Issue 25

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‫ا ﻳﻄﺎ‬ ‫اﻟﻜﻮﻳﺖ‪...‬ﻓﻴﺴﺒﺎ‬ ‫ﻓﻲاﻟﻜﻮﻳﺖ‪...‬‬ ‫ا نﻓﻲ‬ ‫ا ن‬ ‫ﻓﻴﺴﺒﺎ ا ﻳﻄ‬

Autumn 2014

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DEAR READERS

Occasions in Kuwait used to be a lot more fun, didn’t they?

Let’s be honest, most of the events and occasions we attend nowadays can be a little boring. Everyone is trying so hard to ‘dress-to-impress’ that they’ve forgotten all about being comfortable. For an overwhelming number of us, a modern Kuwaiti event is only as successful as the amount of hashtags it generates or reposts it gets.

Never mind the laughter, the ambiance, the purpose, and the community it’s bringing together. Let’s all talk to our iPhone screens instead.

Whether it’s a weekly gathering, a wedding, or a birthday party; a store opening, an expo, or a farmer’s market; more often than not we tend to lose too much of ourselves in the formalities and not enough in the familiarities. Not enough in shaking our shoulders loose, swaying to the music when it’s just right, or connecting with one another about something other than who wore what to where.

Remember when you used to get together with your family, your friends, or your community not because you felt like you had to—but because you truly wanted to? When the hallmark of a truly successful night was the amount of times you felt inspired by someone’s conversation, delighted by their creativity, or simply moved by the amount of love they’ve managed to gather in one place. Remember those events? Those occasions?

Well, as we always do in THE CITY, we’re here to inspire you, delight you, and inform you. But in our Occasions issue, we’re hoping we can also remind you.

Our line-up of articles, monthly pages, feature stories, and exclusive fashion spread all revolve around this one common theme of letting our authentic outward reflect our diverse inward at every event and every occasion. We’re not here to tell

Editor-in-Chief

Managing Director

Khaled Al-Qahtani

Lana Al-Resheed General Manager

Shaza Ayesh

Khaled Al-Qahtani Editor-in-Chief

Lana Al-Resheed you to lower down the music or to pass on the bright and flashy. We’re here to tell you that being who you are—loud or quiet; flashy or modest—is all you need to be in order to make the best impression.

In features like Since You Wanna Know and The Beauticians we present Kuwaitis who didn’t shy away from the pomp and circumstance of making an event statement—but embraced it as a way to inspire others to be their true, vivacious selves. In stories like In Full Bloom and Made With Soul (featuring our oh-so-lovely friend from the Czech Republic, Irina Luklyanova), we settle into a more subtle and heartwarming definition of what it means to make any moment truly come to life.

For our Occasions cover, Kuwaiti artist May Al-Saa’d captures that I-can’tquite-put-my-finger-on-it feeling in her vibrantly loud painting portraying the Kuwaiti ‘Laiwah’ song and dance tradition. It is a cover which conveys that pulse; that energy charged to the max, that bubbles up our chests and hearts whenever we step into an event and hear that well-known, beloved beat that reminds us of who we are and where we come from: dreamers, from Kuwait.

It is the power of any surging moment of unity and togetherness that defines everyday moments as forever-remembered occasions. On our Occasions cover, we put our stethoscope to the soil of the Kuwaiti ground and heard its heartbeat: the symphony of the tribes of our unique histories and identities. Identities that have sustained and defined the Kuwaiti spirit of both past and present and speaks of a warmth, hospitality, and jubilee that fills our hearts at every true gathering of like-minded, unvarnished souls.

Sounds like quite the occasion, don’t you think?

Managing Director

Shaza Ayesh General Manager Sales Director

Essa Zain PR Manager

Fatma Al Khaldi Graphic Designer

Hussain Kuwalawala Head of Photography

Abdulrhman Al-Yousef Co. Head of Photography

Hussain Shamo

Published and Distributed By:

GREAT KUWAIT MEDIA FOR ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING For General Enquiries:

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Statement of Copyright: theCITY™ is owned and published by GREAT KUWAIT MEDIA. Copyright 2012.

All rights reserved. ® the CITY logo is owned by GREAT KUWAIT MEDIA. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any format without the written consent of the publisher.

DISCLAIMER Reasonable care is taken to ensure that theCITY Magazine articles and other information in the magazine are up-to-date and as accurate as possible as of the time of publication. No responsibility can be taken by theCITY Magazine for any errors or omissions contained herein. Furthermore, responsibility for any losses, damages or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through this magazine is not the responsibility of theCITY Magazine. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of theCITY Magazine.

Without this issue Alanoud Al-Sharekh

Nora Al-Ruwaished

Farah Al-Humaidhi

not possible.

Jinan Mohammad

Ziad Al-Obaid

whom woulD

Photographers

Roqaya Shamo

Hussain Shamo

Somood Faris

Abdulrhman Al-Yousef

be Ramez A.Sabawi

Writers

Latifa Madouh

Neda Al-Dihany

www.thecitym.com

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LIFE 12

Everyday Heroes

14

In Full Bloom

20

OXNepal: Hike for Humanity

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They Live Where They love

14

26

Igniting the Dream Machine

28

You, Your Body, and Other People

Cover By: MAy al-Sa'Ad

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Business 30

The Potential of an Idea

34

IDEAFEED

50

F00d 50

Chef's Choice

38

56

Wellness

Beauty & Fashion

38

56

40

62

The Smile Makers

Since You Wanna Know

Echoing Back

The Beauticians

46

68

Slimming Down Shaping Up

Buccellati Dreamin'

50 80

A r t & C u lt u r e 80

Mood board Mania!

82

Made with Soul

88

Lavish Indeed

92

More Light

96

THE CITY KIDS

ll Kuwaiti girls are models now,” their words like a bad caricature of femininity.

Lana complained as she asked He is looking for soft-spoken yet accomplished me to write an article for The City young ladies to host his new show, a show that Magazine on women in Kuwait. is meant to showcase academic, professional I understand her exasperation and impressive “real” women of Kuwait. Any at the influx of overnight social show that promotes Kuwaiti women is a good media celebrities; the “IT” girls, idea, because the media does play a role in the fashionistas, the stylists, the exposing inspiring role models and there is so would be models, focusing on the much to be proud of. We are surrounded by superficial and the trendy. Lana, like me, grew hard working, well presented and thoughtful up at a time when Kuwaiti girls were encouraged women who are confident and secure in their to be reserved, and they had to be studious sense of identity. Kuwaiti, female, modern and and stern to be successful. I am not sure that selectively traditional, because not all traditions modelling, style blogging or being a fashion can or should be maintained generation after maven is necessarily a bad thing. I am actually another. All the Kuwaiti women I know, like Lana, glad that my daughter is growing up at a time or the “models” she mentioned, are my everyday when she can be something other than drab heroes, forging new paths and finding new roles and serious to succeed. I agree that we need that my daughter can grow up and emulate one day. our girls to aspire to more than the sum of their looks but I also know that there is a large pool of people who are interested in glamorous pursuits and it’s

By Dr. Alanoud Al-Sharekh a field rich with financial rewards.

Ten years ago it was unthinkable that a girl could pose and pout and promote fashion and not create a scandal for herself and shame for her family. Today, the most popular of these fashionable Kuwaiti Instagram queens wears a hijab and dresses modestly in accordance with how the majority of females in our country, young more than old, chose to dress. I like that Dr. Alanoud Al-Sharekh has been long hailed as a we have more options as women, even while I Kuwaiti voice of visionary weight on the subjects of concede that some of these options may seem gender, counter-cultural dialog, and the murky waters of Arab and Khaleeji self-actualization that tend to run frivolous and wasteful. Another friend who between the two. She is an intellectual provocateur and works in TV production was complaining that a cultural change agent who has dedicated an entire the image of Kuwaiti women has been distorted career’s worth of time to nurturing and encouraging by the media…too many wailing women on seeds of critical thought in young Kuwaitis. In much of her work she greatly remarks on the deep-seated Ramadan TV shows, beaten up by men and by implications and realties that our culture and our circumstance, or doll-like presenters who simper

"A

Everyday Heroes

Dr. Alanoud Al-Sharekh

context control and how we can all begin to make greater strides towards freer minds.

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Ever notice how something as subtle as a flickering candle can have the power to make your gathering of friends just that much more cozy? Your restaurant experience that much more intimate and serene? It’s those little blossoms of happy, glowing ambiance that tend to make the most of our private, everyday occasions and our iconic corporate events as well. Unfortunately, regular candles melt and disintegrate over time and, just like that, so do the memories attached to them. This is where Dana Al-Rubaian’s first-ever-in-Kuwait LED candle solution, The Black Flower Commercial, can help your home, your business, and your immediate surroundings finally come into full bloom.

www.thecitym.com 15 Photographers : Hussain Shamo & Roqaya Shamo

So tell us more about The Black Flower Commercial and what's so uniquely special about it.

The Black Flower Commercial is quiet special in the fact that all candles produced by us, 100% natural wax, are imported from Spain. In that same way, we’ve tweaked a few ingredients in our candles to help protect them from Kuwait’s scorching sun so they’re uniquely produced with the Kuwaiti market in mind. However, the best part about what The Black Flower provides is our beautiful selection of colorful LED lights that are used to illuminate our candles, and that offer up a much wider range of uses, looks, and durability than Kuwait has ever seen.

Not to mention, we also offer our customer the option of personalizing your very own candle to your taste.

For instance, a specific shape, color, or a favorite natural scent that you prefer (such as coffee or lavender) could be added according to your liking. It’s all about creating options and making sure that you don’t ever have to settle for something plain and normal.

When did the initial idea behind The Black Flower Commercial first come to you and how did you start?

Well the initial idea came to me after a trip I took to Spain. I had noticed how illuminated the nightlife was over there and it immediately caught my attention. In part this was due to the very laid back attitude of the Spanish people, but I had also noticed an array of colors coming from every restaurant’s terrace—and I was intrigued. It was only then, as I was having my coffee, that I clearly saw these beautifully molded candles glowing along the edges of the terrace and immediately fell in love not only with how they made the café look—but how they made it feel as well.

I consider myself an avid believer in the power of small details to make a big impression. Those moments and memories of drinking hot coffee in chic cafés, surrounded by a warm glow of beautiful candles, stayed with me. That moment, and the desire to recreate it not only for myself but for others as well, was what inspired me to start The Black Flower Commercial. I want to offer my clients and customers those very same sensations of joy and tranquility.

Who is the main clientele for The Black Flower Commercial brand?

Well, in short, anyone who has an eye for detail and an appreciation

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for ambiance can benefit from and enjoy our candles. So, whether they are individuals who want to impress their guests with a sense of calm, serenity, and warmth during occasions and daily visits, or whether they are corporate clients who want to give their establishments that extra special polish of class, opulence, and charm—anyone can make great use of what The Black Flower Commercial has to offer both in terms of variety and quality.

What is the ambience and the general atmosphere that you want to convey through the use of your LED candles?

Our candles aren’t just for special days. They’re for special moments—and special moments happen every day. Whether you finally cracked open that book you’ve been waiting to read and taking a moment to yourself; having some loved ones over for a glimmering, heartwarming occasion or dinner; or dazzling clients and customers with a dreamy, fairytale setting, we want our candles to help infuse every moment with that extra special touch of tranquility and pleasantness in every atmosphere.

The LED capabilities make it so that each kind of moment you want to achieve is made available to you through an assortment of glow colors, scents, and radiance levels that can be controlled and altered by you to suit your various needs and conditions.

What can your LED candles offer consumers that regular candles cannot?

As I mentioned earlier, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to options as far as curating an ambience is concerned. It’s all about how each and every individual identifies with the candles and how they envision them as a part of their space. The issue of fire safety is also a very serious priority, which our nonflammable LED approach absolutely guards against. Last but not least is durability. Individuals can enjoy the use of our candles for many years and under many circumstances without any concern for deterioration or wear-and-tear, which is a huge difference compared to traditional fire-lit candles that usually tend to have a relatively short lifespan after a few uses.

Tell us about the various types and services pertaining to the LED candles available at The Black Flower Commercial.

