Circuit Issue 12 - Summer 2017

Summer 2017

Destination Kurdistan:

Amedi Top

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Outdoor Restaurants

Sonia Beytoushi

From Beauty Queen to Fashion Empire

Tanj Co. is now offering sales on Ala City apartments behind Majidi Mall, Bnaslawa Main road. Apartments on offer are 110 sqm and 160 sqm units. Long term payment plans are available.

Our services

NEW

Sponsorship for visa and residence permit

Tanj Co. has a valid contract with KRG in oil business for buying and selling oil products

Tanj Co. offers a wide range of products and services including:

Tanj Company - Alacity Project

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Tel: 0750 144 7667 E-mail: info@tanjco.com resid@tanjco.com www.tanjco.com Italian Village 1, Villa # 347, Erbil, Kurdistan Iraq

Oil and Gas Services Investment General Contracts General Trade Kurdistan Visa and Residence Affairs Food and Beverage Travel and Tourism Insurance ( Coming Soon ) Security ( Coming Soon )

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Issue 12 - Summer 2017

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NOBLE HOTEL

100 M St. , Ainkawa Erbil, Kurdistan Iraq info@noble-hotel.com www.noble-hotel.com +964750 431 2244 +964 66 225 2630

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7th floor, rooftop of Noble Hotel info@noble-hotel.com

www.noble-hotel.com +964771 193 6300 +964 66 225 2620

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LOUNGE

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Circuit Magazine

Letter From

The Editor

H

ello Circuit Readers!

It’s summer again and while I’m looking forward to pools and late sunsets, I’m not looking forward to this heat.

While I know many of you will be jet setting on long vacations, for those of you who will be hanging around Erbil, we have plenty in store for you this issue.

Our Community section is filled with stories of people who want to make the lives of others better, whether they are human or furry.

This month in our Culture, we explore another traditional Kurdish-made product: Tahini made near Amedi in the Dohuk province.

Then later in the issue you’ll find a good recipe to put that tahini to use.

Our Health & Beauty section, five beauty queens tell you why they choose their favorite salon when they visit Erbil. We also tell you about one of our favorite spots to get a massage and pampering.

In the Business section we’ve compiled a list of a few phone applications that we think can help make your life here in Kurdistan just a little more accessible and easier. We also got to check out this year’s new Toyota Prius and there’s a little bit of a preview in these pages for any of you considering going hybrid.

From our cover you’ll find a story of fashion, beauty, and business as we sat down with Sonia Beytoushi, Iranian Kurdish beauty queen and local fashion designer as well as TV personality.

The Food & Drink section we decided to embrace the summer with wine and outdoor eating. Don’t miss our favorite spots to be in the summer evenings.

Since it is summer, we packed out the Travel & Leisure section offering you ideas of places to go in Kurdistan and out, as well as ideas for sports to keep you cool.

Finally, our Nightlife section we decided to talk to the new guys behind Erbil’s biggest parties. Noise Squad will be hosting parties all throughout the summer.

Jimmie Collins Editor-in-Chief

An American living in the Kurdistan Region for nearly five years, Jimmie Collins leads a vibrant social life among expats and locals in Erbil. She now calls Erbil home, settling into the city with her husband (Sabah), two massive dogs, a feisty cat, and an infant daughter.

She complains of never having near enough free time to do all the things she loves, however, she always makes time for food and friends.

Circuit Magazine, which she started with her business partners three years ago, is a hobby turned obsession meant to help others get to know Kurdistan's social scene and enjoy themselves as much as she does.

Enjoy the Circuit!

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In This Issue Community Page 12 - People of Kurdistan Page 13 - Water for Refugees

in Kurdistan Page 18 - Release the Bears

Culture Page 22 - Buy Local: Tahini

Health & Beauty Page 29 - Senses Salon: From the

Mouths of Beauty Queens Page 32 - Zen the Spa: Exceptional

Massage at Rotana Page 33 - Top 10 Summer Health Tips

Business Page 36 - Top Apps Making Life a

Little Easier Page 39 - Toyota Prius: The Future of

Vehicles in Kurdistan Page 43 - Sonia Beytoushi: From

Beauty Queen to Fashion

Empire

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Summer 2017 Summer 2017

Food & Drink Page Page Page

Page

49 - Local Recipe: Moutabal 51 - Foreign Recipe: Guacamole 54 - Piccini Wines: A Family Tradition 57 - Top 6 Outdoor Restaurants

Destination Kurdistan:

Amedi Top

Outdoor

6 Restaurants Sonia Beytoushi

From Beauty Queen to Fashion Empire

Issue 12: Summer 2017

Travel & Leisure Page 61 - Lake Dokan Page 63 - Destination Kurdistan: Amedi

Page 69 - Rock Your Bones: Watersports

Page 72 - Take a Trip to Australia: with

Nightlife Page 78 - The Real EPIC Page 80 - Noise Squad: Raising Erbil’s

Nightlife Expectations Page 83 - Out on the Circuit

Editor-in-Chief Jimmie Collins Publisher Lana Yaqo Oliver Writers Jimmie Collins Patricia Collins Jeremy Oliver Rezhna Tannia Photographers Rekan Rasool Rezhna Tannia Designers Jimmie Collins Antigoni Kalaitzi Saif al-Taea Marketing Department Jeremy Oliver Saif al-Taea Muhanad Ali Contact: info@party-circuit.net 0750 633 7700 Circuit Magazine is a subsidiary of BWFW Services Company

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y a d y r e v

e

S T R O P S VE

LI

In the Erbil Grand Hotel Ainkawa Rd. and Gulan St. Intersection

07504071926 11

Circuit Magazine

Community

People of

Kurdistan Ayas Murad is a well-known and welcoming figure in Erbil. His gregarious personality has led T-bar to its existence as one of the legacy nightlife spots in Kurdistan. After Ayas’ nearly 8-year tenure at T-bar, it has become one of the first places newcomers check out when they arrive and somewhere they continually return to as long as they’re around.

Ayas, who is Yezidi from near Lalish, is always smiling and there to make any and everyone feel welcome and help them enjoy their stay in Kurdistan whether it’s one night or one year.

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“

I love working at T-bar because of the special customers. I love meeting people from every where in the world. I have learned a lot from them and enjoy making new friends.

-- Ayas Murad

Photo by Adam Mirani

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Community

Water For Refugees in Kurdistan

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By Jimmie Collins

It’s summer and we all know this time of year can be rough on anyone, but refugees from neighboring parts of Iraq and Syria have a particularly tough time.

Imagine yourself confined to a tent in the blazing hot sun with sometimes as many as 12 members of your family. Or possibly consider what it would be like to live in an incomplete building using tarps and blankets as makeshift walls.

Besides a lack of electricity for lighting much less air conditioning, one of the most important things for life, clean and drinkable water, can sometimes be impossible for refugees to find.

Many have found creative ways to filter sand from dirty water they find in nearby water tanks, but there is still no way for them to be sure there aren’t any water-borne illnesses waiting for them.

Access to clean and drinkable water was a particularly devastating problem in 2014 during an influx of IDPs from nearby Ninevah and Mosul. After witnessing

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Community

the conditions people were living in, Gunter Voelker, owner of the Deutscher Hof Restaurant and Beer Garden in Ainkawa, started an organization called Wasser für Fluechtlinge in Kurdistan, or “Water for Refugees in Kurdistan.”

Since 2014 the organization has delivered about 2.5 million bottles of water mostly to IDPs living in makeshift housing in and near Erbil as well as to those in nearby camps. They’ve also donated €15,000 worth of baby formula, €5,000 in Pampers diapers, and 500 blankets.

