Out And About Magazine Issue 2 Vol. 2

Issue 2 Volume 2

March 2020

BEHIND THE BRAND

FIRAS

AL MSADDI

CEO OF FÄM PROPERTIES

TALENT POOL

KHALED ALSAADI EMIRATI CHEF, CO-FOUNDER OF FA’E CAFE

Gulnora Mukhedinova

BOOK REVIEW YOU ARE A BADASS

BY JEN SINCERO

INCREASE YOUR

METABOLISM NATURALLY

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EVENING ROUTINES THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR MORNINGS

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Quoteonth M of the

If you want to live a life you’ve never lived, you have to do things you’ve never done. ~ Jen Sincero

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www.outandaboutstylemag.com

marsha@outandaboutstylemag.com

Shella Landayan editor@outandaboutstylemag.com

nakul.thanekar89@gmail.com

sales@outandaboutstylemag.com

www.outandaboutstylemag.com

Outandaboutstylemag Published by Out and About Style FZE (Registered at Fujairah Creative City)

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EDITOR’S WELCOME

A woman is like a teabag: you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

March is a uniquely special month of the year, especially for women. The International Women’s Day is a shining reminder to all of us about love, empowerment and equal rights, not only for women, but for all genders across the world. We must remember that the true purpose of this celebration needs to be in our hearts forever: equality and progress for a better world.

A woman can be a mother, a teacher, a doctor or even a soldier, and whatever path she decides to follow, we at Out and About STYLE Magazine are always here to proudly support!

Features and Highlights In our Fashion section, meet Gulnora Mukhedinova, a fashion designer and a businesswoman who is determined to showcase her talents and goals. She is also a doting mother and a perfect example that passion and family can be equally balanced. If you want to make a difference in your lifestyle, read Less is More: The Rising Trend of Minimalist Fashion, a helpful guide for us towards a clutter-free and more organized life.

Our innate beauty is amazing, especially if it’s all-natural! Katrina gives us a list of Clean, Ethical Brands and Products from Head to Toe in our Beauty section, proving

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that beauty can be clean and all-natural without the added cruelty. In another article, we dedicate praises to the classic red lipstick: learn the tricks on How to Slay With Red Lipstick: A Complete Guide.

Firas Al Msaddi, the CEO of Fäm Properties, gives us the honour to be featured in our Behind the Brand section. He shared with us his life struggles and his journey towards success. It is a very inspiring article for all of us, especially if you’re starting up your own business.

Khaled Alsaadi, a young and health-conscious chef, is featured in our Talent Pool section. In our exclusive interview with Khaled, he shared his insights about how a major change in his life led him to his passion.

Are you tired of repeating cycles in your everyday life? In our Lifestyle section, we gather 8 Evening Routines That Will Change Your Mornings that can definitely help the quality of our daily living.

Of course, together with that wonderful change we are looking for, we need to learn the secrets of leading thankful, positive lives. We need to be Hacking Gratitude to feed our minds and souls.

Sometimes, we are fed up with fast food meals and we just want simple, healthy diets, so we created the list, A Match Made at Mealtime: 10 Food Pairing Ideas that can be found in our Food section. Together with this healthy treat, here’s another yummy find: Five Must-Try Jamaican Recipes!

Fitness is another key ingredient for us to live

longer, so catch up on new learnings in our Fitness section to Increase Your Metabolism Naturally.

Travel is life! If you’re looking for the next destination, check out Travel to Zanzibar with Monique Spearman. She shared her amazing experiences with the wonderful local people and the beautiful place of Zanzibar, Tanzania. In our Travel section, we also feature a great article for trivia hunters. Word meaning can differ depending on which country you’re visiting, so brush up on Things People Say Differently Around the World if you love travel and culture!

Finally, in our Culture section, we provide you with well-thought articles that will shape your mindset for the better you. Yvonne Mtengwa spills her advice on 10 “Must-Knows” for Developing Brand “You”, which tackles attaining the growth that we want. Are you still in the process of achieving the life you wanted? You might as well be Investing your Present to Get up and Live your Passion. Last but not least, with every Edition we issue, we want to suggest good reads for everyone. We feature a Book Review on You are a Badass by Jen Sincero, who discusses important life lessons, goals and overcoming failures.

Equality and Happiness: Whoever and Wherever You Are. Be proud of what makes YOU. We all have differences, a precious thing that should be accepted by all. Out and About STYLE Magazine, with the team that made this Edition possible, wishes you the best to celebrate this wonderful month. All together, let’s raise the women’s flag!

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FASHION • Fashion Feature: Gulnora Mukhedinova • Less is More: The Rising Trend of Minimalist Fashion

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CONTENTS

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BEAUTY • Makeup

Madness with Katrina: Clean, Ethical Brands and Products from Head to Toe

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• H ow to Slay With Red Lipstick: A Complete Guide!

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BEHIND THE BRAND

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TALENT POOL

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LIFESTYLE

• F iras Al Msaddi, CEO and Executive Chairman of Fäm Properties

• Khaled Alsaadi, Emirati Chef, Co-founder of Fa’e Cafe

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• 8 Evening Routines That Will Change Your Mornings

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• Hacking Gratitudes

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FOOD • A Match Made at Mealtime: 10 Food Pairing Ideas

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• Five Must-Try Jamaican Recipes

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FITNESS • Increase your Metabolism Naturally

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TRAVEL • T ravel to Zanzibar with Monique Spearman

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• T hings People Say Differently Around the World

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FOR THE CULTURE • T he Reinvented Chronicles with Yvonne C Mtengwa: 10 “Must-Knows” for Developing Brand “You” 87 • Investing your Present: Get up and Live your Passion 90 • Book Review: You are a Badass by Jen Sincero

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MUKHEDINOVA

GULNORA

FASHION

Company: Baravia Fashion, Baravia Beauty Centre

gulnarbaravia, baraviafashion

YouTube: Gulnar Baravia Fashion

www.baraviafashion.com

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1. TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF

I am a mother of three beautiful kids and an entrepreneur who has a great love for fashion and beauty.

2. HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN FASHION? My passion for fashion led me to open up a business in the fashion industry. I wanted to create my style and share it with others, especially those who are stuck and have a hard time choosing what kind of dress fits them.

3. HAVE YOU ALWAYS HAD AN INTEREST IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY? Yes, it’s been my long-time dream to open a fashion house.

4. WHAT IS THE BEST PART ABOUT BEING A FASHION DESIGNER?

Helping clients by bringing them the reality of wearing their dream dresses with confidence.

Their smiles with complete satisfaction are an amazing and rewarding part of being a designer.

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WHAT INSPIRES YOUR DESIGNS?

I actually get inspired by everything I see, and from that, I set an image in my mind and put my ideas to work. My clients are also my sources of inspiration. You have to listen to what they truly want and willing to spend their money on.

6. WHO ARE YOUR TARGET CUSTOMERS?

My target market is the fashion-forward, the bold, young people, and mature women who are not afraid to stand out and break the norm.

7. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?

I am bold; I like to stand out in a crowd and wear striking clothes that make a statement. I don’t want to step my foot outside without looking my best. I want elegance and glamour in my pieces.

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8. WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST ROOKIE MISTAKE YOU MADE WHEN JUST STARTING OUT?

As a beginner, I made a lot of mistakes, but they are not really deal-breakers. In most cases, it’s about simply deciding “which is which”, and I’m glad I’ve learned a lot from those mistakes.

9. BIGGEST FASHION NO-NO?

For me, there is no “no-no” in fashion, because I believe that you should create what you feel you are comfortable wearing and you feel you are at your best when you wear it.

10. IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

It’s the phenomenon of fast fashion. Due to the desire of people to have the latest fashion as quickly as possible, it compresses the timeline for designers or manufacturers, and it could result in poor quality.

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HOW HAS SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACTED THE FASHION INDUSTRY?

Social media made a great impact on the fashion industry. You can see posts and vlogs of the fashion forward here and there wearing the latest fashion trends. So, it somehow plays a big role in the fashion business as a way of promotion and brand awareness.

12. WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE OF FASHION?

Aside from my fashion business, I also manage my beauty centre. On top of that, I am the mother of three amazing kids, so I make sure that I provide them with bonding time. I also enrolled in a fashion school to enhance my knowledge more.

13. WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR?

I am proud to be a part of prestigious fashion shows such as Arab Fashion Week, Catwalk International, Fashion League Series, Catwalk International Fashion Show Dubai Edition, and International Fashion Week Dubai. I also received prestigious awards for having the best collection, the most promising designer and the best new fashion designer. As a rookie in the fashion industry, those are big things to me.

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14. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING OUT IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY

My advice to beginners is that they should not be afraid to try and try even if they fail on their attempts. Just keep on going. Getting into business and on top of the competition is not an easy thing.

You have to work hard and sacrifice for you to get what you want.

15. WHY DUBAI PEOPLE?

Dubai People offers a platform for entrepreneurs to communicate, network and socialise with like-minded individuals.

16. WHAT’S THAT ONE QUOTE YOU LIVE BY? I always believe in the saying, “If you can dream it, you can do it”.

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LESS IS MORE

THE RISING TREND OF MINIMALIST FASHION

Minimalist fashion is defined by less is more. It is about styling with the bare minimum and making use of what you already have instead of buying unnecessary items you do not need. Also, it focuses on skipping seasonal trends and opting for what’s going to stay in fashion for years to come: classic, staple, and basic needs.

Embracing minimalism fashionably limits sartorial excess clears the mind, and you no longer have to worry about what to wear the next day. Fewer clothes equals less decision-making. Implying less mess, to begin with.

If you want an upgrade or something new to rebuild yourself, trust us you need a closet purge and fashion minimalism in life including your wardrobe. If you’re up for this project, we have put down everything on how to be a fashion minimalist. You will become more aware of your needs and wants, which is a bonus.

However, fashion minimalism does not mean to buy cheap, wear cheap and head out the door looking cheap. No! Quality over quantity is more like the broader sense of this term.

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BEGIN THE PURGE According to a study, the average person wears only 20% of their closet on a regular basis. While the other 80% we spend our entire lives hoarding, stays in the wardrobe collecting dust.

Imagine how useful your unused clothes could be for a person in need? While the idea of having a closet filled with only a few belongings you love sounds too exciting, beginning the purge is the dreadful part. More so, if you have stuff that needs its own fashion store!

Start by taking down all the clothes from your wardrobe. Once everything is onto your bed, section the clothes into piles of four categories: loves, hates, not sure, and seasonal. Your “loves” would be all those clothes you cannot live without and almost wear all the time.

