FASHION&TRENDS
16 Shopaholic
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Spring Leather
Star Style
Hollywood Stars Shine in Azza Fahmy Jewellery This Award Season
Any Award season is all about glitz and glam. However, when Hollywood A list stars chose our very own Azza Fahmy’s Jewellery to add the glamour it makes us feel even more proud to have a gifted unique designer like her. Lounge brought you who wore what from Azza Fahmy’s latest designs.
Jamila Awad A Free Spirit
Since her exquisite performance in ‘Taht El Saytara,’ Egyptian young actress Jamila Awad took us by storm, this month Lounge goes up-close & personal with the gifted actress to know more about her relationship with 80s beauty icon, actress and mother Randa, the countries she enjoy visiting the most and her latest movie ‘Banat Sanawy.’
Known as the winter season’s most elegant trend, leather found its way to spring, but with a twist of vibrant colours and more cheerful cuts. For a pastel classic cut Staud and Tod nailed it yet, for a wilder, more daring cut and colour go for Marni. Find your inspiration.
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Lookout
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Star
Margot Robbie in Birds of Prey
After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroes Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord. Australian actress Margot Robbie reveals all about her lead role in the comics.
BEAUTY 20
Beauty Buzz
The latest & newest beauty products & news you need to know.
YOU, LOVE&LIFE 22
Relationships
7 Signs He is Ready to Meet Your Mother Almost every woman faces a challenging moment in life, the time when she wants to introduce her prince to her mother. One of the major questions in such a situation is his readiness. Lounge brings you 7 signs that he is ready to meet your mother.
ENTERTAINMENT 24
Cover Story
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Basma Motherhood Changed Me
No wonder that we missed her exceptional performance and her untraditional choice of roles. This month Basma returns to the big screen with ‘Ras El Sana’ written by none less than Mohamed Hefzy. Lounge talks with the stunning inside out Basma about the reasons behind her absence, how her six year olddaughter Nadia changed her notion towards life and her first step towards universality.
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HEALTH & FITNESS
35 Health Desk
The latest & newest health & fitness news you need to know.
OUT & ABOUT
36 Hotspot
Best Places To Celebrate Mother’s Day
We all love our mothers, but unfortunately we don’t always show them how truly we do. Mother’s Day is the perfect day to honour them and shower them with our love. This Mother’s Day celebrate with your mother in an extraordinary way, spoil her with a day that she will always remember; check out the top places where you can take your mother for an exceptional experience..
EVERY ISSUE
6 Chairman’s Letter 8 Editor’s Letter 10 In The Know
Everything you need to know to be in the know, from celebrity to entertainment news to what’s in style, Lounge keeps you fully updated.
46 Horoscope
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PISCES
48 Well Said
8 REASONS MOTHERS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT
The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. While we’re celebrating our mothers with gifts, flowers, and beautiful Saturday breakfasts, let’s take a moment to appreciate her for always being right, as much as we don’t like to admit it. Lounge brings you 8 reasons mothers are and will always be right..
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Chairman’s Letter
CHAIRMAN Ahmed Helal
In this Mother’s Day’s issue we brought you our very own and loveable actress Basma to reveal all about her latest acting project, what she was doing for the past couple of years off camera and how motherhood has changed her. We also went up-close and personal with Egypt’s sweetheart Jamila Awad to reveal all about her relationship with her mother, the 80s beauty icon actress Randa, her latest movie ‘Banat Sanawy’ and much more. All the way from Hollywood, we brought you Margot Robbie in an exclusive interview to talk about her latest movie ‘Birds of Prey,’ where she plays the role of Harley Quinn. As for fashion addicts, we brought you our international Jewelry designer Azza Fahmy, who dressed Hollywood stars on the red carpet this award season, and who we are definitely proud of. Plus, the latest fashion trends for this spring straight from the runway. Don’t miss our Relationships section with signs he is ready to meet your mother and our Well Said section as we brought you reasons why moms are always right. For the best mother-daughter celebration, check out our Hotspot section with the best Mother Day celebration outings this year. Enjoy the issue and happy Mother’s Day!
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sherif Ibrahim EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Amira Tharwat GENERAL MANAGER Khaled Ashraf Hegazi SENIOR EDITOR Reem El Shennawi WRITER Yara El Hashimi MARKETING & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Ikram Zaki
ACCOUNTS DIRECTOR Amr A. El-Hawary GRAPHIC DESIGNER Bassam El Naggar ACCOUNT MANAGER Mohamed Arafa OFFICE MANAGER Mariam Khalid SOCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER Sameh El Mansy DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Mohamed Anis Ashraf Tolba DISTRIBUTION Charisma International All rights reserved to Lounge. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. PRINTING International Printing House To subscribe or advertise, please contact our offices at: 16 Nehro St. 1st Floor Heliopolis, Cairo - Egypt 0101 722 9911 0112 228 8866 02 245 333 55 lounge_magazine lounge magazine
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LOUNGE’S COVER: BASMA Photography: Farah Hosny Dress: Zeina Hosny Couture Stylist: Yousra Alzahar Hair: Rabei Murad MUA: Soha Khoury Jewelery: Elmawardy Retoucher: Ahmed Kamal Hotel: Ritz Carlton
EDITOR’S
letter
KEEP CALM AND WASH YOUR HANDS We all heard the news about the novel coronavirus, which infected about 95 thousands and resulted in the death of about 3 thousands worldwide after spreading from China to infect 80 countries with confirmed cases. Luckily enough, despite being one of the countries with highest population worldwide, Egypt confirmed 2 cases only of foreigners, who were immediately sent to quarantine and seems that things are under control here. Despite this, mothers in Egypt are panicking as some moms prevented their kids from going to schools, others stopped all their kids trainings, activities and started buying groceries like crazy in case things get worse. Of course the news is worrying and no one should underestimate it by taking the proper hygiene protocols; however, over doing it will result in a lot of chaos, which won’t be for anyone’s good. Mothers by nature are protective, it is our instinct
to take care of our youngsters with all possible means, but in general I feel that in Egypt we tend to be a little bit dramatic. When checking my kid’s ‘mommies group’ on What’sApp I’ve noticed a lot of generic voice notes and rumours spreading that don’t even make sense or contradict one another. The worst thing that could be more dangerous than the virus itself is rumours and the chaos that follow a massive event like the one we are witnessing nowadays. It could result in very dangerous and destructive consequences that will negatively affect our economy, and we will be the first ones to suffer. A message to all the people out there specially moms is to not over react and exaggerate. Please keep calm as this panic will affect our kids and economy negatively. For the latest accurate and confirmed updates regarding the spread of the novel coronavirus, you can check the World Health Organization website.
Amira Tharwat LOUNGE
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designer
LOUNGE
in the know
Ashley Judd Slams Trolls For ‘Misogynist’ Criticism of Her Face
Ashley Judd is over the negativity and trolling she faced over her appearance in a video for Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren. Commenters criticized Judd for looking “puffy,” and accused her, in extremely nasty terms, of having had so much work done on her face that she was unrecognizable. There was so much chatter about her appearance, in fact, that she became a trending topic. Ashley posted a long statement on Facebook in response to the criticism. She explained she gets Botox regularly to ward off “siege migraines.” “Healthy selfesteem. Good boundaries. Unshakeable knowledge of self,” she wrote in the post.
Britney Spears’ Boyfriend Sends Sweet Recovery Wish
Ben Affleck Would Love a ‘Deeply Committed’ Relationship
During the second part of his interview with Diane Sawyer, Ben Affleck revealed that he’s not currently trying to find love on dating apps. “I am on no dating [apps]. No Tinder. Grindr. Bumble. Humble. I am not on any of them,” he said. “I don’t have judgment for people who are, great. I know people who are on them and have a fun time but that’s not me.” Though he’s not looking for love in that way, Affleck said he is open to having a serious relationship. “I would love to have a relationship that is deeply meaningful and one to which I could be deeply committed,” he admitted.
In the know...
Britney Spears is hoping to come back stronger than ever after breaking her foot. The 38-year-old “Toxic” singer was hospitalized after fracturing her metatarsal bone while dancing, her boyfriend Sam Asghari revealed on Instagram. “My lioness broke her metatarsal bone on her foot doing what she loves which is dancing,” Asghari captioned a playful picture of himself and Spears, who wore a hospital gown and a thermometer sticker on her forehead. “Wishing her the best recovery so she can jump, run, and dance her butt off.” Spears’ injury required a cast on her left leg, which Asghari took the liberty of personalizing. The backup dancer adorned her cast with the word “Stronger,” a nod to Spears’ 2000 song, in alternating blue and green ink.
