Fashion, lifestyle and beyond
Issue 76 - NOVEMBER 2014
Relax and unwind Crowne Plaza Bahrain
Makeup maestro
Lebanese artist Samer Khouzami
The best of India on a plate Rasoi at the Ramee Grand Hotel and Spa
36 years of success!
The Bahrain Jewellery Centre celebrates 36 years of glittering achievements
The bejewelled edition! Jewellery Arabia 2014 and much more
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CONTENTS NOVENMBER 2014
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10 CELEBRITY TIDBITS All the latest gossip straight from Hollywood.
18 A CLASS APART
Celebrity makeup artist Samer Khouzami
20 ART-SPECT
Bahraini artist Faika Al Hassan
22 SUCCESS STORY
Mercure Grand Hotel’s GM Yasser Bahaa
26 GLITZ AND GLAM
Star Factor: ASK breaks down who wears what, fashion police style
30 Jewellery Arabia Special
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Luxury jewellery and BJC’s 36th anniversary
34 FASHION STATEMENT Celine & Mulberry
38 BEAUTY QUOTIENT L’Occitane holiday products
40 WIN!
A hair and beauty makeover + check out last month’s winner
56 SPECIAL FEATURE Chef Jagath Nickson of BFLC
58 OUT AND ABOUT
Check out all the events which took place last month
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78 PRESS RELEASES Press releases from around the region.
84 LAST NOTE Movember grooming tips
REVIEWS 42 GLOBE-TROTTER Barbados
46 TECHNO REVIEW
Techno Logic – Latest gadgets and what you will love about them
48 AUTO REVIEW Mecedes GL500
50 HOTEL REVIEW Crowne Plaza Bahrain
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54 RESTAURANT REVIEW Rasoi at the Ramee Grand Hotel and Spa
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CEO Letter
All That Glitters... What an eventful year 2014 is turning out to be. We have plenty of great interviews and articles in this issue.
Yasser Bahaa, the General Manager of Mercure Grand is our success story
for this month. This is a special edition coinciding with Jewellery Arabia and
we have a great repertoire on jewellery. Bahrain Jewellery Centre is celebrating its 36th year and we showcase the brand’s rich history in this edition.
Celebrity news and latest from cars, gadgets and fashion is here for our
readers. Cheers!
Warmest regards,
Mamdouh Shehata
CEO - Sabaya Magazine
mamdouh.shehata@sabayamag.com
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From The Editor’s Desk
The Bejewelled editon! The most anticipated event for jewellery enthusiasts is finally here! Mark your calendars from November 18-22 for Jewellery
Arabia 2014. We have glittering features on the most luxurious
jewellery on the planet as well as picking out the right bling for your skin tone.
Celebrity makeup artist Samer Khouzami chats with us about
his career in this glam industry and Bahraini painter Faika Al Hassan narrates about her passion for the canvas.
CEO Mamdouh Shehata Deputy CEO Samia Al Mahmood PR & Editorial Manager Omaima Ebrahim Editor Puja Tiwari Business Development Director Rami Khalil Art Director Syed Muhammed Raihan Photographer Santhosh Proof Reader Fayez Abubacker Legal Consultant Younis Zakaria Younis
We have reviews of the Mercedes GL500 and indian restaurant
Printed by Arabian Press
spotting yourself in our ‘Out and About’ section and as usual, we
Distribution Al Ayam
Movember is here, check out the last page for a few fun tips.
Published by Sabaya Company for printing & Publishing ISSN 1985 – 8353
Rasoi, Crowne Plaza Bahrain and the freshest gadgets. Try bring you the latest from catwalks around the world. Happy reading!
Chairman Abdul Samad Al Nashaba
PUJA TIWARI Editor - Sabaya Magazine puja@sabayamag.com Sabaya is a monthly publication Tel: +973 77100022 Fax: +973 77100021 www.sabayamag.com Email: info@sabayamag.com Facebook: SabayaMagazine Twitter: SabayaMag
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TIDBITS
Celebrity TIDBITS
CELEBRITY
Kieren Hayler gets ‘cheat of the year award’ for cheating on wife Katie Price
Kieran Hayler has bagged two gongs at the 2014 National Adultery Awards also known as ‘Cheaties.’ The former stripper managed to keep a fling with his wife›s best friend, Jane Pountney and publicized it, the Daily Star reported. The event is ran an by extra marital affairs site called IllicitEncounters.com and held the ceremony in a secret location in London, that recognized the real and fictional characters who did the dirty on their other half.
‘Romantic’ Helen Flanagan would love to play ‘Juliet’ Helen Flanagan has revealed that she would “really, really love to play Juliet” as it is her “total dream role” and she is such a “romantic.” The 24-year-old star, who left the ‹Coronation Street› show in 2012 after playing Rosie Webster for 12 years and now models, insisted that she was good at stage shows at school, the Mirror reported. Flanagan added that she absolutely loves Kelly Brook›s look that is Forties pin-up, curvy and beautiful and further added that Brook does sexy shoots but in a classy way.
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Jennifer Hudson dishes out secrets to her weight loss Jennifer Hudson has revealed her weight loss secrets, saying that she takes an out-ofsight-out-of-mind approach. The 33-year-old recording artist said that she throws pancakes across the room and doesn›t let food intimidate her and that if it’s too much, she just gets rid of it, but also makes sure to watch what she puts in her body, ABC News reported. She said that she doesn’t work out a lot, but does like to be active and always have to have chocolate around. Hudson added that she doesn’t like too much junk in her dressing room because she has to watch what she eat, so she puts everything else out of the room.
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Celebrity TIDBITS
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin get Simpsonised
Makers of popular animated show “The Simpsons” recreated the magic of actor George Clooney and British human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin’s wedding in its latest episode. Artist AleXsandro Palombo has captured the duo in a series of illustrations - “Simpsonised” - giving Alamuddin a cartoon Oscar de la Renta dress and Clooney an animated Armani tux, reports dailymail.co.uk. The illustrations, posted to Humorchic, show Clooney and Alamuddin making their way through Venice›s Grand Canal in their wedding attire and a series of other outfits. Clooney and Alamuddin exchanged vows at a ceremony in Venice Sep 27.
Nude pic hack scandal is a sex crime: J-Law
Jennifer Lawrence has revealed that she thinks that the nude pic scandal is a sex crime and the people responsible for it are guilty for sexual violation. The ‘Hunger Games’ star said that the incident is disgusting and the law needs to be changed, and we need to change, which is why these websites are responsible, the BBC reported. She said that anybody who looked at those pictures, they are perpetuating a sexual offence and should cower with shame. Lawrence said she was gutted when she found out about the leak of nude photographs and was just so afraid and that she didn’t know how this would affect her career The 24-year-old actress said that just because she›s a public figure, an actress, does not mean that she asked for this and it does not mean that it comes with the territory. It›s her body, and it should her choice, and the fact that it is not my choice is absolutely disgusting. Lawrence added that she can’t believe that we even live in that kind of world.
Kunis, Kutcher perfect parents!
Friends of celebrity couple and new parents Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are vouching for their parenting skills. “Mila was born to be a mom,” people.com quoted a source as saying. The couple, who announced their engagement in February this year, welcomed their daughter Wyatt Isabelle Kutcher Sep 30. “Ashton wanted to be a parent for so long. He is ready to do anything necessary to take care of the baby. He is ecstatic ,” said a source close to Kunis. “She is a kid herself and will be the best mom ever. She will never be a glamour-puss. Their lives will change, but not nearly as drastically as other couples, because they were so ready to be parents and knew what responsibilities they had in store,” the source added. 12
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Celebrity TIDBITS
Shia LaBeouf cuts own face with knife for ‘Fury’ Actor Shia LaBeouf stunned his co-stars as he repeatedly slashed his own face with a knife while filming “Fury.” In the wartime drama, the 28-year-old portrays a tank gunner. His fellow actor, Logan Lerman, was quoted by mirror.co.uk as saying: “We were in make-up and they were putting cuts on Shia and I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, it looks good.’ And Shia was like, ‘No, it doesn’t look real’. “Then he walks out into the hallway and says,’Hey man, wanna see something fun? Check this out...’ and he takes out a knife and cuts his face. And for the whole movie he kept opening these cuts on his face. That’s all real.”The “Nymphomaniac” actor also reportedly insisted on having a dentist remove one of his teeth.
Bond villain Geoffrey Holder dies at 84 Actor Geoffrey Holder, best known for his role as Baron Samedi in a James Bond movie “Live and Let Die,” is dead. He was 84. Holder died Sunday in New York from complications related to pneumonia, theguardian.com quoted a family spokesperson as saying. Holder›s other notable film works include “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Doctor Dolittle”. Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Holder was equally known as a dancer, stage actor and choreographer. He is survived by his wife and fellow Broadway actor Carmen de Lavallade, and their son Leo. 14
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Blake Lively uses photograph to announce her pregnancy Actress Blake Lively took to her website Preserve to announce that she is expecting her first child with husband and actor Ryan Reynolds. The 27-year-old star published an array of pictures of pregnant ladies, and after congratulating all the expecting mothers, she posted picture of her pregnant belly, reports usmagazine.com. The picture, taken by her brother Eric Lively, shows Lively posing in the twilight, wearing a black and white print dress, cradling her bump. Lively has been quite vocal about wanting to start a family since marrying Reynolds in September 2012.
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Celebrity TIDBITS
Keanu Reeves gets Gwyneth Paltrow to design restraining order against fan her first ever clothing line Gwyneth Paltrow has revealed that she will be designing her own clothing line and will finally launch it on her lifestyle website Goop in 2015. The Academy Award winner has teamed up with Diane Von Furstenberg, Stella McCartney and Michael Kors among others for her eponymous clothing line, E! Online reported. The 42-year-old actress recently broke-off with hubby Chris Martin calling it “conscious uncoupling.”
Actor Keanu Reeves has obtained a restraining order against a female fan who broke into his house and stripped off for a dive in his pool. The woman, who has not been named was arrested after she intruded actor’s property last month, has been ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from the actor and his property, reports tmz.com. The woman believes that “The Matrix” actor is a ‘conduit’ to her father, whom she claims was abducted by the US government and placed in witness protection. The intruder also claims that her father is actor Ray Winstone. She is currently seeking psychiatric treatment in a hospital.
