June 2016 | Issue # 205
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Int One of the best things about working in media in Kuwait, especially when you work for bazaar, is that you get a bird's eye view of what's happening way before anyone else. We find out about brands that are opening here months before they actually open, and we have restaurant reviews lined up while their scaffolding is still in place and construction is still going on. We also become extremely aware of each and every economic hiccup, since we're directly affected by them. When there's confidence in the economy, marketeers spend more, openings are grander, and plans are bolder. When there are rumors of a recession in the air, everything suddenly shrinks dramatically, as those same marketeers try to make sure every fils is spent the right way. The same goes for CVs. Every time there's some sort of economic downturn, we suddenly get bombarded with CVs, some of which are amusing to say the least, since I'm not really sure why a chemical engineer, or a biologist, or a lawyer would think we had a suitable opening for them. Right now, I think it's safe to say that we are on the cusp of coming out of a self-fulfilled recession that didn't last long, but was painful to say the least! This issue of bazaar brings you exceptional people and all things Ramadan. We met with the very inspirational Alanoud Alsharekh to discuss all the amazing work she and her organization have done for women in Kuwait in a riveting Up Close & Personal interview. On the topic of inspiring women, we checked out Sawsan Da’ana’s latest venture, a family-style kitchen called Matbakhi. Needless to say, we had a deliciously heart-warming meal as we learned more about the space. We also spoke to two young Kuwaitis with a dream and a promise: to sort out your dirty laundry with their new app, which they simply called Masbagti. As for food, we found the perfect places to satisfy all your Ramadan cravings. If you’re after the warmth of a homecooked meal sans hassle, head to the latest in Lebanese dining concepts, Franji Branji, or one of the other amazing places we dined at. As for the latest in technology, have you tried the new food-delivery app, Carriage, yet? We have, and we love it! We’ve also discovered a great new work-space if you’re looking to get stuff done before Iftar. Read more about Reyada to find out if you can join them. With a few hours to kill after work before Iftar, why not check out our Ramadan exclusive coloring page? Or better yet, read about the reasons we love Ramadan and the cravings we all seem to get. If you want to be holiday-ready come July, we’ve added some tips on how to stay healthy during Ramadan. As always, we’ve packed this issue with enticing content in an attempt to keep hunger at bay and for you to enjoy during this holy month.
Ramadan Kareem! Ahmed El-Adly
The bazaar team... Boss Ahmed El-Adly
Operations Tim Burns
Business Development Ihab Mokalled
Design Ahmed Al-Ashab
Content Coordinator/Staff Writer Yasmine El Charif
Staff Writer/Online Media Amira Haroun
Staff Writer Yasmine Dalloul
Communications Hala Y. Sharara
Editor Alia Al Duaij
Contributing Writers Barry Rodrigues Deepa Pant Dr. Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg Reem Al-Gharabally Rita Makhoul
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Contributing Photographers Muneera AlKhulaifi Yousef Al-Qallaf
w w w. b p aw w. c o m
Syndicates & Sources Baraka Bits Fast Company LA Times MCT International Newsweek
The views expressed in bazaar magazine are those of the respective contributors and not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff (but sometimes they are).
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recycle me, please.
Audi
INDEX JUNE 2016 28
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MATBAKHI
While many consider bikes as a public nuisance, Khaled Al Bahar is working towards changing that. Motocross, as a sport, is far from being a novelty here in Kuwait, and to Khaled, it has become a way of life. Get to know his story in this month’s Truth or Dare.
The days of delivery woes are coming to an end with this new hunger-saving app! We meet with mastermind Abdullah Al Mutawa who tells us all about the idea behind the piping hot Carriage and how its services will benefit the community.
From a home-based business to a budding food empire, we delve deep into “Auntie” Sawsan Da’ana’s family-owned kitchen – a beautiful space where all the magic happens, and where cooking classes will soon take place! Read on to find out more.
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Just because it’s the best of times doesn’t mean it isn’t difficult! To get you revved and ready for Ramadan, we have some tips to get you through the challenging bits of the season; i.e: fasting in the sweltering heat.
Looking for the perfect place to break your at-home iftar cycle? This contemporary Levantine eatery features a comfortable twist on all your old favorites, all while introducing dishes like kafta burgers and fattet kebbeh side by side to make your tummy happy.
The revolution of workspaces sweeping the nation continues! This home-awayfrom-home workspace in Kuwait City gives you everything you need to get your career going, and focuses on integrating a community of like-minded entrepreneurs to create business bonds that can’t be broken. Read more to find out.
Stylish, elegant, classic and local – the shoes and their designer are one and the same! Meet Farah Sultan, creator behind Arnaa Milano: a young shoe brand taking the streets by storm! We get to know Farah, her design ethos, and dissect her flowery collection, perfect for the summer season.
ALANOUD ALSHAREKH Ramadan is a brilliant month, which is why it was only fitting for us to feature one of the founding members of Soroptimist International Club Kuwait and Abolish 153 as this month’s Up Close and Personal. She tells us her story, and how her current mission is to empower women with knowledge, rights and most importantly, the law.
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FRANJI BRANJI
REYADA
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what's on? RED BULL ART OF CAN EXHIBITION Date: June 15th Location: 360 Mall Kuwait will be witnessing a very distinctive event during Ramadan this year as the Red Bull Art of Can Exhibition will be on display from June 15th to the 25th. The exhibition, which is set to receive visitors starting 16th and VIPS on the 15th, will feature a variety of art pieces that depict the talent and craftsmanship of the participants, along with their skill in creating a piece of art where the Red Bull can is the only point of inspiration. The Red Bull Art of Can offers a platform for anyone, regardless of age, who wants to explore his or her creative talent. Artists, students, grandparents and all those in between were invited to submit their works of art. The Red Bull Art of Can is a true expression of one's imagination, with little or no restrictions placed on the budding artist. The project will culminate in a premium art exhibition, where the selected pieces will be displayed and the top three pieces awarded prizes. The judges will select the winners who will be announced on the opening night of the exhibition with chances to win cash prizes, categorized in the physical category, the 1st place prize is 1,000 KD, the 2nd place prize 750 KD and 3rd place prize is 500 KD. As for the displayed digital category, the 1st place is 1,000 KD. The organizers will shortlist the entrants qualified to participate in “The Art of Can” exhibition based on creativity, theme and final presentation. This year, a new category will be featured; in addition to the physical art, the digital displayed art was introduced to the competition for the first time. The physical piece of art should include the actual Red Bull can as the primary material in the final work. However, the digital displayed art is a work of art that can be displayed on a screen and should include a digital version of the Red Bull can in the final piece. Submissions could take the form of an animation, a digital short film, stop motion, or GIF. The primary material/inspiration must be a Red Bull can, but plenty of imagination and creativity is necessary too. Be it a sculpture, a picture, a 3D model, a mobile, digital illustration or a piece of modern art, as long as it is beautiful, colorful, clever and amusing. To learn more about art of can, visit www.redbull.com/artofcan/kw or follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @redbullkuwait. EXTREME STUNTS SHOW Date: June 3rd-June 4th Location: Basel Al Salem Al-Sabah circuit If you’re a fan of 4 x 4 and monster truck vehicles, this is definitely the event for you! For the first time in Kuwait, Trilogy events company proudly announces the execution of the "EXTREME STUNTS SHOW" on the 3rd & 4th of June 2016, featuring professional extreme performers all the way from the UK, with the event being sponsored by @bmrcq8 & the Public Authority for Sports. The show will take place at Basel Al Salem Al-Sabah circuit on the 7th Ring Road (location on website). The show will also consist of various Kuwaiti performances & Cars/SMEs exhibition. Don’t miss out on this high powered weekend of fun! Find out more on Instagram @bmrcq8.
WOMENS FOOTBALL TOURNEMENT Date: June 12th-June 24th Location: 360 Mall Take part in ‘the beautiful game’, here in Kuwait! For females only, the tournament will run for 2 weeks in Ramadan and games will be from 9:00pm to 11:00pm, after fasting hours. A total of 12 teams will get the chance to play for the title and valuable prizes. Please note that each team should have 7 players + 3 subs prepared, as the games will be played on a 7-a-side basis. Each game will last for 40 minutes, 20 minutes per half. Go sign up today! To register, visit www.form.jotform.me/61206734342449.
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what’s trending June 2016 As much as we work our hardest to give you one rocking print issue after the other, we’re socially active (or try our best to be, we are bazaar humans after all) and we love it! Find us online: It makes our day when we see your tweets/mentions/likes/comments/shares about your favorite features and more. facebook.com/bazaarmagazine
What: @arabic_tattoo Info: Hypoallerginc temporary tattoos in Arabic. Editor’s Note: They deliver worldwide!
What: @tatli.kw Info: Pretzel stick desserts! Editor’s Note: The ideal post iftar sweet treat!
What: @seen_faa Info: Ramadan appropriate garb for ladies and children. Editor’s Note: Get ghabqa ready!
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What: @adolfokuwait Info: Classic styles brought to you by Adolfo Dominguez. Editor’s Note: Also available in the Avenues Phase II.
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What: @basboosathings Info: The ultimate basboosa spot! Editor’s Note: Basboosa galore.
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What: @dandesigns.kw Info: Comfy clothing line. Editor’s Note: Harem pants – perfect for Ramadan!
What: @beesideas Info: Ramadan themed coloring+activity book with surprise stickers! Editor’s Note: Sample coloring page in this issue!
What: @kozykuwait Info: Dresses and kaftans for Ramadan. Editor’s Note: Comfy and beautiful!
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EXPATS GUIDE TO RAMADAN By bazaar staff
This year, June marks the return of the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan, the 9th month in the Islamic calendar, is regarded as one of the 5 pillars of Islam so as you can imagine, is a huge part of people’s lives each year. Ramadan lasts for 29-30 days, based on the appearance of the crescent moon. Those that practice must fast (compulsory for adult Muslims that don’t suffer from certain medical conditions) from sunrise to sunset each day, refraining from eating, drinking, smoking, cursing and intimate acts. Additionally, there is extra emphasis on prayer importance during this month. Rather unfortunately, for those that celebrate Ramadan and fast, this year it falls in June which as you are already experiencing, is extremely hot and perhaps not the best time to be deprived of water. Every year it goes back by 2 weeks, so eventually it will land again during winter months. But for the next few years, it’s destined to be a hot one. Having spent the last six years in Islamic countries, I have learned a lot with regard to the importance of Ramadan, what it means, and as an expat, how to do my bit in not making fasting friends and coworkers endure more than they already are. Below are some pointers to help you out during the holy month, whether you are a by stander or perhaps thinking of joining in and attempting to observe Ramadan yourself. Whatever you do, don’t consume food or 20
drink in public places during fasting hours. Same goes for smoking! Here in Kuwait, it can actually result in a fine or jail time. Aside from that, it doesn’t hurt to be considerate to the majorities that are fasting, and there should be no reason to really eat or drink in public, except for the case of an emergency of course. Enjoy your food and drink in the comfort of your own home, or a dedicated space at work. In the same vein, dress appropriately! If out in public, it is considered respectful to wear tops that cover the shoulder and neckline, and bottoms that come below the knees. Yes, this can be problematic for us expats during the hotter months but c’mon, it’s only for a few weeks and it’s the least we can do for our gracious hosts right!? Plus, as an added bonus, it’s a GREAT time to cut down on coffee, junk food and cigarettes…embrace it! If you have neighbors that celebrate Ramadan, take this month as your chance to get to know them better and drop off a gift. A gift basket of any size, a fanous (lantern), or even something homemade (gift or food that they can enjoy when breaking their fast). Combine that with a Ramadan Kareem (happy Ramadan!) when delivering, and you will be sure to make a friend for life! Chances are you will be invited to join them for Iftar (the first meal when breaking fast), so accept and enjoy the delicious food and festive atmosphere! Similar to last month’s advice with street workers and housekeepers, many of them observe Ramadan and charity is a big part of the celebrations, so don’t hesitate to donate a little
money or food for them to break their fast. If you have any unwanted items, especially clothes, this is a great month to arrange them and deliver them to those less fortunate. If you are unsure or don’t know anyone that needs them, you can locate multiple companies here in Kuwait that can distribute such items to those in need. Around the time that fasting is due to break, avoid the roads/public areas. They will be packed with people waiting to eat, so this tip isn’t so much to let them eat first (although of course it applies!) but more for you to not get caught in busy areas. You’re welcome! In contrast, during Ramadan the regular working hours are 9:00am-3:00pm, and the streets are generally much quieter during fasting hours. Seize this opportunity to go shopping/wash the car/drive with much less stress than a usual day. In my experience, all of the above tips are relatively small, easy to follow, and go a long way in helping to make a difficult month just a little easier for others that we share a country with. A big part of Ramadan is to deprive oneself of things that the less fortunate do without every day, in order to appreciate these things that we take for granted, so by following the above you are also doing that in your own way. And in the true spirit of Ramadan and kindness, your good deeds and wishes will come back to bless you one day. So enjoy the holy month, get involved and try the amazing events and food on offer (after sunset, of course), and have a truly blessed month.
adolfo
MASBAGTI
App founders Athbi and Nouri Alenezi are revolutionizing your daily laundry cycle By bazaar staff
You just came back from a wicked weekend trip in Dubai. It’s midnight on a Saturday and you suddenly remembered that business meeting at 9 am the next morning. You open up your closet only to find that your favorite suit is nowhere to be found, only to realize that it's probably sitting pretty at the laundry shop. And, of course, they’re already closed. Perhaps nobody knows this more than Masbagti app founders and brothers Athbi and Nouri Alenezi. Athbi recounts his horrors of laundry mishaps, “One day, I had to take a sick leave from work because I literally had nothing to wear. Imagine having to say that to your employee, so I called in sick!” Growing up in the UK and having recently moved back to Kuwait, the Alenezi brothers saw an opportunity with every failed phone call, late pick up and vague pricing structures when it came to dealing with many of Kuwait’s laundry shops. Deciding to come up with a solution, not only as an answer to their laundry woes, but for a plethora of customers and laundry business owners alike, they came up with the smartly named ‘Masbagti’ app. Choosing to denote the Arabized name (Masbaga to Laundry shop), with an ‘i’ that literally means ‘my’, Masbagti brings together customers and laundry shop owners together in one innovative platform. Athbi continues, “Our promise is to find our customers a high-brand laundry service in Kuwait to perform the task at the time you want and at a price point that is agreeable to the client.” Choosing to revolutionize how this extremely overlooked industry operates, Athbi and Nouri realized that the field lacked technology. Nouri explains, “When we decided to go ahead with the app, it took us time to get the idea across. It’s a huge industry, but it was stagnant.” They realized the problems local laundry owners faced and wanted the app to better serve both owners and end users. “Many laundry shops operate manually and simply, and this allows for many discrepancies between the owners, employees and customers. It was definitely time for a change.” With Masbagti, both Athbi and Nouri embarked on a learning journey that is reshaping how the industry operates in Kuwait. “Both the laundry owners and customers enjoy complete transparency, where the owners monitor their operations via the app to ensure orders are handled swiftly, or customers agreeing on a final price for their chosen services prior or during the scheduled pick up.” In using Masbagti, you are typically saving 22
yourself both the time and the effort, and laundry owners can rest assured that receipts are all electronic, ensuring complete transparency throughout the entire process with an added customer rating feature. Athbi sums it up for us, “You can either fill in the clothes you need washed via the app itself, or when the driver shows up for a pick up, a receipt is created on the spot via the app. You can pay with cash or K-net. Simple!” Nouri adds, “With Masbagti, you avoid the hassle of driving to the laundry or waiting for a pickup. We’ve worked it out so that you can have your laundry handled in a matter of seconds!” This June, customers can even select a preferred Laundry shop via the app. Before laundry owners can get on the Masbagti app, they are firstly vetted by Athbi and Nouri. “We have a strict checklist of requirements that they need to fulfill. If I wouldn’t want a certain shop to handle my personal laundry, why would I force them on our app users? We also do not favor one laundry shop owner over another.” While the app launched a short while ago, they’re seeing a rapid rise in the number of downloads, and most if not all of Masbagti users
are now repeat customers. Athbi says, “It’s not really about the money for us at this point, we all [developers and vendors] have to be in it together, and everyone needs to profit fairly.” Locally made, from idea to execution, Athbi and Nouri didn’t look far to create the app and rather utilized the experts at Kuwait based web developers Design Master to see the idea develop into fruition. Furthermore, Masbagti is expected to operate in other parts of the Middle East. “Most people outsource because they don’t want their idea to be stolen. People fear local imitation when, actually, people in Kuwait are more than capable of developing great ideas to create a viable competitive environment.” If anything, the Masbagti brothers looked to local like-minded individuals to help them through the entire process. Athbi and Nouri conclude, “We owe a lot to the developers, our close friend Michael Fessy, an awesome team of young lawyers who helped us finalize our vendor contracts. We want people to rise with our success.” Find the Masbagti app on Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
adolfo
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truth or dare
KHALED AL BAHAR Chasing sand dunes By bazaar staff
Born out of a need for adrenalineboosting winter activities, Khaled Al Bahar’s heart was set on motocross bikes. While many consider said bikes as a public nuisance – Khaled is working towards changing that. “I don’t understand the guys on Gulf Road riding without protective gear pulling stunts in the middle of traffic,” Khaled shook his head. “Come to us, join us! If you’re able to do this on the road, just imagine how great you can be on proper racetracks,” he pleaded. Motocross, as a sport, is far from being a novelty here in Kuwait, and to Khaled, it has become a way of life. With his family’s support, Khaled went from being an amateur rider to having two championships under his belt – not to mention all the races he’s finished first. That being said, Khaled was the youngest racer in Kuwait and the GCC to have won a championship! When the safety gear comes on, there’s no stopping Khaled. Driven by his ambition and passion to become the best in the region, Khaled never says no to a new challenge. “I want to be able to ride on any terrain and conquer any track,” Khaled started. “I love traveling, so when I travel I try out new tracks,” he explained. “You keep learning new things this way.” While it took him four years of training to get his signature motocross move down, he’s extremely proud of it. “It’s called The Scrub, because you twist the bike sideways with your body still upright,” he laughed as he tried to explain it. “It gives you speed because it shortens the airspace while making a jump.” [This is where he pulled out a phone to show us an Instagram video of the move.] “The thing is, you become part of a community, a family even, when you join. Everyone is supportive and helpful because we can all learn from one another – we even learn from the newcomers!” Khaled urges anyone that’s interested in motocross to join them. As long as you bring your own gear, Khaled and his track-mates will be happy to teach you and help you grow. “I hope to turn our tracks into a full academy to teach anyone and everyone interested,” Khaled smiled. 24
Truth or Dare Questionnare: How would your mother describe you in one word? Persistent. How would you describe your mother in one word? Queen. What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked? How many children do you have? What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? Bungee jump from an 80ft high cliff. What is your theme song? Ty Dolla $ign – "Blasé." What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented? Peanut. Where would you like to live? What is your dream retirement location? Los Angeles. What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind? “Squad!” What animal best describes the kind of par tner you’d be interested in? Dogs because they’re loyal. What do you miss about your childhood? How life was ver y simple and pure.
If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Ahmed. How would you describe your handshake in one word? Firm. What is the toughest par t of your character? Energetic. Who is your favorite historical figure? Salah Al Deen Al Ayoubi. What in the world do you least desire? Money and problems. What do you think is lacking in the world, which if there was more of would make the world a better place? Peace, happiness and less pover ty. Why do you think most girls/guys like you? Because I'm confident and straight forward with people. Also, i like to see people around me happy. Finish this sentence: “Happiness is a thing called…” Love.
You can find out more about Khaled’s world and how to join the fun by following them on Facebook and Instagram @Q8racing. Photo by Yousef Al-Qallaf.
adolfo
THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP By Rita Makhoul
There has been a increase in civic engagement in the MENA region during the past decade, where the rising youth population has expressed dissatisfaction with the status quo. Faced with several societal, political, and economical challenges, the socially committed have turned towards social entrepreneurship as an opportunity to create solutions to some of the region’s most perplexing social issues. Social entrepreneurs develop innovative projects and organizations with a “double bottom line” of profitability and social impact rather than simply having business impact. It would be impossible to list all of the region’s social enterprises in one article, but we’ve compiled some of our favorites: ReAble: Tackling a global challenge, ReAble is an e-wallet app designed to facilitate day-today financial transactions and other work management processes for people with cognitive difficulties. The app teaches users about money management and supports them during financial transactions putting them on track towards independence. Through ReAble, users input the banknotes they are carrying with them. While conducting a transaction they take a picture of the receipt, the app then informs the user of the total amount to pay and the optimal combination of bills to pay with. The app also informs them how much change they should expect and which notes. Their parents/guardians are also able to track the user’s expenditure and financial status. Moreover, the app also facilitates budget management. ReAble emerged out of a bootcamp in Beirut held by AltCity in August 2015, won first prize at BDL Accelerate 2015, were among the finalists of the Startup Demo at ArabNet Beirut, and have recently been selected as one of 10 startups to join the renowned startup incubator, Techstars, in their recently launched accelerator in Cape Town. LifeLab Biodesign: An agricultural company based in Lebanon, Lifelab is dedicated to designing and building intelligent self-operating vertical hydroponic farms that multiply the yield of any given farm plot by 10 to 15 times. These indoor farms, completely automated and climate controlled, are unaffected by seasonal change, and are capable of producing crops all year long. What's more interesting is that they are resistant to pests and disease infestations, and are highly efficient regarding their energy requirements, using 95% less water than traditional farms. Lifelab also runs a 6,000 sqm model farm, which serves as a showcase for the technology 26
and production techniques, and also as a profitable revenue source for the company. In November 2015, the company won first place at the Hyundai Startup Competition organized in collaboration with ArabNet. Syria Scholar Syrian-British brothers Kinan and Louai Muhammed wanted to help give Syrian medical students the chance to continue learning, despite turbulent times. They set up Syria Scholar in 2015 as an online education platform using available, open-source software to build the website that includes a platform for videoconferencing, allowing them to run the two-way tutorials. Initially, they were the only two tutors, which later increased since more tutors from the UK registered to provide tutorials bring the academic communities in the UK and Syria closer together. Considering the unreliable internet connection in Syria, all tutorials are recorded so that students can download them at their convenience. Many students tend to huddle around a computer with an internet connection to follow the tutorials. In 2015, they received The OxTALENT prize for outreach and public engagement from the University of Oxford. HARASSmap HARASSmap was launched in 2010 with the aim to reduce the social acceptability of sexual harassment throughout Egypt by allowing women to report when and where they got harassed. Each incident report shows up as a red dot on the website's map of Egypt pin pointing where the incident occurred. By clicking on the dot, users can read exactly what was written by the person reporting the assault. When a woman reports an attack, she receives immediate help, including information on how and where she can get support, such as counselling or legal assistance.
