Issue 002 July 2021
NOT JUST
ANOTHER NEWSLETTER
Welcome! Hello and welcome to the July issue of Tamimi Gram. Get ready for your monthly dose of getting to know your colleagues, feeling more connected and learning about each other.
In this second issue the 21 questions camera is in Bahrain to ask Foutoun her 21 questions. Colleagues from across the region have contributed, like Rad, Adel and Ayman – give us a sneak peak into things we didn’t know about them. Layla sits down with Michael to discuss her journey, from Ballincollig to Bahrain. Barbara is back with another bake master class and if you love bread, this is without a doubt one you will love. There’s more… health and fitness tips, Michael reviews and recommends the Sopranos, get to know some of the new joiners, and Barbara take us on a bike ride across New York City. Finally, we reveal the winner of guess the jurisdiction competition and there’s a new one for you to guess. The Tamimi Gram working group
WHAT‘S INSIDE 4
21 Questions with Foutoun Hajjar
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Meet at Tamimi
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Did you know…
10 Where I am from… 12 Health and fitness tips: Never too late 14 Tamimi Baking 15 New joiners 16 Recommendations & review 18 My Travel: New York 20 Guess the jurisdiction / Lol
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QUESTIONS WITH
Foutoun Hajjar
This month in the 21 questions hot seat is Foutoun Hajjar. Get to know her better from favourite food to why she became a lawyer. Foutoun was brave enough to face the challenge and answer them all! These are 21 questions worth watching and will help to get to know Foutoun a little better. Enjoy!
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Can you play any instruments? I would like to think yes (although I’m not sure my neighbors would agree). I used to play electric guitar when I was a teenager and so one summer holiday from High School some friends and I formed a band and spent the summer practicing. We finally secured an unpaid gig in a bar in my hometown and looked forward to blowing away the crowd in our debut concert with our Jimi Hendrix and Guns N Roses covers, before inevitably being signed by a record label and thereafter total global rock domination. Well, about 5 people showed up to the gig (4 of which were friends of ours). And despite that at the end of the first song the bar fell silent (and not in a good way). The next morning I decided upon a career in law.
Which song can you listen to all day long? I have a bad habit of picking a given track that I like and then playing it nostop on repeat for weeks on end before ultimately growing to hate the song through over-listening. Most recent example is the ‘Dying of the Light’ by Noel Gallagher – it’s a great track and only serves to confirm that Noel (rather than his brother Liam) was the creative force behind Oasis. Ask me again next week and I guarantee you a totally different answer.
During lockdown my wife kindly bought me a beautiful acoustic guitar and I have been shaking the dust off the old classics. No gigs planned for now, but perhaps watch this space ;)
If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life what would it be? Good question – Ribeye steak (medium); peppercorn sauce; steak fries; asparagus; crème brûlée; fresh lemon and mint juice.
Rad El Treki Bahrain
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Abdel Raouf Dubai
Our colleague Abdel Raouf, also known as Roufi or Bro, lives by this Italian saying. Roufi dreams of days of innocence and childhood, where life was simpler and less complicated. He also wishes he could travel in time to change the course of events that cause chaos in our lives, like COVID. Roufi has visited Prophet's Muhammed Mosque and Tomb (PBUH), one of his most treasured places. Abdel Raouf enjoys summer season, obviously not in UAE, more like Bora Bora. He also loves KFC, and is a fabulous drummer and pianist.].
1. At what age do you want to retire? By age of 55.
2. If you could travel back in time, what period would you go to? Well I would go back to the genesis era ask and beg Adam and Eva not to eat from that tree. if they refuse I will take them with me to 2020 to be locked down with us maybe they will reconsider. (Joking) Also I would go back to 2008 and buy Bitcoins. I have many places and events were I would love to visit and witness but as a priority I would go directly back in time and prevent the COVID-19 Spread. Which has only caused major changes and damages to our lives.
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Secondly: I would want to go back in time to my childhood time: •
Relations and friendships were innocent and stronger.
