Hi - 01 April 2016

OMAN’S LARGEST CIRCULATED WEEKLY — 54,000 COPIES

vol 10 IssUe 14 / AprIl 1, 2016

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THIS WEEK IN OMAN

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SAVOUR A TASTE OF ISFAHAN

At the top of Jebel Akhdar, the Alila hotel continues to evolve, offering one of the most luxurious, and certainly the most remote, weekend getaway in the Sultanate. PAGE 8

This weekend, try your hand at ping pong with some of Muscat’s semi-pro enthusiasts at the Oman Table Tennis Committee. PAGE 16

An unassuming sweets shop in Qurum is home to the creamiest, nuttiest, and sweetest Iranian offerings in Oman. PAGE 12

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Give us a shout with questions, comments, compliments, complaints, or just to say “Hi” Founder Essa bin Mohamed Al Zedjali Chairman Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali CEO Ahmed Essa Al Zedjali scottarmstrong@timesofoman.com Chief Executive Editor Scott Armstrong felicia@timesofoman.com

Executive Features Editor Felicia Campbell Features Production Editor Swati Dasgupta Research/Copy Editor Ashish Dubash

ashishdubash@timesofoman.com

Senior Editors T. A. Ameerudheen Faisal Mohammed Naim Mohammed Shafeeqe

ameerudheen@timesofoman.com

faisal@timesofoman.com

Associate Editor Salim Hamood Al Afifi Shruthi Nair

shafeeq@timesofoman.com

shruthi@timesofoman.com

swati@timesofoman.com

salim@timesofoman.com

Multimedia Editorial Assistants Asmaa Al Balushi asmaa@timesofoman.com

Chief Creative Officer Adonis Durado Associate Art Director Waleed Rabin Graphic Editor Antonio Farach Design Editor Sahir K.M. Lead Designer Ali Jani Designers Antonio Ismael Sandiego Geri Batara Sonny Gregory Fernandez Director of Digital Television Joe Morrison Photography MMG Photographers

richard@timesofoman.com

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Head Of Advertising & Marketing Aziz K. Baker Production Manager Shafi Shaik On The Cover Design by Ali Jani For general inquiries or comments: HiWeekend@timesofoman.com

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THE WEEKEND LINEUP Your calendar of the hottest events happening in Muscat this weekend

31 01 02 THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

9:00pm

9:00am

9:00am Meeting of the Minds

Shake It Off!

Cook Like a Pinoy Mamma

Make your way to Seeb to dance away any memory of your work week at the “One Night at Tito’s Goa” concert, featuring DJ Brainwash and DJ Navin.

Entry is OMR10 for men, and free for women and cabin crew.

Participate in the “Basic Cooking Technique Programme” at Adobo Restaurant in Al Mawaleh to learn how to prepare authentic Filipino cuisine. The entry is for OMR20 and runs from 9am till 12pm.

Spend the day at Shangrila listening to panels on everything from innovative politics and economy in the Arab World, to the future of arts and culture, to creating a new Islamic narrative from the likes of Haidar Abu Bakr Al Attas, the former prime minister of Yemen, to young documentary film maker, Noor Al Dabbagh at the 11th Annual Harvard Arab World Conference.

On The Rocks Golden Tulip, Seeb +968 9798 3333

Adobo Authentic Cuisine (Located between City Centre Seeb and the Petrol Station) +968 9343 5226 adoboafc.com

7:30pm Enjoy a Classic Tale

PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED

Get your tickets to the Royal Opera House and go see the classic Legend of Troy, with dance performances by Fire of Anatolia. Ticket prices range from OMR5 to OMR50.

Royal Opera House Muscat Shatti Al Qurum +968 2440 3332 rohmuscat.org.om

Pre-register at: harvardarabalumni.org

5:00pm Shopping Roadtrip Head to the Expo centre in Sohar for the 4th Silver Star Shopping Festival, to buy the latest beauty and fashion products directly from producers. The expo will run till April 8.

Entrance is free.

Oman International Exhibition Centre, Sohar +968 2451 2100 omanexhibitions.com

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Have you been to any of these events?

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FIVE VIDEO TO TRY GAMES THE LAST OF US

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS III

In a story taking place 20 years after a virus destroyed the United States, follow the adventure of Joel and Ellie, and their mission to save humanity in this popular video game.

Live the action by playing the third instalment of the Call of Duty: Black Ops franchise. This instalment brings the player into a dark, twisted future with a built-in war storyline and high-end technology.