After the annual Maypole fundraising event at the affectionately known German Restaurant on April 30, Water for Refugees is gearing up for more water donations throughout the summer, a time when it is extremely important and can be the difference between life and death.

To donate, pass by the German Restaurant in Ainkawa or contact English and German: 07504883981 English, Kurdish and Arabic: 07503162396

Pinkandbluedaycare@outlook.com

009647512096701 @PinkAndBlueDaycare

Daycare

Pinkandbluedaycare

"The all in one educational and fun Daycare for the little ones in Erbil" From the ages of 08 months to 05 years English Curriculum Part and full time schedule, we open on Saturdays!

Indoor and outdoor activities: Art and crafts, Music, Gym, Theatre, Outdoor trips, Summer Camp and many more!

Section for kids with special needs Lots of Care, Love and Fun!

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Community

Photo provided by Kurdish-American Cooperation Organization

Release the Bears

By Pat Collins

Arriving at the meetup point a little early, I anxiously awaited others to arrive. This day was going to be remarkable. I started to get really excited when one truck after another started arriving carrying five caged bears. Today, these bears’ lives were going to change. They were going to be released into the wild.

To my surprise an SUV arrived carrying the tiniest bear of them all, a baby cub only a couple of months old. I had no idea there was such a tiny baby in the mix, but I was told later that this tiny baby and her mom would not be released yet. Not until later when the cub was older and more able to take care of itself in the wild.

I suppose I should back up a bit and give a little of the back story here. All of the bears were taken as cubs by humans who thought they were cute and would make great exotic pets. They were then confined to horrible living conditions. Predictably, as they grew bigger (read less cute and more

Issue 12 - Summer 2017

dangerous), they were caged and abused their entire lives. Some were put in circus-like shows to do tricks and amaze other humans for profit. The bears ranged in age from 2 months to 10 years. The Kurdish-American Cooperation Organization helped to rescue these brown bears and on this day would release four of them at the Halgurd-Sakran National Park on Saturday, April 8th, 2017.

I was one of the lucky ones who were invited to go along to witness this amazing act of kindness.

I was having a hard time imagining what this would be like for the bears to be release into a natural habitat they knew nothing about. I took many pictures of them all as they sat in their cages.

They were quiet calm as they were used to being set on display for humans. When I asked about how they would be able to survive and take care of themselves, we were told the organization had

consulted with experts who said the bears would adapt nicely to the open space and be able to care for themselves just like any other wild animal.

Once everyone arrived, we began our journey with a convoy of 30 vehicles, including the 6 that held the bears, packed full of people that were just as excited as I was to be a part of this amazing mission. The 3-hour drive into the mountains to the national park was incredible. The sheer beauty made the trip even more exciting for me since I had never been that far into the mountains in Kurdistan before. I took picture after picture as we drove through the mountains and with each mile, I believed that these bears would be extremely happy once they got used to the area.

Once we arrived we trekked up the remaining 500 feet to the base of the mountaintop where first the largest bear, Monster, was released. He was humongous, so the name fit him well. Once

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Community

Photos provided by Kurdish-American Cooperation Organization

out of his cage he first hesitated then started making his way up the mountain, but then he turned toward the crowd, at which point everyone started moving away.

Monster turned again and went over the hill. We didn’t see him again for a long while. Then it was the female’s turn to be released.

Her first act of being free was to go to the truck that held one of the cubs. It wasn’t her baby but nonetheless, she crawled all over the truck and the cage trying, to no avail, to get the cub free.

We were told none of the bears were from the same family, so my thought is she took care of this cub from birth and became attached. As a mom myself I could understand her actions well. The men made lots of noise and eventually she gave up and left the truck alone.

Then one of the organizers asked my friends and me if we would like to be the ones to free the cub from its cage. We were so excited to be a part of this whole exciting day that we jumped at the opportunity. Up the hill we went again to prepare to release

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the cub. It was extremely emotional to see this young bear take its first steps out of a cage into the green grass. You could see its hesitation but then up the hill he ran not to be seen again. He was home. He found his place in the world that was calming and he was content. Finally the last cub was released and reunited with the female, from then they were inseparable. They went up and down the base of the mountain numerous times inspecting their new habitat.

They were all fed some chicken to get them through the night and we watched as they started up the hill to find their new home.

We stayed and watched them for a while then it was time to make the 3-hour journey back home to Erbil. I find myself wondering each day how they are doing and how happy they must be even if it’s a struggle for them to learn their new environment. I hope they are adapting well in their new home.

Photo provided by Kurdish-American Cooperation Organization

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Add: 30 meter, Erbil, Kurdistan Iraq Tel: 066-2234460 / 70 Email: info@erbilinthotel.com Web: www.erbilinthotel.com

Follow us on: Erbil International Hotel erbil.hotel Circuit Magazine

Culture

Buy Local: Tahini

Photos and Story By Rezhna Tannia

Sari Kani is a small town located below the city of Amedi in Duhok province that specializes in producing tahini. Tahini is a sesame paste popular in many kurdish and Middle Eastern dishes. The small, old, traditional, family-owned mills in this area are what make the tahini so special. The mills are located in Sari Kana due to the easy access to water, which is needed for the plants to operate. The mills use a traditional stone and wood machine to grind the seeds into an edible paste. One of the oldest operational mills began producing flour in the 1880’s and was later utilized for tahini production in the late 1970’s.

The Ash Par Aeesa mill is a popular tourist destination, located near a historical site belonging to the 16th century Bahdinan principality that governed the Amedi region from 14th-18th century. The double arched bridge and the water mill are located adjacent from one another.

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The owner of the mill Sleman, converted his family land into a factory thirty years ago. “Our sesame seeds are locally grown from the Duhok region. We have many tourists coming to visit us every year.

Recently a gentleman from Sweden came to buy tahini to take back to Sweden with him” he said, standing next to a sack of sesame seeds waiting to take a plunge in the pool of water next to the bridge.

“We soak the sesame in the pool for a day or two to soften the seeds” he explained as he grabbed a stack already floating in the pool. His assistant, a young gentleman from Rojava, came to assist him rinse the seeds with clean water from the nearby stream.

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Culture

After the seeds are washed, the sack is left outside in the sun to drain the excess water for sometime before continuing on to the seed peeling process.

The seeds are then tossed into a rotating machine for fifteen minutes, “this prepares the seeds for separation-not all the seeds have the same taste.

“Then we peel the seeds and dunk the seeds into a salt pool. The good seeds will float to the top of the pool, and the bad ones sink to the bottom.” The amount of salt is not precisely measured, instead Sleman has a technique to ensure the pool’s adequate level of salinity - an egg tossed into the salty sesame bath will quickly float to the surface if the salinity is acceptable.

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Culture

The seeds are rinsed again, and left in the sun before the roasting process. Each batch is roasted for thirty minutes to an hour in a stone oven. The amount of time is dependent on the fire’s intensity.

After the seeds have been roasted, they are taken to a rocking machine, next to a fan to cool off before the next part of the process where they’ll finally become tahini.

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Circuit Magazine

Then the seeds are poured into another machine where they are pulverized into a paste – the final product, Tahini.

The tahini is then bottled for sale. Tahini from Sari Kani can be purchased in markets throughout Kurdistan for $10 per half kilo bottle.

