The IT Issue 2015 - Magnificent Magazine by Magi Nini

The IT Issue 2015 LE 20

Top Dos & Don’ts for Standout Interiors.

The IT Crazes

of All-Time

Are You The Perfect Fit For Your Dream Job The Magic Formula to The happy side of

LOVE Is He/She The ONE?

Beauty Tips Every Woman Swears by!

2015

Hottest Trends

From Summer back to Winter

Macho “IT” Lines

De-coded

Cuisine Hot Shots Signature recipes from IT chefs

Cheat Sheets

The IT Issue

LOV E AT FI RST BITE ... BRI NG YOUR VALENTI NE TO DI NE .

CAIRO MARRIOTT HOTEL & OMAR KHAYYAM CASINO 16 SARAY EL GEZIRA ST., PO BOX 33 ZAMALEK, CAIRO 11211, EGYPT. T: 00. 202.27.28.3000 EXT. 4661 CAIROMARRIOTTHOTEL.COM ARABIC.MARRIOTT.COM

JOIN US FOR A NIGHT OF LO V E A N D A F F EC T I O N AT T H E C A I R O M A R R I OT T T H I S VALENTINE’S NIGHT.

Discover Italian-style romance at Ristorante Tuscany, while an intimate atmosphere awaits lovers at JW’s Steakhouse and the alluring Saraya Gallery. Roses for the ladies, candlelit tables, heart-shaped cakes from The Bakery and romantic melodies create the perfect atmosphere, an evening of ‘amore’. All you need is love ...

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Magnificent Says Hi CEO Ghada Sakr ghadasakr@magnificentonline.com Editor-in-Chief Eslam Saleh Associate Partner For Communication: Bahaa El-Hemaly (002) 011 5577 4661 bahaa@magnificentonline.com Media Manger

Yumna Mohamed (002) 011 5400 1184 yumna@magnificentonline.com

Editorial Assistant Rania Ihab Contributors

Ahmed Mattar Amal Hejazi Amy Farid Aya Abdulrahman Ayat Seif El-Nasr Dalia Shabana Hagar Mohamed Haya Arafa Kholoud El-Garhy Marwa Hassan Reham Meky Sara Osman Sue Ryan

According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, it is an informal term for something very fashionable and desirable. The it list always involves the most exquisite, high-end personnel who make it to every elite party out there! it has always captured the sense of all that’s trendy, in-vogue and most looked after; but our it comes with a twist! You must have experienced this moment when you came across something (be it a place, outfit, jewelry piece, or even a career choice) and you couldn’t help but scream “this is IT!!” That’s what we aspire to provide here.. in this new issue of Magnificent. A grip on what is current and hip in all ways of life. We’ll take it to the next level to shed light on some all-time crazes that made it to the IT LIST. And we will help you recognize the IT factors behind an attractive persona, happy relationship, successful career and fulfilling friendship. Not just that! We interviewed ‘it talents’ who shone as designers, chefs and sports people. We brought to you ‘les homme et femme’ IT looks, wow-worthy recipes from the city’s finest chefs, and a list of some outstanding Hot Spots. Hope this issue ends up to be your all-time IT ISSUE as well. :) I have nothing more to add other than “DEVOUR IT.. I promise you.. It’s worth it!!” Go find your IT, it’s never too late my friend Ghada Sakr

Ghada Sakr

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Publisher: MILESTONE COMMUNICATIONS

Published under the registration No. 34013, UK. ISSN no. 1687-790x

Representative Office: Villa no. 212,

District 2, Zone 1, Off 90th St., Fifth Compound, New Cairo All rights are reserved. No part of this magazine is to be reproduced without the written permission of Milestone Communications

You can also find Magnificent at

The IT Issue Apples of Z Heart

Sound Body, Mind & Soul

Super Mum-Kid Duo The gift of all gifts! 74

Zodiac

Hidden Meanings of Zodiac Symbols 98

What’s Up 8

Picks Of Month 18

Hot Spots

Speak Ur Mind

The 10 Commandments of a Healthy Friendship! 92 Everlasting Moments of History 94

Dream Hot Spots! 22

Top Of Shops 14

IT Talents

The Magnificent Seven Spiritual Laws of Success 80 8 traits of highly-successful people! So You Think You Have an Attractive Persona! 82 IT Sports 84

Mag Cuisine

French Icon… Christophe Gaillet 40 Fashion Princess… Nada Akram 44 48 Trendsetter… Ahmed Azzam Kitchen Magician… Assia Othman 62 The Cool Fellows behind Egypt 86 Motorcycle School (EMS)

Cuisine Hot Shot

Signature recipes from IT chefs

A Macho Thing Machos Rule…Females Gruel 66 Cheesy misconceptions feeding the male mind!! Macho Lines De-coded 64

Happily Ever After Is He/ SheTHE ONE?! 68 The Magic Formula to HAPPY LOVE! 72

Media Corner

Mag Décor Vintage All The Way 52 Our Dos and Don’ts for Standout Interiors 54

Look Magnificent

Career Coaching Are You The Perfect Fit For Your Dream Job? 88 Trendiest Home Occupations 90

2015 Hottest Trends

From Summer back to Winter 42 Homme winter cheat sheets 46 Thriving Fashion Icons 50 Care To Look Magnificent?! Beauty Tips Every Woman Swear by

Magnificent Picks Our Favorites Lists! 72

Joie De Vivre Going Crazy For IT! 28 All Time Crazes For Him and Her! 32 The IT Factor 26

What’s

Fashion

Hany El-Beheiry Introduces 2015 Wedding Festival Collection Egypt’s finest couturist; Hany El Behairy show-cased his wedding festival collection of 2015, and we were quite thrilled to be there. Once you enter the hall, all what you see and feel are the flashes of excellency approaching you from the runway. For the first part of the show, it was quite obvious that El-Behairy’s inspiration came from the love of the flag. He had his own translation of its red, white and black. Behairy has made it a custom to have his show closing with a nation’s sweetheart, and it was a lovely surprise to know that he chose our former cover-page celebrity, Dorra, who shined in a breathtaking wedding number.

L’Oréal Professionnel Brings Laetitia Guenauo’s IT LOOKS to Egypt

World-renowned hairstylist, Laetitia Guenauo, known for her innovative creations on the fashion and cinema front, conducted (In partnership with L’Oréal Professionnel) a series of styling sessions in Cairo. A fashion shoot was fabulously styled by 3 of Egypt’s edgiest designers: Farida Temraz, Heba Edris and Deana Shaaban; showcasing the latest seasonal “IT LOOKS” before an audience of experienced technicians and professional stylists.

Van Eyck jewelry shines in stunning Middle East launch

Dubai’s most discerning jewelry buyers, socialites and fashion figures flocked to Opera Gallery Dubai, for the exclusive launch of Van Eyck Jewelry in the Middle East. Taking place in the gallery’s exquisite ‘black room’, home to numerous Picasso, Miro and Chagall paintings; the Belgian jeweler displayed their latest collection, inspired by remarkable birds native to Papua. A select number of pieces from the collection are available via Van Eyck’s local partner, Infinity Diamonds Dubai.

AZZA FAHMY JEWELLERY 45TH ANNIVERSARY @ CAIRO MARRIOTT Azza Fahmy Jewellery celebrated their 45th anniversary at the Cairo Marriott Hotel with the launch of ‘Mini Series’ collection. To mark the occasion, a fabled event took place at the historical Eugenie Ballroom and Salon Royal with an exquisite display of the collection while the crowd enjoyed the melodies played by the famous harpist Manal Mohei El-Din, followed by the Jazz entertainer Ahmed Harfoush while being treated with exquisite gastronomic delights by the Cairo Marriott professional culinary team.

VICTORIA’S SECRET MAKES ITS DEBUT IN EGYPT Victoria’s Secret (VS), the most glamorous lingerie brand in the world, made famous on the runway by supermodels like Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio and Candice Swanepoel opens its first full assortment stores in Cairo at City Stars and Cairo Festival City. The stores feature a wide assortment of the beautiful and feminine lingerie collections that Victoria’s Secret is known for.

ZAAM & Asfour Launch Winter’15 Collection Boho gallery held an exclusive preview launch for ZAAM New Winter ‘15 Collection, in collaboration with the renowned crystal brand ASFOUR. What we really love about ZAAM’s designs is the selection of the leather colors (very amusing shades of colors), the quality, and the precise finishing of the bag. Moreover, he is not a copy cat! He has his own eccentric bag shapes.

What’s

Fashion AtelierM celebrates 1st anniversary with Sohad Acouri

Atelier M, the lavish 3-floor venue in Pier 7 and Chef Mohamed Islam celebrated first anniversary with their luxury partners Quintessentially, 212 VIP Carolina Herrera, Shiseido, and others. Atelier M kicked off its first anniversary giving “carte blanche” to celebrity fashion designer, Sohad Acouri in a party that was attended by more than 500 guests; royalties, celebrities, and VVIPs.

“Renato Balestra “Italian Fashion Show at Ramses Hilton Ramses Hilton in collaboration with the Association of Women for development and Humanitarian “Hayaty”, headed by Dr. Awatef Serag El Din, recently hosted Renato Balestra’s fashion show in Egypt. The iconic Italian designer presented his creation of fashion for the latest couture collection of 2015. The fashion show took place at the Ramses Ballroom with the attendance of more than 400 state officials, ministers, ambassadors, media figures as well as celebrities. All guests were welcomed by Haitham Nassar, the hotel’s general manager specially Mrs. Gehan El Sadat, who was the event’s guest of honor.

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What’s

Society

Gohar Group Master Franchise For CoffeeShop Company

In a press conference held at Dusit Thani Hotel, Gohar Group was announced the Master Franchise For CoffeeShop Company in Egypt. In the elegant setting, sponsored by Etisalat and respectable media; the conference started with the words of Mr. Reihnold Schärf, Founder and CEO of CoffeShop Company announcing the master franchise.

Gourmet House @ Radisson Blu.

Gourmet House is the latest addition to the sublime culinary delights at the Radisson Blu Hotel Cairo Heliopolis, a treasure trove of the finest sandwiches, cakes, pastries, breads, croissant, tarts and Oriental temptations. Éclairs are the ‘stars of the show’ at Gourmet House, located in the hotel’s splendid lobby, accessed either from the outside or the lobby itself. Gourmet House adds to the impressive culinary line up at the Radisson Blu Heliopolis alongside the all-day dining MIX, the Lebanese restaurant Mezza, Italian fine dining Filini, the 1122 Lobby Bar and the poolside Terrace on 9.

Starwood & UNICEF Bring ‘Row 2 Awareness’ Boat Race

Building on an outstanding success and long partnership with UNICEF, Starwood Egypt with its 7 Sheraton & 4 Le Meridien Hotels organized a variety of fundraising activities, for the 4th year in a row, to enhance the development and educational projects of the needy children, as well as extending clean water to rural villages. This year, a different theme was planned featuring a rowing competition between hotels on the Nile River where 11 boats representing 11 sponsors and 11 Starwood Hotels were floating on the Nile in a race favor Egypt children. Rowing has been concluded by distribution of 3 winner trophies; gold, silver and bronze to Sheraton Cairo, Sheraton Soma Bay and Le Meridien Heliopolis and announcement of the fund raised, amounting to $ 10,000.

r s h o e f i t s, f lexe s o t he a n o s y ou l ik e S t r et c h S n d ol e. f re e

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Top of Shops

IT LOOKs

FOR HIM

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Metal Skull and Woven-Leather Bracelet

ADIDAS Suede And Leather Sneakers

KINGSMAN WORLD TIMER AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH WATCH

BALMAIN Two-Tone Leather Biker Jacket

GIVENCHY High Top Leather Sneakers BERLUTI Amarello Leather Billfold Wallet

BURBERRY Cashmere-Blend Boat Neck Sweater

VALENTINO Leather-Trimmed Mesh and Calf-Hair Sneakers

GIVENCHY SHARK-PRINT COTTON SWEATSHIRT

LANVIN Python Billfold Wallet

MASTER-PIECE Leather and Canvas Backpack

CHRISTOPHER KANE Suede Slip-On Sneakers

RAY-BAN Original Wayfarer Acetate Sunglasses.

MARC JACOBS Packable Striped Duffle Bag

PAUL SMITH Car Burnished Gold-Tone Cufflinks

Top of Shops IT LOOK her IT LOOKs FOR HER

ARME DE L’AMOUR Chevron Silver Ring

ROSANTICA Gold-Dipped Pearl Arm Cuff JIMMY CHOO Tisri Leather Pumps

GUCCI Two-Tone Leather Scarf

STELLA MCCARTNEY Embellished Faux Brushed-Leather Bag

LYDIA COURTEILLE Multi-Stone Ring

MICHAEL KORS Prim Appliquéd Leather Clogs

MARNI Crystal-Embellished Leather Clutch

ADIDAS Scuba-Jersey Mini Dress

CONVERSE Pale-Bronze High-Top Sneakers

JIL SANDER Textured-Leather Tote

EDDIE BORGO Rose Three-Finger RinG

BOTTEGA VENETA Oxidized Silver Hoop Earrings

BURBURRY Printed Textured-Leather Bag

GUCCI Suede Wedge Espadrilles

Picks of

OLIVE A.P.C. Cotton-Canvas Holdall Bag

HIM

GIVENCHY Convertible Leather-Trimmed Backpack

TOD’S Gommino Suede Driving Shoes

THOM BROWNE Round-Frame Gold-Tone Sunglasses

NIKE Crocodile-Embossed Suede and Tech-Jersey Sneakers J. CREW Shearling-Collar Bomber Jacket BOTTEGA VENETA Dégradé Wool Scarf

GARRETT LEIGHT Harding Acetate Sunglasses

CROCS Walu Accent Shoes MAISON MARTIN Paint-Splash Leather Sneakers

BALENCIAGA Leather and Suede Sneakers

CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN Printed Sweatshirt

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Army-Green Leather Belt

Picks of ANIMAUX

MICHAEL KORS Pleated Python Skirt

HER SAINT LAURENT Python Ankle Boots

DEZSO Shark Tooth Diamond Phalanx Ring

GUCCI Broadway Embellished Python Clutch

ILEANA MAKRI Snake Rose-Gold Diamond Ring PROENZA SCHOULER Color-Block Python Shoulder Bag

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Mini Metallic Python Shoulder Bag

AMEDEO Sardonyx Shell Horse Cameo Ring

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Décolleté 100 Painted Python Pumps

STELLA MCCARTNEY Snake-Effect Faux Leather Bag

CHLOÉ Python Shoulder Bag

SAINT LAURENT Leopard-Print Calf Hair Pouch

GIVENCHY Large Shark Earring in Python and Brass

JIMMY CHOO Zebra-Print Tote

SAINT LAURENT D-frame Acetate Sunglasses

MARY KATRANTZOU Python and textured-leather clutch

Hot Spots

s t o p S t o H m Drea The World’s IT destinations By Susan Ryan

What makes an IT destination? Is it the numbers of people liking the a place? Is it because that spot attracts IT people (cultural leaders, the rich or royal)? Is IT the latest place travel agents are promoting? Or is it the place that has that personal appeal (IT factor) just for you?!

any of the destinations we see showcased in the media are considered Hot Spots because someone famous is holidaying there or had their wedding or honeymoon there. Many of those spots are dream destinations but may also be way out of our budget. The destinations I have chosen here include some of the places in which the rich and famous have gathered and still gather. Mixed in are some growing in popularity ITs that you may not have considered as alternatives to the usual Hot Spots. All of them have a personal appeal for me (though I have not visited them all yet), and are places I feel have the IT factor in one or more ways. And that is sure to guarantee experiences that you can look back on as some of the IT days of your life. Isn’t that what any holiday travel should be about?

Vietnam

For decades after the war, Vietnam was of the last places one would consider for a holiday. Vietnam, however, has made an impressive recovery and is just beginning to be rediscovered by travellers. It offers unique landscapes, intriguing food, and a fascinating history. Ho Chi Minh, the largest city, is vibrant and busy with people on bikes, and market and food stalls on the sidewalks. Trying the many delicious local foods could be the IT attraction of Vietnam, but feasting has plenty of competition from other aspects of life here. From Ho Chi Minh you can do a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels which were part of the military encounters during the Vietnam War, and for more history there is the War Remnants Museum. Among the shopping highlights are Ben Thanh Market and Bui Vien Street. For contrasts, visit Hanoi for elegant French influenced architecture and the Mekong Delta’s floating villages, then go back in time to the My Son ruins, a UNESCO world heritage site. If you want perfect beaches, try the Island of Phu Quoc.

Argentina

Buenos Aires is defined by its exquisite architecture, vibrant nightlife, and a passion for the tango. After taking a dance class or watching the experts; a stroll along the splendid Avenida de Mayois is a must , while in Manzana de las Luces you will find tunnels and catacombs that run underneath the city. For natural beauty head to the Iguazú National Park for the Iguazu Falls and maybe see a jaguar. In Santa Cruz, the Los Glaciares National Park has an ice cap that feeds more than forty glaciers, and the Cueva de las Manos features paintings of hands that are estimated to be 10,000 years old. San Carlos de Bariloche provides plenty of options to ski and explore the mountains, and is famed for its chocolates.

Hungary

Budapest rests amid beauty: the landscapes of the Danube River, Buda Hills and Great Plains. There are some scars from the Uprising of 1856 but this neo-classical city continues to enchant, and is becoming one of the IT capitals of Europe for those who have already experienced enough of Rome, Paris or Berlin. The city is built on many hot springs which are believed to have medicinal properties, and the bathhouses have long been an attraction for those in search of watery relaxation that doesn’t revolve around sea and sun. No destination gets an IT rating from me unless there is good food involved, and it is the same case here. Budapest is the best place to try the traditional goulash. You have to cruise down the Danube; and if you are interested in architecture, history, and culture; your tour should include St Stephen’s Basilica, the Royal Palace, Parliament Building, National Gallery and Great Synagogue.

Hot Spots

Cape Town-South Africa

Finland-Iceland

The Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights are one of nature’s most captivating displays. The flares of colored light can last from less than a second to about two min utes. The Ion Hotel in Iceland promises such an escape. The bar has wrap-around windows and lights that can be dimmed, for a great view in comfort. If you would prefer to tour Finland, you can watch the Lights from your glass igloo at Hotel Kakslauttanen, near Urho Kekkonen National Park. This hotel has one of the Arct ic Circle’s most dazzling views of the Aurora Borealis. Thanks to the sparseness of the trees and lack of light pollution, you can enjoy millions of stars up in the sky. I don’t like cold weather and I don’t believe discomfort should be part of any IT travel exp erience. But it’s no problem here, because the igloos have ther mal glass walls and ceilings that insulate the interior to keep you cozy. The glass also contains a frost preventative which ensures clear panoramic views even if it is below freezing outside.The hotel also features the world’s largest smoke sauna with its own restaurant, an ice bar and snow chapel that is freshly built every win ter.

