Y Magazine #450, December 22, 2016 by SABCO Press, Publishing and Advertising

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YOUR TOP GUIDE TO THE BEST OF OMAN, EVERY WEEK

DEC 22 - 28 2016 / ISSUE 450 • WEEKLY

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SEASONS GREETINGS Team Y would like to wish our readers and their families a very Merry Christmas – may this joyful season bring you good health, happiness and peace.

THE BAROMETER GOING UP

FUEL PRICES The price of petrol has skyrocketed by 45 per cent since the Government cut fuel subsidies in January this year. Are you feeling the pinch?

GOING DOWN

REMITTANCES Exchange houses in Oman are reporting a massive drop in money transfers to India since the Indian government scrapped the INR500 and INR1,000 notes in November.

THIS WEEK… Team Y has been busy preparing for Christmas, enjoying catching up with family and friends in the lead up to the festive season and having a wonderful time exploring the beautiful city of Muscat and all that it has to offer.

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EDITOR’S

NOTE

Welcome to Y Magazine – your top guide to the best of Oman every week.

Fast forward

t’s that time of the year when we start thinking about giving and receiving, our behaviour towards our fellow man, doing good deeds and making sacrifices. But just because it’s the festive season, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be like this every day of the year. In fact, leading by example for our children is vital for building good character. But there are so many factors that are getting in the way of this, with the biggest distraction being the digital playground. That’s right; we are so involved in our singular pursuits of likes and followers on social media and other digital platforms that our children have also followed suit, immersing themselves in a fake world in which they fail to have face-to-face contact with their peers and loved ones. In our cover story this week, Team Y looks at the ramifications of this issue and offers tips on how to get your children engaged again to help build good, selfless kids in the age of the “selfie”. Elsewhere, we head to snowy St Moritz in Postcard From, put the Range Rover Sport SVR through its paces in First Drive and try out some exciting game consoles in Y-Fi. And finally, we wish all our readers all the peace, joy and happiness of the season as well as a fabulous week!

editor@y-oman.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF Sayyida Iman bint Hamad bin Hamood Al Busaidi MANAGING EDITOR Felicity Glover

PHOTOGRAPHER Shaquel al Balushi REPORTER Alvin Thomas DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Feroz Khan

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Write to us at Y Magazine, SABCO Media, PO Box 3779, Ruwi 112, Sultanate of Oman. DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

contents DEC

Your Oman

2016

10 News Oman’s population swells 11 Gallery Christmas spirit

14 Faces of Oman

16 ROHM Review Anna Karenina 18 This Week Marathon session 20 Movies Office Christmas Party

12 Gallery Heritage Day

22 Age of the selfie Teaching children good character 26 Fight club Gamers unite at IGN

This Week

08 Voice Of Oman Karima Farid

Features

15 Hyundai – Driven To Success Muneer Ahmed Salim al Harthy

Cars and Adventures Food and Drink 30 Food Feature Merry mornings 33 Taste Test Chili House

40 Destination Nakhal Fort

Health and Beauty

44 Y-Fi Game-changers

34 Fashion Time to suit up

46 First Drive Range Rover Sport SVR

42 Postcard From St. Moritz

36 Beauty Festive nails 37 Health Heartburn

NEXT ISSUE... FEATURES / COFFEE WITH Y / NEWS / MOVIES / EVENTS / BEAUTY / DESTINATION / TRAVEL / FASHION / OUTDOORS

Jeevan Blesson sits down with Aisha Baabood, an Omani campaigner for the rights of disabled children in Oman

he name Aisha Baabood distinguishing colours, distances and might not be that well accidents. To help in that goal, light sensitivity. known but for parents with she will organise an international Aish a is the co-founder and a disabled child, she is a househo ld con the fere exe cuti nce, which focuses on ve dire ctor of the name. Wh ite Han assi ds stiv Cen e technology and Irlen tre for Assistive For children with learning Technology & Rehabilitation, whi Syn dro me. difficulties or special needs, Aisha ch opened in Al Mawalah in 2014. It In conjunction with that, she will has become a pillar of support, is the only Oman base for assistiv and she has earned the respect of e be conducting a series of educati onal technology and Irlen Sydrome, parents through her own, hard-w programmes for parents of childre on and she n is the only reco gnis ed Irlen experience. with special needs. Syn dro me scre ene r in Om an. “I have a child with intellectual Both, she feels, are vital. Moreover, More importantly, Aisha has disabilities and I’ve gone through the she con is writing an advisory book for tinu ally foug ht for the rights of dramatic situations that most par ents the disa par bled ents in , in Arabic. Om an. go through,” she says. But crea ting a visib “Pa le ren pre ts get the knowledge senc e is According to her, people in Oman an uphill struggle. directly from the professionals in are still very far behind the rest of the Aisha worked with an association the world in their perception of fields of disabilities. They also offe r that helped people with special people with special needs. And thei insight on how different disciplin r nee es ds and was invo lved in setting up attitude doesn’t look like changin can help them tackle any issues. g a family support group, but it was any time soon. They teach them about the laws discontinued. “I still don’t see any tangible and the rights of disabled childre And despite many people’s n,” changes taking place, with respect to app aren Aish t a explains. indi ffer enc e, around 63,000 the effort and the attention paid on people in Oman have a disability, The White Hands Centre Assistiv disability issues but there isn’t any e acc ord ing to offic ial stat Tec istic hnology and Rehabilitation s. real impact, long term, that you can “This means that three per measure,” Aisha says Centre will be playing a central par t cent of the Omani population is “I want to see real change. I wish in her objective. disa bled . Thi s stat istic only refers to to see schools with qualified staff “The centre is the first and only visible disabilities. If we talk about in the field of disabilities. I wish to one of its kind in Oman. We are hidd en disabilities, such as learning see rehabilitation centres, schools, focu sing diffi on integrating the assistive cult ies then 46 per cent of our hospitals and workplaces fully scho tech ol chil nolo dre gy n with the educational suff er from them equipped with assistive technology – 50 per cen pro t of gra tho mm se with es provided for people. brain that will empower disabled people injuries have Irlen Syndrome and “We are also the only centre in both education and the labour a third of our children are autistic. specialising in Irlen Syndrome so market. ” Academically, Aisha has a degree “I wish to see accessible roads and we provide screening, diagnosis and from Sussex University (in the transportation for all disabled peo treatment for sufferers.” ple Un ited Kingdom) in International not just for those with physical The centre is now working Edu cation and served as a lecturer disabilities but also for the blind and tow ards setting up a new branch in for 10 yea rs at Sultan Qaboos deaf. I wish to see private sector Un Dho iver far but the search for an investor sity. investments in this area. Now she is is goin plan g to mean an even greater nin g to undertake “Unfortunately, I hardly see any a surv ey to find out amo the per unt centage of commitment and time for changes.” of people in Oman who suffer from Aisha and her staff. Aisha is striving to promote social Irlen Syndrome. entrepreneurship: helping to develop However, she is clearly more than Chronic ailments, genetic issues and fund solutions to social and up to the challenge, and I wish her and traffic accidents are the reasons cultural problems in Oman; in this wel l. beh ind many of the problems some case, disability issues. people in Oman face. Her most recent focus has been Have you got a unique story to tell or do Aisha aims to raise awareness of you Irlen Syndrome, a condition that know someone who has? Contact us to have the con ditio n as she believes it can causes sufferers to have problems coffee with Y and be featured in Y Mag be a factor in, for instance, traffic azine. Email: editor@y-oman.com

DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

THE VOICE OF OMAN KARIMA FARID ON LESSONS LEARNT AND FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE

correspondence DEBATE OF THE WEEK WE ASKED: “Are high hotel rates causing tourists to stay away from Oman?”

s the year comes to an end, I’d like to take this opportunity to share a few things I have learned this year. Life, as we know, is a continual lesson, and for me at the moment, a never-ending rollercoaster. I’ve finally realised – with the second kid – that it’s actually okay to have a life, to breathe, to rely on someone trusted and to actually have fun even if it’s only once in a while. I have recognised that in order for us to get on the right track, we need to set some ground rules at home. A small example is having the kids go to bed earlier so they can have sufficient rest, and so we can attempt to plan around that. Basically, it’s about getting the balance right. This took me time to actually do but after many years, I finally focused and launched a small business. The inspiration came from my own kids’ giveaways and the struggle I had to obtain every piece to achieve my goal. I teamed up with a talented graphic designer and voila! We did it! You can do it too: manage a home, kids, work, business and, in my case, other projects. I admit it’s exhausting but I promise, it’s do-able. All you need is the courage to decide to go for it. One recommendation that I can share is the book You are a Baddass by Jen Sincero. It changed my life, got me on track and inspired and motivated me. Jen’s take on life is fresh, out of the box and, at times, hilarious. As Jen says: “Love yourself… You can have it all.” Wishing you all a great year ahead.

