Out and About Mag: Abri - Sharing Positivity Through Song

As long as you are alive, you will either live to accomplish your own goals and dreams or be used as a resource to accomplish someone else’s — Grant Cardone

The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure

“Inagentleway,youcanshake the world.”

Gandhi

Do you believe in yourself?

Whether it is quiet confidence or one that is a bit more assertive, the key is knowing that you can. You can make an impact on this world. Yes, you can.

It is very easy for doubts to creep into the minds of even the most poised among us, but whether big or small, we can each make a difference. This difference might not rise to national or international level recognition, but impacting even one life is enough.

One act can have a ripple effect with huge impact. Be mindful that a kind gesture today is likely to be remembered tomorrow; in a gentle way, you can shake the world.

Features and Highlights

In this Edition of Out and About Magazine, get your fill of all things fashion, food, travel, and experiences!

Start by checking out our Talent Pool feature with entertainer Hamdan Al Abri, who is committed to spreading positivity through music.

In Fashion, we share Ted Baker Autumn 2022: Womenswear and Menswear collection and check out the Complete Autumn-Winter Capsule Wardrobe Checklist for the Minimalist Woman.

Check out The 3-step five-minute makeup routine for ultra-busy women in our Beauty section.

In the Lifestyle Section, we talk about Imposter Syndrome. Also, check out the lifestyle features The Energy of Love in Raising Personal Power and Baby Loss Awareness: How to support a loved one in need.

Then in Food, read Ray’s Grill: Food and Drink from the 63rd floor before moving on to All you need to know about the Japanese Bento Box.

For the Fitness Section, find out 11 Reasons you should be doing Reformer Pilates.

In Travel & Experiences, read about the Mysk Moon Retreat: A quiet Haven in the midst of the Sharjah Desert and An artistic Adventure in Japan’s Hokuriko region.

Also, find out the Top 5 Wheelchair Accessible Ferris Wheels in the World and 7 Destinations around the world to explore if you are looking for somewhere off the beaten path. Plus, Plan Ahead for your Winter Escape in Geneva and check out the New-look Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern in Switzerland.

For the Culture, check out Check MATE, and for Shelf Life, learn The 10x Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure.

You can shake the world Remember, you have the ability to shake the world. All you need to do is believe in yourself. Know that the possibilities are endless, as your action may one day change the world.

Out and About Magazine, along with the team that made this Edition possible, is always here to remind you of the strength within. You can shake the world!

TALENT POOL

FASHION

Ted Baker

BEAUTY

LIFESTYLE

energy of

Baby Loss

FOOD

About

TRAVEL & EXPERIENCES

• Mysk Moon Retreat: A quiet haven in the midst of the Sharjah Desert

An artistic adventure in Japan’s Hokuriku region

The top 5 wheelchair accessible Ferris wheels in the world

Off the Beaten Path: 7 Destinations (+ one) around the World to explore

Plan ahead for your winter escape in Geneva

New-look Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern in Switzerland awaits

THE CULTURE

The 10x Rule: The Only Difference Between Success

Failure

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m an artist, performer, singer, and songwriter from the UAE. I’ve been making music roughly since the early 2000s. I got a band, and I have released a few albums here and there.

My family is originally from Zanzibar; my dad came here around 1968. He’s a musician as well, so he was always playing music in the house, and my brother Arqam and I got the music gene from him. So I started picking up music, singing music, and singing in school talent shows.

Around 2005 is when I took it seriously and started pursuing it. Myself and a bunch of other musicians released a couple of albums. I’ve also done a few stuff solo as well.

2. What is your main goal in your music career?

It’s all about making music that’s true to me and sending out positive energies, making sure that my music resonates with everybody else. I love performing. I love going out and interacting with people and sharing energy. So, it’s all positive, and it all comes from love.

Photographer: Joshua Miles (@joshuamiles)

3. Who are your musical influences?

As far as artistes go, when we were growing up, my dad would play Western music as well, apart from the traditional Zanzibari music. We’d have people like Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, obviously, and Prince. Those are the main ones that I can remember.

But the influence that got me into singing and performing was Michael Jackson. I loved “Off The Wall”; it is the best album of all time. So when I started listening to his music, I started to try to imitate how he was performing and singing.

After that, it was Stevie Wonder, Maxwell and Musiq Soulchild. I was really into the Neo Soul in the 90s and early 2000s, listening to D’Angelo, Eryka Badu, and Bilal as well.

4. What made you decide to pursue a career in entertainment?

I started out doing visual arts. I wanted to be a painter, an artist, so I went to Miami, Florida, USA, in early 2000 to study. I wanted to be a visual artist, but while I was there, I started getting more into the music side. I joined a few groups. I was doing my own thing, like an R&B-type of vibe.

I think, at that time, I slowly started switching from visual arts to the more creative side of music. So I think that’s when I decided I wanted to pursue music as more of a creative outlet than the visual side of things.

When I returned to the UAE after college, I did a few odd jobs here and there. I tried to make it in England for a little bit, but it didn’t work out. So I came back, and that’s when I started meeting up with the other musicians, Julian Science, particularly, who plays the keys, and we started working on original music. That’s when I slowly started leaving the 9 to 5 jobs and pursuing music full-time.

Video by Sebastian Valderrama (bastyvee) for Jungle Beige’s client Levi’s

5. You said you tried to make it in England, and that didn’t work out. How did that impact you as an artiste?

I think I went to England with a naive perspective on things. I just thought I would go there and sing, and I’ll be discovered, and that’ll be it, you know? But it’s way tougher. I mean, at that time, I was struggling, doing odd jobs here and there. I met a few producers, amazing people in the music industry, but it was just tough, especially me coming from the UAE to try to make it in the UK at that time, in London, specifically.

I was still learning my craft as well. Vocally, I wasn’t really there and the songwriting either, so I think it just wasn’t the right time, but I knew that as well.

So when I came back to the UAE, to Dubai, I still kept at it. I was working with a few other friends here. There were DJs and producers just to kind of keep going. I also perform live as well, to keep that fire burning. I never gave up, I just kept on keeping at it.

6. How would you describe the music that you typically create?

The foundation of my music is soul music, but I love listening to other genres of music. I listen to reggae, rock music, 60s and 70s funk music, and people like Bjork and Radiohead as well. So I try to incorporate those styles of music in my music, but the foundation is soul music.

7. How does your culture influence your music?

The UAE is such a multicultural place. A lot of people are kind of surprised, especially people from outside, when they realise that I’m from the UAE doing soul music or R&B. But for me, being raised, it was such a natural thing because growing up, we were all watching MTV, we were listening to Boys II Men and everything else. We were still exposed to that music, and we were doing shows and having parties with that genre in

mind. So it was nothing new to me.

I think it was just kind of a little different for other people outside and some Emiratis as well. Seeing an Emirati doing soul music, it’s a little different, but I think it’s amazing to show that the UAE can do everything, including soul music. We’re good at everything.

8. What’s the inspiration behind your new single, Higher (Breathe Easy)?

I released it in early September, and it’s been amazing so far. It’s produced by a great friend of mine who just recently moved to Korea. His name is Colin James Gordon. He sent me the track a little while back, and I was apprehensive. It wasn’t really my vibe at that time, so it stayed in my hard drive for ages. Recently, while driving, I had a melody for it and decided to do something with it; it evolved from there.

I started writing the lyrics, and it personifies where my state of mind and my well-being is right now, this year—which is positivity, love, and wanting to uplift my brothers and sisters on the way up.

9. If you could create a band with yourself and any two artistes, who would they be and why?

I would say the Roots; I would love to play with the Roots at some point; Insh’Allah soon. And, I think for musicians, it would probably be somebody like Frank Ocean or Prince. I would love to do something with Prince. That would be amazing, the fact that he played all instruments and produced his own stuff. So Prince would definitely be one!

Bob Marley, too. I mean, I get a lot of my energy and get lost in the music while performing live from him. I watched a lot of his live shows back in the day, and I always take pointers from him and just make sure that the music’s got to sound right. Bob Marley is a huge, huge, huge influence.

Photographer:

10. Now, if you were with an audience and you realised that they weren’t really reacting the way you hoped they would. How do you get them on board, on your side?

I try to be a bit of a comedian and make them laugh a little bit. I remember once, when I played in Dubai Opera, I was opening up for an artiste called Rag’n’Bone, and when you’re supporting somebody, the audience is not there for you. You know what I mean? So, in the beginning, you could kind of see people apprehensive and not wanting to be into the music.

But I think as long as the music is coming from a good place and they see it, and you are having a good time with your musicians, I think slowly I started seeing people kind of getting into it and clapping, and I loved that feeling. I think it’s just, for me, that’s the best feeling when people don’t know your music, don’t know who you are, and you kind of not convert them, but convince them about what you’re doing and your type of music.

11. What skills have you learned that will help you in your singing career?

I’m an introvert, but I think with music and being in the music community, interacting with the audience, you have to get to know people and get to know people on a deeper level as well—deeper conversations, listening as well. I think people don’t take listening to a much higher level than talking.

In the music scene, you kind of see a lot of people who pretend to be something they’re not. I always try to keep that in mind, to keep staying humble and being myself. And, no matter what the circumstances may be in the music scene or whatever scenario that I’m in, I learned that.

12. Outside of music, what does Abri do?

I love spending time with my loved ones, my family, and my significant other. I have a cat and a bird at home, a parrot. I love spending time with them. I love spending time with my friends as well. I watch a lot of documentaries—history documentaries as well as crime documentaries, watching good movies. I used to play basketball a little bit, so I love watching it, and playing it as well.

I try to keep active, trying to go to the gym as much as I can; that’s pretty much it. I’m a simple man. As far as everything outside of music, I try to keep it simple. I love going out and taking road trips as well, travelling.

13. How do you look after your mental health?

The last few years have been really tough as far as my mental health. I was going through my own, battling my own demons within, and there was Covid. A lot of people were going through it. I was at a point where I was emotionally eating, and that was a vicious cycle because I would eat and then that would make me feel bad. Then to make me feel good, I would eat… so I went through that quite a bit through the last three, four years.

