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IDENTITY LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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TRAVEL GUIDE
KENYA
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rom heroic supermoms, thriving entrepreneurs and top executives to world class athletes and the world’s first differently abled TV host; Egyptian women having been kicking butt and breaking grounds in all walks of life! Our March issue is all about women empowerment and we would like to take this special occasion to celebrate these amazing women who managed despite all odds and societal limitations to break through the glass ceiling. Getting much deserved national and international recognition for their achievements will hopefully pave the way to lessen the occasional gender inequality we still witness at home, in the workplace and on the pitch. Girl power, much? Rola Kamel
Identity Magazine was founded in 2005 by Rola Kamel to enhance every aspect of a woman’s lifestyle, helping our female readers to discover and improve their own identities. Published by Beezarre Publishing Ltd. Themistokli Dervi, 6 Papyros Building, 4th Floor, Flat/Office D5 – P.c 1066, Nicosia, Cyprus. The subscription rate is 240 L.E./year (12 issues) through Al Ahram, Tel: 02-27703190 Distribution by AL AHRAM Website: QPIX SOLUTIONS Contact us at: 26A Montazah St., Zamalek, Cairo-Egypt. Tel: 02-27361187 Mobile: 0122-9401071 email: sendus@identity-mag.com www.identity-mag.com
IDENTITYMAGEG
4 March 2019
IDENTITY MASTHEAD
IDENTITY MARCH 2019, VOLUME 14 ISSUE 3
Founder & Managing Editor Rola Kamel Editor-in-Chief Nawal Ismail Art director Alia El Abd Copy-Editor Amina El Fayoumy Senior Staff Writer Amina Moustapha Staff Writers Aya Aboshady & Omnia Essawy Freelance Writers Amina Elghandour, Rana Ramez Relationship Expert Marwa Rakha Fashion Expert Nahed Kazziha Food Writer Soha Darwish Senior Graphic Designer Sandy Saied Marketing & Advertising Manager Riham Yehia Business Developer Raghda El-Sayed Digital Marketing Manager Youssef Ali Senior Social Media strategist Omar Zydan Social Media Executive Mahmoud Aboudeif Video Editor Ahmed Mostafa 6 March 2019
Identity Magazine Distributor Ashraf Fouad
IDENTITY CONTENTS
26
FOR MOM
8 The Lust List 10 Inspiring Supermom
Entrepreneurs 11 Heartwarming
Mother’s Day Gifts
STYLE 12 Get the Look:
Ashley Graham
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14 Professional Tips for
Women with Dry Skin 16 Hairstyles for Women
On the Go 18 Items that Make Women Feel 22 24 26 28
Empowered A Mother’s Gift Top Ten Mama’s Closet The Louis Vuitton Spring 2019 Ready to Wear Collection Fashion Weeks Fall 2019
OUT & ABOUT 54 56 60 64
WOMEN OF SUBSTANCE 32 Radwa Moussa-Youssef: Going 36 38 40 42 46 47 48 50 52
through the dark into the light Alpha Women... Beta Men The Mum’s Guide to Stay in Shape Fire and Blood Egyptian Sportswomen Breaking the Mould Sara Metwally: Managing Director of Starcom at Publicis Groupe Rania Ayman: Founder & Managing Director of Entreprenelle Travel Guide: Kenya Spring Getaways Healing Power of Turmeric
8 March 2019
50
SPRING GETAWAYS
Advertorial Snaps Press Releases Horoscopes
IDENTITY THE LUST LIST
THE LUST LIST
ZARA FLORAL DRESS
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Spring is almost upon us, and what better screams, “spring is here” than a floral dress? This Zara floral dress is the best representation of spring. 10 March 2019
DOLCE & GABBANA - EARRINGS What makes a better statement than a stamen earring? This classy, yet bold show-stopping earrings from Dolce & Gabbana will make you stand out from the basic crowd, yet will still make you look elegant.
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PULL&BEAR - CHAIN PRINT T-SHIRT & SWEATSHIRT This Pull&Bear Chain Print T-Shirt & Sweatshirt is giving us Versace vibes, and we’re all here for it! With a light and dark option for the design, you can easily go for either a day or night with simple styling.
GUCCI - SUNGLASSES While it is not even close to summer yet, but summer is close, and the sun is peaking out of the clouds. This Gucci sunglasses will is the perfect fit for protecting your eyes from the sun, yet still not looking overly summer-y.
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VALENTINO LEATHER ENVELOPE CLUTCH While it might not be “official”, it’s still widely known that the synonym for elegance, is Valentino. This Valentino Leather Envelope Clutch will be the cherry on top of your look, with a bit of a bad-ass twist.
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El Gheity Sisters; From Child Stars To Egypt’s Sweethearts!
Kareem Abd El-Aziz Portrays the Modern Egyptian F*ckboy in “Nady El-Regal El-Sery” Check out identity-mag.com for more! IDENTITYMAGEG
IDENTITY FOR MOM
Pushed by the strong desire of helping other mothers and families, Rania Badr El Din is empowering women through valuable knowledge in order to support them in building happy healthy families. Being a creative humanitarian, an innovative social entrepreneur and a dedicated mother, she knew where to draw the line between being a working person and a mother. THE FITNESS SUPERMOM: Norshek Fawzy, Co-founder and CEO of Jumpsuite and proud mother of one boy and one girl The Gouna resident and fittest mother out there, Norshek Fawzy is leading a healthy lifestyle and supporting many others to do the same. Creating 3 startups, leading her own business and being a mom of two, the fitness Nazi’s secret resides in knowing the difference between what can be delegated and what can’t. Being a mom pushed Norshek to achieve total efficiency at work. THE INNOVATIVE SUPERMOM: Dina Mofty, Founder of Injaz Egypt and proud mother of three.
INSPIRING SUPERMOM
Entrepreneurs by Rana Ramez
This month is all about superwomen A.K.A. Mothers, so we’re taking the chance to dedicate this piece for inspirational moms who didn’t give up on their dreams and carved their paths through the professional life. It’s all about entrepreneur mothers who discovered the magical balance between family and career. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them. THE HEALTHY SUPERMOM: Fayrouz Nasser Eid, Founder and CEO of The Daily Crisp and proud mother of one girl and one boy The wellness fanatic and nutritionist, Fayrouz Eid, was driven to create one of Egypt’s most acclaimed health and lifestyle magazines, The Daily Crisp. A BA holder in Mass Communication, Fayrouz changed her career path after her first pregnancy and has received a BS degree in Food Science and Nutrition. Being her kids’ role model is the source of her inspiration.
Dina gave birth to a different kind of twins in the same year; her first baby Talia and her startup INJAZ, when she was only a 24 year old fresh graduate. For Mofty, mom stands for Master of Multitasking and she has been taking it to a whole new level, with creating a network of thousands of students, countless corporate sponsors and numerous volunteers. THE FASHIONABLE SUPERMOM: Yasmine Yeya, Founder of Maison Yeya and proud mother of twins The lady of the breathtaking wedding gowns was originally an AUC Business graduate with a marketing job in Dubai. She decided to take a leap of faith and transform her love for fashion into a profession. She admits that balancing motherhood with leading an iconic brand is not easy, but is totally worth it. THE EVENTFUL SUPERMOM: Yasmine Medhat, Founder and CEO of Bazarna and proud mother of two boys and one girl
With an events planning company that offers families unique shopping experiences in a fun atmosphere, Yasmine is one of the most successful entrepreneurs out there. For Yasmine, the greatest moments are when her proud kids start to praise THE KNOWLEDGEABLE SUPERMOM: Rania Badr El Din, Founder and CEO at Mother and her work. Time management and prioritizing skills Child and proud mother of three are her key success elements. 12 March 2019
HEARTWARMING MOTHER’S DAY
Gifts
by Rana Ramez
Mothering is an everyday non-stop job for 365 days per year, 24 hours a day. Just imagine how much your mom would earn if this was a paid career, with the value of a mom! This month is a great chance to show her how much you appreciate what she does for all the family. Spoil your mother and make her feel extra special with these gift ideas. 1. PHOTO NECKLACE Nothing beats a gift with a personal touch. For a gift that will last a lifetime, place a beautiful photo capturing a special moment in a necklace as a keepsake. She’ll definitely appreciate this one and keep it close to her heart. 2. DECORATIVE WALL ART Use your mother’s favourite family photo with her favourite inspirational quotes from movies, books or songs to get this gift done. Create her a decorative wall art with the previous items in her bedroom or the living room. You can also make her a portrait to be added to the special wall. 3. CUSTOMIZED WOODEN FRAME Choose a nice photo with you and your mom, or with the whole family, alongside with an inspirational fromthe-heart message to show her how grateful you are for her role in your life. Customize a wood frame with the previous and see how touched she’ll be by this gesture. 4. MOMMY SURVIVAL KIT JAR Fill a cookie jar with tiny goodies such as lipsticks, nail polishes, lip balms, breath mints, hand lotions, body creams, etc. to make up for all the times you gave her a hard time and it was so difficult for her to enjoy some self-care. She’ll be using this gift for a very long time and will remember you every time she does.
5. CUSTOMIZED FAMILY CANVAS If your mom is the artistic type, she’ll adore this one. Have a personalized and elegant piece of art with a classic canvas print. Using a black and white picture or a childhood photo will give the art piece a timeless feeling. 6. RECIPES COLLECTION Collect the best recipes from your family, your friends or get them from the internet. Get an easy to use recipe ring, gather and attach the collected recipes and gift it to your mom. You can also have many categories such as entrees, soups, main dishes and desserts. 7. BOOKENDS AND BOOKS If your mom is the bookworm type, you know that this will be the right present to offer her. And because nothing makes book lovers more happy than anything related to reading, get her some fun looking bookends to spice up her bookshelf. You can also get her a newly released book that you know she’ll like.
Let’s make this month an unforgettable one for the most precious ones in our lives. March 2019 13
IDENTITY BEAUTY
GET THE LOOK:
Ashley Graham by Omnia Essawy
Model/body image activist/entrepreneur Ashley Graham is, without a doubt, one of this millennial’s most groundbreaking women. She is breaking boundaries and changing the rules of so many games we can’t even count! All while staying absolutely gorgeous and naturally glowy. How does she do it? That’s what we are about to tell you.
MOISTURIZER: “If your skin is looking good, you are looking good” said Graham herself. No amount of make-up can give you healthy looking skin if you didn’t moisturize and hydrate it first. Ashley uses the Carasoin Cold Fusion Intense Moisturizer on both her face and neck; it’s her secret to always looking young.
FOUNDATION: If you are going for a glamourous look, then you have to use foundation to give your skin the perfect dewy finish that Ashley has. For an even more natural look, Ashley uses her fingertips to apply her Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation on her face in a tapping motion until it sets in.
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SETTING POWDER: To make sure your make-up stays in place, you have to use a setting powder. However, it is best not to use it all over your face if you want to maintain the dewy lustrous look. Use it only in the places you tend to sweat most, like your T-zone and under your eyes. One of the best setting powders to use is Charlotte Tilbury setting powder, which Ashley recommends.
CONCEALER: For a fresh and a crisp look, you have to conceal under your eyes and any dark patches on your face. One of the best concealers you can use is NARS Concealer because it gives you high coverage and a smooth finish.
BLUSH: CONTOUR: To look as popping as Ashley always does, you have to accentuate your cheekbones and define your face more. To do so, you can use Charlotte Tilbury’s contour powder and blend the bronzer into the hairline and down the jaw to avoid any obvious lines.
