bazaar Dec 2011

December 2011 - issue # 155 b a z a a r - m a g a z i n e . c om

Intr

The bazaar team...

Boss Ahmed El-Adly

Yusra Ahmad

It’s been a very busy festive season lately, what with Halloween, followed by Eid, followed by Thanksgiving, and now Christmas is around the corner, soon to be followed by New Year’s. Our heads are spinning from all the action, and our wallets are hurting from all the travelling. Oh well, it’s all for a good cause, right? Speaking of New Year’s, have you given any thought to what this year’s resolution is going to be? Are you going to cut down on junk food, stop smoking, start going to the gym, or some other wistful plan? I personally have decided to start spending less time online, and more time off line meeting friends face to face instead of virtually. Let’s see how that goes!

This issue of bazaar is back with all of your favorite regulars, and, of course, a bunch of new ones as well. Take advantage of the amazing weather and head out to Milk for an unforgettable breakfast and any one of their soul-warming hot chocolates – you won’t want to leave. From June to October Red Bull cans have been used to create great pieces of art which will be on display at the Art of Can Gallery at the 360 MALL Exhibition Hall from the 3rd - 17th of December – it’s absolutely amazing what some of these artists have created out of Red Bull cans! December’s people are some of our favorites; from Cookieology founder and Carrot Cake guru, Ahmed Galal, and Zahed Sultan’s internationally acclaimed single, “I Want Her But I Don’t Want Her,” to Anne Gedeon’s “Jewelry that’ll make you GRIN,” you won’t want to miss what we have in store for you this month. Grab your Milk hot chocolate and those chunky, chewy Cookieology marble cookies, find a cozy corner, and enjoy the chill!

Business Development M ai Jado

Communications Consultant Hala Y. Sharara

Design Sumaiya AL-Shar han

Staff Writer/Social Media Yasmine El Char if

Editor A. Al-Duaij

Contributing Writers Ayman K. Bibi Al-Falah Craig Loomis Daniel Abd Assamad Ghadah Alkadari Jaye Sonia Loaay Ahmed Meghan McCabe Mona Al-Enezi Strawberry Girl Sumayyah Meehan

Photographers Mosa'ab Elshamy Omar EL-Naggar

See you next year!

Ahmed El-Adly

Sumaiya AL-Sharhan

Printing

British Industries for Printing and Packaging

LA Times Daily Star USA Today MTC International MIT Review Travel Times Hollywood Watch Tribune Media Services

bazaar can be found at the following locations:

Operations

I was going to start this intro with quite a crude joke about what Santa said to someone’s mother, but then decided against it in keeping with the spirit of the month, and the fact that over the years I have finally realized that not everyone appreciates my sense of humor! So, instead, let’s talk about the absolutely amazing weather we have been blessed with this winter. Who would have believed that it’s December and we can still sit outside, 90 percent of the time.

Our favorite outdoor haunts include zaatar w zeit at Marina Crescent, Chocolate Bar on Al Beda Strip, and Milk, Cocoa Room and Prime & Toast on Al Seif Strip.

Of course there are plenty of other places we love, too, but you can read about them all next month when the infamous bazaar dining guide comes out. Be sure to grab a copy as soon as you can, since they tend to disappear quickly.

Syndicates and Sources

Starbucks Coffee (65 branches) Cozmo - 4 branches Topshop Galleria Complex The Video Club Souk Sharq Energie Costa Café H&M Bredz Jacques Dessange Miss Sixty Airport Mall Häagen Dasz Virgin Megastore The One Café ACK (Australian College of Kuwait) AUK (American University of Kuwait) AUM (American University of Middle East) Boxhill College Marble Slab D’Lush Early Bird Café Harley Davidson Al-Kout Mall Centrepoint Café Johnny Rockets Pizza Express Al Corniche Club Kuwait Airways Oasis Club Shay W Nanaa Le PQ Cafe Boushahri Clinic Al Salam Hospital 4 x 4 Customs Ligne Roset Hard Rock Café Pilates & More Mowasat Hospital Camille Albane Dar Al Funoon I.O. Centers Cutting Edge Salon Dasman Diabetic Centre The Burger Hub Dunkin Donuts Waterlemon Café Supreme International Clinic Casper & Gambini’s Segafredo Cafe O Pao Cafe

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).

No one likes to be dumped;

recycle me, please.

facebook.com/bazaarmagazine twitter.com/bazaartweets

tel. 24610017 - fax 24610018 info@bazaar-magazine.com www.bazaar-magazine.com

members of: www.bpaww.com

what’s on?

CAP KUWAIT

The Colorful World of HAMID AL HUMAIDHAN: Celebrated 12-Year-Old Artist Holds Show for Charity.

Dar Al-Funoon and Contemporary Art Platform Kuwait (CAP Kuwait) collaborate to showcase the talent of virtuoso painter Hamid Al-Humaidhan.

Meditative Calligraphy: Writing as Worship, Contemplation & Reflection Salon: 8 pm Thursday, December 1 Workshop: 3 pm Saturday, December 10 Taught by Fareed Abdal Class fees will be donated to Kuwait University’s organic gardening program, run by Althat group.

For more details: capkuwait.com/programs CAP Kuwait is a nonprofit venture, supported by an extensive private collection of modern and contemporary artwork. The Contemporary Art Platform is located in Industrial Shuwaikh Block 2, St. 28, Life Center, top floor (Across from the Shuwaikh Immigration Dept). For more information email info@capkuwait.com or call 2492 5637.

GALLERY TILAL

Date: 14 - 28 of December 2011 Title of Exhibition: Colorful World Location: Shuwaikh, Block 2, St. 28. Life Center: Top Floor. (Across from Shuwaikh Immigration Office, same building as Eureka & Midas).

Hamad Al Humaidhan is a young boy of 12 and has been painting since the age of 7. His early exhibitions were in England; the family lives in the United Kingdom where his mother is seeking a doctorate in Microbiology.

Hamad paints his world with youthful emotions— his characters, some real, some legendary and others just imaginary are composed with mastery. His paintings are vivid and youthful expressions, which today can be compared to any established artists developing their subjects on society.

Hamid Al Humaidhan placed third in Top Tenz list of Exceptional Children and Teenagers and has been featured on the BBC, amongst other major media outlets. Proceeds from Hamad’s exhibition will go to the Kuwait Dream Centre for autistic children.

Public Programs: Painting Class for Children Ages 12 and under.

Along with the exhibition there will be painting events on the 18, 19 and 20 December whereby young children can join Hamad to paint from 4 to 6pm.

CAP Hours: Morning: 10am-1pm, Evening: 5-9pm. SundayThursday. Saturday by appointment.

Dar Al Funoon is located in Al-Watiah, Behbehani Compound, House No.28. For more information please call 2243 3138 or log onto www.daralfunoon-kw.com PRETTY LITTLE THINGS

Date: 4th -15th December 2011 Title of Exhibition: Adel Bujbara A silent Photography Exhibition that speaks a thousand words of freedom and speech and space….

Gallery Tilal is located in Shuwaikh, Jahra Road, Tilal Complex, M3-M4. For more information please call: 222 56101 or email gallerygallery@hotmail.com.

You can also check out their facebook page.

DAR AL FUNOON

Ghadah Alkandari PrettyGreenBullet 24

Opening at 7pm – 9pm pm Monday, December 5th, 2011 – ONE NIGHT ONLY An exhibition celebrating the second year of Ghadah Alkandari’s blog PrettyGreenBullet, this onenight show will showcase paintings and drawings, as well as everyday notes, doodles and sketches done by the artist over the last year. Because of the vagaries of Alkandari’s mind, even she can’t be sure what the final outcome of the show will be. The nature of her daily evolution and devolution of ideas form the basis of the PrettyGreemBullet experience, and this exhibition.

All the pretty little things in one social event.

Sample new items, meet the people behind the brands, sip tea, chat by candlelight and stay a while.

5 goodie baskets given away daily. Live tweets will spot the most stylish.

When: December 6-7-8, 4pm-11pm Where: Villa Mini Boutiques. Adaliya Block 2, Abdullah Al-Hajeri Street, House 16, Who: NBar, Tatami, Crave, Goji Boutique, May Jewelry, Green Bar Inc (from Bahrain), The Yard, So Lulu, Silsal Ceramics and more The house is 5 rooms, and divided as follows: The Goji Boutique Rooms: www.gojiboutique.com has two rooms across from one another.

The Beauty Room: NBar Kuwait will be offering manipedis, there will be a facialist, a makeup artist, minimassages, etc.

The Outdoor Area: Will have lounge-like seating with candles and flowers to set the mood, coffee and tea service with Crave & Firin serving/selling their yummies.

The Wonder Room: Two larger rooms opened up to one another, and will have May Jewelry, Green Bar Inc, Silsal Ceramics, Shanta, So Lulu.

Twitter: @PLTQ8

truth or dare

AHMED GALAL Cookie dude By bazaar staff

I remember the first time Ahmed ever said his first words to me. We were 14, at a friend’s pool party and he turned around and said, “Don’t worry, soon things will be back to the way they were.”. It took me a while to realize he was actually speaking to me, because although we had grown up together, I’d never heard him speak. Not to me, at least. He was the true definition of a ‘shy guy.’

Fast forward 16 years, and he’s loosened up some since our childhood years. Those who didn’t know Ahmed as a youngster, describe him as shy, but now that we’re adults, I realize that he’s more of an ‘observer’ than he is shy. A Communications Engineer by day and founder of Cookieology by night, Ahmed’s attention to detail and his ‘observer’ trait are the secret behind the success of his Cookieology cookies, and mouth-watering Carrot Cake, which has me salivating at the thought of it sitting on my kitchen counter. For years, Ahmed practiced and tweaked his cookies and Carrot Cake recipes – and used us as guinea pigs that were happy to oblige – until they were perfect. Taking advantage of the annual holiday bazaar to launch Cookieology, he turned many a Carrot Cake haters into believers. It is that good.

But don’t take my word for it, after all, I am a childhood friend and probably come across as biased.

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Give Cookieology a call, or simply SMS your order, making sure to allow for a 24-hour notice for any order, (he does make and bake all his recipes himself ) and try them out yourself. Cookieology will change the way you look at home-made desserts – especially that Carrot Cake!

How would your mother describe you in one word?

Quiet ... she’s always waiting for me to finish my conversations with more than my 1-2 word responses.

How would you describe your mother in one word?

Sounds cheesy, but seriously, words are not enough to describe this woman!

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

My goldfish memory fails me in remembering any significant crazy questions I’ve been asked.

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

I’m the planner type. I hardly do spontaneous things, or things that would seem spontaneous to everyone else.

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

Mazagangy! It’s Egyptian slang describing a person who enjoys the utopia and peace of living in that certain state of mind.

Where would you like to live? / What is your dream retirement location?

Ultimately, back home, Egypt! (But that looks like a far away dream right now)... Retirement: Anywhere where I’m surrounded with the sea and greenery would be great.

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

“Wa bil waledayni i7sana...” or in English “and (that ye show) kindness to parents”… Allah (17:23) What animal best describes the kind of partner you’d be interested in?

A dog, preferably a ‘lab’... You can’t beat that kind of loytalty!

What do you miss about your childhood?

As most adults would probably say, the carefreeness. My brain hasn’t stopped thinking since, and I wish it would take a break!

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?

I’m named after the prophet (PBUH) so it doesn’t get any better than that, plus my family and friends have developed many a cool nickname for me over the years, so I already have more than one name.

How would you describe your handshake in one word?

Investigative.

What is the toughest part of your character?

With whatever it is I do, I refuse to accept anything less than perfect. That, however, can sometimes hinder my progress, as I have the tendency to get hung up on little details that are not so significant.

Who is your favorite historical figure?

I suck at history, but Khaled Ibn el Waleed’s canny strategies in battle stories come to mind.

What in the world do you least desire?

Hypocrisy and hypocrites, enuf said!

What do you think is lacking in the world, which would make the world a better place?

People need to respect themselves, first, to respect one another more, and understand/believe that this life we live is coming to an end one day, and hopefully try to make the most out of it by living in peace together.

Why do you think most girls/guys like you? ...who said they do?!

Finish this sentence: “Happiness is a thing called…”

Peace of mind.

Join their Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/cookieology or follow them on Twitter @Cookieology_kw. For orders, call or SMS 5013 3696.

INDEX DEC. ' 11

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82

36

110

AHMED GALAL

DAMAR

IDEA PAINT

ZAHED SULTAN

GRINNING CONFIDENCE

Experience the science behind the taste of Cookieology’s cookies and Carrot Cake, and get to know a little bit about the man behind the unforgettable desserts, Ahmed Galal a.k.a. Cookie Dude.

Mai and Amane, Palestinian teenagers living in Nazareth have a political message and they’re telling it through rap music; stories of discrimination and growing up as part of Israel’s Arab minority.

Few of us grew up with the permission to doodle on our walls, but the forbidden fruit that is writing-on-the-wall is no longer a sin. With Idea Paint, you can turn almost any surface into an erasable-marker-friendly canvas.

From environmental activist, social responsibility enthusiast to recording artist, Zahed Sultan is the inspiring creative chameleon behind his debut album, Hi Fear Lo Love, and our artist of the month.

When beautiful accessories can make you grin, you know you’ve come by an inimitable design. Get up close and personal with the fabulous Anne Gedeon, the designer fashionista.

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LE GRANA

GEEKS AND GAMERS

She may have one debut collection under her belt, but the creative talents of Grana Khan are not to be underestimated.

Meet the fierce stylista who fashioned ‘East Chic’.

Rekindle your love affair with comic books with this month’s installation of Geeks and Gamers as Jaye takes us through his rocky relationship with comic books, and how he re-found the love.

Tahrir - Take 2, p. 86

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92

46

130

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MILK

GHADAH ALKANDARI

FASHION CAFÉ

THE ART OF CAN

GOJI’S PICK

The latest arrival at the Seif Strip and already a breakfast favorite of ours, scrumptious Milk has us salivating at the mere thought of their delicious blueberry pancakes, home made brittle and addictive hot chocolate.

To mark the 2nd birthday of renowned artist Ghadah Alkandari’s blog, a.k.a.

PrettyGreenBullet, this celebratory interview takes on a new form online as she receives her questions from her blog followers and readers.

When food tastes fashionably delicious, a fabulous fete of tastes awaits at Fashion Café as well as a dazzling foray of the latest trends. So dress to impress, and head to Fashion Café to sample the finest culinary designs.

A Worldwide contest that pushes all the boundaries of creativity, the Art of Can gives the Red Bull Energy Drink new forms and unpredictable dimensions, read on to see the works of the competing artists showcasing at 360 Mall.

Bringing us socially responsible fashion, Goji Boutique introduces the bright and festive Susu Bag. The must have accessory for every season and symbolic of an esoteric culture, the Susu Bag is every collector’s favorite.

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up close and personal

GRINNING CONFIDENCE Anne Gedeon By bazaar staff

Design can make the innocent bystander swoon from admiration, gasp in shock and experience the art of the subjective. Fashion, nonetheless, is one similar affair, associated with vanity for many, yet with happiness for Anne Gedeon. Her work may be fashionably critiqued 28

as fabulous, and artistically, Anne Gedeon’s work is an equal experimentation of form, composition and color.

A world where vintage is the new ‘now’, raw is the new polished, and impression weighs much more than appearance, these disparate juxtapositions emulate

her strenuous character and unbounded soul. Anne started designing pieces for her friends, soon after developing a network that amounted to a feasible market, and then set out and followed her passion by producing her full collections. Creating bespoke pieces in accessories design with Grin, Anne was always inspired by texture. She states, “I keep doing what I love doing: design. It was just in a different form.

I always created my own jewelry because the variety in retail wasn’t satisfying. I started with designing pieces for friends and family, which soon developed into a network that wanted to purchase my work. Soon after, I saw myself making custom-made orders that evolved into the production of full collections.” Choosing to name her funky-chic, hand-made jewelry and accessory line, Grin, Anne’s latest venture is a promise that every statement piece will put a grin on your face.

Be it a cunningly confident, sleek, edgy, or amused grin, each creation is a one of a kind piece, dubbed an art. From Nek Art (necklaces and), Ear Art (Earrings) to couture traditional Kafiya shawls.

After joining forces with her sister, also a designer, and producing a fully fledged fashion show event launching their Spring-Summer collections in the uber-chic Armani Privé at Burj Khalifa Anne also recently joined the latest UAE based institution,

United Designers, a pioneering retail and fashion incubator concept born towards showcasing and supporting talent of UAE based fashion designers.

She comments, “If it achieves half of what we believe it will, it will already be setting a trend in the Dubai, and also Middle Eastern, industry. Push the envelope and people inevitably will follow.”

bazaar questionnaire: What is your idea of perfect happiness?

To love and to be loved - insatiably, crazily, truly.

What is your greatest fear?

Drowning in a dark ocean, alone.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I would have to say my selflessness, always putting people before me. In a selfish world, this could almost be viewed as a bad trait.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Laziness, superficiality, incessant discontentment.

Which living person do you most admire?

My dad.

What is your greatest extravagance?

My Atelier.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“No Rio”, “Wash your hands Jack”.

When were you happiest?

When I used to get 10 hours of sleep.

Which talent would you most like to have?

I have the talent. I just would like to have the time to invest in that talent!

What would you consider your greatest achievement?

My brand. It takes a lot of hard work and sleepless nights to build a brand from scratch. And my kids.

Where would you most like to live?

My Utopia ..

Somewhere with perfect weather all year round – sunny, crisp & 22 degrees, with a little breeze. Occasional cloudiness. Little rain.

Old streets with beautiful architecture… Long winding roads & cobblestone town squares scattered around everywhere...

History everywhere you turn, the walls, the streets, the buildings…A city with a rich intense culture.

Insightful, passionate polite people that are apolitical and pleasantly philosophical Lush greenery everywhere. Parks in every neighborhood, and clean organic farms everywhere...

Solar cars, no fuel, no diesel, no trucks, no horns.

Vast green hills & valleys...a river or 2 for magnificent picnics....and superb camping.. superior level of education .. medicine.

A huge arts culture …plenty of tucked away antique and vintage shops, galleries & deliciously scented mini bakeries with older plump smiley grandmas serving you...

Sweet & neat restaurants serving fresh authentic food that provide home delivery!

I would also want to have a few modern museums / theatres that bring in the latest art shows ,broadway & new age theatrical shows from all over the world.

And of course this city needs to have a raving nightlife, just in case you feel like letting your hair down, any day, anytime of year!

Its economy needs to be sustainable no matter what crisis happens...no taxes..lead by a group of highly educated selfless village folk who’s core value system revolves around goodness & peace.

All people who live in this city are pleasant to look at, well educated and have impeccable taste in everything.

I might just call it G R I N C I T Y! (If only....sighhh....)

Grin is available online at www.gojiboutique.com.

For more information about Anne Gedeon and Grin, please visit www.grin-design.com.

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Goji's Pick

THE SUSU BAG By bazaar staff

Being a socially responsible brand never looked this stylish, as Goji Boutique, our favorite online destination for looking effortlessly chic, strives to bring in a wide range of responsible fashion to customers in the Middle East. An eccentric collection of hand woven bags, the Wayúu Susu bags symbolize an esoteric tradition of weaving that reflects a heritage of creativity, wisdom and intelligence.

With every purchase you make of the Wayúu Susu bag from Goji Boutique, you would be benefiting The Wayúu Tayá Foundation, a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization founded in 2002 by Venezuelan model and actress Patricia Velásquez. Since its creation, Wayúu Tayá has concentrated its efforts in assisting the Wayúu, an indigenous group of over 450,000 people, located in the Guajira Peninsula of northern Colombia and northwest Venezuela. Wayúus, commonly referred to as Guajiros, are an Amerindian ethnic group that has been able to avoid European acculturation over the centuries. In doing so, they successfully preserved their ancient culture, yet at the same time, have been subjected to impoverished living conditions, and limited developmental and educational 30

opportunities. According to studies conducted by UNICEF, the Guajira ranks second among the poorest regions in Latin America after Haiti.

A society that is matrilineal, where Wayúu children bear their mother’s last name, by nature, the culture of weaving is a practice that is passed on from one generation onto the next as a rite of passage. The Wayúu weavers initiate themselves in this art with a special ritual called “the enclosure”.

Those women that show great abilities in the art of weaving “Kanaas” (design) that represent different animals, flowers and the natural environment of the Wayúu, wins the respect of the entire community. The variety of bright colors infused in these specially woven bags is inimitable, and the collection carried by Goji Boutique showcases a myriad of different weave patterns and beaming colors that will simply leave you smiling with your purchase of the Susu bag.

The Susu bag you order from Goji Boutique is simply irreplaceable, unrepeatable, and exceptionally unique. Because the art of weaving is a tradition that young Wayúu women adopt at a very young age, each bag carries the essence and characteristic of each weaver’s style.

Founded by glamour model and famed actress Patricia Velásquez, she is also a UNESCO Artist for Peace and an active charity worker. Velásquez received the Women Together award at the UN in 2009, and in November 2010 was honored with the Solidarity Award. Choosing a role model like Patricia is an inspiring decision by Goji Boutique, proving that fashion can look amazing and make a difference to someone else’s life. If more fashionistas took the same initiative, or are looking for a step forwards, order your Susu bag now.

Besides, these bags make for a divine shopper tote, or stylish holiday accessory.

The meticulous work involved in each bag is completely manual, and the same materials and treatments used for each bag have been kept the same since early centuries. For every Susu woven, a young Wayúu woman worked for 8 hours daily for a continued period of 21 days. Now, that’s fashion worth flaunting, especially that you would be representing a hidden gem of talent, hard work and perseverance.

The Wayúu Susu bags are carried by Goji Boutique.

Log on to to get your own!

snap

Title: Are we there yet?

Location: Cairo – Alexandria road, Egypt.

On a family road trip, Nubis, the family dog, dozes off in the most comfortable spot he could find. What a life!

The beauty of photography is that it is left open for the viewer’s interpretation. It is an art form in which the artist sees and captures a moment in time for us to forever contemplate. Instead of saying “this is how I saw it” a photo asks the viewer to simply “see”.e snap@bazaar-magazine.com. Give us something to see.

freedom to express 32

Photographed by: Omar EL-Naggar

MILK Small in size, big in flavor By bazaar staff

Go to Milk. After all, milk is good for you.

Considered one of the latest additions to the hip dining sensation that is the Sief strip, Milk café is a beautifully crafted rendition of ‘small is beautiful’. Focused on choosing ‘select’ ingredients, the high-end café utilizes seasonal ingredients fresh from the market. Everything is freshly prepared daily, and every dish has ‘milk’ as an ingredient in one form or another. Perhaps its namesake alone reflects a sense of wellbeing, a comfortable (and for some, an uncomfortable) reminder of our mothers urging us to drink our milk to grow bigger and stronger bones. As much as we fought our mothers, deep down we knew they were right.

Start your day with a steaming cup of fresh frothy milk, and then drop in a block of your Swiss chocolate preference (white with saffron, white with lemon zest, milk, After-Eight, or Dark) to make that smooth and creamy, well-deserved, hot cocoa treat.

Everything is literally made from scratch; the pastry basket is divine, with croissants so light, fluffy, and crunchy, freshly baked in a pastry specialty oven. For yogurt lovers, have your go at the frozen yoghurt station, with a new flavor of the day, every day.

Choose your own fruit, nuts, like walnuts and almond shavings, for toppings, including Milk’s signature home made honeycomb, chocolate and hazelnut brittle. Better yet, order the complete Brittle Platter to sample these sugary, snappy delights on their own along with tasty fudge bites and dried orange sticks covered in dark chocolate.

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Breakfast is never complete without an egg entrée, and when it comes to eggs, simple ingredients make for great taste. Have a go at the addictive Manchego Scrambled eggs, served with crispy turkey bacon, grilled juicy Portobello mushroom, and quince jam.

The simplicity lies in the flavorful Manchego cheese, adding a biting edge to the fluffy scrambled eggs.

If you like your eggs sunny side up, we loved the Milk rendition with grilled cherry tomatoes and Portobello mushrooms, and the Denver omelet is equally impressive, with crisp bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and matured cheddar cheese perfectly complementing the seasoned omelet. Fervent cheese and mushroom fans need not fret, for the Milk version will readily please.

Our favorite part of any breakfast happens to be dessert, because, let’s face it, why would anyone ever refuse Nutella crepes, waffles, and blueberry pancakes? At Milk, the buttermilk pancakes are heavenly in presentation and taste. Infused with fresh berries to expertly accommodate the buttermilk sweetness; each pancake is a guaranteed experience

of complete and utter satisfaction, and upon drizzling the maple and berry syrups, transcendent goodness.

Not only so, Milk’s signature pancakes are available in plain buttermilk, or choc-chip. The signature brittle makes an appearance once again in the form of homemade Maple comb ice cream, choco-chip, vanilla, strawberry, and plain chocolate.

If you’re not able to sample the sandwiches on the menu, perhaps a secondary visit to Milk is in order. The Steak Sandwich; freshly prepared with grilled steak fillets, caramelized onions, and a balsamic mayo on open faced Focaccia bread, is especially delicious when complimented by the fresh Rocca and Fruit salad. With figs, fresh peaches and mozzarella, the different textures create the perfect medley of tastes.

Milk is located in the ‘Strip, next to Pinkmoon Boutique, opposite Al Sief Palace in the city. For more information, like them on facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/MilkKW. Or follow Milk on twitter: www.twitter.com/@milk_KW.

IDEA PAINT Color waaaay outside the lines By bazaar staff

Before

After

Great ideas are usually the simplest; innovators take a simple task that appears unattainable and make it happen in an efficient manner. That’s how a couple of college students cramming for their finals came up with the concept of Idea paint! Think of this, you’re studying for your final exams, and your notes are sprawled all over your dorm room, only to fill it up to capacity. Where do you go from there? You stick them up on your wall, after you have already overloaded your whiteboard with notes. How about writing everything out on your walls, Einstein style, only to erase them off with a simple tissue after you’re done? Get out of town.

At bazaar, we have a similar dilemma, we come up with great ideas, plan them out to every meticulous detail, yet run out of the space to write more. Our funky acrylic clear board was our loyal companion, where we wrote follow up notes about interviews, motivational doodles to keep us going, as well as schedule all the yummy reviews we conduct throughout the year. Sadly, our board was rendered useless towards the bitter end, just in time for us to start planning the annual dining guide navigational grid. After doing much research on how to capitalize on our now empty space, we found Idea paint. When we first met the brand representatives, brothers Rakan and Badder Al-Ghanim, we immediately thought this was a prank. Rakan comments, “No seriously, we can transform your desk space with idea paint. You wouldn’t need notebooks anymore, just scribble on your desk using an erasable marker, and you can wipe it off with your finger if you like.”

The young entrepreneurs, also the official reps for the innovative brand in the region, have been working on bringing this brilliant brand to the region for quite some time. After reading about Idea Paint in Time magazine as one of the best inventions of 2010, Badder was intrigued by the small brand, which he actually experienced during his college years at Bentley University. “It came as a total surprise to see that I graduated with these guys from Boston, except that they went to our rival school, Babson. I emailed them the first time with Rakan, and then a year later they went for it!”

Badder delivers the story behind this genius invention.“Babson and Bentley are both business schools, the first being entrepreneurial and the latter more finance related. During final weeks, Morgan, one of the founders, was sticking A4 papers on the wall to write and look at, as he studied with a group of friends. He figured, there must be better way. Three years after graduation, and after going bankrupt, the invention materialized in the form of Idea Paint. “So far, we as Idea Paint implemented at least 36

50,000 installations in the US alone, and we are super excited about Kuwait. Everyone from hospitals, elementary schools, colleges, creative agencies, to corporations, has gone for this mechanism to facilitate communication and change the concept of the traditional meeting.”

