bazaar April 2021 issue by bazaar magazine

April 2021 | Issue #255 www.bazaar.town

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Int

About the Cover: We’re back with yet another spectacular Thouq cover collaboration! Yes, we can’t get enough of the fabulous art of Ahmad AlGhanim, so timely for the season of languorous conversations post the daily Iftar feast with your nearest and dearest. Not only is the visual a true bazaar cover to covet and collect, but it is also a reminder to look for the good, no matter what is happening around us. This Ramadan, bazaar and Thouq invite you to create those special moments that will bring joy to your hearts. We’re living for the simple things these days, like holding a small but heartwarming cup of piping hot Chai to enjoy with our loved ones.

The bazaar team... Boss

Ahmed El-Adly

Editor It’s kind of hard to believe that it’s already April, and that Ramadan is literally around the corner, and that we’re still living under a curfew with lots of rumors about a full lockdown again too (don’t quote me, they’re just rumors for now!). It’s almost impossible to predict what’s in store for us K-town peeps next, so here at bazaar studios and bazaar magazine, we’ve made a unanimous decision to focus on the things that are in our hands that we do know, and to simply hope for the best. That means we’ve been working hard shooting campaigns and working on some great content to keep you entertained all month long. We took a quick trip out to the desert to showcase the extremely customizable, most luxurious and sportiest Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupe and how it can change your driving experience in Kuwait. We loved spending the day outdoors, working with incredible photographers, model and creatives to make this happen. A hop, skip and a jump away, we caught up with Red Bull athlete Mo Jaffar who is getting ready to take on Dakkar in 2022 after an unfortunate accident deterred him in this year’s race. Adrenaline junkees, are also going to enjoy learning about Horacio Llorens and Rafael Goberna’s gravity defying adventure over the Palm Fountain in Dubai. You don’t have to be an extreme athlete to show bravery, this month we got Up Close and Personal with Reham Al Enezi the fashion designer behind Osé, who is designing bold suits for the modern woman and how she is pivoting in her career. Our Truth or Dare candidate, Rawia Alateeqi was also unafraid when she decided to change jobs so she could have more time to workout and has embarked on a virtual training career. And just in case you haven’t noticed the decorations and the Vimto being stocked at supermarkets, it is Ramadan time! We love getting our homes, tables and kitchens ready for the holy month. Make your home more inviting and cozier with some great tips from IKEA. And whether we’ll be able to have guests or not is still a matter to be seen, but either way we are planning to create stunning Instaworthy tablescapes using our new flatware from Pottery Barn Kuwait. Our wardrobes are getting a serious upgrade too, all thanks to our creatives at Bazaar Studios. We present two incredible photoshoots at incredible destinations, starting with H&M! The high-street favorite has just released the first drop of their Spring Statements campaign that was designed with Ramadan in mind. Flowy dresses, metallic shades and easy to wear styles that are very chic and edgy are just what we need after months of sweats and hoodies. And we are also introducing you to local designer and her eponymous brand, Maha Ghalayini. Open front abayas and kaftans made from linen and cotton in beautiful neutral tones that have been reimagined for today’s women. With food and wardrobe sorted, you still need to figure out what to do during the day, we’ve got you covered. We have rounded up apps that can help you, streaming services you can tune to and lots of fun features to keep you entertained all month. Happy Ramadan-ing! Ahmed El-Adly

Alia Al Duaij

Operations Manager Ihab Youssef

Content Manager Yasmine El Charif

Mixed Media Solutions Jennifer Cádiz

Design

Shadi Mofeed

Staff Writer/Online Media Mariam Raslan Yasmin Gamal

Online Producer/Project Manager Umika Pidaparthy

Interns

Ali Mikail Zainah Al Meqbel

Communications Hala Y. Sharara

Cover by Thouq

Contributing Writers Craig Loomis

Contributing Photographers Aidan Brooks Faisal Al Bisher Fatma Ashknani Hyper Ali

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INDEX APRIL 2021 36 REHAM EL ENEZI Reham El Enezi came to an existential epiphany after midnight about what her calling might be, and it turns out it is creating beautifully tailored and perfectly fitting suits for women. The suit has always been a symbol of women’s rise to power and empowerment, now it is also a bold fashion statement.

68 RAMADAN READY WITH H&M The first drop of H&M’s Spring 2021 has just arrived. They’re offering us this season’s must-have kaftans, dresses and matching sets. The collection embodies feminine power for this moment and allows women to express themselves and their personal style in their own way.

FAISAL MAREI

IT’S GETTING HOT IN HERE!

If you are old enough to remember the band Army of One, then you know who Faisal Marei (aka FACE is) The singer/songwriter recently made a comeback to the music scene with fellow vocalist Rahaf (of Guitara fame) with a new song called “My World”.

And turns out there’s something we can do about it. We’re tuning into a new podcast hosted by Environmental Specialist, Samia Alduai as she interviews a roster of talented environment-conscious locals. She aims to help us rethink our behavior and policies for a brighter (and cooler) future.

116

PORSCHE CAYENNE GTS COUPE This is a car that was designed for drivers who want it all. Sporty, luxurious and dynamic, we took the Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupe to explore the desert explorations and chill in a Kashta and discovered power like never before.

MAHA GHALAYINI: ESCAPE Discover local designer Maha Ghalayini’s latest collection that will take you through Ramadan and beyond. The central theme to the collection is escaping the monotony of the everyday with items that encourages us to reinvent our traditional beliefs and discover new passions.

132 RAMADAN WITH IKEA Ramadan is a time for slowing down and connecting with loved ones. Add a little magic with LJUVARE, the latest limited edition collection by IKEA, designed by Nada Debs that reflects our beautiful traditions, heritage and culture. Perfect for getting your home ready for the festive and holy month.

146 #XCITEDFORRAMADAN Ramadan time is always a little tricky, there are never enough hours in the day to do all the things you need to. Never fear! We’ve found the perfect gadgets and devices that can help you cook healthy meals, clean up and still have time to have fun and be entertained.

RAMADAN READY WITH H&M P. 68

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what's trending April 2021

#4 What: @anwarghader Info: Contemporary designs with a touch of Middle Eastern Ethnicity. Editor’s Note: The perfect mix between classic and contemporary,

What: @Claudettethebrand Info: A one of a kind design fashion brand that cares. Editor’s Note: Not your typical local brand.

#2 What: @bakehaus.kuwait Info: A delicious bakery using materials all from scratch. Editor’s Note: one of the tastiest feta onion focaccia in K-town!

#3 What: @lavenderstop Info: Functional products with eclectic designs. Editor’s Note: A great pit stop for gifts. What: @urbanpetskw Info: Mobile grooming truck for pets in Kuwait. Editor’s Note: Your pet deserves the treatment no matter where you are.

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HORACIO LLORENS AND RAFAEL GOBERNA DEFY GRAVITY

The duo flew over the world’s largest fountain in Dubai By bazaar staff

Two of the world’s top pro paragliding pilots teamed up to take part in an exclusive one-off stunt to showcase the Palm Fountain at the Pointe, in front of destination resort, Atlantis, The Palm Jumeirah. Llorens and Goberna donned special paramotors to take to the sky; expertly gliding between the fountain’s jets of water that reach up to 105 meters In the spirit of demonstrating that anything is possible – by even pushing their own adventurous boundaries – Red Bull athletes Horacio Llorens and Rafael Goberna teamed up to take part in an exclusive one-off stunt to showcase the beautiful Palm Fountain at the Pointe, Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. And this performance – now showing in a new Red Bull TV short film, “The Breaking Pointe” – didn’t just involve your typical paraglide… With the world-renowned Atlantis, The Palm Jumeirah resort as a backdrop, Llorens and Goberna donned special paramotors to take to the sky; gliding between the Palm Fountain’s jets of water that were so close they could feel them. In the film, the athletes – along with a large team of specialists – demonstrate just what it takes to plan a stunt of this kind. It’s definitely not just a case of turning up and flying – there’s pre-event training, there’s engineering, there are multiple safety precautions, as well as intensive training sessions and practicing choreography. “As soon as we got the opportunity, we wanted to fly there!” explains pro paragliding pilot, Llorens. “The ultimate challenge is that we were flying in the night, which means low visibility. Therefore, we needed to know the area really well beforehand. Llorens, along with fellow athlete and friend Goberna had been discussing and practicing tricks and choreography for some time prior to arriving in Dubai. Once in the emirate, the duo – along with the entire project team – conducted trial runs in the Margham Desert in daylight for two days. ADJUSTING TO THE CLIMATE Paragliding with a paramotor is a complicated process and requires skill, patience and very, very precise planning. What many extreme adventure and sporting fans might not know is that paramotors require to be adjusted according to the location they’re in. “During training that’s when we were testing the paramotors, adjusting the gliders and the brakes,” continues Llorens. “Rafael [Goberna] did have a little problem with his motor.”

Refusing to give up, the entire team worked tirelessly to be “fountain-ready” and show day – and the results, as showcased in the video, are spectacular.

The Palm Fountain. With both sides having different choreography, Llorens and Goberna had to study the movement of the water with great precision in order not to get caught up in the jets of water.

“The highlight for me was playing between the super shooters with Rafael, because it’s something we’ve never done before; it felt really new and really powerful – with the water coming to our sides extremely high,” concludes Goberna.

“Obviously, safety is paramount, and there are a multitude of safety devices we use on paramotors,” explains Director of Safety, Alan Gates. “Each athlete used two parachute systems – the main which they fly normally. In the case of an emergency or when they have a technical issue, they would use a reserve parachute.

SAFETY & PRECISION As “The Breaking Pointe” demonstrates, a lot of work went into the showcase – one of the most important aspects being learning how to navigate

Watch the full video on Red Bull Kuwait’s Instagram page @RedBullKuwait and YouTube page @RedBull.

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RAMADAN TRADITIONS Food, Family and Fun, what’s not to love? By bazaar staff

Halo (hello, see what we did there) Ramadan! This is the second year in a row that won’t be spent how we traditionally do. Large gatherings and restaurant iftars are out of the question, however it turns out that there are lots of other things that we truly appreciate about the Ramadan. Ali Mikail (Intern) Favorite thing: Pre-Iftar Why: just having everyone gathered around socializing about how Ramadan has been so far is nice, talking about the food and how good it’s going to be is just another level. Personally, I love pre iftar because I get to see my uncle fast a whole day and get into the crappiest mood ever because he can’t go longer than an hour without having a small bite or a snack. Zainah Al Meqbel (Intern) Favorite thing: The dining table Why: All year round our fancy dining table collects dust because our busy schedules and messy eating habits prevent us from enjoying a meal at the same time. But the one month out of the year where every day offers what feels like an all-you-can-eat buffet is the only thing that brings us together. I will never get tired of the mouth watering spreads topped with creamy lentil soup and variations of samosa stuffing. In front of every seat, a glass full of Vimto, but our hollow stomachs distract us from how watered down it tastes. Rice, meat, and unidentifiable food groups are my Ramadan miracles. Jennifer Cádiz (Mixed Media Solutions) Favorite thing: Quiet mornings Why: Everyone has been up running around visiting relatives and friends [through zoom only surely] until the wee hours, so you tend not to see anyone [who doesn’t live with you] at a safe social distance in your apartment building until later on in the afternoon or evening just before iftar, by which time I’m inside Netflixing. So, the mornings in Ramadan you have to yourself to catch some rays, read a book outside, or go walkabout, safe in the knowledge that you won’t be bothered by other humans. And the street kitty-cats are out too, so that’s always fun. Mariam Raslan (Mixed Media Content Creator) Favorite thing: Mom’s cooking ventures Why: Every Ramadan for some reason, mom decides to experiment with new dishes for us to have for Iftar! We get to all gather as a family, 34

have delicious food and rate which dishes get to make it into our lives after Ramadan is over. It’s all fun and games though until someone is too hungry, plus in the worst mood ever and that day’s dish turns out to be Bamya. Umika Pidaparthy (Online Producer) Favorite thing: Post-Iftar Festive Vibes Why: It’s after iftar and everyone has tucked into a delicious meal. Once you get over the inevitable food coma and the sun has set, that’s when the festive mood sets in! And it’s a complete 180 from the slow and sleepy pace of the day. The decorative lights are switched on, shops reopen, and people are out and about. Some people might visit the mall for those amazing deals while others visit friends and family, dressed in their finest Ramadan outfits. Pre-pandemic one could witness the excitement of the season at a souq or anywhere that has an abundance of roadside cafés and food stalls, provided the weather is pleasant. The joy and energy you feel as you stroll through these bustling areas is completely unique! You can spot big groups of families with kids that are just happy and eager to explore. Some people grab their iftar-to-suhoor bite from a popular food stall, while others park themselves at a shisha cafe and watch people mill about. A fun time indeed! Yasmine El Charif (Content Manager) Favorite thing: All the Kunafa creations! Why: Lotus on fresh cream, sweet pumpkin on

shredded phyllo, Kinder, Red Velvet on warm cheesy dough... (yes, I might have tried to rhyme this to “My Favorite Things”) Before I am attacked for liking bastard Kunafa creations, hear me out! Whether it’s Sale Sucree’s Trifle Kunafa mango version, or their date rendition (which is my absolute fave), at the end of the day, all modern Kunafas pay homage to the Palestinian classic. All the variations just make Ramadan dessert discussions all the more fun! Embrace the strange, and let your palate explore what Kunafa dreams are literally made of. Ramadan Kareem! Yasmin Gamal (Mixed Media Content Creator) Favorite thing: Family Traditions Why: As a community we probably share many traditions especially during Ramadan, but every family tends to have their own. It might be a fanous (lantern) that only comes out during Ramadan or a recipe that has been passed down that only gets made during the hold month. I appreciate these and love learning what other families do. Now that I have my own little family, we seem to have created a few of our own. We always have a kunafa on the first day of Ramadan, pick one show that we all watch together and spend the last 30 minutes of fasting watching random cooking shows because we enjoy torturing ourselves (just kidding). What’s your Ramadan Fave? Let us know, DM us @bazaargram on Instagram and we’ll decide if we agree with you.

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up close & personal

IT’S OSÉ! Reham Al Enezi and the case for bold and daring suits By bazaar staff

There’s something so empowering about donning a well-made suit. A woman’s suit not only marks a sartorial liberation, it is a declaration of style and more importantly, an everyday essential. For Osé founder and graphic designer Reham Al Enezi, finding the right suit meant that she had to dare to dream to make that happen. Translated from the French word for ‘dare’, Osé arrives as a product of Reham’s personal pursuit toward something bigger. Today, she’s a graphic designer by day, and fashion designer by night. She began to tell us her story, “While I love working in graphic design, as I specialize in content creation and branding, I was at a point in my life where I needed to focus on my happiness. I had successfully started a family, but I fell into the routine of life, and I was seeking something that would excite me.” This acknowledgement alone pushed Reham to courageously delve deeper into what she wanted to do, and with the onset of the pandemic and having more time to think about her aspirations, she asked herself about what made her happy before she grew up, became an adult, launched a successful career and started a family. “Fashion. The answer was always fashion. It was always there, and I was so scared to start something, simply because I didn’t have a background in the field and I never studied it.” Reham’s passion for fashion runs deep, as her mother owned a prominent fashion store called ‘Mood’ in Kuwait in the 90s. “I grew up between beautiful pieces of clothing and I remember the suits! I remember traveling to Italy for fashion shows and buying trips with my mom. I always loved sketching designs for outfits I wanted to wear. I wanted to be a fashion designer!” She laughingly said. Althoughsheembarkedonacareeringraphicdesign after completing her studies and living in Lebanon for a while, fashion remained at the back of her mind. The epiphany to design suits came to her in the dead of night. After having put her toddler to bed, she went about her normal routine. “It was 2 am. I was in bed, but I simply couldn’t sleep,” she recounted, “I freaked my husband out, shook him awake. I declared to him that I wanted to become a fashion designer, and I wanted to design suits! He sleepily told me ‘that’s great. Can we talk about this in the morning?’”

Reham Al Enezi

Reham found her calling, and now had to make it happen, but this bazaar writer couldn’t help but wonder why she had chosen suits in particular. “My husband and I were always in suits. I love suits, and having grown up in my mom’s shop, I was surrounded by a lot of suits! Most of the clothes that she procured from Italy happened to be suits, and I have a bunch of them still from the 90s and they’re still in great condition because the quality is amazing.” Reham also noted that there’s a lack of something different in the local market, she was seeking that elusive ‘oomph’ when it came to the perfect suit, and most importantly, comfort. Reham describes Osé as tailored for the bold and daring woman, and while the expression is often used in Lebanon as a compliment to a unique look, she lives by this saying when it comes to her fashion ethos. “With Osé, I didn’t want a normal blazer with matching pants,” she added, “I was seeking style and comfort at the same time. Osé suits are purposefully loose and oversized, they fit the needs of women from different walks of life, and I wanted the suits to be inclusive of different body shapes.” With this signature look now established, every piece in the Osé collection effortlessly works together.

The sizing is inclusive, and perfect for our warmer climates. Reham also wanted bold and daring colors, like mustard, olive green, and sharp navy. Osé suits are meant to break away from the norm, you can match your suit with your favorite sneakers or stilettos, and confidently walk into a board meeting or a gathering with friends. Trust us, you’ll be making waves at your many post-corona dinner parties (yes, we’re hopeful!), as all of Osé’s pieces are interchangeable and can be worn with your favorite wardrobe staples or matched together. The styling options are endless. Reham credits the start of her journey with Osé to her dear friend and local designer Dina Wael, founding partner of Original G. “I didn’t have a background in sewing or pattern cutting, so when I thought of the idea, I wrote everything down and asked myself where do I start? How do I find tailors? How do I find fabrics? When I coincidentally met Dina, I asked her for help, and she really got me started. I am so grateful for her.” Dina connected Reham with tailors, showed her how linings work, and provided a helping hand when she needed it most. This is the beauty of having a community that helps and empowers your dream. When it comes to the details of the garments,

Reham’s meticulous eye for fine design kicked in. The lining Osé employs, for instance, is Valentino lining, patented and used by the household name, and renowned in the market for being the best material to be used in suit lining. Using the finest fabrics in the market, Reham proceeded feeling reassured that she would be offering her customers quality clothing. She thought of every detail, from the buttons she wanted on her suits, to the longevity of the garments. The trousers and shorts even have a smart elastic band at the back, ensuring that your Osé piece will stay with you as your body changes. After many initial proto-types, and getting her sizes down, she was ready to go. The dream for Osé started last September, and the brand was launched this February. In looking to the future, Reham is hoping to see Osé grow in Kuwait and the region. When asked if she would take her eye for design to other garments, she smiled and replied, “I wouldn’t mind trying jumpsuits! I want to design the things that I love, after all.” And since Osé is all about being bold and daring, we also asked Reham about what would be her dream designer collaboration, to which she wistfully replied, “It would have to be Balmain. I love bold, aggressive designs.”

