Bahrain This Month - November 2013

YOUR GUIDE TO A GREAT WAY OF LIFE

BD 2.000 (SR 20)

November 2013 ~ Vol. 17 ~ Issue 11 www.bahrainthismonth.com

The New Jaguar F-TYPE Now @ Euro Motors

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Featured This Month:

6 Hours of Racing | Feeling Good | Riffa Rediscovered

HAPPENINGS ­ ~ DINING ~ ARTS SCENE ~ CLUBS & SPORTS ~ KIDS’ EVENTS ~ AFTER DARK ~ SAT TV

Issue 195

Contents November 2013 Cover Story:

112 A Complete Picture Euro Motors reports the dealership is now the exclusive distributor for Jaguar in the Kingdom, and unveils the

112

replacement for the iconic E-TYPE — the F-TYPE.

Happenings: Bahrain This Month reviews events happening around town during the month of November 2013:

23

34

23 Six Hours of Racing: World Endurance motor sport at the BIC 26 A Chance to Shine: Jewellery Arabia showcases everything that glitters 28 Faulty Towers:A dining experience where bad service is guaranteed 30 Fairest of Them All: Manama Singers gear up for festive musical 32 Salute to Service: Poppy Ball to honour those who fought in WW1 34 Weaving Through History: Russian textile exhibition 46 An Artistic Alliance: A month of events at Alliance Française 48 Festive Bargains: The annual AWA Snowflake Craft Fair 50 The Boy Who Lied: The enduring story of Pinocchio 52 Starting a New Innings: The cricket season bounces into action 23-52 Calendars: Events during November

Spotlight:

74

50

70 For The Love of Art Dr Alfredo Gysi, chairman of BSI Bank, talks about investment in the arts as one of the world’s most famous violinists, and violins, perform in the Kingdom.

Business:

74 Driving Innovation

76

127 Bystander At BTM we celebrated National Days with our Indonesian and Chinese friends, and partied all night with the Australians at their annual ball. Last month was a busy month for car launches with a new version of Range Rover Sport and the all-new F-TYPE Jaguar making an appearance. We had a splendid time celebrating Oktoberfest at the Gulf Hotel and the third anniversary of Club Buffalo.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

‘Everything is possible’ is the mantra of Amina Al Hawaj, a female Bahraini investor who has received initial financing to manufacture her medical devices.

76 New Dimensions Adel Al Safar does not believe in treading the beaten track, preferring to undertake investments in niche market segments which offer sound returns.

November 2013 7

Issue 195

Contents November 2013 Discover Bahrain:

89 Rediscovering Riffa The Kingdom’s ‘second’ city has plenty to offer residents and visitors as Riffa makes its case to become an alternative destination to more traditional locations.

89

Downtime:

95 Let the Battle Begin: Fighting to control the game console 96 What’s That Sound?: Noisy friends 98 Showcase: Lulu Hypermarket gadgets 102 Music: Battle against adversity 104 Computer Games: Part by part 105 Websites: It sounds perfect 106 Apps: Let’s get troubleshooting 107 Movies: The captain has an escape plan

Motoring:

110

141

109 Great Deals: Time to buy a BMW ….

110 Test Drive: Hyundai Centennial 111 Showcase: Mercedes-Benz SUVs

Feeling Good, Looking Good:

127 A Happier, Healthier Life As we gear up for the festive season we know the score; we want to look great for all those invitations we’ll receive, and then we’ll have to shed a few pounds!

Dining:

139 Resurrecting an Icon: Oliveto’s will be bigger and better 140 Happenings: Where to dine this month 141 Showcase: The Domain’s new restaurants

153

161

After Dark:

153 Be Entertained: Karaoke Idol is sure to be hit 154 Happenings: Where to be seen this month 156 Showcase: Ramee Group of Hotels entertainment outlets

Showcase:

159 What’s New: Elegant and robust!

160 Marketplace: Latest products and services

Book your Trip at Regulated Tariff www.bahrainthismonth.com

Regulars:

181 WIN WIN 182 Tarotscope 183 AD Index 184 Last Word November 2013 9

The team

Bahrain This Month November 2013

Publisher and Chairman George F. Middleton Email: george@bahrainthismonth.com Publishing Director David M. Robertson Editorial queries: editor@redhousemarketing.com Editorial Consultant Dr. Paul Balles Assistant Editor Elma Bartholomew, Ankita Mamgain

Dear Readers,

Events Editor Maryam Toorani

In recent months we have covered the opening of new hotels and malls across the Kingdom. We rediscover Riffa in this issue with a look at what this growing city offers residents and tourists alike.

I was interested by a couple of stories in the erstwhile Gulf Daily News over the past month, in particular the report on the agreement to build a new theme park in Muharraq. There have also been pieces on new bridges to be built between Bahrain and both Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as the long-awaited expansion at Bahrain International Airport and the creation of a tourist village in Riffa.

Whether we are building hotels and shopping malls or the infrastructure to accommodate an increasing number of visitors to the Kingdom, Muharraq appears to have garnered a lead over the other four governorates with their proposed theme park. An increasing investment in leisure and entertainment assets beyond ‘shopping’ surely has to be a priority in the years ahead.

This month marks the 34th anniversary of my arrival in the Kingdom on 11th November 1979. During this time I have always been amazed by the little nuggets of gold that our tiny island yields. Our entrepreneur article is one such example.

Amina Al Hawaj is a female Bahraini inventor whose energy and passion for her chosen field has seen her develop a medical device to help those recovering from injuries to upper and lower limbs. I wish her well; she is an inspiration to those she encounters. Her company name, Momkin, says it all; in Arabic it translates to ‘everything is possible’.

We also talk to a veteran of the business community, Adel Al Safar, who demonstrates that age is never any constraint to ambition. As he ventures overseas to seek out new opportunities he is a reflection of today’s Bahraini businesses; building international arms to existing operations in the Kingdom.

As is usually the case in November, our happenings pages are packed with events; everything from an exhibition of Russian textiles to a seminar on using LinkedIn for business. So, whatever you choose to do this month, take time to enjoy the great way of life that the Kingdom has to offer.

Bystander Editor Anil Ravi Shankar Print Production Manager Sabu Sebastian Layout and Graphics Dalal Al-Sabbagh, Romeo San Miguel, Rodolfo A. Reyes Jr. Staff Photographers Shankar Kunhambu, Subeesh Kumar N S Administration and Finance Samson Vaz, Marlyn Ragasa Personnel Manager Bassem A. Al Khabbaz Media Sales Marise Prata Dos Santos, Hilary James Circulation Manager Fawaz Al Balooshi Distribution Team CM Abdul Rahman, Rafeeq Mohammed, Gopal Arul Kumar, Epegenio Tempra Jr. Distributor Al Hilal Corporation Photography Picture Arabia: andrew@picturearabia.com Printing Press Dar Akhbar Al Khaleej W.L.L., Bahrain

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RED HOUSE MARKETING P.O. Box 20461, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: (+973) 17 813-777, Fax: (+973) 17 813-700 Email: info@redhousemarketing.com www.bahrainthismonth.com © Copyright Reserved 2005 The concept, content, style and design of this publication remain the exclusive property of Red House Marketing (Jersey) Ltd. and must not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without prior written permission. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However, Red House Marketing cannot accept legal responsibility for any error or omission. expressed in this magazine by journalists •andViews writers are not necessarily those of the publishers of Bahrain This Month.

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Cover

Cover Picture: The new Jaguar F-TYPE sport car is now available at Euro Motors.

YOUR GUIDE TO A GREAT WAY OF LIFE

BD 2.000 (SR 20)

November 2013 ~ Vol. 17 ~ Issue 11

George F. Middleton Publisher and Chairman

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www.bahrainthismonth.com

1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION Bahrain: BD24

The New Jaguar F-TYPE Now @ Euro Motors

Gulf and international subscriptions available on request.

Bahrain This Month is a member of BPA Worldwide

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Featured This Month:

6 Hours of Racing | Feeling Good | Riffa Rediscovered

HAPPENINGS ~ DINING ~ ARTS SCENE ~ CLUBS & SPORTS ~ KIDS’ EVENTS ~ AFTER DARK ~ SAT TV

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Only 5 issues to go.

April 2014

Contributors James Claire (dining), Simi Kamboj

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bystanderthismonth

Chinese National Day Celebrations HE Li Chen, Chinese Ambassador hosted a reception to celebrate Chinese National Day. The event which was attended by, HE Dr Hassan Fakhro, Industry & Commerce Minister, HE Ghanim bin Fadel Al Buanien, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, HE Dr Abdulhussain Mirza, Minister of State for Electricity & Water Affairs, HE Sameera Rajab, Minister of State for Information Affairs, HE Khalifa Al Dhahrani, Parliament Chairman, diplomats & VIP guests was held at the Grand Ambassador Suite, The Diplomat Radisson Blu, Residence & Spa

Wang, Nancy, Shaikh Khalid & HE Li Chen

Dr Dhafer Al Umran & HE Li Chen

HE Sameera Rajab, HE Ghanim bin Fadel Al Buanien, HE Li Chen, HE Dr Hassan Fakhro & HE Abdulhussain Mirza with diplomats at the cake cutting ceremony

Shao, Wouroud, Liqaa, Allen, Wang, HE Li Chen & Robert

Avalon, Aaron & Chris

David & Bless

Rosita, Dr Jihan, Fawziya, Jameela, Inthizar & Chandhini

Kim, Sue & Min

Mala & Bridget

Ahmed Jawahery, Mr Khan, Jassim Al Zayani & Nabeel Ajoor

Wang, Fawaz, HE Li Chen & Shaima

12 November 2013

Hamid Al Zayani, Mohammed & Abdul Hussain Dawani

Li, Huang & Lu

Panos & Michael

Mehdi & Mohammed

Nicolas & Gina

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• 4 places to fly with the first team to watch Manchester United play in Europe • 4 chances to meet the new manager, David Moyes • 30 opportunities to watch the Reds play a match at Old Trafford • 10 opportunities to watch the first team train in Carrington • 10 autographed shirts by 11 first team players For more information, visit viva.com.bh Terms and conditions apply.

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Indonesian National Day Celebrations HE Chilman Arisman, Indonesian Ambassador hosted a reception to celebrate Indonesia's National Day. The event which was attended by, HE Ghanim bin Fadel Al Buanien, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, HE Sameera Rajab, Minister of State for Information Affairs, HE Khalifa Al Dhahrani, Parliament Chairman, diplomats & VIP guests was held at the Bahrain Conference Centre, Crowne Plaza Bahrain

HE Ghanim bin Fadel Al Buanien & HE Chilman Arisman

HE Ghanim bin Fadel Al Buanien, HE Chilman Arisman & HE Khalifa Al Dhahrani with diplomats at the cake cutting

Ratnawati & HE Chilman Arisman

Hafez, Hussain, HE Chilman Arisman, Rashida & Lisa

Romina, Ratnawati & Tomoko

Pugu, Mila & Taffy

Dipa, Avie, Fenny, Veira, Ratnawati, Desy & Harti

14 November 2013

Peter & Joohna Yu

Bless & David

Capt Mark

Diane, Jason & John

Mamoon & Hafiz

Jawad Y. Al Hawaj, Rashida & Ebrahim

Abdulla Juma & Ahmed

David, Dr Emir & Taufik

Yousif & Ahmed

Abdulrahman & Adnan

Mohammed & Yasin

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Range Rover Sport Launch Euro Motors, the exclusive distributor for Land Rover in Bahrain, marked the official launch of the all-new Range Rover Sport with an exclusive event at the Grand Foyer, Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, Hotel & Spa last month. The Range Rover Sport is the ultimate premium sports SUV and the fastest, most agile and most responsive vehicle ever produced by Land Rover

Shaikha Marwa & Shaikh Salman

Laura & Angel with the all-new Range Rover Sport

Shaikh Hamad & Nawaf Al Zayani

Zayed R. Alzayani & Khalid Al Zayani

Rashid Al Zayani

Yousif, Zayed R. Alzayani & Ibrahim

Tony, Henry & Francoise

16 November 2013

Erica, Anood & Paul

Hamid Al Zayani, Rob, Bridget Lindsay & HE Iain Lindsay, British Ambassador

Brenda & Priscilla

Wendy, Randa & Rania

Rob Preston, Jean, Anthony & Zayed R. Alzayani

Fahad, David & Bless

Abdulla & Mariam

Mariam & Azhar

Zayed R. Alzayani with Mr & Mrs Jarrar

Shaikh Khalid & Yousif

Ala'a & Hussain

Mohammed & Adel

Richard & John

Firas & Zaher

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Australian Ball 2013 The Australian Association of Bahrain held its Annual Australian Ball 2013 at the Gulf Hotel last month. The event was attended by HE Neil Hawkins, Australian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and members and guests from Bahrain & Saudi Arabia

Neil Hawkins & Boyd Winton

Bilyana & Thomas

Mel, Lyndsay & Annika

Brian, Lynn, Rose, Steve & Bill

Andrew, Sue, Sylvia & Paul

Elaine, Rhiett, Ross & Narelle

18 November 2013

Terry, Louise & Annmarie

Randa, Bassam & Abby

Harry, JK, Andy & Patrick

Judith, Paget & Claudia

Patric, Kaye, Louisa & Louise

Cherly, Louise & Briege

Henry, Debrah, Nicole, Swan & Greg

Dr Amy, Stephen, Steve & Lisa

Denise, Julie, Tariq & Anita

Betsy, Daisy & Gertrude

Chris, Linda & Louise

Nevine, Brandon, Tania & Gary

Marion, Sabby & Neeta

Susanne & Sara

Tina, James & Pamela

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AR 1723 - AR 1725

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Oktoberfest 2013 The Gulf Hotel hosted one of Germany’s biggest and most famous events of the year, The Oktoberfest 2013 at The Gulf Convention Centre.

The two day festival offered sumptuous German and Bavarian traditional food buffet, live traditional German entertainment featuring the famous Lasterbacher Musikanten Folk Band and a lot of traditional German beverages

Nawaf, Ron & Hesham

Marise & friends

Fiona, Graeme & Simon

Panos, Ron & Erick

Marina, Bob, Amina, Mona & Anna

The band entertains the guests

22 November 2013

Marion & Hansa

Marise, Zuhair & Rowena

Gio, Julius, Rao, Sonee & Shiva

Gina, Sascha & Volker

Christophe, Michael, Ian & Mia

Ron, Garfield & Travis

Harish & Ajith

Prakash & Rama

Lauren, Andrea & Kathy

Jude & Madan

Naser & John

Luca, Michael & Manuela

Mohammed & Tony

Steve

Ghazi

Ranjith & Pauly

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happeningsthismonth When? November 28-30 | Event? Endurance motor racing | Venue? Bahrain International Circuit

Six Hours of Power!

This endurance race returns to Bahrain, bringing with it awesome machines, former F1 drivers, the Porsche GT3 Cup and loads of off-track entertainment.

Taking place at the Bahrain International Circuit, the only Middle East host for a round of the World Endurance Championship, for the second year in a row the 6 Hours of Bahrain will see a large field of Le Mans racers compete in a gruelling test of endurance, skill, speed and reliability.

About 30 of the world’s fastest and most prestigious sports cars, run by the world’s premiere international autosport teams, will comprise the grid. Drivers will work in turns, swapping places behind the wheel a number of times as the six hours wear on.

“We are very excited to once again host the Six Hours of Bahrain for the second time in a row as the championship’s only Middle East race and bring the energy and the spirit of Le Mans racing to motorsport fans in the region,” says BIC chief executive Shaikh Salman. “We had a fantastic response to the debut Six Hours of Bahrain last year and there’s going to be even more excitement and entertainment this time around.”

Aside from the awesome on-track action, which includes the Porsche Middle East GT3 Challenge Cup and the BIC 2000cc support races, there is some great off-track entertainment for fans as well. For example, there’s an open paddock, meaning that visitors will get to see all the behind-the-scenes action Also this month

and possibly spot a few drivers wandering from the garages to the team buildings too.

And then there is a fantastic line-up of entertainment planned as well, including live performances by top local bands including the Awesome People, Alderon, the Legendz, the Gumz Filipino band and popular DJ John Revox.

A vast array of children’s entertainment acts will also feature, such as the Mary Poppins, Hairspray and Wizard of Oz stage shows, a number of roaming characters, carnival games and prizes, balloon twisters, face painters and other fun attractions.

In addition, there will be an area featuring the work of talented Bahraini artisans and craftsmen.

Action will get under way behind closed doors on November 28 with practice sessions. The first open day to the public will be November 29, which is when qualifying for the next day’s race will be held. The Six Hours of Bahrain is then scheduled to flag off at 3pm on November 30 and end at 9pm.

Tickets for the Six Hours of Bahrain cost BD20 for adults and BD10 for children aged from three to 12 years, while children aged up to three will enter for free. There’s a grand prize of a Ford Mustang as everyone who buys a ticket will automatically be entered into a raffle draw.

Tickets to BIC’s Le Mans Spirit Club cost BD200 and give holders a premium viewing experience coupled with the club’s world-class hospitality.

E Call 17 450-000 or visit www.bahraingp.com.

44 x Arts & Culture - 48 x Clubs & Societies - 50 x Teens & Kids - 52 x Sports & Recreation

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World days Recognise world days this month.

When? November 12 Event? Pneumonia Day Join the ongoing battle against the seasonal illness.

When? November 14 Event? World Diabetes Day Learn more about the condition and help spread awareness.

When? November 15 Event? Philosophy Day Take a moment to think about the deeper meaning of life.

When? November 16 Event? Tolerance Day In times of growing intolerance, try to accept people for who they are.

When? November 20 Event? Children’s Day A day dedicated to the promotion of child welfare and children’s rights.

When? November 25 Event? Elimination of Violence Against Women Day Lend support to the protection of women against violence.

November 2013 23

happeningsthismonth An author and consultant on customer service, leadership, change management and global competitiveness, his thoughtprovoking, learn-by-doing presentation style has motivated many around the world to maximise personal and professional success.

Doug’s latest book, Disney U: How Disney University Develops the World’s Most Engaged, Loyal, and Customer-Centric Employees, is full of never-before-told stories offering timeless lessons from Disney’s legendary leaders. He discusses all this and much more at the event.

E Call 38 822-182 and 39 678-631.

When? November 2-9 Event? Charity Sale Venue? Al Nahada Charity Boutique Enjoy heavy discount on big brands while you shop for charity.

E Call 17 262-237.

When? November 7 Event? Poppy Ball Venue? Crowne Plaza Bahrain Hotel The British expat community gathers to honour ex-servicemen.

E Call 17 813-488.

When? From November 15 Event? Camping season starts Venue? TBA Camping starts this month with new rules at a new location.

E Call 17 251-313.

When? November 15 Event? Miss Malayalee Contest Venue? Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam Malayalee girls between 18-27 years participate in the beauty pageant.

E Call 17 251-878.

When? November 17 Event? Bizladies Annual Dinner Venue? Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Spa Join the ladies in a night of dinner, dance, prizes and lots of fun.

E Call 17 590-135.

When? November 19-23 Event? Jewellery Arabia Venue? BIECC Expo attracts the biggest names in the jewellery business.

E Call 17 550-033.

When? November 22 Event? Walkathon for Diabetes Venue? Dohat Arad Charity walk that raises money for Bahrain Diabetes Society.

E Visit www.walk4life@ bnhgroup.com.

Leadership Secrets One of America’s leadership experts, and New York Times’ bestselling author, Dr John C Maxwell is visiting the Kingdom to discuss what he thinks makes great leaders. Invited by Bahrain Institute of Hospitality and Retail (BIHR), in partnership with Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance, he will deliver this talk on November 18.

Five Levels of Leadership for Success covers the key topics in his award-winning book and will take place at Crowne Plaza’s Bahrain Conference Centre, from 9am to 4.30pm.

During the event he will elaborate upon the five key stages of leadership and how to maximise each one to become more influential, respected and successful. An internationally renowned leadership expert, coach, and author with more than 22 million books sold, he has trained more than five million leaders in 185 countries.

“This world-class event underscores our commitment to bringing the brightest of minds to this part of the world and providing a platform so they can share their ideas and expertise,” says BIHR managing director Hatim Dadabai.

E Call 36 048-699 and 80 001-077 or visit www.bihr.com.bh.

When? November 28-30 Event? Bahraini Women’s Day Venue? Bab Al Bahrain Celebration of Bahraini businesswomen and their success.

E Call 17 561-214.

The strongest link LinkedIn Talent Solutions’ global account director Guillaume Larronde is in the Kingdom to take you through LinkedIn Lessons for Personal, Professional and Organisational Success.

The event is organised by BizLadies Bahrain.

Young professionals, seasoned businessmen and entrepreneurs can attend this on November 20 at 7pm at The Domain Bahrain.

Guillaume, now with the company for four years, has helped local enterprises in MENA to develop their employer brand and execute innovative methods for recruitment.

E Email office@beckett-mcinroy.com.

Time to camp Bahrain’s camping season starts on November 14 and will run till March 1. This year Southern Governor and High Camping Committee head Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa has assigned a different camping area. This is due to work being carried out by Tatweer on the original site.

Under the new camping rules, political gathering and cultural or charity activities are not permitted during the season without approval. Campers will not be allowed to fly any flags other than Bahrain’s. E Call 17 251-313.

When? November 29 Event? Festive Fayre Venue? St Christopher’s Saar Campus Christmas festivities begin at the school with this fun carnival.

E Call 17 788-101.

When? Throughout November Event? Russian Textile Exhibition Venue? The National Museum Showcase of Russian textiles from the 18th to 20th century.

E Call 17 298-714.

24 November 2013

Innovation in business A Ministry of Industry and Commerce initiative, internationally acclaimed speaker Doug Lipp is in the Kingdom, on November 3 at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, to deliver a Disney University seminar.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

EVERY ONCE IN A LIFETIME, LOVE GIVES US FOREVER AFTER Forever and always starts with a promise.

A promise that you will forever be my always.

A promise that this is the first day for the rest of our lives…forever.

Forever when found, can never start too soon.

Bahrain City Centre, Gate 7, 1st Floor Tel: (+973) 17 178102, Fax: (+973) 17 178103

happeningsthismonth When? November 19-23 | Event? Jewellery Arabia | Venue? Bahrain International Exhibition & Conference Centre

A Chance to Shine

One of the leading exhibitions in the region takes centre stage as we get set to be bedazzled with a collection of the finest jewellery and watches.

The allure of exquisite gems, intricate jewellery, luxury watches and timeless collectables radiates across the Kingdom this month. The 22nd edition of Jewellery Arabia brings together some of world’s iconic jewellers and designers in arguably the biggest gems and watch expo in the Middle East.

The exhibition takes place at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre from November 19-23. This five-day event features over 600 exhibitors from 30 nations displaying their most precious creations. Along with a wide range of finished jewellery, luxury timepieces, precious stones and antiques, jewellery packaging and technology from across the globe is on display.

Organised on a much greater scale this year, Jewellery Arabia has attracted a number of star participants such as high-end Italian jeweller Bulgari. The event will see the first official group participation from the UK, coordinated by the British Allied Trades Federation (BATF), and Singapore.

“We have an extensive waiting list of companies who have requested space. We are considering constructing an additional temporary hall to meet the demand and further increase the show’s size,” says Fawzi Al Shehabi, director of sales and marketing, Jewellery Arabia.

Luxury destination In addition to its expanding roster of premium jewellers, the exhibition witnesses the return of brands such as Chopard, David Morris, Gaspari, Harry Winston, Piaget and Staurino Fratelli to name a few.

26 November 2013

Watches continue to remain a prominent feature with designers showcasing their latest collections. Eminent brands including A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Breguet, Baume & Mercier, Corum, Hublot, Omega, Officine Panerai, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin will be taking part this year.

These international luxury houses are accompanied by prominent national retailers, designers and manufacturers from leading jewellery export countries such as Brazil, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK. Joining these names is a selection of local independent companies including Bahrain Jewellery Centre, Asia Jewellers, Al Mahmood Pearls, Al Zain and Devji.

The exhibition is open from 4pm to 11pm and, on the last day, from 12noon to 11pm.

E Call 17 550-033 or visit www.jewelleryarabia.com.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

happeningsthismonth When? November 20-December 3 | Event? Faulty Towers dining experience | Venue? Various

A Dinner to Remember You must have crossed off many restaurants because of their bad service. Well here’s a dining experience where faulty service is the reason to go for it in the first place.

A brilliant show of improvisational comedy returns to the Kingdom serving up the second course of the ‘Faulty Towers Dining Experience’. After opening to rave reviews last year, the globe-trotting tribute to one of the BBC’s best-loved sitcoms is back this month with even more shows. The Bahrain stop marks the end of yet another successful world tour.

Over the past year the show has been so successful that it now consists of eight teams that tour over 20 countries, serving a sloppy meal but making up for it with a lot of humour.

The theatre ensemble has been to major international festivals and had a successful season at the Sydney Opera House, while maintaining a London West residency, and has received critical acclaim by audiences and critics alike.

The fun starts as guests (the audience) waits to be seated and is then taken on a two-hour ride full of highly improvised and site-specific comedy theatre. Only one-third of the show is scripted and the rest is impromptu. An extremely demanding form of theatre, it leaves the audience on the edge of their chairs never knowing when the joke might be on them.

28 November 2013

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Meet the Staff The cast for Bahrain in November features Suzanna Hughes as Sybil, Ed Howells as Manuel, and Rob Langston as Basil.

Suzanna Hughes An actress and voiceover artist from North London, Suzanna brings the character of Sybil to life. She graduated from drama school relatively late in life, at the age of 32. Her career spans several small TV roles, including BBC soaps such as Eastenders, Holby City and My Family and grittier drama shows such as Thorne Scardeycat.

Suzanna has also appeared on several TV comedy sketch shows and has worked with stalwarts like Matt Lucas and David Walliams from The Inbetweeners.

Her other work includes numerous commercials, corporate videos, health and safety infomercials, including one for London 2012 and as a presenter for company websites. She is a regular face for many high street brands, including a bingo hall chain!

An experienced role player and fringe theatre performer, she particularly enjoys live theatre and is extremely excited to be performing in the Kingdom.

Dubbed as ‘a rip-roaringly hilarious night-out’, expect a number of gags and punches from Basil, Sybil and Manuel as they serve a three-course meal with a good dollop of mayhem.

Conceived in Brisbane in 1997, the show made its international debut in 2008 at the Edinburgh Fringe, where it has sold out every year since. Last year it opened a residency in London’s West End and made its debut in Bahrain.

The show opens on November 20 with a black-tie gala-dinner charity fundraiser in support of the RIA Institute, which will be held at the British Embassy under the patronage of HE Iain Lindsay. You can take in performances from November 21 to December 3 at the Intercontinental Regency Hotel, and at Dilmun Club on December 1, with ticket prices starting from BD30.

E Call 36 663-509 or visit www.faultytowers.bh.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Ed Howells A seasoned theatre figure, Ed Howells’ repertoire of performances includes Irons (Brighton Fringe), The Happy Prince (The Little Angel Theatre) and Lizzie’s Dream for the Orange Tree Theatre. His most recent engagement was the Magpie Puppet Company’s highly successful Edinburgh Fringe debut The Boy with the Cuckoo Clock Heart.

While in training he performed versatile roles in plays such as The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Taking Steps, The Winter’s Tale and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.

A natural on stage, he is thrilled to be playing the iconic role of Manuel in Faulty Towers.

Having performed across the world, the actor is especially pleased to perform in Bahrain, the point where it all started for the team.

Rob Langston Rob is a London-based actor, who graduated from the Drama Studio London and has been involved in several exciting theatre projects. Some of his most significant works are with the renowned children’s theatre company, Soren Bennick. His credits include performances in the Power of One schools’ tour, the hit London theatre production You Me Bum Bum Train and the Ibsen Theatre Company’s Peer Gynt at the Riverside studios in London.

A huge fan of British comedies from a young age, he also writes and has cowritten and performed in the comedy podcast, Jim and Rob’s podcast rambles. Rob plays Basil Faulty and has toured with the show throughout the UK, Belgium, South Africa and Thailand.

November 2013 29

happeningsthismonth When? December 3-7 | Event? Snow White musical | Venue? The British Club

Fairest of Them All A fairy tale is brought to life in an ambitious musical production with popular culture influences and some local flavour.

Do not pinch yourself or doubt your eyes if strolling through the streets of Mahooz in early December. This is because you may encounter seven vertically challenged people in the company of a three-humped camel pursued by a large bear. Such occurrences are rare in Bahrain but that is exactly what Manama Theatre Club, in association with the British Club, is promising theatre-goers.

Following the success of last year’s rendition of Sleeping Beauty, the directors have chosen another timeless classic for this year’s show, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

A classic tale of good versus evil, with a damsel in distress, an evil villainess, a handsome prince and an assortment of weird and wonderful supporting characters, make this a quintessential musical comedy. Humour and audience participation are key ingredients of this seasonal offering.

Expect to see men playing female roles and vice versa.

Written by Alan P Frayn, this version has been infused with some contemporary and local flavour. Your favourite chartbusters provide the musical backdrop to all the action. The cast comprises Bahrainis and expatriates from various nationalities and includes equal numbers of children and adults.

The oldest cast member is in his 70s and the youngest just eight years of age. Tickets can be collected from the British Club reception and are priced at BD5 for members and BD7 for non-members. E Call 39 560-882.

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MODA Mall Fashion Festival 2013 MODA Mall, Bahrain’s ultra-modern shopping destination in collaboration with Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, launched the MODA Mall Fashion Festival 2013. The inauguration ceremony was attended by leading fashion trendsetters, Huda and Mona Kattan along with Veronica Kemsky, leading international fashion illustrator and Sally Mathews, Fashion Director at Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, members of the press and trendy fashionistas

Mona Kattan, Sally Mathew & Huda Kattan

Rami, Badriya, Marise & Maheen

Mariam, Mona, Layal & Huda

Joelle & Ghassan

Edyta

Mona & Amy

Celine

Huda, Mona, Sally & Kevin open the event

Andre & Veronica

30 November 2013

Mariam

Burak & Kevin

Danielle

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Tel. 17.564444 - Fax. 17.564466 email: phodecor@batelco.com.bh Seef district, facing Ritz Carlton Entrance - Palace Palms Bldg.

www.natuzzi.com

Benvenuti a casa.

happeningsthismonth When? November 7 | Event? Poppy ball | Venue? Crowne Plaza Bahrain Hotel

A Salute to Service The Kingdom prepares to host three ex-servicemen this month, spreading the message of peace, as the exploits of those who fought in the First World War are remembered.

Bahrain’s British community gathers this month for the annual fundraiser, the Poppy Ball, in aid of the Chelsea Pensioners appeal. The Bahrain British Business Forum (BBBF), in association with Bahrain British Association from Saudi, hosts this black-tie gala at the Crowne Plaza Bahrain Hotel on November 7.

The event is celebrated around the world to raise funds for the UK charity that provides support to millions. This year the BBBF honours Chelsea pensioners Albert Willis, Simon de Buisseret and Barry Prior.

Remembrance Day records the end of the First World War at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month and is honoured throughout the world, and Bahrain is no exception.

During their visit to the Kingdom the pensioners will attend many functions, including school visits, British Embassy functions and trips to local places of interest. The highlights of the visit will be laying a wreath at a memorial service to mark Remembrance Day and being VIP guests at the Poppy Ball.

The event will commence at 7pm with a welcome reception and a buffet dinner, followed by a DJ from 9.30pm till late.

Tickets cost BD30 for BBBF members and partners, and BD35 for non-members. They can be purchased from the British Club reception desk or The Bookcase in Budaiya.

E Call 17 813-488 or visit bbbfevents@batelco.com.bh.

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Mobiliauno Supports Local Artists Mobiliauno Furniture & Accessories, held its first Support Local Artists event at the store located in the ground floor of Haji Residence in Zinj

Zahra, Nasser & Safa

Futtim, Fayza, Noor & Salwa

32 November 2013

Sara, Safa & Zahraa

Kaltham, Futtim, Fayza, Eman & Zuhair

Mariam, Noor, Zahraa & Yassmin

Artist Zuhair Al Saeed

One of the artworks by Moshin Ghareeb

Jenan

Artist Kaltham Khalil

www.bahrainthismonth.com

The perfect little gift to give and get.

This festive season, leave your gift shopping to us. Show some holiday love to your family and friends with the City Centre Gift Cards. The perfect little surprise that allows them to choose their own gift at any store, restaurant or cinemas. Let’s just say it’s your gift, of their choice.

D E I R A

M I R D I F

S H A R J A H

A J M A N

F U J A I R A H

M U S C AT

Q U R U M

B A H R A I N

M A A D I

A L E X A N D R I A

B E I R U T

happeningsthismonth When? Throughout November | Event? Russian Textiles Exhibition | Venue? The National Museum, halls 8 and 9

Weaving Through History

Here’s a chance to look at the beautiful weaves and prints from Russia in an elaborate exhibition showcasing various forms of textile from the 18th to 20th century, including cotton and silk fabrics along with dresses.

The initiative is supported by the Museum of Ivanovo Printed Cotton and Moscow’s oldest printing enterprise, OAO Trekhgornaya Manufactory.

You can map the independent artistic movements related to cotton printing and manufacturing prevalent during this period through the display. Speaking for themselves, these fabrics belong to a poignant period in Russia’s history. While intricately detailed, there is an industrial, work-obsessed influence on the designs. The exhibition includes propaganda art as well, following the spirit of the time, rejecting a certain traditional approach and introducing new aesthetics and content in textile ornamentation.

The pieces take us through the birth of the cotton printing industry that was closely associated with hand-block usage.

The changing patterns denote the evolution of manufacturing technology which allowed major cotton printing factories to emerge and produce for a mass consumer market. Much of this inexpensive and high-quality cloth then travelled to countries in the East, where it competed with Western European and British products.

The exhibition also looks at the success of the Russian printed textile that was associated with original, unique designs seen throughout the manufacturing of the 20s and 30s.

E Call 17 298-714.

Presenting a part of its rich heritage, this exhibition is a lesson in history given by well-preserved products of the Soviet-era textile industry.

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Seef Mall New Identity Launch Under the patronage of HE Dr Hassan Fakhro, Industry & Commerce Minister, Seef Properties unveiled the new logo and slogan 'new look, same heart' for its flagship Seef Mall last month. The event took place at Seef Mall's West Wing

Seef Mall's new logo

Zakaria, Saqer, Robert & Sattam

Nada

Dr Abdulla & Zuhair

HE Dr Hassan Fakhro cuts the cake in the presence of officials

34 November 2013

Reem

Sherry

Danielle, Megan & Roza

Mona

Shahad & Junah

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happeningsthismonth When? November 28-December 14 | Event? Market 338 | Venue? Al Riwaq Gallery

Art of the Matter From installations to paintings, one of the Kingdom’s most popular districts turns into a creative melting-pot inviting a variety of artists to display their work.

The island’s artistic community comes together as Market 338 prepares to take over Adliya. In its third edition the creative kaleidoscope takes you back in history from November 28 to December 14, to the mid-20th century Arabian Gulf. The exhibition is a tribute to the time when the pearl divers, fishermen and local craftsmen were welcoming bankers, businessmen and fast-moving consumer products from other parts of the world.

Al Riwaq Gallery, with a number of local artists, will create an interactive arena that depicts the prevalent trends and practices of the bygone era. The exhibition innovatively explores the rich and artesian legacy of that pivotal time in the region’s history, when foreign influences were impacting the Bahrain’s culture. Art installations, textile designs, literature and music will all be used to recreate the charm of 50s Bahrain.

Market 338 is a strategic platform for the promotion and dissemination of design culture in the area and features a line-up of local and regional designers. More than just an open-air gallery, it is a cultural centre offering live music performances, designer talks, and workshops. Seamlessly combining art, commerce and design, the exhibition has attracted over 5,000 visitors. Products on display include fashion, jewellery and accessories, glass, ceramics, furniture and much more.