“Hates” would include clothes you don’t like, that are old or not in good shape. “Not Sure” should include clothes that you loved once, but no longer do now. On the other hand, those that do not fit and need to be altered and some with which you have special attachments. Lastly, seasonal would include clothes for special occasions, and all sorts of outerwear. Seasonal clothing is dependent upon the weather in your country, so keep that in mind while creating such a pile.

STRIPPING THE WARDROBE BARE

Store the seasonal pile away for the seasonal use.

Pick only those clothes from your “loves” and “not sure” pile which bear a pattern, colour or maybe fabric that attracts you. Concentrate on clothes that can be altered and complete the required task.

Finally, donate, sell or recycle clothes that you no longer use. If a certain piece of clothing is very dear to you, keep it for some months to see if you’ll wear it again. If not, give them away.

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BID ADIEU There’s another way to stay fashionably minimalist, but before you do this, your wardrobe needs to be decluttered. Minimalist fashion also concentrates on neutrals, streamlined patterns, clean lines and simplicity. You can create a theme of such colours and patterns that are aesthetic and shout minimalism.

Though not everyone is a fan of minimalism and fancy loud patterns and staying colourful. In that case, you can choose one bright piece of clothing and pair it with a saturated base, such as a coral top with beige trousers, or any other bright top with dark wash vintage jeans for a muted effect.

Much like a capsule wardrobe, a fashionably minimalist wardrobe is the same. You keep some, you throw some, and this cycle goes on.

A wardrobe is no longer minimalist when you keep adding to it instead of giving it a weekly or monthly purge. To keep your closet minimal all the time, either go for a one in, one out policy to achieve balance. Or, declutter your closet from time to time for a curated wardrobe always.

FASHION MINIMALISM MAKES YOU RESPONSIBLE

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Just like people are becoming conscious of eating organic food, fashion minimalism is cut from the same cloth. It’s a lifestyle that’s seeped into food, home decor, habits, beauty and now fashion, too. Acquiring more and more, then decluttering only results as waste in our landfills.

Fashion minimalism opens your eyes to acquiring less, so that you dump less and buy only those clothes that are sustainable, high quality gives value for money and have a long life. Adapting this is convenient not only for you, but the entire ecosystem. In addition to being a helpful and kind gesture for people in need.

START CHANGING

We do know the impulse of shopping is hard to resist, plus the brands don’t do any better with their new clothing launches and glamourous ads. But having an edited wardrobe is much less burden to bear. When you have less stuff to wear, you are more creative with your choices.

Create a wardrobe according to a work week. Put up different looks on hangers, so you can grab one and go. But make sure your closet reflects your personal style and taste. Otherwise, you’d very quickly lose sight of your objective and become bored with the few combinations you have.

Plan how many shirts, pants, trousers, dresses, jackets and so on you wear during the whole month.

What number of each you should have, to keep it strict and at the same time plenty for one month or year?

It takes an effort to build a wardrobe that’s filled with a few beloved items. But once you make this a habit, it won’t take long to get there. Trust us, part of the reason why some people are successful is because they’re more frugal. They believe there’s more to life than shopping and owning things you don’t need.

See the bigger picture and soon wasting mere seconds getting dressed would feel like a joyous relief. Particularly, when you have no time to waste!

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Model: Alekszandra Molnar Photo: Jozsef Balogh Retouch: Gabor Ory Makeup: Koszeri Izabella and Liv Rideg Styling: Liv Rideg Location: Livs Atelier, Subotica, Serbia.

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GLAMOUR IN CREATIVE STYLE

Model: Virag Babel - Avantage Models Photo and retouch: Andrea Marton Hair and makeup: Liv Rideg Location: Studio Madison, Budapest, Hungary.

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M A K E U P M A D N E S S W I T H

CLEAN, ETHICAL BRANDS AND PRODUCTS FROM HEAD TO TOE HOW DO YOU DEFINE A ‘CLEAN’ BEAUTY PRODUCT?

A product is considered ‘clean’ if the ingredients used to create it are determined to be ethically sourced, and can be used by people with no harm in the environment. Cruelty-free, on the other hand, is labelled on any products, and or ingredients used that are not tested on animals.

I’m sure you want to know how long it took me to find all of these ethical and sustainable products and brands, right?

To be honest, it took me less than an hour because I actually use most of them. I also have a saved tab on my Instagram account that is titled “Clean Beauty”. I create a new tab every year with new products and brands. I actually do this for almost everything I find on IG simply because I’ve been a researcher and analyst since birth.

I like trying new things and I am obsessed with ingredients and seeing how well they work together to bring awesome results.

Obviously, as an esthetician, this is a part of my job, right?

Anyway, let’s jump right into these sustainable and clean products. Don’t forget to write to us and let us know if and when you try any of the products or tools we recommend.

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HAIR MIELLE ORGANICS:

Pomade Oil Treatment

Pre Shampoo Treatment

Exfoliating Shampoo

Glitter: Earth Shine Glitter (Biodegradable)

Hydrating Conditioner

Style Setting Spray

Thermal & Heat Protectant amy Matte Lip Crayon

Brushes: Clove + Hallow Brush Set Trio

BODY

Deodorant: Merci Handy (Paris) Clean Deodorant Namaste

Body Wash: Tata Harper Skincare Clarifying Cleanser

Oil Cleanser: Tata Harper Skincare Nourishing Oil Cleanser

Perfume: Fiele Fragrance Vetiveria

Bath: Sensatia Botanicals Seaside Citrus Sea Salt Bath

Soap: FYSHA Coco-Castile Soap (FragranceFree

Body Oil: Tata Harper Revitalising Body Oil 27

UNDERGARMENTS

Robe: Luk Linen Mete Lounge Gown

Pyjamas: Olivia von Halle Pink Bella Silk Camisole and French Knicker Set

CLOTHING:

Bikini: Wood Stark Janice Bikini Made with Econyl

Trousers: Dauntless Nicole Black Vegan Leather Culottes

T-shirt: The Natural Edition Organic Cotton V-neck T-shirt

Trench Coat: Agenda By July Slouchy Trench in Beige

Boots: Taylor + Thomas Debbie Vegan Leather Boot In Golden Python

ACCESSORIES:

Handbag: Hosek Vegan Leather Drawstring Bag

Backpack: Fablou Cosmopolitan Vegan Backpack in Blush

Watch: Solios Watched Gamma S.O.L.A.R. Watch with Blue Mesh Strap

Cuticle Oil: French Girl Nail + Cuticle Oil

Treatment: WelleCo’s Super Booster Aquatic Collagen Skin + Hair + Nails

NAILS

Polish: Zoya Nail Polish 10 Formula Free, Vegan & Toxin Free 28

SKIN:

Cream Cleanser: Ranavat Botanic Luminous Ceremony Cream

Antioxidant Cleanser: Biossance Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Oil

Toner: Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Peptide: Disciple Balancing Mist (Geranium & Copper Peptide)

Moisturiser: Thrive Causemetics Defying Gravity Moisturisers

Glow: Farmach Honeymoon Glow

Treatment: Good Genes Lactic Acid

Essence: Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask

Enzymes & Hyaluronic Acid: Odacite Bioactive Rose Gommage

Facial Oil: Herbivore CBD & Adaptogens Glow Oil

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MAKEUP:

Skin prep: Lilah Beauty Aglow Cleansing Butter & Aglow Priming Oil

Foundation: Haley’s Beauty RE: SET Liquid Matte

Eyeshadows: Mellow Cosmetics Glitter Chrome Eyeshadows

Highlighter: RMS Beauty Living Glow Face & Body Powder

Blush: Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Blush

Bronzer: Jouer Sunswept Bronzer Duo

Mascara: Honest Beauty Extreme Length Mascara & Lash Primer

Lips: Bite Beauty Power More Cre

Katrina is the Creative Director at The Beauty Studio, Middle East.. In this article, she shares clean and ethical brands and products for you’ll need from head to toe.

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HOW TO SLAY WITH

RED LIPSTICK: A COMPLETE GUIDE!

There’s a red for every woman! For you to understand the impact of this statement, you have to own the perfect red for your skin tone. If you’re thinking something is wrong with you, just because many of the red lippies you’ve hoarded over time never seem to work on you is a way of self-deprecating yourself. All it takes is a bit of research and knowledge about undertones, because the perfect shade of red bears the same undertone as with your skin colour.

Finding the perfect red lipstick doesn’t have to be a struggle, and it’s absolutely fine if you don’t know what undertone means; it happens to most of us! With our complete guide, you’ll get information about everything related to red lipsticks and the rules of wearing it.

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MEDIUM AND OLIVE SKIN TONES For medium to olive skin tones, classic reds suit well.

Also, there are reds with orange, pink, burgundy, cherry, and deeper undertones that look equally gorgeous on such skin tones. The shade of your teeth also comes into play. If you have yellow teeth, wearing an orange-toned red is a big no as it could aggravate the yellowness even further.

PALE AND LIGHT SKIN TONES A wrong skincare product can give you pimples overnight, same as wearing a wrong shade of red takes seconds to turn you from fab to drab. Red takes an iota of confidence to work. If you’re not up for the dare, red would never suit you, believe us! But if you take the heat and love to enjoy a proper lipstick, red would always look gorgeous.

DARK SKIN TONES For darker skin tones, deeper hues of reds go beautifully.

Berry-toned reds or brown-tinged reds, brick reds, and maroon reds look awesome. Try to find a really pigmented red lipstick for a brilliant pop of red.

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Pale skin tones could opt for red with blue hues.

Blue undertone reds and generally cool-toned reds will not only bring out the white of your teeth, but overall brighten up your complexion without being aggressive.

WEARING RED LIPSTICK

DETERMINING UNDERTONES

Long gone are those days when red lips needed a special occasion and a certain gown to flaunt it. Red lipsticks have gone viral and look as lovely on a woman in casual jeans and shirt as on any woman in a dress, but rules of thumb need to be applied. A single swipe of red lipstick adds a youthful glow to your complexion, and can also add brightness in your face any time of the day. When and where to wear red lips doesn’t matter as long as you know which shade of red suits you.

If you cannot tell whether your skin tone belongs to cooler or warmer undertones, do a metallic test. Wear both gold and silver jewellery, and check which one complements your skin tone more.

If gold jewellery looks better on you than silver, you have a warm undertone; thus concluding red lipsticks with warm hues would suit you. Examples are natural red, classic tomato red, orangy red, and so on and so forth.

In case of silver jewellery complementing your complexion more than gold, cold reds would do you good. Try the bluish reds, cool pink reds or purplish reds!