With a stunning mountain range on one flank and the sea and great beaches on the other, Cape Town is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Africa. In the last few years, the town has been really flexing its creative muscles. Its colonial history remains evident in the architecture, but it is very much a NOW city. Designated World Design Capital for 2014, there are more than 450 events scheduled. The number of adventurous restaurants and popular boutiques is astounding.

Venice, Italy

Uluru, Australia

For those who want to see more than Australia’s urban life, there’s Uluru; seen by many as the spiritual heart of Australia. A few hours flight from Sydney, the trip will give you more than sightings of the imposing rock and its color changes. Equally absorbing are the experiences of walking through Kings Canyon, seeing the ancient red rocks of Kata Tjuta, and visiting a working outback station. This indigenous culture of Australia, which reaches back more than 50,000 years, is alive here. Voyages Ayers Rock Resort offers a choice of four hotels or the open spaces of the Campground. There are dozens of tours and activities, from camel rides in the dunes to riding a Harley, and you should not miss a base walk of Uluru to really feel its power up close. But don’t think that being in the outback is all desert, dust, and doing it tough; The Red Ochre Spa will indulge you between explorations. And at night you can dine under a canopy of stars, watch the sunset behind Uluru, and tour the southern night sky with a resident star talker.

Oh Venice! It’s been many years since I visited the city of canals, yet it still appears in my dreams. If you have seen it showcased in movies such as The Tourist and marveled at the grand residences (many of which have been converted into deluxe hotels), you will be even more delighted by the reality. Once a hub for trade of the exotic and luxurious; for centuries Venice has attracted those searching for the finest, and earned a reputation for romance and seduction. Beyond the gondola rides or people-watching in St. Mark’s Square, Venice has many lesser known delights (from museums to cafes), hidden just around the next corner or over the next bridge. For me, Venice maintains a special essence, far more than Italy’s other long-reigning IT city, Rome.

Marrakech, Morocco

Stunning mosques, intricate crafts, sumptuous tastes and luxury living!! Marrakech is not the capital or the largest city in Morocco, but it is undeniably the most visited and interesting down there. The city’s name comes from the words mur (n) akush which means “Land of God” in Berber. The city has drawn celebrities, designers and others looking for something life in the West does not offer. Many musicians, writers and artists from Western countries have made it home there, at least temporarily. You can get a taste of their experience by staying in a traditional Riad such as Riad Oriente, which is located in the heart of the medina and five minutes’ walk from Jamaa el Fna square. Like many of the old homes, this extraordinary 150 year old house was restored with respect for Moorish architecture. With the Sahara and the Atlas mountains nearby, there is alluring countryside to see without venturing too far from the city’s attractions. The markets share similarities with Egyptian souks but also offer distinctive local crafts, from ceramics to leatherwork. Looking for unique fashion? The city has many designers and boutiques drawing on the rich culture and the textile traditions of Morocco, which attract celebrities and the elite in search for something unique. Providing relief from the city bustle are lush gardens, such as those of La Mamounia and the Jardin Majorelle. IT eating places change constantly, so you better ask a local for the best. And along with the traditional meals such as tagines, look out for trends such as date milkshakes and camel burgers.

Capri, Italy

It’s one of the most beautiful and most visited places in Italy. For decades Capri has been a rendevous for the rich, famous, and trend setters (the IT crowd). Thanks to the writings and legends of Ancient Greece, the island’s charms became mythical. Homer wrote of Odysseus (Ulysses) sailing past the island and narrowly escaping the fate of those who hear the voices of the Sirens. Centuries later, Capri has not lost its siren call (breathtaking landscapes with rocky caves and magnificent views across the water to the horizon). Capri’s history as a holiday destination began in the 1880s when the Grotta Azzurra or Blue Grotto was re-discovered. Local people were afraid of it and believed it was haunted, but two adventurous Germans (a writer and painter) brought it to wider attention with their descriptions of its vivid turquoise blue beauty. Capri became part of the Grand Tour which the elite and fashionable of England and Europe did, and since then the flow of artists and others inspired by the island has not stopped. There is no shortage of IT hotels in Capri. Casa Morgano is a boutique five star hotel on the panoramic Via Tragara. It offers all the characteristics of the island’s most sumptuous private villas: floors tiled in precious handpainted majolica, antique furniture, immense floor-to-ceiling windows, and spectacular sea-view terraces. Within minutes of the hotel are the island’s most exclusive designer fashion shops and the legendary Piazzetta, the heart of Capri’s glamorous social life.

The Pyramids, Egypt

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe If nature at its most awesome makes an IT holiday, then Victoria Falls is the answer. On the Zambezi River, it forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was described by the Kololo tribe living in the area in the 1800’s as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ – ‘The Smoke that Thunders’. It is the greatest curtain of falling water in the world, and its spray can be seen kilometers away. Facing the Falls is another sheer wall of basalt, rising to the same height and topped by a rainforest. You can take a walk along the edge of the forest for astounding views of the Falls. My choice of accommodation has to be the Islands of Siankaba (two private islands in the middle of the Zambezi River) situated between the Falls and the worldrenowned Chobe National Park. The lodge offers seven luxurious tented chalets set within the tree canopies and connected to the main lodge by a network of walkways and bridges connecting the two islands. The lodge (designed using natural materials so that it blends into the natural bush) is sure to provide guests with a true African retreat.

OK, so this may seem like the cliché of clichés, and yes there are hundreds of amazing places in Egypt. But I am repeatedly astounded by how many Egyptians have never visited this national icon, not to mention the number of tourists who repeatedly visit the Red Sea resorts but never make it to the Giza plateau!! I could only dream of staying at Mena House as the rich and famous have for generations, but trekking out to Giza from my small hotel Downtown could not take the edge of this experience. I’ll tell you a secret…having seen so many images of the pyramids before coming to Egypt, I was determined I would not be awed by them on my first visit. I am sure they are wildly over-rated, I thought. But then I saw them, and I was more than awed! Despite the hassles of getting beyond the trinket sellers and camel ride touts, the pyramids are an essential part of the Egyptian heritage and are a powerful symbol of human development that we should all treasure. I went to Rome the day after I saw the pyramids, and the Colosseum looked almost unimpressive in comparison. The Pyramids have IT, and they are at your doorstep.

Joie De Vivre

By Rania Ihab They stand out like a bonfire at midnight. Their personal charisma is absolutely attractive. They draw the attention of people around them, seemingly without paying any kind of conscious effort. Simply because they have “it”! The “it” factor is a combination of personality traits, behaviors and attitudes that combine to create an emotional whole that radiates charisma and attraction. Let me show you what goes into “it”!

Attention

Speak Bravely

People with “it” aren’t flicking their attention around the room. They’re not checking their phones. They’re not letting themselves be preoccupied or distracted. They are letting you know that they find you enthralling. Those who carry the “it” factor make you feel like the most important person in the world. It’s more than just asking questions and not being obsessed with their phones though. It’s about the details. People with “it” make a point of not just learning your name but remembering it. They ask questions, not just surface queries designed to keep the conversation going. They rephrase what you say just to make sure they fully understand. You walk away from talking with them feeling as though you’ve just had the most intense experience in your life, because they made it all about you.

Body Language

“It” people speak clearly, firmly, and loudly enough. They are never afraid of silence. They never ramble just to fill it. They leave people hanging onto every word; not trying to stay awake, glancing at the clock wondering when this will ever be over.

Poise ‘It” characters have good executive presence. They are not running from meeting to meeting. They show up even in the wake of a crisis in the middle of night all put together. Wondering how they do it?! It’s that they always take a quick second to compose themselves before entering a room. But more importantly, they are always prepared for anything.

It’s that feeling of positivity and connection that makes all the difference between any individual and someone who just clicks. Someone who has… “It”!

Those with the “it” factor demand more control over the room. Again, they always look engaged by maintaining solid eye contact with everyone in the room; which is not only personable, but also portrays confidence.

Smile When it comes to personal charisma, there’s nothing stronger than a smile. A genuine smile makes people warm up. It makes them feel more comfortable, and even happy. It’s all because it gives the sense that you’re so relaxed and at ease.

Eye Contact Those who have “it” are also masters of eye contact. You may hear about their “intense” gaze because they understand the value of strong eye contact. They’re heightening that connection saying, “I am giving you my full attention”. People who have that “it” factor also understand the value of strategic physical contact and the need to deliberately break eye contact before the other person gets nervous.

Intensity

“It” personalities don’t vacillate. They don’t hesitate, stammer, or indicate that they’re unready or unsure of themselves. They have the conviction of their beliefs and don’t apologize for them… they just aren’t jerks about it. They’re honest about who they are and what they like; and they know how to communicate that passion in a charming way. It gives them sort of a quiet strength; an aspect that is incredibly appealing. They have warm personalities. You come away feeling that they honestly enjoy spending time with you… and that’s important because it’s often reciprocal. When you make someone feel good, they in turn feel good about you.

Joire de Vivre

For IT! By Sue Ryan

here have been countless strange IT objects and activities in human history. Many of the crazes, trends or tendencies we follow devotedly, we later look back at with embarrassment or laughter at our foolishness…Why did we EVER think this was desirable? Some crazes were specific to a certain country or culture, others became international. With the internet, trends and ITs are increasingly international and can become viral in hours, rather than over months as did the trends before the 1980s that bloomed only through magazines, television and movies.

It would take a whole book, not an article, to cover all the crazes in all life aspects. There are trends and fashions in whatever area you can think of. Even diets! Some ITs are simple, others complex. Some are inexpensive, others only available to the wealthy elite. So here I will skim the surface of recent IT history, concentrating on ITs you are likely to recall, with a few dips into the wildly popular activities, products and styles of earlier times.

DANCE

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ancing is an important part of social interaction, so it is natural that new dance styles quickly become popular. How many versions of Happy and Harlem Shake have you seen?! In the early 1920s, a string of dance crazes swept the world, including the jitterbug and the Charleston. IT crazes don’t always come from places considered to be world cultural leaders. Tango, for example, originated in Argentina in the early 1900s and went international in the early 1920s as it was featured in Hollywood movies.

Other 20th century Latin music dance crazes included the Merengue, the Samba, the Mambo, the Rumba, the Chacha-cha and the Bossanova. Many transcended their fad status and became standards in western popular dance. From the ‘50s to the ‘70s, dance crazes appeared almost every week. New styles or steps were created by African-American dancers in the clubs and discothèques in big American cities. Dances included The Madison, The Swim, the Mashed Potato, The Twist, The Frug, The Watusi, The Shake and The Hitchhike. Some ‘60s dance crazes had animal names, including The Pony, The Dog and The Chicken. Many pop hits of the 60’s were written specifically to exploit emerging dance crazes, such as Mashed Potato Time. This continued into the 1990s, for example Madonna’s Vogue popularized Voguing. Even some songs such as The Loco-Motion were written specifically to create a new dance style.

In the early 1970s, disco launched crazes including The Bump, The Hustle, and YMCA. From 1980 onward, popular music videos with dances that became crazes included Walk like an Egyptian, The Safety Dance, Lambada, Macarena, Achy Breaky Heart (line dancing),The Ketchup Song, and Gangnam Style. Ok, you can stop doing the Hokey Pokey, Time Warp, or Moonwalk; now let’s move on….

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Fashion

lothing has seen a countless number of IT moments. The desire for IT clothing brands has also developed the huge cosmetics and accessories industries. The haute couture designs and parades continue to produce exquisite dream creations, but they are now basically expensive advertising for diffusion ranges and less expensive products of each brand. Product placement in movies or celebrities wearing the clothes is another form of advertising for the IT objects and brands to make sure people will keep craving a new IT.

Celebrities may wear outfits that become iconic (such Lady Gaga’s meat dress or Madonna’s cone bra) but most of these do not turn into IT trends. But again, there have been many examples of impractical, torturous, or simply unattractive clothing fads that we now see as crazy. That’s why they are called crazes. Some of the most memorable include:

1.Spandex.

A trend from ‘70s disco and glam rock, and in the ‘80s part of the ‘Let’s Get Physical’ gym-style craze along with leg warmers. Shiny and tight-fitting, spandex is not attractive on most people who do not spend their lives in a gym.

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2.Puffball Skirt.

Also named bubble skirt or harem skirt. A short to mid-length skirt that has been folded under at the hem and sewn to the lining, gathering the fabric and creating a puffed effect. In the 1950s, puffball skirts were worn at cocktail parties and proms, and they boomed again in the ‘80s.

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3.Harem Pants.

Musician MC Hammer promoted these in his videos. They remain popular in Egypt, where they work well for modest dressing with comfort.

4.High Waist and Low Rise Jeans.

In the 1980s high-waisted jeans accentuated the size of the bottom and flattened it. More recently, jeans dropped so low that hip bones were exposed, a trend encouraged by celebrities such as Britney Spears.

5.Stirrup Pants. Before Lycra leggings came to the rescue, these extended the pants legs with a piece of fabric or elastic under the arch of the foot, which held the pants smoothly in place. 6.Dropped Pants.

It’s a trend for men revealing the waist band (or more) of boxers or briefs under them. This look began in USA prisons during the late 1970′s, where men used it to signal to each other that they were available for sex. It was popularized by rappers. Sadly, the look remains popular in some places, as among men on Egypt’s beach resorts who want to show off their fake designer-label underwear or their physique.

7.Shoulder Pads. Those gave women a more masculine silhouette, at a time when the number of women in the workforce and in prominent positions was increasing. They were most popular in the 1980s, but made recent appearances.

HAIR

Joire de Vivre

here have been crazy hair trends since the ancient Egyptians shaved off their hair and replaced it with wigs. IT hair styles most readers will remember include Farrah Fawcett’s feathered layers and the Rachel style of Jennifer Aniston’s character in Friends. Women everywhere took pictures of those styles to their hairdressers, wanting the same looks.

Big Wigs.

They became a trend in the early 17th century when Louis XIII of France used one to cover his baldness. The movie “The Duchess” shows how outrageous they would become. They were difficult to balance and could easily catch fire. By the beginning of the 18th century; white, powdered wigs were IT for men. The craze ended when a heavy tax was imposed on the powder and aristocratic fashion was frowned on, around the time of the French revolution.

The Beehive.

Here the hair is piled high, resembling a beehive. It began in the 1950 and became very popular thanks to movies and the beginning of teen culture, with many music stars adopting it. The Beehive has more recently influenced the updos of celebrities including Amy Winehouse, Adele and Beyonce.

The Mullet.

It combines “business and party”, short hair at the front and long at the back. Tame variations appeared in 1960, but the mullet hit its peak of ridiculousness in the ‘80s.

Scrunchies.

This is the answer to how to do your hair on a bad hair day and not get it all caught in elastic bands.

Joire de Vivre

Crazes All Time

For Him!

By Ahmed Mattar

When you think of what’s IT for men, you’ll find that there are a couple of things all men, wherever they are, go crazy about. Muscles Big arms, 6 packs and spending hours in the gym are some important stuff to a lot of men. And taking a selfie after finishing the workout, making it a profile picture to show off the hard muscles wearing a tight T-shirt is the new deal! So please do not ever mention that they’re losing weight, even if they are!!

Cars The answer of a guy who was once asked “why do you love cars?” was as simple as that: “I’m a guy it’s in my DNA”! The competition between car manufacturers is making guys go bananas! It’s a dilemma of deciding which to buy: muscle cars, tuners, exotics or luxury cars. For any man, horse power, top speed and stability are the top deciding factors.

Football Ahly VS Zamalik or Real Madrid VS Barcelona! National league or European league! Whatever it is, as long as the match is heating up between 2 IT teams, it is a must-watch for any dude. Football courts are one of the most attracting places to men. They build and name their own teams, get uniforms and organize tournaments, even in Ramadan and between companies. You can see some employees going to work limping because of injuries but the truth is they couldn’t be happier.

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Play Station (PS) Games

It’s really astonishing when you realize that it’s not only youngsters who go for it, but also the plus 40 generation!! They finish work, group together, and lose themselves in PS shops for hours. During peak hours, you’ll find the guys passionately waiting for their turn (no matter how long!) I’ve been told once that good PS shops make revenue of 15K to 20K per month! It turned into a successful business for some people. All you need to do is choose the right place, provide good furniture and big screens, and thank me later.

Celebrity Fashion

I’ve once met a guy who used a shampoo that he didn’t need just because Cristiano Ronaldo advertised for it. Do you remember the blue pullover Amr Diab wore in his video clip ‘Tammally Ma3ak’? Most guys have it in their closets as it became a trend back at the time. Men simply like to follow the merchandise of their favorite celebrities like John Cena’s T-Shirt, Messi’s football shirt or Cristiano’s new haircut. And it is uncontrollable!!

Movies

Movies like ‘Fast and Furious’, ‘James Bond’ and ‘Expendables’ are the IT attraction to a huge number of men. Some movies with certain actors are, for guys, a must-watch, especially if it’s a best-selling novel turned into a movie. These movies have great influences on us, the guys. And whatever happens in such movies can turn into a trend. It’s as simple as that!

Fishing Trips If you wanna make your friend go nuts; take him on a boat, give him a fishing rod and let him catch his first fish. He will feel over the moon and will keep trying and trying to catch more fish. And when the trip is over; the first thing he will do is buy a full fishing set, and keep nagging for the next trip. Fishing trips are very exhausting; staying on a boat awake for long hours is not easy, and the more you catch the more you get insane. Until you catch countless number of fishes, and then the joy of it becomes the best thing you’ve ever experienced! It may sound very expensive but the joy of catching a fish, cooking it and eating it all by yourself is beyond any description.

Joire de Vivre

Crazes All Time

For Her!

We’ve always wondered why men claim that they never understand what women want! Are we really that mysterious? Is it that difficult to find out what we truly need? We know it’s not! But we believe that you men prefer to act “dumb” to prove that we speak some kind of secretive language! In case you don’t know “what women want” for real, here and now you’ll be introduced to the most exciting things in the world that make women lose it! All that makes us really happy, the things we can never resist, and what we totally go bananas for! I guess you have no excuses now. Read carefully, try to comprehend, and just bring on your best game! A Journey into a Woman’s Deep Thoughts By Amal Hejazi

Shopping

Searchers found that men get bored of shopping after 26 minutes and women after 2 hours!! But do you know why a woman would take too much time to make the right decision; dragging her partner from shop to another while she could have bought it all from the very first shop? It is just her way to search for the best for her and her family. You can’t deny that women are way better buyers than men. They search for the best prices, the best quality and the perfect look; and they have better taste as well! Women also buy on behalf of so many other people. They buy on behalf of husbands, partners, kids, colleagues, friends, relatives, elderly parents, in-laws….etc. If somebody somewhere needs a gift; chances are there’s a woman thinking about it, tracking it down, wrapping it, and making sure it’s accompanied by a personal message arriving to the right person. Get rested guys, we are too good at it and we enjoy doing it!