•
We were used to be very innocent at that time and no conspiracies built in our minds.
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No ego issues, we were happy and satisfied with very tiny things happening around us.
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We never had big thoughts and worries about studies or relations or anything else. We were just living in present and never tried to think about our past or future.
•
The fun and joy we used to share in school picnic and during recess time is unforgettable and that is something that we are not able to do right now.
Finally I would go to the time of Ancient Egypt as this was one of the best in human history. So many innovations in science, maths, architecture etc. After all it will be fun to see the Pyramids and sphinx how they were built and to see them in their original structure and colours.
3. Favourite: • • •
Favourite junk food? KFC Favourite childhood TV show? Power Rangers Favourite season? Summer but not in the UAE
4. Say a sentence in Italian –
Common we all know you know Italian and congrats for the EURO cup J J • •
Senza tentazioni, senza onore. Where there is no temptation there is no glory.
5. Two things you would change about yourself. • •
Open myself up more. Cut out any toxic people in my life.
6. What is the most interesting place you have visited? Prophet’s Muhammed Mosque and Tomb (PBUH).
7. What’s the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to you? I was at a friend’s dad funeral and I was trying to give my condolences, I asked him how is your father!!!!! And he started crying more.
8. Do you have a hidden talent? What is it? I play Music (Drum and Piano).
9. What’s the top destination on your must-visit list? Bora Bora, French Polynesia.
Ayman Nour Cairo
1. What do you feel is the biggest strength for Al Tamimi right now?
3. What are the pros and cons of working from home, in your experience?
Al Tamimi is a family rather than a workplace. Our strength is in our commitment to continue the legacy our senior partners created.
Working from home saves time wasted in commuting. The problem is you don’t meet your colleagues so the human interaction is missing. Plus of course you need to isolate yourself from everyone in the household to focus. I imagine a day will come where offices become virtual reality. You put on your helmet and goggles and find yourself in the office with all those attending in the same way. There will be an indefinite number of ideas and designs for what we can do in our workplaces and everyone will have the corner office they dream of J
2. If you weren’t a lawyer what would you have been? I would be a director, from ads to documentaries then silver screen movies. I would love to manage sound, music, photography, actors, etc.
4. How would you describe yourself? My leisure time if not with the family, I love spending it traveling with friends and disconnecting, playing sports, indulging in new experiences… but to disconnect from an average of 200 emails a day and phone calls is a luxury nowadays.
5. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? I feel I am 32 years old. Age reflects how you treat yourself. I was much older 15 years ago because of work and life pressure. I stopped working out at the time. All my focus was on working hard. I discovered that worklife balance is very important. Physical exercise is very important for the wellbeing of a person at home and work. It fights stress and improves mental and physical status. I strongly recommend my friends and colleagues to work out and when I see them in a good shape I praise them.
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DID YOU KNOW THAT
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Coca-Cola was invented by a pharmacist. In 1886, pharmacist John S. Pemberton created Coca-Cola as a treatment for most common ailments. His bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, names the drink and writes it down in the loopy, flowing handwriting that became known as the brand’s logo. The drink was based on cocaine from the coca leaf and caffeinated extracts from a kola nut – hence the name, Coca-Cola. The cocaine was removed from the recipes in 1903. Pemberton sold his syrup to Atlanta soda fountains, and the rest is history.
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The Many Laws of Life Law of Mechanical Repair
Law of Gravity
Law of Probability
Law of Random Numbers
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.
Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible place in the universe.
If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal - and someone always answers.
Variation Law
Law of the Bath
Law of Close Encounters
Law of the Result
If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time). .
The probability of meeting someone you know INCREASES dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, IT WILL!!!
