Bahrain Confidential September 2011

Online edition at www.FashionArabia.net

Guide to Arabian life, luxury and fashion!

105 Issue

Dialogues

Finished!

Dr. Esam Fakhro, on what happens now

Fun

Want To Have In Bahrain?

Parties, events and much more inside

Want To

Succeed In Business?

CEO, Kurt Zdesar shares his tips BAHRAIN BD2 KSA SR20 KUWAIT KD2 OMAN RO2 QATAR QR20 UAE DHS20

Contents

26

September 2011 • Issue 105

Competitions 39 53

‘Face Your Fear’ Competition Dine and Win with the Mövenpick’s Thai Food Festival

People 44 48 50 52 106

Dessa Lidman: Leading the Way InJAz Bahrain Salim Kalsekar: Making ‘Scents’ of it All The Socialite Diaries Business in Brief

Travel 32 82 87

Gulf Air Flies to More Destinations This Winter The Wild Side of Ethiopia Luxury Living with Omani Hospitality

Opinion 88

Industrial Waste Management - Rehan Ahmed

Fashion and Shopping 22 54 56 57 64 70 80

Sheer Luxury A Gal’s Got to Shop Don’t Forget the Kids Big, Bold and Beautiful - Passion Handmade Jewellery Urban Life Fashion Shoot 007: The Male Fashion Show at Barcode Flamboyant Furniture

Beauty, Health & Well Being 38 76 78

Face Your Fear: Kelly Armatage Ask the Doctor with Dr Dean Cunha Gomes Health Updates

Juicy Pickings 6 8 12 16 30 89 112 128

Editor’s Letter Readers’ Letters Not to be Missed!

New in Town New in the Market Society Looking for a Home!

Horoscopes

Cars 108 110

Outstandingly Agile Born in the USA - Dodge Challenger SRT8 392

Staying In and Going Out 115 117

Thai Cuisine and Cultural Festival - Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain Cooking with Culture

Essential Listings

120

Recommended Restaurants, Nightspots, Essential Info, Beauty, Spots, Sports and Fitness, Clubs and Associations

A World Imagined and Real: British School Students

40 84 Kurt Zdesar: Restaurateur Extraordinaire

Introducing the Celebrity Silhouette

Find us on

Summer Rates Extended!

Create unrivalled memories this month by continuing to enjoy the Royal Golf Club’s special summer green fee rates, extended due to popular demand right through to 30th September 2011.

Experience 9 holes on the Wee Monty for just BD 10 or a full 18 holes on the Montgomerie championship course for only BD 35. There’s something to suit everyone including special junior rates and heavily discounted twilight rates and night golf rates too.

Tee off on a Sunday morning between 9am and midday and pay just BD 20 for 18 holes or, if you want to take advantage of the cooler evening temperatures, join us any Monday evening for our highly popular night golf competitions and pay BD 20 for 9 holes - there are some great prizes up for grabs!

To book your tee time or to sign up for the evening competitions, visit our website or call 17 750777.

The Royal Golf Club website is available to you 24/7 all year round. Keep up to date with everything going on at the Club, view our latest offers and news, reserve a table in any of our restaurants or book your next tee time. www.theroyalgolfclub.com

EditL rabia.net

at www.FashionA

Online edition

Dear Readers,

hion! ury and fas abian life, lux Guide to Ar

Dialoghueeds!

105

Finis

Issue

hro, on Dr. Esam Fak now what happens

e Want To Hav ain? hr In Ba h more inside

Fun

muc Parties, events and

Want To SInuBcucsieneses?d

Cover Credits: Photography - Gabriella Di Muro Model - Katya Kovtunovich

tips esar shares his CEO, Kurt Zd BAHRAIN BD

2 KSA SR20 KUWAIT

KD2 OMAN

RO2 QATAR

QR20 UAE DHS20

Publishers: Editor in Chief: Editorial: Layout:

Nicholas & Rebecca Cooksey Rebecca Cooksey Karina Lazarraga Noel De Juan, Dhanraj S.

Contributors

Administration

Layla Crocker Dr. Mohd. Al Rasheed Rehan Ahmed Caroline Oversier Mikana G Zahra Zuhair

Proofreader

Karina Lazarraga

Redia Castillo Nikesh Pola

Photographer Armand Hough Shareef Panhatt Sales Account Manager Basel Qabouq Sherif Zeen Jehan Mohamed

Distribution Distribution Executive Mohammed Yousif Muhammed Shareef P. Regional Sales-Point Distribution Bahrain: Jashanmals, Tel. +973 1722 5998

UAE: Jashanmals, Tel. +971 4341 9757

Online edition at www.FashionArabia.net

For Advertising Opportunities: Tel. +973 1782 2368 Email: sales@ArabianMagazines.com Published by:

A Division of C.G. Arabia W.L.L. P.O. Box 26810, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. Tel. +973 1782 2388, Fax. +973 1772 1722 Email: info@ArabianMagazines.com Website: www.ArabianMagazines.com Ministry of Information approval no. ISDN 99901-01-17-5 © Copyright 2008, C.G. Arabia W.L.L. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Printed at Dar Akhbar Al Khaleej, Bahrain.

Bahrain Confidential is a member of BPA Worldwide

For the past nine years Mohammed Al Rasheed has been giving readers his personal views from KSA every month which has given him a forever growing fan club. But for the first time, we’re very sad to report that you won’t be reading his wonderful words of wisdom as he’s recovering from a broken wrist but fear not as thankfully he will be back next month. We miss him and prey for a speedy recovery!

Hopefully you all enjoyed Ramadan and attended plenty of Ghagbas because we know we did and our expanding waist lines can prove it.

So check out the society pages as you might spot yourself if you’re really lucky…

After the quieter month of Ramadan, lots of people are itching to get out and Eid is the perfect opportunity to check out new things this month. See our nightlife section for new bar openings, Eid specials and fun parties!

Although Ramadan may have been quiet for some – we weren’t.

We have been busy interviewing some very inspirational people. Dr Esam Fakhro, Chairman of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry gives us a little more insight on what we can expect now that the National Dialogues have finished. We also have a cheeky preview of an interview with Kurt Zdesar, CEO of Mesk Holdings who shares some of his tips on how to get to the top. The full interview appears this month in our business magazine Gulf Insider and well worth reading. Finally ex-resident Dessa Lidman reveals how she went from housewife to successful business woman all within a year and living in Saudi Arabia.

According to the fashion calendar we are entering the Autumn/ Winter season. But despite what they may be telling us we think we have a little longer to get more wear out of our summer collection. So this month we decided to stay regional - so check out our beautiful Desert Queen fashion shoot featuring jumpsuits and dazzling dresses designed by Dubai based Katya Kuvtonich. But fear not if you really, really want to get some hints on what you will be wearing this season, we have also included an exclusive shoot for us by our London based photographer Garazi – we like! If that’s not glitzy enough for you, read about the launch of the Celebrity Silhouette cruiseliner as BC’s very own Rebecca Cooksey takes to the seas; as well the exciting life of our ultra-glam socialite.

With many places re-opening you will surely want to get your hands on the latest beauty products which include an amazing new serum designed to make your lashes look long and fluttery like Kim Kardashian’s! Let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to look like her?

For all you shopaholics there are plenty of new shops at Seef Mall including a ladies’ fashion shop and a homemade beauty product store which also stocks exotic fragrances. Talking about beautiful scents don’t forget to check out what makes Rasasi Perfumes different from the rest. For home lovers now is the perfect time to have a little autumn clean or better still a complete re-design. Turn your lodgings into luxurious living with our flamboyant furniture pages from KARE guaranteed to get you feeling like royalty.

Finally as we hope you think every month – the magazine is fun, useful but more to the point, a great read!

Have a fabulous month

The Confidential Team

Committed to personal

service.

Cornelia Mitlmeier, German, 27, Restaurant Manager Cornelia’s favourite pastime is reading Besides running the busy Hotel restaurant, Cornelia loves nothing more than to read a good book in her spare time.

Finding a great book is an experience in itself and she can put you in touch with a quaint antiquarian bookstore in Adliya Village.

www.kempinski.com/bahrain

Readers’ Letters

Dear Editor ...

Online edition at www.FashionArabia.net

Guide to Arabian life, luxury and fashion!

105

Dialogues

Issue

Finished!

Dr. Esam Fakhro, on what happens now

Fun

Want To Have In Bahrain?

Parties, events and much more inside

Want To

Succeed In Business?

CEO, Kurt Zdesar shares his tips BAHRAIN BD2 KSA SR20 KUWAIT KD2 OMAN RO2 QATAR QR20 UAE DHS20

Online edition at www.FashionArabia.net

Guide to Arabian life, luxury and fashion!

104 Issue

Akram Miknas

Many thanks to all of you who wrote in last month and apologies if your letter isn’t printed but we get so many. Remember our reply is meant to be humorous so if we offend you - grow up cry baby. Send your comments to info@ArabianMagazines.com

I was very impressed with last month’s interview with Abdul Hameed Kooheji. It was so refreshing to finally read somebody being honest about the negative points of Bahrain’s tourism such as the lack of beaches, etc.

Bahrain could be fantastic and could be better than any Caribbean island especially as there is little crime here. But instead of developing the better things that we have here – we seem to be destroying it by turning the reefs into concrete hotels and malls? It doesn’t make sense.

Beached Whale!

Well Mr Whale – fingers crossed as you may not be beached for too much longer as it has been announced that we’ve got some white sands heading our way. So blow up your dinghy and hunt down your flippers because you will be needing them.

Exclusive

OnNational

Dialogue

Exclusive

Is Bahrain

Tourist

Friendly?

Abdul Hameed Kooheji Thinks Not Yet!

BAHRAIN BD2 KSA SR20 KUWAIT KD2 OMAN RO2 QATAR QR20 UAE DHS20

Dear BC I loved reading about the Harley Davidson tour of Jordan in last month’s issue. What an amazing opportunity! But the picture did make me laugh as it was obvious that Rebecca was stationary – why was that?

Couldn’t she find the pedals with her stilettos?

Ohhh cheeky – we would love to see you on such a mean machine but one wonders if you’ve even mounted a Vespa? So scamper back to the playground little boy and play on the swings – that’s about as daring as you will get.

Online edition at www.FashionArabia.net

Guide to Arabian life, luxury and fashion!

103 Issue

Know your

Botox from your Fillers Sea Dream: The Latest in Water Sports Toys

BAHRAIN BD2 KSA SR20 KUWAIT KD2 OMAN RO2 QATAR QR20 UAE DHS20

8 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Ohhh my … who would’ve thought Mr Akram Miknas was such a babe? I had problems reading his article as I couldn’t take my eyes off his pictures – has he got a wife? If not is he looking for one? If so please tell him to stop looking as I’m here and I even have the dress.

Bridezilla

2011

Ummm no disrespect but why on earth would you already have a dress? Like, have you missed out on some major details that you’re not telling us or are you just a nutter? We think we know which one.

Please, please, please interview me for your ‘Socialite Diaries’. I’m young, beautiful and successful; I’m also extremely popular and very interesting. So in fact I would actually be doing you a favour as it would be the

bestselling issue you ever had especially if you put me on your front cover. I have included my mobile in this email so await your call.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz huh, sorry we must’ve nodded off. Thanks dear, but we do not feel worthy enough to accommodate such a big head – whoops we meant star.

So stick to looking in the mirror as we guess you will be looking at your biggest fan!

Botox, Botox, Botox – is that all you can talk about – OMG whatever happened to ageing gracefully? Who wants to look like a Barbie doll anyway? And the thought of men having it done makes me want to laugh out loud. I’d dump my boyfriend if he even joked he was going to have some because next he’d be stealing my beauty products. So I say embrace your ages as plastic isn’t so fantastic, because my passport may say I’m twenty three but everyone still mistakes me for an eighteen-year-old.

All Natural Umm, the only thing we can say to you is come back in a few years when you’ve lived a little bit more and we’ll see who is sneaking off for cheeky top-ups of that ohso-powerful anti ageing juice called Botox!

We think you will be …

I must admit I do love to read about new health breakthroughs on the island and have thoroughly enjoyed this page for as long as I can remember. What I saw last month truly left me feeling distraught - invisible braces have now been introduced? So I wasted four years of my life being known as ‘metal mouth’ by my so-called ‘friends’ with my unsightly train tracks, occasionally spruced up with lime green parts? If only I could have predicted the future of dentistry…

College Geek Oh dear you poor thing! But seriously, whatever possessed you to get lime green bands? Yikes! The invisible braces truly are fantastic but it seems you suffered far too much in your youth for having train tracks.

You should have come to my school, they were actually fashionable! You really need to get nicer friends too by the way …

d e s s i M What’s On

e B o T Not

114 - 119 s e g a p o t n ghtlife tur i n & o r t s events, ga e r o m r o F

4th Onwards

20th - 27th

British Club Netball

Infinite New Beginnings; Mariam Haji Art Exhibit

Whether you’re new at netball or an experienced player, The British Club welcomes you to join them in their Netball season from 7.15 to 9pm, every Sunday and Tuesday. Tel +973 3998 2707 or +973 3835 7161 or contact BCNetball@ hotmail.com.

Artist Mariam Haji will showcase her recent works at a Public Art exhibition at Rivers Bahrain in Abu Saiba. Her goal is to bring back a sense of community through arts and encourage dialogue among people of every background. 20 per cent of all sales will be donated to the Darya Finance Project, a charity based in Pakistan to lift the poorest of the poor out of poverty.

14th - 17th

Bahrain Car Show

The first edition of the Bahrain Car Show, organised by ProAct will be held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC) under the patronage of the Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Hassan Abdulla Fakhro. The show will be an opportunity to regain the trust of foreign sides, especially those concerned with the Formula 1 and promote the kingdom’s reputation worldwide.

Tel + 973 1755 8800 or visit www.bims.bh

24th Sept - 15th October

Fusion of Colours by Ella Prakash

Ella Art Gallery is holding an art exhibition by artist Ella Prakash entitled ‘Fusion of Colours’. There will be 20 works in canvas in different mixed media . The gallery is at Road 2719, Shop 2 in Adliya.

For details Tel. +973 1729 2815 or +973 3907 3299 or visit www.ellagallery.com

25th – 28th MEOS 2011

17th

Meriel Cooper Wallace – Art Exhibition

Painter and nature buff Meriel Cooper Wallace will show her recent work at an exhibition which will be launched at World Beat Café at 4pm. The exhibition will continue through the entire month, while those interested in meeting the artist can do so at the World Beat Café on 17th from 4pm to 6pm. Light refreshments served. Tel +973 1761 2576 or visit www. worldbeatfitness.com

10 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

The Kingdom of Bahrain, under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, is set to host the 17th edition of the Middle East Oil and Gas Show Conference at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. The event will be attended by 300 companies from 30 countries under the slogan, ‘Future of the Oil Industries, Innovations Beyond Limits’. The event is expected to attract a total 1,200 participants, including experts and specialists.

Tel +973 1755 8800.

Choose your network, keep your number Your phone number is important. All your loved ones, friends and colleagues know you by it. Previously, when you changed networks you couldn’t take your number with you. But things have changed.

Now you can choose whichever network suits your lifestyle and still keep your number. For information on how to port your number simply visit www.ilovemynumber.bh and you and your number can stay together forever.

What’s On Royal Golf Club Events Sporting Events

Enjoy golf and more with friends and family at the Royal Golf Club. Every Saturday, it’s the Wee Monty Family Day for only BD15 per adult and kids play for free – inclusive of green fee and hire clubs. Tee times are from 10am to 12noon. On Mondays, it’s Ecco Monday Stableford (1pm shotgun start) and Gulf Brands Monday Madness Night Golf Series (6.30pm shotgun start) at BD20 for nine holes; whilst Wednesdays and Sundays are slated for the Ladies’ Competition (8am shotgun start).

All Month ‘Muharraq - A Fresh Perspective’

The Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research announces the upcoming photo documentary workshop to be led by prominent artist and photographer Camille Zakharia over a six-week period from mid-October to end November 2011. Participation will be by selection with a participation fee of BD100 and deadline for submissions is 29th September. The outcome of the workshop will be exhibited at the Bin Matar House in Muharraq in December.

Participants will be responsible for the production cost of the selected works to be exhibited. Tel +973 1732 2549 or email: info@shaikhebrahimcenter.org for submissions.

Ta’a Al Shabab – Rebuilding, Education and Restoration

Ta’a Al Shabab will launch its activities this month following Eid Al Fitr under the theme of ‘Hope and Round off’.

The festival falls within a spectrum of varied initiatives, including Darayesh and Tashkeel. The initiative ‘Technique’ is being launched for the first time in cooperation with Batelco in a new information trend that adds value to the cultural experience of Ta’a Al Shabab.

There will also be a series of activities and workshops such as: ‘Unleash your Design’ and ‘Houses and Words’ in cooperation with the other two initiatives ‘Tashkeel’ and ‘We all Read’, consecutively. Visit www.ta2alshabab.org

OnGoing Dar Al Naft - Oil Museum

The Oil Museum (Dar Al Naft) at Jebel Al Dukhan is open to the general public for viewing on Fridays, 10am to 4pm.

12 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Autumn Junior Tuition Program

Starting 30th September and 1st October, an eight-week programme offers one hour of coaching per week for children aged four to 15 years.

End of season tournament will be on 10th December. Prize-giving ceremony included. Call ahead to book your child’s place.

September Shop Sale

in ‘A September to Remember Sale!’; reductions on golf clubs, clothing and more for a limited time only.

Free Exhibition Evening

The very latest hardware from the Adams and Taylormade ranges at the Royal Golf Academy’s complimentary exhibition evening on 14th. PGA Professionals will be on hand to provide advice.

V1 Package

Brand new V1 video analysis software programme tuition package includes four one-hour lessons, 30-minute Tomi putting lesson. BD100 for club members; BD110 for visitors. Also available, a V1 Overseas Package with two one-hour V1 lessons at the club and four online consultations. BD85 for club members; BD99 for visitors.

Also, Special Green Fee rates have been extended throughout this month.

Contact the Royal Golf Club on Tel. +973 1775 0777 or visit www. theroyalgolfclub.com

Fantastic discounts in the golf shop

11th and 18th October

Bahrain Netball League Seeding Tourney

The DHL Bahrain Expatriate Netball League (BENL) 20112012 season will start once again with a kick off seeding tournament on 11th October at the Bahrain Rugby Football Club in Saar. Netball League games will start on 18th October. If you’re new to netball, haven’t played for years or are a netball superstar, the BENL hosts players and teams of all levels. The Rugby Club, Dilmun Club and Brit Club are all host venues for the league games. Visit www.netballbahrain.com or find them on Facebook: Netball Bahrain. Tel. +973 3606 1009 or +973 1732 8306.

31st October Calling All Writers!

The Bahrain Writers’ Circle (BWC) will be publishing an anthology from people living or have lived in Bahrain about life and living in Bahrain!

If you ‘re budding writer and wish to see your work in print, or an established writer interested in writing a piece about this beautiful country, its people and its culture, they we are now seeking contributions!

Fact or fiction, poetry or prose, historical, cultural, social; all topics, genres and styles are welcome!

For prose minimum word count is 3000, no maximum. For poetry, any style, any length as long as it relates somehow to the island! Also, Arabic, English, French...write in the language you are most creative in (but please provide an English translation!). Keep in mind that the title is My Beautiful Bahrain – it is not a forum for any type of political message or a venting of anger, sadness or frustration, despite what has happened to the country recently. BWC would like this book to be uplifting, positive and empowering. Be creative, consider your words, construct your sentences and make this a brilliant piece of work which you can showcase to the world.

Submission deadline is end of October. E-mail: Anthology@BahrainWritersCircle.com for details.

What’s On Royal Golf Club Events Sporting Events

Enjoy golf and more with friends and family at the Royal Golf Club. Every Saturday, it’s the Wee Monty Family Day for only BD15 per adult and kids play for free – inclusive of green fee and hire clubs. Tee times are from 10am to 12noon. On Mondays, it’s Ecco Monday Stableford (1pm shotgun start) and Gulf Brands Monday Madness Night Golf Series (6.30pm shotgun start) at BD20 for nine holes; whilst Wednesdays and Sundays are slated for the Ladies’ Competition (8am shotgun start).

All Month ‘Muharraq - A Fresh Perspective’

The Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research announces the upcoming photo documentary workshop to be led by prominent artist and photographer Camille Zakharia over a six-week period from mid-October to end November 2011. Participation will be by selection with a participation fee of BD100 and deadline for submissions is 29th September. The outcome of the workshop will be exhibited at the Bin Matar House in Muharraq in December.

Participants will be responsible for the production cost of the selected works to be exhibited. Tel +973 1732 2549 or email: info@shaikhebrahimcenter.org for submissions.

Ta’a Al Shabab – Rebuilding, Education and Restoration

Ta’a Al Shabab will launch its activities this month following Eid Al Fitr under the theme of ‘Hope and Round off’.

The festival falls within a spectrum of varied initiatives, including Darayesh and Tashkeel. The initiative ‘Technique’ is being launched for the first time in cooperation with Batelco in a new information trend that adds value to the cultural experience of Ta’a Al Shabab.

There will also be a series of activities and workshops such as: ‘Unleash your Design’ and ‘Houses and Words’ in cooperation with the other two initiatives ‘Tashkeel’ and ‘We all Read’, consecutively. Visit www.ta2alshabab.org

OnGoing Dar Al Naft - Oil Museum

The Oil Museum (Dar Al Naft) at Jebel Al Dukhan is open to the general public for viewing on Fridays, 10am to 4pm.

14 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Autumn Junior Tuition Program

Starting 30th September and 1st October, an eight-week programme offers one hour of coaching per week for children aged four to 15 years.

End of season tournament will be on 10th December. Prize-giving ceremony included. Call ahead to book your child’s place.

September Shop Sale

in ‘A September to Remember Sale!’; reductions on golf clubs, clothing and more for a limited time only.

Free Exhibition Evening

The very latest hardware from the Adams and Taylormade ranges at the Royal Golf Academy’s complimentary exhibition evening on 14th. PGA Professionals will be on hand to provide advice.

V1 Package

Brand new V1 video analysis software programme tuition package includes four one-hour lessons, 30-minute Tomi putting lesson. BD100 for club members; BD110 for visitors. Also available, a V1 Overseas Package with two one-hour V1 lessons at the club and four online consultations. BD85 for club members; BD99 for visitors.

Also, Special Green Fee rates have been extended throughout this month.

Contact the Royal Golf Club on Tel. +973 1775 0777 or visit www. theroyalgolfclub.com

Fantastic discounts in the golf shop

11th and 18th October

Bahrain Netball League Seeding Tourney

The DHL Bahrain Expatriate Netball League (BENL) 20112012 season will start once again with a kick off seeding tournament on 11th October at the Bahrain Rugby Football Club in Saar. Netball League games will start on 18th October. If you’re new to netball, haven’t played for years or are a netball superstar, the BENL hosts players and teams of all levels. The Rugby Club, Dilmun Club and Brit Club are all host venues for the league games. Visit www.netballbahrain.com or find them on Facebook: Netball Bahrain. Tel. +973 3606 1009 or +973 1732 8306.

31st October Calling All Writers!

The Bahrain Writers’ Circle (BWC) will be publishing an anthology from people living or have lived in Bahrain about life and living in Bahrain!

If you ‘re budding writer and wish to see your work in print, or an established writer interested in writing a piece about this beautiful country, its people and its culture, they we are now seeking contributions!

Fact or fiction, poetry or prose, historical, cultural, social; all topics, genres and styles are welcome!

For prose minimum word count is 3000, no maximum. For poetry, any style, any length as long as it relates somehow to the island! Also, Arabic, English, French...write in the language you are most creative in (but please provide an English translation!). Keep in mind that the title is My Beautiful Bahrain – it is not a forum for any type of political message or a venting of anger, sadness or frustration, despite what has happened to the country recently. BWC would like this book to be uplifting, positive and empowering. Be creative, consider your words, construct your sentences and make this a brilliant piece of work which you can showcase to the world.

Submission deadline is end of October. E-mail: Anthology@BahrainWritersCircle.com for details.

Living

New In

Town

Bahrain Confidential fill you in on the who, what, why, when and where in Bahrain!

Build-A-Bear Workshop

Go blue as Build-A-Bear Workshop launches Clumsy SMURF and SMURFETTE at Bahrain City Centre where Smurf fans will have the chance to make their own SMURF Bear. The event coincides with the release of ‘The SMURFS’ on the 1st of this month to give Smurf lovers the opportunity to enjoy the movie with their best furry friend. Smurfette will look simply SMURFtastic in her signature white dress and guests will also be able to hear their heart Smurf a beat as they hug the cute blue Clumsy Smurf. Each make-your-own character from the Smurfs collection is priced at BD11 Tel + 973 1717 8560.

Kempinski – Arabic Hospitality with a European flair

Europe’s oldest hotel group, Kempinski is opening the new Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre this month. It will comprise of two hotel towers, Grand and Ixir; each offering their own unique collection of eight bars and restaurants. There are 460 luxurious guest rooms, including 79 suites promising to provide the comfort of home and for those who’d rather work; the hotel will also feature a 24-hour business point and 14 meeting rooms. Kempinski Hotel will provide a range of guest facilities tailored to give the best of corporate and luxury services. Visit www.kempinski.com/bahrain

For Beautiful Eyelashes

Al Rafahia International Care offers a solution to having great looking eye lashes without having to wear any mascara! The Eye Lash Growth Treatment Latisse is FDA approved prescription treatment and can easily be made part of your everyday routine.

It includes a unique serum which is applied at the base of the lashes stimulating growth, increasing length and thickness in as little as twelve weeks. This treatment promises long lasting results and is priced from BD40. Tel +973 1619 8617.

Zain - Credimax

Zain Bahrain has become the first private company in the kingdom to sign up with CrediMax, to provide bill payment services to its customers so they can pay their bills, top-up their eeZee lines and pay utility bills and other e-government services through the CrediMax and eGovernment Kiosk with just a click.

For details call 107.

16 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

! . . . n oo S g n i n Ope Living

Leila Restaurant

Located at the Al A’ali Complex, in Seef, the newest restaurant in town, Leila will serve the finest in Lebanese cuisine.

Opening this month, Leila will have all the classic favourites - from delicacies such as mezzes and salads, to fresh pastries and barbecued meat all grilled to perfection and seasoned with exceptional spices.

Tel. +973 1756 6556.

Versace for H&M

H&M recently announced that its Autumn 2011 designer collaboration will be with one of the world’s most legendary fashion brands, Versace. Designed by its creative director Donatella Versace, the exclusive collection will look back to the vibrant heritage of the brand, full of leather, print, colour and exuberance in exclusive materials at fantastic H&M prices, and include ranges for women, men and selected pieces for the home. Available from 17th November in around 300 stores worldwide including Bahrain, as well as on-line. H&M is located at Seef Mall and Bahrain City Centre.

Travel Medicine by American Mission Hospital

Baldinini

Baldinini’s new collection is out! Celebrate Eid the fashionable way to the Italian Style with Baldinini’s new collection of ladies shoes, sandals and handbags.

Located at Heels Boutique – MODA Mall (Sheraton Complex).

Travel Medicine or Emporiatrics is a branch of medicine that primarily deals with the prevention and management of health problems in international travelers. Common diseases caught whilst travelling include traveler’s diarrhea, acute respiratory infection, skin diseases, fever, animal bites (carrying risk of rabies) and malaria.

American Mission Hospital encourages everyone travelling to come for a pre-travel consultation (four to six weeks prior to travel), followed by a post travel consultation with the Travel Clinic practitioner (usually within a week after arrival) for screening and treatment of any diseases/conditions picked up whilst overseas. Tel +973 1724 8122.

18 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Living

Royal Bahrain Hospital VelaSmooth PRO

The Royal Bahrain Hospital has attained the VelaSmooth PRO - the first effective, non-surgical, non-invasive treatment for cellulite that is approved by the FDA. The first of its kind in Bahrain, it treats thighs, buttocks, waist, stomach, calves, hands, ‘love handles’ and double chins by combining infrared light, radio frequency, pulsing suction and a mechanical roller to mobilise deep tissue fat and allow for deposition of new collagen. The process feels like a warm, deep tissue massage and there is absolutely no down time. You can get an eight-session (two per week) package with one free session for BD400.

More Shopping at Seef Mall!

To make shopping an even more enjoyable experience, Seef Mall have just opened new shops this month!

Check out: Zohoor Al Reef - selling, body and skin natural products, scented flowers, body and home fragrances; located on the ground floor, west extension.

Tutu Cute sells high-end baby clothes and accessories located on the first floor, west extension.

Passion for Dessert Café is a coffee shop and patisserie that sells cupcakes, tarts, dessert and sandwiches; located on the ground floor, west extension.

Adidas - located on the first floor.

PLAY - a hands on activity centre, this is where your kid can become a policeman, fireman, doctor, actor, scientist, sales, etc. They also teach your kids cooking, crafts, painting, dancing, etc. Soft play is also available for toddlers.

Special Moments - come here for special moments with your kids. Selling gifts, party accessories, birthday items, toys, etc.; located on the first floor, new extension.

URBAN Rent A Car - visit them for all your car rental needs; located on the ground floor, west expansion or check www.Urbancars.bh Spud for Grills Potato - Fresh, Healthy and Tasty potato creations; located on the first floor, west expansion.

Hazelnut - selling ladies’ fashion; located on the main mall, ground floor.

Murano Chandeliers - selling crystal home and kitchen accessories and chandeliers from Italy; ground floor next to entrance six.

