Sur La Terre - Issue 06 Manama (Sept09)

sur la terre foreword

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» foreword >>> Can you feel it, Manama? The wind whips about, launching your hair into the air like the hurricane mane of an Arabian steed. The hot blast of a sandy desert gale curves further the upturned corners of your smile as the rest of your body settles like a pressed button into the back of your seat.

What you are feeling is the effect of a universal force; one that has been captured and restrained here in Sur la Terre for your entertainment.

Ladies and gentlemen, may we present to you the rush of adrenaline, the impact of inertia ... the power of SPEED. Our high-paced dash carves a velocity-laced gash as we race to face the culture of haste. Our momentum builds first by Going Global, where we explore the perilous twists and death-defying turns of rallying’s most hair-raising race - The Transsyberian - and talk to a local GCC hero who actually survived it.

COVER IMAGE

Photo by: Ker Robertson

Embrace that quickening thud in your heart as we cut across corners and peel past pages to close the gap on this issue’s Showcase. In “The Ascension of Speed”, Sur la Terre activates its Flux Capacitor and shoots back in time to study the Gulf’s historic fixation with fleetness, focusing on the modern marvels that are Qatar’s Losail Racetrack and Bahrain’s own BIC.

Sur La Terre – Manama

General Manager: Jocquine Chami

Regional Managing Editor: James McCarthy Senior Editor: Steve Paugh

Area Manager - Manama: Chirine Halabi

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

Art & Design: Rena Chehayber, Lara Nakhleh, Michael Logaring Editorial Contributors: Désirée Mitterrand, Francesca Serra Distributed by: Med Mac Distribution Samples Printed by: Raidy Printing Group

Published by: Firefly Communications

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

While racing around, don’t forget to fill up your culture tank in Artopia (where we highlight the new Doha Tribeca Film Festival) and get a glimpse of our exclusive interview with globally renowned local jeweller, Mr. Nabeel Abdullah Al Zain. Once topped-up, screech into Unique Rides, where, amidst reviewing the new Mercedes E-Class Coupé and the Maserati Quattroporte, we skid out an ode to the history and future of Rolls Royce.

As always, Sur la Terre is there to lead you through yet another quarter of quivering excitement; so strap in, brace yourself and get ready for the redefinition of speed-reading.

See you at the finish line!

Steve Paugh Senior Editor

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sur la terre content

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content 08 in town

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

16 going global

We take you on a bumpy ride through the Transsyberian Rally

23 showcase

The Ascension of Speed races you through a luxurious racing lineage

30 artopia

The Doha Tribeca Film Festival is coming! Take a peek at its past and future

34 unique rides

We step behind the wheels of the latest Mercedes, Maserati and Rolls Royce

46 beauty

Beautify your life with a healthy dose of disco

49 star-crossed

Speeding Beauty: A visual tale of fine-tuned love

56 spotlight

A King of bling and scion of sparkle, we meet with Abdulla Al Zain

58 time history

SLT rolls through the ages with Rolex

sur la terre content

64 gourmet travel

James McCarthy trips around the brightest place down under: Sydney

68 good tastes

SLT goes Plums crazy as the Ritz Carlton re-invents the steakhouse

74 in vogue

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

78 fashion

Gossip Girls strut their stuff straight from the catwalks

84 society

Evenings out, parties, openings happening around town

86 haute property

Your guide to Manama’s most perfect pads and luxury living spaces

91 entertainment

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

96 snapshot

A photograph to inspire and admire

V 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

Make A Splash The Fall/Winter season is quickly approaching, and if you’re going to look the part, it’s time to get a bag that not only carries your stuff, but also carries you to greatness. The Marni style is both classic and contemporary. Even so, Marni usually stands out in direct contrast to any faddy trends that come and go through fashion’s field of vision. They persist in creating winning combinations of demure class, eclectic prints, refined cuts and vibrant colours. The new Wave bag, which has clasped itself around the arms of the Hollywood elite, is the newest accessory from the Fall/Winter 2009 to encapsulate the Marni verve. Characterised by a series of structured pleats billowing down both of its sides, it immediately gives off the formal look of a bow tie, yet the scrunched up cute face of casual cool. In its essence, it ripples with the frivolity of youth, yet pours itself with the distinction of vintage grace. Leather is treated with contrasting piping, highlighting the bag’s definitive shape and design. The Wave comes in two silhouettes, one with a taller, more formal poise, and another with a slouched bohemian shrug. If you want to be the next Julia Roberts, gliding down the red carpet like the fresh starlet you are, then it’s time to jump on board and catch the Wave.

Tick Tock Vroom Officine Panerai and Ferrari go together like stopwatches and burnt rubber; although not noticeably connected, one always seems to lead to the other. It’s no secret that the two big-time Italian brands have hooked up before to build some very impressive timepieces in their day, but one of their newest creations definitely comes in first as far as we’re concerned.

Originally designed by Sergio Pininfarina, the Ferrari California has been one of the Prancing Horse’s most recognisable models since its birth in 1958, and it continues to redefine the screeching spectacular that is sportscar driving. To celebrate that breakneck bloodline, Officine Panerai, the official licensee for the House of Maranello, has crafted an amazingly technical 45mm flyback chronograph. We could go into more technical details, like its tachymeter scale and Glucydur® monometallico balance, but there are almost too many to name, much less understand! For our money, it’s the way this puppy looks that makes it beautiful. Emblazoned on several points with the Ferrari logo and showing the slick yet subtle California name written in its typical cursive on the face, this watch seems to double as an ultra-chic dashboard display. So while you’re sitting in your California, clutching the wheel with one of your leather glove-clad hands and checking out your Officine Panerai wristwatch, you’ll realise one inescapable truth: Time flies!

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sur la terre in town

What’s a Z4? Driving!

Ladies and gents, the BMW Z4. Just look at it. Seriously, stop reading and look at it; we’ll wait. See what we mean? It’s a thing of beau ... oh, sorry, still looking? We understand, go ahead ... Done? Okay. See what we mean?

It’s a thing of beauty! As a direct descendent of the classic roadster, the Z4 design is rooted in tradition, but draped in the contemporary fantastic.

The comfort and space in this new model has been greatly enhanced, while maintaining the low seating position typical of the BMW Roadster.

Capable of reaching a top speed of 155 mph, prepare to get pushed back into the seat thanks to the world’s first straight-six power unit to feature Twin Turbo technology, which comes optional in the most sporting and dynamic version of the Z4. Now, we know that convertibles aren’t the most popular of cars in the Gulf region, but the Z4 might just be the exception to that rule. Its hardtop retracts in a very short 20 seconds and once the dust and sun soon settles, it’ll be the perfect topless torpedo in which to peel around town. Add to this the new iDrive navigation control system, enhanced safety features and a modern, clean, driver-oriented interior, the Z4 is the most exciting development to hit the Manama roads since the double-hump camel!

LoVely We’re not going to lie to you, the new Louis Vuitton Seduction boot, which is part of its highly-anticipated Pre Fall/Winter 2009 collection, had us quaking in our own boots. It’s straight-up scary! Honestly, this thing looks like it belongs in the wardrobe of a double-hard femme fatale or some kind of warrior princess. If Catwoman were real, she would wear these boots and right before she beat us up with her enhanced reflexes and horsewhip, we would remark on how her personal style not only encompasses a keen eye for taste, but also an appreciation for versatility. Much like the masked madams of myth, the Seduction can shift through a variety of different silhouettes. Its two rows of gritted zipper teeth allow its wearer to go from ankle-high to knee-high in one swift movement. Attaching the top portion increases its transformations still, turning it into a thigh-high stomper that can be worn straight or folded down for an extra feminine flair. Plus, the little functional calf-pouch would make anyutility belt-clad caped crusader jealous. Coming in two different leathers (sueded goat or lamb) and two heel heights (flat or stiletto), this one-stop arsenal of apparel is the perfect for stepping out into the dark night.

Write On! The pen, as they cliché, is mightier than the sword, but is it also mightier than the automobile? Well, Cartier likes to think that writing instruments are at least on par with the car, and after seeing their new line of composition accoutrements, we’re inclined to agree. The smooth, ebony contours of the Cartier Roadster collection succeed in giving off that classic motoring vibe from which it has been inspired. At very least, the Roadster invites everyone from budding authors to high-level check signers to take a luxurious spin around the page. Available in ballpoint, rollerball and fountain versions, each pen is coated from body to cap in black resin, with palladium appointments. Its blue cabochon-tipped crown makes us think of the headlights in our stately manor car. The elegant addition of an 18k rhodiumised gold nib and special Cartier engraving not only punctuates your penmanship with that midas touch, but also makes your John Hancock the new gold standard in signatures.

Finally, we can look as good writing our articles as you do reading them!

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sur la terre in town

How Marlow can you go?

As ever, the bag is an important accessory to accentuate your look this Autumn/Winter season, and not to be outdone by all of the many other beautiful options out there is the bag-osphere, Chloé has thrown its own distinctive style of sacks into the ring. The Marlow, as it is referred to in excited high-pitched squeals or in hushed jealous whispers, is yet another “must have handbag” for the season, and it’s plain to see why.

Normally, we like to go for carryalls with a bit less clutter, thinking that all the straps, buckles and other accouterment take away from its overall form and grace, but sometimes a bag meets a happy medium, and it has done so with the Marlow. Its decorative buckles, zips, side pockets and chains provide it the gravity of the season without weighing it down under pretentiousness. Wrapped in goat skin or python leather, the colours range from a warm desert sand to a deep and delicious green. Delicate yet durable, decadent yet down-to-earth, the Marlow is guaranteed to take anyone who wishes to sling it over her shoulder to great highs throughout the season.

The Hard Drive Made Easy Ah, the external hard drive: the mobile home in the trailer park of the computer world. When you absolutely, positively have to move or back up every piece of data from your computer’s hard drive, accept no substitutes. Ever since we acquired the good sense to buy one, it has changed our lives completely. Do you have any idea how much space the entire discography of WHAM! can take up on your computer’s hard drive?

Well we do, and it’s a lot! Now, our digital worlds are about to get even more flexible thanks to the LG Electronics XF1 Portable Home Theatre, the lightest, fightingest external drive on the market. The power within its tiny frame is capable of reproducing any file format, and containinsa storage capacity of 500GB through a USB 2.0 connection and HDMI interface, all in a case 20.8 mm thick. It’s like your own little pocket universe ... which is yet another thing we’ve always wanted. The other difference between the XF1 is its look, which no longer subscribes to the big and boxy shapes of old. Sleek, smooth and sophisticated, with curves that careen over frictionless skin, the slick clamshell exterior belies the true beat of its technological heart and thus perfectly exemplifies LG’s motto of “Advanced Technology, Beautifully Hidden.” Mobile multimedia has never been so sexy.

The Eyes Have It The eyes, as it has been noted many a time before, are filled with stories ... well, apart from Superman’s eyes. Those are filled with lasers! Now, thanks to Chanel, you can have the best of both of these worlds. With the new Autumn 2009 collection created by makeup maestro, Peter Philips, your eyes too can tell their own dramatic tale, while at the same time stunning everyone with your own special brand of “heat vision.” Using as its inspiration the aqueous beauty of Venice, the new collection dives deeply into a marine world of colour. Pearls, golds and blacks douse the eyes in a fine layer of red-hot intensity, framing them in the rich, simmering shades of the season, and in the chic noir attitude so strongly associated with the Chanel name. Applied using fingers or the specifically designed foam applicator, Chanel amazes by making you look punky, funky, fresh or posh, depending on your personality. Your eyes will express your innermost moods, disturbing as they do the complacent calm of a world shrouded in the same-old. Get ready to ignite this, the twilight time of the year.

sur la terre in town

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Water Canon If it’s one thing we’ve learned from the old Disney film, The Little Mermaid, it’s that there are some pretty crazy parties going on “under the sea.” Crabs are playing the xylophone on the backs of turtles, lobsters are breaking beats on clam shells and stingrays are somehow using corral as maracas!

It’s a killer rave and we’re missing out! Not to worry, though, because Canon has our ticket to the deep-sea shebang: the new 12.1 Megapizel PowerShot D10. The PowerShot D10 is the first waterproof digital compact camera in the company’s history. Old school waterproof cameras have suffered from poor picture quality, but with the 3x zoom lens, Image Stabilizer and multiple framing options, the photo-tech has finally been perfected! Easy to use, but hard to break, the PowerShot D10 contains within its nigh-invulnerable frame intuitive technology, superb quality and all of the modern features and conveniences we’ve come to expect from the digital age, including an exceptionally bright 2.5” PureColor LCD II with a 2mm-thick protective shield. We hit it with our best and most ferocious cannonballs and bellyflops, and it kept on ticking. Now all we have to do is find Poseidon’s underwater kingdom of happiness and song, take a few snaps and watch the money roll in!

It Just Makes Versense Wearing Versace perfume just makes sense ... or “scents,” as the case may be. The pastel green visual essence of the legendary brand’s newest fragrance, Versense, mellows softly from behind its crystal body in an enticingly earthy invitation. The subdued organic radiance that shimmers under the bottle’s Medusa crest, which in turn denotes a fervent femininity, is just the herald of an odiferous odyssey through nature. The fresh, citrusy top notes of prickly pear, green mandarin and bergamot are further enhanced by the intense purity of Jasmine and the exotic, gingery spice of cardamom. Underlying hints of sea daffodils dance delicately throughout the fragrant waltz; nigh-imperceptible, yet necessary, almost like the quiet, yet heady tones of a flute in an otherwise thundering orchestra.

Grounding everything in a woody rigidity are the bottom notes of cedar, olive tree, musk and sandalwood. The whole experience is light and airy, using all of the powers of nature to leave your confined civility breathless.

Samso-MIGHT There are very few elements in life that perfectly merge when fused together, like peanut butter and jam, milk and cookies or jungle cats and battle harnesses. However, there are others that don’t so readily make sense, like the merger between the businesses of motorsports and luggage. Of course, if it’s one thing that the agreement between McLaren and Samsonite has proven, it’s that these two worlds are perfect for each other. Inspired by the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team, the Fall/Winter Samsonite Black Label suitcase line is sure to make any voyage go much quicker. Not only is the new case as sleek and as cool as the cars it emulates, it also contains in its own chassis much of the same levels of endurance that differentiates an F1 car from a Ford pickup truck. Get this: the two wheels even have their own suspension system, which assists with uneven ground and helps keep all of your stuff nice and safe. The durability and handling of the bags have been hand-tested by the McLaren team themselves, and if you’ve ever seen them handle the tarmac, you know what that entails; let’s just say, they weren’t gentle. If you want to add a little speed to your getaway this season, Samsonite is just right.

(NOTE: Bag may not be appropriate for travel on personal battle-cat.)

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sur la terre going global

Transcending Syberia

4,400 Miles, 24 Teams, 6 Time Zones, 2 Weeks, 1 Winner: Welcome to the Transsyberian Rally

< Team Spain >

< Team Germany >

>>> Ulan Bator. To the undiscriminating xenophobe, this may sound more like a Fantastic Four baddie than a country’s capital, but as nefarious as Mongolia’s largest city sounds, it is actually a place of grand (pre)historic significance, sweeping natural majesty and uncompromising manmade beauty. However, alongside UNESCO World Heritage sites like the Bogd Khan Uul mountain, which rolls the landscape into frozen pastoral swells, or any of the hundreds-of-years-old monasteries, temples and palaces that dot the city and countryside, there is something else particularly special about the city; something a bit more, dare we say it, extreme. For two years, Ulan Bator has played the role of final destination for Porsche’s annual Transsyberian Rally, a hair-raising, chassis-rending race that ends abruptly in a grit of rubber on stone, and a cloud of dust and steam.

Of course, much like life, this rally is more than just the destination; it’s about the journey.

Ripping ruggedly onto the scene in August 2007, the Transsyberian Rally has since been described by many of its participants and fans as an “old school” endurance race, and it’s easy to see why. There’s a certain amount of fire in your belly and spit in your eye that you need to even have the guts to enter this race, let alone complete it. Taking place over a span of about two weeks, the grueling contest sees a growing number of international teams race from Moscow, Russia to the aforementioned villainously-named Ulan Bator. The route of the rally looks like a crooked

sur la terre going global

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frown, carved with a rusty knife on the grizzled features of one of the world’s most dynamically treacherous landscapes.

< Christian Lavieille and Francois Borsotto Team 17 France >

< Team Russia >

Throughout its history, the vast region of Syberia has seen the migration of a rich cultural tapestry of nomadic tribes and established nations, sometimes clashing violently in their back and forth bids for power.

That heritage remains true today in the region, but instead of armed combat and steely armaments, the weapons are semi-modified Porsche Cayennes, Toyota Land Cruisers, Mercedes-Benz G320s and Land Rover Defenders, just to name a few. The sinuous strength of arm and hardened spirit that pounded through the warriors of yesteryear are still employed by the combatants of today, though the means and ends of battle are markedly different. Or are they? The struggle may no longer be based on the capture of land and power, but if it’s one thing the rally does prove, it’s that domination is still everything. Of course, in order to achieve that ascendence to supremacy, the victor will have to first defeat another enemy: Mother Nature; and she’s a bitter, bitter mistress.

Over the entirety of its approximate 4,412 miles (7,108 km), drivers are forced to do battle with literally every type of terrain, from the rampaging power of whitewater rapids to dense defence of narrow forest paths to the howlingly high winds of the haunting Gobi desert. Nothing is offlimits, and though it seems contrary to the reality of a given situation,

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sur la terre going global

no obstacle is un-traversable. Since this is a Porsche-inspired event, most drivers and co-drivers captain the Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia, an initially criticised bit of automotive ingenuity, which has forced many of its detractors to eat their shoes thanks to the car’s championship durability and victorious performance in this race. While the Cayenne has been laying dow its dominance over the race since its inception, other makes like Mitsubishi and Suzuki are showing up, rising through the ranks and finding out what it takes to grit through the gristle of the ground and bring home the win. Most of the time, a check mark in the “W” column is primarily thanks to the skill of the driver, but small adaptations to the body of the chariots have also increased performance; these include a pared down rear bumper and higher angled front, a smoother surface and exhaust system to reduce jutting pieces and eliminate snags, a harder, thicker undercarriage and skid plate to provide armoured protection, reinforced A and B pilars, increased sealing to make driving through water less ... you know ... “wet,” an advanced navigation system and, our personal favourite, a roof-mounted snorkel. Alternatively plodding and racing through the muck, water and gravel of the rally, competitors can usually expect to race daily tours that can take upwards of 15 hours to complete; even more if something should go wrong like, say, “death.”

In all seriousness, the Transsyberian Rally is nothing if not perilous, but while there is a substantial number of accidents and smaller injuries, there have as yet been no mortal consequences during the rally. That, of course, doesn’t mean that it can’t be considered a “death race,” for surely that possibility is ever-present given the danger levels.

< Team USA >

And yet, despite the fact that this race contains all of the bed-wetting terror and shrill-peeling excitement of the other major rallies the world over, it is still somewhat looked down upon or worse, ignored, by some of the racing community. Admittedly, this might simply be a case of its age.

Unlike other similar races, like The Dakar, which can trace its roots back to 1978, Transsyberian is really still in its infancy. However, the disrespect and disavowal with which it has to currently contend is changing. Already rallying royalty like Armin Schwarz, René Metge and Rod Millen have stepped into a car and slogged it out in Syberia, each stating that it was anything but a walk in the park. Christian Lavieille, a former FIA World Champion who has been turning heads with impressive racing and endurance runs since 1994, and latest winner of the 2008 Transsyberian with a time of 27 hours and 13 minutes, famously said, “The Transsyberia is magic.” We can only assume that he means dark magic, of course.

It seems that the strategy for each race differs depending on the driver.

The overall feeling, however, is that while boosts of speed are important,

< Team Switzerland >

sur la terre going global

< Team Portugal >

slow, steady and a bit cautious sometimes do win the race. “It isn’t just driving fast. It’s surviving to cross the finish line,” says Millen. “Forget about driving flat-out all the time.” Even some of our local Gulf boys, who are largely unperturbed by the rigours of their craft, have said that the Transsyberian is one of the most contentious races in which they have competed. Adel Abdullah, a local Qatari and Transsyberian veteran, spoke with Sur la Terre and offered personal opinions and anecdotes about his experiences in the rally, all of which can be read in our exclusive interview with him in the following pages. After speaking with him, we were further impressed by the sheer scope of the race; and by “impressed,” we of course mean “frightened.”

< Top 3 Teams >

In its relatively small time on the international racing scene, the Transsyberian Rally has established itself as a formidable institution.

As it grows, welcoming more and more representatives from varying countries across the globe, it will continue to delight its fans and push its drivers to even higher levels of competition and performance. Regardless of how it changes and evolves, one thing is for sure about the rally: it is and always will be one hell of a ride.

For more information about the Transsyberian Rally, including driver information, results and the latest news, rumble over to http://www. transsyberia-rallye.de

< Said Rasshid Al Hajri Team # 13 (Qatar) >

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sur la terre going global

Adel Abdullah:

The Transsyberian Survivor What is the Transsyberian Rally for those who don’t know? What is the feeling? What’s the importance of the race? Is it different from other rally experiences you’ve had? If so, how?

Well, I started racing about 19 years ago, in 1990. I’ve done many rallies and cross country races in the region since then. Transsyberia is completely different. There is everything in this rally: trees, grass, forest, mountains, rivers; everything you can see, everything you can feel.

Everyday, especially in Russia, is something different. When we started in Moscow, it was muddy and slippery, through water and forest, and it becomes very hard to keep control of the car. On the second day, there was sand in the forest, which I’ve never seen before. The race goes from one element to another and requires more concentration than in any other race. You see, the organisers for Transsyberia do not prepare the drivers as much as in other rallies, so everything is a surprise and

it is easier to get lost. In Mongolia, there are many ditches, storms and times when it’s raining so hard that you can’t see. All of these challenges are harder to overcome than anyone imagines.