Chocolate

“Women Should Always Have their Chocolate”!!

We all have those days when we have no idea what’s really driving us nuts. Both men and women crave chocolate, but women experience such cravings more often than men. It’s because chocolate cravings are linked to low blood sugar, stress and hormonal fluctuations occurring prior PMS. The sugar and caffeine in chocolate raise blood sugar levels and increase levels of serotonin (the neurotransmitter that is responsible for enhanced moods) in the brain. Many women experience lowered serotonin levels in the 7: 10 days prior to their periods, which is one reason why premenstrual women often have powerful craving for chocolate. However.. although it seems that we have our scientific excuses to adore chocolate, I believe that the most important reason is because it’s delicious, really rich in texture, and is unlike any other food. It’s our beloved treat, and one of our most wanted gifts.

Sweet Words

Is there something like enough sweet words?

I know for sure that men understand that fact as well as we do, but from some reason they prefer to ignore it! They can shower you with thousands of heart-melting love phrases before marriage, and then somehow they tend to lose their brains along with the love words. What happened to “baby” or “ my love”? They are suddenly lost in translation!! It just hurts when you are out together and he forgets to tell you how beautiful and dazzling you look!! He has been out since early morning and the first thing he does when he gets back is ask for lunch and lie down to sleep, instead of kissing you and telling you how much he missed you! Women like sweet words because it’s a part of their makeup. It softens their hearts and boosts their self-esteem. A sweet word is powerful enough to switch any situation whatsoever. What else could you sir ask for? It’s all in your hand and the words are ready on your tongue, just say them out loud!

Jewelry

Joire de Vivre

“Jewelries are every girl’s best friend.”

It is hard to pinpoint the exact time as to when women started their obsession with jewelry. History has repeatedly shown women’s penchant for wearing something beautiful on neck, arms, ears and fingers. And whatever the design of the piece -be it simple pendants, earrings, or chunky bangles- the ladies will always be attracted to these decorative pieces more than a handsome gentleman. Some psychological studies may support this fact, showing that many girls are generally drawn to shiny, sparkly and colorful things. Compared to men, women put too much effort into their appearances as they always long to look stylish and pretty. Jewelry obsession for women may be related to the fact that every piece they own carries a sentimental value, regardless of how much its actual price is. There’s nothing better than a beautiful piece of jewelry to make your spouse feel like the queen of the world!

Flowers

“Life is the flower for which love is the honey”~ Victor Hugo.

They say; “Only real men bring flowers”. It doesn’t have to be Valentine’s Day, flowers are for love, and they absolutely bring the meaning of “I Love You”. From generation to generation, women have always loved receiving flowers. It’s a simple symbol of life and beauty and thus, when received, women don’t just feel vibrant and full of life; they feel beautiful and incredibly special.

Things She’s Just Crazy About! By Hagar Mohamed 2.Diamonds

It’s true; diamonds are girls’ best friends! Diamond jewelry is simply elegant, and elegance never goes out of style!

3.Red Lipstick

Red is the most classic color of lipstick and it never goes out of fashion. A woman who never tried wearing red lipstick has definitely missed out on one of the world’s most feminine makeup items.

1.Footwear

A woman can never have enough footwear in her wardrobe! Too many styles and too many occasions! Flat ballerinas, high heels, open toes, sandals, wedges, pointy classics, sporty sneakers; you name it! And with all the colors and shapes coming out every day, one can NEVER say no to a new pair calling!

4.Perfect Fitting Jeans

A pair of jeans that fits perfectly will always be shape flattering, and that is an item no girl can live without!

5.Black Dresses:

Truly a must-have item! A black dress in the wardrobe is indispensible for any girl. Black never goes out of style, and it’ll help any girl look slimmer even if she puts on some extra pounds! ;)

8.Black Eye Liner

An everyday makeup item that simply makes a lot of difference, and is just simple and elegant!

6.Manicure

Like a cherry on top of a sundae, wearing the right shade of manicure simply takes your “Dressed up” look to the next level!

7.End of Season Clearance

Seeing that 50% discount sign is truly heart melting! Not because it makes us save the cash, but simply because it helps us get more items for the same amount of money spent!.

9.Perfumes

Because that final spritz can make all the difference! ;)

11.Massages

Nothing feels more luxurious than a good relieving massage! Even if it’s once for every couple of months, it’s proven to leave the ladies stress-free and in an overall elevated mood.

12.Sugar Free Candy

Because every girl’s dream is to eat sweets without getting fat! :D

10.Bags

Different colors, different sizes, different material… When it comes to bags and purses, the more the merrier!

13. Romantic movies

Guilty as charged! Women do enjoy romantic movies, mostly for the hope that one day, this would be their own story.

14.Gentlemen!

Classy Sir! Those who still open doors for the ladies and think highly of their women are truly IT.

Now, after finishing our little journey inside the hidden secrets of female crazes, here’s a little piece of advice for you my dear man… If you want to make your woman happy; go shopping with her, and when you feel tired bring a truffle chocolate cake and share it with her. Don’t forget to speak softly with love and passion. And on your way home, let her wait in the car and surprise her with the most colorful bouquet of roses. You’ll thank me later ;)

Beauty Tips Every Woman Swears by The IT Tips to Look Magnificent By Ayat Seif Alnasr

• GETTING YOUR FOUNDATION INVISIBLE

Foundation is a very misunderstood product. Women either go darker than their natural color to look tanned, or lighter to look fairer. Both ways are wrong. In fact, results oppose all expectations and instead of looking prettier, you just look more... Fake. The real goal is to cover your imperfections (zits, blackheads, dark circles, discoloration, etc). To do so, pick a shade that is exactly your tone. Start applying half a pump (a little bigger than a pea size) from the middle and blend upwards and outwards to give the effect of a lifted face. Blend well and layer more, if more coverage is needed. If you followed this trick, you will use less foundation and get natural results.

NOW that you look absolutely flawless, what’s next? Take a tissue and tear it in half. Place it on the skin, and pat. By doing so, you are absorbing extra unneeded oils. If you get rid of all that excess of moisture, your foundation will last a lot longer and won’t slide around. The excess oil you remove isn’t only from your foundation but also your natural skin oils. By removing such oils, you can guarantee a foundation that won’t oxidize throughout the day.

• THE BLUSHER TIP YOU DON’T DO BUT SHOULD!

Look Magnificent

There is no right or wrong way when it comes to applying blusher. However, NEVER apply blush over the apples of your cheeks (except if you have a fuller face), particularly if you’re over the age of 30! As we age, everything goes down, so when you smile the apples of your cheeks lift, but when you stop smiling, your cheeks become closer to your mouth. That is why it’s preferable to apply blush on the cheekbone area to lift the face up.

The tip to identify the right place to apply your blush is to take your index finger and place it right on the top of where your ear is attached to your head, then take your thumb and place it at the side of your nose. That drawn line is where exactly you are supposed to apply your blush.

Apply blush in a circular motion underneath your under eye area at the top of your cheeks. Or you can wing it from your cheekbone area to the side of your face (remember the letter ‘C’ when applying this method). Another method is to go straight from your ear towards your nose (but not too close to your nose).

If you have over applied blush or bronzer, and you ended up really red or brown; bring a stippling blush and blend it out. If that didn’t work, dip the stippling blush into a translucent powder, knock it off and blend. If that as well didn’t work, dip your stippling brush into an extremely tiny bit of foundation (better powder foundation than liquid to avoid caking) and blend it over the affected area.

• PROLONG YOUR MAKEUP Just like hair, face makeup needs a setting spray. One tip you should always have in mind is that oil and water do not mix. So don’t use products that don’t blend. For instance, if you used a water-based foundation, make sure you use a water-based moisturizer prior application. Same goes with silicon. Another way to prolong foundation is to use a powder puff. Dip it into powder, knock off the excess, and press and roll over your face. Don’t swipe the puff on your face, so you don’t wipe off your foundation. This way is guaranteed to make your foundation stay all day long.

Last but not least, use wax-based foundations. They tend to stay longer on skin and get better absorbed. All you have to do is massage well.

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• THE KOHL/EYELINER TIP YOU DON’T DO BUT SHOULD!

This tip I inherited from my mum and I swear by it all the time. All you need is a kohl pencil. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive one. In fact, this tip works best with really cheap ones! Kohl pencils are really hard and don’t get well on water line. So the old school tip has it that you get a lighter and dip your kohl into the flame (for just a second in a very quick motion). Test it on the back of your hand to make sure it’s not hot. Et voila, it will give you a really rich black color that will set and seal all day long.

•WINGED EYELINER MADE SUPER EASY! An old technique is to use tape (but first make sure it’s not sticky). It’s also better to apply a thin coat of mascara first to make sure your eyes are open, and it makes it easier for you to find the point where you should be drawing the line. If you have already applied your eyeshadow, make sure you stick the tape just beneath the eyeshadow on your lower lash line.

The untold secret about winged eyeliners is that you need to make sure to extend your eyebrow each time you are extending a wing.

• DOLL LASHES YOUR SERVICE

Mascaras easily run. That’s natural! But if they stain on your lid, stay away from the tips of your lashes and apply the mascara on the roots, wiggle, and pull up!

very a tip that e is is th w o er N ows but nev n k t is rt a p u make t a tells! ara wand, ge

asc Take your m into the your brush tissue, wipe off, and ove the excess m re to e u ss ti u will nd as well. Yo e e th e ip w of then right amount e th ve a h ly not on r lashes, apply on you mascara to y germs l prevent an ’l u yo o ls a t the bu ending up in m o fr a ri e ct or ba ’t clump mascara won product. The ve you a it off it will gi g in ip w y b d n a r finish. much prettie

You need to change your mascara at least every couple of months, so better get the best out of it, don’t you think?

• HIDE THE DRACULA IN YOU AND PREVENT RUNNING LIPSTICK To prevent your lipstick from running, apply a lip barrier to make lipstick adhere (just like what eye primers do for eyeshadows!) Do not over apply it; one coat of a really pigmented lipstick is all what you need. You can also apply a lip-liner all over your lips before applying the lipstick. It will make it last longer and keep it intact. Another way to prevent smudging lipstick is to apply a little bit of foundation underneath the outer corner of the lips. This also makes your lips appear fuller and more radiant. One last way to do it is by applying a pigmented lipstick, blot it with a tissue, and then apply another layer.

o avoid staining your teeth with lipstick, put your index finger into your mouth so that your upper and lower lips are totally wrapped around it, then get it out suddenly. Very strange I know, but trust me on this. I have always had red teeth! :) If you do not wish to stick your finger into your mouth; use the back of a foundation, powder or a blush brush (these are thicker than the eye and lip brushes) instead.

•PREVENT THE EYESHADOW PANDA MESS As a makeup artist, I prefer to work on the eyes before applying foundation; just to prevent any fall outs under the eyes and on the cheek bones. If you prefer to set up your face makeup first, and you mess it up with eyeshadow fallouts; all you have to do is dab a big powder brush into translucent loose powder, dust it off and lightly brush off the eyeshadow excess. If you still have eyeshadow remains sticking on your skin, use a foundation brush or a wet wipe on the outside corner of your eye to swipe it in an upward motion. It will clean up the edge and remove any unwanted dust. Also it will give a great finish to your eye makeup, and makes it look lifted.

• VANISH LARGE PORES

We have been falsely promised by numerous brands to have smaller pores, but none actually works. And those who work minimally are actually wallet burners. In order to get the expected results, all you really need is a pressed powder and a powder puff. Pick up little product, press it only on the area with large pores, and roll. It will not give you a natural finish, but it will give you a guaranteed pore-less effect. Just repeat the process till you get your desired result.

A great natural method that won’t give you instant effect but actually works, and is a life savior, is to run a piece of ice all over your face after using your facial cleanser. Another product that I actually cannot live without, and it does minimize the appearance of the pores is the makeup primer.

Another technique is temporarily filling in the pores with foundation. Don’t brush foundation on your pored area with a flat foundation brush, but instead, buff the foundation on that pored area using a buffing brush. Buff it in a circular motion in a clockwise motion, and then go counter clock wise.

IT Talents: French Icon

Christophe Gaillet The French Hairdressing Giant!

Q. Tell us about yourself and your journey in the fashion field. I started my career at the age of 25. Nina Ricci was the first fashion house I worked with. Then I worked for Balenciaga, Loris Azzaro, Thierry Mugler, Balmain and Paco Rabanne. I really enjoyed working with Mr. Rabanne, he was very attentive to each hairstyle I created for his models. And he used to do pre-show hairdo trials to approve them himself. I always like this kind of attention given to coiffure by fashion creators.

Q. When did you discover your passion for hairstyling? I discovered that passion at a very young age. I started doing internships during my summer vacation when I was no older than a 15-year-old, then I decided to leave school and pursue my career.

Q. What about your experience as an Ambassador for ‘L’oreal Paris’? I have a lot of memories and incredible experiences with L’oreal. Today, fashion is so fast and we must be ahead of trends to retain only the best. So this partnership with L’oreal has been very beneficial in many ways. I got to learn about new trends and hairstyles, and they helped me travel the world and meet worldwide stylists who share my passion. L’oreal is a house very near to hairdressers; listening to their needs and expectations. They see ambassadors as messengers who spread trends and dreams all around the globe.

his IT hairstylist from Paris is well-known for his creativity, simplicity and brilliance! With huge names like Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Vanessa Paradis in his portfolio, his creations are truly impeccable, one-of-a-kind works of art!

Q. A woman’s hair is her crown, what are the IT steps to keep this crown shining? There are several tips for maintaining a shining hair. Vigorous daily brushing, using a suitable conditioner, and rinsing with cold water are especially effective. But the IT tip for keeping it shining is adding a few drops of serum to your shampoo bottle.

Q. In your opinion, what are the IT hair trends that never go out of date? Louise Brooks’ “bob” is the IT style passing down through the generations. It’s always very easy to reinvent! Also Lisse and dégradé hairdos are never out of fashion. And for sure, there’s the “Podium” that is forever trendy.

Q. What’s the weirdest thing that ever inspired you?

I had a few strange inspirations back when I worked at the salon. A lady once asked me to make her hair the same color as her shoes. Another wanted the same texture of her jumper. But the most spectacular creations were the ones I did at Dubai; incredible bridal hairdos, high volumes and splendid jewelry pieces.. It was one unique experience.

Q. Did you ever watch a competitor’s design and shouted “THAT’S A STATEMENT PIECE”? Yes, of course.. This was when I attended a tribute to Mr. Alexander de Paris at the Louvre, Mr. Jean Luc Minetti, who is an extraordinary hair dresser, had a model that looked like Maria Callas when she was performing ‘La Norma’. Her hair was impeccable.

Q. In your opinion, what are the IT style rules every fashionista should follow? There are many styles to follow but the most important feature is ALLURE. A natural simple chignon that’s well bound and a sense of natural chic will work wonders with all women.

Q. What’s the funniest/ most unique style you’ve ever created? I had lots of requests of unusual hairstyles. Mostly they are for special occasions such as Halloween, birthdays or weddings. I remember this one client who wanted a hairstyle of the Eiffel Tower! The result was absolutely incredible.

Q. In your opinion, which fashion item has the power to transform the look? Any accessory has the ability to transform the look; be It a belt, piece of jewelry or even a bag. For hair, bangs and color placements are the best accessory.

Q. What was the most annoying or sarcastic comment you got from a hater? Criticism is always unpleasant to hear, but I try to stay up for it. Any criticism has to be mainly constructive. Otherwise I tend not to give it so much attention.

Q. What’s the top style you especially created for a celebrity? I have plenty! I did several extraordinary styles for Lady Gaga who likes to go beyond the normal. I worked also with Rihanna who is more of ethnic chic, and there’s Vanessa Paradis who is widely recognized for her very Parisian flair.

Q. In your opinion which celebrity has the IT hair and why? I adore Gwyneth Paltrow ! Her hair is always picture perfect!

Q. What are the IT looks for the winter season?

Long and edgy carré, honey colors, and a hairdo so natural; et voila you’re on with the modern glamour.

Out and About

• Words I live by… “Fashions fade, style is eternal.” Yves St. Laurent • Women will be prettier if… They adapted natural sophistication. • Men should understand that… Women are the future. • Things I can’t live without… Music, sun, love and passion. • If the devil didn’t wear Prada, she would wear… A pair of high-heel Louboutin shoes. • My IT inspiration is... All Hitchcock’s heroines, especially Grace Kelly.

2015Hottest Trends

Look Magnificent

From Summer back to Winter

By Aya Abdulrahman

SPOILERS ALERT: This article is our gift to you fashionistas, since we are taking the S/S 2015 trends to winter…. Yes ladies, we are one step ahead!

1) Pin-Strips:

Guess who is back from the 20’s ....yes pin-strips! So easily styled and you’re gonna look effortlessly chic. Go with any cut or shape, it really doesn’t matter much when you are playing with pin-strips.

3)Grunge:

Rising from the 90’s… The grunge is back! So yes, it is time to feel really cozy in your outfits. The trick about perfecting this look is to mix with plaids, leather and combat boots; and just look easy.

PS: With grunge you can either opt for the look or the outfit!

2) Camel Coats:

As we all know, coats are a winter essential. But what have been storming the trendy streets lately are camel coats, simply because you can take this color from day-to-night.

4) Blanket Coats:

It is official ladies, after Burberry closed his S/S 2015 collection with the blanket coats, the streets can’t get enough of this trend! From London to Milan and hopefully to Cairo.

FYI ... our moms have been wearing this “shal” for ages, and just now it became trendy under the name ‘Blanket Coat’.

6) Gingham:

Again a rise from the 90’s, this print found its way back to the runways and straight to your closet.

5) Layering:

Look Magnificent

Take it back to the queen of layering; Carrie Bradshaw (Daaa) and of course one of my ALL TIME favs, “Confessions of a Shopaholic “. Never thought about it? C’mon it is New York’s current IT look. Trust me with this one…you will feel warm and look trendy.

7) Winter whites:

Forget about no whites after Labor Day, now you can wear white all year long. Just play with the shades of white, and VOILA you are good to go.

IT Talents: Fashion Princess

Nada Akram Designs Original Vintage! By Haya Arafa

Q. Tell us the story behind Nada Akram Designs & how did it pop in your mind? I’ve always had a thing for fashion, but when I watched Coco Chanel movie, I knew fashion designing is totally my thing. I launched my first collection in July 2011. I made one piece of each design and waited for feedback; actually it wasn’t very good as I was still a beginner.

Q. What was the first piece you ever designed?

The first piece I ever designed was my school prom dress. My first t-shirt was the Audrey Hepburn t-shirt. It’s still a bestselling till this moment.

