engine). At 4.73 meters long and with a wheelbase of 2.82 meters – the new Audi A4 has a confident stance on the road. A prominent horizontal line on the front and rear emphasizes the car’s width. The flowing design with concise lines communicates the sporty elegance of the brand. The Singleframe grille is wide and low; the optionally available headlights in LED and Matrix LED technology (including dynamic turn indicators) make technology a visual trademark. For more information on the new Audi A4, or other Audi motor vehicles, call 1811 118 or visit the website www.audi-kuwait.com.
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MOHAMED NASER AL SAYER AND TOYOTA UNVEILS THE NEW GENERATION 2016 FORTUNER The new generation Fortuner is not an evolution, it’s a revolution in the mid-size SUV market. Great looking, inside and out, with more space, more specifications and more safety features than ever before. The new generation Fortuner delivers robust, rugged power and exciting, luxurious drive wherever your journey takes you. Mohamed Naser Al Sayer, one of the Al Sayer Group Holding Companies held a press conference to unveil the all new Fortner 2016. The event which was held at the Coral Ballroom Sheraton Hotel was attended by Mubarak Naser Al Sayer CEO Al Sayer Group Holding, Johan Heislitz Senior Business Director Toyota Kuwait, delegates from Toyota Motor Corporation Japan Osamu Tomioka, Assitant Chief Engineer, Kazuma Shibata, Assistant Manager and Mr. Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative, Mr. Hironatsu Tanigawa from the Middle East and North Africa Regional Office Dubai along with distinguished representatives from the media and General Managers from Al Sayer Group Business Units and members from Toyota Kuwait sales division. The launch of the 2016 Fortuner unveils a second generation model which builds on its heritage of being a durable sport utility vehicle (SUV) with impressive off-road capabilities. With the new Fortuner, Toyota has focused on creating a more distinctive, sleek and powerful design while improving performance and adding a wide variety of features to increase convenience, safety and ride comfort. Toyota has created a new “Solid Fluidity” design language for the Fortuner which expresses toughness and wideness through the high body axis, the bulging wheel arch flares as well as the chunky trapezoidal front bumper. The large, slanted upper grille is framed by thick chrome plating that extends around the sleek, aggressive headlamps, while the prominent trapezoidal front bumper creates a sense of depth. Sophistication and refinement on the other hand is reflected in the detailing – slender headlight clusters that are fused with the front fenders, the three lines that score the sculpted roof line and flanks, as well as the sleek rear combination lamps and license plate garnish that blend with the complex surfaces of the rear body. The Fortuner has a tough yet smart rear design that defies the typical unrefined image of an SUV. The rounded upper body is highlighted by chrome-plated moulding that wraps around from the sides to the back glass and is in contrast to the shape of the rear bumper, which has protruding corners. The sleek, thin rear combination lamps and license plate garnish blend gracefully with the rear body. To find your nearest Toyota showroom, call 1803 803. For more information visit www.toyota.com/kw.
MAXIMIZING HUMAN MOVEMENT WITH FUSIONETICS AT SIX SENSES SPA KUWAIT Optimizing individual performance has taken a new leap forward with the introduction of Fusionetics healthcare system designed to help guests understand, monitor and improve physical performance at all levels, both personal and professional. Currently being introduced at Six Senses Spa at Symphony Style Hotel, Kuwait, this ground-breaking technology and science is used to prevent injuries, enhance recoveries and train clients to have a better performance during physical activities, including exercise sessions. With Fusionetics, everything is evidence-based and driven by physical activities. Individuals are able to determine exactly how to optimize their performance by an impressive 30% while also cutting down on the time needed to recover from any previous injuries. The majority of cases of pain and overuse injuries from which individuals suffer are 75 to 80 percent preventable. The study of Fusionetics has taught the sports and medical field that contributing factors for injury risk include previous injury history, movement efficiency, training load and recovery behaviours. Fusionetics also helps prevent injuries in the first place by providing strengthening and stretching exercises for individuals that improve overall performance, including improved speed, agility and strength. The result is that clients will have a properly aligned body that is capable of fluid movement, improved performance and a decreased risk of further injury. We therefore believe that Fusionetics services will help our clients with injuries, and who have a medical release from their doctor, to begin recovery from problems effecting the lower back, shoulders, knees, ankles, wrists, elbows, cervical and hip flexors. Test consultations are recommended for youth athletes, regular gym members, clients with body imbalance and older clients with difficulties in performing physical activities. Special stretching exercises are included as a part of the consultation. Fusionetics sessions are a duration of one hour and cost KWD 20. Series of 10 sessions are available for KWD 189. Further details of session scheduling is available from Six Senses Spa Kuwait at reservationskuwait-spa@sixsenses.com or 2577 0077.