Since its launch, HARASSmap has received the 2011 World Summit Youth Award and the 2012 Deutsche Welle Best of the Blogs Award for Best Use of Technology for Social Good. El Noor Geh In the midst of the power cuts that have been plaguing Egypt, El Noor Geh emerged as an informative online platform and e-store. Aiming to reduce energy consumption to aid the already deteriorating and failing power grid, El Noor Geh educates individuals on energy conservation and efficiency. The platform also helps users keep track of their bills through calculating consumption as per the government’s set pricing. It also features a blog with weekly posts around topics of saving energy, general knowledge on electricity consumption as well as government plans and prices for electricity. The online store is filled with energy efficient products as tangible solutions to energy conservation. Sidekicks The enterprising and inspiring young innovators are carving out new paths for the region to resolve today’s most pressing problems. It is imperative that social enterprises continue to thrive. Various players are supporting aspiring social enterprises, but there has been a lack in trying to create better and deeper linkages across the ecosystem, thereby advancing the success of social enterprises.
Rita Makhoul is the Managing Editor of ArabNet’s website as well the publication ‘ArabNet Quarterly.’ The ArabNet website is a leading reference for digital businesses in the Middle-East, featuring news, analysis, expert advice, interviews, and a vibrant community of startups, developers and entrepreneurs.
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A CONVERSATION WITH ALANOUD ALSHAREKH By bazaar staff
Life works in mysterious ways. Alanoud Alsharekh started off her career by going to med school. It didn’t take her long to realize that medicine wasn’t for her, “I had moral and ethical conflicts,” she explained. She discovered that transferring to English Literature and Paleography is better suited for her. “I have a very analytical mind and I found that the level of analyzing and researching in this field befitting,” Alanoud laughed. Understanding and appreciating that every argument, opinion and thought must be backed by facts and references, Alanoud found herself amidst a whirlwind of politics. A founding member of the Soroptimist International Club Kuwait and Abolish 153, Alanoud’s current mission is to empower women with knowledge, rights and most importantly, the law. Having returned to Kuwait after completing her Masters degree in applied linguistics, pregnant with her daughter, and at a pivotal moment of change, Alanoud found her calling. “We were debating the bill that would give women their political rights, and I got involved in that movement. We were fairly cer tain we were going to get it,” Alanoud explains. “And, we didn’t!” she laughs, “I think that set off a series of questions in me that gave me a taste for activism – there’s nothing like that rush of righteous anger when you’re on the side of good – and it also made me appreciate social policy change that comes from a grassroots level.” Not agreeing with the social conformity of the hierarchy within households at meal times, Alanoud wanted to see a change. While women are expected to just listen to their male counterpar ts debating and discussing ideas and notions, Alanoud wants them to contribute to the conversations. This fur ther ignited her interest in giving women their political and social rights – “[because] I’m not just a pretty background to your conversations!” she exclaimed. F inding herself driven by her passions and the oppor tunities that present themselves around her, Alanoud was never one with a rigid plan. Star ting off in the 28
Alanoud Alsharekh
realm of academia, she opted for research because of her urge to document what was happening at the time: Women had gotten their right to vote. Involved in lobbying and suppor ting the female candidates at the time, Alanoud felt she needed to shift her focus towards research. “I was lucky enough to receive some grants,” she explained. “I got the MEPI Grant as well as doing research for Freedom House and other organizations like the UNDP. They were all interested in the research I was doing: par t of which was about migrant women workers.” This piqued Kuwait’s National Security Bureau’s interest. They approached Alanoud with a job offer : they needed someone with an academic background to handle their human right’s affairs in-house. After a two-year cour tship with the offer, Alanoud took the job – “but I always took domestic security to mean regional.” Still, her love for academia runs deep. A research associate at SOAS, Alanoud flies out once a year to teach a class there as well as several other par t-time teaching residencies in Europe and the United States. But it’s the challenges she faces while teaching that keep her going. “While I was in California, I was speaking about contemporar y issues in Islam and I was the first woman on a twenty-year program called V isiting Scholar from the Islamic World. I was wearing what I thought to be the universal feminist uniform,” she laughed. “After that, I got the student evaluations and some of them would say things like ‘She doesn’t look Muslim, she doesn’t talk Muslim – I don’t know what she’s selling but I’m not buying it.’ So you find yourself fighting against this engrained idea of what Muslims are supposed to look, talk, act and think like!” Yet the several challenges she faced while teaching here in Kuwait were of a different caliber – especially when it comes to the subject of Humanities. “We [the teachers and administrators] needed to have lengthy discussions about whether we would teach the iconic ar tworks that really underpin Humanities – because it’s a ver y Western humanist concept – that was an issue more than anything else.” Alanoud felt it was gratifying nonetheless. But not being able to discuss cer tain subjects and topics, because they’re considered taboo, frustrated her. From ar tworks such as the Venus di Milo to more personal matters like spousal abuse, cer tain things shouldn’t be discussed. Knowing that society doesn’t approve of publicly conversing about private matters, women who sur vived violent attacks aren’t encouraged to take legal action. This
Abolish 153 co-founders - Amira Behbehani, Lulu Al-Sabah, Sheikha al Nafisi and Sundus Hussein deeply troubled and frustrated Alanoud. The lack of conversation about such topics, and let alone the absence of much needed resources to help, needed to be implemented. As a result, Alanoud, along with Amira Behbehani, Lulu Al-Sabah, Sheikhah Al Nafisi and Sundus Hussein, established an organization called Abolish 153. “It just so happened that these wonderful women, star ting with Lulu, were at a stage in their lives where they wanted to turn to social work and philanthropy. This is when I brought their attention to this law that I uncovered while I was working on motivating female voters in 2006.” Having found ten legislations that she regarded as insulting for a progressive countr y like Kuwait, Alanoud banded with this group of women, against all odds, to publicly converse about violence. “Changing legislations is only a par t of it,” Alanoud elaborated. Over the last couple of years, Abolish 153 has been called upon to inter vene in cases of violence against women. Proud
of what they’ve achieved, Abolish 153 star ted raising flags and captured people’s attention. “[Now] I can see that there’s been a movement within parliament to really reexamine these legislations and I’m ver y proud to say that [the head of the comity] Salah Ashour asked a formal question to parliament: ‘Is Ar ticle 153 constitutional and if not, how can we remove it?’ Now it’s on record! No matter who comes onto the stage after, we’ve set the ball in motion.” For those who are unaware of this par ticular ar ticle, Alanoud simply explained, “It justifies murdering female kin and it’s a strange justification. It’s not Sharia compliant, it’s in violation of our constitution and ever y human rights treaty signed by Kuwait. We’re better than this, as a people and as a countr y.” While there are specific rules and laws to follow, Ar ticle 153 has omitted them and is inherently flawed because it is easily abused. Now, with the establishment of a child protection laws after a ten-year of struggle, [Continued...] 29
[...Continued] Abolish 153 hopes to convince people that the next step would be to enact a law that would protect women. This way, those who are survivors of violence would have shelters, helplines and general resources to empower themselves. Now that they’ve gotten the word out, everyone is very aware of this article and all the similar legislations. Abolish 153 has paved the way for change and for giving Kuwait what it needs to be great. Up Close & Personal Questionnaire: What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty and suppor t without judgment. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Time with my children. What is your greatest fear? It's morbid and I would rather not think about it. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Impatience and cur t texting. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Unreliability. Which living person do you most admire? Besides my parents, I deeply admire the President of Uruguay Jose Muijica for donating 90% of his salar y. I wish more politicians would do the same. What is your greatest extravagance? Alone time, and Michelin starred food. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Awesome. What is it that you most dislike? Justification of violence. Which talent would you most like to have? To be musically gifted. If I could sing or dance or play an instrument, I would have had a different path in life. If you could have any job, what would it be? Lawyer...or opera singer. What would you consider your greatest achievement? Raising awareness around the existence of violent legislations and attempting to end them. What is your most treasured possession? My children. What is your most marked characteristic? My stubborn optimism. Where would you most like to live? Wherever my family is. What are your favorite words to live by? This too shall pass. For more information about Ar ticle 153, Abolish 153 and what you can do, visit their website www.abolish153.org. You can also follow them on Instagram and Twitter @Abolish153 to keep up to date with all their incredible work. 30
Abolish 153 joins the March in March at the UN headquarters in New York in March 2016
Gender violence training hosted by Abolish 153 in April 2016
Abolish 153 Exhibition in Dubai in April 2016.
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AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE
At-home dining, redefined, with ChefXChange.com By bazaar staff
Love to eat, not in the mood to cook? Perhaps you’re planning on having a few people over for dinner but you don’t have the time, patience, or know-how to coordinate the most important part of a dinner party – the food. Or maybe, you just want to treat your partner or best friends to a lovely night in with a decadent three-course meal. With ChefXChange, such dreams are turned into reality. This platform literally caters to foodies of all sorts – from those who want to eat or even those who want to learn! ChefXChange was founded by Karl Naïm and Marc Washington in 2013 after one of Naïm’s many dinner parties. He realized that with great hosting comes great responsibility, and to be the chef at your own dinner party can compromise time spent with your guests. Thus, the pair created ChefXChange, which operates similarly to Airbnb and Uber platforms. After its launch in 2014, the company opened up operations in Dubai, Washington DC, London, Beirut, are launching in Doha and Manama, and have recently set up camp in Kuwait! So, how does this fun platform work? First off, you’ll need to sign up with their website, www.ChefXChange.com. Then, you choose the city you’ll be dining in, and the date you desire. A list of available chefs along with their menu samples will be provided, which you can enjoy yourself and take your time studying, analyzing and selecting! For example, when requesting a chef in Kuwait, you can “hire” a chef like Chef Ali, who is registered in the Kuwait City filter, and choose from his menus ranging in his specialties which are American, French and Barbecue. The great thing about ChefXChange is that, like Airbnb, you’re encouraged to communicate with the chefs—it’s necessary so that you can notify them about any concerns, questions, reservations or requests about their provided menus. Another important thing to mention to the chefs is what their provided workspace lacks or includes—because they’ll be setting up camp in your kitchen, they’ll need to know fully what they’re working with. With ChefXChange, you can also request Chefs from other countries! Should you choose to do that, however, you’ll be responsible for paying for their airfare and accommodation. But if you want to skip those extra fees, you can keep your fingers crossed and perhaps an out-of-towner chef will appear in your city if they’re willing to work while they’re there. That’s the beauty about ChefXChange – both the chef and the customer have complete liberty to organize the job as they see fit, and to tweak and negotiate any blurred lines that may appear. 32
Chef Ali preps food for his Kuwaiti clientele Also, the chef is responsible for bringing his or her own ingredients, and anything else you may request at an additional cost – such as drinks or even a service staff—and will clean up their workspace once they are done. Suppose you’re a chef, amateur or professional, who wants to get out there? ChefXChange is the perfect platform to join. All you have to do is register yourself as a chef upon signing up, follow a few instructions, submit any resume or experience you may have, sample menus and what cuisines you excel in, and voila! You can expect that orders will be at your fingertips in no time. When using ChefXChange, it’s customary to review your experience – this helps the platform’s community all around –from prospective diners to the chef themselves, there’s always room for praise, constructive criticism and improvement. But what brought ChefXChange to Kuwait? The nation’s love of food, of course, not to mention the culinary talent brimming at the rim of this tiny
country’s melting pot. We can’t deny that we love to eat, and that many of us love to cook – and we’re good at doing both! The Kuwait City operation currently has five local chefs on board, and are welcoming more chefs to join. So if you have a penchant for cooking, don’t hesitate—look into ChefXChange as soon as you get to a computer. It might just be the best thing you can do for your culinary career. If you’re just hungry and want to eat, or you want to put together an unforgettable dinner party, get online and explore this delicious platform—you won’t be disappointed. Planning your first ChefXChange experience? Use this discount code for 10KD off of your first booking: CXCKWT16. Put away those pots and pans and check out ChefXChange’s website today: www.ChefXChange.com. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram @ChefXChange and on Twitter as @ChefXChangeCXC.
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ﺳﺎرة اﻟﺮﻓﺎﻋﻲ ﺗﺨﺼﺺ ﺗﺼﻤﻴﻢ داﺧﲇ ودﻳﻜﻮر ﻣﺼﻤﻤﺖ دﻳﻜﻮر
ﻟﻴﲆ ال ﻋﺒﺎس ﺗﺨﺼﺺ ﺗﺼﻤﻴﻢ ﺟﺮاﻓﻴيك ﻣﻮﻇﻔﺔ وزارة اﻟﻜﻬﺮﺑﺎء و رواﺋﻴﺔ
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WANT TO MASTER THE MOBILE WEB? GO BACK TO THE BASICS By Barry Rodrigues
Remember when we were all dazzled by the internet about two decades ago? Business people, especially marketers, were the first to try, explore and later exploit it to their advantage. Fast forward to today and we have arrived at a similar point in time. Although not entire novices about the internet, the mobile internet has become a new, innovative and effective way for brands to reach out to their customers. However, getting on the mobile internet train requires a bit of un-learning and re-learning so that we can immerse ourselves in this new technology. Over the last few years, millions of consumers have shifted buying behavior to smartphones and tablets versus shopping in brick n’ mortar stores or even on their desktop computers. So how can businesses get the best out of the mobile web to drive traffic and eventually sales? Go back to the basics The mobile web is an altogether different kind of internet and I mean that metaphorically. It behaves differently compared to the traditional web and people’s experience and expectations can be quite different. The first thing a brand needs to do is build a mobile website, to make sure it loads with ease on all popular browsers on different Operating Systems be it Android or iOS. That means making sure videos are properly aligned, do not require additional plug-ins and are optimized for the right resolutions so that they buffer and play fast. Text should be displayed correctly and should align itself according to the screen size and orientation (portrait or landscape). Forms should be intuitive and have the right opt-in fields like calendars, numbers or locations wherever applicable. Finally a minimalist approach helps a lot especially considering you have limited screen real estate to deal with and want the user’s undivided attention when they are on your site or app. Overall it should be an intuitive experience that is fast and easy for the users. Remember, every marketing touch-point interacts differently with consumers and all your communication needs to fit the mold. Mobile payments will reshape the way we do business online The mobile web has opened up to processing payments online and the big players like Apple, Samsung and Google have already announced their own mobile payment services that require minimal input from users other than the customary setup procedures. This means that more merchants 34
worldwide will have the option of using mobile as their payment method. Unlike the credit-card era that took quite a while to hit mainstream in the 70s and 80s, the mobile payment mechanisms of today involve minimal hardware and cost-efficient software that make it a lot simpler and affordable for small and large merchants to accept them. Businesses definitely need to sign up and keep up with the developments. Someday, sooner than later, most of the world will be making payments through smartphones. Mobile data will move from being stand-alone to integrated The days when the call center representative you are speaking with has no idea about the 12 previous emails you had sent to them complaining about the crappy refrigerator they sold you (is happened to me) are long gone. The mobile web has forced businesses to integrate information, specifically customer information over the enterprise so that customers benefit from a holistic and synergized overall brand experience. That is why businesses need to invest in mobile ERP solutions to consolidate customer information and give them a contextual experience. Meaning, all customer interactions need to be handled keeping in mind the touch-point the customer is using and in these instances it is most often mobile and if it is, keep the interaction brief, informative and most importantly make sure
the customer/user leaves with something…… preferably something good. Finally, prepare for mobile security As more and more people put their personal information on their smartphones, specifically their financial information or enterprise level data, it is likely that hackers who have long prowled the internet for victims will focus their attention on the here. This is why businesses need to invest in mobile security for their apps to ensure that hackers and lawbreakers don’t use them as backdoors to wreak havoc on enterprise level information. So mobile marketing is still in its infancy and I will try to cover more on this for bazaar readers. If you haven’t thought about your mobile strategy, now is the time to start. With technologies evolving at breakneck speeds, it is advisable to get started now and have less to learn rather than doing it when there are too many players out there and it gets harder to get into the game. Barry Rodrigues is the Head of Marketing & Product Development at Future Communications and an associate advisor with the International Advisors Group in Kuwait. Barry also provides pro-bono consulting services for small businesses to help them achieve their marketing objectives. For comments, please email him at barry@nexgenconsulting.co.uk.
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BUILDING THE BRIDGE
Getting to know the Kuwait Bridge Club By bazaar staff
Ready… set… Bridge! Well, that isn’t how they tend to start their games, but when you’re standing in the middle of the Kuwait Bridge Club’s meeting spot at the Kuwait Graduates Society, amidst all the tables of passionate players, the vibe goes from playful and familiar to serious and concentrated. The members of the Kuwait Bridge Club are just that talented and dedicated, however. Originating in KOC in Ahmadi during the early 1950s, Bridge is a long standing interest in Kuwait that has only expanded further from the days where ladies and gents would reconvene to sharpen their Bridgeplaying skills and bond with new partners made in the multiple table, four-player game. Since then, the tradition only grew and graduated to larger venues within Kuwait City, and today, a whole new generation rules the Kuwait card scene with this elegant and intellectual game. The 1960s marked the time where Kuwait’s Bridge Club was first registered in the World Bridge Federation by the pioneer players of that time. Since then, the Kuwait Bridge Club has proudly joined both the Arab Bridge Federation and the Asian Bridge Federation, putting the esteemed Kuwaiti team on the map, and giving them the opportunity to bring home awards from competitions they’ve participated in all over the continent. “We’ve competed in Jordan, the UAE, Saudi 36
Arabia, Japan, China, Bangkok – and we’ve won awards and come home empty handed. You can’t win everything, after all!” Laughs Numan Al-Turki, the coordinator of the Kuwait Bridge Committee. “But the one thing I believe in when it comes to Bridge, is that it’s one of the few games where the only thing to look forward to winning is self satisfaction. In Bridge, that is the only prize to go after.” Bridge is often credited as being one of the most challenging card games to date – which is why it’s unsurprising that it’s listed in Kuwait as an official mind sport that is accredited in the Kuwait Mind Sports Association, along with Chess and Checkers – locally named Dama. “Bridge is a game that exercises your brain – which is a necessity. Just like exercising your body, your mind needs that attention as well,” says valued longtime member and dedicated Bridge player Ms. Nancy Hajjaj. “If you’ve been playing the game for thirty years and use the same tricks, then it’s useless. You have to put your mind to work the whole time.” The game is also all about skill, logic, and good instincts. “You need to read. When I started playing Bridge, I read many books on bidding, hand play and defense. After 23 years of playing this marvelous game, I'm still reading and learning new things everyday. I knew I wanted to learn everything about the game, so I was committed.” Numan says fondly as he retells his stories that rooted his journey with the game. “Originally, I wanted to play as a
teenager because I learned that my idol at the time, Omar Sharif was an avid player,” he laughs. “The game was reintroduced into my life about twenty years later, but the passion and interest were still there.” And if you have a similar dream or you just really want to learn to play, the Kuwait Bridge Club is working on starting courses for those who are interested in the Fall. You’ll have to be committed, however, and understand that the game requires lots of studying, patience and practice. As Numan puts it, “It isn’t enough to just show up every week.” If you’re interested in playing Bridge with the club, however, and have an understanding of the game – then feel free to join! The only requirement is to actually know the basics of bidding and hand play. There are plenty of Bridge-playing communities within Kuwait, and the Bridge Club is excited to welcome them to their tables for a friendly game! What’s next for the Bridge Club? They are hoping to participate in the World Games in Poland this September, which is basically their version of the Olympics. Other prospective competition destinations on the list include Portugal, Jordan and the UAE. Until then, the Kuwait Bridge Club can be found practicing away, perfecting their skills and playing with passion at their tables in the Kuwait Graduates Society, every Sunday and Wednesday.