Celebrity
Demi Lovato’s Struggles with Eating Disorder Led To Sobriety Slip & Overdose
Enrique Iglesias & Anna Kournikova Quietly Welcome Baby No. 3
Congratulations are in order for Enrique Iglesias and Anna Kournikova! The 44-year-old singer and the 38-year-old tennis star have welcomed their third child. Iglesias confirmed the news on Instagram with a sweet snap of himself holding the family’s newest addition, which arrived in January. “My Sunshine 01.30.2020,” he wrote online, the same as Kournikova’s caption for a photo of herself holding their newborn and smiling.
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Appearing on model Ashley Graham’s Pretty Big Deal podcast, Lovato gets candid about how she went from having an eating disorder to replacing it with intense workouts and dieting. “I’m tired of running myself into the ground with workouts and extreme dieting,” Lovato tells Graham in a new clip from the episode. “I thought the past few years was recovery from an eating disorder when it actually was just completely falling into it.” She also describes what she thought was her “recovery” as “definitely an eating issue.” “I think when you have certain people around you that are telling you certain things that you should look a certain way, it makes it harder,” she says.
Brad Pitt Dedicates Best Supporting Actor Win at 2020 Oscars to His Kids At long last, Brad Pitt has an Academy Award for his acting skills. Pitt was revealed the first recipient of an award at the 2020 Oscars when the result of the Best Actor in A Supporting Role category was revealed, taking home the trophy for his work as stuntman Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s film. As he took the stage to accept his award from last year’s Best Supporting Actress winner Regina King, the heartthrob delighted with a speech that was everything: political, heartfelt, sentimental, humorous. Like we said, everything.
Joker’s Joaquin Phoenix Wins Best Actor Award
Phoenix joins the late Heath Ledger as the second actor to win the Oscar for playing ‘Joker.’ At the 92nd Academy Awards, Joaquin Phoenix won the coveted Best Actor in a Leading Role award for his performance as The Joker in Todd Phillips’ billion-dollar DC movie, ‘Joker.’ Phoenix is the second actor to win the Best Actor award at the Oscars for portraying ‘Joker,’ following Heath Ledger. He won the award posthumously for his performance in 2008’s ‘The Dark Knight.’ In addition to Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix, Joker took home the Academy Award for Best Score by Hildur Guðnadóttir.
In the know... Renée Zellweger Thanks Her Immigrant Parents in Oscars Speech: ’How ‘Bout This?’
Entertainment
Renée Zellweger won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in the film Judy, triumphing over fellow nominees Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story), Saorise Ronan (Little Women), Charlize Theron (Bombshell), and Cynthia Erivo (Harriet). Taking the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, Zellweger gave an emotional acceptance speech, thanking her parents, father Emil Erich Zellweger and mother Kjellfrid Irene Zellweger. “[Thank you to] my immigrant folks who came here with nothing but each other and the American Dream,” she said, holding up the Oscar and adding, “How ’bout this?” The actress also thanked her “big brother, Drew” and turned her speech toward Judy Garland, who never won an Oscar.
‘Parasite’ Wins Best Picture
‘Parasite’ is the film that took home the most awards at the Oscars 2020, winning four Academy Awards including, Best Picture, Directing, International Feature Film and Writing (Original Screenplay). Not only that, but it also became the first non-English language film in Oscar history to win the award for Best Picture. Writer, Director and Producer Bong Joon Ho won all three of the categories for which he was nominated, now with three Oscar wins to match his three nominations. ‘Parasite’ was also the first film from South Korea to be nominated for International Feature Film or the category’s previous name, Foreign Language Film.
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Laura Dern Wins Best Supporting Actress Oscar for ‘Marriage Story’
This is Dern’s first Academy Award win and third nomination. Laura Dern has just won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award at the 2020 Oscars for her acclaimed performance in Noah Baumbach’s ‘Marriage Story.’ This is Dern’s first Academy Award win after past nominations for Best Supporting Actress for ‘Wild’ in 2015, and for Best Actress in 1992 for ‘Rambling Rose.’ Dern emerged victorious over Kathy Bates in ‘Richard Jewell,’ Scarlett Johansson (also nominated for Best Actress tonight for ‘Marriage Story’) in ‘Jojo Rabbit,’ Margot Robbie in ‘Bombshell,’ and her ‘Little Women’ costar Florence Pugh.
LONGCHAMP FALL/WINTER 2020
For her 4th show at New York Fashion Week, Creative Director Sophie Delafontaine envisioned a Parisian woman, who is constantly moving forward. She is the star of her own movie, a complex character built of layers, who is far from one-dimensional. The starting point was the ’70s, a decade that encapsulates a free mindset, when self-expression was typified by the era’s leading ladies including, Catherine Deneuve, Romy Schneider, and Stéphane Audran. Each of them were known for having their own individual style, a distinct point of view that set them apart from everyone else, sentiments that are clearly reflected in every look in the collection.
MOUAWAD DEBUTS DIAMOND MOMENTS
Whether celebrating a blissful union, honouring a special milestone, or expressing love for others or simply for life itself, the Mouawad Diamond Moments Collection immortalizes the timeless sparkle of diamonds with classic charm and contemporary appeal. Perfectly suited to adding glamour to daywear and to imbuing evening wear with a touch of pure luxury, the collection offers a choice of designs in 18k white, yellow or rose gold featuring white and yellow diamonds.
In the know... Style & Design
KORLOFF JOLIE POUPÉE: THE IRRESISTIBLE FEMININE FIGURINE
Naturally feminine, its fine and simple curves give this line all of its charm. Organic and sensual shapes, delicately highlighted and enhanced by the sparkle of diamonds and lacquer. Jolie Poupée dazzles in necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings: playful pieces to combine and stack, perfect during day and night. The pieces of the collection follow your every move for an impertinent touch of beauty.
BELL & ROSS REVISITS A MILITARY STYLE WITH 3 PROFESSIONAL INSPIRED WATCHES FOR MODERN URBAN EXPLORERS
This year Bell & Ross has unveiled three singular watches that evoke its 3 realms of expression: Sea, air and land. Both classic and modern, all three are driven by a reliable Swiss mechanical movement with automatic winding and are equipped with a ‘NATO Stretch’ strap with a practical closure system, created using parachute straps. The practical strap makes for a very sharp, on-trend look and is in line with the neo-vintage trend which is popular with its fans.
TORY BURCH COLLECTION: FALL/WINTER 2020
The Tory Burch FW 2020 collection reinterprets classic and nostalgic themes: menswear suiting cut with a softer shape, structural details played against fluid silhouettes, historic references reworked with modern ideas. All epitomized in the gray power suit, silk lace blouse and tall leather boots. Refined and lighthearted, especially the prints which were designed by DiMattio.
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FASHION & TRENDS LOUNGE
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MARNI
GIVENCHY
DION LEE
COACH
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
SPRING LEATHER
TOD
STAUD
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
ROKH
PROENZA SCHOULER
Known as the winter season’s most elegant trend, leather found its way to spring, but with a twist of vibrant colours and more cheerful cuts. For a pastel classic cut Staud and Tod nailed it yet, for a wilder, more daring cut and colour go for Marni. Find your inspiration.
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FASHION & TRENDS
LOUNGE
Star style
HOLLYWOOD STARS SHINE IN
AZZA FAHMY
JEWELLERY THIS AWARD SEASON
A
ny Award season is all about glitz and glam. However, when Hollywood A list stars chose our very own Azza Fahmy’s Jewellery to add the glamour it makes us feel even more proud to have a gifted unique designer like her. Lounge brought you who wore what from Azza Fahmy’s latest designs.
Tessa Thompson was bejeweled in Azza Fahmy Jewellery to complete her look for the Vanity Fair Oscars After Party with stacks of 18kt Gold rings.
At the BAFTA ceremony Jehane Noujaim shone in Azza Fahmy. The award winning director of ‘The Great Hack’ wore the limited edition 18kt Gold and Sterling Silver Snake bangle adorned with precious stones paired with the Gypsy inspired collar in Sapphires.
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Best Female Actor nominee for her performance in Netflix’ ‘Dead to Me’ Christina Applegate amazes in Azza Fahmy at the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards. Christina chose to accessorize her look with Azza Fahmy’s Crescent and Star earrings with Diamonds and Pearls, Ottoman ring in Emerald and Diamonds, Gypsy Rope ring with Sapphire and Diamond, and a Greek Chevalier ring adorned with a vintage coin and Diamonds.
TV and movie superstar Kerry Washington dazzled in Azza Fahmy at the Vanity Fair Oscars After Party in Los Angeles. The actress opted for the Talisman inspired ring adorned with Royal Blue Lapis and the drop shaped 18kt Gold earrings adorned with Amethyst to compliment her Egyptian inspired outfit for the night by Zuhair Murad.
