Qatar Happening - October 2013 by Qatar Happening

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Table of Contents

pg 60 It’s A Feast At La Spiga

OUT CHECK pening.com

atarhap ormation! q . w w w nf latest i e h t r fo

OCTOBER MENT ENTERTAIN

EVERY ISSUE 9 Editor-in-Chief’s Letter

QH’s Editor-in-Chief tells you what’s happening this month

QH Speaks

116

It Happened

120

ZADE In Concert

Events Calendar

Top Picks

The best of our monthly social media

Pullout calendar with the city’s do-not-miss monthly events QH’s photo gallery of the latest happening events in Doha

Phone Directory

Need-to-know phone numbers

The piano prodigy tickles the ivories at the Al Rayyan Theatre

The Man With The Golden Voice

We catch up with Italian superstar Alessandro Safina as he hits up Doha

Adrenaline Rush

Red Bull brings their flugtag flying-machine show to Qatar

Party Hoppin’ Happenings

TURE ARTS & CUL

Dine and dance under the stars at the Doha Marriott’s new late brunch

Top Picks British Invasion

Your monthly dose of Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture events

What Lies Beneath

A new book for school children sheds light on the archaeological history of Qatar

L’Age d’Or

Abdel Abdessemed’s new exhibit at Mathaf re-defines our world view

Arts & Culture Listings

Find out everything that’s going on this month

Entertainment Listings

Find out everything that’s going on this month

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Table of Contents

pg 20

COMMUNITY 43

Top Picks

A Cause For Critters

Understanding Eid Everything you need to know about Eid al Adha

Community Listings

On-stage With Alessandro Safina

A little love goes a long way for Qatar’s street animals

Find out everything that’s going on this month

KIDS CLUB 49

Top Picks

Family Fun Days

Looking for a healthy, active day out with the family? Look no farther than Aspire Zone.

Kids Club Listings

Fun ideas to do with the kids

ING FOOD & DIN

IONS QH SENSAT

SPORTS

Top Picks

QH Recommends

Buon Appetito

Let’s Get Ready To Rumble!

Little Luxuries

105

Reasons To Fly

La Spiga by Paper Moon brings authentic Italy to the W Doha

Simply French

In the ring with the world stars of wrestling

Searching For Balance

La Varenne’s new brunch is a flavourful re-imagining of the Friday classic

You’ll find it at Yama Yoga

Word Of Mouth

Revelations Of A Fitness Fanatic

Our Facebook contest winner reviews the dinner service at Aroma in Kempinski Residences & Suites

Absolute Fitness’ Jonny Parr shows you the ins and outs of working out

Food & Dining Listings

Sports Listings

Find out everything that’s going on this month

e. Feedback and comments are always welcom Please forward letters to the editor:

Call Details: Inquiries: Marketing:

Email: editor@qatarhappening.com

Fax:

Our favourite monthly must-haves Our spa round-up will have you feeling fresh with some of the best treatments in the city Our pick of top destinations

A Vippasana Getaway

106

Take some me time with India’s premiere meditation retreat

110

Virgin Recommends

112

Have Your Say: info@qatarhappening.com jorge@qatarhappening.com

The best monthly entertainment picks from the Megastore

Spotlight On Movies

Our top five must-see films of the month

114 The Dish On Qatar +974 4427 8416 +974 5584 4905 +974 4427 8415

Postal Address: P.O. Box 7848 , Doha, Qatar

Your guide to Doha’s art scene

From The Desk Of The Editor-In-Chief

On the Cover?

Dear friends, As October dawns I would like to take this moment to wish all of you a blessed Eid Al Adha as we prepare to celebrate the Feast of the Sacrifice. It is my hope that both nationals and expats alike can share in the joyous meaning of this occasion. I am proud that this month in our Community section we feature an important story on ‘Understanding Eid’, that explains the history and significance of the holy celebration so that all our readers can take part in an appreciation of why Eid Al Adha is one of the most important events in the Muslim calendar. On a national level we would like to take this moment to congratulate H.H. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser as her important work in the field of education both at home and abroad has garnered her the George Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service. Her vision and energy in leading the way on a global scale for educational reform and access is inspiring and this international acknowledgment is a source of pride for all of us in Qatar. On the Arts and Culture scene for October, Doha has much to look forward to. The Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture continues to flourish with more cross-cultural events for readers to enjoy. Most notably, renowned British artist Damien Hirst takes up residence in ALRIWAQ Doha with his Relics exhibition, his first public show in the Middle East. We also highlight a new educational book to enter classrooms called Hidden In The Sands, an insightful resource by author Frances Gillespie that uncovers the rich archaeological history of Qatar. This month is also rich with entertainment and you’ll find it all in our pages. Doha will showcase two extraordinary concerts by two talented musicians, ZADE and Alessandro Safina, whose music and messages transcend borders, language and culture. Both shows are not to be missed and we bring you all the details so you can secure your tickets ahead of time. Now that the weather is cooling down, October is also the perfect time to enjoy the company of friends and family outside. In our Food and Dining section we offer up some deliciously simple recipes for a tasty barbecue featuring international ingredients for that globe-trotting flavour. We also have some mouth-watering reviews of the newly-opened La Spiga by Paper Moon in the W Doha and La Varenne’s French culinary luxury in Tornado Tower. We are proud to let our readers know that Tuesday, October 1 will also mark the grand opening of the new Chowking franchise in the Holiday Villa Hotel compound. The occasion will be marked by an open house starting at 7:00 p.m., of which the public will be invited to share in the celebration. A subsidiary of our very own AHB Group, Chowking continues to provide the best Oriental food at affordable prices in a family-friendly environment. I hope you’ll stick with us from cover to cover because we’ve got everything you’ll need to make the best of a full and, (we hope!), fulfilling month of October. Thank you for making us a part of your lives.

Doha ZADE gets ready to rock out in Photo Credit: Front Row Events

About Us QH is your voice and your guide for all things fun, funky and happening in Qatar! Send us your feedback to editor@qatarhappening.com. Publisher: The Art of Business Chairman: Ahmed Hassan Bilal Editor-in-Chief: Nasser Ahmed Hassan Bilal Executive Editorial Director: Moona Masri-Whitice Editor: Ashlee Starratt Finalizer / Production Manager: Srimani Welagedara Lead Designer / Brand Manager: Zahi Srour Photographer: Jessie Palanca Listings Coordinator: Marlynne Mallari-Dela Pena Web Coordinator: Imran Khan Sales and Marketing Manager: Deliah Furcoi Sales and Communications Manager: Jorge Granda Marketing Coordinator: Chet Tibayan Distribution & Accounts: Lanie Fillo-Pana Contributors: Mai Akkad, Sarah Al Motairi, Tasbih Amin,

Amy Bassett, Jacqueline Bodnar, Frances Gillespie, Norman Macdonald, Alexander Mutukhno, Jonny Parr, Charlie Sands, Gerald Tan, Steven Keith Tart, Ujwala Thirumurthy, Lisa Travell

QATAR HAPPENING (QH) is published 11 times a year by The Art of Business, Doha, Qatar, an associate of Ahmed Hassan Bilal Group. The information contained in QATAR HAPPENING (QH) is correct at the time of printing. Details may change at any time without liability on the part of The Art of Business. Readers are advised to confirm details with the event organizers. All rights reserved 2011, The Art of Business. Reproduction in part or in full is strictly prohibited. QATAR HAPPENING (QH) assumes no responsibility for content of advertisements.

Nasser Ahmed Hassan Bilal Editor-in-Chief

QATAR HAPPENING (QH) retails for QR 8. Bulk subscriptions are available for QR 5 each, for orders over 50. 2013

QH Speaks

Tweets Of The Month @QO_2022 Qatar gets right to host World 9-Ball Championship for four years.

@GreatestQuotes “Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.” – George Lois

@DecOrchid Chocolate comes from cocoa, which is a tree. That makes it a plant. Chocolate is salad.

@QAWSQATAR Looking for something to do this weekend? Come on down to QAWS for some dog walking or cat cuddling, guaranteed to make you feel good!

best of the best We ask, you answer. Here’s the this month, plus from our social media top picks you’re saying! our Editor’s Corner. Here’s what

Editor’s Corner Wow, it’s October already. Where did this whole summer go? It just seems like last week I was packing my bags for holidays and attending night after night of iftars and sohours. But the fall has been great so far, with some amazing events hitting Doha. How many of you took in the Tom Jones concert last month? The guy is 73 years old and has still got it!

In Your Face

Awareness Month, so October is Breast Cancer at are your keys to a wh us tell to you ed we ask e? Whether it’s newstyl life ve tati healthy, preven d-and-true tactics, trie a’s age advice or Grandm ponses: here are some of your res

Aalaa Sekina “Mine is 3 litres of water a day!”

Well, we think Doha has still got it too and this month is jam-packed party central, as you’ll soon find out scrolling through our pages. There are Oktoberfest shindigs, some world-class concerts, new art exhibitions, author interviews, a complete spa round-up to relaxation and even a wrestling championship, all competing for your attention. We’re also proud to introduce a new fitness column in our Sports section from Absolute Fitness owner and personal trainer Jonny Parr. Jonny will have you on your way to a healthier you in no time with tips and pro-advice that will keep you on track. And for all you pet-lovers out there, in our Community section we take a look at how a little compassion and care can go a long way in helping Qatar’s street animals. So, lots of feel-good pieces to keep you smiling for the next four weeks. We’re pretty excited and hope you are too. But don’t wear yourself out, because November’s got just as much on the horizon and it’s right around the corner. See you next month,

Kristal Echeverria Segnini “Regular exercise! And a good diet…more protein, fruits and vegetables! Lots of low-sodium water! Almost no processed and saturated-fat foods! Most importantly a positive attitude in reaching your goal!”

Doc Tor “Eat vegetables and fruits, exercise daily and smile.”

Camelia Cesin “My secret is dancing at least 45 minutes every day!! So I have fun and keep myself healthy!!”

Ghanim Al-Sulaiti “Cure[s] comes from nature, that’s what I believe.” Ashlee Starratt Editor

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Entertainment

s k c i P p o T ’s h t This Mon

Radisson Blu Oktoberfest

InterContinental Doha The City Oktoberfest Oct 31-Nov 1: Al Jawhara Ballroom. Original Bavarian Band ‘Harthauser Musi’ will be performing and a rich selection of German and international beverages will be available. QR 222 includes traditional German food, excluding beverages. For more information call 4015-8888 or email doharestaurants@ihg.com.

Renaissance Doha City Center

The St. Regis Doha

Halloween Party Oct 31: Champions. Enjoy a sporty Halloween Night, with prizes for the best and craziest dressed. Admission is QR 100 and includes a free drink and live DJ, from 5:00 p.m. till 2:00 a.m. For more information call 4419-6100.

OUT om K C E H .c C ppening

atarha tion! www.qthe latest informa for

Oct 31-Nov 1: Giwana Ballroom. Packing two weeks’worth of celebrations into two fabulous nights! Join the Radisson Blu for fun and laughter while dancing to the live folk band ‘Original Dirndljäger’ flown in directly from Germany by Etihad Airways. Enjoy a traditional buffet prepared by our German Executive Chef Jurgen for QR 460, inclusive of German buffet and beverages. From 7:30 p.m. For more information call 4428-1555.

Hilton Doha Stand-Up Comedy Oct 23: Qamar. Join in for a night of laughter in collaboration with the Punchline Comedy Club. Tickets for dinner and the show are QR 300 including a welcome drink. From 7:00 p.m. For more information call 4423-3333.

JALC Doha 1-Year Anniversary Oct 16-18: JALC Doha. To celebrate their first anniversary, Jazz At Lincoln Center Doha is planning a two-day celebration with a number of community and special events including special performances in the Jazz Club, a jazz brunch on the terrace, free jazz in the park at MIA Park. Visit www.jalcdoha.com for performance schedule.

Entertainment

ZADE in Concert

By Jorge Granda Image courtesy of Front Row Events

Described as a “piano prodigy” by People Magazine and mentored by 15-time Grammy Award-winning mega-producer David Foster, pianist and composer ZADE will be live in concert this month on October 8 at the Al Rayyan Theatre in Souq Waqif. QH has the exclusive interview.

3. Create the fine balance between commercial appeal and artistic integrity.

QH: Describe your music and style.

ZD: Having lived in the US and the Middle East, I truly believe that people all over the world are essentially the same. They want to live happy, productive lives and create a better future for their children. Spreading global understanding among people, even if on a grassroots level is very important, because there are many misunderstandings on both sides of the fence. For example, once I was giving a workshop at a high school in Santa Barbara, CA, and one kid asked me “Why do Arabs hate us?”, and literally, a month later, I was giving the same workshop at a school in Amman, Jordan, when a kid also stood up and asked “Why do Americans hate us?” It kind of drives the point home about

ZD: My music blends different genres with my classical piano training and pop, Arabic and Latin influences.

beginning of an incredible two years and a half of spending evenings with him in the studio as he worked on projects for Josh Groban, Celine Dion, and so many others.

QH: You were mentored by David Foster. How did that come about?

QH: Tell us about your experience working with him what’s the best advice he gave you?

ZD: I met David through a mutual friend of ours in Los Angeles. I’ve always been a fan of his as far back as I can remember, especially his production style. I went up to his studio in Malibu one evening – I think he was working on a song for Michael Bublé, and that was the

ZD: Some of the lessons that come to mind are: 1. When working on a record, make sure every detail is so finely laid out, and treat every detail with the utmost care. Details are everything. 2. Keeping a good attitude in the studio is one of the best assets any musician can have.

QH: Why is cross-cultural understanding so important to you and what value does it have to your music?

the amount of work that needs to continue to happen to bring our cultures closer together. QH: Your latest venture is One Night in Jordan, tell us about the album. ZD: One Night in Jordan marked a very special time in my life. It was a big project and it stood for something big. In a way, it was a gift to Jordan, and I worked on it under the patronage of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein. It was dedicated for peace in the Middle East in loving memory of HM the Late King Hussein. We gave it that title because of the special occasion and because we wanted it to be a once in a lifetime event. QH: What has that experience meant to you and your career? ZD: It was a milestone in my career as it marked my first televised concert special. It aired in the United States on PBS (National Public Television) and the CD and DVD both topped various charts on Billboard. It’s a very special project that’s taken on a life of its own. QH: What type of show are you bringing to Qatar, any surprises? ZD: The concert in Qatar is going to be very special for me for many reasons. First of all, I rarely play solo piano concerts, but I love those the most as it provides a very intimate landscape between me and the audience. It’s like playing for family and friends, not to mention that it allows open spaces for improvisation on the piano, which I love. I think solo piano concerts provide a certain intimacy we often loose in the large-scale concerts. Also, I had the chance to check out the theatre and it’s truly state-of-theart, not a bad seat in the house. It will be a very up-close and personal experience for me, and I hope for the audience as well.

Middle East music icon ZADE will grace the stage here in Doha this October

QH: What’s next on the scene for you? ZD: I’m currently putting the final touches on my new album Touch the Sky which will be released early next year, [and] we’re also filming a music video for the lead single. The album will be followed by a concert tour in the United States. Also, we have just set up Front Row in Doha, a new events company that will be joining efforts with our partners on the ground to contribute to the development of the cultural landscape of Doha, which I am very excited about. QH: Tell us about The ZADE Foundation for International Peace and Understanding. ZD: The foundation stems from my belief that music can play an integral role in deconstructing barriers between people regardless of

their ethnicities, religious backgrounds and nationalities. I want it to act as a bridge of hope, if you will, that bolsters the role of music-maker to peacemaker, and eventually, community leader. It focuses on developing musicians with outstanding leadership capabilities. Some of our achievements include the Roads to You Tour which we launched in multiple cities in the United States, and brought together more than 35 musicians from 20 countries including wartorn regions. It was truly amazing to see all the participants coming together in an atmosphere of trust and team spirit. QH: Is there anything else you’d like your fans in Qatar to know about you?

ZADE: An Evening Of Solo Piano When: October 10 Where: Al Rayyan Theatre, Souq Waqif Time: 8:00 p.m. Ticket Prices: QR 250, VIP QR 150, general admission QR 100, students (with student I.D.) Tickets available at Al Rayyan Theatre, Souq Waqif (Sun – Thurs from 5:00 p.m. till 9:00 p.m.), Fifty One East Showrooms (Lagoona Mall, Al Maha Center & City Center) Contact: Call 7013-0701 or email info@frontrow.qa

ZD: I like fast cars. n

Entertainment

The Man With The Golden Voice By Jorge Granda Images courtesy of M Premiere

Italian pop-opera tenor Alessandro Safina is set to perform live in Doha at the Qatar National Convention Center on October 8. QH talks with the star about his career, his music and his upcoming show.

nown as the man with the golden voice, Alessandro Safina has captivated audiences around the globe with his soulful melodies. Born in Siena, Italy, Alessandro discovered his passion for music at the tender age of nine. The talented tenor has performed for Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of the 73rd Royal Variety Performance and has sung with living legends such as Elton John and Jose Carreras, and toured Asia with Sarah Brightman. This month Doha will have the opportunity to see the Italian star perform live. But first, we get his take on everything musical.

QH: Your parents were ardent lovers of the opera and classical music and instilled that same passion in you from a young age. Did you also have an interest in other types of music or did you always know classical/ opera was the genre you wanted to pursue?

AS: It’s not the first time that I’ll be in Qatar. A couple years ago I did a concert in Doha. I retain good memories of the event and I met some very cordial and helpful people. I experienced a very warm audience during the concert as well. QH: In your opinion, what’s the secret to the continuing popularity of opera and classical music?

AS: I like almost any kind of music, as long as it’s high standard. Every kind of high-quality music can become an art form.

AS: I really can’t give you a precise answer to this question, but I think crossover music and the opera/rock genre helped a lot. Anyway, with my music style I hope to [make] opera and classical music more accessible to people who are not yet acquainted with that form of art.

QH: When you were invited to perform in Qatar what were your impressions of the country?

QH: In 1989, you won first prize at the Concorso Lirico Internazionale in Mantova,

QH: Your breakthrough to a pop audience took place in The Netherlands in November 2000, when you performed at the prestigious Night of The Proms celebration. Tell us about that moment. AS: It was a great experience. The tour was very fatiguing but I was full of energy and eagerness to show the audience my new music style. It was during this tour that I became friends with Chrissie Hynde [of The Pretenders]. All in all, it was a beautiful experience. QH: Tell us about the most important moment in your career? AS: There’s not only one particular moment; fortunately my career is full of important moments. Meeting Elton John and recording the duet with him is certainly among those very memorable moments. QH: You sang for the Queen Elizabeth II, what was that experience like? AS: It was a wonderful and very exciting evening. There were many great artists [there]: Elton John, Jennifer Lopez, Cher and many others. Being invited for and participating in this celebration for the Queen was a big honour to me. QH: What surprises are you preparing for audiences here in Qatar?

How many of you ladies will be in the front row

a competition dedicated to Italian soprano singer Katia Ricciarelli. The prize marked the start of a brilliant career in the world of opera for you. Tell us what it meant to you? AS: Winning this competition, apart from the award, meant a lot to me. It allowed me to start my theatre career by debuting alongside Katia Ricciarelli in Puccini’s La Bohème. QH: You’ve performed in prestigious venues all over the world. Do you have a favourite? AS: Every venue [or] concert hall leaves an impression, a memory. But obviously the real reminiscence is always set by the connection with [the] audience. However, if you ask me about very memorable concerts and venues, I would certainly say the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and Radio City Music Hall in New York. And let’s not forget L’Olympia in Paris.

AS: I prepared a nice program with a variety of songs. Of course I will sing some of my own songs for you, but also classic Italian and Neapolitan songs. I hope it will surpass the expectations of my audience in Doha. to see this Italian crooner?

QH: You combine classical and pop music to create a new genre. Can you explain how this fusion works and why you decided to go down this musical path? AS: Actually, everything started by chance. I was a very classical tenor, performing in theatres when I received the music of some songs that I liked a lot. My intuition told me immediately t hat this was a great opportunity to add a kind of new style to the music scene, a bridge between classic music and pop. I still think it was a wise decision… QH: Tell us about your collaboration with Italian pianist and composer Romano Musumarra? AS: Romano is a great musician and an excellent composer. I started my crossover career with him and we’re still collaborating. I think he’s very gifted and special.

QH: What are your future musical plans? AS: There’s a lot on my future schedule. Late October I’ll start a very extensive tour in Russia; then my new album will be released. Next year we’ll start a new project for Korea and Japan including an album with duets with an Italian singer. n Alessandro Safina In Concert When: Tuesday, October 8 Where: Qatar National Convention Center Ticket Prices: Silver Seating QR 250 Gold Seating QR 390 Platinum Seating QR 550 VIP Seating QR 790 Tickets available at www.mpremiere.com Contact: Call 3322-1729, +971 50 768-6418 or visit www.mpremiere.com

Entertainment

Festival Fun Guide

By Amy Bassett Images by Alexander Mutukhno courtesy of Iceland Airwaves

GusGus take a bow at last year’s festival

music. The Iceland Airwaves of me na the in t ser de the t to deser r eardrums is worth This month we’re asking you and trust us, the ringing in you 3 ov -N 30 t Oc m fro k aví ykj festival mashes up Re the price of the ticket.

et me begin this article with a broad and sweeping statement. Ready? Here goes. We live in a global village where ‘creativity’ and ‘cool’ are discovered, coveted and then quickly packaged into mainstream consumption-sized pieces to pass on to the masses in exchange for cash-money profit. Unfortunately music festivals fall prey to this processing and packaging as easily as the rest of the creative currency out there. Bobby Gillespie, controversial front man for the band Primal Scream caused a stir following their set at this year’s Glastonbury with his acidic diss on the state of the music festival industry.

GusGus rocking out on-stage

His comment? “Music festivals are like shopping malls” (NME, July 2013)

between ‘Festival A’ and ‘Festival B’ is the airport you fly into and the language you speak on your way to the front gate.

So imagine my surprise and delight when, after days of said trawling, I happened upon Iceland Airwaves.

Ooh. That’s nasty. But oh how it smacks of the truth. As large corporate events companies continue to buy out small boutique festivals and homogenize their line-ups into oblivion, it does sometimes seem that the only difference

What’s my point? Well, while trawling through the dozens of options every month to bring you this guide to the cream of the festival crop, everything starts to look ‘same-y’. Really ‘same-y’.

Behold a relatively small and intimate annual festival held in Reykjavík, Iceland. Running from October 30 to November 3 and priced at a stellar QR 555 for the whole five days, ‘IA’ delivers maximum boogie for your buck. But this is just

Prinspóló perform at the Reykjavík Art Museum

one of its many sassy qualities. This little gem is the established subvert hero of underground music festivals, the hope for the next generation, the ever-new, the never-jaded. Why? As opposed to the usual formula of all-thepopular-acts-crammed-onto-one-bill, IA’s main focus is unearthing brand spanking new talent from Iceland and across the world. The line-up is a who’s who of who-are-these-guys? When you read a festival bill of over 200 acts and you haven’t heard of a single one, you know you’re in for a rocking weekend of intrigue and discovery. Don’t believe me? From the top of the alphabet, here are the artists beginning with ‘A’ 1. Aaron and the Sea 2. Agent Fresco 3. Amaba Dama 4. AMFJ 5. Amina Heard of any of them? Me neither. Hit me with something new and exciting I say! Who are the heavy-hitters that have credited IA as being their big break? To name a few you may be familiar with… Clap Your Hands Say Yeah; Metronomy; The Rapture; Crystal Castles; Hercules and Love Affair; Mount Kimbie; Hot Chip and The Flaming Lips. Indie and electronica heaven, some would say. The block-party style festival, which debuted in an airplane hangar in 1994, has grabbed itself a reputation for its “intimacy and party

The thrashing metal sound of Endless Dark

spirit”(Rolling Stone Magazine). Just like Austin’s mighty South-by-South-West music conference, the ‘grounds’ of IA are the City of Reykjavík itself. Bands and DJs play in dozens of local bars, clubs, bookstores, cafés and music spots – basically any space that can fit a gaggle of musicians! And so the entire downtown of Reykjavík is transformed into a seething labyrinth of musical discoveries just waiting to happen. Festival-goers get to enjoy a variety of shows and venues without having to decide whether to camp or ‘glamp’. There’s no traipsing through paddocks of thousands of ray-ban wearing hipsters to queue for wristbands, kebabs or porta-loos; or suffering through dress-up themed Saturday nights. Instead wander the charming, Nordic streets of downtown and chance upon bands at your leisure. Stay in a hotel, hostel or guesthouse in the 101, 105 or 107 districts and you are smack-bang amidst the business. Bands play until around midnight and then DJs take over, weaving their aural treats through to the early hours. The more intrepid traveler who really likes an actionpacked vacation then has the morning and early

afternoon to check out the stunning natural surroundings of Reykjavík before cracking back into the music for another night. ‘IA’ attracts a tidy crowd of around 7,000 people, with tastemakers, journalists and music industry professionals in high attendance; testament to the quality of talent that seems to appear through the haze of these five days. So sure, Bobby Gillespie has a point; some festivals may be starting to resemble shopping malls. But he obviously hasn’t been to Iceland Airwaves. n Iceland Airwaves Must-See Acts: You be the judge When: Oct 30-Nov 3 Where: Downtown Reykjavík, Iceland Tickets: QR 555 for a five-day pass, Package deals also available through their website Accomm: Hotels, hostels and guesthouses galore. Take your pick. Flights: QR 4,000-4,500 Website: www.icelandairwaves.is

Entertainment Think you have what it takes to go the distance? Prove it at this year’s Flugtag

Adrenaline Rush As told to Jorge Granda

The first Red Bull Flugtag is flying into Doha this November 1 at the Museum of Islamic Art Park. QH has all the details.

lying has always been a dream for everyone. In the 19th century Arab inventor Abbas Ibn Firnas designed a flying machine consisting of a structure and large wings and tried to fly. He succeeded for a short distance. Today, the Arab world is witnessing new flying trials at the Red Bull Flugtag, with 45 teams working hard on designing unique and varied flying machines that might make their dream come true. The first Red Bull Flugtag was launched in Vienna, Austria in 1992, and the word flugtag means ‘flying day’ in German. Since its first success in Vienna, the event has been held more than 100 times. Amazing achievements were registered based on three major factors: creativity of the craft, showmanship and flight distance, and unique, fun experiences. Under the patronage of H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums Authority, Red Bull Flugtag will visit Qatar on November 1 at the Museum of Islamic Art Park. The event that toured 40 cities around the world for more than 20 years will be held in collaboration with Ford, event

management agency Innovations Unlimited ME, the Qatar Museums Authority and the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA). Some of the cities that hosted Flugtag are: New York, Dubai, Prague, Marseille, Vancouver and Istanbul. A German team set the current world record for the longest flying distance with a 69.79-metre flight, breaking the previous two-year record of 63 metres in front of more than 60,000 people gathered at the Red Bull Flugtag in Mainz last year. On the other hand, the city holding the record for the largest crowd is Cape Town, South Africa with more than 220,000 people coming out to take in the spectacle in 2012. “The first Red Bull Flugtag Qatar is marking the grand finale for 2013 and we are very excited to stage this event”, says Markus Jordan, Managing Partner of Innovations Unlimited ME. “Action-filled entertainment will ensure that the day will be as much fun for the spectators as it will be for the contestants.” So, how many of you are brave enough to take to the air? Guess we’ll see you on November 1 to find out. n

Red Bull’s Flugtag really doe wings. But how long you s give you fly is up to you!

