Hi 17 11 2016

OMAN’S LARGEST CIRCULATED WEEKLY — 46,760 COPIES

VOL 10 ISSUE 45 / NOVEMBER 17, 2016

FOUR-WHEELED CELEBRATIONS ON OMAN’S 46TH NATIONAL DAY

THIS WEEK IN OMAN

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DISCOVER MANAH

INDULGE YOUR SWEET TOOTH

GET INSPIRED

BY THE CATWALK

Hit the road and explore the ancient ruins of a great civilisation, less than twohours from Muscat.

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‘Hi’ went to check out the new Lindt Chocolate Festival menu at The Chocolate Room to bring you the low-down on what’s on offer.

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Oman’s Next Top Model offers aspiring fashion models in the Sultanate a chance to compete for an international career.

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

Executive Features Editor Felicia Campbell Features Production Editor Swati Dasgupta swati@timesofoman.com Research/Copy Editor Ashish Dubash shruthi@timesofoman.com

ashishdubash@timesofoman.com

Associate Editors Salim Hamood Al Afifi Shruthi Nair

salim@timesofoman.com

Associate Features Production Editor Mobin Mathew Blesson gautam@timesofoman.com mobinmathew@timesofoman.com Digital Editor Gautam Bhargav Viswanathan Chief Creative Officer Adonis Durado Associate Art Director Waleed Rabin Graphics Editor Antonio Farach Design Editor Sahir K.M. Lead Designer Geri B. Sonny Designers Antonio Ismael Sandiego Gregory Fernandez Director of Digital Television Joe Morrison Photography MMG Photographers richard@timesofoman.com Chief Sales Officer Richard Pakenham aziz@timesofoman.com

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

Muscat Media Group AN ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED COMPANY Post Box: 770, Postal Code: 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman EDITORIAL 24726600/24726666 Ext 235/160 felicia@timesofoman.com

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THE WEEKEND LINEUP

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Tell us what you’re doing this weekend: Tweet us @HiWeekly_Oman; tag us in your weekend instagram photos @hiweekly_oman; or share with us on FB/hiweekly

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THURSDAY 10:00pm Play Dress Up If it’s been a while since you’ve doned your classiest gowns and three-piecesuits, then head to Rumba Lattina this weekend for the Classy and Sassy night to strut your stuff.

Rumba Lattina, The Cave +968 2465 1051 rumbalattina.com

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FRIDAY 9:00am Hit and Get Fit The KDO fitboot camp’s demo session might be exactly what you need to release some stress and burn calories this weekend with karate fitness, self defence, and circuit training taught by ace instructor, Nelson.

OMR20 for the demo session including wrist band, T-shirt, and gift voucher.

Premedion Club Muscat Grand Mall +968 2200 5055

10:30am A National Day Show Drive to Markaz Al Bahja to watch Omani children showcase their talents in music and dance performances accompanied by a traditional Omani folk band in honour of the 46th National Day. Markaz Al Bahja +968 2454 0200

Your calendar of the hottest events happening in Muscat this weekend

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8:00pm Watch the National Day Fireworks Take in the annual fireworks display on Oman’s 46th National Day at three different locations in Muscat: Al Amerat, Al Seeb, and Salalah.

The fireworks in Al Amerat will be organised in Al Amerat Heights, in Al Seeb they will be launched from Wadi Al Khoudh, and in Salalah, they will be held at the Municipal Entertainment Centre.

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SATURDAY Cheer for the Good Guy If you’re a Marvel fan, then don’t miss the newest Marvel flick, Doctor Strange, showing this weekend. It is an entertaining goodversus-evil, supernatural thrill-ride.

City Cinema +968 2456 7664 Vox Cinema +968 2234 4444

Watch From: Al Amerat Park or the Hilltop View the Wadi Al Khoudh display from rooftops in Bousher, all the way up to SQU. Go to the Municipal Entertainment Centre to be part of the action in Salalah PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED

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WEEKEND DOWNLOAD

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Have you tried any of these five? What do you think of them? Did we miss any of your favourites? Tag us on Instagram @hiweekly_oman and tell us about it on facebook.com/hiweekly

GOAL! TRILOGY WITH GAUTAM BHARGAV VISWANATHAN

FIVE TO TRY BEAUTY SHOPS

THE FACE SHOP The Face Shop is a famous Korean beauty brand that offers a wide selection of products for daily skin and face routines, from makeup kits, to face wash foams, to sun protection creams. Their products cater to both men and women. Their first branch in town is at Oman Avenues Mall.

