almara-dec-eng2011

DECEMBER 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS MEET:

Lujaina Mohsin Darwish Tejas Kapasi Abeer and Ma’ali Ali Al Mukhaini

FASHION

Best of the season

LOOKING BACK

WITH THIS ISSUE : AL MAR’A ZAWAYA - INTERIORS SPECIAL

from the desk

DECEMBER 2011 VOL 9 NO. 104

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Salman Ibrahim Al Balushi GROUP EDITOR Mayank Singh CORRESPONDENT Myssaa Said Al Hinai DESIGN SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Sandesh S. Rangnekar SENIOR DESIGNER Aliya Al Waheibi SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Rajesh Burman PHOTOGRAPHER Motasim Abdulla Al Balushi PRODUCTION MANAGER Govindraj Ramesh ADVERTISING & MARKETING ADVERTISING MANAGER Pooja Verma ASSISTANT ADVERTISING MANAGER Fareeda Sulaiman Al Balushi CORPORATE CHIEF EXECUTIVE Sandeep Sehgal EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Alpana Roy VICE PRESIDENT Ravi Raman SENIOR BUSINESS SUPPORT EXECUTIVE Radha Kumar BUSINESS SUPPORT EXECUTIVE Zuwaina Al Rashdi

Present Perfect The end of the year is usually the time to take stock of the year that’s gone, revisit memories and look forward to the future. We’d like to share with you an interesting e-mail forward that we received recently that tells us that there’s no time like the present to revel in the joys of life.

There are two days in every week that we should not worry about, two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the power in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed nor can we erase a single word we’ve said for yesterday is gone.

The other day we shouldn’t worry about is tomorrow with its impossible adversaries, its burden, its hopeful promise and poor performance.

Tomorrow is beyond our control and tomorrow’s sun will rise either in splendour or behind a mask of clouds, however it will rise and until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow for it is yet unborn.

This leaves only one day - today. Any person can fight the battles of just one day, it is only when we add the burdens of yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.

It is not the experience of today that drives people to despair, it is the remorse of bitterness for something which happened yesterday and the dread of what tomorrow may bring. Therefore, live and enjoy one day at a time and that day is today.

On that cheerful note, let’s bid adios to 2011 and say hola to new beginnings.

DISTRIBUTION United Media Services LLC An Al Mar’a Presentation

Published by United Press & Publishing LLC A Renaissance Services Company

Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings and until next month, stay cool, people!

P.O. Box 3305, Ruwi, Postal Code 112, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

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CONTENTS

Watches on how she reached the top…

EXPERIENCE

46 All about the Sidab Women’s Sewing Group and how it’s changed women’s lives…

ENTERPRISE

54 Abeer and Ma’ali Al Mukhaini talk about NailLounge, their new venture

HEALTH

58 All about gestational diabetes, its effects and treatment available…

62

SOLUTIONS WORKWISE

52 How to tackle bullying at the workplace….

36 YEAR-END SPECIAL

24 The music that smashed the charts…

26 The movies that touched our hearts…

28 The most compelling reads of the year…

30 The gizmos that made us drool…

WELL-BEING

56 A woman does not know she has a humongous reservoir of strength, courage, and opportunities that can help her come out of her rut and experience a brand-new self almost every moment, says Dr. Prema Seshadri 32 Fashion hits and misses…

36 The celebrities who shone in the limelight…

TRAVEL

40 Head to the Ananda in the Himalayas for some much-needed R&R

GO TECH

60 Create a storm in your kitchen with some help from popular food channels on YouTube

FOOD CUISINE

64 Five decadent chocolate recipes to bid good-bye to 2011 on a sweet note…

PEOPLE PROFILE

44 Lujaina Mohsin Darwish on work-life balance and parenting…

EYE CANDY

48 Profiling Robert Downey Jr., an actor with a difference…

FASHION & BEAUTY

62 The beauty check-list.

70 Upbeat, luxurious and highoctane glamour. The season’s best from various brands

EVENTS

FEATURES CAREER

44

20 It was a night of fashion, glitz & glamour as media professionals walked the ramp to showcase Splash’s AutumnWinter 2011 collection

43 Tejas Kapasi, Retail and Marketing Manager, Khimji’s

17 The Al Mar’a Excellence Awards is all set to honour exemplary women

Photograph courtesy: River Island Cover Design: Sandesh S. Rangnekar

30 IN EVERY ISSUE

Your Say •Stargazing•News

YOUR SAY

Address your letters to: The Editor, Al Mar’a, United Media Services P.O. Box: 3305, PC 112 Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman or fax us at 24707939 or e-mail us at almaraoman@gmail.com

section. Good going, Al Mar’a, you have a fan for life!

RAKSHA SHETH AL KHUWAIR

LOVELY MIX I read your last issue of Al Mar’a with great interest. And it was my very first time too! I had gone to a supermarket and the cover of the magazine truly caught my eye. The blue was attractive enough for me to pick up a copy and flip through.

And the first article got me hooked. I quickly paid for my copy and couldn’t wait to get home to get through the rest of it. Al Mar’a as you rightly point out truly depicts the different shades of a woman. What wonderful visuals and content! I really, really liked the International Men’s Day Special. A good idea indeed to pay tribute to men in a women’s magazine. I also tried out all the recipes in the Cuisine

6

DECEMBER 2011

TOWARDS GOOD HEALTH Healthy Blend – a pot-pourri of healthy recipes in your Cuisine pages last month was a real eye-opener in the sense that these are the ingredients that we normally have at home, but never think of using them to make such healthy concoctions.

Loved each and every recipe and have tried all of them! They are great ways to kick-start my day and I simply cannot do without having one of those every day.

RASHA AL BALUSHI SEEB NEW VISTAS The launch of the Women’s Sailing Team by Oman Sail is indeed a wonderful achievement and will open new vistas for women in the Sultanate. Omani women are willing to take up any field of their choice and are willing to work hard to follow their dreams. The sailing team will hopefully bring these young women into the international limelight. Here’s looking forward to more such reports on young achievers.

SEEMA DIXIT MUTTRAH

TECH SPECIAL I really love your new addition, ‘Go Tech’. Gone are the days when it was thought that technology was not exactly a woman’s domain. We’re fond of our gadgets, gizmos and games too! Thank you for profiling some wonderful games that I cannot wait to get hold of. I have always been a fan of High School Musical and can’t wait to now sing along with the game. I hope you will continue updating us with new products in this arena.

LESLIE SMITH QURUM TRAVEL PLUS Scotland has always been my dream destination and after reading about it in Al Mar’a, I cannot wait to visit the country. History, culture, adventure… Scotland has everything I look forward to in a destination.

Thank you for rekindling my interest.

I am definitely going there during the next holidays!

MARYAM AL RIYAMI SEEB

WWW.SWAROVSKI.COM

© SWAROVSKI 2011

Khimji’s Luxury & Lifestyle Ruwi Street: 24796161 Qurum: 24560419

NEWS

Season’s Specials

True picture Muscat’s hugely popular radio station Merge 104.8 FM is encouraging young children to showcase their artistic talents by depicting Oman through a drawing competition. Open to children up to 12 years of age, the “Oman Through Your Eyes” competition encourages budding young artists to draw how they see Oman. Each entry must be illustrated by hand and can be as abstract or as creative as the artist likes. Every submission will automatically appear on the Merge 104.8 Facebook page and will then be showcased at an exclusive exhibition in December, at which all entrants will be invited. A novel initiative indeed!

In Style Fashionistas, take note! Marks & Spencer has launched its new Autograph range in all its stores and confirmed that the faces of the campaign for the exciting new pieces will be Ryan Reynolds and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

Sophisticated and stylish, offering elegant timeless pieces in luxury fabrics and cuts, the new Autograph range features formal day to evening separates and dresses that embody luxury and sophistication. The sleek, internationally chic collections are about strong architectural silhouettes, straight lines and attention to detail in every single garment, projecting an understated yet coolly confident image. Time to get a whole new wardrobe, what say?

Get inspired Are you in Salalah and want to choose the right colours for your home? Jotun Paints has the perfect solution. It has opened a new Multicolour Inspiration Centre in Salalah together with Talwin. The new Multicolour Inspiration Centre is the first its kind in the Salalah market and the third Inspiration Centre in Oman that offers families matching colour choices and furniture from the latest trends in paints and interior design.

The inspiration centre targets villa and house owners who are looking for ideas to spark their imagination. Customers will have personalised attention from highly qualified and friendly personnel, who will help them choose the most suitable colour, texture and pattern for their paint jobs, and take them through the latest interior trends and effects.

How do you want to spend your Christmas and New Year? Well, the Park Inn by Radisson has a whole lot of ideas and offers for you to choose from. With the Park Inn

by Radisson New Year’s Eve offer, revellers can enjoy a package which includes a lavish elegant dinner followed by a party to ring in 2012. On New Year Eve, December guests can book a seat for the elegant New Year’s Eve themed set menu at the RBG Grill. After enjoying the ambience complete with live music and being satiated with the four course menu, they can get lively and enjoy a complimentary entrance to the party on the roof of the hotel. For Christmas, RBG Grill will host a special Christmas Eve dinner on the 24th of December. Pick the one that’s right for you!

designed to make little athletes look good and feel great as they exercise. Available in ranges for boys and girls, the Mini ZigDynamic and ZigDynamic are bright and colourful, and packed full of Reebok’s renowned Zigtech technology providing a balance of energy with enhanced feel and comfort. Just right for energetic kids who are always on the move and with the unique zigzag design they will even please those who simply want to stand out. Get your little one a pair today!

Just for Kids After months of indoor activities, now the weather’s finally cooled down it’s time for children to explore the great outdoors. From parks to running tracks, and team sports to the beach, Reebok has a range of kids’ footwear perfectly

It’s time to name the new envoys of excellence.

www.almaraonline.com

/ums_oman

Under the auspices of

Her Highness Sayyida Dr Muna bint Fahd al Said Assistant Vice-Chancellor for External Co-operation, Sultan Qaboos University

PO W E R E D B Y

Get ready to be inspired and entertained like never before. Oman’s only platform dedicated to recognise and honour entrepreneurial zeal and business achievements of Omani women is sure to dazzle you for many reasons. The evening promises enthralling entertainment, exquisite dining experience and ultimate networking opportunities for the who’s who of Oman’s corporate and social highlife. And will truly be the perfect finale for the successful year you have had.

Date: 5 December 2011 \ Time: 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Venue: The Amphitheatre, Shangri-La Barr al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

UMS

For enquiries: Ruwayda 96455272 \ ruwayda@umsoman.com \ Pooja 99868035 \ pooja@umsoman.com Rekha 99269147 \ rekha@umsoman.com

NEWS

What a car!

Super Fun If you want to escape from the everyday routine, think of the Renault Koleos. The first ever crossover in the Renault range, is comfortable, easy to drive and boasts genuine off-road ability. It has been designed to be versatile, offering the same reassuring drive when motoring in and about town, on open roads and on motorways as it does when it is taken off the beaten track. The Koleos delivers the same standard of comfort as that expected of a saloon car, as well as cabin space worthy of a compact MPV. Book a test-drive, today and ‘feel’ the road!

Smashing Lips

Ferrari’s new FF, the company’s most powerful, versatile fourseater ever, as well as its first ever four-wheel drive car comes to Oman. This new V12 melds to an unprecedented level an extremely sporty, high-performance character with incredible versatility, superb comfort and sophisticated elegance, guaranteeing both driver and passengers an absolutely unique driving experience.

Here’s a lipstick that’s luxurious in every sense.

Bringing together the precious elements of pure gold and silk with the colours of the Imperial court is The Lipstick from Sensai is the ultimate expression of Sensai Colours. And it’s not only about the colours! Its deluxe anti-ageing formulation brings luminous lasting colour to the lips while improving microcirculation and deeply conditioning them. This season, six inspiring new colours have been added to The Lipstick’s timeless palette. Go ahead, rock the party!

Going Social In an effort to become more accessible to its customers, Oman Air has launched its Facebook page in Arabic, French, Italian and German.

“Our presence in social media is very important to us,” says Philippe Georgiou, Chief Officer Corporate Affairs, Oman Air. “It is a platform for customers and well-wishers who can use it to talk to us directly, give us their feedback and engage with us in ways that are comfortable for them. For us, it is an opportunity to share a whole range of our activities, not just in terms of our flights, destinations and offers, but also in terms of our other activities, such as our promotions and sponsorships.”