From Vienna To Doha: Red Bull Flugtag When: November 1 Where: Museum of Islamic Art Park Timings: from 1:00 p.m. till 4:45 p.m. Doors open at 11:00 a.m., free entry

Entertainment Also This Month THE CROWNE PLAZA DOHA– THE BUSINESS PARK

Halloween Night It’s Halloween night at Misturado and they’re going to invite you for a drink on them if you arrive in your scariest mask or face painting. When: Thursday, October 31 Timing: Starts at 4:00 p.m. Location: Misturado Lounge Contact: 4408-7777

GRAND HYATT DOHA

Party Hoppin’ Happenings By Jorge Granda Photography by Jessie Palanca

The Terrace Halloween Party Put your favourite costume on and head to the new and improved Rocca for a Halloween party to remember with DJ Katie Smiles. Dress the part to win the chance of an overnight stay at the Grand Hyatt Doha with a lazy checkout. When: Friday, November 1 Timing: Starts at 9:00 p.m. Location: Rocca Contact: 4448-1272

INTERCONTINENTAL DOHA THE CITY

Oktoberfest Enjoy the biggest Bavarian celebration right in the middle of Doha. When: Thursday, October 31 & Friday, November 1 Timing: From 7:00 p.m. till 12:00 midnight Location: Al Jawhara Ballroom Price: All-you-can-eat buffet for QR 222. Drinks charged separately

Does Doha need another brunch? Well, if it’s like the new Late Brunch at the Doha Marriott, then the answer is absolutely ‘yes’! QH checks digs in to this new buffet party that’s taking the brunch scene to a whole new level. The Late Brunch at the Doha Marriott is so much more than just a simple brunch – it’s actually party central with delicious food. Held on the beautiful beachside of the hotel it starts at 5:00 p.m., right at sunset, turning it into an amazing venue with tables all around, plenty of great wait staff and a killer view that makes you feel like you’re in a chic place somewhere on the French Riviera. Funky DJ Kinky D sets the atmosphere with cool international tunes and there are several cooking stations offering everything from pizza to Angus New York strip steak,smoked brisket and slow-roasted full rack of beef ribs grilled to perfection. There’s also a fresh seafood station offering mouthwatering choices such as Dungeness crab cakes, American prawn cocktails, seafood platters and calamari Fritti to name a few of the dishes. The place to be on a Friday, there’s nothing disappointing about this late brunch – and it doesn’t have to end when the food runs out. The

A cherry tart begs you

to take a slice!

The carvery station offers up many juicy cuts of meat just to your liking

Marriott is offering a hotel package that includes the brunch, a one-night stay in a super-luxurious room and breakfast included the next morning to regain the energy you lost dancing and having fun the night before. Access to all of the hotel’s facilities are also included. n Late Brunch Where: Doha Marriott Timing: From 5:00 p.m. till 11:30 p.m. Price: QR 380 per person Room Package: QR 990 including two late brunch tickets and overnight stay with free Wi-Fi Contact: 4429-8499 or visit www.marriott.com

Entertainment Listings RECOMMENDS ed ategoriz gs are c ion is limited in t s li ll s A e, with el. Inclu per hot ability of spac rtisers. il e a v v ad to a given to priority

W DOHA Boddhi Satva

Oct 4: Wahm. Enjoy a night of ancestral soul music with a blend of deep house and modern Congolese rumba, West African voices, urban R&B and Afro-Cuban rhythms by Boddhi Satva. From 10:00 p.m. till 2:00 a.m. For more information call 4453-5135 or email bnfreservations.wdoha@whotels.com.

W DOHA

A Weekend To Remember

Oct 15-17: Wahm. DJ Aline Magnier and DJ Sune are on the decks, all the way from Berlin, Germany. This is going to be a weekend to remember in Wahm. For more information call 4453-5135 or email bnfreservations.wdoha@whotels.com.

PROMOTIONS GRAND HYATT DOHA Barbeque & Film Night

Oct 24: The beach. After its immense popularity last year, Grand Hyatt Doha is bringing back their outdoor movie night, and this time it’s on the beach! They’re giving you the choice to choose the movie you like, just visit www.facebook.com/GrandHyattDoha and select your favourite film to watch. Package includes a specially-designed barbeque menu, an on-going flow of popcorn and one special drink for QR 200. For more information call 7021-8093.

HILTON DOHA The Fright Stuff

Oct 31: Bal Al Baher’s. Show everyone your scary dance moves at Bal Al Baher’s Halloween dance party. Join in for a night to remember with your favourite BBQ dishes and groove to the beats of the talented DJ all for QR 185 including a welcome drink. For more information call 4423-3333.

INTERCONTINENTAL DOHA THE CITY Halloween Party

Oct 31: Hive. Hive Restaurant and Strata Bar and Lounge guests will be asked to come in disguise for a Halloween party at InterContinental Doha The City. For more information call 4015-8888 or email doharestaurants@ihg.com.

RADISSON BLU The Laughter Factory

Oct 7 & 8: Shehrazad. Three of the best comics present over two hours of club stand-up, direct from The Comedy Store in London. Both evenings are non-smoking events! Admission is QR 140 including one sponsored beverage. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., show starts at 8:00 p.m. For more information call 4428-1555.

Pub Quiz

Oct 28: Shehrazad. Let Geordie Andrew take you through his Pub Quiz challenge. Bring along your team of six players to test your knowledge against the best of Doha. Fantastic prizes for winners! Doors open at 5:00 p.m., quiz starts at 8:00 p.m. Free entrance. For more information call 4428-1555.

RENAISSANCE DOHA CITY CENTER Quiz Night Oct 7: Champions Sport Bar. Win QR 5,000 in cash. Take five friends with good trivia knowledge and battle it out in six rounds of questions including sports, music and general knowledge. Happy Times from 5:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m., arrive early to register as the quiz starts at 7:30 p.m. Free entry. For more information call 4419-6100.

Halloween Party

Oct 31: Champions. Enjoy a sporty Halloween Night. Prizes for the best and craziest dressed. Admission is QR 100 and includes a free drink and live DJ. From 5:00 p.m. till 2:00 a.m. For more information call 4419-6100.

Buddha Bar Night

Oct 11: Wahm. Wahm exclusively hosts DJ Ravin from Buddha Bar Paris. Opening act from Bruno Rocharte from 7:00 p.m. till 10:00 p.m., then DJ Ravin hits the decks from 10:00 p.m. till 2:00 a.m. For more information call 4453-5135 or email bnfreservations.wdoha@whotels.com.

Oktoberfest

Oct 15-17: Wahm. Celebrate the Bavarian Oktoberfest in Wahm with original German Beer and German specialty food from 5:00 p.m. till 9:00 p.m.For more information call 4453-5135 or email bnfreservations.wdoha@whotels.com.

Buddha Bar Dubai

Oct 18: Wahm. French-Canadian DJ Nicholas Sechaud is no stranger to the international club and fine-dining scene. Currently resident DJ at the world-renowned Buddha Bar at Grosvenor House Dubai, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nicholas has done a number of residencies across famed bars, clubs, lounges and restaurants worldwide, from Italy, Spain, Monaco and Turkey to Uzbekistan and the Philippines. From 10:00 p.m. till 2:00 a.m. For more information call 4453-5135 or email bnfreservations.wdoha@whotels.com.

EVERY WEEK CROWNE PLAZA DOHA THE BUSINESS PARK Happy Hours

Daily: Misturado. Misturado will re-open its doors one hour earlier for you at 4:00 p.m. to broadcast more live sport events this coming season. Don’t miss out on their special happy hour two-for-one promotion daily on all house beverages. From 5:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-7777.

Entertainment Listings DOHA MARRIOTT Happy Hour

Daily: Pearl Lounge. Unwind in chic and elegant surroundings and enjoy the daily happy hour with two-for-one on selected drinks, from 5:00 p.m. till 8:00 p.m. For more information call 4429-8444.

GOKULAM PARK DOHA Happy Hour

Mon-Sat: D’Illlusion. Enjoy a trendy lounge bar with hip aesthetics and chilled-out rhythms. This hangout will have you coming back for more, with its slinky cocktails and delightful snacks. At D’Illusion, socializing will never go out of style. From 6:30 p.m. till 11:30 p.m., QR 30 for a three- month membership. For more information call 4470-8888.

Crew & Hotelier Night

Tuesdays: D’Illusion. Enjoy a night for all crew and hoteliers, from 6:30 p.m. till 2:00 a.m. QR 30 for a three-month membership. For more information call 4470-8888.

GRAND HYATT DOHA Dunes Duets

During Oct: Dunes. Doha’s favourite duet, Natalie and Chass, will entertain you throughout the week at Dunes, along with the beats of the famous DJ Santiago Vittorelli. Call 4448-1280 and book your favourite night from the following choices: Sun: Mixology with DJ Santiago who presents Dunes Connections with R&B music Mon: Is special ladies night with a twist, classic cocktails and relaxed lounge mixes from DJ Santiago. Tues: Jazz rhythms from Chass and Natalie. Wed: R&B rhythms from Chass and Natalie. Thurs: Commercial music from Chass and Natalie. Fri: Themed nights and music through the ages from Chass and Natalie. Sat: Soul rhythms from Chass and Natalie.

HILTON DOHA Happy Hour

Daily: Zawaya. Visit Zawaya Lounge for the happy hour with the best view in Doha. They offer special prices on selected beverages along with delicious bites and marvellous views of the Arabian Gulf. A happy hour that truly lives up to its name! For more information call 4423-3333.

INTERCONTINENTAL DOHA Hoteliers Night

Sundays: Lava. With DJ Yaser Zain. Enjoy a 50% discount on food and beverage for hotel staff. For more information call 4484-4444.

House Hunters Night

Mondays: Lava. Dance to the tunes of their resident DJ and enjoy a 50% discount for hoteliers plus a special drink every hour. For more information call 4484-4444.

Big Night Out

Wednesdays: Paloma and Lava. Take in Doha’s biggest ladies night with unlimited complimentary selected drinks for ladies. Dance to the tunes of Paloma’s new resident Sizzle band followed by two dance-floors with resident DJs, from 10:00 p.m. till late. For more information call 4484-4444.

INTERCONTINENTAL DOHA THE CITY After Work Evenings

Sat-Thurs: Hive. Unwind and relax at Hive after a hard day at work. From 5:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m., buy-one-get-one free on selected beverages. For more information call 4015-8888 or email doharestaurants@ihg.com.

DJ Rico

Sun-Fri: Strata. Chill-out music, Buddha Bar-style, funky house music from 9:30 p.m. till late. For more information call 4015-8888 or email doharestaurants@ihg.com.

KEMPINSKI RESIDENCES & SUITES Soulful Nights

Sundays: The Lounge. Discover the talented voice of Kassandra, the new singer at The Lounge. Revel in blues and soul sounds, sip your favourite cocktail and sample fine savoury bites. From 9:00 p.m. till 12:00 a.m. For more information call 4405-3325 or email restaurants.doha@kempinski.com or visit www.kempinski.com/doha.

Mix & Fuse Happy Hour

Mondays: The Lounge. Socialize at The Lounge with the trendiest crowd in Doha while sipping your favourite cocktail and benefit from the 50% discount on selected drinks, cocktails and Tasting & Sharing menu items. From 5:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m. For more information call 4405-3325 or email restaurants.doha@kempinski.com or visit www.kempinski.com/doha.

Half Note Wednesdays

Wednesdays: The Lounge. One of the most successful nights out in Doha is back with the upbeat mixes from the DJ paired with the funky saxophone sounds, the trendy crowd and the hip cocktails that have made it the talk-of-the-town night at The Lounge. From 7:00 p.m. till 12:00 midnight. For more information call 4405-3325 or email restaurants.doha@kempinski. com or visit www.kempinski.com/doha.

Airline Flight Crew Happy Hours

Sat-Fri: The Lounge & Aroma. All airline flight crew can enjoy a complimentary 20% discount on the final bill of their dinner or drinks in Aroma or The Lounge when presenting their company ID card. From 7:00 p.m. till 2:00 a.m. For more information call 4405-3325 or email restaurants.doha@kempinski.com or visit www.kempinski.com/doha.

LA CIGALE Ladies Night With DJ Roger Choueiry

Sundays: Madison Piano Bar. Save your Sundays for the vibrant Ladies Night and dedicate your favourite songs to your special one while ladies enjoy one welcome drink on the house. From 6:00 p.m. till 2:00 a.m. Membership required. For more information call 4428-8665 or 5518-8008.

Sky View

Sat-Fri: Sky View. Warm up your nights in the rooftop outdoor bar with musical video shows played on a giant LED screen followed by mixed live tunes with DJ/VJ Tony Schwery. No entrance fee and no minimum charges during weekdays. From 7:00 p.m. till 2:00 a.m. For more information call 4428-8204/8888.

THE ST. REGIS DOHA Gentleman’s Night

Tuesdays: Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha. This one is for the boys. Every Tuesday night, gentlemen receive 50% off selected spirits, vino and hops drinks, from 6:00 p.m. till 10:00 p.m. For more information call 4446-0106 or email diningreservations@stregis.com.

Ladies Night

Wednesdays: Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha. Ladies, gather your girlfriends together for cool jazz on a Wednesday night and receive a complimentary signature cocktail. Buy one cocktail get one complimentary on selected mixed beverages, from 7:00 p.m. till 10:00 p.m. For more information call 4446-0106 or email diningreservations@stregis.com.

High Heels Night

Wednesdays: Vintage Lounge. Step into the glamourous and elegant Vintage Lounge for a great ladies night out. Ladies enjoy a complimentary second drink between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. and 50% off selected beverages between 9:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. For more information call 4446-0106 or email diningreservations@stregis.com.

The Classic Mixers Are Back

Sat-Tues: Vintage Lounge. Start the week with a classic mixed beverage at Vintage Lounge and enjoy 25% off on featured classic mixed beverages throughout the evening, from 6:00 p.m. till 1:00 a.m. For more information call 4446-0106 or email diningreservations@stregis.com.

W DOHA Crazy Monday

Mondays:Crystal proudly presents a brand new night, ‘Crazy Monday’ with resident DJ Tobias mixing up the best of Monday’s special hits. Enjoy a 50% discount for airline crew and 25% discount for Crystal members on beverages from 11:00 p.m. till 2:00 a.m. For more information call 4453-5135 or email bnfreservations.wdoha@whotels.com.

WEEKEND CROWNE PLAZA DOHA THE BUSINESS PARK Liquidity Nights

Thurs-Sat: Liquidity. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays all ladies are entitled to free special cocktails, from 8:00 p.m. till 12:00 midnight with live entertainment. Admission is free for ladies, QR 100 for gents. For more information call 4408-7777.

THE FOUR SEASONS Beach Bar & Lounge

Thursdays: Beach Bar Lounge. The most awaited Beach Bar Lounge is back. The perfect place to chill, relax and start your weekend off right. Offering a wide selection of beverages matched with their relaxing lounge music, from 7:00 p.m. till 1:00 a.m. For more information call 4494-8888.

RADISSON BLU The Clash 2013

Fridays: Qube. Come and watch the most talented local bands battle it out on-stage to win the title of ‘Best Band in Doha’! QR 80 entrance fee, starts at 7:00 p.m. For more information call 4428-1428.

See us online! om www.qatarhappening.c

Entertainment Directory

Nightclubs, Bars & Lounges Bar Rancho’s Grand Regal Hotel

4425-6666

Lava Lounge InterContinental Doha

Belgian Café InterContinental Doha

4484-4444

Le Club Mercure Grand Hotel

Bubbles on Two Radisson Blu

4428-1428

Champions West End Renaissance Doha

Liquidity Crowne Plaza – The Business Park

4419-6100

Manhattan Radisson Blu

4428-1428 4448-4800

Cigar Lounge Sharq Village & Spa

4425-6666

Club 7 La Cigale

Marina Nightclub Ritz-Carlton Doha

4428-8888

Crystal Lounge W Doha

4453-5135

Misturado Crowne Plaza Doha – The Business Park

Dunes Lounge Grand Hyatt

4448-1234

Glo Cocktail Bar West End Renaissance Doha Habanos Ritz-Carlton Doha

4419-6100 4484-8000

Jazz at Lincoln Center The St. Regis Doha

4446-0000

Jazz Club Oryx Rotana

4402-3333

4484-4444

Shehrazad Radisson Blu

4428-1428

4446-2222

Sky View La Cigale

4428-8888

Spike’s Lounge Doha Golf Club

4496-0777

Strata Lounge InterContinental Doha The City

4015-8888

The Irish Harp Sheraton Doha

4485-4444

The Library Radisson Blu

4428-1428

4408-7777

Orion Radisson Blu

4428-1428

Oyster Bay & Bar The St. Regis Doha

The Library Bar & Cigar Lounge Four Seasons 4494-8888 The Lounge Kempinski Residence & Suites

4405-3325

4446-0105

Paloma InterContinental Doha

Vintage Lounge The St. Regis Doha

4446-0105

4484-4444

Pearl Lounge Doha Marriott

Wahm W Doha

4453-5353

4429-8888

Qube Radisson Blu

4428-1428

Arts & Culture

s k c i P p o T ’s h t This Mon

Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto

Katara Eid Al Adha Festival Oct 15-18: Katara Esplanade. Take time to celebrate the Feast of the Sacrifice this Eid with family and friends at Katara. Right after Isha prayer, come down to the esplanade at the Cultural Village and enjoy fireworks, activities for the kids and fun for the whole family, regardless of age or background. All are welcome! For more information visit www.katara.net.

Oct 12: Katara Opera House. Celebrate with guest conductor Dmitrij Kitajenko and guest artist Lilya Zilberstein on the piano. Program consists of Rodion Shchedrin: Carmen Suite, Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky:Capriccio Italien, Op. 45. Starts at 7:30 p.m. For tickets visit www.qatarphilharmonicorchestra.org.

Al Markhiya Gallery Art Exhibition Tue 1-26: Al Markhiya Gallery in Souq Waqif. This exhibition will feature paintings by Egyptian artist Hany Rashed and Syrian artist Iman Hasbani. Gallery hours are Saturday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon and 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and by appointment. Admission is free. For more information contact Heather at 6600-8750 or heather@almarkhiyagallery.com.

OUT om .c CHECaK ppening

atarh tion! www.qthe latest informa for

Museum Of Islamic Ar t The Pearl of Wonders and the Uniqueness of Things Strange

Wed 23: Auditorium. From 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sacred Geography in the Medieval Islamic World presented by lecturer Dr. Mounia Abudaya. To RSVP email falhitmi@qma.org.qa

Katara Scheherazade Ballet Oct 24-26: Drama Theater, Building 16. Inspired by the 1,000 And One Nights, Bulgaria’s Sofia National Ballet will perform Scheherazade for the first time in the Middle East. Tickets available at Virgin Megastore. For more information visit www.katara.net.

Arts & Culture

A Timurid pilgrimage certificate from the MIA’s Hajj - The Journey Through Art exhibit. Photo credit: The Museum of Islamic Art, MS.267.1998

b u l C e r u t l u C Images courtesy of Qatar UK 2013 and the Qatar Museums Authority

October’s got even more on the horizon with a fresh new line-up of events for the Qatar UK 2013 Year Of Culture. We’ve got your grab-and-go guide to all things Anglophile! Relics: Damien Hirst Exhibition Oct 10, 2013-Jan 22, 2014 ALRIWAQ Doha Since 1988, when he conceived and curated his first exhibition, Damien Hirst has developed to be the most prominent British artist of his generation. Hirst is known for his famous artworks “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Minds of Someone Living” and “For the Love of God”, his spin paintings and other major installations, such as “In and Out of Love”. QMA is hosting the artist’s first solo exhibition in Middle East.

Hajj – The Journey Through Art

Oct 9, 2013-Jan 5, 2014 VIP Opening: Oct 8 Museum of Islamic Art A local addition to the events calendar, this Museum of Islamic Art (MIA)-curated exhibition,

in collaboration with the British Museum, is a home-grown, local initiative that takes visitors on a journey exploring and illuminating the Muslim pilgrimage of Hajj. It presents artworks from MIA and objects from Qatari collections, many of which have never before been displayed in public. The exhibition focuses on the history of this pilgrimage through the centuries, examining the rituals of Hajj as depicted through art, the routes taken and the experiences of pilgrims upon their return. The exhibition also includes a special section dedicated to the oral histories and objects of pilgrims from Qatar. An outdoor photography display featuring unique visions of Hajj by five international photographers will run in conjunction with the exhibition. Hajj – The Journey Through Art is complimented by a full program of activities including guided tours, art workshops, lectures and film screenings.

life aboard ship can Ben Barbour’s sketches of

be seen at Katara

Slade/Qatar Artists Exchange Oct 20-Nov 16 Msheireb Art Centre Exhibition at Katar Cultural Village Nov 16-Dec 7 Four UK artists from the Slade School of Fine Art (UCL) will work alongside four emerging Qatari artists For a four-week residency at the Msheireb Art Centre here in Doha.

Ben Barbour Exhibition Oct 23-Nov 15 Katara Cultural Village In July-August 2013 Ben travelled from Qatar to the UK on an LNG vessel, depicting his journey in drawings. This exhibition will showcase the Doha-based resident artist’s work during the three-week journey.

WOMEX Oct 23-27 Cardiff, Wales, UK Aleading world music expo, WOMEX is an international networking platform for the world music industry. The annual five-day event comprises a bustling trade fair, showcase festival, conference and film program, as well as festive opening and award ceremonies.

Café Scientifique: Stars Under The Stars

Oct 25, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park Café Chris Lintott, an astrophysicist from the University of Oxford hosts an outdoor discussion, combining the pleasure of simple stargazing with some cutting-edge astrophysics. A particular focus will be on the discovery of ‘exoplanets’, worlds orbiting stars other than our own sun. Nearly a thousand such planets are now known, many of them stranger than even science fiction writers imagined, a fact which is changing our ideas of our own solar system’s past, present and future. n

A brass Qibla indicator from the MIA’s Hajj -The Journey Through Art exhibit. Photo credit: The Museum of Islamic Art, MS.452.2007

British artist Damien Hirst dazzles at ALRIWAQ Doha with his Relics exhibition

Arts & Culture

What Lies Beneath?

Goods from a tenth-century vess el are off-loaded for transport by camel to the settlement of Murwab in north west Qatar. Illustration: Norm an Macdonald

By Lisa Travell Images courtesy of Frances Gillespie Illustration by Norman Macdonald Additional photography by Jessie Palanca

QH delves deep into a new book by local author and educator Frances Gillespie that aims to inform youth about the archaeological and cultural history of Qatar. Let’s find out what’s Hidden In The Sands.

n the surface Qatar may look like a newly discovered country, developing apace with a constantly changing skyline as towers rise almost daily from the sands. Everyone knows about the discovery of oil and the financial benefits it brought, but what about before that? This is actually a country with a wealth of history, it’s just not obvious - it’s hidden in the sands. Frances Gillespie’s new children’s book is adeptly titled Hidden In The Sands: Uncovering Qatar’s Past and explores archaeology in Qatar, proving that this country does indeed have a history that dates back many thousands of years.

Aimed at ten to eleven-year-olds, it combines education and fun, relaying the story of Qatar’s history and heritage with beautiful illustrations and an array of photographs. It also emphasizes the importance of discoveries in piecing together our past and brings to life the exciting world of archaeology. Published in English and Arabic, as part of Maersk Oil’s program to support education, it’s launched alongside a fullyinteractive and entertaining website. Frances worked closely on the book with Faisal Al-Naimi, the head of the Antiquities Department in QMA, which coordinates the teams of archaeologists working in Qatar. “He’s

Faisal Al-Naimi, head of the Departmen t of Antiquities at the QMA, demonstrates the knapping of a stone axe.

been a friend for over twenty years and is featured on the cover,’ she says. ‘His enthusiasm for archaeology inspires everyone. He’s an expert flint knapper and one of the chapters is about this. He made a hand axe out of a block of raw flint, using a piece of deer antler, in just 27 minutes,” she explains admiringly. Arriving in Qatar in 1985, Frances originally planned to stay for 18 months. Over 28 years later she’s seen numerous changes within the country, and has been keenly interested in researching and unearthing Qatar’s buried

Wool coloured with the kind of shellfish dye produced on an island near Al Khor around 3,400 years ago

history. A teacher by trade, she explains how she first got involved in archaeology. “I’ve had a life-long interest in archaeology and several members of my family are archaeologists, including my eldest daughter. I’ve been working on digs as a volunteer since I was twelve and studied archaeology as a post-graduate in evening classes, just out of interest. But I’m not a professional archaeologist as such,” she says modestly. It was this passion that fuelled Frances’ mission to uncover more about Qatar’s past. “I had a friend, Dr. Robert Killick, who was a director of a nine-year excavation in Bahrain. I asked him if he would come and excavate here, with the agreement and support of the Department of Antiquities. He was willing, but said I’d have to raise the funds,” she explains. “It took me around three months to raise QR 200,000; the oil companies and banks were very generous, and Qatar Airways laid on free flights for Dr. Killick’s team. They came in January 2000 and they worked alongside local archaeologists on an island in the bay of Al Khor. Since then I have regularly reported on digs and worked on some as a volunteer.” There are now over 5,000 recorded archaeological sites in Qatar and the country’s archaeological advances were formally acknowledged this year as Al Zubara was pronounced a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, an achievement that thrilled Frances. “We were hoping and hoping they would and it’s just fantastic, it makes it a very important site.” Frances has previously written two books for adults, Discovering Qatar and Common Birds of Qatar. Hidden In The Sands was inspired by the lack of children’s books on the history of this country. “I was giving a talk at a school here and every child had a copy of Discovering Qatar and they were doing a project from it. I commented to the teacher that this book was intended for adults and she replied that there was nothing else available. That’s when I thought I needed to start writing for children, otherwise how can they learn about their heritage when there is nothing written for them about their archaeology and their history?”

Author Frances Gillespie at home in her study

Frances has a genuine love of this country, evidenced by the length of time she has spent exploring and uncovering its past. She concludes that it’s a reciprocal relationship, as the books she pens give something back to the country she has called home for the last quarter of a century.”I love Qatar, and I feel that writing books that may be useful to schools is my little ‘thank you’ for hosting me all these years. I hope it helps teach young Qataris and expats too, to respect the environment and to take an interest in the country’s history and archaeology. Many children here don’t even realize that Qatar has a long and fascinating history. I say to them that this country has just as much history as anywhere else; it’s all about education.” n

A small bronze lion from the early Islamic site of Murwab in northwest Qatar

Hidden In The Sands is available from branches of Jarir Bookstore, Virgin Megastore, Carrefour, and also at The Museum of Islamic Art and on Amazon. Visit the website at www.hiddeninthesands.com.