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bazaar scopes what’s your sign? LIBRA SEP 23 – OCT 22
GEMINI MAY 21 – JUN 21
Tackle a large project with full force. Taking a half-hearted approach will only make things drag on. Use your Libran tenacity to get things done. A loved one’s kindness will give you reason to smile. A Cancer plays a major role this month. Romance looks promising.
With all the changes you’ve been going through lately, you’ll be happy to find this to be a slow-paced month. A Taurus coworker may be the source of aggravation – especially if you’re in a management position. News of an engagement adds a bright note to the month.
SCORPIO OCT 23 – NOV 22
CANCER JUN 22 – JUL 22
A new Libra friend gives you valuable insight into a troubling situation. You’ll realize that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. If you’ve been feeling worn out lately, you may want to take note of your sleeping habits. Are you getting enough? If not, catch up on those zzz’s!
You may have to do everything short of standing on your head if you want to cheer up a down-andout friend. Make the effort. It will go a very long way. A tough decision midmonth will take up much of your thoughts. Trust your instincts rather than logic to help you choose.
SAGITTARIUS NOV 23 – DEC 21
LEO JUL 23 – AUG 22
If you’re working on an important project now, be sure to stay focused on the job at hand. Letting little things distract you will only prolong the inevitable. Watch for investment opportunities later in the month. You could stumble upon a diamond in the rough.
If lately it seems that the world has been caving in on you, you’ll be happy to find that you can make your way through the rubble. Things will come a little easier now and you’ll be able to reap the rewards of hard work. Now you can relax. A Libra brings extra fun to a weekend outing.
CAPRICORN DEC 22 – JAN 19
VIRGO AUG 23 – SEP 22
What you think of as harmless teasing may come off as offensive or even hurtful to someone who doesn’t appreciate your sense of humor. Be especially cautious if you’re dealing with an extrasensitive Pisces. Take the lead when planning a special event. Your creativity will add a lot.
An improvement in your work situation gives you reason to smile early in the month. You’ll feel a great weight off your shoulders. In matters of romance, too, there are happy times ahead. If traveling this month, be sure you’re packed in advance. Otherwise you could forget something important.
ARIES
MAR 21 – APR 19
A misunderstanding between you and a family member could turn into a full-blown fight if you’re not careful. Explain yourself and make your intentions clear. If you’ve been feeling frustrated lately, you may want to take a closer look at your diet.
AQUARIUS JAN 20 – FEB 18 Not dealing with a problem won’t make it go away. It will only get worse. Face it head on and work to fix it. A disappointment later in the month will prove to be a blessing in disguise. You’ll feel that fate probably had something to do with it. A surprise comes through the mail.
PISCES FEB 19 – MAR 20 Instead of trying to relieve the symptoms of an ongoing problem, you’d be better off looking for a permanent cure. Try to give a loved one extra space if (s)he is in a crabby mood. This applies especially for the introspective Cancer. Beware of a Leo with bad intentions.
TAURUS APR 20 – MAY 20 Reaching for the unreachable will only lead to disappointment. Sure, set your sights high, but keep in mind that there are some things in life you just can’t have! A change in the workplace may be a hard adjustment at first. But creative thinking will turn things to your favor.
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