November workshop If you live for fashion and want to learn the finer tricks of the trade, join the fashion design workshop at Al Riwaq, on November 2-7 from 5.30pm to 8.30pm. E Call 17 717-441.

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Desert Symphony 6 Concert Desert Symphony 6 featured the incredible vocal talent of top Indian singers S. P. Balasubramaniam, and K. S. Chitra. The event held in aid of the Royal Charity Organisation (RCO) took place at the Gullf Hotel's Gulf International Convention Centre. The ever popular concert, in the last six years, has raised a total of BD 20,000 that has been donated to various charities in the country

S.P. Balasubramanium

K.S. Chitra

Patric & Jacob

Mr & Mrs Sandeep Mathur

Subash, Ashraf & Adnan

Priya & Sreekumar

Manahil & Khalid

Sudha & Raju

36 November 2013

Rohit, Shyam, Greeshma, Gritha & Lini

Kreeti, Kripa, Anish, Sabu & Mini

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happeningsthismonth When? November 28-30 | Event? Bahraini Women’s Day | Venue? Bab Al Bahrain

Women in Charge From entrepreneurs to social activists, here’s an event that showcases, celebrates and promotes many endeavours of Bahraini women.

Edamah, in its effort to mark the occasion of Bahraini Women’s Day, hosts an event at Bab Al Bahrain that recognises and celebrates the economic, political, and social achievements of women all around the Kingdom. From small workshops to large-scale stalls, the three-day event allows Bahrain’s female business community to showcase their products and services.

The first day will witness a number of VIP guests lending support to these businesses, which are managed by independent women and social groups.

The organisers are expecting a large crowd as the stalls offer a variety of products from food to fashion, handmade jewellery and handicrafts. In addition to this, there are a range of activities such as workshops, an interactive platform where Bahraini women will get an opportunity to talk about their success, photography, painting, crafts for kids, exhibition, and more.

Presenting an excellent opportunity for Bahraini businesswomen to share their ideas and experiences, the programme is not just aimed at women but includes young children, parents and people interested in art and photography.

A live band takes care of the entertainment; for children there are activities such as storytelling, a play area and art and craft. The event aims to provide a promotional and marketing platform for these enterprises to reach a wider audience.

E Call 17 561-214.

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Marks & Spencer New Store Launch Marks & Spencer, the iconic leading British retailer re-opened its much awaited 21,000 sq. ft. refurbished store in Seef Mall, to debut brand new interiors and the latest autumn 2013 collection. The store was opened by Managing Director, John Cooper and Store Manager, Muneera Ebrahim

John Cooper & Muneera Ebrahim open the store

Mark Senior with Hannah, Mariam & Dorin Anna, Vanessa, Mohini, Marise, Farheen, Sanhita & Mariam

Adeela, Fatima & Hana

38 November 2013

Fatima & Muneera

Rupal & Dixita

Sharon, Duncan & Sally

Susan

www.bahrainthismonth.com

happeningsthismonth When? November 22 | Event? Diabetes Walkathon | Venue? Dohat Arad

A Balanced Approach Take action this month and join hands to raise awareness about the silent pandemic of diabetes in the Kingdom.

November 14 is celebrated worldwide as World Diabetes Day, commemorating the birthday of Sir Frederick Grant Banting, the primary discoverer of insulin.

In Bahrain, insurer Bahrain National Life Insurance (bnl) is spearheading an awareness campaign with a walkathon on November 22 to mobilise people towards this cause. The Walk for Life event will be held on the 3km circular walkway adjacent to the Mövenpick Hotel.

“We’re inviting all our customers, old and young, to walk and raise awareness about the importance of lifestyle changes in managing diabetes. If we have a good response, we can turn this into an annual event,” says bnl general manager, Robert Grey.

Improvements in lifestyle such as a balanced diet and regular exercise are proven to help prevent and control diabetes.

According to the World Health Organisation, Bahrain ranks fifth worldwide in terms of diabetes prevalence and, what is worse, more youngsters in Bahrain are Type 2 diabetics.

Interestingly, half of the people worldwide who have diabetes don’t know they have it. bnl has been active in diabetes screening since 2011, when it joined with Al Kindi Hospital, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Bahrain Diabetes Society to launch a bus to test school children for diabetes.

“Our findings over the last six months indicate that the prevalence of diabetes among school children is higher that we had thought earlier. Our youngsters are proving more susceptible to this condition and it’s time we sat up and took notice,” says Robert. “Type 1 diabetes can reduce lifespan by up to 20 years while Type 2 can decrease your lifespan by a decade owing to the complications it brings.”

The ‘Walk for Life’ event is being held in collaboration with Bahrain Diabetes Society, Fitness First, Al Jazira Supermarket and BMI. Participants need to send an email to bnl to secure their registration. The event will kick off at 4pm and walkers can collect their T-shirt and green apples by 3pm from the venue. bnl also aims to raise funds during the event for the Bahrain Diabetes Society for starting insulin Pump therapy for children with diabetes.

Insulin pumps are small portable devices (about the same size as a pack of cards) attached to the body that delivers insulin into the layer of fat that sits just below the skin (subcutaneous tissue). They are seen as a better alternative to insulin injections as they reduce the need for multiple insulin jabs per day and give the user increased ability to control blood glucose levels.

Because the insulin pump stays connected to the body, it allows the wearer to modify the amount of insulin they take within the press of a few buttons at any time of the day or to program in a higher or lower rate of insulin delivery to occur at a chosen time, which can be when sleeping.

E To register email walk4life@bnhgroup.com.

2013

walk for

DIABETES

40 November 2013

www.bahrainthismonth.com

happeningsthismonth When? April 15-17, 2014 | Event? Health & Wellness Expo | Venue? Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre

HEALTH & WELLNESS EXPO

Get Fit The preparations for one of Bahrain’s most popular events have begun.

Visitors will be inspired to take charge of their health.

42 November 2013

Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority (BECA) has planned the fourth annual Health & Wellness Expo, to be held from April 15 to 17 next year at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. This annual show is an exciting mix of health, wellness, fitness, and wellbeing exhibitors. It aims to show visitors the latest in how to change your lifestyle for the better.

This exciting event is one of the largest health expos in the GCC and forms part of BECA’s annual exhibition calendar.

Funded by Tamkeen, it enjoys the support of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Health.

The Health & Wellness Expo aims to promote wellbeing and holistic lifestyle practices that will make a positive difference in our day-to-day living. It will also increase awareness for the residents of the Bahrain and the GCC about how to live a fit and healthy life. The expo will be open from 10am to 7pm with

free entry to the public.

Live demos by local fitness, sports and health clubs will be held on stage on all three days. Visitors can benefit from wellness advice, blood pressure and health checks, and discounted gym memberships.

Free seminars will be held as well. Learn about health and safety and other health-related issues such as first aid. These sessions will be organised by Leaders Institute for Training and Development.

Last year’s exhibition featured local hospitals and clinics, fitness centres, medical equipment companies, health food suppliers, beauty care products, yoga and reiki centres, and nutritional/diet companies. Early bookings are encouraged to guarantee your space for a special rate.

E Visit www.beca.bh or follow @bahexpo on Twitter.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

happeningsthismonth When? November 3 | Event? Musical concert | Venue? Bahrain National Theatre

Maestro’s Touch Opera legend Placido Domingo returns to the Kingdom for an encore this month to mark Bahrain National Theatre’s first anniversary. Placido will be accompanied by the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz and the opera is conducted by Maestro Eugene Kohn.

The 12-time Grammy winner brings wealth of experience from than 140 stage roles, a number unmatched by any other tenor in history and which includes demanding performances for Otello, Rigoletto and Simon Boccanegra.

Known for the command and versatility of his voice, Placido has 100 recordings of complete operas, compilations of arias and duets, and crossover discs.

From tenor to baritone, he displays a rare kind of mastery over his voice and has forged a surprisingly long and successful career through his combination of talent and tenacity. At 72 years old, he shows no signs of slowing down. His trademark phrase is, “If I rests, I rust.” In 2011, Domingo celebrated not only his 70th birthday but also his 50th anniversary of his debtut and the 40th anniversary of his Covent Garden debut.

This melodic evening contains arias and duets from opera, operetta, musicals, zarzuela and many other songs by him. E Call 17 298-777.

Celebrating Films From Takashi Yamazaki to Kôichi Chigira, Bahrain gets the taste of the finest in Japanese cinema this month. The 2013 Japan Film Festival will offer movies throughout the month at the Bahrain National Museum.

Organised by the Ministry of Culture in association with the Japanese Embassy, the festival will include Always: Sunset on Third Street, Brave Story and Hana No Ato. Scheduled for November 8, 20 and 27, these movies come with sub-titles and start at 8pm; entrance is free. E Call 17 298-777.

44 November 2013

When? November 21 | Event? Melodic Meet | Venue? Indian School Auditorium

When? Throughout November | Event? Japan film festival | Venue? Bahrain National Museum

Truly Inspiring The Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation (BDSF), in association with Batelco and Zayani Motors, presents this cultural show to help raise funds for physically challenged athletes. The event is held on November 21 at The Indian School Auditorium and begins at 7.30pm.

Performing live will be S. Prabhudoss, an accomplished dancer who lost a leg following a train accident six years ago. Not deterred by this handicap, he continued to look at ways to survive and make a living with only one leg. The show also includes Bollywood playback singers Mohammed Sikander Ali, Rajalakshmy and Nishad.

“The money we raise will support our athletes’ participation in international sports meetings as well as help in organising local events,” notes Brigadier Shaikh Ahmed Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa, BDSF Chairman.

The entrance ticket, which doubles as a raffle ticket, is priced at BD1 and is available at all leading supermarkets in the Kingdom. There are 20 prizes to be won with a first prize of a Mitsubishi Lancer.

E Call 17 240-161.

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happeningsartsculture When? November 16 | Event? Latin dance and music | Venue? TBA

When? November 2-7 Event? Fashion design workshop Venue? Al Riwaq Gallery Learn the nuances for fashion designing from an expert.

E Call 17 717-441.

When? November 3 Event? Musical concert Venue? Bahrain National Theatre Opera legend Placido Domingo returns to the Kingdom for an encore.

E Call 17 298-777.

When? November 4 Event? Music concert Venue? Sheikh Ebrahim Centre Bahrain plays host in one of the most celebrated violinists in the world.

E Call 17 322-549.

When? November 16 Event? Latin dance and music Venue? TBA French band Free Tango delivers a mix of tango, folklore and candombe.

E Call 17 683-295.

When? November 21 Event? House of Photography Venue? Maison Jamsheer A new centre opens, catering to the island’s photography aficionados.

E Call 17 683-295.

French band Free Tango

An Artistic Alliance This month Alliance Française’s calendar of events delivers a wholesome mix of activities that caters well to the Kingdom’s insatiable cultural appetite.

Initiated by two musicians who share a common love for jazz, tango and improvisational music, Latino beats and harmonic melody of tango will rule the island on November 16. For French band Free Tango their music is all about reminiscence that combines traditional tango themes, Argentinean folklore and Uruguayan candombe.

The project is supported by the French Alliance Foundation and has toured some of the most prestigious tango festivals around the world. The concert starts at 8pm and is followed by a dinner.

Cooking up a storm A playful afternoon full of activity is being organised for children on November 18 from 4pm to 7pm, starting with the famous Brad Bird animation movie Ratatouille. Those inspired by the story’s chef can join the cooking workshop and learn to make ratatouille provençale. Before getting their hands dirty, participants will receive a short class in French while studying the dish’s recipe.

46 November 2013

The light room Photography aficionados can look forward to an exciting month with the opening of the first ‘House of Photography’ at Maison Jamsheer. This project has been specially developed to promote this art form in the Kingdom and to provide a centre where photo enthusiasts can meet and interact. There will be regular workshops, meetings with famous photographers, and exhibitions. The event opens at 7pm on November 21.

Reality on reel On November 24, a screening of the Mahamed Bauli’s critically acclaimed documentary Al Bishra takes place at the Alliance Française auditorium. Organised in association with the French School of Bahrain, the show is followed by a detailed discussion on the film and the issues it raises.

Yes we cancan Cancan nights are back again; enjoy this lively dance form performed by the remarkable Louise Chapman dance troupe.

Organised in partnership with Club d’Affaires FrancoBahreinien, the entertainment is followed by an elaborate French dinner. E Call 17 683-295.

When? November 24 Event? Film screening Venue? Alliance Française auditorium The centre screens Mahamed Bauli’s documentary Al Bishra.

E Call 17 683-295.

When? November 28-December 14 Event? Market 338 Venue? Al Riwaq Gallery Artistic portrayal of the life of mid-20th century Arabian Gulf.

E Call 17 717-441.

When? November 20-30 Event? Bahraini Female Exhibition Venue? Nadine Gallery An exhibition of the works of local and international female artists.

E Call 37 774-560.

When? November 30 Event? Cancan night Venue? Alliance Française A performance by the Louise Chapman troupe followed by dinner.

E Call 17 683-295.

When? Throughout November Event? Japan Film Festival Venue? Bahrain National Museum Screening of some of the most acclaimed Japanese films.

E Call 17 298-777.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

happeningsclubssocieties When? November 30 | Event? Snowflake Craft Fair | Venue? The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel

Festive Bargains This annual fair is just the place to find that little something to give a loved one over the festive season; deals and bargains galore will be in abundance.

It’s that time of the year again when the festivities dictate your shopping list — it’s all about family, friends, gifts and celebration.

As the Kingdom prepares for a merry Christmas and a spirited New Year’s Eve, the ladies at the American Women’s Association (AWA) host an event that encapsulates the season’s cheer.

The popular Snowflake Craft Fair, to be held on November 30 at The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, brings together a variety of products made by local artists and vendors. Spread over the spacious Ambassador Ballroom, you can shop here from 11am to 4pm. For handicraft artists, designers and confectioners, the fair is a great opportunity to showcase their talent and offer their merchandise for sale.

If you want to purchase something unique, then you will be spoilt for choice as most of which are handmade using natural materials. In addition to packaged sweets, show pieces, pottery and other holiday knick-knacks, the event will feature a crafts table and bake shop both selling items prepared and donated

by AWA members.

“We are really excited about this year’s fair. You can find a special souvenir for family, friends and colleagues while supporting local businesses, artists and designers,” says Diane Loney, chairperson of the Snowflake Craft Fair.

48 November 2013

There are not just great buys but the fare from the numerous cooking stations keeps your taste buds tantalised; live entertainment adds to the festive atmosphere.

Look out for tables set up by local women and welfare organisations where you can donate for charity. The entry fee is 500 fils and children under five get in for free.

Supporting local causes Seven women got together in 1974 to form a group with three goals in mind — charity, friendship and cultural understanding.

AWA has come a long way since then and today is one of the most prestigious women-led associations in the country.

These ladies are involved in a variety of activities ranging across travel, photography, crafts, design, dance and community service. The craft fair is one of their most anticipated annual attractions. First held over 32 years ago, it has grown from strength to strength over the years and has evolved into a major event on the island’s calendar.

The association supports a number of different charities.

Among these are the Special Olympics, the RIA Centre, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, Bahrain Child Care Home, Bahrain Mobility International, Bahrain Red Crescent Society, the Aisha Yateem Centre for Family Counselling and the Mother and Child Welfare Society.

E Call 38 884-924 or email craftfair@awabahrain.org.

When? November 6-8 Event? The Chuckle Club Venue? British Club Be part the madness at this popular stand-up comedy show.

E Call 17 728-245.

When? November 7 Event? Diwali celebrations Venue? Indian Club Celebrate Diwali with dinner, dandiya and a DJ till late.

E Call 39 401-279.

When? November 8 Event? Autumn fair Venue? British Club Games and a number of stalls; enjoy the day out with family.

E Call 17 728-245.

When? November 15 Event? Autumn show Venue? British Club 80’s tribute band The Sing Out Sisters make it a great night.

E Call 17 728-245.

When? November 23 Event? Awali Festive Fayre Venue? Bapco Club Make most of the festive bargains on offer at this carnival.

E Call 39 850-372 .

When? November 30 Event? Snowflake Craft Fair Venue? The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel Get a head start on your Christmas shopping at this craft fair.

E Call 38 884-924.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Chocolate Rendez-Vous Come and treat your taste buds to a special chocolate desserts selection

PAUL Arabia

* Available for a limited period only

Bahrain City Centre, Seef Mall

happeningskidsteens When? December 1-2 | Event? Pinocchio pantomime | Venue? TBA

The Boy Who Lied The wooden boy brings his mischief to the Kingdom, together with his ever-growing nose, in this fun-filled musical play for the whole family.

All naughty girls and boys get a lesson in morality and conscience. Pinocchio and his long nose are here to entertain you and your family in this musical representation, brought to the island by Shakespeare4Kidz (S4K) International.

The story of the wooden puppet is told with a great deal of drama, involving music and dance to weave magic on stage.

A brand-new production by S4K International, the show is presented in association with Entertainment+, the company responsible for staging many theatre productions in the past.

The Tempest, Bear Hunt and Ruthless Romans are some of their recent shows in Bahrain that have been staged.

Pinocchio is enacted by a cast of six actor-musicians, who present a one-hour version of the Carlo Collidi story that was made famous by the Walt Disney film of the same name. In 12 episodes of melody, drama and dance, we will see how Pinocchio is first created by the wood-carver Gepetto and how he skips school to watch a puppet show.

His encounter with the Fox and the Cat follows, who trick him out of his money, before he ends up inside a giant whale trying to prove he can be good enough to become a real boy.

50 November 2013

Characters such as Blue Fairy and Cricket have been written innovatively and the script keeps the show entertaining throughout while maintaining the moral behind the story alive.

Scheduled for December 1-2, six shows will be staged at a soon-to-be-announced venue. Tickets go on sale from November 10 at Alosra Supermarkets and Havajava Café, inside Manazel.

There are special school offers available for a limited time.

Introducing kids to Shakespeare Since its inception in1997, Shakespeare4Kidz has successfully enacted the magic of classic literature for children and young people all over the UK and across the globe. Their unique approach strikes a chord with kids and adults alike and has gained great popularity over the years.

Their home-written musicals have brought the literary genius’ work to life for thousands of people. The company has liaised with many schools and even released an education package, which is used by teachers and education authorities extensively throughout the UK. For schools, to stage an elaborate Shakespeare play has becomes extremely easy with the company’s ‘Put on a Play’ packs.

E Call 39 616-858 or 39 607-489 or visit www. entertainmentplus.me.

When? November 4-9 Event? Junior Tennis Championship Venue? Bahrain Tennis Club Young players compete in the 5th Zain ITF Junior Championship.

E Call 17 729-561.

When? November 18 Event? Kids’ activity day Venue? Alliance Française Screening of the film Ratatouille along with a cooking class.

E Call 17 683-295.

When? November 18 Event? Plate painting Venue? Studio Ceramics Kids can make their own Christmas table centrepiece here.

E Call 17 599-026.

When? Throughout November Event? Mom and Tots Day Venue? Yellow Submarine Every Thursday, fun activities for mothers and their little ones.

E Call 17 000-037.

When? December 1-2 Event? Pinocchio pantomime Venue? TBA A musical comedy by Shakespeare4Kidz on Pinocchio.

E Call 39 616-858.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

happeningssportsrecreation When? Throughout November | Event? BCA 25-Over professional league | Venue? Various

Starting a New Innings The helmets and pads are out and the gloves are off; it’s time for the crash of wood against ball as the new cricket season bursts into action.

Rolling of the grounds started over the Eid holidays so that the cricket season could bounce into action as the weather cools.

Expect a packed schedule of 20-, 25- and 50-over tournaments from now on until next year, with the first league match already having been played on October 25.

The season has taken off with the 25-over league and knockout tournament in a new format. There are three groups comprising four teams each. The contesting teams are; Group A (Khan CC, BCC A, Asian Lions and Sri Lanka Club), Group B (Titans CC, Indian Club, Public Security and ABM Climax), and Group C (BCC, AVIS Young Challengers, Ritz Carlton and Young Boys). All matches take place on Fridays throughout November with the tournament moving to the knockout stage in December. The final will be held on December 20.

Preparation of the pitches for the new season on Bahrain’s arid grounds have included being rolled using a special technique and with materials to create a more solid surface.

Umpires have undertaken a refresher course as well.

The teams play for total prize money of BD1,000, which includes cash prizes for teams, best bowler, best batsman and man of the match final awards.

Fair selection A new selection process has been put into place to avoid any

52 November 2013

past mistakes and to make the criteria more inclusive and transparent. This new system takes into account several points, including players’ past track record.

For this tournament, the basic requirements are that a player must have played a minimum five, 20-over (T20) games in the current year in CBA league. A preliminary selection of 50 takes place with each player participating in three to five T20 matches. The final 18 are selected based on their performance in the T20 League, trial matches, fitness, availability, past experience and past performance. The task of player selection is carried out by the executive and coaches committees.

Some of the players to look out for are Adil Hanif, Azeem Ul Haque, Babar Ali, Shabbir Ahmed, Shehzad Siddique, Imran Sajjad and Tahir Dar. Follow the league During the league stage, four teams for each group meet for six matches. Out of the initial 12 teams, eight will enter the knock-out round and will battle out in the four quarter-final matches. Four teams then meet in semi-finals and the winners collide in the final showdown.

Bahrain Cricket Association (BCA) is the official governing body of the sport of cricket in Bahrain. The BCA is the Kingdom’s representative at the International Cricket Council and has been an affiliated member since 2001, as well as being a member of the Asian Cricket Council.

E Call 39 673-769.

When? November 1 and 6 Event? Friendly match Venue? TBA Bahrain’s women’s national football team will play against Qatar.

E Call 17 685-775.

When? November 1-33 Event? Bahrain International Series Venue? The Indian Club The Indian Club co-organises this multi-sport championship.

E Call 39 401-279.

When? November 15 Event? Football tournament Venue? Al Qadisiya Club The Young Goans Club holds a seven-a-side tournament.

E Call 39 659-539.

When? November 22 Event? 1st BREEF Show Jumping Championship Venue? BDF Equestrian Centre, Sakhir This season’s first show jumping competition gets under way.

E Call 17 836-199.

When? Throughout November Event? CBA T25 Championship Venue? Various The 25-over league matches start reaching knock-out stage in December.

E Call 39 673-769.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystanderthismonth

Sofitel French Fine Vintage Week Launch Reception The Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa hosted a reception to launch its week-long celebration of French fine vintage. HE Christian Testot, French Ambassador, HE Alberto Vecchi, Italian Ambassador & invited guests attended the event

Charbel, Abdullatif & Sami

HE Alberto Vecchi, Zeina Testot, Tony, George, HE Christian Testot, Ahmed & Sami

Takashi, Nerihiro & Shinoby

Bless & David

Basel, HE Christian Testot, Sami, Moosa, Zeina Testot, HE Alberto Vecchi, Charbel & Adrian

Karim, Covi, Youri & Emmanuell

Elena, Yulia, Tania & Mohammed

Juliana, Alex & Ahmed

54 November 2013

Jessica & Ahmed

Fedriq, Laurence & Karim

Hassan, Mark & Serena

Basel & Charbel

Yassine

Tarek, Fayez & Shazleena

Ian & Randa

Sanhita & Kshitij

Richard & Hubert

Sarah & Yassine

Nick

Antoinna

Cristian

Tamar & John

Eric

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystanderthismonth

Jaguar F-Type Car Launch Iconic British car brands Jaguar & Land Rover have been reunited in Bahrain with the appointment of Euro Motors as the new exclusive distributor of both brands.

This was announced at a press conference that was held at the Land Rover Showroom in Sitra. The event also featured the launch of the Jaguar F-Type convertible sports car. The event was attended by Russ Dixon, British Deputy Ambassador, Robin Colgan, Jaguar Land Rover Middle East & Africa managing director, Zayed R. Alzayani, Euro Motors managing director, Euro Motors management, guests & the media

Robin Colgan, Zayed R. Alzayani & Russ Dixon

The stunning Jaguar F-Type

Robin Colgan & Zayed R. Alzayani

Russ Dixon, Anthony, Robin, Paul & Majid

Arvind, Suhail & Jalal

Debbie, Anthony & Heather

David & George

56 November 2013

Fatima

Nicola & Ryan

Meher & Marise

Majid Al Zayani

Anthony

Paul, Hannane & David

Jenelyn & Imane

Fadi, Shama & Bahman

John & Zaid

Hisham, Basma & Manal

Rathish & Sreekanth

Salaha, Natrajan & Ameena

Laura & Angel

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Osim, Seef Mall, first floor shop #1200 Telfax: 00973-17581331 E.mail: osim@batelco.com.bh Web: http://www.osim.com

bystanderthismonth

Ramee Grand Official Opening Under the patronage of HE Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Culture, the five-star Ramee Grand Hotel and Spa in the Seef district was officially opened. The event was attended by ambassador's, Ramee Group management and a number of VIP guests

HE Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa opens the hotel along with Salvatore Romano, general manager, watched by officials

Hala, HE Dr Mohan Kumar, Indian Ambassador, Mala Kumar, Hafida, Raj Shetty & Ashalatha

Sue Henson with Ashish, Ashalatha, Shantharam & Dheeptha Shetty

Faisal Ali Reza, Muneera, Ashalatha & Shantharam Shetty

HE Shaikha Mai & Salvatore Romano

Shafiq, Ali Reza & Naim

Vivek

Shantharam, Raj Shetty, Dr Mustafa Al Sayed & Salman

Mr & Mrs Prakash & Hemant

Vijay, Raj & Ishtiaq

Nabeel Ajoor

Sanjana, Dheeptha, Veena & Advika

Raymond, Chris & Lina

Hussain, Ashish & Mohsen

58 November 2013

Sven, Beatrice & Jochem

Muneera & Ashalatha

Anood, Razan & George

Bonnie

Irfan

Rajneesh & Rachana

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Garden Escape 3 course lunch menu

BD6++

Sunday to Thursday 12-3pm

The warmth of traditional arabic hospitality

bystanderthismonth

Runners Get Together A number of runners got together at the Mai Thai Lounge at Trader Vic's, RitzCarlton Bahrain, Hotel & Spa

Joyce, Ruth, Maddie, Michele, Dana, Rob & Olga

Ann, Maddie, George, Joyce & Ruth

Kelly, Caroline, Sarah, Danielle & Hayley

Tom, Joyce & Ann

Olga, Rob, Michele, Joyce & Dana

Ladies Lunch A number of lady friends got together for a lunch at Block 338 Restaurant, Lounge & Garden

Alessandra, Sameera, Kiki, Romina, Anne, Heather, Mala, Bonnie, Debbie, Rashida & Lynne

Heather, Debbie & Bridget

1920's Themed Birthday Party Maha, Nadia, Brandi and Dina hosted a 1920’s themed party for a number of friends to celebrate their joint birthday's.

The party was held at Block 338 Restaurant, Lounge & Garden last month

Rob, Angel, Brandi & Oliver

Dina, Brandi, Nadia & Maha

Carly, Sam, Nadia & Lucy

Chris, Shezell, Lucy, Ali, Nadia & Mike

Hugh & Maha

Nadia & Malcolm

Barista Of The Year Competition The most skilled and passionate Costa Coffee maker in the Middle East and Asia region was announced at the Regional final of the Barista of the Year 2013 competition, which took place at the Le Royal Meridien Hotel in Dubai

60 November 2013

The winner Jonathan Kahano & Andy Marshall, managing director, Costa's International Franchisee Network

Hassan Mahriz, third place; Jonathan Kahano, winner; Josephine Mempin, second place; & Talgat Zhetpisov, fourth place

Hussain Ali, who represented Bahrain at the event

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystanderthismonth

Toyota 2014 Yaris Launch E.K. Kanoo, sole distributors of Toyota vehicles in the kindom held an event to mark the launch of the 2014 Toyota Yaris. The event held at the Toyota Showroom in Sitra was attended by Takeshi Matsuda, Chief Engineer, E. K. Kanoo management and guests

The all-new 2014 Toyota Yaris

Khalid Kanoo, Ismail Akbar, Fuad Kanoo, Takeshi Matsuda & Issa Kanoo

Ayman Shehadeh

Ayman Shehadeh, Mr Takeyama, Ismail Akbar, Takeshi Matsuda & Khalid Kanoo

Nasser & Michael

Takeshi Matsuda

Hussain, Amir, Zohra & Hassan

Mohammed & Sayed

Thomas, Shaun & Jolly

Idris, Mr Nair & Rizwan

Raed & Shough

62 November 2013

Bisan, Lourdes & Omar

Omar, Suaid, Sayed & Montaser

Marwa, Zainab & Fatima

Ahmed & Khalid

Ronie & Angel

Saito, Nakamera, Terada & Anazawa

Amy & Nadeem

Hilary & Lourdes

Henry

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystanderthismonth

IGN Convention Bahrain The IGN Convention, Bahrain's biggest film, video games, toys and comics convention was held at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre last month. There were a large number of people who attended also dressed as their favourite Anime characters

Mohammed & Hassan

Abdulla & Talal

Mohammed & Ali

Flipp, Imran, Zainab, Noor & Ali

Mohammed & Hussain

Mohammed, Amal, Amina & Marwa

Isaq & Mohammed

Angel, Jhae, Dana & Amir

64 November 2013

Nasreen & Buthaina

Misbah & Levie

Dalal, Asma & Mariam

Katherine, Janelle & Joan

Diana, Cye, Carol & Zina

Vincent & Mikaela

Sara & Daniya

Ahmed & Maram

Dalal

Kiara, Carl & Aysa

Farah & Mariam

Kids at the gaming zone

Hind

Faraz

Anas

Ren

R. Hart

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystanderthismonth

Meher & Daniel's Farewell Party Anil & Karina Nair hosted a party to bid farewell to Meher and her son Daniel, prior to their departure from the kingdom. A number of friends attended the party that was held at the Nair residence in Tubli

Daniel, Meher & George Cherian

Karina, Rachel, Savitha, Shailaja & Prabha

George, Meher, Daniel, George Cherian & Anne

Meher, Daniel, George Cherian & Anu

Janet, Joe & Anil

Faisal, Meher, Daniel, George Cherian & Maeve

Pauline & Sanjay

Daniel & Kyle

Shailaja, Meher, Daniel, George Cherian & Paddy

Daniel & Lakshman

Karan

Anita

Anil, George Cherian, Meher, Daniel, Kyle, Karan & Karina

George Cherian, Preeti & Meher Daniel, Meher & George Cherian with Anil, Karina & friends

Himanshu, Sajju, George Cherian, Meher, Daniel, Anita, Sabu & Prabha

66 November 2013

Amwar & Sheran

Rabbi

Leela, Meher & Daniel

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystanderthismonth

Chevrolet Impala 2014 Launch National Motor Company, sole distributors for Chevrolet automobiles in the Kingdom held a launch for the Chevrolet Impala 2014. The event was held at the National Motor Company Showroom in Sitra

Simon & Bader

The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Impala

Mohammed, Nader, Nirmin, Natalia, Bader, Simon & Ghassan

Sadiq, David & Salman

Ahmed & Khalil

Hussain, Riyadh & Hussain

68 November 2013

Baraa & Ghassan

Rami, Diyya, Ali & Isa

Nirmin, Ghassan, Nader & Natalia

Jaffar & Hassan

Fadhel, Prasanth & Hassan

Ahmed & Hussain

Rami, Mohammed & Nader

Riyadh

Saher & Crystal

Ghassan & Chelsea

Hari & Hassan

Osama & Eid

Arsalan

Mohammed

www.bahrainthismonth.com

spotlightthismonth

For the Love of Art xxxxx Our business is based on trust, and through engagement with music and art, we build our communication with clients at a different level, forging a more personal relationship with them

Dr Alfredo Gysi

BSI’s patronage of music and the arts is legendary.

The man behind the crusade is bringing a celebrated violin virtuoso to town.

70 November 2012

Bahrain is hosting one of the most celebrated young violinists in the world, thanks to BSI, one of the oldest private banks in Switzerland, present in Bahrain through a branch office.

Renaud Capuçon will perform masterpieces from Beethoven and Strauss accompanied by the noted pianist, Jerome Ducros.

Capuçon will play the famous Gesù 1737 ‘Panette’ violin loaned to him by BSI after it was acquired from a private American collection in 2005. The concert takes place on November 4 at Shaikh Ebrahim Centre at Muharraq.

“We’re very proud to have returned this extraordinary violin to the world of classical music and the public. The violin is a powerful expression of Italian music and culture and this particular instrument represents the very essence of BSI,” says Dr Alfredo Gysi, chairman of the BSI board and the main force behind the initiative.

“Our business is based on trust, and through engagement with music and art, we build our communication with clients at

a different level, forging a more personal relationship with them,” he adds.

For Capuçon, the Gesù violin represents a milestone. The instrument belonged to musician Isaac Stern, under whom Capuçon had the opportunity to briefly study. A majority of Stern’s recordings were made with this instrument, which remained his faithful companion for over 50 years.

Capuçon’s association with BSI goes back 12 years, when he first made an appearance at Lugano, along with his brother, a cellist, and has played with Martha Argerich. Capuçon is the perfect choice for this instrument, believes Dr Gysi.

“This violin has an extraordinarily rich tone and personality, which fits perfectly to the style of Renaud. We hope it’ll be appreciated in Bahrain,” he says.

Music is one of Dr Gysi’s earliest passions and he played several instruments including the Trevor flute. However, having decided that he wasn’t talented enough to be a great musician, he opted to pursue a doctorate in mathematics instead.

“There’s a clear link between mathematics and music; both express reality in an abstract way,” he observes.

Dr Gysi’s campaign over the years has been to drive investment into contemporary art and classical music. One of the mainstays in BSI’s annual calendar is the Martha Argerich project, a month-long musical extravaganza that’s been part of the Lugano festival for 12 years. BSI’s summer festival at Engadin encompasses jazz and classical music in the delightful setting of south-east Switzerland.

In addition to the twin events, BSI has financially supported the training and development of young musicians of exceptional talent since 2004. Candidates are selected by a committee of respected international musicians and bursary holders are given the opportunity to perform at events promoted and organised by BSI. “It’s very rewarding to support talented musicians so that they can achieve their potential. Enabling them to present their talent before the public is a matter of great satisfaction for the bank,” notes Dr Gysi.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

spotlightthismonth

For the Love of Art xxxxx Our business is based on trust, and through engagement with music and art, we build our communication with clients at a different level, forging a more personal relationship with them

Dr Alfredo Gysi

BSI’s patronage of music and the arts is legendary.

The man behind the crusade is bringing a celebrated violin virtuoso to town.

70 November 2012

Bahrain is hosting one of the most celebrated young violinists in the world, thanks to BSI, one of the oldest private banks in Switzerland, present in Bahrain through a branch office.

Renaud Capuçon will perform masterpieces from Beethoven and Strauss accompanied by the noted pianist, Jerome Ducros.

Capuçon will play the famous Gesù 1737 ‘Panette’ violin loaned to him by BSI after it was acquired from a private American collection in 2005. The concert takes place on November 4 at Shaikh Ebrahim Centre at Muharraq.

“We’re very proud to have returned this extraordinary violin to the world of classical music and the public. The violin is a powerful expression of Italian music and culture and this particular instrument represents the very essence of BSI,” says Dr Alfredo Gysi, chairman of the BSI board and the main force behind the initiative.

“Our business is based on trust, and through engagement with music and art, we build our communication with clients at

a different level, forging a more personal relationship with them,” he adds.

For Capuçon, the Gesù violin represents a milestone. The instrument belonged to musician Isaac Stern, under whom Capuçon had the opportunity to briefly study. A majority of Stern’s recordings were made with this instrument, which remained his faithful companion for over 50 years.

Capuçon’s association with BSI goes back 12 years, when he first made an appearance at Lugano, along with his brother, a cellist, and has played with Martha Argerich. Capuçon is the perfect choice for this instrument, believes Dr Gysi.