But then we had to ask, how would we, as bazaar, benefit from Idea Paint?

Rakan explains, “Well, with you guys, you have the creative capacity to do so much, you have an open-plan office, and the great thing about Idea Paint is that it provides you with a blank canvas to openly jot your ideas down. You won’t need your laptop, notebook, or Smartphone to visualize your thoughts. All you need is an erasable marker. Sometimes, it’s as simple as writing a word down.” Surely enough, after the paint dried and we started doodling, we couldn’t stop.

Somehow, we felt like Idea Paint was made for us, yet the fun thing about Idea Paint is that it is perfectly suitable for the family home as once the paint is dry, it is 100 percent child-friendly. One of the biggest installations implemented so far in Kuwait was carried out in a personal home. Children love the idea of having a creative playing space, as they are finally allowed to scribble on their walls! Families like to interact together in a new form. Badder jokes, “So it looks like it is working! To be honest, when we knew that we wanted to do this, we first thought that this product would be interpreted as a novelty, as it is absolutely fun. To our surprise, however, we found that our customers would call us back for a secondary job using Idea Paint because the product is entertaining and cost effective.”

Idea Paint comes in a variety of colors, and can be implemented on different surfaces, like desks, walls, cardboard paper, drywall, plaster, chalkboard, whiteboard, tables, bikes, and the smallest garden gnomes. Try it our right now by simply finding an erasable marker and using the Idea Paint insert attached inside the pages of this issue.

Get in touch with Idea Paint by sending an email to Kuwait@ideapaint.com, or visiting www.ideapaint.com.

“UNTITLED” LANGUAGE OF THINGS Imad Sadik By bazaar staff

On show at the FA Gallery in Kuwait from November 2 until November 15, was a collection of design objects that forced me to re-think how I wanted to live in my home. “Untitled” Language of Things, a show revolving around the object and what it pronounces, was contrary to showcasing designers and their productions.

Collectively, the show had a certain, distinct, energy. Each piece was charismatic and the layout engaged the pieces together to draw in the viewer, to look and touch. Perhaps unintentionally, this show examined the perpetual question of what makes art. Certainly, these design pieces were art, as art moves the viewer. These objects in the room moved me. This was a show filled with life, style, and innovation. I started to re-think that I could now live with this art, and interact with the object.

On show were design pieces that both combine form, function and technique. The spaghetti chair, fabricated by hand molding silicone, could not be mistaken for anything but spaghetti. It brought another dimension to the room, with its brightness and its somehow messy, neatness. I was smiling back at the chair, I felt happy.

I enjoyed viewing each piece and was thinking about each one for what it represented in life. A pair of chairs on show represented faces and a 38

color. The chair with the faces emphasized the color of the lips on a separate chair. The dialogue between the objects was too loud to ignore. I came back again, thinking maybe they were having another conversation…

The centerpiece of this show and the piece in the center room of the show was a large, silicone table, with the profile of a man’s face positioned next to another design piece, a cloud sofa. There he was, the face table in tones of red and purple, in the middle of the room, almost shouting for an umbrella to protect his head from the cloud. At this point I was BBMing this image to all my contacts.

The pieces on show were collected and setup by Imad Sadik. He runs a niche business of supplying unique design pieces. On these pieces and the show under the name “Untitled”, Imad said to me, “I’ve noticed that people have a desire to be more expressive in their homes. Art has taken its place in our homes, but we want more, more art, more design, more utility and comfort. These pieces definitely find their places in our homes easily. The contrast of having a classic or modern living space mixed with contemporary pieces definitely brings life and light together. One of my favorite homes has a classic character, complete with wood paneling, with a magnificent multi-colored sofa (shown in this

exhibition), right there in the middle of the room.

The wow-factor is undeniable.”

This made me ask about the title of the show, “Untitled” Language of Things. By announcing the show as untitled, I have already rid myself of any pre-conceived notions of what this must be about, and allowed myself to engage with what I saw. Imad says, “ I want you to forget about the person behind this, being that this show is about design, physical contact is encouraged. A large multi-color modular sofa (can be arranged and re-arranged to suit the need), looked as though buns of bread were rising through the buttons as though it were being baked.

There was a story unfolding in the 3 sections of FA Gallery. Each piece takes its place on the floor, but each piece is linked to the other pieces in its proximity. The placement of the items on show was intelligent. Across from the lit sofa, was an oversized armchair upholstered in a PVC fabric, it was the Shadow chair. Light and shade, how many times did we play with light, making shadows? This room brought back an innocent playfulness, a sense of freshness and life.

I couldn’t agree more with the language of things, the language of these ‘things’ in these rooms. These objects were having conversations, amongst themselves, with me, with the room, I didn’t know where it started and where it ended, I was in the middle of it all, and there I was laughing, absolutely moved.

I left when the gallery director, Abed Al-Kadiry, turned off the lights…. But I took the spaghetti chair home with me! And left them a fork in its place.

FA Gallery may be contacted on: aalkadiri@thefagallery.com.

Imad Sadik at A&A Fabric may be contacted at: md@fabric-consults.co.uk.

SUPERHEROES, UNLIMITED! The confluence of architectural design and landscape

By Jaye Sonia

I don’t remember when, exactly, I discovered comic books. I know I was in elementary school and that, at the time, the X-Men fascinated me. There were so many things that grabbed my attention – the artwork, the writing, the concepts, and even the stories themselves. At the time I didn’t understand the consumerist drive that demanded so many crossovers, but the geek in me loved the crossovers and multi-issue story arcs. Stories like The Infinity Gauntlet and the The Fall of the Mutants (which came out in 1991 and 1988, respectively) titillated my young imagination. I couldn’t wait for each new issue and, much to my father’s occasional chagrin, was quick to walk to the local store to get mine as soon as I got my allowance. (I wasn’t exactly following the market in my youth…)

Comics were my introduction to a completely different world. They did three important things that, many years later, I came to recognize as an adult.

First, comics taught me to dream big. Whether it was to gaze toward the starts, wonder at the many scientific gadgets, or just to see distant lands, comics excited so many ideas! They gave me a taste for the exotic and made me want to learn more about the real world. Secondly, comics inspired me to read more. I learned to look beyond just comics, and although I didn’t jump right into the classics, when I did, I had a whole new appreciation for them. Comics prepared me for works like Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream or Homer’s Iliad. Finally, comics 40

inspired me to write. This is of obvious importance – and if you read this column regularly, you’re getting a small taste of that effort. I may be no Fritz Leiber or Michael Moorcock, but I aspire, nonetheless. There is magic in painting with words.

It was in my late teens, shortly before entering the military aviation community, when I decided that comics were “childish things” and that reading and collecting them had to take a backseat to the rest of my “real life.” In part, this was a practical decision. Lugging a full collection of comics around the world just wasn’t practical. But there was another idea at work, too; that comics were the realm of the impractical and immature.

That idea took root in my mind and reinforced by a greater community that had never enjoyed them to begin with, blossomed. Sadly, I put comics away for many years.

It was here in Kuwait that I rediscovered comics. For my part, there were a lot of other things I could have done. But like so many Westerners, I wasn’t acclimated to the weather (and even now that I am, I still loath – like so many people – to brave midday in July) and there were only so many video games or TV series to watch.

Eventually, my buddy Rick (who received the sporadic comic through his APO) passed on a few issues to me.

I didn’t take to them right away, but I did enjoy the opportunity to read them. But then I got my iPad. (Yes, there is a geek link in here for you, loyal readers).

I discovered the Comics app (by ComiXology) and

discovered The Walking Dead (which started out as a comic long before it became a hit TV series – you should read it). I bought up the series! Then came the Marvel Comics app, the DC Comics app, and the Darkhorse App. Having been out of comics for so long, I relished that so many of these companies were giving away their comics – at least initially – for free. They gave me a chance to read, and if I liked the stories, continue onward. It was (and remains) a great reintroduction to comics. Better still, the “tap and read tech” definitely spoke to my inner geek!

So, I got back into –without the bulky monthly mailings –comic books. What can I say? It’s been a long time and, like visiting with a friend after a lengthy absence, “we” have a lot of catching up to do. But from what I can see, things look bright and a lot of my old favorites are still around. Better still, some of the new kids on the block look incredibly promising, as well.

There are series based around all sorts of genres with a nice range of choices – everything from the Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World to 30 Days of Night. The comic book heavyweights are also present, as well. So, whether you’re an Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, or a Batman fan, you’re sure to find something you love.

Of course, you will need a reader that supports the required apps (think iPad1+ or something running Android), some free time, a quiet location, and a great cup of coffee. (pffttt… don’t mock me! You know your inner geek craves the deliciousness that is coffee!!)

be your own elf

Hand Grenade Christmas Ornaments “Deck the halls with light explosives”. No one is suggesting you do that. This set of 6 plastic Christmas decorations merely serves as a subtle reminder of those less fortunate, during times of celebration. With each pack purchased you will be making a donation to Ctrl.Alt.Shift’s fight against global conflict. These fun Hand Grenade Christmas Ornament are available for £20 about $32 from Suck UK.

www.suck.uk.com

Ho Ho Grow We love Christmas and everything about it... including the vegetables. Christmas dinner can include any combination of tasty veg, but there are two that stick out in our minds as synonymous with the most wonderful time of the year. You'll need carrots or your snowman will have no nose and they tend to be very popular with the reindeer when they pay a visit on Christmas eve. You'll also need sprouts. Why? Because it's Christmas!

The pack contains everything you'll need to grow your very own yuletide sprouts and carrots including seeds, starter pots, compost discs and plant markers. Just make sure 'tis the season when you plant them!

www.gadgets.co.uk

Melting Snowman We're dreaming of a white Christmas but even if it doesn't happen, there's snow reason why you can't still build your very own friendly snowman indoors. This super snowy modelling goo is considerably less chilly on the fingers than the real stuff and you can craft any Christmas critter imaginable using the snowman parts provided. Including boggly eyes, a stylish hat and scarf, the classic carrot nose and stick arms. The goo only retains its shape for a certain amount of time; after a while your snowman will begin to go the same way they all do and eventually end up as a sorry looking puddle with a hat on top. Don't be too sad though, this snow never melts into water so you can simply make yourself a new snowman.

www.gadgets.co.uk

Nose Warmers You nose it makes sense. There are two different varieties of nose cosy to choose from and we're very partial to the rather festive red one with a little bell attached to the end. It's an ideal Christmas gift for those who regularly complain of a nippy nose and as a bonus, you'll still be able to hear where they are if you get caught in a blizzard. Alternatively there's the classic tartan variety which will never go out of style and will go nicely with the rest of your winter accessories.

www.gadgets.co.uk

Snow in a Can The weather in this country has a serious attitude problem. Summers are plagued by dust and wind and then we have to endure the whole winter dreaming that the view outside our window will be filled with the deep crispy whiteness of snow. Take matters into your own hands and use new Instant Snow in a Can - it looks and feels like real snow! Just pop open this magical can and add water to the sachet of white powder found inside, you'll soon have your living room looking like a winter wonderland. A couple of days is all it takes for the snow to dehydrate and then you can vacuum it up, or spray some more water on it to get that Christmassy feeling all over again.

www.iwantoneofthose.com 42

BOUDOIR SALON A cut above the rest

By Meghan McCabe

You can’t throw a rock in Kuwait without hitting a salon or nail bar. Like the booming “mini-treat” industry in Kuwait, salon numbers have spiraled in the past few years (although salons have always been around in Kuwait, proper nail salons are a recent development).

I’m a picky person. I don’t mind paying money for a service, but I’ve got to have good service in quality surroundings. My bad back usually hurts when I have to spend several hours in an improper chair for a manicure-pedicure and I’ve run the full gamut of the salon scene; from cheap to high quality. Unfortunately, until a few nights ago, I have been unimpressed.

I was really searching for a salon with massage chairs. I received an invitation out-of-the-blue from a salon owner, Reem Al-Qallaf of Boudoir Salon in Surra, who asked me if I would like to try their services (in a proper pedicure massage chair). She was so friendly that it was immediate good customer service.

The salon is somewhat off the beaten track in Surra. Reem provided very good directions. She told me that she didn’t want a salon that was housed in an apartment building, or anywhere without plenty of parking. Her location is great; I only had to walk 44

approximately 50 meters from my car.

Boudoir is a fitting name for the salon. They have decorated it in lovely lilac, silver, and whites. Their staff members wear white (not off white or formerly-white) uniforms (and all were happy and smiling – which was refreshing). The salon exudes elegance from the crystal chandeliers to the (insert harps playing here) four white leather massage pedicure chairs. I was served coffee from a delicate silver teacup. Their customers are of the kind who smile (not the kind who stare).

I couldn’t help but notice Reem’s American accent; and then she introduced me to her mother who is originally from Memphis. So, it seems they have the perfect blend of Southern hospitality/charm, ambiance and outstanding customer service. The only thing missing was the mint julep.

I had a Boudoir pedicure which consisted of a mint wrap (your legs are wrapped in plastic wrap), paraffin wax, fruit scrub (followed by more scrubbing), and callous remover gel (which I haven’t been able to find anywhere else in Kuwait). It was heaven.

Boudoir is a full-service ladies salon. They offer hair styling, keratin treatments, coloring, make-up (“elegant, not over-stated”), threading, hair removal,

Moroccan scrub, spray tan, and massage. They offer Shellac and Gelish manicures and products which are the latest from the US and UK like Salon M, Essie, Opi and other brands. (Of note: I am picky when it comes to having my blonde hair “brought back to natural”.

I would prefer another blonde to do my color and noticed that Boudoir has a blonde stylist from the UK.) The salon is squeaky-clean. I am someone who pays attention and I look in corners. It was pristine.

The owners care a lot about hygiene and the mani/ pedi instruments are sterilized and kept in sealed bags. Even the paraffin pedicure treatment is done in individual bags so that patrons don’t have to share with other clients.

Boudoir can be found online at www.boudoirsalon.net or phone 2533 5951/2.

bazaar goes dining

FASHION CAFÉ Food for every fashion By bazaar staff

A traditional Arab saying dictates, ‘Eat what you like, and wear what people like’. This proverb is highly revered at Fashion café, where one is best advised to dress to impress, yet is free to indulge in a mélange of delicacies. Food is fashioned for every taste, and every whim is scrumptiously satisfied. A common characteristic shared amongst fashion followers: they are known to be the most difficult critics of taste. When the association devoted to the glitzy world of fashion, and is considered the primary trendsetter to many markets, decides to take on gastronomy, every bite is critiqued in terms of taste and presentation to deliver a memorable impression and a flourishing relationship with gourmet aficionados.

Bringing the concept of Fashion café to Kuwait might seem simple; yet trying to adapt the menu to suit the Kuwait market was no easy feat for the owners. Given a highly sophisticated market segment, the food was intricately designed by the crème de la crème of gastronomic consultants to deliver a 46

unique and memorable taste to every dish. Fantastical salad creations, socially sharable appetizer platters, flawlessly crafted main courses, and palatable desserts.

Not only so, a new breakfast menu is now offered for a stylish start to the day, and a fun Kiddie menu has been introduced to include the whole family.

Creatively utilizing the freshest ingredients, the focus of the food at Fashion café is based on the ideology that food needs to look amazing, and taste even better in order to remain up to the Fashion standard.

Choosing the buzzing dining district of Al Arjan Complex in Bida’a for its flagship location, the owners of Fashion café decided to stay in tune with the brand’s original objectives in choosing to expand the brand’s activities in Kuwait. Renowned for showcasing all that is ‘in’ and fabulous, Fashion TV started diversifying, fashionably, into various activities, including lounges, energy drinks, and retail merchandise. The Middle Eastern concept materialized in the form of a restaurant. Starting out in the swanky town of Amman, Jordan, the dining

aspect of the Ftv brand is no less fabulous in Kuwait.

Showcasing different local and international fashion brands on a continued basis, the interior is a glamorous, dramatic presentation of the elusive Ftv diamond; mannequins are immaculately dressed by retailers choosing to display their garments in different crevices throughout the interior, elegantly lit by spotlights as diners enjoy their food while admiring the different fashion collections on display.

Not only so, Ftv retail merchandise is exclusively sold at the café restaurant. Given the beautiful whether enjoyed during the mild months of winter, the rooftop terrace makes for the perfect ambience for evening gatherings, as the glitterati dine under the stars.

For appetizers, we chose to sample a few of the extensive salad creations on offer, as well as the famous sharing platters. Starting with the Exotic Fusion, we were delivered a chic presentation of lettuce, artichokes, palmetto, asparagus, mushrooms, beetroot, and tomatoes, with a side of French dressing.

Feeling a little adventurous, we also ventured to

tease our taste buds with the Tropical salad, a fruity explosion that yielded a pleasant experience of taste and contrasting textures. In this special creation, the zesty chunks of pineapples, strawberries, kiwi, and oranges expertly compliment hearty legumes, including crunchy lettuce and tomatoes. Topped with slices of Halloumi cheese and herb vinegar dressing, the Tropical salad is a winner, and is not to be missed when using the fresh seasonal fruits.

For the warm appetizers, and renowned sharing platters, we chose to go with a contrasting taste to rinse our palate, and that taste could not have been better when we were presented with the Cheesy Mushroom platter, with lightly-fried breaded delicacies like Kashkaval cheese, mozzarella, stuffed mushrooms, and olives with a marinara sauce.

Another tasty delight is the shrimp on toast, which we found to be as extremely filling, as whole shrimp

are deep fried on toast bread, accompanied by a sweet chili and soya sauce.

The main courses are no less impressive, as creative renditions are the highlight, with traditional favorites given a designer twist. We tried the innovative Halloumi Fusion, with perfectly bite-sized, tenderized, beef fillet rolls stuffed with Halloumi cheese, sautéed carrots and onions, served with sweet corn kernels, potato wedges, grilled vegetables and an aromatic herb sauce. Following the Halloumi Fusion was the elegant presentation of Steak on Puff, where slices of succulent beef fillets are served on a crispy puff pastry with duxelle sauce, a mushroom paste cream sauce, complimented by char-grilled vegetables, potatoes and in faultless French fashion, green peas. Seafood lovers may indulge in the Passion Del Mare, a generous offering of grilled lobster, hammour, grilled shrimp deliciously lathered with a garlic lemon sauce.

For dessert, it is always best to go with the house specialties, and ignore the ongoing battle against temptation. Look no further than the light, fluffy, yet lusciously creamy cheesecakes. Styled to impress, there are various options to choose from, including chocolate, caramel, strawberry, or a mixed berry cheesecake.

Other sweet temptations available include the three different flavors like strawberry, mango, and chocolate. We quite fancied to order all three and mix those seductive flavors together. For devote cake eaters, we recommend the Sticky Toffee pudding served with the fine Haagen-Dazs vanillabean ice cream.

Fashion café and restaurant is located in the Arjan Complex extension in Bida’a. For more information, please visit www.ftv.com.

47

closet Bibi

THE BIRKIN BAG

By Bibi Al-Falah

The “Birkin”, a name that, even men have begun to recognize, due to the endless obsession of women who crave this infamous handbag. So what is a Birkin, and why is it in such unbelievably high demand? A Birkin refers to a specific handbag style from the luxurious French design house Hermès. The name of this bag was actually inspired by English actress Jane Birkin, who reportedly was seated next to the CEO of the company in 1981 on a plane. It is said that Jane was carrying a straw bag and all of her belongings fell out.

She then complained that she could not find a suitable leather bag for her travels and everyday needs. The Chief Executive, Jean-Louis Dumas, took this comment to heart and came out with the perfect black leather bag soon after, appropriately named “The Birkin”.

The design is not terribly intricate. The bag is not extremely eye-catching or impossibly beautiful, and yet the Birkin retails anywhere between 9,000 to 150,000 US Dollars. It is iconic in every sense of the word and is famed for having a two-year waiting list at international Hermes boutiques. Why, you make ask, does it have such a high price? Why is the range of this price so large? The fact is, each bag is hand crafted in France and can take anywhere between 18 to 25 hours to create. Only five bags are produced each week, so supply is certainly not keeping up with demand. Beyond this, the price variance is based on the specific leather used to craft the bag as well as what size is chosen. It can be anything from a 25cm version to a 55cm travel size. The material can be basic leather or ludicrously expensive crocodile, lizard, and ostrich skin. The highest price, 150,000 dollars, is the cost of a limited edition crocodile leather Birkin with 48

9 carats worth of diamonds incorporated into the design. According to Forbes, there are only two of this specific bag in existence.

Even the regular basic leather Birkins are considered rare. Just because you are willing to pay the price does NOT mean you will get one of these bags. You had better know someone who knows someone who knows someone or become best friends with the sales manager in one of their boutiques if you really want it. Some lucky shoppers can randomly walk into a Hermès store on any given day and find a Birkin just sitting there, but you can never be sure.

It seems that with all of this hype and exclusivity, there are one too many girls walking around holding these bags. Obviously, they are not all real. If you get close enough, you can usually spot a real Birkin from a fake one. For any girl out there that might have a fake one, I wonder…what’s the point? Why are you trying to have something you can’t afford yet? Just buy it when you can. If a young man buys his dream car when he’s only 18 years old, what is there left to look forward to?

Personally, I’d rather use 10,000+ dollars to buy an entirely new wardrobe, put it towards a new car payment, or go on a few amazing vacations. Spending this amount on just one bag? That’s a bit much. If I may say this out loud… it’s not even that great of a bag. It’s a simple rectangle leather bag with a basic design, so what is everybody dying over? Not to say that I wouldn’t buy one some day, but it’s not really a dream possession in my opinion. It is what it is: a status symbol. However, the message begins to lose significance as more and more women are all walking around with the same status.

big boys toys

Fiat 500 Abarth Forget the awful J-Lo commercials — as it turns out, there's a version of that tiny ride that's actually manly enough to drive. And it's name is the Fiat 500 Abarth ($TBA). Faithful to the "small but wicked" saying used to describe Karl Abarth's cars from the '60s, this racy model will sport an all-new 1.4L MultiAir Turbo engine, specially-tuned suspension and brake systems, upgraded technology on the inside, and far more aggressive looks on the outside.

www.fiatusa.com

Carson Portable Rotisserie Grill Proper rotisserie cooking generally requires a large setup — which is a problem when you're wanting some perfectly-cooked skewers at your next camping trip. Enter the Carson Portable Rotisserie Grill ($720). This suitcase-sized setup can hold up to seven rotating skewers — powered by an internal rechargeable battery or plug-in wall adapter — and offering a high-heat porcelain-coated charcoal tray, rugged, lightweight aluminum construction and 4,000 cubic inches of cooking volume.

www.carsonrotisseries.com

Porsche Design P'9981 Blackberry Smartphone We're not going to tell you that it's the most advanced phone around, but if you've got your heart set on a CrackBerry, there's no better choice than the Porsche Design P'9981 Blackberry Smartphone ($TBA). This unique handset features a forged stainless steel frame, a sculpted QWERTY keyboard, BlackBerry OS 7 with a special Porsche Design UI, a 1.2 GHz processor, 8GB of on-board memory, HD video recording, and hand-wrapped leather back cover, all of which will have your boardroom buddies turning green with envy.

http://ae.blackberry.com

Green Machine A gas-powered, adult-sized big wheel? Count us in. The Green Machine ($75,000) is categorized as a three-wheeled motorcycle, but its looks — inspired by the classic pedaled tricycle of the same name — scream out "toy", even as its Harley-Davidson v-twin Evo engine pushes you along at speeds of up to 50 mph. Other features include a six-speed transmission, a range of 400 miles, and the ability to attract ridiculous amounts of attention.

www.hammacher.com

Numark DJ2Go Throwing an impromptu rave has never been easier. The Numark DJ2Go ($60) is a small — think keyboardsized — DJ controller that connects to your laptop over USB, letting you DJ an entire set using real controls while carrying nothing more than your laptop bag. Features include two platters, a crossfader, pitch and level, Deck A, Deck B, Master, and Headphone gain controls, and compatibility with nearly any MIDIcompliant software. Finally, a reasonable excuse to bring your laptop with you to the club.

www.numark.com 50

ON BEING CLASSY Author teams up with socialite for more advice

By Debra D. Bass

Much like the life of its author, Very Classy offers a cheeky peek at society from the perspective of a bemused observer. That observer? Derek Blasberg, who lives as a citizen of the world flying all over to chat up every A-lister you can name. That's not an exaggeration. His book is loosely structured as an etiquette book, the second in less than a year. It expands on his first, Classy: Exceptional Advice For the Extremely Modern Lady.

He's very serious about his advice, but the intent is the only serious thing about his work. He dares to offer a quiz on assessing whether you're a lady or a tramp and rants about "persnickety" dinner guests, among other campy material that is clearly directed at people who are already (mostly) in the know.

From home decor and travel tips to cellphone etiquette and dating tips, the book feels like a free-wheeling conversation with a gracious host. "It's really, probably, more of a reaffirmation for girls and women," he said during a St. Louis cocktail party and book signing event hosted by Susan Sherman, Nicole Benoist Edgerton of Minipinkbook.com and Anjali Kamra of Rungolee (http://rungolee.com).

He said that he wrote the book for the "girl who might be thinking, 'Hey, I'm never the drunkest girl at the party, am I weird?'" He wants her to know that manners, style and true class are never out of style. And he knows first-hand. The women most young girls aspire to be are his best friends and pictured extensively in vacation, party and awards show snapshots throughout his book.

For this book tour, he partnered up with his longtime friend Lauren Santo Domingo, who is what you'd call a billionairess (although she'd likely shudder if you said it to her face). Last year, New York Magazine declared that the three most important words in high society were "Lauren Santo Domingo." Get the picture?

She has worked as an editor for Vogue and now owns part of an innovative online shopping venture, Moda Operandi that is causing a bit of a revolution. She's offering customers the opportunity to curate their own store. Instead of waiting to see what retailers decide to stock from the Proenza Schouler fall fashion show, clients can 52

go online the day after the collection hits the runway and order exactly what they want. The items that were never intended to be duplicated after the runway shows are now ending up in closets around the world.

Santo Domingo is the archetype of the type of lady Blasberg describes in his book - or perhaps the lady she wants to grow up to be. She has a sense of humor, exquisite taste, a work ethic, a humble streak, loves a party and presents herself as the kindest, most charming power-mogul you've ever met.

Those aren't easy stilettos to fill. But Blasberg's book, which is also a diary of his experiences, offers one recurrent theme. The "classiest" people he's ever met are above all things ... nice.

He includes copies of thank-you notes from the likes of Tom Ford, Anna Wintour and his book's covergirl, Byrdie Bell, as examples in his book.

In the thank-you section he also offers this tidbit: "A friend of mine recently sang for the president of the United States, and a few weeks later she got a handwritten note on presidential stationery. So, unless you're busier than the president of the United States, you don't have an excuse."

Point taken.

Later Blasberg admitted that he never thought his book would be such a success.

The first earned him the title, "New York Times best-selling author." "We live in a Snooki (of Jersey Shore) world, where we have girls who think it's fine to paint yourself orange and go on reality TV and make out with strangers, and my book was saying, 'Don't tan, don't make out with strangers and, certainly, don't do both on reality TV,'" Blasberg said.

Actually, he initially mispronounced Snooki's name, and Santo Domingo corrected him. She joked that he keeps her around to feed him pop culture references. The billionairess said that she "keeps him real."

Real classy, we're sure. Š 2011 Distributed by MCT Information Services.

The Avenue Mall, Al Fanar, Al Kout, Al Mohalab Centre, Marina Mall, Souq Salmia

fashionality

EAST CHIC Le Grana

By bazaar staff

Being fashion-forward isn’t about having the right look, or simply wearing the latest trend.