Arts & Culture

L’âge D’or Images courtesy of the artist and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

This exhibition by Adel Abdessemed will be on display from Oct 6-Jan 5, 2014 at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art. QH has the scoop.

athaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art will display a landmark exhibition by Adel Abdessemed entitled L’âge d’or. Curated by Pier Luigi Tazzi, this exhibition will include recent works such as drawings, paintings, sculptures and videos, many created by the artist especially for this show in Doha. Working across a wide range of media, Abdessemed transforms well-known materials and imagery into charged artistic declarations. Abdessemed has described himself as “an artist of acts,” and his works are known for their forceful impact and symbolic resonance. Taking materials into great consideration, he is often provocative in their use; camel bones, gold, salt, brass, gum and terracotta take on new and multiple meanings. “Adel Abdessemed’s exhibition is the first major curatorial project produced by Mathaf [that] I will have the pleasure to open since my recent appointment as Director,” Abdellah Karroum, Mathaf’s new Director says. “L’âge d’or is undoubtedly a very challenging show in many ways, one that I hope will resonate with visitors from Qatar and around the world. Adel is an artist with whom I have worked extensively in the past. His work contributes substantially to the debate of ideas and leads the way in the movement towards new concepts in the art scene and the world at large.” In two new video works, Abdessemed employs the percussive and rhythmic device of a bare human foot repeatedly crushing objects of high symbolic significance: a white rose (Ayaï) and a skull (Histoire De La Folie). In another new video, Printemps, violence is explored as a line of chickens against a wall appear on fire. The exhibition will also feature a selection of recent works, including Mémoire (2012), a video showing a baboon spelling out ‘Tutsi’ and ‘Hutu’, referring to the opposing ethnic groups in the 1994 Rwandan genocide; and State (2013), an animation depicting labyrinth-like drawings. Placed throughout the exhibition space will be Soldaten (2013), a series of large-scale charcoal drawings

Abdel Abdessemed’s Le Vase Abominable

featuring soldiers in full gear who represent the continuous existence of war in our time. The main atrium of the exhibition space will house Le Vase Abominable (2013), a 5½ metre sculpture, consisting of a tall brass pot positioned on top of an explosive device, a carefully crafted replica bomb. Little Pot (2013) consists of eleven vessels each made from a different material, including gold, gum, and salt. Their repetitive yet incongruous appearance highlights a recurring dichotomy in the artist’s work between décor and fetish. Also on view will be the sculpture Practice ZERO TOLERANCE (2006), a black terracotta car, appearing as if upended by a riot. Coup de Tête (2011-12), one of Abdessemed’s most renowned works, is a bronze sculpture over five metres tall depicting the moment French footballer Zinedine Zidane head-butted Italian Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final in Germany. It will be installed outside of the museum walls in the city of Doha. Other new works presented at Mathaf will include the eponymous L’âge d’or, a bas-relief work of gold-plated brass depicting the artist’s four young daughters, and Julie, a life-size

sculpture of the artist’s wife made from salt stone from Siwa and positioned on a rock local to the region of Qatar. A large-scale terracotta wall relief, entitled Shams, depicts and explores the unseen workers of this world. Other new sculptures include Curiosity, a bas-relief in red terracotta, depicting NASA’s robot on the planet Mars; La Chine Est Proche, a bicycle fashioned from camel bone, and East of Eden, groupings of knives thrust into the ground. The Qatar Museums Authority will also install two new permanent sculptures in Doha’s newly-built Hamad International Airport as part of the artist’s ongoing body of work titled Mappemonde, which consists of largescale world maps sculpted entirely from discarded tin cans. n L’âge d’or What: An exhibition by Adel Abdessemed When: Oct 6, 2013-Jan 5, 2014 Where: Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art Ground Floor & Atrium.

Arts & Culture Listings RECOMMENDS

Museum Guide

For a complete list of timings visit www.qma.org.qa/en/exhibitions

Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art Education City 4402-8855 mathaf_info@qma.org.qa www.mathaf.org.qa Open: Tuesday to Sunday Closed: Mondays

Museum of Islamic Art & Park The Corniche 4422-4444 infomia@qma.org.qa www.mia.org.qa Open: Wednesday to Monday Closed: Tuesdays

ALRIWAQ DOHA Image courtesy of Hassan Hajjaj

VCUQatar My Rock Stars: Volume 1 by Hassan Hajjaj

Tue 1-24: The Gallery at VCUQatar. My Rock Stars: Volume 1 by acclaimed artist/photographer Hassan Hajjaj pays homage to traditional African portraiture, while celebrating present-day pop stars, unsung artists and personal inspirations in Hajjaj’s life. Created using a pop-up studio erected on the streets of Morocco, London, Paris and Kuwait, the series is simultaneously an haute-couture street experiment and a revival of African photography from the 1960s and 70s. Hajjaj’s subjects range from musicians, fashion designers, dancers to singers, capoeira masters and boxers; all of whom are immortalized in a fleeting moment in time, sealing their muse-like qualities forever. Open to the public. For more information call 4402-0555.

ONE OF A KIND

WEEKLY

MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART Temporary Exhibition:

MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART Walk-In Gallery Tours

Hajj – The Journey Through Art Oct 9 - Jan 5, 2014: All are welcome during to experience this exhibit during the museum’s opening hours. Free entrance for all. For more information visit www.mia.org.qa.

MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART Public Lecture

Thurs 10: Auditorium. From 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Hajj to Mecca: Reflections On The Archaeology of Qatar presented by lecturer Dr. Andrew Peterson. To RSVP email falhitmi@qma.org.qa.

Thurs & Sat: MIA Galleries. From 2:00 p.m. onwards, join the museum guides for a tour of MIA’s outstanding collection of Islamic art objects, stretching back over 1,000 years and three continents. No booking required, just turn up! For more information visit www.mia.org.qa.

MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART MIA Library Visits

Sun, Mon, Wed, Thurs (Closed during Eid): From 12:00 p.m. till 5:00 p.m. Browse the collection of books and find out more about Islamic art and the museum collections. Visit their dedicated children’s section. For more information visit www.mia.org.qa.

Museum of Islamic Art Park 4452-5555 Open: Same days as Museum of Islamic Art

QMA Gallery

Building 10, Katara, Cultural VIllage 4408-1255 qmagallery@qma.org.qa Open: Monday--Saturday & Sunday Closed: Fridays

QF Radio 93.7FM Bolded programs in English Bright Morning: 7:00 a.m. International News: 9:30 a.m. Innovations: 10:00 a.m. The Movie Guide: 12:00 p.m. English News: 1:00 p.m. Market Economics: 3:00 p.m. Stars of Science: 3:00 p.m. Green Tea: 4:00 p.m. Therapeutic Fatwas: 4:00 p.m. Voice of the Youth: 5:00 p.m. Raising a Child: 5:00 p.m. Corners: 6:00 p.m. Fashion: 6:00 p.m. Straight Up: 7:00 p.m. Twitter: 7:00 p.m. Legendary Artists: 8:00 p.m. Sport Global: 9:00 p.m.

Sun-Thurs Daily Monday Thursday Daily Tuesday Wed Saturday Friday Thursday Monday Sun--Thurs Saturday Sunday Tuesday Daily Daily

Community

s k c i P p o T ’s h t This Mon

VCUQatar Francesco Bonami In Conversation

Think Pink Qatar Walk For Breast Cancert Oct 25: This is an exceptional year for Think Pink Qatar as they celebrate their 7th year of raising awareness about breast cancer in Doha. Help them spread the word at this year’s walk which will be held on October 25 at 5:00 p.m. on The Pearl-Qatar, starting at Tower 11 and finishing at Parcel 1. This year’s theme is ‘We Live, We Fight! For Them’, emphasizing family support in the fight against breast cancer. For more information visit www.thinkpinkqatar.com.

Spanish Speaking Ladies Group Great Hispanic Fair 2013 Sat 26: From 11:30 a.m. till 6:30 p.m. A unique indoor cultural family event showcasing Latin American live folk music and dance, native food, artisans’ artwork, kids’ entertainment, raffles and silent auctions. Admission QR 25, children younger than 12 are free. For more information email amigas.qatar@yahoo.com.

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Wed 30: Atrium at VCUQatar. From 6:00 p.m. onwards. The conversation will be led by Sultan Al Qassemi and focuses on issues relating to contemporary art and the region, specifically relevant to the Damien Hirst exhibition Relics that will be running in October at the Al Riwaq DOHA exhibition space. Al Qassemi is a wellknown commentator on Arab affairs as well as a huge supporter of the arts in the region. He is widely-recognized for his use of the popular social networking site Twitter. Francesco Bonami is a renowned Italian art curator and writer and is currently based in New York. He was curator of the 2003 Venice Biennale and the 2010 Whitney Biennial. Free and open to public. For more information call 4402-0555.

Sharq Village & Spa Parenting Workshop Ongoing: Led by Ingrid Masselink Andreas, Child and Youth Therapist and Parenting Counselor and Facilitator of ‘STEP’ (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting). Does your child have low self-esteem? Is your child lacking cooperation? Are you interested in discipline that makes sense and want to enhance your general parenting skills? STEP offers parents a realistic and practical approach to meet the challenges of raising children today. Ingrid works exclusively with you (the parents) on your specific parenting challenges and also facilitates workshops for up to 8-12 people. For reservation call 4425-6999 or email reservations-sharq-spa@sixsenses.com.

The British Council Weekend Classes Ongoing: The British Council Teaching Centre. Sign up for 10-week long skill and languagebuilding courses. The new term offers innovative English language training for adults and young learners. Classes for adults are open to all ages and ability levels. Classes for young learners are carefully divided into different ages and ability levels to best accommodate differing learning needs. Age groups in this -category cover Juniors (7-10 years), Senior (11-14 years) and Young Adults (15-17 years). For more information on how to enroll visit www.britishcouncil.org/qatar.

Community

A Cause for

critters

Words and images by Ujwala Thirumurthy Additional photography by Erin Shackleton and Mary Sebastian

Our furry friends in Doha need our help more than ever. We look at what’s next for the many stray animals that roam the streets looking for a home and what you can do to make a difference.

hey’re intelligent and playful, mischievous and curious. But, they can also be goofy and stubborn, loud and messy. Children, you think? Nah! We’re talking about your four-legged stress-busters called pets. Because of their positive influence on family life, child development and social behaviour, pets are clearly becoming an important part of a household. However, raising a pet in Qatar can be quite tricky given the harsh climate conditions and rampant animal neglect. Walk around the Souq and you’ll find chicks and pigeons dyed in red, blue, and green; puppies and ducks, cats and dogs all huddled up together in a tiny little cage waiting to be picked up, or should we say, rescued. Walk along a street and you’ll find a dozen homeless cats in a dumpster. According to a news report last year, local lawyers say that animal abuse is a punishable crime through fines and/or jail time. Ironically, there is no such law for the abandonment of animals, which is the root cause of the increasing number of strays in Qatar. And with strict airline policies, owners are sometimes forced to abandon their pets when they leave the country or go on long breaks.

It only takes a small gesture to make a big difference in the life of an animal. This is Anna, a rescue animal and one of feline advocate Erin Shackleton’s pets

On the bright side, we have animal lovers who will go that extra mile to rescue a stray and bring it straight home. Erin Shackleton, is a communications professional who adopted three of her five cats in Qatar. “People don’t understand that animals have feelings as well, they feel pain; they aren’t vermin. I worried

Interviewee Mary Sebastian’s four-year-old daughter has a special bond with her cat Mishka

Rabbits in the animal souq often live in cramped quarters

about letting our cats out to roam because kids would throw rocks at them or deliberately try to run them over. One of the cats even came home with a pellet in its head after being shot”, she says. And if you thought that risking their health was a problem, vet facilities have also had their share of struggles.“A few years ago, there was really only one option for decent veterinary care, and they weren’t always the best. My parents adopted a pure-bred Persian cat and have spent thousands of riyals treating its health problems as none of the vets could diagnose it correctly”, she says. But over the years, things seem to have changed for the better. Mary Sebastian, a journalist who recently rescued a stray cat, says, “Veterinary facilities have improved drastically, but they are usually very expensive. Taking care of a pet is similar to taking care of a baby. They have regular checkups, tests, and a regulated diet to keep them from dehydration and illness.”

Not a pretty sight -- coloured chicks up for sale in the souq

Now, if raising a pet is really that difficult, why do people still want to take them home? What drives people to grab life by its tail, and pet it!? Here’s why: whether you have a cat, a bird, a dog, or a hamster, a pet gives you a purpose. They give you a reason for waking up every morning. They make great companions in times of loss and understand every word you say. “People think that cats pose a threat to newborns or pregnant moms, but we’re told that being around [them] will keep children from developing allergies to pet dander,”says Erin. Mary has a different story to tell. “We rescued the cat from the streets when my four-year-old daughter spotted him and insisted on bringing him home. That was nearly two years ago, and she simply adores him. She has now eyed a little kitty in our building and feeds him everyday.”

Apart from the cat, Mary also has two turtles and a fish tank! So, even though their pet will take full advantage of their owners affections by exploiting the furniture, the beds, the refrigerator, the kitchen etc., animal lovers wouldn’t have it any other way. Perhaps the greatest gift an animal has to offer is a permanent reminder of who we really are. Despite the obvious reckless attitude towards animals in Qatar, it’s heartening to know that good still exists. If you want to help out, you can volunteer at a foster home to take the dogs for a walk, sponsor medical care, rescue a pet, or simply feed the strays. Log on to www.facebook.com and search for animal welfare groups in Qatar, sign up and do your bit. It’s that easy. n

Community

Understanding

Eid By Sarah Al Motairi

With Eid Al Adha upon us, we learn why the Feast Of The Sacrifice is one of the most important celebrations in the Muslim calendar.

hat if I told you of a spiritual expedition that was traveled by more people than the total population of Qatar and Bahrain combined? What if I told you that same spiritual expedition included individuals participating from over 181 countries? What if told you the distance of that same spiritual expedition is the equivalent of walking from the Villaggio to the Doha International Airport over very rugged terrain? What if I told you there was a spectacular spiritual festival that concluded that same spiritual expedition? If I did, I would be talking about Eid Al Adha, also called the Feast of the Sacrifice. Eid Al Adha is one of two religious festivals celebrated by Muslims worldwide. The first holiday is Eid Al Fitr also called the Feast of Breaking, which concludes the end of Ramadan where Muslims fast from sundown to sunset for an entire month. Before delving into the semantics of Eid Al Adha let us clarify the background on this mysterious spiritual expedition mentioned earlier. The precursor to Eid Al Adha is Hajj. Hajj is an obligatory religious pilgrimage for all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to perform Hajj at least once in their lifetime. As one of the five pillars in Islam (yes there are five pillars), Hajj is a dedication to God to transform oneself spiritually while being mindful of your obligations as a Muslim. Hajj is a time

of reflection and mindfulness as the individual participates in different rituals and rites of passage. Once Hajj is complete the festivities begin with Eid Al Adha. However, what is Eid Al Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice? The origin of Eid Al Adha dates back to one of Islam’s greatest prophets, Prophet Ibrahim. Prophet Ibrahim had a dream where he was instructed by God to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as an act of obedience. Let us pause for a second. God instructs you to sacrifice your only 13-year-old son. As a parent, one can’t imagine the gut-wrenching pain of considering such a test, but Ibrahim willingly carried out God’s wishes. During the preparation to sacrifice his son, Ibrahim was instructed by God to gain approval from his son, Ismail, to allow himself to be sacrificed for God. Let us pause again. The mere courage and trust one would have in God to not only sacrifice one’s son but to gain consent from one’s son is a trust only a true believer can possess. During the discussion Ismail eventually obliges. After Prophet Ibrahim attempts to sacrifice his son he realized that his son was unharmed. This protection was granted from God and was a test of Ibrahim’s willingness to obey God’s command. Instead of sacrificing his son, Ibrahim was instructed by God to sacrifice a ram, which had been sent to him. For context, Surah 37, Verses 103-107 of the Qur’an reflects on this story.

An Eid Al Adha tradition, sheep are sacrifi ced to feed families and those in need on this specia l occasion

Eid Al Adha is a four-day festive event filled with celebrations that stem from a historical event encompassing both spirituality and commitment. It’s a reflection of the sacrifice and challenge to fulfill God’s command. On the morning of the first day of Eid Al Adha, Muslims gather for Eid prayers at their local mosques. This Eid prayer is performed anytime after the sun has completely risen. The Eid prayer commonly takes place in a large field or area called an eidgah. Muslims are encouraged to wear their best clothing to the eidgah and throughout the four days of Eid. One of the main traditions, as it relates to the ram that was sacrificed in the story of Ibrahim, is the slaughtering of sheep. How many animals one might wonder? Roughly 100 million animals are slaughtered over two days at a total cost of around $3 billion USD. Muslims are also encouraged to distribute this meat in three parts. The first part to family, the second part to friends and neighbours, and the third part is given to the poor. It’s an annual festival that I look forward to every year for many reasons but mostly to reflect on my faith as well as to spend quality time with many friends and family. So, whether you’re Muslim or not, an expat or a local, make sure you join in the fun this year with the many festivities Qatar offers for the Eid Al Adha holidays. n

ubity Listings mm Clun Co Kids RECOMMENDS

Community Guide Australian and New Zealand Business in Qatar Group 6651-1892 www.anzbiq.org

American Women’s Association 5511-8085 www.awaqatar.com

Doha Players

4447-4911 Search ‘Doha Players Lovers’ Group on Facebook

Egyptian Women’s Association 5572-4171

IAID Visual Arts

Sat-Thurs: IAID Hilal St., Al Tadamom Signal, D-Ring Road. The Visual Arts program is a progressive course for Beginners, Intermediate and Advance that covers colour theory, art styles, drawing and painting techniques, shapes and figures, visual art perception and portraits with the use of various art mediums. For more information visit www.iaidonline.org.

ONE OF A KIND

EVERY WEEK

MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART Calligraphy Workshop

DOHA MUMS New Arrivals Coffee

Tue 8: From 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Students will paint a picture of the Ka‘ba door with a golden colour on velvet cloth, in celebration of the opening of the Hajj exhibition. For reservation email haahmed@qma.org.qa.

SHARQ VILLAGE AND SPA Nicola Hok Workshop

Oct 3-27: Six Senses Spa. Nicola Hok was among the first to study the Bowen Technique in the UK. Bowen is a series of gentle and relaxing moves that realign muscles and tendons. This empowers the body’s own healing ability to achieve fast and lasting relief from pain and discomfort. For reservations call 4425-6999 or email reservations-sharq-spa@sixsenses.com.

See us online! om www.qatarhappening.c

Tuesdays: Landmark Mall. From 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Whether you’re new to Doha, new to Doha Mums or just want to welcome someone who is, please join the Doha Mums for a casual coffee. Children are welcome and there’s no need to RSVP. For more information visit www.dohamums.com or email rsvp@dohamums.com.

DOHA MUMS Mums 2 Mums Program

Ongoing: The Mum2Mum program is designed to assist mums, mums-to-be, grandparents and anyone else who needs a short-term loan of baby/toddler equipment or could use some ‘moving to Doha’ advice. It provides incoming residents with a direct line to mums who are here on the ground and have volunteered to answer questions and offer opinions about specific subjects, such as nurseries, schools, compounds and areas of town. Don’t have everything you need for your sister’s visit? The Mums 2 Mums Borrow! Program allows you to borrow pieces of equipment, such as car seats, travel cots, high chairs and strollers in return for a donation to the Doha Mums Children’s Library. For more information visit www.dohamums.com or email rsvp@dohamums.com.

French-Speaking Ladies Group 5559-7467

Indian Women’s Association 4442-4052

Qatar National Cancer Society 4447-8128 www.qncs.org

Red Dotters Qatar

5520-9294 Follow @RedDottersQatar on Twitter

Silver Dhow Association 4435-2598

Turkish Women’s Association www.twaq.org

Tuesday Ladies Group Email: tlgindoha@gmail.com

SASCOM: South Africans In Qatar

www.southafricansinqatar.netfirms.com

Canadians In Qatar

Search ‘Canadians In Qatar’ Group on Facebook to join the community

Kids Club

s k c i P p o T ’s h t This Mon

Tornadoes Tag Ruby

Caramel The Sweet Art Studio Cake Baking for Kids Ongoing: Ali Bin Abi Talib Street next to Bioskin Spa. Your kids are never too young to learn how to bake. The classes designed for the little ones are guaranteed to bring out their culinary talent and they’ll have fun doing it too! For more information visit www.carameldoha.com.

Ongoing: Park House English School. Timings: Reception, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Year 1 and Year 2, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Years 3 and 4; 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tornadoes is a fun, non-contact tag rugby club that caters to both boys and girls in Doha. The club has now been running since 2010 and has children from a number of different schools attending. For more information and selected days visit www.tornadoestagrugby.com.

Aspire Active Children And Babies Sun, Mon & Wed: Aspire Active believes in the motto that physical activity is a learned behaviour beginning early in a child’s life. Their fun children’s movement programs and classes holistically facilitate the progressive development of fine-motor skills inclusive of cognitive and emotional growth. For more information visit www.aspire.qa.

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Al Shaqab Riding School Horse Back Riding For Kids Course: Al Shaqab. The Riding Academy is a vital community asset for Qatar. Its role is to educate and promote horsemanship as part of the country’s famed equestrian heritage. Instruction is available for all skill levels starting with students six years-old and up. For schedules call 4454-6289.

Qatar Divers Doha Kids Diving Ongoing: Doha Marriott Hotel, Ras Abu Aboud St. Qatar Divers Diving and Training Center is the leading PADI accredited 5-star IDC Dive Center in Doha. Established in 2008 as one of the pioneering diving and training centres here in Qatar, it offers world-class service and dedicated instructors to those interested in recreational diving. For more information visit www.qatardivers.com.

Kids Club

No Milk? No Problem By Jacqueline Bodnar

, we show you how getting If you have a colicky toddler or a lactose-intolerant child little ones can still be a breeze. the daily requirement of calcium without milk for your

uick – what’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word ‘calcium’? If you’re like most people, it’s ‘milk’ or ‘dairy products’. And, for many people, that may be the first source they go for to get their daily dose of calcium. For many others though, it’s the farthest thing from their mind. Chandelle Bates, an American mother of two toddlers, is one of those people. Her children, ages two and three, have been dairy-free since birth and she plans to keep it that way. “As a student of nutrition, I conducted months of research to decide whether it would be the best choice to feed dairy products to our children,” says Bates. “My conclusion was that dairy products are not only unnecessary, but harmful.”

Making The Dairy Decision For the Bates family, the decision to be dairyfree was an extension of their ethical vegetarian eating choices. For others, it may be a little more complicated. Some families turn to a dairy-free diet because of conditions such as lactose intolerance. And still others, such as U.S.-based mom Missie Ward, went dairy-free because she learned that her son had a milk protein allergy. “We figured out he had a milk protein allergy when he was around 9 or 10 months old. It was over the course of a 2-3 day illness that seemed sporadic (no fever, lots of vomiting),” says Ward. “We noticed a pattern to when he was sick. We told his doctor, and she agreed with our observations, and said not to give him milk.”

They made the switch to a soy-based formula and later tried to re-introduce dairy products again, only to have him experience the welts, bowel and stomach issues that he’d had before. When he was four, they had a test conducted to confirm the allergy so he would have the documentation for starting school. Today, he’s a

healthy 5-year-old who eats a well-varied diet to meet his daily calcium requirements.

Why Calcium? Even most children who do consume dairy products aren’t getting enough calcium, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). So getting enough calcium for their children is a concern for all parents, not just those avoiding dairy products. Furthermore, the AAP advises that maintaining adequate calcium intake during childhood is necessary for the development of bone mass, which is important in helping to avoid fractures and osteoporosis later on in life. “It helps build healthy bones and teeth,” explains Reed Mangels, PhD, a registered dietician and the nutrition advisor for the Vegetarian Resource Group. “To have stronger bones as a teen and an adult, it’s important to start building them as a baby and a child.” With over 200 bones in the human body, it’s easy to see just how important calcium is. It’s needed to help build those bones and keep them strong. Just how much is needed each day? According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the following are daily calcium recommendations by age:

According to Dr. David Olson, a US pediatrician, calcium supplements can also be beneficial. “Calcium supplements can be given in situations of a lack of dairy-product intake,” he says. “Chewable flavoured Tums, 400 or 500 mg tablets, one to two per day, is good for most kids and is an economical way to get calcium in.” Additionally, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends another way to help build strong bones – getting plenty of physical activity. Weight-bearing exercises are particularly beneficial for building strong bones. Getting young children involved in activities such as running, soccer, dancing and tennis, among others, will go a long way toward building strong bones.

Non-Dairy Cooking For the family that makes a switch from dairy milk to an alternative such as soy, rice, or hemp, they may be wondering just how well it holds up when used in cooking. “In terms of baking or cooking, there is nothing different about using plant-based milk, except that you are eliminating saturated fat, cholesterol, casein (animal protein), and

lactose,” says Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, founder of Compassionate Cooks, an Oakland, Calif.based company that offers cooking classes, and the author of The Joy of Vegan Baking: Compassionate Cooks’ Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets (Fair Winds Press, 2007). “You can replace animal-based milk, measure for measure, and gain only good things!” What people may find as they visit the milk alternative aisle is that the majority of non-dairy milks (soy, almond, rice, hemp, oat, hazelnut, etc.) are fortified with calcium. Additionally, Patrick-Goudreau recommends that the only one that tends to be somewhat thin for baking is rice milk; the others have a good consistency for cooking and baking. Many people are also unaware that it’s not just the calcium that you take in; other important nutrients are needed, as well, to work with it. Vitamin D, which the body makes with as little as 10 minutes of sunlight per day, or can obtain through fortified foods, also helps the body with calcium absorption.” ”It’s not just a matter of getting calcium,” adds Patrick-Goudreau. “It’s also a matter of keeping calcium.” n

Birth to 6 months: 210 mg 6 to 12 months: 270 mg 1 to 3 years: 500 mg 4 to 8 years: 800 mg 9 to 18 years: 1,300 mg

Looking Beyond Dairy While the average person tends to think of dairy for supplying their calcium, they may be surprised to learn about the array of other products available that can also get the job done. Checking product labels on various foods will let you know what has calcium, and just how much. Such things as fortified orange juice, soy yogurt, soy cheese, tofu, cereals and breads will help people get enough of the bone-building powerhouse.

Food

Serving Size

Amount of Calcuim

Fortified orange juice Soybeans, cooked Fortified tofu Fortified soy milk Broccoli, raw Broccoli, cooked Bok choy, boiled Spinach, cooked from frozen Almonds Tortilla, flour 7-8 inch Tortilla, corn 6 inch Milk (dairy – for comparison)

1 cup 1 cup ½ cup 1 cup 1 med. stalk 1 cup 1 cup ½ cup 1 ounce, (22 nuts) 1 tortilla 1 tortilla 1 cup

350 mg 298 mg 204 mg 200-300 mg 180 mg 94 mg 158 mg 139 mg 75 mg 58 mg 42 mg 300 mg

Kids Club

Kitchen Creations Images courtesy of The St. Regis Doha

Celebrity Chef Elias Gemayel from Opal by Gordon Ramsay at The St. Regis Doha and JeemTV shares another one of his favourite recipes. Healthy and fun, try his Baked Shrimp Lollipops and Crunchy Caesar Salad – a great light lunch or quick after-school snack. Baked Shrimp Lollipops & Crunchy Caesar Salad

Baked Shrimp Lollipops • 2 whole shrimps per lollipop • Wooden skewers • 1 egg • ½ cup flour • ½ cup breadcrumbs or smashed cornflakes • Salt and pepper Fresh Caesar Salad • Half a head of your favourite lettuce – try 2 different kinds. • Shavings of Parmesan cheese, approx 50gms • Pomegranate seeds – to taste Crunchy Croutons For Salad • 2 pieces of white bread – crusts removed and cut into triangles • 1 teaspoon olive oil • Sprinkle of dried or fresh oregano Delicious Dressing For Salad • 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice • 1 tablespoon of olive oil

To Make: Clean the shrimps but leave the shells on for cooking -you will need 2 per lollipop. In a medium saucepan, fill half with water and bring to a simmer, add a pinch of salt. Once simmering add shrimps with the shells on and cook for

5 minutes. Then put aside and let them cool. Once cooled remove the shell and tail. Take the cooked shrimp, make a circle then put skewer through the body and tail of each shrimp to secure 2 shrimps per skewer.

Crunchy Coating For Shrimp Break egg into a shallow bowl and whisk lightly with a fork. Put flour into another shallow bowl – you can add a pinch of salt and pepper if you like. Put breadcrumbs into another shallow bowl. Take shrimps on the skewers and dip into the flour, then into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs ,rolling so the shrimps are completely covered. Place on a baking tray – continue until all shrimp lollipops are coated. Bake in hot oven at 180C for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Crunchy meets crisp for a delicious, kid-friendly lunch

To make the croutons – take the bread and remove crusts, then sprinkle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and some dried oregano. Then bake in hot oven for 3 to 4 minutes until crunchy. Remove and allow to cool, then add to the salad.

Fresh Caesar Salad

To make the delicious Caesar salad dressing – mix mayonnaise, lemon juice and olive oil together then mix with salad just before serving.

Wash your favourite lettuce, break into pieces and put on a plate. Add shavings of Parmesan cheese and pomegranate seeds for crunch.

Assemble lollipops in a tall glass - gather your friends together and enjoy! n

ENTER AND WIN! Make the Baked Shrimp Lollipops and Crunchy Caesar Salad, take a photo of your creation and post it on the Qatar Happening Facebook page and you could win a family brunch for four at Opal by Gordon Ramsay.