“This violin has an extraordinarily rich tone and personality, which fits perfectly to the style of Renaud. We hope it’ll be appreciated in Bahrain,” he says.

Music is one of Dr Gysi’s earliest passions and he played several instruments including the Trevor flute. However, having decided that he wasn’t talented enough to be a great musician, he opted to pursue a doctorate in mathematics instead.

“There’s a clear link between mathematics and music; both express reality in an abstract way,” he observes.

Dr Gysi’s campaign over the years has been to drive investment into contemporary art and classical music. One of the mainstays in BSI’s annual calendar is the Martha Argerich project, a month-long musical extravaganza that’s been part of the Lugano festival for 12 years. BSI’s summer festival at Engadin encompasses jazz and classical music in the delightful setting of south-east Switzerland.

In addition to the twin events, BSI has financially supported the training and development of young musicians of exceptional talent since 2004. Candidates are selected by a committee of respected international musicians and bursary holders are given the opportunity to perform at events promoted and organised by BSI. “It’s very rewarding to support talented musicians so that they can achieve their potential. Enabling them to present their talent before the public is a matter of great satisfaction for the bank,” notes Dr Gysi.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystanderthismonth

BMW 4 Series Coupe Launch Euro Motors, the official BMW Group importer in the Kingdom of Bahrain held an exclusive event to launch a revolution in the sports coupe segment the all-new BMW 4 Series Coupe. The launch was held the Royal Golf Club last month

The all-new BMW 4 Series Coupe

Majid Al Zayani, John & Paul

David

Home Electronics & Credimax Promotion Home Electronics in partnership with Credimax launched its' 0% Interest for 6 months Promotion' last month.

The promotion was launch at the Home Electronics Store in Isa Town.

The event was attended bu Home Electronics management & Credimax officials

Mustafa, Mohammed, Khalid, Hilary, Imtiaz, Burnie & Cashmer

Rotary Club Of Adliya Dinner The Rotary Club of Adliya held a social dinner evening for members and guests at the Lanterns Restaurant in Adliya last month

Naheed & Hameed

Sameer & Jeannie

Lina, Chris & Hassan

Hameed & Zoher

Ron & Yacoob

Fouad & Nina

Iro & Aouatif

Nijad & Michel

Sara & Lorraine

Arpita's Birthday Party Arpita & Dr Ashish Mhatre hosted a party for a number of their friends to celebrate a very special birthday of Arpita. The party was held at Lanterns Restaurant in Adliya

Arpita & Dr Ashish

Gautam & Hemant

Sanjay & Sanjeev

72 November 2013

Lakshman, Preeti, Shruti & Joe

Chris & Lalit

Rami, Wajdi, Sharzan, Arpita, Layla & Mohammed

Younis & Ingrid

Srijita & Arunoday

www.bahrainthismonth.com

businessthismonth When? November 19-21| Event? Human resource conference | Venue? Bahrain Conference Centre

Meeting the Challenge Join top policymakers, HR managers and trainers as they put their heads together to explore the employment challenges faced by GCC graduates.

For a region with a burgeoning young population, perhaps the biggest challenge before the GCC in the next decade will be finding jobs for the millions of its citizens looking to enter the labour market.

According to recent World Bank projections, the GCC’s labour force will exceed 20.5 million by 2020, an increase of almost 30 per cent from the current estimated labour force of 15.6 million. These figures suggest that the region will need to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs annually.

Against this background, the sixth HRD conference and exhibition is a timely event that will explore the challenges behind the unemployment of GCC graduates and try to work out solutions for the development of human capital in the region.

“Human resource development in Bahrain and GCC has become a serious factor and international organisations have been highlighting this with reports on the number of university graduates every year and their job placements,” observes H.E. Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, Bahrain’s labour minister.

“We believe that human resources will be the basis for economic development in the Arab world. The conference is important for GCC countries and we expect that through discussions over the next three days with more than 30 speakers and moderators, we can come up with an action plan for human capital development.”

Also this month

“The first day will focus on the challenges facing university graduates as well as a debate between the old and new generation, involving various schools of thought and finding the middle ground between them,” says Conference chairman, Ahmed Al Banna.

The second is devoted to finding solutions to the challenges discussed the previous day, with focus on the best practices of organisations with respect to career guidance, progression and succession planning. A CEO forum discussion on the best practices of career progression programme will close the second day.”

On the third day, six workshops will run in English parallel to the conference. A workshop on ‘Career Progression’, with case studies, will be conducted by consultancy, Protiviti; another workshop on the ‘Power of Coaching and Mentoring’ will be held by Total Business Solution.

Gary J. Casey, an Australian HR specialist, will guide the third workshop on the Australian experience in heading towards a ‘National Framework for Career Guidance’.

Hanan Abdulkarim, from Honeywell in Saudi Arabia, will speak about her company’s experience in ‘Onboarding’ new employees while Dr Hanadi Al Hamli, a Kuwaiti HR advisor, will dwell on ‘Excellence in Career Development and Planning’.

The local Bahraini experience will be shared by Mohammed Mahmood, president of Bahrain Society for Training & Development, who will talk about the ‘Path to Personal Success’.

E Call 17 552-878.

74 x Entrepreneur - 76 x Interview - 78 x Spotlight

www.bahrainthismonth.com

When? November 5-7 Event? Strategic planning forum Venue? Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Dr Mohammed Abdulghaffar delivers a seminar in strategic planning.

E Call 17 822-564.

When? November 17-19 Event? Oil and gas conference Venue? TBA The conference will discuss international energy disputes.

E Call 17 582-021.

When? November 18 Event? Leadership seminar Venue? Bahrain Conference Centre John C Maxwell explains what he thinks makes great leaders.

E Call 36 048-699.

When? November 19-21 Event? Human resource conference Venue? Bahrain Conference Centre Recruiters gather to discuss the challenges faced by GCC graduates.

E Call 17 552-878.

When? November 20 Event? Talent solution talk Venue? The Domain Bahrain Guillaume Larronde of LinkedIn talks recruiting strategies.

E Call 16 000-000.

November 2013 73

businessentrepreneur

Driving Innovation xxxxx The Arab mentality is to always wait for machines and devices to arrive from overseas, but I’m an impatient person. I want to create devices that my patients need and get it to them as quickly as possible

Amina Al Hawaj

SIMI KAMBOJ Determined and committed, Bahrain’s first female inventor believes in meeting challenges head on.

74 November 2013

Amina Al Hawaj is a busy young woman these days. The 24 year-old has three patents for medical devices that facilitate mobilisation of upper and lower limbs, aiding in recovery from injuries.

Amina has signed up with partners in Austria and Germany where her devices are being manufactured. She plans to expand to markets such as Brazil, Jordan and Qatar over time.

The founder of Momkin says it was all an attempt to prove the naysayers wrong.

“When I was in search of an answer to my problem, I felt all doors closing on me. Finally, when I hit upon the right idea, I told myself everything was possible (Momkin in Arabic). That’s the reason I named the company Momkin,” she says.

Making her dreams possible is business angel Tenmou, which has now invested in Amina’s venture, giving the necessary fillip to her research and development endeavours.

She plans to use the funds to build new medical devices, develop ideas and create services. Her company will also market efficient medical devices in the Middle East region.

Amina’s ‘can do’ approach as a physiotherapy undergraduate led her to explore ways in which she could help her patients achieve a speedy recovery.

“The Arab mentality is to always wait for machines and devices to arrive from overseas, but I’m an impatient person. I want to create devices that my patients need and get it to them as quickly as possible,” she says.

In the course of her practical training in physiotherapy at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), she was treating an 18-year-old male patient with a sports injury.

“He was in immense pain, yet he wanted to play football and begged me to do something. I already had an idea but there was no workshop where I could try it,” she says.

Finally, she started building a wooden prototype in a shed behind her house, and then switched to aluminium, eventually resorting to steel. After a year of countless trials and failures, she had Almond, a lower hip mobilisation device which she used to rehabilitate over 100 patients at SMC. Her dedication led her to further improve on the device, resulting in her second invention, Stamina, which has additional features for flat foot and ankle rotation. She’s also working on a third device for upper limb rehabilitation which will cover the shoulder, elbow and wrist, providing relief to patients with complaints such as shoulder dislocation, tennis elbow and wrist injury.

The young inventor has been feted with a host of regional and international accolades, including the Golden Award for best woman inventor in 2011 by the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Silver Award for best invention at the iENA Inventions International Fair in Germany.

“There are many bright minds here that lack confidence and are afraid to take risks. But I don’t believe in waiting for things to come to me. As Gandhi said, ‘Be the change that you want to see in the world’,” Amina says.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

businessinterview

New Dimensions xxxxx We want to be fair and honest with our customers.

As long as we’re making a reasonable margin, we’re happy to serve the genuine demand in Bahrain and contribute to the Kingdom’s growth

Adel Al Safar

SIMI KAMBOJ An innovative approach has been the mainstay of this local business group as they approach their 30th anniversary of operations in the Kingdom.

76 November 2013

Entrepreneur Adel Al Safar doesn’t believe in following the beaten track. When he launched his first business, Computer World, the year was 1984 and only a few large enterprises in Bahrain had computers. Twenty years later, when he opened a call centre in Bahrain, outsourcing hadn’t really arrived in the Kingdom.

“We’ve always tried to remain unique and provide good service in whichever business we have operated,” says Adel, chairman of Al Safar Group (ASG).

IT training and education have remained a passion for this computer science graduate. He has been a seed investor in the New Millennium School and DPS in Bahrain, exiting only after the institutions started operations. For the moment, his energies are directed towards opening another school in Dubai this year. In Bahrain, the group has invested in a British curriculum school which is scheduled to launch in September 2014.

The 55-year-old credits his success to the team he has picked in various businesses.

“I’m always willing to invest in passionate people with great ideas. If they understand something well, you can always create the right processes and the right platform around it,” he says.

In the domain of food and beverage the group has been, predictably, picky with investment decisions. ASG holds the GCC franchise for Rainforest restaurants and the first US$10 million outlet has garnered awards in its first year of operation in Dubai.

“It’s a novel concept with thundershowers, lightning and moving animals, which requires at least a 1,000-square-metre space within a mall. We’re having difficulty finding that kind of space in Bahrain,” he notes. “Our franchise of American burger chain EZ Burger will be rolled across the GCC next year. We currently have four outlets in the Kingdom in Arad, Juffair, Riffa and Saar.”

In the coming months, Adel plans to introduce another US chain in Bahrain, the Sushi Concept, where customers will be able to choose ingredients from a salad bar and have sushi rolled up in front of them.

The group is a first generation business that Adel started with a BD3,000 loan from his father. He remembers telling himself that he’d have to offer something different if he were to survive the ‘big sharks’ of those days.

“That’s when we got the Microsoft certification for our training institute. Gradually, we expanded the business to include hardware support, software and cleaning services,” he says.

“Once the business stabilised, I made sure I returned my father’s loan!”

Adel also has an active real estate arm but, again, he hasn’t taken the usual route of building high-end properties for speculative purposes. He has chosen to concentrate on the mid-segment market for Bahrainis, which he believes holds adequate potential. The company is offering two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments for sale in Sanad and Jid Ali at prices ranging from BD40,000 to BD70,000.

“We want to be fair and honest with our customers. As long as we’re making a reasonable margin, we’re happy to serve the genuine demand in Bahrain and contribute to the Kingdom’s growth,” he says.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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rance u s n I •

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Don’t miss out; visit our showroom today or log on to zmotors.com!

10 years or 1 million kms warranty on all our cars.

@MitsubishiBah

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businessspotlight

Centre of Attraction BAHRAIN CITY CENTRE

The mall has been a platform for the entry of new, international brands in the Kingdom, for example iconic brands such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Carrefour, Pottery Barn and P.F. Chang’s.

There have also been some memorable campaigns including ‘Fall for Fashion’, the Apple Campaign, and the ‘Taste of Fashion’, in partnership with the Kempinski Hotel Grand & Ixir Bahrain City Centre. Our Lewan Ramadan activities and unique ‘Winter Wonderland’ campaign have transformed our mall into a seasonal playground.

It’s become such a focal point within the Kingdom that Bahrain City Centre seems to have been around forever.

Duaij Khalifa Al Rumaihi

Duaij Khalifa Al Rumaihi, senior mall manager, Bahrain City Centre (BCC) reflects on the shopping destination’s fifth anniversary and the contribution it has made to the wider retail scene and the Kingdom.

Bahrain This Month (BTM): How did you set about celebrating your fifth anniversary?

Al Rumaihi: The mall hosted a month of family-fun activities, with raffle draws, competitions and exciting shows for kids.

The initial celebrations kicked off with an official cake cutting ceremony, followed by daily prize draws for shoppers at the mall. A total of 185 prizes, including gift cards, iPhone 5 mobile devices and five Fiat 500 grand prizes, were awarded to shoppers throughout the month.

As a leading family-friendly destination in the community, the mall also welcomed the Smurfs for live performances for children to enjoy. In addition, a special party for five-year-olds was hosted to celebrate the mall’s fifth birthday.

The anniversary campaign was the mall’s way to thank loyal patrons and to highlight its commitment to the local community by bringing world-class entertainment and unbeatable shopping specials to the Kingdom.

BTM: What achievements stand out over the past five years?

Al Rumaihi: Since opening its doors five years ago, Bahrain City Centre has become a national landmark in Bahrain and a favoured meeting point for the community. We have won a number of industry awards from the International Council of Shopping Centres, most recently with the Gold Award last year for our Fall for Fashion campaign.

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BTM: What can we expect from Bahrain City Centre in the future?

Al Rumaihi: While there are no immediate announcements for now, however, we are always looking to enhance our offer, be it through retail, entertainment experiences or upgrading the mall itself.

We will also continue to invest in strategic opportunities with the government and retail partners to ensure our position as a flagship mall for the nation and for the benefit of Bahrain’s community.

Fifth anniversary grand prize winners

The Smurfs campaign

BTM: What contributions does MAF Properties, through Bahrain City Centre, make to the community?

Al Rumaihi: We contribute to the community in a healthy way through the extremely popular City Walkers programme, which has thousands of registered members. In 2011 we launched the ‘Kick Up Your Heels’ walkathon event, raising a significant amount for breast cancer awareness and Think Pink Bahrain.

For the first time this year, we supported ‘Go Red for Women’, which raised the red flag on women’s heart disease. In a single weekend, we registered more than 500 ladies who came out to get heart health tested.

In addition, Bahrain City Centre supports Majid Al Futtaim Properties’ annual ‘Make a Difference this Ramadan’ campaign, which brings together members of the community to donate nonperishable items to those less fortunate.

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The Education UK Exhibition 2013 The Education UK Exhibition 2013 (Edukex), organised annually by the British Coucil, took place in the Al Murjan Ballroom at the Mรถvenpick Hotel. The exhibition was opened by HE Iain Lindsay, British Ambassador, Higher Education Secretary General Professor Riyadh Hamza & Andrew Glass, British Council Bahrain director

HE Iain Lindsay, Andrew Glass & James

Mohammed & Jalal

Chitra & Amani

Malak, Hawra, Fatima & Alaa

Kathryn & James

Rami & Lubna

Prof Riyadh Hamza & HE Iain Lindsay

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2:05 PM John, Dr A. Majeed & HE Iain Lindsay

Elvin & Noor

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The Smurfs Live on Stage As part of Bahrain City Centre's fifth anniversary celebration, Papa Smurf & Clumsy Smurf took to the stage to captivate shoppers with their charm & wit. The 15 minute interactive shows were held at the Mall's Central Galleria last month

The Smurfs on stage

Rebecca, Veronica & Rumi

Majvi, Reha & Regath

Manal, Eli, Andre & Ghada

Mona & Tala

Hamza & Ebrahim

Sophie & Jon

Ahmed, Hania & Haya

Wasan, Hassan, Ameena & Abdulla

Mohammed & Amani

Jaffer & Yousif

Celine & Erika

Multinational School Now Open in Adliya

Providing Academic Excellence Tel: 17711444 Email: info@mns-b.com www.mns-b.com www.bahrainthismonth.com

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RBH Medex Opening Under the patronage of HE Sadiq Al Shehabi, Minister of Health, the chairman and the board of directors of RBH Medex held an inauguration ceremony for the RBH Medex Facility in Riffa last month

Dr Ravi Preet, Shaikha, Aysha, Ahmed Jawahery, HE Dr Mohan Kumar, Indian Ambassador, Sahadulla, Dr Abdulgaffer & Mohammed

Shaikh Hamad, Mashood, Ali & Sager

Deepender, Henry & Stefan

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Latha, Jessy, Soman & Najeeb

Dr Ibrahim, Faisal Al Maskati & Bandula

Sanhita, Primrose & Randa

Mathews & Bhagwan

Dr Sarah & Mimi

Raheem

Nilofer & Sumaya

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American Chamber of Commerce Bahrain Reception American Chamber of Commerce Bahrain (AmCham Bahrain) president, Qays Zu'bi hosted a reception for members of AmCham Bahrain & a number of guests at his residence to to celebrate the growth and goals of the chamber

Ahmed bin Hindi & Khalid Kanoo

Doris, Mr Ahmedi & Panos

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Ahmed, Qays Zu'bi, HE Thomas Krajeski, US Ambassador, Nabeel & Rudolf

Mary & Karina

Majid Al Zayani & Rudolf Miran

Akeel, Hani, Craig & Luna

Fareed & Nasser

Joanne, Tameen & John

Didine & Yvonne

Bassem, Reza, Austin & Thomas

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Indonesian Embassy Eid HE Chilman Arisman, Indonesian Ambassador and the Indonesian Embassy hosted a Eid family get together for members of the Indonesian community at the Marina Corniche last month

HE Chilman Arisman & Ratnawati

Asep, Dede, Benny, Agus, Twedi, Luna, Wennie, Emir, Sigit & Edi

Dr Emir, Ratna, HE Chilman Arisman, Ratnawati, Al fatih & Sayed

Nina, Rim & Nurmala

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Ita, Noufal & Rian

Ratna, Julie, Wildan, Sukma, Viera & Dede

Liea & Maru

Ronney & Desi

Qassim & Reem

Dewi

Raditaman & Agus

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The ONE Media Autumn Preview The ONE Store at Al A'ali Shopping Complex held its Autumn 2013 preview for members of the media last month. The event held at the store was followed by lunch

Colin Burrows

Sonja & Charley

Sayed, Jan & Caroline

Kareena & Pallavi

Cyndia, Amal & Zahra

Colin with members of the media & the ONE staff

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Archana & Shafikha

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Malaysian Ambassador's Eid HE Dato Ahmad Shahizan Abd Samad, Malaysian Ambassador & Nor Hayati, hosted an Eid reception for members of the Malaysian community & guests at his residence in Jasra HE Ahmad Shahizan

Haji Ahmad Jumat & HE Ahmad Shahizan

Sofea, Aisyah & Farhana

Batrishia & Marsya

Zetti, Mariam & Izzatie

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Bader, Haji Tunasir, HE Ahmad Shahizan & Salim

Rosita & Nor Hayati

Hanis, Hadi, Ahmad, Naim & Addeen

Faris & Syafiq

Nor Hayati & Rosnani

Nurul

Mazliza & Saky

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The Domain Brunch For Grown-Ups The Domain Bahrain, in the Diplomatic Area offers a unique ‘brunch for grown-ups’. The Friday brunch held at the Le Domain restaurant, on the 34th floor, offers sumptuous, fresh cuisine to cater to all tastes

Patrick de Groot

Chef Kjell, Chris, Indika & Kuroda

Anne, Nick, Sara, Charlie, George & Patrick

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We love the smell of our freshly baked bread.

Every morning our dough is kneaded and baked to perfection just for you.

Proudly premium everyday.

discoverbahrainrediscoveringriffa

Rediscovering Riffa Nestled in the very heart of the island, the city of Riffa is the second largest in Bahrain and growing in popularity as a tourist and retail destination. Bahrain This Month takes a tour of the district.

Steeped in history, Riffa offers family and friends the chance to explore traditional Bahraini culture and entertainment. Composed of the towns of East Riffa (Riffa Ash-Sharqui) and West Riffa (Riffa Al-Gharbi), this city provides a rich insight into diverse ways of life. You can find ancient settlements in East Riffa, now infused with the influences of various cultures, and the more modern sights in West Riffa, which is more residential.

West Riffa is famous for its palaces as it is home to a majority of the Royal family, including Bahrain’s King, His Majesty Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. A drive through the streets lined with lush greenery and roundabouts allows one to absorb the regal nature of the region defined by lavish homes.

A tourist’s perspective As you drive from East to West, something not to be missed is the famous Clock Tower situated at the centre of West Riffa.

Located on a roundabout, this landmark is a particularly splendid sight when lit up at night.

East Riffa has more heritage and diversity and offers a lot to explore. The Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort, known locally as the Riffa Fort, is the outstanding tourist highlight as it overlooks the valley. It served as the official residence of the ruling family on their arrival in Bahrain in 1783.

Riffa was formerly the capital of the country, until 1869. The fort was of great strategic importance at the time, having been intended to shelter the population from potential attack by a sea

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Riffa Fort

invasion. It is therefore a significant part of Bahrain’s history.

Built on the high ground overlooking the beautiful Hunainiyah Valley, this 18th century fort was restored in 1983 and consists of towers, elaborate chambers, a well and a mosque nearby. It also offers a wonderful view of the valley, with the golf course in the distance and the surrounding parks. From the fort, one can also drive towards Bahrain’s famous Tree of Life.

Located opposite the Riffa Fort is the new Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) Military Museum which opened its doors earlier this year, in February, in celebration of the BDF’s 45th

Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club

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discoverbahrainrediscoveringriffa with about 300 horses participating. East Riffa is home to Bahrain National Stadium, where most football matches and important sports events in Bahrain take place.

Riffa Clock Tower

anniversary. It displays paintings, photographs and documents depicting Bahrain’s national military history and the BDF’s role in major historical events. The museum also contains exhibits dedicated to the army, navy and air forces.

A short walk or drive into Hunainiyah Valley will have you passing the Hunainiyah Public Park, which is an ideal picnic spot and play area for children. On some days, tourists can check out the various wares, such as traditional foods and garments, made and sold by local women. Directly opposite the park is the Hunainiyah cemetery which lends an air of tranquillity.

A sporty lifestyle Around a 10 to 15 minute drive from the park, towards the southern region, is the famous Riffa Views, a distinguished residential as well as commercial complex created by Arcapita that offers an assortment of facilities, including shopping, sea sports and a water park.

While you’re in the area, why not try a round of golf on the Gulf’s oldest sand course, and sample the game as it was originally played in the desert. It is considered a must-do activity in the Kingdom and is a great venue for a day out with family and friends. The entire game at Awali Golf Club is played on sand. It is located very close to the Royal Golf Club, which is built on the Riffa Views grassy landscape and is Bahrain’s only championship golf course.

Horses are a prominent part of Bahraini culture and Riffa boasts the location of the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club. Racing season extends from October to April every year

Alosra at Riffa Palms

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The local fare If you feel like a bit of shopping while in East Riffa, there are numerous shopping malls to choose from, more so than in its West counterpart. Popular markets in this area are Riffa Souq and Bukuwara Street Market. The former is older and larger, while the latter is more modern and typical of Riffa’s blend of the traditional and cosmopolitan aspects of Bahrain. Arabic garments, jewellery, perfumes and carpets are among the traditional items being sold in these markets. East Riffa is also full of fantastic eateries with foods from all around the world.

The population of East Riffa includes people of all nationalities, ethnicities and walks of life and the types of products available in these markets reflect that wonderful diversity. One can browse through the shops at the many malls or purchase a traditional jalabiya from the showroom of Kubra Al Qaseer, the celebrated pioneer of the Bahraini fashion industry. This city offers the perfect getaway, whether you are looking for an exciting day out or just a little peace of mind.

BDF Military Museum

The mall culture Enma Mall is one of the biggest shopping complexes in Bahrain. The new amenities, state-of-the-art technology and family-friendly features of this newly designed mall enhance the overall shopping experience. Contemporary in design, this mall is surrounded by greenery.

The suburb is well served by other shopping hubs like Oasis Centre, Al Reem Centre and Wadi Mall. One of the additions to its retail segment is Lulu Hypermarket.

The premium retail complex at Riffa Views, Riffa Palms, recently launched Alosra as its anchor store. It offers a wide selection of fresh produce, baked goods, delicatessen, fresh meat, fish and poultry, and household goods. As part of its Think Local campaign, the store will also promote local products together with an eclectic mix of global brands.

Riffa Palms is also home to Bahrain’s newest art space — Hue. While East Riffa has more by way of shopping malls and activities, West Riffa has The Walk. This open-air mall features elegant tea cafés and fine dining restaurants.

Educational institutions The Royal University for Women (RUW) is the first private, purposebuilt, international university in the Kingdom of Bahrain dedicated solely to educating women.

Riffa Views International School is uniquely positioned to

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provide an outstanding educational environment for Bahraini citizens and the expatriate community located in Bahrain.

Hawar International School was established in 2001 with an aim to provide an international environment, by creating awareness and understanding of its own culture and those of others. The school provides education from nursery levels through to high school in both Arabic and English.

The Shaikha Hessa Girls’ School, also in Riffa, promotes leadership and academic excellence by providing a healthy, secure environment for students to become lifelong learners, to reach their fullest potential as individuals and global citizens, with emphasis on Islamic and traditional values.

Al Mahd Day Boarding School (AMDBS) began in October 1997 with 40 students and two villas.

Today it has three fully fledged campuses in Saar, Samaheej and East Riffa and over 2,500 students. In 2004, the school was awarded International Centre Status by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), of Cambridge University, which is one of the world’s leading providers of educational qualifications and assessments.

Talent International & the Infant School has a branch in East Riffa catering for children from two to 10 years. Riffa Play School welcomes toddlers from two to four years of age.

The latest additions to the educational institutions in the district are KG Kids Pre-School and Palms Primary School.

Located opposite BDF Hospital in West Riffa, KG Kids meets the highest standards in education at a pre-school level. Palms offers excellent education to children from six to 12 years of age.

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Bukuwara street market

Medical care Bahrain Royal Medical Services (also known as Bahrain Defence Force Hospital) is one of the major hospitals in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the only one where free health care is provided exclusively for non-civilians in the country.

Al Rayan Hospital in East Riffa gives affordable medical care of international standards. International Medical City Hospital is another medical complex that caters to the general public.

RBH Medex is the third healthcare facility of KIMS Group in Bahrain, making its high-quality medical services more accessible by bringing its 24-hour specialised services closer to the people of Riffa.

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reportriffa ALOSRA SUPERMARKET

Quality Assured A supermarket committed to providing premium quality products in the Kingdom maintains an official industry stamp for complying with high quality standards.

Known for it premium quality product and produce from all corners of the world, Alosra Supermarket has added to its long list of accolades. Alosra is the first and only supermarket in the Kingdom to receive an international recognition and certifications for its commitment to food safety, quality, health and safety and the environment.

Since 2012, the supermarket has been awarded with the ISO 9001 certificate for quality, as well as the Occupational Health & Safety (OHSAS) 18001 rating, which recognises Alosra's commitment to helping protect employees and the community by preventing injury and ill health. This means safety procedures are applied at all times, such as wearing proper personal protective equipment. In addition, Alosra has maintained a transparent track record of reporting all incidents and accidents.

“We take pride in offering premium products every day and have built our reputation on being fresh and friendly, delivering a high quality service to our customers,” says Pavlos Babiolakis, Alosra’s buying manager. “Our dedication to prove our ‘fresh and friendly’ tagline is not just a marketing play on words. We have consistently delivered high quality and service at great value.”

The supermarket chain also possesses an ISO 14001 accreditation for its environmental compliances.

“We ensure that the environment and community we are a part of are not neglected by what we do,” adds Pavlos. “We listen to our customers and aim to always keep our promises.

There’s a continuous effort for improvement and ensuring availability of products and consistency of service.”

Measures such as controlled water, fuel and electricity consumption along with reuse and recycling of products whenever possible, have resulted in a strong environmentally conscious corporate outlook.

In addition, the adherence to ISO 22000 food safety norms delivers products that are closely monitored for nutrition and potential health risks and are safe for consumption. High standards of personal hygiene and cleaning have been put in place; the food is protected from contamination and temperatures are always under control to prevent microbial growth.

Safe handling A major portion of Alosra products are imported from around the world. Hence the quality control begins when they are being chosen in the country of source. Stringent measures are in place to monitor the safe transfer of the products, ensuring minimum cross contamination and damage.

“We are completely aware that care doesn’t stop at sourcing safe products; we constantly ensure our practices are in compliance with Bahrain and international quality and industry standards,” notes Pavlos. “The combination of these four certificates allows us to deliver exceptional service that is pivotal in instilling trust within customers.”

E Call 17 739-515 or visit www.alosraselect.com

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KG KIDS PRE-SCHOOL

A Bright Future Celebrating 20 years of excellence, this institution in Riffa meets the highest standards in education at a pre-school level.

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Established in 1993, KG Kids Pre-School nurtures children in the rich culture, heritage and traditions of Bahrain together with the creativity, expression and established system of a British education. With a capacity for over 100 children ranging from 18 months to six years of age, KG Kids has a fun, friendly and colourful atmosphere. It teaches students in two languages — English and Arabic.

Janet Lanceley, educational consultant, founder and director of the establishment has over 30 years of experience in education in Bahrain. She has helped the institute set a precedent within early education. The Quality Assurance Authority for Education and Training awarded KG Kids the title of ‘an outstanding pre-school’ in its pilot review.

The establishment is located opposite the BDF Hospital in West Riffa, just off the Shaikh Salman Highway. A fairytale castle-style building awaits you and your children.

KG Kids provides transport to the surrounding areas of Riffa, Isa Town and A’ali. An air-conditioned bus, with seat belts and the supervision of a teacher’s assistant, ensure safe and secure travel. Latest research in educational development is incorporated into the pre-school’s programmes. The use of interactive whiteboards and computers is part of every classroom and iPads have been introduced this year.

Future developments include a purpose-built KG Kids in central Manama and Amwaj Islands, including daycare facilities. Two international schools are planned for Awali Riffa and Diyar Muharraq to develop KG Kids primary school ‘Palms Primary’ into a full K-12 purpose-built school, enabling students to continue first-class education right up to graduation! E Call 17 663-556.

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Rahat Fateh Ali Khan U STAD

P R E S E N T S

LIVE-IN CONCERT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BAHRAIN

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8000 1788 / 3328 3939

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PS4 versus X-BOX

Let the Battle Begin Elma Bartholomew The rumours have kept gamers on their toes for months.

Now that the release dates of their latest consoles have neared, Xbox and Playstation fans can wait no longer.

Now that the highly anticipated releases of Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PS4 are here, the hype has kicked into overdrive. A lot of people freaked out when respected members of the gaming world hinted at potential spilled beans that would change the industry forever. However, it would be silly to assume that Sony would shoot themselves in the foot like Microsoft did. They have been playing their marketing tricks smoothly — so far at least.

The same can’t be said for the team behind Xbox’s new release. Not many of us can forget the nest of rage and mockery that built up when they first disclosed the Xbox One. Although a quick retreat and eventual rectification should have solved the problem, starting on the wrong foot could have cost them an irrevocable loss.

The other side of the coin We could say that PS4 has already won the battle, but experts have claimed that Xbox is set to win the war. Many expect the Xbox One to outsell the PS4 within the launch window.

The gaming community chants the fact that Sony is riding on a wave of goodwill. The fact that the PS4 is USD100 cheaper should work in its favour. Nevertheless, forecasts have been Also this month

disregarded by experts who have all their money placed on Xbox One. This faith is perhaps based on analysts’ findings on Ebay sales. While both are seeing healthy responses, Xbox One’s price margin averages a 60 percent increase as compared to 50 percent for PS4. It’s surprising, isn’t it, considering the former is more expensive?

What really matters The demand for both products has already outgrown supply by a good margin. So by the time holiday shopping hits its peak, the consoles that have been made will have been bought.

So the real success belongs to those who can make more consoles in time for Christmas, because the price difference does not effect the decision of a buyer who can’t distinguish between the two.

This is why the launch window prediction can’t be relied upon. All pre-orders and initial sales depend on hardcore gamers, who have already made their choice. Since there is nothing truly exclusive to wait for, the popularity test begins when the unacquainted buyer picks a console.

It is difficult to quantify success or failure in this industry, with competitors having been around for over a decade.

It suffices to say that the benchmark they’ve created for themselves is ambitious — 100 million units is no joke, especially when 300 million machines is what was sold in 10 years of existence. It looks like a tall order.

96 Gadgets x 102 Music x 104 Computer games x 105 Websites x 106 Apps x 107 Movies

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Read all about it The new Kindle Fire is a fullfeatured HD tablet. There’s more to enjoy than ever before with a stunning display, faster performance, longer battery life and lighter design.

Right away The Evernote Jot Script stylus is equipped with Bluetooth technology, providing users with a pressure-sensitive tablet stylus with a fantastically small 1.9mm tip.

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What’s That Sound?

This month, all the noise is about gizmos that enhance your listening experience.

We’ve also spotted a number of quirky pieces to add to your home.

The real deal

Editor's pick!

Old-school tunes

The Marshall Stanmore Speaker has been designed to connect to mobile devices via Bluetooth. It has a vintage look, gold details, iconic gold piping and a script logo.

The Stanmore is right at home with the rest of the Marshall collection.

The Nest Protect is a smoke and carbon monoxide detector that will give you warnings in a human voice as to what’s going on in your house. If you have a number of them, it can tell you which room has smoke in it. An LED ring will change colour according to the situation.

Something old; something new

With the Jukebox Dock Bluetooth, you will be able to party as though it is 1946. However, it will feature some modern ideas thanks to an integrated USB port that allows you to power up your device whenever the battery runs low on juice.

Fitness tracking

The new Nike+ FuelBand SE is equipped with battery-saving Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, colourful inside finishes (available in yellow, pink or red), a handy double tap to reveal the time function as well as the ability to track your sleep patterns.

Made for everyone

Are you in the market for a new notebook? Relax with your favourite music, write a report in Google Docs or put the finishing touches on a family video with the HP Chromebook 11. It has six hours of battery life, slips easily into a bag or purse, and weighs just over two pounds.

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A quick dip

The portable Bluetooth speaker, Swimmer, from Boom Movement, is no ordinary device as it is shockproof and waterproof. Size certainly does not matter. It features a flexible tail attachment that comes in handy when you want to hook, loop, wrap or grip it to just about any object that you put your mind to.

Transformative design

Hansgrohe, the luxury bathroom fittings specialist, celebrates 10 years of its revolutionary ‘Raindance’ product range. The intelligent shower technology enriches water with air, allowing consumers to save water more efficiently over the years.

Creative freedom

Lomography has unveiled a new digital micro four-thirds lens. It is the very first in the world that has been created for photographers to take real, optical, multipleexposure photographs using a digital camera.

All in the game

Movie and music lovers will find the new Acer Iconia A3, a 10.1-inch tablet, to be their perfectly balanced couch mate with immersive sound, wide viewing angles and quad-core performance.

For baseball fanatics

This authentic baseball glove leather chair is a sure-fire conversation starter. It would definitely be something to think about, considering the price tag, but you can be sure that it will end up as the centrepiece of your living room.

All gadgets are available online.

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The Latest Gizmos If you’re after some new gadgets, Lulu Hypermarket is where you should be.

Expect to find the most competitive offers on the latest products.

Editor's pick!

Sony Xperia Z1

Amazing photos and videos, innovative apps and a fantastic screen experience are all wrapped inside the most elegant package.

Discover how Sony Xperia Z1 is the best smartphone imaginable.

Asus Touch Laptop V400CA

The ultra-light and extra-slim Asus VivoBook boasts textured metal-treated surfaces, an ergonomic edge design and exciting colours. It matches the dynamic nature of new high-mobility intuitive computing.

Alcatel OT4007 Acer Touch Screen Netbook

Command your digital lifestyle with just your touch, thanks to cutting-edge Acer Touch technology. Control your screen and use applications in ways you never dreamed possible.