FAR CRY PRIMAL Enjoy playing Far Cry Primal, a video game set in the Stone Age, where a skilled hunter named Takkar travels to hunt mammoths, wild tigers with large fangs, and to engage in wars against other tribes.

GRAND THEFT AUTO V

HITMAN

Try the latest of this highly praised video game series. Version five features a storyline about three very different criminals who team-up for a series of daring, yet very profitable, heists in the corrupt city of Los Santos. Pimp your rides, make friends, and terminate bad boys.

Agent 47 is back, and he’s in his prime. In this game, 47 is hired to take down targets globally with larger maps, more disguises, and more options to kill targets. Get involved in one of the best video games of 2016.

HISHE (HOW IT SHOULD HAVE ENDED) Ever wished for an alternative ending to a popular film? Check out HISHE on YouTube, they will make you crack up laughing with their awkward, random moments and twist endings based on blockbuster films.

YouTube Channel: HISHEdotcom

SIMON’S CAT Simon is an English animator; he portrays living with his mischievous cat in a hilarious 2D animation series. If you are a fan of traditional animation, this is for you. It’s simple, extremely funny, and will no doubt stir up fond memories of your own cute interactions with your cat.

YouTube Channel: simonscat

KHARABEESH We all love a little political satire, and this particular one mocks common and popular issues in the Arab region. The content is pure comedy and the colourful animation is just brilliant.

YouTube Channel: KharabeeshCartoons

CYRIAK Our personal favourite this week, Cyriak is well-crafted and nicely done by animator Cyriak Harris, combining animation with visual art and effects. His clips are very funny, unique, and dare we say, addictive. Check it out and see what we’re talking about.

YouTube Channel: cyriak

CUSTARD PRODUCTIONS This channel takes Lego animation and stop-motion style to the next level, from its hilarious short sketches, to its superhero jokes. The production and writing are genius.

YouTube Channel: Keshen8

PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED

HI SOCIAL HILARIOUS YOUTUBE ANIMATION CHANNELS TO CHECK OUT

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Where are you escaping to this weekend?

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WEEKEND ESCAPE

ALILA JABAL AKHDAR

GILDED ADVENTURE Green mountains, steep cliffs, long drives, pleasant mornings, super-cool nights, poolside chats, sumptuous meals, adventurous detours, luxurious spa treatments, and soaking tubs with the best view in Oman await at the top of Jebel Akhdar.

STORY SHRUTHI NAIR PHOTOGRAPHY SALIM AL AFIFI

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lmost everyone who has visited Oman has been to the beautiful green mountains of Jebel Akhdar and as I’d listen to friends and visitors alike going on and on about the weather, the scenery, and the spectacular views, I’d have to keep mum, sitting on my secret that though I grew up in Muscat, I’d never been there. Everytime I heard yet another person waxing poetic about the place, I’d resolve to go, but after I learned about the Hotel Alila perched on the top of the craigs, my intense, but passing desire to take part in the Jebel Akhdar conversation was replaced with an absolute obsession making my way up to that rugged palace in the clouds. So when I had the opportunity to take an assignment in the Hajar mountains, I jumped at the chance.

My friends and I set out for the mountains one Friday morning with cameras, clothes, and almost uncontainable amounts of excitement in our sedan. You need a four-wheel drive to make it up the steep inclines to reach Alila, so upon reaching the checkpoint part way up the mountain, we parked our car and hopped into the awaiting SUV Alila had arranged to take us to the hotel.

I’d learned in Grade 6 geography that ‘the higher you go, the cooler it gets’, but as we ascended the mountain, I got to feel it for the very first time. With every zig-zagging turn, the temperature dropped another degree. I rolled down the window, feeling the cold air, utterly awestruck by the jagged cliffs and valleys all around us. Just when I thought things couldn’t get more perfect, or surreal, it began to rain. My colleagues and I began photographing and snapchatting every other road, mountain, cloud, tree, donkey, and sign board like crazy young tourists.

After half an hour, we spotted a cluster of huts up ahead. It looked too posh to be a village, but too warm, homey, and dream-like to be a hotel. Then we drew closer and saw a wooden signboard reading, “Alila”.

The traditional Omani-style architecture blended seamlessly with the slate mountains around it. The towering stone structure, it reminded me a bit of Hogwarts.

We were warmly welcomed by the manager in the traditional Omani way, with kahwa and dates. I finished the deliciously strong tasting coffee, which had a peculiar smoky taste and smell that I later learnt was from the local rose water. I was immediately poured another glass. I smiled politely and gulped it down.

