OMAN’S LARGEST CIRCULATED WEEKLY — 46,760 COPIES
VOL 10 ISSUE 85 / AUGUST 31, 2017
THIS WEEK IN OMAN
SPREAD THE NUTTY MESSAGE
RINGING IN THE DOUGHNUTS
CALLING ALL MOVIE BUFFS
If you are calorie conscious and yet do not want to compromise on your taste, choose the nutty products from Fat Fit nutrition store. PAGE 8
Everybody loves a doughnut and if you want them in mini size and in different flavours then visit Mini Donut for some freshly baked treats. PAGE 10
With Eid holidays around it’s a great time to catch up on the latest movie releases with your family and friends. Take your pick from the list. PAGE 18
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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 Chief Executive Editor Scott Armstrong scottarmstrong@timesofoman.com 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
Digital Editor Gautam Viswanathan Chief Creative Officer 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 Chief Sales Officer Richard Pakenham
richard@timesofoman.com
Production Manager Shafi Shaik On The Cover Design by Geri B. Sonny
For general inquiries or comments: HiWeekend@timesofoman.com
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What are you doing this weekend? Tweet us @HiWeekly_Oman; tag us in your weekend instagram photos @hiweekly_oman; or share with us on FB/hiweekly
THURSDAY 6.00pm Kids Day Out There’s something exciting waiting for kids and parents at Muscat Grand Mall. This is going to be a fun, learning experience where they can discover the little doctors, chefs or engineers in them. Muscat Grand Mall +968 2200 0000
FRIDAY 12.00pm Festive Brunch
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Great food and live entertainment with a Moroccan duo. Sounds like a good way to spend Eid Al Adha brunch, isn’t it? Celebrate the festival with family and friends at Al Tanoor from 12.00 noon-4.00pm. The brunch is also available on September 2 and 3. Starting from OMR 20++ per person Shangri-la Barr Al Jissah +968 2477 6565
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SATURDAY 10.00am Fun Fair Visit Sharod Mela, organised by Bangiya Parishad, the Bengali Wing of Indian Social Club. Starting from Friday September 1, (from 4pm-10pm) don’t miss the stalls selling the treasures from West Bengal, India. Handicraft items, traditional sarees and jewellery, and khadi kurtas would be available all under one roof. Also enjoy some Bengali mouth-watering delicacies. Indian Social Club, Auditorium, Muscat
Your calendar of the hottest events happening in Muscat this weekend
THE WEEKEND LINEUP
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HI WEEKLY IN CASE
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YO U M I S S E D I T
THERE’S PLENTY OF NEWS THAT MADE WAVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS WEEK. HERE’S WHAT PEOPLE WERE TUNING IN TO. COMPILED BY SHRUTHI NAIR & SALIM AL AFIFI GO TO TIMESOFOMAN.COM/HIWEEKLY FOR VIDEOS AND MORE
A KILLER FINALE: ‘Game of Thrones’ season 7 finale draws a new record of 16.5 million viewers. timesofoman.com/hiweekend
TRENDING THIS WEEK HURRICANE HARVEY: Historic floods hit Houston in Texas, with hundreds rescued. timesofoman.com/hiweekend
NEW GALAXY: Samsung has a new addition to its lineup of smarphones. Meet the Galaxy Note8. timesofoman.com/ hiweekend
TOP TRENDING VIDEOS: Pink won the prestigious Michael Jackson Vanguard award at the MTV Video Music Awards last Sunday, and her speech left us all speechless. timesofoman.com/hiweekend
TRENDING MUSIC
TAYLOR’S VIDEO BREAKS RECORD The pop diva released her latest video for ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ and it sure did break social media, YouTube, and everything else out there.
TRENDING MOVIE
LADY GAGA’S DOCUMENTARY Netflix will be releasing the pop singer’s first documentary titled ‘Gaga: Five Foot Two’ on 22nd September. The diva announced the news on her social media.
#popularhashtag
TRENDING FASHION
MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS One of the most anticipated award shows aired last Sunday, with tonnes of performers and guests dressed to impress, from Nicki Minaj to Jared Leto.
