March 2018 | Issue # 224 www.bazaar.town
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About the cover: It’s official—we’re clearly obsessed with Bader Al Rajhi’s work! At first glance of our cover image, you’re instantly attracted by the interesting wall graffiti, and as soon as you notice the blurry passerby—you’d think this is mistake by the photographer. However, he clearly assures us that this was his vision for this snap all along—to portray his version of reality. We sense the movement in the photo, and we can all relate to it, thanks to a few small technical tweaks that he aptly experimented with to achieve this beautiful result. Bader states “It’s a simple expression on the existence of everyday surroundings in an artistic manner.” For more on Bader, follow @The_Rhythm on Instagram.
The best thing about March is the spectacular weather. The worst thing about March is the horrible unpredictable weather. Yup, I think that just about sums it up. One minute its sunny, but not too hot to sit outside all day, and the next minute, its suddenly windy and dusty and there’s a mad rush to run indoors and close windows and hide. Oh well, I guess you can’t have it all, and to be fair at least we don’t have to (ever) deal with earthquakes, tornados, being snowed in, and flooding. I’ll take a little bit of dust over those things any day!
The bazaar team...
Now that we’ve all sort of recovered from the National Day and Liberation Day festivities, we’re ushering in the arrival of spring with a bang! Remember our amazing cover from last month? We bring you yet another installment from the talented local photographer Bader Al Rajhi. Not only does his work grace our March issue cover, but we sit down with the abstract, minimalist street photographer for an in-depth exploration of his inspiring 20-year journey with the camera. From exploring Kuwait, to traveling to far-flung destinations around the world and honestly documenting these experiences for everyone to see on Al-Rai TV, we also get up close and personal with Mudon’s Omar Alothman.
Ihab Mokalled
Art, design and fashion take a serious, but captivating turn in this issue, as we sit down with artist Tatyana Grenvitch in Truth Or Dare, and local German Mona Ruehle to discuss how inspiration can arise from the most unexpected places. We also had the amazing opportunity to discuss how design shapes our shopping experiences with Monki’s Head of Store Concept Catharina Frankander—we can’t wait for the Kuwait opening of this Swedish brand! We’ve also got the latest from MANGO’s latest campaign shot by Mario Sorrenti—and we promise you, it’s extremely beautiful. Let pretty but powerful stories inspire you with the upcoming arrival of & Other Stories to Kuwait, and don’t miss out on bespoke time pieces from the new Tik Tok show room. You should also be marking your calendars for an absolutely stunning celebration for Bloomingdale’s first Anniversary—it’s going to be awesome!
Yasmine Dalloul
Let’s not forget that with Mother’s Day right around the corner, you’d better start planning ahead. Fret not, as we’ve got you covered. We spoke with the good people at The Promenade, and they’ve got loads of fun treats for mothers for the upcoming occasion—flip over to read all about it! Treat your mom to some loveliness at Kuwait’s newest, gorgeous modern Middle Eastern eatery Rosewater Café. We checked it out ourselves, and with a menu built by the famous Greg Malouf, we can’t wait to go back and once again sample their incredible selection of mezze, or their spectacular desserts. Still not enough? Then how about dinner and a show at JACC? We’ve got their March calendar showing you some of our favorite upcoming events and showings, but we advise you to book ahead, as seats get snatched up pretty quickly.
Boss Ahmed El-Adly
Operations Tim Burns
Business Development Content Coordinator Yasmine El Charif
Mixed Media Solutions Jennifer Cádiz
Design Ahmed Al-Ashab
Staff Writer/Online Media Amira Haroun Yasmin Gamal
Online Producer/Project Manager Umika Pidaparthy
Communications Hala Y. Sharara
Cover By Bader Hamad Al Rajhi
Editor Alia Al Duaij
Contributing Writers Ayman Nassar Barry Rodrigues George Tarabay Nejoud Al Yagout Shabana H. Shaikh
Contributing Photographers
members of:
Caroline Ericson
Happy reading!
Syndicates & Sources
Ahmed El-Adly
Baraka Bits Fast Company Kingdome.co LA Times MCT International Newsweek
w w w. b p aw w. c o m The views expressed in bazaar magazine are those of the respective contributors and not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff (but sometimes they are).
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recycle me, please.
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INDEX MARCH 2018 28
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110
OMAR ALOTHMAN
TATYANA GRENVITCH
ROSEWATER CAFÉ
MONA RUEHLE
It doesn’t get more adventurous than this month’s Up Close and Personal candidate, Omar Alothman. The Mudon host walks us through his love of traveling, and how that passion led him to turn it into a television show to share the reality of travels with the public. Read all about it in this issue.
Here to debunk all myths that you can only accomplish so much in 24 hours is this month’s colorful Truth or Dare candidate. Tatyana Grenvitch just might actually be Superwoman, (at least in our eyes!) as she manages to stretch out all the hours in the day to achieve all that she wants to do!
Visiting Rosewater Café was a feast for our eyes as it was for our taste buds. Between artful décor emulating comfort and coziness, and a wonderfully curated menu reflecting on local taste, Rosewater Café was a pleasure to write about. Read all about it in this issue, but be warned: you might fall in love with it!
Known best for her studio open to the masses to visit, and for her extraordinary paintings, expat artist Mona Ruehle takes a brief break from imitating beauty on canvas and discusses with us how she finds inspiration to create, and it doesn’t surprise is to learn that her ultimate muse is in our own backyard.
SADA
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BLOOMINGDALE’S TURNS 1!
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BADER AL RAJHI
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MONKI
SADA is a non-profit organization that helps educate and provide support for children who have had cochlear implants. We take the afternoon to get to know the people at this organization, and visit with the children, who are smart, funny and sweet, and truly living life to the fullest.
It’s been one year since Bloomingdale’s has opened its doors to Kuwaiti locale in 360 MALL and since then, it’s become our go-to spot for all things luxury in fashion and beauty. To commemorate this event, we’ve compiled a feature about the beloved department store packed full of surprises!
From abstract, minimalist to street photography, talented photographer, architecture lover and our cover artist Bader Al Rajhi speaks to us about his artistic journey that spans 20 years. Read all about it in this issue (but be sure to marvel at the gorgeous cover, first!)
This Swedish feel-good brand opening soon in Kuwait boasts an ethos of empowerment, body positivity, self-esteem and sustainable living. Meet Monki’s Head of Store Concept Catharina Frankander, the very person who has been bringing the Monki world to life since 2006.
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chilli beans
what's on March 2018 RED BULL CAR PARK DRIFT Date: March 9, 10:00am-5:00pm Location: Basel Salem AlSabah Motor Racing Club Only a couple of months since welcoming elite drifters competing for the 2017 King of Drift crown at the Red Bull Car Park Drift Final, Kuwait is ready to rev-up its engines for the 2018 qualifier. Red Bull Car Park Drift is organized by Basel Salem AlSabah Motor Racing Club and is sponsored by Total, Falken Tyres, Drag 965, and Acqua Eva. Media partner Kuwait Times will cover this popular event. Over 2,500 spectators will visit SIRBB Circuit on Friday, March 9, to witness thrown-thirsty drifters go head to head for the coveted title. With only one drifter from each participating country, Lebanon will welcome the 2018 Kuwait King of Drift at the Series Final this September 22 where he will compete to claim the Series Final thrown. Kuwait’s drifter will face a fierce challenge for the King of Drift title, competing against drifters from ten other countries that have participated in the series. The 2018 series kicked off in Oman on January 26 and the competition has continued since then with qualifiers in UAE and Egypt. Qualifiers will continue in Qatar, Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, Mauritius, and Lebanon. For more information visit www.redbull.com/mea, or check them out on Instagram and Twitter @redbullkuwait. THE REVENGE OF PETER RABBIT Date: March 9-10 Location: Amricani Cultural Center Discover a brand new musical, in English, by One World Actors Centre in partnership with Ahmadi Music Group. The Revenge of Peter Rabbit will present 15 wonderful songs composed by Musical Director Harriet Bushman, directed by Alison Shan Price, choreographed by Richard Bushman and designed by Diana Sfeir. As part of the 23rd season of the DAI Cultural Centre Kuwait under the National Council of Culture Arts and Letters, this delightful musical brings to the stage the beloved characters of Beatrix Potter, in a battle of the animals against Farmer and Mrs McGregor. With a multi-cultural cast of 50 adult and youth actors, musicians and dancers, it is a musical for all the family. No tickets are required. For more on this, and future events, follow @dai_kuwait on Instagram, or visit www.darmuseum.org.kw. ZERO DOLLAR/A SIGN OF TIME Date: March 12, opens 7:00pm Location: Dar Al Funoon Hady Sy’s Zero dollar confronts us with a conundrum: The American dollar bill, the familiar and ubiquitous world currency, displays a Zero, a symbol of nothingness, the absence of value. The Artist’s devalued dollar stands for a world gone awry, a world that has lost its moral compass, where money trumps all human values. Tapping into our collective reservoir of images, popular songs and expressions, and shifting from somber to humorous, profound to light-hearted, he constructs powerfully evocative works that conjure up the role money in our lives. As a single dollar bill, or in stacks, stashed in pockets, suitcases, pillows, and bags, as shadowy presence in our craniums, or growing on trees, the Zero dollar show builds a thematic on the pernicious role of money in our personal, social and political lives. It is an unhinged, dystopian world, where a man stands upside down, his head buried in a pile of dollar bills. In a world saturated with images, Hady Sy’s Zero dollar endures in our imagination, less for its shock value, then for the ominous shifts and uncertainties it elicits. For more information, visit www.daralfunoon-kw.com. TURATHI Date: March 17, 10:00 am- 5:00 pm Location: Sadu House Children and youth are invited to take a step back in time and enjoy the traditional architecture of Sadu House and Bayt Bader, as well as a variety of events chosen to spark their imagination and curiosity, concerning Kuwaiti culture and traditions. Attendees will get to have a hands-on experience and a holistic encounter with the house as a historic venue. Turathi – Open Children’s Day - will be filled with compelling and engaging activities throughout one day on 17 March 2018, from 10am to 5pm. Simultaneous activities will be conducted during morning and afternoon, with textile workshops, cooking, reading, traditional games and a DIY photo booth. The event is organized during the Youth festival and with the support from the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters. For more information please follow the Instagram account @saduhouse, contact via connect@alsadu.org.kw or by calling 2245 2856. 20
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what's trending March 2018
What: @quirkytoes Info: One stop shop for creative socks! Editor’s note: Statement socks are so 2018.
What: @eternalifeshop Info: A tribal store with beautiful handmade accessories. Editor’s note: Their dreamcatchers are gorgeous!
What: @dewdrop79 Info: Introducing Kuwait’s newest pottery studio! Editor’s note: Dew’s Studio is open for pottery courses in Salmiya.
What: @ajaronline Info: Rent payment and property management at your fingertips. Editor’s note: Keep your eye on this hot new Kuwait-based startup.
www.bazaar.town
What: @kwt_pilot_gig Info: The flagship rowing club. Editor’s note: They have a great deal on rowing courses!
What: @zahramakes_ Info: Beautiful prints made by a freelance illustrator. Editor’s note: Visit her website at www.zahramakes.com.
What: @feedwise Info: A multifaceted youth initiative dedicated to giving back. Editor’s note: From beach cleanups to food drives, all for the greater good.
What: @essenceofearth_kuwait Info: Handmade soaps and natural products. Editor’s note: Vegan, natural and cruelty free!
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ZOOMIN' IN ON ZAK MUSAWI By Nejoud Al-Yagout
Introducing Zak Musawi is quasiunnecessary. Still, for the few in the cultural scene who have been living under a rock, Zak is a local legend. And his star keeps shining brighter. He plays both the guitar and keyboard, and as a solo singer, he continues to hypnotize audiences at various locales across town. There are only a few local talents who can perform on their own as both a singer and musician simultaneously, and this, along with his haunting voice and talent as a musician and composer, has gained him thousands of followers! Zak is also a lead guitarist and backup vocalist for The Afterthought. And though he is in high demand across town, as both a one-man act and, separately, as a member of a band, he has an aura of humility and humanitarianism. Here, he gets to tell us a little more about himself. You have a lot of followers. What is the strangest experience you have had with a fan? Not as many as I would like to have, but I can't complain. I appreciate every single follower of mine. I love my fans. Nothing they can say or do will ever bother me! But other than the regular admiration, love and support I get, I had a fan who cooked home-made food for me every time she saw me at a show. I mean a huge casserole along with dishes (that I had to wash and return at the next show). Everyone knows it's part of Kuwaiti culture to share home-cooked food with neighbors and friends, but it was just 'different' to see this person I don't know walk towards me with a pot filled with yummy food! I don't know of any other rock-n-rollers who have been through that! But for whatever it's worth, that was a beautiful gesture of love. Thank you! Every Wednesday, you perform regularly at Luscious Cafe and the crowd keeps growing. You are also in demand at other venues across the city. Is there more of an understanding of the importance of financially compensating musicians these days, or do we still have some work to do? We definitely still have some work to do, but I can honestly say the general awareness from the public and business owners has shifted this last year! They are realizing how much of a difference live musicians make at an event - in terms of raising the frequency and the energy of the place. Plus, it always looks "better" in a social media post when you Snapchat your surroundings and see a live band in the background, right? The things we do for the sake of a "like"... sigh! The local scene was underground for eons. Now, we can no longer keep up with events. What happened, in your opinion? Social media happened. It changed everything! You can't keep things on the "down low" anymore. 24
Everything seems to be public knowledge and up for everyone's opinion. We used to travel to Dubai and other neighboring cities just to go see a concert! While there, we Snapped these wonderful moments and everyone back home watched, wondering why we couldn't enjoy these moments here. This is something we could not do here for so long. But if you want a really honest answer, it's all about finances and profits! At the end of the day, businesses want to make money - and events and live music will do that. Ain't nothing gonna stop them now that they know it's a profit generator. There is still reticence when it comes to dancing, due to cultural constraints; almost reminiscent of when The Beatles went to the USSR in the '60s. The other day, someone at an event said: You can't keep them down any longer. Agree? Only time will tell. But I surely hope so! It's like a boulder free falling from atop a cliff. It is gaining momentum with every second, and it's going to be
difficult to stop the fall. Some will try, but it's up to us to keep this boulder rolling! Finally, let's zoom a little closer into your psyche a little. Surely, you get a rush both before and after performing. But, tell us: Which is grander? Wow, that is a tough one! But for me, it is the 'after performance' rush! Before a performance, no matter who you are or how experienced of a musician, you still get "butterflies". Well at least I do! Not nervousness, but the thoughts of putting in a great performance are always in the back of your head. But once the show is over, and you get that applause, it's like no other feeling, ever! Find out more about Zak on his social media accounts: Instagram @zakmusawi, Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/MrWhiteredvette and Facebook: Zak.M. Follow Nejoud on social media @coexistkuwait or check out her work on her website at www.nejoudalyagout.com. Photographs by Sameer Al-Abdullah @simsim29.
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WHAT “FACILITATION” REALLY MEANS
And why it’s key to the future of work By Brandon Klein
What comes to mind when you hear the term “facilitator”? A task manager hogging airspace up at the front of the room? Or thoughts like, “Ugh–okay, how do I get out of attending this workshop?” But done right, facilitation isn’t about boring presentations. It’s a process for getting groups of people together to solve any problem. Good facilitators know how to jump right in, establish an objective, create a format packed with interactive opportunities for discussion, and lead groups of all sizes toward constructive solutions. And you don’t need a specific job title or a certain amount of experience to become an effective facilitator– you just have to develop a set of skills that gives structure and purpose to the otherwise unruly art of collaboration. IT’S NOT JUST FOR MANAGERS What typically happens when you and your team face a major challenge? Usually your manager calls a meeting, and the organizer becomes the facilitator by default. While it’s true that managers are responsible for making things happen day-today, their job title doesn’t automatically make them great at getting these discussions to run smoothly. If you want a more productive meeting, everyone needs to embrace the idea of changing the status quo–which means knowing how to facilitate the types of tough conversations where teams decide how to change. In other words, anybody can be an effective facilitator. You just have to shed the familiar hierarchy-driven way of doing things first. DON’T SHARE AN AGENDA Another familiar habit of conventional brainstorms and team meetings is the agenda–which usually gets circulated in advance so everyone knows what’s on the docket. Maybe your boss even divvies up PowerPoint slides in order to allocate time among your group’s presenters. In fact, slide decks have become such a universal expectation–a default method of fulfilling a meeting agenda–that they’ve become a crutch. So not only should you avoid preparing a PowerPoint presentation for your next brainstorm, you should actually avoid the temptation to even share an agenda ahead of time. I know this sounds like a recipe for mayhem. But by removing the agenda crutch, you’ll start making people sweat– and that’s a good thing. It lets them know that the meeting they’re about to attend is about shaking up the status quo and thinking more creatively than they might be used to. One way to ease attendees’ minds is by sharing 26
Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash the meeting’s objectives, but that’s not the same thing as a fully fleshed-out agenda. Let participants know what you want them to walk away with at the end of the session, but resist the urge to share anything else. DIVIDE UP YOUR TIME DIFFERENTLY Now you need to decide how you’ll meet those goals in a set period of time. No matter what approach you choose, you can find a way to organize the time you’ve allotted more efficiently than traditional meetings do. Here’s one example: Anytime one person is planning to speak at length to the group– even for just five minutes–cut that time in half or even down by three-quarters. Then ask the wouldbe speaker to write up their main points and share a printout instead, and ask attendees to read it in silence. Crazy? Not really. Effective facilitators know that people can read twice as fast as anyone can talk, so rather than devoting chunks of time to updates or presentations, they look for ways to transmit information more efficiently. FACILITATION, DIVERSITY, AND THE FUTURE OF WORK As the general population diversifies, so will the workplace of the future, and forward-looking companies are already hard at work to actively diversity their ranks. People with different backgrounds and points of view chipping away at the same problem together are more likely to reach creative solutions. But it isn’t inevitable that they’ll do so all on their own, without a facilitator to guide things. One reason facilitation is becoming an even
more important job skill going forward is because organizations will need people who know how to harness all that diversity of thought and channel it productively. Sometimes that comes down to your problemsolving approach, which may either encourage or discourage diversity of solutions. For example, are you looking at a problem from a 10 year vantage point or just trying to beat your immediate competitors? There are probably more ways of doing the former than the latter. Likewise, are you letting your teams examine each problem just once, or are you creating opportunities to take multiple stabs at a solution from a variety of angles over the course of a week or even a month? If you broaden your approach, you’ll get more people involved in finding answers. Smaller groups can sometimes also harness the power of diversity better than large ones can. Facilitators should consider devoting half the time of a given session to having participants work on an issue in groups of three to eight people. Finally, diverse workforces often need to be able to talk through issues of inclusion and bias, and those can be tough conversations. That’s all the more reason to train capable facilitators at every level of your company. Collaborating is never easy all the time–and it’s even harder when the issues and challenges you’re working on together create discomfort, anxiety, or fear. But those emotions aren’t going to vanish from the workplace anytime soon. So start practicing facilitation now, and you’ll future-proof your work culture for the more diverse, fast-moving world that’s heading our way.
miriade
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AJAR ONLINE
A Fintech startup based in Kuwait By Dana Ghazawnah
Paying the rent is never exciting - It takes time and can cause headache. But with Ajar Online, renting has a brand new look! This Fintech startup based in Kuwait is so promising, it has secured a second investment in a round led by Dubai-based venture firm BECO Capital, followed by an investment from Sharq Ventures, since late 2016. Ajar Online is a cloud service designed for the real estate market, offering a quick and secure option for online rent collection, as well as a free property management platform. The service allows tenants to pay their rent anytime and anywhere via SMS and email in less than 60 seconds. The effects of this? A simplified rent collection process for landlords, which provides efficient property management tools to save time, reduce cost and make overall better decisions. The company’s CEO, Shaheen AlKhudari, states: “We aim to be the leading platform for 28
property management and online payments in the real estate market, creating the tools to make the industry better and smarter through using the latest technology and security measures. We envision real-estate investors and owners confidently making the right decisions about their investment and leases. We help landlords easily manage multiple properties and rent collections anytime and anywhere, reducing the need for hundreds of hours of manual office work, and saving thousands of dollars”. The idea for Ajar Online came as a result of its CEO’s determination to bring an end to the hassle of paying his monthly rent. Shaheen worked to perfect the idea in 2015 by researching the real estate market, specifically its traditional methods of rent payment and property management. He concluded that both tenants and landlords were feeling the same pain, which all stemmed from inadequate payment methods. It was a common issue for landlords who owned just one property, or thousands. Seizing the opportunity, he brought together the right resources to turn the idea into reality. The beta version was released in late 2015, with a full live cloud solution launched that August. October of
the same year, Ajar Online signed a non-exclusive partnership with Warba Bank to back their solution, and by January 2016 they officially established the company. Today, Ajar Online provides optimum free property management solutions by digitizing rent payment and collection services in an effective manner. The team behind Ajar Online and its investors form the backbone of the company, utilizing their know-how to make the product stand out in the market. Yousef Hammad, Managing Partner at BECO Capital emphatically says: “Ajar Online has merely begun to scratch the surface of digitizing and advancing the rental industry, the opportunity in this space is tremendous. Shaheen and his team represent what we look for in teams; hard work, domain expertise and extremely passionate about their business, their industry and their region.” Moving forward, their timeline consists of creating further enhancements for their property management solutions, with one of their main strengths being the rent payment and collection feature. Ajar Online is available for smartphones as well as for tablets, laptops, and desktops. Check it out by visiting www.ajar.com.kw for more information.
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Tying down Mudon’s
OMAR ALOTHMAN
Mudon opens up with a tracking shot of its personable host, Omar Alothman, embarking on the beginning of his journey. A camera follows him through Kuwait International Airport, as we see him perform the ritual tasks before hopping on a plane to his destination of choice. The only difference between his travels and traditional travel is that Omar’s are documented through a very honest lens for all to see, unbiasedly. 30
But let’s backtrack a little – how does the managing partner of Prismic Media, a content creation house, merge his daily life running a business and traveling the world at the same time? Simple, the love of sharing information, a skill that Omar excels in. In fact, Omar is so experienced in the informative field professionally, that throughout his working life, it’s been a common theme. “I was a host of a TV show by Al Watan called What's On six years ago,” he begins thoughtfully. “It was a show that highlighted the new trends of Kuwait to look out for – mostly places to hang out. It started off as a 5 minute segment within another show (Taw Il Leil), but the network liked us so much, that they signed us on for a 30 minute program!” That was only the beginning of Omar’s experience in television. As time passed, under the umbrella of his co-founded content house Prismic Media (along with partner Fahad Alibrahim), he had thought to himself that it would be great to give viewers exposure to a local, non-biased program that was still tasteful, incredibly real, engaging and raw all at once. And so, because Omar and his wife already had such a passion for adventurous traveling, the idea for Mudon was born. Mudon was created as an outlet for people to embrace the true art of traveling. “It’s only natural that when people travel, they end up going to parts of countries and different cities that are more renowned, rather than those that are a little more obscure. With Mudon, we show the public what it’s like to really experience what a country has to offer” and how do they do that? By embarking in adventure. In a regular episode of Mudon, you’ll find Omar, equipped with his patch-bedazzled backpack sporting different flags of the world, roaming through different parts of each respective country the episode highlights him visiting. You see him walking the streets of the capital, enjoying local fare, and heading out to internalized villages that no tourist ever thinks to visit. It’s all great fun to him, though – “it shows the real experience of traveling. I want to know what the people are like – what the food is like, what the culture is like. Traveling itself is fulfilling curiosity and being open to learning new things that you aren’t necessarily accustomed to.” What’s so special about the Mudon experience is its reality, as well. Throughout the duration of the show, you encounter mishaps and perils that are akin to being on the road. Moments that cannot be staged, such as inconveniences of lost phones and luggage are included. “Also, we don’t necessarily travel in comfort,” Omar insists. “We’ve stayed in accommodations where we’ve paid KD 3 a night for a room, and we’ve been invited to stay in luxury hotels that charge on average KD 700 a night. We give you a taste of everything, but the important thing to note is that the experience itself is non-censored. Like any traveler would, you can expect to run into all sorts of ups and downs – at the end of the day, it’s real life, not just a TV show.” And its production has certainly kept Omar on [Continued...]