As he came back to pour me a third serving, I desperately looked for a place to hide my cup.

My two Omani friends burst into laughter, explaining that I simply needed to shake the cup to indicate when I had enjoyed enough.

After checking in, we were escorted to our rooms which were beautiful independent cottages set directly on the cliffside. It was so hard for me to not yelp out of excitement and jump onto the bed straight away. After I composed myself, I took in the details of the space, and the things that really won my heart were the “two Bs”—the balcony and the bathroom.

The French doors of the balcony opened over the most breathtaking view I’d ever seen.

There was only a wooden fence separating me from the sheer drop of the valley, a bit scary, but quite stunning and a good adrenaline

Where are you escaping to this weekend?

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booster. The spacious bathroom, which was fashioned with cool wood and natural fibres, had everything one could ask for. I spent most of my time in the oversized, egg-shaped bath looking out the big window with hot water gushing out of the taps. Most importantly, the toiletries were all high-end Alila products, manufactured in Bali, Indonesia.

Later in the evening, we congregated on the balcony, sitting on a cosy cushion set catching up about all things pleasant in life over a few drinks. There were ancient villages to explore, rose water distillers to visit, mountain biking, hiking, and at the hotel itself, there were meals to enjoy at Juniper restaurant, an infinity pool next to a steaming hot water Jacuzzi, and a particularly fabulous spa that was calling my name.

We laughed and planned and ended up having adventures galore over the weekend, but what I enjoyed the most and what I continue to think back on most often, were the short moments of silence between the deep conversations, when all of us would just stare aimlessly over the peaks, breathing in the fresh Jebel Akhdar air, feeling the 13-degree chill against our skin, with peaceful smiles lingering effortlessly on our faces.

—shruthi@timesofoman.com

FRIDAY 08.00 Dump your bag in the boot of your 4WD (or sedan, but be sure to arrange a pickup from the checkpoint), make sure your coffee and snacks are close at hand, and roll your window down as you start your drive towards Nizwa.

10.00 Once you reach Nizwa, following the signs for Jebel Akhdar, and begin your ascent until you reach the Hormuz checkpoint. If you have your own four-wheel-drive vehicle, you can continue up the mountain, otherwise, this is where you will call the hotel and wait for your driver.

10.10 Transfer your bags and start socialising with the driver. Trust me, he will end up telling you a lot about Jebel Akhdar and get you even more inspired for your weekend adventure.

10.40 Try to control your excitement upon seeing the beautiful hotel. Enjoy a traditional welcome of dates and kahwa (be sure to shake your cup when you are finished).

11.00 Go luxuriate in your room, take in the view, take a rain shower, or have a nap on the plush bed. Try to not ask for the Wi-Fi password, so you can be fully present.

12.30 Go have a quick bite at the Juniper restaurant where you can pick from Omani fusion foods ranging from mezze to shawarma. Go for the Omani burger, which features a secret ingredients that makes it sweet, spicy, and super-filling.

13.00 Meet the local concierge near the recep-

tion for an adventurous joyride to the famous Al Ayn village. Walk through the huts-cumrose water distilleries and click pictures of the colourful doors. Narrow passages will lead you to a rugged terrain and before you know it you will find yourself climbing a rocky hill from which you will have a perfect view of the rest of the village. Continue until you reach a huge farm where walnut trees, rose plants, and various other spice plants and fruits are being cultivated. You will also find a clear, green Falaj stream flowing along the plantation. Let your guide explain the brilliant irrigation system.

14.30 Head to Wadi Bani Habib. From afar you will be able to spot the abandoned village. It’s amazing how this place can give you the creeps and at the same time lure you towards it. Enjoy the ruins of the beautiful village with huts made of mud and stones that were destroyed by the rains and floods over the years.

16.30 Head back to Alila to spend some quality time in the infinity pool, soaking in the Jacuzzi, using the gym or playing video games.

19.30 Go down to Juniper restaurant for a sumptuous 3-course dinner of tomato shorba, lamb kebabs with mint yoghurt and date-tamarind sauce, and mohalabia, an Arabian custard served with local walnut ice-cream. After the hearty meal all you will feel like doing is going back to your room, but try to go for a little stroll past the towering lava fireplace in the lobby, through the Hogwarts-like wooden floored corridors, past the pool, winding through the softly-lit cottages overlooking the ridges of Jebel Akhdar before retiring to your own balcony for a nightcap.