Q. You dress some of Egypt’s top celebrities, tell us more about that. I am more than lucky to have my designs worn by famous celebrities like Dorra, Yasmine Rayes, Kindah Aloush, Boshra and Engy Wegdan.

Q. How do you merge between making stylish, yet comfortable casual clothes at the same time? It started with my passion to make exciting clothes for everyday outings. My motive was vintage funky. Seriously, who doesn’t love practical clothes! It’s very boring to shop the same brand all the time.

Q. From where did you come with the idea of using pictures of style icons – such as So’ad Hosny- on your designs? I adore our culture. I love everything vintage. And I wish I could have lived in the 50’s.

Q. Have you ever watched a competitor’s design and shouted “THAT’S A STATEMENT PIECE”? Yes! I love Sara el Emary designs. She’s one of the first Abaya Designers in Egypt. Her designs are sleek and flawless. I also love Yasmine Yeya’s wedding dresses. She is extraordinary.

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ith over 35,000 fans on her facebook page, she’s now one of the leading, local designers in the market. Nada decided to go the comfy way with her practical, causal and extremely stylish outfits. She definitely knows how to satisfy young fashionistas with her Egyptian identity.

Q. In your opinion, what is the IT style rule every fashionista should follow? You can never go wrong with a statement t-shirt.

Q. Don’t you think that you took a risky challenge by creating designs that have an Egyptian identity; especially that we’re living in a world judged by signs and brands? On the contrary! I love challenges and I am Egyptian and proud. I wish to spread my designs around the world with their identity.

Q. What’s the IT factor behind Nada Akram designs? Vintage Nostalgia will always be my inspiration.

Q. What’s unique about the fashionista who chooses your designs? I am not always with labeling, specially such “fashionista” word. Yet, any girl who loves to be different, and wants to turn heads and make people wonder where her outfit is from, is my girl.

Q. Do any of your relatives wear your designs?

Yes, my cousin and “aunt”; and I am so happy about that!

Q. What’s the funniest/ most unique piece you’ve ever created? It will always be the bar2o’a (plum) t-shirt, it’s my favorite.

Q. What’s the weirdest thing that ever inspired you? … Streets! I am always inspired by Cairo’s old streets.

Q. In your opinion, which fashion item has the power to transform the look? I would say confidence first, then shoes. I am addicted to shoes and I wish I can start my own shoe line.

Q. Being a designer, you’re obligated to judge anyone by what they wear, how far did that curse go with you? Honestly, I am 100 % against that. I even created a quote on my Instagram account with that opinion. I never judge people that way! As long as one is confident and comfortable with him/ herself, no one has the right to judge.

Q. If you have to change one thing in the way Egyptians dress, what would it be?

Q. What was the most annoying or sarcastic comment you got from a hater? Honestly, I don’t remember any annoying comments. That makes me happy as it is a proof that I am on the right track.

Q. What is it about wedding dresses that tingles every designer’s ego to end their shows with at least one? And will we watch a signature Nada Akram wedding dress soon? I honestly don’t know why it’s a trend! Perhaps, it’s because a wedding dress is a representation of a happy ending. And yes maybe one day I will do it. I always love to try new things.

Out and About • Women will be prettier if… They stopped being fake and just became themselves. • Men should understand that… We no longer dress to impress them. • My fiancé should wear… Not that I have one but, definitely, a well-picked pair of shoes. • My handbag essentials… My phone, wallet, to-do-list notebook and makeup bag. • My IT inspiration… Will always be Coco Chanel. She started designing hats in a small apartment, and later she became one of the world’s biggest fashion designers. • If the devil didn’t wear Prada, she would wear… Louboutin’s. • Words I live by… You are born an original, don’t live as a copy.

The “carina” tops.

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Homme Fashion Cheat Sheets By Aya Abdulrahman

or you guys, the moment you hear the word FASHION your ears automatically shut down. You think it is a “ladies thing”. Honestly, you aren’t fooling anyone! We all know that secretly deep inside, you care as much as we do. You just won’t admit it!

Let me put it that way, you will happily follow these trends just to prove you can do it better. On your own. Just like a football game that you ought to win! So without further ado, let me introduce you to the most important rule of the fashion club… TRENDS COME AND GO, ATTITUDE STAYS. And by attitude I mean, be Italian! How?? Keep it simple, keep it cool, and just stay true.

Now comes the easy part! Just follow the following steps, and you are sure to be THE PROM KING!

1) Beards :

Yes, no more daily shaving for you! Let me tell you a secret, there is no woman on earth who doesn’t like beards! Just keep it moderate.

2) Grunge :

Not familiar with the term, it doesn’t matter. Just follow the trend! And that’s how you do it!

3) Cropped pants:

For this season, it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t about you cropping your pants or even denim. It is about finding the perfect pair of pants that fit perfectly for a formal as well as a sports look.

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4) Playing with suits:

The trick is, wear a suit and then add something; or take something off. Be creative.

5) Minimal:

It is really easy! Wear a basic color (white/ black or grey), and just keep it simple and structured by wearing different shades of the same color.

IT Talents: Trendsetter

Zaam Designs A Loving Affair to Remember By Haya Arafa

Q. Tell us the story behind Zaam Designs and the peacock in the logo. The brand’s name was originated from Azzam. I wanted to have a brand name with my identity. Also I was looking for a logo that is feminine, elegant and isn’t taken by any other brand; so I chose the peacock. Fashion has been my passion since my first college year. It’s where I want to spend my entire life. It didn’t take me much time to find out that I should specialize in bags and clutches. So after I finished my studies, I started my career life and launched my first line in June 2012.

Q. Besides Bags, what was the first piece you ever designed? Back in college, I designed necklaces, earrings and bracelets, but it didn’t last for so long because I had to concentrate on my studies.

Q. In your opinion, when will women stop running after SIGNS and choose DESIGNS instead? They’ve already started! Since I started the customized sections, I have been getting a lot of calls from women who are willing to pay anything just to get a unique bag with their name on it.

Q. What’s the weirdest thing that ever inspired you?

The Disco ball! In my last collection, I created a bag that was made out of tiny pieces of glass; exactly the same as a disco ball.

Q. Brilliant idea that you added a line of laptop bags to your collection, what’s your next step?

Every year I try to introduce a new line to my brand. After my first anniversary, I introduced the men line, then traveling bags; and in my last collection I added laptop bags for men. Last June, I introduced leather accessories; including belts, headbands and wallets.

Q. Does your mom wear your bags?

(He smiles) Of course! Since I started Zaam, my mother and sister never wear anything except Zaam.

hmed Azzam is an Egyptian designer specialized in handbags and clutches. His innovative designs, original patterns, quality materials and attention to details made him stand alone as THE designer to look after.

Q. What’s the IT piece you especially customized for a celebrity? Mona Zaki’s bag. People ask me to do more of that design with their names on.

Q. Which piece do you consider the IT piece of your new collection? Q. What’s unique about the fashionista who chooses your designs?

My new line for this year is really special for me because it’s a collaboration with a big entity; Crystal Asfour. However, my IT bag of the last collection is that round clutch with the vintage pattern.

When I design a new line; first, I search for a new idea and then I come up with a theme for the line. I try to make very unique pieces that no one would find in any ordinary shop… That’s why any Zaam woman is standing out clearly in the crowd.

Q. What are the obstacles you’ve faced in Egypt while establishing your business? One of the biggest issues I face in Egypt is finding bag accessories and metals, because there are no factories that are specialized in such stuff. Also another challenge is in the production; Egyptian labors have no sense of commitment or respect for timelines. It’s very difficult to find a committed workshop with a high quality performance .

Q. In your opinion, fashion in Egypt will be better if!

Fashion in Egypt is booming. Now there are a lot of fashion designers and blogs under the spot. People are more into wearing local designers. Media is giving more attention to the local designers. You’ll find all the sectors covered even turban designs. Before, there were very few fashion events, but now they’re spreading all over the city. And sponsors who are not in the fashion business are willing to pay. :)

Q. When will you have your own showroom/shop?

It’s not in plan yet. I’m seeking exposure now. My next destination will be Dubai, and then Europe.

Q. Have you ever watched a competitor’s design and shouted “THAT’S A STATEMENT PIECE”? Yeah.. Actually having competitors is very healthy. And I have a couple of them on top of my mind; Marsouma designs and Okhtein. They both create superb designs.

Q. What was the most annoying or sarcastic comment you got from a hater? I don’t think I’ve got one yet; however if it happened, I think I’d pay attention to it. Maybe this person has my best interest at heart.

Q. Who’s the young Egyptian designer that you think his/her designs are unique? Nada Akram! She’s the one who invented the pop art and celebrity vintage style in her designs. And Menna Tarek in jewelry designing. She has a very unique taste.

Q. What’s the funniest/ most unique piece you’ve ever created? I’d say it’s the “pyramid” Bag. Looking exactly like a pyramid, it’s four-sided with front and back made of snake leather, and other sides made of glittery leather.

Out and About • Words I live by… Old is always gold. • Women will be prettier if … They wear what fit their bodies and stopped going with the flow. • Men should understand that… She’s not wearing anything for you. • Things I barely go out without… My watch! It’s not mine actually and it’s not working but it belongs to my best friend who moved to Seaton. Second is my cell phone; because I run my business through WhatsApp and Instagram. And of course my sketch book; because whenever I get inspired I must draw immediately. • If the devil didn’t wear Prada, she would wear Haha...Zaam! • My IT inspiration / character is… Coco Chanel and Ramy El Kordy.

Look Magnificent

Thriving Fashion Icons By Kholoud Algarhy

ashion is not only, as everybody thinks, a pretty girl wearing a pretty outfit with some matching shoes and accessories. There is the designer, the model, the photographer, the stylist, the editor and maybe more. Here are some of the thriving fashion icons that we could never forget…

Gisele Bundchen - Supermodel By the time she was 26, Gisele became the world’s highest paid supermodel. As one of the most beautiful women all around the world, she has been the cover girl of almost all big fashion magazines and walked the runways of some of the biggest designers ever, like Roberto Cavalli and Versace.

Vera Wang – Designer

Vera’s first design was her wedding gown and then BOOM the magic began!! Almost all famous celebrities’ wedding dresses are signed by Vera’s creativity. Vera didn’t just stick to the elite, she also made a line called Simply Vera at Kohl’s, and she has a fragrance line and a lingerie line…It’s all good with Vera.

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Sarah Jessica Parker – Actress As Sarah or Carrie Bradshaw on ‘Sex and the City’, she has always been catching viewers’ attention with the beauty of her style. The fashion icon never skips a beat. She’s always in head-to-toe perfection, starting from the dress and the shoes to the accessories, hair and makeup. Every little detail is catchy with SJP. She’s repetitively seen front-seated in some of the biggest fashion shows. Maybe that’s where she gets inspired!

Christian Louboutin – Shoe Designer

He is the red sole inventor, known to use everything in his shoe creations, from fur to googly eyes and pockets. He became the creator of the to-die-for shoes all around the world. Every girl wants to own a pair. You’ll never find a Louboutin-free red carpet. Mr Louboutin once said “A shoe has so much more to offer than just to walk”.

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Lady Gaga – Singer

When you think about fashion and uniqueness, the name is Lady Gaga. She has always had her own DIFFERENT style from everyone. Even when some people think she’s weird, she never stops gaining their full attention. And that is what fashion is all about darlings!

Victoria Beckham – Singer/Designer

She didn’t just stop at being a part of a successful band or the wife of David Beckham; the sexiest football player ever. VB is now one of the biggest, most-wanted fashion brands in the world. Lots of celebs, names like Eva Longoria and Katy Holmes, shone in VB more than once. Let’s just say she’s BIG.

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Anna Wintour – Editor

She has been the Editor in Chief of the American Vogue since 1988. I think there is nothing more to say!! Going up the fashion ladder since she was a little girl, she is now an influence to all fashion lovers all around the world.

Mario Testino – Photographer

His career started when he was chosen by Lady Diana for her photo shoot in Vanity Fair Magazine, and since then he became the royal family’s official photographer. Testino shot for some of the biggest magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair, and he captured some huge celebrities like Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Britney Spears and Rihanna. His portfolio also includes campaigns for Michael Kors, Versace, Valentino, Burberry, Gucci and more. According to Wikipedia, his persistence in shooting Gisele Bundchen is widely credited for elevating her into supermodel status.

Coco Chanel – Designer

Born poor with a passion for fashion, Chanel first opened a hat shop in 1910. She was the first one to design women’s clothing out of jersey which was a cheap fabric used then in making men underwear. In 1923, she launched Chanel no. 5. And she is the icon behind the quilted bags, the chain straps and the tweed blazer and skirt.

Tom Ford – Designer

Most Egyptians think that Tom Ford is just the designer of the black men tuxedos seen on celebrities such as Brad Pitt. But what you may not know is that Ford was Gucci’s Creative Director in 1994. He is one of the main reasons why the fashion house is what it is today. He launched his Tom Ford brand in 2004 which includes male and female lines… And now there is no red carpet without Tom Ford.

Mag Décor

Some people think that paying a fortune is necessary to have a beautiful house! Others use their imagination to create an inspiring home interior. Know what! 50’s, 60’s and 70’s are back again! Vintage style is, without doubt, the IT for this year and many to come. Here’s how to go vintage and create a dazzling affair mixed with glamour and retro charm.

What is vintage?

Before I studied interior design, I thought everything old is vintage. But no, that’s not the case. It’s more about nostalgic/ sentimental pieces that have their memories and throw back to an elegant era in history. Vintage interior design started during the 1940’s glamour by the end of the World War II. People learned the “mix-and-match, do-and-mend ” technique and this resulted in a lot of furniture pieces that were reused as vintage décor.

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So how to galore your house with a vintage touch?

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Take a good look around your house and don’t forget to check your grandmother’s basement for any goodies “karakeeb.” Trust me you’ll find wonders. Sometimes vintage is about collecting old stuff. Reflect your personality and don’t envisage the vintage look as a one thing. Those who have great vintage interiors create it with passion. Give your home a themed style. Some create their homes around a certain era, others around a hobby. It can all start with some teacups from your grandmother’s basement. Choose one main vintage feature, either old wood or new paint. You can choose to redesign your old furniture and turn it all new, or leave it with its old look. Give the furniture a polished edge by rubbing wax over the corners and edges before painting. You can also rub a little sand paper or rough sponge over the waxed area; this will give you a slightly worn feeling. You should understand that vintage isn’t a perfect, strict finished style but mixes and matches of many. Sometimes it’s the messy look that brings the style. Corner cabinets are always a good choice, better with a front glass window display to showcase your antiques. Floral patterns are so vintage! Use them in your table covers, paintings or simply add roses to your centerpiece vase. They will add life to the place. Keep the floors and ceilings plain wood but play with the textures.

, r Friendserfection, a e D y M ve in p ge. don’t belie

“

It makes me cross when I hear people say, ‘It’s so last season.’ I always say, ‘It’s vintage. Erin O’Connor

“

ta If you you go v in d n e m m o g then I rec ing lookin th y r e v e t bou ng a It’s not a out creati b a ’s it , intage brand new d using v n a ; e c a ir. p warm s dd that fla a u o y lp e h res pieces will antique sto , s le a s e g s! Go to gara reat piece g e s o th d fin is and you’ll good piece e n o r e b m n a fully And reme unique tha e r o m s e e. sometim Less is mor . m o o r d e stuff

Mag Décor

TOP Dos and Don’ts By Amy Farid

BY AMY FARID

hether you’re a newlywed, a diva, or just redecorating; it’s imperative to make your personality stand out through your living space. Attaining your ideal interiors isn’t waving some magic wand and then voila your house turns into one of those on TV shows. Being humans, there’s definitely room for mistakes. The major problem, to spill it already, is that many of us start the decorating route without mapping out an approach. But that stops here! Read on to see the most common decorating dos and don’ts for this year’s IT home Décor!

Do:

Move Furniture Away From the Walls

It won’t be smart to push all your furniture against the wall. On the contrary; float furniture away from the walls. It creates a more intimate and cozy sitting room. Your living space isn’t a diversion of Tetris. Shoving everything against the room’s edges only creates uncomfortable or misused space between people.

The Sparkly Don’t: Skip Stuff You don’t have to be too fancy about it, but adding shinny and sparkly items help bounce light around the room and offer a distinctive glamour. Vases, shiny flecks, chandeliers, mirrors, glass, or even porcelain figurines add a visual significance.

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for standout Interiors.

Do:

Avoid Buying The Entire Matching Set

Just because a store showcases a sofa, loveseat, chair, and a table as a set doesn’t mean you have to buy every piece. Yes, it’s ok to leave something behind, mix and match things up. Don’t be a cliché. Break through the borders of the expected and create your own manifestation of a home.

White Décor If You Don’t: Use Have Kids or Pets If you have pets or children, white rugs and upholstery are just not an option. It sure adds a certain elegant flare to the house, but you’ll never expect the amount of safety regulations from detergents to mops to keep them clean.

Do:

Measure Your Space And Decorate Accordingly

Always measure your room & don’t short change your space. Every piece of furniture looks great in the store but chances are your rooms aren’t showroom size. For smaller rooms, ignore your instinct to use a series of diminutive pieces; fewer large-scale pieces will make it seem less busy. On a similar note, placing a mirror opposite to a window not only provides an outside view from all angles, it can also make a room feel larger.

Too Choppy With Don’t: Get The Paints Many people get off on the wrong foot by choosing paint as their first decorating guide, and end up with a whole rainbow of paint, even though it is much harder to find upholstery or accessories that are the perfect color. Don’t feel like you have to paint every room a different color. It is rather distracting and creates visual tension. Instead, to preserve a cohesive sense, choose no more than three colors to ensure a soothing flow from room to room.

Do:

Cover a Wall With Plates

This is an inexpensive yet very elegant way to decorate a wall, especially for dining rooms. It’s like one big piece of art. It also gives a consistent vision; because it turns a simple thing into one that catches everybody’s attention. In addition to creating a focal point, you’ll probably also catch their appetite. So, here’s to that!

Satisfied With a Don’t: Be Single Lighting Switch People really underestimate what a vital role lighting plays. Limiting yourself to a single lighting or a couple of table lamps is definitely not very encouraging. It’s rather important to have a wider range of lighting options than an interrogationlike, single on/off switch. Think end-table lamps and floor lamps, or even buying plugs with dimmer switches. It allows more freedom and mood choice into the place.

Do:

Accessorize

Signature recipes from IT chefs

ith the help of our selection of cuisine stars, we brought you the secret recipes for some mouthwatering, one of kind plates… So get ready for some finger licking.