Also, there are experiences that you wouldn’t believe, like once in Mongolia when our car suffered from electrical problems. It was pouring rain and we had lost our way. We tried to stop and restart the systems in the car, but it didn’t work. I needed a jumper cable, but of course I didn’t have one, so I had to explain to the people in this small Mongolian village that I needed a cable. We finally managed after 15 minutes to get this cable with prongs on one end and open wires on the other. Luckily, it worked and once the car started everyone jumped up and celebrated! You’re not only dealing with the ride and the car, but different cultures and situations as well.

sur la terre going global

So, as a whole, you have to be ready for anything. It sounds dynamic and must be difficult to prepare for physically and mentally. How do you get ready for this kind of race?

For the Transsyberian Rally, you have to work on endurance. Your body needs to be fit enough to push yourself to the maximum for four to five hours a day or more. The first year we went, we met a French driver who had done rallies for 25 years. When we finished the Transsyberian, he told me it was the most difficult race he’d driven. The race goes into undeveloped places, so again, the terrain can change and get worse as we go along. If you see asphalt, you’re happy! [laughs] In 2007, the water that we had to pass through caused a big problem for us, especially because I was not experienced in driving through water. I learned that watching other racers go first and watching the currents of the water was important. You learn from your own mistakes, and you learn from the mistakes of others. It’s not just speed and power.

The Transsyberian race is getting more and more popular, isn’t it?

Many drivers and aficionados used to not take the race seriously. Why is that, and do you think that mentality is changing?

Some people don’t take the challenge seriously, since the rally is only three years old and hasn’t gotten much media coverage. But, if you talk to the drivers that race there, they will tell you that it is no joke. These are world-class rally drivers who know that the difference between winning, losing and crashing in this race is very small. The status of our drivers is increasing as well. Transsyberia is now seeing former European and world champions racing in it. The talent and recognition have both grown since its start, and even from 2007 to 2008. The rally is getting more and more media attention, as well. Journalists and fans are everywhere now, which shows that it is getting more popular.

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sur la terre showcase

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The Ascension of How the Middle East reached its Motorsport crescendo, and transformed its rustic motoring passion into high-speed luxury

< QMMF hosts the Moto GP under f loodlights 2009 >

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sur la terre showcase

< Qatar has become synonymous with motorcycle racing in the region >

>>> Under the endless desert sands that cloak the GCC nations in a blustery beige skin, there beats a pulse. The simultaneously organic and mechanised rhythm pounds through drums of oil and pipes of gas in a solid throb as it flows through arid veins. The sound roars as it reaches its centre, winding its way past geography and threading itself into the very web of a modern Middle East culture thirsty for legacy. They have given a name to this melodious legacy that now so thoroughly thunders its way to prominence over ancient sands and into stadium stands. It is the aria of adrenalin, the symphony of speed. It is, in short, the music of Motorsport, and the euphonious cadence in the heart of its engine has never been this strong.

Road Tripping through the Gates of Evolution What began years ago in the soft pitter-patter of a growing storm has been strengthened, magnified by a growing throng of faithful followers dedicated to discovering and cultivating a homegrown motoring movement. Of course, it all began with the age-old Arabian addiction to haste. Long before the 12th century, when Arab merchants first impressed visiting Europeans with the historic Arabian steed, they were breeding these animals to go further and ride faster, racing both the horses and themselves into a famished fervour for fleetness.

This dedication would last for centuries up to and through the current age, where the vehicle for racing has changed in many different ways.

Similarly, watching the progression of the Gulf region in the Middle East is an interesting study in parallel developments.

The early days of the 1900s saw the discovery of the material and monetary boon of a strong current of oil and natural gas, which would fuel the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s industrial boom in the coming years in more ways than one. At around the same time, in the beginning of the 20th century, motorsport was just beginning to skid in to mass interest. The

< Celebrities like Rock legends Robert Plant & Eric Clapton travel to BIC for the F1 >

< Bahrain International Circuit from the air >

sur la terre showcase

< Formula 1 at BIC has become a must-attend event in the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sporting and social calender >

1900 Olympics in Paris were monumental, not only because it was the first time women could participate as competitors, but also because it was the first time that motorsports were introduced on the global stage. While not officially part of the games that year, the astounded audiences were left breathless with daring displays and thrilling races the likes of which the world had never seen. Not surprisingly, the world became increasingly interested in the sport, as it gained more credence as a viable entity. So too it was for the progression of the Middle East.

Blessed as they became with the luxury of disposable income thanks to their new fuel-driven wealth, places like Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia began to transform into hubs for trade, business and of course, sport. The real drive to create a motorsport mecca in the Gulf was built on the desire of locals, many of whom watched on as the rest of the world honed their professional interests in the sport. Practicing their own driving skills, Gulf nationals waited for the day that they could form their own teams, build their own motoring monoliths and win their own medals. Most motoring events in the region were, at the time, based around more traditional styles like rallying and drag racing.

Despite the modern rediscovery and fascination with these forms of racing, they were largely seen as the less â&#x20AC;&#x153;professionalâ&#x20AC;? subsets in the motoring world, but faced with a dearth of usable venues, drivers were able to hone their skills based on the surrounding terrain, implementing their knowledge and expertise of driving in the dynamic conditions to achieve a higher level of driving competency. As the money, respect and renown in the region grew, it was time to move forward. Quickly.

< A bahraini woman shows off a henna Tattoo of the BIC logo >

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< Abu Dhabi is set to host its first F1 Grand Prix this year, adding another high profile fixture for the region >

In total, there are a planned six international racing circuits to be built in the Middle East, all of which are already, or will be at a world-class level.

Abu Dhabi already has a raceway, which will also have a Ferrari World amusement park, and Dubai similarly impresses with its Autodrome.

However, within this growing list of recently burgeoning countries, the two that stand out above the rest for their dedication to new forms of motorpsport are, without doubt, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Qatar. Both GCC nations truly set off on the road to motorsporting might in the early days of the 21st century. In fact, 2003 was a hallmark year for the two countries, and saw both developing key institutions that have lasted the test of time and financial crisis, and in the wake of growing appeal, have grown with the promise to be massive means of income for both countries in the future.

The Blossom of the BIC Designed by former driver and now legendary Fromula One raceway architect, Hermann Tilke, the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) was the lifelong dream of many of its proponents, which became a reality thanks to the initiator of the project, H H Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom and of course, its patron, His Majesty Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Many racing fans stood in disbelief as the plans came together to build one of the region’s first world-class motorsport circuits. Luckily, the foresight of the Kingdom’s leaders looked past the vehement arguments of BIC’s initial detractors, and instead focused on the gains (both monetarily and culturally) that the new complex would produce in and for the country and region. Of course, the critics soon ran out of gas and were quickly run down once the US$150 million project came to fruition, having since proven to be a wise investment. On the 169 hectare site where BIC now lies, there once stood only a vast expanse of sand, desert brush and untapped potential. However, in the staggeringly

< Speed, Girls and Glamour are a staple f ixture at such events >

< Virgin boss, Richard Branson promotes his new Brawn F1 team at BIC this year >

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rapid span of 16 months after its initial ground breaking in December 2002, that plot of barren land was transformed into one of the most lauded venues for motorsport in the world today. The circuit, which sits 30km outside of the capital city of Manama and used to languish in the company of passing camels and ferocious desert winds, now bustles in the exhilaration of thousands of keen racing fans and blusters in the fury of roaring engines. As well as being able to accommodate most disciplines in the motorsport world, the BIC is most importantly the first Middle East-based institution to be named as an accredited venue for the official FIA Formula One World Championship.

The inaugural race took place on April 4, 2004, and saw racing royalty, Michael Schumacher, hurtle his Ferrari past the finish line to carve yet another groove into racing history. Since that day, it has brought in many more international events, such as Formula 3, GP2 and FIA GT championships, not to mention tens of thousands more fans. To all the naysayers who scoffed at its creation, saying that it would be a gaping void of lost dinars, the BIC has but one, simple retort: cha-ching! According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the BIC will account for much of the US$3.8 billion in revenue generated for Bahrain under tourism by the year 2015. Already, the venue has accrued millions of dollars worth of interest, in one case making US$580 million alone for a weekend in 2007.

It also raises the profile of the Kingdom even further as a city draped in the red carpet, as it is not only legendary motoring stars that drive up the visibility of the country, but also area and global VIPs, many of whom have enjoyed the lavish facilities housed within the state-of-theart venue. Of course, there is just as much heart in its commitment as there is cash in its coffers. There is a commitment to care and education with the circuit’s global road safety initiative, “Think Before You Drive,” which focuses on implementing and using safety features in cars such as seat belts and child safety devices, as well as making drivers aware of the dangers of fast driving on the road; they want everyone to leave that to the professionals. The BIC has truly blossomed into something great, not only increasing the exposure of Bahrain as a key site of motoring greatness and providing a more professional venue for new local stars to train and ply their trade, but also helping to bring the Kingdom into the forefront of its own sporting destiny.

< Qatar’s QMMF team at the Endurance World Championship’s 24h Le Mans race >

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The Crystallisation of the QMMF At about the same time that Bahrain’s BIC seemingly burst from beneath the desert floor, there was another growing rumble in nearby Qatar. The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has been the centre of motorsport in Qatar for years, transforming itself from a loosely tied union of varying motorists into a country-wide coalition with one shared cause: Speed. However, even with a 20-year evolution, the QMMF first truly geared itself to grandeur in June 2003. Not to be outdone by its neighbouring brothers, Qatar was literally driven to establish its own name in the road-worn realm of motorsport, a passion for the country that at least equalled that of Bahrain. It was this motivation that pushed the State to sign an agreement with Dorna Sports of Spain, the company that originally funded and organised the MotoGP motorcycle race in 1949. This contract guaranteed Doha the right to host the very first MotoGP World Championship in the Middle East.

< Losail has become a beacon for the region’s motorcycle enthusiasts >

In a bid similar to that of President Kennedy’s “We choose to go to the moon” approach of stirring the drive without much preparation, the deal with Dorna Sports allowed only 18 months in which the worldclass racing circuit could be built. However, as has been true with their approach to building most of the other manmade constructs in the region, Qatar refused to be held back by the practicalities that sometimes weigh down vision.

Under the leadership of the Emir, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and the guidance of Heir Apparent HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, as well as the ground direction of current QMMF president and former 1993 Middle East Rally Champion, Mr. Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Attiya, everyone involved with the project worked hard, spending time and over US$58 million in a mad dash from the ground breaking event held in December 2003 to the inaugural event in October 2004. In a shocking turn of events, QMMF’s dream to build their own MotoGP-compatible ground incredibly came true within a year. Losail International Circuit, the premiere point of motorsport in

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< Noise, power and speed at the startline of the 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix >

Qatar, was officially born. In its first event almost five years ago, Losail hosted maestros of the motor, like Valentino Rossi, Carlos Checa, Kenny Roberts Jr., Max Briggs and Sete Gibernau, to lord over the now tamed land in a display that was the first of its kind in the Middle East.

Since then, Losail has seen many more firsts race across its luxuriously laid roads, including His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thaniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movement to hold night races, a lofty ambition for a racecourse positioned 30km outside of Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital city. Literally surrounded by a domain populated by dust and haze, the environs around Losail are anything but conducive to the modern convenience of technology.

However, with the help of Musco Lighting, the innovative individuals behind Losail were able to flood the midnight black of their corner of the world with light, effectively turning blackness into day. What could be more apropos an image for a nation that literally switched the light of sporting progress on an otherwise past-darkened landscape? The circuit has turned a former wasteland into a premiere destination which brings locals close enough to rub elbows with celebrity and smell the volcanic tang of the burnt rubber of sporting luminaries. Luckily, the build in a rich lineage of both motorsport and Qatar is set to continue until at least 2016, thanks to a renewal deal signed recently between Dorma CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and QMMF President Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah.

With that extension and all of its planned developments, it is a sure bet that this Prix will continue to get even more Grand.

Over the years, the Gulf has changed. Nomadic and trade-driven in the past, it has gone through a forced, yet welcome evolution that has taken its inclusive countries to great heights and capabilities far beyond those of even the most seasoned state. This stalwart progress is perhaps best seen in its treatment of sport, bringing in many contracts and sports that

have otherwise evaded the Middle East region. Motorsport is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest growing sport in terms of popularity, and nearly every nation is vying to dominate its presence. With developments like BIC and Losail, it is easy to see that, just as it has done in the past, the Gulf is gearing up to speed ahead and take the lead.

To find out more about BIC, go to their website at www.bahraingp.com, and to learn more about QMMF, go to www.qmmf.com

< The home team prepare for race time at Losail, Doha >

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sur la terre artopia

Home Movies The Tribeca Film Festival was born in the ashes of tragedy, cultivated in the fertile ground of creativity and spread in the name of artistic transparency.

With excitement mounting for the festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrival in Doha, Sur la Terre turns its own lens on the national history and legacy of Tribeca, and explores the international scope of its bright future.

>>> September 11, 2001. The world remembers this day, with great consternation, as one that changed the face of geopolitics, bringing to bear the gaping social issues of intercultural understanding, as well as the meaning, nature and cost of war. There were many casualties in the sad act that displaced the world that day, not only in the more important physical ramifications of lost life, but also in the almost immediate collapse of systems. Not least of these were the flashdecay of the economy, and the vacuum swallow of the multinational arts culture in the immediately affected areas within New York City. At the same time manmade physical structures tumbled to the ground in the piercing hush of an inaudible scream, so too did the voice of music choke and the arts of movement and still life stumble. A harrowing silence loomed in the space between times, pausing in the slow, throaty hiss of lost breath as the strength of an international culture waned into a grinding halt. This respite, however, was not to last. Culture, like any body, refuses to quit so easily.

The cardiac arrest of New York’s creativity was most palpable in the seclusion of lower Manhattan, which had already gone through economic and cultural renewal in years prior. History is, in this case thankfully, not above repeating itself. Defibrillation came shortly after the attack, by hands well-practiced in the art of cultural, or more specifically, cinematic, rejuvenation. The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) was founded in 2001 by luminary stars of the silver screen, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Rosenthal’s renowned philanthropical husband Craig Hatkoff, with the intention of spurring on that much-needed revitalisation of the New York arts and culture scene. According to the festival’s website, www.tribecafilm.com, the philosophy of the annual event “focuses on assisting filmmakers to reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promoting New York City as a major filmmaking centre.”

That lofty mission has, over the near eight years of its existence, been successfully met, and still continues to grow. Not only has Tribeca introduced a financial stimulus into the suffering economy of New York in excess of US $425 million, it has also become recognised as one of the predominant film festivals across the international spectrum. Its main motivations were founded on the shared desires of its founders to launch and assist the careers of local and independent filmmakers, and while

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the festival maintains that perseverance to disseminate such features, documentaries and films to a wider audience, it has also increased its scope by hosting the premiere of many Hollywood blockbusters, including About A Boy, United 93, Mission Impossible III and Star Wars: Episode II. Of course, the festival is more than just movies, as it has also grown into a flavourful fusion of all parts of culture, including a street fair with lively elements of the musical, theatric and of course, the fantastic.

For an event born and bred in the shadow of loss, the Tribeca Film Festival is, in actuality, the ever-growing product of hope, determination and sheer will. The spread of its reach has already surpassed the cloud of rubble and debris that heralded its arrival, ensuring that the power of the echo has undermined the violence of the voice. That reverberation which has resounded along the streets and between the buildings of New York has officially escaped the confines of the city and, as was announced last year, has rippled across oceans of distance and culture to settle within the soft sands of one of the most promising, and ironically fertile, grounds for the growth of culture: the Middle East. Doha, Qatar has thrust itself into the forefront of a modern arts culture around the Arabian Gulf, particularly with its smaller, independent art houses and more visibly with its international paragon of culture and art in the modern Arab world: Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art. This hallmark establishment was the perfect

platform to announce a union between these two markedly different, yet similarly revolutionary institutions, and so it did last year, just weeks before the museum’s opening. From October 29th to November 1st this year, Doha will play host to the very first Tribeca Film Festival outside of New York City and in so doing, inaugurate a new wave of creativity never before seen in even this increasingly more progressive region. The founders of the original event understand that Doha stands at the precipice of progress in the Gulf as a cultural icon, thanks to its commitment to education, the arts and interjecting culture in places where it was previously barren. “We are honoured to create an enduring cultural partnership with [the Qatar Museums Authority],”said TFF co-founder Jane Rosenthal,“and to announce the launch of the Tribeca Film Festival Doha. Qatar’s transformational vision for the 21st century with its emphasis on culture and education is uniquely consistent with the goals and aspirations of the TFF.” One of the leaders of this national drive to achieve a greater sense of culture is Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Chairperson of QMA’s Board of Trustees. Under her patronage, the Tribeca Film Festival Doha will, according to literature distributed by the authority, “feature new work from established filmmakers alongside film debuts from newly discovered directing talents.” In this way, it will follow the dynamic lineage of the original festival, while at the same time

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introducing new elements to this unique audience of interested film lovers.

It will also build on the already internationally feverish interest in Arab art, film and culture. The festival will showcase around 40 films of local and international talents alike. “The festival will include a wide range of programming,” says Abdullah Al Najjar,Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Museums Authority, “from outdoor screenings to movies for children, from documentaries to new Hollywood releases and form independent films to showcases of the very best works by Arab filmmakers.”

Along with implementing ideas from the original TFF, including a subfestival that will run concurrently at Al Bidda Park called The Family & Sports Festival, the Doha chapter will also introduce a new element to Tribeca’s future as well as the host country’s cultural landscape: The Doha Conversations.These open dialogues will continue a modern trend in Qatar to open discussions between foremost thinkers and creative icons in the arts and, similar to the festival itself, foster the bridge-building between the cultural divides of East and West. This will enable art to transcend beyond previously held borders. As Robert De Niro said at the media event which announced the festival last year, “We hope that film will not only be used as a form of entertainment at Tribeca Film Festival Doha, but play a role in bringing cultures closer together. By learning each others’ stories, we can see how much we share in common as well as explore and better

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understand our differences.” Fellow co-founder Craig Hatkoff agreed by saying, “We think the key to success will be understanding and respecting one another’s cultures and traditions. We believe this festival will lead to many other important and educational initiatives in Doha and Beyond.”

It is without question that TFF Doha will continue the modern heritage in the Middle East of encouraging artistic and cultural growth. The way has been paved by other regional festivals such as the annual Gulf Film Festival held in Manama, and the Alexandria Film Festival in Egypt, but Tribeca brings with it a much broader appeal and international potential. That the Gulf, and specifically Doha, was chosen to be the first location of this groundbreaking event’s foray into the global scene is really no surprise, thanks to its position as a forerunner of culture, much like Tribeca when it first started. The Tribeca Film Festival has literally come a long way since it first freed itself from the dust of ruination and rose like a guiding light for a new generation of arts, entertainment and culture. TFF Doha is set to do the same, this time rising through desert sands and fanning the winds of change for a whole new breathless audience.

For more information about the Tribeca Film Festival Doha, visit www.DohaTribecaFilm.com

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E-Class is in Session

Mercedes-Benz makes and breaks yet another mould >>> The above lyrics, written and performed by the legendary Janis Joplin just before her untimely demise way back in 1970, were the first to initiate in this editor the first pangs of desire for what has proven and still does prove to be one of the most sought-after car makes in automotive history. Since that day, when Joplin’s throaty warbles blasted through the static of a cracklingly weak-signaled classic rock station, it seems that every big-named musician has celebrated the Mercedes. The badge is more than just a status symbol, it is a way of luxurious life for the upper crust of humanity, and the ultimate goal for those who wish to

lead it. It’s no surprise that its name has been rapped, sung and rocked by the most preeminent poster boys and girls of wealth and taste since the marque was first launched in the late 1880s. Normally an impressive feat for any brand name, the organic evolution of Mercedes is a natural, given its high reputation for luxury, durability, strength and power. There’s this certain lustre that just doesn’t seem to fade with the Mercedes, no matter what any of its few critics say, and the brand’s newest E-Class family continues that prestige into not only a whole new generation of motoring, but also into an even higher status-phere.

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“Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?

My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends. Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends, So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?”

- Janis Joplin Powerfully angular. Electrifyingly virile. Instantly classic. The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé kind of reminds us of a recent business school graduate; a little bit brash with a young , unapologetic attitude, but altogether committed to being a young professional. It lives in the place where young arrogance, the power of impression and the wisdom of experience all meet for a fat-free power lunch. Of course, because it’s the “new guy,” it has had to put up with a lot of testing and personal challenges, just to see if it has the right stuff to be a Benzo.

Everything from the selective damper control, drowsiness detection and preventive occupant protection to the automatic emergency braking system and adaptive main beam assist have been tested and driven hard through each maximum weathering extreme. This push does one of two things: it kills you or makes you stronger ... and the kung fu of the new E-Class is strong!

Available in two versions, the E350, a V6 with 272 hp that rockets forward from zero to 100 km in 6.5 seconds, and the V8 model, the E500, which has an even more staggering horsepower of 388 and can reach 100 km/h in the short span of 5.3 seconds. See what we mean about being brash? When you’re driving the new Coupé, enjoying switching back and forth between its varyingly sporty suspensions, it sort of feels like a stubborn student who has been told over and over not to run in the school hallway ... but still zig zags between people and other various slow moving obstacles at full tilt anyway. As one of those students in bygone days of unrepentant youth, Sur la Terre can relate! However, as professionals, we appreciate the finer things in life, like protecting the safety of our own necks, for example. That’s why we also dig the wider-base tires and agility control systems, which effectively provide a bit of traction and stability to our mirth-filled merrymaking, which otherwise would go on wildly. With a stiffer spring, shock absorbers, a stabiliser setup and greater braking capacity thanks to perforated brake discs, the car basically comes with its own inner teacher that doesn’t let us get away with boundary-less bounding with impunity.

The kid in us may not like being restrained, but the adult doesn’t mind.

Besides which, the look of the newest model to come out of the 40 year E-Class lineage is just plain cool. Its cuts and grooves are angled in the sleekest way, as if it was a carved postmodern sculpture abstractly addressing the very nature of speed. Aside from aesthetics, these sweepingly angular lines succeed in separating the Coupé from just another upstart, instead turning it into a groundbreaking prospect. You see, the new E-Class Coupe’s aerodynamic design gives it the industry’s best drag coefficient of a mere 0.24 Cd, effectively making it the world’s most aerodynamically efficient sales-production car.