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SATURDAY 09.00 Head downstairs to take advantage of the generous breakfast buffet. Fuel-up on fresh breads, puddings, fruit, and fresh juices. But if you have plans at the spa, try not to ďŹ ll-up too much.

10.00 Have a quick swim to burn-off breakfast, or go directly to the subterranean spa for a brief consultancy about your bespoke treatment. Then spend the most relaxed hour of your life in the massage room. Try to stay awake to enjoy every moment.

11.30 Pass through the Alila Living boutique to peruse Omani designer clothing, accessories, souvenirs, toiletries, and jewellery.

12.30 Go back to your room for a hot bath before biding adieu to your palace at the top of the world.

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ISFAHAN DREAMS STORY ASHISH DUBASH PHOTOGRAPHY SALIM AL AFIFI ast week after savouring shawarma at Baba Salem and enjoying tea at the Tea Corner in Qurum, our party gained entrée to a sweetshop across from the Qurum Commercial Complex to satiate the sugary pangs as none of us believe in curbing.

We entered below the flickering fluorescent sign that simply read “Iranian Sweets,” to find a beautiful shop filled with a staggering display of colourful treats. We stared at all the lush, gooey varieties set safely behind glass, arousing our interest even more. The manager cum confectioner cum patissier, Hamid Mosayebi, entered and explained that the shop had just opened in August 2015, and the Isfahan native began leading us down a sweet trail, explaining each specialty and giving us samples of the delectable assortment to taste. Hamid’s love affair with sweets is much older than the shop: he had his own bakery 10 years ago in Isfahan and hails from a family of sweet makers. Now, after five years in Muscat, he is certain that his confections will tantalise the tastebuds of residents here.

We learned from Foad Mottahed, a consultant who helped

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to set up the shop, that Hamid and his all-Iranian kitchen crew make their desserts using only authentic recipes and genuine ingredients imported from Iran, including the saffron, ghee, and a special, sweetened, zero-fat fresh cream, which is used in what I consider to be the highlights of this sweet mélange.

The prepared-daily puff pastry and cream delights include ‘Noon Khami’ profiterole choux filled with cream, ‘Latifa’ macroons sandwiched with fresh cream, and ‘Chocolate with fresh cream,’ all priced at OMR5.500 per kilo.

Beyond the cream-filled specialties, the shop also offers saffron with pistachio ice-cream at OMR4.000 a kilo in the form of sandwiches or plain scoops, and various platters of Iranian cookies.

‘Nokochi,’ are made with special chickpeas, saffron, dried nuts, cinnamon, and

pure ghee and start at OMR4.500; lush Baklawa made with Iranian ghee and flour sells for OMR5.000, and Pashmak, chocolate-coated cookies that save well, start at OMR3.000.

Asked which one was his personal favourite, Hamid pointed towards the Nargil Marzipan coconut macrons. “It’s desiccated coconut with egg yolk and saffron…perfectly sweet in taste,” he said dreamily as he handed us Iranian saffron tea with rose water.

We sipped our tea and took in the rainbow of exotic cakes that talented bakers create in various flavours and shapes for OMR10 a kilo before carrying our goodies outside to the patio. We nibbled and laughed in the cool night air, enjoying our unexpectedly sweet slice of Isfahan right here in Oman.

—ashishdubash@timesofoman.com

IRANIAN SWEETS Qurum (across from CCC Complex and Second Cup)

+968 2456 1213 Open from 8:30am-11pm, Daily

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OMANI SLANG Interspersed with the Arabic conversations overheard throughout the capital city, even native Arabic speakers might be surprised to hear some unfamiliar words.

Though Arabic is the official language in the Sultanate, there are all kinds of words and phrases that are purely local. Here’s your monthly primer from Hi’s Omani team members Salim Al Afifi and Asmaa Al Balushi.

STORY SALIM AL AFIFI & ASMAA AL BALUSHI

•

ILLUSTRATION ISIDORE CARLOMAN

Fat

Zandol

Surprised Mu’faqm m

Foolish D’hig

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Want to learn a particular Omani phrase or saying? Get in touch with us on Facebook/HiWeekly and we’ll post your tutorial on our “All-Local Omani Tuesdays”.

