RAGMAG The Fusion Issue | August 2013 | issue #38

MAGAZINE AUGUST 2013

NEW WORLD PUNX IN BEIRUT!

exclusive interview

FERRY CORSTEN+ MARKUS SCHULZ

THE

FUSION starring

THE WANTON BISHOPS

GONE, GIRL

THE FIRST AMY WINEHOUSE RETROSPECTIVE

#THEBIGREVEAL IVY WANTS TO MEET YOU

bespoke interiors

*Exclusive THE LONE RANGER

ALLEGRA HICKS DOES DESIGN

the most enigmatic performer of our generation stars in

TALKS JOHNNY DEPP AUGUST 2013

Isn’t that enough? www.ragmag.co | R A G M A G | 1

Paris, New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Madrid, Beijing, Beirut, Seoul www.isabelmarant.com 2 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co

THE FUSION ISSUE

MAGAZINE

Publisher Gina Gabriel El-Fady Editor in Chief Fida Z Chaaban Creative Lead Odette Kahwagi Assistant to the Editor Youmna Chagoury Junior Graphic Designer Eliane Elias Photographers BeirutNightLife.com Odette Kahwagi Selected images Shutterstock

Stylist Jony Matta Public Relations Coordinator Lea El-Alam Marketing Lead Daniella Tayar Administrative Coordinator Teddy Younes Responsible Manager May Ziade Printed by Chemaly & Chemaly www.chemaly.com

Contributors Lara Ariss Stephanie Aoun Jonathan Cainer Amal Chaaban Consumedly Rabih Feghali Maria Frangieh Alice Hlidkova Sarah Hourany J.E.N. Maria-Elena Kassab Imogen Kimber Chris Lambert Sabina Llewellyn-Davies Nour Obaji Jacques Tchabarian Adam Volk

w w w . r a g m a g . c o

RAGMAGMagazine @RAGMAGMagazine RAGMAG

Opinions expressed are based solely on personal opinion and experience, not reflective in any way of RAGMAG, a division of Raycon s.a.l.

Media Representative

Nada G. Farha | Cofounder-MD Jdeideh Chalet Suisse St 444 Center 3rd floor Tel: 01 87 16 63 Ext 103 nfarha@pinkodsal.com advertise@pinkodsal.com RAGMAG Alex Gabriel Building Rue Colomn de Sahel Sahel Alma, Keserwan Tel: 09 916 222 / 09 913 777 lea.elalam@ragmaglive.com Distributor Lebanese Distributor Company Hamra, Axa Middle East bldg.

Tel: 01 368 007

RAGMAG is a division of Raycon s.a.l. Copyright RAGMAG 2013 All Rights Reserved

ON OUR COVER: JOHNNY DEPP IMAGE COURTESY ŠDISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.

PER ISSUE 10,000 LBP 6 ISSUES 50,000 LBP 12 ISSUES 100,000 LBP

Contact us by phone or email to arrange your subscription subscriptions@ragmaglive.com Lea El-Alam +961 9 916 222 / 9 913 777 RAGMAG Alex Gabriel Building, Rue Colomn de Sahel Sahel Alma, Keserwan, Lebanon

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES COPYCAT

92

MEET ME HALFWAY

106

BACKSTAGE PASS

REAL LIFE RUNWAY

OUR FASHION SHOOT

80

VERSACE’S NEW VUNK TEXTILES + TEXTURE

56

CULTURE CLASH MELDING CULTURES

38

NEW WORLD PUNX IN LEBANON!

28

DESIGNER ALLEGRA HICKS

HAYDA LEBNEN

FERRY CORSTEN VS. MARKUS SCHULZ

THE BEST THING EVER

JOHNNY DEPP TALKS TO YOU

18

AMALGAMATE YOUR SPACE + PSYCHE

44

SIX QUESTIONS IN SIX MINUTES

52

FML BE A SERVER FOR A DAY

50

FINAL FRONTIER FIVE THINGS ALL GEEKS SHOULD WANT

48

FUSING ENERGIES

110 111 112 113

SEE, SPEAK + HEAR NO EVIL SOUND CHECK MUSIC READ’EM + WEEP BOOKS PLAY NICE GAMES WATCH OUT FILM

JEAN BOU DOUMIT

MATT DAMON STARS IN ELYSIUM

CREPAWAY IS #ALLGOOD

TECH

SCIENCE

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JOHNNY DEPP IMAGE ©DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.

28 JOHNNY DEPP IS ABOUT TO TALK TO YOU

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Paris, New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Madrid, Beijing, Beirut, Seoul www.isabelmarant.com AUGUST 2013

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106

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EDITOR’S OPINION TWITTER WOES

OUR EDITOR WENT ON A RAMPAGE

84

MON AMOUR, MON AMI #THEBIGREVEAL

IVY WANTS TO MEET YOU!

60

TO HAVE + TO HOLD?

RELATIONSHIPS (OR NONE AT ALL)

64

MIND, BODY + SOUL HELP ME NOUR + RABIH ADVICE

72

MIRROR MIRROR YES MA’AM, YOU’RE SUN SMART!

74

THIS IS DA BOMB

LANCÔME ON THE BEACH VIKTOR&ROLF

70

SKIN RE-DO!

CHANEL GIVES YOU HOPE

68

WATERPROOF WONDER MAKE UP FOR EVER

122

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY LE SUSHI BAR CELEBRATING 15 YEARS

AN INTIMATE REVIVAL

BACK TO BLACK AMY WINEHOUSE RETROSPECTIVE IN LONDON 24 6 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co

126

FUSION CUISINE

125

COUQLEY DBAYEH

114

TAKE ME WITH YOU THE CITY OF PRAGUE

RECIPES

RESTO REVIEW

TRAVEL

120

WEEKENDER

ISTANBUL IN 48 HOURS

131

BRAINFOOD

QUIZZ. DINBATS. CROSSWORDS. SUDOKU.

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

OH HAPPY DAYS! I have had this sentence on replay in my head for the past couple of days and I feel that if I get it out in the open my brain will go back to worrying mode and I will pass on some good vibes as I know that you all need a bit of positive energy with all the economical, political and social issues happening around us.

A bit of Johnny Depp is sure to spice up part of your August, though I must warn you that our Editor has claimed him for herself. Good Luck fighting her for him. He’s ranking high up in her most wanted list.

Thank you Crepaway for allowing our Elena to FML her way through your premises for a couple of hours as a server. I hope she was #AllGood and up to your expectations?

Thank you to everyone who helps us make our readers feel special and appreciated by offering them great rewards to look forward to. This month our thanks goes to the Four Seasons Beirut for their Summer Gets Better reader reward and to Gulf Air for the generous round trip for two awarded to Talar Demirdjian.

Thank you to Le Gray for staging our shoot with the lovely Ivy, and we’ll see you at #TheBigReveal!

You’ll find RM on your favourite beaches all over Lebanon, pick one up and take a picture with your favourite mag, then tweet any of us RAGMAG-gers. We’d love to see your selfies!

Follow me and talk to me on twitter @GinaGabriel1. Please email me all of your feedback to publisher@ragmaglive.com

Gina Gabriel El-Fady | Publisher

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EDITOR’S LETTER

The

FUSION ISSUE BECAUSE MIXING IT UP IS SO RAGMAG

Y

es, it’s Johnny Depp. The Johnny Depp. And he’s on our cover. I don’t even know what else to say about that except that if you are anything like me you will flip right to his interview. You might, again if you’re like me, read it with a cup of coffee and put your phone on silent. You might ignore everyone for the 20 minutes that it takes you to read the article. I know I would. I don’t have anything else to say about Johnny simply because he speaks for himself- in RAGMAG! Watch him this month in The Lone Ranger and see if you think that his opinions are in line with yours. Read the interview, watch the movie, and then tell me how well you think I captured him on paper. I won’t be offended if you say that I didn’t do the man justice. I’d understand completely.

Once you’re done devouring Johnny page by page, head to another article- that of Ivy’s “Big Reveal”. We’re throwing her a bit of a coming out party at Le Gray in partnership with our online fashion faves Vero Moda, and for those of you that are part of the online community, we know you’ll give her a warm welcome. She’s quite the dynamic girl, and we’re so pleased that Ivy (Dana) has decided to finally make herself known. Something else I think our readers will really enjoy? The exclusive look at the first Amy Winehouse exhibit in London. Most of you will remember the photo shoot we did in honour of Amy in February of this year starring Lebanon’s Poly. Check

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it out in our Culture Clash section. That’s not all we have for the music aficionados this issue: flip to our fashion shoot to see the Wanton Bishops. You saw them open for Lana, and now you see them right here in RAGMAG. I’m always listening: talk to me on Twitter @fidachaaban and follow @RAGMAGMagazine for updates and reader rewards that are meant to thank you for being part of RAGMAG. If you haven’t joined us on Facebook and Pinterest yet, we’re looking forward to seeing you on those mediums as well.

Email me at letterstotheeditor@ragmaglive.com to send me your thoughts and opinions about this issue. Finally, I want to encourage you to subscribe to RAGMAG and make it a part of your life every month. We are the only magazine in Lebanon that talks back and you can find us on the web too at www.ragmag.co We’re here because of the support and constant encouragement of our loyal readers.

It’s Your Magazine.

Fida Z Chaaban | Editor in Chief

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FOR OUR JULY ISSUE WE CONTINUED TO TALK TO YOU VIA OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMSPINTEREST, TWITTER + FACEBOOK. WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND PARTICIPATION AND WE HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO INTERACT WITH US ONLINE

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK AND SCRIBBLE ON OUR WALL TO WIN, WRITE TO US AT LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR@RAGMAGLIVE.COM OR TWEET US ON TWITTER @RAGMAGMAGAZINE!

IF YOU’RE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE A PIC WITH YOUR FAVORITE ISSUE, SEND IT OUR WAY VIA SOCIAL MEDIA OR EMAIL! YOU’RE ALL SO PINTERESTING, SO PIN US. RAGMAG IT’S YOUR MAGAZINE! RAGMAG reserves the right to edit for clarity and content

WE’RE SHOWING OFF SOME OF THE BEST IMAGES THAT OUR READERS SENT IN VIA EMAIL AND TWITTER. THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE READERS WHO SENT US TWEETS AND EMAILS OF THEIR COPIES OF RAGMAG.

WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU SO KEEP IT UP! THIS COOL NUMBER TWO WAS TWEETED AT US DURING A COUNTDOWN FOR OUR GULF AIR READER REWARD. WE LOVE THAT YOU KEEP ALL OF YOUR BACK ISSUES OF RAGMAG NADA, THANK YOU FOR THIS SHOT!

WE’RE LOVING SAMA DIZAYEE’S COOL RAGMAG T-SHIRT! MAYBE WE’LL TAKE HER UP ON HER IDEA AND START PRINTING OUR COVERS ON CLOTHES- THANKS FOR THE SHOT, SAMA.

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THE FUSION ISSUE

AND THIS IS HOW WE RAG N’ ROLL WITH THE WANTON BISHOPS

During the shoot for this issue, the Wanton Bishops got into the RAGMAG spirit. Following European appearances, the duo opened for Lana Del Ray in Lebanon. #RockOn! TheWantonBishops

AUGUST 2013

@WantonBishops

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EDITOR’S OPINION

BABY,

CRY BABY HOW TWITTER CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND OR YOUR WORST ENEMY

TODAY -AND I’M NOT PROUD OF MYSELF FOR THIS - I USED TWITTER TO GIVE ALFA TELECOM A PIECE OF MY MIND

I

know a lot of tweeps online that can be considered “haters”. Basically it’s what is suggested by the colloquial term: it means they hate on everything and everyone. They’re usually using their social media accounts to bash companies and/or people. I generally don’t do this since I think it’s unkind and unnecessary and also because my online identity (Twitter account) is heavily tied to RAGMAG. I usually feel quite bad for the social media community managers behind the accounts, so I try not to ever complain online, seeing as they’re just innocent account operators caught in the crossfire. That said, companies need to remember that your Twitter account can be a wonderful tool for communicating with your client base, projecting your corporate philosophy, and finally controlling bad PR. When it is done right. When it’s not, well then you’ve opened up a whole can of worms.

I use Twitter to keep up with the news, speak to my friends online, and share RAGMAG material and reader rewards that I think are interesting to our readership (a lot of my followers on Twitter are RAGMAG readers). Today -and I’m not proud of myself for this- I used Twitter to give Alfa Telecom a piece of my mind. I don’t actually remember the last time I used my

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Twitter account to be negative, and I was basically pushed past all patience by Alfa’s online “voice”. It started yesterday with the simple (yet huge) problem of not being able to reach Alfa by phone. I turned to Twitter and politely asked them to call me as their 111 was malfunctioning. (As an aside can I just mention here that when you can’t reach a telecom company by phone it is a major irony?) That’s beside the point, I asked them to call me and I was given a link for an online form which asked things like my Twitter handle and the like. I filled out the required fields and was pleasantly surprised to receive a call quite quickly.

From there, things went downhill. The first person I spoke to was courteous and tried a few simple measures. I was told the tech support side would phone me back to do some troubleshooting. Another customer service rep then called, not the tech side, and suggested I just wipe out my BlackBerry completely as their system indicated that my device was linked to Etisalat, a UAE telecom company. I told them that I felt their solution was a quick fix, and I requested them to look into alternate options.

This customer service rep insisted, and repeated exactly what she’d told me all over again. Again, I requested her to look into another option. She said she would have the tech support team call me. I waited all day yesterday (without turning to social media), and did not receive a call. This was, in my opinion, the first mistake. Knowing that I was agitated (yet polite), Alfa should’ve followed up on the situation. I tweeted at them again, reminding them that they were supposed to call me. What followed was me behaving quite badly on Twitter, because they wouldn’t respond. And when I say they wouldn’t respond, I mean I tried

THE FUSION ISSUE

HOW TWITTER CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND OR YOUR WORST ENEMY

email, phone, and social media. They didn’t seem to care that I was waiting for them to correct my problem or for them to offer me an alternate solution. I don’t appreciate being ignored, and I certainly don’t appreciate a Twitter “voice” responding to me with what I consider a snobbish attitude. Tweeps (a tweep is a Twitter user for those of you who haven’t heard the term) began sharing my tweets at Alfa and responding to them. I have taken screenshots of most of the goings-on, and as of now, my phone isn’t working properly yet. I have a very nice Alfa employee on the phone with me, and I basically informed him that the person operating social media should be acknowledging my comments, not just work behind the scenes and ignore them.

What I can say is that a few people at Alfa on the phone were very genuine and well-mannered and that they did try to help, but only after I complained to the management. I won’t say that I am sorry for tweeting at them the way I did, because I felt neglected and since I spend a great deal of money with them, I also felt ripped off. The point I am trying to make is that if you decide to cultivate an online persona, you need to make sure that

THEY DIDN’T SEEM TO CARE THAT I WAS WAITING FOR THEM TO CORRECT MY PROBLEM OR FOR THEM TO OFFER ME AN ALTERNATE SOLUTION. I DON’T APPRECIATE BEING IGNORED AUGUST 2013

the online persona is pleasant, fast and good at crisis control.

If, as a company, you cannot adequately liaise with your social media personnel, whether they are in-house or outsourced, you should not have a Twitter account. On the flip side of this, one can consider the Four Seasons globally an excellent example of how to run a Twitter account. They have a maximum three-hour response time, and generally no matter which Four Seasons I tweet at (including Beirut, Baku, Vancouver and more), they always respond immediately.

Finally, as someone who often responds to RAGMAG’s Twitter account, both positive and negative remarks (thankfully there are very few of the latter), I understand that social media is a double-edge sword. When we receive a complaint about a late delivery (thank you Aramex), we immediately attend to the person tweeting at us by CCing one of our staff members right on the timeline and finding out where their missing magazine is. We are transparent with our followers, and we are very integrated into the online community. So when I am in the midst of an online rage and tweeting at a company, I tend to expect the same efficient treatment. Alfa is not the only company who has dropped the ball online- I’ve seen tons of social media accounts do far worse. But since they are a huge company, one expects better.

To wrap things up, here at RAGMAG Twitter is our best friend. For those of you whose twitter is causing you more harm than good, it’s time to re-evaluate your online strategy and persona. #JustSaying

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WHO WILL WIN THE LAST GRAND SLAM GAME OF 2013?

WILL THE ZIMMERMAN CASE DISAPPEAR?

RAGMAG’S VOTE MAYBE

FIVE QUESTIONS THE WORLD IS ASKING

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In February 2012, Trayvon Martin was shot to death by George Zimmerman, allegedly as self-defense; following a trial with intense and contradictory media coverage, Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder and of manslaughter charges in July 2013. We all heard the news of the verdict, and we all had an opinion on it, not the least of which was US President Barack Obama. According to Euronews, Obama addressed the case and “opened up on the African-American perspective on a very personal tone: ‘There are very few African-American men in this country who haven’t had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me.’ […]

Obama also called for Florida’s ‘stand your ground’ self-defense laws, largely cited as the reason Zimmermann was acquitted, to be examined.” The law states that “a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony” and critics of the Zimmerman verdict believe laws like these allow too many criminals to get away with murder convictions on the basis of self-defense.

Will this case and the protests following the verdict create pressure for reexamination of the American stand-your-ground laws?

RAGMAG’S VOTE IMPROBABLE THE FUSION ISSUE

FLUSHING MEADOWS COURTS IN NEW YORK CITY SOURCE: DAVIDWBOSWELL | TRAYVON MARTIN SOURCE: THE NEWSWEEK/DAILY BEAST COMPANY

This month, all eyes are on the Flushing Meadows courts in New York City for the fourth and final major tennis competition of the Grand Slam itinerary. It’s often perceived as the most important tennis competition worldwide, gathering public and media attention for being the players’ last chance of winning a major title in 2013. This year, the 28 percent prize money increase since 2012– jumping from $22 million to $33.6 millionmakes it even more sought after by athletes.

Predictions started soon after the Wimbledon Championships, placing Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic on top of the list though Andy Murray, last year’s winner of the US Open and this year’s winner of the Wimbledon Championship is believed to successfully defend his title, having proved his skills on all types of court- grass, clay and hardcourts. On the women’s side, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams, who both had good years, are unsurprisingly among the favorites but the attention given to Williams might also have to do with a controversial documentary about the Williams sisters. According to the New York Post, the United States Tennis Association is suing the documentary makers for “copyright infringement, claiming they used footage -including Serena’s infamous outburst during the 2009 US Open- without permission.” Is it just a way for unpredictable Serena to promote herself, get the most attention and get to her opponents’ head?

FIVE QUESTIONS THE WORLD IS ASKING

ERIC HOLDER SOURCE: PHOTOGRAPH J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP/ GUARDIAN NEWS | BULGARIA PROTESTING SOURCE: BEN TAUB | BURJ AL ARAB SOURCE: THE LUX TRAVELLER

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO SNOWDEN? Among the numerous potential asylum countries Edward Snowden -the National Security Agency whistleblower- considered, he finally chose Russia. “Choice” might be a strong word- the US Senate “threatened that it might impose sanctions against any country that provides asylum to Snowden, including revocation or suspension of trade privileges and preferences,” according to Russia Today.

Snowden had been in limbo at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport since June 23, having no valid identification since the US cancelled his passport and talks over his fate have been heating up the relationship between the US and Russia. According to BBC, Dmitry Peskov -current Press Attaché for the President of Russian Federation- “repeated Russia’s position that it would ‘not hand anyone over’.

The US Attorney General, Eric Holder, has sought to assure Moscow he would not face the death penalty in America.” Snowden is wanted by the US on “espionage charges for carrying out one of the biggest security leaks in the American history. His [asylum] request followed weeks of searching for a way to leave the country, which he had intended to pass through only briefly on his way to another destination” (Russia Today). Breaking: as this issue went to print, Snowden left Moscow’s airport amidst much controversy. Is this the end of the saga?

RAGMAG’S VOTE DRAMATIC

IS THE POWER WITH THE PEOPLE? With the Turkey, Brazil, and Egypt protests, popular mobilization that took thousands to the streets in another country was going largely unnoticed. However, in the past few weeks, Bulgaria is making news, notably because of a Parliament siege that had trapped about a hundred lawmakers, journalists and ministers inside the building for more than eight hours by protesters calling for the government to step down. The protests had started in January against high electricity and hot water bills and evolved into a mass movement against the government, before ending three weeks later with the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko

Borisov’s center-right government- Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party. Parliamentary elections followed and although GERB won a plurality, it didn’t have majority in parliament and the mandate went to the second party, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)- Plamen Oresharski was appointed.

Two months after the elections, protests are still going strong– the people of Bulgaria are not content with this government either. Bulgaria is starting to look a lot like Egypt- they possess the ability to oust one government after another. Will they ever get what they’re asking for– and do they know what they want?

RAGMAG’S VOTE DUBIOUS

WILL DUBAI WIN THE WORLD EXPO 2020 BID? Turkey, Brazil, Russia and the UAE are the remaining candidates for the World Expo 2020.

After the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) disqualified Thailand over concerns that the bid didn’t have sufficient support from the government, Dubai made their move and placed a last-minute bid. Under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, Dubai’s Expo 2020 would be the first World Expo to be held in the MENASA region (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.) Sufficient funds aren’t the main concern for Dubaiin fact, hosting Expo 2020 in Dubai seems to have more advantages than inconveniences.

Not only does it reaffirm Dubai’s status of a global key city, it also has an impact on their

economy. When other cities see themselves left with major –sometimes useless- buildings years after large-scale events are finished (be it a World Expo or a sporting event), Dubai being an “area with good logistics […] the inefficiencies and deadweight loss of development are minimized,” says Andrew Scott, Professor of Economics and Deputy Dean at the London Business School. “Given Dubai’s infrastructure and the current state of the property market, hosting Expo should give both a short-term boost to the economy and with relatively small long run adverse effects.”

It’s basically a win-win situation, which might not be the case with the other bidding cities.

Is Dubai going to land this one?

RAGMAG’S VOTE LUCKILY AUGUST 2013

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CULTURE CLASH

JEAN BOU DOUMIT’S

DESIGN

CLINIC AN AMALGAMATION OF YOUR SPACE+YOUR PSYCHE

BY YOUMNA CHAGOURY

J

ean Bou Doumit is not your ordinary interior designer.

He’s not just there to decorate your bedroom or make your office more practical. His idea of design includes elements of architecture, arts, and most importantly, psychology.

Jean likes to define his role in the relationship between him and his client as a “dream catcher. I draw it. I build it. Then I reveal you in your own space. Dreams are the only thing that tells our story, our conscience and unconscious, what appeases us and what doesn’t. I’m here to support and help the clients comprehend what they want, not do the work instead of them [sic]. They make the decisions: throw, add, change. The main purpose is to show their own space, one that represents them, so they can say, ‘This is who I am, I live here, I’m present here’.”

“PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW ABOUT DESIGN COME WITHOUT ANY RESISTANCE TO THE EXERCISES. PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND IN DESIGN OFTEN BUILD WALLS MADE OF IMAGES THEY STUDIED FOR YEARS” 18 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co

Jean founded ID Beirut in 2007 and later on came up with the “Design Clinic” concept: two sessions where he runs a series of psychology-inspired exercises that help reveal the client’s personality. Puzzled by the approach and having wanted to change my bedroom for a few years now, I book my first session with Jean.

