sigbahrain_july2012

VOLUME - 3 JULY 2012

PIECES OF ART EXCLUSIVE DOLL COLLECTION SPEED MACHINE THE MOST POWERFUL JAGUAR

DISCOVER CULTURAL BAHRAIN

An Iftar to

Remember

Situated on the ground floor of the Kempinski Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre is Manama’s newest culinary jewel, Baharat.

Opening in July 2012, throughout Ramadan with a stunning menu for Iftar and Ghabga.

From BD17++ inclusive of selected beverages and live entertainment.

For more information and reservations, contact us on 17 17 10 00 or email us at restaurants.bahrain@kempinski.com

www.kempinski.com/bahrain

CONTENTS UPFRONT 6 - 12 PEOPLE 14 - 22 HEALTH 24 - 25 FOOD COURT 26 - 29 TRAVEL 48 - 53 ACCESSORIES 58 - 61 CARS 64 - 65 FASHION 66 - 72

VOLUME - 3 JULY 2012

EDIT NOTE

PIECES OF ART EXCLUSIVE DOLL COLLECTION SPEED MACHINE THE MOST POWERFUL JAGUAR

DISCOVER CULTURAL BAHRAIN

EDITORIAL BOARD MAYANK SINGH DEEPA RAJAN RESIDENT PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENT LAYLA CROCKER INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENTS London: KATE MORRIS New York: JEFFREY HERMAN Dubai: MICHELLE WALCH, JOLANTA Sydney: PATRICK RIFIELD Paris: ALAYNA MOREL EDITORS-AT-LARGE FREDERIQUE. B, JED BARRETT, MIRANDA HOWELL, NATASHA LUNN, JILLIAN PALMER, BRUCE STEWART, PAUL VILES, JESSICA VU, REBECCA WOODS ART Sr. ART DIRECTOR SANDESH S. RANGNEKAR DESIGNERS LISA KAMPS STEPHEN FISHER PRODUCTION MANAGER GOVINDRAJ RAMESH SALES & MARKETING REGIONAL MANAGER - VINOD THANGOOR BUSINESS MANAGER - ROLAND KHOURY CORPORATE CHIEF EXECUTIVE - SANDEEP SEHGAL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT - ALPANA ROY PRINTED BY UNION PRESS WLL (BAHRAIN)

A WAY OF LIFE

Visiting cultural places in Bahrain cannot be just another tourist activity. For a country with a rich cultural heritage like ours, going back in time is vivid, magical and very emotional. For, the vestiges of the past do play a great role in the present, for what has been, has made the present possible and will perhaps dene the future as well.

Therefore a visit to each place is an intense experience. The striking architecture, symbols of Bahraini heritage, and depictions of events of the past – each facet tells a story of a land rooted deep in culture. Be it a museum or a place of worship or even the forts, all of them are windows to different worlds, a celebration of a bygone era.

That’s what heritage and culture all about, isn’t it? The ability to perceive both the ordinary, everyday occurrences and the ground-breaking ones and learn from its coexistence…

If you break it up in simple terms, culture is an intrinsic part of our everyday lives.

One that enriches us in different ways. It becomes an expression of who you are as a person. And everyone chooses to trace back his/her heritage and culture at some point in time…whether it is for spiritual reasons or out of simple curiosity to understand where he/she belongs. Connecting with your culture around you and revelling in it is appreciation of life in its truest form.

This issue takes you on a cultural journey… of many kinds. From a walkthrough of historic places to visit in Bahrain and people's thoughts on what the holy month of Ramadan brings into their life to art fairs and heritage hotspots around the world you simply must visit. We also have our experts talking about healthy fasting and tips on how to arrive on the art scene. This issue is a diversity you would want to celebrate.

DISTRIBUTED BY MAIN DISTRIBUTOR: MEMO EXPRESS RETAIL DISTRIBUTOR: AL HILAL CORPORATION

CELEBRATE HERITAGE AND CULTURE. MAKE IT A WAY OF LIFE

Signature is a United Media Services LLC presentation, published monthly and released in the rst week of every month. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher does not accept responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person or organisation acting or refraining as a result of material in this publication.

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Correspondence should be addressed to

Team Signature

SIGNATURE

UNITED MEDIA SERVICES

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6/21/12 6:09 P

BLOCK YOUR DATES

July 6 to 14 Festival Centre, Sarajevo

Palio of Siena

July 26 to 29 Cherry Hinton Hall Grounds, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

18th Sarajevo Film Festival

Cambridge Folk Festival

JULY 2012

July 2 Piazza del Campo, Siena Italy

Exit

July 12 to 15 Novi Sad, Serbia

2012 London Olympics

July 27 to Aug 12 London, England, United Kingdom

Sheila and Abaya Fashion Show

July 11 to 14 The Dubai Mall

Ramadan & Eid Festival July 29 to Aug 19 ADNEC - Abu Dhabi

Waterfront Blues Festival 2012 July 4 to 8 Portland, Oregon, US

UP

FRONT

Colour Me Pretty

The Rimmel 60 seconds nail polish Xpress at brush is wide and at, so it can cover each and every nail in just one stroke and the fast-drying formula now gives stronger nails, leaving them feeling pampered and protected beneath its smooth, chip- and scratch-resistant lm of colour. Choose from ten shades including funtime fuschia, green, yellow and blue marine.

Holiday Kit

Bioderma has come up with the perfect solution for all your travel needs. As the rst independent dermatological laboratory, Bioderma knows all about skin concerns. The essential and compact kit provides everything you need to cleanse, protect, hydrate, and moisturise all vacation long. The Bioderma Travel Kit contains Sensibio cleanser, Atoderm Pain ultra-rich soap, Atoderm cream and Photoderm MAX Cream for protection against the sun.

Eye Like It

Achieve a long-lasting awless nish with Rimmel’s Scandaleyes Waterproof Gel Eyeliner. The precision brush applicator draws on perfectly thin or thick lines so you can create any effect you desire and it can be worn with or without mascara. Rimmel’s longest wearing eyeliner lasts up to 25 hours and has been tested safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.

Shine On

The Bourjois Gloss Effet 3D lipgloss has had a makeover for Bourjois’ 10th year anniversary with a new formula, new shades and new packaging. The formula is now paraben-free and contains 92 per cent of hydrating and nourishing protective agents for a real balm action whilst still being enriched with micro crystalline wax for a deep, voluminous and ultra-shiny result and lips stay hydrated for up to 8 hours.

6

Refresh Yourself

Clarins adds two wonderfully fragranced body care products to the Eau Des Jardins family and offer women a new realm of pleasure when it comes to their body care routine: the Uplifting Shower gel and Smoothing Body Cream. The Eau De Jardin ‘uplifts refreshes capitvates’ oil combines essential oils and plant extracts that offer skincare and fragrance benets.

The oil hydrates the skin and helps to revive radiance. The shower gel is rich that cleanses the skin and the body cream leaves the skin beautifully soft and moisturised..

Arabian Scents

The two latest fragrances in the Arabian Souvenir series are Arabian Souvenir Tourmaline for women, and Arabian Souvenir Sugilite for men.

Arabian Souvenir is a series of fragrances that was inspired by the Arab World.

The Arabian Souvenir Tourmaline is inspired by the wealth of Arab Culture and the Arabian Souvenir Sugilite is a reection of the culture - it mirrors the warmth and purity of the culture and has citrus, oral, wood and amber scents.

Femme Fatale

The designer duo launched their rst perfume Pour Femme in 1992 and have now decided to "return to the roots" and to re-launch the fragrance. The bottle has been altered and has notes of neroli, raspberry and tangerine. The advertising campaign is shot by Mario Testino in Sicily with famous model Laetitia Casta.

UP

FRONT

An Electric Experience

LG Electronics have launched their latest Cinema 3D Smart TV line-up in Bahrain. The TV is composed of a cinema screen, wireless display, premium content services, over 1,200 Smart TV apps globally and Magic Remote. The new line-up also features Dual Play function for gamers and an expansive selection of 3D movies, sports and games.

The cinema screen delivers ultimate simplicity and is the most immersive Cinema 3D viewing experience yet and the Magic Remote combines the functions of Pointing, Gesture and Wheel. For gamers, the LG allows dual-player games to be played on a Cinema 3D Smart TV without having to split the screen and there is a 2D to 3D conversion engine which converts all existing 2D movies and TV shows into 3D. Available from all AJM Kooheji Group Electronic Outlets

Feel Good

With Salsa clothes this summer, packing and heavy luggage is no longer a concern as they have reinvented the versatile ‘Feel Top’ for the summer season. The transformable top can be adjusted and worn as a top, a dress, a t-shirt and even a skirt. Its top quality design and raw materials have allowed Salsa to achieve a top that is extra resistant and elastic, which doesn’t wrinkle.

Available at Bahrain City Centre

More For Your Money Fixed Batelco broadband customers will benet from the new Batelco value packages and the existing value packages now have higher download speeds, higher throttle speeds and higher usage limits at no extra cost.

The new packages will allow customers to enjoy an unlimited Broadband experience at speeds of 1.5 Mbps for only BD12 per month. All of Batelco’s Consumer Broadband Packages, starting from BD10, will still be available as non-contract packages also; however the customers will receive more benets for the same price with the contract packages.

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A Smart Deal

Zain Bahrain has launched the new Samsung Galaxy SIII smart-phone, in both white and pebbleblue colors, through a partnership with Samsung.

All new and existing Zain Bahrain customers can get the Galaxy SIII by visiting any Zain Bahrain experience shop.

UP

FRONT Lavish Latino Event

Sotel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa celebrated their Fete De Musique event last month which was hosted by all Sotel Luxury Hotels around the world, each with a different theme. Bahrain’s theme was Latino and guests enjoyed a full evening of Latino live music and dancing accompanied by a wide range of culinary delights.

Mixing It Up

To celebrate the football season, the Pepsi 'Kick it with the Stars' engagement booth was open at Bahrain City Centre every weekend last month. Pepsi launched its new, music-fuelled “Kick In The Mix” campaign, which sees the worlds of music and football collide as the Pepsi global superstars take their moves off the pitch like never before. Sponsoring sport celebrities like Messi, Drogba, Lampard and Torres, Pepsi set up the innovative and attractive engaging game booth at Bahrain City Centre enabling people to play football inside the mall.

Good Sports

The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa organised their rst inter-hotel tennis ball charity cricket tournament for a week last month, which was open to all hotel employees in Bahrain. Each player was provided with a Tee-shirt and there were attractive prizes for the rst, second and third rank winner teams, sponsored by MAS Architecture Intl & Al Naeem Gate Construction. The rst inter hotel tennis ball cricket tournament was a charity event initiated by the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain under the company’s global Community Footprints, The Ritz-Carlton social and environmental responsibility programme. The initiative benetted The Bahrain Friendship Society for the Blind.

Honour Roll

Three Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts in Jordan have recently received the 2012 Certicate of Excellence Award by TripAdvisor.The Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea, the Mövenpick Resort & Residences Aqaba and Mövenpick Resort & Spa Tala Bay Aqaba were recognised with a four out of ve rating, considered by the travel site as an exceptional achievement. The accolade, which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide.

10

NEW PHILLY CHEESE STEAK

PURE ANGUS BEEF PATTY, THINLY SHAVED RIBS STEAK, MELTED MOZZERELLA CHEESE, HORSERADISH SAUCE, OVEN ROASTED PEPPERS, FRESH LETTUCE AND TOMATOES, ONIONS AND MUSHROOMS TOPPED WITH CREAMY QUESO SAUCE, ALL SERVED IN A BRIOCHE BUN.