I changed my mindset this year, where I’m allowing positive energy through and completely disregarding negative energy—which is easier said than done. I think having that proper mindset and waking up every day, knowing that you’re blessed with another day, knowing that everything is going to be okay, and being grateful for the good things that are coming in your life is amazing. Obviously, I have ups and downs throughout the year and throughout my life, but I think just having that positive mindset from the get-go is important. So far, it’s been working.

14. What’s that one quote you live by?

The first one that comes to mind is by an amazing, legendary artiste by the name of Lauryn Hill. In her song, “Doo-Wop”, when she says, “how you going to win if you ain’t right within?”

TED BAKER AUTUMN 2022

WOMENSWEAR AND MENSWEAR COLLECTION

Leaning into the heritage of the brand, the autumn wardrobe is a celebration of British quality and craftsmanship, embracing pattern and texture that has found its origin within the British Isles.

WOMENSWEAR

The womenswear collection is built on a monochromatic colour palette, disrupted by sharp injections of hot red that demand attention.

A focus for graphic heritage prints includes Prince of Wales check, herringbone and houndstooth, with unexpected details such as saddlery-inspired leather waist tabs on blazers and coats adding to the regimental feel.

Florals remain integral to the brand’s DNA, with art nouveau-inspired hand-drawn motifs that hearken back to the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the beginnings of Ted Baker in Glasgow. Elsewhere, a more modern offset ‘glitched’ pattern punctuates slightly sheer textural mesh dresses and offthe-shoulder bardot styles with midi hems.

Fabrication focuses on rich Scottish wool and cashmere, which give seasonal weight and warmth to knitwear and outerwear, including a statement chevron fringed cape.

The partywear offering includes heavily embellished dégradé sequin skirts and dresses with faux marabou feather trims. Elsewhere, tapestry-inspired botanicals give tailoring an event focus, adorning a three-piece suit with a corset-inspired structured top to accentuate the feminine silhouette.

Across accessories, soft leather pull-on boots and bags with brass hardware finishes are equestrian-inspired, lending to the heritage feel of the collection. Metallic court shoes with flared heels and all-over rhinestone evening bags bring the fun factor in anticipation of the festive season.

MENSWEAR

Central to the menswear collection is the introduction of a trademarked Ted Baker house check, which pays homage to the brand’s Scottish heritage in anticipation of its 35th anniversary next year.

Lifted from the archives, the check is a modern interpretation of a traditional tartan, presented in varying scales and textures on reversible nylon coach jackets, longline puffer coats, and super-soft brushed flannel shirting.

Knitwear sees a focus on authentic British weaving, with softer, loftier handles presented in a more casual way. Geometric patterns, which take influence from classical Fair Isle and Argyle techniques, have sharp injections of fiery red, while a pastoral scene of the Scottish Highlands adorns a landscapejacquard bouclé sweater in tonal greys.

The outerwear offering showcases premium wools, with transitional unlined overcoats and shorter varsity shapes giving way to heavier military styles with leather trims, which speak to the heritage trend.

Standout pieces for the event season include a shawl collar tuxedo and printed blazer crafted in vibrant teal Italian velvet. A capsule of formal shirting showcases signature prints, from photographic florals to a tapestryinspired whimsical deer design.

Accessories embrace the great outdoors, with heavy cleated rubber soles on footwear and compartmentalised crossbody bags in technical nylon. Elsewhere, dress shoes and boots are finished in hand-polished leather, and the house check is subtly blank embossed on holdalls and backpacks for understated elegance.

A COMPLETE AUTUMN-WINTER CAPSULE WARDROBE CHECKLIST FOR THE MINIMALIST WOMAN

Are you looking to build an autumnwinter capsule wardrobe but don’t know where to start? Perhaps you need a list of items to include or pieces to shop and get inspiration from?

This article will break all of that down for you. Wait until the end and save the free autumn-winter capsule wardrobe checklist!

Items mentioned in this article are ideal for all areas of life, including work, events, meetings, leisure, and, of course, everyday living! So when creating your autumn-winter capsule wardrobe, write down the categories of your life to create the foundation for your capsule.

HOW TO CREATE AN AUTUMN-WINTER CAPSULE WARDROBE

First and foremost, start by doing an inventory of your closet. What do you already have that can be carried over? What needs to be donated? What items have sat in the back of your closet for that one special occasion that just never happens? Organise what you already have before going out on a shopping spree, and fill in the blanks using the checklist provided.

This will give you a complete wardrobe consisting of items you can mix and match for dozens of outfits you can easily wear all two seasons long. Sounds great, right?

AUTUMN-WINTER

WARDROBE ESSENTIALS

Below you will find all items included in this simple, minimal autumn-winter capsule wardrobe. These pieces are perfect for the current climate we’re living in; less really is more nowadays.

Sweaters

Rotate sweaters during the workweek and on weekends. Gone are the days of separate closet essentials for the weekend. Comfort is key, and each provides exactly that.

Trousers

We tend to save the denim for the weekend, but they make it into some work-from-home days, too.

Cropped trousers are a good everyday go-to. Sitting at a desk requires functionality and comfort, so cropped trousers are a great option. Denim can be saved for days when a boost is needed if allowed.

Accessories

Keeping accessories simple and to the point. This category has been the most useful and surprising this season; super simple and great for any occasion. Keep accessories minimal so they don’t tend to stand out but add a much-needed elevation to an outfit.

Jackets

The perfect autumnal outwear. Temperatures may be hard to predict, but you can always play with layers: if it’s too hot, wear a shirt under the trench so that you can remove it as necessary. Blazers are also a great option at this time of year.

MINIMALIST AUTUMNWINTER WARDROBE

Capsule wardrobes have been such a blessing in creating more time for other things in the morning. You no longer need to stand in front of the closet staring at it because everything is versatile; you just choose based on the category of life that day.

If you’re unsure of this whole capsule wardrobe lifestyle, think of it as a very small collection of clothing, most of which you only wear for a few months before rotating out. That mindset lessens the anxiety of having so little that you might experience at first. When first starting off, categorise your closet, pick out what you reach for the most, and put the rest aside for consideration at a later date.

Since there’s a lot of content out there on capsule wardrobes, try to make it your own, you don’t have to follow step-by-step guides that other people are implementing. Figure out a method that works for you; the purpose is to have less with more versatility; however you do that is totally up to you.

GOLD RUSH

Creative Director and Makeup: Liv Rideg

Model: Renata Hamikus

Toth Szilvia

József Balogh

Szabo Pal and Toth Laszlo Rudolf

Anna Petrova

Giulia Matta

Styling: Suha Dora Location: Studio Madison, Budapest, Hungary

BRONZE SEDUCTION

Makeup

Model:

THE 3-STEP

FIVE-MINUTE MAKEUP ROUTINE FOR ULTRA-BUSY WOMEN

Every girl needs a 5-minute makeup routine. Why? Ask any woman in the world what one of her biggest fashion and beauty pet peeves is, and we can guarantee that she is most likely to complain about the length of time it takes her to complete her makeup routine every single day!

Many women don’t like to leave the house in the morning without a full face of makeup, and this can sometimes take so long that it comes at the expense of a proper breakfast or some more heavenly time under the duvet.

However, you must believe that you can put a beautiful look together in just five minutes. That’s right, five short minutes! Here are the details of an amazing five-minute makeup routine.

01 HYDRATE AND PRIME YOUR SKIN

Double-duty products are your best friend when it comes to a five-minute makeup routine. The best way to kill these two birds with a single stone is to invest in some great quality primer. Just a couple of squirts of a topnotch primer spray will work to both moisturise your face and ready your skin for the layers of makeup that are about to be put on it in a short space of time. You will be ready for the next step in a matter of seconds!

DIOR BACKSTAGE FACE & BODY PRIMER

02 CONCEAL AND SET

Without wasting any time, take your favourite full-coverage concealer and work on applying it to all of the places that need special attention, like underneath your eyes and over any blemishes that you might have right now. Afterwards, blend out the concealer in an even fashion with a beauty sponge or even your fingers, and then quickly set it using a good quality translucent powder.

LAURA MERCIER TRANSLUCENT LOOSE SETTING POWDER

03 BLUSH

The quickest and most effective way to add a touch of life and colour to your face is by using blush. Apply your blush to your cheeks to give you the soft effect of two beautiful apples. Use blush rather than bronzer for this stage simply because it looks more natural on its own, therefore making it a perfect product to use in this simple and speedy makeup routine.

ESCAPE TO MAURITIUS

The stunning island of Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean approximately 2,000km off the southeast coast of Africa, offers couples the perfect romantic getaway.

Mauritius boasts miles of pristine white-sand beaches, complemented by lush forests and volcanic peaks. The entire island is surrounded by coral reefs that have created beautiful lagoons.

The secluded destination has plenty to offer couples looking for a romantic holiday in the heart of nature.

IMPOSTER SYNDROME

We all struggle with self-doubt from time to time, but some people live with a constant fear that their professional success is a house of cards that could come tumbling down at any moment. They believe that their success is just a series of lucky draws because they are not inherently able or competent, and if and when people find out what they are really capable of—they will be exposed as a fraud. These individuals struggle with what is known as “imposter syndrome”.

The term impostor syndrome was first used by psychologists Suzanna Imes and Pauline Rose Clance in the 1970s. When the concept was first introduced, it was mostly applied to high-achieving women, but since then, research has found that many men struggle with imposter syndrome as well.

While imposter syndrome is not a formal mental illness or diagnosis, people who struggle with this often also struggle with low self-esteem, low self-worth, as well as more serious difficulties such as depression and anxiety.

Many believe that it is only those who newly enter the workforce or start a new position that struggle with imposter syndrome, but that is, in fact, not the case. Imposter syndrome does not have to do with one’s inherent ability; it is mostly related to how one feels about themselves. The more successful a person is, the more likely they will feel that they are posing or acting in their role. No matter how well they do at work and how much praise or positive feedback they receive, the idea that they are capable and successful cannot be digested or internalised.

What causes imposter syndrome?

Individuals who struggle with imposter

syndrome can come from households with a high value placed on achievement. This could be that the parents expected a lot from their children or the parents themselves were highly successful. Having success being an anchor within a family could result in a person feeling like they don’t measure up to the explicit or implicit standards set for them.

The opposite is also true, where some with imposter syndrome come from families that did not have anyone in positions seen as traditionally successful, so who they are and where they come from feels very different from the role or position they hold today.