The Kuwait Graduates Society is located in Bneid-Al Qar, and the Kuwait Bridge Club meets on Sundays and Wednesdays.
the promenade
TRY CARRIAGE
The app dedicated to hassle-free food deliveries
By bazaar staff
With food concepts on the rise, arranging for deliveries has become increasingly problematic for restaurant owners. Having opened up The Stack, a burger concept in Kuwait City, Abdullah Al Mutawa decided to do something about it. “When I wanted to start offering a delivery service for The Stack, I realized what a hassle it was. This, in addition to the commission from the delivery platform I was on, the assets that were bought and the workers that were hired - made the delivery process extremely cost prohibitive. It was then that I got the idea for a food delivery platform that had a logistics component. One that would free restaurants from the hassle and be profitable,” he explained. Enter Carriage, the brainchild of Abdullah and his co-founders: Khaled Al-Qabandi, Musab Al-Mutawa and Jonathan Lau. Offering restaurants all the benefits of delivering orders to customers without the challenges of arranging deliveries, Carriage arrives as a solution to both diners and restaurant owners alike. While Carriage offers a delivery service for anyone that requires it, Abdullah and his team hand pick the restaurants they choose to sign with. “We’re not trying to limit ourselves, we’re being selective. We only want the best there is for our customers,” he explained. Quality is Carriage’s biggest concern – and their promise is to deliver the food in the best quality possible. “We’ve promised restaurants and customers that their food would arrive in a quality that is as close as possible to the expected experience of in-house dining,” Abdullah explained. “The number of re-orders from our customers indicates that we are fulfilling that promise.” The fun part of the Carriage experience is that you can track your order in real-time! All you have to do is select the area you’re in, find your favorite restaurant and place your order. Once it’s confirmed, you can then track the driver on the map – gone are the days of guessing how long the food is going to be! Reeling with excitement and so many questions, we sat down with CEO Abdullah Al Mutawa to learn more about this service. 38
CEO Abdullah Al Mutawa
Why the name Carriage? And are you using the word “try” in ‘Try Carriage’ to encourage people to “try it out?” Carriages were designed specifically for private passengers, connoted comfort and elegance. These are all things we strive for when delivering to our customers. We want them to have the comfort of delivery from the best and highest-quality restaurants in Kuwait, in a way that is individualized. And yes, we did want to encourage people to “try” Carriage out. We loved the idea of having a call to action within our name. What was the gap you saw in the market, and how does Carriage fill that gap? Well, there are different gaps that we’re trying to fill. First is competition. There is virtually no competition when it comes to online food delivery in Kuwait- and that has resulted in food delivery platforms that lack quality and speed. We believe there is room for our delivery platform because we provide a caliber of speed and restaurants that heretofore had not existed. Additionally, we make the delivery of everyone’s
favorite food so intuitive, easy, and enjoyable that people get hooked instantaneously. What separates Carriage from other food delivery services? Do you only deliver from restaurants that don’t have a delivery service or do you deliver from everyone to everywhere? The short answer- we provide both customers and restaurants with a substantially better experience. The longer version of this answer is that Carriage has a completely different business model than any other online platform in Kuwait. We provide an integrated service where we provide not only the platform that customers can order from, but we also take care of the logistics from the restaurants side. This provides us with the ability to have the fastest possible deliveries in Kuwait. In fact, we currently average a little less than 33 minutes per delivery and are hoping to decrease that within the next couple of weeks. We are also able to offer unique features such as the ability to track your order through Carriage’s app something that some purport to do but do not. We’re also recruiting restaurants that are of
higher quality. This means that any choice of restaurants within our platform is a fantastic choice! What are the locations you guys have covered right now? Currently we cover most areas in Kuwait as long as they’re below the sixth ring road, though we’re expanding very soon to most other areas! At the end of the day, however, we’re a start-up, and our growth is driven by our customers. Also do keep in mind that the number of restaurants and their locations are a big factor in how we expand. What are some of the restrictions you have on delivery? Is this a food only delivery concept, or do you deliver coffee, soft drinks, etc.? We don’t have any restrictions right now. Food, coffee, ice cream, beverages, Hot or Cold - whatever is on our restaurants’ menu, we’ll deliver it. How can a restaurant switch from using Carriage to launching a delivery service? Do they still use Carriage’s services but as their own in this instance? Why would restaurants launch their own delivery service?! Launching a delivery service is cost prohibitive, the hassle is ridiculous, and it is not the restaurant’s competence. At Carriage, we take care of all the logistics for the restaurants from A to Z. It is a hassle-free approach to implementing the best delivery service in Kuwait. How does a customer ensure that their order is correct? Does their order go directly to the restaurant or does Carriage handle everything? The order goes through us first, and then to the restaurant. Customers receive an email with their receipt, and our dedicated call center is available for any inquiries that the customers may have or any changes they would need to make on their orders. Are the drivers trained to know the areas of Kuwait and how to find locations? All of our drivers go through extensive two-week training before they start working with us. We also provide them with a specialized Carriage driver app that they use to reach the restaurant and the customer’s locations, plus, it enables them to take the shortest and fastest routes to their destinations. What’s next for Carriage? We’re planning to expand both in scale and scope. Anything that can be delivered is potentially a vertical that we are entertaining. Kuwait is a prime location to introduce the on-demand economy, and we plan to make it as easy as possible for customers to be able to get all their needs delivered to them in the shortest possible time by ordering through their smartphones.
The Carriage team hard at work
You can download the Carriage app on your iOS or Android device or visit www.trycarriage.com. For more information, follow Carriage on Facebook: tr yc ar riage, Ins tag ram @tr y.car riage and Twitter @trycarriage. 39
DRIVEN TO PANIC By Dr Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg
Recently, I went on a road trip with my husband to attend a professional conference. I like road trips, whether I'm the passenger or driver. The route took us over two mountain passes, on winding roads, through spectacular mountain scenery. Because the trip was long, (about 8 hours), my husband and I shared the driving. He took the first part, and as we drove up out of the valley toward the first pass, I was relaxed, excited and anticipating a glorious day. That feeling lasted until the first time my husband went to pass a slower moving vehicle. As he signalled and went to pull out and around the car ahead, I panicked. Fullblown foot-through-the-floorboards-deathgrip-on-the-dash-banshee-screaming panic. (Really. I did that.) Fortunately, my husband is used to this reaction to his driving and doesn’t take it personally anymore. He calmly finished his manoeuvre, then said, “Feeling a bit anxious, are you?” Fast forward to the trip home. I’m driving this time. I signal, pull out and pass a semi truck and an RV, whipping back into my own lane in front of the RV with room to spare. Not much, but enough. (This highway was one lane each way without a median – passing a vehicle meant pulling into the lane of oncoming traffic) I realized my husband was laughing, and when I looked at him, he said, “You just did exactly what I did, but I see you’ve managed not to panic.” I had to laugh as well. I hadn’t felt anxious at all. In fact, it was quite exhilarating – sort of like driving in Kuwait. That started me thinking about the difference between the two situations. I don’t have a problem with my husband’s (or generally anyone’s) driving. He’s more than a ‘good’ driver, he’s skilled and experienced in all weather on all types of roads. Yet I couldn’t control my physical response to his decision to make a passing manoeuvre. When I did it, far from anxious, I felt excitement. Weird. That got me thinking about what anxiety/ panic is. Someone once said to me years ago – “Anxiety is the act of imagining a future you don’t want, and freaking out about it now.” I had a bit of an “Aha!” as I considered that when I was driving, I assessed the situation, 40
measured the risk and took action. I wasn’t worried about the outcome because I was in control. When my husband went to do the same thing, I couldn’t see that the opposing lane was clear, and I instantly jumped to a future I most definitely did. Not. Want. (Sudden death). This jump to a bad, bad, future happened without a conscious choice on my par t. At the speed of light, poof! I’m in full blown panic mode. For no other reason than that I was not in control. It wasn’t me that had made the risk assessment, therefore a thoroughly bad outcome was possible and my hyper-vigilant brain decided I was in danger. Without my conscious permission. If you struggle with anxiety, give this some thought. When are the times that you feel panic, and when are the times you don’t, even though the activity may be similar? Does the element of control have an impact on when/ how you feel panic? The body’s response to the brain’s equivalent of ‘pulling the fire alarm’ is not in my control. I’ve had enough practice dealing with these episodes that I don’t panic about panic anymore, and just let the discomfort of the adrenalin-fired response wash away – but it wasn’t always like that. It was hard work coming to a truce with my treacherous mind. I know why I have issues with panic, I know what the physiology is, I know it’s not likely to ever go away completely. But what I can
do is mindfully consider situations when I am driven to panic. It seems most of the time, the panic happens in situations I don’t control. I didn’t do the risk assessment, or make the choice to do/take action. Some of the things I’ve learned may help you. •Be kind to yourself. This is an automatic system – you don’t get to choose whether or not it goes off. •Don’t panic about panicking. If your heart can beat that fast when you do cardio, it’s going to be fine now. A panic attack is not a symptom of something worse. •Learn, practice, and use the tools of mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and thought-control. They work. •If you have a panic attack, get in the habit of doing some exercise – burn off that rocket fuel. The prescription is, “intense enough that you can’t carry on a conversation, for at least 30 minutes.” (On the upside, you could get totally fit.) •Consider 3-5 sessions with a therapist who specializes in anxiety. It might be the best time you ever spend on yourself. Don’t be driven to panic. Anxiety is something we all experience, but when that body system malfunctions, life can be pretty wretched. It doesn’t have to be that way. I know. No. Really. I do. Follow @drsusannah on Twitter and Instagram.
regency
Geeks & Gamers
E3 2016
By bazaar staff
Well, fellow gamers, it’s that time of year once again. E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo…3 e’s, get it?) is back for 2016, and for those of you that don’t know, E3 is an annual event that takes place in Los Angles around May or June each year. In this 2 day exhibition, the biggest names in gaming take to the stage to announce their newest projects and sneak peeks into their future plans. While this is an industry only event, with attendees being only those that work in the field of video games (attendees have to be approved and provide evidence of their relation to the industry), each company's presentation is streamed live through various online outlets for the world to watch. As the show is in America, this unfortunately means that for most of the world the show is on late at night until the early hours of the morning. But it can be an awesome yearly tradition, if you have friends that are just as interested as yourself, to plan ahead with them and make a night of it. Get some snacks in, prepare some games to play during the breaks or less interesting conferences and geek out until the early hours. Failing that, you can watch the recorded show on YouTube anytime you like, and will be covered by every gaming and tech site you can imagine, so getting the new news is extremely easy. The biggest conferences come from Sony (for all things PlayStation), Microsoft (Xbox), a PC gaming show, Nintendo and then the game studios such as EA, Ubisoft and Bethesda. Rumor has it that Rockstar Games will also be presenting a show at E3 this year. This is a huge deal, because if the name Rockstar Games means nothing to you, then some of their work will. Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, L.A Noire, Bully…some of the biggest games in history. The Internet is freaking out over the possibility of what they might be doing at E3, and most are betting on them revealing (finally) a sequel to Red Dead Redemption. Some are speculating that they may be announcing a new Grand Theft Auto game too. Whether they have their own conference, or they join as a part of somebody like Sony or Microsoft's show, is unclear. But whatever the case, you can expect the Internet to explode within minutes of whatever they do! So, what else can we expect from E3 this year? Some of the biggest rumors online suggest that both Sony and Microsoft will announce new consoles. Well, updated versions of the PS4 and Xbox One, at least. There have been leaks in recent months pointing toward a PS4.5, or PlayStation Neo, 42
from Sony. For Microsoft, the same is expected. Most believe that both companies want to update their consoles to output more power, display better graphics, handle even bigger games and utilize 4K resolution now that 4K has taken off recently. There seems to be more evidence pointing toward Sony making such a reveal, but little in the way of Microsoft doing so. We will soon see! Other things to look forward to include more details on The Last Guardian for PS4, and the Sony VR headset (Playstation VR). More of the new (and universally hated) Call Of Duty game should also be shown off, via Sony's event. Microsoft should be showing off more Gears of War 4, perhaps a new Forza Motorsport, some of their awesome indie games like Jughead and many other games. They should also be showing off more of their HoloLens technology, as revealed at last years E3. For Nintendo, we hope to finally see their new console, the Nintendo NX, take
center stage. It’s also expected that we will see plenty of new footage and details for the new Zelda game, and you can definitely count on something Mario related popping up. I personally hope that the NX is a step back for Nintendo. Less gimmicks, more power, and back to what they used to do best…addictive fun games that stand the test of time. The other conferences will show off new games and add ons for popular series, such as Fifa, NBA Live, Need for Speed, Assassins Creed, hopefully a new FarCry, Battlefield, Fallout, Ghost Recon, Mafia 3, Dishonored 2 and much more, additionally they will show off brand new games and franchises. As per every year, there will be some highs, some lows, some yawns and some cheers. It’s a 10 hour emotional rollercoaster that will have you live Tweeting or Facebook updating all night long. If you are a gamer and like to keep up with the latest gaming news, this is the main event for you!
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STOREFRONT FACELIFTS
With Jordan’s Wajha x Elevation Burger at Nuqat 2015 By bazaar staff
Before
The Nuqat Creative Conference may have ended, but the amazing work they did kept going. Back in November 2015, the Jordanian branding duo known as Wajha, led a threeday workshop about branding. A social design initiative, Wajha takes on branding projects for free. While many people would gasp at the notion, Wajha views it as ‘giving back.’ Taking over a small business that can’t afford branding services and bringing them into the modern world is what Wajha stands for. So for Nuqat’s 2015 conference, Wajha’s workshop attendees – sponsored by Elevation Burger – took over three locations in the Al Mubarakiya area of Kuwait City and breathed life into their storefronts. Now, we get to see what the young designers envisioned for these otherwise-neglected storefronts to be. 44
After
The Wajha duo, made up of Ali Almasri and Hussein Alazaat, come to us with a background in design. Celebrated for their ability to give makeovers to small businesses, the pair have done incredible things with the forgotten shops of Kuwait City. The storefronts they branded were for the First Night Salon ()صالون الليل االول, The People’s Tailor ( )خياط الجميعand Rawabi Al-Sharq for Live Chickens ()روايب الرشق للدجاج الحي. The storekeepers received new storefront designs and branding materials, thanks to the Nuqat workshop sponsored by Elevation Burger. “We launched the workshop with Wajha in the hopes of giving new life to neglected local businesses,” said Wakim Zeidan, one of Nuqat’s founders. "The designs were developed by the participants of the Wajha workshop conducted during Nuqat 2015. The best designs were then selected, refined and made ready for the production process that was sponsored by Elevation Burger. The participants were thrilled to join the workshop when they knew that their work would eventually hit the streets, quite literally." Ali Ashkanani, CEO of TABCo Food, the operator
of Elevation Burger in Kuwait added, "This is our third year of collaboration with Nuqat, and like every year, with Elevation’s Burger vision in mind, to promote sustainability and social change. We made sure to continue our work together and actualize the outcome of the workshop and contribute to beautifying Kuwait.” With the improved branding of the shops, the shopkeepers hope to attract new customers and increase footfall to their businesses. Rajesh Ibhatia, manager of the First Night Salon said, "When Nuqat first approached us, we instantly said yes as this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We were also excited to be the first to apply this great idea to our business.” Nuqat, Wajha and Elevation Burger hope that this project will motivate others to take initiative and join the movement toward beautifying Kuwait and supporting local businesses. You can find out more about Nuqat by checking out their website www.nuqat.me or follow them on Instagram @Nuqat. Follow Wajha to check out their many inspiring projects on Instagrm @WajhaProject.
1 in 4
school children does not see well
80%
Up to of all UV exposure occurs before the age of 18
solaris Children’s exposure to UV is
3X more than adults
70%
of children do not wear sunglasses
Because of their lifestyle, children are more exposed than adults to light. Their eyes are not yet fully developed, so they are less protected from the harmful effects of UV and blue-violet light.
/SolarisSunglassesME
• 2nd Avenue - The Avenues: 24954649 • 2nd Avenue - The Avenues (Inside Vision Express): 22283394 • Grand Avenue - The Avenues (Inside Vision Express): 22283092 • Marina Mall (Inside Vision Express): 22581490 • The Gate Mall (Inside Vision Express): 22081237 • Al Bairaq (Inside Vision Express): 22581952 • Rawda Co-op (Inside Vision Express): 22081047 • Salwa Co-op (Inside Vision Express): 22081034 • Kuwait International Airport (Inside Debenhams): 24341642
WALKING PRETTY
Arnaa Milano: a young local shoe brand with big ideas
By bazaar staff
Some shoes are made for walking, others are made for watching, and then there are those hidden gems that perfect for are both. Farah Sultan, the mother and creator of Arnaa Milano – the gorgeous new brand modestly peeping out of the local style scene— obviously crafted her innovative brand to cater to the woman who has style, comfort and creativity on her mind. Like the name of the brand, whose Inuit origin translates to strength, wealth and beauty, Arnaa Milano exudes similar qualities and a little extra je ne sais quoi. When Farah star ted working on Arnaa two shor t years ago, she knew the best way to achieve her shoe-designing goal was by taking baby steps. “I felt like Kuwait’s market lacked in original product design,” dishes the AUS Design graduate as she delicately sips her coffee. “I also missed making things – the creative process, working with my hands, and being involved with something I can create.” And create she did. With her background in Design Management from the American University of Sharjah complementing her lifelong passion for shoes, design and fashion, Farah set off to Milan to learn about the ar t of shoemaking in an intensive course housed by ARSUTORIA, one of the most prominent shoe and purse making schools in the world. This experience gave her the know-how and access to some of the best factories that produce luxur y highend brands such as Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin, and prompted her to launch her young brand in Kuwait. After designing and releasing her first collection in 2015, Arnaa sailed smoothly into the Spring/Summer 2016 (SS16) collection that presents a line of classic cut, floral-inspired beauties. Such favorites in this botanical line, inspired by Helen Dr yden’s illustrations for Vogue in the turn of the 20th centur y, include the elegant Taranto sandal: an open toe pump featuring a fashion-forward cross-strap lace up with leaf accents to accentuate the orchard detail at the shoe's upper segment. Staying true to the theme of Farah’s collection, the Taranto shoe pays homage to its botanical garden namesake – Giradini Botanici Villa 46
Farah Sultan Taranto in the western shore of Pallanza, Italy. “Taranto was one of the more memorable shoes I made because the orchid in par ticular was a huge creative process that involved making a lot of flowers” which makes it all the more special. Farah’s other favorite design includes the Carlotta shoe, which has a special stor y behind it as well: “Sketching the cherr y blossoms onto the Carlotta was both challenging and rewarding – you really have to know how to sketch a cherr y blossom and how to implement it onto a shoe,” which is correct, since it’s a bold design that wouldn’t necessarily work on ever y shoe or accessor y. With the Carlotta’s classic flat loafer shape and small heel, the look appears delicate and whimsical – elegant and traditional, with flair and originality, and Farah’s face has the unmistakable look of pride as she shows them off – pointing out their smooth nappa leather finish and
flawless detailing etched throughout. Like Taranto and many of the other pieces in Arnaa’s SS16 collection, Carlotta is named after another Italian botanical garden – Villa Carlotta in Nor thern Italy’s Lake Como area. The theme of this collection appropriately embraces Arnaa’s ultimate brand inspiration: the beauty of nature meshed with the hectic modernity of an ever yday urban lifestyle. What gives Farah these ideas and how does she prep her inspiration for collections? “Research! I do plenty of research” and with shoe names from the simple yet vibrant Protea, named after a flowering plant and the eastern inspired Jaya, this research is obviously well constructed. Arnaa’s next collection is in the works as well, and it’s definitely something to look forward to, filled with more fun research by the designer. The upcoming Alice in Wonderland inspired line follows Arnaa’s
Carlotta 01
Taranto 01
nature-meets-urban ethos, and promises fascinating and fun styles for the fashionable woman who dares dress her feet with innovativeness and originality. And like its botanical predecessor, its styles range appropriately to suit a clientele in their young twenties to mid thir ties, along with tasteful choices for more mature customers. Where can one locate the innovative styles produced by Arnaa? They make sales internationally, being stocked in the London based store, The Box (which PS: delivers internationally!), No30 Milano in Milan, Wolf & Badger in London, and ver y, ver y soon, they will be a par t of Kuwait’s elusive Grain Boutique. “I love Grain Boutique because they carr y so many different brands and focus on what is aesthetically pleasing and special – not just the big names.” What’s truly admirable about this brand, in addition to its impeccable detailing and pristine quality, is the woman behind the shoes. Farah balances being a new mother, a wife and a creative director all at once. Outside of her obligations with her amazing little family, she gives her all to Arnaa with her role as Creative Director. “I’m extremely involved in the entire process and when I’m not spending time with my husband and my kid, I’m working on the collection.” She also has dreams of turning Arnaa into a fashion house – something she feels is not accessible in Kuwait just yet. “We don’t really have that here! People tend to go for the big brands that celebrities are wearing – there needs to be more local products to focus on, and I’d love for young designers to train and jump on board to make shoes with me and maybe even purses – baby steps, though. One day in the future.” Though still new to the scene, Arnaa definitely has been making its mark in Kuwait with its first collection. The SS16 collection was stocked in Kuwait’s Har vey Nichols depar tment store in the Grand Avenue, but with good reason, sold out! So we definitely won’t be surprised if we spot fashionable feet clad in floral accents clickclacking the tiles of Salhiya or Prestige. “Arnaa is getting popular, but it does take time. My designs are unique and with time, people are going to be, and already have been more receptive to them – but this is a tough industr y – it’s definitely not easy!” though with a strong ethos of creativity and a belief system of slow and steady winning the race, they will surely make a splash with Kuwait’s style savvy community.