NEXT WEEK: ALI AL RAHMA

DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

Tourism Index Report by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) recently. The economic downturn across the globe and other socio-economic factors in the Middle East may have impacted the footfalls. Yet, high room rents in the country are said to be a major factor affecting the numbers. I believe this would be the main reason for this.

MICHAEL RAMIN

I do not think that it’s the high hotel rates causing tourists to stay away from Oman. In fact, most of KAMAL GANATRA the hotels have awesome offers both for tourists and The Sultanate has traditionally focused its residents of Oman. What makes them stay away tourism efforts on the high-end market, and is the lack of tourism promotions and tie-ups with prices for visiting and staying in Oman have various travel agencies around the world. There is generally been higher than in many neighbouring a lot to discover in Oman. I never fail to be amazed destinations. The luxury segment is also by the wonders that Oman can offer. It is so truly a seeking to strike a balance between providing a blessed country! unique experience of Oman, its people and its environment while ensuring that high standards TANVEER HUSSAIN MALIK are maintained. The strategy needed is one Although tourism is an expensive activity, there are that will address the key question of whether lots of price-conscious tourists who like to spend Oman should continue as a largely high-end on other things than just hotel accommodation. So destination or try to move towards the mid-range that’s why high rates are one of the reasons for a to encourage greater numbers of tourists. drop in the number of tourists.

SYED BOKHARI

I think that it’s not only the high hotel rates that have brought about a lack of tourists; it’s the tourism offices and travel agents that are the cause of the decline. They should revise their marketing strategy. Although the take-up rates of five star hotels are on the rise according to a report shown by the Tourism and Travellers Authorities, it doesn’t take into account the global economic decline that has made a considerable dent in the Sultanate and the Middle East. Tourism officials should create more ways to attract tourists as Oman is a gateway to the Middle East, with a multitude of attractions and places of interest.

GANAPATHI SUBRAMANIAN

Oman has some of the best tourist attractions in the region and draws visitors from all over the world. Yet, the flow of tourists has been showing a decline, with the big turn-off being the high hotel tariffs, according to travel and tourism experts. Hotel revenues in the Sultanate have dropped by 36 per cent and tourist arrivals by 19 per cent, according to the

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SHYAM KARANI

Undoubtedly so! Budget hotels for price-conscious travellers with all-inclusive economic tours/ explorations packages are what’s needed now.

BILAL MOIN

Well, we are living in the 21st century where charging extra for anything from anyone is just a dream. Lots of websites offer great rates so it depends how much a tourist can afford and is willing to pay. The rates charged by Oman’s hotels do not compare too unfavourably with those levied in other countries in the GCC.

ABDUL AZIZ

Hotel rates aren’t the only factor as there are both expensive and cheap hotel options in Oman. It all depends on a person’s budget and what they are looking for in terms of location of the hotel and the services required.

MOHAN ANANDAN

The availability of cheap hotel rates is not the sole deciding factor in bringing tourists to any country. It depends also on other factors such as the levels

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of safety, security and the law and order situation that prevails in a country. Highly developed infrastructure, excellent tourist spots and tourist-friendly people are also factors. Oman stands up very well in these areas and what is required is aggressive tourist promotion such as the one recently announced by Thailand by waiving tourist visa fees for three months.

MOHAMED ABDOULMAGUID

It is well known that the cost of hotels is one of the most important elements in attracting tourists. This high cost is one of the factors that do not serve the tourism sector well over the short or long term.

SUNIL JOHN MARTIN

Definitely no. Tourists will still come, whatever the price, to explore the beautiful land of Oman. The only thing is that high hotel rates will curtail the number of days people will stay. Budget accommodation, which can be found throughout the world, is lacking in Oman and is what is needed now. More affordable accommodation will encourage tourists to stay longer in Oman, at times for even over a month.

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RAJ SHENOY

Yes, I do agree that hotel rates are quite high in Oman as compared to other tourist destinations in the world. Since hotel costs comprise the major portion of the vacation budget, hotels in Oman should promote tourism by providing lower and competitive rates with quality and value for money to visitors.

ANU MANCHANDA

It’s true that tourists are always looking for economical accommodation but that’s not the only reason for the decline in the number of tourists visiting Oman. There are a few other factors that cannot be ignored and are equally important. There is a lack of tourist fascination schemes in Oman. Media should be deployed to seek the attention of tourists all over the world. Advertisements can be broadcasted by utilising social media also. Oman should learn from other tourism-based countries in the world. Also, there is lack of public transport facilities in Oman. A lot more needs to be done along with providing cheap and economical accommodation to boost tourism in the country. So these disappointing tourism figures should serve as a wake-up call for the Ministry of Tourism, which needs to focus on schemes to capture the attention of tourists.

VIJAY KOTHARI

It is not only the high rates of hotels that are discouraging travellers from visiting Oman but the availability of visas on arrival that are often provided by Asian countries.

MOHAMMAD OSAMA RAWAT

Tourists from all over the world usually look for value-for- money accomodation and tourists coming to explore the natural beauty of Oman are no exception to this fact. For sure, hotel rates in Oman are quite high and there is a shortage of affordable accommodation, which could account for the reduced number of tourists. However, the economic crisis across the globe and other socio- economic factors in the GCC could also be part of the problem. The Ministry of Tourism must ensure the construction of economically-priced guest houses near the areas that draw high numbers of tourists.

New Debate: “Do you have any resolutions for the New Year? If so, what are they?”

Share your view with us on Facebook and you could be in with a chance of winning dinner for two.

DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

YOUR

NEWS

OMAN THAI T AIR ASIA X SUSPENDS

MUSCAT OPERATIONS

udget carrier Thai AirAsia X has announced that it will be suspending its Muscat operations, effective from January 19, 2017. The airline said that passengers who have booked flights with the operator can now reschedule to an earlier flight between December 19, 2016, and January 14, 2017, at no additional cost. “Thai AirAsia X announces the suspension of its service between Bangkok and Muscat, starting January 19, 2017 onwards. Both our Thai AirAsia X flights, XJ555 and XJ556, will remain suspended,” read Thai AirAsia X’s statement to local media. “The change will only be permitted one time, and subject to seat availability. We are also offering a transfer cost of flight to a 180-day credit shell that can be used for the purchase of goods and services from AirAsia via www.airasia. com (such as flight tickets, pick-a-seat, pre-booking meals, baggage weight fee) or passengers can also receive full refund via the channel through which payment for the booking was made,” an official was quoted as saying. Thai Air Asia X is Thailand’s first low-fare, long-haul airline that operates three flights a week to Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok from Muscat International Airport. The airline launched its services to the public in Oman, in June 2016.