We have to admit, we like the cut of the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe’s jib. Smart yet stylish, brazen yet smooth, this is a car that is inspired by rock & roll, but mellowed by Mozart. Now more than ever, we know why Janis so desperately pleaded fo a Mercedes-Benz, a sentiment that we will now echo to the skies as well.

Oh Lord, won’t you by me an E-Class Coupé!

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When Worlds Collide Sur la Terre has a go in the Maserati Quattroporte S, which has only recently arrived in town, and comes to grips with a car that has four doors and two distinct personalities.

>>> Indecision is usually a pet peeve of mine, which is ironic since I myself am pretty indecisive. Blatant disregard for hypocrisy aside, I find it pretty frustrating when someone or something can’t decide what he, she or it wants to be. It’s kind of how I felt after seeing the portrayal of nefarious Decepticon leader Megatron in the latest Transformers movie. Are you a scary looking plane or a creepy looking tank? Last time I checked, your name wasn’t Can’tdecideatron! Sorry, I get a little emotional when it comes to my evil robots. Anyway, this indecision is why I initially had trouble warming up to my latest driving date, the Maserati Quattroporte S. After experiencing it firsthand, though, I’ve since learned that vacillation isn’t always vexing, and can sometimes, just sometimes, be very, very vogue.

The brand new Quattroporte S is, at first, a conundrum in dichotomous uncertainty. In a way, it’s always been that way, ever since the original model was released on the Italian streets in the early 1960s, when it was one of the fastest four-door saloons on the road. And yet, as it has evolved through the years, so too has its binary disposition. On the one hand, you’ve got a luxury saloon with options and features equal to, if not better than, most of the competitors in its class. On the other hand, however, you’ve got a fully-loaded sports car with all the attitude of a brash Italian youth. Experiencing the whole of the exterior and interior in rapid-fire succession is a bit like wearing a fitted Armani suit with a pair of skin-tight leather chaps; and not just your run-of-the-mill skin-tight leather chaps; I’m talking about the kind with tassels! Those are popular in Italy, right?

When I first sat inside of the Quattroporte S last July, I must say that I immediately felt comfortable. For some reason, though it’s more confined and much more technologically savvy, it immediately reminded me of an evangelical version of my parents’ old Toyota Avalon, but, you know, nicer. Using fine materials like Starwood, Vavona and Polished Wengé for the wooden veneers, fine leather for the seats and dash, and small touches of Alcantara, aluminium and chrome that highlight and define the decadent nature in every Maserati, this is a saloon that is designed for the well-to-do, discerning business exec in mind. The seats are ergonomically designed and the controls are naturally intuitive, rendering the space around both driver and passengers a cinch to manipulate. There is nothing too visually sporty about the Quattroporte S interior, at least not at first glance. The thick, race-ready steering wheel

and aluminium shift pedals hidden behind it might give something away about its true nature, but even these are largely subsumed under the blanket of pure luxury.

Even the exterior is a bit of a quandary. It’s almost like a mirror image reversal of the “chic mullet” hairstyle that is, for some unknown and completely baffling reason, once again popular in Europe; it’s decidedly more of a party in the front and business in the back. That’s not to say that legendary styling house Pininfarina, which designed the latest model, didn’t do a great job. In fact, their claim that the Quattroporte has a “style that transcends fashion and stands the test of time,” isn’t just an idle boast.

With this particular model, Maserati were the first to create the “luxury sports saloon,” and they are leading the way in fine tuning that class, both visually and technically. The sinuous musculature of its classically Tridentcrested front is low and angry (the hallmark of any great sports car), and seems to merge effortlessly toward its boxy, more conventional rear, with the only sports-like style point being the visible dual exhausts. It sort of shape-shifts depending on the angle in which you look at it, and since it always seems to be in a state of flux, it’s a difficult concept to grasp.

Of course, that all changes when you grab the steering wheel and finally come to terms with the dual nature of this car.

The Quattraporte S is equipped with a 4.7 litre V8 engine with an output of 425 horsepower and 361lb-ft of torque. It can hit 60 miles per hour in 5.3 seconds and is able to max out at a top speed of 174 mph. All of those

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facts and figures may look pretty from a PR perspective, but how does it feel to drive, you ask? It feels good; really good. The look of the Quattroporte is largely Bruce Wayne, but the heart and soul is all Batman. Rocketing from a halted stance is a dizzyingly powerful feat that should and could not be performed in a conventional luxury saloon. The suspension is a bit gruff at times, almost as if the inherent Skyhook system, which monitors and adjusts suspension settings, is making up its mind about how to treat this car, too. Even still, it’s a singularly smooth ride, even when shifting between the auto and manual options of its semi-automatic transmission. Opening up the engine whilst engaging the Sports mode, which not only changes the dynamics of the ride, but also opens the exhaust valve for maximum power, is yet another surprising development, especially when you’re

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surrounded by the rich trappings of its luxurious interior. It handles ramps and roundabouts like a dream and is able to power through even the most curvaceous turning arcs. I found the brake pedal just a bit sticky and jittery at times, but overall, the 330mm ventilated discs in the front and rear did their job and allowed me to maintain complete control.

The Quattroporte S may not be “the best of both worlds,” but it has taught me that maybe indecision isn’t always such a bad thing. In fact, I really enjoyed how the manageability of its tailored business poise wasn’t always a uniform fit with its maniacally sporty charisma.

Indecisive variation may not be the spice of life, but it is the spicy burst of flavour that makes the Quattroporte S so darn tasty.

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Sur la Terre Editor, Steve Paugh, fulfils a childhood dream as he explores the supernatural world of Rolls-Royce

sur la terre unique rides

May 15, 1989, USA

2:55 pm: I am eight years old. It is last day of school before summer.

Already the hot, sticky heat of East Coast America has settled in, painting our neighborhoods with the rippling mirage of oily evaporation and melting tar, beckoning us to join its blissfully lazy liquefaction. After what seems an age, the school bell sounds. We are young, we are free and we think we are ready to experience everything that man, magic and nature can throw at us. We are wrong.

3:00 pm: My brother Greg and I thrust ourselves into the bruised leather bus seat and join the celebratory cheer from our fellow students as the still engine shudders to life. The cacophonous clamour seems like it will go on forever unabated until suddenly, from behind us, the din dims like a dying wave. Much to the driver’s dismay, everyone rushes to the left side of the bus to see what could possibly subdue a pack of fully-loaded pre-summer students. The shadowy form that glides alongside the length of the bus slowly drapes us in its eclipse; its sheen shimmering with the reflection of our awed expressions. A communal shudder of anticipation tickles our backs as the silhouette smiles at our slack-jawed expressions with a toothy metallic grin. Time stands still now in a different way as we watch the light caress the liquid contours of its piano-black skin.

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May 15, 2009, Qatar

3:05 pm: “It’s Rolls-Royce, Steve”, says James, my Regional Managing Editor. “You’re going to be driving Phantoms.” I’ve been waiting 20 years and five minutes for this moment.

James explains that the Europe and Middle East offices of Rolls-Royce have kindly asked Sur la Terre to join them for two very exclusive experiences. The first will take place in Doha, where we will get the rare opportunity to drive the entire modern Phantom range. SLT will then travel to the mythic RR factory in Goodwood, UK, and take part in another driving experience around the quiet country roads of east England. Not only that, we will also be treated to an exclusive showing of the all-new Rolls-Royce model, which is set to bring about a new focus for the legendary marque. My face melts into the same awestruck disbelief that originally painted it 20 years ago as I walk slowly back to my desk. I stare blankly at my computer screen for a few moments before composing a new email.

“Dear Greg,” I type, “You’re going to hate me ...”

“What is it?” I whisper to no one in particular.

“That’s a Rolls-Royce, Stevie” my brother replies, eyes still forward, “That’s a Phantom.”

May 30, 2009, Qatar

11:00 am: I arrive at the BMW dealership in Doha’s West Bay area with a growing sense of anticipation. It’s difficult to describe how it feels to behold a Phantom in person. They are ethereal; otherworldly.

The exterior reflects the bewitching crystalline lustre of liquid night, while the interior is equally refined, blanketed in almost 20 handchosen bull hides and up to 28 layers of aluminium and wood. Both are uncluttered yet dynamic, fine yet functional. Like its namesake, the true spirit of the Phantom is largely invisible. On first inspection, you wouldn’t see the hidden advanced navigation system, or the two 12-inch monitors that lurk behind the front seats. All of the controls for seat adjustment and entertainment are tucked into a centre console so as not to scatter the interior with unnecessarily jutting dials. This demure, elegant look affords a clear, unobstructed view of the Phantom’s preternatural exquisiteness. Staring into all of this style and elegance makes me feel like a kid again, as I burst with presummer adrenaline and childlike excitement. Still giddy, I finally hear the words I’ve been waiting for: “Okay everyone, pick your Phantom.

It’s time to drive.”

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11:15 am: My very first Rolls-Royce is a red Phantom Drophead Coupé.

Originally based on the 2003 re-imagining of the Phantom, this 2007 model exudes the same courtly constitution of a modernised state car, but with just the right splash of design panache to make it sporty yet dissimilar. As I pop open the rear-hinged “coach door” and slide myself into the soft leather seats, I suddenly realise how HUGE a Rolls truly is.

I feel like Captain Ahab in Moby Dick, grappling with my own lifelong obsession and coming to terms with being dwarfed by its grandeur.

I’d been told that the Rolls-Royce “shrinks” when you drive it, but I still wasn’t convinced. After pressing the button that automatically closes the door and slowly, cautiously nudging the accelerator, I’m happy to report that the rumours are true: the Phantom is thankfully intuitive and surprisingly adaptive. Using the iconic “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament to establish my spacial bearings, I find myself awash with confidence as I career down the dusty road. In a matter of minutes, I’ve tamed my “white whale.” Eat it, Ahab!

11:30 am: By the time we reach Losail, the first driver change point, I feel like a motoring veteran. Still, as I pull over, I’m left breathless by the way the 6.75 litre V12 engine delivers its power to the road in an intangibly smooth way. The Phantom proves it is well-named in the almost incorporeal way its six-speed ZF automatic shift-by-wire

are sentiments that will no doubt be echoed here in Doha. Frank Tiemann, Manager of Corporate Communications in Europe and the Middle East, was my wingman for this leg of the journey. In between urging me to drive faster and really give the Coupé a good go, he told me about the importance of this market to the brand. Frank said that the Gulf showed record growth last year, with a regional increase of almost 50 percent in 2008, and is consistently the strongest market in global sales for Rolls-Royce. Qatar is making a steady rise through the RR ranks, he says, while Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are already both in the top ten, with Dubai second and Abu Dhabi topping the list of international sales. Score one for the home team.

1:00 pm: After a quick lunch at the quirky Al Sultan resort in Al Khor, I’m rolling once again, this time in the classic Phantom. This is the culmination of my dreams, and it doesn’t disappoint. Travelling with me this time is Joesph Tayyar, Brand Manager of Rolls-Royce in Doha, who dares me to push the envelope more than anyone else. The only unfortunate aspect of the ride home is that the air conditioner is on the fritz, blasting out not the refrigerator-like gust of arctic cool I’ve been experiencing all day, but rather the hot hair dryer feel of our ever so lovely seasonal Doha squalls. As I peel down the highway at the behest of my host, he makes a quick call to his maintenance engineer, who is never further than a phone call away. Everyone has heard the stories of stranded Phantom owners being saved by engineers arriving by helicopter, and while these tales may sound tall, they’re not far off.

Tayyar tells me his man will be there by the time we get back and should have the AC fixed before the next group takes off at 2pm.

1:45 pm: We pull back into the showroom and I am reluctant to disembark from the captain’s seat. The only thing that keeps me going is that in two weeks, I will be back in a Phantom, this time cruising not across the blustery sands of Doha, but instead through the rich, early-summer green of the English countryside. It’s going to be a long two weeks.

gearbox makes the climb through gears imperceptible. At 100mph, each model’s power reserve dial (one of the only displays visible in the car) shows that 90 percent of the engine’s power is actually unused, making it frighteningly easy to get lost in the serenity and spectre of the Phantom’s speed. The powerful engine may be the same in every model in the range, but the drivability is unique in each. This was proven to me with the next model I jumped into: the Phantom Coupé.

12:00 pm: Most people will tell you that it’s better to sit in the back of a Rolls, while an English gentleman named Reginald or Peabody squires you around wearing a uniform, hat, white gloves and (if possible) a monocle. However, to throw askew the idea that the Rolls shouldn’t or couldn’t be driven is the Phantom Coupé. The suspension in the Coupé has been tuned-up and made firmer, while the wheelbase has been shortened by 250mm, making corner-cutting more crisp and the car more responsive, more comfortable and more fun to drive. These

sur la terre unique rides

June 13, 2009, UK

2:00 pm: While it may just be a blink of an eye on the page, the preceding two weeks in reality have crawled by like a parched man desperate for drink. My first Rolls-Royce experience in Doha has left me desiccated, begging for another drive. Luckily the time has come to slake that thirst. After my early morning Qatar flight touches down into mid-afternoon England, I am picked up by a driver and whisked away to Goodwood Hotel in West Sussex. During the hour-long journey, I take a few moments to appreciate the vast expanse of room at my disposal and can clearly feel that everything in the Phantom is passenger-oriented. As I sit looking out of the window at the verdant hills that undulate past me, I think about family and friends, all of whom constantly talked about one day being driven around in a RollsRoyce. I cheekily smile at the thought of them, still waiting.

3:00 pm: Being the family seat of the Duke of Richmond for over 300 years, the regality of the Goodwood Hotel is the perfect backdrop for this weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excursion. The spirit is already here; the Ghost is on its way.

6:00pm: The other journalists and I meet up with Frank for dinner and excitedly discuss our itinerary over the hours and days ahead. As we do, I note a growing fervour in my colleagues as we chat in a way similar to my school friends 20 years ago. Tired from the journey, but still excited, we look forward to the events of the next morning when we would once again get to step into a Phantom and get a glimpse into the renowned Bespoke programme at Rolls-Royce. It was going to be a perfect day; after all, what could possibly go wrong?

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June 14, 2009, UK

12:00 pm: The crash was sudden, abrupt and jarring. The middle-aged woman who was tearing around the sharp turn of the T-junction lost control of her motorbike and slammed into the back of the Drophead Coupé, which had only moments before come to a stop in front of me. If it had been two seconds later, she would have hit the front bonnet of the Coupé I was driving and would have surely been crushed under our weight. Praise-be to the huge 374mm brakes in the front and 370mm in the rear, which, as the literature for the car says, “brings the Coupé to a stop quickly and without drama.” Drama is definitely something we didn’t need in this situation. Thankfully, even though she somersaulted through the air and was trapped under her own bike, it seems the only injury to befall her was a broken finger, a bruised leg and a few rips in her Indiana Jones: Temple of Doom t-shirt, the irony of which was not lost on her. The Drophead Coupé was similarly none-the-worse-for-wear. You have to respect that classic British stiff upper lip.

12:30 - 3:00 pm: We made it to the Four Seasons hotel in Hampshire without further incident and took lunch and tea with Richard Carter, Director of Global Communication. Full and fresh, we proceed once again to the roads to complete the last leg of our trip, which ends at the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars factory in Goodwood. Designed by internationally celebrated architects Sir Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, the Goodwood site is a modern marvel, not only for its avantgarde appearance, but for its environmental conscience. Surrounded on all sides by trees and plants of seemingly every description, the plant (pun intended) is topped by the largest “living roof” in the UK. Covered in a blanket of sedum and various grasses, the roof blends the factory in with its natural surroundings, providing a natural respite for local wildlife, many species of which have grown in number since its completion. When you see how literally organic it is for Rolls-Royce to meet the needs of a growing international business ethos, it really comes as no surprise that they can meet the customisation demands of their discerning client base.

3:45 pm: Led by Gavin Hartley, the Bespoke team at Rolls-Royce is always busy accommodating its customers. Excepting the engine, which cannot be altered, almost every portion of each model is customisable. In the brief presentation given to us, the team showed

just a few interesting designs they have been asked to do, including a special, Scottish-tartan embroidered boot with a matching picnic set, a glovebox that had been turned into a humidor, headrests embroidered with signatures or specially-designed patterns, a neonblue luminous Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament and any number of colour combinations from the over 45,000 hues available in the shop.

The programme is so popular that over 85% of Phantoms last year were Bespoke models. Imagination, it seems, is the only limitation for the Bespoke team, and even those boundaries can be pushed to an apparently limitless infinity.

10:00 pm: Our dynamic, and somewhat perilous day finally comes to a close with dinner at the Goodwood Kennels, a fully restored Georgian building originally designed by James Wyatt in 1787 to house the 3rd Duke of Richmond’s hounds. Lord March, the current attendant of the Goodwood Estate, re-established the building as a premiere venue for entertaining dinner guests of the area with locally grown produce and organic meats and cheeses from the Goodwood farm.

The sumptuous seven-course meal was spiced with flavourful stories from the day, and a hearty round of conversation about the things to come on the next. We all slept that night with bellies full and minds dizzy, dreaming dreams of Ghosts.

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June 15, 2009 UK

9:00 - 10:30 am: The blue Phantom that picked us up from the hotel slowly winds itself into the Goodwood Sculpture Park, which today stands not only as a showcase of modern art, but also as the launch platform of the previously named Rolls-Royce 200EX, now known to the world as the Ghost. Explaining the concept behind the Ghost was Tom Purves, Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “If the Phantom is a car for the moment” he announces with aplomb over a steaming coffee, “then the Ghost is a car for every moment.”

The vision behind the Ghost is a new one for the untouchable luxury marque, but is not as wildly divergent as some industry naysayers projected. This is not a lesser Phantom designed for the less affluent market, even though the projected price will be about $100,000 less than the Phantom; instead, it is a robust concept that maintains the exquisite feel of the brand’s name while at the same time creating a more dynamic, flexible and leaner subset. In the hour we had exploring the new Ghost, it was easy to see that, in it, Rolls-Royce had succeeded in creating something new and on the cusp of contemporary design, while holding firm its unwavering commitment to exclusivity. Purves went on to explain the difference in this updated Rolls by saying that Phantoms are all about “presence and authority,” while the Ghost is about “presence and agility.” That common, yet contrasting, path is palpable, particularly when viewing the two models together. On hand to further explain developments was Chief Interior Designer Alan Sheppard. He showed us that all of the hallmarks of Rolls-Royce are still there. The long, sweeping silhouettes and instantly recognisable front grille that captured my imagination in youth are present, but flaunt a much more virile, low-arcing verve. Its upward-sweeping lines merge toward a low-cut top before swooping with purpose over muscular shoulders into a tapered rear. The uninterrupted sprawl of its lithe body displays an informal presence and powerful potential previously hinted at in other models like the Coupé, but not so expressly flaunted until now. The interior is still a thing of hidden, minimalist beauty, but it is even more driver-oriented than the Coupé, as both the size and immediate ease are much more manageable than the acquired comfort of the Phantom range.

Admittedly, this is still the first iteration of the Ghost, but neither Purves, Sheppard nor any member of the team we met said it would change significantly between now and its “official” launch in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

12:30 - 3:00 pm: After snaking our way through the surrealist denizens of the nightmarishly beguiling sculpture park and taking a whistle-stop tour of the Goodwood factory, we reconvene for lunch at the Michelin-starred West Stoke House, where the design team hibernated for months, consolidating their creative energy, before finally walking out with the conceptual designs of the Ghost. The picturesque vistas surrounding the inn was the perfect setting as we said goodbye to Goodwood and our Rolls-Royce hosts.

3:30 pm: As the driver angles our Phantom through the roads that 24 hours previously I was navigating myself, I am left to once again stare outside at the rolling hills and think about all of my experiences over the last month. Every single expectation I have ever had with RollsRoyce was met and exceeded over the span of these weeks, and after driving the ultimate luxury car, I can only express a firm agreement that they truly are the best. I can say that unequivocally, unabashedly, and without a shadow, a phantom or a ghost of a doubt.