[Continued...]

up close & personal

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE What do you most value about your friends? Being themselves. Which living person do you most admire? My mom. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Living on a beach with my husband and daughter. What is your greatest extravagance? My car. What is your most treasured possession? My mother in law’s wedding ring. What is your greatest fear? Cockroaches, even saying it freaks me out. What is your most marked characteristic? Saying it as it is. Which talent would you most like to have? Playing the violin. What is one trait you have that you are most grateful for? I’m bold and daring. What is the human trait you most dislike about others? Lack of intellect. What is it that you most dislike? Not finding a parking spot when I get to work. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Faia – My daughter’s name. What are your favorite words to live by? To each their own. Where would you most like to live? Netherlands, I know its contradicting to the beach but I’m a Gemini, I can’t help it. If you could have any job, what would it be? Professional Violinist. What would you consider your greatest achievement? Launching my brand, Osé. What do you hope for the future? Osé going international and adding a line for men.

For more information, check out @ose.kw on Instagram and shop the collection at oseshop.co.

[...Continued]

DEAR COMMUNITY An open letter from icare to the people of Kuwait By The iCare Family

We reached out to Bazaar to get this article letter for the sole purpose of raising awareness on animal welfare in Kuwait, because unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year or so, you have witnessed the amount of dogs and cats roaming around in the streets. Finding a solution to this problem requires all of our collective efforts. So I hope that after reading this, you’ll take off your rose colored glasses, roll up your sleeves and join the cause. Apart from the strays that seem to be increasing on a daily basis, a lot of pets are being neglected and thrown out to the streets by irresponsible individuals who are never held accountable. Throw in the unlicensed breeders that over breed and interbreed to the mix, the dog thieves that roam around different areas stealing other people’s pets (not making this up!), pet stores and entities like the Friday market whose workers lack the essential skills to take care of animals. Sick animals are being sold and left to die. It’s a never ending cycle and we are sick of it. There are several local rescue groups and individuals that pour their heart, soul and personal income to feed stray and/or injured animals, rescue them, get them hospitalized, and hopefully re-home them. One of them is Elika Mansouri, the lady behind icareq8, who recently, along with a small group of people rescued over 80 stray dogs from being poisoned from a single location. It was emotionally, physically and financially draining but luckily, all the dogs were placed either in temporary shelters and boarding facilities, some are at different vets receiving treatments and a few were even adopted. It’s been a full time job trying to collect donations to essentially provide shelter for these dogs, have them checked, neutered/spayed, and try to get them adopted or fostered, and nothing would make us happier than seeing each one of them end up in permanent loving homes. But you know how this all came to be, right?! Because someone purchased a dog a few years ago, couldn’t handle the hassle and responsibility of taking care of it, gave it away to someone else who couldn’t either, so that dog ended up on the street and found a feral group and eventually reproduced, several times, and here we are. Him and many people alike who think “What’s the big deal? It’s just a dog!”. And you’re just a statistic! So the next time you’re bored and decide to 40

purchase an animal, don’t. Many irresponsible pet sellers import animals into the country while making the puppies and kittens face trauma after separating them from their mothers and putting them through a stressful long journey. Aside from demanding strict laws against animal abuse in Kuwait, we can spread the message across and try to educate everyone on the following: Do NOT buy pets. The more you buy, the more you enable the breeders and stores to stay in business. Instead, please consider adoption. If you’re not sure if you can handle the huge responsibility, then please try fostering to test it out.

Microchip your pets and get the microchip number registered with your name to your passport, at all local veterinary hospitals and more importantly online for free on souls. care website. Please neuter and spay them to avoid reproduction, combat overpopulation and vaccinate to stop the spread of infectious diseases among animals. In hope of better days, iCare Kuwait For more information and to find out how you can help follow @icareq8 on Instagram.

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MY WORLD

FACE returns to the music scene with a new single featuring Guitara’s Rahaf, and we’re loving it! By bazaar staff

In a world long before social media, the radio was our best friend. And for those of us who grew up in Kuwait, the unbeatable rhymes and smooth crooning Faisal Marei a.k.a FACE of Army of One, holds a special place in our hearts whenever any one of their songs came on RKFM 99.7. In the early 2000s, it was musicians like Faisal, and bands like Guitara, which shaped our understanding of Kuwait’s music scene and inspiring so many talents to follow in their footsteps. This is why we couldn’t contain our excitement when we learned that the especially talented singer and songwriter Faisal Marei has joined forces with fellow singer and songwriter Rahaf from the band Guitara to bring us a lovely song called “My World”. The song combines Arabic and English flawlessly, and is filmed with the Kuwaiti skyline in the background and it could not be timelier. The moving lyrics and cool beats bring everything together, with vibes harking back to the old school glory days of these amazing musicians, but in a hip and ultra-modern tone. “My World”’s full music and video credit list include: Face @faisal.marei, Rahaf @tranceful, Mixing & Mastering @fuadzmurad, Model/Dancer @oksana_antufieva, Makeup @makeupbyhanouf, BTS Photography @rami.hussanyia, Asst. Director @abeert.91, Co-Director/ Drone footage @phantomkuw, and none other than the talented Director @rashidvisuals. We spoke to Faisal and he told us more about the collaboration, his views on music right now and what the future might hold for his musical comeback. Tell us about your most recent collaboration with Guitara’s Rahaf for “My World”. How did the idea for this collaboration come about? During last year’s quarantine, Rahaf had an online virtual interview, and she mentioned how much she loves Army of One and that we both did music back then around the same time, and she expressed her respect and love to Army of One. When I heard this, I contacted her immediately and thanked her for her words, and told her that I was always a big fan of hers and Guitara and would love to work with her. Thankfully, she agreed and we started bouncing ideas off of one another. 42

What was it like working with Rahaf? She is very professional, pays attention to details, and is very experienced in the music industry, and she knows what she wants. Rahaf is super versatile as well, she is the type of artist that you can give any type of beat to, and she will write and follow it but with her own unique touch. “My World” beautifully blends both English and Arabic lyrics. Did you collaborate on the flow of the lyrics as well to compliment one another? Yes, we chose the subject that we felt fits the song, and bounced some ideas virtually until we got it. Then we decided on a day to record the whole thing. Tell us more about the video for “My World”, who did you collaborate with to make it happen? So after we finished recording the song, we thought that even though it is simple, it needed a simple video, just us on stools showcasing the city behind us. Rashed Visuals is an old friend, and he took the lead on the production side. What motivated you to go forward and work on this track after a long period away from recording? That is one of the good things that happened during quarantine, I always had ideas in my mind but the situation last year I guess helped me go back into the studio and start making music again. How has the recording music workflow changed? We’re seeing more collaborations between artists, do you think this is a trend that is going to stay? I think it has always been there, and when you get two people working on a song it gives it a different energy especially if two different genres or cultures collaborate. But recording and collaborating is easier nowadays with

technology, as it is easier to record at home or from your phone and it will still give you good quality. I really believe that technology and the internet also helps people feel more confident to try new things out of their comfort zone. A lot of us turned to music during the last year, what did you listen to the most? Honestly I wasn’t feeling the new school music but last year I took a deep dive into listening and learning how this new generation does it, what effects they use, what topics they talk about, just for inspiration. I listened to music in different languages and dialects too, from English to Arabic, from Kuwait, Morocco, Egypt, France, etc. Artists like yourself and Rahaf spearheaded Kuwait’s modern music scene in the early 2000s. Fast-forward to this year, how do you think the music scene has changed, and where do you see it headed? Do you think the challenges you faced as an artist back then still exist today? The music scene has changed a lot recently, and it is much easier to stream music, make videos, and market a song. Back in the day, you had to get signed onto a record company to get the exposure you needed. You needed DJ’s and word of mouth of course. Now it is easier and faster to drop a song or album. You can get the music in seconds and track durations are shorter. When we began working on this song, we agreed that we wanted the body of the new generation along with the soul of the old school, and that’s just what we did! Artists usually want their music to do something to their audience, such as to convey a powerful message, or elicit a specific reaction. What do you want your music to do? Music is nothing without an audience. I want to make music that I enjoy, that touches people’s hearts, and that people can relate, and jam to.

Aside from “My World”, what else are you working on? Should we expect an upcoming album release from Face? I am currently working on my mixtape or album, still unnamed yet but finished and is around 8 songs. Bonus Question: Do you miss your Army of One days? I do miss the good old days when we started, and I still listen to our old music, but I’m in touch with all the guys, and we will be working and collaborating together soon inshallah. Each of us took a different direction in their music careers, but we are still all on good terms, and we are brothers before anything. Follow Faisal on Instagram @faisal.marei to watch the music video and stay up to date with his releases. 43

MOHAMMED JAFFAR FULLY MOTIVATED FOR THE 2022 DAKAR RALLY

Preparations are being made for a second run at the history rally. By bazaar staff

Kuwaiti motocross athlete, Mohammed Jaffar, does not show any intention of resting. Instead, he has been taking on challenge after challenge since entering the racing world in 2007. After his recent participation in the world’s toughest and most famous rally, Dakar Rally, which was hosted by Saudi Arabia last January for the second time in a row, Jaffar is already preparing for the third edition of this race. “I had an accident on the fifth day of the Dakar Rally and had to withdraw. It was frustrating, but it could have happened to any biker in a similar rally,” said Jaffar, who is a professional Red Bull athlete. “It was my first experience in the Dakar Rally, and I benefited a lot from it in terms of experience and competing internationally.” “And I benefited a lot from it in terms of building contacts and gaining international exposure.” Jaffar added. Mohammed Jaffar wants to build on his past achievements. His first victory dates back to 2011 in the Emirates Motorplex Championship in the “MX2” category, where he established himself as one of the best motocross riders in the Middle East. He previously won one of the rounds of the Emirates Desert Championship and placed in the top ten in his first international rally, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, in addition to winning 13 titles in other motocross tournaments. There is no doubt that the Coronavirus affected Jaffar’s plans for 2021. “I was affected like everyone else by the pandemic, as travel procedures have become very complicated, not to mention the fact that the quarantine for a week or two after each trip (upon returning to Kuwait) would negatively affect my preparations” He said. “My goal is to participate annually in the Dakar Rally with the support of Red Bull. I was supposed to compete in several tournaments in Dubai, Bahrain, and Kuwait, but the Coronavirus put everything on hold. And, in the event of the pandemic coming to an end, I will make sure to participate in any of the races which are being held in the Middle East. I believe in my abilities and have the desire to raise my country’s flag on the podium.” In response to a question about how he prepares for upcoming challenges, specifically the Dakar Rally 2022, Jaffar said “My training usually takes place in Kuwait but, my experience with the race in Saudi Arabia revealed that the nature of the rally was very different. So, if the coronavirus outbreak recedes, I will make sure to

be in Saudi Arabia.” Jaffar added “In the meantime, I take every opportunity I have to prepare myself for the third edition of the Dakar race. Saudi Arabia is close to Kuwait, so it will be easy to train there.” “During the current year, every time I have the opportunity, to prepare myself on the ground for the third edition held in KSA.” Jaffar is always keen to thank his supporters who took him from a hobbyist to a professional,

including Red Bull, the General Authority for Sports and the Kuwait International Automobile Club, especially KTM, who insured his motorcycle with which he participated in the recent Dakar Rally. Stay up to date with Mohammed Jaffar by following @Mo_Jaffar on Instagram. For more information, please visit redbull.com and follow @RedBullKuwait on Instagram and Twitter.

truth or dare

RAWIA ALATEEQI

MAKING SPACE FOR FITNESS IN LIFE By bazaar staff

If you are interested in fitness, workouts and living a healthier life then you probably already know Rawia Alateeqi. And for those of you who don’t, meet the fitness lifestyle enthusiast who shares her daily workouts, routine and fitness journey on Instagram and TikTok to help motivate everyone to start their own journey and stay on track. 46

Rawia is not new to the fit life, as a child her favorite activity was playing soccer with the neighborhood boys. She enjoyed all kinds of active play and sports, at school P.E. was her favorite class, “I enjoyed the challenges it brought. I also joined school sports competitions. My family was super supportive of me doing all kinds of activities,” she explained. It wasn’t until her senior year at high school when she started living a more sedentary life. It didn’t get better in college or after graduation and entering the workforce. “I noticed my body feeling exhausted all the time, a lack of energy, zero strength to continue through the day and most importantly lack of motivation to do anything else but work from 8 am to 5 pm in the private sector,” Rawia added. Deep down she understood that she needed to make changes. She wanted to get in shape, get toned, and gain muscle. So she changed jobs to one that required fewer hours, so she could have enough time to join a gym. She started educating herself through research and reading, and relied on friends who helped her grow her knowledge in fitness. Her journey began in 2013, and she hasn’t looked back since then. Change is a huge theme in Rawia’s work and she constantly talks about it on social media. She keeps reminding people that change doesn’t happen at once and is not a coincidence. It is a product of hard work over a period of time and working against your bad norms and habits. She rightfully points out that we get compliments, appreciation trophies and certificates in school and work for things we do that are visible to everyone but no one knows the struggles we go through internally, fighting every day and competing to achieve a better version of ourselves. The small wins are invisible to the world. Instead, Rawia believes that people should value the smallest positive change they achieve every day and be proud of it. “Change is a product of hard work. Hard work is achieved by setting goals and here is where most of us go wrong. We are accustomed to setting large goals, end points, that we want to get to. We neglect the small steps taking us there. When it comes to adopting a new healthier lifestyle, a new healthier version of you let’s say, people want results quickly, they want them now, in a month or three. They want to lose weight, they want to look good, better, and stronger. They forget what comes in between,” Rawia said. We rarely question when and how our questionable habits started, they never have a clear start date and just happen gradually over time. Equally, changing a bad habit requires awareness of it then patience. Rawia suggests starting with small goals, “If we want to lose weight, we need to start gradually changing our lifestyle. Start with a daily 15-minute walk for a week and start your healthy diet by drinking more water daily. Do things gradually until they become

habits. Only after you are comfortable with your new habits, start making new ones. With time, you will notice a big change in your life,” Rawia advises. When the pandemic started Rawia started her website which offers home fitness programs because there was a large demand for it. Online training offers flexibility for the client and is also cost-effective. Rawia offers her clients more than just a routine, she educates and guides through the techniques. “I believe that people can really achieve any fitness goal they want. The key is commitment, consistency and patience. RIght now, I am targeting beginners and intermediates wanting to become firmer, tighter and stronger. I also target those who do not know how to start. Most of us feel lost at the beginning of our journeys. We do not know where to start from. We need guidance. We also do not feel very encouraged to start at a gym because the gym can be scary in the beginning if we do not know what to do with all those equipment and class offerings,” she told us. Rawia encourages people to start at home. Her program is a full body weight program that can be adjusted by adding weights depending on your strength and level. She is a huge believer in gradual progress, once you get some of the workouts done at home and get the hang of the weekly schedule, then it will be smoother moving into a gym and adding weight to your training. And she definitely walks the talk, and her social media accounts are proof. She wants to share her

journey with people. She doesn’t just want to show people how to do the moves, she encourages a healthier and happier life. Helping women out there to start taking care of themselves naturally without self-hate or judgement motivates her. “Social media offers opportunities to learn and educate yourself however on your own judgement. That is the tricky part. You can easily fall for false advertising and inaccurate information. As for me, I always recommend that people take advice from experts in the field. When needed, I redirect people to experts in nutrition, physical therapy, etc. I only give advice that I am sure of and is supported by the science and research in the field,” Rawia explained. She also provides a lot of information in Arabic. Even though most of her followers and audience speak English, she told us that engagement is higher when the text is in Arabic. We appreciate her inclusivity and making her content more accessible to a larger audience and we agree that there is definitely a need for trusted and fact-based Arabic Fitness and health instruction on Social Media. “Like so many people, I made mistakes and I learned. I went through different times of commitment and discouragement. There were moments I felt so strong and others I felt so weak. It is a continuous journey of learning,” Rawia reminds us. We just need to keep going even when we think that the going is tough. [Continued...]

truth or dare

TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE How would your mother describe you in one word? Kind. How would you describe your mother in one word? Caring. What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked? How old are you? What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? Befriended a stranger. What is your theme song? Yellow - Coldplay. What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented? Fairness Where would you like to live? On a white sandy beach with blue waters and a sunny sky. What is your dream retirement location? Florida Keys. What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind? It’s not what you say it is how you say it. Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life? Wolf. Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it? Playing soccer in sand pits with the boys. If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Lily. How would you describe your handshake, in one word? Confident. What is the toughest part of your character? Mood swings. Who is your favorite historical figure? Dalai Lama.

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

What in the world do you least desire? Night life.

Why do you think most people who do, like you? I am supportive.

[...Continued]

Finish this sentence: “Happiness is…” … contentment.

Follow Rawia on Instagram for great fitness advice and information @spacebyrawia or visit spacebyrawia.com to book your fitness plan.

CERTIFIED POOL BUILDERS The time has come to rethink our at-home pool experience with Waseet Pools! By bazaar staff

The swimming pool and outdoor construction industry witnessed unprecedented growth in 2020. With more people spending more time at home, people felt the need to revamp their outdoor areas. A swimming pool is the perfect addition to any home; it adds a lot of fun but is also perfect for a quick workout whether you are doing laps or just wading around.

Now, four months into 2021 it appears that this growth in the industry is not slowing down. We spoke to Sulaiman Alghais CEO of Waseet Pools, Kuwait’s leading company in the field and they predict that there will be an even bigger increase in customers wishing to improve their home’s outdoor and water features. Waseet Pools have been in the business since 1982 so have witnessed shifting trends and attitudes towards pools and outdoor spaces. They have been manufacturing, installing, maintaining and operating swimming pools and spas for decades. The company specializes in the construction of large sized pools and lakes that are used for public projects as well as smaller residential pools and jacuzzis. They also have a Water Features department that is focused on the construction of fountains, waterfalls, stamped concrete and landscaping. Many of Kuwait’s gyms and public spaces have pools built by Waseet Pools. In the past, most people would have been wanting to add a barbecue area or improve their seating options, but now they’re considering fully landscaping the garden and entire outdoor space with a fully integrated home entertainment system. Basically, we want it ALL! Improving the overall landscape design of outdoor areas has become a trending priority

for most homeowners in Kuwait. Alghais also informed us that they have noticed a growing demand in outdoor fireplaces and outdoor kitchens. Not to mention the increasing demand for pergolas, smart shades and contemporary outdoor furniture. Alghais has also observed that new customers tend to choose additional features that may not have been part of their previous choices before the pandemic. Most people spend the summer abroad and have experienced and enjoyed resort pools, which has led them to rethink their at-home pools. There’s a marked growth in swimming pool accessories such as steel waterfalls, wall waterfalls, and most pool games including slides and jumping boards. Now with the future still unclear, and as most of us still expect to spend more time at home, customers are ready to spend more than before on practical swimming pool features. Awareness of hygiene and sterilization has also changed customer behavior. Pool maintenance contracts, sanitizing, cleaning products and dirt removal systems are in high demand. Although, these products and services add to the cost up front, in the long term they are very beneficial for the client’s investment. Finally, according to Alghais, the biggest influence on buyers in 2021 is product availability.