The Alcatel One Touch Pixi is a simple Android smartphone with a 3.5-inch HVGA display, VGA camera that can produce 2MP photos, microSD, 256MB of RAM, 1GHz processor, FM radio and Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system.

Beyond: Two Souls (PS3)

A unique psychological action thriller delivered by A-list Hollywood performances, Beyond: Two Souls takes you on a thrilling journey across the globe as you play out the remarkable life of Jodie Holmes.

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Samsung 40-inch Smart LED TV

With built-in Wi-Fi, no additional equipment is needed to connect with an existing wireless router in your home network and start accessing Samsung Apps or other Smart TV features. The realistic detail of Full HD images invites you to enjoy a viewing experience that redefines reality.t

Philips 60-inch 3D Smart LED TV

Add a new dimension to your viewing experience with Philips 6000 series 3D Smart LED TV. Don’t be fooled by the slim design. It’s fully loaded with features like Skype, Easy 3D and two-side ambilight.

Disney Infinity (PS3, Xbox360)

In Disney Infinity you have the freedom and endless opportunity to create stories and play experiences starring some of your favourite Disney and Disney-Pixar characters.

Discover three play sets, including Monsters University, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The Incredibles.

LG 50-inch full HD LED TV

The IPS Panel used by LG is the reason why LG LED TVs have clearer, more consistent and sturdy screens. Connect and watch HD content from your phone on the TV’s large screen with your MHL cable and control it with the TV's Magic Remote. The phone is also charged while it is connected.

Philips 50-inch 3D Smart LED TV

Immerse yourself in the action — online and off — with the Philips 5000 series 3D Smart LED TV with ambilight. Enjoy the vibrant quality of full HD LED, the endless possibilities of Smart TV and the brand’s most comfortable 3D experience to date.

Lulu Hypermarkets can be found at Dana Mall, Hidd, Ramli Mall and East Riffa

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Kamal Birthday Party Kamal & Tanja hosted an Arabic themed party for a number of friends to celebrate the birthday of Kamal. The party was held at the Zallaq Garden clubhouse

Tanja & Kamal

Majet, Badrie, Kamal & Dan

Hannah, Natalia, Elena, Roza & Tatyane

Jlias, Kamal, Vadim, Tanja & Lauren

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Nada, Fortine & Huda

Roza, Zaid & Natalia

Diethard, Andy & Hirry

Lina & Lilly

Franco & Adrian

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downtimegadgets HOME ELECTRONICS

Zeroing In This electronics store has prepared itself for frantic shoppers during the holiday season. Check out the unbelievable plans it has to offer.

Are you thinking of buying electronic products, such as a home theatre system, HD TV, or a media player as a gift this holiday season? Before spending money in the shopping-crazed days ahead, consider the deal offered at Home Electronics.

In partnership with Credimax, the appliance store has introduced a zero percent interest instalment plan for its customers. Those who make a purchase of BD100 or more at the outlet using a Credimax card can now pay in six monthly instalments without being charged interest. This promotion will run until January 20.

Whether you’re looking to get your shopping done early or save on a big-ticket item or two, this offer allows you to beat the holiday rush without burning a hole in your pocket. The easy payment plan guarantees that you pay absolutely no extras on your purchase.

Stretch your dinars further and shop to your heart’s content at Home Electronics.

From your audio and video needs to kitchen appliances, this retailer has it all. You can find cameras, phones, laptops, printers, headphones, air conditioners, refrigerators, cooking ranges and washing machines under its roof.

Known to be a one-stop shop for gadgets, Home Electronics is refurbishing its IT section in order to ensure its clients get more choices of products and brands — at better prices. The outlet has set no limits for introducing the latest gizmos into Bahrain’s market.

E Call 17 878-888 or 33 314-288 or visit www.homeelectronics.com.bh.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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Battle against Adversity This is month of comebacks in the world of music. While some have done better than they ever have, others give us nothing more than the initial hype.

Emphatic Another Life

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RATING:

WHAT’S THE STORY? Omaha-based hard

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rockers Emphatic have released their sophomore album, Another Life. The record is their first to feature new frontman Toryn Green, previously the singer of multi-platinum rock band Fuel and the touring vocalist for Finnish cello-rock band Apocalyptica.

Nestling amongst the likes of Creed, the US rock band steps forward to light up ears and thoughts. This band has turned over a new leaf and has matured in sound. It is a breath of fresh air in a scene that is filled with money hungry bands.

WORTH A LISTEN?

The release does not exactly set down new markers. It is one which leaves infectious and richly rewarding musical narratives. Emphatic has never released a bad song. They definitely chose the right person for the job, because Green’s voice suits the sound this band has created.

If you’ve heard them before, you will want to give this album a shot. Followers will still find plenty to enthuse about from the title track to the album closer. If you’re a fan of modern rock in general, you will want to pick it up anyway. Unforgettable lyrics, irreplaceable instrumental skills and outstanding vocal ability make this an album really worth a listen.

Verdict: The album provides an appealing dose of rock intensity and passion.

TOP TRACKS: Remember Me, Lights and Some Things Never Die. Shane Filan

You & Me Shane Filan of Westlife is firmly putting his boy band past behind him to be his own person. You & Me marks the Irish singersongwriter's first solo LP. He describes the album as a positive collection of songs.

Shane co-wrote a handful of Westlife songs, but his solo album sees him emerge as a pop writer to be reckoned with. Everything to Me sets off the celbratory feel and flavour wto be expected from the entire album.

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M.I.A

Matangi It was way back in January 2012 when Bad Girls, the first single from M.I.A’s fourth album came out. After nearly a year, the Sri Lankan artist is finally finished with her latest set of hyper catchy electro-rap jams. The mood is a bit more playful.

James Blunt

Moon Landing His fourth album is an attempt to recapture the spontaneity of his first.

There are clichéd moments.

It isn’t easy to say this in a world that perhaps hates Blunt, but he’s all right.

The songs aren’t bad; they aren’t fun either.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

downtimecomputergames

Part by Part The gaming industry has always had a penchant for blood and gore. This month, we tried out games that focused on ‘limb by limb’ techniques.

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Rocksmith 2014

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(PC, PS3, Xbox 360) Rocksmith teaches you fast and effectively by letting you plug any real guitar or bass directly into your games and entertainment system. It becomes your personal teacher as it monitors how you play.

Skylanders Swap Force (WiiU)

How to Survive (WiiU, PS3, Xbox 360) RATING:

WHAT IS IT?

Eko Software and publisher 505 Games have thrown their entry into the fleshy ring of zombies with How to Survive. The title borrows elements from a number of other undead-focused adventures. You’ll find bloated zombies, weapon crafting and an isometric perspective.

This zombie survival game features RPG stat mechanics and multiple playable characters along with local and online multiplayer options.

This is the best Skylanders game to date. There’s an inherent addictive element. Swap Force is really a game made for co-op play, especially since it is designed around the duality of elements.

This edition is just as flexible as the previous games. The story is entertaining. The voiced scenes feature plenty of humour.

GRAPHICS: The technical aspects do not shine in terms of detail and

finesse, which is a shame since the plot can be forgotten in less than a minute. After a while, you begin to experience repetitiveness. Considering the attractive price and the originality of a hybrid gameplay (although imperfect), How to Survive is just enough to kill time. However, better graphics could have been utilised.

GAMEPLAY: How to Survive has some undoubted merits. However, the game

is very immature from certain points of view, like the variety of enemies and locations, the limited size of the islands, the graphics and the triviality of quests and dialogue.

The game offers a story mode and a series of challenges that are disconnected from the main plot. The choice of the alter ego between the three available characters takes account of rather trivial characteristics. A change between one and the other are strength and speed.

VERDICT: Is there room in your life for another zombie game? Then, give it a shot.

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The Wolf Among Us

(PS3, Xbox 360) From the makers of the 2012 Game of the Year, The Walking Dead, comes a violent and mature thriller based on the award-winning Fables comic books. As Bigby Wolf, you will discover that a brutal, bloody murder is just a taste of things to come.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

websites

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SoundCloud.com RATING:

WHAT IS IT?

If you’ve ever listened to audio on some website visualised as an oddly alluring orange-and-grey waveform, you’ve likely bumped into SoundCloud. Founded in 2007, the site aspired to furnish artist-focused musical file sharing — a kind of Vimeo or Flickr for musicians.

In the lead-up to its relaunch in late 2012, its operators rolled up their sleeves to pull together a more listener-angled experience. The most stylish way to upload and publicise music or audio of any sort now is through SoundCloud’s listening community or by embedding it in another website.

THE GOOD: Once you’ve posted your ‘sound’, you can share it easily across social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest. You can use the website’s simple widgets to embed sounds in your website or blog.

The potential is limited only by the users’ imagination. SoundCloud accepts most common audio file formats.

Another great feature is the detailed stats and analytics. You can see where plays have come from and what items users are downloading most.

THE BAD:

SoundCloud does exactly what it says on the tin. So it’s impossible to pinpoint any real downsides.

VERDICT: An easy way to share music and find new tunes.

Thisismyjam.com Choose one song. That song that’s been stuck on repeat, that one you love. Personalise it and share it with the world. This is your jam, and it’s yours for up to seven days. Change it whenever you want, but choose wisely. You only have one!

NPR’s First Listen Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone let you listen to great music before it hit stores? NPR’s First Listen lets you pre-hear everything from fresh movie soundtracks to your favourite indie band’s latest to artists playing styles of music you’ve never heard before.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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Troubleshooting Apps In a fast-paced world, keeping track of your tasks can be difficult. Here are a few apps that helps make your life easier.

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Fixya (iOS) The Q&A site where amateur product experts give repair advice to consumers launched an app. It allows people to shoot a video of a product problem with their phone and get a real product fix from one of FixYa’s 700,000 experts.

The idea is that consumers can get better help from fellow users than from spending time with manufacturer call centres or from paying support fees. To date, FixYa’s community has answered 15 million questions across eight million products.

In the app, you can choose a product category from 36 general groupings.

Any.do (iOS, Android) RATING:

WHAT IS IT?

Our day-to-day is filled with more possibility and promise than ever before. Email, calendar, tasks and notes are not mundane tools. They’re the lenses through which we focus on our lives. At their simplest, they make us more efficient. Any.do is a family of apps designed to help you have a good day, every day.

THE GOOD: Used by millions, Any.do is an award winning task list app. It’s ‘Moment’ is a quick and playful experience that helps you plan your day every morning. It makes planning your day fun and simple. With Any.do for Chrome you can easily sync your tasks from your mobile to your home computer. The extension works beautifully with Gmail.

With the app’s reminders you’ll never forget to do the things you wanted to, at the right place and time. It works perfectly with Cal, the calendar app, so you can see your tasks right inside your calendar. Geolocation reminders actually work.

THE BAD:

Any.do has a few notable shortcomings. It lacks desktop apps and an online interface. There is, however, the Chrome extension to make up for this. Any.do makes its primary tasks so simple that users might find it a little difficult to locate certain features. A little effort will solve that problem in no time. It could use a few improvements.

VERDICT: It’s interesting, productive, well-balanced and fun.

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Skitch (iOS, Android) Skitch lets you communicate important ideas in an instant. Get your point across with fewer words, using annotation, shapes and sketches. Focus on what’s important using mark-up and case illustration. Make your point with shapes, arrows and quick sketches. Use Skitch on your desktop, tablet and phone to give feedback and share ideas.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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movies

Captain Phillips RATING: DIRECTED BY: Paul Greengrass STARRING: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi

THE PLOT:

This movie is a multilayered examination of the 2009 hijacking of the US container ship Maersk Alabama by a crew of Somali pirates. Seen through director Paul Greengrass’ distinctive lens, it becomes a pulse-pounding thriller and a complex portrait of the myriad effects of globalisation. The film focuses on the Alabama’s commanding officer and the Somali pirate captain.

WORTH WATCHING? Captain Phillips is not a film; it is a

reconstruction of reality. Tom Hanks finally gets back to the familiar territory we’ve come to expect with his fantastic performance in this movie. The film’s greatness lies in its ability to keep us riveted until the credits roll. The characters react to circumstances rather than a personal, heroic code.

VERDICT: It’s a story preserved in brine.

Gravity This film is an impressive accomplishment. Set in an orbit above Earth and looking eerily real, the technologically boosted camera weaves through space stations with a grace unforeseen in a NASA-centric feature. This is a film spectacular enough to demand the full 3D treatment at the cinema.

Escape Plan Escape Plan is an entertaining thriller.

Whether you’re a fan of Stallone or Schwarzenegger, you will not be disappointed. With its two main stars each in their late sixties, it’s easy to poke fun at this movie. The movie is a fun piece of escapist cinema. It succeeds whereThe Expendables movies have failed.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

November 2013 107

bystanderthismonth

Skoda Showroom Launch Ahmed Zayani & Sons, sole dealers of Skoda Automobiles in the kingdom held an event to mark the launch of the new Skoda & pre-owned Car Showroom on Shaikh Jaber Al Sabah Highway, Sitra

Ayfan, Saleem, Mamdouh, Riyadh Al Zayani, Naser Al Zayani, Khalid & Amoodi

Essam & Amoodi

John, Saleem, Naser Al Zayani, Samboon, Amoodi & Ayfan

Siraj, Amoodi, Naser Al Zayani, Riyadh Al Zayani, Faisal Al Zayani, Mamdouh, Khalid, Sanhita & Farheen

Liju

Meisei Flying Dragon Launch Mesei Restaurant in Adliya played host to a number of guests to sample a new cocktail called Flying Dragon. Guests were also treated to great music from DJ's Salime & Sammy Hassan, Michael & Ali

John, Mirelle & Nicolas

Ashida, Ruth & Kim

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Abdulla & Mubarak

Roviel & Tad

Amar, Majed & Waleed

Ricardo & Suhaib

DJ Salime

James

Christian & Roviel

Marwan & Nina

Dansira

Effat & Michel

www.bahrainthismonth.com

motoringthismonth

BMW 5 Series

Great Deals at BMW! To celebrate German Unification Day, Euro Motors are offering fantastic deals on the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series.

There’s never been a better chance to get your hands on a brand-new BMW! In honour of the German national day, known as German Unification Day, which celebrates the fall of the Berlin Wall, Euro Motors has launched a special promotion on selected vehicles from the premium German automotive brand.

While stocks last, customers will be able to drive away in a 2014 BMW 3 Series or BMW 5 Series with prices starting at BD12,995 and BD16,995 respectively. Either vehicle choice will include a comprehensive warranty of three years or 100,000km.

Euro Motors consistently aims to deliver products and services in line with their customer needs. They incorporate a three-pronged approach that focuses on market segmentation, target choice and product positioning when developing any new offer or delivering a new vehicle to the market.

“Over the last eight years, we have noticed a shift in the pattern of consumer behaviour. People are now more inclined

BMW 5 Series Interior

Also this month

to go for premium quality with a view towards safer transport and improved comfort,” says Paul Yates, general manager of Euro Motors. “Now we aim to make the most recognised of German brands even more accessible with the introduction of this offer to provide great value and service at prices that are extremely competitive.”

3 Series The sixth generation BMW 3 Series is the perfect blend of sporty design and the constant evolution of its features, ranging from powerful design elements to advanced drive and chassis technology. The model maintains the traditional design features of the BMW brand while combining sporting elegance with iconic styling.

In 2012, every fourth BMW sold was a 3 Series. The success story of this model over the past 37 years has made it the world’s best-selling premium car.

5 Series Since its launch in 1972, the BMW 5 Series has been the undisputed global leader in the executive car segment. The new 5 Series is the fifth BMW model to be available with specific design packages: BMW Modern Line and BMW Luxury Line.

Both Lines include LED fog lamps, 18-inch or 19-inch lightalloy wheels, B-pillar trim and exterior mirror bases in highgloss black. There’s also illuminated door pulls with chrome trim and matching illuminated door sill strips with aluminium inserts bearing BMW lettering.

When? November 1 Event? 4x4 Xperience Venue? Bahrain International Circuit Take the wheels off tarmac for this ultimate adrenaline rush.

E Call 17 450-000.

When? November 4, 18 Event? Drag and Drift Night Venue? Bahrain International Circuit Hit the circuit’s drag trag with your car or motorbike at night.

E Call 17 450-000.

When? November 9 Event? Karting endurance Venue? Bahrain International Karting Circuit A gruelling day for karters who compete for an entire day.

E Call 17 451-000.

When? November 15 Event? 4x4 Xperience Venue? Bahrain International Circuit Experience the thrill as you push your car to its limits.

E Call 17 450-000.

When? November 29-30 Event? 6 Hours of Bahrain Venue? Bahrain International Circuit Catch high-octane action at the final round of the championship E Call 17 450-000.

110 x Wheels - 112 x Showcase

www.bahrainthismonth.com

November 2013 109

motoringwheels

The Perennial Centennial Tony Sidgwick Hyundai’s flagship luxury full-size sedan proves that it’s here to stay, and ready to bring the fight right to Lexus’s doorstep!

Model Hyundai Centennial Model year 2013 Engine 4.6-litre V8 Tau engine Displacement 4,627 cc Horsepower 361 hp @ 6,500 rpm Torque 439 Nm @ 3,500 rpm Transmission 8-speed automatic transmission Transmission 0 to 60 mph: 5.8 seconds Top speed 240 km/h

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When Hyundai took its first foray into the luxury auto segment with the Centennial (also known is the Equus in Western markets) many scoffed at an upstart Korean budget car manufacturer trying to play in the big leagues.

However, over a decade later, the Centennial is not only still here but is offering other branded luxury brands some stiff competition; if not in prestige, then definitely in terms of value for money!

And you can tell that this is exactly what Hyundai had in mind when designing the Centennial. The similarities between the Centennial and more up-market cars can be apparent from the moment you look at them. Imitation is the best form of flattery; Apple might have said that when Samsung released their own touchscreen smartphone. But they didn’t. Instead, they took umbrage at someone releasing a competitive product at a far lower price!

Now, we’re definitely not saying that the Centennial is the ultimate luxury car. It’s not quite as refined as some brands but with a price tag BD10,000 lower than comparable cars it’s a pretty attractive deal.

“How good could it possibly be?” you might ask. Well, the answer to that is — very!

It’s frankly quite stunning how well-appointed this car is. The Centennial has everything! Adaptive cruise control, collision warning, blind sport indicators, 360 degree parking camera and a 3D navigation map. There’s a 12-way adjustable driver’s seat with two memory settings, heated and air-conditioned seats, electric side and rear windscreen curtains as well. There’s even a fridge in the back seat! And we’re only just scratching the surface here.

Hyundai have gone for an iDrive-style interface with the infotainment system, controlled by a knob with very

straightforward and intuitive controls. These allow you to choose your own car settings. Moreover, the CD/MP3/Blutooth stereo system puts sound out through an impressive 17-speaker Lexicon sound system that is fully adjustable depending on where in the car you want the sound to go.

There is ample power from the 4.6-litre V8 Tau engine, which puts out 360hp and 358Nm of torque, and, despite the car’s size, it feels much lighter than it is, thanks to nimble handling.

There is very little roll in the corners, and there’s an impressive amount of grip. The ride comfort is superbly smooth and it’s extremely quiet in the passenger cabin.

The VIP-spec model we drove is geared up for chauffeuring executives around in the rear and, as such, boasts a wide range of gadgetry in the back too, including two DVD screens, climate controls, and a ‘relax’ setting for the right rear passenger. This folds the front passenger seat fully forward and reclines the rear seat to give the treasured executive a pleasant place to snooze on a long journey!

You simply won’t get more car for under BD30,000 anywhere else, and when you factor in Hyundai’s impressive warranty, which includes three years’ free service, roadside assistance, and pick up and drop with a replacement car for services, the deal keeps getting sweeter and sweeter!

First Motors is the official distributor for Hyundai in the Kingdom. E Call 17 121-121.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

AL HADDAD MOTORS

A Complete SUV Collection

Mercedes-Benz have realised a long-term goal of completing its range of world-class premium SUVs, all of which are now available in the Kingdom.

Mercedes-Benz now comprises four models, ranging from the compact GLK right up to the mighty G-Wagen, representing some of the finest Mercedes models produced to date. This collection combines exceptional levels of comfort and luxury with the added space and practicality afforded by an SUV. “Our modern line of SUVs has many features to demonstrate and is now definitely considered a strong competitor in the four-wheel-drive market,” says Graeme Newport, general manager at Al Haddad Motors. “The off-road heritage, from the original G-Class, has been combined with the luxury and buildquality found in our sedans.”

GLK-Class The ‘baby’ of the range, the new compact GLK250 and GLK350 CUVs boast newly designed headlamps and offer even greater practicality and quality. The seven-speed automatic transmission is complemented by an AMG exterior sports package and is available with both four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines.

ML-Class Mercedes’ mid-size SUVs, the ML500 and ML350, are the benchmark of the brand’s safety concept. Every trip is a relaxing experience which can be enjoyed from the high driving position that offers a commanding view, on or off the road.

Highlights include the AMG exterior sports package, COMAND Online, blind spot assist and a panoramic sunroof.

The SUVs are available in V6, V8 and AMG variants.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

GL-Class The largest of the whole range, the full-size GL500 is manufactured to the highest standards of automotive exclusivity. A seven-seater vehicle, it is impressive and sophisticated and comes with an AMG exterior package, intelligent light system, blind spot assist, lane keeping assist and many more features.

The 435hp V8 engine delivers power through a seven-speed automatic transmission, offering an adventurous and comfortable experience.

G-Class Standing apart in the range, the mighty G-Wagen is the quintessential Mercedes SUV. Originally produced as a light-armoured patrol vehicle for armies around the world, it was then released as a hugely versatile and capable civilian off-roader that has now developed something of a cult following.

The current model is drastically different to its ancestor in terms of technology, refinement and luxury, but it still shares the same DNA and heritage as that classic Mercedes SUV. The recent introductions of the hugely popular G63AMG and G65AMG variants into the local market have only enhanced this vehicle’s grip on a rapidly expanding segment. The G500 variant will be available later this year.

E Call 17 785-454.

November 2013 111

motoring Jaguar launched one of its most important models to date in Bahrain last month as the brand moves into a new era with the Euro Motors stable.

The stunning new Jaguar F-Type was officially launched in Bahrain in October by Euro Motors, the new distributor for the Jaguar brand in the Kingdom. Arguably Bahrain’s most prestigious showroom, hosting brands like Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Maserati, BMW and Land Rover under its hallowed halls, it seems only fitting that Jaguar joins the Euro Motors stable, as it is part of the Jaguar Land Rover Limited brand.

“As we already import Europe’s most prestigious motoring brands to Bahrain, adding Jaguar to the portfolio really completes the picture for Euro Motors,” said Zayed R. Alzayani, managing director of Euro Motors. “It’s so important to us that we dedicated a brand-new showroom exclusively to the Jaguar

Robin Colgan (Jaguar Land Rover), Zayed R. Alzayani (Euro Motors) and Russ Dixon (British Embassy) announcing Euro Motors as the exclusive distributor for Jaguar in the Kingdom

euro motors

A Complete Picture Land Rover brand. We are proud to be the exclusive distributor for Jaguar in Bahrain, and see this as a reaffirmation of Jaguar Land Rover’s trust in us to represent these iconic brands.”

As a Land Rover distributor, Euro Motors has a dedicated sales team already in place to service new and existing Jaguar customers. Jaguar’s revitalised 2014 model line-up of vehicles boasts enhanced features and new levels of luxury, comfort and performance and will shortly be available at Euro Motors, with order books now open.

Euro Motors are the only franchisee authorised to carry out after-sales work on Jaguar products and confirmed it will honour all existing customer warranty and service requirements. “Our dedicated sales and after-sales locations are here to serve the Jaguar brand, with competitive trade-in options, demo cars and loans available on request,” added Zayed.

112 November 2013

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Worthy Successor xxxxx It looks fast, it drives fast, it is fast!”

Anthony Raymond

www.bahrainthismonth.com

The F-Type was officially launched at the 2012 Paris Motorshow, and it immediately set the motoring world ablaze. We’d been waiting for this news ever since a similar concept was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motorshow in 2011.

“This is a truly impressive car, by any standards. It looks fast, it drives fast, and it is fast,” said Robin Colgan, managing director for Jaguar Land Rover Middle East and North Africa at the launch. “The V8 version will honestly take your breath away.”

What makes the F-Type special is that, from its very conceptualisation, it was designed to be purely a sports car, with an almost fanatical dedication to the actual driving experience. It was designed, put it simply, to beat the competition!

“The car is billed as the spiritual successor to the legendary E-Type, and indeed, it is the first two-seater front-engine rear-wheel-drive sports car since the E-Type,” added Anthony Raymond, Jaguar Land Rover general manager at Euro Motors.

The F-Type will be offered with three engine variants: a 335hp 3-litre supercharged V6; a 375hp 3-litre supercharged V6; and last, but most certainly not least, a meaty 488hp 5-litre supercharged V8.

And due to being made largely of aluminium, the F-Type’s lightweight means that it makes the absolute most out of the available power, handles more impressively, and keeps fuel consumption down.

All reports so far shower glowing praise on the F-Type’s driving experience, and when combined with its relatively accessible price range, this means that this could be the car that steals customers from rivals the world over.

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motoring

ZAYANI MOTORS

Not So Outlandish!

The new Outlander 2014 raises the bar for Mitsubishi’s popular midsize SUV in practically every way.

114 November 2013

The previous generation Outlander was one of Mitsubishi Motor Corporation’s (MMC’s) more popular models, selling around 660,000 units during its lifetime. Compact, versatile, practical and comfortable, it had all the winning qualities of a successful crossover utility vehicle.

However, as this segment becomes more and more competitive, Mitsubishi felt it was time for an overhaul, and has introduced a new and improved Outlander. This model incorporates new technologies as well as higher levels of efficiency and comfort.

The new Outlander represents the fusion of every facet of MMC’s car-building technology and know-how. The focus was on achieving a significantly refined look and feel that oozes quality in its exterior appearance, interior, and driving performance along with world-class safety features such as e-Assist.

With the 2.4-litre 4WD model approximately 22 per cent more fuel-efficient than its predecessor, the new Outlander offers a significant improvement in fuel efficiency while retaining its predecessor’s outstanding driving performance.

The electronically controlled 4WD system allows the driver to operate the sports utility vehicle (SUV) with reassurance and comfort under almost any road surface condition. There are three operating modes: 4WD ECO, 4WD AUTO and 4WD LOCK. Replacing the 2WD mode on the previous Outlander, the 4WD ECO mode automatically switches between 2WD and 4WD drive to match the road surface and driving conditions.

The interior design creates a sophisticated and comfortable space using a dashboard with as few dividing lines as possible, and with an ergonomically functional switch and control layout.

For greater safety, all models come standard with seven SRS airbags and with active stability control, which stabilises the movement of the SUV when it senses the vehicle is starting to

skid. This delivers a superior on-road safety performance and an excellent environment rating with its high-performance 4WD drive train.

Mitsubishi’s aim with the 2014 Outlander was to redefine this entry-level SUV as an ultimate crossover SUV. On paper, it looks like that is exactly what they’ve done.

To see the new Outlander, visit either the Mitsubishi showrooms in Ma’ameer or Arad, and take one for a test drive.

E Call 17 703-703 (Ma’ameer) or 17 465-533 (Arad) Your Assistant! e-Assist is Mitsubishi’s advanced safety technology, which comprises three functions: l The Forward Collision Mitigation System automatically helps avoid a collision with the vehicle ahead or reduce impact damage in the event of a collision l Lane Departure Warning System alerts the driver when the vehicle starts to drift from its lane, aiding driver concentration l The Adaptive Cruise Control System automatically maintains a driver-adjustable distance with the vehicle in front, reducing the chance of a collision if the vehicle in front suddenly stops.

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ALMOAYYED MOTORS

Affordable Deals Sleek designs and innovative technologies have always made this brand a popular choice when buying a vehicle.

With current deals on offer, there is no better time than the present to acquire a Ford.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Almoayyed Motors, the exclusive distributor of Ford and Lincoln vehicles, has launched its ‘Value Deals’ campaign that will be running until the end of 2013. The exciting promotion offers customers discounts of up to BD1,500 on selected SUVs and sedans.

“Ford is equipped with fascinating technologies and boasts sleek designs and powerful performances,” says Sandeep Mathur, general manager at Almoayyed Motors. “The technologies available with our vehicles include features that improve the driving performance and the driver’s comfort.”

These include options such as SYNC with MyFord Touch that keeps your eyes on the road yet connects you to the world through a voice-activated system for your phone, music, air-con temperature controls and even for turn-by-turn directions.

“Other features include the Active Park Assist, which measures the distance to the curb and between parked cars, and the MyKey system that allows for the controlled use of the car through a key –the top speed and even volume of the radio can be pre-determined and controlled,” Sandeep elaborates further.

“Our ‘Value’ campaign illustrates the features that have made Ford a leading brand in the market today, and provides our customers with the opportunity to experience its thrills for the remainder of this year.”

Amongst the sedans available at exclusive prices is the Focus with a 1.6-litre engine delivering 100 hp. Crisp and agile, it is a popular choice for young drivers looking for a stylish car with state-of-the-art performance. The Focus boasts Ford’s signature Active Park Assist and SYNC, and is equipped with an ABS braking system and dual-zone automatic air-conditioning.

Also available is the Taurus; this sedan comes with a newly bold design that matches its roaring 3.5-litre, V6 263 HP engine. The car utilises the signature MyKey, SYNC and MyFord Touch technologies along with BLIS, a blind spot system which warns drivers of any approaching cars

approaching, making it the ultimate innovative sedan.

Although smaller, the Figo takes pride in its enigmatic kinetic design and intelligent features that make it the smartest choice for your daily use. With a 1.6-litre 101 hp engine, front and passenger seat airbags and an ABS braking system, the Figo stands for strength and safety.

For those looking for bigger cars that can accommodate more passengers and more cargo, Almoayyed Motors’ campaign is also extended to its wide array of SUVs, including the Escape, Explorer and Edge.

The Escape takes capability up to an entirely new level with its 2.5-litre iVCT I-4 engine. It also represents advanced engineering that utilises a six-speed SelectShift Automatic transmission, along with the latest technologies, including SYNC system with MyFord Touch and the MyKey feature.

The Edge offers a bold aerodynamic exterior consisting of fluid shapes and a smooth roof, giving it a fearless look. But besides its great looks, it comes with a V6, 3.5-litre engine and 286 hp, making it an impressive performer. The Edge also provides the driver with technology at their fingertips, including SYNC with MyFord Touch and MyKey features.

The biggest in the range of SUVs available at amazing prices is the Ford Explorer. Adventurous and powerful, it has a V6 3.5litre, 290 hp engine and is spacious enough to seat up to seven passengers comfortably. You can select the terrain settings to maximise performance and adapt to your preference, including normal, sand and mud with its Terrain Management system feature. With its MyFord Touch and MyKey systems, the Explorer is the ideal choice for bigger families.

To experience the powers of Ford’s sedans and SUVs visit Almoayyed Motors in Sitra to book a test drive today.

E Call 17 737-373.

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EBRAHIM K. KANOO

Stylish and Bold The Toyota Yaris comes with an impressive and bold design along with enhanced safety features to satisfy the demands of customers.

116 November 2013

An exciting and stylish second generation sedan, with an uncompromising blend of performance and durability, the new Toyota Yaris is in line with the brand’s new design and product direction.

“With the Yaris, Toyota wanted to help people experience the pride of owning an excellent sedan at a reasonable cost.

Moreover, the aim was to develop an impressively attractive design that customers would want to present to their family and friends,” said Ayman Shehadeh, marketing manager at Ebrahim K. Kanoo, at the launch event.

“I believe with this new model Toyota have really succeeded on the design front. Tremendous value has been delivered in every respect, such as the enlarged dimensions with a new stylish exterior design and a quality spacious interior that exceeds its class.”

The Yaris exterior design reflects the iconic, bold and simple design echoed by Toyota’s ‘Vibrant Clarity’ design theme to create an impressive look that is a cut above comparable sedans. Both the front and rear designs express a wide, strong and unified stance to create an elegant appearance with seamlessly integrating lamps, chassis and other elements.

Additionally, it demonstrates remarkable attention to detail in the design and engineering of the vehicle, encompassing a smart, interior design and a quiet, refined passenger cabin that is responsive to the driving dynamics. The new Yaris has a comfortable and roomy interior.

The instrument panel, set along a horizontal axis, runs the entire width of the cabin, creating a spacious and distinctive presence. Lavish ornamentation has been used for various interior features and switches. Precision technology has been used to create moulded stitching that looks like actual stitching.

The Yaris comes with a wide colour line-up that meets a

variety of needs. A total of eight exterior colours are available, including three newly developed colours. These include Quartz Brown ME, which has been newly developed in pursuit of a colour that combines the shine of metal with a deep, threedimensional feel. The Silky Beige ME scheme exudes a luxurious feel with shading like that of silk, while the Frozen Blue ME option offers a strong, bright blue hue that emphasises a cool sportiness.

The sedan is powered with either a 1.5- or 1.3-litre engine and with the option of a four-speed automatic gearbox or a five-speed manual gearbox.

From a safety perspective, the car offers an impressive array of features such as standard driver and front-passenger dual-stage airbags. In common with all Toyota vehicles, the Yaris features Toyota’s Star Safety System, which includes the anti-lock braking system, brake assist and electronic brake force distribution.

Meanwhile, the audio system features a USB jack which is compatible with portable media players such as an iPod. The display size has also been increased from one line to three lines, enabling the track name, artist name, and CD album name to be displayed.

The new Yaris is available at a competitive price of BD4,999.

In addition there is a four-year, or150,000km, warranty that Ebrahim K. Kanoo offers to all Toyota customers in Bahrain.

For more information visit the Toyota showroom in Sitra or visit www.facebook.com/Toyotabahrain.

E Call 17 730-730 or visit www.toyota.com.bh.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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Celtic Tenors At Upstairs Downstairs Restaurant The Celtic Tenors held a concert at the newly refurbished Upstairs Downstairs Restaurant in Adliya last month. The Irishmen, who have achieved Top 10 spots in both the US Billboard and Canadian charts, played to a sell-out crowd at the venue

The Celtic Tenors

Stan & George

Brian & Colette

Steve & Anne

Sari & Daniel

118 November 2013

Pauline & Ken

Barbie, Lynne & Grace

Megan & Anthony

David, Charlotte, Lynne & David

Meher

George

Ammar

Oonagh, Nigel & Lydnessy

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Massimo Dutti Exclusive Event Massimo Dutti hosted an exclusive event for a number of invited guests called 'A Night In Paris' at the Capital Club, Bahrain Financial Harbour last month

Dalia, Budoor, Natasha & Ekram

Hussain, Fuad & Ahmed

Andreas & Iro

Mehtap & Kiran

Simon

Rana

Farheen, Fernanda & Marise

Nasreen & Mark

Dalia, Anne & Sheireen

Osama & Dr Akram

Jasmin, Hani & Saliha

Mr Essa & Raymond

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November 2013 119

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Ritz-Carlton Aquathlon The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa held an Aquathlon for in-house guests, sports club members and their guests at the hotel's Lagoon last month. The 500 meter swimming and 6 kilometer running event was followed by breakfast on the hotel's Croquet Lawn

Abdulla, Cheyma, Faisal & Yassem

Bruce, Callum, Susie & Tom

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Ahmed, Mark, Mark & Ned

Alfeo, Sara & Nong

Zoe & Dana

Mikel, 1st place winner

Fiona, Talma & Alison

Nadeem & Hassan

Jocelyn & Awais

Lina

Rasool & Nadia

Hadeel

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Calzedonia Store Opening A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to mark the launch of the Calzedonia Store at Seef Mall last month. The event was attended by HE Alberto Vecchi, Italian Ambassador, Ibrahim Assaf, Lebanese Charge d'Affaires, Azadea Group managment & guests

AMERICAN SOUTHERN STYLE AMERICAN SOUTHERN STYLE

RESTAURANT & LOUNGE LOUNGE RESTAURANT & HOMEMADE AMERICAN FOOD! HOMEMADE AMERICAN FOOD!