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Ballincollig By Layla Alalawi, Trainee Solicitor, Corporate Structuring (Bahrain) As told to Michael Citrome, Senior Associate, Tax (Dubai)
Although my family is from Bahrain, I grew up in Ballincollig (pronounced as you’d expect, with its first “a” as in Allan) until the age of 8 and still go back regularly to visit family and friends. Ballincollig is a small, suburban town adjacent to Cork City in the south of Ireland. It was established in the 1300s, and remnants of Ballincollig Castle, built by Norman knights in the 1200s still stand. After Ballincollig, we moved around quite a bit – back to Bahrain, then to Dubai, then the UK, then Dubai and Bahrain again, where I am now. My last time in Ireland was pre-covid in 2019. I normally go back to see my friends and some family members, but my sister has moved to the city life in Dublin so I visit there too. Ballincollig itself is quite small, quite rural and beautiful, green and quiet. The regional park is very beautiful, with lots of activities such as the skate park, playing pitches and woodland trails. The Farren woods is another park about a 10 minute drive from Ballincollig, that has deer walking around, and you can do a zip line that’s not as scary as others I‘ve been on but fun nonetheless.
Even though Cork City is called a city, it’s still quite small, not like Dublin or Dubai. There’s a very famous and beautiful English market in Cork, where people go to buy their fresh meat and produce. There has been a market on the site since the end of the 1700s, but the present buildings were built around the middle of the 1800s. The Farren woods is another park about a 10 minute drive from Ballincollig, that has deer walking around, and you can do a zip line that’s not as scary as others I‘ve been on but fun nonetheless. Even though there may be little to do in Ballincollig itself, as a child growing up it was a free life, playing in the green. I was called exotic a lot growing up, but the Irish are lovely people and very pure-hearted, it was a beautiful childhood to be honest.
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The market suffered a few fires, but has been beautifully restored, and maintains its cast-iron fountain and stained glass windows. It’s a spot to try regional food specialties that have been made and sold in Cork for centuries, and has an international reputation bolstered by famous chefs and food influencers.
The Victorian Quarter is a very quaint side of Cork with a bohemian, hippie vibe to it. It has bookstores and vintage clothing stores, and you can see loads of buskers and regular street musical events. The church there is quite beautiful - called St. Patrick’s Church, it is small and very pretty with stained glass and religious art.
Not too far away from St. Patrick’s Church, the Collins Barracks is a military barracks that dates back to British rule in 1801 and is still used by the Irish army. On the grounds of the Barracks there is a museum dedicated to the soldiers who gave their lives at home and abroad, as the Barracks was infamously the site of the execution by firing squad of numerous Irish Republicans. In particular, the museum displays memorabilia associated with Michael Collins, the Irish nationalist leader from whom the Barracks were named and who was killed in 1922. If you’re going to go to the Republic of Ireland, you will see a lot of memorabilia to do with the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. I also recommend the Crane Lane, a bar and theatre famous for its dance nights. I’m not a great dancer (I have two left feet) but many of my friends go and do dance lessons there because they have a couple of drinks and enjoy their time. They do Irish dancing, but also salsa and things like that, depending on the night. Some of the famous live music acts who have performed at the Crane Lane include Japanese rockers Shonen Knife, UK rapper The Streets and ska legends The Beat.
Outside of Cork, I recommend everyone to visit Blarney Castle. The grounds of Blarney Castle are beautiful and you can walk around as you please. But of course, there’s the famous legend that if kiss the Blarney stone you will get the gift of the gab. It’s a little bit scary, because you have to lie down on your back across a gaping hole – although someone is holding you. I guess it worked for me, because after I kissed the Blarney stone, I decided to become a lawyer!
While you are nearby, I also recommend visiting the town of Kinsale, which is such a cool town that has an old, rustic marina and lots of sailing boats and motorboats. There is a beach, although it’s very cold most of the time. Marinas in Bahrain and Dubai are very luxurious, but Kinsale has a historical and natural vibe complemented by a fort from the 1600s constructed during the reign of Elizabeth I and following the AngloSpanish War.
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Health and fitness
by Amit Joshi, PR & Communications Manager, Dubai
never too late It’s never too late to instill a new habit or two that will lead to a healthier, more fulfilling day-to-day life. Check out these 10 fitness tips below to help you reach your fitness goals and stay healthy throughout the year. 1. Start somewhere.