I have absolutely no knowledge about the nuances of design, but that doesn’t seem to bother him. On the contrary, Jean believes that “people who don’t know about design come without any resistance to the exercises. People who have an educational background in design often build walls made of images they studied for years and sometimes it takes more time because we have to break the wall and let their own personality show.” Some of the exercises consist of choosing art books from his collection and sticking a post-it on pages that speak to you, writing down random -are they really?- sentences from novels he presents you with, or assembling pictures that you want to see together. He asks me to send him pictures of my room, that I change something in it and that I try to remember a dream I’ve had –all of that between the two sessions. Later on, after we’re done with the sessions, Jean explains the reasons behind the “homework.

I asked you to change something in the room to see to what extent you were ready to change it. The photographs are not only for a design purpose, for me to see the space. They’re also a way for you to accept your current space, they state who you are at the moment. You need to know and acknowledge that

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THE FUSION ISSUE

CULTURE CLASH

JEAN BOU DOUMIT’S DESIGN CLINIC

“THE MATERIALS USED [ IN VEER ] ARE AGGRESSIVE BUT THE SPACE IS NOT. SOMETIMES CONTRADICTION CREATES HARMONY. VEER IS DEFINED BY THREE WORDS: PROVOCATIVE, EXHIBITIONIST AND RAW” something is not right if you want to change it. As for the dreams, I just wanted to know if the first session had any effect on you, if it moved something in you.” I had removed three Marilyn Monroe images from my wall –they were the first thing I changed in my bedroom- and that night I dreamed of three huge (and disgusting) pieces of meat. Was there any correlation between the image removal and the dream? The door is open to interpretation, but I nonetheless feel relieved after taking that first step.

During my sessions, I try to forget everything I know about psychology and do the exercises. I can’t help but wonder how I will be able to design my own room. “Anyone can be a designer,” says Jean. “Even a prisoner can be a designer, and the process leading to creation can be therapeutic. We held a workshop in Roumieh, Men el Sheri3 Lal Takhet, where 10 different prisoners having committed different crimes had to reflect over their life before jail, their life on the streets and come up with one word or one sentence that they later turned into an object.” According to Jean,

the psychotherapist in Roumieh positively evaluated their evolution during the workshop and he’s now ready to take on a new challenge, Men el Takhet Lal Sheri3, an urban project with students that might, if they get the budget, materialize in a public space.

Public spaces and hospitality establishments are one of Jean’s specialties. He’s the mastermind behind Veer, Kaslik’s controversial pool resort. It is sometimes looked at by its detractors as just a cold steel and glass structure on the beach, but Jean doesn’t concur: “The materials used are aggressive but the space is not. Sometimes contradiction creates harmony. Veer is defined by three words: provocative, exhibitionist and raw. These three words are both cold and full of life. The aquarium pool does seem shocking with a hint of voyeurism, but people walk and sunbathe in their bathing suit, why is it looked at differently when you’re in a pool?” I can’t say that nudity and exhibitionism are Jean’s thing, but his work on Gilgamesh restaurant in Antelias shocked more than a few people. The space was large and needed practical separations, so instead of building walls or even regular removable panels, he created panels covering green mannequins, transparent enough to show just a hint of nude forms. “They’re plastic mannequins, you can see them in every store, plus they’re green! Why does it become erotic when they’re used this way?” What’s semi-covered is always more erotic, I think while he explains the story behind his work there. “In Mesopotamian mythology, Gilgamesh was a king of Uruk (modern day Iraq), who’s known for his strength, but who also had a harem of women. In the restaurant, there’s an anamorphous portrait of him, so I placed the mannequins, his harem, facing him, telling the story of Gilgamesh.”

“THEY’RE PLASTIC MANNEQUINS, YOU CAN SEE THEM IN EVERY STORE, PLUS THEY’RE GREEN! WHY DOES IT BECOME EROTIC WHEN THEY’RE USED THIS WAY?” AUGUST 2013

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CULTURE CLASH

Telling the story of a person is the same as telling the story of a brand- to Jean, there is no difference. He sees the brand or the project as a person with an identity, and that’s how he can work his psychology-based design. Jean’s work stays true to his client’s identity and will. After our two sessions with Jean, some choices are made: blue, my favourite colour, the one I find the least aggressive, and books, my favourite thing in the world. I had sent Jean pictures of my room as it is, with the slight mess that’s always there and during our sessions, we both agreed that I actually like it that way. “The mess in the photographs and spaces you picked during the sessions, it tells the story of your lifestyle, the rhythm of your life. It bothers you sometimes, and you’re happy it’s there, it appeases you. The purpose is not to change it and tidy it, but to put it in a frame.” That’s exactly what we did, giving me a corner for all my useless stuff and a lot of space for my books. Jean reckons that the problem is that “so

many people live a hectic lifestyle and don’t take the time to just think and process things. They spend years without using a pair of scissors for example, or choosing a post-it colour. When we do these things during the sessions, they revive memories in the person, and remind them of some kind of pleasure. Sometimes, a brand’s identity is stronger than a person’s, which is a scary thought. Sometimes I get clients that I can’t understand because they don’t know who they are. And sometimes, the sessions trigger something that make these people think, travel, or start therapy.”

I didn’t find myself in need of therapy after my sessions with Jean, but I have to admit they triggered emotions unrelated to design. I’ve decided to pay more attention to spaces I spend a lot of time in and find ways to make them better for me, because as Jean says, “Everything in life is related to who you are. We are human beings, we’re not made of wood or cement”

“SOMETIMES I GET CLIENTS THAT I CAN’T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW WHO THEY ARE . AND SOMETIMES, THE SESSIONS TRIGGER SOMETHING THAT MAKE THESE PEOPLE THINK, TRAVEL, OR START THERAPY”

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JEAN BOU DOUMIT’S DESIGN CLINIC

1

2

3

5

4 6

SPACE EVALUATION

JEAN BOU DOUMIT ANALYZES YOUR HOME 1. I don’t know who lives in this house, is it a family, a single man, a couple? It’s a beautiful space, aesthetically it’s very nice, but it’s not personalized. Maybe it’s a house for sale.

2. Yellow in a bedroom? In colour psychology, being in a yellow environment for a long time makes you feel sick and tired. It’s not a healthy colour for a bedroom, it should be used in a space where you want something specific to call your attention. The ceiling fan is probably

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the only thing the owners asked for; maybe they wanted it there because it’s a gift from their aunt or grandmother. It’s my favourite item in this room.

3. In the long run, such a white and cold environment might influence negatively the relationship between the people living in that house. I can only see Paris Hilton living here, or any other person who likes being seen, while cooking, while sitting, while having guests.

4. It’s a very particular atmosphere. I can only

think of older people living here, people in their 80s maybe.

5. It’s a clean and light space. These people don’t seem to bother with a lifestyle where the TV is very present, they just stuck it on a wall. I imagine the people living here are comfortable with their space.

6. No comment. I can’t comment on this picture, it doesn’t speak to me.

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CULTURE CLASH LEFT: AMY WINEHOUSE’S GUITAR OPPOSITE PAGE, UPPER ROW: AMY AT HOME IN 2003, INSTALLATION SHOT: FESTIVAL PASSES AND GIG TICKETS

AN INTIMATE REVIVAL

AMY AT HOME © MARK OKOH/CAMERA PRESS | INSTALLATION SHOT © THE JEWISH MUSEUM | AMY WINEHOUSE (OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM) PHOTOGRAPHER UNKNOWN © THE WINEHOUSE FAMILY

BACK TO BLACK AMY WINEHOUSE RETROSPECTIVE IN LONDON

W

e spent some time speaking to Elizabeth Selby, the curator of the newly launched Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait exhibit, and the first thing we wanted to know was whether or not she felt she knew Amy intimately after having access to her personal effects. “I definitely feel as if I have got to know Amy in a way that I did not prior to working on the exhibition. Prior to this I only knew about Amy through stories in the press, which was perhaps a very one-sided portrait,” she says. The exhibit was cocurated by Amy’s brother Alex Winehouse, and her sister-in-law Riva Winehouse who had approached the museum back in 2012.

It began with the idea of a “dress on loan. They came in for a meeting and we suggested that we might do something bigger.”

That something bigger turned into a large-scale, intimate portrait of arguably one of the most powerful performing artists of this century. “They agreed [to the idea] since it tied in with what would have been Amy’s 30th birthday. We felt that the family should strongly be involved in the exhibition, and that it should be their take on Amy. This was something that would make the exhibition very special, and add a deeply personal dimension.”

Winehouse’s 30th birthday would’ve been July 23rd of this year, and it was also the anniversary of her death on her 27th birthday

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in 2011. Selby says that curating the exhibit was “very exciting and at times very moving. It is an interesting story and I felt a growing affection for Amy. It has been fantastic to work on an exhibition that is drawing visitors that would not normally come to the museum.” Selby says that “through talking to Alex and Riva, I have gotten to know a person who was part of a wider family, and learnt more about her passions and interests.”

It took approximately six months from Selby’s first meeting with the Winehouses to the opening of the exhibit, and there are between 50 to 60 pieces on display, much of it unseen as yet by the public. Why wasn’t it more a rock n’ roll retrospective?

“We very quickly realized that the exhibition was not going to be a typical musical or fashion retrospective as we talked to the family. They were very keen to portray her Jewish background and family history, and this was a story that linked with those

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AN INTIMATE REVIVAL | BLACK TO BLACK

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AN INTIMATE REVIVAL | BLACK TO BLACK

FESTIVAL PASSES AND GIG TICKETS © THE JEWISH MUSEUM | DRESS WORN BY AMY © THE JEWISH MUSEUM | YOUNG AMY PHOTOGRAPHER UNKNOWN © THE WINEHOUSE FAMILY

BELOW, RIGHT TO LEFT: INSTALLATION SHOT: DRESS BY LUELLA BARTLEY WORN BY AMY AT GLASTONBURY 2008, A YOUNG AMY OUTSIDE HER NAN’S FLAT IN SOUTHGATE

already told in our gallery… stories of migration from Eastern Europe,” explaining Selby. Is Amy’s Jewish identity heavily reflected in the exhibit? “Amy definitely identified as Jewish but her family was traditional rather than religious. We reflect her Jewish heritage through a family tree, and display a Jewish cookery book which Alex gave to Amy because she wanted to learn how to make chicken soup. There are also family photographs– such as of Alex’s Bar Mitzvah and Amy in her Jewish Lads’ and Girls’ Brigade uniform - that reflect her Jewish upbringing and heritage.” In a creative twist, also paying homage to Amy’s personality, Selby incorporated a “soundtrack that Amy compiled in her mid-teens in her own handwriting. We were very keen that visitors should hear music that Amy loved –rather than her own music– in the exhibition so it was wonderful when we found the soundtrack,” she says, adding that this piece was found very late in the curating process, and one of the items that Selby encourages everyone to see. The sound experience revolves around the “soundtrack of 25 songs that Amy put together when she was a teenager. It includes tracks by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Carole King, Pearl Jam and The Offspring.” Amy’s personal record collection will be on display as well as her first guitar.

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Another must-see element of the exhibit is “the suitcase as it really shows that Amy kept her memories close to her.

You could argue that her whole life is encapsulated in that object, and that was really the starting point for the exhibition”. Selby says that after having access to Amy’s childhood effects, her intuition told her that the girl who would grow to be a global superstar “was nostalgic, sentimental and loving. And that she had many interests –such as reading– that the public knew little about”. Many items from Amy’s personal wardrobe will be on display, including the Luella Bartley dress for her Glastonbury performance in 2008, and a dress that Amy designed for her collaboration with Fred Perry The exhibit Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait began on July 3, 2013 and runs until September 15, 2013

Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait Jewish Museum Raymond Burton House 129-131 Albert Street, London www.jewishmuseum.org.uk www.ragmag.co | R A G M A G | 27 +44 (0)20 7284 7384

CULTURE CLASH

JOHNNY DEPP THE MOST ENIGMATIC PERSONA OF THIS GENERATION

YOU

YOU MIGHT NOT TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS. I’D UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY. YOU MIGHT, RIGHT THIS SECOND, BE EXPERIENCING HEART PALPITATIONS AND YOUR VISION MAY BE BLURRED. YOU MIGHT FEEL SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND A SUDDEN SENSE OF VERTIGO. YES, AND HE, JOHNNY DEPP, IS THE REASON. SO I’M OKAY WITH IT. YOU MIGHT STARE AT HIS PICTURE FOR A WHILE. YOU MIGHT HAVE A PTSD-LIKE FLASHBACK TO ANY ONE OF THE MEGASTAR’S BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES. ALL OF THAT MEANS YOU MIGHT NOT READ THIS INTERVIEW. I DON’T BLAME YOU, NOT ONE BIT. BECAUSE JOHNNY DEPP IS SIMULTANEOUSLY ONE OF THE MOST OFT-REPORTED ON CELEBRITIES IN THE WORLD, AND ALSO ONE OF THE LEAST UNDERSTOOD. CAPTIVATING. ENIGMATIC. DOWNRIGHT ADDICTIVE. AND NOW, HE’S ABOUT TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN FOR THE LONE RANGER. NOW, TRY HARD TO TEAR YOURSELF AWAY FROM THIS OPENING SPREAD. FOCUS. EXERT THE MENTAL EFFORT YOU NEED TO TURN THE PAGE, BECAUSE HE’S ABOUT TO TELL YOU SOME THINGS. WHO CARES WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT? IT’S JOHNNY DEPP. EVEN IF HE DECIDES TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE LAST TIME HE CHANGED A FLAT TIRE, I PROMISE YOU IT’LL BE RIVETING. NOW PLEASE: TRY. AND. TURN. THE. PAGE.

BY FIDA CHAABAN

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THE FUSION ISSUE

©DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.

IS ABOUT TO TALK TO

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OPPOSITE PAGE: JOHNNY DEPP AT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES PRESENTATION THE LONE RANGER AT CAESARS PALACE DURING CINEMACON APRIL 2013, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

was told at a very young age that we have some Indian blood in our family,” says Johnny. He means Native American, and it’s not surprising considering his cheekbones and almond eyes. The dark cast of his skin, more a tanned gold than red (the outdated colour descriptor of Native skin), the wealth of his dark hairit’s all very Native American. “Who knows how much- maybe very little, I don’t know, although my great grandmother on my mother’s side had quite the look with the braids and everything. She was a wonderful, beautiful woman and she lived until she was 102 and chewed tobacco until the day she died.”

The matriarch with the Native American-looking braids was Mae Sloane, and Depp says that she was “an amazing woman”.

Little could Mae Sloane have known that generations later, her descendant would be facing one of the most challenging roles ever given to an established actor: portraying a Hollywoodidifed Native American sidekick named Tonto -a screen icon of one of history’s most marginalized people- and trying to do it without turning the character into the stereotypical TV Indian.

Depp thoughtfully puts it out there: “When I played Cowboys and Indians as a five, six-year-old boy, I wanted to be the Indian. And now, all these years later, I’m playing Tonto, which is great. And the only way I could do it, for myself and for the Native Americans, was to play Tonto with great dignity and integrity and at the same time a sense of humour about the white man and all the things that they do.”

Where did Depp’s desire to play Tonto in The Lone Ranger come from? “We had heard about it as kids so then I guess from that I wanted to learn about more Native Americans and also wanted to find out as much as I could about our heritage and our ancestry.” Here the moral qualm that Depp faced comes into play and he says that, “You watch cowboy movies and the Indians were always portrayed as these savages, as the bad guys, which didn’t sit right with me. This is my little salute to them. It was my way of trying to give back and redress the balance of the way they have been mistreated in cinema down the years.” Mistreated indeed, the Native American culture has long been cast on the big screen as the people who needed taming, much in line with colonialism. They’re also cast as child-like people, the brunt of base-comedy, much like African Americans and Chinese Americans, depending on what era in film you choose to reference. “I know Gore [Verbinski] and from the first time that we had script meetings with Justin Haythe [co-screenwriter] the main thing was, ‘Are we doing right by the Indian? Are we doing this right? Let’s not make any mistakes here.’ For me the idea was to give something back to them,” adds Depp. His work with Director Gore Verbinski is part of an unbeatable Hollywood triumvirate that includes Producer Jerry Bruckheimer. There may not even be anything comparable out there as the threesome of Depp, Verbinski and Bruckheimer is the success secret behind Disney’s wildly lucrative Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

“LET’S NOT MAKE ANY

MISTAKES HERE”

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PHOTO BY ISAAC BREKKEN WIREIMAGE

I

“

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THE FUSION ISSUE

EXCLUSIVE | JOHNNY DEPP TALKS TO YOU

THE LONE RANGER - ARMIE HAMMER, JOHNNY DEPP. PH PETER MOUNTAIN..©DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC. AND JERRY BRUCKHEIMER INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

“THE INDIANS WERE ALWAYS PORTRAYED AS THESE SAVAGES, AS THE BAD GUYS, WHICH DIDN’T SIT RIGHT WITH ME.

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THIS IS MY LITTLE SALUTE TO THEM” “When I’m in script meetings with Gore we start riffing and suddenly you’ve got this really interesting situation and that becomes a major factor in the film.

Because we know each other so well he can guess a direction that I’m going. I’ll throw in something left field just to get his reaction,” says Depp laughing. On a more serious note, Depp’s allegiance to Verbinski is sourced from something deeper that characterizes a lot of Depp’s relationships, both personal and professional: “You’ve got to have that element of trust with someone you work with on that level. And for me, it’s the be-all and end-all really. And that’s not something that comes easy, you have to earn it, and earn it. I’ve been fortunate enough to gain the trust of these men that I would describe as great friends, great teachers -mentors really- from Hunter S. Thompson to Marlon Brando to Bruce Robinson to Tim [Burton] and Gore. You form these special bonds where you just get each other, where you can take minimal ingredients and turn it into something that hasn’t been done to death,” explains the 50 year-old actor. It’s a good time to mention that the biggest Tim Burton productions almost always star Depp opposite Burton’s wife Helena Bonham Carter- another triple threat and one imbued with a huge trust factor based on friendship.

Her reputation for aptly bringing to life

off-kilter characters is a female mirror of Depp’s, and in The Lone Ranger Bonham Carter plays notorious Old West madam Red Harrington. In an interview a few years ago, Helena tells the anecdote of Depp being asked to be the godfather of Burton and Bonham Carter’s child- she laughingly points out that she is often the mediator between the two ciphers. In Burton’s 2007 screen rendition of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Depp and Bonham Carter exhibit an onscreen chemistry channelling the dark energy the duo are famous for in films like Alice in Wonderland (2010) and animated feature Corpse Bride (2005). This is all well and good, but there are very little mentions of Depp’s ex Vanessa Paradis and Bonham Carter sharing a relationship.

The friendship doesn’t seem to extend pass the three of them- and now with his recent split from Paradis, all eyes are on Johnny to see what (if any) relationship will manifest itself.

Amidst a torrent of rumours about Depp and Dark Shadows co-star Eva Green, it’s easy to forget that Depp is first and foremost a dedicated dad to a teen and a pre-teen. According to Depp, his children with Paradis, Lily Rose and Jack, are adjusting well to the split that occurred in June of last year. Looking back at his relationship history, it’s fairly apparent that Depp definitely prefers

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OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: AT THE EUROPEAN PREMIERE OF DARK SHADOWS AT EMPIRE LEICESTER SQUARE, LONDON, MAY 2012 THE LONE RANGER MAKEUP DEPARTMENT HEAD JOEL HARLOW AND JOHNNY DEPP AS TONTO

ALL OF DEPP’S PAST PARTNERS HAD TO LIVE THROUGH HIS PERSONALITY TRANSFORMATIONS CHARACTER BY CHARACTER waif-like, darker personalities with a gypsy flavour. Post engagement to Winona Ryder -Depp had a “Winona Forever” tattoo that he later altered to read “Wino Forever”- he spent another four years with supermodel Kate Moss. In addition to the edgy vibe and risky reputation, all of Depp’s past partners have one more thing in common: they’ve all had to live through his personality transformations character by character. From the depression-ridden, opium-addicted detective in From Hell (2001), to the author turned psychopathic murderer in Secret Window (2004), Depp has gone on record many times saying that he keeps a part of each character with him long after playing the role. While living with devil-may-care Jack Sparrow sounds fun, living with John Dillinger doesn’t- Depp played the infamous bank robber in Public Enemies (2009). Another role which would’ve driven anyone crazy was FBI agent turned mafia-mole, the Stockholm Syndrome-ridden Donnie Brasco (2001).

This time around, for The Lone Ranger,

Depp says that “it was important to see that this man [Tonto] has been through a lot,” and that “once you start to replace your own skin with that of the character, especially with Tonto, you build the character.” Depp decided to immerse himself in First Nations culture for the role and says one of the most significant factors was the fact that the “production was blessed by the Navajo and the Comanche [nation]”.

After spending time with the tribes, Depp was “adopted” into the Comanche nation, and he says that will “probably be the greatest honour I’ve ever been given”. A fervor of method-actors, Depp’s time with the Comanche can be compared to Viggo Mortensen’s obsession with the Siberian prison culture for his role in Eastern Promises. Mortensen too took away much from the experience and he also voiced similar feelings of kinship. Depp’s gratitude here knows no bounds: “I couldn’t ever have dreamed anything like that would ever happen and they have been so great and now

“IT’S THE BE-ALL AND

END-ALL REALLY”

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MAKEUP PHOTO CREDIT PETER MOUNTAIN ©DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC. AND JERRY BRUCKHEIMER INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | SUNGLASSES PHOTO CREDIT ALEXANDRA GLEN / FEATUREFLASH | JOHNNY DEPP & VANESSA PARADIS PHOTO CREDIT FEATUREFLASH

LEFT: JOHNNY DEPP & VANESSA PARADIS AT THE 61ST ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS, BEVERLY HILTON HOTEL, BEVERLY HILLS, JANUARY 2004

EXCLUSIVE | JOHNNY DEPP TALKS TO YOU

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EXCLUSIVE | JOHNNY DEPP TALKS TO YOU

OPPOSITE PAGE IMAGE CREDIT: ©DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC. | JOHNNY DEPP AS TONTO ©DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC. AND JERRY BRUCKHEIMER INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BOTTOM OF PAGE: THE LONE RANGER, JOHNNY DEPP AS TONTO

“I’VE KIND OF DONE THE [CHARACTERS] THAT I WANTED TO DO- NOTHING IS REALLY OUT THERE SCREAMING AT ME” I have a new family. This woman, Ladonna [Harris] is my peer, as they say in Comanche. She’s my peer and my mom and she calls me son. And when they welcome you in, they really welcome you in and that was a high point for me.” This also ties in to Depp’s feeling that the Native American community deserves restitution from the film community at large: “However long cinema has been around the Native American has been treated very poorly by Hollywood for the most part,” leading Johnny to invest a great deal of his energy into paying Tonto respect as a “warrior”. On a less serious note, another aspect of living the role is the endless prep and timesavers Depp opted for in The Lone Ranger. Depp “was in makeup a couple of hours a day. Sometimes I decided to wear it at home to save time in the morning. It wasn’t comfortable and it looked funny but it was worth it, I think,” he says laughing. Mortensen too went off the set painted with his character’s tattoo makeup, but due to the more nefarious nature of his Russian mafia role he had a lot less to laugh about. The similarities between them end here except for one thing: it’s worth noting that both actors, regardless of critical reviews either positive or negative, are able to pack theatres film after film. The next role for Depp, a sure-fire box office smash, is revisiting Captain Jack for another Pirates flick. Having his pick of scripts doesn’t mean he’s in any great hurry; Depp says that in terms of upcoming projects that “there are things that I would love to experience in terms of playing characters but I’ve kind of done the ones that I wanted to do- nothing is really out there screaming at me”. Instead, he’s keen on amping up production of his documentary about close friend, former Pirates co-star and rock legend, Keith Richards.