Russell Brand enjoys a date with mystery woman
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Reeves had told the judge he feels threatened by her and believes she will continue stalking him. After a reported split with Jemima Khan, comedian Russell Brand was seen enjoying dinner with a mystery female friend here. The 39-year-old dined out at Covent Garden’s restaurant Balthazar with the female Friday evening, reports dailymail. co.uk. Brand wore a black shirt and fitted leather trousers and completed the look with a pair of grey Chelsea boots. After dinner, the couple made their way to trendy Clove Club. The versatile actor, writer, comedian and activist is believed to be single following the reported demise of a previously blossoming relationship with 40-year-old Khan.
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A Class Apart
Transforming beauty Makeup artist Samer Khouzami
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A Class Apart
minently known as the ‘King of Contour,’ Samer Khouzami is a celebrity makeup artist who has attained international stardom for his exceptional makeup
skills. He is a true artist who uses a woman’s face as his canvas and who does not allow himself to get tied down to any strict rule when it comes to applying makeup. This expertise landed him a spot in Hollywood, where he let renowned makeup artists onto his secrets of transformative beauty, thus becoming the only and youngest Arab to achieve this recognition. Samer is currently on his ‘ultimate beauty tour,’ through which he visited Bahrain for makeup demonstrations, organized by Universal World Conventions & Exhibitions, Bahrain. Samer gave Sabaya insight into what inspires him, his journey into the industry and a peek into his exciting future plans. How did you develop an interest in makeup? I studied graphic design in university. In order to continue my education I needed an income to sustain my studies and started working in a beauty salon and discovered that graphic design and makeup go hand in hand as both have a focus on balance, symmetry and creating a proportional canvas on whatever you›re working on. I combined elements of graphic design and makeup and started using it in contouring. The makeup industry is female-dominated. Was it difficult for you to break that taboo? It was very difficult in the beginning because my parents did not agree with me taking up this profession and it is often looked down on this part of the world. I didn’t believe in myself at the time but when I started doing it and received positive feedback and encouragement from people, I wanted to take it to next level. I decided to break the rules and follow my passion. There is a lot of competition in this field. How do you handle it? Competition, in my opinion, is very healthy. Once you lose the competition, you don’t have the motivation to push yourself to another level so for me competition is very healthy in our domain. What advice can you give aspiring makeup artists? This is a lot of hardwork! You need to reach to a point where you need to believe in
yourself and have confidence that what you are doing is worth your while. Never stop working on perfecting your skills as this makes you a better artist. Don’t set rules for yourself, break out of the norm and set your own trends. Make sure you set high standards and goals for yourself. What do you consider as your big break? I consider it the day I held my master class in Hollywood. It was a transitional phase in my career – being the youngest and the only Arab to do so. It was extremely empowering, the idea of Arabs being able to reach an international audience through this profession while speaking the language of beauty. What do you have in store for the future? I am launching my own line of brushes,
professional advance makeup brushes in December. They will be available online with worldwide shipping as well as exclusively sold at a store in Dubai. The ultimate beauty tour will end soon but a new tour will be launched where I will visit more countries. What are the three absolute essentials every woman should carry in her purse? Mascara, lipstick and blush. These can enhance beauty in a very quick way. The blush will give her a healthy glow, the lipstick colour and the mascara will accentuate the eyes. How do you unwind after a long day? I never watch TV and I’m not much into social media personally. I enjoy quiet dinners with friends and try to disconnect from technological distractions. NOVEMBER 2014
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Art-Spect
Painting a difference Bahraini artist Faika AL Hassan
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Art-Spect
A passionate and talented woman, Faika Al Hassan was enchanted by the canvas since an early age. Graduating with a degree in Economics from Baghdad University, she embarked on a journey to discover her true passion after her kids started going to school. Since then, she has continued to explore and experiment with her art, charting a unique path distinct from that of other Bahrain artists. Faika is often credited with out-of-thebox ideas for her art. In 2012, she displayed her solo exhibition which saw the ingenious idea to turn a traditional accessory, the fez, worn in many parts of the world, into art. Each fez was covered in canvas and later worked upon by Faika. When asked about what her art work revolves around, Faika stated that one cannot define or put rules on art. It is a constant free flow of emotions and ideas. She believes that Bahrain is the most important country in the Gulf with regards
to artistic talent. “I’ve visited other Gulf countries and checked out the local art scene in each place and none have a repertoire as rich as this little island.” Travelling is an important part of Faika’s life and has considers airplane windows as imaginary friends. Her current exhibition titled “Wanderings” displayed at the Al Bareh Gallery shows scenes within the confines of taut airplane windows, showcasing quirkiness and poignancy. Her signature element is the inclusion of tiny figurines of people. Despite the overt travel reference, the journey is not a physical one. It is Al Hasan’s own ‘wanderings’, her exploration of an inner world of memories, hopes and fears, an imaginary mindscape populated by
little animals and little people spilling out of old fashioned luggage or draped over toy chairs as if awaiting the start of a concert. It is her own personal baggage that she invites the viewer to explore. The recipient of the Bahrain Fire Art Exhibition Award at Bahrain National Museum (2007) and the Al-Saafa Prize for GCC Fine Art & Lines (2009), her work has been exhibited across the Gulf, in Australia, Syria, Yemen, Belgium, Italy, Jordan, France, Spain and Morocco. Her advice to aspiring artists is to be free, and never put rules on their work so as to avoid becoming fanatics of a certain tenet. NOVEMBER 2014
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Success Story
Distinguished Hotelier
H
General Manager of Mercure Grand Hotel Seef, Mr. Yasser Bahaa
Seasoned hotelier Yasser Bahaa is a seasoned and driven hotelier who heads the Mercure Grand Hotel in Seef District. Having over 25 years of experience in the industry, Mr Bahaa has worked with Accor hotels in the region such as Sofitel and Ibis as well as chains like the Movenpick and Helnan International.
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e recounts his years in the industry and tells us more about his achievements and future aspirations for the brand.
What piqued your interest in the hospitality industry? I cannot really imagine another field of work, as I enjoy it very much and get a lot of satisfaction out of it. I chose my career since I was in school; I realized that having passion is not enough, so I decided to study Hotel Management. The biggest drivers for me have always been the lust for adventure, challenge and success. The hospitality industry offers each day unique challenges and rewards. I enjoy interacting with people and adding to their lives in positive ways, whether it is a staff, a guest, owner, vendor or colleague. There is nothing better than exceeding someone’s expectations, as well as your own. We create
memories and being a part of that is very rewarding.
Please tell me about yourself. I have been appointed as General Manager of Mercure Grand Hotel Seef in May 2012. I moved to Bahrain after 24 successful years in the international hospitality industry throughout Egypt, KSA, Tunisia, Jordan and Bahrain. I have joined Accor in 1994 as a restaurant manager in opening of Sofitel Le Sphinx in Cairo, moved to night manager, sales, then regional sales manager for all Accor hotels in Egypt including brands such as Sofitel, Mercure and Ibis. I have experience in other international chains as well, such as Movenpick, Helnan International, Safir and Club Med. I aim to develop the unique positioning of Mercure brand in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Please elaborate on plans Mercure has in store for the Bahrain market? Mercure is a part of Accor, the world›s
Success Story leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe, is present in 92 countries with more than 4,400 hotels and 530,000 rooms. Accor›s broad portfolio of hotel brands - SOFITEL, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Adagio, Ibis, all seasons/Ibis Styles, Etap Hotel/Formula 1/Ibis budget, HotelF1 and Motel 6 - provide an extensive offers from luxury to budget. Mercure have dynamic brand communication with a powerful distribution and loyalty. In Mercure we offer a locally inspired brand with global quality standards, making clients experience a sense of harmony with people and places. We offer our clients a unique & differentiating welcome experience. What do you think about the growing scope for hotels in Bahrain? Just in one word, the increase of supply need in parallel increase in demand. Although there are great effort done by Sheikha May Bint Mohammed Al-Khalifa, Minister of Culture &Information and Sheikh Khalid bin Hamoud Al-Khalifa, tourism undersecretary by launching the Bahrain Tourism Strategy 2015-2018 that will focus on promoting the country’s “experiences”, including pearling, exploring the Arabian nature, culture trails, visiting the Formula One and a variety of festivals.
around and greeting the staff, it makes things more personal, and inspires trust and loyalty. I do this with the guests as well and ask them about their stay. Hospitality is obviously a ‘people’s’ industry, so interacting with guests and staff takes up a large part of my day. Make my round to inspect the whole Hotel, check the daily VIPs arrival then come the other operational and administration part. What is your proudest accomplishment till date? Every challengeable task I take over in Hotels and I achieve a great success, it is a proud accomplishment for me. What advice can you give to budding hospitality entrepreneurs? Bring a positive attitude and attention to detail to the work. It doesn’t hurt to have a sense of adventure, as well as a little bit of fearlessness, too. Live your dream and experience as many departments as possible. Once you find your niche, concentrate on its development The hours can be very unsociable; you usually work over holidays and many weekends, so you have to love the industry.
It’s definitely not just about being a people’s person. What is one of the most challenging aspects of this job for you? You can tackle any challenges and overcome any obstacles when you are surrounded by the right people. I do my best to make sure that we have the right talent in the Team. Meaning, they must be friendly, smiley, understand the culture of Kingdom, be knowledgeable about our industry and our company, passionate about their work, and energetic about motivating others. But, it is not often you can find this kind of people. Is a GM more of a generalist today? There is a lot more work to be done, but I cannot forget my function as a GM: to be involved with the guests and the operation on a day to day basis. To do that, you have to be out there, to forget and maintain guest relationships, provide support to the employees, and ensure the entire hotel team is continuing to provide the best service possible. What do you do to relax after a long day at work? I enjoy listening to music and reading.
Tell me what a typical day in your life looks like. My daily aim always is about surpassing expectations and making our hotel a home away from home. In my opinion, the staffs are our biggest asset. I always begin my day by walking
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Glitz & Glam
Star Factor Photo credits: Waleed Alshayji and Mohammed Hejres Location: Galleria Sophia
Our celeb fashion police, Ashwathy Shyam Kumar is a true blue fashionista. Multi talented, she is a fashion designer, buyer for a leading apparel brand in the Kingdom, stylist and diva. her fashion blog, www.thestylecounciltaash.blogspot.com is becoming one of the most popular fashion blogs in the region. ASK picks the best and the worst of what our fashion celebs have been wearing.