Invisible Braces

Now available at Royal Bahrain Hospital, the advanced technology of the iLingual braces makes lingual treatment remarkably comfortable, easy-to-use and more effective than ever. Developed by Dr Jigresh Kotheri, the system is designed to provide excellent 3D control and complete invisibility, making it the ideal aesthetic solution for all orthodontic patients.

Contact the Royal Bahrain Hospital on Tel. +973 1724 6800.

20 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Sheer Luxury

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22 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

om

ilable fr

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State Opera Auditorium, Vienna New Metropolitan Opera, New York Office of UN Secretary, New York Hall of the Supreme Sovjet, Moscow Town Lapau Parliament, Brunei Parliament of Kemel Pascha, Ankara Hotel Imperial, Vienna Habsburg Imperial Castle, Vienna Castle of Schönbrunn, Vienna Kings Residence, Kuala Lumpur Residence and Palace, Jakarta Palace for H.R.H. Prince Salman, Riyadh Palace for H.M. King Khaled, Samama Palace for H.M. King Khaled, Al Khobar Palace of the Khedive, Cairo Palace for H.M. The King, Saudi Arabia Throne room Kings Palace, Addis Abeba Megaron of music, Athens Holy Mosque, Mekka Holy Mosque, Medina Wakaf Masjid Kampong Kiarong, Brunei Jerudong Mosque, Brunei Mosque of the Armed Forces, Riyadh

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24 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

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Art Space

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Contemporary and fresh, the British School students’ art works manifest the promise of a new breed of artists eager to tell the world about the positive transforming power of art.

26 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

And

Real

Work, Rest, Play”, “Passion and Obsession”, “Mystery and Imagination” were major themes explored during the British School of Bahrain’s seventh annual art exhibition held in June. The exhibition, which was opened by the British Ambassador, HE Mr Jamie Bowden, saw the works of 36 students - 24 of whom are in their GCSE level, eight in the GCE AS Level and four in the GCE A Level.

Held at the school’s new Hamala premises, the works displayed were a combination of Drawing and Painting, Sculpture and Printing; with more contemporary media used.

The body of work displayed at the exhibition was a reflection of the hard work and dedication of the young artists who used a range of media such as liquid latex, hessian fabrics, aluminium wire, digital media and plaster-soaked clothing.

Art Space Mohammed Al Shaikh 16, Bahraini/Turkish

“Give me a museum and I’ll fill it.”

- Pablo Picasso As a child I carried a set of watercolours, some crayons and pieces of A4 paper, and wherever I went I would draw what I saw.

Now, I hold a brush and paint emotions, thoughts and expressions.

There is more to Art than drawing a tree or a bird, and I discovered this through the intense yet motivating GCSE course. Before I chose to take on this subject I sat down and asked myself, ‘Can I do this?’ But once I had the support of my family and my loyal friends, I was able to take on this course with responsibility, willpower, talent, and passion, tied together with determination. Today I lead myself through the wonderful, intangible treasures of the Arab culture, which I translate in to my own style and meaning.

Snejana Novosedlova

Sophie Tarif

16, British/Bahraini “Enjoy yourself because you can’t change anything anyway” - Jenny Holzer Art has always been one of my favourite subjects, and because I enjoyed it I was willing to put the extra work into it. It has been interesting for me to see how my work has developed over the last two years and I have been surprised by my improvement.

Sophie Tarif Fatin Al Muktar 16, Bahraini

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” Scott Adams Over the years I have seen many art exhibitions in school and I’ve always known that when it came to choosing my GCSEs, Art would be my first choice. I have found art to be a way to relieve all that stress and pressure that school puts on you, and express how I feel. Mr Atkins has always been there to support as well as develop my ideas and even push me further so that I can reach my potential and I am deeply grateful for that. I have thoroughly enjoyed the last two years and if I could experience it all over again I would because it was just fun!

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 27

Art Space Snejana Novosedlova 16, Russian

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring” – Marilyn Monroe Art has always been my method of escaping reality, restrictions and limitations of everyday life, as it gives you freedom to create absolutely anything. This year of A-level Art has given me the opportunity to communicate my thoughts and ideas more effectively, developing my skills as an artist through pushing my personal boundaries. Life is too short to blend in, Art is not necessarily about perfection it is about the message, having the ability to evoke emotion and question the observer. If a piece of Art has the ability to do so, then it is successful.

Raawiyah Rifath 17, Sri Lankan

“Artists always seem to have had the most accurate perception of what is really going on around them, not

Kacey Greig the official version or the popular perception of contemporary life.” - Billy Joel It’s hard to believe that I’ve started off projects with a mere brainstorm of random words and strange doodles to them growing into a slight addiction. Some pieces have driven me absolutely insane whilst others have given me a split second of satisfaction that manages to magically balance everything out. Art has always been and still is the part of my life that’s gives me hours of complete relaxation that I just can’t live without.

Kacey Greig 18, British

“We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid.

So are regrets.” - Marilyn Monroe

Raawiyah Rifath

28 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

There is a moment sometimes when you look at a piece of work, and you think ‘I get it’. There isn’t quite a name for it, but that single moment is why I love art. It isn’t just seeing a picture of the surface but the reasons behind why they do it. Art and I? We’re in a lovehate relationship. Any art student would understand that there have been many late nights spent doing art, many spoilt shirts and many moments where you feel so frustrated that you’re art seems to be at the receiving end of the fury. Those aren’t the bits I hate but are the bits I love n

Technology

New

Market In The

Bahrain Confidential gets Faisal Ebrahim - official gadget geek - to talk about the latest technology to hit the markets.

Fujitsu Toshiba IS12T

Fujitsu and Toshiba have joined forces to unveil Japan’s first WP7 handset. It will be under a 3.7-inch WVGA touch screen display, will run 1GHz MSM8655 CPU (not disclosed if it’s a dual-core processor), a whopping 13.2 megapixel camera and will have a 32GB flash storage. Other goodies include Bluetooth 2.1 and Wi-Fi support and a waterproof body. It will be available in pink, green and yellow.

Samsung Galaxy

Samsung Electronics has finally announced the launch of its highly anticipated revolutionary Smartphone, the GALAXY S II. This sleekly designed device is a natural successor to the original Samsung GALAXY S and uses Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the latest version of the world’s fastest growing mobile operating system. With Wi-Fi Direct allowing users to connect to wireless enabled PCs and printers without the need for wireless access points, the device allows advanced wireless network connectivity, fast web browsing, supreme graphics quality, multi tasking comparable to a PC-like environment and a receptive 3D user interface.

All products are available at electronics stores across Bahrain. For the latest on technology news , contact Faisal Ebrahim on email: faisal@itechbahrain.com or visit www.itechbahrain.com 30 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

HP Pavilion

The new HP Pavilion DM1-3010nr is now thought to be the first laptop ever to be equipped by 4G LTE network with the LTE chip integrated on the notebook. Its specification lies on the mid-end range packing 1.2-inch thin chassis under 11.6-inch LED display with 1366 x 768 resolutions.

It runs 1.6GHz AMD Zacate E-350 CPU, 2GB DDR3 memory and 320GB hard drive for its storage. It also supports Wi-Fi b/g/n, multimedia cards, SD card slot and built-in VGA webcam.

Travel

New

• Kabul

Now served five times a week Increased from four to five flights per week with better connectivity to Europe and North America.

Market In The

Here Bahrain Confidential tries to keep up with the ever-changing, always advancing markets.

Gulf Air’s New Winter Schedule

The kingdom’s national carrier strengthens its leadership position in the region with more flights, increased frequencies, additional capacities, improved connectivity and modified timings on several routes this winter.

Effective from 30th October, their special winter promo fares start at just BD35 to Dubai and BD45 to Abu Dhabi (excluding taxes)!

Schedule highlights: • UAE and Kuwait

28 extra flights per week 14 additional flights weekly to Dubai and seven additional flights to Abu Dhabi making a total of 98 flights per week. Also, there will be seven extra flights to Kuwait a total of 35 flights per week.

• Beirut

Three additional flights From seven to ten per week, the additional three flights depart Bahrain at 1.15am, improving connectivity with Riyadh, Jeddah, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Kabul, Dhaka and Manila.

• Istanbul

Gets two extra flights, split schedules Increased flights from five to seven times per week with a split schedule of four morning and three evening flights for greater connectivity to Bangkok, Kathmandu, Addis Ababa, Manila, Nairobi, Colombo and Kabul.

• Addis Ababa

Now a daily service Six flights a week have now been increased to seven.

• Chennai Increased from daily to nine weekly flights Two weekly flights are being added and departs Bahrain at 12.50 pm and arriving back by 11.55pm on Wednesdays and Sundays respectively.

• Kathmandu Increased from twelve weekly to double daily Increased flights from twelve weekly to double daily with better connectivity to Cairo, Istanbul, Nairobi and Beirut.

• Dhaka

Increased from ten to eleven weekly flights Six flights per week depart Bahrain at 8.15 pm and five flights per week depart at 11.30 am respectively.

• Khartoum

Increased from six weekly to daily flights Increased to daily flights with Mumbai and Delhi being reconnected via Bahrain conveniently to the city.

• Colombo

Adds one more flight Flights now increased to nine per week.

• Yemen

Two destinations delinked and flights increased Flights to Aden and Sana’a have now become independent services instead of round-trip flights with four weekly flights to Sana’a and two to Aden separately.

The split terminator service for Sana’a allows the route to be connected in both directions to London, Mumbai, Delhi, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

• Delhi

A double daily schedule departs Bahrain at 2.30pm and 10.40pm respectively with arrivals back into Bahrain at 7.35am and 11.35pm respectively.

Better connectivity with Addis Ababa, Khartoum and Nairobi.

• Mumbai

Flights timings modified to connect more destinations Daily flights modified to depart at 6.45pm to arrive Bahrain at 8.10pm for better connectivity to Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Khartoum, GCC and European destinations via Bahrain.

• Dammam

Flight timings modified to connect more new destinations Rescheduled with four flights departing Bahrain at 1.55am and six flights at 9.35am for better connectivity to Beirut, Lahore, Islamabad, Dhaka, Peshawar, Amman, Damascus and Cairo in both directions via the Bahrain hub without having to use the bus service.

• Cairo New split schedule offers connections to more new destinations Modified time schedule for three of ten Cairo flights changed to depart Cairo at 4.05am improving connectivity with Dammam, Riyadh, Kathmandu, Manila, Kabul, Mumbai, Delhi, Colombo, Bangkok and Dhaka ■

For details on the special winter promo fare and other information, visit www.gulfair.com or call +973 1733 5777.

32 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

People

InterviewWith

e v i s u l c x E

Dr Esam Abdulla Fakhro With a BA and PhD from London University, Dr Esam Fakhro, is not only the Chairman of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI); he also heads and sits on the board of twenty-five other leading businesses in Bahrain and within the region.

H

e was one of the representatives on behalf of the BCCI in Bahrain’s National Dialogues which took place recently and is hoped will play a pivotal role in restoring confidence back in Bahrain after a turbulent year of internal unrest.

Rebecca Cooksey sat down with Dr Esam to find out more about what happens now - after the dialogues have finished.

Bahrain’s business reputation was very badly damaged due to the unrest. Do you feel that just because the dialogues have taken place – it’s a step to restoring international businesses’ confidence in Bahrain?

This is one step. The second step is the Royal Committee for Human Rights that has been set up to investigate claims of abuse during the troubles which is very important and gives a lot of credibility to the government and Bahrain’s reputation. Regarding the National Dialogue, it has been a monumental occasion as every spectrum of Bahrain’s society has been represented despite the opposition party Al-Wefaq walking out during the talks. I would say we have all left feeling very optimistic and feel the dialogues have at least given us a criteria from which we can start to work from to improve the situation in Bahrain.

On what grounds did the Al-Wefaq reject the dialogues?

They basically had three or four political issues and their major issue was the abdication of the Prime

34 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

People Minister which of course is not going to happen. But they weren’t even prepared to comprise. How can that benefit the society at large? Whenever they talk about their demands they talk as if they’re representing the people – they are only representing a section of society not the whole country. There are many political societies in Bahrain today representing the people whether it is politically right or left. So one hopes that through these unfortunate events we will all come to our senses and start to reason and compromise for the sake of Bahrain and its people.

that had been made previously were taking too long to fulfill.

This is my personal example but the way the protestors shifted from having genuine issues to suddenly demanding for the monarchy to be overthrown and overnight democracy is outrageous. This was influenced by the hardliners as I call them. Go and ask the majority of Bahrainis what they want. They want reforms but at the same time they want to keep the monarchy. Basically it all got rather nasty because another country got involved with an outside agenda to destabilise this country. This is completely unacceptable.

Do you think that’s’ why the mood of Do you think Bahrain has the demonstrators changed? been unfairly portrayed by the Most defiantly – there was a lot of international media?

The media has been very biased and distaste. The way they have related to the leadership was terrible and wouldn’t be made some of us uneasy and some of accepted in any other country. But we’re us furious. When you talk about human rights and freedom we’re all entitled to it. trying to solve the issues now and many Yes as a group you may want change but people who were sacked during the riots in the process don’t jeopardise my rights are being reinstated which is fair providing we come to our senses. Until now the too. But to classify Bahrain in what has become known as the Arab Spring and protests are ongoing but if they were compare us with Tunisia and Egypt by the peaceful and in moderation and didn’t media is completely unjust. This was even jeopardize mine or your way of living then acknowledged by The French president fair and square, they can do it for as long Nicolas Sarkozy, who acknowledged that Bahrain has undergone ten years of reforms, which is a fact. Our parliament now has two chambers, women’s rights are very strong as they feel the need to. There is a rule of and we have the lowest unemployment in the region – three-and-a-half per cent. law which allows them to do it but what is and has been happening has not We have trade unions who can speak been peaceful. freely unlike the rest of the entire Arab Look how many expatriate families world. Look at Egypt, they have nine million people unemployed which is about have moved from certain areas to another twelve per cent and around three million because they no longer felt safe. The majority of the populations do not support living in the grave yards. We don’t have the way the protests are being conducted this problem over here. Poverty is in every country. Go to New York and you’ll because it has messed with the country’s economy and reputation. Technically, if this see poverty with your own eyes. What continues, the protestors are destroying happened here was very different. The their own children’s future. If businesses media was in uproar because Bahrain collapses or moves to another country called upon our neighbours for support – is that a result? What will become of which was 100 per cent legal by the way. In fact we are now moving one step Bahrain? These people complain about lack of employment but they’re destroying forward as many want a confederation where every state maintains its sovereignty their own chances by scaring off investors.

It doesn’t make sense to me. If you have but is united together to maintain the justifiable demands move forward in a stability of the region. proper way; don’t let an outside force So you believe the protestors had interfere as they are now doing in Syria – just look at the bloodshed. We were genuine reasons to protest? criticised by countries such as Britain and Let me put it like this when the events started. They started as legitimate America for cutting off social networking facilities at certain points but I think they demands including unemployment, will be reviewing those themselves right housing and living – which were even acknowledged by His Majesty the King. now since their recent problems. Social The government accepted that promises media such as Facebook and Twitter have

their merits but they can also be very detrimental to a country’s national security as what is happening in many countries right now – not just Bahrain.

If you’re reasonable, people tend to listen to you. I honestly believe the majority of the protestors wouldn’t have taken it as far as it got but got caught up in the hysteria of the whole thing - who has benefited? Certainly not the people of Bahrain!

Do you think the Bahraini people are ready for democracy?

Do you mean the way Britain practices democracy? No I don’t. Britain didn’t become democratic overnight, it took hundreds of years and they’re still making amendments. These are extreme examples but look at what happened earlier this year – the way roads were blocked, the roundabout and a government hospital overtaken and roads destroyed. Is this democratic?

There has defiantly been a shortcoming on the government’s behalf in handling the situation. They were too late to react to international media allegations and the protestors themselves. A national committee should’ve been set up immediately to at least try to act as a mediator between the protestors and the government. But to go to those extremes – is just not right. Abrupt change doesn’t work – history proves this – it can bring big chaos.

Do you really think what is happening in Egypt and Tunisia will sort itself any day soon? No, it will take a long time. I hope to see Egypt back on its feet in the next few years providing they don’t get carried away with themselves, but right now it is in chaos because it all happened too quickly. Bahrain or anywhere else in the Gulf believes in change but it has to be gradual.

“When you talk about human rights and freedom we’re all entitled to it. Yes as a group you may want change but in the process don’t jeopardise my rights too.”

So what happens now the dialogues have finished?

A government committee has been set up and is responsible for creating a plan which will initiate the changes. But don’t expect this to happen overnight as there are over three hundred recommendations that have been put forward which focus on the four pillars - political, economic, social and legal. But from a business perspective change is already happening as parliament is now consulting with the private sector far more than they did before. But in brief, bureaucracy needs to be removed, tourism is very important and a body will be appointed who will be responsible for generating more tourism. In banking there are large margins between deposits, rates, interests and lending. It’s currently around

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 35

People six to seven per cent as opposed to Europe where it’s around one per cent, this is being addressed. We need to improve on the functionality of the national audit.

The ministries need to be made more accountable. Government organisations such as Tamkeen need to be re-examined to make sure they meet the expectations of the business community. Within the education institutes students need more skilled training programs. The private sector needs to be able to have more say and influence on what the government implements and there needs to be more

emphasis on research. There are so many recommendations.

What is the government doing to bring back business?

A trade envoy has just returned from America and after Eid we will go to Europe and then to Asia. When we went to America I really thought we would be received coldly but from the meetings we conducted with the business sector – they were very receptive and obviously they wanted additional information because they had only seen what the media had reported. So now we have to continue to do the same as many people/countries are under the impression that there is complete chaos here when there isn’t. So the plan is to show the rest of the world what Bahrain is really like and clear up any

money that it will take a long time for them to recover. This is why they need more help from the government. LMRA has been temporarily postponed but there is pressure for it to be extended.

Other than the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce (BCC) - no government organisation is offering support to independent expatriate companies, why is this?

I think if the company is paying fees and royalties then definitely they should be offered more help but I think you should remember that this is an ongoing process so I see what is happening at the moment as phase 1. With ten million BD that Tamkeen have been given you cannot meet everyone’s expectations.

“Basically it all got rather nasty because another country got involved with an outside agenda to destabilise this country.” misunderstanding that the international media has created. Bahrain also doesn’t have deep pockets so the ten billion US dollars that we have been promised in installments from our neighbours will certainly help a lot and a great deal of this will be invested in Government housing, etc.

We also have the 2030 Vision which outlines a plan for the country to move forward and hopefully reduces the dependency we currently have on oil by introducing other commodities.

So many changes are already taking place or in the process of being implemented.

But we must focus on supporting the private sector as they were the most effected during this situation. Overall they have lost so much

36 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

What is the main role of the BCC? It cost BD20 to join for the year and you’re not expected to do anything as that is our job. We are here to represent and try to solve problems whether it is with red tape or through to disputes. Our final goal is to have the private sector act as the locomotive of the economy. When I talk about globalisation in the past many of the economies were run by government and failed miserably as they did in communist societies. Governments are here to supervise and apply taxation and maintain budgets etc whenever you have a government running a company you can never guarantee that the company will even make a profit.

What would you advise somebody if they want to start up their own business?

In my personal opinion I would remind that person that not every business succeeds so you need to persevere and believe in yourself. But most importantly you have to make sure you have enough capital behind you as it takes a few years to even establish yourself. Also seek out as much help as you can from governing bodies, etc.

What are you most proud of?

I thank God that I happen to be among the privileged of this country and I have a happy family. But heading the BCC gives me a lot of satisfaction as it’s voluntary and it’s my way of serving my country ■

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Living

Face Fear Your

by Kelly Armatage

Bahrain Confidential partners with the author to bring you monthly advice on how you can get the best out of life. This month Kelly tackles FEAR and why it’s the ONE and ONLY thing that prevents true contentment, pure love and the successful attainment of your goals.

F

ear is a paralysing feeling that holds you back from true success in any area of your life.

Yet what is fear in its true sense? Fear is an anxious feeling that is created by a negative thought. What is a negative and fearful thought? A piece of energy created by our minds that has an unwanted outcome. It is also set in a state of time that has not even occurred yet. A fearful thought is our minds predetermining an event and nurturing that thought over and over, until such a time, that it may even manifest.

A fearful thought could be: ‘I will be rejected’. It is attached to something that has not begun and yet the ending has already been ‘chosen’. If fear is a part of our daily lives (which means most of our daily thoughts are negative), then the life we are living will be restricted in so many ways.

How does it feel when we think a fearful thought? Well the emotion that is

created is generally one of anxiety or dread or panic and we all know how that feels far from enjoyable! Yet rather than change the existing, negative thought, many will continue to think and think and think in this pattern for long periods of time.

General fearful thoughts could be: • I am unlovable/un-important/not good enough • I am a failure • The world is against me • That person is more successful/more attractive/more interesting than me All of these thoughts are created by a perception of others or ourselves that is incorrect. It may be the truth of our minds, (because we believe it), but is it the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? There may even be past events that support these fearful ‘truths’. Yet that is so because the initial, fearful thoughts and negative actions would have manipulated the outcomes.

If for example, we select the fearful thought above ‘the world is against me’ and choose to attach that to our minds,

Kelly Armatage Inc. - Offering Counselling, Life Coaching and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

For enquiries, Tel. +973 3993 1399 or visit www.kellyarmatage.com 38 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

immediately, the pessimistic vibes that are emitted from our mind and body sends off the signal to the universe for things to be set in motion ‘to go against you’, because this is what you are in harmony with.

As you go about your day with this thought, sit back and watch your affairs crumble around you, as that is the effect you are setting in motion. You will not get a car parking space, you will take the route that has the most traffic, your designer coffee, that you so much enjoy, will be served lukewarm. Most things will indeed not be the way you want, as this is the preliminary, fearful perception your mind has created.

Yet as soon as you swop that thought for the alternative; ‘the world provides for me’, watch as events click together to source the outcome you are in harmony with. That is what you will ‘look’ for and ‘see’ in every situation, as this is your perception; your positive thought that is full of faith for great things to occur. It is strong in anticipating only the good, without a shred of anything else less than that.

Many people have fearful thoughts because of negative events that have occurred in the past. However, if you were previously someone who thought fearfully about your life, that does not mean you cannot create thoughts that are empowering, strong and full of positivity for preferred outcomes going forward outcomes of your dreams! Those that live amazing lives, do so because they have limitless thoughts. Fear is not a part of their vocabulary, fearful thoughts are pushed away as soon as they come in, fear is something they are never in harmony with. They (as a successful person) know only too well how destructive, limiting and painful that thinking in a fearful fashion can be.

If thoughts of fearless faith were harnessed by you, throughout your day, you would feel serenely strong about the life you are creating. Our lives are created by our thoughts. Every thought signals a feeling, then maybe an action and hence a result.

By making changes to your fearful thoughts, you can make amazing changes to your life.

What thoughts encompassed in fear will you face today? ■

Competition ‘Face Competition

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Fear’

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Enter our competition and you might just be able to turn your life around.

Each month our resident Counsellor, Life Coach and Cognitive Behavioural Therapist Kelly Armatage shares professional advice on how to tackle life’s difficult hurdles - so you’ll become a better you in the process.

Kelly and Bahrain Confidential will be treating one (1) very lucky winner to a complete program of eight (8) one-hour cognitive behavioural therapy or life coaching sessions - that’s worth BD320!

It’s yours for free if you follow this simple step: Read through the pages of the magazine this month where Kelly talks about how FEAR prevents you from getting the best out of life. In 100 words or less, write about: “What’s your greatest fear? Tell us the craziest thing you’ve ever done to conquer it.”

Email us with your answer at competition@ArabianMagazines.com with the subject: ‘Face your Fear’ and your full name, contact number and your favourite section of the magazine (internal purposes only).

Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win

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Available from all the best outlets in BahraiN September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 39

People

E V I S U EXCL

a interview, pick up To read the full W NO T sider – OU copy of Gulf In

Kurt Zdesar:

Restaurateur Extraordinaire As CEO of MESK Holdings owner of restaurants Meat Co., Block 338, Aroma Cafe and the soon to open Tangrams, Australian Kurt Zdeser, 39, is an experienced restaurateur with a track record in establishing and developing fine dining restaurants throughout Europe.

A

s a restaurant consultant and concept developer, Kurt’s extensive industry knowledge and experience propelled him to build his wildly successful brainchild Ping Pong; as well as Nobu - the first European restaurant in London which received a Michelin star within ten months of opening - the UK’s first Michelin star for Asian cuisine.

Aside from currently heading MESK’s restaurants, he’s also responsible for the success of fine dining restaurants, Mews of Mayfair in London and Les Bains Douches in Paris.

Rebecca Cooksey sits down with Kurt to find out a little bit more about what makes him tick.

40 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

You left school at 16 and started working at McDonald’s – although you were young had you considered your future at that point?

Actually I always thought I would get into boat building because I love boats and the water. I only took the job at McDonald’s because I liked Big Macs and needed a job as I had just moved to the UK from Australia. What I didn’t realise when I joined McDonald’s was that I was going to learn such a fantastic system of working which was going to benefit me for the rest of my life. But I was also an entrepreneur from a young age and quite prepared to do most things to make money; whether it was washing cars, cutting lawns for the neighbours through to busking on the streets and playing carols, at Christmas time. I was the richest twelve-year-old at school; some kids mocked me until I told them how much I had earned, and a few copied. This was my first lesson in business - ‘play down

your successes’. Now I had other kids to compete with. Pride can be destructive.

What did you learn that was so great?

I have never worked in an environment where it has empowered its staff as much as it did at the time. They also gave us great training and support so we all knew what we were doing and they rewarded us for our achievements.

The management team had expressions such as ’time to lean, time to clean’ …

Technically you never stopped working as there was always something else to do.

Every company I’ve been with since have employees who only work around six solid hours out of an eight-hour day if you’re lucky.

One of the big issues that many employees face when employing young people from Bahrain is the lack of both experience and work

People Restaurant Block 338, one of Kurt’s projects in Bahrain

ethic. Have you encountered this?

At sixteen you can be excused for not having a skill but by 21 you’re expected to have at least some skill or experience otherwise you’re already behind in the job race. A degree no longer guarantees you a job and it most defiantly won’t automatically make you a manager as it’s the experience that counts in any industry. But I’ve noticed a lot of kids all over the world are lazy these days and want everything given to them. I gave this advice to my kids - ’choose something that they enjoy and find a way of getting your foot through the door even if you have to work for free to begin with to gain that experience’. Straight away they have something to offer but more importantly they’re actually there if an opportunity presents itself. If you’re lying in bed – it’s going to pass right into somebody else’s hands.

I understand why governments feel the need to enforce employment but it’s a vicious circle because in the long run everyone loses out – you have loads of people with no ambition and skills who will constantly be in and out of jobs on the minimum wage therefore, no future.

At the same time the constant turnover

of staff becomes a big expense for any private company. Obviously you do get exceptions. So I feel these guarantees do not inspire somebody to be ambitious or motivated.

Of all the different jobs you’ve had which one have you enjoyed the most?

That’s a tough one – I’m fortunate as I’ve loved everything that I’ve done otherwise I wouldn’t have done it. But it would probably be Ping Pong as I’d finally put my money where my mouth was. I gave up a fantastic job working with Nobu.

I travelled by private jet and dined with the rich and famous. But I didn’t take the lifestyle too seriously and eventually grew tired of all the travelling and not seeing my family. I also had this nagging doubt that I was riding off the back of somebody else’s concept when I actually wanted to be a founder myself. So I opened Ping Pong which was a great experience.

We seem to have a culture of Michelin star chefs opening their own restaurants and many fail; why do you think this is?

If we’re to talk about Gordon Ramsay, the guy is making fourteen million dollars a year from TV – so he’s doing something right. But if you look at his restaurants – they’re losing money or closing down.

In my opinion, it’s because he’s expanded too quickly and is unable to give his personal time to all his restaurants therefore his eye is off the ball and no one will do it as passionately as he will. Diners and staff want to see him - not a stand-in.

How would you describe your management philosophy?

I encourage staff to take some ownership of the business; if they do you will get a lot more out of them. I’m not a tough person and

don’t believe in shouting at people and I like to think I treat staff like adults as too many businesses treat their staff like kids. I try to treat everyone equally.

Although I have found that I’ve had to adjust my management style for the Bahrain market (for the expats) and I’ve had to take on a much more non-tolerating approach because if you don’t react to a situation immediately here it will spread very quickly.

Have you come across a lot of jealousy particularly as you were a manager at a very young age?

Yes but that happens in all industries.

It’s always difficult for your peers to see another person growing. But I have never come across it as much as I have here especially towards my managers. I am very surprised at how involved staff become in each other’s problems. If we have to discipline somebody we will do it behind closed doors but suddenly the whole team has an opinion on how we did it and if we were fair, etc., without even knowing the facts. Staff would rather bicker and complain behind your back than discuss it with you. I haven’t got a clue why this is.

At any other time, I would have said 20 per cent has to be spent on your HR and 80 per cent on growing your business; over here it’s the other way around.

When you look back on your career is there anything that makes you cringe with embarrassment?

Everything has played a part in who I am today so, not really. But I remember when I was first interviewed I didn’t want to bring up McDonald’s and I certainly didn’t want it in my history, but actually as I’ve grown older I’m now proud of it as I can now look back and see it was the first foundation to the path of my success n

ck up a ll interview, pi To read the fu NOW T U Insider – O copy of Gulf

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 41

Advertorial

Of Comfort AndStyle

S

A gem of a place in the heart of Juffair, the Al Safir Hotel and Tower continues to impress its loyal and potential clientele alike.