As far as type and size of candles, our selection is widespread in variety and can fulfill every kind of need. Whether you want to make a bold statement with our larger pieces or just want to make subtle

yet charming touches with our smaller pieces, The Black Flower Commercial has you covered with a huge selection of different sizes, lengths, and designs. We even have a collection of waterfloater candles in case you’d like to give your pool or fountain that whimsical hint of enchantment.

We also provide our candles for rent, which can sometimes be the best choice for much larger celebrations or events. In addition, The Black Flower Commercial offers a great delivery service to our neighboring GCC countries as well as full customization services, which include colors, scents, shapes, and 3D modeling.

What do you think is the most necessary ingredient for creating a great ambience for any occasion?

It’s all about creating just the right amount of light. Too much can be harsh and too little can be dull—finding the right balance for your own particular setting and event vibe is key. If your tables are well-lit or your line of vision is well-illuminated it can make the difference between any old gathering and a surreal, exceptional atmosphere. For example, if you’re looking to create a serene type of ambiance, then mellow lighting and cozier light arrangements usually contribute to that experience quite well.

How important are candles in setting the right mood and atmosphere of a location?

Candles are one of those additions that you can’t go wrong with in any scenario. In fact, we believe that you’re missing a central component of your atmosphere without the right assortment of candles to lend the perfect glow of charm or serenity to your space. Well-placed candles around a dinner table or a garden terrace can be as important as a flower bouquet centerpiece when it comes to making your setting come alive with warmth and color What kind of setting do you most see The Black Flower Commercial candles being used in? Corporate or private?

Ideally, we see The Black Flower Commercial lighting up the spaces and events of both corporate and private clients and we appreciate how each different set of needs makes use of our selection in their own unique way. Corporate settings like big, official events or restaurant decors are definitely where we see ourselves most as far as utilizing the full spectrum of what The Black Flower Commercial has to offer as far as candle types and services are concerned. However, we still do absolutely aim at and aspire to give our private clients that same sense of cohesive ambiance and we see our candles making for unique statements in many homes and personal spaces around Kuwait.

What are some of the best ways that your LED candles can serve or improve the image of a corporate or business setting?

Our candles are truly produced, crafted, and delivered with the highest standards of production and aesthetic elegance. This dedication to superior craftsmanship is absolutely mirrored any time in which the candles are used by any of our clients.

We lend this image of sophistication, elegance, and quality to any business setting. When a business owner takes the time to invest in the aesthetic value of his/her establishment or company through products that are substantial in quality and striking in beauty, it can speak volumes about them and their brand to potential customers or observers.

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How about for personal settings?

There’s a wise old saying that goes: a house is not a home. Our aim, as candle providers first and as community members second, is to make every house in Kuwait a home. Home is where you feel cozy and at peace with yourself. Home is where you go when you want to absorb a source of natural, positive, regenerative energy. Home is where you unwind and let your mind and body breathe. These are all sensations that we want our LED lighted candles to help achieve for every single client of ours. We want them to turn on our candles and feel a sense of calm and relief from all the noise and the stress of the day. We want to be a part of the reason they’ll always feel at home.

Tell our readers more about where they can find you and get in touch with The Black Flower Commercial.

You can reach us on our Instagram account (@tbfcommercial), and check out our webpage (www.tbfcommercialkw.com). For further information you can Whatsapp or call us on +965 51465091 or +965 51465061. If you’d like to share any suggestions or questions with us, you can always email us on tbfcommercialkw@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to assist you however we can!

@tbfcommercial +965 51465091 tbfcommercialkw@gmail.com www.tbfcommercialkw.com 18 www.thecitym.com

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W

hen the worst part of a trip is not the part where a shower wasn’t available for three days, nor the countless leech bites received or even the 6 hours a day spent climbing up stairs and through slippery forests to reach the campsite, one might wonder what the worst part could possibly be.

For the 17 OXNepal volunteers, it was the fact that they had to get back on a plane, end their journey and come back to Kuwait. Back to real life, hot showers, normal toilets instead of holes in the ground, good food, and a warm dry bed. When volunteers are still actively talking about the trip and meeting up with one another after it is over, we as the OXadventure co-founders: myself, Nora Al-Ruwaished, Saud Al-Juwaiyan and Ibrahim Al-Fraih know that we have done their job well.

OXadventure is a Kuwaiti based non-profit company that takes the youth out of their comfort zones to complete charity work and adventures with a group of new and like-minded individuals who want to make a difference in the world and within themselves.

OXnepal was a ten-day journey in which the volunteers first began in the bustling streets of Kathmandu, then headed on a 6-hour bus ride to Pokhara where they saw Lake Fewa, the second largest lake in Nepal. They began their 4 night and 5 day hike on Panchase Trail, passing through dense forests, through extreme heat and carrying their backpacks the entire way.

education in collaboration with Teachers Cellar, a teachers material distribution store in Kuwait. Q8 books collaborated to donate books to build a library full of textbooks and entertaining reads for the children. A pathway was placed to prevent flooding and closing of the school during the monsoon season, a basketball court was built in order to encourage team sports and exercise and the classroom walls were painted with several volunteers leaving murals for the children.

When one-steps out of their comfort zone, there are endless possibilities for growth, discovery and new outlooks on life. This group of volunteers was extremely special because The group came back with hippie pants, beaded bracelets, a sense of accomplishment and an appreciation for simple things, a quiet breeze and truly not missing the luxuries they had back home because they realized that happiness isn’t a physical or material thing, but happiness lives truly within yourself.

This wasn’t just a physical and exhausting journey, but it was something that warmed your heart in every sense possible. Stepping out the box of our comfort, of our security, of all the things we take for granted, and being able to come out feeling invincible and vulnerable all at once. The people we encountered in the city and in the villages, the treacherous hikes, the unrelenting leeches, the smiles we saw, the ups and downs through the treks and through our souls, these are memories etched forever in our minds, but most importantly, in our hearts.

OXadventure would like to thank their annual partners, Ooredoo for making their trips possible, and their volunteers for being the backbone and the heart of our projects.

The sunrises were a vision that one would see from a computer desktop, each second more unforgettable then the next and each sunrise different from the last. In other words, absolutely majestic. One morning the team woke up at 4am to hike two hours up to the viewpoint where all the hustle and bustle of Kuwait felt like

By Nora Al-Ruwaished worlds apart. There was no honking horns, no time clocks, no prior commitments—just the volunteers, the sunrise, the Annapurna Mountain Range in clear view and the nature which allowed them to indulge all their senses in something they have never experienced before.

OXNepal: Hike for Humanity

Each morning and each night was spent completing yoga and stretches followed with meditation to quiet their minds and allow them to focus on quieting their minds and getting closer to inner happiness and contentment.

Evenings and nights were seen with the sky glittered with little stars and the moon illuminating throughout the campsite and scenery. We didn’t even need a flashlight; every feature was glowing from the moonlight in a stunning way. Campfires, music, good conversations, and a cup of masala all added to the ambience.

The hike allowed the volunteers to see the way typical Nepali mountain folk live—simply, with basic necessities and nothing more. They were challenged physically, mentally and emotionally the entire way. Injuries occurred but the team pursued. Each volunteer made it to the end of the hike with their own story, having overcome their own fears, ridding themselves of demons that may have been hiding within them, or simply feeling confident and rejuvenated.

One of the main eradicators of poverty is, in OXadventures’ belief, sustainable living and education, which is why the charitable aspect consisted of the restoration of a school in a village in Kathmandu Valley. The team donated teaching materials to allow for better quality

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Nora Al-Ruwaished @oxadventure

As OXAdventure co-founder, globe trotter, and avid culture writer, Nora Al-Ruwaished has dedicated her life to the pursuit of happiness through the fulfillment of meaningful causes and the joining of forwardthinking communities. Through OXAdventure, she has led and helped Kuwait's youth embark on several trips around the world to help both the global community and the Kuwaiti community feel the surging power and possibility that comes from doing good and staying humble.

Rosa Schilling is a Spanish woman who has built a family, a career, and stable, vibrant life in Kuwait ever since she first arrived here nearly 30 years ago. In that time Rosa has raised two smart, cultured Kuwaiti children into dedicated, responsible adults; she has courageously stood by Kuwait in times of war and liberation; and she has shown, time and again that, while her first home may be in Catalonia, Spain, a part of her heart forever remains in Kuwait.

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THEY LIVE WHERE THEY LOVE www.thecitym.com 23

Where are you from?

I am from Lloret de Mar, a seaside town in Catalonia, Spain.

When did you come to Kuwait?

I first arrived to Kuwait on February, 13th 1985.

What do you do?

I work as an Administrative Officer in the Spanish Embassy.

Why did you choose Kuwait as your home?

I got married in 1985 to a Kuwaiti citizen. I first met him in Marbella (Spain), where I was working at the Touristic Information Office of the city. Back then I only knew where Kuwait was from what I had read. Yet no one prepared me for what was coming when I arrived and soon after I was struck with what people call culture shock!

Fortunately, I quickly learned to adapt and formed long lasting friendships with Kuwaitis and other expatriots.Little did I know that I would end up staying 30 years in Kuwait and raising two beautiful children.

What do you love most about Kuwait?

I have lived in Kuwait longer than in my native land. It has become hard for me to separate between the home I was born in and the home I built in Kuwait. I love my home and, as in every home, sometimes you would like to see small changes in the surroundings in order to live more comfortably. The thing I love the most is perhaps the people’s hospitality towards foreigners especially those who are completely alien to Kuwait’s customs. I also admire the fact that despite the vast culturization from other countries Kuwaitis will always cherish and preserve their beautiful traditions and customs.

What do you think of the Kuwaiti lifestyle and culture?

Its quiet different from where I lived in Spain! However, Kuwait has some very unique traits I love. One being the importance of extended families in their daily routine. Although, I wish there were more cultural centers such as art museums and theaters to enjoy.

I’d also love to see more educational centers around to teach and inspire Kuwait’s youth.

How much of an impact has Kuwait had on your life?

I arrived to Kuwait when I was 21 years old. Kuwait has completely molded my life. At first it was hard not to have my family close to me, but I integrated myself in Kuwait’s culture and traditions. I started learning Kuwaiti and taught myself how to read and write in Arabic too. I earned my degree in political science whilst I was in Kuwait. Most importantly, my children were born and raised in Kuwait and I feel blessed to have become a positive contributor to Kuwait’s ever growing diversity.

What have you gained from Kuwait and given Kuwait?

I gained a lot from Kuwait: family, friends, my work, economic stability, cultural enrichment and I think I gave Kuwait two fantastic children which love their own country very much while at the same time appreciate the country their mother came from.

What does Kuwait mean to you on a personal level?

A place I now call home and feel quiet proud to be living in. I had been given opportunities that perhaps would have been available to me in Spain. During the Gulf War I truly endured as much sadness and loss as many Kuwaitis families did. In fact, while the war was ongoing my Kuwaiti husband and I were asked to appear on a talk show in Spain that had been doing a story on the war. I fiercely condemned Saddam Hussein’s actions on national television at the time and I still reserve strong patriotic feelings towards Kuwait to this day.

What words would you like to say to Kuwait if you could?

Kuwait: thank you for giving me a home away from home. I am grateful to have been a part of the last 30 years of your history.

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"Kuwait: thank you for giving me a home away from home. I am grateful to have been a part of the last 30 years of your history.”

Photographer : Hussain Shamo

T

here is nothing more rewarding and selffulfilling than pursuing your own vision and dream and working hard to achieve these goals. The final satisfaction is so rewarding that it has the power to create the value to life itself. As the academic year swiftly moves underway, we need to have these thoughts deeply embedded within the minds and souls of our children as they start to make their way out in the world.

Steve Jobs' vision sparked the PC revolution and made Apple an icon of American business. But somewhere along the way, Jobs' vision got clouded and he was ousted from the company he helped found. Few will disagree that Jobs did indeed impede Apple's growth, yet without him; the company lost its sense of direction and pioneering spirit. After nearly 10 years of plummeting sales, Apple turned to its visionary founder once again for help. Now a little older, little wiser Jobs engineered one of the most amazing turnarounds of the 20th century.

Steve Jobs showed an early interest in electronics and gadgetry. While in high school, he boldly called HewlettPackard co-founder and President William Hewlett to ask for parts for a school project.