UP

FRONT 'puzzle' me this

Bahrain’s biggest puzzle at Bahrain City Center, covered an area of 900cm in length and 610cm in width and was built in harmony with the Nissan Juke’s theme - ‘Energizing the City’.The puzzle was completed with the support of Nissan’s Facebook fans in Bahrain where users registered and selected their preferred brick that was used to complete the puzzle. All Facebook fans who registered for the puzzle were automatically entered in a draw where the winner won an iPad and other exciting prizes.

collar this

NET-A-PORTER.COM has partnered with Karl Lagerfeld to create a one-of-a-kind diamond pavé and leather collar, featuring over 40K of black diamonds and a 22.33K hydrothermal emerald at the neck. With only one available to buy globally beginning today, the collar will additionally be exhibited at Masterpiece London as part of Carol Woolton's 'Brilliant' exhibition from June 28 until July 4. The collar comes with a sketch signed by Karl Lagerfeld, as well as a donation to CLIC Sargent. It is truly a collector’s item!,

The Dream Team

An ultimate football dream has come true for 18 young footballers to travel to the home of football and train for a week at the Manchester United Soccer School in the UK from the 8th - 14th July. Over 600 young football challengers streamed into Bahrain Football Training pitches to compete in the VIVA Manchester United Soccer Schools try-outs and demonstrate their football talent during the initial try-outs conducted over two days. Only 120 footballers made it to the nal selection round which was judged by Manchester United Soccer School coaches, Coach Kevin O’Connell and Coach Andy Robinson who ew in especially from the UK to pick the nal 18 players.

12

Star Inspired

Shoe Mart have launched their Spring Summer men’s collection across all stores. The new collection commits to the fashion needs of the modern man with styles symbolising science ction, urban xtures and holiday inspired trends. Shoe Mart’s Spring Summer ’12 collection brings an assortment of styles for all the men who are inspired by the on-screen trend setters.

SUMMER FUN

EVENT

Ministry of Culture launched the Bahrain Summer Festival recently to celebrate Manama, the ‘City of Joy’ and this year promises to be a month full of great shows catering for local and regional audiences. Signature's two top picks from this year's programme...

July 10-July 15 The Master of Musicals

Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse Directed by John Payton

July 6 Talent Show Princess

The talented Bahraini Hala AlTurk began showing a brilliant talent by the age of four when she started participating in kids’ talent shows but it was at the age of nine, when she participated in the 'Arabs Got Talent' show that her fame catapulted. In the Bahrain Summer Festival, Hala will present some popular favourites like My Lovely Daughter and Sleep.

Time: 7pm Genre: Song Country: Bahrain Minimum Age: 3 years Venue: BIECC, Hall 1B

The Sound Of Music is one of the best-loved and most successful lm musicals in history, the winner of ve Academy Awards and a soundtrack that has gone platinum over 12 times. The show recalls the dramatic true story of Maria and the Von Trapp family, and their struggle to freedom as their homeland (Austria) is faced with Nazis expansion in the years immediately preceding the Second World War. The Sound of Music features lavish costumes, a sumptuous set and stars a wonderful cast and orchestra direct from London's West End. Time: 7pm Genre: Musical Theatre Country: United Kingdom Minimum Age: 3 years Venue: BIECC, Hall 1B Visit www.soundofmusicbahrain.com for more information

The Bahrain Summer Festival is organised by the Ministry of Culture and is an annual event. This year its programme falls in line with the diverse and innovative year-long programme of Manama, the Capital of Arab Culture 2012.

For more information, visit www.bahrainsummer.bh, Twitter: @BahrainSummer12, or Facebook.com/BahrainSummer.

PEOPLE

Strengthening Faith Signature speaks to prominent personalites and gets their views on what Ramadan means to them

14

Amal Al Kooheji

Senior Manager of Human Capital Development at Tamkeen

What does Ramadan mean to you?

Ramadan is of course a very special month for Muslims to celebrate Islam itself. It is a time where peace prevails in all aspects and relationships grow - even work becomes more effective since people switch to a mood of peace and giving.

Closeness to God and more time given to the inner-self and family ties truly destresses an individual and personally, I feel it is a productive month.

What do you most look forward to during this holy month?

Visiting family members, especially ones of old age ... losing weight maybe ... and a calmer, yet more productive work environment.

What is the most difficult thing about Ramadan?

Lack of sleep. Some agencies take it easy and slow so our work gets affected, many people take time off as well.

How do you cope with fasting, especially during one of Bahrain's hottest months?

I never think about it. When you fast as an act of worship, you tend to forget.

However, to adapt to fasting on a physical level, I always take Panadol at Suhoor time for the first week and it works wonders since I believe it helps you to avoid headaches. Waking up for Suhoor is very important and by the second week, your system adjusts.

PEOPLE Najla Al Khalifa

Founder and Managing Director of Clever Cupcakes

What does Ramadan mean to you?

Its the holy month where we dedicate our time for prayers, reading the Quran and fasting. The more you give the more you gain, it’s a very special month.

How do you observe Ramadan?

Ramadan is the one month in the year that connects you more to your God and family.

What do you most look forward to during this holy month?

Not missing any prayers at the mosque and reading the whole Quran!

What is the most difficult thing about Ramadan?

Change of routine time, getting used to the new sleeping time! Working or working out whilst fasting. Cooking while fasting is especially difficult as I usually make desserts without recipes, so I can't taste test.

How do you cope with fasting, especially during one of Bahrain's hottest months?

We're used to the heat! Luckily I don't have a school or university that I have to attend. It also helps that I practice fasting.

16

Fetooh Al Zayani

Career spanning three decades in the regional and international insurance, re-insurance industry and in business development roles in the GCC region. She was also voted as one of the top ten most inďƒ&#x;uential individuals in the GCC insurance market in 2009.

What does Ramadan mean to you?

To me Ramadan is a month of worship which offers us an opportunity to strengthen our faith, reconnect with our creator, and purify both body and soul. It is a month of spirituality and cleansing which could take many forms from praying, reading the Quran and fasting to helping the needy and reconnecting with family and friends.

How do you observe Ramadan?

By praying, reading the complete Quran, visiting family and friends and helping the needy.

What do you most look forward to during this holy month?

I guess the family gathering over Iftar.

While throughout the year we don’t always sit together during meals because of conflicting schedules, during Ramadan everyone is there at the same time to break the fast. The other thing I look forward to is the serenity of the month.

There is something about Ramadan that brings calm and peace to my heart. I believe all Muslims feel this way.

What is the most difficult thing about Ramadan?

For me I do miss my morning tea or coffee for the first few days but it gets easier thereafter.

How do you cope with fasting, especially during one of Bahrain's hottest months?

By staying indoors as much as possible. I am lucky in that since I retired I now have control over my schedule and avoid going out during the day as much as possible!

PEOPLE Noof Buallay

Gulf Air Communication Specialist, Corporate Communications Department

What does Ramadan mean to you?

Ramadan is one of my favorite months of the year. To me, it is a great chance for good deeds and to fulfill myself spiritually.

How do you observe Ramadan?

Obviously, I fast and increase the time I recite the Quran so that I can manage to finish it entirely by the end of Ramadan. I also try to get in touch with local charities to help underprivileged families with their needs for the holy month. Although I don't do it steadily, I try to go to mosques for Taraweeh prayer, which I will try to do more regularly this Ramadan.

What do you most look forward to during this holy month?

Ramadan is rich with many religious norms and cultural traditions. There's Taraweeh prayer and Quran recital, family visits, social events like Gergaoun in mid-Ramadan, and gathering with friends in public places like coffee shops and tents. Of course, there's also traditional Ramadan food, both locally and regionally, so I look forward to all of that. I'm a night person by nature, so I really love the kind of lifestyle that comes with the holy month.

What is the most difficult thing about Ramadan?

Fasting drains one's energy, especially during the first week. So, working while fasting has to be the most difficult thing about Ramadan for me. However, it gets easier once my body copes with fasting, which is usually around the second week of Ramadan.

How do you cope with fasting, especially during one of Bahrain's hottest months?

I drink a lot of water every day, so fasting during the summer is indeed a challenge.

I make up for it by drinking lots of fluids between sunset and the time I have to fast again. I've found that drinking milk and eating bananas are especially helpful in preventing any thirst during fasting.

18

Laila Hussain

American Women's Association Community Service Chairwoman

What does Ramadan mean to you?

Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, worship and purification of the mind, body and spirit.

How do you observe Ramadan?

During Ramadan one must not only observe the practice of Siyyam or sawm (fasting) from dawn until sunset but one must also abstain from other activities such as arguing or expressions of anger.

These restrictions aim to encourage selfdiscipline and devotion to prayer.

What do you most look forward to during this holy month?

Spending time with family and friends over Iftar, the feeling of being closer to God through special prayer, reading the Quran and, of course, Arabic comedy TV programmes!

What is the most difficult thing about Ramadan?

Not being able to carry out my usual responsibilities as easily.

How do you cope with fasting, especially during one of Bahrain's hottest months?

Staying indoors and keeping busy with reading and cooking special Ramadan dishes for the family and neighbours.

PEOPLE Tareq F Wafa

Chairman and CEO of Tricom Group and President of the Bahrain German Friendship Society

What does Ramadan mean to you?

It is a month of forgiveness, charity, feeling for others, hard work, patience and reaching out to family and friends.

How do you observe Ramadan?

Fasting and abstaining from everything you like including food, drinking etc. and reading the Quran throughout the month.

Mostly getting together with the family and visiting friends.

What do you most look forward to during this holy month?

Besides fasting from food and water, I enjoy working during the month as I try to maintain the same working hours and style. I look forward to it as it helps me to control my eating habits, calm down and see my family more.

What is the most difficult thing about Ramadan?

Just getting ready not to eat and drink.

Teach yourself during the first few days how to control your temper and not let it out on others, and after a few days everything will become normal.

How do you cope with fasting, especially during one of Bahrain's hottest months?

Let us be honest, we are blessed for having air-conditioning everywhere we go. Therefore, it should not be a problem at all. I often wonder how it was hundreds of years ago when air- conditioning was not available.

20

Khalid Turk

CEO of Ali Abduljallil Turk&Sons Company BSC

What does Ramadan mean to you?

Ramadan is a time for practicing your faith with a test in your piety, patience, restrain, family bonding and enjoying your time, if you know how.

How do you observe Ramadan?

Ramadan is abstaining from all food and drink, smoking or anything that you have to put in your mouth or inhale. Pray five times a day. The pious read a few Suras (verses) of the Quran a day divided equally for the whole month so that they complete reading the whole Quran from the start of Ramadan till the end.

What do you most look forward to during this holy month?

Bonding with my family and seeing friends.

What is the most difficult thing about Ramadan?

I guess for most it is abstaining from food and water. However, after a the first week it becomes like a habit and becomes easier.

How do you cope with fasting, especially during one of Bahrain's hottest months?

It is truly difficult for those who have to work outdoors. However, those who work in air- conditioned offices or travel in their air conditioned cars and go to their air conditioned homes should have nothing to complain about.

PEOPLE Paola Livadiotti

Entrepreneur and Fashion Designer

What does Ramadan mean to you?

I am a Christian, however my husband is Muslim and we have been married for 13 years so I am now much more involved in the celebrations than I was before.

How do you observe Ramadan?

Ramadan is a time of thinking, forgiveness and coming together with your family. People should put their differences aside, become closer and be less judgmental towards each other. During this time, there is more compassion and I wish that people would think in the same way and be more tolerant of each other all-year-round and not just for this month.

What do you most look forward to during this holy month?

I enjoy the celebrations towards the end of Ramadan when everyone goes to the malls and has a good time. I love the evenings for Iftar and Ghabga also.

What is the most difficult thing about Ramadan?

It is hard that you are not allowed to drink water in public places as when you are deprived of something, it almost makes you want it more. I drink a lot of water throughout the day because it is so hot and humid now, so it will be difficult not to when i’m outside the house. I am lucky as my husband doesn’t mind if I eat and drink in front of him.