Megan Fox
Naomi Watts
Naomi Watts wore a shimmering sequined Givenchy Pre-Fall 2014 dress to the 13th Annual AARP Movies For Grownups Awards Gala back in February, styling her frock with a black Jimmy Choo clutch, Anita Ko ‘Dagger’ earrings and nude strappy sandals. Naomi’s styling of the look ensured she was the clear winner. 24
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While the majority of you will be happy to see her wearing her second gown in a row, I am delighted to see her having a Versace moment. It’s not one of the sexier looks I have envisioned, but this exquisite design is just as alluring, combining sleek satin and silk tailoring to create this stunning crimson Fall 2014 gown. A true show-stopper enhanced with that bold red pout, she styled the look with a black Edie Parker clutch and a Graziela Gems tiny double diamond ear cuff.
Glitz & Glam
Blake Lively
This was the actress’s first public appearance since announcing her pregnancy last month on her website, Preserve, opting for a glam floor-length gown from the Michael Kors Resort 2015 collection. While this oleander and lilac embroidered stretchtulle gown is the most covered up we’ve seen Blake, she still oozes high-end glamour while showcasing a softer elegant look. Decked out in jewels from Lorraine Schwartz and with glossy lips and tousled tresses rounding out her look, I’m delighted to see her master maternity red carpet dressing on her first night out.
Katharine McPhee The singer wore a Shoshanna Resort 2015 striped jacquard threepiece look which I think worked better without the jacket. Her cropped jacket would’ve worked for me had it perhaps been solid black, but as presented it just feels like there is too much going on. Simple black pumps accessorized her look.
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Glitz & Glam
Jennifer Lawrence
The actress wore Dior, not surprisingly, donning a black wool coat dress with a deep plunge styled with black Brian Atwood ‘Mercury’ pumps and Dior tribal earrings in metal with a palladium finish set with grey resin pearls. While this is not her most exciting look, I do find myself loving both the tailoring and the styling. She looks both sexy and chic.
Demi Lovato
Prior to her performance, Demi Lovato took to the red carpet at the Vevo CERTIFIED SuperFanFest live concert event held at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. The singer wore a fluoro-pink Philip Armstrong crop top and pencil skirt, pared down with black accessories from Saint Laurent. Her body looks incredible here. Of course I’m hypnotized by the colour, but I’m also in love with the simple, stud-free styling.
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UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
PRINCE KHALIFA BIN SALMAN AL KHALIFA PRIME MINISTER OF THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN
The 23rd Middle East International Jewellery & Watch Exhibition
Chopard Red Carpet Collection: rubellite and diamond necklace
18 - 22 November 2014
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Jewellery Special
A sparkling feature! The most glittering event of the year, Jewellery Arabia 2014, will be held from November 18-22 this month. Let Sabaya be your jewellery insider and fill you in on the most luxurious jewellery you can get your hands on as well as how to pick the right jewellery to match your skin tone.
house designers adhere to Roman styles, such as the cuff bracelet, but reinterpret them through lacy carvings that look soft from afar. The house also gives jewelry a fabric effect by brushing and mattifying metals.
Chopard
6. Graff Graff is known for top quality and service, which has made the brand popular among the wealthy. However, what sets Graff apart from other elite jewelers is the enormity of its stones. 7. Piaget George Piaget began his business in the Swiss part of the Jura, making top quality watches that quickly became popular throughout Europe. Many of the brand’s styles are reminiscent of Old Hollywood sophistication and fantasy gardens. The rose, in particular, is one of Piaget’s most popular hallmarks. It’s been part of hundreds of delicate, and bold designs.
Most luxurious jewellery brands of all time 1. Harry Winston Renowned for his classic but grandiose diamond jewelry, Harry Winston ranks at the top, where he has been since the height of his career. Only the finest quality and rarest stones are used for Winston jewelry. Each piece is put together with master craftsmanship that guarantees durability.
8. Bvlgari Since its founding in 1884, Bvlgari has been a leader in the world of fine jewelry. Some of Bvlgari’s hallmarks are bold shapes, large pieces, cabochon stones (a legacy of 1960’s Italian glamour), brightly colored floral and fruity motifs, and classy Italian staples like chokers, bangles, and cuffs.
2. Cartier Cartier has a long history. That means it’s had a while to perfect its craft, but even at the beginning, in 1860, when it came out with its first piece of jewelry, Cartier’s quality and style attracted discerning customers. In no time royals began commissioning the house for special pieces to add to their jewelry collections.
9. Mikimoto Kokichi Mikimoto began his business in 1893 Japan. He’s widely known as the inventor of cultured pearls, which appear with great frequency in his collections. Mikimoto jewelry consists of only the finest ocean fruits: rare South Sea pearls, pink conch pearls, Titian pearls, white pearls, etc. Plus, the brand uses only 18 karat gold or platinum.
3. Van Cleef and Arpels Van Cleef and Arpels resulted from the collaboration of Estelle Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef. Originally based in France, the house still stands for Old World elegance, but Van Cleef jewelry is in a class of its own. It’s inspired by the ethereal, by nature’s spontaneity, fleetingness, and ever-changing quality. The Van Cleef website expresses nature’s liveliness and ethereality through its animation and videos showing jewelry traveling through landscapes. 4. Buccellati Buccellati is known for the impeccable quality of its Italian gold. True to its heritage, 28
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5. Tiffany Tiffany is one top luxury brand that’s also a household name. Quality certainly lies behind Tiffany’s fame. Its gold and silver are stunning and shiny, and its stones are flawless. Only the best materials are used for its pieces, whose every detail is precise and refined.
10. Chopard Luxury Swiss watch maker and jeweler, Chopard believes in using only the finest materials for its collections. Everyday pieces are made with genuine gemstones and thick layers of 18 karat gold.
Harry Winston
Jewellery Special How to Choose Jewelry that Flatters Your Skin Tone
No piece of jewelry looks the same on any two people. Although there are many reasons that jewelry looks different on different people, the biggest factor is skin tone. Just like picking out the perfect shade of lipstick for your face, choosing the right jewelry for your skin tone can make all the difference in whether or not you appear striking or washed out.
Determining Skin Tone Look at the skin in natural light. Try to find a spot where the veins are easily noticeable. For most people, the wrists are their best bet. People that have blue-looking veins beneath their skin possess cool skin tones. These people usually have rosier (pink or red) undertones in their pigmentation. On the other hand, people who have veins that are green in appearance have warm skin tones with yellower undertones. As a word of caution, remember that skin tone is not the same as skin color. It is possible to have dark skin and a cool tone. Likewise, it is also possible to have light skin and a warm tone. Some have a neutral skin tone with bluegreen veins, who can mix and match with the best of both tones. Matching Skin Tone to Metals Metals are easy to divide into cool and warm categories as well. The following table highlights the most common cool and warm metals found in jewelry.
Cartier
Cool White and silvery metals are best. Examples include: silver, platinum, titanium, stainless steel, and white gold. Warm Brown and yellowish metals are best. Examples include: yellow gold, copper, brass, and pewter. Matching Skin Tone to Gem Colors
Chopard
Cool Bright colors such as pink, red, blue, purple, and green are best because they bring life and vivacity to cool skin. Warm Earth tones such as orange, brown, yellow, and turquoise are ideal because warm skin is very earthy as well.
Chopard
Van Cleef and Arpels
Harry Winston
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Jewellery Special
Celebrating 36 years of glittering success Synonymous with the finest brands in Bahrain’s jewellery repertoire, Bahrain Jewellery Centre (BJC) is commemorating its 36th anniversary this year. BJC reckons jewellery as art and is constantly expanding its horizons locally and regionally. 30
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Patek Phlippe
Jewellery Special Hublot
Bahrain City Centre hosts Omega and a
multi brand store for watches, jewellery and accessories in the first level of the mall.
Overall, the BJC has over 50
international brands under its umbrella, 30 of which are renowned watch brand and rest being designer jewellry. These are the best manufactures of high end
brands such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Brequet, Lange & Sohne,
Harry Winston, Piaget, Hublot, Tiffany & Co, Bulgari, Chopard, Omega , Tag
Heuer and prestigious jewellers Ivanka Trump and many more.
E
stablished as a family business in 1978 by
pioneer businessmen late Abdul Razak Shirazi,
Abdul Majeed Shirazi and
Mr. Abdul Qasim Shirazi, the brand
has witnessed colossal success since its
inauguration. Mr. Abdul Qasim Shirazi
was also hired as the managing director. Since then the legacy of BJC gets
brighter and brighter with visions of Shirazi family.
Starting off with just three staff
members, the BJC now has 14
showrooms, with the flagship store in Moda Mall. Exclusive boutiques for
Patek Philippe, Chopard, Tiffany & co, Bulgari in are located in Moda Mall.
Piaget
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Jewellery Special The BJC showroom in Al A’ali mall
Piaget
exhibits collections of luxury German
designer H.Stern, Italian jewellers RCM, Gaspari SRL, DigoSrl, Staurino and many more fine jewellers.
Homegrown brand Beedz fine
jewellery is a creation of BJC, which
they are working on expanding to GCC countries and rest of the world after an
overwhelminglly positive response from clientele in Bahrain.
BJC has entered the Saudi market by
opening of boutiques for Panerai and Omega in the eastern province. Their fine reputation and goodwill in the
industry of luxury has always attract
reputed brands to collaborate with BJC. Customer service and satisfaction is
of utmost importance to BJC, so much
that an independent BJC Service Centre for all after-sales service is opening shortly.
It is going to be a workshop fully
equipped with the most modern state of
Beedz
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Vacheron Constantin
Piaget
Jewellery Special
Piaget
Chopard
Piaget Chopard
Piaget
art machinery for the repairs of watches and jewellery. Watch technicians will be trained in Switzerland, the hub of the
watch Industry, to get updated on latest technological innovations in watch making.
Corporate social responsibility is
something the company cherishes, and Tiffany & Co.
are proud sponsors of the International Kingdom Match Race Chapionship
held at Bahrain Sailing Club, Al Jazayer
Beach. There is also a BJC Cup for Horse Race held every year at the Equestrian and Horse Racing Club.