Even if a stylista were to follow the dictations of the modern fashion world, she would need to embody the right attitude. The fashion-forward woman values her style, and values what she wears as a representation of her self. She isn’t just boho chic or denim savvy, nor is she immaculately dressed in the shades of the season— she is her.

Enter Grana Khan. Born and initially raised in Dubai, Grana has always been on the cutting edge of the cultural exchange between the East and the West. Long familiar with the way different values and visual tastes can meld to create innovation and beauty; Le Grana’s designs form part of this creative dialogue.

Imaginatively detailed, her adventures in design are innovative and visionary – this is the new luxury clothing line, Le Grana. After experiencing the fashion scenes of both Toronto and Dubai, Grana’s outlook is looking more promising than ever. This astounding and confident debut speaks volumes about a personal love affair with style, making for an inspiring Fashionality, and the designer to watch next season.

Now operating her design studio from Dubai, Grana’s latest collection, East Chic, is a fierce representation of the trendy and vibrant streets of East London, enhanced by just a dash of Dubai glamour. Colors are both bold and muted, from nudes to fuchsia, and embroidery adds stunning detail. Lines are elegant and cuts are sharp – these garments are fierce.

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Does fashion ‘make’ the person or does the person ‘make’ fashion?

I believe the person makes fashion! That’s the great thing about fashion, every person has their own unique outlook and can style themselves in so many ways. Ten people could wear one t-shirt style in ten different ways! I love seeing peoples’ interpretations of fashion, its always exciting.

How would you describe your style?

I would say eclectic at its finest. I love mixing high-end designer items, with high street fashion, vintage, second-hand clothing, and love supporting new designers, as well. I love that their garments are unique and there's a story behind them.

How do you get inspiration for your style?

For me, inspiration comes in many forms. I can get inspired from the colors of a bird to the colors of nightclub lights. For me, there really are no boundaries when it comes to inspiration.

What does it take to become a style innovator?

It takes a lot of fearlessness. I love people who don't care what others think, 'who' they're wearing, and aren't scared to try something new, even if it’s not conventional. Anna Dello Russo is my style icon, one of the only woman in the world who can pull off a headband with giant cherries on it. Love her.

What’s exciting right now in fashion?

The best thing about Fashion in the Noughties (2000 onwards) is that we have so many style decades to look back on, and interpret them in our own way. Do you feel like dressing up like Farrah Fawcett in Charlie’s Angels? Or like screen sirens

like Bridgette Bardot today? So much flexibility, anything goes these days!

Who or what has been your greatest fashion influence?

There are so many fabulous and innovative designers out there who have really changed the fashion game such as: Alexander McQueen, Mary Katrantzou, and Christopher Kane. They really inspire me to be myself and push my dreams.

Who are your favorite designers, and what is it that you love about them?

I've discovered so many fabulous emerging designers in Dubai. My favorite is Sugar Vintage; I love her unique and simple concept of celebrity faces on shirts. I love Reemami for their fun colors, silhouettes and great ad campaign. I love KAGE for their simplicity, wearability and cool prints. I also adore Sarah's Bag; she has such great designs, I really see her becoming a household name.

What is the highlight of your ‘style’ career?

There have been so many highlights that make me feel truly blessed. The lovely words of encouragement and ongoing support have been my biggest highlight.

Not to mention being in Time Out magazine Dubai, three times in the past month, Seeing strangers love and buy my designs, as well as boutiques, and the amount of new emerging designers telling me I inspire them, and asking for career advice. It feels great!

Every fashionality has as a style obsession, what’s yours?

I’m currently obsessed with Missoni Prints, Equipment blouses, Helmut Lang’s easy to wear designs, Charlotte Olympia heels, and Cambridge Satchels in every neon color possible! Also dying for an Hermes Constance purse. Sigh… the list goes on..

Do you follow any fashion blogs? If so, what are they and which would you recommend?

I absolutely love blogs! There are a lot of great Dubai-based ones and international ones. Dubai ones: My Fash Diary, Butter Hot Shoes, Pintsized Fashionista.

Those are definitely my top three. As for international blogs: The Blonde Salad, The Man Repeller, Kingdom of Style, Fashion toast, and Christeric.

What item of clothing (if any) do you wish that people wore more often?

I’d love to see girls in looser silhouettes, like maxi dresses, Parachute pants and oversized tops, rather than the skintight bodycon dresses and typical designer wear that seems to be quite common.

To be stylish is to be fashionable. True or False and why?

False. To me, true fashion is not following the crowd, or caring what others think, I love fearless girls who aren't scared to show the world that they are!

All items from Le Grana can be ordered directly from www.legrana.com.

Season’s picks: The Cindy bodysuit and Natalia skirt. I love the embroidery in these pieces, and the fact that they're all handmade. I love using jersey and stretch based fabrics, as they're very flattering and suit a lot of body types, although it’sa common misconception that they don't!

Linda Top

Cindy Top Daria Dress

Natalia Skirt

Chanel Dress

Sascha Skirt

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NEW YEAR, NEW ME

By Daniel Abd Assamad

Every year I sit down and make a list of resolutions for the next year but by the end of January I would have lost that list or forgotten all about it. That is the case for most of us; we make a list of resolutions because we want to have a better year than the one that just passed. Recent research shows that while 52 percent of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12 percent actually achieved their goals. Another study showed that 78 percent of the people that do set resolutions fail. So what are the 22 percent of the people that did achieve their resolutions doing? That is the big question.

Many people have said they break down their resolutions into manageable chunks or that they are supported by friends and family, which can help to a certain extent but after all, it is your personal resolution not theirs. Plus, let’s face it, our resolutions have to be realistic to start off with for us to be encouraged to actually start and then keep working on them. I believe that these 22 percent succeed because they don’t give up and they are truly motivated, not just 58

doing it for the sake of it.

But why don’t we look at this from a different perspective? Why don’t we have a ‘World Resolution’?

Everything starts small and evolves. A baby starts as a single cell and then develops, plants start as a seed and grow, so would our resolutions – but we have to plant them first. So let us plant our resolutions at the beginning of this year and watch them grow over the next three hundred and sixty five days.

What is a world resolution? Well, it’s a resolution that all of us have to work on, it’s a challenge for all of us and can’t be achieved by only some of us. Aesop once said “United we stand, divided we fall.” So let us stand united. We should start working on ourselves today and inspire everyone around us for this type of resolution to work. If we want to see a change in our world we should be the change that we want to see.

There are over three billion people, or 45 percent of living humans, living on less than $2.50 a day – about 700 fils. Imagine living with that amount of money per day. Most of us would say that it is not our fault that they’re poor or are uneducated. It is, however, our

fault! We have become so greedy that we look down on them and feel pity for them instead of giving them a helping hand, in whatever form of donation we can. They were born into these conditions and this is what they have adapted to. They don’t know what the internet is or what malls are because they are barely surviving in their lifestyle.

So imagine the difference we could make to these people’s lives if each of us donated only 1KD every month… it would change their life. We could also help them adjust to this lifestyle and support them with food or educate their children. After all, we are living on the same planet and we are all the same species aren’t we? Martin Luther King once said “We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the seas like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.”

So this is what our world resolution should be; helping others and starting a small ripple of change. It will be a challenge, and as a dear friend of mine always says “are you brave enough to face the challenge?” Why not try something new? Something different for 2012.

A MUSICAL COLLABORATION FOR CHARITY ‘Tomorrow, Bokra’ concert and music video aim to bring hope to the Middle East

By Chirine Lahoud

Dubai’s One & Only The Palm luxury hotel hosted the performance of “Tomorrow, Bokra.”

This charity concert promised to gather some 24 Arab performers with Senegalese-American R&B artist Akon. The performance was broadcast by the satellite network MBC and on YouTube and was recorded for release and Malek Akkad will direct a music video and documentary film about the event.

The date 11.11.11 was specifically chosen, the event’s organizers said, to “reflect a sense of oneness [among] all Arab countries.” It is meant to be a symbol of hope in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Among the 24 artists involved in the project is Lebanese vocalist and U.N. Goodwill Ambassador Majida al-Roumi, who wrote the adaptation’s Arabic lyrics. Yet Roumi was not present at the Dubai event.

Speaking to The Daily Star from overseas, Roumi said she withdrew herself from the project for “personal and artistic reasons … I wrote the Arabic lyrics. It is a beautiful song and I hope it will have a lot of success.”

The long process of pulling together “Tomorrow, Bokra” began last May in Rabat under the patronage of Morocco’s King Mohammad VI, working in collaboration with the Doha Film Institute.

The creative engines behind the project are Grammy award-winning American music icon Quincy Jones and Emirati entrepreneur Badr Jafar, who joined forces to form The Global Gumbo Group, a company dedicated to developing opportunities for Middle Eastern and North African music and other entertainment. “Tomorrow, Bokra” isn’t the first time Jones has been involved in such an ensemble music event. Pop culture observers of a certain age will recall 60

“We are the World,” the 1985 tune written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Jones.

Recorded by the ensemble USA for Africa, the number was – like Bob Geldof’s 1984 Christmastime hit “Do They Know it’s Christmas?” – designed to open people’s eyes on the food crisis in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa generally. Music legends such as Jackson and Richie, Cindi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder (to name a few) collaborated in Jones’ project and raised more than $60 million for humanitarian aid in Africa.

Neither does “Tomorrow, Bokra” mark the first time that Arab entertainers have involved themselves in such an event. In 1998 the tune “The Arab Dream” featured an ensemble performance by a chorus of Arab superstars that included Syria’s Assala Nasri, Lebanon’s Walid Toufic and Tunisia’s Zikra, performing a tune written by Egyptian composer Sayyed Shawqi.

Devised to unify the Arab world under the banner of peace, optimism and hope, “The Arab Dream” did leave an imprint on the regional consciousness. In this it was far more successful than the 2009 follow-up effort, “The Arab Conscience.”

Originally recorded by Tevin Campbell, “Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)” won Jones’ the Record of the Year Grammy in 1989. Press materials suggest that Jones agreed to have this song adapted because it represents today’s history of the Middle East and North Africa. Working in association with a series of agencies that include the United Nations World Food Program, organizers promise that proceeds from the purchase of this single will be donated to benefit educational programs in music, arts and culture for children across

the Middle East North Africa region.

Since the donations will also provide education facilities in schools across Arab countries including Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Jordan, the WFP’s School Feeding Program is also supporting the “Tomorrow, Bokra” project.

This charity single is the result of a collaboration between artists from Libya, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait and many more.

Among the collaborating artists is Iraqi crooner Kazim al-Sahir who worked on the music adaptation.

Also performing in the project are Algerian singersongwriter Souad Massi, renowned Qatari singer Fahad al-Kubaissi and Lebanese singer-songwriter Marwan Khoury, Palestine’s Rim Banna, Egypt’s Sherine Abdel Wahab and Tamer Hosny, Tunisia’s Saber Rebai and Latifa and the UAE’s Fayez al-Saeed.

Akon’s participation in “Tomorrow, Bokra,” was said to be “the biggest multi-cultural collaborative work [he] will have ever worked on.”

Badr Jafar, the executive producer of the single, explained in the press release that this project was the appropriate way to encourage solidarity concerning what is happening in the Middle East nowadays.

“Music and arts,” said Jafar, “have the ability to bring together people from across the world for a brighter and more prosperous future.”

Stay updated on the “Tomorrow, Bokra” project on their Facebook and Twitter pages: www.facebook.com/G3tomorrowbokra http://twitter.com/TomorrowBokra.

bazaar goes to cinema The latest from the big screen

SEEKING JUSTICE Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller Cast: Nicolas Cage, January Jones and Jennifer Carpenter Synopsis: Will Gerard (Nicolas Cage) is a dedicated, inner-city high school English teacher, happily married to an accomplished musician, Laura (January Jones). One horrific night shatters their lives. Will is approached by a welldressed man (Guy Pearce) who quietly offers to dispense immediate justice and spare the couple the ordeal of an emotionally painful trial. Required to make a spontaneous decision in a distraught frame of mind, the proposal pulled Will into an underground vigilante organization that leads to increasingly frightening and dangerous consequences.

MONEYBALL Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport Cast: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright and Jonah Hill Synopsis: Based on a true story, Moneyball is a movie for anybody who has ever dreamed of taking on the system.

Brad Pitt stars as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's and the guy who assembles the team, who has an epiphany: all of baseball's conventional wisdom is wrong. Forced to reinvent his team on a tight budget, Beane will have to outsmart the richer clubs. The onetime jock teams with Ivy League grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) in an unlikely partnership, recruiting bargain players that the scouts call flawed, but all of whom have an ability to get on base, score runs, and win games. It's more than baseball, it's a revolution.

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Jared Harris Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) has always been the smartest man in the room...until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large-Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris)-and not only is he Holmes' intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may actually give him an advantage over the renowned detective. When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, the evidence, as construed by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), points to suicide. But Sherlock Holmes deduces that the prince has been the victim of murder-a murder that is only one piece of a larger and much more portentous puzzle, designed by Professor Moriarty.

HAPPY FEET TWO Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family Cast: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams and Pink Synopsis: Happy Feet Two returns audiences to the magnificent landscape of Antarctica. Mumble, The Master of Tap, has a problem because his tiny son, Erik, is choreo-phobic. Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven-a penguin who can fly! Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model.

But things get worse when the world is shaken by powerful forces. Erik learns of his father's "guts and grit" as Mumble brings together the penguin nations and all manner of fabulous creatures- from tiny Krill to giant Elephant Seals- to put things right.

WAR HORSE Genre: Drama, War Cast: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson and David Thewlis Synopsis: Set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War, War Horse begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets-British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter-before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man's Land. The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse-an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure.

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For more details on movie timings and the cinema nearest you, log on to www.cinescape.com.kw

HOLIDAY HAIR THERAPY Alterna Limited Edition Hair care range By bazaar staff

Tired of your dull, dry strands?

We always come up with excuses for ignoring our stressed tresses. The holiday season is upon us, and it’s time to get those locks in order! Get amazing-looking tresses with Alterna for healthy, beautiful hair. Alterna is free of Parabens, gluten, phthalates, mineral oil, paraffin, and is safe to use on chemically treated (keratin, permed) and colored hair.

Winter Wonderful Hair Bid adieu to winter hair woes, and embrace sleek styles using Alterna’s Winter RX limited edition collection hair range.

ANTI-STATIC SPRAY What: A weightless sheer mist that instantly eliminates static, seals and soothes the hair cuticle to smooth flyaways and provides light hold.

For: People prone to dry, frizzy hair; those living in areas that experience winter weather conditions, or those living in harsh, dry climates.

The good stuff: Infused with Enzymetherapy, a proprietary technology that enhances the delivery effectiveness of essential ingredients by transforming them into a structure that the hair and follicle can easily absorb.

How: Apply as needed when styling hair.

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THERMAL WARMING TREATMENT OIL What: Oil treatment blending nourishing Jojoba, Rosemary, Almond and Sunflower oil that slightly warms on contact to infuse moisture into the hair and scalp and create a soothing inshower treatment.

For: People prone to dry, frizzy hair; those living in areas that experience winter weather conditions, or those living in harsh, dry climates.

The good stuff: Essential oils, Enzymetherapy® technology.

How: Apply in the shower to freshly washed hair then rinse, warms upon contact with hair for effective penetration.

Ready, Set, Party!

With the Alterna limited edition Glitterati Gold & Caviar Collection, turn everyday tresses into glamorous holiday locks. Perfect for every occasion; give your hair subtle sparkle and mega glossy shine.

SHIMMER SPRAY AND CAVIAR SPUN GOLD POMADE What: Shimmer spray with light hold infuses hair with subtle sparkle.

Luxurious pomade adds golden highlights and shine, smoothes flyaways to eliminate frizz, and gently defines your style.

For: Anyone who wants to add a festive, opulent touch to their

holiday hair and a sparkling finish.

The good stuff: Infused with holiday gold for shimmer, Grape Seed Oil, a powerful antioxidant that locks in moisture, fights free radicals and combats aging, and Caviar Extract, a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids which are essential in delivering moisture, shine and elasticity. We can’t forget the signature white Coco scent featuring light notes of lime, citrus and coconut.

How: For Hair Shimmer, simply spray on dry hair to add a touch of golden shimmer to flowing waves or dramatic updos for understated elegance and to add a sparkling finish and dress up hair for special occasions.

To use hair pomade, create elegant golden highlights by spreading product from root to tips and brushing through with a comb to distribute evenly or apply with fingers wherever a golden shimmer is desired.

CAVIAR SEASILK OIL GEL What: This dream product is both a treatment and styler, quenching parched hair and providing a light hold. It hydrates, smoothes and styles leaving hair silky, radiant and smooth. In an “oil gel” form that is NEW to hair care, this treatment/ styler is the ultimate Caviar hybrid.

For: Perfect for those who want soft, smooth moisturized looks with a touch

of texture. Safe for color treated hair.

The good stuff: New “oil gel” offers both treatment and styling benefits, unique from any other oil formula on the market. This alcohol-free formula provides exceptional hydration and nourishment to dry, damaged hair, revealing soft, silky strands without weighing the hair down while adding radiant shine and vibrancy to dull looks. Also features the signature Caviar fragrance of Green Tea & Bergamot. Key ingredients include Seasilk®, a blend of marine botanicals that provides exceptional moisture and helps repair damaged hair, Caviar extracts contains amino acids and Omega-3 fatty acids to smooth the hair shaft and increase shine. The best part yet, antioxidants defend from environmental damage and protect the hair against free radicals.

How: Apply a dime-sized amount or more (depending on hair length and texture) evenly through towel-dried hair and style as desired. Can also be used on dry hair to enhance shine and tame frizz.

All Alterna Hair beauty products are distributed by Beautylicious Co. Wll and can be found at Luxury salons in Kuwait. For more information on how to sell Alterna in your salon, please call 2265 3101/2.

A GEOMETRY OF COLOR AND DIMENSION Mouteea Murad brings his own brand of abstraction to the Ayyam Gallery, Beirut

By Chirine Lahoud

Aside from representation itself – landscape, portrait, still life, and so forth – geometrical figures have long been favored by artists. Geometrical abstraction has seeped into such European art movements as minimalism and cubism, giving way to a studied use of materials and space on the canvas. People from the West didn’t discover this, of course. Along with floral motifs, geometrical designs have long been employed in various forms of Islamic art, from painting or architecture, the best-known form probably being the arabesque.

Syrian artist Mouteea Murad has revisited the Islamic cubistic art in his exhibition of abstract paintings “Through the Looking Glass II”. Murad’s first solo exhibition in Beirut is comprised of seven acrylic-on-canvas works, all “juxtaposing order and chaos,” as gallery press notes put it, of geometric abstraction.

In the early years of his career, Murad’s early painting was preoccupied with dark personalities, but he later felt the urge to reorient his work to an exploration of color.

Embracing the art history of this region, Murad takes his audience on an exploration of colorful spaces composed of stripes, squares and perspective, entirely living up to the kaleidoscopic promise of the show’s nod to Through the Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll’s 1871 sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

In his canvas “Trial No. 49” (185x185 cm), Murad assembles different geometric motifs, one atop the other, within a form depicting the walls and floor of a room – with white bars deployed along the walls and squares along the floor. Murad explained that his work is one of adding layers of paint. He went on to describe how one of his objectives was to play with the viewer’s eyes. “Abstraction,” he said, “is a challenge for each person.” The blending of different geometrical motifs within a wide and vivid palette of colors gives the viewer the impression that the painting is in restless movement.

Far from being a random assembly of bars and squares, Murad’s art is a detailed study of intersection and convergence, a strategy of capturing the viewer’s attention 66

and him or her into the canvas. Most of his works are entitled “Trial” which, as is remarked in the exhibition catalogue, is “a clear indication that he sees his work as a continual state of exploration and renewal.”

Murad’s works have an obvious kaleidoscopic quality. In his “Trial No. 51” (185x185 cm), for instance, the artist used a range of hues – mainly blues and pinks, along with black lines. Four bands of turquoise join at the center of the canvas, which give the viewer the impression that s/he is looking at a concave surface. The euphoric deployment of vivid color doesn’t have a seizure-provoking intensity – Murad always cuts the colorful lines with black ones, modulating the vibrancy of the work without reducing the overall effect of the canvas.

The longer one gazes at Murad’s work, the more one may feel the colors are, again, in movement as the artist’s technique tricks the eye into perceiving a rotating or spiral effect in this work. Though a similar effect may be discernible in all of Murad’s canvases, the perception of each work is unique insofar as always deploys his geometrical motifs differently.

In his work “Trial No. 52” (185x185 cm), we face a mosaic-like work in which a field of irregularly shaped shards of color are both framed by and interposed upon by a pair of square white frames. The interruption is reiterated at the very center of the work, which is occupied by a white square or cube shape. Each of these white fields betrays the same brush-stroke-like contours as the colored mosaics it contains. Focusing on the bas relief-like geometric shapes of the colorless frames, the white fields create the impression of added dimensionality. In this way, Murad’s abstract geometry veers close to becoming a study of abstract architectural design.

Mouteea Murad “Through the Looking Glass II” is on display at the Ayyam Gallery until Dec. 31. For more information please call 00961-01-374450.

FOR FIRST TIME IN 'HUGO' Martin Scorsese embraces 3-D

By Scott Bowles

Long before he was depicting man at his worst, Martin Scorsese was a 3-D nut. He caught the bug as an 11-year-old, watching Vincent Price's House of Wax at New York's Academy of Music Theater on 14th Street. He left thunderstruck by the images.

"I went home and cut out pictures from books, magazines, anything I could find," Scorsese says. "I might cut out a shoe and paste it on top of another picture, then another, to give it context, give it background like 3-D. I knew I wanted to make a movie that could do that."

That day comes Wednesday with Hugo, a film as personal and as far from the director's wheelhouse as he has gotten in years.

Part Pinocchio, part Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Hugo - the adaptation of the 2007 illustrated book The Invention of Hugo Cabret - marks Scorsese's first foray into 3-D, a technology the 69-year-old says never should have gone out of style.

"I remember being so disappointed that it was seen as a fad and then it just kind of disappeared," he says. "It shouldn't have. Life is in 3-D." Though the movie is a rare family story from the guy who made Taxi Driver and The Departed, Hugo may also be Scorsese's most autobiographical film.

Scorsese says he needed to make a bloodless movie after telling "just about every gangster story I 68

knew" in film. He wanted to make a movie he could watch with his 12-year-old daughter, Francesca, with whom he read the book. And 3-D technology, he says, had finally eclipsed the magic he remembered as a kid growing up in Queens movie houses.

Scorsese's life also bears some resemblance to one of the heroes of Hugo, Georges Melies, the 1900s French director whose early films were special-effects wonders and were considered a precursor to modern science-fiction and fantasy movies. Melies, played by Ben Kingsley, lost many of his 500-plus movies to the French military, which melted the celluloid for boot heels. Though Scorsese isn't likely to suffer Melies' fate, he is a champion of protecting aged films, having founded two national film preservation groups. And like Melies, Scorsese believes movies are one of the last playgrounds of imagination.

"What we can do now, we used to think it was science-fiction then," Scorsese says. "People would come up all the time and say 'You're doing this movie?'

But I always loved that time, loved that story. I feel like I lived at least part of it."

Something for his daughter Scorsese says he was drawn to filming the story, about an orphan who lives in a clock tower and tries to bring a robot to life, after reading the Brian Selznick book in 2007 with Francesca, then 8.

"I thought, wouldn't it be nice to make a movie she could see, or that we could see together," says Scorsese, a father of three. "Just watching her turn the pages of the book (which has 284 pictures), I knew that people would respond," he says. "I don't consider it a children's movie. I think it's a movie children should see with their parents. Then talk about it."

There aren't many topics that ignite deeper passions than movies for Scorsese, a walking film encyclopedia. He is founder of The Film Foundation and The World Cinema Foundation, two groups dedicated to preserving films.

"We overuse the term until it's meaningless, but Marty truly is passionate, especially about the legacy of movies," says Kingsley, who adds that Scorsese didn't need to do any research on Melies. "I'm not sure there's a movie Martin hasn't seen."

But family fare is new ground, territory even friends weren't sure he'd break.

"In the back of my mind, I could see that he was looking for something for his daughter," says Hugo producer Graham King, who has been friends with Scorsese since they collaborated on Gangs of New York in 2002. "So I sent him the book." King says he noticed not only how much Scorsese responded to the family story, but also "how excited he was over doing it in 3-D. He said it was going back to the classic style of filmmaking."

New tools changed focus Classic, as rendered with all-new technology. A film purist, Scorsese refused to shoot the movie in 2-D and have it converted, a process that saves studios millions but has earned the genre scorn from critics and fans.

That meant learning how to wield a 3-D camera, much heavier and bulkier than the ones Scorsese knew.

His first impression? "It's like a magnifying glass," he says. "I kept wanting to tell the actors to back up, but it was the camera. I really changed the close-ups."

Indeed, Hugo is not 3-D by Hollywood standards.

Scorsese says he wanted to forgo the "gotcha" effects -- "You don't need spears and flames coming out of the screen every five minutes" -- for an utterly believable, forgotten world. An Avatar, he says, for life in the 1900s.

Still, he has early support. During a Q&A last week for Hugo, Cameron called it "absolutely the best 3-D photography that I've seen."

Scorsese says he appreciates the praise but learned to tune out reviews around the time of The Aviator in 2004, when everyone started asking when he'd win an Oscar. (He now has won two, as director and producer of 2006's The Departed.)

The metal and money are great, Scorsese says.

But "the fun part is trying new things. It's still magic.

Someday, movies will just be holograms. I'd like to make one of those, too."

Copyright Š 2011, USA TODAY International.

bazaar music PART LIES, PART HEART, PART TRUTH, PART GARBAGE: 1982 – 2011

by R.E.M.

The album is a 40-song career-spanning retrospective that collects, for the first time ever, songs from R.E.M.'s entire back catalog, including the pioneering American band's years on both the IRS label (1982 to 1987) and Warner Bros. Records (1988 to 2011). In addition to liner notes written by band members Berry, Buck, Mills, and Stipe, the album also features three new songs that R.E.M. finished after they completed their last album, Collapse Into Now: "A Month of Saturdays," "We All Go Back To Where We Belong," and "Hallelujah," which were recorded over the summer in Athens with Accelerate and Collapse Into Now producer, the estimable Jacknife Lee.

CHRISTMAS

by Michael Bublé

2011 holiday release from the Grammy-winning vocalist. Christmas, produced by David Foster, Bob Rock and Humberto Gatica, was recorded primarily at Capitol Recording Studios in Hollywood and The Warehouse Studios in Vancouver. The album includes guest performances by Shania Twain on "White Christmas" and The Puppini Sisters on "Jingle Bells." Bublé also put his unique take on such classics as "Silent Night," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." In addition, a Bublé ‚ original "Cold December Night" is included on Christmas.

LULU

by Metallica and Lou Reed

Originally the lyrics and musical landscape were sketched out by Lou for a theatrical production in Berlin, but after coming together with the 'Tallica boys for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts in New York in 2009 all guilty parties knew they wanted to make more music together. Lou was inspired enough by that performance to recently ask the band to join him in taking his theatrical Lulu piece to the next level and so starting in early May of this year they were all camped out recording at HQ studios in Northern California, bringing us to today and ten complete songs.

BEST OF 25 YEARS

by Sting

Sting has been writing tunes at his peak for longer than almost anyone else around. From the flaming hot Outlandos D'amour all the way through Soul Cages, Summoner's Tales, to “If On a Winter's Night”, he puts out disc after disc of sophisticated, tuneful music with some of the catchiest riffs around, all without losing focus. He has expanded sideways into reinterpretation of renaissance music, and also reinterpreted some of his own music in a symphonic context. It is a lot of ground to cover in one disc, but Best of 25 Years is a solid as his career. The live cuts are excellent, and the new version of "Never Coming Home" is probably the best find on the disc.

