RAGMAG Tying the Knot | April 2012 | Issue #23

MAGAZINE APRIL 2012

THE HISTORY OF

ROCKET MAN IN ABU DHABI

UNDOING THE STIGMA THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR MARRIAGE

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Publisher Gina Gabriel El-Fady Editor in Chief Fida Z Chaaban Creative Lead Odette Kahwagi Managing Director Georges Yarack

Photograhers Odette Kahwagi Christian Harb Dave Kai Piper Jason Zamora Teddy Habib Selected images Shutterstock

Webmaster Youmna Chagoury Stylist Jony Matta Public Relations Coordinator Lea El-Alam Marketing Advisor Daniella Tayar Administrative Coordinator Teddy Younes

Printed by Raidy Printing Group RAGMAG is a division of Raycon s.a.l.

Copyright RAGMAG 2012 All Rights Reserved.

Contributors Stephanie Aoun Lara Ariss Liliane Assaf Jonathan Cainer Amal Chaaban Youmna Chagoury Kiran Choudhry Rabih Feghali Maria Frangieh Alice Hlidkova Sarah Hourany Matthew Hussey Maria-Elena Kassab Imogen Kimber Chris Lambert Sabina LLewellyn-Davies Maha Majzoub J.E.N. Nour Obaji Jacques Tchabarian Adam Volk Media Representative

Nada G. Farha Managing Director Jdeideh Chalet Suisse St 444 Center 3rd floor Tel: 01 87 16 63 Ext 103 nfarha@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

w w w . r a g m a g l i v e . c o m

@RAGMAGLebanon RAGMAGMagazine RAGMAG

ON OUR COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ODETTE KAHWAGI STYLED BY JONY MATTA SKIRT BY GEORGES CHAKRA MODEL KRISTINA OF NATHALY’S AGENCY

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

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MON AMOUR, MON AMI 28 CELEB WATCH WHO’S HITCHED?

MIND, BODY + SOUL 42 5 CHALLENGES OF MARRIAGE MATTHEW HUSSEY

44 HELP ME NOUR + RABIH ADVICE

MIRROR MIRROR 56 SPIC N’ SPAN SKIN EUCERIN

58 PUREGRAY BRIDAL PACKAGE SPA REVIEW

62 INVOKING WHITE LIGHT

GUERLAIN’S BEST BRIDAL MAKEUP

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY 128 TIE ONE ON CHAMPAGNE WISHES

132 NICOLAS JORDON IN BEIRUT CORDON BLEU CHEF

134 RESTAURANT REVIEW BABEL BAY

136 TYING THE KNOT ON A BUDGET WE TELL YOU HOW

138 MODERN WEDDING FARE RECIPES

GUERLAIN

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TAKE ME WITH YOU 122 VENICE THE INTERCHANGE OF LIGHT + WATER TRAVEL

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

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EDITOR’S OPINION SAME- SEX WEDDINGS LGBT COMMUNITY HERE + THERE

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES UNDER YOUR GOWN STILETTO FEVER COPYCAT REAL LIFE RUNWAY BRIDAL WHITES OUR FASHION SHOOT ALL WOUND UP AGATHA

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OUT + ABOUT ROCKET MAN

SIR ELTON JOHN ROCKS ABU DHABI

144 2012 IS THE BEST YET HORECA LEBANON

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CULTURE CLASH KNOT ON MY WATCH TIES THAT BIND

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LEARNING THE ROPES PINTEREST TYING THE KNOT 7AYALA!

JERRY CLOVIS

INTERVIEW WITH STEFANIE SLOANE

HAYDA LEBNEN

150 A LABOUR OF LOVE TANNOURA MAXI

FLASH ENTERTAINMENT BRINGS THE VERY BEST TO THE MIDDLE EAST 8 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

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DOLLARS+SENSE KEYNESIAN ECONOMICS

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YOU + YOUR COUNTRY IBTISSAMMA DR. CLOWN TAKES CARE OF

WHERE DOES LEBANON FIT?

LEBANON’S CHILDREN

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THE FINAL FRONTIER TANGLED WIRES IN YOUR MARRIAGE

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NUPTIAL KNOTS + FRIENDSHIP

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FML ALL KNOTTED UP

TECH

SCIENCE

AERIAL YOGA

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SET YOUR SIGHTS ON A GROWING MARKET FOR OUTDOOR SPORTS

THE LEADING OUTDOOR AND SPORTS SHOW

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DEMONSTRATE YOUR PRODUCTS IN A LIVE ENVIRONMENT TARGET A QUALITY CONSUMER BASE OF ENTHUSIASTIC HUNTING SPORTSMEN AND OUTDOOR LEISURE SEEKERS

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Bishkek

Kabul

Kathmandu Lucknow Karachi

Dhaka

Ahmedabad

Chittagong

Hyderabad

FLYDUBAI REWARDS AMIN AL MASSIH + HIS DESERVING MOM

Colombo

Big congratulations to Amin Al Massih and his Mom! They’re getting airborne with flydubai. We asked our readers to tell us where they wanted to go and why they deserved to win a free round trip for 2 to any of flydubai’s 50 destinations. Amin said he wanted to take his mom to Yekaterinburg, Russia because at 70 years of age, she has never been outside of Lebanon. He also said that after being a wonderful mother to him and his 7 siblings, and never asking for anything in return, he wanted to give her this trip as a gesture of appreciation. Amin, we’re happy to be able to reward one of our readers with something that holds so much emotional value. Keep reading RAGMAG- It’s Your Magazine!

This month, RM is celebrating commitment in all its forms and we are calling it Tying the Knot. Promising yourself to another for a lifetime is scary at the best of times and with it comes a lot of anxiety. Here at RM we understand pre-wedding jitters very well and have tried as much as we can to highlight the best of what marriage has to offer without scaring you off. Congratulations to all the happy couples who are tying the knot in 2012 and we hope this issue makes it a bit more bearable.

I would like to thank flydubai and adidas for our reader rewards. I must say that the winner of the flydubai round trip for 2 has touched me a lot personally. I would like to thank Mr. Amin Al Massih for his participation and wish both him and his mum a great time and the best of luck.

Happy Mother’s Day to the lucky winnerthe whole RM team is rooting for you. Please email us a picture of you and your mum on your flydubai vacation!

As usual keep your emails coming to publisher@ragmaglive.com and follow me @GinaGabriel1 on Twitter.

I love talking back!

Gina Gabriel El-Fady | Publisher

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EDITOR’S LETTER

TYING

THE KNOT BECAUSE RAGMAG LIKES TO WORK THE ROPES

Every issue I start my Editor’s letter by thanking our readers for the feedback.

The March Orchestra issue went over really well. We weren’t sure we could rival our March Royal issue of 2011, so we had to work extra hard to bring that to you. We’re happy that you enjoyed it especially since we had some very personal material put forward by Gina Gabriel and Stephanie Aoun. We try to put a little of bit ourselves into RAGMAG every month, so you get to know your RAGMAG staffers more than anyone else out there in medialand!

Before I get going on April, I want to call your attention to a social media initiative by Beirut’s Phoenicia Hotel. In preparation for International Women’s Day, they asked a number of Lebanese women, active in social media platforms like Twitter and the blogosphere, to submit a quote that inspired them.

Then they created a special album with each image devoted to one quote. We have placed those submitted by RAGMAG staffers on my page, including one by yours truly (which incidentally perpetuated one of our staff to remark that I am a “tyrant”- always the comedy at RAGMAG). I think that the Phoenicia’s unique celebration of International Women’s Day was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Big thank you for inviting us to participate and we’re looking forward to celebrating again together next year.

This issue, we are looking at marriagethe celebratory aspect, the sociological implications and the marriage do’s . We also covered the science of divorce and the roles technology that can play in your relationship. Now for my big announcement: I have collaborated with the Editor in Chief of Equally Wed mag-

azine, based in the US, to create something entirely unique this issue. Equally Wed is devoted to same-sex unions –it is a magazine solely for the LGBT community focusing on all things wedding. We basically had a conversation about gay marriage here and gay marriage there, and what the challenges are faced by same-sex couples in both parts of the world. I encourage you to read Kirsten Ott Palladino’s segments with an open mind. We think it’s about time someone looked at homosexuality and marriage in the Middle East, and who better than us?

Talk to me on Twitter @fidachaaban and follow @RAGMAGLebanon for updates and reader rewards that are meant to thank you for being part of RAGMAG. If you think of something that deserves print space, my cyber door is always open. Email me at letterstotheeditor@ragmaglive.com We are the only magazine in Lebanon that talks back. 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 MARCH ISSUE WE CONTINUED TO TALK TO YOU VIA OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS- PINTEREST, TWITTER + FACEBOOK. WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND PARTICIPATION AND 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 @RAGMAGLEBANON!

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

CONGRATULATIONS TO THREE RAGMAG READERS! RAGMAG loves reader interaction so we paired up with adidas and ran an online reader reward via social media. We posted the teasers for the cool rewards on our Facebook page and Twitter a few days beforehand then we ran the competition. adidas awarded 3 RAGMAG readers gift vouchers at a value of $100 so they could get all in!

Congratulations to Houry Yoghourdjian, Johnny Boghossian and Adib Sayegh!

GET YOUR OWN ADIDAS RIGHT HERE IN LEBANON

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THE WORLD’S FIRST FOOTBALL BOOT WITH A BRAIN

GAMERS, TECHIES + SPORTS ADDICTS THE ADIDAS ADIZERO F50 POWERED BY MICOACH IS FOR YOU! adidas unveiled the world’s first intelligent football boot, the adizero f50 powered by miCoach, bringing smart technology to the field of play. miCoach turns the adizero f50 into the ultimate digital training tool by letting you track and upload performance data including speed, maximum speed, number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels and time.

The adizero f50 boot includes a cavity in the outsole unit which houses the revolutionary miCoach Speed Sensor. The miCoach Speed Sensor captures 360° movement and measures key performance metrics including speed, average speed (recorded every second), maximum speed (recorded every five seconds), number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels, steps and stride rates. The on-board memory stores all your measurements during your game or training for up to seven hours and then wirelessly transmits the on pitch performance data to your tablet, PC or MAC. The stats can then be shared with friends on Facebook or even with adidas professional players such as Leo Messi, as they upload their personal results. The stats can also be uploaded to existing training plans via the miCoach website, which are then built into the personalised coaching programmes that miCoach technology creates specifically for you.

The revolution continues in 2012 when you will be able to play the miCoach football video game online using your own real-life abilities. miCoach technology has always proved adidas’ position as market leader in the use of data in sport to enhance athlete performance and the introduction of miCoach in the adizero f50 clearly demonstrates the capabilities of capturing and evaluating every athlete’s performance by making it available to all.

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The adizero f50 includes other key adidas technologies including Sprintweb, which provides stability during high speed movements, Sprintskin, a revolutionary single layer synthetic for incredible ball-feeling and reduced weight and Sprintframe, which uses geometrics and a new stud construction to offer the perfect balance between lightweight and stability. The adizero f50 is also lightest in class, weighing in at only 165g.

ADIDAS GETS RAGMAG READERS ALL IN!

IF YOU’RE WONDERING WHAT WE’RE LOVING MOST THIS SEASON FOR ADIDAS, HERE ARE OUR TOP PICKS!

STELLA MCCARTNEY FOR ADIDAS SPRING SUMMER 2012 The new adidas collection by Stella McCartney for Spring Summer 2012 stands out for its celebration of sun, sea, sand and the fun of doing watersports with its new Swim line and its fashionable Swim Wetsuit. “The new collection is energetic and includes a brighter colour palette. It plays on the lightweight side of design, making sportswear and performance very easy to throw into your bag so you can exercise anytime of the day. We’ve also introduced a cool surf story with a great wetsuit, encouraging woman to surf and enjoy the ocean and outdoors,” says Stella McCartney.

WOMEN WE LOVE NAOMI VAN AS + ASHLEIGH SERGEANT FOR ADIDAS

adidas Women’s Training brings together next generation athletes including Naomi van As, Shanaze Reade, Britta Steffens, Becky James, Harriet Lymer, Global Yoga Trainer Ashleigh Sergeant and Dance Instructor Marta Formoso to unveil the new S/S 2012 collection, which aims to be an inspiration to the women that workout regularly to be fit and therefore feel good about themselves. The highlight campaign in Spring/Summer focuses on boxing inspired training. The story follows the Dutch national hockey player, Naomi van As, who teamed up with Hollywood-based personal trainer Ashley Conrad to work on training plans that ultimately make her faster for her sport. Highlights include the new lightweight adizero range which consists of stylish sport silhouettes with new graphics and a vibrant colour palette, which offer full flexibility and freedom of movement. The new silhouettes also include media pockets and miCoach sensors so women can train smarter and link to their personalised training plans via miCoach.

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EDITOR’S OPINION

RAGMAG AND EQUALLY WED MAGAZINE TALK ABOUT

SAME-SEX WEDDINGS

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or our wedding issue, we wanted to include the weddings of the LGBT community. We also wanted to show you how the other side of the world honours and celebrates these commitments so we went to the foremost authority on same-sex weddings. I have collaborated with Editor in Chief and Cofounder of U.S. based Equally Wed magazine, Kirsten Ott Palladino, on an discussion of sorts discussing the differences between the challenges faced by LGBT couples in the Middle East and the United States. What you see below is an email exchange between myself for RAGMAG and Kirsten for Equally Wed.

You can learn more about Equally Wed Magazine by visiting their website www.equallywed.com | equallywed | EquallyWedmagazine | You can follow Kirsten directly @kirs10palladino

Kirsten Ott Palladino is an award-winning editor and writer who, with along with her wife, launched Equally Wed Magazine in 2010. The impetus for the online publication was their own trials and tribulations the lesbian couple faced when planning their own wedding in 2009. They encountered hostility from wedding vendors and they also realized that there were no mainstream publications covering gay weddings. Equally Wed serves as the nation’s premier resource for LGBT couples planning their weddings and honeymoons, as well as a news source for marriage-equality news.

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KIRSTEN OTT PALLADINO FOR EQUALLY WED It’s completely legal to have a gay wedding anywhere in the United States. Vendors might decline to be involved and some relatives may break your heart by not responding to the invitation but your friends, who in the LGBT community are often more like your blood family anyway, are the ones who will lift you up and celebrate the lifetime commitment you and your partner are making.

FIDA CHAABAN FOR RAGMAG On our side of the world you can probably count on your friends and sometimes even your family to attend. You won’t get any legal acknowledgement of the union in Lebanon or anywhere else in the Middle East, but you can say your vows in a private ceremony. There was a gay wedding staged as sort of a protest in Dubai, but all the participants got arrested and we aren’t sure what happened to them after that. In Lebanon there is a bit more of a live and let live attitude, but you always run the risk of police harassment- it is after all illegal. You can be discriminated against in Lebanon for being gay- you have little to no legal recourse if you were to be say, fired from your job. We actually don’t even have civil marriage in Lebanon so it’s kind of mind blowing to even think of this government passing a bill legalizing marriage between same-sex couples.

You cannot, as an interfaith heterosexual couple get married without the religious establishment, so imagine the challenges gay couples face.

UPPER LEFT: EQUALLY WED COFOUNDERS KIRSTEN OTT PALLADINO (LEFT) AND MARIA PALLADINO WERE HAPPILY WED IN ATLANTA ON JUNE 13, 2009 | PHOTO BY OUR LABOR OF LOVE OPPOSITE PAGE: MARNI AND CASEY WALK THE WALK WITH THEIR ECO-FRIENDLY ATLANTA WEDDING | PHOTO

BY DREW NEWMAN PHOTOGRAPHERS

THE FACE OF LGBT

In the U.S., states are allowed to decide whether or not they’ll legally recognize same-sex marriage. So far, we have eight out of 50, plus the District of Columbia.

Gay couples can have wedding ceremonies anywhere they please though, except in many churches. Even though our government was founded on the ideals of separation of church and state, it is religion that gay-marriage foes lean on to defend their fears and outright hate. Many religious leaders have lost their jobs or faced serious questioning for officiating same-sex ceremonies. Thankfully, they’ve made the choice to stand on the right side of equality.

I have to say I am really shocked that only 8 out of 50 states have legalized gay marriage. As a Canadian, frankly, it floors me. I thought I knew my neighbours better than that but I digress since I am speaking to you about the Middle East. You mentioned standing on the right side of equality. I wish I could even tell you that I know of one Lebanese cleric, Christian, Muslim or Druze (Lebanon’s 3 main religions) who hasn’t promised holy damnation for our LGBT community. Never mind standing on the right side- here there is only one side and I promise you that you will not find a single religious establishment that doesn’t attack the LGBT community regularly. The official (and sadly unofficial) religious stance here is hellfire and brimstone. I don’t know if that will ever change.

According to gay friends of mine, murders of gay men occur with little or no police investigation. That’s a whole other story, but I have often wondered if the clerics who officiate at the funeral services of these murdered men are aware they are officiating over the bodies of homosexuals. They won’t do a gay wedding, so will they do a gay funeral? I guess I am thinking out loud now.

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EDITOR’S OPINION

That’s a really good point about how a gay funeral is worthy of presiding over, but a gay wedding is not. A wedding is a wedding, no matter who’s saying “I do” as long as they’re consenting adults, right? In the U.S., one of the points that the opposition has is that if their particular state begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, religious institutions will be forced to perform gay weddings. For this reason, most states, such as New York, retain a religious freedom clause, allowing anyone to refuse to take part in a same-sex wedding if they have religious objections. It was this clause in New York’s law that allowed some Republicans—and even some Democrats— peace of mind to vote yes for marriage equality last June. For me, I don’t mind the clause since I wouldn’t want to be married by anyone who opposes my marriage, nor render the services of a wedding vendor who doesn’t believe I should have the right to marry the person of my choosing.

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I agree with you about not wanting someone to officiate over my ceremony who doesn’t wholly support the couple being married! This is something that any straight or gay couple should understand: I don’t want you to perform the service if you don’t support the ideology behind that service. You make an interesting point about vendors. Do they realize the huge economic implications of recognizing same-sex couples? In Lebanon and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCC) which includes hubs like Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Muscat, I think vendors would largely shy away from promoting themselves to same-sex couples since they would fear community backlash and loss of heterosexual clientele, not to mention possible police and governmental harassment. To this I suggest that if you are the first wedding vendor to break that mould, you will gain a huge niche clientele with referrals by tens. Wedding vendors: business sense dictates you think about your opportunity cost so how much money are you potentially missing out on with the LGBT being your biggest untapped market? Maybe I should open a company and do just that!

BELOW, LEFT: JERRY AND JOHN TIE THE KNOT IN A SEASIDE FLORIDA WEDDING | PHOTO BY KAREN LISA ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY BELOW, RIGHT: BRITTNEY AND KARA EXCHANGE ONE-OF-AKIND VOWS IN A SEXY MIAMI WEDDING | PHOTO

BY HAIDY JENSEN OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM: ADAM AND CLIFF’S SOUTHERN LOVE STORY IS ANYTHING BUT OLDFASHIONED | PHOTO BY KATHERINE ATTEBERRY

THE FACE OF LGBT

I completely agree that accepting business from LGBT couples simply wanting to commit their lives to each other definitely has an economic draw. However, coming from a lesbian’s perspective, I really only want to work with vendors who support marriage equality, not just making money. It’s something my straight friends don’t really grasp until I explain to them that a business pandering for the LGBT market’s cash but not proud of its involvement with our community isn’t helping anyone. I don’t want a hotel to just take my money. I want to feel as warmly welcomed when my wife and I request a king bed at check-in as the hetero couple that checked in before us. If a company and its staff isn’t truly inclusive and interested in equality for all, their true colours will shine through eventually.

It’s true, I guess I am so used to seeing it as a “something is better than nothing” scenario. But something isn’t better than nothing and certainly not when people’s rights are at stake. The other day the Huffington Post tweeted an article about the current situation in Iraq. Being “emo” makes you a target for Death Squads as being emo and gay are largely associated there, due to what seems to be ignorance and confusion mostly. Ali Hili, Londonbased Iraq LGBT Leader, condemned both the killings of course and the lack of U.S. response. There’s a particularly disturbing video and in the same article Hili suggests that the Interior Ministry of the Iraqi government is in on it. I keep trying to think about weddings and get circumvented back to funerals. I think our con-

versation has depicted in sharp relief the differences on my side of the world and yours- as a resident of the Middle East, I’m concerned about Death Squads and Eternal Damnation, and you’re concerned about the wholehearted support from the establishment and people in general. I think at the very least, the images that you’re sharing from Equally Wed’s archives show us that LGBT unions can be CELEBRATED, not just acknowledged and safeguarded. I know I’ve learned a lot from our exchange- I hope our readers will as well.

I’m a pretty emo gal, I suppose, in terms of my heart is easily disturbed when others aren’t treated fairly. So my heart breaks for anyone anywhere who can’t be who they are in their own home, in their workplace, in their place of worship and even in their country. There is such a difference between our worlds, Fida. I’m so glad we talked about some of the differences. I do believe that conversations help open minds and hearts, and I hope more people will continue to fight the good fight with pushing boundaries and working toward equality for all

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CULTURE CLASH

KNOT ON

MY WATCH! JERRY CLOVIS DOES NOT LET THE ART WORLD PROPER TIE HIM DOWN

BY MAHA MAJZOUB

I

t’s exactly 3:00a.m. in OC, California. Jerry Clovis wakes up with a start. He realizes he is breaking a heavy sweat. Since escaping the brutal environment of aerospace manufacturing, he has been rising in the dead of night more than he would like to admit. Only this time, he has one of the clearest dreams he has experienced in a while. The young man sees himself painting, something he has never done before. He also sees with dizzying clarity what his style would look like. Like a boy on Christmas morning, Clovis impatiently waits for the sun to wake up. He then rushes to the nearest arts and crafts retailer and buys his first paints. On that very day, he goes into a painting trance – one which he hasn’t snapped out of for eight years.

First to pour out of Clovis’ imagination was the “Surrealism” series, a gush of labor-intensive pieces with flowing metaphors that reflect that transition in his life, the newfound freedom, coming up with fresh ideas, and escaping the intimidators in life. He then moved onto more and more expression, his brushstrokes getting longer and longer as he went along. His early attempts birthed “First Time”, a 16x20 acrylic on canvas, which shows the facial silhouettes of two lovers about to lock lips. His third artwork in 2004, “Liquid Green”, sold within six weeks through a simple website he created, boosting Clovis’ morale and pushing him to press forward. The piece closes up on the bodies of a male and female interlocked in an embrace in a body of water.

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At this point, Clovis was too busy producing to take any formal art training. “Many encouraged me to take classes. But I felt it would slow me down. I didn’t want to corrupt my creativity … by learning what other people do. I just wanted to have as little inspiration from other artists as possible,” he argues, adding, “I wanted my inspiration to come from other things and from inside my head.”

Come undone

Instead of being bogged down by artistic theories and howtos, he continued to hone his skills instinctively. “I found out that I could mix the colors on the canvas rather than on a palette, creating shapes and depth. So then it became less about making statements and more about breaking ground by mastering a unique technique. I figured if I take years to master something that they don’t teach at school, no one will be able to copy me, even if they wanted to. They would have to focus on my technique for years,” Clovis says. “I want my art to be different enough to be instantly recognizable.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: ADORING SOULS, 30 X 40 X 1.5, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 2008 THIS PAGE: JERRY CLOVIS

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CULTURE CLASH

“Romantic Wet” and “Orange Kiss”, both completed that year, fall under the instantly recognizable category due to resemblances in style and technique to “First Time” and “Liquid Love”, all four of which belong to Clovis’ hypnotic “Romantic” series. Like most of Clovis’ series, the “Romantic” series is an ongoing body of work. Clovis has an affinity for depicting the statuesque female physique as demonstrated in his “Nudes” pieces, but the “Romantic” series is less about hyperrealist or surrealist details and more about the tie that binds or a tight, passionate connection.