Kids Club With its looming presence the Torch stands like a beacon over Aspire Zone

Family Fun Days Words and selected images by Charlie Sands

So October has arrived which means cooler weather at last, but since we’re not completely out of the woods yet with the heat-waves, this month’s family day out adventure explores indoor and outdoor options at Aspire Zone.

spire promises to deliver a lot: state of the art sports facilities in a huge 2.5 square kilometre zone, a huge park, the soaring and eye-catching Torch which functions a hotel, Khalifa Stadium, and not to mention Villaggio Shopping Mall with its indoor theme park Gondolania. So with that in mind the Sands family thought some investigation into what’s really accessible and available to the public, and how good those bits were, was a perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon in Doha.

we concluded that drivers are best off heading for the Grand Heritage Hotel on Sports City Street, then taking a left following signs for Aspire Park. Once you go through the barrier and get your entrance to the zone and parking ticket, look for the Aspire Dome and take the road most likely to get you there. The Dome is huge, so there’s no missing it. Behind this is Hamad Aquatic Center, designed to look like a huge wooden ship, which was our first stop.

Getting There

With its two 50-metre pools, professional diving pool and learner pool, the Aquatic Center offers every swimmer, learner and water-baby who enjoys some elbow room when they go to the pool, a top-class afternoon. The pools are enormous compared to what you’re used to here in compounds or at hotels, and when we arrived just after 1:00 p.m. on a Friday for the

Yes, it may seem like this paragraph is obsolete. After all every knows where Aspire Zone is right? True, but once you arrive, there are various different routes and roads leading here and there, the signage is poor, and different roads have barriers up at different times. Confused already? Well, after taking several wrong turns,

Hamad Aquatic Center

family swim session in the ‘old’ pool, we found ourselves with two whole lanes to ourselves. Being an Olympic standard pool, the depth is a constant 3-metres so it’s not really for non-swimmers. But we took our youngsters in with arm bands on and they loved it. For those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground the learner pool is just as good, at a constant 1-metre depth it’s pretty spacious too. Also there are plenty of lifeguards on hand which is reassuring for such large areas of water. Things to note before you go: swimming sessions are split between female, male and family swims, and the times are quite limited so make sure you give them a call to avoid making a wasted trip. At the time of writing the family swim on Friday was at 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. for you early risers out there. Also note that there

The Olympic-sized pool at Hamad Aquatic Center

are changing rooms accessible from the pool side in the ‘old’ pool, so use these and not the ones down the corridor further away. Swimming lessons are available at Hamad Aquatic Center, but call 4499-7650 or visit the Center to find out more about these and the swimming session times.

Aspire Dome Worth a mention if you’re interested in men’s fitness. Aspire Dome contains not only a gym and a complete set of exercise classes and kit, but also a FIFA-standard football pitch, athletics track, gymnastics hall, table tennis hall, courts for basketball, volleyball, handball, martial arts and squash, fencing, a warm-up track, plus an amphitheatre and conference facilities. For children, girls and women, the gym and fitness classes are available at the Aspire Ladies Club, which is on the opposite side of Villaggio to the Dome and near to Khalifa Stadium. Visit www. aspire.qa or call 4413-6570 for more information on sports and fitness at Aspire.

Aspire Park With the tag line ‘a place for all to enjoy’, this 88-hectare expanse of green is certainly the largest park in the country, offering a wide range of facilities for park lovers and sports fans to enjoy. In no particular order the park boasts a running track, horse-riding track, lake, footpaths aplenty, and several playgrounds. For families the park is a great way to blow off some steam

Get your exercise and wander along the many trails in Aspire Park, the country’s largest

and let the kids have a bit of freedom from indoors, although the playgrounds are often busy if not packed on weekends, especially in the late afternoons and evenings. There isn’t an awful lot of shade here, but as the seasons change, it’ll get easier to spend an afternoon there, lazing by the playground or taking in the geese and ducks on the ornamental pond/ lake. On the down-side however, and despite the enormous green area, footpaths and play areas, there are a dozen or more rules which mean this park is not quite as ‘free’ as many would like. The park forbids cycling, scooters, skateboarding, pets and tree-climbing, ok I get this last one, but really don’t see why my little one can’t have a go on his bike. Also, you’re also likely to be escorted off the premises if you don’t cover your shoulders and knees. I’ve also heard that picnics are not allowed either, although I’ve seen many people eating picnics and I really can’t see how they would enforce this,

green outdoor space

given there are cafés in the park selling food for people to take and eat on the grass.

The Score Is Out It’s difficult to give this days out review a number, as it includes multiple locations, not all of them visited (Khalifa Stadium for one, or either of the gym’s for men and women were not part of our family visit). Also, because there is so much promise here, but it seems that Aspire has not yet reached its potential in terms of being a recreational zone for people living in Qatar. The facilities are amazing, but the public can only access some of them and the information about what’s available and when and how is sketchy at best. For Aspire Park it’s a 5, simply because there are so many rules that take away from the idea of ‘letting your kids run off some steam’, but for Hamad Aquatic Center it’s a 9, the facilities are amazing, only the lack of clear information lets it down. Overall then – 7 out of 10! n

Luxury two and three bedroom apartments at the most glamorous address in The Middle East â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Pearl , Qatar

Kids Club Listings RECOMMENDS

QATAR KARATE ACADEMY Karate for Kids

Mon-Sun: Al Mirqab, Al Jadeed St. The academy has many kinds of martial arts to offer such as karate, judo, aikido, kick-boxing, kung-fu and a lot more for your kids and you. For more information call 5522-0806 or 4442-1142.

ONE OF A KIND

EVERY WEEK

MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART Family Tours

IAID Ballet For Kids

Fridays: MIA Galleries. The family tours program will run until Dec 13, 2013. From 3:00 p.m. enjoy the Animal Tour and at 5:00 p.m. it’s Epic Tales. Come for a tour with the expert guides from the MIA’s permanent collection. The Animals Tour is for younger children. The Epic Tales tour is for pre-teens. No booking required, just turn up! For more information visit www.mia.org.qa.

Sun-Thurs: Al Tadamon Signal near Hemaya Security Services. Ballet offers a creative dance introduction that gives children 4 years and above an opportunity to explore their own creativity and imagination through dance. The children’s syllabus includes classical ballet, conditioning and creative movement. For more information call 6671-0589 or 4432-0974.

IAID FUN & FIT For Kids

See us online! om www.qatarhappening.c

Sun-Thurs: Al Tadamon Signal near Hemaya Security Services. An excellent way for kids to have fun, develop a sense of rhythm, increase stamina, boost metabolism and improve coordination. Kids will be introduced to a health fitness program involving Flexi Pilates for Kids, Aero-Step Blast, Mixercise and more. For more information call 6671-0589 or 4432-0974.

DOHA MUMS Hotel Pool Session With Kids

Mondays: Pool playgroup at the InterContinental Hotel every Monday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. till 6:00 p.m. The little ones will enjoy the shaded pool and the older ones can explore Doha’s longest private beach. For more information visit www.dohamums.com or email rsvp@dohamums.com.

DOHA MUMS Ray’s Fun Time

Sundays: Have some fun at Ray’s Reef , Royal Plaza, 2nd floor, from 4:00 p.m. till 6:00 p.m. on Sundays. It’s a fun and clean area with lots of options for your kids to choose from and is suitable for different age groups. RSVP is required. For more information visit www.dohamums.com or email rsvp@dohamums.com.

Food & Dining

s k c i P p o T ’s h t n This Mo

Grand Hyatt Doha

Ren

r aissance Doha City Cente

Glo Sushi Sundays Sundays: Glo Cocktail Lounge. Launching their Gourmet Sushi Sundays, a banquet menu of nigiri, futomaki, temaki, miso, teriyaki and more, where the plates of Japanese specialties just keep on coming. Glo now offers a delicious menu of teriyaki, sushi and sashimi. Once seated, the waiter presents the all-you-can-eat Japanese menu. Miso soup and traditional starters are served, along with continuing selection of Japanese delights. From 6:30p.m. till 10:30p.m. for QR 195. For more information call 4419-6100.

Eid Brunch Oct 17: The Grill. During the Holy Eid, The Grill would like to invite you to treat yourself to an Arabian-inspired brunch menu. Whether you prefer a perfect October outdoor experience or air-conditioned indoor coziness, you and your children will be entertained and well taken care of. Start the weekend nicely with an exceptional meal and soft drinks for QR 280 or enjoy an on-going special beverage brunch for an extra QR 115. For more information call 7021-8093.

Lina’s Paris Now Open At Ezdan Mall Daily: Ezdan Mall. Lead by its resolute passion for food and hospitality, Lina’s Paris promises to be one of the most exclusive haute dining destinations in Qatar. Established in 1989, the restaurant’s blueprint has extended around the globe as a fine-dining hot-spot, with a presence in more than 17 countries. For more information call 4492-2831.

OUT om .c CHECaK ppening

atarh tion! www.qthe latest informa for

Grand Heritage Refinement Of Ottoman & Modern Turkish Cuisine Mon-Sat: Agora. The restaurant offers a contemporary Turkish family dining experience with a difference. The cuisine at Agora is inspired by a blend of light spices from the Ottoman Imperial Court era, cuisine from the Black Sea region influenced by Balkan cookery, as well as some Mediterranean touches. From 6:00 p.m. till 11:30 p.m. For more information call 4445-5555.

The Diplomatic Club Lobster Meal Your Way Daily: Al-Sayyad. Pick your lobster from the tank and have it prepared in your desired way. Poached, grilled, thermidor, or served over simple salad for QR 220 per meal. For more information call 4484-7420.

Food & Dining

o t i t e p p A n Buo

By Jorge Granda Principal photography by Jessie Palanca Additional images courtesy of TOH Public Relations

La Spiga by Paper Moon makes its début at the W Doha with a delectable tribute to the flavours of Italy. QH visits the modern eatery to savour authentic, regional Italian cuisine at its best.

a Spiga by Paper Moon is an attractive and modern restaurant perfectly tailored to the W’s iconic, trendy persona. Dark wood is the design motif while artsy black-and-white photographs of famous Italian and Hollywood screen legends adorn the walls, letting you dine in style with the stars. Blinds made from a combination metal frame with dark wood and Perspex panels are installed along one side of the room. Designed to filter the natural light coming from the outside, turning La Spiga into a sort of enclosed terrace, they add to the contemporary décor. From the fashionable lounge and bar to the stylish dining area, La Spiga is completely decked out in dashing dark wood. Upbeat music can be heard in the background but dinner conversation can proceed at a normal decibel level. As I step inside the first element that catches my attention is a huge disco ball in the middle of the

bar, located right by the entrance. When I look closer I realize it has a bigger purpose beyond being an impressive decorative ornament – it’s in fact a fully-functioning wood-fired oven. The waiters, most of them recruited in Macedonia, complete the overall experience. Neatly dressed in beige shirts and aprons and black pants, each server makes sure all your needs are met. The menu at La Spiga is extensive, but the staff know it by heart and their recommendations are spot on. Upon being seated, my companions and I are given succulent, warm strips of focaccia; it’s so good we could eat two plates of it. There’s plenty of antipasti to choose from to start your meal, but the tortino di melanzane alla parmigiana,(layered eggplant with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil), is complete perfection; it just melts in your mouth. The eggplant is so flawlessly cooked and moist that when

Melt-in-your-mouth tortino di melanzane all parmigiana

La Spiga’s signature pappardelle pasta: smoky, creamy goodness

combined with the sauce and cheese it creates an explosion of flavours in your mouth that keep you coming back for another forkful. The fritto di calamari e zucchini,(deep-fried squid and zucchini) and the carpaccio di manzo con rucola e parmigiano reggiano, (beef carpaccio with arugula salad and shaved parmigiano) are two other appetizers that would please anyone’s taste-buds. Also the bresaola at La Spiga is a dish to try; I haven’t eaten such a fresh cured beef in any other restaurant in Doha.

to the perfect accompaniment Lobster on the half-shell is of tossed pasta side a in nts edie ingr le the fresh, simp

Succulent grilled beef tenderloin with roasted potatoes

The main courses are as consistent and mouthwatering as the starters. La Spiga’s signature dish is a masterfully-executed homemade pappardelle pasta with smoked beef, tomato and cream. The sea bass fillet with spinach, pine nuts and tomato is also a winner and so too is the grilled beef tenderloin with roasted potato. The dessert course also exceeds my expectations. Among the options that stand out are the panna cotta with berries and caramel sauce, which is absolutely brilliant and the tiramisu, which, drenched in a sweet and pungent espresso and loaded with sinful vanilla cream, is to die for. As we make our exit, bellies full after an indulgent meal with good company and good conversation, I have no doubt La Spiga could quickly become one of Doha’s top Italian restaurants; it’s certainly the most exclusive. n La Spiga by Paper Moon Where: W Doha, ground floor Average Meal Price: QR 200 Smoking: Yes Vino: Yes Reservations: Call 4453-5310 or visit www.laspigadoha.com

Food & Dining

Chef Mohamed Abdul carves up piping hot slices of beef shawarma

Good To Go

The kunafa equals happiness on a plate -- and a full belly

By Ashlee Starratt Photography by Jessie Palanca

If you find yourself peckish while wandering around Katara, Kunafa and Shawarma Albisana is the perfect spot to grab a quick, filling bite on the go. QH dropped by for a quick snack.

t’s an exceptionally hot day at Katara as we stop by Kunafa and Shawarma Albisana; the restaurant is just opening and there are already cars lining up outside, honking for take-away service. We take this as a sign that good things come in small packages as we head inside the small, airy space. Originally a drive-up, take-away kiosk, the restaurant has expanded to include a bright, open-concept seating area, with a canvas sail roof that brings the outdoors in. It’s quite hot as we enter, despite the many air conditioning units going full blast. But we’re willing to sweat for good food. The only two menu items are exactly as its name suggests: kunafa and shawarma. We play it backwards and start with dessert first as the piping hot kunafas are brought to our table. About the size of a small serving plate, the strings of kunafa -- a crispy, flour-based batter, carefully parsed into noodle-length strips – is golden brown and topped with a glittering green spoonful of pistachio nuts, over a gooey base of Nabulsi cheese imported straight from Jordan. We have the opportunity to later head into the kitchen to see how they’re made with Chef Abdelnasser Naim – a very cool experience as the kunafa is drizzled and sizzled on a hot griddle before being whisked off and fluffed into puffy nests reminiscent of cotton candy.

Topped with a little bit of sugary, simple syrup, every bite is an indulgence – although a heavy one! This is one special treat that will require a few hours in the gym to work off, but totally worth it. Our shawarmas arrive next from Chef Mohamed Abdul and though they’re standard fare – chicken or beef, the taste is anything but standard. Kunafa and Shawarma make their own bread, a light balance between crispy and chewy that forgoes the usual doughy options found elsewhere. With the roasted meats plus a myriad of toppings, it’s an addictive treat and the perfect lunch on the go. In addition to the standard lettuce, tomato and garlic mayo condiments, the restaurant also provides little bowls of extras to spice up your wrap. There’s chili paste, jalapenos, olives and their famous tart pickles that I could just pop back, one by one, like candy. They also have a Tex-Mex version, which is a new menu option and comes with a spicy mayo that’s the bomb with an extra dash of pickled jalapenos on top! Before long all that’s left on our plates are red-checkered wrapping paper stained with oil and dotted with a few crumbs. For something so simple yet filling, Kunafa and Shawarma Albisana packs a tasty punch and is a prime example of taking one or two concepts and doing them right. Next time you’re at Katara be sure to give this little eatery a go. n

Spicy shrimp tempura maki rolls

The taste of their signature shaw armas isn’t one you can soon forget

Kunafa and Shawarma Albisana Location: Katara Cultural Village, Beachfront (Beach 1) Timings: 3:00 p.m. till 12:00 midnight, Sat-Wed 1:00 p.m. till 1:00 a.m., Thurs-Fri Average Price: QR 15 Smoking: Yes Contact: 4408-1400/1200 or www.facebook.com/kunafa.shawarma.albisana

Food & Dining

Simply French By Ashlee Starratt Images courtesy of Qatar Luxury Group

La Varenne is one of the newest restaurants to open on the 28th floor of West Bay’s Tornado Tower. Serving delectable dishes from the many culinary regions of France, QH tries their Friday brunch for a little taste of la gastronomie française.

a Varenne is the only French brasserie in Doha, and it’s got to have one of the best views by far. As we settle in at our table by the window, bellies growling in anticipation of a hearty Friday brunch, the panorama of the skyscrapers of West Bay and the ocean beyond is the perfect pick-me-up. With a lush décor, eye-popping artwork and loads of natural light, the space is inviting and relaxing. Today it’s packed with brunch-goers eager to try what is a new concept for the Friday institution. The brunch at La Varenne is not a buffet; nor is it quite a la carte either. Rather, in traditional French style, trolleys are brought to your table, serving up delightful combinations of hot and cold dishes. We’re given a wide selection of starters – a little bit of everything really. There’s a Spanish omelette to whet our palates, followed by a charcuterie platter that’s so indulgent I have to tread carefully as I spread heaps of chicken and foie gras parfait over thick slices of toast, topping it off with some pickled onions. Each dish is served in its own small copper pot and the potato and onion salad and the remoulade, (a kind of coleslaw), both disappear quickly alongside fresh helpings of gravlax, goat’s cheese quiche , tomatoes stuffed with ratatouille and smoked salmon with cream cheese. The combination of grainy mustard in

the potato salad and the creamy yet crunchy remoulade, with its delicate shreds of carrot and cabbage are winning accompaniments to the grilled croque-Monsieur sandwich offered to us to share, with slices of turkey peeking out between layers of oozing cheese. The starters alone are enough to fill you up, but this is brunch in Doha and it doesn’t end until someone pops a seam or loses a button. For our mains, we are able to select from a range of classic French interpretations of a variety of dishes. I go for the trevally, a local fish, served with rosti potatoes and a black olive tapenade. The fish is tender and flakes away under my fork, but the skin is crisped to perfection and the olive tapenade adds a salty punch to each flavourful bite. The rosti potatoes are almost like little latkes, shredded and fried into a small patty. It’s a nice juxtaposition alongside the trevally. My colleague tries the rotisserie chicken with a jus gravy and pomme purée. The flavours are delicious and homey, and our only disappointment is that we wish there was more meat on the bone. The mashed potatoes are buttery and topped with the chicken jus make a hearty mouthful. No French fine-dining experience is complete without the quintessential dessert trolley, and La Varenne’s is exceptional. But before it even

The starter trolley beckons with

tarts, salads and amuse bouches

arrives we’re served piping hot skillets of thick, fluffy waffles with apple compote. They’re delicious and rich in flavour, yet very heavy. By the time the dessert trolley gets to our table I can only select one item from it, a moist chocolate brownie square, because I’m that full. My colleague indulges in many of the little bitesize petit fours, each one a work of art. Brunch at La Varenne was a great experience and a fresh take on the concept. You’ll come to drink in the view, but you’ll stay to revel in the food. n La Varenne Location: Tornado Tower, 28th Floor Timings: Friday brunch, 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m. Average Meal Price: QR 179, Friday brunch QR 55 - QR 175, adult beverages sold separately Smoking: No Licensed: Yes Contact: 4499-0680 or reservations@lavarenne.qa or www.lavarenne.qa

Food & Dining

h t u o M f o d Wor Photography by Jessie Palanca

This column is part of a monthly contest where we send one of our readers to experience a meal at a restaurant. It’s our way of giving the community a voice in our pages. This month Lida Khybenyk sampled the dinner menu in Aroma at the Kempinski Residences & Suites. Here is her review: QH: What did you order? LK: At the beginning the chef brought us a complimentary appetizer. It’s not on the menu as they make it different every day. Also they gave us different kinds of bread and a mix of butter and oil. There’s a girl who comes around with a basket and we [are able] to choose.

A taste of the deep: house-cured salmon and Queen

scallops

QH: Describe the quality of the food. As an appetizer: • Quail and Foie Gras Terrine, QR 115 • House-Cured Salmon and Queen Scallops, QR 125 Soup: • Cumin-Scented Lentil Soup, QR 65 Main Course: • Barbary French Duck, QR 185 • Mango and Pineapple-Crusted Halibut, QR 195

LK: The food is delicious and comes in a nice arrangement. QH: Describe the quality of the service. LK: The service is great. All the staff are really friendly, easy-going and helpful. The waiters take good care and the table is always clean and tidy.

Dessert: • The chef made us a mix of desserts. Only one we chose off the menu, their Dessert of the Year 2013, the Bosphorale, QR 65

QH: Would you go back? Why/why not?

QH: Were the prices reasonable?

QH: Favourite thing about the restaurant?

LK: The prices are above average, but the food worth it.

LK: The place overall is great, really love the atmosphere. The food tastes delicious and [is] unique.

LK: [I] will surely go back. It’s a nice, calm and elegant place, which is not easy to find in Doha.

QH: Describe the ambiance. LK: The ambiance is great. The lighting is not very bright and the colours are neutral, so it makes the atmosphere romantic and relaxing. Also the sound of piano from The Lounge comes at just the right volume so you can hear and hold a conversation at the same time.

QH: Least favourite thing about the restaurant? LK: Maybe just that there are not so many people in the restaurant, [but that’s] just my taste. But I’m sure some more people wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Lida Khybenyk poses with Arom a’s Executive Chef Mike Scheuma nn

QH: Was there a special touch or flair to the experience? LK: The chef came to greet us and we had a lovely conversation. He gave us information about the most popular dishes, the way they are cooked and served, [and] that was really nice. QH: Could the overall experience be improved? If so, how? LK: I believe the place is complete. I guess [they] just [need to] advertise for more people to know [about] it and enjoy this experience. n Editor’s Note: The views and opinions expressed in our reader reviews do not reflect in any way those of Qatar Happening Magazine’s staff, directors, management or Editor-in-Chief. All hotel PR food and beverage departments are aware of the content and receive a copy.

Food & Dining

Let’s BBQ!

Korean bulgogi adds the perfect kick to any barbecued meat

By Gerald Tan

Fall is a time for barbecues and backyard fiestas. Why not give it a globe-trotting theme, as we show you how to throw some international flavours into the mix!

harcoals crackling, fire spitting and meats searing on the grill. The weekend’s not here until the barbecue invitations pour in. Once the mercury drops at dusk, there’s no better way to escape the ice-box of our air-conditioned homes than to unwind on the patio with friends and family over unfussy yet yummy food. The beauty of barbecuing lies in not having to do much once company arrives. (Save the grill master/mistress, of course). Most of the work involves marinating early on in the day with a longer marinating period ensuring the flavours penetrate through. As Doha is, in essence, a global cosmopolitan, I quite fancy the notion of an international barbecue that allows spices from different regions to shine. Not only do you banish the barbecue sauce, you’ll also ensure that the plate represents the party. Tote one or two of these the next time you’re on a dhow trip and beach barbie – it’s a sure-fire way of getting invited back.

Who needs to go to Greece to

indulge in some delicious lamb burgers?

Korean Bulgogi The Koreans invented modern-day barbecue for a reason! This sweet-savoury dish is a real crowd-pleaser. The sugar and honey caramelize over the fire as the thinly-sliced steak absorbs a smoky flavour. The best cut of meat for this is a rib-eye sliced across the grain. Semi-freezing the steak helps with getting paper-thin slices. For 500 grams of meat: • 3 Tbsps soy sauce • 2 Tbsps sugar • 1 Tbsp honey • 1 Tbsp sesame oil • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar • 3 cloves of garlic & 3 green onions (minced) • 2 Tbsps of roasted sesame seeds • Juice from 1 Asian pear and salt/pepper to taste

Greek Burger What’s not to love about a burger? To go the gourmet route, use ground lamb then serve the burgers with strained yogurt and cucumber. Close your eyes, and you could be biting into one of these juicy numbers listening to the waves roll over the Greek coast. For 500 grams of minced lamb to form 4 patties: • 1 small red onion (minced) • 1 Tsp dried oregano • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley • 1 Tbsp olive oil • 125 grams of crumbled feta and salt/pepper to taste.

Italian Veggies On top of being good for you, a medley of grilled, herbed vegetables looks sensational on the picnic table. The central ingredient is the generous lashings of balsamic vinegar, which eventually reduce to a gloriously gooey, deep-coloured, syrup. If a grilling basket is not available, a disposable foil pan works with a few small holes poked in the bottom for drainage. Cut up a few onions, carrots, capsicum, zucchini, tomatoes and asparagus. Place them in a large, re-sealable plastic bag with an emulsion of: • ½ cup olive oil • ½ cup balsamic vinegar • 2 Tbsp honey mustard • Dash of dried thyme and oregano • ½ Tsp of garlic powder • Salt/pepper to taste

Zest up your side-dish with colourful balsamic-roasted vegetables

your backyard gs a taste of India to Tandoori chicken brin

BBQ

Indian Tandoori You’ve had it everywhere from Indian banquets to curry houses. Now recreate it at home without a traditional tandoor oven. Yogurt keeps the chicken moist over the grill. Skip the orange food colouring designed for commercial aesthetics; the taste is all there. To marinate a whole chicken cut up into drumsticks, thighs, breasts and wings: • ½ cup plain yogurt • Juice from 1 lemon • 1Tbsp minced garlic • 1 Tbsp grated ginger • 1 Tbsp cumin • 1 Tsp coriander • 1 Tsp cinnamon powder • ½ Tsp chili powder or cayenne pepper • ¼ Tsp ground cardamom • ¼ Tsp ground cloves • Salt/pepper to taste.

These bite-sized bits of blackened Mexican shrimp

are sure to be a party hit

Mexican Shrimp Last-minute meal? No problem. Just throw some shrimp over the grill and brush on a marinade. It’s minimal effort for robust results. And while they may seem like an ideal alternative to serve your pescatarian guests, don’t be surprised when the carnivores lunge in for them as well. For 500 grams of shrimp: • 6 garlic cloves minced • 3 Tbsp olive oil • Juice from 4 limes

• 1 bunch finely chopped coriander/cilantro • 1 Tbsp tamarind paste • 2 Tbsp honey • 1 Tsp chili flakes • Salt/pepper to taste n Comments, feedback, tips or Earl Ebert’s not-so-secret recipes gladly welcome. Do share how your weekend barbecue turns out. I’m on Twitter@GeraldoTan.

Food & Dining

Oh, Pear! By Gerald Tan Photography by Jessie Palanca

Nothing heralds the fall like the autumnal taste of the pear. Though it may be warm year-round in Doha, that doesn’t mean we have to forgo its simple pleasures. Dig in to this sinful pear clafoutis and you won’t be sorry!

must defend the integrity of the pear. It faces such unconscionable flak. Try telling a woman to her face she has the figure of a pear and see if it doesn’t elicit a slap. And how many times has a situation deteriorated such that we can only describe it as going pear-shaped? But why? I happen to find the fruit rather fetching. It’s curvy in all the right places, beautifully fragrant, and looks elegant skin-on or -off. Mamma mia! When consumed au naturel, the pear is bursting with fragrant juices. Its floral notes act as a counterpoint to the saltiness of, say, nuts and cheese… making the Conference, Bosc and even the Nashi varieties superb additions to salads. Put some heat on, and the fruit takes on an entirely different character -- what was crunchy before transforms into a tenderness that’s smooth on the tongue. Personally, I relish pears just before they approach the peak of ripeness, when they begin to smell heavenly and their flesh yields to slight pressure. Granted, this golden window doesn’t last very long at all; a few days more and you have the base ingredient for purée and baby food. But that’s the other beauty of pears: they’re just itching to be enjoyed at every stage. When

overly ripe and soft, pears can be salvaged in cakes, sorbets and compotes. But while still firm, they can be stewed for a stunning dessert. Poaching punches up the taste and softens the texture. Consider a liquid base with honey, maple syrup, cider or vino. Then add something aromatic such as cinnamon, ginger, star anise, vanilla bean, citrus peel, thyme or peppercorns. Just don’t go overboard – this isn’t salsa. Keep things simple, and you allow a bright, distinct flavour to shine through. I could devour poached pears topped with ice-cream or chocolate fudge on any given day. But sometimes, I want a little extra comfort in a meal-ender. And that’s when I dream of clafoutis. This French classic of the Limousin region perches somewhere between a flan and a pancake. A sweet batter is poured over fruit then baked into glorious, puffy perfection. Traditional clafoutis calls for black cherries exclusively (pits-in, no less). Replace them with any other fruit and the dish is properly classified as a flaugnarde. Whichever side you fall on -- clafoutis or flaugnarde -- rest assured that this rustic, warm pudding will uphold the honour of the virtuous pear. n

All hail this rustic, yet mighty flavourful fruit!