If a person requests a swimming pool today, they may not see the final product before 3-4 months on average, and with the increase in demand during 2020 which is expected to continue until 2022, it is natural for the delivery periods to be even longer throughout the industry starting from factories, suppliers, equipment retailers, contractors and even service technicians. Luckily for us, Waseet Pools strive to maintain the average delivery time and fulfill all requests while achieving the highest level of quality. Waseet Pools offer prospective customers a free consultation. So, if you are considering adding or upgrading your current pool they can provide you with all the information you need to upgrade your home. There are so many pool options, shapes and sizes that will fit any space. And that’s just the pool itself, adding slides, jumping boards and fountains will make it even more fun. As for maintenance, you don’t have to worry about it, since Waseet Pools have 40 maintenance teams that will keep your pool clean and running flawlessly. A swimming pool is the shining jewel of any home, so make the most out of your time in Kuwait and get the pool of your dreams now.. For more information visit waseetpools.com and follow @waseetpools on Instagram for some poolspiration.

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IT’S GETTING HOT IN HERE!

Tune in to the podcast that is putting Kuwait and the Gulf’s climate challenges front and center By bazaar staff

Yes, we are well aware that the temperatures are rising in Kuwait. With every passing year, we find ourselves speaking more about how extreme the dust storms have become, questioning the severity of the summer heat, and witnessing the sheer violence of the flash floods that have become far more frequent. While we are no experts on climate change and how it is strictly affecting Kuwait and the region, we can still raise our voices to ask ‘why’, and in turn become more informed citizens to make more sustainable choices that will benefit generations to come. This is what Senior Environmental Specialist, Samia Alduaij of Sustainable Living Kuwait aims to tackle with a roster of talented locals in the new podcast, It’s Getting Hot In Here (@IGHH_kw). IGGH is hosted by Samia Alduaij, with the support of Brett Lyons of CEFAS, Creative Producer Krysia Derecki, and Technical Director Anees Baker.

The It’s Getting Hot in Here Podcast team: Brett Lyons, Samia Alduaij, Krysia Derecki and Anees Baker

In collaboration with the office of CEFAS at The British Embassy, the IGGH podcast is part of a greater initiative to shed light on how climate change is affecting Kuwait and the greater Gulf region. It has been almost five years since the first Paris Climate Change Agreement, and with the Climate Change Conference (COP26) coming up in November and set to take place in the UK, this podcast will also showcase what the Gulf region is doing to make a change for the better. Samia said, “As part of a great climate change outreach program, the podcast is timely because we are set to see what countries are going to present in terms of increased commitments to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. We are hoping to mobilize NGOs, policy makers and the public to make these changes happen with the IGGH podcast.” Brett Lyons added, “This project originated from a program of work I was involved in which I was looking at the environmental challenges climate change will pose to the Gulf, its environment and the people who live in this region. Scientists often struggle to make some of the more complicated information on this issue accessible to the general public and so developing this podcast really offered me the chance to do just this – make the facts accessible to everyone.” With the IGGH podcast, Samia will take the

listener on a journey around Kuwait to see how climate change is affecting the country and to discover what the Gulf region is doing to a make a change for the better. Interviews with guests on IGGH will include environmentalists, business owners, politicians and policy makers from all over the world. Brett further commented on why it is important to consider climate change through a local perspective, and with Samia’s knowledge, he believes that the podcast will allow listeners to “Meet a whole range of inspirational characters based here in Kuwait who are attempting to find solutions to address these issues.” Series 1 of the IGHH podcast will consist of six episodes that will be released monthly starting from April, and each episode will run at around 20-25 minutes. Episode topics will tackle climate change from a general perspective, perfect for listeners who don’t necessarily possess the scientific background or knowledge about how waste systems are currently managed, water issues, consumer behavior, energy efficiency and climate conclusions. Samia is very attuned and accustomed to tackling these topics, as her expertise spans working with Kuwait’s Environmental Public Authority as part of the UNDP, and as an environmental consultant, she has tackled many projects in Kuwait and the region.

It is Samia’s deep passion for protecting the environment which enables her to speak on science-heavy topics with such ease. She confidently stated that it is doable, “Simplifying the message as much as possible and connecting it to something people care about is key. For instance, in Kuwait, people care about the marine environment because fishing is an important part of our food security. I can sit and lecture people about how plastic doesn’t break down in the sea, but impactful and usually upsetting images will do the trick. Another great relatable example is the recent popularity of Kashtas last winter and littering. I have never seen the media more focused on littering, which is great, as we need more attention drawn to these issues.” She has been a long fan of podcasts herself, so when she was approached for IGHH, Samia jumped on the opportunity. She said, “I have a list of shows that I listen to regularly, both locally and internationally. So, when the idea for IGHH came I just jumped on the opportunity to host a podcast on a subject matter close to my heart with a really cool team. I’m an environmental specialist by profession and normally deal with more technical aspects but this is a great opportunity to get the message across in a more informal and fun way about the importance of climate change and what we can all do to reduce our impact on the planet. [Continued...]

We talked to experts, activists and entrepreneurs who are all doing their bit to steer Kuwait towards a more sustainable future. Listeners will get to hear about some great local initiatives and solutions out there which will remind them of the pioneering spirit of Kuwait!” We asked the avid environmentalist what amused her the most about the entire podcasting process, and she laughingly told us about the trials and tribulations of intonations, and how this translates across. She also loves the process of interviewing people for a change, as she is the one who is usually approached to speak on climate change by the media. Given the technical difficulties posed by the pandemic, the team behind IGHH are being flexible, producing episodes on the move and aim to bring an authentic approach to listeners. No stranger to the podcasting world is the talented creative producer Krysia Derecki, who had previously successfully produced and launched At My Kuwaiti Table, which featured vivid conversations with myriad local women from Kuwait around Krysia’s dinner table. She is delighted to leverage her experience for the IGHH podcast, “I am really enjoying working on this new podcast IGHH with Brett and Samia, it is great to be back recording and getting the opportunity to make a show about the importance of the environment and how we can all bring about meaningful change, and I am reuniting with sound recordist and editor Anees again - we previously worked together on At My Kuwaiti Table podcast.” Krysia also cited Samia’s podcasting abilities as extremely natural, “She really carries the message of the show and makes it accessible to all.” With his expertise as technical director for Radio Kuwait International Station, Anees Baker was also excited to test his creative boundaries with the IGHH podcast. He said, “We go to different locations and I get to record our host interviewing prominent people and at the same time learning much more things about the environment in Kuwait. I am really enjoying working with the new team Brett and Samia and so happy to be back working with Krysia after our first podcast together.” Krysia further added, “We are exploring new techniques for this podcast to enhance the audio experience for the listener. We record the majority of interviews on location and therefore pick up the real-time noises as they occur and thus produce a more authentic podcast.”

We can’t wait to tune in, and check out the IGHH’s team latest episodes! For more information, make sure you follow @Ighh_kw on Instagram. Look out for episode one that will be released this April.

[...Continued]

THE BACK-STREET BARBERS OF SALMIYA Which is better one eye or half a mind? By Craig Loomis

Stepping out of the mid-day heat and into the too-cold shop, he immediately, without even bothering to look up, says, “Sit here,” as if he’s been expecting me and I’m late and now we will have to hurry. It looked nothing like a real barber’s chair—nothing leathery to speak of, no shiny chrome armrests, nowhere to rest your feet-- except that it was aimed in the right direction, at a big wall mirror. It was only then, as he tucked what truly looked to be somebody’s bed sheet neatly around my neck, that I saw he had one eye. I had never ever thought about one-eyed barbers, not even in my dreams, but now here was one, with nothing more than a fleshy gap where there should have been an eyeball, as if someone had reached in with one of those harmless ice cream scoopers. Aside from his oneeyedness, everything else about him looked barber-normal: a dainty moustache, a clatter of yellow teeth, long tapered fingers, and so on. As he busied himself around me, I thought about his one-eyedness, and secretly, in some kind of odd geometrical way, wondered what it would mean to my haircut—longer on one side, shorter on the other? Meanwhile, he and his fellow-barber, who, by the way, had two good eyes, never broke stride with their conversation which sounded like Hindi, only angrier. While one would talk the other would grunt and after a while they’d change roles. That first day, I showed him how much I wanted cut off—nothing more than a trim--holding up a tiny ½ inch gap between thumb and forefinger to his one eye, and he squinted at it, considered, then said, “Okay.” I had heard that Okay before, in Saigon, when I did the same thing, “Take that much off.” Holding up the same ½ inch space, and she answered with the same Okay. In the end that was how much she left on my head. In the world of back-street barbering, he was tolerable. Truth be told, he spent more time chatting with his fellow barber and glancing at the Indian soap opera on the overhead TV than he did cutting my hair—in mid-snip turning to see who was screeching and why. More than once I set my teeth, steeling myself for the pain of having my ear snipped, wounded, but magically, in some kind of one-eyed barber way, he managed to watch his soap opera, carry on a conversation with his fellow-barber and cut my hair. He did his duty and because his English was no better than my Arabic, our conversations were short, full of Neanderthal mumbling and gestures. In the end, my haircut looked fine and I gave him a little extra, three dinar, and he said what sounded like a normal thank you, as if paying him a little extra was only right, even expected. Now I have two barbers—one away in Kabul, the other one-eyed— and both are fine as far as backstreet barbers go, but the one-eyed barber is the better, maybe because he takes more time, snipping here and there, although I can’t see what there is to snip. He even massages my forehead, my eyebrows, using his thumbs to make small sleepy circles on my temples, something Mohammed would never do. Mohammad’s shop is easily missed, overlooked, mistaken for one of those gray vacant shops, its windows thick with dust and grime, and nothing like a hint of electricity. The once-sign in Arabic, saying, I can only imagine, this is a man’s hair shop, but it is hard to tell because the lettering has long since been peeled away. Only if you press your face against the murky glass, can you see a hint of something going on, and once you give the door a shove there he is, more times than not, stretched out on the green couch, the TV making the necessary Bollywood background noise, and he will jump up, saying, “Hi, brother.” I call him Mohammed and he never once made any attempt to correct

me, or maybe he did, but never mind because now he was away for Ramadan, back to Kabul for three weeks, in the meantime my hair couldn’t wait, and so I wandered the neighborhood backstreets and found the one-eyed barber who motioned for me to, “Sit here.” And yet I don’t want to ignore Mohammed completely, and when he returns I will go to him for one of his trims, just to make him happy. When I go back to see my Mohammed, Ramadan all done, there is another, newer piece of paper taped to the window that says, “Employee in Hospital”. Which means I may have to return to my one-eyed barber. There is nothing wrong with that, come to think of it. One-eyed barbers, two-eyed barbers, except for the one only looking at my head half the time, what’s the difference? Photo by Chris Knight on Unsplash.

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THE GIRL WITH THE GYPSY SOUL Nour Abou Abdou and the journey from marketing manager to boho lifestyle brand owner By bazaar staff

Some people are born with wanderlust. They are always curious and ready to explore new places, try new things and dip their toes into new streams. Their bags are always packed, ready for the next adventure. Nour Abou Abdou doesn’t think of travel as just a way to physically visit other countries. For her, it is the way she connects with the world. She wants to meet the people from all walks of life and then find a way to tell their story by sharing their unique handcrafts with her customers in Kuwait. And that is how her boho lifestyle brand was born. Nour studied Marketing at university then completed a postgraduate degree in Graphic and Web Design. She started working in the private sector, first in Advertising in the Telecommunications industry then Brand Management in retail, but she always dreamed of being an entrepreneur. Every time she had an interesting or entrepreneurial idea, she would save it on a "vision board" folder on her computer to manifest her dream. In 2014, Gypsy Soul was born. The brand is an independent lifestyle retailer dedicated to support local business, boutique owners and artisans to inspire customers through a unique curated combination of products that are carefully selected from around the world. With a mission to bring customers hand crafted and inspiring pieces like jewelry, accessories, lifestyle products, stationery and more. “I am very passionate about travel. I’m very social and love connecting with people. I like meeting people [artisans] and learning about the inspiration behind their handcrafts/work. Then I carefully select collections that no one would be able to find in Kuwait and take them back to Kuwait with me,” explained Nour. In 2020, Nour was ready to take Gypsy Soul further and quit her full-time job. Nour is currently located in Madrid, Spain after graduating from an MBA in an Entrepreneurship program. Since she is living in Spain it means she is even closer to artisans and designers, her current goal is to explore, source unique products and connect independent designers and local startups from European countries, namely Spain and Portugal who make unique 58

sustainable accessories and jewelry with a global market of end customers starting with Kuwait and the GCC market. Gypsy Soul is still very much a one-woman show. She does have a storage room, an office and local assistance for administration and deliveries. She handles everything else from product scouting and buying to marketing and managing the website and social media channels. Her years of experience in retail helped prepare her. “I think what helped me was the retail experience on how operations like this work and how it’s all connected. Like how you have to be in charge of everything,

but not micromanage. The experience of brand management and understanding consumer behavior and brand positioning taught me a lot,” Nour told us. Nour has a very clear vision and business strategy of what she wants to share in her store. Sustainability is the most important thing. If a product is not produced ethically, she doesn’t even consider it. She also prefers smaller local designers or startups; large companies and wholesale don’t make the cut. Finally, how unique the item is, matters. Nour thinks of herself as a personal shopper and a mediator, who visits markets, boutiques, small shops

and independent designers to carefully select for customers that are longing to wear or gift a one-of-a-kind item. "I want to target customers that connect with unique pieces that tell a story. I stop and talk with the owner and get to know how it’s sourced, what the materials are, and if they’re interested in a collaboration. In the beginning, I call it a collaboration because I don’t buy in bulk. I will buy a few pieces, try them out, see if they sell and then I buy more,” elaborated Nour. Because sustainability is integral to Nour's values she prefers slowmoving and carefully curated collections that speak to customers. Stationery is another example of items that are quite near and dear to Nour’s heart. She was on a trip to Thailand where she saw stores selling vegan leather journals that are handmade and personalized on the spot. She was so mesmerized and thought other people might really appreciate them too. Nour tries to support independent designers and startup brands by displaying their products and seeing what works and which ones don’t. She loves the flexibility of her approach as well as being able to offer different makers the space on her platform. Nour was ahead of the curve in terms of technology. She had launched her website when she first started the business, so while we’re missing Gypsy Soul at pop-up events and markets, the e-store website was designed to

simulate in-person shopping, making the end customer’s online shopping experience more interactive, personalized and visual with videos and larger images, more styled photography and navigation links to products so they can better understand a product before they buy it. Gypsy Soul is an evolving brand, and Nour wants to expand the business itself by making

it a marketplace to connect more artisans and startups with Kuwait and the GCC region and add more products like home décor, and we’re sure we’ll be seeing more exciting things from her very soon. Follow @gypsysoulkw on Instagram or visit gypsysoulkw.com to see the entire collection. 59

TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY

Just how valuable is that luxury bag? This app can tell you instantly By Elizabeth Segran

Until now, figuring out how much a Chanel or Goyard bag would fetch on the secondhand market would require a lot of online sleuthing— and even then, you might not get an accurate price. But that’s about to change. Rebag, a startup that buys and sells luxury goods, has just launched a free app called Clair AI that allows you to take a photo of a handbag— whether in your own closet, at a store, or even online—and instantly get its resale value. If you happen to own the bag in question and want to sell it, Rebag guarantees it will pay you the price quoted in the app. Clair AI is a big step forward not just for Rebag but for the entire resale industry because it helps standardize the price of secondhand bags, much as the Kelley Blue Book does for cars. Charles Gorra, founder and CEO of Rebag, has been working on Clair since he launched the company in 2014. As he studied the resale marketplace, which was quickly growing thanks to players such as TheRealReal and Tradesy, he realized that it was hard for consumers to figure out exactly how much a secondhand product was worth. “It was like the wild west,” Gorra says. “It was strange to me, because luxury bags cost thousands of dollars; some cost more than cars. And yet you would never buy a car without understanding its resale value.” Rebag is different from other resale platforms because it actually owns inventory rather than keeping things on consignment. Rebag buys luxury handbags, accessories, and watches directly from individuals, focusing on around 60 top brands with products in top condition. It then sells the products on its own website, with prices ranging from around $500 to thousands of dollars. Rebag doesn’t disclose its margins, but they’re on par with the rest of the industry, which takes a cut of between 10% and 30% of the resale price. (It’s also worth noting that the resale price Rebag quotes might be less than you could get on the open market, as Rebag marks the bag up in order to make a profit.) Last year, Rebag landed $15 million in Series D funding, bringing its total investment to $68 million. It has seven retail stores in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, where customers can both buy and sell products. For the past six years, as Rebag has bought and sold thousands of luxury handbags, it has also been gathering data about the pricing of each bag based on the brand, model, age, and condition. Last year, it released an early version of Clair that didn’t have image recognition technology but let people assess a bag’s value by putting in its details. This new version of the app makes the experience a lot faster. It can currently recognize more than 15,000 bags and prices them with 91% accuracy. “You can assess the value of a bag in

seconds,” Gorra says. “We made it free for anyone to use because we hope that lots of people will use it, whether or not they eventually choose to use Rebag. All of this data helps us to improve the app and also see what bags people are interested in.” Right now, Clair AI isn’t designed to identify fake luxury bags. If the bag doesn’t correspond closely with a real bag on the market, the app will reject the image and decline to value it. However, it is possible that a very good counterfeit might dupe the technology. That said, if you tried to sell it to Rebag and sent it in, the company’s experts would recognize the fake and send it back. (While

Rebag guarantees the price it quotes, it makes exceptions if the bag is a fake or if there are major flaws that weren’t disclosed.) For luxury-bag lovers such as me, an app like this is a game changer. The next time I’m tempted to drop a lot of money on a Gucci or Chanel bag, I can figure out if it’s a good investment. Of course, that means I’ll be the annoying customer at the store snapping pictures of handbags. But if Clair AI is a success, I won’t be the only one.

Photo by Evelyn Semenyuk on Unsplash.