One of the things you probably always wondered about Ashley is how she always looks naturally flushed, we know we did too. The answer is creamy blush. If you want her dewy naturally blushing cheeks, you can use Makeup Forever cream blush in the shade of your choice, and tap it onto your face using your fingertips.
EYEBROWS: To have a truly defined face, you have to have defined brows. One of the most recommended eyebrow pencils is The Hourglass eyebrow pencil. It has two sides; the edgy end is made in the perfect angle to help you draw in your brow easily, while the other end is a brush for you to get rid of any extra product and brush your brows out to make sure they look natural and feathery.
HIGHLIGHTER: Ashley believes in “loads of highlighter, less is never more!” Highlighting is the key to getting the glowy and lustrous look. One of her favorite highlighters is Milk Makeup highlighter ‘Lit’. You can apply it on the highpoints of your face, under your brows, above your lips and your collarbones.
LIPS: Before applying lipstick, apply lip balm first. One of the best lip balms is Nuxe lip balm; its smooth texture will leave your lips silky smooth. To get Ashley’s low-key and pouty lips, use your finger to apply your favorite lipstick on your lips, also using a light tapping motion.
March 2019 15
PROFESSIONAL TIPS FOR WOMEN WITH
Dry Skin by Omnia Essawy
Keeping your skin looking fresh and healthy can be a true challenge when you have dry skin, especially in cold and dry weather. No matter how much make-up you put on or how good the brands you use are, you always find yourself lacking that certain glow we all aspire to have. Because we feel you and know what you are going through, we have sought professional help and asked make-up artist Donia Sedky for tips to help you keep your dry skin at bay. Here’s what she had to say: How to identify my dry skin? Although both could feel quite similar, dry skin and dehydrated skin are two completely different things. If your skin is dehydrated, it means that it is lacking water which could happen to any skin type. However if your 16 March 2019
skin is dry, it means that it naturally doesn’t produce enough sebum (oil). Therefore increasing your daily water intake alone won’t have much of an effect. How to take care of it? Hydration has to come from within. So water is a must if you want to have healthy looking skin. Even if you don’t have dry skin, everyone should be drinking at least three liters of water per day to keep their skin healthy and hydrated. Something a lot of people don’t pay attention to is the Hyaluronic Acid. Although our skin cells naturally produce it to maintain moisture levels, due to several internal and external factors, the production of Hyaluronic Acid tends to decrease by time making the skin drier and more dehydrated. To compensate, you can apply serums that contain Hyaluronic Acid to make your skin smoother and younger looking. Exfoliation is very important for dry skin. Dead skin cells act as a barrier between your face and any moisture you add to it. So when you exfoliate and lose the dead cells, you allow the moisturizer to be absorbed into your skin. Also, exfoliating is a must to get rid of all the flakes and dry bits before you apply your make-up. To exfoliate your dry skin, you can use a gentle scrub or a peeling mask, so you could get rid of flakes without irritating your skin. How do I prepare it for make-up? After exfoliating comes moisturizing. For your dry skin, you have to incorporate a heavy or deep moisturizer to make up for the lack of moisture and oils. Face sheet masks are your dry skin’s best friend. They generate moisture into your skin tissue, therefore compensating for the severe dehydration and dryness. To best prepare your skin for make-up, you should use a hydrating moisturizer or a gel moisturizer. Other than hydrating the skin cells, this step also helps the make-up blend into your skin easier and smoother giving you a healthy finish look. After moisturizing, you need to prime your face to set the base for your make-up. In your choice of primer, it
is better to avoid silicon-based primers and go for the oil-based primer for your dry skin. What to do when applying make-up onto my dry skin? FOUNDATION Foundation is the step that could make or break your make-up look. If you choose the wrong foundation, you could end up ruining your whole look. For dry skin, you have to stick to the oily and creamy based foundations and steer clear of the matte ones. A matte foundation will expose the dry nature of your skin and highlight it. What you need is a foundation that will give you a dewy finish to make up for the dryness. So when you are looking for a foundation, look for the ones that have the words hydrating, moisturizing, or radiant written on them. When applying the foundation on dry skin, it is better to apply it using a wet beauty blender. Blend it onto your skin using a delicate bouncing motion to avoid creating new flakes. Powdery products are your enemy, if you have dry skin; you have to keep from powdering your face. Powder will soak the moisture out of your skin making it drier and flakier. BLUSHER Same goes for blushing; when you are choosing a blusher, it is best to go for a creamy blusher than a powder one, to help you capture that natural healthylooking hew. HIGHLIGHTER The key step to get the dewy fresh finish look is the highlighter. The highlighter could be the most essential and most important step for dry skin make-up routine. Any highlighter would do, however a cream or liquid highlighter would work best for dry skin. To get an overall radiant look, apply it, very subtly on your cheekbones, Cupid’s bow, and the bridge of your nose.
Now you are ready to control your dry skin and make sure it doesn’t stop you from looking glowy and radiant all year long.
March 2019 17
Hairstyles FOR WOMEN ON THE GO by Omnia Essawy
It’s 2019 and women are taking the world by storm. However, breaking boundaries and making changes in every aspect of life does have its downside, such as always having to juggle between everything at once; social life, work and of course looks. Taking care of your style and paying the attention you need to maintain your ‘A’mazing look is not an easy task with all that you have on your plate! This is why you need the easiest yet most fabulous hairdos to make in the morning before you head out and face the music. And this is exactly what we have for you!
THE PIXIE
Nothing says more confident and free than a pixie cut! Not only is it the easiest haircut to take care of, it is also the easiest one to style in no time. When in doubt you can just run your fingers through your hair, spray some hairspray on it and you are good to go.
THE BRAIDED CROWN What better way to embrace the queen that you are than to wear your own hair as a crown? This look has always been known to add a sense of majesty while maintaining an effortless style. It is easy to do and wear throughout long days because the messier it gets, the better it looks! 18 March 2019
THE TRIPLE TWISTED PONYTAIL This is one of those styles that you can basically do in the car while on the move! It’s easy, needs nothing more than a hair band and looks absolutely stunning! As always remember, the key is to let a few strands fall naturally to create the naturally flowy messy look.
TOP KNOT The oldest one in the book yet it never goes out of style! Tying your hair into a top knot while letting a few strands flow down around your face will give you the perfect carefree look you need all throughout your hectic day.
NO HEAT MESSY WAVES This one is for the carefree whimsical hippy inside you; it is time to break free! All you need to create this youthful look is to braid your hair into two side braids when it is still damp. After it dries, unbraid it, run your fingers through it, spray it, and you are ready to go!
THE LOW ROLLED UP-DO Smart women need smart hair. And nothing says smart more than this hairdo. The Low Rolled Up-do or the Chignon as it is more commonly called manages to achieve an almost impossible equation; it looks classy and elegant and can carry you through any occasion, yet it’s easy to do, takes no time and does wonders if accessorized! March 2019 19
ITEMS THAT MAKE WOMEN FEEL
Empowered
by Aya Aboshady
Fashion is a big staple in every woman’s life. Every piece we choose to wear, hold or put on tells something different and specific about us. Sometimes a scarf could say that we’re strong, a colour like Red or Yellow could give off our soft spot or hot temper. Even the shoes, you could always know what a woman is feeling like from her choice of footwear. And because we want all women out here to feel strong, confident and empowered, we made you a list of items that would make even the most vulnerable of women feel empowered.
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Marilyn Monroe once said “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.” This eye catching black pair of Kennedy Heeled Lace-up Boots from Urban Outfitters just screams confidence and beauty!
This AWESOME vintage Burberry Jacket in the color Antique Yellow is everything! Mainly because checkered patterns are so hot right now, but also because who wouldn’t look stunning and feel confident wearing this Burberry piece? 20 March 2019
3 Wanna talk about confidence and empowerment? Then put on this astonishing vintage chain print neckerchief from Pull&Bear! This piece is definitely a great addition to anything you choose to wear on a daily basis.
This Rajah large tote bag from GUCCI is just stunning! Who wouldn’t feel empowered wearing this beauty with the tiger head, sparkling crystals and dangling gold chains? It also looks quite vintage!
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Those pleated Cohen Wool pants from Aritzia are just everything! They could be styled in different ways, are very trendy and would make any woman feel great about herself; looking so elegant and professional, yet nicely casual!
This ridiculously pretty scarf-print long dress from MANGO is so soft and beautiful! The white and gold scarf patterns with the black colour will make you rock it day or night!
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7 “When in doubt, wear something Red!” Red is such a feminine colour and once you style it with anything, it will look perfect! This Flame Scarlet Randy blouse from Aritzia will make you feel like a whole different person who owns the world!
Wanna feel so confident you could literally run around all day? Well those pair of Filas are gonna make you look like a literal rockstar anywhere you choose to wear them with the awesome black and pink colour mix!
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Be the best version of yourself this gloomy winter and own the fashion game with this light grey Max Mara coat! The fur on top and the wool and silky material are always key for a stunning elegant look whether you choose to wear it during the day or at night!
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“A girl should be two things: Classy and Fabulous,” the great Coco Chanel once said. This very pretty pink silky square scarf from Chanel will definitely make you feel classy and fabulous all day, every day!
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The love story between a woman and her Prada bag is invincible! This very unique printed leather Prada clutch will make you feel like you rule the world. The historic Prada flame print with the stunning floral patterns, are everything you need and more in this clutch for a feisty feeling!
11 Black is for the confident and leather is for the brave! This amazing black Joplin mini leather skirt from Aritzia will look awesome styled with any top colour of your choice. We can guarantee that it will look classy and great in all cases!
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This rocking black and gold double baroque buckle tribute belt from Versace just screams elegance and style! The exceptional quality leather belt will suit almost anything from a short vintage dress to a pair of light jeans!
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Honestly, who would wear this GUCCI Crepe Wool silk skirt without feeling empowered and pretty? This knee length navy blue skirt will make you feel at your best anytime you choose to wear it! March 2019 23
IDENTITY STYLE
A MOTHER’S GIFT
Christian Dior
by Nahed Kazziha Louis Vuitton
The bond of motherhood transcends language and culture. You often hear “like mother, like daughter” or “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” In Egyptian culture, the unconditional love and admiration of a mother is captured in the phrase “the monkey, in his mother’s eyes, is a gazelle.” The sentiment is true; moms everywhere seek to see the best in their children. Accordingly, motherhood is often about giving your best as well. Fashion is no exception. Genetics and heirlooms are handed down alike. Here are a few mother-daughter starlet pairings that have heads turning all over the world.
Jason Wu
Aquazzura
Chloe
Alaãa
REGAL ROYALS
Valentino
Queen Rania and Princess Iman are the epitome of modern royalty. Aspirational in their style and grace, they are avid supporters and inadvertent ambassadors of local and regional fashion designers.
Carolina Bucci
Bina Goenka
Bottega Veneta
Alexa Chung Alexander McQueen
EPIC ENTERTAINERS
Jimmy Choo
24 March 2019
Diana Ross and Tracee Ellis Ross can only be described as having a presence onstage and off. Bold and loud, these women do not shy away from the spotlight.
Prada
Halston Heritage
Zara
Burberry
Gucci
Orseund Iris
The Row
MODEL FIGURES
Raey
Self-Portrait x Robert Clergerie
Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber are every bit the trendsetters. Whether strutting down the runway or down the streets, the duo has an edgy ease about them.
Rag & Bone Ludwig Reiter
Rosantica
Missoni
Golden Goose Deluxe Brand
See by Chloe
SCREEN SIRENS
TL-180
Sophia Webster
Lisa Bonet and Zoe Kravitz are a lot more than television and big screen darlings. Their bohemian flecked flair makes these actresses stand out sartorially, while embodying their free spirit.