“It’s all about intimacy, the ultimate intimacy, beyond the physical world, or where none of the physical world exists in between the essence of you and your mate,” Clovis remarks. “Some are embraces in water. Embracing in a body of water is more than an embrace. And it should be when the entire world goes away for a while…It can lead to a rebirth of your connection with each other.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: PRETTY LUCKY APPEARS, 40 X 30 X 1.5, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 2008 ROMANTIC WET, 30 X 40, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 2004 DECEMBER WOW, 60 X 48, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 2008

The artist’s infatuation with female physiology has also been translated in his 3D “Pretty Lucky” series, which comes with a hearty pinch of playfulness and imaginativeness. “Pretty Lucky” is not a situation but the lead character placed in several situations; she is always eye candy and svelte, with flour white skin, with the playing cards clubs sign for her hair and hearts or diamonds covering her delicate parts.

“IT’S ALL ABOUT INTIMACY, THE ULTIMATE INTIMACY, BEYOND THE PHYSICAL WORLD, OR WHERE NONE OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD EXISTS IN BETWEEN THE ESSENCE OF YOU AND YOUR MATE” 24 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

KNOT ON MY WATCH! | JERRY CLOVIS

Strike a chord

It’s with both “Pretty Lucky” and the “Music” series that Clovis feels he has outdone himself. In the latter, the artist, who doubles as a vocalist and a songwriter for the local band The Mad Stampede, makes instruments out of pieces of instruments. He uses a trumpet to create a guitar neck or the sound blasting from the trumpet to make the guitar strings. Some items play three or even four roles at the same time.

Clovis simultaneously explores several different directions and the ever growing list includes the stunning “Ocean” and “Wow” series, where he creates multiple plains of depth using light and shadow through his unremitting strokes. With a frenzied use of color and intersecting lines, “Wow” appears like a cross between op art and abstractionism, where the

artist leaves his experimentation unbound. “I also like to evoke thought and conversation through morphing, visual metaphors, multi-functionalism, hidden images, and optical illusions,” says the artist. “Everything comes from inside my head,” adds Clovis. “For me, everything is an expression and realism is not the point. Beauty and inspiration are the intended result.”

In much of his work, Clovis likes to create a rich surface, using heavy paint and brushstrokes that are long and uninterrupted. He mixes the colors on the canvas instead of on a palette and uses a special type of brushes that are cut a certain way. “People ask how I get the lines so straight, like on my ‘Ocean’ series. I do this by turning the canvas on its end, so that I am pulling downwards instead of across,” he divulges. “I also do mostly wet on wet paint and use sponges at the same time while painting with a brush. The sponge pulls up the excess, so when a stroke goes the other way, the work doesn’t end up with muddy tones.” But Clovis is quick to add that there is no set in stone rule for the time it takes to make a winner. “Sometimes it takes three hours to create a great painting. Sometimes, it takes six months to create a failure,” he says.

Luckily, there have been few of those.

Most people come up to Clovis and say they’ve never seen anything like what he does. To him, that’s big. “And people say it makes them happy every time they look at my work. That’s also a big one for me,” he comments. “And it’s exciting that so many college students around the world do papers and presentations on me and my work. I haven’t made it yet as an artist. But when I’m being discussed in universities, it’s very encouraging,” he goes on to say.

“I see more advanced art in my future that will open some big doors. And I still sell art for relatively low prices, especially in these depressed economic times. I am still reaching for the next level in my work. I see it in my head. I know where I want to go,” Clovis continues. We’ll take your word for it, Jerry. It was this head that started it all through a midsummer night’s dream, and we have a feeling that head will continue to take him places

LEFT TO RIGHT: CANDACE SEAS, 60 X 36, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 2009 EIGHT FEET OF WOW, 36 X 96 X 1.5, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 2007

www.jerryclovis.com

THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE

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CULTURE CLASH

BESTSELLING AUTHOR

BY AMAL CHAABAN

‘ANYTHING WORTH DOING IS WORTH DOING WELL’ Amal Chaaban talks to bestselling author Stefanie Sloane exclusively for RAGMAG Stefanie Sloane was born in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. With a degree in English, she landed a job in Amazon.com’s editorial department and was intimately involved in helping build the company. After five years as an editor, Stefanie turned in her red pen and became a bestselling author instead. She still resides in the Pacific Northwest but sadly cannot say that she has seen any vampires that sparkle or wolves that transform. www.stefaniesloane.com @stefaniesloane StefanieSloane

Why are your characters seemingly commitment phobes be they male or female?

I am not really sure, I think that I never want to write a character who thinks that the be-all and end-all is a relationship. I never want my characters to lose who they are for someone else so I think they are probably more focused on growing as an individual and doing what makes them happy and doing what they should rather than going in search of the perfect man or the perfect woman.

With the exception of one, none of your characters fall in love at first sight. Lust maybe, love no. They also really take a while to acknowledge their love. Do you think love worth having is love worth waiting for?

I am not a fan of love at first sight and that might be because I did not fall in love with my husband at first sight. In fact, I found him sort of annoying to begin with so it might come from my personal experience. I really do believe that when it comes to something as important as love, which is something that an individual needs to do with all of their heart, mind, body and soul, why not take the time to make sure that this person is the one for you. I am very pragmatic and not someone who rushes into things and I tend to give my characters that same quality. Anything worth doing is worth doing well so my characters like to be very sure, they throw some tests out there to make sure the other person is up to snuff. So yes, I do believe that.

26 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

In “The Sinner Who Seduced Me”, one of your female characters would like to be tutored in her art by the masters yet she is continuously turned down because she is a woman. Given that artists were supposed to be an enlightened breed at that time, why do you think this was so?

I did some research and while there were female artists, you wouldn’t have found any that reached the level of success of her male counterparts. I think it is sexism plain and simple. No matter how enlightened an individual may be, other factors come into play [like] what’s acceptable in society. Unfortunately, we have seen this happen time and time again in situations and settings.

TIES THAT BIND | STEFANIE SLOANE

I do think it happened and it’s unfortunate. It is one of the things that you have to work around in your historical and there are all sorts of things that happen that you wish would have happened a different way. The trick is to somehow make it so that you win out in the end. In a number of ways, she ends up growing as an artist and an individual.

Your female characters break clearly from the stereotype of women back then. Do you think that women felt oppressed by the strictures put on them by society?

I have a hard time believing that women of any period didn’t have a problem with that. My guess is that the majority of them were not able to operate in the same way that my women are, they do some pretty bold and brash things. I have a hard time believing that any woman wouldn’t think it was wrong to be limited in opportunity simply based on her sex.

Whether she was a member of the upper crust or working class or what have you. I think women of the Tonne would have been raised to believe that restrictions based on sex were normal but for me personally, I just can’t imagine not struggling with something like that.

I HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT ANY WOMAN WOULDN’T THINK IT WAS WRONG TO BE LIMITED IN OPPORTUNITY SIMPLY BASED ON HER SEX. I THINK WOMEN OF THE TONNE WOULD HAVE BEEN RAISED TO BELIEVE THAT RESTRICTIONS BASED ON SEX WERE NORMAL BUT FOR ME PERSONALLY, I JUST CAN’T IMAGINE NOT STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT. In “Angel in My Arms”, one of your characters is called a halfbreed/half-blood for being half Scottish and half English. Do you think that was a problem because by then, the wars were over?

Actually, it was still very much a problem between Scotland and England. Scotland has never been perfectly happy being ruled by England but beyond that, they were still seen as the wild highlanders, especially by the Tonne. It would have very much [still] been a problem, especially out in the middle of nowhere where the book is set because within London, he was charming enough and rich enough that people within society were able to forget his lineage but in a small town like that where who you are has everything to do with how many generations back your family goes in that particular town, they would not have been able to see past that.

Why did you pick regency England to place your novels as opposed to other time periods?

I started out by writing a chick lit novel and it didn’t sell. By that point, that whole genre had kind of peaked and there wasn’t really any more room in the market. It was incredibly disappointing and I took some time off and then my mom and a good friend who writes regency suggested that my voice might work really well and they challenged me to come up with a premise and write a few pages. So that is how it started. I love reading regencies, they are probably my favourite of all the time periods but I don’t know that I had really seen myself in that particular subgenre although you could make the argument that the regency is the equivalent of Bridget Jones THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE

27

MON AMOUR, MON AMI

A SELECTION OF RECENT STAR MAKES + BREAKS

BY MARIA-ELENA KASSAB

The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was handsdown the most anticipated, watched and talked-about wedding in the last decade.

Last year on April 29th, girls sighed and dreamed they were in Kate’s oh-so-stylish shoes, walking down the aisle in a stunning dress to marry their handsome prince –or his reformed bad boy of a brother Prince Harry. With excellent fashion, A-list guests and spectacular hats, the Royal Wedding was 2011’s best.

Kim Kardashian married Kris Humphries in a lavish ceremony filled with awww-eliciting moments and a guest list to die for.

The bride wore three custom-made Vera Wang dresses; her sisters, the bridesmaids, also wore the same designer while the groom was decked out in a bespoke Ermenegildo Zegna tux. The 450 guests of the white-and-black themed ceremony got to watch the beaming bride (who wore 15 million dollars in jewelry) and groom promise to love each other forever. However, “forever” turned out to be a mere 72 days: the couples are now in the throes of a nasty divorce.

28 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

CELEBS TYING THE KNOT

Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig dated for six months before tying the knot under the radar. In fact, they wanted to keep things so low key –in true James Bond fashion, Mr. Craig – that only four people attended the wedding: Rachel’s five-year-old son, Daniel’s eighteen-year-old daughter and two of their friends. The couple has since been spotted still looking very much in love and smiling smugly at keeping their Hollywood union out of the limelight.

Kate Moss and musician Jamie Hince tied the knot in July 2011, and the big question was, “What is she going to wear?”

The bride wore a sheer white, paneled, sequined creation custom-created for her by John Galliano for her rock n’ roll wedding. Kate and Jaime sped away in a Rolls Royce while blasting rock songs.

They staged a three-day celebration with performances by Kanye West and Snoop Dogg. The guest list wasn’t too shabby either, with Naomi Campbell, Kelly Osbourne and Sadie Frost (who introduced the bride and groom) in attendence.

Reese Witherspoon married Jim Toth in March 2011 dressed in a beautiful satin and Chantilly lace Monique Lhuillier gown and wearing amazing sky-high ivory satin Jimmy Choos. Her daughter Ava (from her previous marriage with actor Ryan Philippe) served as a maid of honor and dressed to match her starlet mom. Reese’s son Deacon also served during the ceremony. The celebrations kicked off with a pre-ceremony cocktail hour at Reese’s California ranch. Reese then changed into a shorter, white Monique Lhuillier dress to dance the night away (and make s’mores) with her 120 guests –including Tobey McGuire, Alyssa Milano and Renee Zellweger.

THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE

29

FEATUREFLASH | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

OUT + ABOUT

FLASH ENTERTAINMENT BRINGS THE VERY BEST TO THE MIDDLE EAST

F

LASH Entertainment keeps getting you out + about, but this time it’s with one of the biggest stars in the world!

Sir Elton John was welcomed back to Abu Dhabi with open arms March 29, 2012 for his second performance in the United Arab Emirates. One of the greatest singer-songwriters in music history, thousands of fans went completely crazy for the iconic performer. Elton, an acclaimed pianist, tickled the ivories with long-time collaborator and renowned percussionist Ray Cooper. The highlight of the evening? Hearing some of the biggest hits of the last 50 years including “Rocket Man”, “Daniel” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”.

“Rocket Man” is ranked as number 245 on the Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The fans sang and danced along to Elton’s incredible four decades worth of hits.

The biggest pop superstar of the early 70’s, Elton is iconic over 4 decades later and remains one of the most entertaining, charismatic and energetic musicians and performers on the planet. To date, the musician has sold over 200 million records worldwide with success in film when he composed “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” for Disney’s animated blockbuster The Lion King, garnering him both a Grammy and an Academy Award. Elton has gone onto compose various musical scores including Aida, Lestat and the award winning musical Billy Elliot, which has played to well over 2.5 million people in London, Sydney and in New York where it also won 10 Tony awards including Best Musical.

30 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

A 1994 inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the flamboyant rocker was also knighted in 1998 by Queen Elizabeth II and given the honour of Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1996. Reflecting on the evening, Mira Sadek of FLASH Entertainment said, “Elton John was fantastic, and the understanding he and Ray Cooper have really makes this show unique. There’s only a piano and percussion range up there, but the things they did tonight really surprised everyone. We’d like to thank the many thousands of people who came tonight, and of course Elton and Ray, who are welcome in Abu Dhabi again anytime!” Fans of different ages and backgrounds made their way to Yas Island from across the UAE and surrounding countries including people from as far away as the United Sates.

Having welcomed over 50 artists and 2 million fans through its gate, the Yas Arena, was home to thousands of fans who came to watch Elton John featuring Ray Cooper. RAGMAG hopes the tradition continues: We “Think Flash” every time we think entertainment!

Watch our upcoming issue for FLASH’s upcoming Madonna performances June 3rd and 4th! We’ll see you there, RAGMAG readers!

TOP TO BOTTOM: ELTON JOHN AND DAVID FURNISH AT THE “GNOMEO & JULIET” WORLD PREMIERE ON JANUARY 23, 2011 IN LOS ANGELES ELTON JOHN AND DAVID FURNISH AT THE 69TH GOLDEN GLOVE AWARDS AT THE BEVERLY HILTON HOTEL, JANUARY 15, 2012, BEVERLY HILLS OPPOSITE PAGE AND BELOW, LEFT: SIR ELTON JOHN’S CONCERT, YAS ISLAND, UAE COURTESY OF FLASH ENTERTAINMENT

www.thinkflash.ae Plan your weekend www.yasisland.ae @ThinkFlash ThinkFlashAbuDhabi

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31

CULTURE CLASH

LEARNING

THE ROPES

THE NEWEST SOCIAL MEDIA CRAZE FOR THE VISUALLY-INCLINED

BY MARIA-ELENA KASSAB

N

o matter what kind of person you are, there is a something on the internet for you. If you like to know every detail about a person’s life, you have Facebook. You’re more of a short message, brief update sort of person? Twitter was made for you.

You love to know where everybody is at any given time, you can Foursquare them (you stalker). You want people to know what you like but words are not your forte? Try Pinterest.

Pinterest, launched in March 2010, is a virtual pinboard, or social photo-sharing site, that allows you to share and organize what you find beautiful or expressive on the web. You can browse the website for pictures, get inspired by other people’s choices or upload your own. It was founded by Ben Silbermann and is currently managed by Cold Brew Labs.

PINTEREST, LAUNCHED IN MARCH 2010, IS A VIRTUAL PINBOARD, OR SOCIAL PHOTOSHARING SITE, THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SHARE AND ORGANIZE WHAT YOU FIND BEAUTIFUL OR EXPRESSIVE ON THE WEB 32 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

To become a Pinterest user, you must request an invitation directly from the site, or receive an invitation from a friend already who’s already signed up and wait for a confirmation email, which could take some time. You can also choose to link your Pinterest account to your Facebook or Twitter account, and can publish your activity on both sites. Once you’re in, you pick your interests from a list and the site follows some users for you, just to get you started. You are also given a standard set of generic boards, such as “People I Admire” and “Places I’d Like to Go,” which you can rename, delete or replace at any time (think “My Baby’s Diapers” and “Spring Bruch Recipes”).

LEARNING THE ROPES | PINTEREST

What’s a board, you ask? It’s a group of pins revolving around the same theme.

What is a pin? It is an image added to Pinterest; you either upload it from your own computer or you can add it from a website. If you use the “Pin It” button to choose a picture from a website, Pinterest automatically links your pin back to the original website allowing your followers to go right to the source.

(You can install the Pin It button on the Goodies page.) Another way to pin images is Re-Pinning. Quite similar to Twitters RT function, the Re-Pin button allows you to pin someone else’s pin on one of your boards. You can also like people’s pins or comment on them.

Also similar to Twitter is the “Follow”

function, where you can choose to follow people who interest you (such as RAGMAG, our wonderful editor Fida Chaaban, contributor Youmna Chagoury…) and see their pinning activity.

You can also choose to follow select boards instead of following somebody’s entire Pinterest activity. Pins are mostly images, but they can be virtually anything, including videos.

According to comSCORE, an internet marketing research company, Pinterest was the fastest site in history to break through the 10 million unique visitors mark with 11.7 million unique users. Most Pinterst users are female and board themes are too numerous to

be listed, going from the hit series by George RR Martin, “A Song of Ice and Fire” to punch recipes, from race cars to oddly shaped trees… When it comes to the phone app, I personally found it to be lacking. It crashes too often and you can’t edit your boards or pins properly. Pinterest also raised some concerns about copyright infringement, especially since the Pin It button encourages users to take images from different websites. Pinterest then released a “nopin” HTML meta tag to allow websites, such as Flickr, to select images they don’t want pinned.

Now that you’re familiar with Pinterest, go follow my boards. You know you want to

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33

DOLLARS + SENSE

KEYNESIAN

ECONOMICS A SUITABLE FIT FOR LEBANON’S ECONOMY?

BY MARIA FRANGIEH

J

ohn Maynard Keynes (1883- 1946), a revolutionary British economist who debunked neoclassical theories1 in the 30s, gave large importance to the demand and its effects on the overall level of economic activity. The Keynesian school of thought was based on the ideas of Keynes, also known as demand side economics. He argued that an insufficient aggregate demand can be the cause of high unemployment rates. His theory surged in the 1930s during the Great Depression when the American economy was in a deep downturn. The recommendations of Keynes were adopted by almost all capitalist states in the 1950s and 1960s. The success of the theory began to fade away in the 1970s after large criticisms of the theory by Friedman and others who feared that governments were not able to regulate the business cycle with fiscal policies.

JOHN MANYARD KEYNES

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The Keynesian theory suggests that the government interferes in the economic cycle of a country. The government will create growth, especially during recessions and depressions by increasing government spending to offset the aggregate demand leading to growth.

Governments will have to borrow and spend since the private sector activity (investment or consumption) is slow and growth cannot be reestablished without the intervention of the government.

1 Neocalssical theorists announced that in short and medium terms, free markets will promote full employment.

34 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

KEYNESIAN THEORY & LEBANON’S ECONOMY: A WISE COMBINATION? Keynes’ theory suggests that during periods of recession the government will have to borrow money to increase spending and enhance growth. It is not a secret that the Lebanese economy is undergoing a recession period, investments are low, inflation is high economic growth is lagging. Would an intervention (like increasing governmental spending) lead to growth in Lebanon?

Let’s do some math. Normally when the government borrows money, it is injected into the economy via investments in infrastructure, healthcare, and education amongst other things. Such investments encourage private investments by conveying a message that the economy is doing well as the government is spending, thus increasing the level of employment in the country, and therefore private consumption, which will turn into economic growth of the country, and higher taxes revenues for the government to repay the debt and reinvest in the productive activities.

The current Lebanese situation: the government is largely indebted; inflation and unemployment rates are both high.

PLUSSES + MINUSES Keynes’ theory is well known to increase total demand by increasing government spending, but this theory proved to have drawbacks: inflation, budget deficits and policy lags.

When the government will increase borrowing, it provides excessive stimulus to the economy, increasing prices for consumers and businesses. Central banks will have to increase interest rates to decrease inflation making it more difficult for investors to obtain credit. A crowding out effect will result as the government increased spending hampering thus private investments by higher interest rates.

Budget deficit is another drawback of the demand side economics. When governments borrow money to compensate

If the Lebanese government borrows money, the probability of injecting the money in the economy in a way that

offsets aggregate demand (and therefore growth) is very low. The Lebanese government is heavily dominated by corruption; meaning that there is a high probability that the borrowed money will not be used efficiently. In this case, private investments or consumption will be affected but less than needed to offset growth. On the contrary it will increase the inflation rate. The government will have to increase taxes as well to repay the debt. Furthermore, additional borrowing by the government will be channeled to repay old debts.

All this adds up to a very clear observation: a Keynesian theory would not be a wise decision to adopt in Lebanon

the decline in the aggregate demand, government deficits and national debt will increase. The government will have to dedicate a part of its revenues to repay the debt, therefore cutting its spending on more productive activities like healthcare, infrastructure, education, and others.

In demand side economics, governments have to regularly take actions (increase spending) in unhealthy economies and decrease their intervention in healthy economies. The time required for the government to recognize the need for government action and the actual implementation of appropriate policy measures represents a policy lag leading to results other than the expected. Another lag appears (months) between implementing the policy itself and the effect of the policy on the economy.

THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE

35

YOU + YOUR COUNTRY

IBTISSAMA’S CLOWN DOCTORS CARE FOR LEBANON’S CHILDREN

BY IMOGEN KIMBER

A

fter six months of chemotherapy treatment at St Jude’s Cancer hospital for children, a young boy had fallen into near silence and was barely eating. His father sat next to him almost at his wit’s end until one day an unusual visitor popped his head around the door – a “doctor” dressed as a clown. Completely unexpectedly the young boy invited the ‘Clown Doctor’ in and he managed to connect with the boy in a way that no one else had in months. Overjoyed the child’s father was reduced to tears.

the room, whatever level it is at when we arrive we will find a way to lift it.”

For many children lifting the situation in the room does not mean balloons or funny faces. “[Sometimes] the last thing the child cares about is how you juggle, he cares if you lift him, [about] empathy and connecting,” said Wardani.

“We never cry in front of the children, clowns don’t cry,” said Wardani, if any of the team need to cry they excuse themselves. Often finding empty beds where children once were the Clown Doctors face many heavy situations. For this reason they all visit a psychiatrist once a month. Not only are they often subject to sad moments with the children but “the nurses and the parents and everyone use you as a therapist,” said Wardani. Often there are brothers and sisters visiting who are also facing traumatic experiences.

GET SERIOUS HEAVY LIFTING

“Clowning is about [being] transparent, you need to be ready and available, you have to learn to be yourself,” said Farah Wardani, “sometimes we are not happy in the room, sometimes we need to be calm, poetic, not even smile.” One of the eleven Lebanese Clown Doctors who make up the NGO Ibtissama (Arabic for smile), Wardani volunteers her time each week to visit hospitals.

Wardani’s role along with the other Clown Doctors is to offer children who are hospitalized some relief from a situation which is more often than not restrictive due to their illness, medication and natural constrains of the hospital environment. The founders of Ibtissama, Ali Mouhanna and Roula Saba, describe it as “lifting the situation in

If you wish to get in touch with Ibtissama either for donations or because you are interested in a role 01 801264/2 | info@ibtissama.org 36 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012 www.ibtissama.org | IbtissamaLebanon

Being a Clown Doctor is a serious undertaking. All of Ibtissama’s Clown Doctors undertake training with Italian Clown Doctor Rodrigo Morganti, one of the original Clown Doctors from the Theodora Foundation which inspired the project. It demands a lot of dedication as it takes them a year to train, including intensive weekends. They must be trained in the basic art form of being a clown, in improvisation, as well as being trained by doctors from the AUH to understand the medical conditions the

Ali Mouhanna and Roula Saba started the Clown Doctors project four years ago after Mouhanna met the Cofounder and President of the Theodora Foundation, Italian André Pouile. Pouile told the story of how as a child his Mother had kept his spirits raised while he spent a long stint in hospital. His Mother would go to lengths to overcome visiting hours by sneaking in to see her son dressed as a cleaner or pretending to serve food. Years later when

children are facing and by a psychiatrist to help them understand how the children are likely to be feeling.