O

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sur la terre beauty

Production & Make-Up: Florent Pellet Photography: Ian Abela @ Visionairs In Art www.ianabela.com Model: Goergiana O. @ Metropolitan Hydramax + Active, Active Moisture Gel Cream CHANEL Ultra Shiny Hydrating Lip Gloss Purpule Laser LANCOME Lip Gloss Touch Shining Champagne Sparkle SHISHEIDO Soin tendres lèvres, Hydra-Treatment Lip Care SPF 15 CHANEL

1 colour eyes shadow ref 275 & 835 DIOR Shadow Show Star Gold 01 GIVENCHY

sur la terre beauty mode

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Rectifiance Intense Eye, Retexturing Line Correcting Eye Cream CHANEL Hydro powder Eye Aqua Shimmer Shadow SHISHEIDO Accentuating Colour Goldburst SHISHEIDO 5 Colour Harmony for Eyes YSL Exceptionnel de Chanel, Intense Volume & Sensational Curl Mascara, Smoky Noir CHANEL Ultra Gloss Reflect Light-Reflecting Lip Gloss ref 757 & 437 DIOR ADDICT Pop Gloss Crystal Glitter GIVENCHY

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SPEEDING BEAUTY

Production Firefly Communications Art Direction Roula Zinati Ayoub Photography Jorell Lagaspi Location Qatar Racing Club, Doha, www.qrczone.com and Al Anabi Workshop Stylist Chantal Mossess Make-up Diana Haddad Hair dresser Rabih Ezzeddine A big thank you to our models Nathalie and Nouhad Accessories and Outfits from villa moda Doha for Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Valentino, D&G, Marni La Remza for BCBG Max Azria, Karen Millen, Coccinelle al boraq automobiles - Porsche Center Doha dana motors for Lamborghini and Bentley Rivoli group for Tag Heuer Cars from Dana Motors for Lamborghini jaidah motors for Chevrolet

CAR Chevrolet Corvette C6 2009 Top BCBG Max Azria Leggings BCBG Max Azria Jacket ABS Headbands Valentino Necklace Dolce & Gabbana Gold Bag BCBG Max Azria Gloves Gucci Bracelets Valentino Ring Dolce & Gabbana Shoes Karen Millen Handbag D&G Belt (black) BCBG Max Azria Belt (bronze) D&G Keyring Porsche Cap Lamborghini

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sur la terre star-crossed

CAR Lamborghini Gallardo Top Karen Millen Skirt D&G Jacket Tag Heuer Ring BCBG Max Azria Ring Karen Millen Bracelets Karen Millen Belt BCBG Max Azria Boots Karen Millen Handbag D&G Necklace BCBG Max Azria Earrings BCBG Max Azria

sur la terre star- crossed

Shirt D&G Trousers Karen Millen White Bracelet ABS Necklace Marni Cap Porsche Shoes BCBG Max Azria Hair Brooch D&G Scarf BCBG Max Azria Laptop Lamborghini Bag Lamborghini Red Hat Porsche Scarf Gucci Belt Porsche Blue Hat Bentley Watch Tag Heuer

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Nouhad Suit Gucci Shirt Gucci Tie Gucci Watch Tag Heuer Briefcase Bentley Ties Bentley

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NAthalie Dress Dolce & Gabbana Shoes Karen Millen Jacket Karen Millen Necklace (in hair) Marni Handbag Marni Watch Coccinelle Bracelet BCBG Max Azria

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sur la terre star-crossed

Car Chevrolet Camaro SS 2010 Nathalie Dress Dolce & Gabbana Handbag Karen Millen Shoes BCBG Max Azria Necklace BCBG Max Azria Fur Scarf Gucci Headband Valentino Bracelet (chain) Karen Millen Bracelet BCBG Max Azria Earrings Karen Millen Torch Keyring Porsche

NOUhad Suit Dolce & Gabbana Shirt Dolce & Gabbana Tie Dolce & Gabbana Cap Lamborghini Watch Porsche

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sur la terre spotlight

NABEEL ABDULLAH AL Zain Founded in 1930 by Abdullah Al Zain, Al Zain Jewellery has always been the crown jewel in the region’s ornate tiara of finery. That legacy continues to crystalise into universal acclaim under the passionate patriarchal direction of Mr. Nabeel Abdullah Al Zain, who has just recently been honoured with a Board of Directors membership on the Dubai Diamond Exchange. Sur la Terre was granted the exclusive opportunity to sit down with this Sovereign of Stones in an interview that places all of his gems of knowledge and pearls of wisdom into one beautiful setting.

Al Zain Jewellery was the first jewellery house to open in the GCC in 1930, when Abdullah Al Zain first introduced international jewels to the Gulf market. It no doubt evolved the way that buyers in the Gulf looked at buying, selling and trading precious stones and settings. How has Al Zain grown since then, and in your opinion, why has it done so?

As you know, my father was one of the first people to bring jewellery to Bahrain. At that time, the jewels and materials came from India.

However, he was also one of the first people to go to Italy and Lebanon to bring back other fine jewels. Most of the shops here at the time were goldsmiths, as you said, but we brought something else to the table. Of course, times are different now due to people’s tastes, which are more informed and refined. People in businesses now have to think about growth and expansion differently, and how to become more involved with their clients. The world has become smaller and it is much easier to travel, so it’s easier to spread out and expand. We have always been very active in participating in international markets and events, and that helped us to become established earlier. We were the first from Bahrain to create such a presence, whether it was in Geneva, Las Vegas or anywhere else. For most jewellers, the target has been the Middle East. Obviously, we have always been focused here, particularly in manufacturing and design. Of course, we are always looking to expand on the ideas and pieces we’ve come up with here, as well as pushing our business even further into the world. Thanks to all of these factors, we are now bigger than in my father’s time, and more of a global presence.

How has the market changed in the last 80 years since Al Zain started?

Do you think that the regional attitudes toward jewellery have shifted?

If so, how, and what has Al Zain had to do with it?

Today’s world has a different pace and attitude. People 80 years ago, even 20 years ago, were interested in gold because they simply thought of gold as a good, sound investment. When we started, we were mainly into aesthetic jewellery, and we were one of the first to change the ideas of how precious materials should be worn or even thought about. It was initially a coincidence that we started working with, and designing, gold pieces, but after we did, it became something else in the region. It became more than “just an investment.”

Al Zain has garnered many awards, accolades and merits for its work in fine jewellery, including the coveted Gold Virtuosi Award for innovation in gold jewellery design in 2002, and in 2006, the prestigious Tahitian Pearl Design trophy. How has Al Zain consistently set itself above other famed jewellery houses in the region, and to a larger degree, in the world?

We were asked by the World Gold Council to enter these competitions, so we designed something and sent it to them. The competition was HUGE! There were more than 4,000 different design houses, each with their own designs. These entries were then filtered down to the top 100 and into 20 winners. We were one of these winners. These competitions aren’t only about design, they are also about manufacturing. The judges want to see that you can actually create your designs. It was amazing when we won not only this, but the other competitions like Jewellery Arabia. Here, we competed amongst a collection of names like Cartier, and to be counted in that number was fantastic. I think we have reached a stage that we can manufacture anything and make things as elegant as possible, so we deserve to be there just as much as the bigger names

The Middle East, and the Gulf in particular, is fast becoming an international hub for the appreciation of fine jewels and precious gems. What strengths does Al Zain have that will allow it to compete against the encroachment of international brands?

This has been our business for generations. It is in our blood. My father, my wife, my brother and my sons; this is our business. We are very proud of it and we like to develop it by travelling, going to exhibitions, learning new techniques from around the world and giving our brand that international standard. We are always there to make our designs and manufacturing better. That is how we are able to compete.

We know that the inspiration for your in-house designs come not only from a rich Arab and Bedouin heritage, but also from an interest in the traditional art of Turkey, India and Persia. Do these continue to be the main influences of your work, or are they expanding into the greater world, much like your business?

The Indians and Turks had such a beautiful touch with jewellery, and they have given a lot to Middle East jewellery. This is especially true with India. The contact between India and the Gulf especially was, and still is, so strong. Many Arabs would go to India to work with gold and be involved in other processes, even with things like smuggling. I think that Bahrain being a manufacturing hub for the Gulf has so much to do with the traditional influence from Indian jewellery. This gives us a very interesting, unique and very Eastern look. You see a lot of jewellery houses now trying to imitate the styles and designs of this part of the world because of those influences, particularly in places like Europe and America. The art of jewellery is in mixing styles, of course, but I wouldn’t say you get more inspiration from one place than another. It can come from anywhere.

The Al Zain name already thrives in Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, with another presence being prepared in Qatar. How much further afield do you think Al Zain will reach, and in what ways do you think it will affect business or creative design?

You see, we manufacture our own jewellery in two ways. One has a very Eastern touch, which we export to many places, including the West. We also produce pieces that are more to European tastes. However, if I open a shop in, say, India, I will not manufacture purely Indian jewellery. That is pointless because, for one, they already have it, and secondly, it does not have our touch, our character. It is not our line. We like to introduce our own collections into the markets where we exist. Of course, we are flexible and if there is a demand that we can meet for a particular colour of gold, let’s say, we will always try to meet it, but we will do so without changing our character. We want to go to other countries and bring our designs and imagination to them and this is where the challenge lies. We don’t adapt, we try to make the market adapt to us. As for expansion, our plan now is indeed to open a shop in Qatar. We are also opening another in Abu Dhabi and one in Jeddah. We are always looking to increase our availability and presence in the market.

In your personal or professional opinion, what are the most spectacular pieces that Al Zain has produced?

There are many things you fall in love with. Sometimes you see, supervise or even create a design, and you think it the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen. You love it and you know it will be popular with the public. Other times, you will see something that has already been produced, something expensive with big, unusual or brightly coloured stones within amazing settings, and this is just as impressive. When you work so closely with jewels as much as we do, you know what will work, what will sell like hot-

cakes, and what will simply be used to fill room on the showcase floor. Still, to pick a favourite is difficult. When I restarted the business in 1977, I have seen hundreds of my favourite pieces.

We have done a really good job in creating many beautiful designs and with our experience, are now trying to help others.

Amongst Al Zain’s many talents, your specialties include white and yellow gold crafting, and of course your traditional work with pearls is often celebrated. Last year at Jewellery Arabia 2008, your focus was on diamonds.

What can we expect this year? Will you be focusing again on diamonds or gold, or experimenting with something else completely?

Well, we always present nice things throughout the year, but every year at Jewellery Arabia, we launch something new, something special. As always, you can expect something different and beautiful. Of course, our best friends are girls ... and diamonds are girls’ best friends. Let’s be honest, diamonds are diamonds, and they are the ... how do I say this ... the magic of our business. So yes, as with last year, a large portion of our stand this year will be devoted to our diamond collection. Diamonds!

Diamonds! Diamonds! We will always be diamonds. [laughs] Finally, what is next for Al Zain? Can you tell us about any other developments that we can expect in the future?

We are working with the Ministry of Commerce and the Chamber of Commerce to establish free trade between Bahrain and the United States. We would like to participate in exhibitions in New York and Las Vegas. I believe this will help us expand and supply us with great support. These places are where the true professionals are, and that’s exactly what we need for more exposure. The American market, for us, is really, really good. We have had great experiences since we started participating in events in the US, and we have always worked very well there, particularly with the Latino community. I think that we have a lot in common with them in taste, mannerisms and in style. The American market is so diverse, with a large Asian population that also loves our style. America is ... well, it’s America, you know? It is, after all, “the land of opportunity.” We want to be a larger presence there, while at the same time bringing over a renewed love of Arab culture, especially as it applies to jewellery. Our next goal, I would say, is to make it in America.

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sur la terre time history

Rolex, Swiss jewel Rolex, with international headquarters in Geneva, is the emblematic leader in Swiss watchmaking. For over a century, it has been the most recognisable symbol of timekeeping and no longer needs to prove its performance. The brand has never been at the mercy of fashion and is today, more than ever, synonymous with prestige and know-how.

WORDS: DĂŠsirĂŠe Mitterrand PICTURES: All rights reserved

< Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date in yellow Rolesor. Case features a new rotatable bezel in yellow gold Blue Cerachrom bezel insert, 120-notch anti-return click system.

Movement with Parachrom hairspring. >

sur la terre time history

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< The 1953 Oyster Perpetual was worn on the ascent of Everest. >

< Oyster Perpetual Day-Date II. Platinum case with a smooth bezel.

Ice-blue dial with Roman numerals. >

>>> “If you don’t own a Rolex by the age of 50, you’re a failure,” stated famous French advertising executive Jacques Séguéla recently. He was addressing a journalist in defence of French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who was attacked for his ostentatious tendencies. If the assertion seems a little out of place, it nevertheless underscores the impressive aura of the Swiss brand. From Steve McQueen to Roger Federer, from Paul Newman to Che Guevara, it is impossible to draw up an exhaustive list of personalities who have at one time or another sported a Rolex watch. A fascination that has never faded over time, wearing a rolex elicits the same desire among personalities and amateurs. The proof is that a considerable number of watchmaking enthusiasts, not content to simply buy new models, also vie for vintage pieces at prestigious auctions. The legendary brand is inseparably linked to its founder Hans Wilsdorf who, in the early 20th century, when pocket watches were common currency, devoted himself to making his dream a reality: the creation of a waterproof self-winding wristwatch endowed with maximum precision.

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sur la terre time history

< The front page of the Daily Mail recounting Mercedes Gleitze’s Channel swim sporting an Oyster watch. The f irst Rolex Testimonee. >

< Rolex Workshop. >

The Rolex legend began in 1905 in London, when Hans Wilsdorf, a young Bavarian 24 years of age, founded “Wilsdorf & Davis,” a company specialising in the distribution of watch components in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries. The company strove to offer its customers unequalled know-how and entrusted the manufacture of highly precise movements to Aegler, a Swiss manufacturer located in Bienne that was to become the Manufacture des Montres Rolex in 1932. It was three years later, in 1908, that the young Wilsdorf invented the name Rolex to sign his creations. It was a short name easy to inscribe on the dial of a watch and easy to pronounce in all European languages. The brand with the famous crown as its symbol was born.

< The Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II regatta chronograph. >

Hans Wilsdorf was eager to reach well-to-do and demanding customers who travelled and played sports, so he made wristwatches that he constantly submitted for testing by the official watch rating authorities in order to certify their chronometric precision. Thus, in 1910, a Rolex watch received the first Swiss official chronometer certificate for wristwatches.

Four years later, the same model received the first international Class “A” certification from the Kew observatory in England. The increase in customs duties to finance costs related to the First World War in England incited Hans Wilsdorf to move to Geneva in 1919, and found the company Montres Rolex S.A. Several years later, in 1926, Hans Wilsdorf turned the watchmaking world on its head as he broke a crucial barrier by creating the first waterproof and dustproof watch.

sur la terre time history

< Oyster Perpetual Datejust Special Edition, 34 mm. Introduced in 2009. >

One of Wilsdorf’s greatest achievements was creating a watch with a case as tightly sealed as the shell of an oyster, to which he gave the obvious English name, “Oyster”. The following year the model became famous worldwide thanks to Hans Wilsdorf’s marvellous marketing idea. Mercedes Gleitze, a young English woman, swam across the English Channel in over ten hours, wearing the famous Oyster on her wrist. At the end of this feat, the watch was in perfect working order. To celebrate the event, the watchmaker published an advertisement on the front page of the Daily Mail, constituting the Rolex Oyster’s first success story. This first “Testimonee” campaign prompted the brand to regularly put its watches to the test. Since the 1930s, it has equipped numerous Himalayan expeditions, which set out to conquer Everest, with this invaluable watch.

Far from resting on its laurels, Rolex has, since 1931, been marketing watches equipped with the Perpetual Rotor, a selfwinding mechanism for wristwatches. This new, even more successful revolutionary movement allowed the timepiece to self-wind with the natural movements of the wrist. This most ingenious system is still the basis of the mechanisms found in automatic watches today.

In the years that followed, thanks to the phenomenal chronometric precision and waterproofness of these timepieces, the so-called professional watches were developed. They were designed for activities such as scuba-diving, aviation, mountain climbing or even motor racing.

< Rolex watch from 1915. >

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sur la terre time history

< Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona in white gold with white leather strap. >

Launched in 1953, the Submariner, the first watch waterproof to a depth of 100 metres, is a perfect example of the professional watch. At the same time, Rolex created prestigious watches that quickly created great enthusiasm, such as the Datejust (1945), which shows the date in a window on the dial, and the Day-Date (1956), the world’s first wristwatch to display the date and the day of the week in full.

André J. Heiniger succeeded Hans Wilsdorf in 1963 and transformed Rolex into a universal watchmaking brand. Determined to perpetuate the aura and reputation of the brand, he initiated partnerships between Rolex and internationally recognised entities, sports personalities and artists. Heiniger also launched the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, designed to provide support to men and women seeking new ways to increase knowledge and to improve the well-being of mankind. In 1992, his son, Patrick Heiniger, was appointed head of the company. In the mid 1990s, he decided to vertically integrate the means of production in order to completely control the manufacture of the essential components of the watches, thus ensuring the autonomy of the brand. All activities were consolidated on four sites located in Geneva and Bienne. This decision made it possible between 2000 and 2006 to build production units that were at the cutting edge of technological progress. Patrick Heiniger was faithful to the philanthropic tradition begun by his father. He set up the Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, which offers young artists the opportunity to work with celebrated masters in their discipline.

Rolex continues to expand today under the management of CEO Bruno Meier, former financial director of the company. With a well-established network in some one hundred countries, the company distributes its watches through 26 affiliates and several thousand official jewellers.

These timepieces are the result of the skill and attention to detail of nearly 4,000 Rolex-trained watchmakers, who leave nothing to chance in their quest for perfection. Assembled by hand, the watches benefit from decades of know-how and integrate the latest technology, making Rolex a brand that is perpetually moving forward and destined to survive the centuries.

< Gem-setting at Rolex >

Throughout the years, Rolex has established close ties with various sports disciplines and personalities. These elite champions are called “Testimonees” by Rolex because they are more than images, they are real achievers.

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< The F irst Oyster (1926). >

Tennis In 1978, Rolex became the “Official Timekeeper” of Wimbledon. Today, its partnership extends to such prestigious events as the Australian Open Grand Slam tournament, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, the Sony Ericsson Championships and the Masters 1000.

Testimonees: Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Ana Ivanovic.

< Legendary Swiss tennis champion Roger Federer, Rolex Testimonee. >

Equestrian Sports Rolex has been involved in equestrian sport since 1957 and today is the partner of the International Equestrian Federation, the world’s principal authority in the discipline. Since 2002, it has also sponsored the World Equestrian Games. Since 2007, it has been the Title Sponsor of the Rolex FEI World CupTM Final and the Western European League World Cup. Testimonees: Rodrigo Pessoa, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Zara Phillips, Pippa Funnell.

Golf Rolex’s association with golf dates back to 1967, when Arnold Palmer became a Rolex Testimonee. Today the watchmaking company sponsors a large number of events such as the Masters at Augusta, the US Open Championship, the Solheim Cup, the Evian Masters and the four tournaments of the Grand Slam.

Testimonees: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam.

< German rider of American origin Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, the f irst woman to be ranked world number one in jumping (2005), Rolex Testimonee. >

< Lorena Ochoa, Mexican professional golfer, Rolex Testimonee. > Photos by © Rolex / Fadil Berisha

Motor Racing The presence of the brand in motor racing dates back to the 1930s when Sir Malcolm Campbell, wearing a Rolex Oyster, broke numerous speed records. Motor racing inspired the fabulous Cosmograph Daytona, which can measure elapsed time and calculate average speeds. Since 2001, Rolex has been the “Official Timekeeper” of the Le Mans 24 Hours and that of the Le Mans Series since 2005. It is also the partner of Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Rolex Sports Car Series.

Testimonee: Sir Jackie Stewart.

Sailing In the late 1950s, Rolex established relationships with key sailing events such as the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, the Rolex Swan Cup and the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship. In 2007, the brand also created the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II, equipped with a programmable countdown feature.

Testimonees: Paul Elvström, Paul Cayard, Sofia Bekatorou Kosmatopoulos, Gary Jobson.

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Ocean Colours

Seen

It is not quite the capital of the country-continent that is Australia, but it has become the enduring image of the nation as well as a vanguard for its cultural and lifestyle renaissance of recent years.

James McCarthy explores the Harbour City of Sydney. >>> The first thing you notice about Sydney is the blueness of the water.

Maybe it is a trick of the light, simply bearing the reflection of the Lapis sky. Perhaps it is offset by the lush green of Sydney Heads or the gleaming white of the iconic Opera House at Circular Quay. Whatever the reason, it never fails to take the breath away. It is like Sydney has its very own blue - a civic hue if you will - designated by Mother Nature as the colour that will always stay fresh in the minds of those lucky enough to see it for themselves. Of course, there is more to Sydney than just one colour or a sole flavour. Its vividness is unquestionable and near-infinite, with many ways to see and experience it first hand.

Take The High Road The daredevil in you might fancy the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb, an arduous but rewarding three and a half hour hike to the top of the famous structure that spans the estuary to the Parramatta River and its tributaries. The bridge, known locally as the Coathanger because of its shape, was completed in 1932 in the midst of the great depression and is the world’s widest long-span bridge and its tallest steel arch bridge. The climb itself takes visitors along the upper span of the arch on catwalks and ladders, all the way to the summit, where climbers will be met by amazing views from 134 metres above Sydney Harbour. More recently, bridge climbers have been allowed to climb through the structure to stairs and catwalks never previously opened to the public. Winding through a tangle of hatchways and steel girders suspended above the traffic, visitors can now see the location where the arch was joined for the first time and access walkways once only used exclusively by maintenance teams.

For the same stunning vistas, but without the climbing and the grey jumpsuit, Sydney’s highest point, the Sydney Tower, offers a more sedate viewing experience from over 1000 feet up. Standing as the third tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere, it is armed with specially built double-decker elevators that whisk visitors from street level to the top of the tower in an ear-popping 40 seconds. When the doors open onto the indoor observation deck, visitors are greeted with a breathtaking and unhindered view of Sydney’s golden beaches to the east and the distant haze of the prehistoric Blue Mountains to the west. Like the bridge and the Opera House, which we will come to later, the Tower is one of the city’s many famous landmarks, and over the years has played a starring role in Sydney’s now famous new year celebrations, as well as being illuminated by a myriad of colours during the 2000 Olympic Games.

This sporting link continues every year with the Sydney Tower Run-up, which challenges competitors to run up the 1,504 stairs from Pitt St Mall to the Observation Deck as quickly as possible in order to raise money for cancer charities.

Culture Clash Sydney has become a melting pot of different cultures, from European migrants to Asian and Polynesian influences. The city is home to a large Chinese population and boasts its own China Town district, where you can pick up immaculately tailored suits for next to nothing and enjoy some of the best Oriental food outside of the Orient itself. Some of the notable oriental tables to try include Shiki Japanese Restaurant, known for its exquisite fresh cuisine of traditional favourites and innovative

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that isn’t currently on offer, a day’s notice of your visit will ensure that the staff can arrange the fish you fancy in time for your arrival.

End your culinary quest on a high, by devouring the aerial views of Sydney Harbour. Trip up to the 36th floor of the Shangri-La Hotel and enjoy a meal at Altitude, as well as the amazing sight of Sydney at night from high above the Central Business District (CBD) skyline. Altitude serves up the finest local produce crafted into a fine feed through the world-class talent of Chef de Cuisine, Steven Krasicki.

< Centre point is one of the Southern Hemisphere’s tallest structures >

delicacies; Sailor’s Thai, serving creative dishes noted for their specially grown fresh produce and Yoshii, an open kitchen restaurant that offers intimate dining with a clear view of the chef performing the fine art of sushi making.