Now, catch them or shall we say catch up with them on Facebook too!

12 DECEMBER 2011

Skin Deep Super Sales Edible Arrangements, Muscat City Centre, has announced a milestone in sales, just four weeks on from its soft opening. The pioneer and leader in hand-sculpted, fresh fruit arrangements reported promising sales figures– far surpassing initial goals for this period.

To celebrate its soft opening in Muscat recently, the company donated gross profits from its first week of trading in Oman. At Edible Arrangements, exquisite arrangements are made from the freshest fruit possible, including strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pineapple, bananas and apple wedges - added sweeteners and preservatives are never used. Each bouquet can be complemented with chocolate dipped fruit as well as a choice of delicious toppings such as crushed pistachio, almonds and coconut. What an entry!

Being beautiful shouldn’t be a memory! And with Kaya Skin Clinic, it doesn’t have to! It has a wide range of Age Control offerings which vary in intensity depending on the needs of your skin, include the wrinkle reduction with Fillers & Botox, Kaya’s Age Preventive services and Skin Tightening, among others. Kaya has qualified dermatologists in each of its centres who administer these services to ensure safety for clients. If you want clear and glowing skin, you now know where to head to!

NEWS

All smiles Did you think funky and vibrantly coloured stationery was meant only for kids! Think again as Splash’s recent launch of the new high fashion Smiley stationery not only matches the colour block theme of the season but incorporates the most popular emoticons which will leave you smiling. The Smiley stationery collection is designed keeping in mind the experimental young teens to the more classy but fun-loving adult. The comprehensive assortment features coffee mugs, key chains, laptop bags, trolley bags, bag packs, cutesy sippers along with basic stationary like erasers, pens, pencils and post-its. The collection sees extensive use of a variety of Smiley expressions which are applied tastefully on bright coloured merchandise bringing about the element of happiness for whoever uses the items.

Many reasons to smile!

Top Honour This is wonderful news indeed!

Eighty-one thousand readers of Condé Nast Traveller have voted The Chedi Muscat as one of the top 20 travel experiences in the Middle East and Africa in the “Best Overseas Leisure Hotel” category. Rated on service quality, culture and value for money, the results were recently published in the magazine’s 14th Annual Readers’ Travel Awards 2011.

“There is no better acknowledgement of our pursuit of excellence and setting new industry benchmarks than from travelers themselves,” said York Brandes, General Manager of The Chedi Muscat.” We agree!

Designer Covers It’s a beauty! Sony Ericsson has unveiled elegant limited edition back covers for Sony Ericsson’s Xperia arc S, designed by the award-winning ‘popstar of design’ Karim Rashid. He has to date crafted over 3,000 designs and won over 300 awards, and also created an attractive accessory to conveniently hold the Xperia arc S in place while charging. Drawing inspiration from the urban curves and structures of New York’s architecture, Karim Rashid’s new outfit ensures the Xperia arc S easily nestles into the user’s hand. Complementing its ergonomic design, the award-winning Xperia arc S lives up to its promise and delivers the extra-fast 1.4 GHz processor featuring enhanced entertainment. Cool!

Sleek & Smart Behold the much-awaited Motorola RAZR, a jaw-dropping device and a stunning reimagination of one of the most iconic mobile phones in history.

It’s a perfect smartphone just 7.1 mm thin, with a design that encompasses sculpted glass and diamond spun cut aluminum accents. It also has a hyper-vibrant 4.3-inch Super AMOLED advanced display for incredibly vivid images multitasking providing instant visual access to a larger number of apps, cinematic-quality frontfacing 720p HD video camera and 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with even sharper 1080p HD video capture all with imagestabilisation technology and much more. Be smart, get a RAZR today!

DECEMBER 2011 13

l a i s c n o S iratio t p s s r a ďŹ e m co c i m o t n n o e c E elopm v e y d t i r o i r p is Follow us on

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STRATEGIC PARTNERS

Viewpoints go head-to-head on 14 December 2011 policy-makers and corporate At Oman Debate 2011, Tim Sebastian – Top celebrated presenter of BBC HARDtalk and decision-makers will share their views on The Doha Debates – will steer a spirited significant social issues and their impact on discussion on one of the most challenging the economy. The dialogue that will hopefully, lead to sustainable solutions for issues of our time. more opportunities, better incomes and a brighter future for all.

Celebrating Excellence OER Top 20 Awards, the most authoritative ranking of listed companies in Oman, will recognise the best corporate performers of 2010.

To stay tuned with the event highlights, log on to www.omandebate.com Venue: Oman Auditorium, Al Bustan Palace Ritz Carlton Time: 9.00 am to 1.00 pm

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NEWS

Talent Hunt The grand finale of Star Chef 2011 was organised recently by Spicy Village at it Rusayl branch.

The restaurant was decked out in National Day colours, to commemorate the occasion.

The lawns were buzzing with activity, with live cooking stations where the finalists were proving their mettle, cheered on by friends and family. The finalists recreated their dishes, which were then sent in to the judges. Each of the seven categories had a special panel of judges, headed by a food expert. Celebrity Chef Issa Lamki from Gourment Buffet and Chef Helmut-Peter Marksl (Austria) were especially invited for the occasion and contributed their expertise. The entire event was audited by Morrison Muscat, to ensure accurate results.

The audience was entertained with games, music and dance, and a magic show which kept the children mesmerised. A sumptuous dinner buffet was on the menu as well.

Awareness is key Knowledge is Power was the key message which was taken from the recent Breast Cancer Awareness Clinic hosted by Al Raffah hospital. Women came from all over the region to hear the informative talk which was presented by Dr. Abha Singhvi, General Surgeon at Al Raffah Hospital. The clinic reinforced the critical importance of screening for breast cancer to ensure early detection and treatment. A team of clinical instructors demonstrated to the delegates during the workshop the method of self-examination of the breast, and how to detect abnormalities. They also received free consultations related to the breast. Nutritionist Monika Seth, was on hand to give guidelines on the benefits of leading the healthiest lifestyle and she gave many pointers on how this can be achieved.

Skin Deep Avon introduces an innovation to change anti-ageing skincare forever. There’s a Youth Gene inside all of us, but its activity in skin cells declines with age. Activate the youth gene with Anew Genics Treatment Concentrate and Anew Genics Treatment Cream that help minimise the signs of visible skin ageing including wrinkles, dullness, age spots and loss of firmness. And say hello to goodlooking skin!

16 DECEMBER 2011

Value for money Nawras is greeting new customers with extra value in every welcome pack. Customers choosing the Nawras Mousbak prepaid option can buy a welcome pack for just two rials and along with their SIM card they will receive the same value in credit to make calls, send SMS or use for any other Nawras service. New Nawras Ajel post-paid customers also get a great deal with welcome packs priced at only two rials. Each pack contains 100 minutes of free Nawras to Nawras calls to get closer to friends and family over the following two-month period. Fifty-free minutes will be given in the first month and fifty in the second month. Nawras Ajel customers enjoy a regular calling rate of just 19 baizas per minute for all calls to other Nawras customers and only 39 baizas for other national calls. Happy calling!

Scintillating collection Mikimoto premieres the Prestige Colors Collection, a limited series of high-end South Sea cultured pearl jewellery. These jewels, accented with coloured gemstones, make a distinctive fashion statement, perfect for the woman who wants to be noticed. Prestige Colors combines the world’s finest South Sea White and Black South Sea cultured pearls with diamonds and coloured stones including aquamarine, morganite, spinel and tumbled opal to form beautifully unique jewellery pieces, each oneof-a-kind. Prestige Colors exhibits the innovative design, unsurpassed quality and superior craftsmanship for which Mikimoto is world renowned. The collection consists of necklaces and earrings set in 18K white gold or platinum. For more information, contact Khimji’s Watches.

Towards Excellence

EVENT

The Al Mar’a Excellence Awards will recognise and honour exemplary women achievers on December 5

W

ith just a few more days to go, Muscat is abuzz with the excitement of the first ever Al Mar’a Excellence Awards 2011 that is set to honour women from all walks of life.

The event to be held on December 5 at The Amphitheatre, Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa promises to be a scintillating one that will be attended by the who’s who of Muscat who will applaud women achievers from all fields as they are felicitated for their extra-ordinary achievements.

It will also reveal the passion and inspiration of women who have aspired to attain great accomplishments in their chosen field of work. Al Mar’a Magazine and the Strategic Event Partners, Mercedes-Benz Oman, BankDhofar and Nawras, believe that this passion will be instrumental in motivating other Omani women and increasing a commitment that will further drive the talent of today and create the leaders of tomorrow.

The Al Mar’a Excellence Awards presented

by Al Mar’a Magazine, will honour these achievers in an exclusive awards presentation in the presence of Chief Guest, Her Highness Sayyida Dr. Muna bint Fahd Al Said, Assistant Vice-Chancellor for External Co-operation, Sultan Qaboos University.

The Al Mar’a Excellence Awards function will also feature another top woman achiever Muna Al Shanfari, who is the first Omani woman to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. She will share her story through a wonderful presentation highlighting a journey full of thrills, excitement and challenges and how passion and perseverance have helped realise her dreams.

What’s a red carpet event without some dazzling entertainment? Performing at the

Awards function will be Emmanuel Castis, talented international vocalist with many music awards to his credit and winner of the dance series, Strictly Come Dancing.

Emmanuel Castis will add an exciting element of jazz to the evening’s ambience serenading the exclusive audience with his charming vocals.

The evening will then explode into exciting dance performances, choreographed especially for the Al Mar’a Excellence Awards.

The Al Mar’a Excellence Awards 2011 is an Al Mar’a Initiative. Strategic Partners: Mercedes-Benz (Zawawi Trading Company, the authorised general distributor for Mercedes-Benz in Oman), BankDhofar and Nawras. Support partners are Taageer Finance Company SAOG, Areej Vegetable Oils (AVOD) and Givenchy. Assessment Partner: Ernst & Young. Media Partners: Times of Oman, Al Shabiba, H! and Al Youm Al Sabe. Radio Partners: Al Wisal FM and Merge 104.8 FM. Printing Partner: Ruwi Modern Printers. Travel Partner: Travel City.

DECEMBER 2011 17

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By invitation only.

2012 JAN 12 I MUSCAT HILLS Business meets golf.

On 12 January 2012, Nawras presents the 8th Edition of OER CEO Golf. The event will host the top echelon of corporate Oman at one of the country’s most exciting golf courses. Out on the greens at Muscat Hills Golf and Country Club, high profile business leaders will network over a game of 18-hole golf. While golfers vie for the win, beginners get an expert initiation to the game.

Golf meets excitement.

It’s not just high-powered business networking. The highlight will include an elegant red carpet evening complete with world-class entertainment, socialising, fine dining, a glittering awards ceremony and loads more exclusive excitement.

For enquiries please contact: AHMED 99356490

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EVENT

What a party!

IT WAS A NIGHT OF FASHION, GLITZ & GLAMOUR AS MEDIA PROFESSIONALS WALKED THE RAMP TO SHOWCASE SPLASH’S AUTUMN-WINTER 2011 COLLECTION

plash, the leading highstreet fashion brand in the region recently organised the second edition of ‘Fashionista’, a unique fashion party which showcased the new Autumn-Winter 2011 collection.

S

whole day of photo-shoot and rehearsals to finally take the ramp with trendsetting Autumn/Winter 2011 collections of apparels and accessories from Splash.

They were fully ‘glamorised’ by Splash and each underwent an exclusive photoshoot with their new look.

The uniqueness of course comes from the fact that it was a party where all the leading publication houses in Oman participated in showcasing the collection.

Journalists and professionals based in the Sultanate, from various dailies, magazines and other publishing houses enjoyed a

The fashion party started off with a stunning fashion show by professional Splash models adorned in the Autumn/ Winter 2011 collection. The new season wardrobe reflected prominent shades of classics and at various stages picks up from Spring Summer was left.

20 DECEMBER 2011

As we further express our individualism through fashion and indulge in its guilty pleasures, this season is all about making statements which vary from heritage to a fresh view on minimalism and from retro-inspired to luxe grunge. A season of contrasts and alternatives, the key to Fashionism lies in the ability to construct your own unique looks for both men and women.

The invited audiences were also entertained by groovy Latino and jazz dance performances by the Chic group girls before featuring the awaited media

professionals on the ramp.

crowd.