For more information on Arnaa Milano, visit their website at www.arnaa.com for updated lists on where you can find their styles. 47
TAGHEUER’S 2016 COLLECTION SHOWCASE IN KUWAIT Featuring the latest timepieces from the Aquaracer, Carrera and Formula 1 collections By bazaar staff
Partnered with Trafalgar, the acclaimed Swiss avant-garde watchmaker TAGHeuer unveiled its 2016 collection in May at their boutique in The Avenues Mall. This exclusive preview took place in-store, and guests were greeted by the TAGHeuer Kuwait team with refreshments and canapés while taking a first look at the latest timepieces from the Aquaracer, Carrera and Formula 1 collections. Aquaracer Ever the pioneer, in 1892, Edouard Heuer filed the first patent for a watertight case in the history of watchmaking, and it was an immediate success. Since that time, the Aquaracer (the collection created by TAGHeuer in 2003) has continued to evolve to become a sports watch beloved by men and women alike. The Aquaracer 300M Ceramic (43mm) Automatic Calibre 5 and Aquaracer Lady 300M Quartz – Full Ceramic (35mm) were shown at the preview. Carrera Presented for the first time last year at Baselworld, the Carrera HEUER-01 is the signature Chrono model from the TAGHeuer manufacture. In 2015, the watch formed the cornerstone of a burgeoning new collection, with a new design, a new HEUER-01 in-house calibre based on the 1887 calibre, and a new modular case design with 12 elements enabling multiple combinations of materials and colours. Three new models of the hugely successful HEUER-01 were also on display at the preview, and included the new metal bracelet in steel or titanium, the all-titanium bracelet, and the black ceramic and rubber edition. Formula 1 First launched in 1986, the TAGHeuer Formula 1 collection is one of the longest standing partnerships in the motor racing world. TAGHeuer was the first brand to sponsor a professional driver, the official timekeepers of Formula 1 for over 10 years, as well as timekeeping for other world-class events such as the Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis 500 miles race. In 2005, TAGHeuer launched the first Formula 1 watch just for women. Two years later, the entire collection was re-designed and 2010 saw the introduction of the ceramic bracelet. In 2012, the new TAGHeuer Formula 1 for men was released and the Automatic TAGHeuer Formula 1 launched in 2014. This collection is known for showcasing motor racing features with touches of red, tachymeter scales on chronographs versions, full black versions, luminescent markers for better readability, and an “easy grip” screw-in crown. There are six pieces from the Formula 1 collection available to view at the Avenues Mall boutique. Find TAGHeuer in Kuwait at the following locations: TAG Heuer Boutique location: Avenues Mall, Phase 2, Ground Floor and at various Trafalgar Showrooms: Avenues Mall - Phase 2 - Ground Floor, 360 Mall -Ground Floor, The Gate Mall - Ground Floor, Souq Sharq - Ground Floor, Al Kout Mall - Ground Floor, Marina Mall - Ground Floor, Al Fanar - Ground Floor and Salmiya. Follow them on Instagram @trafalgarkuwait. 48
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YOUNG DESIGNS When incredible art meets wearable design By bazaar staff
We’re always looking for new ways to feel young, from splurging on a flashy new car, to following the latest diet fad. The reality is far simpler, however, as ‘youth’ is a feeling above everything else. No one knows this truth better than the talented designer behind Young Designs, Ahmed Alashab. “No matter your age, a well-designed T-shirt will always make you look and more importantly, feel, young!” He stated simply. Born out of a passion for art and design, Young is a modern lifestyle brand that is taking the local scene by storm and is currently sold at the Thouq shop in Al-Mubarakiya. With beautifully hand-printed designs that showcase stunning works of calligraphy artfully presented with urban design elements, Young Designs delivers quality garments that truly speak to all generations by celebrating creativity and vitality. Ahmed was always inspired by his passion for type design, specifically Arabic calligraphy and fashion. He explained, “I like the idea of mixing traditional Arabic calligraphy and adding a hip twist 50
to it. I wanted to allow Arabic calligraphy to express feelings that go beyond the expected in an artistic matter. I want people to appreciate the beauty of Arabic calligraphy in terms of its design, and how it could emote feelings like happiness, sadness, vitality and so much more.” Simply put, you won’t find a design by Young available at your typical high-street shop. Ahmed draws inspiration from his daily experiences, and you can see this clearly illustrated through his wearable art pieces that equally function as quality t-shirts. He said, “I channel these experiences, lessons and feelings and I see them evolve into artworks. I enjoy this process of seeing how a design comes together, and how it evolves as I adapt it into a t-shirt. I get excited every time I see a completed design, and I’m even more excited about the possibilities when it comes to t-shirt fashions, trying different printing techniques and how I could make my designs come to life.” Utilizing hand-printed techniques, Young Designs is locally produced in limited quantities of t-shirts and tank tops per collection. This way, customers are ensured that they won’t find these designs elsewhere, making every
purchase a truly wearable, art collectible. This summer, Young Designs takes the classic camouflage print to a new level with the ‘Camo’ series. When coming up with the various design elements for the series, Ahmed looked to the military for inspiration. He said, “From the army, the navy to the air forces, all of these soldiers who take on these inspiring roles in their lives share the qualities of strength and determination. I wanted to create art that celebrated these amazing characteristics. More importantly, I wanted to allow anyone to embrace these qualities by wearing the design they feel relates to their own personalities, based on the colors presented in the collection, and the words chosen to accompany each design.”
Shop the latest from Young Designs by visiting the Thouq shop in Al-Mubarakiya! Or better yet, follow him on Instagram @younggdesigns, text 5002 4776 or www.younggdesigns.com to place your order.
toni & guy
WHAT TO AVOID FOR A HEALTHY RAMADAN Yes, there IS such a thing as too much katayef By bazaar staff
It’s that time of year again, where we pay our dues by fasting to practice tolerance in the sweltering heat. But come sundown, fasts break and feasts begin – and following feasts, the festive season of Ramadan always leaves room for dessert! Following our own traditions, we’ve compiled a go-to list for your dessert fixes, be they midnight snack, for a post futoor gathering, or something decadent to end breaking your fast on a sweet note. With the holy month of Ramadan upon us, we can’t forget what this special season is all about. This is an exciting time for Muslims everywhere, and feelings of spiritual rebirth and acts of kindness and tolerance fill the air – in a sense, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. But we can’t lie – especially not in Ramadan. Though this season is filled with heartwarming emotion, peacefulness and tranquility – it’s also filled with extreme hunger and post sundown food comas. And to award the struggle that this month is meant to encompass, we often reason with ourselves by thinking that binging from iftar to fajr will balance out our food intake. Unfortunately, this compromise doesn’t exist, and can cause a dramatic toll on your body, starting with, say it with us now… noticeable weight gain. And let’s point out another obvious concern to consider: The weather. In Kuwait, we have 15.5-hour fasting days in sweltering heat that has reached over 50 degrees Celsius, and sundown doesn’t happen till at least 6:30. Despite all these obstacles, your health shouldn’t suffer. To help you stay on your spiritual journey, we’ve created a helpful list of things you should avoid to get through this month in one piece – preferably the same size piece that you started with. Oh, those family Iftars. When you’re a guest at a relative or friend’s house, the slow-eating flow you’ve grown accustomed to can be difficult to maneuver. Aunties and Mamas are infamous for taking it as a personal insult when you don’t try everything on her 3-meter long dining table. To avoid over indulging, try serving yourself a small spoonful of the delectable offerings. If you’re still attempting to stick to a healthy eating plan, then avoid the fried goodness that is those incredible Ramadan sambosas, and load up on salads, healthy fats and proteins. Processed foods This should really be a rule of thumb in your everyday life. But, in Ramadan it’s especially 52
important. Just because you’ve got about 9 hours to eat every night doesn’t mean you should waste precious stomach real estate with crap. Eat things that are full of vitamins and minerals (like fruit and salad). You can have potato chips again when the month is over. Overeating So, your favorite dish is on the table, and you want to attack it singlehandedly with a spoon. Binge eating at the end of a long fasting day can really put your stomach through the ringer, and your body needs to digest all of this food, which requires energy and will make you feel even hungrier the next day. If you overeat from day one, by day 30, life will not be pleasant. Being outdoors in the daytime Try to schedule your errands and outings late afternoon or right after iftar. Avoid being in the sun, or even in your car for too long. Try to get as much done during the weekend as possible. Skipping Suhour Not only is breakfast the greatest meal of the day (foul, eggs, pancakes! YUM!), it’s also the
most important. Prepare your suhour before you go to bed, so that you can wake up in the middle of night to heat everything up. Laziness Ramadan and laziness tend to come hand in hand. You’re too hungry all day, and too busy at night to really do anything. FIGHT IT!! Take a walk right before iftar to avoid hangry moments you might regret later. Take up a crafting project to do when you get home to keep your hands busy. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t nap in the afternoon, but don’t spend your waking fasting hours in bed or in front of a TV screen. We know it can be hard, but we believe you can do it! Ramadan is a great, spiritually awakening month that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Just remember to pace yourselves, Kuwait – be kind to your bodies while training them to be tolerant, and they in turn, will be kind to you.
Ramadan Kareem and mubarak 3aleikom il’shahar – from all of us here at bazaar.
fantasy world
“TOGETHER, WE CREATE”
What the Reyada Collaborative Workspace can do for you By bazaar staff
What are the key ingredients for success? Opinions may vary, but the well-researched, driven and compassionate masterminds behind the Reyada Collaborative Workspace might just have the answer: Stunning, ultra modern workspaces currently available for rent. “When we were living abroad, we would frequent collaborative spaces to get our work done, and upon moving back to Kuwait we noticed a niche in the market that would facilitate small to medium businesses,” says Talal Al-Ajeel, one of Reyada’s four par tners. That’s exactly what Reyada poses as: a facilitator to entrepreneurs, and a home away from home to help you get all your eggs in a basket, sans distraction, and with high productivity. The Reyada space, nestled on the 24th floor of Cr ystal Tower situated in the hear t of the city, is vast and organized in a way to accommodate all of its members and visitors. Opened in the beginning of May, the space holds an array of different offices and workspaces to cater to all types of memberships. First off, you choose from two different memberships: Coworking and Dedicated, which both carr y two different options under their umbrella. If you’re a freelancer, someone who already has an office, or you frequent Kuwait on business and need somewhere to get work done, you can choose the Originator membership. It’s pay as you go, where you have access to the collaborative workspace from 9 am to 9 pm, as well as one hour of the meeting room and all the basic amenities Reyada has to offer, star ting at KD 15 per day, hence the “pay as you go” concept. The Resident Coworking Membership includes daily access to the co-working space from 9-9, three hours per month of access to the meeting room, and all the amenities Reyada offers, all for KD 100 per month. If you’re a night owl or a believer in the notion that teamwork makes the dream work, the Dedicated Membership might be for you. For a Dedicated Desk membership, at KD 175 per month, you get 24/7 access to the space with four hour access to the meeting room, and the KD 300 per month Private Office option buys you the same perks only with a five hour allowance to the 54
Co-founders (counter-clockwise): Hamad AlAwadhi, Fahad AlMashan, Ahmad AlKhaled, & Talal Al-Ajeel
meeting room. The great thing about the Dedicated memberships is that your offices truly become yours. Whether you’ve claimed a desk in a four-person office that you’re sharing with three other people or you have something all to yourself, for the duration of your membership you can pop in after hours using your provided pin code to access the space, and leave your belongings there overnight without worr y, because you have a key to keep your space locked up. There are a lot of perks that come along with being a member at Reyada, including high-speed internet, access to hot and cold beverages replenished daily, full access to the lounge areas, parking and priority workshop and event access. Obviously, Dedicated members get a few additional perks per taining to the nature of their memberships (fully furnished private offices with daily cleaning) but all memberships, with the exception of Originator membership, get the advantage of the Member Benefit Program which will be launching with more details this July. What’s not to look forward to?
When Reyada’s four par tners and creators collaborated in launching the space, their vision was to have all entrepreneurs of the business-rich nation join forces and create a community of inspiration and productivity. “By creating a “membership” system, we don’t intend to imply an exclusivity to the space, but a sense of being a par t of a community. We don’t like calling our tenants “tenants” – they’re par t of a community that we’re facilitating for people to collaborate and communicate,” says Talal, as he guides us around the office’s sleek, modern rooms. “What’s great about this space is that we provide what the community needs. The economy lacks small to medium business facilitators – especially those who provide a space for like-minded individuals who at the end of the day can expand each other’s aspirations and go to their businesses hand in hand.” With Reyada in function, said like-minded individuals with different backgrounds can discover each other and collaborate with ease, all while working in the same space. Example, a freelance writer who needs
a photographer can likely knock on the neighboring office’s door or scout the coworking space for a freelance photographer, and the chances are they’ll find one, thus creating a new team. The space also aims to focus on social responsibility, working hand in hand with non-profit organizations like INJAZ-Kuwait, LOYAC, and Nuqat – in fact, Nuqat’s Tamkeen program has been taken over by Reyada and will be housed in the space, to promote design and creative entrepreneurship – a facet that Reyada feels strongly about. Reyada will open its doors to other events and workshops to the public and members alike: from independent film screenings to lectures and seminars, promoting organizations such as Hikma, a positive social awareness campaign. To them, it is vital to follow the ethos of a creativity, knowledge and collaboration to only enhance and nurture a community with such potential. Community is key in this modern workspace where the vibe is collaborative and the creative juices flow. The space is abuzz with ideas and encouragement – from the communal “help yourself” coffee bar in the co-working area to the resident built-in white board where ideas, notes, inspirational messages and contact details are all shared. The mere fact that people can meet and greet, brainstorm and collaborate with such ease, marr ying different backgrounds (and different home and business bases throughout the region) is valuable in and of itself. It’s clear that this space was designed for great things to happen, and that, as Talal puts it, the space promotes “a community of professionals and hard working individuals who at the end of the day will bring better products to market and create better connectivity amongst each other.” As he stands before Reyada’s appropriate trademark, copyrighted slogan scrawled on the space’s front wall, “Together, We Create”, Talal leaves us with these equally inspirational words: “There’s a nation that has a ver y bright future with a ver y young population that needs catering to and facilitating to – that being said, hard work never stops, neither do your dreams. Focus on them fully because there’s definitely a goal to be achieved” and we vehemently believe that Reyada will be just the space to achieve your goals in. Reyada is located on the 24th floor of the Crystal Tower on Soor Street in Kuwait City. Follow them on Instagram @reyada_co. For more information, call them at 5565 4747, and for detailed information on membership, visit their website at www.reyada.co. Photograpghy by Muneera AlKhulaifi 55
INTERVIEW WITH DR. SAM TOGLAW Innovating Entrepreneurship at ACK By bazaar staff
With ACK’s First Annual Competition for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Small and Medium Enterprises hosted by the college's Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIEACK), students experienced the true meaning of building a business idea from the ground up. Whether choosing to innovate the food and beverage sector, IT, social media and communications or tourism, amongst other industry sectors, the competition opened the students’ eyes to the world of the small business economy. What was once considered a small part of the business economy, the small and medium sized enterprise (SME) is gaining more importance in the eyes of fresh graduates nationwide. With CIEACK, students now have the chance of building their skills to take on this evolving field as soon as they’ve completed their university careers. We met with the seasoned Dr. Sam Toglaw, manager of CIEACK and Acting Associate Dean for the School of Business at ACK, to learn more about his role in carrying out this exciting competition. Upon completing his PhD in marketing management from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in 2006, Dr. Sam garnered 20 years of practical experience in Australia, the Far East and Middle East. From working in managerial positions to training professionals in many disciplines such as customer relationship management, strategic planning & leadership, consumer behaviour, service design and branding as well as entrepreneurial skills, Dr. Sam oversaw every moment of the competition with a keen eye on innovation. Can you tell us more about the competition? The School of Business established a center for 56
innovation and entrepreneurship in December 2015 in order to foster and support innovation and entrepreneurship across ACK, through advantageous education, training, research and functions including distinctive outreach programs, networking initiatives, and cooperation with strategic organizations. Our vision is to become a leader in generating human capital with excellence in innovative thinking and entrepreneurship skills that enable them convert novel ideas to successful enterprises. In order to build student entrepreneurial skills that enable them to convert their innovative business ideas to real successful businesses, we introduced units in our academic curriculum that require the development of startup business plans over 13 weeks. Students go through idea generation workshops on a weekly basis and learn how to screen business ideas and develop them to become strong enough for a sustainable business. It is a learning experience during which students in groups learn teamwork, self-leadership, critical thinking, risk assessment, financial, situational, market and customer analyses and, most importantly, strategic planning. What was the importance of the competition, and how did the students perform? It was the first ACK competition for innovation and entrepreneurship in small and medium enterprises. Students faced the challenge to “pitch” their business ideas in front of a panel of judges. The first ACK competition was organized with the Arab Planning Institute and the Global Center of Kuwait University who organized training sessions for ACK students to overcome difficulties and mistakes commonly done in business plans. Kuwait Banking Association generously sponsored the prizes for the first three winners. Also in attendance were Mr. Abdullah Al-Sharhan, Chairman of ACK, Dr. Bader Mallalah, Chairman of API, Mr. Sulaiman Al-Ayoubi
on behalf of Mr. Majid Al-Ajeel, Chairman of KBA, and Dr. Redha Behbehani, Founder and Director General of Global Center. The first winning project was Tire Rubber Recycling Factory, the second one was a brilliant mobile application for advance booking of venues and restaurants in Kuwait. The third winning project was a social media application similar to Facebook but subscribers can share locations and organize many value adding functions that save time, effort and money. Having spoken about the winners, I want to be fair with all competing groups as many other good projects were presented in this completion in the food and hospitality industries. The qualified teams; not only the winning ones; also had the opportunity to participate in Startup Kuwait 2016, a national competition that was held on the 29th May, 2016 and will include qualified teams from private universities as well as Kuwait University. It was a competition that nationally fostered innovation and entrepreneurship in every way. What do you believe are the most integral tools that business students need to acquire before embarking on a professional career? Students need to learn and acquire employability skills such as team work, leadership, critical and analytical thinking, product and service innovation as well as strategic planning. Finally, entrepreneurship is what ignites their energies to convert dreams to reality and ideas to profitable businesses. “It does not make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do, they are the ones who tell us what to do”-Steve Jobs.
For information about ACK, phone 1828 225, follow them on Twitter and Instagram @ACK_Live and Facebook: ACKLive, and head to www.ack.edu.kw.
Xcite
SEC INTERTIORS Where fit-outs get creative By bazaar staff
Budget, quality and timeliness – these are the things that make up SEC Interiors' core values. No matter the project, SECi will ensure that your budget is met with the highest quality. Creativity is their key principal as they pay attention to even the smallest of details, making the simplest feature pop. Established in 2008, SECi have proven themselves to be the finest fit-out firm in Kuwait. Since then, the company has grown as well as their clientele list. Building relationships with their clients, they stick around beyond the grand opening of any project, dubbing them the firm you can count on. Combining all their creative backgrounds, SECi create bespoke experiences to cater to their clients’ needs. Their creativity allows them to plan out every project with meticulous attention to ensure superior standards of design every time. SECi's innovative approach guarantees each client is given a unique creative vision. Each client’s individuality is met with a standard of excellence and ingenuity that is tailored to their needs. Not the typical contracting firm, SECi has a dedicated team of consultants, architects and interior designers that are extremely passionate about their work. With their collective experiences and backgrounds, SECi applies their expertise and knowledge on every level needed to complete a project. “We believe that great design can change the way people see the world around them,” Director of Business Development, on Nour Al-Dean explained. “A serene restaurant with a touch of insanity is an adventure. [While] a practical dynamic office is always a boost for productivity, and a unique retail space can excite those who shop there.” Treating every space as a platform that tells a story, SECi’ unique approach to their projects gives them an edge. “For us, a space has a meaning and a story to tell,” Kamal Elatawy, Managing Director of SECi elaborated, "we tailor-make every space, bringing it to life and give it a story of its own. We believe it should be a s unique as our clients." Having established themselves in the world of fit-outs for restaurants, retail spaces and offices, SECi are now venturing into the realm of renovations and maintenance for buildings. They’re also extending their services to design and customization of furniture and lighting! “Our range of services include: Design development and implementation, construction fit-out, furniture solutions, lighting solutions, finishes solutions, refurbishment and 58
maintenance,” Kamal elaborated. SECi’ skilled labor have also mastered the art of antiquing! Giving any piece a vintage or Mid-Century feel, SECi can provide you with the pieces you seek to make your space a little warmer. “We believe our passion for constant challenges and perfection had led us to be one of the best integrated interior design and fit out companies in Kuwait,” Kamal concluded.
For more information you can visit their website www.secikw.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @SECIKw. SECi can be found in Sharq, Kuwait City, St. 155 Riyadh Center, or call them on 2246 4381 or 6000 2578.
promenade
FIVE TOP TIPS TO GET YOUR KIDS READING! KidZania provides insights on the importance of preschool reading By bazaar staff
As part of its continuous efforts to instill essential educational values within children, KidZania Kuwait, the exciting kid-sized metropolis recently held a fun activity led by one of its five unique characters, Urbano, to shed light on the importance of learning among children. Entrusted with the right to know, Urbano is a 9-year-old boy, a savvy bookworm, curious adventurer, science explorer and space lover, who represents children’s fundamental right to education and continuously encourages them to be passionate about reading, exploring and seeking knowledge. In line with this belief, KidZania advocates reading to toddlers and pre-school children (aged two to five years), as it helps enhance their cognitive, intellectual and linguistic development. Not only that, but reading to children can also foster a stronger emotional bond between parents and children that will draw the two closer together. As a parent, you must always remember that you, too, have the power to boost your child’s learning potential simply by incorporating reading as an essential part of their daily routine. According to Child Psychology Expert at Fawzia Sultan 60
Rehabilitation Institute, Saima Bhati, below are suggested tips that can help foster your child’s love for reading: 1. Read by example: Become a good role model for your kids. You can motivate your little ones to read simply by reading yourself. When they observe you read books, magazines, newspapers and other materials they are inclined to do so themselves. 2. Establish reading time: Make reading a daily habit by dedicating at least 5 to 10 minutes a day to read to your child, be it before bedtime, during lunch, while bathing, etc. The options are endless! 3. Read it out loud: Reading aloud to your kid is one of the most important activities for literacy development and in building word-sound awareness in children. In fact, many psychological research studies reveal that it can stimulate language development even before a child is able to talk. 4. Consider reading outside of books: Get creative and diversify your reading resources to make it fun for the little ones. Ask your child to read off of cereal boxes, billboards, toy boxes and magazines. You could also make a grocery list and ask your child for help in listing, writing and naming the items needed, or stick menus to the fridge and allow him/ her to practice by reading it out loud to you. This will not only challenge their literacy skills but also
emphasize on the importance of reading in the real world. 5. Make it interactive: While reading to your child, don’t be afraid to ask questions about the story. Pause every now and then to build anticipation and attention, or simply propose new character names and story endings. As a parent, you often strive to raise smart, bright children. However, you must always remember that the key to your child’s academic excellence lies in your commitment to fostering his literacy skills during early childhood. By utilizing the endless resources available at hand, making reading part of a daily lifestyle, and using a bit of imagination and creativity, you are guaranteed to nurture a child who appreciates the values of reading and literacy development, long before his first academic year. KidZania’s activity with Urbano also coincided with World Book Day where he got to visit the National Library of Kuwait and enjoyed learning!