Mainly a result of their family dynamics and societal messages about success and who is capable of it, most individuals with imposter syndrome have very high standards for themselves, and anything less than perfect is considered not worthy and not able. They have internalised messages from their upbringing that their self-worth and their self-esteem is dependent on and defined by worldly achievement and success, so a lot of energy is aimed at maintaining their position and proving that they are worthy of acceptance, appreciation and admiration.

Since there is so much pressure to achieve external success, they are less likely to focus on their internal life, including self-awareness and a realistic evaluation of their talents and abilities. The older they get, the further they stray from their true self and the less realistic they are about the expectations they set for themselves.

The familial context and their perfectionistic tendencies are exacerbated by social comparison, which is amplified in today’s world by

social media. These individuals will compare themselves, along with their very loud and present inner struggles, with filtered and curated snapshots of people who appear to ‘have it all together.’

How can one relate to the imposter syndrome?

While I would love to suggest a 30-day programme to get rid of the imposter, unfortunately, understanding and healing those parts of you takes a bit longer. You have to travel internally to those parts of you that developed in childhood which linked your value and worth with your achievement. On this journey, you will need to confront your fears of being rejected and abandoned, and you will need to heal the parts of you that are laden with shame.

Where does one start in doing the work and the healing associated with imposter syndrome?

Consider your inner world as consisting of many parts. We all have parts of us that are confident, heroic, and whole while having parts that feel vulnerable, victim-like, and fragmented. All parts exist in all of us, some louder than others. There are times when you feel fully in control of your power, and other times you feel like it is a struggle to find your footing. So, even if there

is a part of you that feels like an imposter, know that it is only a part of you. It is not the totality of who you are.

“The wound is where the light enters.” Don’t resist the imposter; welcome it as you have a real dialogue with it. You weren’t born like this but developed this part of you because you felt that your accomplishments determined your sense of self.

This part of you came about to protect you and make sure you always put your best foot forward. However, it is no longer serving you. And usually, the parts that help us in one phase of our life can hold us back in another. Once you understand the origins of the imposter and realise that it’s pointing towards the parts of you that are unhealed, you can work on healing them, as well as learning the lessons and thanking this part of you that helped you get this far in life. The more you heal, the less power the imposter has, letting you move more and more into your power.

Develop a relationship with the imposter. We might never be able to totally get rid of this part; however, we can learn to relate to it and keep it in check. Use the following questions to try to understand where it came from and how it is telling you about what you need to heal.

• What am I really afraid of? What is the worst that can happen?

• What are my gifts and talents?

• Where in my life do I not feel like an imposter?

• When you hear the voice telling you that you are an imposter - listen closely; whose voice is it?

• If your friend or a child came to you with similar concerns, what would you tell them?

• What would happen if you accepted that you are ‘acting’ a part until you can fully inhabit it?

Imposter syndrome is essentially a part of you that is afraid that the authentic self will be rejected and abandoned. When someone is struggling with this issue, they have so much of their focus and attention on keeping up appearances that they forget to check in with themselves about what their truth really is. The lens through which they view the world becomes so corrupted that they cannot see their own talents and, thus, dismiss their own abilities. While many of us want to quickly get rid of this part of us, we may be missing the point. The imposter, if you relate to it as a part of you that is protective, is here to guide you to your wound that needs healing, and eventually, it is here to guide you to your truth.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR DR SALIHA AFRIDI

As a clinical psychologist for the past 13 years, Dr Saliha Afridi has spent 12 years working in the UAE and founded The Lighthouse Arabia in 2011, a community mental health and wellness clinic providing quality psychological and psychiatric care to children, adults, couples, and families. Dr Afridi’s vision is to make mental health practices more accessible through licensing and insurance reforms, changes within the education system to teach about mental health and emotional and mental well-being from a young age, taking a preventative approach to mental health rather than a treatment-based approach. Seeing the need for increased mental health literacy, she took the initiative to bring the internationally acclaimed Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) to the UAE in 2017, with The LightHouse Arabia becoming the only licensed provider for the evidence-based course which enables adults and teens to become accredited mental health first aiders. Dr Afridi is committed to leading and being at the centre of the continued positive mental health changes to be seen in the region.

THE ENERGY OF LOVE IN RAISING PERSONAL POWER

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”– Lao Tzu.

Humans seek love. We are ready to go through hoops, face challenges, and change from within to find and experience the feeling of love. We are naturally neurologically equipped to connect with and gain satisfaction from interactions with other human beings. We thrive when we feel the acceptance of our social circles and suffer when we experience rejection.

From writers and poets to heads of state, love has been a fountain of inspiration, a source of deep feelings and understanding toward oneself and others. It has been an ardour taking the soul to another level to experience a deeper dimension of care and affection.

Yet, love follows certain principles. Like freedom, it demands courage. Being an art, it requires practice. As a mystery, it calls for discovery. To change the love we receive, we need to modify the love we give.

The Meaning of Love

“He who knows nothing loves nothing. He who can do nothing understands nothing. But he who understands also loves notices sees...”Paracelsus.

Different cultures might have various definitions of love. However, in general, love is defined as a strong affection, a bond for another person based on mutual attraction or kinship. We correlate love with a feeling in our heart, yet, from a biological perspective, it relates to our brain. The formation and release of chemicals help to stimulate various stages of love, from positive feelings of attraction and attachment to more complicated and even dangerous emotions of jealousy, dependency, and irrational behaviour.

It is important to keep an eye on mood swings and the occasionally reckless conduct love might sometimes cause. More often than not, those involved in loving relationships experience healthier, happier, longer, and more fulfilling lives.

Love, like good medicine, helps us to heal more effectively, supports our immune system, improves our heart condition, and lets us stay physically fit and mentally alert.

Raising or Falling in Love

“The quest for love changes us. There is no seeker among those who search for love who has not matured on the way. The moment you start looking for love, you start to change from within and without.” – The Forty Rules of Love, Elif Shafak.

We tend to focus more on being loved than loving. We tend to approach love seeking a mutually favourable exchange dictated by our consumerism. Men like to be perceived as successful, powerful, and well-established, whereas women generally focus more on their attractiveness. Well-developed pleasant manners, eloquence, friendliness, and thoughtfulness are attractive qualities for both men and women. We associate success and good looks with being loveable.

Often, love is considered a simple feeling;

however, finding the right person to love, or coming across someone who loves us, is perceived as a difficult task.

Falling in love refers to lowering our boundaries, becoming more vulnerable, and being open in sharing our feelings and emotions. Yet, we are reluctant to do so, afraid of getting hurt and losing the value of attractiveness. We can instead approach love from the inner sense of personal courage and strength, feeling complete, understanding our qualities, virtues and values, and also recognising our weaknesses and areas on a personal and professional level we need to improve. Following such a perspective, we might rise through love experiences furthering our development, growth, and knowledge about the other and ourselves.

A mature approach to love and understanding of each person’s individuality creates a union of integrity and mutual respect, with two beings becoming one, equally contributing on an emotional level, yet, carrying on as two separate individuals pursuing their passions and advancing their ambitions.

Love as an art “Is love an art? Then it requires knowledge and effort.” - The Art of Loving, Erich Fromm.

If we were to create an image of love based on the sentimental love presented in movies, magazines, and other creative endeavours, we would be buying into a fantasy. The development of a real relationship, either personal or professional, requires care, respect, responsibility, understanding, knowledge, and collaboration. It is about communicating, experiencing challenges, and working together in different conditions, including conflict and sadness while remaining in the essence of personal existence and strength.

If love is an art, as such, it requires the development of discipline, concentration, and patience. Setting up the routine and daily practice of these disciplines help us in building inner qualities that are also applicable to our love relationships.

The Magic of Love

“Loving is not just looking at each other, it’s looking in the same direction.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

There is no single recipe for successful and rewarding relationships, either personal or professional. Starting any relationship with the purpose of building long-term commitment, as we mean to go on, sets the tone for a more meaningful connection or association.

It is important to pay attention to the unions formed based on a sense of inertia and a feeling of loneliness. Desperation is a bad advisor when it comes to choosing a partner in life or in business. It is about taking a pause, analysing, and making selective and careful choices before investing time and effort into new relationships. It is about having the courage to say “no” but also accepting a rejection, not taking that personally.

It is good to review and revise periodically our current circumstances and consider our personal progress and goals in setting up our relationship needs, remembering that what we want or wish for might not necessarily be what we really need to advance and evolve as individuals.

Beginning a new relationship with a sense of purpose and from a position of personal

strength and wholeness, understanding our needs help us to make the right choice. Having a similar vision and going in the same direction supports forming of a lasting bond and prevents future conflicts and power struggles.

The Power of Love

“There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.” – George Sand.

Practice makes us perfect in many disciplines, including love. Knowing how to love and accept love is a skill we need to keep learning throughout our lives. Education starts with understanding and knowing oneself, becoming a complete individual aware of one’s own advantages and disadvantages, and working out over personal issues and traumas.

It is about solving, not avoiding, personal conflicts and issues with others. Effective communication is a

primary resolution tool in building valuable and longlasting bonds. It is about creating an essence of our persona, independent from the expectations of our parents, communities, and general societal rules. It is about connecting and collaborating on an equal level, without expectations from others, to give us unconditional motherly love and paternal praise, to complete us or patch up our deficiencies.

The key to loving and being loved is to have faith in ourselves and others. It is about focusing on what we can give instead of what we can receive and how we can benefit from our partner and our relationship. It is not about focusing on being loved and being loveable but on loving with one’s capacity to love wholeheartedly.

Love is an art. As such, it is about long-lasting creation, with a focus on “standing” in love versus the initial “falling” in love or retaining a permanent state of “being” in love. It is about the mastery of the practice through life’s constant ups and downs.

“I’m laughing at clouds

So dark up above The Sun is in my heart

And I am ready for love” – “Singing in the rain” – Gene Kelly.

Anna is a corporate consulting professional experienced in international capital markets, finance, and innovative technologies. Being an effective communicator, negotiator, and strategic management ambassador focused on growth and development, she served as a Director of Business Development at various organisations and has been called upon to serve as a judge and mentor at various financial and entrepreneurial competitions.

She studied Blockchain technology at York University, Lassonde School of Engineering, Strategic Business Management and Negotiations at Harvard University, and received her accreditations from the Canadian Securities Institute. Fascinated with a holistic approach to life and business, and wanting to understand the human mind and human behaviour, Anna studied foundations of psychology at Yale University.