With no previous experience, but with oodles of confidence of having adorned themselves in trendy apparels and accessories designed for Splash Autumn-Winter 2011, the participants walked the ramp in a jovial style with confidence amidst the glittering lights and cheering

As the night got younger, the after-party showcased live jamming by DJ Ash and Holie the drummer. The audiences and media professionals alike danced to good heavy beats.

IT WAS SURELY AN EVENT TO REMEMBER! DECEMBER 2011 21

NEWS

Splendid Show Affairs and Royal Cavalry also participated in the function.

This indeed marks the beginning of a new chapter for Omani women. It may be noted that Oman is a pioneer when it comes to offering equal opportunities and rights for both men and women.

The Sultanate has also dedicated a special day for women every year, October 17 which is celebrated as Omani Women’s Day.

W

omen in the Sultanate have always been in the forefront in different fields. They have become ambassadors, members of the Shura Council and have now added yet another feather in their cap and have proved that there are no limits to what they can achieve.

A first-of-its-kind women’s military parade was recently held to mark the Sultanate’s 41st National Day. Organised at the Police Academy grounds in Nizwa, it was presided over by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

Women music troupes from the Royal Oman Police, Royal Guard of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman, Royal Court

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something -- your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” - Steve Jobs

Al Mar’a looks back at 2011 through a series of lists – on books, movies, gizmos, music, fashion and people.

Reflect, ruminate, remember and enjoy!

REWIND DECEMBER 2011 23

MUSIC

Catch the beat!

THE TOP ALBUMS OF 2011 THAT GOT US INTO THE GROOVE…

Born This Way Lady Gaga

She sings in a multitude of languages, French, German, Spanish and whatever language that suits her punk style. It’s humane, disarmingly simple, honest and very warm. You & I, Born This Way, Edge of Glory all amp up the emotion very well. It may sound excessive, but we’re not complaining!

21 Adele

While her 19 didn’t exactly rock the charts, at 21, Adele, in her follow-up album of the same name has toughened her tone. What a difference two years make! She’s grown up musically at every level – her vocal technique and melody enthralling in every number.

Rolling At The Deep, Rumour Has It, Turning Tables, He Won’t Go, Someone Like You… every song is special. Here’s to a more mature voice the next time round too!

24 DECEMBER 2011

Under The Mistletoe Justin Bieber

Already at No. 1 within 10 days of release, Justin Bieber’s Under The Mistletoe is just right for the Christmas season.

The album includes a list of traditional songs such as Drummer Boy, Mistletoe and All I Want Is Christmas. He’s also collaborated with other stars like Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey, bringing more zing to the album. Have a blessed season!

Teenage Dream Katy Perry

Breaking the mould she is not, but definitely baring her soul, she is. Lightly sprinkled throughout the disc are a couple of other effective tunes like Teenage Dream, Last Friday Night and California Gurls that are absolute chart-busters! Written, sung and packaged well, Teenage Dream is the stuff of, well, what dreams are made of!

Junk of My Heart The Kooks

It’s an optimistic album if there ever was one! It’s clean, sensible and captures your heart. Time Above The Earth is a beautiful, multi-layered epic song. Is It Me is a nice blend of indie, electro and Brit-pop while the others combine catchy melodies with up-beat, accessible music.

Own The Night Lady Antebellum

Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood bring out an emotionally charged and artistic album. The opening track, We Owned The Night sets the tone for what’s to follow.

Other notable tracks include Wanted You More, Love I’ve Found in You and As You Turn Away… Sure, leaves the right imprint on our minds and hearts.

Goodbye Lullaby Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne returns after a hiatus with her fourth studio album, Goodbye Lullaby, a rather stripped-down version this time! This is the Avril one has never seen before in an intensely personal avatar. She is introspective and sensitive as well. The stand-out tracks are Stop Standing There, Everybody Hurts, Push, Smile ending with the emotional Goodbye. Worth multiple listening!

Doo-Wops & Hooligans Bruno Mars

This debut album by Bruno Mars is refreshing, appealing and soulful. The Hawaiianborn singer/producer enthralls with a boyish innocence and a sensitivity that cuts across all age groups. You’ll love the lead single, Just The Way You Are, a lovely ode to love and other tracks like Marry You, Grenade, Talking to You all resonate the fresh earthiness of the singer. Enjoy!

MOVIES

MOVIES THAT CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION, ENTHRALLED AND ENTERTAINED US IN 2011…

Reel in

Factor 26 DECEMBER 2011

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – Part II The final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest of finding and destroying the Dark Lord’s three remaining Horcruxes, the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical Deathly Hallows are uncovered, and Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again. The muchawaited part that signalled the end of the Potter era.

Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn Signing off the year with Tintin was a real treat!

The first in a series of 3D motion caption films based on the iconic character, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn sees Tintin (Jamie Bell), an intreprid young reporter uncovering a manuscript detailing the whereabouts of a fabulous treasure after buying a replica sailing ship off a street trader.

Welcome to a world of high adventure with Daniel Craig as the nefarious Red Rackham and an international cast that includes Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg and Mackenzie Crook.

Transformers 3 The interstellar war between the Autobots and Decepticons shifts onto overdrive following the discovery of Sentinel Prime (voice of Leonard Nemoy) in this sequel from director Michael Bay. When the Apollo 11 astronauts discover the wrecked remains of Sentinel Prime on the surface of our natural satellite, they bring him back to planet Earth.

What happens next? Watch the movie for more.

The Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller (Mathew McConaughey) is a criminal defence attorney operating out of the backseat of a Lincoln town car. He signs on to defend playboy real estate agent Louis Roulet who has been charged with assault. He comes from a rich family and so cost is no issue. But while deep into the case, Mickey discovers that Haller is not what he appears to be. There is a sinister past and new developments in the present...

A thrilling and must-watch!

Captain America Captain America: The First Avenger focusses on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) volunteers to participate in an experimental programme that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America. He joins forces with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) to wage war on the evil Hydra organisation. Entertaining to the core!

in the magnificent city of Rio de Janeiro and the lush rainforest of Brazil, the comedy-adventure centres on Blu, a rare macaw who thinks he is the last of his kind. Blue discovers there’s another – a she – so he leaves the comforts of his cage in small town Minnesota and heads to Rio. They’re unexpectedly thrown together; they embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Energising Latin and contemporary music, song and dance make this superb watch.

Apollo 18 The film unearths lost footage from Apollo 18’s undocumented and covert mission to the moon,

revealing disturbing new evidence of other life forms?

Could there be really other life forms…the film throws up some interesting facts and opinions on this subject. A real treat for space buffs…

Thor One of the mostwatched movies of the year, Thor is the story of a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions ignite an ancient war. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is cast out of the fantastic world of Asgard by his father Odin (Hopkins) for his arrogance and sent to Earth to live among humans. On Earth, he falls in love with a beautiful young scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and learns to be a true hero.

Rio One of the best animation films of the year, Rio is set

DECEMBER 2011 27

BOOKS

One for the

BOOKS! THE MOST COMPELLING READS OF 2011…

28 DECEMBER 2011

and iPad came into being. A beautiful insight which also does not fail to pull any punches when it comes to giving the true picture.

Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

This is the story of Christine who wakes up every day not knowing who she is.

Christine learns she has amnesia and so she’s unable to remember her past or retain new memories; every time she goes to bed at night, she forgets everything.

Her doctor advises her to keep a journal that throws up some startling facts on trust, betrayal and deception. A haunting debut thriller by S. J. Watson!

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

Love and marriage find resonance in Jeffrey Eugenides’s The Marriage Plot that revolves around the lives of three college seniors at Brown in the early 1980s. It’s a novel about life, love and is deeply relevant to how we live today.

It’s thoughtful, thought-provoking and totally unputdownable, we must say!

IQ84 by Haruki Murakami

Master story-teller Murakami crafts yet another thrilling one – 950 pages may be a little too long but nevertheless coming from the celebrated author, it’s a compelling read. A story of two people living their lives in parallel, and the twists, we know, must bring them together makes this a classic Murakami, in every sense.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

This is no eulogy to the man who changed technology and our lives forever.

But nevertheless, it’s a compelling portrait on the man who managed to turn the diversities of his character into strengths that spawned an iconic brand.

It’s also a study of Apple with fabulous accounts of how Macintosh, iPod, iPhone

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace With Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert

The author of the hugely g y successful Eat, Pray, Love continues the personal narrative in her new book, this time dwelling extensively on marriage.

Elizabeth Gilbert speaks of her journey d into herself and how she copes with her fears surrounding marriage.

Her plunge into matrimony with Felipe, plenty of anecdotes and her conclusions on marriage make the book a worthwhile read. If you liked Eat, Pray, Love, you’ll like this one too!

Michael Ledwidge Nina Bloom is a successful lawyer and loving mother. She would do anything to protect the life she’s built in New York – including lying to everyone, even her daughter, about her past. But when an innocent man is framed for murder, she knows that she can’t let him pay for the real killer’s crimes. Another gripping thriller…

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War. A World War story like no other!

I’ll Walk Alone by b Mary Higgins Clark C

In this novel, Alexandra ‘Zan’ Moreland, ag gifted, beautiful interior designer is te terrified; someone may be using her cr credit cards and manipulating her bank aaccounts to destroy her reputation. She m may also be caught in a scheme that in involves much more; kidnapping and m murder... Classic Mary Higgins Clark tthat makes gripping reading!

Now You See Her by James Patterson and DECEMBER D DE CEMB CE MBER ER R 2011 29

PRESENTING SOME OF THE HOTTEST GADGETS OF 2011… DO YOU HAVE ANY OF THESE TECH TOYS, YET?

GIZMOS Apple iPad 2 A smart gadget for smart women! The iPad 2 is an excellent product. Women will love the loads of apps available special for them on the iPad 2, and what make it cool are the easy-to-use interface, sleek looks and a really long battery life. With a dual-core A5 chip, two cameras for Facetime and HD Video, 0.34 inch thin and weighing as little as 1.33 pounds, it looks like nothing you’ve felt and experienced. Now with the latest upgrade to IOS 5 and iCloud, the iPad 2’s even got better!

powered touchscreen. At 7.48 ounces, Nook is lighter than a paperback and yet holds upto 1,000 books, magazines and newspapers. It has the longest battery life of any eReader; you can read for up to two months on just one charge.

You can choose from over two million titles including books, magazines and newspapers and thousands are free. Take your reading along with you!

Kodak Playsport With digital cameras shrinking to the size of mobile handsets, it’s convenience and comfort that rules at every step. The first-generation Kodak PlaySport minicamcorder now in its second generation is shockproof and able to withstand a 5-foot drop. It captures up to 1080p, has a two-inch LCD and is loaded with the EasyShare software for quickly sharing on sites like Facebook and Twitter. It also includes auto focus, fast face tracking and creative shooting modes. Get, set, click!

STYLE STATEMENTS MacBook Air (11-inch) If you loved the MacBook Air, the latest version would certainly have bowled you over. It’s a fast ultraportable updated with the latest CPUS for better performance and battery life. The backlit keyboard is also a great advantage. With 4GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage, it’s computing of the hassle-free kind.

30 DECEMBER 2011

Nook Touch Reader from Barnes & Noble The new touch-screen Nook makes reading pleasant and very enjoyable. Shop for the best books, magazines and newspapers with just a touch. Turn pages, look up words, highlight passages, adjust font size and style just by tapping the infrared-

Samsung Series 9 It’s a slim wonder from Samsung that comes equipped with a new ‘Sandy Bridge’ Core i5 2537M. The handsome brushedmetal exterior is made from Duralumin an aluminum alloy first made for rigid airships and planes. The full-size keyboard is quite easy to type on and the touchpad is simply fantastic. At less than three pounds and 0.7 inch thick, the Series 9 offers some solid competition to other notebooks in its class.

Logitech Harmony 650

A remote as universal as this deserves a big round of applause. It works with five thousand different brands and should work no matter what model your home entertainment system is. Simple to operate, it has a clear display where the buttons are bright and clearly marked. It supports five different devices which is quite enough for home use.

Fujifilm Finepix X100

The new compact camera is a blend of the old and new, and brings together a very traditional control system with some distinctly cutting edge features. At the heart of the X100 is a 12.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, a 23mm fixed focal length F/2 lens, and a newly developed Hybrid Viewfinder. The X100’s images look fantastic. They’re super-sharp, infocus. They offer great colours, dead-on exposures in every light, highlights that just won’t blow-out, perfect shadows and dynamic range. Skin tones are magnificent, fill-flash exposure is beautiful over an astounding range from direct sun to moonlight, auto white balance works everywhere, and low-light performance is unstoppable. Simply wow!