Pear Clafoutis Ingredients: 3 pears 3 Tablespoons sugar 30 gm butter 3 eggs 1/3 cup sugar ½ cup flour ¾ cup milk ½ cup heavy cream 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt zest from 1 orange icing sugar, to decorat Instructions: Peel and halve pears. Sprinkle sugar over fruit and macerate for an hour to enhance the fruit’s flavour. Melt butter in a pan and heat until it turns a pale, hazelnut brown without burning. Cool, then whisk in eggs, sugar, flour, milk, heavy cream, vanilla, salt and orange zest. Arrange pears in baking dish. Pour batter over. Bake at 180 degrees Celcius for 35-40 minutes. The top should be puffed and golden. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve warm.

Comments, feedback or Peppermint Gomez’s not-so-secret recipes gladly welcome. For more dessert ideas, check out my website: www.boulangerry.com.

Food & Dining Listings RECOMMENDS

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Woodstock Brunch

Fri 1: Mawasem. Hilton Doha invites you to Woodstock Brunch on the first Friday of every month. Celebrate peace, love and food with an all-American brunch buffet, classic songs from the 60’s and 70’s and a hippie ambiance. QR 240 per person including unlimited soft drinks, QR 350 per person including unlimited house beverages and QR 460 per person including unlimited house beverages and French bubbly. The kids have their special food corner and a Kidz Paradize for fun activities. From 12:30 noon till 3:30 p.m. For more information call 4423-3333.

HOLIDAY VILLA DOHA Eid Al Adha Hi-Tea

GRAND HYATT DOHA Thai Food Festival

Oct 1 -10: Isaan. Spice up your October with Chef Sopatra Boonsrang’s special a-la-carte dinner menu at your favourite Thai restaurant, Isaan. As head of all Hyatt Middle East Thai restaurants, Chef Sopatra will pass on more than 20 years Hyatt experience to the open kitchens of Isaan to take you to a different world of colourful and spicy flavours. For more information call 4448-1050.

PROMOTIONS CHOWKING Value Meals

Daily: Enjoy dinner for 2 for QR 70-80 including soft drinks. Available at all restaurant locations, serving the best taste at the best price. For more information call Delivery Hotline: 4431-1212, Mamoura: 4486-6077, Al Khor: 4411-8816/17, Salwa Road: 4437-1212, Al Sadd St.: 4431-4411, Holiday Villa Hotel: 4411-5225/335.

CROWNE PLAZA DOHA – THE BUSINESS PARK Enjoy Eid

First day of Eid: Aramede. Celebrate Eid Al Adha by enjoying a sumptuous Eid family brunch at Aramede. The restaurant will be serving all of your traditional favourites along with activities for the little ones and live entertainment. QR 205 per adult, QR 105 per child (6-12 years) including juices, mineral water and soft drinks. Children under six years dine free of charge. QR 305 per adult including house beverages. From 12:30 noon till 4:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-7777.

October HOP Celebrations

Tues 1: Misturado. Celebrate one of the most famous festivals with a month-long special menu with authentic German food and the original spaten hop from Munich. For more information call 4408-7777.

See us online! om www.qatarhappening.c

THE FOUR SEASONS Eid Al Adha Brunch

During Eid: Nusantao: Sea Kitchens. A special occasion worth spending memorable moments with family and friends at the inviting atmosphere of Nusantao: Sea Kitchens. Enjoy a feast of delectable dishes prepared to perfection at the most extensive buffet in town. Warm up with soups and homemade breads followed by Oriental and Asian delicacies. From the endless options of food corners to desserts, you may never want to leave. QR 330, inclusive of non-alcoholic beverages, QR 165, kid’s brunch and QR 415, sparkling Eid brunch. For more information call 4494-8888.

Wild Mushroom Promotion

Oct 10-19: Rocca. Doha’s mushroom lovers should mark October 10-19 on their calendars to come out and taste more than five kinds of wild mushrooms at Rocca. The experienced chef-du-cuisine, Chef Franco, will create an a la carte dinner menu inspired by the best wild mushrooms. Don’t miss out their signature wild mushroom ravioli. For more information call 4448-1272.

HILTON DOHA Eid Brunch

During Eid: Mawasem. Join in for a marvelous Eid Al Adha Festival brunch at Mawasem restaurant. Indulge in a sumptuous buffet with family and friends served to live band music accompanied by amazing views of the pool and beach. Let the children enjoy fun activities such as face painting and other children’s games. QR 250 per person including unlimited soft drinks and QR 360 per person including unlimited house beverages.From 12:30 noon till 3:00 p.m. For more information call 4423-3333.

3 Days of Eid: Lagenda. Enjoy an entire menu of Arabic and Asian cuisine with free-flowing Tarik tea. QR 138 per adult and QR 68 per child from 12:00 noon till 4:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-4888.

ORYX ROTANA Eid Al Adha Brunch

During Eid: Choices. There’s no buffet in Doha quite like the one at Choices, so where better to celebrate Eid? With live-cooking stations and a lavish selection of fresh Middle Eastern and international dishes, Choices serves up the quintessential celebration brunch. Enjoy this sumptuous feast during the first three days of Eid. QR 180 with soft drinks and, on the second and third days of Eid, QR 210 with soft drinks or QR 285 with selected house beverages. From 12:30 noon till 4:00 p.m. For more information call 4402-3333.

X’Press Lunch & Dinner

Daily: The Cellar. Every day is quick bite time and The Cellar is ready for it. Enjoy their three-course set menu including a large variety of starters, main dishes and desserts. QR 89 per person for lunch and QR 145 per person for dinner, guaranteed to be served in 60 minutes. For more information call 4402-3333.

RENAISSANCE DOHA CITY CENTER Eid Al Adha Family Buffet During Eid: Crossroads Kitchen. Enjoy a lavish Eid buffet for QR 195 including soft beverages and QR 245 with selected beverages. For more information call 4419-6100.

Kobe On Show

Oct 7-20: New York Steakhouse. Melt in your mouth beef delicacies such as Kobe beef sliders with guacamole, Kobe sushi with wasabi, and Kobe beef skewers with jalapeno dip. From 6:30 p.m. till 11:30 p.m. For more information call 4419-6100.

Cheese The Italian Way

Oct 14-27: Cucina, the Italian Kitchen. Chef Massi dishes up mozzarella, asiago, pecorino and parmaggiano in his specialty Italian cheese dishes, such as gorgonzola and pear risotto; mozzarella deep-fried on tomato salsa and salad, and fonduta cheese with meatballs and polenta. It’s a formaggi fiesta! For more information call 4419-6100.

RADISSON BLU Vino, Paint And Tapas Night

Tues 29: Picasso’s. Doha’s favourite tapas night is back! Why not have a go at creating your very own Picasso while enjoying delicious tapas and vino for QR 190, starting at 7:00 p.m. For more information call 4428-1555.

THE DIPLOMATIC CLUB Qanun Player

Daily: Le Grill. Qanun is a string instrument played in much of the Middle East and is one of the richest-sounding Oriental musical instruments. Visit The Diplomatic Club every evening for an alluring performance that will entertain you and enhance your appetite. Sit back and enjoy the rich variety of seafood dishes and premium steaks while enjoying the music. For more information call 4484-7412 or email f&b@dclub.com.qa.

THE ST. REGIS DOHA Monthly Grapes & Cheese Night

Oct 22: Gordon Ramsay. Once a month the Head Sommelier opens one of the largest cellars in Doha inviting enthusiasts for a tasting paired with the finest selection of gourmet cheeses. Places are limited, bookings essential. QR 375 per person and includes 10 exclusive labels and a selection of cheese. From 6:00 p.m. till 8:00 p.m.. For more information call 4446-0106 or email diningreservations@stregis.com.

Chateau Grand Larose – Bordeaux Supper

Oct 29: Gordon Ramsay. Meet the makers; a special opportunity to have dinner with one of the largest Bordeaux producers. A unique evening learning about the seasonality of the Bordeaux region while enjoying a five-course bespoke menu with paired beverages created by Michelin-starred Chef Gilles Bosquet. Bookings essential as space is limited. QR 995, includes five courses with Bordeaux selection from 6:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m. For more information call 4446-0106 or email diningreservations@stregis.com.

EVERY WEEK CROWNE PLAZA DOHA – THE BUSINESS PARK Phoenician Night

Mondays: Aramede. Enjoy a wide variety of Lebanese and Oriental specialties with live-cooking stations and Arabic desserts taking you to the midst of the Orient. QR 150 per adult and QR 75 per child (6- 12 years), from 6:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-7777.

By The Sea

Wednesdays: Aramede. Come and enjoy seafood night at the all-day dining Aramede. QR 250 per adult, QR 125 per child (6-12 years), from 6:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-7777.

Food & Dining Listings You Think You Can Eat Meat?

Sun-Fri: Rodizio. Eat as much meat as you can and try a wide variety of items from the salad bar and seafood station before you start on the delicious 12 different cuts of meat along with Cuban entertainment. QR 265 including soft drinks or QR 359 including house beverages. From 6:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-7777.

DOHA MARRIOTT Wagyu Beef Promotion

Sun -Fri: JW Steakhouse. Calling all steak-lovers! JW Steakhouse now presents the finest cuts of Wagyu beef, served and presented in elegant and stylish surroundings. For more information call 4429-8499.

GRAND HERITAGE Indian Night

Wednesdays: Flavours. Indulge in an irresistible, vividly presented buffet that captures the diverse tastes of traditional Indian dishes with a contemporary twist. Enjoy an enticing variety of curries and biryanis, kebabs and breads from a live tandoor oven and fabulous appetizers, salads and desserts from the main central buffet. QR 199 including selected beverages. From 7:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m. For more information call 4445-5555.

THE FOUR SEASONS The Perfect Lunch

Sat-Thurs: Nusantao: Sea Kitchens. Longing for a sensational lunch from the Far East but don’t have much time? Tailor-make your set lunch to suit your taste and time from an extensive selection of lunch dishes. From a two-course lunch to a six-course lunch, Chef Kato’s exclusive Bento Box allows you to savour the most exquisite pan-Asian culinary experience at the city’s newest theatrical dining venue. Starts at QR 55, from 12:00 noon till 3:00 p.m. For more information call 4494-8888.

Create Your Own Lunch

Sat-Thurs: Il Teatro. Choose from a variety of contemporary and delectable lunch dishes carefully crafted by a culinary team. Whether you’re entertaining business clients or just looking for a sumptuous lunch meal, Il Teatro is the right place to be. Starts at QR 75, from 12:00 noon till 3:00 p.m. For more information call 4494-8888.

HILTON DOHA Curry & Creole Guitar Nights

Wednesdays: Mawasem. Sample the restaurant’s Crazy for Creole menu during the month of October. Enjoy spectacular authentic Creole and curry dishes from the heart of the islands while you listen to classic melodies of the house guitarist. QR 190 including unlimited soft drinks. From 7:00 p.m. till 10:30 p.m. For more information call 4423-3333.

HOLIDAY VILLA DOHA Hot & Spicy Flavoured Dishes

Daily: D’chopstix. Delight your taste buds with your choice from the chef’s menu, from 11:30 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-4888.

KEMPINSKI RESIDENCES & SUITES Taste Of Germany

Sun-Fri: The Lounge. Oktoberfest kicks off this month and Kempinski is returning to its roots, offers a tasting platter of traditional German delicacies, ideal as an accompaniment with selected beverages from Germany. From 5:00 p.m. till 1:00 a.m. For more information call 4405-3325 or visit restaurants.doha@kempinski.com.

Bakery Happy Hour

Sun-Fri: Gourmet House. The best and most fresh bakery products in the city, on sale every evening from 7:00 p.m. till 9:00 p.m. Gourmet House, well known for its products, gives you the chance to purchase them at half price. For more information call 4405-3326 or email gourmet.doha@kempinski.com.

Camel Milk Chocolate

Sun -Fri: Gourmet House. Al Nassma chocolate, the first and finest camel milk chocolate is now exclusively available in Gourmet House! Reflecting the flavours of the region, this premium chocolate uses camel milk as its finest ingredient. From 7:00 a.m. till 9:00 p.m. For more information call 4405-3326 or email gourmet.doha@kempinski.com.

Camel Burger & K Signature Flavours

Sun-Fri: Aroma. In Kempinski, they love to try new food. The culinary team has been playing with new flavours and perfected the recipe of the new K Signature Dish: the Camel Burger. Try it in Aroma or The Lounge and ask the dining assistants for the perfect beverage accompaniment! Looking for something sweet? Try the K Signature German Butter Cake in Gourmet House! Looking for something unique in Doha? Try the K Signature German Pretzel! For more information call 4405-3325 or email restaurants.doha@kempinski.com.

INTERCONTINENTAL DOHA Theme Nights

Sun: Surf Night (seafood dinner buffet). QR 260 including a glass of house beverage. Tues: Asian Night dinner buffet. QR 225 including a glass of house beverage. Thurs: Phoenician Night dinner. QR 235 including a glass of house beverage. Sat: Turf Night dinner buffet. QR 250 including a glass of house beverage Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat – International buffet dinner. QR 195 including a glass of house beverage. Friday Brunch: 12:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. QR 275 per person including unlimited bubbly or OR QR 250 with soft drinks For more information call 4484-4919 or 4484-4444.

MAGNOLIA BAKERY They Deliver

Daily: Magnolia Bakery. Enjoy savoury treats and the biggest selection of freshly-baked desserts under one roof! Enjoy your favourite desserts delivered to your doorstep, minimum order QR 300. From 8:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. For more information call 4450-9407.

ORYX ROTANA Tex Mex BBQ.

Sundays: Choices. QR 200 per person including water, soft drinks and chilled juices or QR 280 including unlimited selected house beverages or try the premium package for QR 320 including unlimited sparkling vino, house spirits, selected digestives and aperitifs.From 7:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. For more information call 4402-3333.

Asian Night

Mondays: Choices. Every Monday Take a culinary journey around Asia as Choices Restaurant features the Asian Night. Watch the expert Thai, Indonesian and Philippine chefs prepare an exquisite buffet of authentic Far Eastern cuisine. QR 200 including unlimited juices and soft drinks or QR 280 including unlimited selected house beverages or try the premium package for QR 320 including unlimited sparkling wine, house spirits, selected digestives and aperitifs. For more information call 4402-3333.

Tapas Galore

Tuesdays: The Cellar. For tapas-lovers, the unlimited night is every Tuesday. Enjoy a selection of tantalizing tapas with unlimited selected vinos for QR 300. Or QR 160 unlimited tapas galore with soft drinks. For more information call 4402-3333 or email oryx.hotel@rotana.com.

Choices Goes Italian

Wednesdays: Choices Restaurant. Discover an amazing variety of regional dishes, so wellrenowned for the use of fresh classic ingredients while enjoying the live-cooking presented by the chefs. QR 200 including unlimited juices and soft drinks, or QR 280 including unlimited selected house beverages, or try our premium package for QR 320 including unlimited sparkling vino, house spirits, selected digestives and aperitifs. For more information call 4402-3333 or email to oryx.hotel@rotana.com.

RENAISSANCE DOHA CITY CENTER Gourmet Sushi Sundays: Glo Cocktail Lounge. Eat as much sushi as you can for QR 195, from 6:30 p.m. till 10:30 p.m.

Buffet Dinner

Sun-Thurs: Crossroads Kitchen. Indulge in Chinese, Spanish, French, Italian, Indian and Arabic cuisine prepared at live-cooking theatres, for QR 195. Valet parking included. From 6:30 p.m. till 11:30 p.m. For more information call 4419-6100.

Indian Night

Wednesdays: Crossroads Kitchen. Biryani, curry, laksa, koftas, tandoori, samosas and more. Live-cooking stations featuring all your favourites from the North, South, East and West. QR 195 per person including soft beverages. Valet parking included. From 6:30 p.m. till 11:30 p.m. For more information call 4419-6100.

THE DIPLOMATIC CLUB Breathtaking Arabic Food

Sat-Fri: Al Sayyad. At The Diplomatic Club’s signature restaurant you can enjoy the finest traditional Middle Eastern seafood and stunning views over the Doha skyline and The Pearl-Qatar. The perfect place to truly experience the Middle East’s rich cuisine. From 12:00 noon till 12:00 midnight. For more information call 4484-7412 or email f&b@dclub.com.qa.

Total Elegance

Sat-Fri: Le Grill.The restaurant serves the best prime steaks and grilled seafood in town. You can see the chefs prepare your food in the open kitchen at the live-cooking station. Le Grill will also feature a Qanoun player. From 12:00 noon till 12:00 midnight. For more information call 4484-7412 or email f&b@dclub.com.qa.

THE ST. REGIS A Taste Of Astor Grill

Sun-Fri: Astor Grill. The best of our New York-style menu. Start with a selection of handpicked starters followed by a choice of mains that include Angus beef or catch of the day and finish with a classic New York dessert. QR 300 for three courses or QR 390 for three courses with sommelier’s selection. From 7:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m. For more information call 4446-0106 or email diningreservations@stregis.com.

THE TORCH Veal Promotion

Daily: Three Sixty. Try out veal specialties during the month of October at Doha’s only revolving restaurant. Located on the 47th floor at The Torch. For more information call 4446-5600 or email reservation@thetorchdoha.com.

WYNDHAM GRAND REGENCY Quintessence Of Morocco

Mon-Sat: Tangia. Discover traditional Moroccan cuisine, artistically prepared and refreshingly authentic. Dine in style, while the rhythmic beating of the drums and melodies of Moroccan musicians recreates the ambiance of this remarkable country. From 12:00 noon till 12:00 midnight. For more information call 4434-3203/3333 or email sdesilva@wyndham.com.

Theme Nights At Grand Gourmet Restaurant Saturdays: Italian Night. QR 150 per person. Mondays: Far Eastern Night. QR 150 per person. Wednesdays: Seafood Night. QR 200 per person. Fridays: Arabian Night. QR 165 per person. From 6:30 p.m. till 10:30 p.m. For more information call 4434-3203/3333 or email sdesilva@wyndham.com.

WEEKEND CROWNE PLAZA DOHA – THE BUSINESS PARK La Dolce Vita

Thursdays: Aramede. The restaurant brings the streets of Italy to your plate. Live chefs preparing your pizzas and pastas await you for a lavishing Italian Night Buffet. QR 150 per adult, QR 75 per child (6 -12 years), from 6:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-7777.

Food & Dining Listings DOHA MARRIOTT Gourmet Route

Thursdays: Gallery. Something for everyone, with highlights from specialty restaurants. Experience a gourmet buffet and a taste sensation! QR 225 regular and QR 320 with bubbly. For more information call 4429-8499.

GRAND HERITAGE Sushi & Steak

Saturdays: Blue. Enjoy a sharing sushi platter along with your choice of US tenderloin steak. An option of Wagyu beef can be upgraded with just an additional QR 50. From 12:30 noon till midnight for QR 215. Children five years and below dine with Blue’s compliments. For more information call 4445-5555.

GRAND HYATT DOHA Barbeque Promotion

Thurs & Fri: Majlis. This is one of the best months of the year to enjoy an outdoor barbeque at Majlis, available every Thursday and Friday with your favourite shisha flavours. QR 250 per person for one shisha and a special barbeque menu. For more information call 4448-1282.

HILTON DOHA Seafood Extravaganza

Thurs & Fri: Mawasem. Book a table and start your weekend with an extravagant selection of fresh seafood favourites every Thursday from 7:00 p.m. till 10:30 p.m. for QR 225 including unlimited soft drinks. For more information call 4423-3333.

1001 Arabian Feast

Saturdays: Mawasem. Enjoy Arabian Oud player and singer Sultan and feast on tantalizing dishes from North Africa, the Levant and the Arabian Gulf for QR 190 including unlimited soft drinks. From 7:00 p.m. till 10:30 p.m. For more information call 4423-3333.

HOLIDAY VILLA DOHA Arabic Food Festival & BBQ

Thursdays: Lagenda. Enjoy delicious Arabic food cooked to perfection while drinking pure Arabic coffee or mint tea. QR 168 per adult and QR 84 per child between four and 12 years old, from 7:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-4888.

Malaysian Hi-Tea

Saturdays: Lagenda. Enjoy a unique Arabic and international buffet and free-flowing Tarik tea. QR 110 per adult and QR 55 per child between four and 12 years old, from 12:00 noon till 4:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-4888.

RENAISSANCE DOHA CITY CENTER Seafood Night Thursdays: Crossroads Kitchen. Tiger prawns, mussels, tuna, oysters and the freshest sushi in town! Try the Mongolian stir-fry station where the chef mixes chicken, beef, lamb or seafood with crunchy vegetables. There’s also a delicious chocolate fountain and pastries for the sweet

tooths. QR 225 includes soft beverages and QR 285 includes selected beverages. From 6:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m. For more information call 4419-6100.

THE ST. REGIS DOHA Meat And Greet

October 10 & 31: Astor Grill. Try the four-course tasting menu featuring the finest cuts of meat that can be paired with their sommelier’s selection, creating an unforgettable dining experience. QR 350 (four courses), or QR 500 (four courses with sommelier’s selection). Thursday nights only. From 7:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m. For more information call 4446-0106 or diningreservations@stregis.com.

W DOHA Burger Nights

Saturdays: Market by Jean Georges. Choose your favourite burger, your favourite side dish and one amazing sundae from the selection for QR 110. From 6:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m. For more information call 4453-5135.

Sushi Night

Saturdays: Spice Market. Add some flavour to the start of the week with Spice Market’s comprehensive sushi menu featuring assorted sushi, nigiri, maki and sashimi prepared with the secret condiments of three-Michelin star chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and his expert team for QR 230. From 6:00 p.m. till 10:30 p.m. For more information call 4453-5135.

WYNDHAM GRAND REGENCY Sushi Fiesta

Thurs & Sat: Chopsticks. Every Thursday enjoy the teppanyaki station with a selection of seafood or meat together with their sushi fiesta. Eat as much you can for only QR 169 per person. Then every Saturday it’s their sushi fiesta. Immerse yourself in an electic range of original and sensational sushi platters from the sushi bar at Chopsticks, the award-winning restaurant. Try the sushi made of chicken, beef and duck exclusively at Chopsticks Restaurant! Eat as much you can for only QR 129 per person. For more information call 4434-3203/3333 or email sdesilva@wyndham.com.

BRUNCH CROWNE PLAZA DOHA – THE BUSINESS PARK Family Brunch

Fridays: Aramede. Enjoy family moments at the Friday family brunch with a lavish Arabic and international buffet, including live-cooking stations, kids play area and live entertainment. QR 205 per adult, QR 105 per child (6-12 years) including juices, mineral water and soft drinks. Children under six years dine free of charge. QR 305 per adult including house beverages. From 12:30 noon till 4:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-7777.

LA VARENNE French Country Brunch

Fridays: Their unique French Country Brunch is a success. Join in every Friday from 12:00 p.m. till 4:00 p.m. to indulge in their interpretation of a table-top brunch. Enjoy a full-course, all-you-care-to-eat menu with sharing-style dishes showcasing an array of the best La Varenne classics, along with hors d’oeuvres and dessert trolleys for QR 179 per person. For more information call 4499-0680 or email reservations@lavarenne.qa.

DOHA MARRIOTT Weekend Brunch

Fri & Sat: The Gallery. A culinary journey like no other, discover an array of live stations and specialties from the Restaurant Gallery, featuring live-cooking stations with your favourite dishes from around the globe. Highlights from the weekend brunch include a wide selection of fresh sushi, Peking duck, fajitas, Oriental grills, pizza, curries, biryanis, fresh seafood, ice cream, kounafa and more. Now offering a kids club zone offering a special kids buffet and activities. From 12.30 noon till 3:00 p.m. for QR 245 or QR 350 for bubbly brunch. For more information call 4429-8499.

GRAND HERITAGE Family Brunch

Fridays: Blue. Enjoy a variety of international dishes in a market-style buffet with your choice of grilled meat or seafood prepared at the livecooking stations. Kids get to play and engage in various activities like bouncy castle and a mascot appearance in the exclusively designed kids area adjacent to the restaurant. QR 220 per person inclusive of unlimited beverages, QR 199 for food only. Children five years and below enjoy complimentary meal and half the price for six to 12 year olds. From 12:30 noon till 4:00 p.m. For more information call 4445-5555.

HILTON DOHA Start The Weekend In Style

Fridays: Mawasem. Visit Mawasem for a day of fun and indulgence. Enjoy a sumptuous buffet with family and friends served to live music accompanied by amazing views of the pool and beach. From 12:30 noon till 3:30 p.m. QR 222 including unlimited soft drinks and QR 333 including unlimited house beverages. The kids have their special food corner and a Kidz Paradize for fun activities. For more information please call 4423-3333.

Weekend Brunch

Fri & Sat: La Sahtaine. Enjoy an exquisite fourcourse brunch menu in a posh, vibrant setting starting at QR 222 including unlimited soft drinks and overlooking the Arabian Gulf. Children six and under dine free, children between seven and 12 years old receive a 50% discount. From 12:30 noon till 3:30 p.m. For more information call 4423-3333.

HOLIDAY VILLA DOHA Buffet Dim Sum Brunch

Friday: D’Chopstix. Indulge in a succulent Chinese buffet at D’Chopstix with free-flowing Chinese tea. QR 138 per adult and QR 68 per child between four and 12 years old, from 11:30 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. For more information call 4408-4888.

RENAISSANCE DOHA CITY CENTER Friday Brunch

Ipanema Brazilian Churrascaria. Take a trip to Rio de Janeiro every Friday with a feast of Brazilian meats and the only authentic Brazilian band in Doha. Ipanema is the place to come for a super brunch, flambé desserts and live entertainment.QR 250 includes soft beverages and QR 320 includes selected beverages. Valet parking included. From 12:30 p.m. till 3:30 p.m. For more information call 4419-6100 or book on www.westenddoha.com.

Friday Family Brunch

Crossroads Kitchen. Offering a delicious international brunch of Chinese, Spanish, French, Italian, Indian, Arabic and more. Kids are kept entertained with games, face-painting and movies while you relax with a cocktail in hand. QR 225 including soft beverages and QR 275 including selected beverages. Children ages 7-12 dine half price while kids under age six dine complimentary. Valet parking included. From 12:00 p.m. till 3:30 p.m. For more information call 4419-6100.

THE ST. REGIS Brunch On The Terrace Is Back!

Fridays: Vine. Gather with family and friends and experience a lavish buffet with delicious treats for everyone. Parents can relax with live reggae music and enjoy breath-taking views from the terrace. Entertainment for children is provided by The St. Regis Doha recreation team and includes fun games, face painting and lots of creative activities. QR 275 per person with soft drinks and QR 375 per person including sommelier selection. From 12:30 noon till 4:00 p.m. For more information call 4446-0105 or email diningreservations@stregis.com.

THE TORCH Barbecue Bazaar Brunch

Fridays: Flying Carpet. Choose from a wide selection of steaks, Oriental BBQ, fish, burgers and hot dogs. QR 195 per person including selected beverages. From 12:00 noon till 3:30 p.m. Special rate of QR 95 for children between six and 12 years of age. For more information call 4446-5600 or email reservation@thetorchdoha.com.

W DOHA Jazz Brunch

Fridays: Market by Jean Georges. Enjoy a jazz brunch with live entertainment. QR 380 including selected house beverages or QR 290 including selected soft drinks. For more information call 4453-5135.