Hillier Bartley Christian Louboutin
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Top 10 MAMA’S CLOSET Jennifer Behr
DELICATE HAT
Hats are mostly relegated to summer season in this part of the world, used for basic sun protection. If you dare to walk the unbeaten path, try repurposing feminine headwear to add intrigue and elegance to your ensemble.
by Nahed Kazziha
Much like history, fashion has a way of repeating itself. I have lost many hours of my life in the closets of my mother and grandmother- as a child, trying on their shoes, fashioning dresses out of scarves, or prancing around in a hat with a handbag on my arm. The discovery of vintage dress shops as a teen was equally thrilling, but they were few and far between. Thus, I contented myself to the periodic ravaging of mother’s treasured possessions. It is hard to believe that clothing and accessories can withstand the test of time, but it is absolutely true! With some TLC, coveted key pieces can not only retain, but appreciate in value. This is the real driver of cost per wear, or paying more for apparel that will last longer and overcome fads and trends. So, this mother’s day, why not do your part for spring cleaning and score some stylish additions to your wardrobe at the same time.
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RETRO DRESS
Diane Von Furstenberg
26 March 2019
Every era has an iconic dress; be it petticoats of the 50s, mod of the 60s, wrap of the 70s or power shoulders of the 80s. The good news is that all of the above can be contemporarily repurposed in today’s fashion.
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Chanel
COSTUME JEWELRY
Coco Chanel used to say “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” Well, Miss Gabrielle, you were wrong. Sometimes, more is more. Elevate a simple outfit with costume jewelry for a not-sosubtle statement.
Mulberry
CROCODILE HANDBAG
Croco has made a huge comeback this year. While most of it is not original crocodile leather (nor am I advocating that it should be!), your Nana may have a well-concealed handbag in store for you.
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TRENCH COAT
The origin of the trench coat is heavily debated in the fashion world: was it Aquascutum or Burberry who invented it? Never you mind; the important thing is that the trench coat is forevermore here to stay. Malene Berger
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Gianni Versace
VINTAGE SUNGLASSES
LACE BLOUSE
The most feminine of fabrics can soften the edgiest of looks. Delicate and ethereal, replicas are abundant among high street retailers. Every so often, you can come across the real thing: Victorian inspired in all its glory.
Chloe
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From Lolita to Jackie O, there is a flattering frame out there for you. In all likelihood, your specs are buried in the depths of an old boudoir storage. There is no better time to uncover your go-to shades for spring.
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Hermes
Sonia Rykiel
Scarves are unparalleled in the versatility as an accessory. They can be used to style your bag handle, worn around your wrist, twisted over your hair and, of course, worn around your neck. See if you can score an Hermes heirloom to add some history to your flair.
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FUR STOLE
CHECKED BLAZER
It may be a no-brainer to make the most of mother’s hand-medowns, but it takes courage to borrow from the boys. A quick glance at daddy dearest’s closet will reap major androgyny inspired rewards of the oversized variety.
SILK SCARF
A Perdifiato
Fashion is finally more animal friendly and opting for cruelty free faux fur. But should that mink cape from the 1950s suffer abandonment as a consequence? No! Take that baby out for a night on the town for some instant glam. March 2019 27
THE LOUIS VUITTON SPRING 2019 READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTION by Aya Aboshady
This spring, the newest Louis Vuitton collection is all about bringing back Nicolas Ghesquière’s futuristic work for the brand. The designer was inspired by the mixture between the spacey patterns which give out the space-age and planet vibes, as well as the Parisian savoir faire of sculptural dresses in sequinembroidered mesh. Honestly what’s so intriguing about this collection is the fact that literally almost all of the outfits, from the pretty dresses to the very unique blazers and suits, can be fitting for a variety of occasions; whether in the daytime or the evening.
28 March 2019
March 2019 29
Fashion Weeks Fall 2019 by Aya Aboshady
This fashion-weeks-season has been tremendously fashionable to say the least! From Gucci and Michael Kors to Alexa Chung, Victoria Beckham and many more elegant and BIG designer names who have shined very bright and high during the last couple of weeks in London, New York and Milan. And here we are, giving you an insight to our favorite picks from all three!
MILAN FASHION WEEK: ALBERTA FERRETTI Alberta Ferretti took Milan Fashion Week by storm, literally! It was like the runway was made of snowflakes with models glowing like snow queens. Ferretti honestly took the phrase - All White, Everything - to a whole new level! Also, the silver, rose and black touch of colors were just gorgeous!
30 March 2019
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK: MICHAEL KORS The New York Fashion Week was lit up with the Michael Kors Fall 2019 Ready-To-Wear Collection; it was all about feathers and fake fur this time! Kors strongly brought the 50s back for this Fashion Week, mixing the vintage vibes and darker shades with a little stunning touch of nude colors and the light beiges and blues!
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LONDON FASHION WEEK: VICTORIA BECKHAM The always glamorous and elegant Victoria Beckham is back again to own the show with her Fall 2019 Ready-To-Wear Collection! This season came with its beautiful red spirit that made the models pop with vivid lively colors along with trendy plaid patterns on the runway!
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LONDON FASHION WEEK: BURBERRY The always unique and significant Burberry stole the show at London Fashion Week with its Fall Winter 2019-20 Collection! The nice mixture of elegancy and street style was exactly what we were looking for! From the signature look with the long furry coats to the rocking colourful dresses and nude skirts, the Burberry show was unforgettable!
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IDENTITY INTERVIEW
RADWA MOUSSA-YOUSSEF Going through the dark into the light SURA STUDIO Photographer : AHMED HAYMAN Art Director: REEM OSSAMA & SALMA SHERIF Stylist : MAI GALAL Makeup Artist : RANDA TAWFIK Jewellery Designer : DIMA JEWELLERY Veil Designer: AYA EL RAKHAWY Project Manager: NESMA EL-SHAZLY Organized by: STARDUST Interview by Raghda Elsayed When we deiced to have an issue about women empowerment, there was no better person to represent it more than Radwa Moussa-Youssef. Radwa is mostly known for being the mother of Zein, the young boy who has been battling with cancer since 2013. Radwa has been keeping up with a Facebook page to write about Zein’s journey, and recently published a book “Zein: The Story of Dark and Light” (Zein: Hekayet Atma w Nour). 34 March 2019
March 2019 35
Radwa Moussa-Youssef is a mother of three – two daughters and one son – but unlike most mothers, she is a cancer mom. You would think that a mother who has been through all of that would be overwhelmed, depressed, or at least tired. Radwa was unlike how anyone would imagine; her known life is full of darkness, yet she was full of light. Meeting Radwa, we asked ourselves so many questions. How does she keep going? How does she keep the faith? How does she keep up with the other two kids? More importantly, how is she doing? “I’m doing really well,” said Radwa when I asked how she was. “This is a very good time in my life. Zein’s recent scans have been good, and I just launched my 36 March 2019
book. The book’s title is not a metaphor; I am truly in the “light” phase of my life. I’m grateful for where I am now, and I thank God for where I am now every day; I am blessed.” I wanted to take a step back with Radwa before discussing her book and ask why she even started the “Zein” Facebook page. “I believe in the power of prayer. I believe anyone who can pray or talk to God – no matter how they do it or what their religion is – will make a difference. That was the goal. I wanted people to pray for him. I wanted to reach out to a bigger community than my own.” “I wasn’t invested in updating the page until 4 months into its launch when Zein had his treatment in San
Francisco. It was very hard on me, because he was isolated for two weeks, and this was when I reached out to those on the page. I started reporting my feelings and writing updates on everything that was happening. It was very therapeutic for me.” Social media has become an important part of our lives, and finding a story like Zein’s now on social media is not uncommon. We had to ask her if she ever felt pressured or obligated to post about Zein, or did she, in fact, want to update the page. “It’s true; having the page for Zein was very uncommon. Many family members were confused by it and questioned why I am doing this publicly. But Zein’s page became bigger than me; it was a message that I had to keep delivering – for families going through similar situations, as well as my son. Thankfully, however, I never felt pressured to update the page or anything similar. We always posted what we wanted, and that was it. Even when we did not feel like writing much – like when we’re just out of major surgery for instance – we would still want to update those who are praying for him, out of respect, and not because we’re obligated.” We had to ask her about Zein and how he deals with the attention he gets. Radwa mentioned that at some point it got to is his head, but she makes sure to snap him back to reality. “My family and I have a very strange sense of humor, and it helps us stay grounded. For instance, when Zein refuses to do his homework, we would laugh and say “Do you think because you have cancer, you’ll get away with not doing your homework?” We also make sure all the kids remain as far away as possible from social media. They are still kids, and they don’t need this in their lives. But I still make sure he sits and reads what people tell him on social media so he would appreciate what he has. He needs to understand that he has a whole army around him.” Radwa is not the typical religious person, but she has a lot of faith. Her faith in God and belief in the power of prayer is what keeps her going. Ironically, some of us lose faith whenever we go through any inconvenience, yet she still keeps the faith during the most inconvenient situation one could be in. How does she do it? “In the book, I share my life before Zein’s illness and you will know that this is not the first major inconvenience in my life. God showed me Himself in
various ways, and every time I believe in Him more. If I learned anything, it’s that God will show me Himself in the way He sees right. We’re all systemized to pray to God, and expect things to happen right away. For two years I kept praying, crying, doing everything I’m asked to do, yet Zein was not cancer free. I then realized that maybe God has another plan. Maybe Zein is not meant to be cured now, because his road to being cancer free is God’s plan for me. I realized that my relationship with my family grew, Zein grew, I had more friends, and my journey became an inspiring story that helped many people grow in their faith. More importantly, I still got what I wanted and Zein is now in remission. Everything I have been through is a blessing in disguise. I would have never signed up to go through it that way, but it’s still a blessing. The hard part, however, was keeping Zein’s faith. He is a kid and he doesn’t understand as much. Even we, as adults, had our questioning moments, imagine him? I discuss that in the book in details, but it was not easy for him.” We might forget that aside from being “Zein’s mother” Radwa is a also woman with dreams and aspirations. One of her dreams was to become a published author. Radwa has always had an interest in writing, and we all saw that through her expressive posts on Facebook. It is no surprise to see her publish her first book now. We wanted to know how she decided to publish it, and learn all about her experience while writing it. “I wrote the manuscript in English for myself. Through the years I kept updating it. I thought of publishing it but never had the time. Then I spoke with Al Dar Al Masriah Al Lubnaniah, the publishing house for the book, and they encouraged me to publish it. I, however, had to rewrite the whole book in Arabic, since they only publish in Arabic. Additionally, I felt like I needed to send this message in Arabic rather than in English. In the States, people already have the know-how and guidance to dealing with similar situations. In Egypt, we don’t. I felt responsible for delivering the message for Egyptians and Middle Easterns.” Radwa’s book “Zein: The Story of Dark and Light” (Zein: Hekayet Atma w Nour) is now in stores, and will be helping numerous families who are going through similar situations like Radwa and her family. We have reviewed the book in last month’s issue and on our website. We have huge faith in Radwa and Zein and hope to see more women be able to deal with challenging situations as well as she did. March 2019 37
IDENTITY ADVICE
ALPHA WOMEN... BETA MEN by Marwa Rakha
With more women going to college, with more women taking less time out from careers to raise children, with more women choosing careers that only a few years ago were the province of men, better jobs and better money have become available to them, and now we reached a time where women can be on equal financial footing with their partners, and can even out-earn them.