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S D TAN

S N O Y L

T R SHO

FOR MORE ENQUIRIES sabu@ecareertimes.com +973-3666 4255

HEALTH

SENSIBLE FASTING THE FAST OF RAMADAN IS RIGOROUS AT THE BEST OF TIMES. LAYLA CROCKER SPOKE TO DIETARY AND NUTRITION EXPERT ABIGAIL DAVID FROM THE AMERICAN MISSION HOSPITAL ABOUT ENSURING ADEQUATE NUTRITION AND CONTINUED HEALTH DURING THE HOLY MONTH

What are the best foods to be eaten during Ramadan to keep energy levels up during fasting?

"During Ramadan, the diet should not differ in anyway from a normal healthy diet.

Choosing foods from all of the food groups is a must and it is wise to choose whole grain products over refined products so that the foods can last longer and make you less hungry.

"Some of the best foods to eat during this month are; whole grains (wheat, unpolished rice, brown sliced bread, whole wheat pasta, bran flakes), fresh vegetables and fruits, skimmed milk, yogurt, cheese and lean meat.

"Try to choose drinks like lemonade, tender coconut water, ginger ale, freshly squeezed orange juice, labaan, fresh juice without sugar, laasi, mint and lemonade juice and last but not least, water."

What foods should be avoided?

"Refined products like white sliced bread, corn flakes (without bran), white Lebanese bread, refined semolina and white pasta.

"Carton juices and energy drinks can make you dehdrayed and full fat milk, fatty cheeses and full fat meat cooked with excess oil should also be avoided. Try and limit all fat and sugar during the month."

What is the best way to stay as hydrated as possible throughout one of the hottest months in Bahrain?

24

"The best way to stay hydrated is to have enough water at uhoor (pre-dawn meal) which sustains till you break your fast. Water is the best way to hydrate. People who work in the field must cover up properly to protect from the scorching heat. Two important things to know during Ramadan is never skip water at Suhoor and Iftaar and don’t drink too much of tea or coffee as it can dehydrate your body very quickly.

What happens if a person becomes very ill or dehydrated during Ramadan?

"Water is the critical element of the body. Any degree of dehydration impairs physiological function and thermoregulation. Thirst is the first sign of dehydration, initial signs include muscle cramp, nausea and vomiting, weakness and decreased urine output.

Severe dehydration includes confusion and weakness and finally if untreated, may lead to coma as the brain and other organs of the body receive less blood."

How important is sleep during this month?

"Sleep is very important no matter what month it is and especially during Ramadan as fasting, work and improper sleep can affect anyone. Poor work performance, tiredness, irritation, drowsiness and headaches are the common signs of poor sleep. A minimum of six to seven hours of sleep is crucial."

During the evening hours, people may tend to over-eat and gorge on rich foods and drinks.

Would you recommend this?

"Gorging on high sugary drinks and high carb meals may cause a sugar crash which is a sense of tiredness and lethargy caused after a heavy carb meal. The alleged mechanism for the feeling of a 'crash' is related with an abnormally rapid rise in blood glucose after eating. This normally leads to brisk insulin secretion, which in turn initiates rapid glucose uptake which is not good for a person’s health."

RECOMMENDED MENU

Suhoor 1. Start with two or three glasses of water.

2. Consume complex carbs like whole grain oats cooked with low fat milk tossed with a handful of almonds, walnuts and dried berries. Also include one bowl of assorted fruit salad.

OR 3. Choose all bran flakes with a cup of low fat milk and two egg whites with 1 bowl of assorted fruit salad.

Iftaar 1. Break your fast with dates and plenty of water, along with one serving of fresh fruit juice.

2. Serve yourself twice the portion of vegetables than rice/bread plus lean grilled meat and salad with one serving of fruit and a glass of labaan. Serving more vegetables and salad is the one way to knockout the hunger pang.

3. Rehydrate with plenty of water after food.

Abigail David

THUMB RULES 1. Drink plenty of water, stay hydrated.

2. Never skip you Suhoor meal. Choose complex carbs.

3. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables.

4. Avoid fried and oily foods.

5. Plan ahead and buy or choose only lean meats.

6. Limit sweet and sugary goodies in moderation.

FOOD COURT

CELEBRATORY CUISINE As the sun goes down, people get together and enjoy Iftar with friends and family.

Signature looks at the best hotel offers during the holy month of Ramadan

InterContinental Regency Bahrain

InterContinental Regency Bahrain invites guests to experience the unique atmosphere of the Holy month of Ramadan at their Al Thuraya Tent. This Ramadan they offer an environment of reďƒžned arabesque style in a modern setting with views over the Arabian Gulf.

Each evening at sunset, a lavish Iftar buffet will showcase a large selection of Arabic delicacies including hummus, moutabel, tabbouleh, labneh with mint, okra belzeet, cheese samboussek and kebbeh, together with traditional desserts such as maamoul, baklawa, mohalabia, jelabiya, katayef with cheese konafa and Um Ali. For those who prefer to dine out after Iftar, the Al Thuraya tent allows them to enjoy the late evening lingering over a ďƒ&#x;avoured shisha and original live Arabic entertainment. A range of authentic Ghabga a la carte and set menus are also available throughout the evening.

Buffet is priced at BD14 per person plus service charge.

Private groups or larger parties can also be catered for at special prices.

Tel. +973 1722 7777 for more information.

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Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre

Baharat restaurant is situated on the stylish ground oor of the hotel featuring an eclectic array of Middle Eastern dishes, plus traditional entertainment. The restaurant is opening for Iftar and Ghabga this Ramadan.

Baharat features live cooking stations, saj and tandoor ovens, private dining areas and a large terrace to enjoy sheesha in a tent. There is a wide selection of appetisers and mains, including hot and cold mezzeh, grills serving shish taouk, Kunafa pan red salmon, Hamam mahchi with frekk (stuffed pigeon) and lamb Ouzi.

Baharat’s Chef de Cuisine, was born in Morocco and brings a wealth of knowledge from previous experiences working in Marrakech, Saudi Arabia and Dubai and creates his own spice mix to ne tune and create his own culinary specilaities.

Prices for Iftar: BD17++ and for Ghabga BD20++, 0-5 year’s free and 6-12 years ½ price. Group rates available on request.

Tel. +973 1717 1000 for more information.

Ritz Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa

At dusk every evening, guests can choose from an Iftar buffet including Ramadan juices, followed by Ghabgha, served in the elegant atmosphere of the Arabian tent Al Khayma.

Authentic Middle Eastern specialties, classic salads and desserts as well as live cooking stations for Fetir and Manekish are on offer, prepared by Lebanese-born chef Marwan Slim and his culinary team.

Secluded pergolas, featuring contemporary Arabic décor, provide a more private dining alternative and may be reserved in advance. Enjoy a wider range of Middle Eastern specialties such as freshly-baked breads, mezzeh and grilled dishes prepared by a team of Arabic chefs and then relax with different avours of sheesha and the songs of renowned Lebanese singer, Najma Abdulla.

Al Khayma is open every evening during Ramadan and Eid, except the rst day of Eid. Prices for the Iftar buffet including Ramadan juices is BD18 per person on weekdays, BD20 per person at weekends. Ghabgha buffet is on offer for BD21 per person on weekdays, BD23 per person at weekends. For groups or families of up to six guests, Al Khayma provides the privacy of secluded pergolas priced at BD250 each.

Tel. +973 1758 6499 for more information.

FOOD COURT

Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa

For two hours after sunset, guests can break their fast at Saraya restaurant with a buffet of Ramadan delicacies such as a selection of Oriental salads. There will be live cooking stations for manakeesh, shawarma, Arabic bread, foul and balila and falafel stations. In addition, there will be an impressive sweets station featuring mainly oriental delicacies including the favourite Um Ali. Ghabga will be celebrated in an air-conditioned tent on Saraya Terrace with the soundtrack of Arabic music by local duo Majeed and Marwan.

Iftar buffet is BD15 per person or BD14 per person for corporate rates (minimum 20 people). Ghabga is BD15 per person with Shisha available for an additional BD5.

Tel. +973 1763 6363 for more information.

Crowne Plaza

Experience the true spirit of Ramadan at the Crowne Plaza Bahrain as the hotel has prepared some great offers for you to share with your family, friends or business associates to celebrate the holy season and at the same time, have the opportunity to share your blessings as the hotel will be donating 500 ls for every Iftar diner.

Break your fast with the Iftar buffet of traditional Ramadan dishes at La Mosaique restaurant and seize the chance to help the less fortunate and celebrate the spirit of giving.

During the rst week of Ramadan, Iftar buffet will be served until 9:30pm. The following week onwards buffet timings will be 8:30pm only.

For those seeking corporate celebrations, private Iftar or Ghabga with their family, friends and colleagues, the hotel has transformed their Bahrain Conference Center into a traditional village to make celebrations special and an extensive Ramadan menu is offered.

If customers desire to have a Ghabga in the comforts of their homes, an outdoor catering service can also be arranged for a minimum of 30 guests.

Iftar buffet is priced at BD11.950++ and the Ramadan menu conference centre’s prices start from BD10.500++.

Tel. +973 1753 1122 for more information.

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Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain

Bridging the gap between modernity and tradition, Mövenpick Hotel has built a contemporary glass tent especially designed for the Holy Month of Ramadan. The tent is able to accommodate up to 120 people and is divided into a smoking and non-smoking section. It provides a setting for guests to savour Iftar from prayer time until 10pm every night.

The Arabic décor creates a relaxing atmosphere where guests can listen to music while enjoying a game of cards, chess or dominoes. Guests seated in the smoking section will be able to choose their favourite shisha avour throughout the evening while non-smokers will have adequate ventilation as they enjoy a great meal.

The hotel's Iftar buffet will encompass traditional Middle Eastern cuisine from the starters and drinks to the main course and desserts. Here you will nd Harees, Quzi, Madhrooba, Thereed and Kunafa.

Mövenpick also presents two separate options for Ghabqa. Guests can dine on customary sh dishes as part of the à la carte menu or choose the Ghabqa buffet instead.

For a little touch of glamour during Eid, head over to the reopening of Flamingo Bar and Silk's restaurant both of which will undergo refurbishment during Ramadan.

The Iftar Buffet is priced at BD12.5 per person.

Tel. +973 1746 0000 for more information.

Novotel Al Dana Resort

Novotel’s Ramadan tent will be allocated in the hotel’s Hawar Ballroom and La Perle restaurant. The minimum capacity for a group is 25 pax and maximum is 120 pax.

The tent will provide background music and sheesha will be available subject to the Ministry’s approval.

Priced at BD 9++ per person and BD12++ for the Iftar and Ghabga meal.

Tel. +973 1729 8008 for more information.

PLACES

JOURNEY OF CULTURE BOASTING ALMOST 5,000 YEARS OF RECORDED HISTORY, BAHRAIN IS DOTTED WITH ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, MUSEUMS AND HERITAGE SITES. LAYLA CROCKER TAKES A LOOK AT SOME OF THE ‘MUST DOS’ OF CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS AROUND THE ISLAND

AL FATEH MOSQUE

This is the largest place of worship in Bahrain and is also one of the largest mosques in the world, capable of holding up to 7,000 worshippers at a time.

Also known as the Grand Mosque and featuring a 60-tonne berglass dome at the top, the building was constructed in 1987 during the regime of the late Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa and was built with marble from Italy, glass from Austria and teak wood from India, carved by local Bahraini craftspeople.

Anyone is welcome to visit, apart from during prayer time and women are given a black cloak and headscarf to wear inside. The mosque is also the site of the National Library.

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AL KHAMIS MOSQUE

This highly sacred and popular site is believed to be the rst ever mosque in the country, built over 1,300 years ago. The two minarets were later added during the 12th and 16th centuries and the mosque has been renovated and restored over recent years.

The minarets of the Al Khamis mosque make it easy for travellers to identify the edice from a distance where they get a taste of the history and architecture of one of Bahrain’s premier attractions.