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SULTANATE RECORDS POPULATION RISE

he Sultanate’s population has witnessed a substantial increase, swelling to 4,550,538 people over a span of just two months, according to statistics released this week by the National Centre for Statistics & Information (NCSI). The statistics take into consideration a timeframe of September to November 2016 and shows an overall increase in the Sultanate’s population of 0.3 per cent. From that number, a total of 2.46 million are Omani, while the other 2.08 million are expatriates. The NCSI also noted that of the total Omani population, 34.7 per cent resided in the Governorate of Muscat. Muscat also stands tall with the largest total population of any other Governorate in the country with 1.47 million residents, including 962,479 expatriates and 511,868 nationals. Musandam is the least populated Governorate in Oman, with only 44,421 residents. Meanwhile, the Governorate of North Al Batinah came second with a population of 752,857, with the number of Omanis and expatriates standing at 266,713 and 486,144 respectively. The Governorate of Al Buraimi recorded a total of 113,087 residents, of which, 58,979 were expatriates and

54,108 were Omanis. The Governorates Al Dhakhiliya and South Al Batinah recorded a total of 454,806 and 413,474 residents, respectively, while the Governorates of South and North A’Sharqiyah touched 308,807 and 277,441 respectively. The NCSI statistics also revealed that the Governorate of Dhahira’s population peaked at 211,010 and comprised of a total of 149,516 Omanis and 61,494 expatriates, while Al Wusta registered a population of 45,574, with 23,950 nationals and a total of 21,624 expatriates. The Governorate of Dhofar recorded a total population of 454,714. Earlier this year, the NCSI had conducted a study that revealed the Sultanate’s population would almost double to eight million residents by 2040.

SOHAR OFFICIALLY NAMED AS SUHAR

ohar will be now be officially spelled as “Suhar” in English, the Suhar Municipality announced on its official twitter handle. The Municipality

also said that the new name will now be used on all international platforms and official registries. In a bold move, the Municipality also said it was introducing a minimum speed limit of 40kph for vehicles travelling in populated areas. The “experiment” also bans the movement of trucks in these areas. According to the Municipality, this is the first time a Governorate has made the decision to introduce a minimum speed limit. The civic authority’s statement also said that there would be new provisions for pedestrian crossings. The system will initially be launched in Al Khuyrah before moving to other residential neighbourhoods under its jurisdiction.

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

GALLERY

THE SHERATON OMAN HOTEL HAS BEEN GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON WITH A RANGE OF SEASONAL EVENTS CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS, INCLUDING A FUN-FILLED SESSION FOR CHILDREN TO CREATE THEIR OWN GINGERBREAD HOUSES, MEETING SANTA CLAUS, THE LIGHTING OF AN IMPRESSIVE CHRISTMAS TREE, FACE PAINTING AND SINGING ALONG TO SOME FESTIVE HITS WITH THE HOTELâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHOIR.

DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

011

YOUR

HERITAGE DAY

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DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

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Welcome to Yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weekly photo series that profiles the diverse characters who call the Sultanate home Name: Alya Harmally Age: 29 From: Oman Occupation: Catering and conference services executive Passion: Music, adventures, flow arts, DJing

Photo: Shaquel al Balushi

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DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

DRIVEN TO

SUCCESS

After starting out in communications at Motorola, Muneer Ahmed Salim al Harthy, 34, switched to videography and event management for Oman TV. Today, he is the media specialist at the International College of Engineering and Management in Muscat Q: What drives you to success? My goal is to show the world the success stories of people who inspire and motivate me. That, I believe, is also what drives me to attain success as well. Currently, I am planning to do a documentary of an old staff member who has worked for more than a decade in our college. I want to show everyone who he is, and how he has helped train so many students in firefighting. Q: Who or what has been your inspiration? It is my wife who inspires me. One of the

many reasons for that is because she is a designer and a photographer, so our work coincides. We love working on concepts together and I share so much of my work with her. I also learn a lot and sometimes adapt various techniques from her work. Q: What is your biggest career success to date? My biggest success to date would have to be creating a new brand identity for the International College of Engineering and Management. I did that by creating unique videos of graduation ceremonies for the students of the college. And as I mentioned earlier, I am also working to create a documentary on one of the staff members who has over a decade of experience in the field. This has been my dream, and I am lucky to be fulfilling it with the college. Q: What are your career goals? My goal is to create a special department for media in our college. I am not a huge supporter of outsourced media so I would like to see a special studio, with a variety of equipment for us to use and create our own content. Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; time? In the long run, I would like to open my

MY FAVOURITE FEATURE OF THE CAR WOULD HAVE TO BE THE 360-DEGREE CAMERA VIEW, WHICH ALLOWS ME TO SEE THE TOP VIEW OF THE CAR FOR EASY MANOEUVRING

own agency dedicated to photography and videography. This has been my vision for many years. To reach my goal, however, I would require the help of my wife. If we put our minds to it, I believe we can do it. And I would like to use that as a platform to showcase the various achievements of people in our country, and let the world know of our many attainments. Q: What do you like about the Genesis, the premium series of Hyundai Motor Company? The Genesis is a perfect family car as it is spacious, luxurious, and above all, very safe. My favourite feature of the car would have to be the 360-degree camera view, which allows me to see the top view of the car for easy manoeuvring. Meanwhile, other features like the blind spot assistance and parking sensors also make driving this car easy. Another thing I like is how well-planted the car is at high speeds. Apart from that, there is plenty of space for family and luggage. Overall, the Genesis is a great package and is undeniably a very appealing car in its class. DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

015

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER

Photo credit: Khalid al Busaidi, ROHM

Georgina Benison enjoys Eifman Balletâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enchanting version of Anna Karenina at the Royal Opera House Muscat

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t is always a pleasure to watch ballet at the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) and even more so when it is being performed by one of the world’s top ballet companies. Leo Tolstoy’s 1887 story of Anna Karenina is a tragic, psychological drama of a fated love-triangle but, in this, the visionary choreographer Boris Eifman really brings out the subconscious turmoil of love and despair. Passion and desire are well-suited to ballet but inner emotions of jealousy, betrayal and mental breakdown are rarely transformed into physical expression, and have probably never been as well-portrayed as in this production by the St Petersburg-based Eifman Ballet, which was established 40 years ago. Eifman’s development of dance technique goes beyond the usual concepts of “contemporary” or “modern” ballet. He amazes his audiences with the brilliance and dynamism of his “plastique” – the art of slow, controlled movement, strenuous acrobatic lifts and incredible stretches. This all results in one of the most innovative styles of the 21st century, based on the rich traditions of Russian psychological, literary-based theatre. In this production the sets were minimal but the superb use of lighting, the single iron beds, a back-drop bridge for viewing and stark wooden chairs in the officers’ club reflected the dark moods of passion, desire, desperation and hypocrisy. The pastiche scenes of St Petersburg high society balls, with ladies in flowing satin period gowns, and the men’s burlesque footwork were stunning, and an effective parody of the period. Most visually arresting was the Carnival in Venice scene, with dancers dressed as macabre masked medieval mannequins mocking the inner turmoil of the tormented lovers. Anna’s feelings of isolation as a social outcast (she has paid the price for leaving her husband for this wild, passionate affair by losing contact with her young son and being shunned by society) were conjured magnificently by the 24 corps de ballet dancers in two scenes. Act 1 revealed the dark anguish of her conscience, and in Act 2 we saw the grotesque fantasies of her opium-induced state of mind. Eifman spent months before he began work on the choreography of “Anna”, choosing suitable extracts from Tchaikovsky’s non-ballet repertoire to form the score for his drama. He selected 14 well-known sections from the 5th and 6th Symphonies (The Pathetique), Serenade for Strings and Francesca da Rimini among others. The masterstroke is in keeping the love-motif section of his highly Romantic Romeo and Juliet Overture for the final, poignant “pas-de-deux” between Anna and Vronsky, just before her death. The final scene uses one of only three pre-recorded tracks in the whole score, depicting the intense build-up and “crescendo accelerando” of the approach of an on-coming train. I was lucky enough to see Boris Eifman’s interpretation of Tolstoy’s tragic novel Anna Karenina twice last weekend – with both sets of soloists – and superlatives abounded for each performance. The title role was taken by the statuesque Ukrainian prima ballerina Lilia Lishchuk on Thursday and Friday evenings while the impressive 19-year-old Daria Reznik filled her shoes with astonishing accomplishment for the Saturday matinee. Dancing the role of Count Karenin (Anna’s husband, 20 years her senior) was Oleg Markov who did so with a confident agility that belied his years. He was shadowed by the equally convincing Alexander Solovey in the matinee. The fated love triangle was completed by Igor Subbotin as the affluent and dashing young cavalry officer Count Vronsky, for both evenings, and by Dmitry Krylov on Saturday. The PKF (Prague Philharmonia), now a regular guest at ROHM, was conducted by the versatile American conductor David Levi to great acclaim. Some musicians from the PKF told me afterwards that as this had been their fourth appearance at the ROHM, Muscat was now beginning to feel like home. “We shall be back in two weeks’ time for the New Year’s Eve Gala Concert,” one said. Well, that’s a date for my diary, I mused as I stepped out into the night.

DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

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THE WHAT’S ON GUIDE

DEC

MEET SANTA

EARLY START

Head to The Oak, in The Cave Complex, Darsait, for a “Choo Choo” Christmas, where children can meet Santa Claus and also receive some nifty gifts. The Oak’s Taste of Christmas dinner begins at 6pm and if you book a table for six to eight people, you will receive a 25 per cent discount on the bill. A special guest will also be attending but who could it be? For bookings, call 9933 6078.

THIS

WEEK

Stay in shape WHAT TO DO. WHAT TO SEE. WHAT TO HEAR.

Just because we are approaching the festive season, it doesn’t mean you can take time out from training for next month’s Muscat Marathon. We’ve entered week three of the Horizon Fitness Workout Tour at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, and it’s time to get your workout gear on for another free, pre-marathon training session. It kicks off at 8am, and the Horizon team will be there to help you fly across the finish line on January 27.

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If you are keen to get into the swing of 2017 a day early, then perhaps the Minus One Countdown Party at Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel, is the ticket for you. Guests will be entertained by a live acoustic session held at the hotel’s luxury beachfront while a DJ will be spinning the decks. The fun begins at 5pm. Adults will pay RO19, which includes one house beverage while children get in for RO9. For more information, please call 2479 9666.

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FESTIVE FEAST The recently-opened Sheraton Oman Hotel is in full festive mode with a range of activities in the lead-up to Christmas, including Asadoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas Dinner. Celebrate Christmas in style with friends and family with a six-course feast that includes foie gras terrine, roast turkey with all the trimmings and a traditional yule log cake. It costs RO50 per person and for reservations, call 22377777 or email reservations.oman@sheraton.com

DEC 31

GALA NIGHT Start New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve in style with the British baritone Simon Keenlyside, who will be performing a Broadway Gala at the Royal Opera House Muscat. The audience will be treated to songs from some of the best-known musicals while Keenlyside will be joined on stage by guest star Jodie Jacobs. The music will be peformed by the PKF-Prague Philhamonia and conducted by David Charles Abell. Curtain up is at 6.30pm, and for bookings, go to www.rohmuscat.org.om.

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MOVIES MOVIES FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TIMES, GO TO: City Cinema: citycinemaoman.net Al Bahja Cinema: albahjacinema.net VOX Cinemas: oman.voxcinemas.com Star Cinema: Tel +968 24791641

Sing

Office Christmas Party It has to be said that bringing together a range of talented comic actors should equal a recipe for success. Unfortunately, Office Christmas Party, which stars the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Saturday Night Live’s Kate McKinnon and T.J. Miller, fails to live up to its ambitions as a festive hit despite its bigname cast. Aniston is Carol Vanstone, an uptight CEO of a Chicago-based tech company who is under pressure to bring down costs or face going under. A modern-day Scrooge, if you will, who has the unenviable task of putting the kybosh on office festivities to save money. But then there’s her slacker brother Clay (T.J. Miller), a party animal branch manager at the same firm. Clay decides to throw a massive party to win a client and save the company, with the help of

WIN CHANCE TO R U O Y B A R G TS EMA TICKE IN C Y IT C R FOU

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION Who plays Carol Vanstone in Office Christmas Party? LAST WEEK'S WINNER Mohammed Mirshath

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his right-hand man Josh (Bateman). Predictably, the party gets way out of hand. The jokes are sporadic, there’s a lot of swearing, drinking and bizarre violence while most of Chicago ends up at the party thanks to one employee sharing it on social media. Basically, it’s everything we are warned not to do when the work Christmas party rolls around each year. But like all movies of this genre, everything turns out all right in the end despite its patchy storyline and occasional amusing scene, which are few and far between. And that’s a shame because there’s not much choice for Christmas-themed movies this year, which could mean a night in with Netflix watching some festive classics, such as The Grinch, Home Alone, Scrooged and Love Actually. Review by Felicity Glover

TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN, just answer a question based on the week’s cinema reviews and send your answer to editor@y-oman.com, along with your name and contact information. Tickets must be collected from Y’s Seeb offices in person only. For the rest of the terms and conditions, see voucher. Contact: Movie enquiries 2460 7360

On a lighter note, at least on the surface, we have Sing, the latest animated offering from Illumination Entertainment, which has also produced Hop, Despicable Me and Minions. Think X Factor, with a nod to the brilliant Zootopia as it’s all about animals but that’s where the similarity ends. Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) is a koala who owns a struggling theatre and decides to hold a singing contest to boost his flagging

business. We meet a host of animal characters; some good, some not so good but all of them have one ambition in common: to win the sing fest. It’s a fun movie that rolls out a host of top 10 hits – and that should be enough to keep the kids happy.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Felicity Jones has been receiving rave reviews for her gritty role in the latest offering in the Star Wars franchise – and it’s easy to see why. Combining old-style Star Wars themes with slick 21st century CGI, it’s clear that British director Gareth Edwards is taking audiences in a whole new direction, which sees a group of ordinary people band together to steal the plans to the Death Star – the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. Also starring Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen and Forest Whitaker, Rogue One should appeal to long-time fans as well as younger film fans. Worth watching.

Long View INTO THE FOREST Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by American author Jean Hegland, Into the Forest is an edgy “end-of-theworld” drama set in the near future. Sisters Nell (Ellen Page) and Eva (Evan Rachel Wood) live in a house in the middle of the woods in California with their father, Robert (Callum Keith Rennie). But their peaceful existence is shattered when there is a countrywide power cut. And when it becomes clear that they will never get electricity again, it becomes a fight for survival as each day becomes more challenging. The treacherous new world they find themselves in is frightening, and the sisters must find a way to work together to survive the threats from the outside world. Oman release date: January 12, 2017

There’s no better time than the present to develop good character in our children despite the challenges of the digital playground, says Team Y

hroughout the year, we have a few reminders of just how important it is to be selfless, to sacrifice and give back to those who are less fortunate than us. Some good examples are Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha and, of course, the festive season. That said, good deeds and behaviour shouldn’t be based on seasonal celebrations – instead, it should be year-round, with parents leading by example. But in this age of social media, in which many of us find ourselves buried in the solo pursuit of getting as many likes and followers as possible, are we losing our focus on the real world? When was the last time you put your smartphone down and had a real conversation with a friend, a loved one, your child – and weren’t tempted to pick your phone up after a minute or two just to check that Facebook post or reply to a message? Did you feel irritated that you’d been interrupted? 022