Thin Wuseem

Well-groomed Kashekh

Nosy Smegg

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TO D LIST

THE ART OF SPEED AND SPIN Invented in the 1800s as an indoor wintertime alternative for tennis players in England, this paddle and ball game gained global appreciation and became a competitive sport by 1901. Thanks to recent initiatives taken by the Oman Table Tennis Committee, Ping Pong is now becoming a popular leisure sport here in the Sultanate.

STORY MOHAMMED SHAFEEQE

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udheer Ali, was a serious table tennis player in his college days. “During my initial days in university I started watching seniors play table tennis and later on grabbed the bat and began playing.

Years later, I am again finding time to play ping pong here in Muscat, after a long time.”

For those who see it as a game and not a sport, there is a soft feeling of nostalgia about table tennis, as it is an easily accessible pastime that anyone can enjoy.

Formed in 2012, Oman Table Tennis Committee is working hard to promote the activity as both a leisure game and a professional sport, organising several tournaments and making efforts to further popularise the game in clubs, schools, and universities in the Sultanate.

“We need to increase the number of players by involving wider segments of the society. At present we have to start from the roots. In senior level we have good players. But we have to work in all categories. We have to form Under 12 teams, need to work with Under 20, Under 15, Under 18, and Under 21. Right now we want to start from the 12-year-old. In two-three years we will have good teams in Under 15 and Under 12,” said Mohammed Atoom, the Oman national coach.

For a professional player like Omani Anwar Al Balushi, the game is far from leisurely, requiring a unique combination of speed, agility, deviousness, power, and controlled

touch, played-out in a tight space.

“You need a lot of stamina, power, agility, strength of the legs and upper body to perform the perfect shot in table tennis. You also need more on concentration, patience, and quick decision making in order to play competitively,” Anwar explained Mohammed Atoom believes that it is essential to establish a supportive environment to develop the game and players here in Oman, and fully supports the OTTC’s efforts to introduce training centres around the country, two of which are open now in Muscat, with the others established in Sharqiyah and Saham and several more set to open later in the year.

And for those of us just looking to pass some time enjoying a game we might have played in our childhood basements or garages, these centres provide a place to relive the youthful experience. Table tennis does not require a lot of space, equipment, or even huge natural athleticism if you are just playing for fun. And anybody who has watched or played the game, like Sudheer, will agree that the sport has a way of bringing people together.

Here in Oman, anyone bitten by the ping pong bug can visit a table tennis club or training centre to pick up a paddle, learn the game, and have a great time battling it out with family, and friends, new and old.

—shafeeq@timesofoman.com

GO PLAY Of the five total OTTC training centres, two are in Muscat. The organisation is providing tables and balls and other facilities. Anybody can join the clubs to learn and play table tennis. There are many clubs in the interiors like Saham, Rustaq, Al Shabab, Al Suwaiq, Al Salam, Al Khaboura, Fanja, Ibri, Al Hamra, Yanqol, Al Itihad, Mirbat, Dhofar, Al Nassr, Al Itifaq, Mudhaibi, Bidiya, and Quriyat. The Indian School Darsait also has facilities for ping pong.

Oman Table Tennis Committee (OTTC) +968 9123 4568 omanttco@gmail.com omanttc.com Oman Club, Al Khuwair +968 9924 5451 Seeb Club +968 9198 6999 Indian School Darsait +968 2470 1347

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This year Art Dubai — the art fair with the greatest global reach across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia — featured four vast galleries, three displaying Contemporary Art and one for Modern Art, whose cleverely named theme, The Future Was, examined how artists of the twentieth century shaped the future of art, which, now in the twenty-first century, we know as ‘Contemporary Art’.

In the great cities of the global world, Contemporary Art has taken a leap forward in imaginative creativity — a fact never more evident to me than it was last week at Art Dubai where ninety-four galleries with 500 artists from more than forty countries presented works that all compelled the viewer to think. Almost all the art was fascinating, or at least intriguing, and some was downright dazzlingly brilliant.

STORY PATRICIA GROVES PHOTOGRAPHY AHMED AL MULLAHI & GALLERY SARAH (RADHIKA IMAGES)

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his year at Art Dubai 2016, one could not really speak of trends in the usual way, as the diversity was too great.

While many of the artists came from the UAE and the GCC region, the Americas, the Far East, and a range of countries in between, were also represented.

It is interesting that you could not tell where the art in a given stall was from simply by looking at it. You had to ask. And the answers, more often than not, were surprising. It could be Palestine, the Philippines, Azerbaijan, Canada, Turkey, Lebanon, China, India, the USA, or any of the thirty other countries involved.