KidZania Kuwait is located at The Avenues. For more information, visit www.kidzania.com.kw. Follow @KidZaniaKuwait on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
regency
EMPTY KUARTER B y R e e m A l - G h a r abal l y
Ahmad Jafar’s (aka Empty Kuarter) star is rising: he had a first release last year of a collaborative track with Kuwait musician Alter Sal with French record label Work & Consume and a solo installation at Zahed Sultan’s REUSE event in March. People are beginning to recognize his talent for intelligent dance music production. H e h a t e s h av i n g h i s p h o t o t ake n ( b u t doe s n o t m i n d c andi d s hot s ) and i s ve r y h u m b l e a b o u t hi s m us i c . O n hi s In s ta g ra m @e m pt y k uar t e r h e des c r i b e s him se l f a s a n a s pi r i n g ( d) J e s t e r. “I hon e s t l y d o n ’t c a r e w h a t I am c al l ed w h i c h i s w hy I p l ay ed a r ound w i t h D J e s t e r – I jo ke a l o t ab o u t w hat I d o ,” h e s ay s . “I d o n ’t l i ke l abel s .” Bu t j oke s as i d e , i t i s n o t l o n g i n t o a c o nv e r s a t i on t h a t y ou re a l i z e Ah m a d J af a r i s a v er y a r t i c u l a t e, th o u g h t fu l m u s i c i an a n d v er y s er i o u s abo u t w h a t h e d oes . Empty Kuar ter is the half of colla b o ra tio n wi t h E m p t y A l t e r. H o w d i d this c o lla b o ra t i o n beg i n? Em p t y Al t e r c am e a b o u t af t er Z a h e d Sul t a n ’s Ku wa i t Ri s i ng l as t y e a r. T hat i s w h e r e I m e t Sa l e m a l Sa l e m a k a A l t er Sal . T h ey p u t u s on t hi s w o r k s hop a n d we st a r t e d t a l k i n g a b o u t m u s i c . We c l i c ked and we d e c i d e d we s h o u l d c o n t i nue w o r k i n g t o g e t h e r. We p r o d u c e d a 4 t r a c k E P t hat went now h e r e . T h e n we pr o d u c ed anot h e r si n g l e . We g o t a b i t of t r a c t i o n w i t h o u r se c o n d so l o s i n g l e N e g i z nee – i t i s a to u g h t e c h n o t ra c k . N e g i z nee i s Kuwa i t i sl a n g fo r “ m a ke m e bounc e ”. A nd i t i s a v e r y b o u n c y t r ac k . I t g o t r e l e a s ed by Fre n c h r e c o r d l abel Wor k & Cons u m e H o w d id t h a t ha p p e n – g et t i ng r el eas e d by a Fre n c h re c o r d l a b e l ? Th a t i s t h e p owe r of s oc i a l m edi a i n th e 21s t C e n t u r y. M a x D uke i s a Fr e n c h pro d u c e r a n d I had o n e of hi s r e c or d s . I se n t h i m a m e s s a g e o n Fa c ebook t o say I r e a l l y l i ke d hi s m u s i c and I nev e r ex p e c t e d h i m t o r es p o n d . H e r es p o n d e d , as ke d m e w h er e I wa s f r om . T h a t wa s abo u t t h r e e y e a r s a g o. H e s a i d i f y ou hav e any i n t e r e st i n g s t uf f s e n d i t my way I w i l l put yo u i n t o u c h w i t h peopl e t o r el eas e i t. S o I h av e been s endi ng hi m m u s i c 62
fo r t h e l a s t t hr e e y e a r s . H e l i s t e n e d to N e g i z n e e i n J u n e a n d h e s ai d y ou’v e g ot t o fi n i sh t h i s a n d I w i l l r el eas e i t by the e n d o f t h e y ear. I t wa s r e a l l y n i c e t o g et t h a t k i n d o f c o n f i r m at i o n . W h a t wa s y o u r m us i c a l j our n ey ? You h av e b e e n pr o d u c i n g m u s i c f o r t he l ast fiv e y e a r s . B u t how d i d i t s t ar t ? W h e n I wa s about 1 2 y e a r s o l d I h a d a l i t t l e b i t o f a n ex i s t ent i a l c r i s i s . I did n o t r e a l l y k now w h a t a n ex i s t ent i a l c r i sis wa s – I h a d n ’t s t udi ed t h e s e c o n c epts ye t . B u t a s I g r ew o l d e r I r e a l i z e d w h at h a p p e n e d : T he one t h i n g t h a t g o t m e o ut o f t h a t fu n k wa s m us i c . I s t a r t ed t o m ake m i x t a p e s f o r p e o p l e – l i ke w h a t I t h ink t h ey sh o u l d be l i s t e n i n g t o. T h i s i s w hat a D J d o e s : A D J e s s e n t i al l y t e l l s ev e r y o ne t h i s i s w h a t y o u s h o u l d be l i s t e n i n g t o. An d w h a t di d y ou t h i n k peopl e s houl d h av e b e e n l i s t e n i n g t o a t t hat t i m e? RnB and Hip Hop is what I star ted out with. So y o u we r e n o t i m m e d i a t e l y dr aw n to e le c t ro n ic m us i c ? N o . I wa s i n t o H i p H o p and RnB pr i m arily b e c a u s e I k n ew a f ew B- boy er s D id y o u D J at p a r t i e s i n s c h o o l ? W h e n I we n t t o c ol l eg e [ i n t h e St at e s ] I e n d e d u p D J - i ng at par t i e s a n d s t ar ted g e t t i n g a feel f or w h a t p e o p l e l i ke d . I t wa s i n c o l l e g e I g ot i nt o el ec t r o n i c m usic . a n d s t a r t e d m a k i ng my o w n m u s i c . Like v e r y si m p l e l oops . Aft e r c o l l e g e I c a m e b a c k t o Ku wai t and I wa s l i ke “ I a m g oi ng t o be a D J i n Kuwa it. ye a h !” B u t Kuwa i t h a s n o par t i e s , no c l u b s , n o loung e s . So I dec i d e d I was g o i n g t o l e a r n t o m a ke my ow n m u s i c . W h a t a re t h e c h a l l e n g e s y o u f ace as a Ku wa it i e le c t r oni c m us i c i a n ? It is the lack of venues more than anything. Electronic music is not socially acceptable yet. It is getting acceptance now. O t h e r t h a n t h a t I t h i n k t h e b i g g e st c h a l l e n g e t hat I h av e s e e n s o f a r in Ku wa i t i s our s el v es . We a r e n ot p r o m o t i n g e a c h ot h e r, we don’t c r e a te fo r u m s t o c o m e t o g et h e r and di s c us s our i s su e s . If we h a d r e g ul ar s h o w s and r eg u lar v e n u e s w h e r e we wer e r e a l l y al l owe d to e x p r e s s o ur s e l v e s t hen y o u don’t need a fo r u m fo r peopl e t o g et t og e t her a n d t alk. B e c a u s e t h en p e o p l e w i l l j us t g o o u t to t h e s e t h i n g s a n d t h e KD s w i l l v ot e . S o t h e v e n u e s t hat e n d u p m ak i n g m o n ey a n d st ayi n g a l i v e w i l l be pr o m ot i n g the c u l t u r e s t h at m a ke t he m os t s ens e . B u t w i t h o u t t h a t k i n d o f s t r u c t u r e t h en yo u n e e d ev er y one t o c om e t og e t her a nd t a l k a n d t h at i s not happeni ng . What are your musical aspirations for the future? I s t i l l wa n t t o D J . I r e a l l y do e n j oy the c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e c r ow d , and w or k ing
of f eac h other’s energ y. B ec ause I think that is what we all want to do in the wor ld - wor k with energ y and f ind people that c an matc h up with our energ y lev els. There are people in Dubai who are interested in my music and my sty le and my music al abilities and so my aspiration is to star t going there and play ing there. What about f ur ther af i el d – Ber l i n f or exam pl e? That is just like a pipe dream f or me. Why pi pe dream? I hav e f riends in B er lin and Franc e but I really do like hom e. I like this region. I like the people. I know there are som e people who say it is boring , and it c an be, but I think it is im por tant to stay c lose to this region. Not only bec ause it is hom e but also bec ause it is growing . And it is growing in interesting way s. W hether
it is good or bad, I am not s ure yet, but at leas t it is growing and changing and there is flux. A s long as there is flux, I am in teres ted. A ny l ast wor ds? I wou ld encourage people to be ver y honest…. I think people no longer lis ten to thems elves fir s t and foremos t. So besid es being hones t with other people, whic h is impor tant in general from a m oral per s pective, be more hones t with y our s elf. If you are hones t with your s elf things make a lot more s ens e. It is eas ier to navigate the whole s ocial media and the attention. A nd if you do get fame m ore power to you – but jus t be hones t.
Fo llow Ahmad on his Ins tag ram accou nt @ emp ty ku ar ter. L is ten to his mu s ic on https:/ / s ou ndcl ou d.com/ empty ku ar ter. 63
WANSA MAKES COOKING A
PIECE OF CAKE THIS RAMADAN
New range. Fantastic experiences. By bazaar staff
Style and excellent functionality explains WANSA’s new range of fabulous appliances in a neat little electro-savvy nutshell. And during the hustle bustle of Ramadan, you need both things to get by as the holy month consists of many dishes, drinks, dresses, dara’as and dishdashas that require quality electronics to reach their full potential such as WANSA’s super durable kettles for your many teas and coffees, steam irons to give you that polished, effortless look and many more items that you tend to overlook but greatly affect your look, time and effort. WANSA’s philosophy is based around your everyday life. That is why this unique brand offers a wide range of stylishly designed, durable and nifty electronics that are the perfect answer to your dynamic life’s varied needs. As a local brand, WANSA completely understands what you require on a daily basis especially during Ramadan where the kitchen turns into the heart of every home. WANSA offers impeccable kitchen appliances that make everyday cooking a joy instead of an arduous task. From blending delectable smoothies to break the daily fast, roasting the most succulent cuts of beef, to showing off your talent in making the best side dishes and dips for suhoor, not a moment is wasted with WANSA's wide selection of kitchen appliances. Whether you want to chef it up, prance in immaculately ironed and steamed outfits or even maintain your weight on a WANSA’s great range of gym equipment, prepare for Ramadan in the best way possible by dropping by the nearest X-cite store or www.xcite.com to get your hands on any WANSA item that suits your needs and lifestyle in the holy month and beyond. For the latest WANSA updates, make sure to follow X-cite by Alghanim Electronics online: Instagram, Twitter & Snapchat @Xcitealghanim and Facebook @XcitebyAlghanim. 64
Ramadan Mubarak From WANSA
New range. Fantastic experiences.
Crocs
Part of:
CrocsKuwait @CrocsKuwait @CrocsKuwait
Airport Mall: 2431 6334 | The Avenues: 2220 0507 Al Liwan Mall: 2221 0127 | The Gate Mall: 2205 6137 | Al Salam Mall: 2220 2699 360 Mall: 2530 9670 | Discovery Mall: 2291 3631 | Sama Sulaibikhat Mall: 2221 6086 Marina Mall: 2224 4814 | Al Kout Mall: 2393 0108 | Souq Al Mubarakeya: 2246 1823
WE LOVE RAMADAN Five special things to look forward to this month By bazaar staff
Ah, Ramadan – the time of year we all know too well. We approach it with mixed emotions: fear, excitement and serenity, knowing that the holy month has a lot in store for us. And as much as different parts of Ramadan (like fasting) seem difficult, every year, you always end up hearing the same thing from many different people: “I’m actually super excited for Ramadan.” It’s a special time for Muslims, after all – a time to meditate, tolerate and then rejoice once the prayer to break your fast is called. Ramadramas You know what these are – we know you do. You can usually find your mother, grandmother or auntie parked in front of the television, engrossed in a super dramatic daily soap opera with an extremely addictive plot – because one way to get through fasting is to watch people play fictional characters whose problems are way juicier than your own. Ramadramas, or as the rest of the region refers to them – musalsalat, are pretty popular throughout the Middle Eastern networks both year round and during Ramadan, so you could easily flip through to find one to get into. We do have to say, however – not out of bias, that some of the best Ramadramas are filmed in Kuwait and premiere on Kuwait TV. A hit from the Middle Eastern networks last year was Taht il Saytara (Under Control), and we’re more than looking forward to seeing what’s in store for us this year. The Food We don’t want to stray away from advising you to not overindulge during Ramadan, (which we still believe you shouldn’t and that your body would thank you) but a bit of indulgence is definitely allowed. We all know that every Nasser, Sheikha and Rashed’s secret favorite thing about Ramadan is the food, and we wholeheartedly agree! Every family has their Ramadan specialties they whip out daily for that one month – my family’s is my mother’s famous Ramadan fattouche with laban dressing— top that off with the requisite soup and Kraft cheese filled samboosas, along with heaping piles of your favorite home cooking and you have yourself a regular feast! And lest we forget, the dessert. Ramadan is the one month a year for many where regular dessert rituals are a requirement, and where you get to eat old friends like kunafa, luqmiyat, qatayef and many, many more. There’s nothing like a month-long reunion to catch up with some of your favorite treats. Family Gatherings This might prompt an eye-roll for some, but you 66
can’t deny that getting together with your extended family and friends almost every day for a month is nice. Ramadan is a very social month that’s about sharing, and it brings out a very pleasant side in people. What better time to get close to your family, especially when it’s over great food and even better tea? And you can’t forget about the ghabqas and gatherings you get to have with your friends – and of course all of their mothers’ chances to show off their own home cooking to you. Thanks for the invite, khalty! Next time, at our house. Ramadan Hours Working hours shaved off by at least 30 percent? Sold! No one really likes to get work done in a festive season, but alas, we must live. With the kiddies out of school (most of them, anyway) and reduced working hours from both private and public sectors, we get plenty of time, and a lot less traffic, to rest up and find the fuel we’re lacking by fasting. Also, post Iftar operations stay open longer, giving us more time to socialize and get things done. What’s not to love?
Gergean What better way to enjoy a holiday season than by seeing it through a child’s eyes? Seeing the excitement of children during Ramadan, namely on the 13th-15th nights of the month when Gergean takes place. Gergean is when children knock on your doors after iftar to collect candy and nuts, all while singing a cute little song and are dressed up in traditional garb. Really – what’s more adorable than that? It’s also the perfect way to teach kids about Ramadan, and to condition them to look forward to it every year. So don’t forget to stock up on the goodie bags and giveaways! We sincerely hope that you enjoy your Ramadan 2016, and remember, that it really is the most blessed time of the year. While we enjoy everything that we listed above, we also know that the most important thing about Ramadan is the atmosphere: kindness, tolerance, and the peacefulness that surrounds the nation. Ramadan Kareem and mubarak 3aleikom il’shahar – from all of us here at bazaar.
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OH, THE CRAVINGS YOU’LL HAVE
Maneuvering those frustrating thoughts you’ll have during Ramadan By bazaar staff
Ramadan is meant to test your patience and get you in touch with your spirituality – not to mention, empathize for those who struggle, by going through the struggle of fasting to relate. We know that fasting is difficult – believe us, we get it. We also know that the season can be difficult for both non-Muslims and those who can’t fast and have to respect the laws that prohibit drinking water, eating food or smoking cigarettes in public before sundown. As rewarding as Ramadan is, it’s a challenge for everyone. Here are some things to keep in mind, though. You’re doing this for a reason: It’s a beautiful time of year, even if the weather might not translate. There were days when Ramadan fell in the middle of winter and the struggle was a little more… pleasant – but don’t forget that the struggle is supposed to be just that – a STRUGGLE. No one ever said that fasting would be easy. We know it hurts, though – just keep your hands out of the cookie jar and move on. But… food… Yes, we’re all dreaming about it. It tends to be all anyone thinks about during Ramadan. From “What’s for futoor” to “what time is the athaan today” to “what are we eating for suhoor” and “which dessert should I make for the ghabqa”, ideas of food will ALWAYS cross your mind—don’t feel ashamed, it’s natural! You’re going for over 15 hours without ingesting anything, not even gum! This is in no way anything like when you’re stupidly starving yourself to look thin for a party. Which brings us to the next point: it’s not easy. So bring on the discomfort, feelings of bitterness and mood swings. Remember, though – those habits defeat the purpose of fasting. We know it’s tempting to lose your temper, especially if you tend to get “Hangry”, but just take some deep breaths and isolate yourself as much as possible until you cool down – you’re not alone. Shouldn’t TV be more distracting? Yeah, it really should be – that’s why it’s always so surprising when you can’t concentrate on a show and can’t help but feel hopeless. We’ve all been there – don’t feel alone. Luckily, “Ramadramas” were invented for a reason, hoping that said soap opera will make the process of waiting a little easier – especially if the plot is juicy enough. If you understand Arabic, we highly recommend you flip through the channels to find one you like. If not, then resort to Netflix and literal chill – it never fails. Talk to your friends abroad, too – it’s not like they’re doing anything interesting or important. Just remember: time will pass, and so will you. 68
Bonus tip: arguing with your spouse over running late or taking the wrong route to someone’s house also proves to be a great time waster. All couples have free range this month! Post 4 PM errands and journeys can make a world of a difference Don’t roll your eyes at the possibility of leaving your house to get things done. From picking up the samboosa from that hole in the wall your mother loves, to fetching the drinks that will be served at the table, or even getting a quick haircut at whatever salon is still open in the afternoon (keep your fingers crossed! Timings can be a little tricky) everything you do will bring you closer to chowtime. Trust us: as much as we hate to say it, lazing around won’t make it easier. You really do have to keep yourself busy. And remember… it could be worse. Just because we’re breaking our fasts at around 6:30-7:00pm, doesn’t mean that the rest of the world is. Islam is one of the largest globally practiced religions, and millions of Muslims fast
everyday during the holy month of Ramadan – and believe us when we say, that a lot of them have it harder than we do. Check out this list of crazy fasting hours, according to last year’s Ramadan: The UK and Germany: 18-19 hours North Africa (Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia): 16.5-17.5 hours India and Pakistan: 17.5 hours Canada: 18 hours Russia: 20-21 hours Iceland and Sweden: 21-22 hours Stay strong, everybody – and remember, if you need to bury your face into a pillow in the middle of an overly air conditioned room, it’s okay. Do what you need to do to feel better. After all, no one ever said that fasting in Ramadan is easy, but we can all agree that the positive and peaceful energy of the season makes the struggle of fasting worth it. Ramadan Kareem and mubarak 3aleikom il’shahar – from all of us here at bazaar.