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With that in mind, are we also setting a bad example for our children in this age of the digital playground, which appears to have overtaken our lives? It’s safe to say that our children are well and truly immersed in the Internet of Things, from owning their own devices to being active participants on social media and other digital platforms. They spend more time indoors than playing outside with their friends, which is vital to building their characters and social skills. In a typical day, it’s possible for children to spend more time engaging with technology than interacting with their peers face-to-face. As a result, the “selfie culture” is on the minds of many of today’s parents, who worry about how they can make sure their children grow into kind and selfless adults. However, some global surveys have revealed that parents don’t fully realise the power they have when it comes to developing good character in

their children. One online survey, commissioned by Primrose Schools, a preschool provider in the United States, profiled hundreds of parents whose children attend, will attend or have previously attended an early education programme between the ages of three and five. In today’s social media-focused world, 92 per cent of parents agree that nurturing positive character traits in children is more important than it used to be. Yet nearly 50 per cent of parents are unaware of just how early they can and should start helping their children develop these traits. It also doesn’t help that we use gadgets, smartphones and tablets to “babysit” our children when we want time out – whether it be out and about in social situations or even at home. According to a 2015 report released by market research company Childwise, children between the ages of five to 16 are now spending an average of six-and-a-half hours in front of screens. Screen

A LAW UNTO ONE’S

SELFIE use is defined as watching TV, playing video games, using mobile phones, tablets and other devices. Meanwhile, another report, also by Childwise, found that children are now spending more time online than they do watching TV. According to Action for Children, a UK-based children’s charity, many parents are struggling to get their children to “unplug” and interact with their peers, through organised activities or even ad hoc playdates. “Technology is an often necessary part of the lives of children and parents alike but it’s important to maintain a balance with other activities and quality family time,” Carol Iddon, the managing director of operations at Action for Children, says on the charity’s website. DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

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Dr Laura Jana, a paediatrician and an acclaimed parenting and children’s book author. “It’s not just about learning the ‘3 Rs’ of reading, ’riting and ’rithmetic anymore. It’s the addition of a fourth ‘R’ that represents relationships and the importance of reading other people, which sets children up for success in today’s world.” Allowing them to immerse themselves in their devices for long periods of time could prevent them from “learning to read” people.

Finding Child Care that Nurtures Good Character

“We know from our extensive work with families that strong relationships with parents build resilience in children, making them less susceptible to bullying or abuse outside the home while encouraging them to speak to their parents about any fears or concerns.” One Muscat-based mum says she struggles on a daily basis to get her child off her smartphone and tablet to do simple chores around the house, or even go outside to play with friends. “I worry about the overuse of devices by my child,” she says. “She gets irritated with me and even says she’d rather stay inside to watch YouTube or muck about on Snapchat with her ‘digital’ friends. I also worry about the lack of face-to-face interaction with her peers as this is what helps children to grow into selfless adults with good, empathic characters.”

When Character-Building Should Begin

The foundational skills for good character start emerging in the first year of life. Children as young as six months old can demonstrate outward signs of budding 024

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empathy skills. Character and emotional intelligence continue to develop throughout the early years and are significantly influenced by young children’s interactions with their parents and caregivers. Yet almost 50 per cent of parents believe pre-school is too early for children to start learning social-emotional skills, and could be missing critical opportunities to support their child’s development.

Why Nurturing Good Character Early is Important Intentionally nurturing social-emotional skills starting at birth is an important and often overlooked opportunity as these skills have been shown to be key predictors of future health, academic and life success. Early brain and child development research now shows more clearly that the first five years of life are critical for building the foundation for traits such as honesty, generosity, compassion and kindness, which will affect children for a lifetime. “We now know that IQ no longer represents an accurate predictor of school readiness, much less future life success,” says

In addition to parents, child care providers play a key role in helping children develop a strong foundation. However, more than half of parents surveyed feel their child did not or will not acquire honesty, generosity and compassion (54, 54 and 62 per cent, respectively) during their early education experience. Parents seeking early education and care for their children should look for providers that emphasise character development. In these nurturing environments, children have opportunities to learn and practise social-emotional skills every day through games, puppet play, books, music, art projects and more. A balanced learning approach should also include hands-on experiences to help children apply concepts like generosity in real-life situations. For example, each year thousands of children at Primrose Schools in the US take part in an annual Caring and Giving Food Drive. The pre-schoolers earn money to purchase canned goods through chores at home. They practise perspective taking, learning about the importance of giving through stories, songs, art projects and more. They even take field trips to grocery stores to shop for food items, which are then donated to local charities. At the end of the experience, the children feel a sense of accomplishment and have practised skills like empathy, generosity and compassion – characteristics that are far more valuable than spending hours on a device. “We believe who children become is as important as what they know,” says Gloria Julius, vice president of education and professional development for Primrose Schools. “That’s why nurturing children’s social-emotional development and building character has been an integral part of our approach for more than 30 years.” Our Muscat-based mum believes this approach is a great idea for children of all ages and would love to see schools in Oman adopt a similar charity drive. “I would much rather my child became involved in these sorts of activities,” she says. “Character is so important for children and they are not getting it from technology. It’s about learning to be selfless in a selfie age – and this Christmas, I think we will be rethinking the new smartphone request!” For additional information, tips and resources on how to nurture good character in children, visit PrimroseSchools. com/character-resources. * Family Features with additional reporting by Team Y

DEVELOPING CHARACTER AT HOME T

UNPLUG AND PLAY 1. Plan fun activities for the whole family that don’t involve technology. 2. Create a balance between technology use and other activities by creating a weekly schedule on the principle of an hour of “energy in” (technology use) equalling an hour of “energy out” (other activities). 3. Tap into your own experience: when you were a child, what was your favourite game? Share these with your children. 4. Identify the challenges your children enjoy in the video games they play and replicate them. Do they like games about sport? Encourage them to play the real deal in the park or go as a family to a local match. Are their favourite games puzzles or brain-teasers? Organise a board game night. 5. Practise what you preach: when your children are having screen-free time, turn off your devices too. Don’t waste the opportunity! Source: Action for Children

ake an active approach to helping reading with children, ask what they think children develop a solid foundation in the characters are feeling or narrate the good character with these tips: emotions and exaggerate facial expressions • Help children recognise their for young children. feelings: Help little ones recognise • Talk about your own decisions in and understand their feelings by giving terms of right and wrong: As children’s them new words with which to express abilities and understanding grow, discuss themselves. your values and take advantage of everyday • Lead by example: Children learn a lot by situations to describe and demonstrate good watching the interactions of adults. Model citizenship and desirable behaviour. social-emotional skills by listening to others, • Let kindness and respect rule the apologising when you hurt someone’s day: Set household guidelines grounded feelings, being respectful of others – and in showing kindness and respect, and help putting down your smartphone/tablet children learn to follow them. When they when interacting with people. break the rules, calmly explain how or why • Help children identify other their behaviour was unkind and how they perspectives: Point out differences in could have handled the situation more other people’s thoughts and feelings. When effectively.

GIVING BACK F

or the past 16 months or so, Cia Glover, 13, has been growing her hair with fierce determination. The daughter of Y’s managing editor, Felicity, Cia set herself a goal in the summer of 2015: to grow her hair as long as possible to donate it to the Little Princess Trust, a UK-based charity that provides wigs free of charge to cancer-stricken children. Ironically, she found out about the charity via social media, when One Direction band member Harry Styles cut his hair in preparation for Dunkirk, a new movie he’d signed up for. As a huge fan of One Direction, Cia was inspired to do the same. “I think it’s a really good cause,” says Cia. “And if it wasn’t for Harry, I wouldn’t know about it.” Just this week, Cia reached her goal of growing her hair to the right length to make her donation. The Little Princess Trust’s guidelines for donations state that a minimum of 17cm of hair is required to donate to make the wigs for the children. Currently in London for Christmas with family and friends, Cia made her appointment at a local hairdressing salon, which already knew what was required. The big day arrived and Cia was excited, to say the least. Her hair was so long that it was becoming difficult to manage and it was taking quite a while for her to get ready in the morning. “I was very excited and a little bit nervous,” says Cia. “But when it was time for my hair to be cut, the hairdresser was really nice and kind. And then suddenly, my two plaits were gone! It was a strange feeling because I’ve always had long hair, but never this long!” To donate her hair, all Cia had to do was put her plaits in a plastic bag, fill out a donation form and pop them both in a padded envelope and send it to The Little Princess Trust. She did that this week and is proud that she achieved her goal to help cancer-stricken children. Better still, donations are accepted from around the world, which means other children, including boys, in Oman can also join in and help other children. As Cia says: “It’s worth the effort and next time I do this, I am also going to try to get my friends to do it too!” For more information, go to www.littleprincesses.org.uk. DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