Each one represented the essence of this art fair—an unpredictable explosion of imagination. It was all about originality of concept and surprise in mode of expression.

Dubai goes all out in everything, and Dubai’s now globally popular art fair was no exception this year, providing an exhilarating experience that was as much a feast for the mind as for the eyes.

If Art Dubai 2016 says anything about the future, it would be that art is going to be more cerebral than in the past, more ingenious in concept, and more advanced in technique and artistic craftsmanship.

Architectural Mirroring, Coloured Shadows, and Loud Silence Internationally famous Filipino artist, Roberto Chabet, invited viewers to peer inside his giant box of mirrors, titled “Trap”. When I looked over the edge into the depths of Chabet’s great box, I saw angled slices of architecturally arranged mirror surfaces that echoed endlessly in a vast universe of reflection, taking the eye inexorably into far distances that glimmered under invisible lights. There, a city of glass became the outer universe in repeating waves of creation.

“The Colour of a Shadow,” an installation by Russian couple, George & Ilya Pusenkov, is set in an utterly dark room where vivid patterns projected on screen mysteriously migrate to engulf your body, transforming you

into a being of moving light and colour.

A monumental sculptured piece called “Loud and Silence” in which two enormous, blatantly black loudspeakers on human-like forms face each other with little space in between, makes one feel like the loudspeakers are blasting your ear drums, although there is no sound. For me, this installation is about people shouting at each other as they converse, even though they are close together, a fairly common, albeit unconscious, practice in this part of the world.

By contrast, in Silence, the other half of his installation, two rather beautiful gleaming chrome shapes stand a fair distance apart. They are fulsome, bulb-like humanoid forms in bloom, suggesting that silence allows thoughts to grow and fulfil inner potential. The Lebanese artist, Nadim Karam, explained that “Silence is Shout and Shout is Silence” — meaning that silence is eloquent and shouting nullifies the message, ultimately saying nothing.

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STAY INSPIRED For more information on the galleries who exhibited at Art Dubai 2016, you can visit artdubai.ae For more information on Radhika Khimji and her upcoming exhibitions, visit her website radhikakhimji.com

Muslim Spacemen,

The Crescendo:

Invasion of Toy

Muscati Artist,

Soldiers, and

Radhika Khimji

a Galactic Teddy Bear Humour and whimsy also made an appearance at Art Dubai. A charming, cartoonish piece by Azerbaijani artist, Orkhun Hueynov, featured inlaid white figures on stretches of black enamel as Muslims venture out into space. A mosque with tapered domes becomes a rocket ship, a Muslim Spaceman meets an alien, while two others plant a flag with a crescent moon on an unknown planet. Titled “Muslim Astronauts,” this amusing work seems to bear a message about the untapped potential of the Muslim world.

‘One Gallery’ from Ramallah made a political splash by presenting a ball spiked with masses of metal-coated plastic toy soldiers fighting in a tightly packed jumble of chaos in a piece titled “Universal Soldier,” by Bashar Alroub. The piece, which was featured on the front page of the Financial Times culture section, was said to represent

the overwhelming domination and frequent invasion of Israeli soldiers in Palestine.

In wandering through one of the Contemporary Galleries, we came upon an installation with a corridor of strangely beautiful vaulted arches made of millions of bottle caps. As we journey on, I looked up and saw something which at first seemed like a cross between a dark cloud and a giant amoeba.

When I stood directly under the floating mass, I could see that it was an enormous, inkblue teddy bear sprinkled with stars like the Milky Way. To cuddle that teddy bear would be to metaphorically embrace the galaxies.

The works so far mentioned were only a small sampling of the seemingly limitless array of amazing works of Contemporary Art on display at the fair, and I have saved the absolute best for last.

The solo exhibition of Muscat artist, Radhika Khimji at the Gallery Sarah stall was comprised of photographybased pieces presented on large sections of unpainted plywood that somehow endowed the images with an odd feeling of peacefulness. The photographic element, or fragments thereof, were made dimensional with materials such as wooden sticks and structures, shaped cloth, handmade paper, thickened acrylic paint, and Radhika’s signature: sewing with red thread.

The layered effect made it seem that there were many places to go within these works, hidden discoveries to be made, and elusive visual realities to be constructed and deconstructed.

The colours were from a subdued spectrum: grey, sepia, brown, black, white, and a scattering of unidentifiable hues.