Improvisation is essential to the Clown Doctors for this very reason, as they need to understand the situation of the child and his or her needs as soon as they enter the room. As with any improv team each pair has to be tight knit and able to easily feed off each other.

As soon as they walk into the room they have to come to a natural understanding as to what action would most benefit the mood of the child.

Nadine was suffering from a high fever that would not abate despite medication. The nurses needed to apply a cold press to her forehead but after so much poking and prodding the child had enough and was refusing the wet flannel. The Clown Doctors realized what was happening and spontaneously decided to throw kisses in the water that was aimed to cool the child. Of course the little girl was then desperate to have the kisses, and the water in which they were contained, on her head.

The clowns offer a role that is different to that of a parent or the medical staff. They are a fresh face that is only focussed on how the child is feeling, right then. They give the child control of the situation by making them the star of the show and following their mood and most of all by doing whatever it is they can to help them

his mother fell ill Pouile was at her bedside and wanted to provide her with the same service. The sad twist to the story is that he found he could not. He realized that it takes a special type of person to be able to lift the mood of someone who is confined to a hospital ward. Pouile vowed that he would find these people and bring them to hospitals, and so he founded the Theodora Foundation, named after his Mother.

Children can’t perform miracles without your help.

At the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL), we treat children with cancer for free. With 80% survival rate and sole dependency on donations, your support saves a child’s life.

CALL FOR LIFE TODAY

1417

WWW.CCCL.ORG.LB +961 1 351515 +961 70 351515 MAKE YOUR DONATION PLEDGE TO THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE

37

THE FINAL FRONTIER

TANGLED

WIRES TECHNOLOGY’S ROLE IN YOUR MARRIAGE

BY J.E.N.

N

ot too long ago headlines proclaimed that Facebook was responsible for 20 percent (or 1 in 5) of divorces in the United States. This “finding” created a major buzz. And along with the buzz came questioning and a surge of articles debunking this claim. The “stats” surfaced when Mark Keenan, founder and managing director of DivorceOnline, an online divorce firm based in the UK, noted that 20 percent of 5000 sample petitions contained references to Facebook. In fact the word popped up 989 times in these petitions. The only problem with this “sample” is that it doesn’t reflect the general public since Divorce-Online is mainly used by young couples who want a quick and cheap divorce and don’t have property, kids or anything that warrants going to court. This “study” was followed by another by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) which claimed “81 percent of the nation’s top divorce attorneys say they have seen an increase in the number of cases using social networking evidence during the past five years.” Here Facebook grabbed a whopping 66 percent while Twitter a modest 5 percent. But this also doesn’t reflect the general public since

38 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

the survey only covered AAML members and not all lawyers. And then Loyola University Medical Center issued a very similar (and highly misunderstood) press release followed by another and yet another. So what role does social media really play in marriage and divorce?

You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that technology has changed the relationship game and not just for marriage. Its growing popularity and evolution has in turn challenged us to adapt to 21st Century online social etiquette.

Several books such as “Facebook and Your Marriage” and “Love, Marriage… and Facebook” have popped up. And many are truly concerned about technologically charged threats to their marriage.

TANGLED WIRES

In the past married couples used to complain about the TV eating away at their quality time together. Today laptops, iPads, smartphones, SMS, instant messaging, and of course social media are the main culprits that devour quality time. Many couples complain about their partner spending time playing iPad games, or answering work emails outside of work hours, or fiddling around with their smartphone instead of actually talking to them. This may create distance between partners, frustration and a sense of being neglected. It might snowball into arguments and even lead to divorce. Things like relying mainly on texting to communicate may cause misunderstandings given the character limit and difficulty in reading into the

real human emotions behind the words (even when emoticons are used). Partners having flirtatious chats on the internet and friending exes have given rise to much marital friction. But technology is not all bad.

The internet and social media have significantly increased our chances of meeting new people. Dating websites and social networks have brought together many individuals, uniting them as couples. Technology has paved the way for couples to stay in touch, even if one of partners is on another continent. In fact some couples have cybersex via Facebook chat or Skype when separated by geographical borders and use suggestive texts to spice up their

WE CAN LET TECHNOLOGY TURN ON OUR RELATIONSHIPS OR MAKE THEM SHORT CIRCUIT

relationship. If both people are super busy with work, doing overtime and jet setting on business trips, then Outlook’s calendar can make it easy for them to schedule quality time with one another (and to ensure no one forgets about a previously planned social engagement).

Social media sites like Pinterest can let couples share their interests, thus bring them closer together (you can find out more about Pinterest in this issue). And apps like Evernote can help couples keep track of outstanding payments and bills so they don’t end up arguing over who forgot to pay attention to due dates.

Technology doesn’t have to be an issue and there are certain ways of overcoming challenges. Recommendations include ensuring both partners have the same gadgets so no one feels left out; setting down rules like not adding exes on MSN or Facebook; and allocating an hour a day for proper face-to-face time with no technology. Whether we like it or not, technology is redefining human interaction and relationships. Whether technology is a medium that enriches relationships or destroys them is still up in the air. But ultimately, anything is what you make of it. We can let technology turn on our relationships or make them short circuit

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THE FINAL FRONTIER

SCIENCE FOR A HAPPIER MARRIAGE

BY J.E.N.

W

hat makes a happy marriage?

Is there some hidden magic involved? Secrets that only the select few know? Or science?

For decades, Dr. John Gottman, the codirector of the Seattle Martial and Family Institute and psychology professor at the University of Washington, has been digging deeper into the science behind a happy marriage. Studying 700 couples at his “Love Lab” equipped with sensors and cameras, he meticulously interviewed them, observing their interactions and keeping track of their heart rates and level of stress. Gottman notes that friendship is at the root of a happy marriage, “by this I mean a mutual respect for each other’s company” and an understanding of your partner’s idiosyncrasies, likes and dislikes. And hence frequent fighting doesn’t mean a bad marriage as long as no physical abuse is present and the couple has a true understanding of one other (are friends). If the couple is friendly, then there’s less animosity during the fight and they read less negatively into things said during the fight. Friendly couples also make more effort to smooth things over after a fight.

Christine Meinecke, a clinical psychologist in Des Moines, Iowa, highlights that every couple goes through phases. After the butterfly in the stomach, floating on air stage of infatuation (which lasts 9 months to 4 years) of a relationship fades, many couples start to discover psychological incompatibility.

40 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

The cracks begin to show and each partner fixates on the other’s flaws. Meinecke supports a “new martial paradigm” called “the self-responsible spouse.” Instead of focusing on the partner, you should look at yourself and assess what you need to do. She states, “We take responsibility for the expectations we carry, for our own negative emotional reactions, for our own insecurities, and for our own dark moods.” Looking into yourself is easier said than done.

William Doherty, professor of psychology and the head of the Marriage and Therapy Program at the University of Minnesota said most of us don’t look at ourselves and examine the false expectations we may have, we turn to dark unconstructive thoughts without constructive action. For instance, someone might think “I wish my partner was more into arts,” without doing anything about it. While certain things like changing someone’s personality is an impossible mission, others can be addressed such as encouraging a partner to go out more.

Doherty stresses that we won’t have all our needs answered in a relationship. We need to accept the good with the bad.

And yet we live in a consumerist culture that enforces the belief that we shouldn’t accept something less than ideal.

Thomas Bradbury, a psychologist from UCLA, agrees with Doherty, “You don’t have a line-item veto when it comes to your partner. It’s a package deal.” Bradbury adds that we fall into the trap of finger pointing rather than objectively seeing where the problem might lie.

The observations made by Meinecke, Doherty and Bradbury all boil down to the overly inflated expectations people have of their partners and marriage. This doesn’t mean that there are no bad or wrong partners (because there are) but that sometimes we have to own up to the fact that we’re not perfect either. We may also have to accept that our partner doesn’t have to “complete us” and that we may have to say go to art galleries alone or with friends instead. We may even need to think about marriage as deep friend and as a challenge to evolve into Mr. or Mrs. Right

THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE

41

MIND, BODY + SOUL

+ A DIAMOND 5 BIG CHALLENGES OF MARRIED LIFE

BY MATTHEW HUSSEY

SHARING YOUR ENTIRE LIFE WITH ANOTHER PERSON IS A LITTLE MORE TRICKY THAN SIMPLY TAKING ON A NEW ROOMMATE

T

he trajectory of marriage over the last fifty years has evolved from expectation to choice. And the accompanying surge in divorce rates suggests that many of us entering into marriage are completely unequipped for the challenges we face once the sparkle of the blissful honeymoon period dwindles into domestic reality.

Marriage is a choice, and it’s one of the most fulfilling, lifeenhancing, and meaningful experiences life can offer.

But sharing your entire life with another person is a little more tricky than simply taking on a new roommate. Fortunately, my clients over the years have shared with me the biggest challenges they faced after making their vows.

CHALLENGE 1

KEEPING THE RELATIONSHIP A PRIORITY Let’s get one thing straight, marriage to many represents a form of security. As such, many a newlywed succumbs to the temptation to settle into their relationship, put it to one side, and assume that now that they have the perfect partner they are free to focus on all their other more pressing concerns, like careers, kids, finances, and family matters.

But our relationships have to be number one. Like every other part of our lives, if we don’t nurture our marriage it will slowly die. The same holds for our health, our careers and our friendships, so why assume our relationships will be any different?

Take care of problems in your relationship as soon as they arise. They are the easiest things to bury and hide from, but they cause us the greatest pain later on. Think about your relationship regularly and communicate what you want from each other.

42 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

5 BIG CHALLENGES OF MARRIED LIFE

CHALLENGE 2

CHALLENGE 4

It’s natural in every relationship for there to be a more dominant partner.

Often this can be based on money, but it can also stem from one partner’s family concerns taking precedence over the other, or one partner’s commitments being the prime consideration for all major decisions about the future.

Good marriages have to preserve each partner’s autonomy. Our partners are not simply there to be informed about our decisions, they become an equal part of the decision-making process.

That’s what it means to bond ourselves to another person!

Resentment is a painful burden, and it builds up when someone feels insignificant in a relationship. Always take major decisions together, and listen to your partner’s needs carefully.

Predictability is the enemy of romance.

Think about the part of relationships we romanticize the most: the phenomenon of falling in love. We associate this heady period with spontaneity, a feeling of giddy excitement, a sense of constant surprise, stepping into the unknown.

Unfortunately, these are all the first things to go once we “get settled”. The best couples I know demand and expect more from each other. Talk about the future more with your partner instead of getting locked in routine conversations about daily stresses domestic problems. Share the excitement of the places you want to live, the experiences you want to have, and even the kind of sexual relationship you want to have.

Work hard to impress him/her.

Marriage can make us lazy, especially if we see it as an ending instead of a beginning.

TREATING EACH OTHER’S NEEDS EQUALLY

MOVING THE RELATIONSHIP FORWARD

CHALLENGE 3

GETTING PHYSICAL/SEXUAL VALIDATION Sexual validation is an inherent need for human beings. We all need to feel physically desired.

In marriage, more than ever, we need to hear that our partner still desires us for our looks, still finds us irresistible, and still can’t wait to tear our clothes off.

Without this, all the emotional connection in the world won’t sustain us.

If we lose the feeling of being physically desired, it has devastating effects on our confidence. It makes couples (a) frustrated and (b) angry: This is the deadly combination that leads couples to look for sexual validation outside the home.

Cynic alert: If as you hear this you are already saying it’s not possible to still desire each other in this way years into marriage, I’ll show you couples in their seventies who still have this passion in the same way that couples do in their twenties!

MARRIAGE CAN MAKE US LAZY, ESPECIALLY IF WE SEE IT AS AN ENDING INSTEAD OF A BEGINNING

CHALLENGE 5

GETTING OVER SOCIETY’S EXPECTATIONS The reason most people are miserable in their relationships is because they are trying to live up to ideals that have been sold to them by movies, advertising, magazines and celebrities. We buy into the idea that marriage the ultimate success symbol and the cure-all for our relationship woes.

We have to resist these influences and manage our own expectations. Remember, there are no set rules for how a marriage has to be. You don’t have to move to a house in the suburbs with two kids and an SUV parked in the garage. Some couples travel the world together, some live in different houses, some have high-powered careers, some choose not to have kids.

The only people whose expectations you should be worrying about are each other’s. Make your own path; as long as you are in it together and know what you both expect, your relationship answers to no one

RAGMAG brings you the best in self-improvement. Matthew Hussey is one of the leading talents in behavioral change and success. As a Life Strategist he has founded two coaching companies working with thousands of individuals across the globe to show them ways of making dramatic shifts in their lives. Matthew’s success has been built on finding out what people want, and showing them how to make it happen in the shortest time possible. He is currently a weekly columnist for Now magazine, providing expert advice on dating and relationship issues for female readers.

In addition, his coaching has been featured in the London Metro, Evening Standard, The Sun, The Independent, Men’s Health, Glamour magazine, Cosmopolitan, and Elle magazine. A highly sought after public speaker and executive coach, Matthew has consulted companies including Accenture, Virgin, Morgan Stanley, Weil & Gotshal, and CB Richard Ellis, as well as over 5000 individuals and organizations ranging from directors of FTSE 100 Companies, Universities, international investment funds, artists, and royalty.

For more information on Matthew Hussey´s worldwide coaching programmes visit www.matthewhussey.com

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MIND, BODY + SOUL

TO ASK A QUESTION send your problems to helpmenour@ragmaglive.com

TO JOIN THE READER RESPONSE PANEL and give feedback to women across Lebanon, 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.

help me

NOUR+RABIH

BY NOUR OBAJI + RABIH FEGHALI

HE’S PERFECT ON PAPER BUT THERE IS A LACK OF PHYSICAL ATTRACTION. I’VE TRIED MANY TIMES BUT I CAN’T SEEM TO GET INTO IT? How long do you keep someone in your life who is interested in you? He’s giving, nurturing and generous- when you know there is a major chemistry problem. He’s perfect on paper but there is a lack of physical attraction. I’ve tried many times but I can’t seem to get into it?

Haneen, 35

“Short answer: you don’t. Like it or not, human beings are physical and sexual creatures. We need to touch and be touched as well as be intellectually and emotionally stimulated. Being perfect on paper just isn’t enough if you really want to be happy. One thing I would note, perfection is highly overrated and if you find someone who fits what you want but might be missing one tiny little thing (not the deal breakers), be sure to give it the consideration it deserves.”

Bernadette, 28

“I don’t think I can keep someone like that in my life, if there is no physical attraction.

Looking into someone’s eyes and knowing they are the right one is the main idea.

Being perfect on paper is not always everything, neither is physical attraction, but there has to be a little bit of chemistry in order for the relationship to work out.”

Katherine, 27

“No. Time to say goodbye. You don’t hold on to someone like that because he sounds good on paper. This is not a job interview. If you aren’t attracted now, wait until he’s drooling in his sleep and overweight.”

44 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

Nour’s Vote I think we can all identify with this question: perfect on paper but I’m just not feeling it. Yes, maybe he is the whole package but if you can’t sleep with him then nothing else really matters. I say this because at the end of the day, physical chemistry is just as important as mental chemistry.

Your situation sucks but better to get out now before you hurt him. Regarding Rabih’s Vote: Seriously?! How do you sleep at night?

Rabih’s Vote The guy you’re talking about is perfect on paper: he’s rich (giving), older (nurturing) and buying your love because he isn’t really attractive (generous). Of course there is a major chemistry issue, you don’t fancy him physically. Women who marry older rich guys that they aren’t attracted to end up miserable. So I suggest you stop thinking about him and let him go - unless your goal in life is to climb the social ladder, and are willing to suck up some of that misery in exchange for a shot at security, comfort and Aishti.

HELP ME NOUR+RABIH

HE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THIS WAY (AND NOT JUST ON FACEBOOK).

EITHER ACCEPT IT OR MOVE ON. YOU WON’T CHANGE HIM

I recently started dating a guy who’s really cool, educated and kind. The only thing that creeps me out are his sleazy albums from 5 years ago of him wrapped around tons of girls in bikinis and other stuff like that. I think it’s gross. When I mentioned it to him he shrugged it off as something from his past but I can’t help feeling like this is something in his personality that I’m not aware of. What are your opinions and am I being judgmental?

Imogen, 26

“You do sound like you are being judgmental, it can be hard but we really have to try and accept people the way they are... Although it may be that there is a bigger issue here. Often when one is very keen on someone you ignore the less desirable parts, if you are delving into them it makes me wonder why? Is this person right for you? Do you really like him that much, or do you just want to?”

Nour’s Vote You are being judgemental (and this is exactly the opposite of Rabih’s Vote). How would you like it if I went back through your old photo albums and based my opinion of you on your old snapshots?

What if you dated a really ghetto-fab guy and I said that you weren’t suitable for my brother because those images indicate to me that your taste yo-yos? You said a number of nice things about him so why don’t you give the guy a fair shake? If you aren’t planning on treating him based on your experience with him, then throw in

the towel now… but you might miss out on a great relationship.

Rabih’s Vote You are right. To begin with, he must have some type of insecurity for him to want to show these pictures off like that. And this is regardless of whether or not he’s in a relationship with someone.

You are not being judgemental. He will continue to be this way (and not just on Facebook). Either accept it or move on.

You won’t change him.

Yasmeen, 34

“Well it could be a negative sign about his personality... or those photos could be a ‘document’ of a passing phase. People can change over time. For instance I used to love the underground clubbing scene and used to go to crazy parties often. I’m so not interested in such things now. What the photos mean is something you have to discover for yourself.”

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MIND, BODY + SOUL

I’ve been dating a guy who has everything I want in life. We’re compatible in every way. At first I wasn’t attracted to him but then I gradually felt our attraction increase because we had so much in common. Our relationship seems to be hitting a dead zone for lots of reasons but I am reluctant to let go cause I really haven’t met anyone this cool in a long time and I don’t know if I will meet anyone who has all of the personality characteristics he has. He is selfish though, that’s a major drawback and I think that’s what is driving us apart because he always thinks of himself first and he even admits that!

Leila, 29

“NEXT!!!! Time to throw this little fishy back into the ocean. A person who is admittedly selfish is not likely in any way, shape or form to change. Why bother?”

Rana, 22

“I would talk to him about that and if he’s not willing to change and think of others before himself I would kick him to the curb.

There are many fish in the sea.”

Fatima, 27

“If selfishness is something that bothers you, then this guy DOES NOT have everything you want! The main road to a successful relationship is trying to do all you can to make your partner happy and your partner doing everything he can to make you happy... no matter what ‘being happy’ means to you. In this case, if both of you are gonna do all you can to make only him happy, it’s not gonna work. Let him go... there are a lot of guys out there who might not have everything you want, but are willing to do lots of things to make you happy!”

HE IS SELFISH, THAT’S A MAJOR DRAWBACK AND I THINK THAT’S WHAT IS DRIVING US APART BECAUSE HE ALWAYS THINKS OF HIMSELF FIRST AND HE EVEN ADMITS THAT! 46 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

Nour’s Vote

Rabih’s Vote

Wow, the Interactive Panel were all on a fish in the sea motif this issue! But agreed, this guy puts himself first and it is clearly starting to wear out the fabric of your relationship. You know what happens to fabric that’s gotten a bit too threadbare? It tears.

If you cannot patch this selfish behavior up immediately, you need to head for the hills.

Ignore Rabih- I always do.

I think his selfishness may be temporary.

Most selfish men tend to change when they’re married. Before they marry you, they see you as an expense (time, money, effort). Once you’re married, you move from being an expense, to an investment. I wouldn’t be too concerned about his selfishness. Deal with it. Good guys are hard to find.

IF SELFISHNESS IS SOMETHING THAT BOTHERS YOU, THEN THIS GUY DOES NOT HAVE EVERYTHING YOU WANT!

HELP ME NOUR+RABIH

GUY’S CORNER I’m dating a girl that I’m hanging on to because I eventually want to marry her but I’m not ready yet. She wants the parents involved but I still want to have fun for a while before we get engaged and get the whole family stuff going. What do I do because she is getting impatient and I think she might even be considering breaking up – she kind of said that last time we argued. What’s your advice on this?

Sabine, 36

“Sorry, you did say girl and not pet right?

I am pretty sure that the person you are talking about is a thinking, feeling being.

Who the hell are you to keep her hanging on the line while you ‘have fun’. That is the ultimate in selfish…‘Hey honey, put your whole life on hold while I just have some more fun’. I hope she breaks up with you because she deserves someone who is ready for a commitment now (like she is. In all seriousness, I think it would be a major disservice to both of you to commit when you clearly are not in that head space.”

IT’S UNFAIR FOR YOU TO JUST HANG ON TO HER THIS WAY. WHAT IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND LATER?

Karen, 25

“I would leave you in a heartbeat. If you can’t have fun with your gf/fiancé then don’t even go there. You can still have fun with parents and families involved, just don’t be a jerk. I think she would be dumb to wait longer.”

Leslie, 22

“Let her go. If she is threatening to leave because of the parents thing then she doesn’t give a rat’s ass about you and don’t let someone rush you to the altar. If she actually loved you, she would hang on too!

What’s her hurry?”

Sejah, 26

“First off, how long have you been dating? If you’ve been dating for a year or years, then it’s totally understandable that she wants you to show your willingness to commit.

Meeting the parents and getting to know her family doesn’t have to mean getting engaged. It definitely shows that she’s an important person in your life though. And what’s wrong with getting engaged if you truly intend to marry her? The fun you have together can still be enjoyed when you’re engaged or married. Life doesn’t end with marriage!”

Nour’s Vote Nour has psychic powers. Nour would bet her life savings that before the year is out this relationship is done. Nour can guarantee that this is basically a case of making your bed and having to lie in it.

You broached the marriage subject with a very vague timeline. She was fine with it then and quickly grew bored of the vagueness. It happens. The fact is that you need to figure out what you want exactly and when you want it all to happen. Once that is clear, communicate it to your partner. Get her feedback and see if you can’t meet in the middle. If you cannot meet halfway then you are up a creek without a paddle and at that point it’s do or die. Rabih has a valid point but too much of a storybook ending for my taste.

Rabih’s Vote It’s unfair for you to just hang on to her this way. What if you change your mind later? (It happens). I suggest you let her go now - take the burden off of your shoulders and “have your fun”. When you’re ready, and if you’re meant to be with her, she’ll still be there waiting for you THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE

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HAYDA LEBNEN’s

BY SARAH HOURANY

RECENT FIGURES HAVE PROVED THAT THE AVERAGE AGE AT FIRST MARRIAGE FOR WOMEN IN BEIRUT HAS INCREASED STEADILY WITHOUT DISCLOSING, THOUGH, THE REASONS BEHIND THIS CHANGE

R

ecent figures have proved that the average age at first marriage for women in Beirut has increased steadily without disclosing, though, the reasons behind this change.

Some of you may argue that this undoubtedly reflects the increasing trend of the Lebanese women’s financial and social independence, others may assert that this is indeed a dramatic situation caused by the unbalanced ratio between genders due to the hejra of Lebanese young men. While this is an interesting debate that needs further analysis, RAGMAG is sure that no matter what the real reasons are, the outcome for most Lebanese is one: te3nis!