ARAD FORT

Another popular cultural attraction in the country is Arad Fort. It was built at the end of the 15th century, when Bahrain was occupied by the Portuguese and was designed to defend the invaders against the local population and the Ottomans in Saudi Arabia.

The fort is square and on every corner that there is a cylindrical tower. It is surrounded by a small trench which used to be lled with water from wells that were drilled especially for their purpose. The fort is interesting because of the use of traditional local materials in its restoration such as coral stone and date palm trunks.

At night, the site located in Muharraq at the edge of the bay becomes illuminated, which many describe as wonderfully picturesque.

THE BURIAL MOUNDS

The vast area of burial mounds near A’ali Village are where the ancient people of the Dilmun civilisation are buried. The mounds are believed to be anything from two to four thousand years old and originally extended from Saar all the way to Zallaq, but thousands were destroyed to make way for new roads and houses.

The Burial Mounds were unearthed by a Danish team when in course of their excavation work they stumbled upon them. Every mound housed a central stone chamber surrounded by a low ring wall with earth and gravel piled on them.

Each size varied with single and multiple chambers and the bodies also proved the life expectancy of the people was around 40 years old.

TREE OF LIFE

The Tree of Life is perhaps the most intriguing tourist attraction of the land and one of the best known natural wonders. The acacia tree is estimated to be 400 years old and stands alone in the barren desert over one mile away from Jebel Dukhan. The source of water on which the tree thrives is unknown and the fact that the tree is still living amidst a hot and dry desert makes it very symbolic.

The impressive tree has bafed biologists and scientists alike but has suffered from the attention with many carvings and grafti on the trunk and branches over recent years.

THE OIL MUSEUM

The rst oil well in Bahrain is among many places that offer exciting options for sightseeing. The well was also the rst in the Persian Gulf and started functioning in 1931. The museum is situated at the foot of the Jebel Dukhan mountain (also known as the mountain of smoke) considered to be the highest point of the Island and the surrounding oil elds with zigzag rust-coloured pipelines make the trip highly interesting.

The Middle East is full of oil wells which are literally fuelling the world economy forward. The discovery of oil and the rst well in Bahrain ironically coincided with the collapse of the world pearl market and this country now produces less gallons of oil compared to its neighbours.

BAHRAIN NATIONAL MUSEUM

The museum is the largest in Bahrain and is housed in a series of modern buildings covering 27,000 square metres, opening in 1988 at a cost of BD13 million. Different types of local dhow boats can be found in the lagoon behind the museum and a particularly interesting section is the Hall of Graves, where skeletal remains are laid out in reconstructed burial mounds in the positions in which they were found during excavation.

The Natural History exhibition features examples of birds, mammals, reptiles and fossils found in Bahrain and the museum possesses a rich collection of ancient archeological artefacts acquired since 1988, and covers 5,000 years of rich history.

MANAMA SOUK

A profusion of colour, aroma and sound, the rabbit warren of Manama’s Souk is one place that must be visited. It is located inland from the Bab al Bahrain which the sea originally came right up to and was where trading dhows would tie up to the adjacent jetty.

The market witnesses a huge number of customers everyday and various kinds of spices, fabrics, kaftans, handicrafts, dry fruits, nuts, and other unique things can be found here. Gold City is also located in the Souk, famous for its hall mark gold and also sells diamond and pearl jewellery.

BARBAR TEMPLE

The temple was excavated between the 1950’s and 1960’s and dates back to around 2200BC. The remains are impressive because the structures are made of large stone blocks tted together without plaster and it is thought that the temples were constructed to worship Enki, the God of Spring Waters. The temple contains two altars and a natural water spring that is thought to have held spiritual signicance for the worshippers.

Many objects retrieved from the site can be found at the National Museum including weapons, pottery and several of the famous Dilmun seals, which were found in the well itself.

EXPERT SPEAK

GLOBAL EASEL

Contemporary Mixed media artist Joseph Klibansky on the must-see, must-experience art fairs in the world

RAW ART FAIR

Rotterdam, The Netherlands RAW is the newest art fair in the city of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. This fair had its ďƒžrst edition this year in February and takes place simultaneously with the established Art Rotterdam and Object Rotterdam, which are also mustsee established fairs, which were very conceptual this year. The location was very special as the fair took place in a large bunker in the middle of the old port of Rotterdam, surrounded by steel and cranes, on the waterside. Especially worthwhile was the RAW EXPO, an exhibition on the top ďƒ&#x;oor consisting of large sculptures and installations, very impressive. Young, fresh and different.

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ART HONG KONG China

I just returned from Hong Kong where I visited the fantastic Art Hong Kong, a mustsee venue for not only Asian contemporary art. It’s quite a large fair. It took me three days to see it all as they had two halls and three sections. It was nice to see big names in the art world, cutting-edge new artists and high quality Asian contemporary art, all in one fair.

I personally loved the piece Perrotin showed from KAWS.

ART DUBAI Dubai

Of course Art Dubai is also in my top ve. For me as an artist it is very important to have my work seen all over the world. I am always curious how my work will be received in a completely different culture than my own. I think Art Dubai creates a high quality podium for galleries and artists to present their work to a niché audience in the GCC region. I think it is also important for collectors from the region to experience the exciting dialogue between Western and Middle Eastern art in such close proximity.

EXPERT SPEAK

TEFAF

Maastricht, Netherlands One of the most important art fairs in the world is the TEFAF art fair, a.k.a ‘Maastricht’.

This year was its 25th jubilee and was even visited by the Dutch Queen Beatrix! This fair is the complete opposite of what the RAW art fair has to offer. This fair is superchic and offers us a glimpse of the most important masters of the world. The galleries even hold pieces in depot, just to show them at Maastricht. The wealthiest collectors in the world y in with their private jets to visit this art fair and collect the Masters of Art. You’ll nd here Picassos and Rembrandts for over US$25 million. There is no such thing as ‘sticker-shock’ at TEFAF.

One of the youngest professional artists in the contemporary international art scene, Joseph’s work has often been described as ‘art with stopping power’. His points of departure are architecture and the city, particularly the accelerated, compressed and densely populated urban environments of the 21st Century. Joseph just turned 28 (not 31 as mentioned in our previous article). Among many other feathers in his cap, he is also the youngest artist to have his artwork ‘High Flyers’ auctioned at Sotheby’s last year (he was only 26) for Euros 35,000 (US$50.000,at the time), This was at the time, an international record amount ever paid for such a young, living artist. Joseph also has the rare distinction of joining famous artists such as Andy Warhol, Takashi Murakami and Damien Hirst in designing the cover for a famous music artist or band. Joseph designed the cover for Armin van Buuren’s album Universal Religion (UR).

ART BASEL Basel, Switzerland

The absolute must-see No. 1 fair for contemporary art in the world. This event carries a real energy that the whole art world can feel, for me it has a kind of excitement that a child would feel around Christmas. You just know something cool is going to happen but can’t put your nger on it just yet. I always discover an amazing artwork that really blows my mind at Basel. Brad Pitt is a big art collector and a regular guest at Art Basel.

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SARTORIAL ART

THE STYLE FILES - HIM

SHAWN STEPHENS ON WHAT TO WEAR AT AN ART EVENT OR AUCTION OR EVEN A MUSEUM…

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A

rt openings, visiting an art auction and museums can be momentous and fashionable occasions.

Dressing for an event such as this can strike a bit of anxiety into even the most seasoned of event-goers. There are a few steps that can help you to dress for the event in a stylish and appropriate way without fail. Firstly determine where the art opening will be held. Large museums often hold more glamourous ceremonies for opening art shows, while smaller galleries typically host more relaxed events. Art auctions are places you can dress more chic and formal.

Doing a little research about who will be at the art event will help. Are you friends with the artist? Do you know his friends or the type of patrons attending the event? These are questions that you need to answer before choosing an outt. Go shopping to the nearest mall or log online to shop if you do not have appropriate clothing for the event. Or else just recycle what you have in your wardrobe to create a look that could be arty, chic and trendy as well. Art shows and auctions are often lled with other artists who have a air for dramatic style or understated elegance. Ensure that you don't overdress or underdress. When in doubt go with a classic style that is neither too over-the-top nor too casual.

Regardless of whether you are going to a hip contemporary art show or a showing of paintings by Picasso, dressing for an art opening should reect your respect for the occasion. Give yourself a onceover in the mirror before leaving for the art opening.

If you don't feel comfortable, don't wear it. The most important thing is for you to feel natural within the connes of the dress code.

Wear a suit and tie for a more formal look. If you don't want to be too formal, a neutral or pale-coloured shirt with a nice jacket like a dark blazer, tailored suit jacket or tweed jacket should create the magic.

Match your shirt with a pair of tted wool slacks, or a nice pair of khakis or tted dress pants. You want to look put together and not messy, so t is key. If you need a belt, look for a simple leather belt in black or brown to go with your outt. Dress in dark-coloured loafers or leather shoes with the rest of your look.

Add in a conservative watch as a stylish accessory.

Finish your look by styling your hair in a comfortable

way. Keep your facial hair well-groomed and neat.

Don’t forget to incorporate trendy prints in with your tie and a dressy shirt. Mix fabrics such as a silk blazer and a dress shirt to create a formal, yet interesting, look.

Coloured jeans in yellow, green, red or purple with a basic slim t shirt and espadrilles accessorized with the right belt, scarf along with bracelets will look totally cool while toting your artist catalogues. To add a twist and complete the look in cooler months, one can also wear a chequered or coloured blazer on jeans.

If one wants to be arty and incorporate some tradition and culture in their ensembles, sporting a Toby Thobe from the designer Hatem Alakeel or adorning a chic Indian sherwani will make all heads turn at any art event.

Shawn Stephens is a PR professional and has worked on the teams that handled accounts like Dubai Film Festival, Christies, Art Dubai, Qatar Airways, The Hilton group, Adidas and Dior. He is seen quite often on the red carpet making show-stopping entrances at some of the most chic events and parties in Dubai and around the Middle East. He is currently Account Director with Z7 communications in Dubai, United Arab Emirates that handles Versace, TOD’s, TAG Heuer, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bonhams, JAMM art advisory, MRPORTER.COM, Net-a-Porter, THEOUTNET.COM and Hoss Intropia.

THE STYLE FILES - HER

AMP UP THE FUN!

HOLLI ROGERS – FASHION DIRECTOR, NET-A-PORTER, COMES UP WITH FIVE

OUTFIT SUGGESTIONS THAT COULD MAKE YOU THE STAR OF ANY ART EVENT….

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When choosing what to wear to an art event, try to have a bit of fun with your outt while still staying appropriate to the occasion. Bold prints and bright colours are both key trends right now and perfect for the summer season. A formal evening event calls for a fabulous oor length gown. If it is a more contemporary crowd, you can opt for a knee-length style and strong silhouette.

Here are my ve outt options: Erdem’s use of print and colour is incredible and the Ros printed silk georgette gown is certainly no exception. Pair with tan accessories to balance the pop of colour.

Build your look around Aurelie Bidermann's oversized Mendoza necklace - a knee length dress in a colourful hue will perfectly offset this statement piece.

Let your shoes do the talking with Nicholas Kirkwood's fringe suede sandals – pair with a fabulous printed dress from Emilio Pucci for highsummer chic.

New to NET-A-PORTER, Vineet Bahl's handmade red and white stripe sequin dress is an amazing show of craftsmanship - keep it simple with black sandals and a colour-block clutch.

Vera Wang’s bold printed silk blend gown is a real statement-making piece. Pair with gold accessories and a colour clash clutch to keep the look modern.