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We guard your health

Call Us: 0750 361 2040 0750 881 0102 0750 881 0103

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Field Clinics

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Direct billing to contracted insurance

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Health & Beauty

From the Mouths of

Queens

Senses Natural Beauty Care Center in Erbil is part of a network of health and beauty care centers in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Lebanon. The center offers 35 years of experience in hair and skin care. Owner, Marwa Sabbah, is a licensed beauty expert and consultant trained by the American School of Natural Health specializing in skin care, scalp, and hair nutrition.

Women in Erbil are always on the search for the best spot to primp and pamper, beauty queens included.

So we decided it’s time to hear from the ladies themselves on why they choose Senses Beauty Clinic.

Sara Tekaya France

Miss Queen of Queens 2016 “I really appreciate the hospitality of Senses Beauty Care Center in Erbil, Kurdistan, especially the beautiful owner.

They are doing a very good job.

I liked and enjoyed my visit to Senses and loved the high quality of services they gave me as wonderful makeup and doing my hair very well with high prefessionality, and they filled my heart with happiness especially with their warm reception and care which made me feel totally at home.

If I ever visit Erbil again I will definitely go to Senses again!”

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Zhala Toufiq Kurdish

Miss Middle East USA 2017 “I thank so much Senses Beauty Erbil for everything that day when I visited Erbil. I loved my hair and makeup that was made perfectly as never done before for me by anyone. I had such a great experience with lots of joy, fun and beauty!”

Circuit Magazine

Ahlam Hajji Morocco

Assil Al Ahmar Lebanon

Natalie Farraj Lebanon

“It was a pleasure for me to be well treated by Senses Beauty Center in Erbil, Kurdistan during my short stay in Erbil. My hair was beautifully dressed and the makeup was perfect. I really appreciate their effort by providing high quality services from Lebanon to Erbil. Certainly it will always be my only beauty center to visit whenever I will come to Erbil.”

“I really thank Senses Beauty Care Center in Erbil that took really good care of me during my stay in Erbil, Kurdistan with their beautiful makeup, spa treatments, hairstyles, and most of all with their respect and gentle and real reception from all of the team starting with the owners Mr. Karim and Mrs. Marwa Sabbah to every single specialist in their team. I thank them sincerely.”

“It was an amazing experience to visit Senses Beauty Center and Spa Erbil! The lovely staff knows very well how to welcome their guests and let them feel comfortable in a beautiful relaxing ambiance. The experts in the beauty field at Senses are very well selected,they know how to emphasize the beauty existing in every each woman.”

Miss Globe 2016

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Miss Asia Middle East 2016

Miss Earth 2016

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Senses Hair Body & Skin Care Center Erbil @Senseshairskincareerbil @Sensesmakeup English Village Shopping Center, Ara Towers, Ground Floor Next to Holland Bazar 4, Erbil, Kurdistan 00964 750 529 8484 - 00964 750 529 8787

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Health & Beauty

Exceptional Massage at Rotana’s Zen the Spa

By Jimmie Collins

Getting off the elevator into the dimly lit Zen the Spa, there is an immediate difference in the atmosphere. Once those elevator doors close, my cares melted away and my brain began transitioning into relaxation mode.

I walked to the reception desk and let them know I had an appointment and was immediately taken to the women’s changing room and given a locker key.

The locker was prepared with toiletries, a robe, towels, and the cushiest slippers ever. I changed into the robe and then wandered into the Jasmine room where Sri, my massage therapist for the day, warmly greeted me.

Sri, who is Balinese, has been providing massages at Rotana Erbil’s Zen Spa for six years. Her hands may be soft and small, but they are strong and skilled, a testament to her years of training and employment in Bali, Malaysia, and Dubai. Sri says that despite her experience, she continuously seeks training programs to keep up with the top in her profession.

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She helped me get settled onto the massage table, told me to let her know if I had any preferences or problems at any point during the massage, and then got started. I was getting the “Zen the Spa Signature Massage” which is a mixture of several styles of massage including both Asian and European styles like Thai and Swedish massage, along with the use of Chinese pressure points.

With the smell of Ylang Ylang and the sound of flutes playing lightly in the background, Sri deftly massaged my legs, arms, back, and neck with the perfect amount of pressure – the kind of pressure that almost hurts but somehow still feels good. By the time she finished with my neck and head at the end of the massage I was practically melting off of the massage table and walked out glowing and comfortable.

Zen the Spa offers a wide range of massages and facials including Swedish, Reflexology and Sports massage.

To book an appointment call: 066 210 5555

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Business

Top Apps Making Life a Little Easier

By Jeremy Oliver

Everyone knows that if you’re in Erbil, and you want to know what is going around town you just log into Facebook, and check out the latest on “Erbil Party International Circuit - EPIC” or “The Real EPIC Circuit Magazine” groups. And if you don’t use Facebook, you can find everything you need directly from the website www.party-circuit.com. However, there are some things that you can only find by downloading another app. Here is a brief overview of some of the apps that are drawing attention, and getting some movement in the Kurdistan Region.

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Business Auto-Plus Roadside Assistance The Auto-Plus app for Android and iPhone comes in really handy.

Seeing broken down cars in the streets, whose drivers are desperately seeking help to get rescued, has been a familiar scene that you experience while driving around in Kurdistan. I personally have had the experience to be stranded on the road and not know anyone who I could ask for help. Even asking a friend or relative, despite the embarrassing fact of asking for a favor, doesn’t always help, due to lack of tools, knowledge and experience.

No matter what the issue of the car is, it winds up becoming a significant problem which consumes your time and money and ruins your day. One of the things I’ve always missed while living in Kurdistan for 10 years is a proper and professionally organized countrywide roadside assistance company in Kurdistan.

Also, whenever you see an accident, there is always heavy bargaining (ok, arguing) between the parties involved, about whose fault it is and who has to pay or it, because nobody is insured.

Wouldn’t it be nice if nobody would have to worry about who is going to pay for the repair costs and where and how good the car is going to be repaired?

This is where Auto-Plus comes in. It’s the first and only Roadside Assistance Company in Kurdistan, providing comprehensive roadside assistance memberships and unique economic car insurance Packages. The inspiration and concept comes from ADAC Roadside Assistance in Germany and is managed by highly professional German management. Auto-Plus aims to become a role player in the growth and development of sophisticated infrastructure and customer service while helping raise the bar for quality of life in the Kurdistan Region.

For only 25.000 IQD, Auto-Plus provides an annual roadside assistance membership which gives you the assurance, that you are never left alone anymore in any emergency situation related to, let’s say, your fuel pump, fuel delivery, a tire puncture, dead battery, locking your keys in the car, and towing.

Auto-Plus Rescue Team will always be in your immediate reach all over Kurdistan’s Major Cities and the Main Roads between them, doing the utmost to get you back on track as quickly as possible.

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“Damanaty” the unique Auto-Plus Car Insurance, covers up to $1,000 USD in accident repair costs, with only a 100 USD annual fee. Additionally, you receive free of charge towing services, and 6 months of repair warranty at Auto-Plus Professional Workshops.

Since I have downloaded my Auto-Plus Roadside Assistance Membership and my Damanaty Insurance, which I highly recommend, I am enjoying riding my car confidently and I am living their motto: “Auto-Plus; Drive with Peace of Mind.”

Circuit Magazine

Kurdistan Guide With more than 150,000 downloads in the region you can find just about anything you’re looking for in the Kurdistan Guide App, from hotels & restaurants to parks and tourist attractions and companies that can help fulfill your every need.

Kurdistan Guide is a product of the Getty Technologies company, who produced the first accurate maps and GPS for the Kurdistan Region so it has features in it to help map out the location you’re going. You can click links to open in your browser window, and explore the region like never before.