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the go! With a contract for 13 different episodes, Omar and the Mudon gang have documented 6 different countries they visited across half of the world’s continents. Each two episodes, directed in colloquial Kuwaiti dialogue, center around a specific country on their list of travels. Azerbaijan kicks off the program’s repertoire in its early 2018 release, and we see our host navigating the capital’s streets, reporting historical facts and interacting with the locals of the nation’s capital, Baku. Despite his enthusiasm towards exploring areas untapped by tourists, Omar firmly believes in the theory that kicking off an adventure in a country you’ve never been to before must begin with visiting its capital. “Especially if you have no idea about what to expect in that country, or from that culture. The capital always says it all, and it gives you an idea of how the people are, what they eat, what their customs are like, etc. But keep in mind, that regions of countries are different, and cities and villages are never the same.” 32
[...Continued]
Which is why documenting their time spent in the sticks also adds value to the show. In Mudon, you’ll witness Omar, accompanied by his trusty team of crew members (“I couldn’t have done anything without those guys!”) riding snowmobiles in the mountains, washing elephants in the jungle, and even exploring 60 meters underground in caves (a mandatory feat, according to Omar). But, these are the adventures you can only encounter by facing the realities of traveling. “I’ve also had a lot of practice!” Omar laughs, when asked if his Mudon filming ventures triggered any fears he might have had or inexperience with such levels of adventure – “my wife and I have been traveling this way for a long time!”
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE What do you most value in your friends? I value the things they have to say – at least those
who I am closest to. Their comments have had a profound impact on my life, whether they’ve been negative or positive, they’ve pushed me further and contributed to the man I am today. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Happiness is doing what you love, to the point where waking up to go to work doesn’t even need an alarm. But, full happiness is a family that believes in you, loves you and appreciates your existence under any circumstances What is your greatest fear? The loss of those whom I love, or them getting hurt. We live for the satisfaction of ourselves, and the satisfaction of myself is to see the ones I love happy and healthy. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? When I am engaged with work or on top of a project, I am always extremely tense to the point
where I allow my nerves to reach their limit. What is the trait you most deplore in others? I hate complaining and nagging, and especially hate it when people find a reason in every corner for doing so. Which living person do you most admire? My mother and father are one entity to me, and have made me who I am today. What is your greatest extravagance? I can’t think of anything specific. I’ve experienced so many things in life, that I’d say being out of the realm of monotony (or making sure I am, rather) is my greatest extravagance. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “Are you wonderful?” I’ve been saying this since childhood, and I still find it appropriate. What is it that you most dislike? Monotony. It’s the silliest thing in life. Which talent would you most like to have? Remembering people’s names and important dates. I find that a talent, not just a mental ability. If you could have any job, what would it be? I never thought of such a question, and I could not find myself hoping for a job I did not have the opportunity to work on. What would you consider your greatest achievement? Establishing PRISMIC Media, which is specialized in creative content and marketing. This is the result of many years as an employee in various companies, working in television, and my close personal friendship with my partner, ongoing for over 12 years. What is your most treasured possession? Faith. You have to believe in things around you. You will not find in this life a motive and a deeper value than believing that you can do something or changing something. What is your most marked characteristic? I am persistent, even when unprepared. Where would you most like to live? Kuwait: living safely without worrying about what can happen to you or your family is an advantage in any destination you choose to live in.
Catch a new episode of Mudon every Tuesday at 9:30 pm on Al Rai TV, or on Prismic Media’s Youtube Channel: Prismic Media. For more information, check out Prismic Media’s website www.prismicmedia.com and follow Mudon on Instagram and Twitter @mudonshow for the latest updates. 33
LUNCH WITH THE LONGTABLE DUO By Shabana H. Shaikh
I’m ushered through a gray gate by a lady, dressed in black, into a lovely villa and directed to wash my hands before heading into the kitchen. Aroma of Thai food surrounds me, and I’m greeted by a bevy of young women, laughing, talking and clearly having a good time cooking together. On my way, I pass a tastefully set dining table, complete with dishware, cutlery, flowers and a center piece with room to seat up to sixteen people. I believe I've found the namesake of my hostess’s culinary venture: The LongTable. Set in a private villa, the LongTable is a communal affair. Unlike typical cooking classes, LongTable is an interactive cooking class, where attendees participate in the cooking process, and then enjoy a splendid lunch together on a long dining table—which although indoors, could easily have been a picnic in a park, under a large tree. The duo behind the concept, Filiz Turec and Meltem Salmeen, both natives of Turkey, have a penchant for cooking and all things food. “I used to teach cooking back in Izmir…and dreamed of a long table,” Filiz says, when asked how they came upon the name for their project. Meltem adds: “We thought LongTable was elegant for what we had in mind.” Incidentally, once the name was picked, they realized, Meltem, whose private home is their present venue, indeed had a long dining table. Having met at a social party in Kuwait, the ladies hit it off instantly. One day they were decorating Meltem’s dining room, when the seed of an idea began to take shape. However, they are quick to admit ‘they had no real plans’. Soon, one good thing led to another, and in October 2017, they held their first class. Today, they conduct 3 classes every week, often a sell-out. Even so, the duo insists they don’t view LongTable as a business, but rather a cultural experience. “We don’t put too much pressure on ourselves… it’s meant to be a fun and enjoyable project for all of us,” Meltem explains. The ladies were surprised by the requests they received after their first event was published online. “We got so many calls…and people started giving us ideas for our next class. You couldn’t ask for anything better!” Meltem laughs. At LongTable, the focus is not on how to cook one dish, but instead, each class aims to teach you techniques involved in preparing a variety of specialty dishes from different countries. To achieve this, home-chefs, as well as professional, from different countries are invited to conduct classes, which I think is a brilliant touch of authenticity. The founders realized that here in Kuwait, one could find nearly every nationality in the world. “So, why should we 34
teach a foreign cuisine, if say, I can get a Japanese person to teach sushi, or an Italian to teach risotto, or someone from Thailand to cook pad Thai,” Filiz says, matter-of-factly. The duo’s selection is based on a personal review. “We firstly sample their cooking, and only when we are satisfied with the quality and standard, we welcome them to the LongTable family,” Filiz explains, while Meltem nods in agreement and adds something about "how it’s definitely a growing family now". Like Kuwait, the LongTable is literally a ‘melting pot’ with people from different nationalities and cultures, both men and women, learning, cooking, laughing and enjoying a hearty meal together. As Filiz puts it; “Everyone puts their collective energy in one pot.” For Meltem, it’s universal. “You sit at a communal table…there is no politics, no religion…the whole idea is very Turkish...where everyone is served from one pot. We share everything,” she explains. Meltem, who hails from an artistic family and is a graphic designer, is behind each impeccably decorated dining table. “It comes from my mom,” she reminisces, drawing my attention to the paintings on the walls made by her talented mother, “She used to create centerpieces on the table, always using food.”
All of this, has made the LongTable a hit among attendees. The duo has already been approached by a local channel to create a Ramadan series, but nothing is finalized yet. In the future, Filiz and Meltem would like to team up with local farms, and sponsors, so that they can extend the experience to a larger group. They are also keen on collaborations and holding al fresco classes, provided (besides an equipped kitchen) "it has to be a warm and inviting environment." Their next ‘dream’ is to have a place for the LongTable, so they can hold more classes. The ladies are also contemplating a spin-off of the LongTable called The LongTalk, which is going to be a noncooking get together for people to demonstrate their talents and expertise. Just as I was wrapping up and thanking the two ladies for their hospitality, they surprised me with a question of their own: “What got you interested in the Longtable?” It took me a nanosecond before replying, “Curiosity. I loved the name!” For more information or to join their next class, follow them on Instagram @thelongtablekw. Photography by: Caroline Ericson
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SADA CENTER Learning to listen when you can’t hear By bazaar staff
Author Naomi Wolf once said that “obstacles are a developmental necessity: they teach kids strategy, patience, critical thinking, resilience, and resourcefulness.� The children at the SADA educational center are an embodiment of that statement. SADA is a non-profit organization that helps educate and provide support for children who have had cochlear implants. Cochlear implants are electronic devices surgically implanted into the inner ear. They don't restore normal hearing, but create a representation of sounds. The implants themselves are quite visible. One part sits on the ear like a hearing aid, and a small button-shaped piece is attached to the skull. Unlike hearing aids, that amplify sound, these devices bypass the damaged part of the ear and 36
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directly stimulate the auditory nerves. The children need to learn how to use the information they are getting from their implants to understand language and speak. If sign language is already learned, they need to stop depending on it and rely on their auditory abilities. This is sometimes challenging for them and their families, which is why SADA's support can be so indispensable. While SADA mostly works with the kids, they also hold workshops to help parents better understand the process and mirror the efforts being done in the center at home. The center has been operating for seven years and runs two morning programs in addition to their evening out-client sessions. All of their services are individually tailored to help the children adapt to their devices as well as navigate the world around them. The first program is aimed at children from birth to three years. Attendance is three days a week. Three to six-year-olds have a five-day
schedule similar to most pre-schools. One-onone sessions in the afternoons are aimed to give extra support for children aged six to thirteen. Their end goal is to have their students ready for full integration into the regular school system and society by the time they graduate. The teachers, speech therapists, counselors and even an occupational therapist work together and create plans for every child to help advance their auditory and language abilities. They have created an in-house evidence-based system that is part play, part education, and part therapy. This has also helped keep the program culturally relevant which is very important when working with children. SADA has a research division which continuously collects and analyzes data. This keeps the center at the cutting edge of what is best for advancing their students. The classes are designed to be joyful and fun, in an environment that promotes listening and speaking. Happy children, after all, are better and more engaged learners.
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The experts at SADA believe that parents are instrumental to their children's success. Parents are provided with training that helps prepare them for the task ahead. They learn how to optimize listening experiences and create purposeful language stimulation with their children. This doesn't just scaffold the kids' development, growth and education, it improves the quality of life for the whole family. I was impressed to find out that they also teach English as a second language. Using rhyme, songs, dancing, stories and pretend play they are successful. It almost seems overwhelming expecting such young children to manage to learn all of these skills at once. But they do, and they love it. It doesn't hurt that they also get field trips and themed days where they can dress up and be pretend policemen or surgeons while they learn. We never give it much thought, but being able to hear is such an important part of learning. Children learn their native languages just by listening to their parents and the people they are in contact with. Most of the instruction in pre-school is verbal. With impaired-hearing, it is definitely a challenge. Yet, everyone I met at SADA was very proud that their children have gone on to excel academically at school. I was lucky enough to meet the children at SADA. They are all bright-eyed, cheerful and extremely curious. Ready to smile at the camera and show me their beautiful costumes. I visited on the day they were celebrating National Day. They twirled, laughed, and pointed to their dresses and dishdashas. One little boy even did a little dance with his plastic sword. I have avoided using the word inspirational because many disability advocates dislike it. And it feels disrespectful to label a community in a way that makes them uncomfortable. But, I still do believe that being able to see different impairments in a positive light helps normalize them and helps their inclusion in society. But these children and the wonderful people who have dedicated their time, effort and hearts to them are inspirational. And more than that, I felt hopeful, for the future and these obstaclebreaking children.
SADA provides their services completely free of charge for all residents and is funded by the Kuwaiti Awqaf Foundation. To find out more about their great work check their website www.sadacenter.org or follow them on Instagram @sadacenterkw. 38
[...Continued]
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Artist Tatyana Grenvitch on how practice makes perfect By bazaar staff
The pre-eminent Swedish psychologist K. Anders Ericsson’s research from the study of extended deliberate practice was often referenced in Malcolm Gladwell’s celebrated book Outliers: The Story of Success. You may know the research summed up as the “10,000 hours” rule and while it is not just practice that makes perfect, 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert is something that autodidact artist Tatyana Grenvitch takes to heart and seeks to complete in her creative future. It is absolutely fair to say that it is Tatyana's previous work experience that shores up this attitude that Nike expresses so well with their ‘Just Do It’ motto. Newly landed in Kuwait and thrown in at the deep end with a small team for an emerging fashion retailer, getting things done was the only way they could operate if success was the goal. Tatyana found herself immersed in buying, marketing, advertising, retail planning, business projections and budgeting. Call this on-the-job learning to the extreme. 40
A woman of action by nature, Tatyana grew up in Belarus at a time when the politics of the region was at its most unstable. The Soviet Union broke up in 1991 and the Commonwealth of Independent States was born, the old Belorussia lying at the geographical edge of it all with Europe flanking the west side. Luckily, the one good thing about the old bloc was the standard of tertiary education delivered. This meant an influx of international students, and the tall Lebanese one called Jamil becoming her husband after graduation. From there, they left to settle in Kuwait in 2001, two working parents growing their family to include three children. Of course, for Tatyana, who always pushes herself to do more with the few hours left in the day, a Master’s degree was what she felt would truly underpin her experience. And so, (while heavily pregnant!) she embarked on the journey towards attaining an online Masters, which she gained with Distinction. This triumphant achievement led her to becoming highly successful in her chosen professional field with a premier retailer in Kuwait. It must be said that, initially, the paint brush was picked up because of Tatyana’s slight indignation at the prices being charged for art pieces, which she really felt she could produce herself. So she read
up on techniques, studiously followed various art channels on YouTube and taught herself to paint. She even found a fan base whose regular patronage she realized would finance the occupational therapy needed for one of her children. So while her starting to paint may have come from a place of frustration paired with admirable determination, there were noble reasons for the development of her art to continue. With a strong sense of style, and while the subject matter of her work may cross different themes from portraiture to still life, the brave use of color clearly defines Tatyana’s work and is instantly recognizable. This veritable stalwart at life and all its challenges stops at nothing.
TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE How would your mother describe you in one word? Vibrant. How would you describe your mother in one word? Heart.
What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked? Once, a long time ago, I was asked if I could play the piano. To which I answered “Yes, I can.” The next question was "With how many fingers?" What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? I talked to a stranger in the elevator because she was crying. This girl is now my best friend of 20 years! What is your theme song? I can never tire of: Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”, Reamonn’s “Supergirl”, Birdy’s “People Help the People." What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented? Frankly, I do not know. I’ve never wished to have invented a word. I wish I had invented an idea or a saying. Especially something like, “Behind every great man there is a woman rolling up her eyes!”
be interested in? A bit cheeky when one already has a partner... The entire animal kingdom would be needed to cover the ideal.
What in the world do you least desire? Being a witness to some horrific event and seeing suffering, while not being able to offer help. Cowardly, I know, but that's me.
What do you miss about your childhood? I miss the feeling of fearlessness and of absolute belief that life is long and full of wonders and that you will live happily ever after... even if your dream job at the time was a train ticket controller.
What do you think is lacking in the world, which if there was more of would make the world a better place? Awareness that life is short and precious. Instead of wasting it on negative emotions and imposing your own opinions and truths on others, people should learn acceptance, love themselves, and simply celebrate life.
If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Well, my name is challenging for some people. I have been called Titanic and Titanium... Tatiana comes from Ancient Greek and means a king, a ruler... Why would I want to change it? Besides, in my country, I even have a name day! It's like having two birthdays. How would you describe your handshake in one word? Cordial.
Where would you like to live? What is your dream retirement location? I love Italy and Spain... Sun, beach, vast green spaces to rest the eyes upon.
What is the toughest part of your character? I am afraid of staying still, not evolving and wasting time. As a result, I am often tough on myself, and very self-critical.
What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind? Albert Einstein said, “You never fail until you stop trying” or another [Einstein quote] in the same spirit: “I am not so smart, it’s just that I stay with a problem longer.” These two are my own mottos.
Who is your favorite historical figure? I do not have a favorite, really. But the first that came to my mind is Leonardo da Vinci. Not exactly for his genius, but for his perpetual motion. I think being a genius is not enough. You need to have determination and persistence. The guy never stopped... he painted, invented, created and wrote... Admirable energy and an enviable life!
What animal best describes the kind of partner you’d
Why do you think most girls/guys like you? Most? Not sure about that, and frankly do not much care for why. Each person has his/her own interpretation of 'me', which is not necessarily true. Some like me for my strengths, others for my weaknesses. Finish this sentence: “Happiness is a thing called…” Poor memory and good health. Well, that is Mark Twain's version, which I think is very true. My concept of happiness is not static. It evolves as I grow older. Now, I think happiness is loving yourself.
Tatyana’s work can be seen in ArtSpace in Salmiya. Follow Tatyana’s work on Instagram @tga16 and @artspaceq8. If you and your friends would like to learn how to paint in a similar style, Tatyana is partnering with ArtSpace to teach acrylics for portraiture and florals. Contact 9777 5273 to register your interest in classes and 6500 5657 for artwork enquiries. 41
CREATING POP-CULTURE MOMENTS Michele Clapton, Costume Designer By Claire Dodson
Whether she's designing a runwayworthy fur coat for the Mother of Dragons to wear on HBO's Game of Thrones or a gown for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation on Netflix's biopic series The Crown, costume designer Michele Clapton knows that clothes often make the story. Sometimes, they can even become characters in their own right. As she prepares for a 2018 that includes filming the final season of Game of Thrones and the release of two films that she worked on (the sequel to the hit musical Mamma Mia! and The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, starring Natalie Portman and Kit Harington), Clapton explains how she uses clothing to enhance a story. GO MINIMAL FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT The first season of The Crown features an array of ornate, mid-century gowns and crisp military suits, which are on full display during such pivotal scenes as Queen Elizabeth II's wedding to Prince Philip. But to make certain quieter, yet equally important, moments resonate, Clapton used less extravagant pieces. In the second episode, just before Elizabeth (Claire Foy) finds out about her father's death, she appears in her room at a safari lodge in Kenya wearing only Philip's long, white button-up shirt, which serves to accentuate her vulnerability. "To me, [choosing that look] was just as big a decision as the design of her wedding dress, and took just as long to come to," Clapton says. "[Elizabeth] is at her most open and relaxed and intimate before she finds out this thing that is going to be so monumental in changing her life. I love that contrast." GAIN PERSPECTIVE BY TAKING A BREAK In 2015, Clapton took a hiatus from Game of Thrones, which she had worked on since it went into production in 2009. She ended up sitting out season 6, a pause that allowed her to work on The Crown and come back to the HBO juggernaut with fresh eyes. "It rekindled my desire to see [Game of Thrones] through," Clapton says. "The characters are like real people to me, because I've been doing this for so long." When she returned for season 7, which aired this past summer, she was able to create costumes that reflect the characters' larger journeys. As Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) battle for the Iron Throne, for example, Clapton has
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employed increasingly tight tailoring and references to body armor to signal their progressively guarded emotional states.
designer does anything. A designer works with the script and the story, whether it's real or period or musical or whatever."
EXPAND YOUR BOUNDARIES After working on Game of Thrones and The Crown, Clapton signed on for the Abba-infused sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, precisely because it allowed her to step away from heady, British-accented dramas and tackle a comedy instead. Filming in Croatia, Clapton's biggest challenge was making sure the musical's 1970s-era costumes (which include bell-bottoms and colorful prints) didn't become too over-thetop, especially during big song-and-dance numbers involving lots of extras. "Costumes [should] be witty, but not funny," Clapton says. "Even though [the movie] is a bit of light frivolity, I still wanted to figure out why somebody is wearing something, that backstory." The film, due out in July, was also a welcome chance to diversify. "People pigeonhole you and think, 'Oh, but you just do medieval stuff,'" she says. "Well, no. A
HOLD FIRM TO YOUR VISION Clapton will study a script in order to use characters' attire to telegraph narratives. This instinct has made her an important voice on set. When the executive producer of The Crown wanted to alter the filming of a scene between Princess Margaret and King George after the costumes had already been painstakingly designed, Clapton pushed back. She argued--successfully--that seeing Elizabeth's rebellious younger sister in an off-the-shoulder dress as she played piano for her father would make their relationship seem overly intimate unless the camera pulled back to show that the recital was taking place during a dinner party. "[The costume design] is that finely balanced," Clapton says. "You're trying to say something, and you have to think so carefully about how something should be. I also want to throw the audience off sometimes. That's where I have my fun."
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5 TECH TRENDS EVERY ENTREPRENEUR OR BUSINESS OWNER NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT IN 2018 By Barry Rodrigues
We saw a host of new and novel ideas and concepts that ushered in the New Year and we cannot forget everything that transpired in 2017. From getting close to making driverless mainstream to the introduction of AI chatbots, the world has moved forward dramatically and technological improvements will continue to propel businesses forward. Let us take a quick peak at 5 trends that every business owner or manager needs to be aware of in 2018 to make sure their business moves forward. The freelancer or consultant market will grow From sub-contracting basic tasks like data entry to developing code for web or mobile applications to even developing text and visual content for social channels, more and more businesses are turning towards freelancers to get their work done at a fraction of the cost of employing full-time employees with a specific skillset. Popular service aggregators like Upwork and Freelancer.com are experiencing a huge surge in business and this has given a rise to the gig economy which will continue to thrive in 2018 and beyond. Companies in Kuwait, especially entrepreneurs, are taking advantage of this and if you haven’t yet, it is about time you took some of the burden off your shoulders and tried them out. The younger generation wants customized services and will pay to get them The best way a customer can experience a superior customer journey is when IT and different touchpoints within the sales & marketing ecosystem offer them a harmonized, seamless and customized customer journey. Generation Z customers have little or no problem paying a bit more provided they get a more personalized service from brands. Business owners will have to accommodate the desire for personalized customer service by merging automated systems with personal interactions. This means using CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and other tools along with integrating social monitoring channels to deliver the most personalized service possible to customers. AI will take a huge leap forward With the introduction of Artificial Intelligence into the mainstream, utilities like automated chat bots on eCommerce sites will become more intelligent and cognizant of human needs and requirements. For those of you who use a social media tool like Crowdfire, you know what I am talking about. Even
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though the AI that is available for commercial purpose at low prices or free isn’t as good as let’s say IBM’s Watson, it will eventually get there (remember how intuitive and responsive Google Now or Siri has become over the years?) As a matter of fact, many top vendors are already using AI to collect information and monitor customer usage and trends and this will prove crucial in helping marketers plan their next big campaign strategy. Cyber Security will be a top priority With all the hacking that has gone on over the last few years with large global brands like Tesco and Sony being victims, security experts are predicting hackers will soon start targeting the SMBs of the world. Most small companies do not have enough resources allocated towards thwarting or managing cyber treats like identity theft and malware. Business owners will definitely be focusing on investing in security measures like firewalls and other tools that prevent security hacks. Virtual Reality is here to stay In one of my previous articles last year, I had explained the various uses of Virtual Reality as a tool for much
more than gaming and this is even truer in 2018. With more and more businesses utilizing VR to showcase their customer experience, VR is expected to become more mainstream than gaming in the next few years. Training costs will now go down; specialized education will become more accessible and interesting. Various industries including manufacturing and engineering will benefit from the technology. Popular platforms like YouTube also support 360 degree videos, and others are working on providing VR support for realistic previews before buying specific services like travel packages etc. In fact, this will make it easier for brands to host content without having to invest in expensive hosting solutions and other technologies.