Friday Brunch

Spice Market. Asian street food meets slick city chic at the new up-market weekly Spice Market Brunch every Friday, to a backdrop of live, upbeat swing music courtesy of Doha Jazz. QR 380 including selected house beverages and QR 290 including soft drinks. From 12:00 noon till 4:00 p.m. For more information call 4453-5135.

Food & Dining Listings BUSINESS LUNCH

WYNDHAM GRAND REGENCY Business Lunch

L’wzaar Seafood Market

CHOWKING

Daily (except Mon & Fri): Chopsticks. Business lunch at Chopsticks offers the ideal solution for busy professionals; a variety of distinctive modern Asian food presented in an exceptional three-course menu. Indulge in their daily changing set menu served in only 59 minutes for QR 59, otherwise you get it for free! From 12:00 noon till 3:00 p.m. For more information call 4434-3203/3333 or email: sdesilva@wyndham.com.

Oct: Katara Cultural Village. Their special main course might be your choice. Visit L’wzaar and relish in their recommendation of the day. Available for lunch and dinner daily. Oct: Experience their Tandoori grill and Thai curry cooking styles for your fresh seafood. Other cooking styles are also available. Please ask their team for assistance. Oct: For every QR 250 spent at L’wzaar Seafood Market, receive a discount voucher to experience El Cigar Lounge, available daily. For more information call 4408-0710.

GOKULAM PARK DOHA

SPECIAL LISTINGS

Chac’late

Sun-Thurs: Enjoy a delicious meal with the trusted Chowking flavours you love in under 30 minutes. From 1:00 p.m. till 3:00 p.m. at all locations. For more information call Delivery Hotline: 4431-1212, Mamoura: 4486-6077, Al Khor: 4411-8816-17, Salwa Road: 4437-1212, Al Sadd St.: 4431-4411, Holiday Villa Hotel: 4411-5225/335.

Sun-Thurs: De Dine Zone. Enjoy a special threecourse menu with your choice of soup, salad, and your choice of main course and dessert for QR 35, from 12:00 noon till 3:00 p.m. For more information call 4470-8888.

HILTON DOHA

Sun-Thurs: La Sahtaine. Step out of your office and enjoy a three-course meal consisting of a delectable variety of starters, main courses and desserts in an elegant brasserie ambiance overlooking the waterfront for QR 88. From 12:00 noon till 3:00 p.m. For more information call 4423-3333.

Business Lunch At Trader Vic’s

Sun-Thurs: Trader Vic’s. Create your own delicious three- course business lunch by choosing from a selected variety of options for QR 95.From 12:00 noon till 3:00 p.m. For more information call 4423-3118.

KEMPINSKI RESIDENCES & SUITES

Sat-Thurs: Aroma. Stay healthy and select from the low-calorie menu options of the re-vamped business lunch by Kempinski. Simple and delicious flavours, carefully selected fresh produce and creative preparation are the ingredients of the finest business lunch in Doha. QR 90 per person with a dessert-to-go option. From 12:00 noon till 3:00 p.m. For more information call 4405-3325 or visit restaurants.doha@kempinski.com.

LA VARENNE

Sun-Thurs: Enjoy a delectable business lunch with your choice of two courses for QR 85 or three courses for QR 95. La Varenne offers the best in regional French cuisine, perfect for that quick business meeting on the go. For more information call 4499-0680 or email reservations@lavarenne.qa.

W DOHA Express Lunch

Sat-Thurs: La Spiga By Paper Moon. Choose your favourite Italian starter, main course and dessert for QR 95 per person, daily except Fridays. From 12:00 p.m. till 4:00 p.m. For more information call 4453-5135 or email bnfreservations.wdoha@whotels.com.

ASPIRE KATARA HOSPITALITY Sukar Pasha Ottoman Lounge

Oct: Katara Cultural Village. Succulent charcoal spit-roasted whole lamb, well-marinated and seasoned to perfection andserved with aromatic traditional Turkish rice for QR 99 per serving. Available daily from 7:00 p.m. Oct: For every QR 250 spent at Sukar Pasha Ottoman Lounge, diners will receive a discount voucher to experience El Cigar Lounge. Available daily. For more information call 4408-2000.

Red Velvet

Oct: Katara Cultural Village. Decorate your own cupcake! It’s fun and educational, the best way to spend quality time for families with their children. Each plain cupcake goes with edible decorations at QR 30 only. Apron and chef’s hat will be provided. Oct: Come celebrate your children’s birthday party with us at QR 60 per child with our Decorate Your Own Cupcake birthday party package. Advance reservation is required. Oct: One cool daily promotion. Get a free small bottle of water with every purchase of an ice cream sandwich. Oct: It’s back and here to stay! Purchase one cupcake and receive a free aromatic coffee on us. Available daily from 9:00 a.m. until 12 midnight. Oct: Grab your favourite cupcakes and take advantage of the 10% discount on a dozen. This offer is extended until December 2013. Available daily from 9:00 a.m. until 12 midnight. For more information call 4408-0700.

El Cigar Lounge

Oct: Katara Cultural Village. Unwind in a comfy armchair with some savoury snacks and refreshing signature mocktails while listening to the rhythm of classical jazz music from 7:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. Doors open from 3:00 p.m. till 12 midnight daily. Oct: Experience the vintage club car ride in full comfort and convenience to and from the Katara parking lot. It’s free, daily. For pick-up call 4408-0750 as soon as you arrive. Oct: High tea at the El Cigar Lounge. Come and experience our assortment of exquisite delights, elegantly served in style. Prices start from QR 130, available daily from 3:00 p.m. till 12 midnight. For more information call 4408-0750.

Oct: Katara Cultural Village. Enjoy 50% off on Amelia Rope Chocolate, handmade chocolates that are all about quality, taste, purity and indulgence. Available daily. Oct: Enjoy 50% off on Venchi Chocolates, cocoa transformed into an extraordinary experience. Available daily for the month of October. Oct: Enjoy our signature Parisian or Chac’Late breakfast. Prices start from QR 30, available from 8:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m., available daily. For more information call 4408-0733.

Shawarma Albisana

Oct: Katara Cultural Village. Enjoy your favourite chicken or beef shawarma with a cold soft drink for only QR 15, available daily. For more information call 4408-1400.

Kunafa Albisana

Oct: Katara Cultural Village. Offering the best traditional kunafa with Nabulsi cheese imported from Jordan for dine-in and take-away, available daily. For more information call 4408-1200.

Aspire Grand Cafe

Oct: Aspire Park. Offers more than coffee and sandwiches. Choose from fresh sushi, soups and a wide selection of hot and cold beverages for dine-in and take-away, available daily. Oct: Enjoy healthy choices for breakfast while visiting the park. Fresh croissants, sunny-side up or omelette egg dishes and crepes are available daily. For more information call 4408-1996.

Le Vesuvio

Oct: Katara Cultural Village. Check out their kids menu. Le Vesuvio is happy to serve all of its guests, especially kids, with its healthful kids menu options, available from 12:00 p.m. till 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. till 11:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday. For more information call 4408-1500.

Burgerry

Oct: Aspire Park. Now open for lunch! A vintage industrial-themed American burger restaurant serves gourmet burgers with certified Black Angus or Wagyu beef, chicken sandwiches, hotdogs and varieties of fries and milkshakes, available daily from 11:00 a.m. till midnight. Oct: Take a bite of their ‘B. Majestic’, a perfectly-grilled, juicy Wagyu beef patty topped with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles and mushroom sauce on a deliciously soft buttered potato bun. Available daily from 11:00 a.m. till midnight. For more information call 4449-3958.

ctory rery cto ngreDi t Di anni urDi sta& Reod Fo American & Tex-Mex American Grill

International

Chinese

4411-0188

Chopsticks 4434-3333

Al Hubara

4485-4444

Chili’s 4466-0663

D’Chopstix 4408-4888

Al Liwan Restaurant

4424-2888

Ipanema 4419-6100

Royal Bafilyon

4411-4458

Al Matbakh Rooftop Grill

4433-6777

Johnny Rockets

4455-2792

Ruby Wu’s

4428-1428

Al Shaheen Restaurant

4485-4444

Latino 4485-4444

Wok of Fame

4413-4772

Animato 4496-6600

Oyster Bay

4446-0105

Paloma 4484-4444 Pampano 4495-3876 Ric’s Kountry Kitchen

4443-7846

Rodizio Brazilian Churrascaria

4408-7777

Salsa 4429-8888 TGI Friday’s

4488-7008

Arabic & Lebanese

Contemporary European Aroma 4405-3325 Astor Grill

4446-0105

Belgian Café

4484-4444

Gordon Ramsay

4446-0105

La Mer

4484-8000

Market by Jean-Georges

4453-5135

Nando’s 4436-0606 Opal by Gordon Ramsay

4446-0105

Agora 4445-5555 Al Balad

4491-8692

French

Al Bandar

4431-1818

La Sahtaine

4423-3333

Al Batross

4432-8888

La Varenne

4499-0680

Al Canteen

4433-6666

Al Mourjan

4483-4423

Le Relais de L’Entrecote 4495-3876 ext. 1411

Al Sayyad

4484-7420

Al Sultan Brahim Al Tawash

4424-7777

Crossroads Kitchen

4419-6100

De Dine Zone Restaurant

4470-8822

East 4433-6666 Grand Gourmet

4434-3333

La Brasserie

4446-2222

La Cigalon Restaurant

4428-8888

Lifestyle Restaurant

4463-2154

Mawasem 4423-3333 Mehfil Restaurant

4409-4444

Nando’s 4436-0606

4424-3444

4446-0105

Quisine by Guy Savoy

The Grill

4448-1234

4498-2002

Sormani 4495-3876 Ext. 3222

The Lagoon

4484-8000

4495-3876 4408-0840 4466-2616

Majlis 4448-1234 4436-2947

Tajine 4435-5554 Tangia 4434-3333 The Tent

4432-8888

Turkey Central

4443-2927

4002-7245

Indian

Vine 4446-0105

Italian

Biryani Hut

4464-1401

Bombay Baiti

4428-1428

Bice Ristorante

4495-3876

Chingari 4428-1428

Carluccio’s 4495-3876

Idyl Factory

6674-1143

Cucina 4419-6100

Royal Indian

4466-6876

Di Capri

4428-8698

Royal Tandoor Al Souq St., Jasra 4444-6151 Souq Waqif 4432-3244

Fabio’s Pizza

4416-5641

Saffron Lounge

3325-8919

Sukh Sagar

4431-9172

Taj Rasol

4429-8888

ne! i l n o s u e e S w.qatarhappening.com 80

Cosmo Restaurant

The Dining Room (Fraser Suites Hotel)

Liza 4495-3876 Marmara Istanbul

Corniche 4429-8888

Maxim 4428-1428

Layali 4431-0005 Lebanese Shawarma

Choices 4402-3333

4433-6666

Istanbul Sultan Dining Restaurant 4468-5089 Khan Rafouk Tarab Café

4472-2666

The Dining Room (Al Najada Boutique Hotel)

Argan 4433-6666 Burj Al Hamam

Blue Brasserie Restaurant

II Teatro

4494-8888

La Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant

4436-7991

La Veranda

4485-4444

Picasso’s 4428-1428 Porcini 4484-8000 Romano’s Macaroni Grill

4451-7585

The Italian Job

4428-1428

Japanese

Bar Food

Cafés

Neo 4432-2508

Belgian Café

4484-4444

Oishi Sushi

4442-8989

De Ozone

4470-8822

Alison Nelson’s Chocolate Bar

4495-3878 Ext. 1311

Sakura 4428-1428

Madison Piano Bar

4428-8888

Al Jalsa

4425-6666 4434-3203

Strata Restaurant & Lounge

4015-8888

Pool Bar

4484-4444

Al Kut Lounge

Sushi Minto

4467-5577

Shehrazad 4428-1428

Al Mandarine

4463-3748

Yen Sushi Bar

4428-8888

The Irish Harp

4485-4444

Atrium Lounge

4485-4444

4405-3325

Bab Al Baher

4423-3333

The Lounge

Mediterranean

Wahm 4453-5353

Aramede 4408-7777

Burgers

Bert’s Café 4495-3876 Ext 1381 Biscoti 4448-1282

Bistro Bistro

4428-1428

La Villa

4446-2222

American Grill

Le Central Restaurant

4428-8888

Chili’s 4466-0663

Medi @ The Village

4444-4700

Fuddruckers

4411-0188 4483-3983

Café De Biznez

4470-8822

Café Tasse

4444-7017

Café Vergnano 4495-3876 Ext. 2611

Hardee’s 4467-8750

Coffee Time

4466-7551

Rocca 4448-1234

Johnny Rockets

4455-2792

Colombiano

4434-2753

The Cellar

TGI Friday’s

4488-7008

Dean and Deluca

4451-9780

Dell @ The Village

4444-4700

Gourmet House

4405-3333

Jones the Grocer

4407-7175

La Margarita

4409-4444

Le Gourmet

4436-1789

Lime Café

4496-6600

Maya La Chocolatiere Landmark Mall Villaggio Mall MBCo (The Gate Mall) Al Emaadi Financial Square

4486-2264 4417-8132 4407-7130 4411-7224

Moka and Co

4458-3232

Orangery Café Troittor

4428-8888

Quick Bites

4419-6134 4446-0105

Mykonos 4484-4444 4402-3333

Seafood

Persian Grill @ The Village

4444-4700

Southeast Asian Asia Live!

4429-8888

Chowking Delivery Hotline 4431-1212 Mamoura 4486-6077 Al Khor 4411-8816/17 Salwa Road 4437-1212 Al Sadd St. 4431-4411 Holiday Villa 4411-5225/335 Mango Tree

4495-3876

Nusantao: Sea Kitchens

4494-8888

Spice Market

4453-5353

Sri Kebaya

4434-0838

The Noodle House City Center Mall The Pearl

4411-5063 4495-3876

Wok Mee Noodle House

4496-6600

Al Dana

4425-6666

Al Dente Seafood Restaurant

4472-2666

Al Sayyad

4484-7420

Al Sultan Brahim

4446-0105

Fish Market

4484-4444

L’wzaar 4408-0710 Pampano 4495-3876 Pier 12

4428-1428

Steakhouses Bentley’s Grill

4428-1428

Sarab Lounge

JW’s Steakhouse

4429-8888

Savor 4408-7777

Le Grill

4484-7412

Shisha Garden

4428-8888

4419-6100

Sky Lounge

4402-3333

Prime 4015-8888

Sugar and Spice

4411-4456

The Butcher Shop and Grill

4413-5508

The Courtyard

4433-6444

4446-2222

The Drawing Room

4433-6666

The Lobby Lounge

4484-8000

The Terrace Lounge

4433-6555

Torch Café

4446-5600

W Café

4453-5353

Ya Hala

4423-3333

New York Steakhouse

The Old Manor Steakhouse

Sports

s k c i P p o T â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s h t This Mon

Al Gharafa Spor ts Hall

Doha Sailing Club

2nd International Karate Championships

Sail Qatar Regatta Oct 1-5: Qatar Sailing Club. Qatar will once again play host to the Sail Qatar Regatta and Match Racing International Regatta. For more information call 4443-9840.

Oct 25-26: Al Gharafa Sports Hall. Witness the power of karate this October. For more information call 4489-1555.

Aspire Zone 17th Gulf Judo Championships Oct 11-14: Aspire Zone. Watch the masters of judo battle it out for the coveted championship. For more information visit www.qtjf.org.

OUT om .c CHECaK ppening

atarh tion! www.qthe latest informa for

Hamad Aquatics FINA Arena Swimming World Cup Oct 20-21: Hamad Aquatic Center. The best swimmers will land in Doha this month to participate in the FINA Arena Swimming World Cup 25m Series. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out on this event. For more information call 4411-6000.

Sheraton Doha Sport & Environment Conference (GCC) Oct 22-24: Sports will take center stage this month at the Sheraton Doha for this important regional conference. For more information call 4485-4444.

Sports

Let’s Get Ready

Carlito goes in for a smash-down

To Rumble! As told to Jorge Granda

Wrestling enthusiasts in Qatar are in for a knock-‘em-out smackdown of epic proportions as Doha sets the stage for the Qatar Pro Wrestling World Championship featuring world-famous wrestlers Bobby Lashley, Carlito and Big V.

restling fanatics get your game face on, as the Qatar Pro Wrestling World Championship heats up Hyatt Plaza Mall from October 3-5, with organizer Qatar Pro Wrestling (QPW), in cooperation with Hyatt Plaza Mall and Global Entertainment bringing the best titans of the ring to Doha. Mr. Ali Al Marafia, founder and Chairman of QPW is excited at what’s in store. “With exceptional wrestlers coming from all over the world, the QPW championship will be an action-packed and memorable event for the wrestling lovers in our country,” he says. “The championship is organized with an exceptional focus [on combining] Western and Oriental wrestling concepts in a single event, creating a unique wrestling championship for the first time in the history of the Middle East.”

Don’t mess with Big V

The QPW championship will take place in the well-primed and spacious tent, built to bring in quality events from around the world, at the Hyatt Plaza premises. The three-day, unique series of shows will feature a full roster of popular wrestlers including Bobby Lashley, Carlito, Big V, Alofa, Chris Raaber, Chris Master, Michael Kovac, Johnny Moss, Rene Dupree, Shehab Al Mossa and Matt Cross. These renowned pros will fight numerous rounds over the three days to win the championship belt. The belt is currently on display at Hyatt Plaza so all wrestling fans and aficionados can have a closer look at the most coveted title in the Middle East. Preliminary rounds of the QPW championship will take place on October 3 and 4, followed by the finals on October 5. n

Bobby Lashley strikes an imposing figure on the ropes

Qatar Pro Wrestling World Championship Where: Hyatt Plaza Shopping Mall When: October 3-5 Tickets: Available at all Virgin Megastores across Qatar. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.virginmegastore.me. Prices start from QR 100 up to QR 750. Contact: 5016-1530 or info@qpw-wrestling.com

Sports

Searching for Balance?

Try Yoga!

By Mai Akkad Photography by Jessie Palanca

Yama Yoga Studios is offering a full schedule for the fall season. We take to the studio to see what they have on the menu and learn all about the benefits of yoga.

wenty-five years ago, Valerie Jeremijenko was just beginning the practice of yoga. Today, she’s the owner of Yama Yoga Studios in Doha, a business that has grown within a short four-year span to offer 50 classes a week, teacher training courses, international workshops and many more wellness-related programs. This buzzing yoga studio, offers a wide range of classes catering to every level and age group. There are beginner sessions to more advanced classes such as Ashtanga and Vinyasa flow. There are also pre-natal, teen and kids yoga classes. With this variety, you can choose the class that’s suitable for you and start enjoying the benefits of yoga. Many people are hesitant to try it out, worrying it’s a practice for the superflexible or for tree-huggers, but these are mere stereotypes. According to Jeremijenko, people from all walks of life can enhance their physical and mental well-being through practicing yoga regularly.

Physical Benefits “You will become flexible by doing yoga, but this is not [its main] purpose,” Jeremijenko said. “The purpose of yoga on a physical level is to help find a little more freedom and a little more room in the body.” Also, she says yoga helps improve circulation, blood pressure, mobility and the release of pain. “A lot of the pain comes from just not moving.”

Mental Benefits Why take prescription drugs or spend your afternoons on a psychologist’s couch when you can tackle your stress levels and anxiety by practicing some yoga? The physical aspect of yoga helps bring calmness to the mind, therefore your stress levels reduce and you are able to think more clearly. “Yoga is a valuable tool when you’re grieving,” said Jeremijenko. “Yoga is really helpful when you’re displaced or when your emotional networks are not there; yoga and breath and meditation can help you find them again within yourself.”

What Do Yama Yogis Say? Melissa Ponjae, from the US, has been going to Yama Yoga for two years. She goes to Jeremijenko’s Friday morning Ashtanga class, where she finds the physical aspect the most intriguing part of the practice. “It pushes you and it definitely develops your practice. It’s a good way to start the weekend.” Also, Salma Suliman, from Sudan, shared her views after her second class in the studio. “I felt very challenged but I’m happy there are alternatives to work on my own level,” she said. “The atmosphere makes you feel like you’re out of the whole world, which gives me a more rich experience. You need something to put back balance in your life.”

Community Lastly, we can’t turn a blind eye on the sense of community that Yama Yoga-goers enjoy. “There

Yoga has the power to heal from the

inside out

is enough variety in the classes that when you find the class that is right for you, you find a whole group of people waiting to meet you,” said Jeremijenko. For instance, many Yama yoga ‘mothers to be’ enjoy taking the pre-natal and birth education classes throughout their pregnancy; then after giving birth, they come back for the post-natal classes. Also, on Saturday mornings, the studio offers both adults and kids yoga classes simultaneously, so that parents can come with their children to spend the morning practicing yoga. Another aspect of the community-feel at Yama Yoga is that the teachers are all from the same community. Many started practicing at Yama Yoga and then went through the various training programs to become fully-qualified instructors. “Having teachers from your own community who really understand the challenges of balancing life in Doha, makes it feel so much more like a home,” said Jeremijenko. n Yama Yoga Studios offers classes in two locations: in Garveys, located off Salwa Road and Asas Towers in West Bay. For more information about the schedule and courses offered visit www.yamayogastudios.com.

Sports

Revelations Of A Fitness Fanatic By Jonny Parr Photography by Jessie Palanca

Jonny Parr is a man on a mission. Owner and founder of Absolute Fitness, he wants to get you active and reveling in the delights of a healthy and fit lifestyle. In the first installment of his new monthly column, he speaks briefly about his personal fitness adventure to date, the power of self-improvement, and five reasons why you have to jump on the fitness bandwagon. Everyone Has A Story To Tell - Here’s Mine Like most people, I always remember important moments in my life. This was no different. I had just competed in my first power-lifting competition in 2009 and won the dead-lift event in my weight category. During this time, a lot of thoughts and feelings rushed through my head as the adrenaline continued to pump through my body. I felt numerous emotions – happiness, relief, disbelief, euphoria and confidence. Yet throughout this instant, I immediately had a flashback to something my Mum told me as a nipper - all great adventures start with one simple vision. She was right. I had a vision to compete in power-lifting and I achieved it. The result wasn’t priority for me, but the process I had to go through in order to compete – training, nutrition,

discipline, dedication and planning, paved the way for an adventure in self-development. You see, being fit, or to be more precise, getting fit, is a process that can improve and make you better in all areas of your life. This ‘vision’ of competing in power-lifting, allowed me to learn healthy habits, which in turn, have helped me with other avenues of life, such as relationships, career and health.

Flying High

Jonny Parr shows us some training postu res at Education City’s Georgetown gym

I’m flying the flag for fitness, as I strongly believe there’s a direct correlation with this tool and self-improvement. For the most part, modern-day males and females want to look good, feel great and be able to perform any task at a second’s notice. Taking control of your health and fitness can help do this, plus more.

somewhat predictable life. I got my necessary qualifications at school, before graduating from university with a Sports honours degree, and a PE Teaching post-graduate degree.

My fitness love affair started in my homeland of Scotland, UK, where I started to lead a

During this time, I coached, read, listened, interned and studied extensively both fitness

and sport. Importantly, I still continue to do this. (You’re probably thinking I have OCD, which may be partly true!) However, I like to think of my actions as simply committed. I have trained countless clients in both the UK and Qatar, which has since led me to form my own company, Absolute Fitness. (www.absolutefitnessqatar.com) My personal vision now supports Qatar’s 2030 National Vision in providing, supporting, and empowering the people of Qatar - people like you -to become healthier and fitter. I intend to strip back the unnecessary clutter that confines the fitness industry and provide you with the best, most realistic, most innovative, fitness tips and advice I possibly can. What’s more, I want you to come along for the ride. I want to empower you so you can take action and dramatically improve your health, fitness and life. Whether you want the energy of a road-runner or the body of Superman, let’s make it happen!

Top Tips Here are four simple reasons you have to fall in love with fitness: 1. Exercise makes you feel happy There’s no denying the link between exercise and feeling joyful. Study after study supports this statement, explaining that exercise helps release endorphins or feel-good hormones. Train often, smile often! 2. Exercise improves your relationships Taking care of yourself is the first step to taking care of others. Mum, Dad, grandparents, siblings and friends all rely on your love, energy and empathy. There simply is no better reason to exercise than that of helping those closest to you. 3. Exercise makes you productive at work Regularly exercising builds healthy habits that can significantly improve your work performance such as motivation, enthusiasm, discipline and confidence. Your boss will love you for it and who knows, maybe you’ll get that promotion. 4. Exercise makes you healthier Regular exercise has a positive effect on your health such as controlling your weight (i.e. fat loss), and protecting you from health conditions and diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and arthritis. n Jonny Parr is the founder of Absolute Fitness in Qatar (www.absolutefitnessqatar.com). If you’re interested in individual or group personal training, please call 3385-2696 or email info@absolutefitness.me.

Getting fit is as much a state of mind as it is a physical commitment

Sports Listings

ed ategoriz gs are c ion is limited in t s li ll s A e, with el. Inclu per hot ability of spac rtisers. il e a v ad to av given to priority

INTERCONTINENTAL DOHA Pilates

Sun & Tues: This special class focuses on a series of non-impact exercises designed to develop abdominal strength, flexibility, balance and improved postural alignment. Slow and controlled movements strengthen and lengthen muscles to help re-balance the body. QR 50 for non-members. Sundays from 10:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m., Tuesdays from 9:15 a.m. till 10:15 a.m.

EVERY WEEK GOKULAM PARK DOHA Sports & Fitness

Daily: Health Club. Burn off your calories at the state-of-the-art health club with the latest equipment overlooking the city. Or, draw out toxins while soothing weary or aching muscles and joints in the sauna and steam room on the 12th floor. Open Sun-Thurs from 6:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. and Fri & Sat from 8:00 a.m. till 8:00 p.m. For more information call 4470-8822 or visit www.gokulamdoha.com.

INTERCONTINENTAL DOHA Abdominal Workout

Mon & Fri: New fitness studio. A conditioning workout that focuses on toning and strengthening your core muscles. Your instructor will zone in on developing and maintaining correct techniques to ensure that you receive the benefits of this workout. QR 50 for non-members. Mondays from 5:00 p.m. till 6:00 p.m., Fridays from 9:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m.

Zumba Fitness

Mon, Wed & Fri: An aerobic workout with a mixture of Latin and international music fused together to create a fun, dance party atmosphere while burning calories! So if you think you can dance then Zumba is for you. Members QR 30 and QR 50 for non-members, Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. till 8:00 p.m. and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m.

Body Pump

Sun, Mon & Tue: This class is designed to give you a total body workout focusing on toning and strengthening your muscles. This pre-choreographed class has the latest music and is refreshed every three months. With regular attendance, participants will burn fat, gain strength and develop lean muscle. Members QR 30 and QR 50 for non-members, Sundays from 6:00 p.m. till 7:00 p.m., Mondays from 10:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m. and Tuesdays from 7:15 p.m. till 8:15 p.m.

Step And Pump

Wednesdays: This class combines 25 minutes of a cardio-step workout and 25 minutes of weight training set to music. The focus is on developing your fitness and strength while participating in a fun, varied class. Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m., members QR 30 and non-members QR 50.For information on all classes please call 4484-4852.

SHARQ VILLAGE & SPA Six Senses Spa Fitness Promotions

Daily: Stay fit and healthy with Six Senses Spa at Sharq Village & Spa. Buy 10 personal training sessions and get one session free. Buy the 15-session partner training package and get one personal training session free. Buy 10 yoga personal training sessions and get two 30-minute meditation sessions free. For more information call 4425-6999/6995 or email reservations-sharq-spa@sixsenses.com.

THE ST. REGIS DOHA Adult Tennis Clinic

Fridays: Recreation and Lifestyle Center. Improve your serve with personal coaching sessions. Maximum three people per class, with qualified tennis instructors and equipment provided if required. QR 150 per person, from 9:00 a.m. till 10:00 a.m. (Limited space.) For more information call 4446-0304 or email recreation.doha@stregis.com.