However, complexions with a natural yellow tinge and those on whom silver and golden jewellery both look nice, win the red lipstick challenge because they can wear any shade of red without fail. You’re spared from this entire guide, but don’t forget to learn which clothes to wear with red lipstick.

WEARING RED LIPSTICK WITH METALLIC Styling red lips with a silver top or a golden maxi is the perfect way to dress up for the festive season. Not to mention this is the easiest and fool-proof method to slay on special occasions.

Keep in mind when you have something metallic on, you wouldn’t want to do anything else than create flawless skin with red lips. Too much makeup could almost look too jarring with a bold red pout. Since metallic clothes itself are so attention-grabbing, you wouldn’t want to be too distracting.

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WEARING RED LIPSTICK WITH BRIGHTS AND NEONS Now, a tricky one, but this goes for a look that stands out and such looks go well in the club, or if you’re attending a really fashionable event. If you are a big fan of wearing red lipstick with bright clothing, but you still want a subtle look, tone down the flashy guise with neutral shoes and a neutral bag, or anything to take the brightness down a notch.

Red lipstick could also be coupled with a red dress for a matchy-matchy effect or with shades of blue, yellow, orange and even bright pink for contrast. Make sure you know the rules of colour-blocking when you style bright outfits with a red lip.

WEARING RED LIPSTICK WITH BLACK The Little Black Dress was created for a reason, and paired with red lips becomes all too obvious. An LBD with a swipe of red lipstick is a lovely way to spruce up for formal occasions or meeting up with friends.

Even for a date night, this look is impeccable.

WEARING RED LIPSTICK WITH WHITE There’s no better way to look regal than to pair red lips with white clothing. All-white attire with red lips gives an instant pop. Hence, you look more awake and ready to take on your day or any formal event. Red compliments white like nothing else. It brings forward an aura of chastity and makes you look a lot sexier in an innocent manner.

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If you don’t want to show much skin, combining red lips with any black outfit, such as jumpsuits, skirts, and maxis would do. Black could be dull on some complexions and a layer of red lipstick instantly pulls your look together. Besides, any red shade could be used with black, though keep the rest of your makeup to a minimum for a sleek and sophisticated appearance.

WEARING RED WITH NEUTRALS AND PASTELS If there’s a fail-safe method to wear red lipstick, aside from black and white, it’s the neutrals. Yes, fawn, light pink, light yellow, light blue, lavender, grey, cream, coral, and so much more. Red lips with pastels are such a fun and soft vibe for summer. You don’t necessarily have to apply a full-on matte red; a tinge of red would do just as well. Also, if you’re paleskinned with blonde hair, pastels with red lips may not be for you.

WEARING RED WITH PRINTS If you want to be a trendsetter and a statement-maker at the same time, combine red lips with an animal print shirt, and plain black pants or red lips with a black and white polka dot dress. Even red lips with plaids, stripes, floral prints, and lace are one of the best ways to wear red lipstick. Pulling off these looks requires loads of confidence, and there’s no shying away about it, so consider this before you wear red lipstick with printed clothes.

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THE CORRECT RULES OF WEARING RED LIPSTICK Red is a dominant shade; it immediately attracts attention, and if you’re not wearing it the right way, you become the centre of attention even more. Our tips help you avoid a red lipstick glitch wherever you are.

• A lways exfoliate and moisturise your lips before you apply a matte red lipstick. Otherwise, your dry lips would show through, and that isn’t a very pleasant sight.

• If you have thin lips, especially the upper lip, avoid wearing stark matte reds, go for a creamier formula, or add gloss to your red lipstick to make your lips appear plumper. A red tint also works in your favour.

• A lways line your lips with a nude lip liner before applying red lipstick. A lip liner keeps the boundaries and your lipstick from bleeding. While filling in your lips with red, a lip-liner post-application helps with longevity.

• I f you’re scared of trying out a crimson red, no problem, most of us do. Instead, go for brick or cranberry reds for a softer appearance.

• D on’t hesitate to retouch and freshen up your lipstick. Wornout red looks awful.

• I nstead of applying straight from the tube, apply with a lip brush and slowly build up the colour. A lip brush would provide a precise application, and red lips need to look neat.

• A lways keep the rest of your makeup mute with red lips, or you might turn into a clown with dramatic eye makeup and a tan blush.

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WEARING RED LIPSTICK WITH WHITE Red lips are gorgeous, and every woman should at least own a signature red lipstick.

Red is a powerful colour that speaks of glamour and femininity, so don’t forget to stash one in your makeup set.

Model: Linda Nikoletta Zelei Hair, makeup and styling: Liv Rideg Location: Studio Madison, Budapest, Hungary.

EVENING GLAM

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AT PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY GCC 2020

Photos by Out and About STYLE Magazine and The Beauty Studio ME

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Photos by Out and About STYLE Magazine and The Beauty Studio ME

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AT PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY GCC 2020

Photos by Out and About STYLE Magazine and The Beauty Studio ME

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DREAMY BRIDAL

Model: Czegledy Agnes Photo: Jozsef Balogh Hair: Izabella Koszeri Headpiece: Millasonjacouture - Eva Kelemen

Dress: Zhoja Budapest Makeup: Liv Rideg Location: Studio Madison, Budapest, Hungary 41

Model: Patricia Szalai - New Day Casting and Model Agency Photo and retouch: Jozsef Balogh Hair, makeup and styling: Liv Rideg

Assistance: Elvira Janosi and Boglarka Ivezic Location: Livs Atelier, Subotica Serbia

FLORAL DREAM

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FIRAS AL MSADDI

Company name: Fäm Properties www.famproperties.com

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1. TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR CAREER.

I’m Firas Al Msaddi, and I currently live in Dubai with my family.

I was born in 1984, and I’m happily married. My wife and I are parents to two young sons and twin girls. I am originally from Syria, and I moved to Dubai in 2005 because I got a job as a sales executive. With the help and support of my family, I was able to overcome the challenges and hardships I encountered.

I’m the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of Fäm Properties. It is one of the largest and most successful real estate firms in the UAE. I’m an entrepreneur and an extreme sports fan. Aside from the firm I mentioned, I have other businesses within the Fäm Group as well.

2. TELL US ABOUT FÄM PROPERTIES. HOW DID IT COME ABOUT, AND WHERE IS IT NOW? After my move from Syria, I studied and developed my English language proficiency by working double shifts. Within 18 months, I saw myself in the real estate industry. In 2007, I got a job in a small boutique real estate agency in Dubai Marina and was then headhunted by another agency for a sales manager position by the end of that same year. After two years, I was running the office and decided to study Business Administration in Dubai.

Fäm Properties was founded when I was 25 years old. It was in 2009 and it was in the middle of the global economic crisis.

Even though we experienced hardships back then, I had a strong belief that Dubai can definitely endure the crisis.

Since 2012, on a yearly basis, our firm has been recognised as the best top sales performing brokerage for all major mega master developers. We are also recognised by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) as the highest transacting agency in Dubai for two consecutive years, which was in 2017 - 2018 and 2018 - 2019. We employ more than 200 hardworking staff; we do have a Business Bay headquarters and operate an additional four other retail outlets.

3. WHAT OTHER BUSINESS VENTURES HAVE YOU ENGAGED IN SINCE FÄM PROPERTIES?

Under the Fäm Group, these are the other ventures that I manage: Fäm Properties Dubai, Fäm Properties Abu Dhabi, Fäm Snagging and Inspection, Fäm Interiors, Fäm Outdoor Media, Fäm Living (a holiday home business), Fäm Development Advisory and Fäm Asset Management.

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4.

HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS?

There is no right and wrong about defining success, but for me, it is an on-going process: a life-time process of setting goals that gives you the sense of contentment and happiness once these goals are achieved or exceeded.

Do it by way of being a monk, a top real estate agent, a humanitarian activist, or even being a father of a happy family. So, your success is not defined by the size of your goal nor by how ambitious it is. What defines your success is your consistency in reaching or exceeding your own goals that lead to your self-contentment and joy in life.

5.

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

I am passionate about raising and living with my loving and supportive family, managing the business that I worked hard for, and enjoying the sports that I find exciting.

6.

WHO AND WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

I believe that being motivated is a responsibility that every individual has to live up to. I always say: if you don’t figure it out by yourself, no one will figure it out for you.

Every one of us can be motivated by different things, and we have to figure out these things and then take actions

to own them. Nevertheless, there is one thing to do with motivation that applies to all of us: it is our surroundings and the people we decide to spend most of our time with.

7. “MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND.” TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS QUOTE?

Money is very important, but only because it is a necessity and not an end-goal or purpose. When our aim is to deploy whoever we got to succeed in our business, money will be just one of the natural results of winning in business.

You will, maybe, never see a successful businessman who is running a successful business but is bankrupt.

8. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST LIFE LESSONS YOU’VE LEARNED FROM BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR?

Hard work is a must, and smart work is just common sense because no one decides to work mindless today and smart tomorrow. It is not a decision that people make before they start their day. But hard work, perseverance and consistency requires a firm rational decision.

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9. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO QUIT THEIR 9-5 TO WORK ON THEIR PASSION?

The vast majority of successful entrepreneurs are outstanding employees or individuals with specific skill sets or capacities. All you need to win in business is experience, and to gain experience, you need to learn and to practice your learning. That is the formula in a short brief.

What are you willing to compromise in order to make it come true? Will you listen to those who don’t believe in you? Believe it or not, the people around you will definitely affect you eventually. Choose to be around positive people, so that you will have the same outlook with them.

10. WHAT DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU WISH YOU KNEW EARLIER?

Everything. I will never say no to any head start when it comes to my knowledge.

11. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR 20-YEAR-OLD SELF?

Dream big always. Be rational. Be objective. Assess the risks well, then qualify the maximum upside potentials. Work harder than everybody else in your industry.

12. WHAT ARE YOUR MAJOR GOALS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?

Family is number one, spending quality time with my parents, my wife and my four kids.

13. HOW DO YOU BALANCE CAREER AND FAMILY?

Working hard is a decision to start, it’s a decision to slow down, and it’s a decision to stop. We just need to always be self-aware that the results we get when we do a focused eight hours and six days a week will not be the same if we do six hours and five days a week. As long as we are rational about that, we will be able to live a happy life prioritising what comes first. At the beginning, I had to compromise massively on my family time, and my main motive was to build something for me and my family that will provide me with the freedom of choice when it comes to how much time I spend with my family. The time has come and I am 100 times more family-focused than I was at the start of my entrepreneurial journey.

14. WHAT’S THAT ONE QUOTE YOU LIVE BY?

“If the opportunity is known to everyone, it is no longer called an opportunity.”