If you are one of the few women who haven’t figured that out yet, these signs will help you identify the te3nis phobia in the Lebanese community:

APPARENTLY LEBANESE EXPECT THEIR DAUGHTERS TO GET MARRIED BIL DOR: MIN L KBIRE LAL ZGHIRE 48 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

BEL DOR

We aren’t sure if this is inspired by the theory of evolution or by the traditional Russian nesting dolls, but apparently Lebanese expect their daughters to get married bil dor: min l kbire lal zghire. What does this imply? The zghire should never ever think of tying the knot before her big sis. She may even have to wait for few years ta 7atta okhta “tenfo2”! For her part, the eldest should do her best to fall in love before any of her younger sisters. Otherwise, she should be prepared to deal with a series of “7aram” w “Ma32oul” w “Lech” w “Ma tez3ale tante, 3a2belik,” ka2ano she is suffering from a disease, aw ka2ano rahit 3laya!

3A2BELIK TANTE

At graduation parties, at birthdays, at weddings, 3al sob7iye, 3al 3acha w 3al tali3 w 3al nezil, Lebanese young girls hear the phrase, “3a2belik tante!” At 18, this is such a strange thing to wish on them, as all they should be thinking about is how cool university is going to be! At 25, they can possible enjoy it if they do wish this for themselves, but at 30, it really starts to get annoying: “Is she saying it out of sarcasm? Is she implying that I should get married (eno khalsina mennik ba2a)!

Does she really mean it? Ba3den hiye chu khassa! Is marriage inevitable as death? Does she want me to poke her at a funeral and tell her, “3a2belik tante?” We can’t take credit for that last one, but it’s true and very worth repeating!

YALLA MOM

There comes the moment when every Lebanese mom shifts from forbidding her daughter to go clubbing and date to pushing her to do so (usually starting at the age of 27). This behavior is aggravated by the increase in the number of weddings within the neighborhood as well as among the friends and family members. Questions such as, “Leh ma 3am ye3jeba hadan?” and “Ma32oul t3annis la samah Alla?” leave Mom sleepless. The result? A “Yalla Mom” chronic behavior: Yala Mom nchala lyom inte w ray7a 3al cheghel tetle2e bi 7adan!

Aw inte w bil gym! Aw bil cine! Yala mom dhare ma3 Fady!

Chu beh Fady? Leh Fady ma bye3jebik? Yala Mom chedde halik w bala ghenej! Yala Mom, kermele please, bedde efrah fike!

WLIK CHU BEKE

Ken ba3id na2is the friends ta tekmal! As if the neighbors, the extended family and the parent’s comments were not enough.

Your friends adopt a “Wlik chu beke” attitude: Wlik chu beke mech msahbe? Chu beke ma bye3jebik 7adan? Chu beke jeye wahdik 3al sahra? Chu beke bedik tdalik wahdik? We have to tell you habibe eno ma beke chi: la mentally wala emotionally wala spiritually wala physically. You are just a person who hasn’t found her match yet or simply a woman who does not want to get married, which is absolutely normal in other parts of the world.

ABOVE: STILL SHOT FROM THE 1939 AMERICAN DRAMA FILM “THE OLD MAID”, 1939, WITH WITH BETTE DAVIS, DIRECTED BY EDMUND GOULDING

BIRTHDAY CLOCK

THERE COMES THE MOMENT WHEN EVERY LEBANESE MOM SHIFTS FROM FORBIDDING HER DAUGHTER TO GO CLUBBING AND DATE TO PUSHING HER TO DO SO- USUALLY STARTING AT THE AGE OF 27

When you exceed the socially set time and date for tying the knot (27-28 nowadays in Lebanon), birthdays become mourning days to your close friends and parents as they can’t see it as anything but a concrete sign that you are getting older... and still single! Be prepared as your birthday will trigger a series of bedna njawzik attempts: blind dates, relationship lectures and na2. Hang on girl, hang on! All of these signs can be summarized in one sentence: “You’re 30?

Yalla…tie the knot 7ayala!”

P.S Habibte, ma fike t3anse peacefully... ma hayda Lebnen ya 3ayneh!

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TYING THE KNOT FACTS WEDDING JACKPOT Saturdays in July usually register 12,000 but on Saturday, July 7th 2007, the number shot up to 38,000. No city in the world experienced the 7-7-7 frenzy like Sin City (Las Vegas), as people started booking the date up to two years in advance. 7-7-7 is the top slot machine jackpot and adds up to 21 in blackjack, so we’re guessing couples wanted to kickstart their marital life with a little bit of luck.

OLYMPIC GOLD Speaking of lucky dates, official statistics state that at least 314,224 couples tied the knot in China on Friday, August 8th, 2008 (8-8-8), the opening day of the 29th Olympic Games in Beijing. In the capital alone, 15,646 couples got married (23 times the daily average). The number 8 symbolizes wealth, fortune and luck in Chinese culture and the 8th is considered a favorable date to deliver a baby, start a business or get married.

FULL SPEED AHEAD 1 Knot = 1 nautical mile per hour = 1.852 kilometers per hour = 1.151 miles per hour. Pronounced {not}, it is abbreviated as Kn by the International Hydrographic Organization. The term knot goes back to sailors casting a chip log over the stern of a moving vessel and letting the knotted rope pay out as they counted the knots, placed at 14.4018m intervals, that passed through their hands to calculate their speed.

50 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

RAGGED TYING THE KNOT FACTS

TIE ‘EM UP Couples who fear that their sex lives might become dull after tying the knot are encourage to spice things up in the bedroom to avoid routine.

A harmless, fun way to do that is to tie one’s partner’s hands up with a scarf, tie, underwear or handcuffs; it plays into master/slave fantasies and heightens the senses, especially when used with a blindfold. Be careful not to tie ‘em up too tight, though!

HE LOVES ME (K)NOT! He/She loves me, he/she loves me not is a game of French origin (effeuiller la marguerite) in which a love-struck person tries to guess whether the object of their affection likes them back. It is traditionally played with an oxeye daisy and players alternately speak the phrase, “he/she loves me, he/she loves me not” while picking petals one by one.

The last petal represents the truth of the other person’s feelings.

ENDLESS KNOT

KNOT OF ISIS

The Endless Knot is one of the Eight Auspicious symbols in many Dharmic religions such as Tibetan Buddhism.

The endless knot represents the flow of time, the interweaving spiritual path and eternal movement. The other seven symbols are the Conch, the Fish, the Lotus, the Umbrella, the Urn, the Wheel and the Victory banner.

Variations of this knot are present in many cultures (think Celtic knots) and forms of art (mainly in China).

The Knot of Isis, also known as Tyet, Girdle of Isis or Blood of Isis is an ancient Egyptian symbol that looks like an ankh with its arms curved down. Its meanings are varied (life, welfare or resurrection) and it is mentioned in spell 156 of the Book of the Dead: “The blood of Isis, the spells of Isis, the magical words of Isis shall keep this great one strong, and shall protect him from whosoever would harm him […]”

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FML [F**K MY LIFE]

Metamorphosis ALL IN KNOTS FOR RAGMAG’S YOGA MISSION - PART II

BY IMOGEN KIMBER

F

ida is really trying her best; my second yoga challenge wrapped up as a FML. With the fervour of any religious nut the yoga devotee believes that yoga has something to offer everyone, that we can all be improved by yoga if we just give it a chance. I have heard countless stories of transformations of mere mortals into radiant bearers of light.

This time was to be different though, perhaps more up my alley, for this time I was to try my hand at “ariel yoga” known as Unnata Yoga. The photographs no doubt give you a clue as to what this means, or more likely give you the impression I took part in some kind of trapeze artist training. My feelings are mixed: Flying - good, mid-air meditations - not so much.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

My appointment was set a few weeks in advance: Saturday morning, fine.

10am, oh great (IT’S THE WEEKEND).

I asked if there was anything I should know for our session (I was expecting - wear tight clothing, don’t be on drugs, etc...). I was told I should wear something longed sleeved. Here we go.

The yogi practitioners who gently suggest modesty are usually from ‘the serious camp’. Checking the website of my

52 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

yoga instructor to-be substantiated my fears as I noticed her guidelines suggest that yoga students turn up twenty minutes in advance and avoid wearing perfume to practice.

Arriving at 10:00 (not 09:40) I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a smiling, glamorous yoga princess. Danielle Abi Saab is rocking the yoga look; she has taken the traditional leggings and t-shirt and gone glamorous in ribbed deep green number with a flare on her arm. After greetings and shoes off we (Jason our very cool photographer and I) entered into the h(O)me studio. The relaxed setting combines well with her laid back attitude. I was beginning to feel that Abi Saab and I were in fact somewhat “aligned”.

Editor’s Note Imogen, I love how you put aligned in quotes, giving it the scare quote effect. You will become a believer- it’s my mission to have you join our ranks!

HANGING BY A THREAD In the centre of the studio, hanging from the ceiling was what I was to use as my harness - a hammock of silk. Jason and I gave each other sideways glances as Abi Saab entwined her body around the silk and flipped herself into the air, leaving her suspended upside down, at ease as a spider in her web. “I don’t think it is as easy as she makes it look,” Jason suggests, with the tiniest trace of a smirk.

Over to me.

After a simple acclimatization exercise my first move was to imitate Abi Saab’s move, what I shall name the full frontal face dive. Essentially, you climb into the silk so you are standing upright, slide down until you are squatting, then, with your legs bound around the silk, essentially fall forwards, the silk and your thighs holding you in place. A similar move involved dong basically the same but the other way up leaving your face upwards.

METAMORPHOSIS | ALL IN KNOTS FOR RAGMAG’S YOGA MISSION

PHOTOGRAPHY JASON ZAMORA

YOU CLIMB INTO THE SILK SO YOU ARE STANDING UPRIGHT, SLIDE DOWN UNTIL YOU ARE SQUATTING, THEN, WITH YOUR LEGS BOUND AROUND THE SILK, ESSENTIALLY FALL FORWARDS, THE SILK AND YOUR THIGHS HOLDING YOU IN PLACE. A SIMILAR MOVE INVOLVED DONG BASICALLY THE SAME BUT THE OTHER WAY UP LEAVING YOUR FACE UPWARDS

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FML [F**K MY LIFE]

Jason was right on- it isn’t as easy as it looks, but it isn’t getting yourself into these situations that is the hard bit, it is getting yourself out of them. Suspended upside down you need some well honed back muscles to haul your entire body into an upright position again, particularly when you bear in mind that a minute or so of hanging upside and your head feels as it is full with every drop of blood from your body.

Editor’s Note That’s the mark of a good instructor- Danielle makes everything look easy. It gives you both motivation to try harder to reach even a close approximation of her fluid motions and admiration for the wonders of a good yogic practise.

BREATHE IN Hopefully Fida won’t be cross to discover that breathing exercises and mantras were low on the ground. The most I had to endure was an explanation of how we can connect with the earth while suspended in the sky. “The air is part of the earth,” Abi Saab told me. Well, yes, in a sense, if that’s how you want to look at it. I was, albeit very gently, accused of resisting my spiritual side and that this was something I could (should) come to accept, although of course you cannot resist something that does not exist(!)

Editor’s Note Imogen, it does exist- this is why Danielle Abi Saab is such a good vehicle for yogic spirituality (in my humble opinion). Her professional background includes the very precise study of architecture (Type A personality), for me to give credence to this stuff, it has to come from a reliable source. Enter Danielle Abi Saab!

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Perhaps the closest I could come to a meditative experience came in the form of a silk cocoon. A series of elegant leg flips, left nestling into my private silk sack like a chrysalis. “Shall we just go then?” I could hear Jason chirping from outside ...

Please do.

Editor’s Note So you didn’t want to leave then? I’ll look for your spiritual butterfly next time we meet, Imogen. Dani- thank you for the Unnata session and I can’t wait to sign up for the upcoming classes you’ll be teaching!

METAMORPHOSIS | ALL IN KNOTS FOR RAGMAG’S YOGA MISSION

GET ALL AERIAL WITH IT! Danielle Abisaab h(OM)e Studio, Mar Mikhael-Achrafieh Khaniguian Bldg, 3rd floor dani-yoga@hotmail.com www.danielleabisaab.blog.com @Archiyoga Certifications Yoga Alliance 200 RYT - ISHTA NYC 2002 Graduate |Over 400 hours in Continuing Education Credits | Certified Unnata Aerial Yoga Teacher NYC 2012 Styles Danielle Teaches Vinyasa Pop + Rock (An inspired medley of various yoga methods – Jivamukti, Anusara, Ashtanga) | Slow Flow Vinyasa | Unnata Aerial Yoga

Unnata means elevated, in spirit and physically. To find out more about Aerial Yoga in general www.aerialyoga.com

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MIRROR MIRROR

HEALTHIER SKIN IN A CINCH EUCERIN GETS YOU SPIC ‘N SPAN

Eucerin’s new revamped DermoPURIFYER range helps you feel good with a clearer, healthier looking complexion! The DermoPURIFYER range offers a complete package of effective skin care products that fight acne from within when used in a systematic daily regime. The line is unisex with a bevy of benefits that uses 4 key ingredients to improve a skin with imperfections: Lactic acid, L- Carnitine C, Decandiol, and Licochalcone A, (derived from liquorice) that prevents inflammation and redness. This optimally selected combination of active ingredients offers a new solution for acne-prone skin.

The Eucerin DermoPURIFYER Day Care cream with mattifying particles reduces oil shine, regulates the skin’s disrupted functions, diminishes blemishes and decreases sebum production. The Active Night Care cream provides the skin with Lactic acid throughout the night, thus further reducing blemishes and preparing your skin for an effective day care regime.

The Active Concentrate is a solution for those in need of a quick fix, with rapid absorption that visibly improves the skin’s complexion immediately thanks to highly effective Lactic acid concentrate. Together with Eucerin DermoPURIFYER Day & Night

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Care, it gives a boosting effect to the fight all four factors of acne. In addition to the above three products, the DermoPURIFYER range also offers a Cleanser, Toner, and Scrub, all of which have been formulated to complement each other’s effects. The result is clean, blemish and acne-free skin. So what are you waiting for? Get DermoPURIFIED now!

TIP All products in the Eucerin DermoPURIFYER range are compatible with all commonly used acne medication and suitable for all needs (minor blemishes, combination skin, oily skin, blemished skin, acne).

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MIRROR MIRROR

THE FIRST

STRING LE GRAY HOTEL’S PUREGRAY SPA CATERS BRIDES TO BE

BY YOUMNA CHAGOURY

L

et’s get something straight: I’m not getting married but I wanted to see what treatments a bride could have before D-Day, and what difference it would make. I decided to review the PureGray’s Bridal Pampering package • Anti Oxidant Honey Scrub • Deep Tissue Massage • Oxygen Facial • Illuminating Eye Mask

In other words, I’m in for a 3-hour treatment package to wipe away the wedding stress and walk the aisle relaxed and glowing. Upon arriving, I am asked to fill the regular form, only this time, two enquiries I hadn’t seen in other spa’s forms draw my attention. One of them is asking me for the preferred massage pressure, the other for any specific area I want the therapist to focus on. I was more than happy to fill these out, as I find myself usually forced to ask for a lighter or firmer pressure, especially around my neck area.

FIRST THINGS FIRST The journey starts off in the vast changing room; they keep it simple – a few mirrors, a wooden cabinet, showers and a sauna. I like the minimalist aspect of it and hope the rest of the place looks like this. I am taken to the first treatment room, for my honey scrub and body massage. Grace, my therapist, explains the benefits of this scrub while rubbing

GRACE STARTS MY TREATMENT WITH A FEW SECONDS OF AROMATHERAPY. SHE HAS ME INHALE WAFTS OF LAVENDER OIL, KNOWN FOR ITS SOOTHING AND RELAXING PROPERTIES

my whole body with it. It exfoliates my skin, and by removing accumulated dead skin cells and impurities, it will leave my skin with a silky look. Grace tells me that women also get this treatment before beach season, because tan looks better on a deeply cleansed skin.

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The granulated feel of the scrub is not unpleasant and I like feeling that my body is being super exfoliated. After a quick shower to remove the scrub excess, I am taken to a second room for my body massage and the facial.

Grace starts my treatment with a few seconds of aromatherapy. She has me inhale wafts of lavender oil, known for its soothing and relaxing properties. She then starts massaging me with a muscleease oil (scents of ginger, lemongrass and rosemary), starting with my back and focusing on my neck –just like I had requested on the form!

Using classical Swedish and deep tissue techniques, Grace massages my back with linear movement, most of the time starting from the bottom of my spine and pressuring her way up towards my shoulders. She then moves to my legs and feet, stretching them and rolling my muscles under my skin. She moves up to my arms and hands, before leaving me to get the facial therapist, Charbel.

THE FIRST STRING | LE GRAY HOTEL’S PUREGRAY SPA

SHINE, BABY, SHINE!

Charbel starts by cleansing my face and applies the glycolpeel to remove the dead skin cells off my face for a refined skin. He then starts “tapping” the Oxygen Serum on my face, section by section, taking his time to ensure he doesn’t miss a spot. According to him, tapping this specific product helps it penetrate deeper in the skin. He then applies the Oxygen Cream followed by the facial mask of the same line, after attending to my Illuminating Eye Mask. Charbel mixes mascarilla powder with a little bit of water to create a thick paste that he applies on my eyes. By incorporating high concentrations of marine seaweed to help improve toxin drainage, it should remove the puffiness and dark circles under my eyes -and God knows how dark they are! As for the mask, it penetrates the skin and releases oxygen molecules into the epidermal layer. They energize natural cellular functions and eliminate toxins from the skin’s pores. 15 minutes of scalp massage later – they pamper you while you’re waiting - Charbel cleans it up

and applies a day cream for hydration.

I can finally sneak a peek at the mirror, expecting that I’ll have to scrutinize my face to notice a slight change.

Honestly, I am quite shocked by the results. As a reviewer, superlatives are to be used wisely. So believe me when I tell you this is the most effective facial I’ve ever had in Lebanon. These dark circles I was telling you about? A rough 50 percent improvement. Those red and brown marks on my forehead and chin? 80 percent gone. It’s like Charbel took a layer or two of dim, tired skin and exposed my real face, fresh and toned

HE STARTS “TAPPING” THE OXYGEN SERUM ON MY FACE, SECTION

BY SECTION, TAKING HIS TIME TO ENSURE HE DOESN’T MISS A SPOT PHOTOGRAPHY JASON ZAMORA

PUREGRAY PLUSSES! • Tailored treatments Facials: trained experts analyze your skin’s needs and design a personalized treatment.

Body massages: you are asked what level of pressure you want to get (light – medium – strong) and if you want a specific area of your body to be treated (neck, feet, etc.)

• Products PureGray uses high quality Natura Bissé products for all their treatments.

RAGMAG’S PUREGRAY ADDICITONS • Body Contouring Javanese Massage This traditional Indonesian massage combines stretching, skin rolling, palm and thumb pressure techniques. Excellent for stimulating metabolism and circulation by focusing on thigh, hip and abdomen areas. Regular treatment boosts the lymphatic system and helps reduce cellulite via lymphatic drainage.

• Holistic Aromatherapy A massage therapy harnessing the therapeutic properties of 100 percent pure essential oils.

Aromatherapy is said to renew, strengthen and heal both mind and body.

It uses long fluid strokes to help muscles move smoothly, increase circulation thus improving blood flow to ease stress and calm the mind.

• Express Facial This is a deep cleansing facial, very effective – and quick! The hydrating facial will revitalize your skin’s radiance with a thorough cleansing and toning, followed by a pressure point massage and face mask. This facial is suitable for all skin types.

PureGray Spa | Le Gray Hotel Marty’s Square, Beirut Central District THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE 59 01 962 885 www.legray.com | puregray@legray.com

MIRROR MIRROR

GUERLAIN’S HOMAGE TO 2 CLASSIC FRAGRANCES FOR THE MODERN BRIDE + GROOM SHALIMAR PARFUM INITIAL L’EAU Shalimar Parfum Initial L’Eau is composed as a new initiation into sensuality and innocence that draws its fragrant impulses from a legendary olfactory construction- that of the original Shalimar. Initial L’eau is perceptibly fresher, more velvety and has tender accents with a concentration of citrus notes, notably bergamot, which is a touch greener and zestier, derived from a communell chosen by Thierry Wasser. Premium neroli essence and a dash of grapefruit zest were also

HABIT ROUGE L’EAU HABIT ROUGE L’EAU, Guerlain’s newest fragrance for the adventurous man follows in the iconic footsteps of the original HABIT ROUGE, Eau de Parfum.

Created in 1965, HABIT ROUGE was the first woody and spicy oriental. The historic advertising campaign for the original Habit Rouge is still one of the most impactful in history: a variety of

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images depict a mounted rider, in blurred lines, or attired in a red jacket with a black lapel and wearing a riding hat, allowing us to imagine its origins in a sport characterized by strict and stylish codes. The equestrian aesthetic hasn’t changed, but we’ve got a freerider on our hands now! Grooms get this one for your best wedding bet.

incorporated into this sensual scent with notes of the Guerlinade. At the top, there is Bergamot while the heart unveils the floral facets: Damascena rose and iris accompanied by a communelle of grandiflora jasmine from Grasse, India and Egypt. At the base, tonka bean, which adds its almond gourmand facet and vanilla, the very essence of the historic Shalimar. With L’Eau, Shalimar Parfum Initial is making its mark on a new woman’s story, your bridal story.

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GUERLAIN

BLANC DE PERLE “The Pearl has always been a source of absolute fascination for me. While its surface radiance reveals majestic splendour, its orient - this pure, deep and terribly mysterious light - captivates your eye.

With Blanc de Perle make-up, I wanted to recreate this unequalled purity, this indefinable radiance. So that each woman can glow with unique radiance: her own.”

Olivier Echaudemaison, Creative Director GUERLAIN

The use of “whitening” agents and products does not mean lightening the overall skin- it means dissipating unsightly pigmentation (such as pregnancy mask, melasma) and sun damage. To get an even, luminous complexion, Guerlain research reveals the unique brightening power of the pearl by creating a new original technology: the P.E.A.R.L. Complex (Pearl Extract Activity on Skin Regulation and Luminosity). Guerlain enriches its Blanc de Perle range with four new expert innovative tools: A dropper, a single dose, an elliptic roll-on and a double-action stylus. These instruments are used in an original beauty routine to unleash their complexion-unifying expertise after cleansing when the skin is most prepared to receive the elements that correct pigmentation. For daily use or as an intensive programme, Blanc de Perle lights up the complexion with a new cosmetic dimension while remaining gentle and respecting the skin.

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• P.E.A.R.L. FUSION, WHITENING TREATMENT The “extreme whitening” 10-day treatment • P.E.A.R.L. DROP, WHITENING ESSENCE For ever-white radiance • ACTIVATING ROLL-ON MASK WHITENING PEARL PERFECTION • DOUBLE ACTION SPOT ERASER WHITENING PEARL PERFECTION

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BACKSTAGE PASS

BY OLIVIER ECHAUDEMAISON CREATIVE DIRECTOR GUERLAIN

PREPARE YOUR COMPLEXION WITH MÉTÉORITES PRIMER PRODUCT METEORITES PERLES Light-Perfecting Primer White Booster Apply the primer to entire face after Blanc de Perle skincare to prepare the skin for makeup. Press once to blend the pearls with the gel for a fresh texture that gently melts onto the skin and lights up the complexion with pearly white radiance.

For a more matte result and instant freshness, add a spray of Shine Control Mattifying primer.