Oman Avenues Mall, Bousher

BATH AND BODY WORKS This is a one-stop-shop for good scented stuff, also known as the ‘candle wonderland’ of Muscat, thanks to their extensive selection of scented candles. They also offer body lotions, creams, and body spray in a variety of scents for both men and women.

City Centre Muscat, Seeb Oman Avenues Mall, Bousher

THE BODY SHOP A globally recognised brand offering heavenly scented body butters and creams in fruity, vanilla, chocolate and floral smells.

The shop also offers specialty shampoos and conditioners. The brand caters to both men and women.

Muscat City Centre, Seeb

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LEATHER AND LATHER Leather and Lather is a fancy shop at Oman Avenues Mall offering a huge selection of gentlemen’s skin and haircare products from beard care to shaving tools to body colognes, as well as premium leather goods. They also have a few products for the fairer sex.

Oman Avenues Mall, Bousher

All of the problems Santiago goes through in the first film are relatable, because we’ve been through them, and that’s what makes the movie one that you can completely immerse yourself in.

Sports movies are often inspirational, but they don’t always strike a chord with those who don’t have a connection to the game.

Goal! bucks that trend by leaving you with a good four-and-a-half hours of a glimpse into what it’s really like to cut your teeth at the highest level of one of the most popular sport in the world.

The movie is seldom a letdown, and features some jaw-dropping cameos from many of football’s best and brightest, including David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, and Raul.

While The Dream Begins sees Munez in the north of England, Living the Dream has him take to the field wearing the legendary white of Real Madrid and the Galacticos, which includes the likes of Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, and Iker Casillas, in addition to the trio above.

Taking on the World is an intense final chapter in the trilogy, which see Munez torn between his heritage and the place in which his dreams came true as he trades colours and countries to compete in the World Cup. The final whistle has blown, and your weekend is about to kick-off. Download Goal! and settle in for a good one.

—gautam@timesofoman.com The Short and Skinny Film Series Name: Goal!

Movies: Living the Dream, The Dream Begins, and Taking on the World Total Runtime: 319 minutes Available: YouTube, iTunes, various streaming services Genre: Sport What’s it about: A kid from the slums of Los Angeles follows his dream of becoming a world-famous football superstar (and meets his idols along the way) Starring: Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Anna Friel, Stephen Dillane, Marcel Iures, Kasia Smutniak, Leonor Varela, Leo Greogry, Tamer Hassan, JJ Feild IMDB Rating: 6.8/10

LUSH Lush is a premium beauty brand from the UK known for making handmade soaps, scrubs, lotions, and shampoos, and other pampering products, like their popular ‘bath bombs’. The elegant designs, quality ingredients, and vibrant colours reflect on the premium price tags.

Muscat City Centre, Seeb

PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED

“Y

o plate’s getting so full so fast, our watch what falls off the edge.” w If there was ever a more succcinct line to sum up the life of a rrising celebrity, I am yet to find it, and that one line perfectly sums up the life and times of Santiago Munez, the star of the Goal! series of films.

There have been many cult classic football films made over the years, but few have so accurately captured the highs and lows and the triumphs and tribulations of a footballer as Goal! has. The trilogy is split into three parts: The Dream Begins, Living the Dream, and Taking on the World. Part one sees our hero, played by Mexican actor Kuno Becker of House MD and CSI Miami, illegally cross the border fence that separates his native Mexico from the United States, where his family dream of a better life.

Fast forward 15 or so years and Munez splits his time between working in his father’s gardening company, pulling shifts as a waiter, and pursuing his obsession: Football.

His dream is to leave the barrios of Los Angeles and travel to Europe to become a football superstar.

Enter Glen Foy, played by Stephen Dillane, who was brilliant as Stannis Baratheon in Game of Thrones. He spots Munez’s burgeoning talent and places a three o’clock morning call to his former club, Newcastle United to convince them to take the young player on trial.