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TALENT POOL KHALED ALSAADI Emirati Chef, Co-founder of Fa’e Cafe

chef.khaleds faecafe

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1.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

I’m a 29 years old Emirati chef. I started cooking after I lost weight around five years ago and I was able to learn more about healthy and delicious food. I eventually developed a passion for it and continued pursuing a path in the arts of fine dining.

2. HOW DID YOU DEVELOP AN INTEREST IN FOOD?

Before, I weighed around 150 kg and I always loved food, but when I was losing weight, I did not like any healthy restaurant meals out there which led me to prepare my own meals. In that process, I started learning more and more about how to perfect the

cooking technique of each ingredient.

3. BEING A CHEF IS AN UNLIKELY CAREER FOR A YOUNG EMIRATI, TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY.

I graduated from the States with a double major in Accounting and Finance, but decided on a different career path. I was lucky enough to have a very supportive family. It was definitely a shock to them at first, but eventually, when they saw the effort and how serious I was about being a chef, they accepted my decision. It was obvious that I wanted to reach specific goals in this newfound passion.

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4.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF COOKING?

5.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CUISINE TO COOK?

6.

IF YOU WERE NOT A CHEF, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?

7.

WHAT’S THE MODERN KITCHEN GADGET YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT?

It would definitely have to be related to the flavours I grew up with and the traditional food in my hometown. However, I work in the method of fine dining, where food is executed at a higher standard than your average cooking method.

Definitely Asian cuisines. It is very diverse- infused with rich and beautiful culture. I love the authenticity of every dish and ingredient.

It would still be something related to the food industry. Since food is one of the primary needs of people, it is one that will continue to exist no matter what.

My sous-vide machine, because it helps me create amazing dishes all the time. It will let you cook dishes in a much more natural and healthy way.

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8. DO YOU HAVE A “SIGNATURE DISH” OR FAVOURITE DISH YOU ENJOY COOKING?

I’m a big fan of seafood dishes. Seafood is very versatile. Creating unique and delicious dishes is always possible. I always enjoy cooking and working with freshly caught fish.

9. WHERE DOES COME FROM?

YOUR

INSPIRATION

The people, my family, nature- everything, especially when I turn a memory into a delicious and mouthwatering dish.

10.

WHAT ARE YOUR ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS, THE THINGS YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? Salt, spice and everything nice.

11. IS THERE A SECRET FOR A SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANT?

A successful restaurant has massive patience because success is not an easy process. For you to stand out, you need to create a unique flavour that people will always remember. Execution is needed to make plans into reality. Lastly, consistency is the key for you to be on top of the competition.

12. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WANTING TO BECOME A CHEF?

If you don’t have passion for it and you’re not happy doing it, don’t waste your time. Persistence and determination is needed to reach your goals.

13. DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FROM THE KITCHEN THAT YOU’VE PICKED UP THAT COULD BE USEFUL TO HOME COOKS? Practice makes perfect. Try again even if you fail, things will be better, and you’ll learn from every mistake.

14. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY EAT?

I always like grilled chicken with hot sauce.

15. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF THE KITCHEN? I like going to the gym. I work out about three hours a day, five days a week. Mainly because I eat a lot and I’m prone to getting fat, I need to burn the fats regularly to remain healthy.

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LIFESTYLE

8 EVENING ROUTINES THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR MORNINGS You wake up an hour before work, groggy-eyed and lethargic. You take a shower at lightning speed and rush to get ready. You grab the essentials and run out the door.

Some days, there is time to fetch a coffee and some days, not even that. You start work feeling overwhelmed and discombobulated. Mid-week, you’re already burnt out and can’t wait for the weekend before the same process repeats itself again.

How do you get out of this miserable cycle? The answer is to develop a routine. A routine is the first step that can either make or break you. Having a healthy routine helps you achieve more, work efficiently and not drain yourself in the process.

Morning and nighttime routines take a bit of this discipline, but they go a long way in setting you up for success. Both of them are important. While having a morning routine

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means that you know exactly what to do each morning, a nighttime routine has the following benefits:

• Y ou will have a high-quality rest and full deep sleep.

• Y our brain will be fresher when you wake up and follow through your morning routine.

• Y ou will be able to deal with your day in a much organised and productive manner.

The best way to incorporate routine in your life is to start with a nighttime routine, because we are more relaxed and freer to try new practices at bedtime rather than the mornings when we are hurrying to work.

We have put together eight (8) effective nighttime routines to change your mornings for the better.

HAVE A HEALTHY AND EARLY DINNER

Have your dinner at a comfortably early time.

Heavy meals at dinner or overeating may cause you to feel bloated and unfocused. If you do feel like having a snack before bedtime, go for a hydrating drink like infused water or some herbal tea. Take the time immediately after dinner to sort and pack your lunch for the next day. Store the rest appropriately, so you are well prepared for tomorrow’s dinner as well.

TIDY UP YOUR LIVING SPACE

Nobody likes waking up to clothes strewn over the floor and dirty dishes in the sink.

Give about 30 minutes for clearing up your living spaces. Do the dishes and sort your laundry. This way, when you wake up, you will find a fully organised area through which you can manoeuvre much more comfortably.

BE MINDFUL OF YOUR NIGHTTIME ROUTINE

Build a mindful nighttime routine by taking a few minutes to prepare for the next morning.

Laying out your clothes, packing your bag and shining your shoes are all activities that will help you be prepared for a less hectic morning.

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TAKE TIME TO UNWIND BEFORE YOU HIT THE BED

By unwind, we don’t mean browse on your phone until your eyelids drop. Spend time with your family or take a relaxing bubble bath. A happy mind is always able to sleep better and perform to its potential. You will find meditating or involving yourself in prayer before bedtime calms all your senses after an over-stimulated day.

READY YOUR BED FOR SLEEPING

Freshen your sheets, pillowcases and quilts for a more luxurious sleep. Maybe add a few extra pillows to make your bed feel more inviting. Invest in sheets of soothing colours and patterns to make you mentally relaxed when in bed. Weighted blankets are a great option for those who struggle with falling into a deep sleep and find themselves waking up startled to the slightest noise.

UNPLUG AND DISCONNECT

Several sleep studies suggest that light and radiation emitted from electronic devices hampers the quality of REM sleep. We cannot stress enough the importance of disconnecting from devices before bedtime.

If you set your alarm on your phone, place it across the room from where you sleep, preferably on flight mode. This helps in so many ways. Firstly, the radiation from the phone won’t reach you. Secondly, you won’t have to deal with the constant buzzing on the phone. Thirdly, you will have to get out of bed and walk to your alarm in the morning to switch it off, which will reduce the urge to go back to sleep.

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BUILD CONSISTENT SLEEP RITUALS

Bedtime rituals help signal your brain to get ready to sleep. These rituals should ideally be short, calming activities that help ease your mind into winding down. Brew yourself a cup of chamomile tea or read a book, even listen to some soothing music or self-affirmations to help tune your mind and body positively.

BE CONSISTENT

The secret to success is not to avoid failure, but to keep taking a step forward. Be consistent with your bedtime routines. Do not punish yourself for skipping a night or two but do your absolute best to stick to them. The best way to do it is to start early so you have ample time to complete each step at your pace and not hurry through the process. The whole point of developing a bedtime routine is to relax after the rush of the day and be energised for the next!

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HACKING GRATITUDE So first things first, what do we mean by gratitude?

Gratitude simply means thankfulness and gratefulness.

Most of us have a roof over our heads; we have good health, we have beautiful families, have enough money to put food on the table and enough to buy clothes for ourselves and our family. Most people already have more aside from these basic needs. Yet most of us are not yet content. We always want more, we want to do more, and achieve more, of course, you’re not alone.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs talks about five levels we humans want to attain (in order of priority): 1.

Physiological needs – i.e. food, water, shelter, clothing etc

2. Safety needs – i.e. personal security, employment, resources, health, property 3.

Love and Belonging – i.e. friendship, intimacy, family, sense of belonging

4.

Esteem – i.e. respect, status, self-esteem, recognition, strength and freedom

5. Self-actualisation – i.e. desire to be the most that one can be This has been taught in MBAs around the world for 60

decades and when I studied this, (many moons ago), I could really connect with it, and it was almost like a ‘to do’ list for me at first as I was young, ambitious and wanted to achieve certain things in life, (another topic for another time perhaps). I was also aware that this model depicts a certain lifestyle that almost says: it is ok to want more; it is ok to be greedy and never be contented.

However, you quickly realise that this hierarchy of needs is not the be-all and end-all. It’s a good baseline to start with if you want it to be. So what happens when you can’t relate to or agree with these needs or wants (depending on which way you look at it)? What happens when you achieve level 5 and then what? What is next? After a little pondering and a lot of soul searching, I came to the conclusion that there is no magic formula for what is next or what else; it all depends on you, on what your purpose in life is, what is important to you, what difference do you want to make in this world, what legacy do you want to leave behind? This would, of course, be different for different people as we all have different maps of the world.

We are all wired to think that it is those ‘things’ that make

us happy, we will be happier when we have our own house, when we have more money, when we are slimmer, when we have the latest car or the latest phone, or the salary hike or that promotion and then when we get what we wanted, we are happy for a short while and… until we are not. Then we wonder what is wrong, why are we not happy?

Happiness comes from within you; you get to decide what and who makes you happy. Things don’t make you happy. Be happy and be grateful for what you have already, not what you will get or achieve, or what you ‘think’ will make you happy.

Have you ever seen a young child playing with toys at home or in daycare, perhaps this has been your child or a friend’s child? Have you ever noticed that despite giving the child the latest, the most expensive toy with all the bells and whistles, after a few minutes of play with it, all they want to do is take a kitchen pot or a pan and a wooden spoon and bang the spoon on the pan and be content with the noise it makes? It’s true, isn’t it? It’s the simplest, most basic of things that entertain a child at that age and they are happy, why? Because they don’t know any better, or worse as the case may be!

What happened, or what changed as we grew into adults? We want more; we want the latest gadget because our friends have it, we want the latest designer outfit because our competitor is wearing it, we want to look like that person on that TV commercial or that ‘beautiful person’ on that fashion magazine cover.

The pressures, the standards and the expectations we

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PRACTISE GRATEFULNESS Don’t just try and feel grateful, practise it pray, meditate, be happy, be appreciative, making it a thing to do on your to-do list and if you practise it every day, it will become a habit, and over time it will become a part of you. Start today!

strive to achieve for ourselves and our loved ones!

There are some of us that started on this path of striving for success (based on our own meaning of success that is) for different reasons, myself included. But generally speaking, we are so easily sucked into this worldly ‘wants’ of life and materialism, which is so beautifully portrayed by large corporations worth trillions in their tantalising, mouth-watering and enticing ads, that’s why they manage to sell us both what we need and what we want.