You can also find all of the Circuit/EPIC events in the “Events” section of the application. So, if you weren’t convinced before, you should be now!

If you haven’t already downloaded this app yet, I really encourage you to go to the app store, and download it immediately. You’ll be glad you did.

As I mentioned Getty Technologies brought the first GPS maps to the Kurdistan Region and Sygic even uses their maps for the most accurate navigation in Kurdistan. Getty Tech GPS is available in 19 languages including Arabic and Kurdish, so there is no need to look for an alternative. If you want reverse GPS, they carry a patented product called “Getty Track”. That allows its users to track their car, or fleets of cars from one console either on the computer or on your phone. Getty Technologies has been leading the industry in high quality products for quite sometime, so if you don’t already have their apps now is the time to get them.

Aside from the user functional uses of their apps, they also offer advertising packages through our agency. If you can see the value in expanding your presence in the region, I highly recommend grabbing a VIP package with the Kurdistan Guide App, and get your company noticed in ways that before were impossible.

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BoozeRun 24/7 Erbil The next application I want to highlight is boozerun 24/7 This is a relatively new app that allows its users to order alcoholic beverages 24 hours a day using an online platform either directly from their website or from the Android and iPhone app.

Let’s say you’re having a last minute get together but there are too many things to prepare at home and you don’t have time to run to the store.

In addition to a vast selection of fine wine, spirits, and beer, you can also fill your cart with chips, nuts, snacks, mixers, etc. And since it’s a 24/7 service, it’s also great for when you accidentally-on-purpose invite everyone home for an after party.

Check it out, it’s also a life saver when the party starts to die, and you need to “re-up” on party favors.

Pink & Blue Daycare Now, the next one specifically helps me out (and about 50 other parents). If you’re an expat living in the Kurdistan Region, and have your young children at daycare at Pink and Blue, you will find their application for parents to be everything you need throughout the day. You can check on the food they’re serving your kids, what exercise they’re doing, what the curriculum covered that day, right down to how many diaper changes your kid needed.

All the information a parent usually knows about their munchkin at home, they’ll get straight from the app and the teachers at daycare. If you have your kids going to Pink and Blue, my wife and I recommend spending the extra $10 to get the application. It gives you peace of mind that your children are in good hands.

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Toyota Prius The Future of Vehicles in Kurdistan

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Business

Photos and Story provided by Toyota Iraq

Hybrid cars are vehicles that have a combination of two energy sources such as a petrol engine and an electrical motor and the Toyota Prius is widely considered the most successful hybrid vehicle on the market. The Toyota Prius has a petrol engine and an electrical motor which charges itself during driving and braking. The first Prius generation was launched in 1997, almost 20 years ago and the technology in the car have been developed over the years. Toyota Motor Corporation has sold more than 10 million hybrid vehicle units so far, making it the most successful hybrid vehicle in history.

Last year Toyota launched the latest 4th generation Prius in Iraq. With its combination of space and efficiency, the Prius is quite compelling. During a test drive run by Toyota Iraq, the Prius managed to travel a 1,000 km en route from Erbil – Halabja – Erbil – Zaxo – Erbil on one single fuel tank. This means remarkable savings of petrol and money. The car does not need to be charged or any special petrol and maintenance costs to the car are inexpensive.

The car itself feels luxurious for something so efficient. Once you sit in the comfortable seats you feel in full control. A large display in the middle of the dashboard offers a compelling and strong design in addition to informative icons.

The Prius is also very quiet, once you start the Prius, you almost must look for the READY green light that means the engine is on to know the car is ready

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Business

to drive away. Also the Prius has great visibility with large windshields all around the car to make sure the driver has no major blind spots.

To know more about the Prius, visit a Toyota Dealer and talk to a Hybrid Master who is very knowledgable about all the Prius has to offer. All Prius vehicles from Toyota dealers come with a 3-year warranty or 100,000 KM and the Prius battery comes with an 8-year warranty or 160,000 KM, whichever comes first.

Toyota Iraq is the exclusive & official distributor for Toyota in Iraq. There are currently only three Authorized Toyota Dealers in Iraq, Cihan Motors, Merkez Al-Madina & SAS Automotive Services.

For more information visit the official Toyota site for Iraq www.toyota.iq

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Sonia Beytoushi From Beauty Queen to Fashion Empire

By Jimmie Collins

When she was only 8 years old, Sonia Beytoushi started tailoring clothes for her dolls. Later she began making dresses for her sister and her mother. “Even from the curtains my father would bring home, I would take them and make clothes,” she mused.

Basically, for as long as she can remember, Sonia has been obsessed with clothing and fashion.

But it wasn’t until 2009, when she was living in her hometown of Mahabad, Iran, that she finally decided to take a real stab at making a collection.

“It was so difficult in this time because I couldn’t get any models,” she said. “That’s why I did the modeling for my collection by myself.” But of course, people talk and all they said was it was about showing herself off.

“It wasn’t until later that people started to take me more seriously,” she remembered.

In 2012, she created her first brand, “Sonia Beytoushi.” She

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would use any bit of fabric she could find and she found there were people who really liked her work. But there were still people who were didn’t understand it and didn’t like it, including her own family.

“At first it was hard, but now they support me because they see my success,” she says. Despite the lack of support, the persisted, and she would often make trips to Kurdistan to work on her designs.

She originally worked under the Sonia brand, but eventually decided she didn’t want to have her name on the collection.

She wanted something original and meaningful. So she created Zapidoll. “It’s like a small fabric doll combining words from two languages.”

Even though she was sure her business would be fashion, she wanted to study and get a degree.

While constantly working on her fashion line, she attended uni-

versity to study software engineering, a degree she obtained in 2014.

But as an artist, she also dabbles in other things including writing a book of poetry (which she published and gave to charity in Iran) and singing. But in the end, fashion design and modeling are her life and her business.

“I am making another book, but this time instead of poetry, it’s all about modeling and fashion,” she says. Her upcoming book is essentially a how-to for those who want to get into the fashion and design business: How to style.

How to market your brand. How to run a business. She plans to publish in English here in Kurdistan.

But what gives her the authority to write about fashion? Besides her experience with putting out 17 collections so far, Sonia studied fashion and design through an online course with FAD in London. The entire course focused

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Business

on Fashion and Styling, helping her take her experience and put it into perspective to create better designs. Now her most recent collection releases this summer.

And while she’s been coming to Kurdistan since 2012 and staying more and more, she recently participated in, and won, the title of Miss Iran in 2016.

“Honestly, I just wanted to show everyone that I could do this,” she said. It seems Sonia can do pretty much anything she puts her mind to. As Miss Iran, she will go on to compete on an international level in Miss Grand International in

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October and Miss Universe later in the winter.

While it wasn’t her initial goal, Sonia admits that winning Miss Iran has helped her fashion line a lot. “It’s gotten a lot of attention,” she says. “It’s really hard to show yourself in Iran, so really this gave me a big chance to show my business through a lot of media.”

Coming off of the win of her new title, now, in addition to creating a new collection each season, she will also host a show, called “Style-y Nue” in Kurdish, about fashion on the channel KurdMax Show. The whole idea of

the show is to help make fashion more accessible for women, men, and children, no matter their age or body type.

“We’ll have models that we’ll style based on the ‘concept of the week’ and we’ll show off their styles,” Sonia says. “And it won’t just be for skinny models like fashion usually is. It will include children, average or plus-sized women, and even men.”

Sonia has big plans for helping the fashion world in Kurdistan gain ground.