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“Oh man, it’s going to be so much work. We have so much footage, I have probably… I don’t know, maybe in the neighborhood of 60 hours of footage. It’s fascinating but we’ve got some work to do before it’s ready to go out there,” says Depp, keeping mum on a possible release date.

The real enigma of Johnny Depp is that this man can admittedly be pretty much anything, not just act like anything. His chameleon skin, after playing good, bad and even ambivalent guys, just doesn’t stop changing. When he speaks, you learn that both his aura of gritty mystery and his hippie reputation are yin-yangs of truth and untruth, accuracy and inaccuracybut we’re no closer to knowing what he’s really like. And that is the only thing you can be sure of when you consider Johnny Depp, even when he talks to you

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NEW WORLD PUNX LIVE IN LEBANON!

GLOBAL DJ SENSATIONS BROUGHT TO YOU BY POLIAKOV VODKA

FERRY CORSTEN + MARKUS SCHULZ EXCLUSIVELY FOR RAGMAG PRIOR TO THEIR AUGUST 17 APPEARANCE AT BIEL

ONE ON ONE

Ferry, you come from a small country with a disproportionate amount of EDM artists, particularly trance DJs. How do you explain this phenomenon that seems to be specific to the Netherlands? Do you feel you’re a sort of ambassador for the Dutch when you bring your music to the world?

I definitely agree that for such a small place we produce a lot of great DJs. What started with a majority of trance DJs, now grew into a world music power of all genres. I always like to think that we as a country have been strongly influenced by the countries around us who all have a very unique sound (Germany, UK, Scandinavia, Belgium/France).

We just picked the best of all and blended it into what is now known as the Dutch sound.

I must say that it gives me a certain pride to bring Dutch music across the world, yes.

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Ferry, what is the most rewarding part of your collaboration with Markus Schulz, and why do you think you make a great duo?

We both have a long history with music and that is a great thing to have. It’s a great well of inspiration. When producing in the studio we just have that chemistry and we often feed off each other’s input and ideas. The same goes for when we play together on stage. Markus could drop one track and because of that I would come with another great idea. We also both love to play extended sets and take the night wherever it wants to be taken. Besides all that, Markus and I have known each other for at least 10 years, so we are good friends on a personal level as well. We just have a lot of fun doing what we love most. And ultimately, that’s what this whole scene is all about.

Markus, while you hail from Germany, you decided to relocate to Miami and are now a fixture in the US EDM scene. How do you stay close to home and loved ones when traveling on tour, and what do you find helps when feeling homesick?

I actually have an apartment in Berlin.

Around five or six years ago I decided to go for it because of the European festival season, and it meant that I wouldn’t have to fly to Miami and back (and this was before you could even fly direct to the likes of London and Amsterdam), so it saved a lot of time on planes and reduced the jetlag. Any time I have tour dates on successive weekends in Europe, I stay in Berlin. And of course being there makes things easier to connect with my German family.

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CULTURE CLASH

Markus, what is the most rewarding part of your collaboration with Ferry Corsten, and why do you think you make a great duo?

The easiest word to describe it is fun.

That’s the entire ethos of the New World Punx concept. Ferry and I always had been friendly when meeting on the road, and we bonded closer after our families spent a week together at a villa in Ibiza for the closing party stretch a couple of years ago. Then during Amsterdam Dance Event

NEW WORLD PUNX | GLOBAL DJ SENSATION

I had the opportunity to visit him in Rotterdam and spend time in the studio, which ended up yielding our remake of Loops & Tings. It was the chemistry in the studio that made us think that we complimented each other well stylistically, and this escalated further when the likes of Godskitchen and Insomniac started booking us together to co-headline shows, which we approached with an off-the-cuff, backto-back concept. The really big break-

through was through the Club Glow event at Echostage in Washington, DC last year, when we played for seven hours. That was the moment where we thought that we were really onto something and there was a feverish demand from the fans for us to play collectively. And if we were ever in doubt that it was worth doing, the night at Madison Square Garden in New York City generated enough memories to last a lifetime for me.

THE BOYS TEAM UP FERRY VS. MARKUS

How has the response on the road been so far to New World Punx?

What can Beirut expect when you take to the stage?

FERRY The response has been big and amazing. After we played at Madison Square Garden, the amount of requests for NWP got out of control. That’s why we are now planning an extended tour.

NWP is all about energy and drive. Beirut can definitely expect lots of that and will be treated with a darker, tougher, more driving side of trance…

MARKUS Well, for me personally it’s a really big gig because it will be my first performance in Beirut since October 2010, when I was touring my Do You Dream album. Every single week for the past 18 months when I am answering the fans’ questions on Twitter during Global DJ Broadcast there is guaranteed to be someone asking about the possibility of a Lebanese gig, so I’m very happy and excited to be finally coming back. The great thing about the show in Beirut is that we’ll get to play a lot longer than the standard festival set, so it allows each of us to bring our own signature tracks to the table as well as the NWP stuff. We have a follow-up to Romper finished so we’ll be able to play that for sure, and a few surprise bootleg remixes. The most recent one you guys would have heard was of the old Mauro Picotto & Riccardo Ferri tune New Time, New Place; which is awesome for me because it was a big signature track of mine, back when I was a weekly resident at Space in Miami.

“WHEN PRODUCING IN THE STUDIO WE JUST HAVE THAT CHEMISTRY AND WE OFTEN FEED OFF EACH OTHER’S INPUT AND IDEAS. THE SAME GOES FOR WHEN WE PLAY TOGETHER ON STAGE” One recent phenomenon is the “supergroup” of DJs, with New World Punx and Swedish House Mafia leading the way. Do you see this as a new business model for the future? If you could team up two of your EDM idols for a global tour, who would they be?

FERRY I’m not sure if this will be the business model of the future but it’s definitely a thing that the fans love to see. To see and feel the passion for the music that Markus and I have, always radiates and results in an amazing vibe. See it as one and one is three.

It hard for me to come up with a third person but I would love to have one of the techno boys on board.

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NEW WORLD PUNX | GLOBAL DJ SENSATION

MARKUS If we are allowed to choose anyone living or dead, my

dream combo would be going together with Larry Levan and Danny Tenaglia. Those two were among my biggest inspirations for what I am today. I wasn’t old enough to experience Larry’s Paradise Garage nights, but the stories I heard and read about them were legendary. And Danny really opened my eyes towards being able to play a multi-genre set. One of the most iconic moments I have lived in my life was at Space in Miami during Winter Music Conference 2001. I was on the dancefloor- Carl Cox standing to my left and John Digweed standing to my right, and Danny was performing one of his trademark marathon sets. Now everybody knew him as a house guy, yet from out of nowhere he dropped PPK’s Resurrection.

That moment made me feel that I could take my own sound at the time (where I started off doing house productions and remixes) and adding trance melodies on top. In terms of the supergroups, to be honest I think they can perfectly co-exist with the individual DJs. One of the most important things to emphasize is that despite all the work that Ferry and I do as New World Punx, we are still going to have our own respective careers. I’ll still be continuing with Global DJ Broadcast, running Coldharbour and making my own albums and compilations.

“BEIRUT [...] WILL BE TREATED WITH A DARKER , TOUGHER, MORE DRIVING SIDE OF TRANCE” As Beirut continues to affirm itself as the epicentre of the Middle Eastern EDM scene, we’re seeing major new developments such as the opening of new mega-clubs and the inaugural edition of Creamfields this coming September. You both come from countries with established and world-renowned EDM scenes. Do you think it’s possible that Beirut, and Lebanon in general, could become a musical tourism destination like Ibiza or Miami?

FERRY I absolutely think that Lebanon can become that. It has the weather, the venues, the beaches, the food, drinks and right party mentality. I think it’s only a matter of time before the world starts to realize that Lebanon has way more to offer than what the news tells them.

MARKUS There is definitely potential for it to become a big spot. The most important thing is that there has to be the demand from the fans. If promoters know that they can put on a show and sell it out then they will always come back again

AUGUST 2013

@FerryCorsten | @MarkusSchulz www.ragmag.co | R A G M A G | 43 FerryCorsten | MarkusSchulz

CULTURE CLASH

MATT

DAMON SIX QUESTIONS IN SIX MINUTES

I saw District 9 and I freaked out like everyone else did and Neill [Blomkamp] was instantly top of the list of people I wanted to work with. Then I heard about this movie. I didn’t think I would get to work with him right away but sure enough the next movie there was this role available. And about 20 minutes into my first meeting with Neill —I met him for coffee in a diner in New York— he pulls out these renderings that he has done. He has built the entire world on his computer and he has made a graphic model and there was a whole other book he’d got of weaponry. This is stuff that isn’t necessarily going to be featured in the movie. It is deep background stuff but each gun’s got a description of how it is engineered and how it works. The level of detail was literally mind-boggling. Apart from speaking to James Cameron about Avatar, that was really the only other time I have met a director who did that, who literally came with a fully formed concept, a science fiction world, which was unlike any world I had ever seen.

You shot some extensive scenes in an enormous garbage dump in Mexico City…

Yes, a number of locations were within the dump. We had locations, for instance, one of them was called ‘Poo River’. Literally, it was, ‘Okay, can we get everybody down to Poo River for scene 36?’ And only after we’d started filming do they tell you that all the dust in the air is really fecal matter!

“WE HAVE A BUGATTI SPACE CRAFT WHICH CRASHES IN THIS THIRD WORLD DUMP, SO IT IS A REALLY ARRESTING VISUAL COLLISION OF THESE TWO WORLDS”

STILL IMAGES OF ELYSIUM COURTESY OF MRC STUDIOS

W

hy did you want to make Elysium?

“EACH GUN’S GOT A DESCRIPTION OF HOW IT IS ENGINEERED AND HOW IT WORKS. THE LEVEL OF DETAIL WAS LITERALLY MIND-BOGGLING” 44 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co

THE FUSION ISSUE

MATT DAMON | SIX QUESTIONS IN SIX MINUTES

“ONLY AFTER WE’D STARTED FILMING DO THEY TELL YOU THAT ALL THE DUST IN THE AIR IS REALLY FECAL MATTER!” The garbage dump must’ve given Elysium some real authenticity?

Neill spoke very articulately about why we needed to do that and it is a very convincing argument and he was right. It is the visual expression of the entire theme. We have a Bugatti space craft which crashes in this Third World dump, so it is a really arresting visual collision of these two worlds and also it is a completely unique place to do an action set piece. It was an incredible back drop to use. We knew why we were there and, yes, it was a little uncomfortable for a couple of weeks but the good far outweighed the discomfort.

How did you enjoy your character’s look in the film with the skinhead and tattoos?

When I had tattoos all over my neck it definitely made me feel different when I was walking around. But, again, it was Neill who gave me pictures of Max and he was this guy who is bald and he had all these big muscles and tattoos everywhere and so it was really easy to go, ‘Okay, well!’ They hired a trainer for me and I went to the guy with the picture and I went, ‘Just do that!’ And he goes, ‘Okay, I got it. That’s a lot of work.’ So it was really just the pain in the ass of dieting and just spending a lot of time in the gym.

The gym part is kind of cool- when else do you get to indulge like that? Unless you are an athlete or a personal trainer, no one spends four hours a day in the gym. So that part of it was really indulgent and fun. But not eating what you want and not drinking red wine whenever you wanted, that was a total pain in the ass.

AUGUST 2013

“ THE GYM PART IS KIND OF COOL- WHEN ELSE DO YOU GET TO INDULGE LIKE THAT ? [...] BUT NOT EATING WHAT YOU WANT AND NOT DRINKING RED WINE WHENEVER YOU WANTED, THAT WAS A TOTAL PAIN IN THE ASS ” What did your wife, Lucy, think of the haircut? Did she like it?

She did for a time. I liked it. I remember when I did The Brothers Grimm I wore a wig and so I shaved my head completely and I just remember getting out of the shower and just literally running a towel over my head and being thoroughly dry.

That part of it was cool.

When shooting Elysium you were flying home to see your family at weekends when you could. Do you do that on most movies?

It really depends on the movie. With Elysium we shot it over the summer during the school holidays, so the whole summer we were in Vancouver together.

Then, when they started school, I still had some time to do in Vancouver and that was when I was taking the red-

eye flights back home. Then we went to Mexico and they were completely in school at that point. We have a ‘twoweek rule’ so after two weeks I went back home for three days and then I came back and finished in Mexico.

When I did True Grit, which was a much smaller commitment time-wise for me, I think I shot a total of 25 days over the course of a 70-day movie. I literally said to the Coens brothers, ‘My only stipulation for doing the movie is that at least every two weeks I can get home,’ and they took it a whole step further where I was working three days on and then I’d have three days off. I was commuting to Texas and the kids didn’t feel my absence Elysium is in theatres nationwide as of August 15th

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RAGGED

FUSION FACTS NUCLEI, ASSEMBLE!

When two or more atomic nuclei collide at a very high speed and join to form a new type of atomic nucleus, the reaction is called nuclear fusion. We’re sure you’ve all read about this nuclear reaction before, since all the energy our Sun releases into space is actually a product of the nuclear reactions in the star’s core, caused by the formation of helium nuclei.

Nuclear fusion can be divided into thermonuclear fusion, useful for obtaining fusion energy, beam-beam or beam-target fusion and Muon-catalyzed fusion, as well as many other subtypes.

OH, WHAT HEAT! The physical process resulting in a phase transition of a substance from solid to liquid is called melting, but did you know it’s also called fusion? When heat or pressure is applied to a substance, it results in an increase of its temperature until it reaches its melting point. That’s when the solid liquifies (or becomes liquid), after the ordering of ionic or molecular entities in the solid breaks down to a less-ordered state.

The melting point is often equal to the freezing point, under a standard set of conditions.

TOGETHER WE STAND There exists an important cellular process called cell fusion, which occurs when several cells with a single nucleus (uninuclear cells) combine to form a syncytium (a multinuclear cell). It usually occurs during embryogenesis and morphogenesis and is vital for cells to mature and play their specific roles throughout growth. However, cell fusion is now being studied as a therapeutic means and as an alternate form of replacing damaged cells and restoring organ function since donor organs and tissue available for transplantation are seriously scarce.

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THE FUSION ISSUE

EVERY VOTE COUNTS

70s

You may know it as electoral fusion, plural nomination, multiple party nomination, ballot freedom, cross-endorsement or fusion voting, but all these terms point to a same process: the arrangement in which two or more political parties on a ballot list the same candidate in order to pool the votes. We’re not talking about a political alliance –the political parties are still listed separately on the ballot. This practice allows minor parties to influence elections by endorsing or supporting a major party’s candidate, and is common in Brazil, Hong Kong, Italy and some US States.

This is when fusion cuisine (the art of mixing culinary influences from different parts of the world) first took off. Ever since, this cuisine method has been finding its way to people’s hearts through their stomachs. The most famous examples of culinary fusion are centered on Asian food, with South Asian, East Asian and SouthEast Asian traditions being the most prominent. Another famous type of culinary fusion is Tex-Mex cuisine, which combines elements of United States cuisine with Mexican cuisine, as well as Pacific Rim fusion, which mixes traditions from all the region’s islands.

GO FORTH + MULTIPLY In order to help an enterprise grow quickly in its sector or in a new location without creating a subsidiary or using a joint venture, people turn to M&A, or Mergers and Acquisitions, which is a part of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management based on buying, selling, dividing and combining different companies and similar entities to achieve their growth goal. The terms “merger” and “acquisition” once referred to separate concepts, but the distinction between them has now become so blurred, especially in terms of economic outcome, that they’re now used together.

q = mHf

While the scientists among you might recognize this formula, those less scientifically inclined of us will be happy to know that it is used to calculate the heat of fusion, or, in even simpler terms, the amount of heat required to convert a unit mass of solid into liquid. This energy breaks down the solid bonds, and the heat is both absorbed and released by the solid.

The Heat of Fusion of Water (Hf = 334 J /g) is only used at the melting/freezing point when the temperature remains constant (0 degrees Celsius).

AUGUST 2013

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THE FINAL FRONTIER LEFT: THE FIRST THORIUMDOPED CRYSTAL

FUSING ALTERNATIVES IS THORIUM THE WORLD’S NEWEST ENERGY WONDER?

BY J.E.N

I

n our power hungry contemporary world, the quest for viable and sustainable energy sources is getting heated. With more “traditional” energy supplies like oil and gas projected not to last for much longer, the world is hard pressed to react before we find ourselves in the dark. Solar, wind and wave energy, while sustainable and green, can’t provide enough juice to drive industries or meet daily demands at the moment and nuclear energy, while renewable, can’t exactly be called “green” (the Fukushima Daiichi disaster in 2011 is proof enough without having to mention Chernobyl). Will we have to say goodbye to our modern lifestyle? Or are there promising alternatives

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on the horizon? Some think Thorium could be the answer to our prayers. Thorium is a naturally occurring radioactive chemical element (symbol: Th and atomic number: 90) that is lovingly named after the Norse god of Thunder, Thor, and can be used to produce “cleaner” nuclear energy.

Nuclear energy is created by fission (splitting atoms) which generates a large amount of energy. The atom of choice for this process is radioactive Uranium.

While effective in producing lots of energy and fairly abundant in nature, Uranium is not a dream come true because of the radioactive waste it leaves in its wake.

Thorium is even more widely available than Uranium, produces less radioactive waste, is fertile and isn’t fissible on its own (meaning a reaction can be stopped whenever needed) and generates more energy per ton. So why isn’t it being used extensively throughout the world? Looking at the origins of nuclear energy might explain this. Research into nuclear reac-

tions were launched to make weapons, not something beneficial to the community at large, and Thorium didn’t produce Plutonium (which you need to make nuclear bombs and which, interestingly enough, is the waste product that is the biggest threat to the environment and life since it remains perilously radioactive for thousands of years). According to the World Nuclear Association, “The use of Thorium as a new primary energy source has been a tantalizing prospect for many years.

Extracting its latent energy value in a cost-effective manner remains a challenge, and will require considerable R&D investment”.

And the R&D drive has kicked off.

Thor Energy in Norway has built a Thorium reactor at a test site in the town of Halden. They’re using a conventional nuclear reactor (a light water reactor to be precise) but have swapped Uranium with Thorium. Since Thorium is not fissible on its own (there’s not

THE FUSION ISSUE

THORIUM: THE WORLD’S NEWEST ENERGY WONDER?

enough fissible Thorium-231 to sustain a nuclear reaction), they are mixing Thorium oxide with 10 percent Plutonium oxide to achieve criticality. You’re probably shocked that “lethal” Plutonium is in the mix, but this could actually be a good way of recycling Plutonium rather than just leaving it as dangerous waste.

“Thorium oxide would therefore serve as a good matrix for once-through fuel designed specifically to ‘burn’ Plutonium.”

Another positive point is that the Thorium-MOX (the mixture) doesn’t create new Plutonium when it generates energy. This means it can potentially reduce the level of waste Plutonium. When using Thorium-MOX, the nuclear reactors themselves are safer thanks to thermal conductivity and a higher melting point.

The new test reactor will be in operation for the next five years. The small reactor with six Thorium fuel cells is cur-

ABOVE: THORIUM REACTOR IN NORWAY

THORIUM IS EVEN MORE WIDELY AVAILABLE THAN URANIUM, PRODUCES LESS RADIOACTIVE WASTE, IS FERTILE AND ISN’T FISSIBLE ON ITS OWN rently powering a paper mill and if all goes well, then commercially-viable Thorium energy might be around the corner.

While this seems extremely promising, some think cold fusion is the ultimate nuclear energy solution. According to Discovery, “Fusion, the same process that powers stars including the sun, would be a relatively clean, safe and near-limitless source of power. [But to achieve fusion on Earth...] more energy gets put in than what comes out, and that is not efficient.” This is why scientists are striving to make fusion happen at room temperature: cold fusion. Several researchers claiming to have achieved cold fusion have popped up from time to time since

1989, but their supposed successes were all unverified upon further examination.

The most recent was Andrea Rossi who even set up demonstrations in 2011 but refused to let independent parties and scientists run tests to verify his claims.

So it is all a fanciful dream? Who knows.

But Thorium is real.

Is Thorium the answer? Quite possibly but it needing Plutonium to work might prove to be a curse in the long-run rather than a waste-reducing blessing. Strides in solar, wind, wave, ocean, geothermal and hydroelectric energy and biofuels shouldn’t be dismissed either. The ultimate energy solution might be a combination of many resources: only time will tell

RIGHT: POWER PLANT IN JAPAN

THOR ENERGY IN NORWAY HAS BUILT A THORIUM REACTOR AT A TEST SITE IN THE TOWN OF HALDEN. THEY’RE USING A CONVENTIONAL NUCLEAR REACTOR (A LIGHT WATER REACTOR TO BE PRECISE) BUT HAVE SWAPPED URANIUM WITH THORIUM AUGUST 2013

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THE FINAL FRONTIER

FIVE THINGS THAT ALL SCIENCE GEEKS WANT (BUT CAN’T JUSTIFY)

SO IF YOU’RE A SCIENCE FREAK LIKE US, YOU’RE ALWAYS BROWSING THE WEB FOR THE FANTASTICAL AND THE SUPER COOL. WE’VE HIT UP HAMMACHERSCHLEMMER.COM THIS ISSUE FOR SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE DON’T NEED (CORRECTION: NO ONE NEEDS), BUT REALLY WANT. EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE (AND SOME THINGS THAT YOU CAN’T) IS OUT THERE FOR SALE SOMEWHERE- SO DON’T BE SHOCKED BY THE TECHY EXTRAVAGANCES WE’VE CHOSEN. IF THERE’S A SPECIAL TECH-OBSESSED RAGMAG READER OUT THERE WHO FEELS LIKE SPENDING SOME HARD CASH, THIS LIST IS FOR YOU.

WHAT THE POWER NAP CAPSULE PRICE TAG $25,000 WHY Because who doesn’t want to sleep like an astronaut?

This NASA-inspired 180 lbs. cocoon is made of calfskin leather with an exterior of fiberglass-reinforced plastic.

NASA studies say napping improves “reaction time by 16 percent and concentration by 34 percent” according to Hammacher Schlemmer, so this is ostensibly the reason you should want this. It’s got a whole bunch of other cool features, like ergonomic lumbar-minded design and the shape is meant to filter out light and sound so that you can doze off easily. The reason we want this is because we’re forever pining after all things space and science oriented, and also because we haven’t had a really good nap since kindergarten. And because it looks like it came off of the set of Star Trek.

WHAT THE PERSONAL SUBMARINE PRICE TAG $2,000,000 WHY Because thanks to Disney we want to be merpeople.

So Aerial made it cool to be a mermaid, and there’s nothing like going places where no else can go- all that is easily achieved with this cool submersible! On a serious note, this fully functioning two-person mini submarine can go pretty deep, allowing you to see a bevy of marine life in aquatic splendor. It’s transparent and climatecontrolled and has four hydrogen lamps so you can see under the sea. There’s a commission to validate these types of things, and apparently The Personal Submarine made the cut: the American Bureau of Shipping has certified it as a +A1 passenger-carrying manned submersible. There’s an additional bonus, you get “comprehensive training” with this 6,600 lbs. baby. That, and you get to sing Yellow Submarine, inside a real yellow submarine.