Snorkelling Adventures

Fri-Mon: Departing from their private jetty in a luxury speedboat, enjoy a scenic tour of the coastline of Doha then snorkel in the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf. Snorkelling gear provided (mask, fins, tube.) Water and towels also provided. Reservations required. QR 230 per person. From 10:15 a.m. till 11:15 a.m. For more information call 4446-0304 or email recreation.doha@stregis.com.

Sunset Cruise

By Reservation Only: Enjoy a scenic tour of the coastline of Doha, the MIA Park and Dhow area before heading out to sand island for QR 230. The luxury speedboat departs from their private jetty. Reservations required. From 5:30 p.m. till 6:30 p.m. For more information call 4446-0304 or email recreation.doha@stregis.com.

WYNDHAM GRAND REGENCY Perfect Figure Fat Burning Studio

Sat-Thurs: Angsana Spa. Perfect Figure Therapy is a natural and effective alternative to surgery and the aim is to eliminate cellulite and burn fat. Results are obtained through exercising under low atmosphere pressure, which optimizes the results. From 10:00 a.m. till 7:00 p.m. To book your course or for more information call 4434-3446/3333.

Activities & Clubs TechnoShape

Sat-Thurs: Angsana Spa. Try out this new, advanced body-shaping technology from Europe. Fast inch loss from the stomach waist and hips. A healthy alternative to a tummy-tuck surgery. Suitable for men and women, see incredible results with a course of sessions. For more information call 4434-3446/3333.

THE DIPLOMATIC CLUB Pilates

Sun, Mon & Wed: Pilates is the system of strengthening and stretching exercises designed to develop the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core, mobilize the spine and build flexibility. It teaches you how to train your mind and build symmetry and coordination in the body. From 5:00 p.m. till 5:45 p.m.

Aqua Fitness

Sat & Tues: Captivates the joy of movement and the expression of life through integrating world rhythms and music. The fusion of aquatic fitness with dance-based choreography will give you a movement base free from boundaries. From 10:00 a.m. till 10:45 a.m

Zumba

Mon, Tues & Thurs: A global lifestyle brand that fuses fitness, entertainment and culture into an exhilarating dance party workout! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a combination of different types of dance styles from hip-hop and Latin to house and even contemporary! This 50-minute cardio workout has something for everyone! Mondays from 6:15 p.m. till 7:15 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. till 5:45 p.m.

Water-Sport Activities

Daily: The blue waters of West Bay Lagoon beckon to all who love to ride the waves. An array of water-sport activities are available on request, ranging from wakeboarding, kayaking, screamer rides, banana boat rides, fishing and leisure boat trips, to dinghy sailing. From 10:00 a.m. till 10:45 a.m. For more information on all activities call 4484-7450 or email spa. recreation@dclub.com.qa.

Bike Riding

Sailing

Bowling

Regatta Sailing Academy 4442-4577 or www.regattasailingacademy.com

The Corniche Aspire Park

The Qatar Bowling Center 4432-9178 or www.qatarbowlingcenter.net Gondolania Bowling Center (Villaggio) 4403-9807 or www.gondolania.com Strike Bowling Alley (City Center) 4483-9162

Golf

The Doha Golf Club 4496-0777 or www.dohagolfclub.com

Horse Riding

Al Khor Riding Center 4421-8857

See us online! om www.qatarhappening.c

Al Samariya Stables 5525-7203 or qatarracing@gmail.com Al Shaqab Riding Academy 4454-6236 or www.alshaqab.com

Doha Sailing Club 4443-9840 or www.qmsf.com

Royal Yachting Association Courses www.ryacourses-qatar.com

Swimming

Aspire Academy for Sporting Excellence 4413-6219 or www.aspire.qa Aqua Park 4490-5872 or aquaparkqa@gmail.com

Tennis & Squash

Khalifa Tennis & Squash Complex 4440-9666

Walking

Park at Museum of Islamic Art The Corniche The Pearl-Qatar (2.5 km) Aspire Park

Ice-Skating

Winter Wonderland (City Center) 4483-9162 Gondolania Ice Arena (Villaggio) 4403-9807 or www.gondolania.com

QH Sensations

RECOMMENDS

your Tell us what you think! Send ing.com reviews to info@qatarhappen

ick! Editor’s P

Jorge Bali, Indonesia

Ashlee Insanity by BeachBody If you consider yourself a gym junkie then I dare you to try Insanity. Dubbed ‘the hardest workout ever put on DVD’, this intense 60-day program promises big results. Having packed on the pounds since my move to Doha (constant food reviews, they city’s non-walking friendly layout and a hatred of the gym will do it), it’s time to trim the fat. I’ve had friends who’ve gone through the program with great results – not necessarily the six-pack abs that they claim you can get, but still shedding big pounds nonetheless. Starting off with a fit test and intro DVD, you do one workout a day that focuses on cardio, plyometric exercise and then a recovery disc, plus one day off a week. It’s intense. But the great part is that you can do it in your own living room with no equipment, you use your own body weight as resistance in order to get results. Visit www.beachbody.com to order your own set and let Shaun T kick your butt on a daily basis. QR 1,050 for full DVD set, inclusive of exercise mat, two bonus workout DVDs and shipping and handling fees.

Srimani Yee Hwa Restaurant If you enjoy authentic Japanese and Korean cuisine, one of the best little hole-in-the-wall places in town is Yee Hwa at the Doha Downtown Hotel in the Al Sadd area. The perfect spot to grab a quick lunch on the go, they have all-you-can-eat sushi on Sundays and Korean BBQ every Monday and Wednesday. With one of the most extensive sushi roll menus available and a Korean BBQ grill on each table you’re spoiled for choice. For more information call 4441-9898 or like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/YeeHwaDoha.

This summer I travelled to what it’s been so far one of the most beautiful and peaceful destinations I’ve been to – Bali. Resembling Thailand, it’s much greener and in my opinion, more beautiful. The temples are astonishing and the weather idyllic during the summer. I would highly recommend anyone who travels to Bali to stay in Nusa Dua as the nicest, five-star hotels are there and plenty of restaurants and shopping malls all around. We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard Nusa Dua, where a standard deluxe room costs around QR 382 per night, subject to change. To book your stay visit www.marriott.com.

Marlynne Chet Gucci Oversized Sunnies With a design that begs to be worn, these sunglasses are the perfect way to protect your eyes from sun exposure while making a fashion statement. Everyone knows and loves Gucci and this pair will have you turning any street in Doha into your own personal runway. With a retail price of QR 1,200, you can pick up a set of your own at the Gucci store in Villaggio Mall. For more info call 4413-4612 to make sure they’re still in stock.

Makeup Magic I so love these products. Thank you L’Occitane and Make Up For Ever! I don’t have much time to put on make-up every morning but I still want to look good, so I dab the L’Occitane Sublime Beauty Cream on my face for instant flawless skin and Make Up For Ever’s Smoky Lash Mascara to perk up my eyes. This lovely duo can make me (and you!) look chic in less time. Genius! QR 84 for mascara, available at Make Up For Ever outlets, QR 160 for beauty cream, available at L’Occitane stores in Villaggio and Landmark Malls.

QH Sensations

Little

Luxuries By Jorge Granda and Ashlee Starratt Photography by Jessie Palanca

In desperate need of a little R&R? Whether it’s school, work or life in general, we all need an indulgent break from time to time. We bring you four new treatments at four of the city’s most lush spas in our round-up to relaxation.

a p S s n o s a e S r u o F The

Moroccan Hammam Location: The Four Seasons Duration: 2 hours Price: QR 1,395 Contact: 4494-8888 New to the spa at The Four Seasons, the Moroccan Hammam treatment is a fresh new experience that will tantalize even the most jaded spa-goers. Held in their spa suite the room consists of two massage tables, a jacuzzi, steam room and shower. The ritual starts off by washing and scrubbing the feet in a bath of lemon and mint, followed by a 10-minute plunge in the jacuzzi to open up the pores. Then it’s off to the steam room which I found the most intense part of the experience, (it’s hot in there!), where my therapist smeared my entire body with a rich, deep Moroccan Black Soap emulsion. After letting it soak in I grab a quick shower before hopping back up on the massage table for a full-body exfoliant scrub using the spa’s signature Moroccan Kessa Gloves. The sensation of it is out of this world and I laid there with my eyes closed picturing myself, quite literally, shedding my old skin and embracing the new. Afterwards, my therapist slathered me with a Rhassoul Body Clay Mask before cocooning me in plastic wrap to sweat out any toxins left in my epidermis. While doing this she also gave me the most relaxing argan oil head-massage I’ve ever had. The proof is in the pudding – I fell asleep on the table! Finally after one last quick shower, the treatment is topped off by an intense moisturizing session with argan lotion and a massage. If you’re not a relaxed bowl of Jello by the time you leave, there’s something wrong with you!

Saray Spa Fruits of Arabia Package & Saray Age Defying Body Rehydrator Location: The Renaissance Doha City Center Duration: 80 mins Price: QR 650 for both treatments Contact: 4419-6090 The Fruits of Arabia Package is about as indulgent as it gets. Using nature’s traditional offerings from this region, the session starts out with a full-body scrub of fig concentrate and powdered figs. It smells amazing and as I lay face down on the massage table I can feel pieces of fig dropping into my upturned hands. As my therapist, Pearl, works the emulsion into my back I almost want to pop them in my mouth – a mid-spa snack! After a quick rinse, Pearl paints me with a second mixture of pomegranate (both pure and extracts) and date sugar and wraps me up on the heated massage table so the revitalizing enzymes in the fruit can penetrate the deeper layers of my skin. After a second shower the treatment ends with a heavenly back and scalp massage with frankincense and fig oils. Lush! The Age Defying Body Rehydrator treatment takes place in a very peaceful chamber and

consists of a scrub, wrap and relaxation massage. Once I’m comfortable on the massage bed, the therapist applies the scrub to my feet, legs, back, shoulders, chest and stomach. Each area is carefully exfoliated to properly remove the dead skin. The entire scrubbing takes about 25 minutes. After a generous shower to rinse off all the residuals, the treatment continues with the soft application of a fragrant lemon, citrus and papaya cream that’s evenly distributed all over the body. I’m then wrapped in a cocoon with a warm blanket placed on top for 20

minutes. Meanwhile the therapist massages my scalp and hair (contrary to some other spas where they leave you alone in the room), making the experience even more serene and soothing. After the second part of the treatment, another shower follows before I finally get to luxuriate with a 25-minute relaxation back massage. An intensive body lotion loaded with anti-aging ingredients and properties is worked deep into my skin and I emerge relaxed and refined with a healthy glow.

QH Sensations

Angsana Spa Classic Muscle Ease Massage & Signature Bamboo Body Massage Location: The Wyndham Grand Regency Duration: 60 mins & 90 mins Price: QR 385 for Muscle Ease QR 550 for Signature Bamboo Contact: 4434-3152 or www.angsanaspa.com The Classic Muscle Ease Massage at Angsana is the perfect treatment for our tired, overworked bodies. It’s simple, straight-forward and unbelievably amazing. Starting off, the nice thing about Angsana is that you don’t have to worry about leaving your belongings in a locker. I’m ushered into my own private room, complete with bathroom and shower, where I can hang my clothes and wash up after my treatment. (Hairdryers are provided upon request.) My therapist Nur first asks me if there are any areas in particular that I would like her to work on. Since I suffer from frequent headaches and

some lower back pain, my neck, upper shoulders and lower lumbar region get the most attention. She uses a delicious almond and lemongrass massage oil as she works my legs, arms, back, stomach, neck and scalp into relaxed oblivion. A quick note about massage: it’s not always supposed to feel good. Some discomfort is a normal part of the experience as you get the knots and kinks worked out; but Nur’s deft hands do the trick and she keeps the pressure to a medium. Afterwards I feel wobbly, but completely relaxed and renewed. A good massage has as much of a mental benefit as it does a physical one and Angsana Spa has some of the best practitioners I’ve come across yet. The Signature Bamboo treatment consists of the soothing touch of warm bamboo and therapeutic long, firm massage strokes to ease stiff muscles and stimulate blood circulation. What makes bamboo so special and worthy of being in these pages isn’t any specific or

extravagant technique. The massage is quite simple, but the therapist is definitely the star. The masseur is from Thailand and he’s a great example of why Thai massage practitioners are sought after the world over. The treatment starts with the therapist cleaning my feet and hands with a wet towel. Afterwards, I’m placed face down on the massage table; the moment the masseur begins, I know I’m in for a full 90 minutes of extreme relaxation. It feels like his hands are just sliding across my entire body, like a perfect breeze caressing my legs, arms and back. When he scrolls the warm pieces of bamboo up and down my back the pressure is so soft that I have trouble telling when he’s using the bamboo or his hands – it’s a perfect synergy. The combination of the music, ambiant décor of the room, perfect dimmed lighting and the incredibly tender touch makes this massage one of the best I’ve had in my life. Throughout the 90 minutes I’m absolutely submerged in total serenity and relaxation, leaving all of the cares of the world behind.

Eforea Spa Autumn Blush Package & Signature Body Repair & De-stress Face Treatment plus Express Eyes Location: The Hilton Doha Duration: 90 mins Price: QR 750 for Autumn Blush QR 750 for Signature Body Repair & De-Stress Face QR 120 for Express Eyes Contact: 4423-3333 or doha.spa@hilton.com or www.eforeaspa.com This isn’t my first time at Eforea Spa; it’s one of my favourite wellness centres in Doha and each experience has solidified my status as a bona-fide fan. Today I’m here to try their Autumn Blush Package, consisting of a hot stone back massage, hydrating facial and moisturizing foot wrap. I’m thrilled to find out that my therapist is the same one who’s treated me before, Ashvima. She’s amazing, going the extra mile to accommodate my needs, making sure I’m completely comfortable and explaining every step of the process. The massage with hot stones is a first for me. After limbering up my muscles with a firm hand and some extra elbow grease to knead out a few particularly tough knots, Ashvima sweeps hot stones all over my back, neck and shoulders. The movements are so fluid it could lull me to sleep and although the stones are extremely hot, they never linger in one place long enough to burn and they cool off very quickly. The hydrating facial and foot wrap are equally blissful, as my face and feet are cleansed, exfoliated and painted with a rich, hydrating mask. While my tootsies are kept toasty in a warm wrap, Ashvima washes off my facial mask and dabs on a rich, hydrating serum. She then uses a Kerstin Florian micro-currant machine that uses a slight electric pulse to help the serum penetrate into the deep layers of my skin. The end results are fabulous – my face looks dewy and fresh, my feet are silky and my tired muscles are like butter. I’m very excited about the Signature Body Repair and De-Stress Face Treatment because it’s designed to release tension and stimulate blood circulation and lymphatic flow. The facial cleanses, refines and hydrates the face, refreshing the skin tone, and I’m hoping to get good results. The therapist starts by running a warm bamboo stick across my upper body, paying special attention to my shoulders and neck, stretching my muscles. It’s so relaxing, but the best part for me is the facial. It’s complete,

calming ‘zen’ as my therapist cleanses my face with different creams and then proceeds to exfoliate. He also gives me an accompanying scalp massage to enhance the experience, and I end up falling asleep on the table! The final part of the treatment is the Express Eyes, a 20-minute session intended to brighten the eye area and help strengthen the ocular muscles. It also targets fine lines and other signs of aging around the eyes and was a nice little add-on to the whole experience. I was promised I’d leave the spa looking fresh and with glowing skin and I certainly did. n

QH Sensations

All your meals planned out for the next three days and jam-packed with nutrients? Yes, please!

Got Juice? By Ashlee Starratt Photography by Jessie Palanca

Juicing is no longer a trendy ‘fad’ for the ultra-health conscious, but a lifestyle that anyone can adopt with the right approach and motivation to look better, feel better and live better. We turned to Qatar-based company Raw ME to get us started on a three-day detox of fruity proportions.

e have a lot of health-savvy folks here at the QH offices and juicing is not a novel concept for this bunch – there’s already a juicing machine and a blender in our office kitchen! But for me, it was something that I hadn’t tried before and wanted to get on the bandwagon. I was recently introduced to the owner and founder of juicing company Raw ME, Layla Al-Dorani, who offered to help me get started on a basic three-day juice cleanse that promised to leave my body feeling rejuvenated and free of toxins accumulated through my diet, lifestyle and environment. The first of its kind in the region, Raw ME is head-quartered in Barwa Village where they cold press a variety of fresh juices specific to your cleanse and deliver them right to your door. There are five different combinations, all with

different purposes to help you along your way to a better well-being. To start the cleanse you must first prep your body at least three days in advance by cutting out caffeine, alcohol, sugar, heavy carbs and red meats. Steamed fish, vegetables and fresh fruit should be your menu staples before you start juicing. This gives your body a head-start to eliminate all the heavy foods that can hinder digestion and proper absorption of nutrients. The first day of the detox was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be. I had to drink two Green Junkie juices throughout the day – a mixture of spinach, parsley, lettuce, cucumber, and apple it’s the most potent of the concoctions and also the hardest to get down. But the health impact it has on your colon and intestinal tract is a mighty one –within an hour my stomach

was rumbling, but not from hunger pangs if you get my meaning. There was also the Cool Crush which was my hands-down favourite, a refreshing mixture of pineapple, mint and apple; Beet It, which combined beetroot, carrot, ginger and apple; Sucker Punch, a spicy blend of lemon, water, agave and cayenne pepper and Go Nuts, a deliciously creamy mix of cashew nut, dates, cinnamon and vanilla. By the second day I was starting to feel the pull of hunger, though I was noticing my mind was clearer, my skin more glowing and my intestinal activity more regular. I did have a bad headache on the second day as well, which can be one of a number of side effects from the detox which can also include breakouts, constipation/diarrhea, fatigue and dry mouth. I was virtually starving by that evening, but Layla

told me that if you’re really hungry you can have some vegetable broth, a few slices of celery or cucumber, or a quarter of an avocado. Let me tell you, it’s not easy! Especially if you’ve never juiced before and your body is not accustomed to the drastic reduction in caloric intake. Don’t get me wrong; every calorie you are taking in is jam-packed with vitamins and healthy nutrients, but it’s virtually carb-free and with limited protein, so juicing newcomers can find themselves crashing quickly. By the third day I could only make it half-way through (which I did feel bad about), but I began having some dizzy spells, even though I was trying to keep as hydrated as possible. I will chalk that up to it being a first-time shock to my system that I wasn’t used to, but I have to say that I lost a lot of belly bloat and water retention through the constant elimination of what I was taking in. We had a chance to chat full-on with Layla about the process of juicing and what’s the best approach to tackling your first detox: QH: What’s unique about Raw ME is that it’s the first of its kind in the Middle East and it’s produced locally here in Qatar. Tell us a bit about your cold-press system. Where possible, do you source ingredients locally as well? LA: This hydraulic cold-press method of juice extraction provides a minimum mixing of air with the juices which results in very slow oxidation or decomposition. The tremendous pressure exerted by the juice press gently and completely extracts the natural fruit sugars, vitamins, trace minerals, enzymes, and other vital elements. Cold-pressing juice is the only method of juicing that enables [it] to be bottled (without preservatives) and still maintain a 3-5 day shelf life. As our company expands, you will soon be seeing different product lines available in the market in Qatar. QH: How does the cleanse work? How do you come up with the different combinations of juices and what benefit does each one have? LA: The combinations of fruits and veggies were calculated according to the health properties and benefits they offer. Each juice has a unique signature that helps for different purposes during the cleanse. • Green Junkie: lettuce is an excellent source of vitamin A which helps support immunity; cucumber washes the kidneys and bladder and parsley purifies the blood in addition to protecting and nourishing the kidneys.

Raw ME founder Layla Al-Dorani will have you jumping for joy over

• Cool Crush: apple lowers cholesterol, reducing risk of heart attack and stroke; pineapple aids indigestion and is antiinflammatory, offering antioxidant protection and promoting the immune system and mint has anti-septic and anti-inflammatory properties. • Beet It!: beet is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against cancers and is an excellent source of iron, potassium and foliate; carrot is rich in carotenoids, reducing the risk of heart disease and beta-carotene helps maintain the tissues protecting your internal organs; ginger is anti-inflammatory and lowers cholesterol. • Sucker Punch: lemon is high in vitamin C, promotes a healthy immune system and has antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties; cayenne promotes respiratory health and increases circulation and agave regulates your blood sugar levels. • Go Nuts: cashews contain potent antioxidants and are a great source of copper and magnesium essential for healthy hair and skin; cinnamon regulates blood sugar and reduces pain linked to arthritis; vanilla has vitamin B complex and regulates metabolism and dates are very mineral-dense and curb hunger and anemia. QH: When beginning a Raw ME detox you provide clients with lots of important information prior to starting their cleanse

juice

and even tips for what happens afterwards. Can you tell us a few of the most critical reminders? LA: Hydrate! I cannot stress enough the importance of drinking water between your juices. It further helps with your detoxification process and releases other impurities. Also exercise; the more you sweat the better you will feel. If exercising is too much for you, then do something light like a walk outside (you’ll definitely sweat without doing much), steam room, yoga (those twists and turns help cleanse your internal organs like squeezing a sponge.) Finally, have fun! You have so much extra time on your hands because you’re not worried about your next meal and cooking that you could go to a spa, swim, catch up on your reading materials, or go shopping for new clothes since your tummy will be flat and you’ll be feeling fab for losing those extra few pounds. n

Raw ME Prices: QR 750, 3-day detox QR 1,500, week-long detox Custom detox packages also available Contact: Call 6613-9882 or email info@raw-me.com, or visit www.raw-me.com or www.facebook.com/rawmeqatar

QH Sensations Listings RECOMMENDS See us online! om www.qatarhappening.c

THE DIPLOMATIC CLUB Reflexology Treatment

Daily: Rebalance your body’s harmony by cleaning congested reflexes and boosting the immune system to help recover from illness, boost circulation, increase energy levels, and improve mental and emotional processes. It’s very relaxing and creates a feeling of well-being.

Swedish Treatment

THE DIPLOMATIC CLUB Hot Stone Treatment

Daily: Heated black stones are used to massage the whole body, releasing deep-seated tension. Works at relieving stress at the deepest level, as well as on the body’s energy channels and is a holistic and energizing therapy for body, mind and spirit.

DOHA MARRIOTT Sorisa Skinlight

Daily: Revitalize and rejuvenate your skin with Sorisa Skinlight for the effective treatment of wrinkles, pigmentation, hydration and improvement of skin tone and texture. The first of its kind in Doha, enjoy a special offer of 15% discount on all Sorisa treatments. For more information call 4429-8520.

GRAND HYATT DOHA Jaula Haute Facial Treatment

Daily: Jaula Spa & Club. Undergo the perfect customized facial treatment. The Jaula Haute Intensive facial, eye and décolleté treatment is the ultimate natural refreshment your face needs. With every Jaula Haute 90-minute treatment you’ll receive a 30-minute Tension Relief Massage. For appointment call 4448-1056/64.

HILTON DOHA Eforea Spa

Daily: This October Eforea Spa at Hilton invites you to indulge in their October special: the Slimming Detox Body Wrap, the Express Facial and a personal training session. The Slimming Detox Body Wrap uses an all-natural spirulina algae. This active seaweed treatment imparts essential vitamins, minerals and protein to nourish and revitalize the body. A warm wrap is followed by a revitalizing massage with detoxifying organic juniper and fennel oils. QR 650 for 120 minutes, including access to the thermal lounge. For more information call 4423-3441.

RENAISSANCE DOHA CITY CENTER Saray Spa

Daily: Indulge in an 80-minute head- to-toe back massage, hand and foot massage, plus express facial for QR 650. From 9:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. For more information call 4419-6090.

Saray Spa Joins Jean-Louis David Daily: Enjoy a Guys or Gals Spa Facial followed by manicure and pedicure for only QR 760. From 9:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. For more information call 4419-6090.

SHARQ VILLAGE & SPA Six Senses Spa Awake Express

Daily: This 80-minute treatment awakens the senses, combining three treatments into one quick package. Start your revitalizing experience with a deep-cleansing full-body scrub removing dead skin cells and leaving your skin silky, smooth and rejuvenated. Continue with an express back massage to relax the body and mind as your journey finishes with a mini-facial ritual that cleanses, tones and leaves you looking fresh. All treatments utilize Six Senses Spa signature products made from natural ingredients. Best of all, anyone who books this treatment will receive a Six Senses Travel Kit as a complimentary gift all for QR 850. For more information call 4425-6999/6995 or email reservations-sharq-spa@sixsenses.com.

Daily: Effective in ensuring a fast recovery from muscular strain, this treatment increases circulation, stimulates skin and soothes the nerves. Excellent for both mental and physical stress.

Thai Treatment

Daily: The techniques included in this treatment are therapeutic stretching, rhythmic deeptissue compression and acupressure-assisted yoga poses creating an energizing effect to reduce physical and emotional stress. For more information on all treatments call 4484-7450 or email spa.recreation@dclub.com.qa.

THE ST. REGIS DOHA Remède Spa Cooling Pearl Facial

Daily: This facial is famous for nourishing and protecting the skin like a mother shell nurtures a precious pearl. Powered by pure pearl extracts, white lotus stem cells and oxygen, the skin is infused with rare amino-acids, state-of-the-art peptides and essential minerals and vitamins to revive, brighten and battle aging. It’s a perfect after-summer treat for tired, dry skin. QR 1,000 for 90 minutes. From 10:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. For more information call 4446-0300 or email remedespa.doha@stregis.com.

W DOHA Bliss Spa

Daily: Book any Bliss Facial and receive a complimentary Bliss Hot Cream Manicure, also get 20% off on the Hydra-Facials. Indulge with a complimentary collagen mask when booking a Bliss facial. Stock up on all your favourite products and achieve a higher state of happy at Bliss with a 20% discount on all retail products on the October 14 and 15. Find out more at www.whoteldoha.com/bliss. For more information call 4453-5555 or emailblissdoha@whotels.com.