Impressed by Jobs, Hewlett not only gave him the parts, but also offered him a summer internship at Hewlett-Packard.

Steve Jobs’ story is indeed an inspiration to all of us and especially to young students who still have many hopes and dreams waiting to be fulfilled. Let us all help the younger generation to have a mission in life and work on achieving this mission and goal with as much faith and passion as possible. Who knows what success stories we'll create? I do believe that Kuwait can easily be the home country of the next Steve Jobs. It is not science fiction I can assure you. It only takes commitment, determination, and hard work, and the gates of possibility will open themselves up to us. So, when you're busy plugging away at that dream of yours, always remember Steve Jobs’ story and how he started from just a home garage operation with capital less than KWD 385 to create Apple. The same Apple that is now one of the most valuable companies in the world with market capitalization exceeding USD 1 trillion. How's that for a dream come true?

Igniting the dream machine

By Ramez Sabawi

In 1975, the 20-year-old Jobs and his career partner Steve Wozniak set up shop in Jobs' parents' garage, dubbed the venture Apple, and began working on the prototype of the Apple I. To generate the $1,350 in capital they used to start Apple, Steve Jobs sold his Volkswagen microbus, and Steve Wozniak sold his Hewlett-Packard calculator.

Although the Apple I sold mainly to hobbyists, it generated enough cash to enable Jobs and Wozniak to improve and refine their design. In 1977, they introduced the Apple II -- the first personal computer with color graphics and a keyboard. Designed for beginners, the user-friendly Apple II was a tremendous success, ushering in the era of the personal computer. First-year sales topped $3 million.

Two years later, sales ballooned to $200 million.

But Apple's innovations were just getting started. Over the next decade, the company rolled out a series of revolutionary products, including the iPod portable digital audio player in 2001, an online marketplace called

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the Apple iTunes Store in 2003, the iPhone handset in 2007 and the iPad tablet computer in 2010. The design and functionality of these devices resonated with users worldwide. Apple says it has sold more than 300 million iPods, over 100 million iPhones and more than 15 million iPad devices. The company has sold billions of songs from its iTunes Store.

Ramez Sabawi ramez_sabawi ramez.sabawi@viva.com.kw

As the Treasury Director of one of Kuwait’s telecom mega-giants—VIVA—Ramez is a man with his finger on the pulse of the latest and greatest in communication development. Through his words Ramez Al-Sabawi gives us a chance to take a step back, look at ourselves and our home—Kuwait—with clearer eyes, and fresher attitudes.

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A

s most of you know, we live in a society that forces us to focus on our outer appearance.

They use it as the main way to pass judgment. To be able to visualize the other person's life based solely on what kind of shoes they are wearing.

It's the greatest indictor of what you are as a person. Now I'm not saying that that's okay, but that's how most people function.

And how you look plays a great role in how they perceive you. So, unless Tinker Bell comes to life and sprinkles fairy dust all over this town, we're stuck with this shallow way of thinking.

Growing up, I didn't care much about my appearance; I wore baggy clothing and preferred to spend most of my free time indoors: where I played video games and read fictional novels.

Fear not, I wasn't anti-social; but I did enjoy the company of fictional characters. (Any Potter-heads out there?)

This phase carried out till I graduated from high school. When I first entered college that's when things changed. I noticed how other girls dressed. How they applied makeup, how they carried themselves as if they were models on "America's Next Top Model: University Edition."

Looking back at it now, I bet Joan Rivers would have torn all of them apart if she was present.

Weird, right?

Honestly: I dare you to leave the house with black lipstick on and count how many people notice or try to do something about it (guys: I advise you not to attempt this as us girls still find lipsticks very tricky to work with). What's the worst that could happen? Sure, they might stare. Someone will probably tweet about it. But other than that, it's not the end of the world.

Babies won't start crying at the sight of you, planes won't fall from the sky and I assure you that your appearance will not bring upon the zombie apocalypse.

When you start looking at this from an outsider's perspective, this obsession with the way we look in hopes that it'll satisfy the visual interest of random strangers turns out to be completely and utterly ridiculous.

In conclusion, you should be working on making YOU feel happy with how you look. When you get ready in the morning, look at yourself and admire yourself. And I know you've heard this a million times but love yourself and own what you have.

It's your body. Do what you want with it. Cover it with ink, if you will. In the end, self acceptance is what will bring you inner peace and happiness.

you, your body, and other people.

So, you can imagine how uncomfortable that atmosphere was.

There I was, standing in the corridor in my

By Jinan Mohammad casual attire and wanting to fit into their box. Because university seemed like a miniature version of the adult world (at the time). There was this internal need to prove my worth via the garments on my back. Truth be told, I did try. I went shopping and tried to mimic their styles but that didn't stop them from judging me and giving me strange looks. I can only describe the look as: "How dare you walk in my presence and breathe the same air as me?"

Then came the summer of 2011. I took a camping trip to the states and that changed me. The circumstances I was in, being away from my family and friends, having to share tents with strangers and getting in touch with nature, all impacted me in a way. I know it sounds very weird and I assure you that I have not lost my mind. But being away from the situation forced me to view it from a different perspective and made come to terms with myself.

After I came back to Kuwait, I decided to do my own thing. I didn't care about what 'they' thought of my mismatched tops and bottoms. How I wore my head-scarf and what color lipstick I decided to wear that day.

Because here's the funny thing: Nobody really cares.

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As Amy Leigh Mercree so eloquently put it, "Celebrate who you are in your deepest heart. Love yourself and the world will love you.�

Jinan Mohammad

In her half confident, half anxious tone, and amidst her own personal experience navigating a world in which everything only seems near-possible for the average twenty-something, Jinan Mohammed candidly, humorously, and plainly tells it like it is. In her articles she explores arenas of vast doubt for the average 21st century young adult, but with a voice as sarcastically quippy and amusingly intelligent as hers to keep you company along the way, we think you’ll make it through.

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A conversation with avid tech geek, entrepreneurial thinker, and AlleyNYC founder, Jason Saltzman www.thecitym.com 31 Photographers : Hussain Shamo

B R O U G H T TO YO U BY

"Business should have no boundaries.�

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What kind of person becomes an entrepreneur?‬‪

I believe that there is not “one” kind of person who becomes an entrepreneur. It takes a ton of courage and passion to start your own business. Many people have ideas, but it takes a motivated, dedicated person to execute upon ideas and bring them into reality.‬‪ What are the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur?

‪I‬n my experience, common traits of a successful entrepreneur are a mix between passion, wit, and a whole lot of guts. You have to be willing to walk off a ledge, and throw yourself into the hands of the unknown. True entrepreneurs know that the next day is uncertain, and we are oddly cool with that.‬‪ How do entrepreneurs see the world?‬‪

Speaking for myself, I love to see the world as being full of opportunity to create things that make our lives better. I am always looking at services and operations, and I wonder, “How can I improve this?" I also can't help but think about the scalable potential of an idea. I find this to be common in most of my entrepreneurial friends. We look at how large of a problem we are solving and how much of an opportunity in business we have in solving it.‬‪ What method do successful entrepreneurs use to get ahead in the world?‬‪

The most successful entrepreneurs I have met in my career view their business as projects -- sort of like a science experiment. Operating this way separates the emotion from the challenging decisions one must make in order to pivot around what is not working, and pursue what is.‬‪ Can we teach others to be entrepreneurs or is it something that you either have or you don’t?‬‪ You can absolutely learn the skills it takes to be successful in business.

Everyone has the passion, and can cultivate the drive to become successful. It may seem cliche, but all you need to do is apply yourself.

I find it helpful to just throw myself into a project. If you immerse yourself in something you truly believe in, with passion, you will learn everything you need to learn about building something people are going to want to use.‬‪ What is the first step to becoming an entrepreneur and starting a company?‬‪

In most experiences, it comes down to validating your idea. Using lean methodology, you are able to prove the assumption that your idea will make you money before you spend your time, your brain, and your money to build it.‬‪ How can a fledgling startup business rise above the fold of competitors?‬‪

First of all, the fact that you have competition is great. That means that, more than likely, you are in a good market. Now you have to study what your competition is doing better than you, especially if you are struggling and they are not. Are they giving a better experience? Are they better at marketing? Having successful competition is great as long as you can learn from them and apply what you have learned to do it better.‬‪ Are recessions and economic downturns good or bad news for startups?‬‪

I believe there is opportunity in any economic climate. During the recession in the US, Kraft Cheese stock scored above luxury cheese brands; it was cheaper and more accessible. Apps to help you save money and work on your budget became extremely popular. In a bull market, luxury apps became wildly successful. If you are building anything and validate it, you will learn to look at certain conditions,

such as the state of the economy, as an ingredient that you need to work with.‬‪ What’s your advice for startups looking to raise capital?‬‪

Build a viable business first and focus on real traction. I like to say to early stage startups that the focus should not be on raising institutional capital. Focus instead on validating your idea and making as much revenue as possible, while being as lean as possible. When you are ready to raise money, it will be there. ‪‬ How do you make smart hiring decisions as a young, startup entrepreneur?‬‪

Early stage hires are very important to the life of startup. In most cases, you will not have a ton of money to compensate a prospective employee.

They either work for you for the future opportunity, or they share the passion of what you are doing. More than likely, you will have to give equity to these types of people, so make sure you want them to stay with you for the life of the business. In reality, it is sort of like a marriage.

You may want to test out a working relationship before committing to anything.‬‪ Does the company structure ultimately stifle innovation for entrepreneurial thinkers?‬‪

True entrepreneurs know that they have to scale their business. You can not "boil the ocean," so you need to scale your business properly and trust that those around you are capable of handling what they have to do, without you totally involved.

What are some typical startup pitfalls?‬‪

A common pitfall we see often is early stage entrepreneurs building things that they want, rather than testing what the market really wants.

You should never develop in a vacuum. How will you know what people want if you do not ask them? If you have an idea, ask the right questions to the right people and you will quickly find out how valid that idea really is, regardless of what you think or how you feel about it.‬‪ What do you think is the biggest challenge that the world faces today?‬‪ More than ever, we are socially connected. We are experiencing events and views right in front of our faces that are much different than the views and cultures we established growing up. I believe in order to work together, we need to focus on the bigger picture. We all want to be happy, and those who don't -- we really want nothing to do with them as entrepreneurs. I think the one common bond that we share, regardless of any outside influences, is that we want to build solutions to problems.

We should leverage global talent to get things done. This way, we are working together as one big awesome community of creators. That's pretty amazing.‬‪ How can entrepreneurs use their business skills to solve social problems?‬‪

Business should have no boundaries. Business is the one thing that connects us, regardless of background, race, gender, etc. Use your business skills to tear down the walls of difference that divide us, and amazing things will happen.‬‪What or who has most influenced you as an entrepreneur?‬‪I am influenced by problems. The bigger the problem, the more I am inspired to solve it. I know that one person cannot solve the world's issues, so I started a community of people. It is now my vision to expand this community globally to solve some of the world's biggest issues with some of the world's brightest entrepreneurs. Will you join me?‬

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@BriliantLab

34 www.thecitym.com Photographer : Hussain Shamo

The Brilliant Failure www.thecitym.com 35

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"

Hiring remotely from the start can be a recipe for disaster— especially in places like Kuwait where you need a keen understanding of the local market in order to create for it.

Failure is the fertilizer of Silicon Valley, or so the experts would have you believe.

Like fraternity hazing, many seasoned veterans take way too much pleasure in warning plebes (aspiring entrepreneurs) that 80 to 90 percent of all startups fail.

But failure, when you get right down to it, is neither an inevitability, a rite of passage, nor anything to hang on your mantle. If you’re an active follower of global business and commerce news in any capacity you’ve probably had ringside seats to some of the greatest successes and flame-outs in business history. And while everyone associated with startup ventures knows that, indeed, you need to kiss a few frogs at times, for this edition of IDEAFEED I’ve created an early warning ‘failure list’ that I think you should consult before puckering up:

It’s the technology - If you take this approach, you’re lost before you even start — and yet it’s the single largest startup sin I see. This happens when the founders have spent years creating their technology and so assume it’s as compelling to others as it is to them. It isn’t. It’s not what your technology can do, it’s what it can do for the customer. Solutions sell, technology doesn’t.