However, while you can pick up tasty traditional Thai treasures, and a lip-smackingly good Singaporean spread from small restaurants and takeaways at the bottom end of George Street, the up-market place to hang out is The Rocks. Framed by the diamond-sprinkled waters of Sydney Harbour and shaped by history, The Rocks is where the settlement and colonisation of Australia really began. Nineteenthcentury warehouses, renovated and reborn, now house some of the city’s trendiest restaurants, cafes and boutiques. Sydney is also renowned for its seafood fare, and one of the city’s finest purveyors of piscine platters is Fish At The Rocks. The menu changes seasonally with daily specials and a special pre-theatre dinner menu. Should you require something

< The famous celestial pool at the Observatory hotel >

Yacht A Great Idea When you have finished your slap-up fish supper, it is time to head back to your hotel, but are you the conventional type that wants to stay planted on terra firma or do you fancy something a little different? If you are looking to immerse yourself in the Harbour City, there is no better way than to join the Darling Harbour boating set by dropping a line to Sydney Harbour Escapes. The company provides visitors to the city with awesome aquatic abodes, catering for everyone from the sailing enthusiast to those just looking to languish in luxury as the sun sets over Sydney Heads. The five-star service has been enjoyed by celebrities from John Travolta to Australian national treasure, Kylie Minogue. Most recently, the charter company has catered for former leader of the free world, George Bush.

Travellers can choose from the company’s extensive fleet of harbour hopping homes. Jump aboard Hillsy, a 98-foot Monte Fino Luxury Cruiser; with its two sumptuous double bed cabins and relaxing on-deck hot tub, you will be able to entertain up to 10 guests in the lap of luxury as the azure Pacific ocean laps against the hull. If you fancy something more regal, take the ex-President’s choice and soak up the Australian sun aboard the A.Q.A ‘Age Quod Agis’ (Latin for ‘Do what you do well’) 92-foot luxury motor cruiser.

However, if conventional accommodation is more your thing, the Observatory Hotel is where you want to lay your head. The sumptuous Observatory Suite features a magnificent four-poster bed with mahogany hand-carved front posts, as well as a spacious en-suite bathroom lined with wall-to-wall marble. Evoking memories of a bygone age of colonial luxury, the suite is fully furnished with elegant, custom-made furniture.

The sofa and armchairs face magnificent white marble and an antique

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< Sydney’s New Year celebrations have become a benchmark for other cities >

coupled with its excellent eateries the QVB, offers shoppers the complete package and occupies a full block along George Street, between Town Hall and Market Street.

Despite being a few years older than the QVB, The Strand Arcade is considered somewhat more contemporary and cutting edge than its Victorian counterpart. The Strand was nearly razed to the ground by fire in 1976, but like the QVB, has been fully restored to its former glory and now houses some of Australia’s top designer labels, jewellers, boutiques and beauty salons. You don’t have to walk far to get there either, The Strand extends from the middle of Pitt Street Mall through to George Street, just a block up towards Circular Quay from the QVB. Sur la Terre also recommends spending a few hours browsing Grace Brothers’ department store. Situated on the corner of George Street and Market Street, the store has seven floors including a mezzanine level, and boasts the largest range of cosmetic products in Australia, while its millinery department is THE place to buy an iconic Akubra hat.

< The Queen Victoria Building is the best place for designer shopping >

fireplace. The fabric lined walls are offset by an antique, gilt-framed mirror, providing the perfect backdrop for the walnut writing desk and dignified mahogany dining table complete with Queen Anne chairs. The rich tasselled curtains at each window frame charming views of Sydney’s historic and heritage-listed Observatory Hill.

If this is not enough to convince you, then how about relaxing in the Observatory Hotel’s world famous spa and spectacular swimming pool.

Wallow in wonder at the high arched ceiling which sparkles with fibreoptic lights that represent the celestial constellations of the southern hemisphere, giving the romantic impression that you are lazing in a limpid moonlit lagoon or floating among the stars.

Buy George!

Once you have shaken off your starry-eyed reverie, take to the street and see what Sydney’s shopping district has to offer. Head to George Street where the Queen Victoria Building should be your first port of call. A purpose built shopping centre, the QVB opened its doors to great fanfare in 1898 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. After a brief period of destitution, the building was painstakingly restored to its original grandeur and is now one of the most stunning examples of Victorian architecture in Sydney. With over 190 designer labels and specialty stores

Another city icon is David Jones. It is the oldest department store in town and has been serving the Sydney public since 1877. As well as being among the world’s few 132-year old department stores that still trades under its original name, the shop boasted the City’s first hydraulic lift and still stands by its founder’s original commitment to sell “the best and most exclusive goods” and to carry “a stock that embraces the everyday wants of mankind at large.” Finally, to grab a garment or two at some of Sydney’s more interesting and innovative fashion retailers, skip to Piccadilly. With over 40 specialty stores and boutiques - from footwear to homeware - the centre, opposite the Hilton hotel on Pitt Street, is a great place to pick up an interesting gift for someone special.

< The iconic Opera House at sunrise >

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Going Out With A Bang And so we finish our whistle-stop tour of the harbour city back where we started, in the shadow of the stone pylons of Sydney Harbour Bridge on Circular Quay. Sydney is a wonderful place to visit at any time of year, but without a doubt, the night that the city comes alive like no other is that of New Year. It is nearly always the first major city to be splashed across the news, heralding in the New Year with its spectacular pyrotechnic displays, central to which is always the grand old bridge and the iconic Opera House. Hundreds of thousands flock to the harbour to see the passing of the year sent off in a thunderclap of noise, a myriad of colours and plumes of smoke. They pack themselves into charter boats around Circular Quay, into the Botanic Gardens and often take over the private gardens of Kirribilly on the North Shore to witness what is always the most impressive fireworks festival in the world. There are usually two displays, one at 9pm for the thousands of families that flock to the shores of the world’s prettiest port, and the main event at midnight.

Often the displays are themed, and every year the Bridge plays its central role to perfection with what has become known as “The Bridge Effect.”

From smiley faces to a dove of peace, engineers have always kept the public guessing what the bridge will do to celebrate Father Time, as his relentless march continues onward through the ages. Recent effects have been a love heart in 2006, a diamond in 2007 to celebrate the bridge’s stately seventy-five years and an hourglass in 2008. A sun heralded 2009, perhaps offering a ray of hope through the bleak financial times recently faced in no small part by Australia, as well as the rest of the world that would follow the city into the New Year. Often, the city fathers co-ordinate with local radio stations, so that the multitude of revellers have a musical soundtrack, making the whole display an elegant, yet dramatic opera of light and sound that excites all the senses, which, in a way, sums up Sydney to a tee.

< Sydney Harbour and the mouth of the Parramatta River from the air >

< The replica tallship, The Bounty, moored by Sydney’s Central business district >

< The Sydney Harbour Bridge climb offers stunning vistas of the city >

Utz and Downs The Hackneyed Story of the Sydney Opera House You cannot have a city guide to Sydney without a mention of the iconic Opera House which, along with the Sydney Harbour Bridge, dominates the vista of Circular Quay. Jutting into the open water from its foundations on Bennelong Point, the Opera House has become as synonymous with Australia as kangaroos and Vegemite.

Now we could go down the hackneyed old path of how the Opera House was designed by Denmark’s Jørn Utzon after he entered a competition in 1953; and how it ran massively over budget which led to protests on the streets of Sydney; or how disagreements on the structure and design of the interior, coupled with budget pressure from the New South Wales government of the time, saw Utzon quit the project and vow never to set foot in Australia until the building had been redesigned as he originally planned. Oh… we did already. Well, enough of that. Utzon, true to his word, died without ever returning to city of his lasting fame. However, his son did and is currently overseeing a renovation of the iconic structure that will see Utzon senior’s original designs become a reality.

The architectural masterpiece has had its detractors, but it has remained just that - a masterpiece. The unique shape of the vaulted roof shells has also been the subject of debate. They are often referred to as sails and given significance as such by those who attribute Utzon’s vision to that of The Fist Fleet or its harbour location. However, the shells were designed by Utzon in collaboration with internationally renowned engineers, Ove Arup & Partners, and if they were to be pieced together would form the surface of a single sphere.

If you are kicking your heels around Benelong Point this autumn, then swing into the box office and book yourself a night of entertainment. Throughout early October, The London Philharmonic is performing Wagner, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov; The Australian Ballet performs Concord in November and Sleeping Beauty in December, while eccentric pop starlet, Tori Amos, has a three night run there in mid-November.

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Go Plum

Crazy

Sur la Terre sends its vanguard of gourmets to sink their teeth into Plums >>> Steak. It seems like such a simple thing, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it? Take a big slab of meat, slap it down on the grill, take a moment to bask in that gorgeous sizzle and pop sound as it dances like music in the air and watch as the flames lick your chosen cut of beef into a beautiful brown hunk of heaven. Simple, succulent and satisfying, the steak can be an ode to itself. And yet, everyone who holds stake in steak, from backyard grill-masters to top chefs the world over, may tell you something different. The humble steak, it seems, is a thing of exact science, otherwise it would be easy to get a good one anywhere you went, and that is simply just not the case.

Everything from the way it is prepared, to the marinades you use (if any), to the cut of the meat must go into account when judging whether a steak will be delectable or disappointing. Above all of this, however, is one thing that many restaurants forget, or perhaps place in little regard when serving steak: where is it from?

This question is one amongst all of those listed previously that Plums restaurant in Ritz Carlton seeks to answer, and in so doing, solve the complexing culinary conundrum for all of its clients.

Sur la Terre was recently invited to attend a very special media event at Plums. Given the standards of the Ritz, we fully expected to attend, comfortable in the knowledge that we would enjoy a finely delivered, delectable dinner set in a stunning environment.

In this understandable supposition, we were pleasantly not surprised. Plums is everything you would expect from a Ritz Carlton establishment. Low lighting shrouds everything in a dark drape of decadence, glowing offhandedly and modestly as its resonance of radiant beauty is softened and throttled back in a gentle tide of colour. Whirlpools of modern, almost post-impressionist paintings swirl and sketch, throwing just highlighted bits of intensity on the canvas of your appetizers. Plumsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; vibrance is one of understated scintillation, yet it also swims in modern innovation, with a clear view into the open kitchen where the magic of meal-making is revealed, yet loses none of its artistic brilliance. Small, yet intimately attuned, the surroundings set the tone for a forthcoming

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Prime Certified Angus beef gets its name by being in the top 3% of total production, which is largely based on the cattle. Angus is known for its marbling, or where the fat webs in thick thunder strikes, melting together when cooked and causing its taste to electrify in juiciness and flavour. Alternatively, Plums’ certified Japanese Wagyu beef contains the same marbling but to different effect. Each cattle comes with its own lineage certificate so that you know its quality, as if you couldn’t already with the way Wagyu literally melts on your palate. Finally, the Australian Gold 250 Day Grain-Fed beef comes, not surprisingly, after feeding cattle white grain for a total of 250 days, literally “beefing” up the flavour and thickness of the meat.

extravagant meal, but at the same time keeps you a bit off balance, allowing you to focus your senses another way, in this case in the direction of an acute explosion of flavour that punctuates every taste bud. Standing there in the soft light, eating canapes and sucking back fruity cocktails was the gentle massage before the heady plunge that soon followed.

As previously stated, the quintessential ambiance and relish inherent in most Ritz-Carlton restaurants is a bit of a given, but one thing you don’t expect is a tutorial on the nature of taste. However, that is exactly what the SLT team received on arrival. In an effort to educate us, the Plums professionals presented three cuts of meat. The USDA

Unbeknownst to us before sampling every cut, each of the samples given us contained its own unique taste, but unlike many other establishments we’d tried previously, each one was impossibly delicious in its own way. Our favourite was the Wagyu beef (that’s just us, mind you, and we were singularly impressed by each), which seemed to soften with the warm light around us as soon as it entered out mouths, causing us to tumble further into this darkening world of delicious dusk. What came out next, though, grabbed us from our delectable descent and ripped us back into a waking world of mouthwatering wonderment.

The “WOW Burger,” the main course for the evening, is, just like SUPERman or WONDER Woman, very appropriately named. Served on silver trays, the deluxe Wagyu Beef patty stacks itself before you like a monstrous monolith of meat, dwarfing in scope quality and flavour alone any old Big Mac. In and of itself, that would be enough, but for Plums, it’s just the beginning. Add to this prime cut of Japanese meat a slice of pan-fried duck liver that pops and melts, adding succulence and an unparalleled compendium taste that not many would intuitively couple together, including our crack SLT team, whose eyes popped when they heard of the pairing. Surely ...

sur la terre good tastes

SURELY ... the WOW-factor has been found with the inclusion of the duck liver, right? Wrong.

To finally top this insanity of ingestion was a black truffle sauce, the rich tastes of which oozed over and completely unified every other flavour in the dish. Quite simply, the WOW Burger is the best burger our team has ever tried, which, believe us, is really saying something. Counterbalancing the meat and rich sauce was an elongated champagne flute, which was not only filled with incredibly delicate home made fried potatoes, but added to the look and presentation, making it taller and more grand ... a feat we wouldn’t have thought possible. The only “problem” during the entire night was that the burger was so rich, so delicious and so filling, that the most daring diners couldn’t finish it, and were left begging to take it home with them to repeat the literally jawdropping experience another time.

Still tingling with intoxicated taste buds, the team moved onto the dinner buffet, barely managing to finish the expansive seasonal fruits and creams that were proffered to the guests without an apparent end. Fresh coffees and teas then flowed, putting the full-stop at the end of the evening, much to the chagrin of our SLT operatives, who despite their blissfully bulging state, capitulated to the meal that had defeated them in flavour, portion and quality.

For an unbeatable atmosphere and an impressively comprehensive menu, with meats, fish and puddings of varying description, there are a fair few better places to dine than Plums. In fact, as our title for the feature implies, you would be “plum crazy” not to at least give it a try.

To make a reservation and experience Plums for yourself, call +973 1758 0333.

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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

Midnight Nina Nina Ricci has been a fashion force on this world since 1932, but it seems that the famous Parisian fashion house has set its sights on a place beyond the normal orbit of style. In fact, the Fall/Winter line looks like something straight out of Ziggy Stardust’s wardrobe. Yes, it’s a veritable Ziggy Starmy up on that catwalk, each outfit gleaming in the glam of transcendental iridescence, textured fully in metallic tones, glittering highlights and richly intricate embroideries. Much like David Bowie in his spaced-out alter-ego, Nina Ricci celebrates the sensuous form of femininity, yet

marinating in just enough masculinity to rip itself viscerally from the tight fist of familiarity. That dichotomy is celebrated particularly well here in the way that the collection’s velvety softness merges with the beguiling bite of aluminium and titanium that pepper the materials like a robotic rainbow starfield. Other accessories like bedazzled helmets with opaque visors give off the vibe of some kind of well-to-do Dr. Who villain, or a haute henchman for Darth Vader. The silhouettes are so sharp, so jagged, it’s easy to get cut by just looking at them, with flows so dynamic

Down with the Brown When Sur la Terre’s regional managing editor first came over and said, “Hey, Bobby Brown has some new stuff out,” excitement leapt across the workspace like a proud jungle cat. We immediately threw on the old New Edition hit “Candy Girl” and reminisced fondly about the glory days of early 80s R&B. It had been a while since Brown, the former Mr. Whitney Houston, had dropped an album and being fans of his earlier work, we were all aquiver. The record skipped suddenly when someone dropped the buzz-kill that it was Bobbi Brown, the famed mistress of make up and not Bobby Brown, the infamous upstaging megalomaniac that captured our hearts so many years ago. Drat! Still, our buzz wasn’t completely blown thanks to the new limited line from Mrs. Brown. The natural “nude” look she made famous is still reinventing the way women like to look. Her Nude Shimmer Brick is awash in five organic shades of pearl, from lively pinks to lovely caramels, each one grasping at the natural glow of soft feminine features and bringing them to the foreground, rather than just covering them up in a caked-on calamity. Enhancing the Shimmer Brick further is Brown’s new Creamy Lip Color line, which captures the rich autumnal hues of Rose Bud and Twilight amongst others. Decorating the look in a thin final touch is the Caviar Ink Long Wear Gel Eyeliner, which still shines in the awardwinning mixture of liquid ease and the rigid endurance of gel. The end result is an uncluttered earthen beauty with just subtle hints of a deeper angelic glow. After almost 20 years of being a cosmetics queen to cosmic culture, it’s impressive that Brown can still delight. Of course, we still think that the way she calls it the New “Limited” Edition is a veiled reference to the original Bobby Brown supergroup ... yeah, we can’t back that up.

that they seem like they seem to warp themselves into a colour-rich, reality-twisting vortex toward which every gaze is inescapably drawn. Most cuts refuse to be cast quietly from head to toe; even when ending in bottom hints of smoke that hug flash platform shoes like an indefinable mist.

Shoulder and hips ebb and flow in an overflow of over-exaggeration that we find overwhelmingly overpowering. Impressively experimental with just enough audacity to offend, the new Ricci line sends us out of this world and tucked happily into a Moonage Daydream.

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Captain Hermès & The World of Tomorrow!

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow was one of the coolest films of 2004, not just for its retro-futuristic take on science fiction, or because of its cast of A-list celebs like Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law. Going hand-in-hand with the star-studded performances and fintopped ray guns was an almost anachronistic visual and fashion stye that immediately registered the classic look of late 1930s pulp action serials. Hermès, in a possible bid to relive its initial booming days of the same time period, has captured the same retro-chic feel of the good Sky Captain in its latest Autumn/Winter Femme collection. Bomber jackets with fat, furry lapels and trenchcoats with broad shoulders and alternatively steep or sloping silhouettes collide in a fantastic milieu of dark cocoa browns, friction-defying blacks and charcoal purples that look as though they are still glowing with the ashen heat of an organic kiln. To say that Hermès uses only the finest materials is a bit repetitive, but the way leather simultaneously sticks and flows like the dual nature of rich chocolate is a sight to behold, and one that Hermès is always so adept at effortlessly achieving. Silken dresses offer the liquid ooze of spilt ink, while sometimes pulling back its own drape to allow a peek of a soft, pink underbelly. The natural waist is back in fashion in a big way, and is defined here by cuts and silhouettes that appear almost premature, if they didn’t give the look such a defined equilibrium. We love this collection, from the goggle-domed top to the lacy toe or buckleclad boot, and while it’s surely a throwback to the past, we’re certain it will propel the already sky-scraping name of Hermès into an even higher atmosphere of fashion this season.

Revolving Dior We’ve got three words for Dior: lacy facemask ... seriously? Don’t get us wrong, we love us some Dior fashion, particularly when their conceptualist styles are eccentric, offbeat and hard to grasp at first. It’s like staring in the face of a colourful postmodern painting; it’s weird, it’s unexpected, but you know what, you kinda like it. Honestly, we’re starting to warm to the lightweight, near-transparent veil worn across the eye in this otherwise classic collection. It sort of brings together the worlds of Jackie-O and Stanley Kubrick; plus, it gives off a very superhero vibe, and who doesn’t like superheroes? During the coming Fall season, Dior not only shocks and surprises with little touches like this one, it also drips with the elegant flow of femininity. Swooping silhouettes cascade their way down flared lines in the rich, dark embers of the season, sometimes coming to an abrupt, chunky end in bunches in the classic fur coats.

Form-hugging evening gowns similarly trace the length from shoulder to toes, which are tucked into rounded shoes that either define or defy the convention of the outfit. As per usual, the Dior style takes our heads for a spin, revolving through worlds both classic and contemporary and making us dizzily hungry for more.

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Like Mother, Like Daughter Anybody who is anybody in the jewellery business either has heard of or knows well the name Azza Fahmy. Long known for her delicate pieces, each of which encompasses a rich Middle Eastern heritage in their intricate calligraphic designs and use of local materials, her exclusive collections have never failed to impress and delight the global group of gemstone gurus. As the first Egyptian woman to train in Khan El Khalili, Fahmy’s legacy dates back to 1969, and because her styles are based so solidly in timeless Arabesque traditions and philosophies, they show no sign of fading in the twenty-first century. This resilience is made even firmer thanks to the fact that her name and renown will continue thanks to her family.

Amina Ghaly, Azza’s daughter, has been with the brand for four years and has taken the style

It’s Millen Time Graphic Modernist is how designers describe the new Autumn/Winter 2009 Metropolitan line at Karen Millen. The softer side of biker culture is immediately evident in the leather that typifies or accentuates each look. The first thing we noticed were the studded leather gloves, which look like they’d be just as at home wringing the handlebars of a wheeliepopping motorbike or weaving in and out of a back alley brawl as they do on the catwalk. Skirts, jeans and jackets are all similarly speckled in studs, while bags and boots drip with tassels in an urban-rustic feel, drawing in the dizzying images of catwalk cowgirls or boardroom biker chicks.

Tough yet tasteful, the collection is without doubt having a lot of fun.

Animal prints crackle with feminine ferocity across cocktail dresses and around diminutive clutches. In another look, a shrunken, waist-length leather jacket provides upper body form in masculine cuts to contrast the billowing ripples of a long, flowing skirt, under which peek out the magnificent colours of the bright heels in the collection. The end result is a rock-hard attitude with a satin-smooth soul that is absolutely irresistible. Longer thigh-length redesigned pea coats pop in colour and tweed, meeting halfway with thigh-high boots or thin leggings in alternatively sweet and downright spicy silhouettes. Classic dresses continue to shine throughout the collection, and though they do not tap in so much to the subtle aggression of the others, they still toss off the norm in favour of asymmetrical cuts and dangerously crashing lines. As long as you clothe yourself in Karen, you’ll definitely be an Easy Rider.

her mother made famous and etched in her own distinctive mark. Ghaly’s second collection traipses through tradition, yet at the same time meanders in modernity, taking in many elements from different eras and meticulously netting them over one another in the labyrinthine web of classic Arabic calligraphy.

It is easy to get lost in the beauty of every turn as gold and silver are cast like nets over complex bracelets and chains. Chunky rings offer a wondrous divide between silver and wood, casting onto each other not a shadow of each, but instead the light of one another’s brilliance. In every piece, there seems to be a magic just beneath the surface waiting to be tapped. Perhaps it is the magic of a culture or the power of family, but either way, it is entirely and completely enchanting.