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THE FUSION ISSUE

FIVE THINGS THAT ALL SCIENCE GEEKS WANT

WHAT THE COLD WAR DOPPELFERNROHR PRICE TAG $15,000 WHY Because it’s called a “Doppelfernrohr”. Seriously.

WHAT THE SUPERPLEXUS PRICE TAG $30,000 WHY Because it looks cool? We don’t know why we want this but we do.

It might be easier to think of this as a super smart pinball machine.

Kind of. It’s a 3D maze that is supposed to “challenge the limits of your manual dexterity and spatial understanding” as you try to make a wood marble get through the course. A few cool details: The Superplexus is handmade, takes over 400 hours to build and when the track is laid out in a straight line, it’s 31’ longer than a football field!

There’s a bit of customer service involved with this one- when you order this 65 lbs. stunner, you can ask them to customize the level of difficulty. We like the way this looks, and we like anything that includes a vortex (which it does). It’s a win-win situation! The only caveat? You may never actually succeed at getting the marble to do 425 plane-changes. We know we won’t, but trying is half of the fun.

Order this for no other reason than just to say you own one of these things. It’s a “restored periscope binocular typical of devices used for Cold War-era observation along the Berlin Wall”. We’re sure you’ve all heard of a Carl Zeiss lens? Well this, “known as the Richtungsweiser-Doppelfernrohr 10x50”, was created between 1956-1958

by Carl Zeiss Oberkochen himself in West Berlin. Unless you are an optical specialist, the details will elude you, but this 53 lbs. historical masterpiece is definitely cool for playing spy games. The Doppelfernrohr was originally military green and placed on armored vehicles (without the tripod), and when used in watch towers around the Berlin Wall and along the Inner German border, it ensured that the subject being observed couldn’t observe the observer. That talking point alone makes it worth it.

WHAT THE SELF SUSTAINING ECOSPHERE PRICE TAG $299.95 WHY Because we always wanted our own little planet.

This might be the only thing on the list that we can actually afford to buy, but there are so many shipping restrictions that it makes it nearly impossible. This “self-contained, selfsupporting ecological system is permanently sealed within this hand-blown borsilica glass sphere”. After NASA researched self-sustaining environments and bio-regenerative systems for the purposes of inhabitable, long-life space stations, this was modelled after the results using a strategic “balance of air, water, plant and animal life”. This is the basic principle of how it works: 1) The mini shrimp eat the bacteria. 2) That becomes waste which is food for the algae. 3) The algae then generates the O2 for the shrimp and the bacteria.

We want this because it’s the circle of life in one slick bubble. And it would be our planet, and we would be the boss. And who doesn’t want to rule the world?

AUGUST 2013

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FML [F**K MY LIFE]

WORKING IT I WAS A SERVER FOR A DAY

LIVING THE CREPAWAY LIFE IT’S #ALLGOOD

BY MARIA-ELENA KASSAB

I WAS GENTLY COAXED BY THE CREW INTO CARRYING A TRAY LADEN WITH ORDERS. AND BY THAT I MEAN IT HAD TWO GLASSES ON IT, AND I ALMOST BEHEADED SOMEONE WITH A TRAY AT SOME POINT

W

hen I wasn’t able to do my previous FML assigned to me by Fida and Youmna due to health complications, I felt like I had dodged a bullet. When they told me this time around I would be a one-night server at Crepaway, the excitement with which I shared the news with my family and friends proved that this would not be a regular run-of-themill FML. And it sure wasn’t.

EDITOR’S NOTE

The reason we chose Crepaway for this FML is because lately their social media channels have been proving that they’re willing to have fun. Elena is certainly fun, but she’s also notoriously clumsy- so naturally we picked something that would challenge her dexterity. Half the amusement was picturing Elena trying to balance large trays filled with beverages.

For the first time, my FML started before it actually started. I went to meet Mario Thoumy at the Crepaway offices in Jounieh, and started trying on uniforms. Do you think I got a woman’s uniform? No siree!

I got to wear dude’s clothes (and I went through many sizes before I found one).

That’s when the nerves started to hit me.

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I almost picked out a name tag that said Habib (can you imagine yourself having to call a waitress Habib?), but ended up picking out one that said “Trainee” in a huge font so people would forgive my mistakes.

My schedule the next day was so hectic, I had no time to feel nervous about the FML until I finally got to Crepaway Jounieh (my favorite branch, FYI), decked out in my dude’s clothes, hair pulled back into a ponytail- I looked 12 years-old. I received strange looks from the other waiters, who did not know what to make of my intrusion, until Tarek introduced me to everyone. He picked out Gregory as my spirit guide and told me not to be nervous. Ha, right. After visiting every nook and cranny with a very helpful and patient Gregory -I was rattling off more questions than a month-old kitten, with a slightly high-pitched voice and with the speed of a submachine gun (I blame the nerves)- I was introduced to the wonderful criteria that waiters, cooks, hostesses and even valet parking guys have to meet in order to get a good rating by customers. Pages upon pages of details I would never even notice, let alone criticize, during a dining experience. This was a two week training condensed into a 20 minute

crash course, throughout which Youmna kept texting me excitedly. I replied to her texts absentmindedly as I tried to commit things to memory: look the customer in the eye, repeat the order in a clear voice before leaving the table, know what items you can modify, what plates to use, what cutlery works for each dish, where to place said cutlery, where to place napkins, how to suggest black pepper and how to carry the mill, tiny details about everything from condiments to suggestions, from catchphrases to soups of the day. My mind reeled as the info swam before my eyes. I was so going to screw this up!

MY SCHEDULE THE NEXT DAY WAS SO HECTIC, I HAD NO TIME TO FEEL NERVOUS ABOUT THE FML UNTIL I FINALLY GOT TO CREPAWAY JOUNIEH (MY FAVORITE BRANCH, FYI), DECKED OUT IN MY DUDE’S CLOTHES, HAIR PULLED BACK INTO A PONYTAILI LOOKED 12 YEARS-OLD THE FUSION ISSUE

LIVING THE CREPAWAY LIFE | IT’S #ALLGOOD

EDITOR’S NOTE

I was nervous, too. I had warned Mario beforehand that while Elena is an extremely fast learner, she’s a klutz! I also suggested that it would be a good idea to give her a senior server as a supervisor, especially since she’s able to trip while standing still. No joke. I wasn’t worried about her learning the copious and wellthought out Crepaway method, I was scared she’d drop a burger on someone’s head.

I met the rest of the cast and crew of that night’s show and tried to ignore my sweaty palms and how my heart was hammering in my chest, even though Gregory assured me he would handle the heavy stuff (thank you so much for that, but if you every meet Fida, she’ll have a word with you about turning my FML into an LML (Love My Life)). Eventually, Gregory walked towards his section, with me as his faithful, yet not so discreet, shadow. Yes, I bumped into (fortunately) empty chairs.

Are you happy, Fida? Our section got two tables: my dear RAGMAG peeps on one, and my cousins and sister on another. Here goes nothing! I grabbed a notepad, a pen and some balls and walked up to people, jotted down orders in symbols so weird, they could only be deciphered by another interpreter (or a pharmacist, really), learned how to swipe my card (well, Gregory’s, Rami’s and Rodrigue’s cards) and tap the order into the Crepaway system. I was gently

coaxed by the crew into carrying a tray laden with orders. And by that I mean it had two glasses on it, and I almost beheaded someone with a tray at some point. It was a small, innocent child. I felt bad. I skirted my duties and spent my time chatting with Charbel, learning dessert skills with Badih (it’s an art, I know that now), joking around with Rodrigue, Rami, Michel, Pavla, Rony, Mirvate and the entire crew (I can’t name them all!).

EDITOR’S NOTE

Elena, I can picture you nearly braining this kid with your tray. Mario, lawsuit averted haha!

And Elena, certainly dessert is an art- one of the most difficult things to execute in the realm of food and beverage in general.

I was luckily not handed money to deal with (my math skills would have driven Crepaway into the ground) and watched in awe as the waiters walked smoothly between tables with trays and plates piled with stuff, not missing a beat and (mostly) not dropping anything (you know who you are, clumsy!), smiling at customers and memorizing details and extra orders with calm and friendliness. When everybody left, I helped the guys and girls clean up (I felt extremely useful and important, mind you, even though I only gathered placemats). I seriously did not want to leave. I didn’t want to hang up my Crepaway uni-

form and go home, mainly because I hadn’t brought a change of clothes and didn’t fancy parading around in my underwear. I have to say, I always held waiters and waitresses in high esteem, but after spending an evening with them, I have so much more respect for them and everyone working in the restaurant industry, young men and women who hang their worries and personal lives at the door to serve customers (who aren’t always pleasant) with a smile and professionalism, who work hard and study hard at the same time.

I WAS LUCKILY NOT HANDED MONEY TO DEAL WITH (MY MATH SKILLS WOULD HAVE DRIVEN CREPAWAY INTO THE GROUND)

EDITOR’S NOTE

The service industry in Lebanon is known for excellent Mediterranean hospitality, and they’re also besieged with clients both pleasant and unfortunately not-so-pleasant. I think shouting out Crepaway’s staff, who strive for the best customer experience, is really important. Thank you Crepaway Jounieh for training RAGMAG’s Elena, and for playing along like good sports.

I’d like to thank you all for welcoming me into the Crepaway team, if only for one night, and making me feel (as sappy as this sounds) like your little sister by taking such good care of me. I’ve always loved the staff at Crepaway Jounieh, and I love them even more after this. And I hope you guys realize I expect special treatment whenever I walk into that branch. No seriously, I do.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Crepaway Jounieh, see you soon! Our offices are just around the corner from you. #AllGoodIndeed

AUGUST 2013

CREPAWAY www.crepaway.com www.ragmag.co | R A G M A G | 53 Crepaway @Crepaway

THE

Pan-Arabia

ENQUIRER The World’s Only 7-Star Satirical News Source

EXPAT HAS ANSWER TO QUESTION ‘SO, WHAT MADE YOU FIRST COME OUT HERE?’ TATTOOED ONTO FACE DUBAI: In an effort to save time and energy, Dubai-based British advertising executive Phil Vertigo-Jones has had his answer to the question ‘so, what made you first come out here?’ tattooed directly onto his forehead.

“It may have hurt like hell, but it’s been an absolute breath of fresh air, I can tell you,” the 32-year-old explained. “Whenever I’m introduced to someone new and the question is inevitably dragged up, rather than having to explain the whole tedious and utterly uninteresting story, now I can just point and wait for them to read it.”

More than five lines of text written over a 10cm by 6cm space on Vertigo-Jones’ forehead, the answer features enough information to “keep most satisfied”, he claims, including the year he arrived, where he lived before, how long he’s planning to stay and an “amusing aside” about only originally intending to move out for six months.

“Given the sort of eye-wateringly dreary people I tend to meet, having only had the tattoo done a week ago I’ve already saved myself several hours,” he said. “I’m thinking of having another done listing my favourite restaurants in town, and perhaps one for people back in the UK that answers the question, ‘so, can you drink out there then?’.

“IT MAY HAVE HURT LIKE HELL, BUT IT’S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE BREATH OF FRESH AIR, I CAN TELL YOU [...] RATHER THAN HAVING TO EXPLAIN THE WHOLE TEDIOUS AND UTTERLY UNINTERESTING STORY, NOW I CAN JUST POINT AND WAIT FOR THEM TO READ IT” 54 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co

THE FUSION ISSUE

GOOGLE STREET VIEW TURNED OFF AT BURJ KHALIFA AFTER IMAGE TAKEN OF “SLIGHTLY UNIMPRESSED” LOOKING TOURIST DUBAI: Just hours after it was launched to much fanfare, Google’s Street View technology in the Burj Khalifa was switched off last night following reports that it captured the image of a tourist looking “slightly unimpressed” by the record-breaking tower and the view.

The incident was alleged to have taken place in the skyscraper’s At The Top observation deck on the 124th floor, and was captured by Google’s specially-designed tracker camera equipment and then broadcast on the internet.

According to Femka Bunderberg, one of the thousands who saw the image online, the tourist was a Caucasian male and aged between 12 and 14.

“He just looked completely nonplussed by the Burj and was too interested playing on his phone,” she said. “It was truly horrifying to watch. How anyone could behave like that is just beyond me.”

“UNFORTUNATELY, ONE IMAGE THAT WE RECORDED FELL SHORT OF THE STANDARDS WE HAD SET OURSELVES AND WE MADE THE DECISION TO TAKE DOWN THE VIRTUAL TOUR UNTIL THE MATTER HAD BEEN LOOKED INTO” Within minutes of the service launching, several viewers had taken to Twitter to voice their complaint regarding the unexcited visitor.

“OMG Just seen a guy in the burj on Street View not lookin amazed! #disgusting,” tweeted @DitzyinDubai.

“This sort of thing should not be allowed online #banthisfilth,” added @Ihearthummous After the image was reported to the relevant authorities by “several hundred” concerned witnesses, a decision was made to turn off Street View at the Burj Khalifa until further notice.

“When we first talked about setting up Street View in the Burj Khalifa, we wanted to offer people the chance to see the iconic tower in all its glory from wherever they were in the world,” said a spokesperson.

“Unfortunately, one image that we recorded fell short of the standards we had set ourselves and we made the decision to take down the virtual tour until the matter had been looked into.”

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The Pan-Arabia Enquirer is the Middle East’s second most popular source of satirical news behind Iran’s Fars News Agency. Head to www.panarabiaenquirer.com to see what all the fuss is about. For exclusive* content on its exciting social media channels, check out the Enquirer’s Facebook page (just type in Pan-Arabia Enquirer, you’ll find it) and follow it on Twitter @arabiaenquirer. *Not always exclusive.

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CULTURE CLASH

HAYDA LEBNEN KEL CHI MEN BARRA KATTIR MENNO! ’S

BY SARAH HOURANY

WLEK IZA BTELZO2 A “MADE IN ITALY” STICKER ON A GARBAGE BIN, WE’RE PRETTY SURE 2ENNO FAJ2A BTE7LA BI 3AYNON!

A

lthough globalization is seen by some as a rich social and cultural process in which individuals of different cultural backgrounds are exposed to new cultural values and different ways of thinking, others warn from its dangerous consequences. In fact, the latter argue that with globalization, culture has become a commodity that can be produced, distributed and consumed, but most importantly imported and exported. As such, local markets are bombarded with new food, languages, music, clothes, and values, which can undermine the existing local culture. Of course, these people have the right to worry about the cultural implications of globalization, but iza baddon yenso shway msibeton, RAGMAG invites them bi kell ma7abbe to visit Lebanon in order to discover how foreign cultural items mesh bass moura77ab fiyyon in the country bass kamen highly demanded by its citizens (kel shi men barra kattir menno!).

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ALEF, BEH, BOUBEYE The cultural implications of globalization in Lebanon go way beyond the “Hi, kifak, ca va?” cliché. It’s as though the Lebanese people are ashamed of their own language, w 2ejit hal globalization ta tse3edon. In fact, parents think that it is 3ayb to talk to their kids bil Lebnene so they choose what they consider “classier”: French or English. According to them, “Maman, je veux manger” / “Mom, I want to eat” sounds much better than “Mama, badde 2ekol”, especially in front of their

“classy” friends. It’s even worth the headache they go through when their kids start learning Arabic at school, when • They classify el fil (elephant) as “shay2” instead of “7ayawan”, thinking it means le “fil” (thread) in French.

• They ask bi kel bara2a why the hell they’re learning a foreign language (Arabic!)

• They can’t memorize the Arabic alphabet- just like most of us. Shu fi ba3ed el alef, dakhelkon?

THE FUSION ISSUE

HAYDA LEBNEN’S KEL CHI MEN BARRA KATTIR MENNO

AKBAR SA7AN 7OMMOS! It’s true that tabboule and other national dishes are still popular on Sundays, as part of el 3adet wel ta2alid el Lebneniye. After all, ma btokhlas el jem3a unless the whole family btejtemi3 over sa7n el 7ommos wel kebbe wel 3arak, otherwise bikoun fi shi ghalat. Enno walaw Sunday bala 3aj2a w khaf2a w 2akel? Yet, despite all the importance Lebanese people give to these delicious dishes, they would hardly select it as their favorite food, bta3erfo, mesh cool.

2enno have you ever seen a friend saying: “Yalla el layle tabboule?” Never. But of course you have seen friends msha7er2in 3a dahret sushi: “El layle sushi eh? Eh???” along with tweets, Instagram pictures and mobile uploads informing everyone that they are eating sushi, w 3a shway with a Na Na Na/wezz 3aynkon caption or hashtag!

“ANA MA BESMA3 3ARABE” IS THE AUTOMATED ANSWER AS THOUGH FAIROUZ OR WADIH EL SAFI’S SONGS ARE NOT À LA MODE ANYMORE 2ENNO HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A FRIEND SAY-

SEUGHY, MA BESMA3 3AGHABE!

“Ana ma besma3 3arabe” is the automated answer for “What’s your favorite type of music?”- as though Fairouz or Wadih El Safi’s songs are not à la mode anymore.

Halla2 we do understand that Dominique Hourany’s “7attaytak 3elke bi temmi w ta2ashtak ta7t sneni” song isn’t exactly the music you would like to listen to in Arabic, bass 2enno listening to Arabic songs manna tehme, ok?

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ING: “YALLA EL LAYLE TABBOULE?” NEVER. BUT OF COURSE YOU HAVE SEEN FRIENDS MSHA7ER2IN 3A DAHRET SUSHI: “EL LAYLE SUSHI EH? EH???” ALONG WITH TWEETS, INSTAGRAM PICTURES AND MOBILE UPLOADS

MADE IN ITALY Fact: Lebanese people byen3ej2o deyman bi guests jeyin men barra, even if these guests are t2al el dam w neshfin w ma byonta2o. Ma being a foreigner wa7da bet2adde to attract their attention! Gher 2enno they volunteer as tourist guides showing them Lebnen men shmelo lal jnoubo, they also ask them 3a tar2 el nafas: “Mabsoutin bi Lebnen? Kif l2ito Lebnen? Mesh a7la balad bi l3alam? Eh? Eh??”- they’re just making sure enno el 2ajenib are really happy here. Enno uff shu kheyfin 3a their feelings, law 2enno byes2alo hal sou2al to their fellow Lebanese citizens shu bikoun a7san! This is probably why byen3ej2o by everything

that is not made in Lebanon, even if locally produced items are sometimes much, much better, wlanno lal bi2a ya3ne! Wlek iza btelzo2 a “Made in Italy” sticker on a garbage bin, we’re pretty sure 2enno faj2a bte7la bi 3aynon!

Halla2 mazbout 2enno Lebanese people integrate foreign language, food, music and brands into their daily lives, but look at them when they hear “Raje3 raje3 yet3ammar, raje3 Lebnan” -they throw away their BlackBerrys and Ray-Bans, forget all about the faux class and savoirvivre, w byenzalo 3al dabke, la2ano law shou ma 2eja men barra, ra7 ydallo hek w ydall hayda Lebnenon ya 3ayneh!

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THE MELDING OF REALITIES CELEBS REBEL AGAINST THE PHOTOSHOP TREND…

BY MARIA-ELENA KASSAB

FINALLY!

BRAD PITT VS. W MAGAZINE The man with the boyish good looks has no insecurities when it comes to his age –rather, he embraces aging and even flaunts it. For his W magazine photo shoot, the then 45 yearold actor refused any retouching on his images because he felt it was “inauthentic”. Brad actually requested photographer Chuck Close for the shoot, who is known for taking extremely detailed portraits that reveal all skin flaws. Close stated that Brad couldn’t stay a fair-haired young boy forever, and that “maybe a photograph of him with his crow’s-feet and furrowed brow is good for him”.

KATE WINSLET VS. GQ One of the most adamant anti-Photoshop stars is British Academy-Award nominee Kate Winslet. When her picture on the cover of GQ was digitally altered to make her look slimmer, she took a serious stand, telling Harper’s Bazaar in 2009 that she often asks retouchers to use her original pictures: “I do not look like that and, more importantly, I don’t desire to look like that. I am proud, you know”. GQ editor Dylan Jones shrugged off the whole thing, saying her appearance had been altered “no more than any other cover star”. Winslet stated that she is “completely physically comfortable” with herself and doesn’t see the need for retouching her photographs.

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KATE WINSLET AT THE TITANIC 3D FILM PREMIERE, ROYAL ALBERT HALL, LONDON. 27/03/2012 PICTURE BY: ALEXANDRA GLEN / FEATUREFLASH

BETTER LIGHTING, FLATTERING POSES, GOOD ANGLES, AND AN EXPERT PHOTOGRAPHER WERE ONCE THE STAPLES OF MAKING STARS LOOK GOOD IN THEIR PHOTO SHOOTS. IN THE 90S, A NEW CONCEPT OF RE-TOUCHING PICTURES EMERGED, REVOLUTIONIZING THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND FOREVER CHANGING HOW WE PERCEIVED CELEBRITIES. ADOBE PHOTOSHOP HAS JOINED THE LIKES OF GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK IN BECOMING A VERB, AND “PHOTOSHOPPING” A CELEBRITY IS NOW AS COMMON AS WATCHING ONE HAVE A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN. AND WHILE MOST STARS EMBRACE THIS TOOL TO HELP THEM GET RID OF EVERYTHING FROM CELLULITE TO WRINKLES –ALL OF WHICH WERE CONSIDERED NATURAL JUST A FEW DECADES AGO- SOME OF THEM CHOOSE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE REAL DEAL.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE AT THE VANITY FAIR OSCAR PARTY FEB 2013 - IMAGE CREDIT JOE SEER | JESSICA SIMPSON AT THE NBC UNIVERSAL PRESS TOUR ALL-STAR PARTY - IMAGE CREDIT S BUCKLEY | COCO ROCHA AT THE NBCUNIVERSAL 2013 - IMAGE CREDIT HELGA ESTEB

CELEBS REBEL AGAINST THE PHOTOSHOP TREND

JESSICA SIMSPON VS. THE TABLOIDS Media scrutiny would just not let Jessica Simpson breathe through her first pregnancy, during which she put on a whole lot of baby weight, but while she once might have succumbed to the mean comments being thrown her way, she retaliated with class in 2010 in a makeup-and-retouching-free photo shoot for Marie Claire magazine, looking absolutely beautiful with no help from cosmetics or digital enhancement. She told the mag, “I don’t have anything to prove anymore. What other people think of me is not my business”. She’s even gotten involved with Operation Smile to start the campaign “A Beautiful Me”, which motivates teens to embrace their inner beauty.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE VS. DIOR While the 22-year old Academy Award winner does not exactly hate Photoshop, she’s been quite frank about how often pictures of stars are being retouched, giving the world false impressions and ideals to look up to. The actor, who has spoken out against critics that call her too “fat” and has insisted on the importance of projecting a real body image to impressionable young girls, candidly told Access Hollywood when she caught a glimpse of her Dior campaign: “I haven’t seen this. That doesn’t look like me at all! […] Of course it’s Photoshop, people don’t look like that.”

COCO ROCHA VS. ELLE BRAZIL In May 2012, supermodel Coco Rocha graced the cover of Elle Brazil wearing little more than a very revealing dress, making the young woman appear almost topless. This came as a surprise to fans, who know about Rocha’s “no nudity or partial nudity” rule in her shoots, and as a surprise to the model herself, who wrote on her blog about the incident: ”I wore a body suit under a sheer dress, but […] discovered that the body suit was Photoshopped out to give the impression that I am showing much more skin than I actually was or am comfortable with. This was specifically against my expressed verbal and written direction”.