#BackToWork #MatthewStafford #HappyBirthdayLiamPayne
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WI SH L I ST
STORY AND PHOTOS SALIM AL AFIFI
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eading a healthy lifestyle always tops in my bucket list but eating greens is not enough for those who are born with a palate of sugary and fatty spreads. I believe that dieting is a struggle, and if you are as bipolar as me when it comes to sticking to one, then you’ll need to find something that add sparkles to your boring vegetables and chicken breast diet, and I think I found a snack that perfectly fits the need. Meal replacements have been around for ages now, from healthy shakes to power sips that boost your energy, to countless flavours of protein shakes. For me, I could go on without shakes and protein cocoa bars, but I cannot live without my peanut butter spread. So this week I’m taking you to Fat Fit supplement and nutrition store for my personal favourite protein peanut and almond butters. Prepare your taste buds for a yummy explosion with Nuts ‘N More. Nuts ‘N More is a USA brand that makes tasty protein-filled peanut butter and almond butter spreads in a selection of flavours, some of which you’ll be surprised they even exist, and guess what? They taste just like your typical peanut butter, only healthier and tastier. These protein-based snacks have great nutrition value, which is 7 grams of protein per tablespoon, and it’s also low in carbohydrates, making it a great option for those in a low-carb diet. On their line of flavours they have, you will find interesting combinations that will take your morning breakfast to another level. Flavours such as cookie butter, pumpkin spice, chocolate, salted caramel, white chocolate, toffee crunch, cinnamon raisin, chocolate almond, and of course, plain peanut butter among others can be found at the store.
HI WEEKLY The best part about these butters is that you can actually try them before making a purchase. I tried four flavours so far. I had a container of chocolate, toffee crunch, cookie butter, and cinnamon raisin. My absolute favourite is cookie butter. I love cookies, and now to be able to spread it on my bakes is a true joy. Chocolate peanut butter gives you a blend of cocoa and nutty flavour. It’s not your Nutella, but for the sake of a healthy replacement, it’s worth it. Then you have the cinnamon raisin. The strong flavour of cinnamon mixed with peanuts is a match made in heaven, definitely becoming a staple in my diet. The last flavour I tried toffee crunch, it’s a sister to cookie butter, worth trying too. I can’t wait to try white chocolate and salted caramel, these two look super interesting taste-wise. Now that you know where to get your low calorie spread, let me warn you that you can easily over eat peanut butter. Though it’s low in calories, it doesn’t mean it’s empty calories, so take it easy and have a couple of spoons max when eating, at least that’s what I do. Forget about your sunny side-ups and hash potatoes, and enjoy this creamy treat on a toasted brown bread for breakfast. Sometimes I would blend it with my protein shake or coffee, and it tastes delicious.–salim@timesofoman.com
Try the Spreads at Fat Fit Azaiba; Al Khoudh +968 9191 1488; +968 9669 9664 Instagram: @fatfit_om *Each container costs OMR 6.5
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EDITOR’S PICK
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ong gone are the days of having doughnuts for breakfast only; these deep-fried rings of dough are no longer associated with being a morning staple. It has become a global delicacy that works like a treat that we indulge in, all day, everyday. But what makes these fried ‘nuts a number one choice for many coffee lovers? Well, it works best with the coffee. Period. Giving you an aftertaste to remember. So where do you get your doughnut fix? I am going to introduce to you a place that will surely become your favourite dessert stop. Last week on my way home I passed by an eye-catching exterior that looked like a moving van with colourful logo, and sports an orange and black palette. As I got closer, I realised that it’s a doughnuts place. I had to stop by and pick myself a couple of rings. The place had a ton of cars waiting for their treats. I managed to park my ride. A friendly waiter started walking towards the car holding a menu. I quickly realised that this is an on-the-go kind of a place, where you place your order and