Barry Rodrigues is Head of Marketing & Product Development at Future Communications, Kuwait and founder of NexGen Digital. For comments, please email Barry at barry.nexgen@gmail.com.
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INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT?
Here’s another way to think about your personality By Anne Loehr
“Sensitive fake extrovert.” That’s how Jade Lenier classifies herself. As a performer and public speaker, you’d take her for an extrovert, but in truth, says Lenier, “my extroverted outsides don’t match my introverted insides. Because I do love being around people, but I become overstimulated and overwhelmed by them and must retreat to my own corner of the world.” Is Lenier really just an introvert in the wrong career? Not exactly, says Harvard Business School behavioral scientist and author of Sidetracked Francesca Gino. In fact, Lenier is no outlier. “Personality traits, like introversion and extroversion, exist along a continuum,” Gino explains. “In fact, many people fall somewhere in between when it comes to this very personality trait.” While this gray area is popularly known as “ambiversion,” the fact that so many of us aren’t clear-cut introverts or extroverts begs two important questions: Why are we still clinging to this black-and-white classification in the first place? And are there any downsides to doing so? THE TRAP OF “EITHER/OR” According to Gino, the extrovert/introvert dichotomy “traps us in stereotypes that affect how we interact with others. When you self-identify with one personality type, you’re at risk of ignoring behaviors you’re engaging in or needs you may have.” More problematic still is that many of us have inexact ideas about what it actually means to be extroverted. Extroverts aren’t necessarily people who are loud, outgoing, and the life of the party. “This personality trait is more about where we get energy from,” Gino clarifies. “Introverts get exhausted by social interaction and need solitude to recharge. Extroverts get anxious when left alone and get energy from social interaction.” So if you think you’re an extrovert because you’re a good public speaker, you’re not necessarily wrong–it’s just being a great speaker isn’t proof that you’re an extrovert. But if you leave every speaking engagement feeling exhausted and find you need to spend time alone to recharge, chances are you’re closer to the introvert side of the spectrum than you imagine. And by performing the extroverted identity you’ve assigned yourself–for instance, by going out for drinks with half a dozen friends after your big talk–you’ll just wind up being a very exhausted introvert. At work, those who lean more introverted may feel disadvantaged when their networks are crawling with extroverts all connecting to each other. But extroverts, less likely to be exposed to introverted 46
Photo by whoislimos on Unsplash
peers, are disadvantaged, too–missing out on great collaborators who have different strengths and talents than they do. In other words, while many of us fall somewhere in the middle, those two poles tend to draw us further apart–even though we’d probably be more creative and productive working with a more diverse range of personality types. So what can be done about it? There are a few ways to embrace your ambiversion in an introvert/extrovert world. MANAGE YOUR WEAK SPOTS, PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS For starters, says Gino, just “knowing your type when it comes to personality is important, because by increasing our awareness of where we stand in terms of introversion and extroversion, we can develop a better sense of our tendencies, manage our weak spots, and play to our strengths.” If someone knows they skew more extroverted, for instance, they can become more aware of their tendency to dominate conversations, and work to give others the floor more often–especially as leaders. Maresa Friedman, founder of the Executive Cat Herder, a strategy firm, has learned to do this herself. Like Lenier, she’s usually mistaken for a clear extrovert despite often being “happier at home with a book, not talking to anyone.” Sometime in her twenties, Friedman started noticing her more introverted coworkers getting passed over for promotions and opportunities “because dominant voices that were constantly heard were from the extroverted people.” So she figured she could be strategic about it. “I began taking notes of things my peers and supervisors did that got them promoted,” Friedman recalls, and before long she wound up with a list
crammed full of extroverted attributes. She decided simply to imitate them–and it worked. “I started adapting some of my behavior accordingly and, surprisingly, watched as my career took off.” In retrospect, Friedman realizes she was doing what Gino suggests: “I consider the ‘extrovert’ behavior I have had to adapt for business to directly correlate to sales and revenue growth,” Friedman explains. “I consider my ‘introvert’ behavior, like reading, listening to world music, et cetera, to be the basis of my sanity.” She’s an effective ambivert because she knows when to lean into her strengths on one side of the continuum (and when not to) and how to fill in the gaps on the other. THE ART OF STRATEGIC AMBIVERSION In 2011, Gino published research she conducted with Wharton Business School’s Adam Grant and Dave Hofmann of UNC that found that “introverts can actually be better leaders than extroverts,” Gino explains, particularly when their employees willingly share input and ideas. What’s more, extroverted leaders can struggle to manage other extroverts because they may be less likely to embrace those who take initiative and make their voices heard. Introverts, on the other hand are “more likely to listen to, process, and implement the ideas of an eager team,” says Gino. Leaders can use this information to adapt their style to the type of group they’re leading. “With proactive employees, leaders need to be receptive to the team’s ideas; with a more passive team, leaders need to act more demonstratively and set a clear direction,” says Gino. In other words, the ability to adapt–similar to the strategic ambiversion that Friedman practiced–is the real key.
A PASSION FOR LIGHT LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER
BADER AL RAJHI ABSTRACTS REALITY THROUGH HIS LENS By bazaar staff
It was February 2016 when local abstract, minimalist and street photographer Bader Al Rajhi first discovered our publication. The February cover featured a soulful capture of a beautiful corner in Kuwait’s Al-Mubarakiya district by renowned architect and designer Waleed Shaalan, and our cover made Bader ponder the moment that the photo was taken. 48
“I went back to same corner several times, and wanted to replicate the angle but with a human element.” He waited patiently, until that prized moment arrived. I asked him if the human element was ever staged, “Where’s the hardship in that?” He chuckled, “I prefer it when the human element arrives organically, so I waited for those magnetizing lines to appear as the light changed in that corner, and with passers-by, I knew I had my shot.” Fast forward to February and March 2018, and we see the treasured work of this artist gracing our covers. We’re clearly obsessed. Bader considers the Al Mubarakiya quarter as a learning arena for every aspiring photographer. He explained, “From getting to know the local culture, to really appreciating the hunt of seeking beauty in the most unassuming moments—it is a breeding ground for creative thought.” To better understand Bader’s artistic journey, we delve back in time, precisely twenty years ago, to when it all started. “I first picked up the traditional camera to document Kuwait City’s rapidly changing architectural landscape. A lot of the old buildings that once made up the city’s urban landscape are now gone. Take a look at Souq Al Mubarakiya today, and you wouldn’t be quick to notice how this area along has changed, from the products sold to the people who frequent it.” 1998 was a different time for any aspiring photographer. Social media didn’t exist, and neither did the advanced, digital cameras that are widely available today, even on the typical smartphone. For Bader, investing his time in photography was an all-consuming passion, “Photography was once a costly hobby, from the actual equipment used to the film, to the production of the printed photos.” This didn’t stop the history and art lover, and antique collector to continue his journey of documenting a rapidly changing Kuwait, and its architectural heritage. From 1998 to 2008— that was Bader’s focus. While many of us might know the photographer from his popular Instagram account @The_Rhythm, you can reacquaint yourself with Bader’s photographic journey by following @Bader_Mirror. In this new account, Bader showcases different genres of photography, Kuwait’s archictural heritage, photographs documented by traditional film cameras, as well as how far his vision has come since he first began his creative journey. With the account @The_Rhythm, we can clearly experience Bader’s refined vision, presenting abstract, minimalist and street photography that speaks to Kuwait’s current cultural landscape. With the onset of digital photography and social media, however, Bader’s journey took many fortuitous turns. Completely self-taught, Bader honed his skills further by immersing himself in the world of arts and photography. Reading, discovering [Continued...]
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different genres of art, to even painting—the creative world constantly inspires Bader. This photographer even used to paint! He said, “While I loved to paint, I have many incomplete works. I think that, with photography, I am better able to present my vision.” For Bader, one of his earliest challenges that he faced with photography is one that he overcame when he better understood it: Finding the right location, as well as the perfect timing. Once he spent more time understanding his local cultural landscape, his focus grew. “I love capturing cultural identities, but presenting them differently,” he went on to explain, “Nowadays, I generally envision the finished shot in my mind. Once I’ve imagined it, I set forward using the tools available to me to capture it.” In 2012, Bader decided to focus his photography skills further. We spoke of various art genres, with his passion lying deep in abstract art and understanding where and how light travels. From renaissance art, realism, impressionism to surrealism, Bader kept coming back to abstraction. He said, “Abstract art and photography captured my attention. I love abstract architecture, so I began researching the idea online.” Practice, back then, was based on what he saw from other people’s works—emulating and teaching himself to better understand how to refine his craft. In 2013, Bader noticed that his definition of the genre changed, and became more explorative. “I shared a photo in a specific style that was, at the time, unfamiliar to Kuwait. A fellow photographer saw the photo and decided that the picture was “wrong” or incorrect. I deleted the photo, and then blamed myself. I shouldn’t be listening to what people are critiquing, but rather I need to better research the area. I needed to visualize the abstraction I wanted to present, and not recreate it because I saw it presented in a specific way.” When it came to the actual research, it was easier said than done, as Bader uncovered a wealth of resources when it came to abstract art and its origins When it came to abstract photography, however, it was up to Bader to translate what he learned into his photography. “Local and foreign resources were pretty much the same. When it comes to abstract photography—which wasn’t very popular at the time—the result of the photo needs to emit an anonymous feeling, and a sense of mystery. Internet, books, and magazines, Bader studied the field of abstraction as it applied to not only art, but also philosophy, language and humanities. He also consulted with the college of arts in Kuwait, met with abstract artists like the talented Dr. Abdelrasool Salman and Abdullah Al Otaibi to learn more about his experience, “We spoke in length, discussing the genre and critiquing my work. I felt at ease, as I knew I was on the right track. I don’t want to ever lecture or present work that was inaccurate.” 50
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From there, Bader applied everything that he learned. “Everything and anything can be abstracted—we can showcase reality not as it appears, but also how we perceive it using the tools we have. I love abstract art because you can apply this school of thought to not only still objects, but also people. I love it when an image isn’t 100% obvious.” A thorough exploration of his Instagram account best exemplifies his signature style of abstract, minimalist and street photography, and marks the main reason why we cannot get enough of Bader’s work. At first glance, we identify with the locale he presents, only to feel something entirely different. Cultural identifiers can be clichéd at times, but with Bader’s unique perspective, we feel emotion, and see beauty in places that are often overlooked. Today, Bader perceives his work and 20-year journey with pride, love, and an endearing humility at how much he endured to learn to capture these moments and visual presentations. Bader is very open about his acquired knowledge and has led a multitude of free-of-charge, workshops and lectures to help fellow creatives follow suit, specifically when it came to abstract, minimalist and street photography. Bader further considers the camera as a powerful machine with features that are rarely explored. “To me, that’s where the real fun started,” he laughing explains, “I got to present reality as I saw it. I decided to follow my instinct and let the camera and its incredible tools serve my vision.” On his workshops, he is simply inspired by his passion, and wishes for people in Kuwait to embrace abstract art and photography, “I want to dispel the myths that surround abstract, minimalist, and street photography. It’s not just about alluding to a sense of mystery, but it is also about deconstructing reality. Once people better understand art as a way of thought, that is when societies and perceptions are truly changed.” It comes as no surprise to us that Bader continues to lead lectures and photography workshops. He easily explains technical terms that can be mind boggling in a calmly spoken manner. You can tell that his advice is spoken from a place of knowledge and deeply rooted passion. We asked him for some quick tips to make our own captures look better, to which he replied, “Places stay still, but time passes. Once we understand that, we can get creative. With unique thought, your work will stand out without emulating someone else’s. Let’s not follow trends in photography or art, but instead let us follow imaginations that we come up with.”
For more information follow Bader Al Rajhi on Instagram @The_Rhythm and @Bader_Mirror. 51
HOW I LOST MY JOB BUT FOUND MYSELF By Ayman Nassar
In a society that is built upon the need for employment, a fall from grace can cause a whirlpool of negativity, where the subject of employment brings great pride to mothers like, “my baby is a doctor/ engineer/astronaut”, however shy away from mentioning the dreaded demon of redundancy/ unemployment. We find ourselves wondering why the world is unfair, how could we have avoided this situation, and most importantly, when will they invent time travel so that we can return and fix whatever mistake lead to this disastrous situation to begin with. Once we think with a clear mind, we will find that the most common condolence is absolutely true; everything happens for a reason. This is the first step along the path of betterment. Having recently gone through the turbulence of finding myself in the unemployment line, hopefully having navigated myself through those tides, I can say from first hand experience that there are certain steps we must all take in order to reach calmer waters. First, allow yourself the time to grieve, but do not let that hinder your future plans. "There are plenty of fish in the sea" is true in every scenario, and not just in failed relationships of the heart. Second, take stock of what you have, not your loss, it does not have to be a dinar figure in your bank 52
account. Your ability to wake up in the morning, go walking, running, drink dairy, consume carbs etc. Is all testament to the fact that what does not kill you makes you stronger. Third, believe that you deserve better. We are all guilty of accepting negative situations for fear of losing what we have. We accept working in toxic environments under the false pretenses of character building, steady paycheck and fear of the unknown. The most socially acceptable remedy is to not let go of something until you have secured something else. However, sometimes life throws you a curve ball of forced resignation. Fourth, believe in yourself. The epitome of cliche. We are all capable of so much more than we realize. Having been a runner for most of my adult life I never would have imagined I would possess the intestinal fortitude for an ultra-marathon (220KM over the 6 days). For comparison, the first YEAR I logged my mileage through technology had me at 365KM. Now I was doing 220KM over 6 days. Insanity right? Wrong. Insanity would be to not try. Whilst most people took time off for this challenge, I did it DURING my regular work week; meaning I was suited up in the morning and sweating it out in the evening. Now take that and apply it to any challenge you come across in life. Fifth, the truth shall set you free. We all lie during interviews, we should not mention the exact reason for seeking employment, to always provide a noncommittal, cookie-cutter response to an open ended question. I learnt during my experience that honesty is the best policy. Some would say that by
informing your interviewer of your current joblessness, you give them the opportunity to devalue your worth. Codswallop (to quote a beloved hairy giant). You are applying for an opening, that opening has a specific level with specific compensation and benefits attached to it. Sixth, you are a brand, know your worth. Having lived on most of the professional social networking websites for the past 2.5 months, I came to the conclusion that in order to differentiate yourself from the herd of job seekers, you need to highlight all of your strengths. Not just those that look good on a CV. For an office based drone in a monkey suit, I could write, “works under pressure”, or I could give them a sample of that story above. Seventh, your network is your net-worth. Go through your contacts and figure out who can provide assistance. Many will come to your aid, but few will actually follow through. It is foolhardy to assume someone will do the work for you, but do not underestimate the power of a person sending a CV to their friend or employer on your behalf. In my case, I believe it was the assistance of an ex-colleague with whom I interacted briefly that lead to my current opportunity.u Whether or not these opportunities come to fruition is unknown, what I do know is, I discovered a great deal about myself and what I have to offer because of the situation I find myself in. So it may very well be the best thing that happened to me. Ssince my wife, she is the best thing that happened to me. And our son -- him, too).
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LOVING THE SKIN YOU’RE IN Royale Hayat’s Dr. Suraj V. Davis on Skincare By bazaar staff
Your skin is your body’s biggest organ, and it’s also the most exposed. Day after day, night after night from the day you were born, your skin is subjected to a variety of elements that effect its health and overall presentation. Since it’s so important, and it’s one of our few organs we can actually see on a daily basis, shouldn’t we treat it with more respect? Forget the fact that the hot sun dries and harms our skin every day, or the fact that pollution and poor air quality act as contributing factors to unsatisfactory signs of ageing and irreversible skin issues. Conscious nutrition has depleted in quality as well, over the past few decades, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg of unhealthy decisions that are seemingly ‘normal’ to indulge in throughout our lifetime. This generation of human beings have proven to be unhealthier than ever before, eating in excess, consuming unnatural food, exposing themselves to toxins, and worst of all, not even bothering to use sunscreen or moisturize before bed. Luckily, living in today’s world also means we have access to life-changing dermatological services. With modern technology, clinical cosmetic dermatologists can enhance your confidence just by implementing a few curated treatments into your beauty regimen. The task, however, is no easy feat, and it takes a talented and informed professional to meet your needs with care, and credibility. Luckily, Kuwait has a collection of talented dermatologists who are able to help ease you of your skin-related woes, starting with Royale Hayat’s Dr. Suraj V. Davis. What made you interested in the medical field of cosmetic dermatology? Skincare has always been an integral part of dermatology. Over the years the scope and spectrum of skincare on a cosmetic level progressed and developed into a fully evolved subspecialty called Cosmetic Dermatology. A Dermatologist cannot do without Cosmetic Dermatology in his/her practice. I love the beauty of nature, enjoy admiring anything beautiful and artistic. Having a strong aesthetic taste the practice of Dermatology and Aesthetics becomes enjoyable. How do you feel your services can enhance one’s lifestyle? A lifestyle is the way in which a person lives, whether it be good or bad. My approach to practice towards aesthetics is not only cosmetic, but also holistic. I strongly believe all aspects of our lives are interconnected, and that good cosmesis results from the treatment of the whole person 54
that includes mental, attitude, behavior, physical wellness, and at last, the cosmetic. What we are inside is reflected outside. A good cosmesis results from treating the person as a whole. What service do you think is the most commonly asked for by the average patient? Most of my patients are concerned by lackluster skin, dullness and sagginess of face and a tired look. This is very typical of present day lifestyle. Day to day stresses of life compounded by lack of sleep, lack of exercise, insufficient consumption of water, smoking, drinking and wrong diet contributes to a certain level of lackluster skin in addition to aging, genetics and other underlying medical conditions. Which is your personal favorite service to conduct? (Which gives you the most satisfaction, and what do you find yourself the best at) I prefer to offer a holistic approach to my patients, involving a combination of treatments and lifestyle modifications. The treatments could start with a good facial and skincare regimen, and go onto skin rejuvenating treatments like mesotherapy, dermapen, dermaroller, fractional microneedling, fractional lasers, chemical peeling, botox and fillers, just to name a few. There is no one treatment
which will bring in the best result. Most of the time it would be a combination of treatments depending on the patient’s need and our aesthetic eye. The most satisfying treatment would be the one which produces the best results with a combination of treatments, at the end of which a patient is happy; not only because of the cosmetic result, but also about the positive attitude and confidence gained to face the future. What is the most difficult thing about your job – and what is the easiest thing about it? The most difficult thing would be convincing a patient or even generating results in a patient with unrealistic expectations or severe dysmorphophobia. The easiest thing is treating a patient who accepts reality, keeps a positive attitude towards life and the treatment’s outcome, fully understands the importance of an holistic approach towards one’s own life and so cooperates fully to embrace its positive impact. Royale Hayat Hospital is located in Jabriya, off the 4th Ring Road. For more information on the Cosmetic Dermatology wing, visit their website at www.royalehayat.com, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook @royalehayat.
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10 GREAT BUSINESS PODCASTS
Spend your lunch break with these tasty takes on work culture, tech, and other topics. By Cale Weissman
StartUp by Gimlet Media No podcast better captures the thrills and struggles of launching a company. Created as a remarkably candid docuseries on the birth of podcasting business Gimlet Media, it now traces the surprising stories of other enterprises. Sample episode: The inventor of the slap bracelet on why he made no money from the '90s fad. Planet Money by NPR This show--launched in 2008 to help explain the financial crisis--offers fascinating explorations of the intersection between economics and culture. Sample episode: A look at why many Irish pubs are so similar. The answer? In the 1970s, one man defined the elements of a Dublin bar, created a kit, and sold thousands around the globe. Working by Panoply Each installment starts with the same question: "What is your name and what do you do?" Guests then reveal details of their jobs, whether they're a neurosurgeon, a novelist, a pollster, or a clown. Sample episode: A professional Santa spills trade secrets: Don't work shopping malls, wear a real fur suit, and never say, "Ho ho ho." Above Avalon by Above Avalon 56
A giant bite of Apple. Hosted by analyst and technology writer Neil Cybart, this show goes deep into all things Cupertino, with some of the most informed analysis you're likely to find. Sample episode: Apple is famous for its design. So why are products like Apple Music and Apple Watch so weirdly hard to use? Brown Ambition by Brown Ambition Journalist Mandi Woodruff and personal-finance expert Tiffany Aliche chat about news, relationships, and other topics, but they're especially incisive when discussing their successes and failures in the business world. Sample episode: Aliche on overcoming $300,000 in debt to build a financial-advice company. How I Built This by NPR This series explores backstories of various big businesses, from AOL to 1-800-GOT-JUNK. The storytelling is simple and linear, leaving space for gripping personal tales to emerge. Sample episode: The creator of the 5-Hour Energy drink goes from Princeton dropout to Hindu monk to beverage billionaire. Eater Upsell by Vox Media Editors from culinary site Eater glean insight from chefs and other industry pros, both famous (Anthony Bourdain)
and less so (cookbook photographer Evan Sung). Sample episode: Wolfgang Puck explains how he built his empire, then rips into Eater's restaurant critic, who'd panned one of Puck's steak houses. Exponent by Exponent Tech watchers Ben Thompson and James Allworth tackle topics of the moment--fake news on Facebook, Uber's scandals--and offer broader discourse on where the digital world is headed. Sample episode: Thoughtful debate on what tech companies are getting wrong about self-driving cars. I Hate My Boss by Wondery Former Nike and Oprah Winfrey Network marketing executive Liz Dolan and executive coach Larry Seal offer advice on your stickiest workplace conundrums. Sample episode: Dealing with liars in the office, plus an interview with Airbnb's head of talent management, Andrea Robb. Loose Threads by Loose Threads Focused on innovation and technology in the fashion industry, this podcast digs into notable developments in manufacturing, design, retail, and other areas. Sample episode: How online menswear retailer Proper Cloth is tapping data and digital tools to amp up its sales.