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PROFESSOR DR. TAREK SINAN HIGH TECH, LESS INVASIVE PROCEDURES WITH INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY AT TAIBA HOSPITAL By bazaar staff

The medical field is growing and transforming quicker than us lay people can keep up with. Every time we visit Taiba Hospital to meet with a new specialist we learn about how amazing, and how far, we have come in the medical sciences and how treatment and the management of illness has improved in our lifetimes. Dr. Tarek Sinan, Professor, lecturer at Kuwait University and Consultant of Interventional Radiology introduced us to the wonderful field that can benefit and improve the lives of so many people. Dr. Sinan didn’t dream of becoming a doctor as a child. He was an industrious and intelligent student and when he graduated from high school he was the fifth in the country. “People who have the highest grade are supposed to go to medicine,” he explained, “and there was a scholarship to go to medicine in Ireland, so I decided to go for it.” He would have preferred to become an engineer, physicist or a scientist. Figuring out puzzles and solving problems is a skill that comes naturally to him and engages his brain. He eventually arrived at a place where he is doing just that. Life works in interesting ways, Dr. Sinan became a surgeon and practiced until the Iraqi invasion. As a field doctor he had to contend with devastation, atrocities and personal difficulties which pushed him to rethink his career. He wanted to do something different and settled on Interventional Radiology, at the time, this field was still quite new, controversial but highly sought after. His years of surgery experience paid off, and made the transition easier. Unlike other doctors, he was not squeamish about the body and felt more at ease diagnosing and treating patients. Interventional Radiology is a medical subspecialty that allows doctors to perform a variety of minimally-invasive procedures (compared to conventional surgery) using medical imaging guidance, such as x-ray fluoroscopy, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or ultrasound. Not only do patients need less downtime after a procedure, it is also much more economical in terms of time and money to choose interventional radiology over invasive surgery. And every year, there are new diseases and conditions that are added to the list of things that can be treated with interventional radiology. “We can treat all the systems in the body, [with Interventional Radiology], for example in the brain, we can treat aneurysms which is a deadly disease that can kill young healthy people,” he explained. They can also use the technology to stop internal bleeding, target cancer cells 62

without having to subject the entire body to a lot of unnecessary chemotherapy, remove obstructions in arteries and treat cases of male infertility. And the list grows daily. Dr. Sinan heads the Interventional Radiology and Pain Management clinic at Taiba Hospital and a lot of their patients come in for help with back and joint pain. Patients first see if their case can be improved by physiotherapy and lifestyle changes. If not, then Interventional Radiology is the next step. The clinic’s goal is to treat the source of the pain instead of just trying to hide or manage the pain. For more advanced cases, they will be referred to a surgeon, but most cases just need the simple one-day interventional radiology procedures. Patients can even walk out of the hospital on their own two feet, with only a couple of days of taking it easy at home. Dr. Sinan explained that it takes about two weeks for patients to feel the full results of the treatment but overall, the entire experience is quite pleasant. But, it is all about educating patients and managing expectations too. Healing takes time, and long-term changes to diet, like your activity and lifestyle are necessary to make permanent changes in how a patient will respond to any treatment. The integrated approach at Taiba Hospital makes it easier for patients to get the best possible care. All departments follow a unified treatment protocol, and all departments communicate and transfer patients for the best care. Dr. Sinan explained that Taiba Hospital prides itself on being more like a “boutique hospital experience” where care is personalized, customized and intimate. They’re not trying to be a big faceless corporation style hospital, instead it is all about the warmth and welcoming experience that complements the excellent medical care. Taiba Hospital is located in Sabah Al Salem, off of route 30 on Road 3. Call them 24 hours at 180 80 88. For updates and information, visit the website taibahospital.com, and follow them on Instagram @taibahospital. 63

3 ANCIENT INSIGHTS TO INSPIRE CONTEMPORARY LEADERS

Wisdom from antiquity By Yonason Goldson

There’s no question that jurisprudence has evolved and advanced over the last 2000 years. The presumption of innocence, the right to face an accuser, and trial by a jury of our peers are fundamental legal protections that we’ve come to take for granted. But the practices of ancient courts still have something to teach us and the guidance they offer applies to success in business as well as justice in the courtroom. Here are three insights from the distant past that will guide us to success in the modern workplace. Discourage unanimity United States law requires a unanimous verdict for a conviction to assure the greatest certainty of a fair outcome. But the sages who ruled according to ancient Judean law feared precisely the opposite. When the high court of sages convened to judge a capital case, if all 23 justices agreed on the defendant’s guilt, they immediately threw the case out of court and let the accused go free. At first glance, this strikes us as absurd. But unconscious bias is not a new phenomenon. We are all products of our environments, and the more we limit our associations to like-minded people, the more prone we become to ideological tunnel-vision and the evils of groupthink. That’s why, without at least one vote for acquittal, the court felt compelled to question its own objectivity. And if they couldn’t trust their own judgment, they considered it better to let a likely criminal go free than allow even the slender possibility that an innocent person might be put to death. A dissenting voice ensured that no argument in the defendant’s favor had been overlooked. Paradoxically, it was the lack of unanimity that gave the court confidence to proceed with the final, irreversible sentence of execution. The sages understood is that the more we all agree that the way forward is obvious, the greater the chance that we’ve overlooked some flaw in our own reasoning.

discussion, it was the least distinguished member of the court who offered his opinion first. The next junior member spoke second, and so it continued through the ranks until the head of the court was last to render his own opinion. By proceeding in this manner, the court ensured that each member felt free to express his own position without feeling intimidated by the prospect of contradicting a senior justice. They understood the value of constructive disagreement. The more alternative points of view we consider, the more opportunity we have to examine an issue from the widest variety of angles. If we want to reach the most ideal solution—rather than merely validating our own preconceptions—we serve our own best interests by encouraging objections and evaluating every challenge.

Don’t favor seniority In her TED talk Dare to Disagree, leadership guru Margaret Heffernan asks and answers this question: “How do organizations think?” Well, for the most part, they don’t. And that isn’t because they don’t want to, it’s really because they can’t. And they can’t because the people inside of them are too afraid of conflict. Judean sages had a solution for this problem as well. Whenever a point of law came up for

Cover all the angles In his science fiction classic Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein imagines the future vocation of Fair Witnesses, professional observers trained to report what they see without inference or interpretation. We see a three-dimensional object from only one angle at a time. We naturally assume that if the house is white on this side, it must be white on all sides. But when we make unfounded

assumptions about business in particular and life in general, the results can prove disastrous. This demonstrates the real value of diversity and inclusion. The objective is not some philosophical or moral ideal of equal representation. Rather, the goal should be to create a culture where a variety of different perspectives allows a team or organization to see more of the picture and thereby make better decisions. According to Jewish law, two brothers were not permitted to testify together in court. Because they were raised in the same environment, the sages feared that they might share the same natural biases that could skew their testimony. In order to reach a credible verdict, the court required witnesses sufficiently different from one another to rely on their combined testimony. Successful leaders do not surround themselves with yes-men. They want to have their ideas challenged. They want access to a team of thinking individuals who look at the world in different ways, and who have the moral courage to stand up for their own positions. Only if a proposed plan of action holds up against a determined effort to prove it wrong can a leader move forward with confidence that it is right. Photo by Egor Gordeev on Unsplash.

HUNGRY FOR A NEW ROLE?

Here’s how to sell yourself in 2021 By Andrew Fennell

With 2020 firmly behind us and 2021 showing some promising signs of a normalcy, you can finally start getting back on track with your career goals. But many of the workplace changes we’ve seen over approximately the last year are likely to stick around for quite a while, with some even possibly becoming permanent.

If you are looking to pursue a promotion or career change this year, then you’ll need to sell yourself effectively. Whether it’s in your resume, job applications, or interviews, selling is a vital skill for getting ahead. Identify Demand The first step toward making any sale is identifying the needs of your target market, and in job-seeking terms that means finding out what employers want. In 2019 this was much simpler, but the events of 2020 have dramatically changed the employment landscape. Unfortunately for many of us, this means the jobs we were eyeing up in 2019 simply aren’t going to be around for a while. However, don’t let this discourage you and fall into the belief there are no opportunities out there. So, scour the business news and job boards to find out which sectors are hiring and then focus your job search toward them. If your industry or profession is currently in temporary decline, identify growth sectors where your skills and experience could provide value. Repurpose your resume Your old resume is targeted toward your old or current industry, which means it’s unlikely to appeal to the new employers you are targeting. To combat this issue, reposition your resume to ensure that you are solely appealing to your new target market. 66

Research your new fields of choice thoroughly and find out exactly what skills and experience they are looking for, then tailor your resume accordingly, highlighting your transferable skills and cutting down on content that is specific for your current industry. Prepare for your remote interview Nationwide lockdowns and travel restrictions have advanced remote technology in the job application process. Video interviews have become the “new normal” and while they are currently done out of necessity, employers are likely to keep them in place long after restrictions are lifted. Video interviews are more convenient for candidates, removing the need for travel and reducing the amount of time they need to take out of work or other commitments. And for employers they save hiring managers time and allow them to interview a greater number of candidates from a broader range of geographic locations. So, if you want to improve your professional advancement in 2021, you need to be prepared for the new remote job interview processes that most companies are adapting. There are many similarities between video interviews and face-toface meetings, but video meetings require some unique preparations. Firstly, you need to ensure that you have a sufficient technology setup for video meetings— you’re likely to be doing a lot of them in the near future, so it’s worth investing some time and

money. Most laptops come with a high-quality webcam, but often they lack a good microphone which can make it difficult for interviewers to hear you. Even a low-cost external microphone will provide much better audio quality and allow your conversations to flow a lot easier. Secondly, you must have a reliable internet connection, because if you have to keep cancelling and rearranging due to the video cutting out other candidates will get ahead of you in the process. So, ensure that you set up your interview space in a room with good Wi-Fi and if you struggle to find one, plug your computer into your router with an ethernet cable for a seamless connection. Lastly, ensure that your background is tidy and clutter-free. Streaming live from a messy room will not reflect well on you as a potential employee. And don’t forget to approach a video interview with the same respect you would an in-person one. Take time to research the company and role thoroughly, have a copy of your CV on hand and dress smartly. Catch yourself from falling into the trap of thinking that a video interview is somehow less important. Hopefully, the worst of the pandemic is behind us now, but the job market is likely to be challenging for the rest of the year. If you can identify opportunities and adapt your skillset to meet new areas of demand, you should still be able to progress in 2021. Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash.

RAMADAN READY Discover sustainable H&M Spring Statements perfect for Ramadan Iftars and festive Eid Celebrations with prices starting from KD 7.990 We’re excited for Ramadan because it is the month of fashionable dara’as and kaftans. We aspire for a lifestyle where we can float around in flowy kaftans. Lucky for us that H&M’s Spring Statements collection has just arrived. Comprising this season’s musthave kaftans, dresses and matching sets, H&M’s Spring Statements embody feminine power for this moment and allows women to express themselves and their personal style in their own way. The collection offers a fresh and fashionable selection of flowing kaftans, fluid dresses and layered sets, having taken the confident, contemporary woman to heart. Rich fabrics and metallics, together with sheer full-length silhouettes, create easy ways to express oneself through personal style. Parts of the collection are made using more sustainable materials, such as more sustainable viscose (Ecovero Viscose and Tencel Lyocell), recycled polyester and organic cotton. The first drop of the collection combines painted pastels combinations in green, yellow, and lemon together with tones of pink and turquoise and a touch of sparkle in gold lurex for a celebratory modest look. Botanical watercolor-esque impressions give way to abstract blurriness on loose, soft and comfortable shapes, which can be styled and layered for unique self-expression. Details like hoods, drawstrings and pockets add a modern dimension to soft feminine shapes. The second drop of the collection, released on 29th April 2021, confirms the spirit of celebration, switching up colors to a vigorous palette of brights. Orange, green and clean blues are highlighted with pea green and metallic gold, while new florals and abstract blocks build a vision of modern empowerment for women everywhere. Ruffles at the sleeves and hems on the free-flowing shapes add a dose of drama for everyday glamour.

Right, Beige Oversized Top, KD 19.990 and Beige Matching Pants, KD 29.990 Left, Beige Dress, KD 29.990 All pieces from Drop 691

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Produced by Bazaar Studios Art direction and Styling: @byfarahforeal Photography: @f_albisher Assistant stylist at byfarahforeal: @guneeshaa Models: @aneshka.d @NadineSali Hair: @terra.salonandspa Makeup: @toomah_makeup Location:82 Babel Kuwait @BabelMiddleEast

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SOCIETAL SOLUTIONS

This free online class will teach anyone how to solve societal problems By Kristin Toussaint

From COVID-19 to climate change, and unemployment to global hunger, the world is rife with big, societal problems. A new, free online course wants to help you solve them. The 12-week course, aptly titled Solving Public Problems, is based on a forthcoming book of the same name by Beth Simone Noveck, director of The Governance Lab at New York University (NYU), a center that focuses on how to improve people’s lives by changing the ways we govern. It’s also an extension of a course Noveck teaches at NYU and coaching she’s made available to both students and professionals.

Out of this class, Noveck’s students have started working on ways to address the lack of awareness around ADHD with teacher-specific training in Jordan, the issue of lack of voting rights for formerly incarcerated people in Massachusetts, and fixing infrastructure in Malawi by mapping rural roads. The problems graduates address range from the hyper-local—one student, noticing multiple car accidents outside of his window, worked with his town to change the traffic pattern—to the broad and systemic—like a student trying to improve opportunities for women in STEM. The options are seemingly endless because of how Noveck approaches solving problems like running a business. Schools teach entrepreneurs project management skills, how to take advantage of data, and ways to communicate and collaborate with others, all in service of their business idea. But they don’t often teach these skills to “public entrepreneurs,” a phrase Noveck borrows from economist Elinor Ostram to describe the

entrepreneurial ideas that are in the public’s interest. Just like people have to learn how to run and grow a business, Noveck says, they have to learn how to take their passion about an issue to action. “It’s not enough to have passion,” she says. “Passion is great and it’s the ultimate driver, but how do I actually get something done? How do I take something from idea to implementation?” Especially now, amid the pandemic and in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 and increasing climate concerns, she says she sees a hunger for this skill. “People really want to understand, ‘How do I go from from demanding change to making it?’” The online course starts with the basics: identifying what are public problems, how to define them with data, and how to do research on an issue out in the field, since talking to those most affected by a problem is crucial to understanding it and equitably addressing it. The course consists

of pre recorded lectures and interviews with changemakers including Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s first digital minister, and Ali Clare, cofounder of Re-coded, a program that teaches tech skills to Middle-Eastern refugees. There are also readings, interactive exercises, and worksheets, all built on real-world examples, and once it’s up and running there will also be an active discussion forum so students of the course can communicate with each other. The course will help students refine an issue down into one manageable, tangible part. “This is precisely about overcoming the despair that so many of us are feeling right now,” she says. “By encouraging people and supporting them to be able to figure out something they can do, even if it’s their own backyard, that can make a real difference.”

Photo by Olav Ahrens Røtne on Unsplash.

RETHINK BUILDING

Want to actually fix the environment? Change how buildings are built By Ralph DiNola and Jason Hartke and Sly James and Ed Mazria and Lotte Schlegel and Joni Wickham

It’s official: The United States is recommitting to dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions and capping global warming under 1.5ºC. In doing so, the federal government now rejoins nearly 4,000 U.S. businesses, cities, counties, states, and tribes that declared “We’re Still In” following the United States’s previous withdrawal from the agreement. So how do we make progress while also managing through a global pandemic? We need to talk about buildings. When it comes to carbon emissions, our homes, offices, schools, hospitals, shops—the places where we live, work, play, grow, connect— are major polluters. They account for 74% of national electricity consumption and about a third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions nationally, more than any other sector. And that’s not factoring in their embodied carbon—that is, the CO2 emissions generated by producing and acquiring the materials we use to construct and maintain buildings—nor how they affect the health of occupants and communities. But it doesn’t have to be this way. For decades, our respective organizations— Architecture 2030, Institute for Market Transformation, International WELL Building Institute, New Buildings Institute, and Wickham James Strategies & Solutions—have been exploring how government intervention, business leadership, building industry professional practices, and technology innovation can change this. Now is the time for us to collectively transform buildings from major emissions generators to central solutions to the climate crisis while also improving public health, creating jobs, and strengthening community resilience. With public demand growing for scalable climate solutions from all levels of government, policymakers can work together to transition the United States from a patchwork of requirements to a set of dynamic, performance-based policies that enable rapid decarbonization throughout a building’s lifecycle. Zero-carbon building codes for new construction address the emissions from buildings constructed each year, while emerging building performance standards and policies can address existing buildings. During the most recent updates to the International Energy Conservation Code—which establishes baseline performance expectations for new construction and serves as the model energy code for U.S. jurisdictions—zero-carbon residential and commercial code options were adopted. The voters, governmental representatives who are involved in ensuring the health and safety of buildings and their occupants, signaled they want more aggressive codes when it comes to building performance and decarbonization. U.S. jurisdictions have passed, and others are now exploring, building performance standards that set carbon and energy reduction targets for

wide swaths of America’s vast existing building stock. In New York City, Local Law 97 established carbon emissions caps for buildings over 25,000 square feet. Starting this month, owners of large buildings in the District of Columbia now have energy performance targets their properties must meet within the next few years, while in St. Louis, a newly appointed Building Energy Improvement Board is establishing performance targets. These policies can help us respond to the twin crises of climate and health—the latter in the context of safety amid a global pandemic as well as ensuring, beyond the pandemic, that our daily spaces enhance, and not compromise, health and well-being. They also make way for electrification and a cleaner grid. Importantly, these policies could also provide significant economic benefits to building owners and communities. Lower energy use means lower operating costs, and investing in building retrofits increases the demand for skilled local labor. More economic activity will flow through local economies, creating a much-needed boost as we work to recover from this pandemic. Policies to decarbonize buildings—which often seek to change the physical, operational, or financial profile of real estate in some way— must also be leveraged to strengthen the role of buildings as community assets that improve

people’s lives. Buildings that protect the climate but leave vulnerable populations behind will ultimately fail to serve society. Thoughtful federal, state, and locally tailored policies can generate new building and energy jobs that benefit small businesses and communities that have been historically disadvantaged. If applied to multifamily buildings, the policies themselves could help address the tremendous inequities between what white and non-white Americans pay in utility bills. For zero-carbon codes and building performance initiatives to achieve their transformative potential, though, they need financial support. As federal, state, and local policymakers think through economic stimulus programs, it’s imperative that they direct funds to make buildings healthier, safer, and higher performing. We must decarbonize our buildings; our future depends on it. We congratulate President Biden and his administration on renewing the U.S. government’s public commitment to addressing climate by rejoining the Paris Agreement. We applaud the private businesses in both tech and real estate that have remained committed to action the past four years. Now, it’s time for collective action. Let’s get to work. Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash.

COS

EXCLUSIVE RAMADAN COLLECTION A sophisticated capsule collection that is only available in the Middle East By bazaar staff

London-based fashion brand, COS is our go-to store for stylish, elegant and sophisticated outfits that look effortless and timeless. Exactly what we want all year round, but especially during the holy and festive month of Ramadan. Whether we’re hosting an Iftar for friends (we can dream) or enjoying some down-time with our family, we want to look good.

Ramadan style is all about comfort, easy wearing and finesse. And most importantly, they have to be delicious-meal friendly. COS is launching a 13 piece womenswear collection in celebration of Ramadan this year. The capsule demonstrates a sophisticated, whilst functional silhouette and a timeless aesthetic to last beyond the season. All the items are modestwear friendly. Classic garments are transformed as a focus on modernity and reinvention to complement elongated proportions and new finishes. Aligning with the brand’s commitment to sustainability, a selection of the pieces are produced from Tencel lyocell; a soft, breathable material sourced from eucalyptus trees in FSC certified forests. The collection also utilizes materials that thrive in warmer climates; lightweight cottons, linen and mulberry silk, realized in a color palette of greens, white and navy, drape effortlessly around the body. Collection highlights include coordinated tonal sets and fluid, loose-fitting dresses, including a kaftan in a throw-on style. Cowl necklines and collars adorn the capsule of elegant styles. Each piece is designed to transition seamlessly from day to night, building the foundation for every woman’s wardrobe throughout the holiday season. The collection will be available in stores from April 1st. Visit COS at Grand Avenue- The Avenues, Al Kout Mall and Marina Mall. For the latest updates, check out @Cosstores on Instagram.