Holli Rogers, a native of Texas, has spent her entire career in luxury fashion. Since joining NET-A-PORTER in 2003, Holli has successfully cultivated the company's retail and buying direction and today NET-A-PORTER stocks over 350 top international designers including Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Chloé, Christian Louboutin, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Stella McCartney and many more. Holli was promoted to Buying Director in 2008 at which point she became the primary spokesperson for the brand. She has been recognised as a style authority among the fashion, trade and business press, with articles appearing everywhere from Harper's Bazar Australia to the New York Times and Style.com.

WELLNESS

THE RITZ-CARLTON, SPA IS THE EPITOME OF LUXURY AND NEVER FAILS TO IMPRESS WITH A WIDE ARRAY OF TREATMENTS AVAILABLE. LAYLA CROCKER FINDS OUT WHAT THE SPA HAS TO OFFER

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SCRUBBING UP WELL

Last month I was invited to try out the RitzCarlton, Bahrain Hotel and Spa facilities and to enjoy an afternoon of pampering by having a full body scrub.

Even though I had visited the spa once before, it is always a treat to experience and try out new treatments in this relaxing haven where the staff are impeccably mannered and completely put you at ease the moment you walk through the doors.

The spa includes 15 individually-themed treatment suites, one couple’s suite and one couple Thai treatment suite. A Hydro area for wet treatments and the Thalasso multijet pool offers a healing combination of salts and minerals, with underwater jets gently massaging selected parts of the body, easing away muscular aches and pains. A sauna, scented steam rooms and a cold plunge pool help to revive the body’s metabolism and detoxification processes are also available to spa visitors.

WELLNESS

The C+C vitamin body scrub that I experienced uses body treatments from Natura BissĂŠ, a luxurious and revolutionary skincare brand from Barcelona, Spain, which is exclusively on offer at the spa.

The citric body exfoliant promises to provide a smooth and efficient exfoliation helping to refine the surface of the skin by nourishing and removing roughness, blackheads and dead cells that minimise its brightness.

The body scrub was thoroughly applied all over using special exfoliating gloves which took around 15 minutes and is better applied quite roughly to ensure all dead skin cells are removed, focusing on the areas prone to

44

dryness such as the ankles and elbows.

wonderfully hydrated.

The formula is composed of Rosa Mosqueta seeds, exfoliant micro sponges with bitter orange and bamboo extract and micro particles of lava. Special oils and scents are also released into the treatment rooms to make guests feel relaxed and the heated treatment beds and dimmed lighting are sure to calm your body and mind.

The C+C vitamin body cream treatment followed, which is an intensive firming cream formulated with a Vitamin C base.

This luxuriously rich and firming emulsion provides a complete beauty treatment for the body.

After I stepped out from one of the beautiful all-marble showers to rinse the vitamin scrub off, my naturally dry skin suddenly felt soft and silky with an almost velvety appearance.

Dead cells and impurities had been removed and the Vitamin C made my skin feel

This was applied all over the body again whilst also combining a mini-massage and its toning and hydrating properties provide firmness and elasticity to help prevent the appearance of flaccidity.

The cream also repairs skin that has been damaged by the sun, which was perfect for

Special offers this month LA MED BUSINESS LUNCH • Three-course express business lunch priced at BD9.5 per person and subject to 15% service charge and 5 per cent government levy. With advance notice, the culinary team arranges for any special dietary requirements. Saturday to Thursday, from 12 noon to 3:30pm.

me having lived in Bahrain for two years and being exposed to the powerful rays whilst sunbathing and being outdoors on a daily basis.

The overall result made my skin feel smooth and firm and for those worried about ageing, the vitamins stimulate the synthesis of collagen, making skin feel tighter.

The treatment is also ideal for repairing and protecting the skin before and after the summer and is perfect for skin that is often dehydrated.

After my half-hour treatment I was taken to the spa’s relaxation lounge with state-ofthe-art relaxation beds, all with individual curtains to give guests privacy. I was treated to a detox iced green tea along with a pot of hot chamomile tea and delicious healthy snacks on the side.

SPA SUMMER PROMOTION - ROYAL CITRUS EXPERIENCE I would highly recommend the C+C vitamin scrub as it is something different and it suits any skin type. Not only does your skin feel soft for days afterwards, but you also get the feeling of complete relaxation from the massage too.

• C+C Vitamin line which includes Vitamin C scrub, and body wrap with mini facial, 90mins for BD75. The C+C Vitamin Body scrub itself is for 30mins, priced at BD29.

For further information or bookings call the spa on +973 1758 6808 or visit ritzcarlton.com/bahrain.

SIGNATURE PROMOTION

CONNECTING

BAHRAIN ANDREW HANNA, VIVA BAHRAIN CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, IN CONVERSATION WITH SIGNATURE

T

wo years and then some since its launch, VIVA Bahrain has positioned itself as one of the preferred telecoms operators in Bahrain capturing a substantial market share. Buoyed by the unprecedented customer demand from the Bahraini market, the management of the Kingdom's youngest telecom operator was encouraged to expand faster than planned with VIVA notching up many firsts against its name along the way. In a tete-a-tete with Signature, VIVA Bahrain Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Hanna talks about the VIVA brand promise and shares some of the secrets behind the company’s success.

What is your brand promise and value proposition?

“VIVA is all about innovation, being the first to launch new services and products, offering customers the best value and introducing the Bahraini market to the latest technology advancements in the sector. We are also committed to offer services and solutions tailored to our customer needs in order to provide the best experience.

“Simplicity and flexibility are the hallmarks of our products. We give customers the ability to choose precisely the plans that meet their needs, creating excellent value for money. In line with our strategy to strengthen presence in the Kingdom, VIVA currently has over 17 stores to

46

reach out and service its wide target audience and will continue to expand to cater to the evolving customer demand. VIVA's network has excelled in independent Quality of Service surveys by the Bahrain’s Telecom Regulatory Authority and we will continue to strive to provide the best services for Bahrain.”

How do you see the telecom sector in Bahrain and the region evolving in the days to come?

“The telecom sector in Bahrain is very well advanced, and is rapidly progressing, as a result of the government’s effort to create a competitive environment for the telecom providers in Bahrain.

High speed broadband is one of the key growth areas for telecom providers and the GCC region is leveraging it to meet the customers evolving needs for more technological applications, smart devices, offered with the latest new technology and high speed broadband.

“In fact, VIVA has broken many records with its broadband technology upgrades starting with the introduction of the HSPA+ network in 2010 with speeds up to 21.1Mbps which was the fastest broadband service in Bahrain when launched, and then VIVA broke that record with the launch of its 42Mbps broadband which was another first for Bahrain.”

According to you what are the key trends in the industry and how does VIVA plan to capitalise on them?

“More data usage and convergence, social media and the cloud are the major trends unfolding now. We need to make sure we are listening to our customers because social media has truly become a part of everyday life in this modern age.

Social media is a great platform for us to maintain continued dialogue with our customers and we’re always aware of their new demands and needs as social media users.

“The expert view is that telecommunications providers could play an important and lucrative role in the burgeoning world of cloud computing by combining their natural advantages as network operators with a new wave of technological innovation. The cloud increases the value of carrier networks in multiple ways and creates new roles (and revenues) for telecom service providers.”

What can one expect from VIVA in the future?

“VIVA will continue to bring the best value in technology and new products to Bahrain and will work on leveraging the new technology to offer the best benefit of its customers. VIVA plans to drive multiple initiatives to consolidate our competitive position in the consumer and wholesale market, while becoming a prominent player on the Enterprise front.”

TRAVEL

DOWN HERITAGE LANE

THEY HAVE SEEN ARMED CONFLICT AND WAR, EARTHQUAKES AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS, POLLUTION, POACHING, UNCONTROLLED URBANISATION AND UNCHECKED TOURIST DEVELOPMENT. THESE PLACES ARE ON THEIR WAY TO EXTINCTION. SO MUCH SO THAT UNESCO HAS PUT THEM ON THE LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE PLACES IN DANGER. CURRENTLY THERE ARE 35 PROPERTIES WHICH ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE ARE ON THIS LIST. FOR MORE DETAILS YOU CAN LOG ON TO THE UNESCO WEBSITE. SIGNATURE COMPILES FIVE PLACES THAT WE THINK YOU MUST VISIT BEFORE WE LOSE PRECIOUS PORTALS OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND HERITAGE TO SOME NATURAL AND SOME MAN-MADE DISASTERS

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TRAVEL

Rainforests of the Atsinanana, Madagascar

The rainforests made it to the List in 2010. The Rainforests of the Atsinanana comprise six national parks distributed along the eastern part of the island. These relict forests are critically important for maintaining ongoing ecological processes necessary for the survival of Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, which reďƒ&#x;ects the island’s geological history. Many species are rare and threatened especially primates and lemurs.

TRAVEL

Zabid, Yemen

Image courtesy: http://www.cc-pr.com/

Zabid made it to the List in 2000 at the request of the State Party. According to UNESCO, 40 per cent of Zabid’s original houses have been replaced by concrete buildings.

Zabid's domestic and military architecture and its urban plan make it an outstanding archaeological and historical site.

Besides being the capital of Yemen from the 13th to the 15th century, the city played an important role in the Arab and Muslim world for many centuries because of its Islamic university.

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Bam, Iran Bam is situated in a desert environment on the southern edge of the Iranian high plateau. The origins of Bam can be traced back to the Achaemenid period (6th to 4th centuries BC). Its heyday was from the 7th to 11th centuries, being at the crossroads of important trade routes and known for the production of silk and cotton garments. The ancient Citadel and surrounding cultural landscapes made it to the List in 2004, after 26,000 people lost their lives in the December 2003 earthquake.

TRAVEL

Barrier Reef Reserve System, Belize

The coastal area of Belize was inscribed on the List in 2009. It is said to be the largest barrier reef in the Northern hemisphere. The reef illustrates a classic example of reefs through fringing, barrier and atoll reef types. The system’s seven sites illustrate the evolutionary history of reef development and are a signiďƒžcant habitat for threatened species, including marine turtles, manatees and the American marine crocodile.

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Chan Chan, Peru

Chan Chan has been on the List since 1986. The Chimu Kingdom reached its apogee in the 15th century, not long before falling to the Incas. Its capital Chan Chan, located in the once fertile river valley of Moche or Santa Catalina, was the largest earthen architecture city in pre-Columbian America. The remains of this vast city reďƒ&#x;ect in their layout a strict political and social strategy, emphasised by their division into nine 'citadels' or 'palaces' forming independent units.

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SIGNATURE HOMES

The new Versace Home collection is a contemporary statement of Versace lifestyle, possessing a strong fashion inuence. The DNA of the House of Medusa is explored in three distinctive ways: through the soft, feminine lines of Vanitas; the more restrained, masculine application of the Greek Key motif; and nally through Baroque, where magnied shapes turn into three-dimensional forms.

VERY VERSACE

The Versace Home collection 2012-2013 clearly demonstrates that the brand is more than ever a perfect fusion between fashion and design

The Vanitas chair, an established Versace Home icon, has been streamlined into a lighter version and completely covered in Baroque-print fabric. Newcomers to the collection include a dual function dining/ gaming table with hand-painted gold leaf top, and the Wave dormeuse chair in bold velvet.

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Iconic prints feature a colour palette derived from the Versace prĂŞt-Ă -porter and haute couture collections: sulphur yellow, acid green, electric blue and pearl grey. These foundation colours are interspersed with touches of gold, ivory, stone and black.

Materials are opulent: gold and silver metals, shiny leather, velvet, silk, gold leaf, and precious marbles and wood veneers.

The new collection will be available at the Versace Home boutique located at The Dubai Mall, starting from September 2012

ACCESSORIES

THE SOLE OF STYLE

BY LAYLA CROCKER

Last month, Moda Mall held a stunning vintage shoe exhibition ‘A Shoe Story’, an ode to three centuries of luxury and footwear history. Signature takes a look back at the lavish history of women’s shoes

The international shoe exhibition travelled to the Middle East for the rst time from the Fashion History Museum in Ontario, Canada, showcasing examples of more than 80 pairs of footwear spanning the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

The event was an ideal opportunity for shoe lovers to ogle over footwear worn by Lauren Becall, Ginger Rogers and Imelda Marcos who was worldrenowned for her extensive shoe collection.

