SLT4Doha(March09)

sur la terre foreword

» foreword

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>>> The chilly days of winter are finally giving way to the warming rays of the spring sunshine and the world is being born anew in a wash of vibrant colour. It was against such a backdrop one year ago, among the first buds of spring 2008, that Sur la Terre arrived in the Middle East.

Imitating mother nature’s burst of spring life, renewal and growth, we have flourished over the past 12 months nurturing a reputation for providing readers with only the choicest blooms in local luxury. With this in mind, it seemed appropriate to base our anniversary issue around the theme of growth. The very word encompasses not only our own personal experience through the success of this magazine, but reflects that of the community in which Sur la Terre resides.

Doha is a city that is in a constant state of flux. As you look out over the Corniche you can see the skyline of modern Qatar taking shape, while right behind you the traditional culture of trade and barter carries on regardless in heart of Souq Waqif. This juxtaposition is repeated throughout the pages of this milestone issue, from the beautiful blooms of the Doha Garden Club, which blossom against the arid backdrop of a desert city, to the evolution of news delivery from arduous desert camel walks into the interactive information behemoth that is the city’s Al Jazeera News Network.

When you add our editor’s Mini adventure in Austria, an exclusive interview with the Lord Mayor of London and more luxury than you could shake a blooming tree branch at, this becomes a very special issue indeed.

So, I invite you to turn the page and join in the celebration of our first wonderful year as Doha’s consummate guide to international style and glamour.

James McCarthy

Sur La Terre – Doha

General Manager: Jocquine Chami

Regional Managing Editor: James McCarthy Editor: Steve Paugh

PR, Sales & Marketing Director: Julia Toon Creative Director: Roula Zinati Ayoub

Designers: Rena Chehayber, Lara Nakhlé, Lamis Nashef

Editorial Contributors: George de Matteis, Eileen Hofer, Yamina Benaï, Anne & Judikael Hirel Printed by: Raidy Printing Group

Published by: Firefly Communications

P.O. Box 11596, Doha - Qatar, Tel: +974 4340360, Fax: +974 4340359

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sur la terre content

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content 04 in town

Fresh and new, the latest exciting luxury products, launches and accessories to hit the city

12 spotlight exclusive

Ian Luder, the Lord Mayor of London talks exclusively to Sur la Terre

15 gourmet travel

Uncovering Croatia’s crown jewel, Dubrovnik

20 going global

From humble Tuscan beginings, Andrea Bocelli comes to the Middle East

24 artopia

The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, Doha

28 shining stars

Cute kids highlight the best and brightest fashion accessories

35 star

Kevin Spacey talks to Sur la Terre about his move from screen to stage

38 spotlight

President of the Doha Garden Club, Paula Riebe

42 unique rides

The Mini Cooper S Convertible, the new Infiniti FX and the Audi A6 & RS 6

50 i feel like...

Camping

sur la terre content

52 accessories

The latest accessories and trends

60 design

Dripping With Luxury, a guide to the world’s best bathing places

65 beauty

Skin care for her and him

68 brand history

Boucheron, a feast of precious stones

76 a day in the life...

of Oliver Watson, director of the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha

78 fashion

The newest fashion trends to grace the catwalks

90 showcase

The Arabian Beacon, Qatar’s growth into a hub of global communication

97 objects

Sensual Extensions, beautifully designed useful technology

100 in vogue

Your guide to the latest trends in fashion and shopping available locally

106 out of the box

Top picks from the vast range that the local market has to offer

112 society

Evenings out, parties, openings and the best of the Oscars’ red carpet

122 Entertainment

The best in chapters, tunes, silver screen, small screen and online

127 snapshot

A photograph to inspire and admire

I cultural agenda Cultural events around the region

VII out & about Activities to do in the city

XIII directory

Your local and regional guide

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sur la terre in town

In Town est exciting Fresh and new, the lat hes and luxury products, launc city e th hit accessories to

The Marriott Reward Marriott hotels have recently celebrated one of the best developments in the accommodation industry since room service. For the last 25 years, the Marriott Rewards program has provided the honoured guests of all Marriott owned hotels with a veritable litany of perks. Whenever a lucky traveller joins the program and stays at a Marriott, they gather points which can be used to redeem anything from hotel stays, cruises, brandname merchandise, car rentals and frequent flyer miles with 32 airlines.

When it was created, the rewards program was the only one of its kind, and while it is still a revolutionary idea, it has since been flattered by repeated imitation from others. Even with all of this emulation, the Marriott program is still on top, given the fact that it won the 2008 Freddie Award for “Best Hotel Rewards Program,” as well as being voted the best by readers of several business traveller magazines. With the returning Marriott MegaBonus now back on point in Qatar, it’s easier than ever for members to win loads of new prizes, including a free vacation. In celebration of these impressive accomplishments and its 30 millionth member, Marriott has held wide gala events to thank its members for its continued popularity and success.

The Admiral of CORUM CORUM’s newest timepiece, The Admiral’s Cup Black Hull 48, is one that inspires intrepid discovery through an ocean of time. The ebony shroud that ensconces the immediately recognisable 12-sided face is the ultimate statement, being both simple and striking. Forged from titanium, its sharp, definitive lines appear to be carved from the starless night of a sea voyage; but beneath its facade is enough technology to lead its wearer through the darkness. Its internal movement is wound automatically and its accuracy is guaranteed with an authentic COSC chronometer certificate. The power within, capable of providing a reserve of 42 hours, is matched only by its versatility. Created to withstand thundering gales and unexpected squalls, the Admiral shows its dogged durability with titanium buttons and a vulcanized rubber strap. With a guaranteed water resistance of up to 300 metres, this is the ultimate instrument in the never ending struggle of man against nature.

Dupont Cigars

Once again, fire has been brought to mankind. This time, the flame has come with a bit more flash, having been handed down not from the heavens, but instead from famed French designer, S.T.Dupont. Ever since its first creation in 1941, Dupont has designed and hand crafted the most unique lighters and smoking accessories since the first blaze was set millions of years ago. To offer a light through a Dupont piece is to recapture that discovery and extend an invitation into a dazzlingly new world of light, fire and fashion. The newest collection comes in a range of precious materials, including white and pink gold, alligator skin, Chinese lacquer, mother-of-pearl and palladium, all shimmering in the eternal flame of the undying Dupont torch. The technique involved will make you never want to look at a cheap plastic lighter ever again. With automatic triggers, adjustable settings and exclusive opening systems, these are lighters you definitely don’t leave at a bar. Got a light? You do now.

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HP: Clutching the Digital

We are living in a digital world, so this one is for digital girls. In an effort to download some style to their substance, HP officially launched the world’s first “digital clutch” at New York Fashion Week last September. Since then, it has plugged itself into the heart of millions of trendy techies the world over. Designed by and named after Vivienne Tam, the special edition is the latest from the HP Fashionista line, and as such is adorned in a rich gown of delicate colours and peony flower prints. This design taps into the current “China Chic” fashion trend, and flows throughout the entire notebook, even down to its keyboard, mouse and embroidered storage case. The thumping technology beneath the Tam’s voluptuous veneer makes this edition all the more special, setting itself up as the perfect selection for the very different yet converging worlds of business and beauty. Just like good fashion sense, the new HP is available throughout the Middle East, so it’s easier than ever to clutch digital decadence.

The House That Graff Built

Laurence Graff has always had a passion for flashin’. It is that faceted fascination which helped him establish one of the largest and most successful producers of cut and polished diamonds in the world. The newest acquisitions of the famed jewellery house now include the 603 carat Lesotho Promise, which has been reformed and fashioned into a radiant necklace of 26 flawless gems, and The Letseng Legacy, which has officially been listed as the 18th largest uncut diamond in the world. As with all of their famous jewels, these gems carry the Graff logo, laser inscribed so as to ensure the quality associated with the name, while not diminishing the diamond’s clarity grade. Now available in the Gulf, Graff has brought its quintessential luxury closer than its ever been to GCC residents. That is something for which we can all be grateful.

The New Cadillac

Mannai automotive is about to make the dreams of countless Gulf-based gear heads come true. As the lone provider of all things Cadillac in Qatar, they are unleashing one of the most anticipated arrivals to date: the new Cadillac CTS-V 2009 sedan. Wrestling back an incredible 650 horsepower within the reigns of its 6.2 litre LSA V8 engine, this monster of a machine is sure to shock all onlookers with its automotive arsenal. The 747 Nm of torque is brought under control by the six speed manual transmission, made more accurate, fast and downright fun with the addition of a shortthrow shifter or an automatic paddle shifter. Combined with the trackready suspension and F1 run-flat tires, the CTS-V can jump from 0 to 60 in 3.9 heart-racing seconds. To accommodate for the nearly incomprehensible pickup, and to keep the driver in ultimate comfort and control, the new Cadillac now comes with 14-way adjustable performance Recaro seats and the world’s top suspension system from Magnetic Ride Control. Basically, this machine would put the Batmobile to shame, and it’s finally coming to Qatar. Brace yourself.

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Perpetual Ferrari

The quintessential luxury car manufacturer and one of the most wellregarded names in horology have teamed up to produce an astoundingly unique timepiece in these sometimes jaded modern times. Ferrari and Officine Panerai are two Italian companies that are known for excellence in their respective fields, and whenever these worlds collide, a heavenly hybrid is born. The 60 Perpetual Calendar units will celebrate 60 years of Ferrari, with a special face built to showcase the iconic symbol and dashboard of the Ferrari. Its movement runs off of the Gregorian calendar and is specially programmed to maintain its accuracy until the year 2100, which gives you plenty of time for a retune. The Perpetual Calendar is sure to rev the engines of car and watch lovers alike.

Hummer H3-T

What do you do when you live in a busy metropolis surrounded by a paradise of off-roading pleasure just begging to be bashed? You buy a vehicle capable of amazing feats of strength and agility, while at the same time being flexible enough for city driving. That vehicle has arrived! The Hummer has been popular in Qatar for years and has always been known as the world champion off the road, but you’ve never seen it like this. The 2009 H3-T is Hummer’s first pick-up. To accommodate for the new junk in its trunk, the H3-T has added 8.6 cm to the wheelbase. This addition allows for a roomier cab as well as a spacious 1.5 m bed, perfect for storing the rest of your desert exploring equipment, like four-wheelers and dirt bikes.

But it’s not just the bed that’s new. This beast is the next evolution into the extreme, implementing not only an amped V8 engine with a towing capacity of 2,676 kg, but also a stronger chassis and enhanced safety features. The unmistakable style of the Hummer is thankfully in tact, but with its new, more practical features, it has almost become something else entirely. Feel free to test out the H3-T exclusively at the Mannai showroom right here in Doha.

Piaget

Possession. It is a word that sums up the culmination of captured desire, the passionate gratification of obsession and the realisation of the dream of longing. There is no better name, then, for the brand new, exceptionally crafted wedding bands from vaunted jewellery house, Piaget. Breaking away from the box standard of matrimonial mundanity, Piaget has just created its most unique wedding band to date in astounding 18-carat, pink gold. Punctuated either with the glitter of a solo stone or with a collection of seven lucky diamonds, this blushing testament to requited love taps into the emotive resonance of the colour pink, as well as the beauty and unmatched clarity of the diamond. Worn as a set with the Altiplano men’s watch or the Limelight ladies model, the Possession ring becomes the ultimate expression of the soft beauty in every wedding celebration, and the promise of a long, full life in rose.

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sur la terre in town

Luminor Chrono Daylight 44mm-Titanium

The new Luminor Chrono Daylight 44mm-Titanium is the latest in a long, lustrous line of durable yet fashionable timepieces. With Luminor, the Officine Panerai name has established itself as a presence in timekeeping for over 60 years, and this newest model proves its legacy for quality is well-deserved. This is a watch designed for the rough-andtumble. The Luminor is a military man at heart, with a steadfast devotion to punctuality and ruggedness. Its chronometer has been awarded a Swiss authority COSC certification, while its outer titanium skin is hard yet flexible. Like any tough guy worth his salt, this watch is completely immune to the perils of heat and corrosion, while the patented Officine Panerai water resistance device also protects it from the ocean depths.

This makes it a lot easier to tangle barehanded with monsters of the deep. With all of these features, plus illuminated indicators, a dial safeguarded by sapphire crystal and an expertly designed leather or rubber strap, the new Luminor is one of the brand’s toughest and most versatile offerings to date.

Hermès: The God of Horologie

This year, Hermès celebrates the 30th anniversary of its beloved Arceau collection. The appropriately dubbed Arceau Skeleton is a stylish tribute to the great body of work from Hermès. The seemingly frictionless skin of this self-winding testament to timekeeping is awash with white gold.

The classic stirrup design and italicised dial numerals of the Arceau collection, signatures of the model since its inception in 1978, remain indelibly as two of the watch’s most recognisable features. Behind the curvaceous contours of its fashionable flesh is a technical structure that is anything but skeletal. The complex movement has been hand-crafted

by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, and incorporates 32 beautiful jewels as active members within its 200 working parts. This unique combination guarantees that the piece is at the pinnacle of both precision and panache. With a sumptuously elegant casing empowered by the robust rattle of its flawlessly rhythmic bones, the new Acreau is one skeleton you won’t want to keep in the closet.

The Crème de la Crème of Youth Estée Lauder first tapped the fountain of youth way back in 1958, with the original invention of Re-Nutriv Crème. Since then, the line has used some very interesting ingredients and futuristic revitalisation technologies to trap the essence of timelessness like a genie in a bottle. The latest descendent in this elegant line of epidermal longevity is the Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Eye Crème, which utilises the regenerative revolution of the new Youth Molecule, Resveratrate™. Thanks to groundbreaking revelations in the study of Sirtuins, more commonly known as “longevity genes,” Estée Lauder has made marked breakthroughs in prolonging, preserving and promoting the life of skin. With anti-oxidant berry blends, moisturising oil extracts and specially-designed algae fusions, this creamy combination may sound more like an organic health drink than a luxury skin care product. Then again, you won’t think it so strange when the sensitive skin around your eyes thirstily drinks in every drop of its invigorating essence, and you see the uncanny effects of the Ultimate Youth Crème for yourself.

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sur la terre in town

Passat

Recently revealed in a “Dining in the Dark” experience, Volkswagon’s new Passat CC has come to illuminate the dark corners of automotive design. Merging the worlds of the practical saloon and the exciting sports coupé, the new Passat is longer, wider and lower than the original; this provides a sleeker look and smarter capabilities. The onboard computer and navigations systems makes you feel more like a secret agent than a commuter, while the amount of comfort control will keep you cool, comfortable and confident during your desert haul. The ambiance of the high-end interior has also been revamped, and now includes a multitude of options in real wood and aluminium. The dynamics of driving within the Passat CC are equally revolutionary, with lane assist technologies to keep it safe, distance and parking functions to keep it simple and a turbocharged 1.8 or 2.0 TSI engine with an optional 7-speed dual clutch transmission to keep it fun. It may not be your typical sports car, but that’s why we like it, and we’re pretty sure you will too.

Four Seasons Gets Hip

The Four Seasons is opening up, in more ways than one. The first is by kicking open its floodgates to welcome in the newest concept to roll out of their idea factory: Hip India. Those familiar with Doha’s bastion of accommodation will already know about the Après Spa Café. Normally, the spa is a spot for members to reenergise with a fresh and frosty beverage, which is particularly beneficial after a detoxifying massage or sweat-filled workout. The good people at Four Seasons are now welcoming non-members to experience a whole new world of taste. “Hip India” is the name of this culinary culture collision, and it promises to be an experience both edifying and exciting. Every Thursday, Doha diners will see the spa terrace illuminated by the bright colours of India, blending naturally with the rich tapestry of tones in the surrounding marina. The traditional Indian cuisine crackles with equal parts texture and flavour, joined in an admittedly unique yet surprisingly refined way by a Sushi & Sashimi station. This Four Seasons experience is the true essence of fusion and fashion, and should definitely not be missed.

Jaeger-LeCoultre: Reverso Pavonia

Jaeger-LeCoultre has always been known for its impressive horological achievements in watchmaking, and to say that the artistry of its pieces are breathtaking would be an understatement; however, never before has it produced something like the Reverso Pavonia. Its namesake is a privately owned, not often seen work by famed victorian artist, Lord Leighton. The incomparably beguiling visage of Pavonia is painstakingly set in enamel, which is a labour of love that personalises the watch, transforming it from a distinct timepiece into an arrestingly rare centerpiece. Along with this unique and astonishing outward appearance is the knowledge that it comes with the quality that the name Jaeger-LeCoultre demands.

Its release occurs simultaneously with the presentation of the original painting at the George Tarratt showroom in England.

sur la terre in town

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Damas and Roberto Coin: Jewellery Collection

This year, one of the biggest names in jewellery in the Middle East is teaming up with one of the all-time greats in Italian design. The news of a union between Damas and Roberto Coin is sure to get the blood pumping through the veins of all authorities of the aesthetic. Directly inspired by the contours of femininity, as well as similarly sumptuous shapes in nature and mythology, Roberto Coin has crafted some of the most beguiling pieces in the world, let alone the region. Renowned for choosing handpicked materials for their preciousness, elegance and beauty, the creations have adorned the greatness of A-list celebrities, fashion icons and cultural VIPs. Of course, the 100-facet Cento diamonds, which act as centerpieces for the settings, make anyone feel like a superstar, not to mention look like one. Not often do colour, texture and innovative design come together so easily, but in the many collections now available at Damas, Roberto Coin combines them all flawlessly.

Go Nude

Have you ever wanted to look directly into the face of danger without batting an eyelash? While Make Up For Ever’s new line of Nude faux lashes may not be able to strengthen your resolve, they will definitely make your fearless gaze all the more fashionable. Despite what you may think, using faux lashes is far from committing a fashion faux pas. In fact, as a trend, they are seen as a great alternative to mascara, which can sometimes be chunky, clunky and downright messy; as a statement, they are classy and luxurious. Make Up For Ever offers an extensive range of lashes that covers the diverse spectrum of looks, from everyday elegant to whimsically wild. Coming in solid blacks or rich browns, the lashes are easily applied and offer a completely natural, or “nude”, look by maximizing length, volume, thickness and intensity. If you’ve never tried faux lashes before, now is your chance to make your look lush and tell danger to bring it on!

THE One and Only Naked Chef

A Naked Chef has come to Doha! Luckily, we’re not talking about the streaking tendencies of a dangerously unclad short-order cook, but rather the mercantile machinations of the one, the only Jamie Oliver.

So don’t worry, it won’t be your delicate sensibilities under attack by the uniquely nicknamed celebrity chef, but rather the humdrum nature of your fuddy-duddy kitchenware. Now available at THE One, Jamie Oliver’s signature collection of truly unique cooking implements will help turn even the most hopeless hash slinger into a glamorous gourmet. Jamie has everything to solve your kitchen conundrums, like scratch-resistant mixing bowls, funky, chunky cutting boards, super-strong storage containers, old-school picnic sets and ultra-cool utensils, perfect for the upcoming barbecue season. One of the highlights of the collection is the super-chic metal cooler, which is so streamlined and trendy, you’ll never look at styrofoam the same way again! Love him or hate him, Jamie Oliver knows what he’s doing in and out of the kitchen. By equipping yourself with his new kitchen kit, so will you.

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sur la terre mode spotlight exclusive

Ian Luder Lord Mayor of the City of London

There was no gilded coach or any of the pomp and ceremony associated with arrival of the Lord Mayor of the City of London when Alderman Ian Luder arrived to address the monthly luncheon of the Qatar British Business Foundation. However, he was met by Sur la Terre who were on hand to grab an exclusive interview with the figurehead of Britain’s financial epicenter as he embarked on a whistle-stop tour of the Gulf to promote and strengthen the business bond between London and its Middle Eastern partners.

How important, given the current financial crisis, is Qatar’s relationship with the City of London and in what areas do you see both parties benefiting the most from a strengthening in this relationship?

The relationship is hugely important – we value our links to Qatar and the Gulf and our relationship was strengthened during this visit. We hope to continue working with Qatar in the future, to further cement our ties.

You have met with some high profile people during your stay here in Doha, what does the Lord Mayors Office hope to achieve with this visit? What were the key subjects on the agenda?

During my visit we discussed enhancing strategic cooperation and engagement between the City of London and Qatar, especially on the sharing of regulatory structures and standards. We also discussed how we could share our experience in the City in areas such as law, accountancy, banking, regulation, infrastructure finance and skills.

How does the Lord Mayor’s office and the City of London view Qatar’s role in alleviating the slowdown in the global economy?

Qatar, as a fast-growing economy, a major producer of oil and gas and an influential political force in the GCC and the Middle East as a whole, has an essential role to play in generating capital, in spreading the message of free trade and, through the various initiatives of its government, in developing the level of skills and training needed by its own citizens and others in the region.

Why is now such a vital time for the city of London to be strengthening its bonds with the Gulf?

The visit took place at a critical time: in recent months global financial markets have been rocked by the credit crisis that has spread around the world. Now, as we begin to re-build market confidence and financial stability, the value of trusted and close relationships, such as that between the United Kingdom and Qatar and the Gulf are more important than ever.

sur la terre spotlight exclusive

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In an ideal world, how do you see the partnership between the GCC and the City of London developing in 5 years from now? Of the topics and initiatives developed on this trip, which would you consider to be a real personal achievement should it come to fruition?

The long-standing links between London and the GCC countries are already strong. As the shape of the world economy changes, with the balance of economic power moving eastwards, we believe that if anything the partnership will become stronger. In particular I think that the development of links in training and professional development for financial and business services, and the partnership in the development of Islamic Finance, will be a priority and an achievement.

On a more personal note, what does holding the Office of Lord Mayor mean to you?

One of my earliest memories is being taken to the City to watch the Lord Mayor’s Show – the occasion when the next person to occupy the post tours the City on a gilded coach. It is a position which comes with a huge amount of responsibility as during my year in office I act as an ambassador for UK financial services, spending some 90 days abroad and addressing around 10,000 people face-to-face each month. I am honoured to be charged with such a position, particularly during these difficult times.

You like to support the charities Lord Taverner’s Trust and St John’s Ambulance. Has your appointment enabled you to better influence and assist some of these causes that mean a lot to you?

Absolutely. Both charities are very close to my heart and do incredibly worthy work for the City of London. With the money raised from the appeal the Lord’s Taverners will be helping disadvantaged City children enjoy sport while St John Ambulance are donating 1000 defibrillators to help combat the incidence of fatalities from heart attacks.

Finally, how would you like your tenure as Lord Mayor of the City of London to be remembered in the future?

It is undeniable that we are facing difficult times and the challenges facing the City are huge. However, the City has faced many crises in its past – the Great Fire of London, the South Sea Bubble, the dotcom crash, the Asian Financial Crisis, to name but a few, and I am confident that we will emerge

from this one. One of my most important jobs this year will be to spread a degree of reassurance, confidence and optimism during these difficult days and I see this year as beginning to lay the grounds for recovery while ensuring that changes are put in place to ensure that the same mistakes are not repeated in the future. I would also like to mention the theme for my year in office in 2009 is “financial literacy.” At a time when millions of families are facing financial difficulty, I think it is important that people’s knowledge of the financial world and how to manage their finances is increased. If people make the bad financial decisions they hurt themselves, they hurt their families and they can saddle their families with debt. It can turn into a downward spiral for their families for generations, which is hard to get out of. I hope to share that message with governments and policy makers during my year in office.

sur la terre gourmet travel

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, Uncover Croatia s Crown Jewel Dubrovnik

It is a city where the old world meets modern Europe and is the east’s gateway to the west. Sur la Terre takes a whistle stop tour through the Pearl of the Adriatic to enjoy the sparkling sea and the rich history of Croatia’s coastline jewel, Dubrovnik.

< The coastal town of Dubrovnik is known as the Pearl of the Adriatic >

PhotograpHY: All rights reserved

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sur la terre gourmet travel

< Dubrovnik’s Old Town is the heart of the city >

>>> Skirting the Adriatic Sea, Croatia is a country steeped in history. As a retreat it is the perfect place to retire from the rat race, being one of the few nations that has perfectly melded modernity with the historical culture of Old Europe. Nowhere allows for the recharging of your cultural batteries more than the country’s oldest city, the coastal town of Dubrovnik. The famous writer George Bernard Shaw once wrote that: “those who seek heaven on earth must come to Dubrovnik.”

The Byzantine, Hungarians and Venetians left their wealthy legacy here and in the middle ages and it was almost Venice’s equal as a trading seaport. While the city was founded as far back as the 7th century, it has since become a playground for both financially, and culturally, wealthy global travelers looking for a peaceful holiday haven. It is not hard to see the attraction. The city boasts five star luxury resorts as well as miles of the finest coastline in southern Europe, making it the ideal hideaway during the warm Adriatic summers.

When it comes to luxury, Dubrovnik offers up plenty in the way of indulgence. Holidays here centre on you. Whether that means being pampered in a sophisticated hotel spa, drowning in to-die-for views of the shimmering Adriatic or sampling dining at its finest, the place is all about spoiling yourself. Wandering around the ancient streets, you can not only immerse yourself in centuries of history, but all major credit cards are accepted in the chic boutiques and bustling markets which will satisfy the thirst of any shopaholic.

After a long afternoon of pounding the plastic, the jewel in Croatia’s coastal crown delivers plenty of choice to those looking to refuel in time for the evening’s festivities. You can spend your Croatian Kuna on everything from steaming bowls of pasta, platters of smoked meats and cheeses, slow-roasted veal or enjoy the local oysters and shellfish

< The Stradun joins the east and west portals of the city >

for which the region is famous. If dining is a late evening affair, then before retiring to the comfort of the hotel, take your pick of the bars and cafes that Dubrovnik is crammed with and settle down to some people-watching and a cool cocktail or two while the sun dips below the horizon.

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city’s historical Old Town core. The Stradun is also the venue for the many large municipal events that are held all year round, the best known of which are the Dubrovnik Summer Games.

One of Dubrovnik’s most famous sons is the explorer Marco Polo, who was born on Korcula, an island in the waters of Dubrovnik. History buffs should take the opportunity to visit his home, which still stands in the city. The knightly town of Korcula has developed into a stone urban sculpture of orderly lines. Korcula remains immaculately preserved in its unique fishbone pattern, which is designed to ensure the town is bathed in the brilliant southern Europe sunlight both in the morning and late afternoon, but not during the hot midday. An international festival of song and wine bearing Marco Polo’s name takes place in the town annually in July, while a re-enactment of his heroic return to Korcula harbour is held every May. Korcula is also the site of a medieval festival of games, in which knights in traditional 16th century garb compete and perform traditional swordplay dances. < The city walls are a great way to see the Old Town >

Home When Away Dubrovnik is peppered with exclusive five star hotels. The Grand Villa Argentina, is renowned for its glamorous spa and fabulous restaurant, but if it is the waterfront wow-factor you are after then look no further than the Hotel Dubrovnik Palace. Of course, they don’t come much more luxurious than Hotel Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik. For effortless elegance, there is nothing to match it in the city and, being situated in the heart of the Old Town, its location brings you closer to the social hustle and bustle of historical Europe.