Other celebrities such as supermodel Gisele Bünchen, singer Lady Gaga and reality TV star Kim Kardashian have said they embrace their flaws and imperfections because they’re not perfect, but after seeing the “Photoshop Fails” Internet buzzes, we’re not sure they’re all as genuinely against it as they say they are

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MON AMOUR, MON AMI

THE DEBATE

OFAGES TO HAVE + TO HOLD?

BY CONSUMEDLY

T

oday I turned 29, that weird age marking the countdown before a supposed milestone women’s magazines have taught us to dislike. Honestly, I don’t know what titles I find worse: “30 things to have by the time you’re 30!” or “It’s OK if you don’t have these 30 things by the time you’re 30!”.

Either way, I usually don’t have any of these things. I’m a single female without children; I don’t own a home, no savings at the bank, and I have nothing that even looks or smells like a “relationship”.

Who cares right? I shouldn’t even notice because I’m too busy being “young and fabulous”. I’m so fabulous that I just moved continents for a new job, my fourth country in three years, isn’t that grand? My plane landed eight hours ago, and I’m so fabulous that I’m spending my birthday all alone, in a hotel room, in a city where the only person I know is the headhunter who recruited me…

OK… I should really stop being so dramatic. I had a lovely farewell/birthday party right before I left home; with true friends who made a big deal out of celebrating my presence on earth. Still, no birthday message was quite as touching as the phone conversation I just had with an old friend, a former neighbor actually. When I moved back to Lebanon, we didn’t exchange a single Facebook com-

ment, like or poke, but every couple of months we’d have a long, in depth phone conversation, because we care about staying in each other’s lives. Relationships, real relationships, need real nurturing, if someone’s important, we are proactive in keeping them in our lives. Those relationships nurtured on purpose, I love them more than relationships built by circumstances.

MY PLANE LANDED EIGHT HOURS AGO, AND I’M SO FABULOUS THAT I’M SPENDING MY BIRTHDAY ALL ALONE, IN A HOTEL ROOM, IN A CITY WHERE THE ONLY PERSON I KNOW IS THE HEADHUNTER WHO RECRUITED ME …

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I WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH MY SWOLLEN FEET, MY BODY TELLING ME I’M NO LONGER REALLY YOUNG ; THAT I CAN’T STAY UP ALL NIGHT AND NOT PAY FOR IT Now that I relocated again, we’re only an hour and 15 minutes away by plane (give or take a few bus stops and a 30 minute train ride). That’s relatively close, and because it’s my birthday, he’s going to cross that distance to come have a beer (or two or six) with me next week.

He also says he wants to resume our last face-to-face conversation, almost a year ago. I remember it well. It was a perfect moment in a stressful week of too much dancing in high heels, witnessing my friend getting married while I experienced swollen feet for the very first time in my life. I had two weird and scary balloons instead of feet, which I had raised on the wall like an old lady. We were sharing a hotel room, his bottle of Jack was next my to my Sailor Jerry and as he poured me a drink, he made fun of my green pedicure.

My conservative dentist friend saw all the disaster of my quirky lifestyle condensed into my green pedicure, and he found it hilarious (did I mention his bottle of Jack?).

MY CONSERVATIVE DENTIST FRIEND SAW ALL THE DISASTER OF MY QUIRKY LIFESTYLE CONDENSED INTO MY GREEN PEDICURE, AND HE FOUND IT HILARIOUS (DID I MENTION HIS BOTTLE OF JACK?) I was more concerned with my swollen feet, my body telling me I’m no longer really young; that I can’t stay up all night and not pay for it. My feet were telling me that my friends were getting married, procreating and getting a mortgage, while I was all alone. My fears of becoming a lonely old bag lady, discarded on the pavement, kept swelling in my head, just like my swollen feet. His fears are not mine to tell, but we told each other everything and it remains the truest, most perfect conversation I ever had.

It’s such a relief to let someone snoop around inside your mind, knowing I

AUGUST 2013

don’t have to pretend I’ve got it together, I don’t have to try to be witty or sharp, because he knows exactly what’s behind my eyeliner. A few shots later, we made The Deal. For a moment, we dreamed… why not! We would be perfect for each other. Same sense of humor, same taste in food, similar backgrounds, albeit from different countries. He hates my nail polish and short hair, I can’t stand his shoes, but we’re really good at weathering each other’s mood swings, at bringing each other back on earth when needed, at knowing when it’s best to just open a bottle of wine and listen.

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MON AMOUR, MON AMI

I LAUGHED IT OFF… AGAIN… BECAUSE THE DEAL IS OUR JOKE, JUST A JOKE? RIGHT? OR? He first suggested The Deal: if we’re both single at 35, let’s get married. I raised the deadline to 45, because I don’t want children anyway and I still have some more single-lady fun on my bucket list… we shook on it. Why the hell not?

We could do this, live our life like a road movie, have rum and Jack and take care of each other, saving money on rent and taxes, planning vacations for two.

Our marriage would have better survival chances than most romances I’ve seen walk to the altar. We fell asleep while making plans, and the next morning, when he winked and said it’s not such a silly thought… I laughed it off, of course I did. Then we took planes in different directions.

I’m really excited about seeing him again next week. I know it’s going to be fun and honest and great, even if we just end up having tea in my living room and watching TV. Over the phone, he mentioned The Deal again. I laughed it off… again… because The Deal is our joke, just a joke? Right? Or?

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But… (I’ll never admit it out loud) why not? I wish I had a relationship, companionship for this adventure called life, a human connection strong enough to keep me rooted in one place, strong enough to make long-term plans with.

An ugly voice inside my head, a voice that doesn’t sound like me at all, but like a huntress, an annoying frienemie is commenting at me, not so much askingmore like pointing out: “What’s so special about you anyway? What makes you think you’ll find true love?” She reminds me of all my reasonable friends, who reasonably picked their husbands based on reasonable socio-economic compatibility, they’re moving forward in life, isn’t that what I want too? The voice in my head is telling that it wouldn’t hurt to stop by the salon and do something nice to my hair before I reunite with my old friend. Maybe I could get an elegant red manicure, the kind he likes. The voice in my head reminds me that he’s a dentist with great

THE DEBATE OF AGES | TO HAVE + TO HOLD?

career prospects, a great catch…. and he’s ready to like me more if I only let him. I hate that voice, it attacks everything that I stand for. That voice is really just a bitch, reminding me I’ve read too many stupid articles in Cosmo during my teens. The truth is I owe it to myself not to settle.

Why would I settle for anything less than earth-shattering love? How could I? Having been in love once, why would I settle for anything less than I know what my heart is capable of?

I’ll paint my nails green, and when we have those drinks next week, we’ll drink to not settling, to not compromising our lives and values for a moment of weakness and fear of loneliness. Because friendships are too precious to be ruined

by The Deal, and no one should settle for anything less than that. Even if you shook on it Read more of Consumedly’s thoughts at www.consumedly.wordpress.com @Consumedly

HE FIRST SUGGESTED THE DEAL : IF WE’RE BOTH SINGLE AT 35 , LET’S GET MARRIED. I RAISED THE DEADLINE TO 45, BECAUSE I DON’T WANT CHILDREN ANYWAY AND I STILL HAVE SOME MORE SINGLE-LADY FUN ON MY BUCKET LIST…

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M ea ls s erv ed all da y AUGUST 2013

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MIND, BODY+SOUL

HELP ME

NOUR+RABIH

TO ASK A QUESTION send your problems to helpmenour@ragmaglive.com TO JOIN THE READER RESPONSE PANEL send your name, age, and email address to helpmenour@ragmaglive.com subject line: Interactive Panel We will contact you if you are chosen to participate.

BY NOUR OBAJI + RABIH FEGHALI

I have this crazy fear that I can’t have kids. I don’t have a reason for it, I just think I should have gotten pregnant at least once since I had unprotected sex and no birth control with two of my exes for years. I don’t know if that is normal or I really have something wrong with me?

“Playing Russian roulette with your sexual health by having unprotected sex is insane. Now as for being pregnant, you should be thanking your lucky stars since they are now both exes. Just because you might have gotten pregnant, doesn’t necessarily mean you should have gotten pregnant. Pregnancy can be a tricky thing and you have been really lucky in both the sexual health and pregnancy department.” Layal, 29 “I don’t suggest trying to have more unprotected sex to find out, if it’s meant to be it’s meant to be. There are plenty of medical solutions for this problem but wait until the time is right and when you plan to have kids with a man you’d like to consider their father.” Stephanie, 26 “You’ll be shocked how many women have the same fear; I am one of them too! This is a normal feeling but since you seem to really be worrying about it the best thing to do is to go visit your gynecologist and get a full checkup so you can relax your mind. And since you’ve had unprotected sex for years and no baby it’s just better to double check.” Ana, 25

RABIH’S VOTE Every girl I know that has had unprotected sex (within a relationship) for an extended period of time, has gotten pregnant. Do worry- and do get yourself checked.

NOUR’S VOTE The only reason we went ahead and printed this question is because of the unprotected sex element. Why on earth would you do that to yourself? RAGMAG devotes a lot of space to contraception and safe sex. I am not addressing the baby issue because it will not matter if you can get pregnant or not after you contract something that could be potentially life-threatening. It is either safe sex or no sex. Get it?

Every time I talk to this one guy who is highly interested in me he’s constantly letting me go when his mom calls on the second line. His mom is suffering from a chronic disease and has been for the last 10 years so I always feel bad, but really it’s starting to annoy me. I just asked him, “Why do you always panic to get me off the phone when your mom calls?”, is that so mean?

“I have one thing to tell you: once a mamma’s boy, always a mamma’s boy.

Especially boys from this part of the world. If his mother has control over him, and it appears she does, chances are she always will. This breed consciously or unconsciously wants to show the matriarch she is still boss and that no girl, no matter how important she is to him, will take her place, and that she will always come first. Sounds to me that this woman is chronically sick for attention.” Houta, 27 “I think he must be seriously attached to his mum, especially with a disease he must feel worried every time she calls that something has happened to her. I think that the way you asked him is wrong because you asked in a negative and defensive manner, whereas you could have asked him through a different approach. You can bring it up by talking about how close he seems to be with his mum and how you feel he is always worried about her and that you are worried about his feelings. Let him open up to you about his relationship with his mum and how he is feeling, you’ll get the answer out of him without him even knowing you are upset or annoyed at the situation. This way no feelings are hurt!” Joelle, 31

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LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE ON THE VERGE OF CHEATING! POOR GUY. IT SEEMS YOU’VE TOTALLY LOST IT FOR HIM WHICH IS BAD! I WOULD SAY JUST END IT INSTEAD OF THIS GUILT TRIP

RABIH’S VOTE Se è nata la bambina, si deve baciare la madre (if you need the baby, you have to kiss the mother).

NOUR’S VOTE The Interactive Panel was split on this one. Some said you were insensitive and others said the mother is basically an emotional leech and he’s helping to feed her. I think it is the latter not the former. Rabih suggested that the only way is to appease the mum but are you really willing to do this forever? Put a different spin on this: one wrong look from Mommy and you are out the door faster than you can say, ‘Salamteek’. She has a choke-hold on him and his sense of obligation and duty will suffocate you both. You were not wrong to comment about the situation but evaluate the longevity of this relationship before you spend any more time playing second fiddle. In this case, you are probably going to lose him to her at the slightest provocation. Nour thinks it is time to pack it in.

SHE HAS A CHOKE-HOLD ON HIM AND HIS SENSE OF OBLIGATION AND DUTY WILL SUFFOCATE YOU BOTH. YOU WERE NOT WRONG TO COMMENT ABOUT THE SITUATION BUT EVALUATE THE LONGEVITY OF THIS RELATIONSHIP BEFORE YOU SPEND ANY MORE TIME PLAYING SECOND FIDDLE

My husband and I have been going through a rough period. He’s doing his best to make me happy, but it doesn’t seem to be registering with me- nothing does! I’ve been totally turned off by sex, but only from him! When thinking of other guys, I get aroused. I’ve been trying, but I can’t. Do you think I’ll ever be able to be turned on by him again?

“Looks like you’re on the verge of cheating! Poor guy. It seems you’ve totally lost it for him which is bad! I would say just end it instead of this guilt trip but then again he’s your husband which means you made the forever commitment to ‘live happily ever after’. I would suggest don’t indulge in any sexual activity for a month and then see what happens.

If that doesn’t help then alternatively, maybe the ugly truth is your marriage is over.” Leila, 23 “Are you guys going through a rough period in general or just sexually?

If it’s a time of general suckiness, it’s normal you can’t get it on with him, especially if you’re stressing out about everything. If this is just about sex, now is not the time to sow your wild oats! Try consulting a specialist, grab a book about the subject, be brave and take the reins yourself even though you don’t feel like it: indulge in your fantasies and let your husband, who’s apparently trying so hard to please you, focus on your pleasure. You never know, your body might just react to that.

Or if that doesn’t work, close your eyes and imagine someone else.

Everyone does it!” Hiba, 26 “Of course! You’re probably going through a phase where you are looking for something new or different. But your comfort zone is probably with him. It’s not wrong to think of other guys! Give it some time, but you have to let him feel that you are seeing the effort he is making.”

Anthony, 31

RABIH’S VOTE There is a high likelihood that he has similar feelings. Confront him with it. Maybe the two of you can explore the “open relationship” status that some couples are experimenting with nowadays. The likelihood that things will get messy and you end up with a divorce is high- but in my opinion, no one should have to stick to being with someone if they’re not really into them.

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THE FUSION ISSUE

MIND, BODY+SOUL

HELP ME NOUR + RABIH

NOUR’S VOTE

NOUR’S VOTE

There are a few things that can really fuck up a marriage: a bad sex life is one of them. Whatever the precursor to this “dry spell” is, it needs to be rectified fairly immediately. I suggest a sex therapist to help you and your husband work through this together. If he doesn’t want to play ball, then he’s pretty much signing your divorce papers. It isn’t unusual for couples to drift apart then experience a revival, but there is usually a catalyst involved in this kind of rekindling. The “vacation” method is sometimes effective, but more often than not, Nour thinks a good ole fashioned fantasy dress-up session can do the trick. This is a quick fix and may only work once, but it will help you figure out if the dry spell is a deep-seeded issue or a very basic issue of boredom. Whichever one it is, I hope it works out. About the other men, I don’t find it problematicit’s healthy to have fantasies. That said, acting on those fantasies is a whole different can of worms. Tread carefully.

Breakups are hard. Everyone has experienced a breakup at least once in their life that knocked them flat on their ass and made them feel like they’ve been sucker-punched. Hang in there and for God’s sake, don’t try to force her into the girl’s night out crap. Nour has been there and she detested every forced-cheerful moment. Let the girl grieve and be there when she wants to vent. She’ll recuperate soon enough.

One of my best friends is always miserable. The only time she is happy is when she is being given attention by men. She has a great life but she always feels sorry for herself and I’m tired of the complaining. What do I tell her (in a nice way) to make her stop being so negative and whiney?

“I think we are all guilty of this, it seems as though we are never happy with what we have. At the same time maybe your friend lacks confidence and needs a boost. Talk to your friend let her know it’s really not that bad and maybe she needs to find a hobby of some sort instead of investing so much time analyzing her ‘situation’ if that’s what she thinks it is.” Clara, 32 “Emotional vampires drain everyone and everything around them.

The best you can do if you are tired of listening to her whine is either change the subject or point out the great things she has going for her.

If that doesn’t work, a small discussion may be in order.” Rana, 36 “She probably won’t stop until she meets the right man. Try applying some distance in your friendship and see how she reacts!” Anthony, 31

My best friend and her boyfriend of two years just broke up after days of fighting. I must admit, her now ex was very stubborn and hurtful, and things were blown out of proportion. She’s very depressed, how can I help her get over this bad break up?

“There are other fish in the sea! Take her out, do stuff, go to the movies! She just needs something to occupy her time and maybe find a rebound along the way. I would say some people have their own methods, but for me personally it did help meeting someone else even if it was just for a little fun. If she doesn’t eventually get over the breakup, at least you know you tried your best.” Leila, 23 “If she feels blue, it’s totally normal, but you used the term ‘depression’; as her friend, you should be on the lookout for signs that her feeling down might spiral into actual depression. The only good thing about bad breakups is girl time: take her out with your other friends, watch funny movies, go shopping, encourage her to find a new hairstyle or colour, engage in a new activity together and do not pressure her to talk about her feelings if she’s staying mum. Also, try not to be too enthusiastic in your support of her boyfriend-bashing-rants; you never know if they’ll get back together, and once she’s neck-deep in the rosy ocean of love again, your barbs and jokes about her ex-now-backagain boyfriend will nag at her, and she’ll forget you only said that to support her.” Noura, 28

RABIH’S VOTE If she’s attractive, send me her number. I’ll be happy to come give her some attention.

NOUR’S VOTE Your friend sounds like she is one of those people that has the “Poor Me” disease. It’s unhealthy and annoying. It is clearly causing you angst, although I am not sure why. Telling her to suck it up is probably the best solution. If she doesn’t, then make like a banana and split since I’m sure you have better things to do than listen to that nonsense day in, day out. People have real problems and the fact that she’s not being flattered by some man does not qualify as a real problem. The reason Rabih and I chose to address this was because it seems like we all have a friend like that. It’s a question that a lot of people would identify with, and unfortunately have to deal with

YOUR FRIEND SOUNDS LIKE SHE IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAS THE “POOR ME” DISEASE

RABIH’S VOTE Stay close to her. Be there next to her and try to take her out. Maybe take a trip somewhere? But be careful, she may also want some space.

At the end, everything will be ok. If it’s not ok, it’s just not the end yet.

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MIRROR, MIRROR

LET THE

FESTIVITIES

BEGIN!

MAKE UP FOR EVER’S AQUA FEST RANGE FOR SUMMER LOVIN’

So you’re beachtastic? Not without Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Fest! This extensive range of 100 percent waterproof makeup is now available nationwide with a few cool limited edition products.

We’re not sure if you’re familiar with RAGMAG’s number one go-to product: the Aqua Black double usage cream that can go from swanky eyeliner to sexy eyeshadow. Once you’ve got that down pat, you can move onto the rest of the range that includes smudge-proof lip products laden with extreme pigment so you get your punch of colour! Start with Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Lip and follow up with Aqua Rouge for a perfect pout.

The five new shades in the Aqua Rouge range are Aqua Rouge #16 in Fuschia, Aqua Rouge #19 in Pomegranate Pink, Aqua Rouge #20 in Baby Pink, Aqua Rouge #17 in Bright Orange, and our star pick: Aqua Rouge #18 in Coral. The Aqua Lip waterproof lip liner comes in 18 shades with two new ones for this season: Aqua Lip #19 in Pomegranate Pink, Aqua Lip #20 in Baby Pink.

WIN THIS! One cosmetic-conscious reader will be taking home all the products shown here! How can you win? Tell us which Make Up For Ever product you love most.

Email letterstotheeditor@ragmaglive.com with your favorite product- bonus points if you link us to some of the Make Up For Ever products on our website www.ragmag.co For those of you into beauty and fashion, we’ve got a special Twitter account just for you. Follow us @RAGMAGFashion for the best breaking beauty and fashion releases!

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MIRROR, MIRROR

SUMMER IN THE CITY

DEMANDS IT! CHANEL’S NEW UV ESSENTIEL You’re exposed and smothered by the smog? Chanel has your answer: their newest generation of UV ESSENTIEL products. This multi-action range has a few benefits- get hydrated without the feeling of heavy textures, protect your skin from both UVA and UVB damage, and get your anti-pollution booster. The UV filters help prevent premature signs of aging, like sun-generatedpigmentation and a weather-beaten skin. Three levels of sun protection factor are now available allowing you to choose the product that’s right for you: SPF 20, SPF 30 and SPF 50. The UV ESSENTIEL range is noncomedogenic (meaning it won’t clog your pores), and tested by both ophthalmologists and dermatologists.

GET SUN SMART After moisturizing, shake the product well and apply a thin, even layer. Wait a few minutes before applying your makeup. If you plan on spending time in the sun, you should reapply every two hours or after taking a dip in the water.

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SKINCARE

REVOLUTION CHANEL RESEARCH

REDEFINES THE AGING PROCESS After researching the rhythm of the body’s largest organ, the skin, Chanel research has determined that leading the pace of a modern life throws your skin out of whack. A desynchronized skin is a tired skin, and “loses the notion of time”. Basically, a lack of sleep takes its toll and you’ll begin to notice an uneven texture, dullness and a lack of radiance.

The new skincare range promises to “reset time for beautiful skin” by working on luminosity, a plumped up appearance, a smoother skin surface and finally an even complexion. Get ready for your crash course in skin revitalization!

LE JOUR DE CHANEL WHAT Jasmine extract activates the balancing mechanism in your skin and gives it energy while the salicylic acid in microdose exfoliates your skin gradually to boost radiance.

HOW Apply a thin, even layer every morning after

cleansing and prior to any other skincare products that you use.

LA NUIT DE CHANEL WHAT Frankincense extract soothes the skin to encourage nightly

cellular repair and hyaluronic acid with a sustained release plumps the skin throughout the night.

DIANE KRUGER. LE WEEKEND DE CHANEL AD VISUAL

HOW Apply a thin, even layer every evening after cleansing and prior to any other skincare products that you use.

LE WEEKEND DE CHANEL WHAT This formula uses Rose water to soften and relax the skin

while a controlled release of AHAs including glycolic acid gets you hydrated as well as refreshed by eliminating impurities.

HOW Apply this product once per week both morning and night

in lieu of your regular routine as stated above. Use on a perfectly cleansed skin in a thin, even layer.

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MIRROR, MIRROR

OOH LA LA LANCOME! SEASONAL BESTS FOR YOUR BEACH EXPERIENCE

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So you’ve got your sun routine down pat?

Think again because Lancôme’s got a whole range of products dedicated to your summertime skincare regime. For those of you who absolutely insist on sunbathing, you might as well do it with products that are great quality and made for your optimal sun experience. We like Génifique Sôleil Body Oil SPF 10 for long beach days followed by Génifique Après-Sôleil for aftersun care that replenishes and nourishes the skin after extended sun exposure. For those of you who want to hit up the beach but your legs just don’t have the base, try Lancôme’s Flash Bronzer Dream Legs for a sultry and smooth, deep sunless-tan paired with the drainage and smoothing effect of caffeine. It’s dreamy!

THE FUSION ISSUE

OOH LA LA LANCÔME

GET THAT ROSY GLOW

Blushing beauties indeed! They’re definitely using the Lancôme Blush Subtil palettes. The Blush Subtil compacts are versatile, easy to carry, and best of all they’re multi-toned so you can go from day to night quick as a flash. The mirrored compact is just big enough so that you can get a great application even when you’re on the move. Do it in three easy steps: sculpt with the contour shade, apply the blush, and then highlight.

INDUSTRY INSIDER TIP Gently blend all three of the shades with a brush using a circular motion. Choose from either Rose Flush or Nectar Lace.

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MIRROR, MIRROR

CAUTION EXPLOSIVES! VIKTOR&ROLF ARE DYNAMITE FOR HIM + HER

THIS SEASON VIKTOR&ROLF ARE DETERMINED TO MAKE AN IMPACT. THE CHEEKY DESIGNERS HAVE CREATED TWO FRAGRANCES THAT WILL DO EXACTLY THAT!