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A BACKGROUND TO ‘THE SHOE STORY’

WELL HEELED 18TH CENTURY The English expression ‘well heeled’ referred to someone of wealth in the 18th century, as the heel became an expression of status for ladies who could afford to be idle. English footwear in the early eighteenth century used sturdy, thick heels as an English lady resided most of the year at her country estate and required a sturdier heel for pastoral walks. Continental European ladies lived most of the year in the city and preferred taller, thinner heels for their urban environment.

FLAT SOLES AND SQUARE TOES 1800 – 1840

High heels fell from fashion during the French Revolution in the early 1790s.

The new democratic order guratively placed everyone on the same level, and literally resulted in heel-less shoes. A cottage industry method for making the heel-less shoes without left or right denition made France the leading manufacturer of ready-made footwear by 1820. However, Parisian shoes were known for their narrow widths - the leather sole of the shoe was never wide enough to accommodate the actual width of the foot.

The shapes of toes gradually became square by 1830 and remained that way until the 1870s. These square-toed shoes resemble today’s ballet slippers for a good reason – ‘En pointe’ dancing began around 1830 and was made possible by adding wooden blocks and lamb’s wool cushioning to the fashionable square-toed shoes. The style has remained in use by ballerina’s ever since.

ACCESSORIES

PROPRIETY 1840 – 1865 This was the early Victorian era when women’s ankles were always covered. Hemlines dropped to the oor in the late 1830s and shoes became unseen. Women began to wear boots; side laced styles were popular because they could be put on while sitting so that the wearer didn’t have to bend to the oor which was difcult in a corset.

A very popular style was elastic sided boots that was only made possible by the invention of elastic rubber by Charles Goodyear in 1839.

With the introduction of wire frame crinolines, skirts were held out by one single undergarment instead of multiple petticoats, so that an occasional glimpse of a shoe could be seen as women walked or danced. After 1860, ‘crooked’ soles that were made to t left and right feet, began to become more common and heels nally returned to shoes.

THE HEIGHT OF FASHION 1950 - 1975 Italy became the centre of high fashion footwear production in the 1950’s. Spain and Brazil followed as leading manufacturers and exporters of leather footwear in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

By 1955, heels were being made of plastic with a metal reinforcing rod that resembled the short blade of a stiletto knife. This allowed for stiletto heels to become very thin and high.

When paired with a sharp, pointed toe, the resulting style was aesthetically pleasing. The high heel and pointed toe combination visually lengthened the leg and made ankles appear narrower and calves shapelier. However, this is the worst combination for foot and back health.

The boot returned to fashion in the early 1960’s, paired with above-the-knee miniskirts. At rst the styles were low heeled but by 1970 platform soles returned to fashion.

Platform shoes added height and empowerment to women’s statures, while also making their legs appear longer in skirts or trousers. The platform began shrinking after 1973 and was gone by 1980.

FASHION FOOTWEAR SINCE 1975 Since the mid 1970s, shoe designers have relied upon reviving past styles, reinventing them for a contemporary audience. Trends and inspirations for styling come and go.

For example, jockeys, pirates, Cossacks, and cowboys have inuenced boot designs over the past thirty-ve years, but regardless of the inuence, knee-high winter boots have become staples of the fashion wardrobe as much as stiletto heeled shoes, and at heeled sandals.

READY-TO-WEAR 1865 - 1900 All shoes were made by hand until the 1860’s. The rst sewing machines were originally created to sew leather to relieve the amount of handwork needed to make a pair of shoes or boots. In 1856, American Isaac Singer patented a lock-stitch sewing machine, and in 1858 American Lyman Blake developed a machine for sewing soles to uppers. These and other developments were the rst of many that would make the United States the leading producer of ready-made footwear by 1870.

The vast majority of walking boots were plain black or dark brown because they made the feet appear smaller and the lack of decoration was considered more tasteful and appropriate for street wear. Button closures were considered neater and more tailored, but they required a buttonhook to pull the button through the small, tight holes.

When bicycling became popular in the 1890’s, tall boots were worn to protect stockings from mud and lace hooks were used on the upper half of the front-laced closure so the laces could slide more easily, adjusting to the movement of the calf muscle.

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BUYING THE BEST THE DESIGNERS Parisian shoemaker François Pinet, who worked at the end of the 19th century is generally considered to be the rst important shoe designer. In the 20th century, the leading shoe designers included Andre Perugia, Salvatore Ferragamo, Roger Vivier, David Evins, Beth Levine, Andrea Pster, Manolo Blahnik, Maude Frizon, Robert Clergerie, Christian Louboutin, Walter Steiger, Terry De Havilland, Patrick Cox, and Nicholas Kirkwood.

A GOOD CAUSE As part of the unique vintage shoe exhibition ‘A Shoe Story’, shoppers and visitors had the unique opportunity to donate new and gently used shoes for charity to encourage shoppers to donate for a noble cause.

The men, women and childrens’ shoes were collected in a special donation box and were presented by MODA Mall to Al Noor Charity Welfare, headed by Shaikha Lamya Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa.

The exhibition was ofcially opened to the public on May 23 and ran until June 16

CHANGING TASTES 1900 – 1925 An elongated or pointed toe creates an illusion of a narrower foot, traditionally considered a sign of aristocratic heritage, however a health controversy was stirred up with the pointed toe's introduction in the 1890’s. Alternative toe styles and lower heels became available for plain walking shoes and boots. Round and bulbous toes were considered the healthiest choice for walking boots and shoes because it gave room for the wearer to wiggle their toes, creating better circulation. However, fashion has more inuence than health and the majority of shoes made since the turn of the century have featured narrow or pointed toes.

As hemlines shortened during the 1910s, daytime boots grew in height, until by 1920 when boots could go no taller and shoes became preferred for all occasions except foul weather when rubber boot galoshes were worn. It was a trend for younger women to not fasten the buckles on their galoshes, leaving them apping, which has been credited as the origin of the word ‘apper’.

IN FULL VIEW 1925 – 1950 As skirts rose above the ankle, more attention was paid to the colour and decoration of shoes. The golden age of shoe design was between the 1920s and 1930s, when many new styles were introduced into the wardrobe, including sandals in the late 1920s, and open toes and sling-back styles in the late 1930s. Ankle boots reappeared as novelties but never caught on because it cut the line of the ankle and made legs appear shorter. Shoes were also now an important accessory and were matched to clothing in the same manner as hats, gloves, and purses.

Italian shoe designer Ferragamo became known for using materials like cork and cellophane to make shoes instead of leather and rubber, which were essential for military use during World War II. From Paris to Tokyo, civilian women often wore shoes made of substitute materials, including wooden soles. The thick wood soles inspired the fashion for platform soles, which were popular in the mid and late 1940s.

TECHNOLOGY

NEW MACBOOK PRO Prices range from BD590-1,360

The new Retina MacBook Pro is thinner and more portable than its predecessor and features a display with a resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels and comes with Intel’s latest Ivy Bridge processor, with up to 16GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 650m graphics, and up to 768GB of ash storage.

When you pack over ve million pixels into a 15.4-inch display, the results are stunning and the pixel density is so high, your eyes can’t discern individual pixels.The new Retina display reduces glare while maintaining incredible colour and quality and has a 29 per cent higher contrast ratio than a standard MacBook Pro display.

I WANT THAT!

HERE ARE SIGNATURE’S TOP PICKS THIS MONTH OF GADGETS AND FUN PRODUCTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET. BY LAYLA CROCKER

AUDI ELECTRIC BIKE

Audi recently unveiled their electric e-bike Wörthersee, complete with a powerful 2.3kW motor, which is the largest offering in an electric bike so far, enabling riders to cruise along at a staggering 50mph.

The bike can even communicate with your smartphone, which can disable the immobiliser as an extra security measure. For those looking to record tricks, video images recorded via the in-helmet camera can be uploaded to the Internet in real time via your smartphone.

A rankings table on the internet means you can measure yourself against other bikers and your friends and each trick performed successfully is awarded points.

The battery’s 6kg weight is negated by a lightweight 1.6kg carbon bre frame and a speedy 2.5 hour charge time nicely tops off the already impressive spec list.

LYTRO LIGHT FIELD CAMERA Unlike a conventional camera that captures a single plane of light, the Lytro camera captures the entire light eld with the press of a single button. By instantly capturing complete light eld data, the Lytro camera gives you capabilities you have never had in a regular camera.

Photos can be re-focused after they have been taken and friends and family can explore your living pictures on nearly any device, such as mobile phones, web browsers or tablets.

Prices range from BD150-188

HOUSE OF MARLEY BAG OF RHYTHM PORTABLE AUDIO SYSTEM

Priced at BD132

Fill a room, the garden or the beach with music. The Bag of Rhythm utilises twin 4.5" (114mm) high-denition speakers in a ported enclosure and a powerful amplier to deliver amazing output with crisp detail and deep, powerful bass.

The included carry bag is made from earth-friendly materials and makes it easy to take your music wherever you need it and the device also charges iPods and iPhones when docked.

MOTOROLA MOTOACTV SMARTWATCH MOTOACTV is a GPS tness tracker and smart music player combined into a small, wearable device. Your running, walking and biking workout is tracked and stored online and speed, distance and burned calories are also captured. The music player stores hours of your music and "learns" what tunes motivate you. The watch is also sweat proof, rain resistant and scratch resistant.

Built on Android, it’s got a pedometer, GPS, 8GB of music storage and a responsive touchscreen. You can even see your text messages and answer calls via Bluetooth.

Priced at BD20

DARWIN TRIANGULAR BBQ This stylish briefcase BBQ turns meetings into a cookout by unfolding into a compact grill. The BBQ doesn't quite have the same capacity as a garden griller at home, but you can still squeeze at least four burgers onto the 12 inch grill at one time and it is a perfect portable grill for the Summer. It's probably best to let the whole thing cool down before slinging it back over your shoulder though.

Priced at BD95

NOKIA LUMIA 900 4G The new Lumia has fast internet speeds, Bing, Internet Explorer 9, HTML5 and Wi-Fi. The phone has a 4.3" AMOLED ClearBlack glass touchscreen and one-piece polycarbonate body available in black, cyan and white, with an 8 megapixel main camera, Carl Zeiss optics, dual LED ash, Auto Focus, 1 megapixel front camera and video calling.

The design is seamless with a clean curved look void of screws or panels. The phone features a matte nish rather than a soft sheen, and that makes the 900 feel very different in the hand to many other phones on the market.

CARS

THE FASTEST EVER

THE XKR-S MADE ITS DEBUT AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW IN 2011 AND HAS NOW BEEN LAUNCHED IN BAHRAIN. FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH A SERIES PRODUCTION CAR, JAGUAR GAINS ENTRY TO THE EXCLUSIVE ‘300KPH CLUB’ THANKS TO THE SUPERCHARGED 5.0L AJ-V8 ENGINE.

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STYLING The XKR-S has slimmer,

LED headlights, more compact main air intake and a vertical side power vent that contribute to a more purposeful front-end appearance. At the rear of the car, the famous Jaguar ‘Leaper’ now takes pride of place on the centre of the boot lid.

The XKR-S also required aerodynamic modifications to achieve its 300kph top speed.

As the car approaches its top speed, there is a requirement to channel air cleanly over, around and under the car in order to maintain stability and ensure balanced downforce front and rear.

The most dramatic changes have been applied to the front of the car, radically altering its appearance with a new bumper design featuring near vertical feature lines running down from the edges of the oval air intake.

In order to balance front and rear lift, the XKR-S features a separate rear wing, a first for the XK range.