The first step is acknowledging that you want to get back into a routine. A key component of being healthy is having a fitness routine that works for you and sets you up for success.
2. Set goals.
The more specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely you can be when writing down your goals, the more likely you will be to succeed.
3. Move every day— no matter what.
Unless you’re ill or injured, make it a priority to move daily. A 15-minute workout (or even a walk around the block) is better than no workout at all.
4. Get enough sleep.
It is crucial to get enough sleep to recharge the body’s batteries. Seven to nine hours of sleep will ensure you have the energy to keep going throughout the day.
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5.Try something new.
Try a different fitness class, create a new playlist, invite a friend to join you, or start a new exercise routine. Throughout the week, include variety and mix different types of workouts.
6. Make it fun.
Incorporate activities you truly enjoy and look forward to doing, and can even make you forget you’re working out—like dancing, hula-hooping, or playing sports with family and friends.
7. Get outside.
On a nice day, take a walk or run around the neighborhood or visit a local park.
8. Give one percent more.
There is almost always a little piece of energy that you have not utilized in your workout.
9. Celebrate the small victories.
Change doesn’t happen overnight. Recognizing even the smallest changes— like making it to a workout class one day this week or scheduling 30 minutes in your day for a walk—will keep your momentum going to reach your goals..
10. Stay motivated.
An important key to getting in shape is to keep a positive mindset. Seeing the benefits of regular exercise or writing your goals down on paper may help you stay motivated.
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baking Tamimi
Bread baking may sound complicated but I can prove you it actually isn’t. For this bread no appliances are needed apart from a bowl, a fork, some cling wrap and a cooking pan which we will use as a Dutch oven. . by Barbara Koenen-Geerdink, BD & Marketing Director
Ingredients • • • • • •
450g all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon white granular sugar 2 teaspoons instant yeast (Hollandia) 1,5 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 375ml warm water (55C)
Preparation • • • • • • •
• • • • • •
Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large (glass) bowl Add water and olive oil Stir through nicely Dough will be wet and sticky Cover bowl with plastic cling wrap Leave in a dry warm place for 2-3 hours until doubled in size Place a large Dutch oven or pan with a lid in the oven and pre-heat 30 min. before baking at 230C. Lightly flour work surface an take out dough and fold 5-6 times with one tablespoon of flour Place dough on parchment paper, shape and sprinkle flour on top Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rest while oven is preheating Take pan from oven and place dough with paper inside Cover with lid and bake for 30 min Take lid off and bake for additional 15 min
This bread is guaranteed to make your house smell amazing. I have this bread with some French cheese, but its delicious with butter or olive oil and balsamic.
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NEW JOINERS Cairo and Port Said offices
“Being a part of Al Tamimi is the highlight of my developing career in law and it is a great opportunity for me to work as an associate in one of the regions’ legal powerhouses. Additionally, it’s an incredible prospect for me to be working amongst the regions’ most talented lawyers and in a firm that is always actively seeking my development and progression as a lawyer.” Mostafa Darwish Associate, Corporate Structuring Cairo Office
“Joining Al Tamimi is certainly a milestone in my legal career. I am thrilled to be part of a class act team and a firm that is well-known for heavyweight practice and a proven track record in complex domestic and cross-border transactions.” Hana El Omla Associate, Corporate Commercial Cairo Office
“I’ve recently joined the firm’s corporate commercial team so I can expand my experience in corporate transactions. I’m very excited to work alongside such a positive and dedicated team and to continually expand my knowledge horizon.”