Motorola Xoom Another tablet was launched this year to cash in on the growing trend. The Xoom succeeded in showing that it was different from the iPad with a host of admirable features. With Google’s newest Mobile OS, Android 3.0 Honeycomb, 4G connectivity, a powerful dual-core processor, front and rear-facing cameras, the Xoom comes across as a wonderful alternative to the other tablets in the market. And it looks good too!

FASHION

W

hat’s fashion? According to Coco Chanel, “Fashion is always of the time in which you live.

It is not something standing alone. But the grand problem, the most important problem, is to rejuvenate women. To make women look young. Then their outlook changes. They feel more joyous.”

Every season, fashion modifies, adapts or changes drastically. But definitely sets the trend… Here are some top trends that we liked and also disliked…

FASHION FEVER FASHION HITS AND MISSES OF THE YEAR… WHAT MADE THE CUT AND WHAT DIDN’T…

32 DECEMBER 2011

THE HITS… Flower Power Floral prints were back, almost with a vengeance.

Bold, big blossoms came in retro prints reminiscent of the 70s. They made women look bright, pretty and feel vibrant. Floral prints in chiffons were all the rage.

Did you wear flowers too?

Getting Girly This year saw femininity being celebrated in every design, shape, cut and hue. Lace and ruffles scored big-time and dresses – short, mid and floor length was seen in most collections.

Every brand from Dolce & Gabbana to Issa offered pieces made entirely of lace or experimented with lace insets.

Formal & Fun With leggings and jeggings a thing of the past, loose pants once again made its foray.

An absolute boon for pearshaped women, these pants made women look taller and thinner and more confident.

Teamed up with an ultrafeminine frilly blouse, the top high-or cinch-waisted linen paints made dressing up for work both formal and fun.

Dashing denim Jeans are a standard fashion item for most women and will never skip the trend.

Cropped jeans, skinny jeans and boyfriend jeans were the most popular trends this year with hundreds of different styles, trends and fits to choose from. Denim also came with sparkle, metal or dark studded embellishments at the cuffs.

Gender Bender We all know that women have always been inspired by men’s fashion. This year saw the return of some stylish mannish shirts, suits, boots and hats. They offered an overall smart look to your personality. Sometimes brash… sometimes bizarre… but definitely fashionable!

Dreams in white We all know a fashionista must wear white‌ so it was one of the most popular colours for Spring-Summer 2011.

White was noticeable on all dresses, both short and long. White dresses went minimalistic, with frills and fringes, sheer and trimmed with lace.

Snug fit Going neutral While bursts of colour may be inspiring but from time to time, it’s good to bliss on natural colours like beige, white and sand.

They bring a calm and soothing influence and help focus on the fabric, texture and the cut.

Fall-Winter 2011 was the season of super chunky knits; jumper dresses and abundant scarves, cardigans and sweater coats! Mixed and matched over jackets, shirts, blouses, tank tini’s or even a dress, they looked super cool and hot at the same time!

AND THE MISSES… Long and short of it It was a fashion trend across all seasons. But we thought the fuller, longer dresses and their maxi versions looked a tad dowdy. Well, skirts and dresses may have grown up, but we still preferred the brash, sexy statements of the minis last year. Let’s hope atleast the trend remains short!

Animal Instinct What’s with fashion and recurring leopard prints? The bold animal prints were dominating and quite in-your-face… don’t you agree? What did the designers think? Bigger the volume, the more bizarre the prints, the more expressive? Well, we beg to differ!

Pajama Party Many designers favoured the pajama trend this year as a comfortable alternative. Trendy? Different? Well, would you wear your pajamas to any other party except a pajama party?

Think again!

Short takes Another fashion miss this year are the very short shorts. Can you really make a fashion statement if most of your bottom is hanging out? And no, there was no shape and size that fit all.

A dud Bomber jackets may be chic, they may be tough… but they have been around for quite a long time… enough to make their exit.

Getting graphic Don’t you think graphic leggings make one look like a fluorescent-lit walking stick? Though jeggings are quite out of fashion, they are way better than their graphic counterparts. Imagine walking down a street in any of those?

A complete fashion no-no, we must say!

Harem Pants Someone decided to bring harem pants back into fashion, and boy! Did they make a serious mistake! Whether covered in lame like the old days or just in simple neutral tones, a fashion statement it does not make.

Block ‘em This year, the palette was super intense with bright orange, turquoise, bright pink and yellow dominating the runways. Again, bright is not always right… combining intense colours together may not always make bold statements.

DECEMBER 2011 35

AL MAR’A PRESENTS THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE YEAR FOR WHOM MAKING HEADLINES WAS A NORMAL THING…

News

MAKERS

PEOPLE

Lady Gaga

She gives the word ‘eccentric’ an inferiority complex; a star, who is not afraid to do unconventional things (the ‘meat dress, the bubble dress, etc.). Year 2011 saw her release her hit anthem Born This Way, add three more Grammys to her collection, and become a fashion columnist for V magazine. She also took her philanthropist role one step further by designing prayer bracelets, sales of which went towards the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami fund. It did land her in soup, but then what’s a little controversy for someone who is considered a role model, fashion icon (unconventionally so!) and a trailblazer! Just ask any of her 13mn ‘little monsters’ on twitter, who got her a place in the 2012 Guinness Book of World Records.

36 DECEMBER 2011

Johnny Depp

He is pure magic. There is no other way to describe this versatile personality! He has been listed in the 2012 Guinness Book of World Records as the highest paid actor with US$75mn. From the above-the-cut portrayal of Edward Scissorhands to the downright swarthy Jack Sparrow, he manages to amaze, stun, and thrill every single time. Year 2011 was the year of the pirate.

The third installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean disappointed, but Depp did not. People still flocked to see the film thanks to the most-sought after pirate in town. Such is Depp’s charm that he even managed to turn a chameleon (Rango) into a superstar overnight.

Last we heard the British betting house Paddy Power was putting odds on Johnny Depp to star in a King of Pop biopic. The odds are 4-1 despite the fact that MJ was African-American and Depp is obviously not…go figure! Psst, psst..we are still placing our bets on Depp.

Are you?

Bradley Cooper

Nursing hangovers was never this much fun. That was till The Hangover came along and brought along with it a gift-wrapped baby blue-eyed hunk in tow. One look at Bradley Cooper, and we knew this was a hangover that women are going to find difficult to get rid of.

According to People magazine, who named him the Sexiest Man Alive 2011, there’s more to this easy-onthe-eyes charmer. This eye candy can cook and woo you with sweet nothings in fluent French. And, the sweetest thing ever: His first reaction on being named the Sexiest Man Alive: “My mother is going to be so happy…” All we can say is “Mon dieu, il est si adorable!”

(My God, he is so adorable)!

DECEMBER 2011 37

PEOPLE

The Royal Couple

When they got married, the entire world watched, jubilated and wept tears of joy. Before a global television audience of many millions, Kate played her part to perfection. From the dress by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen to the 1936 Cartier diamond tiara loaned by the Queen, she looked every inch the fairytale princess.

Though, she was not. For hours before the ceremony, Prince William became Duke of Cambridge, making her a duchess. Duchess or not, she is known to repeat her dresses, likes to shop at local stores and has happily relegated herself to the background while her sister makes the headlines. Both Prince William and Kate have the couple-next-door charm about them and are visibly in love and not afraid to show it. The year has been whirlwind journey of high-profile weddings, tours and media attention and now adding to that are rumours of possible pitter-patter of little royal feet. It can only get more interesting with this royal couple.

ashian , Kim Kaagrd es made on earth go

As far as marri er beginning and a her’s was a blockbust s been in the news damp climax. She ha t for her multifor most of 2011, firs ing to basketball million dollar wedd es and then for her prince Kris Humphri after divorce. The not so-happily-evere Kardashians star Keeping Up With Th ate her own version had high hopes to cre wedding with a of an American royal million affair that over-the-top, US$15 many, courtesy of was also watched by filed for divorce E! Festivities over, she dded chaos! Call it exactly 72 days of we d decision. Call it a PR stunt. Call it a ba t the fact remains whatever you will, bu lite made enough that Little Miss Socia some retail therapy moolah to go herself if iled marriage’ blues, and rid herself of ‘fa t is. she has had any, tha

38 DECEMBER 2011

Oprah Winfrey

And so, we thought the queen of television finally bid goodbye to her long innings on daytime television (25 years) early this year. Boy, were we wrong? Oprah Winfrey being Oprah Winfrey cannot do without television or her causes. She’s already set a premiere date for Oprah’s Next Chapter, the cable successor to her syndicated talk show that’s all set to premiere next month. If 2011 was Oprah’s year for saying goodbye, 2012 will also be the year of her very soon comeback. There’s no doubt she’ll continue to be a household name, a phenomenon and not to forget, one of the richest people on the planet.

Sebastian Vettel

At 24 years, Sebastian Vettel became the youngest double champion in history when he wrapped up the 2011 world title on the F1 circuit. He began co-karting in 1995 as an eightyear-old and in 2003 raced to 18 victories in 20 races in German Formula BMW Championship.

In the 2006 Euro Series F3 championships, he finished second behind his team mate and he also took to driving in the World Series by Renault in 2006, where he won the title after the winning driver got disqualified.

He competed at the World Series by Renault again in 2007 after which, he permanently moved to race in the Formula 1 circuit. And he’s cute-looking too!

Justin Bieber

From Mistletoe, his latest Christmas album to a paternity suit, teen sensation Justin Bieber ensures that he’s always in the news. It all began at the age of 12 when his mom uploaded the footage of his performance at a local competition on YouTube for family and friends and soon after, he attracted a huge fan following. His first album My World, debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard charts and it was just the beginning of Bieber fever. He amassed more than five million fans (and still counting) on Facebook and Twitter and many more chart-busters. Right now, tinsel town is abuzz about his romance with Selena Gomez and Bieber made his big screen debut with a documentary Never Say Never. The star’s star is definitely on the ascent!

a Rfuali warmy Aisoh ost beauti ne of the 1994

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TRAVEL

40 DECEMBER 2011

HEAVEN IN THE HILLS FOR THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING THE ULTIMATE IN SPA THERAPY, ANANDA IN THE HIMALAYAS IS THE IDEAL ANSWER…

H

idden in lush green paradise and surrounded by the serenity and tranquility of nature in all its glory, the Ananda – in the Himalayas is the ideal hideaway destination for the Middle East traveller. The spa exemplifies a rejuvenating experience utilising the traditional philosophies and wellness regime of Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedanta to bring about the union of mind, body and soul.

Ananda Spa, voted as the world’s number one destination spa by Condé Nast Traveller as well as boasting numerous other international accolades and recognition, is situated in Tehri-Garhwal close to the mythological cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh in Uttaranchal in Northern India and is 260km north of Delhi.

Set amidst the Sal forest and overlooking the River Ganges, the property is situated in the Narendra Nagar town. The town came into existence when Maharaja Narendra Shah of Tehri-Garhwal, a former princely state, moved his summer capital from Tehri to this picturesque location.

The Palace, adorning the Viceregal suites of Ananda, was built by the Maharaja as his official residence. Reminiscent of a royal era, the resort features the elegant and luxurious Viceregal Palace, a spa, 70 deluxe rooms, three deluxe suites, one Ananda suite with its own private garden, one Viceregal suite with a private terrace as well as three villas named after mountain ranges Himalay and Shivalik and the river Ganga.

Ananda’s signature is its extravagant 24,000 square feet spa which offers 79 body

DECEMBER 2011 41

TRAVEL

and beauty treatments combining the traditional Indian science of Ayurveda and contemporary therapies of the Western world. The spa features 24 treatment rooms with specialised areas for Ayurveda, Oriental and European systems of holistic health as well as a state-of-the-art 16station life cycle gym and a temperaturecontrolled indoor pool.

Guests seeking to rejuvenate and revitalise their spirits with meditation and yoga, can make use of Ananda’s mesmerising pavilions such as the Hawa Mahal, the Music Pavilion and the amphitheatre, a landscaped garden as well as the Viceregal Terrace - a testimony of the Maharaja’s close links with the history of spiritual India.