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BEAUTY
Y T U A E B
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news
buzz
GUERLAIN L’ESSENTIEL PORE MINIMIZER-SHINE-CONTROL PRIMER
Guerlain research has gone one step further to create a true routine for achieving a natural, zero-blemish complexion. Worn together, the L’Essentiel base and foundation duo leave skin instantly enhanced. L’Essentiel, a brand-new foundation routine with 97% naturally-derived ingredients. As a foundation base, this product works ideally as a step between applying skincare and makeup.
THE ONE FOR MEN EAU DE PARFUM INTENSE BY DOLCE & GABBANA
The quintessence of masculine charisma and refined elegance, The One for Men Eau de Parfum Intense brings a striking new intensity to the Dolce & Gabbana Beauty The One for Men line. The One For Men Eau de Parfum Intense finds its magnetic appeal in a daring fusion of opposites. Intensely masculine, fascinating yet authentic, it is a scent of extremes: warm neroli golden facets with deep black leather in an enigmatic expression of olfactory chiaroscuro. The fragrance opens with luminous accents of golden neroli essence, fused with fresh cypress and warm, aromatic cardamom.
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YSL ROUGE VOLUPTE ROCK N SHINE LIPSTICK
A hydrating, medium-coverage lipstick with a new glitter star core for high shine and sophisticated sparkle, YSL introduces YSL Rouge Volupte Rock N Shine Lipstick. The silver star placed in the middle of YSL’s new Rouge Volupte Rock N Shine Lipsticks contain plantbased glitters for a sparking, wet-looking finish. Don’t let its balmy consistency fool you, the pigments in all eight shades reach full capacity with a single swipe.
NUDESTIX MAGNETIC PLUSH LIP PAINT
If you prefer makeup that can multitask, pick up the latest launch from Nudestix: Magnetic Plush Lip Paints. All seven shades are designed to act as a lip, cheek tint, and eye tint in a buildable, matte finish. A multitasking, non-drying, and long-wearing colour in a blurring, matte, velvety texture and feather-light soft nudes. These lip paints are formulated with eight natural extracts including, skinsoothing rose water, green tea extract, chamomile extract, and aloe extracts to soothe lips. When you’re craving the perfect monochromatic blurred wash of nude in a pinch for time, Magnetic Plush Paints is your ultimate bae.
NARCISO RODRIGUEZ FOR HER FLEUR MUSC EDT FLORALE
Introducing a new fragrance for her: fleur musc eau de toilette florale transforms the sense of intimacy and immediacy at the core of narciso rodriguez’s for her collection. A counterpart to for her fleur musc, the new fragrance radiates with a sparkling vitality. A floral bouquet with citrus notes envelops the heart of musc with warmth and sensuality. Tender rose, heightened by pink peppercorns and hints of sparkling bergamote, animates the heart of musc while vibrant woody notes, patchouli and soft amber, illuminate. The result: an irresistible rose. Masterfully designed by Narciso Rodriguez, the new bottle is an artful reinterpretation of the original.
CHANTECAILLE HUMMINGBIRD EYE QUARTET WARM
We can’t think of a better symbol of spring than hummingbirds, which thrive from all the nectar in blooming flowers. In a similar way, you’ll glow with these warm eye shadows from Chantecaille in a buttery, metallic finish. Inspired by the flickering magic of a hummingbird’s colourful wings, these collectible limited-edition compacts reveal rich eye shades that create shimmering, sophisticated looks that define and flatter. Crafted in Italy with the highest quality pure botanicals. Layering the different finishes creates a prismatic jewel-toned effect when viewed from different angles, the same way a hummingbird’s feathers glint in the sunlight.
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YOU, LOVE & LIFE
LOUNGE
relationships
1
You are commonly exclusive The first sign that he is ready to meet your mother is the shared relations. In other words, there is no sign that he is planning that this relationship will come to an end within the limited time frame. As soon as you both find yourself meeting halfway, that’s when you know its time to introduce him to your mother for her socalled ‘review.’
2
You have already introduced your common friends to your mother This step is essential for seeing the psychological readiness of your mother to accept new people, who have some influence on your life without fears of losing her sense of authority in your life. In other words, if you have already spent the time commonly with your parents and friends in your
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adolescence, and no excess authority has come from your parents, it is okay to introduce him as well; she is ‘almost ready’ for that.
3
Your boyfriend has already met your other family members If you have already introduced him to your sister, aunt or uncle and they have ‘approved’ of him being your boyfriend, this might sway her. In this case, it is essential to note that your boyfriend should represent the highest rate of kindness and ethics in relation to other relatives, as people usually talk about what they see and share their impressions with other relatives. Therefore, the positive feedbacks from the sister or aunt may add an advantage to the potential ‘son-inlaw’ in the eyes of your mother.
4
You talk about the future The first sign that you have the perspectives as a couple is when the pronouns “I” or “Me” are substituted by “We” or “Us.” When you spend quality time with your boyfriend and cherish the moments spent together, it means that you are ready (at least to some extent) to make him an integral part of your life. Such an aspect will definitely make your mother happy when she meets your boyfriend.
5
The idea of introducing your boyfriend to your mother is nether intimidating to you nor to him In other words neither of you is scared of the possibility of meeting her. Even if he has some fears, but as long as both of you remain confident, this might just be the best encounter in both your lives.
7 Ready To Meet Your SIGNS HE IS
Mother lmost ever y woman faces a A challenging moment in life, the time when she wants to introduce
her prince to her mother. One of the major questions in such a situation is his readiness. Yara El Hashimi brings you 7 signs that he is ready to meet your mother.
6
You are proud of your boyfriend This feeling is a good indicator of your mutual readiness for him meeting with your mother as when a person is proud of their partner, it is inevitable that you would want your mother to know about his achievements, positive features and actions that make you trust him and happy with him.
7
Everyone is ready This is the last and the most important sign. This is probably the most important turn in your relationship. You can’t rush into it just because your heart says leap into it. Remember, more often than not, these meetings are confusing and stressful. Therefore, before making such a decision, it is better to ask everyone and yourself: if it is really time for such a meeting. LOUNGE 23
ENTERTAINMENT LOUNGE
cover story
Photography: Farah Hosny Dress: Zeina Hosny Couture Stylist: Yousra Alzahar Hair: Rabei Murad MUA: Soha Khoury Jewelery: Elmawardy Retoucher: Ahmed Kamal Hotel: Ritz Carlton
BASMA
MOTHERHOOD CHANGED ME
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o wonder that we missed her N exceptional performance and her untraditional choice of roles. This
month Basma returns to the big screen with two movies, Belm El Wesool and ‘Ras El Sana’ written by none less than Mohamed Hefzy. Amira Tharwat talks with the stunning inside out Basma about the reasons behind her absence, how her six year old daughter Nadia changed her notion towards life and her first step towards universality.