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Camels and Pomegranates Local German artist Mona Ruehle finds beauty in everything, from dust storms to fruit By bazaar staff
When Mona Ruehle invited me to her studio, I was bubbling with excitement. I had already seen some of her art online, and I was smitten with it. To be granted access to the place where it all happens truly felt like a privilege. 58
As soon as I arrived at Mona’s artistic space, I understood why this room is an art studio. The double-height ceilings make it feel so airy, and the light streaming through the ground and first-floor windows illuminate the entire room. The walls are completely adorned with Mona’s vibrant artwork. You don’t need to be an art school graduate to understand that they celebrate and revere life at the same time. If I had to explain how I felt when I look at her paintings; joie de vivre is what I think of. The bold and abstract colors are everywhere. A camel here, some fruit over there and the Kuwait Towers. They don’t feel traditional or conventional. Instead, they are layered with different textures. Some are grainy, others are smooth and shiny. She uses everything from acrylics, pigments, sand from the desert, charcoal from the barbecue, to even coffee. Before Mona starts painting, she soaks her canvases in the salty seawater. She doesn’t just use paint, but also adds pieces of linen and leaves, stencils motifs on her paintings, and finishes them off with a layer of wax. Every step adds more dimensions to her artwork. The end result is breathtaking.
One of the methods that she uses for the base of her paintings is called Alla Prima which is Italian for “at once”. It is a wet-on-wet painting technique, adding new layers before the preceding one has had enough time to dry. From there, Mona continues to add to her pieces more transparent layers, from more textures to colors. When I asked her if she wanted to try other ways of painting, she said that after having tried so many different approaches, Alla Prima is the one she loves the most. The urgency helps her create. I can see why this style suits her, as Mona is unbounded in her energy and passion for her art. Splashing, pouring, spilling and throwing paint is what she loves to do. She works quickly and tirelessly to bring to the real world what she first envisioned in her imagination. Mona herself is open, playful, warm and visibly curious. Spend a couple of minutes with her and it feels like you have known her forever. She grew up in Palatine, a region in Germany known for its beauty, green forests, vineyards and warm climate, which she believes started her on this path. At a very young age, she was inspired by her father, who loved to paint at home.
A degree in Art or Art history was not in the cards for her. Instead, she studied interior design and real estate management, but she never gave up on painting. She went to every workshop and masterclass she could find. She still loves going to them because her hunger for learning is insatiable. Mona’s bookshelves at the studio are a testament to her dedication to her craft. They are fully stocked from top to bottom with beautiful books that are part of her journey. In 1997, she opened her first studio and by 2001 Mona became a fulltime artist. In 2006 her family relocated to Dubai and in 2010 they moved again to Kuwait. A huge contrast to her homeland, the Middle East has been an inspiration to Mona, with its bright blue skies and expansive desert landscapes. The same dust storms that are a nuisance to most of us arrive as a muse to the artist. Mona continuously draws from what she sees around her. On one of her many tables, was an interesting black and white mixed-media piece of a photograph of a lone tree. Her family was on the road to Wafra when she took the picture.
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Everything that she sees eventually finds a way into her art. A friend’s photograph of a curious looking goat was the inspiration for another painting. The goat has very thought-provoking eyes that make you wonder. The mother of two easily gets lost in her art and can paint for hours at a stretch when she is hit with inspiration. Her daughters know that once she is engrossed in something, she won’t be able to stop until she feels it is done. Creating takes courage, however, because it also means that if things go in a direction she is not happy with, the painting for Mona is ruined and she needs to start over. For her, this is heart breaking. Artists are known for their sensitivity and vulnerably and Mona is no exception. 60
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I was curious about the best advice she was given. A mentor told her “to just let it go” when she was going through a difficult time which was blocking her. Once she gave herself permission, the art poured out of her soul. Her advice to fledgling artists is to just start. The time is now, don’t wait. When I asked Mona if she thought of herself as a painter, artist or a creative person, she paused before commenting that she saw herself as “a creative person who focuses on painting.” She also told me that everything she sees, or touches gives her creative ideas. Her latest and most beloved paintings are of pomegranates. A pair, one represents spring and summer and the other fall and winter. The pinkish reddish fruit sits in the
middle and is surrounded with golds, whites, and blacks. Little fragments of cloth add more texture and layers to the painting and geometric patterns complete the effect. There is so much depth and movement in them.
If you ever want to be inspired or are just curious about her work, Mona’s studio is always open to visitors. Coffee is also part of the deal. You can reach out to Mona on Instagram @Monaruehle.art. Photography by Caroline Ericson, @PixbyCaroline on Instagram.
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beautique cosmetics international takes on Professional Beauty By bazaar staff
Professional Beauty is an eventful two-day-long trade show held in Dubai where the world’s most outstanding hair and beauty brands come together. Celebrating the latest techniques, services and products, beautique cosmetics international showcased the latest must-haves from Tangle Teezer, Invisibobble, KeraStraight, INNOluxe, label.m and Cuccio. The Kuwait & Dubai team took on Professional Beauty for the second year, and this year’s installment also sees TONI&GUY joining these brands under the umbrella company beautique cosmetics international. The company continues to expand, having recently acquired Rapid General Trading, and is opening a new showroom in Dubai within a matter of weeks. The beautique cosmetics international installation at Professional Beauty was quite the show stopper! The stand had consultation areas, a central tower packed with Cuccio polishes, a videoscreen and a branded logo backdrop perfect to give that red-carpet ready pose. Regional Sales Manager, Lucy Parry was onhand to greet enthusiastic salon owners and stylists. Seeing order after order quickly coming through, Head of Sales in Kuwait, Fatma Karimy balanced the tempo as she took the time to introduce the brands and their top products. Annie Centeno, beautique’s Marketing & PR executive, was equipped with brochures and product guides to better acquaint those waiting to receive their discount vouchers. The established fashion and style blogger in the Middle East @saraindubai put her locks in the hands of the experienced founder of KeraStraight, Jez Barnett and had half her hair treated with KeraStraight and the other side left raw. With absolute ease, Jez straightened the KeraStraight side and the instant smoothness was incredible. Upon closer inspection, not a flyaway hair could be spotted at all! On the second day of the trade show Jez took to the mainstage and wowed the crowds with the incredible results of KeraStraight. A whole selection of models with different hair types had their unruly manes transformed into glossy, enviable hair. Sara confessed that having tried a number of different treatments to tackle her frizz, she keeps on coming back to Kerastraight because it is the one that really works and keeps her hair in great condition. Now, it is all well and good to straighten natural hair and have it shine but the real challenges can be found when trying to achieve this super-healthy shine on color treated hair. This is where INNOluxe comes in. One model showed off her brand new 62
balayage, a hand painted method of graduating hair color. The hair was visibly smooth with a healthy shine and the secret came from using INNOluxe during the coloring process. Then the final flourish with a pump of INNOluxe Elixir, a super concentrate leave in conditioner that was a finalist in the Hair Awards 2016. With such a wonderfully successful showing during Professional Beauty over the two days, the Kuwait and Dubai teams ended their experience with a private dinner at the indulgent Ramusake. Representatives from Trevor Sorbie, Gloss Academy, Chill Salon, The Grooming Company,
Pastel Salon and of course the beautique team all came together with the Assistant General Manager of beautique, Heba Farrag, at the head of the table enjoyed a wonderful night to remember!
For more information please call 2225 1285 or visit www.beautiquecosmeticsintl.com. Follow them on Instagram @beautiquecosmetics for the latest updates! All products and brands listed are exclusively distributed by beautique cosmetics international and are available at TONI&GUY Salons.
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7 SKILLS MANAGERS WILL NEED IN 2025
Plan your management career years from now! By Gwen Moran
We all know that the work landscape is changing. The jobs that will be in demand are shifting as more are automated by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robots. Teams are becoming more disparate and globalization has added new collaboration challenges. At the same time, more millennials are taking on management roles, and even our work spaces will undergo changes between now and 2025. TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT SKILLS Technology is going to “grow alongside of us,” says Bentley, the founder of Liz Bentley Associates and there will be no job that is immune from its effects. Of course, it won’t be a straight line from where we are now to machine learning and robots taking over the workplace, but technology will become an ever-present factor in the workplace. That will create new challenges, conflicts, and opportunities related to skill building, workplace roles, data management, privacy, and others. Managers will need to understand technology enough to keep abreast of and anticipate emerging issues. Some technological developments will work, some won’t, and some will evolve, she says. But the constant is that managers will need to not only be comfortable with embracing new technology, but they’ll also have to be adept at managing the changing relationship between people and emerging tech. OUTCENTRIC LEADERSHIP SKILLS Effective managers and leaders are going to need to be less egocentric, Bentley says. “I’m the leader and you will listen to me,” approaches aren’t going to work in a tight labor market made up primarily of millennials. Bentley says managers will need to be more “outcentric,” focusing on developing the people and teams around them to be active and valued contributors. The best managers will look at the overarching need, and then build and develop a team to meet that need—with input from the team—instead of dictating what the team needs. SOFT-SKILL ASSESSMENT Effective managers are going to have to be as good at evaluating candidates and employees for soft skills as they are for technical skills, says Rita Santelli, CEO of innovation consulting firm Savvy, and an adjunct faculty member teaching strategic and innovative leadership at Georgetown University. The best employees are going to have strong critical thinking and creative problemsolving skills as the pace of the workplace continues to accelerate. Managers are going to have to be both inherently able to spot those abilities in others, and also stay abreast of emerging tools and assessments that more accurately evaluate them in candidates and developing employees. 64
ROWE FOCUS Companies will adopt more elements of Results-Only Work Environments (ROWEs), says Jennifer Currence, president of OnCore Management Solutions, a performance solutions consulting company. This HR management strategy, created by workplace consultants Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson, focuses on autonomy and accountability. In other words, effective managers will create environments that focus less on where and how people work, but which measure success based on results and output, she says. The use of contractors will continue to rise, and managers will need to think differently about how they assemble the skills necessary to meet their objectives. Focus will need to shift away from process, except in terms of how to optimize it for better results, she says. TENSION-TOLERANT COLLABORATION As teams become more disparate with contractors, consultants, remote employees, and office-based employees working together, managers are going to need to learn how to build culture in nontraditional environments, Santelli says. In addition, teams will increasingly become more diverse, Bentley adds. Generation Z will be entering the workforce, while baby boomers work until well past traditional retirement age. Globalization will create more cross-border teams. Shifting demographics will make team diversity essential to capitalize on changes in the market, she says. Leaders are going to need to be sensitive to cultural differences.
TRANSPARENCY Being effective at building cultures in nontraditional teams will require new levels of transparency and communication, Currence adds. This has traditionally been hard for managers to navigate. “They’re in this place where they feel like, ‘Okay, they have to protect the company, and we have to grow our employees and serve them. Where’s the line, and which side of the line am I on?’ A lot of times they’re straddling the line, and they don’t know what to be transparent about because they’re giving away company secrets,” she says. But secrets and duplicity aren’t going to fly in a leaky world that increasingly reveals everything from salary to work practices to private memos. For disparate teams to work, they need managers they can trust—even when they can’t be face-to-face, she says. Managers will need to be able to foster that trust to build cultures that retain good team members. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Emotional intelligence has gotten a fair amount of attention lately, but it will only become more important as the workplace changes over the next eight to 10 years. “If IQ is a measure of your intelligence quotient, EQ is a measure of your emotional intelligence. A high EQ is synonymous with being self-aware, of knowing your own strengths and weaknesses, or seeking the assistance of colleagues and mentors to help you find them, which in turn allows you to identify areas to improve,” says Craig Dalziel, senior manager with technology recruitment firm Pearson Frank.
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YOUR SPOUSE MAY DRIVE YOU CRAZY
But, your marriage might keep you from losing your mind By Karen Kaplan
Your spouse may drive you crazy at times, but new research suggests that your marriage may keep you from losing your mind. The risk of dementia was significantly lower for married people than for adults who remained single their entire lives, according to a report this week in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. Husbands and wives also fared better than widowers and widows, researchers found. The analysis included more than 800,000 people who participated in 15 previously published studies. Most of the study volunteers hailed from Sweden, with the rest living elsewhere in Europe, the United States, Asia or Brazil. Nearly 30,000 of them had some form of dementia. The authors of the new report said they had several reasons to suspect that marriage might keep the brain in good working order. People who are married spend more time in the company of another person, and social engagement is associated with a reduced risk of dementia. Perhaps years of interacting with a husband or wife builds up a 66
“cognitive reserve” that makes the brain more resilient to future damage, the researchers wrote. Married people also tend to be healthier, perhaps because their spouses nag them to eat their vegetables, quit smoking and take their blood pressure medications. Better physical health could translate into better brain health by reducing the risk of things like heart disease or a stroke, the researchers surmised. It seems that they were on to something. Nine of the studies they examined compared dementia risk in married people and those whose spouses had died. In these studies, the risk of dementia was 2 percent to 41 percent higher for widows and widowers than for people whose spouses were still alive. Overall, the added risk associated with being widowed was 20 percent. In addition, six of the studies compared the dementia risk in people who were married and in people who were lifelong singles. The singles consistently faced a higher risk, ranging from 7 percent to 90 percent. Overall, the added risk for those who had never married was 42 percent. To put those figures into perspective, the researchers noted that people who are sedentary are about 40 percent more likely to develop dementia
than people who are physically active. Smokers and those with high blood pressure are about 60 percent more likely to develop dementia than people who don’t have either of these problems. Finally, seven of the studies compared dementia risk in those who were married and those who were divorced. There was no difference between the two groups. The researchers suspect that widowhood is worse than divorce because bereavement causes stress that makes it easier for dementia to take hold. Studies have found that being widowed is more stressful than getting divorced, they noted. None of this means that people should get married simply to ward off dementia. But understanding why marriage is associated with better cognitive health could lead to the development of “social interventions” that would be available to everyone, the authors concluded. That won’t be easy, according to an editorial that accompanied the study.“The challenge remains on how these observations can be translated into effective means of preventing dementia,” the editorial warns. “Although potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia exist, that does not mean that dementia is easily preventable.”
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CELEBRATE FASHION, CELEBRATE BLOOMINGDALE’S!
Bloomingdale’s Kuwait turns one, and GM Tina Sharp lets us in on the amazing festivities!
By bazaar staff
Since the arrival of Bloomingdale’s in Kuwait, we are constantly celebrating fashion that continues to push boundaries. We relish those iconic moments, when a perfectly curated stylish selection guides our seasonal wardrobes. Always on trend and ahead of the curve, Bloomingdale’s fresh releases from the most cuttingedge designers keep us coming back for more! Which is why we’re super excited to celebrate Bloomingdale’s first anniversary in Kuwait! We sit down with General Manager Tina Sharp to talk all things fashion and festive fun at Bloomingdale’s Kuwait. Hi Tina—Happy Anniversary! How has the Bloomingdale’s Kuwait journey been so far for you? Thank you, I can’t believe it has been one year already! The journey so far has been incredible, and we’ve learnt so much along the way, by interacting with our customers and taking their comments on board. Starting with the opening celebration, where we had such a fantastic turn out and everybody loved the store and gave us such positive feedback, we couldn’t have been happier. The most incredible moments this year have all been around the customer. As General Manager of the business, one of my favorite parts of my job is to walk the shop floor every day and meet new people, get to know them, and request their feedback. The Kuwaiti customer is incredibly sophisticated and, while fiercely patriotic, they have a global outlook on fashion, a world which they fully embrace. Some particular highlights include our ‘Glow What Fun’ Festive windows, and our Ramadan offering which was so successful that we have worked closely with the buying team to build on that for this year. Also the Swim Shop pop-up, which we initially trialed with a relatively small buy, and have decided to quadruple the offering for this year as it was so popular. Of course we always knew how important food is in the Kuwaiti culture, and we are delighted at how well received our homegrown restaurant concept, Scene, has been. Again we have listened to feedback from our customers and are excited to launch our new menu in time for the first birthday, based on this response. Another area that we are particularly excited about are the Customer Experience elements such 68
General Manager Tina Sharp
as Personal Shopping, Personalization Lounge and Experience Beauty. Here we have had customers book out the space so that they can enjoy the range of pampering treatments with their friends in total privacy. Similarly, we are so happy to see that our customers are so relaxed and comfortable using the Personal Shopping service that they take their time, enjoy a cup of coffee and chat with their girlfriends in the space, while being presented their favorite collections in store naturally! How will Bloomingdale’s Kuwait celebrate this special occasion? Are there any special surprises planned for Bloomies lovers? At Bloomingdale’s, we love to celebrate in style with our customers and we definitely have lots of fun planned in store for our birthday. I don’t want to give
too much away and spoil the surprise, however I can assure you that we will have something for everyone to enjoy on the day! Make sure you pass by on March 14th to enjoy a Birthday Bash like no other. In addition, our beloved Big Brown Bear will again be here and visiting children’s hospitals across the City to celebrate with them and spread some joy and excitement. He will also be in store on 14th, so if you see him be sure to give him a big bear hug, which he loves! What are some new brands that will be arriving this season to Bloomingdale’s Kuwait? We have a host of exciting new brands arriving this season, and I’m really looking forward to seeing customer response. In Ready to Wear, we will introduce hot international labels including SAFiYAA, Huishan Zhang and Temperley London –
Blooomingdaleís Turns 1!
You’re invited to the Birthday Bash on March 14th at Bloomingdale’s Kuwait -360 MALL We’ll see you there!
Cult Gaia
SemSem
all from the UK – as well as Dion Lee from Australia, Act No. 1, Isa Arfen and SMARTEEZ from Italy, SemSem by Egyptian designer Abeer Al Otaiba, Hemant & Nandita and SAU LEE., with a collection that is a unique mix of East meets West. In eveningwear we welcome exquisite labels such as Özgür Masur from Turkey, Rachel Gilbert from Australia, and David Meister from the US. We will introduce many new handbag lines, from luxury icon Aspinal London, Danse Lente also from London, Egyptian label Okhtein, Nico Giani from Italy, The VOLON, Olympia Le-Tan and from Cult Gaia, we will carry the iconic bamboo Ark bag, much loved by fashion bloggers around the world. In footwear we will be stocking Chiara Ferragni’s new line, as well as Gia Couture and Veja sneakers. Finally in the jewelry category, we are thrilled to carry Spanish brand Anton Heunis, Shourouk and the legendary designs of Oscar de la Renta. With spring right around the corner, what are some key trends that customers can perfectly execute with Bloomingdale’s latest collections? We see modern bohemianism with a confident, feminine and effortless attitude by Temperley London. While Danse Lente’s debut collection is inspired by the angular shapes and clean lines of modern architecture. If you’re feeling a bit eccentric, then Chiara Ferragni, aka The Blonde Salad, has turned designer with her own line of high-impact footwear. Leopard print, glitter and stud embellishments reference Ferragni’s personal style and offer an irreverent take on current trends.
Ozgur Masur
Flip over to the next spread for a Bloomingdale’s Beauty Surprise! Bloomingdale’s Kuwait is located in 360 Mall, Sixth Ring Road, South Surra. Follow @bloomingdalesme on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates. [Continued...]
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SELF-APPLICATION. SELF-CONFIDENCE. MASTERED. Get the beautiful Balqees look with Bloomingdale’s Kuwait!
We can always count on Bloomingdale’s Kuwait for the latest and greatest in fashion and beauty, and their much anticipated beauty Self-application classes are always a treat! This season, we’re looking forward to learning all about mastering the iconic star Balqees’s look, and with the guidance of the PRO Team at Bloomingdale’s Experience Beauty department, you’re guaranteed to become a pro yourself in no time! The ground floor of the luxury retailer is filled to the brim with the world’s most renowned cosmetic and skincare brands, and they’ve got the Make Up PROS to help you find the best products that work for your skin type, and to achieve those all-important #beautygoals. To recreate Balqees’s stunning beauty look, Make Up PRO Team gave us a few tips and tricks to keep in mind before the upcoming SelfApplication class on the 13th and 14th of March. La Mer Concéntrate. This amazing product can be used as your go-to choice for your base/primer, because you always need a flawless smooth base to build your make up look like a star! This product instantly minimizes lines and pores, and takes care of redness caused by skin sensitivites. Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Foundation. We can’t get enough of this foundation! The water based formula makes your skin instantly glow from within, while at the same time provides you with the coverage that you need. Guerlain Color Correcting Pens. We love no mussno fuss products that do the trick! These color correcting pens provide an easy way to correct dull skin, redness and even those under eye pesky dark circles. Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage. For days when your skin is feeling a little under the weather, this is a must product to conceal and reveal. The PROS at Bloomingdale’s always encourage you to test the product before applying it to the skin, and the added plus is that a little of this product goes a long way! ABH Contour Palette. What beauty queen doesn’t love the perfect contour! But, there is a tricky balance between glamour and contour overload. This palette will help you achieve that perfect contour. Bonus: Use the dark shades in the palette as eyeshadows! Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. It’s official, velvety matte lips are here to stay! With this product, say goodbye to lip liner as you won’t need it. Get your smudge-proof, dreamy look in no time! 70
[...Continued]
Balqees picture courtesy of MA Fashion Consultancy.
ABH Contour Palette
La Mer Concéntrate
GET YOUR BALQEES LOOK AND BOOK YOUR SEAT AT THE SELF APPLICATION CLASS ON MARCH 13 OR 14! CALL EXPERIENCE BEAUTY AT 2229 9828 Guerlain color correcting pens
Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Foundation
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage
Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
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OPPOSITES REACT
Nike’s latest foam technology just does it all!
By bazaar staff
When Nike asked runners what they wanted out of their running shoes, they got very specific answers. They said they wanted better cushioning, better energy return, lightweight and the shoes had to be durable too. They wanted everything. The tricky thing is that these four qualities are incredibly difficult to deliver in one material because they are opposites. Ernest Kim, Director of Advanced Footwear, Nike Running describes it like this. “Think about your pillow — when you’re laying your head down to go to sleep, you don’t want it to bounce back up after it hits the pillow. Instead, you want that pillow to absorb all of the force of you laying your head down so that you can get a good night’s sleep. That’s what we mean when we talk about great cushioning.” So, soft materials absorb energy. On the flipside, hard materials give the most energy return. That’s why typically foam can provide cushioning or energy return. And why it can be lightweight or durable. But usually it can’t be all of those things. Until now, that is. Nike React technology is Nike’s latest cushioning innovation and a significant breakthrough in footwear foam. Nike React foam cushioning launched in June 2017 in basketball — a sport that requires players to shift direction and speed in seamless motion and to lift off at the blink of an eye. The foam met those needs by providing a sensation that is as soft and springy as it is squishy and stable — a balance not previously seen in any other Nike basketball shoe. In a demonstration of Nike’s in-house manufacturing ingenuity, Nike’s chemists and mechanical engineers came together to test ingredients to see which composition would yield the perfect outcome. After more than four hundred combinations of chemistry and processing, and using scientific methods to focus in on materials with certain amenable attributes, they landed on the unique composition of Nike React foam. They then put Nike React technology through more than 2,000 hours of testing on the feet of basketball players, where it proved to be the most durable foam delivering greater energy return than any other Nike basketball shoe tested. Because the runners expressed that they craved similar sensations, it was a no-brainer to take Nike React technology to running shoes. With the basketball shoes, designers encased the Nike React foam in order to provide durability and stability for traction control the players needed, 72
but with running, engineers uncaged Nike React technology to showcase its full potential for the road. When tested in the Nike Sports Research Lab against other running foams, Nike React foam delivers 13 percent more energy return than Nike’s latest generation of Nike Lunarlon foam. “I want to emphasize this because we’re not comparing Nike React technology to some no-name foam that fell off the back of a truck somewhere; we’re comparing it to our latest Lunarlon and, even with the bar set that high, Nike React technology delivers that much more energy return with each and every stride,” says Kim. Wondering what that feels like? Well, if you were to squeeze Nike React foam, you’d get that great cushioning sensation; and then, as you let go, you’d see the foam quickly spring back to its original shape, which is where the energy return comes into play. That translates so well to a run because as it reacts swiftly to each step, bouncing back to its original state to ensure a consistent underfoot feel stride after stride, mile after mile. Nike React technology is Nike’s longest-lasting foam, giving runners the energy to do more and go farther, ideal for even the most dedicated distance runners. When it came time to get the foam into a shoe,
designers turned to athlete data gleaned from the lab. This data was visualized through pressure maps that showed exactly which part of the athlete’s foot landed and lifted from where. “This allowed us to make rapid, data-informed decisions on how to shape midsoles and outsoles to maximize the benefits of Nike React foam,” says Kim. They then took this a step further by feeding that data into a proprietary algorithm used to create a unique surface pattern that further increased the performance of Nike React technology in running. Finally the athletes had to love the shoe. Elite and everyday runners tested Nike React technology through more than 27,300 arduous kilometers. “Over that span, our wear-testers consistently told us that Nike React made them want to run more often,” says Kim. “My favorite bit of feedback came from a wear-tester who said of running in the Nike Epic React: ‘It felt fun — it makes you want to run.’”
Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Co. (AAW) Nike stores are located in The Avenues, Souq Sharq, Kuwait International Airport, Discovery Mall, 360 Mall, Gate Mall and Al Bida’a. Go to aaw.com/ business/sports-and-fashion/ for further details.
Happy
Mother's Day
faces وأﻧﺖ أﻏﲆ أم ﻛﻞ ﻋﺎم ِ
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YOU’VE BECOME MORE STUPID, WHAT HAPPENED? If you’re enraged by this title, let’s see how you will react to the below By George Tarabay
“Wow, you’ve gained weight. What happened?” “Well, it all started somewhere in Lebanon. It is believed that I was born in the summer of 1986. Some meteorologists even claim that it rained that day as if Earth was releasing its final gift to humanity. I was led by destiny my entire life, since childhood. I was always there at the right time and the right moment to do what is right.” “And what is that?” “Punch you in the face, for asking such an ignorant question.” That entire conversation, was real. For the life of me, I cannot understand how peoples’ brains function. In the book of “Interacting with others for dummies”, Page 1, Chapter 1, Paragraph 1, Sentence 1, it says: say something nice or shut it! I cannot wrap my head around people’s urge to pass such comments unto others without realizing the repercussions of their words. This one is personal, so brace yourselves. For the past nine years, I was lucky enough to lead an amazing life filled with horrible, tough, happy and great moments. But, what always hit me hard is my weight problem. I seemed to always gain weight whatever I did or tried. Even though, my self-worth and/or perception of myself is independent of others’ words or 74
opinions, I somehow kept a log in my subconscious of these horrible interactions and one thought kept on recurring to me: If my weight was a pivotal part of the depression I had, people would have led me to do the unthinkable. Please, don’t get me wrong: I am not saying fat jokes are off limits, otherwise I will be a hypocrite since I believe that we can laugh about anything and everything. And while I believe that, I also said previously that I am respectful of others. I can make the jokes on my own, still get a great laugh without having to defend my choices. But, when you are approached with such a serious tone and ignorance, all packaged in that question, I cannot but think that these people somehow thought that I had no mirrors, no scale and most importantly, no self-awareness. It’s pretty ironic to think that the latter is what they also lack if they ask such ignorant questions. You are in no way to ask that question. Not even if the intent behind asking it is good. I bet those same people are the ones who take pictures in parking lots riding motorcycles they do not own without thinking that it is trespassing. YES ! I finally said it, if you are a biker I totally feel for you. You are in no way my dietitian, my trainer nor my health consultant. Even those professionals would never ask you that question unless they got their diploma in a dumpster at the entrance of a forest. People are wired differently, understand that. Much like you would not like someone asking you how come your baby is ugly, others would not appreciate your ignorant comments. Stop it!
I am lucky enough to be one of many who don’t pay attention to what people say, but there are others who live day to day hating on their bodies because they feel like it’s trapping them, and your words fall on their ears like a huge pad lock that adds another layer to that prison. Again, stop it! Either compliment people or just shut it! You’re not the weight police, no one is. We all have an on-call officer in our heads that says the most horrible things to us on a minute-to-minute basis, and when you materialize these words outside our heads, you give that in warded dictator more power. Be aware. Simple. And if after this article, you’re still thinking: What on earth do I speak about then? Here are some suggestions: 1. The weather. 2. The latest space breakthrough by Elon Musk (pretty cool subject). 3. How some people lack social sensitivity (wow, this one is definitely your expertise). So, Shhh… and let me have my fried chicken burger in peace with my officer. Idiot.
George Tarabay is a local comedian and marketing expert. For his latest updates, follow him on Instagram @GeorgeTarabay. For more comic relief, check out George on Facebook. com/Georgethecomic. Featured photo by Tom Sodoge on Unsplash.
The Promenade
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE
Maybe you shouldn’t try to brush yourself off and move on after all By Stephanie Vozza
Photo by Jeff Sheldon on Unsplash
When things don’t go your way, it’s popular advice to think about what you could have done differently, or shake it off and move on. But what if that kind of attitude dooms you to make the same mistake again? A new report published in Journal of Behavioral Decision Making found that the best way to rebound and learn from failure is to lean into the pain. Simply reflecting on why something happened can lead to making excuses, which doesn’t help you avoid making a similar mistake in the future. People who focus on their emotions, on the other hand, put forth more effort when they try again. “Self-help literature often tells you not to dwell on your mistakes, to not feel bad,” says Selin Malkoc, co-author of the study and professor of marketing at Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business. She and research partner, Noelle Nelson, assistant professor of marketing and consumer behavior at the University of Kansas, felt that didn’t ring true. “If you don’t feel the pain, you don’t learn the lesson,” says Malkoc. To test their theory, Malkoc, Nelson, and Baba Shiv, professor of marketing at the Stanford 76
Graduate School of Business, asked college students to search online for a certain kind of blender. If they found the lowest price, they could win a cash prize. Before they found out if they had won, half the participants were told to focus on their emotional response to winning or losing, while the other half were instructed to focus on their thoughts about how they did. The price-search task was rigged, and all of the participants lost. The participants were asked to write about the experience. Those who had been told to just think about their failure often shared thoughts such as “I could not have found it even if I tried” or “I didn’t care about it anyway.” Participants who had been asked to focus on emotions wrote sentences such as, “I know how I can do better next time.” Next, students were asked to search for a book to give a friend that would fit a limited budget. The participants who previously had been asked to focus on their emotions spent nearly 25% more time searching for a low-priced book than the participants who been asked to focus on their thoughts. “When people concentrate on how bad they feel and how they don’t want to experience these feelings again, they are more likely to try harder the next time,” says Malkoc.
WHY WE HAVE A HARD TIME WITH FAILURE Learning from failure is difficult because humans tend to be self-protecting. Thinking about mistakes can lead to a desire to protect your ego and distance yourself from the event, says Malkoc. “When you think how you feel, however, your solutions are more self-improving,” she says. Most real-life situations involve cognitive and emotional responses to failure, but our default response is most often thought-based reactions, says Malkoc. “The important thing to remember is not to avoid the emotional pain of failing, but to use that pain to fuel improvement,” she says. “Emotional responses to failure can hurt. They make you feel bad. That’s why people often choose to think selfprotective thoughts after they make mistakes. But if you focus on how bad you feel, you’re going to work harder to find a solution and make sure you don’t make the same mistake again.” While feeling the failure can help you avoid making a similar mistake, sometimes you do need to let it go of, especially when it’s small or inconsequential. “Deciding when to focus on emotions is an individual call,” says Malkoc. “My inkling is if this is a repeating task, it’s better to learn from it. Don’t run away from feeling bad. It is useful when moving forward.”
Jumeriah 3
Take a flavorsome journey around Italy’s favorite culinary regions. Savor authentic cuisine prepared passionately by the restaurant’s native Italian Chef and admire the spectacular views of the hotel and seaside.
For more information, visit Jumeirah.com or call +965 22 69 666.
TIME FOR A CHANGE The Tik Tok boutique beautified By bazaar staff
With the fourth phase of The Avenues set to head us all scuttling over in that direction, SoKu just off Grand Avenue will now be the heart of the largest bustling mall in Kuwait. This provides ample opportunity to take the time to stroll through the various alleyways and streets that criss-cross this souk that you may have missed before. Slightly to the right, diagonally across from Harvey Nichols, wander down the street and you will discover Tik Tok by Behbehani.
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Behbehani is the proud vendor of international and luxury watch brands which are exclusive to the Group such as Mido and Hamilton. With Tik Tok showcasing a stylishly cool selection of the Behbehani assortment, it was decided to hit refresh and present the Tik Tok products in the best possible way. It was time for a change and to fully explore the ideal way to do that was by listening to their customers’ needs. With taste and style their customer is deserving of a high standard of shopping experience within a unique ambiance and Tik Tok provides this exactly! The showroom is now bright, open and spacious with a distinctly sporty edge and an accessible feel to it. With designated areas for certain brands, it is easier to go directly to the brand you desire. The Tissot corner is an impressive rendition of a gigantic watch face with space for over 100 watches to be on display. Added to that the entire Tissot wall and you can find over 300 top notch watches to choose from here. Tissot’s advanced functionality and meticulous designs always prove to be a real winner with customers, so it serves the customers well to so generously dedicate this much space for the beloved brand. With March 21st looming, don’t despair because you can find the perfect gifts for Mother’s Day in brands like Calvin Klein. The jewelry in a silver, gold or rose-gold colored finish sparkles in its display cabinet and here it is possible to perfectly accessorize the matching Calvin Klein watches. Fancy something with more of a French flare? Any mom would be proud to own beautiful pieces from Balmain and we featured the gorgeous Balmain Moonphase in bazaar's February issue. Certina too, another exclusive to Behbehani, has some very desirable pieces. More eclectic items can be found in the Bomberg collection where fascinating pocketwatch limited editions can be found. And, as if you weren’t spoiled for choice enough, the iconic matrix QLOCKTWO watch is now available in Arabic! Continuously on the lookout for incredible collections featuring the latest watch designs, Tik Tok keeps up-to-date with current fashion trends and creative concepts. The newest addition to the Tik Tok family is Oris. The creators of the sliding sledge clasp, this Swiss high-mech brand has been delivering mechanical innovation and artistry in horology since 1904. The sheer diversity of design represented in the Tik Tok range ensures that there really is something for everyone here. Classical aesthetic design that complements any outfit, you can find it all at Tik Tok. The staff can also very quickly adjust any bracelet watch to fit the wrist so you don’t have to wait before excitedly receiving the beautifully packaged timepiece of your choice. Don’t delay your shopping trip to Tik Tok, it is time for a change. Tik Tok is located in SoKu, The Avenues. For enquiries, please call 2220 0726 and follow them on Instagram and Facebook @tiktokq8 for the latest updates. Photography by Caroline Ericson @Pixbycaroline on Instagram. 79
10 MEMORABLE PRODUCT LAUNCHES
From pen-based pandemonium to viral fried chicken! By David Lidsky
Reynolds Rocket October 1945 The Reynolds International Pen Company introduced the first commercial ballpoint pen with much fanfare at New York's Gimbels department store, which promoted it as "miraculous." What happened: Big lines and a "no-holds-barred fracas," according to one report at the time. An early example of masterful buzz-building. Edsel September 1957 When Ford debuted this mid-priced car line, it tapped into the era's most advanced marketing muscle, amping up expectations with teaser ads and a TV special called The Edsel Show. What happened: Edsels turned out to basically be souped-up Mercuries, and disappointed consumers dismissed the overhyped brand. Kodak Instamatic March 1963 The product marketed itself; all Kodak had to do was tell customers, "Now, in the time it takes to read this sentence aloud, you can load the new Kodak Instamatic Camera." What happened: Kodak sold more than 50 million Instamatics by 1970 and created a generation of camera enthusiasts. Sony Walkman July 1979 Sony showed off its personal cassette player with 80
a goofy campaign in the streets of Tokyo, which involved demonstrating things that people could do while listening to a Walkman (such as riding a tandem bicycle) as the press watched. What happened: Onlookers were baffled, but music fans bought more than 200 million units. Apple Macintosh January 1984 A bow-tie-clad Steve Jobs introduced his bold Macintosh computer--as well as his soon-to-be-famous penchant for dramatic demo events--at a raucous shareholder conference. What happened: Mac didn't topple IBM, but Jobs's bravura presentation style paid off when he debuted the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Microsoft Windows 95 August 1995 After months of buildup, Microsoft gathered thousands of journalists and employees--along with luminaries like Jay Leno--to reveal its operating system. What happened: People lined up to buy it, making Windows 95 one of the first computing products to have a true pop-culture moment. Viagra April 1998 Pfizer spent a reported $100 million (KD 30 million) to stoke demand for its breakthrough erectile dysfunction remedy, tapping Cline Davis & Mann to make crafty ads that targeted both men and women.
What happened: Frisky baby boomers snapped up $1 billion worth of the blockbuster drug in its first year. Livestrong wristband May 2004 The Lance Armstrong Foundation's youth cancer awareness initiative quietly enlisted celebrities such as Tom Hanks and Serena Williams to wear its yellow silicone bracelet, inspiring curiosity and letting people discover it for themselves. What happened: The foundation has raised $100 million worldwide from the Livestrong campaign. KFC Double Down sandwich April 2010 Gluttons in Omaha and Providence helped KFC's test of a bacon-and-cheese sandwich--with pieces of boneless fried chicken replacing the bread! -- go viral. KFC was coy about a national rollout and even teased, "It's Real!" on April Fools' Day. What happened: It did finally hit stores nationwide, but drove more outrage than sales. Snap Spectacles November 2016 Snapchatters couldn't buy these camera glasses in stores; they were initially only available via pop-up vending machines. Scarcity and desirability created an organic sensation. What happened: By eschewing the hoopla of the failed Google Glass launch, Snap inspired excitement rather than skepticism.
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EATING FOR YOUR HEALTH Studies show that it's better for the environment By Deborah Netburn
So, you want to reduce your carbon footprint? You might consider improving your diet. It turns out that healthy eating isn’t just good for your body, it can also lessen your impact on the environment. Scientists say that food production including growing crops, raising livestock, fishing and transporting all that food to our plates is responsible for 20 percent to 30 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, 33 percent of the ice-free land on our planet is being used to grow our food, researchers say. But altering our diets could change that. A new study published Monday in PNAS found that if citizens in 28 high-income nations such as the United States, Germany and Japan actually followed the dietary recommendations of their respective governments, greenhouse gases related to the production of the food they eat would fall by 13 percent to 25 percent. At the same time, the amount of land it takes to produce that food could drop by as much as 17 percent. “At least in high-income countries, a healthier diet leads to a healthier environment,” said Paul Behrens, an environmental scientist at Leiden University in the Netherlands who led the work. “It’s win-win.” To come to this conclusion, Behrens turned to 82
Exiobase, a massive input-output database that represents the entire world economy. It allowed him to track not only the environmental cost of growing and raising the various types of food we consume, but also the cost of the machinery involved in the production of that food, and the cost of getting it into our supermarkets and eventually onto our plates. The database also takes into account that some countries are more efficient at producing food than others. For example, growing tomatoes in England takes more energy than growing them in Spain, where it is warmer. Similarly, a steak from a grain-fed cow in England has a smaller environmental footprint than one from a grass-fed cow in Australia. “It’s superb that we have this information,” Behrens said. “You can trace the impact of any consumption across the world.” For this study, Behrens gathered data on the average diets of people living in 39 countries as well as the dietary recommendations put out by governments in those countries. To make sure the results represented the recommended ways of eating and not just eating less, he kept the calorie counts of both diets the same, and only altered the percentage of the different food groups that people actually eat, and how much their governments suggest they eat. Next, he fed those data points into Exiobase
and compared the outcome. Specifically, he looked at three ways the environment is affected by our diets — greenhouse gas emissions, land use and eutrofication, which is the addition of nutrients to water sources that can lead to toxic algae blooms and lack of oxygen in the water. Eutrofication is usually caused by the discharge of animal waste (dung) and plant fertilizer. The results were far from uniform, but in broad strokes, he found that the wealthiest countries would lower their environmental impact if their citizens followed nationally recommended diets, primarily because most of these recommendations call for a significant reduction in the amount of meat citizens consume. “In general, meat is worse than other types of food because every time something eats something else, you get a loss of energy,” Behrens said. “Eating any animal is going to have more of an impact compared to other food groups.” Poorer countries such as India and Indonesia would see their environmental impact go up, mostly because the nationally recommended diets call for more calories than many citizens consume in those countries. Still, the overall effect, if everyone followed nationally recommended diets, would be a decrease in greenhouse gases, eutrofication and land use, he said.
MAX
NO BATTERIES, WIRES, OR PLUGS
Student team makes plastic devices that communicate via Wi-Fi By Catherine Long
You don’t have to ask Alexa, or even push a button. With new devices pioneered by a University of Washington computer science team, battery-less objects made entirely of plastic could communicate with other devices on your home network. For example, a laundry detergent bottle could monitor your detergent use for you — and order more when you’re running low. And you could print or design similar objects yourself, using a standard 3-D printer. The new concept is the latest idea to come out of the Allen School’s Networks and Mobile Systems Lab at UW — a team of graduate students and faculty looking for low-power (or no-power) ways to enhance communication with those household objects that are commonly known as the internet of things. The same team also has created a battery-free cellphone that uses almost no power and never needs to be charged. And they created a “singing poster” that could broadcast a song to somebody standing nearby by piggybacking onto FM radio waves. The lab is throwing its newest concept out to the wider world, hoping an army of tinkerers and do-it-yourselfers, or “makers,” will fire up their 3-D printers and their imaginations, and figure out cool things to do with the technology. With the plans available online, “it really empowers people to make things that are custommade for their needs,” said Shyam Gollakota, associate professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. He directs the Networks and Mobile Systems Lab, which employs six doctoral students The 3-D printed objects use plastic gears, springs and switches to create mechanical movement, like an old-fashioned windup watch. That movement allows the devices to communicate via Wi-Fi, taking advantage of the router in your house or office that’s constantly broadcasting a radio signal. As the gears and springs move within the plastic device — because you’ve pushed a button, or poured a liquid that causes the gears to spin — they cause a conductive metal switch to intermittently connect and disconnect to the device’s metal antenna, said UW electrical engineering graduate student Vikram Iyer. The antenna’s signal is reflected by the radio waves broadcast by your Wi-Fi router. When the switch is toggled on and off, the antenna either reflects or absorbs radio waves broadcast by your router. 84
Computer science grad student Justin Chan gives this analogy: Your home Wi-Fi router is constantly blasting out radio waves in the same way that a really bright flashlight blasts out light. The 3-D plastic objects these students have created are like mirrors that reflect or deflect that bright light, using the antenna to send a message to a receiver — a smartphone — that could be decoded by software. To prove how this might work, the UW students made a couple of simple devices that use gears to measure movement. There’s a device that snaps onto the top of a bottle of liquid laundry detergent, for example, with gears that move as the detergent is poured out of the bottle. (Everything is printed with a 3-D printer — even the antenna and switch, which are made using a plastic-and-copper filament that’s readily available on the 3-D printer market.) The device can measure how much has been poured out so far, which could help you know when it’s time to order more — or it could even order more detergent for you automatically. Another device measures wind speed using gears and springs, sending the information through the WiFi stream. The team also has created switches and sliders that could be used to control the volume of a
stereo, or turn on a light, without using battery power that remote-control devices all require. Still on their to-do list: Designing an app that could interpret the Wi-Fi signals, although Iyer said that’s not difficult. The 3-D Wi-Fi research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and Google. Gollakota’s lab works on themes of wireless communication and sensing. Iyer said the group has brainstorming sessions that go on for hours. They take a question that seems almost unsolvable — something that would seem to need magic for it to work — and try to figure out a way to solve it. In this case, the question was: How can we create 3-D plastic objects that can communicate, without Wi-Fi chips or electronics? The lab has developed a mobile phone prototype app that can detect whether somebody has sleep apnea; that technology has been licensed to a company that is developing it further. They also have invented clothing that has identification information woven into the fabric, allowing an employee to breeze through a door just by holding a sleeve up to a sensor — without having to pull out a security badge.
fantasy world
MANGO’S CALL TO NATURE
PRESENTED THROUGH THE LENS OF MARIO SORRENTI By bazaar staff
Showing us that life is about the journey rather than the destination, we rely on MANGO’s striking campaigns to appreciate the little details that make this journey all the more worthwhile. With a Spring Summer 2018 campaign envisioned through the lens of the talented Mario Sorrenti, MANGO invites us to slow down, heed nature’s call, and celebrate the connections we share with people. MANGO celebrates the natural and the sense of belonging, under the intimate gaze of Mario Sorrenti. We’ve all been there, taking pause to lament the speedy passage of time. We grapple with trying to remember experiences, rather than slowing down to take in those precious moments. The Spring Summer 2018 campaign features Anna Ewers, Amber Valletta and Noah Mills to unify this message under the famous song “Sea of Love” reinterpreted by Cat Power. The campaign flawlessly presents different personalities within the same concept, all eager to share the sense of belonging to a group. Shot in an arid landscape where empty desert dunes meet the sea, the visuals behind the campaign are quietly captivating and feature various portraits that augment the Italian photographer’s vision to explore the combination of the natural and the growing trend between fashion and new technologies. The stunning campaign has gone viral, where 86
users were also directly involved in the choice of the outfits worn by the models. This initiative is combined with others and arrives from MANGO’s desire to create shared spaces and experiences with its customers, highlighting the unity among people who share the same passion for fashion, trends and the brand's latest offerings. A key element of this project is the eminent hashtag #MangoGirls, where users from all over the world can offer their own interpretation of MANGO’s collections. For women, Spring Summer 2018 is floaty, and almost ethereal, with highlights that include delicate and lightweight garments with varying transparencies. These garments can playfully overlay one other depending on how you style your outfit, and the best juxtapositions are often presented when these pieces are combined with oversized garments. In the fabrics, we found astonishing textures in pleats, prints and cloqué dominate, which, together with a palette of neutral colors, produce garments of
organic and natural inspiration. The men’s collection is characterized by unstructured tailoring with loose and comfortable silhouettes, in natural fabrics to present an artisanal appearance, such as cotton and linen. Stripe prints in neutral tones give the garments an artistic, soft and warm look, also in touch and in tune with nature. The accessories in leather and textured fabrics contain utilitarian details for added practicality. While 2018 has brought us so many collections that have struck our imaginations—we’re yet to feel most in tune with the special connections that life offers us, than with MANGO’s latest collections. Can’t wait to visit MANGO’s nearest branch? Shop online!
Shop the latest collections from MANGO at The Avenues, 360 Mall, The Promenade, Gate Mall, and Kout Mall. For more information or to shop online, please visit shop.mango.com/KW.