We speak to Stephen J. Daniel, the hotel’s Director of Sales and Business Development.

ince opening its doors to the public in 2000, the Al Safir Hotel and Tower has built a strong standing within the GCC. Completely refurbished a year ago, the hotel’s 111 rooms are luxurious and tastefully decorated, fully equipped with the latest entertainment and business facilities and most importantly, the rooms are spotless and super spacious.

Health and Safety) and EN ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management System).

For business travellers, Al Safir Hotel and Tower’s four professional conference rooms are installed with state-of-the-art facilities and audio-visual equipment; and comes with secretarial and supplementary business services. They are perfect for organising meetings, trainings, seminars and other business events. The Hawar boardroom can accommodate five to ten people, whilst the Al Muharraq has a ten to 25-seating capacity. The Al Zallaq boardroom on the other hand is slightly larger and ideal for ten to 35 people for a U-shape seating arrangement, with ten to 30 people that can comfortably sit in a classroom setting, whilst in a theatre arrangement the room can hold up to 50 to 60 people, and as much as 45 persons in a cocktail setting.

For a much bigger venue requirement, the Al Seef room can be booked for ten to 30 people in a classroom setup, whilst ten to 30 can be accommodated in a U-shape seating. A theatre arrangement can seat 50 to 60 persons, whilst a cocktail setting can be ideal for 45 people.

In a bid to stay connected to their guests, they have recently introduced 24/7 service

“We always strive for excellence in what we do.”

“The building was designed in a capsule form, which means that all our rooms have the same size,” says Mr Daniel. In other words, guests are assured that they always get the same spacious room on their succeeding visits.

In 2006 they expanded and built the ‘Tower’ which was primarily focused on families with its 71 apartments and fullyequipped, state-of-the-art fitness club.

Just last year, the group opened the Al Safir Residence with a further 80 hotel rooms.

Of its many achievements, the Al Safir Hotel and Tower is most proud of obtaining three ISO Certifications - EN ISO 22000:2005 (Food Safety Management); BS OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational

to both the hotel and apartments, where guests can conveniently dial ‘0’ from their rooms and they can get assistance for whatever it is they need - whether it’s room service, laundry, internet assistance, details about tours available and general information - there’s always somebody who can answer guests’ queries roundthe-clock.

Mr Daniel adds that they are happy to note that “clients from all over the GCC are slowly but steadily coming back and booking with us. This is a good sign for us and the hotel industry in Bahrain as a whole. At Al Safir, we always strive for excellence in what we do. Our management and staff are committed to doing their very best to provide our guests a comfortable, enjoyable and memorable stay.” ■ For more information contact Al Safir Hotel and Tower on Tel. +973 1782 7999 or visit www.alsafirhotel.com

Stephen J. Daniel 42 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

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People

Leading

The

Way Dessa Lidman, who is originally from the Philippines and of Swedish nationality, has lived the past 28 years of her life between Australia, the Middle East and Sweden.

S

he lived in Bahrain from 2003 to 2007 and was the Press Relations Officer for American Women’s Association. In 2010 she moved back to Saudi Arabia and established her own company, Bespoke Interiors Middle East L.L.C. Within the year she became the exclusive partner for Scheucher Holzindustrie GmbH for the Middle East whose clientele includes the Trump Tower in Istanbul; Thermarium Spa Design & Manufacture representation in the Middle East (whose clients include Hotel Armani Dubai, Banyan Tree, Atlantis-Bahamas, etc.); LOBMEYR, Balmoral Services Company for Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Al Hashem Marble for Saudi Arabia.

Rebecca Cooksey managed to pin Dessa down long enough to find out how she has managed to become so successful in such a short amount of time when the rest of the world is still struggling to recover from the recession.

Dessa Lidman

44 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Did you move to Saudi to pursue your career? If not how did you get the position?

I moved back to Riyadh, after three years

People of living in Sweden. Previously I had lived on and off for 16 years in Riyadh but I was busy raising my family. Although I would drive past the King Abdullah Financial Centre everyday and say to myself, ‘there has to be some way for me to join this humongous and successful project’.

I researched the market until I found something I could offer.

We expect that some people you work with have lavish budgets but also towering demands. How do you meet the clients’ expectations and still stay within budget? Is it the gift of the gab with suppliers?

On the contrary, it’s the other way around - it’s a gift of gab with clients! The products and services I offer are first class and world-renowned but we are very conservative with a client’s budget and offer alternatives. I believe that in sales, it’s not only the product you’re selling that counts, but it is the after- service offered and the relationship that you develop with the client that matter most.

Is there a big international misunderstanding about the role of Saudi women in the workplace?

Saudi Arabia has culture and old traditions that everyone must respect.

Though, there are institutions in the country where local women are working and in many private companies women are employed but don’t share offices with men.

It is getting better for women and more opportunities are becoming available. For now it’s about making the most of what’s on offer.

win it or not that’s enough for me. Without this attitude, I wouldn’t see myself where I am now. It isn’t only in Saudi Arabia that one has to take this approach if you want to succeed. I always believe that if there is no door to knock on, then one must create an opening. But I’m fortunate as my work speaks for itself and I receive a lot of great reviews from colleagues particularly those in the construction industry. This in itself makes work a lot easier.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

In such a short time, I am granted the exclusivity of representation by my partners for Saudi Arabia, GCC and the Middle East.

What three things do you do when you’re handed a new project?

First of all we rejoice about winning the contract and make sure we really enjoy the moment because working on any project isn’t easy. Delays and changes are unavoidable and can be detrimental to meeting the deadline. So we make time allowances for this in our schedules so when the situation arises, the whole project isn’t affected.

a tender and was chosen as one of the two suppliers for the whole project. It wasn’t easy, but I did it!

What is the most valuable lesson that you’ve learnt from your industry?

Know where you are paced at. Timing is everything but the truth actually lies in learning to operate intuitively. Study and observe the people you have met, their character, their position, their designation. You will recognise your own path when you come upon it, because you will suddenly have all the energy and imagination you will ever need.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Entrepreneurial, enthusiastic, energetic.

What does it take to get a business like yours to take off?

Substantial investments in both money and time as I need to visit my international partners and attend a lot of trade fairs to promote the company.

Will you be attending any Trade Fairs in the near future?

I am joining the INDEX Dubai on 22nd to 25th October 2011 together with my Austrian partner Scheucher Holzindustrie GmbH, manufacturer of middle to high-end engineered flooring. Scheucher Holzindustrie will also be participating in DOMOTEX between 14th to 17th January in Hannover, Germany next year.

“When I started, I saw no path. But I looked at this as an opportunity and used my persistence until I achieved results.”

Do you find it frustrating that you can’t drive?

Not at all! Riyadh, being the largest city of Saudi Arabia has very busy streets with three to five lane highways on each side. So I’m not going to complain that I have a chauffeur to drive me to work and back. It’s less stressful. I’m out of the country a lot and get to drive then anyway.

Nevertheless, since driving your own car can be a way of fulfilling an expression of freedom. I get my fulfillment from the achievements I get from work.

What is the biggest challenge you face in your career as a woman living and working in Saudi Arabia?

When I started, I saw no path. But I looked at this as an opportunity and used my persistence until I achieved results.

My optimism lies in the amount of time and energy I invest in pursuit of a project whether it is big or small. When I know that I’ve exhausted all possibilities whether I

Who would be your dream client to work for? And what approach would you take?

I enjoy working on private palaces.

The demands are very challenging and personalised. I constantly learn new things about interior and exterior works. Subtlety is the key to good approach. Knowing your individual client’s preferences and choices is a must. However, one must have ready alternatives.

Is there anything that you said you’d never do when it came to your work?

I used to say that till I perish I would never be able to step into a palace.

Little did I know that I am standing in it right now.

What is the most demanding project that you have worked on?

It was an on-going big project where the other suppliers had been working on it the last two years to try to get a piece of the action. I thought I didn’t have a hope in pitching for the job as I had just started.

After four months, I was called in to submit

How do you identify potential business partners and get them to sign with you?

I try to know about a project before it is broadcasted. But identifying a potential business partner is crucial and most difficult. I don’t only look at the product and services of my partner. But I study the whole profile. Trust is most important.

My confidence in representing a partner comes from the marketing support they provide me and in the confidence they show me in allowing me to represent them! I absolutely do not only look at the money that the project will bring me. It is most rewarding to see that my partner and I have won a project based on hard work, diligence and indelible trust.

To find out more about Dessa’s company log onto www.bespokeinteriors-me.com or email: dessalidman@bespokeinteriors.me.com

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 45

People Testimonials from some of Dessa’s Clients: She demonstrated sound knowledge of her business undertaking with the ability to explain technical and business side issues. I have found that her energy to stay on top of a changing situation, meet with customers and weave through the complexities of the Middle East market to be courageous in a male controlled society.

Lawson Guffey, Project Director, Granada Business Park, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Bespoke Interiors, owned and operated by Dessa Lidman has been an inspiration to us all, purely by the way she never ceases to be full of energy, looking after her partners and agencies in every way she can in a most professional manner especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the GCC States. Due to her being very, very well connected in the previously mentioned countries we have found working with her to be very fruitful to our business and can only wish her every success with the expansion of her business.

James Mills, CEO, Balmoral Services Company, Kingdom of Bahrain A very highly talented lady with excellent communication and sales skills, a possession enough for a sales kit. Very ambitious person and always full of energy .

Mohamed Al Rouby, Royal Palace architect, Studio 65 – Italy; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia From the short time I knew Dessa Lidman the Managing Director of Bespoke Interiors, she possesses excellent communication skills, shows a great interest in her company’s activities as well as its position. She has great enthusiasm, both determined and persistent when it comes to achieving her company goals and objectives. Dessa has a positive attitude and specialised knowledge and abilities in her industry. She is self-confident, honest and sensitive to others.

Mahmoud Saleh, General Manager, Saudi Gardens, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia I am particularly impressed by the professional approach and enthusiasm demonstrated combined with the detailed knowledge and understanding of the product and services her business has to offer whilst maintaining the best interest of her clients and their goals and objectives.

Ramzi E Nawfal, Regional Director, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Cyril Sweett Saudi Arabia Ltd I got to know Dessa as a very dynamic and efficient person and therefore I am happy that we could win her to represent our company in the GCC countries. She has got some great sales skills and a great personality. Our whole team enjoys working with her.

Wilfried Jarosch, Export Director Europe & Middle East, Scheucher Holzindustrie GmbH, Austria

“You will recognise your own path when you come upon it, because you will suddenly have all the energy and imagination you will ever need.”

46 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

I have had the pleasure of knowing Ms lidman for the past few years, both of us work in the construction industry, a male dominated environment both in Europe and the Middle East.

Her drive and commitment to perfection is second to none.

She treats every project and client with the utmost respect and continually strives to ensure that her products make a difference to the final outcome. Her positivity and commitment infiltrates to her colleagues.

Veronica Kavanagh, Director, Project Commissioning, KSAU-HS, Project Management Office, National Guard Health Affairs. n

the spirit Of nature WITH Impression® YOU can Infinite design opportunities 6 surface structures Extraordinary style

Scheucher Holzindustrie GmbH | Zehensdorf 100 | A-8092 Mettersdorf | AUSTRIA | info@scheucher.at | www.scheucher.at BESPOKE INTERIORS MiddleEast L.L.C. Partner | www.bespokeinteriors-me.com

©iStockphoto.com/Branislav Ostojic

impressive – www.impressionparkett.at

People

InJAZ

Bahrain

InJAz Bahrain is a non-profit programme and member of the worldwide organisation, Junior Achievement, established to provide young people with an education surrounding mainly Business and Economics for the vital skills, knowledge and hands-on experience they need when seeking employment after their studies.

T

he organisation aims to inspire young Bahrainis, preparing them to succeed in global businesses and the economy.

Educating and inspiring young people to value

business by learning from speakers in the industry can vastly improve their lives and careers.

Volunteer Latifa Saad Salmeen told BC, “I have been involved in the programme for a year since the bank I was working for became involved with InJAz. It is designed to help students in school and

holds around ten programmes per year.

I have just helped a group of 17-year-old students start up a company to improve their entrepreneurial skills and found the experience highly rewarding.”

Bahraini youth will be targeted in schools around the island to experience how real business works, enhance their opportunities and be inspired to improve their own prospects supported by some of the kingdom’s leading companies including Tamkeen, Batelco and Bahrain National Gas Company (BANAGAS).

The uniquely designed programs range from teaching intermediate students about the importance of savings, to inspiring high school students’ entrepreneurial spirit by

“The uniquely designed programs range from teaching intermediate students about the importance of savings, to inspiring high school students’ entrepreneurial spirit by helping them start small companies in school.” helping them start small companies in school. The main business topics are taught by volunteers from the business community who help to bridge the gap between education and the workplace, enriching the program content with their real world experiences.

InJAz Bahrain is currently in its sixth year of operation. To date, more than 22,000 students have benefited from the programmes provided which are delivered annually by hundreds of volunteers, helping students succeed and prepare for the future ■ Call +973 1722 5050 for more information.

48 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Living

Eid Open House - Al Fateh Since 1991, Al Fateh Grand Mosque has been hosting an Eid Open House welcoming both Muslims and non Muslims through its doors.

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he event features cultural activities and tours aimed at enlightening people about Islamic traditions and customs. It began as a small event with games and refreshments, attracting around a hundred people. Today, Al Fateh opens its doors to many more from around the world who are given traditional Arabic abayas to promote Islamic dress. Traditions come alive as guests visit the henna corner where their hands can be painted in traditional designs and an Arabic and calligraphy corner gives attendees a chance to familiarise themselves with the language, helping to break barriers. Additionally, a Quran and scientific section aims to promote a

Grand Mosque

deeper understanding and interest in Islam.

The main purpose of the event is to bring people together to learn about Islam and encourage Muslims to be aware of the opportunities they have to share their religion and festivals with others. It also encourages non Muslims to keep an open mind about Islam and learn from what they see around them rather than from the media. Organisers of the event are dedicated to bridging the gap between various cultures and religions, removing misunderstanding and creating unity.

Bahrain is rich in culture and diverse in ethnicities, so unity is a step forward to the future. The welcoming atmosphere at the Eid Open House allows the diversity of society to come together and to question

Bahrain

Red Crescent Society Crescent Society A volunteer of the Red earthquake in 2010 ti Hai helps out after the

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he Ramadan Youth Project fundraising event ran for three days at Bahrain City Centre where contributions of money and food were gathered and donations were requested from individuals before and during Ramadan.

The benefits of this project are to develop the collaboration skills of the Bahrain Red Crescent volunteers when working together for charitable causes, helping to build teamwork and providing

the participants with a positive feeling when working together.

The project aims to spread the principles of Red Crescent, Red Cross and the International Humanitarian law, encouraging people to participate in a humanitarian cause.

The less fortunate are provided with money and food and their standard of living is raised.

Such projects aim to respond quickly to catastrophes around the world. Relief operations are combined with development work, including disaster preparation programmes, healthcare activities and the promotion of humanitarian values.

The Ramadan Youth Project sponsored by Zain Bahrain, saw youth volunteers handing out flyers and booklets and collecting individual and company donations. Food, clothes and other items were also accepted and activities included various games, henna and face painting.

As part of the project, people were invited to create hand prints on canvases

and find answers. People can discuss, understand and relate their lives to others in society despite differences. The Al Fateh Grand Mosque invites you to enter and discover the joyfulness of the Eid festival, the hospitality of the Arabic culture and the open arms of Islam on the second and third day of Eid; whilst the mosque stays open during regular hours ■ For further information call Tel +973 3973 4440. which had important meanings behind them and represented the main fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality and neutrality. The donor knows they are giving something to ‘someone’, but are unaware of that person’s race , religion or gender and contributed to a humanitarian cause to help raise the standard of living for the less able. When the donor smudges a hand print on the canvas they too remain anonymous and their race unknown, the only important colour seen is red , representing Red Crescent’s globally recognised emblem.

Established in 1970, the Bahrain Red Crescent Society is registered with the concerned government authorities and is internationally recognised by the Red Cross International Committee and Red Crescent and the Red Cross International Association.

Bahrain Red Crescent Society continues its efforts every year, seeking to help people in need everywhere.

With just under 100 million volunteers and supporters all over the world, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world’s largest humanitarian network, providing protection to people affected by disasters and conflicts.

There are 186 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies around the world, with more currently being formed ■ For more information, Tel. +973 1729 3171.

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 49

People

Making

‘Scents’ Of It All Rated among the top fragrances in the world, the Rasasi Perfumes brand is making waves in the region and beyond. Bahrain Confidential catches up with its Managing Director, Salim Kalsekar for an exclusive interview ...

When did the business start?

Rasasi Perfumes was founded in 1979, by the current Chairman who is my father Mr Abdur Razzak Kalsekar. He is a talented and committed businessman, and has always believed in offering high quality products and excellent customer service. This is reflected in the fact that Rasasi Perfumes was originally set up in

Dubai as a store dedicated to one brand and now offers a range of perfumery and considered to be one of the leading perfumeries in the region. His vision is now being carried forward by his six sons, each dedicated in their specialised area, achieving the core objective of brand growth.

When you took over the reins of the business after your father, was it a natural progression or did you plan on doing something else in life?

My brothers and I were practically brought up within the industry and we had a fascination with it from an early age. Particularly because perfumes have unique characteristics and a strong association with fashion - perfume is very personal to one’s desires and aspirations.

For us, perfumery is not just a science, it is an art.

As Rasasi’s Managing Director, what is your management principle?

By grace of Allah, we take immense pride in the fact that we have a great team who work at Rasasi – a team that is full of energy, dedication, creativity and is very hard working. We believe in being hands-on and we work very closely with them. It is a mutually beneficial relationship; we get our drive from their energies and it enables us to motivate them and channel their efforts.

How does a typical day start for a busy person like you?

As six brothers, we all have our areas of responsibilities and on top of that we follow the market and monitor the latest trends to stay ahead of our competitors. Then we will sit with our team to discuss the trends and brainstorm new ideas which can help our Research and Development team in their innovations. At Rasasi, we believe that as long as our team is motivated, this will in turn generate better results from them and will help our brand come out with better products.

Salim Kalsekar

50 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

What makes Rasasi Perfumes different from other perfume houses in the region?

We try to keep our products original by offering new fragrances plus, we offer both Oriental and Occidental fragrances.

Primarily, we always try to evolve for our customers and offer a wide range of products which vary in price. Therefore everyone can afford them.

What’s the latest fragrance you’ve launched?

We recently launched ‘Abyan and Attar al Mohabba’ (for men), an Oriental based eau de parfum in addition to ‘Confidence and Pour Homme’, an Occidental range of fragrances.

Which countries can Rasasi be found?

Rasasi manufactures and exports a wide range of Oriental and Occidental perfumes to more than 50 countries across the globe and has more than 100 stores throughout the GCC. Our perfumes are rated among the top fragrances in the world.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in business and in life so far? How did you overcome it?

Our biggest challenge have been positioning Rasasi’s name in the world of perfumes; and by the grace of Allah, we actually managed to succeed in doing that in a short period of time as Rasasi has now become a well-known international brand.

Your motto in life is ...

I recall a quotation by famous writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, who said: “Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” In other words follow your heart. It takes time, discipline and faith in one’s self to excel in whatever we do. n

Rasasi Perfumes is available at Bahrain City Centre. Tel. + 973 1717 8478.

If you want to be part of our online community and receive information every two weeks about the latest happenings in Bahrain including beauty, fashion, nightlife, events and more, email

info@ArabianMagazines.com to receive our bi-monthly newsletter.

ConfidentialArabia.com

People

Socialite Diaries

Bahrain ConďŹ dential manages to track down the elite of Bahrain to find out just what they are up to.

What have you been gossiping about?

I have a lot going on so there are always new projects to talk about! At the moment I have just finished my own Italian design watch collection which can be found in Seef Mall at reasonable prices, and I hopefully have a few fashion projects in London in the pipeline.

Paola Livadiotti

What are you driving?

A BMW 330i series in dark blue. I have always driven BMWs as I love the brand.

Favourite holiday destination

I grew up in Monte Carlo but it has changed a lot since I lived there. I also consider London my home and regularly visit my apartment on Sloane Avenue. I just returned from there and loved the cooler weather and of course the shopping.

What was your last purchase?

A pair of LK Bennett shoes from London. A lot of the clothes I buy I tend to change, for example I used to buy jackets and embellish them with crystals or re-style them, this is one of my passions.

52 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Stylist, Interior Decorator and Jewellery and Clothes Designer

Current Favourite Dining Spot

I love Japanese food so Maki is one of my favourites where I go with my family; along with Monsoon. I just adore the interior and layout of the place.

Favourite brand

I love Hobbs NW3 range, Armani and London brand, LK Bennett. I make a lot of my own designs as it is nice to have different clothes from other people that I have personally accessorised. I adore Elie Saab’s day and evening wear, especially his lace designs which are beautiful. ith ellished w ign, emb h by Rolex s e d s s atc d dre jacket an d jewellery and w , available s ars own e e e n h w ig tc s la a e o d w a P custom gent of 3H Italia ; ls e w je is a own n. ac Desig old. Paola in pink g at Seef Mall in M th this mon

Competitions Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win The Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain has joined forces with Bahrain Confidential to give you an amazing opportunity to experience the Thai Food and Cultural Festival this month. Two (2) lucky readers get a chance to win a buffet dinner for two.

To enter all you have to do is answer the following question: When will the Thai Food and Cultural Festival start?

A) 18th September 2011 B) 18th October 2011 C) 24th September 2011 Email your answer to: competition@ArabianMagazines.com and please include age, nationality, sex, your mobile number and favourite section in the magazine (for internal use only.)

Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win

Healthy

Party Food

Classic Coleslaw

Ingredients

1/2 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt, or 2/3 cup regular plain nonfat yogurt 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 (16-ounce) bag shredded coleslaw mix 2 teaspoons caraway seeds

This is the month Chicken Satay that everyone Ingredients remembers how to 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter party. But it doesn’t 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup lemon or lime juice mean you have 1 tablespoon brown sugar to continue to pile 2 tablespoons curry powder 2 cloves garlic, chopped on the pounds 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast after Ramadan. halves - cubed So we’ve chosen Directions some tasty but In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, healthy party soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, curry powder, garlic and hot pepper sauce. dishes and Place the chicken breasts in the marinade remember the key and refrigerate. Let the chicken marinate at to staying slim is to least 2 hours, overnight is best.

Preheat a grill to high heat. eat small portions. Weave the chicken onto skewers, then grill for 5 minutes per side.

Directions

If using regular yogurt, place it in a strainer lined with a paper towel and set the strainer over a bowl. Let the yogurt drain and thicken for 20 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together the Greek or stained yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add coleslaw mix and caraway seeds and toss to coat.

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 53

Shopping

Eid Collection Rich fabrics and gorgeous prints, all of which are hallmarks of Marks & Spencer quality and style – ideal for family evenings and perfect for Eid celebrations.

Includes embell kaftans in deep colours, elegant evening dresses and long printed skirts, crafted from fabrics such as chiffon, satin silk and organza. For younger ladies and girls, satin and chiffon dresses look both dressy and stylish at the same time.

Back to School Range: Built for Work and Play

The collection boasts special features such as ‘Stain DefenceTM’ and ‘Ultimate Non-Iron’; both of which bring extra convenience for parents and children. Parents no longer need to worry about tough stains or ironing school wear, and children gain the freedom to enjoy and have fun in school.

Marks & Spencer is located at Seef Mall.

54 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Shopping

Women

Country Heritage is inspired by the 70’s and has an air of vintage. Think detachable parkas, leather trim and careful tailoring. The College ’50s collection has a strong ‘school’ vibe with striped jackets and formal shirts.

The classic Equestrian looks features beige and camel colours.

Men

Massimo

There has been a rebirth of the ‘folk’ look for the Harvest trend inspired by hunting and fishing with quilted pieces in shades of olive and burgundy.

The Overnight look is inspired by the 60’s intellectual look with bottle-green and neutral colours.

Dutti

Boys and Girls

This season is marked by rich colours and qualities, with the spirit of the ‘college’ look featuring strongly.

Think intense blues and bottle greens. The more rustic collection features Scottish plaids, polka dots and floral prints.

Massimo Dutti can be found in Bahrain City Centre and Seef Mall.

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 55

Shopping

Don’t Forget The

Kids!

K Ki ids!

Prémaman’s latest collection is the perfect choice for little boys and their sisters alike: sleeveless fur-effect waistcoats, bright red ponchos, Liberty dresses, a first sweatshirt with a hood, even a scarf - striped of course - and a striped bonnet. Think denim blue and apple green, and, baby’s first leggings in soft velour, violet, raspberry, or a more basic mouse-grey.

Available from Zaina in Seef Mall.

Tel. +973 1758 2110.

56 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

People

ig, oldand

eautiful Unique and simply inspirational, Liesel Asadi talks about her lifelong passion for handmade jewellery.

D

esigned for women in their 20’s and older, Liesel Asadi’s ‘Passion Handmade Jewellery’ are made with the confident woman in mind.

Bahrain Confidential talks exclusively with Liesel about her work and what inspires her ...

Has this always been your passion?

How did it start and where?

It certainly is my passion. I went to National School of the Arts in South Africa where I majored in jewellery design. It started from then onwards and I got a lot of inspiration from my mother who also make beautiful jewellery.

“My pieces are usually big and chunky making a statement, and it always gets compliments!”

How would you describe your jewellery?

My pieces are usually big and chunky - making a statement, and it always gets compliments!

How many collections have you done so far? Do you have a favourite?

I don’t do collections, I rather distinguish between the different gemstones I am using and the colours.

I have done hundreds of pieces - each one unique. I randomly pick beads and stones wherever I go, always looking out for anything unique as I travel abroad on holiday or home.

What inspires your work?

Anything and everything. I also travel quite a lot so I get ideas as well as source my materials from places like Sri Lanka, South Africa, Thailand, Nepal and India.

Do you have a favourite material/ gem that you work with?

Yes. I love working with rose quartz, also known as the ‘love stone’, as it aids peacefulness and calm in relationships.

Do you have a favourite jeweller?

Yes, Jenna Clifford.

If you were to design a jewellery piece for a celebrity, who would it be and what would you design for them?

Rihanna, because she likes wearing unique things that you can’t find around each and every corner. Definitely a big piece made with pearls that would compliment her skin tone ■

To contact Liesel Asadi or to know more about Passion Handmade Jewellery, call +973 3992 0933; email: liesels@gmail.com or visit www.passionhandmadejewellery.weebly.com.

Find her on Facebook under ‘Passion’.

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 57

Fashion

Desert Queen Katya Kovtunovich started designing her first dresses for her Barbie dolls at the age of seven, and by 16 she was already dazzling in her self-made mini skirts and signature jumpsuits.

58 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Fashion

Born on the Russian island of Sakhalin, near Japan, Katya studied Linguistics in St Petersburg, before moving to London to follow her dream and gain experience at Vogue and Tatler.

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 59

Fashion

She went to attend international Fashion Weeks from Paris to New York long before she was officially invited, but when her articles graced the pages of Russian Vogue and Elle and people in the street kept asking her to sell what she was wearing, Katya realised that her strongest talent was still to put together unique fabrics and create clothes that turn heads.

60 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Fashion

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 61

Fashion

In 2010 she started her own company, currently based in Dubai; and continues to travel the world, while merging European and Asian inuences with eternal elegance and style into beautiful clothes that every woman can wear.

Credits: Photography - Gabriella Di Muro Gabriella Di Muro - Born in Italy, Gabriella set out to share her passion for photography with the the whole world - shooting editorials for Indian Harper’s Bazaar, Italian Vogue, American Vanity Fair and Russian Elle. She fell in love with Arabic culture and the people and never misses an opportunity to come back to the Middle East again.

To book a private photo session or a wedding photo shoot visit www.gabrielladimuro.com To order a dress, email: order@katyakovtunovich.com or visit www.katyakovtunovich.com

62 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Fashion

Fringed waistcoat, grey - Biba Knitted cream fringe tape jumper - Topshop Washed camel skinny jeans - ASOS Lace Up Brogue boots - Next

Urban

Life

64 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Fashion

ASOS salon dress with 3D flower bodice – Mink Stone hooded metal clasp coat - TOPSHOP Block colour tights mink – New Look

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 65

Fashion

Tuxedo Jacket, cream - Pied a Terre Tailored pleat front tailored shorts – Tobacco - ASOS Ivory cornelli insert sleeveless top - TOPSHOP Herringbone tights, cream - New Look Lace up shoe boot white - New Look Crochet circles embroidery skinny scarf - Label Lab

66 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Fashion

STYLING Lizzy Gardner STYLIST’S ASST Sian Griffiths MAKE-UP Laura Cotterill HAIR Suk Ram MODEL Ellie @ Adage PHOTOGRAPHY Garazi

White sweater – REISS Apricot asymmetric chiffon midi skirt - TOPSHOP Herringbone tights, cream - New Look ASOS 70s Floppy hat – Tobacco - ASOS Lace up shoe boot, oatmeal - New Look

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 67

Shopping

Herald The

Simply to die for ... This season, Versace’s upcoming Fall/Winter Collection for Women is an exploration of sharp and sinuous cuts on shift and anatomical shapes.