Munez spirits away every dollar he can save to that end, much to the chagrin of his father, the sole provider for Munez and his younger brother.

“Big-time ball player in England, huh?” his father scoffs. “In Mexico, when your mama ran out on us I worked construction, and at night, I cleaned up, but at least I saved enough for my family. That’s how you measure a man’s life.”

“It’s your life, not mine,” roars Santiago in response. That night, his grandmother sells some of her meagre possessions so that he can cross the border back into Mexico (as he’s still an illegal in the US) and then onward to Newcastle, where he calls Foy, marking the first step of Munez’s path to greatness. Many more trials and personal sacrifices await.

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OMAN ROAD TRIP

THE WEEKEND ESCAPE

MANAH IN MY MAZDA Oman beloved by visitors and locals alike, not for towering buildings of downtown areas and shopping plazas, but for its natural beauty. So weekends for those of us lucky enough to live here are best spent exploring the scenic vistas and lesser-travelled byways to discover gems like the picturesque town of Manah in Ad Dakhiliyah.

STORY SHRUTHI NAIR PHOTOGRAPHY SALIM AL AFIFI

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set off on my journey towards the south-east from Muscat in a brand-new, red, AWD Mazda CX9. The car had been parked outside my building, calling to me to hit-the-road, and attracting attention from passersby. The bright late morning sunlight bounced off its big shiny, well-defined body. Though I just had the car to road test for the weekend, I swelled with (temporary) owner’s pride as I hopped in and took hold of the cool, black steering wheel, running my thumb over the stereo control, cruise control, and other buttons perfectly positioned on my ‘command station’.

The seven seater beauty, with its 4-cylinder, turbo charged engine, classy, beige seats, and supremely comfortable, spacious interiors, was an absolute pleasure to drive. Gliding on flat roads and transforming into a growling powerhouse off road. Which was a great thing, as we planned to spend the day exploring the towns of Ad Dakhiliyah, many of which can only be accessed by leaving the main road. What we discovered is that the village of Manah is one of Oman’s most best kept secrets.

Although we went during day, there was an eerie mystery about the place when we first arrived—barren lands along wide stretches of road, punctuated by hints of an erupting dust storm. But as we went deeper into this lost city, I discovered a fascinating abandoned village that was inhabited a few hundred years ago by some very smart locals.

I feel I can safely state that they were smart, because the ruins of their well-planned infrastructure reflects a highlevel of sophistication, not often found in similar ruins in other places I’ve been.

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MAZDA CX9 2.5 TURBO AWD LUXURY Seating Capacity: 7 Power: max. output 170 KW/5000rpm; Max Torque 420Nm/2000rpm Engine displacement: 2488cc Fuel tank capacity: 74 Fuel Economy: 12.0

How to get there?

Once you reach the Nizwa roundabout, turn towards Salalah.

About 5km ahead you will see a signpost saying “Manah”. Take the turnoff.

Noor Majan Camp +968 2543 7357 majangh.com

To access the ruins, we had to veer off the main road and navigate through narrow dirt tracks and take steep turns, (which my Mazda executed effortlessly) until we finally spotted a big fort. But what really grabbed my attention were the sprawling ruins of what looked like a residential colony.

We got out and began wandering through structures made of stone and mud, in which we could still make out where the kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms had been.

Each room had circular hollows that ensured ventilation and a kind of air conditioning so the residents never felt hot (smart).

Just casually strolling through the lost town felt like an adventure, but I was ready to see what else the charming area had to offer, so we headed back to the Mazda, parked under a date palm, and set out along another road featuring a sign board that read ‘Noor Majan Camp’.

A Google-search told us that this little place in the middle of nowhere offered little huts with all the basic amenities, and a small restaurant.

We arrived and, to be honest, I was kind of unimpressed. The entrance to the camp looked like someone had started work on a construction site and gotten bored.

I continued ahead to find a little children’s garden and a cluster of huts. I realised that I might have judged the place too soon. I went to the reception to collect a room key, and I found the simple accommodation equipped with AC, clean toilets, and a king sized bed, just as advertised. The only thing missing was the restaurant, which is undergoing renovation. Nevertheless, it was a fine place to take a rest amidst trees and other little huts after an afternoon of exploring.