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A CROWDSOURCED WAY TO REACH THOSE IN NEED By Fast Company
If you heard an app described as "Tinder, but for humanitarian relief," you'd probably think you were watching an episode of HBO's satirical TV series Silicon Valley. But MapSwipe--a collaborative effort by Doctors Without Borders (MÊdecins Sans Frontières), the American Red Cross, and other nonprofits--was pitched in just that way to Sadok Cervantes, the app's lead product designer, by developers at MSF in March 2016. "My initial reaction was, 'Not another app aboard the hype train, please!'" recalls Cervantes, whose freelance design practice caters to humanitarian causes. "But I knew their intentions were in the right place--they wanted the app to be easy, accessible, and usable by everyone. The swipeable-card interface definitely checks all three of those." MSF's developer team had thought that the Tinder model would be the best approach for addressing the problem of locating people in remote and largely unmapped regions when disaster strikes. In order to contain disease outbreaks--such as the 2015 measles epidemic in Congo--aid organizations must vaccinate everyone in the affected area as quickly as possible. But pinpointing where people actually live in the locations most vulnerable to the kinds of medical emergencies, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises that MSF and Red Cross tackle, and figuring out how to reach them, isn't as simple as firing up Google Maps. Basic information about population centers and road networks often doesn't exist at all, so aid workers have to create ad hoc maps from satellite imagery--a lengthy and tedious process when time equals lives saved (or lost). The concept behind MapSwipe: Crowdsource this work by parceling out small sections of raw satellite imagery to the smartphones of people anywhere in the world and have them identify dwellings and thoroughfares. Users can select one of several mapping "missions" to undertake, such as "Botswana Malaria Control" or "Disease elimination on Bijagos islands"; the app then shows a small chunk of the satellite view that's divided by a grid into six tiles. From there, users follow simple instructions like "identify buildings" or "look for huts" by selecting any tiles that contain those features. The app provides a handy tutorial for recognizing them: buildings and huts, for example, appear conspicuously geometric in satellite imagery, which helps them stand out from the natural landscape. Once a volunteer is done inspecting the image, she moves onto another one needing her attention. 88
The app provides a first pass on the raw satellite imagery and makes NGOs' and aid organizations' official mapping efforts more efficient. It also delivers a significant dose of do-gooder pride to first-world users, who can accurately claim to be helping save lives merely by poking at photos on their phones. (Beat that, Instagram!) To maximize MapSwipe's appeal to these casual users, the developers originally wanted Cervantes to clone Tinder's interface, which is how it got its name. But something about that approach seemed off to the designer. "I said, 'I know you want young people to use it. You want as many people as possible to use it. But in this case, it will not work.'" Cervantes, whose design portfolio includes projects for the MIT Media Lab and Lufthansa, cited the research of usability expert Don Norman in arguing that a "swipe right" interface--while lightweight and fun when applied to online dating--would actually create more work for users already being asked to do something requiring real concentration (i.e., examining blurry satellite photos). "The moment you swipe something away, it's off your radar," Cervantes explains. "If you then bring it back again and ask
someone to take a closer look, it increases your cognitive load"--Norman's term for mental effort. "We don't want that, because we don't want people to see using this app as a chore." Cervantes's insight paid off: Since its release just over a year ago, MapSwipe has aggregated more than 12 million taps, mapping over 420,000 square kilometers--more than the total area of Germany--in places like Myanmar, Guatemala, and sub-Saharan Africa, whose inhabitants would otherwise be invisible to medical aid organizations. (One user bragged to The Guardian that she "managed to map 100 square kilometers of Nigeria" while watching TV.) Recent MapSwipe initiatives have helped deliver antimalarial sprays to vulnerable residents in Laos and assisted people displaced by cyclones that have ravaged Madagascar. If a particularly nasty disaster occurs, MapSwipe can even send out push notifications to its roughly 16,000 active users to rally them around the cause. "It feels like a Bat-signal," Cervantes says. As opposed to just reaching out on social media after a crisis, "you are actually contributing to these people in distress, and that's a real connection."
savanna
THE FUTURE IS YAMAHA
Power-assist electric bicycles coming By Charles Fleming
The American arm of Yamaha Motor Corp. will begin selling its first branded power-assist electric bicycles. The Japanese giant, which manufactures everything from motorcycles and musical instruments to personal water scooters and motorboats, will begin selling Yamaha Power Assist Bicycles through U.S. dealers this year. Yamaha has been in the e-bike business for decades, as a designer and builder of electric bicycle power trains. The company said it has produced more than 4 million drive units for other brands. These will be the first Yamaha bicycles sold in the U.S. “The U.S. electric bicycle market is growing, and we see an opportunity for Yamaha to enter with our long history of power assist bicycle innovation,” said 90
Rob Trester, a business development executive with the company. “Yamaha has been studying the market closely, and we see a strong growth trend.” Four prototype bikes, shown at the annual Interbike cycling convention earlier this month in Las Vegas, will be offered to retailers. The production models will wear the traditional Yamaha tuning fork emblem, which harkens back to the company’s roots in musical instruments. They are the UrbanRush, YDX-TORC, CrossCore and CrossConnect, and run the gamut from sleek racing bike to mountain bike to street cruiser. Power assist bikes typically use an electric motor and on-board electric battery to add propulsion to the traditional pedal-and-chain system. The power can be turned on or off, and dialed low to high, depending on how much energy the rider desires to use. In most jurisdictions, the bikes are limited to 20 mph. Many can be ridden up to 50 miles before running out of electricity and can be recharged in two to four
hours. In price, they run from several hundred dollars to many thousands. Although electric-assist bicycles are popular in Europe and Asia, they have been slower to catch on in the U.S. A recent report from the consulting firm eCycleElectric said that approximately 250,000 e-bikes were sold in America last year, representing 70 percent growth over 2015. Other estimates suggest the business could double again this year. But Harlan Flagg, a veteran electric bicycle and motorcycle retailer who owns the popular shop Hollywood Electrics, said the newcomers may be late to the game. “Yamaha is a well-known and respected brand, but the market is already pretty saturated with manufacturers,” Flagg said. “This is a very competitive space. The opportunity for a manufacturer to have a huge impact has probably passed.”
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ARAVID
Free Arabic video lessons By Dana Ghazawnah
Our dear non-Arabic speakers, If you find it difficult to pronounce ‘3aen’ or ‘GHaen’ Muhammad Barazy will definitely help you. Barazy is an ambitious young man from Syria, Hama. What does he do, exactly?! His love for languages inspired him to launch a YouTube channel, AraVid, to teach foreigners Arabic. “I consider AraVid as a representation of the strong will to live, and the hope that we [Syrians] have. As a Syrian, I have faced a lot of sad calamities, tragic incidents, and lost some of my goals, academic achievements, many friends as well. At that moment, I needed something to live for so I can believe again that there is something in this life worth living for.” So he tried to rearrange his life and get up again. He made a new list of goals and did so many things in order to follow his dream. "My love to learn languages (English primarily), and my desire to meet new cultures increased during that period of hardship. However, because of the high prices of language courses here, and my lack of finances, I tried to think out of the box to practice and improve my skills in English. So I started self-study courses, and started using language communication apps to speak with natives. And yes, I felt the difference." Most of those who practiced English with Muhammad were Arabic learners, and through they had frequent contact with them, he noticed that they had difficulties pronouncing some Arabic letters and words, and had grammatical mistakes too. So, with his modest English, he decided to help them by establishing a YouTube channel to help not only them, but also all Arabic learners all over the world as much as he could. It took him about two months to refine this, and to read language references about teaching Arabic for foreigners. In 29 May 2017, he initiated his channel Arabic with Barazy, AraVid to publish the first video in 9 June with self-efforts in everything (i.e. recording, writing the scenario, montage, etc.). Increasing views on YouTube is a whole other mission. Muhammad faced this problem and after publishing 2 or 3 videos, he was shocked with how low the interaction was. He felt as though by establishing this channel, all the efforts was in vain, so he deactivated it, and wanted to quit everything. But he didn’t give up after all! After a determined month of thinking about restarting everything to benefit the few learners registered, he found a way to increase advertising efforts with social media. 92
He established a Facebook page, Twitter account, joined a lot of Arabic learning groups on Facebook to share his videos, and uploaded new videos with diverse subjects. “I really saw the difference with the increased amount of audience members these videos reached. Alhamdulillah, all the reviews and feedback were positive. Also, a lot of Arabic learners (especially English and Spanish natives) told me then that they took the advantages of my videos more than others (specifically the pronunciation matter), and they also praised my American accent.” All these positive reviews gave him the power to complete what he has started, and encouraged him to ask the help from famous non-Arabic pages so he could reach more Arabic learners and more audience. Although he didn’t receive any answer from them most of the time, that didn’t stop him from following his goals. The future of the project is to let more Arabic teachers/language lovers teach Arabic under the shelter of AraVid. However, so far, he wants to keep it as a personal project and work for it alone
although he spends a lot of time on the preparation of each video. His dream is to attend linguistic and cultural exchange courses and conferences to learn more about others cultures and tell them about his. He also wants to improve his English more and more as well as his Spanish, which he has just started to learn.
Want to learn a language? Catch Muhammad online and keep up with his episodes on YouTube: aravidofficial and the latest updates on Facebook: aravidofficial.
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PRETTY AND POWERFUL
Opening soon at The Avenues! by bazaar staff
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Joan of Arc, Simone de Beauvoir and of course Coco Chanel. Names that shout Paris and a lot more: a young girl leading armies of men, a writer revealing social truths of being the second sex, a creator of a luxury brand that came from nothing. Strong, powerful women striding along their own path cutting swaths through what had previously been accepted and expected of women. It is satisfying to know that at & Other Stories, female empowerment is a constant cornerstone. You will discover this for yourself when the new boutique opens soon in The Avenues.
& Other Stories does not seek to dictate to women how they should dress or what they should wear. The type of person who loves & Other Stories wears things that just feel right and reflects their various personalities. No matter what your age or style, these collections are sure to bring you a little bit of joy each season. A wonderfully inspired way that & Other Stories creates such distinctive and diverse collections within the same fashion season is through the three lines that the fashion house delivers. From the very outset, the brand promised itself to never view style as right or wrong, and as part of this offering a broad variety in their collections has always been their ‘guiding light’. This is done by not only separating these lines sartorially, but by seas and oceans too. There is something about culture that takes actually being there to absorb and be inspired by it. The Stockholm Atelier has a paired-back and sleek Scandinavian aesthetic that plays with contrast and proportions. Think oversized jackets and tailoring, menswear textiles with color blocking in these collections. The Los Angeles Atelier creates, as one would expect, collections that suit any occasion given the inspiration of LA; Venice beach life casualness and the glamor of Hollywood juxtaposed. Polished with an attitude if you will. The Paris Atelier wouldn’t be French if its collections weren’t so ultra-eclectic and bourgeois bohème. On these pages you can see highlights of the Spring offering C’est Trés Chic; instant inspiration if you’re wondering how to renew your wardrobe this Spring. Early 80s punk booties can be paired with a salmon pink satin menswear-cut jacket with feminine diamanté heart buttons cuff detail, 90s inspired floral dresses and century old chanel-inspired accessories—and you can find all
of these pieces in one collection. “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” and although it may be not quite how Beauvoir meant it, & Other Stories supports you in finding and expressing your own sense of who you are to create your own style.
& Other Stories is opening this month at The Avenues. Follow @andotherstories on Instagram and check out the hashtags #storieskuwait #andotherstories for the latest updates! Visit www.stories.com for further details about & other stories. 95
ART IN NATURE
The Hatay Sofrasi experience By bazaar staff
Nature is life’s greatest gift. Just feast your eyes on any part of earth’s natural bounty, and you’ll find a complementary work of art. Witness a raindrop falling from a leaf onto the ground, and pay attention to a single rose blossoming and stretching itself in the sun. Appreciate the crisp lines in the angles of the stretching peaks and the circles that are repetitive on the beach as the sun sets. With all that, you've got yourselves an art show. Because we as human beings are constantly surrounded by hidden gems of beauty in our everyday lives, it’s no wonder that we try to incorporate a similar aesthetic regularly. We imitate the natural beauty we’re blessed with in everything, starting with marketable practices. Beauty is always seen in final polish – respecting its aesthetic principle – but is also engrained in intention. Kuwait’s restaurant industry, for example, takes this ethos and appreciation and implements it heavily into its restaurant industry. Kuwait’s restaurants are renowned for paying attention to the little details, and as a result, many receive high praise for breathtaking ambiances creating an unforgettable experience. A classic example in our books, is Hatay Sofrasi – an original concept that emulates earthiness and nature in its décor and ethos. Hatay Sofrasi was designed to take you to simpler times filled with no muss, no fuss and lots of tradition. As a result, recreating the authentic Ottoman experience from the Hatay region of Turkey meant using natural elements that transport your senses to a journey of sound, sight, touch, taste and smell. How, you may ask? Take Hatay’s fresh interior and exterior floorplans - upon walking into the restaurant, your ears are greeted by the soothing sound of water gracefully babbling onto the edge of a rock fountain. Your eyes are warmed by the sight of rustic touches that act as a nod to the ancient practices the Turks use when crafting traditional cuisine – from the authentic well housing tangy, cold, laban ayran, to the flames still burning atop the jarra clay jar filled with a generous, bubbling portion of homemade beef stew, and the satisfaction of rock salt cracking open to produce a perfectly cooked chicken. Naturally, with such seductive pleasures to the senses, comes the tanginess, freshness and smokiness that fresh ingredients and cooking methods deliver. But the most natural of all elements that highlights the pleasurable journey Hatay Sofrasi has to offer is the company you choose to share your experience with. Hatay is a place that brings people together, regardless of the occasion. Whether you’re visiting to celebrate a formal affair, or just taking a moment to share a warm meal among friends and family, the art of community is valued at Hatay and it serves as the perfect venue to bring people to bond. So next time you visit Hatay, take a moment to appreciate the little things in life. Remember that nature is our greatest gift, and gives us all the tools to heighten our senses – from taking in soothing sights and sounds, to tasting delicious views, to the cozy closeness of sharing all of it with someone you love. Hatay Sofrasi is located in Murouj off sixth Ring Road, and will soon be opening in The Avenues. Follow them on Instagram @hataysofrasi_kw. Hatay is also available on Talabat Go! Order from them today and enjoy your Turkish experience at home with the click of a button. 96
center point
big boys toys
FORD RANGER RAPTOR
BORING COMPANY FLAMETHROWER
NISSAN 370ZKI SNOWMOBILE
AUDIOWOOD X UNCRATE BARKY TURNTABLE
DISCOMMON COFFEE TABLE
CAKE KALK ELECTRIC BIKE
The Ford Ranger Raptor is the latest mid-sized pickup to focus on off-road performance. A six-mode Terrain Management System ensures it performs its best, whether it's on the road, track, grass, snow, sand, mud, or rocks. It sits on a unique high-strength lowalloy steel frame, a new racing suspension, and Fox Racing Shox shock absorbers, with all the exterior attitude you'd expect from such a capable vehicle and all the creature comforts of its more subdued stablemates.
Cut from an Ash tree, with the rings and bark left intact, each Barky turntable is beautiful and unique. It comes with a hefty glass platter and blackened solid brass spike feet, along with an award-winning Rega Elys2 cartridge and super high-end Rega RB330 tonearm with acute stability and nearly friction-free movement. And since the cartridge is already aligned and mounted, your Audiowood x Uncrate Barky turntable goes from unboxing to playing your favorite albums in minutes.
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When Elon Musk first announced his Boring Company, he raised extra money by selling hats with the company logo on the front. He recently promised the next "fundraiser" product would be a flamethrower. The Boring Company Flamethrower is Musk's December promise brought to life. According to the product page — currently protected by a password — the image above is just a prototype and the "final production flamethrower will be better." Keep your eye out for the password so you can place your order.
The Discommon Coffee Table creates the same effect from a four foot long, four-inch thick block of 6061 aerospace-grade aluminum. As it takes 100 hours of designer time to create each unique vehicle model and finalize textures and finishes, the run is being limited to just 10 tables. When you order, you get to pick the vehicle your table will feature, and will also be involved picking surface finishes, approving the design, and picking the hard anodized color of the final product. Four tables have been produced, including the Ferrari F40 example seen above.
Nissan brought the ultimate in winter transport to the 2018 Chicago Auto Show. Starting with a 370Z Roadster, Nissan and American Track Truck created this wild rear-wheel-drive snowmobile. The 370Z has a custom three-inch lift to fit the rear tracks and a heavily-modified front frame with skis. Not just for show, Nissan put the 370Zki through its paces in Wyoming, where its high-performance roots showed on the slopes. While it may almost be summer again, you have time to save before winter to get this beast.
Swedish-based EV startup Cake's first model, the Kalk electric bike, is designed from the groundup as on- and off-road transportation with sleek, minimal design. Every component on the Kalk is exclusive — off-the-shelf-parts deemed too heavy or not durable enough to meet its design criteria. The Kalk can reach up to 50 MPH with a range of 50 miles, and three modes make sure you can't get yourself in trouble until you're comfortable. The initial production run is limited to 50 units, with shipping starting in late 2018.
Source: www.uncrate.com
talabat
BEING FRANK WITH MONKI
Catharina Frankander Monki’s Head of Store Concept talks to bazaar about the upcoming Kuwait opening! By bazaar staff
You may have noticed that bursting onto the Kuwait fashion scene at the moment is the Swedish brand MONKI. Brought to Kuwait by Alshaya, and with a tornado of fresh air, Monki cuts swaths through typical fashion expectations. Female empowerment, body positivity, self-esteem and sustainable living personifies the brand. This fresh attitude requires an entirely new approach to design of the retail environment and Head of Store Concept Catharina Frankander has been bringing the Monki world to life since 2006. Catharina could not have had a more establishment education, with degrees from respected institutions the Architectural Association School of Architecture London and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. But, like the chrysalis moment of the emergence of Picasso to found Cubism, Catharina’s traditional training and expertise is used as the strongest of foundations to expand and explore modernism, moving a store from being a ‘retail environment’ into a whimsical embodiment of almost intangible ideas; the attitude, belief and style that is Monki. While other famous Swedish brands may look to identikit stores as a visual merchandising philosophy, Monki’s interior design is organic and expressive, and in fact visually stunning. “Monki is the fashion retail brand that started as a reaction to the uniformity of retail” monki.com. proudly proclaims, “and the brand believes that the world should have a creative alternative which has led to Monki crafting a colorbursting storytelling world of its own.” As the brand continues to develop, Catharina embraces and explores texture, textiles and futuristic finishes unexpectedly juxtaposed with traditional influences. You can see this with the oversized highshine bubble clouds set into department ceilings, with pastel colored scalloped edged fixture detailing, and a deeply plush seating area where you can charge your phones. With hanging baskets, disco balls and party tinsel as chandeliers this spectacular array of Monki design magic, is the ultimate setting for taking the perfect selfie. When you do, remember to use #MonkiKuwait! Do the store concepts you design move laterally from what’s gone before, and is the latest store always the most up-to-date, modern, and Monki? Totally. As a brand, we are always moving forward and we are always trying to find new ways to inspire and excite our customers. 100
Catharina Frankander-Monki Head of Store Concept While Monki is more about style than fashion, being true to yourself, how will the interior design change to reflect customers’ evolving style over the years? The Monki World store experience is a collection of exciting destinations, taken from a smorgasbord that we constantly re-design and add new features to. The store design is therefore constantly evolving with each store, always with the customer experience on top of mind. Do you take into account local style preferences when you are designing stores? When we expand, it is always important to listen to the needs of the local customer, as well as being true to the Monki brand. Monki should be Monki, and offer
the Kuwaiti women the same fashion experience, imaginative store design and empowering community as we do in all markets. We love to include winks to the local architecture in our shopfronts when we can. What unique design solutions will Kuwait see in Monki that they have never seen before? Monki stores are stories: they knit together imagination and mystery, spatial confusion, and the surreal to offer whimsical experiences accessible to all. The Kuwait store brings together many parts of the imaginary Monki World into one boutique, introducing newly discovered wonders alongside re-imaginings of the most ancient lands.
Lit navigation- Monki Gothenburg
Lounge Carousel with phone charging station- Monki Antwerp The Kuwaiti customer will enter the store under a dazzling Disco Carousel which hovers high up in the confetti ceiling. Wander through wavy tentacles of Jellyfish swimming in the Sea of Scallops, elevating party tinsel to chandelier status. The lifestyle assortment is sheltered in the shades of the knobbly trees of the Knotted Jungle, arranged on branches of platters, recalling a childhood candy store. Spinning turbine flowers in windows, mint snow balls and golden rains pouring from the ceiling. Fitting rooms stand amidst the Forgotten Forest where shoppers can view their new favorite garments from all angles and lose themselves in reflections; the ultimate selfie setting. How does a partner like Alshaya successfully support the creation of the Monki experience? We work together with Alshaya to ensure our brand is well presented. By partnering with Alshaya, we benefit from their local market knowledge and local construction teams. This is a way for us to open Monki stores in a part of the world where we would not otherwise be able to establish a presence using the current wholly-owned subsidiary model. How do you ensure ethically sourced and socially responsible materials are used in production? Monki aims to be kind to the world and the people in it. As part of the H&M group, we follow the requirements set by our Sustainability department. These requirements have a minimum standard based on UN and ILO Conventions together with national legislations. We are only working with suppliers that comply with our Sustainability Commitment and Code of Ethics, meaning that we work with business partners that acknowledge sustainability in the whole value chain. The commitment communicates all the areas we are committed to work on to make our value chain more sustainable. Within these areas we include healthy workplaces, animal welfare, and a healthy eco system. We constantly strive to improve our sustainability performance. Artists and architects often have secrets built into their work. Have you left any markers in the store? Let me say this much, the store has a hidden portal into the Monki World‌ Customers love the unexpected, does the concept translate into pop-ups? Of course, it does! We always want to be where our customers are. What is your favorite part of the Kuwait store? The all-new lounge carousel where you can relax and get style input from friends while charging your phone. Monki is opening soon at Grand Avenue-The Avenues. For more information, visit www.monki.com. Stay updated with @Monki on Instagram by checking out the hashtags #monkistyle and #monkikuwait.
Denim key area with mirror cloud feature-Monki Gothenburg
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bazaar movie night
The latest from the big screen playing in cinemas across Kuwait in March
BLACK BUTTERFLY
RED SPARROW
HANGMAN
TOMB RAIDER
PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING
READY PLAYER ONE
Release Date: March 1st Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Thriller Cast: Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Piper Perabo Synopsis: On the outskirts of a mountain town grappling with a series of abductions and murders, Paul, a reclusive writer, struggles to start what he hopes will be a career-saving screenplay. After a tense encounter with a drifter named Jack, Paul offers Jack a place to stay. As a storm cuts off power to the cabin, the two men begin a jagged game that will bring at least one tale to an end.
Release Date: March 15th Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Action, Adventure Cast: Alicia Vikander, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins Synopsis: Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished years earlier. Hoping to solve the mystery of her father's disappearance, Croft embarks on a perilous journey to his last-known destination -- a fabled tomb on a mythical island that might be somewhere off the coast of Japan. The stakes couldn't be higher as Lara must rely on her sharp mind, blind faith and stubborn spirit to venture into the unknown.