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bazaar goes cruising
THE NEW AUDI R8 By bazaar staff
The new Audi R8 is the aerodynamic concept of a race car: it is the dynamic vanguard of Audi – no other car with the four rings is so close to car racing. From 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, from 0 to 200 km/h, 9.9 seconds and a top speed of 330 km/h. The Audi R8 naturallyaspirated V10 mid-engine thrills with up to 610 hp of power and responds instantly to throttle inputs. The R8 also enjoyed much success in customer racing: car racing had been a key aspect of its model development from the star t. In 2009, the R8 LMS embarked on its career, and by 2014 it had raced to 26 GT3 championships worldwide, 23 other titles and seven overall victories in 24 hour endurance races. Its technology was, and today, in its second generation, still is closely related to that of the road-version spor ts car. 70
In the second generation, the roadversion spor ts car and the motorspor t version, the R8 LMS, were developed simultaneously for the first time and were presented together at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Close cooperation between race car engineers, motorspor t specialists and developers has given the new Audi R8 a significant boost in performance. Named “2016 World Performance Car” in the World Car Awards, the all-new Audi R8 promises tremendous performance and a highly emotional, dynamic drive. The all-new model is available in two engine versions – with the R8 V10 plus being the most powerful and fastest production Audi ever built. The top version 610 hp naturallyaspirated 5.2 liter V10 mid-engine sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, from 0 to 200 km/h in 9.9 seconds and has a governed top speed of 330 km/h. Like a race car engine, it has dr y dump lubrication: meaning that its characteristic sound is
now even fuller, and a spor t exhaust system can be installed as an option. The fuel economy has been improved by up to 13 percent in the R8 model series compared to the previous model. The mid-mounted engine in the Audi R8 is not only a classic concept in motorsport; it is also an integral part of the brand’s sporty DNA. It was already used in the Grand Prix race cars brought to the starting grid by Auto Union in the 1930s, with the powerful engines located forward of the rear axle – which was a revolutionary step at the time. In the year 2000, Audi won the 24 hours of Le Mans for the first time with the LMP R8 prototype. By 2005, the car which provided the name for today’s high-performance production sports car had taken five overall victories at the Sarthe. It was then retired and replaced by the Audi R10 with a TDI engine. In the power train, the lightningquick shifts of the seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission, an optimized
mechanical differential lock and a new electro hydraulically activated multi-plate clutch work together. The actively cooled all-wheel drive system can distribute torque freely between the axles. The intelligent dynamic control system for the quattro drive is incorporated into the Audi drive select dynamic handling system that offers four basic modes. In each mode, the new high-performance spor ts car expresses a different character, from relaxed freeway cruiser to race car on the circuit track. In the top R8 V10 plus model, a performance leather steering wheel is standard equipment. In its performance mode, it offers three additional modes: dr y, wet and snow. They make handling even more precise and sharper, tuned to the friction coefficient of the specific road surface. The new technology is also available on the R8 V10, including the steering wheel that is used to select the special modes. The new Audi R8 V10 plus has a dr y weight of just 1,454 kg. This was primarily due to its newly conceptualized Audi Space Frame (ASF) in multimaterial construction, which consists of aluminum and CFRP par ts. The ASF weighs just 200 kg. The entire underbody has a smooth covering, like on a race car, and the air flow exits via a large diffuser. This increases downforce. At top speed, this amounts to 40 kg at the front axle and 100 kg at the rear axle. The large CFRP rear wing also plays an impor tant role in attaining these top figures. Just like in a race car, the interior of the high-performance spor ts car focuses on the driver. The driver can read off all key information at a glance from the Audi vir tual cockpit. The steering wheel, instrument cluster and road all line up along one central visual axis. Drivers can operate all impor tant functions with the multifunction and satellite push-buttons without having to take their hands off the steering wheel or look away from the road. The Audi vir tual cockpit is user configurable, and it shows all displays in elaborate 3D graphics, if desired, with one large rev counter and auxiliar y gages that show much more information, such as tire temperature and torque output. MMI navigation plus with MMI touch is standard equipment in the new R8. This high-end
media center was designed to follow a simple operating logic. The workmanship of the new R8, which is handcrafted at a new plant near Neckarsulm, is superlative. Its range of optional technology components extends to the sound system from Bang & Olufsen and the Audi laser spot, which doubles the range of the high-beam light. No other production car with the four rings shows as much affinity for the race track as the new R8. This is also proven by its sister models: The new GT3 race car, the Audi R8 LMS. For the first time, Audi developed all two versions simultaneously, in order to optimally exploit synergies. Both the new Audi R8 and its motorspor t variant, the R8 LMS, have made significant performance gains, thanks to the close cooperation between race car engineers, motorspor t specialists and developers. One of the top qualities of the new Audi R8 LMS, which is 4.58 meters long and 1.17
meters high, is its aerodynamic efficiency. The large diffuser in the underbody – that is covered by large smooth panels – generates strong downforce, which enables a smaller rear wing. Compared to the previous model, the aerodynamic drag coefficient has been lowered by 20 percent. The flow of cooling air has been improved in all areas, in the front body and in the cockpit. Today, the new Audi R8 LMS already conforms to GT3 race regulations that take effect in 2016. Just ten weeks after its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, the R8 LMS claimed victor y at the Nürburgring, making a dazzling entrance on the 24 hour racing scene.
The all-new Audi R8 V10 engine and V10 plus model are now available at Fouad Alghanim & Sons Automotive Company Audi Kuwait showroom. Call the team on 1811 118 or visit them at Shuwaikh Industrial area, Street 11. 71
bazaar eats in
THE BURGER OF THE FUTURE Venue89 and the new fangled burger By bazaar staff
Most people love burgers, in any way, shape or form, and in Kuwait, we really love our burgers: May they be thick, gourmet, fast food, slider, chicken, fish, beef or veggie. That’s why when we at the bazaar headquarters discovered Venue89 on , we knew that we had to track down this delivery-only burger concept and pinpoint it for our current bazaar Eats In segment. Venue89 is a small operation and a onewoman show, run by the sweet-as-pie Moneera Al-Shaiji. “I always loved cooking burgers, but I wanted to offer the public something different, unusual and unforgettable” And unforgettable these burgers are – exceeding the conventional. The Venue89 menu is extremely simple – limited, yet satisfying and guaranteed to not disappoint. They specialize in burgers, yes, but these burgers are like what you’ve never had before. These burgers are what Moneera likes to call “Puffy Burgers” – baked, with the perfect mixture of toppings, inside a flaky dough resembling a puff pastry, in the oven. 72
We know – it seems unconventional, but trust us, its delicious! After calling Moneera up and ordering a few burgers and sides of fries, we patiently waited till they arrived, then we sat around our resident coffee table, family style, and swooned. You can tell that these burgers are perfectly homemade and handled with care, because the patties produce a quality, smoky taste that can only be found in a genuinely good homemade burger. With a tantalizing juiciness, each mouthful of meaty goodness was further elevated with the sweet blend of sauces and playful tastes of pickle, cheese, and… caramelized onions! Encased in a light, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth pastry dough, this burger is truly unlike any you’ve ever had before. Another great thing about this burger is it’s extremely filling! And we mean extremely – the person currently writing this article can secretly put away twelve sliders in one sitting (but is too much of a lady to ever do so), and she could barely even handle half. This is excellent news to those who have big appetites, and those who are trying to follow the cult of “portion control.” The only side on the menu (for now) are their “fries.” To call them fries is deceiving, as with taste and appearance, they are delightfully baked.
Cut into smaller pieces resembling home-style wedges and deliciously spiced, these potatoes, when dipped in their complementary ranch dipping sauce, make for the perfect guilt-free yet ever so slightly naughty side dish. Established only last month, Venue89 is still a baby, but with its innovativeness and great taste stuffed into what we like to call “The Burger of the Future”, this place is without a doubt going to hit the spot at all your diwaniyas, Ghabqas, Suhoors, and general game-night gatherings. The great thing about Venue89, besides the fact that everything is vehemently baked and not fried, is that it’s so wholesome without being annoyingly healthy. After indulging in a Venue89 feast, you still feel light—you don’t feel like you need to crawl to the gym and submit to your trainer. It’s the perfect cheat meal! So what are you waiting for? Place your orders now, because as they’re still launching, they need two hours notice and only deliver for dinnertime. Bil’afiya, Kuwait!
Sink your teeth into some puffy burgers tonight or tomorrow by checking out Venue89’s Instagram page @venue89. Order via Whatsapp on 6969 4532. So good!
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SWEET EATS FOR RAMADAN By bazaar staff
It’s that time of year again, where we pay our dues by fasting to practice tolerance in the sweltering heat. But come sundown, fasts break and feasts begin – and following feasts, the festive season of Ramadan always leaves room for dessert! Following our own traditions, we’ve compiled a go-to list for your dessert fixes, be they midnight snack, for a post Iftar gathering, or something decadent to break your fast with on a sweet note. Salé Sucré Pâtisserie The famous destination for all things savory and sweet currently has two locations, one in Salmiya and one in Fahaheel, and is opening soon in Farwaniya. Salé Sucré has been open in Egypt since 1999, followed by the United Arab Emirates. At Salé Sucré, it’s all about quality and taste at great value, ranging from their wide range of French and Oriental sweets to their savory baked goods. This Ramadan, make sure to try Salé Sucré’s famous Konafa Bel Manga (Mango Konafa; Konafa is a traditional dessert made with sweet angel-hair noodles), an addictive dessert that will surely wow your guests after Iftar, as they only use fresh ingredients in their daily preparation of this dessert, as well as all of their products. Let this description sink in, and you will thank us once you’ve tried it: Crispy konafa with a perfect crunch, layered with fresh cream whipped to perfection and topped off with fresh mangos for an impeccable balance of sweetness. Salé Sucré is located in Salmiya (5167 3735) and Fahaheel (2392 7024). For more information and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @Salesucrekuwait. Xocolat Ramadan is all about family and breaking postAthaan bread with friends, but there might be a night or two where Iftar time is super casual and no fancy desserts have been planned. Why not opt to stash some Xocolât chocolates in your pantry for such evenings? Created by Le Cordon Bleu trained chef Sarah Alhajji, Xocolât chocolates are completely handmade with love, thought and innovative flavors. From Salted Peanut Butter Brownie to Dulce de Leche and Arabic coffee, there’s definitely something for everyone to enjoy, and Sarah constantly comes up with new flavors so keep your eyes peeled! Arriving always fresh in a Sadu inspired packaging, Xocolât is always a good choice for a quick treat with some tea. Tip: Xocolât chocolates also make for perfect Gergean giveaways – make sure to order in bulk! 74
For orders, call: 9877 1742. For mouth-wate ring chocolatey goodness follow Xocolât on Instagram@Xocolât_kw. Basboosa & Things Delicious elements are added to this long-loved regional treat and made modern and new with Basboosa & Things. The traditional semolinabased Arabian dessert is transformed into an array of different indulgences by this basboosa master’s own hands. The basboosa is obviously the star of the show at Basboosa & Things, featuring a plethora of decadent choices to top. Basboosa turns into a paradise of Kinder Chocolate, Nutella, marshmallow, Lotus, and raspberries and white chocolate, to name a few. And since birthdays still happen in Ramadan, make your ghabqa or diwaniya a festive one by requesting a custom or simply themed birthday basboosa! Basboosa & Things accommodates birthdays by creating basboosas featuring warm wishes towards the birthday boy or girl. With options ranging from full size to mini bites, these melt-in-your-mouth basboosas are the perfect
treat to mix innovativeness and tradition, and will surely please all the diners at your table. Craving some fun Basboosa? Check out their Instagram page @basboosathings and place your orders today. Tatli Sweet and salty is usually the best combination to satisfy your post large meal munchies with a cup of piping hot tea, and what better than easy-to-serve and fun to display pretzel sticks? Yes, you read that right—pretzel sticks! Only these babies are dipped and rubbed with the creator’s special blend of varying flavors. Such flavors range from a sweet pistachio, to rose water, to Lotus biscuit and other innovations! It’s easy to imagine yourself chomping down on one of these bad boys, and your guests, friends and family will definitely enjoy them too. We recommend Tatli as the perfect addition to a ghabqa, whether you’re taking them along in their gorgeous original packaging as a guest of somebody’s house, or artfully arranging them on a platter in your own home. For more information, follow Tatli on Instagram @tatli.kw.
mias alghanim 1
SOUL AND SALT
Matbakhi: a haven for food lovers and crafters alike
By bazaar staff
We all have that one friend whose mother makes the best food. Yes, we’ll always be partial to our family’s home cooking, but deep down in our hearts, we know that one particular lady will always leave us fantasizing about her delicious creations. Enter “Auntie” Sawsan Da’ana of the esteemed Matbakhi concept. What started out as a small business involving a woman, a wooden spoon, and a dream in the privacy of her own kitchen is rapidly expanding into a gastronomic empire, and yet the woman, the wooden spoon, and the dream are still there. “I’m in love with food. I love eating it and creating it,” says Auntie Sawsan as she shows us around her new pride and joy – the Matbakhi Kitchen. The Arabic term Matbakhi literally translates to “my kitchen” – and her kitchen it is indeed! Run by the Da’ana/Abdal clan, with Sawsan’s husband handling business and operations and her daughter handling branding, the kitchen belongs exclusively to Head Chef Sawsan, who calls all the shots, carries her team and creates all the magic.a Though the Matbakhi team had only moved into their new Qurain-based headquar ters four months ago, the place already seems like home to all of them. Different rooms pose as stations to ser ve ever y purpose: from a vegetable prep room, to a meat prep room, a room dedicated to washing dishes, cutler y and platters, and a large area where industrial ovens line the wall, accommodating the hundreds of orders Auntie Sawsan and her Matbakhi team prepare with love to send out to anticipating and appreciative customers. As beautiful and impressive as they all are, (and there are many, many more) they can’t compare to our favorite room of all: the room where if you love to eat and want to watch this Wonder Woman in action, you can experience the magic. “This space needed to happen,” says Auntie Sawsan as she preps her famous Fatet Betinjan (Eggplant Fatteh—a traditional Levantine dish) to feed our hungry tummies. “Prepping orders and giving classes from my kitchen at home was getting too hectic and crowded – as the business grew, so did my vision, and it only made sense for our space to grow along 76
with it”. And grow they did, to a space that’s more accommodating, yet still manages a comfortable intimacy. This room features a granite top island surrounded by comfor tably cushioned stools, a sleek counter-top burner at the head, and two built in ovens dedicated to baking delicious surprises and pastries made by Auntie Sawsan herself. Cookbooks, spices placed in jars, knick-knacks and charms adorn the wall, lined neatly on mounted shelves, giving the room a homey feel. This accentuates Matbakhi’s dining ethos – eating family-style, in a cozy atmosphere where you can bond and discuss with your fellow diners. The Matbakhi space seats up to twelve diners, and caters to single par ties at a time. “All they have to do is contact me, settle on a date, let me know how many and what they would like to eat.” And as easily as she plates the heaping piles of decadent fatteh onto our plates, the vision is created, and diners can enjoy their meals as planned.
The space will also serve as a center for her budding cooking classes, and she clearly had this in mind upon designing the room, purposely making it so that it’s easy for everybody at the granite-top island to interact. “I took some courses at the Alain Ducasse Cooking School in Paris, and it was such a memorable and life changing experience for me—I feel that I subconsciously designed this part of the space to mimic that environment that I was in. If you have great memories at a place you loved, you’ll want to feel like you’re revisiting it forever.” Inspiring it is, giving us the urge to hurry up and sign up for her upcoming classes to be offered in the near future, post Ramadan 2016. The classes will average to three hours long, and will offer a syllabus containing a starter “such as a soup, salad, or appetizer” she interjects, a main dish, and a dessert. “We have to keep it relatively simple because cooking is a commitment and everything can take time, but the experience will be unforgettable.” Do these classes require experience and expertise? “Not at all – no
experience necessary! Some basic knowledge is required, depending on what you’re coming here for, but the bottom line is to come in with a positive attitude, looking forward to cook some great food, and to bond and interact with everyone else in the process.” In her teaching experience, Sawsan has trained and taught everyone: from nannies and cooks sent by employers, to newlyweds looking to perfect their just-outof-our-parents’-house culinary skills (or lack thereof), to parent-child duos looking for a fun evening of bonding. This bigger space will only take these classes a step further, and she’s looking forward to seeing that happen. Lest we forget the food—the glorious food. Matbakhi specializes in Levantine cuisine, honoring Sawsan’s roots in life and the kitchen. Being of Palestinian origin, she excels in the making of all things tabikh (home cooking), but also finds pleasure in creating Italian dishes and international fare such as Asian inspired platters. She whips up mean nibbles and bites that come in all shapes and sizes – from party favorite pastries to mini shawarmas and falafels, to succulent savories and refreshing salads. And her desserts! A certain bazaarite has fond memories of the lazy cakes she’d feed her in her youth, but since then, Sawsan has graduated to greater lengths with an array of decadence for her customers to indulge in. “And I have one more thing to show you” she says, as she leads us to the side of the mazelike kitchen, revealing a gorgeous, authentic, built-in brick oven: “this is where we will be making our manakish (Arabic Pizza). Don’t forget to come here for breakfast sometime.” We had no words. As we polish off the remaining bits of fatteh, Sawsan leaves us with a few words that were as memorable as the hearty treat we were served. “Anyone can cook, but you have to be in love with it – in love with the ingredients, produce, spices and all the other mechanics that come along with creating food. Even down to the textiles and plates that you’ll use to serve each meal. When I cook, I cook with love and a lot of soul.” “And salt!” Her daughter interjects, prompting Sawsan to gales of laughter – “that’s true,” she responds. “I do love my salt!” As for the fatteh? We didn’t need to eat anything else for the rest of the day.
Matbakhi is open for business in Ramadan! Place your Futoor, Ghabqa and Suhoor orders in adavnce. Matbakhi is located in West Abu Fatira, block 1, street 26, building 214. Call them at 2225 0757/9003 3381. Follow them on Instagram @sawsanmatbakhi, and check out their website at www.matbakhi.co 77
THE YUMMY TRAIL BROUGHT US BACK Feasting on the new menu at Crumbs Murouj By bazaar staff
Fantasizing about Feast Friday? Pick your poison: breakfast, lunch, dinner – waffles, burgers, pasta… and of course, what’s a wellearned cheat meal (or day of indulgence) without a decadent dessert? That’s why we were all so excited to learn that Crumbs opened up a dine-in café featuring a menu exploding at the seams with both sweet and savory options! When we visited them in October, we were blown away with some of their memorable dishes, so when the lovely Arwa Al Turkait, mastermind behind the Crumbs concept, generously invited us to try their new menu released earlier in May, we jumped at the chance and drove over to the scenic Murouj with gusto. The cooling atmosphere of Crumbs Murouj offered a crisp refuge in the scorching heat, and coupled with a pair of their classic refreshing drinks, we couldn’t wait to bring on the grub. To start off, we quenched our thirst with the Ultimate Mai Thai, which really was an ultimate experience – a mixture of orange, pineapple, lemon and grenadine cooled down temperatures with ease while cleansing our palates to enjoy the goodness that was to come. And what came next was literally goodness— Grainy Goodness, to be exact! A salad in the form of quinoa, roasted veggies, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts and goat cheese that would’ve served perfectly as a solo meal for the conscious diner. Because we couldn’t just try one salad, we were also gifted the Papaya Halloumi salad – with its playful tastes of sweet and savory, it was one we would definitely go back for. Small plates came as swiftly as our salads were cleared away – and those mini goodies looked tempting and tantalizing as exactly what they were – noshables. We had in front of us the Loaded Spuds, consisting of chunky potatoes, chili and cheese, drizzled with a sweet tasting mystery sauce created in their kitchen, a dish of Spicy Eggplant Crostinis, and the show stopping Mushroom Spinach Dip, whose creamy blend of mushroom, spinach, cheese, cream and truffle oil will make your stomach instantly smile and glow with satisfaction – especially when paired with a crisp, lightly buttered piece of baguette. It was difficult to not get carried away with the small plates, but we knew that we had to leave room for our main courses. As we sadly waved goodbye after taking a couple more sneaky bites of crostini, we were greeted with three steaming hot dishes to share: the Garden 78
Risotto, Chicken Milanese and the Grilled Shrimp, and each dish had something special to bring to the table (and our tastebuds!). The Garden Risotto, featuring a medley vegetables and generous shavings of Parmesan on top, was creamy and delectable. Chicken Milanese had a tender crunch that had us feeling a wave of nostalgia for childhood days filled with Escalope lunches. Served with a pink pasta counterpart, this dish was both pleasant and delicious. For those who can’t get enough of seafood, the Grilled Shrimps are a must try. Drizzled delicately with a caper sauce, accompanied with roasted veggies and a delicious mash, this dish manages to be light and indulgent at the same time. Though we barely had any room left, we couldn’t say no to one of Crumbs’ infamous desserts, and believe us when we say that including a savory menu to their empire hasn’t taken away from how good their sweets are. Along with a soothing pot of herbal Tchaba brand tea, our table was graced with the presence of an exquisite Caramel Lotus Molten Cake served
with a cool scoop of vanilla ice cream, and an impressive Crumbs Rollatini plate: French rolls reminiscent of French toast, drizzled with chocolate and strawberry sauce. Suffice to say, neither dish disappointed, and we ended our day of decadence on a sweet note. Crumbs has yet again stolen our hearts with their updated menu. There’s something for everyone here! And if you’re especially curious, we caught a peek at their breakfast menu! Who knew crumbs served breakfast? From healthy eggs to sinful pancakes and waffles, they’ve included the lot and it all looks so exciting! Needless to say, we’ll be making this place a regular indulgent spot to frequent on those days when we need something a little sweet, a little salty – or both—to make our hearts and tummies smile. Crumbs Café is located in the Murouj Complex next to the Sahara Country Club off the Sixth Ring Road, Sabhan. For more information, visit www.crumbs.com.kw and follow them on Twitter and Instagram @ilovecrumbs and on Facebook: crumbs.kw. Call them at 2205 0270 or 6555 4309.
elevation burger
POÊLE
Where art and food collide By bazaar staff
More than just an average eatery, Poêle – French for frying pan – is a meeting place for the minds over really good food. Situated within KIPCO Tower, Poêle has seen many business meetings and after-work meet-ups. Catering to those in search of food served quickly, you can take your pick from the sandwiches, beautiful salad bar and freshly baked breads at the entrance before taking a seat. As for their main daily specials, everyday comes with a new set of surprises. Depending on what’s fresh and seasonal in the market, the daily grocery list inspires the menu to come. The concept, created and curated by husband and wife duo Bader Al Othman and Reem Al Abdulrazzaq, doesn’t follow a specific cuisine, and they prefer it that way. Offering catering – in-house and remote – Poêle can provide you a custom gastronomical experience wherever you are! And during Ramadan, they’re open for Ghabqas and Iftar gatherings if you book in advance. While the name and portion ethos are French, Poêle is not a French restaurant cuisinewise, as the concept boasts a non-cuisine of deliciously prepared light meals that would tantalize every appetite and palate brilliantly. “We can combine several cuisines in the making of one dish to create a stronger flavor profile,” Reem laughs – and we wholeheartedly agree. Every detail at Poêle has been looked over by Bader and Reem personally, and they’ve left no detail out. Crisp white marble tabletops and beautifully woven chairs make up the seating area, except for the communal table in the middle which is made of charmingly aged wood with matching benches around. Every table is topped with a simple milk-jar filled with dried lavender, while the main communal table is laden with several lavender jars and a stunning orchid in the middle offset by an industrial, wired chandelier hanging over it. Copper reminiscent of the frying pans subtly adorns the space’s design elements. The ambiance exudes elegance and poise, but at its core is a simple eatery that invokes artistry. One wall houses stunning paintings done by a local artist (at the time of writing this, Ghadah Alkandari’s art is on display, so keep your eyes peeled) and are up for sale as a nod to the artistic flair of the space. But the true works of art, are their dishes. Cleverly plated and stylishly presented, their salads 80
are light, healthy and absolutely delicious. Buttered bread in one hand and the refreshing Strawberry Delight cocktail in the other, we were ready to tackle the salads. We started our journey with a Freka Salad – made up of freekeh grains and topped with toasted almond slivers and pomegranate seeds, finished with a light but flavorful dressing. Next we had a beautiful Eggplant Salad that packed a punch with the herbed yoghurt dressing. For our mains, we went for their salmon dish, and a beef dish. The salmon came with roasted capsicums and cherry tomato sauce on a bed of crunchy asparagus. Cooked to perfection and a spectacular shade of pink, the dish was a knockout. As for the beef, it came with a palatable, tangy herbed berry sauce with a side of roasted baby potatoes. Tender and moist, the thin beef strips were appetizingly marinated and bursting with flavor. Comfortably full at this point, we went for their desserts. The Raspberry Rose Cheesecake and
Choco Caramel Delight hit the spot in the most amazing way ever. The cheesecake was light and airy with a double baked cookie-coconutcaramel base, a raspberry and rose reduction mixed into the cheese mixture and then topped with white chocolate. Refreshing and light, this cheesecake is not to be missed. For all you salted caramel fans, the Choco Caramel delight is an adult gourmet take on a turtle bar – with a peanut crunch base, chocolate mousse and salted caramel mousse topped with milk chocolate. Poêle is an experience that shouldn’t be missed! Join them on Tuesdays for a fun Sketch Diwaneya or go at any point to enjoy a healthy, delicious meal. Poêle is located on the M2 level of KIPCO Tower in Sharq. Follow them on Instagram @PoeleCafe for more information. For reservations, orders, deliveries, catering and venue bookings call them on 6999 8291.