Don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself with ‘wants’ once in a while, the real question is, do you have an awareness of your wants vs needs?

We sometimes forget to be happy and grateful for what we already have and who we are. So let’s stop comparing ourselves to others, let’s stop doing what others do. Let’s stop buying into what others are buying into. Listen to your inner self. Do what feels right for you, do what feels good for you, be YOU! “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey Like most people, I used to be aware that I needed to be more grateful for what I already have, what I had already achieved, but there was always something else that got in the way. I soon realised I was not alone; we have all been there, we are all so occupied with the fast pace of ‘doing’ life, that we forget to ‘enjoy’ life. We live and do so much for the future that we forget to be really ‘present’ in the present.

So here are top seven gratitude hacks to try today:

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QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY It’s the quality of life that’s important, not what you have, want or need. Who or what do you have in your life today, and what if it was not there tomorrow? Do you tell them or appreciate them enough? Have you told them this? Try it today!

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LEGACY If you were to die tomorrow, what is the legacy you want to leave behind? We all hope that we live ‘till we are in our 70s/80/90s, but there is no guarantee, is there? What if you live even longer than that, and the people that you love go before you do? What regrets would you have, or what regrets would you not want to have? Start today!

VALUES What are your values? How can you work, live and be happy with the values that you have? Do you try and make an effort to work with people with similar values? If money was not an issue, would you work with someone where your values were not aligned? Do people around you know and understand your values? Do they understand who you are and what you stand for? Try it today!

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GIVING BACK I struggled, you struggled, our parents and ancestors struggled with one thing or another, how can we give back and help others instead, how can we make a difference to someone’s life? Try it today!

APPRECIATION Part of gratitude is being thankful and being appreciative of everything, everyone, and every day. Just simple things go a long way, from saying thank you to a waiter serving you at a restaurant, thank you to your spouse for remembering your birthday, thank you to your boss for letting you go and take time off to attend a workshop. Thank you to someone in front of you, who simply holds the door for you as you approach it. Try it today!

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RELATIONSHIPS We humans crave communication, we are a relational species. Research shows that if we have people and relationships in our lives, we are happier, hey we even live longer! It can’t get better than that right?

After all, if like me, you are based in the UAE, where there is so much culture, people from different walks of life, so many opportunities to network and meet people, don’t put it off like I initially did, start today!

With increased gratitude, you will feel happier, energised, have a greater degree of empathy and optimism with a renewed zest for life, come what may! Who doesn’t want an extra dose of dopamine today?

Farzana is a multiple award-winning “Human Capital Leader” 2018 and a “Women of Substance” Award winner 2020. An experienced and qualified NLP Master Coach, a Woman Entrepreneur, Mentor and an Advocate for Women Empowerment.

She is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), holds a Post Graduate Diploma in HR from Wolverhampton University in the UK, is certified with British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Institute of Legal Executives (CiLEX), is a Certified Coach with International Coaching Federation (ICF) and a Professional Member and NLP Practitioner with the International Association of NLP (ANLP) in the UK.

FARZANA KAZEMI

FCIPD, MANLP, ICF Coach Founder/CEO, NLP Master Coach & HR Consultant

She is the founder and CEO of Trailblazer Consulting and helps individuals and particularly women in becoming masterful in their craft through NLP Coaching, helping them explore and better understand their identity, overcome any limiting beliefs, set and achieve their goals, whilst improving their quality of life, through a transformational journey. Farzana has helped dozens of clients already through executive coaching, business coaching and women leadership coaching.

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FOOD

A MATCH MADE AT MEALTIME:

10 FOOD PAIRING IDEAS

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Beyond simply the taste, some foods blend well when paired especially in terms of increasing the benefits we get from them. By combining certain foods, you can enjoy more nutrition.

Check out the following for the top 10 mealtime food pairing ideas.

1. PEANUT BUTTER, TOMATO, CHEESE AND BASIL They are made for each other, especially if you’re looking to get a nutritious meal even with just a small serving. The powerful combination of these foods allows your body to consume more vitamins and minerals in one sitting.

2. STEAK WITH BROCCOLI ON THE SIDE Steak and vegetables is a perfect food pair on any given day, with or without an occasion. One of the most complementary veggies to combine with steak is broccoli. Did you know that pairing an iron-rich food, like steak, with a Vitamin C dense veggie, such as broccoli, could increase your body’s absorption of iron? So if you want to get more out of your steak lunch or dinner, you could add the Vitamin C rich broccoli into it as a side dish. Pan sear the steak and then roast the broccoli for the best results.

3. CHICKPEAS/BEANS WITH RICE This meal is a bomb when it comes to its explosive levels of vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre. You can pair them up for a complete meal. Chickpeas and beans are potent sources of protein, while rice is with energy-giving carbohydrates. By including beans into this meal, you can control your body’s need for carbohydrates. As a result, you can also prevent blood sugar spikes, which later lead to an energy drain. You can have this meal as a lunch or dinner, and make it healthier! This perfect food combination can also help you stay full for a longer period of time, and that is thanks to the protein in the beans.

4. ROAST VEGETABLES AND OLIVE OIL Roast vegetables are already sumptuous and healthy at the same time. They are packed with vitamins and minerals that your body and waistline love. You can up its taste and nutrition by a notch by drizzling them with olive oil. At the very least, adding olive oil or another fat source for that matter increases your body’s ability to absorb beta-carotene. If you want an alternative to olive oil, though, you can use avocado or butter instead.

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5. EGG ON A SALAD Amp up the nutrition to get from a salad by adding eggs into it.

Combine your favourite raw vegetables and top it with scrambled eggs. Did you know that people who eat a salad with eggs could up their body’s carotenoids, like beta carotene and lycopene, nine times higher than those who eat their salad without eggs?

The fat content in the eggs is readily available for the body’s absorption.

6. SALMON AND SESAME SEEDS If you want to stay healthy while also boosting your mood, you should include salmon in your diet. It is not just with protein but also omega-3 fatty acids. If you don’t know yet, salmon is also rich in Vitamin D. So if you’re not getting your sunlight exposure daily, you should think about including salmon into meal planning. Plus, this nutrient is advisable, especially in lowering your risk of PMS. Pairing salmon with sesame seeds, you can also get your daily source of calcium.

7. OLIVE OIL AND TOMATOES One of the heaven-sent food matches that we all love is tomatoes and olive oil! If you’re trying to eat healthily, you might want to add it to your diet. For one, tomatoes are packed with lycopene, which possesses a great cancer-fighting property. It also contains antioxidants that can help in reducing body inflammation.

On the other hand, olive oil is a great skin food. It is loaded with Vitamin E and antioxidants that keep skin healthy. It is also an amazing moisturiser that maintains hydration for young-looking skin, longer.

Cooking both together, you can benefit from an optimal level of photochemical absorption. You can combine both, or add to your favourite naan pizza, which is an excellent summer treat.

If you want tomato in a different form and combination, you might also want tomato soup with grilled cheese. It is a creamfree, hearty, warm soup and to get the most out of your meal, pair it with grilled cheese. The classic childhood favourite food pair goes well while also supplying your body with high nutrition.

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8. GARLIC AND ONIONS WITH WILD RICE Increase the bioavailability of the iron and zinc from grains by adding onions and garlic to it. So as a suggestion, you might want to try having cooked wild rice with garlic and onions.

9. TOFU AND BELL PEPPERS Aside from meat, tofu is also an excellent source of iron, about 6.6 milligrams per one-half cup. To increase the nutrients to get from this staple tofu food, you might want to pair it with bell peppers, which contain a higher level of Vitamin C than citrus fruits like oranges do. Tofu can also be substituted with beans, as another great protein source.

10. AVOCADOS AND SPINACH Improve eye health by pairing up these two superfoods! Spinach packs lutein, which is good for the eyes, while avocado with healthy fats. Together, they work to improve vision and could prevent blindness. Let food help you avoid impaired vision by adding avocados and spinach into your diet.

Avocado is rich in fibre, which accounts for most of its carbohydrate content. Just half of it can supply your body with 4.5 grams of fibre, which is one of its main health benefits. This fruit is a great appetite regulator and can feed the gut’s friendly bacteria, too. With enough supply of fibre in your body, you can also lower your risk of many diseases.

There you have the perfect food pairs that you might want to consider adding in your diet for a happier and healthier life!

After all, food choices affect your emotions and can lift your mood too; the bottom line is that choosing food wisely can help boost your immune system and health as well as make you feel and look good.

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FOOD FIVE MUST-TRY JAMAICAN RECIPES Jamaica is not only known for being the birthplace of reggae music, its beautiful beaches, or producing the fastest athletes on the planet; food is also a big hit on the Caribbean island.

Jamaican food is influenced by different people who live on their land. Most of their cuisine is changed based on the availability of ingredients in the area. Needless to say, Jamaica is blessed with amazing culture, people and food.

Are you looking for Jamaican recipe ideas?

Whether you’re a Jamaican or not, you might be interested to know what recipes are a mark of Jamaica. The national dish in the country is saltfish and ackee, but there are a lot more delectable dishes that many may not know. Find out the five popular Jamaican recipes that you should try at home.

1. JERK CHICKEN For its smoky flavour and spiciness, jerk chicken is loved by most Jamaicans and those who visit the island. Many think that this unique characteristic is due to the secret seasoning ingredients. Pimento berries, scotch bonnet pepper, ginger, thyme and onion, are a staple in this dish, but for best results, you might want to marinate the meat evenly and for a longer time to let the meat absorb all the flavours.

The hours of marinating the meat will bring out the fine flavours of this delicious dish. Then, you slow cook jerk chicken on the grill. But if you don’t have pimento wood, you can also cook jerk chicken in the oven or on a grill.

Don’t forget the jerk sauce, though.

If you love Jamaican food, you should try cooking this marinade recipe at home. For sure, even your kids will love the fresh but spicy flavour. All the ingredients and spices create a well-balanced and incredible dish. Are 68

you planning for a party this weekend? Add jerk chicken on your list!

However, you might be asking, “Can I use boneless chicken?” Yes, you can use boneless chicken breast, but make sure that you don’t marinate for more than six hours. On the other hand, some people also use chicken thighs for roasting or grilling. You can marinate the chicken thigh meat for up to 12 hours.

For the locals, they pair it with rice and peas or festivals for that fine Caribbean meal. Feel inspired in this video for a homemade jerk chicken recipe.

2.

ACKEE AND SALTFISH

Feel Jamaica wherever you are! Add this dish to the menu if you’re having some Jamaican guests this weekend. Try it with flour dumpling, yam, fried plantains, boiled green bananas and steamed cabbage.