“I’m really honored to have joined this famous regional law firm. Any lawyer would be more than grateful to join this fascinating team. It’s my pleasure to have met Ayman Nour and I’m looking broaden my legal expertise further.” Muhammad Abu-Zeid Legal Researcher, Transport & Insurance – Port Said Office
Seifeldin Nour Senior Associate, Corporate Commercial - Cairo Office
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TV series I’ve watched By Michael Citrome, Senior Associate, Tax (Dubai) The Sopranos is Ripe for Rewatch Before the Upcoming Movie When the Sopranos premiered on HBO in 1999, the public wasn’t sure what to make of it. From the name, some people (including future castmember Kathrine Narducci, who played Charmaine Bucco with barely-concealed dislike of the titular Tony Soprano) thought it had to do with opera. Others compared the premise of the show with Analyze This, a big-screen comedy released the same year that starred Robert DeNiro as a mafia don suffering from panic attacks and Billy Crystal as his reluctant psychiatrist. Although psychiatry – and the nature of personality, especially sociopathic ones – was always a major theme of the Sopranos, it also quickly became popular for its quirky and quotable characters, played by some actors familiar from mob movies like Goodfellas, and others then lesser-known, like the late James Gandolfini who remains inseparable from his character of New Jersey Mafioso Tony Soprano. The Sopranos ran for six seasons, with its final episode airing in June 2007 with an unforgettable ending – spoiler free, it’s a sudden cut to black – ambiguous enough that people are still debating it, while show creator David Chase stays officially mum on the meaning, in his own version of omerta.
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While it was on the air, The Sopranos was perceived by most viewers as a serious mob drama, akin to the Godfather, albeit one that dealt with atypical mob issues, such as aging parents and teenage angst. But it was seen a serious show with some funny moments, a drama where the main character is somehow sympathetic and likeable despite being a sociopathic killer. Then something happened. The rumors that had circulated for years about a Sopranos sequel movie materialized in the form of the Many Saints of Newark, the upcoming prequel that stars James Gandolfini’s son Michael in his father’s role as a youth, and (according to reports) tells the story of Dickie Moltisanti, a much-discussed but unseen (even in flashbacks) character on the show, who was the father of Tony’s protégé Christopher. Dickie was killed outside his home when Christopher was a baby and the true perpetrator of his death remained a loaded mystery throughout the series. At the same time, millions of people locked down due to Covid-19 with time on their hands began to rediscover the Sopranos, realizing that it had aged remarkably well. People began to rethink their perception of show, and it became less a serious mob drama about gangsters doing gangster things, and began to be seen as a dark comedy, that criticizes American capitalism and consumerism, using surrealism and selfparody as much as violence and conspiracy.
New fan theories abounded, from dealing with the characters’ sexuality (the story arc involving the forced-out-of-the-closet mobster Vito Spatafore, and his cousin-in-law, the hottempered Phil Leotardo, whole literally came out of the closet to assist in Vito’s demise) to what really happened and what was a dream, Tony’s or someone else’s. It became apparent that the show played with reality far more than viewers realized the first time, when fans focused on the realism of the settings and plot. The newfound popularity of the show was boosted by the Talking Sopranos podcast, hosted by Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti, and Steven Schirripa, whose role evolved from meek caretaker of the aging Uncle Junior to underboss of the family, via a tragic route. Now on its 68th episode at the time of writing, the podcast (available on iTunes and YouTube) reviewed every episode, diving into the plot and meaning at a granular level. At its best, the podcast functions as a kind of Rosetta stone to the show, explaining the role and origins of characters briefly-seen but integral to the plot, and explaining some of the complex symbolism in the show. As its creator David Chase is fond of telling people, there’s nothing in there by accident. The Many Saints of Newark is expected to premiere on October 1, 2021. That leaves almost enough time to catch up on 86 hours of some of the most deeply-layered and darkly comic television ever made. Your only disappointment may be the local unavailability of gabbagool, the Italian cured pork shoulder better known outside of Northern New Jersey as capocollo, because on The Sopranos, the portrayed more explicitly than the crime and violence is the food. Tamimi gram
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TRA
In this month’s Tamimi Gram we will take you on a bicycle tour through Manhattan. This is what you do when you have a Dutch tour guide, you visit the city in the best way possible: by bike! There is a nice café nearby, The River Café, to have a quick coffee before we head back to the island. After a quick stop we head back to the bridge, use the energy produced by the caffeine for our uphill struggle and we roll back onto the island to head towards Pier 16, South Street Seaport. We cycle around this little picturesque area and watch the ships.