Culture Club Perhaps the most identifiable characteristic of Dubrovnik itself is the walls that circle the city in an unbroken line measuring 1940 metres. The walls form one of the strongest, most architecturally beautiful fortress systems on the Mediterranean and are punctuated by a network of forts, bastions and towers. A walk along them offers a real picture of the city, which is dominated by the Stradun, the Old Town’s main thoroughfare that connects the city’s east and west portals. Every historical story and local legend has its traces and inscriptions in the stone facades of the

< If you have a yacht, there are many small islands to explore around Dubrovnik >

Old World Chic The old town is the place for shopping, though most of it is firmly geared towards the bountiful tourist trade with prices to match.

A number of small shops follow the Stradun, but it is the warren of streets that break north and south from this thoroughfare that is where the real treasures are often found. Not only does exploring these winding avenues offer an opportunity to discover the real Dubrovnik, but you will also find a great deal more variety in the small boutiques, exclusive jewellers and artisans’ shops. While there are not too many of the big designer labels in Dubrovnik yet, there are many local designers opening boutiques in the Old Town. Their price tags match their exclusivity, but you are guaranteed to find something unique and highly original. However, if you are desperate to cough up your Kuna on major international brands, then Boutique Figurin - also located in the Old Town - is your best bet. For the more conventional shopping fare, the Lapad Shopping Centre is a modern complex that is home to many of the usual international chain stores.

Celebrity Lifestyle The summer is a good time to rub shoulders with the celebrity set, as Dubrovnik is quickly becoming one of the trendiest locales in Europe.

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“Those who seek heaven on earth must come to Dubrovnik.”

< The walls circle the city for an unbroken 1940 metres >

< Tom Cruise and his wife, Katie Holmes, like to holiday in Dubrovnik >

< Go exploring the surrounding countryside >

You will find yourself in good company as Dubrovnik has played host to a galaxy of stars and celebrities as diverse as the likes of software magnate Bill Gates, supermodel Naomi Campbell, Director Steven Spielburg and former US president, Bill Clinton. In more recent times the city can boast the affections of Hollywood heavyweights such as Sharon Stone and Tom Cruise, while it is not unusual to a see two-times Oscar nominee of Croatian heritage, John Malkovich, passing the time of day with locals in one of the Old Town’s twisting streets. < Every year there is a re-enactment of Marco Polo’s return to Croatia >

< Croatia is home to some of the best coastline in Southern Europe >

Capital Growth The worst period in Dubrovnik’s chequered history came in October 1991 when the city was attacked by the Serbo-Montenegrin army. The SerboMontenegrin siege of Dubrovnik lasted for seven months, and in May 1992 the Croatian Army liberated the city and its surroundings.

However, since the mid-nineties, Dubrovnik has been a free and safe town and has built up a reputation globally as a top tourist destination.

If anything, the troubles have added another chapter to the rich history of this ancient city, which continues to grow in stature as a beautiful reminder of what coastal Europe once was.

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sur la terre going global

Andrea Bocelli From a humble farm family, Andrea Bocelli rose from native Italian soil singing to family recordings of the great tenors. With no microphone and no vision, he crossed borders to become a world-beloved superstar.

Photography: All rights reserved

>>> Passionate albums. Critical accolades. Strings of memorable performances and a voice that moves mountains. Here’s an opera tenor that has captured the hearts of music lovers, defied the odds and applauded the worth of a genre that seemed only to belong to yesteryear.

By 1999, in a feat not often achieved by classical musicians, Bocelli had attained phenomenal international success both in opera and in pop music. With a voice that was described as “the most beautiful in the world,” Bocelli enthralled album listeners with the 1997 release of Romanza, which sold at least 15 million copies, and the 1999 introduction of Sogno, which, after selling some 3 million copies in less than two months, made Bocelli the first classical artist to have an album top the pop charts.

sur la terre going global

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The fact that Bocelli was blind made it difficult for him to star on the operatic stage. He performed mostly in concert. In 1999 he was featured at both the Grammy Awards (he had been nominated for a Grammy as best new artist) and the Academy Awards, where his duet on “The Prayer” (nominated as best song) with pop star Celine Dion was rewarded with a standing ovation. By 1999 “Bocellimania” had spread from Italy and throughout Europe to the US, Canada, and Australia.

Bocelli, born on Sept. 22, 1958, in the farming town of Lajatico, just outside Pisa, was afflicted with congenital glaucoma. His parents sold farm equipment, grew olives and grapes and were not particularly musical. Bocelli began taking piano lessons at the age of six, later played flute and saxophone, and sang along to family recordings of Italian tenors. At the age of 12, having suffered a brain haemorrhage as a result of a head injury sustained in a soccer game, Bocelli became totally blind. Undeterred by his lack of sight, he studied law at the University of Pisa while singing at piano bars and nightclubs to finance his education.

“In 2003 he was awarded two highly coveted UK Brit Awards for “Album of the Year” and the “Biggest Selling Classical Album of the Year” for his Sentimento album.”

< Bocelli has transcended the pop and opera divide >

After obtaining his law degree, he practiced law for a year before deciding on a musical career and studying voice with tenor Franco Corelli. With his natural predisposition towards music and song, there was no other way for the tenor, considering his extraordinary musicality.

Bocelli’s breakthrough came when in 1992, he was asked by Italian pop star Zucchero Fornaciari to record a demo of “Miserere,” a song intended for renowned vocalist Luciano Pavarotti. Pavarotti was highly impressed with Bocelli’s voice, the two became friends, and the next year Bocelli signed a recording contract; his debut album went platinum in Europe.

< The town of pisa, close to bocelli’s tuscan birthplace >

< Bocelli hails from humble beginnings, the tuscan farming town of Lajatico >

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sur la terre going global

In 1995 the single “Con te partirò” (“Time to Say Goodbye”) was released. It later became a duet in English with Sarah Brightman, and both versions became smash hits. Bocelli’s popularity soared in 1997 after repeated airings of his live show “Romanza in Concert: A Night in Tuscany.”Though he claimed opera as his first love, Bocelli mixed arias with popular music on his recordings (a genre referred to by the press as “popera”) in an effort to expand his audience base.

Criticised by some reviewers as being too lightweight to be taken seriously by the opera world, Bocelli nevertheless performed at the “Party of the Century,” New Year’s millennium concert in 1999 in New York City.

< Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman at the Bambi awards >

sur la terre going global

In 2003 he was awarded two highly coveted UK Brit Awards for “Album of the Year” and the “Biggest Selling Classical Album of the Year” for his Sentimento album.

The career of the tenor from Pisa can certainly be described as extraordinary. The world of opera has seen very few like him. For the first time, at a moment of deep crisis, we are seeing theatres packed like rock stadiums, television companies eager to broadcast events and young people turning up at the opera. Andrea Bocelli is a natural advertisement for a genre that the majority of youngsters think is antiquated and obsolete and belongs in a museum. With his unmistakable timbre and enchanting diction, Bocelli is prolonging the life and restoring the dignity to a genre that seemed to belong only to the past and whose death was already being mourned.

Andrea Bocelli has, at his own risk, entered the operatic fray without the aid of a microphone and achieved a miracle - that of overcoming his blindness and performing on stage as well as, and in some cases, even better than many of his colleagues. A series of challenges marking the beginning of a new era for opera: the most beautiful spectacle in existence, and this time with a tenor for everyone.

Today, the spotlight continues to shine on Andrea. His vocal colour and clear delivery goes straight to the hearts of the listeners and is the reason for his spectacular success. It is the famous “something” that makes an artist unique.

Andrea Bocelli performs this season at the Emirates Palace, as part of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival. See Cultural Agenda.

< Katherine Jenkins presenting bocelli with the silver clef >

< The 8th Latin Grammy Awards >

< Bocelli has restored life to his musical genre >

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sur la terre artopia

< Opening concert Maazel & Orchester seitlich >

Photography: All rights reserved

The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, Doha Pulling together talented musicians from all over the world, the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra offers engaging music programs, with both an international and local flavour.

sur la terre artopia

< Marcel Khalife >

>>> Established in 2008, the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) is the brainchild of the Qatar Foundation and the QPO’s Managing Director, Kurt Meister, who started the project to promote awareness and interest in classical music.

Meister, a German, comes from good musical stock. He was formerly the General Manager of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, where for more than a decade he worked with many of the world’s most celebrated conductors.

However, in 2007, his work began in earnest to build a world-class orchestra that would go on to enthrall and enrich Qatar’s cultural life and musical recognition.

A series of auditions were held throughout Europe and in Cairo, Egypt, and more than 2000 musicians auditioned. This figure was whittled down to just over one hundred artists who currently make up the ensemble. Coming from 30 countries, about a third of the musicians hark from the Middle East and North Africa. The diversity of nationalities includes 21 musicians from Germany, 13 from Hungary and seven from Russia and Egypt. There are two players from USA,

Switzerland, France and Britain, and one player from Kazakhstan and Malaysia, respectively. The mission statement was clear: To raise the musical consciousness and appreciation of classical music within the local community by bringing educational and recreational opportunities to the people of Qatar.

In 2008, Marcel Khalifé, a Lebanese composer, was appointed as the Musical Director and resident composer of the newly founded Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. Khalifé has produced more than 25 instrumental and lyrical works including The Symphony of Return, Concerto Al Andalus- Suite for Oud and Orchestra, Mouda’aba (Caress), Diwan Al Oud, Jadal Oud duo, Oud Quartet, Al Samaa in the traditional Arabic forms and Taqasim, a duo for the oud and double bass, which was awarded the Grand prize of the prestigious Charles Cros Academy in France in November 2007.

The Italian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Piacenza Choir performed one his most recent works, a choral symphonic composition entitled Sharq. Khalifé himself openly admits that his

< Marcel Khalife >

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sur la terre artopia

“The Qatar Philharmonic has grown in stature very quickly. So much so, in fact, that it is starting to attract the attention of world-class guest conductors.”

challenges are not only musical in character.

In his association with great contemporary Arab poets, particularly Palestinian poet par excellence, Mahmoud Darwish, he seeks to renew the character of the Arabic song, to break its stereotypes, and to advance the culture of the society that surrounds it.

This was no more evident than in his latest work, Arabian Concerto, which premiered at the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra’s inaugural concert. “Music has no homeland,” He explained at the time. “It is the sole common language of humanity that has the potential to make up for the miscommunication that plagues communities of disparate tongues bent upon mutual oppression.”The score is a re-working of local material, plunging the jealously guarded traditions of the East and its seductive beauty into world music, “expressing the historical, cultural self, in a human musical language and restoring it to a place in the world.”

The piece resonates with influences from the cultural melting pot that is the Middle East, encapsulating the spirituality of the Old East, the heritage of Byzantium’s ecclesiastical outpouring, the magical touches of Persia’s music, the melancholy of ancient Iraq whose repository is the maqam, coupled with the

rhythm of the Arabian desert and the Turkish bashraf. It was met with critical acclaim and set the Qatar Philharmonic on its way to achieving its long term goals of both providing a unique, new musical tradition that ensures the next generation of classical musicians from the region and showcasing the best of Arabic musical tradition.

Since its first tentative steps into the musical arena, the Qatar Philharmonic has grown in stature very quickly. So much so, in fact, that it is starting to attract the attention of worldclass guest conductors. The orchestra heralded 2009 in some style when under the direction of German conductor, Gerd Albrecht, the QPO performed Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 in G major, followed by Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major. Albrecht has performed with numerous orchestras that play many works by Dvorak and Beethoven. His extensive experience in the field of nineteenth-century music (as a renowned conductor in Dvorak music, especially) allowed him to masterfully deliver a musical feast, which the crowd ate up and still wanted more. The QPO performed no less than three curtain calls to rapturous applause.The QPO is set to continue its growth in popularity, performing works from Mozart, Puccini, Rachmanimov as well as flying to the United States to give a performance of

< Rony Moser, Principal Clarinet, Qatar’s new ambassador >

< The Musical Twins, Alie & Lilya Bekirova >

< Mohamed Saleh >

< Practice >

sur la terre artopia

27

the Arabian Concerto at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. It is a busy time for the organisers, as there is a full schedule of concerts throughout March and April currently being finalised. And, staying true to the philosophy of raising cultural awareness among the local populace, there will also be children’s concerts, with the QPO performing Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf on the 18th and 19th of March.In its first year, the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra has already laid down strong roots. However, such rapid growth comes at a price. It won’t be long before the QPO will have outgrown its current venue at the Aspire Building’s Ladies Club. The good news is, though, that the show will always go on. There are currently plans afoot to move to a permanent, purpose-built home within Doha’s Cultural village. And so continues the development of a real Qatari cultural pearl and it is perhaps fitting to give the last word to the Maestro himself. Quoting his description of the Arabian Concerto, you could easily imagine that Khalifé was talking about the birth of the QPO and everything it stands for.

“And thus it has come. Overflowing with an abstract, symphonic, cultured content, towards a beautiful and ground-breaking adventure, towards universalism, armed and prepared to overcome any unyielding element.”

< Gerd Albrecht-QPO Guest Conductor >

< Maestro Lorin Maazel, Director of the New York Philharmonic, conducted the QPO’s inaugural concert >

< The QPO performed their first concert in October last year >

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sur la terre shining stars

Shining Stars

Production Firefly Communications Art Direction Roula Zinati Ayoub Photography Georges Khoury, www.georges-khoury.com Stylist Chantal Mossess Make-up Diana Haddad Location Aspire, Sports Academy, Doha, www.aspire.qa A big thank you to our shining stars Karim, Bettina, Rudi, Téa Accessories are from stores within the Villagio Shopping Mall, Al Waab Street, Doha.

Branded retail outlets within the Villagio that participated include: Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Ed Hardy, Lacoste, Leowe, Puma, Quicksilver and Von Dutch Retail outlets with additional brands who participated in the shoot include: Go Sport (providing Adidas, Puma, Reebok, Heelz, Umbro and Ferrari branded products) and The Golf Shop

KARIM Cap, Von Dutch Blue Towel, Ed Hardy Sports Bag, Ferrari Wristband, Reebok T-Shirt, LACOSTE Track Suit, PUMA Shoes Worn, PUMA Red Towel, PUMA Watch,PUMA Gold shoes, Elvis from ED Hardy

sur la terre shining stars

BETTINA Skirt, LACOSTE Hair Band, LACOSTE Shoes, LACOSTE T-Shirt, PUMA Racket, GO SPORT

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KARIM Short, UMBRO Shoes, LACOSTE T-Shirt, BURBERRY Racket, GO SPORT

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sur la terre shining stars

Bettina Pink Jacket, REEBOK Leggings, PUMA T-Shirt, PUMA Bag, PUMA Yellow Towel, PUMA Shoes, HEELZ

sur la terre shining stars

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KARIM T-Shirt, PUMA Shorts, PUMA Shoes, HEELZ Head and Wristband, Reebok Weights, GO SPORT Green Towel, ED HARDY Bottle, PUMA

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sur la terre shining stars

RUDI Trousers, D&G Cap, D&G Wristband, REEBOK T-Shirt, LACOSTE Shoes, GO SPORT Rackets, GO SPORT

TéA Dress, BURBERRY Bag, BURBERRY Shoes, PUMA Tennis Balls, GO SPORT Sunglasses, D&G Belts, LACOSTE

sur la terre sur la terre shining stars shining stars

TéA T-Shirt, LACOSTE Skirt, BURBERRY Scarf, BURBERRY Shoes, LACOSTE Watches, PUMA Glove, THE GOLF SHOP

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RUDI T-Shirt, BURBERRY Shorts, BURBERRY Shoes, LACOSTE Glove, THE GOLF SHOP Golf Club, THE GOLF SHOP Giraffe Golf Club Cover, THE GOLF SHOP

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Live beautifully...

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Souq Najd, Salwa Road, Doha, Qatar +974 431 1843

sur la terre star

Kevin Spacey, from the screen to the boards

35 Text: Eileen Hofer Photography: Ellis Parinder

Faded jeans by day, body-hugging smoking jacket by night, whatever his dress, Kevin Spacey is never stripped of his deadpan humour. On the red carpet of the 4th Antalya Eurasian Festival held last October, the portrayer of Lex Luthor laughs whilst shaking hands with children unsettled when faced with Superman’s sworn enemy. The American actor had shaken the seaside resort to its very depths a few hours earlier to assemble students of cinema and deal them an improvised masterclass full of revelations.

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sur la terre star

Star of films as well known as American Beauty, Usual Suspects and L.A. Confidential, Kevin Spacey has never abandoned the theatre. Having lived in London since 2003 where he is Artistic Director at the Old Vic, one of the oldest London theatres, the actor has even let it be understood that he will perhaps never return to Hollywood once his current filming commitments have finished. Returning to his first love? No question about it. This actor and director, winner of two Oscars, is first and foremost an ambassador and strong defender of the theatre.

What motivated your return to the stage?

Acting in the theatre is totally different from acting for the cinema.

On the stage, you undertake a journey of personal discovery for several weeks, improving your rendition with each performance. We have the time to explore new elements which allow us to improve our understanding of the very essence of our personality. In the cinema, once filming has finished, we can add nothing to our role. It is frustrating to tell yourself that you will never be better.

A dramatic change of direction in the middle of a flourishing cinematographic career.

I was fortunate to work with top-quality directors for twelve years.

Quite simply, I did not want the next years to be the same. Hence my desire to change my geographical setting as well by settling in London and devoting myself to the theatre.

Which film director have you most enjoyed working with?

Clint Eastwood. He loved tricking us with John Cusack on the set of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. He filmed rehearsals without our knowing. When we announced we were ready, he would smile, as the scene had already been filmed. We subsequently were afraid of being filmed without our knowing and were constantly on the lookout for hidden cameras.

What do you expect from a good director of actors?

The role of a film director is to encourage actors to give the best of themselves, the more so that there are normally few rehearsals on a film set. You arrive in the morning and chat to a lady for the first time.

Two hours later and this same lady becomes your mother in the film.

Some directors are so nervous that they don’ stop talking and make you repeat something a thousand times to the point where the emotion disappears. Others observe. And then boom, just before saying “action”, they come and whisper some information in your ear which will make the performance entirely credible. They are the best.

How is chemistry created between actors?

This is the director’s secret who is in charge over all and who must generate a positive aura to create it. There are however arrogant actors who are scarcely generous on the film sets. I don’t let them intimidate me, on the contrary I stand up to them.

What is your relationship with the public?

I like it when people call me by the name of a character I played in a film.

It means that the role meant something to them. And yet, films tend to disconnect the public from the actual performance of the actor as, unlike the theatre, there is no spontaneous contact with the spectators.

You have played political roles in the cinema like The Life of David Gale

by Alan Parker which violently addressed the death penalty. Do you see the cinema as a vehicle for political messages?

Art, be it in an art gallery, the theatre, the cinema or a book, can influence the spectators. We are living in an era of individualism, where culture gathers people together. We don’t necessarily watch the television together but we talk about it. Just look at how far the Mona Lisa’s enigmatic smile has everyone talking about her. In its own way, the cinema raises problems and opens the eyes to concealed aspects of our world.

You are behind the New Voices/24 Hours programme in London. What is this about?

We select young actors, scriptwriters and directors between 18 and 25.

The first evening we present photos of the actors. The scriptwriters must take inspiration from each one to write a 15-page script during the night. The next morning the director and the actor selected see the text for the first time and must stage it during the same day. Rehearsals with lighting and technical elements take place in early evening slightly before going on stage in front of a full house. The aim is to activate creation but above all to weave links between each one of these people who after this weekend could collaborate together again.

Why this interest in working with beginners and students?

I enjoy passing on my knowledge but above all following the evolution of adolescents. Appearing on the stage gives them confidence in themselves. They learn how to express themselves in front of the others, to dare to communicate and lose their shyness.

You enjoy joking. Do you view humour as a weapon?

I grew up with my mother who from my early childhood told me repeatedly that the finest thing in the world was to know how to make people laugh. It is also a sign of intelligence.

You travel frequently, be it for filming or promotional activities. Do you have time to explore the culture of countries you visit?

I make sure that I give myself a little time between two press conferences, official dinners and interviews to immerse myself in the city welcoming me.

Total escape proves more difficult when you are only there for 24 hours.

You won a Oscar for the leading role in American Beauty. Where do you hide your statuette?

I always have it with me!

Which director would you like to work with?

Woody Allen.Write to him - I want everyone to know! I should love to become his alter ego on the screen and play a character lost in his neuroses.

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sur la terre spotlight

Paula Riebe

Doha Garden Club President Growth. It is not just happening in the rising developments around our fair city, nor merely in the expanding population.

Qatar is going green, literally! Now, more than ever, plants of every description are cropping up everywhere and the city is looking less like a desert and more like a budding oasis.

Celebrating this floral phenomenon is the Doha Garden Club, a longstanding group dedicated to all things nature.

To find out more about this growth in the Gulf, Sur la Terre had a chat with the club’s president, Paula Riebe.

There is a gardening club in Doha? Wait a minute, we thought we lived in the desert! Actually, the Doha Garden Club has been around for some time, hasn’t it? Can you tell us when it started?

How were the seeds of this club planted and how large has it grown since?

The Doha Garden Club, as it is today, officially started in 2001. Gardeners in the community had gathered together on a regular basis to share gardening information, and many wanted to form a club where members could equally share in setting direction and bringing ideas to life. Officers were elected and eventually bylaws were established. Just as Doha has evolved and changed, the club has evolved and changed to stay current and meet the needs of the membership. We have recently chosen a new Arabic-inspired logo that we feel represents our club in this region, and we now have a designated email address and phone number for anyone who wants to contact us.

Why is it important for Doha to have a garden club? How do you feel it is contributing to the community as a unique undertaking? Do you hope that it will fertilise a new interest

in gardening in the region? Have you already seen a growth of that interest?

Our club gives people who like to garden in their home countries and in Doha the opportunity to get together, learn about gardening in this particular environment, and share information.

The most unique element of gardening in Doha is the climate. Only a limited number of hearty plants are capable of surviving both the cooler winters and blistering summers. Surprisingly, Doha can experience high levels of humidity – something you wouldn’t expect to find in a desert. More and more varieties of plants are being introduced to the region and becoming available in the marketplace. Through trial and error the care needed for these plants in this particular setting is becoming better understood. In our club activities we collaborate with landscape architects, sustainability focus groups and botanists to educate our members and keep Doha’s environment green.

How and when did your love of gardening bloom? Why did you get involved with the goings-on of the Qatar gardening community?

Lifelong experiences with plants have set the stage for my current interests and my current

position within the Garden Club. Growing up, my home was always filled with plants. Seeing how happy my mother would be when I gave her flowers created a huge and lasting impression. I was in college before I bought a plant of my very own - a jade plant - because I was told it was easy to grow, and I killed it. For several summers I worked as a gardener for the City of Aspen Parks Department and later became a certified floral designer. Over time, I have learned what works and what doesn’t, but the learning process is ongoing. In Doha several of my friends are incredibly gifted master gardeners, and I have the good fortune of continuing to learn about gardening from them.

Can anyone join the club or is there some kind of horticultural test we have to pass to get in?

Do you have to have a green thumb or just an appreciation for the aesthetic of nature? What typically goes on at one of your meetings?

Anyone can become a member, even people who aren’t avid gardeners. Our current membership is an international mix of both women and men who are interested in learning more about the desert environment. Current Garden Club members support the club in numerous ways,

sur la terre spotlight

and the seven other members who make up the executive board contribute countless hours to make the club what it is today. Our meetings feature speakers who discuss a variety of gardening topics from desert plants, date palms, and trees to garden design, soil preparation, and hands-on flower arranging. At times we present guest artists well known for their paintings or photographs of flora, and at each meeting we offer steps for creating a virtual garden. We have a small library of books available to members and provide information about local nurseries.

There are some of us out there who are without the skills of the green-thumbed elite. As an experienced gardener, are there any general inside tips you can give us about growing in such an arid climate? Which plants grow the best and when is the ideal time of the year to get growing?

My suggestion is to buy large healthy plants from your friends who are moving! Ideally, you want to build a garden around plants that survive and thrive in this desert environment.

The natural soil in Doha is sandy and tends to be salty, and many people replace the soil and buy plants each year. But it’s the heat more than anything else that wreaks havoc on plants. For less tolerant plants to survive, they must be moved indoors during the summer months. You can hardly go wrong planting bougainvillea in Doha.

You have no doubt seen some amazing gardens in your time. What, to you, makes a garden special or beautiful?

If given a little TLC, all gardens can be beautiful regardless of size or style. I find all gardens beautiful in their individuality and enjoy the fact that they offer unique and interesting gardening ideas and solutions. Healthy plants that bloom at different times of year add visual excitement all year long. A garden planted with a variety of colour, shape and texture keeps it interesting.

This year was the club’s Seventh Annual Charity Garden Tour. How did the tour get started and what does it entail? Is it a showcase of both public and private gardens?

Can everyone go?

The idea of hosting a garden tour came

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< Paula Riebe in her West Bay garden >

about soon after the formation of the club when members realised a need to generate revenue for operating expense and turned to fundraising. The spring of 2003 saw the birth of the garden tour. Funds in excess of those needed to keep the club financially afloat were donated to local charity, and the rest is history. This year the Annual Garden Tour took place on Saturday, March 14, from 1pm to 5pm, and I encourage all your readers to attend future tours. Tickets are QR100 each and are available about a month before the day of the event. A brochure giving a brief description of each garden and a map to show its location accompanies each ticket. The gardens are presented in no particular sequence, and your self-guided tour may begin and end at any of the homes. Gardeners will be on hand at each location to greet visitors and answer questions, and information about Garden Club membership will be available. To purchase tickets in advance, contact the Doha Garden Club at dohagardenclub@yahoo.com or call 602-8059.

As the name implies, all of the proceeds of the Garden Tour go to charity. Why is it important for the club to give money back to the community? What are some of the charities you have supported in past events? Which ones will benefit this year and why did you choose them?