What was the reason behind your absence for four years? I had to go with my ex-husband at that time because he had work, and my daughter was very young so, you can say that it was the family circumstances that made me work in the United States. Do you feel that being away for a while affected your position as a front row star? People say ‘what is out of sight is out of heart,’ but at the same time there are people who disappear for a while for whatever reasons, and they come back. Tell us more about your latest movie ‘Ras El Sana’.. ‘Ras El Sana’ is written by Mohamed Hefzy after a long break. Mohamed Hefzy is an old friend and a brilliant script writer, I was keen not to miss the opportunity of working with him after that long break. This is the first project for director Mohamed Sakr, who is a producer as well, and I like to work with directors on their first projects because they tend to be enthusiastic and motivated, which results in unexpected work. I worked with Amr Salama in ‘Zay El Nahrda,’ which was his first work as a director, Mohamed Amin in ‘Leilet Sokot Baghdad,’ and many others. I was very happy to watch the movie, it’s extremely interesting and catchy, you’d be entertained to watch it and watch the different stories in the movie, and it has a message as well. I was chosen for a role that I have never done before, and I wanted to work with such a great crew including, Eyad Nassar, Ahmed Malek, Shereen Reda, Ingy El Mokkadem, Ali Kassem, to name a few. All the elements of working on this movie were irresistible. You participated in ‘Naseeby We Esmetak’s’ story ‘Ahmed Ya Omar,’ which was a great hit, did you chose this story in particular? No, actually Ahmed Abdel El Atty gave me the choice between 2 stories, I really liked the one that I didn’t participate in, but I wasn’t going to be in Egypt at that time. I also liked ‘Ahmed Ya Omar,’ which was written in a very different and attractive way. It is very simple yet, interesting. In your opinion, what is the main reason behind the high rate of divorce in Egypt nowadays? In fact, the divorce rate is high all over the world not just in Egypt. There are cities that exceeded 50 percent of the divorce rate. Reasons vary from one case to the other, you can’t generalize. There are economic, social, religious and many other reasons that people get divorced for. In Egypt, women became more independent and they are not obliged to stay in a relationship because they are dependent on their partner. I believe that there isn’t any reason that should make a couple stay together if they are not happy. Describe your prince charming, and does getting older change the criteria of choosing a partner? With every stage in your life and with the age difference you definitely change your mind about certain criteria of your partner. We have to differentiate between prince charming in movies that we create and in real life; it’s certainly different. If you believe that we as human beings change with every stage in our life then, definitely our priorities in our partner change too. How has motherhood changed you? I changed completely in every way. I am a totally different person. I never believed in the saying that motherhood
is built in and it’s a natural feeling, but in fact it is. It’s definitely true 100 percent, you change without you noticing or knowing. Your reactions become different, and you actually find yourself repeating what your parents used to tell you especially your mother. People used to tell me that they never thought I would turn to be this kind of mother, who is very interested in every detail of her daughter’s life, I love the fact that we are friends; we play together and learn from each other. Nadia, my daughter, is now 6. What is the best and the most stressful things about being a mother? The most stressful thing is knowing that you are preparing a human being to be able to live in this life. I keep questioning myself when I refuse that she does certain things, what I am expecting from this in the future. Yes, you can’t change someone, and it’s not right that parents think that they can change their kids. But again, I keep questioning the way I am shaping her character, will she be strong and independent or not? That makes you become very detail oriented. The best thing about being a mother is the whole experience, and specifically, when your child sleeps in your arms, it’s a priceless feeling. How did you lose pregnancy weight right after delivery? I gained around 18-19 kilos during my pregnancy, and I had to limit my calorie intake after delivery. What are your health tips that you would like to share with your followers? My main health tip that I would love to share is that it’s not right to deprive yourself from certain things as it will lead to negative consequences. You shouldn’t deprive yourself completely, but you should limit your choices and your portions. If you were a Goodwill Ambassador, what is the cause that you would like to fight for? Either education because I believe that education is the main reason behind any progress, or women empowerment as I also believe that strong women are capable of changing the society around them. At the end of the day, the bigger part of raising the kids becomes the mother’s responsibility. Half of the society is women, which means that if half of the society is weak, the result will be a weak society. What have you learnt from the political events that Egypt witnessed in the past years? I learnt that change can take a long time and that the results can be felt after a while, and we should learn to accept slow changes just like the idea of dieting. If you lose a lot of weight quickly and in a short period, you will regain them back quickly too, but if you lose them slowly, you won’t gain weight easily. What is the role that you have watched when you were away from the screen and wish you have done? A lot! Without mentioning specific roles, and I am not trying to be idealistic, but if I liked a certain role it’s because the actress playing the role has succeeded to make me fall in love with the character. I really liked many series in the last period including, El Rehla, Zay El Shams, Grande Hotel, and many more. I also liked a lot of movies including, Nawara. Actually, I don’t want to forget any names, these are just off the top of my head.
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During your stay in the United States, you participated in some international projects, would you like to share them with us? I participated in one project, an American series called ‘Tirent,’ season 3. I think it was a very important experience to me, we say all the time that they work in a more professional way than us; in fact, the difference is not that big and so are the talents. They are definitely more organized than us, which makes them more advanced. I learnt that any good work at any place will be well received and rewarded. They wanted to test me first so, they started with short scenes, and then, when they became more confident, they gave me bigger scenes until they had full trust and they actually gave me a very difficult scene, which was repeated around 15 times for technical reasons, and when I finished all of the location clapped for my performance.
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Do you believe it’s difficult for an Arab to head to universality? It’s actually very easy, you should work on yourself and your language and it will be very easy. At the time being, internationally, Arabs are wanted more than before for different roles. Our ethnicity became more desirable to them, as well as our school of acting. They appreciate different school in a different way lately. Hend Sabry was chosen as one of the board judges in Vience Festival. We are now appreciated more than ever before. What is the role that you dream of? Many roles, I want to act in different roles. With every different role I play, I wait for a different and a more challenging one. What are you currently working on? ‘Esmety We Naseebak’ Part 3 and a movie called ‘Mako’ directed by Mohamed Hisham El Rashidy, it’s an adventurous movie that is based on a true story. The cast includes, Nahed El Sebaay, Monther Rayahneh, Mohamed Mahran, Menna Fadaly, Sara El Shamy, the Turkish actor Murat Yildirim and star Kosai Khauli.
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JAMILA AWAD A FREE SPIRIT her exquisite performance in ‘Taht El StookinceSaytara,’ Egyptian young actress Jamila Awad us by storm, this month Amira Thar wat goes up-
close & personal with the gifted actress to know more about her relationship with 80s beauty icon, actress and mother Randa, the countries she enjoy visiting the most and her latest movie ‘Banat Sanawy.’
How were you nominated for your role in ‘Banat Sanawy? I met with author Ayman Salama in a workshop in the American University in Cairo, and he told me about the idea as a whole before sending me the script, which was really appealing to me. He then sent me the script and that’s when I started looking into the character ‘Sally’ in depth. Since your first performance in ‘Taht El Saytara’ till now, how do you feel Jamila Awad has changed? ’Taht Al Saytara’ was with no doubt, a landmark in my career path and the project that gave me the initial push. Be that as it may, I didn’t want to play this drug addict persona in order not to limit my options or to put me in one specific place, which is why my main concern at this point was to expand and be able to play different roles. Not so long ago, I played a role of a character named ‘Aya,‘ who got out of the same experimental phase as the one in ‘Taht Al Saytara,’ but found herself in a detrimental relationship with a man who was older than her. There was another movie named ’30 Years,’ where I played the role of a divorced woman. There was also the role of ‘Farida’ in the movie ‘Al Deif,’ which was about a girl who is torn between her family and her loved one, and she faces a constant struggle trying to find the harmony between their different perceptions in life. In ‘Banat Thanawy,’ I found myself returning to the same role that of the experimental wild persona; however, the character comes from a lower class than the one in ‘Taht Al Saytara,’ which makes the role entirely different. Thankfully, I was able to notice several improvements and changes in me as an actress. What is the most valuable advice your mother actress Randa gave you before joining the field? My mother always tell me that I’m stronger than her and that I have the ability to choose my work, but of course her comments and remarks never fail to come in handy with every single role that I play. Her advice to me be it on work or in general is to stay strong and be precise planning my dreams and achievements. How were you influenced by her acting style? A lot of my mother’s spirit is in me especially the way she reacts and speaks, which definitely shows in our acting.
Why doesn’t she appear on the artistic scene anymore? My mother is kind of moody when it comes to this, and she has always been like that. At times, she wants to be in the show business and at other times she avoids the spotlight. Another thing we have in common is our need to distance ourselves and our need for space. If you can describe your relationships with your mom by a movie title, what would it be? I would say the movie ‘Soul Keeper.’ You have a signature hair, would you ever consider cutting it? I actually did before and it was very well received. What inspires you when it comes to fashion? Generally, I like the pieces that fit my personality, and simpler is always better. What is the role of your dreams? I believe that it’s a difficult question to answer, but I generally like to play a different character with every role. You can say that it’s interesting to play a character that’s a bit mentally unstable, whose mental and emotional health are complicated. Any coming TV serials this Ramadan? I’m still reading a couple of scripts, and I haven’t made any decisions. Do you aspire to universality? Who are the actors you would love to act with? It goes without saying that everyone dreams about being known on an international scale, and I love Brad Pitt and Will Smith. You seem to be a free spirit and enjoy travelling a lot, tell us more about your travels and the country you enjoyed visiting the most… I do love travelling and adventures very much. I love India, Cuba, Bali, Cambodia, Kenya and Vietnam. What is your favourite book? And writer? My favourite book without hesitation is ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari,’ and I think that the author would be Robin Sharma. What is the novel you would love to turn into a movie the most? I would have to say ‘The Notebook.’ I love the details of a love story in a novel more than watching it on screen.
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You mentioned before that you don’t like social media, would you tell us why? I’m honestly not a big fan of social media as I believe it can consume a lot of my energy and waste a lot of my time. I use it sometimes to get in touch with my fans, but I don’t do it that often, and more often than not I find myself forgetting to check my social media platforms. However lately, I started being more active on social media because I have account managers who help me with that. What are you working on? Like I said earlier, I’m still reading several scripts both for TV and cinema. However, I still didn’t make any decisions as I find myself preoccupied with how the movie ‘Banat Thanawy’ was received.
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Mercedes-Benz Achieves
Increased Unit Sales For Nine Consecutive Years & Remains Number One Among Luxury Car Brands
2019 was the ninth consecutive record year for MercedesBenz, with growth of %1.3 to a total of 2,339,562 units delivered worldwide. At the same time, Mercedes-Benz maintained its leading position among the luxur y car brands for the fourth year in a row. Last year’s model offensive with a total of more than ten new or revised models led to a significant boost in unit sales, particularly of Compact Cars and SUVs, and contributed to the overall sales growth.