Chef Vikram Ghorpade Chef Patron at Indira, Holiday Inn Cairo Citystars

Murgh Makhani (Indian Cuisine) Ingredients

Chef Tarek Mohy

Head Chef of Hilton Luxor Resort and Spa

Pan Fried Red Sea Shrimp Ingredients

300 grams jumbo shrimps HOTO 360 grams grey mullet fillet 360 grams barramundi fillet 0.1 gram saffron 250 grams fresh cream 150 grams onions 2 grams garlic 25 grams leak 25 grams celery 3 grams salt 1gram pepper 200 ml chicken stock 250 ml fish stock 15grams cherry tomatoes 250 grams fereek 25 grams corn oil 2grams black pepper 2 grams dill 35 grams lemon 200 grams milk 5 grams lavender

Method

• Wash Feerek and drain. Cook Feerek like risotto. • Sauté garlic and onions in butter to translucent, add the Feerek and cook with stock. When almost cooked, season and finish with cream. Hold in a bain-marie. • Sauté garlic in butter with onions, celery and leeks. • Add the stock and reduce. Flavor with saffron, lavender and finish with cream. • Adjust seasoning. Hold warm. • Wash all vegetables with sanitizer. Blanch and sauté in butter, season. • Clean and prepare fish & shrimps. Season with dill, salt & pepper. Pan fry with corn oil till just cooked. Hold in warm oven. • Assemble dish with Feerek, seafood, sauce and vegetables. Garnish with dill and lavender foam. Serve piping hot at 75 C.

250 grams chicken tikka 150 grams tomatoes 15 grams ginger garlic paste 20 grams cashew nut 10 grams fresh cream 10 grams butter 10 grams garam masala powder 10 grams salt 10 grams kasuri methi spices

Preparation:

• Puree the tomatoes and add ginger and garlic paste. • Add the chicken tikka (half cooked), sauté for 5 min. • Add the remaining spices, butter and cream. • Cook over a medium heat till the chicken is cooked. • Finish with masala powder and Kasuri methi spices. • Garnish it with fresh cream and cashew nut.

Mag Cuisine

Chef Dirk Mecke

Executive Chef at Conrad Cairo

Assia Othman

Cookbook Author, Food Stylist and TV Celebrity Chef

Red Sea Shrimps tartar & Avocado Ingredients

500g of fresh Red Sea shrimps, cooked & peeled 2 avocados, diced 4 pieces of eatable flower

Cocktail Salsa

4 table spoons of mayonnaise 4 table spoons of crème fraiche 3 table spoons of ketchup 1 table spoon of chili and chopped garlic (quantity as per your like) 1 table spoon of good quality cognac Some chives, chopped Salt and pepper

Method

• Start with the sauce by mixing all the ingredients above together. Pour the sauce into 4 small shot glasses and leave the rest in the bowl. • Chop the shrimp quite chunky, but leave a handful aside for decoration. • Put the chopped shrimps in the bowl with the sauce and add some chopped chives. • Dice the avocado, and add some salt and pepper. Leave aside. • Place a small rectangular cutter on the plate and fill half of it with the avocado, then the other half with the shrimp and Cocktail salsa mix. • Lift off the cutter, and decorate with some shrimp and chives. Serve with the little shot glass of Cocktail salsa that the guests can drizzle over their tartar!

Seven Spices Um Ali Ingredients

6 plain croissants 1 teaspoon seven spices mixture 2 eggs 4 cups milk ½ cup sugar 1 tablespoon butter

Method

• Cut the croissants into parts. • Beat the eggs with sugar. • In a saucepan, mix the milk with the seven spices and bring to boil. • Cut the croissant sandwiches into parts and place in a deep oven dish. • Add a ladle from the spiced milk to the eggs mixture and beat. • Pour the egg mixture in the rest of spiced milk, and then pour on the top of croissants. • Bake in pre-heated oven (200C) for 25 minutes or until golden brown. • Garnish with toasted nuts before serving.

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Sara Abel Salam

Food Stylist, Consultant and TV Chef

Dalia Shabana

Food Stylist and Cooking Expert

Basboosa (Egyptian Semolina Cake) Ingredients

Cake Batter

1½ cup Semolina flour ½ cup finely grated coconut ¾ cup sugar ¾ cup margarine 160 gm yogurt 1 egg 1 tsp vinegar ½ tsp vanilla extract A pinch of salt

Syrup

1 cup sugar 1 cup water 1 cinnamon stick ½ tsp vanilla extract A squeeze of lemon juice The peels of 1 orange (optional)

Method Syrup

• Combine water and sugar in a deep sauce pan and cook on medium heat adding the cinnamon stick and the orange peels. • Allow the syrup to boil for 5 minutes and then remove from heat. • Add vanilla and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Baking

• Prepare your baking dish by greasing it with margarine very well or you can spray it with a non-stick spray. Set aside. • To prepare the cake batter, simply mix all ingredients together in a bowl and combine very well. • Spread the batter in your baking dish and make sure the cake isn’t thick. Basboosa is a very shallow cake it shouldn’t be as thick as a normal cake. (You can add some nuts on the top). • Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees until golden in color. • Once the cake is done baking remove from the oven and immediately pour over the hot syrup. (Both cake and syrup must be hot. • Allow the cake to rest and soak all the syrup in and then serve with Crème fraîche.

Smoked Sardine Salad Ingredients

1 cup sliced arugula 1 cup sliced lettuce 1 cup boiled chickpeas 10 cherry tomatoes 1 canned smoked Sardines

The Marinade

4 tsps Lemon juice 1 tsps Balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper 2 tsps extra virgin olive oil

Method:

• In a large bowl put the arugula, lettuce, chickpeas and cherry tomato and mix well. • Serve the mixture on the serving plate, then with a fork place the smoked sardines on top. • Mix the marinade ingredients in a jar and shake well. • Pour the marinade on the salad and enjoy.

Mag Cuisine

Chef Marco Alban

Executive Chef for Four Season’s Nile Plaza

Minute Cured and Barbequed Salmon Ingredients

4 portions of 60 grams fresh salmon fillet from the center side, skin off Zest of half lemon 220 grams blueberry A small bunch of fresh tarragon Baby mesclun salad White onion Red onion, small, sliced in small thick rings Pink radish Sprouts Hazelnut oil

Pickles

25 grams salt 50 grams sugar ½ Bay leaves 2 grams pepper corn crushed

Scallion Pure

100 grams scallion 40 grams butter 100 grams cream (or 40 grams double cream) Star Anise

Method Blueberry Caulis

• Puree 100 grams of blueberry, pass through a sieve and place in a small sauce pan with a spoon of water, a spoon of balsamic vinegar and few drops of lemon juice. • Bring to a boil then allow it to cool.

Blueberry Vinaigrette

• Puree 100 grams of blueberry, pass through a sieve and mix with vinegar and 4 spoons of chicken juice and eventually few drops of water. • Season to taste, add some freshly chopped tarragon and keep at room temperature.

Pickles

• Bring 1 liter of water, salt, sugar and aromatics to a boiling point and simmer for 5 minutes. • Bath the thin slices of radish and the red onion rings into the warm marinade for 2 minutes, then remove and allow cooling. • Once the marinade is cold, the pickles could be conserved into the marinade for several days.

Pink Radish Crystalline

Finely slice the radish with a mandolin, bath them into the cold syrup and with a help of a small tongue place them on a silk pat sheet, covering with a second silk pat and allow to dry. • Once dry, remove from the silk pat and keep in a closed box until usage.

Scallion Pure

• Peel the scallions and slice them finely. • Blanch the scallions in boiling water during a couple of minutes, then refresh under cold water. • Place the onions in a small sauce pan, cover with water and a piece of star anise and simmer gently until the liquid is completely reduced. • Remove the star anise; liquidize using a small blender or an immersion mixer. • Add the rest of the butter and the cream and cook again until the required consistence. • Season with salt to taste.

Final Step

• Marinate the salmon with coarse sea salt and lemon zest for 15 minutes, then wash and dry it with a towel. • Barbeque the salmon on the grill over very high fire leaving the center juicy. • Remove from the grill, break the salmon with a spoon and plate it over the scallion pure accompanied by the coulis and in harmony with the salad leaves tossed with the vinaigrette and drizzle with the hazelnut oil. • Garnish with eatable flowers and garden sprouts. Finish with some fresh slices of pink radish and some crystalline.

IT Talents: Kitchen Magician

Assia Othman A Savor of Goodness By Reham Mekky

Q. Tell us about yourself and your journey with cooking and food styling. I am a 30-year-old Moroccan, married to an Egyptian, and a mother of two children. I started my career in the business field but, like many women, I turned into a housewife after marriage. It was very difficult for me to stay at home doing nothing. But my homestay made me realize that I am so into arts. So I decided to take classes in the field of furniture design. By pure coincidence, I was introduced to a group of ladies on Facebook who later became my best friends and support team. They added me to a cook group called ‘What shall we eat today?’ and this is where it all began. I started by sharing recipes and very humble photos; and being the only Moroccan in the group, I introduced them to some Moroccan recipes and this turned out to be one of my main attractions.

Q. What triggered you to start in the cooking field?

I was not satisfied with the quality of my photos. So I started searching online for websites that introduced me to a whole new world about cooking. This made me realize there’s much more to cooking than just ingredients and recipes. I took online courses; this is where I started learning about the world of food styling and photography. And being in the UAE was a huge plus for me because it helped me interact with diverse cuisines and cultures around. I was hesitant at the beginning to take this to a more serious step; yet my husband, mother-in-law and friends encouraged me and saluted me with every upgrade. The learning process was also financially costly, but yet my hubby always there for me I started out in magazines, then I created my own blog and Facebook group. Later, I transformed this portfolio into my own cookbook, using

ssia Othman is a well-known name among female Facebookers. She is getting so much attention from housewives who are looking for creative, delicious recipes. Alongside, she managed to gain a lot of respect and love by them because of her constant interaction and humble responses. Her accumulated experience over the years qualified her to publish 3 cookbooks all written, photographed and styled by her. And now she has 2 TV shows targeting different segments. She is a housewife who decided to turn big in a domain she loves and this lead her to become a huge inspiration to a lot of women seeking to excel out there. Through this heart-to-heart interview, Assia will tell us how it all happened and what she still wishes to come…

my own recipes and photographs. My first book was dedicated to my mother and grandmother who taught me everything. The book was a huge success and was considered the first Middle-Eastern Moroccan cookbook. I became a consultant and food stylist for many magazines, in addition to having my own show ‘Sett El Beit’. I also launched my online magazine ‘Beram & Tajine’ with my sister and dear partner, which turned out to be a huge success as well.

Q. Cooking and Food Styling is becoming a trend nowadays, how do you create an edge for yourself? I think most of those in the field imitate and do not get the real idea behind food styling. It is quite important to see a lot of photos, get inspired by them, and then create your own vision. Photos are created by the feelings you get from the recipes and ingredients. This is what creates a unique image, and this is what I believe to be my edge.

Q. What was your fans’ feedback about your books and shows? When I first started, I received a lot of negative and sarcastic feedback. Yet, this never put me down. On the contrary, it forced me to work harder. I remember an editor, in one of the first magazines I worked for, who asked me to look for a professional photographer because my photos were not good enough. This was a turning point that taught me to be innovative. Now I have a fan base from different targets with diverse needs. I try my best to serve them all, and I usually get positive feedback from the ladies, mentioning that they appreciate my simplicity and ease of explanation. I am always willing to hear a few negative comments that positively help me develop my work.

Q. What was the most annoying or sarcastic comment you got from a hater? I don’t have haters. But sometimes people refuse the twist in some of my recipes and the comments are like: What is that?? What is the taste? Is it really nice? Otherwise, till now, I didn’t get any sarcastic comment, thank God.

Q. What’s the weirdest thing that ever inspired you?

Bollywood films! I am the kind of person who likes to watch Indian movies to bring new spirit, ideas, colors and twist to my work. I don’t exactly know the relation between them all, but whenever I need to renovate my work, I watch 2 or 3 Bollywood movies, and I’m sure to get a new twist after :)

Q. Who are your role models in the business and what makes them stand out? Martha Stewart. Especially that I use both styling and cooking in my work. This requires a lot of DIY and, sometimes, extreme measures such as dying appliances and containers myself. I generally like to watch a lot of people like Jenny Morris and Reza Muhammed. I also love the simplicity of Choumicha who is a Moroccan chef.

Q. What is the IT factor behind Assia Othman’s recipes? I blend Western recipes with Eastern recipes and try to create something unique. I also create Gourmet dishes out of traditional and Oriental recipes.

Q. What is the IT quality that every chef must have? Simplicity and lack of arrogance. Q. What was the most unique recipe you have ever created? Spices and Dates Um Ali.

Out and About • Men should understand… They are our big support for success. • People I can’t live without… My husband and children. • Things I can’t live without… My camera and props. • My IT inspiration is… Manuela, the owner of ‘Passion for Baking’. • Words I live by… It is a French quote: Je reviendrai vainqueur, ou ne reviendrai pas. (I shall return a victor or not at all)

Q. In your opinion what ingredient has the power to transform the recipe? Loving what you do reflects on your recipe.

A Macho Thing

Macho “Repeated”

Lines De-coded By Aya Abdulrahman

You know those times, late at night, when you are in bed desperate for a good sleep; but your mind simply refuses to give you such comfort. All what you can think of is: “What on earth was I thinking?”.. “Why did I do that?” .. “Am I that bad?” As a guy -being macho and stuff, most of the time, you act without knowing why and speak not minding the words! I guess that’s why they say “men are children”. But in fact, it’s just that you’ve never really got in touch with your feelings. Simple? Yes. Easy? NO! What if there was a manual for it? Men are always good with manuals! I mean… follow the steps: 1, 2, 3. When this happens, do that! Piece of cake, right? Guess what!! There is a manual to get in touch with your inner feelings. Yes. And you are reading it right now! Well easy pal, I am gonna get into the point right away, I know there is a derby you need to catch! 1)“I think she is my soul mate, 2) “I am not going that extra mile” but I love my girlfriend too. I • News flash: Boy, oh boy! You might be suffering from this syndrome called “broken heart”. guess I’m in love with both!” • The Problem: You have unresolved issues from your past experience that left you in a combo of anger, pain and trust issues.

• News flash: There is no such thing as • The FIX: Time heals all. But with time, you gotta do some self-improvement. Open up to

(I love two at the same time). The thing is, every time you feel like a girl is your soul-mate, it simply means she is a MINDTEASER. You love the talks, you love the discussions, and you really have fun together. • The Problem: You took Shallow Hal’s road, and you got distracted by the double Ds rather than the real person. • The FIX: Dude! Since you chose your girlfriend only for the looks, now you know how personality is really important. Even if you feel like you love her; you are big enough to know that love is not everything, and also double Ds. You really need someone in your life whom you can depend on. Try to find common things between you and your girlfriend. Do new activities together. Get to know each other’s friends. Share hobbies. This will help you get to know the person better. If you didn’t like what you see, then maybe it is time to go.

people. Try to re-gain the trust. You have learned a lot from your past experience, so don’t forget that. But also don’t forget to let the love in. It’s your road to glee. Guaranteed!!

3) “It is not like I am cheating” • News flash: Just saying that, the odds are it is cheating. • The Problem: People cheat for so many reasons. Maybe because there is something missing or you have been in the relation for so long. Or maybe it’s the simple old reason, YOU ARE A PLAYER!

• The Fix: Get honest with yourself. Know the reason why you are cheating. Imagine yourself being cheated on and try to understand how much it hurts. And most importantly, man-up and fix it.

4) “I feel trapped!” • News flash: You’re not ready YET! • The Problem: You have been together for a long time, and you must take the next step. • The Fix: If you don’t feel like meeting the parents…DON’T. If you don’t feel like getting

married… DON’T. No!! You are not being unfair! If you are not happy, you can’t make her happy; that is what’s unfair. Talk to her; tell her you aren’t ready yet. I know.. girls tend to get the feeling that they are doing something wrong in such situations, and end up putting more pressure on you; which leaves you feeling even more trapped!! So for future talk plans, just say the WHY, WHAT and WHEN; and she will understand. This is a decision of two; work it out as a team.

5) “I am not a one woman guy” • News flash: If you say that like you mean it… GO SEE A SHRINK! If you say that and understand it is a problem you need to fix, respect for that, but please GO SEE A SHRINK.

• The Problem: You walk around like the alpha male or prom king, all baffled by the movie-

created illusion of “Commitment Issues”. MAN!! Grow up. This is the real world. All your talks about “commitment issues” are just because you don’t want to get hurt. • The FIX: Choose right. Let go a lil’. Open up a lil’. And stay true! Even if you end up getting hurt, you will learn a lot about yourself. It is a WIN-WIN situation.

A Macho Thing

Machos Rule… Females Gruel Cheesy misconceptions feeding the male mind!!

By Sarah Osman

ince the moment we are born, our Egyptian culture keeps on feeding us with traditions and habits that can be useful & effective sometimes, but poisonous and destructive most of the time. It keeps on shaping our young innocent minds till they become completely mature, by dealing with people and above all facing life. The outcome is crystallizing the concept of masculine pride and female pressure and oppression. The fact is; in this male-dominated society, you can do whatever you want even if it’s wrong, and nothing will affect your reputation. Unfortunately, if you are a woman, then welcome to the world of never-ending stress and pressure my dear! Society gives males full credit for all their actions, and puts strict and tough restrictions on females. We are now living the times where masculinity dominates, and feminism follows.

Below are some of the masculine misconceptions we are living by… • Man, if you want to judge a woman, judge her physical appearance. • Be the leading half in your relationship. You control the conversation, your partner, and you have full control over the relationship. • You have to marry a sexy lady. People should envy you on how attractive she looks! • Men never cry. Don’t ever show your tears to anyone. • You are a man, you know everything. Don’t ask for directions. If you are lost, keep searching & searching until you are totally lost in an isolated desert, then it’s time to ask now!! • Don’t give your partner the full credit of supporting you and backing you up the whole time. She will make you regret it! Better take the credit yourself. • Don’t show your romantic side to your partner; instead act tough and emotionless. • Being strong is not just by muscles, but also by loud voice, disrespect and ignorance sometimes. • Insist that you are always the good angel and your partner is the horrible devil. • Women are created to please men, to pamper them, cuddle them and come over all their mistakes. They’re supposed to protect the relationship and do all efforts to make their men feel like living in paradise. • A man is a one-task-based person; and that’s why he finishes everything perfectly. Multi-tasking is just distraction ladies, not a super task. So don’t be so proud! • If you are a husband and have children; then they are the responsibility of your wife. She’s the one responsible to bring them up in a perfect way. It’s OK, if from time to time you supervise and evaluate her performance to make sure she’s the right person for that job! • Don’t forget to criticize every simple action she does, and show her how she’s destroying the relationship by being a pain in the neck the whole time.