HE Alberto Vecchi, Jawad Y. Al Hawaj & Ibrahim Assaf

Serving Breakfast, Lunch Lunch & & Dinner Dinner Serving Breakfast, 5:30AM-2PM 5:30AM-2PM

HE Alberto Vecchi, Jawad Y. Al Hawaj, Romina Vecchi, Pierre, Ibrahim Assaf & Dr Ahmed

Farheen, Alison, Romina & Anne

Tanya & Kenza

STEAKS STEAKS BBQ BABY BACK BACK RIBS RIBS BBQ BABY PRIME RIB RIB PRIME BURGERS BURGERS SEAFOOD SEAFOOD BUFFETS-All All You You Can Can Eat Eat BRICK OVEN OVEN PIZZA PIZZA FRIDAY BRUNCH BRUNCH 11AM-3PM 11AM-3PM

Pierre & HE Alberto Vecchi

Fadi, Remya & Dalia

Everything From From Breakfast, Breakfast, Sushi Sushi to Prime Prime Rib! Rib! UNLIMITED SELECTED SELECTED BEVERAGES! BEVERAGES! US Military (ID (ID Required) Required) 14.9BD 14.9BD AL AL JASERA JASERA

Nerman, Miral, Insi, Mariam, Dalia & Safa

RIC’S KOUNTRY KOUNTRY RIC’S KITCHEN KITCHEN KITCHEN KITCHEN

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Catering, Events, Catering, Events, Parties Parties and and Business BusinessSeminars Seminars Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner!

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EMAIL: ricsbah@yahoo.com EMAIL: ricsbah@yahoo.com November 2013 121

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Timothy Pounds Reception Timothy Pounds, US Embassy Deputy Head of Mission hosted a reception at his residence to welcome Stephanie Hallet, Chief of the Office of Political & Economic Affairs and Harold Samuels, Director of the Regional English Language Office

HE Thomas Krajeski, US Ambassador, Stephanie, Harold, Bonnie Krajeski, Timothy Pounds & Nawaf

Dr Fakhriya, HE Thomas Krajeski & Dr Hameed

Sayed, Glenn & Robert

Becky, Michele, Hanan & Hind

Dr Ron & Carol

Reem, Harold & Khadeeja

Stephanie & Harold

Ebtisam & Fatima

Sadiq & Salman

Art Brunch For A Cause The Al Areen Palace & Spa in collaboration with an allBahraini creative group held a special art exhibition and benefit brunch last month. The event was held at Saffron Al Areen Khaleeji Fusion Cuisine

122 November 2013

Chef Gunasiri, Cristina, Anil & Frances

Sawsan, Amani, Eman, Sana & Zainab

Ahmed & Zuhair

Noreen, Demy, Frances & Daisy

Leo, Euan, Ann & Fina

Amani, Sana & Laalia

Zuhair & Madeena

Daisy, Demy & Noreen

www.bahrainthismonth.com

French Embassy Reception HE Christian Testot, French Ambassador hosted a reception at his residence to celebrate Jacques de Lagugie, Regional Economic Counsellor awarding the medal of Ordre National du Merite to Frederic Mettetal, Economic Counsellor of the French Embassy in Bahrain

Khalid, HE Christian Testot, Zeina Testot, Waleed Kanoo & Jean

Veronique, Isabelle, Bernard, Carmen & Carla

Steve, Aysha & Jalil Al Ansari

Philippe, Frederic & Nabeel

Salma & Sami

Jacques de Lagugie & Frederic Mettetal

Nawaf Al Zayani, Mahmood, Frederic & Jawad Y Al Hawaj

Sandrine & Patrick

Reem

Robert

PASTA | PIZZA | CAFE

all-NEW SPECIALS! INSALATA STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD PASTA Pasta Carbonara Salmone Pasta Porcino Mushroom PIZZA Pizza Gorgonzola PIZZA Porcino Mushroom VISIT US AT BAHRAIN CITY CENTRE, LEVEL 1, 17 491 391 www.bahrainthismonth.com

November 2013 123

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First Motors New Service & Parts Centre Launch First Motors held a ribbon cutting to mark the launch of its new Service & Parts Centre at Salmabad last month

Zayed Al Zayani opens the new centre watched by general manager Raed Mu’ti, service manager David Benjamin & staff

Zayed Al Zayani, Raed Mu’ti & David Benjamin

Jihad, Mohammed & Suraj

David & Lopez

Sujith & Saju

John, Sayed, Shannon & Jaffer

Salah & Sayed

Shabir & Shetty

Marwa & Elie

FRENCH OPENS UP A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES!

LEARN FRENCH! JOIN THE NEW SESSION STARTING

NOVEMBER 3rd 2013

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124 November 2013

Contact us: 17 683 295 / courses@afbahrain.com Building 51, Avenue 4109, Isa Town 841 www.afbahrain.com www.bahrainthismonth.com

LuLu Exchange Opening Under the patronage of HE Rasheed M Al Maraj, Governor, Central Bank of Bahrain, the inaugural LuLu International Exchange BSC in Bahrain was opened at the LuLu Hypermarket, Hidd. The opening was also attended by, Yusuffali M. A., chairman of the LuLu International Exchange and managing director of the LuLu Group, HE Dr Mohan Kumar, Indian Ambassador, captains of industry, LuLu Hypermarket management, LuLu exchange staff members & guests

HE Rasheed Al Maraj opens the branch watched by Yusuffali M.A., HE Dr Mohan Kumar & officials

Yusuffali M.A, Shaikh Ahmed & HE Dr Mohan Kumar

Cucina BTM October 2013.pdf Farheen, Rahul & Hilary

www.bahrainthismonth.com

1

10/13/13

Juzer & Yusuffali M.A

2:34 PM Hassan & Bob

Mohammed Dadabhai & Ali

Bhagwan & John

Ronnie Middleton & Alison

Hussain & Firoz

November 2013 125

SUMMER

BODIES START IN

WINTER!

reportfeelinggoodlookinggood

A Happier, Healthier Life The Kingdom is packed full of innovative ideas and products that help you look and feel good! Bahrain this Month scans the island for interesting fitness and beauty regimes.

Looking good can lift your spirits and boost your self-esteem.

When you are content with yourself, you are happier about everything around you. Our level of confidence depends highly on how attractive we are or think we are. This isn’t confined to external characteristics like weight, skin, hair and posture. Selfworth is also linked to our mental wellbeing and a positive outlook. We take a look at the many ways we can promote our mental and physical health in the Kingdom.

Burning your way to fitness In today’s world if you aren’t fit, you’re fat. The fitness hype has hit its peak. Everybody you know spends a few hours of the week exercising. The programmes may vary, but everyone is working towards a toned body. Perhaps it is a daily run that keeps them healthy or it is a high-intensity workout programme at the gym.

Every path leads to looking good and in turn feeling good.

Many people aren’t patient enough to go through months of hardship for obvious results. Some need more than a jogging routine to stay motivated. For those of us who need that extra push and hardly have the time to spare, Juffair Fitness

Also this month

Centre offers a range of exciting workout programmes like P90x, TapouT and Insanity. Each session lasts 60 minutes and delivers amazing results in a few weeks.

Exercising needn’t be a serious affair all the time. Ballare Studio brings an element of fun into your workout regime with programmes like fitness fusion, Nia and belly dancing. This month, they have launched a special boot camp programme which focuses on building strength and promoting fat loss.

Dessange is a health club that caters to women exclusively.

It offers the complete wellness package with a fully equipped gym, interesting exercise packages, a luxurious spa and a dedicated salon. The popular programmes offered at Dessange include Zumba, body pump, cardio combat, TRX, VIPR and kettle bells. They offer special sessions for slimming, trimming, toning and body sculpting.

Pilates is all the rage nowadays. Equilibrium in Saar is a state-of-the-art centre that focuses on this fitness regime. This gentle but intense and effective form of exercise focuses on alignment, posture and muscle imbalance.

From dancing to swimming, there are so many ways to

130 x Coral Spa - 131 x Equilibrium - 132 x Bahrain City Centre - 133 x Ballare - 134 x Sofitel - 135 x Reflections 136 x Osim - 137 x Juffair Fitness Centre

www.bahrainthismonth.com

November 2013 127

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incorporate exercise into your daily life. Aside from the variety of gyms scattered across the Kingdom, many hotels offer membership to their health clubs. If you’d like to workout with a view of the sea, drive to SoFit at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa. However, not everyone is comfortable with a gym setting.

Running outdoors might not suit others. Bahrain City Centre welcomes people to join the City Walkers programme. The free session involves walking within the mall and doing exercises advised by a professional trainer. This is a more relaxed atmosphere and you can enjoy working out in the company of your friends.

Nutrition plays a vital role in overall health. Bahrain has a number of nutritionists and dieticians who can offer customised plans. You can also join weight watching firms that deliver every meal to your home and workplace.

Coral Bay recently unveiled Coral Spa. The beachside venue at Marina Bay makes it the perfect setting for complete relaxation. The Swedish massage and Moroccan bath offered at this health club is popular amongst its patrons. The venue also offers salon services. Get a mani-pedi as well on your visit.

The thalassotherapy complex at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa offers an array of seawater-based treatments, including hydrotherapy and massages. Take a dip in any of their lavish pools to make the most of your visit.

Al Areen Palace & Spa has launched a range of new treatments called 'Escape in style'. Read on to find out what the signature packages offer.

Dessange has a variety of interesting packages. The signature treatments include specialised facials, body massages and scrubs. If you would like to give special attention to your hands and feet, they’ve got rejuvenating rituals for that too. The variety of Moroccan bath packages helps exfoliate the dullest skin.

The salon at Dessange takes care of your beauty requirements from head to toe. From hairstyling and hair extensions to hair masks, they have tailor-made rituals for your tresses.

Reflections in Saar offers a comprehensive range of services for your hair, nails and skin. The nourishing facial includes a cleansing routine, exfoliating peel, customised mask and the application of moisture-boosting serums.

Not everyone is blessed with flawless skin. Sometimes facials and makeup won’t do. You will need to treat your skin with medical care. The first German Skin Care Centre in the Middle East, Farrell International focuses on all-natural treatments. With customised creams for wrinkles, scars and acne, the facility has solutions for all skin-related problems.

It also reduces stretch marks, extra hair growth and cellulite.

Looks may not be everything, but it sure doesn’t hurt to be easy on the eyes. Read on to find out what health and wellness offerings best suit your requirements.

A complete makeover Anyone who exercises would tell you that it definitely reduces stress. Exercise is known to cause the release of a hormone that makes you feel more relaxed and even increases your selfesteem. People who exercise are usually in a better mood, have a higher energy level and sleep better. Exercise usually helps to deepen sleep as well, so we feel well rested during the day.

There are many more ways to feel relaxed and rejuvenated, like a visit to the spa. Your hard work will definitely pay off, but everyone needs to be pampered every once in a while.

Treat yourself to a massage or two every month. It will do wonders for your muscles and helps tone your body as well.

Most importantly, it gives it some well deserved rest.

128 November 2013

www.bahrainthismonth.com

T: 1729 0946 E: spa@coral-bay.net Block 322, Road 2209, Al Fateh Highway, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain

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CORAL BAY

Spa Delight Known for all things fun under the sun, this popular venue now houses a refreshing corner where you can pamper yourself overlooking turquoise waters.

130 November 2013

Its glistening waters and sunny spirit attract many islanders.

Now there’s another reason why Coral Bay’s list of regulars will get a boost. The recently opened Coral Spa is a tranquil corner, where you can enjoy a multitude of treatments surrounded by the breathtaking views.

The elegant centre is designed to accommodate several treatment rooms and has a calming and fresh interior. Aimed to enhance overall wellbeing, it provides a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit.

Located in the upper level of Coral Bay, the spa overlooks the bay and poolside.

“This serene setting casts your mind away to a place where relaxation and rejuvenation take over,” says Stephanie Sutcliffe, marketing manager, Seven Leisure.

Coral Spa offers a number of beauty and wellbeing services.

Some of the popular ones with the clients are the Swedish massage, the variety of manicures and pedicures, and the Moroccan bath.

The spa’s staff is well trained and adept at aroma therapy, deep tissue, hot stone, shiatsu and sport massages. The products used are of premium quality. The treatments offered, a true indulgence for your senses, are made available at affordable prices as well.

“We are extremely proud of this new addition and the response has been overwhelming. We want to make Coral Bay a one-stop location for you to unwind and relax and the spa helps you do just that,” adds Stephanie.

Celebrate life A great location for soaking up the sun and enjoying some time with friends and family, Coral Bay has completely redefined itself. Welcoming veterans and newcomers alike, you can spend many sunny afternoons here, indulging in an array of activities.

“We’ve always been more than just a beach club,” says Stephanie. “For some of our valued customers, we are the best Lebanese restaurant or the home of F1’s grandest events. For others, it is the ultimate chill-out place.”

Along with a range of water sports and other bespoke services, Coral Bay also provides berthing for yachts. Its events division can help you organise any celebration with a lot of ease.

Situated along the Manama Bay, with a backdrop of the Muharraq skyline and a view of the sea, it makes the perfect setting for wedding, engagement, corporate and birthday parties.

E Call 17 290-946.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

EQUILIBRIUM

The Inner Balance

EqUILIBRIUM PILatEs ⁄ fItnEss cEntER

All of your favourite celebs with fabulous bodies swear by this miracle workout; an international instructor makes it available in the Kingdom.

PRIVATE clAssEs

REfoRmER

GRouP mAT clAssEs

mAssAGE Those of you who thought strenuous exercise were the only answer to a strong, lean, flexible, agile and balanced body, have not yet discovered Pilates.

This fitness regime is fast becoming the answer to your well being concerns.

Located in Saar, Equilibrium is a state-of-the-art pilates and fitness centre owned and run by Patricia Kabalaoui, a seasoned instructor with BASI certification. “Pilates is not just mat exercises, there are various forms that include apparatus and accessories such as stability balls, magic circle, foam rollers and elastic bands. It is a gentle but intense and effective form of exercise,” Patricia explains.

This exercise routine targets your body holistically. Concentration and precision are the prerequisites to achieve the full benefits of Pilates. Focus is on alignment, posture, and muscles imbalance. Pilates is suitable for the elderly, athletes, children, pregnant women, people recovering from injuries and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

The centre has a multitude of success stories to share.

“A 70-year-old client with a hip replacement, back and neck problems says that without Pilates she wouldn’t even be moving,” Patricia notes.

Additionally, the fitness centre has a massage room with a masseur adept in hot stone, deep tissue and other therapeutic massages. After a workout one can relax in the in-house café that serves fresh and healthy meals, salads, snacks and drinks.

“We aim to achieve wellbeing based on equilibrium of body and mind. That’s what healthy living is all about,” adds Patricia. E Call 17 250-227.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

HEAlTHy JuIcE BAR/

BAsI GRAduATE InsTRucToR thE avEnUE saaR

vILLa # 1847 Road 3374, BLock 533

www.EqUILIBRIUMME.coM

Call us @ 17250227 or 36999250 November 2013 131

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BAHRAIN CITY CENTRE

Fitness for Life Since its inception in 2010, this mall’s walking programme has grown in numbers and popularity.

Here are some fitness tips for those who prefer group exercises.

132 November 2013

Bahrain City Centre’s City Walkers programme has over 2,000 registered members with more than 200 regulars starting off their day on the right foot. It has become a sociable way to improve fitness while catching up with friendly faces and including a bit of window-shopping fun.

What’s more, there are special offers from participating retailers exclusively for City Walkers. So a solid workout can be rewarded with some guilt-free shopping.

The programme takes places three times a week — on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays — from 9-10am. It is completely free.

To join City Walkers, register at the customer service desk on the ground floor and get ready to be fit. All participants receive an exclusive City Walkers t-shirt after three sessions.

“City Walkers is now the largest group exercise programme in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” says Paul Hamblin, City Walkers fitness trainer. “What makes it unique is that not only is it free, but it is focused on fun, friends, sweat and smiles. I call it the largest air conditioned group exercise studio in the world.”

E Visit www.bahraincitycentre.com.

Top Fitness Tips “Health and fitness becomes more scientific year after year.

My advice is to leave the science to the fitness professionals. My philosophy to a healthy lifestyle and exercise is to keep it simple,” says Paul Hamblin, City Walkers fitness trainer. l Consult your doctor before starting any form of exercise programme. l Whether you are looking to lose weight, become stronger and fitter or just simply improve your quality of life, you must set goals and ensure they are realistic and achievable. l The first couple of months after starting a workout is your ‘most at risk’ period of time. This is the time you are most likely to quit or give up. Look for subtle changes in weight, size, overall fitness and most importantly your energy levels. l Experiment with every type of exercise that is available to you. This could be a gym, a group exercise environment, dance classes or martial arts. l Find out if you should work out on your own or with a friend. It has its pros and cons. Exercising with friends is motivating and fun. However, years of experience has shown that if one of you opts out, the other will too. l Group exercise is a fantastic way to get into working out.

There’s a big group of people, all present for the same reason. It’s a winning formula.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

BALLARE STUDIO

A Joyful Workout Located in the heart of Saar, this beautiful studio that focuses on health and fitness leaves you feeling nothing less than vibrant.

Ballare School of Performing Arts and its team of experts are passionate about giving you the ultimate fitness experience.

This studio caters to individual goals and needs in every way, even if you have the most jam-packed schedule.

It offers an extensive timetable with classes running from early mornings to late evenings and one-on-one sessions whenever you want. The intimate classes mean that you get their full attention for optimum results, with the bonus of group training.

At Ballare, you can book dynamic fitness classes like Zumba, Nia, fitness fusion, adult beginners and advanced ballet, belly dance, body balance, stretch and flexibility. The latest addition to their autumn fitness schedule is an exclusive boot camp programme starting on November 11.

An intense regime Hailing from New Zealand, fitness instructor Danni Booth will hold a three-week intensive boot camp course at the studio every Monday and Wednesday from 9.15-10.15am. The high-intensity fitness programme is specifically designed to build strength and promote fat loss through a variety of dynamic fitness exercises.

The spacious and light-filled studio, minimalist decor, extensive range of frozen yogurt and fresh detox juices at Ballare leave you feeling healthy, strong and uplifted. The combination of these facilities provides the perfect environment for hardcore workout sessions. If you’ve got time to spare, then relax in their cosy waiting area and flick through the latest fashion and fitness magazines.

E Call 39 629-269 or 17 300-021.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

November 2013 133

reportfeelinggoodlookinggood SOFITEL BAHRAIN ZALLAQ THALASSA SEA & SPA

Sea Science Improved health and just feeling good, or a trimmer figure, are all possible at this spa with its unique range of treatments.

Having recently celebrated its second anniversary, this hotel’s lavish decor and breathtaking sea views will never age. Neither will you with treatments from the spa specialists at the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa. With unrivalled treatments the Thalassa Spa staff will tailor packages to suit your needs, delivering an innovative sea water therapy experience. This is a unique way to take care of your body, by combining therapy, sports activities and a healthy diet through the use of sea water and aquatic plants.

Situated away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the spa offers the ultimate in wellbeing and is the place to go to relax and rejuvenate, to pamper body and soul and recuperate from the hassles and stresses of modern life. Seawater has been proven to have many different positive effects on the body, as it is full of trace elements that are miracle workers for the metabolism.

Covering 2,000 square metres, the spa houses 14 treatment rooms, a cutting-edge seawater hydrotherapy pool, a freshwater pool, saunas, steam rooms, a barber for men and a beauty salon for women. There are recreation and yoga studios as well.

With a specialised dietitian on hand to advise on your general body condition and your body mass index, tailor-made fitness programmes at the spa feature a cardio-training room with the latest state-of-the-art equipment.

What better way to end the year or start the next than with a total body makeover, and to put you in the perfect mood to embrace a new year.

E Call 17 636-363.

x 94

Farrell International Co. W.L.L.

German Skin Care Centre SKIN CARE MADE IN GERMANY

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Chaine Des Rotisseurs Dîner Amical The Chaine Des Rotisseurs hosted its Dîner Amical for members and guests at the Capital Club last month

Problem: Acne, scars, wrinkle, pigmentation, ageing, large pores, stretch marks, cellulite, fat reduction, body forming, permanent hair removal, tired eyes/legs, …

Nadia, Mohammed, Khalid & Balqees Almoayed

Method: Microdermabrasio, Mesotherapy, Body forming, Cavitation, Lymphatic, Fat-Away-Method, Fruit Acid, Radiofrequency, High frequency, Ultrasonic, IPL, LED, Infrared light, dermaceutical tailor made Crème,…

Silvia & Isabella

Ching, Geraldine, Khalid, Sara, Graham & David

www.beauty-manama.com

 177 22 696 134 November 2013

Kanafani, Balqees & Sameera

Adrian & Justin

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Beauty Just for You! With a full range of services and experienced staff, this salon is your one-stop destination for all your beauty needs.

S HAIR & BEAU ON

SALON

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Hair & Beauty Salon

TY

When it comes to head-to-toe beauty needs, Reflections Hair and Beauty Salon is the place to go. Situated on the first floor of Najibi Centre in Saar, the salon offers a comprehensive range of services for your hair, nails and skin.

The fully equipped salon offers services in a relaxed and modern setting, and their qualified and experienced professionals take care of you in a very friendly and personalised manner.

If your visage feels parched following a summer’s worth of sun exposure, book a nourishing facial, which includes a cleansing routine, exfoliating peel, customised mask, and the application of moisture-boosting serums.

Whether you choose an Eastern or Western massage treatment for your back, head, foot or full body, you’ll emerge from Reflections looking and feeling your best.

Are you tired of your hair and want a new look? From looks that are straight off the red carpet to the perfect style for a wedding, party or prom, the experts at Reflections can give you the makeover of your dreams. Whether you want a bold new colour or a subtle change, you’ll find your new hairstyle here.

In addition to professional waxing and threading services, the salon also offers a wide selection of beauty products for sale. Its relaxed and serene ambiance is a reason to choose Reflections because you would not want a crowded place to pamper yourself after a hectic day or week. E Call 17 695-594.

Reflections

REFLEC TI

REFLECTIONS

1st Floor, Najibi Centre, Saar - Kingdom of Bahrain

Tel. + 9 7 3

17695594 November 2013 135

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OSIM

Complete Relaxation Featuring state-of-the-art technology, this massage chair delivers an unrivalled massage experience of relaxation and wellbeing.

The patented OSIM human-3D massage is an intelligent massage system that is precise and realistic, delivering a pleasurable and effective full-body massage. A higher level of delight is now made possible with a strategically positioned system of airbags, kneading discs and automatic body detection to provide a precise massage based on the human body contours.

Instant massaging delight is just one touch away. Calm and soothe common pain points in a few minutes. Get quick relief from aches and tension on neck and shoulders. An efficient five-minute full body massage offers instant recovery.

Therapeutic relief is made available at home with precise and soothing solutions for specific needs. It works on overall physical tension to relax tight muscles.

Wellbeing for all The uDivine offers a suite of the most invigorating manual massage techniques that cater to the entire body. Customise your massage with a variety of massage actions, speeds and intensities.

With thumb-kneading action, the rollers move in a dual directional circular motion to stimulate the relaxing kneading action of a massage therapist while they gently ease away muscle sores and aches, especially along the spine.

Tapping regulates circulation and tenderises stiff muscles with a percussive massage action similar to a massage expert’s fists.

It is an excellent and quick pick-me-up after a long day at work.

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You can double the pleasure of effective ache relief with the unique combination of kneading and tapping massaging actions.

Relieve pressure from the spinal discs by choosing the roll action that rolls away strains and aches up and down your entire back.

Music therapy has been medically proven to reduce stress and relax the mind. Surround yourself in a therapeutic acoustic environment via uDivine’s built-in speakers and transcend to a whole new world of peace and relaxation with the music of your choice.

Intelligent design With a touch of button, retract the leg massage unit under the seat for more living space. Enjoy complete command of the uDivine from a sleek central controller with a large, easy-to-read and colour-rich LCD display. Enhance your full body massage experience as you relax in style on the plush leather upholstery.

The uDivine safety function automatically stops the footrest from retracting when it senses any obstruction between the seat and the footrest. Backrest adjustment stops upon detection of any object on its bottom panel. uDivine is available in five contemporary colours: marble grey, pearl white, ruby red, jade green and heavenly blue. You can shop for them at OSIM in Seef Mall.

E Call 17 581-331.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

JUFFAIR FITNESS CENTRE

Extreme Workouts Every individual has his or her own preference in terms of exercising.

This fitness centre is one that understands and helps you meet your personal goals.

Boasting a well-equipped gym, a swimming pool, steam and sauna room, Juffair Fitness Centre (JFC) is packed with clients throughout its opening hours — 10am to 10pm. There are four popular programmes offered at JFC every day of the week except Fridays: Insanity, P90X, Muay Thai and TapouT. In the one-hour programme called Insanity, you work flat out in three- to fiveminute blocks, and take breaks only long enough to gulp some air and get right back to work. It keeps your body working at maximum capacity through your entire workout. You keep pushing your limits, so your body has to adapt. That’s how you get in really good shape in just 60 days. JFC holds ladies only sessions as well, three times a week.

P90X is a complete 90-day fitness system designed to get you in the best shape of your life. The programme includes 12 intense workouts that use resistance and body-weight training, cardio, plyometrics, ab work, martial arts and yoga.

TapouT is a true mixed martial arts style, extreme fitness programme. Lose weight, build lean muscle and get ripped in three months without weights or pull-ups. Join JFC’s sessions for sweat drenching, super-charged workouts to give you that rock hard body you want.

The combat sport from Thailand, Muay Thai, uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It makes use of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes, thus using eight points of contact and being referred to as the ‘art of eight limbs’.

Visit JFC, located near The K Hotel, and choose a fitness programme that best suits your needs, goals and timings.

E Call 33 002-592.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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bystanderthismonth

Golden Tulip Beefeaters Night The Golden Tulip Bahrain Hotel hosted a dinner reception to mark the resumption of the hotel's Beefeater Night theme last month.

The dinner was held at the hotel's Al Wasmeyyah Restaurant Tess, Akram, Abdulrahim, Jasmin, May, Rasha & George

Jennifer, Jasmin & Rachel

Berna & Camellia

Mayette, Irel & Ivy

Ahmed, Rawan & Nasser

Abdulaziz, Jasmin & Abdulrahim

Helen, Ibrahim, Eric & Raymond

Abel, Myra & Chef Daniel

Mohammed

Mithi & Charley

'AliaApproved' Maki Launch Maki Restaurant, Bahrain World Trade Centre, hosted a reception to mark the launch of the new 'AliaApproved' Maki roll in collaboration with Alia Almoayed, nutritional therapist, author, health speaker and consultant

Amer, Chef Louis & Alia

Marise & Amer

Muneera, Sofyan, Suhail, Alia, Dana & Abdulrahman

Zahra, Alia, Sara & Dunia

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Amer, Nadia, Reem & Nada

Sara & Laala

Reem & Hafedh

Alia & Suhail

Yousif

Ghassan & Lona

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diningthismonth

Paulo Arca

Resurrecting an Icon James Claire To simply say that Oliveto’s is reopening is an understatement. This is not the rebirth of an old favourite but the birth of brand-new experience.

The Oliveto’s Restaurant of years gone by was a treasured gem; tucked away in a back street in Adliya it was an acquired experience. The new version stands out as a symbol of the new Block 338 dining area.

With the restaurant lost in an early morning fire in 2011, business partners Abdullatif Abdul Hadi and executive chef Paulo Arca have ensured that the new Oliveto’s will shake up the restaurant market and re-establish this long-lost friend as a primary dining destination.

The reopening will be one of the major launch events of the year on the local culinary scene.

When the restaurant closed the Block 338 district was starting to emerge and has changed significantly in the past couple of years.

When Oliveto’s opens its door the most obvious change will be the easier access, as a result of a new road, and the ample parking now available to diners.

On arrival at the restaurant you are immediately struck by the size of the new venue.

This is no longer just a cosy eatery for a handful of guests.

Designed by famed Milanese architectural firm Enrico Mari Also this month

Grego, the restaurant features sandstone flooring and a glass-walled main dining area, with three of the largest lighting fixtures Bahrain has ever seen. Almost all of the new features and furnishings have been brought in from Italy to make Oliveto’s Italian to the core; even the dozen large olive trees planted over a year ago on the site are direct from Sardinia.

While the restaurant itself is a vision of splendour, the size of the outdoor patio, pool deck and outdoor bar captivates the senses. No restaurant has ever had such a large entertainment area outdoors with such decor.

Cloth-covered private pergolas serve as dining areas for either large groups or private meetings. An expansive bar, aged olive trees surrounding a fish-filled pond and a state-of-the-art Bose sound system will be the talk of the town from opening day onwards.

But the new venue is more than just gorgeous interiors, Italian decor and wonderment at every corner. The restaurant that now seats up to 250 people also has a separate bar area, additional rear patio, a wine room and a retail area for all things Italian.

Oliveto’s is, though, first and foremost about the finest Italian cuisine and Paulo has added to his team of Italian experts.

Pizza chef Manolo Carta, who hold court at the wood-fired pizza oven, and pastry chef Simon Cabulato will ensure traditions and authenticity are spot on every step of the way as we experience the ‘new’ Oliveto’s.

When? November 5-8 Event? Visiting chef Venue? Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Sample the gourmet preparations of chef Gilles Choukroun.

E Call 17 636-364.

When? November 28 Event? Thanksgiving dinner Venue? Al Safir Restaurant, The Sheraton An eclectic selection of holiday favourites are served at this buffet.

E Call 17 533-533.

When? November 28 Event? Thanksgiving buffet Venue? Saveur, Kempinski A variety of festive fare, laid out in plush settings for BD16++.

E Call 17 171-000.

When? November 29 Event? Thanksgiving brunch Venue? Crowne Plaza Traditional turkey roast with all its trimmings for BD 19.950++.

E Call 17 171-000.

140 x Happenings - 149 x Theme Nights - 150 x Restaurant Listing

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diningf&bhappenings

Gilles Choukroun

Decadently Yours The mercury might be going south but the island’s gourmet quotient is surely soaring high. Awaiting you this month are some exciting dining happenings.

Bringing a taste of Michelin star French gastronomy to the Kingdom is chef Gilles Choukroun at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa from November 5-8. He offers a unique experience of the cuisine with his signature combination of mint, basil and coriander along with numerous ingredients from wild herbs to passion fruit and even chocolate!

Following the success of his own restaurants, this renowned chef is now travelling to the Middle East. Look forward to an incredible culinary experience and truly inventive cuisine straight from his award winning restaurants in Paris.

A delight for the island’s foodies, he demonstrates his creative abilities in a series of set menus throughout his visit in addition to a unique and informative cooking master class!

Bahrain’s artistic dining venue HUE appoints leading Italia Chef Paolo Taban as executive chef and operations manager.

The Italian has mastered his native cuisine and his expertise extends to European and Middle Eastern kitchens as well.

Drop in to Le Sauvage at Le Domain [34], The Domain Bahrain for an early dinner and receive a complementary bottle of wine. Valid between 6pm to 8pm everyday, this offer includes the restaurant’s south of France cuisine and a bottle of house grape beverage. Sample the venue’s Art Nouveau setting and great city views along with its vibrant culinary offerings for the perfect oh-la-la factor till November 30.

start the celebration early and still have the traditional dinner with your family as well. For each adult, two kids dine for free and we strictly recommend booking a table in advance.

Saveur in Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre has prepared an extensive ‘Turkey Day’ feast as well. The spread features classic turkeys and plenty of trimmings such as chipolatas, cranberry sauce, chestnut stuffing, turkey jus, glazed carrots, brussel sprouts and roast potatoes, and a selection of your favourite pies. This is available at BD16++ inclusive of one soft drink and BD28++ inclusive of select beverages.

The festival of lights is celebrated in a delectable fashion at Mirchi, Ramee International Hotel from November 6 to 8. With live music in the background, enjoy an eclectic selection of authentic Indian food and a Gujarati thali during Diwali.

Themed specials From humble hamour to luscious lobsters, Al Wasmeyyah Restaurant at Golden Tulip lays out the day’s freshest catch in its seafood buffet every Wednesday. Watch this being prepared live, while you sample a variety of starters and sides. Enjoy the live entertainment as you end your meal with the dessert. This is priced at BD16.5++ with unlimited select beverages and is served from 7 to 11pm.

Offering a quirky twist to its Friday Brunch, Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain serves it the day before — for dinner at Silk’s Restaurant. Indulge in a wide selection of prime cuts, starters, salads, grills and other mains along with their signature mojitos every Thursday.

Happy Thanksgiving Enjoy the Thanksgiving feast at Al Safir Restaurant in Sheraton Hotel on November 28. Available for lunch, you can

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THE DOMAIN BAHRAIN

Social Dining The Kingdom’s newest five-star destination for food sees six new social spaces open for business at this landmark property in the Diplomatic Area.

The Domain Bahrain, the region’s first ‘social club’ inhabited by a luxury boutique hotel, has opened the remainder of its restaurants and lounges.

decked out in warm woods, cosy leather chairs and a walk-in humidor. Enjoy a quite conversation while selecting from an extensive selection of fine cigars paired with dark chocolate.

Japanese chic Imari is a cool, cosmopolitan Japanese restaurant spread over an entire floor. Funky modern interiors, featuring Imari porcelain with its distinctive blue and white illustrations, are complemented by stellar 35th floor views.

A team of Japanese chefs craft sizzling skewers on the robata grill, sushi and ocean-fresh sashimi served izakaya style (Japanese tapas). Your mood can dictate if you prefer to dine in a formal setting of the restaurant or informally within the adjacent bar or lounge.

Txoko A sky lounge perched on the top floor of The Domain, this venue serves up delicious little plates of Pintxos (Basque tapas) together with a wide selection of beverages.

It’s a quiet place to meet and read during the day and is transformed into a chic and vibrant meeting place, with soothing music from the resident DJ, in the evening.

Like minded The Living Room is a place for big ideas to flourish, where an entrepreneurial, like-minded crowd meets to connect, share ideas, shop or simply gaze out over the city from the heart of The Domain on level 16.

Featuring the Figs & Olives restaurant, lunch and dinner is a casual combination of Italian and Lebanese cuisine served in duets. The mix of mezze, salads and antipasti, pastas, kebabs and Arabic sweets are all you would expect from ‘comfort’ food.

Also located on this floor is The Cigar Lounge, a refined space

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French affair The 34th floor is dedicated to French cuisine. Le Domain [34] serves lighter food from the south of France, while Le Sauvage Restaurant serves up primes cuts of meat and grills. Both restaurants boast gorgeous art nouveau interiors and impressive views of the city’s skyline.

Deli-cious Located at level one, The Deli is a café-cum-takeaway and the ideal place to grab a quick bite, hot drink or creamy cake. It’s casual food at its finest.

E Call 16 000-000.

November 2013 141

diningf&bhappenings AL AREEN PALACE AND SPA

Amidst an ambience of seclusion and luxury, Al Areen Spa provides an exotic blend of romance, serenity and sensuality.

It features 12 elegant spa pavilions, each with twin rain mists, shower beds, infinity bathtubs and a private garden.

Bahrain’s premier villa-styled hotel and the sanctuary of Middle East’s grandest spa treatment and facility has launched its latest signature offer.

Signature treatment packages ‘Escape in style’ is an exclusive pampering session that combines signature treatments and techniques, and lasts 150 minutes. The packages provide a holistic and wellness approach to balance and rejuvenate your mind, body and soul.

Al Areen Spa offers a tailored retreat for ladies and gents. It also presents a special romantic escape for couples. The refuge invites you to journey through rain mist showers, invigorating body scrubs, body peeling and enhancers.