• Mercedes-Benz delivered 2,339,562 cars last year, achieving the highest annual sales volume in the company’s history (%1.3+) in a challenging environment for the automotive industry. • Since 2016, Mercedes-Benz has been the number one among the luxury car brands and was able to confirm this position once again last year. • “The ninth consecutive record year underscores once more the strong demand for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
proves how valuable our brand is. The next two years will also be characterized more than ever by the transformation of our industry. In this challenging environment, we intend to further increase our unit sales and set the course for long-term competitiveness. With investments in new technologies and profitable sales growth, we are paving the way for Mercedes-Benz to lead the global luxury market as a pioneer of sustainable luxury also in an era of CO2-neutral mobility.” Britta Seeger, Member of the Boards of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG responsible for Marketing and Sales: “The ninth record year reflects, among other things, the success of our model offensive with Compact Cars and SUVs, which have delighted new and existing customers all over the world. We offer a broad product line-up with innovative technology and emotional design, which means we have the right vehicle for every customer. This year, we want to further rejuvenate our product portfolio with more than ten new or revised models, including a specific focus on electrified models.” The Stuttgart-based company with the three-pointed star finished the year with the highest annual unit sales in its history, as well as its best quarter ever (614,319 units, +3.2%). In the fourth quarter of 2019, Mercedes-Benz sold for the first time more than 600,000 cars within a quarter. The SUVs were Mercedes-Benz’s strongestselling segment in 2019 driven by the new GLC and GLE. The GLC was once again the best-selling SUV in the model portfolio in 2019. The A-Class Saloon and the new B-Class worldwide as well as the new CLA Coupé made significant contributions to the segment’s growth. The best-selling members of the Dream Car family last year were the C-Class Coupé, followed by the CLS Coupé. The S-Class Saloon was the best-selling luxury saloon in the world last year. Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG: “The ninth consecutive record year underscores once more the strong demand for Mercedes-Benz vehicles, even amidst far-reaching changes in the mobility landscape. In addition, Mercedes-Benz continues to be clearly the number one in the luxury market – this
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MARGOT IN BIRDS ROBBIE OF PREY fter splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroes A Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord. Australian actress Margot Robbie reveals all about her lead role in the comics.
How did you first come across the Birds of Prey comics? You have a history with Harley, but what drew you to these other characters? So, probably four years ago, while we were still shooting Suicide Squad, I had the feeling that I wasn’t going to be ready to let go of Harley after making that film, and that there was still so much to her that I wanted to explore. As a fan of hers from reading the comics, I thought there was still so much material there and so much we could look into. Through reading the comics as my research for Harley I ended up reading a lot of the Birds of Prey comics. And at the time I was also wondering why there weren’t more female ensemble action films out in the world. I couldn’t think of any recent prominent ones, ones that really hit and everyone loved. But I loved those films growing up. I feel like in real life so many girls roll together in a group, and it’s just such a hive community amongst females, and I was curious as to why we rarely saw that represented on screen. So my idea, really, was to make a female ensemble action film, and I thought the Birds of Prey would be a great platform for that because there are so many different characters in the comics that weave in and out of the main group that there would be more opportunity in that sort of grouping. How did you begin the creative process? I started speaking to a writer, Christina Hodson. I had read some of her samples before, even before she had done Bumblebee, and we sat down and immediately hit it off in that first meeting. She started reading the comics, too, and she just understood Harley’s voice in a way that I felt so few people could. She really has a similar sense of humor, weirdly enough, and we both loved the same movies, we loved the same comics. We seemed to gravitate towards the same things constantly. So we kicked things off with a wide array of ideas and I, of course, had certain comics that I wanted to pay homage to, and certain films I wanted to pay homage to, and she did as well. More than anything, though, we really wanted to tell a story that had a female ensemble cast, that
worked in the action/comedy space, and didn’t feel formulaic; those were our main criteria. We really didn’t want the three-act structure to be so obvious that the audience would know what’s going to come next. So, unpredictable like Harley herself? Exactly. And something else I really wanted was to contain the world to a certain part of Gotham, for a couple of reasons. One, I was starting to feel quite desensitized to cities being blown up. I felt like I had been seeing that a lot in films, and I found myself as an audience member desensitized to it. So I was hoping to contain the world to mafia or gang level sort of stakes, which are still life-and-death stakes, but you don’t have a huge CGI sequence where all of Gotham is blown up. And it also has the added advantage of explaining why Batman isn’t diving in to save the day. So, where did you set the story, then? We’re really operating in the outskirts of Gotham. If you think of Gotham as New York City, as most people do, Bruce Wayne exists in Manhattan, and Harley and the Birds of Prey are in the outskirts: we’re in Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx. So we thought that could give an additional life to the world in that things are a little scrappier, a little messier. We’re not in a polished financial district. We are in kind of a grungy, fun, poppy, colorful version of Gotham, because we are in those outskirts. Tell me about your choice of Black Canary for the group. Black Canary, Dinah Lance, is another key member of the Birds of Prey in the comics. We knew we didn’t want her to feel too goody-twoshoes because she still needed to exist in this world, she had grown up in this place, and she also needed to be feeling stifled or oppressed by the system that she’s working within. But for her, she feels more like, why fight the system? You’re better off just every man for themselves, every woman for themselves, keep your head down, stay out of it, it’s not worth it.
You’re telling the origin of the character, so you have to start from a different place than her already being a hero? Exactly. We’re starting from a place where she has powers, but she’s not willing to use them, which is really interesting. She has her own reasons why? because her mother was killed trying to help the GCPD, and she had the same powers, and look where that got her. Jurnee [Smollet-Bell] plays her perfectly and has a beautiful voice, too, which is a key aspect to the character. How does Harley Quinn, who isn’t traditionally part of this heroic girl gang, fit in with these other characters? This whole movie really is an origin story and a platform for the Birds of Prey to come together. But I really recognized once Suicide Squad came out how much fan support was behind Harley, and how much people said, “I want to see more Harley.” Which was amazing and such a gift, but I wanted that to happen for other female DC characters, because there are so many, and they’re amazing. So, I thought, let’s put as many DC female characters in here as we can. Including Cassandra Cain? Yeah. We knew we wanted a MacGuffin in the story, and Cass is the character that brings all the Birds together. And she’s also bringing all the drama and the danger together as well. She’s attracting mercenaries from all over Gotham, especially Roman Sionis and Victor Zsasz, his sadistic right-hand man. Ewan McGregor and Chris Messina are terrific together in these roles. And Ella Jay Basco is a real discovery. Yeah, we were so fortunate to have Ewan and Chris, they are amazing and really wonderful and took their characters’ villainy beyond what we could have imagined and had so much fun with it. And Ella is so perfect as Cass, we were so lucky to find her. Cass is a critical role as she is the gravitational center pulling all these forces together, which means inevitably everyone collides and mayhem ensues.
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What prompted you to devise her part of the story, to make her the catalyst that unites the other characters? I was fascinated by a relationship that I read in one of the comics, called “Behind Blue Eyes,” where Harley ends up kidnapping a young girl because she has digital data in the retinas of her eyes, and everyone’s after that data. Ultimately what happens in the comic is Harley betrays the girl, but afterwards she feels really bad. And when I was trying to figure out who Harley was, that comic was one of the most pivotal moments in the research. It helped me understand who she is, because she’s not a good person, but she’s not an evil person; she does feel bad about the bad things she does, so she fascinates me in that way. And I loved the dynamic between Harley and this young girl, and so Cass really became that relationship. Christina and I just loved the idea of a mentor/mentee relationship and thought there could be a lot of fun in there, with Harley giving terrible advice, and there’s a lot of humor to be found there, with her being generally completely irritated by the presence of this kid and then, of course, after about five minutes really loving to have her around. In this film, Cass is a little bit like Harley. And of course Harley is going to love a little Harley. One of the great things about your character is that she is predictably unpredictable; you know she’s not going to make the choice that anyone else would make. Exactly, and that’s why she’s so fun to play her as an actor. She’s so unpredictable. It gives me all the options in the world as an actor. I can do anything in a scene when I play Harley and that is such a fun, exhilarating feeling. But you’re right and it’s something I said from the beginning, that she should start this movie in one place and kind of go through this whole whirlwind of events and she’s still the same Harley at the end of the film. She’s just gone on a crazy adventure. But that’s what I love about her, she just is who she is, and she learns things on the way but then she still will make the same mistake the next day. (LAUGHS) What do you want viewers to get out of the experience of watching this movie? I want them to have fun, and I want them to experience the world through Harley’s eyes. For two hours you’re going to hear her version of events. She’s our narrator, and she’s doing a terrible job of it. She’s lying constantly. She’s very unreliable. She’s often telling you something that completely contradicts what you’re seeing on-screen such as, how the breakup with The Joker is going. She’s jumping around in the story. She’s forgetting to introduce you to people. Her personality is ingrained in every scene, in the way she tells this story and how the filmmaking kind of plays out. It’s a little kooky, it’s very colorful, it’s very funny, it’s dangerous, it’s violent, it’s fun. It’s Harley.