We reached out to our Relationships Expert, Marwa Rakha, to figure out how should a couple deal with such challenges. 1. Why is it still hard to swallow a scenario where in a relationship the woman out-earns the man? Let us think of men, women, and relationships as though they were on a continuum; on the one end of the continuum, we have typical male/female roles. The man is the sole breadwinner and the woman has absolutely no other source of income. She is totally dependent on her husband and he is fully in control.
There are no “rules� for managing this change. At the present time, every couple in which the woman is the primary wage earner is very much on its own, inventing a family life that is radically different from that which they knew growing up. Therefore, such On the other end, we have the exact opposite type couples must have countless challenges coming of relationship; the roles are reversed. The woman has the career, the money, and the control, and her their way. 38 March 2019
husband is dependent on her.
In both extreme relationship types, let us exclude kids out of the equation. We are not discussing who takes care of the kids and does chores; we are focusing on who puts food on the table at the end of the day. In between the two extremes, there are many variations of the man-woman-money relationship. How acceptable, or unacceptable, a variation is depends on many factors - societal norms is the most important. How men and women are raised in a certain society determines how likely they are to accept or reject a scenario where the woman earns more money than her husband. To be more specific, Egyptians, boys and girls, are raised in a society that preaches the superiority of males because they are financially responsible of their families. Real life happens, and those boys and girls grow up. If the girls get the same education opportunities as the boys, many excel; they complete their studies at school, go to college, and get a job. Some invest in taking courses, attending workshops, and in developing themselves. Others pursue post graduate studies and earn various professional diplomas in their field of work. These women manage to land jobs that are quite fulfilling and well-paying. They savor the sweet taste of financial independence and their self-awareness blossoms. Then they are faced with reality. No one wants to get married to them because they are intimidating. Someone wants to marry them for their money. Someone wants to marry them, but they do not earn as much money. Someone who has a high-paying job wants to marry them, but he wants them to choose a less demanding career or to stay at home. A successful woman, who wants to get married, might choose a man who fulfills her on many levels, and accepts to be the financial helm in the relationship. Depending on the level of her self-awareness and her need to get married and stay married, she will make peace with the fact that she earns more than her husband. The husband, on the other hand, might accept that he is not that financially capable and would try to shoulder other responsibilities to even out the equation. For example, he might help out with chores, kids, extended family, or errands, or provide great emotional support and good sex.
What should a couple do to figure out a fair way to distribute household chores, money, and decisionmaking power? Respect is the key word. Assume we have a couple, the woman earns way more the man, they are in love, they want to get married, or are married, and they want to make this work regardless of what “society” has to say about the roles of a man or a woman – they need to answer these questions: - What needs to be done so that I can respect myself in this relationship, knowing that I am paying for everything? - What needs to be done so that I can respect myself in this relationship, knowing that I am not the breadwinner? - What needs to be done so that I can respect my wife and not get angry at her for bringing in more money? - What needs to be done so that I can respect my husband and not resent him for not bringing in enough money? 3. What are the red flags that a partner won’t get over the fact that his ‘traditional role’ no longer exists? How could you know he won’t be supportive in the future and is not worth you trying and investing in him? There is no guaranteed way to ensure that this relationship would work. Deep down, in the depths of the human psyche, things are always brewing. The woman resenting the man and feeling that he is a burden, the man resenting the woman for making him feel less-of-a-man, or the woman resenting herself for not having the courage to end this relationship, or the man resenting himself for marrying “out of his league” – resentment brews down there. Nonetheless, there are some signs that could warn you: - The man asks you to give him money so he can pay – He has issues with “what will people say if you pay?” - He is depressed, sad, gloomy, and you are always trying to cheer him up. – He is guilting you for being successful and radiant. - He is aggressive, rude, and insolent. – He is damaging your self-esteem. - He is cheating on you – he wants to feel like a man with someone else. - He interferes in your wardrobe and makeup - he is trying to dominate you in the name of love or jealousy.
Worse than a man who cannot shake off “traditional roles” is the man who comfortably abuses you and 2. Redistributing roles in a family is not as simple as your money. This man does not mind it at all. You saying, “You take out the garbage, I’ll sweep the floor.” have simply replaced his parents. March 2019 39
IDENTITY HEALTH
THE MUM’S GUIDE TO STAYING IN SHAPE by Elhusseni Fekry
Mum’s the word! Mothers are natural project managers; we can all see this when dads always tell the children to go “ask mum.” Despite the secret power of always knowing where our shirts are at any given time, managing never-ending tasks on a daily basis would make any mum feel drained all the time. In the middle of your daily turmoil, it’s important to not forget to take care of yourself, no matter how troublesome it may be to plan for it. It might seem impossible for you to schedule some time to work out. Mothers around the world can find this a struggle— especially when first failing at trying to integrate a healthy lifestyle— and may eventually decide to give up altogether.
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“It’s easy to go for a quick jog, you are just being lazy.” A lot of mothers hear that from their friends. No, it’s not easy to manage a work–family–healthy lifestyle. For starters, preparing things for a family on a daily basis is a never-ending itinerary. Most mums resort to forsaking the idea altogether. However, it’s very important to have a reconstructive physical routine. Since you are the core of the family, we don’t want you to go through any health problems because of a sedentary lifestyle. Simply because you are the vessel that gives, and not being well means everything will start to be not well, and then you won’t be able to give your best to your best people in the world: your family. How to schedule for a workout as a mother? First of all, you need to know how your normal day goes. For workouts, you just need 5 minutes. I know it may seem that sometimes you don’t have these 5 minutes. Yet if you pan out how your day goes, you can come up with those 5 minutes at least. Now, try to figure out what you need to do. Do you need to lose weight? Do you need to strengthen your core muscles? Do you need to relieve back pain? Now that you got the when and what, it should be more simple to figure out the how. 1. KNEE-TO-CHEST STRETCHES This exercise is excellent to relieve the stress on your lower back and glutes’ muscles. While you are lying flat on your back, start by pulling one knee tightly to your chest. Hold your leg in this position for 10 seconds and then release. Repeat the same process with your second leg. In a minute, you should have already finished 3 repetitions of the exercise. A more intense variation would be to hold both legs close to your chest and release after 10 seconds. 2. PELVIC TILT This exercise is a way to re-stimulate your core muscles and it’s also one of the best exercises recommended to start strengthening your core. Simply, start by laying flat on your back and bending your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground. Then, contract your abdominal muscles and push your lower back to touch the floor gently. Think of it as if pushing your belly button to the ground. 3. BRIDGE The bridge exercise focuses on the lower back, hip, and glutes muscles. Basically, it helps improve your standing up posture. And as a mother, you are always
standing up so, consider adding it to your routine. Start by lying on your back just like in the pelvic tilt exercise, with both your arms on your sides next to you. Then, raise your hips from the floor, while maintaining your upper back and shoulders on the ground. Remain suspended for 10 seconds and then return to the initial position. Repeat up to 15 times resting for 30 seconds between repetitions. 4. SUPERMAN PLANKS Superman plank is a great exercise to stretch back muscles and improve posture. Its major difference compared to normal planks is the focus on the lower back rather than shoulder muscles. You can perform Superman planks by simply lying on the floor, face down, and stretch your arms forward, like Superman, for 10 seconds and then release. Repeat as much as you want for better results. 5. KNEE PUSH-UPS If you want to jumpstart your metabolism, you can begin your morning with some activities that enhance your circulation and allow your body to burn fats faster. One of these morning activities is knee push-ups. Simply lie on the floor and extend your arms as if you are starting to do a push-up and keep them extended, then twist your knees to your chest in running motion. You can repeat the exercise as much as you like; a minute per day is a good refresher for your body to start your day actively. 6. JUMPING ROPE It’s argued that jumping rope exercising is one of the best cardio activities to perform. In terms of numbers, if you jump rope for an hour, you burn an average of 1000 calories, compared to the average 300 calories in an hour jog or run. It’s surely better in terms of preparation and effort needed—and let’s be honest, it would be more fun than spinning around in circles, right? How to improve your exercise? You can follow any famous workout plan—usually revolving around combinations of these exercises— or create your own program, which we recommend. Track your own pace and see how much you develop physically even by extra 2 seconds for a stretch. As long as you carry on, you are doing well. A one-minute jogging in your place is better than a zero-minute jog. And don’t forget to have fun, because feeling that this is just another chore can drive you away from continuing with it. Most importantly, learn to take care of yourself. March 2019 41
IDENTITY REVIEW
&BLOOD
FIRE
by Amina Moustapha & Rana Ramez
The author of A Song of Ice and Fire book series, George R.R. Martin, has recently released the Fire and Blood book. It is an examination of a historical fantasy world dealing with the complete history of the Targaryen dynasty throughout Westeros, a house from his cycle that inspired HBO’s Game of Thrones. For all the fans of A Song of Ice and Fire, we’ve gathered 7 facts that you need to know about the last release of R.R. Martin. A perfect stop gap for Game of Thrones The seven-plus year wait for The Winds of Winter, the sixth novel in the epic Game of Thrones series—has many fans feeling restless, but George R.R. Martin is attempting to soften the blow with this new book set within the A Song of Ice and Fire universe. A prequel to the main series, this book is setting the scene for The Winds of Winter, the series conclusion. Though it may be greeted by disappointment from the Game of Thrones fans, it should be perceived on its own merits. Fire and Blood is the ultimate guide to Westeros history. A new song of Ice and Fire Based on the British medieval history, the book tells the complete history of House Targaryen. The book begins with the tale of the creator of the Iron Throne, the legendary Aegon the Conqueror and passes by the different generations of Targaryens fighting in order to hold the iconic seat, until reaching the civil war that almost tore the dynasty apart, and ending with the descendant Aegon III. Long before the separation setting the Westeros houses at each other’s throats, only one house dominated supremely, the House Targaryen. Two volumes for the Targaryens Fire and Blood is the first book of two, telling the story of the Targaryens. More than 200,000 words were removed from the manuscript of Martin’s companion book ‘The World of Ice and Fire’ and were included 42 March 2019
in the book of Fire and Blood in 2014. The author has revealed that the material had grown so large that he decided to publish the histories of the Targaryen kings in a two-part saga. The saga is an extremely rich and dark one where many of the main characters are analogous to real-life kings. A prequel to Game of Thrones In this essential chronicle, many questions will be answered such as the events of the Dance of the Dragons, the reasons why Valyria became so deadly after the Doom and the origin of Daenerys’s three dragon eggs. The book takes place 300 years before the events happening at the Game of Thrones; it reveals the story of the only family of dragon-lords surviving the Doom of Valyria and taking residency on Dragonstone, House Targaryen. This volume reveals interesting events and long-buried secrets leading to ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’. Difference between the World of ‘Ice and Fire’ and ‘Fire and Blood’ Considered as the sourcebook for the whole A Song of Ice and Fire’ series, The World of Ice and Fire handles many events and topics of interest but very briefly. So similar to the Targaryen kings section, the new book goes much more in-depths about the kings’ stories, their triumphs, defeats and faced challenges. And unlike TWOIAF written by Martin’s assistants, Elio M. García Jr. and Linda Antonsson, the new book was actually written by Martin himself. Much faster pace than A Song of Ice and Fire Fire and Blood benefits enormously from sticking to a strictly chronological telling of the Targaryen dynasty. Each chapter transfers clearly to the next, king to king, era to era, and this clarity in itself creates an interesting dramatic tension, because we’re not at all accustomed to events in Westeros being that clear-cut. The construction of Westeros Fire and Blood tells the history of the technological and
sociocultural development of Westeros itself. There’s constant world-building activity chronicled within the book because, most of the Targaryen kings are literally building their world. They impose infrastructure, economic and trade policies, and institute sweeping law reforms. So we get to witness the detailed construction of one of the most phenomenal fictional countries ever created.