Investigations complete, we turned back towards Muscat, stopping atop a big, hilly dune to enjoy the sunset before grabbing a karak chai from a stall in Manah and starting our journey home along the quiet highways.

—shruthi@timesofoman.com

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TO D

What is on your “To-Do” list? Show us with a tag on Instagram @hiweekly_oman and tell us about it on facebook.com/hiweekly

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LIST

GO ICE SKATING IN THE DESERT STORY MOBIN MATHEW BLESSON

GO ICE SKATING

I

ce skating is a sport in which people slide over a smooth ice surface on steel-bladed skates worn like shoes. Millions of people enjoy ice skating outdoors on frozen lakes, in those parts of the world where the winters are cold enough, and at indoor arenas in other places, as is the case in Oman, where the temperatures in Muscat never get close to zero.

For a long time, Fun Zone in Qurum was the only centre for ice skating in the country, for both leisure skaters and professional figure skaters, but recently, a new centre has been opened in Nizwa at the Grand Mall.

Both ice rinks remain open from 9am until midnight, with no closure for lunch or afternoon breaks. And almost every day, the ice floor is busy with skaters whizzing past the watching area.

Kids falter around the rink with the help of a

metal walker, their little feet clad with skating boots. Gliding around them are teens and more experienced skaters showing off stunts and spluttering the ice as they skid to stop. At OMR4 and 3 in Qurum and Nizwa respectively for 90 minutes skating, it’s good value for money and is guaranteed to keep most kids excitingly engaged.

Both locations employ accredited teachers who come with years of skating experience, to teach children and adults how to skate safely through hour-and-a-half group and individual training sessions. Classes are generally designed for almost all ages as well as skating capabilities, so if you take pleasure in the company of other people, class lessons are significantly less pricey and present a great opportunity to learn from the mistakes of other skaters while avoiding them yourself. Private sessions are ideal for

Fun Zone Qurum, beside the Natural Park, and in Nizwa +968 9549 5799 syed@funzoneoman.com Regular Ticket 90 Minutes Ice Skating, OMR4 (Qurum) OMR 3 (Nizwa) per Person 1-on-1 Private Coaching Classes 5 Classes: OMR45 Group Coaching Classes 5 Classes: OMR35 LTP (Learn To Play) Ice Hockey for Kids Under 12 Years Every Friday 8am-10am, OMR30 per month

more experienced skaters who desire one-onone instruction and new technique training with immediate, personalised feedback.

Another great initiative at Fun Zone is the LTP (Learn to Play) Ice Hockey Programme, which introduces kids ages five to twelve-yearsold to the skating-based game of hockey, under the supervision of the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation).

Most people ice skate for recreation and exercise, though skating is also a highly competitive international sport and the basis for the game of ice hockey. In Oman, with almost eight months of the year seeing temperatures above 40 degrees, this chilly sport is one of the best activities for children and adults who want to stay cool, get some exercise, and have fun as a family.

— mobinmathew@timesofoman.com

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DINING UPDATE

DECADENT CREATIONS AT THE CHOCOLATE ROOM STORY THE HI EDITORS • PHOTOGRAPHY SALIM AL AFIFI

DIVINE DESSERTS

Mobin’s Pick: Lindt Trifle

Gautam’s Pick: Lindt Brownie Sundae

The delicious Lindt Trifle is perfect for sharing, with tasty layers of fresh berries in raspberry sauce, vanilla sponge cake, and Lindt chocolate mousse are topped with crunchy cookie crumbs for a trifle that is at another level indulgence.

OMR3.500

There are ice cream sundaes, and then there is the Lindt Brownie Sundae, which is a totally next-level kind of dessert. From the gooey, fudgy brownies at the bottom of the bowl to the wispy, delicious whipped cream spire at its top, the sight of this fantastic treat made my inner child react with glee. Every bite of chocolatey, creamy yumminess—brownie-on-ice cream-on whipped cream—was punctuated by a swirl of chocolate sauce and a generous sprinkling of crushed nuts, in what might be the best brownie sundae in Oman.

OMR 3.500

Salim’s Pick: Lindt Cookie Shots Let’s start by saying that I’m a sucker for cookies and chocolate, and at this cocoa palace, I found a dessert that combines both perfectly. Cookie shots, as the name suggests, are firm-yet-delicate, crumbly cookie cups filled with hot, melted Lindt dark chocolate and caramel syrup, served alongside a scoop of premium vanilla ice cream. Although savouring it might get messy, it is an unparalleled delight.