The XKR-S is available in a range of five paint colours, two of which evoke Jaguar’s competition heritage: Italian Racing Red and French Racing Blue.

PERFORMANCE INTERIOR The XKR-S is the quickest Jaguar ever and is agile, responsive and driver-focused.

The structure of the lightweight aluminium platform allowed the suspension to be reworked with bespoke components for increased stiffness without a loss in refinement or comfort.

Nestling in the engine is the Roots-type twin vortex supercharger and its two intercoolers that help provide the XKR-S with such power. This sixth-generation forced induction unit is 20 per cent more efficient than its predecessor, while the intercoolers feature their own water-cooling circuit to reduce the temperature of the pressurised air to optimise power and efficiency.

These features combined, make it the most powerful Jaguar road engine ever made, allowing the XKR-S to hit 100kph in 4.4 seconds and breach the 300kph barrier with ease.

The XKR-S features a red Start button and the interior has been subtly refreshed with new trim materials including ebony softfeel paint for the switches and a gloss black finish to the centre console. The model will also be exclusively available with a Dark Linear Aluminium finish as an option to the wood veneers.

A new leather-wrapped, multi-function steering wheel has also been added and exclusive to the XKR-S are the new performance front seats with integrated head restraints and increased support to hold the driver and passengers securely and comfortably. The 16way adjustment of the seats is supplemented by memory and heating functions.

For more information visit www.jalal.com or Tel. +973 1753 3311

FASHION

Talented young designer Sara Al-Sharfaa has always had a passion for fashion and started her brand ‘Pieces by Sara’ a year and a half ago. Sara’s ‘pieces of Art’ as she likes to call them, often feature unique accessories and high quality materials to make sure her designs are outstanding and different.

Signature gets an exclusive look at Sara’s new collection ‘Sara’s Dolls’.

Credits: Designer:Sara Al-Sharfaa Brand: Pieces by Sara Collection: Sara's Dolls Photographer : Mohammed Vivid Models:Nermin Hasan and Nada Dweik Make Up: Ghaida Al Subaie Hair: Mohammed Alshaddakh Sara plans to open her own boutique soon. For anyone interested in her collection, outts and sizes are available on request and can be pre-ordered through the ‘Pieces by Sara’ Facebook page, by email pieces.by.sara@gmail.com, or Tel. +973 3997 3233.

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The Neon Doll

Model wears corset top with vibrant stripes and a neon pencil skirt.

FOOD COURT

The Prom Queen Doll

Model wears vibrant yellow chiffon dress with twisted ďƒ&#x;oral details and a unique crystallized belt and shoulder strap.

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The Edgy Doll

Model wears taffeta neon coral dress with rufďƒ&#x;e details on the waist, adding an edgy touch by using a unique separate collar with turquoise blue sequins.

The Rock Star Doll

Model wears grey sequin top with funky black rufďƒ&#x;ed tutu.

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The Glamorous Queen

Model wears glamorous one-shoulder black chiffon dress, shoulder embellished with emerald green stones, crystals and rainbow stones.

The Jungle Princess

Model wears grey silk chiffon dress with leopard print and French lace detail.

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STYLE TALK

SLOGAN CHIC

HE’S THE MAN WHO PUT THE ZING INTO TEE-SHIRT SLOGANS! ROSEMIN MANJI TALKS TO BRITISH FASHION DESIGNER HENRY HOLLAND

A

fter graduating from the London College of Printing with a BA in Journalism, Henry Holland catapulted into the fashion limelight in 2006 with his irreverent 'Fashion Groupies' slogan tees featuring catchphrases such as "UHU Gareth Pugh" and "Get Your Freak On Giles Deacon".

In February 2008, after two seasons showing with Fashion East, House of Holland held its rst solo show on the main Fashion Week schedule to critical acclaim with the brand consequently winning the 'Best Use of Tartan Award' at the Scottish Fashion Awards. Henry designs with a London girl aesthetic in mind and is continually inspired by the variety of attitudes, cultures and mindsets that exist throughout the UK capital. The House of Holland girl is cool, condent and savvy and wears labels without letting them wear her.

Firmly established in the international fashion scene, House of Holland now boasts an impressive roster of international premium stockists including Browns Focus, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Colette, Opening Ceremony and Barneys…

Presenting excerpts of the interview…

How did you get into designing?

“My entry into designing was almost a happy accident. I began making tee-shirts for fun, but I soon realised that if I was to make the most out of the situation, then I had to expand and evolve very quickly!”

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Rosemin Manji is the founder of RR & Co. Bespoke Luxury Management that specialises in styling, media relations among other luxury services around the fashion industry. Manji is an authority on fashion in the region. Her weekly fashion segment on Dubai One TV’s Studio One has fashion followers throughout the region tuning in as she shares her tips. She has brought international designers to the region from Tom Ford, Alice Temperley to Christian Louboutin to the Middle East . She has contributed in Harpers Bazaar, Grazia and Esquire and has covered Atlantis Palm Dubai opening Red Carpet interviewing top International celebrities for MTV. Manji’s style has been celebrated in Best Dressed lists for Harpers Bazaar, Grazia, Pashion, Mondanite, Ahlan Masala. Her contribution to the fashion industry has been recognised by Arab News as Top 20 Business women in the Gulf, Gr8 Women of the Year Middle East and Ahlan Hot 100 List 2010 and 2011 as Style Icon and Contribution to the Media Industry.

Was there a dening ‘ah-ha’ moment when you knew that you had made it?

“I think if you start thinking you have ‘made it’ then it's over. I don’t think I will ever have made it as I will always have ambitions and dreams that are bigger than my reality!!”

What challenges does an independent designer face?

“Financing your company and the growth that you want to achieve. The fashion industry is outwardly very glamourous and exciting, but behind all of that we are all manufacturers trying to produce clothes and deliver!!”

Your diffusion line (for Debenhams) is based on your runway collection or do you have another customer in mind?

“Our line for Debenhams, H! by Henry Holland, is completely different from the main line collection.

I would say that we are designing for a different customer and creating pieces that are more accessible to a wider audience. However the sensibility and humourous attitude to our collections is denitely something that permeates through.”

You have been to Dubai a couple of times... what are your favourite spots?

“I was so ill last time I came that I spent the entire time in bed being visited by the doctor! I did manage to attend the Christian Louboutin 20th anniversary party and check out Dubai Mall. I love the store ‘Sauce’.”

What are your favourite spots in London?

“I love Andrew Edmunds in Soho for a quiet dinner.

Shoreditch House, The Albion and 'A Little Bit of What you Fancy" in Dlaston.”

What do you do on your downtime when you are not designing?

“I just like to spend time with friends and family.”

Do you have any muses or celebs, which you think have great personal style?

“I draw inspiration from all the women in my life, some of them famous and some of them not so much. I think the clothes I design are for a ctional character that encapsulates all of these women!”

Are you excited for the Olympics this summer? What are your favourite sports?

“I am so excited. I think it is going to be an amazing time for London. I am especially looking forward to the Gymnastics, as I used to compete as one when I was a child. I’m also keen on diving and athletics.”

What can we can expect from you in the near future?

“We are launching our own line of House of Holland Eyewear in September which will be available worldwide."

CELEBRITIES

Show Stoppe StoppersSho CANNES FILM FESTIVAL IS Sto LONG OVER. BUT, THERE Sh ARE FEW HOT STEPPERS WHO HAVE Sto LEFT US BEDAZZLED FOR WORDS. ho RIGHT FROM THEIR FAB OUTFITS to TO THE WAY THEY S CARRIED IT OFF, THESE SIX CELEBS St SCORED HIGH ON ho OUR MUSTCOPY� LIST!!

Stop Look at that! Jane Fonda sure does follow her own workout sessions! She was spotted at the premiere of Moonrise Kingdom in an intricately woven bronze metal mesh Atelier Versace gown with a delicately pleated hem and train and a metallic Versace clutch, giving many a young ones run for their money

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Photo credit: Versace

Cougar Alert!

Freida Frenzy!

If there was anyone who irted with the camera this year with aplomb, it was Freida. Here she is at the L'Oréal dinner sporting a white silk jacket, with white satin shawl collar lapel ( from the Salvatore Ferragamo Resort 2012 collection), and gold metal minaudière with white leather details.

Photo credit: Salvatore Ferragamo/Getty Images

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how Show S toppersS Stoppe Sho Sto Sh Sto ow Sho ppers Sto how S oppers St Show Sho Stoppers S St t Stop CELEBRITIES

Baby Bump Chic

Photo credit: Versace

Reese Witherspoon, who is expecting her third child, turned up to the premiere of her new ďƒžlm looking absolutely gorgeous in a custom-made navy blue silk chiffon Atelier Versace gown covered entirely in Swarovski crystals with a cut-out back, crossed strap at the back, and full train. She completed her look perfectly with silver Versace shoes.

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Show s ers Stoppers Show ow ow Stop p oppers Sh h how Sto o toppers Sh ow St t oppers Sh Show St t toppers rs Show ow er ppers Stopper It must be tough being Kristen Stewart.

Let alone the vampires, she also has to ward off so many women of this eye candy! Robert Pattinson totally owns the Salvatore Ferragamo ink blue cotton and linen suit, with a two button jacket and knotch lapel that he sported at the photocall for his ďƒžlm Cosmopolis.

Photo credit: Salvatore Ferragamo/Getty Images

Cosmic Captivation

how Show toppers sStoppe Sho Sto Sh Sto ow Sho ppers Sto how S oppers St Show Sho Stoppers S St t Stop HUBBA! HUBBA!

We have often wondered if Sparta really did have men like Gerard Butler? We sure would have loved to be a part of that era then!

The Spartan warrior king goes formal for the Haiti Carnival In Cannes charity event with this very classic Salvatore Ferragamo black tuxedo, with shawl collar and satin lapel.

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Photo credit: Salvatore Ferragamo/Getty Images

CELEBRITIES

Show s ers Stoppers Show ow ow Stop p oppers Sh h how Sto o toppers Sh ow St t oppers Sh Show St t toppers rs Show ow er ppers Stopper HIS HOTNESS

Photo credit: Gucci/Getty Images

Only he can amp up the heat, even if it is just your routine photocall at Cannes! ‘The’ Brad Pitt sports a Gucci Made to Order notch lapel two button khaki Marseille suit at the Killing Them Softly photocall. We would also ike to know what exactly does he do to keep his mane so lustrous!

SIGNATURE PROMOTION

BELIEVING IN BAHRAIN ONE OF THE LARGEST MEDIA GROUPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, GROUP PLUS, RECENTLY WON A TENDER AND GAINED THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO SELL ADVERTISING SPACE ON BAHRAIN TV. LAYLA CROCKER SPOKE TO GROUP PLUS BRANCH MANAGER PATRICK AOUN ABOUT THE BD4 MILLION ACQUISION AND BUILDING THE COMPANY’S MEDIA EMPIRE. 82

How did you win the acquisition and how will you cope with its challenges?

The tender was open to everyone and the company was already experienced because of our five years dealing with advertising on our three radio stations, which was definitely a plus for us and luckily, we were the winners after the bidding.

It is definitely a huge responsibility which proves that we really believe in Bahrain to invest such a large amount and to also become responsible to the whole community to represent an official TV channel, so we are well aware of the pressures and responsibilities. For the previous five years working in the radio industry, clients have remained loyal and this experience helped us prove to the Information Affairs Authority (IAA) that we are able to succeed by using the same strategies with the TV channels. With their help we worked together as one team and they were very helpful.

Tell us about your renewed radio contracts.

Group Plus Bahrain started in 2006 and at that time, we represented three radio stations; Radio Bahrain 96.5, Bahrain station 102.3 and Bahrain FM 93.3 and all three are broadcast in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and more recently Abu Dhabi. In the recent tender we renewed the same three stations and added a new

one to our books which is Shabab 98.4 FM .