Ananda’s food concept integrates the five elements described in Ayurveda namely air, space, water, fire and earth inspiring a healthy ‘way of life’. The spa’s signature restaurant is built on a grove of old Sal trees and offers Asian, Western and Oriental cuisine enriched with organic vegetables and herbs. The outdoor Tree Top Deck is a delightful dining arena facing panoramic views of the beautiful Himalayan peaks amidst the stark

42 DECEMBER 2011

freshness of nature. The Pavilion is a good choice to sit back and relax with drinks and light snacks. Portraying memories from the bygone period, the Tea Lounge, adjacent to the reception area, offers an ideal venue to experience authentic Darjeeling tea and afternoon snacks in the backdrop of walls adorned with portraits of the Maharaja and other political dignitaries who visited Narendra Nagar during his reign including the last Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten.

Other unique features of the spa include

the Maharaja’s billiard room which is in possession of one of the oldest billiard tables in India dating back to more than hundred years and carved out from wood.

The resort also prides over its Viceregal Hall which was once a skating rink used by the Maharaja and can be converted into to a conference hall, while not being used for a relaxing session of yoga.

Health, harmony, balance, and luxurious comfort all converge together in the Ananda to give you the vacation and experience of a life time.

CAREER

WOMEN WHO HAVE SUCCEEDED AND THEIR SUCCESS STRATEGIES…

I AM:

Tejas Kapasi, Retail and Marketing Manager – Khimji’s Watches

MY ROLE IS TO:

Completely oversee the marketing aspects of the company. This includes liaising and dealing with ßthe principals of top international brands in watches, accessories and jewellery like Piaget, Chopard, Rolex, Cartier, etc. I am also responsible for conceptualising and launching various promotions and events. I also manage retail sales and work with a very large team and play an active role in managing the public relations for the company.

I STUDIED...

Marketing and have a Masters in Business Administration from Hull University, UK.

HOW I STARTED OUT...

My first job was with the same group Khimji Ramdas where I joined as sales executive in 1997. Since then, I’ve grown with the job and have been encouraged to grow in my career. I was encouraged to add to my qualifications. It’s been like working with family, a wonderful team and management have ensured that I’ve never thought of moving elsewhere.

MY MENTOR IS....

Madhu Jesrani, the General Manager of Khimji’s Watches who has guided me in my career all through these years. He has always appreciated me for work well done and pointed out my mistakes so that I could learn.

Thanks must also go to Rajiv Ahuja, Head of Corporate Communications for his invalubale support. This has been the perfect learning ground for me.

WORDS OF INSPIRATION I WILL NEVER FORGET...

The trust and confidence reposed in me by many have only pushed me to do better. Many times, I’ve heard this from people, “You’ve performed beyond our expectations!” This has boosted my confidence to a large degree.

THE OBSTACLES I FACED....

There are challenges in every workplace and one has to always learn from them. I’ve learnt a lot of things on my own and taken initiative wherever required. I believe everyday is a learning experience that will only help me move forward in my career.

THE GLASS CEILING…

Does exist. Often, people I meet, outside the organisation have given me an impression that a man could do better in my position. But that does not deter me in any way!

SUCCESS TO ME MEANS....

living up to my dreams and commitments. It means striking a good work-life balance and not compromising on my integrity.

WORDS OF ADVICE…

Utilise your talents to your fullest. God has given each one a special skill which we must make use of. And I would also say, that there is no substitute for hard work.

DECEMBER 2011 43

PROFILE

LUJAINA MOHSIN DARWISH ON THE JOYS OF PARENTING, WORK-LIFE BALANCE, ET AL

L

ujaina Mohsin Darwish certainly needs no introduction.

Successful businesswoman, a pioneer in the political field in Oman, a global leader and a role model for generations to look up to – she truly exemplifies everything a ‘woman of substance’ stands for.

The Joint Deputy Chairperson of Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC, a large business conglomerate in the Sultanate is also enjoying a different role – as mother to two-year-old Fatma and revelling in the joys of motherhood. In an interesting conversation with Al Mar’a, she speaks on work-life balance, her approach towards parenting and why mothers are very important not only in the lives of their children but also in shaping the future of an entire generation.

A ‘packed’ life…

Before she got married, Lujaina confesses that work was always top priority.

Being the eldest of three sisters, she got into the family business at a very young age. She also gave wings to her political aspirations by winning a seat at the Shura Council, twice. She was also appointed as member of the board of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry by decree and was named one of the 235 Young Global Leaders at Davos, Switzerland. She currently looks after the Human Resources and Omanisation department in the

44 DECEMBER 2011

MOM’S THE WORD! organisation. Her role model is her father who believes that work in any form, should be taken very seriously. “My father constantly challenges us. We are responsible for our actions. And even if we are wrong, we are asked why we are wrong; we cannot really take it easy,” she says.

Enter the bundle of joy…

Lujaina got married in 2004 and her daughter Fatma was born in 2009. And life, changed forever! “Motherhood for me was a dream come true. “From the very moment Fatma was placed into my arms, I experienced a love, and joy like none other I have ever felt!” she recollects. She also admits, “It was also a change to my lifestyle. I now had to take care of her every need… run home, play with her, put her to bed, call the nanny 10 times a day… it’s fun but at times challenging. However at the end of the day, rewarding.”

Managing time and being there…

Since she was part of a family business, flexible timings helped Lujaina manage that work-life balance. She made different things work to her advantage as well.

“I believe in team work and delegating work to others. I am also a very organised person which helps me to manage my tasks,” she says.

One thing that Lujaina is strict about is never to carry her work home. After 5.30pm and on weekends, her mobile phone is switched off. Weekends are dedicated to the family where she gets involved with everything in the home.

Thursdays are outing days to spend quality time together. Summer holidays means time with family in some faraway place where ‘we spend quality time together’.

“Quality is more important when it comes to the time you spend with your child. If you bring someone into this world, you have the responsibility to look after him/ her,” she elaborates.

Parenting rules and approaches…

Lujaina believes that education is very important in the overall development of a child. “Even though my daughter is only two, my husband and I discuss which school we’d like to send her, and as she grows we would like to introduce her to music and languages, etc. I believe providing our daughter with good education; it’s like giving her the world,” she says.

“I also believe that religion is a vital component in any upbringing.” As my daughter grows up, she will need to understand that there should be time allocated for fasting, praying and alms giving,” she adds.

Being a friend…

Lujaina is of the opinion that ‘challenging’ the child is healthy. “Challenging children is important because this helps them overcome obstacles on the way towards accomplishing their own goals. I am a very soft-hearted person and hope to play the role of her mother and best friend.

That’s exactly how my father and we are; friends!” she says.

She also feels that discipline is very important. “If you don’t have it in the beginning, you won’t have it in the end,” she says.

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world…

“My mother played a very big role in our upbringing. Her patience, love and support mean a lot to us today - everyday.

We are who we are today because of her total devotion to our upbringing. I always believe that behind every successful family is a woman. Being a mother is an important role and a great responsibility because you’re not bringing up a child, but a generation who is the future of your country,” she says.

Lujaina sums it up by quoting a wonderful saying in Arabic. “If you bring up the mother nicely, you are also laying the foundation for a good society.”

DECEMBER 2011 45

EXPERIENCE

THE SIDAB WOMEN’S SEWING GROUP HAS EMPOWERED WOMEN IN A SMALL FISHING VILLAGE BY EQUIPPING THEM WITH SKILLS THAT HAVE CHANGED THEIR LIVES IN DIFFERENT WAYS. BY MYSSAA SAID AL HINAI

INSTRUMENT OF CHANGE

I

t’s interesting to note as to how I came across this women’s enterprise.

At a friend’s wedding many years ago, I got a beautiful memento; a bookmark made from paper but wrapped in Barisem fabric. It was so beautiful that this small piece of art took my breath away. It was a thoughtful gift as it had a unique Omani touch, one you’d want to keep forever.

When I enquired of the bride where she got the splendid idea from, she said that it

was the handiwork of the Sidab Women’s Sewing Group. This prompted me to make a visit to the place where the group is housed, to learn more about how these women are making a difference not only to themselves, but also to society.

Located in the picturesque fishing village of Sidab, the Sidab Women’s Sewing Group operates from a traditionally-styled Omani home. The floor, carpets, furniture and other paintings reflect the rich tradition and culture of the land.

using computers. They have also taken up courses in Information Technology and Communications. There are plans to open an exclusive cybercafé for women,” informs Muna Al Zedjali.

by not only giving them a source of income but wings to their creativity and imagination as well. Badriya was initially working in a bank and during that time wanted to give back something to the society. She specifically wanted to help women in her village and nearby villages by encouraging them to make use of their spare time to nurture their vocational aspirations. When many expressed an interest in learning how to sew, the idea of the Sidab Women’s Sewing Group was born.

Muna Al Zadjali

I am taken around the home and introduced to the women working there

by Muna Al Zadjali, who currently oversees the operations of the group.

It’s wonderful to see deft and skilled fingers at work on different things – cloth bags, tissue boxes, wallets, containers and other products of high artistic quality.

I look closely at each and every piece and find it distinct and unique in every sense. That’s precisely why these women of Sidab have become famous for. Their products are simple, unique, of high quality and most importantly have the Omani touch. It’s a project of Omani women, by Omani women that’s making its mark outside Oman as well!

I also later speak to Badriya Al Siyabi, the project founder, on how it all began. And therein lies an interesting story, one that has changed the lives of many women

Badriya assures us that her association with the women of Sidab will continue and it has also helped shape her personality in a number of ways. “There are a lot of lessons I learnt from this Group. I bought a sewing machine and it took some time to learn the art. I challenged myself especially when one of the women said, ‘You are a failure at such ‘feminine’ things because you don’t bother to push yourself or go that extra mile’. This encouraged me to master sewing and I am really thankful for her advice.

Surely, the seeds sown by a few enterprising women have indeed reaped rich results!

Badriya teamed up with Sue Ross, an enthusiastic Australian volunteer to form the Group in 2004 that initially comprised six women. Slowly, it expanded and grew in number. Women were encouraged to come up with their own ideas and soon, exquisite hand-made items became the hallmark of the Group. Training support was also given to the women to hone their skills in different areas.

The Group is not limited to production only as it involves the marketing of the products and getting new orders. The project has contracts with a number of Omani gift shops and also participates in local and international exhibitions.

Badriya’s current role is only limited to supervising the activities of the group.

She’s very keen to have the members participate in management as well.

“Investing in the members gives me a profound feeling of joy and relaxation,” she says.

New ideas are welcomed and the Group is looking at other avenues as well. “One of the photographers decided to utilise a part of the premises as a photography studio exclusively for women. The members also try to keep pace with modern development and have started

DECEMBER 2011 47

THE WONDER BOY

EYE CANDY

48 DECEMBER 2011

HE IS THE IRON MAN IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. HE HAS SHOWN TENACITY AND DETERMINATION AS HE CLIMBED THE LADDER OF SUCCESS FROM THE LOWEST RUNG. THOUGH HE LOST THE GRIP AND WAVERED IN BETWEEN, HIS IRON RESOLVE PUSHED HIM UP. HE IS ROBERT DOWNEY JR.

‘Yes, Downey is Iron Man, but he really is Actor Man…’ said Ben Stiller, as he wrote Downey’s entry in the 2008 edition of The Time 100. Was he proven right? Did Downey live up to the expectations? Of course, he did. And how!

Born on April 4 1965 to filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. and actress Elsie Ford, Robert didn’t have to wait long to enter the glittering world of films. At the age of five, he was cast as a puppy in his father’s film Pound and two years later in Greaser’s Palace, another of his father’s films.

The early days saw the family travelling a lot, owing to his father’s work as an independent filmmaker.

They lived in Connecticut, Woodstock, New York, London and California.

Robert did early schooling at the Perry House School in Chelsea, but his interest in films was sparked and for three summers he attended the Stagedoor Manner (Catskills), a summer camp where the focus was on acting, dancing, improvisation, vocal technique, etc. His talent was receiving early nourishment.

Things, however, seemed to have come to a standstill in 1977 when his parents divorced and he stayed in New York with his mother.

He turned listless and in 1981 decided to join his father in Los Angeles. He got enrolled in the Lincoln Junior High School and did his 10th grade in Santa Monica High School where his interest in acting was noticed. He was

offered several roles in theatre productions of the school and he also learnt tap-dance for a role in the musical Okhlahoma.

His school tryst didn’t last long though. Robert’s yearning to be in front of the cameras saw him dropping out of school before his graduation and moving to New York to live with his sister Alyson. But despite an early initiation and having a filmmaker father, films didn’t happen easily. He took up a job as a busboy at Central Falls Restaurant and also worked in a shoe store to sustain himself. He also found odd jobs as a ‘living art’ at the underground club area and later took on small roles in the local theatre productions and Off-Broadway.