The New Meaning of Chocolate
choco cuisine
bazaar goes dining
FRANJI BRANJI
Contemporary Levantine cuisine in the heart of Al Bida’a
By bazaar staff
With the arrival of the Holy month of Ramadan, we’re invited to celebrate tradition. Whether in adorning our homes with Ramadan’s famous ‘fanous’, gathering friends and family to experience the month’s rituals, or even breaking the daily fast with your loved ones—tradition is everything. At Franji Branji in Al Bida’a, modern Levantine cuisine celebrates these values that we hold dearly to our hearts in the form of cleverly creative dishes. More importantly, the restaurant’s rendition of classic dishes also reminds us that the flavors of home are best presented with simplicity in mind. With the above combination successfully mastered, the balance between old and new is achieved with Franji Branji’s delightful stor y. Inspired by non-identical twins Franji and Branji’s life journeys, Franji traveled the world to discover new cultures while Branji’s love for his mother’s cooking and the simple life in the countr y kept him close to home. Upon completing their studies, they both returned to their home town and 82
contemplated their next move. Deciding on celebrating their experiences, beautifully blending Franji’s acquired taste with Branji’s passion for tradition, a concept was born. They revamped their grandparent’s old kiosk, and developed an innovative concept that ser ved up both classic and modern interpretations of their favorite dishes. Today, Franji Branji’s retro-inspired décor will instantly make you feel like you’ve journeyed back in time. Stunning handcrafted Levantine tiles aged with time are juxtaposed against exposed concrete floors, the patio doors open up to an uplifting outdoor dining area, and the interior will always leave you smiling. While you listen to singer Fairuz’s soothing sounds softly echoing throughout the restaurant, you can lay back in the classic salon chairs, gaze at the pendant lights made out of old food cans and even walk through the old kiosk doors as you head towards the gorgeous old bread oven. Vintage posters, catchy slogans like the iconic Lebanese phrase ‘Hi, Kifak, Ca Va?’ line the walls, and your journey up the stairs to the upper dining level will introduce you to Franji and Branji’s definitions of today’s most used social media apps via quirky artworks.
Personally, I’ve always been searching for a dining destination such as Franji Branji. My friends’ faces would turn up in disdain when they see me topping off a plain man’oosheh with camember t cheese and honey instead of a classic akkawi cheese. So, dear reader, you could only imagine this writer’s happiness when she spotted a beef s hawar ma alongs ide a M argherita pizza-ins pired man’oos heh on Franji Branji’s menu! From traditional Lev antine m e z z e h to s mar tly crafted c reations and delicious des s er ts , Franji B ranji’s menu will s urely impres s . We star ted off our Franji Branji experience with a reimagined Fattouch salad. Instead of the classic fried pitta bread usually ser ved with this refreshing green salad that is topped with with a pomegranate dressing, we were pleasantly surprised when we saw mini cheese spring rolls beautifully sitting on top of the salad. We also sampled the Franji Branji signature salad that beautifully captures the classic sour Labneh in a modern light. Rounded spheres of Labneh are pistachio encrusted, and stuffed with dates, offering a beautiful sweet and sour flavor that is offset by a balsamic vinaigrette
on Mesclun greens. I’m already hooked! As for perfect sharing dishes, we recommend the Franji Branji man’oosheh with pan-sautéed tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella from their saj offerings. If you’re in the mood for a classic Fatteh, the Fattet Kebbeh (who doesn’t love a classic Kebbeh?) and the soul-comforting Chich Barak that comes with plenty of those addictive meat dumplings cooked to perfection in a minted, garlic yogurt sauce, will do the trick! Fatteh lovers, fear not, as Franji Branji also offers a classic Hummus Fatteh, as well as delightful Kafta option. We also loved the Franji Branji signature cheesy spinach dip, as well as the Kafta pan prepped in the oven with one large minced meat patty infused with onion and parsley and topped with grated fried potatoes. With every bite, we were delivered with memories of inimitable provincial dining, coupled with an imaginative nod to the present fusion of flavors. When it came to our main dishes, we really wanted to save our classic mixed grill experience for another trip to Franji Branji. Instead, we chose to dine on beef shawarma that was marinated to tender perfection with a fragrant parsley, tomato, onion, and sumac mix, and a succulent Kafta Burger. Topped with slightly nutty caramelized onions, tomato, and a generous dollop of mint and Tahini (sesame paste) sauce the traditional way, we relished the fact that we were enjoying the minced meat patty, usually ser ved skewered, in such an unexpected presentation. Falafel lovers, fear not, Franji Branji also has an excellent burger rendition on this traditional favorite. Mains completed, the desser ts at Franji Branji captured our hear ts. Prepared with a playful touch, we absolutely inhaled the Vermicelli Fondant Cake. Hidden at the core of what appears as a timeless Levantine desser t is a warm chocolate fondant, topped off with vanilla ice cream, crunchy caramel popcorn and finished off with chocolate sauce. If choux pastr y tickles your fancy, then this Franji Branji signature desser t will excite the senses as the exper tly prepared choux pastr y is filled with aromatic orange blossom and rose water-infused pastr y cream, topped with a homemade strawberr y jam and crushed pistachio. Did we mention that they also ser ve up scrumptious Nutellafilled Qatayef? Trust us: the chefs at Franji Branji have perfected their desser t menu— just remember to order a delightful café blanc or classic Turkish coffee to end your exceptional experience. Franji Branji is located in Remaal at Al Bida’a. For more information call 2226 3142, visit www.franji.branji.com, and follow @Franji_Branji on Instagram. 83
bazaar around town STARBUCKS OPPORTUNITY CAFÉ PUTS YOUNG PEOPLE ON ROAD TO SUCCESS Starbucks, in collaboration with Bayt.com and Education For Employment (EFE), recently concluded their Opportunity Café initiative. This is said to be the largest professional training workshop on CV writing and interview skills in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The workshop that took place on April 18 at 29 Starbucks stores across 10 MENA countries, involved 35 professional trainers from Bayt.com, M.H. Alshaya (franchise operator for Starbucks in the MENA region), EFE, and 177 dedicated Starbucks partners (employees). Collectively, Opportunity Café will train 900 people through 116 group training sessions for youth between the ages of 16 to 35 regardless of their academic background. As part of Starbucks’ Global Month of Service, Opportunity Café provided training sessions to aspiring youth across the MENA region, delivering strategic career advice from key experts, with the aim of helping them realise their professional dreams. To keep the momentum of the initiative going, EFE and its local affiliates will also share information about their existing job placement and employability programs, and Bayt.com will relay the Opportunity Café experience to all those who were unable to attend and will offer a free Job Search Strategy course. To find your nearest Starbucks location in Kuwait, visit: www.alshaya.com/locations/kuwait/starbucks. Follow them on instagram @starbuckmiddleeast.
THE PROMENADE CULTURE CENTRE The Promenade is proud to announce the opening of The Promenade Culture Centre. The first exhibition, entitled, 'Culture: Conscious in the Community' is a collaboration of established Kuwaiti artists who have come together to promote cultural awareness through their works. The exhibition features paintings from over 20 artists, and covers everything from the abstract to the traditional. With panoramic views of Kuwait City and the bay, the PCC is a very special venue and this first exhibition is just a glimpse of what is to come. 'Culture: Conscious in the Community' will run until the 16th of June. Contact 9559 5123 or email : pcc@thepromenadekw.com for more information.
AL KOUT EMBRACES THE SPIRIT OF RAMADAN THROUGH DIVERSE INITIATIVES This Holy Month, Al Kout mall will be embracing the spirit of the season and wishing all its customers a joyous Ramadan. The mall is known for its creative and fun entertainment and leisure-based activities and for holding unique events throughout the year, especially during Ramadan. This year is no exception. On June 19th and 20th Al Kout mall will host a series of Gergeaan activities for kids and ‘big-kids’ alike. This fun-for-all-the-family event will see customers dressing up in traditional costumes, creating their own Gergeaan baskets and lanterns, and filling them with candy and sweet treats. In addition, the mall will bring Gergeaan character ‘Abu Tbeila’ to life throughout the festival, and there will also be a photo corner for children to take souvenir pictures with props and costumes. And every night during the holy month, Al Kout mall will be treating its customers to complementary coffee and dates at the ‘hospitality corner’ at the ground level of the mall. Visit Al Kout Mall on Coastal Line C, Dabbous Street, Al Fahaheel Area. Find out more at www.alkoutmall.com.
إنطالق معرض مشاريع التخرج- كلية بوكسهل أعلنت رئيس قسم الفنون التطبيقية يف كلية بوكسهل الكويت ريم الزامل عن إنطالق معرض مشاريع التخرج لطالبات تخصيص الفتة إىل أن املعرض يتخصص بعرض مشاريع الطالبات خالل فرتة،الديكور والتصميم الداخيل والتصميم الجرافييك يف بيت السدو وأوضحت الزامل خالل اللقاء وبحضور عضو هيئة التدريس يف الكلية عبري العجمي أن املعرض سينطلق مبشاركة.دراستهن يف الكلية موضحة بأن املعرض سيتخلله،واسعة من الطالبات اللوايت سيعرضن أهم مشاريعهن التي تدربن عليها خالل فرتة دراستهن يف الكلية مؤكدة أن املشاريع التي ستعرض فريدة من نوعها.افتتاح كبري بحضور السيدة جورجينا هانديرسون حرم السفري األسرتايل يف الكويت وقسم الفنون التطبيقية يتكون من تخصصني هام الديكور والتصميم الداخيل والتصميم.خاصة يف قسم الديكور والتصميم الداخيل والتي، والدراسة تكون ملدة عامني وبدرجة دبلوم معرتف بها من التعليم العايل يف الكويت و الجامعة األم يف أسرتاليا،الجرافييك ويجب أن.متكن الخريجات استكامل دراستهن يف التخصص يف أي جامعة أخرى تقدم نفس التخصص داخل الكويت أو خارجها وللكلية مركز للدراسات،تكون الطالبة متحدثة بلغة الدراسة بالكلية وهي اللغة اإلنجليزية باإلضافة إىل املوهبة واإلبداع واإلبتكار ولفتت الزامل إىل أن اإلقبال عىل قسم الفنون التطبيقية.التمهيدية يساعد الطالبات عىل تقوية لغتهن قبل البدء بدراسة التخصص من قبل الطالبات كبري ويعترب من أهم األقسام وأكرثها متيزا يف الكلية كون كلية بوكسهل الكويت هي الوحيدة التي تقدم هذا .التخصص عىل مستوى الكويت يف الجامعات الخاصة 84
Mcdonalds
NARRATIVES BEYOND BORDERS, PROVOCATIONS BEYOND THE CANVAS By Deepa Pant
Pakistan’s Humaira Abid is recognized as one of the most acclaimed feminist artists. Working primarily in wood, Humaira’s threedimensional visual storytelling allows her to incorporate social activism within her art. Over the years, Humaira has deftly developed a signature style by combining sculpture with miniature painting, a style that has garnered the attention of some of the world’s leading art galleries and private collectors and has won many awards and grants. This award-winning artist’s work touches upon women’s roles, relationships and even taboos, such as domestic violence and miscarriage. Her work transcends boundaries as she closes the gap between ar t and life in her sculptural oeuvres. Best known for her “Istri” series, Humaira references belonging, identity, reality and fantasy seamlessly in a new idiom. Q and A(r t) For over fifteen years, Humaira has blazed a trail in the world of sculpture and miniature paintings. She graduated with honors from the prestigious ar t school National College of Ar ts in Lahore, Pakistan and now divides her time between Pakistan and the US and has studios in both countries. In an exclusive inter view with bazaar, Humaira talks about her ar t, inspiration and her exciting plans for the future. Read on. The foremost question in my mind is how do you combine two different disciplines - sculpture and miniature paintings - in your work? Sculpture, which is bold and three dimensional, is a challenging medium. Miniatures are small in scale, two dimensional, precise, and highly finished. The intensive labor, precision and fine aesthetic values of miniature painting have helped to improve the execution of my sculptures. This penchant for two-mediums has brought a resounding truth to me – all ar t has a common ethos. 86
Initially, I practiced sculpture and miniature separately. After a few years of practice and mastering basic techniques, I star ted experimenting and pushing the boundaries of both mediums. This led me to combine sculpture and miniatures. My early “Istri” series is one example of combining both mediums in a series of work. Today my recent work focuses mainly on this combination. Your work, diverse in themes, has a constant in the material used - wood. What is the reason for this? I chose wood as my main medium to bring a woman’s voice and point of view to this male-dominated medium. In Pakistan, sculpture is generally discouraged by the majority of the people, regardless of the ar tist’s gender. I pursued a degree in Sculpture as a challenge, since it was considered a tough medium and mostly male-dominated. I wanted to counter the
stereotypical image of women as physically and mentally not as strong as men. I choose wood as my main medium and continue to be passionate about it to this day. What draws you towards par ticular themes? For instance, how did “Istri” happen? Being a woman, I cannot escape feelings and things related to women. As my work is about hidden perspectives I tr y to explore common and ever yday objects related to cer tain activity, duty or par t of ever yday life. The word ‘Istri’ means a smoothing iron as well as woman/wife in Pakistan and India. Women being my main interest inspired me to this word so I car ved out smoothing irons (‘istri’) in wood and made miniatures based on ideas around women (‘istri’) and placed them on the flat side of the car ved irons. You explore sensitive issues, some of which are taboo social issues in some parts of the world. Can you talk in detail about your series titled “RED”?
I developed the “RED” series during and after going through multiple miscarriages. I feel this color has many layers of meaning, interpretations and faces and depicts themes the way I wanted them to be presented. The color represents love, passion, sacrifice, blood, pain, anger and loss. Basically red symbolizes strong emotion. In the [Indian] subcontinent, red is the traditional color of bridal dresses, and is frequently represented in the media as a symbolic color for married women. The color is associated with love, sexuality and fertility, whereas in some parts of Africa, red is a color of mourning and death. It is often related to the color of blood. This contrast is a major part of my personal life as well as representing the current situation in Pakistan. “RED” is my reaction, my inspiration for this body of work. I use a lot of symbols in my work. I use ever yday objects and present them in unconventional ways. I talk about social issues and stereotypes through my work. I am passionate about discussing taboos like “miscarriage”, which is such a common issue but rarely shared and discussed. I like to initiate conversations around such taboo topics through my work and ‘Breakdown in the Closet’ is one example in which I car ved family wardrobe. The concept is conveyed through a stained red baby onesie, which is fallen on the floor; aimed to address this difficult topic in a subtle way. I’ve had the oppor tunity to travel and work in many countries and different par ts of the world and learned that women’s issues are the same ever ywhere - it’s just the scale, which is different Work from the “RED” series has been displayed in United States as well Pakistan, two completely different cultures and societies. It was interesting to see a similar response in both locations. I am happy that people are showing interest and open to discussing such taboos. I totally believe that a work of ar t should have a purpose. Ar t should comfor t the disturbed and disturb the comfor table. The maternal feelings are universal. In your poignant “LULLABY” series, you explore narratives surrounding the ideas of what it is to be a woman and how society views motherhood. Are there issues close to your hear t that you are expressing in your body of work? The “Lullaby” series was mainly to celebrate womanhood/motherhood. There are many things women do which are taken for granted and not appreciated, like doing the chores while raising kids, taking care of house or the family, etc. I want to bring up and present these overlooked issues and roles through my work. Your work ser ves as guide for viewers to navigate the often difficult terrain of
social and political issues, such as gender, motherhood, and duality in your work. Is this par t of your intention as an ar tist? Yes it’s the choice I have made and it’s the area I am most interested in. My goal is to raise awareness, bring up issues, which are overlooked and discuss taboos through my work. Whatever people don’t want to talk about, I want to bring it up. This has been the main purpose of my work and will always be. What do you want to achieve with your ar t? I am most passionate about creating works that make you think, that questions impor tant social and political issues. I don’t necessarily need to answer them, but I want to star t conversations. You have come a long way from your first exhibition back in 2001. With the welldeserved success you have already achieved, what's in the pipeline for you now?
I am currently developing a new body of work. The series will create a surreal world of wood combined with other mediums to convey layers of message, and will enhance the viewer’s experience through unconventional installation. I have many impor tant exhibitions coming up this year including one at Tacoma Ar ts Museum, my next solo show at Ar tXchange Galler y Seattle in Washington, USA and solo booth representation with Khaas Ar t Galler y at START Ar t Fair in London. In future, I see myself continue to explore themes from women’s lives that are rarely openly acknowledged in the world of fine art.
Images cour tesy of the ar tist Humaira Abid. For more information on the ar tist, please visit www.humaira.com.pk. 87
bazaar around town AEO CAPSULE COLLECTION FOR RAMADAN The Bandeau Maxi dress is oh so chic for gatherings whether at home or at the mall. The dress is finished with tassel ties and metallic beads. For a touch of glamour, wear the Fringe Mirror Kimono, or a Denim Jacket for a casual cover. Keep it cool and comfy with a pair of Slide Toe Sandals and finish with a Crochet and Bead Cross Body Bag which is perfect for the essential lipstick, phone, sunglasses and purse. Style is of the essence for Eid celebrations. The intricate print of the AEO Wide Leg Soft Pant makes it the perfect piece to take you from day to evening. Match with this Lace Bell Sleeve Blouse to channel the 70’s boho trend and layer with this Statement Medallion Necklace. Shield your face from the strong Middle Eastern rays during the day with this cute Crochet Floppy Hat by Aerie. Continue the celebration with this Cold Shoulder Tiered Maxi Dress, channeling the coolest trend this summer. Compliment with metallic accessories and flat sandals for a comfortable and super feminine look which will shimmer under the festive lights. Fancy winning a whole new outfit from American eagle Outfitters? Simply follow @AmericanEagleME and tag an image of you wearing AEO on Instagram with #AEOStyleME for your chance to win a complete outfit from the latest summer collection!
طفل١٠٠٠ دايت سنرت يطلق مبادرة "إبتسم" لدعم اآلنسة جنا،بالتعاون مع رشكة رعد للتجارة والتسويق أعلنت مسؤولة العالقات العامة يف رشكة سام للتجهيزات الغذائية املشعان عن إطالق مبادرة دايت سنرت السنوية الغري ربحية "إبتسم" بالتعاون مع رشكة رعد للتجارة والتسويق والتي تهدف يقوم مركز دايت سنرت بزيارة عدد من الجمعيات الكويتية التي، ومبوجب هذه املبادرة. طفل١٠٠٠ إىل نرش الفرح يف قلب من،تعتني باألطفال ذوي اإلحتياجات الخاصة أو الذين يعانون من مشاكل صحية بهدف تعريفهم بأهمية التغذية الصحية ويتخلل هذه الزيارات تقديم الهدايا لألطفال من قبل مركز دايت سنرت و رشكة رعد.خالل تنظيم عدد من النشاطات والندوات رصحت اآلنسة جنا املشعان " تأيت مبادرة "إبتسم" متاشياً مع الشعار واملبدأ ّ و.للتجارة والتسويق لرسم اإلبتسامة عىل وجوههم لذلك يقوم دايت سنرت بطرح عدة مبادرات،العام الذي انطلق و تأسس عليه مركز دايت سنرت وهو تغيري حياة الناس لألفضل ".وبرامج توعوية يستهدف فيها رشائح مختلفة من املجتمع الكويتي عىل أمل تشجيعهم عىل إتباع منط صحي يف الحياة ، وهو املركز الص ّحي األ ّول يف الرشق األوسط املتخصص يف مجال الحمية والتغذية،1990 وتأسس دايت سنرت يف لبنان عام ّ وتشمل.ويهدف دايت سنرت إىل توفري نظام غذايئ متكامل يتناسب مع مختلف األجسام لريفع مستوى الص ّحة يف املنطقة كلّها ، وتصميم الربامج الغذائية وبرامج الحمية من خالل العيادات املتخصصة،خدمات دايت سنرت تقديم اإلستشارات الغذائية 1963 وتأسست رشكة رعد للتجاره والتسويق يف الكويت عام.وإنتاج املنتجات الغذائية الشهية والخفيفة من خالل دايت شوب وهى إحدى رشكات مجموعة عبدالعزيز سعود البابطني والرائدة ىف مجال توزيع املواد الغذائية لكربى املاركات العامليه ومنها . نستله وترز – برييه وغريها- إس يس جونسون – مازوال – ديزين
PORSCHE TAKES SECOND PLACE AND LEADS BOTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS The second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) was a tough test for the Porsche Team. Despite a problem with the hybrid system, the trio of Romain Dumas (FR), Neel Jani (CH) and Marc Lieb (DE) finished second with their Porsche 919 Hybrid in Spa-Francorchamps (BE) and extended their lead in the drivers’ championship. After two punctures, the sister car of Timo Bernhard (DE), Brendon Hartley (NZ) and Mark Webber (AU) spent more than one-and-a-half hours of the six-hour race in the garage for repairs. In the end it came 5th in the LMP1 category for hybrid cars. In the manufacturer standings Porsche leads now with 54 points. The fastest lap of the race, achieved by Brendon Hartley (1:58.431 minutes), gives an idea of what would have been possible for the Porsche 919 in Spa. Following the season’s opening race at Silverstone this is the second fastest race lap for Porsche’s Le Mans prototype in 2016. Track temperatures of up to 50 degrees celsius gave much warmer conditions than expected for the race in the Ardennes mountains. Visit the Porsche Center in Al Rai, on the 4th ring road. Call them on 1870 870.