Release Date: March 1st Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Mystery, Thriller Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Charlotte Rampling Synopsis: Prima ballerina Dominika Egorova faces an uncertain future after she suffers an injury that ends her career. She turns to Sparrow School, a secret intelligence service that trains young people to use their minds and bodies as weapons. As she comes to terms with her new abilities, Dominika meets a CIA agent who tries to convince her that he is the only person she can trust.
Release Date: March 22nd Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Action, Adventure,Sci-Fi Cast: Scott Eastwood, Adria Arjona, Tian Jing Synopsis: Jake Pentecost is a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity's victory against the monstrous Kaiju. Jake has since abandoned his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld. But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through cities and bring the world to its knees, Jake is given one last chance by his estranged sister, Mako Mori, to live up to his father's legacy.
Release Date: March 8th Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller Cast: Al Pacino, Karl Urban, Brittany Snow Synopsis: Hangman stars Al Pacino, Karl Urban, Joe Anderson, Sarah Shahi, and Brittany Snow. Decorated homicide detective Ray Archer (Al Pacino) partners with criminal profiler Will Ruiney (Karl Urban) to catch one of the city's notoriously vicious serial killers, who is playing a twisted version of murder using the child's game... HANGMAN, while journalist Christi Davies (Brittany Snow) reports on the crime spree, shadowing the detectives.
Release Date: March 29th Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Action, Adventure,Sci-Fi Cast: Letitia Wright, Hannah John-Kamen, Mckenna Grace Synopsis: In the near future, Wade Watts escapes from his daily drudgery by logging onto an MMO game called 'The Oasis'. When the game's billionaire founder dies, he offers players his fortune as the prize in an easter egg hunt within The Oasis. Watts gets in on the action then after five years finds himself facing off against corporate foes who will go to any lengths to get the money -- in both the real world and in The Oasis.
For more details on movie timings and the cinema nearest you, visit Cinescape at www.cinescape.com.kw. *Above programs are subject to change without prior notice. 102
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bazaar books
12 RULES FOR LIFE: AN ANTIDOTE TO CHAOS
THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah
By Jordan B. Peterson
Renowned psychologist Jordan B. Peterson's answer to the most difficult of questions uniquely combines the truths of ancient tradition with the stunning revelations of scientific research. Humorous, surprising and informative, Dr. Peterson tells us why skateboarding boys and girls must be left alone, what terrible fate awaits those who criticize too easily, and why you should always pet a cat when you meet one on the street. What does the nervous system of the lowly lobster have to tell us about standing up straight (with our shoulders back) and about success in life? Why did ancient Egyptians worship the capacity to pay careful attention as the highest of gods? What dreadful paths do people tread when they become resentful, arrogant and vengeful? Dr. Peterson journeys broadly, discussing discipline, freedom, adventure and responsibility, distilling the world's wisdom into 12 profound rules for life.
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Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier. Thirteenyear-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown. At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.
EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON: AND OTHER LIES I'VE LOVED
ALL THE PIECES MATTER: THE INSIDE STORY OF THE WIRE
Diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, the prospect of her own mortality forces Kate to realize that she has been tacitly subscribing to the prosperity gospel, living with the conviction that she can control the shape of her life with “a surge of determination.” Even as this type of faith celebrates the can-do spirit, it implies that if you “can’t do” and succumb to illness or misfortune, you are a failure. Kate is very sick, and no amount of positive thinking will shrink her tumors. What does it mean to die, she wonders, in a society that insists everything happens for a reason? Kate is stripped of this certainty only to discover that without it, life is hard but beautiful in a way it never has been before. Frank and funny, dark and wise, Kate Bowler pulls the reader deeply into her life in an account she populates affectionately with a colorful, often hilarious retinue of friends, preachers, relatives, and doctors.
Since its final episode aired in 2008, HBO's acclaimed crime drama The Wire has only become more popular and influential. The issues it tackled, from the failures of the drug war and criminal justice system to systemic bias in law enforcement and other social institutions, have become more urgent and central to international conversation. Its creators and writers, including David Simon and Richard Price, have developed dedicated cult followings of their own. Universities use the show to teach everything from film theory to criminal justice to sociology. Politicians and activists reference it when discussing policy. It is arguably one of the great works of art America has produced in the 20th century. But while there has been a great deal of critical analysis of the show and its themes, until now there has never been a definitive, behind-thescenes take on how it came to be made.
by Kate Bowler
by Jonathan Abrams
THE OUTSIDER
by Stephen King
At a time when the King brand has never been stronger, he has delivered one of his most unsettling and compulsively readable stories. An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad. As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s propulsive story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face? The answer will shock you as only Stephen King can.
Source: www.amazon.co.uk
Jumeirah 4
Kuwait’s award-winning premium steakhouse offers the finest meat cuts cooked to perfection. Savor your favorite steaks, ribs and briskets grilled or smoked to your liking in a unique dining flair.
For more information, visit Jumeirah.com or call +965 22 69 666.
March Upcoming Events at Shaikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre The Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre’s upcoming program for the month of March include classics, a revival of an iconic Arabic singers, and contemporary Arabic songs. On Thursday, the first of March, we will have our monthly act honoring the ‘Star of the East Umm Kalthoum’ in a promising Kalthoumiyat. In mid-March, the Kuwaiti audience will reunite with famous Iraqi singer Ilham Al-Madfai re-introducing old songs in a modern way. Kuwait witnessed Al-Midfai’s beginnings during the sixties. On the 16th, Lebanese popular singer Wael Kfoury is holding his first concert in the Centre. On the 22nd and 23rd, the Centre will be presenting a tribute to the late iconic Yemeni voice, Abu-Baker Salem, whom the Arabic world lost this past December. Lastly at the end of March, the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra will perform for three days from the 29th-31st.
Kalthoumiyat: Iman Abdulghani March 1 The star of this month’s ‘Kalthoumiyat’, is Egyptian singer and winner of the Best Voice Award 2017 at the Arabic Music Festival, Eman
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Abdulghani. She is the soloist of the Arabic Music Band at the Egyptian Opera House, and the Umm KulthumOrchestra for Arabic Music. She will present five songs which include: “Arak AssiyaAddame’ ”, “Howa Saheeh El-Hawa Ghallab”, “Lessabr Hodud”, “Ghanili Shway Shway” and “Al-Atlal”.
Abu- Baker Salem Works March 22 & 23 On March 22nd & 23rd, the Sheikh Jaber Orchestra, will present some of the late iconic singer Abu-Baker Salem most popular songs, performed by talented voices, paying tribute to the musical heritage that will remain engraved in our hearts. The concert will include the most important stops of Salem’s musical journey.
Ilhamiyat: To my Dear Kuwait March 15 On the 15th of March, the Sheikh Jaber Cultural Centre will host Ilham Al-Madfai, who started his musical career at the end of the sixties, when he re-introduced Iraqi musical heritage in a new style. During his 50 years musical career, Al-Madfai held many concerts in the Arab world and abroad where he became well-known.
Wael Kfoury
March 16 On Friday March 16, the popular Lebanese singer Wael Kfoury, “The King of Romance” will meet his fans at the National Theatre to present a collection of his famous songs. Wael Kfoury’s career kick-started with the famous talent show “Studio El Fan”, where he won the gold medal for the ‘Folk Song Category’ in 1992. Since then, forming his own identity, he rose to be one of the most famous stars in the region.
The Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra March 29, 30 & 31 The program of March ends with classical music performed by one of the oldest musical institutions in Eastern Europe; the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra led by principal conductor Horia Andreescu. They will present three nights on the 29th, 30th and 31st of March. With an array of great music presented at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre this month, you will surely enjoy the sounds of the different kinds of old and contemporary Arabic music, mixed with the best western classics.
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ها ف
مـا ر س
MARCH
JACC-KW.COM
شهر مارس حافل ومتنوع في مركز الشيخ جابر األحمد الثقافي يقدم برنامج مركز الشيخ جابر األحمد الثقافي في ً برنامجا متنوعا للجمهور المتذوق مارس المقبل للموسيقى بألوانها المختلفة ،ففي مساء الخميس األول من مارس يتجدد اللقاء مع باقة من أغنيات كوكب الشرق ،يعيد المركز من خاللها إحياء أجمل األلحان التي تغنت بها أم كلثوم وبقيت في مارس يلتقي الجمهور الكويتي مع الفنان المميز إلهام المدفعي وأغنياته العراقية التي يقدمها من الشهر بالفنان القدير الراحل أبو بكر سالم ،الذي فقدنا برحيله أحد أعمدة الفن العربي األصيل، مارس.
كلثوميات :إيمان عبدالغني
1مارس تحيي حفل هذا الشهر الفنانة المصرية المتألقة أيمان عبدالغني ،صوليست فرقة الموسيقى العربية بدار األوبرا المصرية ،وصوليست فرقة أم كلثوم للموسيقى العربية .وقد حصلت إيمان عبد الغني . يتضمن برنامج الحفل األغنيات الخمس التالية“ :أراك عصي الدمع” ،و”هو صحيح الهوى ّ غالب” ،و”للصبر ّ حدود” و”غني لي شوي” ،و”األطالل”.
أعمال أبو بكر سالم
23,22مارس مارس أغنيات الفنان الراحل أبو بكر سالم ،بمصاحبة نخبة من األصوات المميزة ،ليستحضر الجمهور من خالل الحفل بعضا من األغنيات الجميلة الراسخة في الذاكرة. ويتضمن الحفل عرضا لمقتطفات من مسيرة الفنان الراحل وأهم محطاتها.
إلهاميات :إلى حبيبتي الكويت
15مارس مارس ،يستضيف مركز جابر الثقافي الفنان إلهام المدفعي ،الذي بدأ مشواره الفني في نهاية الستينيات ،عندما قدم الموسيقى العربية القديمة بأسلوبه الجديد ،فدخل بموسيقاه إلى المسارح العالمية .والفنان المدفعي أحيا من خالل مسيرته الفنية ،بعزفه وبغنائه ،العديد من الحفالت الناجحة، وانتشرت موسيقاه في الوطن العربي وفي الخارج.
وائل كفوري
16مارس مارس ،يحيي الفنان المحبوب وائل كفوري حفال غنائيا يقدم من خالله أغنيات شاعت بين جمهوره ومحبيه. وقد كانت انطالقة الفنان وائل كفوري من برنامج ستوديو الفن أوائل التسعينيات ،عندما فاز بالميدالية الذهبية عن فئة األغنية الشعبية ،لتستمر نجاحاته بعدها في الحفالت والمهرجانات التي شارك بها في مختلف أنحاء العالم ،باإلضافة إلى ألبوماته الغنائية التي شكلت بمجملها هويته الفنية الخاصة.
أوركسترا بوخارست 31,30,29مارس
يصل برنامج شهر مارس إلى نهايته مع أوركسترا بوخارست ،ليقدم لعشاق الموسيقى الكالسيكية مارس ،تقدم من خاللها تلك األوركسترا العريقة مجموعة مختارة من المقطوعات الكالسيكية. أمسيات رائعة تنتظر عشاق الموسيقى ومحبيها في مركز الشيخ جابر األحمد الثقافي ،وفرصة لالستمتاع باأللحان الشرقية القديمة والجديدة ،وبالموسيقى الكالسيكية الغربية في أجمل صورها.
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THUNDERLY
ICAB
Teach your kids about money by having them complete chores and work towards goals. Assign different chores to your children, and help them set saving goals for allowances. Are they saving up for a new bike, or maybe just looking to save a certain amount? Add that goal to the app, and watch as they make their way towards each goal in daily and weekly progress meters. You can even transfer money to your child's connected bank account to make keeping track of all of this even easier.
Circa News is a video-focused news app that delivers a news feed tailor-made for you. You can name and select some of your favorite topics like technology, celebrity, fashion or politics, and Circa will show you stories in those subjects. You can further refine your interests later. As you watch or read each story, you can even add the topic tags from that story to your areas of interest so more stories like it show up in your feed. A better option than scrolling various sites until you find the type of news you want.
If you love thunderstorms, this app is for you. Featuring a photorealistic globe, Thunderly lets you zoom in on storms around the world and watch as the lightning flashes. The globe features real-time clouds and lightning, precipitation, and a history layer for the last hour to show how the storm has moved. Zoom into the map for increased detail, and if you search hard enough, you might even find a switch for real-time aurora appearances. Good timing for Kuwait, between winter and summer, we should be due some good thunderstorms!
This app helps you find, and even form, support groups full of people that are going through the same things you are. Share your stories with people who have been there, post videos about how you're feeling, and like and comment on videos left by your group mates. Chat with your group in real time to get or offer support and advice. There are groups for people dealing with depression or eating disorders, or people who have problems with bullies at their schools, and many more.
This app from the folks at JibJab lets you create custom GIFs that will make your friends laugh. Take a selfie, then put your face on all sorts of silly bodies, then customize your background, add a phrase, or even a sticker to liven up your GIF. You can then share your GIFs anywhere that has a sharing extension, such as Messages, Instagram, Facebook, and so many more. Nothing especially new here but if you like to create/use GIFs with your posts, this is a good additional app to have.
iCab is an app with a lot of preferences, which are organized in multiple sub-sections and nested screens. The app can be daunting to configure and too deep to customize for most people. It pays off if you put in the time to learn its labyrinth of settings though. There's a lot to love in iCab – if you know where to find it. Unlike Safari, the app offers a proper file downloader that does everything we like Apple to do: you can queue multiple downloads, preview them when they're done, send them to other apps, and even browse them in iCab's Files extension.
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THE SWEETEST MOMENTS ARE NEVER FORGOTTEN
Haagen-dazs
bazaar music
WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND
EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL, AND NOTHING HURT
AMERICAN UTOPIA
Folk legend and recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Joan Baez has announced her first LP in a decade. Whistle Down the Wind will include a number of covers– including ANOHNI’S “Another World,” Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “The Things We Are Made Of,” and Tom Waits’ “Whistle Down the Wind,” the album’s lead single–as well as several original songs. “What’s happened, and I didn’t do it on purpose, but the songs have become mine,” Baez said. “That’s when I know I’m on the right track.” Whistle Down the Wind is out early March.
Everything Was Beautiful, And Nothing Hurt is Mobys 15th studio LP, following a pair of LPs that Moby recorded with the Void Pacific Choir. (2016's These Systems Are Failing and 2017's controversy-stirring More Fast Songs About the Apocalypse) According to Moby, this album is a return to the gospel and triphop style of his earlier works. The shift is evident on the album's first single "Like a Motherless Child," a reworking of the traditional slavery-era song "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child." Moby's rendition features guest vocalist Raquel Rodriguez.
Byrne said of American Utopia in a statement, "These songs don't describe an imaginary or possibly impossible place but rather attempt to depict the world we live in now. Many of us, I suspect, are not satisfied with that world—the world we have made for ourselves. These songs are about that looking and that asking." For the LP, Byrne worked with a fleet of in-demand producers, including Eno, Rodaidh McDonald, Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never), Jack Pinate, Jam City and Thomas Bartlett (Doveman).
By Joan Baez
FIREPOWER
by Moby
By David Byrne
By Judas Priest
By Snoop Dogg
BIBLE OF LOVE
TWENTYTWO IN BLUE
Rob Halford sings about fighting evil in the name of freedom in Firepower, the charging title track of Judas Priest's upcoming 18th studio album. The rest of the band, led by guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, commands the sort of chugging riffs that made the group metal avatars in the early Eighties, all leading up to emotive, dueling six-string solos as drummer Scott Travis kicks up the tempo. The album, due March 9th, marks the second album since Faulkner replaced original guitarist K.K. Downing and the return of co-producer Tom Allom, who'd worked on the band's Eighties victories.
Snoop Dogg delivered on his promise to record a gospel album, Bible of Love. The 32-track double album features artists like Tye Tribbet, the Clark Sisters, Faith Evans and Rance Allen. Snoop Dogg also unveiled the new video for the album's sevenminute closing track, "Words Are Few,". Snoop Dogg has hinted at recording a gospel album since 2017. He said in a Beats 1 interview, "It's always been on my heart. I just never got around to it because I always be doing 'gangsta' business or doing this or doing that. I just felt like it's been on my heart too long. I need to do it now."
Sunflower Bean made a late play for putting out one of 2017’s best songs when they released “I Was a Fool” in November, the first new music they had released since their acclaimed 2016 debut Human Ceremony. Since then, the New York trio have done us one better by announcing their second album Twentytwo in Blue, due out March 23 via Mom + Pop. Twentytwo in Blue’s second single is “Crisis Fest,” an urgent, yet upbeat call to arms that warns, “If you hold us back, you know that we can shout / We brought you into this place, you know we can take you out.”
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By Sunflower Bean
Source: www.amazon.co.uk
MAc
bazaar goes dining
PRETTY IN PINK
Treat yourself to loveliness at Rosewater Café By bazaar staff
In my humble opinion, Middle Eastern food firmly makes its mark as one of the world’s most favored cuisines. Hummus, grills and tangy salads like tabbouleh have become favorites of many all over the globe. That’s why, amidst all other gorgeous international concepts popping up around Kuwait, a modern take of our proud culture is always appreciated. Welcome to Rosewater Café – a place cradled in the hustle and bustle of old Kuwait City at a hop, skip and a jump away from the Mubarakiya district. The definition of old-meetsnew, this spot emulates fresh interpretations that give a nod to our generation’s version of embracing Arab culture and history. With a pristine presentation that doesn’t compromise itself on comfort, Rosewater uses a smart interior decorating tactic that allows all guests to feel a lovely trend of modernism meeting tradition. Neutrals keep the space bright, 112
coupled with cutlery and flatware that bring out the casual richness of the spot’s personality. “I wanted to give people a place to go that would make everybody comfortable,” founder Jawhara Almahdi tells me as we settle into the welcoming seats that accommodate spacious tables in the dining area. With fresh wisps of greenery and modern splashes of grays and dusty roses with contrasting bold colors and clean wooden and metallic hues, Jawhara’s renowned good taste is as recognized and praised as in her other two partnerships (The Foundry and N Boutique). Rosewater Café, however, is an Almahdi family creation, and Jawhara acts as a very hands-on manager of the establishment; right down to finding the ideal chef mentor to build the menu – and who better than the famous Greg Malouf to curate? “I’m a huge fan of Greg’s – I love the work he’s done, love his books (i.e: New Feast: Modern Middle Eastern Vegetarian (2014))– and it was like a dream come true to have him come over here and work on Rosewater Café with me. He’s so great, and I don’t know what I would’ve done without him.” Known for his outstanding
takes on modern Middle Eastern cuisine, Greg’s skill and Rosewater’s ethos provided a perfect fit, and the result is a stunningly simple menu that offers classic Mediterranean Middle Eastern fare. The menu is small (for now!) yet mighty, with meze, sandwiches, pastries, main courses, salads and of course, desserts. And furthermore, was that breakfast, I spied? “The beauty about this place is that it looks completely different during daytime and nighttime – completely different vibes, but both are enjoyable.” And by offering breakfast, lunch and dinner on the menu, Rosewater is inviting the public to experience all different ambiances at whichever time suits them. Personally, as someone who was at the crossover late-lunchto-evening crowd, I get the charm. But the food was definitely the best experience. What I like about Rosewater is that this place has soul, and it strays away from being a clichéd Middle Eastern café. Menu items spoke volumes of local taste, offering simple dishes that are shareable and enjoyed by many. Smokey Babaghanoush (or muttabal,
as regionally known by the masses) and a Silky Hummus are accompanied by delicious homemade date pita bread, delivering a deliciously contrasting sweetness to the tart dips. I’ve always said that when you put hummus and muttabal on the same table, hummus tends to be the more enticing of the two. Albeit they were both delicious, the muttabal was the real star of the show. The hummus had a pleasant taste to it that was light enough for continuous indulgence, but that muttabal – beautifully smoky with a splash of sweetness courtesy of the ruby-colored pomegranate seeds acting as a garnish, was nothing short of addictive. The dips were a mere teaser for other goodies to come. I was invited to try two types of salads, one of which was the Turkish Tabbouleh; a beautifully citrusy take on tabbouleh, heavier on the bulgur component thus making it more substantial as a meal rather than a side dish. The other salad that I had the pleasure of sampling was the Avocado Fattoush. Acting as the epitome of a modern take on ancient culture, the salad delivered the loveliness a traditional fattoush would, with the added detail of an essential fattoush pita bread crouton fried to crisp perfection. Another modern take on tradition was in the form of a crunchy and satisfying hazelnut encrusted falafel, served with a light-as-air
whipped yogurt-based sauce. Giving a nutty taste, this falafel is ideally paired with one of the magnificent dips that had graced my palate earlier, and of course, the provided squares of homemade pita that accompanied its graceful presentation. But the crunch on the falafel was the real triumph of this dish, giving a pleasing after taste in conjunction with the garbanzo bean filling. Before moving onto the meatier options on offer at Rosewater Café, I must focus on the hearty heap that is the creamed spinach. Meant to share, this dish is so delicious and was easily one of my favorite items off the Rosewater menu. You could tell that this creamed spinach had its own healthy, Middle Eastern twist – surprisingly light, flavorful, fragrant and fresh – it was an absolute pleasure that I kept hogging for the rest of our meal. For those who prefer animal-sourced proteins, their main courses have an array of options ranging from chicken, to red meat and seafood. As an avid meat-lover, I’m personally very picky when it comes to grills at Middle Eastern eateries, but when the Grass-Fed Beef Skewer Kebab, I swooned! It was simple in presentation sleeping atop a fresh green sumac-spiced salad, but mighty in flavor. The spices used automatically took me back to the small Lebanese sausages you can only get from
the Goodies delicatessen in Beirut’s Verdun district. This amount of nostalgia coupled with satisfaction, in turn, allowed me to indulge in not one, two, or even three pieces of meat, but four - and I don’t regret a minute of it. Speaking of no regrets, as though I hadn’t been spoiled enough, I decided to conclude this lovely meal with a steaming cuppa and a little bit of something sweet. I personally like my sweet endings to be short-lived, with a bite or two of a rich chocolatey cake or pudding, but Jawhara surprised me with two different desserts and I couldn’t resist! I’m a chocolate girl, and so the classic, layered, decadent chocolate cake was definitely a winner, but its counterpart, the cheesecake, was absolutely phenomenal. With a hint of burnt caramel, paired with a sip of black tea, the wrap-up of the Rosewater experience was nothing short of pleasurable and cozy. For any occasion, craving, or time of day, I would return and leave with satisfaction.
Rosewater Café is located on Abdulla Al Mubarak street, right by the Family Court and near Souq Al-Mubarakiya. Follow them on Instagram @rosewaterkw for more information. 113
bazaar techno
MCINTOSH MC611 ONE-CHANNEL AMPLIFIER
DUO PORTABLE SECURITY SENSOR
TUG OUTLET ADAPTER
DRONEGUN TACTICAL
EIFFEL TOWER DIAMOND LIGHT
PEOPLE PEOPLE TRANSPARENT SPEAKER
Discrete amps provide the best isolation for pure sound. It's hard to get more isolated than a collection of McIntosh MC611 Amplifiers. The quadbalanced design eliminates nearly any noise or distortion that may muddy the signal and packs a 600-Watt punch to drive the hungriest of speakers. Power Guard adjusts the signal to eliminate harsh noises and clipping, and Autoformer tech delivers the full amount of power regardless of speaker impedance.