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Marc-y Marc’s Funky Bunch Marc Jacobs, already an established presence in Bahrain, is back to incorporate into the future what some call vintage vogue and others call abhorrently anachronistic. Honestly, we dig the roots of this dispute because, as always, Jacobs is daring enough to test the masses. Fanning the fanaticism of the socialite crowd he runs with, Jacobs experiments with the limits of time and explores just how much he can pillage from fashion’s past. His newest Fall/Winter 2009/10 collection, appears to be his most concentrated effort to ruffle the finely frocked feathers of

style’s status quo. This collection could better be described as a collision. It fully and happily embraces the harsh mix of vibrant, yet oftcontrastive colours that made the 80s so unique.

Many of the silhouettes seemingly swoop, jut and pierce from the era, brandishing with them sharp cuts that overlap and redefine the form-fitting fabrics over which they hang. This is particularly arresting in the bright parkas that droop past swirling leggings, punctuated by matching leather gloves for a completely crucial look.

Flapper dresses from the 1920s and Zoot Suits

The Fierce Pierce of De Beers 300 hours, that’s how long it took for De Beers’ craftsmen to create their newest Inaara collection. Just think of what you could do in 300 hours! Go ahead, think about it; we bet that whatever you come up with will not be as absolutely glorious as the outcome of the new De Beers collection. Built around eternally elegant round and oval diamonds, the shape of the Inaara collection looks as though freemoving perpetual motion has been frozen in time and space in a beautifully still streak of asymmetrical ambience. Meaning “light” in Arabic, Inaara is just that, an inspired snapshot of the unpredictable nature of light. The earrings, the platinum setting of which holds a total of 56 diamonds with a total carat weight of 8.30, looks like a statuesque map of the glittering flight path of a firefly. Even the necklaces in the collection, which at first look formulaic, open themselves to further appreciation thanks to its almost clandestine chaos. The streams of 265 diamonds quickly cut across themselves, almost as it was trying to shake off its tail and lose itself. Stare into each piece of the collection long enough, and you may be in danger of losing yourself as well, not that being lost in the brilliance of its stones and settings would necessarily be a bad thing.

from the 30s also make an appearance. Marc Jacobs is at his best when he makes a rigidity in still life melt into an organic flow in movement, and he accomplishes that with his usual flair here. More conservative cuts and designs do dot the collection, particularly in the dark cascade of cloak-like wraps, but we prefer its pique of chic. It may not be for everyone ... and in fact, it may be for no one, but that’s what makes it so appealing.

Still, like many of his collections, the new Marc Jacobs line is like a Picasso. You may not like it, but you do just have to appreciate it.

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sur la terre fashion

GOSSIP GIRLS

Clothing: LORICK www.loricknewyork.com Photography: Tom Hines Art Director: Roanne Adams Stylists: Meredith Markworth-Pollock and Gina Aglietti

sur la terre fashion

Anouk Top in “alaskin plaid” wool

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sur la terre fashion Francois dress in mother grey silk and “mariée noir” wool

sur la terre fashion

Abigail wearing the Anouk Top in “alaskin plaid” wool and the Bara Skirt in “alaskin plaid” wool and black wool

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sur la terre fashion

Elma is wearing the Giorno dress in navy wool with “raj red” silk

Abigail in The Babba Dress in “raj yellow” silk with blue organza overlay

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sur la terre society

Fawanees Ramadan

The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa recently hooked up with Muse Media to produce one of the most exclusively entertaining Ramadan events that Manama has ever seen. Taking place on the lavish Private Ritz-Carlton Island, Fawanees Ramadan featured an astonishingly diverse series of events under the canopy of three luxurious tents. One of these tents was dedicated to the traditional Iftar and Ghabga activities of feasting and fun, with traditional delights dancing in an endless salvo of flavour. The magic of the month continued with traditional performances by

Top left to bottom right: Ms Najma performs Hakawati VIPs enjoy the entertainment High-end, traditional clothing designs from Cemlia Yousif

sur la terre society

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prominent poets, arresting Arab artists and silver-throated singers like Miss Najma, who stunningly conducted local favourites like “Um Kalthumiyat” and “Hakwati” in classic designs from the famously talented designer, Cemlia Yousif. High-profile sponsors Ahad Holdings (LEREEF), Volvo and Motor City, Samsung, Technoblue and MJM investment made the entirety of the event sparkle in sumptuousness and celebrity, and it will be remembered as one of the most premiere events of the entire season.

Top left to bottom right: Musicians entertain the VIPs Jewellery designs from Cemlia Yousif VIPs enjoying the fine food on offer Ahad Holdings (LEREEF) sponsored the event

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sur la terre haute property

Diyar Al Muharraq Crafting Tomorrow Today

>>> Bahrain has many amenities to offer its one million residents.

Even still, easily accessible public beaches are still not as plentiful as many people wish. However, those dreams of beaches that many have harboured for years are soon to be made reality, thanks to Diyar Al Muharraq’s all inclusive approach to development. Diyar Al Muharraq is Bahrain’s newest and perhaps grandest property development, which is set to offer over 30,000 luxurious apartments, townhouses and family villas that will dot the 12 square kilometres around the northern shores of Muharraq, transforming it into one of the most unique projects ever seen in the country.

Now, we know that word “unique” gets tossed around with greater frequency than it probably deserves; and yes, we admit to being guilty of that. However, if there was ever something that could be qualified with the overused “U” word, it would definitely be Diyar Al Muharraq, and it’s not simply because it’s near the beach. As a self-contained community, Diyar Al Muharraq is the first of its kind in everyone’s favourite Middle East Kingdom. The amazing property, which stretches like an elegant blanket over 40 kilometres of extensive waterfront is a beautiful potpourri of property, featuring walkways, ea facing parks, sandy beaches and other features that will appeal to just about everyone. Not only that, the development will also include its own schools, medical centres, sport facilities, an exclusive shopping mall, banks, a business district, hotels and other local services, all brought together under a world-class infrastructure, of which there is often a dearth in this region.

With all of these conveniences, accentuated by the fact that the plans for the new mini-city look absolutely stunning, lucky residents may be tempted to never leave. While the prospect of never getting out would be unthinkable anywhere else, Diyar Al Muharraq has implemented a few more things to make what appears to be a static life incredibly dynamic.

sur la terre haute property

You see, unlike many other similar projects popping up around the Middle East region, Diyar Al Muharraq will be mostly available on what is called a “freehold” basis, which essentially means that each resident will be granted access to its facilities despite their backgrounds or financial means. Just like the promise of a wider world, everyone is welcome and no one is spurned for groundless reasons. In this development, their infrastructure is strong, as is their drive to meet the ideal of perfection.

That utopian mindset includes an environment that not only seeks the happiness and egalitarian balance of its population, but also the protection and sustainability of its natural habitat. One of the most rewarding elements in this environmental concern is in the way that Diyar Al Muharraq integrates seamlessly into the natural aesthetic of the surrounding area by building architecture and amenities that reflect the local cultures and customs of Bahrain, while at the same time beautifying the region in modernity with clean, green and modern properties and storefronts.

Speaking of “green,” it appears that development organisers are not simply out to make another ubiquitous utilitarian compound while at the same time making a quick buck. On the contrary, they have spent BD 3 million on environmental programs that they say will protect and enhance the local area. In fact, Diyar Al Muharraq is the first project in the GCC to commission and adopt an online environmental management system as part of its comprehensive and far-reaching Environmental Management Plan. Not only that, the project also takes traditional local business into consideration with its proposed BD 3.4 million modern harbour, which will contain 190 fishing boats and 60 dhow boats to help boost the traditional means of life and business in Bahrain.

Diyar Al Muharraq is slated to be one of the Kingdom’s most prestigious, yet approachable developments, and when the first elements proposed to be handed over in 2011, this “haute property” is getting closer by the day.

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sur la terre haute property

< Starting from the Left: Mr Jameel k. Al Alawi-Director of Conferences, Mr. Graeme Marshal-Country director Scott Wilson, Mr. A.Majeed Al Ghassab-President of Bahrain Society of Engineers, Mr. Rizwan Mumtaz- Chairman BIPEX publicity Committee & Mr.Craig Thacray-head of the marine design in scott Wilson. >

BIPEX is Back to Flex Its Six-pack The sixth annual Bahrain International Property Exhibition officially kicks off

>>> Under the partonage of HE Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Court in Bahrain, the 2009 Bahrain International Property Exhibition (BIPEX) is set to reignite a luke-warm property market that is in desperate need of clarity, understanding and most importantly, help. Many investors or nervous members of the public might think it a strange time to hold such an event, what with the slow recovery of last year’s crippling global economic crisis, but in fact, the time has never been better for BIPEX to hit the market once again. Confidence, despite what many analysts say, is surprisingly up, and should by all accounts continue to grow. As Mr. A. Majeed AlGassab, president of the organisation that hosts the event, the Bahrain Society of Engineers (BSE), said, “BIPEX 2009 comes at a crucial time when market confidence in the real estate sector has received a set-back. We are confident that the sixth edition of this premier event in the property calendar of the Kingdom will play a vital role in restoring confidence in the markets.”

Bipex has proven over its six-year run to be indispensable in its approach to the markets, keeping a close eye on the growth of the property market in the Kingdom. The only major non-profit property exhibition in the country, BIPEX has been key in informing the entire Bahraini community about trends and pitfalls in the market since its inception in 2004.

Theirs is a goal that is grand in scope, but by inviting knowledgeable stakeholders and experts in the field to educate other interested parties, as well as the citizenry as a whole, BIPEX has always sought to provide everyone with uncompressed understanding of the property game, thus allaying any panic that might occur thanks to outside influence. By consolidating the efforts of those that are “in the know” in the realm of hot property, organisers and developers are better able to communicate future plans and business movements necessary in moving forward.

Knowledge, after all, is the powerful engine that drives away fear.

Even in years past, where the outlook was perhaps brighter, BIPEX was there to help impart knowledge and transparency, and it has been particularly adept and successful in doing so. For example, in its 2008 iteration, it received a record 13,500 footfalls with participants hailing from many countries all over the world, such as the UK, Portugal,

< Mr. Mohammed Khalil Alsayed-Chairman of BIPEX 2009 exhibition, Mr. Aref Hejres-CEO of Diyar Al Muharraq >

India, Philippines, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and of course, the Kingdom of Bahrain itself. Last year’s event was a showcase in real estate and infrastructural immortality to the tune of US $50 billion. This year, despite any past, present or impending crises, event organisers plan to instill great hope back into the market.

As Mr. AlGassab again said, “The outlook favours an upturn because, despite the projected slowdown, the GCC real estate sector has been continuously growing and drawing the attention of investors and buyers. The simple truth is that the real estate market will continue to be an attractive asset class for investment in the long run because there will always be a strong demand for properties in a young and growing population that is seeking a higher standard of living.”

Many of the biggest names in the industry have agreed to be apart of the event, such as, amongst many others, Diyar Al Muharraq, Ithmaar Development Company, Gulf Holding Company and Al Khaleej Development Company (TAMEER), all of whom will play a vital role in the ethos of the event. With many informative seminars and panels planned to allow clients and buyers an opportunity to hear from and speak with developers, financiers, analysts and investors, it is sure that BIPEX 2009 will be just the shot in the arm that the ailing market could use. To learn more about the event and to see how it will heat up the scene, go to www.bipex.org

sur la terre haute property

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L’Hot!

Bahrain’s Next L’evel of L’uxury: L’Hotel

>>> L’Hotel. The name is perhaps self-explanatory, as even the most monolingual amongst us can translate its basic meaning; however, the true feel of Bahrain’s newest and first boutique hotel is not so easily translated. Much like the French language and culture from which it was inspired, L’Hotel is intimate in its approach, melodious in its almost hymnal method and silken in the modern purity of its verve. On passing through the threshold of the atrium, you are immediately met with slight cinders of light, glowing softly as though emanating from hidden stars, peeking behind piano-black features and furnishings and across clean, reflective tiles. Dark, slatted woods cohabitate hallways with midnight blacks and swirling twilight grays, often broken in the illuminated lightning crack of a beautifully gnarled plant. The effect is, not ironically, striking.

The first impression of its greeting room is a fine introduction into L’Hotel. It is an alluring appetizer for the very definition of boutique chic, proving that a hotel in the Middle East can be modern without being soulless and cozy without being rustic. Its commercial modernity is tempered by Bahrain’s commitment to its own traditions and culture, which has been in renewal of late. As General Manager Ralph J. Yazbeck has said, “We are hugely supportive of the arts culture in Bahrain and hope to merge our passion for the arts within the establishment’s offering of hospitality.” That resolve to hold fast an artistic vibe to the bosom of modern accommodation is palpable in every corner of L’Hotel.

Each of its 90 rooms and suites contains the ideal fusion of class, craftsmanship and comfort that modern pilgrims demand, be they businesspeople or families. Most guests have described the rooms as being more like apartments than hotel rooms ... of course, most people would prefer to live in L’Hotel if given the choice. Light and dark bleed together brilliantly in the shaded symmetry of floor and wall, punctuated by altogether different, yet complimentary colours of gilded linens and perforated by pops of colour from the well-chosen art (a forgotten skill in many contemporary hotels), which wonderfully disturbs the composition of the beautifully minimalist rooms like a ripple in an otherwise still pond. Rich in refinement and class, the amenities will meet every want and grant every wish, but there are more things to do than simply stay in your room.

In addition to your own personal space, L’Hotel also offers a modern melt in its sumptuous sauna, a traditional torpor in its Moroccan bath (hammam) and an inviting dip in its rooftop swimming pool. If relaxing is not on your personal menu, L’Hotel offers many other ways to fill your days and nights. L’Avenue restaurant has been a name and taste on the

lips of culinary connoisseurs since it was first announced that renowned chef Phillippe Marc would be involved in its creation. Offering the finest tastes of the subtle yet ornate palate of French/Mediterranean cuisine, the restaurant is enshrouded in an impressively tasteful setting that is sophisticated, but not too formal. For a lighter feel, Le Relais De Venise Son Entrecôte (L’Entrecote), a chain of establishments first launched exactly 50 years ago in Paris pleases in a much different respect, with a laid back, no reservations attitude and a menu perfect for the informalat-heart, with steaks, salads and fries satisfying all-comers. Finally, there is L’Bar, which excites where the above places relax. Offering music, entertainment and the perfect spot for gatherings in a cool, richly accented space, L’Bar is popular with many stylish socialites, be they guests of the hotel or simply after-hours adventurers.

In the end, we love the concept behind and the implementation of L’Hotel.

Its goals of uncompromising quality and service may seem lofty, but while many other hotels fail under the pressure, L’Hotel seems to relish in its own ambition. Modern, clean and populated by a resident staff that is more than happy to address your every whim, it is a rare jewel in an otherwise tarnished age of dull service. Resting under the canopy of its tapered ceilings and nestling within its elaborate yet elegant trappings, you will separate yourself from the world and find the coolest comfort.

Welcome to Bahrain’s newest “haute spot.” Welcome to L’Hotel.

Sur La Terre International S.A. Head office: 26 avenue de la Praille – 1227 GENEVA – SWITZERLAND Tel: + 41 22 310 48 00 | Fax: + 41 22 310 48 01

sur la terre clicks

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NY times Lens Blogs

Addicting Games

Fantastic Contraption

The first image in today’s “Showcase” on http:// lens.blogs.nytimes.com is a heartwarming picture of a loving couple sharing a tender moment and a cigarette. Set before an azure urban landscape darkened by looming backalley shadows and a tapestry of shadowy graffiti, the picture in no way lessens in beauty when you realise that these are two members of a group of Canadian castaway addicts.

Clicking to the previous day’s entry engulfs you in an entirely different emotive response, as a small green patch of encircled foliage is dutifully watered amongst the concrete strangle of a metropolitan jungle. Such is the gut-wrenching, dichotomous visual and storytelling style of the New York Times’ official photojournalistic blog. Each day, the site is updated with the latest colourful pictures to be captured by the Times’ most skilled photographers and video journalists. While many of the pictures, videos and slideshows on the site do indeed come from in-house photographers, it also celebrates the work of non-NY Times affiliated photographers from a variety of different outlets. It’s easy to spend an entire afternoon gorging on the multimedia feast that the blog spreads before its audience.

Before us, a furiously furrowed brow seems stuck in a frozen quiver as beady eyes stare menacingly in a threatening challenge. Under the canopy of an ostentatiously large tricorne hat, a late-career Burt Reynolds smirk peeks out from behind the salt and pepper curtain of a wispy beard. Have we fallen asleep again after a marathon viewing session of Vincent Price’s Rage of the Buccaneers? Not this time!

Instead, we are looking down the business end of one of our favourite new websites, www. addictinggames.com. In “Pirate Puzzler,” you are armed with a cannon, a steely gaze and a firm grasp of digital physics, and charged with the task of sinking treasure chests into Davey Jones’ Locker without disturbing obstacles like toxic green chemicals. This is just one of many highly absorbing games on the site, none of which make much “sense,” but all of which provide hours of work-ignoring entertainment. Yet another great time-waster is “Interactive Buddy,” wherein you meet a cute little character comprised completely of spheres, who you then proceed to pummel, immolate and bash with maniacal relish. With literally thousands of games on the site, you can kiss your productivity goodbye.

This site is a direct descendent of an old series of PC video games called The Incredible Machine, or TIM to his friends. The 1992 title allowed physics-minded players to build a machine out of various objects like gears, wheels, conveyor belts, cats and rockets to achieve an all too important goal like, say, popping a balloon or lighting a candle.

Fantasticcontraption.com uses the same premise, giving the gamer the sworn duty of moving a pink block into a designated “Goal” area. Sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it? Well, just give it a go, hot-shot! We think you’ll find this “fun little time-waster” is much more complicated than its cartoony exterior belies. You are not given that many objects or materials to build with, but the combinations are near infinite. If you don’t have a firm grasp of physics and an unflappable resolve, it will break you down like a gas tank full of sugar. We thought we were doing pretty well with our inventions, simple though they were, but we were left humbled when we saw the saved videos on YouTube. We’d like to think these were designed by engineers, but somehow we think they were really made by five year olds. We hate it when that happens.

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com

www.addictinggames.com

www.fantasticcontraption.com

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sur la terre chapters

Frankenstein: Dead and Alive by Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz has been shocking, thrilling and horrifying his avid reader fan base with his novels since the late 60’s. In his newest Frankenstein Trilogy, he displaces Shelley’s classic story into the contemporary age, tweaking its characters, building on its lofty premise and wringing more gravitas from an already weighty work. The trilogy tells the story of two New Orleans detectives, who are minding their own business - detecting this and that when they are one day recruited by a hulking man named Deucalion, to help find renowned philanthropic billionaire Victor Helios. It turns out that Deucalion is Frankenstein’s original monster and Helios, Dr. Victor Frankenstein himself. Having escaped death, Helios/Victor has gone mad (or “madder” as the case may be for mad scientists), and is now back to prove his own mental might! Luckily, Deucalion and some of Helios’ renegade “monsters” are there to stop his schemes. Expansive yet intricate, the story employs a wide range of monstrosity, though one that is tempered in frailty. Well written and truly page-turning, Dead and Alive, which is predated by Prodigal Son and City of Night, is the perfect end to an incredible trilogy.

Where the Wild Things Areby Dave Eggers

Where the Wild Things Are, originally a short children’s book written and illustrated in 1963

by Maurice Sendak, is by far one of the most memorable stories of its kind in America. The award-winning book is now a movie, directed by the legendary Spike Jonze. Jonze’s fellow co-writer on the film, Pulitzer-Prize winning Dave Eggers, has taken the story through yet another evolution by adapting the work into a 300+ page novel. Eggers stays true to the heart of the story, which sees a young boy named Max deal with his adolescent frustrations and overactive imagination by escaping from his mother and sailing to a fantasy world populated by terrifying yet lovable monsters.

While never expressed in the original, Eggers explores the familial bond between Max and his mother, while introducing new elements to the story. Its critics say that the already deeply moving work does not need to be extended and that such a novelisation is unnecessary, but we think that its expansion draws out further elements for a whole new audience. We are certain that this book will succeed not only in filling that nostalgic hole for fans, but also in reigniting the dying imagination that was first sparked by the original.

Christine by Stephen King

Everyone remembers the first car that shows up in their group of friends. For us, it was a Toyota Corolla. This “Deathmobile” had many things: a skull-crowned gearshift, an inexplicable pile of our friend’s mother’s old shoes and ... an evil soul! One day, upon leaving, a sudden, sharp pain exploded in my thigh. The car bit me. IT BIT ME! We never trusted that rage-filled rust bucket after that. No wonder we understand Stephen King’s classic horror novel, Christine.

This 1983 tome tells the story of a boy named Arnie. A geeky sort of guy who wants to increase his reputation and appeal at school, Arnie one day comes upon a beautiful 1958 Plymouth Fury.

Slowly, the reader discovers that this “Christine” is slowly fixing itself from its rundown state and in so doing, is also fixing Arnie’s own appearance and attitude. The usually affable Arnie becomes increasingly aggressive as his friends notice something nefarious afoot. Christine then moves on a murderous killing spree, crushing anyone who threatens, insults or even questions Arnie.

One of King’s most famous works, Christine has been made into a popular 1983 film. With the increasing intelligence of today’s cars, Christine is more topical than you’d first imagine, Honk if you are horrified!

sur la terre tunes

21st Century Breakdown, Green Day

We’ve followed their recalcitrant career of Green Day ever since Kerplunk, which led to mega-hit Dookie. Of course, as with any entity that comes of age, Green Day suffered a bit of fat around the middle with albums like Insomniac and Nimrod.

Just when it looked as though they would completely lose their stride, the boys dug in and nailed a big success in American Idiot, their first foray into the musical odyssey of a coherent narrative, a style made popular by The Who. This smash hit has been followed up beautifully by their newest album, 21st Century Breakdown.

In what has been described as a looser story thread, this “rock opera” follows the exploits of Christian and Gloria, a young couple trying to find a strained sense of normality in a politically fractured world. Set in three acts, Breakdown incorporates all of the styles the group has employed throughout its career, from harder, throatily-whiny songs like “Know Your Enemy” to softer, wrenching tunes like “21 Guns.” If nothing else, this is a labour of love from central songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong. It’s sometimes weighed down by its own sense of purpose, but it’s still to standard with their phenomenal revitalised direction, and is already attracting well-deserved praise from the music community.