MOVING ON

Do these 4 things to move on from a bad experience By Art Markman

As humans, we spend a lot of time talking about “moving on.” Whether it’s getting over a breakup, dealing with the death of a loved one, or finally leaving a toxic work environment—we are encouraged to move on with our lives, rather than dwelling on the past.

But what does that mean, exactly? Regardless of the event, or its severity, there are four main elements to moving on: Working through the emotional aftermath When you experience a loss or a traumatic experience, you often have trouble explaining how it happened. The experience has created a tear in your life story. You may find yourself having repeated thoughts about what happened. That pattern (called rumination) reflects that your brain is staying vigilant for information about potential dangers you don’t understand. One of the best ways to stop the cycle of negative thoughts is through expressive writing. As psychologist Jamie Pennebaker and his colleagues have demonstrated, spending time writing about difficult or traumatic events including a focus on your thoughts and feelings greatly reduces the long-term anxiety you feel from those events. This writing helps to weave the difficult events back into the story of your life in ways that reduce your attention to what happened. Finding the Lessons Some difficult experiences are truly random. When I was a kid, the house I lived in got struck 90

by lightning, and there was damage to the house. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but I was afraid of thunderstorms for several years after that. This was a chance occurrence. But most other situations in life are ones in which actions you have taken played some role in what happened next. It might have been failing to see warning signs of an impending problem, or it might have been that you actually put yourself in a risky situation. Before you put an event behind you, it is also important to acknowledge whatever role you played so that you can learn lessons that will minimize the chances of it happening again in the future. Forgiving to forget Once you have explored what went wrong in the past, you have to establish your future relationship with people who were involved in a difficult situation. Punishing people or banishing them from your life is one way to deal with bad actors. When you absolutely cannot trust someone to do the right thing in the future, then cutting ties with them is a wise choice. If you are going to continue a relationship with someone who has caused you a problem in the past, though, you are going to have to forgive them.

The reason why forgiveness is so important is that it can help you to forget the details of what went wrong in the past. Once you have learned lessons from the past, you do not want to be reminded of someone’s past bad actions every time you engage with them. Forgiving them allows you to interact with them in the future without dredging up negative feelings about them every time you are around them. Focusing on the future Fundamentally, moving on is a future-facing orientation. When you are unable to move on from something that happened to you, then your past experience is controlling your future actions. It can be difficult to make progress on future goals when your thoughts and emotions are being driven largely by something that happened in the past. Part of moving on, then, is to make explicit choices to address future challenges. There will be days when you just want to remain angry about what happened in the past or to spend time talking about it or thinking about it. Instead, you can choose to try to focus on whatever needs to be done next. Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash.

DESERT DREAMS …are made of this This is the sportiest, and most luxurious Cayenne yet. Designed with dynamism and Porsche’s signature exclusivity in mind, the Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupe is powerpacked for higher output, perfect for desert explorations and chasing Kashtas. Beauty accompanies this new power. A range of personalization options is yours to experience with Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. Here, metallic Cashmere Beige produces a lustrous finish which envelops the distinctive new shape that surrounds this pearl of a Cayenne. Settle back and in leather seats enjoy central fabric panels. Alcantara interiors and dark brushed aluminum features in the cabin match the seriously sporty steeply sloping roof line now sitting on wider shoulders, with a fixed glass roof panorama, and adaptive rear spoiler. Drown out the city noise, and let the highly emotive sound experience of the centrally positioned sports exhaust system finely tuned for the Coupe take over your senses. Discover the power like never before, as the new V8 heart of the Cayenne GTS Coupe now beats harder, faster, stronger.

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Produced by Bazaar Studios Photography @hyper_ali Photography Aidan Brooks @aidan_brooks Model @simplekauth Fashion @harveynicholskuwait Hair @altynai_hairstylist Makeup @alrumaidhibeauty Kashta and location @bythemoonkw 106

For more information, please visit Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company. Please call 1870 870 or head to porschekuwait.com. For the latest updates on social media, follow @PorscheCentreKuwait on Instagram and Facebook. 107

CHOOSE STRESS

Here’s why a dose of intentional stress can supercharge your team By Brit Booth

To my team, I’m the queen of the eighth-inning surprise curveball. Let me explain. I’ve leveraged the power of well-timed disruption to help my people grow, and produce better work. Intentional stress is the type that you create, control, and distribute. No, it isn’t some Machiavellian mind game that pushes people to their breaking point. And it isn’t about being a jerk, either. It’s more the opposite—intentional stress is about setting people up for success.

To understand how intentional stress fosters strength and resilience, you need to know the difference between eustress and distress. Eustress, or beneficial stress, occurs when you step outside your comfort zone for a purpose: taking on a challenging new project or performing in front of an audience. Unlike distress, which leaves you feeling drained and miserable, eustress creates feelings of satisfaction, excitement, and fulfillment, which are all critical to overall wellbeing. What’s more, when a stressor is viewed as a challenge rather than a hindrance, it enhances your ability to generate new ideas. As a leader, you can apply just the right stress to your team so they feel capable and confident, having risen to a challenge. BUILD MUSCLE AGAINST STRESS Sometimes, I’ll call someone on my team unexpectedly into a cross-functional meeting and ask them to present or lead the meeting. Alternately, I’ll bring in a department head to sit in on the presentation without announcing it. The key to not being the jerk here is that I already know my employee can deliver; I’m not out to embarrass anybody. I’ll do this stress test only after we’ve been through the material and I know they know their stuff. Of course, I’ve seen people get nervous. If someone is suddenly and unexpectedly presenting to a department head, their nerves will show up. But I want my team to build that muscle because the further they get in their careers, the more they’re going to be put on the spot.

blow up. No matter how much you practice, things can always go to hell, but you can respond with poise and get your presentation back on track a lot faster if you’ve rehearsed frightening scenarios in a safe environment.

PRACTICE WORST CASES IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT When my team is preparing for a big presentation, we frequently practice our talk tracks, or what course our speeches will take. The problem with that is that it can start to feel robotic. So a day or so before, I’ll change up the content or the order of the slides. This gives presenters a little jolt, forcing them to rearrange their thoughts quickly. Even though my team knows something’s coming (including roughly when), they don’t know what this something will be. All they know is that they need to be ready to handle something tricky. And that’s the way I want them to approach everything. After all, since this is life, things can sometimes

TAILOR YOUR STRESS TESTING In the startup world, we talk about stress testing ideas. When applying this concept to your team, keep in mind ideas don’t have feelings, but people do. You have to know your team’s personalities in order to apply the right amount and kind of stress. You’ll always have that person who’s eager to take on more. However, this doesn’t mean you should pile work on them. Most likely, they are already a pro at giving themselves intentional stress. If they’re signed up for too much, they won’t want to let that show, so be attentive and know when to give them a break. The kind of person who needs a little stress nudge is that employee who wants everything

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mapped and doesn’t like change. They don’t like to improvise and panic when tasks or deadlines shift. However, this employee is probably an individual who can handle more than they think. Assign tasks where they have to figure some things out. A sprinkle of ambiguity will make them more comfortable with uncertainty and allow them to prove their own competence to themself. Applying intentional stress isn’t about secretly manipulating your team. I’m always upfront about what I’m doing and why. Some team members love it more than others. But rising to challenges is powerful. The intentional stress my team encounters is relatively small, but the experiences add up. Learning to handle curveballs—and occasionally hitting them out of the park—forces us to confront our development and growth potential, in the workplace and our everyday lives.

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash.

JUST WING IT! Order 6 pieces of baked and crunchy Blazin’ Chicken Wings. Served with one sauce of your choice.

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6 FUNDAMENTAL LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM A NAVY CAPTAIN

Leading people is a skill that anyone can learn By Stephanie Vozza

If you ask today’s leaders the secret of their success, they’ll probably credit trusted managers who motivated them along the way. One of the greatest impacts you can have on your career is a caring boss, but those same leaders aren’t always paying it forward, says retired U.S. Navy captain Mark Brouker, author of Lessons from the Navy: How to Earn Trust, Lead Teams, and Achieve Organizational Excellence.

As commanding officer of a large naval hospital in Bremerton, Washington, Brouker observed good leadership skills, as well as practices that damaged teams. To be effective, Brouker says leaders need to demonstrate these six critical behaviors.

2. Be Visible When leaders proactively schedule time to interact and connect with employees, employees often feel empowered to speak up. This step can optimize decision-making because it provides insights that may not be obtained otherwise.

citing a study from Harvard Business Review that asked 20,000 employees, “What behavior gets you excited to come to work?” It’s easy to treat people with respect when things are going well; it’s not when bad news comes in, says Brouker, but showing respect means treating employees with respect. You can’t control what’s coming, but you can control how you react. Anger and disrespect change the dynamics in a room.” 4. Recognize Good and Poor Performance Recognizing employees can deliver a disproportionate return on investment, says Brouker. When you acknowledge good work, employees will be more engaged, productive, and trustful. But you have to take the good and the bad. Ignoring poor performance puts leaders at risk of losing respect, confidence, and trust. Part of the reason poor performance isn’t addressed is because it’s stressful. “Seek first to understand when someone isn’t performing,” suggests Brouker. “Not accusing and taking the position of trying to figure out what’s going on is a powerful way to address performance.”

3. Show Respect Respect can impact employee engagement more than any other leadership behavior, says Brouker,

5. Be Optimistic A leader’s attitude can give employees hope that goals are within reach and good things are

1. Know Your Staff After the hiring process, conversations with the boss often revolve around the job and expectations. That won’t do. Brouker says there is no better way to build a solid foundation of trust than getting to know your staff. “Most organizations do not do this,” he says. “But if you’re running a company, it could be a huge competitive advantage.”

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possible. An optimistic leader creates confidence in the greater cause, which can inspire trust in the leader even in uncertain times. “It can be difficult to maintain optimism when things aren’t going well,” says Brouker. “You can’t always be optimistic and upbeat; there are times when you must grieve. Great leaders maintain optimism but don’t minimize danger. Don’t be dishonest, but be a source of hope. People will have a great deal of concern when they don’t know what is happening.” 6. Keep Learning Being a good leader means being a lifelong learner, continuously working on leadership skills, says Brouker. Brouker recommends reading, listening to podcasts, talking to other leaders, and seeking out new information at all times. “By examining the impact of their behaviors, leaders are more likely to act in a caring way, especially when challenges arise,” he says. “They will proactively find opportunities to capitalize on the hundreds of interactions with their team members each day. Leading with care and compassion can be powerful.” Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

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A DECLARATION

OF ARTISANSHIP

H&M’s latest collection features dreamy and effortless dresses and sets in hand painted floral prints By bazaar staff

We’re all ready for some lighthearted whimsy, especially where our wardrobes are concerned. Every year as Spring rolls around, we’re ready to replace our dark and heavy coats and cardigans with colorful light and airy fabrics. H&M really delivered with their Spring 2021 collection this year.

The brand is celebrating the wonder of a flower-filled meadow, inspired by the wild beauty of nature but also the diversity and freedom it represents. The whole capsule collection is proudly built around artisanship with floral prints created by the H&M print design team. The collection also hints at a hope for the preservation of handicraft and desire for a more sustainable fashion future. Dresses and matching tops and skirts are dreamy and effortless, with expressive and feminine details plus contemporary voluminous cuts that give an edgy feel. The floral prints have been created by H&M’s in-house print designers, who also star in the accompanying campaign – Abigail Morris, Kavita 112

Ravaliya, Holly Watts and Florentin Bodet. The quartet wandered through luscious meadows, picking their favorite wildflowers and then went about translating them into repeat floral prints, hand painting the flowers in their truest form: windswept, scattered, and untamed. The results are perfect summer dresses capturing the intricacies of nature, but also conveying its feeling of positivity and openness. Sustainability and environment conscious design are at the heart of the collection. The majority of the garments are made of 100% organic cotton or a mix of organic cotton and linen. H&M group is the world’s largest organic cotton because it is traceable and grown according to a strict standard and

constantly checked by an independent certification body. Organic cotton is grown without artificial pesticides and fertilizers and contains no genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Some items are also made from recycled polyester which is made from plastic waste such as old PET bottles, plastic bags, shampoo bottles, or from textile waste such as old polyester fabrics or cut-offs from production. This helps clean up our planet as it puts oilbased waste, like old PET bottles, to good use. H&M group is also one of the world’s biggest users of recycled polyester. These changes and actions are helping reduce waste and H&M aim to increase the use of recycled polyester every year. In 2019 they used the equivalent of nearly 537 million PET bottles (2018: 325 million; 2017: 100 million) of recycled polyester. Each piece in the capsule collection has an alluring blend of feminine and contemporary elements and an exclusive floral print. Also taking inspiration from the shapes and silhouettes of flowers, maxi-dresses feature smocking, petal-like wraparound details and balloon sleeves. Sleeveless dresses showcase delicate ruffles or spaghetti straps, while sweet tube tops and skirts have easy-to-wear elasticated waistbands, carefree like a beautiful spring day. Other design details include keyhole cut-outs, thighhigh slits and statement sleeves, all with a modern edge. The overall color palette consists of vintage off-white, pale mint green and pale yellow. Key accessories include a straw hat and a scarf in the same floral print as the playsuit in the collection. The collection will be available from April 8 in selected stores worldwide, online at kw.hm.com, and the H&M MENA App with prices starting from KD 3.990. 113

Ramadan in the 965

COZY KAFTANS FOR RAMADAN 2021

The OG of loungewear takes center stage, and we’re here for it By bazaar staff

We’re not even slightly embarrassed to say that in 2020 we embraced comfy clothing, and rarely wore any of our more formal outfits. But after a year of lounging around in leggings, sweats and t-shirts we feel that dressing in something more stylish might help cure our pandemic ennui. We’re going back to our sartorial heritage, and reaching for Kaftans. They’re uber comfortable but still fun and make us look really put-together. Here are some of our faves for this season:

@muccii_com

@doonconcept

@dressify.kwt

If you are over the understated look, go bold!

You can’t go wrong with a classic silhouette and a simple pattern

Gingham is a magical print on everyone

@estiloso.kw

@kushtbana

@by_sash_94

We love this layered look, it looks so luxurious

Wrap dresses count as kaftans too, there are no rules!

Or maybe play matchy matchy with the little ones

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ESCAPE

This Ramadan, escape the mundane with Maha Ghalayini

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Discover functional pieces that will take you through Ramadan and beyond. Escape the monotony of the everyday with Maha Ghalayini’s latest collection that emulates the essence of the times we are living, one that encourages us to reinvent our traditional beliefs and discover new passions. Owing to the “new normal” this collection conveys a contemporary play on traditional silhouettes, featuring multifaceted styles that can be worn through a myriad of seasons. Each piece depicts a play on balance and functionality, with tonal colors and textures that narrate the sense of dilemma we experienced through a tumultuous year, to today, where we have welcomed the change wholeheartedly. With this collection, Maha hopes to ignite a sense of optimism for the future and help us find solace through in our circumstances through escapism.With pieces crafted from premium Linen, Lyocell and Cotton, Maha Ghalayini takes traditional silhouettes to new heights. From modern duotone kimono abayas, with a classic open front, flowy kaftans, and refined variations on the classic trench coat and traditional bisht. Modern details like roomy side pockets, removable belts and pinched shoulders add elegance to these innovative designs. [Continued...]

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Founded in 2004 and curated with the modern woman in mind, Maha Ghalayini takes precedence in offering luxe contemporary abayas and scarves for their style-conscious clientele. Founded by Maha with just a sketchpad, pencil and a dream, the label has established its capsule selections in acclaimed multi brand boutiques in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Jeddah and Riyadh) with pieces lovingly made in Kuwait. The brand continues to garner admirers across the Middle East for its inimitable aesthetic and exceptional quality. Maha Ghalayini is a brand that truly embodies the essence of uniqueness, modernity and tradition with every facet of its design from conception. Sleek and functional silhouettes are intertwined with inspirations drawn from Maha’s passion for architecture, geometrical lines, textures and color-blocking, to create the perfect complement to any outfit, for any occasion.

Produced by Bazaar Studios Art Direction and Styling: @byfarahforeal Assistant Stylist: @guneeshaa Photography: @FatmaGraphique Model: @giuliana.lyfecycle Make up: @Peepthatglow Location: @Studio.Corners For more information, and to shop the collection, please check out @MahaGhalayini on Instagram.

Ramadan in the 965

TALABAT

VTHRU

Being able to order food during Ramadan is a Godsend! We’re sure you already know and use Talabat but our Ramadan life hack is stocking up on the Ready-to-Cook meals so that you always have a quick iftar ready. You can also use it to order groceries and essentials whenever you need them.

V-Thru is an app similar to Carriage and Deliveroo but instead of it being a food delivery service, it’s a virtual drive-thru service that allows you to pick up food from restaurants that don’t have a drive-thru. Perfect for picking up your meal on your way home from work.

TONS

JUSTCLEAN

AHOTLIFE

SHARETHEMEAL

Shop online from local co-ops and shopping centers, and get your groceries delivered directly to your door in within 2 hours, or you can pick them up during the day time at any time that you may find convenient. Don’t get stuck in pre-Iftar traffic, just use Tons.

The HOT app is a subscription-based training app that offers daily live workouts and workout programs. Come out of Ramadan fitter than ever. All training content on HOT is created with video and audio instruction to follow along to in both Arabic and English.

Dirty laundry? Wrinkles? Horrible stains? Not sure how you will get it all done during the short Ramadan day? Don’t worry about it. Download JustClean and they will take care of your laundry woes. It’s understood that sometimes life gets in the way and no one has time to do anything… especially laundry.

Ramadan is the season of Giving and ShareTheMeal is a crowdfunding smartphone application to fight global hunger through the United Nations World Food Programme. It enables users to make small donations to specific WFP projects and to track its progress. As of April 2020, ShareTheMeal has over 2 million downloads and 58 million meals shared.

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DRESS UP AND SHINE IN GWD GWD by retail revolutionary designer George Davies is coming soon to Debenhams! By bazaar staff

It’s time to clear out your closets for the latest designs by GWD! Launching on April 12 and arriving exclusively at Debenhams Kuwait, get ready to discover feminine, fashionable and affordable designs by George Davies, dubbed the designer of the decade.