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Fashion
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celine Summer Runway Looks S/S 2015
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Fashion
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Fashion
mulberry s/S15 Spring/Summer 2015 lookbook from Mulberry
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Fashion
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Beauty
L’OCCITANE LAUNCHES ARLESIENNE ARLESIENNE
FAMILY
THE FRAGRANCE
Light Up the Season:
THE WOMAN OF ARLES There is so much more to this woman from the South than the ties she shares with L’OCCITANE. Her very character, rooted in the ground, in the stonework of Arles, is what spurred the desire of L’OCCITANE and the creation of this fragrance – signature perfume in Provence. EAU DE TOILLETE FOR WOMEN In her wake, this woman leaves a distinct trace of her presence. You can still hear the whisper of fabrics; still smell the lingering trail of a new fragrance. Three floral notes, each one like a trait of her character, fuse together: the fiery temperament of saffron, the grace of rose, and the mystery of violet.
KEY RAW MATERIALS
Rose from Grasse, and Violet from Provence
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Floral To satisfy all your desires, L’OCCITANE imagined a woman who has everything of the Arlesienne: Beautiful, satiny, velvet soft powdered skin, perfumed hands, irresistible lips; and created this collection for you.
L’Occitane en Provence Offers Discounted Gift Sets For the Holidays Season Our indulgent gifts are the perfect way to celebrate any occasion from holidays, to birthdays to simply letting that special someone know you care. Choose from our range of beauty gift sets (for him and her) for a spa-style experience. Enjoy discounted gift sets from December 1st in L’Occitane stores in Bahrain City Centre and Seef Mall.
HOLIDAY Season 2014
CAP ME UP NEW ERA 20.8 BHD – 23.1 BHD
HOMIES 15 BHD
FUZION 18.5 BHD – 20.5 BHD
KARL ALLEY 45 BHD – 110 BHD NOVEMBER 2014
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Competition
Winner of the makeover Fathima with makeover specialist Natalie Semaan
Win a hair and beauty makeover with our makeover specialist Natalie Semaan!
With over 380 entries for the hair and beauty makeover competition last month, we have brought the competition for our readers for the third month in a row. Talented makeup artist Natalie Semaan will be doing a glamorous hair and makeup makeover for one lucky reader every month and a second winner will win a free makeup class from the expert herself. Winners will be featured in the next issue of the magazine.
Just answer the questions below and send in selfie to puja@sabayamag.com before the 14th of November. 1. Which hotel is reviewed in this issue? 2. What is the name of the car we have featured in this issue? (Hint: Answers can be found in this issue of the magazine) Winners will be picked at random and will be featured in upcoming issue. Makeover will include hair and makeup. 40
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Monthly Makeover
Makeover with Natalie e r
ER
FT A
o ef B
Our makeover winner Fathima Hussain was picked as last month’s winner. She was treated to a dazzling natural beauty makeover by makeover specialist Natalie Semaan. On receiving her makeover, Fathima said: “Natalie was great, she gave me lots of tips and told me about the ‘look good, feel good’ theory. She is very right
about this. I’ve noticed that when I’m in a good mood, my foundation looks amazing but not so much when I’m feeling under the weather. I really liked the makeup she did, it settled quite well on my skin. Natalie was very friendly, she has a lot of positive energy. “Makeup can be used to accentuate the facial features but you have to love
yourself to look beautiful. Natalie made me feel very comfortable and I could relate to her quite a lot because we are in similar industries and we both like to beautify things. I’m studying fashion design and she is a makeup artist, so both fields work hand-in-hand. I also enquired about her makeup classes as I would love to learn more from her... Natalie working on Fathima’s makeup
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Beautiful Barbados
Travel
Many Caribbean islands have beaches, but where Barbados differs is what lies behind the surf and sand. No matter your budget or style, you can find a place to stay that suits you, whether cheap, funky, restful or posh. All the comforts of home are close at hand if you want them; as Barbados is one of the most developed islands in the region.
Bangkok by night
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Travel
1. Crop Over Festival
You have not experienced Barbados until you have experienced the famous Crop Over Festival. The festival begins in June with the Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes, an event in which the last sugar canes of the crop season are blessed and the King and Queen of the crop are celebrated. Crop Over is a party festival with lots of fetes, parties and shows which include but are not limited to: Calypso tents, Cohobblopot (a massive party event where the very best local and regional artistes perform before a very responsive crowd). Pic-o-de-Crop is another major highlight of Crop Over where the crème de la crème of calypsonians perform social-commentary calypsos and vie for the title of Pic-o-deCrop Monarch, among many, many more events. All throughout this local festival, you can enjoy various events that are exclusive to Barbados. The Spring Garden highway is transformed into all night street party with lots of Bajan delicacies. The festival culminates with Grand Kadooment, which is held on the first Monday of August. This takes the form of a large street parade where thousands of revelers masquerade in colourful and well
designed costumes depicting various aspects of Barbadian culture.
2. Oistins Fish Market
Oistins is one of the four towns in Barbados and is the largest fishing community. On weekends the streets of Oistins become a food affair where tourists and locals flock to enjoy the very best of local Bajan cuisine prepared on the spot. At Oistins, one can see many Barbadian fishing boats and during the Easter weekend, one can experience the Oistins Fish Festival which pays homage to those persons who have made a significant contribution to the fishing industry. On Friday and Saturday nights many visitors and locals flock to Oistins for the weekly Fish Fry, which allows for tourists to enjoy the very best of local cuisine while taking in the sounds of local music.
3. Holetown
Originally known as Jamestown, Holetown is mainly a historical site, after its benefactor King James I of England, this was the site of the first settlement in Barbados. Holetown is home to annual Holetown Festival which commemorates the first settlement in Barbados. The festival usually NOVEMBER 2014
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Travel
starts late February and lasts for one week. During this week there are many events to take in some of which include: beauty contests, performances by our local police band and their floodlit tattoo and antique car showcase among many more. The festival culminates with a showcase of local arts and craft, food and music.
rated activities in Barbados and are the only submarine company that allows you to explore the best of marine life in a real submarine. The submarine dives to a depth of between 130 to 150 feet which allows for patrons to see different types of coral and coral reefs, hundreds of colourful fish and even a shipwreck!
4. Black Pearl Jolly Roger 1 Cruise
6. Barbados Museum of Parliament and National Heroes Gallery
Black Pearl Jolly Roger Cruises provides a fun-filled adventure on the sea. There is a lot of fun to be had on this cruise as patrons can take a turn on the rope swing, walk the plank or have a swim with the turtles. Those persons who are less adventurous can enjoy a relaxing cruise on the boat which leaves Bridgetown and sails along the west coast of the island.
5. Atlantis Submarines
Atlantis Submarines is one of the highest 44
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The Barbados Museum of Parliament and National Heroes Gallery invite you to explore the development of democracy in Barbados and the role that the island›s people have played in this growth. Both are housed in the historic West Wing of Parliament and offer a combination of traditional exhibits, artistic interpretation and modern interactive museum experience.
7. Barbados Wildlife Reserve
Barbados may not have a zoo, but there is something much better and it is called the Barbados Wildlife Reserve. The wildlife reserve is located in natural mahogany woods in the northern and rural parish of St. Peter. Here one has the ability to stroll through and see animals in their natural habitats at close range as there are very few cages. Patrons can observe the animals as they eat, play and interact with other animals.
8. Harrison’s Cave
Located in the central parish of St. Thomas, Harrison›s Cave is one of the greatest wonders of Barbados. The cave is a wonderful display of stalactites and stalagmites, streams of crystal clear water running through. The stalactites and stalagmites were formed over many years and some have even joined to create pillars. Visitors are transported in electrically
Travel
powered trams through the cave network and at certain points they are allowed to disembark and walk along a stunning waterfall.
9. Welchman Hall Gully
If you are a lover of nature Welchman Hall Gully, located in the central parish of St. Thomas, is the ideal attraction. The tranquility of the three-quarter mile long gully is striking as it is a mixture of tropical rain-forest with Barbadian and exotic plants as it is home to tropical flora and fauna such as nutmeg, palms, bamboo among others.
10. Go Catamaran Sailing
Go Catamaran Sailing and be sure to add this to your list of holiday activities. Catamarans usually leave from the Careenage in Bridgetown, and the days sailing kicks off usually between 9am and 10am. From Bridgetown the catamarans usually sail northwards along the west coast, for the first half an hour; you may be thinking that you have made a terrible mistake as the boat bobs up and down on the choppy waters surrounding the harbor - however as soon as they hoist up the sails, it becomes very calm on the boat and you can then relax and enjoy seeing the beautiful island of Barbados from the water. NOVEMBER 2014
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Techno Talk Moto 360
Motorola’s first smartwatch has looks, but lacks longevity
Motorola’s first smartwatch has looks, but lacks longevity Moto 360 proves that smart watches can be as fashionable as its Google Now-integrated software is functional, making it the first Android Wear watch worth strapping to your wrist. Its circular watch face takes cues from stylish designer wristwatches with analog tickers, not square-shaped smartwatches. The very computerized-looking Pebble Steel, Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch are no match for what Motorola had up its sleeve. There›s a certain beauty to outer Moto 360 build quality too, not just its form. Its stainless steel housing and genuine leather default wristband make it appropriate for almost any occasion. It’s enough to make it rank second in our best smartwatch list. The specs on the inside, however, do leave the smartwatch feeling a little hollow. Poor battery life and an underperforming processor don’t do Moto 360’s good looks justice. The watch’s charm is shortened by its lack of longevity, but Motorola clearly shaped a winner that›s more ambitious looking than the overly boxy Apple Watch.
There are few sharp-edged downsides to the Moto 360, and none of them can be found on its round, 1.56-inch LCD display. In fact, Motorola’s enterprising circular screen is so attractive it instantly became the antithesis of the “smartwatches look like a miniaturized cell phone worn on your wrist” argument when Google first announced Android Wear in March.
Final verdict
Moto 360 has been on our wrists for a week and, unlike its short battery life, it has become an undying source of questions from tech-savvy and fashion-focused admirers alike. It’s not always functional to show off to these folks. That constantly draining battery and archaic processor means the watch occasionally fails to respond. Nevertheless, its round design really does bridge the gap between geeky smartwatches and traditional watches. That’s to be expected. Motorola›s marketing team likes to tell a story about how the company asked a group of children to draw a watch. Almost every youngster drew a circular watch. It›s the iconic watch design that Samsung and LG didn’t tackle, and Apple Watch misses entirely. Motorola, of all companies, comes through with a real winner. It’s ready for the Apple Watch vs Moto 360 watch face-off.