hit the road. I rolled my windows down and had a quick chat with the waiter. I found out that Mini Donut is a new one-stop-shop for doughnuts that serve freshly-baked bite-size treats with a variety of toppings. And, it also offers other desserts such as mini pancakes, waffle baskets, crepes, and ice creams. I took the menu and started exploring it. My eyes went straight to my all-time favourite flavour, lotus. I couldn’t contain my excitement as they had three toppings made of lotus. There is lotus cream, crushed lotus, and a mix of both. So that was atop my list to order. Chocolate, white and dark chocolate, Sneakers, Kinder, Nutella, caramel, Oreo, pistachio, cinnamon sugar, sugar dust, cheese, and the interesting options such as Omani chips and Cheetos are the toppings that can be found on their extensive menu. Each box comes with a set of 10 mini doughnuts, and you can order two toppings per box. I went bananas for the ’nuts and ordered three boxes with six toppings. I took lotus with cream and crushed goodness, caramel and Sneakers, pistachio cream, cinnamon sugar, Oreo, and the Omani chips. When I saw the packaging, the first thing that came to my mind was that the brand made an effort in creating the boxes and that was quite impressive. They made it in such a way that’s just perfect to devour the minis in the car, with sticks on the doughnuts so you won’t make a mess. Now, the aroma of the treats was to die for, I technically had six scents in my car but the cinnamon sugar-glazed doughnut was the strongest, and I love some cinnamon. After the first bite, I was in doughnuts heaven; it tasted amazing, not too dry, not too spongy, and not too mushy either, just perfect. It had a fresh-outthe-pan taste, too. For the toppings, they were all great (also depends on your favourite chocolate brand). Falling in love with the lotus was a given. It was creamy and moist. I devoured all the five pieces like nobody’s business. Second favourite I’d say it was cinnamon sugar. Definitely a must-try. Other honourable mentions include Nutella; you can never go wrong with this classic nutty spread, and the savoury Omani chips. Blending a sweet taste with a mildly-spicy and crunchy taste - Yum. I shared the remaining rings with my colleagues, and as you’d guess, they loved it too. I’m glad that there’s a new place in town where you can pick up a dessert on the go. This is, without a doubt, going to be as available-on-every-corner as karak and luqaimat joints, except this one is a bit fancier with tastes to remember. I hope they expand and open one in my area, it will be my breakfast, lunch, and dinner. —salim@timesofoman.com Must-Try Lotus with cream: OMR 1.8 Cinnamon Sugar: OMR 1.2 Omani Chips with Cheese: OMR 1.5 Oreo with cream: OMR 1.8
STORY SALIM AL AFIFI
MINI DONUT Al Mazoon Street, Al Mawaleh, Seeb +968 9292 6555
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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 Salim, Hi’s Omani Editor. — hiweekend@timesofoman.com
Sehh
Empty Land
ILUSTRATION ISIDORE VIC CARLOMAN
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Nafaf
Rain Drizzle
Lahoob
Reeh
Hot Wind
Wind
Sell
Heavy Rain
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DEEP SEA DIVING
CAN BE A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE FOR MANY.
THE WHOLE WORLD THAT LIES BENEATH THE CALM BLUE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN IS AN UNADULTERATED,
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UNTOUCHED UNIVERSE WHERE YOU MIGHT FIND YOUR OWN NIRVANA.
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DELVING INTO THE DEPTHS OF OCEANS STORY SHRUTHI NAIR
DIVE INTO AN ADVENTURE WITH PADI (PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF DIVING INSTRUCTORS), THE WORLD’S LEADING SCUBA DIVING TRAINING ORGANISATION.
D
iving as a sport gained popularity in the 1880s when a number of swimming associations started holding amateur plunging events either as a separate activity or as part of any swimming event. However, if you go way back in time, free deep sea or underwater diving was done for hunting and gathering food and other valuables including pearls, corals, and more. Diving since then has undergone tremendous changes over time, from high diving being practised among a small group of enthusiasts to it being a full-fledged activity now as it has seen a number of variations that lets you dive deep into the ocean and discover and learn more about the underwater aquatic life.