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GWD is all about quality clothing, tailored for the confident woman who demands style to be a part of her everyday routine. A serial entrepreneur, George Davies is no stranger to retail, and has been making marks in the fashion industry since he was 22-years-old. He is acknowledged as a retail legend and fashion innovator in his own right, as the design guru has revolutionized the UK retail scene with four incredible fashion brands. His vision and his business savvy are behind the incredible successful brands NEXT, George at Asda, Per Una at Marks and Spencer and FG4 in the Middle-East and today at Debenhams Kuwait. When considering the brands that George has created, they account for 12 percent of the current high street sales in the UK, contributing £100 billion to the retail market! With such a stellar and most importantly, fashionable record, GWD is bringing individuality front and center at Debenhams, with flattering styles that are epitomized by gorgeous fabrics, and fine details like embellishment. George believes that ‘retail is detail’, and no detail goes

by without George Davies’ signature eye with the GWD collection at Debenhams. Design is at the heart of each and every garment, with an infinite amount of detail going into the fabric, trim, shape and fit. The contemporary British womenswear collection at Debenhams will feature gorgeous evening wear, beautiful pieces that will make you shine at your next event. From flowy chiffon gowns, dreamy dresses in tulle, cocktail dresses in shimmering satin, to gowns embellished in eyecatching sequins. This is design at the heart of it all.

GWD launches at Debenhams on April 12. Follow @debenhamsmiddleeast on Instagram and Facebook for all the latest updates. Browse the online catalogue on Alshaya.com with free delivery. Shop the collection at Debenhams in Grand Avenue – The Avenues, Souq Sharq and The Gate Mall. Call Customer Service: 182-12-12. 125

Ramadan in the 965

STREAMING SERVICES

We’re getting ready for some serious binge watching during Ramadan, here’s a roundup of some streaming services that will probably be streaming the month’s hottest dramas. By bazaar staff

SHAHID.NET

NETFLIX

WATCH IT

OSN

AMAZON PRIME

JAWWY

This free video-on-demand streaming service will be your best friend this month while waiting for the hours to pass. Ramadan is our favorite time of the year for Arabic TV shows and what’s better than streaming them for free? You can even upgrade to Shahid VIP for commercial-free service on smart TVs, IOS, and Android!

Subscribe to Osn’s latest streaming platform offers the latest and exclusive Arabic, Western, Turkish movies and TV shows online in stunning HD quality, uncensored and with Arabic subtitles. OSN provides Disney+, the Fast & Furious series, and many familiar classics.

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The streaming service you know and love all too well is gonna secure you with series and movies from all over the world. Everything from documentaries to Netflix originals available to you this Ramadan!

Enjoy exclusive Amazon Originals as well as popular movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video. You can start your free trial to begin watching anytime, anywhere, or get an Amazon Prime membership to gain access to thousands of Prime Video titles.

WATCH iT! is a premium video on demand and live streaming service that caters Arabic audience around the world with an amazing watching experience across all devices; in Full HD quality live and on demand. This is an essential for getting into the Ramadan mood!

Jawwy is a local platform that offers a massive library of the latest movies; Western and Arabic TV shows; documentaries, and kids’ shows. They partner with STARZPLAY, Wide Khaliji, and FOX+ and create their own exclusive content. Jawwy’s live TV includes more than 60 TV channels with several encrypted channels such as Fox, MBC, and Rotana. Perfect for catching up with Ramadramas, new and old.

IT’S TIME FOR SOMETHING SWEET

The Sweeter Side of Life Available on

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RAMADAN KAREEM WITH POTTERY BARN! DISCOVER STYLISH COLLECTIONS TO GET YOUR HOME RAMADAN-READY IN NO TIME! By bazaar staff

Just because we are probably spending Ramadan at home this year, that doesn’t mean that we can’t get into a festive mood! When it comes to your Iftar table, it’s absolutely the time to shine. Bring vibrant colors and dazzling patterns to your Ramadan table with Pottery Barn’s new collection.

We’ve fallen head over heels in love with accents of gold, and rose gold candlelights that will set a heart-warming glow to your home. The dinnerware and linens collections at Pottery Barn will instantly get you feeling those special Ramadan vibes, with designs inspired by traditional hand-painted pottery reminiscent of iconic destinations from the Middle East. The Thalia Collection We can’t deny that one of our favorite things about Ramadan, aside from getting into the spirit of giving, generosity and togetherness, is the food! Okay, the Rama-dramas make for amazing binge-watching too. But before all of that, it is absolutely the season to feast, and the Thalia collection couldn’t be more fitting to celebrate with.

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With its signature, stylish finish of rose gold tones set aside vibrant shades of magenta, purple and coral, the Thalia Collection will add instant pizzazz to your table. You can pick and choose specific pieces to uplift your existing dinnerware, or go all out and choose the entire collection. We especially love the Thalia Dip Bowl, perfect for plating your signature Mutabal or Yereesh recipe. For the most impressive table setting though, we recommend that you pair the Thalia dinner plates with the Rose Gold Charger, and you should most definitely splurge on the Rose Gold Tiered stand, the ideal centerpiece to showcase your most amazing dessert selections for Ramadan. The linens in the Thalia Collection arrive as the perfect celebratory expression, and you can choose from the Thalia Table Runner, paired with matching napkins, or the Thalia table Throw which

features a more resplendent floral pattern with rose gold accents. The Thalia Collection also includes stunning, rose-gold etched glassware to stylishly serve your Qamar El Din drinks, and matching rose-gold etched bowls for serving up fresh fruit after your Iftar. When it comes to setting the mood, the Thalia Collection Candleholders are not to be missed. We’re officially obsessed with the Thalia Votive Holder, which would make for the perfect centerpiece! It holds seven votive candles at varying heights, casting a soft glow to your table in an inimitable way. Once paired with other pieces from the Thalia Collection, know that your dinner table will be as impressive as those special Ramadan dishes you spent hours preparing for your nearest and dearest.

The Failaka Collection With its pristine azurite color palette, set against shades or ocher, white and offset with brass and gold accents, The Failaka Collection pays homage to seafaring traditions and exploration. The elements of this print were inspired from antique dinnerware and textiles re-configured into new layouts, effortlessly blending both modern and traditional styles to present a totally unique aesthetic to your Ramadan Table. Similar to the wide variety available in the Thalia Collection, Failaka provides design and versatility, as pieces may be mixed and matched with your existing dinnerware, or you can create an overarching theme and use the entire collection to blow your Iftar guests away with your table set-up. The Failaka Dip Bowl, dinner plates, and appetizer plates will work perfectly when arranged with the Failaka Glass-Hammered bowls and glasses. Complete the entire look of your table with the Failaka printed napkins, table runner or table throw, and don’t forget to serve up dessert in the impressive round Failaka Serve Platter, alongside teas and coffees in the tea-cup and saucer sets. Our favorite pieces from the Failaka Collection include the gold-toned Camel Salt and Pepper shakers that will add a signature Arabian touch to your table. Also, no Ramadan is complete without the perfect lantern, or fanous. This is why we were deeply struck by the effortless chicness of the

Filigree Metal Lantern in Gold, the perfect piece to house your pillar candles to cast an unforgettable glimmer to your home through the mashrabeyastyle that is stamped on the metal. And so, the mood is set with the finest collections from Pottery Barn Kuwait. We are so ready for those long and winding Ramadan Iftars with our family and friends, with more time spent sharing stories, feasting on prized family recipes, and celebrating the spirit of our favorite time of the year.

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

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bazaar techno

RING STICK UP CAMERA

Doorbell cameras have exploded in popularity over the past few years, but affordable home security doesn’t have to stop there. Bolster your set-up with a few of these Ring Stick Up Cameras, which you can sync with the rest of your devices to create across-the-board protection. They’re easily mountable to any wall, inside or out, and provide 1080p HD video two-way talk and motion-activated notifications. The battery pack is easily removed, too, so you don’t have to take it down each time.

NURVV RUN

Your feet might hold the secrets to better running. Improve time and form just by understanding how your soles touch the floor. Optimize your running form by measuring your performance from your feet. The NURVV Run system uses pressure insoles and motion sensors to measure the most important aspects of your running technique right from the source of action - your feet. NURVV Run measures your running form in real-time to provide a variety of live coaching experiences. NURVV Run uses form and load metrics from all of your recent runs to generate your Running Health score, indicating your level of injury risk with suggestions on how to improve.

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KLIPSCH T5 II TRUE WIRELESS EARPHONES

LEICA M10-R DIGITAL RANGEFINDER CAMERA

SUNRISE ALARM CLOCK BY JALL

YUMMLY PREMIUM WIRELESS SMART MEAT THERMOMETER

American brand Klipsch have been at the top of the audio game for 75 years, so it’s surprising that they only decided to move into the headphone and earphone space in 2007. Suffice to say they’ve made up for lost time with a string of acclaimed models, and their most recent release is very impressive indeed. The T5 II True Wireless earphones feature the same advanced acoustic engineering as the brand’s celebrated home speaker range, as well as eight hours of battery, six pairs of patented contour ear tips and a useful transparency mode that allows you to listen in on your surroundings without fiddling about. Top stuff.

Are you the kind of person who has trouble waking up and no matter how many alarms you set, you still can’t escape the warm embrace of the duvet? This Sleep Aid digital alarm clock is designed for everyone in fact, but mostly for heavy sleepers and kids. It creates a simulation of sunrise with 7 natural sounds. The light increases gradually from a 10% brightness to the full 100% in 30 minutes to give you a more natural way to wake up. You can change the duration of light increase if you are ready to leap out of bed faster. Snooze no more.

If you already own a DSLR and maybe even more than one, you think of yourself as an amateur photographer and your friends joke that you take pictures all the time (hint: they might be trying to tell you something). With the Leica M10-R, you’ll be getting a beautiful and brilliant camera from one of the most seasoned manufacturers in the game. Compact and incredibly easy to use, with an impressive 40-megapixel sensor, it’s the perfect base from which to delve into the often tricky and confusing world of photography. It is definitely not cheap, but it seems like you are ready to level up your photography game.

We wish we had this at the beginning of kashta season. But not all is lost. The Yummly Smart Thermometer monitors temperature throughout cooking — no strings (or wires) attached. Control your cooking from up to 150 feet away with the free Yummly app on your smartphone or tablet. The built-in timers and alerts will tell you when to flip your food, adjust the heat, and how long to let it rest. The preset programs for meat, fish, and poultry eliminate guesswork for food done right. Tap what you’re cooking, choose how well you’d like it done, and Yummly’ll let you know when your food is ready.

CRAVING QUALITY CHICKEN FINGER MEALS?

CLICK & COLLECT THEM NOW ON ORDER.RAISINGCANES.ME

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REFRESH YOUR RAMADAN WITH IKEA

IKEA LJUVARE WILL ADD MAGIC TO YOUR HOME By bazaar staff

LJUVARE Collection

Ramadan is a time for slowing down and counting your blessings. It is a time of reflection and rejuvenation of one’s spirit and soul. Our homes have always been our sanctuaries and havens but have become even more than that in the last year. Despite all the challenges, it has been a privilege to enjoy our living spaces with our families. Celebrate Ramadan this year by adding some magic with LJUVARE, the latest limited edition collection by IKEA.

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LJUVARE Cushion cover

LJUVARE Tray table

Designed by renowned Middle Eastern designer Nada Debs and IKEA’s Paulin Machado, each piece has been crafted to feel handmade and heart-made from tealights and cozy floor cushions to contemporary kava cups and coffee pots. A bold mix of Middle Eastern design elements mixed with Scandinavian style, the LJUVARE collection breaks the mold of traditional Ramadan aesthetics. Soothing earthy tones of orange and creams combined with sparkling gold create the perfect modern festive ambiance. The items easily coordinate with any aesthetic because of their versatility and timelessness. They also work perfectly with Nada Debs's 2020 IKEA collection LJUV, that is available at the IKEA Online outlet at reduced prices. Whether you’re hosting iftar, suhoor or a festive meal with close friends and family, set the mood with these festive home accents and tableware that you’ll want to reuse throughout the year.

Beautiful inside and out These beautiful pieces have been made with environmentally conscious materials using sustainable cotton and recycled polyester. IKEA believes in creating products that are both good for the home and the planet.

In touch with traditions Those inspired by a more traditional Ramadan look can add an ornate touch with the antique looking lanterns to create a celebratory ambiance for the entire family. Designer Nada Debs was inspired by brass materials which are typically used in Middle Eastern culture, where the gold-ish hues represent the richness.

Moonlit dining Eons ago, the moon was a symbol of light guiding the way and keeping people safe. Now, let these soft glowing LED moon lights guide you towards a delicious iftar or a festive meal. More than just beautiful lighting, these LED bulbs consume up to 85% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

Functional and beautiful Fancy moving dinner parties to the floor or lounging with friends and family for a cup of coffee? These vibrant floor cushions combined with cosy rugs and carpets will create a warm hospitable environment to celebrate Ramadan festivities. Ramadan coffee is king The quintessential Ramadan drink is traditional coffee. This year, surprise your guests with these contemporary kava cups, adding a modern twist to Ramadan traditions. These simple pieces will pair well with any kind of tableware.

Celebrate old traditions with modern flair It’s time to switch things up! The orange embroidered cushion covers add texture and drama to your low seating arrangement, creating a refreshing new lounge look. Made from cotton sateen, the subtle soft smooth finish oozes modern elegance, while the earthy orange hue pays homage to traditions. Decor that brings style and comfort Geometric motifs are a common theme in Middle Eastern culture. The contemporary take on traditional patterns will refresh your home. These cushion covers will easily mix with other patterns, stripes or solids in the range. Layer up! Opt to dress your dinner table and coffee table with a modern take on traditional serving ware that’ll impress guests more than your lentil soup! The serving stand is a festive way to serve all kinds of pastries, fruit, nuts, cheese and dates. The generous height of the serving stand also makes for a beautiful centerpiece. A bowlful of goodness Simple and elegant with a dash of ethnic patterns, these off-white bowls are the perfect addition to any dining or coffee table. Designed [Continued...]

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LJUVARE Serving stand 3 tiers

LJUVARE Dinner set

to be versatile, the bowls are suitable for serving and eating. Step up your tray game Make your way to the coffee table and serve your finest baklava and other delights using the show stopping serving tray table. The combination of gold and traditional patterns creates a lovely contemporary piece, well suited for any festive celebration.

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LJUVARE Serving bowl with lid

LJUVARE Full collection

A symbol of hospitality While the most important dishes for iftar vary from one country to another, the one thing they have in common is their love for traditional coffee. The gold vacuum flask is a modern take on the traditional coffee pot and is the perfect addition to your coffee table. Enjoy hot aromatic coffee for up to 6 hours! Open for a surprise Dates, cookies, sweets, Turkish delights? Use

these festive bowls to hold special treats or as decorative bowls filling them with potpourri to create a refreshing tableware set up.

You can find the LJUVARE collection in the HABBA at IKEA 360, IKEA - The Avenues and at www.ikea.com.kw. For more information please call 184 0408 or follow @IKEAKuwait on Instagram.

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bazaar music

APRIL MUSIC

Our favorite timeless bands and artists have reigned rock and roll for generations. AC/DC, Pink Flloyd, and Queen have an eternal place in our playlists. This month we’re passing down the throne to the newer, more modern rock bands that you should give a chance in 2021. From Texas to LA, providing fresh bass and drum sounds, here are the next bands you need in your rock playlist.

BACK TO BLACK

BAND: BLACKTOP MOJO

Title: Signals gone Format: LP Release date: Sep 9, 2020 From Palestine, Texas, modern rock band Blacktop Mojo is a blend of grunge, classic rock and Texas metal and was formed in 2012 by vocalist Matt James and drummer Nathan Gillis. Blacktop Mojo’s fiery blend of heavy grunge grooves, classic rock guitar riffs, and Southern Metal shredding, falls somewhere between Soundgarden and Lynyrd Skynyrd. After their debut album “I Am” in 2014 and a few years cutting their teeth in dive bars, dance halls, and honky tonks, the band decided to go all in. In 2017 they teamed up with famed Muscle Shoals Sound producer Jimmy Johnson for their sophomore outing entitled, “Burn The Ships” at Sound Emporium in Nashville.

BAND: BLACK STONE CHERRY

Title: Again Format: LP Release date:: Aug 6, 2020 The Edmonton, Kentucky-based rock n’ roll quartet Black Stone Cherry was raised on musical forefathers such as Cream, Led Zeppelin, Muddy Waters, and the Faces, among other 1970s staples, and, now, with its 7th album The Human Condition, where the grooves feel organic, the riffs are mountainous, the performances are urgent and the hooks shine. Sonically, The Human Condition is one of BSC’s most visceral and hooky releases. Guitarist/vocalist Ben Wells explains, “With this one, we cranked up the amps, the drums are in your face, and there are some really heavy riffs. After 19 years and 7 albums, we wanted to prove that we still kick ass. This album feels like a rebirth.”

BAND: BLACK PISTOL FIRE

Title: Hope in hell Format: LP Release date: Aug 27, 2020 The Canadian-bred, Austin-based rock duo— Kevin McKeowan (guitar/lead vocals) and Eric Owen (drums/bass synth)–is equally revered across the world for incendiary live shows at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Voodoo Music & Arts Festival, Sasquatch, Riot Fest, Governor’s Ball and Austin City Limits, which NPR tagged “onstage, the pair rip it up, playing a blend of gutbucket bluesrock and punk.” While renowned Seattle station KEXP added, “Black Pistol Fire’s sweaty Southern garage rock is capable of incorporating both bluesy tracks and jam-band jangles, and they vacillate well between wild guitar solos and drastic shifts in timesignatures.”

Familiar but novel

BAND: STONE HORSES

Title: Good Ol’ Days Format: LP Release date: Sep 2, 2020 With a modern rock groove, Stone Horses is the consummate outsider rock band from the midAtlantic region of the US. Never quite fitting into “heavy rock”, alternative or blues genres they draw from to create their music, their self-titled EP, is a perfect blend of dark melodies, big choruses and witty lyrics. The band consists of singer John Allen, drummer Jason Heiser, Ted Merrill on guitar, Rick Reynolds on bass. They have toured with Slash, Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, Greta Van Fleet, Rival Sons and more.

BAND: SHADOW AND THRILL

Title: Just enough Format: Single Release date: Jun 26, 2020 Shadow & The Thrill is a modern blues infused, groove laden melodic rock band from Los Angeles, CA. Their debut album, Sugarbowl was released August 14, 2020 via Deko Entertainment. The two musicians behind the band are Grammy nominated Tony Cardenas-Montana (Great White) and Brent James Arcement, a sought-after touring and session drummer, producer. Tony on vocals, guitar and bass and Matt on drums, B3, keys and percussion, this is a melodic band with top-tier musicianship.

Source: rockandbluesmuse.com 136

BAND: DIRTY HONEY

Title: Rolling 7s Format: LP Release date: Sep 23, 2019 Guitarist John Notto likes to call the sound of his band, Dirty Honey, “New Fashioned Rock ‘n’ Roll.” You’d be hard-pressed to find a better description. The LA quartet is indeed a rock ‘n’ roll band, straight up and with no apologies or explanations and a fan base that includes Guns N’ Roses, Slash & the Conspirators, and The Who, all of whom have tapped Dirty Honey to open for them. The debut EP is filled with everything that real rock fans love — meaty melodies, explosive dynamics, tight, gritty rock vocals and heavy guitar riffs.

Order your favorite swirly goodness now and skip the queue!