She is a media personality known for her stage presence at various speaking engagements, popular talks, and interviews with progressive, innovative technology entrepreneurs, industry influencers, and idea trendsetters.

BABY LOSS AWARENESS:

HOW TO SUPPORT A LOVED ONE IN NEED

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMFORTING BOTH MOTHERS AND FATHERS

Baby Loss Awareness Week is observed annually in October to honour and remember babies lost during pregnancy, birth, or infancy. All of these extremely important life stages for new parents can be stressful, confusing, and even isolating at times. It can be an emotional roller coaster that leaves you unclear about where your path will lead you next.

The week is also an opportunity for bereaved families and parents to connect with other families and parents that have also experienced this loss.

The first thing we can do at the familial level is to expect and allow fathers to be involved. Many mothers expect very little from their partners because they believe that fathers can never care for children the way that mothers can. This causes many of the service providers to use the terms “parenting” and “mothering” interchangeably without acknowledging the fathers in the group.

It is important to be aware that fathers still experience suffering, even if they haven’t carried the baby.

Celebrity Chrissy Teigen recently posted on social media about her experience going through the loss of her baby. While she talked about the suffering she was going through, she also linked it to a more family loss and very much made it so her husband, John Legend, was also very affected. This has highlighted such a positive movement that today, more individuals and families that are experiencing such losses are becoming more vulnerable.

Many believed that her willingness to open up on such a difficult, and intimate moment with the public, was a sign of unity with people who had experienced baby loss and helped reduce the stigma around such topics, which is still something that is frequently battled behind closed doors, in private.

Dr Kate Prozeller, a psychologist with expertise in paternal and maternal health, enlightens us on how others can support individuals going through this. Many people ask, what can I do to support someone in my life who has gone through the experience of losing a child?

1. Listen to their story

It may be hard for a parent or family member to tell and express their feelings and emotions. Be kind and patient in listening to them discuss their story and its impact. Sometimes we need to say something to offer reassurance in these situations; however, simply listening can provide a safe space for someone suffering to express themselves as well.

2. Give them time to heal

There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Many times, people will jump between the different stages of grief. It is important to remember that everyone has their timeline when it comes to the process of healing. Being supportive regardless of how this looks is essential in supporting someone who has had this experience.

3. Be aware of sensitive dates

Remember that dates, such as the baby’s due date, milestone dates, and holidays can be challenging and triggering for people that have experienced losing a baby. Showing support by remembering these dates and reaching out by calling, sending a message, or just checking in on someone can be helpful.

4. Understand that there will be good days and bad days Not all days are equal, and it is essential to remember that grief can seem to improve one day and, just as fast, the next day can be worse. Grief is not linear and can take a long time to heal.

5. Offer help Would ready-made meals be helpful? Can you go with them to an appointment? Do they need someone to listen? Asking someone what they may need can be beneficial. They may not know what they need at the moment, but the act of offering will help them feel supported.

6. Be aware of the stigma around loss Sharing personal loss stories can trigger many feelings and emotions that are painful to experience. Some may feel shame, embarrassment, or even a concern that they might be judged. Creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where their feelings can be validated is important to the healing process.

7. The impact of paternal loss

It’s important to remember that the loss of a child impacts both the mother and the father. Men may also be more reluctant to reach out for support or help. Checking in with a man who has experienced loss and asking him about his feelings may open a door for him to share feelings he wouldn’t otherwise address.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR THRIVE WELLBEING CENTRE

KATE PROZELLER

It is important to remember that dealing with the loss of a child is significant. If you are experiencing severe sadness or anxiety and cannot cope, it is essential to reach out and get help. At Thrive Wellbeing Centre, we have created the first maternal mental health unit that specialises in working with women, men, and families that have experienced these issues in the UAE. Dr Kate Prozeller is recently certified in Maternal Mental Health, specialising in working with individuals and couples facing these issues.

RAY’S GRILL: FOOD AND VIEWS FROM THE 63RD FLOOR

Ray’s Grill, the premium steakhouse at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, has reopened in spectacular style with a fresh array of delicious, sumptuous meats, enrapturing specialities and premium beverages.

Situated on the 63rd floor, the sophisticated hideaway is renowned for being one of the most impressive and lavish dining spots in the city. Leaving every guest amazed by its lofty 360-degree views of the city skyline and sparkling Arabian Gulf, Ray’s Grill is the perfect place to celebrate special occasions or honour important milestones.

Featuring plush furnishings and a calming ambiance, the curated menu by Head Chef Daniel Irvine is all made with fresh, high-quality ingredients and premium produce sourced from every corner of the Earth.

Born and trained in the UK, Chef Daniel has worked at numerous luxury hotels across the world, and he has been treating diners at Ray’s Grill to his enchanting recipes for many years. A genuine natural talent and bright personality, he pours all his knowledge of cutting-edge techniques and flawless skills into every creative speciality.

Presenting an unforgettable interactive and immersive dining experience, diners are invited to relax, absorb the incredible glittering vistas from the floor-to-ceiling windows, and watch in wonderment as Chef Daniel and his team prepare tasty specialities such as Angus beef, tuna and mushroom tartare, and the signature chef’s salad, crafted from the finest colourful, crunchy, and flavoursome seasonal produce, all straight at the table.

The succulent sharing-style Chateaubriand

and meaty Tomahawk are also expertly calved at each table, while guests are encouraged to admire the unique restaurant’s full array of sumptuous, sweet delights and enjoy having the decadent dessert trolley come straight to them.

Further enticing options are found amongst the classic appetisers of shrimp cocktail, and crab cakes, the choice of grilled fresh seafood, vegetarian-friendly cauliflower steak and delectable double-patty smash burgers made with 100 per cent minced chuck steak and adorned with various irresistible toppings.

Meat lovers will be in their element with the extensive assortment of world-famous premium cuts and succulent grills, which are all complemented with a curated choice of paired aromatic grapes, playful hops and signature cocktails.

The knowledgeable Ray’s Grill wine sommelier is happy to recommend the perfect variety to enhance every meal, while the venue’s extensive wine cellar contains endless smooth and delicious grape blends from the globe’s most prestigious vineyards.

Then, once the memorable feast is completed, every guest is invited to extend their magical evening up in the clouds even further with some opulent after-dinner drinks at Ray’s Bar, found just one level below. Adding thrills and intrigue, diners are encouraged to get there via a mysterious secret passageway that leads directly from Ray’s Grill down to the sizzling night spot on the 62nd floor. Providing an exciting way of exploring the hidden charms of the iconic hotel, every guest is given a pin code that grants them exclusive entry.

Ray’s

is

YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE JAPANESE BENTO BOX

The bento box might just seem like a trendy Japanese meal with a cute presentation, but bento boxes have been a staple of Japanese culinary history for centuries— about 10 centuries, in fact!

The word “bento” is derived from the Chinese word biàndāng, a Southern Song dynasty slang term which means “convenient”, and refers to both the bento meal and the bento box itself.

The earliest and most basic iteration of the bento can be traced back to the Kamakura period (1185-1333) when people carried cooked and dried rice in small sacks to eat at work. During the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568-1600), the classic wooden lacquered bento boxes began being produced and used. Over the next few hundred years, bento gained in popularity and prominence and was used not only to pack simple lunches but became more refined and elegant.

Specially prepared bento were used for tea services, theatre intermissions, travel, entertainment, and more. During the Edo period (1603-1867), numerous cookbooks began being published dedicated to how to prepare, cook, and pack bento for special occasions.

The bento became a staple during the Meiji Period (1868-1912) among schoolchildren and teachers as well, as early schools did not provide lunches. Bento boxes also began being sold at train stations during this time. During the Taishō period (1912-1926), the aluminium bento box became popular and was seen as both a luxury item and a topic of social controversy.

Disparities in wealth were seen all too easily, particularly in schools—the aluminium bento box, as well as the type of bento meal (rich, varied foods vs simple and roughly made foods), became status symbols. Food shortages began sweeping the country as well, and after WWII, the practice of bringing bento to school declined as schools began providing lunches for students and staff.

Bentos regained popularity in the 1980s, in large part due to the emergence of the microwave and rapid increase of convenience stores. Many bento shops and sellers replaced expensive wood and metal boxes with inexpensive polystyrene bento boxes.

Handmade bentos have also made a comeback. They are seen fairly commonly in schools, are still used by many workers as a packed lunch, by families on day trips, and school excursions, and are quite popular on social media. You can find bentos nearly anywhere in Japan today, from convenience stores to train stations to airports to shops and restaurants that specialise in bentos.

Throughout its long history, the bento box has been about convenience and a nutritious, portable meal. From very simple and basic to meticulously planned, prepared and decorated, the bento is a cornerstone of Japanese culinary history that has spread around the globe to be enjoyed by people everywhere!

PLAN BENTO MENUS

First, use your creativity to visualise how a bento should look. It doesn’t have to be complicated, and you can start with simple dishes that you are familiar with.

Since I mostly cook Japanese food at home, I focus mainly on packing Japanese dishes.

PREPARE 5 TYPES OF FOODS

For a Japanese-style bento, we commonly include five types of food in the lunch box:

1. Carb – Fill up tummy! (rice, yakisoba, yaki udon, takikomi gohan)

2. Main (Protein)– Meat, fish, and seafood (karaage, gyoza, teriyaki salmon)

3. Sides (Vegetables) – Also, tofu, egg, or mushroom dishes (hijiki salad, potato salad, tamagoyaki, green bean gomaae, kinpira renkon)

4. Fillers – Simple yet colourful ingredients to brighten the bento (blanched broccoli, cherry tomatoes, boiled egg)

5. Fruits – In the bento box or in a separate container (berries, grapes, apples)

This will help you assemble a nutritionally balanced meal.

KEEP RAINBOW COLOURS IN MIND

When making choices on which foods to include in the bento box, choose bold colours to provide visual impact. Echoing the doctors’ advice, ‘eat your colours’, colourful vegetables and fruits are often high in nutrients.

If I have similarly coloured dishes like broccoli and asparagus, I separate them and put other foods inbetween to make the bento more visually appealing. Sprinkling colourful furikake (rice seasonings) or garnishing with chopped parsley and green onion gives a nice accent to the overall presentation.