BREAK THE SPELL

by Daughtry

Break the Spell is a gleaming showcase for frontman Chris Daughtry’s powerful, emotionally resonant voice and knack for relentless melodic hooks and big, anthemic choruses. Produced by Howard Benson, who produced Daughtry’s two previous albums, Break The Spell gives the band room to evolve musically while aiming to satisfy its many long-time fans. The risk-taking is apparent on such primal, slithering rockers as the hard-driving "Renegade". At the same time, "Crawling Back To You" is a more uplifting and hopeful song that will appeal to fans who have been with us from the start.

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source: www.amazon.com

RANDOM THOUGHTS OF TECH Social media and life

By Jeff Herring and Maritza Parra

Some random thoughts about the "wild west" world of social media

At a recent conference we spoke at and attended, someone said to me the following: "So I guess this Social Media thing really isn't a fad, huh?"

No, I guess it's not.

Here's just one measure: Alexa.com is a website that ranks websites based on the amount of traffic (visitors) that come to and use the site. Number one is the best and that is currently held by Google. Now check this out: Facebook is No. 2.

YouTube is No. 3.

Twitter is No. 9.

LinkedIn is No. 14 No. Not a fad anymore.

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Got the iPhone 4s as a present. This Siri thing freaks me out. I can tell it what time to wake me up.

I can tell it who to text and what to say. Haven't yet figured out how to get it to grocery shop or walk the dogs yet. Stand by...

Asked my 17-year-old son the other day what it was like to live your life on such a public stage. He asked what I meant. Well, I said, when I was in high school you announced your "relationship status" by who you walked down the halls with holding hands.

Now you announce it on Facebook. He got the overall concept, but still thought it strange.

Remember MySpace?

One of the things I really like about YouTube is if I am in the mood to hear one of my old favorites (Harry

Chapin, Dan Fogelberg, etc.) I can just do a search and continuously find new concert videos I've never seen.

Along those lines, one night I was so sick with a strep throat I could not sleep. Found a great video of Don McLean's "American Pie." Played it over and over for hours while researching every site I could find that explained all the meanings of the lyrics. It's even a cooler song than I thought, and it's always been one of my top five.

I always end these kinds of columns with something along the lines of this: While social media is fun and here to stay, it is not the real world. Go outside!

Š 2011 Distributed by MCT Information Services.

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COLOR WAAAAY OUTSIDE THE LINES.

bazaar fiction

MUBARAK A Good Idea

By Craig Loomis

Mubarak's been around so long that he remembers things and places and people that nobody else does. He remembers when the Arabian Gulf road wasn’t, when it was nothing but sandmud beach with a line of dhows bobbing here and there, when something like a tiny stream ran right where the Sheraton Hotel now is, where before the mall there were only souks and a row of sun-baked houses running a dusty-brown. He remembers people who are nothing more than a collection of photographs in the national library, the sort of faded sepia-tones you'd find in old steamer trunks—of people staring straight ahead, smile-less, bright-eyed, looking slightly maniacal.

Mubarak lives alone just the other side of this swell of desert, back about a kilometer. All alone, with nobody except those cats of his. His place is a blur of tent and 74

shed, with some kind of ancient wagon wheel halfburied in the sand and broken flowers he calls a front yard. He had his own garden and a few lemon trees that nobody could figure out how they stayed alive.

Mubarak made lists. I'd seen them. He'd tear great chunks out of brown paper bags and write his lists on that long wooden table of his. First thing in the morning with his tea and toast, he made lists of things that had to be done—of cats that had to be fed, of letters that had to be written, of seeds that had to be planted, flowers to water, of books to read, reread. In the end, he'd fold it neatly and slip it into his dishdasha, and every time he'd finish one of the things on the list, he'd slowly unfold it—as if the slowness were more important than the unfolding—smoothing it flat across the tabletop, and make a big X for done. If everything were X-ed by the end of the day, Mubarak

would be a happy man. I'd seen him. The very next day, at breakfast, on that long wooden table, he'd rip off another piece of brown paper bag and start all over again. Mubarak was 58 or 59, sometimes older, sometimes younger, but mostly 59.

In the beginning, when I first met him I tried making morning lists, too. I started on a Sunday, and then that Monday, and both times I thought it was a good idea. But then came Tuesday and I was late for school and I forgot all about the list. On Thursday I wasn't late and I didn't forget but I didn't make a list. Mubarak was like that: always making people do things that sounded like a good idea.

Then there was that time I had an old black-andwhite television that I didn't want any more so I thought about Mubarak right off. Some of the channels were snowy and one of the knobs had snapped off but it worked, and because he lived on a swell I thought that might help some. Of course, he didn't want it.

Said he didn't need it. With his cats worming around my ankles, I carried that TV all the way from where the sand runs out of road, up that windy path of his, stumbling on the carpet that curled at the front door.

He pushed the cats away, and then smiling those good white teeth of his, said thanks but no thanks, and, “You carried that all the way up by yourself?” And, “Just set it down in the corner there, that's right.” Shaking his head, saying, “How about a cup of tea?”

I tried being angry, but nothing came of it. When he brought the tea, three of them jumped into my lap.

Still smiling, he said not to worry, it was just the tea.

“They're after the honey in the tea. Nothing personal.”

He says, grinning.

They said Mubarak used to be somebody else before he came here. Some said he was a widower, a criminal who’d found God . . . Almost everybody was sure he had killed people. The Bangladeshis down at the barbershop had him figured as one of those eccentric millionaires. 'Sure, one of those millionaires gone sour. Know what I mean?'

Towards the end, Mubarak grew his beard longer, with lines of white wandering through it, swirling at the cheeks. Mubarak woke up with the sunrise.

From the nearest bakala to his home was a good thirty-minute walk. But during the sarayat it was useless; the rains would suddenly appear, hard and sweeping, washing away anything like a proper path.

Any other time it was a friendly walk, and Mubarak had a habit of meeting people at the porch, holding the door open, inviting them in, as if their coming had been his good idea all along.

He almost always spoke softly, slowly. Sometimes I'd feel bad because I couldn't do the same. Mubarak was like that—always had been—making people want

to talk like him. But none of us were very good at it.

We were too loud and in a hurry, thinking that if we slowed down, hesitated, somebody would jump in and ransack our space, our time. At other times he'd hardly say a word, just rocking in that rocking chair of his while the wind and sand tapped at the window. And there'd I sit, sipping his tea, hearing the wind, watching his cats go about their mysteries. Sometimes he'd go on rocking silently like that until I'd think I couldn't take anymore. His old green refrigerator ticking like a clock, and all the while I'm thinking that I won't be able to take it much longer. But, then, with the wind at the window and the cats in the shadows, I'd suddenly look down at my hands, at the smooth brown-red swirl of his carpets, and realize that I could take it, that I could take it and even like it.

"It's the honey in the tea they're after. Just shoo them away."

Mubarak had a way of pushing his fingers up into a little temple when he talked, letting his chin rest on the spire. He had slender ladylike fingers, and whenever I'd notice them I was always surprised, thinking that couldn't be right. His writing was like his fingers, long, embarrassingly elegant; his l's thin and graceful, his e's lifting, even floating off the paper. At either one time or another almost all his friends received a letter, a note, from him. Wouldn't hear of a telephone. Didn't know what a fax was. But sitting at that long wooden table of his, he'd take two, maybe three hours just to finish one letter, going on for pages saying the easy little things that people always say to one another: How are you? Come see me. Early summer this year. Other letters to write.

Please take care of yourself. Then, like always, he'd unfold his list, smoothing it flat, and put an X next to LETTERS. I'd seen him.

He was famous for not leaving his house, his private piece of the desert. He said it was too worrisome to see how people had changed, how they no longer took the time to park their cars between the white lines, how they threw garbage on the street, out the window of their cars, how people talked more to the machines they held in their hands than they did to the person sitting across from them.

The day Mubarak died, tall, blue-bruised clouds filled the day. I remember thinking how it was going to rain, but it never did. It was a summertime hot, the air thick and unfriendly. In the middle of the night, at 59 or 58 Mubarak had turned over in his bed and died of cancer. That’s what the doctors said. The Bangladeshis at the barber shop said it figured. For the rest of us it was different. For those of us who knew him, who'd been to his house and watched him, listened to him, his death was a big disappointment.

75

FOUR YOUNG STARS ADD LAUGHS TO ABC HIT 'MODERN FAMILY'

By Bill Keveney

As Modern Family's Manny Delgado, Rico Rodriguez is a pro, nailing his lines and shaping the young romantic with precision. Off camera, the 13-year-old reverts to being a regular kid, getting excited at the sight of an exotic animal on set.

"Alpacas!" he exclaims, before explaining: "They spit a lot."

That mix - sharp acting skills and real-kid appeal - is earning the ABC comedy's younger actors a share of the spotlight that has been focused on the adults. At the Emmys, co-creator Steven Levitan acknowledged their contributions in his acceptance speech when the story of three different but related 76

families won best comedy series.

Fans are responding, too.

"We find people saying a lot lately, like, 'Oh, my favorite character is Manny,' or, 'My favorite is Luke,' or 'I love the growing relationship between the sisters,' that type of thing," co-creator Christopher Lloyd says. "It really just feels like a bonus to us."

The four young stars of Family: Sarah Hyland (Annie, Lipstick Jungle), 20, plays Haley, the eldest of three Dunphy children, a socially savvy but academically uninvolved high school senior. "She's not the most complex person. She's not very bright," says Hyland, who has a younger

brother in real life. "She's kind of realized the situation she's put herself into. All of her friends are excited about college, and she doesn't even know if she's going to get in."

Haley could probably use some of Hyland's ambition and energy. The actress - the only one of the four who is significantly older than her TV character - spends much of her off time on other acting projects. She and boyfriend Matt Prokop star in the Disney Channel movie Geek Charming and both will appear next year in the independent film Struck By Lightning.

Ariel Winter (The Chaperone, ER), 13, who also is

one of three children, shares a love of education and an aptitude for smart comebacks with brainy high school freshman Alex, the Dunphys' middle child.

But she and Alex part ways when it comes to the latter's social awkwardness, says Julie Bowen, who won an Emmy for her role as Dunphy mom Claire.

"Ariel plays this nerdy, uptight person, and she couldn't be more different. She's a girl who loves pretty clothes and makeup and parties."

Winter has had to adjust to growing up onscreen with a character only months older than herself. "What's funny is Alex and I go through the same problems sometimes, and then it's like I learn how to deal with them on a TV show. So that's a whole new thing."

Nolan Gould (Friends With Benefits), 13, plays the lovably dense Luke, youngest of the Dunphy kids and survivor of all manner of harebrained stunts.

Gould, a member of MENSA, has little in common with seventh-grader Luke in the brains department, but shares his love of adventure, everything from parkour to trapeze to snorkeling, and he proudly wears the bumps and bruises that come with being an adolescent boy.

Gould, who has an older brother, gets a vicarious kick out of playing Luke. "I get to do really crazy stuff, like take a pogo stick on a trampoline, eat

bubbles and run into doors, things I would never do on my own."

Rodriguez (The No-Sit List), 13, himself the youngest of four children, offers his own take on insecure romantic Manny, son of Gloria (Sofia Vergara) and stepson of Dunphy grandfather Jay (Ed O'Neill). "Manny is an old soul, he's a hopeless romantic. He's like a 40-year-old man in a kid's body."

Rodriguez, who is a magician in his spare time, ticks off their differences. Unlike Manny, a seventhgrader, he doesn't drink coffee and he doesn't write poems to girls or give them flowers. "I don't talk to girls just yet," he says, before correcting himself. "I do talk to girls, but not like Manny does." He admits to at least one shared characteristic. "We're both mama's boys," he says. "My mom is the greatest person alive."

The kids can stand on their own on the evermore-popular Family, which won five Emmys in September and is TV's No. 2 comedy in viewers (16.3 million) and young adults (9.2 million), trailing only CBS' Two and a Half Men. Creating unique characters Young actors can be unpredictable, Lloyd says. "Heading into it, we felt like we had a pretty good idea of how we were going to write the adult characters, but you never know what you're going

to get with the kids. The big fear was getting kids that you feel you have to service but aren't really doing much good for you," he says. "(These kids) are all fantastic. They're just really good actors who have managed to create unique characters."

On a recent location shoot outside the Dunphy house (a real suburban home), the 13-year-olds act their age between takes. During one break, Rodriguez and Winter together balance a large box on their heads; later, they perform an impromptu dance. Gould picks up a roller skate and announces to no one and everyone, "Attack of the Roller Skating Ninja Zombies From Outer Space."

In a scene where Luke and Manny fly a remotecontrolled helicopter, a natural banter flows between Gould and Rodriguez during and after each perfectly memorized take. Gould, Rodriguez and Winter are writing a zombie movie, and the three have created their own prank game, a combination of Scare Tactics and Punk'd.

Winter sees Gould and Rodriguez as brothers, and she confides in and gets advice from Hyland as if she were an older sister - without the sibling strife that peppers Haley and Alex's relationship. And Rodriguez's relationship with Vergara has an offscreen parallel. "Sofia is great. She's so motherly," says the actor.

Gould acknowledges the showbiz cliche as he describes the cast and crew as "a giant, modern family. The people who play my parents, Ty (Burrell) and Julie, are just like my real parents. They're always fussing with my hair, so by the end of the day, after they keep running their hands through my hair, I look like Einstein, hair sticking up everywhere. Sarah and Ariel are like real sisters. They're always giving me advice, always embarrassing me. We're always getting in little brother-sister fights."

Bonding at on-set school In some ways, the 13-year-olds, whose mothers are present on set, can have a more demanding day than their elders. They have to squeeze in three hours of on-set school. The trio doesn't particularly miss regular school, and each maintains outside friendships.

Having others the same age on the set makes it easier for youngsters in the spotlight. "When you grow up in this industry, because you're watching yourself grow up just like the world is watching, it's so nice to have people you're working with going through the same things," Winter says.

Hyland, however, has a different experience, with no cast member in her age range: "Everyone is either 40 or 13. I'm stuck right in the middle." She would like it if someone her age were part of the cast, too.

Copyright Š 2011, USA TODAY International.

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CHRISTMAS TRIVIA Test your knowledge.

Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer made his first appearance in 1939, in a story that was written to: A) Advertise a new brand of light-bulb B) Be read on a Christmas radio broadcast C) Entertain the author's sick daughter D) Promote a department store

A modern Christmas custom borrowed from ancient Rome's New Year's celebrations is: A) Putting up mistletoe to make a "kissing bough" B) Decorating a tree C) Displaying a wreath on the front door of one's house D) Hanging stockings by the fireplace

After Scrooge has reformed his life at the end of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", he proposes getting together with Bob Cratchit for some "smoking bishop", which was: A) A fast variation of chess popular in Victorian London B) A premium pipe tobacco C) A hot spiced drink D) A Christmas pudding, soaked in brandy and set alight

The first instrument on which the carol "Silent Night" was played was: A) A harp B) A pipe organ C) A guitar D) A kazoo

Most of us like to spend Christmas with our families, but sometimes we must be far away. Even then, most of us get to stay on the planet. Prior to the continuous occupation of the International Space Station in 2001, how many people actually spent Christmas Day in space?

A) None - mission planners have always worked around it B) Just three - the Apollo-8 team C) Twelve D) Thirty-five

Good King Wenceslas was king of which country?

A) Abyssinia B) England C) Bohemia D) Gondor The real St. Nicholas lived: A) At the North Pole B) On the island of Malta C) In Turkey D) In Holland

In the Ukraine, if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas morning it is believed to mean: A) Good luck B) Misfortune will strike in the coming year C) The winter will be unusually cold D) Your house needs cleaning!

Believe it or not, one Indiana town is called: A) Christmasville B) Wenceslas C) Noel D) Santa Claus

America's official national Christmas tree is: A) Displayed at the Rockefeller Center in New York B) Brought from Canada and erected in Washington each year C) Located in King's Canyon National Park in California D) A Scotch pine

Answers will be made available on www.bazaar-magazine.com. Stay tuned. source: ypcommando.com

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IN NAZARETH Palestinian teenagers rap out angry politics

By Zab Mustefa

Mai and Amane, Palestinian teenagers living in Nazareth, are happy to leave talk about boys and make-up to their peers. They have a political message and they’re telling it through rap music. The girls, 15 and 16 respectively, make up the duo “Damar” (destruction), whose mission is to expose what they say is the routine discrimination they experience growing up as part of Israel’s Arab minority.

Mai Zarqawi and Amane Tattur formed Damar after meeting at school in Jewish-Arab Nazareth in 2009, and discovering a shared interest in fighting for Palestinian rights.“We don’t hate Jews,” says Zarqawi. “We hate the idea of how Zionism came and took over our land and our culture and left us nothing.” They refuse to identify themselves as Arab Israeli, but rather as Palestinians living in Nazareth, home to some 72,000 people.

Their lyrics are just as direct.

“Do you think the third generation will be Israeli, bro? Time will not make them forget but instead it will add history … We don’t want your silence, we don’t want prisons and borders,” they rap in “Third Generation.”

“They buy us with money to recruit us all the time.

They steal our culture – even humus and ful … The minority is fighting for freedom, Palestine is in our hearts, not forgotten.”

Israel’s 1.6 million Arabs, about 20 percent of the population, is made up of the 160,000 Palestinians who stayed behind after establishment of the Jewish state in 1948, and their descendants. Although they hold Israeli nationality, in practice these “Arab Israelis” remain 82

second-class citizens, with the sector receiving far fewer government resources for health, education and economic development. They struggle to maintain their cultural and political identity as Palestinians in a Jewish state where any expression of Arab national sentiment is viewed as a threat.

“As a Palestinian, I want to have a voice,” Zarqawi says. “I want to have freedom of expression. I love hiphop and I love my identity. So when you bring them both together, you get Damar.”

Inspired by American singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill and U.S. rapper Nas, the girls’ music criticizes Israel’s policy toward the Palestinians and takes on issues like the towering security barrier that cuts across the occupied West Bank. “Everywhere we go, we just see the wall in front of us,” Tattur says. “It destroyed our dreams, so through our music we’re going to build a new generation that really understands what is going on here.”

Mostly written by Tattur, their lyrics also reflect their own teen experience. “Our first song is about Arab schools being completely different to Israeli schools,” says Zarqawi. “We rap about what it’s like growing up with two sides fighting and how this affects us. We would talk about how Arab teenagers don’t understand where they are from. They have an identity crisis because they have Israeli ID’s and Palestinian heritage.”

At first, no-one took them seriously. The girls struggled with a taboo against female musicians, and parents who thought the group was a passing fad. “In the beginning, my parents were like, ‘OK, she’s a teenager,

she will forget everything.’ But when we recorded our first song, they started to take me seriously and supported me a lot,” Zarqawi continues. “They let me go perform in Jordan by myself, which was a big deal.” Tattur says her parents also support the group. “They love what we are doing. It’s the same with our friends. In the beginning no one accepted the idea of us rapping, but they began to understand the lyrics and what message we are trying to get across.”

Their gradual acceptance has paid off with growing success in the Arabic hip-hop scene, one of the fastestgrowing genres in the Middle East. It first made an appearance on the Palestinian scene in the late 1990s with the formation of the three-piece outfit DAM – aka “Da Arabic MCs.” Also attracting interest is Shadia Mansour, a BritishPalestinian rapper in her mid-20s who has the moniker “the first lady of Arabic hip-hop.”

DAM and Mansour both rap about politics and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the girls’ young age makes Damar unique.

So far, the pair has toured the occupied West Bank and Jordan, and are working on a first album. Tattur is an aspiring actress while Zarqawi wants to pursue a career in music. Both insist they will stick with Damar to continue spreading their political message: “Hair, make-up and boys don’t concern us … As a teenager, Israel concerns us. There are a lot of problems here. Some people tell you you’re Israeli, some people tell you you’re Palestinian. So you get confused.”

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DEC 2011

A Band’s Visit THURSDAY December 1st Director: Eran Kolirin Country: Egypt Release: 2007

Genre: Comedy | Drama Running time: 87 minutes Language: Foreign | Arabic Rated: T

Director: Ermanno Olmi Country: Italy Release: 1988

Genre: Drama Running time: 127 minutes Language: Foreign Rated: E

A band comprised of members of the Egyptian police force head to Israel to play at the inaugural ceremony of an Arab arts center, only to find themselves lost in the wrong town.

The movie tells the story of a drunken homeless man in Paris who is lent 200 francs by a stranger as long as he promises to repay it to a local church when he can afford to; the film depicts the man's constant frustrations as he attempts to do so..

Fantastic Mr.Fox SATURDAY December 3rd

12 Angry Men SATURDAY December 17th

Release: 2009

Release: 1957

Director: Wes Anderson Country: USA

Director: Sidney Lumet Country: USA

Genre: Adventure | Comedy Running time: 87 minutes Language: English Rated: E

Genre: Drama Running time: 96 minutes Language: English Rated: E

An urbane fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers' retaliation.

A dissenting juror in a murder trial slowly manages to convince the others that the case is not as obviously clear as it seemed in court.

We Live in Public THURSDAY December 8th

The Devil & Daniel Johnston THURSDAY December 22nd

Director: Ondi Timoner Country: USA Release: 2009

Genre: Documentary Running time: 90 minutes Language: English Rated: UR

Director: Jeff Feuerzeig Country: USA Release: 2005

Genre: Documentary Running time: 110 minutes Language: English Rated: T

A documentary focusing on the life of dot-com entrepreneur Josh Harris, and his exploits over the last decade.

Daniel Johnston, manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist is revealed in this portrait of madness, creativity and love.

The Ice Storm SATURDAY December 10th

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale SATURDAY December 24th

Release: 1997

Release: 2010

Director: Ang Lee Country: USA

84

Legend of Holy Drinker THURSDAY December 15th

Director: Jalmari Helander Country: Finland

Genre: Drama Running time: 112 minutes Language: English Rated: R

Genre: Comedy/Fantasy Running time: 84 minutes Language: Foreign Rated: R

1973, suburban Connecticut: middle class families experimenting find their lives out of control.

In the depths of the Korvatunturi mountains, 486 metres deep, lies the closest ever guarded secret of Christmas. The time has come to dig it up! This Christmas everyone will believe in Santa Claus.

TAHRIR – TAKE

2

Photographed by Mosa'ab Elshamy

As most of you may already know, Egypt is very close to our hearts here at the bazaar office, and with the recent re-awakening of the revolution, we felt it necessary to do something, anything, in solidarity with our fellow Egyptians defending our future, and the future of our country in Tahrir Square.

This is for them.

Follow Mosa’ab Elshamy on Twitter @mosaaberizing for more of his amazing photography, and on-the-ground updates from Tahrir Square. Check out his flickr account for more of his photography: http://flickr.com/photos/mosaaberising/ 86

’THE GOLDEN ANGEL‘ Fadi Yazigi’s latest one-work exhibition

By Mirella Hodeib

The golden creature, consisting of a man’s head fitted to an infant’s body, gazes into the emptiness.

He wears a sardonic grin, his wings at rest. Curled into a fetal position, the angelic creature seems utterly at peace, its over-sized eyes eager to detect and embrace novel new ideas.

“This is the first time one of my characters has its eyes wide open,” explains artist Fadi Yazigi, of his latest creation. “Up until recently they were all blind.”

“The Golden Angel,” as the work is called, is a 550-gram sculpture plated in 18-karat gold. The angel’s opened eyes, Yazigi says, signal a broader metamorphosis in his trademark humanoid figures.

“Eyes are starting to open and I don’t think my characters will turn a blind eye to all [that’s] happening ever again.”

The Syrian painter and sculptor confides that age and maturity, as much as the events shaking the Arab world (his own country included), have driven his latest creation, presently on at the non-profit art space Q Contemporary. Yazigi says that through “The Golden Angel” he wished that an “angelic touch” would protect his country and all its people. He also insisted that people and society were the driving force behind any work of art.

The White Cube-style interior of the Q works to the advantage of the golden statuette. Yazigi, most of whose work employs mixed-media techniques, says he opted for a one-piece exhibition in Beirut to focus attention on “The Golden Angel.” The work stands in the midst of 88

the Q, on a white cube stand, as if contemplating the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. Complementing the sculpture, the gallery walls have been turned over to the numerous pencil sketches Yazigi executed en route to the work’s final concept.

The Latakia-born artist studied Fine Arts at the University of Damascus and cites renowned Syrian painters Youssef Abdelaki and Elias Zayyat as his mentors. Yazigi says mixed media was the best way for him to develop and perfect his work and the best way to convey his ideas in the most complete manner.

He works in a sequential pattern and dismisses the division of painting and sculpture into different worlds.

“Sculpture and painting are two approaches to reach the same goal,” he says. “They are used to implement a certain artistic idea.”

He says his works begin as one-dimensional sketches that are rendered two-dimensional through the technique of bas reliefs before sculpture finally transforms it into a three-dimensional art object.

“Although I am faithful to my characters,” he says, “I tend to vary the techniques I use as much as possible so as not to drown in monotony.”

The 45-year-old artist’s relationship with his materials has also played a key role in his work. Working with clay is different from working with bronze or gold, he says, arguing that each medium has “its own sensibility and uses.”

“Each one of them leads to a different kind of

product and corresponds to certain moods,” he says.

“Clay gives an earthly feel and bronze has rustic, almosthistorical characteristics, while gold, being a pure substance, renders very specific effects.”

Yazigi is highly experimental with his use of color.

He regards black and white, potentially, to be quite colorful. “There was a phase when I used black and white extensively in my paintings,” he recalls, “But in my mind, I never perceived it like I was using two colors, only because the gradations of the two colors are actually immensely varied and colorful.

The artist highlights that a solid link exists between his choice of colors and the light and places he is trying to depict. “During my stay in London, I was surprised with the vibrant colors I tended to use – fluorescent colors that I had never used before,” he recalls. “Maybe it was my way to evoke the sunlight that London almost never enjoys.” Conversely, when in Damascus, Yazigi opts for calmer, pastel colors to reflect the abundant sunlight that marks the Arab Levant.

Quite unlike conventional Western depictions of angels, “The Golden Angel,” seems to encapsulate all of Damascus’ light. It is a clever conceit to convey his city’s singularity and warmth. Yazigi maintains that art should work as a genuine reflection of the artist’s identity and background.

“I am actually against all imitation of Western art traditions,” he says. “‘The Golden Angel’ is Damascene.

Maybe Arab, if you like.”

GHADAH ALKANDARI Celebrating PrettyGreenBullet’s Second Birthday!

By Ghadah Alkandari

To mark the second birthday of my blog, PrettyGreenBullet, I’m having a one-night exhibition at the Dar Al-Funoon Gallery on December 5th. In addition to being a means for instant artistic gratification, I regard my blog as a gathering place for immediate and direct interaction with my visitors. So I thought: who better to interview me for bazaar than my PrettyGreensters? Of course being the creative bunch that they are (some of whom would have probably loved to see me squirm-but I am not fazed easily), I was spoiled for choice when it came to the questions. Read on.

Miti Aiello: Please share with us the concept of ‘Drawing as an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder’.

I was explaining to my daughter, who draws the same way I do- habitually- how I used to draw eyes over and over and over again in the margins of my school notebooks. I’m sure it’s not clinically OCD but I couldn’t stop. The same way it was a habit to bite my nails as a child. I get itchy when my hands have nothing to do.

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Miti Aiello: If you were not an artist, could you live?

If I weren’t an artist I’d most certainly have an easier life. I wouldn’t know what I was missing, would I? If I were an artist but for some reason banned from ever creating, then I think I would eventually wilt.