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FIGHT CLUB A motley crew of battle-hardened crusaders vie for victory under the critical gaze of their fervent fans, as Alvin Thomas watches

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weat is trickling down their cheeks and the tension is visible in their eyes. After all, this isn’t your average gully fight. This is a battle scripted from the far corners of the universe. A confrontation between Goku, an extra-terrestrial warrior hailing from the race of Sayyians; and Sasuke Uchiha, one of the last members of the infamous Uchiha clan of ninja warriors from Japan. Hundreds of spectators are standing outside the arena in anticipation of a fair yet gruesome fight. The crowds aren’t exactly what you’d call “regular” either. Among the many who have gathered are supervillains such as Bane and Catwoman (from DC Universe), Daredevil and Wolverine (from Marvel Universe) and even some unearthly characters from the Tekken Universe such as Ling Xiaoyu and even their god, Gin. This is truly a mix of the world’s biggest clan of superheroes and supervillains – and they are a part of the Imagine Games Network – better known as the IGN. Their battleground is the mammoth Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre at Azaiba, which was playing host to the inaugural edition of the IGN Convention (held on December 9 and 10), in the Sultanate. It doesn’t take long for a fight to commence and the crowd to go wild. Sasuke is seen taking the defensive early on, as Goku goes into a fury with super-fast punches and kicks. But the Sasuke modus operandi is quite drastic and cruel: he waits for his opponents’ energies to drain before striking. And wait, he does. Soon, Goku is seen catching his breath; he is desperately in need of some energy. Sasuke’s tactics give him the upper hand yet again, and he goes on the offensive, sliding and kicking Goku from every possible angle – and he has no answer. By now the crowd is in a frenzy, and Sasuke is on a roll. In less than two minutes, Goku is on the ground and gasping for mercy. Soon, the match referee and commentator decide to give Sasuke the match, and he is seen pumping his fists in the air. After all, he has defeated one of the strongest warriors in the known universe.

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Meanwhile, Bane is also seen having a friendly encounter with Catwoman for the first time ever. It’s a pity Batman isn’t around to whoop Bane for stealing his rival. But the crowd that has gathered around the fighting arena doesn’t hang around for long, as settling into one of the corners of the large auditorium is Kristian Nairn, better known as Hodor from the medieval fantasy epic TV series, Game of Thrones; Adam Harrington, the voiceover artist from games such as The League of Legends, The Godfather, The Walking Dead and Rift, among various others titles; and finally, Dave Fennoy, the legendary video game voice actor from game titles such as Batman: Arkham Knight, The Walking Dead, The Fallout, The Metal Gear series, World of Warcraft and many more. A sizeable chunk of the audience is also taking this as an opportunity to score selfies with the celebrities but only the true fans are patient enough to actually stand in the long queue. Others are seen scurrying to various live Counter Strike (tactical warfare game) and FIFA 17 (football game) tournaments that are taking part in other locations around the convention. Talking about the inaugural edition of the IGN Convention in Oman, Hitesh Uchil, the sales manager of tbreak Media, and one of the organisers of the convention says: “Our aim is to go to different countries, form partnerships and try to bring the IGN convention to various parts of the Middle East.

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“The reason why we’re here is because when we conducted our events at Dubai and Abu Dhabi recently, we had a lot of people come in from Oman as well. That, motivated us to come here for hosting the event.” Hitesh also says that this is one of the largest IGN Conventions to be carried out in the region. “I cannot confirm an official number to you, but this is definitely up with the Dubai and Abu Dhabi conventions. Given the chance, we will be coming back here too,” he says. Talking to a group of cosplayers (people dressed as characters), we learn: “We have been lacking an event of such calibre. “I think it is amazing that the IGN convention is here in Oman. For the past few years, we have had to settle for watching comic conventions on television. So this is sort of a dream come true for all of us.” The group’s members all happen to be students at an engineering college in the capital. And just before leaving the convention, we catch up with Goku to persuade him to pose for a post-fight picture. And with a smile on his face, he poses for our camera. There’s no hint of disappointment in his face. “After all, it’s all about fun and games,” he chuckles.

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FOOD AND DRINK Spend fewer moments in the kitchen and more with the family this Yuletide with these fun, seasonal recipes

Trend

Cinnamon Roll Casserole and toss to coat the mixture well. Pour into a 30cmx20cm baking tray sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Cover. Ingredients: Refrigerate for at least four § 12 eggs hours or overnight. § 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tbsp milk, § Preheat the oven to 180°C. divided Remove the casserole from § 2 tbsp McCormick Ground the fridge. Mix the melted Cinnamon, divided butter, brown sugar and the § 5 tsp McCormick Pure Vanilla remaining one tablespoon of Extract, divided cinnamon in a small bowl until § 1/4 tsp baking powder well blended. Drizzle over the § 1 loaf challah or brioche, cubed casserole. Let stand 10 to 15 § 1/4 cup butter, melted minutes. § 1/4 cup firmly packed brown § Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or sugar until golden brown. Let stand § 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese for five minutes before serving. § 3 tbsp confectioner’s sugar § Meanwhile, mix the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar Method: and the remaining two § Using a hand whisk, mix the teaspoons of vanilla in a small eggs, 1 1/2 cups of milk, one bowl until smooth. Slowly stir tablespoon of cinnamon, in the remaining 3 tablespoons three teaspoons of vanilla of milk. Drizzle over the and baking powder in a large casserole before serving. bowl. Add the bread cubes

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Reviews

MORE TIME FOR MOTHER CHRISTMAS

ake your mornings merry and bright this holiday season with festive recipes like Christmas Tree Waffles and Overnight Cinnamon Roll Casserole. “You don’t have to get up early to impress guests with a holiday breakfast,” says chef Kevan Vetter of McCormick Kitchens. “Take waffles; simply add green food colour to the batter then dust with powdered sugar ‘snow’ to resemble Christmas trees. Alternatively, prepare

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Servings: 12

New Restaurant

a cinnamon roll casserole the night before. Soak cut-up challah bread in milk and cinnamon overnight, bake until golden in the morning then finish off with a drizzle of cream cheese frosting.” For more Christmas tips and recipes, find McCormick on Pinterest and Facebook, and visit McCormick.com. – Family Features

Christmas Tree Waffles Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Servings: 4 Ingredients: § 2 cups waffle mix § 1 1/3 cups milk § 1 egg § 2 tablespoons vegetable oil § 2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract § 15 drops McCormick Green Food Color § Confectioner’s sugar mini candy-coated chocolate pieces Method: § Preheat a round waffle iron. Spray with non-stick cooking

spray. Mix the waffle mix, milk, egg, vegetable oil, vanilla and food colouring until blended. § Pour about 1/3 cup of batter onto the centre of a hot waffle iron. Close with a lid. Cook for about five minutes or until no longer steaming. Carefully remove the waffle. Repeat with the remaining batter. § Break each waffle into four triangles. Layer three triangles on a serving plate to resemble a Christmas tree. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Use candy-coated pieces to decorate the tree as ornaments.