“I really want to have a fashion week here in Kurdistan like what they have in Paris or New York,” she says. She recently created a collection specifically for a fashion show for the Miss Kurdistan pageant in October, but she really wants to give a place for new, young Kurdish designers to show off their work.

Currently, Sonia continues to market her Zapidoll brand only online. She creates her designs, models them, and makes them specifically to order.

“It’s really hard to run a business by myself,” she admits. “I design and tailor the original clothes for each collection. Then I post them on the website. When I get an order, I have 2-3 tailors that I work with and they follow my patterns exactly. So everything is made to order right now.”

But she has high hopes for the future of her brand. “I want to open a store maybe next year,” she says. “I will have clothing made in bulk that can be purchased in the store. It will take a lot more money and space, but I’m excited for the opportunity.”

Looking at where she is now, Sonia laughs. “I was always doing things that other girls weren’t allowed to do as a child such as wearing clothes they couldn’t.

I was even the only one with a bicycle and was always riding around.” She said people would often voice their disapproval of her quirks and habits, but that now they understand her and some are even proud to say she’s from their neighborhood.

They say, “We didn’t know that this bicycle girl would be this successful!”

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Food & Drink

Moutabal Since we explained earlier in this issue where tahini comes from and where you can get it fresh and local, we decided we would bring you a recipe to use it. Of course you could make hummus, but my new favorite is Moutabal. Some would argue that Moutabal and Baba Ganoush are the same thing, but I find the addition of yogurt makes it thicker and smokier which lays the foundation for an ultimately creamy eggplant dip. I still can’t quite say “Moutabal” with the proper accent or inflection, but I sure can make it and scarf it down.

Moutabal Ingredients 2 Large eggplants (aubergines) washed 1 Small garlic clove crushed 6 Large spoons of tahini 3 Large spoons of Greek yogurt 1/ 2 Tea spoon of salt 1 Lemon juiced 1 Large spoon of olive oil 1 Sprig of fresh mint for garnish 1 Large spoon of pomegranate seeds for garnish Prick the fresh aubergine with a knife and put it on a baking tray under the grill.

Grill each side between 10 to 20 minutes or until the skin is burnt.

When it is ready, cut the skin open with a knife and scoop the flesh out with a spoon into a large bowl.

Don’t worry if you have a few black bits stuck to the white flesh.

Add the garlic, tahini and yogurt to the mixture. Mash the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

Add salt and lemon juice and mix well.

Drizzle olive oil on top and garnish with pomegranate and mint.

Leave it in the fridge to chill. Best served with warm pitta bread.

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Guacamole Of all of the different possibilities of things to dip your chips in, my favorites are salsa and guacamole. Salsa comes in a million varieties, but when I want a snack that is actually kind of filling, I go with the guac. While this is a Mexican dish by origin, but avocados are plentiful across Texas and guacamole is a staple on our tables. Make sure to find some tortilla chips to scoop this up or slather it into a burrito or wrap for a little extra oomph.

Guacamole Ingredients: 2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and cut in half 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 Serrano pepper, diced 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro Juice from 1/2 a lime Salt to taste Mix all the ingredients together either with a fork in a bowl or in a Mexican mortar and pestle (molcajete) until desired consistency. If you’re using a molcajete, there’s no need to crush the garlic. And you can add another Serrano pepper if you like it extra hot.

Served with tortilla chips or as a condiment on your favorite Mexican foods.

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Food & Drink

Piccini Wines A Family Tradition

Piccini is a family, a story of 4 generations of passion, values, and knowledge about wine. Piccini is grounded to the Tuscan land and its traditions, but it’s not bound by it. In fact Piccini today has an orange soul, a colour which perfectly represents its vibrant, dynamic and innovative personality, and an international brand, the brand of a company known and appreciated all around the world.

The Piccini family (Mario Piccini Managing Director, Martina Piccini in charge of marketing and sales, Elisa Piccini involved in the main strategic decisions but without working on a daily basis in the office) lives and works in the heart of Chianti. Their story begins in 1882 when Angiolo Piccini with only 7 hectares began producing wines under the motto: “It’s not how much wine we make, but how much passion we put in our work with the wine.” Under the guidance of Mario Piccini, the fourth generation of the family, Piccini is today one of the most distinctive, dynamic and innovative family-owned Italian wine company.

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Story of the Chianti Orange Label Mario Piccini tells the story about when he decided as a young man to join the family business: Mario says: “We grew up in a family where Chianti was almost a man, a guest to our dinner table. It was as if we had this little talkative old man with stories from long ago and memories of times long past. He knew our great-grandfather and he was a close friend with our grandfather.

When he started to work with his father, Mario already had a very clear vision of what his mission was. He was young, full of energy, rebellious. He didn’t believe in the old man, softly-spoken version of Chianti.

“I want my wine to be modern and actual, significant for the present. I wanted to make the wine of my generation.”

Soon after, Mario’s sister Martina came on board and they instantly became allies.

“My father made it very clear that we would go nowhere without energy and passion,” explains Mar-

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tina, “There is a big difference between inheriting a wine company and building a wine company, and under my father’s guidance we built it as a team.”

An excellent example of Piccini teamwork is how the family made the decision in 2001 to use orange for its Chianti label, Martina says. Their father wanted a red label that would be in line with Chianti tradition, and her brother pushed for a yellow label that would represent a new approach to Chianti, she says. She negotiated a compromise and they settled on orange.

“Orange is a color that transmits energy, youth and a positive, can-do approach,” says Martina.

“We’ve taken that orange and have applied it to everything else we do.”

“With courage and enthusiasm we took one of the most oldest and most traditional wines of Italy and we made it modern, vibrant, original and international. Today, Piccini is one of the most distributed Chianti worldwide.

Circuit Magazine

Piccini Today Situated in the heart of Chianti Classico, Piccini represents today one of the most important players in the Tuscan wine business sector.

Piccini takes pride in managing six family-owned estates. These six Piccini Estates, summing all together 400 hectares in the most important areas of Italian production, classifies Piccini, whose production of Chianti only represents 10%-12% of the entire Chianti line, among the leaders of the Italian wine sector.

Under the family‘s direct management, the estates remain true to the fascinating Italian and Tuscan winemaking tradition while making use of up-todate equipment and performing under a strict internal quality control system.

Piccini wines represent the most profound expression of the family’s commitment to uphold a tradition initiated by Angiolo Piccini more than 130 years ago. Intimately connected to the vineyards that enlivens them, the Piccini wines put an emphasis on a modern approach of winemaking. The Piccini wine range marks the modern face of Tuscany in the world.

Piccini, which is 100% family owned and run is one of the most distributed Italian wine brands, present in over 70 countries in the world. With a total annual production of 14 million bottles, Piccini is on the top 25 biggest Italian wine producers, and top 5 in Tuscany. Chianti Orange Label is the flagship Piccini wine, the dream come true of the family’s ambition to make Chianti a contemporary wine. The wines are grounded in tradition yet have an innovative, charming and fun personality, providing a bold and exciting choice for your table.

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Top

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Outdoor Restaurants

It’s Summer and while the days may be unbearably hot, the evenings and nights are when everyone likes to sit out and get some fresh air. We suggest doing it at one of these six places with a nice bite to eat.

The Book Café Loft at Erbil International Hotel Located on the rooftop of Erbil International Hotel, LOFT is a welcome addition to the city’s stylish dining and lounge options and will be a game-changer for Erbil’s restaurant and bar scene - finally introducing the city’s residents to the concept of sophisticated, high quality rooftop venues that have become so popular in other leading Middle Eastern capitals such as Beirut. Dubai and Istanbul. Be sure to check out the Aperitivo every evening when they’re serving the finest selection of Prosecco & Tapas with a great atmosphere.