Mrs. Daffodil: You sometimes mention your children. One of the big problems for women here in North America (I live in Canada) is finding time for art when they have young children. Was this a problem for you?

In terms of family planning vis-a-vis my career, I had a good plan: have my kids in the shortest time span possible. In five years I had all three of my children. That way I was more or less on hiatus from painting for the least time possible. I never stopped drawing though. And I had a regular job. AND my mom was a big help in baby-sitting.

Ethel Cooper: What most frustrates you about being an artist in Kuwait?

I like that you phrased it ‘artist in Kuwait’ and not ‘Kuwaiti artist’. I’d like to think that my work transcends any sort of citizenship. Now that that’s out of the way,

what most frustrates me is the lack of a structured system by which an artist has formal representation, artwork prices are assessed- not slapped on willy-nilly, and in which we have the proper media with expert critics to give an educated evaluation of the works exhibited.

Ethel Cooper: What is the best thing about being an artist in Kuwait?

If there is no good, how can there be a best?

Miti Aiello: If you had a Manifesto, what would be its tenets?

Have fun, don’t get into a formulaic rut , and don’t take yourself too seriously. That’s just the mission statement.

Miti Aiello: A day in the life of 80-year-old Ghadah.

There’s a scary thought. I imagine myselfactually I know it- being a grumpy old lady giving a good telling off to whoever approaches my door, arms flailing. An Isograph pen in one hand and a sketchbook in the other.

Ahmed El Adly: Have you considered doing a line of ‘scratch and sniff ’ artworks? If so, what

scents would you go for?

This question makes me laugh because my mind immediately goes to the scatological. But seriously, if you’ve ever smelled those scratch ‘n’ sniff stickers, they all smell the same. If I could truly create scented paintings, I’d choose lavender. I want my girls to smell like lavender.

Ethel Cooper: What is your favorite fish? And why?

Mermaids, because they’re pretty and have tails.

Ahmed El Adly: Given the appropriate instruments, would you consider chopping off a body part a la Van Gogh?

When you say ‘appropriate instruments’ do you mean anesthetics, doctors and a proper operating room, or merely a razor sharp scalpel? In the true spirit of Mr. Van Gogh, it would have to be my left love handle.

Miti Aiello: Have you ever sucked your pens?

Yes. It’s a terrible (and messy) habit. Not all pens are suck-friendly.

Ethel Cooper: Online is immediate, worldwide and direct. But as a full-time artist do you never feel, and regret, that you are giving your work away for free like this?

I never think of it as giving my work away for free.

It’s sharing. Like in Kindergarten.

Stacy Ward: Was there a moment in time when you understood your destiny as an artist?

I don’t remember ever not being the girl who drew all the time. And in school, you are immediately compartmentalized; so that was the box I was placed in. I enjoyed being in that box. I still do.

Miti Aiello: Is your blog more important than the life of a small animal?

This question is very difficult. Would I sacrifice my blog for a small animal? How small? An ant? No. A rat? No. A kitten? I’m going to have to say yes. But it’ll probably kill me to do so.

Ghadah Alkandari: Do you think you are as good an artist as you think you are?

Sometimes I wonder, so perhaps no. But most of the time I think yes, why shouldn’t I be? The surest thing is that what I do is a natural part of who I am; it’s another tick, a habit, an extension and a love.

Visit PrettyGreenBullet.com for more details about the show.

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TIME TO CARVE UP… The worst fashion fads

By Debra D. Bass

Before the serious season of holiday decorating, gift-picking overload and end-of-the-year time crunches takes its toll, let's sit back and reflect on something that's not so serious.

We give you the Fifth Annual Fashion Turkey Awards. These are items that inspire our mirth.

These are items we consider fads in the worst sense of the word - popular for being popular, worn without consideration and therefore uninspired. In short, these are trends we wish would go away.

First on our list is HairUWear or any other variety of the oddly hued clip-on wiglets. The last straw for us in ushering this product onto our list of 2011 Fashion Turkeys was the introduction of the animal print extension. The 1-inch clip-in extensions are in shades of neon pink, ginger and electric blue tiger stripes. We didn't actually mind the Native American vibe of the clip-in feathers (until there were reports of feather shortages and people raiding fishing shops to strip lures), but this is the usual modus operandi of a fashion turkey.

People don't know when to say when. If a slim feather is nice, a neon purple tiger stripe must be better, right? Wrong. This must stop now, or we'll have people with faux dinosaur bones hanging from their hair next. The feathers had a moment. That moment has officially expired. Anything else is just too painful to consider.

And speaking of painful, the latest fashion fad term is "jweats," and if you're thinking "oh, no, it can't be" then you've probably guessed that this is a jeans-sweatpant hybrid. We're sorry to inform you that you can now purchase Diesel Jogg jeans ($195).

Apparently jeggings (jean leggings) just weren't questionable enough. Considering that jeans are already leisure attire, I'm not sure why we needed to make them more comfy.

If you're in the market for jeans that look like sweatpants, you'll probably love my new line of cocktail 94

dresses that look like flannel night gowns. We here on the fashion turkey team don't think that sweatpants should be worn outside of the confines of your house.

Making them out of denim doesn't change that, and in fact it makes it worse. However, this all just reminds us of last year's Hall of Fame fashion turkey - the pajama jean (denim-like pajamas that allegedly transition from REM sleep to a shopping trip at your local mall, if you don't mind people pointing and staring).

Among the shoe trends that we love to hate are peep-toe, combat boots. Some are embellished with studs and high heels, some are flat with straps and ties.

I'm sure somewhere the contradictions of this look are what attract people. It's edgy, they think. Instead we call this self-consciously hip ... i.e., tragically overdone.

The idea of these shoes and the tortured ensemble that must accompany them is not what fashion should be. It's not a self-expression, it's a blatant display of "look how cool I am," “you can see my toes in my combat boots.” “Get it? Combat boots are supposed to be tough, but I wear them with a fresh pedicure."

There is a girl who can pull these off, but something tells us that she is waiting for everyone else to stop wearing these shoes before she pulls them out of her closet again.

Plastic surgery gone mad. Maybe it's the ubiquitousness of Carson Kressley and the legions of people with immobile foreheads and overly taunt facial skin, but plastic surgery is noticeably booming.

The key word there is "noticeably." Maybe the clients are oblivious, or maybe they plain don't care, but they should know that we are disturbed by the trend, and we probably aren't the only ones. If you have had your boobs, eyes, cheeks altered, more than one person has noticed. We discuss it openly but probably not with you, we don't think any ill of you, but it's the rare-rarerare exception that this piece of gossip ends with, "... and she/he looks so great."

This year we were introduced to chintox (yep,

Botox for unappealing chins), umbilicoplasty (belly button surgery - get the innie you always wanted, the press release touts "create a more youthful looking belly button") and dimple plasty (yes, you can have the "quintessential cute facial feature"). These procedures are estimated at $2,000 to $5,000. We can think of many more fulfilling and self-affirming things to do with that kind of investment. If you can't think of any, I'll be happy to consult for a nominal fee.

And to round out this year's turkeys of excess, I give you another watch gone wrong. One of the Jacob & Co watches sported by David Beckham, who usually dresses quite impeccably. It costs $10,800 and has not one, not two, not three, not... OK, it has five watch faces on it and five watch stems to wind each of the five faces. FIVE. Ostensibly, it's so that you can keep up with five different time zones. But who needs to walk around with the wall from Grand Central Station on their wrist?

I asked a guy friend to look at a photo of the pentagon-shaped watch, and he was not appalled. In fact, he kind of liked it. He admired its masculine heft.

Our turkey scouting committee was not swayed by this. This watch is ridiculous. It loses its function as a watch when you have to carefully consider which one is set to your time zone. The tiny dials are all the same size, although each is marked with city labels, such as "Toyko," "L.A.," "New York" and "Paris." But come on, really? Isn't that what iPhone apps are for? We love a statement watch, it's the most prominent piece of jewelry a typical guy can subscribe to, but you don't want to make this statement.

Well, now that we've gotten that off our chests, let's gander at our 2011 Fashion Swans. Trends tend to balance out from year to year and overall, we're happy that, in our estimation at least, the good trends are still winning (and, no, not in a Charlie Sheen kinda way). © 2011 Distributed by MCT Information Services.

ROLLING STONES DRESS UP 'SOME GIRLS'…

By Edna Gundersen

When the Rolling Stones began jamming at a Paris rehearsal hall in October 1977, disco and punk were wrestling for cultural dominance and threatening to annihilate rock's mainstream giants.

Like every trend before and since, neither intimidated nor impeded the Stones, who surfaced in 1978 with charttopper Some Girls, a sharp, diverse batch of rock, R&B, dance and country that won over a new generation and remains the band's best-selling album (6 million-plus).

It returned on Nov. 21 as a remastered, expanded reissue in deluxe, super-deluxe and digital editions.

(Some Girls Live in Texas '78, on DVD and Blu-ray, is also out.) Along with classics “Miss You”, “Shattered”, “Beast of Burden” and “Respectable”, the set offers 12 previously unreleased tracks that were unearthed this year.

"Some have been out in bootleg form," says Mick Jagger, 68, who searched the vaults with producer Don Was. "There were a few surprises. Some songs were more finished and just had to be mixed. And some didn't have any lyrics or were very fragmentary. Some were too demo-sounding, and I just threw them out."

The songs that were 'left over' In fleshing out the tunes, "we kept everything in context," says Keith Richards, 67. "You don't want to fool around too much and pretty them up with digital extras.

Leave it in its own time."

The Girls reissue, which follows last year's celebrated repackaging of 1972's Exile on Main Street, introduces rocker “I Love You Too Much”, a cover of Hank Williams' “You Win Again”, obscure “B-side So Young”, twangy “No Spare Parts”, harmonica-laced “Keep Up Blues”, “Tallahassee Lassie” (featuring John Fogerty) and “Claudine”, inspired by French chanteuse Claudine Longet, who was accused of killing 96

her ski-champ boyfriend, Spider Sabich. "Unlike ‘Exile’, there was a lot more left over," Richards says. "’Claudine’ should have been on the first one, but we had deadlines."

Timing isn't the only reason songs didn't make the cut.

"In the case of the countryish ones, if you'd put them all out on S’ome Girls’, it would have been a country album," Jagger says. "So we picked our best one, and also the one that was finished. You should finish them all, but that's not what happens. You concentrate on the 10 or 11 you've got, and the others fall by the wayside."

“Miss You”, a nod to the disco era, sprang from Jagger's love of dance music and the New York club scene. Richards didn't object." Disco is just another funk beat," he says. "None of us dreamt of making a disco album, but if you can come up with a primo disco track, that would be our input. And ‘Miss You’ made it."

Not pumped about punk As for ascendant punk rockers, who both jeered and imitated the Stones, "all they could do was be a bad copy of me," Richards says with a gruff laugh. "I loved the energy. They were coming on as strong as we did 10 years earlier. But my problem with punk, man, is they can't play. All they got is attitude and nothing else."

Jagger is similarly dismissive.

"Punk was such a short-lived phenomenon," he says.

"Record labels were trying to hop on it, (but) it wasn't a big commercial success. You're hard put to name more than two American punk bands."

Girls stirred controversy for salacious lyrics and a cover that depicted the Stones in drag alongside pictures of famous women. "Some girls weren't so happy," Richards says, referring to Lucille Ball, Raquel Welch and others whose likenesses hadn't been legally cleared, requiring

a recall and redo. "We didn't ask them. We should have been more gentlemanly."

He and Jagger are game for more reissues, within reason.

"We had this idea that we'd reinvigorate certain albums by finding other songs recorded in that time that would hold up," Jagger says. "That sounded like a better idea than doing mindless compilations." Richards adds: "If there's something interesting that helps to understand the album, let's do it. Otherwise, I'm not one to rehash stuff. We do have so much in the can. We've been around a while, you know?"

Band has 'no golden plan' The Rolling Stones will hit their golden anniversary next year, fueling expectations for a tour. No plans for a 50th blowout have been revealed, though rumors flared when Keith Richards announced that he, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood intended to convene soon to jam.

"It all sounds great, and I'm sure we're going to do lots and lots of wonderful things," says Mick Jagger, who isn't participating in those sessions. "What the future may hold is known only to God and myself. I'll talk after we've done it rather than before."

Richards hopes for a 2012 return but says he and his bandmates are simply "getting our chops back together.

We haven't played together for four years or so. We all happen to be in England in December. I don't want to blow it up into anything. There's no golden plan." Not officially, anyway.

"Nothing is supposed to be clear," Richards allows.

"It's intended to be murky so you don't know what the hell's going on until we let you know."

Copyright © 2011, USA TODAY International.

MEMORIES OF THE PLAYGROUND Monkey Bars, Swings and Jungle Gyms

By Ayman K.

Nothing in this life can ever come close to the innocence of a carefree childhood.

It is as children that we learn our deepest, truest values, which we carry forward through adulthood and beyond.

The playground, the focal point of all childhood merriment and mirth, where tears of joy run rampant down smiling faces, coated with dirt as a result of pairs of happy feet running rampant across the sands.

The monkey bars. At a young age, monkey bars were nothing more than a maniacal form of torture, devised by some devious, cold-hearted, evil drill sergeant. The bars were always too high off the ground, much too high for the small, short legs of youth. I could never make it past the second wrung, with a running head start. My small arms were too weak to support my weight that high up off the ground. One was always envious of the older kids that could travel from end to end, without faltering in the middle, and without the support of a parent, or more easily accessible, a friend on whose shoulders one could stand.

Today, I actively seek the monkey-bars, and enjoy them more than ever, finally seeing them for the wondrous exercise machines they are, for pull ups or upside-down sit-ups. A different joy is experienced now, with my legs bent at the knees, too long for the height it was made, attempting to recapture a lost memory.

The Jungle Gym, another wonderful structure 98

on the playground, where many a game of king-ofthe-fort were played, whether you chose to climb up through the inside, crawling your way towards the center, or from the outside, and balance atop the minaret-like top. Many a bruise were acquired on the unforgiving metal, but they were marks of pride, easily overshadowed by the smiles, the cries of pain unheard amidst the raucous laughter of enjoyment.

Today, I sit atop the jungle gym and survey the surrounding grounds, surprised at how easy the task of climbing them proved to be. My shoulders are too wide to fit amidst the small squares, I lament in my solitude, a King over a kingdom I cannot enter.

Now the thought that keeps me going is the thought of passing this fun to my future children, god willing.

The Swings; always crowded, and the only place where the loudest laughter resonates. Nothing can ever come close to the intense thrill of reaching new heights, of throwing your feet before you to climb higher, and higher, faster, and faster; the feeling of emptiness clutching your stomach as you soar to new heights. Throwing your head back, albeit dangerous, always served to make the swing more exhilarating.

Today, time at the swings is spent with knees bent, our long legs serving as deterrents, always preventing the swing from picking up speed.

As children, we experienced a world different than the one we live in currently, where imagination

ran wild, and nerves were made of steel. I remember climbing a rocket-like structure, maybe 4 or 6 meters in height, sitting atop it, surveying the playground, and climbing back down, without a hint of vertigo or fear of falling. It is that spirit that we miss in this day in age, that inquisitive nature, that friendly demeanor, that makes one long and yearn for days long gone, when life was simple, and decisions were easy.

I can no longer find playgrounds nowadays, the laughter of children has been drowned out by the screeching tires of speeding cars and angry horns of impatient drivers, no parent would dare leave their child to venture out alone, despite how they used to do the same as children, for fear of what could happen.

Children now sit at home, fingers smashing away at game controllers, glazed eyes staring into a screen, zombie-like in their activities. That sense of adventure quelled by the comfort of the couch.

The memories remain, a distant thought from a time past, that serve to bring a smile to this aging face, with a sense of adventure that cannot be quelled.

Live life as though a child; forgive easily, love freely, laugh loudly and run fast. Enjoy, think not and worry not what others think, for in the great scheme of things, their opinions are but a moot point, their approval or disapproval is inconsequential, for in the end, it is your life to live as you see fit.

FOR ASHTON KUTCHER‌ The negative hits just keep on coming

By Donna Freydkin

Behold the fall of Ashton Kutcher.

The actor returned to network television amid great hype on CBS' Two and a Half Men on Sept. 19, replacing Charlie Sheen. But after the initial fanfare following his performance as a lovably goofy Internet billionaire, the show's ratings plummeted, from an astounding 28 million people watching his debut to an average of 14.2 million an episode today - although the show is still 100

doing better now, with Kutcher, than it did with Sheen last year.

Still, a general decline seems to apply to Kutcher, both in his personal and professional endeavors. On Thursday, his wife, Demi Moore, announced in a carefully worded and vaguely accusatory statement that the couple was splitting up: "As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this

spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life."

Kutcher then tweeted: "I will forever cherish the time I spent with Demi. Marriage is one of the most difficult things in the world and unfortunately sometimes they fail."

New York psychotherapist Bonnie Eaker Weil says that Kutcher stepping into Sheen's shoes only compounded his caddish tendencies. "He already had it in him. This took it over the top," says Weil, the author of Adultery: The Forgivable Sin. "He took on the persona" of the on- and off-screen Sheen, which is "very common when you're role-playing."

If Kutcher, with his previous allegations of boorish behavior, had been in the shadow of Sheen before, "once he stepped into the role of Charlie Sheen, he became Charlie Sheen," Weil says. "It's not just role-playing"; it became real life. "Once he was in the role (formerly occupied by Sheen), he had to take it further" and act out, a la his Two and a Half Men predecessor. "I really think he took that role on because he identifies with it."

Moving forward Psychoanalyst Fran Cohen Praver, author of The New Science of Love: How Understanding Your Brain's Wiring Can Help Rekindle Your Relationship and a blogger for Psychology Today, feels that Kutcher and Moore's marriage "was doomed from the start. They came together out of weakness."

Praver suggests that Kutcher's cheating ways may have been an attempt to "act out his adolescence. He missed out on that; his fraternal twin brother has a mild case of cerebral palsy and had heart problems, and Ashton was intent on helping out." In marrying the older Moore, Praver adds, Kutcher might have been seeking "a solid mother figure," since his parents divorced when he was a teenager.

Moore's background was equally "unstable," Praver posits: "Both parents were alcoholics, and they moved 40 times. She didn't marry an alcoholic, but she married a cheater, which is the same thing. So both (Kutcher and Moore) never really resolved their pasts. Two halves don't make a whole; both people (in a marriage) have to be strong and independent."

Despite the headlines, this won't be a messy divorce, says psychotherapist and collaborative divorce coach Micki McWade, who authored Getting Up, Getting Over, Getting On: A Twelve Step Guide to Divorce Recovery. With a pre-nuptial agreement likely and no shared children, she doesn't see the split playing out publicly, despite the interest. "(Moore) has done this before. She divorced Bruce Willis in a very humane and compassionate way, it seems on the outside," she says.

McWade is more concerned about Kutcher: "He's the one who doesn't want it, so he is going to be struggling more," especially with the cheating scandal following him, she says. "He's going to be seen by the public, and probably by her children, as the bad guy."

Copyright Š 2011, USA TODAY International.

KUWAIT : THE AVENUES PHASE 1- TEL: 2259 7234

‘TIS THE SEASON

By Sumayyah Meehan

“There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.” ~Erma Bombeck

“Tis’ the season to be jolly fa la la la la la…” say what? That’s right. If you’re reading this then you are most likely sitting somewhere in the beautiful desert sprawl known as Kuwait...that’s with a capital K. It doesn’t matter how you got here or even whatcha’ are doing at this precise moment in your life. All that matters is that Christmas is right around the corner and YOU are smack dab in the Middle East. Now, the words ‘Christmas’ and ‘Middle East’ are two terms that don’t always go well together. Despite that, Christmas in Kuwait is a jubilant affair that rivals even the best of Christmases in the US or Europe.

Sure there is not a lot of snow…ok...there’s not any.

And neither Santa Claus nor Rudolph have ever been seen flying through the dusty desert skies to deliver presents. However, while Christmas in Kuwait may be different than what you have experienced back home, it is surely an experience not to be missed. Here are just a few of the things that make spending Christmas in Kuwait with your friends and loved ones special.

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The Weather December is one of the coldest months in the Kuwaiti winter, especially towards the 25th. So it still feels like Christmas due to the cold nip in the air. You can get all dressed up in your elf sweater, complete with matching hat, and hit the road in style. If you’re lucky, you might get drenched with a winter rain shower which really is not that annoying given the unforgiving heat of the past summer months.

The Shopping Let’s face it; the malls in Kuwait are stocked with just about every gift, gadget, bauble or trinket that you could possibly dream up. This is most likely a sharp contrast to the malls back home, whose stock thins out really quickly as other holiday shoppers scoop all of the good stuff up. So, living in Kuwait during Christmas is an added bonus in that you have access to unlimited gifts to give to loved ones here or send to your family back home. Cha-Chiiing!

Decking Those Halls Each year, more and more businesses are offering

a wide array of Christmas decorations to pimp your home out with the finest plastic garland and tinsel that money can buy. You can even buy an artificial Christmas tree to put up and decorate just in time for the holiday. However, if you feel adventurous, why not invest in a mini palm tree to decorate? The best part is that you can plant it in the desert after the holiday has passed and give the best gift back to mother nature.

Finally…Christmas Day! Christmas is finally here! After the gifts are unwrapped, it’s time to start cooking. The best part about being in Kuwait is that you can find all the fixins’ for a delectable feast….turkey and all the trimmings included. What’s better than that? Most 5-star hotels offer complete Christmas spreads with dessert and entertainment included. So while your friends back home are slaving over a hot stove all day, you can have your Christmas dinner delivered to the table on a silver platter. ~ Happy Holidays!

bazaar books Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures. ~ Jessamyn West STEVE JOBS by Walter Issacson Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. At a time when America is seeking ways to sustain its innovative edge, and when societies around the world are trying to build digital-age economies, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in the twenty-first century was to connect creativity with technology. He built a company where leaps of the imagination were combined with remarkable feats of engineering.

SYBIL EXPOSED by Debbie Nathan Sybil: a name that conjures up enduring fascination for legions of obsessed fans who followed the nonfiction blockbuster from 1973 and the TV movie based on it—starring Sally Field and Joanne Woodward—about a woman named Sybil with sixteen different personalities. Sybil became both a pop phenomenon and a revolutionary force in the psychotherapy industry. But what do we really know about how Sybil came to be? In her news-breaking book Sybil Exposed, journalist Debbie Nathan gives proof that the allegedly true story was largely fabricated. The actual identity of Sybil (Shirley Mason) has been available for some years, as has the idea that the book might have been exaggerated. But in Sybil Exposed, Nathan reveals what really powered the legend: a trio of women—the willing patient, her ambitious shrink, and the imaginative journalist who spun their story into bestseller gold.

PAWNEE: THE GREATEST TOWN IN AMERICA by Leslie Knope Welcome to Pawnee: More Exciting than New York, More Glamorous than Hollywood, Roughly the Same Size as Bismarck, North Dakota. In Pawnee, Leslie Knope (as played by Amy Poehler on NBC's hit show Parks and Recreation) takes readers on a hilarious tour through her hometown, the Midwestern haven known as Pawnee, Indiana. The book chronicles the city's colorful citizens and hopping nightlife, and also explores some of the most hilarious events from its crazy history-like the time the whole town was on fire, its ongoing raccoon infestation, and the cult that took over in the 1970s. Packed with laugh-out-loud-funny photographs, illustrations, and commentary by the other inhabitants of Pawnee, it's a must-read that will make you enjoy every moment of your stay in the Greatest Town in America.

YOU ARE NOT SO SMART by David McRaney You believe you are a rational, logical being who sees the world as it really is, but journalist David McRaney is here to tell you that you're as deluded as the rest of us. But that's OK- delusions keep us sane. You Are Not So Smart is a celebration of self-delusion. It's like a psychology class, with all the boring parts taken out, and with no homework. Based on the popular blog of the same name, You Are Not So Smart collects more than 46 of the lies we tell ourselves every day, including: Dunbar's Number - Humans evolved to live in bands of roughly 150 individuals, the brain cannot handle more than that number. If you have more than 150 Facebook friends, they are surely not all real friends. Hindsight bias - When we learn something new, we reassure ourselves that we knew it all along. Confirmation bias - Our brains resist new ideas, instead paying attention only to findings that reinforce our preconceived notions. Brand loyalty - We reach for the same brand not because we trust its quality but because we want to reassure ourselves that we made a smart choice the last time we bought it.

DRAMA: AN ACTOR’S EDUCATION by John Lithgow In this riveting and surprising personal history, John Lithgow shares a backstage view of his own struggle, crisis, and discovery, revealing the early life and career that took place out of the public eye and before he became a nationally known star. Above all, Lithgow’s memoir is a tribute to his most important influence: his father, Arthur Lithgow, who, as an actor, director, producer, and great lover of Shakespeare, brought theater to John’s boyhood. From bedtime stories to Arthur’s illustrious productions, performance and storytelling were constant and cherished parts of family life. Lithgow’s memory is clear and his wit sharp, and much of the humor that runs throughout Drama comes at his own expense. But he also chronicles the harrowing moments of his past, reflecting with moving candor on friends made and lost, mistakes large and small, and the powerful love of a father who set him on the road to a life onstage.

source: www.amazon.com 104

THE SMARTPHONE SWITCH What to know before you go from Android to iOS

By Tricia Romano

The latest incarnation of the iPhone, otherwise known as the 4S, has arrived. If you are the impatient sort, you likely ordered yours on Oct. 7, the first day the phone became available for preorder. Now that you're holding this precious technological wonder in your hand, you're probably thinking "Now what?"

You might be like many smartphone users who are jumping ship and moving from an Android to an iPhone.

Or, like many Android owners, their phones were merely a stand-in until they could get their hands on the "real thing." But as Android users make the transition, they will have to adapt to the iPhone's differences. While most of these variations are improvements on the smartphone experience, some are not.

THE BAD NEWS GPS Woes: We admit that our Android's built-in GPS system spoiled us. You could type in an address (using Google, of course), click it and it would take you to the Google Navigation app. As you were driving and following the directions, a friend would call, and you could click your hands-free headset and continue the conversation unabated. With the iPhone, these glory days are long over. You can still get Google directions, but they exist in a step-by-step format - not the realtime routing that the Droid's navigation program offered. (Sure, you can manually follow the dot that represents your location, but if you make a wrong turn, it won't reroute you.) We downloaded the free version of Telenav (www.telenav.com), which offers silent commands; although we were impressed with the app's ability to get us to our destination, we were dismayed to discover that a phone call brings the navigation - and you - to a screeching halt.

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Gotta Recharge: We were hoping that the iPhone would have a better battery life than the Android. Our Samsung Epic 4G could barely go seven hours without a charge, and that was with the network turned off, the brightness turned down and the GPS and notifications turned off. Basically, it was a very dumb smartphone. We started weeping into our bloated credit card balance when we saw that the iPhone doesn't fare much better.

All those Facebook, Twitter and e-mail notifications need to be shut off. This means you can't utilize Apple's Push Notification feature, which allows you to receive notifications even when an app isn't running. And unless you plan on kissing your juice goodbye, don't even think about using your GPS for location services on apps such as Siri or Google. To preserve battery life, you should shut down both the network connection and the Wi-Fi while you're at work or at home. Otherwise, you'll find yourself void of battery power. So basically, you can either have a pretty phone that receives and makes calls and sends text messages, or you can have five hours of battery life. It's your call.