Make the CEO a rock star - Too many first-time CEOs think they’re the next Steve Jobs — down to the bullying behavior and grandiose statements. But even Jobs had his Wozniak. The best venture capitalists out there invest in teams, not individuals. As Walter Isaacson’s new book The Innovators attests, if a CEO doesn’t bring in a strong exec team, listen to them, and share the credit, the startup will soon be a true one-man operation for all the wrong reasons.

Spend early and big on branding - This is probably one of the biggest mistakes and failures I see Kuwaiti businesses take part in. This may come as a shock to you but, trust me, DO NOT create your brand in a cocoon, or with the help of a high-priced branding agency. Let it evolve organically, based on your company culture and customer reactions. The resulting brand will be truer — and cheaper.

Give the Creative Director power over the brand - A powerful Creative Director who is strong on visuals and light on Marketing, can end up doing great damage to your marketing efforts, if you’re not careful. Think of it like this: If you’re not going to let your VP of Marketing design your creative work, don’t let your Creative Director have control over your brand.

"

Go virtual from the start - I understand the impulse to go with this one because it can be a big time and money save but, honestly, hiring remotely from the start can be a recipe for disaster—especially in places like Kuwait where you need a keen understanding of the local market in order to create for it. Besides that, so many of your startup’s best ideas are going happen in meetings and shared work spaces. Bottom line: long-distance won’t cut it if you’d like to do some serious work and development on your product and brand, at least at the start.

Revise your value proposition early and often - So many companies in Kuwait think that just because they can throw their product out into the market, gauge initial reaction, and quickly respond, they can similarly reconfigure their core value proposition to the customer in the same way. I’m sorry, Kuwait, but that’s not how the game works. When you keep playing with your core customer value that doesn’t make you look responsive, it makes you look indecisive. That’s why I always recommend you challenge and iterate your positioning and messaging before you launch, then go through one sales cycle before you make any major changes.

Leadership, not management, is the key to success. - Usually, the CEOs call this having “vision,” and truth be told, it can be critical to pulling off a strong launch. But once you’ve had a strong start and early sales success, it’s time to focus on growth and execution, not “vision." The days of everyone reporting to the CEO are over, as are the days of the CEO making every major decision like a dictator. It’s time to manage — in some cases ‘manage the managers.’ And that’s an entirely new (and essential) skill that might not be as fancy but is twice as important as having “vision.” If you’re a CEO and you can’t make that transition, I strongly recommend you go find another CEO to run your business for you.

So, if you believe you need to fail before you can succeed, make sure you fail in an original way. Because all of the above are avoidable.

Let your people choose their own job titles. - Sure, you could do that, but before you do, think of what titles like “social media guru” and “sales boss” are going to do for your brand image and enterprise sales in the long run.

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The Smile Makers Dr. Mubarak Al saeed Orthodontist Manchester University - UK

First thing's first! Tell us more about yourself, about your specific specialty, and what it entails.

My name is Mubarak Alsaeed and I am a practicing orthodontist (specialist in braces) here in Kuwait. Upon graduation from Charles University in Prague, I immediately returned to Kuwait and completed an 18-month internship equivalent to a general practice residency for the Ministry of Health.

Furthermore, in addition to that, I decided to enroll in the Membership of Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and completed the certification process by successfully completing the exams and requirements set upon us in the minimum time allowed which was a record. I then decided to steer my career in a slightly different direction by developing a keen interest in the specialty of Orthodontics (study of braces). As a result, I decided to achieve my Orthodontics specialty with honors from the University of Manchester in England, which is recognized as one of the top schools worldwide. After three years of serious motivation, dedication and hard work, I successfully obtained my certificate as a specialist in Orthodontics. Finally, I pursued and successfully attained the Membership of Orthodontics of the Royal College of Surgeons of England prior to coming back to Kuwait to commence my career as an Orthodontist. I worked for a period of one year in AlJahra Dental Center Department of Orthodontics before resigning from the Ministry and joining Bayan Dental Clinic on a full time basis as the medical director of Bayan Jahra branch and the center’s Orthodontist.

Did you always know you wanted to be a dentist?

To be perfectly honest, and to put it in the nicest possible way, dentists were not my favorite people. I never imagined that being a dentist would ever make it on my bucket list. This is due to a traumatic experience, I myself encountered. I had 4 of my primary (baby) teeth taken out when I was merely 6 years old; it was terrifying and messy and painful. This experience repulsed me and engraved a phobia in me. However, this was later put to bed when I eventually decided to get braces 6 years later. My monthly follow-up visits with my orthodontist were such a different experience and so positive. He was extremely caring, friendly and thoughtful. It was a painless experience. Moreover, the work itself and movement of the teeth to a more pleasing position fascinated me and was exciting. I even remember asking my orthodontist several questions about the procedure and the specialty. After removing my braces I was in seventh heaven. I was confident and extremely happy with my teeth and the feedback was positive; most importantly, the teasing stopped. Since then I have always been self conscious about maintaining my teeth and keeping them clean.

I appreciate all the work my orthodontist had done for me and therefore ultimately decided to become one. Such irony!

Besides the dental treatment that you render on your patients and the usual post operative instructions that you provide, what values and lessons would you like your patients to take home after every appointment or session?

Achieving a nice and healthy smile, free of cavities and pain is not solely the dentists job; it is however a joint effort. We as dentists, regardless of our specialty, aim to provide the ultimate dental treatment with the best standard of care via the use of the most modern materials and equipment out there and with the skills and knowledge that we have received from training. However, for our treatment to guarantee success and longterm stability, it is crucial that the patients strongly adhere to his/her post instructions given to them by their treating doctor. This includes keeping your teeth clean by brushing twice a day two minutes each with the correct

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"A gentleman with managerial skills, a leader with positive energy - badria al roudan"

technique and flossing with Waterpik water flosser or the traditional floss once before bedtime. Great dentist and a compliant patient = a happy, healthy smile for life.

Tell us about your experience at Bayan Clinic. Why do you think it's a special place for both dentists and patients and what is it that sets it apart from all the other dental centers or dental providers in the area?

Bayan is the dream private practice place for most if not all dentists in Kuwait for several reasons; one of which is the prestigious brand name that comes with it. Of course, the brand name was achieved through the extremely hard work done by professionals being meticulous and paying attention to every detail being it significant or insignificant, rendering it the ideal place for both dentists and patients. Furthermore, providing me with the highest quality material and latest technology available allow me deliver the finest treatment to my patients, guaranteeing treatment with the best possible outcome. As well as Bayan's willingness to keep us updated clinically and didactically in our specialty by constantly sending us to attend international conferences are some of what I like the most being a member of Bayan. Therefore, it is a unique place for patients that are aware that they are being treated by a combination of the most qualified specialty and non-specialty dentists with the highest quality material out there and the latest technology available worldwide.

What do you most enjoy about being a dentist?

During the debonding visit, when I remove the braces for my patients and hand them for the first time, a mirror, the exciting and ecstatic reaction that I notice on their faces is such a satisfying and thrilling feeling. Knowing that their smiles became the smile of their dreams is such a great feeling. Moreover, when I show my patients their before and after pictures and see the shocked and appreciated look on their faces is what I truly enjoy the most.

Are there any dental tips you would like to pass on to our readers?

To all parents out there, taking care of your child’s baby teeth is vital as it could save them from having braces later on in life. This is due to the existing baby teeth maintaining the spaces required for the adult teeth to come through. One crucial piece of advice is to start taking your children to the dentist from as young as one year old (as per the recommendation of the American Association of Pedodontics) so that they get acquainted with the dentist, preventing any painful or unpleasant experiences in the future. It is also important to educate the parents on how to take care of their children’s teeth at home and to avoid bad habits such as letting the babies sleep while sucking on the feeding bottle all night.

Furthermore, braces can be placed for children starting from 11 years old with some cases even as young as 8 years old (those with a big chin for instance). There are really no age limits in general with regards to braces as you are entitled to have the best smile and look young even if you are 100 years old. What a deal breaker!

What is so special about your field?

Braces followed by whitening can provide people with the best smile possible while also preserving their natural teeth. What else beats that or even comes close?

@bayandentalkw

@bayandental

www.thecitym.com 39 Creative Director: Zainab Bahman Photographer : Hussain Shamo

echoing Back @sadacenter

+965 22671556

www.sadacenter.org

A trip to SADA Educational and Rehabilitation Center: where Kuwait’s most precious, littlest voices, learn to speak.

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www.thecitym.com 41 Photographers : Somood Faris

So what exactly is the role and purpose of the SADA center in Kuwait. Who and what was it created for?

SADA evolved as an initiative taken by the Health Fund's Board of Directors at Kuwait Public Awqaf Foundation. After recognizing that there is a dire need for a specialized center that caters to children with cochlear implants, The Awqaf Foundation turned to Dr. Tareq Al Shatti and Dr. Bassam Al Foudari (both specialized and interested in this arena) to establish a center that integrated Therapy and Education for children with cochlear implant to prepare them for their future in main stream schooling. At first they named it Ishraq, but then decided that the name SADA (meaning echo in Arabic) best fit the mission. And what we see today is the outcome of sincere and hard working cooperation between Kuwait Public Awqaf Foundation and The Child Center for Evaluation and Testing. SADA was created by the first and managed by the second. It is a non profit center so all our services are for free.

What kind of learning and social environment does the SADA center provide for children with Speech-Language pathology issues?

SADA provides a language-enriched optimal environment, to nourish the skills and abilities of children with cochlear implants. SADA’s building foundation is well prepared to ensure noise-free environments for these children. The environment provided ensures the use of Kuwaiti-Arabic. It should also be mentioned that the learning environment at SADA encourages the use of language in functional, daily life activities.

What is the range of Speech-Language impediment cases that the SADA center is equipped to deal with and assist?

Since SADA was created because children with cochlear implants needed an integrated place, the center only accepts children with cochlear implants from ages 1.5 to 4. Of course, the earlier the better. Early intervention with these children makes such a dramatic difference.

Is SADA a treatment center, a special needs school, or both?

SADA is an integrated rehabilitative and educational center. What we do is ensure that while the child is getting his/her speech therapy, they are also catching up on other skills that they need for school. Since the beginning part of the journey is mostly therapy,

we have different levels of our 'Language Learning Enhancement Program' or what we call, LLEAP. In this level the Speech and Language Pathologists play the biggest role, while the teacher is the supporting role. Then once the child moves up in their LLEAP levels, teachers are ready to welcome them and play a bigger role in our kindergarten levels.

What are some of the specific difficulties and rewards you encounter in Speech-Language impaired children?

The only difficulty is when the child comes in at an older age without any previous support or awareness from the family. In speech, hearing, and language development, family involvement is the number one asset. So if there's no involvement, the child will not develop to their full potential. When the family is aware and supportive, our community and society will be aware and supportive as well. If families start a conversation and speak to their children publicly and regularly, others will follow. In the end, the child will benefit because these are conversations the child needs to hear and have the opportunity to react to.

The rewards are endless! Witnessing the child's growth not just in communication but also in identity and resilience, is priceless.

We know that the SADA center welcomes children with Cochlear Implants. How do you encourage vocalization for children who use cochlear implants or AAC devices?

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SADA has a staff of Speech-Language-Pathologists, teachers, and teaching assistants who are trained to help facilitate and develop children with Cochlear implants’ communicative skills and abilities. The daily schedule is designed to provide the maximum number of communication opportunities for each child. Things like individualized sessions, group sessions, play time, structured activities, and stories are used.

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"Witnessing the child's growth not just in communication but also in identity and resilience, is priceless.�

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Meetings are set for the plan to be put together. Other external specialists are contacted upon need as well.

How does the SADA center promote generalization of the child's social skills from a structured, therapy environment into the real-word, home and school environment?

Generalization is one of the targeted goals we set for the children. Each skill is supported differently in order for it to best generalize itself with the outside world over time. Along with specific skills, involving parents and family is another path used to support generalization. Field trips are also encouraged, to support the children’s interaction with the community.

What do you recommend parents in Kuwait do to help their children surpass or happily co-exist with Speech-Language impediments?

Families are the first support providers for any child. They should believe in their children's abilities. They should fight for them to have the best available services and regulations for them to develop to be the best that they can be. The sky is the limit as far as what these children can do when we have everyone's support!