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HEALTH & FITNESS LOUNGE
news
Can Eating Fruits with a Meal Cause Health Problems? Eating fruits with or after a meal is dangerous because fruits are so easily digested that they ferment in your stomach while hanging around waiting for other food to digest, that is actually a myth. Fact is that the sugars in fruits do digest pretty quickly, but fruits also have fiber that acts to slow absorption of that sugar into your blood. It’s actually a helpful failsafe that prevents a dangerous spike in blood sugar. In no case does fruit stay in your stomach long enough to ferment. In fact, the stomach is so acidic that fermentation isn’t really feasible.
Rubbing Your Eyes Can Cause Bloodshot Eyes
Rubbing eyes stimulates the vagus nerve, which can slow down your heartbeat and relieve stress. However, rubbing eyes too often and too vigorously may result in damage including, exacerbating existing conditions and increasing your risk of infection. You might also cause tiny blood vessels in your eyes to break. That could result in bloodshot eyes. Dark circles can appear due to inflammation from continuous eyelid rubbing.
Vitamin Deficiencies Can Mess With Your Mental Health
“Optimal mental health requires adequate availability and absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino and fatty acids as essential building blocks for our brain cells and neurotransmitters,” said Dr. Jennifer Kraker, a New York-based psychiatrist who specializes in nutrition and mental health. Nutritional deficiencies can tinker with your mental health on a sliding scale, everything from mild to disruptive symptoms, depending on the person.
Nuts Can Worsen Your Kidney Stones
If you are prone to kidney stones, nuts are not a good snack. They contain a category of mineral called oxalates, which are found in the most common type of kidney stone. If you’ve had stones in the past, skip the nuts all together. For healthy people, it’s important to be aware of your intake of oxalate-containing foods such as, spinach, beets, potato chips, French fries, and bran flakes. Some of these items, including nuts, can be very healthy additions to your diet. But as with all things, balance is key.
Lack of Sleep Can Make You Feel Anxious
We all get anxious over certain circumstances (say, a big presentation at work), but if you’re experiencing feelings of nervousness or unease for no apparent reason, one of these subtle, everyday triggers might be to blame. Stress and anxiety can cause sleeping problems, but a lack of sleep can also cause anxiety. Plus, if insomnia becomes chronic, it can increase a person’s risk of developing depression or anxiety disorders.
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OUT & ABOUT
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BEST PLACES TO CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY
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Very Special to Moms from Sheraton Montazah Hotel
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Treat Your Mom to a Day of Indulgence at Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts
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Show Your Love to The Special Woman in Your Life at Hilton Cairo Heliopolis
e all love our mothers, but W unfortunately we don’t always show them how truly we do. Mother’s Day is the perfect day to honour them and shower them with our love. This Mother’s Day celebrate with your mother in an extraordinar y way and spoil her with a day that she will always remember; check out the top places where you can take your mother for an exceptional experience..
Have you thought of what you’re going to present to your mom in her special day that is soon approaching; a flower bouquet, a present that she likes or a bottle of perfume. Mother’s Day is a time of commemoration and celebration for Mom. It is a time of family gatherings, sending Mom a poem and a holiday wishes. For you and all moms, Sheraton Montazah Hotel Alexandria has innovated a special nice cake created by our pastry chef with a good discount up to 50% at Café Rendez-Vous for all beloved moms.
Make your mother feel like a queen with a royalty like accommodation or a pampering treatment at the world-class Mivida Spa which offers a range of the most professional body and skin care services at the 5 star hotels. Enchant her with a relaxing stay at the authentic Steigenberger Cecil Alexandria; with spectacular views on the Mediterranean Sea and a superb quality of service. Celebrating this occasion, the hotel’s chefs are preparing specially tailored with passion cakes and fine dining menu including a variety of delicate dishes. Taba Hotel & Nelson Village are also celebrating moms their own way with a 10% discount for direct booking with the hotel and free upgrade to the next room category (according to the hotel availability ). You can also get advantage of the VIP amenities they are offering and surprise your mom with a heart shaped cake, invite her to savour the most appetizing creations at the hotel’s restaurants with 15% discount or pamper her with any Spa treatment for 25% discount.
Mother’s Day is a perfect time to reward your beloved Mum for her love and care. Express your appreciation by pampering her with a special dining experience in any of Hilton Cairo Heliopolis restaurants with the best food offerings to make her special day most memorable. Mum eats free in a group of three paying persons. Celebrates this special occasion with lots of sweet treats exclusively for mothers available at Le Marché. Treat your mum to some quality pampering time and let her relax and spend a peaceful night sleep in one of our luxury rooms.
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Mom’s Night Love at Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino
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Reasons To Celebrate Mother’s Day at Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence
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Make Mom Feel Special This Mother’s Day at Sonesta Hotel, Tower & Casino
At Sheraton Cairo Hotel, the culinary team will help you payback your mother with a delicious meal at any of the hotel’s special restaurants, take her for Egyptian food at ElMawardia, or a Lebanese buffet at Rawi restaurant. If those two options don’t suit her, what about a classic New York Italian dish with an amazing view at Giannini’s? Pick up any of those cuisines but make sure that your mother goes to bed with a full belly and a happy heart on that night. What else other than food you can wow her with? Here comes the relaxing solution at the Fitness Center on that special day, leave it to the sauna, steam, Jacuzzi, and the Thai massage to do the trick. Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino has a wide variety of gifts for your mother.
Mother’s Dine at Xodó Restaurant throughout the month of March. Treat mom to a Brazilian Churrascaria buffet experience at Xodó by the Nile, aboard the First Nile Boat by Four Seasons. Ignite your passion for Asian cuisine while attending a cooking class conducted by Nairu’s Chef de Cuisine Mohamed Nazlan as he unlocks the secrets of pan-Asian cuisine through the culinary process. Guests can soak in the beautiful views of the Nile while learning the art of dim sum making, sushi, robatayaki and more. Relax and enjoy a quintessential afternoon tea experience at La Gourmandise in the heart of The First Mall. Treat yourselves to a traditional English high tea experience that includes an assortment of traditional scones, a selection of elegant sandwiches, miniature cakes and tartlets for the perfect ending to a refined affair.
Treat your mother 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. Enjoy a special discount of 20% for moms who will enroll at our health club during the month of March. Wine and dine your special lady out at one of our finest restaurants and her meal will be complimentary 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 set menu at La Gondola restaurant along with an amazing mother’s day themed live entertainment. You can also try the perfectly authentic sushi selection at our Japanese restaurant Sushi Ya.
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seen
The Premiere of ‘Sandoa El Donia’
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Amr Diab Concert at Al Manara
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Arab Cinema Center at Berlin Film Festival
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The Premiere of ‘Belm El Wesool’
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The Premiere of Ras El Sana
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brand news THE NEW MERCEDESBENZ B-CLASS NOW IN EGYPT: MORE PRACTICAL THAN EVER, MORE CHIC THAN EVER
Mercedes-Benz launched the all new B-Class in Egypt, a new tourer with emphasis on style and function. It looks more dynamic than its predecessor and is more agile on the road while offering greater comfort and space. The interior of the B-Class ensures a unique feeling of spaciousness with its distinctive design. The intuitive user interface of the adaptive MBUX multimedia system is ground-breaking. Advanced driving assistance systems also give the new B-Class one of the highest standards of safety in the segment. More practical than ever, more chic than ever, the new B-Class is the perfect vehicle for the whole family. The all new B-Class comes in two different variants as B180 and B180 progressive. While both versions are generously equipped, the B180 progressive further offers electrically adjustable driver seat with memory function, Panoramic sliding sunroof and the widescreen display.