This easy and sumptuous dish is simple! It’s been gaining fans from around the world. It is the country’s national dish that you might want to try. And if you’re a Jamaican, the more that you need to know how to make it.

When you start cooking, you boil the ackee and saltfish separately. Once done boiling, you debone, flake and sauté the saltfish in scallion, onions, black pepper and thyme.

Afterwards, you can combine it with ackee to make a lovely and delicious dish.

In case you don’t know yet, ackee is a fruit that abounds in Jamaica and other warm climates. As it ripens, it turns bright red to yellow-orange before splitting open and revealing three black seeds. They are surrounded by soft and white/ yellow flesh. Today, canned ackee is one of the country’s major exports.

To prepare it, salted fish is sautéed in the boiled onions, peppers, spices, tomatoes and ackee. Typically, this dish is served as a breakfast or dinner with hard dough bread, too.

You can also have it with plain rice or rice and peas. Here is a video for recipe inspiration.

3. JAMAICAN PATTIES The traditional patties are filled with beef. However, you can also choose other meat, including lamb or chicken.

You can also use lobster, shrimp, ackee, cheese, mixed veggies, soy, fish and other choice ingredients.

are many versions of this recipe. You can prepare them with veggies, meats or any kind of fillings that your heart desires. You can serve miniature patties for an appetiser.

If you’re making the cocktail size, you must cut the dough only in three-inch circles.

The patty is baked inside a delicious and flaky shell, and its finished product is golden yellow due to the mixture of turmeric or egg yolk.

You can serve these patties for a snack or lunch. The spiced meat is a favourite among most Jamaican. In fact, you can find them in every corner of the country. The locals usually have it along with a box drink or soda. Check out this video for an inspiration on Jamaican Beef Patties

You can also keep some uncooked patties in the fridge, and bake them for a quick snack at any time of day. There

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4. CURRY GOAT This dish is special. It is often made and served at celebrations and parties. It is a must-have Jamaican recipe that you should know how to cook. The dish is flavourful and tender, and some people also find it more sumptuous than other stews that they have tried.

The curry dishes in Jamaica were brought by the Indians. They were brought to the island to work on the plantations. Over the generations, they have intermarried

with the other races Jamaican. Today, the IndianJamaican community still exists, influencing many Jamaican cuisines and dishes like curry goat.

If you live in communities having ethnic populations, you might be able to find goat meat in the market.

However, you might have to go to a butcher to buy goat meat in other places. Check out this video for a curry goat recipe to try at home.

5. STEW PEAS AND RICE Even if it is hot in Jamaica, people here are in love with soups and stews. Stew peas and rice is a favourite combination among the locals. This recipe is a Jamaican favourite; a comfort food that is quick and easy to prepare for the whole family. They use smoked turkey or salted beef.

Salted beef makes the dish salty; however, make sure to remove some of the salt in the beef by soaking it overnight. This dish also works very well without meat. Here is a video for inspiration on how to make this hearty soup.

These Jamaican recipes are easy to prepare and delicious. Don’t miss any of them when planning for a weekend party or a get-together. These five dishes will add life to any meal or celebration and are a mark of true Jamaican cuisine. Try them today!

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FITNESS

INCREASE YOUR METABOLISM NATURALLY Many of us have wondered how to increase our metabolism to help us live a healthier life and gain more energy. There are many ways to do so, but it is extremely important to do it in a natural way to prevent consequences in our health.

Everything good comes with a price, and it’s the same with our health and metabolism. For us to gain more energy, stay healthy and increase our metabolism, we have to do certain things that are not easy. However, once we start eating healthy and working on those things, everything else will come naturally and rather easily. The hardest part is to start and stay focused on your goal. There are multiple ways to increase your metabolism, but only a couple of them come naturally to our bodies.

WHAT IS METABOLISM ANYWAY, AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT? Let’s start off by explaining what metabolism represents to us. Metabolism is often referred to as chemical reactions that keep us alive. However, it is also connected to the calories we burn. The main work of metabolism is to convert food to energy. It is the building blocks of proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and carbohydrates. It also helps remove nitrogenous wastes in our body. Those metabolic reactions are often divided into two categories: • Catabolic • Anabolic The main difference between those two reactions is that catabolic reactions usually release energy and anabolic reactions consume energy. The actual metabolic rate is equal to the number of calories we burn. There are plenty of advantages to having a high metabolism, and we will try and explain some of them.

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PROS OF HAVING A HIGH METABOLISM There are a lot of advantages that people with high metabolism have compared to others. That is why most people are trying to increase their metabolism. However, some of them succeed; some of them don’t.

Later, we will cover the best ways to increase your metabolism naturally, but let me tell you first WHY you should do it. One of the things most people lack nowadays is energy. You come home from work, and you are not able to do anything else. While waiting for the weekend to do something useful or something nice for yourself, you often don’t have the time to think about your productivity.

One of the best things with people with higher metabolism is that they have tons of energy. They can come home from work and still have the time for themselves and do some chores. Not only do they have much more energy, but they

• HAVE ENOUGH CALORIE INTAKE Some may think that in order to lose weight you have to decrease the number of calories you take every day.

However, that is far from the truth. For your metabolism to work well and to produce enough energy, you have to intake enough calories.

• REGULAR MEALS Like everything in life, our metabolism also requires balance. When you do not eat regularly, your body takes starvation as a signal to preserve energy by burning calories slowly, and that is why your metabolism is slowing down as well.

• COLD WATER Cold water actually increases your metabolic rate when you drink it.

Why? Because your body spends more calories on heating up the water in order to have the same temperature and your metabolism also tends to speed up.

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also feel a lot better. The other advantage of having a high metabolism is that you can reduce weight more easily and keep it off with no effort at all. What’s the catch, you may ask yourself? In the next chapter, we will introduce to you ways to increase your metabolism in the most natural way possible.

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR METABOLISM There are multiple ways to do so, but it’s important to keep in mind that all you do should be natural for your body.

First of all, let’s explain which are the factors that have the most impact on our metabolism. The factor that we have no control over surely are genetics, age, and sex, but there are some factors that we can control. Those are body fat, muscle mass and the most important one – activity level.

Metabolism is all about processing calories and we can teach our body how to do that faster.

• EXERCISING Undeniably the least liked the way of increasing your metabolism, but unavoidable one is exercising. It has a strong impact on your metabolism and even after you have finished working out your metabolism is still racing up.

• GREEN TEA If you could manage to have green tea on your routine list, then it will help increase your metabolism, and it will be another way to stay healthy.

It’s way better than to drink juices that are full of sugar.

There are plenty of ways to increase your metabolic rate; we have named some of them.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that you should do it in a natural way without any artificial substances that can do more harm than good.

Boosting metabolism can have a great effect on your wellbeing, and after some time, you will start to feel much better and have much more energy.

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TRAVEL

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TRAVEL TO ZANZIBAR WITH MONIQUE SPEARMAN It is no secret how much I love Zanzibar, Tanzania! The pristine beaches, fresh seafood, African Arabian culture and friendly people have stolen my heart since the first time I visited in December 2016. Zanzibar holds a special place in my heart because it's one of the few hidden islands on the eastern part of the African continent that will give you the most bang for your buck. This city has something to offer anyone looking for a good time. It doesn't matter if you're a solo traveller looking to meet new friends, the couple yearning for a peaceful getaway, the family with kids who want to explore a new culture or a large group ready for adventure, this is the destination for you!

Here are six (6) reasons why Zanzibar, Tanzania needs to be your next destination:

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1. STONE TOWN Stone Town is the cultural heart of Zanzibar. A city of prominent historical and artistic importance in East Africa, Zanzibar’s architecture, mostly dating back to the 19th century, reflects the diverse influences of the Swahili culture. The city dons a unique mixture of Arab, Persian, Indian and European elements that stand out almost immediately the moment you step foot in Stone Town. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, the heart of Stone Town mostly consists of a maze of narrow alleys lined by houses, shops, bazaars and mosques.

Since most streets are too narrow for cars, the town is crowded with bicycles, motorbikes and relatively easy to navigate by foot. The seafront has wider streets and larger, more regularly placed buildings from neat, sustainable fashion boutiques, to the loud, chaotic market on Creek Street.

2. THE CUISINE It’s no surprise that Zanzibar has very flavorful food.

Known for its spice trade, Zanzibar was once one of the world’s leading producers of spices like clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, and vanilla. These iconic spices have made their mark on Zanzibar’s cuisine, giving it a unique

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taste you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

The island’s mouthwatering dishes include, fresh seafood, fresh fruit, curries, tender mutton, Indian biryani, Middle Eastern style grilled meat and more.

One of the most budget-friendly ways to really experience Zanzibar food and culture is to visit Forodhani Gardens night market. There’s an array of food to choose from like Zanzibar pizza (must try), fresh sugar cane juice, seafood kebabs, grilled meat, fried potatoes, chapatis and salads.

If you’re looking for a more upscale way to experience Zanzibar cuisine, I recommend a visit to the Rooftop Tea House Restaurant at Emerson Spice or Emerson on Hurumzi. Both restaurants offer seafood-based, five-course set- ‘Taste Safari’ degustation menu, prepared daily by Zanzibari Chefs. The Tea House at Emerson Spice has a smaller, more intimate rooftop feel while Emerson on Hurumzi has Swahili style seating on thick Persian Rugs with low tables. Both restaurants are very popular, so call ahead to make reservations. Dinner is typically served promptly at 7 pm, but make sure you get there at around 6 pm to watch the sunset with a cocktail. The rooftop view is unforgettable!

3. THE BEACHES Not only is Zanzibar known for Stone Town and its culture, but it’s also known for its gorgeous beaches.

There are several different beaches to choose from in Zanzibar but my favourite beach to visit is Nungwi.

Situated on the North Coast of the Island, Nungwi has pristine clear water and stunning white sands for miles on end. This is the perfect place to have your lazy days to sunbathe, read a book and indulge in fresh seafood. I highly recommend visiting Nungwi or hopping to other beaches in Zanzibar for at least a couple of days.

4. THE SHOPPING If you love shopping as much as I do, you will love Zanzibar. Stone Town is shopping heaven with loads of goods such as jewellery, bags, accessories, clothes, local crafts and much more. Zanzibar has something for everyone! One of my favourite things to do in Stone Town is to explore the alleyways. You can admire the gorgeous architecture and culture while you shop till you drop. It’s great to have a guided walking tour of Stone Town or explore alone; either way, you will truly enjoy the hustle and bustle of the streets while you shop.