The Garden Tour began as a means to raise funds for operating the club. Funds in excess of operating expenses were designated for charity.

It remains this way today. The list of charities for this year’s donation is still being compiled by our charity liaison. The club as a whole will vote to approve the donation, and monies will go directly to support specific projects that improve the Doha environment in one way or another.

What’s next for the Doha Garden Club? We know it’s flourishing, but do you imagine it to grow even more from now? Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the club or the garden community in general?

A website is in the works, and we recently talked with Qatar Foundation about helping to establish a satellite garden club specifically for their community. Next month’s meeting, on April 19th, is scheduled to be held at the new W Hotel and promises to be interesting and informative.

Everyone is welcome to attend. As a final comment I would just like to say that anyone who has tried gardening in Doha understands how challenging it can be. Surpassing this challenge, though, is the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the beauty and diversity that can be created in adverse conditions and insight into endless gardening possibilities.

< One of the many spectacular gardens on the tour >

O

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sur la terre unique rides

< Mini Cooper Convertible, Always Open Timer >

A Life in MINI

We are sitting halfway up a mountain in southern Austria. The way is blocked by ice, snow, annoyed Austrians and a parade of brightly-hued, yellowgreen cars. The harrowing conditions are such that even the most steely and steadfast amongst our press-driven motor pool are unable to traverse the challenging terrain and weather conditions. The car is the brand new MINI Cooper S Convertible.

The temperature is -3°C. The wind is whipping, the clouds are darkening, it is snowing and the top is down. Noel, a fellow journalist and my partnerin-crime during this adventure, looks at me from the passenger seat and smiles as the wheels spin a final time and I stop the car. There is only one thing to do in this type of situation: smile back.

And that’s exactly what I do.

Text: Steve Paugh

< Snowballed at the office >

PHotography: © Mini Cooper S Convertible

sur la terre unique rides

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< The MINI’s front seat section >

< Easy Load System with Through-Loading Function >

< Now you see it... >

< Now you don’t! >

< The MINI dash and steering column >

>>> Two hours ago, we were sitting at Klagenfurt airport, fresh-faced and ready to test out the promise of the new MINI. We expected it to have that same sense of fun innate in every model since the brand’s original launch way back in 1959, and it didn’t disappoint. This year’s model maintained that jolly lineage with gusto, employing the revamped look created during the rebranding in 2001. The great thing about these new MINIs is not only the more modern feel, but a driving pleasure not felt since the innocent days of rocking around pylons in a go-kart. Of course, this kart has a bit more kick. The front-wheel drive system, cornering brake control, Twin-Scroll turbochargers and four-cylinder 1,598 cc engine with an output of 128 kW/175 hp proved adept at evoking peals of laughter, particularly when zipping over sheets of ice. Throwing it into sixth gear and activating the Sports Button increases the already robust and responsive agility, and heightens the chuckle-factor. We really got to check out these features on the ice track built for us to slip around on our second day of testing.

However, just because this new convertible can run around and lose its top doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a good head on its shoulders.

Even though I enjoy giggling like a schoolgirl just as much as the next guy, I also wanted to see how the new MINI’s safety features would fare while sliding around the bleached white of the Austrian winter. We were told that the automatic, electronically-powered rollover bar would keep us safe in the event that we somehow managed to override the impressive traction and correction systems. Put simply, they told us that it would take quite a force to flip the unflappable MINI. Luckily, they told the truth. Despite the most valiant efforts of Mother Nature, this scenario never even factored into the realm of possibility. That’s exactly what the good folks at BMW were trying to prove by plopping us in the middle of a winter wonderland. The ice-glazed road stood out like an ever-present glass blanket of silver danger, but we never once lost complete control. The Dynamic Stability Control and power steering systems may not be on par with the all-terrain power of the Land Rover set, but let’s be honest, you don’t expect it to be. Besides, it definitely did its job and we were impressed with the way that the little guy handled itself in Austria’s blustery brouhaha.

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sur la terre unique rides

< Breaking the ice with the new MINI >

< MINI’s surprisingly powerful engine >

< The not-so-mini MINI interior >

We knew it would be fun and we knew it would be safe, but we were mostly intrigued by its latest and most unique feature: the new, retractable soft top. The functionality of the surprisingly sturdy and well-designed convertible roof is really quite impressive, being able to completely go down within the quick breath of 15 seconds. We did, however, find one limitation with the new system. It wasn’t the construction of the rollbar, which actually stays well out of sight unless you somehow are able to perform a rollover. It wasn’t the materials or the conversion process. Quite simply, it was the cold. We decided to put the top down immediately after leaving the airport, cranking up the heat and seat-warming functions to the max. When we finally did try to put the top up, it wouldn’t budge. That’s right, it froze in its down position, which explains why we were on top of a mountain with our top down. This gave a whole new meaning to their new tag line, “Always Open,” though it actually became a point of pride thanks to the neat little function MINI now has as part of its dashboard control display. The Always-Open timer keeps a record of how long you’ve had the top down and

braved the elements. I’m proud to say that ours was down for over three hours that first day; and yet, even in the cold conditions, we were quite snug thanks to the aforementioned climate controls. It was actually a very pleasant ride; well, until we stopped and the snow fell directly on our heads. It was eventually put back up, but we’d advise against keeping it down too long whilst exploring the frozen tundra.

We may not have been testing in ideal conditions and we may have been a tad ambitious with the time we spent without a roof, but we could still tell that driving the MINI was a great experience. It’s fun, it’s fast and it’s safe. It has that strange ability to have more room inside than it seems like it should, and with all the internal features to play with, it doesn’t get boring. With a comfortable interior and customisable entertainment and navigation systems, riding in the MINI is a joy, regardless of the place or the weather; just remember to bring a hat.

Check out more about the new MINI Cabrio over at www.mini.com

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sur la terre unique rides

To Infiniti ... and BEYOND! PHotography: © Infiniti

Infinity. Its name alone conjures in the mind an immeasurable potential to explore and then shatter through the boundaries of static, preconceived notions of tradition. It is no doubt then why one of the most groundbreaking automotive companies in the world would take this ideal as its inspiration. Infiniti has been captivating minds and turning heads ever since it first arrived on the motoring scene twenty years ago, and its designs have changed the way we think about how cars should look and drive. < The FX dash >

sur la terre unique rides

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< Inf inite space, Inf inite style, the new Inf initi interior >

< An inf inite amount of high-tech options >

>>> This distinctive feel is best epitomised in the 2003 release of the original Infiniti FX. The premise behind this SUV/luxury sports car hybrid is quite possibly one of the coolest ideas we’ve ever heard. Designers wanted to create what they referred to as a “bionic cheetah,” mixing the sleek contours of the swift cat with its unbridled feral power. Just when you thought it was safe to tear through the streets in your suped-up speedster, the coolest cat in the pack is back. That’s right, the second generation FX is here in the Middle East and ready to prowl over a whole new plane.

Maintaining the distinguished profile of its predecessors, the new FX is the beautiful result of a marriage of style. Equal parts sporty and stylish, the bottom half resembles a high-end SUV while the top is all about the elegance.

The physical changes of the new generation are evident at first glance, particularly in the addition of air vents. Not only do these make the car look more bestial, they also serve a purpose that can be summed up in one word: speed. By allowing air to flow through the engine and out the side, Infiniti has managed

< Racing to Inf initi: The New FX! >

to reduce lift in the nose by five percent, in turn providing more stability when maxing out its powerful engine. In another effort to maximise speed output, the wheelbase of the new FX has been elongated and widened, while its external musculature has also been built up thanks to its arched, angular back roofline and rear spoiler.

The final effect is the aggressive stance of a hungry jungle cat ready to pounce. Be prepared to calm those onlookers who may be too timid to stare in the face of driving fury. The speed and power that the FX implies in its ferocious new look is not just a show. The performance of the 2009 FX50 sets it above all challengers to its throne, boasting a 5.0 litre V8 engine with 390 horsepower that is leashed only by the imagination of the driver. To help bring it under further control is the Variable Valve Event & Lift (VVEL) system, which not only assists with greater torque but also improves emissions, so even though it looks wicked doesn’t mean it’s without heart. Speaking of heart, the V6 F35 model also pumps out a lot of power, with 307 horses under the hood and the same amazing fuel efficiency as the FX50. Drivers of both

models can switch on the Vehicle Dynamic Control and Traction Control System to force the FX to reign itself in, or alternatively switch it off to have greater freedom in manual control.

The new suspension system can also be toggled between “Auto” and “Sport,” depending on how feisty you feel on any given day. Regardless of the handling style chosen, indulgence is the name of Infiniti’s game, and this goes beyond just the manipulating its uncaged power. The cockpit of the new FX is anything but wild, with advanced climate controls, a “clean mode” that ionises the air and eliminates dangerous particles, a high-tech entertainment system including a DVD navigation system with vocal guidance and a crystal clear audio system developed by Bose. The exterior may look like it could slink through the Serengeti, but the inside is all about the leather-clad comfort of a stately manor. In fact, you’ll undoubtedly feel safe as houses with the FX’s security features, which are vast and at the height of technology. The new generation of the FX is beyond compare and is destined to race the Middle East past the walls of infinity.

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sur la terre unique rides

PHotography: © Audi

Audi A6 and RS 6 < AUDI’s new A6: The legend, reinvented >

Ever since 1899, one small fact has always rung true: you have to be “in” to drive an Audi. Given that the new A6 and RS 6 models are now rolling into the Middle East, this axiom is now closer than it has ever been to home. >>> Since its initial launch in 1994, the A6 family has grown into a legendary line of automotive luxury by laughing in the face of the established order. Throughout its family history, it has landed top honours, first in Car and Driver magazine and then as the recipient of the World Car of the Year prize in 2005. The new A6 is the latest direct descendent of Audi’s revved up revolution, containing enhancements in both technology and design. The new RS 6, on the other hand, is a whole new kind of animal.

Seen as the top-of-the-line cousin to the A6, the RS 6 acts more like a brash, broad-chested motoring monster than a typical executive car.

Both models are a credit to the Audi name, albeit in completely different ways.

A6: Size wise, the new A6 hasn’t changed much. It’s still 4.93 metres long, 1.8 metres wide and 1.46 metres high, but just because it hasn’t grown out doesn’t mean it hasn’t grown up.

Most of the new exterior design is subtle yet easy to see, particularly in the front and rear. For example, the straight exhaust and rear lights give the automotive cornerstone a modern, more streamlined look. Those wanting to tap their internal athlete can choose the S line package, while the business exec will be more than mollified with the luxurious Audi exclusive programme. The interior employs similarly sleek curves, making it seem more like a lounge than the back of a car. Complete with tasteful touches of aluminium and natural wood hues, everything

seems to be bigger and more stylish, particularly with a covering of Milano or Alcatara leather. The instrument cluster on the dash is much easier to appreciate, especially with the inclusion of an enhanced display and higher-resolution graphics. When it comes to straight-up power, the new A6 lets you take your pick of the litre.

Drivers can choose from amongst some of the finest V6s in the word. Both the 2.8-litre FSI and the 3.0-litre TFSI use the Audi Valvelift System (AVS) to great success in increasing torque without bleeding the engine of fuel, making the car muscular, mean and green. The 3.0 TFSI surges with a supercharger that rockets its rider

< My oh my, it’s the new A6’s new MMI! >

to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds, so passengers might want to hold onto something. Each of its optional engines may be different from one another, but all of them have increased output and an amazing 15% rise in fuel efficiency. The TFSI also contains the mouthwatering power of the latest generation of the quattro drive, which forces even more torque into the rear axle and allows you to reign in the beast with more control and better traction. This is just one factor amongst the bevy of safety features onboard, which also include an enhanced suspension, optional tire pressure monitoring systems so you don’t have to worry about a sudden flat and the latest in lane change-assist technology. Quite possibly the most exciting technological feature is the upgraded MMI (Multi Media Interface), which is the nucleus of the entertainment, navigation and electronic systems control that has always been unique to the A6. The MMI navigation

sur la terre unique rides

< The new RS 6’s: The hero shot >

< With the RS 6’s 580 horsepower, this is the best view that jealous onlookers will get as you speed away >

plus provides even more functionality, which is almost impossible to imagine. This version includes a DVD and a 40Gb hard drive to store music, 10,000 phone numbers and a detailed list of navigation routes. Just make sure you don’t check out all of these exciting features while driving; you’ll have enough to play with anyway.

RS 6: The RS 6 takes the family phenomena of the A6 to a completely new level. Audi calls this “the world’s most powerful series-produced sedan or station wagon,” and it doesn’t seem like just any brash boast. But it’s not just about ability, it’s also about appeal. Thanks to its new design and amped-up power, the RS 6 is making the sedan sexy. Even the way its engine sounds at idle will make any motorist melt, evoking even in its state of rest the low rumble of an oncoming storm. The RS 6 is bred for speed. Packing a beefy V10 with direct fuel injection and the trapped tornado of twin turbochargers, Audi’s athlete can crank out 4.991 cc, has a horsepower of 580 and 650 Nm of torque, all of which makes it seem more like some sort of flash supercar.

Thanks again to the power distribution of the quattro system, its handling is also on par with the supercar set, allowing the RS 6 to dig its claws into the tarmac, even when screeching across roads left wet by the tears of jealous onlookers. The suspension of the animal is also without many equals thanks to the Dynamic Ride Control (DRC), which allows the driver to

select from a list of three different driving styles: Comfort, Dynamic and Sport; each has its own benefit and distinctive feel, making the ride of a lifetime that much more unique. Speaking of unique, the look of the new RS 6 is literally glossed in a modern take on the gold standard of the Audi. Paying tribute to the original

< The RS 6 interior: Sleek, sporty, stylish >

< Ready . Set . Go! >

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quattro from 1980, the body is aesthetically familiar and simultaneously fresh, owing to meaner, leaner and more modern features.

These enhancements include an enlarged front to accommodate for the air needed to cool the turbochargers, LEDs in the head and taillights, a broad diffuser and the two large tailpipes that positively hum with the potential of power. The interior is just as radiant in a finish that inspires the class of a shiny black grand piano, with subtle hints of aluminium and carbon-fibre composite. The imbedded features not only shine with sumptuousness, but are perfectly attuned to the driver’s wants, and never out of reach. The seats are the most comfortable yet in the model, covered as they are in Silk Nappa Leather. The onboard MMI not only has the functionality of that in the A6, but also has a lap timer, which will be great for those speed demons wanting to test their mettle on the track. With all of these amazing features, you won’t know whether to shoot off to your highstakes business meeting or just streak around the streets, inspiring envy in the high-speed blur of your new RS 6. Just like its logo implies, Audi is an unbreakable chain of class, style, power and influence. When you’re driving the A6 or the RS 6, you can experience a linked feeling of comfort and confidence pouring through every contour and surging in every vibration. To get on track and learn more about the new Audis, race over to www.audi-me.com.

We promise you won’t be disappointed.

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sur la terre i feel like...

I Feel Like...Camping >>> As the chillier weather of winter gives way to the warming rays of the spring sunshine, March and April heralds the best time to enjoy the outdoors. What better way to spend a weekend than escaping the crowded streets and choking traffic of the city and heading out into the wilderness for a little rest and relaxation? Camping is all about shedding the home comforts, roughing it and getting back to nature, so fire up the 4x4, pick out some choice dune bashing tunes while Sur la Terre helps you choose the essential kit required for a night under the Arabian stars.

Seeing The Light It Should Be In-Tents

Possibly the most essential piece of equipment is your tent. If you don’t have one of these, you will end up sleeping in the car which is fine if it just you - but not so comfortable if you take a few friends along.

A basic, four man, dome tent can be picked up in Carrefour, Olympic Sports and Go Sports.

It might not always be the case that the headlamps of the 4x4 are close enough to help you set up your pitch, therefore shed a little light on the proceedings with a Pelican Headsup 2620 head mounted torch. The four powerful LED bulbs will provide enough illumination for you to carry out everything from fire building or tent erection, and they are much cheaper than a pair of night-vision goggles.

Mustafawi Outdoor Supplies have a great stock of camping gadgets and essential tools.

Bedding Down

Those Arabian nights can get a little cold when you leave the warmth of civilisation behind so be prepared. Carrefour does a very good line in basic camping kit, so as well as a sleeping bag, for a comfortable night’s rest it can also be worth investing in a light, fold-up camp bed. For those of you survivalist types that like to rough it or if you plan to do a lot of hiking with your kit, a foam camping mat is a much lighter bet.

Wandering About

Should you go exploring away from the campsite, you need to make sure you carry enough fluids; a three-litre CamelBak rucksack allows you imitate the region’s most famous quadruped. CamelBak bags can be found at most outdoors suppliers in the region.

sur la terre i feel like...

Tooling Around

Every man likes tools, and there is no better excuse for owning the most desirable multi-tool on the planet than a camping trip. A Leatherman Charge Titanium is not only one of the most useful things you will ever own, but once it is clipped to your belt, it will complete the rugged desert commando look to a tee. This very desirable bit of titanium hardware can cut, wrench, saw, screw, dig, open and hammer just about anything without taking a dent. Pick one up for QR 820 at Mustafawi Outdoor Supplies.

Get Fed Up

The last thing you want in the middle of nowhere is hunger pangs. Be sure to stock up on food and – most importantly – water. The best way to get your desert fare to the campsite fresh is a big, ice-filled cool box.

A 70-litre Cosmoplast KeepCold Marine can be bought from Carrefour. Alternatively, if you want to be a leader in desert chic this spring, check out the new coolbox from Jamie Oliver.

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Cooking With Gas

Here at Sur la Terre we wouldn’t recommend cooking your steak on a stick over the fire, for a number of reasons, not least the potential for food poisoning.

Try a more conventional and safer way of cooking up a desert feast with the aid of a portable gas camping stove from Campingaz. They come in a number of sizes and are available from places such as Carrefour, Go Sports and Olympic Sports.

Pointing The Way

Whether out exploring or looking for a decent pitch for your desert home, compasses and maps are a thing of the past.

Get yourself a Nokia 500 Global Positioning System. Available from Nokia outlets throughout the region, this essential gadget ensures your weekend camping adventure doesn’t turn into a week long desert disaster.

The QR 1,900 in-car navigation system does sat-nav, multimedia and handsfree Bluetooth calling all through its 4.3” display.

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sur la terre accessories

Production: Jean-Pierre Viafora Photographs by Luc Frey www.lucfrey.com Hair & Make-up: Jean-Pierre Canavate @ annramirezagency.com Model: Lida Kochetkova @ Angels Location: Studio Daguerre, Paris

Nacked back jersey jumpsuit pants, white leather belt, suede court shoes and green iridescent leather, pink python bag BARBARA BUI Black acrylic bracelet CHRISTIAN LACROIX “Snake feather” brooch mounted with purple sapphires, diamonds pears and round diamonds assembled on white gold LORENZ BÄUMER

sur la terre accessories

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Jacket BARBARA BUI Ring turquoise “Reed”, sapphires, tsavorites and yellow gold LORENZ BÄUMER Jacket and shirt CHRISTIAN LACROIX HOMME Serum “radiance complex pure gold” LA PRAIRIE

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sur la terre accessories

Crepe Jacket with doupion sleeves and collar CHRISTIAN LACROIX Sunglasses TOM FORD Watch “Marquesa Drop” in platinum with diamonds, quartz movement and platinum earrings, “Loop” collection, with diamonds HARRY WINSTON ELLE eau de parfum YVES SAINT LAURENT

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Express your own style and create a living room that is perfect for you. Choose from the exclusive new collection of sofas and armchairs, designed and made in Italy since 1959. Harmonise them with wall units and furnishing accessories by Natuzzi, the leading Italian furniture company.

Modular sofa 349x257 cm in fabric.

Halley floor lamp. Cushions in fabric.

Al Mana Towers - Suhaim Bin Hamad Street Tel. +974 421 4440 - Fax +974 421 4441 www.natuzzi.com

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sur la terre accessories

Gazar flounce dress and beige leather belt CHRISTIAN LACROIX Apricot leather court shoes CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Shocking pink tights FALKE Necklace “zip pompon” with sliding central decoration in white gold and diamonds VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

sur la terre accessories

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Perfume Dior Homme Sport DIOR Perfume La Nuit De L’Homme YVES SAINT LAURENT Perfume Dior Homme DIOR Wallet, dark brown crocodile boots and white leather moccasin JOHN LOBB

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sur la terre accessories

LADY DIOR Radiant Couture Touch Up: face, cheeks, lips CHRISTIAN DIOR Eau de parfum limited edition SHISEIDO ZEN Skin Caviar Crystalline Concentre LA PRAIRIE Rosé Champagne “Pink Pop” POMMERY N°5 Eau Première CHANEL “Palette d’artiste”, collector powder YVES SAINT LAURENT Lipcolors “Levres Signées” CHANEL

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sur la terre design

Dripping with luxury...

Today’s swimming pools are no longer only appreciated for their functional role, they can sometimes also be true works of art.

They represent something unique as much in their detail as in the environment in which they are found. A play of architecture, a play of light, a play of perspective, luxury swimming pools have become highly valued creative spaces and artistic expressions. Sur la Terre helps you rediscover certain resorts from a different angle, that of wellbeing areas.

TEXT: George de Matteis PhotograpHY: All rights reserved

MEXICO Las Ventanas Al Paraiso Between the mountains and the sea, not very far from the desert, Las Ventanas stands as an example of the style of the ancient haciendas of Old Mexico…but with added luxury. The panoramic view over the Sea of Cortez is a foretaste of the promises to come in the Rosewood hotel complex; golfing in an ocean of greenery, relaxation in a famous, prize-winning spa, savouring the restaurant’s Mediterranean cuisine, not forgetting the splendid swimming pool…a true work of art.

Amongst the many services available are two original, luxury offers: first, for your pet < Courtesy of Las Ventanas al Paraíso >

companion, please be aware that you can pamper him with the “pet luxury programme” which comprises care, dietary requirements and even a massage. Second, for the companion of your choice, a “Director of Romance“ is available to make your wildest dreams come true… from a love message in a bottle thrown into the sea, which washes up as if by magic at your feet, to an aphrodisiacal dinner for a night muy caliente…

You will be limited only by your imagination! Las Ventanas also offers the possibility of private residences, the height of absolute luxury.

sur la terre design

MALDIVES One & Only Maldives at Reethi Rah A 360° view of the sea is no longer a luxury in the Maldives, it goes without saying. What distinguishes the One & Only at Reethi Rah is the incredible style of this new complex composed of spectacular and individual villas, whether to sleep in, rocked by the waves of the Indian Ocean, or restore oneself before the immenseness of infinity, or to recharge one’s batteries in the breath-taking spa. Situated to the north of Malé on one of the largest atolls, the One & Only combines at the same time space and exclusivity. A unique experience of paradise on earth.

< Watervilla © One & Only Resorts >

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< Reethi Rah © credit One & Only Resorts >

< Restaurant © One & Only Resorts >

MOROCCO Le Palais Rhoul Seeming to step straight out of ancient history, the Palais Rhoul displays its majestic columns in the middle of the palm grove in Marrakech. Set in 5 hectares of garden, there are only 18 bedrooms and tents, worthy of The 1001 Nights, offered to guests. Rest and tranquillity will be the key themes of your stay. The Spa and its famous Moorish baths are hidden behind the bougainvillea at the bottom of the garden, while the fresh water swimming pool is available from daybreak, so that the day begins under the most favourable auspices.

At the Palais Rhoul, you will experience in equal measures the many tastes and smells of Moroccan cuisine, which is renowned throughout the world. < Courtesy of Palais Rhoul >

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sur la terre design

CHINA The Peninsula, Hong Kong One of the most famous hotels in the world, the Peninsula Hong Kong is nicknamed “the Old Lady of the Far-East”. Built in the 1920s, the Peninsula has never, since that time, had to refute its reputation as a luxury hotel. Having become a reference in Asia, the hotel is an elegant mixture of Asian and Western hospitality. Famous, inter alia, for its helicopter shuttle service and its “fleet” of Rolls Royces, the Peninsula has become an obligatory stop-over for visitors to Hong Kong. The view from the majestic, roman-style swimming pool offers a breath-taking panorama, overlooking Victoria Harbour and the island of Hong Kong. < The entrance hall © The Peninsula Hong Kong >

< The swimming pool with view over the Bay of Hong Kong © The Peninsula Hong Kong >

TURKEY Kempinski Hotel, Barbaros Bay The Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay is an architectural jewel that towers above the Aegean Sea. All 173 rooms have sea-views from either balconies or terraces, and there is a renowned Vietnamese restaurant, which complements the unique local culinary experiences. There is a spectacular swimming pool out of which the domes of the Spa spring up. Ah, the spa…the recently opened Six Senses Spa is one of the biggest in the Mediterranean, covering a surface area both inside and out of 5,500 sq.m., and is a perfect mixture of the Turkish steam bath tradition and Asian philosophy. The hotel is the place for an idyllic retreat at Bodrum. < Swimming Pool of the Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay © Courtesy of Kempinski Hotels >

sur la terre design

ADRESS BOOK

UNITED STATES Amangani, Wyoming Opened in 1998, the Hotel Amangani stands majestically at the top of North East Butte Road, in Wyoming. Among the fabulous resorts belonging to the Aman hotel group, which scatters these marvels around the world, Amangani means “peaceful hearth”, and indeed it is a feeling of peace which envelops you as soon as you enter this 40-roomed hotel, situated over 2,000 m above sea level. The Amangani is in complete harmony with the natural beauty of its surroundings, and offers fresh air activities to all nature lovers: horseback riding, fishing, visits to a nature park where more than 300 bird species co-exist. And the icing on the cake … the splendid 35-metre swimming pool, heated to 27 degrees all year round, and from where the view of the setting sun over snow-covered mountains is an absolute must. The contrast between the warm water and the wintry panoramic view is without doubt an experience that must be lived at least once.

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< Courtesy of Amangani, an Aman Resort >

< The Amangani swimming pool © Courtesy of Amangani, an Aman Resort >

AUSTRALIA The Observatory Hotel, Sydney A member of the Orient Express Hotels Group, the Observatory Hotel in Sydney is ideally situated near the historic rocks of Sydney and the Central Business District. It is therefore suitable for both a relaxing break and a business trip. The winner of many prestigious awards, the hotel offers a first class luxury service. Built in the style of the end of the 19th century, all the bedrooms are redolent of the novels of Edith Wharton. Thick wall-towall carpeting, heavy drapes and a muffled atmosphere all combine to make you feel right at home. The Observatory is world famous, not

only for its spa, but also for its swimming pool, which is indoors, but spectacular nevertheless.