FOR HIM Spicebomb is “a cocktail of virility, crafted with refinement” for men who enjoy standing out. The two accords, one of spicy seduction and one of zesty freshness, are simultaneously at odds and complimentary. Spicebomb wearers will notice chilli and saffron, leather and tobacco, with a touch of vetiver. The second accord boasts bergamot and grapefruit, elemi and pink pepper. Now this is one blast we can get behind!

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FOR HER Flowerbomb’s newest version for women is both opulent and exhilarating, combining rose with oud and saffron. You’re getting a burst of mandarin and bergamot, with the additional kick of saffron and pink pepper. In the heart of the fragrance, a gorgeous mix of rose and jasmine paired with osmanthus. Finally, just when you think it can’t get any better, you’ve got amber and vanilla with a patchouli heart.

Absolutely explosive!

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nina ricci ss 2013

COPYCAT MIX N’ MATCH REAL RUNWAY ragmag shows you how to replicate that runway trend! see our takes on how to make the ready to wear, actually wearable

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SILVER LINING

salvatore ferragamo wrist watch tiffany & co. fringe diamond earrings in platinum photo credit carlton davis

JEWEL IN THE CROWN

mina minaudiere agneau metallisĂŠ strass clutch

bottega veneta ss 2013

rodarte ss 2013

BACK TO BLACK elizabeth and james fitzgerald fringed silk-crepe mini skirt

chelsea flower fringed silk camisole

THE GREAT GATSBY

stella mccartney columbia fringe blouse

ROSES ARE RED

louboutin sweet charity handbag

FLAT LINE marc by marc jacobs flat

GOLDEN CAGE versace black & gold leather fringed ankle-strap sandals

maison martin margiela fringed macrameĚ belt

ann demeulemeester silk fringe skirt AUGUST 2013

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OFF THE CHAIN

atelier versace fine jewellery

raif ombre top

versace ss 2013

atelier versace fine jewellery

CLEAR WATERS lacoste live polo shirt

emilio pucci python box clutch

salvatore ferragamo handbag

DO IT UP

max mara cora mini dress

acne studios resort 2013 versace silk mini dress

THREE-TIERED T zadig & voltaire t-shirt

christopher raeburn ss 2013 zadig & voltaire shorts

PLAYFUL PATTERNS etro scarf

marc by marc jacobs flat

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BLUE SUEDE SHOES

christian louboutin suede platform

THE FUSION ISSUE

matthew williamson ss 2013

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

THE LIFE OF

TEXTURES

+TEXTILES INTERIOR ETHOS DESIGNER ALLEGRA HICKS HAS A LOT TO SHOW YOU

A

special collection, developed exclusively by Italian designer Allegra Hicks for The Rug Company has caught our eye. Featured in publications of note such as Architectural Digest, Elle Décor and Telegraph Magazine, Hick’s reputation precedes her- an art sensibility with fine textiles in mind. Here, Allegra puts forward her ideas on design and fashion, and where her creative direction takes her when thinking of interiors. Based in London, Hicks is both a student of design and fine art, and has brought both to the forefront with her latest work.

In 2010, Hicks published An Eye For Design, about textiles and design incorporating her fabric collections along with her design ethos. She says that her book conveys that she doesn’t “believe luxury is only something that is very expensive. I think luxury is to do with good design- it’s about something not only beautiful but made to live well and last. It’s also about comfort; an ease and elegance that makes you live better and looks beautiful but doesn’t overpower you.” Having won several global design awards in the area of interiors, Hicks has also made the bestdressed list. She says that rug and interior design differ from fashion design in more than a few ways: “I think I have a design vocabulary which runs through all the mediums I use, dresses, fabric… but with a rug you need to see it from a completely different perspective. It’s flat on the floor, it can be seen from all angles, there’s no movement, which there is when you design a fabric or a dress. A rug holds the room together; in fact it’s probably the most important thing in the room, so it needs a different approach. It either needs to be the focal point of the

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CELEBS REBEL AGAINST THE PHOTOSHOP TREND

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

DESIGNER ALLEGRA HICKS HAS A LOT TO SHOW YOU

room or an unobtrusive accompaniment to everything else.” As for fabrics, the designer says that silk is necessary “when a design is sophisticated and the colours are very similar, then you can create a different colour because of the texture and the shine that silk gives it. It’s almost like adding a shadow or shading which is really chic. It works very well in the more precious rooms… silk makes a rug really special.”

Something else really special to Hicks is when her designs are noticed. “I’m really happy when people say they recognize something as mine, even though they didn’t know for sure. As a designer, your creative vocabulary is your language and the way you communicate, it’s something you learn in the first few years and if you’re lucky and true to yourself it becomes your signature.” Hicks is also known for her bespoke work- how does she feel about her clientele requesting one of a kind pieces? “I think it’s fabulous because you have one thing for yourself and only for you- it’s the ultimate luxury. Some houses are so different from others, so you need to choose the colours, size or texture to find exactly what you’re looking for because it might not exist.

You need to really understand the client; it’s a journey of trust.”

What about the changing landscape, there’s a lot of new tech-

“TO CREATE PLACES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME, YOU HAVE TO USE CRAFTSMANSHIP IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD” nology out there so how did this affect her work? “I’m not at all interested in technology, I’m interested in projects that are as far away as possible from technology! I want to reflect character and style using only my eye and my hands. To create places that will last a lifetime, you have to use craftsmanship in the true sense of the word. That’s why I love working with The Rug Company because the quality is fantastic- we’re really on the same page.”

Her history of blending art and fashion into her interiors is surely one way to gage her prowess, and her refreshing take on quality is another. Luxury has more than one definition, and Hicks has just made it that much more accessible. And that will last a lifetime

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MON AMOUR, MON AMI

THEBIGREVEAL

#

IVY WHO? DRESSED EXCLUSIVELY BY

VERO MODA PHOTOGRAPHY BY

ODETTE KAHWAGI MAKEUP

ARMANI GLOW

REGENESSENCE YOUTH REGENERATOR FLUID SHEER MASTER PRIMER MAESTRO FUSION MAKEUP 4.5 FLUID SHEER SATIN ILLUMINATING COLOR VEIL 10 LASTING SILK UV COMPACT 4 HIGH PRECISION RETOUCH 3.5 SHEER BRONZER 5 EYES TO KILL PALETTE 1 EYES TO KILL EXCESS EXCEPTIONAL MASCARA WATERPROOF SILK EYE PENCIL LIP MAESTRO INTENSE VELVET LIPCOLOR 202

LOCATION LE GRAY HOTEL

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MON AMOUR, MON AMI

M

ost of you know me as Ivy, the anonymous blogger behind www.ivysays.com In late 2009, Leo Burnett approached me to be the voice behind a blog they wanted to create as part of Exotica’s multiple award-winning integrated campaign “Make a Move” and I’ve been meaning to start a blog but never actually got around to it. That’s how the magic happened.

EDITOR’S NOTE

When Ivy first decided to “come out” so to speak, I knew that RAGMAG was the perfect fit for her.

We decided then and there to stage a shoot around her, and yes, an event as well- that’s where #TheBigReveal comes in. We positioned her in the relationship (Mon Amour Mon Ami) section because her story is about her relationship with the online community. I’ll let her continue so you can see how genuine she is.

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#THEBIGREVEAL | IVY WHO?

“BLOGGING ANONYMOUSLY WAS A NO-BRAINER. IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS BULLET-PROOF. NO TOPIC WAS OFF LIMITS AND I COULD CANDIDLY WRITE ABOUT ANYTHING WITHOUT GETTING PERSECUTED” MY DOUBLE LIFE I was working for an international organization as a political consultant when I began blogging, literally leading a double life. When I wasn’t out and about trying to get women elected into political office or advocating for electoral law reform, I was blogging about the secret life of a single girl in Beirut. It all felt very 007ish.

Blogging anonymously was a nobrainer. It made me feel like I was bulletproof. No topic was off limits and I could candidly write about anything without getting persecuted for it in a society that loves to judge.

Separating the personal with the professional seemed like a really good idea at the time given the nature of my work, the last thing I wanted was to walk into an early morning meeting and have everyone know exactly where I was or who I saw the night before. And as long as I wasn’t ranting about my job I didn’t feel like I was doing anything wrong. Needless to say, a handful of colleagues figured out it were me eventually. Apparently posting photos of your lunch on Twitter could be telling.

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MON AMOUR, MON AMI

GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO WAIT

After the campaign was over, the blog continued to gain popularity and readership grew rapidly; I was making it on Lebanon’s best blog lists and linked by some of the most reputable sites and blogs in both Lebanon and abroad. I somehow managed to establish my blog as an authority on the topics I discussed. It didn’t hit me until I overheard a group of people discussing it at a bar one night; a girl was insisting that Ivy was in reality a guy, while the others claimed she wasn’t real. I knew I was onto something.

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“SUDDENLY MY ANONYMITY BECAME MY GREATEST OBSTACLE. I HAD TO TURN DOWN MANY BIG OPPORTUNITIES TO MAINTAIN MY STATUS” People were reading and engaging with my stories and experiences all around town from the places I loved to dine at, to my random encounters at the grocery store, down to my favorite cocktail and pair of heels. Readers related and connected to the stuff I blogged about because it wasn’t only about me, they were stories that could happen to anyone living in Lebanon on a daily basis, the only difference is that at the end of the day I would come home and write it all down.

Brands took notice of my posts and began commissioning me on social media and copywriting projects and collaborations. I knew I had found my calling and quit my job in 2012 to pursue a career in social media. Suddenly my anonymity became my greatest obstacle. I had to turn down many big opportunities to maintain my status. I couldn’t showcase my work without revealing my identity. Ironically, I even got turned down for a job in social media for not being able to provide proof of my online influence; I don’t even have a Twitter account under my real name.

Meanwhile online, the same people that turned me down were trying to get me to promote their brands on my networks as Ivy. The world works in mysterious ways.

So I branched out on my own and now work as freelancer in online reputation and community management with reputable brands and personalities.

My personal life was also changing. I had met the man of my dreams and was on the verge of a life commitment. That’s when I made the conscious decision to stop sharing personal stories but rather share the stories I encounter everyday and even landed my own weekly relationship advice column on Beirut.com

NO MORE SECRETS

Although I cherish my privacy, it’s time for me to come out of the closet graciously before I get pushed out. Ivy Says got nominated for Best Fashion Blog this year at the Social Media Awards and I couldn’t even attend the ceremony.

Remaining anonymous doesn’t make sense anymore. People will eventually figure out who I am and get over it in five minutes, it’s not really that scandalous. At the end of the day, what matters to me most is the quality of the content I’m putting out. It also wouldn’t hurt to finally take some credit for the three years of hard work I’ve put into my blog. But above of all, I can’t wait to finally meet (in person) my friends in the online community and Lebanese blogosphere whose support I’m grateful for and with whom I’ve formed great friendships.

Bisoux, Dana N. Khairallah

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#THEBIGREVEAL | IVY WHO?

AUGUST 2013

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RAGMAG RAGING RUNWAY TOP CATWALK CHOICES FOR MEN

HACKETT LONDON SS 2014

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

RAGMAG RAGING RUNWAY TOP CATWALK CHOICES FOR WOMEN

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SS 2013

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MEET ME HALFWAY starring

THE WANTON BISHOPS

DRESSED EXCLUSIVELY BY MASSIMO DUTTI PHOTOGRAPHY BY ODETTE KAHWAGI STYLED BY JONY MATTA

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03:27

SLEEP WITH THE LIGHTS ON

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02:39

BAD RHYME

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02:06

WHOOPY INTRO

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02:36

SMITH & WESSON

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02:41

BAD LIVER AND A BROKEN HEART

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02:43

MY KINDA LOVIN’

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

BACKSTAGE PASS THE MEETING OF TONES + TEXTURES FOR

VERSACE’S AUTUMN-WINTER 2013 COLLECTION Versace’s newest collection for AW13 is out there to bring out the punk in you with their take on it- “Vunk”! The ultra-glam, rock n’ roller collection has a slew of different textures, including interlocked segments (using the intarsia technique) of fur in shocking yellow and flashy black. For this range, American design-duo, the Haas Brothers, concocted a slew of new animal prints exclusively for Versace. The use of vinyls and silks in red, black, yellow and white, in addition to fastenings formed from spikes and nails, make this collection an eye-opener! The grand dame herself, Donatella, said that she “started thinking, what would we call the new punk today? This collection is my answer. It is sexy, strong, brave and full of energy. It is the essence of Versace, heading straight into the future.” Vunk rock? Punk never had it so good.

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NEW + NOW GIVING BACK YEPREM is a jewellery house engraved with passion and crafted by the expertise of the Chakardemian family. YEPREM focuses not only on creating outstanding jewellery but on adding beauty to life through meaningful initiatives that give back to the community. In 2013 YEPREM reached out to others by launching a unique initiative. The jewellery house drew on its rich Armenian roots to create the Khachkar Collection. These carved memorial stones first appeared in the ninth century and remain an important part of cultural heritage to this day. These pieces are envisioned to bring together Armenians around the world and as a way to celebrate national pride and the incredible resilience of the Armenian people. YEPREM believes that the basis of culture and tradition is education. This is why all purchases of any piece from the timeless Khachkar

Collection directly contribute to the longevity of Armenian heritage: five percent of the proceeds from the Khachkar Collection are being donated to the Foundation of Armenian Schools. To draw more attention to this initiative, YEPREM took its collection to Geneva and presented a Khachkar to performing artist Charles Aznavour. The signature Khachkar collection consists of five lavish pieces made of pink gold reminiscent of the Douf Khachkar stone and pristine diamonds.

All five are powerful statements that draw on timeless Armenian symbolism, from skilfully crafted pomegranates (mythological symbol of fertility and abundance) to the Armenian alphabet and memorable William Saroyan citations. The exclusive collection’s intricate amulets and bracelets bring together aesthetics, cultural significance and the drive to Khachkar enrich the future.

SPEEDSTER

Saad & Trad, the exclusive distributer of Jaguar cars in Lebanon, unveiled one of the most anticipated models to date for the luxury car manufacturer, the Jaguar F-TYPE, in Beirut. The Jaguar FTYPE was unveiled during an exclusive event held in Saad & Trad showroom, attended by guests in addition to loyal Jaguar customers and a selection of media. The Jaguar F-TYPE is a continuation of a sporting bloodline that encompasses some of the most thrilling cars ever built, representing a return to the company’s heartland with a two-seater, convertible sports car focused on performance, agility and driver involvement. Speaking at the launch, Mr. Michel Trad, CEO of Saad & Trad, said: “We are witnessing here today the unveiling of the thrilling sports machine, the E-Type’s successor and the fruit of luxury and performance, the F-Type. It is unquestion-

AUGUST 2013

ably an impressive sports car which stays true to the company’s rich history of design and speed. Our promise at Saad & Trad stays unchanged as we exert our efforts to stick to the excellence standards that we represent through iconic brands like Jaguar.” From his side, Mr. Robin Colgan, Managing Director for MENA Region, stated: “Jaguar has a rich sporting heritage stretching over 75 years, and the F-TYPE is the perfect embodiment of this. The FTYPE isn’t designed to be like any other sports car, it’s a Jaguar sports car – ultra-precise, powerful, sensual and most of all, it feels alive. I am thrilled to be here today to launch the latest addition to the Jaguar family in Beirut.” The Jaguar F-TYPE is now available to order, along with the full line-up including the XK, XF and XJ models, from Saad & Trad showroom.

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SPEAK, SEE, HEAR NO EVIL

CHECK

BY JACQUES TCHABARIAN

Bob Marley and the Wailers LEGEND REMIXED 1984’s Legend album was a posthumous compilation released three years after the sad departure of Reggae king Bob Marley- it’s still the bestselling Reggae album of all time, each song on the album being a milestone of this esoteric genre of music.

Bearing in mind that shameless remixes of most of these songs have seen the light of day over the years, one would not be too thrilled to hear that this legendary album has gone through an entire remix of mostly Electro influence. All suspicions are put to rest however, with Marley’s son Ziggy stating in the CD booklet that “this is an adventure in music,

a ‘soul adventure.’” Some tracks have been remixed by the Marley family, namely Ziggy and Stephen, who have given a heavy makeover to their father’s repertoire with extra doses of Dubstep, a fistful of bass chunks, and sometimes a smudge of Disco to make the crowds throw their hands up in the air. The more Electro side is supervised by the capable hands of Thievery Corporation on Get Up, Stand Up, Beats Antique on Satisfy My Soul and Photek taking things slow and raw on One Love/People Get Ready. The originals are still better, but a lot of interesting stuff is happening here- the late Bob might even be proud.

Kanye West YEEZUS Unlike the media and publicity hype that surrounded Kanye and Kim Kardashian regarding her pregnancy, Kanye’s sixth studio album was more of a secret affair, recorded in private sessions, with no pre-orders allowed (very unusual in the music industry). His ego as intact and boastful as ever -this is the man who grabbed Taylor Swift’s VMA award and called the former American President a racist amongst other things- Kanye digs deep (with producer Rick Rubin), into his personal views and opinions, coming out strong on tracks in both good and bad taste, yet still powerful enough to

be acknowledged. In addition to some political and social contradictions, West tackles ex-girlfriends, thug life and date rape drugs, even making a case for booty calls being part of civic duty on I’m in it. Elsewhere, Nina Simone’s reference is used in Blood on the Leaves and his get-together with Chief Keef and Bon Iver prior to the album recording results in the drunken Hold My Liquor.

Daft Punk leave their undeniably smooth Electronic mark on the vainglorious I am a God paired with West’s shrieking screams and proclaiming himself a deity. If you like Rap with a huge dose of ego, this is your jam.

Editors THE WEIGHT OF YOUR LOVE What do you do when there is an internal dispute in your band regarding the artistic direction of your next album? Logically, someone is asked to step aside and leave for the greater benefit of the band and that is what Chris Urbanowicz, lead guitarist and founding member of Editors, did during the recording of The Weight of Your Love. Having flirted with dark Electronic beats on the previous album, the rest of the band wanted to return to the more organic guitar sound of their earlier days- better suited to their melancholy compositions. That’s not to say that the Editors are repeating themselves; rather, the music has evolved, taking time to build

up and transform into cinematic proportions. This is evident on some of their exquisite ballads such as Honesty and What is This Thing Called Love, complete with intricate orchestration parts and elaborate arrangements. Vocalist Tom Smith’s baritone voice commands the songs with a master’s grip, making The Weight or A Ton of Love some of the best New Wave/Punk Revival anthems I’ve heard in some time. Equally impressive are some other slow burners, such as Nothing, that seem to have been recorded in an old theater with an extravagant sound. The only way to describe this work? Gloomy, yet grandiose.

Capital Cities In a Tidal Wave of Mystery Sebu Simonian lived in Lebanon until the age of six before his parents moved to sunny California, escaping the Lebanese civil war. Studying piano in his teens, he met his partner in crime, Ryan Merchant, through Craigslist in 2011 and they formed the Electro/Indie outlet Capital Cities. After issuing an EP online and touring as support to Jane’s Addiction among others, they saw their reputation climb when their song, One Minute More, was released on the Iron Man 3 soundtrack. It came just in time before the launch of their debut full length album In a Tidal

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Wave of Mystery. A quick listen will instantly remind you of the synth sounds of the 80s. The band uses old school Electronic samples creating digital strings, trumpets and other sampled sounds that would make Giorgio Moroder (look him up) very proud.

This old school feel has a very modern approach to it though, à la Empire Of The Sun or MGMT- clear production makes the Dance Rock delivery of Safe and Sound and I Sold My Bed, But Not My Stereo stand out compared to the other tracks getting radio play these days. Very interesting album.

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read’em + Wool Hugh Howey

Why you should read this book

weep

BY AMAL CHAABAN

The world is not always what you make it

Welcome to Silo18 where the inhabitants are understood to be the only people left on the planet.

In this Silo, there is a quasi-democratic version of law and order applied strictly across the board and our book opens with the former Sheriff heading out to do a “cleaning”. In Hovey’s bleak world, doing a “cleaning” is tantamount to a death sentence since the air outside the Silo is not breathable in any way and exposure to it causes painful death. The internal culture of the Silo is one built on generations of oral history as opposed to written, and is subject to the

bias of the historian. There have been a dearth of post-apocalyptic/dystopic novels out in the last few years with far more misses than hits but Mr. Howey has written a hit; almost right from the beginning there’s an air of uneasiness that hangs about the reader as the world of Wool unravels. The writing itself is suffused with a sense of foreboding that should come off as overdone but instead sends little tingles up and down the spine. If you’re up for a bit of a jolt after an initial sense of confusion, this is the book for you.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane Neil Gaiman

Why you should read this book

Memory is fallible and myth can be reality

The hotly anticipated new novel from multi-award winning author Neil Gaiman begins with a grown man returning to his parent’s home to bury and wake his mother. When the funeral is over, instead of going to his sister’s house, he goes for a drive; this is a deceptively quiet beginning as things amp up rapidly when some random and vague memory takes him to the end of the lane and a farmhouse. Our narrator arrives at this farmhouse and things take a mystical turn that Gaiman could have easily let slip into the

oft-repeated clichéd route. Instead, he weaves a rich tapestry of characters and happenings that will make you question if the narrator is reliving the memories of a frightened boy who can’t cope with the reality of a situation so he turns it to myth or if these are the real life experiences of a boy who saw and knew too much.

It’s to Gaiman’s credit that this question lingers in the mind of the reader long after the book is finished. This is the book to read when you want to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

Inferno Dan Brown

Why you should read this book

The ninth circle is truly the scariest place in hell

Robert Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with no idea how he got there, a young - and of course beautiful (though he uses the word lissome)- female doctor is trying to keep him calm and settled when things go awry. Thus opens another predictable book

by Dan Brown with his mainstay character Robert Langdon. The book follows the same blueprint as his previous work- a mystery to solve with world-changing catastrophes hanging in the balance, historical places and facts to decipher, art to research… you get the picture. It’s this last thing that redeems this book in every single way. This time, Brown has chosen to use

Dante’s Inferno as the basis for his new mystery and it’s the complexity of Inferno that gives this book of the same name the layers it needs to distinguish itself from all of Brown’s previous work. The first clues of the new mystery are found in a replica of a Botticelli painting that has been altered with letters and images strewn throughout the image. Combine this with the typical shadowy organization pursuing aims of its own, and you have all of the elements needed for another bestseller. This is a very entertaining book: light on deep thought and heavy on fluff. In other words, it’s the perfect beach book.

Confessions of a Sociopath M.E. Thomas Why you should read this book

We all have a touch of crazy

M.E. Thomas, a deeply religious lawyer living somewhere in the US, is a sociopath. Thomas went public with her diagnosis as she felt that sociopaths were both not accurately portrayed and are very much alone. There are no support groups or hug-ins for sociopaths so she creates one using her blog (www.sociopathworld.com), and from there decides to write a book about her life. One of the most striking features of this book is her sheer humdrum existence, and this is what makes it so chilling. Thomas provides her medical diagnosis information at the beginning of the book as proof that she is a sociopath who lives AUGUST 2013

a bland and boring life- albeit one with very little emotion and the penchant for causing chaos and ruin just because she can. The other thing that the reader will notice (or should notice), is that each of us have some tendencies that can be considered sociopathic.