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Special Promotion

Alfardan Properties Strengthens Focus On Social Networking And Enhancing Tenants’ Experience

lfardan Properties sets a new benchmark of luxury in the real-estate industry in Qatar, as it focuses on exceeding the expectations of its high-end clientele by creating a social interactive atmosphere amongst them. In line with that, Alfardan Properties goes beyond fulfilling the tenants’ needs by taking a close look at the small details of their luxurious stay through their professional customer service team and creating a homely atmosphere with seasonal events conducted throughout the year. Over the years, Alfardan Properties consistently exceeded the satisfaction level of tenants by ensuring comfort and well-being through their stay in all its properties and actively engaging with tenants and communicating with them through a range of interactive initiatives such

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as neighbourhood community gatherings, informative newsletters and competitions, among others. Moreover, the customer service team of Alfardan Properties is available round-the-clock to cater to all tenant requirements, underlying the company’s customer-centric approach. Muhibullah Mani, COO, Alfardan Properties, said: “The various private social events being organized are part of annual activities under Alfardan Properties’ social initiatives that encourage interaction and create a sense of belonging among the tenants where they can meet their neighbours and the Alfardan Properties team. We strive to create a homely atmosphere for the tenants as we understand that they are away from their families and

friends and seek to have a familiar social experience at times. We therefore constantly strive to provide the best and unique experience for all residents not only through the wide range of luxurious amenities and value-added services, but also through the warm and hospitable environment that we cultivate in our residential communities. We believe that this is a very important initiative that distinguishes Alfardan Properties as a truly innovative company; setting the bar for high-level standards in Qatar’s luxury real estate industry through a focus on the customer-oriented experience.” Customers can communicate any requirement they have whether feedback on events or maintenance needs, or any request, through the Alfardan Properties’ 24-hour customer service

desk who take every single customer service observation seriously and immediately push for the necessary satisfactory actions. Alfardan Properties has conducted a series of social activities for tenants, including the Festive Season Events which were held recently at One Porto Arabia, Alfardan Gardens and Alfardan Towers. As part of its overall efforts to boost tenant relations and create a favourable social setting for the tenants, Alfardan Properties prepared special buffets in addition to games for children and a host of other fun-filled activities during the year-ending event. The unique and customized newsletter The Signature also takes part in adding value to the luxury lifestyle, as it shares the moments of joy and happiness the tenants experience, not to mention the exciting photos, articles and tips it provides. Established in 1990, Alfardan Properties has dominated Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premium and luxury property segment for the past 20 years. Recognized as a brand synonymous with luxury and excellence, Alfardan Properties is part of the continuously expanding Alfardan Group of companies, Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful conglomerate over the past 50 years, known for its unyielding commitment to providing the Qatari market with the finest products and services. n

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MAKE YOUR NEXT KID’S PARTY A

(Mob)33150007 (Tel)44421212 madscienceqatar@yahoo.com www.qatar.madscience.org After-School Programs • Assemblies • Workshops kids’ PartieS • Preschool Programs Special Events • Vacation & Summer Programs

Bilal Pearl Suites The Pearl Qatar

Real Estate Ahmed Hassan Bilal Trading & Contracting Co. W.L.L. Bilal Tower, Al Ashmeck Area, 11th Floor. Tel.4442 8877

Interior Design Forum Design, Bilal Tower, Al Asmakh Area, 11th Floor. Tel.4456 8716 (An Associate of Ahmed Hassan Bilal Group)

Restaurant Chowking (An Associate of Ahmed Hassan Bilal Group) Road 4437 1212 hAl Khor 4411 8816 / 4411 8817 hAl Saad St. 4431 4411 hMamoura 4486 6077 hHoliday Villa 4411 5225 / 4411 5335 hSalwa

QH Sensations Experience ons ning destinati some e p p a h c ti s ta n Escaping to fa rld does wonders. Here are o w e around th

Abu Dhabi Film Festival Oct 24-Nov 2: UAE

Take a short flight over to neighbouring Abu Dhabi for one of the GCC’s largest and most eminent film fests. Bringing the pulse of Arab filmmaking to the world, the Abu Dhabi gala is star-studded and much-lauded, with programs and panels aimed at nurturing new film talent in the Gulf and presenting works by local and regional directors to a wider audience. Visit www.abudhabifilmfestival.ae and go reel-to-reel with some of your favourite screen gems.

Iceland Airwaves Oct 30-Nov 3: Iceland

Get ready to rock out in Reykjavík with some of the world’s best indie artists for a long weekend that will split your eardrums. Icelandic exports Bjork and Sigur Rós and international chart-toppers Florence and the Machine, Bloc Party and Fat Boy Slim have all graced the stages of the Airwaves festival. With one of the coolest cultural scenes rivaling a city much larger than its size, and set against the stunning backdrop of the Icelandic landscape this is one Arctic festival you don’t want to miss! See our full feature on page 22 and visit www.icelandairwaves.is and book your tickets now.

Beijing Marathon Oct 20: China

Fitness fanatics can head to the Far East to dig their heels into the Beijing Marathon. With thousands of participants it’s one of the world’s largest urban long-distance events, starting off in historic Tiananmen Square and taking runners on a course through the Chinese capital’s most remarkable cultural landmarks. Get your second wind at www.beijing-marathon.com and head for the finish line!

Fantasy Fest Oct 18-27: USA

Oktoberfest Until Oct 6: Germany

Thump along to the ‘oom pah pah’ beat of traditional Bavarian music, as the merrymakers of Munich welcome you to Oktoberfest, Germany’s largest celebration. With 6.7 million visitors packing the festival’s seven large halls in the heart of the city, get to know your neighbours as you chow down on schnitzel, sausage, sauerkraut and pretzels and party well into the night. Check out www.oktoberfest.de and pack your lederhosen.

In the week leading up to Halloween, the Floridian city of Key West gets taken over by ranks of superheroes, villains and screen legends as the annual Fantasy Fest rolls into town. Drawing inspiration from large festivals like San Diego’s Comic-Con, Fantasy Fest is a ‘cosplay’ dream come true as each year brings a different theme, from the glitz and blitz of Old Hollywood Tinseltown to Villains, Vixens and Vampires. There’s a huge parade, a street fair, movie screenings and charity auctions. Head on over to www.fantasyfest.com and plan your alter-ego for this year’s event

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QH Sensations

a n a s a A Vipp Getaway

Meditators are asked to observe Noble Silence throughout the ten-d ay course, a request that is easier to carry out than you might think!

The Pagoda (meditation temple) at Dhamma Setu in Chennai, India.

Words and images by Amy Bassett

rent. You’d like a getaway that’s going to So you’re a seasoned traveler looking for something diffe h and cocktails at sunset. Well, here’s an offer more than just flashy resorts, Speedos on the beac a. intrepid journey of the purest kind – India’s vipassan

ot for the faint-hearted or the adventure tourism fanatic, vipassana is an intensive ten-day live-in course, designed to introduce the absolute novice to the art of meditation. Think Eat, Pray, Love - the ‘pray’ part – minus any religious agenda. This is travel to the depths of one’s own mind, an introspective journey – a holiday with a difference. Buddha taught the ancient technique of vipassana, which means ‘to see things as they really are’, 2,500 years ago. Its modern-day founder, Burmese businessman Satya Goenka, brought the practice to India in 1978 where its popularity exploded. Vipassana is now practiced by millions of devotees worldwide. So, how do you learn to meditate? And what are the benefits? For most of us, the first hurdle is finding the time. But once you’ve decided to sacrifice spa days for some serious selfimprovement, finding a vipassana center to suit your location and travel timing is easy. There are

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over 220 centres across the world, from Bahrain to South Korea, each running monthly courses. I attended the course in Chennai, India at the Dhamma Setu center, a mere five-hour jaunt from Qatar.

passed my desire for conversation dissolved. If you’ve wondered what it’s like to live the unsullied life of a monk or nun, this is the closest you’ll get without giving up the smart-phone and the lip-gloss for good.

On arrival, your worldly distractions are checked at the door. You’ll surrender your gadgets, journals and books to make way for the mindful work ahead.

Ten hours of daily meditation are peppered with breaks, but there’s no escaping the work. The class progresses from observing the breath, anapana, for the first three days, to observing bodily sensations, vipassana, for the following seven. Sound simple? Think again. The challenge lies in calming the conscious mind!

The meditation centres are typically set in a tranquil locale; close enough to a big city to encourage attendance, far enough to guarantee a peaceful setting. Sleeping quarters are basic yet comfortable. Food is a vegetarian diet of Indian dishes. No matter where you attend, the vibe will be relaxed, but expect no pampering! From day one, you’ll be asked to observe ‘Noble Silence’. No speaking, except to your teacher, for the entirety of the course. Many balk at this rule, my chatty-self included! But as the days

In my experience, the first three days were toughest. My conscious mind revealed itself to be a petulant attention-seeking child, throwing regular tantrums at the threat of being silenced. My legs ached and my thought patterns took their usual wanderings to next-level naughtiness. Meal breaks become a beacon of light at the end of the session. Eventually though, the mental chatter dies down and the real work begins.

By day four, a day that is some sort of ‘willpower threshold’, those who weren’t going to make it through the course have left. This is common. For those who stayed, our minds were becoming sharp and clear. Our focus is turned to observing bodily sensations, which provide the sensory connection between the outside world and our subconscious. This is where things get serious and we begin to experience the true benefits of vipassana. We begin to re-condition our subconscious mind to experience daily life in a more balanced and compassionate manner. Think of all of those irritations, frustrations and cravings. Well, using this technique we are taught to respond, rather than react, to these experiences. This frees us from creating negative thought patterns. The result? No more melt-downs, space-outs or mid-life crises. By the end of day nine, we had all reached pure meditation at least once, some of us experiencing a variety of altered states. Reports of out-of-body experiences, great epiphanies, pristine clarity or a sense of enlightenment were commonly described as the fruits of our labour. How do I know? On the morning of day ten, when the noble silence officially ends, the laughter and chatter is deafening! So if you need to ‘get out’, but don’t mind going ‘in’ to get there, try a vipassana retreat on for size. There’ll be no holiday hangover, just a happier, mentally healthier you! n Flights: Fares dependent on where you choose to attend. Course Cost / Accommodation / Meals: Free! Donations are accepted at the end of the course. For registration and more information visit www.dhamma.org.

Class of May 2013 – Chennai, India: with 30 or more instant friends! Another benefit of completing vipassana is graduating

All Vipassana centres worldwide are set on beautiful grounds.

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QH Sensations

London Calling

Words and selected images by Steven Keith Tart

The bustling British city is a prime destination for visitors from Qatar, with a huge number of British ex-pats calling Doha home and Qatari ex-pats making London their new stomping ground. So, if you’re thinking of hitting up the swinging capital for the Eid Al Adha holidays we’ve got your hot-spot hit-list.

ere in England, it seems to have snowed so much between January and April that I mistook the cherry tree blossom that took flight outside my window on a particularly windy day in May, for more of the wet and cold stuff. Luckily, we’ve had a fab summer and as the pavements and tarmac begin to cool down from the heat, there’s that familiar smell of autumn in the city. London lives and breathes during the colder months, but comes alive at this time of year. We’re fortunate that 40% of this metropolis is covered with green space, making it the greenest city of its size in the world. We have over 300 theatres, 500 cinema screens and 12,000 restaurants. I’ve distilled the one million things you could do, into a rather more palatable selection of must-do’s for fall 2013.

Where Should I Eat? ‘Pitt Cue Co.’ A few years ago under Hungerford Bridge on the Southbank, I came across the small but

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incredible Pitt Cue Co. American-style BBQ, beef brisket, ribs and chicken wings served up in a cardboard takeaway box with soda bread, spicy beans and proper southern slaw followed by a shot of pickle-back. I went through about ten napkins but it was worth it. Pitt Cue has now moved to Newburgh Street in Soho (near Carnaby Street). Its tiny (30 seats), and they don’t take bookings so it’s likely you’ll have to queue, but it’s probably the best food of its ilk in the capital. Apparently the van’s back under Hungerford Bridge this year as well... see you there for a pickle-back. www.pittcue.co.uk.

Music Events There are plenty of opportunities to see incredible artists, bands and DJ’s in the capital year-round. The more mainstream ‘Hard Rock Calling’ takes place at the newly-named Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park where you can see Bruce Springsteen and Kasabian. Or maybe Plan B and Jurassic 5 at ‘Lovebox’ (Victoria

Chomp down on one of Pitt Cue Co.’s juicy patties with a side of slaw

Park) are more your cup of tea? Visit www.thefestivalcalendar.co.uk for the definitive UK festival guide. Alternatively, how would you like to be a part of something a little more intimate and underground? There are two incredible music events that happen fortnightly and under the radar of most visitors’ ears. ‘Jam Tart’ at Floripa in Shoreditch and ‘Ruby sings’ at Ronnie Scott’s in Soho are open mic or jam nights showcasing up to thirty performers at every event. Expect to see the UK’s finest session musicians jammin’ with exciting up-and-coming artists and you also never know who else may turn up! You’ll see a host of famous faces at Ronnie Scott’s and both of these events are frequented by artists you will have heard of. I’ve seen Stevie Wonder at ‘Ruby sings’ and Kanye West and Lady Gaga’s bands playing at ‘Jam Tart’. Go to www.facebook. com/Rubysings and www.facebook.com/ JamTartOpenMic for more details.

A young giraffe loiters shyly in front of spectators at The London Zoo

Feelin’ Outdoorsy? ‘All Saints Road’ Notting Hill recently hosted the first annual ‘All Saints Road Summer Festival’ back in June, coinciding with the summer solstice (the longest day of the year), solidifying this high-street hotspot as one of London’s top detours. Celebrating the local community through food, drink, music and a plethora of shops, boutiques and corner stores catering to every taste, All Saints Road continues to draw the crowds in droves – especially on any given weekend afternoon. As they say on their website, “Keep it Local, Keep it Independent and Keep it Individual.” Visit www.allsaintsroad.co.uk and plan your brisk fall stroll. ‘Boo At The Zoo’ This Halloween, the London Zoo gets a monstrous makeover to welcome the spooky season. From October 26 till November 3 visitors

Vibrant perennials at the Royal Kew Gardens

will shiver at the plethora of Halloween-themed activities, events and animal demonstrations. There’s spine-tingling storytelling, “ominous owl encounters” and “creepy crafts” such as mask-making -- perfect for the little guys and ghouls. For those of you looking to arrive in leisurely style, book a seat on the waterbus at Camden Lock or Little Venice, just mind the crocs! Go to www.zsl.org to book. Tickets around £25 or QR 40. ‘Kew Gardens ‘IncrEdibles’ Festival On the western tip of the London overground you’ll find the breathtaking Kew Gardens (or the Royal Botanic Gardens). Kew was a private royal garden from 1759 and by the 20th century had grown to become an important site for plant science and conservation. It’s now a UNESCO

World Heritage Site and is the home of the ‘Millennium Seed-Bank Partnership’ which focuses on saving global plant life threatened with extinction. The gardens are awe-inspiring and house plant-life from all over the world. Launched at the end of May and culminating in an autumn harvest in October, the ‘IncrEdibles’ Festival at Kew is “a voyage through surprising edible plants” and celebrates the diversity of the world’s food. Convince your partner to row you around on the giant fruit salad boating lake while you perfect your royal wave to those still waiting in the queue. Peruse the coffee plantation or go find your inner peace in the Japanese gardens. Open 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., admission is £16 or QR 88 for adults and the kids go free.www.kew.org. n

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mends om ends mm coec ReR rg inin Virg Vi the top QH brings you m the staff picks fro Megastore

NAME: Isaac Chege STORE SECTION: Multimedia

TIME AT VIRGIN: 4 Months

Best Part of My Job:“My favourite part of my job is relating to customers, talking to them and actually getting to know them. It’s pretty fun. Truth be told, I’m a nerd. I’m actually a certified Apple technician brought in from Dubai.” iMac The new iMac has had a revolution in style; it’s slim, it’s very fast. In the next few months Apple is set to release its new operating system, Mavericks, and it will be even faster and capable of everything. Right now when we sell it to you it comes with the new operating system, Mountain Lion, which has been recommended by every Mac user around. The good thing about Apple is that it’s consistent but at the same time, gradually upgrading; it’s a full desktop and you can even install Windows on it. Retail price: QR 6,300 – 21 inch or QR 9,000-9,500 – 27 inch.

Apple TV The Apple TV is a small device that connects to your computer and from there you can stream any of your music, any of your movies, anything you have on an Apple device in HDTV-quality. It’s really fun and really useful for anything you want to watch on the big screen. Retail price: QR 450, HTMI sold separately

Nike Fuel Band It’s actually a pedometer that you put on your wrist. Let’s say you’re doing daily exercise, or whatever you do on a normal day; it takes details on how many steps you take, how many calories you burn, also it’s a watch, so that’s a pretty cool thing about it too. And, it comes in three different colours and you can connect it to your Bluetooth or WiFi device. Retail price: QR 749.

JBL On Beat Xtreme Speakers My sublime joy and love is music! This design is really smart; it looks really alienish in some way, it really stands out. You have three different options on this one, you have the auxiliary jack where you can use a cable from your phone or any other device to play music on it, you have the Bluetooth option to sync it up to that device, and the third one which is really fun – AirPlay for Apple devices. The surround sound in it is amazing! Retail price: QR 2,000.

PlayStation 3 Slim The new PS4 console is still in development but should be out just before December, but right now what we have to offer is the PS3 new slim size. It’s really slick and catches your eye, plays BluRay movies, is easy to configure and if you have a Sony account you can download almost any game you want for free or a small charge if you have a US or UK account. This one comes with a larger hard-drive capacity and the Last Of Us game which is awesome – I’m almost half-way through! Retail price: QR 1,299.

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Spotlight On Movies

TOP

Be sure to get good seats for these fab films – but you’ll only need the edge!

Gravity

All Is Lost

Sci-Fi | Thriller

Action

A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.

After a collision with a shipping container at sea, a resourceful sailor finds himself, despite all efforts to the contrary, staring his mortality in the face.

Stars: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Eric Michels QH Fun Fact: Sound effects were added to the movie trailer for a dramatic build-up, but the actual film stays true to the reality of there being no extraneous sound in space. Should be interesting to watch!

The Fifth Estate Biography | Drama A dramatic thriller based on real events, The Fifth Estate reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned an internet upstart into the 21st century’s most fiercely-debated organization. Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Carice van Houten QH Fun Fact: For anyone who has followed the WikiLeaks saga, this is a bio-pic on the rise of Julian Assange.

Runner Runner Crime | Drama | Thriller When a poor college student who cracks an online poker game goes bust, he arranges a face-to-face with the man he thinks cheated him, a sly offshore entrepreneur. Stars: Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake, Gemma Arterton QH Fun Fact: Justin Timberlake has said his greatest fears in life are dying unloved, snakes, sharks, spiders and falling unconscious at a concert from the stuffed animals fans throw on-stage. 112

Stars: Robert Redford QH Fun Fact: Much like Tom Hanks did in Castaway, Robert Redford holds his own as the only cast member in the film.

Escape Plan Action | Mystery | Thriller When a structuralsecurity authority finds himself incarcerated in a prison he designed, he has to put his skills to escape to the test and find out who framed him. Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzeneggar QH Fun Fact: After sustaining a foot injury on set, Sylvester Stallone needed 70 stitches to fix himself up. Ouch!

QH Sensations

The Dish on Qatar By Tasbih Amin Image courtesy of Al Markhiya Gallery and Gulf Art Guide

New to Qatar and looking to get a weekend dose of culture in your down-time? Doha is an artistic hub whose burgeoning arts scene can easily rival that of its neighbours, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This month we show you some of the best, lesser-known spots to explore art in Doha.

Art enthusiasts attend and exhibition opening at the Anima Gallery. Photo Credit: Neilvd L.

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The Al Markhiya Gallery, a hidden gem in the alleys of Souq Waqif

here’s always something so captivating about museums and art galleries. From the modern and edgy artwork, to the refined and authentic cultural masterpieces, the world of art is always breathtaking and exciting in all its different forms. We all have a curiosity to see the world through an artist’s point of view and we sometimes find ourselves enchanted by the old, traditional artwork left behind from our ancestors to preserve. Luckily, Doha has a great variety of galleries and museums that host a wide selection of master works, mostly displayed at Mathaf, the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and Katara. But there’s more to Doha’s art scene than these three places. Here, I’ve picked my favourite three destinations to get your arts and culture fix. They’re different, local and are sure to satisfy your artistic cravings.

Souq Waqif Art Center We all know that the Souq is a cultural landmark and a fascinating work of art in itself, but did you know that it has one of the biggest art galleries in Doha? Well, now you do. You can find the art gallery next to the line of restaurants and coffee shops, specifically right in front La Gourmet restaurant. It might not seem all that special from the outside, but don’t let that fool you. The interior design of the museum is breathtaking! The walls are decorated in brown and beige wallpaper, with huge arches aligned from the entrance to the end of the museum. The ceiling is high and lined with beautiful lanterns that give it a soft, contemplative ambiance. All in all, the Art Center looks like a traditional Arabic palace back in the day, which adds to the overall Middle Eastern motif and feel of the place. It holds a lot of exhibitions centered on the Middle East, and sometimes introduces us to art from different cultures, making it all the more interesting. Recently, the center is celebrating the nation’s sea culture by showcasing a selection of paintings and other works of art that represent the dhow and trading ships that distinguish Qatar’s cultural sea heritage. It’s also a hub for tourists who enjoy exploring the Souq, and I’m sure you’ll find it fascinating. (www.souqwaqifartcenter.com )

The Souq Waqif Art Gallery (right) sits in the heart of this bustling hub.

The outdoor terrace of The Pearl’s Anima Gallery lights up at night. Photo Credit: Neilvd L.

Step inside Al Markhiya Gallery

Al Markhiya Gallery

Anima Gallery

This local art gallery opened its doors to the public in November 2008 and is also located in Souq Waqif. It’s owned by a consortium of Qatari businessmen with a keen eye and a particular interest in contemporary Arab art, which sets it apart from the traditional art you’ll find in Souq Waqif’s Art Center. According to one of their staff, it’s a local “homegrown” gallery as opposed to a branch imported from another country. Something that really stood out for me that I personally liked is their unique establishment of the 40 Minus series, which focuses on the development and promotion of emerging artists under the age 40.

I saved best for last. The Anima Gallery and Lounge is one of my latest discoveries and is officially my favourite place to be whenever I’m in the mood for afternoon tea and art. The gallery is located at The Pearl-Qatar beachfront, and right next to it is the gallery’s lounge that serves light food and hot beverages. You can sit down with friends, have a cup of coffee and enjoy your time reading art magazines or watching short artistic videos. The gallery displays a wide range of modern artwork from local, regional and international artists. My personal favourite would Jean-Marc Nahas’ portraits; the amount of detail in each painting makes you stare in awe for hours. It’s definitely time well spent; you’ll leave the gallery inspired and in a good mood. (www.animagallerylounge.com)

The artists Al Markhiya deals with are Arab artists who live, or are originally from, the 24 Arab League countries. In an attempt to always present new and interesting work, the gallery chooses to exhibit a wide variety of formats and mediums, from paintings on canvas, to collage on paper, to sculptures made from marble, bronze and wood. Styles vary from abstract to hyperrealist, to cubist to naïve, among many others. If you’re interested, Al Markhiya holds new exhibitions every four to six weeks from September through June so make sure to pay a visit, it’s totally worth it! (www.almarkhiyagallery.com)

These are a just few of my top spots to get your arts and culture fix for the week. There are a multitude of museums and art galleries around Doha that warrant exploring, and you’ll certainly appreciate the culture more after a visit to these hidden gems. If you know of an art gallery that is worth checking out, please Tweet us the location @QatarHappening and we’ll be more than happy to share it with everyone! n

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It Happened

L-R: The Doha Marriottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Katie Roberts, Marwan Haddad, Director of Sales & Marketing, Executive Chef Denis Vecciato, Dietmar Platz, Food & Beverage Director

Anthony and Donna

New Late Brunch The Doha Marriott Sept 20, 2013

Fadi, Moira and Marwan

The ladies from the Hilton Doha, Lillian and Mae with Jonathan and Mohammed

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DJ Kinky D

Behind the scenes during rehearsals at Aspire Dome. Talk about flexibility!

Cirque du Soleil Aspire Dome Sept 19-21, 2013

Gaya represents the element of Earth

Channeling the power of the tides in her dance, Oceane is the element of water

How many Dralions can you fit on the head of a ball?!

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It Happened

Buggy Nhakente and the Fully Loaded band are back, with new songstress Rhesa Garnes sharing the lead on vocals

Reggae Night The St. Regis Doha Sept 11, 2013

Three cheers for The St. Regis Oyster Bay team!

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Grand Hyatt GM Christoph Franzen and Marketing Communications Manager Farah Elalfy

Quiz Night The Renaissance Doha City Center Sept 9, 2013

Fashion Brunch The Grand Hyatt Aug 30, 2013

Think you have what it takes to win QR 5,000 in cash at Quiz Night? These folks do!

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Phone Directory Al Gassar Resort 4424-4881 Al Mourjan Restaurants 4483-4423 Bert’s Cafe` 4495-3876 Biella 4467-7731 Crowne Plaza The Business Park 4408-7582 Doha Marriott Hotel 4429-8888 Four Seasons 4494-8888 Grand Heritage Doha Hotel and Spa 4445 5555 Grand Hyatt 4448-1234 Holiday Villa 4408-4220 Hilton Doha 4423-3333 InterContinental 4484-4444 InterContinental Doha The City 4015-8888 Johnny Rockets Al Emadi Complex 4455 2792 Hyatt Plaza 4460 4210 Kempinski Residences & Suites 4405-3333 La Cigale 4428 8888 Mövenpick Hotel 4429-1111 Mövenpick Tower & Suites 4496-6115 Nando’s City Center Mall 4493-0785 Oryx Rotana 4402-3333 Radisson Blu 4428-1555 Red Velvet 4408 0700 Renaissance Doha City Center 4419-5000 Sharq Village & Spa 4425-6666 Sealine Beach Resort 4476-5299 Sheraton Doha 4485-4444 St. Regis Doha 4446-0000 The Diplomatic Club 4484-7444 The Ritz-Carlton 4484-8000 W Doha Hotel & Residences 4453-5021 Wyndham Grand Regency 4434-3333

Airlines Air Arabia Air India Egypt Air Emirates Etihad Airways Gulf Air Qatar Airways

Ahmed Hassan Bilal Group

Health / Beauty

Hotels / Restaurants

4432-2111 4441-8423 4435-2901 4438-4477 4436-6657 4499-8000 4449-6666

Hospitals/Emergency

Amaoras RelaxationSpa Angsana Spa Bader Chemist Bay View 26, Wellness Centre Bio-Bil Health, Beauty & Spa Ladies Men’s

4493-4433 4483-0989

4453-5555 Bliss Bottega Verde 4483-4535 Dados Beauty Salon 4498-0033 Diva Lounge 4431-8488 Diplomatic Spa 4484-7412 Doha Dental 4431-7766 4429-8520 Doha Marriott Spa Ebn Sina Medical 800-2288 Foot Care Centre Lulu Gharafa 4478-0510 The Center 4436-6275 City Center 4493-0394 Four Seasons Spa 4494-8801 4494-8844 Frank Provost Glow American Salon, Salwa Rd. 4468-9945 West Bay 4411-7652 GoodLife Chemist City Center 4483-9100 The Pearl 4495-3876 Guerlain Alfardan Spa 4420-8660 Habibs Hair and Beauty Salon 4413-0672 4428-8888 La Cigale - Ozone Spa Medical Spa Villaggio 4451-7590 Patrice Salon 4485-4012 Ritz-Carlton Spa 4484-8173 Saray Spa 4419-5517 4425-6999 Six Senses Spa Snips Salonon 4408-4083

Tourism / Travel Alpha Tours Arabian Adventures World Wide Destination Fox Transport Gulf Adventures Qatar Airways Holidays Qatar International Adventures Qatar International Tours Qatar Tourism & Exhibitions Authority Regency Travel & Tour Victoria Car Rental Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex

Ambulance, Police & Fire Department Doha Clinic Hospital

4408-4085 4434-3152 4441-1888 4496-6410

4434-4496 4436-1461 4467-1200 4462-2777 4422-1888 4449-6969 4455-3954 4455-1141 4499-7499 4434-4444 4466-6635 4440 9666 999

4438-4333

Emergency Hotline 4435-5999

Pediatric Emergency

4439-2948

4489-8000

Qatar Foundation for Child &

Hamad General Hospital

4439-2222

Woman Protection Hotline 4466-6671 / 72

Rumailah Hospital

4439-3333

Al Ahli Hospital

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Real Estate Ahmed Hassan Bilal 4442-8877 Trad. & Cont. Co. www.ahbqatar.com Interior Forum Design 4456-8716 Restaurants Chowking Salwa Road 4437-1212 4431-4411 Chowking Al Saad St. Chowking Al Khor 4411-8816/ 4411-8817 Chowking Mamoura 4486-6077 Chowking Holiday Villa 4411-5225/335 Publications ABODE/QH Magazines

4427-8416

Shopping Alfardan Jewellery 4440-8408 City Center Doha 4483-0582 4469-4848 Hyatt Plaza Landmark Mall 4487-5222 Lagoona Mall 4433-5555 Salam 4448-5555 Villaggio 4413-5222 Virgin Megastore Villaggio 4413-5823 Landmark 4418-2245

Clubs Bridge Club Doha Garden Club Dana Club Doha Golf Club Doha Sailing Club

5554-0873 5523-1650 4496-0600 4496-0777 4443-9840

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4496-6000 4483-8812 4496-2000 4493-4205 4402-1702 4408-2334 4465-7945 4484-0888 4467-5681 4483-1585 6622-1552 4493-4426 4483-8880

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