The Book Café located in Dream City, it is a quaint place to have a light meal either inside the massive walls of books or taking in the summer breeze on the terrace. The Book Café serves a variety of light salads, and homemade cheesecake, apple pie, Danish, as well as a lattes, cappuccinos or tall refreshing glasses of pink lemonade to relax.

Deutscher Hof: Beer Garden The Deutscher Hof ‘Biergarten’ is unique in Erbil. Whether you’d like a bite to eat for lunch or dinner, or just a few drinks, the cozy, private outdoor garden is the perfect place to relax and is equipped with ‘Biertischen’ (German beer tables), a cocktail bar, and a small stage. The warm summer days of Erbil are made cool and breezy with their outdoor cooling mist system.

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Tangram: 360 Terrace Lounge Sitting on the opposite side of Erbil, Tangram’s 360 Lounge offers a unique panoramic view of Erbil among a mesmerizing ambience. The menu offers exquisite international items from appetisers to signature steaks. Each Friday enjoy an amazing rooftop BBQ, great music and a variety of cocktails and beverages, choose from a variety of international wines from their cellar and experience an authentic international lounge feeling.

Al Bustan Lebanese Restaurant & Garden at Rotana Located beside the outdoor swimming pool area, Al Bustan reflects the true authenticity of the Lebanese dining experience and live entertainment. Rich Mezzas, charcoaled grilled meats, and vegetables are few items out of many that you may choose on Al Bustan’s menu. The outdoor dining area is surrounded with streams of water and gardens.

Divan: Qi2 There is an eminently good vibe, what the Japanese call Qi, at this distinctive minimalist sushi bar and grill located on the 21st floor of the Divan Hotel. Whether that vibe emanates from the sweeping views of the park and city afforded by its large windows and two terraces, located on either side of the building, or the skill with which delicious dishes such as tikka-don or Beef Teriyaki are expertly prepared - or both - is up to you to decide. In addition to Kurdistan’s best sushi, the extensive menu also offers a range of more traditional options. Choose from the restaurant side, with its comfortable banquet-style seating in golden tones, or dine on the bar side with its high tables beside the window. No matter where you enjoy your meal, your palette will be just as dazzled as your eyes. Be sure to check out the allyou-can-eat sushi buffet on Mondays.

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SMB Group is a privately owned Kurdish company incorporated and based in Erbil the capital of the Kurdish Autonomous Region of Iraq. It specialises in the provision of bespoke customer orientated solutions for Civil Works, Construction, Project Logistic, Waste Management, Catering and Oil Field Technical Services.

SMB Group is committed to contributing to the economic development of the communities it operates in, through social investment, education and skills development, local sourcing of equipment, and employing local workers - in Kurdistan approximately 98% of their workforce are Kurdish/Iraqi nationals. The company have a demonstrable track record of working with local communities and their leadership to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes and to ensure there is no adverse impact on its client’s operational activities.

HASA Security is a Kurdish owned company that provides a bespoke security solution, to give organisations that peace of mind when working in complex environments. Using locally sourced people, equipment and materials ensures communities benefit from projects but also improves Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals for clients. Current client sectors include Oil and Gas, NGOs, Local Government, Banking, Hospitality from Static Guards to Embedded Security Consultants.

All projects are monitored by a highly experienced management team from the Security Operations Centre based in Erbil, acting as a hub for standard operational functions such as vehicle tracking but also available as an Emergency Control Centre.

HASA Security involves their clients from the very beginning of the business relationships to ensure that their needs are met in a manner that is relevant, thorough and cost effective. From start to finish, planning to deployment, HASA treats organisations and individuals with discretion, loyalty, confidentiality and acting always within the framework of national and international laws.

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International Experience Local Presence

www.smbgroup-iq.com info@smbgroup-iq.com Tel: +964 (0) 771 826 1454 MNR Company No: 781

www.hasasecurity.com info@hasasecurity.com Tel: +964 (0) 750 076 9583 MNR Company No: 1686 60

Lake Dokan

To be very honest, trips to Lake Dokan make our list almost all year long, but summers in Dokan are lovely. The water is placid and quiet.

You can enjoy swimming, kayaking, speed boats, and camping in the area. Don’t be afraid to leave the busier parts to find the less-traveled areas. And if you choose to travel up into the river, you won’t be sorry.

Photo provided by Rock Your Bones

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Travel & Leisure

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Travel & Leisure

Amedi

Destination Kurdistan:

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The City in the Sky

By Kurdistan Iraq Tours

When the traveler or tourist thinks about touring around Kurdistan, one often thinks of fascinating historical treasures, or amazing natural beauty. If you’re looking to capture both the historical and natural beauty in one place; then Amedi is definitely one of those destinations for you.

Amedi (Amediye, Amadiya, Amadi), is an ancient town sitting atop a plateau at 1,400m altitude, earning it a nickname in some quarters as the, “city in the sky.” Amedi sits at the end of an easy hour long drive from Duhok city, as it is 73km from the city. The city is adjacent to a tributary of the Great Zab River in Duhok Governorate. It currently has a population of around 10,000.

Amedi dates back at least to the Assyrian Empire. Until the last century, it was only accessible by a narrow stairway cut into the rock. The city sits atop a geothermal spring deep within the mountain.

This natural phenomenon made it nearly impossible to besiege Amedi, because as long as the city had sufficient food supplies, they could hold out against any siege force as they did not have to worry about running out of water.

Although there are few restaurants in Amedi, it is known for a couple of food items. First, it is well known for its Tahini, a cooked sesame seed dip, that is a tasty additive to a variety of foods. It is also well known for having some of the purest honey in the region.

Besides the breathtaking beauty of Amedi, the city is known for two main historical attractions as well. The first is the eastern Bab Zebar Gate (Bahdinan Gate). This feature predates the Islamic conquest, and is thought by some to have been built as early as the 2nd century B.C. The gate is actually the entrance to a small cave that connects the town at the top of the plateau to the valley below. One has a stunning view of the lower valley from this gate.

The other main historical site is the Amediye Mosque, which was built in the 15th century. A minaret from the mosque still towers over the city. It is the most dominating feature of the town, standing over all of the other buildings at a height of 33m.

The mosque was built for Sultan Hussein Wali (1534 – 1570), then the Prince of Bahdinan.

Several churches can be found in the town and surrounding area. Amedi was an important center of Chaldean astronomy and astrology. Some scholars as well as local folklore claim that this is the area where the Biblical Magi (the Three Wise Men) observed a star in the sky that prompted their pilgrimage to Bethlehem to visit the baby Jesus. And there is some additional credence to this claim as well, since one of the tribes in the area at that time was called Magi, and the Chaldeans were routinely

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looking to the skies for portents and signs.

Amedi was also a very important Jewish city during the diaspora period in Jewish history. Biblical history tells us that when the Babylonians sent the Jews into exile, they were sent to live in the land of the Medes. They were sent to live in the towns of Assyria, which at that time included Amedi. Today, there are still ruins present from one of the two synagogues that used to stand in the town.

Of course, one cannot go to an ancient place like Amedi without hearing all sorts of legends and folklore about times long ago. Some of them are remarkable, but as is often the case with these stories, there is at least some element of truth to them. Sadly, there are too many of these legends to list them all here; however, a good guide can relate many of them in a day’s visit.