Expect to use your repeat button liberally.

Playing for Change, Mark Johnson

Playing for Change is one of the most amazing musical movements that has ever come into the Sur la Terre offices, and we don’t say that lightly. Begun in 2004 by producer Mark Johnson, Playing for Change is a webbased project that compiles different musical elements from around the world to make one unified song in an effort to, as Johnson says on the movement’s website, “inspire one another to come together as a human race.”

A guitarist from France, a drummer from the Congo, a washboard player from New Orleans and singers from Atlanta, India, Amsterdam and South Africa all combine, without ever meeting, to perform covers of classics like “One Love,” “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” and probably the group’s most recognised song, “Stand by Me.” The harmony of styles, the idea of which might initially sound like a bad idea; almost like having too many cooks in the kitchen, is, in reality, an irresistibly delectable dish of delicious decibels. As cheesy as it may sound, listening to the new album, which was compiled and released earlier in 2009, actually does make you believe in the power of unity through music. If you aren’t stirred by Playing for Change, then we’re pretty sure something’s wrong with you.

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Heartbeat City, The Cars

Has there ever been a band that that so successfully summed up an entire decade as The Cars? Well ... yes, quite frankly, but they’re still great! The Boston-based boys began their career in the mid-1970s before releasing their first single, “Just What I needed,” which has since become an anthem on classic radio and weight-loss ads on TV. From there, The Cars became experimental, mixing eccentric forms of music like synthetic pop and New Wave, with perhaps more “traditional” fare like rockabilly and punk. Highly stylised, a bit goofy and encapsulating everything so cleverly kitsch about the self-reflexive pop-art movement, The Cars found their stride in 1984 with Heartbeat City. The album includes hits like “Drive,” “Magic” and our personal favourite, “You Might Think,” the music video of which was the first to ever win an MTV Video of the Year award.

It featured lead singer Ric Ocasek using his digital powers to transform into a fly, a giant monster, a tube of lipstick and an alarm clock: four objects that Ric incontrovertibly proved women cannot resist. The whole experience of The Cars can be summed up in this album: overly synthesised, confusingly nonconformist and quite simply amazing.

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sur la terre flicks

Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki and his business baby, Stuido Ghibli, have been responsible for some of the most avant-garde examples of animation for the past 20 years.

To date, their releases include the amazingly heart-wrenching Grave of the Fireflies, the epic Princess Mononoke and the Academy Awardwinning Spirited Away. Ponyo is the latest film to come down the pipeline from the legendary director and animation house. The title character is an anthropomorphic goldfish, and terrifying daughter of a powerful sea-sorcerer and the powerful yet benevolent goddess of the sea. One day, Ponyo runs away to shore and is found by a young boy named Sosuke, who takes her in and cares for her. After falling in love, Ponyo transforms herself into a human girl to spend more time with Sosuke and his family. However, this decision has stronger ramifications than either youngster expects, as the very magic Ponyo used to become human threatens to consume the entire world. Once again, Miyazaki’s animations prove to be fluid, beautiful and utterly timeless, brought to life by an impossible imagination and childlike glee of exploration. Do not miss this one!

District 9

We were beginning to lose hope in the cinematic scene last Summer. And then there was District 9. Directed by Neill Blomkamp and produced by Peter Jackson, District 9 expands on a short film Blomkamp created called Alive in Joburg. Over 20 years ago, an alien ship suddenly arrives above South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg. When humanity finally makes contact, it finds an alien populace in dire need of medical attention, food and help.

Initially, things go fairly well, but things quickly devolve into an “us vs. them” mentality, and the “prawns” (as the aliens are derogatorily nicknamed) soon overstay their welcome.

In present day, an organisation called Multinational United (MNU) polices District 9, the alien zone that has since become a fencedin, dilapidated breeding ground for illicit activity. Shot in a gritty, guttural documentary style with penetrating social commentary, the film is expertly driven by a hapless MNU official named Wikus, who, while performing his duties evicting the District 9 population to another site, finds out much more about the prawns than he is prepared to discover, and it may change him and the world forever. Oooh!

Days of Thunder

“I’m droppin’ the hammer!” These emotionally charged words are probably the only memorable things about the 1990 “classic,” Days of Thunder. Some of us recalled watching the flick at the time and remembered it being dated even back then, but we were driven (get it?) to revisit the tender yet schizophrenic days of the early 90s and watch this movie, despite any adverse effects to our mental health it may induce. Blasted by critics for being a blatant Top Gun clone (which it is), Days of Thunder follows the developmental exploits of upand-coming Nascar driver Cole Trickle (Cruise).

Cole is driven (there it is again) to prove his hot-shot attitude is not just a brash flapping of gums. It’s a rough, rocky climb to the top, with as many twists and turns as a Nascar track, which is to say, not many. Along the way, he is forced to find peace with his sponsors, defeat veteran Rowdy Burns and find love with neurosurgeon Dr. Claire Lewicki (Kidman). If the tang of cinematic cheese isn’t your taste, then the all-star cast should be worth the price of admission. Cruise’s character sums it up in a fit of philosophy when he says, “I’m more afraid of bein’ nothin’ than I am of bein’ hurt.” That’s called bravery, folks.

sur la terre tv

Glee

The desperate, disenfranchised cries of ostracised youth always make good fodder for tv shows and bad poetry, but never have these high-pitched whines been so pleasing to the ear. Set in the American midwest, Glee follows a Spanish language teacher at McKinley High School who has taken moderator duties over the glee club. This singing club is basically known as the musical realm of geeks, nerds, dorks and otherwise frowned-upon subsets of teenage culture. The war between these outcasts, and the “popular” kids is welltraveled territory for this type of show, but the difference in Glee is that it is actually a musical.

Covering nearly every genre, Glee includes songs from award winning stage shows like Les Miserables to new tracks from pop music stars like Rhianna. With topical central themes and deep insights into American high school culture, Glee feels like a big televised breath of fresh air; the kind that makes a whistle when you inhale. Critical reception has been strong so far, so with any luck, this new show will be singing its way over to the Gulf in less than a quarter note. Tune up now so you can sing along later.

Top Gear

Top Gear is more than just a TV show. It’s an institution. Hosted by its three now-legendary presenters, Top Gear has, in its giggle-gilded, gear-headed format, redefined how car magazine shows should be. While born under a moon of British machismo, which, despite what you may think, isn’t an oxymoron, the show has transcended unilateral coolness and achieved global masculine appeal. Segments on the show include multi-vehicular races pitting, for instance, a car (Bugatti Veyron) against a fighter jet, and a truck (Toyota Hilux) against a dogsled in a race to the north pole.

Challenges are a bit less rigorously defined, but usually include, to great effect, ridiculous driving scenarios, perilous races, biting social commentary and, of course, caravans. We’ve even seen them jump a herd of bouncy castles in an ice cream truck. As you do. One of our favourite segments is “Star in a ReasonablyPriced Car,” wherein a celeb takes the reigns of a Chevrolet Lacetti and peels around the track for quick times and bragging rights. The leader board for most races is topped by the show’s resident masked motorist, The Stig, whose driving prowess, and true identity, are both infinitely bewildering. Top Gear is now in its 13th season on British TV, and is available in all of its seasonal brilliance on DVD.

Knight Rider

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“Knight Rider, a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist.

Michael Knight, a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless in a world of criminals who operate above the law.” Even the velvet baritone of this opening speech from the classic 80s programme is cool. Knight Rider follows the exploits of war veteran/detective, Michael Long, whose face was shattered in a murderous double-cross. Luckily for our hero, he was saved from death by two things every lionhearted lothorio needs: a mysterious billionaire benefactor and a metal skull plate.

Wishing to build a new form of steely justice before his demise, the ailing Wilton Knight rehabilitates and recruits the poorly detective, arming him with a cooler identity, skin-tight jeans, a perm and of course, KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand), a talking Pontiac Firebird. Whether they were fighting dastardly crime lords, crooked rock stars, corrupt country sheriffs or evil doppelgängers named “Garthe,” Michael and KITT always used their wits and keenly synchronised combat maneuvers to fight for truth, justice and chicks. The complete series is now available on DVD.

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sur la terre snapshot

I was inspired to take this photo when I saw my little brother crying. I noticed how the light hit the teardrops and how they clung onto the eyelashes, so I decided to try and replicate the effect with a water drop on my sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyelashes. It took several attempts to get the droplet right using an eye dropper, testing both mine and my sisters patience. However, I finally got the shot I wanted and it was worth it.

I used a 100mm macro lens and I decided to make the photo black and white to focus on the tones and lighting of the subject, rather then letting the viewer get distracted by the colours.

Photographer: Dana Ali Bin Ali

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sur la terre cultural agenda

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

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2009

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sur la terre the agenda

I

Global Champions Tour November 11th - 15th, 2009

Horse riding, presentation and jumping have all been staples in Qatari culture and sporting history for years, and the country’s obsession with horses in general has gone back hundreds more. Jumping in particular has seen a renewed passion for local equestrian aficionados in recent years, with many of the world’s best showcasing their talents on the Qatari stage.

To celebrate that interest this year, the Global Champion’s Tour (GCT), the first international outdoor series of eight or more of the most prestigious international show jumping competitions, is once again coming to Qatar.

While it hosted the kick-off event last year, Doha will, in 2009, host the wildly popular show’s final and it is one that will surely attract the sport’s VIPs as well as those looking to see one of the most amazing spectacles in the world of equestrianism today. Created only a few years ago in 2006, the GCT has quickly become one of the most important series of events for the top-ranked riders in the world. The event is tantamount to the PGA Golf Tour, the F1 series of races and the ATP Tennis Series, but without question is much more naturally beautiful than all of these thanks to the breathtaking nature of the world’s finest steeds. Officially accredited by

the International Equestrian Federation (FEL), the GCT has garnered some of the finest partners and sponsors from across the board, but it has never found such a like-minded associate than Doha’s own Qatar Equestrian Federation, who is proud to host the event this year. The final

will be, as they say in the sporting world, “the granddaddy of them all,” and will undoubtedly capture the imagination of all lucky attendees.

To find out how you can be a part of the neighing, whinnying and jumping action, trot on over to http://www.globalchampionstour.com

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sur la terre the agenda

Brazil v England

Doha Debates

November 14th, 2009

Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier. Hulk Hogan v Andre the Giant. Godzilla v power lines. Truly the world has seen its fair share of titanous battles both within and outside of the realm of sports.

However, while these epic battles were pitched abroad ... or in the land of fantasy ... it will be Doha that will stand as the site for the next legendary heavyweight battle when, in November, England and Brazil will duke it out in a “friendly” game of football. Recently announced by the events coordinators Qatar Football Association and Al Jazeera, the game will tentatively take place on November 14, 2009, though this largely depends on England’s schedule within their World Cup qualifying group. Still, the excitement has come to a fever pitch for what we are calling “The Quarrel in Qatar,” which we’re pretty sure will catch on; come on, it’s much better than “Rumble in the Jungle” any day! Anyway, the match has been officially confirmed by both sides, as well as all event organisers involved, and when it does happen, it will be a finger-licking feast for football fanatics across the country. Both teams have been

October 12th, , 09 - June 17th, 2010 looking good in 2009, with England winning most of its international games and Brazil still fresh from a Confederations Cup win in South Africa. Regardless of your personal preference or particular side you support, one thing is for sure when Rooney, Cole and Beckham match wits and kits with Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka: this is gonna be good! To keep up to date with any new developments, visit the Qatar FA at http://en.qfa.com.qa

Oryx World Cup Championships November 19th - 21st, 2009

With all this talk of motorsport this issue, let’s not forget the kind that takes place off the tarmac.

Normally a kingdom shared by traditional dhows, hammour fish and Aquaman, the Arabian Gulf is very soon going to be the host for something completely different. On behalf of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF), HE Sheikh Hassan Bin Jaber Al Thani signed a landmark agreement with the American Boat Racing Association (ABRA) to host what will prove to be one of the fastest, most heart-palpitating events that Doha has ever seen.

The inaugural Oryx Cup World Championship takes place in November and will showcase the unbridled power of no less than 10 unlimited hydroplanes, the uncontested fastest boats in the world today. Using a T-55 L7 turbine engine usually reserved for military helicopters, these bad boys of the deep blue can reach speeds exceeding 200

mph! Officially, this is the final of the ABRA World Championships, but it will surely reshape the watery landscape of Qatar’s marine motorsport future. This new excursion into Qatar waters shows that this showcase of speed is spreading.

To find out more about QMSF and to keep updated with this and other events, go to www.qmsf.org

The dull rumble of conversation that has rolled around Doha for the past few months will finally build into a trumpeting roar once again. Starting in October, hip fans of current events and polite conversation can all rejoice, as The Doha Debates once again charge onto the political and social scene here in Qatar. Now entering into its 6th series, the Debates took a brief respite for the Summer, with its June edition finding 62 percent of attendees voting in favour of allowing Muslim women the right to choose their own husbands, a stark contrast to polls previously conducted both by the Debates and elsewhere. This result just goes to show how electrifying, enlightening and topical the monthly debates can be, as well as the freedom and transparency allowed in discussing such subjects. Hosted by seasoned journalistic veteran Tim Sebastian and covering a wide range of topics with special guests, the Doha Debates have quickly established themselves as a local treat for students, professionals, armchair philosophers and political punters not only to hear what their contemporaries think, but also to throw in their own two cents worth. This, of course, is not to mention the worldwide exposure the Debates have garnered, turning it into a global free-speech phenomenon. Attending The Doha Debates is free, easy and definitely well worth it. To literally be a part of historical discourse in the making, visit the official website at www.thedohadebates.com or email thedohadebates@qf.org.qa

sur la terre the agenda

Jewellery Arabia 2009 November 17th - 21st, 2009

As long as recent memory serves, Jewellery Arabia has been the venue in the Middle East to rub elbows with the finest pieces of jewellery in the region, and outside of it. Where else will you be able to sit with Cartier, Chopard, De Beers, Graff, Harry Winston, Piaget, Al Zain and Van Cleef & Arpel all at the same time and under the same roof? Of course, many purely national brands also participate in the yearly event. Hailing from places like Brazil, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Thailand and Turkey, these names may be less well-known, but they are definitely no less impressive. As with the previous shows, the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre is sure to dazzle in the bright reflection of pricelessness. Over 600 exhibitors from 30 separate countries were on-hand for the 2008 edition of the show, which saw the jaws of over 42,000 visitors drop at the brilliance of the bright and beautiful stones that peppered the 18,000 square metres of showroom floor like the mirrored sequins of a rotating disco ball. This was the largest show in the event’s history, and despite any concerns with “financial crises,” event organisers have predicted that this year’s will exceed the glamour of last year’s record-breaking event. To see exactly who is going to show up this year, as well as floor plans and information about admissions, go to http:// www.jewelleryarabia.com/. As a final caution, we highly suggest you bring some shades with you. It tends to get brilliant in there.

III

Horse Racing Season Start October, 2009 - April, 2010

It’s time to get ready for REAL horsepower! That’s right, the thunderous beat of hooves are beginning to rumble to a steady beat as probably Bahrain’s favourite past time is once again coming round the bend. Established in in 1977, the Equestrian and Horse Racing Club was the first governmental body to formalise the sport. The facility in Raffa boasts two turf tracks measuring 2400 metres with a 1200 metre straightaway, which gives plenty of room for these ponies to pound it out. The grandstand is capable of seating over 3,000 fans who will no doubt be chomping at the bit to see the best of the best go nose to nose. The stable is packed with the finest equines on earth, offering a mix of the local Arabian thoroughbred heroes, as well as handpicked international sensations. The racing season officially begins in October and is a long trot to April. The heats happen six times a day, one day a week with an average of nine horses for each race.

For more information about admission prices and race dates, head to www.bhhorseracing.com

BIC Driving Experiences September 18th, 09 - December 18th, 2009 The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) is known the world over for its divested interest in the study and execution of pure adrenaline and speed. However, not ones to hog the limelight, the folks at BIC are willing to let you jump in the seat of a speedster. Throughout the Autumn and Winter seasons, the BIC holds open track days for those who want to test their mettle by putting the pedal to the metal in their own rides.

If you’re the kind of person who wants to push your driving ability and vehicular vigor without having to worry about silly little things like “breaking the law,” then this is the event for you.

Alternatively, you can experience getting behind the wheel of something a little different, like the rear-wheel-drive 160bhp Caterham buggy, probably the closest you’ll ever get to an F1 car without stealing it. For good old fashion racing fun, BIC also offers more than a few karting days for you to peel around the course like the crazy little lead-footed maniac you are! If you’re more

passenger than driver, the BIC has you covered, with exciting 4X4 off-road and V8 Lumina race car driving experiences. All in all, any of these options presents a great way to spend a day at the track. To find out more about availability and to see the events calendar, screech on over to www.bahraingp.com

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sur la terre the agenda

Dubai World Championships November 17th - 22nd, 2009

Long touted as “Golf’s Ultimate Prize,” the last stop on the 2009 European Tour season has recently taken a hit, and it’s not the straight drive we were all expecting. Instead, it’s a bit off centre and on the edge of a sand trap. Of course, we are dealing with professionals here, and any avid player will tell you to never give up and to keep on swinging!

So what if the purse of the upcoming Dubai World Championships has taken a 25 percent cut, there is still US $7.5 million at stake here, and even for the most seasoned pro, that’s nothing to sneeze at, particularly in these trying times. Besides, as of press time, no participant who agreed to play in The Race to Dubai is pulling out, which means that the star power is still going to be just as bright, with pros like Martin Kaymer, Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood amongst many, many others.

Besides, there are other things to look forward to than just the money aspect, like the guaranteed quality of play and of course, the absolutely majestic Earth course developed by the legendary Greg Norman. Depending on how the crisis will further effect the sport of golf, this might not just

be the first Dubai World Championship ... it might also be the last. But hey, that just means it’s going to be more exclusive, and we just LOVE exclusives.

To keep tabs on the progression of the event, and to see how you can be a part of history, swing on over to www.dubaiworldchampionship.com

International Film Festival December 9th - 16th, 2009

Created with the intention to “Lead in building cultural understanding through creative achievement in film,” the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) has always celebrated superb cinematic selections, both domestic and international. Since its birth in 2004, DIFF has showcased and awarded hundreds of quality films, proving that not only are local audiences well-informed film-ites, but also that they are just as adept in the art of movement’s creation. On a global scale, the festival has carried and presented such films as last year’s hit, Slumdog Millionaire and has even been attended by Hollywood’s shiniest stars, such as Ben Affleck, Salma Hayek, Danny Glover, Nicolas Cage and Martin Scorsese.

Even though DIFF has grown by leaps, bounds and skyrocketing numbers, it still remains a pure showcase of world cinema philosophy

and proves a commitment to creativity and art in the region. DIFF allows budding filmmakers and actors a bigger piece of the pie, with over 28 internationally lauded prizes worth more than US $575,000. To learn more and to see what the DIFFerence is, head to www.dubaifilmfest.com

Dubai Motor Show November 16th - 20th, 2009

After a long two years, the Dubai International Motor Show is finally back to crank the engine of every single Gulf-based gear head, or anyone who has ever taken the time to gape at a sweet ride.

This year marks the 10th time that the show has screeched into Dubai, and despite what you may hear about the “depressing” nature of similar events in Geneva and Frankfurt, this year’s show is set to pop the clutch and speed shift into unleaded excitement. It has always been known for being the best motor show in the region, most probably because of the draw that Dubai always seems to have; even now during what some people call “economic turmoil,” but what we simply refer to as a speed bump. Still, the Middle East is the bread and butter of the car industry at the moment, so the big names are bound to make a bid for glory in Dubai this year. That addiction to affluence has brought in quite a few celebs, VIPs and members of royalty to the show, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of other attendees who race to the biennial event. Of course, the stars of the show will be the beautiful rides that drape the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre like a fibre glass canvas of artistry. Huge names like Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Bentley are but a few dignitaries of diesel that have shown up in the past and promise to do the same this year and well into the future. To get more information about the Dubai International Motor Show, such as the 2009 exhibitors and registration information, go to www.dubaimotorshow.com.

Race you there!