RED

Tomato, carrot, red radish, bell pepper, apple, grapes, strawberries, plum, raspberries, nectarines, etc.

YELLOW AND ORANGE

Corn, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, bell pepper, orange, lemon, banana, etc

GREEN

Lettuce, cucumber, green onion, edamame, broccoli, spinach, okra, shiso, snap peas, asparagus, parsley, bok choy, green beans, Brussels sprouts, green peas, kiwi, etc.

WHITE, BLACK, AND BROWN

Daikon radish, potato, onion, lotus root, enoki mushroom, white sesame seeds, blueberries, shiitake mushroom, gobo (burdock root), wakame (dried seaweed), nori (dried seaweed sheet), hijiki (dried seaweed), black sesame seeds, etc.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN TYPES OF JAPANESE BENTO?

There are numerous types of bento to enjoy, with both the design of the bento box itself as well as the contents of the box saying a lot about the occasion, the season and even the consumer.

The makunouchi (between act) bento is one of the most common. It is characterised as being a twosection box that can be found in convenience stores, markets, and department shops. One side will contain rice, while the other will hold an assortment of colourful side dishes.

The koraku (picnic) bento is a large bento that

is usually shared in a public setting, such as the park, and especially during cherry blossom viewing season, from late March to early April. It is mainly filled with traditional Japanese dishes that are chosen to reflect the season.

During the Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival), the picnicset bento is composed of a lavish carrying frame, stacked koraku-style boxes, and travel sake bottles and serving plates. This bento style supplies a convenient and aesthetically pleasing way to celebrate the occasion and admire the various doll displays.

Similar to koraku bentos, jubako boxes are simply stacked atop one another to reveal an extravagant design. They have been used since the 18th century, often during New Year’s feasts and other celebrations. When arranged properly, scenes of nature and dressing rooms appear in glossy shades of gold. The tiered lunch box is the perfect way to prepare enough food for everyone while not taking up too much space.

Focusing more on the contents of the bento box, the aisai (love) bento is one made by a significant other that often contains cute, specially crafted treats and sweet messages written in furikake (dry seasoning). It can be a lovely surprise to find a cute message or love-themed designs come lunchtime.

Charaben, literally meaning character bento, and oekakiben, picture bento, are popular among children and adult anime fans alike! A variety of ingredients are skilfully arranged to look like popular anime characters, pop culture figures, and animals. Some designs are so intricate and painstakingly crafted, it almost feels like a waste to eat them! The cute factor of the meal is not just for show, though. It is also a way to make picky eaters excited about the food that they normally wouldn’t eat.

For those jet-setting around Japan, ekiben and soraben (station bento and ‘sky’ bento) have got you covered. These lunch boxes are easily available at train stations and airports and often feature local ingredients and specialities, such as Kobe beef bento in Kobe, or the shumai dumpling ekiben in Yokohama.

Even the busiest traveller has the chance to taste some local cuisine, thanks to the bento box!

11

REASONS YOU SHOULD BE DOING REFORMER PILATES

You’ve probably heard of Pilates, and possibly tried it once, but did you know that reformer workouts hold an array of health benefits? Elle Clarke, founder of 11 Pilates, a Dubai Marinabased studio, shares 11 facts on why Pilates should be part of our lifestyle. And, we’re convinced!

1. A FULL-BODY WORKOUT THAT STRENGTHENS AND TONES EVERY MUSCLE

Every reformer class you try at 11 Pilates guarantees a full-body workout. You will feel the burn all over your body, from your abs to your arms, back, legs, and glutes. Reformer machines and exercises are targeted at strengthening and challenging all muscle groups against the resistant springs, which leads to a full-body toning effect. There are several levels to the resistance springs, which means different intensities during the workout.

2. LOW-IMPACT BUT HIGH INTENSITY

Don’t expect any high-impact moves like jumping that cause strain on your joints. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not intense! Reformer Pilates is a super low-impact, controlled workout created for you to feel the intensity of every exercise.

3. IMPROVES YOUR POSTURE LEADING TO BACK PAIN RELIEF

The great thing with reformer Pilates is that it improves posture and, in turn, relieves back pain. One of the main causes of most back pain is usually a weak core. Pilates strengthens your core and postural muscles, which leads to improved posture. Good instructors ensure you perform all exercises in the correct form. The best part is that, in just a few classes, you will notice you are sitting and walking a little taller.

4. EXPECT TO NOTICE A HUGE IMPROVEMENT IN YOUR FLEXIBILITY.

Stretching is a big part of a reformer workout. Even as we build strength during a class, the sessions also work on elongating and lengthening your muscles at the same time. In addition, the intense stretching movements increase your flexibility in only a couple of workouts.

5. PERFECT FOR INJURY PREVENTION AND INJURY RECOVERY

As Pilates focuses on every muscle in the body, including the smaller ones that are activated, the more intricate movements, it builds overall strength, which helps prevent injuries.

With recovery from injuries, you would require private sessions where the trainer would focus on your individual needs to improve any posture and alignment issues that may have caused the injury or help with specific needs like returning to exercise after an injury.

6. ENHANCES YOUR PERFORMANCE IN OTHER SPORTS OR TRAINING

It’s no coincidence that high-level athletes love reformer pilates. The controlled movements from a Pilates session improve your core stability, supporting the torso, hips and pelvis, while the incorporated full-body workout improves your power, strength, flexibility, and efficiency. This all affects your performance in the best way for other sports or training.

7. BETTER BALANCE AND COORDINATION

Expect a lot of balancing during your reformer workout. Whether you are starting as a beginner balancing with one foot on the floor and the other on the sliding reformer carriage or advanced level, there is a heavy focus on core strengthening and correct alignment, which helps improve balance on and off the reformer.

Your coordination will also be put to the test! During your reformer workout, one muscle group works against the resistance springs, but the exercise also incorporates props or movements with just your body weight to challenge another muscle group at the same time. This will not only get your full body working but also challenge your mind.

8. CREATES A MIND-BODY CONNECTION

Pilates promotes mindfulness. Every movement in Pilates is connected to breathing. Focusing on your breath allows you to disconnect from your day.

If you spend the duration of your class with your mind focused solely on your breathing and the exercises you are doing, there is little time to think about anything else. This creates a deeper mind-body connection, allowing you to take the time to think about the body parts you are using, feeling the correct muscles getting activated, and making the most of your workout!

9. BOOSTS YOUR CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM

There is no better confidence booster than mastering an exercise on the reformer that you once struggled with. As your strength and flexibility improve, you notice your improvement with certain exercises that may have felt so far out of reach at one stage. Whether it’s moving from beginner to intermediate classes or as

simple as your leg no longer shaking whilst you are lunging, once you start noticing your progress you get a huge boost in self-esteem.

10. ANYBODY CAN DO PILATES

Anybody can do Pilates! Pilates is perfect for everyone, from seasoned athletes wanting to enhance their performance to complete

beginners who want to start a new hobby. No matter your gender, age, weight, height, or fitness ability, Pilates is suitable for everybody.

11. MAKES YOU FEEL AMAZING!

Expect to leave the studio with a clear mind, a sense of achievement, and feeling like you have completed a super challenging workout.

A reformer class in the morning will set you up for making healthier choices throughout your day and week. You won’t be left feeling exhausted, instead, you will feel energised and ready to book your next session!

For more information about the studio or to make a booking, please visit 11pilates.ae or keep up with them on social @11pilates_dubai.

MYSK MOON RETREAT

Through the cut-out in the fence on the sandy path, off the Maleha Road, Sharjah, Mysk Moon Retreat is exactly what you are looking for if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Prepare to quiet your mind as you pass the camels and the Ghaf trees along the sandy path to the retreat. Once you arrive at the location, you are met by the friendliest staff in the check-in area. With check-in over, you are off on your buggy ride to your luxurious pod or tent.

Mysk Moon Retreat has 10 domes—seven with private swimming pools and three without—and 6 family-sized tents, all equipped with their own swimming pool. Tents have two or three bedrooms along with a sofa bed in the living room space.

Now back to where we stayed: a dome with a private swimming pool. Once you enter the dome, you continue to feel the serenity of the location. Domes have one bedroom with a large bed facing the swimming pool, separate shower and loo, as well as coffeemaking facilities and a minibar.

Head around to the back of the dome to your deck, infinity pool, barbeque station, and views of the desert and mountains— pure bliss.

Once you take an afternoon dip in the temperature-controlled pool and rest on the sunbeds, it’s time for dinner. Here is where Mysk Moon Retreat really stands out.

Let’s head back to before you arrive at the location for a second. When you book a stay

at Mysk Moon Retreat, you are contacted by a member of staff who welcomes you, brief you about the location and gives you the menu to choose your meals. For dinner, you have a choice of meat and chicken, fish or vegetarian options, and for breakfast, you can choose an Arabic-based or international breakfast.

Let’s start at dinner. Meals are delivered to your pod in minutes once you send a message to concierge notifying them that you are ready to prepare your meal. Yes, you have to prepare some of it on the easy-to-use barbeque outside the pod. Your dinner package is big, it’s a lot of food! The menu says dinner is enough for two, however, it could easily serve three.

In your seafood package, you’ll get preseasoned mussels, calamari, fish, and shrimp skewers, along with rice, a varied breadbasket, salads, dips, and brownie for dessert. For the meat option, there are chicken skewers, chicken legs, as well as cut and minced meat skewers.

Now, let’s cook. At the time of your food delivery, your charcoal is lit, and the grill prepared for you, or you can choose to do it yourself. With the charcoal ready, you go ahead and prepare your already well-seasoned meat or seafood to your preference.

Charcoal-ready pots are also provided to heat your pre-cooked rice. Then, enjoy your meal on the deck table by the pool. Mysk presents a unique experience and a great opportunity to bond, especially over the grill.

Dinner over, walk down to the communal area under the stars to enjoy a range of entertainment, including live music, artery, stargazing, moon watching (through a telescope), and/or a movie on the big screen as you sit by the bonfire.

Retire to your pod for a peaceful, comfortable night’s sleep to get rested for the 5:30 am trek up the mountains or down the signposted path. Don’t be alarmed, this is completely optional. If you choose, you could lay in until you are ready for breakfast.