EVEN OUT YOUR COMPLEXION WITH BLANC DE PERLE FOUNDATION PRODUCT A BLANC DE PERLE Brightening Foundation Moisture-Retention, Skin Refiner SPF 20 PA++ Apply Blanc de Perle fluid foundation with the fingertips blending from the centre of the face outwards (including the neck). Its adjustable texture allows for customized coverage level.

WHY With its beneficial formula rich in water and absorbent powders, Blanc de Perle brightening foundation balances the skin by retaining moisture in the skin’s surface, while preventing shine. The impeccable, incredibly fresh and matt complexion reflects light even more perfectly.

PRODUCT B BLANC DE PERLE Brightening Foundation UV Shield Radiance Booster SPF 20 PA++ Use Blanc de Perle compact foundation to add the last illuminating and protective pearly layer to makeup after Blanc de Perle fluid and for corrective touch-ups. For a complete radiance effect, use the foundation and the “light ribbon” together. To sculpt your face and erase shadows, smooth foundation over the entire face with the sponge. Then, take some highlighter with a corner of the sponge and brighten sunken areas to recreate volume and diminish shadows, paying special attention to pigmentation imperfections.

WHY UV shield combined with the P.E.A.R.L. Complex, which protects the complexion from dark spots and guarantees the integrity of Blanc de Perle skincare products, as well as hydrophobic and lipophobic powders that combat shine and humidity.

APPLY MÉTÉORITES PERLES TO ILLUMINATE YOUR FACE WITH PURE WHITE LIGHT PRODUCT METEORITES PERLES Illuminating Powder Pure Radiance The final step to bring out the precious radiance of your skin.

Delicately caress the pearls with your brush to obtain an ideal blend of shades, then sweep widely over entire face and neck.

WHY The opalescent pearls of this revolutionary primer conceal imperfections, blur dark spots, smooth and soften the skin’s texture and subtly mattify the complexion. Enriched with Natural Nacre Powder in light-amplifying pure white, they make the complexion glow with pearly radiance.

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NEW + NOW

WORLD TOUR

1.

3.

3.

4.

JEWELLERS SINCE 1847

5.

Cartier unveiled “The Odyssey” on March 4,2012, a film of 3’30 that was two years in the making with a team of fifty talented people from around the world, including directors, set designers and musicians, all working with the same passion that inspires Cartier’s artisans. “The Odyssey” expresses the vital energy of a sovereign Maison. This film, which recounts an ongoing legend suffused with over 160 years of history, is the epic story of the King of Jewellers moved by its passion for creation and for interacting with the world’s cultures. The heroine of this short film is the panther, the icon of Cartier since 1914. The emblematic creature goes on an imaginary voyage, between dream and reality, leaving its mark on the continents that have enriched Cartier style. Through this film, Cartier offers a unique moment of escape, inspired by the desire to enchant, to share its passion and to communicate its values. www.odyssee.cartier.com 66 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

1, 2, 3. Behind the scenes: “The Odyssey” Credits © Cartier 4, 5. Behind the scenes: Shalom Harlow for Cartier in “The Odyssey”. Credits © Cartier

Panther brooch | Cartier Paris, 1949 | Platinum, white gold | Single-cut diamonds | Two pear-shaped yellow diamonds (eyes) | One 152.35-carat Kashmir sapphire cabochon | Sapphire cabochons (spots) | 6.0 x 3.7 x 3.0 cm | Sold to The Duchess of Windsor. Credits Nick Welsh, Cartier Collection © Cartier

The Duchess of Windsor in the garden of Villa Trianon, Versailles, owned by Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), May 1949 | She is wearing the Panther brooch at the waist of her dress.

Credits © Robert Doisneau/Rapho

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FAMILY MATTERS Ketel One makes its mark in Lebanon as Bob Nolet shares over a century of the brand’s family expertise with the country. In the tradition of his fathers, in the tradition of the Ketel One Vodka craftsmanship, Bob Nolet, eleventh generation of the Nolet family, traversed the country representing the super-premium vodka that exemplifies its high standing in the spirits community. This occasion marked Nolet’s first visit to Lebanon, where he attended exclusive events like the World Class forum in Mandaloun Mar-Mikhael. In February, Nolet hosted an exclusive press conference at Iris which was followed by a VIP dinner at Braai restaurant.

Guests were treated to Nolet’s wealth of knowledge about the brand, including what distinguishes it from other vodkas, recommended food pairings, and its exceptional ability to complement any occasion. The history of the Holland-based Nolet Distillery reads like a fable: Joannes Nolet founded the distillery in 1691, and it passed through 10 generations to Carolus Nolet, Bob’s father. Carolus took the helm at the beginning of the 80s, and set about to honour the vodka worthy of his ancestors. Inspired by their techniques, he created Ketel One, a wheat-based super-premium spirit distilled in traditional copper pot stills, and output in

small batches under careful control. In 2008, Diageo, the world’s largest alcohol distributor, established a partnership with the Nolet family that would thrust Ketel One Vodka onto a global platform, opening up new markets and introducing the product to new consumers. “It’s been a distinct privilege to share the Ketel One story with Lebanon.

I was especially delighted to discover the appreciation and taste that the Lebanese people have for quality. Their response and recognition of the brand show strong signs of promise for Ketel One Vodka in Lebanon,” said Mr. Nolet. “Ketel One sales are showing triple-digit growth here, and that’s due in no small part to the sincere warmth of the Nolet family, as well as to the quality of the product,” said Joe Nazzal, Regional Reserve Brand Ambassador for Diageo in the MENA region. Mr. Nolet shared the brand’s history (also featured on the back label of each Ketel One bottle), and revealed stories such as that of 19th century kettle that remains in use at the distillery. Nolet also described how each final production of Ketel One is approved by a member of the Nolet family prior to bottling. The charming evening was representative of the standard, elegance and quality that Ketel One Vodka, the Nolet family and Diageo stand for.

Learn more about Ketel One super-premium vodka and the Nolet Distillery history www.ketelone.com Drink responsibly www.drinkIQ.com

TICK TOCK EVOLUTION Nokia introduced a range of new products, services and partnerships at Mobile World Congress, setting the pace for 2012 and demonstrating rapid execution of its new strategic direction. The new strategy already has resulted in the adoption of Windows Phone as Nokia’s primary smartphone platform, major changes to its feature phones, and additional emphasis on location-based services with the launch of its Location & Commerce business. “One year ago, we shared that Nokia was embarking on a new journey to build great mobile devices,” said Stephen Elop, president and CEO of Nokia.

“Today, with our fourth Lumia device, smarter mobile phones and an array of new services, we are demonstrating that we can change the clock speed of Nokia.” Nokia has extended the range of products with Windows Phone by introducing the Nokia Lumia 610, the most affordable Lumia yet, as well as targeting availability of the widely acclaimed Lumia 900 to additional markets beyond the U.S. The announcements cap a year in which 68 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

Nokia introduced the Lumia 710, 800 and 900 to critical acclaim and ahead of schedule. Nokia also ushered in a new era in high end smartphone imaging. The Nokia 808 PureView is the first smartphone to feature exclusive Nokia PureView imaging technologies that will enable a range of high-end imaging experiences into Nokia products over the coming years. The Nokia 808 PureView combines a large, high-resolution 41-megapixel sensor, Carl Zeiss optics and Nokiadeveloped pixel over-sampling technology.

Nokia is further blurring the line between feature phones and smartphones, launching three new Asha devices: Developed for urban consumers and entrepreneurs, the Nokia Asha 302 is a premium QWERTY device. It delivers a mobile office experience with push email and calendar, and contacts synchronization under the Mail for Exchange support – a first for Nokia Series 40 devices. The new Asha devices complement the Nokia Asha range that is available now in more than 100 markets globally.

NEW + NOW

MASTERCLASS Ever since its beginnings in 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels has embodied the brilliance of jewellery savoir-faire. Inspired by constant inventiveness, the Maison’s excellence has given birth to timeless creations and exceptional techniques: Mystery Setting™, Zip necklaces, Poetic Complications® watches, the outstanding Pierres de Caractère precious stone Collection… all have revolutionized the world of jewellery.

Van Cleef & Arpels takes an important step in its history. The Maison Van Cleef & Arpels has decided to create a school in order to cast a light on the very secretive world of jewellery and to share its most precious asset: its savoir-faire. Give insight, help understand, in a nutshell, reveal the essence of this exceptional craft. For Van Cleef & Arpels, an ardent defender of the artistic crafts, passing on, sharing and teaching knowledge is a duty. This is why the Maison has decided to create a school of jewellery, open to all. It offers a unique method of discovering and learning for those who

are passionate about jewellery, lovers of beauty or simply curious and anyone who wishes to acquire “inside” knowledge of this fascinating world. The school is open to an international public and offers a nontechnical curriculum, the discovery of an art, the development of a discerning eye, the knowledge of materials. Its ambition is to encourage the intellectual and emotional grasp of the “soul” of Jewellery and convey skill through personal experience. L’ÉCOLE Van Cleef & Arpels opens a path of discovery to jewellery that is structured around 3 steps: “Unveiling”, “Shedding light on” and “Revealing”. The steps, each composed of several “chapters”, follow a progressive learning process. L’ÉCOLE Van Cleef & Arpels is located on the place Vendôme in an 18th century townhouse that embodies French artistic style. www.lecolevancleefarpels.com + 33 1 70 70 34 00 contact@lecolevancleefarpels.com

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DESIGN DEMO A conference about the ‘Grammar of Ornament’ was chaired by designer Dan Funderburgh, the award-winning New York illustrator, to present his collaboration with Chivas Brothers on February 22, 2012. The conference took place at the Intercontinental Mzaar Hotel in partnership with Pernod Ricard, the world’s co-leader group in the wines and spirits distribution and Fawaz Holding SAL, the exclusive distributor of Pernod Ricard’s portfolio in the Lebanese market. Dan teamed up with Chivas Bothers and launched the 2012 limited edition tin box for the 12 Year Old Chivas Regal bottle.

The dark grey tin features a striking gold image of the lion emblem which appears on all Chivas Regal packaging, encapsulating the brand’s values of masculinity, regality, bravery and luxury. The image is made up of many elements representing the rich layers and flavors in the whisky. Mr. James Slack Brand Director for Chivas Regal, comments: “Known for contemporary, baroque designs inspired by historical ornamentation, Dan was the perfect artist to reflect the distinc-

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tive style and rich heritage of Chivas Regal.

His bold, masculine design will appeal to the brand’s largely male consumer base, with increased on-shelf visibility, further strengthening Chivas Regal’s position as the most dynamic brand in the super premium Scotch whisky category.” Mr. Funderburgh said, “Heraldic crests have always appealed to me esthetically so I wanted to utilize this element of Chivas Regal in my design. Within the lion, I included patterns that are relevant to the Chivas brand – some Scottish thistles and checks, interspersed with more contemporary geometric and global patterns. The aim was to achieve an end result that was bold, but with delicate details and a contemporary approach to the tradition of chivalry.” Chivas Regal has long embraced the designers’ community and has previously partnered with high profile names such as Christian Lacroix, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. Chivas Regal continues to invest in its “Live With Chivalry” campaign which was launched in 2008 in more than sixty markets.

NEW + NOW

TOGETHER FOREVER Gucci is pleased to announce that it is extending its relationship with Charlotte Casiraghi, who will be the protagonist of the House’s new “Forever Now” advertising campaign series conceived by Creative Director Frida Giannini in collaboration with Ms. Casiraghi. Over the course of the next two years the new campaign will see Charlotte Casiraghi portrayed by four of the world’s most respected fashion and portrait photographers in a series of sittings celebrating the House’s renowned icons. The first portraits tell the story of Gucci’s signature green and red stripe through the lens of Peter Lindbergh. Shot against the backdrop of a stable, the intimate photographs of Ms. Casiraghi evoke founder Guccio Gucci’s fascination with the art of riding. It was Guccio Gucci who appropriated the green and red stripe from the canvas girth strap of the horse’s saddle. In the Fifties he first

applied these colors to the trim and detailing of luggage and travel trunks, since then the stripe with its unmistakable colors has become an immediate visual reference to the House of Gucci. Commenting on the new collaboration Frida Giannini said, “Over the last two years I have had the pleasure and privilege to get to know Charlotte through our shared passion for horses. She not only embodies the beauty and the grace of the equestrian, but is also a wonderful ambassador for the sport. While designing her riding wardrobe, I have gained an appreciation for her innate ability to combine family traditions with a uniquely modern attitude. I am delighted to be able to celebrate Gucci’s icons of heritage with someone who is so connected to the history and essence of this House. Charlotte brings the spirit of Gucci to life so elegantly.” Charlotte Casiraghi said, “There was a great synergy while working

with Frida and her team to elaborate this unique collaboration with Gucci and we all really had the same desire to make it something special and creative. I admire Frida’s talent as a designer and she has really managed to reinvent the codes of Gucci by giving them a modern twist and a timeless elegance. It is also very exciting for me to have the opportunity to work with some of the best photographers in the world to celebrate Gucci’s heritage.” The new “Forever Now” campaign began appearing worldwide March 7th, 2012, running in newspapers and fashion and lifestyle magazines complementing the House’s seasonal fashion campaigns. The first “Forever Now” advertising campaign series was launched in Autumn 2010, in the run up to Gucci’s 90th anniversary, and featured original black and white photography of Gucci’s Florentine Artisans from its Archive.

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

BY ALICE HLIDKOVA

THE LATIN WORD ‘STILETTO’ COMES FROM THE ROOT WORD STILUS, MEANING A POINTED INSTRUMENT

W

omen find themselves in all sorts of trappings: the silky, smooth comfort of an evening dress; the perfectly board-ironed appeal of a hairdo; and the sensual application of colour to pouting lips. Lately, the most culturally relevant part of a woman’s wardrobe is undoubtedly the stiletto, and it has made its way into bridal gear.

Countering the natural functionality of the foot, stilettos raise and shift a woman’s figure in aesthetically pleasing ways: the buttocks tighten and shoulders roll back, bust pushes out and legs straighten. The Latin word ‘stiletto’ comes from the root word stilus, meaning a pointed instrument. The original stiletto was a dagger used in the medieval ages as a menacing weapon. Evidence of the shoes first usage dates back to 19th century fetish practices: ritual drawings show women in slender heals making them a staple comparable to the Victorian period’s corset fixation.

The heel’s original designer was the late Kristen S. Wagner but it was Roger Vivier who popular- ized the stiletto in the 1950s. The Parisian shoe darling failed at several attempts to design the perfect pair of heels to support a woman’s weight.

The fashion item was either too short and narrow or too tall and wide. Vivier ultimately succeeded in setting the definition of the glamorous and elegant heel by adding embroidery and lace, pearls and rhinestones.

But it was the designs of two Frenchmen and a Czech-Spaniard that gave the heel a sexy makeover. Nice-born fashion designer André Perugia broke into the market by introducing the “heel-less” shoe. His provocative stiletto was worn

by French singers in the 1940s and 50s. Emerging designer Christian Dior made a bold move by pairing stilettos with waist-high voluminous skirts. The radical style, coined the “New Look,” gave the wartime worker icon, Rosie the Riveter, sex appeal. Stiletto, the perfect visual image of middle-class femininity, became a staple in women’s wardrobes. Canaryborn Manolo Blahnik revived the style in 1950 and 1974, adding his classical touch.

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EVIDENCE OF THE SHOES FIRST USAGE DATES BACK TO 19TH CENTURY FETISH PRACTICES: RITUAL DRAWINGS SHOW WOMEN IN SLENDER HEALS MAKING THEM A STAPLE COMPARABLE TO THE VICTORIAN PERIOD’S CORSET FIXATION

STEPPING IN PAIRS | THE STILETTO

BIG STILETTO: CHRISITAN LOUBOUTIN LADYMAX SILVER

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES Soon designers across Europe delved into their creativity to appeal to their new customer base. They produced pin-thin high heels of remarkable lateral strength by molding plastic with an internal metal tube for reinforcement. The popular method became a standard that was particularly used in the aggressively pointed-toe design. Vivier’s comma heel made from a curved piece represented daring cultural and class shifts in the fashion industry that marked the 1960s. But towards decade end the slender heels fell out of favor.

Mass production introduced new materials reflecting in the scarcity of quality heels. Lightweight aluminum, wood and plastic replaced steel and the trend has not changed since.

Fashion houses added new accessories, belt buckles and chains. Retail chains seized its commercialism, lowering prices and offering various styles that allowed women to purchase multiple pairs.

Stilettos staged a major comeback after 2000 with help from designers like Christian Louboutin who created sky-high shoes of shocking proportions. Models and celebrities picked them for the outfit rather than the terrain, gaining an instant optical illusion in the way their images were perceived. In contrast, the common woman adopted a more favorable height for dressing up office attire or adding a sharp touch to casualwear, like jeans.

From New York City to Moscow and Beirut to Seoul the brave souls become hostages of their own painful fetishes but at the same time, ambassadors of a certain kind of feminine order. What are you wearing with your wedding dress?

We bet it isn’t kitten heels!

STILETTOS STAGED A MAJOR COMEBACK AFTER 2000 WITH HELP FROM DESIGNERS LIKE CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN WHO CREATED SKY-HIGH SHOES OF SHOCKING PROPORTIONS ABOVE: THE DESIGN MUSEUM IN LONDON HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL PRESENT THE FIRST UK RETROSPECTIVE OF FRENCH SHOE DESIGNER CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN BETWEEN 28 MARCH AND 1 JULY 2012.

LEFT: DESIGNER CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

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STEPPING IN PAIRS | THE STILETTO LOUVICIOUS FUXIA

MARQUISE CLUTCH WHITE

METEORITA YELLOW

LADYMAX GOLD

CORPUS SILVER AND BEIGE

DAFFODILE STRASS GOLD

UN BOUT SILVER

KRYPTONITE PINK

CLEO CLUTCH BLACK AND WHITE

METAL NODO GOLD

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Photography by DAVE KAI PIPER ASSISTANT MARK EVANS MODELS LAURA BROWN | SARAH J JONES MAKEUP SAMANTHA MERCER STYLING + GOWNS HOUSE OF HERLIHY

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GIVENCHY LOOKBOOK

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 STYLED BY STEPHANIE AOUN

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Citizen Eco-Driver Super Titanium

COMFY

EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

Peek-a-boo Diane Von Furstenberg sunglasses

ALBERTA FERRETI SS 2012

Peachy Keen

Bershka blazer 75000 LBP

Bershka bodysuit 49000 LBP

Pull & Bear dress 79000 LBP

Dress Down

Stradivarius tote 75000 LBP

Stradivarius dress 75000 LBP

Stradivarius purse 35000 LBP Stradivarius shorts 49000 LBP

The Big Blue YSL tote 3180000 LBP

BILL BLASS SS 2012

Ankle Anchor

Canali loafers

Alexander Wang Annette leather sandal

Guess Shoes Succeed sandal

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES Van Cleef and Arpels Loup Decor Necklace Le Bal du Siecle

Pinky Swear

Shape Shifter

COLOR STELLA MCCARTNEY FW 2012/2013

Fendi Sunglasses

Stradivarius boyfriend blazer 99000LL.

LANVIN FW 2012/2013

Emilio Pucci handbag 4410000LBP

Bershka dress 49000 LBP

Pull & Bear sweater 49000 LBP

Red Alert Stella Mccartney tote

Dior handbag 6293000 LBP

Pull & Bear skirt 59000 LBP

Pull & Bear men’s jeans 49000 LBP YSL wedges 893000 LBP

Stradivarius round-toe stiletto 69000 LBP

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Jackson Pollock Chrisitian Louboutin Pigalle Multicolor Pollock

JUST CAVALLI SS 2012

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GIORGIO ARMANI PRIVÉ HAUTE COUTURE SS 2012

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Chandelier Cheer Agatha Bollywood Collection earrings

GLOW

EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

Agatha Hindu Spirit Collection bracelet set

Capital & Bear T-shirt T Pull 49000 LBP STASSIASS SS 2012 Pull & Bear cropped sweater 49000 LBP

3 Quarter Cool IRO Baly sequined jersey dress

CALVIN KLEIN SS 2012

Snap Dragon Jimmy Choo Cayla clutch

Just Cavalli sequin embellished silk Georgette dress

Christian Louboutin Marquise clutch

Boy Bling Christian Louboutin Rollerboy spikes

YSL stilettos 1815000 LBP

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

BRIDAL WHITES

+BRIGHTS

LIGHTING CHRISTIAN HARB MAKEUP ELIE ESTEPHAN FROM INSTITUTE HALA AJAM HAIR ROGER GABRIEL MODEL KRISTINA OF NAHTALY’S AGENCY

SHOES + ACCESSORIES STYLIST’S OWN

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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

Our big star this issue is the Zen collection

by AGATHA. Take a tricolour trip with these versatile pieces that go from day to night.

You can wear them alone or stacked with just about anything! They’re topping our accessory must have list for the springsummer buzz because the brand combines elegance and funk with these pieces. Want to see infinity? The smooth metal jewellery knots in on itself proving that clever design and simplicity never goes out of style. This is one trio that will last a few seasons so you get your investment back in spades.

We’re all tied up for these affordable ZEN collectables!

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SEE, SPEAK, HEAR NO EVIL

CHECK

BY JACQUES TCHABARIAN

Kaiser Chiefs START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME Their last album failed to generate much interest (subsequently leading to poor sales) despite being produced by producer-of-the-day Mark Ronson.

All this encouraged the Chiefs to revise their approach for this album. Changes on two different fronts are clear: marketing wise, the band got fans involved in the creative process of the final packaged album – a technique pioneered mainly

by Radiohead. They posted 20 songs and different cover artworks on their official website and asked fans to choose the 10 songs they liked best and the cover that reflected those tracks. Musically the

changes are not as exciting with the boys opting this time around to turn their back on the fun filled sing-along catchy choruses of previous work, trading it for a more restrained sound with a new found affection for psychedelic arrangements. The end result is that we’re left with something that is less enjoyable than before with no good melodies sticking in your head. Tracks such as the Bowieesque “Man On Mars” and opener “Little Shocks” manage to get our attention, but if you’re expecting the Chiefs to provide you with daily hum-worthy material, it’s just not there anymore.

Tindersticks THE SOMETHING RAIN 20 years down the road and 9 albums under their belts, it’s still a pleasure to have the Tindersticks around, reminding us that a band can still garner fan attention solely based on the quality of each new output. Beautiful arrangements, thoughtful melodies and the haunting voice of vocalist Stuart Staple have been enough all these years to reward the band with a successful (indie) career, repeating that winning pattern again on “The Something Rain”. The music is as always rooted deeply in the melancholy Indie/Chamber Pop

that we’ve become accustomed to, but this time with a touch of electronic textures. Saxophones, cellos and dubbed percussions enveloping the usual acoustic guitars and piano are all present here. “Chocolate”, the opening track, clocks in at over nine minutes, something that could not be pulled off by a less experienced group. This is an indication of the band’s longstanding habit of crafting well thought out proper songs. I know, too much dwelling in nostalgia, but it is simply that much of a great listen.

Tyga CARELESS WORLD Some would argue that family values are on the decline in the Western world, but in the case of Tyga, it’s a family member that is responsible for his arrival at the forefront of the international Rap scene. Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes signed his cousin Tyga to his label after McCoy’s band went stellar. This opened up the doors to a world able to keep up with his tremendously big ego and far-reaching opinions on all matters of life. Add to that the fact that one of the hottest labels, Cash Money, was looking for someone flamboyant with a “bigger than the world attitude” to match the label’s

enthusiasm. It’s safe to say that the Gods of fortune were smiling favorably upon Tyga for the release of his latest album. The rapper has surrounded himself with an ensemble of contemporary artists, some close friends and some business associates: T-Pain, J Cole, Nas and Lil Wayne being just a few of the big names on this album. “Black Crowns” is one of the most majestic songs of the 21 tracks bested by Nicki Minaj’s collab on the boastful “Muthaf**ka” -a track that will stir controversy for a long time coming. If you like your Rap with a side of ego and colorful character, this album is for you.