But soon destiny changed things. His work caught the eye of an agent who made arrangements for him to go to Los Angeles and give screen tests for movies there.

The maze cleared and it was apparent that the universe

was at work. Life was filling his world with Hollywood colours…

The year was 1984 and Robert was filming Firstborn with Sarah Jessica parker. Love happened off the sets and eight weeks of dating later Robert decided to move in with her in New York. A year later, during the shooting of Weird Sciences, he met Anthony Michael hall who helped him find a role in Saturday Night Live, following which he was cast in The Pick-Up Artist by director James Toback, along with Dennis Hopper and Molly Ringwald. And then Less Than Zero happened.

His portrayal of the role as Julian Wells, a young addict in Hollywood, earned him rave reviews from film critics, and also signalled his addiction…

Two things happened in 1991 – he and Sarah Jessica Parker went their separate ways after a seven year relationship and Sir Richard Attenborough made Charlie Chaplin with Robert playing the lead role.

He is listed number 66 on Forbes annual 2011 ‘celebrity 100’ list of the most powerful people in the entertainment business, which also includes Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and George Clooney DECEMBER 2011 49

EYE CANDY

This won him an Academy Award nomination in 1992 and the BAFTA (British Academy Award for Best Actor) for Best Actor.

Soon after he fell in love with model turned actress Deborah Falconer and married her after only 42 days of courtship. Their son Indio was born on September 7, 1993.

Fame has unpleasant strings attached to it and the following years after found him making trips to rehabilitation centres. He was still battling drug addiction when he was signed to star in ten episodes of the television comedy series Ally McBeal, a hugely successful series that had Robert signing on another eight episodes in 2001.

Around this time music happened and, curiously, it began with Elton John’s I Want Love music video for which he was asked to lip-sync. This little tryst with music pushed him to explore that avenue and in 2004 he signed an agreement with Sony Classical and soon after his debut album The Futurist was released, becoming the number one best-selling new artist in the United States.

During this time he also demonstrated his philanthropic side, spending time on charity work for the Hollywood-Sunset Free clinic.

He took on the responsibility of planning, organising and hosting a three day benefit pop festival at Silver Lake to generate funds.

It was on the sets of Gothika in Canada that he found romance again with film producer Susan Levin. It soon turned to love and in

50 DECEMBER 2011

‘Hollywood’s top-earning actors’ list for his $20 million role in Iron Man 2.

Then Sherlock Holmes set a new record with a Christmas Day opening of $24.9 million. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is all set to repeat box-office success.

He is listed number 66 on Forbes annual 2011 ‘celebrity 100’ list of the most powerful people in the entertainment business, which also includes Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and George Clooney. According to the Box Office Mojo his movies have said to have grossed over $1.66 billion.

This iron man has a cast-iron reputation of delivering every time.

DOWNEY SPEAK: “You have a billion-dollar box office year and you start wondering if there isn’t more to you. Maybe I’m more than I thought? Nope!”

movie style he proposed to her a minute before her 30th birthday on November 6, with a quip, ‘I figured I kind of wanted to get her while she was still in her 20s’.

On The Frank Skinner Show later he announced their engagement and they married on August 27 2005 in the presence of about 150 guests, including Keanu Reeves, Billy Joel and Sting. Billy and Sting add to the entertainment with their performance.

AND THEN IT HAPPENED… It was September 2006 and Robert became Tony Stark for the over $100 million movie Iron Man. Following an extensive promotional world tour the movie was released in 2008, earning as much as $201 million worldwide in the very first weekend of its release. Then came Tropic Thunder grossing $26 million

in its first weekend in US and Canada; critics opined that Robert was indeed on a roll. He was ranked number 2 in Quigley’s ‘Top money-making star of 2008’ (and number 5 in 2009) - it features ten stars that generated the most boxoffice revenue.

In 2009 his name was included in the Forbes

“At heart, I’m a soldier who didn’t know how nasty and ongoing the battle was going to be and lost some people and took some hits, and I feel like now I’ve got a Purple Heart, and I’m back.”

“I’m not a method guy at all.

I can’t be bothered to have a method. I just want to be part of a good movie and not be surrounded by morons.”

“There is unpanned gold in every soul you run into, no matter what walk of life they are from.”

DECEMBER 2011 51

BULLYING AT THE WORKPLACE CAN AFFECT YOUR CAREER GROWTH AND ALSO YOUR SANITY. AL MAR’A PRESENTS DIFFERENT WAYS TO TACKLE THE ISSUE

52 DECEMBER 2011

THE OFFICE BULLY

FACING

WORKWISE

S

o you thought you said goodbye to bullying after you left school.

Well think again. The workplace can be a terrifying bullying ground too! And there have been many instances where bullying has turned into extreme forms of harassment.

Imagine this scenario. A fresh recruit is all set to make a foray into a career she’d always wanted. She’s young, bright, talented and full of ideas. Enter a superior who’s used to having her way.

She cannot digest the fact that the new entrant has the brains, right attitude and is hardworking as well. Now, the superior needs to pull her socks up and get out of complacency. The situation irks her… she starts finding fault with her junior and with it, begins harassment in subtle forms. Long hours, shorter deadlines, unpleasant behaviour and finally she gets the new recruit to quit. A classic example of workplace bullying!

We’ve all seen Devil Wears Prada, where Miranda, the editor of Runway magazine is the classic boss from hell. Whether it’s a boss bully or a group of bullies, workplace bullying leads to feelings of helplessness, insecurity, inadequacy and depression. Here, we examine different forms of bullying at the workplace and what you can do to face up to bullies and come out a winner.

overruled and dismissed.

• Often singled out and treated differently from others. For example, only you in your team is pulled up if you come in a few minutes late while the others come and go as they please.

• Constantly subjected to nit-picking especially in front of others. Often, the fault-finding is trivial.

• Ostracised… for example, left out of team lunches, important discussions, etc.

• Threatened, shouted at and humiliated at in front of others.

• Isolated and excluded from what’s happening, especially when in a team environment.

• Given unrealistic goals and deadlines.

• Either overloaded with work or not given any work at all.

• Denied information or knowledge of work at hand.

• Taken off something you have been passionately involved in, at the last minute.

• Have your work stolen, plagiarised or copied.

• Denied leave without any reason or when on leave harassed with calls, e-mails, etc.

• The subject of formal written complaints and hate mail.

• Denied representation at meetings, often under threat of disciplinary action.

• Constantly made to feel guilty about something that does not concern you.

• Forced into resignation or suspension.

Are you being bullied?

Yes, if you are: • Constantly subjected to criticism without any valid reasons. Your explanations and proof are ignored,

How can bullying affect you?

Bullying can make • You feel scared, stressed, anxious or depressed.

• You feel less confident about yourself and your work.

• You less active and less successful.

• You feel less motivated to come to work and do your job.

• Your life outside work stressful and strain family relationships.

• You have physical signs of stress like headaches, backaches, etc.

How to tackle the problem…

Be prepared The scout’s motto works everywhere.

When things are going out of hand, note down all that has been done or said against you. And when the time comes for an impartial hearing, make sure you don’t fumble, but have all the information at hand.

Know yourself It’s important that you set boundaries and limits to what others can say to you; and that also includes the way they behave with you. Do not put up with what isn’t acceptable to you.

Express yourself Make sure to share your thoughts and views openly with colleagues you can trust. Do not keep them bottled up. But also make sure that it does not take the form of gossip. Information should be passed on tactfully.

Trade perspectives Sometimes, taking a moment to consider what’s going on in the bully’s head may give you an insight into why they are behaving in a particular way. Is it just you who is being targeting or is the person the same way towards everybody? Is stress aggravating the bullying behaviour? Or is he simply passing on what he’s receiving from his superior? Though there is no excuse to bullying, this will help you understand why they are behaving so and give you measures on how to deal with the situation.

Find a neutral ear When things are going out of hand, find a sensible, balanced and mature person – preferably someone senior or in the HR department and discuss the issue. Perhaps a best friend outside work could look at things rationally and give you sane advice.

Trust your intuition Trust yourself on how to handle a bullying situation. Tell yourself that you ‘need to stick up for yourself’. Take some time to think about whether it’s worth sticking around in a place where there is something unfair and unreasonable going on all the time. If it doesn’t work for you, think of alternatives… and move on.

DECEMBER 2011 53

ENTERPRISE

N ABEER AND MA’ALI ALI AL MUKHAINI BRING TO MUSCAT A NAIL SPA WITH A DIFFERENCE…

ailLounge, a luxurious nail spa that combines the latest in nail treatments with a relaxing café setting is the brainchild of two sisters Abeer Ali Al Mukhaini and Ma’ali Ali Al Mukhaini. The duo tells Al Mar’a what sets NailLounge apart and share the entire story of how they set it up.

• The inspiration behind our venture is…

It came from the need

to have a place that was different from others… a different feel and look right from design, furniture, treatment, products and ideas. NailLounge combines the café and spa ideas to provide a luxurious and relaxing atmosphere for women to network while having their ‘tips and toes’ pampered.

NailLounge may not be different as an idea, but its content is unique.

• This is our calling because…

Nails and more!

54 DECEMBER 2011

We have always been interested in taking a business idea forward that caters to the needs of women and makes them feel good. Nail treatments should not only mean adding colours or nail art; it’s also about keeping your nails healthy. We believe that women deserve special treatment after a long day and need to be indulged and pampered and that’s where NailLounge comes into the picture. We also believe that nail care is essential for both men and

women and so a few months down the line, you will also see an exclusive branch for men. A business mostly begins with a passion and that’s what drives us.

• Here’s how we set it up…

We began by studying about the current nail spas in Oman; their services and treatments.

We held huge brainstorming discussions on how we could be different – from which we came up with the idea of a different location, look and feel. It’s a very competitive field but that didn’t stop us from giving wings to our ideas but on the contrary it encouraged us to be unique and different.

After finalising the idea and what services we wanted to provide, we moved to equipping the NailLounge with unique products. We use products that are not available in any other spa across Middle East and North Africa.

We then focused on our nail technicians and what kind of continuous training is needed to bring new treatments to the fore. It took us more than a year to equip the place and are looking forward to activate the café section soon. # Facing hurdles, obstacles and difficulties…

If there is no passion behind what you are doing, the result will be failure. We love what we are doing and enjoy every

hurdle and challenge we face as that’s how we learn and grow. The smart way to success is to work around these hurdles and not to stop and complain whenever we face an obstacle. It was a tough time but we managed our way through.

project. It’s said, ‘Dreams are the touchstones of our character’, and NailLounge represents our character.

• The fruits of our labour are…

Getting the acceptance from people in less than a month of opening; hearing people compare NailLounge with other well-known spas and positive coverage in the media have been heartening. But the main fruit of our labour is translating our dreams into reality. NailLounge opened on August 28 and we’ve already got a wonderful response.

There’s a lot more to do in the coming months and we have our plans in place.

• They say business is a gamble, we say...

As Stewart Johnson said, “Our business in life is not to get ahead of others, but to get ahead of ourselves, to break our own records, to outstrip our yesterday by our today.” Business is a joy. It teaches you how to be a real entrepreneur, it exposes you to different worlds and people, and above all, it’s your own world and it’s your decision whether to make it a failure or a success and nobody else’s. Business is all about dreaming, believing, achieving and inspiring others in turning their dreams into reality.

• Today we are grateful for…

Everything we have in life and the support from our parents, family, friends and the team behind this amazing

• Go after your dream because…

We would like to answer this question with another famous quote. “We all have our own

life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving. And we all have some power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.”

DECEMBER 2011 55

THE BATTLE WITHIN

WELLBEING

THE ONLY WAY WE CAN SEE OUR ‘SELF’ FOR THE WAY IT IS, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL, PURE, UNTARNISHED AND USEFUL, IS TO MAKE THAT LITTLE BIT OF EFFORT TO CLEANSE THE INSIDE OF US, SAYS DR. PREMA SESHADRI 56 DECEMBER CEMBER R 2011

I saw an intense film last evening. It dealt with seven women from an everexpanding minority community. To say that it was all about their travails in life would be undermining the grotesqueness of reality. To say that they are strong women would be belittling the very essence of womanhood. So what was the film all about for me? For me it was all about the countless surprises that await us at every corner that we negotiate. It was all about the infinite possibilities that life poses in front of us. What is scary is that the infinite possibilities are both ugly and beautiful and you just don’t know which one is going to hit you till you are reeling under its force. Seven women confront themselves in their various shades and hues and find themselves able to take the next step forward. The same vulnerability that pulls them to the deepest bowels of despair also brings out the opposing value of toughness that has helped women to survive through the generations.