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It is said that scuba diving emerged out of necessity when a Greek soldier, way back in 500BC, jumped off a broken ship and used a hollow reed to breathe underwater for hours. Many years later, Alexander the Great found a place to hide underwater by creating his own diving bell using a barrel. Today it isn’t just a recreational activity but is also equated to being a meditative experience by many. Either for survival or for recreation, there clearly was a need for a device that could help people breathe underwater, which was invented in 1940s and since then there has been no looking back. Unfortunately, there is one thing that hasn’t changed as fast as the evolution of the sport itself in all these years and that is the prevalent gender gap that has always existed within the diving community. And the solution to that is what PADI came up with. PADI or Profession Association of Diving Instructors is the world’s largest recreational diving membership that conducts and organises various events to push you into water throughout the year. Two years ago, on International Women’s Day, they started the PADI international women’s dive where women from different countries across the globe come together to jump into the vast blue oceans leaving everything behind. This year it was held in Oman and I’m not wondering why.
SO WHY SHOULD YOU BE A PART OF THE PADI WOMEN DIVE? Girl Power There are tons of female swimmers who have been performing exceedingly well in games such as Olympics and Asian Games. However, for a very long time it was a male dominated sport with nearly 90 per cent men in the field. In fact, there weren’t even enough gear that were made for women. The main aim of the women’s dive is to help close the gender gap, which it is doing by encouraging women to participate in diving events.
Gang of Gals If human beings are social beings, then women are supremely social beings. You can’t deny how much we love meeting new people, interacting, and having great, fun conversations with interesting women. Attending the Women’s Dive Day, even if it is not as a participant, will give you an opportunity to meet and interact with a lot of women who might share the similar likes and interests as you do. PADI International Women’s Dive is not just about diving. A lot of events have a good amount of time set aside for interaction and socialising and some events even bring women together for other activities including yoga, underwater beach clean up and more.
At Home While the events organised at PADI gives you an opportunity to travel to new places and experience the underwater life in different oceans, you must not forget that PADI has a number of events that will help you experience the local waters like you have never done before. You will be surprised by the amazing diving locations that are there where you live but you were just not aware of it.
It’s Dive Time Do you even need so many reasons to get into the water and have a great time? Go into the waters and get diving. —shruthi@timesofoman.com
SCUBA DIVING ISN’T JUST A RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY BUT IS ALSO EQUATED TO BEING A MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCE BY MANY. EITHER FOR SURVIVAL OR FOR RECREATION, THERE CLEARLY WAS A NEED FOR A DEVICE THAT HELPED PEOPLE BREATHE UNDERWATER, WHICH WAS INVENTED IN 1940S AND SINCE THEN THERE HAS BEEN NO LOOKING BACK.
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What is PADI? Proffessional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is the world’s leading scuba diver training institution. With more than 6,400 PADI Dive Centres and Resorts, and more than 133,000 individual PADI Professionals who have issued more than 25 million certifications around the world, you’ll find PADI diver courses and scuba diving services nearly everywhere.
Bassel Chammaa Events and Marketing Manager Muscat Hills Bassel@muscathills.com +968 9798 2474
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Directed by Milan Luthria this film revolves around India’s emergency period way back in 1975 which had caused a huge political unrest in the country. During that time a royal palace in Jaipur is raided and the government seizes the property and decides to transfer it via road to Delhi in a truck with an officer who is in charge of the whole operation. As the story unfolds one gets to know about the relationships between the different characters of the film, the adventure that one goes through during the journey from Jaipur to Delhi amidst some fun-filled moments, shocking tales of betrayal, and action. A wonderful way to start your Eid holidays as you watch this action-packed drama on big screens. Cast: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D’Cruz, Emraan Hashmi, Vidyut Jammwal and Esha Gupta Running At: City Cinemas, Vox Oman.
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OTHER RELEASES THIS WEEK
The Osiris Child Cast: Kellan Lutz and Daniel MacPherson
Birth of the Dragon Cast: Billy Magnussen, Terry Chen and Teresa Navarro
Directed by Australian filmmaker Shane Abbess, this film is about a strange alliance that takes place between a fugitive and a contractor who is in search for his daughter. When a dangerous outbreak threatens to destroy everyone living on a newly colonised planet, Lt. Kane who is the contractor, goes against the orders and leaves his station to rescue his young daughter. With the help of the fugitive he fights against all odds to save her.
Directed by George Nolfi, the plot of this film revolves around the young martial artist Bruce Lee, who challenged kung fu master Wong Jack Man in 1965 in San Francisco. The film is supposedly a modern take on the classic movies that Bruce Lee was known for and the controversies that revolved between Bruce Lee and kung fu master Wong Jack Man. It is said that in real life, the fight took place in Oakland. While Lee passed away in 1973, Wong, who is still alive worked as a consultant for this film.