THE GOOD NEWS On Cloud Nine: You are going to have to move to a different cloud. The iCloud, which is perhaps Apple's most strategic chess move against Google, aims to serve as an all-in-one center for your most important information. Everyone gets 5GB of free storage, but you can always purchase more space ($20 for 10GB, $40 for 20GB and $100 for 50GB). Additionally, you can sync and store your media, contacts, calendars and even your e-mails between all your devices with just the click of a button. So the movies, music and photos that you download on your iPad will automatically transfer to your iPhone. Now, Google has been doing some of this

for a while and has been offering a far larger share of free memory to its users. But Google has a disadvantage in that it doesn't actually control the hardware portion of the cellphones; Google only controls the software.

Apple oversees everything within its "closed" system.

Home Sweet Home: Unlike Android devices, apps reside right on the iPhone's home screen. You don't have to enter into the application center either; the home screen is the application center. While Android phones had home screen widgets and shortcuts that would take you to your apps, it always felt like an unnecessary step, like opening a door only to get inside and find another door.

Siri, Talk to Me: Perhaps, the flashiest addition to the iPhone is Siri, an interactive digital assistant.

Androids have voice recognition technology, but the results are often spotty and it requires users to press a button on the phone, which means it's inconvenient, especially when driving. On the other hand, Siri can be set to activate whenever the phone is picked up and placed to the ear or via the Bluetooth headset button.

You can ask the software useful things like, "What's the weather?" and the feminine robotic voice will tell you if it's going to rain.

You can also coax some more interesting things out of Siri. We asked Siri, "What is the meaning of life?" and she replied: "Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations." But our personal favorite was the response to "Siri, talk dirty to me." She said: "I'm not that kind of personal assistant." Š 2011 Distributed by MCT Information Services.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR JEWELRY SPARKLING

By Nara Schoenberg

You don't want to trust your best jewelry to an amateur - even if that amateur is you. DIY repairs on pieces of great financial or sentimental value are a definite no-no, for all the obvious reasons (the mangled family heirloom, the Super Glued bracelet that won't come off your wrist). But some simple repairs and maintenance really can be done at home, according to David Phelps, owner of John David Jewelers in Durham, N.C. And, with any luck, you won't even have to run out to the store to get started. "Just plain old household stuff is the best thing in the world (for this)," Phelps says. "If you get a ring stuck on your finger, the very best thing to use is Windex." Here are some other tricks of the trade.

Devcon 5-minute epoxy If a stone falls out of an inexpensive piece of costume jewelry, you can reattach it with two-part epoxy (5-minute or 10-minute) available at the 108

supermarket or hardware store. You can also use Super Glue, but it tends to run and is extremely difficult to remove once it sets. "A little thing with the epoxy: Use (rubbing or denatured) alcohol for the cleanup," says Phelps. "It's not water soluble and if you use water you make a big mess."

Tweezers If a clasp comes loose on an inexpensive piece, you can push the little ring closed with tweezers or needlenose pliers, Phelps says.

Cappuccino-makers If you already have a cappuccino-maker, you can use the (water) steam function to clean your jewelry.

Hold the jewelry with tweezers under the steam nozzle. Rotate the jewelry so you clean all sides. You can clean jewelry with sapphires, diamonds and rubies this way. Other stones should not be cleaned with steam, Phelps says. "Basically, think of the American

flag: (with) red, white and blue, you're fine to clean with steam," Phelps says.

Polishing cloths Available at many jewelry stores - some give them away free - they offer a mild cleaner on a lint-free cloth.

"Those are the very best things to clean and polish silver," says Phelps. When you're done, clean your silver with warm water and soap.

Dish Detergent With very few exceptions (do not try this with pearls) jewelry benefits from cleaning with soap, water and a toothbrush. Phelps recommends "whatever kind of dish detergent you have next to the kitchen sink."

He uses Dawn at home, and sometimes even at work when the jewelry is too delicate for his professional cleaning equipment. Š 2011 Distributed by MCT Information Services

artist of the month

ZAHED SULTAN Hi Fear, Lo Love By bazaar staff

“This album is a narrow portal into my dormant personality. Each track crosses borders and genres - sparking various emotions and feelings in its wake.” Zahed Sultan

Some of us know him from high school, others, maybe, as one of the creative minds behind en.v.

Or, maybe even, as part of the duo that brings us the ever-popular, ever-growing REUSE event.

Now, we also know him as Zahed Sultan, recording artist. A creative chameleon, in every sense of the word, it seems nothing can stand in the way of his vision(s). From eco-friendly living, to social responsibility and now music, Zahed has proven that all it takes is a little bit of vision and a whole lot of gumption.

How did your musical journey begin?

My interest in music sparked at a very early age. I began to explore this interest at the age 110

of 14 – playing DJ gigs for local parties (mixed as well as segregated) in Kuwait.

What/Who inspires you to write your music and lyrics?

Musically, I have developed (and continue developing) strong connections with everything from raw traditional music to underground sounds that have a cult following.

I am most influenced by producers and artists who have strayed from convention and broken musical boundaries such as Radiohead, UNKLE, Damon Albarn, Kanye West, DJ Sasha, Massive Attack, and Bjork, to name a few.

With my debut album Hi Fear, Lo Love the intention

was to challenge the norm.

Is the final sound of a musical track an individual or group effort?

That decision lies entirely in the hands of the track’s “maker.” For me, collaboration is key; working with individuals that are skilled in their art form will

web of aspiring (and existing) talent – using the tools that are available to me.

How has the Middle Eastern world reacted to your sound?

The jury is still out on that (in my eyes). Feedback, in all its forms, encourages you to be honest with yourself and search deep within you to find the words, melodies, beats, and more that are a true expression of who you are in a given period of time that will best resonate with your intended audience(s).

Do you feel that music should always serve a specific purpose?

No. Music is the universal language that is open to interpretation by the listener – that’s the beauty of it.

What are some of your favorite tracks, and why?

This very minute? Haha… I’m constantly searching for inspiring, daring music in the most obvious and obscure places. My favorite up and coming / recently discovered artist is Santiago / New York based “Nicolas Jaar”.

What is your dream performance space and destination?

Royal Albert Hall, London, England (It will happen!).

What would you like to accomplish in the future?

Too much to fit into a single lifetime! Simply put, to continue to have the ability and opportunity to create – in all its wondrous and interactive forms.

Will Zahed be performing live in Kuwait? (perhaps at REUSE 5.0) I’m in the process of planning the formation of a band. I’m hoping by late 2012 / early 2013 we can go live with a sensory / experiential “live show.” If I get governmental permission to do so is another story! only enhance the final output.

Who/What in your early beginnings influenced your music?

Life…in its entirety.

In your opinion, what was the hardest challenge you faced in your musical career so far?

The music industry is highly fragmented today thanks to a handful of entities that have taken power out of the hands of corporate decision makers and put them in hands of the musicians / artists. It’s a great time to be (or want to be) in music. My hardest challenge is to be able to carve a niche for myself within a massive

To keep up with Zahed and his music log onto www.iamzahed.com or follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/zahedsultan.

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'THE MUPPETS' Jason Segel's green with admiration

By Bryan Alexander

Jason Segel admits there are dangers in meeting Hollywood icons, much less working with them on a major movie project. So the life-long Muppets fan was fully aware of the personal risk involved in collaborating with his childhood idol, Kermit the Frog.

"I have had that experience where I met people who were my heroes and came away feeling very differently about them," says Segel, 31, co-writer and co-star of The Muppets. "I would be devastated. But this experience was quite the opposite. My love for Kermit has only grown. It was everything I had hoped for."

Sharing the same couch with Segel, his very green co-star nods vigorously in agreement.

"We could hit the road together," says an enthusiastic Kermit (who has been brought to life by puppeteer Steve Whitmire for more than 20 years). "Maybe the USO tour."

For now, the duo have undertaken an even bigger task - leading the push for the highly anticipated The Muppets, the first major onscreen appearance of Jim Henson's beloved creations since 1999's Muppets From Space.

The film's premise is simple: The Muppets, forgotten by ever-changing pop culture, must raise $10 million to save their studio from being destroyed by an evil oil tycoon (Chris Cooper). With some urging from Gary (Segel's character) and a new Muppet named Walter, 112

Kermit comes out of retirement to bring the group back together from their post-entertainment careers. Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor in Paris, Gonzo owns a successful plumbing-supply empire, and Fozzie Bear fronts a cynical tribute band called The Moopets.

In the process of working on the film, Kermit and Segel have formed the most unlikely Hollywood power duo.

Muppets director James Bobin says their relationship is more than a frog-human bromance. "There's a great brotherly feeling between them," Bobin says. "They both love jokes, and they both love messing around together.

They have this great double-act thing going on."

"When I first met Jason, he knew us how a fan would know us - from the outside," Kermit says. "As time has gone by, Jason has gotten to know us on the inside.

Which is how it is with all friendship. He has definitely become an honorary Muppet."

It's the kind of high praise that brings out a big, goofy smile from the star of How I Met Your Mother and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

"When you are a kid, Kermit was Tom Hanks or Jimmy Stewart," says Segel. "He helped define who I wanted to be as an actor."

His fascination lasted well into adulthood, which allowed for a vast collection of Muppet figurines and posters, including his prized possession, an original

Italian poster from 1979's The Muppet Movie.

Muppets script took 2 years As Segel's star rose with the comedy's success, he met with Disney to discuss future projects. The studio had been searching for the appropriate vehicle to highlight the Muppets, which they have owned since 2004. Segel pushed the idea, and a rainbow connection was made.

"People were excited," Segel says. "The hard part was making sure we found a story that made sense and honored the idea that it's the first Muppet movie in a long time."

Segel and Stoller toiled for more than two years on the script before getting the green light. But the payoff came quickly during the first read-through. "It got particularly emotional when Kermit read a line that I had written," says Segel about the moment when the frog delivered his signature greeting, "Hi-ho."

"Jason was literally in tears," says Bobin. "It was an amazing moment."

Kermit and Segel showed serious Hollywood savvy persuading Amy Adams to join the cast in the pivotal lead role of Gary's patient girlfriend. The two shot a special video to get her to seal the deal. "We sent her a DVD begging her," says Segel. "It was literally Kermit and I pandering to an actress to do a movie.'Please, please, please.' I even sang to her."

It was the only begging they had to do. "We didn't need to make any more outgoing calls after that," says Segel. "When people heard we were doing a Muppet movie, they started calling us. They were champing at the bit to be a part of it." Jack Black, Alan Arkin and Selena Gomez are just a few of the Hollywood names with cameo parts.

Despite the current excitement, the script acknowledges that the Muppets had faded to the background as edgier forms of comedy came in vogue.

"Humor moves in cycles," says Segel. "For some reason, we moved into an era where people get really cheap laughs making fun of people. The idea of kindness and niceness is something people had forgotten about."

But with so many problems in the world, Kermit and Segel are convinced there is a strong market for simple, classic Muppet humor.

"It's time to pull out the old staples," says Kermit.

"That would be us."

"It's the exact reason why we wanted to make another Muppet movie," says Segel. "They are such a force of positivity. You walk out of the movie feeling good."

A spoiler alert is not needed to point out that The Muppets finishes on a high note."That would be really peculiar if it was just a terribly sad ending," says Segel.

Adds Kermit: "I hardly think we'd be ruining a Muppet movie by giving away the big secret. It's happy."

Copyright Š 2011, USA TODAY International.

SOCIALIZING WITH NBK When banking becomes entertaining By bazaar staff

Nowadays, customers need not wait long, holding the line, in order to pay a bill, voice a concern, or report a lost or stolen bankcard.

Somehow, your tweet is almost immediately responded to should you wish to address your bank, a magazine, or restaurant. It is truly astounding how information has become instantaneously relevant, and the speediness to which larger corporations catch on to the social trend is even more astounding. Communication is no longer between entity and individual, yet entities and companies are considered as individuals in the daily interactions of an organization’s activities being broadcasted via social media channels, and, moreover, responding to their customers’ needs.

Companies worldwide are creatively utilizing social media, and The National Bank of Kuwait is a prime example demonstrating the power of yielding strong consumer interaction via their social media channels. Marketing campaigns are smartly integrated via other communication channels, yet consumers wildly react to the fun trivia questions posted on facebook, and the chances readily available to win instant rewards. In this enlightening interview with Badria Al Reshaid, an NBK’ Social Media specialist, we shed light on NBK’s social media channels, their purposes and the keys behind their success.

When were NBK’s official Twitter account and Facebook fan page first launched?

NBK's social networking channels Twitter and Facebook were both launched in early 2008 as part of our ongoing endeavor to communicate with the various segments within society in every possible 114

way. We took this step because we thought social media had great potential to put us in direct contact with our customers. Better communication with our customers means better service to them.

How many users do you currently have on both channels? Is participation limited to specific age groups?

NBK directly interacts with about 43,000 social media users. The number of fans on our Facebook page is approaching 30,000 members while the number of NBK's Twitter followers is 13,000. Both figures top the numbers of most local banks’ social media channels. Contrary to what is generally believed, participation is not limited to specific age groups, we have a large and diverse base of users.

What kind of news do you normally post on Facebook?

Normally, our posts and tweets include latest NBK offers, winner announcements of various draws, updates and security alerts regarding online banking, notifications of salary deposits dates, new ATM locations and much more important information.

We also have competitions specifically made for Facebook and twitter, in addition to the interactive aspect that covers responding to customers’ enquiries and handling complaints. The wide range of services NBK offers via new social networking channels is increasing in popularity amongst customers because of their convenience.

Are there any specific activities or functions for NBK on Facebook?

We started with a first-of-its-kind photography competition on our Facebook fan page to commemorate NBK's 58th anniversary. The

competition provided our fans with the opportunity to participate with photos about the bank. The winning photo received a KD 250 prize. We later launched several other competitions like “ habibity ya kuwait” about the Kuwaiti dailect, “Back to school” and “Adha Eidiya” with valuable prizes. We really are proud of the high level of personal interaction achieved with our customers who participate in our social media competitions.

How can customers deliver their enquiries or questions via these sites?

They can simply post their inquiries on our wall.

We also devoted a special email address (facebook@ nbk.com) to enable Facebook fans to send their enquiries directly to us. Twitter followers can mention us on twitter or send Direct Messages to get in touch with us.

What are the prospects of such channels? Will they become major communication channels for NBK? NBK assigns great importance to social networking channels such as Twitter and Facebook as part of its endeavors to keep up the pace with the latest development that suit and meet customers' needs. We value social media simply because we believe in using technology to improve our valueadded services. It is about our customers’ satisfaction more than anything else.

Get Social with NBK, you can find them on facebook by visiting, www.facebook.com/NBK.fans and twitter by logging on to www.twitter.com/NBKPage.

THIS IS WALLPAPER? Trends incorporate faux treatments, glittering jewels and 3-D effects

By Elaine Rogers

Celebrities reinvent themselves all the time, so why not a design element that has graced walls since the days of ancient Rome? Playing second fiddle to plaster and paint since the '90s, wallpaper is shaking things up in the design world again with curiously inviting surfaces, tone-on-tone patterns, surprising color schemes and sparkling embellishments.

Here are three top trends: TRADITIONAL, WITH A TWIST Traditional patterns look new in fresh color palettes. "Blue Mountain" from Sherwin-Williams reinvents a classic damask in chocolate on turquoise (www.sherwin-williams.com), while Cole & Son gives mauve and orange hues to vaguely familiar patterns in its Classic Exotic Flock line. (www.cole-and-son.com) At Farrow & Brown, the Broccato Papers collection's lavender "Crivelli Rose" renews a brocaded design of oak-tree plumes, acorns, roses and trellising (us.farrowball.com), and at Stark Wallcovering, "Lace, Beaded Black," created by British textile and wallpaper designer Jocelyn Warner, pays tribute to broderie anglaise lace with a graphic black-on-white interpretation of it (www. jocelynwarner.com).

Modern wallpapers are also replicating traditional woods. From Wallpaper Collective, "Scrapwood," designed by Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek, captures the look of old, distinctly colored vertical planks (www. wallpapercollective.com). Meanwhile, masonry and the look of a well-loved library comes from "Bookshelf," a clever offering of Basildon Wallpapers' Special Effects collection (www.wallpaperandborders.co.uk).

ARTISTIC APPLICATIONS Modular wall coverings - available with intricately carved wood, metal, vinyl and even leather panels are also springing up in paper formats. Mio's modular, 116

recycled paper-form collections are available in styles with names like "Flow," "Ripple" and "Acoustic Weave" (mioculture.com). Designers Jaime Salm and Kris Daniel created the lightweight 3-D wallpaper tiles on the theory that two dimensions simply aren't enough, and DIYers can rotate and paint individual tiles for unique results.

Paintable papers have also come on strong this year. "Eden," a paintable paper with a leafy texture from Graham & Brown, can be hung in its pure white state or painted to your color scheme (www.grahambrown.com).

And to get truly interactive with your wallpaper try "Frames: Black & White" by Graham & Brown artists Taylor & Wood. The lively pattern of whimsical geometrics encourages doodling, piecemeal painting and ever-changing displays of keepsakes and small family photos.

BLING'S THE THING Wallpaper gets glamorous with enhancements like metallic shine, lacquer and even crystals. At York Wallcoverings, Candice Olson Dimensional Surfaces enhances papers with glass, sand and metallic thread,

while offerings like "Mystic Vine" from Stacy Garcia Luxury Wallpapers buff up a botanical theme with embedded glass beads (www.yorkwall.com). Maya Romanoff specializes in designing exotic wall coverings from paper that feels like leather (www.mayaromanoff. com). This year's True Paper Croc, embossed with a crocodile pattern and lacquered with latex for durability and gloss, comes in gleaming hues like a crimson Ruby Roo and a popular Saddle Brown.

Swarovski Elements takes things a step further by embedding crystals in several wallpaper patterns (www. swarovski-elements.com). "Plume" depicts velvetflocked ostrich feathers against a solid backdrop styled with a metallic leather effect, then puts the finishing touch with tiny Cabochon pearls and Xilion crystals on the quills. And for those on a budget, Design Your Wall's Glitter Collection offers options like "Iridescent Paisley Damask" and "Iridescent Reflective Green Stripes" (www.designyourwall.com).

Š 2011 Distributed by MCT Information Services.

A RARE REUNION MAD magazine’s ‘usual gang of idiots’

By Russ Bynum

Think of them as the senior class of the “usual gang of idiots,” or even the original MAD men perhaps.

There’s Al Jaffee, who at 90 still draws the optical illusion fold-in gags for MAD magazine’s back page. Sergio Aragones is still whipping out eye-straining and gut-busting miniature cartoons in the magazine’s margins after 48 years. Jack Davis was there at the beginning, drawing the horror spoof “Hoohah!” that appeared in MAD’s debut issue in 1952.

They’re among the cartoonists who put MAD on the map in the 1950s. Over the next six decades, they blended celebrity caricature, pop-culture parody and political satire in a way that would influence American comedy from Saturday Night Live to The Onion and more. Some of them are still churning out gags for MAD, in defiance of the ever-expanding generation gap with the magazine’s young audience.

“I have kids come to me at conventions saying, ‘My grandfather grew up with your work,’” said Aragones, 74, whose recent features include “A MAD Look at Lady Gaga.”

“Older people think the older MADs were funnier but not really. You grew up. Your sense of humor has 118

changed,” Aragones added. Aragones, Jaffee and Davis were among eight veteran MAD contributors gathering Saturday for a rare reunion on the Georgia coast. With their homes and studios spread across the U.S., the artists who put their work side by side in hundreds of MAD issues don’t often meet face to face.

The cartoonists are being honored and humored by their hosts, the Savannah College of Art and Design and the National Cartoonists Society. Their art is hanging in a gallery, while their schedule includes workshops with the college’s art students and a panel discussion on MAD’s history.

John Lowe, the Savannah art college’s Dean of Communication Arts, said the MAD reunion represents “roughly 400 years’ worth of comic book experience collected in one place. ‘MAD’, to me, was really the first print publication to satire popular culture and American political culture,” said Lowe, 44. “It is still very edgy. I can see parents wanting to keep it out of the hands of their children. And children wanting to get it in their hands.”

Launched in 1952 by comics publisher William

M. Gaines and editor-writer Harvey Kurtzman, MAD evolved from stories spoofing its owners’ stable of horror comics to a broader range of send-ups lampooning American culture, celebrities and politics.

By 1956 the magazine had a gap-toothed mascot, Alfred E. Newman, who soon became a cartoon icon. The artists worked on a freelance basis, but for decades Gaines rewarded their loyalty with annual group trips overseas, beginning with a trip to Haiti in 1960. Davis recalled being cajoled by Aragones into fighting a bull – a very young one without horns, he admits – in Spain.

MAD’s stable of artists and writers embraced the group moniker “the usual gang of idiots.” Now published by DC Comics, MAD similarly downplays its own influence. On its website, MAD touts its success as “the best-selling magazine in the world with that title.”

Jaffee, who first contributed in 1955, recalls how Time magazine initially dubbed MAD a “short-lived fad.”

“They didn’t think this crappy little magazine would last this long,” Jaffee said. “However, I think ‘MAD’ is challenging ‘Time’ for longevity.”

Perhaps, in an offbeat way, it challenges Time in stature.

Jaffee’s MAD fold-ins – which have jabbed at everything from the Beatles and the Vietnam War to TMZ and “The Jersey Shore” – recently received the kind of star treatment normally reserved for major literary works. In September, Jaffee’s entire 36-year run of some 400 fold-ins was collected in a hefty – he called “hernia-inducing” – $125 set of four hardbound books.

While Jaffee and Aragones still work to keep pace with MAD’s younger audience. Davis, 86, chose to end his more than half-century affiliation with the magazine a couple of years ago. “I’m an old stodgy man and pretty conservative,” Davis said. “I like all the guys up there a lot, but I felt like it kind of got a little raunchy.” For those who remain, Aragones says, decades at the drawing board honing the razor edge of humor has kept the cartoonists feeling young – and energetically meeting deadlines.

Known as “the world’s fastest cartoonist,” Aragones reckons he’s drawn 12,000 cartoons for the margins of MAD magazine since 1963. When he travels to Savannah, Aragones said, the deadlines won’t stop as he writes on the flight from Los Angeles and draws at his hotel. “It’s not stressful,” Aragones said. “Being a cartoonist is taking out all your frustrations on paper. You don’t have to get road rage. You just draw a cartoon.”

bazaar a la mode

L’OCCITANE HOLIDAY LIMITED EDITION RANGE In Provence, in the small village of Pont-du-Loup, stands an old distillery. Built in the 1900s, it was originally used to carefully process fruits and flowers from the region and create precious essences and fragrances.

Fifty years on, as Christmas approached, the owner of the distillery had an idea: use the distillery to transform fruits and flowers into mouth-watering delights… And so it was that the distillery became a sweet factory, and all year long, everyone could enjoy the flavors of the treasures of Provence.

To make sure that Christmas 2011 is bursting with color and flavor, L’OCCITANE has drawn inspiration from the exceptional delicacies of Provence to create a festive, limited-edition range of the body and home: Two perfumed collections that evoke the delicious aromas that escape from sweet factories in Provence - Délice des Fleurs and Délice des Fruits. For Délice des Fleurs ; in the flower workshop, fragrant, freshly picked violet and rose petals are draped in sugar, and for Délice des Fruits in the fruit workshop, sun-drenched lemons and clementines are cooked in sugar, to transform them into delicious candied fruit.

Get a whiff of L’OCCITANE’s aromas this holiday season!

GAP HOLIDAY 2011 COLLECTION OVERVIEW This season’s new Holiday Collection from Gap reflects a contemporary take on classics. The collection includes cords in season’s strongest color, Bordeaux. Women’s sweaters have variations on cable, shown with rich texture of cords or with feminine prints. Charcoal heather marl and a touch of fur are other key elements that add interest. Outerwear is represented with puffers in season’s colours worn with clean bottoms. ‘Casual meets Clean’ is the inspiration that captures the essence and new direction of this line. Denim dressed up with a bit of shine and glitter defines options for evening wear. The season’s trend for snakeskin is shown in a way that’s quintessentially Gap; re-created as jeans. Flattering womenswear options include a sharp tailored silhouette, trouser flare, non-blue denim finishes and leg-lengthening skinny boot. Men can choose from cable, marled or heathered sweaters that can be worn with Denim Wash Khakis or Moleskin Pants.

The collection offers cardigans and blazers coupled with wovens in dark colors.

THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF TRUE LOVE For more than 170 years, the famous Tiffany Blue Box has come to represent not only the unsurpassed quality of its contents, but also the gift of a promise that makes hearts beat faster around the world.

Tiffany & Co. has been fulfilling the dream of true love with designs of legendary style for generations. And now that legendary style has come to Kuwait City with an exclusive event befitting the jeweler’s status as “The King of Diamonds.” Discover why, throughout history, no single jewelry design has enjoyed such profound influence or universal popularity as Tiffany’s diamond engagement rings.

In November Tiffany & Co., represented by its partner in Kuwait Abdul Rahman Al Bisher & Zeid Al Kazemi Co., hosted a private preview of the sparkling new collection. The high society event for VIP customers, dignitaries and press members was a dazzling affair at which guests discovered why a Tiffany engagement ring remains the diamond of so many women’s dreams.

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CK ONE SHOCK FOR HER AND FOR HIM. ck one shock for her opens with a fierce bouquet of passion flower, pink peony, and jeweled poppy flower. The intensity deepens with blackberry, jasmine and narcisse flower drizzled with a liquid chocolate accord. The addictive signature finishes with magnetic ambers enveloped in vanillin and patchouli, wrapped in second skin musk. ck one shock for him opens with pure freshness with juicy clementine and a crisp cucumber layer, while the heart pulsates with black pepper and cardamon spiced with black basil. A combination of tobacco absolute and ambreine emerges, revealing the skin-like creaminess of cashmeran musk and patchouli for a lasting signature.

The ck one shock design invokes the desire to leave a personal mark of self-expression, defacing the iconic ck one signature bottle to send the ultimate message of rebellion. the new bottle represents Fabien Baron’s evolution of the 1994 ck one classic.

The women’s bottle is a high gloss lacquered white with the shock logo scrawled in pink lipstick over the black ck one logo. The men’s bottle is a high gloss lacquered black with the green shock logo spray-painted over the white ck one logo.

EXPRESS STYLE REIGNS SUPREME THIS TIME OF YEAR If you’re going out, going to work, or going to gather with friends, do it in style with EXPRESS. The Express Girl will luxuriate in breezy marl, lurex and mesh sweaters which she can pair with some high voltage sparkle, animal prints and this season’s must-have red denim. On the town or on the job, she can pair with a wide-leg pant for a retro chic look with contemporary attitude. The Editor and Columnist pant will prove to be her go-to fashion anchor as she mixes and matches soft tops or fine gauge sweaters. And one thing is for sure, the Express Girl has never met a sparkle she didn’t like. Metallic dresses and sequins laden separates are the perfect mix of style and femininity that can go from day to evening.

With the heat of summer now fading fast, our guy will enjoy on-trend hues of the iconic 1MX shirt. There is no wrong way to wear this shirt and no wrong place to wear it. The universal appeal of the 1MX shirt is perfectly engineered to appeal to our guy’s “less is more” approach to fashion forward style. V-necks, cardigans and pull-overs are the perfect complement to fresh graphic tees in soft cotton. Under anything or on its own, the graphic tee is wearable art.

GET READY WITH MAMAS & PAPAS THIS SEASON Make sure you’re ready for the cooler months with Mamas & Papas’ two new collections; full of cosy casuals and dressier pieces for the party season, there’s something for everyone.

Arts & Crafts; With a 70’s influence Arts & Crafts mixes gorgeous shades of berry and pink with oatmeal and grey marls to create a vibrant and eye-catching collection. On-trend maxi skirts, tunics and pussy bow blouses, with floral and paisley prints, give a strong nod to the 70’s theme, while skinny jeans add a modern twist. Layering is key with this collection; tunics can be paired with leggings or worn over long sleeved tops to ensure mums-to-be keep cosy while looking stylish this season.