While drones are still fun and harmless to many, others see them as a privacy threat. The DroneGun Tactical was made to help keep the increasing number of flying robots in check. It weighs 15 pounds and sends jamming frequencies that cut a drone's video-streaming at a range of up to 1,094 yards. The signal also sends the unwanted drone back to its starting point or forces it to land on the spot. The DroneGun Tactical is smaller, so there's no need to lug around a backpack full of gear.
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It doesn't matter what you're trying to protect or where it is, the Duo Portable Security Sensor can offer added peace of mind. This palm-sized gadget uses light and motion sensors to detect disturbances and a dedicated cellular connection send you alerts via SMS. As a result, it doesn't need a Wifi connection, and with up to a year of battery life, it doesn't need an outlet, either — making it ideal for places like your safe at home or your luggage at a hotel.
Paris is known as the City of Lights. Every night, for the first five minutes of every hour, one light — created by 20,000 bulbs — shines brighter than all the rest. You can own a piece of this iconic structure with an Eiffel Tower Diamond Light. These authentic bulbs have been retired from use and set on a base of flexible mild steel, similar to the puddle iron used to build the Tower itself. The base is painted Venice Red to match the color of the Tower from 1889 until 1892.
Ask any MacBook owner from years past and they'll extol the virtues of MagSafe, Apple's magnetic power connector that saved many a laptop from a spill on the floor. The Tug Outlet Adapter does the same thing, but for any cord in your house. It uses a magnetic break-away connection to keep you from tripping over cables and/or knocking over lamps, electronics, or other power-hungry items. It also serves as a simple switch for lights, vacuums, and other gadgets that are frequently turned on and off.
The Transparent Speaker set from renowned Stockholm-based People People is built of lasting materials and utilizes a design scheme that can be dismantled and maintained with an included simple wrench tool, this stunning speaker is a dream come true. While previous iterations of the Transparent Speaker required the use of your own separate, external component, they now come with a builtin Bluetooth adapter for usage from your phone or tablet.
Source: blessthisstuff.com Source: uncrate.com
م ن اآلخر ا ع ز م ب ق ل ب جامد
Mais Alghanim
8 Kabbab - 2 Tikka - 2 Shish Taouk - 2 Arayes Meat - 1 Fattoush 1 Tabouleh - 1 Hummus - 1 Moutabal - ½ Dozen Mixed Pastries - 1 Batata Harra 1 French Fries or Rice - 1 Soft Drink 1.250 Ltr.
SPOILED FOR CHOICE
MOMS GET PAMPERED APLENTY AT THE PROMENADE FOR MOTHER’S DAY By bazaar staff
How are your plans going for Mother’s Day so far? Stuck for ideas? There is not long before the 21st of March will be right on your doorstep. Start making plans today and make sure those proposals include a stop by The Promenade. Not only will Mother’s Day itself be celebrated on the Wednesday, but those kind folk at the mall know that Moms do such a fab job that they have added an additional day of celebration on Tuesday 20 March to say, “thank you” to Moms for all their efforts. 116
Awaiting mothers on the ground floor of the main hall in The Promenade will be a sweet smelling flower of deepest crimson, symbolic of how much mothers are loved and appreciated, a gift from The Promenade itself. A single flower for the singular effort made every day being a hands on mom. For those very few of you unfamiliar with this dynamic mall there is such a variety of things to do at The Promenade from sports to beauty and cosmetics, educational and cultural spaces, fun for the kids and adults alike including climbing walls and escape games. Plus with over eighty businesses to wander around, and more coming, there is plenty of shopping to do too. For parents who want to spend the day with their children here it is so much fun and you can discuss what you’ve seen and learnt together over a meal in the food court. For that special cheat day treat you can even
enjoy 100% organic, grain fed burgers, safe in the knowledge that it’s a healthier option for you and your children too. But this day only comes around once a year, if you fancy throwing cautious calories to the wind then the gloriously decorous sweets emporium which is Sloan’s; pretty in pinks, covered in crystals and swathed in sugar, is a place you should not resist. It is a treat to behold! The support for entrepreneurialism by The Promenade in conjunction with Cubical Services can be seen first-hand in the Soapbox area. This is a must-see to show children the example that good ideas are supported and creative passions can become businesses too once like-minded people with talent and vision partner together. What an outstanding example for a mother to share with her children. Shared story time is often a cherished moment between mother and child, and during the hours
of 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. over these two days children can enjoy a story read by the people of Huroof, in a set up place specially for children’s reading time on the ground floor of the mall. This literary club was created years ago for people to get together and discuss books and have children attend book readings, and the group regularly meets at Sophia, the bookstore-cum-library in The Promenade on the M2 floor. Sophia hosts many a cultural event including poetry readings and musical recitals, there’s even a piano in there! Sophia will be discounting children’s books on the 20th and 21st of March. That should be an additional incentive to drop by, but if you can’t on those days put a mark in your calendar to come in on any other date and browse for a few hours soaking up the atmosphere with your little culture vultures and other bibliophiles! Because it is not easy finding the time to unwind for just a minute as a mother, The Promenade retailers have provided a few serene moments to be found and enjoyed at various beauty and cosmetics locations. Nail Polish Salon will be doing polish application for mothers passing by, as well as some more offers that you can find out about during your visit. Hand massages from L’Occitane en Provence will be offered between 3 PM and 8 PM and you will have to drop by the boutique to discover other delightful treats. Adventurous mommies might like to try the Escape Room or ice skating with your kids on your special day. Promenade Ice will have discounted skating for children who take an Instagram picture and hashtag #promenadeice on either of the two days celebrating mothers. Younger kids can enjoy the padded playground too. If that isn’t sporty enough for you there is even a gym in The Promenade on the top floor where they’ve jokingly scrolled “no men allowed” on the entrance, so not only on Mother’s Day but every day you can enjoy working up a sweat sans maquillage. If hitting the gym hard is not quite your idea of fun but you still like to keep fit and window shopping around the over 10,000 m2 mall isn’t enough, there is a running/walking track on the top level of the mall. It is clearly marked out in blue so if you stay on track you can be sure that you will literally not run into anyone coming out from the Promenade Culture Centre on the same floor. Moms may like to share cultural moments and discussions with their children as they get older and express more interest in the world around them and the community in which they are growing up. The Culture Centre hosts some public events that you and your teenagers may be interested in attending together as your kids begin their cultural journeys. If they are visually creative types then you may like to share with them a visit to the Art Gallery on the ground floor where they can discover other cultural forms of expression. Over the two day celebration of Mother’s Day at The Promenade there will be other special events that mothers and kids can experience together and bond over. Stay on top of social media to see most of what has been planned but nothing beats walking into the mall and discovering these hidden gems of activity, offers and discounts for yourself. Happy Mother’s Day!
The Promenade is located on 3rd Ring Road, Tunis Street, opposite Qadsiya and can be easily accessed by road and public transport system. For more information follow Instagram and Facebook @thepromenadekw or call 2227 7130. For Ice Skating Rink enquiries call 2227 7138. For the culture centre follow Instagram and Facebook @promenadeculturecentre and for further details on Soap Box follow Instagram @soapboxkw. 117
bazaar around town
GULF BANK’S KUWAITI SALARY DRAW PRIZE: THE LARGEST IN KUWAIT! Tailored for Kuwaiti customers, Gulf Bank’s salary account allows its users to benefit from many unique offers by transferring their salaries to Gulf Bank, as well as the opportunity to enter draws and to win cash prizes on a quarterly basis. Instant Rewards! Eligible customers who transfer their salaries to Gulf Bank get the opportunity to either receive a KD 100 cash gift or an interest free loan. Customers must have a minimum salary of KD 500 and are fully eligible for the offer following their first salary transfer to Gulf Bank. Quarterly and Annual Draws All existing and new customers who transfer their salaries to Gulf Bank are automatically enrolled into three quarterly prizes of KD 25,000, and the annual draw for Kuwait’s largest salary prize of KD 250,000. Salary Draws 2018 line-up Salary campaign’s 2018 draw dates include three quarterly draws to be held on April 9th, July 9th, and the 8th of October 2018, respectively, and each prize will have the value of KD 25,000. The Annual draw for the grand prize of KD 250,000 will be held on the 7th February 2019, and it is the biggest salary account prize in Kuwait! Other benefits Customers can also enjoy a Visa or MasterCard credit card free of charge for one year, as well as a chance to apply for loan up to KD 70,000 payable over 15 years, or a consumer loan up to KD 15,000, plus an automatic membership in Gulf Rewards, the best and fastest rewards program in Kuwait with Gulf Bank Credit Cards. Gulf Bank customers will also get the best services and facilities when financing their vehicle through Gulf Bank representatives who are available in all major car showrooms. Learn more about Gulf Bank’s salary account, by visiting one of the Gulf Bank’s 57 branches; call the Customer Contact Center on 1805 805, or visit the bank’s website www.e-gulfbank.com.
KERASTRAIGHT ROOT LIFT SPRAY GEL Do you wake up in the morning and find your hair in need of an extra boost to give it shape and volume? Do you find that regular gels and sprays make your style look stiff and artificial? International Technical Director at Trevor Sorbie, Nathan Walker coined the fitting phrase 'the popcorn effect' to describe just how the Root Lift Spray Gel works. Akin to other product in the KeraStraight range, the Root Lift Spray Gel offers an incredible heat-activated trilogy of wheat proteins and advanced polymers that deliver exceptional heat protection, and build volume and strength as they are dried into the hair. A versatile styling product, Root Lift Spray Gel offers maximum strength without stiffness or stickiness, and can be used alongside the KeraStraight Rescue Crème and Ultimate Oil to boost hair ends. Exclusively distributed by beautique cosmetics international. Call 2225 1285 for more info or visit beautiquecosmeticsintl.com.
ROYALE HAYAT HOSPITAL HAS ACHIEVED ACCREDITATION FROM ACCREDITATION CANADA INTERNATIONAL (ACI) In November 2017, Royale Hayat Hospital achieved a prestigious status that was conferred by Accreditation Canada International (ACI), a non-profit organization that is dedicated to working with patients, policy makers and the public to improve the quality of health worldwide. While the accreditation process is voluntary, Royale Hayat Hospital views it as a crucial undertaking that helps meet international health, quality and safety standards. It supports continuous process improvement and reduces the risk of error. Recognized as the best hospital in Kuwait consecutively for seven years in a row, Royale Hayat Hospital endeavors to further improve its services by benchmarking themselves to reputed international healthcare organizations. As a part of this determination, two years ago, they embarked on an international accreditation journey and were able to achieve this milestone by engaging staff as well as clients. You can call Royale Hayat on 2536 0000. Visit Royale Hayat online at www.royalehayat.com or follow their latest updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @royalehayat.
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RVB
bazaar around town
70 YEARS OF SPORTS CARS AT PORSCHE Fast. Puristic. Emotive. For the past 70 years, the Porsche brand has been synonymous with sports car construction at the very highest level. The first vehicle to bear the Porsche name was registered on June 8, 1948: It was the 356 “No.1” Roadster. This is the day on which the Porsche brand was born. The Type 356 turned Ferry Porsche’s dream of a sports car into a reality. The history of the Porsche brand begins in 1948. Yet the foundation of the sports car manufacturer is built upon the life’s work of Professor Ferdinand Porsche – work which his son Ferry then continued. Ferdinand Porsche had already designed pioneering innovations for the automotive industry as early as the start of the last century. In 1900, he built an electric car with a wheel hub drive known as the Lohner-Porsche, a vehicle on which he would then base the world’s first all-wheel-drive passenger car. In the same year, he created a template for hybrid vehicles with the development of a mixed petrol-electric powertrain. Porsche is celebrating this year’s anniversary with numerous activities around the world. On February 3 “The Porsche Effect” opened at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. In Germany, the first “70 years of the Porsche sports car” exhibition will open from March 20–31, at “DRIVE, the Volkswagen Group Forum” in Berlin. The Porsche Museum will also be holding its own anniversary celebrations with a comprehensive special exhibition opening on June 9. On the same day, Porsche will be inviting sports car fans to its “Sports Car Together Day” at all of its sites around the world. For the weekend of June 16–17, the sports car manufacturer will host employees, residents of the Zuffenhausen district and prospective customers to a public celebration in and around the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. The “Festival of Speed” held from July 12–15, at the Goodwood race track in the UK will also celebrate the anniversary, as will the “Rennsport Reunion” in California from September 27–30. The celebrations will conclude with the “Sound Night” event to be held for the first time in the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart on October 13. Further information is available at https://www.porsche.com/museum/en/. For more information about Porsche in Kuwait, you can visit Porsche Centre Kuwait on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the currently available models and new vehicle launches, please visit www.porschekuwait.com or call 1870 870.
NEW INVISIBOBBLE SLIM THE ELEGANT HAIR RING To dress casually but still look sophisticated as well as stand out is the ultimate #stylinggoal for most women trying to strike the balance between “over-the-top” and “underdressed”. Obviously, the right hairdo is just as important as the outfit. Good news ladies: You do not have to sacrifice style for comfort with the newest member of the invisibobble Permanent Collection: The invisibobble SLIM is the perfect tool not only for a stylish office hairdo but also for a bouncy look for the evening. The new invisibobble®SLIM an intricate touch to the famous spiral shape of the ORIGINAL. invisibobble SLIM has four colors - Crystal Clear, True Black, Chrome Sweet Chrome and Bronze Me Pretty, look delicate in the hair and like a fashionable bracelet around the wrist. Without an effort, the invisibobble SLIM creates a bouncy ponytail or a voluminous bun. Exclusively distributed by beautique cosmetics international. Call 2225 1285 for more information or visit beautiquecosmeticsintl.com.
NEW LOOK SPRING/SUMMER 2018 SS18 is here and it’s prettier than ever. Neutrals play a big part in this season’s colour palette with classic macs, soft tailoring and touches of soft metallic. Broderie and cutwork cotton is this season’s feminine fabric; transforming blouses and dresses. Floaty, floral and frilled – the must have maxi dress in wispy, pastel botanicals is simply dreamy. Tops are elevated with volume and exaggerated sleeves - these are highlighted with trims and embroidery, the full tiered sleeve is the newest shape to look out for. Stripes and co-ords are hero pieces within the collection whilst logo t-shirts are very much here to stay; sequin tees offer a playful and glam seasonal update. Accessories…it’s all about the earrings! The bigger and bolder the better – the ultimate outfit enhancer. Footwear features statement flats in color pop bursts and power courts in all over glitter! Woven bags are key across cross body’s and holiday shoppers, whilst bum bags are here to stay for a sports luxe finish. The Spring Summer Collection is available at all New Look stores throughout Kuwait at The Avenues, Al Bairaq Mall (Fintas), Al Salam Mall (Salmiya) and Promenade Mall (Hawally).
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bazaar around town
OLD-SCHOOL CLASSICS WITH MODERN INNOVATION: ECCO VITRUS I While the modern generation is unlikely to spend much time in marshes or on muddy hills, it has certainly rediscovered the Brogue. With its robust, rugged aesthetic and masculine proportions, as well as its versatility and stylistic reverence, this classic has become the height of fashion in recent years to be mixed easily and confidently with suits or jeans. The introduction of the ECCO VITRUS I, a new group for ECCO’s Men’s Formal collection for Spring/Summer 2018, does away with many of the compromises associated with traditional Brogues, such as weight, comfort and the amount of time it takes to break in a shoe. In keeping with ECCO’s approach of stepping up into the future without letting go of the past, the ECCO VITRUS I is a fusion of innovative technology and artisanal traditions to produce a lighter shoe that has true modern comfort that can be enjoyed ‘straight out of the box’. Anatomy in motion can be experienced in every step when walking in the ECCO VITRUS I. Beneath the rich, polished and perforated uppers is an anatomically-designed platform that follows the contours of the foot, to offer generous comfort, support and fit. ECCO’s own pioneering FLUIDFORM Technology, which employs a direct-injection process, is used to form a durable, integral bond between the dynamic comfort platform and four different silhouettes: the Brogue Boot, the Brogue Shoe, Derby and Loafer. You can find Ecco at The Avenues Mall, Marina Mall, Mohallab Mall, Muthanna Mall and Promenade Mall. For more information, please contact on Instagram @eccoarabia. H&M CONSCIOUS EXCLUSIVE 2018 By combining the latest in sustainable fabric innovation with designs inspired by the creative home of the Swedish artists Karin and Carl Larsson, the 2018 H&M Conscious Exclusive collection is a thoroughly modern expression of beautiful craft and powerful femininity. For the first time, two new sustainable materials, recycled silver and ECONYL, a 100% regenerated nylon fibre from fishnets and other nylon waste, are introduced to the collection. Launching on 19 April, the Conscious Exclusive 2018 collection will be available in selected stores worldwide. For its seventh edition, the H&M Conscious Exclusive collection comprises of beautifully crafted womenswear clothing, lingerie, shoes and accessories that balance strength with softness. This year, along with organic linen, organic cotton, organic silk, TENCEL and recycled polyester, H&M introduces the two new materials recycled silver and ECONYL, a 100% regenerated nylon fibre made from fishnets and other nylon waste. Handcrafted tapestries and needlework made by Karin, her love for their garden and contrasting characteristics of the rooms in Karin and Carl’s home were the key inspirations for the 2018 Conscious Exclusive collection. Follow H&M on Facebook and Twitter @HMKUWAIT and Instagram @HM.
AEO NE(X)T LEVEL JEANS THIS SPRING – THE SOFTEST JEANS AROUND TOWN Recognized as the leading denim destination, American Eagle debuts its softest 4-way stretch jeans this Spring, dubbing it NE(X)T LEVEL. Drawing inspiration from its customers, American Eagle introduces jeans with NE(X)T LEVEL STRETCH for the lively gal and NE(X)T LEVEL FLEX for the bustling guy. Not forgetting your favorites, the best-selling hi-rise jegging gives ladies comfort throughout the day. Who said that denim can’t be worn to the office? Ditch the sneakers and slip on a pair of heels with the new season AE jeans! As the days get warmer, lunch with friends in the perfect tiered-sleeve off-the-shoulder dress. If it's lunch on the beach, lose the sleeves by pairing a dreamy white sleeveless shirt with destroyed denim shorts and tasseled earrings for that little bit of runway chic. For guys, common office attire is a tailored look, so why not swap out formal pants for new season AE Jeans paired with an Oxford or plaid shirt. Or, for a ‘ready for the weekend look’, swap out the box collared shirt for a relaxed appearance with short sleeved printed shirts or T-shirts. Follow AEO on Facebook: AmericanEagleMiddleEast and Instagram@AmericanEagleME.
TRANSFER YOUR SALARY TO ABK AND THE CHOICE IS YOURS! Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) has announced the launch of a new salary transfer campaign. This promotion, which is open to ABK’s new customers only, will last until May 31st 2018. Running under the tagline ‘Transfer your salary and the choice is!’ the campaign offers new customers a choice of one of these three benefits upon salary transfer: Up to KD 500 cash gift, up to KD 5,000 interest free loan or up to 100,000 Skywards Miles, issued on a free prepaid card. Prior to this campaign, ABK launched several promotional campaigns to allow customers to receive various benefits including the recent ‘Spend and Win’ draw, which allowed lucky customers to witness the 2018 FIFA World Cup live in Russia. For more information about ABK please visit eahli.com or contact an ABK customer service agent via ‘Ahlan Ahli’ at 1899 899.
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bazaar scopes
LEO JUL 23 – AUG 22
AQUARIUS JAN 20 – FEB 18
This may be a good time for you to spend some time creating, because hile you may love sports, you also have an innate artistic streak. The joy of creating something is immeasurable, and the process can be very enjoyable and therapeutic. Crafts, baking, building, and gardening are all activities conducive to this. Take time to express yourself!
Why not take some much deserved rest and relaxation? Even you need to jump out of the rat race once in a while. If there are some things you really need to care of, you can still make plans for leisure or recreation afterward. Spoil yourself with an afternoon nap or ordering out for dinner. Take care of yourself by resting as well as accomplishing.
VIRGO AUG 23 – SEP 22
TAURUS APR 20 – MAY 20
Make some plans to write a letter, send a greeting card, or put together a package for someone far away. This can be a lot of fun to do, especially if the person on the receiving end isn't expecting anything from you. Pictures, crafts, cookies, candies, or books can make a wonderful package to send to someone special.
If something is bothering you, consider talking with your mother or an older person you feel comfortable with. No matter where we are in life, there remains a part of us that draws support and nurturing from someone with more experience. Remember to express your gratitude for this supportive relationship.
LIBRA SEP 23 – OCT 22
GEMINI MAY 21 – JUN 21
Put some of those creative ideas to work. Pull out your favorite craft supplies and have some fun exploring color and design. If you have children, consider including them in the activities. If you don't already have one, make an "idea box" where old bottles, nuts and bolts, odd buttons, ribbons, and scraps of material can collect for times like this
Don't fall into the "poor me" trap. When things repeatedly don't go the way you want, or bad things happen to you, it can be very easy to fall into a victim mentality. We can’t always control what happens around and to us, and we always have the choice as to how we're going to handle it. Choose to keep going and insist on being better to yourself.
SCORPIO OCT 23 – NOV 22
CANCER JUN 22 – JUL 22
Put some music on to get yourself going, especially if you feel a little lonely. Music often has as strong an effect as conversation. This is because it provides an avenue for you to communicate with a deeper part of yourself. Your sensitive nature can find comfort and hope through harmonies and rhythms like nothing else.
Try to get some quality time to yourself. Your nature is one that thrives on intense thought, creativity and emotion. Without adequate time alone in a space that’s comfortable for you, you may begin to feel worn out. Such things as irritability or withdrawal can be strong indicators that it's high time you were alone with yourself. Make some plans for this.
PISCES
FEB 19 – MAR 19
It would be wise to spend some time thinking about your finances. Do you have a realistic budget, or does yours exclude things like entertainment, and occasional splurges? Such a budget won't suffice, because these are expenses that everyone has. Take a good look at your spending habits and see where you could cut back without too much pain.
SAGITTARIUS NOV 23 – DEC 21 It's a good time to pull out that shopping list. Your ability to be thrifty and efficient will be strengthened. Take a few minutes to look through recent flyers or gather coupons before shopping. If you're tempted to spend your savings on something lavish, get back to your list! Keep your budget in the forefront of your mind and head straight to the checkout when you're done.
CAPRICORN DEC 22 – JAN 19
Chances are good that you'll be keeping yourself busy. The energetic aspects that are occurring can really have you raring to take on chores that need to be done. Can you think of anything you'd rather do? Once you've finished these things, there should be plenty of time to do something recreational, too.
ARIES MAR 20 – APR 19
You might want to discuss your plans with those you live with. If you live alone, there isn't much chance that your plans will affect anyone, but for those of you cohabiting with others, take time to extend this courtesy. It might be that someone else in the house had some intentions that you weren't aware of, or there may be someone in need of something from you. Talk things over and everything will work out just fine.
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