Again, breakfast is delivered to you at a time of your choice, however, the retreat suggests around 7 am. This is completely understandable, as this

gives you enough time to prepare your meal before it gets too hot.

International breakfast includes eggs, sausages, turkey bacon, onion, tomato, mushroom, and capsicum, ready to be cooked. Along with this, there is baked beans, cornflakes, milk, fresh fruits, cheese platter, fresh vegetable crudités and olives, and a bread and bakery basket along with a variety of jams, butter, marmalade, and honey.

Dangle your feet in the pool or recover from a food coma on the sunbeds as you gaze into the desert.

We give the Mysk Moon Retreat a solid 9.5/10

AN ARTISTIC ADVENTURE IN JAPAN’S HOKURIKU REGION

Japan’s art scene is as exciting as it is varied. No longer limited to the confines of urban landscapes, the country has seen pioneering projects bring art into rural areas, too, giving visitors to Japan yet another reason to get out of the big cities and into the great outdoors.

Here are four of our favourite art adventures in the Hokuriku area, from architecturally stylish museums to site-specific installations, and even art you can sleep in.

Photo: ISHIKAWA Koji

Courtesy: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

KANAZAWA’S 21ST CENTURY MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

In Kanazawa City lies a museum where the architecture is as inspiring as the artistic treasures held within. A circular structure filled with light, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architecture studio SANAA, and won a Golden Lion award at the 9th Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition in 2004.

Located in the centre of the city, the circular museum is designed as a park, surrounded by greenery and with a focus on brightness, with skylights illuminating the space’s courtyards with natural light.

But while the space itself may be an artistic achievement, most visitors return for the engaging exhibitions. The museum’s permanent collection includes standouts such as Anish Kapoor’s L’Origine du Monde, a work that challenges the viewer’s perception with what appears at first glance to be a sculptural work, revealing itself to be a hole upon further inspection. Leandro Erlich’s Swimming Pool is a playful piece that looks like a pool, but that contains only a 10-centimetre layer of water.

Visitors can stand underneath the water and look up, or look down at the people in the chamber below. It’s equally loved by adults and children, and corresponds to the museum’s aim to be an open classroom for children where they can see, touch and experience art.

The museum also has an exceptional calendar of temporary exhibitions that give visitors a reason to keep coming back. Running until March 5, 2023 is The Timeless Imagination of Yves Klein: Uncertainty and the Immateriality, a showcase of works from the 1950s and 1960s by the French artist who had a profound influence on future generations of artists.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to head out into the gardens to look for the two historical tea houses with traditional paper screens, tatami floor mats and sliding doors that open onto the surrounding plants and trees.

Photo: WATANABE Osamu

Courtesy: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

AS GOOD AS GOLD: THE JAPANESE TRADITION OF MENDING BROKEN THINGS WITH KINTSUGI

In Japan, there’s a belief that imperfection can also be perfect. The tradition of Kintsugi—or repairing broken things with lacquer and gold powder—is testament to this belief, and proof that even something that is broken can be beautiful. In fact, it’s such a popular technique that it’s been practised in Japan for more than 500 years.

Dating back to more frugal—and more sustainable—times when, rather than throwing out a broken item, people would mend it, kintsugi is experiencing new popularity.

Visitors to Yamanaka Onsen in Ishikawa Prefecture can take part in a kintsugi workshop with Deeper Japan to understand more about the technique from a father-and-son lacquer artist pair in their studio. The four-hour session includes an introduction to the tradition and techniques of kintsugi, after which visitors can choose a ceramic item to dust with gold powder and complete the last step of the process with the master. After drying, the piece is ready to take home.

Pro Tip: If you have a much-loved piece of pottery that is chipped or broken, you can also have it repaired at the studio. The item will need to be delivered to the studio two months in advance of the experience date.

IMMERSIVE ART IN BOTH URBAN AND NATURAL LANDSCAPES IN NIIGATA

Every three years, the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale brings art lovers from across Japan and around the world to Niigata’s Tokamachi region. But art isn’t new here. This area has been producing pottery and textiles for centuries, and a rich tradition of craftsmanship runs through the region’s culture.

Like many parts of rural Japan, the population here was falling, and ageing and art is once again bringing energy to the area.

The current iteration of the Triennale runs until November 13, 2022, but visitors can also see more than 200 site-specific permanent works year-round in the Echigo Tsumari Art Field, some of which are located in urban environments and abandoned buildings, while others are in the deep countryside, surrounded by rice fields and forest.

And while the name “field” may make you think it’s a small area, the overall site spreads over a vast 760 square kilometres.

One of the most popular year-round artworks is the spectacular Tunnel of Light, a reimagining of a 750-metre tunnel above the Kiyotsu Gorge by MAD Architects. The rock-hewn tunnel looks out over a tree-covered canyon and river, and the full length of the tunnel has been turned into an elongated art venue featuring different installations, including coloured lights, mirrors, a reflective pod housing a restroom, and the grand finale, the Light Cave, where a layer of water and mirrors reflect the light at the end of the tunnel and the views out over the valley. It’s an interactive art piece—walk through the water, and you’ll become part of the art itself.

Photo: Kioku Keizo Kawaguchi Tatsuo, Time of Farm Tools

Pro Tip: The tunnel is open year-round but

and

(the following days if they fall on a public holiday), so

STAY IN A WORK OF ART: JAMES TURRELL’S HOUSE OF LIGHT

James Turrell’s artwork incorporating light and nature is loved the world over, but in Japan, you can actually sleep inside one of them. The House of Light, part of Echigo Tsumari’s Art Field offerings, was originally designed as part of the first 2000 Art Triennial and was inspired by Junichiro Tanizaki’s book In Praise of Shadows. Designed as a meditation space, the house is built in the traditional architectural style of the region, and has a retractable roof, opening up to the sky, a signature feature of many of Turrell’s works.

The interior space includes sleeping rooms and Japanese design touches, such as shoji paper screens and tokonoma alcoves, and is described by Turrell as being his Western approach to Japanese culture. The house can be booked exclusively or shared with other visitors, and for those who don’t want to stay overnight, it’s also open to daytime visitors.

But to feel as if you’re part of the art, an overnight stay can’t be beaten.

THE TOP 5

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE FERRIS WHEELS IN THE WORLD

The world’s first Ferris wheel debuted at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. A creation of George Washington Gale Ferris Jr, an American bridge builder, the “Great Wheel” was 80.47m tall, an incredible feat of engineering and design at the time.

While you might have imagined the first Ferris wheel as a tiny contraption similar to what you’d find at a fair, it was anything but. It featured 36 passenger cars, each capable of carrying 60 people for a total capacity of 2,160 passengers.

With some minor adjustments, it no doubt could have been wheelchair accessible!

More than a century later, the Ferris wheel remains a popular attraction. Although accessibility is not always guaranteed, there are incredible wheelchair-friendly observation wheels worth experiencing.

Here are five, some of which are much smaller than the world’s first, but which still have the power to mesmerise travellers of all ages.

AIN DUBAI — DUBAI, UAE

Ain Dubai is the world’s largest and tallest observation wheel, standing 250m in the sky! The Ferris wheel opened in October 2021 and is located on Bluewaters Island, near the Dubai Marina in Dubai.

Ain Dubai has lifts and ramps that are suitable for use with wheelchairs.

Ain Dubai is one of the newest entertainment hubs in the city, offering astonishing 360-degree views of Dubai. The wheel also offers unique experiences every time you visit, from extraordinary parties, entertainment, and concerts to MICE events, venue hire, and custom-made creative celebrations.

LONDON EYE — LONDON, UK

Opened in 2000, the London Eye attracts more than 3 million tourists annually and is a can’t-miss attraction for visitors to London, England. Located on the bank of the River Thames, the 135-metre wheel offers sweeping views over the capital city.

From the top of the wheel, visitors can see attractions, including the Palace of Westminster (i.e. Parliament), Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral, The Shard, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, the River Thames, and more. It’s a remarkable spectacle.

Wheelchair access is superb, with it being possible to roll about inside the spacious 25-person pods. A maximum of two wheelchairs are permitted in each pod, and it is advised that wheelchair users pre-book a time slot to ensure availability. Securing a time slot is possible via the London Eye booking platform, and a paid ticket is required in addition to a time slot reservation.

HIGH ROLLER FERRIS WHEEL

— LAS VEGAS, NV, USA

At 167.64 metres tall, the High Roller in Las Vegas, Nevada reigned as the world’s tallest Ferris wheel from 2014 to 2021, but has since been eclipsed by the Ain Dubai (250m).

With 28 40-person cabins, the High Roller can accommodate up to 1,120 passengers. The wheel, which offers wheelchair access to each cabin, has become an iconic fixture of the Las Vegas skyline. It is located at The LINQ Hotel and Casino, right across from Caesars Palace.

NIAGARA SKYWHEEL

NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA

As far as views from the top of a Ferris wheel go, it really is tough to beat the Niagara SkyWheel. Take a ride, and you’ll see two countries, Canada and the United States, and the awe-inspiring Niagara Falls.

Standing only 53 metres tall, the Niagara SkyWheel is the smallest on this list, but its accessibility is up to par, with cabins large enough to accommodate a power wheelchair.

HONG KONG OBSERVATION WHEEL — HONG KONG, CHINA

The Hong Kong Observation Wheel, which stands at 60 metres, looks small in comparison to the towering skyscrapers that surround it in Hong Kong, China. However, on a clear night, the view is magnificent, with the city’s glittering lights reflecting off Victoria Harbour.

The wheel’s 42 air-conditioned gondolas offer level-entry boarding to wheelchair users, lining up evenly with the boarding platform. Tickets are halfprice for children, seniors and people of determination. The wheel makes several revolutions, and the ride lasts about 15 minutes.

BONUS FERRIS WHEEL:

SINGAPORE FLYER, SINGAPORE

Opened in 2008, the Singapore Flyer offers riders incredible views of the city skyline from one of its 28 air-conditioned capsules. On a clear day, it is possible to see the neighbouring countries of Malaysia and Indonesia, but at the very least, visitors will see Singapore’s iconic Gardens By The Bay and Marina Bay Sands, as well as other fixtures of the metropolitan skyline.