How exactly does the SADA staff make for a cohesive learning environment. What is each of their roles (SLPs, occupational therapists, psychologists, special education specialist, etc.) in teaching social communication and other skills to the children?

In a regular clinical setting, SLPs would provide speech-language therapy for the clients according to their skills. In SADA SLPs, teachers, and teaching assistants collaborate to build a cohesive integrated program for each child.

The percent of involvement of each team member differs according to the educational/rehabilitative level of the child in question. Let's not forget that family and parent involvement is also part of this cohesive environment. And since they are a part of this community, then the public is also part of the extensive environment that this child needs.

How do all of those disciplines relate to and come together to make for a well-rounded, nurturing experience for the children?

At SADA, an annual & semester individualized integrated plan is created.

What is the most important thing to keep in mind when addressing or nurturing a child with a Speech-Language impediment?

Each child is different and each disorder is different. Awareness, knowledge, and early intervention are the keys to future success. We always have to remember that we have to enable our children, not disable them. Encourage independence and individuality in your children whenever you can.

How can the local, Kuwaiti community support or take part in SADA’s development and initiative?

One of SADA's ciritical goals is to establish financial stability by gaining contributions to it's endowment (Waqf). We want to get to the point where we can provide free services forever for all children with cochlear implants. The more contributions, the more children we can take in and help them to find their voices in life. We also welcome volunteers that feel they can contribute to SADA as a center and to it's children.

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with certified personal trainer

Jaber Al-Rasheed

I

’ve been working in the weight adjustment and dietary regimen field for over a year now and, more often than not, the request that usually pops up first among my clients is the need to lose a substantial amount of weight, in a short period of time, for a special occasion.

First of all, I have to say this right off the bat: I am against the idea of simply trying to readjust your exercise and dietary regimen purely for the sake of an upcoming special occasion. Why? Because our bodies are entitled to our respect and our commitment.

Care for your body as you would for your bank account and for your family’s wellbeing. After all, our bodies are the only vehicle and instrument that we will carry with us throughout life and that we will most rely on beyond anything else. Just as you can make time to go to work, grab a quick meal, and relax, you absolutely can and must make time for exercise in your daily life.

Almost every single dietary regimen that tries to sell you on the idea of losing anything above 6 kilograms of weight per month is a regimen based almost solely on the premise of deprivation. And you know what that means? It means that, sure, some of you could probably lose even 10 kilos in the scale of one month’s time, but where will those 10 kilos come from? From muscle, from energy, from hair loss, from eyesight deficiency, from weak nails, from stress, from skin irritation, and, most importantly, from very, very little actual fat!

The end result will be, at best, a weak body that suffers from a lot of sag, a lot of deficiency, and a lot of stress. Definitely not the demeanor you want to step into any occasion with.

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www.thecitym.com 47 Photographer : Hussain Shamo

So, let’s assume that we really were in a very tight jam when it came to time and we were looking for the best, healthiest way possible to lose a considerable amount of weight within a short time-span.

First: you’ve really got to commit to this plan, 110%! That means no cheating and no messing around! Second: we absolutely must start out with a regimen that focuses on exercise. It is of super importance that we do at least two forms of exercise every day: resistance exercise (like weight-lifting) and aerobic exercise (like walking).

Now, there are two ways to go about achieving these results. The first and the best way to go would be: 1. Do some aerobic exercises every day for an hour after you wake up (on an empty stomach after drinking some water).

2. Do some resistance exercises two hours after eating lunch.

The second way: 1. Do some resistance exercises two hours after eating lunch.

2. Do some aerobic exercises immediately after the resistance exercises.

The reason behind this method is that it makes use of the particularity in the body that occurs due to the lowered glycogen (carbohydrate) levels that are found in the muscle and liver after fasting and after doing resistance exercises, which compels the body to burn fat and amino acids in order to gain energy.

Now, as far as your diet is concerned, the best method that I would personally recommend is the method in which carbohydrate intake levels are balanced. This is usually known as the carb cycle diet. That means that, for four consecutive days, we must ingest low levels of carbohydrate-heavy foods (only for breakfast) and on the fifth day we ingest high levels of carbohydrate-heavy foods. We stay on this regimen until the day of the occasion we’re slimming down for.

Why is that? Because through this method we’re deriving the body’s energy from fat and amino acids (muscle) over four days time and then, on the fifth day, we’re shocking the body with a high intake of carbohydrates so as not to slow down our metabolism and in order to replenish the body’s supply of glycogen in the liver and muscles so as to retain energy.

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"you’ve really got to commit to this plan, 110%!

That means no cheating and no messing around!" @jaberfittips +965 65567877 JaberFitTips@gmail.com

Here’s a good example regimen to follow: For four days: • Breakfast: two-egg omelet with spinach or any other kind of veggie, with some fat-free cheddar cheese and some whole-wheat bread.

• Snack: Two slices of turkey sandwiched between two slices of lettuce, with two spoonfuls of fat-free labnah.

• Lunch: Grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp, or grilled fish. Another option would be a can of whitewater tuna, with some salad, and any kind of fat-free sauce.

• Snack: A scoop of protein with 350 ml of water, with a handful of almonds, pine nuts, or walnuts. You can also swap the protein scoop for some Greek yogurt.

• Dinner: Grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp, or grilled fish. Another option would be a can of whitewater tuna, with some salad, and any kind of fat-free sauce.

• Dinner: Grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp, or grilled fish. Another option would be a can of whitewater tuna, with some salad, and any kind of fat-free sauce. Plus 8 spoonsful of steamed rice or regular sized potato or sweet potato.

You can also substitute this with 8 spoonsful of quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, or whole-wheat bread.

Important points to remember: • After waking up drink two cups of water after which you should drink a cup of oolong Chinese tea or black coffee.

• Aerobics should be done at least an hour after drinking tea or coffee.

• After doing all the above, have your first meal.

• Have a cup of black coffee or oolong tea before lunch and before doing your resistance exercise with a sprinkle of cinnamon powder.

The fifth day:

• Make sure to consume at least 3 liters of water every day and preferably cold water as cold water helps to speed up the metabolism.

• Breakfast: two-egg omelet with tomatoes and some fat-free cheddar cheese and some whole-wheat bread.

• Make sure to get a grand total of 6 to 8 hours of sleep a day and you can divide them in naps throughout the course of the day.

• Snack: Two slices of turkey sandwiched between two slices of lettuce, with two spoonfuls of fat-free labnah, plus two whole wheat toasts or any kind of fruit.

• Lunch: Grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp, or grilled fish. Another option would be a can of whitewater tuna, with some salad, and any kind of fat-free sauce. Plus 8 spoonsful of steamed rice or regular sized potato or sweet potato.

You can also substitute this with 8 spoonsful of quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, or whole-wheat bread.

• Snack: A scoop of protein with 350 ml of water, with a handful of almonds, pine nuts, or walnuts, plus any kind of yogurt. You can also swap the protein scoop for some Greek yogurt.

• Any and all forms of ‘cheat meals’ are absolutely forbidden until the day of your occasion.

• Don’t waste time worrying about food portions. In this method, your metabolic rate will not slow down at all and in fact may speed up faster than usual because it will burn a disproportionately higher amount of fat. If you deprive yourself of food, your body will start to get stubborn and you will begin to feel lethargic.

After a while your body will take it’s toll on hair loss, fingernail strength, and skin radiance. So, do yourself a favor, and don’t count portions. Trying to outsmart your body is never a good idea.

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CHEF'S CHOICE We’ve all been there. A weekend family gathering, a dewaniya round-up, or a particularly sweet package you need to send to a loved one—we all have those occasions that call for an extra pinch of something delicious. If you’re in Kuwait, you’ve got one of two options: you can either scour the sea of Instagram accounts touting dozens of Nutella-laced confections and grape leaf finger foods without knowing who’s really worth it, how long it’ll take to deliver, or if it’ll turn out like you expected. Or you can play it smart and visit Neqsa. @Chef_Ziad_Alobaid 50 www.thecitym.com

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"Imagine Starbucks but with a quaint, Kuwaiti twist: that’s Neqsa Cafe!"

Recently, I found myself in just this kind of jam. It was my turn to provide the sweets and treats for our weekly Friday gathering at my family’s house and I was pressed for time. Neqsa was my first thought rescue option—and rescue it did! So, considering that this is our Occasions issue, I couldn’t think of a better place to review!

Okay, so for those of you who don’t know about Neqsa’s unique vendor approach it basically operates like a pop-up shop for all of Kuwait’s favorite small business eating goodies that we all know and love. From the sweet to the sour; the large to the petite; they’ve truly got a good selection of food assortments that you can conveniently stop by, pick out, and put together in one, neat well-made package. Gone are the days of Whatsapp ordering and deceiving Instagram posts—at Neqsa the only thing you need to do is browse the shelves of your favorite local business foods and choose from any available vendor to your hungry heart’s content!

Another really impressive and immersive concept to come out Neqsa is the introduction of the Neqsa Cafe. Not only does Neqsa support local businesses and booming food talents, it’s also created a cafe experience that revolves entirely around Kuwait’s unique cultural tastes and traditions while also adhering to world-level standards of production and presentation quality. Imagine Starbucks but with a quaint, Kuwaiti twist: that’s Neqsa Cafe!

Every item on the Neqsa Cafe menu promises the flavors and seasonings of a rich Arab, Kuwaiti-inspired drink but still delivers in terms of fulfilling that much-need caffeine kick we all crave every morning.

With names like CocoEast and Caramel of the East, I couldn’t resist trying out one or two of these caffeine-infused babies!

Neqsa Cafe’s Caramel of the East Hot Coffee Okay, I’ll admit it: I’m usually not that big on drinks that use too much caramel but, a with a name as curiously intriguing as Caramel of the East, I was happy to throw caution to the wind and give this bad boy a whirl. After being handed the piping hot cup of coffee by the barista, a mere whiff of the cinnamon mingling with hints of caramel had me already sold before I even took the first sip. From that point onwards, I knew that I was in for a treat and boy was I right! I don’t know how the Neqsa team came up with this subtle and harmonious marriage of cinnamon, caramel, and delicious

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coffee to boot but I can say with complete certainty that I have never tasted anything like it before in my life—and I’m quite the coffee drinker. From the first warm gulp of Caramel of the East, something about the flavor reminded me of home. The sweetness of the caramel also wasn’t as overwhelming as it usually is in other caramel-infused beverages. In fact, I think the cinnamon complimented it quite well and made a for a great balance of sweetness while also incorporating cultural and global tastes in one hearty cup of seriously good coffee. I’d like to see Starbucks beat that!

Neqsa Cafe’s CocoEast Iced Coffee What a lot of people may not know is that Neqsa itself makes and sells their own assortment of goodies for you and your loved ones to enjoy. They’ve got a lineup of hot and cold beverages that hit your thirsty sweet spots just right. I was quite parched so I gave the Coconut Iced Coffee, the CocoEast, a go and I was very pleasantly surprised. Iced coffees can tend to run a little bit heavy on many occasions so they can be quite difficult to finish in most cases—with this Coconut refresher though it was anything but! My CocoEast, aside from being refreshing and well-balanced ingredient-wise (I could taste more coconut than coffee), it went down without the slightest hint of sluggish heaviness that most coffee-heavy beverages carry. I gulped it down so quickly that I went ahead and asked for two in a row!

Now, of the huge selection of Kuwaiti small businesses that lined the store, there were a few that I found particularly worth the visit and I’d recommend them for any light and sweet care package or any gathering occasion you’ve got coming up. Of course, I’m sure that all the vendors and small businesses displayed at Neqsa are top-notch and I certainly don’t mean to single anyone out or leave a particular business behind, these are just the ones that I personally liked most.

Chocospell Let me say this: berries with chocolate are by no means a novel idea, but when you put them together in a way that hasn’t been done before you can end up with some delightfully surprising results. The confection I liked most from Chocospell which was available at Neqsa, were the ones shaped like a chocolate shot with a berry perched on top of the straw (the name wasn’t mentioned, I’m afraid). The reason I like this is because a) it introduced

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chocolates and berries together in a way that I had never tried before (you have to eat the berry first then you can enjoy the layered chocolate shot through the straw), and b) it made eating the dessert feel exactly like it should: fun! The layers of different chocolate can sometimes run on the heavier side though so be sure to try this one on a lighter stomach as it might prove to be a little too much otherwise. In short: it wasn’t traditional, it made me smile, and I could only imagine the looks on people’s faces as they indulged in a hearty chocolate shot over dessert instead of the regular cake or knafa.