OMR2.500

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The Chocolate Room is a well-known and well-loved dessert destination here in Oman, and this week the Hi team headed over to have our editorial lunch meeting there and to sample the new Lindt Chocolate Festival menu (available through the end of November). Decadence was the name of the game in this overthe-top menu of five desserts and four luscious drinks featuring world-class Swiss chocolate made by the famous Lindt chocolatier company, which has been making chocolate since it was founded in 1845. It was a hard job, but we tried each-and-every dessert to help you choose. — hiweekend@timesofoman.com

Swati’s Pick: Lindt Zesty Orange Lindt Zesty Orange is a chocolate milk shake with a hint of orange, orange zest, and topped with velvety whipped cream. This smooth, cool chocolaty drink is deliciously sweet, and the flavours of the bittersweet dark chocolate give it a level of flavour sophistication.

OMR2.400

What would a cloud in a chocolate wonderland taste like? It’ll probably taste like this Lindt chocolate cake, or so I hope. This is possibly my most favourite item on the Chocolate Room’s Lindt Chocolate Festival menu. It is a spongy multi-layered cake that will innocently lure you towards it, even if you’ve overeaten and don’t have space left in your tummy for even a drop of water. Three layers of banana-Lindt chocolate sponge, yummilicious mousse, and chocolate cream are topped-off with luscious ganache for a melt-in-the-mouth sugar rush.

OMR 2.000

CHOCOLATE BOMB BEVERAGES

Shruthi’s Pick: Lindt Layer Cake

Ashish’s Pick: Lindt Caramel Delight A real thick shake made by blending a half slab of pure chocolate with icecream and caramel sauce before being topped with whipped cream and a piece of chocolate. This drink is heavy, filling, and worth drooling over. A meal by itself.

OMR2.400

Ashish’s Pick: Lindt Divine Pancakes A stack of dark chocolate pancakes are topped with fresh strawberries, chocolate sticks, and served with strawberry ice-cream and Lindt chocolate sauce for an amazing chocolate twist on a classic comfort food.

OMR3.000

Lindt Mocha Latte Small OMR 1.700/ Large OMR 1.900

GO GET YOUR CHOCOLATE-ON The Chocolate Room Locations: Mirbat Tower 1, Ghubra; Oasis Mall in Al Khuwair Contact: +968 2449 9922 (Ghubra); +968 9933 0247 (Oasis Mall) Online: thechocolateroomoman.om; Instagram and Facebook - thechocolateroomoman Hours: 11am till midnight weekdays; 11am till 1am on weekends

Signature Lindt Hot Chocolate Small OMR 1.900/ Large OMR2.100

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OMANI SLANG

OM A N I MENS’ FA S H IO N

Interspersed with the Arabic conversations overheard throughout the capital city, even native Arabic speakers might be surprised to hear some unfamiliar words. Though Arabic is the official language in the Sultanate, there are all kinds of words and phrases that are purely local. Here’s your monthly primer from Hi’s Omani team members, Salim and Asmaa. — hiweekend@timesofoman.com ILLUSTRATION WINIE WIDYA ARIYANI

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LOVE STORY SALIM AL AFIFI

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n Friday, November 18th, all the boys and the girls, men and women of the Sultanate will take to the streets to celebrate the most significant annual event of the year—National Day. On the 46th National Day, you can expect the streets to be filled with thousands of locals and expatriates cheering and waving Omani flags, youngsters performing traditional dances, and main thoroughfares transformed by parades of patriotically decorated cars, children holding Omani flags atop their parents’ Land Cruisers, honking, cheering, and processionals in red, white, and green.

That’s because one of the most beloved ways to celebrate National Day in Oman is through these impromptu parades for which cars are hand-painted and decaled, people adorn themselves in the national colours, and crowds come together to show deep pride and gratitude for our homeland.

My brother and I start decorating our ride a week before the event, sometimes affixing posters of His Majesty or even handpainting the entire car. Since the parade kicks off sometime in the afternoon, my brother and I have a quick bite, put on our Omani dishdashas and flag-inspired ag inspired masks, vests, and scarves, and then head to the petrol station to fill our tanks before starting our drive to the Sultan Qaboos Highway, where the joyful madness awaits.