Assistance is provided to guests during the boarding process, and each of the wheel’s 28 capsules are wheelchair accessible.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is located In Rangali Island, Maldives. To book a reservation at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, please call +960 668 0629 or visit conradmaldives.com

OFF THE BEATEN PATH: (+ ONE) AROUND THE WORLD TO EXPLORE7 DESTINATIONS

With 7.8 billion people in the world, it can be hard to find quiet, untouched places. With the advent of the Internet, social media, geotagging and, of course, Expo 2020 Dubai, beautiful places that were once unknown are now on the tourist circuit. Luckily, there are still (somehow) places that have avoided the crowds, kept their natural beauty, and are perfect for an off-the-beaten-path adventure.

Here are 7 truly off-the-beaten-path destinations that will give you all the amazing views, adventures, and excitement as other popular tourist places—just without the crowds.

01

FRENCH POLYNESIA

Composed of 118 geographically dispersed islands and atolls, which together stretch over an expanse of 2,000+ kilometres, French Polynesia is separated into five different groups of islands, including the Society Islands archipelago, home to Tahiti, the most populous island of them all (69 per cent of the total population resides there).

With so many islands to explore (and amazing waterfalls for that adventure), you really can spend weeks there and not see it all.

BEST ADVENTURES

Explore the island of Moorea, the more rugged sister island to Tahiti (and home to an amazing rainforest for exploration). Other things you shouldn’t miss is a guided walking tour of Tahiti’s Old Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, and the Lagoonarium in Bora Bora, where you can discover dozens of top-notch snorkelling spots.

ST MAARTEN 02

Part of what is known as the Dutch Caribbean, St Maarten is a small island nation: the country is only 34 square kilometres(!). This stunning tropical island was hit hard by Hurricane Irma, a Category 4 storm, in 2017 and has been rebuilding ever since. Though, surprisingly, the country has the 14th largest GDP per capita in the world (including territories) when measured by purchasing power parity—three times as high as its French counterpart (the island is half French and half Dutch).

BEST ADVENTURES

Mullet Pond, a section of Simpson Bay Lagoon, is home to 70 per cent of Saint Maarten’s mangrove population on the Dutch side of the island. Also, don’t miss Mullet Beach, an awesome white sand beach nearby. Similarly, no trip to the island would be complete without stopping at Maho Beach, famous for its proximity to the airport and very low-flying planes.

MOLDOVA

As a small, landlocked country in Eastern Europe—and surrounded by much bigger and more well-known countries like Ukraine and Romania—it is no surprise that many visitors don’t take a pit-stop in Moldova. But, that is good for you— the off-the-beaten-path traveller—as there is a lot to explore.

These include the Moldavian Plateau, which geologically originates from the Carpathian Mountains, the Dniester and Prut Rivers, and the capital of the country, Chișinău. In fact, one of the best reasons to visit Moldova is for its wine. The country produced around two million hectolitres of wine as of 2018, making it the 11th largest wine-producing country in Europe.

BEST ADVENTURES

Staying with the wine theme, the Moldovan wine collection, known as “Mileștii Mici”, has almost two million bottles—making it the largest wine collection in the world. The cellar stretches for 250 kilometres, of which only 120 kilometres are currently in use. Similarly, the Cricova winery also has an extensive network of tunnels that stretch for 120 kilometres (there is even a 10k race through the cellars every year).

NIGER 04

Another landlocked country—this time in West Africa—is named after the Niger River. It is the largest country in Western Africa, with roughly 80 per cent of its land lying in the Sahara Desert. The country consistently ranks near the bottom of the United Nations’ Human Development Index (it was ranked 189th out of 189 countries in the 2018 and 2019 reports). This can be attributed to the fact that the majority of the population lives in rural areas with little access to advanced education (among other issues).

While the country is still developing, it is also home to some incredibly beautiful areas, including one of the largest reserves of the world, the Aïr and Ténéré National Nature Reserve. This was founded in the northern parts of Niger to protect rare species such as addax antelopes, scimitarhorned oryx, gazelles, and Barbary sheep.

BEST ADVENTURES

Besides checking out the Aïr and Ténéré National Nature Reserve, you should also head down south to the W National Park (which also lies partly in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Benin). Here you can spot the rare West African lion and (hopefully) a Northwest African cheetah (this park houses one of the last population groups). Other common animals in the park are elephants, buffaloes, roan antelopes, kob antelopes, and warthogs.

PALAU

Located in the Western Pacific, this small island nation (in total, only 466 square kilometres) contains approximately 340 islands, the most populous being Koror. The islands have a tropical rainforest climate, with the average temperature hovering around 82 degrees (though the humidity is often at 82 per cent).

Interestingly, Palau has a history of strong environmental conservation. For example, the Ngerukewid Islands are protected under the Ngerukewid Islands Wildlife Preserve, which was established all the way back in 1956. Also, somewhat random, but Saltwater crocodiles are also indigenous to the nation and occur in varying numbers throughout the various mangroves and in parts of the rock islands (the largest crocodile ever recorded measured was just over 14 feet).

BEST ADVENTURES

If visiting the country, you have to check out the world’s first shark sanctuary. Created in 2009, it is approximately 230,000 square miles of ocean (similar in size to France). The country is the leader in the fight on banning the hunting of sharks, something other countries have (thankfully) taken up as well. But, honestly, you can’t visit Palau and not go scuba diving. In fact, many divers have dubbed the area the “Underwater Serengeti” thanks to its huge array of underwater scenery.

VANUATU

Another volcanic island, this archipelago is situated about 1,000 miles east of northern Australia. It consists of about 83 relatively small, geologically newer islands of volcanic origin, of which 65 of them are inhabited. And, of those 83 islands, only 14 of them have surface areas of more than 100 square kilometres or 39 square miles. Because the islands are volcanic, they are quite steep (a study done in 2005 showed that only nine per cent of total land was used for agriculture).

Finally, Vanuatu is recognised as a distinct terrestrial ecoregion (ecoregions are classified by biome type, which are the major global plant communities determined by rainfall and climate), known as the Vanuatu rainforests.

BEST ADVENTURES

This island nation has a great mix of things to explore, including hiking up to active volcanoes like Mount Yasur, or snorkelling in world-class reefs. There is also a rich history to explore, either on foot or on mountain bikes (rentals can be made on a couple of the islands). For the most bang for your buck, head to Tanna Island.

LIECHTENSTEIN

This small European country is actually a German-speaking microstate situated in the Alps of the southwest area of Central Europe. It is bordered by Switzerland and Austria and is Europe’s fourth-smallest country (it is only 62 square miles). Also, somewhat interesting, Liechtenstein is one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world (the other being Uzbekistan).

Thanks to it being located in the Alps, it is a popular winter destination. Also, while there are 155 miles of paved roads within the country, there are also 56 miles of marked bicycle paths (so maybe it is a great spot for winter and summer adventures).

BEST ADVENTURES

Thanks to its location in the Alps, and long European history, you would be excused for thinking Liechtenstein is the setting for a number of fairytales. In fact, besides winter sports, a large number of the best sites to see are castles, including Schloss Vaduz, a fortress built in the 12th century and is now the official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein.

For something a bit more “outdoorsy”, head to Malbun, a high-mountain oasis with skiing in the winter and awesome hiking trails in the summer.

TIMOR-LESTE

Also known as East Timor, this island nation in Southeast Asia is only half of the larger Timor Island. The small nation became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century in 2002 and joined the UN soon after.

Interestingly, it is the only Asian nation completely south of the Equator. Much of Timor-Leste is mountainous, with the highest point being Tatamailau (also known as Mount Ramelau) at 9,721 feet. The northern coast of the country is home to many coral reefs, while the eastern portion contains the Paitchau Range and the Lake Ira Lalaro area—where you can find the country’s first conservation area, the Nino Konis Santana National Park.

08BEST ADVENTURES

According to Lonely Planet, Timor-Leste “offers some of the world’s last great off-the-beaten-track adventures”, so what are you waiting for? Some of the best diving can be found on Atauro Island, a short distance from the capital of Dili. Or you can head up into the mountains to hike either Mount Ramelau or Mundo Perdido, also known as ‘Lost World’, or check out the amazing mountain town of Maubisse.

With 195 countries in the world, there are plenty of places to get lost and have a grand adventure. Even in the busiest of countries, you can still (if you look hard enough) find quiet, peaceful places. But these eight countries make finding those beautiful, empty places so much easier.

So if you are down for an adventure and okay getting off the beaten path, then these places are definitely for you.

PLAN AHEAD FOR YOUR WINTER ESCAPE IN GENEVA

For those already planning their winter fun-filled getaways, no destination in the world harbours the variety of activities designed to warm the heart more than Geneva. With a diverse location bringing together lush greenery, a mesmerising lake and mighty mountains, this city is the ultimate winter wonderland for thrill seekers and relaxation lovers alike.

Enjoying Geneva’s winter the way locals do, visitors are invited to delve into city life and favourite treats during the cold months, Swiss cheese lovers will

have several options to enjoy cheese fondue—a local must-have culinary winter experience—from a Fondue Tour by TukTuk, which leads guests through the most beautiful places in Geneva over homemade fondue, to sailing on the lake aboard a cruise with an original and friendly outing concept featuring a cheese or Chinese fondue, a twist on the popular Chinese hot pot dish.

For those who look forward to recreating the same experience in their vacation homes, Edelweiss restaurant offers a

cheese fondue cooking class combined with a tasting or dinner for those who would like to expand their experience to discover more about the city’s authentic winter dishes.

No visit to Geneva is complete without a taste of chocolate, and with Choco Pass, travellers will have 24 hours to taste the sweet offerings of five of Geneva’s authentic chocolatiers, from truffles to dragées and warm hot chocolate drinks.

Winter wellness is regarded as one of Geneva’s most sought-after attractions for both locals and visitors, as the city is famed for its special blend of natural beauty and luxury, with many natural baths and spa facilities catering to a variety of needs. One of the best wellness and relaxation spots is the Bain-Bleu Hammam & Spa Genève-Plage, a bathing complex offering indoor and outdoor pools, steam baths and relaxation areas, in addition to an oriental-inspired hammam and a spa with a total surface area of 3,000m2.

Another wellness hotspot can be found at Bain des Paquis, which is a space designed for total rejuvenation and relaxation for the body and soul, with a sauna, hammam and Turkish bath, an extensive massages menu, and yoga and Tai-Chi classes. During the winter season, the independent restaurant at the Bain des Paquis offers travellers gourmand meals on a wood stove-heated cabin or, on sunny days, the terrace, surrounded by breathtaking views of the lake.