Xiu Xiu ALWAYS One look at the cover of “Always” would falsely give you the impression that this is a Rap album, but the San Jose, California band (their namesake is a Chinese movie) has made a name for themselves in the underground Experimental Alternative niche. This is exactly why Jamie Stewart and crew decided to make an album on their tenth anniversary, dedicated to their loyal fan base.

They’ve revived some of the political confrontation (a favorite topic among their diehard fans) that was quasi absent on their last album “Dear God, I Hate Myself”. It has the effect of paralleling them with 114 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

the daily tribulations of the average Joe. Opening track “Hi” starts things up with an open letter to the band’s most dedicated, “Gul Moldin” tackles the horrors of war and “Factory Girl” addresses the issue of enslaved workers laboring in sweat shops for the benefit of the rich. More than ever, Xiu Xiu’s stirring compositions paired with Stewart’s poignant voice and daring lyrics paint a gruesomely violent universe that ultimately shows us a way to muddle through for some sort of salvation, albeit a personal and disturbing one. Not to be handled by the fainthearted.

read’em +

weep

BY AMAL CHAABAN

One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding Rebecca Mead Why you should read this book Perfection can have a hefty price tag The title of this book specifies the American Wedding but in reading, it could certainly be applied to weddings all over the world (listen up, Lebanon!).

Rebecca Mead takes us behind the scenes of the wedding industry to the nuts, bolts and screws that you rarely see. From wedding planner conventions, bridal boot camps and a trip to a factory in China where “custom made” gowns are mass produced, Mead is relentless in exposing the nitty gritty of the business side of wedding marketing. A disturbing tale of marketing schemes, mild manipulation and

money, this book exposes the reality behind the fantasy weddings that people plan. The derogatory statements made by those who are supposed to be marketing brides their perfect day shows just how little regard they actually have for the essence of the institution of marriage and all it entails. From upselling silver sparkling tiaras to making the affianced couple think they absolutely must have an item or their wedding won’t be complete, the manipulation is all there and it is insidious. I recommend that anyone planning a wedding read this book first.

Celebrity in Death J.D. Robb

Why you should read this book

Death brings a whole new form of celebrity

In this, J.D. Robb’s 34th instalment in the In Death series, she really needed to up the writing to make sure she didn’t get stale and formulaic. She does this in spades. Celebrity in Death joins lead character Eve Dallas while she is going through the wholly uncomfortable process of watching a case she’s solved made into a movie. The case itself was a sensational one involving cloning, doctors and murder that brought down many a great individual and Dallas was glad to be done with it. During the filming of the movie, the actress hired to play her faithful sidekick Peabody is found murdered

facedown in a pool of water at a dinner party. What ensues is an investigation where all the suspects are actors and therefore accomplished liars, producers and directors who want to manage the investigation as well as the movie and a singularly heartfelt scene between Peabody and her cohab that brings tears to the eyes of even the most jaded. While this book does somewhat satirize how a Hollywood movie might be made, it is interesting to note that Robb was able to translate the egos and foibles of the Hollywood set very well to the written word.

The Saint Who Stole My Heart Stefanie Sloane

Why you should read this book What’s romance without a little murder and mayhem?

Regency England was not a kind time for women. In that time period, women were meant to be ornamental dimwitted things, not readers, thinkers or crusaders.

Author Stefanie Sloane thankfully did not buy into that stereotype and instead has created a heroine that is intelligent, brave and most assuredly unaware of her own beauty; enter a dashing Viscount and you have the makings of a good old fashioned romance novel. Our novel opens with Elena (derisively called a bluestocking) heading to London to procure the library of books left to her father by his friend. Upon her arrival, she is greeted by the Viscount (whom she

says looks like Adonis) who comes across as a bit dim but a likeable sort. What she doesn’t know is that he plays up being dim in order to undertake jobs for King and country that might otherwise be hampered by his good looks. No one would suspect someone of his breeding and looks to be a cipher and therefore, he is the most successful cipher his organization has. When an old murder case comes back to haunt him, Elena is drawn in and can’t help but get involved both with him and with the case. This book is a fun, lighthearted read, perfect for those days when you just want to relax and sink into a different world.

Falling Together Marisa de los Santos

Why you should read this book

Some friendships, no matter how dear, eventually expire

This is the story of three friends, Cat, Will and Pen. Friends so close that not only do they finish each other’s sentences; they pick up on each other’s thoughts. Theirs is a friendship so tight that outsiders are not only frozen out, they are made to feel distinctly unwelcome and it is this single behaviour that brings it all crashing down one day.

Fast forward six years later and a mysterious email from one of the trio has the other two basically dropping everything to go to their college reunion.

When they arrive, they find it was not the third

member of their triumvirate who sent that email, it was someone else. What follows is a journey across the world to find their missing third taking them as far away as the Philippines. De los Santos writes a beautifully gripping tale of friendships lost and found, lives rediscovered (in only four sentences), cultures embraced and most assuredly of love. For readers who have been to that part of the world and experienced the beauty of that country, this author’s laudatory descriptions will take you right back there via your mind’s eye.

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playNICE

BY ADAM VOLK

Mass Effect 3

Publisher Electronic Arts | Developer BioWare Platforms Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 There were moments while playing Mass Effect 3 that I literally felt my jaw drop and a thrill of nerdy delight running up and down my spine. Yes, the game is that friggin’ good. As the final entry in the popular Mass Effect trilogy, players once again take on the role of Commander Shepard (which you can play as either male or female), an elite soldier battling a series of intergalactic threats in the 22nd century. If you’ve played the previous entries before, you can literally pick right up where you’ve left off, either continuing with your saved

version of Shepard or creating a new version from scratch. As a combination of third-person shooter and role-playing game, Mass Effect 3 sets a new bar in terms of its flawlessly executed gameplay and visuals. It’s the game’s brilliantly written dialogue and narrative, however, that truly elevates Mass Effect 3 above the usual lacklustre video game stories. The result is an epic conclusion to one of the greatest action RPG series of all-time.

Video game geeks, prepare to set your faces to stun.

Journey

Publisher Sony Computer Entertainment | Developer Thatgamecompany Platforms PlayStation 3 Video games are often criticized as violent and shallow experiences that are devoid of any real substance. Fortunately, there are games like Journey to show what the medium is truly capable of. As a kind of interactive art experience and psychological experiment, players take on the role of a nameless robed figure wandering an endless expanse of desert. The game has no map, no instructions and no scoring system. The player’s only objective is to reach a mountain located in the distant horizon. During their journey, players can then encounter other players online, but the game removes the ability for chat

or text-based communication, meaning players can only communicate through their character’s gestures. It’s an interesting experience that’s more about how players interact with one another rather than traditional scoring or cooperative gameplay. Players can also explore strange ruins, collect magical objects and uncover clues which explain more about the beautifully detailed world’s backstory. The end result is a game that, if nothing else, challenges the medium itself and proves that video games can be more than just about mashing buttons and shooting aliens in the face.

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City PS3

Publisher Capcom | Developer Slant Six Games Platforms Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 The Resident Evil series has become the goto game when it comes to zombie-killing action.

Which is why fans of the popular series will undoubtedly find themselves getting locked and loaded with the latest entry, Operation Raccoon City (which, in case you’re wondering, is surprisingly free of raccoons). Unfortunately, the entire city has been quarantined after being overrun by bloodthirsty zombies; the result of a deadly viral outbreak unleashed by the shadowy Umbrella corporation. Players take on the role of either an elite U.S. Special Forces unit sent to investigate

the outbreak, or members of the Umbrella security services who are hoping to cover the incident up. The game allows players to battle through the campaign alone or cooperatively with up to four players online in all-out undead action. In addition to the story-based campaign, there’s also a variety of online multiplayer modes which pit players in head-to-head combat. Throw in appearances from some of the series’ most popular characters and you’ve got an action-packed experience that will keep even the most hardcore zombie slayers coming back for more.

Angry Birds Space

Publisher/Developers Rovio Platforms iOS (iPhone), Android, PC, Mac Ah, Angry Birds. The name alone has become a kind of rallying cry for time wasters around the globe, with the series now a blockbuster hit among both hardcore and casual gamers alike.

Now developer Rovio is releasing an all new expansion in the form of Angry Birds Space.

The game features the same pull n’ shoot action as the previous entries in the series, but as the name suggests, now takes place entirely.... in spaaaaaaace! The inclusion of planets and other 116 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

objects also means that gravitational fields will affect your birds after they’ve been fired, adding a new level of challenge. There’s also a variety of new bird types to choose from, new types of obstacles to overcome and of course even more ways to wipe the smug grins off the faces of those pesky green pigs. The result is more of the same ridiculously addictive gameplay that’s kept millions of gamers hooked, proving that in space, no one can hear you chirp.

SEE, SPEAK, HEAR NO EVIL

watch out

BY ADAM VOLK

Release dates based on amazon.co.uk

The Thing

| DVD & Blu-ray | 102 mins Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen Release Date: March 26 When director John Carpenter’s The Thing first hit theatres in 1982 it offered up a dose of sci-fi themed horror that cemented its place as a cult classic. Fast-forward 30 years later and Hollywood has decided the original film was ripe for a reboot.

Technically, the latest version (also entitled The Thing) is a prequel to the original film, and follows a group of Norwegian and American scientists who discover an alien life form buried in the cold depths of the Antarctic. They soon learn, however, that the

creature has the ability to mimic the appearance of any person it comes into contact with, forcing the scientists into a paranoia-filled struggle for survival. On paper, the concept is still incredibly compelling, but while the original film was a taught, claustrophobic thriller, the newest prequel lacks any of the tension or depth of its predecessor. Instead The Thing relies too much on flashy special effects and excessive gore, proving that the only thing truly scary anymore is Hollywood’s lack of originality.

Moneyball | DVD & Blu-ray | 133 mins | Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman Release Date: March 19 It might be difficult for the rest of the world to understand, but in the United States baseball isn’t a sport so much as a way of life. Which is why when someone comes along and threatens the way the game is played, it’s bound to cause problems.

Enter Moneyball, the Academy Award nominated film based on the book of the same name. The real-life story follows Oakland Athletics’ baseball manager Bill Beane (played by Brad Pitt), whose low-ranked and underfunded team adopted the use of “sabermetrics”, a complex mathematical

system which chooses players based on hard statistics rather than star power. The untested system lead the A’s to a record 20 game winning streak in 2002 and literally changed the face of baseball forever. As a chronicle of Beane’s efforts, Moneyball is both smart and entertaining, working as both an underdog sports drama and a look at one man’s attempt to reclaim past glories. The end result is a film well worth watching - even for those of us who don’t know or care about America’s most popular pastime.

50/50

| DVD & Blu-ray | 100 mins Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick Release Date: March 26 There’s an old saying that states: comedy equals tragedy plus time. That could certainly be the mantra for 50/50, a film which is both smart and funny despite its seemingly bleak subject matter.

The story follows a twenty-something (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who finds his world turned upside down after he’s diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. As he struggles to come to grips with the fact that his life might actually be coming to an end, the situation becomes even more complicated when our hero begins to develop feelings for his

therapist (Anna Kendrick). It might sound like a depressing subject matter, but with its sharp script and solid performances, 50/50 manages to be both incredibly funny and poignant. There’s also an air of authenticity to the story thanks to screenwriter Will Reiser, who was inspired to write the script after being diagnosed with cancer several years ago. The end result is a film that offers plenty of laughs, while also delivering a heartfelt drama that proves once and for all that dying is easy, comedy is hard.

The Ides of March | DVD & Blu-ray | 101 mins | Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Paul Giamatti Release Date: March 12 In his play Julius Caesar, Shakespeare famously wrote to “Beware the Ides of March”, a warning whose tone, if not exact interpretation, might be very well be applied to the smart and stylish political drama The Ides of March. The film follows a seemingly noble U.S. Presidential candidate (George Clooney) during a tightly-contested U.S. primary election. Ryan Gosling plays an idealistic junior campaign manager who finds both his loyalty and his principles put to the test in a world of closed-door deals and double crosses. With

an incredibly sharp script (based on the 2008 stage play Farragut North by Beau Willimon), The Ides of March is both sophisticated and highly entertaining, offering up a political drama that unfolds more like a thriller. At its core, however, the film isn’t so much about the American political system as it is about the lengths to which individuals will go in their pursuit of power. In that sense, The Ides of March remains a smart, poignant and universal drama that even the Bard himself would approve of.

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WORLDVISION

BY LILIANE ASSAF

RAGMAG IS PLEASED TO GIVE THE ONLINE COMMUNITY SOME MUCH DESERVED PRINT SPACE. THIS IS THE TENTH INSTALLMENT IN A PERMANENT COLUMN DEVOTED TO BLOG REVIEWS. FOR THE APRIL TYING THE KNOT ISSUE, WE ASKED LEBANON’S BLOG AGGREGATOR LILIANE ASSAF, TO CHOOSE THE 3 BLOGGERS IN LEBANON WHOSE POSTS WERE ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS. GET CLICKING, PEOPLE! BLOG TITLE From favours to design pieces | Wedding specials BLOGGER Louma Bardawil www.designbylouma.com URL

@loumabardawil

People are getting creative with their weddings more and more these days, and every couple wants to include their own special touch. They want their attendees to get a taste of who the couples are and what they like starting from the decoration, to the food, the invitation card, flowers, dessert, wedding cake topper, table designs and the entertainment they provide. Louma’s blog is about wedding preparations with a twist tackling a niche, which you rarely find a blogger writing about and she surely knows how to keep her blog interesting. She either shares photos from creative weddings she’s attended or photos of designs which she made herself for certain weddings. She even shared the preparations of her own wedding where you can notice in the designs how she successfully merged her Lebanese roots with her husband’s Dutch heritage. The photos (very artistic and professional) are courtesy of Louma’s friend “Arne”. For inspiring ideas and creative tones for invites, dessert, table designs and other offbeat andt funky events that can incorporated into your wedding, you should visit Louma’s blog for inspiration.

BLOG TITLE Ink On The Side BLOGGER Sareen Akharjalian inkontheside.com/2012/02/27/wedding-traditions/ URL

@sareen_ak

This is not your typical wedding blog, as a matter of fact it is not a wedding blog at all- it’s actually a first class web comic blog run by author/artist Sareen. Sareen is actually a software developer who one day discovered she had a talent for drawing characters and creating comic strips. (She does this for fun.) The reason why her blog comes up in this month’s issue is because she has dedicated a couple of comic strips to marriage, weddings and romantic stories. But before you think it’s a blog that gives romantic advice, it’s actually something else altogether. I highly advise you to check this link because we all know how couples get stressed before their weddings with all the preparations and pre-wedding pressure, you’ll find yourself laughing and rolling on the floor while jumping from one strip to another on Sareen’s blog. A well needed laugh to take off the stress induced frown.

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BLOG TITLE Belles Of Beirut BLOGGER Raquel Saliba bellesofbeirut.blogspot.com/ URL

@raquel_tweeted

Belles of Beirut is a very light and sweet blog for handmade crafts by a Lebanese living in Dubai. Raquel is extremely creative in a simple way, and comes up with very nice looking crafts that anyone can easily replicate by following instructions. The best thing about her pieces is that they are made with items you can find around the house. A soda bottle becomes a vase, a hanger evolves into a demonstration of romance, felts and paper napkins become decorative tableware. Many people treasure handmade settings over store bought gifts. If you’re looking into setting up a romantic dinner for your partner before or after marriage ;) and you want to show them how much you care, simply go through a couple of her posts and pay special attention to where she personalizes coasters with love messages. Sometimes while preparing for the wedding, couples get so caught up with all the planning that they forget about themselves. Keeping things romantic and full of passion are very important, and there probably isn’t a better way than to prepare a homemade dinner with handmade crafts that show much care and love for your significant other. Raquel’s blog is definitely a source of inspiration as well as techniques on how to do things with whatever is available at home and in a very easy manner.

THE CUBE SPECIAL What are the cubists reading? http://thecubelb.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/what-we-are-reading/

www.lebanonaggregator.com Lebanon Aggregator @LebAgg

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TAKE ME WITH YOU

10 HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS YOU CAN DO IN A WEEK OR LESS

FOR THE TIME CONSCIOUS COUPLE, HIT UP THESE FINE RESORTS THAT ARE ONLY A HOP, SKIP AND A JUMP AWAY. MOST OF THEM HAVE TONS OF ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE IN ADDITION TO SUPER LUX SPA SERVICES. WE’VE INCLUDED SOME VENUES THAT ARE OFF THE BEATEN PATH FOR THE QUIETSEEKERS AND SOME RIGHT IN CITY HUBS SO THE CHOICE IS YOURS. YOU CAN EVEN GET THERE ON A BUDGET- SAVE ON YOUR AIRFARE, SPLURGE ON YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS BY TAKING FLYDUBAI! CHECK OUT THEIR FLIGHT ROUTE MAP FOR THEIR 50 DESTINATION LIST TO ADD SOME DIVERSITY TO YOUR TRAVEL PLANS!

7 TRIPS FOR 4 DAYS OR LESS WITHOUT STINTING ON THE EXPERIENCE AND LUXURY MUSCAT, OMAN

1. Masirah Island Resort |+96824485020 2. The Chedi | gmhotels.com Chedi Muscat + 96824524400 3. Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa | Shangri-la.com Barr Al Jissah +96824776262

DOHA, QATAR

4. Ritz Carlton Sharq Village and Spa | RitzCarlton.com Sharq Village +97444256666 5. St. Regis | www.stregisdoha.com +97444460000

2

TRIPS FOR 5 DAYS OR LESS WITHOUT STINTING ON THE EXPERIENCE AND LUXURY BELGRADE, SERBIA

6. Hyatt Regency | www.belgrade.regency.hyatt.com +381113011234

KIEV, UKRAINE

7. Premier Palace Hotel |www.premier-palace.com +380442441201

YEKATERINBURG, RUSSIA

8. Hyatt Regency | www.ekaterinburg.regency.hyatt.com +73432531234

TBILISI, GEORGIA

9. Vere Palace Hotel | www.verepalace.com.ge +995322253340

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA

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10. Paradise Road Tintagel Colombo Hotel |www. paradiseroadhotels.com +94114602168

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TAKE ME WITH YOU

AN INTERCHANGE OF

LIGHT+WATER

BY ALICE HLIDKOVA

ABOVE: CANALE GRANDE AND RIALTO BRIDGE IN VENICE OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM: GONDOLA PARKING

V

enice, Europe’s favorite floating city is sinking. Venezia, in Italian, rests on millions of wooden piles pounded into marshy ground. Stretching across over one hundred small islands in the Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea, the northern Italian destination has sunk by an inch a century for the past one thousand years. It has subsided close to a foot in the last century alone, increasing its probability for a floodwater disaster.

ST. MARK’S SQUARE, PIAZZO S. MARCO, IS DROWNED REGULARLY AS IT LIES AT THE LOWEST POINT 122 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

High tides in autumn and winter erode buildings and flood squares. St. Mark’s Square, Piazzo S. Marco, called the “drawing room of the world,” by French poet Alfred de Musset, is drowned regularly as it lies at the lowest point.

Its surrounding cafes, like the Florian, splash customers in a foot of water, but wooden walkways across the square are erected for them to walk safely.

Nearly swimming in a city where there are canals instead of streets and boats instead of cars has always been the topic of light-hearted table conversation, but on a serious note Venice continues to renew itself in hopes of staying dry.

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TAKE ME WITH YOU

MADE OF LIMESTONE, THE BRIDGE OF SIGNS CONNECTS PALAZZO DUCALE’S INTERROGATIONS ROOMS TO ANCIENT PRISONS Decades ago, proposals for movable dams introduced stronger armor, but conflicting political debates have led to little progress. So, disgruntled residents began to build themselves, layering new coats of plaster and paint to their slumbering bricked and marbled walls. They added sandbags and raised their boat docks. And withheld their prayers after the carnival season in spring has ceased, hoping that the upcoming year will bring dryer climate.

Renovation of historical monuments has attracted new hordes of romantics. Foot traffic from eighteen million tourists increases every year over the city’s four hundred bridges!

Bridge of Signs, covered in advertising billboards during the restoration of the Doge’s Palace, Palazzo Ducale, has become a postcard snapshot for couples. Made of limestone, the enclosed bridge connects the palace’s interrogation rooms to ancient prisons. On their final crossing, convicts set their eyes on their beloved home through the stone barred windows.

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Another bridge, Ponte di Rialto, is one of four that spans the Grand Canal.

Honeymooners cross its stoned archway, once made of floating wood, to take pictures of passing gondolas seating the bride and groom in its crushed velvet seats (only four Gondolier licenses are issued annually, making the traditional tours a lucrative business). Then they kiss the hunchback, a sculpture that served the finish line for convicts who were ordered to run from San Marco to Rialto before they faced their sentence. It was a painful penalty to pay, as citizens bashed the runners with sticks, whips and anything else along the way!

But winners gained their freedom and kissed the hunched figure for hours on end in gratitude.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: BRIDGE OF SIGNS, VENETIAN MASKS AT THE ANNUAL CARNIVAL OF VENICE, GRANDE CANALE AND RIALTO BRIDGE, ST. MARCO’S SQUARE

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: PILLARS AT ST. MARCO, VIEW TO SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE, PUNTAL DELLA DOGANA PURCHASED BY FRANÇOIS PINAULT, INSIDE THE PALAZZO GRASSI, THE RETROSPECTIVE BY MAURIZIO CATTELAN

FACING THE GRAND CANAL, THE CLASSICAL WORK OF ROYAL ARCHITECTURE STANDS IN CONTRAST FROM SURROUNDING BYZANTINE ROMANESQUE AND BAROQUE STRUCTURES Taking a breather at the unique Campo Santo Stefano on the way to the Palazzo Grassi invites pedestrians to spacious Gothic architecture before they squeeze through cozy narrow walkways, less than six feet wide. Facing the Grand Canal, the classical work of royal architecture stands in contrast from surrounding Byzantine Romanesque and Baroque structures.

It was inside the palace that actress Salma Hayek wooed and married French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault.

His father Francois Pinault, has transformed the city into a center for modern art. The lifestyle tycoon and owner of Gucci started off by inviting Japanese architect Tadao Ando to refurbish the Grassi, from top to bottom. Ever since he has organized exciting but bizarre art exhibitions, held with great stature, such as the retrospective by Maurizio Cattelan, displaying a sculpted horse jumping into a bricked wall, for this year’s cultural event, Art Biennnale. Pinault also purchased the Punta della Dogana, a former customs warehouse dating to the 17th Century, and once again invited Ando to renew it into another exhibition hall housing modern works of art.

Film director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck has taken advantage of the revival. A Venice-native, Donnersmarck chose the destination for the filming of “The Tourist,” starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. But soon he realized that having to find his way around the twisting walkways proved difficult. “The way the movie used the geography of the city on the whole was very jumbled,” he told the Italian press, disgruntled.