A Macho thing

Simple, humble advices from a lady: • Dear Macho; your masculinity won’t ever be underestimated, if you show some care for your partner! Go all mad and crazy for one day and spend a following cozy, nice family day with your kids! • Yes, women are multi-taskers. But that should only make you proud, supportive and grateful for her efforts. Motivate her more. Don’t break her down. • Women are talkative. They like to express their emotions. And they are never shy or ashamed of doing so, when it comes to love. • A woman may overlook her partner’s mistakes, but by her own will. And it’s because she decided to be tolerant and give him more chances, not because she’s weak or dominated by him. • When a woman gives up on a man; she never forgets to teach him a lesson of a lifetime. • A smart woman can raise her man’s ego, by choosing to make him lead with a slow-motion speed.

Dear Machos, you don’t need a step-by-step guide to deal with females. You only have to be considerate and well-prepared to face a feminine life. It’s not a hard equation; after all, each of you was created to complete the other. You have your physical power, she has the emotional intelligence. With both forces you are able to change the whole universe to a better place. So forget your ego, and be part of this equation.

Happily Ever After

Is He The ONE?! By Hagar Mohamed

ar from all the behavioral observations and far from trying to read through guys’ minds, I believe that sometimes you need to trust your instincts. I believe if something feels right, it would go right; and if it feels wrong from the beginning, you simply have to trust that voice inside your head and just call it off.

So, to make sure you are ending up with THE ONE, here are some questions to ask yourself, and while you answer those questions, let your intuition be your guide!

1.Does he share your values? If you are raised on the same values, everything else is manageable. All you need is to have the same core values, because it’s that kind of thing that will always cause major conflicts; and is hardly changeable. 2.Are you proud of him? If you are not proud of whom he is, if you are not excited about introducing him to your family and friends, and if you don’t feel lucky walking by his side; then he is definitely not your ONE. 3.Are you certain about him? If you keep on making comparisons, or spotting advantages that he lacks in other guys you come across; then I assure you he is not your guy! 4.Would you leave everything behind for him? In life, you might come across big changing decisions; such as leaving your job and becoming a stay-at-home mom, changing your career path to something more fitting with your personal responsibilities, or relocating with your husband to a whole other continent. Make sure he’s the man you would leave everything for, if you had to. 5.Does commitment feels like a heavy word? Commitment is a big deal. Some people take it more lightly than others, but there’s no question that it is truly the IT factor in any relationship. And it does require some work and effort. Go for the guy who lets things go smooth without sweating for it. Working on a relationship shouldn’t feel like a struggle, it should feel natural and effortless.

6.Does he know how to treat you? Life is full of ups and downs, and we all need a partner who can handle our downs as well as he enjoys our ups. If he knows how to get you out of your bad moods, and have the tolerance to accept your emotional tantrums; then you got your hands on the right ONE! 7.Does he make you a better person? We all have a dark side, and we all come across people who can extremely bring it out. Find a guy who brings out the best in you. Go for that special one who makes you shine! 8.Do you enjoy the little things together? The little things do in fact make all the difference. Everyone is going to enjoy a honeymoon in The Maldives or a Euro trip, but not everyone is going to enjoy a calm movie night or a not-so-perfect homemade pizza with their partner! 9.Does he push you forward? Only a guy who is fully secure about himself will push you forward. A guy who loves you will want you to succeed and shine. If he is insecure about himself, he will drag you down. 10. Does he open up and share? Guys don’t generally share much, and it’s not in their nature to talk things over and discuss details. If a guy opens up to you, keeps you involved in his life and share the big decisions with you, then you have certainly found the ONE!

And ladies, always remember; if you want him to be the one for you, you have to be the one for him as well! As you know, it takes two to tango!

Happily Ever After

uestions to ask!

BY MARWA HASSAN

ove. This magical feeling that makes the dark days sunnier. With it, you feel you can conquer it all. But, in reality, being in love is not enough to decide if someone is the one you should stick with, for the rest of your life.

If you asked people with failed marriages, they would point out two major mistakes: 1. They thought love was the most important element to a successful relationship. 2. They ignored warning signs or didn’t get the time to know their loved one.

This is why it’s really important to give ourselves the time to view with an observing eye the one we care about, to avoid any future hassle. Life is worth exerting some more effort! So let’s disregard that prince charming notion, and get more practical. It’s happiness and peace of mind we’re seeking out of a lifetime partner, not just momentary happiness.

And in order to acquire this, here are some signs that show that you have found THE ONE … 1- He trusts you He treats you with respect, like an equal human being. He’s not controlling, because he knows that he chose the right woman (Someone responsible for her own choices). He would respect your space and privacy. He would respect your decisions and insights. But at the same time, he would look out for you, because at the end of the day he would always feel the urge to protect you. Warning Signs: • If he happens to tell you what to do and how to do it. Hello! You’re not marrying a doll! • If you caught him deliberately invading your privacy. • If he repeatedly embarrasses you in public. 2- He accepts you as you are You’re completely comfortable being yourself around him. You don’t have to hide your feelings or thoughts. You’re even comfortable being silent around him. He would never trade you for any other woman or take you for granted. He chose you and loved you exactly the way you are now. And of course, as in every relationship, there should be tons of changes and compromises, but he subtly pushes you to be a better person without making you feel you need to change for him Warning Signs • You lie because you’re afraid of his reaction. • He asks you to look like someone else and/or makes remarks about other women that make you get jealous. 3- He takes your life seriously It’s not that common in the Arab world to see someone who would gladly push his wife to achieve what she wants in life. However, the ONE would never be fixated only on his dreams, ignoring yours! He would listen to stories about your life. He would embrace your desires and passions. He would push you forward to achieve them,

even if they seem silly to him. He believes that your contentment as a couple begins with your own happiness, and that’s why he nourishes you encouraging you to grow and make compromises. Warning Signs • He forced a life choice on you, something you didn’t even see yourself doing. • You feel suffocated, like it’s making you miserable in time. Make sure it’s what you really want; we don’t want you resenting this life in a couple of years. 4- Your sunny days out-number your cloudy ones Your relationship means life. Not just good times. Not just something fleeting or temporary. Of course, life has its ups and downs, but there has to be a balance somehow. He should be the one you come to. He should be the one who eases your pain, not make yours heavier. Warning Signs • He is a constant source of your bad moods or makes your life miserable. • You have a feeling that life without him is so much better. 5- He makes you feel like a queen Even if you’re not Ms. Universe or the most intelligent one on earth, for him YOU ARE! No other woman matters. And he knows how to deliver that to you every single day. He is constantly proudly and highly speaking about you. There are no more games. There are no question marks. You don’t need to prove anything. He leaves you so content and sure about what you mean to him and where you are in your relationship. Warning Signs • He doesn’t introduce you and/or doesn’t speak a word about you to his friends or family. • You feel unsure about your relationship in general.

And when you you get all those must-haves checked, then … Congratulations, you’ve found THE ONE!

Happily Ever After

Is She The ONE?! By Ahmed Mattar

ave you ever felt like you have found the one? The one nearest to perfection, the key to happiness and the solution to all problems. With her, life with all its troubles feels bright like the sunshine and colored like the rainbow. She makes you feel like you’ve been struck by a lightning. Yes, guys are such hopeless romantics :) So, here’s my take on what makes a certain girl some guy’s dream princess!!

5.She holds you when you fall As strong as a man can be, he might collapse at some point. The true ONE will come to your rescue, taking your arm and trying to hold you up. She will encourage you, help you regain your self-confidence and tell you that you are strong enough to come back and regain what you lost. She loves you when you stand up and she won’t leave you crawl or feel weak inside. 6.She likes to share your hobbies She spends quality time with you and shares your interests. Be it action movies, football matches or even video games, she’s in for it with you. Even if it’s not her cup of tea, she does it because she really loves you. 1.She’s everything She doesn’t need to score in your list. Having her in your life is the best thing that has ever happened to you. You don’t really care what others think about her. For you, she’s perfect just the way she is. If she’s not everything to you, someone else will fill the void. If she’s not the mother, sister, friend and lover; you will find yourself torn between many others looking for someone to give you what you’re missing. 2.You are the hero Every man wants to feel like the champion. He likes to feel that his woman is giving him control over her life. A strong woman can do anything on her own (that’s okay), but she would make her man know she needs him in her life, no matter how strong she is. 3.She knows when to talk and when to listen She understands the look in your eyes and your silence. Most men get nervous easily and they don’t like to be blamed or wronged on the spot. All they need is someone to listen tight and understand what they are saying without interruption. 4.I’m a package take it or leave it Each one has his own advantages and disadvantages; the ONE wouldn’t try to change you to fit her. She accepts you the way you are with all your goods and bads.

7.She’s around but never stuck Men don’t like being alone. Most of the time they need to feel that there’s someone around thinking of them, preparing surprises for them, waiting for their calls, and missing them; yet give them the space to fly and comeback right on time. 8.She gets close to your special ones If she is truly IT, she won’t take you away from your world. Quite the opposite, she would love to get closer to your loved ones. This brings a feeling, which is a source of comfort and stability to all men, that nothing will change. 9.You are proud to introduce her to others You won’t be happy with someone who doesn’t fit in your life. You won’t be comfortable, if she doesn’t know how to talk or act with people around. She doesn’t have to be an executive officer, rocket scientist or a diva; she just needs to be presentable and to make you feel proud to have her as your girl. 10.There’s undeniable chemistry & attraction Women are men’s greatest distraction in life! Blonde or redhead, tall or short, sporty or slim; men can’t resist the urge :) But if you’re with the ONE, all the ladies will be no distraction to you. It’s her, and only her, who attracts your eyes and heart.

Mall of Arabia Tel: 02 011 2848 7777 â&#x20AC;˘ City Stars Tel: +202 480 2240 â&#x20AC;˘ virginmegastore.ae | facebook.com/virginmena | twitter.com/virginmena

Happily Ever After

The Magic Formula to THE HAPPY SIDE OF LOVE By Hagar Mohamed

I 72

’ve always been wondering, do some people really get what it takes to make a relationship successful while others don’t? Or are they just lucky to meet the perfect partner! I’ve read some books on that topic, yet continued to fail miserably in having a good relationship. So I decided to figure out my own formula to a successful relationship, the IT elements to make it to the happy side of love! And this is what I realized….

Happily Ever After

Figure yourself out

You need to know what you want, and the best way to know that is by discovering first what you don’t want in life! It’s not easy to define everything we need in life, but at least we should be able to tell what we can’t tolerate or accept! The process of elimination is very enlightening, and really helps during tricky moments such as deciding to go on a first date or not.

Be who you are

Don’t reshape your personality, life style or opinions to fit with someone you like. Stay true to yourself, be sincere, nothing is better than being loved for who you really are!

The ONE does not have to be your soul mate There’s no background music in real life!

Yes, real life is nothing like movies. Those dreamy, super-romantic, heart-melting moments in movies do not reflect how your magical moment would be like. Your own magical moment could happen at a not-so-romantic place. You most probably won’t be dressed for the occasion! Yes, your special moment could happen while you are in that baggy jeans and plain tank top, but that doesn’t mean it will feel any less special! Don’t wait for the background music to kick-in and set the mood, embrace the moment and let the magic happen.

Appreciation is everything

If you don’t appreciate one another, if you don’t appreciate what you do for each other; it’s never going to work. Period.

You might fall in love with someone who doesn’t share the exact same interests. Someone who looks at matters differently. He might not feel like The ONE. You might need to put some effort into building a common ground. But that doesn’t mean your feelings aren’t real. You are not together to echo or mirror each other. You are together to complete one another. Be the Yin and Yang. Fill each other’s gaps. And just share the care.

Beatles got it wrong; love is NOT all you need! It takes more than just feelings to build a relationship. Besides love, you definitely need lots of patience, flexibility, understanding, kindness and consideration.

Be FRIENDS, not just lovers

Love is a form of friendship that doesn’t come twice in life. Friendship is truly the base of love.

Acknowledge the gender differences

You have to understand and accept that there are too many differences between men and women when it comes to needs, desires, and behaviors. Your guy is not busy minded with his new car because he doesn’t care about you. He also doesn’t love his work more than he loves you. And I assure you he doesn’t find the players in the football match more desirable than you! This is simply how their brains work! This is who they are! Accept the differences. It’s not about you. It’s simply about men being MEN!

Set your EXPECTATIONS right!

Expectations are everything. They are truly the IT factor in any relationship. Your expectations can either make it or break it. If you set your expectations too high to an unrealistic limit, nothing is ever going to be good enough for you. Not even the most amazing guy. Or the best matching partner. And if you set them too low, you are going to settle for less than you deserve. Find a way to create a balance between what you dream of and what is realistic. And the most important realization of all……

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Apple of z heart

Super Mum-Kid Duo

The IT gift of all times! By Sarah Osman

very relationship has a beginning and an end. But what if yours doesn’t have both?! What if you find yourself deeply in love with someone you’ve never seen! Someone you don’t know yet who feels like the closest thing to your soul and heart! It starts with a little heartbeat, a small tiny hand knocking on your door, and a strange feeling that someone inside you can hear and feel you. Someone who feels so safe with you, who sees the world with your eyes and shares all your feelings. He might be crazy and cause you pain. You may hate being invaded by such tiny creature causing you psychological mood swings. But this little guest has decided to stay with you 9 whole months, before he conquers your world.

For some women being a “mum” is like moving to a whole new world filled with excessive worries. There starts the never-ending questions of “What if I could turn back time?”, “Am I the right person for such job?”, “How can I handle this big responsibility?” My say is “Just think positive and act confident”. Stop worrying too much, forget the physical pain, and list all the things that you will gain. Let me share with you my tips .for all mummies to enjoy the gift of motherhood.

1.Accept change. Not only accept it but enjoy it too. Sometimes change is hard to accept and accommodate to; but it’s important to treasure every moment passing by. No one has the magic wand to turn back time, yet we have the present that can shape our future.

Apple of z heart

2.Motherhood is a soft yet tough task. It’s a 24/7 job without any salary benefits, vacations or even excuses. Ladies, you are multitasked individuals; you can do it! 3.Give priority to yourself. Love yourself before anyone else. If you love your body shape, if you are in a good mood, and have some time to pamper yourself; you will know how to pamper your child and how to spread the love to all your family. 4.Enjoy watching your child grow. Enjoy every single stage; you would never need to turn back time then. 5.It’s ok to be an ambitious working mum. You don’t have to quit your job and stay home with your child. If you don’t want to work for that reason, then you are wrong. Motherhood is about the quality of time you spend with your children not the quantity. You just have to make the right balance. If you are an ambitious mum, you will teach your children how to have goals in their lives. You will be up to date with the outside changing world, and will teach them how to face it. 6.Invest in your child’s talent. Don’t underestimate your child’s skills and qualifications. Bring out the best of him/her. Teach your little one to be self-confident and able to make important life choices. 7.Be your child’s best friend. Don’t ever undervalue your friendship with your children. You have to listen to them all the time. You have to be their shoulder to lean on. Be always open-minded to all changes. 8.Remember it’s not only your child growing, it’s also you. You have to be a good role model for your little angel. Your child copies everything you do, whether it’s bad or good, so be the best parent you ought to be. 9.Engage your husband in bringing up the child. Children have to feel the warmth and toughness. It’s important to have this balance. It’s also necessary for parents to be on the same track together when bringing up a child. Don’t ever let your private disputes affect your child’s serenity. 10.Last tip for husbands: Be generous and romantic. It does matter, when from time to another you keep motivating your wife by expressing how a wonderful and amazing mum she is! Nice positive words have the magic ability to raise a woman’s spirit and aspiration to go on.

Nobody is perfect. Nobody will be perfect. If you want to be a supermom, then you need two super heroes; a super child and a super husband. And since you are daring to dream, ditch that idea and stop trying to be SUPER! Just be yourself, because believe me this is really what it takes to be an amazing mum!

Media Corner

Magnificent’s Picks.. Our Media Favorite Lists! With so many great movies, songs, books and performances presented to us every year, it was so hard for us to figure out the IT in each field. That’s why each of Magnificent’s team decided to share with you their favorite productions… So what are yours?!

Ghada Sakr

Songs: I’m a big fan of Adam Levine (Maroon 5) and his songs are always on my favorite list but if I’ve got to choose, my two favorites would be– Wipe Your Eyes & Won’t Go

Home Without You.

• Sara Bareilles: Gravity & I Choose You. • Bruno Mars: Just The Way You Are & When I was Your Man. • Adele: Set Fire To The Rain & Rolling In The Deep. • Olly Murs: I Don’t Love You Too & I’m Ok.

Movies:

performers • Ewan McGregor • Scarlett Johansson • Hugh Grant • Ryan Reynolds

books 1. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown 2. Why Men Love Bitches by Sherry Argov 3. Harry Potter Series by J.K.Rowling

TV.shows • So You Think You Can Dance (My all-time favorite) • Emily Owens, M.D • Glee • How I Met Your Mother • Scrubs

76 76

Media Corner

Hagar Mohamed

Songs

Movies

• The Adjustment Bureau: Matt Damon and Emily Blunt brilliantly showed us what it means to fight with all your soul to make your dream become your fate! • Into The Wild: A guy goes on a trip to explore himself, and he ends up giving the whole world the needed answers to so many questions. It was very inspiring! • Love Actually: This is my feel-good movie, the movie makers brought out a brilliantly deep film with so many simple characters and very simple storylines… A Must Watch! • Up: The most touching animation movie ever made! • The Shawshank Redemption: Brilliance!

• Air Supply: Making Love Out Of Nothing At All • Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit • Guns n’ Roses: November Rain • Sam Smith: I’m Not The Only One • Duke Dumont (feat. Jax Jones): I Got You • Mr. Probz: Waves

Screen Moments

books Pride & Prejudice (2005) “Your hand are cold” moment!

1. Harry Potter Series by J.K.Rowling 2. The Manny by Holly Peterson 3. Torab El Mas by Ahmed Mourad

performers

• Jennifer Lawrence & Bradly Cooper: Silver Linings Playbook (2012) • Tom Hanks: Road to Perdition (2002) • Tim Robbins: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Reham Mekky Movie

• Forest Gump

book

• ‘In the Eye of the Sun’ by Ahdaf Soueif

Singer • Warda

Quote:

“

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Maya Angelou

My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997) “The way you look tonight” moment!

Ahmed Mattar books

1. Living the 7 Habits 2. Learn to Use What You Already Know 3. Building The Brain Muscle 4. Anatomy Books

Movies

• Fast and Furious (series) • Rocky (series) • “Anastasia” my favorite cartoon of all time • All Disney old cartoons. • Wall E • Letters to Juliet • All Marvel and DCcomics’ movies 4. Batman Rises - when Bane conquered and unleashed the prisoners, I got the same feeling I got watching the news on 28/01/2011”. 5. King Kong - “it was beauty that killed the beast”, my tears were about to fall in that moment”

SCREEN MOMENTS 1. Wall E - the look on his face and her laughter. 2. Interview With The Vampire - when they burned his little girl in the sun and the vampire’s tears ran down on his face. I remember that I stayed unconscious for a few seconds staring at the screen. I felt like I was a part of this character being affected by a death of a beloved one. 3. Transformers “Revenge of The Fallen” - when Optimus prime died. I remember that I looked at my friends in the cinema and said, “He died! How we are going to watch the movie now?”