Could Archmaester Gyldayn’s manuscript contain the key to successfully defeating the White Walkers and landing Dany on the Iron Throne? Or could Martin even be hinting that Dany will ultimately be defeated in the upcoming eighth season? It seems we’re definitely going to have to give Fire and Blood a thorough study while we wait for the final season of Game of Thrones to drop in April.
George RR. Martin wants Daenerys to read this book! The narrator of the book is Archmaester Gyldayn, a maester of the Citadel, and in a recent interview with Martin he said that Daenerys Targaryen would definitely benefit from a trip to the citadel to review Archmaester Gyldayn’s manuscripts. “This is a book that Daenerys might actually benefit from reading, but she has no access to Archmaester Gyldayn’s crumbling manuscripts. So she’s operating on her own there,” Martin teased. “Maybe if she understood a few things more about dragons and her own history in Essos, things would have gone a little differently.”
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Martin, the Fantasy’s Reigning King has expanded the realms of genre fiction and forever changed how we engage with an imagined universe.
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- THE NEW YORK TIMES
March 2019 43
IDENTITY WOMEN OF SUBSTANCE
EGYPTIAN SPORTSWOMEN BREAKING THE MOULD Interview with Raneem El Welily, Areej Rashed & Rahma Khaled by Amina Moustapha
W
omen are now more visible in sports than ever before. At the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, where women competed for the first time, only 22 of 997 athletes were women. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, 1,242 female athletes were in action, making approximately forty-three per cent of all athletes. Forty-eight percent female representation is predicted for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Female athletes are changing the game and are setting their marks in sports like never before everywhere around the world, in all sports, and in all championships and all international sporting events. Sports were always a way for women to gain a measure of freedom in societies that greatly inhibited their social choices. For Egyptian sportswomen things are no different! Sports have always been intertwined with freedom, and our female athletes are breaking through the glass ceiling in the many fields of sport. From Raneem El Welily, the Squash World Champion and the first Egyptian woman in any sport to become the World No.1, Areej Rashed, Egypt’s Karate Champion and recipient of the highest Sports Honorary Award in our country to Rahma Khaled, the swimming gold medalist in the Special Olympics and the first TV host with Down syndrome; we’re celebrating all the ways women athletes and women in the sports industry are inspiring us to level the playing field. We bring you three inspirational women who are knocking down many barriers when it comes to sports. The beginning of the three athletes’ journeys was quite similar; the love of sports captivated them, and got their foot in the door. “When I was only four years old, I could never sit still; therefore sports were the perfect solution for a child like me! And once I started Karate, I fell in love with the sport immediately!” said Areej. Rahma was an active child too, especially when any water activity was involved, “My mother decided when I was six that I should take up swimming. I was enamoured with it, and by the time I turned
44 March 2019
eight, I started participating in championships and tournaments. Playing sports has a positive impact on both my health and personality.” When Raneem picked up the squash racket and hit her first ball, she was following her big brother’s steps. “I used to watch my brother’s training for almost a year, and when his coach let me walk in the court for the first time, even though I was still six, I managed to hit the ball with the racquet on the first try. It was an instant love affair with the sport.” Those first moments are just highlights of the athletes’ journeys; the three of them had many more victorious moments to share with us. “Winning 6 British Junior Open titles and 2 World Junior Championships in my junior years were such great achievements that paved the way to my career,” Raneem explained. “There are two achievements that I am most proud of, both were during my journey as a professional Squash player with Wadi Degla Club; the first is reaching the world number 1 rank in 2015 and the second is winning the World Championship in 2017.”
possible.”
“The first time I won a gold medal at the World Championship will remain one of my top moments throughout my career,” said Areej. “I can also never forget my excitement when I received the highest Sports Honorary Award from President Abd El Fattah El-Sisi.”
Rahma too had more dreams to fulfill but hers weren’t sports related, “I want to raise more awareness about people with special abilities; that they too can be productive and can make a difference in their societies if given the chance and support, just like I was supported by my family and Wadi Degla Club.”
“The achievements I will forever be proud of are becoming the representative and a spokesperson for the International Federation of Sports and the Federal Egyptian Association for Intellectual Disabilities but becoming a TV host definitely tops the list of my achievements,” said Rahma.
Knowing it couldn’t be all dandy for these hardworking sportswomen, we paused to ask about the challenges that come their way, the obstacles that they had to face, may still be facing, and how they overcome them or how they are planning on doing so.
The three athletes’ achievements fill us all with pride and leave us in awe for them. They are truly inspirations to women everywhere, and we couldn’t help but wonder, after accomplishing that much if there was any milestone that the athletes haven’t hit in their careers yet, but want to. “I would like to participate in the next 2020 Olympics and achieve a gold medal, especially that it will be the first time Karate becomes part of the Olympic Games,” Areej replied with great enthusiasm. Even after becoming World Champion, Raneem too proves that there should be no ends for your dreams, “I am blessed to have won many titles on tour, but the British Open is one of the majors that I wish to win one day. I hope I can achieve as many titles as
“Lack of sponsorships to some sports is one of the major challenges,” Areej explained. “I encourage the private sector to pay attention to neglected sports. If we take a look, we can see a lot of Egyptian athletes with international achievements in different sports. They all deserve support.” “The biggest challenge I faced throughout my life is society thinking that people with special abilities can’t lead successful lives, can’t accomplish big achievements.” Rahma explained, “I didn’t let these social limitations get in my way. I broke this taboo as I am a champion in more than one sport. I became a model, a TV host and a representative for people with Down’s Syndrome. I was able to achieve top rankings in all the tournaments I participated in and hopefully will continue to do so.” March 2019 45
Raneen had a different battle to fight. “I believe the biggest challenge is learning what and who to listen to from the people around you, and what advice to take and what to leave behind. That’s what affected me the most while growing up and building my career. I’m sure on some level everyone was trying to help but it wasn’t always effective. You need to follow your own mind.” After learning about the athletes’ personal challenges, it was time to pop the big question about gender equality in sports. Some believe that we are past the era where women are treated differently than men in sports; some think there is still a long way to go, everywhere around the world, before girls and women, at all levels of sport, are treated equally. We wanted to hear what our interviewees have to say about the challenges sportswomen face, and if we still suffer from this dilemma in Egypt. “Unfortunately yes we do,” Raneem replied. “Things are changing though, as more women and girls started achieving records and breaking the norms. We proved that we deserve a fair chance. So yes, over the years, things have improved a lot and we do not face as much gender-based challenges as the earlier generations. But still, a few phrases here and there, that reflect how some people still think of women, are heard every now and then. You just have 46 March 2019
“
Don’t let society dictate who you can be, you dictate who you will be.
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- RAHMA KHALED
to train yourself not to pay attention.” Areej agreed too, “But I am very positive this will change over time. Lately, we have been seeing Egyptian women with major achievements in many sports gain worldwide attention.” “There are several sports entities that work so hard to develop their champions such as Wadi Degla Club.” Rahma added, “With all these international achievements, I do not think that such inequality will last for long.”
“It has always been an ambition of mine to have my own program in order to shed light on different individuals fighting life’s challenges, overcoming them and working hard for their dreams to become their reality. My TV debut was last December when AlGhad channel interviewed me for the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and I was given my own slot. I was honored with such opportunity, and later on DMC asked me to become a regular slot on TV show 8 El-Sobh alongside Ramy Radwan. In order to be up for the task and prepare for this step, I took up special courses in presenting and media during the months prior to start hosting the show. I couldn’t be happier with my career like I am at the moment. Those are Areej and Rahma’s keys of success that helped them along their journeys, and kept them going through all the obstacles that came face to face with them. Raneem too had her keys that guided her until she achieved what no other sportswoman achieved in Egypt and became a World Champion. “The keys to success are hard work, discipline and having the right ethics. Hold on to those three qualities and you’ll never fail. Or so I like to believe.”
Such influential and heartening words are the perfect conclusion to our interview with the three incredibly Speaking of inequality, well aware of the long lasting amazing athletes. We wish them all the best in their belief that martial arts is considered a ‘men’s sport’, careers; we couldn’t be more proud of them, and we we wanted Areej to tell us how it does feel to not only wish to witness even more of their achievements. Stay awesome, ladies. break into this territory, but also be a champion in it. “I am always proud of what I achieved; I struggle to accept the notion that because Karate is a violent sport then it only suits men. This is a false perspective; I have a huge respect for Egyptian women who professionally play sports and manage to achieve so much with all the challenges they face. I’m forever grateful to my family and Wadi Degla Club for supporting me and having a massive positive impact on my journey.” We are forever proud of Areej and the many other sportswomen for breaking this mold; Rahma too broke through the glass ceiling in TV hosting and proved that nothing could stop you from reaching your goals once you put your mind to it and we wanted her to share with us how she achieved this goal. March 2019 47
SARA METWALLY:
Managing Director of Starcom at Publicis Groupe
Throughout her career Sara Metwally has managed a wide spectrum of global brands including CocaCola, Glaxosmithkline, Mondelez, Samsung, Nestle, Dubizzle, Etisalat and Emirates. Starting as a junior media executive with the group 13 years ago, today Sara has implemented the company’s organizational structure setting up a full team, built to service some of Egypt’s leading advertisers. We met with Sara to hear all about her amazing career. How did your amazing career kick off? I remember the exact moment when I decided I wanted to be in the business of building brands, during my economics undergrad at Queen’s University, Canada. My epic marketing professor gave us a final project in one line: “sell soap,” however we wanted. I was charmed by the simple- yet extremely challenging task. As he read MY sell to over 100 students, as best in class work, I sank down in my seat. Only 17 at the time, I was humbled, and awakened. I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. What are you keys of success? 1. My parents. Sending me abroad for university wasn’t an easy decision but it gave me confidence putting me on a trajectory I could never turn back from. 2. Great minds. Starcom’s incredible open door, hand raising culture, connected me to Publicis’s best, and I stayed in that sphere of influence. From there I build my own. My team are the absolute best, brightest in Egypt’s media industry. 3. Likeminded ambition. There were two junior executives that started with me: my family, my inspiration. 14 years later, we still share the same aspiration to make it big, for ourselves and this place we call home. 48 March 2019
Do women still face obstacles to reach positions of power more than men? I cannot agree to this statement. I work in one of the most male dominated industries in Egypt, and here I stand. Stereotyping will always exist. I am a woman in a position of power, and for anyone I communicate with, there will be some pre-biases about me. Think of me as a brand. My message has to be tailored for specific audiences. When the woman card, mom card, works in my favor I use it. I use my experience to sell myself and the work I provide; woman is not my only card. I always do my homework and my experience allows me to consult on the biggest of businesses. If you are good, that is all that people will see, and they will respect you for it. What challenges do you face in your career? How do you overcome them? Like most of us in the industry the hardest is work-life balance. You’ll make fun of me but I have 3 notebooks to keep me organized; work, wife, Adam (my toddler.) I have 3 roles, and I want to be great at all of them. If you are organized you can do it all and be happy. Morning workouts, nursery drop offs, 9 hour work days, back in time bedtime/bath time, and I and still have time for my husband in the evening. Tamer and I are a team, I couldn’t do it without him.