Blue Bells Grape Leaves I know, I know. Everyone and their mother is selling trays of grape leaves (or ‘waraq-enab’) all over Instagram nowadays. But hear me out: no matter how popular of a dish it’s become, making a good grape leaf dish with just the right zest of lemon, the right splash of oil, and the right texture is still rare to find. That’s why I was so bowled over by the Grape Leaves offered in the Blue Bells section of Neqsa. They weren’t so dry that they were difficult to chew nor so drenched in oil that it overpowered anything else. They had a zesty, sour sting of lemon without shocking the taste buds with their power too much. They also weren’t so awkwardly wrapped that they broke apart at the first mouthful. Definitely a delicious, unique variety of an otherwise overdone finger food!

Date Pudding This is another one of those sweets that sounds like yet another overdone idea that lacks very much creativity or unique appeal—but when the cashier vendor told me that it was one of the most popular items on sale, I was intrigued. I have to say, after my first Date Pudding mouthful, all my preconceived notions of date pudding blandness flew right out the window.

It was just that good. Now, dates are naturally one of the sweetest palm fruits on the planet so when you dig into the cup of pudding expect that punch of sweetness to hit you from the first bite. However, the great thing about it is that it tasted like the pure sweetness of a date—not of an over-sweetened sugary dessert—so I didn’t mind it at all. Dates and chocolate were always a match made in heaven because they compliment each other quite well in texture and Date Pudding was no exception there either. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why these are among Neqsa’s top sellers!

So, if you ever find yourself chosen for this week’s gathering and in a jam when it comes to time and options (and let’s be honest: who isn't?), Neqsa has you covered. Make sure to stop by at their conveniently located branch in Salmiya to support a host of local small businesses, try amazing selections, and rid yourself of choice confusion from here on out!

@neqsacafe

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Ahmad Al-Mutaw'a is a lot of things. An outrageously talented designer, a dedicated medical doctor and, among other things, a man who lives and breathes creativity and authenticity.

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DOCTOR; DESIGNER; MAN ABOUT TOWN...

WHO EXACTLY IS AHMAD AL-MUTAWA'A?

Well, my backstory is as a doctor. I graduated from Kuwait University. As a kid I started designing my own clothes from a very early age—I started out trying to emulate Michael Jackson’s trends. Then I was hooked on MC Hammer and then I evolved into stuff that was a little more sparkly and flashy: diamonds and crystals. I’ve been designing my own jewelry since I was nineteen, actually.

I was born into quite a conservative family and my father, God rest his soul, was the dean of the Shuwaikh college and he was the head of the Arabic Language department as well. He graduated from Egypt and was quite religious, as was my grandfather before him. So, really, my whole family was not very interested in fashion for the most part which made it something of a struggle for me to get them to accept what I do, and embrace it even. Now my sisters, my nieces, and so many members of my family regularly ask me to design pieces for them, which is wonderful!

How did you go from medicine to fashion design? It sounds like such a big departure!

Well, to be honest, I don’t really see it as that. At the end of the day, a doctor is a human. Doctors can be creative as well. When you do surgery, if you are a creative thinker, you will end up doing many creative knots, for example. So I don’t see the two lines of work as such different streams— they conjoin and intersect in many ways. Being a doctor is cool; being a stylish doctor is even cooler. I use my creativity in both arenas but perhaps in different ways.

When did you realize that you wanted to get into the creative design path professionally?

Around 10 years ago—so quite recently.

As I mentioned, I’ve been tailoring my own clothes and own accessories since childhood (I even recreated Michael Jackson’s silver belt in Moonwalker when I was still a kid!) but I didn’t think of getting into it in any professional capacity at the time. The fact is that when you’re trying to establish yourself as a doctor and as a businessman, you can’t spend too much of your time on hobbies like design. However, now that my business and my medical career are stable, I have the peace of mind to pursue other more creative ventures like design in a serious, professional manner.

How did you first get into designing for celebrities and international mega=brands?

Well, it started out with a friend of mine who was

a back-up dancer for an undisclosed, female artist in the UK and he knew the promoter of the concert, so I was invited to several of the after-party events. When I met the promoter I gave her a couple of pointers about the artist’s outfits, which she actually liked and took to the artist herself! From there, I was introduced as a ‘designer’ and was asked to design a few jewelry pieces for them. So, I found a piece of paper, and drew a rough sketch of an earring that the artist in question actually produced and wore in one of her music videos! It was this big, loop earring she wore in a very popular video of hers and that got her a lot of attention. And that was the start! After that, I was contacted by other celebrity representatives for similar design work. By contract, however, I cannot disclose any names or stories in detail.

So what are the most prevalent similarities that you’ve found in leading the life of a doctor and the life of a designer at the same time?

Both require great levels of creativity and passion. If you don’t have either one of those qualities you will not truly succeed in your work as neither a designer nor as a doctor.

Where do you find yourself most?

It’s honestly a pretty fair share on both sides, but I think I’ve been finding myself a little bit more in the fashion world. However, I’m happy to help people in any way I can. I’m happy to make their bodies feel better through medicine, and happier to make their bodies look better through my designs.

What about fashion appealed most to you?

As you can see, my body type is of the bigger type and I’ve been struggling with weight all my life. But I know how to dress myself and how to embrace my body type in such a way that is both flattering and unique. That was the initial reason why I found myself seriously considering going into ready-to-wear fashion: because every time I would go into a shop they would give me clothes that were two sizes smaller, which means that I really know how to conceal the faults in the body.

I also have to say that I am really influenced by hip-hop culture. Most of my work and my personal fashion choices are inspired by that kind of design and fashion aesthetic. Many times, when I walk down the streets or through malls, I am asked by passers-by: ‘are you a rapper or a DJ?’ To which I’d reply: “I’m actually

a doctor, since you want to know.” The reaction is always priceless!

Do you have a particular design that you consider a statement creation of yours?

I really have to go with this jacket that I made 10 years ago and it was my first venture into digital art in design. It was a very plain, boring beige jacket that I customized and completely transformed in the process. I made it because I was invited to a fashion event that a close friend of mine was joining at Bayt Lothan, and I wasn’t even participating in the event but when I walked in wearing that jacket everyone around me did a double take! I redesigned the jacket with crystals and beads, a voodoo doll in the back, and I drew the rest of it on with a pen—it turned into a completely different, entirely exclusive piece by the time I was done with it. I ended up giving it away for charity but I still get compliments about it to this day!

Are there any down sides to being so extremely different?

You know, I really like to be creative. I really like to take things to the next level. I cannot accept things the way they are. For example, I can buy any pair of Louboutin shoes, which can admittedly be quite nice and flashy just as they are and there’s nothing wrong with that—but then again I’m not the only one. I want to go above and beyond the regular buyer and curate a style and a wardrobe that is entirely my own because I believe in the power of individuality.

So, even if people stop and stare and wonder ‘what the hell is he wearing?’ many of them will want to know where my clothes are from. I don’t want to look like just another doctor and I don’t want to look like just another rich guy who buys designer clothes. I want my clothes to represent my creativity, my boldness, and my approach to the world as I see it.

Do you have any names in fashion that you particularly admire or look up to?

I am greatly inspired by the work of an American designer who has been booming lately: Rick Owens. And this guy is just... YES! He is bold; he does not stick to his comfort zone in any way; and so his work and his fashion demeanor speak to me a lot. However, what I don’t like about Rick Owens is that very few people on Earth can wear Rick Owens head-to-toe. So, taking all the good attributes that Rick Owens inspires in me , I’d like to make my own brand that incorporates those same bold statements with a more bodyconscious, diverse approach.

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So how do you navigate this clash of tradition and progressive modernity?

Well, it doesn’t have to be a clash. The reason why I adapted Rick Owens look so much is because it is, for one thing, Islamically sound so I’m not breaking any traditions by wearing it. At the same time I’m making the modern and progressive statement that I want—it still doesn’t look like your average, everyday pants. If you want to look beautiful while also complying to the Shari’a, for example, then why not? It’s very possible to be both those things at the same time. In fact, it’s not only possible it’s quite easy actually!

As a Kuwaiti, how do you see the progress of the local fashion industry?

It’s growing! Growing in really rapid and exciting ways. People are more educated about fashion as an industry now, especially with the advent of social media and the internet nowadays. Of course, you will always find the people who copy each other just for the sake of it, but I’m seeing the rise of a few really notable Kuwaitis who are making some interesting and progressive contributions to the local fashion scene.

How did you end up catching the eye of Christian Louboutin himself?

I fell in love with Louboutin when I bought my first pair several years ago. It was this very loud leopard print shoe with spikes, and it was quite the conversation piece. I have since bought around 80 pairs of Louboutin shoes to date and I don’t see any signs of stopping anytime soon—whatever he would produce I would basically go and buy! Later on, I wouldn’t say I got bored, but my natural inclination to be creative and exclusively unique started kicking in again. I didn’t just want the same model with different colors or embroidery accents. I wanted something that was representative of me in every way. So I customized a pair of Louboutins I owned with my own handmade tweaks and additions like I usually do to many of my pieces. Anyhow, this image of the fully customized pair reached the office of his executive shopper in Dubai, which she then forwarded to Christian Louboutin himself! He was so impressed by it that his management arranged a meeting between us so that I could show him the designs up close and personal—and the rest, as they say, was history!

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@styleurswag

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AUTICIANS It’s October which means we’re hot on the heels of wedding and events season! Whether you’re a more subtle, modest make-up wearer or like to go all-out dramatic with your look, we brought together three of Kuwait’s most in-demand, diverse, and fully certified make-up artists to answer the pressing make-up questions we know you’ve been wondering about. Meet THE CITY Beauticians: Dalal Al-Refaii, Mashael Al-Yaseen, and Sharefa Al-Jaber!

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DALAL AL-REFAII aldalal_makeup

When and how did you know that you wanted to work with make-up professionally?

Well, my interest in makeup first started out as a hobby more than anything else. I was actually a drawing artist before becoming a make-up artist so I ended up transposing a lot of my drawing skills into my make-up work. Overtime and through several experiences, I found myself focusing more and more on this hobby until it eventually grew into a professional career path that I wanted to pursue.

How long have you been practicing make-up and what has been the hardest part of working as a make-up artist?

I’ve been an avid lover of make-up from a very young age. My love for make-up and it’s application easily exceeds 14 years, as I used to be my family’s go-to make-up expert in any and all occasions so I always knew that this would be something that I would excel at one day. Over this long period of time, I’ve found that the hardest part of doing this job isn’t so much the various types of faces you encounter, but the problematic and particularly difficult personalities that tend to emerge every once in a while.

What is the easiest/quickest way to turn a daily look into an occasion look?

The easiest way to go from a daily to an occasion look is to always start with the eyes. A small adjustment with the lashes, a flick of eyeliner, and an extra dab of eye shadow can transform the look completely. On occasion, you might also want to consider lenses but I wouldn’t go overboard with that one.

What are the make-up essentials that no woman should ever leave home without and why?

Well, each woman varies based on her own personal preferences but, usually, things like mascara, sunscreen with powder, and lipstick are the staples that can save the day for a majority of women.

What's your favorite make-up trend for Fall 2014/2015?

I’m really liking the heavily smokey eyes look with some lashes and some super-modest, matte lipstick (best in a nude shade or gold-burgundy shade). The contrast between the two elements makes for a great look. This season, dark oranges and reds will be everywhere—especially orange and maroon.

Give us your best beauty secret that you have or use.

The first and foremost secret I give to all of my clients is to take extra care of their skin as far as keeping it healthy, fresh, and consistently clean. It really does make all the difference in the way your face looks in any kind of make-up. Another secret for those who are trying to achieve a more unique, distinguished look is to use eyeshadow in order to give the eye a completely different shape. It’s a very easy and very effective tool.

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MASHA’EL AL-YASEEN @mashael_makeup

When and how did you know that you wanted to work with make-up professionally?