American Made Cast: Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson and Caleb Landry Jones
The Glass Castle Cast: Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts
Directed by Doug Liman this biographical crime film is based on the life of Barry Seal, a former TWA pilot who became a drug smuggler for the Medellín Cartel in the 1980s. In order to avoid jail time, Seal approached United States government officials and served as an informant. Film critics feel that Tom Cruise has given a stellar performance in this film.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton this film is based on Jeannette Walls’ 2005 memoir of the same name. This is a tale of a young girl who comes of age in a dysfunctional family. While her mother is an eccentric artist, her father is alcoholic who would stir the children’s imagination with hope as a distraction to their poverty. He was a strange father who would never buy gifts for Christmas, but instead give each one of them a star in the sky. Immerse yourself in this emotional bestselling memoir by Jeanette Walls.
Logan Lucky Cast: Daniel Craig, Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Riley Keough and Hilary Swank Directed by Steven Soderbergh this comedy film is about a family man Jimmy Logan who assists his brother Clyde and sister Mellie in a scheme to rob North Carolina’s Charlotte Motor Speedway. To help them Jimmy recruits volatile demolition expert Joe Bang and as they attempt to pull off the ambitious robbery, the down-on-their-luck Logans face a final hurdle when a relentless FBI agent begins investigating the case.
Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature Voice Overs: Will Arnett, Maya Rudolph, Katherine Heigl and Jackie Chan Directed by Cal Brunker this is an American 3D computeranimated comedy film and a sequel to The Nut Job that was released in 2014. In this sequel the animals get to know that the evil mayor was planning to demolish Liberty Park and build an amusement park in its place. They need to work fast and find a way to stop him before they lose their sanctuary forever. So what happens? Watch Surly, Burly and the rest of the gang if you are looking to have a hearty laugh this weekend.
COMING SOON IT Cast: Jaeden Lieberher, Bill Skarsgård and Finn Wolfhard
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY 3D Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong and Robert Patrick
BE AFRAID Cast: Brian Krause, Jaimi Paige and Louis Herthum
HOME AGAIN Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Lake Bell, Michael Sheen and Candice Bergen
MY COUSIN RACHEL Cast: Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Holliday Grainger, Iain Glen and Pierfrancesco Favino
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Indian Social Club, Salalah celebrated the 70th Year of India’s Independence in the presence of the Indian Ambassador Indramani Pandey at their club premises.
IN FOCUS DO YOU WANT TO BE IN FOCUS? SHARE YOUR PICTURES WITH US ON FACEBOOK.COM/HIWEEKLY
Celebrations of Indian Independence Day at Indian School Seeb.
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Guinness World Record for the longest crocheted scarf organised by Mother India’s Crochet Queen (Team Oman) with their certificates.
IN FOCUS DO YOU WANT TO BE IN FOCUS? SHARE YOUR PICTURES WITH US ON FACEBOOK.COM/HIWEEKLY
The Muscat Gujarati Samaj, Gujarati Wing of the Indian Social Club Oman, recently organised ‘Suron Ka Safar’ at the Indian Embassy Auditorium, marking the 71st Indian Independence Day celebrations. Guest of Honour for the event was Padma Shree Anandji bhai Shah of the Kalyanji Anandji fame.
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SUDOKU
HOW TO PLAY Fill empty cells with the numbers 1 to 9, so that each number appears once in each row, column, and area.
Level | Easy
2
5 4 4
8
6
8
7 1
8
5
4
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3
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9 5
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Level | Moderate
2
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8 3
7 9
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7 7
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Level | Difficult
4 6
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4 7
7 8
2 4 2
3 9 1 4
3
9 9
8 4
3
4
8 1
5 9
8
7 1
6
4
PLAY AND WIN SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF OUR SODOKU POST ON FACEBOOK.COM/ HIWEEKLY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN VOUCHERS FROM PIZZA MUSCAT. SOLUTIONS & WINNERS POSTED EVERY SUNDAY.
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