The ceiling sparkles with fibre optic lights, representing the celestial vconstellations of the southern hemisphere, and this gives the impression of swimming under the stars…

< The Observatory Entrance © Orient-Express Hotels >

Las Ventanas Al Paraiso, a Rosewood resort K.M. 19.5 Carretera Transpeninsular, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur Tel: +52 624 144 2800 lasventanas@rosewoodhotels.com

Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay Bodrum Kizilagac Koyu Gerenkuyu Mevkii Yaliciftlik Tel: +90 252 3110303

The Peninsula Hong Kong Salisbury Road Kowloon Tel: (852) 2920 2888 www.hongkong-peninsula.com

One & Only Maldives at Reethi Rah www.oneandonlyresorts.com

The Observatory Hotel 89-113 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia Tel: +61 2 9256 2222 email@observatoryhotel.com.au

1535 North East Butte Road Jackson, Wyoming 83001, U.S.A. Tel: (1) 307 734 7333 www.amanresorts.com

Le Palais Rhoul www.palais-rhoul.com

< Day Spa, Health & Leisure Club © Orient-Express Hotel >

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sur la terre beauty

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Tailored for her and for him Production Sandra Jeannin Photographs by Ian Abela @ Visionairs In Art www.ianabela.com

Body creator, aromatic sculpting concentrate for the body SHISEIDO Issima body secret, blue exfoliating scrub for the body GUERLAIN Tonific minceur Body care, body-contouring massage oil with decongesting essential oils of cedar, rosemary and grapefruit NUXE Body Performance. SLIM Shape+, Anti-cellulite/anti-fluide Advanced, visible contouring serum OENOBIOL CELLULITE

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sur la terre beauty

Body Creator, abdomen toning gel SHISEIDO MEN Body Care, body exfoliating soap stimulating and toning with marine algae and shea butter NUXE Keep fresh (without aluminim) TASK ESSENTIAL Sculptant Corps OENOBIOL HOMME Sparkle Skin, body exfolating cream CLINIQUE

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sur la terre brand history

Text: Yamina Benaï Photography: All rights reserved

Boucheron,

a feast of precious stones

sur la terre brand history

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< Homage to Boucheron. Necklace imagined by Shaun Leane created by Boucheron. Blackened gold necklace set with a purple pear-shaped sapphire, paved with sapphires, white and brown diamonds and rubies. The center stone is detachable to be worn separately. The Flowers open manually and close with a system hidden on the stem of each flower >

It’s a story of family, of passion and of talent. Passed down from father to son for nearly 150 years, then taken up by a group fortunately attentive to the brand’s identity, the Boucheron jewellery house has continued to remain visionary and inventive. As it celebrated its 150th anniversary throughout 2008, the jewellery house demonstrates that continuity is built upon a knowledge of oneself and an openness to others.

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sur la terre brand history

< Yellow gold “Danger” necklace set with a 15,50 carats yellow pear shaped sapphire, paved with yellow round sapphires, round rubies and round and navette diamonds.

The yellow pear shaped sapphire is removable to be worn separately! - Boucheron Enchanteur Collection >

< Ring “Chouette”, set in blackened gold with diamonds Sapphires and amethysts >

< Ring “Chauve-Souris”, set in white gold with amethysts, violet sapphires and rubies >

>>> After years of apprenticeship, first in the workshop of the jeweller Jules Chaize, then in the shop of the jeweller Tixier-Deschamps, Frédéric Boucheron – at the age of 28 and with 1,000 francs in capital - decided to create his own jewellery house. While his ancestors had worked as clothiers, he preferred to work with minerals. In 1858, he opened his first shop beneath the Galerie de Valois arcade at the Palais-Royal. Fortunately for him, in this second half of the 19th century, anything served as a pretext for the creation of jewellery, as can be seen in the house’s

< Ring “Herisson”, fashioned in pink gold in diamond point for a ring with round cut rubies and black diamonds >

< Ring “Cameleon” in blackened gold set with tsavorites garnets, blue, pink and yellow sapphires and rubies >

archival drawings. A cigarette case, a tie clip, a tobacco box, a chatelaine, a hairpin, a soapbox, a scoreboard, a cloisonné sweet box, a coat fastener, a brooch and a pillbox, as well as a powder compact and a tube of lipstick set with rubies, and even an engravedcrystal salt bottle decorated with chased gold and diamonds. The art of fine jewellery and ornamentation constitutes an ever-renewed technical and aesthetic challenge. A challenge brilliantly met by Boucheron. As is often the case in jewellery, animals, plants and a variety of nature motifs are given majestic, eloquent

expression. One must visit the workshops of the great jewellery houses to fully appreciate the artisans’ great talent and skill. From a lacklustre lump of metal that one wouldn’t guess is gold, or from a rough pebble which is revealed to be a luminous diamond, are born remarkable forms, lines and entanglements.

What a hypnotic vision, these jewels sparkling with life! One can almost hear the chirping of the bird perched on the brooch, the hissing of the serpent coiled around the neck, or the flower petals trembling in the breeze and delicately decorating the wearer’s finger.

sur la terre brand history

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< Ring “Cameleon” in blackened gold set with tsavorites garnets, blue, pink and yellow sapphires and rubies >

< Kate Walsh wearing the pieces, Cinna earrings and Cinna bracelets in sapphire, for the occasion of the “NAACP IMAGE AWARDS” >

The house would grow in importance after Frédéric Boucheron’s fortunate meeting in 1878 with Giddeon Reed, vice-president of Tiffany & Co, at that time the house used to sell in its stores high-end european jewellery creations to American billionaires. The vice-president put the French jeweller into contact with his extensive and well-heeled American clientele.

For one of these ladies, the house made a parure of diamonds and sapphires arranged around a central gemstone: a 159-carat

sapphire. This prestigious creation allowed Boucheron to enter the pantheon of the “haute joaillerie”, attracting a clientele from both the blue-blooded aristocracy and newly-minted but immense fortunes. For the jeweller, there’s no room for an overweening ego: creation is not the monopoly of any one individual.

Rather, it depends on the skills, savoir-faire and imagination of several men and women who, together, create a future for a handful of precious stones.

< Katie Holmes wearing two “Exquises Confidences” sautoirs in yellow gold set with diamonds and tourmalines >

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sur la terre brand history

< White gold “Gourmand” necklace set with nine pink sapphires (for approximately 31 carats), four mauve sapphires (for approximately 8,50 carats) and four orangey yellow sapphires (for approximately 7,50 carats in total), paved with emerald drops, ruby beads, diamonds and pink, yellow, golden and orangey sapphires - Boucheron Enchanteur Collection >

In 1893, the jeweller set up his shop at the prestigious address of 26 Place Vendôme, where it remains to this day. Three generations of jewellers would succeed Frédéric Boucheron after his death in 1902. His son Louis, a civil engineer, carried the family name and expertise to Moscow, London, New York and beyond. To India, in particular, which he visited for the first time in 1909. His assiduity was eventually rewarded by the munificence of the Maharajah of Patiala, who placed an order for 149 creations in 1928. An entire book has been dedicated to this collection, including drawings and details of many of the precious stones. The most miraculous treasures from around the world were submitted to the house’s expert eye at 26 Place Vendôme, from the Maharajah of Patiala’s “gigantic chests filled with precious

stones” to pieces from the Treasury of Iran in 1930. While the house was certainly pleased with its success, its president continued his tireless search for the most beautiful and fascinating gemstones. “For those able to decipher its message, more often than not it’s the gemstone that dictates what it wants. And then there’s the history behind the stones, their burdens of passions, even violence, the adventures behind their discovery, the strange destinies they have known before reaching us, the struggles for their possession,” explained Louis Boucheron. The stones’ memory, it is true, is part of the miracle.

Upon Louis’s death in 1959, his sons Frédéric and Gérard pursued the family business and were in turn succeeded by Gérard’s son, Alain,

up until 1994. The company was then sold to a Swiss firm before eventually becoming part of the PPR Group at the turn of the century. The successive collections of haute joaillerie have won the admiration of a clientele dazzled by their creativity and aesthetics.

In 2007, the brand’s Web site began selling rings, necklaces, perfume. “This Web site is meant to become the indispensable complement to our shops,” declared Jean-Christophe Bédos, Boucheron’s chairman and managing director, at its launch. In 2008, to lastingly commemorate its 150th anniversary in grand style, the jewellery house launched “Boucheron Enchanteur”, a haute joaillerie collection which necessitated no less than 12,000 hours of work.

< White gold “Mysterious” necklace set with three oval sapphires (approximately 19, 12 and 11 carats), three aquamarine (for approximately 44 carats) and three amethyst flowers (for approximately 54 carats), four diamonds (approximately 0.50 carat each), paved with diamonds and emeralds. One of the amethyst f lowers is carved into a vial to be filled with perfume or poison!)

- Boucheron Enchanteur Collection >

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< Pendant “Exquises confidences” in white gold, pink silk fringe, and diamonds >

This celebration has also given birth to several fruitful collaborations, with Richard Mille creating an elegant watch “in homage to complication” and Harumi Klossowska, daughter of the painter Balthus, and the British artist Shaun Leane each designing a magnificent parure. Shaun Leane created a spectacular necklace. An armful of flowers in blackened gold set with a lilac, pear-shaped sapphire and adorned with sapphires and white and brown diamonds. A mechanism hidden beneath each stem allows the flowers to open and close. A parabole of night and day, of past and future, of eternal renewal.

One only has to admire Boucheron’s creations from nearly a century ago to appreciate the profound modernity and timelessness of this house that was born to last and remain in the firmament for as long as women love to wear jewellery.

< White gold “Grenouille” watch bracelet set with a 0,30 carats diamond, paved with emeralds, diamonds, rubies and pink and yellow orangey sapphires. The watch is hidden under the lotus f lower. ETA movement >

HO 2

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sur la terre a day in the life...

< The museum’s atrium window >

< Dr. Oliver Watson >

‘A Day in the Life... of Oliver Watson’ Where do you work, and what is your job title?

I work in the Museum of Islamic Art – that cubic building rising from the sea off the Corniche; my title is Director.

What does your job involve?

Co-coordinating the work of many different teams of specialists towards a common goal: creating the best museum we can. Curators who know about the objects and plan the displays, Conservators who look after the objects, the Registrar who records them, visitor services, security, facilities, temporary exhibitions, events, education, and many more (and not necessarily in this order) – all these different skills and specialties are crucial to the Museum and have to work together in a co-coordinated way. This co-ordination, essentially, is my job.

Can you take us through a typical working day?

I deal with emails and their management at the beginning and end of each day for more time than anyone would believe. In between, there are meetings: formal regular meetings with different groups; ad-hoc meetings to address particular issues; informal wandering around to find someone whose advice I need; then, perhaps a VIP visit or two

Photography: All rights reserved

or three, and guiding round the galleries. I often take a trip round the Corniche to sit with my colleagues from the Qatar Museums Authority, our parent organisation. I check with Visitor Services and Security as we close the building at the end of day. Finally, I tell the last few hardworkers to go home; they have worked long enough, and way beyond their normal hours. If I am really lucky, I get a brief period with the objects in the stores.

How do you balance business and family life equally?

I am both unlucky and lucky. Unlucky in that my family (wife, three young daughters and cat) is still in the UK – so skyping and iChat in the evenings and weekend are very important. But it means I am technically a bachelor here in Doha, with less reason not to attend business matters in the evening or at weekends, and more time to do my academic work.

What do you do to relax?

Music and reading are my main relaxations. A few good friends for social life. A drive into the desert – to stand on the edge of the sea by the mangroves with the hot wind and burning sun, to contemplate the vast history of this bit of land – this drains the iron from the soul.

sur la terre a day in the life...

Do you have any hobbies or a particular passion outside of work?

Music and reading, again. Both take time, and I am fortunate to have it here. Music of all sorts, from Rockabilly to Richard Strauss, from Haydn to Hank Williams. Reading from philosophy and cosmology to Harry Potter and Philip Pullman.

What book/s are you currently reading?

A biography of Matisse, the painter; a book on cosmology; a history of soul music, and a book on Islamic art and literature, and one on the Mughals. All in bits, when I can.

What is your favourite holiday destination?

Many. With the family (my wife is Australian) we have done some extraordinary trans-Australia camping trips over the last years. On my own, or with my wife, probably Paris, Cairo or Istanbul.

What characteristics do you find most appealing in other people?

Tolerance, humour and a degree of self-understanding.

If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you be?

Jerry Wexler in 1968 recording “Dusty Springfield in Memphis”; or someone close to Mozart in 1791 as he composed the Magic Flute.

What is your favourite type of food?

Good. Not too much meat, not too much salt. Not too fancy.

Probably Asian.

Tell us one thing that people might be surprised to learn about you.

That you can love Haydn and Islamic art at the same time as Jerry Lee Lewis and Tom and Jerry. And still be a serious academic. < Some of the museum’s permanent pieces >

< More of the MIA’s artistic offerings >

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sur la terre fashion

Free Style Production: Juliette Blondel Photography: Ian Abela @ Visionairs In Art www.ianabela.com Make-up & Hair: Sandra Jeannin @ Powder & Shine Models: Caroline Groux @ City Paris Vincent Lillo @ Karin Paris Location: Oasis

Cotton jacket EMANUEL UNGARO Silk jersey polo RALPH LAUREN Cotton trousers KENZO Leather and cotton belt KENZO Watch CVSTOS Leather bag LANVIN and key ring CELINE Cotton hat ANTONY PETO Silk tie ETRO Suede shoes HESCHUNG Socks FALKE

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Silk tafeta bustier dress TAE ASHIDA Yellow tulle petticoat STANLOWA Green leather bag WALTER STEIGER Leather flat shoes STANLOWA Butterfly and flowers in the hair LEGERON Necklace and earrings KAILLIS Rings LORENZ BÄUMER Bracelet K-MO

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sur la terre fashion

Silk shirt KENZO Cotton trousers ETRO Silk scarf HERMES Leather bag LANVIN Rings LORENZ BAUMER Hat HERMES Watch BELL & ROSS Socks FALKE Leather flat shoes REPETTO

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Chiffon silk dress KENZO Tulle petticoat STANLOWA Flowers in the hair LEGERON Ring LORENZ BÄUMER Bracelets K.MO Earrings FRANÇOISE MONTAGUE Leather bag CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Leather flat shoes STANLOWA

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Silk cotton pull-over CERRUTI Cotton trousers LACOSTE Belt HERMES Linen and silk scarf CERRUTI Leather shoes LANVIN Socks FALKE Leather picnic suitcase HUGO BOSS Watch CVSTOS Cotton hat ANTONY PETO Ring LORENZ BÄUMER

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Chiffon silk dress ZUHAIR MURAD Tulle petticoat STANLOWA Flowers in the hair LEGERON Large bracelet LORENZ BÄUMER Leather flat shoes STANLOWA Leather bag with feathers SONIA RYKIEL

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sur la terre fashion

Linen and cotton jacket EMANUEL UNGARO Silk cotton shirt ICEBERG Cotton trousers HUGO BOSS Belt LACOSTE Leather shoes REPETTO Silk clutch RALPH LAUREN Watch CHOPARD Linen scarf KENZO Ring LORENZ BÄUMER

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Silk organdie dress CHRISTOPHE JOSSE Flowers in the hair LEGERON Rings, necklace and earrings CHOPARD

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sur la terre fashion

Chiffon silk dress ELIE SAAB Tulle petticoat STANLOWA Rings PASQUALE BRUNI Leather shoes CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Flower ring FRANÇOISE MONTAGUE Flowers in the hair LEGERON

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Silk shirt KENZO Cotton jacket HUGO BOSS Cotton and silk trousers HUGO BOSS Alligator skin belt HERMES Suede shoes HESHUNG Socks FALKE Cotton hat ANTONY PETO Ring LORENZ BÄUMER

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sur la terre fashion

Silk dress LA PERLA Satin and silk bag DE GRISOGONO Flowers LEGERON Rings BOUCHERON Large bracelet K.MO Leather flat shoes STANLOWA

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sur la terre showcase

< The exterior of excellence >

The Arabian Beacon

Qatar’s Growth into the Bastion of Global Communication

>>> Before 1995, Qatar was not known for its great strides in communication. In fact, the nation, which today stands as the quintessential example of growth and change, was then closed; its doors locked, its windows shut, unable to release its ideas into the greater ether of globalised communication. Little did anyone expect that, through discovery, victory and a little bit of luck, the small peninsula that juts into the Arabian Gulf would become one of the greatest modern media beacons. The story of Qatar’s modern communication is not new. It is told in the soft hoofbeats and hushed voices of tradition, written by the hurried hand of change and circulated by the ambition of modernity. This is that story.

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< The traditional camel walk, “Darb Al Saai” still performed today >

The Past, The Press and The Paradigm Shift We begin with H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani. As the first internationally recognised sovereign of Qatar after the Ottoman occupation, it was his sworn duty to convey classified messages to and from his place of rule. As was tradition, Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim AlThani often ordered his men to alight the coarse backs of camels and ride through 50 kilometers of perilous terrain to hand deliver his most important state correspondence. Known as Darb Al Saai or “the way of the Messenger,” this tradition of camel-back communication had been practiced for years, beginning as a way for nomadic tribes to convey messages with each other, and continued during even the most trying periods of Qatar’s history. In fact, the route is still celebrated today in a ceremony most often performed during Qatar National Day, but it no longer holds the same dangers of yesteryear. As Moez Al-Agha, one of the key members of the National Day Organising Committe said, “[Sheikh Jassim’s rule] was a time of tribal wars on land and piracy and pillage at sea. It was a time that witnessed the retreat of the Ottoman Empire and the growing influence of the British Empire in the region. Interests and loyalties were shifting; conflicts and disorder were spreading anew in the the Gulf region, but Sheikh Jassim, with God’s help and the support of the Qatari people, withstood these storms and momentous changes.”

What rose from the embers of this fiery period was a tempered national dedication to communication. In 1969, twenty years after the rule of Sheikh Abdullah, the very first Department of Information was established in Qatar in order to mediate the growing level of domestic and international communication in the country. Ever the industrious go-getters, the press pre-dated this official governing body by eight years in 1961, when a printed gazette presented the latest royal decrees from the Emir. Throughout the years, the State saw the creation of other publications in printed media with the birth of newspapers such as The Gulf Times and The Penninsula,

both of which still exist today. Radio followed shortly thereafter in Qatar in 1968 and flourished in a growing number of broadcast languages in the years to come. Then came the inevitable introduction of television in 1970, with a rudimentary station that broadcast only a few hours a day in black and white. With the establishment of not only colour television and lingually-diverse programming a decade later, Qatar was well on its way to realising its modern potential. These historic and technical innovations had a hand in the State’s transformation into a global communications player, that is beyond doubt, but they were still largely controlled by the ruling government and lacked the freedoms of other countries’ domestic broadcasters. The true media revolution in Qatar happened many years later, thanks to its biggest and most visible testament to worldwide communication: Al Jazeera.

< Taking a break: Qatar’s traditional way of communication >

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< The Al Jazeera Newsroom >

Al Jazeera: At the Precipice of Progress The Island. The Peninsula. However you choose to translate it, Al Jazeera is the Middle East’s one and only global media communications giant and, despite its name, is anything but secluded from the rest of the wider world. In fact, since its historic launch in 1996, the channel has spread its wings across the planet. From its base right here in Doha, Al Jazeera transmits its homegrown signal to hundreds of millions of viewers, thirsty for what has become an alternative to the mainstream drivel of modern televised news. However, it is not without its detractors or bouts with controversy. It is not only one of the world’s most famous news stations, but also one of its most infamous.

Its history begins in 1995, when then Crowned Prince of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, took the reigns of history and overthrew his father’s rule in a bloodless coup. He was driven to galvanise his country and break its longstanding presence as an insular society by cultivating domestic interest in culture, art and media and opening its doors to growing foreign interest. The BBC was already established in Qatar, but quickly lost steam after its Saudi-based funding fizzled out.

Wanting to not only fill the gap left behind by the British media outlet, but also to locally establish one worthy of Qatar’s newly realised ambitions, His Highness the Emir quickly picked up the shattered remains of the BBC and reformed it into the region’s first viable Arabic news station, Al Jazeera. This new creation would exemplify Qatar’s growth as an open society by establishing a new idea of quality and allowing freedoms not yet realised by other television stations in the region. It was a transition

that became indicative of Qatar’s grasp for global glory, and one that had a speed met only by its boldness. Its first salvo of condemnation came from neighboring states, which thought it was too open and too outspoken. Even in its earliest days, it faced rebukes, bans, boycotts and sudden judgements, like Algeria’s government allegedly cutting the power supply so that an indicting Al Jazeera report could not be shown.

And yet, despite its many battles, it continued to grow, gaining notoriety, renown and accolades from across the Arab world.

As its popularity expanded, so too did its signal. Its new approach to news in the Middle East was consumed hungrily by the multiple populations whose world view had been skewed or blocked outright by the media control of their governments. Al Jazeera does not pull its punches when it comes to candid, hard-hitting journalism, and it is that very mentality which produces the acclaim of its audience and the ire of its critics, both of whom were growing in number. When it eventually hit the West in the late 90s, it already had a reputation for its style, but in the early days of the new millennium, it began simultaneously impressing and angering a whole new viewership. In an effort to show each side of every story and conflict, it began showing statements from Al Qaeda leaders, and shortly after that, in 2003, the ravages of the war in Iraq. Western audiences were not used to this kind of exposure, particularly from such a scathing viewpoint, and it immediately drew a reaction. However, the reaction was not altogether negative, because three years later, Qatar’s favorite media son continued its extension across markets, countries and even languages.

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< Behind the scenes at Al Jazeera >

Thanks to growing interest, in 2006, Al Jazeera launched its English language station to better accommodate its new Western audience.

And so it did, better than anyone expected. Now in its third year, the 24-hour English channel is available throughout the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Reportedly reaching an impressive 100 million households, Al Jazeera English is amongst the top three largest news outlets internationally, a list which also includes heavyweights BBC World and CNN International; not bad for a station that should, by all accounts, still be taking its infant steps. In an effort to tap into new media, Al Jazeera English employs the internet to great success, with a website full of programmes and its own YouTube channel. This breadth of distribution helps the outlet reach the few countries that continue to unjustly accuse it of strengthening the voice of insurgency.

Even with criticism for its objectivity, there is no denying Al Jazeera’s worth as an established entity, particularly considering the collection of awards it has garnered for its programmes and documentaries. The station even won the prized Golden Nymph award for Best 24 Hour News Programme in 2008.

In any language, Al Jazeera has come a long way, and has grown meteorically from brainchild to behemoth in the span of just a few years. It has played an important role in covering with aplomb some of the most volatile and pressing situations in recent years. It was instrumental in its coverage of conflicts around the Middle East region and the world, and most recently boasted the only presence by an

international media outlet during the War in Gaza. Just like nearly every other TV station, they often receive a litany of negative press. Of course, as the old saying goes in this business, any press is good press.

< The way they were - Al Jazeera newsroom circa 2001 >

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The Peace Precedent Qatar’s influence within the global sphere does not end with its steadfast devotion to the promotion of unbiased truth, but is also deeply invested with an equally important concept: the communication of peace. In recent years, Qatar has played an active role in not only purveying communication to the world, but also taking up a greater sense of social and political responsibility. The Doha Debates have been an institution in Qatar since 2004, and have openly addressed issues such as racial and gender equality, the separation of church and state and political transparency. The series has hosted leading thinkers in nearly every sociopolitical field and some of the highestranking politicians in the world, including Israeli President Simon Peres, former Interim Prime Minister of Iraq, Ayad Allawi, and former American President, Bill Clinton. Championing the freedom of Qatar communication, the Debates are completely independent and as such, may address even the most taboo subjects with a great sense of impunity. There are few events in the Gulf that have transmitted such a breadth of free and impartial communication as the Doha Debates, and it is a true testament to the city that it would attach its name to such a diverse intellectual showcase. Along with the Debates, Qatar has, in recent years, been at the forefront of facilitating the communication of not only ideas, but also of dialogue between nations for the interchange of ideas. The country has grown into a long-fated

< The great Doha debators >

< The Doha Debates: Expression in Action >

influence, and has taken the lead in the communication of peace. There are many examples of Doha serving as a meeting place for peaceable discussion between warring nations or regions, but there are a few that stick out in recent memory. The first of these was in May of last year, when Qatar’s mediation between the political factions in Lebanon led to a governmental unity and peace that has lasted to this day. The State was credited by many international agencies for “finding the needle in the haystack” that led to this much needed communication. Another example of Qatar attempting to foster communication within the Arab world was the emergency Arab League Summit held in Doha to address the most recent Israeli offensive on the Gaza strip. The summit included quite a few governmental organisations and factions not often given a voice on the global scene, particularly the democratically elected, yet internationally decried Hamas. Throughout a very short period, Qatar has completely changed the way it communicates both internally and to the outside world. What began as a treacherous flight against blustery winds and across hot sands is now an equally harrowing digital quest through pulsing airwaves and snaking fibre-optic cables.

And yet, while technologies have changed and scopes have widened, that uniquely Qatari commitment to communication remains, and indeed motivates the nation to grow further into the waiting world, fulfilling its destiny as the one, true Arabian beacon.

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Hassan Ibrahim Q+A You have been in the journalism field for over 30 years, covering many world-changing issues across the globe, and are seen as an expert on geopolitical and sociological issues in the world scene. With all of that experience, what made you decide to join Al Jazeera? Why was it so important to you?

I was one of the original crew that joined Al Jazeera from the BBC. To be honest I never thought Al Jazeera would blossom so quickly; but it was a challenge to broadcast real journalism from the Arab World. I joined because of the promise made to us by Al Jazeera management that our impartiality and professionalism were sacrosanct.

Al Jazeera has been a media presence now for over 10 years and it is still growing. In your opinion, what has made Al Jazeera so popular in this modern world otherwise saturated by varying options of televised news? What are its strengths and what sets the station apart?

Al Jazeera perfected a concept long dreamt by TV Journalists, which is to enable the viewer to see exactly what the camera lens is recording, with as little interference as possible. We will shock our viewer but we will never conceal the reality on the ground. A diverse and wide network of reporters allowed us to break away from the strong grip of the wire services.

Until relatively recently, communication in the Middle East was very limited. It was, and still is in some places, largely restrained by political and social pressure. But things are changing in the region, and Qatar is probably the best example of that growth. Al Jazeera has definitely put Qatar on the global communications map. What do you think it means for the country and the region to have such a wide-ranging news station?