ORDER.PINKBERRY.ME

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RETHINKING THE HOME OFFICE WITH MUJI STORAGE Make your space work for you, while you work at home By bazaar staff

It looks like working and studying from home are here to stay for some time, whether it is fully remote or hybrid format. There are a lot of benefits from not having to commute, like having a more flexible schedule that fits your needs and lifestyle and being able to wear your PJs, but the biggest challenge is the limitations of your physical space at home.

Not just the amount of square meters you have, but also the lack of distinction between the office and the living room means that many of us are working longer into the night and having a harder time switching off. In addition, you might have to share the area with someone else, so it is even more important to make sure that you are maximizing the use of space as much as possible. Veteran work-from-homers will tell you that the best thing you can do is to set up a dedicated area for work so you can walk away from it at the end of the work day, but that is always easier said than done. The key is smart organization with these products and tips from Muji. Arms’ Reach Just because things are organized doesn’t mean they should be inaccessible. Make sure that all of your tools and documents are close by so you don’t waste time searching for a stapler or looking for printouts and stressing out about lost documents. Tip: The collection of small Soft Polyethylene Case trays are perfect for your stationery, things like tape, pens and paper clips can all be organized in their own little tray and then stacked for spacesaving. Tame the paper pile First things first, any paper that you no longer need should be recycled, for everything that you do need to keep, should be filed and stored. Keeping piles of paper on your desk is just asking for trouble, so the best solution is to keep them in boxes and filing solutions, so they’re easy to search through and find what you need in seconds. Tip: We love the Polypropylene Stand File Box, it is perfectly sized for A4 paper so it will keep your documents from collapsing into a crumpled mess. If you have multiple categories you should label each box, so you can find what you need at a glance.

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Use different materials For many living rooms that are also doubling as a home office, leaving out your supplies or using items that clash with your decor might be leaving you feeling unhappy with your casa’s aesthetic. Try introducing storage solutions that use natural materials to soften the look and blend better with your existing furniture and style. Tip: We love storing our laptop and charger in the large Rattan Box with handles when we’re done with a long day at work. Not only does it look gorgeous, it helps signal to our brain that it is time for rest and relaxation. Think Vertical If your floor space is limited, you’re definitely not alone. The best way to maximize the space is to think vertical instead of horizontal. Investing in stackable containers and boxes means that you can store more stuff in less space. Tip: We love the stacking drawers because they make accessing everything very easy. Wheel it away Sometimes keeping things out of sight is less stressful. But having to carry and move your boxes every day is not going to do good things for your back. Wheeled storage is your new best friend. Added casters to your boxes will make moving them from one area to the next a breeze. Tip: Combine the stackable drawers with wheels, and you have an instant smart storage solution for putting away the office for the night.

Find your office space solutions at MUJI stores in 2nd Avenue – The Avenues, Grand Avenue – The Avenues and Al Kout Mall or shop muji.com.kw. For more information, follow MUJI on Instagram @mujimiddleeast.

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bazaar Apps

OPAL

TWEET 2 IMAGE

CHAIN

READY FIT

SCANDALOOK

ADD WATER

If you feel that you need some help controlling your device, Opal is your go-to app for Digital Wellbeing. Thousands of people are already saving time daily, experiencing more productivity, better sleep, lower stress, and better focus each day. Just use Opal to disconnect distractions from your phone and focus on what matters to you.

Changing your behavior in the long term is difficult but not impossible. The trick is to start small and do one thing every day until it becomes a new habit. Chain is an app to form and share your habits. The app is community-centric so users can help each other while they are forming new habits to create a system of support and accountability. It’s time that you stick to your habits - Chain is how you do that.

Scandalook is a new take on influencers and fashion. Instead of seeing an outfit on an influencer and going out and buying it, the app works in reverse. If you see an item that you like, just scan the barcode and see all the influencers who wore it to be inspired by different fits. If you are constantly asking yourself in stores how to wear a unique piece of clothing? Just scan it and you’re good to go!

You just saw or crafted the most amazing tweet and want to share it on all of your platforms. Converting tweets to images is time-consuming but Tweet 2 Image makes it easy by converting the link into a beautiful image that you can post on social media. Paste your tweet with one click, add replies to your tweet to share funny or interesting conversations, change the background to your liking and even export to different formats.

A good gym workout isn’t always accessible whether because of time, money,logistics or lockdown. Why tie yourself to a physical location when you can work out anywhere and without any equipment? Workout apps have come a long way from 80’s workout videos. Use Ready Fit to choose the areas to work on and get fit in 7 minutes a day. The app has an extensive selection of 80+ workouts that can be customized for your needs.

Did you just discover that you had a green thumb? Or maybe the pandemic finally pushed you over the edge and you became an indoor gardener. Plants are fabulous but they do need constant care and the correct amount of watering (just like you, BTW). If you are struggling to keep track, this app will remind you and help you keep track.

play.google.com itunes.apple.com 140

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H&M’S NEWBORN AND BABY RANGES ARE HERE FOR EVERY STEP OF YOUR PARENTING JOURNEY Sofia Löfstedt, H&M’s Head of Kidswear Design tells us more about this special collection By bazaar staff

Your bundle of joy is developing every day, and there are always new elements of parenthood to discover. Like understanding baby clothes, for example. So, with this in mind, H&M presents its newborn and baby ranges, featuring garments that focus on comfort, fit, sustainability, softness and “room to grow” designs. The collection launches worldwide in stores and online at the website kw.hm.com starting April 2021 exploring poignant moments between baby and parent — and the challenges they may face — with love, warmth and care.

The newborn range includes bodysuits, leggings, rompers, overalls, dresses, hats, socks and blankets in white shades, mélange greys, beige, dusky pinks, soft blues and browns, sage green and warm yellow tones. Prints feature stripes, dots, leopard spots, animal and rainbow graphics, florals and palm trees. All the cotton in the ranges is organic, recycled or sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), with the majority of the newborn garments made from organic cotton that has been certified by the Organic Content Standard or the Global Organic Textile Standard. On the sustainability front, H&M are also introducing new sustainably made hangers for baby clothes across our stores globally in the summer. This change alone will reduce emissions by around 13,000 tons of CO2 per year and use 2,000 less tons of fossil-based plastic per year. “There are so many moments for parents to cherish, and we hope that these collections can at least take the guesswork out of dressing their little one. We also realize that babies outgrow 142

their clothes quickly, so we have been keen to take more steps towards achieving a prolonged use. Along with the ‘room to grow’ details that prolong length of wear, we also encourage parents to pass on the outgrown pieces to siblings or other parents — or even join a swap shop! — or they can always bring the clothes to our instore Garment Collecting boxes for recycling,” says Sofia Löfstedt, H&M’s Head of Kidswear Design. Sofia tells us more about herself and the collection in the following interview: Hi Sofia, tell us more about your role at H&M as head of kidswear design. In my role I do a lot of cross functional work, meaning that I collaborate a lot with all kinds of fantastic colleagues within in our big H&M family, almost everything we achieve at H&M is because of great teamwork and collaborations. I work extra close to the designers of course, we create trends, styling for campaigns etc. We have an amazing creative design team, knowing everything about our baby and young customers.

How has the journey been for you since your involvement in the kid’s division? I love working with the kids and baby customers, it’s really fun and they engage you in a very special way. Having kids, myself, I know that clothes for kids and babies can be both fun but also challenging with all the needs in different stages. Its feels great that we can be a part of that journey! What is special about the new newborn and baby ranges at H&M? How is this collection sustainable? We have a fantastic wide baby collection, with everything from the perfect pajama to more dressed up styles for a special occasion. Everything is designed with the needs of the baby in mind. When it comes to sustainability, all cotton in our baby assortment is sustainably sourced, organic, recycled or sourced through the Better Cotton Initiative, also called BCI cotton, but the majority of our newborn garments are made from organic cotton. We also urge our customers to hand over the clothes to friends or maybe save

to prolong their lifespan, pass on the clothes to siblings or other parents when outgrown, start or join a swap shop or bring in old pieces to our Garment Collecting boxes available in store for recycling. What are the key design features of this new range? I really love the new soft warm beautiful neutrals, especially with the rib textures, I also love our cute graphics, we have so talented designers drawing our beautiful prints. them for siblings, when their babies out grow them, our clothes are durable to last for many children. We have also “room to grow” features on some styles, with, for example, an extra row of buttons or cuffs to fold down when your baby grows, so you can use the garment a bit longer- babies tend to grow very fast! What do designers who envision clothes for babies and newborns need to keep in mind that maybe designers who envision garments for adults don’t have to worry about? A lot of things actually! You need to know the specific needs for a garment developed for babiesso the clothes are easy to use and are soft and comfy for the baby, ex. pay attention to seams, buttons etc. At H&M we also have very high

standards when it comes to children’s safety, so our customers can feel truly safe when shopping for their little ones. Newborn and baby ranges need to be developed with growth in mind. How is H&M achieving this with the new ranges available? The room to grow designs is a great example for that. The room to grow design for babies 0-9 months include an additional row of press buttons, stretchy feet, double-folded arms, double-folded waistbands and double-folded legs so the garment can be made longer in all directions. This means the length of wear can be prolonged as the baby grows and give a longer life span. We also want to encourage parents to gently wash garments

Do you have any favorite pieces from this collection? If so, what are they? It’s really hard to choose, but I must say that the “room to grow” styles are a special favorite of mine, I think its brilliant! If it could be resized for adults, which baby outfit would you most like to live in? Haha, that’ so funny! Well, I think I would go for a cozy PJ, you could wear like a super comfy onesie now adays when you spend so much time in your home. The collection will be available in April in H&M stores, online at kw.hm.com and on the H&M MENA app with prices starting from KD 2.500. Follow H&M on Instagram @hm. 143

bazaar movie night Spring themed movies to feel the outside while stuck inside

Sound of Music

You’ve Got Mail

Moneyball

Big Fish

Bambi

Midsommar

Release Date: 1965 Genre: Music, Romance, Family, Drama Cast: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker Synopsis: A tuneful, heartwarming story, it is based on the real life story of the Von Trapp Family singers, one of the world’s best-known concert groups in the era immediately preceding World War II. A tomboyish postulant at an Austrian abbey becomes a governess in the home of a widowed naval captain with seven children, and brings a new love of life and music into the home.

Release Date: 2003 Genre: Fantasy, Drama Cast: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finny Synopsis: (75 words give or take) Throughout his life Edward Bloom has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, he remains a huge mystery to his son, William. Now, to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures.

Release Date: 1999 Genre: Romance, Drama Cast: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan Synopsis: Book superstore magnate, Joe Fox and independent bookshop owner, Kathleen Kelly fall in love in the anonymity of the Internet of the 90s—both blissfully unaware that they hate each other in real life. This movie has become a classic for people of a certain age. They remember the excitement of novelty of receiving and sending email and of all the possibilities and connections that could happen.

Release Date: 1942 Genre: Family, Drama, Animation Cast: Donnie Dunagun, Peter Behn, Stan Alexander Synopsis: Bambi is a young fawn who is chosen to become the next prince of the forest like his father. While living in the forest, he learns about friendship, love and how to protect his near and dear ones. Artistic and relatable despite being an animated film. This movie has fun, fear and a lot of heartbreak. Be prepared with tissues as this can be a real tearjerker.

Sourced from imdb.com 144

Release Date: 2011 Genre: Drama Cast: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill Synopsis: Billy Beane, a baseball general manager, and Peter Brand, an economics graduate, challenge convention as they try to form a competitive sports team using computer-based methods. Billy Beane’s successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget hits him the jackpot when he starts discovering the hidden talents there is yet to see.

Release Date: 2019 Genre: Drama, Horror, Cast: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-Ri, Youn Yuh-Juhng Synopsis: A Korean American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of its own American dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

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‫ﻋﺻﻳﺭ ُﺭ ّﻣﺎﻥ‬

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‫ﺷﻬﻳّﺔ‬ ‫ﻋﺻﺎﺋﺭ ﻓﻭﺍﻛﻪ ُﻣﻣﺗﺎﺯﺓ ﻭ َ‬

‫‪www.euorganicjuices.eu‬‬

‫"ﺍﻟﻠﺟﻧﺔ ﺍﻷﻭﺭﻭﺑﻳﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﻭﻛﺎﻟﺔ ﺍﻟﺗﻧﻔﻳﺫﻳﺔ ﻟﺣﻣﺎﻳﺔ ﺍﻟﺻﺣﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ ﻭﺍﻟ ُﻣﺳﺗﻬﻠﻛﻳﻥ‬ ‫ﻭﺍﻟﻣﻧﺗﺟﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺯﺭﺍﻋﻳﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﻐﺫﺍﺋﻳﺔ" ﻫﻲ ﻏﻳﺭ َﻣﺳﺅﻭﻟﺔ ﻋﻥ ﺃﻱ ﺇﺳﺗﺧﺩﺍﻡ ﺃﻭ‬ ‫ﺇﺳﺗﻬﻼﻙ ﻳُﻣﻛﻥ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺗ ّﻡ ﻛﻧﺗﻳﺟﺔ ﺃﻭ ﺗﺑﻌﺎ ً ﻟﻠﻣﻌﻠﻭﻣﺎﺕ ﺍﻟ ُﻣﺣﺗﻭﻳﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺩﻋﺎﻳﺔ‪.‬‬

‫ﻫﻳﺋﺎﺕ ﺍﻹﺗﺣﺎﺩ ﺍﻷﻭﺭﻭﺑﻲ ﺗﺩﻋﻡ‬ ‫ﺣﻣﻼﺕ ﺍﻟﺗﺭﻭﻳﺞ ﺍﻟﺩﻋﺎﺋﻳﺔ ﺍﻟﺗﻲ‬ ‫ﺗﻬﺩﻑ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺗ َﺭﺷﻳﺩ ﺍﻟ ُﻣﺳﺗﻬﻠﻛﻳﻥ ﺇﻟﻰ‬ ‫ﺻﺣّﺔ‪.‬‬ ‫َﻧ َﻣﻁ َﻣﻌﻳﺷ ٍﺔ ﺃﻛﺛَﺭ ِ‬ ‫‪145‬‬

‫ﻣﻭﻟﺔ ﺑﺩﻋﻡ‬ ‫ﺣﻣﻠﺔ ﺗﺭﻭﻳﺞ ﺩﻋﺎﺋﻳﺔ ُﻣ ّ‬ ‫ُﻣﻘﺩّﻡ ﻣﻥ ﺍﻹﺗﺣﺎﺩ ﺍﻷﻭﺭﻭﺑﻲ‪.‬‬

#XCITEDFORRAMADAN Get ready for delicious food, loads of entertainment and a chill vibe at home this Ramadan with X-cite! By bazaar staff

It is almost like we blinked and a whole year has passed, and it is Ramadan again. We’re ready to slow down, with shorter work days and a set meal time when the entire family can sit down and enjoy each other’s company. But time is the scarcest resource during the Holy month, and we love us some time and energy saving gadgets that can help us get more done, faster and with less effort. And while we’re all about delicious food, our homes deserve some love too. Adding some simple, efficient touches with the help of our good friends at X-cite can get you in that Ramadan mood in a snap. No more worrying about the endless time-consuming chores you have to do to keep the house in tip top shape for when you have Iftar guests (we’re staying hopeful here), the kitchen running smoothly to whip out those Qatayef, and the pile of dishes/laundry filled to the brim with kaftans waiting to be taken care of. Thank you X-cite!

THE FOOD: MAKE YOUR KITCHEN WORK FOR YOU!

NUTRICOOK AIR FRYER Move over, old-school airfryer, the Nutricook is an air fryer, convection oven, rotisserie oven and dehydrator all in one. Quickly make all of your favorite Ramadan dishes using one device.

WANSA SALAD CHOPPER AND ICE CREAM MAKER Summer Ramadans mean frozen treats, but if you are looking for clean eating alternatives to sugar laden delights, this is the device for you. Make softserve style “ice-cream” from fresh fruit in minutes.

NutriCook Smart Pot Pressure Cooker Prime 8L 1200W

Frigidaire Kitchen Machine with Blender & Meat Mincer - 1000W 1.5L (FD5126)

This is the best companion to the Nutricook Airfryer. Choose from these pre-programmed options: Pressure Cooker, Sauté Pot, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Egg Cooker, Steamer, Soup Maker, Yogurt Maker, Cake Maker and Food Warmer all-in-one. With these two, you can make anything you crave!

This is the boss of all kitchen appliances! Simply your Ramadan, and whip up delicious and classic faves, from date smoothies for Iftar to the yummiest fatayer doughs, and the best spiced kofta using the meat mincer option on the Frigidaire Kitchen Machine.

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Bosch Inox Free-Standing Dishwasher Ramadan is all about spending more time with your loved ones, and less time in the kitchen! Invest in a dishwasher to make those post-iftar chores a breeze. The Bosch Inox Free-Standing Dishwasher in silver is fitted with the latest tech to deliver you with a hygienic, reliable, fast performance.

Frigidaire Electric Oven 2800W 75 Litres Tight on oven space when it comes to preparing those Iftar feasts? Looking to reheat leftovers without making a mess out of your big oven? Then the Frigidaire electric oven is your new BFF! We love simple, easy solutions to make Ramadan a breeze!

THE FUN: THIS RAMADAN, IT’S ALL ABOUT LESS CHORES, AND MAKING MORE MEANINGFUL MEMORIES WITH YOUR LOVED ONES.

KODAK RCF PHOTO FRAME

SONY 75 INCH ANDROID 4K TV

Nanoleaf Light Panel Hexagon Shape

Not being with family for yet another Ramadan got you down? The Kodak RCF Frame is the perfect addition to your home. With its sleek modern design it easily matches any room aesthetic. Load all your favorite photos of your loved ones on this cute digital photo frame, so you can be surrounded by your virtual fam. We’d even grab more than one so you can have a gallery wall or corner of your best moments.

We’re guilty of loving all the fried goodies. Samboosa, luqaimat, french fries, ALL OF THEM. And Ramadan menus are full of them. If you are one of us, then making the switch to the Phillips Premium Airfryer will definitely pay off. You still get delicious and crunchy foods with none of the added fat. It is a win-win, all the delicious indulging, none of the guilt, so we can now indulge all year round.

Light up your Ramadan at home with the coolest, customizable, touch operated lights, the Nanoleaf Light Panel! Create a different mood for your iftars, and get the whole family involved. Create whatever shapes you want, create scenes, set schedules! Be creative! Nanoleaf light panels feature Touch Control, watch light panels respond dynamically to your touch, control lights, or even play interactive games.

ASUS ROG 3

Roku Ultra 4660R Streaming Player

Serious gamers don’t need a console anymore. The Asus ROG 3 packs some serious computing power making it one of the fastest gaming phones on the market. Amazing and accurate colors and the monster battery will keep you playing for hours. You can now get some serious game time without even leaving your bed when you are tired from all the fasting.