New Versace Woman

R

ich materials, such as suede and python are combined together with leather, wool crĂŞpe and felted cashmere. Double breasted coats are A-line pleated, and pencil-cut to the knee with regimental gold buttons. Shoulders come in two variations, one sharp and straight, the second dropped and less structured. Dresses are tight and sexy little shifts.

Rich, intense emerald, red and yellow are interrupted by contrasting handwork which interlocks blocks of colour together.

Hard and soft ... sensuous and glamorous, the upcoming collection is a new take on the essence of the House of Versace.

Versace is located at Moda Mall Tel. +973 1753 6663.

68 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

American Mission Hospital

AMH specialities include:                             

24 Hour Urgent Care Dental Services Family Medicine Internal Medicine Obstetrics & Gynecology Pediatrics: Pulminology, Gastroenterology &Neurology Audiology / Speech Therapy Dermatology Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) General, Laparoscopic & Keyhole Surgery Ophthalmology Orthopedics Physiotherapy Pain Management Comprehensive, in-house Laboratory Services Pharmacy Services X-ray (general, special & mammography) Ultrasound Breast Clinic Chest Clinic Diabetes Clinic Hypertension Clinic Speciality Clinics for Cardiology, Pulminology, Neurology, Gastroenterology & Urology Well Woman Health Screening Well Baby Clinic Smoking Cessation Clinic Mental Health Clinic Sleep Study Center Travel Medicine

Since 1903 American Mission Hospital has been caring for the community of Bahrain.

Building from our heritage for your future!

P.O. Box 1 Manama, Bahrain Website: www.amh.org.bh E-mail: info@amh.org.bh Direct dial appointments: 1724 8110 or 1724 8121 Saar Medical and Dental Center Tel: +973 1779 0025 Fax: +973 1779 0052

Fashion

‘007’

at BARCODE An all male fashion spectacular entitled ‘007’ at BARCODE Night Club and Lounge.

Neal Ramchader

I U S Masood

Akeel Ahmed

70 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Fashion Arsalan

Zeeshan Rasheed

E.K. Rana

SUITS

On September 3, Barcode and Cloud 9 Promotions are presenting “007” An All Male Fashion Extravaganza. Directed by Juni Caps the fashion show will feature ten upcoming models from Cloud 9 Promotions; the men will model casual, suits and swim wear.

S T I Junaid Qassim

Noman Tariq

Umer Hassan

Amad Asif

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 71

Fashion

72 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

U S A

Models:

Masood Akeel Ahmed Zeeshan Rasheed Junaid Qassim Amad Asif Umer Hassan Noman Tariq E.K. Rana Arsalan Neal Ramchader

CASUALS

Fashion

Photographers:

Eric Cruz Alberto Sandoval Hazel Duldulao Bahrain Photographers Guild

Hair and Make Up:

S L A U Felda Del Prado of Felda Cut and Style

Art Direction:

Juni Capulong of Kananu Arts Direction

Cloud 9 Production Team: Farahim Khan Adil Chauhan Abdalla Malik

Photos Edited By: Calvin John

Location:

BARCODE Night Club and Lounge, 2nd level City Center Hotel

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 73

Beauty BD15 to BD25 BD13.4

Talika Exclusively at Faces

Angel Schlesser

Schlesser is enriched with the fruity, exotic notes of kiwi, pomegranate and tangerine, a middle note of beautiful and fragrant roses and a final note of sensual patchouli and white musk, the new fragrance pours out elegance and comfort.

Talika Lipocils, is an effective formulation that not only conditions the lashes, but realises their maximum potential for volume and growth; with its special formula of soy lecithin, witch hazel, and allantoin produce your longest, healthiest, most resilient lashes ever.

Available from Faces outlets at Seef Mall, Country Mall and Riffa Mall.

Thierry Mugler, ’Solar Goddess’

Combining the intensity of gold with unique materials and colours, Thierry Mugler adorns women with looks that are uplifting and enchanting.

Illuminated with hints of amethyst, emerald or bronze, the glitter and sparkle of gold clothe every woman in a whole new aura.

Beauty

Whitening Essence Intense, BD141.5

Buzz Buzz

La Mer Ageless Whitening

Roohy Tehabak, Rasasi Perfumes

Enriched with the addictive fragrances of mandarin, orange, lily and gardenia with heart notes of peach, pepper, labdanum and frankincense, the perfume in a beautifully designed bottle symbolises the love of a woman for her traditions.

Patchouli, sandalwood and amber give the finishing touches to this Arabic expression of love.

Available at all Rasasi outlets across the GCC.

74 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

The Blanc De La Mer Collection introduces an intense essence to give you ageless whitening and illumination for spotless, youthful and crystal clear illumination. The serum promises to lift away discolouration while strengthening and defining the skin’s contours..

Available at Paris Gallery, Bahrain City Centre.

Nuxe, The Secret to Radiant Beauty

Huile Prodigieuse by Nuxe is multi-purpose dry oil that leaves your skin naturally radiating, delicately tanned and moisturised resulting in satin-smooth and shimmery face, body and hair in any season.

With a unique formula , this oil promises velvety skin, silky hair and an overall improvement of stretch marks.

Available at JH Ruyan pharmacy outlets.

Huile Prodigieuse; 50 ml, BD9.75, 100 ml spray ,BD16.8 Huile Prodigieuse 50 ml, BD13, 100 ml spray, BD21.4

Beauty

Him For

Antonio Banderas, The Golden Secret

Enriched with the aromas of spicy, woody and leather accords, this fragrance is the perfect combination of singularity and elegance. Top notes of masculine freshness combined with heart notes of exotic peppers and spices mix to give an aromatic freshness with a strong personality.

Davidoff Cool Water

With an aromatic fresh fragrance bursting with peppermint and lavender, this fragrance is both authentic and ultimately seductive.

The sensual flow of amber sizzles with sensuality. Clothed in a sleek, masculine bottle and a metallic blue box, Cool Water invites man to embrace the power of waves and the power within him.

Available at Al Hawaj outlets.

Prices may vary. For other products, prices are available on request and available at all leading cosmetic outlets.

Men need to hydrate their skin. With high performance plant extracts and calcium hyaluronate, Clarins Super Moisture Gel and Balm promise to leave men’s skin highly protected and hydrated without the slightest oil residue. Natural extracts of sunflower, bison grass and alpine sea holly soothes the skin, nourishing and energising it.

50ml, BD14, 100ml, BD20.3

Clarins Men

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 75

Beauty

Ask Dr Dean Our skin is not immune to the ravages of time; but there are a few things we can do to at least slow the process down. Dr Dean Cunha Gomes of the Royal Bahrain Hospital discusses your most pressing questions on skin pigmentation, ageing, permanent hair removal and much more in this month’s issue ...

I have a lot of brown spots on my face – are there any over-the-counter products that I could use and do they work?

I would suggest that you have a consultation before you start any treatment with creams for dark spots on the face.

There are conditions that produce dark brown spots which will improve marginally with some over-the-counter products but then return with more severe pigmentation.

Treatment for pigment spots include

by surgical and non surgical methods but unfortunately we cannot prevent ageing.

The same with face products - they do not stop the ageing process.

I have been reading a lot about Fraxel - is there a limit to how often you should have it done?

Fraxel restore and Fraxel Dual laser treatment are probably the most common ones used from the Fraxel family of

“I would stress on the use of sunscreen according to the type of your skin that is normal, dry, or oily skin.” agents that have an effect on pigment cells (melanocytes), those that effect transport of melanin (pigment) to the surface of the skin, bleaching agents and peeling agents.

I would stress on the use of sunscreen according to the type of your skin that is normal, dry, or oily skin. The cream program works very well but one has to be persistent and understand that excessive direct sun exposure will worsen the matter.

I have recently read that face products do not stop the ageing process – is this true?

This is absolutely true, stopping and reversing the ageing process has eluded the scientific world. We do have measures to rejuvenate the ageing face

lasers. Three to five treatments is what is generally advised - three treatments for correction of pigmentary disorders, with five for resurfacing the areas of the skin. However, there’s no limit as to the number of treatments that can be done.

It is prudent to keep a four-to-six-week gap between two treatments.

I have fair hair and have been told that permanent hair removal treatment does not work. Is this true and if so is there an alternative?

Permanent hair reduction treatments do not work for blonde, bleached, auburn and grey hair. For the hair reducing laser to work optimally, the hair needs

If you have any skin or body concerns that you think Dr Gomes can help you with, please email your question to info@ArabianMagazines.com 76 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

to be much darker than the surrounding skin. The laser energy is absorbed by the pigment present in the hair roots and this causes their destruction. So if the roots are not black, the procedure doesn’t work.

The only other permanent solution may be Electrolysis, where a very minute needle is inserted into the hair root which is then destroyed.

What is the difference between varicose veins and thread veins?

Varicose veins are blue, enlarged, tortuous veins usually found on the legs, though they may be found elsewhere.

They are usually greater than four millimetre in diameter. They happen due to malfunction of valves within the veins, which leads to their engorgement with blood. They may cause complications like pain, swelling (of the legs), itching, ulcers and other skin changes. Treatment options include elastic stockings, leg elevation, exercise, sclerotherapy, radiofrequency ablation and endogenous laser treatment.

Thread veins or spider veins are small dilated blood vessels around 0.5 to one millimetre in diameter. They are red, purple or blue in colour and found commonly on the face and legs. They maybe congenital or happen in association with varicose veins, pregnancy and lifestyle or occupational factors. The ideal treatment is with sclerotherapy or with lasers which cause their sealing and subsequent dissolution ■ For further information or for consultations, contact Dr Dean Cunha Gomes, MS, MCh, MRCS [Glasg], DHSA [Can]; Consultant Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon at the Royal Aesthetic Centre, Royal Bahrain Hospital. Tel. +973 1724 6857 or +973 1724 6939.

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THE SALON HAS UNDER GONE A STUNNING TRANSFORMATION &ELDA WHO TRAINED AT THE GLOBALLY RENOWNED 6IDAL 3ASSOON 4RAINING !CADEMY AND THE 3HISEIDO 3CHOOL OF MAKE UP OFFERS THE LATEST HAIR MAKE UP SERVICES AS WELL AS MANICURES PEDICURES AND NAIL EXTENSIONS AT VERY COMPETITIVE PRICES

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www.FashionArabia.net

Areej, established in 2004, is the luxury Arabic lifestyle magazine published from Bahrain by Arabian Magazines. It has a strong focus on fashion and luxury but also gives readers interesting and informative sections on art, society, shopping, home decor, and health. In November 2009, Areej circulation was substantially increased as it became the only magazine to be delivered to 3,000 Al Watan newspaper subscribers.

Health

Health

Updates Getting Rid of Sweats

Sweating is a common problem both in men and women, mostly because of stress and other issues. In women, sweating can be excessive after menopause as well. So how does one prevent excessive sweating? Preventing sweats depends on what causes sweats. Women who sweat because of menopause are suffering from a drop in their estrogen level in which case the drug, Clonidine is recommended. If that does not work, doctors suggest Hormone Replacement Therapy or hypnotherapy. Proper clothing with moisture wicking fibers as well as exercise and weight loss is also thought to be helpful when it comes to reducing sweats. It would be wise to consult a general practitioner before deciding what treatment will suit you.

Furthermore, some people believe that drinking alcohol also causes sweats. This theory still remains to be proven. It is thought; however that drinking may serve to cool the body and may make up for the sweat being lost due to excessive sweating.

Drugs during Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a joyful experience for many women but it is not an easy one at that. Often accompanied by nausea and vomiting, pregnancy can be unpleasant. These symptoms are a part of pregnancy and women are told to deal with it, preferably with non drug treatments. Drug therapies, on the other hand, were always discouraged because they were thought to be harmful for the baby. However, recent research has indicated that their risks might have been highly exaggerated. In fact, studies conducted have compared various drugs including antihistamines promethazine and prochloroperazine and have shown that they might even serve to protect the foetus by reducing metabolic disturbances resulting from vomiting. This in turn helps improve the nutrition of the mother. Furthermore, nausea and vomiting in pregnant women may be increased because of certain drugs.

However, these symptoms can be counteracted by antiacid drugs such as ranitidine.

Sunshine a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Sunshine has often been thought of as a healing tonic to the mind and the body. It is one of earth’s natural God-given disinfectants. Following that belief, sunshine was thought to be harmful for the skin and likely to cause diseases such as cancer because of its ultraviolent radiation. That was then. What about now? Recent research has indicated that three hours exposure to the sun can decrease the risk of breast cancer by half because sunlight is thought to behave as a stimulant for the production of vitamin D by the skin. Sunlight is also known to be beneficial for the treatment of eczema, rickets and psoriasis. It is still not completely denied that sunlight has no negative effects. However it is thought that one’s perception of sunlight is where the difference lies. If you think you will get cancer by sunbathing, then sunlight is not good for you. However, if you think sunlight will reduce your risks of breast cancer, sunlight is good for you.

78 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Health A Cup of Green Tea

Green tea has always been a therapeutic drink encouraged by everyone and known to be responsible for many health benefits. The Chinese have been drinking green tea since ancient times as a cure for everything from headaches to depression. The benefits of green tea are no secret. Recent research has shown that there is another benefit to green tea people don’t talk much about. When it comes to protecting the immune system, we often mention garlic, sage and honey.

Green tea is also capable of protecting the immune system because of a compound polyphenol called EGCG present in it. This polyphenol compound has the ability to increase the number of regulatory T cells which are important for immune function. The compound can also control inflammation and prevent cancer. Although there are drugs and antibiotics made specifically for these problems, they have problems with toxicity which green tea does not have. So once again, green tea is strongly recommended.

New Diet Pill

Research is being conducted on a new diet pill which will be available within the next couple of years. The pill, locaserine, is known to suppress appetite and even reduce up to 40 per cent of weight in some cases, although weight loss has been minimal in some patients. Apart from this, the drug also has some significant health benefits such as reduced cholesterol, blood pressure and waist size. However, research has shown that some individuals who have taken the pill suffered from side effects such as nausea, dizziness and headaches which doctors have been working on to the effect of minimal fears regarding the use of the pill. With the increase in obesity and the rising ratio of weight problems, the pill, locaserine is seen as a step forward in attempting to battle the issue that has affected so many people. The pill will also be made available only to people with weight problems as a last resort before they consider gastric band surgery.

Hope for the Balding?

Everyone knows what a hair transplant is; a procedure that has been advancing since it came into being. How does it really work though and is it effective or not? The procedure involves removing hair from areas of excessive hair growth such as the back and sides of the head and implanting the hair follicles on the balding area. The success of this procedure depends on how much excessive hair growth is available on the donor.

Because of this, although hair transplants are a common and widely spoken about procedure, many men do not fit the criteria. Male pattern baldness is very common in men and is progressive, which makes it difficult to know when to go for a transplant procedure. Balding takes place in seven stages from the full head to the horse shoe shaped pattern at the back and sides of the head. The problem with a hair transplant procedure is that if it is done at the wrong time the effect in the long run will be horrible. Therefore, prospective patients need to think twice before deciding when they want to undergo the procedure.

African Mangoes

An exotic fruit called the African Mango has been recently discovered which can apparently cause one to lose weight drastically. The fruit gained popularity in the United States after Dr Mehmet Oz mentioned it in his Emmy Award winning Show calling it “a miracle in your medicine cabinet”. This has led people to forget about diet pills and other weight loss remedies and focus on this healthier, risk free way to lose weight. In addition to weight loss, it has been seen that those who had taken the fruit 30 minutes before meals had lost an average of 2.4 inches from their waistlines and well over 1.8 inches from their hips. It was also noted that their bad LDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels all plummeted.

The fruit has been used in Cameroon, Africa for centuries to lose weight and keep cholesterol levels in check and is popular for its medicinal qualities. Also known as the Bush Mango, what makes this mango different from other fruits is the fact that it produces a specific type of seed called Dikka nuts.

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 79

Living

Flamboyant Furniture

KARE certainly knows how to turn glitzy living up a notch. These vibrant coloured pieces are one-of-a-kind and guaranteed to be a statement piece in any setting.

Western armchair, blue Stool Revenue Petrol

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Living

Starlight hanging lamp-metal, acrylic, plastic; also available in other colours

Fantasia mirror

Rockstar bar chair, with pink imitation leather; also available in black or white

Vario coffee table, with three swivel glass tops, in iced or coloured glass Cube Leaf, soft form in high-gloss lacquer

KARE is at Lagoon, Amwaj Islands.

Shelf Unit, with attractive shelf and ornamental mouldings, for books, objects d’art

For more information, Tel. +973 1601 2808 and visit www.kare-bahrain.com September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 81

Travel

The Wild Side Of

Ethiopia

Journey through Ethiopia, discover its natural and cultural heritage and watch as everything comes together to create this beautifully diverse country. tribes and people with various traditions and cultures. It is this diversity that gives Ethiopia its character. One of the tribes indigenous to the country is the Mursi people.

Their distinctiveness lies in the fact that its women are famous for wearing lip plates made of clay. Other tribes include the Hamer people who are known for their unique hairstyles made from ochre, water and resin. Like the Hamer people, the Bena tribe, settled in Turmi also wear their hair very distinctively. Finally, if you’re thinking of visiting these fascinating people, the Konso are worth acquainting yourselves with. This pagan tribe is known for their wooden totems called waka which they erect with cult based symbols.

If you’re a nature lover and appreciate unknown cultures, a visit to Ethiopia is one experience you will never forget! ■ A one-way economy class fare to Addis Ababa is BD127 and a round trip is BD237. For more information contact Ethiopian Airlines, Tel. +973 1721 5022 or visit www.ethiopianairlines.com

A

journey through the rich wildlife of Ethiopia is one well worth remembering. A visit to Nechsar National Park and Lake Chamo situated south of Arba Minch is the perfect one for animal and bird lovers. Lake Chamo is thought to be about 32 kilometres long and 13 kilometres wide, bordered with beds of Typha, a flowering plant species. It is home to a number of crocodiles that gather there to sun themselves and is known as the ‘Crocodile Market’. What a sight! The Nechsar National Park, located east of Arba Minch covers 514 square kilometres of land including the ‘Bridge of God’. This scenic bridge divides Ethiopia’s largest Rift Valley lakes and is surprisingly, one of the least visited places in the country.

Remember to take your camera along! The park is the ideal place for bird watching and is an important habitat for various species of birds of which the most

82 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

noted ones include kingfishers, storks and fish eagles. Other rarer birds include Falco naumanni (Lesser Kestrel), and small numbers of Phoenicopterus minor (Lesser Flamingo) which have been spotted on Lakes Chamo and Abaya. The open plains also support three species unknown anywhere else in Ethiopia, an isolated population of Mirafra albicauda (White tailed Lark) and the Caprimulgus solala.

The park is rich in animal species as well including Grant’s gazelle, Dik-dik and the Greater Kudu and is home to one of the last three populations of the endangered Swayne’s Hartebeest, endemic to Ethiopia.

The diversity of Ethiopia is seen not only among its wildlife but also among its culture and people. It has a number of different

Travel

Introducing The

Celebrity

Silhouette A cruise to most people conjures up an image of blue hair rinses, zoomer frames and lots of people nodding off on deck chairs.

B

ecause there was a time when cruises were only associated with older people. How things have drastically changed!

For sure you still get those who have fallen asleep on their sun loungers, but that’s probably due to clubbing or playing on the roulette tables until the early hours as opposed to - ‘their age’.

The easiest way to describe a cruise ship these days is to think about a floating holiday resort because that is pretty much what it is. But saying that - a cruise isn’t necessarily for everyone? Well at least that’s what I thought before I went on my last one. My previous experiences had

84 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

been all a little overwhelming due to the sheer number of people coming to join me – roughly around five-and-a-half-thousand to be precise. So when I wasn’t queueing for an absolute age just to get some food, I’d be frantically darting around the dining hall looking for somewhere to sit and by the time I’d found that, my food would be cold and no doubt I’d be pulling a kid out of my soup because they just seemed to be everywhere screaming their little heads off. I swore after that – that I’d never do another one.

So I surprised myself when I accepted to attend the inaugural launch of the Celebrity Silhouette from Civitavecchia, Italy! I boarded an early morning Turkish Airlines flight from Bahrain to Rome via Istanbul. I have never been disappointed

by Rebecca Cooksey

Travel

“I had sliding doors which led onto my very own little balcony which made everything instantly feel quite tranquil…”

with Turkish Airways – the service is brilliant, the food is great, to the point that I’m still raving about the scrambled eggs I had for breakfast in economy – they were the best I’d ever had on a plane. The timing for my connecting flight to Rome was acceptable but I would defiantly recommend that you have a night’s stopover in Istanbul on your way back as it’s over seven hours before you board your flight back to Bahrain.

When I arrived at the port there were plenty of staff to help assist me and the check-in was extremely smooth – probably because I’d already done it online. My room, although small was a pleasing sight to my bleary eyes. I had a sliding door which led onto my very own little balcony which made everything instantly feel quite

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 85

Travel tranquil especially when trying to sleep. They’re all the usual amenities that you come to expect when staying in a five-star hotel plus a very adequate entertainment system comprising of music, movies and TV shows. Not that it was used much as I headed straight for the shower, changed and scampered out to explore!

2:1 and the staff is absolutely superb and unbelievably professional.

What made this cruise different for me though was just the lack of people.

The Celebrity Silhouette prides itself on being more exclusive and with only 2,886 guests, a little more selective. Don’t get me wrong, if I was taking children on holiday either style cruise would be suitable but as I wasn’t – this was

“I was so pleased that I had an extra USD100 deducted from my Michael Kors bag that I invested it into a second bag … Only women will understand that logic!”

The Celebrity Silhouette is the fourth Solstice-class ship from Celebrity Cruises.

Reported to have cost over £500-million to build, it boasts a number of exclusive new features such as the Lawn Club Grill - the cruise industry’s first outdoor interactive grill and The Alcoves which is just stunning. It offers private cabanas with iPod docking stations etc overlooking a real grass lawn. The ship also features designer boutiques from brands such as Michael Kors and Bvlgari, exclusive restaurants (twelve in total), and an Applededicated internet café as well as the iLounge - offering guests classes in using iPads and iPhones. Plus obviously you have all the usual features such as theatre, a casino, trendy bars and much more.

There is a guest-to-staff ratio of nearly

86 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

just perfect. I quickly realised that it was up to the individual on how they spent their time. As it’s all too easy to roll out of bed, eat an enormous breakfast, flop on to a sun bed and party the rest of day while listening to funky house music and people watching. Or you could start the day with a yoga session, a healthy breakfast, and once digested join a very effective boot camp session run by highly trained instructors, and finish off with a nutritious lunch followed by a relaxing spa treatment.

You can even get your Botox topped up and your lips inflated. Of course you can combine the two but the difference with the latter is that you’re less likely to be leaving with an extra three lbs hanging from your waist! I was never hungry once due to the sheer amount of tasty food on offer.

All jokes aside, if you’re into your fitness – you really will not be disappointed. They offer state-of-theart fitness facilities and a wide range of classes including indoor cycling, Pilates, body-sculpting as well as Boot Camp and Yoga etc. I was really impressed.

In the evening there is so much entertainment on offer that even if you went on your own – you couldn’t feel bored or lonely. Throughout the evening you could watch pantomimes, Broadwaystyle tribute shows, comedy, circus-style shows featuring jugglers and acrobats, through to listening to really talented singers and poets. In my humble opinion the shows are as good as what you’d get in the West End, London – except these are all inclusive.

The place is buzzing and the best thing about the shopping is it is tax and VAT free. I was so pleased that I had an extra USD100 deducted from my Michael Kors bag that I invested it into a second bag … Only women will understand that logic!

Finally if you have the little ‘mini me’s’ in tow – there is so much supervised entertainment for them that they’ll be telling you ‘Dad, just leave me alone – like you’re so embarrassing in front of my new friends’, as they scamper off with a group of little people in tow to their next activity.

Overall, I absolutely loved it and would defiantly do it again.

Whether it was to get fit, get fat or get married or being greedy - all three. It was hugely entertaining and not once did I feel sea sick! ■

From last month, The Celebrity Silhouette, was the first Celebrity ship to offer a varie ty of sailings from Venice, Italy. Thes e are a series of roundtrip, Venicebased cruises an d open-jaw cruises between Venice and Rome, rangin g from eleven to 13 nights in length, fro m May through mid-August of 20 12. Sailing along the Adriatic Coas t as well as in Greece and Turke y, these itineraries will be port-intensiv e, with only one or two ‘sea days’ on each cruise. Later this year, Celebrity Silhouette will sail to North America and offer cruises in the Caribbean thr oughout the winte r from Cape Libert y in Bayonne, Ne w Jersey. For more information visit www.celebritycru ises.com.

Travel

Luxury Living

Omani Hospitality With

Zighy Bay spares no efforts in offering a unique experience of true luxury living and experience as it offers a plethora of unmatched experiences within short reach of the resort and a beach where crabs still crawl at dusk and birds chirp early morning.

S

ix Senses Zighy Bay sits on the Musandam Peninsula in the Sultanate of Oman, between the spectacular Hajar Mountains, blue sea and white sands of Zighy Bay. The peace and serenity of the resort, the award-winning food and wine is balanced by a multitude of water sports, diving,

followed by a short drive to cross the Hajar Mountains, with a final climb of 1,000 feet to arrive to a stunning view of the Indian Ocean. So far from reality, yet so close to reach, to be received by a welcoming Omani hospitality, with a refreshing cold towel, fresh Omani dates and a cup of Omani coffee.

From which point, the adventures and dream holiday at this luxurious multiple award-winning resort begins.

The resort, having been constructed as a true Omani traditional village has 82 villas – each with a private pool. Villas start with a minimum of 150-square metres in size, offering ultimate privacy , open air showers, a refreshing cool breeze from the Arabian Sea, the sound of waves hitting the shores, and

“Arrive to a stunning view of the Indian Ocean. So far from reality, yet so close to reach, to be received by a welcoming Omani hospitality.” sailing and paragliding.

The drive from Dubai is through the breathtaking Arabian Desert - where camels cross the desert and golden sand dunes during the sunset hours -

they are not far from a 1,600-metre long pristine beach.

Once settled down in the privacy of the Private Villa, an extensive choice of activities are offered ranging from fine dining, as visiting world famous three-star Michelin chefs such as Pierre Gagnaire have been at the unique Sense on the Edge restaurant which is perched high atop the Hajar Mountain range offering truly breathtaking views of the Bay below.

After indulging in the spectacular food, relax in the multiple award-winning Six Senses Spa which offers several treatments managed by the Swedish Spa Manager Carolina, under whose leadership the SPA picked up as many as five awards at the Hotel Show Middle East in Dubai in May 2011. On offer are signature Asian treatments along with locally inspired ones, using indigenous ingredients such as local dates and goat’s milk blended with rose water.

Holistic and wellness therapies are also provided alongside old-fashioned pampering, including but not limited to the Traditional Arabic Hammam as well as several SLOW LIFE treatments like ‘Wonders of Oman’.

The options for adventures include a paraglide arrival accompanied by a professional instructor, a micro light voyage over the old historical mountain villages, where the stone remnants of settlement built over 500 years ago can be seen; while children up to twelve can enjoy the Kids Club and several daily activities including rock painting, cookie making, treasure hunts, mini snorkelling, water polo and Zighy cinema.

Children slightly older can indulge in several activities which include the Jungle Gym to water skiing and wake boarding in the calm sea, kayak across to the Smuggler’s Bay, historically known as the Portuguese Hiding Bay, where one can venture into a fishing trip. They can discover the new dive centre of Extra Divers Worldwide at Zighy Bay which is managed by two experienced diving instructors, offering fun dives or also diving courses (SSI, CMAS and PADI).

Zighy Bay is not short of credentials to add to its fame. With the combination of comfort and chic luxury living, Six Senses Zighy Bay earned the World’s Best Beach Resort Award at the London World Travel Awards in 2009, and Middle East’s Leading Beach Luxury Resort, awarded by the World Travel Awards both in 2010 and 2011 For more information visit www.sixsenses.com/ SixSensesZighyBay/

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 87

Opinion

Industrial Waste Management

Big or small, our resident environmentalist Engr Rehan Ahmed tackles the problem of industrial waste management in the kingdom.

I

ndustrial waste are waste generated from industrial premises irrespective of the type and size of the industry.

The number of industries has grown rapidly for the past three decades due to the flexible policies of government, providing economic incentives to entrepreneurs.

The existing industrial areas are located in all corners of the country and the diversified industries range from petroleum, petrochemical and manufacturing, to aluminium smelting and fibre glass. These are responsible for generating a broad spectrum of waste and Bahrain is generating approximately 380 tonnes of industrial waste per day.

The industrial waste generated requires efficient handling, treatment and disposal to avoid any adverse impacts on human beings and environmental resources.

The main impact is pollution and traffic impacts due to road congestion.

The industrial waste is primarily classified as hazardous, semi-hazardous and

non hazardous. Many industries are encouraged to have their own efficient waste management system and once it is collected the hazardous waste is taken to a landfill site.

The main challenges associated with the industrial waste management are high waste generation rate, the mixing of industrial waste, lack of awareness among waste handling and lack of recycling facilities.

The Public Commission is constantly striving to efficiently manage and monitor industrial waste generated, and motivates industries to minimise their overall waste volume. Recycling and on-site waste treatment is also preferred. The other alternative promoted is waste export, whereby the hazardous waste is exported to countries which have approved treatment facilities.

The Waste Control Section has also successfully initiated the ‘Integrated Waste Exchange Program’ in Bahrain where waste of one company is utilised or recycled by other organisations.