A ROYAL OSCARS VIEWING NIGHT AT THE CAIRO MARRIOTT HOTEL
The Cairo Marriott Hotel is always a place honoring art, cinema and music. Verdi’s masterpiece Opera Aida was played live for the first time in the heart of El Gezira Palace and the palace has also witnessed a lot of celebrities and well-known figures visiting the country. In order to keep this ritual, Cairo Marriott hosted celebrities for a one-night stay at the Palace for an exclusive Private Viewing of Oscars 2020; the 92nd Academy. During the show they have shared their expectations for the award winners and created critics towards the movies and celebrities nominated to win. The Oscars viewing night starred Asma Sherif Moneer, Mahmoud Hegazy, Sherif Noureldin, Ashraf Hamdi, Hend Abdelhalim, Youssef Othman, Asmaa Galal, Mariam El Khosht, Omar El Shenawy, Yara El Gendy and Huda El Mufti at Cairo Marriott’s royal suite; Empress Eugenie suite. A delectable dinner from different restaurants of the hotel was another highlight.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN EGYPT: HENKEL TO INTRODUCE PLASTIC BANK ECOSYSTEMS INITIATIVE
Henkel is proudly introducing *Plastic Bank Ecosystems to Egypt, for the very first time, as a result of its prosperous 5 years partnership with Plastic Bank - a social enterprise which aims to stop ocean plastic and provide opportunities for disenfranchised people in the communities in which it operates. With over 400 projected Plastic Bank collection points that allow for the exchange of collected plastic waste with digital currency, goods or services, Henkel will reduce plastic waste in oceans and waterways, upscale its sustainable packaging practices, and improve the lives of underprivileged people in Egypt. The plastic that is collected will be sorted and processed, and then integrated back into recycling value chains as Social Plastic® (Material that has been verified by Plastic Bank to indicate that collectors receive above market value, in the form of digital currency and other rewards, for plastic waste) to be reused in Henkel’s future packaging practices where possible. CEO of Plastic Bank, David Katz stated: “Plastic Bank creates a regenerative value chain that contributes to a better world. Our partnership with Henkel is a good example of what can be achieved by joining forces and we are delighted about our extended collaboration.”
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ALBOROUJ MISR LAUNCHES SIXTY BUSINESS PARK IN THE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL
The New Administrative Capital represents a link to a civilization that aims to build a leading political, economic and cultural entity in the Middle East and North Africa region providing a prosperous economic climate and infrastructure that will be the nucleus of affluent living and sustainable development. Several projects and investments have set their sights on the new capital with extensive allocation of work, time and investment to achieve the goal of institutional transformation. Government and private institutions now regard the new administrative capital as their new address, which makes it necessary to provide adequate service facilities, roads and buildings to serve the population, employees and workers. In light of its commitment to contributing to the national economy and achieving the country’s development goals, Al-Borouj Misr will launch Sixty Business Park, the first medical administrative commercial center in the capital directly in front of the Ministry of Finance. The center is based on a business model that incorporates various activities, including commercial entities, restaurants, entertainment, brands, medical clinics and administrative headquarters, in a unique location.
EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL CALLS FOR FILM SUBMISSIONS FOR ITS 4TH EDITION
El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) is happy to announce the Call for Entries for its 4th edition, which is scheduled to take place from September 24 to October 2, 2020. Submissions of feature narratives, documentaries and short films, are open from March 1, 2020 till July 15, 2020. Entry Form and complete information regarding eligibility for submission can be found on the Festival’s website: www.elgounafilmfestival. com. GFF accepts entries from filmmakers worldwide, where selected movies will be eligible for screening in the Festival’s official Feature Narrative Competition, Feature Documentary Competition, Short Film Competition and Official Selection Out of Competition. Juries of eminent film personalities and cinema professionals will select the winners in each of the three main competitions; where El Gouna Gold, Silver and Bronze Stars will be awarded to the top three films, in addition to a special award for the best Arab film in each of the three categories. Other awards are reserved for the best actor and actress of the films competing in the Feature Narrative Competition.
HILTON LUXOR RESORT & SPA RECOGNIZED AS THE BEST LUXURY WELLNESS SPA IN EGYPT
Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa is named the “Best Luxury Wellness Spa in Egypt” for 2019 by the International Spa Awards. The annual award is a notable achievement; granted to the most voted for facilities that meet the specific criteria of the comprehensive assessment by International Spa Awards. The Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa features 12 treatment rooms that accommodate both couples and individual guests, and a Nile view infinity pool. Being a destination for relaxation and serenity, the spa offers a multitude of thermal areas which include: steam baths, herbal baths, a laconium dry heat area, reflexology basins, indoor waterbed relaxation rooms, and outdoor thermal gardens. “At Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa we’re proud to be offering excellent services and amenities to our guests, complemented with a world-class resort spa getaway,” said Florian Gruhl, General Manager of Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa. This award capped off a strong year of accolades received by Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa in 2019.
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brand news INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP CAIRO CITYSTARS WINS IHG FRONT RUNNER AWARD AND SCOOPS TWO MORE AWARDS
The Front Runner Award recognizes hotels that achieve or exceed a level of excellence in quality, guests’ satisfaction, colleagues’ feedback and revenue. It is awarded to qualifying hotels quarterly. IHG distributes this respected award every quarter to the property that achieves the highest guest satisfaction results and overall performance. The hotels also received two more awards; “Commercial Excellence Award” for IHG Cairo Citystars and “Trailblazer Award” for Holiday Inn Cairo Citystars, highlighting key areas of success and achievement by IHG Citystars team in keeping the hotels at the forefront of the elite in the hospitality and tourism industry. Dieter Franke, General Manager InterContinental Cairo Citystars and Area General Manager Egypt, received these accolades during IHG EMEAA General Managers Conference held in Bahrain. Franke thanked the hotels team saying “The success we have achieved came through your hard work and motivation it came through because you have stood strong in challenging times and I consider it as a recognition that we are successful in building a winning culture within the team, and that we truly “work better together”.
WELCOME TO THE HEART OF SHERATON CAIRO HOTEL
Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino is always thinking of new ways to motivate and pamper the employees and because employees should always come first; Sheraton Cairo Hotel launched a new part in one of the projects of the TakeCare program, the new part is in the “Heart of the House” project. Heart of the house, is a project that takes care of the wellbeing of the associates, and as a part of it, Sheraton’s Humans Resources team worked on making every corner in the associates back areas more fun, colorful and energizing. And to make life easier for the new associates, they created color guide steps to lead them to their desired destinations. Not just that, but also they created a community wall, where associates put their handprints as a symbol of belonging, and then they created the family tree on which a picture for every associate is put. Moreover, in order to create some pride, they created a take care wall where they put all of the TakeCare success stories.
STEIGENBERGER ALDAU RESORT REACHES A NEW MILESTONE WITH RECEIVING 100 AWARDS
The leading hospitality property of ALDAU Development in Hurghada is filled with pride to announce reaching such a great milestone in the beginning of 2020 and raising the number of awards received to a hundred awards! Based on guests’ feedback and satisfaction scores. Being recognized as one of the best hotels from the industry-leading tour operators worldwide reflects the unmatched hard-work and dedication that the resort has provided their guests with in delivering exceptional quality and service. The goal of the outstanding complex of Steigenberger ALDAU Resort has always been to build a high-end vibrant community for their guests, and to serve the highest quality food and beverages with the finest presentation and the most relaxed environment to assure their guests a memorable exciting stay.
DINO ACTIVATIONS ANNOUNCES BLUE MAN GROUP BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP IN EGYPT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Internationallyrenowned brand activation agency, Dino Activations, brings to Egypt for the first time ever Blue Man Group by Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group – one of the most sought-after experiential performances around the world. The highly interactive and engaging performance, referred to by many as “mind-blowing”, promises a never-before-seen experience for all ages. Bringing color to Cairo with a mix of art, music and comedy – paired with state-of-the-art technology and innovation – the experience will awaken your senses and thrill the audience throughout the entire 90-minutes. The international show will be held at Al Manara International Conferences Center in Cairo, Egypt from March 23 to 28, 2020. Tickets for the performances will be available on TicketsMarche beginning February 5, 2020.
SONESTA HOTEL, TOWER AND CASINO HONOURS AN HONEST DRIVER
Mrs. Caroline Selim, General Manager of Sonesta Hotel, Tower and Casino, Cairo had honoured Mr. Seif Safwat, driver, for his dedicated efforts to return back a huge amount of money he found in his car after dropping off one of Sonesta guests. All of Sonesta Hotel, Tower & Casino, Cairo Management and team are thankful to Mr. Seif for his devoted service, honesty and integrity.
VIVO’S APEX 2020 REVEALS FUTURISTIC VISION BEYOND IMAGINATION
Vivo unveiled the third generation of its APEX concept smartphone – APEX 2020. Known for iconic innovation, APEX 2020 builds on the success of its previous generations to feature more cutting-edge technologies, while also showcasing vivo’s continuing pursuit of head-turning aesthetics. This flagship product displays a major breakthrough in visual effects, based on vivo’s deep consumer and smartphone industry insight. APEX 2020 is truly a revolutionary manifestation of vivo’s exploration of future smartphone design. APEX 2020 has a 120° FullView Edgeless Display that removes side edges and bezels from the front view. With the In-Display Camera and vivo Wireless Super FlashCharge 60W, APEX 2020 has a Super Unibody Design with no openings. Vivo also successfully embeds a gimbal-like structure into APEX 2020’s main camera, which is equipped with a 5x-7.5x Continuous Optical Zoom. This feature showcases vivo’s latest achievements and future plans to offer extraordinary visual effects and enhanced future photography. Harry Hong, General Manager of Product for vivo said, “APEX is never a mere ‘concept’ or a glimpse of ‘imagination’. It’s a creation that goes beyond any previous experience brought by mobile technology.