The journey starts at Fancy Apple Bike & Scooter Rentals located at Kimlau Square just off Bowery Street all the way down south. Once we have selected a comfortable bike - as comfortable as the saddles get…- we hop on and find our way to the Brooklyn Bridge. There are signs all over the place so it’s easy to find it. It is a bit of an uphill journey but definitely worthwhile once you are on the bridge and you can enjoy the breath-taking views. And the good thing is, what goes up, must come down so we’ll reach Brooklyn with our feet off the pedals and race into a beautiful part of New York. We turn right as soon as we reach Brooklyn and staying with the Dutch, the name Brooklyn is actually derived from the original Dutch colonial name Breuckelen. We head towards the Brooklyn Bridge Park where we get to enjoy the view of THE skyline of all skylines.
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After a quick stop at the pier, we make our way to the money making district: Wall Street. We cycle around, look for the famous bull and once we have spotted the suited and booted, we cycle towards battery park to enjoy the views of the Statue of Liberty. You can visit Ellis Island as it has a great museum but in all fairness you see more of the statue from afar. Battery park is cosy and you will have to keep your bike in one hand to walk through the park as cycling is not permitted but the park and the views are just stunning.
New
by Barbara Koenen-Geerd
AVEL
York
ink, BD & Marketing Director
From Battery Park we head towards the 9/11 Memorial which is one of the most impressive spots of the city. The silence you hear in the heart of the busy buzzing city simply takes your breath away and makes you realise what life is all about. Standing still for a minute and think of those who have to miss their loved ones is painful but also a good reality check.
Let’s dry our tears as we move on to the west side where we continue our tour along the Hudson River. This is the river where pilot Sully miraculously safely landed an airplane on the river after it was attacked by birds. I actually lived in New York at the time it happened and it was a real spectacle. The Hudson river, especially when the weather is nice, is usually full of people playing sports, enjoying their picnic and spending time away from their (usually not so spacious) apartments. It is a real joy to see the baseball grounds, roller blades, people playing tennis and sipping drinks and eating food whilst they enjoy the views over the river. We cycle all the way up to Soho, my favourite district, and have lunch at Le Cou Cou – one of the finest restaurants in Soho. The food is just amazing and the atmosphere cannot be compared to anywhere else. Once our tummy is full, we head up north, burn these calories, cycle past Union Square and the Flatiron Building all the way up to the Empire State building. We’re not going to the top, we do that on another day, but taking some time to take in our surroundings and look up to the tall buildings is a must of course. As we have reached mid-town we get to enjoy Times Square, Broadway and the Rockefeller Center. Cycling across Times Square is a unique experience for sure. From Rockefeller Center we just follow fifth avenue, no time for stopping and shopping, sorry, we have a dinner appointment at Central Park. We drop our bikes off at the Fancy Apple Store close to Central Park and walk into the park looking for the famous Boat House. We pass the Central Park Zoo which is famous from the movie Madagascar. Once we reach the boathouse we also reach the end of our tour. You can enjoy a relaxing rowing session or enjoy some drinks and dinner at the restaurant, which is particularly famous for its divine crab cakes. Enjoy!
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Guess the JURISDICTI N Reveal and winner announced in next month’s issue.
For your chance to win guess which of our jurisdictions this is? First colleague to email with the correct answer will win AED200 Amazon vouchers. Send your answers to a.joshi@tamimi.com
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WINNER!!! Shuchi Tandon, Head of KYC / AML, was the first to reply with the correct answer – No it wasn’t the Shard in London as many thought… it was in fact Tornado Tower, Qatar. Well done Shuchi, we will be sending you your AED200 Amazon vouchers
See You Next Month!
If you have any suggestions or would like to contribute, please email a.joshi@tamimi.com