The Public Commission’s target is to improve the industrial waste management

Eng. Rehan Ahmed

situation in the country and to meet the growing demand for safe disposal of all types of industrial waste.

The main landfill site has been in successful operation since 2001 and is accommodating most of the country’s major waste.

The Public Commission has planned and implemented the operation system of the landfill site. The waste is received at the landfill site as per the waste manifest system. The Commission is regularly monitoring the generation of odours, dust, noise, air pollution, safety procedures and ground water monitoring.

A comprehensive programme for monitoring is in place to provide advance warning of any unexpected problems as well as adoption of possible remediation alternatives.

Worth mentioning is the fact that the project has received the coveted ‘International Green Apple Award’ for the Environmental Best Practice presented by the Green Organisation, UK. The award was presented during the prestigious ceremony held at the House of Commons, London in November 2005.

Due to the limited land resources of the country, the problem calls for conservation of resources through reduction in industrial waste quantities, waste minimisation, recovery of materials and above all the need for establishing integrated and sustainable management of waste.

Practicing of the above tasks will prolong the life of the landfill site due to reduction of waste amounts arriving at the landfills, encourage expansion and development in the waste recycling and utilisation, which will consequently affect the economy and viability of such industries. It will also minimise the use of virgin materials that are usually imported, which would help to protect and save environmental resources n Rehan Ahmed is Head of Waste Disposal Unit, Directorate of Environmental Control, Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife, Bahrain.

Email: rehan900@gmail.com

88 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Society

Society

Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Gulf Air Ghabga

National carrier Gulf Air hosted a Ramadan Ghabga at the Intercontinental Hotel Ramadan Tent for members of media on 10th August.

Mohammed

Karim and Yasra

Mohammed and Mohammed

Rebecca and Marcus

Fatma Mariam

Suhaila

Wael, Karen,Catherine, Mohammed and Ahmed

Mövenpick Assistant GM’s Farewell Party

Mr Hussain Ali, Assistant General Manager, former Head of Sales of the Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain, hosted a farewell party at the Lagoon, Mei and Yu Lounge at Amwaj Islands on 26th July.

Hassan, Sarah and Sumaya

Francesco, Sumaya, Salman and Hussain

Isa, Saad and Abdulla

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De Mel and Nalaka

Noor

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 89

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Diyar Al Muharraq Ghabga Night

A Ghabga Night was held at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa by leading property developer, Diyar Al Muharraq, for members of Bahrain and international media on 14th August.

CEO Aaref Hejres

Mohammed Koheeji, Yousif Dawadi and Sharif

Osama and Hassan

Omar and Abdulla

Poonam Neha

Diyar Al Muharraq management and staff with raffle draw winners

Zain Media Ghabga

Zain hosted its annual Media Ghabga at L’ Hotel on 8th August.

Ali and Zamia

Yaser, Abdulla and Yoonis

Hamad and Oana

Jay, Anis and Ali

Hind and Fatma

Zamia

Zamia with raffle draw winner Fatma

90 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Zain CEO Mohammed Al Zain

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Bahrain Summer Festival

Organised by the Ministry of Culture with the theme ‘A Victory of Joy’, the third annual Bahrain Summer Festival concluded on 1st August at the Cultural Hall, Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Center (BIECC), and the ‘Nakhool Tent’, after a month of cultural activities.

HE Shaika May with VIP guests

Children’s activities at the Nakhool Tent

Silah Board VIP Ghabga

A VIP Ghabga was hosted by the Silah Group held at The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa’s Ramadan Tent on 8th August.

Silah CEO Joe Tawfik (fourth from right) with guests

Mike Palmer and Jezreel

Ruth, Jo and Nada

Feras Ahmed, Shankar and Maher

Joe, Unnikrishnan and Marcus

The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa Ramadan Tent

A Ramadan Iftar was hosted by The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa for members of the media at the hotel’s Alkhayma Tent on 1st August.

Mohammed and Hassan

Nezar and Sean Smith

Michael, Hassan, Vivian, Dilip and Mohammed

Marvan Abbas Ritz Carlton staff

Ruby, Rhea and Lalyn

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 91

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Lunch-For-A-Cause for Tony ‘The Dogfather’ at the Marriott

A group of friends led by Susan Cook, Jan Savage and many others organised a benefit lunch at the Marriott Executive Apartments to gather businesspeople and rally support for Tony’s cause and help raise funds for the kennels required for his animal shelter.

Tony, Susan and Kingsley

Brian, Dennis and Troy

Monique, Orland and Anubha

Paul and Philip

Michel and Olivier

Tony and Adam

Wissam Srour’s Birthday Party

The K Hotel’s Food and Beverage Manager, Wissam Srour, celebrated his birthday with colleagues on 3rd August.

Wissam (third from right) poses with work colleagues

Wissam (third from left) celebrates with colleagues

Tamkeen Business Quiz Show

Technology and telecoms sector teams competed at the Tamkeen Business Quiz Show held at the Cultural Hall Auditorium on 8th and 9th August.

Quiz Show Participants

92 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Corporate Ghabga at L’Hotel

Top companies in Bahrain attended a Corporate Ghabga at the L’Hotel on 3rd August.

Binget and Angelika Nasser, Detelina and Najan

Muneeb, Saif and Mohammed

Raees

Wiebke

Flavina

Bernadette

Georges and Maya

Mohammed and Safa

Bahrain City Centre Staff Ghabga

Bahrain City Centre staff and selected media attended a staff Ghabga held at Elite Resort and Spa on 10th August.

Ali and Anwar

Sakeena and Ahmad

Edwin and Ray Infante Romera ,Joane and Basma

Edel, Allwin and Jabbar

Gopi, Stalin and Martin Elsa Irfan September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 93

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Ashrafs Annual Ghabga

Ashrafs hosted their annual Ghabga Night at the L’Avenue Restaurant, L’Hotel on 16th August.

Jhona

Gene, Bissan and Michelle

(Standing) Roy, Fareeba and Ali; (seated) Joseph and Polly

Rathin and Subin

Edith

Bissan

The Ashrafs Retail Team at the staff Ghabga

Batelco Media Ghabga

Batelco hosted a Media Ghabga at the Al Liwan Ramadan Tent, Intercontinental Regency Hotel on 11th August.

Najaf, Ahmed, Ahmed and Ahmed

Batelco CEO Rashid Abdulla

94 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Husain, Eman, Noor and Ahmed

Hisham, Husain and Ali

Madeleine

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

2Connect Ramadan Ghabga

2Connect hosted a Ramadhan Ghabga at the Gulf Hotel Convention Centre on 12th August.

Fahad, Arom and Charles

Pankaj, Rounuk and Jyotsna

Ahmed and Khalid

Mazem, Shayma and Mohammed

Hanna, Ijaz, Shakuntala and Nabeela

Nada, Amal and Eman

Aysha and Shuhra

Lubna

Mariam, May, Soosan, Salma and Sara

BMI Bank Ghabga

BMI hosted an exclusive Ghabga at the Intercontinental Regency Hotel on 13th August.

Jamal Al Hazeem, BMI Bank CEO (third from left) with BMI Bank management and staff

Gorden, Tony, Ahmed and Hisham

Fahad and Riyadh

Fawzia and Abdurahman

Fatma

Pooja

Basma, Mariam and Sahar

Fathi and Mohammed

Ala and Esma

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 95

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Kosebasi Iftar

Kosebasi hosted a Ramadan Iftar at Bahrain City Centre on 16th August. VIP guests and members of the media were invited to the event.

Ghassan, Waleed and Michel

Michel, Michel and Laciennakhoul

Rona, Gel and Hein

Fadi and Johnny

Raji, Prabha, Waleed, Ramya and Chethana

Joanna Melanie Azadea Group staff

Junaid Perfumes Launches Taariikh

Junaid Perfumes held a Ramadan Ghabga and launched their new fragrance, ‘Taariikh’ at the Awal Ballroom, Gulf Hotel on 15th August.

Mahsen, Samah and Husain

Neha, Anju and Bambi Yara and Khadija

Pumy and Nilda

Anna and Natalia

Bassam and Lucy

Nitika

Caillin and Safia Shilpa

96 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Gergaoon Night

The Rotary Club of Salmaniya hosted a Gergaoon evening, welcoming all children inside the Bab Al Bahrain Mall on 15th August.

The band

Fatma

Rotary Club of Salmaniya officials and guests

Shooq

Ameena and Mariam

Mariam, Jade, Zain (background), Amna and Hessa (front)

Schlumberger Iftar

The Schlumberger Company held an Iftar celebration at the Novotel Al Dana Resort on 14th August.

Abdulla, Khalid and Abdulla

Wael, Benny and Hamad

Mohammed and Saad

Amid and Mustafa

Assia, Jillali and Laila

Reem, Maram, Lamia and Faisal

Doug, Tariq and Hussain

Yahya

Irfan, Zeeshan and Zahid

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 97

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

YK Almoayyed Group Ghabga

The YK Almoayyed Group hosted a Ramadan Ghabga at the Gulf Hotel Ramadan Tent on 14th August.

Simi and Sethu

Laura, Sandeep and Basel

Rohit and Vinod

Juhi and Rakesh

Leizl

Asia

Ritha and Daleela

Bahrain Red Crescent Youth Fundraising Event

The Bahrain Red Crescent held a Youth Fundraising event at Bahrain City Centre on 12th to 14th August.

Tanishka

Mohammed

Sharifa, Leena and Reema

Dalal and Salma

Sharifa and Dana

98 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

(Background) Zahra and Shaika; (front) Mariam, Dana, Leena and Reema

tom yum shrimp soup BD2.2

savory curry BD1.9

cheese sprnig roll BD1.3

pad thai kung BD2.3

chicken satay BD1.5

Offering the finest of THAI FOOD Healthy, Delicious, Well Price is our mission.

Orginally from Thailand.

Dining/ Take Away/ Delivery TEL: 77 040 454, 3 77 909 77 Location: Al-Shabab Ave., Juffair (next to The Pizza Company, Opposite to Starbucks)

Daily Open: 11:00am-3:00pm / 6:00pm-1:00am

Option 01

Option 02

Best American Restaurant in the Middle East Since 1997.

Now ser ving an assortment of Continental cuisine.

Best American Restaurant in the Middle East Since 1997

“Transport available on request, please call to book in advance.”

“Transport available on request, please call to book in advance.”

We are located in Juffair...Come see us!

We are located in Juffair...Come see us!

Grand Mosque

Grand Mosque

Gulf Hotel

Gulf Hotel Al Jazira Supermarket

Al Jazira Supermarket

?

?

NSA

NSA

Tel: 17 725550 email: ricsbah@yahoo.com

Tel: 17725550 email: ricsbah@yahoo.com

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Moda Mall Hosts Ramadan Iftar

Moda Mall hosted a Ramadan Iftar for VIP guests and members of the media last 10th August at the Al Liwan Ballroom, Sheraton Bahrain Hotel.

Arth and Siva

Hind and Rana

Ajit and Neha

Dania and Neyla

Celine and Neena

Rebecca and Jim Cunningham

The K Hotel Media Iftar

A Media Iftar was hosted by The K Hotel at Klouds Restaurant on 10th August.

Dr Yahya and Mohammed

Mohammed Assar and Salman

Hawadi and Huda

Charbel and Kevin

Army ,Elaine and Cathy

Yhen

Ric, Natasha, Karina, Cristalyn, Frances and Ian

Cristalyn Ritchel

100 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Leslie

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Bahrain Down Syndrome Society Ghabga

A charity Ghabgha was held at Al Murjan Ballroom, Movenpick Hotel by the Bahrain Down Syndrome Society on 17th August.

Dr Mohammed Abdull Kareem Al Mannae

Abrar and Ahmed

Mohammed and Shehla

Hajar

Mohammed

Sayed Ali

Shehad

Ruqya

Fatma and Ayat

Viva Media Ghabga

Viva Bahrain hosted a Media Ghabga at the Alkhayma Tent of The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa on 17th August.

Hussain Rasool, (second from left), Mr Ulaiyan (third from left), Nezar (far right) with guests

Zeyad Al Khalifa and Karim

Nader and Saeed

Sean Smith

Nermin

Lubna

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 101

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Al Hawaj Ramadan Ghabga

Al Hawaj organised their annual Ramadan Ghabga for their patrons, VIP guests and members of the media on 24th August at Al Hawaj Gardens, Barbar.

Ahmed Al Hawaj and Sumaya

Khadeeja, Khalil and Juhana

Nooriya Al Ali and Raja

HE Jordan Ambassador, HE Philippine Ambassador, and HE Thai Ambassador

Hussain Al Hawaj, Jawad Al Hawaj, Abdul Wahab Al Hawaj, Raja, Nabeel Al Hamer and Dr Abdulla al Hawaj

WISE Summer Camp

A Summer Camp was held by WISE at the Birka Building in Gudaibiya last 30th July.

Summer camp participants

102 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Jihad and Ali

Karina

George and Jawad Al Hawaj

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

AlKindi Specialised Hospital Ramadan Ghabga

A Ramadan Ghabga was organised by Al Kindi Specialised Hospital at the Golden Tulip Hotel on 25th August.

Dr Fadhel Al Sabbagh and Sharif

Michelle

Shellex

Mohammed Al Abbas and Gassan Fakhro

Dr Hanan and Nijad Al Atasi

Mahmood

Jameela and Abdul Hakim

Dr Dennis

Dr Mohammed and Dr Hisham

Vallay Services’ Brazilian Pool Party

Vallay Services International held a Brazilian pool party at the Elite Resort and Spa on 29th July.

Laura, Yoni, Fifi and Jamie

Ahmed, Ahmed, Abdulla,Talaleeno and Mohammed

Jamie, Becca, Fifi, Yeni and Laura

Catalina, Raluca, Carla and Grace

Ahmed, Catalina, Raluca, Talaleeno, Carla, Grace, Waleed and Jasim

Grace

Monica Catalina

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 103

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Zayani Motors Unveils New MG 550 Sedan

A press conference was held by Zayani Motors last 26th July to officially unveil the 2011 MG 550 Sedan. A collaboration with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation’s (SIAC) flagship brand, Morris Garages (MG), the event was held at the Zayani Motors Showroom in Ma’ameer.

Rizwan Tariq and Nawaf Al Zayani

Rizwan and Simon Keen

Hisham, Ali and Adnan

MG Brand Manager Rizwan Tariq and Managing Director Nawaf Al Zayani

Khaja, Husain, Azmiya, Safiya and Nada

Zayani Motors Management and Staff

Mövenpick Celebrates Indian National Day

The management of the Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain commemorated the Indian National Day on 15th August.

Kavya, Jincy, Nancy, Heinz Kraehenbuhl (GM), Polly and Francesco Agus

Sunil, Biju Subeesh and Siraj

104 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Agnelo, Philip, Agel and Antonette

Lito, Myra, Joann, Aleter and Nancy

Essa and Laila

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Chocolate Friday at Barcode

A VIP Party, ‘Chocolate Friday’ was organised by Barcode bar at the City Centre hotel on 29th July.

Mohammed, Suzie and Cathy

Lena and Ahmed

Santo, Nasreen and Fawaz

DJ and Juni

Juni, Jim and Felda

Shummy and Naomy

HSBC Cultural Night

HSBC hosted their annual Ghabga Event at the Gulf Convention Centre on 8th August.

Hazel, Jason and Hilda

Mitesh, Pearlyn, Sindhu and Murali

Mohammed Shaima

The Gulf Hotel Staff

Competition

! ! ! rs e n n i W e We Lov

Ramadan Iftar Dinner Competition

Congratulations to the lucky winners of the Iftar Dinner Competition last month with our partners, The K Hotel and Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain.

The K Hotel Winners

Abdul Dernaika and Marina Al Khamis

The Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain Winners Carmelo Quinto and Barani Sundaram. M

We also gave away DVDs last month for the movies, ‘Hereafter’ and ‘Just Go With It’.

‘Hereafter’ DVD’ Winners Abdulla Rashid Aljowder Max McKey Michael White

‘Just Go With It’ DVD Winners: Ke.King@yahoo.com Bashar1456@yahoo.com babyQ2@yahoo.com

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 105

Business

Business In Brief Gulf Air’s New HR Head

Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa Hotel celebrates Indian National Day AS part of its Social Welfare activities - sharing with all employees’ important events and celebrations, Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa celebrated the Indian National Day on 15th August. ‘Soul Food’, - the employees’ restaurant, was nicely decorated with Indian flags and posters showing the history of India. Indian dishes were served during lunch and Iftar time for all employees. The hotel’s General Manager, Mr Bert Plas cut the celebratory cake.

Gulf Air has appointed Bahraini Suhair Abdulhameed Saleh as the new Director of Human Resources.

A former Group Human Resources and Administration Manager at Al Zayani Investments as well as Manager of Human Resource and Recruitment with global financial services company, American Express in Bahrain, Mrs. Saleh is a seasoned HR Professional with eleven years of experience across a number of specialist HR disciplines including recruitment, compensation and administration and human resource management. She is also a qualified member of the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

AMH Inaugurates Renovated Out-Patient Reception Area The American Mission Hospital inaugurated the grand re-opening of its Out-Patient Department last 25th July, and was attended by VIP guests such as HE Fatima Al Balooshi, Minister of Health as well as members of the Board of Directors and distinguished guests. To accommodate the increasing numbers of patients processed through the main reception area, the outpatient department has been remodeled. Guests were given a tour of the newly refurbished areas and were shown a slide show of the history of the Hospital.

A crystal memento was presented to each guest to commemorate the event.

HE Fatima Al Balooshi, Minister of Health (second from left) cuts the ribbon with Dr George Cheriyan, AMH Chief Medical Officer (right)

HE Fatima Al Balooshi, Minister of Health with AMH officials

106 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Business Five Winners Drive Away with BMWs from Bahrain City Centre The ‘Stars In The City’ summer promotion held at Bahrain City Centre recently announced the five winners of its sensational ‘Spend & Win’ campaign, which gave all customers an equal chance of winning five luxurious and brand new BMWs. The cars included a sporty BMZ Z4 and M3, a BMW 528ai, as well as a BMW X5 and X6.

Ross and Igaya Win BMMI Bachelor Bonanza at Royal Golf Club The final event of the BMMI Bachelor Bonanza took place last month on the floodlit Montgomerie championship course at the Royal Golf Club, where partners Kevin Ross and Chris Igaya clinched the title in a decisive victory.

Playing the Pairs Scramble Format to their advantage, the winning team held off the competition on the back nine to finish ahead on a score of 32.4 net.

Fun-filled Ramadan at Seef Mall Throngs of families flocked to Seef Mall over the course of Ramadan to enjoy all the exciting and interactive daily activities taking place in the ‘Ramadaniyat Al Seef’ promotion which had shoppers spoiled for choice for when it came to shopping, dining, and entertainment. Over 70 valuable prizes were given away in the weekly raffle draws, including gift vouchers worth BD100 and tickets to some of the world’s most popular destinations including Nairobi, Milan, Copenhagen, Geneva, Kuwait, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai courtesy of Gulf Air.

Manchester United Soccer Schools Recognises Top Four VIVA Footballers A presentation ceremony was held at the Old Trafford Stadium to mark the culmination of the training course in which four of the Viva football players were awarded as winners of the Skills Challenge and MUSS Code of Conduct by the coaches from Manchester United Soccer Schools. The awards were given based on developing football skills on and off the pitch the Manchester United way.

The winners of the Skills Challenge were Hamad Tareq Mohammed Abdulla and Kameel Abdullah Hassan Aladhem. Fadhul Fadhel Al Sayadi and Addul Rahman Abdul Qader Basheer were awarded as winners of the MUSS Code of Conduct. The course allowed the lucky players to reach their highest potential and optimum level of performance. Coach Lee Burke commented that “the team was one of the best he had trained.”

VIVA footballers at the Manchester United Academy

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 107

Cars

Outstandingly

Agile

With the world’s most successful and sportiest high performance saloon set to launch in the Middle East this December, Bahrain Confidential finds out about the luxurious BMW M5.

T

he new fifth generation model combines compelling track performance with the comprehensive practicality of a luxurious business saloon and is an exceptionally dynamic highperformance sports car.

The newly developed four-door combines a high-performance and high-

Dynamics technology, including Auto Start-Stop and Brake Energy Regeneration, fuel consumption is cut by more than 30 per cent when compared to the previous model.

The new BMW M5 has outstandingly agile handling and provides a fully variable distribution of power between the rear wheels.

Exterior styling cues of the new model feature large air intakes in the front bumper to feed the engine and cool the brakes,

“The new model is a very different car from its predecessor in terms of design, comfort, technology and engineering ...” revving 4.4-litre V8 engine with an M Twin Power Turbo package. With twin-turbo technology, direct petrol injection and fully variable valve control, the V8 engine produces 560hp from 6000-7000rpm and a maximum of 680 Nm of torque from 1500rpm.

The new BMW M5 is also capable of accelerating to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds, reaching a top speed of 250 km/h, which can be raised to 305 km/h with the M Driver’s Package. Thanks to use of extensive Efficient

108 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

aerodynamically optimised rear bumper with a diffuser and unique double-spoke 19-inch M light-alloy wheels.

A luxurious ambience exists within

the sports car cockpit with sports seats upholstered in Merino leather and individual roof lining in Anthracite found in the cabin.

BMW Group Middle East Managing Director Joerg Breuer said: “The number of customers who choose to purchase a BMW M model still continues to grow.

However, driving a car boasting the M logo remains an exclusive experience.

The new model is a very different car from its predecessor in terms of design, comfort, technology and engineering, so we are confident that it’s going to be well received.” ■ For more information, visit the Euro Motors showroom in Sitra or Tel. +973. 177 507 50.

Advertorial Established in 1981 and operated by Fakhro Transport, Budget Car Rental aims to provide car rental services to the highest international standards.

T

Hassle-free

Car Hire

heir services have expanded successfully since then and now include: short and medium-term vehicle hire; car leasing to individuals and corporate clients; chauffeur services within Bahrain as well as to and from Saudi Arabia; and a worldwide reservations capability through the Budget Car Rental computerised international reservation system. They also sell high-quality used vehicles.

For your car hire needs, Budget Car Rental’s professional representatives are on hand to serve you at the following locations, namely, their main office in Bahrain Commercial Complex in Manama; at the Bahrain International Airport (24 hours); the Almoayyed Tower in Seef, the GCC Highway in Sitra, as well as at the Ford and Nissan Service Centres respectively.

Convenient, efficient and easy. Call Budget Car Rental today at Tel. +973 1753 4100.

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 109

Cars

Born In TheUSA The

Dodge Challenger

Behbehani Motors lent Confidential the latest Dodge Challenger SRT8; our verdict – it’s GREAT!

O

nly the USA could ever make a car like the Dodge Challenger SRT8. This two-door 2+2 coupe is just so American in its size, retro design, and its ferocious 6.4 litre V8 engine (that’s bigger than the 4 ½ standard VW Golf engines).

On the outside the Challenger almost looks like a ‘money is no object’ custom job on a 1970s US ‘Muscle Car’ as such is its retro look, but inside and under

SRT8 392

to time just to listen to it.

The pleasure of the Challenger starts with its remote engine starter button on the keyfob. I press the key as I walk towards the car and after a second the V8 engine fires into life.

Everything seems exaggerated about this motor, from its great big 428-brake horse power producing engine, to the pedals – press the accelerator and the engine roars and wants to make you fly, press the brake and it stops you fast!

But do not think that because of this car’s mighty power that it is not

“I press the key as I walk towards the car and after a second the V8 engine fires into life.” the bonnet (ooops, I mean HOOD) it’s all state-of-the-art 21st century and has many significant technological and quality improvements over the previous model that it replaces.

The Challenger most definitely has tonnes of style. Its look and engine sounds just like the cars used in the famous car chase of the 1968 Steve McQueen movie ‘Bullitt’. There’s also something of ‘The Dukes of Hazard’ about it. I enjoyed the sound of the throaty V8 engine so much that I found myself switching off the music from time

comfortable to drive. In fact it’s so refined even a girl would enjoy owning this car – and would look über-cool driving it.

For a 2+2 coupe it’s BIG! But being big can also be a plus point. In Europe its huge engine would be a negative even though it is a modern engine designed to be relatively fuel efficient for its size, but as petrol here in the Gulf is about a tenth of the price in Europe, well, who cares?

The interior and cockpit is a combination of both retro

Prices start from BD12,999 for the 3.6 V6 110 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

by Nick Cooksey

and modern, and the use of carbon and brushed metal gives an edgy feel.

The front seats are big and comfy with state-of-the-art lumber supports, and there’s plenty of room in the back for passengers (providing they don’t have legs).

The Dodge Challenger should be in the category of being ‘impractical’ - but it isn’t, certainly not for us who live in the Gulf.

This beautiful and slightly over-the-top car is ideal for people who actually enjoy driving and appreciate individuality. If you are such a person then this car may just be fantastically practical for you.

The car feels extremely safe and solid, and has an overall feel of quality. I can’t help feeling Dodge/Chrysler benefitted greatly in quality and technical ‘know how’ from their earlier association with Germany’s Daimler Benz.

I get to test lots of different cars, and don’t really think anything when I have to return them, but I actually felt a little sad when I had to hand back the Challenger because it is clearly something special.

Prior to driving the Challenger I had never really thought about the Dodge Brand.

Now I am a fan! ■ Available at Behbehani Brothers for Test Drive. Call on +973 1745 9955 and ask for a test drive. You may be surprised just how much you fall in love with this car.

Juke

Cars

Nissan

Makes Its Mark Nissan Middle East has announced the launch of the Nissan Juke, baby brother to Qashqai and Murano, in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Aimed at a younger market bored with lookalike hatchbacks, Juke combines attitude, irreverence, modish style and energy with a mischievous sense of fun.

e uke at aspgorlatsncacr to Nissan JSU ts V mee

• Compact or Crossover create the juni concept car from Qazana • Developed ed directw turbocharg • Powerful ne ne gi en line injection gaso lly advanced ca gi lo no ch Te • stem information sy

Juke brings a sense of adventure to the car market. It’s light, nimble, urban, reactive: qualities designed to grab a younger audience. It offers something entirely new to the traditional B-segment vehicles and cements Nissan’s reputation as a car maker prepared to do something different.” said Declan McCluskey, Automotive Group General Manager at Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons.

a top portion that is unadulterated sports car, with a high waistline, slim visor-like side glass graphics and a coupé-style falling roofline. The coupé effect is further underlined by the rear doors which have their handles hidden in the frame of the door.

Reflecting the exterior’s blending of SUV and sports car attributes, the interior provides a higher eye-point position of an SUV, but with all the attributes expected of

“The combination of direct injection with a turbocharger provides the power and responses expected from a 2.5-litre engine.”

Overview

Like its bigger brothers Murano and Qashqai, Juke is a distinctive combination of SUV toughness and sporting style.

Conceived to inject some masculinity and dynamism into the small car market, Juke combines a number of seeming contradictions beneath its highly individual lines.

From a design standpoint, the lower portion of Juke is pure SUV. It combines chunky wheels, wide tyres, extended ground clearance and a robust stance with

a sports car. Practicality is assured by the rear-opening hatch and versatile luggage area with hidden storage opportunities.

Juke is offered with a choice of two Petrol engines – the 1.6-L (litre) Gasoline Engine unit and the 1.6L Direct Injection Gasoline Turbo Engine with the option of manual or CVT transmissions depending on the engine. The new turbocharged petrol engine with direct injection is one of the most powerful in its class, developing 140kW and 240 Nm with low fuel consumption. The combination of direct injection with a turbocharger provides

the power and responses expected from a 2.5-litre engine with the economy of a smaller engine.

The second petrol engine is a newly developed version from Nissan’s trusted HR-family. Designated HR16DE, the lightweight, low-friction 16-valve unit now has a unique dual-injection system allowing finer metering of the fuel sprays for better combustion and develops 86kW. Just about the only traditional aspect of Juke is the model line-up, which follows Nissan’s established S and SL lines.

Standard equipment across all grades includes integrated control system which gives the driver the chance to optimise the car’s dynamic functions to suit their needs, two airbags, ESP, full auto air conditioning, electric windows front and rear, Bluetooth, 60/40 split folding rear seats and a CD/radio. In addition, a full range of accessories has been developed for owners who want to personalise their Juke still further ■ The new Nissan Juke is now on display at the Nissan showroom in Sitra and customers are invited to experience it with a test drive. More information on the car is available by contacting the showroom on Tel. +973 1773 2732.

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 111

Pets

Home!

Gemma

Looking For A

Carlos

Jarvis

Jim

Kali

Maisy

At Bahrain Confidential we try our best to reunite lost animals with their families or find new homes for abandoned pets.

Lizzie

BSPCA Animals Interested in adopting?

Visit the BSPCA in Saar, near St Christopher’s School or see www.bspca.org for directions. Open for adoption viewing Mondays to Thursdays, 9am to 5pm and Fridays to Saturdays, 9am to 1pm. Tel. +973 1759 1231.

Woody

Attention!

Raffles

The BSPCA is now enforcing a policy of neutering all male dogs and cats. The BSPCA’s policy also ensures that all female dogs and cats that are adopted MUST be neutered, the cost of which is incorporated into their pricing structure.

Tony the Dogfather

Zoe

Sachi Johana Yasuy with two of her friends, Nora Murad and Zahra Abbas asked their friends to donate toys, books and clothes, etc for a fundraising event for Tony dubbed, ‘We Care Too’. The 18-yearolds went around collecting the donations then cleaned and priced the items and later sold them at Andalus Gardens last 29th July. The event raised BD77.