Because of the fusion of varied elements and modalities through an unexpected juxtapositions of photography, painting, embroidery, woodworking, and collage, Farah Asqul, the Director of Gallery Sarah, described Radhika’s pieces as hybrid works. “We don’t know where the photographs were taken or when,

and Radhika doesn’t let us know,” Farah said. This perhaps adds to the sense of timelessness and the universal. In absorbing and understanding these original works, you can’t follow the thought process of the artist — you are forced to follow your own.

To me, Radhika’s Art Dubai pieces represented a fresh interpretation of what ‘art’ and ‘beauty’ might mean. They contain a unique quality that can perhaps be described as a subtle form of contemporary surrealism. They are strange, yet hauntingly familiar, like a sudden déjà vu or a dream that is almost remembered but remains elusive.

Interestingly, now, at the time of writing about Radhika’s exhibition, I do not think of individual pieces — not the sunken section of wall seeming to move or the slanting shed that reminds me of the hideouts we constructed in childhood or the moon of red thread that should be in the sky. No, I am thinking of the whole collection in one home — a family of works that someone has used to fill the walls of a room. If I were a collector with the means, I would do just that.

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STORY SWATI DASGUPTA

C

offee addicts often say "even bad coffee is better than no coffee at all," but for connoisseurs and enthusiasts around the world, this is not the case. Blogs have been dedicated to this bewitching beverage, poems and songs written in ode to the dark brew, such is the love for one of the world's most important drinks.

For someone like me, for whom coffee has always just been an on-thego-pick-me-up, it took years to wrap my head around why so many people take their coffee so seriously. What’s so special about that morning cuppa? I often wondered.

Over the years, I've come to realise that a good cup of coffee just doesn't happen magically, a lot of effort goes in its making. But beyond the complex production process, from selection of the beans and the method of roasting, ranging from lightly roasted to very dark roast with various degrees and grinds in between, it was when I began to take note of how the

rest of the world enjoyed their coffee, that I discovered surprising revelations that deepened my appreciation.

While in Austria I was taken aback to see a cup of espresso layered with an egg yolk, brown sugar, and whipped cream, in Paris I was pretty amused to see people sipping their milky morning coffee from a bowl. I was even given a few funny looks by a Parisian waiter at the restaurant when I ordered milkcoffee during the day. It was only later I learnt that black coffee is the beverage of choice for the rest of the day.

In Italy they say the espresso is served with a sliver of lemon peel, while in Spain, the espresso is topped with steamed milk, cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey, and across the ocean in Mexico they prepare a delicious spiced coffee flavoured with cinnamon and cooked in clay pots to add an earthy flavour to the drink.

Coffee ceremonies play an important role in Ethiopia where women spend hours roasting beans and brewing the stuff. But my very first taste of interna-

tional coffee, deviating from espresso, drip, or that pseudo-coffee, Nescafe, was in Oman, where I tasted kahwa for the first time.

At a press conference I was surprised when I was handed a small thimble of black coffee, fragrant with cloves and cardamom. It was deliciously different.

I went on to learn that in this part of the Middle East, coffee is never taken with milk, and is instead flavoured with spices such as cardamom, cloves, ginger, and saffron, and sometimes a hint of rosewater. When you drink it, you should be able to distinguish between all the different flavours and aromas.

Enjoying your morning brew is no small thing, from the way you drink it to the way you brew it. This daily ritual tells a story about its consumer, her culture, her taste, her travels, and her personality.

Join us on a quick-hits global coffee tour that will have you reaching for another cup before the end of your coffee break.

—swati@timesofoman.com

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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 14 APRIL 1, 2016

Kokkaffe (Sweden/Scandinavian Countries) Kahwa (Oman)

In Sweden, coffee is made by boiling ground coffee beans in water and serving it without filtering. It tends to be very strong and gets stronger as it is kept hot for consumption throughout the day. It is said that Swedes drink more coffee than almost anyone anywhere else in the world and years have been dedicated to master a perfect cuppa. A coffee break in Sweden can last for hours, and is taken several times in a day.

My tryst with coffee without milk was with kahwa which initially was bitter for my palate. But gradually I acquired the taste and the delicately spiced flavours in it opened up a new world of coffee for me. Served with a handful of dates for sweetness, kahwa is served as a gesture of hospitality in Oman, served to guests both at home and in offices. The coffee beans are lightly roasted, sometimes purchased green and pan-roasted at home, then ground with cardamom pods.

Clove, cinnamon, rose water, and saffron may be added to the brewed coffee for added flavours.