Geneva’s highest snowy peaks are within the travellers’ range, thanks to the cable car, which will take them to the mountain village of Chamonix in the heart of the French Alps. The 90-minute ride will take travellers to the centre of the village, overlooked by Mont-Blanc—the highest mountain in Western Europe—to the south, and by the Aiguilles Rouges (Red Peaks) mountains to the north. Continuing the journey, the cogwheel train goes to the Mer de Glace, one of the most famous glaciers in Europe.

For the ultimate adrenaline rush experience, Les Diablerets represents an important centre for adventure sports all year round, as the Glacier 3000 ski region in the heart of the Vaud Alps offers skiing attractions even during summer. Nestled between Lake Geneva and Gstaad, Les Diablerets comprises three ski regions with a total of 125km of tracks and a snow park extending up to an altitude of 3000 metres, a crosscountry network of tracks consisting of 30 kilometres of classical Nordic track and 15 kilometres of skating trails, a 7.2 km long toboggan run, snow-shoe walks, snow biking and ice fall climbing, in addition to the glacier restaurant constructed by leading Swiss architect Mario Botta, which offers a unique panorama over Lake Geneva.

NEW-LOOK MANDARIN ORIENTAL

PALACE, LUZERN IN SWITZERLAND AWAITS

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group celebrated the opening of Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern, the city’s iconic Belle Epoque landmark that has undergone an extensive renovation.

Overseen by local architects Iwan Bühler Architekten and London-based interior designers Jestico + Whiles, they’ve preserved the building’s rich history and heritage while delivering a contemporary design inspired by the beauty of the surrounding Swiss landscapes. Dramatically positioned overlooking the shores of Lake Lucerne, the hotel is a stone’s throw from the charming old town and with spectacular views over the Swiss Alps.

Set to usher in an era of contemporary elegance and legendary service, the hotel is poised to become Lucerne’s most exclusive venue. The property features 136 elegant and spacious guestrooms, including 48 of the city’s largest suites, four restaurants and bars under the patronage of Michelin-star experienced Executive Chef Gilad Peled, a serene and rejuvenating spa, and elegantly appointed event spaces.

To celebrate the opening, the hotel has created two offers to entice guests to be among the first to experience the spectacular restoration of this historic palace. Starting at CHF 700 per night, offers include guaranteed lake vistas from elegantly renovated rooms or the city’s largest suites, as well as a rich daily breakfast for two, a CHF 100 (CHF 150 for suites) dining credit, and distinctive destination experiences.

Offers are bookable from now and are subject to availability.

For more information or reservations, visit mandarinoriental.com/luzern email molzn-reservations@mohg.com or call +41 41 588 2088.

Take a Tour a round

CHECK MATE

I’m a huge admirer of people who excel at the game of chess. The intensity and the aura that these players exude from their eyes are captivating and probably enchanting for novices like me, who one day would like to be a grandmaster: Checkmate!

Yet, quite recently, I learned about a life coach with the message of encouraging men to protect their MEAT. The chunk of salami, Coach Greg Adams was alluding to, contrary to what one’s mind would quickly think up, is Money, Energy, Attention, and Time.

This concept gave me a light bulb moment, a graduation moment; a checkmate moment because this abbreviation spoke volumes about what people value the most in this post-modernist era. The currency value of the MEAT is not easily quantifiable because human beings are unique, while at the same time sharing many traits, values, and ideas.

Synonymously, Coach Adams’ message seemingly was geared towards empowering men to wake up from their slumber and take care of their responsibility for these four currencies. These currencies, he explained, must be protected by all men from women who he framed as people who have bad intentions towards men.

His pronouncements, however lopsided against women, have a place in our society, but can be seen as extreme since women themselves have been liberalised by their own revolutions and evolutions. Women have as much to lose and gain as men in this current generation.

Hence, if we are going to go chewing on the coach’s MEAT, it is pertinent to make it balanced for both women and men. Therefore, I introduce my version of MEAT to empower ‘people’ to be their best selves by checking – MATE. This theory is centred on ‘checking’ us to be Motivated, Action-packed, Team up and Equip our minds for our better selves.

There is more to savour in unity. There is more flavour in teamwork. There is more beauty in diversity. Hence, it is in our best interest to create more moves on the chessboard, so, let’s check… MATE.

MOTIVATED

Firstly, just like energy, our motivation must not be put in the vacuum of, “If it was created then, it can be destroyed.” Our ability to stay motivated must

be fluid and take the shape of life’s containers. Our motivation must be transferable and flexible.

I believe our enthusiasm should be geared towards us being pitted against our former selves as opposed to other individuals. Everybody’s journey is different, however, there is no secret that there are situations that give credence to competition. The most intriguing fact that many people fail to realise is that focusing on the competition takes the focus off us and our abilities.

Remember, our motivation and enthusiasm are like energy, they cannot be created nor destroyed, they can be transferred and poured out into our better selves when we focus on learning from mistakes and improving on our strong points. In other words, the best way to beat any competition is by focusing on ourselves more and less on others.

It will be worth your while to check MATE. The ‘meat’ of the matter to get our checkMATE is to be intrinsically motivated to achieve a better’ me’ every day.

ACTION

Secondly, your most tangible currency is your ability to act on your motivation. The undeniable proverb, which states, “Actions speak louder than words,” simply means, “what someone actually does means more than what they say they will do.”

Your actions are your intentions and motivation being put into motion. It, therefore, means that we must be purposeful and resolute in what we want to exude and contribute to the trajectory of our lives and to the collective that is our society.

Our actions are our intentions; our actions create our legacy. Our motivation must steer our determination to be legendary by consistently and constantly applying our motivations and intentional actions. When we make mistakes, our motivation and intentions can easily fix our actions because, like athletes, we train our mental and physical muscles to perform at our optimum at all times, knowing that our peak always changes with more practice and purpose. Therefore, our motivation must steak, oops, I mean to stake a claim for our actions to ‘checkMATE’ and speak for our continued creation of our legacy.

TEAM UP

The eighteenth-century English poet John Donne once said, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of a continent.” This quote advances my next point because we are better when we team up.

A wise man once told me, “We are what we constantly think we are.” When we think we are an island, we tend to be subjugated to isolation treatment. The benefits of teaming up are vast and seemingly endless if your intent is to create a legendary legacy. For people who have a ‘meaty persona’ with a queasy entree, teaming up may help us to be better problem solvers, increase our chances for innovation, enhance our personal growth, and probably most important yet not limited to, lessen the risk of burnout.

For the cravers of MEAT, working together with the opposite gender or other people helps us arrive at opportunities to fix interpersonal and even intrapersonal issues. It is common to have disagreements and standoffs, yet fixing these issues gives a lift in morale and strengthens the bond between personalities. Additionally, it gives each individual the currency of time to innovate or add to the goal, which is common to the collective. Personal growth comes when you have given your best to the collective and receive gratification from both self and the collective. These feelings have a remedial effect since exhaustion feels better with a W (win).

In addition, the greatest inventors of all time had their own think tanks around them to help with the generation of ideas and solutions to a variety of problems their theories and inventions faced. Even if we might only hear about Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison, we must be assured that they benefited tremendously from a team of people who helped them to advance their motivation into actions by teaming up for the greater good of mankind. Therefore, we must team up to check the box, MATE.

EQUIP

We must always be prepared to tackle the challenges that are ahead. Equip and train your mind to be ready for adversity. There is a proverb learned in Jamaica that states, “People don’t throw stones to pick green mangoes.” This proverb means problems normally come when you are about that life; when you are motivated, and you are doing great things.

If you are not equipped to handle challenges as they arise, then you will almost always MEAT, I mean, meet, or court unwanted circumstances (again, oops). Additionally, we will always be a step behind in your pursuit of creating your legacy through intentional actions, which are stemming from your motivation.

It is said, “The journey of a thousand miles they say begins with the first step,” yet I counter that claim by saying, “The sojourn of a million miles begins

when you have equipped your mind with the motivation to take that first step in the creation of a purposeful legacy.” Hence, we must create a path in our minds before we can take purposeful actions toward a destination.

I am not against men protecting their MEAT. Yet, women can lay claim to the very same thing that men are aiming to protect. Hence, I say, let us be purposeful in working together in the currency which is checking your MATE.

The message from the life coach Greg Adams could be stronger if it was geared toward

empowering the collective instead of men who believe they have everything to lose in a time when more women are liberated than at any other time in human history. These currencies have a place, but they don’t check, MATE!

Again, to check MATE, you need to be motivated to action your plans by working together with a team or a think tank while being prepared to have ups and downs: MATE. There is more to gain in unity; there is more to attain with teamwork; there is a better story to be told in diversity; hence it is in our best interest to create more moves on the chessboard by working together, MATE.

JEROME DOUGLAS

Jerome Douglas is a new dad, trained teacher, poet and writer from the beautiful island of Jamaica. His personal philosophy is “If it is for me to be, then it is up to me.” He attended the Catholic College of Mandeville in Jamaica. Additionally, he is a community builder and humanitarian who volunteers his time to help with the academic and social well-being of people in his Central Jamaica community and surrounding areas.

Shelf Life

The 10x Rule: The Only Difference Between Success And Failure

by Grant Cardone

The main idea behind The 10x Rule is to do everything to the magnitude of 10 when aiming for success. It all starts with goal setting.

The author explains the importance of setting big goals (10 times as big as usual). You then need to estimate how much effort is required, and you must take 10 times the amount of action to achieve the goal. The author guides you through the whole process of how to do all of the key steps in the book.

According to Cardone, the biggest mistake most people make is not setting goals high enough. Taking massive action is the only way to fulfil your true potential.

DISCLAIMER: The information presented in Out and About Magazine does not constitute a replacement for financial, health, legal, or other professional advice and is instead general in its nature. We do not take into account your specific needs or circumstance and you should not act upon any advice without fully understanding your current legal, health, financial or other situations. Although we always do our best to bring high-quality information to our readers, we reserve the right to augment or delete information in any way and at any time. Out and About Magazine accepts no liability for any loss or damage that may arise from the use of any element of our website or magazine.