Stone Town has plenty to offer to the shopaholic, look

out for brightly-coloured kanga and kikois (traditional wrap-around clothing), silver and tanzanite jewellery, handmade leather bags, sandals and shoes, an endless range of woven baskets, wooden carvings, throws, wall hangings, rugs, antiques and ornaments of all shapes and sizes. There are plenty of keepsake souvenirs to bring home.

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5. THE ACCOMMODATIONS Finding accommodation in Zanzibar to suit all your needs and wants is no problem. There are lots of guesthouses, self-catering apartments, luxurious hotels and resorts, campsite retreat and beach rentals for every choice and price point.

Those people who are looking for a more luxurious experience will like Emerson Spice and Emerson Humurzi. These sister hotels are one of the popular places to stay and obviously the perfect aesthetic to get the best Instagram/blog photos.

Both hotels are centred in the heart of Stone Town and are only a 5-minute walk from each other. These sister hotels were founded by the late Emerson Skeens, who converted and restored traditional Zanzibari merchant’s homes into two boutique hotels. Both hotels were designed with every single detail in mind, from the colour-washed walls, the locally produced soaps and towels, to the refreshing local hibiscus juice you receive at check-in. You can choose from a variety of rooms that are filled with rich textiles, vibrant colours and antique furniture. Every single room is a work of art in its own unique way.

I recommend Al Minar in Stone Town if you’re looking for a more budgetfriendly hotel. Al Minar is the first hotel I stayed in on my solo trip to Zanzibar in 2016; this hidden gem is extremely cheap and clean with excellent customer service! During my stay, I enjoyed lounging on the antique furniture in the spacious rooms, while listening to the winter rains. Right in the centre of Stone Town, I was able to explore the alleyways and Forodhani Gardens within minutes.

Al Minar is definitely one of the places in Zanzibar you will get the best value for your money!

If you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Stone Town, Baladin is the place to be! Baladin beach hotel and restaurant is a boutique hotel resort surrounded by turquoise tropical waters, 78

palm trees and a white sandy shoreline. The hotel is located in Pingwe on the South-Eastern part of the island. Baladin resort has 8 spacious, two-story bungalows each with a traditional makuti palmed roof. On the top level there is a bed with a view out to the tropical sea. On the ground floor there are 2 single beds and an open-air bathroom where you can enjoy the luxury of a tropical open-air shower with the comfort of privacy.

Each bungalow also has its own terrace with a view to the sea. Although this hotel isn’t situated on the most gorgeous beach in Zanzibar, I truly enjoyed my stay here and felt extremely refreshed and relaxed.

6. VARIETY OF THINGS TO DO Zanzibar has a variety of things to do for the solo traveller, couple or family. You can get lost in the maze of streets in Stone Town or jump in the middle of the Indian Ocean and swim. Take a day trip to Chumbe Island or Prison Island to explore. Prison Island is the home to over a hundred gigantic tortoises that you can interact closely with, while Chumbe Island is a small private island known for its ecological innovation and exceptional coral reefs. You can visit the former slave market and learn about its very sobering history. Go to one of the gorgeous beaches and take a Dhow boat cruise out to snorkel or simply relax at your resort and fellowship with travellers from all around the world.

extremely safe with him. Travel with common sense and precautions.

Since this is a predominantly Muslim country, women may want to keep their shoulders and legs covered when they’re not on the beach. Like travelling to any country, you want to be respectful of the cultural norms and practices. You do not want to draw unwanted attention to yourself.

The perfect time to visit Zanzibar is in the months June to October or December to February. The weather is best during those months with minimal rain.

MY FINAL TIPS AND THOUGHTS The main language in Zanzibar is Swahili. However, English is the second language and widely spoken.

The local currency is Tanzanian Shilling. As with most African cities, they always carry cash. USD and Euro are widely accepted as well as the local currency.

When buying anything in the market, always haggle and negotiate, never accept the first price given to you.

Zanzibar is safe for solo travel as a woman, but I personally wouldn’t wander the streets at night, alone. It’s very easy to get lost. My guide took me around at night, and I felt 79

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About the author MONIQUE L. SPEARMAN is a freelance multi-faceted, writer, curator and creator. Blending a passion for content creating, social media marketing, photography and travel, Monique created her blog website RaineyAmore.com in the spring of 2017 as a hobby. Raineyamore.com is a lifestyle, fashion, beauty and travel brand that encourages men and women from around the world to live their best lives, out-loud. Inspired by the aesthetics of different cultures, Monique wants to show the world, "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it!"

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THINGS PEOPLE SAY DIFFERENTLY AROUND THE WORLD “The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people.”

-Unknown The world is the stage in which all partake in the beautiful experience of existing. On this steady-swift journey, many are fortunate to taste and see the vivacity of various cultures across the globe. Language is a cultural aspect that truly speaks for itself, and unique or alternative vocabularies is a fascinating subject to delve on.

Without further ado, here are words that are meant differently around the world.

1. ‘ROBOT’ AND ‘TRAFFIC LIGHT’ What is thought of as a machine built to carry out complex tasks and sometimes suggested to be an intelligent mechanical being is, in fact, the equivalent of the word ‘traffic light’ in South Africa.

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2. ‘GARAGE’ AND ‘PETROL STATION’ A garage predominantly known for housing vehicles is also known as a petrol station where vehicles are repaired and receive fuel.

3. ‘ICE CREAM SPRINKLES’ AND ‘HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS’ These sweet bits of joy have a more affluent alias according to British English; so when necessary one shouldn’t ask for sprinkles on their ice cream, it’s best to request for hundreds and thousands.

4. ‘CILANTRO’ AND ‘CORIANDER’ This aromatic plant is so favoured that it has been adorned with two names that one can be identified in many recipes.

5. ‘TOMATO SAUCE’ AND ‘KETCHUP’ The ultimate border between British and American English, equally adorned across the world.

6. ‘DUMMY’ AND ‘PACIFIER’ Due to its modern connotation, it only makes sense that dummy isn’t as popular as its counterpart, the pacifier.

7. ‘GARBAGE’ AND ‘TRASH’ For some odd reason, either word gives rubbish a different intention. Garbage rings more wholesome than its belligerent equivalent.

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8. ‘BISCUITS’ AND ‘COOKIES’ The renowned flat baked good is referred to as a cookie in the USA and a biscuit in the UK. However, in the USA, a biscuit is a different type of baked goods falling under the family of scones.

9. ‘CRISPS’ AND ‘CHIPS’ In British English, crisps are normally associated with the store-bought, sealed and packet kind, but in the USA they refer to as chips.

10. ‘SWEETS’ AND ‘CANDY’ Instead of the collective ‘sweets’ the broader term ‘candy’ is used mainly by English-speaking Americans.

11. ’BONNET’ AND ‘HOOD’ The equivalent of a hood is a word also used to describe the front of a car holding the engine; the bonnet.

12.

‘GLOVE COMPARTMENT’ AND ‘CUBBYHOLE’ The compartment recessed in a vehicle’s dashboard is known as a cubbyhole in some parts of the world.

13. ‘BOOT’ AND ‘TRUNK’ A trunk doesn’t refer to an elephant snout alone; it also describes a storage compartment located at the back of a vehicle, also known as the boot in some parts of the world.

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14. ‘GAS’ AND ‘PETROL’ When referring to gas, one must look beyond formless matter, for it is another world for petrol used mostly by American English-speakers.

15. ‘FRINGE’ AND ‘BANGS’ Forelocks are popularly described as either word; fringe and/or bangs.

16. ‘FLAT’ AND ‘APARTMENT’ This modest living space can also be referred to by its physical appearance; flat. The world flat is mainly used in Britain.

17. ‘HIGHWAY’ AND ‘MOTORWAY’ A highway is referred to as the less euphoric; motorway in Western European countries.

18. ‘VILLA’ AND ‘HOUSE’ In many middle-class streets outside of the UK, villas are spoken of taking the place of the word house.

19. ‘BAKKIE’ AND ‘VAN’ A bakkie is a South African spin on the modern pick-up truck/van.

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20. ‘TAKKIES’, ‘TRAINERS’ AND SNEAKERS A rule of thumb with athletic footwear in South Africa; they speak of takkies the equivalent of trainers in the UK and sneakers in the Englishspeaking Americas.

21. ‘BROIL’ AND ‘GRILL’ To broil is to grill, simply; to cook by direct heat.

22. ‘CHUTES AND LADDERS’ AND ‘SNAKES AND LADDERS’ The game of Indian origin is referred to as chutes and ladders by American Englishspeakers.

23. ‘FLANNEL’ AND ‘FACECLOTH’ When in West Europe flannels aren’t apparel; they are used on the face - the equivalent of a facecloth.

24. ‘BRACES’ AND ‘SUSPENDERS’ This iconic fashion accessory is known as braces in some parts of the world and suspenders in other parts.

This list could carry on because human beings are creative; striving to give meaning to words whilst simultaneously coining new meanings. Hence, why the world is such a vivid depth, always being filled but never full.

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FOR THE CULTURE THE REINVENTED CHRONICLES WITH YVONNE C MTENGWA 87

10 “MUST-KNOWS” FOR DEVELOPING BRAND “YOU” I’ve been in the final stages of editing an anthological project that myself and a group of 13 ladies across five different countries have been working on since the end of last year. As we challenged each other to dig deep during the process of writing our stories, what became apparent to me was the inherent desire that each of us carried to better define who we were and what we stood for. How do we separate who we are from what we do? Was there even a need to do this? What did we want to be known for and what legacy did we want to leave behind for the generations after us. How is this all presented to the world outside our walls?

My interest in personal branding peaked just from watching the evolution of some of the personalities that inspire me. Whether it was Oprah, Michelle Obama, the high-powered woman at the office we called “the boss” every day or the entrepreneurial big-shot that appears in local newspapers back home on the daily, there was a lot to be said about how they have positioned themselves within the ecosystems they operate.

How others have grown to view them and their exploits over the years in which they’ve been public-facing is a huge contributor to their brand equity. I mean let’s face it, very few people want to associate themselves with something or someone that is classically messy, right? As I help aspiring entrepreneurs develop their own brands, I’ve come to appreciate certain elements that birth a personal brand to be proud of. And so if you are ready to embark

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on the process of building your personal brand, take heed of the following: 1. AUTHENTICITY IS THE NEW PERFECTION. Simply put, be who you say you are and be unapologetic about it. In the world that coaxes us to portray perfection, it’s the individuals that speak their strengths and weaknesses truthfully that connect to their audiences. So what if you are having a bad day or the barber botched your haircut!?

It’s talking about the good and the bad that makes us all human–and these are the stories we all love.