RANIA AYMAN:
Founder & Managing Director of Entreprenelle Rania Ayman is the founder and managing director of Entreprenelle. Awarded “Best Female Entrepreneur” by YE!, featured as one of the most active influential “25 under 25 Entrepreneurs” by Startup Scene, Women Entrepreneurship Network board member, Global Institute for Women’s Empowerment member, UN Women Gender innovation Agora member, CEFP Alumni & Injaz Alumni; Rania Ayman has achieved 4. What are the main obstacles standing in the way of so much already. 1. How did your career kick off? I started working ever since I was an undergraduate and well until I received my degree in Business Administration. Post-graduation, I worked in an advertising agency before creating my own. 2. Tell us more about Entreprenelle and what inspired you to found it. When I joined an initiative created by Startup Grind, the percentage of female attendees was very low in one of the events. This is where I discovered the lack of women involvement in the eco-system. This is when I created Entreprenelle, initially as an online platform. My on-growing passion for Entreprenelle led me to exit the agency I founded to work wholeheartedly on Entreprenelle. Helping other women is my inspiration; that’s why I wanted to work more for a cause rather than just the money. 3. What is your organization’s plan to bridge the gender gap economically? Entreprenelle hosts entrepreneurship programs, incorporating the gender factor. As an example, we provide a kids’ area for moms and teach them time management, in order to balance between pursuing their passion and taking care of their family. In addition to creating a supporting network for women that allows them to leverage on all resources.
achieving this mission? The main obstacle is resource accessibility. We work on awareness, education and resource accessibility to reach our goal, which is economic empowerment. The awareness phase starts from SHE CAN; the educational programs tackles fashion, handcrafts, upcycling, recycling, tourism and advertising. These programs teach the attendees the business perks of each industry, in order to qualify them for the next step, which is connecting them to incubators, accelerators and investors. 5. Tell us more about SHE CAN 19. SHE CAN’s main objective is to build awareness on entrepreneurship for women. It’s an educational day, yet it’s not too intense in order to motivate the attendees, and help them connect and network with other women and Entreprenelle graduates. We are pleased to have great entities on board that will be providing mentoring and workshops relevant to SHE CAN 19 theme “Successful Failures”. 6. Why did you choose “Successful failures” as the focus theme of the event? Our theme has been chosen due to a lot of us thinking that there’s nothing beyond the successful examples we see, yet a lot of failures take place. SHE CAN 19 is tackling how to manage struggles and failures, which makes the program more realistic, relevant and valuable. March 2019 49
IDENTITY TRAVEL
Travel Guide: KENYA by Rana Ramez
VISA The touristic electronic visa to Kenya is now available. It allows you up to 90 days there. You fill in the e-visa online application form, and in 2 working days, you receive your visa via e-mail. The total cost is around 1500 EGP.
CLIMATE • A tropical weather moderated by altitude, hot
and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north parts. • A great deal of sunshine all year round, with cool temperatures at night and early in the morning. • Due to high altitude, Nairobi and many highland towns and cities can get a bit cold even during the day between June and August. • The long rain season is from April to June, while 50 March 2019
the short rain season takes place from October to December. • Heavy rainfall occurs at times and often falls in the afternoons and evenings. • The hottest period in Kenya is from February to March and the coldest one is from July to August. • The high season to visit Kenya is when it’s dry and hot, during January and February.
VACCINATIONS AND HEALTH • Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory before going to Kenya; the country falls within the yellow fever zone. • Make sure all your routine vaccinations are up to date. • Take along antimalarial medication with you, stay covered to avoid mosquito bites and dress appropriately
at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. TRANSPORTATION
• With the recently launched commuter rail service, it’s possible to go from one Kenyan city to another
by train. It links the capital Nairobi with Kitengela, Mombasa, Syokimau and Athi River.
• Since the routes available by train are limited, buses are the best alternative. It’s the cheapest, most
convenient, generally on time and reliable travel mean for both short and long distances. THE HIDDEN GEM OF CULINARY DELIGHTS
Don’t miss the chance to try out some of the famous local delicacies of the country, the Kenyan cuisine is considered as a real hidden gem. Nyama Choma, which means roasted meat, is a must-try and the best place to try it is Kenyatta Market in Nairobi. Matoke is also a popular dish in west Kenya; it’s made up of plantain bananas cooked with oil, garlic, onions, tomatoes, chili and lemon juice with added meat. WORLD’S LEADING SAFARI DESTINATION Dating back to the 14th century, Kenya is the country with the first known safaris that has attracted over the years many travelers wanting to explore the African Savannah. Wildlife safaris are the main touristic attraction of Kenya. • The Massai Mara in Kenya is the most popular reserve in the continent, where the amazing spectacle of animal migration takes place. Almost 2 million wildebeest, zebras and Thomson gazelle migrate between July and October. • Give a visit to Amboseli National Park if elephants are your favorite ones in the wilderness.
• Lake Nakuru National Park is where you’ll find the
breathtaking scene of pink flamingos. • Nairobi National Park is the first national park in Kenya and it’s worth a visit. It’s the home of special Acacia bushes, populations of leopards, giraffes and ostriches. A large migration of herbivores is witnessed during the dry season in the park. • Hell’s Gate, considered by many as the inspiration of the Disney film ‘The Lion King’, is natural beauty covering the midst of Southern Kenya. The place is famous for the unforgettable rock formations, the deep valleys and exceptional wildlife.
MESMERIZING LANDSCAPES Also known for its amazing beaches, Kenya has many seaside gems to offer for those seeking the satisfaction of the salty air. • Diani Beach, south of Mombasa is a perfect rustic haven where peace of mind is guaranteed. • The Che Shale Beach known for its soft sands, clear waters and serenity,is one of Kenya’s main attractions and is the ideal place for water activities. • The North Coast boasts magical pristine beaches filled with palm trees and the amazing waters of the Indian Ocean. • Fourteen Falls waterfall, located at the broad section of the popular Athi River, is spectacular 27 meter deep scenery. Many activities such as boating, fishing and birdwatching take place there.
March 2019 51
Spring GETAWAYS
SRI LANKA 8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS Departure: Upon Request Starting from: 48,500 EGP For more information visit: www.travistaegypt.com
PACKAGE INCLUDES • Accommodation in standard rooms on bed & breakfast basis at specified hotels or similar • International flight round trip economy ticket • Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle • Service of English speaking chauffeur • Visa fees • All tours mentioned in the itinerary.
FRANCE, ITALY, SWITZERLAND, TOUR DU MONT BLANC 10 DAYS/9 NIGHTS Departure: Upon request Starting from: 16500 USD For more information visit: www.destination31.com 52 March 2019
PACKAGE INCLUDES • Airport transfers • Accommodation in a standard hotel in Chamonix for 3 nights on bed & breakfast basis • Accommodation in mountain huts for 6 nights on full board basis • Professional mountain guide for the whole trek.
JORDAN AMMAN, PETRA & DEAD SEA 7 DAYS/6 NIGHTS Departure: Upon request Starting from: 730 USD For more information visit: www.travelchoiceegypt.com
PACKAGE INCLUDES • Accommodation at hotels in Amman, Petra & Aqaba • Daily meal plan on half board basis • Transfers and tours in airconditioned modern car with English speaking driver • Transportation to hotels and airports. • Entrance fees, horse ride in Petra. • 4x4 W/D Jeep in Wadi Rum desert.
BEIRUT & FARAYA 7 DAYS/6 NIGHTS Departure: Upon request Starting from: 355 USD For more information visit: www.travelchoiceegypt.com
PACKAGE INCLUDES • 4 night accommodation in Beirut in a standard room on bed and breakfast basis • 2 night accommodation in Faraya in a standard room on bed and breakfast basis.
March 2019 53
IDENTITY GOURMET
Healing Power of Turmeric
by Soha Darwish Food writer & Critic - Menu Consultant. Diploma in Food Journalism - London, Uk
Why Turmeric? Turmeric is one of the most versatile and beneficial spices on earth with powerful medicinal properties. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has been long used in Asian medicine to treat a wide variety of diseases. It has strong antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-carcinogenic properties. It also provides high amounts of iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc along with vitamins K, E & C - a true nutrient gold mine. Thousands of studies have confirmed turmeric’s magnificent powers and countless healing qualities. It has a myriad of benefits ranging from; boosting the immunity, supporting heart functions, protecting the liver, and healing wounds to body weight control.
Ultimately, with its anti-carcinogenic properties, turmeric is now becoming a new health staple when combating cancer. Studies show that curcumin does have anti-cancer effects and is able to kill cancer cells and prevent them from growing - specifically cancers of breast, colon, prostate, lungs and childhood leukaemia. Now the fun part! I have always been intrigued by this root spice with its earthy subtle flavour yet vibrant yellow colour, giving a golden hue on everything it touches. I prefer to use it freshly grated in its root form, similar to ginger roots but much thinner. Turmeric is used vastly in curries and can also be added to soups, rice, meat and fish.
Here are a few recipes for turmeric packed dishes that can fit different parts of our day:
Turmeric Frittatas: Serves 4 Start your day by tucking into those fluffy colourful frittatas, they will surely awaken your senses and set you up for the day. Shopping Basket: 6 eggs – 1 tbsp freshly grated or powder turmeric– 1 diced red bell pepper – 2 tbsp vegetable oil– 1 finely diced courgette – handful of chopped chives - salt & pepper.
Steps:
54 March 2019
1. In a large pan, sauté the onions, red pepper and courgette. Add the turmeric and stir fry for another minute. 2. Pour the whisked eggs and sprinkle the chives. 3. Put it under in the oven grill until eggs are cooked. 4. Drizzle with chilli infused extra virgin olive oil when served.
Coconut Chicken Curry: Serves 4
For lunch or dinner, this fragrant light curry will warm your heart and make your taste buds dance!
Steps: 1. In a blender, blend the coconut milk together with the grated turmeric, grated ginger, sugar, lemon juice, 1 cup of water and half of the coriander leaves. 2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil then add the powder spices (curry- cinnamon) to release their aromas and maximum flavours. 3. Add chopped onion and garlic, stir-fry until onion is translucent. 4. With the chicken fillets cut into medium cubes, add them until seared. Then cover with the blended mixture, and simmer until chicken is tender. 5. For an added health boost, you can stir in the raw veggies and let them simmer in the curry for a further 3 minutes. 6. Sprinkle with remaining coriander leaves and spring onions. Serve with basmati rice or a light leafy salad. Enjoy!
Shopping Basket: 1 kg chicken fillets – 1 ½ can coconut milk – 1 chopped onion – 3 tbsp vegetable oil - 4 crushed garlic cloves - 1 tsp freshly grated ginger or ginger powder – 1 tbsp fresh grated turmeric or turmeric powder – 2 tbsp curry powder- ½ tsp cinnamon – 2 spring onions – handful of fresh coriander – ½ tbsp sugar – ½ lemon- ½ a broccoli, 4 chopped asparagus spears & handful of spinach leaves (veggies are optional) - salt & pepper.
Golden Milk: Serves 2 ‘Golden milk’ is the name of the new health darling everyone swears by; from celebrities to influencers and housewives - it’s basically turmeric infused milk. I personally tried it and it’s the perfect way to end a long day. Simply delicious, instantly soothing and relaxing; works miracles on your body while putting you in deep sleep and don’t forget the weight control part!
Steps: Shopping Basket: 2 cups of almond, coconut or cow milk – ¼ tsp vanilla extract– ¼ tsp freshly grated ginger or ginger powder – 1 tsp fresh grated turmeric or turmeric powder – 1 tbsp honey - ½ tsp cinnamon.
1. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. 2. Pour into a small saucepan and heat for 3 to 5 minutes over low heat without boiling. 3. Drink immediately.