First I would like to correct a common misconception: everywhere in the world, including the so called democratic countries have dealt with controls and bias. After all, “He who writes the cheques controls the media.” Western media’s coverage of the Israeli bloody incursion into Gaza was shameful; it was as If there was no war at all. Al Jazeera covered the war as it was taking place and that shocked the world. For Qatar to sponsor and host such a daring TV Channel is a source of pride and impetus for further openness and transparency.

Many of our readers will remember you from the 2004 film Control Room, which documented Al Jazeera’s media involvement in the 2003 American-led invasion of Iraq. Amongst other topics, the film addressed the subject of perspective, particularly the reservations that some individuals and governments had with Al Jazeera’s attempts to cover both sides of every conflict.

Does Al Jazeera still combat infamy and controversy? Is the station more widely well-received now than it was in the past? If so, what has made it that way?

Many governments in the Middle East, and even in some western countries, fall short of our expectations. They don’t like us because we present both sides of the argument; and that embarrasses these governments with their citizens. While some call us the

< Mr. Hassan Ibrahim >

mouth piece of a plethora of radical organisations from Al Qaeda to Hamas and Hezbollah; others call us the mouth piece of Zionism and American Imperialism! When you make everybody angry, then you know you’re doing something right!

What is next for you and for Al Jazeera? Can you tell us about any forthcoming exciting developments? How can the station possibly grow any greater?

Al Jazeera is always growing and will always be eager to reach greater heights.

sur la terre objects

Sensual extensions

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Text: Anne & Judikael Hirel Photography: All rights reserved

Our range of techno-design does not include useless inanimate objects. Our favourite high-tech accessories are really an aesthetic and technical extension of our senses.

Refined

With High Definition, home cinemas are now equipped with blue-ray.

With its refined screen and flat and designer-look, it hangs on the wall like a work of art. With a power of 1000 watts, it is Wi-Fi compatible to diffuse a 5.1 Surround sound throughout the room.

Samsung HT-BD1250, www.samsung.com

Blue Nomad

Want to travel far away? take your fill of power and elegance…This laptop computer dressed in leather and aluminum is equipped with a 16’’ HD screen and a blu-ray reader/burner. In addition to a 500Gb hard drive 500 Go, a TV tuner, 5.1 Dolby speakers and even a HDMI port to connect it to your flat screen.

Dell Studio XPS16, www.dell.com

Magical box

Open Pandora’s box. This luxurious USB Flash Drive has a gigantic storage capacity (64 GB, more than most PC’s). Inserted in a 200-yearold African black wood setting with a white 0.10 karat diamond transpierced by the blue hue of a tiny LED light.

Gresso Pandora, www.gresso.com

Go between

Two sensations become one: pacing the urban jungle from evening to morning while listening to your favourite tracks, wearing quality headphones with deep and powerful sound and comfy earpieces.

Its anti-noise technology will efficiently protect you from your surroundings’ human and mechanic sonic assaults.

Monster Beats, http://store.apple.com

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High in colour

Whatever your favourite MP3 player, you may combine it with these unique design anodised aluminium earphones now ranging in the colours of the moment. Red, green, yellow, white, black… A real ergonomic and technological fashion accessory.

B&O A8, www.bang-olufsen.com

Tuning in

Mobile phones have gradually replaced watches and sounded the death knell for watchmakers. However, in a rightful return of things, this futuristic watch integrates a 3G compatible telephone. Its tempered-glass screen is used as an interface for making video calls by simply looking at your wrist.

LG-GD910, www.lge.com

In your pocket

Inspired by mythical models of the seventies and eighties, these glasses can be folded and tucked away in your pocket thanks to their titanium frames, becoming as light and strong as a 6x6-cm square.

Porsche Design P8480, www.porsche-design.com

Sound bar

Farewell to iPod docks with a fake cobblestone appearance. This model on which your iPhone will seem to float over a tailored sound flow has now a fine and a desirable design.

LG FD950, www.lge.com

Snow white

You want to play paparazzi around a chalet on the upper slopes? Because of the winter and snow sports, this digital reflex has been dressed in white for a limited edition to bring a change from the standard black hefty body. It has a 10.2 Megapixel captor, a 2.7-inch LCD screen and an optical stabilising system.

Pentax K-m, www.pentax.com

Music design

If a speaker must serve as a throne to its iPod master, then the sound must be as good as the design is beautiful. This Philippe Starck designed sound system is as spectacular aesthetically as its powerful 360 degree audio output is aurally.

Parrot Zikmu, www.parrot.com

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Green tech

One can buy now a computer, care for the environment AND refine his or her interior decor in one fell swoop. This hybrid PC ranging in six colours (green, grey, red, orange or sapphire) consumes 70% less energy than a classic PC and is 95% recyclable.

PC Dell Hybrid, www.dell.com

Pole position

Watch your top speed when you are out with this limited-edition handmade phone from the 2009 Vertu collection. As well as all the handcraft and technological quality of the Vertu engineers, there are sound recordings of the engines of the Ferrari F430 and Scaglietti 612 integrated into exclusive ring tones by the famous composer Dave Stewart.

Vertu Ascent Ti Ferrari black, www.vertu.com

Perfect curves

Think no more evil of DVD players: flat, rectangular, ugly and bulky.

Proof is brought with this smooth pebble of nearly 1 Kg, with a glossy finish. It perfectly reads DVDs and connects to your flat high definition screen through a simple USB flash drive.

Samsung DVD-H1080, soon, www.samsung.com

Aide-memoire

Ordinary mortals pounce on ridiculously-priced mini PCs that are often downright ugly. Women and men of taste, however, prefer slipping out of a fine leather oblong case, a sleek and distinguished fashion accessory with a movie-friendly 8” screen that weighs just about 640g, associated with a 60 GB hard disk to work in style for hours wherever you might be.

Sony Vaio P, www.sonystyle.com

Strange case

Folded, one would think that it is an old-fashioned cigarette case.

However, slip this 18mm thick, 85g photographical wonder out of your bag to record anything, anywhere at anytime. For parties, it features a night mode and an image stabiliser.

Toshiba Camileo S10, www.toshiba-multimedia.com

Double Game

What about a mini printer integrated into a camera? This reminds us of something and that is quite normal: Polaroid reinvents its legend in the digital photo century by integrating a printing solution in a compact.

Polaroid Zcam, soon, www.polaroid.com

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sur la terre in vogue

In Vogue at to look Where to shop and wh ive trends in for – the latest exclus ilable the fashion world, ava y all to you loc

Dolce&Gabbana The two worlds of ebony and ivory have finally come together in peace and harmony. Taking in the atmosphere of the new Dolce flagship store is a midnight drift through pure dark elegance. Guests are surrounded in the shine of liquid black, given structure by the sharp angles and smooth curves of modern art and contemporary design. The night of Dolce is cut not only by the bright colours of the new

collections and accessories now on offer at the store, but also by the luminous crystal teardrops in the Venetian chandelier. Black glass and mirrors gleam in the women’s section, its modernity counterbalanced by the deep black of a Murano chandelier. The Men’s side also wears a mask of black, but is highlighted in masculinity by soft hues in walnut. The D&G store employs as great a sense of clean-cut

modernity and, offering a more casual yet no less refined collection, is awash in white light and fixtures. Stepping through the shimmering archway of gold, you enter a perpetual world of silver glass and white ice, all of which acts perfectly as a backdrop to the exciting offerings inside. The contrast between the two may be pupil-dilating and stark, but the end D&G effect is blissfully mesmerising.

Metropolis Poised to pounce upon the Doha fashion scene from its perch atop the City Centre Mall in the

voguish West Bay area is the newest multi-brand boutique from the Nasser Bin Khalid (NBK) fashion group. Metropolis offers some of the best, most exclusive European brands to ever come to Qatar. Scapa has maintained its spot at the height of the fashion world for 40 years thanks to the tradition-steeped modern designs of its Classics collection and the aristocratic yet sporty feel of its Sports line. ELLE’s Pret-a-Porter is based on the universal French style, making every woman look ready for the catwalk. Matinique menswear’s Black and Blue lines are a starburst spectrum of cobalt blues, deep blacks, rich purples and dark reds, effortlessly combining strict business with relaxed pleasure, and Jackpot rounds everything out in a strictly feminine approach to style with brilliantly color-infused patterns and organic, hand-painted prints. The seasonal collections of these landmark fashion houses will undoubtedly make the lights of Metropolis shine for many years to come.

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The Highs of Loewe The Loewe boutique, located in the luxury section of Villagio Mall is a 76 square meter celebration of fine leather wares and accessories. That dedication to finery is indeed enhanced, thanks in large part to the Stuart Vevers, the fashion house’s newest Creative Director. His new direction catapults Loewe’s handbags, shoes and other fine goods through a patchwork of modern artistry in the new Spring/Summer 09 collections. The Loewe bag design is dynamic and furious, running all over the shop from the clean lines of satchels to the droopy nonchalance of redefined rucksacks, all of which contain a shrapnel effect of hard materials such as chains, padlocks and metal tassels.

The classic line of shoes is transformed into a collection of postmodern structure, the angles and trimmings of which allude to a deeper, more feminine sense of footwear fashion. The jewellery is similarly avant-garde, using large, handcrafted industrial shapes to contrast jutting coils and pearl chains. Every piece of the new collection is stitched in creativity and all of them will captivate you as much as a modern art exhibit.

Zegna Stepping into the new Ermenegildo Zegna store in Doha’s Villagio Mall is like alighting onto the fashion-trodden floors of a Milan boutique.

This is no surprise, as it is one of the premiere fashion houses to ever come out of Italy. Born in a small town in the Biella Alps, Zegna quickly established itself as an epicentre for exquisite men’s tailoring, implementing classic technique

within modern design. The boutique’s diversity is as clear to see as its quality, boasting an array of varying collections to adorn every step through the waltz of life. Savvy entrepreneurs can also express their holistic commitment to class by slipping into the sumptuous Couture or Sartorial lines, the Upper Casual collection or the informal Z Zegna line. By donning an outfit

from Zegna, boardroom barons can forget the weighty woes of work. Complimented by Zegna’s extensive library of fragrances and a dizzying array of accessories, every stitch of clothing exudes a rich Italian style. Anyone wanting to speak volumes through their fashion can finally make the statement they crave with Zegna.

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Sheraton’s Stogie Shop Admit it. There are few, non-bejewelled masculine accessories more power-inducing than a nice cigar. With everyone from business heavyweights to classic cinematic heroes constantly sucking on stogies, it’s easy to see that there is just something traditionally classy about the cigar. The same could be said for one of Qatar’s skyline mainstays, The Sheraton Hotel. The Sheraton somehow continues

to defy time and stand out as a fortress of fashionable fortitude. It is no surprise then that these two infamous institutions of style, should finally meet. The new Cigar Shop can be found tucked away in the Sheraton’s Al Hubara restaurant, and it is not your average tobacco emporium. It stands out because it caters specifically to the personality of each stylish smoker. Such aficionados are not

Ligne Roset With all of this financial turmoil in the air and with everyone running around panicking, you barely get a chance to kick your feet up and relax. Well, it’s time to get comfortable, Doha, and what better way to brighten yourself up than furnish the foundations of your life in fashion.

French furniture house Ligne Roset has made the long move to its Salwa Road home in Qatar to bring in the very best that modern European interior design has to offer. Thanks to world-famous designers like Philippe Nigro, Pascal Mourgue and Pierre Paulin, who designed the “pumpkin” collection originally made for former French president Georges Pompidou, there is contemporary creativity in every curve of every piece in Ligne Roset’s vast collection. The army of comfy couches, quirky cases, unusual upholstery, outlandish lighting fixtures and bizarre bookshelves all pop with colour and style. Though admittedly avant-garde, Ligne Roset makes a definite statement and each is a conversation piece. So, as you trace the smooth yet sharp lines of your new furniture and ponder the fine changes you’ve made to your lifestyle, you’ll forget all about the woes of the world and finally be able to de-stress in style.

necessarily addicted to the product, but rather are unwilling to give up the philosophy that The Sheraton calls “the good life.” The new shop exemplifies this experience in the good life by offering the best of the best of the smoking world. To savour a whole new kind of taste, blow on over to the Cigar Shop, where the good times have already been rolled and are now smoking hot.

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Tod’s Tod’s Boutique is at the pinnacle of global renown, having been sought after for years by members of the upper crust of the society of style. People like Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kate Winslet have all stepped up their greatness by slipping on a Tod’s shoe, or carried themselves higher with a Tod’s bag. With a new

Tod’s boutique now opened in the luxurious Via Domo section of Villagio Mall, Doha denizens have never been closer to realising priceless perfection. The store opened with modern pomp and old world style, as cobblers filled the 145 square metres of floor space to perform their skilled trade. Handmade creations are

the driving force at Tod’s, which is refreshing in a world of mass-production. This year’s Spring/Summer shoe and bag collections offer footwear followers and carry-all connoisseurs the very best in colour and material. With all of its offerings, Tod’s provides the perfect ways to accessorise your stride.

51 East It’s still modern, it’s still home, but the exclusive retailer formerly known as Modern Home now goes by another name. 51 East, has been an institution in the area for over six decades. Standing like a monument to fashion at Al Maha Center in Doha, 51 East provides the very best in everything from killer threads and flash footwear to fresh fragrances and cutting-edge gadgetry. It’s basically your one-stop-shop to shoptill-you-drop, and by constantly updating its collections, 51 East always points you in the right direction.

One of the most recent of these collections to land in-store is the Summer 2009 collection from famed Parisian fashion house, LEONARD. This newest line celebrates the flow of feminine fluidity, using long, delicately sweeping fabrics in explosive swirls of bright colours. Grays tango with pinks in a fashion-savvy fiasco on a dance floor of tumbling silk, while blue and turquoise splash together in the angular waves of an ocean tempest. The timeless spirit of female individuality shimmers within all of the fabrics and prints in the collection. For an uncompromising fashion experience, head East: 51 East.

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Ralph Lauren This Spring, the sands of Doha shall rise up, slinking across each other in a long, aspirated sigh as together they form a sultry feminine figure. The soft whites and shimmering golds of the dunes fuse together in flowing lines and slim cuts, gathering with them the cascading darkness of the starless night sky.

But what force could bring together such colours, such tones, such earthly contours and heavenly delights? Who else but Ralph Lauren?

Using their new boutique at Villagio Mall as a regional showcase of planetary fashion, the iconic design house will display not only their famed men’s and women’s collections, including their signature Collection, Purple Label, Black Label and Blue Label, but also

the Middle East-inspired Spring 2009 line.

Using crisp silhouettes that glide over sensuous forms and employing traditional, yet overlooked fashion pieces like the turban, Ralph Lauren has succeeded in breathing new life into the modern desert style.

Dior Homme Spring Think of Dior’s newest Homme collection as the fashion equivalent of a futuristic laser beam. It’s Summer 2009 colourful, sleek and it’s been set to STUN. The

acutely stylised Spring/Summer collection may not be for everyone, but it’s definitely the bread and butter for the super chic. Seeming to revel in a modern collision of style, the new Kris Van Assche line is a marriage of slender silhouettes with unexpected bursts of volume. Fitted shirts and slim ties meld with skinny trousers in an almost mercurial way, offering a unique flow structured by restraint. To offset these sharp lines and tight cuts, Dior adds the fluidity of volume in billowing, metallic overcoats and jackets, causing an exaggerated contrast to itself. Both sides of the casual/formal spectrum are pushed to their absolute limits and smacked together with expressive materials like waxy nylon and glazed leather. Colours of every description peek through razor-thin slashes in black material. Bringing the feel of a future utopia to the foreground are bright and boxy sunglasses. The colourful presence and devilmay-care attitude of Dior Homme may be a bit much for many fashion lovers to handle, but its artistry and architectural use of fabric cannot be denied, and is not easily forgotten.

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Tanagra As one of the foremost luxury lifestyle store brands in the world, Tanagra is always expected to

create a uniquely impressive shopping experience. Not surprisingly, its new location at the Villagio Mall does not disappoint. Within the store, light cascades in torrents through the center skylight, reverberating like a visual song across the chandelier before resting in a warm glow on the smooth silhouette of the inviting decor and elegant merchandise. To provide ease in the experience, Tanagra divides its treasures into two manageable collections. “Pour Soi” encapsulates the very finest in jewellery, and handbags from the most prominent names in the world. Alongside these are designer notebooks from Ego, offering aspiring authors a more elegant way to express themselves.

Gentleman accessories are also available. The “Chez Soi” collection provides elegance for the home in other expertly rendered accessories. Nearby, Tableware has never sparkled so brightly and the store’s collection of leather briefcases and trunks transforms homebodies into seasoned travellers of the highest order. Just as Tanagra has benefitted from global growth, so too will its customers as they arrive with elements of everyday and leave with the excellence of elegance.

Emporium It’s time to break out the old mirrored disco ball and tease out your hair into a gloriously voluminous bouffant, because this year, Emporium is kickin’ it old school. Inspired by the 1970s, this year’s Spring/Summer collection taps into the style, funk and hedonism of the disco decade. The Love Moschino feminine line is a portrait in pastel, implementing carefree

flower power and psychedelic patterns to the maximum. The cuts are both trim and flared, perfectly showing off the retro trends of the 70s. While keeping one platform shoe in the past, these fashions also bridge the gap to a contemporary style by using modern lightweight fabrics and cleaner lines. The men’s collection is rooted a bit more in rock & roll, using

similar colours and cuts but with a decidedly more rugged feel. The stylish prints are dripping with trippy tropes from the music, movies and books of one of time’s most outrageous eras.

So listen, man. Don’t be square! Scope the far out threads over at Emporium and get dancin’, baby. Thanks to Emporium, the 70s are back and groovier than ever. Can you dig it?

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Banyan Tree Al Areen

< Banyan Relaxation Chili BarTree: Restaurant > Redif ined >

Amongst the sweeping desert sands of Bahrain there flourishes a great and mighty tree promising more than the sustenance of food and the comfort of shade. From this tree is instead cultivated the fruit of luxury, the comfort of sumptuous relaxation and unwavering protection from a harsh world of constant abrasion and the stress of the elements. But what tree can offer such promise, such assurance? When is a tree more than a tree? When it is a Banyan Tree, of course.

< One of the Banyan Tree’s many inviting bedrooms >

< Mid-day at the OASIS >

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< Deluxe - Villa Exterior Dinner Pool on Beach Retreat > >

>>> The Banyan Tree Resort’s roots began to grow in 1994, when it was first established in Laguna Phuket. Shortly thereafter, its branches spread over the East and West, offering an extravagant canopy of shelter for all guests wishing to escape the unrelenting blitz of everyday. Its seeds finally fell into the surprisingly fertile lands of the Middle East, germinating and bursting forth from the desert in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Banyan Tree Al Areen is the first of the resorts to sprout in the Middle East and it offers a bevy of promise heretofore unknown in the region. It sets itself apart from the area’s other fine lodgings via 78 poolside villas positively dripping luxury from each corner and every bough. Built with an architecture that is a crossbred collision of Middle East tradition and Asian modernity, Al Areen is the centre of an international relaxation.

The atmosphere in the resort floats through the air in a rich cacophony of scents from traditional oils and incense as well as the sweet smell of a broad collection of fine cuisine. These restaurants include Rimal, a stroll through the tastes of the global village; Tamarind, which caters to the discerning tastes of the modern health nut; and of course, Saffron, the Banyan Tree‘s signature Thai bistro, which can be found in all of the resort’s locations. For a more private experience, the lounging elite can take advantage of the in-villa dining or have a special meal near the calming stillness of the resort’s poolside.

Another ingredient adding to the Banyan Tree’s allure is not actually related to its amazing collection of international food. Instead, it is the award-winning spa. This is not the spa experience that you’re used to.

Firstly, it is the biggest of its kind in the Middle East, boasting 12 pavilions with two treatment beds and one of the largest Garden Hammam facilities in the world today. It also features a host of amenities and treatments, which include soothing and detoxifying hydrotherapy sessions, not to mention its more physical accommodations. There are two tennis courts, a squash court, two gymnasiums and two swimming pools, all of which combine with the relaxation of the spa to being an often overlooked holistic approach to well-being.

Although the resort seems miles away from the insanity of working life, it is thankfully just a half hour drive from Bahrain’s International Airport and a stone’s throw away from the country’s most famous historic sites. Of course, you’ll be so relaxed that throwing a stone will seem impossible! It is widely believed that Bahrain was the original location of the Garden of Eden, a paradise of perfection where worry was not given room to exist, where life was about pleasure and rejuvenation. Can’t imagine it? Well, when you’re surrounded by lush interiors and basking in the heavenly delights of the Banyan Tree Al Areen, it won’t seem that impossible at all.

To see the Banyan Tree’s other locations and read more about Al Areen, go to www.banyantree.com

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< Zig Zags and Pizzas! Doha’s Lagoona>

Lagoona

When you think of a “stretch of water,” it is simple, complete and easy to understand, but it does not stir you. Now, calling it a “lagoon” is something else entirely. The mystery and intrigue of a moonlit lagoon sets it apart from any other body of water. So it is with the newest development to reach the shores of Qatar, the appropriately named Lagoona.

< Lagoona’s indulgent interior >

DOHA’S NEWEST ELEMENT OF STYLE >>> Encapsulating an impressive 127,000 square metres, Lagoona is a luxury lifestyle shopping centre. Now, we know what you’re thinking: “Not another mall!” But Lagoona is anything but just another mall.

Within the aforementioned size of Lagoona, there are 53,000 square meters of retail, boasting only the best and most fashionable names like Rolex, Zegna, Brioni, Bose, Moreschi and of course, the hometown hero, 51 East, which will be a 12,000 sqm flagship store. These are only a few of the names slated to make an appearance at the exclusive centre. When it opens in spring 2010, that list of retail tenants will grow not only in number, but in renown. These brands obviously recognise that Lagoona is of a higher calibre than the normal shopping centre; it is more special, more refined. Just like its namesake the lagoon, it inspires something in its guests, but this goes beyond supplying access to the heights of fashion.

Also inclusive in its vast expanse is a European-style Piazza, a feature which has never before been brought to this part of the Gulf. The 20,000 square meters of the Piazza is fully landscaped, and will include a green oasis in a growing part of West Bay. Visitors to Lagoona can not only saunter along the Piazza, enjoying the sights and surroundings of a picturesque European postcard, but they will also be able to take in a meal at any of the 15 restaurants along its impressive stretch. Even though there is a definite European feeling to Lagoona, it maintains the one-and-only luxury of the Middle East. This merging of styles

incorporates the first ideal in the four-tiered list that sets Lagoona apart.

The first of these unique expressions is a whole new sense of ambiance, which, as said above, Lagoona has in spades. This will be a shopping experience that can only be called 5-star. Replete with twinkling chandeliers, glass and Moroccan marble highlights, rich woods and intimate lighting, Lagoona will stir new feelings in the sometimes stagnant air of retail. The next focus of Lagoona is comfort. Whether it is to accommodate a full day of shopping, or simply to accentuate a pleasurable and relaxing dining experience, the comfort of the centre is palpable in every material rendered and in every lighting fixture used.

The third aspect is convenience, not only in the access to Lagoona, which is easy to reach from main driving arteries, but also in having a world of luxurious shopping and dining options at your fingertips. The fourth and final feeling that guests will experience is a sense of taste. Of course this means that, with its 15 restaurants, there will be plenty of amazing tastes to experience, but it also refers to a taste in lifestyle. A taste in Lagoona is luxurious without being garish, regal without being proud and inspiring without being untouchable.

This is not just a mall; it is an experience. Lagoona has been designed with luxury in mind, and it shows in every angle of every corridor.

To learn more about what’s in store for 2010, head over to www.lagoonaqatar.com

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Qatar, Caviar and a Place Called W < Hala Achkar: Chairman and Managing Director of The Caviar Company >

>>> Now it’s time for something completely different. Thanks to the W Hotel, which will soon be kicking open its doors with great spectacle and flash, Qatar will be the first GCC country to have its very own caviar bar. Of course, considering the groundbreaking, trend-shaking style of both the W and Doha, this is not just ANY run-of-the-mill caviar house. This bar will be the latest branch of the world famous bistro, La Maison du Caviar. Originally built in Paris by Robert De Lalagade under the patronage of the Shah of Iran, the first of these now renowned bars was opened in 1956, and its lineage as one of the world’s finest still holds true to this day.

But is this new bar just an attempt to draw in the locals by providing an over-saturation of cliche kitsch? Quite the contrary! In creating this new, ultra-classy experience, the W Hotel not only drives home its Whatever/Whenever® mantra, but also adds a thickly spread layer of class to the already clued-up citizenry of Doha. The new digs are not just for show, adding just as much substance as style. As Hala Achkar, Chairman and Managing Director of The Caviar Company, explains, “We’ve spared no expense in flying in only the best roe from around the world.” We are inclined to believe her, particularly as they boast a range of caviar stretching from the rarest Iranian Beluga, which can cost up to $10,000 per kilogram, to the equally prized, yet smaller Sevruga or the palate palpitating nuttiness of Oscietra. For those not brave enough to sample the robust, mouthwatering flavours of caviar,

< Spread it on! Doha’s La Maison du Caviar >

the restaurant also offers equally captivating culinary creations including the finest Scottish and Norwegian salmon and the very best seafood that the Americas have to offer.

La Maison du Caviar is sure to amaze, but it is not the only bistro that the W Doha has in store, as there are other restaurants which will undoubtedly greet guests with gastronomical greatness. In an effort to touch every taste bud, the W also presents two restaurants expertly created by super-chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The first is Market by Jean-Georges, which offers a deliciously melted fusion of international fare with the local cuisine of the Arab world. The result of this marriage of styles is a gourmet world tour with one foot home and another abroad.

The second restaurant is the Spice Market, a palace of international cuisine ripe for plundering. As if that wasn’t enough, the W also offers late night entertainment in its Crystal and Wahm Shisha lounges. With all of this choice, it’s hard not to drop a not so occasional “Wow,” or at very least a “Whew” from the sheer exhaustion of choice!

Doha has been waiting a long time for W, praying as it did that the haute will match the hype. But with the very first caviar bar and two restaurants

by Jean-Georges, it’s almost a given that this will be the premiere place to be seen from April 2009.

To see more, check out www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels

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Qatar Airways < QA: Going the extra mile >

When Qatar Airways calls itself “The World’s 5-Star Airline,” they aren’t just bragging.