2. OWN YOUR STORY. Your story is yours and that’s what makes you so special. That is your differentiator.

Building a personal brand is about connecting people to the essence of who you are, and that comes in part through being able to speak our truth confidently. That story of Bill Gates starting his business from his garage or yours with $100 in savings – that’s the real hook! Share that! There’s something to be said about living on the other side of some real struggle. We all start at the bottom before we make our way up the ladders of success.

3.

OPERATE IN YOUR GIFT. I love writing and building brands through storytelling and have been fortunate to now make a living from that. I am old enough to now know what works for me and what doesn’t. In short, you will not find me trying to open a restaurant if I have to run it day in and out.

Develop that which you are passionate about and focus on that. As you excel in your gift, people will begin to notice.

4. GET ON YOUR MARKETING 101 GRIND. You may not know how to do a lot of things, but marketing shouldn’t be one of them. In fact – if you are looking to create and grow a personal brand – get on Udemy or Coursera and take basic courses so you aren’t clueless when folks ask you about your marketing, communications or social media strategy. There are tons of free resources out there to help you with ideas of how to promote yourself and what you do.

Knowing a little marketing will help you keep a good deal of your promotional costs low.

5. LET YOUR PERSONALITY SHINE. You want people to enjoy you as much as you hope they will enjoy connecting or collaborating with you. No one enjoys a grump. Lighten up a little bit as your delivery will go a long way with growing your followership.

6. CONTENT IS KING AND CONSISTENCY IS KEY. The quality of your content and the consistency by which you publish will help set the tone of your messaging. You want people to after a little while, come to appreciate who you are and what you are really about. If you don’t share anything about yourself, no one will know, and if they don’t know who you are, where’s the buy-in?

7. DON’T COMPROMISE FOR “LIKES”. Be clear about what you stand for. Unless it’s an attempt at a bad PR stunt and there is real reasoning for the madness, you should never find yourself in spaces that contradict the essence of who you are and what you stand for. Let’s organise ourselves, please. The threat of smartphones and lurking cameras is real, and once sharing takes place, it can very well be the end of you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

8. FOCUS ON YOUR INTERESTS. Much like point No. 3, true winners focus on what they excel in and the areas that invoke real interest in them. You will not catch me talking about space because I can’t be asked about the solar system, asteroid, rocket launches and so on. Similarly for you, your best shot a success will come if your platform for engagement is tied to your interests.

9. CONNECT TO COLLABORATE. I credit a good bit of my growth over the years to my desire to connect with like minds and individuals with similar interests. Pursuing opportunities to collaborate is a great way to tap into new audiences. Brands need people. People need brands.

Collaborations work wonders in showcasing the people behind the brand.

10. HAVE FUN. I’ve had some of my most enjoyable moments creatively as I worked on my brands. From writing articles and blogs to designing visual assets for a social media campaign, I like to look at it as having fun as opposed to “doing work”. It’s your brand so you enjoy the great privilege of going wild within reason. Have fun!

Yvonne Chiedza Mtengwa is the author of “Reinvented: Challenging insecurity to live authentically through faith”, a book encouraging women to confront their issues with relationships, insecurities and self-fulfilling prophesies, in an effort to truly discover who they were created to be. It’s available for download on https://payhip.com/b/Oi7Y#!

She is also a co-author of Amazon Bestseller “Dear Fear Volume 2: 18 Powerful Lessons on Living your best life on the other side

of Fear”- a compilation of short stories by American visionary author Tiana Patrice.

Passionate about travelling, writing about and experiencing leisure and lifestyle brands, Yvonne is a marketing and communications strategist, is the Cofounder of www.Quintessentialf.com, a Christian lifestyle movement for women, and also runs www.yournarratives.com, a boutique communications agency specialising in entrepreneurial design and shaping the narrative of women-led lifestyle and social development brands.

Check her out on IG on @quintessentially_yvonne or visit and subscribe to her website on www.ReinventedToday.com for more tips on everyday reinvention.

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INVESTING YOUR PRESENT: GET UP AND LIVE YOUR PASSION

BY JEROME DOUGLAS

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Globalisation is defined by people who have different cultures, races and insights—people living and interacting with one another. That’s why people are more prone to feel isolated and underappreciated.

However, it still depends on the perception of an individual on how this situation will affect their lives.

Most people are focused on earning money and taking care of their financial needs that they tend to forget about their personal goals and cultural values.

People are more concerned about how another person will judge them, which is causing for most of us to rob their own dreams and desires.

Dreams become a reality with courage and strength.

Being afraid will not get you anywhere. When a man loses the fight, he loses not because of being unable to achieve success; he loses because he did not believe in his strengths, ability and passion.

We are the ones responsible for our own success.

Some will choose to stand up after thousands of failures, some will accept the failure after the first attempt, but again, it depends on us how we will perceive the challenges in life and how we are going

to cope with it. So how are we going to live our life with passion while fighting our own battles?

First, let us not be afraid to express what we enjoy doing, especially when you find some people that are not agreeing with your actions and decisions. For example, a person who does not want to be a doctor becomes one; it is considered as a “professional death sentence”. The end goal is to combine your passion into your hobby so that you will never find yourself exhausted from everyday’s work.

When your passion is blended with the career path you have chosen, you will not faze about doing long hours of work; hence your social, cultural and spiritual lifestyle will not be affected. Once you really enjoy what you do, nothing will stop you from getting your work done. You will feel unstoppable, and nothing can prevent you from achieving success. Passion will help you for the betterment of your professional life, and it will also help lessen the hardships you will encounter. Since you’re happy with what you do, you will be more creative and flexible to think of more accurate solutions.

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Second, invest in your passion for leading a more stress free and wholesome life. Mental and physical health these days are being set aside because people are more focused on grabbing any opportunities, not their own passion. Investing in your passion means you are willing to take risks.

If a woman believes that she can be the best aircraft engineer in the world, she must be ready for the challenges since this is being considered by most

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people as generally a male occupation. She needs to believe in herself so that other people will believe in her capabilities as well.

Life is a continuing process; results mean nothing if you don’t value experiences. It is said that “practice makes perfect”, but I believe that “perfect practice provides a perfect performance.” You are what you invest in, with that, invest in your passion.

Third, investing in your passion easily quenches your thirst for money. When you’re living your passion, you will realise that being financially stable is not your priority, because you’re happy and content even if you’re doing your daily work. Your job becomes a walk in the park, obstacles are easily solved, since there are no hindrances that will destroy your positivity and made up mind. People who are unhappy with their career path usually regret everything in the end. You only live once, so don’t waste your time doing things you don’t like or doing something just because of financial gain; trust me, you will regret it.

JEROME DOUGLAS

A popular reggae artist, said in a hit song, “raise to the occasion, look at yourself and say you are strong; no one can stop you. It is for you to do the best thing in your life, know that you got the chance.” This artist is giving us a message that the best thing for us is within our lives, but we need to choose to achieve it.

Investing in your passion needs to be your core value.

Don’t let other people influence you in a negative way. You must seek advice, but you need to assess if it will be helpful for you or not. Creating a positive mindset gives you great results. It really depends on you to get up and live your passion.

Finally, remember to dream big, but do not stay asleep. Wake up and stand up to make your dream and passion your reality. Never take no for an answer; if a door closes, that means another chance has opened. Get up and be strong; appreciate your flaws, take them as pieces of chance. Embrace change and never take them as a hindrance. Be a forward thinker and be proactive so that you will expect what will go wrong . Learn to mix your passion for life and work.

Always remember that when investing in your passion, it is always a long process and journey, but in the end, your happiness and contentment in life are secured.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jerome Douglas is a 27-year old 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.

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BOOK REVIEW:

YOU ARE A BADASS

BY JEN SINCERO This book with quite a scandalous name is written by Jen Sincero.

It is a short read which was published in 2013. The book seems to have made a comeback because of its subject. You are a Badass is all about self-help, a technique that is appearing all over social media these days.

Jen Sincero is a New York Times bestselling author and a career, life and success coach. Personal development or self-help is a very healthy practice for one’s growth and she talks about this in the book.

You are a Badass is a collection of short narrative stories from the author’s life, which she shares so the readers can also use the information to help themselves in life. The book is about how she learnt from her struggles and indecisiveness, and tips and tricks for you to not make the same misjudgments. Let us see what this book has in store for us.

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“If you want to live a life you’ve never lived, you have to do things you’ve never done.”

At the start of the book, Jen Sincero tells us to buckle up, and be bold. If you want to experience a changed life, we need to do new things and try new ways. She believes we are all a part of a higher connection: that we are energy moving along in the universe. We need to understand that like attracts like. To tap into the vibration you desire, you need to raise your vibration to the same level.

Some hard facts of life that Sincero highlights in the book are: • Everybody makes mistakes in their lives, and you are not special for doing it.

• To make a change, you don’t have to hit rock bottom. Just decide to make a change.

• To kick ass, you have to lift your foot off the ground.

• Never apologise for being you. Respect yourself.

What I liked about this book was that Sincero makes us face some harsh realities. “We always have more time than we think we have. For example, someone may say they don’t have time to clean their office, but they have the time to waste looking for something lost in that office”, she says. This rings true for most of us. All we need is some motivation and value for the job at hand to make time for it.

In the next half, the book talks about important lessons. The first one is to learn to love and forgive yourself much and to stop caring about what people think.

The author rightly goes on to say, “Most answers reveal themselves through doing, not thinking.”

But mindful thinking or meditation, of course, is important to be more present and learn to hear our inner voices.

Many of us struggle to make decisions on important matters. Sincero encourages us to be strongheaded in decision-making. She advises us against taking too long to come to a decision because even if you fail, that is completely OK. The questions you should ask yourself when making a decision are:

• Who you surround yourself with matters a lot, so ignore the negative people in your life.

Is this something I want?

• Your thoughts and beliefs will dictate your reality. If you don’t like your reality, change your thoughts and beliefs.

Is this going to hurt someone in the process?

• Sometimes it is better to be happy and wrong than be right and miserable.

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It’s OK to want nice things in life.

• If you quit, you fail. As long as you keep going, you will make progress.

• Procrastination is a form of self-sabotage.

People either find a way or find an excuse.

Is this taking me in the direction that I want to go?

Towards the end, You are a Badass talks about how it is not wrong to go after money. It recommends making a detailed plan of how much money you want to earn and making a move towards it.

Jen Sincero is a straight shooter and has a great way with words. She gives several pull-out quotes that visually stand out so you can focus on them. There are numbered to-do lists in every section, which makes it easier to know for sure what the author wants us to do. You are a Badass wants you to take big risks without the sugarcoat!

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