March 2019 55
IDENTITY OUT & ABOUT
Mother’s Day
Outings
Treat Your Queen This Mother’s Day At The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo Treat the most important woman in your life to a spectacular Mother’s Day at The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo. For all that she does, Mom deserves to feel like a queen. Treat her to exclusive made-just-for-Mom events and give her plenty of time to be spoiled with gourmet dining and a soothing spa treatment. Spend an afternoon celebrating mom with the family at Vivo over a lavish Italian lunch from 12:30 pm to 03:30 pm, with many different set menus and A La Carte dishes. For dinner, Vivo will also feature its delicious A La Carte menu, but will also have another special menu with mother day specials that your mom is guaranteed to love. In addition, all moms will receive a complimentary white rose and a box of macarons. Pair the Italian experience with an indulging spa treatment for a very special price on both. Bab El-Sharq restaurant is offering an exceptional Arabian dining delight. Dine in a group of four guests and your beloved mother will receive their mother’s day dining experience with our compliments. Also, Mama Wafaa is calling everyone to celebrate Mother’s Day in the lobby lounge to return to their roots and savor cherished Egyptian traditions. Recipes and cooking techniques will tantalize nostalgic taste buds and the secret ingredient is always love. Mama Wafaa encourages the use 56 March 2019
of high quality organic and local ingredients that turn any ordinary recipe into magic. Make mom feel special this Mother’s Day at Sonesta Hotel Tower and Casino, Cairo. Say Thank you to the most passionate person in your life and show your mom how much you appreciate her hard work and love by pampering her on that very special day. Treat her to a day of luxurious spa treatments or give her a precious gift of relaxation by surprising her with a superb massage treatment at Bien Vivre Health club. Wine and dine your special lady out at one of our finest restaurants and her meal will be complementary on us or invite your two special ladies and you’ll have a discount of 50% on each of their meals. Our chefs have prepared a spectacular fasting and non–fasting set menu at La Gondola restaurant along with an amazing mother’s day themed live entertainment. Or try the perfectly authentic sushi selection at our Japanese restaurant Sushi Ya.
Day dinner buffet and a la carte menus beyond compare at Mirage Café, Cucina, Lemongrass and Ahlein; for every family of four, mums will enjoy free dinner. At La Patisserie, choose one of our mouth-watering treats made especially for mum. Celebrate Mother’s Day in an exceptional way at Marriott Mena House, Cairo Surprise your mother on her day with a breathtaking view and a unique culinary experience at Marriott Mena House, Cairo. Choose among an enchanting dinning experience at 139 restaurant, set within informal, intimate seating arrangements, and breathtaking views of the pyramids and the landscaped gardens, 139 pavilion offers a unique dining experience with a special menu full of treats. Mother’s Day Surprises at Grand Nile Tower
Gift Her A Day Of Unconditional Love At Jw Marriott Cairo
In celebration of Mother’s Day, Grand Nile Tower offers all mothers an exceptional dining experience by the Nile River in addition to special spa offers for a special treat on their special day.
This Mother’s Day we have mindfully created experiences your mum will really love. Our chefs have chosen comforting ingredients, prepared with passion, to present a delectable Mother’s
Beloved mothers will have the chance to enjoy a memorable dinner by the Nile at the Revolving Restaurant, the highest in the Middle East, enjoying the panoramic view of the Nile and
Renaissance Cairo Mirage City hotel
the city of Cairo while listening to a selection of music curated for this memorable day. Grand Nile Tower also offers mothers a wide variety of delicacies and cuisines catering to a variety of preferences including traditional Japanese cuisine with teppanyaki seating at Okashi, international dining at El Sakya Souk with an enticing menu of a wide variety of authentic Indian, Italian and Tex Mex cuisine, a selection of fresh seafood and Mediterranean classics, with stunning views of the Nile. Mother’s Day celebration at Le Meridien Cairo Airport Gift your mother on her special day with EVOO’S Mother’s Day dinner celebration on March 21st, bring the whole family and indulge in an opulent
Dinner buffet for only 550 EGP per person. EVOO also invites you to treat Mum on March 22nd to a savory BBQ lunch by pool, live entertainment and much more for only 550 EGP per person. Mum’s sweet tooth will be treated with a complementary box of (avec amour) signa-ture chocolates. Kids up to 8 years are free of Charge. Mother’s day at Renaissance Cairo Mirage City hotel It is the day for family gettogethers and there is no one more special than Mum on Mother’s Day, celebrate all that she has been to the family and show everyone’s appreciation and love for her at New Cairo’s hidden gem, Renaissance Cairo Mirage City Hotel. Treat your mum to an exciting experience and delight in a mouth-watering selection of
authentic Chinese delicacies at Chinoix Restaurant; where mums will enjoy 50% off on their meal. The perfect Mother’s day gift at Sheraton Cairo Hotel It is her day! They day that you try to show your mum the love and appreciation you have to all what she does for you and your family. That is why Sheraton Cairo prepared the perfect get a way for your mum to relax, be pampered and enjoy her day. Book her a memorable stay that includes an amazing comfortable double room, a delicious breakfast to kick off the day, relaxing spa treatment and a 5 course set menu dinner at Gianninis overlooking the amazing Nile view where she will have a gift voucher 1000 LE Discount from our eye fashion shop all for 3800 LE all Inc. March 2019 57
“SEA TO TABLE” NIGHTS AT THE NILE RITZ-CARLTON
The Nile Ritz-Carlton is introducing “Sea to Table” concept to the hotel’s favorite dining destination, Bab El-Sharq. Chef De Cuisine Nasib Abdo and his team present delightful seafood nights, bringing crisp experiences to the dining tables of Bab El-Sharq every Tuesday and Thursday night. With a delectable spread that will tempt the palates of all seafood fans, the culinary team hosts a seafood extravaganza, where diners can pick whatever fresh fish and salt water delicacies caught from the Mediterranean Sea. The culinary team travels weekly to the famous Alexandria seafood market “Halaet El Samak” to buy fresh seafood directly from local fisherman to serve as “catch of the day”. Cooked to perfection, guests will enjoy their favorite cooking preparation method 58 March 2019
from baked, grilled to fried, that will ensure an unforgettable seafood lovers’ experience. Featuring contemporary and classic seafood preparations that are both sophisticated and tasteful, with excellent service and a boasting open kitchen, Bab El-Sharq offers a unique and memorable dining experience in the heart of downtown Cairo. To further amplify the warm, inviting atmosphere; the outdoor dining venue enjoys a simple yet elegant ambiance, with lush gardens and opulent Egyptian museum views paired with exciting performances of renowned belly dancer “Amy Sultan”. The overall atmosphere paired with the “Sea to Table” concept, is guaranteed to create a memorable set of experiences for guests to indulge in with family and friends.
RISTORANTE TUSCANY
A little piece of Italy in the heart of Cairo’s Zamalek If there is one thing we all internationally agree on, it is food. Thankfully, we live in the day and age where you can enjoy international cuisine from anywhere in the world. You can now enjoy a piece of Italy in the heart of Cairo, at Ristorante Tuscany located at Zamalek’s Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino. When you go dine at a hotel, the first thing you ask: Is the quality of food worth the price? We tried Ristorante Tuscany for you to tell you just that. First thing’s first; the service. While many might assume that the service in a hotel restaurant should be top-notch, sadly, that is not always the case. However, in Tuscany, the service was better than we expected, and more importantly, it wasn’t one of those fake good services. The staff of the restaurant truly cared about our comfort. Now the location and the restaurant itself. As Zamalek people, Cairo Marriott has a special place in our hearts. The hotel overall is great, and every piece of it feels authentic and regal; so is Tuscany. The place is not huge, so you must reserve to make sure you find a table, but it is very cozy. As for the food itself, let us start with the prices. Just to make things clear, hotel restaurants are not cheap. However, the prices at Tuscany were more than fair for the quality of food we received. As for the menu, it will meet all your Italian food needs. Everything in the menu is classical Italian food, but cooked to perfection. You will not be lost with the diversity of the
menu, since it’s very straight to the point; simple choices of soups, salads, pastas, meat, chicken and seafood. The host started by asking us if we have any allergies, so he would tell us what to avoid, and pointed out the dishes that include alcohol. We wanted to try the best of the best dishes, and asked the chef for recommendations for a pasta dish, and a meat dish. We took the chef’s recommendation with the order and opted for a rib-eye steak, and a classical Alfredo pasta, and boy oh boy were we pleased! We asked to have a medium rib eye steak, and to our surprise, it was actually cooked to a medium temperature. As for the quality of the meat, and the taste, it is safe to say it was one of the best steaks we have ever had in Egypt. As for the pasta, it was all fresh, even the pasta itself, and the taste definitely reflected that. Now for the important part, the dessert. After the big meal, we were already full and about to leave, but the waiter told us he wished we could’ve stayed for dessert since they are his favorite part of the meals. We asked him what they have, and he started by saying Tiramisu, and we were sold. We will keep our review short and straight to the point; you must go try it! It’s light, fluffy, and somehow still rich in taste. So well balanced, we can’t even believe it was real. Overall, the experience was great, and we would certainly go there again. The place is best if you are looking for a cozy and intimate restaurant, rather than a loud party place. March 2019 59
HILTON CAIRO HELIOPOLIS FIRST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
60 March 2019
AVEC AMOUR CELEBRATION AT LE MERIDIEN CAIRO AIRPORT Because everything is better with a little amour, Le Méridien Cairo Airport marked the most romantic time of the year with a passionate celebration that puts a lighthearted twist and whimsical touch of amour at Le Méridien Hub. Media, influencers and bloggers were invited to savour the good life to its sweetest by experiencing avec amour signature chocolate delights and effervescent Kir Royale cocktails complemented by a musical live performance. The celebration started with a chocolate workshop guided by Hotel’s pastry Chef, Sedhom, followed by a flower workshop guided by the talented florist Najla. After workshops, guests were invited to create their own box of chocolates and flowers with a little extra dose of love (avec amour).
March 2019 61
Fawry” Offers “Alexandria’s struggling old man” Modern Machine with a Capital of 5000 EGP After the long quest for earning his living, Mohammed Yussef El-Hagan “The struggling old man of Alexandria” was able to finally achieve his dream, to obtain a modern electronic payment machine from “Fawry”, in recognition of him, as a role model in persistence and struggle. The story of the struggle of Mohammed has gained wide popularity for refusing begging or asking others for help, and used an old Fawry electronic payment machine, given to him by some merchant, to walk along Alexandria Corniche in the area of Sidi Bishr everyday from early morning until evening to earn money from it. And as a result that the machine was not his property, the revenue was supplied daily to the owner.
SOS Children Spending Quality Time at the Palace Nothing would ever beat the fun of spending mid-year vacation at the Palace! Part of Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino’s Serve 360: Doing good in every direction initiatives, the hotel invited a group of SOS Children’s Village little angels over lunch at Empress Lounge. Kids were welcomed by DJ tunes and lots of fun games and activities. At the face paintingstation, everyone had the chance to pick their favorite figure and get it drawn on their faces. To make the day more memorable, everyone went home with a mosaic painting that they did at the Mosaic-station. The clown was there to shape balloons for every child with their favorite colors.
Introducing four new Nokia smartphones: delivering pioneering experiences across the range and true innovation in imaging to Egypt Nokia smartphone portfolio continues to deliver the best Android experience that always gets better over time. HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, today announced four new Android smartphones, including the world’s first smartphone with a unique five camera array, the Nokia 9 PureView. With a dedication to delivering quality technology for all, the new Nokia phones are as diverse as the consumer needs they serve. From Nokia 9 PureView to the Nokia 210 - the company’s most affordable internet enabled feature phone – consumers can trust there is a Nokia phone that meets their distinct needs.