Out of all the dancing, singing, honking, and flag-waving, my favourite part of these afternoons is taking in all the creative and beautifully enhanced vehicles. It certainly has become a sort of competition, of which the spectators, and all of us lucky enough to celebrate in this great country, are the true winners.

— salim@timesofoman.com

CAR & THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND The decorations are allowed by the ROP only until the 30th of November Decorations cannot cover vehicle plate numbers Decorations cannot cover windshield or driver’s side window Keep your Fast and Furious drifting experiments to yourself—the ROP will take serious measures against extreme traffic violations and recklessness

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The Guide: Celebration Decorations STICKERS Putting stickers on your car for national day is a no-brainer; almost everyone on the road will have some sort of a sticker design. The most popular way to do it is to stick three-lines of white, red, and green in the form of a slopping set of lines on each side. Finish the look with the national logo of swords and khanjar.

POSTERS His Majesty posters are also popular decorations. For this type, you either have to go-big or go-home. Use gigantic posters to cover your entire car hood or you can stick them on the back window, or backseat windows. It’s best to go to specialty shop to have it done as they will make sure it is a perfect fit. As for the materials, opt for the dotted posters as they are easily removable.

HAND-PAINTING This is a new art that’s become popular over the last few years. Artists use waterbased colours to draw beautiful designs in the national colours. The most popular designs are floral. You can paint the entire car, but it will look cartoonish, so I’d recommend a beautiful, statement design on the hood, or a few touches on each side of the car. The colours can be washed off easily, so keep your fingers crossed that it doesn’t rain.

COUNTRY OMAN’S

46TH

NATIONAL DAY

BALLOONS It’s pretty rare to spot a car wearing balloons, but when you do, it stands out.

Adding balloons lends a whimsical, fun vibe; you can tie the balloons to side mirrors, attach them to the rooftop, or trap them from the hood or trunk. Be sure the baloon placement does not hinder your visibility, and drive slowly to keep them from popping.

LED Another new and unique decoration trend is adding LED lights to make your car glow, but it’s only appealing if you pick the perfect spot to add the glow, otherwise you’ll end up with a Christmas tree. The best places to light-up include lower sides and lower back, just below the plate number.

FLAGS Flags are the most important element of parade cars. Most people will carry smallscaled national flags to wave as they cheer for His Majesty, but you can go all out and get yourself a flag made of fabric to fix to the rooftop or to a long antenna for a real patriotic showstopper.

For Patriotic Hand Painting Call Ahmed Al Jardani +968 9691 6619 Instagram: @a7med_painter For National Day Decorative Products Call Prestige Oman +968 9444 7422 Instagram: @prestigeoman For Stickers and LED lights Call Al Jazeera Car Decoration +968 9640 1541 Souq Juma Street, Wadi Kabir, Muscat

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STORY SHRUTHI NAIR • PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Lights, camera, action. Three little words that have changed lives, made careers, and given

aspiring stars a rush unlike any other. These are the words ten Omani men are poised and read

to hear as they compete for their own slice of stardom in Oman’s first modelling competition.

dy

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odelling is a profession that has historically raised eyebrows and turned heads, especially in Eastern countries.

The various elements of modelling that require a man or woman to do unconventional things and put themselves, quite literally, on display, makes it a harder-sell as a profession in comparatively conservative Middle Eastern society. Or so I thought.

Turns out that Oman has a huge number of aspiring models, all of whom were looking for a platform to showcase their skills and be recognised and appreciated for their work. At the same time, the Omani market lacked local faces to represent the country, its culture, and its people on national and global media platforms. So there was demand, there was supply, but absent was the bridge between the two. Thus Oman’s Next Top Model (ONTM) was conceived.

After a successful first season of ONTM, the series is back with an even more developed second season featuring experts from the industry such as Lamees Al Kaabi, a well known Sharjah TV personality who is also the President of the ONTM committee; Kamil Al Hinai, a top model based in London; Abdullah Yahya, a Kuwait-based TV host; and Ibrahim Al Mandhari, music composer and filmmaker judging the dream-paving competition.