“

Ayat Sief Elnasr

Rania Ihab Movie

Movies

How to Steal a Million: Audrey Hepburn + Peter O’toole + William Wyler + John Williams + Romantic Comedy + Paris + Art and Forgeries = Absolute Perfection

• Legends of the Fall • The Black Swan • Fight Club • Elizabeth Town

book

• A Tale of Two Cities: Charles Dickens

• Love in Exile by Bahaa Taher • For One More Day by Mitch Albom

Auther

performers

• Oscar Wilde

1. Johnny Depp 2. Audrey Tutou

Songs: • Perfedia - Andrea Bocceli • Music to Watch Girls by - Andy Williams • P.S I Love You - The Beatles

Tv shows

1. Downton Abbey 2. Friends 3. Grey Anatomy

performers • Ingrid Bergman • Ava Gardner • Cary Grant • Yul Bryner

Amal Hegazy Movies

Sara Osman

• Brave Heart • Final Destination

book

• The Secret

Movies • My Best Friend’s Wedding • Asal Eswed

book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

performers 1.Mariah Carey 2.Angelina Jolie 3.George Clooney.

Screen Moment Habibi Daeman: Final scene

Song • How Deep is your Love?

performers

• • • •

Daniel Craig Mel Gibson Faten Hamama Julia Roberts

Marwa Hassan Movies • Before Sunrise • Fight Club • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind • Mr. Nobody

performers Pink Floyd

Tv show

• Hareem El Sultan

Tv show

Sex and the City

book The Great Gatsby

Mind Body and Soul

The Magnificent Seven Spiritual Laws of

A Life-Altering Guide by Deepak Chopra

Summarized By Haya Arafa

uccess is a journey, not a destination. Substantial abundance, in all its expressions, happens to be one of those things that make the journey more enjoyable. But success also includes good health, energy and enthusiasm for life, fulfilling relationships, exceptional freedom, emotional and psychological stability, a sense of well-being, and peace of mind.

Here’s how to apply ‘The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success’ by working on some daily powerful practices…

1-APPLYING THE LAW OF PURE POTENTIALITY

Put the ‘Law of Pure Potentiality’ into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps: • Take time to be silent. Sit alone in silent meditation twice a day for approximately thirty minutes (morning and evening). • Take time to commune with nature and to silently witness the intelligence within every living thing. Watch the sunset, listen to the sound of the ocean, or simply smell the scent of a flower. • Practice non-judgment. Begin your day with the statement, “Today, I shall judge nothing that occurs.” And throughout the day remind yourself to stick to your word.

2-APPLYING THE LAW OF GIVING

Put the ‘Law of Giving’ into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps: • Bring a gift, wherever you go and to whoever you contact. It could be a compliment, a flower, or a prayer. Give something to everyone you encounter; and begin the process of circulating joy, wealth and affluence in your life and the lives of others. • Gratefully receive the gifts life offers you. Appreciate the gifts of nature: sunlight, sound of singing birds, spring showers and winter snow. Be open to receiving from others, whether it is a material gift, money, compliment, or a prayer. • Commit to keep wealth circulating into your life by giving and receiving life’s most precious gifts: the gifts of caring, affection, appreciation, and love. Each time you meet someone, silently wish them happiness, joy, and laughter.

Mind Body and Soul

3-APPLYING THE LAW OF KARMA OR CAUSE AND EFFECT

Put the’ Law of Karma’ into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps: • Observe the choices you make in each moment. By that, you will bring those choices to your conscious awareness. Know that the best way to prepare for the future is to be fully conscious in the present. • Whenever you make a choice, ask yourself two questions: What are the consequences of that certain choice? Will it bring fulfillment and happiness to me and others who are affected by it? • Ask your heart for guidance and listen to your instincts. If it feels right, plunge ahead with abandon. If it feels wrong, pause and see the consequences of a certain action with your inner vision. This guidance will enable you to make correct choices for yourself and all around you

5-APPLYING THE LAW OF INTENTION AND DESIRE

Put the Law of ‘Intention and Desire’ into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps: • Make a list of all your desires. Carry this list with you wherever you go. View the list before practicing your daily silence and meditation routines, before you go to sleep, and when you wake up in the morning. • Release this list of your desires and surrender it to the womb of creation. Trust that even if things don’t seem to go your way, there is a reason, and that the cosmic plan must have designs for you much grander than those you have conceived. • Remind yourself to practice present-moment awareness in all your actions. Refuse to allow obstacles to consume and waste the quality of your attention in the present moment. Accept the present as it is, and manifest the future through your deepest, most cherished intentions and desires.

4-APPLYING THE LAW OF LEAST EFFORT

Put the ‘Law of Least Effort’ into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps: • Practice acceptance. Accept people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur. Know that this moment is just the way it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. Do not struggle against the whole universe by struggling against the moment. Your acceptance has to be total and complete. Accept things as they are this moment, not as you wish them to be. • Having accepted things as they are, take responsibility for your situation and for all events you view as problems. Taking responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything for your situation. Every problem is an opportunity in disguise, and this alertness to opportunities allows you to take this moment and transform it into a greater benefit. • Have your awareness established in defenselessness. Abandon the need to defend your point of view. Feel no need to convince or persuade others to accept your opinion. Remain open to all points of view and do not be rigidly attached to any of them.

6-APPLYING THE LAW OF DETACHMENT

Put the ‘Law of Detachment’ into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps: • Commit yourself to detachment. Allow yourself and those around you the freedom to be the way they are. Don’t rigidly impose your idea of how things should be. Do not force solutions on problems, thereby creating new problems. Participate in everything with detached involvement. • Consider uncertainty an essential ingredient of your experience. In your willingness to accept uncertainty, solutions will spontaneously emerge out of the problem; out of the confusion, disorder, and chaos. The more uncertain things seem to be, the more secure you will feel; because uncertainty is your path to freedom. Through the wisdom of uncertainty, you will find your security. • Step into the field of all possibilities and embrace the excitement of being open to infinity of choices. When you step into the field of all possibilities; you will experience all the fun, adventure, magic, and mystery of life.

7-APPLYING THE LAW OF DHARMA OR PURPOSE IN LIFE Put the ‘Law of Dharma’ into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:

• Lovingly nurture the god or goddess in embryo (beginning) that lies deep within your soul. Pay attention to the spirit within you that animates both your body and mind. Awaken yourself to this deep stillness within your heart. Carry the consciousness of timeless, eternal being in the midst of time-bound experience. • Make a list of your unique talents. When you express your unique talents and use them in the service of humanity, you lose track of time and create abundance in your life as well as in the lives of others. • Ask yourself daily, ‘How can I serve?’ The answer to this question will allow you to help and serve your fellow human beings with love.

Body, Mind and Soul

The

traits of the highly-successful people!

So You Think You Have an AttractiveByPersona! Amal Hejazi

Here she comes; a beautiful young lady, very attractive, very stylish with a sophisticated look that implies elegance and decency. She speaks and amazes us with her perfect looks and amazing personality! It’s not every day that you meet someone with the perfect looks and beautiful soul, because unfortunately appearance does not always go in symmetry with the heart. Have you ever wondered, what are the factors that attract us to a mysterious other?! What makes you say: “That’s it; that person has it all”? No one is free of flaws and quirks. But there are certain traits that attract the right people into one’s life, and these are the traits of highly successful people!

Body, Mind and Soul

(1) Integrity

The true definition of integrity comes from the Latin word integrates, which means “whole”. It combines all the traits that pour into a truly “good” person; being incorruptible, honest, straight and morally upright. People with integrity won’t lie and won’t go behind your back. They will keep their word and never cheat on you because they adhere to a code of ethics that may make them predictable, but safe to one’s heart and sanity. No unpleasant surprises come from someone with a high sense of integrity. If you happen to know someone with true integrity, you are a lucky one!

(2) Intelligence

I have met so many people with high IQ and very high educational degrees, and yet they lack common sense and social intelligence. Well, being able to solve a mathematical problem won’t make you a good partner or a perfect friend. If you can’t hold a conversation, or you’ve never heard about communication and social skills, how do you expect people to interact with you! Intelligence is not about education, it’s about right communication!

(3) Emotional Openness

If you have ever tried to be friends or have a relationship with someone who has the emotional depth of a rock, we know how you feel! No one wants to be with someone who is so closed off that they can’t show some “normal” feelings. How would someone who has never learnt to show sentiments relate to you? This someone usually lacks the depth in his emotional matters, and therefore lacks the depth in matters of others!I believe that being natural by heart is something very attractive in any personality. People sometimes tend to fake things out to make a first impression, but they don’t realize that by doing so they are losing not winning.

(4) Kindness

A person with kindness has everything! Those who possess kindness will usually keep your soul well taken care of and your best interests at heart. Their willingness to help others also translates into putting people’s needs ahead of theirs. They’ll always be there for you. You’ll find them whenever you need them, and their presence will always be of great significance and comfort to you.I believe that a kind person carries light, and that light tends to attract other “good” people too. People with kindness are the real treasure. If you have some, you have everything you need in a friend.

(5) Generosity

One of the worst characters to have in your life is a MISER. These people always complain about the costs of everything. They are afraid to lose money. They are selfish, self-centered and very much annoying, and they don’t know how to enjoy life. Who would love their company? On the other hand generosity has the power to attract people no matter how far they are. Generous people will welcome you with a smile, invite you to their houses, pay for dinner (or offer to do that most of the times!!), and are always grateful for what they have. What else one could ask for??

(6) Sense of Humor

This quality has a magical power, and I believe that this particular trait can make life much easier and smoother. We all know that life has its ups and downs. So we can’t take everything seriously, can we? People who possess this gift are very attractive, very much loved, and always have many friends. Who doesn’t want to be in a group where one can have fun and laugh his/her heart out?Look around and count your friends. Most of them, if not all of them, must have a sense of humor. Or what I would like to call the “the spirit” of every group

(7) Trust

There are different levels of trust. That’s for sure! But you have to avoid those who you can’t trust at all. It requires trust to succeed in life. Just think about it, anyone who will run away at the first sign of difficulty or opposition will not make a great “long-term” companion. A person who can’t stick with his own words and can’t be there for you; is someone you can’t trust. In either scenarios, it’s not going to be a winning situation for you.

(8) Sociability

A person who’s fun to listen to and fun to speak with is probably very attractive. A sociable person says a lot about himself during his speech. Just like an open book, you can read him very easily and quickly. Nothing is compared to being in company with someone who knows perfectly how to interact with you from the very first moment. Don’t you ever underestimate the power of those people; it’s really intense!! Looks are subjective. Different people find some looks more attractive than others. Same goes with personalities. Just let others fill in the blanks for themselves. They say:” It’s far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help.” No one is free of flaws and quirks. But there are certain traits that attract the right people into one’s life, and these are the traits of highly successful people.

Bottom line, if you can’t be the above things yourself, you probably won’t attract them in others. We will always invite those who challenge us, and help us grow and overcome certain issues; but we will still attract those who are just like us. The key to finding your own happiness is to be the things that you look for in another person.

IT Sports

Body, Mind and Soul

at Your Service By Ahmed Mattar

Under that topic we are talking about the most attracting sports of these days.

Crossfit:

It’s considered one of the toughest sports, if not the top of them! It depends on cardio and fitness workout and it doesn’t require any barbells, dumbbells, kettle bells and weight balls. Crossfit programs are used around the world in workouts of military and martial arts; as they provide individuals with high intensity, cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy.

Street Workout/ Calisthenics:

It’s one of the most famous sports; and it’s considered the new form of gymnastics as it depends on body-weight workout to build a strong, well-formed body. It doesn’t form big muscles like that of body builders, but it defines strong muscles with high endurance. Away from dumbbells, barbells and gym machines, you can see people all around the world doing their workout routines at the beaches and specialized street gyms with wide areas.

Body, Mind and Soul

MMA (Mix Martial Arts):

It’s a full-contact combat sport which is considered to be the most brutal fighting style ever. It’s a combination of different fighting styles like Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (submission style). MMA is mainly played in a steel cage with rounds and durations, and the winner is the one who beats his opponent by knockout, submission or points. On a professional scale, MMA fighters are classified into nine weight classes from Flyweight (up to 25 lb / 56.7 kg) to heavyweight (up to 265 lb / 120.2 kg), in addition to super heavyweight which has no upper weight limit. In Egypt, MMA spread rapidly after the success of the character ‘Yuri Boyka’ in the well-known movie ‘Undisputed ‘ with Yuri’s famous quote, ‘I’m the most complete fighter in the world’. MMA fighters have to master high fighting techniques to help them think well before taking any move and to predict the moves of the opponent (his high stamina, power and endurance).

Body Building:

Still one of the most attracting sports of all time. Hitting the gym, lifting weights, making a bulk of muscles, fixing one’s nutrition and workout program according to the body type and size needed; what could be better?!! Gym buddies are the best. Protein shakes are made in different flavors to meet their different tastes. Their happy time is their hours in the gym and their saddest hours are rest days. It’s quite fun to see them obsessing over their perfect bodies in the mirror; while others literally dream about their big arms, tight abs, high chests and wide backs. If you wanna have that; go to the gym, join the beats and hear the roar.

Car Drifting:

One of the most amazing sports that attracts all car lovers. All you need is a good-tuned car, well-paved street and high level of driving talent to be able to control the car especially when it’s on high speed. You have to swing the car from side to side with high control in order not to crash; and the higher the speed goes, the harder the control is!

Sky Diving:

How would it feel to jump of a plane thousands of feet above sea level? Sky Diving is surely an adventure of different taste that you can’t do every day. It’s a new way of fun as you watch everything turn so little while diving with high speed between the clouds. It’s the shortest journey where you can enjoy the world all-around you very slowly till you reach the ground.

IT Talents: Sport Fellows

The art of

BIKING! By Haya Arafa

gypt Motorcycle School (EMS) isn’t just a regular school. It’s the perfect place to get to learn all about motorcycling and get to know bunch of awesome bikers along the way. The place is fully equipped, and beautifully decorated with motorcycle accessories. As for the team, there’s nothing to worry about, they won’t leave you until you’re a professional! The atmosphere and the spirit filling the place are just impeccable. A lot of people drop by just to say hi and drink some coffee! We interviewed Ahmed Omran, the founder of EMS, to get to know more about the school and the person behind it! Q. Tell us the story behind ‘EMS’.

I’ve always hated routine jobs and I wanted to do something I am passionate about. It all started with a little idea to improve the reputation of motorcycles in Egypt and let people drive in a better way, and most significantly drive safely.

Q. When did your passion for motorcycling begin?

I started riding motorcycles since I was 10 years old.

Q. Some call it adventure and some call it Life. Did Omran plan for this life or did it all happen spontaneously? It all happened spontaneously.

Q. Tell us more about the ‘Real Biker Dude’ program?

With this program, we help you plan everything; either if you just want to ride during the weekends or even are planning to travel the whole world on a motorcycle. We start with you from scratch and never let you go until you’re a professional rider. We introduce you to motorcycles, teach you riding tricks and skills, and make you one of the top Egyptian bikers.

Q. What are your safety precautions?

We offer our riders full protection gears (helmets, jackets, gloves, etc). We also make sure to teach each one on their own, and give them our experience and advices.

Q. What about your collaboration with BMW for the advanced ‘Road Safety Training’ program?

It was a one-day, eight-hour event for bike owners. BMW was the sponsor. We had 3 German instructors who provided up-tothe-minute information about road safety.

Q. What makes EMS IT in that industry?

It’s the only organized place that offers motorcycle training in Egypt.

Q. What’s the farthest place you’ve ever been to with your bike? South Sinai. I do this trip once a year.

Q. Why do bikers wear leather? Protection, warmth and windproof.

Q. In Egypt it’s so common to slip on asphalt and that’s not something you want to do in shorts, what gear one should invest in?

Q. On what basis do you choose the instructors at EMS?

It’s all based on their experience, and of course their passion for motorcycling.

Full body protection gear is a must: Helmet, back and chest support, gloves, motorcycle shoes and elbow and knee guards.

Q. I can see that scooters now are trending in Cairo due to the traffic jam, what’s your take on that new IT? It’s nice … but unless people learn how to ride it correctly and not to drive it in dangerous places such as the Ring Road for example, it’s not safe.

Q. What tips can you share with new riders? All riders have to understand that motorcycles are dangerous, and they have to respect them. They have to be aware of everything around them and don’t take risks. Wearing a protection gear is a must, even if riding in the neighborhood.

Q. What words that best explain the feeling of the riding experience? For me it’s always “liberating”!

Q. What’s your next step/ what do you long to achieve? I wish to establish a really big institution that is specialized in everything related to motorcycles.

Out and About • Words I live by... Ride till you die. • Food that always gives me power... Burger. • Things I barely go out without... Cigarettes, mobile & knife. • Bikers should understand that... Motorcycles are… Dangerous. You’re literally riding in a jungle! • My IT inspiration / character is... Gangs!

Career Coaching

Are You The Perfect Fit For

Your Dream Job

e live daily battles hunting for the “Dream Job”! But have you ever wondered if you are the perfect match for this job? Yes, we all thrive for the job that fits our needs, but do we fit in? Do we have the required qualities and experiences? If you are not sure you are the right candidate, here are 10 important points to consider....

2.You like the nuts and bolts of the job. 1.You are good at what you’re doing.

There’s no sense in fighting Mother Nature on the career front, if you ever hope to tap dance. And don’t try to fit in something that is simply not you because it sounds “cool”. You may try as many career paths as you possibly can, but once you find yourself good at something, stick to it. This is the chance of a lifetime and you ought to seize it!

Pick something where you don’t have to fake it to make it! One of the most important things about surviving any job is to actually like what you’ll be signed to do; not the social status, title or financial privileges! If that’s your situation, then you’ve already lost this round pal and it’s time for a fresher start.

3.The job takes you high.

For those doing what they are meant to do, the normal irritants of the job become a kind of “atmospheric dust” that creates the foundation for beautiful sunsets. Every career has its own dust; but you might be in the wrong one, if that’s all you can see. If you find yourself grousing, fussing and fomenting; give yourself a break. In your torrent of objections and cautions, you’ll never build a great career –and you might just keep others from achieving their dreams. No career is perfect, but the right one for you will be filled with many uplifting sunsets.

6.You like the people in your field.