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CHILI HOUSE

Oman Avenues Mall, Bausher Tel: 2206 0254 Opening hours: 9am-11pm daily Lunch for two: RO6

CHILI HOUSE

Verdict : 9/10 SERVICE 6/10 FOOD 7/10 AMBIENCE Excellent service, let down by average food Y Magazine reviews anonymously and pays for its meals

ALVIN THOMAS AND HIS BROTHER HEAD OUT FOR TAKE-OUT, TO A JORDANIAN JOINT WHERE AMMAN CUISINE IS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN

t’s 9pm on a Sunday. For me, it is usually time to scamper back home to my parents and sister – after work – for a spot of delicious home-cooked dinner and then perhaps a boxed set (Dexter, currently) before heading off to bed. But since my brother Allen (aka Captain Kirk) is back in town on a break from college in India, I’m forced to rethink my daily routine. He suggests we head to Oman Avenues Mall for a spot of dinner and then some shopping (his birthday is coming up this week). Even I’m thinking it’s a good idea to break up my usual routine for something new. So without further ado, we head to the mall. My point of interest today, however, is Chili House. It’s an outlet that has opened in the centre of the food court – a place I had put off visiting due to the Pizza Hut outlet, which I ransack (not literally) every time I visit the mall. But this time, with my brother in tow, I ignore the friendly faces at Pizza Hut and head straight to Chili House. With its spacious and colourful counter, this is one of the bigger food joints in the mall but there’s not a lot to talk about when it comes to looks; it’s very much your average mall food joint. However, what the Chili House loses in aesthetics, it gains in service. The waiters are incredibly polite and well-mannered and this does add to the outlet’s overall appeal. One of the ladies at the counter also explains that Chili House is actually a Jordanian food joint, which opened its doors in 1985. Before handing

As expected, I find my burger to be quite bland, with little or no flavour at all, which is ironic considering the name of the outlet. That, along with the hard bun makes the burger taste quite dry and tasteless. I find myself sipping a Pepsi just to keep my mouth hydrated. The saving grace of the day for me, however, has to be the French fries, which are crunchy; and the mashed potatoes, which are very smooth and us our menu, she also tells us that there are more creamy. than 20 outlets across the Middle East. Allen, on the other hand, finds the Three The menu is quite elaborate and festooned with Way Spaghetti to be “scrumptious”. He is quick pictures but I am quite surprised that the outlet to point out that the beef gravy is very wellserves only American and Italian food, as opposed grounded and even a tad punchy, adding to the to Jordanian fare. It’s a pity because I could have overall flavour of the dish. gone for a spot of Mansaf (a casserole made of Despite that, however, Captain Kirk, points out layers of rice, vegetables and meat) sans the meat. that his spaghetti is a little undercooked and that Allen immediately opts for a Three Way the dish is a bit too oily for his liking. He still gives Spaghetti meal, while I go for a Grilled Veggie the dish a thumbs up, before he mercilessly gorges Burger. To round off our typical fast-food into my serving of fries. experience we also ask for a side of mashed In all, both Allen and I have a mixed view potatoes and coleslaw. of this food joint. But, I am inclined to give it But fast-food lovers can also enjoy the friedthe benefit of the doubt because most fast-food chicken meals, wraps, cheese coneys and flavoured outlets at the mall only serve non-vegetarian food. rice. However, vegetarians will find themselves in And to be honest, I’ve been disappointed with dark territory, as my vegetable burger is the only McDonald’s burgers plenty of times. “meatless” main course available. Therefore, I can only suggest Chili House to Following this, we settle into our seats. And in those with a penchant for meat. But it is a cut less than 10 minutes, our food is served on the above other burger joints in the vicinity and, more counter. Of course, it is self-service so I have to importantly, is on the inexpensive side too. collect it myself. Do give it a try before you head towards the Upon first inspection, I realise that my burger nearest McDonald’s or Burger King outlet. looks nothing like what was depicted in the Do you have a favourite restaurant that you’d like to see picture on the menu: the vegetable patty looks reviewed? Let Y know at editor@y-oman.com a bit dull and dry and the bun is a tad too stiff. On the plus side, however, the burger is quite big with generous servings of white onion, tomato and cheddar cheese. I also get a side of freshlyprepared French fries. Allen confirms the same, saying his spaghetti is drenched in cheese and beef gravy. But I know he is happy (discreetly); the kid loves his cheese. He’s the same guy who asked for a serving of cheese on his vada pav (an potato-based Indian delicacy finished in coriander and spices) on a previous outing. DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

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HEALTH& BEAUTY

SUITS YOU, SIR It’s just a few days before Christmas, and before you know it we’ll be ringing in the new year. It’s not the time to don your favourite jumper and jeans. This is the season to celebrate with a stylish look, such as with this outfit from Topman.

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Health

Beauty

FASHION

k o o L e h

aran K e tin hris C , t ry tree esto s o h h g s e hi rmy h a t e o t H end e look. ram h g g hi th the to get n Insta Kill the regular blacks and blues. Try m Fro s you tine o something different or unique. This s i trendy, green floral cropped jacket help w Chr o l from River Island is the one you need. l o F Get it from RO54.

T t Ge

No matter what time of the day or what occasion, a definitive, crisp white shirt always works wonders. It pairs well with every shade and yet gives that stylish edge, such as this shirt from Burton Menswear London. From RO9.

Though bow ties belong to a bygone age, they never went out of style. This red and blue patterned bow tie from River Island is the perfect accessory to break the monotony of wearing a regular tie and can sprinkle some happening hipster vibes. From RO5.

Surprisingly, it’s getting pretty chilly in the evenings in Muscat. For those of you who thought you could withstand the cool breeze at outdoor parties, you may want to have a re-think. Wrap up and look chic in this wool, metallic, spotty scarf from East. From RO24.

Complete your fashion attire with the perfect belt. Break the monotony or go with the flow. Belts have the power to give you that chic sharpness, such as this Alasdair Belt from White Stuff from RO25.

Shoes represent who you are. These studded “Rockstar” shoes from Men at Dune are just the ticket for festive fun. Buy them from RO46.

Be the man of time; be the man on time. Accentuate your attire with a wrist accessory that will make a statement. From Hammond & Co. by Patrick Grant Automatic Skeleton Dial Brown. Available at Debenhams from RO69.

DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

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HEALTH& BEAUTY

BEAUTY

Health Fashion

FESTIVE FINGER TIPS Be inspired by colourful candy canes to nail your Christmas look, says Christine Karan

hristmas is coming and the goose is getting fat. Or rather, my Christmas tree is up, the home-made plum pudding is ready, party invitations are pouring in, friends are bombarding me with gifts, my party wear is set and so are my beauty accessories. However, one thing that I’m not ahead with is my nails. They are still in their natural form, and I want something different this Christmas. In previous years, I’ve experimented with a French manicure, painted sparkles on them; alternated nail colours and have gone all bling, with rhinestones. But this Christmas I want something new. But now nail care expert Sally Hansen has come to my rescue with the Holiday Candy Cane, an easy DIY nail art that I can finish within minutes. This simple recreation of the classic candy cane – for me a traditional Christmas treat since childhood – feels modern but not overly saccharine; festive without feeling kitsch. The snow-white base makes a modern and minimal foundation for a sweet holiday look. The combination of bold and fine burgundy stripes is a subtle and elegant way to celebrate the season. I started by using Sally Hansen Nail Rehab (RO4), a magic potion of jasmine and rose extract. This helps to strengthen my nails, conceal certain imperfections and give a protective shield that stops breaking or tearing, which my nails are very much prone to during the festive season.

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For the next step, I applied two coats of Xtream Hard as Nail (RO2), in the shade White-On, giving my nails a perfect base to design. I chose White-On as my base coat as it was the right colour I needed for my design and it has a touch of shine too. The Xtreme Hard as Nails also comes in 45 different hues for you to get creative. But for my design, I’m going to stick with White-On. Using my stripping brush from I Heart Nail Art Tool Kit, also from Sally Hansen, I drew diagonal lines using Sally Hansen Miracle Gel (RO4.4) in the shade Dig Fig-440-2, leaving an ample amount of space between stripes. You can place stripes in the opposite direction on different fingers to add some variety to the design. Then I drew slender stripes in between these wider diagonal stripes and had them follow along the same angle. Finally, I completed with a brush of Miracle Gel Top Coat (RO4.5), also from Sally Hansen, over my designed nails to get that dazzling, finished look. So there you have it, folks: a striking and festive look inspired by candy canes that will keep your holiday spirit on a festive high.