Being a Tyra Banks fan, I’d managed to catch a few seasons of America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) during my teenage years, and although I could never see myself as a model (considering my dominant tomboy traits), I was always interested in the experiences of the aspiring models — how they felt, the stress they went through, and, of course, how important the competition really was for their careers. ANTM offered talented individuals the chance to develop their posing skills while putting them through a serious pressure test as they were exposed to rigid work environments, enjoyed opportunities to shoot with renowned industry photographers, and deal with the intensity of neck-to-neck competition, which mirrored the competitive nature of the industry at large. For me, as a viewer, it was an hour of drama and emotion-filled entertainment. So, when I heard about Oman’s Next Top Model, I was ecstatic. Omani models were finally going to have a public platform to showcase their passion and talent. I was also just plain curious about how the show would translate here in the Sultanate.

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The judges weren’t just looking for a pretty face, they wanted models with personality who could boldly, and effectively represent Oman Stay up-to-date on the competition with live update on Instagram: ontm.model

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Out of over 150 Omani applicants, the judges had to go through the strenuous task of narrowing the list down to the double digits for the first stage of the competition: An interview. See, the judges weren’t just looking for a pretty face, they wanted models with personality who could boldly, and effectively represent Oman.

The contestants were asked questions about themselves, their cities, their culture, their talents, and passions. The judges again deliberated and finally selected twenty finalists.

Then the real competition began. The aspiring models had photo and video shoot to build portfolios which were uploaded onto the official ONTM Instagram page, where it was the public who decided their fates. Contestants were eliminated and shortlisted further on the basis of the number of likes their photos received, pairing down the group to the final ten.

The reality show element of ONTM kicked off with the relocation of the ten competitors to the luxurious Anantara Jebel Akhdar, where cameras followed them through their three day long stay, during which their behaviour was judged and evaluated, both during photo shoots, ramp walks and during their down-time. And by the way, the fashion show that was held while they were at Anantara holds the record of being the highest fashion show at 2,000 metres above the ground. Catch a glimpse of it on their YouTube channel ‘ONTM Model’.

The grand finale of this life-changing competition will be held on November 22 at Al Bustan Palace-a Ritz Carlton Hotel, where the finalists will catwalk-to-the-death, or at least to stardom, as the winner will receive an elegant Mazeej trophy and nation-wide recognition. At least four of the contestants have already started booking paying modelling jobs with outlets like Al Shabiba and Oman TV, and while I don’t know who will be crowned Oman’s Next Top Model, it is clear that ONTM’s dream of bringing together talented models, and the agencies who seek to hire them, is already well on the way to being fulfilled. A big win for all those in Oman who dream of careers in the gritty, glamorous, beautiful world of models.

—shruthi@timesofoman.com

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‘Sadabahar Burmans’, an evening of music, was presented by Orbit Events Management at Le Grand Hall, Al Falaj Hotel and featured the classic songs of Sachin Dev Burman (S D Burman) and Rahul Dev Burman (R D Burman). Photos by Purushothaman K

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Pakistan School Sohar organised “Fun Gala and Talent Expo”. Shoukat Ali, Counselor of Pakistan Embassy, was the chief guest and commended the students and teachers for putting a tremendous effort in organising a successful show.

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Al Injaz Private School students participated and competed in sports activities.

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Annual Athletic Meet of Indian School Salalah concluded with a spectacular closing ceremony with chief guest, Mohammad Sabir Raza Faizi, Director In-Charge of Indian School Salalah.

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ISD Alumni organised the second edition of its annual badminton tournament at Indian School Darsait. Shifa Al Jazeera Hospital and Polyclinic Group presented the tournament while Mai Dubai and Pocari Sweat by Muscat Pharmacy were the other sponsors. Photos by Purushothaman K & ISD Alumni

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‘Light of Knowledge in Nation Building’ exhibition was held at the Indian School Wadi Kabir. Tawfeeq Abdul Hussain Al Lawati, Majlis Shura finance chairman, was the chief guest.

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TAISM’s Annual Fall Festival was held for the elementary school students and parents.

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Indian School Salalah’s annual athletic meet saw tiny tots excelling in their sports.

The Annual Sports Meet of classes 1 and 2 was organised in the school ground.

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