Wild Spirit; Cosy up with soft knits in this cocooning collection. With an Arctic inspired theme, with cool shades of grey and black, highlighted with frosty blue tones, Wild Spirit has a modern urban edge. Beautiful slinky dresses can be dressed up for the party season to ensure expecting mums stand out in the crowd.

There are certain wardrobe staples that every pregnant woman needs and Mamas and Papas’ Essentials collection has it covered!

REPETTO Fall-Winter Collection 2011 A blend of inspirations from the swinging 60s, preppy’s trends with its uniforms and school patches and a fair dose of French youth culture epitomized by the YaYas band, Sheila and Jacques Ductronc.

The spirit and style of the era have all been delightfully translated into the diverse universe of the Fall-Winter 2011 collection.

The collection also sees the introduction of a series of dance inspired ballerina flats, wedges, pumps and boots that run the gamut from classic ballet to chacha, bossa and calypso. Available in a myriad of colors which are somber yet stately with winter yellow, deep red, mole grey and military hues peppering the collection. Textures range from goatskin to patent leather, metallic suede and the more fanciful crocodile print and tartan textile.

The shoe collection is complimented by an equally chic capsule bag range to complete the Repetto look.

121

‫فنان املكياج املرعب‬ ‫بقلم‪Strawberry Girl :‬‬

‫إن الشباب الكويتيين موهوبون و دائما يأتون باألفكار‬ ‫الجديدة‪ .‬و من خالل زيارة المعارض المختلفة يمكننا إن نلتقي‬ ‫بعشرات بل و مئات من الموهوبين من مختلف المجاالت‪ .‬و أحد‬ ‫هؤالء المواهب هو الطالب الجامعي عبد العزيز الجريب‪ ،‬فنان‬ ‫وضع المكياج الخاص و الذي لديه العديد من األفكار الجديدة‪.‬‬ ‫عبد العزيز طالب في جامعة الخليج للعلوم و التكنولوجيا‬ ‫و قد دخل في مجال مكياج التأثيرات الخاصة في أغسطس‬ ‫من العام ‪ .2010‬لقد انضم إلى فريق الهنتد هاوس و شارك‬ ‫في ‪ 10‬فعاليات معهم‪ .‬و من خالل أفكاره في مكياج التأثيرات‬ ‫الخاصة‪ ،‬فقد أقنعهم باستعمال هذا المكياج بدل األقنعة و‬ ‫التي كانوا يستعملونها معظم الوقت‪.‬‬ ‫من خالل مشاركته في معرض المواهب و الذي أقيم‬ ‫على أرض المعارض بمشرف في الصيف فقد جذب الزوار و‬ ‫شد انتباههم إلى جناحهم المخيف‪ .‬لقد ركز عبد العزيز على‬ ‫الديكورات المخيفة مثل األصبع المقطوع المغطى بالدماء‪،‬‬ ‫أو الثالجة المليئة بالدماء و األعضاء البشرية‪ ،‬عارضين‬ ‫مصابين و ينزفون‪ ،‬و غيرها من فنه في المكياج المرعب‪.‬‬ ‫و يعلق قائال‪" :‬إن فضول الزوار هو الذي جذبهم إلى جناحنا‪،‬‬ ‫والذي كان ينافس على لقب أفضل جناح من حيث الديكور‪،‬‬

‫و حصلنا على المركز الثاني‪".‬‬ ‫لكن هذه الطلة المخيفة أيضا أثارت استياء بعض الزوار‬ ‫من كبار السن حيث أنهم رؤوا أن ذلك قد يؤثر سلبا على‬ ‫األطفال من وجهة نظرهم‪ ،‬و قد انتقدوه بأنه يبدو مخيفا‬ ‫جدا‪ .‬و يضيف قائال‪" :‬نحن فقط نأخذ التعليقات االيجابية و‬ ‫نترك التعليقات السلبية لكي نطور نشاطنا و الذي يعتبر‬ ‫مشروعا تجاريا صغيرا بالنسبة لنا"‪.‬‬ ‫لقد أتت فكرة المكياج المخيف من خالل أول معرض‬ ‫يشارك فيه عبد العزيز‪ .‬فقد كان يرتدي عدسات الصقة‬ ‫بيضاء اللون ‪ ،‬و التي تعتبر من العوامل المساندة لعمله‪.‬‬ ‫و يقول ضاحكا‪" :‬إن زوار المعرض كانوا يسألونني إن كانت‬ ‫هذه عيناي؟ و من بعدها فكرت بشي أقوى و مخيف أكثر‪.‬‬ ‫و أتيت بفكرة أن أثبت المسامير في جسدي و كأن جسمي‬ ‫مخروم بها‪ ،‬و بحثت عن طريقة ألثبتها‪ .‬و قمت بتثبيتها‬ ‫على يدي باللفافة‪ ،‬و قد امتدحها الجمهور كثيرا‪ .‬ثم طورت‬ ‫أعمالي أكثر و ثبت المسمار إلى رقبتي"‪.‬‬ ‫الغريب في األمر أن عبد العزيز عندما كان طفال‪ ،‬لم‬ ‫يكن يسمح لوالدته أو أي شخص آخر بأن يقوم بالرسم على‬ ‫وجهه أو تلوينه‪ .‬و هذه هي المفارقة‪ ،‬بأنه عندما كبر بدأ‬

‫يبتكر هذا النوع من الفن‪ ،‬و الناس دائما تقول له بأنه سوف‬ ‫يستمر بهذا النشاط‪ .‬و يشرح قائال‪" :‬و كنوع من الضمان فأنا‬ ‫أستعمل المكياج على نفسي أوال حتى أتأكد بأنه آمن للناس‬ ‫عندما أضعه لهم‪ .‬فأنا أعاني من الحساسية‪ ،‬و الزال جسمي‬ ‫يتقبل المواد التي أستخدمها"‪.‬‬ ‫و كان على عبد العزيز أن يتوسع في أفكاره بعد أن‬ ‫افتتح الفريق محال في منتزه الشعب الترفيهي‪ .‬و بدأ الناس‬ ‫بالتردد على المحل و كان العمل يعجبهم‪ ،‬إال أن الحضور لم‬ ‫يكن حسب التوقعات بعد‪ .‬كما أن أسعارهم كانت رخيصة‬ ‫جدا‪ .‬و اآلن يفكر عبد العزيز بإقامة المزيد من المعارض و‬ ‫كذلك يفكر بالتعاون مع الممثلين في عملهم على المسرح‬ ‫و التلفزيون‪ .‬و يقوم الناس أحيانا بطلب تقديم تدريب لهم‬ ‫من عبد العزيز‪ ،‬إال أنه يظن بأنه ال توجد له الخبرة الكافية‬ ‫كما أنه ال يملك شهادة في هذا المجال‪.‬‬ ‫و يبحث عبد العزيز عن راعي لنشاطه حيث أنه ال يجد‬ ‫قبوال من شركات المكياج لمساندته‪ .‬و مشكلته األخرى‬ ‫هي شح المحالت التي توفر المواد المتخصصة و مكياج‬ ‫التأثيرات الخاصة‪ .‬و في النهاية شكر كل الذين ساندوه في‬ ‫هذا المجال‪.‬‬ ‫‪122‬‬

bazaar techno Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. ~ Arthur C. Clarke

iControlpad It sure took long enough, but if you own any smartphone not named "Xperia" and want to play games using a real controller, your wish has been granted. The iControlpad ($75) is a Bluetooth-based hardware controller that'll work with your iPhone, Android phone, iPad, PC, Mac, and anything else boasting a Bluetooth chip inside, offering up dual analog nubs, a digital D-pad, six face buttons, and two rear buttons, as well as the ability to masquerade as an iCade cabinet, and a universal holder that lets you strap your phone to the top of the controller without the need for duct tape.

www.thinkgeek.com

Cantata Music Center Its name might lead you to think it was a music venue, but the Cantata Music Center (roughly $9,700) is actually one of the world's best — and most expensive — USB-based Digital Audio Converters. Able to handle a variety of sources, from CDs via the built-in player to digital audio files stored on your Mac, PC, or NAS, the Cantata can also handle wireless or wired links via the Pont Neuf add-on, outputting its pristine audio over XLR or RCA outputs.

www.resolutionaudio.com

Nest Learning Thermostat When we heard the iPod's creators were planning a new product, we surely weren't thinking about HVAC systems. Yet here we are, staring longingly at the Nest Learning Thermostat ($250). This gorgeous, intelligent gadget learns from your habits, programming itself in about a week and using its colorful display to help you learn more energy-efficient and money-saving habits, while sensors keep track of whether or not you're at home, and a Wi-Fi connection makes sure every Nest in your home is aware of the other and the weather outside, you can even control it over the web via a computer or iOS device.

www.nest.com

Canon 1D X DSLR Camera Looking for the absolute best professional DSLR you can buy? As of March 2012, that will be the Canon 1D X DSLR Camera ($6,800). Built to replace not one but two EOS-1D models, the 1D X sports three DIGIC processors — including dual DIGIC 5+ processors to allow for up to 12fps RAW shooting and 1080p video capture, and a dedicated DIGIC 4 for metering and AF control — an all-new 61-point AF system, an 18 megapixel full frame CMOS sensor, a new 100,000-pixel RGB Metering Sensor, a super high speed, 14fps JPEG mode, and an all new shutter with carbon fiber blades rated for 400,000 cycles. Your move, Nikon.

www.usa.canon.com

Moshi Moonrock Earphones One of the worst things about headphones and earphones — whether they be top of the line multi-drivers or the ubiquitous white pack-ins that come with iPods — is trying to untangle the cord when it's time to put them on.

Moshi Moonrock Earphones ($40) take care of this by arriving in a smooth, stone-shaped package that acts as a cord organizer and also protects the stems. Of course, they sound good too, thanks to high-efficiency Neodymium drivers, and thanks to the in-line mic and remote, you won't need to pull them out of your ears just to take a call.

http://store.moshimonde.com 124

bazaar around town

NIKE T90 LASER IV Focused on adapting to the technical demands and movement of a highly mobile striker the new T90 Laser IV is 20% lighter than the previous version and features a streamlined silhouette that provides enhanced fit and feel on the ball. The forefoot area features a newly configured adaptive shield design and high performance synthetic leather upper for a soft and close to the foot feel. To ensure a perfect strike of the ball, the reconfigured shooting and swerve zones on the instep of the boot are designed to flex naturally as the foot contacts with the ball, amplifying the natural benefits of the foot to strike the ball cleanly. The key contact zones are broken up into flexible strips which enhance the natural power and accuracy of the foot while the swerve zone fins reduced in size and height allow a closer feel to the ball providing friction to curved shots. Finally, along the tongue and top of the boot, shape correction foam increases instep accuracy for a seamless strike of the ball. Strikers make the most of tight spaces and rapid turns and feints to leave defenders on the back foot and the new T90 Laser IV features remodelled studs designed to maximize the speed of penetration and release on pitch without increasing stud pressure for the player. Heel, medial, lateral and toe off edge traction combined with a more flexible plate also enhance agility and reduce slipping. With flexibility and movement key to the strikers success enhanced mid foot torsion creates a stiff power transfer from heel to toe creating a clean break from defenders to capitalize on scoring opportunities. T90 Laser IV is a completely redesigned boot for the modern day striker who capitalizes on that one opportunity that comes his way during a game and buries the ball in the back of the net. Be it a long range screamer, close range effort or perfectly struck free-kick or penalty – they all count for this deadly finisher who lives and breathes to score goals. In this T90 film Wayne Rooney reenacts his most memorable goal from last season. A perfect strike that combines technical brilliance with seamless timing to turn a game. The content piece features high definition slow motion capture of the strike with technical call outs around the new T90 boot.

Available exclusively at Nike stores in Kuwait. For further details or inquiries call 2226 1800.

THE FLEMING BRACELET Now in Kuwait Imported and owned by Advanced Resources Co. as a sole distributor throughout Kuwait: The Fleming bracelet is the world’s first and only bracelet with 2 health benefits, 6 powerful magnets and Power Ion Balance technology. By combining the magnets with a total power of 3600 Gausses and Ion-Balance technology it reduces negative energy throughout the body by absorbing excessive Ion charges.

Benefits includes: reduced fatigue and pain, increase in positive energy and enhancement of productivity, balancing Ion energy throughout the body, increase in Che energy and opening chakras.

A must have fashion statement and fashion icon worldwide; high on style and looks, made from natural rubber and high grade polished stainless steel.

The Fleming bracelet is designed and made in France and is endorsed and developed by Peter Fleming.

CLUCK FOR JOY! MCDONALD’S TASTY NEW CHICKEN MCWINGS ARE BACK! The lip-smacking snack is back on the menu for all chicken fans McDonald’s Chicken McWings are making a comeback – due to popular demand from fans of the succulent chicken snack, they will once again be available on the menu for a limited period of time in both four- and 10-wing portions. When McDonald’s first launched Chicken McWings as a promotional, limited-period offer in 2010, customers flocked to stores to experience the succulent chicken snack. Made from tender, halal meat, Chicken McWings are seasoned with spicy onion, garlic and pepper, cooked until crispy and golden, and served hot with a selection of delicious dipping sauces. By expanding the offerings on its chicken menu, McDonald’s is recognising the preferences of its expansive customer base and catering to their taste requirements, while introducing exciting products that satisfy their desire for the delicious experience that the restaurant is synonymous with. Khawam added, “We pay especially close attention to the needs and wants of our customers, and go out of our way to give them even more choice. As a result, our menu is always improving and evolving – though we’re more than happy to bring back old favourites to satisfy customer cravings!”

128

THE ART OF CAN EXHIBITION AT 360 MALL Everito villacruz

Art encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, photography, sculpture, and paintings.

The Red Bull Art of Can has gathered all forms of art in a nationwide creativity competition. From June to October Red Bull cans not only have been used by consumers to drink, but they also have been used to create great pieces of art such as the 70 that will be on display at the Art of Can Gallery at 360 MALL Exhibition Hall from the 3rd of December to the 17th.

Artists from Kuwait were challenged to create new and innovative pieces of art using around 20,000 cans from Red Bull Energy Drink and Red Bull Sugar free. Initially 120 pieces of art were submitted but only 70 were chosen for the exhibition which will feature a variety of creations from sculptures to paintings as well as photography and unique handmade mock-ups.

Six judges from Kuwait with an affinity to art 130

and design will select the winners based on three criteria: creative concept (the idea behind the piece), conceptual execution (how well did the piece translate the concept idea) and construction (how well is the piece constructed). The top three pieces of art will awarded prizes and announced on the opening night of the exhibition.

The art of creating masterpieces out of Red Bull cans started back in 1999. Exhibitions have been held all around the globe from Europe to New Zealand. Countries like Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore and the USA have all inspired artists to create their own artworks made of aluminum.

The event is open for the public and runs from December 3-17. For more information visit: www.redbullartofcan-kw.com.

Wenchie Escueta Pasaporte

Hadeel Al Litheeth

Danilo E. Pajares

Bader Al Mansour

Yousef Al Malifi

131

THE TRUTH ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA

By Ayman K.

People have become hapless slaves to social media; their waking hours are spent updating statuses and posting pictures to a dozen or more websites, commenting on others, liking posts, adding others, watching videos and what not. Their sleeping hours are spent dreaming of their next status update, their next tweet, their next post.

Social media has completely taken over our lives, and we are no longer in the driver’s seat. It is truly unfortunate that people do not yet know how to safely use social media, or what the implications of sharing such information on such networks can entail.

A tweet can land you in jail.

A blog post can land you in jail.

A call to arms for rioters to assemble and loot an area on Facebook will DEFINITELY land you in jail.

It would seem that social media is the Precog program that Tom Cruise highlighted in Minority Report. We have become so jaded by social media, that we write about our actions before we commit them, or about them whilst doing them, effectively living our entire lives on social media networks.

People are now traveling and posting the dates they will leave, the flights they will be on, how long 132

they will be gone for, effectively sending out an APB to any smart hacker, or trusted friend, who is down on their luck and in need of a quick buck, to ransack their house, whilst they are away, taking pictures and writing experiences to be shared later on social media.

We post the most intimate details of our lives in the form of pictures, unbeknownst to the fact that these pictures can be used as evidence against us, or at the very least can be used to disqualify us from a certain job we are applying for because we appear to be binge drinking at a bar or doing shots off a pink pinata whilst donning a gorilla suit (not hiring material).

People have lost the ability to properly discern between what they can and can’t (or, should or shouldn’t) post on social media networks, oblivious to the fact of the millions upon millions of crawlers, regulators and overseers that go through these posts on an hourly basis, looking for a hint of a keyword that could mean trouble. And no, this is not a conspiracy theory, this is reality, look up Echelon.

The information you post online is not safe, it can be viewed by anyone who speaks the language of Binary, zeros and ones.

Social media is the giant sift that we all fall

through, segregating us based on the information we make available, our likes and dislikes, our hobbies and musical tastes, our age and social activities etc. making us easier targets for marketing, and more maniacally, questioning in case some disorder arises in an area around us, and we are somehow linked via a comment we made or a group we joined.

People still do not understand the true meaning of privacy and how it is literally meaningless in the online world. It was not long ago that an unethical hacker posted pictures of people after gaining access to their Facebook accounts by manipulating their mediocre privacy settings. These files were made available via torrent, for download by everyone. Imagine, your family pictures etc. being viewed by a stranger sitting in a pub halfway across the world. The very thought is disconcerting.

The details of our lives that we post online are more often than not sold to advertisers who plague us with incessant ads, despite the disclaimers stating that "We Respect your Privacy". Worse, those very same details can be used by any tech-savvy person to steal your identity, acquire a credit card, or take out a loan in your name, and sticking you with the consequences.

two cents

Loaay’s Two Cents Got business problems or challenges at work? With his Two Cents column, Loaay Ahmed shares his expertise in strategic management consulting to help managers, employees and entrepreneurs thrive.

Q

We fall within the category of SMEs (small to medium sized enterprises). How can we work strategically, analyze customer and consumer behavior, and have smart marketing plans when we have very limited resources due to our size?

LA: There are two elements attached to results: knowledge and application. If it's knowledge you seek and you can't afford interesting interactive workshops, then welcome to The Age of Information. With help from the Internet you can find plenty of resources that will educate you about different management topics. The challenge in this step is to know where the right resources are. Publishing words online doesn't make them automatically reliable. If you want to evaluate the seriousness of a certain magazine article look for reviews about the writer you're interested in on sources other than the magazine. Is s/he trying to indirectly sell you something? Do they have the expertise in the area they're writing about?

What makes them such experts? Remember, doing something for a long time doesn't always lead to 'expertise'.

If you have the knowledge but lack the experience on how to apply it or if you can't afford to hire the right talents full time to help you implement it, then think of project base hiring even if the talent is not in your market and can only work online from United Someplace, as long as you can agree on deliverables and deadlines, it can work. Other options are to work with consultants who are suitable for the kind of service you're after and cater to companies of your size. If your business is too big for them they might not be able to deliver. If it's too small, you might not receive the right level of attention. Most of all, keep your plans short, clear in their focus, easy to understand and shared with everyone responsible for a part of them.

Complicated documents and presentations are not impressive, they're disruptive…and that’s just my two cents.

Q

I recently had a job interview and the manager expressed a certain level of discomfort towards my Facebook page entries and pictures. Should we now start worrying about our Facebook communication when it comes to getting hired? Isn’t finding a job already difficult enough?

LA: Getting a job is difficult and finding the right job should be even more difficult. Smart and successful companies don't hire employees based on education and CVs, they look for a corporate culture fit and a match in personalities and behavior. So you can see why they might go to great lengths just to be sure that a candidate is genuine. And availability of published information makes it tempting to use it as a quick reference

check or a tool to gage true personality traits away for the staged interview act that many employees have learned how to master with time.

As what you do offline matters, what you do online reflects on you, too.

The fact that it’s online doesn’t mean it’s invisible. Divide your Facebook contacts into lists to control who can see what content you publish. You might want to create an acquaintance and co-worker list and keep it viewable by the public but keep close friends and family lists private. This way you control who sees what news and pictures you publish. Having said that, don't keep your public page vague and so carefully articulated to an extent where your character is not visible anymore. Be yourself but know what you're saying and who you are saying it to…and that’s just my two cents.

Q

My company works in the IT industry. Management asked me to solicit some leads through LinkedIn since cold calling is impersonal and ineffective. After sending bulk requests our database grew to almost 300 contacts. The problem is that we couldn’t turn this list into serious prospects. Is LinkedIn a dead end for marketing our business?

LA: Calling someone you don't know with a message that comes across that's beneficial to you more than the prospect is usually met with a cold reaction. When you start a relationship with a new friend you don't ask them for a favor from Day One not to give the wrong impression of being selfish. A new business relationship is not that much different from a personal one. The fundamental difference is that a financial transaction is expected in one while it should be avoided in the other. However, in this case the relationship didn't even start yet.

A connection request is not the same as connecting. How well do you know these 300 contacts and how well do they know your company?

One of the best ways to building strong and mutually beneficial long term business relationships is to reverse the purpose of your call.

Try this: instead of approaching a prospect to sell something, connect them with another contact you know whom you believe can be important to this prospect's business. This attitude builds you a bank of credit with your LinkedIn network or any other network. As a result, the next time you call, you'll find a very warm voice on the other end who'll be a lot more welcoming to your offer…and that’s just my two cents.

For Loaay Ahmed’s advice on business or work matters, send a short email to loaay@knightscapital.com. Please note that only the questions chosen for publishing will be answered.

Loaay Ahmed is a management consultant and strategic expert. To learn more about Loaay and his consulting service, strategic business therapy, visit www.knightscapital.com.

134

SONG AND DANCE OF GANG WARS Karachi musical

By Hasan Mansoor

A hit musical about gangland violence in Pakistan’s largest metropolis is bidding to revive Karachi’s once-rich stage culture while shedding light on its grim addiction to violence.

Fierce sectarian and ethnic conflicts have been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,000 people this year alone and are an all-too-familiar tale to Karachi’s 18 million residents. The gritty realism portrayed in Karachi – The Musical has nevertheless provoked a huge response, playing to large audiences since it began in October for a month-long run which finished last month.

It tells the story of a rookie boxer from the eastern city of Multan who comes to train at a boxing club in Karachi’s notorious Lyari neighborhood – better known for its mafias than its sporting talent. The ambitions of the protagonist, Saif Salaam, spark tensions between his coach and Daud Islam, a mafia don who controls the local gambling, drugs and prostitution rings and wants to thwart the boxer’s success.

With many twists and turns in the story set to a dozen songs, Daud attempts to kill Salaam, just as he had murdered another rising star 20 years earlier.

Mirroring grim realities on Karachi’s streets, the mafioso Daud is only stopped from killing the boy thanks to the 138

intervention of a more powerful don whose influence reaches higher into the corridors of power.

“It depicts the situation we are facing nowadays,” said one theater-goer, Aleem Akhtar. “We are infested with mafias and gangs of killers and every mafia is well protected, so we can survive only with the blessings of some good men.” The director of the first original musical to grace the city said that the show represented a defense against the very harshness upon which it was based. “Today, art needs more support than ever in Pakistan because it is not only a reflection of the times we live in, but also of a brighter future we can create,” said Nida Butt. “Theater is not for the faint-hearted – it’s a labor of love, long hours and hard work that often result in more [money] spent than earned.”

Karachi’s once-thriving stage scene, which was known for its opera before the partition of British India to create Pakistan in 1947, was lost, artists say, largely due to the growing Islamization of the country.

They particularly point the finger at military dictator General Zia ul-Haq, blaming him for worsening the gun and drug culture, encouraging sectarian and ethnic parties and crushing liberal forces during his 1977-88 rule.

Art began losing its way under Zia’s predecessor Ayub Khan, they say, but it crumbled as culture became an early casualty of Zia’s regime. Syed Ahmed Shah, who heads the Karachi Arts Council and whose theater is staging the production, says his organization is the only one with a dedicated auditorium for plays and theatrical performances in Pakistan’s biggest city.

Hamza Jafri, who composed the original scores, said that Karachi – The Musical drew on the various strands of the city’s musical culture – a mix of rock opera, indigenous beats and big band jazz. “The music is edgy, contemporary and completely inspired by our research into Lyari and the boxing gangs there,” he said. “The songs talk about us, about Karachi and our lives in this city today.”

Those living among the conditions depicted on stage complain they cannot see it because they are priced out of the market, with tickets costing 1,500 rupees ($18) each – five times as much as a first-class cinema seat.

“I would love to watch such plays but it is getting too tough to enjoy theater and cinema nowadays,” said Maula Bakhsh, 35, a fruit vendor in Lyari. “We hardly feed our families because of price hikes. How can we spare money to spend on that luxury?”

EAT-IN KITCHENS Keep Meals and Families Together

By Kathryn Weber

The eat-in kitchen, once a standard fixture in many homes, is back in vogue. Whether it's a banquette or a retro Formica-topped table, the comfort and nostalgia of the eat-in kitchen is showing up in new homes and renovations. The eat-in kitchen harkens back to family meals on the table by 6 p.m. and all things warm and homey. But beyond the eat-in kitchen's sentimental appeal is its practicality.

CASUAL COMFORT The formal dining room comes and goes in popularity, and the same has been true with the eatin kitchen. Now, homeowners are realizing that having an eat-in kitchen just makes sense. The arrangement makes dining easier, with fewer trips from kitchen to the table, and confines food preparation and eating to a single room. Besides saving space, it's more convenient to move plates directly from stove to table.

And since everyone gathers in the kitchen anyway, it's 140

more practical to stay and eat there, too.

EAT-IN STYLES There's more than just one style of eat-in kitchen.

The standard is a table in the center, but booths have now become trendy again. They offer the option of keeping everyone together in the kind of seating everyone heads for first at a restaurant. Kids and adults love booths for their intimacy and cushy comfort.

And a booth can be a real space saver in the kitchen.

Because booths are typically anchored to a wall on one side, this leaves more precious floor space available.

A table attached to one end of an island is another option for eating in the kitchen. This kind of set-up keeps diners in the kitchen but out of the way of the busy cook(s). Often a piece of stone can be attached to the end of an island at table height for dining.

Eat-in spaces can also be situated on an island or the ledge surrounding the cooktop or sink. If your family has to eat on the run, bar-style dining offers the best

arrangement for fast serving and cleanup, especially if the counter is set against the kitchen sink.

If there's room for a full-size table in the center of the kitchen, it's critical that the cook have ample space to get to the stove, sink, refrigerator and preparation areas without having to walk around the table. Another consideration is foot traffic. For safety, eat-in kitchens need enough room to accommodate a cook and someone passing behind him/her, as well as unobstructed pass-through space around the table.

SOCIAL DINING An eat-in kitchen offers a charming, old-fashioned way to reconnect during mealtime. It also lets the cook stay involved with guests and family members while preparing a meal. Besides being practical, an eat-in kitchen offers more opportunities to socialize - and there's nothing wrong with a little extra togetherness! Š 2011 Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.

APPLE'S NEXT BIG THING?

By Jonathan Takiff

Along with revelations about his "thermonuclear war" on Google and funding of non-traditional cancer treatments, Steve Jobs' newly published biography drops a bomb about the next big thing he and Apple were working on.

And it's - tah-dah! - Apple TV. Not that little set top box (Job's "hobby" of a product) we associate with the name today, but a full-fledged television set that could synch with all your other Apple devices, iTunes and content stored distantly in the iCloud. Oh, and it would probably work with Apple's smart voice command technology Siri that's been amusing the heck out of iPhone 4S users. Jobs is quoted in Walter Issacson's biography saying, "It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it."