Ain’t nobody got time for ads! When it comes to watching our favorite Rama-dramas, we’re all about skipping right to the chase, because there are so many great series to tune in to! Get the Roku Ultra 4660R Streaming Player to stream all your favorite apps and be caught up for those late night Zoom calls discussing what happened in today’s episode of your fave Ramadan mosalsal.

For a comprehensive list of X-cite’s 42 store locations and to shop online for the latest deals visit www.xcite.com. Download the X-cite app for Android on Google Play or iPhone on the App Store. Follow X-cite social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, @xcitealghanim and Facebook XcitebyAlghanim. Call 180 3535 for further Inquiries. 147

bazaar books

WHAT’S MINE AND YOURS

HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE

by Naima Coster, Coming of Age

By Imbolo Mbue, Literary Fiction

A community in the Piedmont of North Carolina rises in outrage as a county initiative draws students from the largely Black east side of town into predominantly white high schools on the west. For two students, Gee and Noelle, the integration sets off a chain of events that will tie their two families together in unexpected ways over the next twenty years. On one side of the integration debate is Jade, Gee’s steely, ambitious mother. In the aftermath of a harrowing loss, she is determined to give her son the tools he’ll need to survive in America as a sensitive, anxious, young Black man. On the other side is Noelle’s headstrong mother, Lacey May, a white woman who refuses to see her half-Latina daughters as anything but white. When Gee and Noelle join the school play meant to bridge the divide between new and old students, their paths collide, and their two seemingly disconnected families begin to form deeply knotted, messy ties that will shape the trajectory of their adult lives.

INFINITE COUNTRY

by Patricia Engel, Contemporary

Set in the fictional African village of Kosawa, it tells of a people living in fear amid environmental degradation wrought by an American oil company. Pipeline spills have rendered farmlands infertile. Children are dying from drinking toxic water. Promises of cleanup and financial reparations to the villagers are made—and ignored. The country’s government, led by a brazen dictator, exists to serve its own interests. Left with few choices, the people of Kosawa decide to fight back. Their struggle will last for decades and come at a steep price. Told from the perspective of a generation of children and the family of a girl named Thula who grows up to become a revolutionary, How Beautiful We Were is a masterful exploration of what happens when the reckless drive for profit, coupled with the ghost of colonialism, comes up against one community’s determination to hold on to its ancestral land and a young woman’s willingness to sacrifice everything for the sake of her people’s freedom.

COME FLY THE WORLD: THE WOMEN OF PAN AM AT WAR AND PEACE By Julia Cooke, Biography

Talia is being held at a correctional facility for adolescent girls in the forested mountains of Colombia after committing an impulsive act of violence that may or may not have been warranted. She urgently needs to get out and get back home to Bogotá, where her father and a plane ticket to the United States are waiting for her. If she misses her flight, she might also miss her chance to finally be reunited with her family in the north. Award-winning, internationally acclaimed author Patricia Engel, gives voice to all five family members as they navigate the particulars of their respective circumstances. And all the while, the metronome ticks: Will Talia make it to Bogotá in time? And if she does, can she bring herself to trade the solid facts of her father and life in Colombia for the distant vision of her mother and siblings in America?

WE BEGIN AT THE END

OF WOMEN AND SALT

By Chris Whitaker, Thriller

By Gabriela Garcia, Literary Fiction

Duchess Day Radley is a thirteen-year-old selfproclaimed outlaw. Rules are for other people. She is the fierce protector of her five-year-old brother, Robin, and the parent to her mother, Star, a single mom incapable of taking care of herself, let alone her two kids. Walk has never left the coastal California town where he and Star grew up. He may have become the chief of police, but he’s still trying to heal the old wound of having given the testimony that sent his best friend, Vincent King, to prison decades before. And he’s in overdrive protecting Duchess and her brother. Now, thirty years later, Vincent is being released. And Duchess and Walk must face the trouble that comes with his return. We Begin at the End is an extraordinary novel about two kinds of families—the ones we are born into and the ones we create.

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Glamour, danger, liberation: in the Jet Age, Pan Am offered young women the world. Come Fly the World tells the story of the stewardesses who served on the iconic Pan American Airways between 1966 and 1975 – and of the unseen diplomatic role they played on the world stage. Alongside the glamour was real danger, as they flew soldiers to and from Vietnam and staffed Operation Babylift – the dramatic evacuation of 2,000 children during the fall of Saigon. Cooke’s storytelling weaves together the true stories of women like Lynne Totten, a science major who decided life in a lab was not for her, to Hazel Bowie, one of the relatively few African American stewardesses of the era, as they embraced the liberation of a jet-set life. In the process, Cooke shows how the sexualized coffee-tea-or-me stereotype was at odds with the importance of what they did, and with the freedom, power and sisterhood they achieved.

In present-day Miami, Jeanette is battling addiction. Daughter of Carmen, a Cuban immigrant, she is determined to learn more about her family history from her reticent mother and makes the snap decision to take in the daughter of a neighbor detained by ICE. Carmen, still wrestling with the trauma of displacement, must process her difficult relationship with her own mother while trying to raise a wayward Jeanette. Steadfast in her quest for understanding, Jeanette travels to Cuba to see her grandmother and reckon with secrets from the past destined to erupt. A haunting meditation on the choices of mothers, the legacy of the memories they carry, and the tenacity of women who choose to tell their stories despite those who wish to silence them, this is more than a diaspora story; it is a story of America’s most tangled, honest, human roots.

Source: Goodreads.com, Amazon.com, Googlereads.com

.‫استمتع به ساخنًا أو باردًا‬

DULCE DE LECHE Enjoy hot or cold.

.‫متوفر لدى كافة مقاهي ستاربكس‬ ‫ أو تفضلوا‬1821212 :‫ اتصلوا بنا على‬،‫لمزيد من التفاصيل‬ http://mena.starbucks.com ‫بزيارة موقعنا اإللكتروني‬ .‫للتعرف على مواقع مقاهي ستاربكس‬ Available at all our Starbucks stores. For more details contact us on 1821212 or log on to http://mena.starbucks.com and check our store locator.

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THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE KLC AWESOME Meet the movers and shakers behind your favorite food concepts By bazaar staff

Way back in 2008 Mohammed and Mubarak Jaffar, launched Kuwait London Company (KLC). A year later, KLC ventured into the food business by opening The Kitchen, and the rest is history! Today they have over 21 different concepts hailing from different cuisines around the world and counting and they even opened a cloud kitchen in Dubai. And most recently launched their newest menu concept called Battle of the Brands exclusively on Talabat and Carriage. Achieving greatness is no easy feat and can only be accomplished with a team of self-driven, motivated, and creative go-getters who can get things done and think out of the box. KLC prides themselves on hiring some of the smartest people in the business. We spoke to Chef Biju Kurain (Executive Chef), Ibrahim Abutamam (Head of Operations), Mohammed Mansour (Finance Manager) and Sanoj Shahul (Head of Design) to learn more about what they do and who they are. Chef Biju Kurain What is your role at KLC? Executive chef in KLC. I completed 8 years at KLC. My role is to make sure everything in the BOH (back of house) is going smoothly, and standards are being met.

with Junkyard, and it’s a mixture of all cuisines, like burgers, Mexican, salads, sweets. So as a Chef, we love the variety of cuisines. There are a lot of great new brands that I also like, but for me my favorite is still Junkyard.

mayonnaise, all kinds of cold cuts, cheese, turkey, bacon, chicken, tomato. What do you think will trend this year? In Kuwait I think Mexican and healthy food will become more popular this year

When did your passion for food start? My father was also a chef, he would cater for marriage parties during my childhood, so I took after my father and became passionate about cooking. I liked cooking from a young age.

What’s your favorite food? My favorite food is the southern Indian biryani called thalassery dum biryani. I actually had some yesterday! It’s the dish I cook the most.

If you were an Ice-cream flavor, what would you be and why? I’d be strawberry because my wife loves strawberry.

What is your favorite KLC brand? Of course it’s Junkyard, because we all started

What is the perfect sandwich? It would be a club steak. Toasted bread,

What’s your favorite KLC dish? Junkyard buffalo wings.

should be colorful, green, red, white. I wouldn’t put meat in it, most important is the halloumi.

If you were an ice-cream flavor what would you be and why Mixed vanilla and chocolate.

Ibrahim Abutamam What is your role at KLC? I am head of operation. For all the operations in Kuwait and the GCC, the expansion plans. Basically, I’m in charge of managing anything operation related, from supply chain to delivering the food, I make sure everything is running smoothly. Which is your favorite KLC brand? I like Junkyard because I have special memories with it, it’s the first brand I worked on. But now there are many brands I like, like Taco Eataco, but Junkyard holds a special place in my heart. . What is your favorite food? And what do you cook the most? BBQ is my favorite cuisine. I like to cook pasta because it’s the easiest to cook! What is the perfect sandwich? First it should be a huge sandwich, full of greens, cherry tomatoes, cheese, halloumi, parmesan, it 150

What do you think will trend this year? I think food trucks will become even more popular this year. I believe in the summer, food trucks featuring artisan ice cream will trend.

What’s your favorite KLC dish? The Kitchen’s halloumi wrap. It’s really delicious.

Mohammed Mansour What is your role at KLC? I’m the finance manager. I’ve been with KLC since 2013, so 8 years. My role is mainly translating all transactions in the company into numbers, so that we have historical data to build on. What is your favorite KLC Brand? Humble. Because it was the first brand we launched after we called ourselves experienced in the market. It was our third brand, so it was built on the lessons we learned from the first two. We saw that burgers and sliders were doing really well in our first two brands, so we decided to create Humble Burgers. We really thought after two brands we were experienced enough to judge the market but we were right and wrong then. We were right at the time to open up a burger concept because of the demand, but the market quickly became saturated with burger brands. What’s your favorite food? Fresh seafood. I could eat it every day. What is the perfect sandwich? I make myself a sandwich most mornings, which I

consider to be my perfect sandwich. It starts with French bread, lettuce, tomato, white and yellow cheddar, feta, and three pieces of raw garlic. What do you think will trend this year? I think the Kuwait market is hard to predict. The trends, or habba as it’s called here, come and go quickly and frequently. If I had to pick a cuisine, I think Egyptian and Turkish cuisine could trend this year. Healthy food is always trending up, but

its growth is slowing. If you were an ice-cream flavor, what would you be and why? Of course, I would be chocolate because all ladies love chocolate! What’s your favorite KLC dish? Chili cheese fries from Junkyard, because it was the first dish I had when I joined, and I love the taste.

Sanoj Shahul What is your role at KLC? I am Head of Design. I’ve been working at KLC since 2013, when I joined as a graphic designer. Now as Head of Design I’m in charge of some aspects of brand creation; logo design, website creation, brand videos, and menu photography. We design all our brands in house, so there are a lot of tasks that I must oversee. What is your favorite KLC brand? To be honest, all the brands are my babies, so I cannot choose a favorite. What is your favorite food? Beef biryani, I cook it all the time. What is your perfect sandwich? My perfect sandwich would have shredded beef, some cheese, some spicy sauce, onion, and olives.

If you were an ice-cream flavor, what would you be and why? Chocolate, because everyone likes chocolate!

What do you think will trend this year? Mexican.

What’s your favorite KLC dish? Buffalo wings from Junkyard.

For the latest updates on KLC, follow @KuwaitLondonCompany on Instagram.

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bazaar Studios

storytelling and content creation for all of your digital platforms : fashion shoots, video production, social media management, photography and event coverage.

bazaar around town GULF BANK CELEBRATES DIAMOND JUBILEE WITH FORWARD TOGETHER CAMPAIGN A story that started 60 years ago. The same story they continue to write, with you. A story that's written with the purpose of paving the way. A story dedicated to the dreamers and doers. To the forward thinkers. To you. It’s Gulf Bank’s diamond jubilee. Experience has paved the way and we know where they’re headed, and they are inviting us to go along with them. From assistance, to amazing services and rewards, we know that going through life with Gulf Bank makes life much easier. Gone are the days of "a bank that does this" and "a bank that does that". It doesn’t matter where you are in your journey. Theirs started 60 years ago and they will always be here to walk with you. They have the expertise you need to keep moving forward. Here’s to the next 60 years together with Gulf Bank. For more information on this service, please visit e-gulfbank.com/forward-together-en or follow us on Instagram and Twitter @Gulf_Bank or Facebook and LinkedIn @GulfBank

NEW TOP-OF-THE-RANGE PANAMERA TURBO S CLAIMS BEST-IN-CLASS PERFORMANCE Porsche’s ultimate expression of performance wrapped in luxurious, four-seat motoring, the 2021 Panamera has arrived at Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company, with prices from KWD 27,800. The latest range delivers more power, state-of-the-art technology, enhanced driving dynamics and new design features that visually connect it to the full Porsche range with trademark cues front and rear. A car that links the performance of a sports coupe with the comfort of an executive saloon, the Panamera has been a staple of the Porsche range since 2009 and features even more performance, courtesy of the new 700 PS (514kW), four-litre, biturbo V8 Turbo S E-Hybrid, the most powerful variant in the range. Commenting on the arrival of the first units, Callum Bottomley, General Manager of Porsche Centre Kuwait, said: “The Panamera is the quintessential executive express that set the trend for performance saloons and has played a big part in Porsche’s family from the day it was launched over a decade ago. With the 2021 range, the new Panamera covers an even wider spectrum of variants comprising biturbo V6 and V8 engine options, hybrid efficiency as well as all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive. It is a car that’s just as rewarding for the driver as it is for its passengers.” The new 870 Nm Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is the most powerful model in the range, combining a 571 PS, four-liter, biturbo V8 with a 136 PS electric motor integrated into an eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission (PDK) and a 17.9 kWh battery. The new Panamera models share a sportier visual appearance that highlights the family connection with Porsche’s performance coupes. The car incorporates an upgraded voice control system and wireless Apple CarPlay in addition to the now standard Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Night Vision Assist, Lane Change Assist, LED matrix headlights with PDLS Plus, Park Assist with Surround View and head-up display across the range. For more information visit Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company, please call 1870 870 or head to porschekuwait.com. For the latest updates on social media, follow @PorscheCentreKuwait on Instagram and Facebook.

STARBUCKS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS WITH SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY BLEND Starbucks announced the launch of a special limited-edition Anniversary Blend created to celebrate the milestone of 50 years since the brand’s inception in Seattle in 1971. Full-bodied, robust, and undeniably bold, the new blend is a testament to the company’s longstanding presence and a celebration of the future into the next 50 years. The blend is available across all Starbucks stores in the MENA region. Anniversary Blend is a bold annual favorite sourced exclusively from West Java. With coffee from the lofty mountain jungles of Indonesia featuring coveted herbal characteristics, the layers of spice notes and a smooth buttery mouthfeel offer a delightful experience. The beans are combined with aged Sumatra to create a myriad of earthy flavors and spice. The delicious blend features aromatic notes of smoked cedar and allspice creating an intense yet elegant cup, complemented by lingering accents of black truffle and fresh tarragon. Visit your closest Starbucks to get the special anniversary blend!

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storytelling and content creation for all of your digital platforms fashion shoots- video production- social media managementphotography - event coverage

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bazaar scopes

LIBRA SEP 23 – OCT 22 What have you been through the past two months? Intense for sure, and maybe the most fun you’ve had in a long time. Whether good or bad, we could surely use the word ‘real’ to describe this time in your life. Now a particular situation or circumstance is calling you in a rather specific direction. All in all, what you stand to gain is more important than what you are being called upon to give up.

SCORPIO OCT 23 – NOV 22 Relationships are nothing if they are not functional. That is the test. Functional means the experience of loving and relating fits in your life, and your life fits into it. You can look at the current era as a time of experimentation or observation. You are under some of the best astrology in quite some time, supporting harmonious coexistence and sharing of deep emotions.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 23 - DEC 21

ARIES MAR 20 – APR 19

To keep your momentum this month, you’ll need to move in the direction that seems the most difficult or challenging. Certain factors may seem to slow you down, but they’re the ones that you’re using to summon your deeper strength and your unquestionable sense of purpose. You may have noticed that the prevailing meaningless quality of life on Earth is starting to wear a little thin, and it’s being replaced by a deep sense of longing and searching.

TAURUS APR 20 – MAY 20 No fire burns without a purpose, and the fire at your core is the prime example in the world. Tend both the flame and its meaning. Both have what you might call life cycles, which is to say, they change, and when you monitor those changes and when you act in ways that are appropriate for the particular stage of your life, nature can act on your behalf. Now is the time to bring that purpose closer to you, or to reach toward it.

GEMINI MAY 21 – JUN 21 Life is more about who you are than what you do. This is particularly true now, when there is so much to do, and so much to be. You’ll need a basis upon which to make decisions and plan your actions. The primary reference points must be within you rather than in the world. An obvious example is a choice that is based on whether something looks good’.

CANCER JUN 22 – JUL 22 The beacons that you’re seeing and the callings that you are hearing may be from faraway lands, distant times and places, or represent goals that extend through the course of your lifetime. You may surprise yourself with what you decide is possible or even likely; you may determine that nothing is out of reach if you really want it — and that is the true spirit of this time in your life.

The past two months have come and gone with a surge of energy in the fire sign Aries, which has with any luck felt like hitching your wagon to a locomotive. But the unusual advantages offered by the planets are hardly over, and if anything, the current shift of energy into Taurus is leaving you with a lot less on your mind and feeling stable enough to make one particular decision or commitment that is bound to renew your sense of purpose.

CAPRICORN DEC 22 – JAN 19 It is true that for a while you will be learning the same lessons over and over, but in vastly different ways. Had someone not pointed out the connection, you might not have noticed that there is a continuity of theme from what you experienced over the winter to what you are about to experience over the summer, and for the remainder of the year. What is interesting is that your own choices and growth have influenced the situation more than anyone else’s.

AQUARIUS JAN 20 – FEB 18 Recent events seem to have liberated you from some kind of professional commitment, even if they only helped you change your perspective, open up some possibilities, or sense how you actually feel without any guilt about it. What you now have access to are some experiences of living and working where you start off feeling secure and confident, rather than having to convince yourself of anything. The possibility to be free that you felt so tangibly is still there; but where you must stay focused is at your foundation.

PISCES FEB 19 – MAR 19 You’re likely to see changes in your financial picture, and by all indications, changes means improvements. It’s essential that you consider your economic and creative potential as something tangible and real, which is more a feeling than it is a thought. If what you learned last month has taken root, then space should be open inside you. That space is the willingness to receive the benefits not just of what you do, but of who you are.

LEO JUL 23 – AUG 22 You’re now in the weeks before a genuine initiation into the world. That is right around the corner, and it’s a corner you’re about to turn. This is a time in life when certain commitments you have developed will deepen. Others will fall away like they never existed. Others will emerge as if from nowhere. But there is really only one commitment that truly matters — that which you offer to yourself.

VIRGO AUG 23 – SEP 22 There is little you will attempt this month or anytime soon that is not magnificently well-supported by the positions of the planets and the story they tell. There is little you will not achieve if you truly set out to do it. Yet at the same time you may be noticing a strange sense of apprehension approaching. It may be the sense that something has run out. 156

Source: wisehoroscope.org

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