Techno Logic Latest Gadgets and what you will love about them!
Lumia’s latest innovation let’s people easily capture and share more of what they want
Lumia 730 & Lumia 735
Microsoft Devices announced the local availability of the Lumia 730 Dual SIM and 4G LTE variant Lumia 735. With a wide angle front facing camera, affordable price tag featured alongside integrated Microsoft experiences, both Lumia deviceslets people easily capture and share more of what they want. The Lumia 730and Lumia 735 combine a slim, vibrant style with powerful performance to create an uncompromised smartphone experience to provide users with: Memorable Skype video calls with the wideangle front-facing camera. People can share more of the world around them, or bring more family and friends into a call. Take unbeatable selfies with the Full HD 5MP front facing camera, and quickly and easily share to social networks like Facebook and Instagram. With a viewing angle of almost 180 degrees, watch your favourite shows, movies or video clips even in bright sunlight on the ample 4.7” HD OLED display. Seamless integration with Microsoft services such as Skype and Microsoft Office, with Outlook, Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint available out of the box for leading productivity on the go. 15GB of free cloud storage on Microsoft OneDrive to sync, store, access and share content like photos online. 46
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Techno Talk Asus ZenFone 5 review
Can this phone bring you a little zen? It feels like an awful long time ago that Jonney Shih, the Chairman of Asus, stood up at CES in Las Vegas and with no shortage of drama announced the new ZenFone range. The design of the ZenFone range is at first rather traditional and staid, but look a little deeper and there is an awful lot to like. The textured plastic underneath the capacitive buttons has a circular pattern to it not unlike the back of an Asus laptop and the light shines off it in interesting patterns. It is never distracting when using the phone but it adds a little interest to an otherwise fairly plain front. On the ZenFone 5 there is a very bright and sharp five-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel screen. It is fair to say that the bezels to the sides of the screen are a bit too large though. If you have used any other Asus five inch screened phone, this one is basically the exact same size. The 8MP camera with LED flash is mounted above the Asus logo with a wide speaker grille beneath that Intel Inside logo. Multitasking is excellent on the ZenFone 5 as it has a full 2GB of RAM. The 16GB of internal
storage is generous for a device at this end of the market and the microSD card expansion means there is plenty of room for all your media.
Verdict
If you are not concerned about 4G or being a version behind on the software, the ZenFone 5 is very easy to recommend. It is a very compelling package having a great screen, decent camera, good performance and a nice software skin. The only device that comes close is the Moto G. Asus should have released the ZenFone 5 eight months ago. Had Asus done that, it might have propelled it to the top of the mid-range Android class. As it is, Asus misses out not by having a weak device, instead it is the timing that seems wrong.
Acer Aspire S3 review
An Ultrabook-style laptop with dedicated gaming hardware An Ultrabook-style laptop with dedicated gaming hardware The Acer Aspire S3 is an Ultrabook-style laptop with a difference. It’s quite light, portable and good-looking, but also incorporates a dedicated graphics processor, making it one of the few laptops in its class that could be called a gaming device. In practical terms, the Acer Aspire S3 is very good. It weighs 1.55kg and is 17.8mm thick at its thickest point. The S3 doesn›t match the thinnest or lightest of Ultrabooks, but a couple of deliberate design choices prohibit that from being remotely possible. First, there›s the use of dedicated graphics: the vast majority of slim laptops use graphics processors integrated into the central processor chipset. There›s also the storage type inside. Most of the Acer Aspire S3’s specs are typical of a mid-range Ultrabook. You get an Intel Core i5 4200U, a pretty battery-conscious 1.6GHz dualcore CPU. The Acer Aspire S3 uses a hybrid drive, which provides 500GB of traditional hard drive storage and 16GB of solid state memory to grease the system’s cogs for the kind of instant-on performance people expect from an Ultrabook. Hard drives are, generally speaking, chunkier
than SSDs. But they are also far cheaper if you want a decent amount of storage.
Final verdict
The Acer Aspire S3 isn’t a top performer in any category, but it’s an interesting splicing of
an Ultrabook and a less portable laptop with its hybrid hard drive and dedicated GPU. It›s a combo that works too, but the disappointing battery life will certainly put off a few potential buyers. NOVEMBER 2014
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Auto Review
MERCEDES GL500
DYNAMICS ASIDE, THIS LUXURY BEHEMOTH IS IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN
By Fayez Abubacker
INTRODUCTION The Middle East is all about having road presence. The larger the car, the more powerful it is, the higher the road respect. GL-Class is the top of the line 7 seater family SUV from the German manufacturer. Some may even call it the luxurious monster. It is fairly simple to notice this after taking a ride on the roads of this island. We climbed up (literally) into the driver’s seat and spent a whole lot of time behind its leather-bound wheel. 48
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Auto Review knee airbags and full-length curtain airbags. Attention Assist - the Mercedes-pioneered system flashes a coffee cup on the dash when a rearview-mirror-mounted camera detects a drowsy driver. ‘Pre-Safe’ prepares occupants for an impact. Some of the innovations such as night vision seen on recent S Class sedans are also available.
6. EQUIPMENTS
OUR 6 POINT REVIEW 1. EXTERIOR
The GL has grown more assertive in style with a few more curves and a few more angles, especially up front. There’s new LED lighting at the front and rear, and the grille is more pronounced. It’s a little less boxy than it was, but it’s still just as rugged as ever. First thing we noticed when we looked at the car was its bulk. With its length of above 5m and weighing 2.5 tons the GL looks and feels solid and that big monstrous grille with the Merc badge adds to the road presence.
2. INTERIOR
The luxurious materials are well crafted with olive ash wood trimmings and ambient lighting coupled with heated/cooled perforated massage seats. Build quality is exceptional. Nothing rattles, fit and finish is superb. The front seats are huge, supportive and offer an exceptional range of adjustment. Separate ventilation controls are provided for second-row occupants too. The Third-row seats is very spacious, supportive and comfortable enough for any moderatelysized adult. There’s a standard seven-inch screen on the dash for infotainment, and the knob controller on its console runs those features through the COMAND operating system. The Mercedes GL has a 300-litre boot.
pieces, and body bracing. It adopts electric power steering and a more efficient electrical structure all in the interest of saving fuel. The GL500 is claimed to use 11.5 litres per 100 kilometres, which proves fanciful in everyday driving.
4. RIDE & HANDLING
On comfort mode, the car drives smoothly and calmly with almost no engine sound. The adaptive suspension was doing all the work and we felt like gliding in mid-air all through the journey. Stepping on the gas hard gives a serene feel of acceleration like slicing butter. In sport mode, the car lowers itself, suspension becomes stiffer, steering becomes tighter and acceleration response becomes faster. The turbos seem hungry to unleash, the moment you step on it. The brake pedal feels a little spongy initially, but the brakes do an admirable job of reining in the GL 500’s significant inertia.
5. SAFETY
A new 360-degree camera adapts its display as you dial into a parking spot and can also park itself, with available active park assist. Other safety options include lane assist, stability control, collision prevention and crosswind stabilisation. All GL’s comes with the requisite airbags, including front
There’s little left to ask for when it comes to the long list of standard and optional equipment available on the GL. Options include satellite radio; an iPod interface; navigation; power tilt/telescoping steering column and auto-dimming mirrors. Another package adds Harman/Kardon surround sound, and soft-close doors. Major standalone options include the active-curve suspension; power tailgate; a trailer hitch; a beautiful panoramic sunroof. There’s also above-average attention to detail, whether it›s the side steps with illuminated badging or leather-look stitched dash trim.
VERDICT
The GL wears a mix of soft curves and long angles, giving it the attractive qualities of a crossover, but with a gloss that’s decidedly rugged-looking. Quality leather drapes the entire dashboard and interplays with dark woodgrain trim and silver ringed dials to make the interior feel it’s worth. There’s plenty of electricity going through wires to make all the seats flip and fold automatically as easy as it is cumbersome and tricky compared to its competitors. The luggage area is a bit tight when all seats are in use, but when the rear seats fold and there’s so much more space. Big power, effortless cruising, a comfy and relaxing ride especially over long distance and much space are all hallmarks of the GL 500. As a luxury wagon for well-to-do families, it makes plenty of sense.