Since we started, we always counted on the advertising agencies and MBU's support, and we had a good number of direct clients as well who never advertised previously on radio, and after advertising and receiving positive feedback, they became loyal clients with yearly commitments. Radio became essential and not many clients advertise without using this medium.

Why did you add a new radio station during the recent tender?

IAA added a new Arabic station that was launched two years back which is called Shabab 98.4, and is mainly targeting the age-range of young people. Young Bahrainis are always looking for ways to showcase their skills and capabilities and this channel provides a great opportunity for them to do so.

How are you going to develop your radio stations?

IAA is currently working on and developing the coverage of the regional broadcasting, trying to increase this coverage to other countries in the Middle East. We found out recently that some people are tuning into programmes that not only play songs, but that are interactive with their listeners so we are trying to implement both in a balanced way, without changing the image

SIGNATURE PROMOTION

of the station itself. We now have a lot of clients who are committing to us on an annual basis which is proof that they are getting the necessary feedback from their radio campaigns. In addition to Bahrain, these clients can target the Eastern Province and Qatar so they have the advantage of advertising in just one medium but one which broadcasts over a large area.

Tell us about signing the exclusivity of Bahrain TV. The contract gave us the exclusivity of four TV channels; Bahrain TV Channel 44 (Arabic), Bahrain Channel 55(English), Bahrain Sport 1 and 2. We also won the exclusivity of the Bahrain official news agency website www.bna.bh, in addition to the famous Huna al Bahrain online magazine.

How are you going to develop the TV stations, do you have any immediate plans?

At the moment IAA is trying to work on special programmes for Ramadan which is the peak month for Bahrain TV. This includes planning religious programmes and interactive ones for the audience such as competitions and some comedy programs,

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cooking and series. After Ramadan Bahrain TV will introduce new programs and ideas for both channels and try to develop it as much as they can, so it is very important to have the loyalty of our viewers. Bahrain TV has reached a certain level as statistics shows from 2011 and 2012, where it is now the third most popular channel.

You can also feel the new ‘young blood’ in TV such as new producers and presenters, in addition to the more experienced crew members so they can work productively together and bounce off different ideas.

Do you think Bahrain TV has improved or is there still a way to go?

Bahrain TV has improved over the last several years and especially since Sheikh Fawaz Al Khalifa became IAA President. The day he took over he worked on developing the channel’s image by implementing and investing into new programmes, which led to good publicity in 2011. Moreover, in every country, not only in Bahrain, people became more involved and curious about their local news and economics and other interests, so local TVs became one of their main interests.

How important are statistics and do you use them frequently?

We can gather a lot of information through statistics which help us to decide which programmes we should be introducing. We can analyse a lot of things such as gender's and age's interests so by looking at them we know that Bahrain TV attracts almost everyone. That is why we are trying to get programmes that are suitable for a wide range of audiences, satisfying everyone’s tastes. Media and marketing wise, statistics are the most important tool for media agencies and marketers to work on their plans and budgets, and after the recent two studies of 2011 and 2012, we are sure that Bahrain TV will get a big share of advertising campaigns from now on.

You have expanded your outdoor advertising with billboards or ‘faces’ and have recently starting using adverts on lampposts, have you increased your client base over time with this medium?

From the year we began till today, even with the financial crisis in 2009, we still grew and believed in Bahrain which is why we expanded the outdoor business, we have now

almost 60 billboard faces in the Kingdom.

In 2012 we added lampposts to our operation after we noticed nearly every client is looking for this medium, but we did it only after making sure that we will be an added value to the lampposts market and not just a new supplier or number.

We work hard to offer strategical locations to clients to place the budget in the right place and we try and maintain a certain standard in terms of maintenance so we can offer good value to the client and we have now more than 600 faces in the kingdom .

How does Group Plus keep up with the cutting edge of new media?

We are always quite picky when it comes to new mediums and always look into new ideas. We do many studies to see what will suit the market and what advertising agencies and clients are looking for to satisfy their needs.

The company has become one of the major players in the Middle East. In your opinion, what is the secret behind its success?

In Bahrain, when it comes to radio, normally

with this kind of monopoly without any direct competition, many would work in a relaxed way and one of our main successful keys in the previous years was that we didn't take advantage of our monopoly, we did quite the opposite. We were competing with ourselves.

As for regional success, almost the same applies for all of our offices including good relations, good media and good prices, which lead to success. We have got the right people in the right places, we have plenty of support from advertising agencies whom we consider partners and support each other. We always work ethically with these agencies and direct clients as well and we discuss the feedback with our clients after each campaign.

Without forgetting that we are experienced in almost all kind of mediums, in Lebanon we have the exclusivity of Beirut Airport, Mupis, Megacom, LED, etc, in Syria we have the exclusivity of Damascus airport, LED screens, radio, outdoor and in Dubai we have lamp posts and the exclusivity of the VIP lounge at the airport.

What is next for Group Plus and do you have

any future goals?

Our main focus and challenge will now be for TV . It has reached a certain level so we should do our best to maintain and even go beyond expectation.

How will you meet expectations over the next five years?

We are very aware of the size of responsibility as we are representing the official TV channel of the Kingdom so we will definitely do our best. We have the support from our regional offices, advertising agencies, MBU's direct clients and the Bahraini people who will be excited to see new programmes being added.

We will do our best to with Bahrain TV to meet the expectation levels required. This is our most exciting and challenging project to date and we thank Sheikh Fawaz Al Khalifa who implemented new spirit within his team at IAA , and we thank IAA team as well for their support.

Group Plus was founded in 1992 by Georges Chehwane, who is chairman of Group Plus Holding. The group operates in Lebanon, Syria, UAE, and Bahrain through its 9 ofďƒžces and more than 400 employees, which include real estate ďƒžrm Plus Properties.

SIGNATURE PROMOTION

PICTURE PERFECT ART

FILM PHOTOGRAPHY STARTED TO FADE WITH THE ADVENT OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY IN EARLY 2000. BY 2010, MOST PHOTOGRAPHY ENTHUSIASTS AND PROFESSIONALS HAD ALREADY EMBRACED THE DIGITAL MEDIUM AND PRONOUNCED FILM AS DEAD. THE FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN FOR FILM, WAS WHEN KODAK, THE INVENTOR OF THE MEDIUM, ANNOUNCED ITS BANKRUPTCY THIS YEAR. IN A WORLD WHERE THE ART OF FILM PHOTOGRAPHY IS ALMOST DEAD, SIGNATURE MET A SMALL GROUP OF CREATIVE AND DYNAMIC INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TRYING TO REVIVE THE LONG-FORGOTTEN ART. BULB MEDIA GROUP (BMG), WHICH WILL BE PART OF THE FILIPINO CULTURAL EVENT 'SINO SI JUAN?' (WHO IS JUAN?), HAS CHALLENGED THEMSELVES AND WILL BE DISPLAYING "ALL-FILM SHOTS" AT THE EVENT. Why film?

Evaristu Anju Rex Tibus: "Well…why not? There are hundreds of reasons why photographers should try film and I cannot find a reason why they shouldn't. The overall experience is superb and the process is just perfect. Since you have a lot of limitations like a single ISO and shooting without preview, manual focusing etc, photographers tend to be careful in their composition so as 86

not to waste a frame. Just like Martial Arts, it trains you to have self discipline on when, where, what, who and how to shoot. It tests your patience because you have to wait until the film is developed before you can see the outcome of your shot. It also teaches you to persevere to try and shoot more until you master the principles of this art.

"People might think that if you use film and SLR camera in this digital age you are

just wasting money on film, developing and printing, since high resolution digital SLR cameras have already been invented.

Partly... you can say that this is true, but what others don't realise is that using DSLR is not entirely free either. Every click that you make using DSLR consumes the shutter and shutter mechanisms have a lifespan which will render it dead once it reaches the maximum shutter count. With the rapid growth of technology, DSLRs depreciate fast and you might need to upgrade every two years to keep up with the pace. So, your DSLR is actually an expense that you have paid in advance. With film, you buy a used SLR now and re-sell it at the same price two years later. You can practically have an SLR camera for free! There are many more reasons why a photographer has to try film, but I don't think it will all fit into this feature."

People are saying that returning to film is like going back to using typewriters in this digital age, what can you say about this?

Jack Guevarra: "I am glad you have brought this up. Firstly, typewriters don't have anything to do with art. Secondly, going back to SLR and film has a lot of benefits.

We have already weighed this up ourselves.

It will give you a full view of photography in general. You get to understand the real essence of photography in the truest sense of the word. That's why previous generations have a great advantage of being able to have experienced both film and digital. They have a complete grasp of their craft.

"As part of the new generation... we don't want to have the disadvantage of just experiencing digital. In my opinion, anyone who is really serious about photography must at least try to shoot on film. It maybe harder, but the experience itself is rewarding. From choosing the appropriate film for your kind of shoot, down to developing the negative and printing your selected photo. We are not saying that you abandon digital, but you can perhaps have both and benefit from their advantages."

How did you start to explore film?

Edward Tandaan: "Venturing into film is part of our group's mantra which is to continually develop and evolve in our chosen art. Film did not happen by accident, it's part of our blueprint to establishing ourselves as true practitioners of photography. We want to go

full circle in this field.

"The push to go on film actually started when we got the chance to meet Ali Al Aradi, the producer/director and owner of French Film Productions, one of the biggest production companies in Bahrain. He gave us a tour of his office and showed off his collection of vintage cameras. We were in awe! The tipping point came when one of our colleagues, Reginn Palacio, started to build his own collection of vintage SLR cameras.

From then on, our group has embraced film and has included it in our weekly shoots and projects."

Do you think there is still a place for film in this digital age?

Allan Donque: "Yes of course! I always believed that there are things that have more than meets the eye... and I always try to dig deeper to find these out. I research and observe a lot. That's why some may find it ironic when I say that the best time to go on film is now. Why? Because in this digital age, scanning technology has vastly improved already. You can scan your film negatives in incredible proportions. There are scanners that scan and save at 9600 dpi or more. This was unheard of before where the maximum dpi was at 300. The shots you will make today using your 50-year old vintage camera will most probably look better in the future as scanners continue to develop.

"Compare that to the shots you will make today using your 18 megapixels DSLR. Since you have captured it at that resolution, the quality will just stay that way. Some may argue that software can add artificial pixels into a jpeg file by interpolation, but it is not the same because those were not originally there at the time of capture. Unlike with film, scanners are not adding artificial details.

Another point is that there are reasons why paintings are more expensive than digital print outs. People tend to put premium into the processes involved in coming up with the finished artwork. I believe with these simple points alone, film still has a place in this digital age."

Being the proponent for the revival of film photography in the Kingdom of Bahrain, what message would you like to convey to your fellow photographers/artists?

Reginn S. Palacio: "To be honest, it's quite

hard to send a message across to fellow photographers/artists because normally, they want to discover things their way. They don't want to be told. They are all smart and creative and have their own individuality and style. It's an artist's thing. What I can probably do is to send a message across to your general readers.

"Film is just another medium or channel to express one’s creativity. Although everyone is free to try film photography, I believe it is not designed for all especially now in this digital age where everyone can shoot photos easily, even with just a mobile phone camera. Eventually it all boils down to who has more passion to step back a little to see photography from a wider perspective.

"Film is for those who see the process of photography as not just limited to aiming, shooting, and previewing. For them, film photography is both science and art.

Find a field that you are comfortable in and where you think you will have a great chance of success. Find your niche! Continue to do your research and don't stop improving.

Always make sure to be better today than what you were yesterday.

"Although we talk about film, at the end of the day it's up to the artist on which medium he prefers to use. What we have presented is a great alternative. Or better yet just like us, maybe you can use both film and digital and get the best of both worlds!"

The Filipino cultural event "Sino si Juan?" (Who is Juan?) will be held at the Sheraton hotel on July 13.

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