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bazaar around town SPLASH INTRODUCES NEW WAY FORWARD WITH ‘LOVE UNITES’ ‘Love’, one of the most popular emotions intensifies when said in conjunction with the word ‘Fashion’, inspiring a loyalty beyond reason. Two decades ago, Splash, the UAE based high-street retailer chose to fall in love with fashion and this one emotion has given the brand a journey to reflect upon and a path to create. Moving forward from celebrity led campaigns the brand has taken the route of addressing topical issues through fashion imagery and highly stylized campaigns. The recently unveiled campaign takes cues from a world where unrest has taken head and how even the smallest of acts of raising awareness can go a long way in uniting people. Titled ‘Love Unites’ the Splash campaign brings together six top-models of various ethnicities from across the Globe to shoot for an inspirational fashion campaign where caste, creed & color play no role. Speaking on ‘Love Unites’, Raza Beig, Director, Landmark Group and CEO Splash & ICONIC, said “I am a firm believer in the ideology of Love and this season Splash takes on a new route of inspiring love through a multi-ethnicity campaign which is best represented through fashion, the one word that defines Splash. Titled ‘Love Unites’ this campaign is our pitch to unite people against any resentment currently going on in the world. Adding further, “Emerging from a successful celebrity driven campaign endorsed by stars like Salman Khan & Nicole Saba, this campaign aims to take Splash from an aspirational brand to an inspirational route”. The campaign was released across the MENA, India, Pakistan & Sri Lanka starting May 2, 2016 through a 360 degree communication strategy included Out of Home, Print, Radio & TV. Digital campaigns drove ‘Love Unites’ with an aim to connect & unite people through interactions with the brand and subsequently with each other. For more information and updates follow on Instagram (@splashfashions), Facebook (Splash Fashions) and Snapchat (splashfashions). Visit the website www.splashfashions.com for the latest on the brand.
MINI SUNNIES FOR MAXI PROTECTION In an effort to increase awareness about kids’ eye health and the importance of sun protection for little ones, popular sunglass store Solaris, together with Vision Express opticians, participated in last month’s Travel Expo event at Marina Mall. The four day campaign was dedicated to spreading awareness about the critical importance of UV protection for children. Many parents do not realize that children’s eyes are more sensitive and more exposed to UV light than adults. And for kids that live in the Gulf region, wearing sunglasses is an absolute must. Yet, 3 out of 4 kids do not wear sunglasses. Children’s exposure to ambient UV radiation in direct and reflected sunlight is 3 times higher than adults. This is because children’s pupils are larger, meaning they let in more UV light. Their crystalline lens is more transparent, making it less efficient at filtering out UV. Plus, children tend to spend a lot more time outdoors. Up to 80% of all UV exposure occurs before the age of 18.The need for UV protection is higher during bright summer days at the beach since water and sand reflect UV light. Shielding your eyes with sunglasses reduces the risk of premature ageing of the eyes and diseases such as cataracts and skin cancer on the eyelids. Our eyes are exposed to UV every day, whatever the conditions, but in our region the risks to the eye health are much higher. Solaris offers a wide range of children’s sunglasses across different brands, to suit different ages and tastes. Most importantly, all Solaris sunglasses are of the highest quality in terms of UV protection and comfort. Let your kids wear sunglasses all day every day and enjoy whatever they are doing stylishly in safety and comfort. Sunglasses for children can be found at Solaris & Vision Express in 2nd Avenue and Grand Avenue – The Avenues, Marina Mall, The Gate Mall, Al Bairaq, Rawda and Salwa Co-ops as well as in the Kuwait International Airport- Debenhams.
TANGLE TEEZER NEON HIGHLIGHTERS Salon Elite in Midnight Black has been brightened with a shot of neon. A pop of lime, orange and pink makes for a super cool contrast to the classic black top. A highlight in any salon, that can’t be found anywhere else. A ground-breaking detangling hairbrush that makes peace with tangled hair, innovative in design and it delivers a different kind of stroke using its patented teeth technology. The teeth flex over tangles without pulling, tugging or yanking. The cuticle is left smooth, the hair healthy and shiny. This detangling tool hosts a centralized concave design that contours the head shape better, giving fast and even brushstrokes from roots to ends. Exclusively distributed by beau-tique cosmetics international. Call 2225 1285 for more info or go to www.beau-tiqueonline.com.
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bazaar around town LANDMARK GROUP LAUNCHES HOME CENTRE & ICONIC AT SAMA MALL Landmark Group, the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, officially opened the doors of two of its stores: HOME CENTRE & ICONIC at Sama Mall, Fintas. Home Centre’s new store spans over 3,600 square metres and spreads across two floors. The store reiterates the brand’s commitment to the country and affirms its leading status as the preferred home shopping destination in the region. Home Centre hosts an expansive range of classic, contemporary and modern furniture along with an extensive choice of home accessories including gifts, kitchen and serve-ware, bathroom accessories and more. The opening of Home Centre was headlined by famous blogger TheVeeView who spent time with customers and handed out gifts to the first 100 shoppers. Customers could also avail discounts up to 70% with Home Centre’s ongoing Spring sale. The swanky new ICONIC store will showcase ICONIC’s trendy and fashion different pieces for men, women and kids. The brand represents a trendy spirit and is a destination where fashion, innovation and lifestyle meet. The store is located on the ground floor and will provide customers a great shopping experience and the latest the brand has to offer from its uber stylish Summer’ 16 collection. Find out more online about Iconic at www.iconicstores.com/kw.
ECCO LAUNCHES LUXE COLLECTION OF ARABIC SLIPPERS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST ECCO, the Danish footwear and accessories label known for its minimalist Scandinavian style, achieves another milestone with the release of its third collection of Arabic Slippers made exclusively for discerning customers in the region. Banking on the success of its first two ventures into the exclusive space, the brand has amped up its third offering with more luxurious styles and unmatched comfort that has become expected of ECCO products. To uphold the quality for which the brand has become globally renowned, ECCO infuses its patented technologies in the manufacture of these traditional designs. Staying true to its heritage, ECCO’s Arabic Slippers are crafted with the finest leathers and premium materials, now incorporating exotic leathers such as croc, ostrich and snakeskin while keeping in line with the design roots of the original and ECCO’s philosophy that form follows function. The brand prides itself for owning every stage of its supply chain, which means that design begins with the leather itself. ECCO operates its own tanneries and processes its own leathers, providing an ideal environment for great design and flawless craftsmanship to thrive as the brand maintains strict quality control on its products. Due to these unique aspects, ECCO’s Arabic Slippers will last two to three times longer than the average counterparts, owing to the fine materials and unique techniques employed in the manufacturing process. By the time an ECCO slipper is finished, a total of 112 pairs of hands will have touched it throughout the entire process. You can find ECCO at The Avenues mall, 2nd Avenue – Marina mall – Promenade mall - Muthanna complex – Mohalab complex and Al Kout mall. Check out their Instagram account @eccoarabia.
OTUR VAVAVOOM: BRINGING LUXURY FRAGRANCES CLOSER TO YOU Beauty retailer VaVaVoom has launched Otur VaVaVoom, a new concept that aims to make luxury fragrances more accessible than ever to its customers. The Otur VaVaVoom stores are now open at Mubarak Al-Kabeer and Al-Qurain Co-op, offering customers a wide choice of fragrances and beauty solutions at a location that is closer and more convenient to them. Otur VaVaVoom offers local customers’ favourite designer, classic, and niche fragrances – including perfumed body products and gift sets – from the world’s finest houses such as Bvlgari, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Dolce&Gabbana, Narciso Rodriguez, Sospiro, Alexandre, and Roberto Cavalli. Vavavoom is well known for bringing together the most exclusive international brands from the world of fragrance, color and skincare within one store. With the launch of Otur VaVaVoom , the brand is all set to take a leap into making luxury fragrances and beauty solutions even more accessible to its customers. “We’re extremely excited to announce the launch of the Otur VaVaVoom concept. With it, we hope to bring niche, luxury fragrances closer to our discerning customers. We also look forward to expanding the brand across other markets, to take luxury fragrances to more customers,” said Jim Ragsdale, Commercial Director of Premium Cosmetics. For exclusive brand news and offers, follow on Facebook: vavavoombeauty and Instagram @vavavoombeauty_kwt.
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ULTIMATE FORMULA Transform your hair with Kerastraight's latest innovation in de-frizzing and repair. This ground breaking range of treatments are now more powerful, easier and quicker to use.
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Available at TONI&GUY Cliffs, TONI&GUY Al Corniche and other specially appointed salons. Exclusively distributed by beau-tique cosmetics int’l Call for more info 2225 1285 www.beau-tiqueonline.com beautiquecosmetics beautiquekuwait beautiquecosmetics
bazaar around town DOUBLE YOUR SALARY WITH ABK'S WEEKLY DRAWS Get KD 100 upon transfer of salary to ABK and be one of the lucky winners to double up! Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) recently announced its new and exciting promotion that gives existing and new ABK customers the chance to double their salaries on a weekly basis. The promotion started 1 May and runs to 30 September, 2016. New customers who transfer their salary to ABK will receive KD 100 and automatically be entered into the weekly draws to double their salaries and existing customers who are already transferring their salary to ABK will be entered into a separate draw. Commenting on this promotion, Stewart Lockie, General Manager of Retail Banking at ABK said: “We are very excited to engage customers in this new promotion, rewarding both new and existing customers. Research highlighted that our customers want a simple promotion with a high frequency of draws and a high probability of winning. The campaign is a direct response to this feedback. ABK continuously seeks to reward its customers with differentiated services and added value, and we will further enhance our products and services in line with our ‘simpler banking’ strategy. For more information on Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait please visit www.eahli.com or contact an ABK a customer service agent via ‘Ahlan Ahli’ at 1899 899.
ENGINEERING STUDENTS GRADUATION PROJECT EXHIBITION AT THE AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF KUWAIT For the fourth year in a row, the School of Engineering at the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK) organized its “4th Engineering Students Graduation Project Exhibition,” whereby students from the College’s four Engineering programs – Mechanical, Electrical, Civil and Petroleum – showcased their final graduation projects. The exhibition was developed as a platform to provide students with the opportunity to present their innovative concepts, reflecting their knowledge, competency and special technical skills acquired during their studies at the School of Engineering. In total, there were 68 unique projects presented by 131 Engineering students. The top 4 projects were then chosen as winners from each department who then received an award from the Head of School of Engineering, Dr. Mohamad Gaith. The winner from the Civil Engineering department was Norhan Shaker. From the Electrical department winners were Maryam Fawaz, Anood Al–Failakawi, Farah A-Foudari and Ahmed Al-Meshemi; from the Mechanical department were Mahmoud Zahraoi, Ahmed Baqer, Ali Mohammed, Khaled Moustafa and Farah Al-Maraghe; and finally, from the Petroleum Engineering department were Hajar Al-Harbi, Khadija Ahmad, Shoug Al-Saber and Noura Bin Haj. ACK proudly integrates project-based learning (PBL) into its unique mix of practical and theoretical curriculum. The “Engineering Students Graduation Project Exhibition” was a direct reflection of this approach, representing ACK’s students’ abilities in conceptualizing and executing complex projects from start to finish, preparing them for real world experiences in the competitive field of engineering. Find out more about ACK online at www.ack.edu.kw.
FANTASY WORLD THANKS KUWAIT FOR ITS 20-YEAR FRIENDSHIP Fantasy World has come a long way since its inception in Kuwait in 1996 as the first toy store that brought branded toys and consistently enjoyed the benefit of leading the industry for 20 years. The brand’s philosophy is built around its passion to simply make customers happy. Fantasy World’s presence in the local market would not have been possible if it was not for the local community’s embrace and support throughout years. Today, Fantasy World announces its 20-year anniversary by thanking everyone in Kuwait for buying toys that turn out to be their children’s best friends. Fakhri Al Balki, Fantasy World’s Retail Manager, took this as an opportunity to thank the local community, “On behalf of the company, I would like to thank everyone in Kuwait for their ongoing support throughout our 20 years of business operation. 20 successful years in Kuwait is not only a happy occasion for us to celebrate, but also for every child and parent in Kuwait. I am excited to share our celebration with the community.” For two decades, Fantasy World has been the innovative trendsetter that surpasses market expectations. The company employs a team of dedicated research specialists who study the current international market trends and act immediately to being the first to introduce the newest toys and gadgets to Kuwait. All store items are purchased from all over the world, a factor that ensures product originality and quality. During new product releases, Fantasy World allows its customers value add of trying and experiencing new toys and gizmos to ensure that they are completely satisfied before making a purchase. Customers are invited to visit any of Fantasy World’s stores in Kuwait to explore and experience new toys, available at Al Rai, Bustan Mall, The Avenues and Souq Sharq. Voice any inquiries and concerns by visiting Fantasy World’s social media platforms on Facebook: fantasyworldtoyskuwait, Instagram @fantasyworldtoys and YouTube fantasyworld Kuwait.
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CELEBRATE TRADITION Ramadan Kareem celebrate tradition
mabrookco mabrookco Made in Greece
www.mabrookco.com
Tel: 2220 4140
bazaar around town PREMIER SPORT ACADEMY CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL SEASON WITH GALA AWARDS CEREMONY The Premier Sport Academy in association with Everton F.C. and under the sponsorship of Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company and Elite Sports Direct held their Gala Presentation Awards Ceremony at Salwa Sabah Al-Ahmed Theatre and Hall to celebrate a successful season for the year 2015-16. Over 450 players and guests attended the celebratory gathering, including the Guest of Honour, Group Captain Finlay McLean, Defence Attache from the British Embassy. Other notable guests during the event include Joey Hood, Deputy Chief of Mission, American Embassy Kuwait and other representatives from the German and Spanish Embassies in Kuwait. The awards ceremony was led by Group Captain McLean and Joey Hood, Deputy Chief of the USA Embassy who distributed over 150 prestigious awards to players, coaches and sponsors who demonstrated outstanding achievements through the season. Over 120 players between the ages of 6 and 18 years were nominated by their coaches to receive awards in several categories, including: Most Outstanding, Most Improved, Most Sporting, Top Goalkeeper, Top Trainer, Star Player, Coaches Award and Centre of Excellence Team Player. The respective awards honored the hard work, dedication, commitment, and high standards of performance and conduct of the players over the course of the season. Further details of the Premier Sport Academy in association with Everton F.C. can be found on www.PSA-kuwait.com. LOYAC HOLDS THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF ITS ‘PEACE OF ART’ CAMPAIGN Graffiti art is no longer restricted to only walls, and has progressed to adorn empty oil barrels, in the name of carrying out artistic messages of peace. This magnificent effort was made possible by a group of fine arts youth and children gathered by LOYAC. A nonprofit organization, LOYAC works toward the overall development of youth in order to spread artistic culture and community awareness of the role of art in the peace industry as well as the importance of recycling and environmental preservation through works of art. Lothan Youth Achievement Center, (LoYAC) held the closing ceremony of its ‘Peace of Art’ campaign under the patronage of National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim. The celebratory event was attended by representatives from the government including HE Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al Sabah, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, members of the diplomatic corps, and other partners and supporters of LoYAC, at its headquarters in Qibliya School on Tuesday evening. The ‘Peace of Art’ campaign, part of LoYAC’s community outreach project brought together 17 notable local artists along with little Loyacers to paint on barrels of oil. LoYAC’s intentional use of oil barrels aims to highlight the importance of recycling as well as the use of oil revenues to promote arts, humanity and peace. During the campaign, old oil barrels were recycled into seats, painted by artists and exhibited in a tour through Kuwait’s public venues to raise the awareness on the peace campaign and encourage participation in the charity auction. The proceeds from this campaign were dedicated towards LoYAC’s community outreach projects in Yemen, and for Syrian refugees in south of Turkey where the organization is establishing a Center for Child and Youth Empowerment. National Assembly speaker, Marzouq Al-Ghanim, thanked all those who had contributed towards the success of the campaign and commended the youth for embracing the culture of teamwork and collaboration as a means to fight the feelings of pessimism and discontent and for not falling prey to a culture of passive complaining. He thanked both the Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti youth residing in Kuwait for believing that the darkness of the world cannot be dispelled by a single candle and for coming together through such creative conclaves to further the culture of beauty and spread the values of gratitude. For more information on Loyac in Kuwait and their various events and programs, visit www.loyac.org.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF KUWAIT SIGNS MOU WITH AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN CAIRO In a formal signing ceremony, The American University of Kuwait (AUK) and The American University in Cairo (AUC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to facilitate bilateral collaboration between the two universities on a wide spectrum of academic programs and activities. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by AUK President, Nizar Hamzeh, and AUC Provost, Sherif Sedky, to mark the beginning of collaboration between their respective institutions. The signing ceremony took place at AUK and was attended by top management officials from both institutions. AUK President Hamzeh indicated that the purpose of the MOU “is to promote academic collaboration that would allow students and faculty from both institutions exchange knowledge, ideas, and resources contributing to academic excellence”. He added, "we are very pleased with this partnership because AUC is one of the few leading universities in the region, and that our mutual goal is to expand this academic collaboration to include development of new programs, including dual or joint degrees in engineering.” According to the MOU, possible venues of collaboration between the two universities will include, but not limited to: Articulation of course credits, study abroad or student exchange, collaboration with the AUC Center of Teaching and Learning and collaboration with other potential areas such as executive education programs and dual degrees in engineering, in particular; mechanical, civil, architecture and environmental. Find out more online at www.auk.edu.kw. 96
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COLOR YOUR RAMDAN Pssst! We have a sneak-peek coloring page from Bibi Salem Al-Sabah’s My Ramadan coloring, activity and sticker book. For more information on where to find the book, check out their Instagram account @beesideas. Happy coloring!
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bazaar scopes what’s your sign? LIBRA SEP 23 – OCT 22
TAURUS APR 20 – MAY 20
A look into the future helps you make an important decision. Thinking long-term is the smart approach. At home, don’t let a negative family member get you down. Keep hold of your optimistic nature. Now’s the time to look into that class you’ve been wanting to take.
Think long-term when it comes to financial planning. A situation that was new and somewhat overwhelming a few months back seems like old hat by now. You’ll feel more comfortable in general with all aspects of your life. Renewed self confidence helps you overcome fears.
SCORPIO OCT 23 – NOV 22
CANCER JUN 22 – JUL 22
Help comes from an unusual source. You may find that you were wrong about someone’s character. An argument with a loved one could escalate into a huge battle if you lose your cool. Try to take a reasonable approach. Put off making plans for an upcoming weekend away.
Seeing how “the other half” lives helps put things into perspective for you. What you really want will become more clear. A lucky break comes your way later in the month. You’ll have an opportunity to do something you didn’t even think was an option. Your enthusiasm inspires others.
SAGITTARIUS NOV 23 – DEC 21
LEO JUL 23 – AUG 22
Be open to new ideas, especially when it comes to work. You could find a faster, more productive way of doing something. The road to love may be somewhat bumpy. You might be better off saving romance for a later date. A family member surprises you.
A slow and steady approach will be much more effective than an aggressive one when it comes to matters of the heart – especially if you’re pursuing a Scorpio. Make use of free time early in the month as your social life will accelerate towards the end of the month.
CAPRICORN DEC 22 – JAN 19
VIRGO AUG 23 – SEP 22
Don’t be afraid to share your ideas – no matter how off-beat they may seem. Others will be receptive. A work challenge gives you something to be excited about, but you may have to temporarily sacrifice your social life if you want to reap the full rewards. Romance takes a turn this month.
A bad attitude will only make an unpleasant situation worse. Why not take a positive approach? If you do, you may be pleasantly surprised. An unexpected expense could put a damper on week-end plans. You may have to seek out less expensive entertainment options.
GEMINI MAY 21 – JUN 21 A great month! Being in the right place at the right time could yield rewards. You’ll feel as if you have a guardian angel. In matters of romance, you’ll find that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Big news comes from afar. This month is a good time for communications.
AQUARIUS JAN 20 – FEB 18 Giving a friend the cold shoulder is no way to resolve problems. Get things out in the open before they get out of hand. A change at work could be the sign of things to come. An opportunity could be waiting for you in the very near future. Keep your eyes open.
PISCES FEB 19 – MAR 20 An introspective mood could help you figure out how to resolve an ongoing problem. Time spent alone will prove beneficial. News about a former associate – probably a Gemini – will provide food for thought. You’ll find that people can really change over time.
ARIES MAR 21 – APR 19 Discipline is the key to success. Resist the urge to procrastinate and focus on the job at hand. Business travel plans may be delayed if your work schedule gets too demanding later in the month. An opportunity to see old friends will arise. Fun times await.
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