3. PERFORMANCE
Something that weighs so much usually does not shift with such rapidity. But the 4.7-litre Twin Turbocharged V8 mated to 7-speed transmission puts out 408hp and 700nm of torque that propels from 0-100kph in 5.9 seconds reaching a top speed of 250kph. I thought I was driving a performance car! The GL shaves weight wherever possible, with aluminum body panels, suspension NOVEMBER 2014
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Hotel Review
A taste of luxury at the fringe of the diplomatic area The Crowne Plaza Hotel By Layal Al-Mahmoud
One of the rooms of the hotel 50
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Hotel Review From time to time we wish to distant ourselves and escape the rocking and rolling of today’s daily life in a faraway resort, a getaway, and even wish to get lost in some deserted island; yet, we always crave for the buzz, the adrenaline rush and how it makes us feel alive. Hotel exterior
T
he Friday brunch at the Crowne Plaza Bahrain is the place to revisit that feeling. It is as lively as a beehive with a huge setup, live music, and quality gastronomic varieties that will indeed satisfy the pickiest eaters. And with a kid’s zone equipped with a TV, toys, and a small special buffet, pleasure is guaranteed. So, I arrive to the hotel with my family just on time for the Friday brunch to bump into the lovely Priya Shankar, the marketing and communications manager, who was extremely kind to welcome us at her table; together we enjoyed three hours of eating and drinking like butterflies in a field of rainbow colored roses, we were jumping happily from one food station to the other eager to explore the flavors of the globe; from Thai and Japanese to Mediterranean and from American to Arabic. Lunch is over so I say goodbye to my new friend and I head to the front desk. After a quick and easy check-in I walk to my room and I start noticing how beautifully laid NOVEMBER 2014
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Hotel Review Waves Seafood restaurant Club Suite
Club Room
out the interior design of the place is; the marriage of the green and off-white colors between the walls, ceiling, and the designed marble floor remind me of the Victorian Era with all its glory and sophistication; a feel that will accompany you throughout the duration of your stay in one of the hotel’s 246 well appointed bedrooms. In no time I am welcomed to my room on the ground floor only to find out it is a lovely suite overlooking the pool; equipped with anyone’s needs such as two LCD TVs, a work desk, a premium internet connection, a mini bar amenity, coffee and tea, and an Espresso machine, and a table full of welcoming goodies from savories to sweets along with juice, water, and fruits basket. Taking advantage of the extremely comfortable soft and snuggly bed, I decide to take a short afternoon nap and I notice an interesting product lay on the bed promising a better night’s sleep. Apparently, the Crowne Plaza and Thisworks which is an award winning aromatherapy brand join together to launch Sleep: two mini solutions to help you unwind and relax. The hotel has six food & beverage facilities namely La Mosaique which is the hotel’s international restaurant that hosts the daily buffet, Spices the restaurant that offers you all shades of the Indian cuisine on a plate of gastronomic euphoria, and Waves, the haven for seafood lovers where chef Jaffer cooks the daily catch of the local fishermen on display to your own unique taste. In addition to restaurants you can visit Cappuccinos Café located conveniently at the lobby, Tracks Sports Bar where you can casually meet friends with a refreshing view of the pool, and finally Harvesters Pub & Terrace where Spa facility
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Hotel Review you will enjoy a well deserved drink in the company of your best friends or your favorite sports channels. Yet, at the Crowne Plaza every night is special with the Theme Nights; on Sunday night you have a date with Tex Mex, for those who adore the Italian cuisine the Grill & Pasta Night comes every Monday, Surf & Turf Night offers you a great combo of seafood and steak every Tuesday, on Wednesdays meat lovers will enjoy Steak Night, the Seafood Night is a must every Thursday, and Flavors Around the World every Friday and Saturday nights is the best for those who wants a little bit of everything. And, to stay fit and energetic, the Crowne Plaza offers more facilities such as a fully equipped health and fitness centre, a pool, sauna & steam room, and a massage and therapy room where you can gladly surrender to serenity, relaxation, and rejuvenation. And, with the new Wedding Office on board, the Crowne Plaza Bahrain Conference Centre will cater perfectly to all events and occasions. It’s dinner time, so I chose to have a taste of Bahrain finest seafood at Waves. Both the restaurant’s manager and the chef are Bahraini; thus you cannot miss the warm atmosphere that represent the humility and authentic generosity of the people of Bahrain at its best. The following morning there is nothing better to complement a good night’s sleep more than a quality breakfast. Afterwards, and while the rest of my family enjoys the sun and water at the pool, I take pleasure in a 45 minutes of in room SPA service that promise to swing your mood and boost your spirit.. What a magnificent way to start your day!
Spices Indian restaurant La Mosaique restaurant
Poolside of the hotel
Spa
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Restaurant Review
Showcasing India through its finest fare 54
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Restaurant Review Seafood platter
Grilled seabass
Rasoi at the Ramee Grand Hotel and Spa
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eometric patterns and marble walls catch your eye as soon as you step into Rasoi, the Ramee Grand Hotel and Spa’s Indian restaurant. The cuisine is a fusion of the different regions of India, showcasing the vibrancy of India through delectable victuals. The authenticity of the restaurant speaks for itself through the decor and ambiance. Walls are adorned with geometric patterns, marbled panels and hand painted murals of exotic representations pertaining to India such as the Taj Mahal, an elephant and a veiled woman painted in 22kt gold. As we settled, we were greeted by the attendant who brought Indian condiments to the table before we could decide on the meal. He suggested taking suggestions from the Rasoi’s chef if we were unsure of what to order. Chef Subir Chowdhury, a jolly man with a ton of expertise in his field, asked us about our spice tolerance, food allergies and preferences, after which he assured us that he would cook up the perfect Indian feast. Seafood platter with softshell crab, tandoori prawns and salmon cake was served as an appetizer. Perfectly marinated and flavoured, the seafood platter was a hit! If guests prefer one type of seafood more than the other, they can order the seafood platter with just one variant as well.
Indian food is generally hot and spicy but the seasoned culinary team at Rasoi ensures that each dish is tailored according to the guest’s palate. Main course consisted of Grilled Seabass on a bed of vegetables and mustard sauce and topped with crispy okra, Chicken Tikka Masala, Dal Makhani with garlic and cheese naan. The mustard sauce that came with the grilled seabass was tangy and complemented the fish in perfect unison. For Chicken Tikka Masala, Pre-marinated pieces of grilled chicken are added to a gravy of yoghurt, cream and spices, which gives it a deliciously smoky flavor. A staunch India favourite, Dal Makhani consists of lentils cooked in base of spices and finished with cream to give it a rich texture that is delightfully savoury. Tikka Masala and Dal Makhani go wonderfully with Naan, Indian bread baked in a tandoor oven which is often flavoured with herbs, butter or cheese. The garlic naan and cheese naan served to us was definitely the best I have ever tried in any restaurant. For dessert, a platter served with mango kulfi (Indian ice cream) and carrot halwa along with diced fruits was brought to the table. The cold, exotic mango Kulfi paired with hot carrot halwa was the most sinful way to end the sumptuous meal. Although fairly new, Rasoi is setting the standards high and proving to be tough competition for restaurants that have been in the market for years. If you are craving for a relaxing evening, great service or an intimate atmosphere, Rasoi will provide you with the perfect dining experience.
Condiments
Dessert platter
Chef Subir
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Special Feature
A culinary artist Chef Jagath Nickson of Bahrain Family Leisure Company
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Special Feature Advice for aspiring chefs? Culinary arts is one of the best professions to get into because the scope for creativity in this field is boundless. Never give up on your dreams and always challenge yourself to do better no matter what level of expertise you attain. What do you do to relax after a long day? Go home and relax with my family.
Pan-Fried Fillet of Sea Bass, Sundried Tomatoes and Artichokes Pesto Ingredients to prepare the Sea Bass 180g Fillet of Sea Bass 20g Soft Butter 10ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil 5g Italian Parsley 2 cloves Minced Garlic 2g Onion Powder Lemon Juice, Salt and Pepper to taste
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elf-trained chef Jagath Nickson is the Group Executive Chef of Bahrain Family Leisure Company (BFLC) and currently looks over the kitchens of Cucina Italiana and Bayti restaurant. Having experience for over 20 years in the field, he is constantly bettering his kitchen skills to excel in his career. Following his brother’s steps into the culinary field, he has come a long way and recounts his journey with in a candid chat with Sabaya Magazine. Tell me how you started your career? I started as a commis and did the best to learn about the industry as I did not receive any formal training. I came to Bahrain in 1995 and joined the Gulf Hotel, where I worked for 11 years. I then moved to His Highness Shaikh Nasser’s palace as a head chef, where I held the post for a year and a half. After that I moved to Kuwait as kitchen manager for Meat Co. I came back to Bahrain to work as a sous chef at K Hotel after which I joined Eatery as an executive sous chef for a few months. And now I’m here with BFLC as group executive chef. What’s your specialty as a chef? I am good with fusion cooking, Italian and
Pan-fried seabass continental. I’m more of an all-rounder except the pastry side. When it comes to assuring food quality, what role do you play? When it comes to food quality, we always choose the right product to ensure that the customers get the healthiest option with the best taste. This is why we go for premium products. What was the most challenging prospect in your career? The most challenging task was to open Bayti, which is a Middle Eastern restaurant. Anyone can open a restaurant but running it successfully takes a lot of effort. I was able to do this with the encouragement and support of the management of BFLC. What according to you are the 5 essential items every kitchen should have? Olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice, fresh herbs and garlic. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years? I am trying my best to be one of the best executive chefs on the island. Gathering knowledge, and mingling with professionals who have experience and expertise in this field to learn from them.
Ingredients to prepare the Sundried and Artichokes Pesto 50g Artichokes Hearts 50g Sundried Tomatoes 15g Pine Nuts 2 Cloves Garlic 7 ml Lemon Juice 30g Grated Roman Cheese 25ml Olive Oil Salt and Pepper to taste
Preparations
Combine onion powder, minced garlic,lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle on the both the side of fish and set aside . To prepare the Sundried and Artichokes Pesto, sieve the Artichoke and add them into a food processor with all other remaining ingredients. Process the ingredients on high speed for a few seconds until they are pretty smoothly pureed. Drizzle in the olive oil if the pesto is still too thick. Season the pesto with salt and pepper. Preheat the thick bottom of pan for medium high, place fish on lightly oiled then cook for 6 minutes.Turn fish and coat with slightly butter cook for 6 more minutes. once the fish flakes easily remove from heat and drizzle with olive oil and Italian parsley serve with Sundried Tomatoes and Artichokes Pesto.
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Out & About
Euro Motors launches finance package at its showroom in Sitra A new car finance package was launched by Bahraini Jaguar and Land Rover dealer Euro Motors at its Sitra showroom last month. The dealer has partnered with the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait to offer customers a finance package with a 20 per cent down payment and zero interest for three years. The launch also coincided with the announcement of the appointment of new company general manager Simon Ellis.
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Out & About
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Out & About
Biotrue contact lens launch by Optica at the Intercontinental Regency Optica lanched a new product, Biotrue™ ONEday disposable contact lens at an event at the InterContinental Regency Hotel. It was attended by media, Optica employees and invited guests.
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Out & About
Internations community event at Elements Pool and Lounge, InterContinental Regency Hotel
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Out & About
Qatar Airways CEO Golf Tournament reception
50 CEO’s from Bahrain competed in the Qatar Airways CEO Golf Tournament on 10th October 2014at the Royal Golf Club. The event was organized by Mind Storm Media in association with Grant Thornton and Elite Technologies. The Golf day concluded with reception for all the participants at Al Areen Palace & Spa with special performances and prize distribution.
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Out & About
Lumee street cafe opening in Adliya Al Abraaj Restaurants Group launched Lumee Street Cafe in Adliya. Inspired by Middle Eastern street food, Lumee Street Cafe captures the exciting food and experience of traditional street eateries in a buzzing, contemporary venue.