Depression is not a ‘one size fits all’ factor. They manifest in so many different ways only because they are triggered off by so many different factors, right from reproductive hormones to social pressures to stress factors around her.

Each factor varies within itself and in its

intensity. What is of greatest concern is the statistics that one of every four women will develop depression at some point during her lifetime. Women in depression constantly oscillate between the highs and the lows. They are very dull or absolutely exuberant, very tired or full of energy, very happy or very sad. All moods in depressed people are constantly shifting and totally unpredictable. If there is one thing that I am certain of is that underlying all emotions and moods in a woman there is hope and there is a prayer.

In the film, one single tragedy, that women don’t ever want to experience which is one of losing one’s own child let alone children, leads one of the female protagonists to break down and realise the barriers that she has erected in the hope of protecting her vulnerability. She has lost all connect with her own self and hence with others.

But only a woman could have admitted her own helplessness and that too in front of a man and that is because she is not governed by an ego, which often dictates the actions of men. And in her acknowledgement, she transcends her weakness. To compound her agony, she is abruptly faced with a life-threatening disease given to her by her errant husband.

I believe she was more devastated by the betrayal than by the disease. In that one moment, she had a choice – whether to get sucked in by despair or come out fighting.

The latter was her choice. She emerges from a lifetime of depression and seeks to stretch her hand out to help another whose tragedy seems to be so much more unbearable. This is a woman’s strength.

Her very sensitivity that made her an easy target made her strong enough to uplift the weak. In the process she became strong.

We often believe that knowing our capabilities and strengths can make us really grow. This is absolutely true. But what will make us grow in leaps and bounds is not knowing our capabilities.

Human tendency is to label oneself and get attached to that label. I have so often had women come up to me and say, “I have always felt inadequate” or “I have been depressed all my life”. The label has got so fearsomely stuck on them that they have ceased to experience what it is to be without that label. So the woman does not know she has a humongous reservoir

of strength, courage, and opportunities that can help her come out of her rut and experience a brand-new self almost every moment! But to drop a habit requires monumental effort, much more than needed to develop them. It is a very difficult and very frightening process. It’s like taking away your security blanket and leaving you naked and defenseless. But once you are left to swim up to the surface, you realise that you actually can do what you always thought you could never do.

That is the prize of faith and patience. The first step is a difficult one and seems it can never take you over the wide chasm left behind by a mind that has already lost.

But once you have covered it with that one giant leap, you become a giant capable of moving mountains.

The phrase ‘believe in yourself’ is now such a clichéd word that there is no longer any credibility attached to it. In all fairness, one can believe in oneself only when we have the clarity within us to see our ‘self” before we can believe in our self. If I see only ugliness, I will believe I am ugly. If I see only inadequacy, I will believe I am inadequate. Every action of mine will henceforth be only ugly and inadequate.

And depression is ugly and makes you inadequate. The only way we can see our ‘self’ for the way it is, which is beautiful, pure, untarnished and useful, is to make that little bit of effort to cleanse the inside of you. Once the skills are adopted to cleanse, the actual ‘you’ or the actual ‘self’ becomes visible making us feel comfortable within our own skin. It is this, which will make us healthy, happy, and joyous at all times.

(Dr. Prema Sheshadri is a psychologist, writer and entrepreneur)

DECEMBER 2011 57

SWEET ADVICE

HEALTH

58 DECEMBER 2011

Around 10-12 per cent of women develop gestational diabetes.

Dr. Smita Lulla throws light on this type of diabetes, its effects and risks

Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational diabetes. If poorly controlled or untreated, gestational diabetes can cause complications and harm to the baby.

Here’s all you wanted to know about gestational diabetes, its effects and treatment available.

Why should I worry about diabetes?

Diabetes is a growing ‘epidemic’ worldwide. The incidence of diabetes has now reached alarming figures and is estimated to rise further and double between 2005 and 2030! At present 6.6 per cent of the world’s population has diabetes and this is expected to increase to 7.7 per cent by 2030. It is estimated that around 13 per cent of Oman’s population have diabetes and another 50 per cent are susceptible to diabetes.

The increase in incidence from 11.6 per cent in 2000 is thought to reflect the lifestyle changes which have occurred.

The increase of ‘sugary’ food in our diet and leading a sedentary lifestyle with lack of exercise are attributed to this increase.

Naru, (in the South Pacific) has the highest incidence of diabetes - 30.9 per cent. Oman ranks 8th in the world for diabetes. It is shocking to note that five of the Middle East countries are in the list of the 10 countries with the highest incidence of diabetes.

What are the types of diabetes in pregnancy?

You could have pre-existing diabetes or gestational diabetes.

In gestational diabetes, a high blood sugar is detected for the first time during a pregnancy.

Around 2-10 per cent of women develop this. This is due to the hormonal changes of pregnancy which do not allow your body to respond well to the insulin hormone which is required for adequate blood sugar control.

In most cases of gestational diabetes, the blood sugar comes back to normal after delivery.

How will I know that I have diabetes?

Your doctor will check your blood sugar levels - either at the fasting stage or one or two hours after meals. A GTT may be done where a fasting sugar is done and then you are given glucose to drink and tested for sugar one to two hours later. If you were diabetic before you got pregnant, a blood test called Hb1Ac will be done to determine how your average blood sugar has been in the last two to three months.

Will it affect my baby?

Infants of diabetic mothers double the risk of serious injury at birth, triple the risk of Caesarean section and quadruple the incidence of intensive care neonatal admission! There may be a higher incidence of miscarriage.

Congenital defects of the heart, spine or kidneys may occur, specially if the diabetes was present before pregnancy.

The baby maybe large macrosomia - often reaching four kilogrammes. This is more common if the blood sugar is not well controlled during the pregnancy. The large baby makes a vaginal delivery difficult and there is often shoulder dystocia -

where the shoulders ‘get stuck’.

While trying to remove the baby the nerves of the arm are injured causing paralysis (Erb’s palsy). Some babies, however, may also be very small (IUGR) - especially in women who had diabetes before pregnancy or have associated high blood pressure or kidney disease. After birth, the baby may have a low blood sugar, a high bilirubin leading to jaundice or even some breathing problems. There is also an increased risk of stillbirth.

How will it affect me?

In patients with existing kidney disease or retinopathy, the condition may worsen during pregnancy. Hypertension may develop or worsen during the pregnancy.

What treatment will be given to me?

If your blood sugar is slightly high, your doctor will advise you a sugar free diet with more whole grains and legumes. Large meals should be avoided and three main small meals and three snacks are advised. The blood sugar is checked again after a few days to determine whether the diet control has been adequate. If your blood sugar level is still high, you may be given tablets to control the sugar levels. We have good news now! In the past all pregnant diabetic women were given insulin injections.

Nowadays, Metformin tablets can be given and are found to be safe. If however, after a few days, Metformin does not reduce the sugar level, insulin injections may be required.

You can give the injections yourself on your thigh, twice or thrice in a day. Insulin pumps are also available where insulin is pumped automatically by a

small catheter or needle into the fat layer under the skin. Due to the hormonal changes in advancing pregnancy, the dose of Metformin or insulin may have to be increased.

What should I do before a future pregnancy?

If you have had diabetes during a pregnancy, it is necessary to inform your doctor before you are planning a next pregnancy.

The blood sugar is checked and if high, it should be normalised before planning the pregnancy by diet control and Metformin if required. Pre-conceptional normalisation of blood sugar helps reduce the incidence of congenital anomalies in the foetus.

Would I have any long term effects of gestational diabetes?

Yes! There will be a 30- 84 per cent chance of developing gestational diabetes in another pregnancy. There will also be a higher risk of developing diabetes later.

Would my baby have any long term effects?

Yes! Your child may have an increased risk of obesity in childhood and as an adult.

Also, there is a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in your baby.

So, can I do anything to reduce these risks?

Surely! Leading a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, (avoiding those irresistible ice creams and chocolates every day) and regular physical exercise will reduce your risk or severity of diabetes. Thus, a healthy mother will give birth to a healthy baby!

Dr. Smita Lulla — MBBS, M.D, D.G.O. (Gold Medallist) is Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at Qurum Clinic, Muscat.

DECEMBER 2011 59

GO TECH

N

ot everyone is a born cook.

But if you’re passionate about food and learning how to cook, help’s just a click away.

You can keep your recipe and cookbooks away and for a change log on to the www. The online world has an amazing repertoire of how food’s cooked around the world and YouTube leads the way in teaching you how to cook, step-by-step and from scratch.

There’s no better way to try out the recipes you’ve always been drooling over than watch how’s it made by an expert in videos that are simple, attractive and a whole lot of fun too.

All you need is a high-speed internet connection… just log onto www.youtube. com and click away. Here are some popular food channels that show the way.

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60 DECE DECEMBER CEMBER R 2011

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DECEMBER 2011 61

YOUR BEAUTY CHECKLIST… BEAUTY ZONE

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

For beautiful and youngerlooking skin, Bourjois has all the right answers. Bourjois has created Flower Perfection, its first range of youth-extending make-up with azalea extract. The range features four new products to beautify the complexion for a professional result. The Flower Perfection Youth Extension Foundation, Flower Perfection Translucent Smoothing Primer, Flower Perfection Loose Powder and the Flower Perfection Brush form the range. Super products for super skin!

SHOCK VALUE

Here’s an addictive skin scent that’s both edgy and impulsive. Ck one shock opens with a fierce bouquet of passion flower, pink peony and jewelled poppy flower. The intensity deepens with blackberry, jasmine and narcisse flower drizzled with a liquid chocolate accord. The addictive signature finishes with magnetic ambers enveloped in vanillin and patchouli, wrapped in second skin musk.

62 DECEMBER 2011

LUSCIOUS LIPS

Beautiful Dior lipsticks are even more sublime! Inspired by the shimmering glint of gold, Tyen, creative director for Dior make-up created the ‘Rouges Or’ collection, a clever combination of shimmer and pigment for colour infused with a gold light which radiates on lips and nails. Across the spectrum from red to pink via coral, the most beautiful lipstick shades have been infused with a golden powder. This ultra-fine golden powder does not shimmer like mother-of-pearl but melts like a pigment, revealing all the potency and splendour of the colour. Go, get the gold!

SMART OPERATOR

Here’s make-up that comes with a dual purpose. It repairs your skin as you use it.

The new Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus All-Smooth Makeup SPF 15 incorporates Clinique’s advanced patented technology from the power-house de-aging serum, Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Damage Corrector, creating an ultimate de-ageing foundation.

This liquid makeup instantly softens lines and covers imperfections, helping to create beautifully flawless skin to look like a picture perfect photo – without the retouching.

ORIENTAL MAGIC

Enriched with an extraordinary mixture of Avocado and Grapeseed oil, Mythic Oil from L’Oreal leaves any hair type deeply nourished, shiny and supple with absolutely no frizz. Lightweight, versatile and accompanied by a lovely light floral fragrance, Mythic Oil is the perfect and most convenient addition to any woman’s daily hair care regime. Packed with Vitamins A, B1, B2, D and essential fatty acids Omega 3, 6 and 9, Avocado oil is natural, lightweight and the element of choice to add intense shine to the hair. Another powerful yet weightless component grapeseed oil is highly concentrated in essential fatty acids and contains one of the most powerful antioxidants in the world, Linoleic acid. Say hello to sparkling and luscious locks!

FRAGRANCE FEAST

The new Thierry Mugler Taste of Fragrance collection was created in collaboration with the brand’s olfactory artistic director Pierre Aulas and acclaimed French chef Hélène Darroze. Together, the two re-imagined the notes of four classic Mugler scents —Angel, Alien, Womanity, and A*Men — to give them a haute cuisine spin. Darroze went one step further and envisioned an entire Muglerian meal based around the new gourmand notes. To go with Angel’s bitter cocoa-powder accord, she concocted a main dish of Mexican duck mole.

A creamy salted-butter caramel dessert is the perfect companion to Alien’s sensual new formula, while Womanity’s fig chutney is reborn as an appetizer garnished with a dollop of caviar — a playful throwback to the fragrance’s original sweet and savory notes. Finally, A*Men made Darroze think of a starter made with coffee and the scent’s spicy, red pepper accord. Scrumptious!