This month, we dedicate this space to those who have supported Tony ‘The Dogfather’ Waters’ cause in helping rescue and home abandoned and sick animals.

Lucy Boyle, Tony and Paula Maplesden Tony with veterinarian representing Jassim Trading and Agroserve S.P.C. Dr N. Sridhar.

300 bags of cat food were donated by Mr Mr Nabeel J. Al-Saegh, Managing Director of Jassim Trading and Agroserve S.P.C.

Paula Maplesden and Lucy Boyle along with some friends organised a Fancy Dress Theme Party and Fundraising at Jim’s Restaurant, Adliya on 29th July to help raise funds for Tony’s cause. A total of BD1,700 was raised during the event.

Doris, the donkey - Tony found her abandoned on Budaiya Highway a few

months ago - injured with her feet turned up (due to neglect) and could hardly walk. Doris, who was skin-and-bones then is now happy and putting weight on with her food sponsored by the Rainbow Pre-school in Muharraq. Doris is also getting a lot of professional help for her feet injury from a volunteer veterinarian.

A baby goat, Geraldine, now two months old was also found abandoned along Budaiya Highway. She is now nursing well; keeps Doris company, along with two adorable ducklings, Dicky and Dottie. Tony rescued them as they were about to be thrown out to the sea.

For donations or if interested in adopting, contact Tony ‘The Dogfather’ Waters at Tel. +973 3962 9889 or visit www.dogfatherbahrain.com 112 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Geraldine and Doris

Do you have animal concerns? Need a vet? Call Dr Nonie Coutts Tel. +973 1724 5515

Appeal

T

ony Waters aka ‘The Dogfather’ has run a rescue and rehabilitation centre in Bahrain for the last ten years. Now with over 200 rescued animals it was time to relocate as his old location in Karana has been sold, which put him in very difficult and distressing situation. Thankfully Tony has found a new home for himself and the animals in Saar, where he has began building work on the kennels, the building fence, etc.

Tony is hugely grateful to several companies for lending their support and donating their time and resources. He’d like to especially thank Projects and Cebarco who donated the porta cabins, wood, cement and other materials but also was instrumental in getting other companies and groups to help.

The work on the shelter is not done though and Tony still needs help with:

• Doors and grills with cost estimated to reach BD7,000.

• Materials needed for

construction of the new cattery estimated to cost BD5,000.

HELP! PLEASE HELP!

Anyone who can help should contact Tony on Tel. +973 3962 9889; email tony.dogfather@gmail.com or visit www.dogfatherbahrain.com

Thank you in anticipation.

May 2011 September 2011 || Bahrain Bahrain Confidential Confidential|| 113 113

Gastro

Gastro

Calendar

The latest and tastiest places to go!

The Confidential gastro guide reveals the best places to eat every month.

Sundays

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant (Crowne Plaza Hotel), 3-course set menu, culinary delights to choose from.

Business Italian Style at Medzo, light, healthy and tasty, 12.30pm to 3.30pm, BD8++.

Selections Restaurant (InterContinental Regency) - Enjoy international cuisine daily from 6.30am to 11.30pm, BD6 for soup, salads, appetisers and desserts; BD11 for full lunch buffet, international.

Mix Grill – Pool side terrace (Movenpick Hotel)Lebanese Grill served the Lebanese way, BD4.8++ per plate.

Strawberry Promotion at the Gallery Lobby (Movenpick Hotel), freshest strawberries with the delicious beef main course, a choice of starter and dessert, 12nn to 4 pm for BD11.6++ (BD14.6 net) All Day Dining - Saraya, Sofitel - Breakfast Buffet, international buffet for lunch & dinner; a la carte from 6.30am to 11pm; Breakfast - BD11++, Lunch - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net), Dinner - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net) Dinner - Pashawat Arabic Restaurant, Sofitel Oriental Cuisine (Lebanese and Bahraini), a la carte.

(Opening 9th September) Lunch and Dinner - Wok Asian restaurant, Sofitel - authentic Southeast Asian Cuisine; a la carte Dinner, La Mer Seafood restaurant, Sofitel 7-11pm, a la carte; large international wine selection Lunch and Dinner, Tapas Bar, Sofitel - 11.30am

- 3.30pm and 7pm - 1am; light snack during lunch, large selection of Tapas and cocktails in the evening.

Lunch and Dinner - Lagoon Pool Bar, Sofitel - 8am to 8pm - light snacks, a la carte; refreshing selection of cocktails, energetic and healthy drinks

Mondays

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant (Crowne Plaza Hotel), 3-course set menu, culinary delights to choose from.

Business Italian Style at Medzo, light, healthy and tasty, 12.30pm to 3.30pm, BD8++.

Selections Restaurant (InterContinental Regency) - Enjoy international cuisine daily from 6.30am to 11.30pm, BD6 for soup, salads, appetisers and desserts; BD11 for full lunch buffet, international.

Strawberry Promotion at the Gallery Lobby (Movenpick Hotel), freshest strawberries with the delicious beef main course, a choice of starter and dessert, 12 to 4 pm for BD11.6++ (BD14.6 net) All Day Dining - Saraya, Sofitel - Breakfast Buffet, international buffet for lunch & dinner; a la carte from 6.30am to 11pm; Breakfast - BD11++, Lunch - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net), Dinner - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net) Lunch and Dinner - Fiamma Italian Restaurant, Sofitel - regional Italian cuisine, wide selection of wines.

Lunch and Dinner - Wok Asian restaurant, Sofitel - authentic Southeast Asian Cuisine;

a la carte.

Dinner, La Mer Seafood restaurant, Sofitel 7-11pm, a la carte; large international wine selection Lunch and Dinner - Lagoon Pool Bar, Sofitel - 8am to 8pm - light snacks, a la carte; refreshing selection of cocktails, energetic and healthy drinks

Tuesdays

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant (Crowne Plaza Hotel), 3- ourse set menu, culinary delights to choose from.

Business Italian Style at Medzo Medzo, light, healthy and tasty, 12.30pm to 3.30pm, BD8++.

Selections Restaurant (InterContinental Regency) - Enjoy international cuisine daily from 6.30am to 11.30pm, BD6 for soup, salads, appetisers and desserts; BD11 for full lunch buffet, International.

Mix Grill – Pool side terrace (Movenpick Hotel) Lebanese Grill served the Lebanese way, BD4.8++ per plate.

Strawberry Promotion at the Gallery Lobby (Movenpick Hotel), freshest strawberries with the delicious beef main course, a choice of starter and dessert, 12 to 4 pm for BD11.6++ (BD14.6 net) All Day Dining - Saraya, Sofitel - Breakfast Buffet, international buffet for lunch & dinner; a la carte from 6.30am to 11pm; Breakfast - BD11++, Lunch - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net), Dinner - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net) Lunch and Dinner - Fiamma Italian Restaurant, Sofitel - regional Italian cuisine, wide selection of wines.

Dinner - Pashawat Arabic Restaurant, Sofitel Oriental Cuisine (Lebanese and Bahraini), a la carte.

(Opening 9th September) Dinner, La Mer Seafood restaurant, Sofitel 7-11pm, a la carte; large international wine selection Lunch and Dinner - Lagoon Pool Bar, Sofitel - 8am to 8pm - light snacks, a la carte; refreshing selection of cocktails, energetic and healthy drinks

Wednesdays

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant (Crowne Plaza Hotel), 3-course set menu, culinary delights to choose from.

Business Italian Style at Medzo, light, healthy and tasty, 12.30pm to 3.30pm, BD8++.

Selections Restaurant (InterContinental Regency) - Enjoy international cuisine daily from 6.30am to 11.30pm, BD6 for soup, salads, appetisers and desserts; BD11 for full lunch buffet, International.

Strawberry Promotion at the Gallery Lobby (Movenpick Hotel), freshest strawberries with the delicious beef main course, a choice of starter and dessert, 12nn to 4 pm for BD11.6++ (BD14.6 net) All Day Dining - Saraya, Sofitel - Breakfast Buffet, international buffet for lunch & dinner; a la carte from 6.30am to 11pm; Breakfast - BD11++, Lunch - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net), Dinner - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net) Lunch and Dinner - Fiamma Italian Restaurant, Sofitel - regional Italian cuisine, wide selection of wines.

Dinner - Pashawat Arabic Restaurant, Sofitel Oriental Cuisine (Lebanese and Bahraini), a la carte.

(Opening 9th September) Lunch and Dinner - Wok Asian restaurant, Sofitel - authentic Southeast Asian Cuisine; a la carte Dinner, La Mer Seafood restaurant, Sofitel 7-11pm, a la carte; large international wine selection Lunch and Dinner - Lagoon Pool Bar, Sofitel - 8am to 8pm - light snacks, a la carte; refreshing

continue overleaf.....

114 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Dining Out Oriental flavours and cultures will entice food lovers as the Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain’s relaunches their lavish ‘Thai Cuisine and Cultural Festival’ on the 18th to 24th September.

Discover

Thailand

C

ome for a night of cultural and culinary delights and journey through Thailand’s myriad traditions; their colourful costumes, warm hospitality and world-renowned cuisine.

Heinz Kraehenbuehl, Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain General Manager, announced that the Festival will offer guests an intimate setting unlike any other - with nightly live performances by Thai cultural dancers who will perform the country’s traditional dances donning costumes that are unique to Thailand.

To keep things truly special and genuine, three master chefs from Mövenpick Hotel Phuket will be preparing authentic Thai cuisine. The dancers and chefs will be flown in especially for the occasion all the way from Thailand, courtesy of Qatar Airways.

The Thai Food and Cultural Festival is in partnership with The Royal Thai Embassy and Mövenpick Hotel Phuket, with over 200 distinguished guests including government officials, diplomats, media partners, and the presence of Thailand’s Ambassador to Bahrain, His Excellency Virachai Varasirikul expected during the official opening on 17th September.

Experience the following at Silk’s Restaurant:

• Thai buffet - selections of chicken, beef and seafood dishes as well as soups and appetisers • Cold Salad Station - cold dishes, salads and fruit pickles - pick your choice and make your very own creation with fresh vegetables, seafood and Thai signature sauces • Fruit Carving - twelve Oriental fruits especially flown in from Thailand will be turned into works of art • A Wok Fry station - the master chefs will be more than happy to toss and put together your very own selections • Umbrella Painting - traditional Thai umbrellas will be especially painted by an artist and given to each table; good fun for kids too!

• Thai Cuisine Cooking Classes: Three sessions will be held during the Festival for BD12.5++, 10am to 1pm, from 19th to 21st One lucky diner can win a six-nights stay September. After the class, participants for two at the Mövenpick Hotel Phuket, can enjoy lunch together and savour their Thailand with a return ticket by Qatar Airways very own creations. when they dine during the Festival from • Six cultural dancers will be performing 18th to 24th September for only BD15++. traditional dances from Thailand’s different You can also take a shot at winning a regions. free dinner for you and a friend by answering the competition question on page 53.

Seats are limited so call ahead to reserve.

Tel. +973 1746 0000.

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 115

Gastro selection of cocktails, energetic and healthy drinks

Thursdays

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant (Crowne Plaza Hotel), 3-course set menu, culinary delights to choose from.

Business Italian Style at Medzo, light, healthy and tasty, 12.30pm to 3.30pm, BD8++.

Selections Restaurant (InterContinental Regency) - Enjoy international cuisine daily from 6.30am to 11.30pm, BD6 for soup, salads, appetisers and desserts; BD11 for full lunch buffet, International.

Strawberry Promotion at the Gallery Lobby (Movenpick Hotel), freshest strawberries with the delicious beef main course, a choice of starter and dessert, 12 to 4 pm for BD11.6++ (BD14.6 net) All Day Dining - Saraya, Sofitel - Breakfast Buffet, international buffet for lunch & dinner; a la carte from 6.30am to 11pm; Breakfast - BD11++, Lunch - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net), Dinner - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net) Lunch and Dinner - Fiamma Italian Restaurant, Sofitel - regional Italian cuisine, wide selection of wines.

Dinner - Pashawat Arabic Restaurant, Sofitel Oriental Cuisine (Lebanese and Bahraini), a la carte.

(Opening 9th September) Lunch and Dinner - Wok Asian restaurant, Sofitel - authentic Southeast Asian Cuisine; a la carte Dinner, La Mer Seafood restaurant, Sofitel 7-11pm, a la carte; large international wine selection Lunch and Dinner - Lagoon Pool Bar, Sofitel - 8am to 8pm - light snacks, a la carte; refreshing selection of cocktails, energetic and healthy drinks

BD4.8++ per plate.

Strawberry Promotion at the Gallery Lobby (Movenpick Hotel), freshest strawberries with the delicious beef main course, a choice of starter and dessert, 12 to 4 pm for BD11.6++ (BD14.6 net) Movenpick Brunch at the Silk’s Restaurant, spoil yourself with international cuisine, 12.30pm to 4pm, BD23.2++ per person, 50% off for children from 6 to 12 years. Free for children less than 6 years.

So Brunch (Saraya, Wok and Fiamma) Sofitel; International buffet selection and Live stations for antipasti, Wok, Egg & Pancake station; plus chilled Seafood Display; Sushi & Miso Counter; Vietnamese ‘Pho’ & Thai Tom Yum Goong; Dim Sum Station; French Bread & Viennoiseries; Dessert Station; Ice Cream & Crepes Station; Waffles Station; Fresh Fruits & Juices; Cheese Corner.

BD26net per person.

All Day Dining - Saraya, Sofitel - Breakfast Buffet, international buffet for lunch & dinner; a la carte from 6.30am to 11pm; Breakfast - BD11++, Lunch - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net), Dinner - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net) Lunch and Dinner - Fiamma Italian Restaurant, Sofitel - regional Italian cuisine, wide selection of wines.

Dinner - Pashawat Arabic Restaurant, Sofitel Oriental Cuisine (Lebanese and Bahraini), a la carte.

(Opening 9th September) Lunch and Dinner - Wok Asian restaurant, Sofitel - authentic Southeast Asian Cuisine; a la carte Dinner, La Mer Seafood restaurant, Sofitel 7-11pm, a la carte; large international wine selection Lunch and Dinner - Lagoon Pool Bar, Sofitel - 8am to 8pm - light snacks, a la carte; refreshing selection of cocktails, energetic and healthy drinks

Saturdays

Friday Brunch at The K Hotel

Fridays

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant (Crowne Plaza Hotel), 3-course set menu, culinary delights to choose from.

Absolutely Fabulous Brunch at Crowne Plaza Hotel, all you can eat, kids’ corner with discounts, in-house band SECTION ONE, 12pm onwards, BD17.9++ per person including unlimited beverages, BD14.9++ including soft drinks.

Business Italian Style at Medzo, light, healthy and tasty, 12.30pm to 3.30pm, BD8++.

Selections Restaurant (InterContinental Regency) - Enjoy international cuisine daily from 6.30am to 11.30pm, BD6 for soup, salads, appetisers and desserts; BD11 for full lunch buffet, international.

Friday Brunch at the K Hotel – Village dining, live entertainment, kids’ fun, fresh salad, pastries, delectable desserts, unlimited selected beverages.

BD19.5++ per person, discount for kids.

Movenpick Brunch – Silk’s Restaurant, 12.30pm to 4pm, BD23.2++ Mix Grill – Pool side terrace (Movenpick Hotel) Lebanese Grill served the Lebanese way,

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant (Crowne Plaza Hotel), 3-course set menu, culinary delights to choose from.

Selections Restaurant (InterContinental Regency) - Enjoy international cuisine daily from 6.30am to 11.30pm, BD6 for soup, salads, appetisers and desserts; BD11 for full lunch buffet, international.

Mix Grill – Pool side terrace (Movenpick Hotel)Lebanese Grill served the Lebanese way, BD4.8++ per plate.

Strawberry Promotion at the Gallery Lobby (Movenpick Hotel), freshest strawberries with the delicious beef main course, a choice of starter and dessert, 12 to 4 pm for BD11.6++ (BD14.6 net) Free For Kids at Links and Lounge Restaurant,

Friday Carvery Feast hosted by the Royal Golf Club at Links Lounge and Restaurant this Eid, Friday 2nd September from 12pm to 4pm, BD13 net for club members, BD15 net for non club members,BD8.5 net inclusive of selected soft drinks for children under 12. The Royal Golf Club will be giving away two complimentary tickets to Paris! Advanced booking is advised.

Royal Golf Club, for every adult lunch main course, children under 12 get one dish free. 11am to 3pm.

All Day Dining - Saraya, Sofitel - Breakfast Buffet, international buffet for lunch & dinner; a la carte from 6.30am to 11pm; Breakfast - BD11++, Lunch - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net), Dinner - BD 12.5++ (BD15 net) Lunch and Dinner - Fiamma Italian Restaurant, Sofitel - regional Italian cuisine, wide selection of wines.

Dinner - Pashawat Arabic Restaurant, Sofitel Oriental Cuisine (Lebanese and Bahraini), a la carte.

(Opening 9th September) Lunch and Dinner - Wok Asian restaurant, Sofitel - authentic Southeast Asian Cuisine; a la carte Dinner, La Mer Seafood restaurant, Sofitel 7-11pm, a la carte; large international wine selection Lunch and Dinner - Lagoon Pool Bar, Sofitel - 8am to 8pm - light snacks, a la carte; refreshing selection of cocktails, energetic and healthy drinks

Bushido’s Promotion Lunches Quick lunches at affordable prices; Light Bento Box, Sashimi, miso soup, steamed vegetable, vegetable salad, grilled chicken or fish, fresh cut fruits and green tea, BD9 (net price - all inclusive).

Rolls and Sushi - Rolls with sushi or sashimi, miso soup, steamed rice, salad and fresh cut fruits, BD8 (net price – all inclusive).

Teppanyaki - Poultry, beef or seafood set, with fried rice, miso soup, salad and fresh cut fruits, BD10 (net price- all inclusive). All packages with iced green tea!

Lunch and Dinner - Lagoon Pool Bar, Sofitel - 8am to 8pm - light snacks, a la carte; refreshing selection of cocktails, energetic and healthy drinks

Bushido Lounge

Bushido reopens upstairs lounge, Mezzanine, an 18-metre bar and 120-seat lounge, overlooking financial harbour, on weekends with DJ Dara Singh.

If you want to see your event listed …

Listings need to be received by Bahrain Confidential on the 15th of every month at the very latest. Gastro and nightlife listings are updated every month through our mailing list. If you would like to be included or if you have a one-off event you would like to be featured contact: bc.editorial@ArabianMagazines.com

wo Win T s to t e k c Ti s!

Pari

Prego, new restaurant now open at the Royal Golf Club, serving authentic Italian style pizzas baked in a ‘Wood Stone’ oven, dine in or takeaway. ‘Like’ Prego on facebook and receive a 10% discount off first order.

Please be aware that timings and offers are likely to change. It is advised to call up in advance.

116 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Dining Out

Cooking With

Culture How long did training take to become a chef and where have you worked?

I first realised I wanted to become a chef at the age of 18, and began training at the Kuala Lumpur Four Seasons Hotel in my home country of Malaysia.

After training for around five years I joined luxury cruise liner Cunard, based in Southampton, UK and have been lucky enough to travel all over the world. I have had the chance to work with celebrity chefs and have cooked for few residents, the Dalai Lama, Hollywood celebrities and other high profile people. After working in an Austrian resort and near the Swiss Alps and at the Crowne Plaza in Bratislava, I decided to come to Bahrain to learn about the culture, taste its cuisine and gain even more experience.

Do you have a favourite dish to cook or to be made for you?

At the moment I am crazy for fusion cooking where the method of cooking is so special and I basically love any type of food. If I had to choose then I would say Thai food is probably my favourite to eat, apart from anything cooked by my mum. She is amazing and inspired me to want to become a chef in the first place.

What daily challenges do you face and how do you overcome them?

Kitchen life is very challenging as we all aim to prepare the best dishes and please our guests as much as possible.

Ongoing challenges include preparing innovative menus for the bars and restaurants at the Crowne Plaza and training chefs.

Competition from other restaurants and hotels is a constant challenge for the team and the target is to always be ahead of others and provide the best quality of food possible and provide excellent service for our valuable guest.

Tell us about the status of the Bahrain

Bahrain Confidential

speaks to Crowne Plaza Executive Chef Saravanan Gurusamy about signature dishes, everyday challenges and what inspires him.

Food and Beverage Industry at the moment, can the service and quality be improved? Any future aspirations and targets?

There is always a room for improvement in F&B industry. The quality of food and services can definitely be improved. With many new luxury five-star hotels being opened, it is important for them to live up to expectations. I believe that next year the market will pick up and the covers for F&B will improve.

Bahrain is a beautiful country and the F&B industry really is booming with people loving to eat out and spend money on food. Having this in mind, Crowne Plaza Bahrain team is working to make our hotel a food destination not only for the local and expatriate guests but also for the visitors such as business travelers. And as we begin our journey towards this vision, we have prepared our upcoming F&B activities and promotions and expect changes and innovations as we are fully committed in making our hotel a F&B destination.

Waves Seafood Restaurant will reopen on the 15th of this month and we are offering the same finest and freshest seafood and are introducing a new concept of cuisine which is now Arabic and Southeast Asian.

We have a new Lebanese Chef that has an enormous repertoire on Arab cuisine and for the Southeast Asian style of cooking, I will personally take care of that and will make sure that I bring my expertise to delight guests. Our Cappuccino’s Café will offer daily fresh baked pastries and cakes, freshly brewed coffee, tea and fresh juices and we have our theme night buffet at La Mosaique Restautant. On Wednesdays guests can taste our Certified Angus beef and Seafood Night is every Thursday.

• Our famous Absolutly Fabulous Friday Brunch offers fantastic world cuisine, live cooking and our live band plays a great mix of popular tunes in Harvester Bar where our carvery section is located.

• We are launching a new menu at our Spices Indian Restaurant that has been created by our specialty chef who has mastered blending of spices to makemouth watering dishes. With this new menu, we are offering a promotional offer for our new tandoori dishes where guests can enjoy 25 per cent discount.

• For our banquet and outdoor catering, we have also prepared and enhanced our menu.

• The opening of our new covered car park next to the hotel, will also be ready for operation on the last quarter of 2011 ■

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 117

Nightlife 9pm to 2am.

Longest Happy Hours at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) - Buy one, get one free! 2pm to 7pm.—Ladies Night at the Harvester’s Pub, band SECTION ONE starts 9pm.

Happy Hour at the Harvester’s Pub (Crowne Plaza), 5pm to 8pm.

Seafood Night at Silk’s Restaurant (Movenpick Hotel) – Seafood menu at its best! 7pm to 11pm, BD16.9++, BD22++ including selected beverages.

Flamingo Bar - Movenpick Hotel, live band, Happy Hour, 2pm to 9pm, 20% off.

Sushi Night at the Cocoon Lounge – 8 fresh platters of sushi, including selected beverages, 7 to 11pm, BD12.

Chillax at the Cocoon Lounge – Happy hours, delicious sushi, international food menu, 5 to 9pm, BD1.5 drinks, 20%off on food.

Amber Cocktail Bar, Sofitel - 6pm - 2am - large selection of spirits and cocktails.

Tuesday

A Taste of Italy at Movenpick

The Night Never Looked

So

Bright

Dance as though no one is looking ...

Sunday

Lounge After Work (Bushido Lounge) Buy one, get one free! 4pm to 7pm.

Downtown Lounge (Intercontinental Regency) from 5pm to 9pm; take advantage of Happy Hours from with 30% discount on your bill.

Egyptian Duo at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef); Live Arab and international music, 9pm to 2am.

Longest Happy Hours at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) - Buy one, get one free!

2pm to 7pm.

Lucky Sunday at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef)-Pick your colour and win free drinks, 8pm to 2am.

Food and Beverage Industry Night at the Harvester’s Pub with 50% discount to hotel employees. Band SECTION ONE starts 9pm.

Happy Hour at the Harvester’s Pub (Crowne Plaza), 5pm to 8pm.

118 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Mix Grill – Pool side terrace (Movenpick Hotel) Lebanese Grill served the Lebanese way, BD4.8++ per plate.

Flamingo Bar - Movenpick Hotel, live band, Happy Hour, 2pm to 9pm, 20% off.

Chillax at the Cocoon Lounge – Happy hours, delicious sushi, international food menu, 5 to 9pm, BD1.5 drinks, 20%off on food.

Amber Cocktail Bar, Sofitel - 6pm - 2am - large selection of spirits and cocktails.

Monday

Lounge After Work (Bushido Lounge) Buy one, get one free! 4pm to 7pm.

Downtown Lounge from 5pm to 9pm, take advantage of Happy Hours from with 30% discount on your bill.

Egyptian Duo at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) - Live Arab and International Hit Music,

Lounge After Work (Bushido Lounge) Buy one, get one free! 4pm to 7pm.

Downtown Lounge from 5pm to 9pm, take advantage of Happy Hours from with 30% discount on your bill.

Legendary Degustation (Legendz) 5 course menu, specially chosen wine, evenings, BD21++ Egyptian Duo at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef)- Live Arab and International Hit Music, 9pm to 2am.

Longest Happy Hours at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) –Buy one, get one free!

2pm to 7pm.

Ladies Night at Casa Bar ( Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) Free drinks for ladies between 8pm to 2am.

Karaoke and Cocktail Night at Harvester’s Pub, band SECTION ONE starts 9pm.

Happy Hour at the Harvester’s Pub (Crowne Plaza), 5pm to 8pm.

Mix Grill – Pool side terrace (Movenpick Hotel) Lebanese Grill served the Lebanese way, BD4.8++ per plate.

Flamingo Bar - Movenpick Hotel, live band, Happy Hour, 2pm to 9pm, 20% off.

Chillax at the Cocoon Lounge – Happy hours, delicious sushi, international food menu, 5 to 9pm, BD1.5 drinks, 20%off on food.

Amber Cocktail Bar, Sofitel - 6pm - 2am - large selection of spirits and cocktails.

Wednesday

Lounge After Work (Bushido Lounge) Buy one, get one free! 4pm to 7pm.

Downtown Lounge (Intercontinental Regency) from 5pm to 9pm, take advantage of Happy Hours from with 30% discount on your bill.

Mad Wall Street (Downtown Lounge) – Evening drinks with unbelievable prices!

The Flavours of Tuscany (Medzo) 3-course dinner menu, fine Italian wine served, 7pm to 11.30pm, BD15++.

Egyptian Duo at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) - Live Arab and international music, 9pm to 2am.

Longest Happy Hours at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) –Buy one, get one free!

2pm to 7pm.

Pitcher Night at the Harvester’s Pub, band starts 9pm.

Happy Hour at the Harvester’s Pub (Crowne Plaza), 5pm to 8pm.

Nightlife The Meat Room at La Mosaique Restaurant (Crowne Plaza)- Beef cut and cooked in front of you, salads, vegetables, sauces and house beverages, evenings, BD15.950 per person.

A Taste of Italy Night at Silk’s Restaurant (Movenpick Hotel) – Fresh pasta and aromatic pizza,7pm to 12pm, BD12.5++, BD18.2++ including selected beverages.

Flamingo Bar - Movenpick Hotel, live band, Happy Hour, 2pm to 9pm, 20% off.

Chillax at the Cocoon Lounge – Happy hours, delicious sushi, international food menu, 5 to 9pm, BD1.5 drinks, 20%off on food.

Lipstick Lounge at Cocoon – Best international and local DJs, glamorous Ladies’ Night, complimentary cocktails, free entrance for ladies.

Amber Cocktail Bar, Sofitel - 6pm - 2am - large selection of spirits and cocktails.

Thursday

Lounge After Work (Bushido Lounge) Buy one, get one free! 4pm to 7pm.

Downtown Lounge (Intercontinental Regency) from 5pm to 9pm, take advantage of Happy Hours from with 30% discount on your bill.

DJ Dara Singh Live! (Bushido Lounge), 9pm.

Ladies night (Downtown lounge), 9pm, free drinks Egyptian Duo at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) - Live Arab and international music, 9pm to 2am.

Longest Happy Hours at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) –Buy one, get one free! 2pm to 7pm. Happy Hour at the Harvester’s Pub (Crowne Plaza). 5pm to 8pm.

Seafood Night at La Mosaique Restaurant (Crowne Plaza) – All you can eat seafood cooked live the way you like it! BD16++ per person.

Steak Night at Silk’s Restaurant (Movenpick Hotel) – Prime US Angus steak, salads and selected beverages, 7pm to 11pm, BD18.2++.

Flamingo Bar - Movenpick Hotel, live band, Happy Hour, 2pm to 9pm, 20% off.

Chillax at the Cocoon Lounge – Happy hours, delicious sushi, international food menu, 5pm to 9pm, BD1.5 drinks, 20%off on food.

Fabulous! Exclusive RnB night, guest urban DJ, free bubbly all night long for ladies.

Amber Cocktail Bar, Sofitel - 6pm - 2am - large selection of spirits and cocktails.

Friday

Lounge After Work (Bushido Lounge) Buy one, get one free! 4pm to 7pm.

Downtown Lounge (Intercontinental Regency) from 5pm to 9pm, take advantage of Happy Hours from with 30% discount on your bill.

Pink Friday (Bushido Lounge) Classy night for ladies, complimentary beverages, free table bookings. Complimentary drinks from 8pm to 11pm. Ladies free entrance, Gentlemen, free entrance until 10pm. Entrance BD10 Crazy Crew Night (Downtown Lounge), 9pm onwards with 50% off all drinks, crew ID card required.