Amedi really does have it all, and is a good example for the rest of Kurdistan; amazing scenery, incredible history, some incredible stories, religious diversity, and some unique food items. It is a must visit on any tour or visit to Kurdistan.

For more information about touring Amedi, please visit http://kurdistaniraqtours.com/. For more info about Amedi, or other places in Kurdistan, check out: http://www.kurdistantourguide.com/. To schedule a tour, contact Kurdistan Iraq Tours at: 0750 301 0001.

Issue 12 - Summer 2017

Deutscher Hof

Erbil/ I-Kurdistan

German Restaurant & Beer Garden Add: Ainkawa , Kurdistan Erbil, Iraq Tel : +964 750 316 2369

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Circuit Magazine

Circuit Magazine is a travel and leisure publication issued quarterly and distributed all across Kurdistan in locations targeting both local and expat readers.

When it comes to graphic & web design, Circuit can tackle any and everything. Some of our most popular services include logos, posters, billboards, letterhead, web site hosting and design.

Circuit Membership Rewards Card Our Membership Rewards Program benefits both sponsors and members by offering great discounts to maximize patrons.

Circuit can help you build a strategy for each channel, maintain your social media network, and target your advertising to the customers you want to reach.

Viber Bulk Messages Bulk messages can reach up to 100K numbers throughout Kurdistan and Iraq

Contact us now to get started Italian Village 1, Villa # 5 Erbil, Kurdistan Iraq

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+964 750 633 7700

www.party-circuit.com

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Travel & Leisure

Rock Your Bones with

watersports

There may not seem to be a ton of places to go out and enjoy watersports in Kurdistan, and even if there were, getting the gear is a whole other story. But with Rock You Bones, anything is possible. The group leader, Rekan Rasool, has built up stock of equipment such as kayaks and paddles. He takes groups out every weekend for different activities, so keep a look out on the Rock Your Bones Facebook group for upcoming events.

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Travel & Leisure

Take a Trip to

australia With

If you’re looking to get away this summer why not try Australia for a major change. The Land Down Under is in the middle of its winter while everyone here in Kurdistan is heating up. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast all have plenty to offer and enough variety to satisfy anyone in your travel party. We worked with dnata Travel to provide you with some tips on what to do, see, and eat during your trip. For bookings, contact dnata Travel.

Photos provided by dnata Travel

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email : holidaysiraq@dnata.travel tel : (0) 75101 00501

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Sydney

Don’t Miss Don’t miss the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk taking in the dramatic sandstone coves and sweeping views out to sea Knock the big ticket icons off your list in one hit. Head to Circular Quay and spend a day getting up close and personal with the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and the famous markets in The Rocks.

Enjoy a city that sparkles with a buzzing cultural scene, art, natural beauty and great food. Set on one of the world’s most stunning natural harbours, with clear blue skies, golden sunsets and warmer weather, Sydney knows how to sparkle in the summer sunshine.

The warmer weather sees the locals making the most of the various outdoor activities on offer across the state.

From mountains and beaches to vineyards, and Australia’s oyster coast, there are plenty of incredible road trips from Sydney that will take your breath away.

Wherever you decide to go, don’t forget to pack your board shorts or bikini! Sydney’s diversity, outdoor lifestyle and naturally photogenic scenery make it one of the most pleasant cities in the world to visit.

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Sydney’s best Animal Attractions Get out of town and frolic with dolphins or spot kangaroos. Just 30 minutes from the city lays Kalkari Discovery Centre,A inside Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in Sydney’s north, you’re guaranteed to spot resident eastern grey kangaroos, rock wallabies and lyrebirds while strolling through eucalypt-scented bushland.

1-hour away: Interact with the animals at the Australian reptile park and watch the staff milk deadly Sydney funnel-web spiders as part of an anti-venom program, walking leashed dingoes along the park’s nature trails, handfeeding kangaroos and posing for photos with koalas.

2.5 hours away: You won’t get any closer to Australia’s marine inhabitants than the experience offered by Dolphin Swim Australia: plunge into the cerulean waters of Port Stephens, north of Sydney, and watch as wild-but-friendly bottlenose dolphins approach.

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Travel & Leisure

Melbourne

Don’t miss Fancy a tipple at its source with a group of your closest friends? Hit the Yarra Valley Wine trail on a small-group wine tour It’s fair to say you may have never thought of dining on a colonial tramcar but now you have, why not give it a try?

Experience sunrise over Melbourne city, viewed from a hot air balloon Is super shopping more your thing? Try one of Melbourne’s outlet shopping tours and be ferried from outlet strip to pop-up store by in-the-know locals.

Melbourne combines the best of everything If you see only one exhibition… the National Gallery of Victoria’s inspired artistic pairing of Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei – two giants of 20th- and 21st-century counterculture – is a must-see for art lovers.

If you take only one long walk… step out beside the Yarra, the city’s iconic river, which meanders east of the CBD through glorious parklands and urban bushland.

If you peruse only one market… the Rose St Artists’ Market is the place Melbourne’s creatives gather to show off their wares every weekend. It’s a microcosm of capital cool, with some great buys for good measure.

If you visit only one garden in the Garden State… make the pilgrimage to Cranbourne to explore the stunning 15-hectare oasis of indigenous landscaping at the Royal Botanic Gardens’ Australian Garden. Watch out for wallabies.

If you only dine at one hotspot… Flinders Lane is not only handy to the tennis centre, it’s also home to some of Melbourne’s most singular eateries, including Chin Chin, Supernormal, Coda and Tonka. Bring your best appetite.

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Known as Australia’s cultural and entertainment hub, hosting international sporting events and world class galleries, Melbourne will almost always have something fresh and new in store. A city of diversity, secret pockets and hidden cobblestone laneways to explore away the hours uncovering hidden restaurant gems and shops that stock unique sophisticated one-of-a-kind ware you will only find in this southern city.

Trams are part of the allure of visiting Melbourne, so don’t miss your chance to rattle around the city on one of the old ones.

If you’re a bit of a foodie the iconic Queen Victoria Markets are worth a visit. The largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the market is known for its local produce and gourmet foods, emerging-and-established designer wares, artisan products and souvenirs. If you’re planning a visit in summer try the night markets.

Whatever your entertainment or cultural fancy is, chances are you’re bound to find it in Melbourne.

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Brisbane and the Gold Coast

Don’t miss Enjoy al fresco dining at Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane’s riverside restaurant precinct Experience Brisbane’s emerging boutique brewery hub in Teneriffe See the city at its arty best during the Brisbane Festival in September See a performance at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre Shop for all the big international brands at Queen Street Mall Tour the Gabba cricket ground.

A stylish urbane city with star attractions, come and discover Brisbane’s cosmopolitan vibes mixed with down-to-earth attitude and subtropical climate.

Energetic and excitement packed, Brisbane’s cultural experiences, entertainment and shopping precincts offer a different laid-back vibe you won’t see anywhere else.

It’s well worth taking a scenic journey by CityCat along the Brisbane River to see the city and neighbouring suburbs from the water. Walking and cycling are also a great way to get around as Brisbane is home to more than 1,100km of dedicated pathways.

For many visitors, their first and last stops are the ‘Big Five’ theme parks (Dreamworld, Whitewater World, Sea World, Warner Bros.

Movie World and Wet ’n’ Wild Gold Coast) and Surfers Paradise.

If family fun, rides and excitement are on your agenda, then the theme parks are a must.

Whether it’s relaxing on the Gold Coast beaches or discovering the beauty of Brisbane, you will never find yourself complaining about nothing to do.