V5 REGIONAL HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND CAFÉS GUIDE ABU DHABI

HOTELS < Al Raha Beach Hotel Al Raha Corniche Tel: +971 2 508 0555 www.danathotelgroup.com 5 Star < Beach Rotana Hotel and Tower Tourist Club Area 2 Tel: +971 2 697 9000 www.rotana.com/property-4 5 Star < Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Sheikh Hamdan St. Tel: +971 2 621 0000 www.crowneplaza.com 5 Star < Emirates Palace Hotel Corniche Road Tel: +971 2 690 9000 www.emiratespalace.com 5 Star < Hilton Baynunah Corniche Road Tel: +971 2 632 7777 www.hilton.com 5 Star < Intercontinental 4171 Bainuna Street near Zayet Tel: +971 2 666 6888 www.ichotelsgroup.com 5 Star < Le Royal Meridien Khalifa Street Tel: +971 2 674 2020 www.Starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien 5 Star < Millenium Hotel Khalifa Street Tel: +971 2 614 6000 www.milleniumhotels.com/ae 5 Star < Oryx Hotel Corniche Road Tel: +971 2 681 0001 www.oryxhotel.ae 5 Star < Sands Hotel Electra Street Tel: +971 2 615 6666 5 Star < Shangri-La Hotel Qaryat Al Beri 308th Road Tel: +971 2 509 8888 www.shangri-la.com 5 Star < Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort Corniche Road & Salam Street Tel: +971 2 677 3333 www.Starwoodhotels.com/sheraton 5 Star RESTAURANTS < Al Birkeh Le Meridien Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 644 6666 www.abudhabi.lemeridien.com Cuisine: Arabic < Al Fanar Le Royal Meridien Tel: +971 2 674 2020 Cuisine: International < Al Mawal Abu Dhabi Hilton Hotel, Al Khubeirah Tel: +971 2 681 1900

Cuisine: Arabian < Bam Bu! Marina & Yacht Club, Al Meena Tel: +971 2 645 6373 Cuisine: Chinese < Benihana Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers Tel: +971 2 644 3000 www.rotana.com Cuisine: Japanese < Flavours Sheraton Abu Dhabi, Corniche Rd East Tel: +971 2 677 3333 www.sheraton.com Cuisine: International < Fish Market Intercontinental Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 666 6888 Cuisine: Seafood < Il Palazzo Al Ain Palace Hotel Tel: +971 2 679 4777 www.alainpalacehotel.com/ restaurants.htm Cuisine: Italian < Marakesh Millenium Hotel Tel: +971 2 626 2700 Cuisine: Arabian < Palm Court Le Royal Meridien Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street Tel: +971 2 674 2020 www.lemeridien-abudhabi.com Cuisine: International < Peppino Intercontinental Hotel Al Markaziyah Tel: +971 2 626 2200 Cuisine: Italian < Riviera Marina Al Bateen Resort Tel: +971 2 665 0144 Cuisine: Italian < Shamyat Al Salam St, Markaziyah Tel: +971 2 671 2600 Cuisine: Arabian < Shuja Yacht Le Royal Meridien Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street Tel: +971 2 695 0539 www.lemeridien.com Cuisine: International < The Wok Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Hamdan St Tel: +971 2 621 0000 www.abu-dhabi.crowneplaza.com Cuisine: Asian < Zaitoun Danat Resort, Jebel Dhanna Al Ruwais Tel: +971 2 801 2222 Cuisine: Arabian cafés < Al Majlis Emirates Palace Hotel Tel: +971 2 690 7999 www.emiratespalace.com Café < Zyara Café Near Hilton Residence, Corniche Tel: +971 2 627 5006 Café

DOHA

Hotels < Al Sultan Beach Resort Al Khor Tel: +974 472 2666 www.alsultanbeachresort.com 5 Star < Four Seasons Al Corniche Street Tel: +974 494 8888 www.fourseasons.com/doha 5 Star < Grand Hyatt West Bay Area Tel: +974 448 1234 www.doha.grand.hyatt.com 5 Star < Grand Regency Near Sports R/A Al Sadd Tel: +974 434 3333 www.grand-regency.com 5 Star < Intercontinental West Bay Lagoon Tel: +974 484 4444 www.ichotelsgroup.com 5 Star < La Cigale Suhaim Bin Hamad Street Tel: +974 428 8888 www.lacigalehotel.com 5 Star < Marriott Ras Abu Aboud Street Tel: +974 429 8888 www.marriott.com 5 Star < Millennium Jawaan Street, Al Sadd Doha Marriott Tel: +974 424 7777 www.millenniumhotels.com 5 Star < Movenpick Tower & Suites West Bay Area Tel: +974 496 6600 www.moevenpick-hotels.com 5 Star < Ritz Carlton West Bay Area Tel: +974 484 8000 www.ritzcarlton.com 5 Star < Sharq Village Spa Ras Abu Aboud Tel: +974 425 6666 www.sharqvillage.com 5 Star < Sheraton Al Corniche Street Tel: +974 485 4444 www.sheraton-doha.com 5 Star < W Hotel West Bay Area Tel: +974 499 6530 whotels.com\doha 5 Star Restaurants < Al Borj The Diplomatic Club Tel: +974 484 7444 www.thediplomaticclub.com Cuisine: Pool Snacks & A La Carte

< Al Buhayra Al Sultan Beach Resort Tel: +974 472 2666 www.alsultanbeachresort.com Cuisine: International < Admiral Club Ritz Carlton Hotel Tel: +974 484 8000 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: International < Al Dana Sharq Village and Spa Tel: +974 425 6666 www.sharqvillage.com Cuisine: International < Al Dente Seafood Al Sultan Beach Resort Tel: +974 472 2666 www.alsultanbeachresort.com Cuisine: Seafood with Italian < Al Ghazal Sheraton Hotel Tel: +974 485 4444 www.sheraton-doha.com Cuisine: Arabian < Al Liwan Sharq Village and Spa Tel: +974 425 6666 www.sharqvillage.com Cuisine: Arabian and Persian < Asia Live!

Marriot Hotel Tel: +974 429 8888 www.marriott.com Cuisine: Asian < Bistro Bistro Ramada Plaza Tel: +974 428 1428 www.ramadaplazadoha.com Cuisine: European < Bombay Balti Ramada Plaza Tel: +974 428 1428 www.ramadaplazadoha.com Cuisine: Indian < Brasserie on the Beach Four Seasons Hotel Tel: +974 494 8888 www.fourseasons.com/doha Cuisine: Italian < Chopsticks Grand Regency Hotel Tel: +974 434 3333 www.grand-regency.com Cuisine: International < Fauchon Salwa Road Tel: +974 432 4888 www.fauchon.com Cuisine: French < Fish Market Intercontinental Hotel Tel: +974 484 4444 www.ichotelsgroup.com Cuisine: Seafood < Flamingos Ritz Carlton Hotel Tel: +974 484 8000 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: International < Grand Gourmet Grand Regency Hotel Tel: +974 434 3333 www.grand-regency.com Cuisine: Contemporary Global

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sur la terre mode

< Greens Ramada Plaza Tel: +974 428 1428 www.ramadaplazadoha.com Cuisine: Vegetarian < Il Teatro Four Seasons Hotel Tel: +974 494 8888 www.fourseasons.com/doha Cuisine: Italian < JW’s Steakhouse Marriot Hotel Tel: +974 429 8888 www.marriott.com Cuisine: Steakhouse < La Cigale Traiteur La Cigale Hotel Tel: +974 428 8888 www.lacigalehotel.com Cuisine: International < La Mer Ritz Carlton Hotel Tel: +974 484 8000 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: French < La Veranda Sheraton Hotel Tel: +974 485 4444 www.sheraton-doha.com Cuisine: Italian < Laffan Sheraton Hotel Tel: +974 485 4444 www.sheraton-doha.com Cuisine: International < Layali & Neo Salwa Road Tel: +974 431 0005 www.alayanqatar.com Cuisine: Arabian < Le Central La Cigale Hotel Tel: +974 428 8888 www.lacigalehotel.com Cuisine: International < Le Cigalon La Cigale Hotel Tel: +974 428 8888 www.lacigalehotel.com Cuisine: Modern Mediterranean < Le Gourmet Al Sadd and Old Souq Tel: +974 436 1789 www.legourmetrestaurant.com Cuisine: Arabian & French < Le Grill The Diplomatic Club Tel: +974 484 7444 www.thediplomaticclub.com Cuisine: International < Le Notre Salwa Road Tel: +974 455 2111 www.lenotre.fr Cuisine: International < Lina’s Salwa Road, Tel: +974 436 5488 Cuisine: French < Pier 12 Ramada Plaza Tel: +974 428 1428 www.ramadaplazadoha.com Cuisine: Seafood < Pool Grill Four Seasons Hotel Tel: +974 494 8888 www.fourseasons.com/doha Cuisine: International

< Porcini Ritz Carlton Hotel Tel: +974 484 8000 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: Italian < Privates Cove Sheraton Hotel Tel: +974 485 4444 www.sheraton-doha.com Cuisine: Seafood’s and Barbeque < Ruby Wu’s Ramada Plaza Tel: +974 428 1428 www.ramadaplazadoha.com Cuisine: Chinese < Sakura Ramada Plaza Tel: +974 428 1428 www.ramadaplazadoha.com Cuisine: Japanese < Seasons Movenpick Hotel Tel: +974 429 1111 www.moevenpick-hotels.com Cuisine: International < Shisha Diwan Ritz Carlton Hotel Tel: +974 484 8000 www.ritzcarlton.com Cuisine: International < The Lobby Marriot Hotel Tel: +974 429 8888 www.marriott.com Cuisine: International < Za Moda Intercontinental Hotel Tel: +974 484 4444 www.ichotelsgroup.com Cuisine: Italian Cafés < Alkut Lounge Grand Regency Hotel Tel: +974 434 3333 www.grand-regency.com Café and Pastries < Atrium Millennium Hotel Tel: +974 424 7777 www.millenniumhotels.com Café and Pastries < Atrium Lounge Sheraton Hotel Tel: +974 485 4444 Café < Café Batteel Salwa Road Tel: +974 444 1414 Café < Cafe Ceramic The Mall Tel: +974 467 1100 www.cafe-ceramique.com Café < Lime Café Movenpick Tower and Suites Tel: +974 496 6600 www.moevenpick-hotels.com Café < Ristretto Villaggio Mall Tel: +974 450 7208 Café < Silver Cafe Al Sadd Tel: +974 413 1773 www.nbks.com Café

DUBAI

Hotels < Al Murooj Rotana Hotel And Suites Al Saffa Street, Sheikh Zayed Road Tel: +971 4 705 4277 www.rotana.com 5 Star < Al Qasr Madinat Resort Jumeirah Intersection Al Sufouh Road Tel: +971 4 366 8888 www.jumeirah.com 5 Star < Arabian Court Al Soufoh Road, ,In Front Of Media City Tel: +971 4 399 9999 www.arabiancourtyard.com 5 Star < Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Beach area Tel: +971 4 301 7777 www.jumeirah.com 7 Star < Coral Deira Al Muraqqabat Street Deira Tel: +971 4 224 8587 www.coral-international.com/deira 5 Star < Crown Plaza Hotel Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan Road Tel: +971 4 701 2222 www.crowneplaza.com 5 Star < Dhow Palace Kuwait Street Bur Dubai Tel: +971 4 359 9992 www.dhowpalacedubai.com 5 Star < Dubai Creek Hilton Beniyas Road Tel: +971 4 227 1111 www1.hilton.com 5 Star < Dubai Marine Beach Resort and Spa Jumierah Beach Road Tel: +971 4 346 1111 www.dxbmarine.com 5 Star < Dusit Dubai 133 Sheikh Zayed Road Tel: +971 4 343 3333 www.dusit.com 5 Star < Grand Hyatt Al Qutaeyat Road Tel: +971 4 317 1234 www.dubai.grand.hyatt.com 5 Star < Habtoor Grand Resort and Spa Al Sufouh Road, The Dubai Marina Tel: +971 4 399 5000 www.grandjumeirah.habtoorhotels.com 5 Star < Hyatt Regency Dubai Deira Tel: +971 4 209 1234 www.dubai.regency.hyatt.com 5 Star < Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Next to Endurance Village Tel: +971 4 809 6100 www.jumeirah.com 5 Star < Jumeirah Beach Club Jumeirah Beach Road Tel: +971 4 348 0000 www.jumeirah.com 5 Star

< Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Barsha Tel: +971 4 341 0000 www.kempinski-dubai.com 5 Star < Le Meridien Dubai Airport Road Dubai Tel: +971 4 217 0000 www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien 5 Star < Mina A Salam Madinat Jumeirah Jumeirah Road Tel: +971 4 366 8888 www.jumeirah.com 5 Star < Moevenpick Hotel Bur Dubai 19th Street Opposite American Hospital Tel: +971 4 336 6000 www.moevenpick-hotels.com 5 Star < Palace At One And Only Royal Mirage Al Sufouh Road, Almina Siyah Tel: +971 4 399 9999 www.oneandonlyresorts.com 5 Star < Park Hyatt Adjacent to Dubai Creek Tel: +971 4 602 1234 www.dubai.park.hyatt.com 5 Star < Ras Al Khaimah Hilton Al Muntaser Road Tel: +971 7 228 8888 www1.hilton.com 5 Star < Renaissance Dubai Salah Al Din Street, Deira Tel: +971 4 262 5555 www.marriott.com 5 Star < Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel and Towers Baniyas Street Tel: +971 4 228 1111 www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton 5 Star < Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort & Towers Al Sufouh Road Tel: +971 4 399 5533 www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton 5 Star < Taj Palace Dubai Dubai Creek north bank Deira Tel: +971 4 223 2222 www.tajhotels.com 5 Star < The Fairmont Dubai Sheikh Zayed Road Tel: +971 4 332 5555 www.fairmont.com/Dubai 5 Star < The Ritz-Carlton Jumeirah Beach Tel: +971 4 399 4000 www.ritzcarlton.com 5 Star Restaurants < Antique Bazaar Four Points Sheraton, Bur Dubai Tel: +971 4 397 7444 www.fourpoints.com Cuisine: Indian < Asado The Palace Hotel, (Sofitel), Sheikh Zayed Road Tel: +971 4 428 7888 www.sofitel.com Cuisine: Argentinean Grill

sur la terre mode < Bistro Madelain Intercontinental Dubai Festival City Tel: +971 4 701 1128 www.intercontinental.com/dubai Cuisine: French < Cactus Cantina Rydges Plaza Dubai, Satwa Tel: +971 4 398 2274 www.cactuscantinadubai.com Cuisine: Latin < Chinese Treasure Oud Metha, Dubai Tel: +971 4 336 3525 Cuisine: Chinese < Choices Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Garhoud Tel: +971 4 282 0000 www.rotana.com Cuisine: International < Dias Le Meridien Dubai, Garhoud Tel: +971 4 283 2832 Cuisine: Greek < Exchange Grill Fairmont Dubai Sheikh Zayed Road Tel: +971 4 311 5999 www.fairmont.com Cuisine: Intenational < Hunters Room & Grill The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, The Dubai Marina Tel: +971 4 399 3333 Cuisine: Contemporary < Jambase Madinat Jumeirah, Jumeirah Tel: +971 4 366 8888 www.madinatjumeirah.com Cuisine: American < Malecon Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa, Jumeirah Tel: +971 4 346 1111 www.dxbmarine.com Cuisine: Cuban < Mango Tree The Palace Hotel, (Sofitel) Sheikh Zayed Road Tel: +971 4 426 7313 www.sofitel.com Cuisine: Thai < Nezesaussi Al Manzil Hotel, Burj Dubai Boulevard Off Doha Street Tel: +971 4 428 5888 Cuisine: Australian / Bar Food < Sapphire Lounge Century Village, Garhoud Tel: +971 4 286 8520 www.thesapphiredubai.com Cuisine: Thai < Shahjahan Metropolitan Hotel Sheikh Zayed Road Tel: +971 4 343 0000 Cuisine: India < Spice Emporium Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, The Dubai Marina Tel: +971 4 399 4141 Cuisine: Asian < Teatro Towers Rotana Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road Tel: +971 4 343 8000 www.rotana.com Cuisine: International

< Trader Vic’s Crowne Plaza Dubai Tel: +971 4 331 1111 www.ichotelsgroup,com Cuisine: International

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.movenpick-bahrain.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 Arisha Um Al Hassam Tel: +973 17 725 414 Cuisine: Lebanese < Al Berdaouni Intercontinental Regency Hotel Tel: +973 17 227 777 www.interconti.com/manama Cuisine: Lebanese < Al Fanar Superr Club 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 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 < Fusions Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 746 427 www.gulfhotelbahrain.com Cuisine: International < Golestan Sheraton Bahrain Hotel Tel: +973 17 533 533 www.sheraton.com/bahrain Cuisine: Iranian < 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 Pergola Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 713 000 www.gulfhotelbahrain.com Cuisine: Italian < La Perle Novotel Al Dana Resort Tel: +973 17 298 008 Cuisine: Seafood < 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 < Olivo’s Brasserie Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel Tel: +973 17 531 666 www.manama.radissonsas.com Cuisine: International < 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

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Tel: +973 17 845 000 www.banyantree.com Cuisine: International < Saffron Banyan Tree Desert Spa & Resort Tel: +973 17 845 000 www.banyantree.com Cuisine: Thai and Asian < Sato Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 746 429 www.gulfhotelbahrain.com Cuisine: Japanese < 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 < Takht-e-Jamsheed Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 746 431 www.gulfhotelbahrain.com Cuisine: Exotic Persian < Tamarind Banyan Tree Desert Spa & Resort Tel: +973 17 845 000 www.banyantree.com Cuisine: International < The Meat Co. Mövenpick Hotel Tel: +973 17 460 000 www.movenpick-bahrain.com Cuisine: Steakhouse < Versailles Intercontinental Regency Hotel Tel: +973 17 227 777 www.interconti.com/manama Cuisine: French < Zahle Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 746 417 www.gulfhotelbahrain.com Cuisine: Lebanese Cafés < Al Andalus Lounge Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 713 000 Café < Al Nour Lounge Al A’ali Complex Tel: +973 17 227 777 Café < Café Lilou Adliya Tel: +973 17 714 440 Café < Camille’s Sidewalk Café Diplomatic Area Tel: +973 17 533 808 Café < Casa Blu Adliya Tel: +973 17 710 424 Café < Overlook Café The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Tel: +973 17 810 180 Café < The Atrium Café Gulf Hotel Tel: +973 17 713 000 Café

LOCAL PRODUCT GUIDE MAnama < ABS Seef Mall Seef District Tel: +973 175 83140 www.absstyle.com < Al Zain Yateem Centre Sheraton Complex Seef Mall City Centre Country Mall Tel: +973 172 12444 www.alzainjewellery.com < Azza Fahmy Azal Al Aali Mall Tel: +973 175 82353 www.azzafahmy.com < Bahrain International Circuit Gate 255 Gulf of Bahrain Avenue Tel: +973 174 50000 www.bahraingp.com

< Canon Electronic Equipment Est. W.L.L. Tel: +973 172 91295 pmpv@electro.alshaikh.com.bh www.canon-me.com < Cartier Asia Jewellers, Al Aali Branch Tel: +973 175 81444 asia@asiajewellers.com www.cartier.com < Chanel Moda Mall Tel: +973 171 31144 www.chanel.com www.modabwtc.com < Chanel Cosmetics Faces, Bahrain Mall Tel: +973 175 55795 www.thebahrainmall.com www.chanel.com < Chloe Al Aali Mall Tel: +973 175 87874 www.chloe.com

< BCBG Max Azria Al-Seef District Road Number 2825 Tel: +973 587 875 www.bcbg.com

< Coccinelle Seef Mall Seef District Tel: +973 151 4310 www.cocinelle.com

< Bentley Ahmed Zayani & Sons W.L.L. 131 Shaikh Salman Highway Zinj 358 +973 172 38822 www.ahmedzayani.com

< De Beers Moda Mall Bahrain World Trade Center Tel: +973 175 35140 www.debeers.com

< Bipex Bahrain Society of Engineers PO Box 835 Tel: +973 178 10724 www.bipex.org < BMW Euro Motors 810 Sh. Jaber Al Ahmed Al Subah Highway Al Hamriya 611 Tel: +973 177 50750 emotors@batelco.com.bh www.bmw-bahrain.com

< D&G Bahrain World Trade Center +973 175 35140 www.dolcegabbana.com < Diyar Al Marharraq Company W.W.L. P.O. Box 75777 Tel +973 17 556 688 www.diyar.bh < Dior Moda Mall Bahrain World Trade Center Tel: +973 171 78310 www.dior.com

< Hermes Bahrain World Trade Center Isa Al-Kabeer Avenue Manama Center 316 Tel: +973 175 35519 www.hermes.com < Karen Millen Seef Mall Seef District Tel: +973 175 83335 www.karenmillen.com

< Mitsubishi Building 4, Road 15 Block 635 Al Ma’ameer Tel: +973 177 03703 www.zmotors.com < Nina Ricci Moda Mall Tel : +973 175 30330 www.ninaricci.com

< Lamborghini Euro Motors W.L.L Sh. Jaber al Ahmed al Subah Highway Al Hamrya 611 Tel: +973 177 50750 www.euromotors.com.bh/

< Officine Panerai Asia Jewellers Sheraton Complex Tel: +973 175 34444 asia@asiajewellers.com www.panerai.com

< LG A.J.M. Kooheji & Sons Home Appliances & Electronics Divisions Tel: +973 174 01919 homeapp@ajmkooheji.com www.koohejigroup.com

< Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation Salwa Road Zone 24, Bldg. 59 Tel: +974 437 9884 info@qmmf.com www.qmmf.com

< L’Hotel Seef District Tel: +973 175 67222 www.lhotelbahrain.com < Ligne Roset Manama Tel: +973 175 55033 www.ligne-roset.com < Louis Vuitton Moda Mall Bahrain World Trade Center Tel: +973 175 37543 www.louisvuitton.com < Marc Jacobs Shop No. T12, First Floor Bahrain City Centre Seef District Tel: +973 171 79541 www.marcjacobs.com < Marni Villa Moda Building 1A Isa Al Kaber Avenue Tel: +973 175 30330 www.marni-international.com

< Bobbi Brown Bahrain City Centre Mall Tel: +973 175 84444 www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com

< Dolce & Gabbana Bahrain World Trade Center +973 175 35140 www.dolcegabbana.com

< Bottega Veneta Moda Mall Tel: +973 175 35140 www.bottegaveneta.com

< Equestrian & Horse Racing Club Raffa +973 174 42666 www.bhhorseracing.com

< Maserati Euro Motors Sitra Highway Tel: +973 177 50750 www.maseratidealers.com/ euromotors www.maserati.com

< Bulgari Al Ali Complex Seef Mall Tel: +973 175 82559 www.bulgari.com

< Gucci Al A’ali Shopping Complex Manama Tel: +973 175 81800 www.gucci.com

< Mercedes Al Haddad Motors Tel: +973 17785454 sales@alhaddad-mercedesbenz.com www.alhaddad-mercedesbenz.com

< Rolls Royce Euro Motors W.L.L Sh. Jaber al Ahmed al Subah Highway Al Hamrya 611 Tel: +973 177 50750 www.euromotors.com.bh/ < Samsonite Seef Mall Tel: +973 175 82833 alhawaj@batelco.com.bh www.samsonite.com < Tag Heuer Bahrain Jewellery Centre W.L.L. Bahrain Sheraton Commercial Complex Government Road Tel: +973 175 35091/92 bjc1@batelco.com.bh www.tagheuer.com < Valentino World Trade Center Moda Mall Tel: +973 171 31085 www.valentino.com < Van Cleef & Arpels Ounass Al A’ali Ma;; Tel: +973 175 81864 www.zoeandmorgan.com < Versace City Garden 57 Storey Twin Tower Tel: +973 175 35311 www.versace.com < Zoe & Morgan Jewellery Ounass Al A’ali Mall Tel: + 973 175 81864 www.zoeandmorgan.com