Habitual jet-setters will tell you that Qatar is the one and only name in international travel. If you’ve never skimmed the skies with them before, you will no doubt be met with perplexed looks and a stream of questions like, “What’s wrong with you?” But fear not, newbies, because it’s never been a better time to start flying with the world’s best, thanks to the litany of new services that almost impossibly take Qatar Airways to an even higher level.

Check It Out, No Checking In! >>> In order to make things that much quicker and easier for its guests, Qatar Airways recently introduced what will be the future of one of the most arduous tasks to complete when traveling: the dreaded check-in!

With this new service, you will no longer will you have to wait in line like a herd of cattle at the trough. Now, you can simply go to www. qatarairways.com and check-in at any time between two and 36 hours from your departure. Are you an aisle person or do you like to ride by the window? Either way, while you’re at the website, you can choose the best seat for yourself. One of the most unique features is that not only can you print out your own boarding pass, but in a bid to seize the benefits of this new, paperless society of ours, you can even get the barcoaded pass sent to your mobile phone. Just think of all the time you will have to raid the duty-free shops inside the terminal, stocking up on perfume and Toblerone!

Yoga from Doha

< No more check ins, even if they are nice >

Are you a die-hard yogi? Do you stamp your feet when you realise that, during your long international flight, you won’t be able to practice your Thunderbolt pose or perfect the One-legged King Pigeon position?

Well, while you may not be able to throw down the old yoga mat and twist yourself into a pretzel on the plane, Qatar Airways now offers the best in-flight alternative. Working to increase the “Fly Healthy, Fly Fit” mentality, the airline has worked with world famous holistic feel-good guru and co-founder of The Chopra Center of Wellbeing, Deepak Chopra, to put together a comprehensive list of simple poses that will help you maintain comfort and assist blood circulation. There is also a meditation guide to help you de-stress and find your inner tranquility, which is perfect when that baby three rows up starts screeching like a broken car alarm. Implementing the steps both before and after the flight will help alleviate any turbulence anxieties and combat jet lag. As much fun as tossing your cookies into one of those little bags is, these exercises will also help you with any returning bouts of motion sickness. Take THAT, dopamine! The guide comes with clear illustrations and easy to follow directions, and provides a much needed break from watching back-toback episodes of Friends or your favourite Hollywood blockbusters.

It may not be filled with complex movements like a handstand or a half spinal twist, but it’s definitely a great way find your centre and heighten your chi.

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< Service with a smile >

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< Qatar Airways: Pure Gold >

Houston, We Have a Solution Those travellers who want to check out the wonders of the States but have little interest in going to New York or Washington D.C. now have a new and completely different place to touch down. Thanks to its efforts to widen its breadth of non-stop flight destinations, Qatar Airways now offers a trip to someplace a bit different: Houston, Texas. Some people might not think of Houston as a place as exciting as the two cities above, but it’s definitely an interesting look into another side of Americana.

The nation’s fourth largest city has a wide range of museums and galleries, not to mention the famous Houston Space Center, where you can practice your best imitation of Tom Hanks’ famous line in Apollo 13, “Houston we have a problem.” For something completely different, check out the Houston Livestock Show or take in the good old fashioned fun of a rodeo! Texas being the home of former Presidents George Bush and the more recent George W. Bush, you might want to stop by and say hello; just remember to bring an extra set of shoes.

< Qatar Airways: Always lounging in luxury >

The Houston trip is now officially open for business, so grab your ten gallon cowboy hat, slip on your leather boots and mosey on over to www.qatarairways.com to learn more.

<With Qatar Airways’ new check-in process, travellers will have more time to browse the offerings in duty free >

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And The OSCAR Goes To ...

Although this year’s Oscars failed to recognise Sur la Terre for Best Magazine in a Leading Role, we would still like to thank The Academy for putting on yet another great showcase of Hollywood immortality. This year’s awards show was overflowing with interesting picks, tough choices and great outcomes thanks to a wide-spanning selection of silver screen splendor.

Last year may have been grey in terms of finance, but cinematically, it was pure gold! So throw on that gaudy sequin gown or strap on that bow tie, because you’re our date for Sur la Terre’s Oscars Roundup!

During the lead in to the Academy Awards, there were quite a few surprises, particularly in the nominations. Oscar gave several nods to a few intriguing, if not unexpected stars and starlets. Some of the most interesting picks were Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei for their roles in the simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking film, The Wrestler. The gripping film Doubt was also given much praise, as all of its main stars, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and Viola Davis, were nominated for their respective roles. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button grabbed a few nominations as well for directing and Brad Pitt’s acting, while his wife Angelina Jolie garnered some praise for her work on Changeling. One of the strangest

selections was Robert Downey Jr. for his hilarious yet amazing role as an Australian playing an African American in Tropic Thunder.

Finally, the Academy has developed a funny bone! Of course, there were many other alsorans completely deserving of an Oscar, but only a select few brought home the gold.

Of these, the biggest winner was without a doubt Slumdog Millionaire, which captured eight statuesque trophies to add to its already world famous acclaim. Kate Winslet once again got to the big dance, and FINALLY won the Oscar for best actress for her film The Reader. Penelope Cruz also won her first statue for her role in Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Probably the most emotional win of the night was that of the late Heath Ledger for his skin-crawling performance of the maniacal Joker in The Dark Knight. Hosted by megastar Hugh Jackman, Oscar night was bright as Hollywood celebrities bathed the watching world in illuminated starlight, and were awarded for their solid gold efforts with the highest prize tinseltown has to offer: The Academy Award. Sur la Terre congratulates all the big winners, and looks forward to seeing them at the forthcoming after-parties.

Left to right: Amy Adams (Carolina Herrera), Meryl Streep, Viola Davis

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The BIG Winner’s Circle Best Picture Slumdog Millionaire Best Actor in a Leading Role Sean Penn, Milk Best Actress in a Leading Role Kate Winslet, The Reader Best Director Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire Best Supporting Actor Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight Best Supporting Actress Penelope Cruz, Vicky Christina Barcelona

Top left to bottom right: Brangelina Marco Cordello, Nasser Khalifa Al Attiya, Claudio Berro with Guests flanked by GP2 drivers.

Anne Hathaway (Armani Prive)

Nasser Khalifa Al Attiya, Khalifa Nasser Al Attiya and Ahmed Frank Langella Al Fardan.

Danny Dev Patel, Pinto and Al Madhur HasherBoyle, Al Maktoum andFrieda Nasser Khalifa Attiya Mittal, (Cast and director of Slumdog Millionaire) Hasher Al Maktoum and Khalifa Nasser Al Attiya Eddy Mercks and Rik Van Lent Paul Fadel Mohd Naeem Saleem Mubarak Al Hajri

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Top left to bottom right: Heath Ledger as The Joker Hugh Jackman Penelope Cruz (Vintage Pierre Balmain, Chopard Jewels) Marissa Tomei (Versace) Kate Winslet (Yves Saint-Lauren dress, Chopard Jewels)

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Qatar Airways’ Glittering Gala Dinner To celebrate its brand new route to Houston, Texas, Qatar Airways, the 5-Star Airline, hosted an amazing gala event filled with jazzy tunes, scrumptious food and shinning stars of the business, political and travel communities. The Stars and Stripes were not only represented by the mouthwatering, America-inspired cuisine, but also by US Ambassador to Qatar, Joseph LeBaron, who spoke at length of the business and energy ties between the US and Qatar.

Hosting the event was Qatar Aiways’ CEO, Akbar Al Baker, who said that this route, the longest in the airlines’ expansive collection of flight paths, is also the most exciting. The night itself was filled with excitement as guests participated in a raffle draw which saw three winners walk out with business class tickets to Washington D.C., New York City and of course, Houston, Texas.

Top left to bottom right: Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker Ali Al Rais and Guest Guests Ehab Abdel Fattah Amin with raffle winner and Fathi Al Shehab flanked by QA Cabin Crew Guests US Ambassador Joseph LeBaron, QA CEO Akbar Al Baker and Chairman of Qatar CAA Abdul Aziz Al Noaimi Jaime Vasquez, Sigrid Rath and Barbara Shook Jazz singer Salha

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Ah DBS, We have Been Expecting You...

PHotography: Riham Fahed

Top left to bottom right: Salman Abdulghani and Guests Guests Hamad Haidar and Abdulla Haidar Adel Hyder and Abdul Salam Abbas Alaa Abbas and Salim karama Mohamed Helmi and HE Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ahmad Al Thani Khalaf Al Boenian and Abdulrahmen Darwish Mohamad Hussein, Ali Al Abdulghani and Aref Mohd. Tayyeb Alaa Abbas and Guests Amine Khatib, Alex Dodds and Willy Ribbe

sur la terre society

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There is no getting away from the fact that since the 1960’s, when James Bond ejected his first bad guy from the passenger seat of his silver DB5, the Aston Martin brand has become synonymous with superspy chic.

The names “Aston Martin” and “James Bond” immediately conjure up a world of fine suits, beautiful women and fast cars, all of which were to be found in abundance at Doha’s Ritz Carlton Hotel at the glitzy launch of the new Aston Martin DBS. Horizon Automobiles invited 250 guests to come and witness the arrival of the luxury car brand’s new flagship model in Qatar, which it did in style. To the strains of John Barry’s iconic James Bond Theme, expertly rendered by the glamorous string quartet, Exclusive Strings, a duo of DBS’ flexed their 6 litre V12 muscles as they growled their way into the Alwosail Ballroom from underneath the specially constructed wing-shaped stage in a shower of glitter and fireworks. The awestruck attendees clamoured for their first look at the car while Exclusive Strings continued to provide a dynamic and spectacular soundtrack to the evening’s festivities. Horizon Automobiles has been the official Aston Martin dealer for Qatar since 2007 and in his speech, owner of Horizon Automobiles, Salman Abdulghani, commented that “Aston Martin is one of the most exclusive and desirable brands in the world”.

The reception hall played host to a number of other luminaries of the Aston Martin family.

Among them, was one of the five DBS stunt cars used in the recent 007 blockbuster, Quantum of Solace. Skirting the edge of the room were the company’s DB9, Vantage and Le Mans racer models as well as a pictorial history of every automobile to bear the famous winged logo.

Top left to bottom right: Alaa Abbas, Salman Abdulghani and David McDowall Abdulla Darwish and Abdulaziz Al Abdulghani

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sur la terre society

Commercialbank qatar Masters, presented by Dolphin energy

The Commercialbank Qatar Masters has swung in and out of Doha once again, and the twelfth go-around was just as exciting as previous years, if not more so! To celebrate this significant sporting spectacle, organisers Commercialbank and the Qatar Golf Association threw many an event, including the Pro Am Gala Dinner illustriously sponsored by Rolex and hosted by the Four Seasons Doha, which welcomed some of the greatest players on the world stage. In attendance was last year’s winner, Adam Scott, along with the world’s second best player (just behind what’s-his-name Woods), Sergio Garcia.

On hand to host the event were Hassan Al Nuaimi, President of the Qatar Golf Association, and Andrew Stevens, Commercialbank Group CEO, both of whom presented the Modern Home 2 team, led by former Masters winner Retief Goosen, with this year’s Pro-Am championship prize.

Top left to bottom right: Retief Goosen, professional for the winning Pro Am team Andrew Stevens and Hassan Al Nuaimi Al Jazeera sports broadcaster Joanna Gasiorowska World number two Sergio Garcia with a dinner guest Commercialbank Group CEO Andrew Stevens welcomes the Pro Am Gala Dinner guests Andrew Stevens, Hassan Al Nuaimi and Juan Ciola with the winning Pro Am team of Retief Goosen, Omar Al Katib, Mathew Mucharafa and Marwan El Koussa

sur la terre society

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Top left to bottom right: Ibrahim Barghout with his trophy Tournament Director Chris Myers Miguel Angel Jimenez, Adam Scott and Paul Casey Sergio Garcia Mr Juan Ciola, representing Pro-Am sponsors Rolex addresses the diners Andrew Stevens with Mr and Mrs Mansour Khodjasteh Music from The Crossroads Mr David Probyn, European Tour Mrs Dora Stevens

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sur la terre society

Alfardan Group Honours Top Tennis Players and Officials at Gala Evening

The 2009 Qatar ExxonMobil Tennis Open came once again to Doha and with it arrived not only white-knuckle action, but the brightest cluster of the sport’s top stars. To welcome this earthbound collection of celestial bodies, Alfardan Group held an A-List reception at Doha’s own Ritz Carlton. Tennis titans Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray were all in attendance, rubbing their golden elbows with the elite of Qatar’s high society. Special gifts were given by Vice Chairman of Alfardan Group, Mr. Ali Alfardan, to thank the luminaries, supporters and officials of the tennis world for assisting it in becoming a world renowned professional sports programme. The Qatar leg of the ATP Men’s Tour ended on January 10th as Andy Murray defended his crown in an exciting victory over Andy Roddick.

Top left to bottom right: Ali Alfardan, Rafael Nadal and Bassam El Masri Andy Murray and Ali Alfardan Ayad As-Siaidi, Mohd Kandeel, Naim Majdalani, A.Karim Awwad and Bachir Gemayel Federer and a fan Karim Alami and Roger Federer Viktor Troicki and Guest Rafael Nadal

sur la terre society

Speedcar QMMF

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The tarmac of the Losail International Circuit saw a brand new flurry of action on February 11th. To officially announce the beginning of the GP2 Asia and Speedcar Series, event organisers hosted a series of test laps exclusively for Doha’s VIP set. A couple of guests lucky enough to race around the track in the Promocar of Speedcar were Gianni Morbidelli and Sheikh Hasher Al Maktoum. Other attendees, such as Rik Van Lent, Mohamed Al Hajri and Paul Fadel, were also able to tear around the international speedway at top speed, and despite the onset of wind and dust storms, everyone had a blast at pushing the cars and themselves to their limits and beyond.

Top left to bottom right: Marco Cordello, Nasser Khalifa Al Attiya, Claudio Berro with Guests flanked by GP2 drivers.

Nasser Khalifa Al Attiya, Khalifa Nasser Al Attiya and Ahmed Al Fardan.

Hasher Al Maktoum and Nasser Khalifa Al Attiya Hasher Al Maktoum and Khalifa Nasser Al Attiya Eddy Mercks and Rik Van Lent Paul Fadel Mohd Naeem Saleem Mubarak Al Hajri

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sur la terre chapters

Remember Me?

The White Tiger

The World is Flat

What happens when personal growth occurs without you knowing it? That is the premise of the new book by Sophie Kinsella. Remember Me? tells the strange tale of a woman named Lexi, an average 25 year old girl with a regular routine of getting up in her tiny apartment, going to her dead-end job, coming home and, after avoiding exercise or any other physical activity, jumps into a lonely bed, promising herself that things will be different tomorrow.

When she awakens one morning, she finds herself suddenly shunted three years into the future where her once flabby figure is now taut and toned, her teeth are straight and shining, she is decked out in designer threads and is now amongst the corporate elite. But what is behind her new life, and can she exist in such glittering yet vapid surroundings? As is true with all of Kinsella’s novels, Remember Me? is a satirical, sharply written story rife with edgy themes and insane twists, all of which lead to a surprisingly deep discovery about who we are and how we grow, even when we’re not aware of it.

In his debut novel, Aravind Adiga explores the growth of a man who has found his way out of the dark shade of powerlessness, but into a larger world where the light can only be reached by tapping into the dark. Set in India, the story is told from the point of view of Balram Halwai, a lowly labourer who has been born into the imprisoning hierarchy of the caste system. For Balram, upward movement is an impossible goal, but he is desperate to escape his surroundings, a rough and rural Indian village known only as The Darkness.

When he takes a job in Delhi as a driver for a wealthy, westernised landlord, he sees it as a chance to rise from the muck of his preordained existence. However, what he finds in relative civilisation is just the same deeply rooted system as his rural upbringing. Adiga‘s biting dialogue and uncompromising voice buoys the story and keeps it from settling into a tired social commentary and offers up an amazingly written tale about the dubious lengths sometimes needed to achieve modern growth. The White Tiger is the recipient of the 2008 Man Booker Prize for Fiction.

Globalisation 3.0 sounds more like a high-tech computer programme than a socio-political business model. Of course, it is the very idea that computerised software has levelled the international economic playing field that powers the message in Thomas L. Friedman’s insightful book. The World is Flat tells about how a trip to Bangalore reshaped Friedman’s economic philosophy, which states that modern globalisation has made industry equal throughout the world thanks to practices such as outsourcing, supply chaining, and completely mechanised workflow software. Coupled with political catalysts, these factors have led us to the newest iteration of business, from Globalisation 1.0, where governments maintained influence to version 3.0, which is completely controlled by computers without much, if any, human involvement. While it does have its weak points and fallacies, The World is Flat is a good summary of how international business has evolved into something a bit less one-sided. The tone is solemn, but not apologetic, and it offers quite a few examples of how the axis of business leadership could again be tipped.

by Sophie Kinsella

by Aravind Adiga

by Thomas L. Friedman

sur la terre tunes

123

808s & Heartbreak

Chinese Democracy

It’s Not Me, It’s You

You have never heard Kanye West like this.

With his new album, 808s and Heartbreak, Kanye experiments within a different, darker place. Some critics have blasted it for being too different, too strange and too emotive for it to be taken seriously, but this is exactly what makes it so special and so fresh. This is not hiphop; it’s something else entirely. Appropriately dubbing it “Pop Art,” Kanye liquidly mixes traditional instruments with an ever-present undercurrent of electronic techno, pumped through the sullen, robotic voice of lyrical desperation. The effect is pure, wrenchingly symphonic melancholy, and its self-reflective pain is beautiful. Tracks like Heartless exemplify this and the same is true in both the slower, more methodical Love Lockdown and the self-analytical bout with fame in Welcome to Heartbreak. While Amazing comes close to showing the Kanye of old, it quickly pulls us back into a sweet despair. 808s and Heartbreak is a heavy ride, but with all of the other hiphoppers touting bling and style, it’s nice to have some substance, dark though it may be.

Faithful prophets of Guns N’ Roses had a few questions on their minds when Chinese Democracy was finally released late last year.

Would the many years of preparation, hype, delay and plastic surgery be enough to carry GNR to a great record? Would the tens of millions of dollars spent on the album be enough to recapture an atrophied audience? In short, would the album rock everyone’s face off?

The answer is a resounding “yeah, kinda.” Don’t get us wrong, there is some fierce Rock here and there. A few songs like There was a Time are good enough, but seem overly produced.

Other tunes, like Shackler’s Revenge, sound too industrial, but they really hit their stride with If The World, which sees guitarist Buckethead tickling a Spanish guitar while Axl employs classic melodic screeching over heavy riffs and a quasi-1970s funk undertone. Generally speaking, Rose can still hit notes just within the frequency of human hearing, and despite the absence of Slash, the other members make it a solid effort definitely worth checking out.

Everyone’s favourite little foul-mouthed Londoner is back with It’s Not me, It’s You, an album that actually shows an unexpected amount of growth, while still retaining the irreverent poppy humour of her first offering, Alright, Still. Thankfully, her two-year traipse through the halls of fame haven’t dampened her devil-may-care style, as she attacks and criticises, but never apologises. In The Fear, probably the album’s signature track, she discusses the perils of the cult of jaded personality that can be induced under the limelight, and makes no bones about the true nature of a morally empty world. Other songs like Not Fair and I Could Say take similarly hard-nosed, yet bubble-gummed stances to romantic relationships, while He Wasn’t There and Chinese are aimed squarely at her family life. While the lyrics are fresh and the music harder and more streamlined, her voice remains blissfully blasé, even in the face of tongue-in-cheek topics. If anyone except Lilly were singing this, it would sound contrived, cheesy or over the top. Luckily for us, we’ve got her, and she’s one Lilly that doesn’t want or need much gilding.

by Kanye West

by Guns N Roses

by Lilly Allen

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sur la terre silver screen

Watchmen

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Slumdog Millionaire

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? It is a Latin phrase that has been translated a dozen ways throughout time to ask the same question: who controls those who seek to control us?

Who Watches the Watchmen? This was the question that legendary comic book writer Alan Moore sought to answer when he wrote what has become the most unique and influential graphic novel of all time, Watchmen. It is a story about growth, change and what happens when men become supermen. Taking place during the height of the Cold War, the story starts out with the homicide of famous masked crusader, The Comedian. The cold-blooded murder of a national hero raises many questions and it is up to the unrelenting, violent and brooding crime fighter named Rorschach to solve the mystery of who killed his former associate, and more importantly, why. Finally, this legendary work has been transferred to the big screen, and will undoubtedly become the biggest cinematic event of the year thanks to luminaries like 300 director Zack Snyder. Who watches the Watchmen? If you’re smart, it’ll be you.

A clock runs backwards, a man grows younger and the love of two people, almost impossibly, meets somewhere in the middle. This is the story of growth in reverse. Consider for a moment that, instead of growing older with time, you grew younger. For a man named Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt), this aging impossibility is a strange reality. Originally a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button explores the world of a man who is born at the age of 86, suffering all of the pains and wrinkles of old age, and subsequently ages backwards.

Falling in love with a normally-aging girl named Daisy, Benjamin leaves to travel the world and find his own place within it, no matter how strange.While the premise seems outrageous, its implementation is sublime and it only uses the device of reverse aging as a catalyst and not its principle motive. The film received a whopping 13 nominations from The Academy, three of which it won, and has grossed a total of well over $150 million throughout its international run, making this curious case just as lucrative.

Who wants to be a millionaire? Well, pretty much everyone, but there are very few people gifted, crafty or lucky enough to be victorious over the now internationally known game show of the same name. Slumdog Millionaire is the story of a man who, through adversity, critical speculation and a lifetime of emotion, seeks to conquer the seemingly unbeatable. Predominantly set on the Indian version of the show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, the film chronicles the efforts of Jamal Malik, played by Dev Patel, who has shockingly risen through the ranks of the game to get to the final question. Thanks to his past as a street urchin in a poor neighborhood, no one believes that Jamal could get this far without cheating. So, motivated by a torturous police interrogation, Jamal begins to tell his tale about how a life of chance brought him the answers to all of the show’s questions. Slumdog Millionaire has taken the world by storm. In all, it has won four Golden Globes, Seven BAFTAs and recently received an incredible eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

sur la terre small screen

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Dollhouse

Lost: Season 5

Nip/Tuck: Season 5 DVD

Joss Whedon, the creative genius behind such popular television shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the ill-fated Firefly, has once again returned to the small screen to impart the fruits of his disturbingly hilarious imagination.

The Dollhouse follows the character of Echo (Eliza Dushku), who is one amongst a team of people known as “Actives.” These Actives have their minds erased and are implanted with new memories and skills. Sometimes, they are hired out to be escorts, other times they are called on to be assassins. Along the way, the Actives, or Dolls as they are also known, begin to wonder if they have any control over their own personal growth. While it is yet to be seen whether Joss will capture the hearts of TV viewers as he has done in the past, the subject matter and snappy writing are enough to whet our appetites for more. Whedon has long been known for his character-driven series, but Dollhouse is a more existential study in growth. How can a person evolve as an individual when his or her identity is in a constant state of flux? In the words of its promotional ads, “You can wipe away a memory, but can you wipe away a soul?”

Just in case you have been shipwrecked for the last five years, think of Lost as the creepy grandson of Gilligan’s Island. It is the strange, constantly twisting of the passengers of Oceanic Flight 815. Due to some mysterious turbulence, the plane crashes into a tropical island. The survivors soon learn that this is not just any island, but one filled with malevolent forces, polar bears, smoke monsters, insane Frenchwomen and an army of nefarious evildoing natives known only as “The Others.”

The series takes a nonlinear approach to the plot, exploring via flashbacks how every survivor got to the island and how they are each connected to one another. Now in its fifth season, Lost has grown into an undeniable TV phenomenon. The producers and writers have suffered some setbacks, but they have recommitted themselves for the fifth season due to the announcement that the sixth season will be its last. So, if you’ve never seen the show, get out there and buy the DVDs and get ready for the last two seasons, because this is one time you will want to be lost.

“Tell us what you don’t like about yourself.”

That is the arguably backhanded sympathy that is overflowing in one of the most celebrated American TV dramas of today. Nip/ Tuck immediately shot to popularity after its introduction to the airwaves in 2003, and it has only grown in infamy. Following the shared plastic surgery practice of doctors Sean Macnamara (Dylan Walsh) and Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), Nip/Tuck focuses on their varied clients and what motivates a person to seek out cosmetic surgery in the first place.

Along the way, they deal with addiction, love, self-doubt and even murder. Nip/Tuck has won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe and has been nominated for countless other television awards. Part one of the fifth season is now available on DVD and shows the doctors moving from their original offices in Miami to the greener pastures of Las Angeles, California, where the duo hopes to cash in on the vanity of the Hollywood elite. The second part of Season 5 is now playing on American television.

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sur la terre online

Wikipedia

Ikariam

Howcast

If you’ve needed to obtain some quick, semireliable information for the past eight years, Wikipedia has probably been the place you turned to first. Simply put, it is the most comprehensive, user-edited, online information catalogue ever created. Launched in 2001, the online encyclopedia was an effort to provide free information to the masses. In a momentous power grab, Wikipedia’s creators wrested control from the academic elite and put the power to maintain and update the site firmly in the hands of the public. It may not be a completely reliable source, but it is fast becoming recognised in the world of general knowledge. Good or bad, Wiki has grown from a small venture into a considerable online entity.

With a current entry list exceeding 12 million articles, it is hands-down the fastest and most accessible place to start your search. Want to learn more about the Macedonian dynasty within the Byzantine Empire? Wikipedia has it.

Itching to read up on the duck-billed platypus?

Wiki’s got that, too. Wikipedia puts the power of information where it belongs: in the hands of the people.

Strategy/civilisation-building games have provided hours of fun for many a procrastinating youth. However, the simplicity in games like Sim City has since been wiped away with newfangled technologies and graphics.

However, gamers who don’t like complexity in their blissful mind-numbing can once again take heart, thanks to a little game-site called Ikariam. In it, players are given a small piece of land upon which they can slowly build their undeveloped plot from a village into a powerhoarding empire. Open communication with other online players allows for peaceful trade or to forcibly subsume their savage ways into your civilised new world order, laughing maniacally as you do. The international site has grown just like its in-game development, and the graphics are quite good for a game of this calibre. Registration is free and easy, and the gameplay allows you to tap into your oldschool imperialistic roots. With Ikariam, you can grow to the edge of your boundaries and dare to break through them.