Try the traditional and well-liked Balinese massage, the hot stone massage or the ultimate ‘essence of earth’ massage.

Tender care for the skin comes in the form of luxurious milk baths and relaxing treatments.

The Great Escape

An exclusive offer To top off this indulgence, guests are invited for a complimentary treat at the hydrothermal garden experience. Nestled within a lush tranquil garden, this is the greatest fusion of spa cultures ever offered at a single destination. Combined with the expertise of skilful therapists, your body and soul will be reawakened as you immerse yourself in a realm of bliss and serenity at Al Areen Spa. E Call 17 845-000.

CUCINA ITALIANA

Cooking Challenge Having started a successful format of cooking classes, this restaurant is launching the Kingdom’s biggest cooking competition to date.

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Do you have what it takes to be Bahrain’s first Italian Masterchef? Cucina Italiana restaurant, located within the Al Safir Hotel & Tower complex in Juffair, would like to hear from you!

Thirty-six amateur cooks have the chance to register for the competition, which will see them participate in a series of elimination cook-offs throughout November. Two winners from each of the six elimination rounds will compete in quarter finals, from which the winners will progress to the semi-finals.

The final, scheduled for late December, will see just four contestants compete against each other and the clock, vying for Bahrain’s first ‘Masterchef’ title.

Executive chef of Cucina, Fortunato Giordano, will judge the competition along with Peter Lyons, general manager of Bahrain Family Leisure Company (BFLC) and guest judges. BFLC is the owner of Cucina Italiana.

“This is a natural evolution of our cooking classes and the competition will showcase the simple, rustic style of cuisine for which Cucina is known,” says Peter.

Participation in the Masterchef competition costs BD25.

Coupled with full media coverage, the winner will receive numerous sponsored prizes in addition to having one of their winning dishes featured on the new 2014 menu at Cucina Italiana.

The event will be held every Sunday and Tuesday evening, from 5-7pm, starting November 12. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy the atmosphere and entertainment at what is set to become an annual event. E Call 17 001-317.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

The festive spirit gets into full swing early this year as the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa switches on the lights of their Christmas tree on December 6. At this funfilled event for the entire family, enjoy carol singing and activities from 4-7pm.

Enjoy the lead up to the lights being turned on with laughter, joy and games in the hotel’s lobby as the annual gingerbread house event returns for a third time. Add to your cherished memories of the season with a night of carols

by Manama Singers, a visit from Santa and the tree lighting as you decorate your own gingerbread house.

For BD8, you will be provided with all the components necessary to build the perfect one. Let your kids set their imagination free and decorate their own gingerbread house with frosting and candies to win the contest.

Christmas Day brunch Enjoy this special day with the family and friends; book a table at Al Fanar for a great Christmas treat for all ages. Soak up the festive atmosphere, savour an expansive Christmas lunch buffet and dance along with the band. The buffet is priced at BD25 per person.

Adding to the exceptional value, children under six eat for free, while kids between six and 13 get a 50 percent discount.

A special kids’ corner with balloons, a bouncing castle and face painting will be provided.

THE DIPLOMAT RADISSON BLU HOTEL, RESIDENCE & SPA

Boxing Day delight Take in Boxing Day twice this year as the Friday Brunch turns into a specially-themed belated brunch on December 27. Enjoy great views overlooking the Gulf and Manama’s skyline while dining with your family and friends at Bahrain’s only rooftop ballroom at just BD24 per person.

Spark your festive feelings with this five-star hotel as they kick-start a season packed with amazing offers and events.

Dining at home The chefs at the hotel understand that we don’t always wish to dine out and, with this in mind, they have created ‘Dine at Home’ options with amazing offers on roast turkeys and festive dishes. Gingerbread house kits and a host of other seasonal favourites are all deliverable to your home.

Festive Cheer

Jay Gatsby spectacular This year’s New Year’s Eve ball is themed ‘great Gatsby’ and offers fun for everyone over the age of 18. Celebrate the way only Jay Gatsby would have in the fabulous era of Art Deco and lavish living with this Gatsby-inspired party.

Get into the spirit with lively music, decadent food and more champagne than you know what to do with! Travel back in time to the 20s, an age where parties never ended, and start 2014 in style!

Tickets are BD65 per person, including the dinner buffet and selected beverages. Be quick to book this event as it is a sellout every year. The dress code, naturally, is all things Gatsby.

E Call 17 531-666 or 39 945-208.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

November 2013 143

diningf&bhappenings GOLDEN TULIP HOTEL

Meat Lovers Feast

A meat lover’s dream, Al Wasmeyyah Restaurant, at the Golden Tulip Hotel, hosts the ultimate steak night with prime cuts and a variety of sides every Thursday. The chargrill cooking station dish out 500gm of premium quality meat prepared just the way you like it.

With a choice of salad, vegetables and more, the meal is rounded off with a selection of delicious desserts, while enjoying live entertainment by the talented duo Faith and Maggi. Served from 7 to 11pm, the buffet is priced at BD16++ per person with free flow of food and selected beverages.

Seafood surprise: Make time for some delicious lobster tail when restaurant lays out its seafood buffet every Wednesday.

Watch the day’s fresh catch being prepared live as you sample a variety of starters and sides.

Mouth-watering desserts and live entertainment make it a great night, which is priced at BD13.5++ including soft drinks and BD16.5++ with unlimited selected beverages. The buffet is served from 7pm to 11pm.

Tasty brunch: There’s nothing better than a great Friday brunch with your friends and family. Indulge in an eclectic selection of delectable dishes.

The kids are kept busy 0n activities while you enjoy a hearty meal and live entertainment; the hotel even offers a pick up and drop facility for BD10 for a minimum of ten to 25 people. This leisurely meal is served from 10.30am to 4.00pm for BD21++ with selected alcoholic beverages and BD15++ without alcohol.

For children between six and 12, it’s BD7.5++ per child; those under six years eat for free! E Call 17 535-000.

MAKI RESTAURANT

The word ‘bento’ is almost as well known outside Japan as it is in the land of the rising sun. This style of dining is a popular lunchtime option for busy executives.

“Many executives do not know that we offer one of the healthiest, most convenient lunch options, the Executive Bento Lunchbox,” says Steve Fernandes, the restaurant manager.

“Based upon the typical Japanese bento ‘lunch tray’, dating back to the 5th century, our lunch boxes are anything but simple, offering an all-around healthy, exotic, Japanese fusion meal that is fit for royalty.”

Satisfaction is guaranteed with the Tara II Bento, featuring tender salmon sashimi slices, sumptuous salmon sushi, one Tara II maki roll and delicious gyoza dumplings, together with a refreshing cabbage salad and nutritious fried rice.

Maki offers more than one bento combination for lunch, ensuring everyone can enjoy the simplicity and deliciousness of this style of cuisine. Issa Bento with Issa Maki boasts a cabbage salad, salmon sushi, sesame chicken and steamed rice. The ‘Sushi and Sashimi’ Wazani II lunch boxes include cooked items for those seeking this Japanese treat for lunch.

Starting at just BD5 these lunchtime delicacies are not just affordable tasty treats for fast-paced executives; they are available when dining at the restaurant and for delivery to your office doorstep! Not to be missed as well is the ‘15 Magical Moments’ monthly event. Featuring 15 samplings of the restaurant’s staple dishes, this dinner experience presents a variety of innovative dishes that Maki’s chefs have created over the years. E Call 17 522-733.

This five-star hotel delivers a medley of gastronomic offerings and features an impressive array of international dishes throughout the week for you to enjoy.

Lunch Delights

An evening out savouring some of the finest Japanese cuisine in town is not the only way to enjoy the ‘Maki’ experience.

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PAUL BAKERY AND RESTAURANT

For The Love of Chocolate There’s nothing like chocolate to raise your spirits. You can now indulge in a multitude of preparations at this popular café.

You don’t need a reason to indulge in chocolate. As a flavour and dessert, it has captivated our taste buds and senses for centuries. From candy bars to gourmet creations or even a simmering cup of hot cocoa, the forms are many but the effect is universal — absolute delight!

Paul Bakery and Restaurant has perfected the art of tempering chocolate and has prepared a variety of desserts.

The bistro invites you to sample these sinful treats.

An array of cakes, pies, mousses, tarts and truffles are on offer. The experienced kitchen brigade combines the deep, dark and calming flavour of cocoa with the effervescent fruitiness of summer berries, apricots and other fruits.

This variety is available only for a limited period, so we suggest you make the most of it. After all, there’s no such thing as excess when it comes to chocolate. With the growing spirit of festivity in the air, these delights make for great gifts.

A heritage of quality With a history dating back to 1889, this venue started off as a bakery but has established itself over the years as a full-service restaurant. Fresh bread is baked up to four times a day to ensure constant freshness and quality. Customers can see the bakery from the shop floor and experience for themselves the skill and expertise of the master bakers at work. Paul Bakery and Restaurant’s passion for preserving and respecting French heritage is obvious in all that they do. Each dish, drink and dessert is freshly prepared on the premises and reflects the traditional home-cooked style of preparation, native to France.

E Call 17 172-321 (Bahrain City Centre) or 17 580-073 (Seef Mall).

Breaking bread Aside from its chocolate fiesta, Paul Bakery and Restaurant is known for its extensive variety of breads. Pain de mie loaves, available in 250g or 500g packages, are an ideal accompaniment to your canapés and buffet spread. The walnut bread is the ideal partner to any cheese selection. They also offer rye bread, which is a rustic loaf boasting a genuine flavour, that goes best with seafood. The chestnut and orange bread is a seasonal favourite as is the one made with a mix of nuts and apricots. Topping this range is the six cereals and fig loaf.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

November 2013 145

diningf&bhappenings MÖVENPICK HOTEL BAHRAIN

Thursday Night Brunch Breaking all rules and dining clichés, here’s a quirky theme night that promises loads of delicious food and non-stop entertainment.

After pioneering the Friday Brunch concept back in 2006, the Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain is once again setting new standards of novel dining as the Kingdom’s first venue to serve a nocturnal brunch. You’re in for a surprise for this event has nothing to do with the original Friday Family Brunch — this evening rendezvous is seriously different from anything else a hotel has ever done before in Bahrain.

Be among the first to discover the moments when brunch falls in love with dinner!

Start your Thursday night clubbing with a quality brunch featuring healthy salads, Mediterranean starters or stop at the crustacean counter and get your taste buds working at the butchers shop.

Sample the offerings of the South American Churrasco oven where you will enjoy a succulent variety of tender prime cuts.

Finally move on the European cheese corner and sweet ending buffet spread.

Wash down the lot with our funky cocktails served by the litre or enjoy some fine wine and beers.

The Thursday night brunch features international DJ’s who get you into the mood for the nightlong partying that follows.

The night brunch goes on from 7 to 11pm and is spread around the hotel’s dining outlets and lobby area. This one-of-akind experience is priced at BD 22++ and includes unlimited supply of beverages. Come and join the brunch in November and win a flight by Oman Air to Zurich.

E Call 17 460-000.

LANTERNS RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

Party in the Sky

End-of-year parties deserve privacy, great food and ambience; this sky lounge offers the complete package.

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When it comes to selecting a venue for a party you want to make sure that everything is perfect for your guests. The Sky Terrace, at Lanterns Restaurant & Lounge in Adliya, offers just such a venue.

The privacy starts on the ground floor with controlled-access to the terrace through a staircase at the entrance to the restaurant. The lounge seats up to 60 people and is ideal for a private party or a corporate meeting; not too small but equally not too big. For events in the evening the ambience of the Sky Terrace creates a relaxed environment, removing you from the hustle and bustle of our modern lifestyle. In additional to ample indoor dining space, complete with its own buffet, the garden patio hosts a BBQ and an outdoor bar. Together with an area for dancing and a DJ booth, you can celebrate in style.

From small private gatherings to professional events, the open area on the roof offers the perfect venue for relaxing, entertaining, presentations or year-end parties. A touch of escapism is transmitted through mood lightning and contemporary music.

This is backed up by Lanterns’ reputation for delivering a style of Indian fusion cuisine that is second to none on the island.

Guests can tuck into a variety of dishes that includes burgol biryani, Goan mussels and tandoori steak or a saucy seafood risotto, chicken, lamb and seafood.

The Sky Terrace can be booked for birthdays, parties, business events or a cocktail evening with friends. There are three packages on offer that can be tailored to suit your individual requirements.

E Call 17 250-999.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

AL ARISHA LEBANESE RESTAURANT

Homely Hospitality This restaurant, in Umm Al Hassam, is far more than just one of the finest and most authentic Lebanese food offerings in the Kingdom.

VAPIANO RESTAURANT

With refurbished interiors, chairs, tables and dining settings, Al Arisha Restaurant looks brand new. The food speaks for itself; there are few restaurants that make food fresher and tastier. The restaurant offers more than just fine gourmet food and at reasonable prices.

Al Arisha is about atmosphere and enjoyment. With a large covered tent area for sheesha lovers the restaurant is abuzz most evenings — inside and out. Making the atmosphere more vibrant is oud player and professional musician Adel Mohammed. An Egyptian national, Adel plays popular songs nightly from 9pm until midnight and his repertoire includes Arabic and Lebanese classics — both old and new — to entertain diners.

With seating for more 100, the restaurant team delivers an authentic Lebanese dining experience. Fully licensed, a relaxing atmosphere, with water features and outdoor airconditioning, together with touches of Bahrain personalise the entire experience. The selection of mezze delivers the right balance for sharing food amongst family and friends.

With the freshest ingredients, traditional spices and flavours are purchased directly from the markets of Lebanon, owner Maha Al Mahmood and her team have worked hard to ensure that, for nearly two decades, we have been able to enjoy unprecedented Lebanese cuisine. The seasonal specialties, an ambient environment and Bahraini hospitality make Al Arisha Lebanese Restaurant the perfect venue to dine and unwind. E Call 17 725-414.

An Easy Choice!

Some of the greatest concepts in the world have come from true simplicity; this Italian eatery is one such example.

Beginning with a simple ideal, Vapiano’s Mediterranean lightness, fresh ingredients and modern dining system is unlike any in the Kingdom.

With its innovative casual dining concept, this restaurant has defined a new category of food service. Enabling guests to personalise their visit to the restaurant, Vapiano’s success can be found in the flavour and simplicity of its cuisine.

Quality, freshness and transparency are at the heart of the dining offerings. No matter whether pasta, pizza, sauces or dressings, the food is handcrafted daily at the restaurant and then freshly prepared for guests upon their request and in front of them. Combined with fair prices and Mediterranean ambiance, Vapiano has not seen success just here in Bahrain, on the first floor at Bahrain City Centre, but ever since the opening of the first restaurant in Hamburg in 2002.

Quickly expanding within Europe, the USA, the Middle East, Mexico and South-East Asia, the brand now has 127 restaurants worldwide.

This November Vapiano keeps it fresh with new dishes to explore. Enjoy a relaxing meal with a new set of ‘specials’ guaranteed to keep you wondering about every creation. Be amused by the beautiful blend of ingredients with their strawberry and spinach salad, or simply indulge as you savour the pizza porcini.

To top off your meal, drop by the coffee bar for dessert.

Simplicity never tasted this good.

E Call 17 491-391.

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diningf&bhappenings RAMADA HOTEL BAHRAIN

Savour the Taste

This month rings in a reward for diners and begins the countdown to a festive season of culinary favourites, reminding you to plan early for your year-end celebrations.

Executive chef Roland Goessler and his team have created a refreshed á la carte menu, with a selection of seasonal dishes cooked to perfection, for Le Jardin Restaurant at the Ramada Hotel Bahrain. The new menu offers diners an opportunity to feast, drink and savour at this favoured restaurant.

The Exchange Restaurant & Pub will host an array of pub dishes, coupled with discounted selected beverages, to help you unwind after a hard day’s work. Happy ‘hour’ runs from 5pm to 7pm, daily, and you can recharge your batteries listening to the resident band, Mystified, from 9pm onwards every Tuesday to Sunday.

Christmas specials Chef Goessler guarantees diners plenty of excitement at Le Jardin as he gears up to serve a special four-course dinner on Christmas Eve. This will be followed by an extensive lunch buffet on Christmas Day, from 12 noon to 3pm. Early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.

New Year spectaculars Le Jardin offers a New Year’s Eve dinner with an inspired set menu and plenty of merrymaking, while the Exchange invites you to its New Year’s Eve party featuring special goodie bags and raffle prizes.

Waking up late the next day is the perfect start to a new year, and so, too, is the delightful New Year’s brunch, from 11am to 3pm, at Le Jardin.

E Call 17 742-000.

RIC’S KOUNTRY KITCHEN

Home Away From Home When it comes to cuisine, America lives up to the adage ‘bigger is better’. If you want real ‘down home’, homemade American comfort food, this restaurant has it.

Located in Juffair, Ric’s Kountry Kitchen has established itself as the best American food in the Middle East since 1997.

Indulge in a big meal with generous portions of American cuisine. Loosen your belt for their big breakfasts, burgers, ribs, steaks, sandwiches and buffet spreads. If you’re looking for the best brick oven pizza in town, they’ve got that too.

Go for it!

The upstairs venue will feature the new El Rancho Steakhouse & Cantina. This is an authentic Mexican menu with all the fiesta flare.

Start with guacamole made at your table. Indulge in the sizzling fajitas, taquitos, quesadillas, stuffed jalapenos and variety of tacos.

The steakhouse encourages you to eat like a cowboy with fillet, prime Rib, T-bone and rib-eye steaks. They are mouth-watering Black Angus, USDA certified and imported from the USA. The venue features a ‘chill’n & grill’n’ section. All you barbecue fanatics can grill the cuts yourselves! Put on your hat, apron and cook the steak anyway you like it. Start with the Smoking Joe Salmon or the Big Texas Blooming Onion.

Ric’s Kountry Kitchen invites you to come on down, grab a pitcher of margaritas and just have fun.

The chances are that you will love all of the delicious treats they have to offer. For those of you who’d like to indulge in these dishes at home, the restaurant offers free delivery services as well. E Call 17 725-550.

148 November 2013

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themenights wednesday What: Asian Night Where: Klouds, The K Hotel Eat all you can at this authentic Asian buffet for BD 9.5++.

E Call 17 360-000 What: Seafood Night Where: Al Wasmeyyah, Golden Tulip Sample the fresh catch of the day and unlimited selected beverages.

E Call 17 535-000

sunday

tuesday

What: Masala Mahal Where: Saraya, Sofitel This trip down the spice route serves some fine Indian dishes.

E Call 17 636-363.

What: Discover Asia Buffet Where: Silk's, Mövenpick Hotel Authentic cuisine with unlimited wine and beer at BD19++.

E Call 17 460-000

What: Indian Tandoori Night Where: Al Waha, Gulf Hotel Tantalising fare dished out from the Indian-style clay oven.

E Call 17 713-000.

What: Lebanese Arabian Buffet Where: Kenza, The K Hotel A slice of Lebanon served in traditional settings at BD8.

E Call 17 360-000

What: Pizza Night Where: Klouds, The K Hotel An all-you-can-eat deal on pizzas with soft drinks for BD4.

E Call 17 360-000

What: Pasta Night Where: Klouds, The K Hotel Variety of pasta in sauces of your choice with soft drinks at BD4++.

E Call 17 360-000

What: Tex-Mex Night Where: La Mosaique, Crowne Plaza Authentic Mexican flavours for only BD12++.

E Call 17 531-122.

What: Meat & Fish Where: Legendz Steakhouse, InterContinental Regency A five-course gourmet dinner with selected wines for BD 22++.

E Call 17 227-777.

What: Italian Aperitivo Buffet Where: Mondo, Diplomat Radisson Blu A classic Italian buffet with live entertainment for BD10++.

E Call 17 531-666.

What: Surf and Turf Where: La Mosaique, Crowne Plaza Enjoy your favourite seafood and meaty delights for BD12++.

E Call 17 531-122.

What: Butcher Shop Night Where: Al Waha, Gulf Hotel Prime cuts of meat prepared on live cooking stations for BD13++.

E Call 17 713-000.

What: Seafood Buffet Where: Al Noor Tent, Elite Resort & Spa An elaborate seafood buffet with the paellas as star attraction.

E Call 17 373-333.

What: Steak Night Where: La Mosaique, Crowne Plaza Offering some of the best cuts straight off the grill.

E Call 17 531-122.

thursday What: Thursday Night Brunch Where: Silk’s, Mövenpick Hotel A quirky affair that serves brunch favourites for dinner.

E Call 17 460-000.

What: Hot Grill Night Where: H2O, Elite Grande Hotel Enjoy fresh food from live barbecue stations.

E Call 17 565-888.

What: Del Mare Buffet Night Where: Klouds, The K Hotel An extensive seafood buffet at BD12++ with soft drinks.

E Call 17 360-000.

What: Arabian Night Where: Selections, InterContinental Regency Authentic dishes and sheesha with live cooking stations.

E Call 17 227-777.

What: Beef Eater’s Grill Where: Al Wasmeyyah, Golden Tulip A char-grill experience with a choice of selected prime cuts.

E Call 17 535-000 What: Seafood Night Where: La Mosaique, Crowne Plaza The day’s catch at BD21.950 with selected drinks.

E Call 17 531-122.

saturday What: Catch of the Day Where: H2O, Elite Grande Hotel All you can eat seafood fiesta for BD10 including shisha.

E Call 36 020-750.

What: Flavours of Arabia Where: Saraya, Sofitel Offering a number of authentic Arabian dishes for BD18 per person.

E Call 17 636-363

friday

monday

What: Sizzler Night Where: Al Waha, Gulf Hotel Enjoy sizzling treats offered in an unlimited buffet.

E Call 17 713-000.

What: Vegetarian Thali Where: Golden Peacock, Mirador Hotel A selection of vegetarian dishes as a complete meal for BD2.9.

E Call 17 312-000.

What: Lebanese Arabian Buffet Where: Kenza, The K Hotel A slice of Lebanon served in traditional settings at BD8.

E Call 17 360-000

What: Vegetarian Thali Where: Golden Peacock, Mirador Hotel A selection of vegetarian dishes as a complete meal for BD2.9.

E Call 17 312-000.

What: The Commons Where: Klouds, The K Hotel Gourmet kebabs and shawarma for BD4++ with soft drinks.

E Call 17 360-000.

What: Monday Pasta Night Where: Fiamma, Sofitel Enjoy your favourite pastas and create your own special sauce.

E Call 17 636-363.

What: BBQ & Salad Buffet Where: Klouds, The K Hotel The buffet offers a wide selection of BBQ dishes & Salad for BD4.

E Call 17 360-000 What: Mussels Promotion Where: Camelot Here’s a dinner of unlimited ‘moules et frites’ for BD14 per person.

E Call 17 717-745

October 2013 149

diningrestaurantlisting World Beat Café

American Bennigan’s Blaze Burger Burger Lounge Burger Wisconsin Chili House Chili’s Franks a Lot Fuddruckers Hard Rock Café Johnny Rockets Ric’s Kountry Kitchen Ponderosa T.G.I.Friday’s Tony Luke’s Tony Roma's

17 813-750 17 744-773 77 055-772 17 594-458 17 580-045 17 581-221 17 811-970 17 742-266 17 291-569 17 566-565 17 725-550 17 580-552 17 179-041 17 494-940 17 870-070

Asian Chin Li Curry Country David's Stir Fry Hot Wok House Boat Kontiki Meisei Memories Monsoon Noodle Factory Nu Asia Panasia

17 717-717 17 537-555 17 540-188 17 178-083 16 010-321 17 525-455 17 007-770 17 178-646 17 749-222 16 010-534 17 587-171 17 721-600

17 612-576

European Block 338 Camelot Coco’s Cyprus Taverna Déjà Vu Paul Bakery & Restaurant Sizzlers Txoko Zytoun

17 710-338 17 717-745 17 716-512 17 716-316 13 657-770 17 172-321 17 716-999 16 000-000 17 298-471

Filipino Bahay Kubo Borakay Chuckay Fast Food Flamingo Kowloon Quick Stomach Swan Lake

17 231-996 17 514-400 17 532-250 17 231-106 17 224-357 17 295-540 17 291-655 17 237-768

Fusion Fusions

17 746-427

Indian Akbar Clay Oven Copper Chimney Curry Tree

17 296-660 17 717-008 17 728-699 16 030-662

Upstairs Downstairs Wafi Gourmet Zoe

17 713-093 17 179-999 17 176-400

International (5 Star Hotel) Al Safir Al Waha Al Wasmeyyah La Med La Mosaique Le Domain[34] Olivo’s Brasserie Rimal Saraya Saveur Selections Silk’s

17 524-538 17 746-425 17 535-000 17 580-000 17 531-122 16 000-000 17 525-214 17 845-000 17 636-410 17 171-000 17 227-777 17 460-055

International (4 Star Hotel) Al Nakheel Café California Café Marisol Café Sayah Chaq’s Grill Fusion Café Grand Café Il Giardino Julio's Coffee Shop Klouds La Brasserie La Café Le Cascada Le Jardin Neyran Parsia Ramee Bistro Ramee Café Red Café Relax Inn Coffee Shop Rendezvous Tiffany’s

17 559-900 17 826-001 17 701-201 17 224-000 17 290-555 17 811-688 17 727-230 17 583-388 17 565-888 17 360-000 17 313-333 17 810-555 17 360-360 17 742-000 17 584-400 17 814-777 17 290-600 17 297-000 17 296-660 17 815-815 17 366-222 17 716-999

Iranian

Peppers Rice Bowl The Noodle House Wok

17 717-808 17 179-600 17 666-353 17 636-415

Brazilian Brasa de Brasil Brazil Rodizio Grill

17 582-225 17 826-686

Chinese Beijing Chinese China Express China Garden Ching Foli Hong Kong Kowloon Magic Wok Shanghai Hut Soie Spice Nice

17 717-969 17 717-439 17 746-423 17 564-424 17 722-199 17 728-700 17 725-015 17 506-070 17 292-988 17 533-533 17 713-603

Café Restaurants Cafe Delices Café T Delifrance Esquires Le Bateau Le Chocolat Lina’s Café Rosa Verge Skyw@lk Café

17 746-434 17 750-777 17 696-031 77 177-660 17 369-165 17 582-259 17 532-538 13 667-777 17 363-999

Hyderabad House It’s Mirchi Kalpaka Lanterns Mantra Moti Mahal Mumbai Spices Nattinpuram Nirvana Papadom Shamiana Spices The Yellow Chilli

17 720-031 17 727-230 17 297-000 17 590-591 17 211-133 17 825-333 17 382-255 17 290-600 17 589-318 17 564-434 17 178-085 17 531-122 17 580-480

Indian/Pakistani B-B-Q Delights Chutney’s

17 564-282 17 591-259

International East West Cuisine Healthy Calorie Jim’s Restaurant La Fontaine Links Little Chef/Wholesale Mei n Yu Muju Nando’s Pomodorini Rendezvous Salad Boutique The Crepe Café

17 210-012 17 369-399 17 710-654 17 230-123 17 751-262 17 595-950 16 010-160 16 039-800 17 825-100 17 000-121 17 178-712 36 664-427 17 820-722

Golestan Isfahani Parsian Persian Garden Persian Room Takht Jamsheed Tehran Grill

Arirang Da Rae Jung

17 290-945 17 002-490

Lebanese Abd El Wahab Al Areesha Al Hamra Palace Beyroute Café Blanc Carla’s Lebanese Bistro Kenza Leila Mashawi Lebanese Grill Qasr Al Sultan Grill Rayés Shoo Fee Ma Fee Tarbouche Express Yamin Jana Zahle Zayt Zaytoon Zeitouna

17 298-008 17 292-911 17 533-336 17 531-122

Shawarma 17 131-111 17 725-414 17 224-000 17 280-111 17 100-069 17 697-687 17 360-000 17 566-556 17 506-070 17 744-144 17 312-700 17 311-280 17 229-979 16 033-800 17 746-417 17 312-222 17 365-055

Mexican Casa Mexicana Margarita Mexicana Senor Paco’s Al Zerda

La Perle Sea Chef Seafood Market Waves

17 715-521 17 746-462 17 725-873 16 662-123

Middle Eastern Al Abraaj Al-Bokhari

17 178-090 17 311-186

Leewan Al Khor Melh Alzad Taza Yalla Yalla

16 010-666 17 311-170 17 784-997 17 827-999

Shawarma Express Zahlawiya

17 729-922 17 710-051

Steak Houses Klouds Le Sauvage Meat + Fire Legendz Plums The Butcher Shop & Grill The Meat Co

17 360-000 16 000-000 17 227-777 17 580-000 17 172-323 17 742-080

Thai Baan Saeng Thai Banana Leaf Lanna Thai I Am Thai Orchid Thai Royal Thai Shada Thai Express Thailand Wang Thai

17 715-775 17 744-171 17 593-940 77 040-454 17 296-660 17 746-421 17 721-155 17 506-070 17 717-040 17 710-771

Turkish Iskenderun Grill Kosebasi Turkish Mashawi Express

17 292-950 17 172-322 17 002-939

Italian Bice Ristorante Café Italia Caffe Spasso Carino’s Italian Grill Cico’s Cucina Italiana Fiamma Gusto

Italiano Justapasta La Pergola La Taverna Luigi's Restaurant & Pizza Masso Medzo Mia Mia Mino’s Pizzeria Mondo Nino Oliveto Pasta Art Pastarito Ristoranti Prego Primavera Roma Romano’s Macaroni Grill Vapiano

17 533-666 17 744-774 17 822-274 17 587-878 17 713-710 17 001-317 17 636-363 17 695-556 17 581-919 17 506-070 17 746-419 17 229-979 17 693-533 17 721-061 17 227-777 17 564-414 17 744-777 17 525-484 17 566-555 17 716-747 17 001-750 17 179-300 17 751-263 17 580-000 17 725-885 17 723-818 17 491-391

Japanese Bushido Edo Frangipani Fuji Sushi Bar Hakisushi Kei Maki Mirai Sato Sugoi Sumo Sushi & Bento Sushi 101 Yo! Sushi

150 November 2013

17 524-579 17 369-269 17 811-511 17 580-600 16 010-166 17 746-431 17 555-989

Korean

17 583-555 17 290-945 17 582-422 17 533-383 17 725-638 17 533-000 17 522-733 17 713-113 17 746-429 17 178-748 17 718-090 17 822-274 17 583-373

Moroccan Momo Le Marrakech

17 180-659 17 003-273

Pizza Domino's Little Caesars Margherita Pizza and Pasta Metro Pizza Papa John’s Pick a Pizza Pizza Express Pizza Hut Pizza Inn Pizzabella The Pizza Company

17 826-222 17 179-400 17 723-133 17 794-000 17 581-516 17 720-929 16 010-524 17 711-113 17 811-666 17 827-133 17 811-830

Polynesian Trader Vic’s

17 586-555

Seafood Asia Sea Food Far East Seafood Market Fish Market La Marine La Mer

17 224-466 17 727-230 17 701-201 17 595-775 17 636-411

Quick Service Restaurants Burger King Burgerland Chickey’s Chicking DQ Grill & Chill Elevation Burger EZ Take out Burger Fatburger Hardee’s Herfy Jasmi’s Kentucky Fried Chicken Kudu New York Fries McDonald’s Pollo Campero

17 506-070 17 713-778 17 257-778 17 200-040 17 506-070 17 587-828 17 241-111 17 131-414 17 178-084 17 243-115 17 727-887 17 711-111 17 717-542 17 178-436 17 221-722 17 161-716

Eating Out listings

Note: Whilst every effort is made to cover all leading restaurant outlets in Bahrain, the details listed are based upon replies to our survey. BTM cannot accept any responsibility or liability for inaccurate information: we recommend you check with the restaurant to reconfirm their listing.

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bystanderthismonth

Brazil Restaurant Brunch A number of people enjoyed the fine spread at the Friday Brunch held at Brazil Restaurant in Adliya last month

Bharti, Parikshit, Charlie, George & Vijay

Jean-Pierre & Maroun

Karim & Joe

Thevan, Andrea & Aileen

Maria & Lance

Mo, Anna & Travis

Mo, Rod & Hussain

Reji, Malu & Suraj

Voftrey, Coryneth & Lark

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Lee, Vijay & Helen

Mona & Michael

Experience a diversity of fine cuisine from across the vast continent of Asia in Bahrain’s most intimate dining room with sweeping views of Arabian gulf.

Sara

November 2013 151

bystanderthismonth

Russian Night At Déjà Vu Déjà Vu Restaurant & Lounge held a Russian themed night at the venue over the Eid holidays last month featuring DJ Aaron Wolf Kishore, Lalit, George, Vijay & Sanjeev

Natali, Olga, Irina & Anas

Fawzan & Kathy

Mo & Anna

Elena & Vladimir

Mazina & Alex

Gerry & Joyce

Julia & Maher

Yuri & Valya

Younis & Yulia

DJ Aaron Wolf & Banu

Kathreena

Surej

Alesia, Anna & Mahmood

JJ's Hosts St Arthur's Day As part of the worldwide celebration of St Arthur's Day, JJ's Irish Restaurant also joined in the revelry by hosting St Arthur's Day, which commemorates Arthur Guinness, who created a tipple that is still loved by the world 250 years later

Ali, Joan & Rita

Collins, Carl & Horitila

Harith, Khalid & Ziad

Jo, Siyana, Barry & Khalid

Noel & Mikey

Jenny, Sheezell & Dan

Atif, Zenobia & Ghazi

Steve, Brendon, Wale & Michel

Nancy & Mariela

152 November 2013

Ghazi, Siyana & Gizem

Honey

Joel

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afterdarkthismonth

Let Me Entertain You! ankita mamgain Come as you are for the island’s most anticipated singing contest. For all you bedroom Beyoncés, bath-tub Bublés and motorway Madonnas, here’s a chance to step out of the shadows, into the spotlight.

One of Bahrain’s most popular karaoke venues, JJ’s Irish Restaurant and Pub returns with this annual tournament. Be assured there’s no Simon Cowell here, just some high-spirited revelry and an open mic. So flex your vocal chords and get ready for Bahrain’s very own Karaoke Idol!

The weekly yodelling gets a little competitive with the BD1000 up for grabs as prize money. The winner takes BD700, runner up goes home with BD200 and the second runner up is awarded BD100. JJ’s hopes to uncover some true talents during the tournament who can impress the judges and amaze the audience. They go through to the finals for their chance for fame and of course the money!

The contest kicks off with the first round on November 5 and will have six rounds in total, taking place every Tuesday night, till December 10. Two finalists will then meet head-on in the grand finale on December 17, where they will sing their hearts out for a chance for the top prize.

The contestants face a panel of professional judges who will comment upon and rate each performance. However, one doesn’t need to worry; it’s all about having fun with everyone Also this month

who participates earning a free drink!

This year the organisers have added an extra bonus. A people’s choice award will be made via Facebook votes from the previous weeks’ runner-up, and one lucky voter will win a trip to Dubai.

Sing-along sensation A favourite bar activity, especially after a couple of drinks, karaoke is enjoyable for all involved — the contestants and audience alike. According to the organisers, Bahrain’s version of a ‘Pop Idol’ is attracting more singers than ever, this year.

The first Karaoke Idol was Paul Magill who impressed the judges with his rendition of the Blues Brothers’ famous Jailhouse Rock. Later he even performed professionally in JJ’s as part of a Blues Brothers tribute.

Having become exceedingly popular, the singing talent now streaming-in is getting more sophisticated by the year. Judges are seen even giving advice to the participants.

“They listened to advice and we all found it great entertainment. I’ve been involved one way or another in Karaoke for over 15 years and I’ve seen some great singers and some pretty awful ones,” says Steve Green, a former judge at the competition. “Karaoke Idol is ‘sing-sational’! It’s the social highlight of the karaoke calendar that should not be missed.”

This is a competition for amateurs only. Entries from professional vocalists will not be accepted.