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Out & About
Cake boutique marks its first anniversary in the presence of Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Hassan Fakhro
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Out & About
Al Hawaj launches new men’s fragrance from Bentley at Bahrain City Centre
Yusuf Al Hawaj announced the launch of the Bentley for men absolute. The launch was held at the Bahrain City Centre and attended by Jawad Al Hawaj, Wahab Al Hawaj, the Italian Ambassador in Bahrain, officials and guests.
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Out & About
Inyouch clinic opening in Janabiyah
INTOUCH Clinic, the first Chiropractic centre launched in Bahrain, conducted
an opening ceremony at their new and expansive medical offices located in
Janabiyah. Present at the event were
members of the media and invited guests.
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Out & About
Lincoln MKC launch and fashion show at Block 338 The spotlight fell on the 2015 Lincoln MKC at a glittering launch ceremony hosted by Almoayyed Motors at Block 338, which was followed by a fashion show in collaboration with Woman This Month. Soon the catwalk was alive with the beats of funky music as the latest clothes were showcased in a Woman This Month spectacular but all eyes were firmly fixed on the recently-introduced 2015 Lincoln MKC – a totally revamped vehicle that its makers say combines elegance, comfort and power to cater to today’s premium luxury market.
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Out & About
Mei & Yu restaurant lunge reopening at its premises at Amwaj Lagoon
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Out & About
InterContinental Regency Bahrain launches mobile app
InterContinental Regency Bahrain launched its new mobile application. Through the InterContinental Regency’s mobile application, customers can avail any of the customer oriented services that the hotel provides, from room reservations to learning about special offers, room service and housekeeping requests and making table reservations for in-house restaurants and spas.
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Out & About
Saks Fifth Avenue’s Bahrain Fall/Winter 2014 fashion show
Smart tailoring, patterns & prints and sport luxe looks dominated the runway as Saks Fifth Avenue presented their 2014 fall/winter collections at their flagship store in Bahrain City Center. With over 250 guests, the area was totally transformed from one of the most prestigious, luxury department stores into a fashion catwalk, setting the tone for this season’s hottest trends and latest designer collections. Bringing an expertly edited collection from the most desirable women’s wear designers, the show featured trends from Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Chloe, Stella McCartney, Emilio Pucci, BiYan, Philipp Plein, Manish Arora, Lanvin, Eskandar, Temperley London, Phillip Lim, Christian Louboutin, and Tadashi Shoji.
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UN Day reception at the Diplomat Radisson Blu
Out & About
The UN Country Team hosted a reception at the Diplomat Radisson Hotel which included an address by H.E. Ghanim bin Fadhul Al-Buainain, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Brief presentations by Bahraini citizens highlighting the UN’s role & key achievements for Bahrain for 2013-14.
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In The Dark
Parisian Cabaret night at Bushido restaurant and lounge
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In The Dark
The ‘Vocalist’ at Harvesters, Crowne Plaza Bahrain
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In The Dark
Elite Seef Residence launches Jazz Nights
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In The Dark
Oktoberfest celebrations at the Ritz Carlton Bahrain, Hotel and Spa
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In The Dark
Internations hosts community event at Bushido Lounge
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In The Dark
Ramee Grand Hotel and Spa first anniversary celebrations at Ruka
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In The Press
Moda Mall Hosts American Chamber of Commerce Ladies as part of the ‘Return to Elegance’ Festival
Moda Mall, the shopping and dining experience for every occasion, located on the ground floor of the Kingdom’s iconic Bahrain World Trade Center, yesterday hosted lady members of the American Chamber of Commerce, as part of its spectacular ‘Return to Elegance’ Festival. The ladies, accompanied by organizer Mary McGinnis, were welcomed by property managers’ Cushman & Wakefield Marketing team, comprised of Celine Durand and Nada Al Alawi. The guests were treated to a traditional Bahraini breakfast at Chai Latte and then toured the mall to experience the new Autumn/Winter collections.
Bahrain Gears-Up To Celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week 2014
To further bolster the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Bahrain is gearing up to celebrate the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) from November 17th to 23rd 2014. Tenmou, Bahrain’s first ‘Business Angels’ organization, in strategic partnership with the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), will organise a series of events joining the largest celebration of entrepreneurship in the world. Highlights of this year’s activities include the formation of an exclusive Entrepreneurial Advisory Board for Bahrain, with Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al-Khalifa as the Chairman and His Excellency Kamal bin Ahmed, Acting Chief Executive of EDB as Vice Chairman. 78
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Starbucks Reserve Ultra Premium Coffee Line Arrives in Bahrain
The new store at Bahrain City Centre offers an exquisite range of specially selected single-origin coffees, and is home to the unique Clover brewing system. The Reserve store features an open space concept that allows customers to enjoy handpicked coffee blends and the tempting aromas of some of the world’s finest coffees, accompanied by mouth-watering pastries and food offerings. The open space setup offers a cosy seating arrangement that suits single customers, families or larger groups. Timber cladding and bronze metal detailing bring a warmth and richness to the new store’s open space. The colourways, seating styles, and materials have all been selected to create a unique ambience and elegant setting for a high profile overall experience.
Renowned holistic and spiritual experts Simon and Sue Lilly to host workshops on astrology, crystals, pendulum reading and many more in November A range of holistic and spiritual workshops will be taking place from November 19th to the 26th as renowned experts and authors Simon and Sue Lilly are set to visit Bahrain later this month. Various workshops on topics of psychic protection, astrology, crystals, pendulum use, rune reading and more will be held during this time. It is being organised by Julie Lomas, an expert in the field of holistic & spiritual sciences. All the workshops have practical learning, that you can use for yourself straight away. From All workshops include refreshments and handouts, the two day crystal workshop also includes lunch. All workshops will be held at the Elite Grande Hotel Seef District. There will be light refreshments for all workshops, lunch is also included in the 2 full day workshops on crystal therapy, handouts and workshop materials, where appropriate and certificates of attendance where offered. Reservations and payment can be made at 8 Mansions, Country Mall, Budayia, open daily 11am -7pm. 8mansionsbahrain@gmail.com Reservations are essential and must be made in advance.
In The Press
City Centre Bahrain hosted a starstudded Fashion Weekend
AJM Kooheji Holds Alwany Interschool Art Competition
AJM Kooheji Group in association with the Ministry of Education has launched the first ever Alwany Art Competition at their Ma’ameer showroom across a period of two days. A wide participation was present from all the schools including government and private school pupils. All Students were given a chance to showcase their artistic skills. The topic given to the budding artists was their vision of “Bahrain 2030.” The competition was divided into 4 categories - Category 1 consisting of students from the 1st to the 3rd grade, Category 2 consisting of students from the 4th to the 6th grade, Category 3 consisting of students from the 7th to the 9th grade and Category 4 consisting of students from the 10th to the 12th grade. All the categories were evaluated by eminent judges who are experienced and skilled in the field of art.
City Centre Bahrain rolled out a red carpet as it launched a glamourous three-day Fashion Weekend from October 16th-18th with no less than 13 catwalk shows featuring the hottest international and regional brands. Kick starting the festivities in grand style, rising star and Emirati singer Balqees Ahmed Fathi made an exclusive appearance setting the stage for an electrifying, fashion-infused weekend, making City Centre Bahrain the pre-eminent destination to be this season. “City Centre Bahrain’s Fashion Weekend will be the biggest fashion event of the season, highlighted by singing sensation and guest of honour Balqees Ahmed Fathi,” said Duaij Khalifa Al Rumaihi, Senior Mall Manager for City Centre Bahrain. “Our Fall Fashion campaign is dedicated to celebrating the best in international and regional fashion, showcasing the best of what our retailers have to offer this season. Shoppers are all invited to enjoy the festivities this Fashion Weekend, which will guarantee many great moments.” The exciting line-up for City Centre Bahrain’s Fashion Weekend included a diverse collection of luxury brands from Saks Fifth Avenue; contemporary brands such as Givenchy, Furla, DKNY, Karen Millen and HOSSIntropia; in addition to a wide range of popular high streetfashion and accessories outlets.
InterContinental Regency Bahrain Launches a Fully Integrated Mobile Application
InterContinental Regency Bahrain, one of the leading 5 star hotels in the Kingdom, announced the launch of their new fully integrated Mobile Application during a press conference that was held at the hotel. An official presentation of the Mobile Application followed to showcase and familiarize those present with the wide range of functionally useful features that the application offers. The Mobile Application that was introduced by InterContinental Regency Bahrain is an A–Z interactive, user-friendly interface, the first of its kind, which is set to change the way customers make use of the excellent services provided by the hotel. Through the InterContinental Regency’s Mobile Application, customers can avail any of the customer oriented services that the hotel provides from room reservations to learning about special offers, room service and housekeeping requests and making table reservations for in house restaurants and spas. Mr. Rafik Kamel, Area Director of Commercial Northern Gulf Bahrain and Kuwait commented on InterContinental Regency’s Mobile Application saying, “We felt this to be the right move at the right time, as with the launch of our Mobile Application, we are able to take advantage of the popularity and versatility of the technological advancements at hand and amplify the satisfaction factor of our customers.” Speaking about the new Mobile Application, Mr. Micheal Koth, General Manager of InterContinental Regency Bahrain said: “We strive to stay ahead of developments in the hospitality industry in Bahrain. Being at par with our technology-savvy customers always makes us different from others”. The presentation was followed by an event to celebrate the launch of the Mobile Application. The launch event also served as a farewell reception for Area Director of Commercial Northern Gulf Bahrain and Kuwait, Mr. Rafik Kamel. NOVEMBER 2014
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In The Press
Bahrain Writers’ Circle Monthly Meeting Held At Coral Bay
Marriott Executive Apartments and Residence Inn by Marriott Celebrate International Housekeepers Week 2014
The main speaker for the evening was Faten Alhaddad, a Bahraini lawyer who earned her Master›s Degree from Queen Mary, University of London, UK. Faten specialises in international and comparative copyright laws - international and comparative trademarks, design and unfair competition law - media law. She spoke to the writers on a number of issues including what and how copyright is established, plagiarism - what it is and isn›t, how far non-commercial use of an existing work can be used, especially for purposes of education. She also talked about royalties and their distribution in the case of collaborative works and anthologies. Faten was assisted by Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Mawla, Assistant Professor at the College of Law, University of Bahrain and her sister Reem.