Disembarking at the polished steps of Venice continues to leave a lasting impression. So much so that mercantile tradesmen named its passageways after their trade—“Calle del Pestrin,” street of the milkman; “El Pistor,” the baker; and “El Fruttarol,” the fruit seller. Their monikers whipped the city into the center of commerce in spite of the eminent dangers of flooding. It is for many the combination of light and water that creates a restless storybook magic

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CHAMPAGNE WISHES + CAVIAR DREAMS

BY ALICE HLIDKOVA

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t all began in the Champagne province of France, where a pale, pinkish still evolved into a sparkling, bubbly drink of celebration. “When wine was fizzy, people liked it,” says wine and spirits expert, Becky Sue Epstein, of the Frenchmen who first acquired a taste for the beverage in spring.

Grapes used for champagne were picked earlier, when sugar levels were lower and acid levels were higher. Juice from harvested grapes, nine in total including chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, were pressed quickly to keep the wine white, with the exception of pink or rosé champagnes.

The first fermentation began in the same way as any wine, converting the natural sugar in the grapes into alcohol while allowing the carbon dioxide to escape. Since base wine in itself was too acidic, wine makers blended the grape juice (known as the cuvée) with other vineyard wines.

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After primary fermentation, blending (assemblage in champagne) and bottling, a second fermentation occurrs in the bottle induced by grams of yeast and sugar. After capping and riddling, so that “dead yeast and other imperfections didn’t settle in the neck of the bottle,” Epstein explains, the bottle was aged, cap removed and corked to maintain carbon dioxide in solution, and stored horizontally in wine cellars for at least a year and a half. In years where the harvest was exceptional, a vintage (millesimé) was declared and matured for at least three years.

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

Monks quickly learned the method champenoise, pruning vines to appeal to demanding taste palates. French Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon improved the quality of champagne in 18th Century France, by keeping the yield small and dictating the height of vines, maintained at three feet. Pérignon refused broken and bruised grapes, and favored mules and donkeys over horses, as they gently transported his grapes to the press houses.

BY THE 19TH CENTURY, CHAMPAGNE HOUSES BECAME THE NEW BUSINESS MODEL ACROSS FRANCE AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. THE HOUSES OF MÖET & CHANDON, LOUIS ROEDERER, PIPER-HEIDSIECK AND TATTINGER BECAME VERY SUCCESSFUL, HIRING SALES AGENTS TO BRING WINE SAMPLES TO EUROPEAN ROYAL COURTS

French kings introduced new trade routes a century later, winning the noses and tongues of notable bourgeoisie.

Russian Empress Catherine the Great used Champagne as an aphrodisiac for her lovers. Czar Peter the Great bought thousands of bottles and shipped them across eastern Asia only to be disappointed with the shattered bottles. “The fizz caused them to explode, even if a fly touched them,” Epstein remarks, accrediting the English glass makers who utilized coal-fueled ovens to produce stronger, more durable glass bottles than the wood-fired French glass. But some bottles heading to the Czar’s court in St. Petersburg were so strong that they survived a shipwreck—two laid horizontally under pressure, at a low temperature in the dark, fifty meters below surface for close to two hundred years. They recently sold for $78,400 at an auction this summer in Finland, with some of the fizz still left once cracked open.

England’s rediscovery of cork stoppers, once used by the Romans but forgotten for centuries after the fall of their empire, benefited the champagne trade in

changing temperatures. Cold winters in Champagne prematurely halted the fermentation process, leaving residual sugar and yeast. But when the corkstoppered wine was shipped to and bottled in England, it would restart as the weather warmed, building pressure from carbon dioxide gas. The method ensured active fermentation on long journeys that would have been otherwise been damaged by natural causes.

By the 19th Century, champagne houses became the new business model across France and the rest of the world. Private houses and merchants who bought grapes from vineyard owners dominated over single estate growers or monasteries traditionally producing the wine majority. The houses of Möet & Chandon, Louis Roederer, Piper-Heidsieck and Tattinger became very successful, hiring sales agents to bring wine samples to European royal courts. Soon they competed with one another for shares of the growing market while keeping their eyes on nearby Burgundy province that successfully began producing sparkling wine.

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY IMAGES COURTESY OF MOET&CHANDON, COPYRIGHT USA

Claude Möet, the charmer who often told stories of his Joan of Arc ancestry, Epstein says, upheld champagne’s fame.

Möet soon became the region’s largest distributor, the famous Dom Pérignon in the monk’s honor. The Frenchman began pouring champagne in coupe glasses, he also used for his cognac brandy varieties. Some say he drew inspiration from “Marie Antoneitte’s breasts,” she says, mentioning that Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld used Claudia Schiffer’s boobs as motif for a Dom Pérignon design. Epstein prefers the standard flute she calls “the upside down hat,” or a small white wine glass the Italians use to pour prosecco sparkling wine- “Americans are drinking more of it than ever” she says, disclosing that consumption increased by ninety percent last year.

Sales in the province quadrupled since the 1950s. Today its vineyards produce over two hundred million bottles every year, with the French authorities in favor of expanding its production zone called Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC). Stakeholder Möet & Chandon owns close to three thousand acres that annually produce twenty six million bottles. His success is a result of rigorous marketing, using movie stars, James Brosman from the James Bond movies and Marilyn Monroe in ad campaigns. American rapper Jay-Z and numerous heads of states have become the favorable faces and big buyers of Möet champagnes. Wine houses from Limoux, also registered with the AOC, take a different approach. They claim to have produced the sparkling bever-

CLAUDE MÖET, THE CHARMER WHO OFTEN TOLD STORIES OF HIS JOAN OF ARC ANCESTRY, EPSTEIN SAYS, UPHELD CHAMPAGNE’S FAME. MÖET SOON BECAME THE REGION’S LARGEST DISTRIBUTOR, THE FAMOUS DOM PÉRIGNON IN THE MONK’S HONOR

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age before champagne, “having manuscripts to prove it,” Epstein says.

Under European Union rules, sparkling wines cannot call themselves champagne unless they are produced in the Champagne region (in American custom, they are named after the type of grape). The EU imposed these restrictions to protect their authenticity. The expert highlights that former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin labeled his alcoholic beverage “Soviet Champagne,” though the Russians have recently dropped the word, “Soviet.”

In the modern era, Champagne has become a luxury staple of immense popularity. Toasting with champagne has become a symbol of class and status, a sign of success and victory within wedding reception hallways and presidential inauguration ballrooms. Champagne sales increase during Valentine’s Day and trade convention shows. “The wine of celebration,” Epstein remarks, is best served chilled, 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit, with fish, caviar and salmon rather than cheese. She recommends, “no sweets please, chocolate is the worse,” and repeats, “Champagne, then chocolate…and if the bottle says to drink by 1985, please drink by that date.”

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A PASSION FOR

CORDON BLEU PASTRY CHEF NICOLAS JORDON CONVERGES ON BEIRUT TO SHOW LEBANESE CHEFS A THING OR TWO ABOUT THE ART OF PASTRY MAKING

BY SABINA LLEWELLYN-DAVIES

ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: CHEF NICOLAS JORDON, LÉOPARD MED

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astry chef Nicolas Jordon has a passion for everything pastry. Now he hopes to spark the culinary ambitions of Lebanese pastry chefs with his novel combinations.

He was in Beirut in March to judge culinary competitions at the HORECA exhibition. Back home in Paris he teaches his art at the legendary Le Cordon Bleu, where he instructs pastry students on how to tantalize sweet fetishes.

Jordan’s inspiration to be a pastry chef came when he came across a book about sugar sculptures by Yves Thuries, the prized French pastry chef who is author of several bestselling culinary books. After years in the kitchen he came to recognize the increased demand for specialized pastry training and joined the team of instructors at Le Cordon Bleu. The French are hard to beat when it comes to sweet delights and France has always been considered a hot spot for pastry innovation.

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The country gave birth to the world’s most renowned culinary academy, Le Cordon Bleu, in Paris in 1895 and this famed institute is now present in fifteen countries worldwide and offers training based on classic French techniques.

Armed with these skills the students go on to work in top kitchens all over the world to create incredible concoctions.

Chef Jordon and his team develop new pastries and recipes, which are published in the academy’s cookbooks, considered the ultimate culinary books.

Over the past ten years Le Cordon Bleu has sold an incredible fourteen million of them.

A PASSION FOR PASTRY | CHEF NICOLAS JORDON

Jordan admits that it’s not a piece of cake keeping up in the world of pastry and few chefs manage to make it to the top. “The key to motivation is passion for pastry,” insists Jordan. His own signature pastry is a delicate decorative airbrush designed “Leopard” dessert, which he created for the selection of the pastry chefs to represent France in the 2013 World Pastry Cup (Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie), a sort of ‘Sweets Olympics’. Jordon was selected as the back-up chef for the French team who will compete for the cup in Lyon in January next year against twenty-two teams from around the world.

These days we seem to be witnessing a new era of pastry haute couture.

“Desserts are an array of spectacular presentations, lighter textures and new flavors combined in different ways to produce new creations,” says Jordon.

Of course, this chef is fond of sweets and his signature recipe is a delicious combination called Trio fraise rhubarbe et sablé servis dans leur cylinder croco choco… trying to pronounce the name is enough to whet the palate. He is also always out to use fresh, natural ingredients in his kitchen. “Organic is not necessarily better. The most important is to always work with seasonal fruits.”

“DESSERTS ARE AN ARRAY OF SPECTACULAR PRESENTATIONS, LIGHTER TEXTURES AND NEW FLAVORS COMBINED IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO PRODUCE NEW CREATIONS” Chefs spend so much of their time in the kitchen conjuring up fancy desserts that out of the kitchen they indulge in some not so fancy comfort food. Jordon’s favorite is milk chocolate and hazelnuts.

And, back in the kitchen he loves to use another special nut, “I love coconut for its white fruit and for the way its flavor blends well with other fruits.” During his visit to Lebanon the French national met many budding chefs with who he shared his passion for his profession.

He inspired them with his teachings and distinguished dessert creations, so refined, elegant and sophisticated in presentation. If he hadn’t become a chef, he would maybe be doing “something creative and manual, like glassblowing or carpentry. I have many hobbies and many interests. I love scuba diving and tropical fish aquariums. But, I also love sculpture and art.” He hopes to publish more of his recipes in culinary magazines and one day maybe even publish a book.

“The pastry scene today is quite different from a few years ago. The new trend is for a purified, linear style, with beautiful, vibrant colors.” And, the latest trends in flavor combinations are sometime favorites: caramel, chocolate and red wine… delicious!

LEFT: TRIO FRAISE, RHUBARBE ET SABLÉ SERVIS DANS LEUR CYLINDRE CROCO CHOCO MED

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BY YOUMNA CHAGOURY

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happened to try Babel Bay for RAGMAG on a sunny March afternoon. If you’ve been in Lebanon recently, you know why it’s worth mentioning. I had planned a late lunch with my colleague Teddy, and we were both starving and looking forward to this. Upon arriving to Zaitunay Bay, a first great surprise awaits us: there is the best wheelchair ramp in the city. It has the best angle, it’s wide enough to welcome any wheelchair, and more importantly, it’s not hidden in a back entrance like most of the places in Beirut. We take pleasure walking the beautiful waterfront lane to Babel Bay, located at one end of Zaitunay Bay. Once seated, we’re quickly brought the menu. It’s small but it has everything a Lebanese restaurant should have: cold and hot mezze and grills. The thing with Babel Bay, is that it’s not only a Lebanese restaurant, it’s also maritime inspired and creative. Their fusion dishes resemble nothing you’ve ever seen on a Lebanese “sofra.” Our waiter offers to help us by telling us which are the most ordered dishes; we’re quickly served a seafood salad, made of fruit julienne with octopus, scallops and white fish, a selection of raw fish and ginger, a breaded fish fillet on a spicy ratatouille, seafood in a flaky pastry, octopus in a fish kebbeh, beetroot purée with walnuts and olive oil, and the list continues. For the best Lebanese seafood you’ll ever have, try the shrimp and eggplant fatteh: grilled spicy shrimp, crispy fried bread, grilled eggplant, creamy laban and paprika sauce.

When you go to Babel Bay, like any other Lebanese restaurant, there’s an important choice to make: you either go for the full mezze experience or make a few concessions for the grills. For my review, Teddy and I went for both, but only for RAGMAG – we ate less than half of each dish to have grilled shrimp and it was totally worth it. The shrimps were just big enough and cooked to perfection, with that special taste that the charcoal grill brings to fresh shellfish. End your meal with the restaurants selection of fresh fruits and oriental sweets like “ashta” with honey – if you have any room left for dessert!

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MASTERS THE ROPES OF LEBANESE FUSION The Lebanese restaurant review tip: You don’t judge a Lebanese restaurant by its creativity – you judge their most basic dishes: the tabbouleh and the hummus. If they can’t master these, they can do all the fusion dishes they want, it won’t be good. I did order the parsley salad and chickpea puree, and it was perfectly done – well seasoned salad, and flavorful hummus The + + The service. It’s quick and efficient – the waiters know the menu by heart and offer their help. + The setting. The ceiling is a night sky full of shining stars, and a multitude of modern looking suspended lamps to light up the space while the walls are made of old stones. The interior is a continuity of the restaurant’s cuisine: at once traditional and modern. + The presentation. Some of the dishes look like dessert, others are deconstructed dishes – it’s as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.

The – - There isn’t enough room under the tables to fit a wheelchair. It’s a shame the restaurant didn’t follow the Zaitunay Bay initiative inside the restaurant.

BABEL BAY | Zaitunay Bay 01 370 846 ZaitunayBay

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ON A BUDGET

SMALL BUDGET WEDDINGS INSPIRES LEBANESE COUPLES TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX WHEN PLANNING THEIR NUPTIALS

BY SABINA LLEWELLYN-DAVIES

ABOVE + OPPOSITE PAGE: WEDDING DECOR BY NADINE KALACHE OF SMALL BUDGET WEDDINGS

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ebanon’s wedding industry is certainly worth loads of money. Most girls in the country grow up with extremely high expectations for an extravagant wedding and many just won’t compromise on the expenditure. But, after the honeymoon couples return home to face huge wedding bills and realize that the thousands spent on their wedding may have been better saved. Starting married life in debt is not the ideal situation and more Lebanese couples are now looking to cut costs.

Nadine Kalache from Small Budget Weddings has certainly found a niche in the local wedding market. She initiated her wedding planning agency in 2010 with the aim to make weddings as affordable as possible... without losing the magic

of the day. She decided to set up her agency after realizing that few wedding planners are willing to realize a dream wedding on a small budget.

“I decided to work with this niche in particular because it feels great to see a project accomplished with creative ideas and the enthusiasm from both bride and groom-to be and myself.”

Nadine’s clients are mainly young professionals who work hard for a living and need to save up for their wedding reception.

TYING THE KNOT ON A BUDGET | SMALL BUDGET WEDDINGS

‘WHAT AM I PREPARED TO GIVE UP? WILL I BE GENUINELY HAPPY WITH A BUDGET WEDDING? OR SHOULD I WAIT AND SAVE MORE TO GET THE WEDDING I REALLY WANT? THIS IS A HARD ONE THAT COMPLETELY DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL’

ask themselves, “What am I prepared to give up? Will I be genuinely happy with a budget wedding? Or should I wait and save more to get the wedding I really want? This is a hard one that completely depends on the individual,” says Nadine. For her, the key to a great day is meticulous planning.

So far the cost for her most affordable wedding was $17,000. The wedding for 230 persons included food and alcohol, sound, lights, a dance stage, fireworks, DJ, zaffe, hostesses, flowers arrangements, photo video and cake… all the elements for a Lebanese wedding. But, still quite costly compared to weddings in other countries where some inventive couples manage to tie the knot for less than $2,000. For this summer she is planning a wedding in a beautiful winery setting where DIY crafts will be the main theme. “A tight budget forces you to be creative with ideas and I have to say that the bride is very creative and a big fan of crafts,” admits Nadine.

Nadine insists that there is a good demand for her services, but, weddings are seasonal as most people want to get married in summer. Her advice is to get married during fall or winter when the suppliers’ prices can be negotiable and hence can be more affordable. Even the very best venues have quieter times, so check when they are and look to negotiate costs if you book an off-peak time. Costs can be cut even further by partying in a friend’s garden, so go on, shock family and friends by cutting out the zaffe and organizing a barbeque with some funky music playing in background. One of the nicest weddings I went to took place in an apple orchard lined with wooden tables featuring fabulous lighting made by the bride’s friend: scooped out apples with candles inside +961 3 382830 Small Budget Weddings nadinekalache@hotmail.com

Nadine incorporates many DYI (Do It Yourself) ideas in the planning and she always advises couples to reevaluate their priorities and perceptions of a perfect wedding. “To save money, sacrifices have to be made somewhere, and every bride needs to decide what she is prepared to sacrifice.” Nadine meets with the young couple over a cup of coffee for an initial brainstorming session to decide on the top three priorities for their wedding. The couples should

GO GREEN

Planning a ‘zero waste wedding’ is the latest rage in Europe where weddings include recyclable plates and utensils, organic and fair trade-certified food, locally brewed beer and organic wine. Instead of traditional gifts, guests are asked to sign up for renewable energy and reforestation projects to counteract their energy consumption or to donate to local environmental groups.

Over the last few years the interest in green weddings has even spread to Lebanon. Some couples want to incorporate a few green elements, like sending out invitations online, serving a vegetarian menu using locally grown ingredients or decorating the venue with potted plants that can be transplanted. Baabda forest and Ecovillage, Chouf, are becoming trendy venues for weddings for lebanese couples who like to think out of the box.

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Miniature Wedding Cake Series

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.

Currently brides are looking for traditional wedding cakes with a modern twist. Here is a recipe and an idea that offers both, it provides a cutting cake and individual cakes in a variety of flavours that can be used as wedding favors as well.

For more great ideas, check her out on the web http://www.mylara.me @laraariss bylara

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MINIATURE WEDDING CAKE SERIES

/ LEMON SPONGE CAKE INGREDIENTS •400 grams unsalted butter, softened at room temperature •400 grams caster sugar •3 tablespoons rice flour •8 eggs, at room temperature •400 grams self-rising flour •Zest of 4 oranges OR Zest of 4 lemons depending on your choice •Vegetable oil

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 200°C. • Grease a 30 x 40 cm baking tray with vegetable oil. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside the baking tray.

• Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment place the butter, sugar and zest, cream together until pale in colour and fluffy.

• Beat the eggs lightly in another bowl and slowly add to the mix (while paddling on medium speed), until well combined.

• Bring down the speed of the mixer and gradually add in the flour.

• Evenly fill the baking tray with the cake batter, using a palette knife.

• Bake for 25 minutes, test the sponge with a cocktail stick; it should come out clean.

INGREDIENTS •200 grams unsalted butter, softened at room temperature •200 grams caster sugar •150 grams self-rising flour •4 eggs, at room temperature •50 grams cocoa powder •50 grams dark chocolate •Vegetable oil

METHOD • Preheat oven to 200°C. • Grease a 15 cm round cake tin with vegetable oil. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside the baking tray.

• Melt the dark chocolate over a bain-marie.

• Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment place the butter, sugar and zest, cream together until pale color and fluffy.

• Pour in the melted dark chocolate.

• Beat the eggs lightly in another bowl and slowly add to the mix, while paddling on medium speed, until well combined.

• Bring down the speed of the mixer and gradually add in the flour.

• Evenly fill the baking tray with the cake batter, using a palette knife.

• Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, test the sponge with a cocktail stick; it should come out clean.

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/ LEMON BUTTER CREAM INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

•75 grams caster sugar •15 ml water

•125 grams unsalted butter, softened at room temperature •125 grams caster sugar •Finely grated zest of 1 orange OR finely grated zest of 1 lemon

METHOD • Place the sugar and the water in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously.

• Store in the refrigerator if not using immediately.

METHOD • Place the butter, sugar and flavouring in a bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.

• Store in the refrigerator if not using immediately.

/ LEMON SUGAR SYRUP INGREDIENTS •250 grams sugar •250 ml water •1Finely grated zest of 1 orange OR Juice of 1 lemon

METHOD • Place the sugar and the water in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously.

• When lukewarm, add the flavorings if so desired.

• Store in the refrigerator if not using immediately.

• 100 grams orange marmalade (store bought) OR 150 grams lemon curd (store bought).

INGREDIENTS

GANACHE

•125 ml double cream •125 grams dark chocolate •Juice of 1 orange

Store Bought INGREDIENTS •450 grams white marzipan •5 kg sugar paste •150 grams apricot jam

METHOD • Place the cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

• Place the chocolate in a bowl, and pour the boiled cream over it and stir using a whisk.

• Pour in the juice and continue to whisk.

• Let it cool slightly, as if it is beginning to harden, before using.

• If not using immediately, store in an air tight container and bring back to room temperature before using.

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MINIATURE WEDDING CAKE SERIES

ROYAL INGREDIENTS •150 ml water •25 grams dried egg white powder •1 kg icing sugar •1 tablespoon lemon juice

• Fill the bag with stiff-peak royal icing.

• Pipe a small dot of icing on top of the flower nail, stick one of the paper squares on top and hold in one hand.

• Hold the pipping bag in the other hand at a 45 degree angle to the nail, with the wide end touching the center of the flower nail and the narrow end pointing out and slightly raised.

• Squeeze out the first petal and give the nail a one-fifth turn as you move the nozzle out towards the edge of the flower nail. Use less pressure as you are moving back towards the centre and curve the nozzle slightly to give the petal a natural shape. Stop squeezing as the wide end touches the center of the nail and lift up the nozzle.

• Repeat this 4 more times to make all the petals.

• Remove the flower with its base paper from the nail and leave it to dry.

• Pipe small yellow dots into the centers as stamens.

METHOD

• Mix the dried egg white powder and pass through a sieve to get rid of any lumps.

• Place the icing sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer, add about three-quarters of the dried egg white powder mixture and the lemon juice, and mix at low speed.

• Once the mixture is well combined, check the consistency.

If the sides of the bowl still look dry and crumbly, add some more dried egg white until the icing looks almost smooth but not wet.

• Keep mixing for about 5 minutes, until it has reached stiff-peak consistency for piping sugar flowers and leaves.

• Spoon into a plastic container, two plastic containers and add pink food colouring - two different shades, one shade in each container and combine, cover with a damp cloth and leave at room temperature.

• Pipe 80 5-petal flowers in two shades of pink: cut small squares from parchment paper slightly larger than the flower to be piped.

• Make a paper piping bag and snip the tip off the empty bag to produce an opening large enough to fit a metal piping tube. Drop a narrow piping nossel inside the bag.

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• Once the sponge cakes are cool, trim the top crust off each of them using a serrated knife.

• For the orange cakes, slice the sheet of orange sponge in half and brush the tops of both layers with orangeflavoured sugar syrup.

• Spread one layer with orange marmalade then with orange butter cream, and sandwich the other on top.

Wrap in cling film and chill for at least one hour until firm.

• For the lemon cakes, slice the sheet of lemon sponge in half and soak the tops of both layers with the lemon-flavoured sugar syrup.

• Spread one layer with lemon curd, then with lemon buttercream and sandwich

the other on top. Wrap with cling film and chill for one hour until firm.

• For the 15 cm top tier, slice the round chocolate sponge into 3 layers and brush each one with the plain sugar syrup.

• Layer the sponges with the chocolate ganache. Chill for at least one hour until the ganache has set.

• Once set, stick the chocolate cake on to a 15 cm round cake board with a dab of the ganache and coat it with ganache once more until even and smooth. Chill again for one hour.

• Take the chilled orange and lemon sponge out of the fridge and cut out rounds from them using a 5 cm diameter pastry cutter. Each sheet should produce about 40. Place them on a tray, wrap in cling film and chill again until needed.

• For the top tier: remove the chocolate cake from the fridge and cover it in a thin coat of chocolate ganache to help the marzipan stick.