Don’t waste your time dealing with emotional battles; it will distract you away from your career path. Grappling with the discomfort of interpersonal contretemps is never productive. It can take down a career faster than anything else. If you can handle snakes, you’ll be OK getting into the viper pit; but if not, pick another industry.

5.You’re in an industry that fits your personality type.

We all have psychometric preferences that tend to make us more or less similar to those in other industries. Make sure you know the dominant traits of your field of interest and join those who play your game.

4.You’re in the thick of things.

Life on the backseat or on the periphery of action rarely makes for a great career. Don’t get me wrong, there are lots of great supporting roles; but if you’re willing to leave a mark, it generally pays off to operate at the centre. Reach for what you aim to be, start small and achieve big!

7.You’ve found an inspiring mentor.

Having someone to look up to is key to finding a meaningful career. If you aim to grow big in your profession, find a mentor and follow his path to success. Be patient and don’t imitate. It helps you become the best version of yourself.

8.You look forward to Sundays.

Ok.. You don’t have to be a workaholic, but don’t let your week become a time of depression! Find your passion and follow it! At the end, the essence of finding a great career is to do what you really love. Only then you’ll be able to merge work, life, family and friends into a whole; with few bright-line boundaries.

9.You learn, grow, try and become.

As Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote, “Alas for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them.” Great careers test us, try us, and stretch us. We find out if we can hit the high notes, and we learn to recover from the low ones. Those who figure out how to have great careers, and not just great jobs, don’t die with their music in them.

10.You’re proud of what you do.

Don’t ever be ashamed of what you’re doing with your life. Life is not a competition. Finding the gold amid the dross of your present situation is the key to an important renewal. And it all starts by feeling proud of what you are doing.

Career Coaching

Trendiest Home Occupations By Reham Mekky

ife nowadays is becoming really stressful for lots of married women; and even those who are not married! So much to do and so little time at hand. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why a lot of women reverted to online jobs and freelancing, depending mainly on the online technology. Despite the fact that the jobs they choose to pursue are already widespread all over Egypt, this did not stop them from finding an edge to excel and build an audience. Through this article I will share with you the trendiest or most common freelance and online jobs spread among many ladies out there.

1. Online Stores:

Selling about anything, from clothes to household accessories. This is very widely-spread nowadays; as people find it easier to surf the internet, pick whatever they want, and have it delivered at the comfort of their own homes. At least it seems more appropriate than enduring traffic and shopping crowd. And to a lot others, it is an addiction. Women create online pages, and work on selling products that are labeled as major brands (or high copies, if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re targeting higher sales).

Career Coaching

2. Catering and Cake Art Work:

Cake Art is a widely spread market nowadays in Egypt that it has become the favorite talent of a large number of stay-at-home females. It became so trendy a few years ago, and gained a lot of attraction from online hunters. Rather than patisserie stores, they provide unique styles and home-like flavors. Such artists follow modern trends and designs. They create online groups, sites and pages where they post photographs of their work. They create a variety of product range such as cakes, cupcakes, tarts and savory food.

3. Jewelry and Accessories Design:

A few years ago this hobby developed and became all womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite occupation. Some choose to specialize in colors and designs. Some choose to specialize in personalized silver necklaces, bracelets and key chains; while others work with artificial or precious stones. And some chose to go out of the box and work with copper which has become very fashionable in the past couple of years.

4. Fashion Designing:

They found an empty niche that required specially-designed outfits for overweight and/ or veiled women. The whole gig started out by simple clothes, and then developed into a wide range of specially-designed items that change throughout the different seasons. To many of those working in this field, they focused on building an at-home audience base. And through displaying and selling their items, they were able to grow that many of them have their own stores nowadays; and some even dress famous celebrities.

5. Translation:

This job has become very common among the ladies. Many companies and websites are now relying on freelance translators to get the work done faster, and sometimes with more efficiency and less cost. It is an easy job for language graduates, and those who excel in specific languages and happen to gain the experience over the years. It is a comprehensive online job, since the task can easily be completed via emails. It is also not time-consuming in many cases, and that is why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attracting many ladies.

There are many other IT at home occupations, but those above are the most common and widelyspread. The core of online jobs is to find what you may excel at, learn to be unique, and not imitate others. And there are many ideas out there waiting to be hunted. Working from the comfort of your home may not be as easy as it seems, but at leastyour time is all yours and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the beauty of it!

Speak Your Mind

The Commandments ofaHealthy Friendship! By Marwa Hassan

ne fact we tend to take for granted is that, unlike families, friends are not for life. We grow up, we change mentalities, and sometimes we even pick unexpected and different paths. As sad as it sounds; but if we happened to grow apart, it’s totally normal! When life strikes hard we feel the need to surround ourselves with those who would give us the needed love and support, those who would motivate and back up our dreams. And as a way of paying it forward, we must urge ourselves to be that person too. So, in tribute to all my good friends who taught me how important it is to have them in my life, here are the 10 commandments of being a good friend…

1. Thou shalt be true:

There is no hidden truth when it comes to best friends. They will tell you everything -subtlywhen an outfit doesn’t fit you or when you are wrong about a certain judgment! You won’t like that harsh advice at the time; but contrary to anyone else, they’re gonna say it anyways. And likewise, they will deeply appreciate it whenever you are true to them!

2. Thou shalt not take thee for granted: Good friends would appreciate you. They would let you know how much you mean to them. Not only by words, but also in action. They would be really caring and would make you feel like you really matter. True friends would never take pride in apologizing, if they unintentionally hurt you for whatever reason; because they wouldn’t tolerate causing you pain. We give to our friends expecting reciprocity, and that’s why friendships should be built on give and take.

3. Thou shalt show up: True friends would be there for you. When life takes its toll on you; they would understand, they

would always give you the benefit of the doubt, and would never belittle your pain or feelings when you’re down. They would go the extra mile. Come up to you to give you a hug when you call for one, and be there to listen when you need to cry your heart out. At the same time, they would respect limitations of privacy and give you the space and time you need.

4. Thou shalt not steal thy thunder:

Good friends let you enjoy the attention when you get it. They may even take it up a notch, and conceal any bad occurrences so as not to ruin your moment. They’d also curb their excitement, if they have good news to let you enjoy your thunder.

5. Thou shalt get thy back: Good friends would know how to maintain your dignity and get you out of trouble. They would know how to keep you grounded, because they care about your wellbeing. You should be able to rely on your true friends, knowing for a fact that they’ll always be loyal to you, keep your secrets, and will always be there through thick and thin.

6. Thou shalt support:

Good friends would support your dreams. They would listen and try to understand where you’re coming from and what you wanna do in life. They’d motivate, encourage, and make you feel like you’re doing something good; when you most

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doubt it. When you’re swamped, they would help you slow down and take a breather. And when you succeed, they will be happy for you, and they will mean it!

7. Thou shalt be thoughtful: We gravitate towards people who are more like us. However, good friends should also respect and understand differences, if there are any; and try their best to build common grounds. A friend would know you inside out. They would know what you like and dislike. They would make you a priority and would never neglect you for another friend or even for a partner.

8. Thou shalt respect:

Good friends accept you, and never judge you for your life choices. They would never bully you to be someone you’re not, or treat you differently when you’re in turbulence. You should totally be able to be yourself around your friends. If you don’t like who you are when you’re around certain friends, or if they are bringing out the bad in you; then it’s a major red flag.

9. Thou shalt not cheat:

True friends would have nothing to do with their friend’s ex. They simply would act like he/ she never existed. If they must have them in their lives, they won’t speak about them, like them and definitely not date them.

10. Thou shalt make life less hard: It’s important to have a friend who makes you laugh. It’s the fastest remedy for everyday’s hassle. It’s not a secret that whom you choose to keep in your life is proportional to who you want to be, and that our friends have major impact on our personalities. Not to mention that this choice would influence both your happiness and sense of belonging.

I personally believe that one should keep an eye on their friends to re-evaluate them on a regular basis, and make sure they’re all on the same page. Check if your friends are affecting you positively or if they’re only bad influence. Then decide who should stay and who should not. I understand it’s easier said than done, but this life changing decision will cause a major uplift on the way you feel about life.

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By Rania Ihab Time passes by and memories fade away, but some incidents live forever… Here are some ever-existing historical moments that we will never forget. First Phone Call

Deeply motivated by his mother’s gradual hearing loss, Alexander Graham Bell’s earliest inventions and experiments focused on speech and sound. He sought to design an effective hearing aid for his mum. So he spent almost all his time working with sound and exerting all efforts to help eradicate deafness. He gave up his teaching positions to focus on his experiments! It was 1874 when Bell met Thomas A. Watson, and the two began a working relationship. Watson was working as Bell’s assistant at the time Bell created the telephone in 1876; and it was Watson who received the first phone call ever. While standing in separate rooms, Bell called Watson and spoke over the telephone wires, “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you.” Those words would be forever marked in history as the words spoken during the first telephone call ever made.

The First Automobile

The first stationary gasoline engine developed by Carl Benz was a one-cylinder, two-stroke unit that ran for the first time on New Year’s Eve 1879. Benz had so much commercial success with this engine that he was able to devote more time to his dream of creating a lightweight car powered by a gasoline engine, in which the chassis and engine formed a single unit. Using an improved version and without her husband’s knowledge, Benz’s wife Bertha and their two sons embarked on the first long-distance journey in automotive history in 1888. The route included a few detours and took them from Mannheim to Pforzheim, her place of birth. With this journey of 180 kilometers, Bertha Benz demonstrated the practicality of the motor vehicle to the entire world. Without her daring – and that of her sons, the subsequent growth of Benz & Cie to become the world’s largest automobile plant of its day would have been unthinkable.

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Niel Armstrong First Steps on The Moon

For thousands of years, man had looked to the heavens and dreamed of walking on the moon. As part of the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong became the very first to accomplish that dream; followed only minutes later by Buzz Aldrin. Their accomplishment placed the United States ahead of the Soviets in the Space Race and gave people around the world hope of future space exploration. At 4:17 p.m. on July 20, 1969, the landing module of Apollo 11 landed on the moon’s surface in the Sea of Tranquility with only seconds of fuel left. Neil Armstrong was the first person out of the lunar module. He climbed down a ladder and then became the first person to set foot on the moon at 10:56 p.m. Armstrong then stated the everlasting quote, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

The Opening of Disney Land

After one full year of rigorous construction demands and a total investment of $17 million, the gates of Disneyland opened for its first guests on Sunday July 17, 1955. A special ‘International Press Preview’ event was held, which was only open to invited guests. Six thousand invitations to the Grand Opening had been mailed to studio and construction workers, the press, and officials of company sponsors. The highly anticipated Opening Day festivities, including the dedication and a parade, were covered by ABC with a 90 minute live special; ‘Dateline Disneyland’. Next day, Disneyland Park opened to the public. People were already lining up outside the park’s gates. And the first person to buy a ticket was David MacPherson. He got admission ticket number two, as Roy O. Disney arranged to prepurchase ticket number one. Today, more than 55 years later, Disneyland has become a cultural phenomenon. Even though Walt Disney left us long time ago, his legacy still lives on in the magical world he created. Disneyland truly proved to be a source of joy and inspiration to all of us!

The First Film Ever Made

Shot on October 14, 1888 by French inventor Louis Le Prince, the ‘Roundhay Garden Scene’ is believed to be the first film ever made, or at least the oldest one in existence. The Film features Louis’ eldest son Adolphe Le Prince, Sarah Robinson Whitley, Joseph Whitley and Harriet Hartley walking around in the garden. Although controversy and debate persists, Louis Le Prince, rather than Thomas Edison or the Lumiere brothers, is widely considered to be the inventor of the motion picture camera, and the first person to record moving pictures on film. Louis Le Prince, born in August 1841, mysteriously vanished aboard a train bound for Paris in September 1890, and was never seen again. The nature and circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain contested to this day.

On The Gloomy Side •Sinking of the RMS Titanic

The gigantic Titanic was equipped with a Marconi wireless, and there had been sporadic reports of ice from other ships; but she was sailing on calm seas under a moonless, clear sky. Then a lookout saw the iceberg dead ahead coming out of a slight haze. He rang the warning bell, and the engines were quickly reversed. The ship was turned sharply. And instead of making direct impact, the berg seemed to graze along theCapitals side of the ship, sprinkling ice fragments on the forward deck. Sensing no collision, the lookouts were relieved. They had no idea that the iceberg’s jagged underwater spur had slashed a 300-foot gash well below the ship’s waterline, and that Titanic was doomed. By the time the captain toured the damaged area, five compartments were already filling with seawater, and the bow of the ship was alarmingly down. Ordering the lifeboats to be loaded, the ship’s most illustrious passengers each responded to the circumstances with conduct that has become an integral part of the Titanic legend. Titanic, nearly perpendicular and with many of her lights still aglow, finally dove beneath the icy surface with only 705 survivors.

•9/11 Attacks

These are considered the deadliest terrorist attacks on American soil in U.S. history. It was a series of airline hijackings and suicide attacks committed by 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group ‘al-Qaeda’ against targets in the United States, The attacks against New York City and Washington, D.C caused extensive death and destruction and triggered an enormous U.S. effort to combat terrorism. Some 2,750 people were killed in New York, 184 at the Pentagon, and 40 in Pennsylvania (where one of the hijacked planes crashed after the passengers attempted to retake the plane). All 19 terrorists died. Police and fire departments in New York were especially hard-hit as hundreds had rushed to the scene of the attacks, and more than 400 police officers and firefighters were killed.

•The Murder of Princess Diana

On August 31, 1997, a limousine carrying the divorced Princess of Wales, Diana and Dodi Al Fayed, the son of an Egyptian billionaire collided with a pillar in the Alma Tunnel in central Paris. Al Fayed and the driver, Henri Paul, were pronounced dead at the scene. Diana was taken by ambulance to Pitié-Salpétrière Hospital, where she died a few hours later of cardiac arrest. Mohamed Al-Fayed has persistently suggested what were found to be conspiracy theories at the inquest. He has repeatedly claimed that the Princess of Wales was murdered.

The Hidden Meanings of

By Rania Ihab

love reading my horoscope. Honestly, who doesn’t? Knowing your daily fortune maybe a little overrated, but don’t convince me that your inner self doesn’t tickle from time to time, and out of human curiosity, you simply obey and read. Horoscope symbols are the most important factor of the whole process for they show the bigger story. Zodiac symbols are like icons, they represent the essence of each sign. So what does your zodiac symbol mean?

Element:Fire Ruling Planet: Mars Symbol: The Ram Aires inhabit the feisty qualities of the ram; they are aggressive, adventurous and indefatigable. Aires are like children, they are always ready to start new and set off on adventures. The symbol interprets the eyebrows and nose of a human face; as Aires are thought to be headstrong individuals, who act before they think.

Element: Water Ruling Planet: The Moon Symbol: The Crab The Cancer symbol is two circles with tails. They either represent a woman’s breasts or the crab with its powerful claws. The breasts symbolize the key Cancerian concerns of motherhood and nourishment, while the crab symbolizes the sidelong approach and tenacity associated with this sign (and its symbol creature). The symbol generally highlights the emotional self-protective, soft side within Cancerians.

Element: Air Ruling Planet: Venus Symbol: The Scales Libra is represented by the scale of balance and it’s the only sign represented by an intimate object. The symbolism of the scale is due to the fact that the sun begins to travel through the sign of Libra at the autumn (in late September), when the day and night are of equal length. Libra is concerned with justice and their reputation for indecisiveness stems from their desire to evaluate everything so that they can make a perfectly balanced judgment.

Element: Earth Ruling Planet: Saturn Symbol: The Sea Goat

The symbol of Capricorn is the sea goat (a goat head with a curling fish tail); a representation of the ancient sea god’s myths that ruled over the mysterious realms of the ocean. Capricorns have the spiritual wisdom and practical persona that attaches them to the earth (symbolized by the goat’s head).

Element: Earth Ruling Planet: Venus Symbol: The Bull

The symbol of Taurus donates the round face and upwardly curving horns of the bull. The bull is a magnificent animal that is hard -if not impossible- to budge. Taurus is possessive about its space and dangerous when roused; but at the same time it is lazy, slow moving and sensual. On the other hand, Taureans are very concerned with material security, and wealth. They’re always eager about their possessions and cautious about change.

Element:Fire Ruling Planet: The Sun Symbol: The lion The sunny sign reflects some of the main characteristics of lions: the prideful, graceful bearing; sensual love of pleasure and playful qualities. Not to forget the angry Lion’s roar that convulses when an angry Leo lets off steam.

Element:Water Ruling Planet: Mars and Pluto Symbol: The Scorpion or The Eagle The glyph symbol of the Scorpio represents the scorpion’s deadly sting. The Scorpios are known for having a certain reputation for revenge and retribution, and the sting in the tail represents these characteristics. The eagle, on the other hand, represents the part concerned with transformation and rebirth, besides the ability to make conscious decisions far from jealousy and resentment.

Element: Fire Ruling Planet: Mercury Symbol: The Twins

Gemini’s symbol is twins, as Gemini is a dual sign that represents all forms of duality. Although the Gemini character is versatile and communicative, it is prone to rapid changes. That’s why those living or dealing with Gemini always feel like dealing with two different characters.

Element: Earth Ruling Planet: Mercury Symbol: The Virgin The coiled ‘M’ of the Virgo glyph represents the intestines or the ovaries. The Virgin symbol is the only female figure in Zodiac. The maiden usually holds a ripe of wheat, linking her to ancient goddesses. Virgo is traditionally linked with health, hygiene, and all forms of service and healing.

Element: Fire Ruling Planet: Jupiter Symbol: Centaur Holding Bow and Arrow The Symbol of Sagittarius is represented by a mythic centaur (with the upper body of a man and the legs of a horse) which holds a bow and an arrow. The arrow shows ambitions, dreams and hopes being shot in the air towards a mystical target. Those born under this sign have a philosophical character and are able to see paradox and duality.

Element:Water Ruling Planet: Jupiter and Neptune Symbol: Two Fishes (joined together, Element: Air Ruling Planet: Saturn and Uranus. but swimming in opposite directions) Like Gemini, the two fishes of Pisces represent the Symbol: The Water Bearer The glyph is two wavy, zig-zag lines, representing the water (also an Ancient Egyptian hieroglyph), or alternatively the electricity associated with Aquarius’ second planetary ruler, Uranus. Aquarius is an airy intellectual sign. Those under the sign like to talk and analyze everything. The water pouring from the jar symbolizes communication, and the mental energy that typifies the Aquarian persona.

lifelong battle of the Piscean nature. One fish swims towards the oceans, intent upon sacrificing itself for its beliefs. The other swims towards self-fulfillment, and achieving personal goals. Piscean intuition, symbolized by the waters in which the fishes swim, is what makes it possible for them to sense the whole picture and balance their inner struggle. Learning how to trust and develop their intuition is especially important for such complex, sensitive sign.