Marriott Executive Apartments Manama and Residence Inn by Marriott Manama Juffair recently hosted the global celebration of Housekeepers Appreciation Week 2014. In Bahrain, the 7-days event was filled with varied fun activities, such as opening ceremony breakfast, giveaways surprise, ladies scarf workshop, fingerprint board, manager’s bed making challenge, public exhibition and closing ceremony on rooftop. Public exhibition made of housekeeping items, collaterals for both brands, Marriott Executive Apartments and Residence Inn by Marriott and “How to clean a guest room” video was hold at Residence Inn by Marriott Juffair, so in-house guests could come visit and leave comments. General Manager Marriott Executive Apartments Manama, Michel Sursock said that housekeeping department is the backbone and vital organ in the hospitality industry.
Premium Car Customers in Bahrain Getting More from Hyundai
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For premium car customers in Bahrain and the Middle East, excellent performance, modern styling and the latest technological features have always been important when choosing a new car. However, according to Hyundai, those customers are now looking for more than just a top quality vehicle, and are looking far more closely at the premium service that is offered to them by a manufacturer. Research conducted by Hyundai around the Middle East launch of its All-New Genesis model this year suggests that attractive design, state-of-the-art technology, or high performance are not the only factors that will convince potential customers to invest in a luxury car. Mr. Raed Mu’ti, the General Manager, First Motors, official distributor of Hyundai in Bahrain, comments: “Customers in Bahrain expect the very best in customer service, and rightly so. Since we introduced the HPAP+ programme to the market last year, sales of both Genesis and Centennial models have been boosted, and the feedback we have had from customers has been extremely positive.”
In The Press
Al Abraaj Restaurants introduces the new face of Middle Eastern Flavours with the launch of Lumee Street Cafe Al Abraaj Restaurants Group, the company behind some of Bahrain’s most popular restaurantssuch as Al Abraaj, Al Bindaira Cafe and NuAsiaRestaurants, has announced the launch of a new concept -Lumee Street Cafe. Inspired by Middle Eastern street food, Lumee Street Cafe captures the exciting food and experience of traditional street eateries in a buzzing, contemporary venue. The inspiration for the concept comes from the region’s street cafes and restaurants, from the legendary street grills in Bahrain to the colorful falafel carts in Egypt and the fresh tea and coffee houses of Turkey. Lumee Street Cafe combines a cafe with a deli to give visitors the option to dine in or take home the food of their choice.The name Lumee is Bahraini slang for lemons and lime and is directly related to the food concept at Lumee which is flavourpacked, fresh and zesty. It also highlights the fact that lemons are an integral part of many dishes in the region. The Director of Al Abraaj Restaurants Group stated, “Al Abraaj Restaurants has a long track-record of introducing new concepts. Every time we launch a new restaurant we aim to give our customers something new to experience.”
InterContinental Regency Bahrain Raises Financial Aid FOR IHG Shelter In A Storm
InterContinental Regency Bahrain joined InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®)colleagues from over 60 countries this week to take part in IHG Race Around the World, an event that aims to raise awareness and funds for the global hotel company’s disaster relief programme, IHG® Shelter in a Storm. This year, IHG encouraged people to participate in as many activities as they could during the week-long event and 313 colleagues from InterContinental Regency Bahrain responded by participating in as many activities as they could during the week such as walking, skipping, running, cycling, dancing, swimming or whichever activity they wished to do. With IHG making a donation for each act of participation, InterContinental Regency Bahrain’s activities were able to raise US $ 626 for IHG Shelter in a Storm in the process. Mr. Michael Koth, General Manager at InterContinental Regency Bahrain commented: “We are really excited to be joining IHG colleagues from across the world to do what we can in raising awareness and funds for IHG Shelter in a Storm.”
Khaleeji Commercial Bank Announces Winners of Al Waffer Monthly Draw for September 2014
The Al Waffer Draw was conducted at KHCB Headquarters in Bahrain Financial Harbour, in the attendance of a representative from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce along with members of the Bank’s managerial team and staff. A total of $89,500 was awarded to 41 lucky winners. Suhail Khalil Ebrahim won a BMW 520, the first prize for this month. Mr. Ahmed Abdulla, MsFatenAyooband Yaser Abdulla won $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 respectively as the second, third and fourth winners of the month. The rest of the cash prizes were won by 26 winners who received $1,000 each and 11 winners who received $500 each. NOVEMBER 2014
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In The Press
BIC FESTIVAL TO BRING NATIONAL DAY JOY TO BAHRAINI COMMUNITY Five days of jubilant celebrations will be held at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) to mark this year’s Bahrain National Day and His Majesty King Hamad’s accession to the throne. Taking place December 13 to 17, the BIC National Day Festival will be lighting up “The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East” in Sakhir, and it will be hoping to build on the grand success of last year’s festivities which attracted a massive crowd of more than 28,000 people. This year’s cultural spectacle will be loaded with just as much fun and family-friendly entertainment, and BIC is inviting all families, both Bahrainis and expatriates, to come and enjoy all the colourful attractions on offer. The festival will be open to the public daily between 4pm and 10pm. It will be located along the BIC vending area behind the Main Grandstand.
The Design District Group Nespresso Brings Irresistible the Opening Of Missoni Dessert-Inspired Indulgence Announces Home In Bahrain To Its Limited Edition Variations Range As part of the quest to continually surprise and delight with extraordinary coffee experiences, Nespresso tempted its Facebook fans across the globe with five new indulgent aromas and asked them to comment on their favourite. The three most popular are now making their debut this November as the new Limited Edition Variations Grands Crus - Hazelnut Dessert*, Chocolate Mint, Apple Crumble. With these new Limited Edition Grands Crus, Nespresso has combined the highest quality coffee with innovative aromas to create exceptional moments of pleasure for Club Members. The sublime partnership of the balanced and rounded Livanto Grand Cru combined with the flavours of some of the world’s most indulgent desserts is truly a match made in heaven. The Variations Grands Crus are best served alone as a 40ml espresso and each of the Variations has an intensity level of six on a scale of one-to–twelve. But the gourmand experience doesn’t need to stop there as adding milk will bring an extra touch of refinement, transforming the Variations into an exquisite coffee moment. Please visit www.nespresso.com/ variationsfor full recipes; these will be available as of 10th November, 2014. 82
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The Design District group in collaboration with T&J Vestor launched Missoni Home concept into Bahrain at A’Ali Mall. It was attended by Industry and Commerce Minister Dr. Hassan Fakhro, who confirmed on the importance of initiatives and the positive steps being pursued by national companies and investors revitalizing local trade and enhance national economy movement. During his tour in the shop, the Minister hailed the excellent standard of Italian unique furniture and accessories that will satisfy different tastes and ideas. At the same time, the Minister praised the efforts made by the private sectors and companies in Bahrain and their keen to add new options and tastes for shoppers in the Kingdom. Missoni Home Italy is located in the new extension of Al Aali Shopping Complex on an area over 160 square meters. The shop offers a multicolored world of Missoni Home of life style furnishing and outdoor products alongside the world famous brands panorama of home textile and linen.
Under the Stars The Elite Grande Hotel offers guests an exclusive dining experience under the stars. Unwind at H20 Lounge in an atmosphere of tranquility and serenity on the roof top by the pool, overlooking the most lively seef district and busy shopping malls. Join us every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and savor on a scrumptious salad buffet, accompanied by live grills stations serving hot barbeques, shawarmas and Saj, finishing off with a mouthwatering dessert buffet.
It could be the perfect weekend gathering or any day of the week to break your daily routine. E l i t e G ra n d e H o t e l
Call : 17565888
facebook.com/EliteGrandeHotel
www.elitegroup4u.com NOVEMBER 2014
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Last Note
I mustache you a question, but I’ll shave it for later!
Do you know about no-shave November? No-shave November or ‘Movember’ is observed to raise awareness of men›s health issues, such as prostate cancer and other male cancers, and associated charities. Men let their manes grow in full glory in support of the cause. Here are some tips to grow those handlebars to perfection from celebrity hairstylist Asgar Saboo. The best beards take patience, preparation and care, so why not follow this simple guide by celebrity hairstylist Asgar Saboo to help you get the perfect beard. Essential Tools: Electric trimmer Fine-toothed comb Clear shaving oil Small trimming scissors Timing is Key: There is a time when you first start to grow your beard where the hairs are emerging rather unevenly and you are not left with the most attractive of looks. Asgar recommends the best option would be to use an electric shaver to trim the longer 84
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patches of your beard so you are left with an even length across your face. Style: Throughout the year, beards have bloomed in popularity. Celebrities including George Clooney, Ben Affleck and Jake Gyllenhall have all showcased various styles of beards. Asgar advises that you make sure your beard compliments the shape of your face before styling it - not everyone can pull off the rugged ‘Tom Hardy’ bearded look!
Square - men with square faces should
opt for styles that make their faces appear less box-like and more slender. The best style for this facial shape is a light but all-over beard; this will mean you are constantly trimming your beard with your electric shaver to ensure it stays a suitable length. Round - in order to add shape to the face, it is important to ensure the length of the hair on your chin is longer than the sides. Try to avoid bushy sideburns and keep the sides of the beard short. Triangular - men with triangular-
shaped faces tend to have very pointed chins. Having a longer, fuller beard will make these faces appear more masculine by adding weight along the jaw line and chin. Maintenance - Clean & Tidy: For those of you that have never grown a beard, it is vital to remember to keep it clean. Use a fine-toothed comb to keep your beard smooth and free from tangles. Don’t forget to use shampoo and conditioner on your beard as its length increases, this will keep it clean and stop the beard smelling like damp hair. Trimming: To neaten your look further, it is important to trim your neckline, upper cheeks and moustache lip. Men will usually trim their beard too much; this will lead to mistakes being made and shaving off the whole beard. Wait at least a month before you begin trimming as you are simply trying to shape the beard, not remove it. www.asgarsaboo.com
NAMASTE Discover the flavours of Indian culinary heritage
Enjoy the soothing music from our live ghazal band Opening hours: Lunch 12:30pm - 3:00pm | Dinner: 6:30pm - 11:30pm
Seef Area | Bahrain T: +973 17 111 999 rasoi@rameegrandbahrain.com www.rameegrandbahrain.com
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SUPERFAST A MINDSET SUPERFAST CHRONO A unique Chopard manufacture openworked movement
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