M.E. Thomas points out (rightly so) that business and political leaders are often sociopaths, but it’s these very traits that make them successful. If this book is the real deal (this is an anonymous account), it’s an interesting foray into a group of people society that have been effectively demonized by constantly being portrayed as murderers and deviants. www.ragmag.co | R A G M A G | 111

SPEAK, SEE, HEAR NO EVIL

playNICE

BY ADAM VOLK

Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Publisher / Developer Nintendo | Platforms Nintendo 3DS It’s been over a dozen years since the first Animal Crossing was released. The warm and fuzzy series has since become a mainstay of Nintendo. With its cutesy characters and endearing worlds, the games are part city builder, part life simulator. The newest entry in the popular series makes you the mayor of a town of talking cartoon animals, with your budding hamlet growing and changing based on your decisions. The catch is that all changes occur in real time. Build a new house for example, and it will be finished by tomorrow. Literally. You’ll have to check back in on the game in 24 hours.

As a result, it’s not something you play so much as you constantly experience. New Leaf, however, is more than just a wait-and-see game. There’s still plenty to do, whether you’re collecting fruit, digging up fossils or popping balloons with your trusty slingshot. You then sell items you’ve collected to earn “Bells”; which can be used to buy clothing, items, furnishings or building projects. The game also includes the ability to play online, connecting you with players around the world. The result is an uplifting, fun and colourful game that feels like wandering through a Pixar movie.

Pikmin 3

Publisher/Developer Nintendo | Platforms WiiU The original Pikmin is arguably one of the greatest video games of all time, developed by Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda.

Now, 10 years after Pikmin 2, there’s an all-new game added to the series. Like its predecessors, Pikimin 3 lets you take control of up to 100 Pikmin- tiny, cute and colourful plant-like creatures. You can command your pint-sized peons to carry out a variety of tasks, such as building bridges or battling enemies. Your goal is to explore the world around you and collect various items.

Each Pikmin also has an ability based on its color. Blue

Pikmin can breathe underwater for example, while red Pikmin is immune to fire. The game introduces three new Pikmin, including flying pink Pikmin, rock Pikmin and glass Pikmin. You can divide your army into multiple squads in order to overcome obstacles, defeat enemies and solve puzzles. The game also features split-screen, competitive and multiplayer modes, letting you work cooperatively or head-to-head. It’s a game that will suck you in, with characters so friggin’ adorable, they make Oompaloompas and Munchkins look like manic-depressives.

Hotline Miami

Developer Dennaton Games | Publisher Devolver Digital | Platforms PC, Mac, PlayStation 3 Just when you think video games couldn’t possibly be any more violent, along comes Hotline Miami, a game so brutal and blood-spattered, it makes Grand Theft Auto look like Sonic the Hedgehog. In the game you play as a psychotic animal-mask wearing hit man. At the start of each level, you wake up in your apartment and are given a cryptic message on your answering machine.

You’re then sent to a specific location and asked to select an animal mask to wear, each of which has its own special abilities. A tiger mask for example, lets you punch harder. A warthog mask gives you access to more weapons. Each level offers an old school, top-

down 2D perspective, with graphics that look like they were programmed in the early 90s. Of course, looking old doesn’t mean the game isn’t amazing. You’ll use a combination of melee attacks and weapons to stab, bash and shoot your way through an army of thugs. The game is also punishingly difficult, with enemies possessing a hair trigger response time. Yet with its strange storyline and inspired dialogue, the game is self-aware enough to offer a unique commentary on the senseless nature of video game violence. Best of all, Hotline Miami is one of the few video games around that includes a soundtrack that’s as killer as its blood-soaked protagonist.

The Last of Us

Publisher Song Entertainment | Developer Naughty Dog | Platform PlayStation 3 Zombies have been -if you’ll excuse the pun- done to death these days. They’re everywhere: on TV, the big screen, books and yes, video games. That’s why at first glance The Last of Us seems like yet another entry in a genre that’s become as stagnant and clunky as the walking dead themselves. Fortunately, the game is a breath of fresh of air as one of the best new titles of 2013. Taking place in the not-too-distant future, a deadly fungus has turned much of the population into zombies. You play as Joel, a hard-bitten survivor who joins forces with a traumatized 14-year old orphan

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named Ellie. What sets the game apart though is its incredible difficulty and realism. Ammunition is scarce, and encounters tend to be short and brutal, as you battle both zombies and vicious human militias. What’s more, the game features Hollywood-style characterization and storytelling, creating a sense of emotional resonance that few games have ever achieved. Forget blasting hordes of zombies into tiny bits, The Last of Us is a game that isn’t so much about shooting things, as it is elevating the visual and narrative potential of games to an entirely new level.

THE FUSION ISSUE

watch out

BY JACQUES TCHABARIAN

The Lone Ranger |

149 mins Johnny Depp, Tom Wilkinson, Armie Hammer

Johnny Depp has played his share of wacky characters over the years and he continues to do so in the latest Disney mega production: The Lone Ranger. Teaming up again with director Gore Verbinski, his partner in crime from the Pirates of the Caribbean series, with heavy production by Jerry Bruckheimer and you can expect a first rate movie that keeps you at the edge of your seat. Unfortunately, the end leaves you hungry for more. Taking place in the Old West, Depp plays an eccentric Comanche Indian named Tonto who rescues lawyer John Reid (Armie Hammer) after

the posse that was following a brutal outlaw (Tom Wilkinson) is massacred. Tonto shares with Reid that he survived because he’s a spirit warrior and will never die in battle- both of them embark on a journey to seek revenge for Reid’s fallen comrades. The movie takes its time to unfold and things begin to take a toll on your patience after the first hour, the picture clocking in at around 150 minutes, far too long for this storyline. There are some good moments here and there, but better go into the theater armed with a whole lot of patience. That said, we still love Johnny.

Despicable Me 2 | 98 mins

Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Russell Brand

Gone are the days when Gru aimed at being the most notorious super villain with grand schemes of stealing the moon (the idea still makes me smile). He now focuses on being a good father to his three adopted daughters and even embarks on a new enterprise: producing a line of jams with his faithful and everentertaining minions. Papa Gru -as he is known now in this sequel- is approached by the AVL, the Anti Villain League, seeking help to capture the thief of an experimental serum that transforms peaceful animals

into rapacious monsters. In comes Kristen Wiig in the role of Agent Lucy, assigned to assist Gru in his quest.

This is definitely one of the highlights of this sequel, her quirkiness and eccentric personality clashing with our hero’s more reserved character, creating goofball moments of laughter and funny gags. Part two is a bit smaller in scale, but excellent vocal performances and a really good focus on the characters make up for whatever is lacking from the first installment. Who could resist those lovable minions anyway?

The Way, Way Back

| 103 mins Steve Carell, Toni Colette, Liam James

It’s always refreshing to see a small budget movie with an amazing cast that takes you by surprise and holds its own against its big Hollywood counterparts. Nat Faxon and Jim Rash -who brought us the movie adaptation of The Descendents, earning them an Oscar along the way- have come back in force with their directorial debut for The Way, Way Back. Duncan (Liam James) is a 14 year-old teenager not at ease with himself. Forced to spend a summer with his mom (Toni Collette) and her new boyfriend (Steve Carell), Duncan doesn’t get along with Carell’s character and spends most of his time

exploring the seaside town. Things get interesting for Duncan when he meets Owen (played by the remarkably talented Sam Rockwell), a larger then life man/child who runs a waterpark and lives his life with the abandon of a fool, influencing the young teen who is slowly falling in love with his neighbor Susanna. The most fascinating aspect of this movie is the richness these actors bring to their characters –Carell convincingly plays against his type as a funny man taking on a serious role as a strict person and Rockwell was born for his part, giving the performance of his life. A summer must-see.

The World’s End | 90 mins Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Rosamund Pike The final chapter of Edgar Wright’s Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy has finally been released in the form of The World’s End. You might remember the first two installments of this offbeat sciencefiction comedy, but maybe not as part of a trilogy, beginning with Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz following up in 2007. Middle-aged Gary reunites his friends to complete a pub crawl they started when they were younger (but failed to finish due to the beer getting the best of them), before they had their last pint at the pub known as World’s End. Even though things look rosy at

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the beginning, they soon realize that not everything is the same in their old town. In each pub, weird occurrences take place culminating in a fight with a teen that ends up with blue robotic slime to our hero’s amazement. Things escalate and the guys realize they are witnessing events that are pretty gloomy and will affect not only them but the entire human race. Multiple surprise cameo appearances pop up all through the movie that reinforce Simon Pegg’s and Nick Frost’s sheer enjoyable taste of comedy, making The World’s End a fitting finale for this entertaining trilogy. I laughed my ass off.

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PRAGUE’ s PLACE ON THE MAP A UNIQUE MELD OF PRE+POST SOVIET LIFE

BY ALICE HLIDKOVA

L

ook up and behold the points of Prague. Its gothic towers and steep rooftops all rise to form a fine tipped “A”. To understand the capital city of the Czech Republic -architecturally, historically and culturally- follow the clues inscribed on the walls of buildings, shop signs, and statues. The Czech people welcomed their inauguration into the European Union in March 2004, and while they were always aware of the beauty of their great city, it had long been concealed by the veil of communism. However, a period of rebirth and renewal had come, and they would see their homeland receive the esteem it deserves.

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Soon the high points of Prague were laced with scaffolding, hiding the aesthetic design of its many facades. The antiquities became choked by green plastic netting, and held prisoner within towers of wooden panels and metal piping. Thankfully the scaffolding disappeared, and the city is now dressed in proud traditional elegance. To fully appreciate this enchanting city, one might consider the logistics of getting around.

Tourists can find themselves trapped, circulating endlessly through the arteries of the city’s center. Near Male Namesti, around the corner of the Old Town Hall, you will find the Skoda taxis. They have been restored from the post WWI era,

ABOVE: OLD TOWN SQUARE AND TYN CHURCH OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: PRAGUE CASTLE GARGOYLE SCULPTURE, THE SKODA TAXIS RESTORED FROM THE POST WWI ERA

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: PETRIN OBSERVATION TOWER, BRONZE STATUES IN FRONT OF THE KAFKA MUSEUM

PRAGUE’S PLACE ON THE MAP

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: PRAGUE CASTLE, OLD TOWN SQUARE, ZIZKOV TELEVISION TOWER

PETRIN HILL’S OBSERVATION TOWER STRIKES A STRONG RESEMBLANCE TO THE STEEL FRAMEWORK OF THE EIFFEL TOWER. THOUGH A MUCH SMALLER VERSION, THE VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE 299 STAIRS OFFERS A FAIRY-TALE VIEW OF THE CITY so they are easily recognized. Hire one and make your escape. The drivers serve as both tour guides and entertainers, rivaling the knowledge of history professors and sarcasm of court jesters. They know every inch of the city, and drive as fast as the vintage cars will allow. En route to the Kafka museum, they speed past horse-mounted police and tourist filled carriages manned by mysterious looking cloaked drivers.

Situated in a small square in front of the museum is one of Prague’s most unique sights. A pair of bronze statues stand facing one another, and clutching their genitalia, proceed to pee on the ground, spelling out names and quotes of Prague’s most notable residents. They move in life-like fashion, hips and torsos shifting as they write. Tourists can send

SMS messages to a special number, and if they’re lucky, the statues will spell it out right before their eyes. The Skodas continue to Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world. Out front stand the castle guard in their crisp blue uniform.

You may offer salutations as you pass through the gates, but they remain silent and motionless, à la London’s Queen’s Guard. Atop the castle steps lies a narrow street lined with galleries and shops. On display is a variety of Art Nouveau knickknacks, ceramic relics, and glassware.

Don’t forget to peer inside novelty crystal shops; Czechs are proud of their Bohemian glass. Most interesting is the armor museum, housed within the medieval castle.

Inside showcases, or large “glass coffins,” is a modest but high-priced collection of knight armor.

From the heights of Castle Prague a familiar silhouette can be seen in the distance. It is Petrin Hill’s Observation Tower, which strikes a strong resemblance to the steel framework of the Eiffel Tower.

Though a much smaller version, the view from the top of the 299 stairs offers a fairy-tale view of the city. More observation rooms await at the Žižkov Television Tower. Not every “height” in Prague holds the same appeal however. Many believe its unconventional design mars the traditional skyline, and has been voted number two on the list of ugliest buildings in the world.

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PRAGUE’S PLACE ON THE MAP

OPPOSITE PAGE: CHARLES’ BRIDGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: THE LENNON WALL FILLED WITH JOHN LENNON INSPIRED GRAFFITI AND LYRICS SINCE THE 1980S, PRAGUE’S ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK, U PRINCE HOTEL’S ROOFTOP

The cool breeze of evening shakes off sleepiness and calls for the social scene of Wenceslas Square. Prague’s main boulevard lends space to a web of installation art and craft markets. Don’t miss the marionette shops, the Czechs are famous for their craft of puppetmaking. Their selection runs the gamut from simple puppets for kids, to elaborately carved pieces that fetch a high price from collectors.

Around the corner, where you can catch a trolley, there is one last flight of stairs. The rooftop of Hotel U Prince bestows a memorable view of the historic Old Town Square, including the medieval astronomical clock built in the early 15th century. The clock is functional to this day, accurately measuring the position of the sun and moon. U Prince is a relic itself, dating back to the 12th century. A

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crepuscular boat ride along the Vltava River yields many interesting facts as you slip beneath the individual bridges. Rumor has it that the Charles Bridge has thousands of egg yolks mixed into the sandstone to improve durability. While few of its baroque statues of famous monarchs of Bohemia remained in original beauty, others are under renovation or were on display at China’s World Expo 2010.

As night falls, the bridge is emptied but the distinctive personality of Prague is not forgotten. In the shadows, a lone puppeteer boxes up his marionettes. The lamps continue to burn, and the statues proceed to whisper. The air carries the faint music of the evening’s last performance at Black Light Theater, and it drifts upwards into the darkness. The music lingers in the distance, and settles amidst the arched windows of the towers

THE ROOFTOP OF HOTEL U PRINCE BESTOWS A MEMORABLE VIEW OF THE HISTORIC OLD TOWN SQUARE, INCLUDING THE MEDIEVAL ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK

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HOURS 48BEY TO IST WEEKENDER GETAWAY

IF YOU CAN’T TAKE A LONG TRIP AWAY THIS SUMMER, YOU CAN ALWAYS HOP OVER TO ISTANBUL FOR THE WEEKEND. YOU’VE ALL BEEN THERE OR YOU WILL GO AT SOME POINT, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT A VISA IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE. YOU CAN DO A LOT IN TWO DAYS, SO WE’VE STRUNG TOGETHER THE BEST WAY TO MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME. FOR YOUR QUICKIE WEEKEND, SPLURGE ON WINING, DINING AND EXPERIENCES. CHECK IT OUT! 1

STAY A’JIA HOTEL 1

We adore the A’jia Hotel for the spectacular view, exceptional service and trendy lodgings. The interior of this hotel is contemporary and brand spanking new, and was awarded the 2009 Condé Nast Johansens Award for Excellence, dubbed: “Most Excellent Charming Hotel”. Room service is prompt and eating in the hotel resto gives you an array of options, not to mention that you are literally perched on the Bosphorous. This is a morning must, especially since you’re treated to a traditional Turkish breakfast that isn’t easy to find.

You’re situated on the Asian side, so don’t expect to hop over toİIstiklâl Street (it’s overdone), instead take a stroll down the hill along the water and decide which of the many authentic Turkish seafood restos are going to wine and dine you for the evening. The hotel staff is only too happy to suggest out and about venues and they’re all English-speakers (not very common in Turkey, even in the hospitality industry).

Cutest detail? The staff bring you an update on the weather in Fahrenheit and Celsius on a card delivered to your room at midday. Cool factor increases when you learn that the structure is a restored mansion from the Ottoman era; the Ahmet Rasim Pasha Pavillion was redesigned by renowned architect Resit Soley. @ajiahotel

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ajiahotel | www.ajiahotel.com

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48 HOURS | WEEKENDER GETAWAY

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MUNCH 2 ÇINTEMANI

Situated in The Ritz Carleton Istanbul, Çintemani is suggested to those who want to enjoy the finer Turkish dining scene. Try the Turkish Red Lentil Soup and the Turkish Manti- simply delicious.

Reservations are advised for dinner but you can squeeze yourself in at lunch since it isn’t their peak time. The wine list is long and extravagant so pace yourself! www.ritzcarlton.com | +90 212 334 44 44

3 GÜNAYDIN STEAK HOUSE Highly recommended for meat-lovers.

The menu is available online so take a gander before you reserve your table at one of their two locations. This place gets mixed reviews but we had a great experience! www.gunaydinkasap.com

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SHOP

4 COVERED GRAND BAZAAR

This is actually the world’s oldest mallthe structure was built in 1461! The sights and sounds are pretty cool, and you might be able to pick up a few ceramic specialities. Buyer beware: this is also the best place to access Turkey’s knockoff scene so those brand name bargains aren’t the real deal. If you’re looking for fine carpets, silks and more, head here and plan to spend the afternoon since the Grand Bazaar spans 66 city streets and at last count over 4,000 stores!

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PARTY 5 REINA

This queen of the nightlife scene in Istanbul boasts a who’s who guest listBono and the boys from U2 even made an appearance the night before their concert last year and stayed to enjoy the mixology. Whether you are looking for a boy’s night or a round of cocktails, Reina is it but make sure you book ahead because it’s usually packed to the rafters. With their DJ spinning the best beats we’ve heard in a while, Reina is still the best place to go for a wild night out. @Reina_Istanbul | www.reina.com.tr

ReinaIstanbul

SEE

6 DOLMABAHÇE PALACE

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One of the best known attractions in Istanbul, it was built in the early 19th century. In 1924, the palace’s ownership was transferred to the Turkish government, effectively ending aristocratic claim to the structure. One of the most famous things to see here?

Atatürk’s room where he spent his last hours. This museum is open between 9am and 3pm every day except for Monday and Thursday.

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EAT, DRINK+BE MERRY

MOVING

FORWARD

FUSING DYNAMIC DINING + DETERMINATION

FIFTEEN YEARS OF LE SUSHI BAR

BY YOUMNA CHAGOURY

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or the 15th anniversary of Le Sushi Bar, we sat down with Mario Jr. Haddad, Managing Partner, to discuss food and business. Mario is upfront when it comes to the evolution of his upscale Japanese restaurant and says they’re “never content with what we do and we’re constantly striving to do better, all the time”. Le Sushi Bar has been doing better, all the time, ever since it opened back in 1998. Long gone are the days when the bank manager told a young Mario that “Lebanese like their fish either fried or grilled, trust me it’s a bad idea,” and when people would come in and eat for free because Mario wouldn’t make them pay for below par food and presentation.

Mario has always had a passion for all things culinary, but “cooking is one thing, opening a sushi restaurant is a completely different thing. I thought, it’s raw fish, you just cut it, serve it, how difficult can it be?

Little did I know how complicated it was, how many ingredients we needed that weren’t available on the local market. It’s more than rice and fish, it’s all the spices, the stocks, loads of ingredients that you really need to be able to do it. The skill set is not easy to find as well because you need specialized chefs. At the beginning, it was a disaster. It was really, really bad,” says Mario laughing. “But now we’re in our 15th year and the restaurant is doing fantastic.” Very few restaurants in Lebanon have passed the 15-year mark and none

of them has evolved the way Le Sushi Bar has. From the very basic sushi bar to the contemporary Japanese restaurant it is today, Le Sushi Bar is still innovating. “We have just concocted a celebratory special edition 15-item, 15th anniversary menu that introduces ingredients such as quail, duck, sea bream, Jerusalem artichokes, ice plants, and pea shoots. With these ingredients, we’re creating mouth-watering dishes such as the Scallop Ceviche, which is marinated in mirin and paired with Jerusalem artichokes and pea shoots. The combination of the ingredients is not a coincidence.

The pea shoots balance out the citrusy rice wine (mirin) and the Jerusalem artichokes add the sought after Umami taste, one of the five basic tastes alongside sweet, salty, sour and bitter. This menu is set to give an avant-goût of the direction we will be taking in the future regarding the food.”

Nothing is broken but Mario is still intent on doing better: “We’re always reinventing the brand and ourselves. We make sure we’re challenging ourselves and we don’t just sit there and rest on our laurels.”

So they’re closing the doors in the new year for two to three months, before re-

“WE’RE ALWAYS REINVENTING THE BRAND AND OURSELVES. WE MAKE SURE WE’RE CHALLENGING OURSELVES” 122 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co

THE FUSION ISSUE

MOVING FORWARD | FIFTEEN YEARS OF LE SUSHI BAR

opening with a new look, even if “there is a risk of people forgetting about you, people thinking that you’re not renovating but actually closed. Plus, we wondered, is it the right time to spend this milliondollar budget just to renovate? Fortunately, we are big believers in this country and strive to always move forward. Now is the time.” When Le Sushi Bar reopens, “it will have an open kitchen for guests to enjoy its bustling energy and a bigger bar where they can sip away on their drinks while waiting for their table. Most importantly, it will have a new menu that follows the same spirit of the 15th anniversary menu, which will hopefully be, as always, another food revolution. Tomas [Reger, Executive Consultant Chef] and I undertake yearly culinary trips around the globe to get a taste of everything novel; learn about new cooking trends, ingredients and tech-

niques. There is lot of work that goes into creating menus, we don’t just add some wasabi or tuna, it doesn’t work like that.

It’s finding the perfect balance for every dish. This means what ingredient goes best with which, finding what we need to source and what can be found locally.”

The new menu aims at being even more fresh and local than it already is- Le Sushi Bar has been serving only local tuna for about two years now and they have been “working with organic growers who provincially plant certain greens for us like shiso leaves, some cresses and shoots.”

The restaurant wants to reduce their imports and lessen their carbon footprintthey actually don’t import fish anymore except for salmon. They’re even going to take it a step further in the next menu: “No more crabsticks! And if it’s not local -when possible- and fresh, we just won’t serve it.

So for example we won’t have mackerel all the time, we’ll have it in season. Our menu will be based on that, removing a lot of the items people have gotten accustomed to and introducing new experiences that will open our guests’ culinary horizons. We sort of enjoy pushing the boundaries and we have been doing that since the beginning, by introducing sushi and refining, redefining the experience ever since.”

“THERE’S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO CREATING NEW MENUS, WE DON’T JUST ADD SOME WASABI OR T UNA, IT DOESN’T WORK LIKE THAT ” Refining the experience is a manytiered project and serving local ingredients is only one of them. Le Sushi Bar has also set a food safety department that monitors all the ingredients, not only in-house, but even the products at their source. “We audit our suppliers’ entire receiving chain from farm to chopstick- by going to their warehouses and checking their food production, storing and transportation techniques.

Subsequently, this helps us to make sure that everything is in concordance with Le Sushi Bar’s standards.”

When Mario is out, he looks for “the ambiance. It’s a combination of service, food, people being courteous, the light, the music. I think the combination of these is what’s important.” He managed to bring that X factor to his restaurant, making it one of the most sought after dining establishments in Lebanon

AUGUST 2013

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THE FUSION ISSUE

EAT, DRINK+BE MERRY

The SECOND TIME AROUND COUQLEY’S NEW DIGS

BY YOUMNA CHAGOURY

C

ouqley is all bistro- French bistro, to be exact. I decided to try out their new location, much closer to my home, at Dbayeh’s new Blueberry Square. Honestly, I was predicting a slipup as it’s not a given that a restaurant opening a new branch keeps the same level of quality.

I head there on a Monday for lunch and as I expected, the place is not crowded. I like to test restaurants at offpeak times as service is ironically much slower than when restaurants are full. I am warmly welcomed and taken to my table by the window where I order a glass of champagne while taking a look at the menu. The waiter offers his help and recommends a few dishes: Tartare de Saumon, a raw salmon salad with fresh herbs and the Chasseur Duck Salad –it had too much dressing which slightly overpowered the taste of the duck- we take our time to choose our main dish.