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Whale Watching on the Gold Coast There are few things more remarkable than seeing whales in the wild. Happily, Australian waters are blessed with a bevy of these creatures as they migrate each winter and spring, up and down our coastlines. For a close-up view of these water giants, take a cruise with Whales in Paradise. You’ll see not only whales but most likely dolphins and turtles, too. The cruises are small in size so that everyone on board has a decent view; lunch is included and the excursion comes with a whale-sighting guarantee. Migration time is June to November; it’s worth calling ahead to ask what time they’ve been most active. Pack a cardigan for the boat: the Gold Coast is generally warm but strictly speaking, this is winter and it can get chilly out on the ocean. And a word of warning: it can also get choppy but they do sell travel sickness tablets onboard.

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Nightlife

Well, there is no doubt summer is here! If you’ve been here as long as I have you know what to expect. First, blistering heat, power outages due to overuse of A/C Split units, mosquitoes, and so on.

Here is what you don’t expect, but you will find in Kurdistan: Beer Gardens packed with people enjoying cold brew and grilled food like at the Deutscher Hof Erbil. Nightclubs opening their rooftop terraces to expose the elements like Sky Bar in the Noble Hotel. Barbecues all over the place, and after parties out the wazoo.

In the days of old, we used to hit the German Restaurant around 8-9pm and get our pregame in. Then roll over to Sky Bar for the next wave of social justice, and then head to the clubs like Lotus or Bella Ranicia. (Although neither of those were there yet and those that were are now gone…) Private parties were next on the agenda for a Thursday Night. After all of this, we would wake on Friday to a hangover brunch at the German, and then afternoon BBQ at Ayas’ house or a dunk in the pool before heading to the Tbar for some early drinks.

Now, take away my alcoholic goggles, and there are so many more things to do from heading up to Korek Mountain Resort for the weekend, picnicking at one of hundreds of places that are beautiful, and slightly cooler, pool parties at a number of great locations including the Erbil International Hotel, Rotana’s Aquarius Pool Bar, the brand new Masaya by Emerald rooftop pool. You can just group up and take road trips.

Be prepared for Ramadan, as most of our nightlife sponsors will be closed or hanging out on the down low. You will have to check in with EPIC regularly to find out where to go and what to do. It’s going to be a an awesome summer, so be prepared people.

Jeremy Oliver Creator of EPIC A Texan living in the Kurdistan Region for 8 years, Jeremy Oliver is the "Original EPIC." He lives a crazy life, day and night, in Erbil hosting a variety of social events all throughout town, while juggling his time with his lovely wife Lana, his beautiful son Elliot, his doggy Poopa, and his close friends. He never has free time and Pat keeps his schedule full with appointments with companies interested in advertising with Circuit and EPIC. Circuit Magazine and "The Real EPIC" group on Facebook are the warm chocolate center of his existence though he and his wife Lana actually are involved in 11 companies ranging from security consulting to engineering, construction, and waste management. He is always open to a good time and if you spend time in Erbil it is only a matter of time before you see his gleaming smile from across the bar!

And as always hit me up if you need help with anything.

--- Jeremy

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FOR MORE Info and Reservations 0 750 507 8888 79

Lotus Erbil

Circuit Magazine

Nightlife

noise squad

Raising Erbil’s Nightlife Expectations

By Jimmie Collins

Nightlife in Erbil ebbs and flows.

There are times when it seems there are constant parties and everyone who’s anyone is out seeing and being seen. Then there are times when it almost feels like a ghost town. People opt for house parties or quiet nights in with the family. People say they’re bored and they just don’t want to do the same old thing anymore.

From this, Noise Squad was born. Co-founders Jay al-Saygh and Fadi al-Akrawe (better known as ‘Jay DaVinci’ and ‘DJ Fadi’), say they just want to make nightlife fun again. They wanted people to make noise.

“People were organizing events to make money, but we just wanted to get people together to party and have fun,” Jay says. “We didn’t really like the scene at the time. People were bored, we were bored, so we decided to start making events.”

Under the Noise Squad guise, Jay and Fadi plan extravagant events with themes and decorations that get people excited.

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From the Blue Moon black light parties at Bella Ranicia to Hollywood Haven at the Divan, they offered something no one else had thought of during the winter and early spring when many people would opt to stay in instead of fighting the cold.

The difference between the every day parties out there and Noise Squad’s though? Right now, nightlife in Erbil means so many people sitting at their own tables, but Noise Squad wants to bring everyone together instead of everyone being independent.

It should be everyone all partying together.

But The Squad is not just the two people on the stage, it’s the people who come to party with us, Jay says.

“It’s not just us. We want everyone who’s there to be the Noise Squad. Our crew is going out and interacting with the crowd and that’s what we want to see from everyone. People hanging out and partying together,” he says.

But they’re careful to share that they’re not trying to compete with

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the existing nightlife, only trying to enhance it.

“Before we got started, I originally wanted to open a new bar, but instead of opening our own place, we thought why don’t we work with everyone,” Jay says.

“Before everyone was competition when I was running Bar52.”

But the thought of working with everyone means bringing in new and different crowds… and making noise.

“I don’t want to compete with the nightlife that’s out there, I want to bring that nightlife to the level of Beirut or other places in the Middle East that have a party life,” Jay says. We’re not working against the nightlife that is there, working alongside it and helping to bring it to a whole new level.

The challenge? The music.

“There’s an issue with music.

There are some people who just want these repetitive Top 40 hits, but there are people who are into deep house, country, or rock, and they have no where to go,” Jay says. “So we have plans to create events for different genres of music and bring people in.”

Noise Squad is for everyone, he says, and they’re open to ideas.

For example, if people came to us and said, ‘I have a group of people who are into this genre of music, can you create a regular event for us’, we could take that to a venue we think it would work at and help them on it.

“There are a lot of genres of music that Erbil hasn’t touched yet,” he says.

As a self-proclaimed “nightlife guy,” Jay says that after going to nearly every single event each week, even he is getting bored.

“So we’re sitting down and going through the playlists and we’re slowly trying to bring in new kinds of music,” he says. So the pair has spoken to DJs from around the world including Holland, Beirut, London, and France to coax them into visiting Kurdistan to help liven things up.

This summer Noise Squad will be working with the Divan on their weekly Lagoon parties for the summer. They’ll also be hosting one major themed event per month.

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Then they’ll have after parties throughout the summer at Bella Ranicia. Jay says he’s especially looking forward to working with Sky Bar to get that back to its former fame and glory. “For me personally, when I opened Bar52, I used to always look at Sky Bar and say ‘I want that place.’ It’s an ideal location, great view, great atmosphere, great caliber of people.”

As far as things that are new and completely different, to look forward to, Noise Squad is looking into throwing an event in the mountains near Erbil somewhere.

“People can go out and go camping. I think getting people out of the city and out of their comfort zone to do something different will really wake everyone up,” he says.

In the end, the ultimate goal is to get the people who feel like they don’t have a place to party back out into the nightlife here.

Noise Squad is open to everyone.

“Basically, we want people to feel like they’re a part of what we’re doing, because they are.”

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Enjoy a few photos of who we spotted “Out on the Circuit” last quarter at different special events throughout Kurdistan. Maybe you’ll even find yourself. Make sure to find us and strike a pose at parties this season to end up in next issue!

Trash Clean Up with Dashni’s Green Kids and EPIC

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Darts Competitions at Everest Hi5 Sports Bar

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Cinco de Mayo at Divan Lagoon - Hosted by Noise Squad

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Nightlife

Editor’s Birthday at Everest Hi5 Sports Bar

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