Italian Coffee (Italy) Italy is synonyms with espresso, and Italians are very particular about how and when to drink it. Cappuccino, foamed milk and espresso; caffé Americano, water and espresso; caffé macchiato, espresso with a dot of milk; and caffé ristretto, which is stronger than regular espresso are all savoured.

Never ask for a latte in Italy unless you want to be served a glass of milk.

While mornings usually start with a frothy cappuccino, the other less milk heavy varieties are taken during the rest of the day — after lunch, during work, and post dinner — often with a sliver of lemon to offset the bitterness.

Making the perfect espresso in Italy is all about finding the right balance and is considered an art, practiced with immense precision.

Kahvesi (Turkey) Those who have been to Turkey might have heard the Turkish expression, The memory of a good Turkish coffee lasts 40 years. Turkish coffee is made with ground beans boiled in a small brass pot also known as an ibrik, with or without sugar, and is then served in small glasses. It is important to specify how much sugar you want while asking for Turkish coffee, as it is best to have the sugar cooked along with the strong brew. A cardamom seed is sometimes added for flavour. These tiny, strong servings are meant to be enjoyed sip by sip, and is an important aspect of socialising.

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 14 APRIL 1, 2016

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Café (France) American Coffee (America) In America, it has always been more about drip coffee and speciality beans than shots of espresso, and coffee began as the beverage of the "working-man" as a quick pickme-up during short breaks. This has evolved over the years and now many cities in America, like Portland and Seattle, are known to have great artisanal coffee cultures, with organic and speciality coffees, innovative brewing methods (like cold brew for strong coffee served over ice in the summertime), and coffee shops on every corner.

Some of the small American coffee houses and roadside diners grew over the years into massive international chains, like Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks, though boutique coffee culture remains important in the United States. Despite coffee's importance as the daily drink of choice, Hawaii is the only state in America that actually grows coffee beans.

Built into their lifestyle, people in France are known to stop for a café anytime of day or night.

The counter top brewing devise in which hot water is poured over grounds, left to steep, and then poured out through a strainer, is aptly called a French press. If you ask for café express, you will get strong and concentrated coffee in tiny cups. While cream and milk in coffee is not very common in France, the café crème, basically an espresso topped with foamed milk, is a popular morning beverage. But a cappuccino in France has no similarity with the ones that Italians are famous for. If you order a cappuccino in Paris, you’ll end up having a watery, almost Americano-style espresso topped with froth. The French have their café as a digestif after a hearty dessert, so it is often taken bitter and black to offset the sweetness.

Try a Cup Go to CAFFE VERGNANO 1882 for Italian coffee and espresso Assarain Complex, Madinat Sultan Qaboos & Avenues Mall + 968 2443 4703, + 968 2450 1743 Go to MESHAN for Omani Kahwa Al Massa Mall, Sarooj Area + 968 9779 2463 Go to TURKISH COFFEE RESTAURANT for Kahvesi Al Khuwair + 968 2448 8071 Go to SARAVANAA BHAVAN for Indian filter coffee Ruwi & Al Khuwair +968 2470 4502, +968 2448 7873 Go to LA BRASSERIE for French coffee Muttrah Port, Fish Market, Muttrah + 968 9137 1999

Filter Coffee (India) Indian filter coffee, which is extremely popular in South India, is a slowly brewed coffee that basically steams in a metal tumbler outfitted with perforated cups inside. The resulting frothy beverage is usually mixed with milk and sugar in a metal tumbler called davara. The flavour and froth of filter coffee is attained when the right quality of beans are selected, roasted well, and ground to the perfect coarseness.

Go to ESPRESSAMENTE ILLY for coffee made out of nine types of Arabica beans Avenues Mall, Bausher +968 2200 5420 Go to KONY & JO’S CAFE for iced café latte and iced cappuccino Fun Zone Qurum + 968 9549 5799

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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 14 APRIL 1, 2016

International Day was organised at TAISM.

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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 14 APRIL 1, 2016

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Cisco Partner Charity Football Tournament organised by CISCO systems Oman, at ZAK Academy in Bausher.

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Pakistan Social Club-Oman hosted a farewell dinner in honour of the outgoing Pakistan Ambassador Ayaz Hussain, at the Al Maasa Hall.

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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 14 APRIL 1, 2016

SUDOKU HOW TO PLAY Fill empty cells with the numbers 1 to 9, so that each number appears once in each row, column, and area.

Level | Very Easy

Level | Easy

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