Have you ever wondered how to fix a leaky water tap? What about how to bandage a hand? Have you ever fought a full-grown vampire? Well, fear not, budding handymanparamedic-demon slayer, because we have the perfect site for you. Howcast.com is not your average how-to site filled with boring textual directions about mundane tasks. Instead, this is a highly-entertaining video site with insightful clips that teach you things like how to cook a delicious meal on your car engine.

This is a great way to expand your horizons, enhance your general knowledge and basically have a giggle. The site has an extensive database with categories like parenting, crafts, health, relationships and technology. Some of our favourite vids are the following: How To Wash Your Hair Scientifically, How To Remove Gum from the Bottom of Your Shoe and How To Survive a Bear Attack. We’re happy to finally have found a website to teach us how to do these tasks; especially that Bear Attack video.

If we had a dollar for every time we were attacked by bears, we’d be millionaires!

www.wikipedia.org

www.ikariam.org

www.howcast.com

sur la terre snapshot

127

This picture was taken at Souq Waqif during the celebrations for Qatar’s National Day, where traditional street performances took place. I liked the idea that while the souq is a fairly recent construction, it still maintains its old-Qatar charm. I was captivated by the movement and colours of the fire juggler. It was a both graceful and dramatic performance, yet there was an underlying sense of danger, producing an excitement that was palpable among the assembled onlookers. It reminds us that however advanced we become as a civilisation, we always find a thrill in attempting to control the wilder elements of our existence – a driving force in human nature that allows us to progress as a race.

Camera: Fuji Finepix F1000 FS Lens: Fujinon 70.8mm zoom Photographer: Janie Lee Brown

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sur la terre cultural agenda

THE CHECKLfISthTe biggest A detailed directory o events and coolest activities in the region !

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sur la terre cultural agenda

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2009

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sur la terre cultural agenda

Bahrain International Circuit April 24th, 09 - April 26th, 09

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! The pungent smell of burning rubber and the jarring sound of pounding pistons will once again soon wash over the Kingdom of Bahrain, much to the delight of race fans everywhere. That’s right, the Sixth Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is finally here, and it promises to leave permanent skid marks on the tarmac of time. Last year’s event was historic in and of itself, selling out to a crowd of over 100,000 people! This year, with nine world-class teams on hand, the Grand Prix will have even more seating capacity, shifting the audience excitement levels to a much higher gear. Formula 1 is already one of the most popular, not to mention most exciting, sporting events on the planet, and having it so close to home is a great and rare opportunity to see a cross section of the world’s best international drivers. Of course, there won’t only be spinning wheels at the event, as DJs will also be spinning records in the vending and chill-out areas. With live music, shopping outlets and vending areas aplenty, the BIC Grand Prix will be a rip-roaring event on many levels. www.bahraingp.com.bh

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sur la terre cultural agenda

The Property Show May 27th, 09 - May 30th, 09 Opening the door to real estate could be a wise decision. The sixth Property Show is a perfect opportunity for major developers to exhibit their housing, trading and services that are related to real estate. According to Abdul Razaq Kharaz, senior project manager in Arabian Exhibition Management, Property Show organiser, in the last two years, Bahrain has witnessed an unprecedented boom in the projects and islands’ properties, which has led to a tremendous and unexpected rise in property units. Accommodating this boom and others, the Property Show’s projects and exhibitors include residential and luxurious apartments, architects, financial institutions, interior design, new town projects, resorts, islands and deluxe properties situated locally and abroad.

The last Property Arabia show witnessed the launch of 10 new projects and attracted a great number of people. The May event is expected to attract over 10,000 visitors, with reputed and several newly established companies. For more information visit www.aeminfo.com.

Riffa Views Bahrain International Garden Show April 17th, 09 - April 19st, 09

Now in its sixth successful year, The Riffa Views Bahrain International Garden Show (RVBIGS) is firmly established as a leading gardening and lifestyle show attracting global and regional exhibitors. Uniquely combining a trade show for the industry and an educational experience for the public, RVBIGS delivers a wealth of knowledge in the field of gardening, landscaping and environment protection. This year, RVBIGS explores the theme of water as it relates to the history of Bahrain’s horticulture and agriculture.

Exhibits on display will include the ancient techniques used by the inhabitants of Bahrain to utilize fresh water springs and grow the plants and gardens for which the island was famous for since ancient times. The show will also examine water and its essentiality to everyday life and contrast modern day techniques of water consumption and utilisation with those of Bahrain’s ancient past and exhibit the most recent research relating to water treatment and preservation. Lectures will

be delivered by world-renowned experts while interactive educational exhibits and beautiful landscapes colour the show’s horizons. Among the show’s other educational aspects is the Eden Challenge 2009, a school competition hosted by Riffa Views to inspire the Kingdom’s students to consider water conservation and management in the 21st Century.

Emirati Expressions Until April 16th, 09

Keeping its promise as a foster and promoter of local rich culture, the Emirates Palace hosts the Emirati Expressions exhibition at Gallery One. Staged under the patronage of His Highness Gen. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Emirati Expressions is a celebration of artistic diversity in the United Arab Emirates.

The exhibition presents a harmonious blend of traditional and contemporary work in which the national culture can be represented visually and symbolically. It intends to showcase native Emirati artists working in all disciplines and representing several generations. The showcase presents a diverse range of 165 works by 64 UAE artists in a variety of mediums: Painting, photography, sculpture, graphic design, video work, short films, installations, calligraphy and mixed mediums.

sur la terre cultural agenda

Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival

Red Bull Air Race

March 21th, 09 - April 2nd, 09

The 6th Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Festival features a varied programme of ballet, opera, classical and Arabic music, a visual arts component and a strong educational programme, which forms the festival’s backbone. Organised by the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, this year’s festival is the first to take the theme of ‘Bilad Al Khair’, the Land of Blessings that the UAE is known as. Paying tribute, the festival gathers leading cultural organisations and community groups from all over the UAE to recognise their efforts in benefiting society, in line with the ethos of Bilad Al Khair. The festival features a stellar mix of artists. The opening opera gala is presented by the most gifted opera singer of our time, Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu, and internationally acclaimed German tenor Jonas Kaufmann, accompanied by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. Following their enormous success last year, The Bolshoi Ballet return to deliver a brilliant Ballet Gala and two performances of the Yuri Grigorovic interpretation of Giselle. Andrea Bocelli, the biggest selling tenor of all time, gives a one-night only outdoor concert on the lawns of the Emirates Palace, accompanied by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. Andrea will be joined on stage by Conductor Marcello Rota, soprano Paola Sanguinetti and baritone Gianfranco Montresor.

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April 17th, 09 - April 18th, 09

The festival’s other brilliant performers also include the legendary Lebanese UN Goodwill Ambassador and soprano Magida El Roumi. Further to the music, an integral part of the festival is the visual arts element, which features contemporary IraqiBritish artist, Dia Al-Azzawi. The artist’s works are exhibited throughout the festival at The Emirates Palace. The festival is supported by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and primarily hosted at the Emirates Palace. Tickets are available from www.timeouttickets.com, or by calling (971) 4 210 8567. All box office proceeds received by ADMAF will be donated to the Red Crescent to support humanitarian work in Gaza.

Fifteen of the top race pilots from all four corners of the globe, including four rookies, compete in the 2009 Red Bull Air Race World Championship, which will touch down in six spectacular locations beginning with the traditional season opener in Abu Dhabi. The world’s most exciting motor sport will then move to North America for races in San Diego, USA and Windsor in Ontario, Canada, before returning back across the Atlantic to Europe for stops in Budapest, Porto and Barcelona, marking a much-anticipated return to the enchanting Spanish city on the Mediterranean. Flying at speeds reaching 230 mph and pulling up to 12 gs, the pilots will navigate unique and demanding race tracks, negotiating their way through 65-foot-high inflatable air gates in their bid to become the 2009 Red Bull Air Race World Champion. With a speedmaximising race format, ambitious new talent to shake up the hierarchy and the top veteran pilots from 2008 returning to battle it out for dominance, 2009 promises to be another year of thrills, upsets and nail-biting tension.

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sur la terre cultural agenda

Emir GCC Camel Race, Alshahaniya Race Track April 1st, 08 - April 30th, 09

The soft, but resonating sound of pounding hooves on hot sand is once again reverberating through the powdery dunes of Qatar’s desert and off of the glass sheen of its modern buildings. These hoof beats, however, do not belong to the proud Arabian horse, but rather to the stubborn yet stately camel.

Long known in the region as a favoured sport of royalty, camel racing has further grown and spread into an absolute spectacle for residents and visitors alike. The Emir GCC Camels Race has been an epic event within this longstanding tradition, particularly in the exciting final race, when camel owners and racing devotees come together to celebrate the competitive culmination of months of training. Held annually at the Al Shahaniya Race Track, the Emir Final is one of the most anticipated cultural events of the year, and should definitely not be missed. For a more interactive experience, hop in your car and follow the action around the track during the race. See for yourself what a camel can really do. After this, we guarantee you’ll never look at horse racing the same again. The track is on Dukhan Road, about 60km west of Doha.

Qatar Class I World Powerboat Championships, Al Corniche April 23rd, 09 - April 25th, 09

Camels and horses won’t be the only beasts speeding around Doha this Spring. The modern cultural classic of powerboating is once again creating waves of excitement in Doha. Swells of anticipation will finally crash during the three days of racing in April. The annual races serve to make up the Class 1 Offshore Powerboat Competition at the end of which stands the prized Sam Griffith Trophy, the most sought-after award in the sport. Packing engines with a staggering 900 horsepower, the captains are more like top gun jet fighters. Cascading in a spray of white

foam at the breakneck speed of 160 miles per hour, these boats peel the skin of the ocean like dashing darts of the deep. Nowhere else is the culture of speed so beautifully showcased in the Gulf, and all day, every day at the event screams the muffled roar of aquatic engines throughout the crescent moon of the Corniche. The torpedoes will no doubt spray the thousands of onlookers in a shower of mist and a downpour of adrenaline.

For more information about the championships, race over to www.class-1.com

sur la terre cultural agenda

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The Doha Series, Waqif Art Centre Until June 30th, 09 The Third Line, Qatar’s exclusive pipeline to the independent art world, will host a very special initiative this Spring and early Summer at its premiere venue in The Waqif Art Centre. Part 1 of what is called The Doha Series began in February and will last until the end of April, while Part 2 will pick up again in June. The premise for this project is fantastically unique and titillating for any contemporary art lover. International artists of nearly every conceivable discipline, and working within a variety of mediums, will come to the event and, during their stay, create one-of-a-kind pieces to express their emotive response from being in Doha. The Series stands as the forebear of what will become an annual cultural event showcasing a unique homegrown/ international art hybrid. In the spotlight of this year’s show are Iranian calligrapher, Golnaz Fathi, whose talents were previously celebrated in Sur La Terre’s December edition, and Egyptian artist

Huda Lutfi, who reshapes the landscape of found objects to tell a new story, one detailing the sociopolitical appropriation of might over right. Adding to the beautiful storm of the Doha Series are the art centre’s regular exhibitions, which include Iraq’s own Hayv Kahraman, whose emotional, politically-motivated paintings are influenced by both modern and traditional styles, channeling the Orient and the Middle East for inspiration to denounce the modern ills of oppression and hate.

Kahraman’s works will be on display during the month of May. The Doha Series itself will be a historical event in Doha, opening further the small hole of expression into a gaping mouth of artistry.

After the exhibition’s closure, The Third Line will compile the works and produce a documentary book to be enjoyed for many years to come. To see more about The Waqif Art Center and The Third Line, head over to www.waqifartcenter.com

Festival of the Senses, Al Corniche

May 1st, 09 - May 30th, 09 Most everyone who visits Doha and all those who live here would quickly agree that the city is a barrage on all five of your senses. To celebrate that sensory serenade is the Doha Festival of the Senses, which occurs every May along the Corniche. In a 12 hour extravaganza, the city goes all out to launch a salvo of sensations. It is also a showcase of activity, showing off Qatar’s newfound commitment to health, fitness and the excitement of competition.

Throughout the day, visitors are invited to experience the four “Sense Tents” which dot the Corniche in a kaleidoscope of touch, taste, sight and scent. Plumes of traditional fragrances, like spices and leather, waft through the air. Swirling with these are the smells of sport -- no, not sweat and gym socks -- we’re talking about swimming pools and the freshly cut grass smell of a playing field.

Colourful photos and images fill an interactive gallery, which also includes cycle activities that are designed to spotlight the doha skyline in a rainbow of colour. Delicious offerings of traditional cuisine will alight upon taste buds, and reinvent global discovery. The air is so thick with activity that you can easily reach out and touch it. The festival is free to all comers and is the best way all year to wake up your senses with a decidedly Qatari flair. To learn more, contact the Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority at 974 499 7499.

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sur la terre cultural agenda

Sharjah Biennial Until May 16th, 2009

Fashion Week April 5th, 09 - April 9th, 09

April sees the return of Dubai Fashion Week with the Autumn/Winter 09 Show, which will once again be held in the Godolphin Ballroom, Jumeirah Emirates Towers. Over 30 designers will be parading their wares on the catwalk, including Walid Atallah, Reem Ali Beljafla, HSY, Hatem Alakeel, Amal Murad, Salma Khan and Mariam Al Mazro. Collections will range from couture to prêt à porter. Dubai Fashion Week, organised by the Concept Group, is the region’s flagship fashion trade event and focuses on offering retail buyers, fashion professionals and media an exclusive preview of the season’s upcoming collections and trends, thus generating publicity and revenue for the fashion industry. It has also successfully developed enormous interest in young and emerging designers to showcase through the ‘Emerging Talent’ show. There will also be a dedicated buyer lounge to provide opportunities onsite for designers and buyers to communicate and do business. “DFW is now in its 5th season and the regional and local fashion industry is once again buzzing with anticipation.

Last season the designers showed the media, fashion retail buyers, and fashion-consumers just how much talent exists in the Middle East”, said Aldrin Fernandes, Chairman, Concept Group. “We are thrilled by the interest and awareness this event is generating and look forward to another showcase of fantastic collections.”

Sharjah’s Department of Culture and Information hosts the 9th Sharjah Biennial. Led by Artistic Director Jack Persekian, the Biennial will be exhibiting a wide range of works selected by open invitation. Since its 1993 inauguration, The Sharjah Biennial has served to connect artists, institutions and organisations and to foster artistic dialogue and exchange. It ranks amongst the most established and prominent cultural events in the Middle East. This season’s event considers work submitted by artists and non-artists alike, who were brave enough to take up the challenge and respond to an open invitation to realise their ideas. The exhibition, which includes the programmes ‘Provisions For The Future’ curated

by Isabel Carlos, and the performance and film of ‘Past Of The Coming Days’ curated by Tarek Abou El Fetouh. The entire city of Sharjah is offered to artists for context-specific work, and other SB9 activities are taking place across a wide range of venues including the Sharjah Art Museum and the Heritage Area of Sharjah. As well as exhibiting works by over 50 international artists and participating galleries, the numerous events and programmes are designed to support and nurture creativity for local and visiting participants.

These include the March Meeting, a networking opportunity for regional art institutions; the Sharjah Biennial Production Programme, which explores various schemes and methodologies of artistic; and the Artist-in-Residence Programme, a scheme that hosts visiting artists in Sharjah with the goal of developing context-related work.

Christie’s Spring Sale

April 28th, 09 - April 29th, 09 Proving that there is always a market for investing in luxury, whatever the economic climate, worldrenowned auction house, Christie’s, is heading to Dubai in April to hold a special sale of jewels, watches and artworks. The event runs across two evenings at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, with the first given up to the sale of rare coloured gemstones, exquisite natural pearls crafted into jewels by leading designers such as Cartier, Harry Winston, Van Cleef and Arpels, alongside watches

by Patek Philippe, Rolex and Franck Muller.

Highlights will include a pair of diamond ear studs, each set with a circular-cut diamond weighing 12.56 and 11.65 carats, an emerald and diamond parure by Tabbah, comprising a bracelet, earrings and ring. A Chopard ‘Happy Diamond’ wristwatch, so called because of the loose diamonds that ‘rattle’ around the watch face, provides a highlight of the timepiece catalogue. In the second session, Christie’s will be auctioning around 150 lots of Arab, Iranian, Turkish and Western art including several important works from private collections in the West, which have not been seen in the region for many years. An early highlight of the sale is a group of four paintings by the celebrated Syrian artist Fateh Moudarres, from the collection of the former German Ambassador to Syria, Rudolf Fechter and his wife Maria. The event will be held from 7pm on the evenings April 28th and 29th. http://www.christies.com

sur la terre cultural out &agenda about

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Al Koot Fort Al Koot Fort is one of those great finds in Doha that are steeped in local history. Built in 1927 by H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Qassim Al-Thani, Al Koot acted as a structural sentinel, protecting Souk Waqif from bandits, thieves, marauders and other ne’er-do-wells seeking to plague market goers with mischief and chicanery. The nigh-impenetrable structure stands tall with looming walls, crowned towers and fortified parapets, still exhibiting a classic Qatari architecture. Not only did Al Koot guards protect those on the outside, they also kept a watchful eye on the sometime guests of the fortress, many of whom were prisoners. One of the most interesting things about the fort is that the inner mosque is without walls or ceilings, allowing the sentries to prevent would-be rabble-rousers from causing trouble during prayer. While the area may now be free from dangerous prisoners, it is still a very arresting experience for both history and architect buffs. To schedule a visit and get directions, call +974 442 4143. (Jasim bin Mohammed Street, Tel: 441 2742)

Barzan Towers In Arabic, the word “Barzan” means “high place,” which proves to be not just a clever title when referring to the towers of the same name. The two towers may look like something out of Lord of the Rings, but in actuality, they had a very real purpose. Built in 1910 by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al-Thani, they were used to maintain protection, ensure safety and facilitate discovery. The structures’ main functions were to act as a large lifeguard station to keep pearl divers safe, protect nearby water sources, get early warning for any potential attack from the high seas and even offer Qur’anic students safe refuge to learn in the inner school. Being so high, they were also used to keep track of the moon’s phases, which is very important to the Islamic calendar. Even though they were recently renovated, the thick, fortified walls and original features of Barzan towers are some of the best examples of traditional Qatari architecture. Visitors are free to stop by any time of day or night, as there is no admission fee or closing time. They are located in Umm Slal Mohammed, about 20 km north of Doha.

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Al Zubarah Fort Al Zubarah is another great example of traditional architecture here in Qatar. Until about 20 years ago, the national Coast Guard used the fort as a tall paragon of protection from all sorts of sea-faring dangers.

Much like Barzan towers and some of the other local structures, Al Zubarah was built from coral rock, limestone and mud mortar. This technique was used to keep the rooms cool while at the same time allowing for a strong defensive outpost against enemies much more dangerous than sunlight. The military aspect of the fort has since retired, and it now stands as an impressive museum wherein is compiled a great many treasures from the local area. It is also the perfect place for a high-rise stroll, as it features a promenade at the top of two outer staircases. This is a very important building in a very important place in Qatar, and it should definitely be explored by everyone in or around the Doha area.

It is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday to Thursday. It is located on the northwestern coast of Qatar and can be reached relatively easily by car.

Oh Man, a Souk from Oman!

The neighboring Sultanate of Oman is, like Qatar, an intriguing area of culture and luxury, with a long history of gold and silver work. Long renowned for their traditionally bustling souks, Oman has added to the metropolitan feel of Doha by offering yet another unique shopping experience. The Omani souk, located on Haloul St, parallel to Salwa Road, is a great alternative to Souk Waqif for a day spent buying spices, incense, woven baskets and other classic goods from Oman. The adjacent vegetable market is also a perfect place to procure local produce, and the nearby camel and livestock souk are great to see some of the local wildlife and trade.

sur la terre out & about

The Peace Pipe While the official origin is disputed, it is generally believed that the fiery passion for smoking flavoured tobacco through a water pipe (shisha) was initially sparked in China.

From there, its popularity wafted over to India before finally swirling into a settled plume in the Middle East. Most Doha nights are perfumed with the rich scent of shisha and peppered with the sound of friendly discourse. It is normal to see the flickering embers shimmering off of the brass and gold of a hookah pipe in the twilight of early evening. The billowy smoke comes in a rainbow of delicious flavours, the most common of which are double apple, grape, rose, cherry, strawberry and mint. Probably the most popular venue to share a chat over a hookah is Souk Waqif, where the streets are literally lined with restaurants offering the haute haze. For a more luxurious locale, newbies and aficionados alike should sample the offerings of the area hotels, like the Al Wanis Terrace at the Sharq Village & Spa. TIP TIME: Always ask if they can refrigerate the pipe water and hookah tubes, as it makes the thick smoke much smoother and refreshing, particularly in the upcoming hotter months.

Qatari Zoology Want to take a walk on the wild side? There is no better place to roam in Qatar than the Doha Zoo. With a magnificent menagerie of over 800 animals, the zoo is sure to make your bestial side purr with delight.

Not only do the residents include international stars like giraffes, lions, elephants and gazelles, there is also quite a bit of local talent in the mix, including ostriches and the famous Oryx. A train system runs throughout the park to facilitate an easy, relaxed visit while exploring the best the animal kingdom has to offer. The Zoo is opened from Saturday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays are only for the ladies, while Wednesdays are reserved for families. Unlike some places in the region, the zoo is opened on Fridays, though it has shortened hours, from 1:20 to 6:30 p.m. For any general queries, call +974 468 2610.

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sur la terre out & about

Tunes of the Dunes Originally thought to be the tortured shrieks and wailing moans of evil djinn, Qatar’s singing sand dunes are most likely not the evil machinations of the spirit world. Their exact cause, however, is still a scientific mystery. The ages-old natural phenomenon has been described as both “unnerving and beautiful,” and its mystique has utterly befuddled research teams to the point of frustration and even breakdown. It is generally accepted that, when wind or another catalyst excites the infinite grains of sand through the curves and contours of the dunes, there results an unforgettable, deeply guttural song that bursts forth from the belly of the desert. Regardless of the hows and whys involved with scientific findings, the singing dunes are one of the outright coolest things to experience in Doha. Getting there yourself can be difficult, so the best way to hear the dulcet tones of the dunes is to book a trip with one of the tour agencies, such as Desert Adventure (Tel: +974 434 4499/ 434 4496, Email: info@alphatoursqatar.com) or Alpha Tours (Tel: +974 436 2455, Email: jamal@desertadventures.com).

Dive the Skies Has anyone ever told you to take a running jump? Ever wanted to take their advice? Well if you have a brave heart and fearless resolve, now you can make the ultimate leap of faith. That’s right, daredevils, skydiving has come to Doha! To facilitate your cascade through the clouds is Carlos Enciso of Desert Parachute. On his amazing Power Parachute flying machine, Carlos will take licensed skydivers to 5,000 feet above the sand before leaving them to plummet through the sky in a free fall of gasp-inducing views and pulse pounding excitement. Whether you’re willing and able to make the plunge or just want to skim the skies and see the desert from a fresh viewpoint, this is the perfect way to pump some adrenaline into your vacation. To contact Carlos about pricing and tour options, call +974 571 9179 for skydiving or +974 521 8857 for a ride on the Power Parachute, or email Desert Parachute at desertparachute@yahoo.com.

Stop holding your breath already, and jump!

sur la terre out & about

Quick Sand Are you an avid snowboarder aching to make tread in some wicked powder? Have you been working all winter to turn that duck-footed eggplant into a dope double-grab, but now think your boarding season is over because you’re in the middle of a dust bowl? Well think again, slope shredders! All you need to do is trade in your snow pants for some shorts, head out to the dunes and check out sandboarding. The desert craze is a perfect way to get your high-speed fix without the snow and without much of the expensive equipment. It is good to have some proper eyewear and probably some spandex, not only to evoke your inner superhero, but also to keep pesky sand out of your every nook and cranny. If you don’t mind a slower ride and possible damage, it’s possible to use an old snowboard, but for a better ride, there are speciallymade sandboards for sale. Probably the best place to look for equipment is www.sandboard.com, which is also a great resource for tips, pictures and a forum to speak with other Qatar-based boarders. To organize a trip, pick your favorite 4x4 and head out to one of the many numerous dunes; then, politely invite your boarding buddies to a friendly race, before making them eat your dust ... literally!

Skip the Street, Head to Zikrit Looking to get away from the hubbub and commotion that is Doha? Plucky travelers itching to leave the feel of asphalt behind them should head north, to a charming little town by the name of Bir Zikrit. About an hour away from the capital city, the town itself is a good example of a permanent bedouin community, with quaint houses, a small mosque and a camel farm. Those seeking to further their escapades into wilderness should venture forth on the well-worn track into the desert areas lying all around the tiny hamlet. Visitors will not only get to see stunning coastlines and rolling dunes, but also local historic castles, settlements and forts that make you feel miles away from modern civilization, which is probably why a local TV drama films there. The luckiest of day-trekkers will get a glimpse of local wildlife, like ostriches, oryx and camels, wandering freely in their natural habitat. For those with an extra special flare for the outdoors, Zikrit is one of the most popular places to camp in Qatar, and Spring is arguably the best time to go. To do it in style by renting a traditional bedouin tent, and stay in the desert like one of the nomads that used to populate the area. To get there, go to Dukhan Road and follow signs to Zikrit. Make sure you have a 4x4 if you want to go further into the wild!

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Take a Dip The cooler winds of winter have finally blown on, so now is the time to go for a nice Doha dip. Being the peninsula that it is, Qatar is literally surrounded by stunning beach line. The glassy skin of the Persian Gulf is simply begging to be broken by your perfect 10 dive or curled up cannonball. Most of the hotels, like the Ritz Carlton, Marriott and Sealine Beach Resort in Masai’eed, have oceanfront properties, so if you’re visiting from afar, getting to a beach won’t be a problem. Residents and non-guests will have to pay a charge for these stretches of sand, but further out in places like Zikrit, Salwa Beach (near the Saudi Arabia border post) and Al Wakra, the beaches are 100% free. There is also a public beach in Doha, near the InterContinental Hotel. For a more controlled watery environment, you can visit the multiple swimming pools at any of the area hotels for a small fee. Some places, like the Al Sultan Beach Resort in Al Khor (www.alsultanbeachresort.com), have “Dine and Swim” packages, which are perfect for a day spent relaxing at the pool. Even the most aquatically challenged can tap into their inner Aquaman by joining swim classes and clubs, like the H20 Swim Club (www.h2oswimclub.com), which offers extensive, multilevel training to help you kick off your floaties and start swimming like a pro.