Egyptian Duo at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) - Live Arab and International Hit Music, 9pm to 2am.

Longest Happy Hours at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef); Buy one, get one free!

2pm to 7pm.

Jam with the band at the Harvester’s Pub, band SECTION ONE starts 9pm.

Happy Hour at the Harvester’s Pub (Crowne

Cocoon’s Eid Special

Day 1 – Fabulous RnB with DJ Neil T DJ Neil Torious gives you a fabulous night, ladies bring bling, complimentary bubbly all night long.

Day 2 – In House with DJ Dave Hayes Resident DJ Dave Hayes takes to the decks with his delicious bubbly house.

Day 3 – DJ Hectic DJ and producer from London known for deep, flowing tech, must see!

Plaza), 5pm to 8pm.

Mix Grill – Pool side terrace (Movenpick Hotel) Lebanese Grill served the Lebanese way, BD4.8++ per plate.

Flamingo Bar - Movenpick Hotel, live band, Happy Hour, 2pm to 9pm, 20% off.

Chillax at the Cocoon Lounge – Happy hours, delicious sushi, international food menu, 5 to 9pm, BD1.5 drinks, 20%off on food.

Lipstick Lounge at Cocoon – Best international and local DJs, glamorous ladies night, complimentary cocktails, free entrance for ladies.

Amber Cocktail Bar, Sofitel - 6pm - 2am - large selection of spirits and cocktails.

Saturday

Lounge After Work (Bushido Lounge) Buy one, get one free! 4pm to 7pm.

Downtown Lounge (Intercontinental Regency) from 5pm to 9pm, take advantage of Happy Hours from with 30% discount on your bill.

Egyptian Duo at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef)- Live Arab and international music, 9pm to 2am.

Longest Happy Hours at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) –Buy one, get one free! 2pm to 7pm.

Casa De Baile (Saturday Salsa) at Casa Bar (Mercure Grand Hotel Seef) Express yourself with Salsa lessons, Entrance BD5, including drinks and snacks.

Karaoke and Cocktail Night at Harvester’s Pub, band SECTION ONE starts 9pm.

Happy Hour at the Harvester’s Pub (Crowne Plaza), 5pm to 8pm.

Mix Grill – Pool side terrace (Movenpick Hotel)Lebanese Grill served the Lebanese way, BD4.8++ per plate.

Flamingo Bar - Movenpick Hotel, live band, Happy Hour, 2pm to 9pm, 20% off.

Chillax at the Cocoon Lounge – Happy hours, delicious sushi, international food menu, 5 to 9pm, BD1.5 drinks, 20%off on food.

Amber Cocktail Bar, Sofitel - 6pm - 2am - large selection of spirits and cocktails.

DJ Kiwi will perform at Elite Resort and Spa next month on October 14. The DJ has performed all around the World including New York, Tokyo and Paris. She lists New York House and Lounge music as her preference, has played other venues on the Island and opened for Mr Hudson at Block 338.

Events This Month

8th – DJ Said Mrad Bushido Lounge, doors open at 8pm.Entrance, Ladies free, gentlemen free until 10pm. BD10 after 10pm.

9th – Ladies Night presents Global DJs Cocoon, fine mix of electro and dirty house, one of the biggest nights in the Middle East, complimentary cocktails, free entrance for ladies.

15th - Tokyo8 introduces “Rendezvous” The Ultimate International Party at CLUB CIELO, Riviera Hotel , Floor 1, Juffair. Residents DJ Sam Samuel and DJ Westside, MusicInternational House and Dirty Dutch, doors open from 9pm onwards, Entrance, gents BD5, ladies BD3, couples BD4.

16th –Victor Simonelli Cocoon Lounge presents producer/re-mixer, song writer, record label owner, early pioneer of NYC underground music movement; Victor Simonelli, Ladies Night, complimentary cocktails, free entrance for ladies.

21st – DJ Jon Fitz Cocoon Lounge gives you Ladies Night with DJ Jon Fitz, a legendary name in House; complimentary cocktails, free entrance for ladies.

23rd - Ladies Night with DJ Semi Stef Cocoon Lounge, Ladies Night, complimentary drinks, free entrance for ladies.

28th – House Couture with Lady V Cocoon, Lady V (Violin); phenomenal saxophonist.

Ladies Night, complimentary drinks, free entrance for ladies.

29th – Fashion TV with DJ Ravin Bushido Lounge, doors Open at 9pm.

Entrance Regular BD20, VIP BD40, VIP Tables BD400(inclusive 2 bottles), VVIP Tables BD600 (inclusive 2 premium bottles)

Waves Seafood Restaurant Reopens at the Crowne Plaza Hotel this month with fresh changes to accommodate seafood lovers! The restaurant encourages guests to choose their own type of seafood cooked in Arabic or SouthEast Asian style.

Experience the heights of fresh seafood dining. Spices Indian Restaurant at the Crowne Plaza has updated their menu with new dishes to be offered starting this month.

25% discount on tandoori.

Catch DJ Cossta at these venues all throughout this month: Meat Co Rooftop, Wednesdays and Fridays; Cocoon Lounge on Thursdays; Diplomat Brunch and Fiddlers every Friday; and Wranglers on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays.

Contact DJ Costa on email: djcossta@gmail.com or Tel. +973 3372 2302.

If you want to see your event listed email us by the 15th of every month at: bc.editorial@ArabianMagazines.com

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 119

Listings

Recommended Restaurants Chinese China Garden Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 With a chilled out resonance and deep, comfy chairs this place has the convivial atmosphere of a friend’s house only with better service.

Hong Kong Adliya, Tel. 1772 8700 The myriad dishes are served in abundance and are all delicately and lovingly flavoured. The soft steamed dumplings are magnificent, the sizzling seafood is cooked to perfection, and the beef with black mushrooms and bamboo shoots deserves plaudits beyond Bahrain.

Soie Sheraton, Tel. 1753 3533 Chinese and Asian specialities in sophisticated and elegant Oriental surroundings.

Indian Nirvana The Ritz-Carlton, Tel. 1758 0000 Nirvana is one of the best looking curry houses in the region and has a ‘secret’ dining booth for the lovers out there.

International Fusions Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 The food and wine list will keep you coming back to Fusions. Try the beautifully tender grilled sirloin with boldly flavoured ginger mash and a selection of roasted vegetables.

Links Restaurant The Royal Golf Club, Tel. 1775 0777 Links, located on the mezzanine floor of the Club House, is a large, brasserie-style restaurant/ lounge open to all visitors to the Royal Golf Club. Features include a cocktail bar, an outdoor terrace and floor to ceiling picture windows offering patrons spectacular views across the golf courses.

Silk’s Mövenpick Hotel, Tel. 1746 0000 With cuisine inspired by the four continents of the Silk Route, the food on offer here is eclectic and varied all cooked in front of you in open kitchens around the restaurant.

Le Jardin Ramada Bahrain, Tel. 1774 2000 Fully renovated with a new look - ‘Bigger, Better, Brighter’.

The Gallery Mövenpick Hotel, Tel. 1746 0000 Picturesque pool and lagoon views.

La Méditerranée The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Tel. 1758 0000 Asian, French, Mediterranean and International cuisine.

Le Bistro InterContinental Regency, Tel. 1722 7777 Main restaurant situated above the lobby with International buffet lunch daily.

Olivos Brasserie The Diplomat Radisson Blu, Tel. 1752 2124 This Mediterranean brasserie offers superb food in a relaxed atmosphere. In buffet style you can enjoy a super breakfast, sumptuous lunch and delicious dinner.

American Ric’s Kountry Kitchen Juffair, Tel. 1772 5550 Specialising in good ol’ fashioned home-cooked American chow, Ric’s does a mean burger, excellent chilli and a mouth watering Jambalaya. Its American breakfasts are legendary.

Italian Mondo Restaurant The Diplomat Radisson Blu, Tel. 1753 1666 The goat’s cheese and rocket pizza is probably the best in Bahrain. A funky, friendly Italian place, just like momma used to make it.

Al Safir Sheraton Bahrain Hotel, Tel. 1753 3533 Al Safir does a bustling buffet trade with people partial to Lebanese mezzeh. For a more refined palette, their a la carte menu offers a range of simpler, more delicate bites.

Zahle Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 Zahle extols the virtues of simplicity. The food here is as honest as the day is long and all the better for it. And the presentation of the food is something else with the shish kebab served on a golden box complete with burning coals. There is a live band and a belly dancer to keep you entertained whilst eating.

Seafood Le Perle Novotel Al Dana Resort, Tel. 1729 8008 This restaurant is pretty with gorgeous views of the sea and the city, its romance sweetly compliments its seafood menu that serves local specialities as well as more internationally renowned fare. The service is attentive without being intrusive and it has an inventive wine list.

The Ritz-Carlton, Tel. 1758 0000 Authentic Italian dishes abound on a menu featuring some truly incredible home made pastas.

The portions are generous and service is sharp.

La Pergola Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 Traditional and contemporary Italian specialities with Italian music.

Japanese Sato Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 The food here is good. Order well and you will be rewarded with your favourite dishes done very well indeed.

Middle Eastern Kosebası Bahrain City Centre, Tel. 1717 2322 www.kosebasi.com

Bahrain City Centre, Tel. 1717 2323 Serves a wide variety of steaks as well as salads, burgers and seafood dishes. Integrated into the restaurant is also a fully functioning retail butchery, which enables customers to choose a specific cut and size or buy meats for their home requirements.

Thai Royal Thai Seafood Restaurant Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 Colonial stateliness and Asian adornment is the order of the day with high ceilings, great white pillars and multiple levels to accommodate private alcoves; it’s a grand and gracious setting. Choose ostrich, just because you can.

Muay Thai Quick Meal Restaurant Juffair Next to The Pizza Company Thai Food, Tel. 7704 0454 Sat-Wed 11am-3pm, 6pm-12am, Thu-Fri 11am-3pm; 6pm-1.30am.

Café

Kontiki Restaurant

Café T

The Diplomat Radisson Blu, Tel. 1753 1666 Enjoy authentic dishes from Asia and the South Pacific for lunch and dinner. Or head over to the Kontiki Pool bar from 10am to 11pm.

Steakhouses Plums The Ritz-Carlton, Tel. 1758 0000 Great steaks served in a suave and subtle room of dark polished wood, low-lighting and a curious mural adorning a wall.

The Royal Golf Club, Tel. 1775 0777 Café T serves a selection of burgers, salads, fresh and ready-made sandwiches, fruit juices, milkshakes and frozen drinks. With an outdoor terrace seating up to 30 people and relaxing background music, Café T is the perfect place to meet up for a chat with friends.

PAUL Bakery & Restaurant Bahrain City Centre, Tel. 1717 2321 Seef Mall, Tel. 1758 0073 www.paul.fr Since the founding of the first small PAUL bakery in Lille back in 1889, the passion for authentic bread making has been passed on through generations.

- and relax in PAUL’s unique ‘rustic-chic’ ambience.

Restaurant Listings American Applebee’s Bahrain Mall, Sanabis (1755 5834) Open Sun-Thu, 11am-mid-night, Fri-Sat, 11am-1am. Average BD10 Bennigan’s Al Safir Hotel, Juffair (1781 3750) Open Sun-Wed, 11am-1.30am; Thu and Sat, 9am-1.30am; Fri, 11am-2am. Average BD18 Brasa de Brazil Seef Mall, Seef District (1758 2225) Open daily, noon-11pm. Average BD10 Chilli’s Seef Mall/Bahrain City Centre, Seef District (1758 1221/1717 9794) Open daily, noon-midnight. N.B.: BCC opening times apply. Average BD20 Hard Rock Café Exhibition Road, Hoora (1729 1569) Open daily, 8am-1am. Average BD10 Café A Lounge Adliya, Behind Monsoon (1771 0041) Open daily, 11am-2am. Average BD15 Al Bindaira Adliya (1774 4066) Open Mon-Thu, 10.30am-12.30am, Fri, 1pm-1am. Average BD12

120 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

The Butcher Shop & Grill

Asian

Primavera

Waves Crowne Plaza Hotel, Tel. 1753 1122 A popular lunchtime retreat, picking your fish and eating it is the order of the day, and the catch is as varied as it is complete. And the nutty, honey-combed chocolate fudge delight will finish you off nicely.

Kosebası (pronounced koshe-bashi) serves traditional Turkish mezes and main dishes true to original Southern Anatolian recipes. The centerpieces of the restaurant are a lovely ornated oven and an open charcoal grill.

Albareh Art Café Adliya, Behind the Carlton Hotel (1771 3535) Open daily, 8.30am-11pm. Average BD5 Al Riwaq Café Adliya, Block 338 (1771 7441) Open daily 10am-9pm. Average BD5 Aroma Restaurant & Cafe Ground Floor, Seef Mall, Seef District Open for lunch and dinner 1758 2711 Café Lilou Adliya, Block 338 (1771 4440) Open Sat-Thu 8am-11pm; Fri 10am-11.30pm.

Average BD10 Candles Coffee Adliya, Behind Fudruckers (1771 4844) Open Sun-Thu 9am-1am; Fri 5pm-1am, Average BD12 Caramel Cyprus Gardens, Budaiya (1779 7087) Open daily, 8.30am-midnight. Average BD5.

Café Ceramique Al A’ali Mall, Seef District Open daily, 9am-11pm; Fri-Sat 9am-midnight.

Average BD8 Coco’s Adliya, Block 338 (1771 6512) Open daily 10am-midnight. Average BD10

To be included, email: info@ArabianMagazines.com or call +973 1782 2368.

Listings

Restaurant Listings Crepe Café Palm Square, Budaiya Highway (7711 5566) Open Sun-Wed, 8am-midnight. Thu-Sat 8am-1pm. Average BD6

Chinese Beijing Chinese Adliya, Block 338 (1771 7969) Open daily, 11.30-3pm, 6pm-midnight.

Average BD15 First Chinese Adliya (1771 3603) Open noon-3.30pm, 6pm-midnight.

Average BD18

Deli France Jawad Dome, Budaiya (1769 6031) Open Sun-Thu, 8am-10pm; Fri-Sat, 8am-11pm.

Average BD9

Foli Um Al Hassam (1772 2199) Open noon-3pm, 6.30pm-11.30pm.

Average BD18

Dome Café Juffair, near American Base (1781 0180) Open 24 hours. Average BD15

Asian Cuisine Adliya (1771 7080) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight.

Average BD50

Columbus Café Bahrain City Centre, Seef District (1717 2324) Open daily, 8am-midnight. Average BD7

Friend’s Club Adliya, 54 Bani Otbah Avenue (1771 3732) Open Sat-Wed, 10am-midnight; Thu-Fri, 10am-1am. Average BD8

Magic Wok American Alley, Juffair (1769 4105) Open daily 8am-11pm

Gloria Jean’s Bahrain City Centre, Seef District (1717 9262) Open Sat-Wed, 9am-10.30pm; Thu-Fri, 9am-midnight. Average BD8

Memories Bahrain City Centre, Seef District (1717 8646) Open Sat-Wed 11am-11pm; Thu-Fri 11am-midnight. Average BD12

House of Coffee Muharraq, Sheikh Ebrahim Centre (3662 9968) Open daily 9am-9pm, Average BD6

Chocolatiers Godiva Seef Mall, Seef District (1758 0699) Open 10am-10pm

La Maison du Café Adliya (1771 7524) Open daily 8am-2am. Average BD12 La Ventana At the moment La Ventana is currently undergoing renovation – check this space over the coming months to find out where the new café is located and our opinion!

Hotel Chocolat Bahrain City Centre, Seef District (1717 9779) Open Sun-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-midnight La Papillon Manama, near Dairy Queen (1725 5542) Open daily 9.30am-9pm

Le Chocolat Seef, Seef District Open daily 7.30am-midnight. Average BD10

Lovely Memories Mahooz (1772 2533) Open daily 10am-10pm

Macaron Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa (17636418) Open daily from 8am-8pm

Maya La Chocolaterie Seef Mall (1758 3368) Open daily, Sun-Thursday 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-12am

Maya Chocolat Seef Mall, Seef District Open Sun-Wed, 10am-11pm; Fri-Sat, 10am-midnight. Average BD15

Patchi Manama, near Dairy Queen (1725 0501) Open daily 9.30am-9pm

Med Café Adliya, near Carlton Hotel (1771 3088) Open daily 11am-1am. Average BD10 Motorox Café Budaiya Highway (1759 2583) Open daily from noon-midnight. Average BD12 Palm Café Qal’at Al Bahrain Museum (1732 2549) Open daily 9.30am-7.30pm. Average BD6 Patisserie Valerie MODA Mall, Diplomatic Area Open daily 7.30am-9pm Skyw@alk Café Marriott Executive Apartments, Juffair Open daily 6.30am-11.30pm. Average BD12 Tea Club The Lagoon, Amwaj Islands Open daily 12pm-midnight. Average BD8 Tilly’s Jawad Dome, Budaiya Open daily 8.30am-9.30pm Veranda Adliya, Nr HSBC bank and Adhari (1771 5868) Open daily 9.am-1am. Average BD8 Waterlemon Al A’ali Shopping Complex, Seef District (1758 1785) Open daily, 10am-11pm. Average BD6

RAWASI Chocola Mahooz, near Qatar Embassy Open daily 9am-1.30pm; 4pm-9pm.

Fri open from 4pm-9pm Salvia Budaiya, Budaiya Highway Open daily 9am-1.30pm; 4pm-9pm.

Fri open from 4pm-9pm East Asian Baan Saeng Thai Sh Isa Avenue, Adliya Open daily 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-midnight.

Bali Orchid Nr Omar Khayyam Hotel, Gudaibiya (1718 0424) Open daily noon-midnight. Average BD7 BamBu Adliya (1771 4424) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm. Average BD28 Captain Cove’s Behind Mass Computer, Gudaibiya (3975 8989) Open daily noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight.

Average BD5 Hash House Adliya, Block 338 (1771 5094) Open daily 11am-midnight. Average BD15

(3919 5343) Open daily 11am-11pm.

Monsoon Adliya, near Ferrari Centre (1774 9222) Open Sat-Thu noon-2.30pm, 7pm-11pm; Fri 7pm-11pm. Average BD15 Nu Asia Seef, near Al A’ali Shopping Complex (1758 7171) Open daily noon-midnight. Average BD15.

Pong’s Off Exhibition Road, Behind CPR Office (1753 0800) Open daily 11am-4am.

Thai Chi Bahrain City Centre, Seef (1717 9747) Open daily noon-midnight.

Thai Express Jawad Dome, Budaiya (1769 3595) Open daily 10am-11.30pm Thailand Block 338, Adliya (1771 7040) Open daily 6.30pm-11.30pm, Average BD15 French Camelot Block 338, Adliya (1771 7745) Open daily noon-midnight Average BD30 L’Avenue Seef District (1756 7212) Open daily 12.30pm-3.30pm, 7.30pm-11pm Mezzaluna Adliya (1774 2999) Open daily Sun-Wed 7pm-11pm; Thu-Sat 7pm-11.30pm Average BD46 Indian Aachi’s Chettinand Kitchen Near the Indian Club, Gudaibiya (1723 3110) Open daily 10.30am-3.30pm, 5.30pm-11.30pm.

Akbar Ramada Palace Hotel (1729 6660) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-12.30am.

Average BD16

Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm The Great Kebab Factory Jawad Dome, Budaiya (1769 0629) Open daily noon-3pm, 6.30pm-midnight International Al Waha Restaurant Gulf Hotel, Adliya (1774 6425) Open 24 hours Al Wasmeyah Restaurant Golden Tulip Hotel, Diplomatic Area (1753 5000) Open 24 hours Block 338 Adliya (1771 0338) Open every evening from noon-2am Café Sayah Delmon International Hotel (1722 4000) Open 24 hours Downtown Lounge InterContinental Hotel (1720 8308) Open daily from 5pm to 2am La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Arts Ras Ruman (1771 3000) Open daily 9am-10.30pm. Closed Monday.

Average BD20 Muju Restaurant and Lounge Dragon Hotel and Resort, Amwaj (1603 9800) Open daily, 24 hours Nando’s Juffair (1782 5100) Open 11am-2am Rendezvous Seef Mall, Seef (1758 7708) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm Rimal Al Areen Palace and Spa (1784 5000) Open daily 6.30am-11pm Average BD40 Selections InterContinental Hotel (1720 8308) Open daily from 6.30 am to 11.30 pm

Asha’s Bahrain City Centre, Seef (1717 7008) Open daily 11am-noon

Teatro Dana Mall (1755 8555) Sat-Wed 1pm-4.30pm, 6.30pm-midnight; Thu-Fri 1pm-11.30pm Average BD19

Clay Oven Adliya (1771 7008) Open daily 11.30am-3pm, 6.30pm-11.30pm Average BD14

Upstairs Downstairs Adliya (1771 3093) Open daily 7am-11am, noon-3am, 7pm-midnight Average BD20

Copper Chimney Al Hambra Hotel (1772 8699) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight.

Average DB10

Yamin Jana Mediterranean Seafront Lounge Dragon Hotel and Resort, Amwaj (1603 3800) Open daily from 2pm onwards

Lanterns Budaiya Highway (1759 0591) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight.

Average BD15

Zoe Block 338, Adliya (1771 6400) Open Sat-Tue noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight; Wed-Fri noon-3pm, 7pm-2am.

Average BD50

Moti Mahal Juffair (1782 5333) Open daily noon-midnight Average BD15

Zytoun Novotel Al Dana Resort (1729 8008) Open daily 6.30am-midnight.

Average BD16

Mumbai Spice Bahrain Mall, Sanabis Open daily 10am-10pm

Italian Caffe Spasso New Zinj (1782 2274) Open daily 8.30am till late

Sangeetha Opp Inidian Club, Gudaibiya (1727 2768) Open daily 7.30am-3pm, 5.30pm-11pm

Honey’s Souq (1774 9222) Open Sun-Wed 10am-5.30am, Fri-Sat, 24hrs.

Spices Crowne Plaza Bahrain, Diplomatic Area (1753 1122) Open daily noon-11pm Average BD25

Mamy Soup Exhibition Road, behind the CPR building

Takatak Nr Awal Cinema, Gudaibiya (1725 4848)

Café Italia Adliya (1774 4774) Open daily noon-3.30pm, 7pm-11.30pm.

Average BD35 La Taverna City Centre Hotel, Gold City (1722 9979) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight.

Average BD18

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 121

Listings

Restaurant Listings Medzo InterContinental Hotel (1720 8308) Open daily for lunch and dinner Mino’s Adliya (1774 4777) Open daily 11am-12.30am.

Average BD15 Nino’s Al Aali Shopping Complex, Seef (1756 6555) Open daily 11am-11.30pm.

Average BD7 Oliveto Block 338, Adliya (1771 6747) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight.

Average BD30 Pizzeria Café Italia Seef Mall (1758 2823) Open daily 11am-11pm.

Average BD12 Roma Um Al Hassam (1772 5885) Open daily noon-2.30pm, 7pm-11.30pm.

Average BD30 Romano Macaroni Grill Juffair (1772 3818) Japanese Bushido Seef (1758 3555) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-2am.

Average BD35 Fuji Sushi Bar Sheza Tower Hotel (1753 3336) Open daily 12.30pm-midnight.

Average BD25 Hajisushi American Ally, Juffair (1772 5638) Open daily 11am-11pm.

Kei Golden Tulip Hotel (1753 5000) Open daily 12.30pm-3pm, 7.30pm-11pm.

Average BD12-30 Maki MODA Mall (1752 2733) Open daily noon-midnight Average BD40 Mirai Adliya (1771 3113) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm.

Average BD40.

Sumo Sushi and Bento American Alley, Juffair (1771 8090) Open daily noon-midnight.

Sushi 101 New Zinj (1782 2274) Open Sat-Thu noon-3pm, 6pm till late; Fri 1pm-4pm, 7pm till late.

Sushi Ko Adliya (1771 6619) Open Sat-Wed 6.30pm-11pm; Thu 6.30pm-midnight.

Average BD11 Yo Sushi Al Aali Shopping Complex, Seef (1758 3373) Open Sat-Wed noon-midnight; Thu-Fri noon-2am Average BD20 Mexican Casa Mexicana Adliya (1771 5521) Open daily noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight.

Average BD18 Margarita Mexicana Gulf Hotel, Adliya (1774 6462) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm Senior Paco’s Adliya (1774 6462)

122 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

La Marine Bugerland Building, Budaiya (1759 5777) Open daily 1pm-midnight

Open daily noon-3pm, 6.30pm-midnight.

Average BD18

Seef (1758 600) Open noon-11pm

Middle Eastern Al Abraaj Budaiya (1759 5656) Open daily noon-midnight

Rayes Fateh Corniche (1731 2700) Open daily noon-12.30am Average BD12

Sheza Seafood Market Sheza Tower Hotel, Diplomatic Area (1753 3336) Open daily 12.30pm-midnight

Al Arisha Um Al Hassan (1772 5414) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight

Takht-e Jamsheed Gulf Hotel, Adliya (1774 6431) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm

Totally Fish Bahrain City Centre, Seef (1717 9757) Open daily noon-midnight

Al Arz Ramada Palace Hotel (1729 6660) Open 7pm-midnight

Tarbouche City Centre Hotel, Gold City (1722 9979) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight

Steakhouse Brazil Adliya (1782 6686) Open daily noon-3pm, 6pm-11pm.

Al Fanar Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa (1753 1666) Open Mon-Sat 9.30pm-2am

Wafi Gourmet Bahrain City Centre (1779 999) Open daily 9am-12.30am

Al Hamra Delmon International Hotel (1722 4000) Open 24 hours Al Mukhayam Ramada Palace Hotel Open daily 8pm-1am Al Shama Windsor Tower Hotel (1729 7000) Open daily 9pm-2am Al Yacout Novotel Al Dana Resort, Muharraq (1729 8008) Open daily 8pm-2am Amwaj Dajla Iraqi Mirador Hotel, Manama (1729 8008) Open daily 8pm-2am Anatolia Turkish Restaurant Cyprus Garden, Budaiya (1769 0601) Open daily noon-11pm Carla’s Cyprus Garden, Sehla (1769 7687) Open daily noon-midnight

Yas-e Isfahani Seef Mall (1758 1151) Open daily 10am-10pm.

Average BD16 Polynesian Trader Vic’s Ritz Carlton Hotel and Spa, Seef (1758 6555) Open daily 7pm-midnight Average BD20 Seafood Fareast Seafood Market Ramee International Hotel, Juffair (1772 7230) Open daily 12.30pm-11.30pm.

Average BD16 Fish Market Al Bander Hotel and Resort (1770 1201) Open daily 12.30pm-11.30pm Average BD25

L’lle Al Areen Palace and Spa (1784 5000) Open every evening, 6pm-11pm Legendz Steakhouse InterContinental Hotel (1720 8308) Open daily for lunch and dinner Le Relais de Venise Son Entrecote L’Hotel, Seef (1756 7222) Open daily 12.30pm-3.30pm, 7pm-11.30pm.

Average BD40 Ponderose Steakhouse Manama and Seef (1756 7222) Open 11am-11pm.

Sizzlers Restaurant Mansouri Mansions Hotel (1771 6999) 24 hours. Average 10 The Meat Co Block 338 (1774 2080) Open Sat-Wed 12.30pm-3.30pm, 7pm-11.30pm; Thu-Fri 12.30pm-midnight Average BD50

Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa

Dar Al Tajine Phoenicia Tower Hotel, Hoora (1731 1167) Open daily 6pm-6pm Golestan Sheraton Bahrain Hotel (1753 3533) Open Sun-Fri 12.30pm-2.30pm, 7.30pm-11.30pm.

Average BD12 Isfahani Hoora (1755 0567) Open daily noon-midnight Average BD20 Khan Al Marjan Al Safir Hotel Hotel (1782 7999) Open daily 9.30pm-2am L’Sultan L’Hotel, Seef (1756 7222) Open daily noon-midnight Laialy Zaman Nr Funland, Fateh Corniche (1729 3097) Open daily 11am-4am Marmaris Avenue 28, Sanabis (1755 5909) Open daily 11am-midnight Maseelee Gulf Pearl Hotel, Souq (1721 0647) Open daily 5am-9.30pm Mono Lebanese Budaiya Highway (1755 5262) Open daily noon-midnight Parsian Adliya (1781 1511) Open daily 12.30pm-3.30pm, 7.30pm-midnight.

Average BD14 Persian Garden

Saraya International Daily Buffet and A La Carte Service So Brunch every Friday 12.30PM – 4PM buffet also extended in 2 restaurants ‘Fiamma and Wok’.