• Cover the cake with the marzipan and then 500 grams of the white sugar paste.

Let the cakes rest for 24 hours.

• Once the cake has set, use pink eaten ribbons around the side of the cake, dot with royal icing to act as glue.

• For the miniature cakes: bring the apricot jam to the boil in a small pan.

Remove all the little cakes from the fridge and brush the tops and the sides with jam, using a pastry brush.

• On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out some of the white sugar paste into a thickness of 5mm.

• Cover each cake with the sugar paste and trim off the excess. Use cake smoothers to smooth the top and the

142 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

sides. Place the cakes on a tray lined with grease proof paper and let them set over night.

• Stick a 5-petal flower in a shade matching that of the ribbon on top of each cake with a of icing sugar.

• Mix a little bit of royal icing with some green food colouring, snip the tip of the paper icing bag in a ‘V’ shape and pipe small leaves around each flower.

• Place the 15 cm cake on the top tier of a cake stand. Arrange the little cakes on the tiers below, leaving some gaps for fresh roses.

• Arrange some fresh roses and petals all over the cake stand and the top tier.

Have a happy and joyful Easter

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SPINNEYS|HAZMIEH| - JBEIL - ZAITUNAY BAY

THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE

143

OUT + ABOUT

IMPOSSIBLY HORECA 2012 HOSPITALITY TRADE FAIR HIGHLIGHTS THE BEST OF THE INDUSTRY AND PULLS IN THE CROWDS WITH A PACKED PROGRAM OF ATTRACTIONS AND EXHIBITOR INNOVATIONS

BY SABINA LLEWELLYN-DAVIES

S

ince its establishment back in 1994, HORECA has become a hotspot for hospitality professionals and industry traders alike attracting a wide audience. This year, they turned out, once again, in force to see the latest trends in catering equipment, food and beverage, and tableware and technology, and attend a packed program of conferences, workshops, book signings and tastings, during the four-day event at Biel exhibition center, Beirut.

“HORECA is the annual business meeting place for the food and hospitality industries in the Levant region,” says Joumana Dammous Salamé, managing director, Hospitality Services, organizers of HORECA. “It aims to reward excellence and to highlight innovation and creativity.” This year, she expected over 12,000 trade visitors to attend HORECA, the biggest ever, hosting around 350 exhibitors from all over the world. International and local chefs gave fascinating culinary demonstrations and students of the trade competed in the live 144 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

cooking competitions, hugely popular events which pulled in hoards of young enthusiasts. Lebanon’s top hotels and restaurants were represented by their chefs to compete in best sandwich, six course set dinner, novelty cake, plated dessert, and canapés competitions.

The opening day featured the Atelier Gourmand, which celebrated Lebanese cuisine with a hummus tasting session.

Celebrity chefs and members of the

“HORECA IS THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING PLACE FOR THE FOOD AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIES IN THE LEVANT REGION [...]

IT AIMS TO REWARD EXCELLENCE AND TO HIGHLIGHT INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY” public sampled some unusual variations on a classic dish. The hummus with fish came up trumps for Jacques Charrette, President , L’Academie Nationale de Cuisine de France, “It is really delicious.” And, as hummus always needs a feisty partner to add some bite, the Extra Virgin Olive Oil stand was on hand to showcase a selection of Lebanon’s finest, and visitors were encouraged to vote on the best taste and bottle design.

IMPOSSIBLY BETTER | HORECA 2012

Most of the county’s wine producers were on hand to give samplings, highlighting the importance of the precious liquid as Lebanon’s largest export. Sommeliers and headwaiters competed for the best service competition and an award was given to the best restaurant wine list. And, if you ever wondered what a difference a glass makes, then, just ask Phillipe Guillon, brand ambas-

sador for Riedel, Austrian glass makers since 1756, who told it all at the Beverage and Wine Lab. And, yes, it really is true… the bigger the better.

Arak, the country’s traditional popular tipple, was also promoted with tasting sessions. And, enthusiastic bartenders gave tips on how to make incredible looking and delicious non-alcoholic cocktails. Tea experts introduced

LEBANESE FLORISTS PRESENTED SCRUMPTIOUS DISPLAYS, THE MOST STUNNING WAS A CONCOCTION OF TOMATOES, EGGPLANTS, CARROTS, PEPPERS, GRAPES, BANANAS… GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT ON THE SPOT! the latest flavors and trends, and coffee traders offered samplings of their brew.

Lebanese florists presented scrumptious displays, the most stunning was a concoction of tomatoes, eggplants, carrots, peppers, grapes, bananas… good enough to eat on the spot! The four day event also featured forums on more serious and challenging issues such as food safety and certification, and, most importantly, the food supply chain.

HORECA 2012 was a vibrant show, buzzing with lively events, excellent products, quality stands and exceptional buyer and seller interaction. “It’s a great show, I have been to each and every one,” said visitor Kamel Kabbani. “And, I can say that this is the best so far … looking forward to next year’s edition.”

HORECA 2012 opened its doors from March 20 to 23 at Biel exhibition center, Beirut, Lebanon PHOTOGRAPHY TEDDY HABIB

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RAGMAG

ASTRO

Zodiac FROM JONATHAN CAINER

April.2012

APRIL BRINGS MARS TO THE END OF ITS RECENT RETROGRADE PHASE. THOUGH NO PLANET EVER REALLY TRAVELS BACKWARDS THROUGH THE ZODIAC, THIS OPTICAL ILLUSION HAS LONG BEEN A STRONG SYMBOL OR ‘OMEN’. MARS IS THE PLANET OF ACTION, ADVENTURE AND AMBITION, PLUS COMPETITION, CONFLICT AND CONTENTION. GENERALLY, WHILE IT APPEARS TO BE REVERSING, PEOPLE FIND IT EASIER TO PLOT AND PLAN FOR SUCCESS THAN TO GET UP AND GET MOVING TOWARDS IT. THIS MONTH, THE BRAKES COME OFF... AND IN SOME CASES, SO DO THE GLOVES. BUT THOSE WITH HIGH HOPES OF PROGRESS SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE SOME SOON!

ROBERT DOWNEY JR.

EMMA WATSON

TAURUS April 21 - May 21

Some people aspire to retire to a castle on an uninhabited island. Others dream of a Himalayan cave where they might find tranquillity through isolation. Peace of mind, though, is as attainable in a crowded street, as it is in an empty meadow. And if you’re going to pay heed to a bunch of worrying thoughts and irritating memories, you will find they can just as easily pursue you to your remote idyll. It is important to remember, in April, that a current problem will not be fixed by a change of location. It needs a change of attitude but that’s well within your power.

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

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

146 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

GEMINI

What do we need to find our way through a moral maze? A moral compass. When does a compass give a false reading?

When it is close to a powerful source of magnetism. Then, true north can no longer be detected. The pointer swings emphatically towards a false signal. It doesn’t tell you, though, that this is what it is doing. You march forward, confident in the knowledge that you are heading north, whilst all the time a precious principle is heading south! You will be fine as long as you keep double-checking your direction this month.

May 22 - June 22 Look, up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No - it’s a flying pig! And hang on, what’s behind it? Why it is a leopard, visibly changing its spots! What a magnificent menagerie on your heavenly horizon.

Unfortunately, this is all about as much use as a chocolate teapot. Promises are cheap. Any fool can make them and break them. Actions, in April, will turn out to be worth a thousand words - especially if they are your actions, resulting from your choices. Don’t bluff and don’t be bullied.

Just play with a straight bat if you want to be bowled straight balls.

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

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June 23 - July 23 Criminals, apparently, often return to the scene of the crime. They are drawn there by a strangely compulsive urge to gloat, to relive the experience... or to taunt the authorities that are still pursuing them.

People with something to hide will often somehow hint at their hidden agenda.

They cannot or won’t reveal it, but they may well allude to it, perhaps in the form of a joke or a chance remark. With this in mind please, let’s look again at the strange things someone has been doing or saying lately. April reveals a secret that ultimately benefits you greatly.

July 24 - August 23 Doctors come under a lot of pressure to issue prescriptions. Sometimes, there may be no need at all for a treatment.

The problem may be likely to clear itself up if it is left alone. But the patient might feel disappointed if they have to leave the surgery empty-handed. And doctors are not allowed to prescribe a placebo, even though placebos have been scientifically proven to be effective in many cases. This month there are several ways in which you could heal a wound or cure a fear. You can apply any solution you like, as long as you put your faith in it.

LEO

VIRGO

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

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CANCER

LIBRA

SCORPIO

August 24 - September 23 Whatever you do, someone will criticise you for it. This is not, by the way, my prediction for your outlook in April. It is just a general observation. Here is something else you can say to pretty much anyone at any time. ‘Today is the first day of the rest of your life’. That’s true today; it will be true tomorrow. All through April you will keep feeling as if you are arriving at bright new beginnings. But you will also keep encountering reasons to doubt yourself. Now you just have to choose which of these day-to-day realities you are going to take seriously.

SAGITTARIUS

September 24 - October 23 When we read about the lives of great saints and wise philosophers, we can easily start to feel a little awe-struck. How much they understood! How compassionate they were! What tremendous self-discipline they had! But we don’t automatically feel inclined to apply their values to our own lives. Rather, we think, ‘they might have managed to be so tolerant and forgiving but I could not do that.’ But you are made of the same stuff! April brings your chance to do what a great saint would do and to see how your own life is just as special.

October 24 - November 22 The world is full of commuters. People making the same old journey, to and from the same old place, day after day. Even those of us who do not travel so much frequently retrace the same old psychological steps. What will April bring you?

Another trip around the same old circuit?

Or a magical mystery tour? Are you ready for a joyous discovery? Are you anxious lest it comes at the expense of a tense experience or a brush with unnerving uncertainty? Don’t fear that! Indeed, don’t fear anything. This is where life gets interesting and... pleasing.

November 23 - December 21 When you arrive at a beach that you have never visited before, it can take a while to work out whether the tide is in or out. If it’s miles from the shore, that’s a clue. If there is no beach to be seen, that’s another. But otherwise, you will just see waves rolling in. What can you tell from that? They keep rolling in, even when they seem to be rolling out. You have got to watch for a while before you can be sure. Your current assessment of how things stand in April, is not yet supported by unassailable evidence. Until it is, just trust and keep watching.

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

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

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

December 22 - January 20 Saturn is not just the ruler of your sign; it is the planet of time. Its long sojourn in your house of power is making you keen to take control of a chaotic situation. It’s all very well to be of help to everyone else, but what does this give you in return? You need to set some agendas of your own, not just keep following other people’s schedules. If you feel tired and listless, as if your life is an endless treadmill, then April could bring you to a significant turning point. Gently but firmly, you can now restructure your life so that you spend more time doing something truly fulfilling.

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

PISCES

January 21 - February 19 Satellite navigation systems have an option in their ‘settings’ menu called Shortest Routes. Unwary travellers, often seize on this with glee. ‘Aha’, they say, ‘this will get me to my destination much more efficiently, saving fuel as well as time.’ Thus, they set off cross-country, down tiny tracks, across streams and through gated woodlands. The best way from A to B is rarely so direct. It is not the shortest route you need to take in April, it is the most efficient route. What you now feel inclined to resent as a detour is an essential part of a positive process.

February 20 - March 20 Some people will swear that black is white - whilst those who can actually see the truth will often keep their voices to a whisper. We should beware the drum-bangers.

And, when people keep pressing home the same point, we should wonder whether, perhaps, they protest too much. Others are now making public pronouncements.

You feel inclined to disbelieve these - yet you do not have much evidence to back up your interpretation of events. Even so, you should trust your judgement. Don’t listen, in April, to what’s being said, watch what’s being done.

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

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

THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE

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BRAINFOOD ROUND #1

ROUND #2

History

ROUND #3

Science

1. Which famous explorer sailed

in ships named the “Nina-Pinta” and the “Santa Maria”?

2. The STASI were the secret

1. In weaponry, what do the letters

2. What can be in line, V or flat?

2. What gift is supposedly given to

letters GM mean?

SLR mean?

those who pilgrim to Mecca, on behalf of the King Of Saudi?

the easiest to recycle? Paper, Aluminium or Glass?

3. What was the real name of the

WWII leader who was known as “The Desert Fox”?

3. You see on an email the letters BCC. What do they mean?

4. On the Mohs scale of hardness

exiled to the Seychelles in 1956. From which country was he exiled?

6. Which famous Emperor died

be saved in JPEG format. JPEG means Joint Photographic what?

6. What was the name of the first

comercial passenger jet airliner?

7. CMOS is the name of certain

on the island of St. Helena?

(1821)

types of integrated circuits. C stands for Complimentary and S stands for semi-conductor. What does MO stand for?

7. What mathematical calculating aid did John Napier invent in 1614?

8. Robert Whitehead invented what

8. Who was the first man to fly

type of weapon that is typically used by submarines?

across the English channel?

9. In which country was

American to go into space?

for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Director?

3. What is the TV program that

played the part of the first girl to be killed at the beginning of the film?

Retsina wine come from?

6. How many feet are there in a

5. Name the two presenters of

fathom?

7. In the phoenetic alphabet what is the letter “Q”?

Mythbusters?

6. In the TV program “Animal Cops

Huston” you can see the E.A.M.T.s.

What does EAMT stand for?

8. French recipe book called

“Laurousse Gastronomique” has nine different recipes for cooking what type of meat?

7. In the James Bond film

9. What was Coco Channel’s real

“Goldfinger“ what nationality was Odd Job?

8. Which bank does actor Sean

Connery advertise on TV with the phrase “It’s time for green banking”?

10. Roman numerals. What is the

extracted from kimberlite?

10. What was the name of the first

2. Which 1991 film won the Oscars

4. In the film “Scream” which actress

5. From which country does

first name?

9. What precious commodity is

Nostradamus born?

advertised “Clear” shampoo on TV?

says it shows its pictures at up to 20,000 frames per second?

“Pianissimo” mean?

5. On your computer pictures can

5. Archbishop Mkarious was

1. Which female sports personality

4. In music what does the term

diamond is rated the hardest, what is rated as the softest?

4. In what year did the Berlin wall come down?

Tv and Films

1. In food marking, what do the

3. What material is supposedly

police of which country?

ROUND #4

Trivia

10. In the brewing of alcohol what do

result of MMM-MD in roman numbers?

9. Which female personality joined

the letters O. G. mean?

the judges on American Idol in September 2009?

EASY

7 4

3

4 5 8 1 4

7 2 4 6 8 9 6

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

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

9 8

3

4 9 8 5 1

1 8 9

3 5 2

6

8 3

9 5 7 6

3 4 8 9

7 2 9 4 5

ROUND#1

ROUND#2 ROUND#3

ROUND#4

9 4

9 5 7 1 2 8

1 8 4 9 7

3 5

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

1. Christopher Columbus 2. East Germany (GDR) 3. Field Marshall Erwin Rommel 4. 1989 (9th Nov) 5. Cyprus 6. Napoleon Bonaparte 7. Logarithms 8. Louis Bleriot 9.France 10. Gus Grissom 1. Genetically Modified 2. Engine Cylinders 3. Aluminium 4. Talcum Powder 5. Experts Group 6. Comet 7. Metal Oxide 8. Torpedo 9. Diamond 10. Original Gravity 1. Self Loading Rifle 2. Small bottle of virgin Olive Oil 3. Blind Carbon Copy 4. Very softly 5. Greece 6. Six 7. Quebec 8. Camel 9. Gabrielle 10. MD (3000-1500=1500) 1. Maria Sharipova 2. Silence of the Lambs 3. Time Warp 4. Drew Barrymore 5. Jamie Hinerman and Adam Savage 6. Emergency Animal Medical Technician 7. Korean 8. Credit Agricole 9. Ellen de Generes 8 5 1 8 3 4 6 9 2 7 5 3 7 2 1 9 4 6

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

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

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

148 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

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

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

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

3 9 7 8 5 2 6 1 4

6 4 2 1 7 3 5 8 9

8 5 1 9 6 4 3 2 7

4 8 3 7 2 9 1 6 5

2 6 9 5 1 8 7 4 3

1 7 5 4 3 6 8 9 2

9 3 8 6 4 5 2 7 1

5 1 6 2 9 7 4 3 8

7 2 4 3 8 1 9 5 6

2 4 9 3 7 6 1 8 5

7 1 5 9 4 8 2 3 6

8 6 3 1 5 2 9 7 4

9 5 1 4 6 3 7 2 8

4 2 6 7 8 9 3 5 1

3 7 8 5 2 1 4 6 9

6 9 4 8 3 7 5 1 2

1 3 2 6 9 5 8 4 7

5 8 7 2 1 4 6 9 3

DOWN

1. Defendant?

3. Support for a crane.

4. Mercy.

5. Can’t sit still.

7. Decoration.

8. Highest point.

9. A lesion.

10. Chewed in Yemen.

11. Original inhabitant.

12. Aired.

14. To do with horses.

17. Great juices!

19. Thick skinned hoofed

mammals.

22. Become weak.

23. Negotiator.

27. A jackdaw.

28. Security against loss.

30. End of a marriage?

32. Not smooth.

33. Moved very quickly.

37. Existing locally in space.

38. Nobleman.

39. Used to make fire?

40. He makes 54 across.

41. He brings a civil action.

42. Not vertical.

45. Yellowish.

46. A cat or a car?

51. Copper and tin alloy.

52. Not a Mrs.?

53. Beginner.

55. Living together for mutual

benefit.

59. Number of electron pairs an

atom can share with other atoms.

60. At an angle.

61. Move unsteadily.

62. One form of treatment.

63. To do with finances.

67. Coffee liquor.

68. Lower part of the back.

70. Run away.

72. Held in high opinion.

77. A hard growth on the skin.

26. An aboriginal war club.

29. Hot pepper?

31. Safe place.

34. To do with a flood.

35. Stupid person.

36. Harvest.

37. Final demand.

43. Reveal.

44. It will rot.

47. Is careful.

48. The rule book of sex?

49. Chemical symbol is O3.

50. Invalidate.

54. Large wing feather.

56. Usually pulled by horses.

57. The start.

58. Cruel.

59. Underground cemetery?

64. Large waterfall.

65. Take from another.

66. Increase.

69. Preliminary introduction.

71. Large drinks containers?

73. Praise.

74. Similar to a stoat.

75. He didn’t like children?

76. A large win.

78. A wild dog.

79. Compensation.

80. Great expanse!

81. Approve.

FILM SAFETY DEVICE FOR SHIPS?

ONE WAY TO SWIM

POT OOOOOOOO FOOD?

A WAR FILM DAY DAY DAY DAY

THINK

CARTOON CHARACTER

T U BE QUIET! H S GOOD EXERCISE?

DON’T USE LOGIC

ACROSS 2. POLYGAMOUS - 6. ERRONEOUS 10. QUASHED - 13. BEREFT 15. INCOHERENT - 16. DISPENSE 18. EQUIVALENT - 20. PERIODIC 21. PREJUDICE - 24. CONGREGATED 25. GAIT - 26. WADDY - 29. JALAPENO 31. HAVEN - 34. DILUVIAL - 35. OAF 36. REAP - 37. ULTIMATUM - 43. DIVULGE 44. BIODEGRADABLE - 47. DILIGENT 48. KAMASUTRA 49. OZONE - 50. NULLIFY 54. QUILL - 56. WAGON - 57. ONSET 58. BRUTAL - 59. CATACOMB 64. CATARACT - 65. DIVEST - 66. INTENSIFY 69. PREAMBLE - 71. VATS - 73. LAUD 74. WEASEL - 75. HEROD - 76. JACKPOT 78. JACKAL - 79. REPARATION 80. VASTNESS - 81. RATIFY

2. Has more than one partner.

6. Mistaken.

10. Set aside.

13. Lacking.

15. Irrational.

16. Distribute.

18. Equal to.

20. A table of elements.

21. Bias against.

24. Assembled.

25. A way of walking?

DOWN 1. RESPONDENT - 3. GANTRY 4. CLEMENCY - 5. FIDGETS - 7. MOTIF 8. ZENITH - 9. ULCER 10. QAT 11. ABORIGINE - 12. VENTILLATED 14. EQUINE - 17. MACCAW 19. PACHYDERMS - 22. LANGUISH 23. ARBITRATOR - 27. KADDER 28. INDEMNITY 30. ANNULMENT 32. JAGGED - 33. ZOOMED - 37. UBIETY 38. MARQUIS - 39. FLINT - 40. WAINWRIGHT 41. PLAINTIFF - 42. HORIZONTAL 45. JAUNDICED - 46. JAGUAR - 51. BRONZE 52. MISS - 53. NOVICE - 55. SYMBIOTIC 59. COVALANCE 60. CANTED - 61. WAMBLE 62. HOMEOPATHY - 63. FISCAL 67. KAHLUA - 68. LUMBAR - 70. ABSCOND 72. ESTEEM - 77. WART

ACROSS

THE TYING THE KNOT ISSUE

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BROKEN ARROW - LIGHT HOUSE - BUGGS BUNNY - BACK STROKE - POTATOES - SHUT UP - LONGEST DAY THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX - PUSH UPS

CULTURE CLASH

THE MAXIM OF LOVE

NEW FILM BY LEBANESE DIRECTOR JOE ABOU EID

BY IMOGEN KIMBER

T

annoura Maxi is a labour of love in many senses for Director Joe Abou Eid. Not only did Eid give five years of his time for this film but he also plucked the story from his own heart as it is the love story of his parents. Passionate and sexually charged, the film charts the forbidden love of his father, a village priest, and the mysterious young woman from Beirut, new to the insular village and its strict social rules, who will later become his mother.

The young woman, as one can see from her pictures alone, is feisty, full of life, and exudes a powerful will to do as she pleases. By contrast the life of the priest is mapped out before him and bound in obligation, or at least until he meets the catalysts that alter the course of his life and the lives of others around him.

A young boy takes the symbolic role of Eid as a child, but a timeless child watching something that was played out before he was even conceived. Like a ghostlike figure the young boy watches as the protagonists dance around each other in near silence. Weighing heavily on symbolism and cinematography, Eid left his two main characters, his parents, with almost no speech, preferring the poetry of image over the poetry of language. Perhaps Eid is paying homage to his childlike self by allowing his parents a mystical quality through their silence, positioning them as pedestaled idols.

150 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012

In this plotline of emotional struggle we observe the power of tradition and religion, society, community and war. Eid ran the tale of love in parallel of a story, as war is an integral part of both the story and part of the lives of anyone in Lebanon in 1982. For Eid he is demonstrating the parallels or contrasts that the country faces between grief and joy or pain and pleasure. The narrator, Eid himself, tries to silence the war by avoiding the radio and changing the TV channel, yet this is ironic as it is the war that brought his parents together and of course made his life and even the retelling of the story possible.

Eid’s self-proclaimed objective of his film is to deliver raw emotion. He explores and delves into the depth and glory of human sentiment. Along with powerful emotions come powerful stories from the past, present and future. We watch the stories unravel and exposure, oppression and platonic collide as the struggle of both protagonists has a similar underlying issue, they are fighting to be true to themselves.

The two central characters Amer the Priest and Alya the young woman are played by Chady Tineh and Joy Karam respectively. The Director and Writer is Joe Bou Eid. Premiered at the Dubai film festival ‘Tannoura Maxi’ is soon to reach the cinema screens in Lebanon

BELOW, LEFT: LEBANESE DIRECTOR JOE ABOU EID RIGHT+ABOVE: STILL IMAGES FROM “TANNOURA MAXI”

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www.georgeshobeika.com

152 RAGMAG | APRIL 2012