E Call 39 329-083.

xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When? November 5 Event? Karaoke Idol Venue? JJ’s Irish Pub & Restaurant The island’s armature stars gather for a sing-off against each other.

E Call 17 742-323.

When? November 7 Event? Techno party Venue? Brazil Lounge A night of some underground beats by local and international DJs E Call 17 826-686.

When? November 14 Event? Bollywood night Venue? Amwaj Marina Dance the night away to desi tunes by DJ Suketu and DJ Rink.

E Call 38 822-182.

When? November 21-22 Event? Tribute night Venue? The Warbler and Dublin Club Lady Gaga and Shakira come together for one massive dance party.

E Call 38 381 631 When? November 28 Event? Thanksgiving party Venue? Club Buffalo A fun way to enjoy ‘Turkey Day’ with unlimited drinks @BD20.

E Call 33 731-000.

154 x Happenings - 157 x Theme Nights

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November 2013 153

afterdarkhappenings

The After-hour Specials

As the year comes to a close, the party scene picks up in the Kingdom. With new gigs, revamped venues and several promotions, the club-hopping taking centre stage.

154 November 2013

Join in the karaoke madness as the famous JJ’s Irish Restaurant and Pub Karaoke Idol starts on November 5. Every Thursday is a sing-off that promises to be a lot of fun as there are free drinks for participants and plenty of melodies (well, perhaps not always!) to be enjoyed.

Dance to the latest Bollywood music by two celebrated DJs from Mumbai. After ruling desi nightclubs around the world, DJ Suketu is ready to set Amwaj Marina on fire

with his remixes. Accompanying him is DJ Rink and together they promise you one fantastic party. The event is being held on November 14, from 6.30pm onwards. Each ticket purchase will enter a raffle draw with a chance to win two air tickets to Thailand.

On Saturday, November 16, Txoko, at The Domain Bahrain, invites all concierge teams from around the island for a night of great fun. Take your business card along and let the lounge

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DJ Suketo

pamper you with an entire evening of free drinks.

When it comes to tribute acts, we’ve surely hosted some of the best ones so far. But be assured, it doesn’t get better than this. The Gaga Monster meets the girl whose hips don’t lie at a smashing night at The Warbler on November 21 and the next day at Dublin Club. Entrance for ladies is free and, for BD20, you can enjoy unlimited drinks all through the night.

Come dressed in your finest to join in the Gatsby glamour at Rocky’s Café on November 29. A night dedicated to decadence and abundance, party like a true West Egg high-roller with the in-house band Groove Line.

The band will perform jazzed-up versions of your favourite tracks and this seven-member group soon gives way to DJ Dan. Entry for ladies is free while men pay BD5. For BD10 you can enter the club and enjoy a drink and a starter; for BD20 you get an unlimited supply of selected beverages.

New on the block Monroe Hotel has undergone a transformation with a host of new venues, which includes a new lifestyle club called The Hub. Resident band Shock Wave’s energetic performances are a must-watch.

Avail yourself of a 20 per cent discount on drinks from 7pm to 9pm and on Mondays until 2am. Ladies can enjoy free drinks every night of the week and over the weekends the club offers a special package that includes unlimited drinks for BD20.

Happy Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is not just about spending the entire day in the kitchen. Take some time off during the holidays and head straight to Club Buffalo on November 28.

Move to the beats of DJ Paul Rees and in-hose band In-Tempo, while you order drinks over the longest bar counter in Bahrain. Drink all you can for BD20. The dinner buffet is available at BD10 with a complimentary drink.

Tapas

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November 2013 155

afterdarkhappenings RAMEE GROUP OF HOTELS

All That Jazz!

The Hub

In Tempo

The island’s partygoers have a lot to look forward to this month; from vintage parties to new venues and an increasingly festive spirit in the air.

Suit up and bring out those pearl strings for The Great Gatsby is in town. Rocky’s Café hosts a Gatsby-inspired night of decadence and excess on November 29. Sparkling in 20s glamour, the venue creates the legendary parties that the town of West Egg was known for.

The in-house band, Groove Line, presents an entertaining line-up of jazzed-up versions of your favourite tracks. This seven-member ensemble, along with British DJ Dan, will keep the party flowing through the night as you enjoy a wide selection of food and drinks.

Entry for ladies is free while men pay BD5. Additionally, there is the BD10 package that includes a drink and a starter, and for BD20 you get an unlimited supply of selected beverages.

E Call 36 197-736.

The latest hub A revamped Monroe Hotel creates a nocturnal space that aims to be the hottest venue for clubbing in Bahrain. Located in Hoora, The Hub, true to its name, is all set to take its place as one of the leading entertainment venues with its chic ambience and decor. The resident band Shock Wave enlivens the stage with a mix of songs that caters to all tastes and genres.

156 November 2013

Rockys Cafe

The new look is part of the first wave of changes the hotel is seeing. This includes new decor, menu, bar offerings and service.

The club offers a 20 per cent discount on drinks every day from 7pm to 9pm and on Mondays until 2am. Ladies can enjoy free drinks every night of the week and there’s a ‘Wings and Beverage’ promotion every Sunday. Over the weekends the club has a special package that includes unlimited drinks for BD20.

E Call 33 731-000.

Thanksgiving à la western The island’s favourite saloon aims to celebrate the thanksgiving holiday on November 28 in style. Enjoy a night out with your closest friends at Club Buffalo while ordering drinks over the longest bar counter in Bahrain.

The in-house band, In Tempo, keeps you in the groove with a never-ending repertoire of hits. Joining the entertainment set is DJ Paul Rees whose electrifying mixes will keep you on the dance floor through the night. If you want to take a break from the dance floor, head to the dining area where you can grab a bite made especially to your taste.

Drink all you can for BD20 and the dinner buffet is available at BD10 with a complimentary beverage. E Call 33 731-000.

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themenights sunday What: Sports & Shots Where: The Warbler, Ramee Baisan A single shot goes a long way here. Unlimited drinks for BD9.9.

E Call 38 381-631.

What: FBI Night Where: Harvesters, Crowne Plaza For those in hospitality industry, the menu is offered at half price.

E Call 17 531-122.

What: Quiz Night Where: JJ’s Irish Pub & Restaurant Take part in the famous JJ’s quiz and win prizes for each round.

E Call 17 742-323.

What: Hop Fest Where: Block 338 Restaurant, Lounge & Garden Unlimited brews and a lavish buffet at BD9++ from 7 to 10 pm.

E Call 39 159-912.

What: Grape Fest Where: Block 338 Restaurant, Lounge & Garden Grape tasting with cheese and vegies for BD8.5++ from 7-10 pm.

E Call 39 159-912.

What: Microphone Madness Where: JJ’s Irish Pub and Restaurant One of island’s popular theme nights; free shot for every singer.

E Call 17 742-323.

What: Live-Oke Where: Davy Crockett’s, Hotel Diva Here’s your chance to sing with the band live on stage.

E Call 39 046-715

tuesday What: Candy Night Where: Zodiac Lounge, Elite Grande Dine in a candy shop! Colours pop in the decor and on plates.

E Call 36 020-750.

What: Jam Nights Where: Downtown, InterContinental Regency Jam with the band and receive a free drink.

E Call 17 227-777

What: Boys Night Out Where: The Warbler, Ramee Baisan Enjoy a 20 percent off on Bullfrog and bucket beer for BD9.9.

E Call 38 381-631.

What: Spiritual Sundays Where: Davy Crockett’s, Hotel Diva Enjoy a fun-filled evening with special offers on all house spirits.

E Call 39 046-715

What: Cocktail Night Where: Harvesters, Crowne Plaza Happy hours continue; buy one get one free offer on all drinks.

E Call 17 531-122.

t

What: Games Night Where: Kicks, Hotel Diva Pool, darts, board games and extended happy hours.

E Call 39 922-583.

monday

What: Nostalgic Night Where: The Warbler, Ramee Baisan Not only music makes you nostalgic but the reduced prices too.

E Call 38 381-631.

wednesday

What: Becks Jam Nite Where: Club Buffalo, Ramee California Rock out on stage with the band and get a free Becks pint.

E Call 17 826-001.

What: Drink and Sing Where: Zodiac Lounge, Elite Grande Free drinks for the best voice in this multilingual Karaoke Night E Call 36 020-750.

What: Sushi Night Where: Muju, The Dragon Sushi platter with unlimited select beverages at BD14.

E Call 16 033-833.

What: Pint and Jam Night Where: The Warbler, Ramee Baisan Jam with the in-house band and enjoy four pints of beer @ BD9.9.

E Call 38 381-631.

What: Paellas Night Where: Waikiki, Elite Resort & Spa Sea Food and Paellas made from freshest ingredients and rice.

E Call 17 313-333.

What: Premium Promo Where: Club Buffalo, Ramee California Enjoy a selection of premium spirits and mixers for BD2.

E Call 33 731-000.

What: Karaoke Nights Where: Shift 7, Elite Resort & Spa Sing the night away while pouring drinks with your close mates.

E Call 17 313-000.

What: 4 Pint Pitcher Night Where: Harvesters, Crowne Plaza Quench your thirst with discounts on all pitchers at the bar.

E Call 17 531-122.

What: Karaoke Night Where: Corners, The Dragon Resort Partake in the growing madness around the mic with each drink.

E Call 16 031-113.

What: Karaoke Night Where: Champions Lounge, The K Hotel Enjoy a game of darts and pool or even sing your favourite song.

E Call 36 249-807.

What: Quiz & Curry Night Where: Kicks, Hotel Diva Join the fun as you test your GK and enjoy some hot Indian curries.

E Call 39 922-583.

saturday

What: Brainiac's Fun Quiz Night Where: Corners, The Dragon Resort Fun-filled trivia quiz with prizes galore — free entry.

E Call 16 031-113.

thursday What: Hot Grill Night Where: Zodiac Lounge, Elite Grande Live barbecue stations dish out a wide buffet of tantalising treats.

E Call 36 020-750.

What: Steak Night Where: The Warbler, Ramee Baisan Order your favourite prime cuts and get a pint of beer free.

E Call 38 381-631.

What: Thursday Night Grills Where: Waikiki, Elite Resort & Spa A meat bazaar with marinades of your choice for BD12.

E Call 17 313-333.

What: Retro Night Where: Zodiac Lounge, Elite Resort & Spa Sway to some classic tunes as you drink in some retro magic.

E Call 36 020-750.

What: Sports & Shots & Warbler Nightingale Where: The Warbler, Ramee Baisan Get a bucket beer for BD9.9 with nightlong Karaoke.

E Call 38 381-631.

What: Karaoke Nights Where: Shift 7, Elite Resort & Spa Sing the night away with your buddies and smashing cocktails.

E Call 17 313-333.

What: Cocktail Night Where: Harvesters, Crowne Plaza Continuing happy hours; get buyone-get-one-free on all drinks.

E Call 17 531-122.

What: Chill Out Saturday Where: Waikiki, Elite Resort & Spa Enjoy soothing music and BBQ preparations by the pool.

E Call 17 313-333.

What: Jazz Night Where: Block 338 Restaurant, Lounge & Garden An evening of acoustic jazz with the in-house band True Blue.

E Call 17 710-338.

What: Hoteliers’ Night Where: Downtown, InterContinental Regency Flash your card for a discount if part of the hospitality industry.

E Call 17 227-777.

What: Karaoke Night Where: Kicks, Hotel Diva Start the weekend with a spirited singalong with friends.

E Call 39 922-583.

friday What: Drink and Sing Where: Zodiac Lounge, Elite Resort & Spa Free drinks for the best voice in this multilingual Karaoke Night.

E Call 36 020-750.

BTM November 2013 157

bystanderthismonth

A media briefing was held to announce Three Exhibitions - One Date. Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions (HCE) held the press conference to launch gulfBID, Gulf Property Show & Gulf Interiors 2014. The event, at the Gulf Hotel's Awal Ballroom, was attended by Ahmed Suleiman, exhibitions director HCE, Ronnie Middleton, managing director Al Hilal Group, Jubran Abdulrahman, managing director HCE and Badie Marzoog senior project manager, HCE

Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre and Europe’s number one rent a car company Sixt, under the Bin Hindi Transport Company; signed an exclusive partnership deal.

With this landmark agreement, Sixt rent a car provides limousine services to the hotel’s guests. Sixt also operates a rent a car service counter at the hotel. Seen here are, Lloyd Lourdes Mendes, Sixt rent a car Bahrain franchise manager, A.Aziz Bin Hindi, A.A Bin Hindi vice president & COO, Puneet Singh, general manager Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre, Mo’men Shawqi Ahmed, A.A Bin Hindi senior PR & media manager & Sari Mabire, PR manager Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre

The Diplomat Radisson Blu Residence & Spa organized a farewell party for its long serving Bahraini retirees, most of whom have served the hotel for more than 30 years. The ceremony was graced by the CEO of National Hotels Company Abdulrahman Morshed, 4th from left; thegeneral nanager of the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa Panos Panagis, 4th from right; and a number of department heads. Retirees Ebrahim Hasan, Ali Ateya and Ebrahim Marhoon were honoured for their years of service at the hotel, and wished the very best in their new phase of life A new management consulting firm has recently been established in Bahrain. Falak Consulting is a boutique consultancy specialising in four areas; strategy, operations, risk and transaction advisory. The new firm is being managed by Maniza Dewan, seen here with co-founder and chairman Suhail Ghazi Algosaibi

Awali Golf Club's first 18-hole competition of its 2013/14 season was held last month, with Bill Scarth taking the honours with 40 points. Seen here, Bill Scarth with Club captain Steve Brown

First Motors, the authorized distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Kingdom of Bahrain announced the lucky Grand Prize winner of its Ramadan Raffle Draw, who is the recipient of a new Hyundai i30 car. Ms. Asma Jamal was announced as the Grand Prize winner. Seen here are, Ellie Sarkis, retail manager First Motors, Ahmed Hamal, brother of the Grand Prize winner & Raed Mu'ti, general manager First Motors

Buffalo 3rd Anniversary Party Club Buffalo at the Ramee California Hotel Juffair hosted a party to celebrate the popular outlet's third anniversary last month

Antony, Khalil & Bryan

Naveen, Antony & Sandeep

Jacob, Boban & Tajee

Cherry, Odhel & Donna

Antony with his team, band members & guests at the cake cutting

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Lucy & Gerry

Steve & David

Mitch & Kat

April

www.bahrainthismonth.com

What’s New Edited by Elma Bartholomew

Western flair Tareekh Gold, from Junaid for Perfumes, is a fragrance that has a top note of rose and gardenia and a base note of white musk. Vanilla blends the distinct aromas to create a perfume that is ideal for everyday use.

Available at Junaid for Perfumes.

For the first time Hublot presents a classic fusion equipped with a chronograph movement.

With a matte black dial, two timers, baton indices and a date window at six o’clock, this brand-new piece is 45mm in diameter.

Available at Bahrain Jewellery Centre.

Robust and reliable Alpina aviation watches offer unmatched dial readability and timeless designs.

They feature hinged case backs that allow a view of the finely decorated movement, over-sized numerals, antiglare sapphire crystals and vintage leather straps. Available at A La Mode.

Musky notes

Simplicity and elegance The AW13 collection at Bhs features modern-day glamour combined with structured fits and clean lines. Monochrome retains its importance in the forms of stripes, geometrical prints and bold monoblocking. Available at Bhs.

An accord of mimosa absolute and acacia evokes that moment when the first trees come into blossom and that orangey glow of the December light. Fleur d’Or & Acacia conjures up sweet memories within the unusual depths of musk and white wood.

Available at L’Occitane.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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ASIA JEWELLERS

Designs of Fortune Harbingers of luck, or just ornamental lovers, will add this new collection of fine jewellery that uses animals to depict ideas and emotions.

The protagonists of Pasquale Bruni’s high-end jewellery brand, Progetto Atelier, have created a new collection that uses fabled creatures that bring good luck as the focal point of their latest offering. These charms are made into intricate rings that form the Aminalier collection.

The result is superb artisan workmanship that is both contemporary and reflective of the skill of a high-end jewellery brand. The royal and powerful dragon signifies inner strength and a determination to overcome any difficulty.

A bearer of protection and wisdom, the tortoise is a cosmic symbol of the encounter between the Earth and the sky, and carries the combined strength of the two. Serpents are the sinuous, sensual guardians of the primordial power of mother Earth and symbolise the power of transformation, making the wearer even more mysterious and alluring.

The Frog — the queen of water — possesses precious powers and secrets. A symbol of fertility, regeneration and rebirth, the rings of the collection are excellent travel companions as they exude a positive influence on a journey.

Floral legacy The brand has also unveiled the Bon Ton collection that pays homage to the five-petal flower that is one of the symbols of

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the House of Pasquale Bruni. The jewels used in these pieces strike an intricate balance between the sophisticated and simple, are delicate yet assertive and offer an enchanting touch of femininity.

Floral creations adorn the rings, necklaces and earrings, which are characterised by the incomparable cut of the stones that were expressly created by Pasquale Bruni for this collection. The irregular facets of these amazing petals give you a glimpse of the heart of the flower that culminates in a soft cabochon pistil.

Inspired by Abundantia, the designs are a symbol of prosperity and abundance, and radiate the spirit and confidence of achieving what one desires.

Each jewel is transformed into a precious cornucopia, the horn of abundance, with deep grooves forged into the pink gold and topped with flowers made of milky quartz, pink quartz, and smoky quartz surrounded by white diamonds. Certain changes have been introduced in the Bon Ton Clori line to pay homage to the flower goddess.

These jewels feature smoky quartz and red rhodolite stones circled by white diamonds and are available in pink quartz, amethyst, onyx and full pavé diamonds. The brand can be found at Jewellery Arabia this month. E Call 17 535-344.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

PATEK PHILIPPE

Lost in Time

A luxury watchmaking brand has released a new model that appeals to all watch aficionados who prefer manually wound timepieces.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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marketplace PATEK PHILIPPE

The realm of timepieces has two hemispheres: the inner life of a watch and its outward appearance.

The movement that ticks inside keeps track of time and controls the indications. The external elements protect the movement and make the watch operable. To a great extent, they are responsible for the aesthetic appeal of the timepiece.

At Patek Philippe, these two hemispheres combine to form a single cosmos in which the movement and the appearance of the watch constitute an inseparable entity. In the past, the inner life of Patek Philippe timepieces was showcased at Baselworld with emphasis on silicon technology, the chronograph initiative and minute repeaters. At Baselworld 2013, the manufacturer more actively focused on the visual facets.

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www.bahrainthismonth.com

Energy for more than a week For Ref 5200 Gondolo 8 Days, Day & Date Indication, the Genevan workshops developed a new calibre. The new Gondolo contains innovative Silinvar components from the Patek Philippe Advanced Research think tank. The result is a fetching form movement with a genuine eight-day power-reserve display.

Its date by hand and large aperture for the day of the week — both instantaneously switching — and an aesthetic personality cannot fail to delight watch enthusiasts. The calibre is accommodated in an anatomically curved rectangular case that celebrates the Art Deco style. It is an impressive example of Patek Philippe’s competence in designing and building extraordinary timepiece cases.

True craftsmanship There are many men among connoisseurs and aficionados of high-end horology who deliberately choose a manually wound timepiece. This is not just a predilection; it has some incontestable technical advantages.

A watch that is wound by hand at regular intervals is very precisely adjustable because the declining torque of the gradually relaxing mainspring can be taken into account in the poising process. Conversely, in a self-winding watch, the tension of the mainspring varies with the intensity of the movements of the wrist while it is worn.

Another argument in favour of manually wound timepieces is the tactile experience of turning the crown between fingertips and feeling the smooth action of the winding train. It is like a recurring ritual that strengthens the relationship between the watch and its owner. With the Ref 5200 Gondolo 8 Days, Day & Date Indication, this procedure takes place every eight days and requires 134 revolutions of the crown each time.

A role model of energy efficiency The rectangular calibre form movement enriches the Patek Philippe collection of currently produced manually wound movements. It was developed explicitly for this model.

In twin in-line barrels, it stores the power needed to guarantee that it will run non-stop for 192 hours. This doesn’t mean that the watch will then stand still. Instead, it has the power reserve required to safeguard the steady amplitude of the balance and its rate accuracy up to and including the eighth day.

This is remarkable especially because the calendar is an instantaneously switching mechanism in which the day and the date switch forward simultaneously at midnight, within three milliseconds — faster than the blink of an eye. In the process, the large disk of the prominent day-of-week display has to be advanced by one increment as well.

Indeed, a power reserve of this magnitude is quite remarkable, given the eight lightning-fast calendar switching cycles. This innovation can be admired through the sapphirecrystal case back.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

November 2013 163

marketplace PATEK PHILIPPE Timeless Art Deco beauty The innovative rectangular long-distance runner is housed in an anatomically curved and elongated white-gold case with two-tiered flanks reminiscent of the most memorable Art Deco creations. It is crafted from solid gold bars using the cold-forming technology, shaped to perfection in numerous consecutive steps, and then gradually polished to a mirror finish.

The screwed case back incorporates an anatomically contoured sapphire-crystal insert, and the crystal that protects the dial is ground to a convex shape that follows the silhouette of the case without distorting the view of the elegant and well-organised face.

The dial is available in blue sunburst or silvery white.

Emphasising the ninth day in red to remind the owner to wind the mainspring, the eight-day power-reserve indicator occupies the upper half of the dial. Its lower half is reserved for the calendar functions, featuring a 31-day scale for the date and an aperture for the day of the week.

The seconds subdial is integrated in the date circle. Securely riveted to the face, the faceted white-gold hour markers are mirror-polished for the blue dial and blackened for the silvery opaline dial. The faceted Dauphine-style hour and minute hands in white gold are either mirror-polished or matt-blackened to match the dial colour.

The date hand with the red tip and the hands for the subsidiary seconds and power-reserve indicator are finished in white lacquer to contrast against the blue dial and blackened to match the silvery white dial. Discrete elegance and excellent legibility are two key prerequisites for the timelessness and lasting value of this watch, which is designed to serve its owners across several generations.

Unquestionably, it is a paragon of aesthetics and functionality.

The new Patek Philippe Ref 5200 Gondolo 8 Days, Day & Date Indication is worn on a hand-stitched alligator strap with large square scales, which is secured with an 18K white-gold prong buckle. The strap is shiny blue to match the blue dial and matte black for the model with the silvery white dial.

The surfaces are decorated with Geneva striping and gold-filled engravings, the edges chamfered and polished and the flanks longitudinally grained. This is a true gem that deserves to be showcased in its display window.

E Call 17 520-055.

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www.bahrainthismonth.com

A LA MODE

The Strength of Style

Those who appreciate fine watches and connoisseurs wishing to stand out from the crowd or make a statement will find their every desire met in this new watch.

The centrepiece of the 2013 Saint Honoré collection, the Lutécia Gent Chronograph has an especially bold ‘cushion’ shaping that sets it apart from standard timepiece designs. Watch lovers will be entranced by the exceptional styling of this striking chronograph at first glance.

Housed in a 42mm steel case, the watch strikes the perfect balance between performance, technology, elegance and contemporary styling. This exceptional timekeeping instrument was first and foremost created for performance.

The times measured by this chronograph are easy to read and admire thanks to a skilfully organised dial.

The intense, silver-coloured dial provides a gleaming setting for the oversized appliqué Roman numerals.

The counters, aligned vertically to the left, provide excellent readability. The chronograph’s functions measure 60 seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours.

The strong temperament of this two-tone chronograph model is powerfully expressed in the exquisite design of its cushion-shaped steel case enhanced by a bezel in elegant rose gold. Every detail, particularly the design of the horns, has been carefully crafted to ensure impeccable comfort and meticulously finished to set off the beautiful lustre of the brown leather strap.

Lutécia is the embodiment of the values of Saint Honoré and of today. It is a timepiece that will come to be a great watchmaking classic. E Call 77 333-555.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

November 2013 165

marketplace CHOPARD

Race Against Time This redesigned GMT chronograph is a nod to the design of historical racing cars.

Find out what makes it a must-have for collectors worldwide.

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www.bahrainthismonth.com

For 25 years, Chopard has partnered with the legendary Mille Miglia race in Italy. This constancy testifies to the close ties between the Geneva-based watchmaking house and the world of motor sports. Ergonomic, functional and sophisticated, the Mille Miglia 2013 is a limited edition that has racing in its genes and in its gear trains.

Concern for detail This model is a self-winding chronograph featuring a 24-hour dual-time indication and a date display. It is a tribute to motor sports in general and to the race itself. Now entirely redesigned, it testifies to the extreme concern for detail that Chopard displays in each of its timepieces.

The 42.8mm diameter case of the Mille Miglia 2013 is topped by a generous 44mm bezel, an ingenious association that preserves the imposing presence of the watch while making it a more comfortable fit. This quest for optimal ergonomics has led to revamping the lugs that are now short and tapering so as to secure the watch more firmly to the wrist.

The mushroom-shaped chronograph pushers enable smooth handling thanks to the nonslip knurled grid pattern on their surface, ensuring a firm grip. Finally, the rubber strap with the 1960s Dunlop racing-tyre motif is integrated with the case for a more flowing look and feel.

Optimal readability The dial of the Mille Miglia 2013 chronograph focuses on readability. The red sweep seconds hand is tipped with white to make it stand out. The light grey chronograph counters make a striking contrast with the rest of the anthracite grey dial.

The tachometric scale appears on the bezel, while the dualtime reading is positioned on the dial between the hour-markers.

Another distinctive feature is the date that is shown in the red arrow that has become the race logo. This shape is also echoed on the hour-markers which, along with the hands, are enhanced with Superluminova to ensure the watch can be read at night.

The colour symbolising Italy’s passion for automobiles is the chromatic theme of the Mille Miglia 2013 chronograph. This vibrant red shade frames the inner bezel ring, surrounds the counters and adorns the chronograph hands. It sums up the warmth and depth of the close ties binding Chopard to the world of motor sports.

E Call 17 520-088.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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Mystic Mélange Living room

THE ONE

An Enchanting Ambience Eclectic style encompasses a variety of textures, time periods, styles, trends and colours.

Here’s how you can marry these elements without creating a chaotic setting.

Conjure this magically moody, darkly romantic look from THE One’s newly launched autumn/winter 2013 collection by combining black, gold and purple hues with buttoned leather, rich velvets, mixed patterns and Oriental touches.

If you’re drawn to worn-in pieces, devote some space for a modern display. Add some Baroque and vintage elements, a few kooky accessories and eccentric motifs to round off this joyful take on eclecticism.

Old and new Set the tone for the living room with a fittingly dramatic backdrop of paisley wallpaper in deep purple. Start working your magic with a pair of Chesterfield-style sofas in luscious black leather, perched on a golden Oriental patterned rug and tie in the wall colour with floral velvet cushion covers, glazed mauve ceramics and faux fuchsia orchids.

If you have a neutral backdrop, then use colour as the spice to your setting. Texture also plays a key role in making a living room tactile and inviting.

Use slight of hand to extend the Oriental theme with a Moroccan pendant lamp, handcrafted bone inlay box and

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hammered metal tea light holders in gorgeous, gleaming gold.

Now wave your wand to recreate the grandeur and elegance of the French Baroque era, using a unique table chandelier in faceted crystal and a matching picture frame and candleholder in porcelain and brass.

Display what you love When it comes to wall deco, go for romantically vintage choices like antique sepia postcard prints of Paris and New York in the early 1900s and a classic convex mirror — your personal window to Wonderland. Employ ‘invisible’ shelves to create the illusion of floating books.

Finally, pull some ‘Cheshire cat’ wall plates, a dog statue and bulldog bookends out of your decor hat to complete a look that murmurs luxe glamour with a hint of playfulness. Make sure you vary the levels by stacking a few items and using containers of different heights. Juxtapose smooth and rough.

Stick with a soft palette, throwing in one surprise colour. And voilà — you’re ‘mystic mélange’ theme is done!

E Call 17 587-178.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Lattice tureen

Mei picture frame

Mystic MeĚ lange

Lattice charger

Cat with Monocole side plate

Keith sofa

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Ironie side table

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Terrablu Design

PHOENICIA DÉCOR

Outdoor Lounging The perfect time for outdoor barbecues and enjoying the weather from the patio is near. Why not surround yourself with the most comfortable and colourful furniture?

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A good dose of backyard serenity can do wonders. What better way to spend a leisurely weekend than by enjoying a splendid brunch, afternoon cookout or elegant soirée with family and friends.

The elements for relaxing outdoor living and entertaining can be as budget conscious or as elaborate as one wants. There are a myriad of options at Phoenicia Décor. The outlet features a variety of pieces for enjoying time out on the deck this season.

The most important element in a well-defined and well-enjoyed outdoor living space is furniture that fits your personal style and budget. There are several choices available for those purchasing outdoor furnishings in three basic materials — wood, metal and synthetics. Choose the one that suits your lifestyle.

The teak wood pieces from this furniture retailer will make your backyard decor even more spectacular. These modern furniture designs showcase sleek and minimalist shapes, with most serving more than one practical function.

From patio umbrellas to large picnic tables, Phoenicia Décor

will have your outdoor patio looking sophisticated the next time you decide to have a backyard barbecue.

The finishing touch Create a paradise in your own yard by scouring through the variety of accessories available at the outlet located in Seef district. Jewel-toned accents will give your patio a gorgeous, eclectic vibe. You can also choose a tropical theme to turn your outdoor space into the perfect summer oasis. Do you want a tranquil environment to relax in? Decorate your space with Zeninspired products. If you want to create a modern setting, then the sleek and colourful pieces on offer at Phoenicia Décor will perk up your porch!

A vintage ambience is popular in Bahrain. Get that worn-in, natural aesthetic with the beautiful items available at the store. If the rustic trend isn’t your favourite, then create a preppy space with accessories that are bursting with colour and graphics. E Call 17 564-444.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

EMPORIO ARMANI

Sleek and Sporty Designed to evoke a highly sporty attitude, a renowned fashion retailer has launched a new watch collection. It is a combination of effortless elegance and functionality.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Faithful to its signature concept of elegance, Italian label Emporio Armani launched a new range of desirable watches this year — Stylesport. The inspiration behind this new line of chronographs is that sport is intended as an individual attitude.

An expression of a contemporary and active lifestyle, Stylesport is suited for the shifting scenarios of modern life.

The range helps the wearer move seamlessly from sport activities to sophisticated events.

All models boast a simple and appealing design, hi-tech materials, luxury details and great performance. The collection, featuring water resistant subdials, is iconic in both design and choice of materials. Stainless steel — polished, brushed or ion-plated — is used for the cases and the straps are made of rubber.

There is simplicity to the circular dials, the prominent crowns and pusher buttons. The coloured straps and hands echo the use of bright accents in modern sportswear and specifically in the Emporio Armani fashion collection.

The key piece of the whole collection is the AR6107 model, a limited edition regatta watch. The yachting model comes in brushed titanium with enhanced red highlights on the dial and a yachting countdown timer, perfect for monsoon.

E Call 17 131-024.

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VIVA

An Advanced State A leading telecom provider has signed an agreement with a couple of medical establishments in its mission to improve Bahrain’s health system.

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Following the huge success of its participation at GITEX in 2012, VIVA Bahrain attended this year’s edition of the show as well. The company showcased its state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure as part of the STC Group and also signed key agreements with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and King Hamad University Hospital during the event.

Through its strategic agreement, VIVA will provide the latest in technology and ICT solutions to assist in building the capacity and skills needed within the MoH. Both organisations will collaborate to further strengthen Bahrain’s health system and the end-to-end patient experience. They will jointly deploy the latest technologies that will help local health entities to adopt global best practice and clinical operating models.

During GITEX 2013, VIVA also signed an agreement with the King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) to provide 50MB dedicated Internet access as well as a secure, robust and highquality network service through its dedicated business unit, VIVA Enterprise. The partnership will further enable rapid and smooth flow of information between various health entities and

allow KHUH to access vital information and data to enhance patient experience.

VIVA also showcased its social media leadership at GITEX with its ‘Tweet for a Treat’ machine, the first of its kind to be introduced in Bahrain. The tweet machine dispensed gifts ranging from smartphones to the latest gadgets to customers visiting the STC Group stand at the event.

E Call 124 or email www.viva.com.bh.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

NAZIH TRADING

Taming Those Tresses

Dry, dull and damaged hair receives a wondrous solution that locks in natural nourishment, allowing your hair to bounce with joy.

Long, short, curly or straight — no matter what our hair type, we’ve all fallen prey to a condition that completely drains life out your hair and soon reaches a point from where only the snipping scissors can save you. Yes, it is the split ends!

Women all over the world spend millions each year to mend these splits; from expensive hair treatments, a never-ending list of hair-care products, vitamins and other dietary supplements that promise to keep your hair healthy — and from root to tip.

Despite all this, splits develop and stop the growth of the hair, making them look dull and shabby, leading to discoloration and are really tough to eradicate.

Regular blow drying, straightening, highlighting and perming can wreak havoc as well, leaving hair brittle, broken and unmanageable. The ends of the strands split open when the protective outermost layer of hair (the cuticle) is damaged and peels back.

In the past people tried to cure splits by burning the ends so that they would seal. This was not a solution for everyone and often made the situation worse than ever.

Luckily nature provides many solutions, if we know where to look. Split ends are a result of excessively dry hair; conditioning that keeps them hydrated is the primary way to avoid damage.

To lock moisture and nutrients in the hair, and to save it from harmful effects of styling or even sun damage, protective serums are applied.

Cristal Serum by Energy Cosmetics has been specially developed to repair the ends of hair which are damaged or split. When applied to the ends, its active ingredients affix to the areas of the hair that are most damaged. After only one use, without rinsing out, hair appears much healthier, transformed and full of shine.

A nourishing potion Cristal is a unique formula with creamy, milk-like consistency which needs to be left on after a wash. The shielding surface protects your hair from external damage and the hydrating action restores strength and natural shine.

This texture is achieved by using natural ingredients such as white orchid milk, nyamplung oil and acai berries. A revolutionary product, this is an exclusive cosmetic anti-frizz treatment which helps to loosen unmanageable curls and detangle hair. The serum closes split ends and lends a healthy shine to your locks and with each usage your hair becomes smoother and less frizzy.

Suitable for all hair types this formula is the first professional cosmetic illuminating treatment that is more effective than an ordinary after-shower serum. The product executes a weightless, nourishing and hydrating action.

E Call 17 251-988.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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bni

Effortless Insurance Whether you’re renewing your insurance policy or filing an accident claim, go no further than your desk with bni's easy insurance services.

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So it looks like your insurance policy is set to expire in a few days. Must you worry?

With bni’s quick renewal service, the insurer will not only send you a text message reminder of the expiry date but also provide a link you can visit to renew your policy.

The quick renewal system works equally well on smart devices and computers. This facility enables you to pay for the policy renewal through a secure payment gateway and the service is available for motor, domestic servants and home insurance.

“Customers have the option to receive the new insurance card at the nearest branch or even delivered by courier to their doorstep. With this quick renewal system, we’ve improved service levels further for our customers,” says Abdulla Al Suwaidi, General Manager, bni.

The insurer is looking at ways to enable faster processing of accident claims and reduce the waiting time for customers at its offices. bni has also unveiled its first mobile application, which enables customers to avoid long queues by notifying bni of their claim and uploading their documents through the app.

Once the bni mobile app is downloaded on a smart device, the application will prompt for a policy number and a registration number, from which customers can register their claims into the system.

“Accident claims usually require loads of documentation, but once these papers are ready, customers will find it quicker to upload them through the mobile application rather than appearing at the bni office in person,” observes Abdulla.

When the scanned documents and pictures of the vehicle are uploaded, the claims surveyor will be duly notified. The customer will receive a text message notification, scheduling an appointment at the garage with the surveyor to assess the vehicle damage. A notification button enables users to see updates sent by bni for the payment of any excess or change in claim status.

Once the customer has paid any fees due over the secure gateway, the claim is ready to be processed. The application, which is available on any Android or Apple device, will reduce the claim registration process substantially.