Well, with more than a little help from some of his employees, like the highly prized Jeff Robbin. He's the software engineer who developed the SoundJam digital music player - a technology bought by Apple and evolved a decade ago into iTunes. Robbin now heads the next generation Apple TV project.

Ever one to pump up Apple (and its stock), Bloomberg quotes industry analyst Gene Munster 142

(Piper Jaffray) that a full-fledged Apple TV set could be marketed by the end of 2012 or 2013, based on "meetings with contacts close to Apple's suppliers in Asia, industry contacts and Apple's patent portfolio."

But on the dark side - Apple's recent efforts to contract current broadcast and cable programs for low cost, a la carte purchases through the iTunes store have largely come to naught. The content providers' sweetheart deals with cable and satellite TV companies and their success in selling complete seasons of shows via disc and downloads are still major stumbling blocks to any visions of ruling the TV universe which Apple, arch rival Google (with Google TV) and Microsoft (via Xbox 360) have been going after.

Also, the cable/satellite rivals are not sitting idly by, letting Apple eat their lunch as the company did with the music industry's stock-in-trade. Comcast recently showed me its next generation cable box operating system, currently being tested in Augusta, Ga. Branded as both "Xcaliber" and "Spectrum," this 2.0 system nicely integrates traditional cable-fed and internet streaming content. In fact, I was told that a lot of second-tier specialty channels currently carried system-wide

could more efficiently be delivered over the Internet, on demand, unclogging the cable "pipe" for other purposes.

Comcast 2.0's on-screen guide display is flashy and smart, the search engine works like a charm and also pulls in videos from YouTube, music from Pandora, and connects to Facebook and Twitter.

Oh, and while not currently activated, there's a small microphone icon and companion button on the 2.0 remote control, plus a speaker on the remote's backside, suggesting you might soon be talking your way into "find me movies with Johnny Depp" or whoever. Siriously, could it get much smarter than that?

Getting Comcast to implement this tech is quite another matter - like turning around a battle ship. My demonstrators said "all our HDTV boxes installed in the last two years" have the brainpower to support the new hybrid cable/internet protocol TV system. But upgrading the rest of Comcast's cable box universe will be very expensive (think billions) and will not be accomplished overnight. Š 2011 Distributed by MCT Information Services.

‫‪ 22‬ني�سان‬ ‫بقلم‪ :‬منى العنزي‬

‫هذه المرة كان إحساسي مختلفاً‪ ،‬مزيجاً ما بين البالدة‬ ‫وجموح الشعور‪ ،‬لم أكن أعرف ما الذي ينتظرني في الشهور‬ ‫القادمة‪ ،‬هل هي أيام تتحقق بها األماني واألحالم أم تكون‬ ‫أحافير مظلمة يتكاثر بها اليأس والخيبات؟‬ ‫قبل ساعة كاملة على قدوم منتصف الليل‪ ،‬جلست على‬ ‫طرف سريري ناكسة الرأس مشوشة الذهن‪ ،‬أمرر أصابع‬ ‫يدي الملساء على جلدي الناعم الذي قد رأيته مخملي دون‬ ‫سابق إعتياد‪ ،‬وعقلي يقذف الكثير من الذكريات العتيقة‬ ‫التي كان اإلقتراب منها‪ ،‬مجلبة للكثير من الروائح العطنة‬ ‫الخبيثة‪ ،‬لم أقوى أكثر فاتجهت ناحية المرآة أدقق في‬ ‫فعل محددة‪ ،‬لكني فشلت‬ ‫مالمحي‪ ،‬وأستشف منها أية ردة ٍ‬ ‫بجدارة في التقاطه‪.‬‬ ‫سألت نفسي في تلك اللحظات ما إن كنت قد إستثمرت‬ ‫دقائق حياتي جميعها بالمفيد؟ وما إن كنت قد عملت بها‬ ‫للمكانة التي سأكون عليها في المستقبل؟ ليظل السؤال‬ ‫معلقاً دون إجابة‪.‬‬ ‫كنت أقف عند حقيقة إني سأقفز الى سنة جديدة في‬ ‫سنوات عمري بعد ساعة واحدة‪ ،‬وإني ألف ظهري عن سنة‬ ‫قديمة تثخنت باألحداث الكثيرة والمواقف المريبة التي‬ ‫نجحت وخفقت في التعامل معها‪.‬‬ ‫كلما تقدم بي العمر وعندما تدق الساعة منتصف‬ ‫أشخاص جديدة لم يكن‬ ‫الليل‪ ،‬أتفاجأ بوصول تهنئات من‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫لهم وجود في العام الماضي‪ ،‬كما هو الحال‪ ،‬بغياب مقربين‬ ‫إختفت آثارهم هذه السنة بعدما كانوا األساس الذي‬ ‫يعلمني بأن اليوم هو يوم ميالدي‪.‬‬ ‫إثنتي عشرة شهراً كافية لتبرز مكانتك عند أشخاص‪،‬‬ ‫آمنت بشأنك لديهم‪ ،‬لكن يالألسف على ما مر وما كان‬ ‫معهم‪ ،‬غابوا مع الظروف التي تيقنوا إنها تذيب ما بينهم‬ ‫وبين الناس الذين يهتمون لهم ويحبونهم أيما حب‪ ،‬ومع‬ ‫وصول أول رسالة تهنئة عند الثانية الستون‪ ،‬جالت علي‬ ‫مئات الكلمات رددتها بصوتٍ صاخب في نفسي‪:‬‬ ‫تعلمت إن الرغبة وحدها ال تكفي ما لم تُعزز باإلصرار‪،‬‬ ‫ومعنى اإلصرار هو أن يتم تبنيها وإنتشالها من يدي اإليام‬ ‫التي تقذف بها ذات اليمين وذات اليسار‪.‬‬ ‫تعلمت إن الصفة الثابتة في البشرية هي التغيير‪،‬‬ ‫وإن الناجح اليوم قد يهوي على إنجازاته في أية لحظة كما‬ ‫هو الحال لمتواضع القدرات‪ ،‬بإمكان رجله أن تعلوا ناحية‬ ‫القمم والعلياء‪.‬‬ ‫تعلمت إن المرأة الذكية هي من تعامل الجميع بالمثلى‪،‬‬ ‫شخص ترى به الشعور المميز‬ ‫إال من‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫تعلمت إن الظروف وحدها هي من تجعل اإلنسان‬ ‫يتمرد على روتين خيباته وينفجر ناحية اإلبداع‬ ‫تعلمت أن اإلبتسامة والكلمة الطيبة تأسر اإلنسان‬ ‫وتلين قلبه‪.‬‬ ‫أرض قاحلة جدباء عن شجرة جافة‬ ‫في‬ ‫أنبش‬ ‫أن‬ ‫تعلمت‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫مصفرة غصونها‪ ،‬ألسقيها وتكون سبباً في إخضرار المكان‬ ‫كله‪.‬‬ ‫وحوش كاسرة في‬ ‫هم‬ ‫المظهر‬ ‫مالئكة‬ ‫إن‬ ‫تعلمت‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫بجروح نازفة‪.‬‬ ‫الباطن‪ ،‬يدمون القلب‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫تعلمت أن أحدد أنا إختياراتي وال أتركها بين يدي القدر‬ ‫يحرك بها كيفما رغب وشاء‬ ‫تعلمت أن ال أنتظر أحداً وال أنتظر شيئاً في يوم ميالدي‬ ‫وبقية األيام‬ ‫وكل عام وعقلي حياً ‪ ..‬بفكره وتحليله‪.‬‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫‪146‬‬

bazaar checks it out

LANDMARK GROUP’S ‘BEAT DIABETES’ WALKATHON Witnesses Participation of Over Five Thousand Supporters Under the patronage of the Ministry of Health and Dasman Diabetes Institute, Landmark Group - the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, marked the successful completion of its second consecutive ‘Beat Diabetes' walkathon in Kuwait. Over five thousand people participated in the walk this year and more than 3500 people took the free blood glucose test.

From the Yacht Club till the Green Island, an occupied Arabian Gulf Street was booming with walkers who arrived to support the cause and spread awareness about this growing epidemic. The walkathon is an annual event launched by the Landmark Group as a part of its ‘Beat Diabetes’ corporate social responsibility initiative, to raise understanding and awareness about diabetes amongst people.

The Beat Diabetes walkathon is held in November since the month is commemorated as the World Diabetes Month and November 14 being World Diabetes Day. The morning began with the campaign’s launch ceremony at the Yacht Club, attendees included senior officials from the Ministry of Health, Dasman Diabetes Institute and Saibal Basu, COO, Landmark Group - Kuwait. They were joined by the Group’s employees and thousands of supporters of the cause from all age groups.

A warm-up session was performed by Landmark group staff for all the participants to kick start the walk. A healthy breakfast was served after the event, courtesy Nestle, Awal, Kdcow, Mais Al Ghanim, Tariq Al Ghanim Limited (catering division) and Suma fruits.

Since its launch in UAE in 2009, the reach of the ‘Beat Diabetes’ campaign has grown rapidly it currently has a presence across 7 countries; United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and India.

BLUE BARRACUDA IN THE MIDDLE EAST Horizon Holdings Launches New Digital Capability Horizon Holdings, the Middle East’s leading advertising, marketing and communications group, today launched its new digital services offering Blue Barracuda, which will effectively complement Horizon Group’s services to existing and new clients across the Middle East region.

Blue Barracuda, a London based digital agency which was recently acquired by Draftfcb, will now support Horizon Draftfcb by providing full-service digital strategies across all aspects of digital communications. The agency’s capabilities will include a range of digital services from digital strategies and campaign planning, CRM, retail, to full-service execution.

Blue Barracuda will operate in the Middle East from Horizon Draftfcb’s Dubai office at Capricorn Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road. Its operations in the region will be led by Lee Brett, General Manager of Blue Barracuda Dubai.

BMW GROUP DEBUTS WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED FOUR-CYLINDER ENGINES IN THE MIDDLE EAST More power and less fuel consumption for new BMW 5 Series BMW is adding power and value to its highly popular BMW 5 Series range with the introduction of the world's most advanced four-cylinder engines with TwinPower Turbo. The new 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine was introduced to the BMW 5 Series in November 2011 – namely the BMW 520i – and will enhance the model line-up in the Middle East region. The world's most advanced four-cylinder engines combine a TwinScroll turbocharger with VALVETRONIC variable valve timing, Double-Vanos variable camshaft timing and High Precision Injection direct injection. The result are engines that have more power and torque , with a dramatic reduction in fuel consumption – and lower engine noise. The new engines are based on the multi-award winning BMW TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder in-line engines. In the new BMW 520i, the four-cylinder engine delivers maximum power of 135kW/184 hp at 5,000 rpm and peak torque of 270 Nm available between 1,250 and 4,500rpm. The new 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine will also be introduced this year on the Z4 and X1, and on the 3 Series in 2012.

148

TEAM KUWAIT PARTICIPATES IN MERCEDES TROPHY WORLD FINAL 2011 IN GERMANY Team Kuwait participated in the Mercedes Trophy World Final in Stuttgart Germany which was held from September 28 to October 4. A total 29 teams from around the world competed in Stuttgart in one of the most prestigious & biggest tournaments in amateur golf. The Kuwaiti team was represented by the winners of Mercedes Trophy Kuwait National Final winners Ahmed AlSarawi, Dr. P.M.Dhar & Ali AlJazzaf who are all Mercedes-Benz customers along with team captain Sanjay Kaul from Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. Mercedes-Benz’s involvement in amateur golf dates back to 1989.

The MercedesTrophy is the brand’s own series of amateur invitational tournaments for customers, with some 58,000 players competing in over 43 countries.

A surprise guest at the event was professional golfer Adam Scott, who was announced as the new Mercedes-Benz international golf brand ambassador from 2012. The Australian has had a superb year, including his best finish at a Major championship when he finished tied for second place at The Masters in Augusta. He is currently ranked number 9 in the World.

Scott took part in the prize-giving ceremony as well as a “beat the star” competition where participants had the chance to play against him at hole 10. He joins long-time brand ambassador Bernhard Langer who extended his association with Mercedes-Benz last month for another three years.

This year’s winners of the Nations Cup were the teams from New Zealand and South Asia with 201 points each. They were closely followed by the team of UK with a total of 200 points. Team Kuwait scored a total of 176 points.

Next year, Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. will be holding the 15th edition of the MercedesTrophy Golf tournament in Kuwait in the spring of 2012.

For more information on any of the Mercedes-Benz products or service, visit them online www.mercedes-benz.com.kw or vist our facebook page at www.facebook. com/MercedesBenzKuwait.

BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP LAUNCHES ‘ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS’ FURRY FRIENDS Build-A-Bear Workshop, the interactive entertainment retailer of customized stuffed animals, is introducing Alvin and the Chipmunks furry friends on 1st December, just before the movie release Alvin and the Chipmunks 3. The movie hits the theatres across the Middle East on 15th December. Take home your favourite Chipmunk furry friends, Alvin and Brittany, as they make an appearance for a limited period at Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Dressed in a hip Hawaiian tee or with a slick white tux or sweatshirt that plays music as add-ons, Alvin is bound to woo anyone on your gift list. Brittany will make you go crazy as she dons a fuchsia slip dress or you can dress her in the fruit-filled salsa dancing outfit for an extra fun filled island adventure. But wait! You can’t have the duo only without the other chipmunks. To complete your Alvin and the Chipmunks collection, take home pre-stuffed mini friends from the new movie, too! Movie characters, Simon, Theodore, Jeanette and Eleanor are all dressed in island garb.

Build-A-Bear Workshop is located in the Avenues Mall.

VICTORIA’S SECRET BEAUTY & ACCESSORIES STORE OPENS AT THE AVENUES MALL Victoria’s Secret, the ultimate destination for fragrance and style made famous on the catwalk by supermodels, opened its second Beauty & Accessories store in Kuwait, at The Avenues Mall, Kuwait’s popular shopping destination.

The new store offers the iconic range of beauty products including prestige fragrances, body care and make up. Experience the newest Victoria’s Secret fragrance Incredible and the Middle East’s #1 fragrance Bombshell. Customers will also have access to Victoria’s Secret branded accessories including bags, luggage, small leather goods and sunglasses which are exclusive to the beauty & accessories stores.

This new store follows the successful launch of the brand in Dubai and Kuwait at Marina Mall in 2010 and more recently in Riyadh, Doha and Bahrain in 2011. The design of the Middle East Victoria’s Secret locations is sophisticated and glamorous. The façades take a modern approach with dynamic pink and black storefronts. The interiors feature a gallery of iconic black and white Victoria’s Secret imagery and showcase products in an environment that’s forever young, playful and bright.

Details about Victoria’s Secret products can be found by visiting www.victoriassecret.com

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THOSE TRENDY CAPES LOOK GOOD‌ On paper

By Ellen Warren

There are times when fashion and common sense are on a collision course.

This is one of those times.

C

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CM

MY

CY

CMY

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I'm talking about the cape. You've seen it on fashion blogs and in magazines. It's portrayed as an alternative to the coat this fall and winter. And on certain women impossibly tall, thin models - it can look good in a photo. Providing, of course, that the model is not holding anything, walking the dog, opening a door or trying to use her arms to wrestle a screaming infant into a car seat.

Of all the bad style ideas that have trended to the top of the heap in recent years (capri pants, sparkly blue eye shadow, leggings instead of pants), this is among the worst. Let's count the ways that capes are not a good idea.

1. You'll freeze.

You'll notice that one of the things capes do not have is sleeves. Instead, they have slits for your arms. Fast-forward a few weeks from now when the temperature has dropped considerably. Think of those arm-slits as open windows, welcoming in freezing winds. Do you open all the doors and windows on a windy winter day? I didn't think so. The cape is the fashion equivalent of driving a convertible top down in an ice storm. Or as the nice man at Barneys told me when I was scrutinizing a Comme des Garcons cape recently, "If you're thinking warmth, no!"

2. You'll look bad.

Even in a luxurious fabric, there's no getting around it: Capes are not flattering. They are, after all, 152

essentially a bag, with a cutout hole for your head.

Nobody looks good in a bag. Even a bag like the one shown here, made of wool, cashmere and angora.

You're still wearing a sack. Now, imagine yourself sticking your arms through those slits, trying to juggle a 12-pack of Diet Coke and a week's supply of Lean Cuisines up a couple of flights of steps. Awkward. Still not convinced? Read on.

3. You'll look really bad.

Because this garment has no sleeves (see No. 1 above), you will need to wear - at the very least - a heavy sweater underneath to keep your arms warm when you need to expose them to get on public transportation or fiddle with your phone. So, instead of a single layer, you'll be wearing at least two. Setting aside the fact that it's not cost effective, does anyone look better with more padding? Not a good style strategy unless you're going for a linebacker look.

4. The clash factor.

As if appearing presentable in public isn't enough of a challenge - especially in winter - the cape offers a whole new realm of opportunity to make bad fashion choices. Now, you'll have to worry about whether what you're wearing beneath complements your outerwear.

It's the sleeve problem once again. Consider how bad a houndstooth cape would look if what was poking through the arm flaps was a colorful print blouse. Or a striped sweater. Or almost anything in your closet.

5. Playing dress-up.

The very essence of the cape is fancy fashion. A cape is simply not a casual look. Think you can wear your cape with gym shoes? It just won't look right. Still tempted? Try it on with your Reeboks before you buy.

If it's winter versatility you want, buy a coat. With a zipin lining. And maybe a detachable hood. Waterproof is always nice.

6. You've got baggage.

In sharp contrast to the lithe young woman looking sharp in a glossy fashion spread wearing her cape, you carry a purse. A big purse. And often a tote bag or backpack with your gym clothes and lunch.

And another bag to hold your laptop. Most of us manage all this stuff by slinging it over our shoulder(s).

Unfortunately, when wearing a cape, you don't have a shoulder. A cape eliminates this essential piece of your anatomy as a resting place for your gear.

For me, this is the clincher. When you're wearing a cape, the only purse or bag you can carry is one of those ladylike handbags.

The shoulder bags slide right off. Now your bags are on the filthy, wet, slippery sidewalk as you struggle - with your arms sticking through those silly flaps - to retrieve them.

Case closed. Š 2011 Distributed by MCT Information Services.

REDNECK CAMPING

By Sumayyah Meehan

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” ~Kahlil Gibran

Come those first few cool nights in Kuwait, which signify that the scorching hot summer months have finally fizzled, my thoughts turn to camping in the great outdoors. One of my favorite pastimes during my sojourn in Kuwait is to drive all the way to Ahmadhi to see all those little square tents placed alongside the road in the desert. I must admit that I have never seen such sprawling campsites in all my life. Some of the sites resemble compounds with several tents huddled together and always a smaller one off to the side, presumably the ‘loo’.

I have been fortunate enough to see some of these gargantuan tents up close and personal. And these campers certainly are not “roughing” it by any means. Most of the campsites I have seen in Kuwait feature diesel-powered generators, which provide electricity in the middle of nowhere. They also have working stoves, running water and even furniture to make the whole camping experience 80

seem…like just another ordinary day at home?

Back home in the States, camping in the great outdoors is something that people do to get away from the hustle and bustle of life. It’s also the cheapest way to get a couple of kicks for the whole family whether that involves swimming in the lake or catching fireflies in the dark. Take it a step further, and two paces to the right with a shot of Southern ingenuity, and you’ve got “redneck camping”. Basically, a redneck campsite requires the bare minimum of camping essentials. Don’t got a tent? Simply tie a couple of large bed sheets between a couple of trees. Ain’t got a bar-b-que?

Just whip up a bonfire and roast marshmallows or hot dogs from wire coat hangers retrieved from the car trunk.

On a redneck campsite, there is no such thing as can’t, won’t, shoulda’ or coulda’. In fact, just about anything and everything is perfectly acceptable.

Dinner one night might be a can of beans smashed

open on a sharp rock since you forgot to pack the can opener. Breakfast might end up being a handful of Cheetos ‘someone’ let fall under the car seat way back when. It just doesn’t matter. The best part about redneck camping is the activities and quality time spent together. Staying up late telling ghost stories that will leave everyone, even small children, unable to sleep a wink for the rest of the night.

Making Smores out of whatever you’ve got on hand and that can be quickly melted over the fire. Who needs chocolate and graham crackers when a host of other edible items will suffice to make a gooey dessert sandwich? My personal favorite is gummy worms and Oreos melted into an unrecognizable blob and shoved firmly into my mouth as multihued “slime” oozes down my chin. Yum! Redneck camping is worlds apart from the more refined Kuwaiti camping adventure, yet when it comes right down to it, both share the same premise… to enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature.

bazaar bites All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast. - John Gunther

PUMPKIN PANCAKES (Original recipe yields 12 pancakes) INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 1/2 cups milk 1 1/2 cups milk 1 cup pumpkin puree 1 egg 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons vinegar 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon salt

GINGERBREAD WAFFLES (Original recipe yields 3 servings) INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground ginger 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg, separated 3/4 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup molasses 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 1/3 cup chopped raisins 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

EGGNOG FRENCH TOAST INGREDIENTS • • • • •

158

2 eggs, beaten slightly 1 1/2 cups eggnog 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 12 slices French bread

DIRECTIONS 1• In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

2• Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

DIRECTIONS 1• In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, mustard and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat brown sugar and egg yolk until fluffy. Add buttermilk, molasses and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Add raisins. In a small bowl, beat egg white and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.

Gently fold into batter. Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown.

DIRECTIONS 1• Whisk the eggs. eggnog, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a mixing bowl until well blended. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish.

2• Preheat an electric skillet to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease the skillet.

3• Dip one slice of bread at a time into the eggnog mixture, being sure to coat each side of the bread thoroughly.

4• Place the prepared bread slices into the preheated skillet, and cook, turning once, until golden brown on each side. Place cooked slices on a serving plate and cover with foil to keep warm until all French toast is cooked. Serve immediately.

source: allrecipes.com

bazaar scopes

ARIES

March 21 - April 19

TAU R U S

April 20 - May 20

GEMINI

May 21 - June 21

Career glory is showered down on you for the first three weeks of this month. It’s well earned. However, there has been a cost and that has been your family life. Balance is so important and before you lose something very valuable, take the time you need for that all-important home front. This Holiday Season will be just a dream come true for you. Friends, family, hopes fulfilled, and there could be romance for the unattached. It could find you just in time for the Big Day so that you can have someone special to share the festivities with.

CANCER

Dreams and wishes come true for you all month long. This could be a time of manifestation that could even surprise you for a change. Things that you have been working on now seem to come to completion with ease and with wonderful results. Friends stand at both hands and behind you during the first three weeks of this month to enliven your outlook and bring joy to you wherever you may be. However, don’t neglect that romantic someone in your life or suppress any creative urges you have. They will be there to teach you something. Don’t over indulge during the Holiday Season. You could pay for it with an upset stomach or a BIG headache.

June 22 - July 22

As always this time of year, for the first three weeks of December you’ll feel like your feet are dragging and you just need to catch a quick nap. Take it slow. Have a plan and stick to it. Don’t try to overdo anything. There could be some health issues that could mar the Holiday Season if you overdo. So relax. After the 21st, it will feel like something just breathed new life into you. You’ll be feeling great and ready to party with the family and friends. There could be a very special gift for you from your committed other under the tree this year. Pull the stops out for once and show your appreciation.

LEO

Life of the party. You are on a roll this month! Places to go and things to do. Busy, busy, and busy! You could attract the attentions of the opposite sex and not even realize it as you scurry through the first three weeks of December. If you’re committed to another, pay some extra attention to them during this period. Your rose colored glasses may need a cleaning, Santa. Then just when you get all the hustling and bustling taken care of, you settle in for one great holiday season.

It just doesn’t get any better than this. You’ll probably want to spend as much time at home as you can this season, letting others come to your house for a change.

July 23 - Aug 22

This year has been one of major changes for you. Your value system has been turned upside down and inside out. Have you learned what really counts in life? The Universe has put you on a very tight budget just to show you this. If you’ve discovered what that is then the gifts you give this year will be more precious than diamonds or gold. This is a terrible time to change residences, but it could happen. Just try and have things in line by the Holiday Season, just in case. Don’t overlook those important cards or phone calls during the last part of the month. You could miss something that could make this Holiday Season one of the best.

VIRGO

Nov 22 - Dec 21 Dec 22 - Jan 19 Jan 20 - Feb 18

Get those cards out early this year. Make all those phone calls. Get the shopping done early. Drop off gifts early. It’s going to be a mad house effort if you don’t. Make a plan and a schedule and stick to it to avoid any last minute fire drills this Holiday Season. I say these things because come the Big Day, you won’t want to budge from that couch. You’ll probably want to keep everything at arm’s length for easy access, and that includes the ones you love. This could also include a new face you found earlier in the month. This will be a great Holiday for you Libra.

Aug 23 - Sept 22

LIBRA

Sept 23 - Oct 22

S CO R P I O

Oct 23 - Nov 21

S A G I T TA R I U S C A P R I CO R N A Q UA R I U S PISCES

Feb 19 - March 20

what’s your sign?

Lofty thoughts or long distance travel could have you in faraway places these first few weeks. Long distance communication during this time is critical, so heads up. Pay attention to what you say and what is being said. You will find you have a responsibility to keep those communications clear and in order. By Christmas Day, life will be at its tip-top best for you as you enjoy what could be one of the best you’ve had in years. You could be on the verge of exploding with the joy you receive and want to share with loved ones around you.

Watching the purse string this Holiday Season could pay off big for you. You may find yourself wanting to give gifts of lasting value or of deep personal meaning to the receiver. Remember that the greatest gift can’t be wrapped in colorful paper with a bright bow. That gift is Love. Traveling back to your home or back to your roots could give you the greatest holiday you may have had in some time. You have learned much this year about what really matters in life. You may find yourself expressing what you have learned to those close to you.

These first few weeks of December, you could come to realize how valuable that committed other is in your life. This could be the basis of some major changes on your part. Remember if you want changes to occur in your life, you must make the first change. Let your partner show you what direction to take by paying close attention to what is or isn’t said.By the Big Day, You could have a new sense of the true value of giving. That is receiving. Let your joy be your expression of gratitude as gifts are showered down on you from not only those who love you, but from the efforts you have made in your career.

Taking on too much could render you a completely exhausted person by the 21st. Slow down and relax. Things have a synergy and happen in their own time. Or as we aging Hippies used to say, “Go with the flow, man.” You don’t wind up getting a box of tissue for Christmas as you could wind up with a case of the sniffles. Come the Big Day, this year, your committed other could surprise you with something that could really enliven your life. This could be either tangible or intangible, and even better, both. Just another word of caution here, with Jupiter in you first house, be careful not to over indulge.

Roses in the garden could be blooming for you the first part of December. Or you could have a burst of creative energy that will not be denied. Whatever the case is, use the energy well. Do something to remember for the rest of your life. There is such a powerhouse of energy in you that shouldn’t be left untouched. This Christmas may find your heart moved to those who have so little. You may find yourself involved in some last minute charity act that could bring you such joy as you cannot believe. These acts would bring you fame or fortune, but they will give you more than you gave. What you get can only be held in your heart.

You are going to want to make everything just as perfect for this Holiday as you can. Trouble is that you may need time away from your career or workplace to accomplish what you have planned.

Seek outside help from those close to you for this event. Involving others in your plans can surprise you with the results. Romance for both committed and uncommitted Virgos is on Santa’s list for you this Season. Be ready to welcome it. Don’t put up walls when you hear those sleigh bells coming. Welcome Love with open arms. source: www.horoscopessign.com

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Toffee Nut Frappuccino速 blended beverage

Introducing the new “Al Shabab“ card and an all-new partners list

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