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zodiac
Aries
Taurus
Mar.22 - Apr.20
Apr.21 - May 21
compatibility will be fantastic. Time to forget about career problems and enjoy! Personal magnetism will be splendid and you can enhance it with the way you dress and look. Singles will have many good prospects for making love partnerships. But these are more for fun than for real love. There will be conflicts and disagreements between family members. This month is good on the health front, and on the career level, it promises to be a wonderful. You will have no problem achieving financial targets. Business opportunities will be enormous.
will dominate in relations with your spouse. You are prone to conflicts with your partner and trust should prevail in your marital life. Things are not very cheerful for family affairs. Elder members of the family will be a source of conflict and relationships are anything but cordial. You might have problems in your well-being; however, after the 18th, health conditions will improve radically and improve further as days advance. Pay attention to your diet and exercise to remain healthy. Professional matters will be in focus. Money flow will not be spontaneous. All monetary transactions such as loans, savings, and procurement have to be examined scrupulously.
Gemini
Cancer
our compatibility with spouse will be unpredictable and turbulent during February. Career requirements may be another source of disharmony. Friends may also unwittingly add fuel to the fire. You should avoid conflicts and work out a compromise for a healthy marital life. Singles will have many love prospects during the month. Love is found through friends or in a professional environment. You have to curb your enthusiasm to make partnerships. Otherwise, you may be left standing alone after all your efforts. Conflicts between senior members of the family may disrupt the harmony of the house.
will be a month Fandebruary of growth and attainment hence full of cheer and
Eva Mend es, March
5, 1974
is a wonderful month. ebruary will be a very fortunate F period. Your compatibility will Fandebruary There will be splendid growth be highly romantic and sensuality accomplishments. Your
Happy Birthday
Pisces
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Y
May.22 - Jun.21
Jun.22 - Jul.23
positivity. Your compatibility will be vibrant and your concept of love is undergoing frequent changes. You are trying your best to keep your spouse happy. There will be turmoil during the beginning of the month. Single persons will have many opportunities to form committed relationships. Love can be found through social contacts and during community celebrations. It is a tough month for the family relationships. Harmony will be missing and family expenditures are soaring. The working environment is harmonious and you are putting your best foot forward.
Leo
Jul.24 - Aug.23
Virgo
Aug.24 - Sep.23
Libra
Oct.24 - Nov.22
importance. Professional matters take a back seat for the present. Marital life will be highly emotional and at the same time vacillating. You cannot ignore the significance of your spouse in your life. Singles will have many promising opportunities to form love relationships. You will have a highly cheerful environment within the family. Senior members are in a good mood and will support your efforts to maintain the family. Mutual understanding will be excellent. Health will be delicate till the 18th. After that there will be a remarkable improvement in your well-being. It makes sense to go slow till that time.
our compatibility with spouse Y will be excellent and thrilling in February. Love will be quite
your compatibility TLovehiswillwillmonth be based on spirituality. be passionate and
imaginative. There will be a good rapport with your spouse until the 17th. After that, you are lost in your own thoughts. Overall, marital life will be pleasant. It won’t be a happy month for family relationships. Harmony will be missing and you will have perennial problems with the members of the opposite sex. Health will be fabulous till the 18th. After that it becomes fragile and you have to be careful about your activities. You will be able to accomplish your targets at the office with the help of your colleagues and the management.
objectives. Your compatibility with your spouse will be full of cordiality and closeness. Singles will find partners in the neighborhood or in social gettogethers. Your partner may be closely associated with your financial activities and responsible for furthering your financial goals and profits. You will have the support of elder members of the family. The family environment will be harmonious. Health will be fantastic. You have to exercise normal care and pay medical attention to minor ailments. You have to draw plans for future career growth and work towards it. Social contacts may not be able to help you much. You may not get the support from your colleagues.
Sagittarius
Capricorn
Aquarius
his month your Tspouse compatibility with your will be intricate and
month try to communicate Tas hiswithpossible your spouse as much and spend time
seems that it is a cheerful Ibetmonth. Your compatibility will splendid. Your personal
dynamic and unpredictable. There will be romance and passion in your marital life. Single persons will be able to form love relationships speedily. There will be warmth and closeness in the alliances. Existing relationships are likely to get confirmed. Love can be found in social circles during get-together and celebrations. You may find your partner through the internet. Conflicts and disharmony will prevail in the family environment. Most of your time will be spent on sorting out family disputes. Health will be excellent after the 18th. It is advisable to lighten up your activities till that time and take rest as much as possible.
Nov.23 - Dec.22
turbulent after the 14th. You have to strike a compromise between authority and gratification in the union. Marital life will be full of romance and passion. There will be many opportunities for forming love partnerships. If you are in a committed relationship, your passion and authority may damage the alliance. February creates disharmony and conflict in the family atmosphere. Family expenditure will tend to overshoot. Chronic diseases tend to flare up and require more medical attention.
Dec.23 - Jan.20
with your partner. Do not try to force things. Aggression and passion will dominate the love life of singles. Romance may be missing. February is not promising for family matters. Senior members may be a source of disharmony. You should try to bring peace to the family environment. Health will be superb. Career is not a pretty picture. You have to struggle hard to achieve your targets. Returns are not commensurate with your efforts. Travel for professional purposes will not be many and will be useless. However, you are not affected by the downturn and you will be optimistic about your future.
Scorpio
Sep.24 - Oct.23
ebruary is a period of omestic issues and emotional Faccomplishment social recognition and D issues will be of prime of social
Jan.21 - Feb.19
charisma will be great and your spouse will keep you in happy spirits. There is a tendency on your part to be domineering and your love is highly unpredictable. Love will be better after the first week. Singles should try to get into as many relationships as possible. You may get into a passionate relationship with a person temporarily. Relationships with friends will see a major overhaul. Family affairs are not very cheerful. Intrigues between elder members of the family will vitiate the home environment. You have to be very diplomatic in dealing with them.
Pisces
Feb.20 - Mar.21
n February, your compatibility Iimpulses. will be full of sizzle and You should not
postpone expressing your feelings to your beloved. Be natural and perceptive as per your true character. Singles are looking for idealism and romance in their love partners. There is a tendency on your part to get into relationships without commitment. However, plenty of love is available and you have to choose. This month is full of optimism and positivity in the family environment. You will have the blessings of the elder members of the family. It will be a hectic month when a career will be a major factor. You have to exert yourself to a great extent because of the competition. LOUNGE 47
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well said
8
Reasons Mothers Are Always Right
he hand that rocks the cradle Tworld. is the hand that rules the While we’re celebrating
our mothers with gifts, flowers, and beautiful Saturday breakfasts, let’s take a moment to appreciate her for always being right, as much as we don’t like to admit it. Yara El Hashimi brings you 8 reasons mothers are and will always be right..
1 2 3 4
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Forgiveness At some point in your life you were angry or sad and it was hard to continue, it was hard to move forward and you just wanted to give up. That’s probably when your mother stepped in and reminded you that you are a better person than your thoughts and your belief systems that you started feeding into yourself. When she finally helped you snap out of it, you were able to forgive everyone, and therefore; forgive yourself. Sleep Remember how she used to say sleep is for those who want to function in the morning? That probably didn’t tempt you then, but how often do you find yourself up late just out of habit? That’s when you know your mother was right to implement this habit ever since you were young and ready. Friends Even if you don’t like to admit it, but your mother warned you about this friend who walked out on you, betrayed you or took you for granted. Win the Argument by Not Fighting Back How many times have you had arguments that got heated and spiraled out of your control? Your mother probably went on and on about how every time you would find yourself stuck in an aggressive argument to come out of verbal scruffs, look calm and collected. Little did we know that using logic calmly would make us win an argument.
5 6
7 8
Money While saving money was one of the least important issues we had at our disposal at a younger age, the idea of it definitely clicked in as we grew up. Instead of indulging in the idea of minimalism, saving money, humbleness, being thankful, accumulating wealth and then earn our spending, we over glamorize spending too much money, driving fancy cars and living irresponsibly luxurious. Our mothers always tried to make us see that overconsumption is idolized and it shouldn’t be. Small Circles You can’t tell me that your mother’s words about people being constantly shaped by the environment aren’t ringing in your ears as you grow older and older. We are designed to be influenced by other people and while that is a fact, we should at least only keep those who impact us positively as we grow. You’ll Miss the Old Days “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize that they were the big things.” One of the quotes that will always make sense. Don’t Text and Drive One of the statements that will never get old. You probably heard that from your mother the second you set foot in your car to drive for the first time. Try to look back and remember how many times you put your life at risk by texting and driving, and then you’ll understand why your mother never got bored of repeating it.