AUGUST 2013

I’m still in my testing mode and want to see how good their kitchen is in Dbayeh.

We opt for the Couqley’s Bavette, flank steak with caramelized shallots and served with a side of French fries -it’s cooked just as we requested, as tender as can be, and the caramelized shallots give it an extra taste- and the Homemade Ravioli of the day (are they really homemade?) with spinach and cheese.

The latter dish was one of the best pasta courses I’ve had in Lebanon: homemade (yes!), creamy and delicious. We end our meal with a chocolate mousse and fruit salad- natural, no added sugar and syrups or none that I could taste.

This was a win-win experiment. Not only do I get to eat at one of my favorite French bistros closer to Jounieh, Couqley also managed to open a new restaurant, identical to the original in all aspects: food, service and general ambiance.

Thumbs up, Couqley!

THE + Outdoor Area It’s part of Blueberry Square but has the Couqley touch– you don’t get the feeling of dining in a mall, and waiters are always available outside.

Desserts Couqley serves daily baked tarts and sweets. Check out their tart fridge and don’t leave without a small selection to enjoy at home.

Plat Express Couqley offers a selection of five quick dishes for people on the go.

THE – Heat In summer, choose the indoor –and airconditioned- area even if you are a smoker. The nearby highway prevents them from opening the windows.

Language “Onion Soup Gratinée”? They should keep all the dish titles in French for an overall cohesion.

Couqley Blueberry Square Dbayeh Main Highway 04444876 www.ragmag.co | www.couqley.com Couqley @Couqley

RAGMAG

| 125

UP!

MIX IT BLEND YOUR

PALATE PLEASERS

BY LARA ARISS

Each edition of RAGMAG Lara Ariss will present a meal in several courses that you can try at home.

Lara trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London, England.

For this issue of RAGMAG, Lara has chosen a selection of fusion dishes.

For her menu selection, check her out on the web http://www.bylara.me @laraariss

bylara

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laraariss

THE FUSION ISSUE

ROASTED SQUASH PHOTO CREDIT: THE CAFÉ SUCRÉ FARINE

EAT, DRINK+BE MERRY

ROASTED SQUASH

WITH HONEY, POMEGRANATE + PUMPKIN SEEDS PREPARATION TIME 15 MINUTES COOKING TIME 25 MINUTES SERVES 6 - 8 LEVEL EASY

INGREDIENTS • 4 squash, halved lengthwise and seeded, ends trimmed • 3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided • 40 grams raw pumpkin seeds • ½ teaspoon table salt • 3 tablespoons local honey • 40 grams pomegranate seeds • 1 ½ teaspoons coarse sea salt • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses • 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 220°C. Rub squash with 2 teaspoons of oil and set on a

baking sheet. Roast squash, turning once, until tender when pierced with a fork, approximately 20 minutes. • Meanwhile, spread pumpkin seeds on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining oil and the table salt, stirring to coat. Bake until toasted, approximately 5 minutes. • Put squash on a serving plate. Drizzle with honey then sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, and sea salt. • Mix butter, molasses and cayenne and serve on the side for guests to drizzle over squash.

MASHED POTATOES + WASABI PREPARATION TIME 15 MINUTES COOKING TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 6 - 8 LEVEL EASY

INGREDIENTS • 8 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce • 2 tablespoons powdered wasabi • 1 teaspoon sea salt • 125 ml whipping cream, warmed

METHOD

• Bring a large pot with water to boil over high heat.

Add potatoes and cook until tender, approximately 20 minutes. Drain and return to same pot. • Add remaining ingredients. Use a hand processor to combine the ingredients to a smooth consistency, adding more cream if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl.

AUGUST 2013

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THE FUSION ISSUE

EAT, DRINK+BE MERRY

ROASTED CHICKEN +ASIAN ALMOND SAUCE PREPARATION TIME 30 MINUTES COOKING TIME 20 - 25 MINUTES SERVES 4 -6 LEVEL EASY

INGREDIENTS • 6 chicken thighs or breasts, bone in with skin • 3 tablespoons garlic oil • 2 teaspoons sea salt

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 220°C. Arrange the chicken on a roasting tray lined with foil, sprinkle the garlic oil and salt over them. • Roast the chicken for 20 – 25 minutes, or until cooked through. • Spoon all the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to combine. • When the chicken is ready, arrange on

a plate and drizzle some of the sauce, leaving the rest in a little bowl with a spoon for people to add as they eat.

FOR THE SAUCE • 2 tablespoons almond butter • ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated • 2 tablespoons soy sauce • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar • 2 teaspoons soft brown sugar • 2 tablespoons cold water

AUGUST 2013

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THE FUSION ISSUE

BRAINFOOD

ROUND #1

ROUND #2

Natural World

ROUND #3

General Knowledge

1. What animal’s name translates to “water horse”?

1. What is the square root of 121?

2. How many stars are there on the

2. What bird turns its head

American flag?

upside down when it eats?

1. What number is represented by the

1. What was the former name of

2. What percentage of normal air is

2. Which American city is the

headquarters for the Mormon Church?

3. In which country would you find

“Aurora Australis”?

4. What is the only fish that can

4. According to the song, what was

4. In Greek Mythology, what sprang up

5. An elephant’s trunk has

5. What type of acid is used in a

5. What is the baby kangaroo called?

given on the 4th day of Christmas?

hold things with its tale?

standard car battery?

400,000 what in it?

6. What is the world’s tallest

6. What non-alcoholic cordial drink is

7. What part of the human body

7. What number does not exist in the Roman system of numbering?

can expand to 20 times its normal size?

9. What 4 letters are usually shown

9. What type of animal can either be Siberian or Indian?

at the top of the cross on which Jesus was crucified?

10. Blue, red, green, black are 4 of the

10. 80% of household dust is

colours of the Olympic ring. What colour is the 5th ring?

made up of what?

African country?

5. Which is the largest of the two

6. In the Old Testament, who built the

main islands of New Zealand?

Golden Calf that was later destroyed when Moses returned from Mount Sinai?

6. Which Ukrainian town was

the scene of a nuclear reactor explosion in 1986?

7. What type of nuts are used to make

7. What is the nearest communist country to the U.S.A.?

8. This year is 2013 A.D.; What do the

archery target?

calamari, what would you be eating?

4. Dakar is the capital of which

Marzipan?

8. What colour is the centre on an

8. If you were dining on

the port of Jeddah?

on the spot where Narcissus died?

made from pomegranate?

grass?

Ho Chi Min city?

letter “L” in Roman numbers?

3. What is the common name for the

restaurant, in Zahle, that had a rotating floor?

drug in the world?

Geography

oxygen?

3. What was the name of the

3. What is the oldest, most used

ROUND #4

Trivia

8. What is the only country that has

letters A.D. stand for?

its outline on its flag?

9. What is the name of the people,

9. From which country did the

living in America, who do not use such things as cars, TVs, phones etc.?

10. Which optical instrument consists of

two telescopes mounted side by side?

explosive Semtex originate?

10. In which country would you find the Var river?

EASY

2

9 1 5

4 6

8 3

4 9

8 2

9 6

1

2 7 8

4 5

1 9

1

4

6

3 6 8

9

4

8

9 3

7 3

2 6 1

9

8

7

9

9 5

1

7

4

8 2 2 1

8

9

8

6 2

8 9

6

3

4

9 6 7

9

2

6 2

1. Hippopotamus 2. Flamingo 3. Alcohol 4. Seahorse 5. Muscles 6. Bamboo 7. Stomach 8. Squid 9. Tiger 10. Dead human skin 1. 11 2. 50 3. Monte Alberto 4. Calling birds 5. Sulphuric 6. Grenadine 7. Zero 8. Gold 9. INRI 10. Yellow 1. 50 2. 21% 3. Southern Lights 4. A flower 5. A joey 6. Aaron 7. Almonds 8. Anno Domini 9. Amish 10. Binoculars 1. Saigon 2. Salt Lake City 3. Saudi Arabia 4. Senegal 5. South Island 6. Chernobyl 7. Cuba 8. Cyprus 9. Czech Republic 10. France

9 6 2 2 5 8

5 6 9 7 4 2 6 4 8 5 7 1

2 5 7 8 6 4 4 9 1 7 3

6 4 4 7 7 5

3 1 9 2 8

9 2 8 1 5 6

3 1 8 3 1 9

8 4

ROUND#1 ROUND#2 ROUND#3 ROUND#4

3 6

7 8

9

AUGUST 2013

6 9 1 4 3 8 1 5 8 9 6 2 5 7 2 4 7

7 2 5 6 8 7 2 5 6 4 4 9 1 1 9 8 3

9 8 4 1 2 5 3 2 7 3 1 7 8 9 5 6 6 4

1 4 3 2 5 1 7 8 9 6 6 5 4 7 2 3 8 9

4 7 2 5 7 6 1 3 3 9 8 2

8 3 6 9 9 8 5 7 4 1 2 4

5 8 6 4 1 9

7 6 3 5 2 1

8 3

3

5 8 6

2

6 7 9

2 4

1 9

5

7

9 5 6

4 3 1

6 8

2 3 4

4 7 1

8

2 4

1 9

7 8 6 3 9 1 5

7

5 2

9

9 2 3

5 4 6

7 1 8

8

6 4

5 4 8

1 7 9

6 3

4

5 7 8

5 6 9

1 2 3

1 6 7

3

2 1 6 4 9

4 5 1 7 8 2

3 2 5 6 1 9

7 1

3 9 6

7 4 8

8 3 2

8 2

2 5 4 9

5 7

3

2 3 1

4 6 9

3 8 5

1 7 4

4 9

8 5

7 6

9 2

7

3

8 5 6

2 7 1

1 9 2 4

5 6

8 4 7

3 8

1 5

6 9 2 3

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THE FUSION ISSUE

ACROSS 1. Is he a monk or a chef?

5. An expert in his work?

6. Something paid regularly?

12. These are sometimes quadratic.

13. Very tight.

15. Great for a diver’s suit.

18. A strong drink!

21. A place for the sick?

22. Not tight.

23. Metal container.

26. Hard work or what we sometimes do to coffee?

29. Happy at having succeeded.

31. A striped horse?

34. Can we see a total one?

35. Electrical measuring device.

36. Rage.

37. A court of justice.

43. Motor that’s not fitted inside the boat.

46. A hazardous area warning device for sailors?

48. Suggest.

49. Used to make your collar stiff.

50. Shed a tear.

51. Was found at the old King’s court.

54. Make beer or tea.

56. Confirm.

57. Specter.

59. Stop.

60. Sometimes found on bacon.

62. Can’t sit still.

64. This type of animal is normally seen at night.

65. Some can be very slippery.

66. A lack of this can cause medical problems.

67. Small waves on the water.

69. Show the way.

70. No longer available.

71. An old type of lamp?

72. A faint light.

73. Motion with your hands.

drive vehicle.

14. A practical joke?

16. Not a thousand but a small fairy!

17. Thrown in an Olympic sport.

19. To make someone feel small.

20. The arm of an octopus.

24. Ride a horse quickly.

25. Japanese divine wind.

over VERY HAPPY

n e v e s

CLEARS YOUR THIRST

the world ARMAGEDDON ?

27. An old anesthetic.

28. Take in food.

30. A young person’s

appearance.

31. The highest point.

32. One of these can save nine!

33. Talk over things.

38. Not revealed.

39. A Dance craze or style of music.

i t

working 9 8 7 6 5 AN OLD SONG ?

MAKE A NOTE

wear thermal

wired bra

TO KEEP YOU WARM

trans LOST lation I DON’T UNDERSTAND!

40. An old form of electric generator used in cars.

41. Plenty of these in Australia.

42. Talking quietly.

44. Your chosen profession.

45. Sleep for the winter.

47. Your aunt’s husband?

52. Not the final stage.

DOES IT GIVE A LIFT?

it it you

it it it it

YOU WILL GET TO LIKE IT

OVER THE MOON - WRITE IT DOWN - WORKING NINE TO FIVE - SEVEN UP - THERMAL UNDERWEAR - UNDERWIRED BRA THE END OF THE WORLD - LOST IN TRANSLATION - IT GROWS ON YOU

AUGUST 2013

53. Times past.

55. A French pencil?

58. A shortage of!

60. A puzzle?

61. A stupid person?

62. It was not a hit?

63. Didn’t hit it.

68. An animal’s coat?

70. A sphere.

ACROSS 1. FRIAR - 5. CONSULTANT - 6. ALLOWANCE 12. EQUATIONS - 13. TAUT - 15. NEOPRENE 18. ABSYNTH - 21. HOSPITAL - 22. SLACK 23. CANNISTER - 26. GRIND - 29. JUBILANT 31. ZEBRA - 34. ECLIPSE - 35. MULTIMETER 36. ANGER - 37. TRIBUNAL - 43. OUTBOARD. 46. LIGHTHOUSE - 48. INFER - 49. STARCH 50. CRY - 51. JESTER - 54. BREW - 56. VERIFY 57. GHOST - 59. ABORT - 60. RIND - 62. FIDGET64. NOCTURNAL - 65. EELS - 66. INSULIN 67. RIPPLES - 69. GUIDE - 70. OBSOLETE 71. LANTERN - 72. GLIMMER - 73. GESTICULATE

1. Mix with the enemy.

2. This gland gives milk.

3. She will serve your dinner.

4. Not square.

7. Midday.

8. Perfectly balanced!

9. A small yellow flower.

10. Always seems to be ill.

11. American four wheel

DOWN 1. FRATERNISE - 2. MAMMARY - 3. WAITRESS 4. ROUND - 7. NOON - 8. EQUILIBRIUM 9. BUTTERCUP - 10. HYPOCHONDRIAC - 11. JEEP 14. PRANK - 16. ELF -17. DISCUS - 19. BELITTLE 20. TENTACLE - 24. CANTER - 25. KAMIKAZE 27. ETHER - 28. DIGEST - 30. YOUTHFUL -31. ZENITH 32. STITCH - 33. DISCUSS - 38. UNDISCLOSED. 39. HIPHOP. - 40. MAGNETO - 41. KANGAROOS 42. WHISPERING - 44. CAREER - 45. HIBERNATE 47. UNCLE - 52. PENULTIMATE - 53. BYGONE 55. CRAYON - 58. LACK - 60. RIDDLE - 61. DUNCE 62. FLOP - 63. MISSED. - 68. PELT - 70. ORB

DOWN

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THE FUSION ISSUE

FROM JONATHAN CAINER

August.2013

DEAR READER, I AM CURRENTLY TAKING A BREAK SO I HAVE ENTRUSTED MY NEPHEW, OSCAR CAINER, WITH THE TASK OF FINDING AND IDENTIFYING THE FORECAST THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU TODAY WITH REFERENCE TO THE LIBRARY OF PREDICTIONS THAT I HAVE COMPILED OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS. OSCAR HAS LONG IMPRESSED ME AS A NATURAL ASTROLOGER AND, SINCE HE BEGAN HIS OWN INDEPENDENT STUDY OF THE ART IN 2008, I HAVE BEEN GIVING HIM SPECIAL INSTRUCTION IN THE PRINCIPLES BY WHICH I WORK. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE AUGUST PREDICTION THAT OSCAR PRESENTS FOR YOU TODAY WILL BE ACCURATE AND RELEVANT.

MADONNA

RICHARD ARMITAGE

VIRGO

RICHARD ARMITAGE PHOTO CREDIT: THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY CANADIAN PREMIERE - GETTYIMAGES

August 24 - September 23

You are not supposed to be feeling fine this month. Well, in one way you are. In one way that is all you are ever supposed to be feeling. We none of us came to this earth to suffer, you know. But right now, given all you are up against, it would be somewhat surprising if you were feeling entirely at ease. It might, indeed, be indicative of insensitivity. Look, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, I don’t mean to alarm you. But if it is all too much, please don’t worry. It IS all too much! And soon, there will be far less to upset you!

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

LEO

July 24 - August 23

LIBRA

September 24 - October 23

Think how peacefully you could pass your time in a rocking chair, with a stack of good books to dip into. Or if only you could clone yourself. One version could earn the money, another could do the shopping and a third could be free to respond to all the emotional and domestic demands you face. Such solutions, sadly, are a bit too far-fetched. With Mercury passing through your sign in August, you can expect an environment that is anything but quiet - but at least you can rest assured that what’s happening is right.

Do you ever wish that you could turn back time? You won’t, in August, manage that but you may, in a strange way, come close to a chance to do something similar. You will get to reopen a case that you thought had been long since closed. You will be able to look again at a part of the past that normally makes you uncomfortable. History is about to be rewritten in a way that helps you feel much more enthusiastic about the future. Something you thought was wrong may yet to turn out to have been very right.

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

AUGUST 2013

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THE FUSION ISSUE

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

We spend our lives avoiding some situations and inviting others. That’s if we’re lucky. Some of us manage to invite the very situations we are trying to avoid. Others get it the other way round, which is potentially worse. Usually, this happens when we think we know what we are doing. Doubts and misgivings are useful if we have a tendency to be over-confident about matters we don’t fully understand. Remember this month: today’s reason to be doubtful is tomorrow’s reason to be glad you thought twice.

If there truly are ‘more questions than answers’ we must reach one of two conclusions. Either several of those questions lead to the same answers - or there are some questions that simply can’t be answered. Your life is full of questions which look as if all they will ever do is generate more questions. You are feeling more than a bit baffled by various impossible factors. Baffled you may be, but beaten you’re not. You may not get any wiser in August but you may yet begin to feel a whole lot happier.

‘Cleanliness,’ so they tell us, ‘is next to godliness.’

But it is perfectly possible to go through a kind of hell in a hygienic environment. It is possible too, to experience heaven in the midst of a mess.

Cleanliness is an aid to inspiration but it is not, on its own, a guarantee of it. Your life right now is full of things that look as if they ought to be providing much fulfilment. Somehow, though, you keep encountering reasons why an arrangement or an agreement is not ‘clean’ or simple. August enables you to address this.

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

October 24 - November 22

November 23 - December 21

December 22 - January 20

AQUARIUS

PISCES

ARIES

‘Spare the rod, spoil the child.’ Believe it or not, that’s what they used to say back in the good old days. Perhaps those old days weren’t as good as we imagine. Folk used to think that smoking was a fine thing, too. You could get brands of cigarettes specially recommended by doctors. Somewhere in the back of your mind is a traditional value that deserves re-evaluation. Don’t assume, in August, that something must be right, just because it has never been questioned. Here comes your freedom to think (and live) differently.

Can you think of a single other person you’d rather be? There. Doesn’t that tell you something? Your own situation may not be ideal, but at least you know your way around it. You’re travelling a road that simply has to lead to a glorious destination. There’s a point to what you’re doing and there’s something positively poetic about the way things are changing. Be glad that you are who you are... and allow a very positive cosmic climate throughout August to fill you with the enthusiasm you deserve to feel.

All it takes is an insight or a flash of inspiration.

One moment everything looks bleak, the next, it is radiant. Nothing actually has to change for this to happen. All that’s required is a mental adjustment. A shift of attitude. You are starting to question many assumptions that once seemed unassailable. In the process, you are gaining the potential to unleash enormous power and to open doorways of opportunity that once seemed unimaginable. You may yet greatly enjoy the new understandings you reach in August.

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

To be a Taurean is to be naturally wise. Where others mistake your profundity for a stubborn refusal to embrace change, you feel that the status quo usually has a good reason to exist and thus you had better be shown an even better reason to change it. Right now, it is as if you were a magnet. Drawing various people and possibilities towards you. You may feel that you are having no conscious influence over all that is unfolding. But you definitely do have power. Trust the choices your heart is already making.

The stage is set. The show is about as ready as it will ever be. The audience awaits. It is now as if an inevitable drama must be played out. You’re not sure how well suited you are to your part. Gradually, you’ll realise that you were born to take on a particular role. Mercury, in August, briefly involves Neptune and Pluto in a rare ‘Finger of Fate’ aspect between planets. This is giving you a vitally important role to play. This may not involve fame in the classic sense of the word, but it will certainly bring fulfilment.

If your shoulders were really as broad as you seem to think, no tailor would ever be able to make you a jacket. You are carrying so much, taking such responsibility. That’s admirable.

It is also exhausting and, ultimately, disempowering. In feeling so duty bound, you are depriving yourself of your entitlement to say, ‘enough is enough’. As you move, in August, closer to the freedom you deserve, remember that in solving other people’s problems for them, you may be preventing them from learning vital lessons.

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM

January 21 - February 19

April 21 - May 21

AUGUST 2013

February 20 - March 20

May 22 - June 22

March 21 - April 20

June 23 - July 23

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NEW + NOW TIME TRAVEL The Mathematics and Physics Salon in the Dresden Zwinger was closed for six years due to comprehensive renovations.

A. Lange & Söhne has supported the refurbishment of the museum. It has now reopened its doors to the public and demonstrates the persuasiveness and splendour of knowledge even more impressively than before. “One of the cores of Saxony’s history” is how Hartwig Fischer, Director of the Dresden State Art Collections, refers to the Mathematics and Physics Salon which reopened on April 14, 2013.

Endowed with twice as much space as before, the eminent scientific history collection presents more than 400 exhibits, including clocks and watches, automata, telescopes, and globes. With its observatory and timekeeping service, it became the highest authority for all time-related matters in the late 18th century and is deemed the cradle of precision watchmaking in Dresden. The Salon has always been of special significance for the venerable watch brand. Here, about 180 years ago, the young Ferdinand A. Lange discovered his passion for horology. His vision – to craft the world’s finest watches in Saxony– was born in Dresden. For Lange’s CEO Wilhelm Schmid, sponsoring the museum is one way for A. Lange & Söhne to pay tribute to its cultural origins.

“I am particularly delighted,” Schmid says, “that the historical dimension in the exhibition concept comes to the fore with new showpieces, filling gaps in the timeline from the early periods in Dresden’s history to Saxony’s present-day precision watchmaking stature.” In the extensive timepiece collection, the “42500” from 1902, the most complicated Lange pocket watch ever made, showcases the artistry and artisanship of watchmakers many generations ago. Also, a LANGE 1 from the current collection stands as a symbol for the comeback of a brand that ushered in yet another new era in Saxon precision watchmaking four years after Germany was reunified.

RED, RED WINE An evening of wine tasting was held at La Cave de Joël Robuchon- the Wine Library in Beirut Souks, on Thursday, June 6, 2013 to incorporate another exquisite item to their preexisting collection, Bargylus Red Wine 2009, a vintage produced by the Johnny R. Saadé family. The Bargylus Reds strike a perfect balance of strength, finesse and elegance, allying a floral and spicy nose with a fine, close-grained texture and expressive purity of fruit, which will be added to the finest wine collection of La Cave de Joël Robuchon, where wine lovers can experience real indulgence.

Guests experienced a journey of senses at the premises of La Cave de Joël Robuchon, part of a concept store based in Paris. The boutique is the creation of esteemed French Chef Joël Robuchon, and includes a fine selection of wines pre-approved by Robuchon himself. Through a partnership with Fawaz Holding, this concept store, synonymous with outstanding value and quality of wine selection, was developed within the same spirit in Beirut. The evening allowed guests to sample superb wine, to mingle with La Cave de Joël Robuchon team and the Saade brothers, and share their common passion for wine.

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