“Processing of claims will also be faster since there’s a dedicated bni employee handling these cases,” observes Abdulla.

The application will be able to accept claim requests 24/7.

Customers wishing to make a complaint can press the ‘communicate with us’ button through the app, allowing them to send a free text message to the company detailing their grievance.

A ‘claim list’ on the app displays a history of the claim events and the status of each claim. E Call visit www.bnidirect.com.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Dr Ziad M Albaha

BAHRAIN SPECIALIST HOSPITAL

Shock Wave Treatment Urinary tract stones affect millions of people every year. We speak to an expert about a non-invasive method of treatment.

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“Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) uses sound waves or shock waves to break urinary stones into small fragments that can pass spontaneously. It is performed usually as an outpatient procedure whilst awake or sometimes with sedation,” explains Dr Ziad M Albaha, specialist of urology at Bahrain Specialist Hospital.

In most cases, there is a stone present within the kidney or upper part of the ureter that will not pass by itself. The stone may cause pain or impede the passage of urine from the kidney down to the bladder.

There are several reasons to opt for ESWL over other treatments for stones. The outpatient procedure takes one hour.

It is reasonably successful. There is no cutting or invasion of the body at all. Low risk of infection is also an advantage.

However, ESWL may not be possible for patients with severe skeletal deformities, obesity, abdominal aortic aneurysms, uncontrollable bleeding disorders, pregnancy, cardiac pacemakers; and for some professionals and other workers who need complete and immediate stone clearance, like pilots or divers.

“There are few things you need to take into consideration before your procedure,” the doctor says. “Eat a light breakfast or lunch before the procedure. If you take regular medicines, ask your doctor if they are safe to take before the procedure.

For instance, you may be asked to stop taking blood thinners several days before.”

Someone should be available to drive you home in case you have received medication that has made you feel drowsy or if you have pain afterwards.

How is ESWL performed?

While lying on the treatment table, the stone will be located either by X-ray or ultrasound. It is important to stay as still as possible during this time so that the shock waves can be accurately focused on the stone.

“Ultrasound jelly is applied to the skin. Then a cushion containing water is positioned to allow the shock waves to be delivered to the stone,” Dr Ziad explains.

“The treatment usually lasts between 20 and 40 minutes. You will hear a ‘clicking’ noise and feel something like a flicking on your back or front.

It feels a bit like a small electric shock. If you feel uncomfortable, additional pain killers can be given.”

At the end of procedure and after passing urine, it is possible to go home. Have large volumes of water to increase urine flow and help flush stone fragments through. You should be able to resume normal activities the day after treatment.

It is common to see blood in your urine after the treatment, unless the urine is completely opaque. Small fragments of stone may pass, giving pain. Contact a doctor if you have a fever, if you find it difficult to pass urine or have severe pain in the back or surrounding area.

“Often only one treatment is required, but large stones in difficult locations may require multiple treatments over weekly or more intervals. ESWL is very safe and has little and mild side effects,” the doctor adds.

E Call 17 812-000.

November 2013 175

marketplace REDTAG

Winter Essentials Whether you prefer light layers or heavy statement looks, there’s no end to the choice one has in winter fashion. Check out the following tips to get artfully layered.

RedTag brings you layer-friendly essentials to build an elegant and trendy wardrobe. They have just those pieces to get you through winter in style. Glam up your weekend look and spice up your office wear with these tips and ideas from the brand’s fashion line.

The tricks to winter outfits Choose a pair of skinny leggings which will go with this season’s colours and you’ll be in the clear. Tuck them into studded boots to run errands or team them with pointy toes for a night out in town. It’s all about contrasts this season. Black and white continues to be a stylish colour combination, balancing the classic and the modern.

Pink is the colour for autumn — from dusky pinks to hot bubblegum tones. It goes with everything from skirts to trousers and leather pants, allowing you to stay à la mode.

Make a statement with a bold yellow jacket or a faux fur jacket. Fur in small doses keeps you cosy. Pair layers of body-conscious knitwear. Preppy striped tunics and a neck-warming scarf with a waist-cinching belt slenderises.

RedTag has a fabulous fashion collection on multiple offers (two for BD3.900, BD4.900 upto BD8.900) to give you a chic and cosy wardrobe at an affordable price. So what if the season ahead drops a few degrees? Trends and options like those offered at this retail outlet give the perfect opportunity to get playfully creative.

E Call 17 716-370 (Adliya), 17 556-430 (Bahrain Mall), 17 162-188 (Bahrain City Centre) or 77 001-243 (Enma Mall).

MULTINATIONAL SCHOOL-BAHRAIN

A Bright Future This school believes that with the right support every child has the ability to reach their full potential. Find out why the Australian curriculum stands out from other schools.

176 November 2013

The Multinational School-Bahrain (MNS-B) recognises that all children have different talents and abilities. It differentiates its teaching approach to cater to individual needs of students.

MNS-B uses the Australian curriculum which actively presents opportunities that encompass each child’s strengths and provide additional support when assistance is needed. This approach has delivered academic excellence at the sister school in Riyadh, which has been operating for 15 years. It has achieved some of the top grades in the world in IGCSE and A levels, putting it into the top two percent of all schools when benchmarked against private schools in Australia and the UK. The Bahrain branch is committed to providing the same level of academic excellence. MNS-B believes that it is important to identify interests of children from an early age so that they are given multiple opportunities to excel and show academic excellence. The school adopts this approach by offering its specialist programme to all year groups. Students at MNS-B from as early as three years (KG1) can expect to engage in a range of specialist subjects with dedicated specialist teachers.

The school has programmes for art and design, music, physical education, information and computer technology, French, Arabic, English as an additional language, learning support and reading recovery. The school also offers a range of after school activities, including soccer, basketball, drama, choir, dance, arts and crafts, cake decorating, swimming and language clubs.

MNS-B also runs multiple events for students throughout the year, such as assemblies, sports and music days, art exhibitions, whole-school productions and events, such as International Day. E Call 17 711-444, 35 524-172 or 34 364-444.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

FRASER SUITES BAHRAIN

Charitable Pursuits Supporting the local community is a cornerstone of this hospitality group’s philosophy to support the society in which it resides.

As the Kingdom observed breast cancer awareness last month, Fraser Suites Seef Bahrain again participated to do its bit for the cause. This was Fraser’s third consecutive year supporting the initiative.

As part of its ongoing corporate social responsibilities programme, the five-star serviced residence property was a corporate sponsor for the eight annual charity Think Pink Bahrain ladies golf tournament. The proceeds from this event go towards the Think Pink Education Fund.

Over the years, this golfing charity event has contributed to this fund. The money raised has enabled many Bahraini healthcare professionals travel abroard and receive internationally recognised qualifications, and return to the Kingdom to support the community.

Think Pink Bahrain attributes the success of the initiative to the support it receives from the local community, both through corporate sponsorship and private donations.

“We are proud to be part of this very worthy cause for the third year in a row,” says Juliana Mateva, director of sales at Fraser Suites Bahrain. “We are committed to doing what is right for the society and are more than happy to participate in events that serve the community.”

contemporary decor with the latest amenities. Other facilities include 24-hour concierge and security services, a kids’ club, spa, salon and gym, high-speed Internet, outdoor pool and Jacuzzi and a private car park with valet service.

“The property is built to cater to the needs of both the single traveller and families visiting for business or recreation,” notes Juliana. “In fact, mixing business with leisure is the norm at Frasers. When the work is done, guests can take a dip in the swimming pool or work out at the gym, and unwind in the steam and sauna facilities." E Call 17 569-333.

Luxury and service Fraser Suites Bahrain has received a number of awards that are testimonials of its service standards and state-of-the-art infrastructure. The latest feather in its cap is the ‘Best Guest Review’ award from one of the leading online travel agencies, www.booking.com.

The property gains a lot from its location as it is just an easy stroll from leading businesses and corporate venues, designer stores, restaurants and entertainment options.

With a choice of 90 deluxe studios, one-, two- or threebedroom suites and plush penthouses, the apartments have

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November 2013 177

marketplace GULF EYE CENTRE

Early Detection A lifestyle disease that poses a lifelong peril for a major portion of our population doesn’t need to be the life-changer that it is often presented to be.

One of the many drawbacks of our increasingly sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating practices is the chronic rise of diseases like diabetes. The condition sabotages your vascular system, leading to fluctuating blood sugar levels and production of toxins in the body. Soon, the curial supply network starts losing fluids, bringing down the level of nutrients in the organs and finally leading to loss of blood.

The medical fraternity observes the World Diabetes Day each year on November 14 to raise awareness of this condition and how it affects your body.

Dr Samer J Bashir, consultant opthalamologist at the Gulf Eye Centre, says eyes are one of the first casualties of the disease as they depend entirely on small and delicate blood vessels.

Recurrent bleeding causes fibrosis to set in, which can lead to loss of sight.

The centre is equipped with a wide spectrum of tools to fight back this problem, ranging from lasers, medicines and even surgery — although it’s used only in extreme cases. A retina specialist can assess the extent of damage long before the disease is established in the organ.

“The notion that nothing has to be checked as long as vision is good can prove dangerous because blood vessels tend to be affected much earlier than the retina which gives plenty of time for counteractive measures to be implemented,” Dr Samer explains. “It’s very unfortunate that such a damaging concept is quite popular among the educated elite and even some doctors.”

Dr Samer J Bashir

E Call 17 239-171 or visit www.gdsceye.com.

bystanderthismonth

Holiday Inn Express Reception The Holiday Inn Express Bahrain hosted a reception for a number of guests.

The event was held at the hotel's Great Room Restaurant last month

Faheeda, Shantelle & Ali

Bless, George & David

178 November 2013

Mohammed & Luca

Cathy & Joan

Weam, Rasha, Ahmed & Turk

Maricel, Rowena & Bobby

Ibrahim & Crystal

Sreenivas, Mathew & Mithil

Padro & Mylene

Emmas & Hari

Badri, Bushihary & Lea

Sara & Mariam

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bystanderthismonth

Jean's Birthday Party Jean & Veronique de Tinguy hosted a party to celebrate Jean's birthday with over 150 friends at a disco party that was held at their residence in Adliya last month. The party was also attended by HE Christian Testot, French Ambassador & HE Dr Mohan Kumar, Indian Ambassador

HE Christian Testot, Jean & Zeina Testot

Mark, Kaoru, Bashar, HE Dr Mohan Kumar & Mala Kumar

Veronique, Jean & Mona

Laurent, Prasad & Carole

Veronique, Mala, Bashar, Jenan, Huda, Fatima, Fatima & Khulood

Jean, Veronique & Adel

Marie, David & Veronique

Dogan

Liliane, Leylan, Zeina & Shandra

Souheil

Natalia & Zaid's Party Natalia & Zaid hosted a housewarming party for a number at their friends at their residence on Amwaj Islands

Mary & Florian

Burkhard, Natalia & Myra

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Maher, Reem, Natasha, Natalia, Zaid, Kamal & Tanja

Tanya, Natalia, Oksana & Burkhard

Mary, Natalia & Anja

Anja & Jan

Natasha & Dario

Jilly, Qays, Natalia & Hinz

Yana, Natalia & Vanessa

John, Natalia, Zaid, Rudi & Lydia

Luma & Karina

Maria & Eugen

November 2013 179

listingsthismonth Social Clubs

Arts Culture Art Galleries Al Riwaq Art Gallery Albareh Art Gallery Arabesque Art Gallery Art Lounge Ella Art Gallery

17 717-441 17 717-707 17 722-916 17 580-522 17 292-815

Art Galleries & Framing

Bahrain Art Framing Centre 17 717165 Lamarkiz Framing & Gallery 17 596-284

Arts & Cultural Groups

Alliance Française 17 683-295 Bahrain Arts Society 17 590-562 Contemporary Art Society 3 9224-002 Historical & Archaeological Society

17 727-895 La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art

17 230-123

Crafts

Al Jasra Handicrafts Centre Crafts Centre Gallery Celebrations L’Atelier Art Lounge Things-To-Do

17 611-900 17 254-688 17 595-791 17 599-030 17 590-409

Ballet Centre Ballare School Futureshape Studio Salsa Bahrain Sampaguita Club Victoria Dance Centre

17 693-232 17 300-021 17 590-088 3 9676-349 3 9106-589 3 987-6215

Dance

Drama, Film and Theatre

Bahrain Cinema Club 17 725-959 Dilmun Amateur Dramatics 17 690-926 Folk Poetry Society 17 761-000

Indian arts & culture

Institute for Performing Arts 17 231-717 Kalabhavan Bahrain Institute 17 717-271 Konkan Singers Club 17 243-511

Islamic Culture

Bapco Club Dilmun Club Filipino Club Marina Club Pakistan Club The British Club The Country Club The Indian Club The Sri Lanka Club The Young Goans Club

17 753-666 17 690-926 17 262-143 17 291-527 17 258-520 17 278-245 17 593-593 17 253-157 17 231-354 3 9455-207

Bhatia Mitra Mandal Kannada Sangha Karnataka Social Club Keraleeya Samajam Shree Nayrana Cultural Shri Gujarati Samaj Tamil Social Association

3 9601-789 17 271-257 17 254-257 17 251-878 17 255-517 3 9019-462 3 9603-564

Awali Caledonian Society Bahrain Irish Society Bahrain Welsh Society Royal Society of St. George

3 6366-458 3 9800-511 3 9467-310 3 9726-329

Other Indian clubs

Other Societies

Business Associations

17 645-156 17 261-555 17 531-400

Folk Poetry Society Pakistan Urdu Literary

17 761-000 17 776-629

Al Hayat Museum Al Oraifi Museum Currency Museum National Museum Oil Museum

17 290-101 17 535-112 17 547-700 17 298-777 17 753-475

Hash House Harriers Bahrain Road Runners

17 862-620 3 6992-288

Bahrain Music Institute Classic Institute of Music Manama Singers Sar Music Centre

17 721-999 17 728-791 17 642-119 17 794-898

British Club Netball Dilmun Netball Club Filipino Club Basketball Netball Club

Bowling

3 8357-181 3 9911-848 17 262-143 3 9911-848

Awali Bowling Centre

17 753-666

Awali Cricket Club

17 756-959

Awali Riding Club Riding School Shakhoora Riding Centre The Country Club

17 756-525 17 690-448 17 591-103 17 593-593

Ez-Fit SportPlex Rugby Football

17 692-378 17 695-809

Awali Golf Club Royal Golf Club

17 756-770 17 750-777

Gulf Speed 1 Kart Zone Silver Go Kart

3 9444-885 17 450-000 17 780-011

Sailing Club Yacht Club

17 836-078 17 700-667

Museums

Music

Photography

Awali Photo Society 17 764-468 Bahrain Photography Club 17 590-551

Pottery

Bahrain Pottery Society Studio Ceramics

Public Speaking

17 786-969 17 599-026

Manama Toastmasters Club 3 9451-182

Clubs Societies Ladies Clubs American Women’s Assoc. 17 685-882 Australasian Women (AWG) 3 8395-803 Awali Ladies Association 17 678-947 Business Women’s Society 17 721-188 Discover Islam Ladies 17 531-400 Hamad Town Women’s Association

17 422-005 Indian Ladies Association 17 531-468 International Ladies Group 17 729-128 Pakistani Women’s Assoc. 17 710-944 Young Ladies Society 17 262-237 Young Ladies Toastmasters 17 626-237 Women’s Society 17 826-777

180 November 2013

Mind Games

Bridge Club Bahrain Scrabble League

17 713-080 17 242-641

Dessange Health Club La Fontaine

17 713-999 17 230-123

Filipino Club Tennis Group Table Tennis Club Tennis Club The Country Club

3 9527-587 17 729-756 17 729-561 17 593-593

Pilates

Racket games

Snooker

Jimmy’s Snooker/Billiards 17 71 6-147

National Associations

Amateur Athletic Association 17 684-905 American Chamber Comm. 17 580-516 Badminton & Squash Fed. 17 292-662 Australian Association 3 9206-432 Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Bar Society 17 725-665 Endurance Federation 17 836-199 Bankers’ Society of Bahrain 17 728-003 Basketball Association 17 741-010 British Business Forum 3 9651-755 Bowling Association 17 822-077 Businessmen’s Association 17 229-009 Chess Federation 17 252-133 French Business Club 17 748-999 Cycling Association 17 650-079 Language Courses Disabled Sports Federation 17 789-191 Alliance Française 17 683-295 Endurance Federation 17 836-199 Berlitz 17 827-847 Football Association 17 729-563 The British Council 17 261-555 Handball Association 17 720-321 Other Associations Hockey Association 17 253-209 Baloch Club 17 292-231 Maritime Sports Association 17 836-078 Garden Club 17 727-625 Martial Arts Association 17 650-676 Pakistan Association 3 9415-200 Mind Sports Association 17 340-016 Skal International Bahrain 17 22-4050 Shooting & Fencing Assoc. 17 750-006 Snooker Association 17 825-301 Sports Recreation Swimming Association 17 680-867 Aerobics Table Tennis Association 17 729-393 Coral Beach Club 17 312-777 Volleyball Association 17 271-139 Curves Fitness Clinic for Women

17 691-496 Teens Kids Ez Fit SportPlex 17 692-378 Athletics World Beat Fitness Centre 17 612-576 Road Runners 3 6992-288

Al Bayan Society Beit Al Quran Discover Islam

Literature

Ghassan’s Style Kickboxing 3 9458-293 Karate Centre 3 9247-769 17 813-856 Taichi & Wushu Center Japan Karate Association 17 591-237 Marina Club 3 9690-008 Reza Martial Arts Centre 17 694-646 Shotokan Karate 3 9626-211 World Beat Fitness Center 17 612-576 Yong Quan Tha Chi 3 9667-624 Zen-Do Bahrain 17 611-909

Athletics/Running Ball Games

Cricket

Equestrian

Football & Rugby Golf

Karting

Marine Sports Martial Arts

Aces Taekwondo Academy 3 9658-741 Al Ahli Karate School 3 9659-510 Bahrain Karate Center 17 612-576 Bin Jamal Taekwondo Center 3 6222-892 Delmon Taekwondo School 3 9689-659 Futureshape Studio 17 592-019

Dance

Ballet Centre 3 9676-349 Victoria Dance Centre 3 9876-215 World Beat Fitness Centre 17 612-576

Cricket

Ez-Fit SportPlex SLC grounds, Riffa

17 692-378 17 276-134

Ez-Fit SportPlex Rugby Football The Country Club

17 692-378 17 695-809 17 593-593

Football & Rugby Horse Riding

Fitness Plus Physique Fitness Centre World Beat Fitness Centre 24-hour Fitness

17 593-593 17 694-646 17 612-576 17 716-999

Bodyline Spa Coral Beach Club La Fontaine Spa Massage Centre

17 793-932 17 312-777 17 230-123 17 264-064

Ann Beauty Center and Spa Bellacura Beauty Lounge Dessange Spa Futoon Beauty & Fitness Pineapple Spa Profile Fitness Centre Wellness Resort Zoya Beauty Centre

17 623-704 17 364-955 17 713-999 17 777-994 17 712-000 17 727-766 17 795-961 17 740-800

Art of Living Foundation

39 653-007

Fitness Gyms

Health Spas (Women only)

Meditation Centres

Bahrain Wellness Centre Bayoga Centre Meditation Centre Physiotherapy Centre World Beat Fitness Centre

17 795-961 39 460-996 17 712-545 17 722-012 17 612-576

Health Clubs (Hotels)

Banyan Tree Resort & Spa 17 845-000 Crowne Plaza Health Club 17 531-122 17 535-000 Golden Tulip Health Club 17 713-000 Gulf Hotel Health Club Le Mirage, Diplomat Hotel 17 531-666 17 227-777 Regency Fitness Centre 36 270-302 RJ’s, Ramee Int'l Hotel 17 524-570 Sheraton Fitness Sporting Club, Ritz-Carlton 17 580-000 The Gym, Mövenpick Hotel 17 460-000

Kids Fitness Centres

Children’s Health Academy of Specialised Sports (CHAOSS) 17 592-096 17 566-566 My Gym Bahrain

QR Codes: On-The-Go Reading You can now read Bahrain This Month while you are out and about, from the comfort of your own phone — just simply download a free app which allows you direct access to the online magazine. Both iPhone, iPad2 and BlackBerry users can enjoy this simple convenience by following these simple steps;

iPhone/iPad2 users Step 1: Search for i-nigma on the Apple app store Step 2: Download i-nigma on your iPhone or Pad, free of charge Step 3: After downloading is complete, click on the i-nigma icon Step 4: Finally, simply scan the QR code to be directed to a page on the designated page on the web

Awali Riding Club 17 756-525 Dilmun Club 17 692-986 Riding School 17 690-448 Shakhoora Riding School 17 591-103 The Country Club 17 593-593

Marine & Sailing Sailing Club Yacht Club

Martial Arts

17 700-677 17 700-677

Aces Taekwondo Academy 3 9658-741 Al Ahli Karate School 3 9659-510 Al Hala Sports Club 3 9966-139 Balouch Club 17 292-231 British Club 17 728-245 Delmon Tae Kwon Do School 3 9689-659 Taichi & Wushu Centre 3 6437-931

Health Fitness Fitness Gyms

Al Gosaibi Gym Coral Beach Club Dessange Health Club Ez-Fit Sportsplex Ghassans Gym

17 293-221 17 312-777 17 713-999 17 692-379 17 695-911

BlackBerry users Step 1: Search for ‘QR Code Scanner Pro’ in the Blackberry app world, either online or directly from your phone Step 2: Download the app, free of charge Step 3: Click on the application and scan the code Step 4: On scanning, you will be directed to site referenced in the QR code There are two QR codes used this issue; on the front cover, on First Word (page 11).

www.bahrainthismonth.com

winwin

Bahrain This Month gives readers an exclusive chance to win watches from Sharif Group.

Bahrain this Month magazine Full Page.pdf

1

10/27/13

To win, all you have to do is correctly answer the questions below.

1 2

3

Who is a female Bahraini inventor? ___________________________ Where can you find six hours of racing? ___________________________ Which violinist is performing in Bahrain? ___________________________

Hint: You can find the answers in this issue of BAHRAIN THIS MONTH.

Who got it right?

6:41 PM

AD SEEK

This is a fun game for all readers. Each of these pictures is taken from advertisements in this issue of BAHRAIN THIS MONTH. All you have to do is identify the ad and mark your answer below each ad clipping. So test your observation skills, and you may be a winner!

Bahrain This Month received 58 entries last month, 49 of which answered all the questions correctly. Congratulations to everyone, particularly our three winners: Winner : Reni Kumar Second Place : Tigist Worku Firew Third Place : Ralph Gonzaga

1.

Last month’s solutions 1. Karim Al Shakar

4

5

Where is Karaoke Idol being held? ___________________________ When is Jewellery Arabia being held? ___________________________

2. The Cultural Hall 3. HE Sabine Taufmann 4. The Gulf Hotel 5. Braden Kelley 6. Ford Escape 7. Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa

EqUILIBRIUM PILatEs ⁄ fItnEss cEntE

8. Khalifa Sports City 9. First Touch Soccer 10. Sofitel Zallaq Hotel

2.

Ad Seek

6

Which car did we test drive? ___________________________

PRIVATE clAssEs

1. Al Arisha 2. Lala Bella 3. Pizza Inn 4. The Children's Place

7 8

9 10

Who is Jaguar’s official distributor? ___________________________ Which Italian restaurant is reopening? ___________________________ What is our app this month? ___________________________ What is the name of Coral Bay’s spa? ___________________________

Name:

Address:

REfoRmER 3.

Telephone:

Email:

cpr:

Entry deadline is November 15. The winner will be selected at random. Please include your full name, CPR number, address and telephone number, and mail to: Win Win, Bahrain This Month, PO Box 20461, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.

GRouP mAT clAssEs 4.

November 2013 181

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mAssAGE

tarotscopethismonth

Scorpio

Oct 22 – Nov 21 Forces at work are conspiring against you and will lead to an unhappy period as far as your career is concerned. A situation has turned against you and will become progressively worse as the month continues. Inevitably, the situation will reach a peak when the final word may not end in your favour.

You could also encounter a mini-disaster at home and there is a likelihood of some major repairs needed around the 28th. All in all, not the best month for your sign! If there is a ray of sunshine then it is possibly that this will be the worst it gets and from December onwards things will be a lot better when it comes to property!

Card of the Month — The King of Swords For a detailed, personalised Tarotscope reading, contact Raphael by email: raphael@tarotscope.org.uk

Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 You will probably be in a reflective mood this month and relationships are high on the agenda, especially those that appear to have struck a dead end. If you feel that your marriage or partnership has perhaps lost its sparkle, then why not try setting aside a weekend where the two of you can rekindle the embers that still exist. A contented heart will go a long way towards allowing you to appreciate the other areas of your life, so make the move before it’s too late.

If it goes too far then there will be no road for return and that is a scenario you may not want to contemplate.

Card of the Month — The Three of Swords

Capricorn ­December 22 – January 18 November sees you having to face up to a stern lesson in humility and you could meet your match with an adversary at work. A conflict will initially arise through a disagreement over a financial issue and will then escalate. You could even be forced to seek legal advice. Your patience will be strained and edgy but you should try not to take out your frustrations on family or friends. The solution to your problem may very well be to swallow your pride and accept the situation. On the family front, a sick relative is going to demand a great deal of your time and it could be argued you need to consider a long term plan for their well-being.

Card of the Month — The Ace of Wands

182 November 2013

Aquarius ­January 19 – ­February 20 This month will see temptation put in your way, probably with financial overtones. When it comes, you must seriously consider your course of action. Giving in will see you embroiled in a spiral that can only lead to further complications. If you get too deeply involved, there will be no turning back. The warning signs will appear to you as a man in a grey suit with a shock of blonde hair, promising opportunities that will seem too good to be true. Nothing that comes easy does so without a price somewhere further down the line and you should consider this before making any decisions.

Card of the Month — The Nine of Cups

pisces February 21 – March 20 A recent loss in the family, or perhaps of a close friend, is really only starting to hit you emotionally and has triggered a change in your inner-self. You may find yourself reflecting on life and thinking about the purpose you have in it; you may even decide to make a career change.

Any role in volunteer or social work might prove temporarily satisfying but the real need is for emotional fulfilment. It’s been a long time since many of you could claim to have enjoyed a meaningful relationship and to Pisces, this is more important than anything.

Card of the Month — The Fool

Aries March 21 – April 20 November looks like being the month when that particular purchase you have been after finally makes itself available to you.

It could be that a relative leaves you some money or even that an investment matures. Whatever the reason, you will soon find that you will be treating yourself to a shopping excursion and retail therapy could turn out to be exactly the solution to any burdening issues that have held you back of late. On a more serious note, you should beware anyone seeking to take advantage of your good fortune.

Card of the Month — The Two of Cups

Taurus ­April 21 – May 20 Solitude and rest are the two factors most prominent in your reading for November and if you feel a little tired or stressed out then a break from the pressures of life may be just what is required. Certain events both at home and work will come to a head around the 12th. Although you will deal competently and successfully with both, the aftermath leaves you looking for a way to re-boot your engines. Try jetting away to some more unfamiliar environment so that you can put a little more perspective into your life. It will help demonstrate to you just how good things really are at the moment.

Card of the Month — The Queen of Coins

Gemini May 21 – June 20 Travel is the number one feature of your reading this month. You will be contemplating a move overseas, probably in connection with work, although a family-related matter might also have some bearing on a move. If you are being offered a role within a newly formed company, do not burn all your bridges behind you since there is no certainty that the venture will be successful and you never know when you might need your friends. If you do have any doubts then why not look to a friend who may have gone through a similar experience. Experience is always the best answer.

Card of the Month — The Two of Swords

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advertisersindex cancer June 21 – July 20 A secret concerning money will suddenly come into the open and bring a measure of controversy into your life. You may discover that a friend you thought could be trusted has spoken behind your back and ignites the resulting fire. If someone has lent you money and did not want the gesture exposed, then you may find yourself falling out over the matter becoming common knowledge. It is all going to mean a fairly awkward few weeks as you allow a rocky situation to settle. Only after then does the real work begin!

Card of the Month — The Ten of Wands

LEO July 21 – August 21 The collapse of a relationship sees you in a weakened emotional state and you will find yourself wishing that you could just close the door on the world and forget about everything. There is the possibility that you may even be considering moving house as a consequence of this breakup and a small place by the sea may be a favourite. On a slightly different note, an individual who has been opposing you in some manner concerning property will find their efforts to be in vain as you finally achieve your aim and get that planned development or extension off the ground!

Card of the Month — The Wheel of Fortune

virgo August 22 – September 21 Your final moment of triumph in a longstanding dispute is delivered in a fashion even you could not have imagined, and you will be celebrating a satisfactory victory. A useful ally will make him or herself available to you at the start and this person will go a long way to assisting you in closing the lid on this episode. On a different note, you might incur a small injury through items left carelessly about the house and you will be forced to take some time off work because of it. If you have neglected to catch up with a relative of late then try to make the effort to see the person concerned as they have missed your more than you know.

Card of the Month — Justice

libra September 22 – October 21 An unfounded sense of overconfidence will backfire on you this month when you discover that a decision you had been counting on going your way turns against you. A consideration of where you stand and what you might achieve in your long-term goals should be addressed now. You may be best advised to cut your losses and try hard to begin a new chapter in your life. Stubbornness will only lead to further difficulty for you in the future. future so try to suppress that complicated ego of yours and instead get to work on healing rifts rather than creating them.

Card of the Month — The Five Of Wands

Ryan Gosling

Financial Institutions

Bahrain Development Bank . . . . . . . . . . 82 bni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Home & Furnishings

Phoenicia Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 The One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5

Hotels & Luxury Apartments

Al Areen Resort & Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Fraser Suites Bahrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Golden Tulip Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Mirador Hotel (Peacock Restaurant) . . 151 Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Ramada Hotel Bahrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Ramee Baisan Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Ramee Monroe Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Resort . . . . . . . . . 80 The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel. . . . . . 51 The Domain Bahrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa . . 17

Jewellery & Watches

Asia Jewellers (Cartier) . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC Bahrain Jewellery Centre (Chopard) . . .2-3 Bahrain Jewellery Centre (Patek Philippe) .

IFC-1 Sharif Group (Alpina) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Medical & Dental Services

Bahrain Specialist Hospital . . . . . . . . . . 37 Gulf Eye Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Royal Bahrain Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Motoring

Al Haddad Motors (Mercedes-Benz) . . . 27 Almoayyed Motors (Ford) . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Ebrahim K. Kanoo (Lexus) . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 First Motors (Hyundai) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Motor City (Ssangyong) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Y. K. Almoayyed & Sons (Nissan) . . . . . IBC Zayani Motors (Mitsubishi). . . . . . . . . . . 77

Others

Alliance Française. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Alosra Supermarket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Arabian Taxi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,107 Bahrain City Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Bahrain International Circuit. . . . . . . . . . . 8 Bahrain Science Center . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Ballare School of Performing Arts . . . . 133 Coral Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Dessange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126 Diabetes Day Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Equilibrium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Faulty Towers Dining Experience . . . .20-21 German Skincare Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 Health & Wellness Expo 2014 . . . . . . . . 55 Home Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Jadore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Juffair Fitness Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Karaoke Idol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 KG Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 LinkedIn seminar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Lulu Hypermarket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Multinational School Bahrain . . . . . . . . . 81 National Photo Services . . . . . . . . . . .69,79 Nazih Trading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Picture Arabia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Pinocchio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Primedia International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Reflections Hair & Beauty Salon . . . . . 135 Ustad Rahet Fateh Ali Khan concert . . . 94 Yusif bin Yusif Fakhro (Osim) . . . . . . . . . 57

Restaurants & Cafés

Al Arisha Restaurant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Aroma Café & Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Block 338 Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Casa Mexicana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Cucina Italiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Lanterns Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Maki Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Paul Bakery & Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Ric’s Kountry Kitchen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Vapiano Restaurant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Telecommunications

VIVA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Zain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

BTM retail sales outlets available at the following selected outlets:

Emma Stone

Anne Hathaway

Emporio Armani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Mango . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Red Tag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

BAHRAIN THIS MONTH, your guide to a great way of life, is

FAMOUS Scorpio THIS MONTH

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Fashion & Footwear

● 24 Hours Market, all outlets ● Al Hilal Bookshops, all outlets ● Al Jazeera Supermarket, all outlets ● Alosra Supermarket, Saar ● Bab al Bahrain Souvenir Shop ● BooksPlus, all outlets ● Burhama Cold Store ● Classic Shop, Bab Al Bahrain ● Elite Supermarket, Hoora ● Supermarket, Awali ● Jawad Supermarket, all outlets ● Jim’s Restaurant ● Mega Mart, all outlets

● Miami Cold Store, Adliya ● Midway Supermarket, all outlets ● Park Supermarket, Mahooz ● Waitrose Supermarket, Amwai ● Other leading Cold Stores and

News Stands All Gulf Daily News home subscribers receive a complimentary copy of BTM. You can also subscribe directly by visiting www.bahrainthismonth.com For subscription enquiries and back issues of BTM, call 17 813-777.

November 2013 183

lastword

Liar, Liar!!!!

JAMES CLAIRE “I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

184 November 2013

Lies and liars have always been a part of our social fabric. I’m sure even Stone Age man lied about the size of the mammoth that got away. These days, though, lying seems to be coming at us from every direction. Intended or unintended, our digital age seems to be making life easier for those who frequently to tell anything but the truth.

My parents always instructed us to tell the truth and shame the devil. It meant little to me back then. White lies about ‘dogs eating homework’ hurt only me; so, what was the harm?

As I aged I found lies in every part of society — our news forums, governments, clergy, sports and more; it frustrated me that liars got away with so much. I strove and still do to tell the truth even if it hurt those around me. The truth can be inconvenient, the truth really can hurt and, despite years of denial, I have to admit that the truth does not set you free.

Edward Snowden is proof of that.

So, what of modern society and this digital conundrum we seem to be in?

The Internet is filled with liars. Just because a Facebook, LinkedIn, Friendster, Craigslist or blog has a name and a photo does not mean that the face and name relate to the person making the posts. Much today is known about stalkers, predators and those who inflict harm through modern social media to old and young alike.

But it is the quote of Dorothy Allison that I read recently which struck a cord, a fear that made me contemplate the modern disregard to telling lies, “Things come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies.”

Around the same time I also read a news article which stated that Vietnam has 20 million cellular phones, two for every living person in the country. Considering the very young, the very old and the infirm were unlikely to use one, that means for some at least many more than a single handset.

I have met people here, on our own tiny island, who have three or four mobile phones each. One has to wonder why there are so many numbers for so few people.

I still think one phone with one number is a financial burden.

I do understand one phone for work and one phone for play, but what’s the third and fourth for if it is not simply to hide the existence of other numbers?

When phones were attached to walls, children had no use for one. When phones were hard-wired into our homes and businesses, you could trust that whoever picked up the phone at the other end was legitimate, or had a reason for being there.

Today we tell ourselves that we must give a phone to our children for their own safety. Yet I survived school and my early adolescence without a phone. Back then the onus was on the parent to collect the children on time. Trust was there for both sides.

Today our irresponsibility has given children phones and thrust them into the world of texting and ‘sexting’ from way too early an age. And one has to consider the potential for lying; if not to others, certainly to us about who they call and what they text, or in fact where they are?

Hard-wired phones had to be picked up at the point of origin, while a cell phone is truly mobile and can be called and answered from anywhere. How do we know that our children are in fact where they say they are? How does anyone know we are from where we say we are calling?

Dorothy Allison’s quote that ‘things so easily fall apart’ may well refer to civilisation itself. Do we not need to curb the current ease with which we lie about so much to so many?

The truth can hurt and be inconvenient but I believe the truth is something we must all strive to live and fulfil, especially with our children. The truth may not always be nice to hear and it may not always make us popular, but in the words of George Orwell, that I would prefer to be on my tombstone, “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”

I prefer to be the revolutionary!

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