End Your Everyday Drama And Create The Perfect Space With Ikea
Radisson Hotel Group signs portfolio deal for six hotels in Egypt
Newly launched product line focuses on innovative designs and creative storage solutions for the bedroom and bathroom IKEA, the region’s favourite Swedish home-furnishing retailer, recently launched the “End Your Everyday Drama” campaign encouraging all of us to get ready for life by creating a better environment at home. 62 March 2019
Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce the signing of six new hotels in Egypt as part of a portfolio deal across a number of its brands. The agreement was signed with existing business partner Zaghloul Holdings, a Cairo-based business conglomerate operating in real estate, contracting, tourism, commercial retail, entertainment and sports investment industries. The six hotels: Radisson Collection Hotel Cairo Heliopolis, Radisson Blu Serviced Apartments Cairo Heliopolis, Radisson Blu Hotel Cairo Golf City, Radisson Hotel New Cairo, Radisson Hotel & Resort Ain Sokhna and Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort Makadi Bay, Hurghada will mean Radisson Hotel Group becomes one of the largest international operators in the country and will also cement Radisson Blu’s position as the leading brand in the city in the coming years.
WADI DEGLA CLUBS Celebrates Making History In a matter of 2 years of training with WADI DEGLA CLUBS, Ali Farag the Harvard graduate managed to move up PSA’s international rankings from 5th place to the first worldwide. In a press conference attended by representatives from the Egyptian Squash Federation, CIB Egypt, WADI DEGLA CLUBS’ management, and Ali Farag and his family, the world champion expressed his gratitude to his family, coaches and club for being the power team that placed him on top of the world rankings.
Massimo Dutti launches its new perfume collection, on sale exclusively in the brand stores and www.massimodutti.com Massimo Dutti has embarked on an exciting new journey with the creation of a perfume collection formed of six pure, high-quality fragrances inspired by the art of travel, exclusively available in the brand’s more than 400 stores and at MassimoDutti.com. The initiative reflects the brand’s firm desire to evolve towards the creation of new brand hallmarks reaffirming its positioning in the international fashion sector.
In an exclusive cooperation with Egyptian football star Hazem Emam, Orange Egypt and VictoryLink continue to lead value-added digital services and announce “Live with Hazem Emam” new service Orange Egypt, the leading provider of integrated telecommunications services, in cooperation with VictoryLink, the leading Egyptian company in digital solutions announced a new exclusive partnership with the Egyptian football star Hazem Emam (Live with Hazem Emam). The partnership aims to enrich and support cultural and artistic scene in Egypt by offering a new range of entertainment to Orange customers and the Egyptian market.
Vodafone, Cairo Runners launch a marathon in support of Banati Foundation’s cause for homeless girls As part of Vodafone’s initiative to support Banati Foundation to raise awareness of the impact of homeless girls in the country. Vodafone Egypt – the Egyptian telecom operator - launched a charity marathon in collaboration with Banati Foundation, organized by Cairo Runners with a focus to reach homeless children living on the streets of Cairo through assigning regular visits conducted by a team of credible social workers that targets their lifestyle.
Sofitel Luxor Winter Palace Hosts the International Basketball Celebrity Yao Ming The hotel hosted recently the legend Chinese basketball player, Mr. Yao Ming, the international star for the Houston Rockets of the NBA, along with his family for a pleasurable retreat. Their stay at the historical palace was a real delight; where they enjoyed the monumental attractions, the great Nile and enthusiastic cuisine. During his stay, Yao Ming expressed his utmost admiration of the hotel, the service and the warm Egyptian hospitality extended to himself.
Hilton Hurghada Resort Undertakes Master Renovation Plan The resort has seen increase in revenue and an uptick in Guests’ satisfaction Hilton Hurghada Resort is entering the second phase of a four-year room and public area renovation project. The first phase of 80 rooms was completed in June 2018, and the second phase will renovate an additional 80 rooms with an expected completion time frame of Q2 2019. By the end of 2019, Hilton Hurghada Resort will have renovated nearly 60% of all frontline rooms in the resort, incorporating a contemporary design. March 2019 63
Knowledge Hub, located in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital.
Samsung Unfolds the Future with a Whole New Mobile Category: Introducing Galaxy Fold The world’s first Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Flex Display, endless multitasking possibilities and our most versatile camera yet – in one breakthrough device Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. unveiled the highly anticipated Galaxy Fold, a new foldable device creating a new mobile category. Galaxy Fold features the world’s first 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Display, which folds into a compact device with a cover display. Galaxy Fold offers a powerful new way to multitask, watch videos, play games, and more – bringing to life new experiences and possibilities years in the making.
The future of the Modena plant: Maserati meets with public authorities and unions in Via Ciro Menotti, Modena, Harald J. Wester, CEO of Maserati S.p.A., met with Palma Costi, Emilia-Romagna Regional Government Councillor for Productive Activities, and the Mayor of Modena, Gian Carlo Muzzarelli. Meetings were also held with union representatives during the afternoon. The meetings re-affirmed the strategic mission of the plant, as already highlighted in FCA’s Industrial Plan presented in 2018 and currently under revision. It will be dedicated to the manufacturing of special high performance, high technology sports cars, in line with the tradition and values of the Brand, which has been present in Modena since 1939.
Dr. Philip Lewis, Associate Head of School International School of Mechanics, Aerospace, and Automotive Engineering, Ms. Roxana Aldea, Partnership Manager from Coventry University, Ihab Salama, CEO of El Sewedy Education, Dr. Mohamed Loutfi, President of The Knowledge Hub, and Nancy El Sisi, Student Services Manager held information sessions at several international schools in Cairo to highlight the academic programs Coventry University plans to offer in September 2019.
The New Face of Faces The beauty concept is a homegrown brand from the Middle East, steadily growing to become an undeniable beauty destination, bringing all your international and regional must-haves. In 2019, we want to introduce the new face of Faces. A fresh new look, for a fresh new experience.
Director of Malls & Retail Seldar Egypt had the pleasure to welcome Mr. Osama Mounir as a Director of Malls & Retail. After a remarkable experience of 30 years in luxurious retail business; Mr. Osama turned a very successful page with Chalhoub Group to start another with The First Mall Giza, The First Mall New Cairo & Hurghada City Center. 64 March 2019
The Knowledge Hub and Coventry University visit schools for information sessions about the branch opening in September 2019 Last week, El Sewedy Education hosted delegates from Coventry University to raise awareness about their partnership and the branch campus being established in The
It is a brand transformation driven by what you, the customer, is looking for. Faces strives to bring all beauty lovers a brand new 360 beauty experience. From a fresh new rebranded look, to a new journey with an excitement assortment of new brands, as well as a new online experience.
HEBA FAYED:
Marketing Manager at CFCM 1. First of all, tell us more about your professional highlights and academic milestones My professional career evolves around marketing and communications with over 13 years experience, it has always been my passion to work in the creative industry. With over 13 years of experience across a diverse set of sectors, my ultimate career highlight is working in retail and mall management, as it involved extensive annual activations, market integration with a wide variety of stakeholders and sustaining a success record for traffic increase in the mall. My academic interests were mainly in international political economy, as it showcased my enthusiasm towards economic prosperity in the country. I used this academic interest to drive my career towards communications with corporate entities. 2. How did your career kick off? My career in communications kicked off working in the educational sector, as research became a primary focus for me to understand the strategic trends that drive economic growth in the country through youth empowerment initiatives. Following this, I dived into the tourism sector in the marketing field across the country and developed my creative skills managing international retail portfolios which became a passionate career path for almost 10 years now. 3. Tell us what inspires you most about your job? It is important that when you decide a career path, and a specific work place, that you understand the dynamics of the work environment. The most things that inspire me are my passion at work doing the things I love. I have a deep belief of this: if you are unwilling to learn no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you. Seeing this succeed and translate into accomplishments for the companies I work for make me believe that my hard hard work and perseverance works, and will keep me going!
4. What challenges do you face in your career? How do you overcome them? The main challenge is constantly looking for new ways to get ahead of marketing trends and to make a difference in the social and digital spheres for the brand and the entity we belong to. Understanding the millennial generation and foreseeing what new generations will be looking for is a constant challenge: you need to be ahead of the game! The landscape is ever-changing with a new phenomenon called “digital marketing disruption�- we live in a world in which most competitive companies are digital entities alone. The way in which I attempt to overcome these challenges is to keep up with my reading and research in different communication channels: online blogs, social media, follow influencers, and YouTube channels. The closer I get to the habits of these audiences, the more creative I become at work. 5. For a very successful woman like yourself, how do you maintain a healthy work-life balance? The real key is to follow paths that you are passionate about; with respect to health, career and relationships. I believe that work isn’t just a way to make money; it should serve you both financially and emotionally. Worth mentioning is prioritizing your health, as it will always make you a better employee and therefore more productive! March 2019 65
IDENTITY SIGNS
PISCES
19 Feb. - 21 Mar.
STRENGTHS: Compassionate, romantic, mystical, artistic, intuitive, sensitive and kind. WEAKNESSES: Unrealistic, escapist, idealistic, over-sensitive, moody and overly trusting. CAREER: Dedicated, imaginative and sociable; they are most successful when the work demands creativity and working with others. The dreamy Pisces born are dependable, loyal and trusted; they experience a great satisfaction in helping others. MOST COMPATIBLE WITH AT WORK: Taurus, Scorpio, Virgo and Pisces VIRGO Although the differences between them may seem insurmountable, they can work for the advantage of it by answering each other’s different career needs.
WORK COMPATIBILITY ARIES This may be a challenging relationship, yet not impossible. A common ground is hard to find in work situations, which mostly leads to arguments. TAURUS Though Pisces can be frustrated by how stubborn Taurus is, and Taurus is irritated by the Pisces flaky nature, both can handle each other’s flaws smoothly. Mutual respect is the basis of this partnership. GEMINI This is an interesting match, combining the rational and the emotional. Success is guaranteed as long as they stay away from misunderstandings. CANCER Since both share the same level of sensitivity, a nurturing work environment is guaranteed. A pleasant work relationship is definitely formed between both. LEO This partnership can be very hard to define. Sometimes it’ll feel totally thrilling, while other times it can be terrifyingly horrible. It just depends on the work situation. 66 March 2019
LIBRA This is a case of an interesting challenge, with two artistic signs and very different ways of work. Each one offers the right work perspective, when most needed. SCORPIO One of the most successful work relationships is proven here; it’s almost at the level of reading each other’s minds. Getting past Scorpio’s dependency and Pisces’ moodiness, it’s the dream team. SAGITTARIUS While Pisces takes everything to heart, Sagittarius doesn’t seem to take anything seriously. This work affair can succeed if you focused on the common traits such as the sense of adventure. CAPRICORN The workaholic Capricorn is one of the best matches to the dreamy creative Pisces, despite all the diversions they have. It’s what opposites attract feels like. AQUARIUS Sharing the love of independent work and humanitarian instincts, their differences are irrelevant at work. It’s a balanced match with Pisces’ heart and Aquarius’ head. PISCES Welcome to the land of dreams. Both of them focus on creative endeavors and don’t give a damn about the reins of powers. It’s an artistic and creative pairing.
1817-2017. 200 YEARS DURAVIT. YOUR FUTURE BATHROOM.
X-Large. Design by Duravit
Offering plenty of extra storage space and extra elegance, the X-Large furniture series is popular with instinctive good taste. And they can now develop this even further with the X-Large series, which Duravit now has completely re-interpreted.
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