ALL THE GLITTER

SUPER COOL

Now, Kate Moss and Rimmel have decided to take their collaboration a step further, with the supermodel for the first time developing her very own lipstick range, exclusively for Rimmel; the Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick Collection. For this new Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick collection, Kate worked closely with Rimmel to design a chic matte black pack that perfectly represents her glamorous rock’n’roll style. Kate’s iconic pack is truly personalised with her signature in an eye catching stand-out red giving it true elegance with an edge!

The Holiday 2011 Collection from MAC boasts a full range of products from mineralised eye shadows, beauty powders, nail lacquers, faux lashes, lipsticks, glosses… to brushes and sweet little make-up cases. Entitled ‘Glitter & Ice’, the collection has been launched in collaboration with eclectic Olympic ice skater Johnny Weir. Go ahead, shake up the season!

DECEMBER 2011 63

CUISINE

CHOCO-LICIOUS! CHOCOLATE FONDANT Serves: 8

THE END OF THE YEAR IS ALL ABOUT DECADENCE. HERE ARE SOME FABULOUS CHOCOLATE RECIPES TO SAY GOODBYE TO 2011 AND ROUND OFF THE FESTIVE SEASON. ENJOY!

50 gm melted butter, for brushing Cocoa powder for dusting 200 gm good-quality dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces 200 gm butter cut in small pieces 200 gm golden caster sugar 4 eggs and 4 yolks 200 gm plain flour Caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream or orange sorbet, to serve First get your moulds ready. Using upward strokes, heavily brush the melted butter all over the inside of the pudding mould. Place the mould in the fridge or freezer. Brush more melted butter over the chilled butter, then add a good spoonful of cocoa powder into the mould. Tip the mould so the powder completely coats the butter. Tap any excess cocoa back into the jar, then repeat with the next mould.

Place a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then slowly melt the chocolate and butter together. Remove bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and yolks together with the sugar until thick and pale and the whisk leaves a trail; use an electric whisk if you want. Sift the flour into the eggs, then beat together.

Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in thirds, beating well between each addition, until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is completely combined to a loose cake batter.

Tip the fondant batter into a jug, then evenly divide between the moulds. The fondants can now be frozen for up to a month and cooked from frozen. Chill for at least 20 minutes or up to the night before. To bake from frozen, simply carry on as stated, adding five minutes more to the cooking time.

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the fondants on a baking tray, then cook for 10-12 minutes until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of their moulds. Remove from the oven, then leave to sit for a minute before turning out.

Loosen the fondants by moving the tops very gently so they come away from the sides, easing them out of the moulds. Tip each fondant slightly onto your hand so you know it has come away, then tip back into the mould ready to plate up.

Starting from the middle of each plate, squeeze a spiral of caramel sauce - do all the plates you need before you go on to the next stage. Sit a fondant in the middle of each plate.

Using a large spoon dipped in hot water, scoop a ‘quenelle’ of ice cream.

Carefully place the ice cream on top of the fondant, then serve immediately. Repeat with the rest of the fondants.

64 DECEMBER 2011

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE Serves: 6

300 gm good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped 3 eggs 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar 1 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder, sifted 300 ml thickened cream, plus extra whipped cream to serve Grated chocolate, to serve Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Stir until melted. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Place eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters for five minutes, or until mixture is pale, thick and doubled in volume. Fold in cooled chocolate and cocoa powder until combined. In a separate bowl, whip cream until thickened (be careful not to over-beat). Use a large metal spoon to carefully fold the cream into the chocolate mixture, trying to keep the mixture as light as possible. Spoon into six serving glasses and chill in fridge for at least one hour. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before serving, then top with extra whipped cream and grated chocolate to serve.

DECEMBER 2011 65

CUISINE CUISINE

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE Serves: 10-12

For the cheesecake base: 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/2 stick butter 1 tablespoon cocoa For the cheesecake filling: 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped small 2 1/2 cups cream cheese 3/4 cup superfine sugar 1 tablespoon custard powder 3 large eggs 3 large egg yolks 2/3 cup sour cream 1/2 teaspoon cocoa, dissolved in one tablespoon hot water Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To make the base, process the graham crackers to make rough crumbs and then add the butter and cocoa. Process again until it makes damp, clumping crumbs and then tip them into the pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.

Put a kettle on to boil. Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.

66 DECEMBER 2011

Beat the cream cheese to soften it, then add the sugar and custard power, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks, and the sour cream. Finally add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and melted chocolate and mix to a smooth batter.

Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of cling wrap, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.

Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake filling. Fill the roasting pan with just boiled water to come about half way up the cake tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to one hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.

Peel away the foil and cling film wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the refrigerator once it is no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with plastic overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve. Serve with ice cream or cream.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES Makes: 30 to 35 truffles

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 1/2 cup cocoa powder, for coating truffles 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine Place the 10 ounces of chocolate and butter in a medium size glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds.

Remove and stir, and repeat this process one more time.

Set aside.

Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the melted chocolate mixture; let stand for two minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently, starting in the middle of bowl and working in concentric circles until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish and place in the refrigerator for an hour.

Using a melon baller, scoop chocolate onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, place the eight ounces of chocolate into a medium mixing bowl which is sitting on top of a heating pad lined bowl, with the heating pad set to medium.

Depending on the heating pad, you may need to adjust the heat up or down. Stirring the chocolate occasionally, test the temperature of the chocolate and continue heating until it reaches 90 to 92 degrees F; do not allow the chocolate to go above 94 degrees F. If you do, the coating will not have a nice snap to it when you bite into the chocolate.

Once you have reached the optimal temperature, adjust the heat to maintain it.

Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Use powder-free vinyl or latex gloves, if desired.

Dip an ice cream scoop into the chocolate and turn upside down to remove excess chocolate. Place truffles one at a time into the scoop and roll around until coated. Then place the truffle into the dish with the cocoa powder. Move the truffle around to coat; leave truffle in the coating for 10 to 15 seconds before removing. Place the truffle to a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat until all truffles are coated. Allow to set in a cool dry place for at least one hour; or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Truffles are best when served at room temperature.

Place the cocoa powder in a pie pan and set aside.

DECEMBER 2011 67

CUISINE

HOT CHOCOLATE Serves: 4

1l whole milk 230 gm bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 115 gm milk chocolate, finely chopped A pinch of salt ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Warm about one-third of the milk, with the chopped chocolates and salt, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the remaining milk, heating until the mixture is warmed through. Add the cinnamon. Use a hand-held blender, or a whisk, and mix the hot chocolate until it’s completely smooth. Serve very warm.

Serve with a poof of whipped cream and/or chocolate curls.

FASHION

FASHION ALERT

THE TOP PICKS OF THE AUTUMN/WINTER COLLECTIONS FROM VARIOUS BRANDS…

From the Next Autumn-Winter Collection

70 DECEMBER 2011

From contemporary classics to accomplished interpretations of all the season’s key trends, there’s something for every woman in next’s collection for Autumn-Winter 2011. From hooded fisherman jackets in waxed fabrics and shawl-collared lambswool knitwear to cinch-back chinos, from flat caps to sturdy round-toe brogues, next’s menswear collection for Autumn-Winter 2011 gives elements of sartorial tradition an intriguing new twist. next’s new children’s wear collection bursts with the sort of practical, age-appropriate but on-trend clothes that kids will truly want to wear.

From The Coast Autumn-Winter Collection The collection features nostalgic influences from many decades. The label’s signature style combines elements from the 30s through to the 70s for dressy daywear and elegant evenings. The result is a line that blends timeless design with a newfound confidence, making you look and feel at your most beautiful.

DECEMBER 2011 71

FASHION

From the Oasis Autumn-Winter Collection Knitwear takes centrestage with a choice of different textures, patterns and prints. Oversized cardigans, woollen capes and striped sweaters are mixed in with delicate detailing and trims. In contrast chunky cable knits in forest greens and burnt oranges continue the 70s transitional trend with subtle referencing to the iconic Woodstock era.

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From the Okaidi-Obaibi Autumn-Winter Collection Okaidi’s latest collection is a fashionable and functional selection of the season’s key wardrobe essentials uniquely designed for trendy boys and girls. The Obaibi Collection is incredibly modern and innovative whilst enabling coordinated looks with minimum fuss.

DECEMBER 2011 73

From the Warehouse Autumn-Winter Collection Warehouse celebrates 35 years of directional and effortless design for the high street this season. As always the collections are full of individual looks that continue to cover all the key trends. The unique handwriting and exceptional quality reigns throughout creating fresh looks that continue to bring effortless cool to any wardrobe with a touch of added attitude.

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FASHION

From the River Island Autumn-Winter Collection River Island reasserts a bold and unique mood reclaiming its confidence as a true innovator of the high street. The evolution of the River Island girl is captured in dynamic dressing with a shapely, sophisticated and grown up edge. The easy, refined and retro glamour are discovered in functional separates through to unique, evening dressing making this a stand out collection.

DECEMBER 2011 75

STARGAZING

What the

foretell...

ARIES

Focus is what you need, in every sphere of your life! Focus on work, personal matters and on money!

A flurry of activity will ensure that you are on your toes for most of the month. This is the chance to turn losses into gains, and opportunities to deal with past problems.

TAURUS

This is the time to pay some special attention to the relationships in your lives. Plan a quick getaway with your significant other and bring back the romance in your relationship. Be wary of speculation though; keep heavy financial transactions to the minimum.

Health may also be of some concern, but overall it’s a great month for you!

GEMINI

Your charm will come into focus this month, especially at work, when it will be required to soothe strained relations. Be the negotiator and peace-maker you always wanted to be. You’ll be rewarded for both your intuition and tact. It’s also time for some home improvement; some D-I-Y projects will keep you excited.

CANCER

December is the period where you need to carefully watch your spending and financial dealings. The end of the year also means letting your hair down and partying. But do take it easy – all play and no work can topple the equations, especially at the workplace.

Give due attention to any crisis that may occur. It will have a bearing on where your career is destined to go.

LEO

The last month of the year brings with it an opportunity to cool off… with a quick holiday. You’ll come back 76 DECEMBER 2011

feeling rejuvenated and gung-ho!

Your confidence is on a high this month as you take on new creative projects and challenges.

VIRGO

There’s a certain ambiguity that will surround both work and love matters in December. So try to keep a low profile and do not jump to conclusions. You’ll feel confident and energetic but do not let that fool you.

The trials and tiredness will come later. So go slow and take things one at a time.

LIBRA

Working your charm is effortless now, however, do watch for confusion in love and friendship. After this, you’re much better off with more clarity in these areas of life. Mechanical breakdowns, misinformation, dealing with red tape, and other such annoyances, are likely this month. Concentrate on getting your work done well the first time so you won’t have to redo things later.

stars

SCORPIO

Ease on the spending bit this month… or you’ll regret it later.

Better to keep some time apart for romance as this will give your life new focus and dimensions and better things to look forward to! At work, trust issues are in play. Try to avoid unnecessary gossip and grouping and things will be fine.

SAGITTARIUS

At the close of the year, you’re high up on the popularity stakes, dear Sagittarius. Your independent spirit pushes up and out, and you enjoy plenty of scope for doing your own thing. Others take special interest in you. But be careful of your runaway optimism; it can do more harm than good.

CAPRICORN

Your private life is especially animated this month and personal plans are in an early stage of development.

You’re in a period of reflection and preparation, so take things as slowly as you can. Be prepared to make sacrifices where needed, you’ll be the better for it.

AQUARIUS

As things at work begin to ease, your social life begins to take top priority.

Find yourself in demand with friends and group activities that can keep you pleasantly busy this month. The last week of the month can be especially hectic, so keep the partying to the minimum. You’d want to bring in 2012 with happiness and confidence, don’t you?

PISCES

Avoid the trap of taking on too many responsibilities and you’ll be fine. Problems brewing in close relationships can become pressing but some conversations with dear ones can change unpleasant situations. Your family and your friends are your support; recognise the love and the warmth.

Gifts&Hampers CREATE YOUR OWN

PERFECT PRESENTS FOR ANY OCCASION!

With the festive season almost here, it’s time to think about treating your family, friends and colleagues to gorgeous presents. Our personalized gift hampers is sure to make a truly memorable gift for any occasion.

Come and visit our stores today for more fabulous goods in store!

www.marksandspencerme.com Muscat City Centre, East Wing Entrance, Ground Level, Tel: 2453 6035