Well, I actually started doing it on and off around 10 years ago, but I could only commit to it professionally 3 years ago because of some personal reasons.

How long have you been practicing make-up and what has been the hardest part of working as a make-up artist?

I used to practice my make-up techniques and ideas on friends and family members long before I had considered doing it professionally. When I did finally decide to make this a career of mine, however, I was very diligent about taking professional courses and getting all the technical education I could before I started working on actual clients. I haven’t found anything too difficult with what I do but, sometimes, I do face some issues when I have to cover the blemishes on some of my client’s faces, but it only requires a slightly more complicated technique so it isn’t much trouble.

What is the easiest/quickest way to turn a daily look into an occasion look?

The fastest way would be to add a heavier shade of eyeshadow.

You can also add a slightly darker shade to the corner of the eye in order to make it look more drawn out. If you’ve got a little more time, adding some volume to your lashes is an absolute must. A subtle touch of glitter never hurts either.

What are the make-up essentials that no woman should leave home without and why?

The one important essential is concealer. It’s extremely important to giving your eyes that beautiful contour and making the details of they eye more noticeable and distinguished. No one ever looks good with bags under their eyes!

What's your favorite make-up trend for Fall 2014/2015?

The smokey and half-smokey look is very in this season and I find it very appealing—especially in the more earthy tones.

Give us your best beauty secret that you have or use.

The beauty secret to any woman’s skin is radiance and clarity.

I really can’t overstate the importance of keeping your skin clean and healthy at all times through the right, daily cleaning regimens and through investing in just a few enhancing creams and serums to make sure your skin continues to get the vitamins and minerals it needs. My favorite are the Vitamin-C creams because they tend to have transformative effect on the radiance of any skin type.

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SHERIFA AL-JABER @sharfaa_makeup

When and how did you know that you wanted to work with make-up professionally?

I had the talent for make-up at a very young age and so I tried practicing and working at it since those very early days. Even at such a young age, I knew that this was something I wanted to pursue and try my hand at professionally. Thankfully, my family was very supportive of me and they really encouraged me to enter this field.

How long have you been practicing make-up and what has been the hardest part of working as a make-up artist?

Well, I started seriously practicing my make-up techniques since I was in high school. At first, I used to watch Youtube videos and look at online sources for ideas and technical tips.

However, the more seriously I started taking my career as a make-up artist the more time and energy I dedicated to it as a craft so I eventually went on to take professional lengthy courses in Lebanon, Spain, and Kuwait from trained, seasoned professionals in order to better hone my skills.

What is the easiest/quickest way to turn a daily look into an occasion look?

If you take the time to initially put your make-up on through the regular, correct steps then switching between any kind of look is very easy. All you have to do is go through the same motions as regular make-up application just make it a little thicker and heavier in some areas like the eyes and lips. If you’re going for a more glamorous look, you can opt for some fake lashes too.

What are the make-up essentials that no woman should leave home without and why?

Things that are small and can be used for quick fixes and easy application like lipstick, compact powder, and a small beauty blender sponge to quickly dab any foundation lines. These essentials are usually enough to cover all your basic make-up emergencies. I also personally like to carry a small Evian spray with me too in order to refresh the skin and keep it looking extra healthy.

What's your favorite make-up trend for Fall 2014/2015?

I’m in love with purple, red, and nude for the winter color palette! As for my work personally, I usually don’t follow any particular trends of any kind and I base my techniques and beauty judgements based on what I find personally suitable for myself or appropriate for my clients.

Give us your best beauty secret that you have or use.

Every woman is beautiful in her own way! Use your outer beauty as a way to express your unique inner beauty. Make-up was not meant to hide or alter your true, natural beauty—only to enhance it and make it even more visible for the world to see!

www.thecitym.com 67 Creative Director: Zainab Bahman Photographer : Hussain Shamo

Buccellati Dreamin' Creative Director: Momo Sabah Photography: Seye Isikalu Hair and Stylist: Momo Sabah Jewelry & Accessories: Buccellati Attire: Leggera Nell 'Aria boutique Makeup: Amrita Dhanjal using MAC Cosmetics Nails designer: Liane Anderson using Elegant Touch Model: Rachana Neks책 / by-Momo.com

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Pink Matter

Red by Default

Up to Here

Hearsay

I See You, You See Me

Garnish the Garish

mood board is an arrangement of images, fonts, colors, and textures that outlines the design techniques of a project. A tool for both the designer as well as the client to come to an agreement about the design style. Mood-boards show up in fashion, movies, marketing, photography, branding, advertising, web designing, wedding planning, and interior designing.

They come in different forms, are expressed differently and are also called different names depending upon the industry you work in.

A

swiftly & with clarity more than any amount of words can do.

It creates a picture in the clients’ minds and makes sure the drafts that the designers come up with will not shock them later on, as they have already acknowledged the flow and expect something similar. The transition from a mood board to the final product should be smooth & easily noticeable.

Few of the elements to be depicted in a mood board particularly for the designing of a spacee, would be a few of the following: •

Design Style / Concept

•

Paint Colors or Wall Coverings

In essence, a mood board is a compilation of inspirational • Window Coverings elements. Nonetheless, in the field of Interior Design, moodFloor finishes boards are used to develop concepts & to communicate • with either the team members of the project or even with • Lighting the clients themselves. Mood-boards are used by interior designers to help create the look of a decorating scheme, • Textiles to help provide inspiration, and to help guide and focus the • Furniture design. A mood-board comprises of scripts, pictures and samples of objects arranged & aligned as per the mood-board • Accessories creator, resembling a poster design. They often are made using images and cutouts from magazines, put together on a piece of cardboard to illustrate the scheme.

It enables the creator to illustrate and visualize the direction and

By Farah Al-Humaidhi general style which the final product is pursuing.

Mood board Mania!

Mood boards are valuable when trying to establish the aesthetic flow of a site, not only becayse it saves time in the creative process but many a times issues can be spotted & solved right away or at least earlier than usual, which otherwise would be encountered later on during the development phase and could prove problematic.

The first time the designer uses a mood board in a design project should be when submitting to the client. If the client likes the feel of it, the designer moves on and creates a layout. If he doesn’t like it, the designer produces another one. The advantage being is that you don't always have to spend too much time on creating a new layout which would normally take hours to finish – the risk of losing time with something that will never be used is minimal.

Mood boards also set a general direction for the layouts and project in general. A mood-board submission will also enable the client to understand the research associated with design before the design process gets underway. Similar to the well-known saying: "an image is worth a thousand words." How much more worthy would a mood-board be with all those images it compiles? A mood board can explain

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So, if you're a designer, a decorater, or working in any creative field, try out a mood board next time and see for yourself how much easier it makes your life!

Farah Al-Humaidhi @interiorart @pa-ia

As the delicate-in-style and committed-in-excellence creative founder and brainchild behind the ultra-popular, elegantly iconic Pieces by Farah, as well as the powerhouse behind Interior Art for design and construction, we couldn't think of a better interior design guru than Farah Al-Humaidhi to give you exclusive monthly input on how turn any space into a work of art.

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For different people, of different cultures, of different taste levels, weddings can look very different. We all have our special, secret fantasy of how we imagine this extraordinary night of a lifetime will unfold for us and that special someone.

Some of us value luxury and elegance; others whimsy and charm. Regardless of how we all envision this life-changing occasion, one thing we can all agree on is the warmth, the truth, and the beauty of soul that makes each and every wedding such a heartwarming and unforgettable night in the lives of many couples and families. Luckily for us, orchestrating this breathtaking, soulful is what Czech wedding planning extraordinaire, Irinia Lukiyanova, is loved and known for.

Photographer : Pavlina Jarosova

@fiancee_wedding www.fiancee.cz

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When did your passion for wedding planning first begin and how did you get started in the business?

My first experience in event planning began when I was still in school. In school, I was responsible for the organization of all school events: balls, graduations, sporting events and so on. My first experience in planning a wedding took place at my sister's wedding in Prague in 2008. After my sister’s wedding, I realized that really I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. So after a couple of years I opened my own boutique wedding agency, which carries out the organisation and planning of weddings across Europe. Our main wedding destinations are Prague, Paris, Monaco, Vienna, Santorini.

How do you work together with the bride and groom to plan the wedding?

With many of my clients, we communicate through the Internet, through mail, and phone calls. Clients often come to me for a meeting in our head office in Prague in order to sign a contract or discuss the details of the wedding at greater length. But nowadays a lot of clients usually do not have the time to fly out to Prague and so we’ve been able to find ways to agree on all the details long-distance. Thankfully, it’s not so hard!

What design elements do you feel are important for creating a fabulous wedding?

The most important element of any wedding is the soul and love that it creates. My team of professionals all translate these elements of soul and love into every detail of our work. It is very important that the client is pleased with the final outcome and that this feeling of warmth and soulfulness resonates with them throughout this special day. As for the design, it all depends on the style and theme of the wedding, which is previously agreed upon between the newlyweds and myself. Most of the work we charge for goes into the element of floristry, too. That’s usually one of the most expensive items on any wedding list.

Where do you find your inspiration to keep creating fresh and new ideas for your weddings?

I usually find my inspirations from the newlyweds themselves. I’m always very inspired and moved by the sincere shows of love and devotion that the newlyweds feel towards one another. Also, another great source of inspiration are my travels. The more I travel around Europe, the more ideas and wedding concepts seem to come to me.

What is your favorite stage or moment in the process of creating any wedding?

Seeing the union of two families coming together in celebration and sacred matrimony is a truly beautiful thing. That’s why I go to great lengths to create and preserve the right atmosphere not only for the bride and groom, but for their parents and extended families as well. Those friends and family members are an important part of this special day and they cherish it just as much, so their experience is also something I always take into consideration.

Tell us about the most spectacular wedding you’ve ever done.

The most spectacular wedding I ever did and which I was lucky enough to organize, was a wedding that was held in a huge, breathtaking castle and, after wrapping up the ceremony, the newlyweds flew off together in a hot-air balloon to symbolize their similarly bright and happy future together. It was truly magical!

Do you have a signature aesthetic or personal style that you put into the weddings you’ve planned?

Almost every single couple we work with tells us about how our weddings are ‘ made with soul.' Every wedding I plan, I do so as if it is my own. It is a huge responsibility that I take on when I agree to plan someone’s wedding. After all, it is one of the most important days of a person’s life! When someone trusts me with a day like that I cannot give my work anything less than my complete soul and love.

Why is it important for couples to consider hiring a wedding planner?

First of all, when you’d like to focus on a particular style and theme for your celebration, we’ll probably find the ideal location for your ceremony if we work on it together. Whether it's a luxurious church, a historical European castle or Baroque garden in the centre of Europe, a classy five-star boutique hotel or an exclusive palace in Europe—you have a much better chance of finding (and getting!) the exact right place you want with a seasoned wedding planner on your side. My wedding agency makes sure that each couple is surrounded with the most professional experts in the business of weddings.

This includes hairdressers, make-up artists, organizers of banquets, and artists for entertainment. With the right wedding planning team, the bride and groom can not only save time, but avoid damaging mistakes and unpleasant stressful situations. The wedding planner ensures your peace of mind and a consistently good mood, so that the happy couple and their loved ones don’t have to worry about the details and can relish every moment of this perfect, once-in-a-lifetime day!

Any advice to share with couples before beginning their wedding planning journey?

The most important advice that I give to newlyweds before starting their wedding journey is to calm down and enjoy every minute of the ride as they are, first and foremost, in the hands of professionals—and also because this experience only comes around once, so they might as well enjoy it!

What does it take for a wedding planner to truly succeed and develop in his/her career?

It’s important to always be on trend if you’re a wedding planner, because what might have been very in-demand last season might be completely overlooked next season. I also recommend that all wedding planners read as much literature as possible on wedding planning—you can never learn enough! Also, try to travel and communicate with wedding planners from around the world in order for you to gain new ideas, form supportive bonds, and share similar experiences.

Finally: when you’re not orchestrating magical, once-in-a-lifetime occasions, what do you like to do in your free time?

Whenever I have a free minute or a weekend I am traveling. I love to visit new, enchanting places like castles, villas, and luxury hotels. I also love to embroider! It's a family tradition that was passed down from my grandmother and whenever I have a free moment to simply relax, I try to devote myself to my embroidery work.