Let’s Go Ride A Kite It may be a bit more extreme than the old Mary Poppins song, but there is no better way to get your thrills with a kite than going Kitesurfing! Doha might not have the biggest waves in the world, but it matters little when you skate the surface of the Persian Gulf at breakneck speeds, powered by the strong winds of the coming season. Many locals have become masters of the sport and there are dozens of companies that offer training, coaching and equipment supply. The area hotels offer such services, or at very least can point you in the right direction; however, a more direct route might be to visit www.kitesurfqatar. com, which is a short mouse click away from everything you need to get started. Alternatively, call +974 665 9440. As Madame Poppins might have sung if she were a Doha Kitesurfing aficionado, “With a few riyal for a couple of things, you can have your own set of wings.”

REGIONAL HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND CAFÉS GUIDE ABU DHABI

RestaurantS < Anar Emirates Palace Tel: +971 2 690 7999 www.emiratespalace.com Cuisine: Persian < Bravo Tapas BarV Sheraton Abu Dhabi Resort & Towers Tel: +971 2 677 3333 www.starwoodhotels.com Cuisine: Spanish < Casa Verde Abu Dhabi Golf Club by Sheraton Tel: +971 2 558 8990 www.adgolfclub.com Cuisine: Mediterranean < Chamas InterContinental Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 666 6888 www.ichotelsgroup.com Cuisine: Brazilian < Chi Chi Meridien Village Tel: +971 2 644 3717 www.starwoodhotels.com Cuisine: Mexican < Diwan L’Auberge Emirates Palace Tel: +971 2 690 7999 www.emiratespalace.com Cuisine: Arabian/Lebanese < El Sombrero Sheraton Abu Dhabi Resort & Towers Tel: +971 2 644 4309 www.starwoodhotels.com Cuisine: Mexican < Embassy Emirates Palace Tel: +971 2 690 9000 www.emiratespalace.com Cuisine: European < Fishmarket InterContinental Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 666 6888 www.ichotelsgroup.com Cuisine: Seafood < Flavours Sheraton Abu Dhabi Resort & Towers Tel: +971 2 677 3333 www.starwoodhotels.com Cuisine: International < Hoi An Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri Tel: +971 2 509 8888 www.shangri-la.com Cuisine: Vietnamese < Horizons Oryx Hotel Tel: +971 2 681 0001 Cuisine: International < Il Palazzo Al Ain Palace Hotel Tel: +971 2 679 4777 www.alainpalacehotel.com/ restaurants.htm Cuisine: Italian < Il Paradiso Sheraton Abu Dhabi Resort & Towers Tel: +971 2 677 3333 www.starwoodhotels.com Cuisine: Seafood < Jazz Bar Hilton International Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 681 1900

www1.hilton.com Cuisine: International < La Mamma Sheraton Abu Dhabi Resort & Towers Tel: +971 2 677 3333 www.starwoodhotels.com Cuisine: Italian < La Piazza Al Diar Sands Hotel Tel: +971 2 633 5335 www.aldiarhotels.com Cuisine: Italian < La Terrazza Hilton International Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 681 1900 www1.hilton.com Cuisine: International < Le Beaujolais Novotel Centre Tel: +971 2 633 3555 www.novotel.com Cuisine: French < Le Bistrot Le Meridien Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 644 6666 www.starwoodhotels.com Cuisine: French < Le Brasserie Le Meridien Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 645 5566 www.starwoodhotels.com Cuisine: French < Le Vendome Brasserie Emirates Palace Tel: +971 2 690 7999 www.emiratespalace.com Cuisine: International < Marakesh Millenium Hotel Tel: +971 2 626 2700 www.millenniumhotels.com Cuisine: Arabian/Moroccan < Mezzaluna Emirates Palace Tel: +971 2 690 7999 www.emiratespalace.com Cuisine: Italian < Min Zaman Al Ain Rotana Hotel Tel: +971 3 754 5111 www.rotana.com Cuisine: Arabian/Lebanese < Oceans Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 695 0573 www.starwoodhotels.com/ lemeridien/property/dining/index. html?propertyID=1900 Cuisine: Seafood < Prego’s Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers Tel: +971 2 644 3000 Cuisine: Italian < Rodeo Grill Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers Tel: +971 2 644 3000 Cuisine: Steakhouse < Royal Orchid Hilton International Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 681 1900 www1.hilton.com Cuisine: Thai < Sax Restaurant Club Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 674 2020

www.starwoodhotels.com Cuisine: International < Sayad Emirates Palace Tel: +971 2 690 7999 www.emiratespalace.com Cuisine: Seafood < Sevilo’s Millennium Hotel Tel: +971 2 626 2700 www.millenniumhotels.com Cuisine: Italian < Tides Danat Resort Jebel Dhanna Tel: +971 2 801 2222 Cuisine: International < Vasco’s Hilton International Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 681 1900 www1.hilton.com Cuisine: International CAFÉS < Al Majlis Emirates Palace Tel: +971 2 690 7999 www.emiratespalace.com < Sheraton Khalidiya Hotel Sheraton Khalidiya Hotel Tel: +971 2 666 6220

DOHA

Hotels < Al Sultan Beach Resort Al Khor Tel: + 974 4 722666 www.alsultanbeachresort.com 5 Star < Four Seasons Al Corniche St, Doha Tel: +974 4 948888 www.fourseasons.com/doha 5 Star < Grand Regency Near Sports R/A Al Sadd, Doha Tel: +974 4 343333 www.grand-regency.com 5 Star < Intercontinental West Bay Lagoon, Doha Tel: +974 4 844444 www.ichotelsgroup.com 5 Star < La Cigale Suhaim Bin Hamad Street, Doha Tel: +974 4 288888 www.lacigale .com 5 Star < Marriott Ras Abu Aboud Street, Doha Tel: +974 4 298888 www.marriott.com 5 Star < Millennium Jawaan Street, Al Sadd, Doha Tel: +974 4 247777 www.millenniumhotels.com 5 Star < Mövenpick Tower & Suites West Bay, Doha Tel: +974 4 966600 www.moevenpick-hotels.com 5 Star < Mövenpick Corniche, Doha

Tel: +974 4 291111 www.moevenpick-hotels.com 4 Star < Ramada Plaza Salwa Road, Doha Tel: +974 4 281428 www.ramadaplazadoha.com 4 Star < Ritz Carlton West Bay Area, Doha Tel: +974 4 848000 www.ritzcarlton.com 5 Star < Rydges Abu Firas Street, Doha Tel: +974 4 385444 www.rydges.com 4 Star < Sharq Village Spa Ras Abu Aboud street, Doha Tel: +974 4 256666 www.sharqvillage.com 5 Star < Sheraton Al Corniche St, Doha Tel: +974 4 854444 www.sheraton-doha.com 5 Star < W Hotel West Bay Area Tel: +974 4 996530 www.whotels.com\doha 5 Star Restaurants < Al Dana Sharq Village and Spa Tel: +974 4 256666 www.sharqvillage.com Cuisine: International < Al Dente Seafood Restaurant Al Sultan Beach Resort Tel: +974 4 722666 www.alsultanbeachresort.com Cuisine: Seafood with Italian < Al Jalsa Sharq Village and Spa Tel: +974 4 256666 www.sharqvillage.com Cuisine: Arabian < Al Liwan Sharq Village and Spa Tel: +974 4 256666 www.sharqvillage.com Cuisine: Arabian and Persian < Al Sayyad Restaurant The Diplomatic Club Tel: +974 4 847444 www.thediplomaticclub.com Cuisine: Arabian and Persian < Animato Mövenpick Tower and Suites Tel: +974 4 966600 www.moevenpick-hotels.com Cuisine: International < Asia Live!

Marriot Hotel Tel: +974 4 29 8888 www.marriott.com Cuisine: Asian < Bistro Bistro Ramada Plaza Tel: +974 4281428 www.ramadaplazadoha.com Cuisine: European

< Eli France Ramada and City Center Tel: +974 4 357111 www.elifrancecafe.com Cuisine: International < Fauchon Salwa Road, Doha Tel: +974 4 324888 www.fauchon.com Cuisine: French < Grand Gourmet Grand Regency Hotel Tel: +974 4 343333 www.grand-regency.com Cuisine: Contemporary Global < Il Teatro Four Seasons Hotel Tel: +974 4 948888 www.fourseasons.com/doha Cuisine: Italian < La Mer Ritz Carlton Hotel Tel: +974 4 848000 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: French < Layali Salwa Road, Doha Tel: +974 4 310005 www.alayangroupqatar.com Cuisine: Arabian < Le Cigalon Restaurant La Cigale Hotel Tel. +974 4 288888 www.lacigalehotel.com Cuisine: Modern Mediterranean < Le Gourmet Al Sadd and Old Souq , Doha Tel: +974 4 361789 www.legourmetrestaurant.com Cuisine: Arabian & French < Le Nôtre Salwa Road, Doha Tel: +974 4 552111 www.lenotre.fr Cuisine: International < Lina’s Salwa Road, Doha Tel: +974 4 365488 www.linascafe.fr Cuisine: French < Paul’s Café Villaggio Mall, Doha Tel: +974 4 135508 Cuisine: French < Pirates Cove Sheraton Hotel Tel: +974 4 854444 www.sheraton-doha.com Cuisine: Seafood < Sakura Ramada Plaza Tel: +974 4281428 www.ramadaplazadoha.com Cuisine: Japanese < Salsa Marriot Hotel Tel: +974 4 29 8888 www.marriott.com Cuisine: International < Tangia Grand Regency Hotel Tel: +974 4 343333 www.grand-regency.com Cuisine: Moroccan < The Grill Room Doha Golf Club www.dohagolfclub.com Tel: +974 4 960777 Cuisine: International

< The One Restaurant Landmark Mall, Doha Tel: +974 4 888669 www.theoneme.com Cuisine: International < Za Moda Intercontinental Hotel Tel: +974 4 844444 www.ichotelsgroup.com Cuisine: Italian Cafés < Alkut Lounge Grand Regency Hotel Tel: +974 4 343333 www.grand-regency.com < Atrium Millennium Hotel Tel: +974 4 247777 www.millenniumhotels.com < Atrium Lounge Sheraton Hotel Tel: +974 4 854444 www.sheraton-doha.com < Café Batteel Salwa Road, Doha Tel: +974 4 441414 < Café Ceramic The Mall, Doha Tel: +974 4 671100 www.cafe-ceramique.com < Coffee Beanery Ramada Junction, Doha Tel: +974 4 385366 www.coffeebeanery.com < Costa Coffee The Center, Doha Tel: +974 4 626947 www.costa.co.uk < Colombiano Coffee House Ramada Junction, Doha Tel: +974 4 350050 www.colombianocoffeehouse.com < L’Espresso Mövenpick Hotel Tel: +974 4 291111 www.moevenpick-hotels.com < Lime Café Mövenpick Tower and Suites Tel: +974 4 966600 www.moevenpick-hotels.com < Palm Garden Ramada Plaza Tel: +974 4281428 www.ramadaplazadoha.com < Ristretto Villaggio Mall, Doha Tel: +974 4 507208 www.ristretto.com < Shamaal Café Doha Golf Club www.dohagolfclub.com Tel. +974 4 960777 < Starbucks Landmark Mall, Doha Tel: +974 4 880575 www.starbucks.com < Silver Café Al Sadd, Doha Tel: +974 4 131773 www.nbks.com < Trattoria Coffee shop La Cigale Hotel Tel. +974 4 288888 www.lacigalehotel.com < Pause Café Al Rabban Tower, West Bay Area Tel: +974 498 0367

DUBAI

Restaurants < Al Basha Habtoor Grand Resort and Spa Tel: +971 4 399 5000 www.grandjumeirah.habtoorhotels.com Cuisine: Lebanese < Al Fresco Crowne Plaza Hotel Tel: +971 4 331 1111 www.CrownePlaza.com Cuisine: Italian < Al Mahara Burj Al Arab Tel: +971 4 301 7600 www.burj-al-arab.com Cuisine: Seafood < Al Qasr Al Qasr Madinat Jumeirah Tel: +971 4 366 8888 www.madinatjumeirah.com Cuisine: International < Alpha Le Meridien Dubai Tel: +971 4 217 0000 www.leroyalmeridien-dubai.com Cuisine: International < Andiamo Grand Hyatt Hotel Dubai Tel: +971 4 317 1234 www.dubai.grand.hyatt.com Cuisine: International < Bateaux Dubai Creek Park Tel: +971 4 399 4994 www.jebelali-international.com Cuisine: International < Beachcombers Jumeirah Beach Hotel Tel: +971 4 406 8999 www.jumeirahbeachhotel.com Cuisine: Polynesian < Benihana Al Bustan Rotan Hotel Tel: +971 4 282 0000 Cuisine: Japanese < Benjarong Dusit Hotel Tel: +971 4 343 3333 www.dubai.dusit.com Cuisine: Asian < Bice Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Tel: +971 4 282 4040 www1.hilton.com Cuisine: Italian < Bistro Madeleine Crowne Plaza Hotel Tel: +971 4 701 1128 Cuisine: French < Blue Elephant Al Bustan Rotan Hotel Tel: +971 4 282 0000 Cuisine: Thai < Buddha Bar Grosvenor House Tel: +971 4 399 8888 www.grosvenorhouse-dubai.com Cuisine: Asian < Certo Radisson SAS Media City Tel: +971 4 366 9111 Cuisine: Italian < Choices Al Bustan Rotan Hotel Tel: +971 4 282 0000 Cuisine: International < Empire The Monarch Dubai

Tel: +971 4 501 8888 www.themonarchdubai.com Cuisine: European < Emporio Armani Caffe Mall of the Emirates Tel: +971 4 341 0591 Cuisine: European < Fire and Ice Raffles Dubai Tel: +971 4 324 8888 www.raffles.com Cuisine: Steakhouse < Itsu Marina Walk Tel: +971 4 362 6351 Cuisine: Japanese < JW’s Steakhouse JW Marriott Hotel Tel: +971 4 607 7977 www.marriott.com Cuisine: Steakhouse < M’s Beef Bistro Le Meridien Dubai Tel: +971 4 282 4040 www.leroyalmeridien-dubai.com Cuisine: Steakhouse < Marrakech Shangri-La Tel: +971 4 343 8888 www.shangri-la.com Cuisine: North African < Marzano Al Manzil Hotel Tel: +971 5 770 4563 www.southernsunme.comalmanzil Cuisine: European < Mina A’Salam Madinat Jumeirah Tel: +971 4 3668888 www.madinatjumeirah.com Cuisine: International < Momotaro Souk Al Bahar Tel: +971 4 425 7976 www.theoldtownisland.com Cuisine: Japanese < Nobu Atlantis, The Palm Tel: +971 4 426 0730 www.atlantisthepalm.com Cuisine: Japanese < P2 Souk Madinat Jumeirah Tel: +971 4 366 8888 www.madinatjumeirah.com Cuisine: Seafood < Peppercrab Grand Hyatt Hotel Dubai Tel: +971 4 317 1234 www.dubai.grand.hyatt.com Cuisine: Asian < Peroglas Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites Tel: +971 4 321 1111 Cuisine: Asian < Pierchic Al Qasr Madinat Jumeirah Tel: +971 4 366 8888 www.madinatjumeirah.com/al_qasr Cuisine: Seafood < Rare Desert Palm Tel: +971 4 323 8888 Cuisine: Steakhouse < Ronda Locatelli Atlantis, The Palm Tel: +971 4 426 0710 www.atlantisthepalm.com Cuisine: Italian

< Rostang, The French Brasserie Atlantis, The Palm Tel: +971 4 426 0710 www.atlantisthepalm.com Cuisine: French < Sakura The Taj Palace Tel: +971 4 223 2222 Cuisine: Asian < Seafire Atlantis, The Palm Tel: +971 4 426 0730 www.atlantisthepalm.com Cuisine: Steakhouse < Shang Palace Shangri-La Tel: +971 4 343 8888 www.shangri-la.com Cuisine: Chinese < Spectrum on One Fairmont Dubai Tel: +971 4-332-5555 www.fairmont.com Cuisine: International < Spice Emporium The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Tel: +971 4 399 4141 Cuisine: Asian < Spice Island The Renaissance Hotel Tel: +971 4 262 5555 Cuisine: International < Teatro Towers Rotana Hotel Tel: +971 4 343 8000 www.rotana.com Cuisine: International < The Aquarium Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club Tel: +971 4 295 6000 www.dubaigolf.com Cuisine: Seafood < The Cellar Aviation Club Tel: +971 4 282 4122 Cuisine: International < The Fountain Mövenpick Hotel Tel: +971 4 336 6000 Cuisine: Asian < The Glasshouse Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Cuisine: International < Traiteur Park Hyatt Tel: +971 4 602 1234 www.Hyatt.com Cuisine: European < Vivaldi Sheraton Dubai Creek Tel: +971 4 228 1111 Cuisine: International < Vu’s Emirates Towers Hotel Tel: +971 4 319 8088 www.jumeirahemiratestowers.com Cuisine: European < Zuma DIFC Gate Village 6 Tel: +971 4 425 5660 Cuisine: Japanese CAFÉS < Belgian Beer Café InterContinental Dubai Festival City Tel: +971 4 701 1111 < Café Chic Le Meridien Dubai Tel: +971 4 282 4040

< Organic Foods and Café Green Community Tel: +971 4 361 7974 < Picollo Mondo Iternational City, Italy Cluster Tel: +971 4 420 0788 < The One Café Jumeirah Beach Road Tel: +971 4 345 6687

MANAMA

Hotels < Banyan Tree Desert Spa & Resort Sakhir Tel: +973 17 845 000 www.banyantree.com 5 star < Crowne Plaza Bahrain Manama Tel: +973 17 531 122 www.cp-bahrain.com 5 star < Gulf Hotel Adliya Tel: +973 17 713 000 www.gulfhotelbahrain.com 5 star < InterContinental Regency Hotel Manama Tel: +973 17 227 777 www.interconti.com/manama 5 star < Mövenpick Hotel Muharraq Tel: +973 17 460 000 www.moevenpick-hotels.com 5 star < Sheraton Bahrain Manama Tel: +973 17 533 533 www.sheraton.com/bahrain 5 star < The Diplomat Radisson SAS Manama Tel: +973 17 531 666 www.manama.radissonsas.com 5 star < The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Seef District Tel: +973 17 580 000 www.ritzcarlton.com 5 star Restaurants < Al Berdaouni Intercontinental Regency Hotel Tel: +973 17 227 777 www.interconti.com/manama Cuisine: Lebanese < Al Fanar Diplomat Radisson SAS, Hotel Tel: +973 17 531 666 www.manama.radissonsas.com Cuisine: Arabian < Al Raouché Sheraton Bahrain Hotel Tel: +973 17 533 533 www.sheraton.com/bahrain Cuisine: Moroccan < Al Safir Sheraton Bahrain Hotel Tel: +973 17 533 533 www.sheraton.com/bahrain Cuisine: International < Al Waha Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 713 000

www.gulfhotelbahrain.com Cuisine: International < Brazil!

Adliya Tel: +973 17 826 686 Cuisine: Brazilian < China Garden Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 746 423 www.gulfhotelbahrain.com Cuisine: Chinese < Fire of Brazil Seef Mall Tel: +973 17 583 776 www.fireofbrazil.com Cuisine: Brazilian < Fish Market Al Bander Hotel & Resort Tel: +973 17 701 201 Cuisine: Seafood < Golestan Sheraton Bahrain Hotel Tel: +973 17 533 533 www.sheraton.com/bahrain Cuisine: Iranian < Hash House Adliya Tel: +973 17 715 094 Cuisine: Thai < La Fontaine La Fontaine for Contemporary Art Tel: +973 17 230 123 www.lafontaineartcentre.com Cuisine: French < La Mosaique Crowne Plaza Bahrain Tel: +973 17 531 122 Cuisine: International < La Mediterranee The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Tel: +973 17 580 000 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: International < Le Bistro InterContinental Regency Hotel Tel: +973 17 227 777 www.interconti.com/manama Cuisine: International < Mirai Adliya Tel: +973 17 713 113 www.mirai-restaurant.com Cuisine: Japanese < Mondo Diplomat Radisson SAS, Hotel Tel: +973 17 531 666 www.manama.radissonsas.com Cuisine: Italian < Nirvana The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Tel: +973 17 580 000 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: Indian < Plums The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Tel: +973 17 580 000 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: Steakhouse < Primavera The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Tel: +973 17 580 000 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: European < Rimal Banyan Tree Desert Spa & Resort Tel: +973 17 845 000 www.banyantree.com Cuisine: International

< Royal Thai Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 713 000 www.gulfhotelbahrain.com Cuisine: Thai < Saffron Banyan Tree Desert Spa & Resort Tel: +973 17 845 000 www.banyantree.com Cuisine: Thai and Asian < Soie Sheraton Bahrain Hotel Tel: +973 17 533 533 www.sheraton.com/bahrain Cuisine: Chinese < Silk Mövenpick Hotel Tel: +973 17 460 000 www.movenpick-bahrain.com Cuisine: International < Tamarind Banyan Tree Desert Spa & Resort Tel: +973 17 845 000 www.banyantree.com Cuisine: International < Trader Vic’s The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Tel: +973 17 586 555 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: International < Upstairs Downstairs Adliya Tel: +973 17 713 093 Cuisine: International < Versailles InterContinental Regency Hotel Tel: +973 17 227 777 www.interconti.com/manama Cuisine: French Cafés < Al Andalus Lounge Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 713 000 < Al Bindaira Al A’ali Complex Tel: +973 17 587 587 < Al Nour Lounge Al A’ali Complex Tel: +973 17 227 777 < Café Lilou Adliya Tel: +973 17 714 440 < Casa Blu Adliya Tel: +973 17 710 424 < Le Chocolat Seef Tel : + 973 17 582 259 < Overlook Café The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Tel: +973 17 810 180 www.ritzcarlton.com < Palace Lounge Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 713 000 <The Atrium Café Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 713 000 < The Gallery Lounge Mövenpick Hotel Tel: +973 17 460 000 < The Lobby Lounge The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Tel: +973 17 580 000 < The Lobby Lounge Banyan Tree Desert Spa & Resort Tel: +973 17 845 000 www.banyantree.com

16

sur la terre mode

LOCAL PRODUCT GUIDE DOHA < 51 East Al Maha Center +974 425 7777 info@51east.com.qa www.51east.com.qa

< Dupont Cigars Al Salam Plaza +974 483 2050 www.st-dupont.com

< Al Jazeera www.english.aljazeera.net

< Ed Hardy Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 41305656 www.donedhardy.com

< Aston Martin Horizon Automobiles +974 594 4111 abbas@horizon.com.qa

< Emenegildo Zegna Villaggio Mall, Al Waab Street +974 460 4279 www.zegna.com

< Audi Saad Buzwair Automotive Suhaim Bin Hmmad Street, near Al Ahli Bank +974 434 1414 www.audi-me.com

< Emporium The Corner of C-Ring and Salwa Road Ramada Junction +974 437 5796 +974 462 6170 www.emporiumqatar.com

< Burberry Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 413 5444 www.burberry.com

< Estee Lauder 51 East, Debenhams & 4U Perfumery City Centre Mall +974 483 8912 www.esteelauder.com

< Cadillac Mannai Trading Co. Salwa Road, Ramada Junction +974 455 8710 crm@mannai.com.qa www.mannaicorp.com

< Ferrari Watches Ali Bin Ali Watches & Jewellery Royal Plaza, Al Sadd Street +974 413 1391 www.alibinali.com www.panerai.com

< Christian Dior Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 413 4665 www.dior.com < Corum Ghada Jewellery Alfardan Centre Grand Hamed Avenue +974 440 8302 www.corum.ch < DAMAS Almana Centre Al Saad Street +974 442 5428 www.damasjewel.com < D&G Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 460 4279 www.dolcegabbana.com < The Doha Debates Qatar Foundation Education City +974 492 7527 thedohadebates@qf.org.qa www.thedohadebates.com < Doha Golf Club West Bay +974 496 0777 Info@dohagolfclub.com www.dohagolfclub.com

< Four Seasons The Corniche PO Box 24665 +974 494 8888 www.fourseasons.com/doha < Golf Shop Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 450 7870 < Go Sport Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 451 7180 < Graff www.graffdiamonds.com < HP Vivienne Redington Qatar C-Ring Road 974 4551608 redington@qatar.net.qa www.redingtonqatar.com.qa www.hp.com < Hermès Piazza Arabia The Pearl www.hermes.com < Hummer Mannai Trading Co. Salwa Road, Ramada Junction +974 455 8710 crm@mannai.com.qa www.mannaicorp.com

< Nissan/Infiniti Saleh Alhamad Almana Co. Salwa Road ananth.james@shalmana.com www.shalmana.com < Jaeger LeCoultre www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/me < Lacoste Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 450 7191 www.lacoste.com < Lignet Roset Main Showroom Salwa Road +974 446 6871 www.ligne-roset.com < Loewe Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 460 4279 www.loewe.com < Make Up Forever Royal Plaza, Al Sadd Street +974 499 5653 www.makeupforever.fr www.royalplazadoha.com < Metropolis City Centre Mall +974 439 3355 smeyer@nbks.com www.nbks.com < MINI Alfardan Automobiles +974 446 3515 adminafa@alfardan.com.qa www.mini-qatar.com < Museum of Islamic Art Al Corniche +974 422 4444 www.mia.org.qa < Officine Panerai Ali Bin Ali Watches & Jewellery Royal Plaza, Al Sadd Street +974 413 1391 www.alibinali.com www.panerai.com < Piaget Al Fardan Jewellery Co. The City Centre +974 483 0100 www.piaget.com < Puma Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 450 7306 www.puma.com < Qatar Airways Qatar airways Tower P.O. Box 22550 +974 449 6000 www.qatarairways.com

< Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation Salwa Road Zone 24, Bldg. 59 +974 437 9884 info@qmmf.com www.qmmf.com < Qatar Tennis Federation Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex Al Majles Twaon Street, Al Dafna +974 440 9666 info@qataropen.org www.qataropen.org < Quicksilver Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 450 7883 www.quicksilver.com < Ralph Lauren Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 460 4279 www.ralphlauren.com < Sheraton Cigar Shop Al Corniche +974 485 4444 sheraton.doha@qnhc.com www.sheraton-doha.com < Tanagra Villagio Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 460 4279 www.villaggioqatar.com < THE One Landmark Mall, Al Gharrafa +974 487 5222 www.landmarkdoha.com www.theoneplanet.com < Tod’s Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 413 4937 www.tods.com < Von Dutch Villaggio Mall Al Waab Street +974 460 4963 www.vondutch.com < VW Passat Saad Buzwair Automotive P.O. Box 31632 + 974 4666660 www.volkswagen-me.com