This is the longest Friday Brunch buffet in Bahrain Breakfast 6.30am – 10.30 am (up to 11am on weekends) Lunch -12.30pm – 3:30pm Dinner - 7pm – 10:30pm Tel. 1763 6410

Amber Cocktail Bar Opens Daily, Opening hours 6pm – 2am Tel. 1763 6419

Tapas Restaurant & Bar Opens Daily, A La Carte Service Lunch - 11:30am – 3.30pm Dinner - 5pm – 1am Tel. 1763 6412

Macaron Pastry Shop Open Daily Authentic French Pastries Opening hours: 8am – 8pm Tel. 1763 6418

Fiamma Italian restaurant Closed on Sunday A La Carte Service Lunch - 12.30pm – 3.30pm (Thu, Fri, Sat) Dinner - 7pm – 11.30pm Tel. 1763 6414

Wok Asian Restaurant (opening soon) Closed On Tuesday A La Carte Service Lunch - 12.30 pm – 3.30 pm (Thu, Fri, Sat) Dinner - 7pm – 11.30pm Tel. 1763 6415

La Mer Seafood restaurant Opens daily for dinner only A La Carte Service or from the catch of the day display Theme night: Cheese night every Sunday 7-9PM Dinner 7pm – 11.30pm Tel: 1763 6411

Lagoon Pool Bar Opens Daily, Beverage and Snacks Opening hours: 8am – 8pm Tel. 1763 6416 Lobby Lounge Opens Daily, Opening Hours: 8pm – Midnight Tel. 1763 6363

Pashawat Regional Speciality Restaurant (opening soon) Closed on Monday, A La Carte Service Dinner - 7pm – 1am Tel. 1763 6413

Listings

Sports, Fitness and Kids Creative Kids

Fitness/Aerobics/Spinning

Meditation/Yoga

Al Safir Fitness First The Regency The Diplomat Radisson Blu Curves (Budaiya) Ez Fit Sports Complex Image Spa & Leisure (Sheraton Hotel) The Health Club (Gulf Hotel) Nautilus (Crown Plaza) Sports Club & Spa, Ritz-Carlton Al Gosaibi Gym Ghassan’s Gym (mat and private classes available) La Fontaine Centre World Beat Fitness Centre

Art of Living 3988 8760 Dessange 1771 3999 (Yoga classes offered several times a week) Bahrain Meditation Centre Bahrain 1779 5961 (Wellness Resort) Saturdays and Wednesdays. 7pm to 8.30pm, Mixed yoga classes. Sundays and Tuesdays (Ladies Only), 10am to12pm Bayoga Centre 1772 5027 Daily yoga classes, relaxing yoga and meditation for beginners and advanced students.

World Beat Fitness Centre 1761 2576 The Diplomat Radisson Blu 1753 1666 Anubhaa Sharma anurays@yahoo.co.in

Art Classes

Netball

Kids Gyms/Gymnastics

1781 3815 1332 2200 1722 7777 1753 1666 1769 1496 1769 2378 1752 4570 1771 3000 1753 0764 1758 9380 1729 3221 1769 5911 1723 0123 1761 2576

Badminton Bapco Club Telgu Kala Samithi The Indian Club

1775 3666 1727 6300 1725 3157

Basketball EZ Fit Sports Complex Bahrain Basketball Association

Rugby 1769 2378 1774 1010

Bowling Al Bander Hotel & Resort Awali Bowling Centre Bahrain Bowling Association Bapco Club Funland Centre

1770 1201 1775 3666 1782 2077 1775 3666 1729 2313

1769 2378 1769 5809 1727 6134

Cycling Bahrain Cycling Association

1769 3232 1723 1717 3967 6349 3910 6589 3982 7096 3987 6215 1761 2576 1772 7766 1771 2000

Football Al Ahli Sports Club Al Hala Sports Club Bahrain Rugby Football Club British Club Dilmun Club EZ Fit Sports Complex Arsenal Soccer School

1727 7712 1734 2182 1769 5809 1772 8245 1769 2986 1769 2378 1756 1615

1775 6770 1775 0777

Go Karting/Racing Rally Town BIC Silver go-Karts (Tubli) Gulf Speed One (Seef)

1753 1165 1745 0000 1778 0011 3944 4137

1782 5301 1771 6147

Squash Bahrain Badminton and Squash Federation The Country Club Al Bander Resort Nautilus (Crowne Plaza) The Diplomat Radisson Blu

1729 2662 1759 3593 1770 1201 1753 0764 1753 1666

Awali Riding Club 1775 6525 Saturdays to Thursdays, 7am to 7pm.

Fridays 7am to 6pm. Desert rides.

Qualified instructors

Bahrain Riding School 1769 0448 Daily rides 4pm to 6pm Dilmun Club 1769 2986 Sundays to Thursdays. 8am to 11am and 3pm to 7.30pm Shakhoora Riding School 1759 1103 Sundays to Thursdays, 8am to 12noon, 3.30pm to 7pm The Country Club 1759 3593 Fridays Horse riding in paddock, 1pm to 4pm Twin Palms Riding Centre 1759 1668

Swimming Lessons British Club Dilmun Club Ritz Carlton Sports Club The Diplomat Radisson Blu

1772 8245 1769 2986 1758 0001 1753 1666

Bahrain Sailing School Coral Beach Club The Marina Club The Sailing Club The Yacht Club Aquatique - Organised pearl diving Al Bander Resort Bahrain Swimming Association Dilmun Club

1731 0252 1721 2700 1729 1527 1783 6078 1770 0677 1727 1780 1770 1201 1768 0867 1769 0926

Tennis

Ice Skating Funland Centre

Bahrain Snooker Association Jimmy’s Snooker and Billiards Club

Watersports

Golf Awali Club Royal Golf Club

1769 5809

Horse Riding 1765 0079

Dance Bahrain Ballet Centre Indian Institute for Performing Arts Latin Dance Bahrain Sampaguita Club Sayaw Unlimited Dance Club Victoria Dance Centre World Beat Fitness Centre Profiles Fitness Centre Pineapple

Bahrain Rugby Football Club

1729 2313

Martial Arts Japan Karate Association 3944 9628/3667 2204 Profiles Fitness Centre (Boxing for ladies) 1772 7766 Zen-Do 1761 1909 Bahrain Karate Centre 3947 7709 Goju Karate Club 3965 9510 World Beat Fitness Centre 1761 2576 Bahrain Karate-do Academy 3665 7059

124 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

Paint In Space 1762 6232 Chaoss 1759 2096 Dar Albareh 1771 3535/3906 9016 Celebrations 1759 5791 Bahrain Art Society 1759 0551 Indian Institute for Performing Arts 1723 1717 The Studio 3975 4863 Studio Ceramics 1759 9026 Things to Do 1759 0409

Drama Film-making workshops

3600 1777

My Gym, www.my-gym.com EZ Fit World Beat Fitness Centre Chaoss

1756 6566 1769 2378 1761 2576 1759 2096

Libraries

Snooker

Cricket EZ Fit Sports Complex Bahrain Rugby Football Club SLC Grounds, Riffa Thursdays, Training 3pm to 5pm

Bahrain Rugby Football Club 1769 5809 (Thurs) 4.45pm for girls; (Sun) 7.30pm for women Riffa Views Netball League 3630 6946

Where To Go

Bahrain Tennis Club 1772 9561 The British Club 1722 8245 The Country Club 1759 3593 Dilmun Club 1769 2986 Gulf Hotel 1771 3000 Marina Club 1729 1527 The Diplomat Radisson Blu 1753 1666 Bahrain Tennis Club 1772 9561/1772 9756 Filipino Club Tennis Group 3952 7587

Awali Library (BAPCO, Awali) British Club (Times vary) Iqra’s Children’s Library Muharraq)

1775 3666 1772 8245 1732 0955

Music Lessons Bahrain Music Institute Kindermusik Bahrain Room to Rock

1772 1999 1761 3144/3925 6904 1761 1785

Play Centres Chakazoolu Indoor Theme Park www.danamall.net Chaoss Funland Centre (bowling, ice skating, pool) www.funlandcentre.com Mad Science Magic Island, www.seefmall.net My Gym, Softplay at Dilmun Club Lost Paradise of Dilmun Waterpark www.lpodwaterpark.com

1755 8500 1759 2096 1729 2313

1759 1136 1758 2898 1756 6566 1769 0926 1784 5100

Play Groups Chaoss, Off Budaiya Highway 1759 2096 Kindermusik 3925 6904/1761 3144 Ajyaal Montessori Pre-School Mini Storytellers, British School 3912 9585 (4 to 7 year olds) Musical Babies, Nadeen School 1772 8886 My Gym, Seef District 1756 6566 Rhymes & Chimes, Dilmun Club 3929 6848 Soft Play, Off Budaiya Highway 3965 3678 Sticky Fingers 3961 8340 Storytellers, British School 3912 9585 (7 to 11 year olds) Tots & Toddlers Group, 1772 8245 The British Club Wriggly Readers, British School 3912 9585 (for pre-schoolers) www.mumsinbahrain.net

Al Areen Wildlife Park Adhari Park

1783 6116 1740 7300

North of the Shaikh Isa Bin Sulman Highway Fun for all ages, includes a sports camp, groovy town, discovery village and indoor entertainment Children’s Health Academy of Specialised Sports

Chaoss

1759 2096 Swimming, gymnastics, dance and Taekwon-Do for children and teenagers.

Dolphin Park Corniche next to Marina Club One hour marine mammal show.

1729 3109

Funland

1729 2313

Corniche next to Marina Club Bowling and Ice Skating everyday.

Hawar Island

1731 1770 Day trips to Hawar Island, boats depart from Ad Dur Jetty at 10am daily

Kid’s Kingdom Corniche, next to the Hawar reservation office A small outdoor playground. Good fun for young children. Open until late.

Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park

1784 5100

Open daily except Tuesday, 10am to 6pm (Thursday til 5pm)

Magic Island Seef Mall Over 120 different games and attractions and Bahrain’s only indoor Roller Blade Arena.

Playland 1774 2266/1762 0999 Above Fuddruckers in Adliya An indoor centre full of games.

Each ride costs 100 fils. Tokens available.

Soft Play 3965 3678 Future Shape Dance Studio, Garden City Every Monday and Wednesday from 9.30am to 11.30am Children under the age of six months attend for free. www.softplaybahrain.com Studio Ceramics

1759 9026 Budaiya Highway Pottery painting and more.

Open 9.30am to 6pm Sunday to Thursday, or by appointment. Birthday parties and private group bookings possible.

Water Garden Salmaniya 1726 2034 Near Dairy Queen roundabout A semi-filled lake with paddleboats and birds.

School & Nurseries Wahooo! Waterpark Bahrain 1717 3000 Bahrain City Centre Opening Hours: Saturday to Tuesday: 11am to 8pm Wednesday: 11am to 10pm (Ladies Night 5pm to 10pm) Thursday and Friday: 11am to 9 PM

Things to know The Tourist Department (Tel. 1721 1717) is located in the gate to Manama’s souq, Bab al-Bahrain, on the ground floor next to the tourist shop, Times: 8am to 12 and 4.30pm to 6pm, closed on Friday.

Currency The Bahrain Dinar (BD) is pegged to the US dollar at the rate of US$1=BD0.377 - in other words a dinar is worth about $2.65. It is a convertible currency with no restrictions on its import or export. Tip: the Saudi Riyal (SR) is also accepted

in shops for purchases at an exchange rate of BD1=SR10 (less in hotels) and you may be given Saudi money as change.

Business Hours Friday is the Islamic equivalent of the Christian Sunday. The weekend falls on a Friday and a Saturday. Most shopping malls and commercial centres are generally open seven days a week.

Listings Schools American Curriculum

Clubs & Associations

Other Private Schools

Al Hekma International Tel. 1762 0820/1762 3999 Modern Knowledge Schools Tel. 1772 7712 Riffa Views International School Tel. 1656 5000 The Bahrain School Tel. 1762 0820

Al Noor International School Tel. 1773 6773 Ecole Francaise de Bahrain Tel. 1732 3770 Ibn Khuldoon National School Tel. 1778 0661 Shaikha Hessa Girls’ School Tel. 1775 6111

British Curriculum

Special Needs

Al Mahd Day Boarding Tel. 1779 2422 British School Tel. 1761 0920 Budaiya Preschool Tel. 1779 1491 Dilmun School (elementary) Tel. 1771 3483 KG Kids Tel. 1766 3556 St Christopher’s School Tel. 1778 8108 Sacred Heart School Tel. 1768 4367 Talent International and The Infant School Tel. 1725 2346/1777 0078

Disabled Sports Federation Tel. 1778 9191 Hope Institute Tel. 1768 0815/1768 0500 R.I.A. Institute Tel. 1771 6871 The Children’s Academy Tel. 1761 3234 UCO Parents Care Centre Tel. 1767 7717

Art Societies

Charitable Organisations

Taxis

Taxis are easily available in the capital, Manama, and have meters but be sure to make the driver use the meter. 99% of drivers won’t switch on the meter and will try to charge you double the legal fare. Beware!

Al Dana Nursery Tel. 1725 3541 Dana Pre-school, Riffa Tel. 1777 0180 Lilliput, Budaiya Tel. 1769 4947

Confidential Tip: BD1 per five minutes in the cab is the most you should pay for an un-metered journey. If traveling from the airport or busy taxi rank, add BD2/after midnight add BD1 to the total e.g. a 10 minute drive from the airport after midnight should cost you no more than BD5 (BD2 + BD2 + BD1= BD5). Taxis do use meters and companies may use similar rates.

Avoiding Offence

Generally speaking, very short skirts and tight midriff tops are frowned upon in public, although acceptable by hotel pools, in private clubs and on the beach. If visiting a mosque, cover the body well (women should ensure that arms and legs and hair are fully covered). Shoes should always be left outside the entrance.

Essential Info 24-Hour Pharmacies Jaffer Pharmacy Tel. 1729 1039 18, Tarfah bin Al Abid Avenue, Manama 319 Nasser Pharmacy Tel. 1774 0900 63-B, Qadisiya Avenue, Manama 332 Awal Pharmacy Tel. 1777 2023 30 Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Avenue, East Riffa 901 (Check the Gulf Daily News for other chemists.)

Courier & Express Delivery Most international express parcel and courier companies have offices in Manama, and include:

Tel. 1734 9199 Tel. 1772 3636

Car Hire An International Driving Permit (IDP) is required to drive in Bahrain except for visitors from Gulf Cooperation Council states, U.S.A., Canada, countries in the European Union, Australia and New Zealand. The offices of car-hire companies are easily encountered at the airport. Recommended principal rental firms include:

Tel. 1753 4100

Tel. 1723 1156

Tel. 1771 3181

Embassies & Consulates Embassies generally open from 8am to 1pm from Saturday to Wednesday and some Arab embassies also open on Thursday. Many embassies have a number of staff on call outside these hours for emergencies.

Algeria 1771 3669 Bangladesh 1771 4717 China 1772 3800 Denmark 1772 5119 Egypt 1772 0005 France 1729 8660 Germany 1753 0210 India 1771 2785 Iran 1772 2400 Iraq 1774 1472 Italy 1725 2424 Japan 1771 6565 Jordan 1729 1109 Kuwait 1753 4040

Lebanon Malaysia Morocco Netherlands Oman Pakistan Palestine Philippines Portugal Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Switzerland Syria Trade Mission of Taiwan Thailand Tunisia Turkey UAE UK UN Info Centre USA

1778 6994 1756 4551 1774 0566 1759 1568 1729 3663 1724 4113 1727 6099 1725 0990 1753 6709 1772 2922 1772 5222 1753 7722 1753 1166 1772 2484 1729 2578 1727 4142 1771 4149 1753 3448 1771 0333 1757 4100 1731 1676 1724 2700

Flight Information Airline offices are normally open from 8am to 12.30pm and from 3pm to around 5pm, Saturday till Wednesday.

Flight Info 1733 9339 Air India 1729 6444 British Airways 1758 7777 Cathay Pacific 1722 6226 Emirates 1758 8700 Gulf Air 1733 5777 Jet Airways 1722 7114 KLM 1722 9747 Kuwait Airways 1722 3300 Lufthansa 1782 8762 PIA 1722 3808 Qatar Airways 1721 2202 Saudi Airlines 1721 1550

999 1725 3447 1779 0025 1781 2000 1782 8282 1728 8888

Telephone Helpline Intl. calls via operator Directory enquiries Directory enquiries - Intl.

Other phone enquiries Speaking clock

Alia for Early Intervention 1773 0960 Bahrain Cancer Society 3960 3489/1723 3080 Bahrain Charity Society 1729 3363 Bahrain Disabled Sports Committee 1778 9191 Bahrain Human Rights Society 1753 1822 Bahrain Red Crescent Society 1729 3171 Friendship Society for the Blind 1762 4496 Hope Institute for the Handicapped 1768 0815 Islamic Enlightenment Society 1772 0053 Lions Club of Bahrain 3908 0097 Manama Rotary Club 3939 4522 Migrant Workers Protection Society 3946 5378 Overseas Workers Welfare Admin.

1721 3825 Palm Association 1779 0826/3964 3211 Riffa Cultural and Charity Society 1777 5444 Think Pink 3907 6717 BSPCA 1759 1231/1759 3479

Gallery/Crafts Al Riwaq Art Space 1771 7441 Al Jasra Handicrafts Centre 1761 1900 Art Lounge 1758 0522 Traditional crafts including palm weaving, pottery and woodwork.

Bahrain Arts Society 1759 0551 Thursdays drawing and painting for Children, 18 hours @ BD25, 10am to 12pm Saturdays and Mondays drawing and Painting for adults, 18 hours @ BD30, 3pm to 7pm.

Bahrain Pottery Society 1778 6898 Clay pottery, ceramic and painting lessons - Saturdays and Mondays, 5pm.

Crafts Centre Gallery and Workshop 1756 8032 Arabic calligraphy Caravan Galleries 3996 5853 Kerala Arts and Cultural Association 3963 9319 The Studio

3975 4863 Pottery painting and more for adults and children, open 9.30am to 6pm Sunday to Thursday or by appointment.

Birthday parties and private group bookings possible.

Shaikh Ibrahim Cultural 3940 2302/1732 2549 and Research Centre

“Help” 24-Hour Helpline for Distressed Alcoholics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous

3960 7219 3968 7190

Darts Balouch Club Sri Lanka Club

1724 2641 1727 1157

Speech & Drama Bahrain Cinema Club Dilmun Amateur Dramatics Society Folk Poetry Society Manama Theatre Club Manama Toastmasters Club

1772 5959 1769 0926 1776 1000 1777 6489 3965 5676

Ladies Clubs American Association of Bahrain 1756 4170 American Women’s Association 1775 6075 Australian Association of Bahrain 3910 1348 Awali Ladies Association 1767 8947 Bahrain Business Women’s Society 1772 1188 Bahrain Garden Club 1772 7625 Bahrain Women Society 1782 6777 Bahrain Young Ladies Society 1727 3508 BYLS-Toastmasters Club 1762 6237 Get together for Ladies 3917 4247/3902 7892 Indian Ladies Association 3980 5372 International Ladies Group 1772 9128 Madinat Hamad Women Society 3964 3396 Contact person Amal 3987 8758 Pakistani Women’s Association 1771 0944 Second Sunday Newcomers 3927 0413/3641 1368

Language Schools Al Quran Translation 1764 5156 Bait Al Taleem 1764 3199 Berlitz 1782 7847 British Council 1726 1555 Carousel 3967 3635 Lingua English Saturdays. Mondays and Wednesdays. English Language Classes, 4.30pm to 6pm, 4pm to 5.30pm.

English Language Centre 1770 0040

Social Clubs

Alliance Française 1768 3295 Assamese Community 3909 1959 Awali Caledonian Society 3636 6458 Bahrain Caledonian Society 3944 0658 Bahrain Hash House Harriers 1786 2620 Bahrain Irish Society info@bahrainirishsociety.com Bahrain Kannada Sangha 1727 1257 Bahrain Round Table 3960 8568 Bahrain Rugby Football Club 1769 5809 Bahrain Welsh Society 1772 7127 Balouch Club 1729 2231 British Club 1772 8245 ext. 32 Bhatia Mitra Mandal 3960 1789 Country Club 1759 3593 Dilmun Club 1769 0926 Filipino Club 1726 2143 Indian Club 1725 3157 Karnataka Social Club 1725 4257 Pakistan Club 1725 8520 Pakistan Association 3941 5200 Royal Society of St. George 3972 6329 Saar Cultural & Sports Club 1779 0335 Shree Nayrana Cultural Society 1725 5517 Shri Gujarati Samaj 3962 4285 Sri Lanka Club 1727 6134 Wisdom Home Society 1772 7575

Wellbeing Kelly Armatage Inc. Offering counselling, life coaching and cognitive behavioural therapy sessions Mob: 39931399 Email: info@kellyarmatage.com www.kellyarmatage.com

1729 2231 1729 7878

Chess Bahrain Chess Federation

151 181 191 100 140

3987 3357 1753 0020 1753 3558

Bridge Bahrain Bridge Club Bahrain Bridge Committee

Hospitals & Clinics Emergency American Mission Hospital (AMH) Saar Medical & Dental Clinic (AMH) Bahrain Specialist Hospital Ibn Al-Nafees Hospital Salmaniya Hospital

Scrabble Bahrain Scrabble League Bahrain Kannada Sangha Saturdays. 6.30pm.

Elham 1771 7441 La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art 1723 0123 The Bahrain Contemporary Art Society 1772 8046

Things to know

Nurseries and Creches

Animal Welfare Al Ahli Animal Centre 1762 2102/3965 4343 BSPCA 1759 1231 Delmon Kennels & Training 3971 7609 Jassim Veterinary Centre (Sugaya) 1723 1242 Modern Animal Health Centre (Budaiya) 1759 0908 Nonie Coutts Surgery, (Manama and Saar) 1724 5515 Pet Arabia 1759 2288 Saar Kennels 1779 2064

1725 2133

Photography Awali Photo Society Bahrain Arts Society

1776 4468 3966 7751

September 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 125

News Bites

Bizarre News

Some interesting stuff the Confidential team culled from around the world.

Putin’s Army

Vladimir Putin

Some Russians want Vladimir Putin to run for presidency in the coming elections so badly that they are actually willing to go as far as taking their tops off. The idea began with the appearance of ‘Putin’s Army’ which has 1,200 followers on Russia’s most famous social website, Vkontakte. The ‘Army’ is urging women to take their tops off as a message to Putin, encouraging him to run for the 2012 elections. The main point of the whole commotion is to announce the best video of a woman tearing her shirt off for Vladimir Putin to be posted on Vkontakte. The winner is promised an iPad 2. People in Russia apparently love their former president so much; this attempt to show their love for him is not the first, although it may be the silliest! One incident just like it took place last year when an independent female university group celebrated Putin’s birthday with a calendar filled with pictures of women in lingerie and titled, ‘We Love You, Vladimir Vladimirovich!’

The calendar sold 50,000 copies. All political parties, including Putin’s claim absolutely no connection to these events. Perhaps, this is just Russia’s way of showing love.

The Birth of ‘Facebook’

An Egyptian father in his early twenties has named his new born baby girl “Facebook”. Gamal Ibrahim decided on the name as a way to “express his joy at the achievements made by the January 25th youth. “This bizarre name was obviously inspired by the crucial role played by social websites such as Twitter and Facebook in organizing the Egyptian Revolution, leading to the end of the reign of Mubarak, Egypt’s former president.

Despite the support for the revolution in Egypt and the support of the Egyptian people to the social website, this is a name that shocked not only Egypt, but the rest of the world as well. Perhaps the next baby to be born might be called, ‘Twitter’.

Taiwanese Midas Touch

16-Hour Phone Convo

A city in Taiwan is trying to persuade its citizens to clean up their city by offering them a chance to win gold. Citizens are encouraged to bring bags of waste to government cleaning teams in exchange for tickets to a lucky draw, the prizes of which will be three gold ingots worth USD2,100. The number of tickets is unlimited. The city is also offering free garbage bags to individuals who want to clean up the city and rewarding people for photographs of individuals who are leaving messes unclean. The city is also increasing its poo patrolling throughout the city.

A woman aboard an Amtrak train headed to Salem, Oregon from Oakland, California was arrested for causing a disturbance after talking on her cell phone for 16 hours. Other passengers aboard the train had asked her to stop and when she refused, the train staff was called. The train has no policy against public phone conversations aboard the train but the Amtrak was stopped by police for about twenty minutes so that the woman could be arrested. The 39-year-old woman, Lakeysha Beard, is not the first one to have caused a commotion by talking on the cell phone aboard a public transport. In 2009, a man named Sunil Prabakhar had a 51-hour phone conversation in public.

A Kidney for an iPad?

A Chinese teenager, ’Zheng’, was so desperate for an iPad 2 he actually had his kidney sold to pay for it.

The 17-year-old said he had found an advertisement online offering to pay USD3,100 for a kidney. The boy then travelled north to have his kidney removed by surgery in a local hospital. He had returned home with complications from the surgery, a new Apple handset and a laptop and confessed his actions to his mother after she demanded to know where he had got the laptop and handset from. After his confession, the boy’s mother took him to the police station to report the crime.

On questioning, the hospital had denied any involvement.

The incident caused a lot of fury among the Chinese people who blame such stupidity on rampant materialism and the emergence of capitalism in the country.

126 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

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Lifestyle

Horoscopes “There is no better boat than a horoscope to help a man cross over the sea of life.” Varaha Mihira Virgo Capricorn Taurus 22 August – 21 September

Patient, refined and precise; these are only some of the qualities which you will need to pull through your toughest times.

A new moon is going to enter your sign and this will give you the opportunity to put those qualities to the test positively. You will find yourself leading and dealing. You will be a mentor not only to those around you but also to yourself. Being a critical person, try not to be too hard on yourself because you are most critical on you! Your professional life might be difficult for a while but you are likely to see some financial reward coming your way. Be very careful at work and at home.

Libra

22 September – 22 October

You are known to be the most civilized and good looking of all your zodiac relatives. So it wouldn’t be surprising if you saw yourself falling into a relationship with someone of the opposite sex. Apart from this, your social life is likely to be normal. A full moon in your sign might cause complications and you might find yourself a little frustrated this month. As a result, you might be a feeling a little low on confidence but you will find authority and challenge given to you and you will enjoy it. You will also be appreciated enough to satisfy you.

Scorpio

23 October - 22 November

You are still the most profound and powerful of all your zodiac relatives and your emotional energy might be just what you need to see positive developments this month. Be careful not to get too arrogant and over confident. That sort of attitude never leads to good things. You will find challenges with your financial issues and this will probably drain you of your energy more than anything else.

Your professional life could also do with some improvement but your family life shouldn’t be much of a problem.

Sagittarius 23 November 21 December

You, like your fellow Sagittarians, are full of adventure and positive energy. You should use this optimism to make things work out for you and get through things that don’t. Your adventurous stamina might be good to help you cope with all the excitement coming up this month. There will be so many unexpected surprises, both positive and negative. Try to remain as organized as possible but don’t get frustrated when you find that some things are not under your control. Your problems will eventually get better.

128 | Bahrain Confidential | September 2011

22 December – 19 January

Your seriousness and independence is probably what keeps your life stable, so don’t let go of that. Pluto will be in your sign this month so you will need patience, especially because you will be inspired by romance. Love will come dancing your way and nature will seem like a blessing. Often with love, one finds confusion in every part of life and you will experience this as well. But all things get better and your patience will allow you to control your life eventually. Come out of it with a lesson learnt.

Aquarius

20 January - 18 February

One of your strong and attractive qualities is your broad vision, bringing small pieces into one whole which is what you should do with your life.

Look at the bigger picture! Your financial issues may turn sour. This might cause unwanted stress which will further sour your personal life. Some of your past decisions might come to haunt you as well.

However, your charming attitude and your support for others will smooth things over. Let yourself be compassionate. This might prove helpful.

Pisces

19 February - 20 March

Your gentleness and good nature make people like to be around you so help will always be there, especially at home and among friends. Although things may not be as perfect as you’d like them to be with your family, asking for help might help resolve your issues and bring you closer. Professionally and financially, things are looking up or at least will be looking up in a while. You will have to make big decisions at your work place and this can earn you some appreciation and recognition if the time is right.

Aries

21 March - 19 April

A pioneer in thought and action and a lover of freedom, your ambition and open mindedness is what makes you who you are. This is something you should remember as times get difficult. Uranus is very prominent in your sign now and will bring you unexpected drama and energy. Agony is coming to you and those who share your sign, in both the personal and professional part of your lives. You are known to lack patience and this is where your weakness lies. Don’t rush things; it might lead you to doing things you will regret. The key is to control your mind and body.

20 April - 20 May

You are determined and practical and you choose to follow rather than lead but you will only follow a leader you trust. This is in your best interests, especially because of your need to maintain security. You will face some difficulty with your family and your professional life and might have to take matters into your own hands. You might also get lucky with some financial gain and more importantly, with love. Be careful not to indulge too much and always appreciate what you have before you lose it.

Gemini

21 May - 21 June

The sign of the twins, you are flowing with complexity and contradiction. You are youthful and beautiful at your best but when you are at your worst behaviour, you can cause trouble. Your dual nature could cause miscommunication at home and at work, so put your instructions and thoughts on paper if you need to. Take some time to organize all your issues and put some energy into problem solving. After you’ve taken care of your trouble, don’t forget to have fun!

Cancer

22 June - 22 July

As a Cancerian, your character can range from timid and shy to brilliant and thoughtful, if not a combination of both. Whatever your character is, it could use some energy which will be brought to you when Mars moves into your sign. Financially, your life is looking up but at home, you might have some trouble getting along. Your responsibilities will begin to feel like a weight upon your chest and you might feel stuck, this is why you could use the extra energy.

Your career is also moving ahead, so you must be doing well.

Leo

23 July - 21 August

Your spontaneous creativity and magnanimity of personality together with the confidence the sun is going to bring you this month will be your most powerful qualities now and through the rest of your life. There will be a lot of miscommunication and confusion to deal with but opportunities will come your way. Keep your mind open and make room for conflict as well. It is better to be prepared for what is ahead than be taken by surprise.

Problems that have been haunting you for a while will soon come to an end and you will see hope all around you if you look hard enough.

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