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“Every wedding I plan, I do so as if it is my own. "

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Lavish Indeed We peak behind the curtains of the lavish tent experience.

www.thecitym.com 89 Photographers : Abdulrahman Al-Yousef, Roqaya Shamo & Somood Faris

Tell us a little more about Lavish Tent and why your service is so special.

The Lavish Tent is a luxury tent suitable for celebrating special events like diamond weddings, valentine's day, and many other similarly luxurious events. Our services are distinguished and we care about every detail. We share our ideas with our customers in preparation for these events to make sure that they can celebrate their magical occasions just as they imagined them.

How did Lavish Tent first get started and where did the idea behind it come from?

The idea behind Lavish Tent came to me after I had travelled to several East Asian countries and was inspired by their long-flowing, elegant tent ornamentations and arrangements, after which time I had developed the idea to be suitable with the Kuwaiti customers’ requirements. Thankfully, we’ve attracted a strong customer base since our launch, especially during the winter season when weather conditions are ideal.

How does a Lavish Tent addition help make an event or occasion more spectacular or memorable?

As I had mentioned earlier, we go to great lengths to share our ideas with clients and to make sure that the final outcome is a byproduct of both our commitment to quality and the client’s own unique vision of how their occasion will unfold. So this uniquely customized approach certainly contributes to making your occasion a memorable one.

What are some of the best settings or occasions that a Lavish Tent set-up would look great in?

Ideally, Lavish Tent can work quite well in any occasion or setting but we’ve found a particularly beautiful outcome in sentimental events

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like outdoor weddings and engagement parties. Lavish Tent lends a very romantic, airy touch to such a heartfelt, warm occasion like a wedding. Guests and clients alike will feel transported to another, mystical world as the breeze gently blows past our white silk draping.

Does Lavish Tent only provide tenting services or are there other services and equipment available?

No we do so much more. At Lavish Tent we provide tenting services, lighting systems, exhibition services, and we are fully capable of setting up all these extra services our selves from start to finish.

Do you mostly provide tent setup services for personal occasions or corporate events, and how do the two kinds of events differ?

Both. Our setup services range from the smaller, personal occasion to much larger, corporate events. Not only that—Lavish Tent also helps set up and provide seating or lighting amenities for shop and exhibition openings.

What are the different tent types and services that Lavish Tent offers for different budgets?

Well, our range of designs and tent, seating, and lighting types is actually quite huge. Whether you’re looking for smaller, more quaint set-ups or full-blown, lengthy setups, we’ve got you covered. Our Instagram account has a lot more specific examples that everyone can check out to find their right fit.

Do you provide customized design services or are all the Lavish Tent designs consistent?

We are always happy to provide fully customized services and set ups for our clients who want to be a little more distinguished in their Lavish Tent setup.

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Lavish Tent lends a very romantic, airy touch to such a heartfelt, warm occasion like a wedding. Guests and clients alike will feel transported to another, mystical world as the breeze gently blows past our white silk draping.

How have you found the response from Lavish Tent customers so far?

It’s been really welcoming and encouraging! Since our launch we’ve catered to a wide host of both private and corporate clients for a variety of occasions and experiences, and we’re always pleased to hear their great feedback.

We consider our clients our road to success and we look forward to consistently developing and giving them even more services that they enjoy.

How do you plan on expanding and developing Lavish Tent in the near future?

Actually, we re-evaluate and put forward newer services and ideas with the coming of every new season. We do this so that we can best address and cater to the needs and requirements of our valued clients as they evolve and change full-year round. As always, our development plan is based on our belief in our clients and sharing our ideas and vision with them.

@lavish_tent

"

+965 60000908 www.lavishtent.com www.thecitym.com 91

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LIGHT www.thecitym.com 93 Photographer : Hussain Shamo

That delicate balance of elegance-meets-sentiment is exactly what Lenotre’s newest florist concept, Inside Lenotre, is all about.

Embodying all the worldly sophistication and fanciful novelty of Lenotre’s rebranded dining experience, Inside Lenotre greets you at the door of the newly revamped Gulf Road branch with a gush of cheery color and a bolt of striking sculpture. Even if you’re only there to grab a quick bite, the arrangement of perfectly fashioned flowers will probably stop you in your tracks.

If you do happen to be on the lookout for that flawless arrangement of happy hydrangeas or love-rich roses, maybe with a side of petite chocolates and a fluffy mini-cake, Inside Lenotre is a stop worth considering.

With an assortment of flowers that range from the spritely and light (tulips and hydrangeas right out of an Austrian musical!) to the moving and monumental (roses and orchids

“What makes an Inside Lenotre arrangement stand out is, in a word, more.” @insidelenotre

that speak to life’s most memorable of moments), Inside Lenotre covers all your basic birthday, holiday, and special occasion needs that you’d expect from your florist.

+965-95546046

But what sets Inside Lenotre apart is an essence and a workmanship that extends beyond the basic and transforms into the extraordinary.

Beyond just an over packed bouquet or the ready-made set, Inside Lenotre specializes in what they like to call ‘sculptural arrangements.’ Arrangements that, like a sculpture, are molded with an eye towards intricate detail and an intention to, quite frankly, take your breath away.

So a handful of white carnations are peppered with small pink roses to imbue that sense of purity with a sprinkling hint of charm and youth. That same carefully crafted, lightly airy arrangement is then accented by a stout, mature, black marble vase that subtly dazzles with an unmistakable essence of luxury and rich depth under the blossoming bushel.

Those champagne roses that tell of opulent, luxurious fantasies are accompanied with a generous tray of fine chocolates that fulfill that promise of well-deserved comfort and indulgence.

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Even if you decide to simply opt for a posy bouquet of matronly tulips in a warm, subtle hue, when wrapped in gracious white, delicately folded paper the tulips emerge to their recipient like the irreplaceable, affectionate feeling of spring once sprung, and no matter how the rest of their day has been, they can’t help but smile.

That is the difference between a flower shop and a florist; the difference between a present and a memory; the difference between Inside Lenotre and your average flower boutique. The intention and the dedication that goes into every package in order to reflect and express a sense of whimsy; a sense of passion; or a sense of style that is crisp yet magical is what makes an Inside Lenotre arrangement, in a word, more.

More life, more light, more beauty.

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the CITY KIDS

by Latifa Maduh @latifamadouh 96 www.thecitym.com

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What's your name and how old are you?

Shahad Al-Amere, and I'm 10 years old.

What school do you attend?

Asma bint Anro Al-Ansaria School.

What are your main hobbies?

Singing, cooking, and sculpting with clay.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I would like to be a famous singer and to deliver a positive message through my voice.

What do you like and dislike in life?

I like my friends and family. I like my fans. I like smiling and playing a whole lot. I really don't like liars and hypocrites, and I don't like sadness or unfairness either.

What would you like to tell your parents?

I love you mom and dad and thank you for everything you ever did for me!

How much do you love Kuwait?

I love my country Kuwait very, very much and I sang many songs for my country Kuwait because it is so dear to me.

What do you say to those other children who have a dream like yours?

Put your goal in front of you and the path you want will open inshallah. Stay away from copying. Work hard on yourself. Keep your message clear. Most important: don't forget to be a kid!

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the vibe

Lambah; Watts their voltage A piffany, usually visualized as light bulb “lambah” that pops up above you head whenever you get a good idea or make an interesting connection, and that’s what Lambah aims for; to create more piffanies in the mind of local artists and designers in Kuwait.

Lambah the Art and Design platform had their launching event on the 30th of September at Cinescape Laila under the title Watts their voltage!

Lambah stated from a believe in the need for local artists and designers to communicate. It aims to shed the light on local talents and provide them with a cultivating environment. Lambah’s focus on the creative field includes different categories Architecture, Interior Design, Visual Communication, Fine Arts, Photography, and Film Making, as individuals and organizations.

It all started with three young ladies Dalal AlHouli, Lulwa AlOmani and Maryam AlOmani, wondering how can they bring artist and designers together? How to provide them with more opportunities to create an impact in the community? How can they encourage collaboration between them, and help the community to recognize their impact?

The event covered who Lambs is in short videos and performances as well as five different inspiring speakers from different creative fields spoke at the event Eng. Sameer Al Dahan, Ditector Yarub Bourahamah, Arch.

Sarah Sadeq, Calligrapher Jassim Al Nasrallah, Abdulrahman Al Harthan from Art Deco. They all talked about their experience in the field and the obstacles they faced, and how they overcome them.

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the vibe

BATH & BODY WORKS MAKES AN EXCITING DEBUT WITH IT’S NEW SIGNATURE DARK KISS™ EAU DE PARFUM! The Middle East’s favorite fragrance now lasts even longer with the exciting debut of Dark Kiss™ Eau de Parfum. The inimitable exotic blend of Blackberry, plum and smoky dark vanilla is one of the most unique fragrances to grace the region.

The Daily Trio brings you the ultimate experience! After a lathering, sumptuous Shower Gel cleansing, layer on the moisturizing, pampering Lotion and add the finishing fragrance touches with the incredible Fine Fragrance Mist!

Want the electric aroma to dazzle through the day or night? Add that extra touch of elegance and sophistication with a few sprays of the NEW Dark Kiss Eau de Parfum.

Key Fragrance Notes: Top Notes: Bergamot, Incense, Mirabelle Plum, Black Raspberry Mid Notes: Amber, Burgundy Rose, Geranium, Peony Dry Notes: Dark Vanilla Bean, Labdanum, Vetiver, Sensual Balsam, Musks It’s time to experience the most daring fragrance at Bath & Body Works!

Launch of the first PANDORA store in Kuwait at Salhia Complex Kuwait, October 14th, 2014 – Fashion Blossom, the official distributor of PANDORA jewellery in Kuwait, announces the opening of the first PANDORA concept store in Kuwait City, at Salhia Complex, Mezzanine1.

PANDORA, a Denmark-based company is a leading jewellery brand renowned worldwide for its unique, customized charm bracelets with a selection of exquisite hand-finished sterling silver and gold charms enabling customers to memorialize special and unforgettable moments of their lives. The charm bracelet is complemented with the delicately crafted and genuine jewellery collection.

To celebrate this special occasion, Fashion Blossom hosted a press & media event at the boutique followed by a cocktail in the presence of PANDORA Middle East Region General Manager Mr. Thomas Knudsen.

To introduce the brand’s unique universe of high-quality, accessible jewellery and its latest creation of the Autumn 2014 PANDORA collection, the venue was transformed into an enchanting mystical autumn garden. The event evolved in a friendly and elegant atmosphere under the melody of the saxophonist “Mike Khayat”, making these moments unforgettable.

Mrs. Karine Alam, Managing Partner of Fashion Blossom said: “We are very excited to introduce and extend the wonderful world of PANDORA to Kuwait and build on the brand’s high level of international recognition. We are proud to be part of the PANDORA family and to expand its success in the Middle East.”

Mr. Thomas Knudsen, in his turn thanked the audience for sharing this special moment and further expressed the importance of this first PANDORA boutique in Kuwait “For PANDORA this is in particular an important opening for several reasons: it is our first store in Kuwait, a very important market for us, as Kuwaitis are renowned for their refined taste for the most beautiful things and latest trends. Also, the Shop Concept you see here today is the first store in the Middle East region opening with our new store design - the“Evolution Concept”. At PANDORA we have over a period of two years tested and improved this store design and I truly believe the final result is nothing less than magnificent. We have placed much attention to our heritage by reinforcing a “Scandinavian feel” and by creating a warm and cozy atmosphere where our products and visual presentation stands out beautifully””.

The PANDORA shop is located in the heart of the renowned Salhia Complex revealing through its charming façade the latest magnificent PANDORA concept store.

PANDORA is recognized by customers all over the world for its beautiful, individual jewellery capturing life’s unforgettable moments & emotions with a high level of aesthetics and excellent craftsmanship.

The new PANDORA shop in Kuwait City is the latest addition to the company’s more than 10,000 points of sale on six continents. PANDORA, with its unique concept of fashionable yet accessible jewellery of the highest quality, is today the world’s third largest jewellery brand at retail value within genuine silver and gold.

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Autumn 2014

Al Fanar Complex

Al Bairaq Mall www.goelia.com.cn

Kuwait Magic

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