Follow Christine on Instagram

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Beauty

Fashion

HEALTH

TAKE HEART Is your heartburn more than just a symptom of overeating? It could be a sign of a serious disease

eartburn, that painful feeling in your chest or throat that can follow a heavy meal may be more than just an inconvenience. Heartburn is actually the most common symptom of a medical condition that affects millions of people. The condition is also called gastroesophageal acid reflux disease, or GERD. If left untreated, chronic GERD can increase a person’s risk of a pre-cancerous condition of the oesophagus called Barrett’s oesophagus (BE). BE is the primary risk factor for oesophageal adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer of the oesophagus. Often referred to as acid reflux, GERD should be diagnosed by a doctor. It occurs when stomach acids back up into the oesophagus to cause painful symptoms such as heartburn or regurgitation. Obesity, ageing and smoking are all risk factors that can increase a person’s chances of experiencing reflux. Some people who suffer reflux may find symptom relief through the use of acid-controlling medications such as proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs. PPIs are acid-reducing drugs that are available over-the-counter as well as in prescription strength. However, in recent years, experts have become concerned that PPIs are being overused. PPI use has been associated with osteoporosis and bone fracture, hypomagnesaemia, the development of gastric polyps, enteric infections, interstitial nephritis (a kidney condition) and pneumonia.

If you or a loved one has been taking PPIs or other acid-reducing medications for more than eight weeks, you should consult your doctor to review your treatment plan. Over time, chronic acid reflux due to GERD can damage the lining of the oesophagus (the swallowing tube that carries foods and liquids from the mouth to the stomach), possibly leading to a pre-cancerous disease called BE. If left untreated, BE can increase someone’s risk of developing a certain type of oesophageal cancer (called oesophageal adenocarcinoma). There are powerful ways to treat BE, including an innovative and proven approach called radiofrequency ablation. It delivers heat energy to the diseased lining of the oesophagus, which allows doctors to remove problematic cells before they become cancerous. The important thing is that there are now effective diagnostic tools – such as reflux testing – that provide physicians with more accurate information, which can lead to early treatment and possibly better symptom relief for patients. If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of reflux, talk to a doctor about test options. Receiving a confirmed diagnosis is the first step in developing a treatment plan suitable for you. For information about GERD, visit www.learnaboutgerd.com. – BPT DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

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GRAB IT BEFORE IT’S GONE GET YOUR FREE COPY OF Y AT THE FOLLOWING DISTRIBUTION POINTS… Capital Region Azaiba • Amara Dermatology Clinic • Audi showroom • Bentley showroom • Costa Coffee • Al Fair • Jaguar Showroom • Jeep Showroom • Al Maha Petrol Station • Mazda showroom • McDonald’s • Mitsubishi Showroom • Oman Arab Bank • Oman Oil Petrol Station • Peugeot Showroom • Range Rover Showroom • Sayarti Auto Care • Shell Select • Skoda Showroom • The Sultan Center • Volkswagen showroom • Volvo Showroom • Yamaha Showroom Bawshar • College of Banking and Financial Studies • Dolphin Village • Modern College of Business and Science • Muscat College • Muscat Private Hospital (Emergency and Outpatients) • Oman Medical College CBD • Al Maya Hypermarket • Alizz Islamic Bank • Bahwan Travel Agencies • Bank Sohar • Copper Chimney Restaurant • Costa Coffee • HSBC • Lama Polyclinic • NBO • Oman Arab Bank • Standard Chartered Bank • Woodlands Restaurant Darsait • Indian Social Club • Khimji’s Mart

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KIMS Oman Hospital • LuLu Hypermarket • Muscat Bakery • Shell Petrol Station Al Falaj/Rex Road • Al Falaj Hotel • Badr Al Samaa Hospital • Golden Oryx Restaurant • Kamat Restaurant • Toshiba Showroom Ghala • National Mineral Water Ghubra • Al Hayat International Hospital • Al Maya Hypermarket • Bank of Beirut • Costa Coffee • Crêpe Café • GMC Showroom • LuLu Hypermarket • Moka & More • Oman Oil Petrol Station • Park Inn • Porsche Showroom • Al Raffah Hospital • Stationery Hut • The Chedi Muscat Al Hail • Burger King • Caledonian College of Engineering • Markaz Al Bahja Mall • McDonald’s • Omantel • Starcare Hospital Al Khoudh • Al Fair • Badr Al Samaa Hospital • Pizza Hut Al Khuwair • Badr Al Samaa Hospital • Bait Al Reem Mall • Caffè Vergnano • Centrepoint (Splash) • Diplomatic Club • Grand Hyatt Muscat • Harley-Davidson Showroom • HSBC • KFC • Khimji’s Mart • Khimji’s Watches • KM Trading • Landmark Group

• • •

McDonald’s Muscat Bakery Oman Bowling Center • Oman Oil Petrol Station • Oman United Insurance • Omran • Pizza Hut • Radisson Blu • Shell Petrol Station • TGI Friday’s • The Great Kabab Factory • The Tikka Place • Zahara Travel • Zakher Mall Mabela • Gulf College Oman Mawalah • Chili’s Restaurant • Costa Coffee • Al Makan Café • The Noodle House • Starbucks • Tim Hortons • VLCC Wellness MBD • Bank Dhofar • Centrepoint (Splash) • Khimji’s Mart • NBO • Oman Oil Petrol Station • Pizza Hut • Pizza Muscat • Shell Petrol Station MGM • Caribou Coffee • Gloria Jean’s Coffees • Just Falafel • Ooredoo • Paul • Tim Hortons Al Mina • Bait Al Baranda • Bait Al Zubair MQ • Al Fair • Arab Open University • British Council • Costa Coffee • D’Arcy’s Kitchen • Hana’s Slimming & Skincare Centre • Kargeen Caffe • KFC • MacKenzies Café & Deli • Mood Café • Oman Oil Petrol Station • Papa John’s Pizza

• •

Pizza Hut Saharz Beauty Salon • Starbucks Al Murtafa’a • Bank Muscat • KFC • Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club Muscat International Airport • Caribou Coffee • Majan Lounge • Plaza Premium Lounge Mussanah • Millennium Resort Muttrah • Shell Petrol Station Qantab • Al Bustan Palace • Marina Bandar Al Rowdha • Oman Dive Center • Shangri-La Qurum • Al Araimi Complex • Balance Health & Fitness • Bank Nizwa • BMW showroom • Burger King • Chili’s Restaurant • Crowne Plaza • Finland Eye Center • Fun Zone • Gloria Jean’s Coffees • The Jungle Restaurant • Left Bank • McDonald’s • Mercedes-Benz Showroom • Mumtaz Mahal Restaurant • Nandos • Nissan Showroom • Oman Oil Petrol Station • Pizza Hut • Qurum Commercial Complex • Ras Al Hamra Club • SABCO Centre • Second Cup • Starbucks • The Sultan Center • Tche Tche Café Rusayl • Knowledge Oasis Muscat -1 • Knowledge Oasis Muscat -2 • Knowledge Oasis Muscat -3

•

Knowledge Oasis Muscat -4 (ITA) • Middle East College • Omantel • Waljat College of Applied Sciences Ruwi • Apollo Medical Centre • Kamat Restaurant • KFC • Khimji’s Mega Store – Swarovski Showroom • Khimji’s Watches • KM Trading • Oman Air • Oman UAE Exchange • Oman Trading Establishment • Saravana Bhavan Sarooj • Al Fair • Al Masa Mall • City Cinema • Ayana Spa • Cosmeclic • Emirates Medical Center • McDonald’s • Shell Petrol Station • VLCC Wellness Sawadi • Al Sawadi Beach Resort Seeb • Golden Tulip Hotel • McDonald’s Shatti Al Qurum • Bareeq Al Shatti Complex • Caribou Coffee • D’Arcy’s Kitchen • German Eye Centre • The Indus Restaurant • InterContinental Hotel Muscat • Jawharat Al Shatti Complex • Kaya Skin Clinic • Muscat Eye Laser Center • Oasis By The Sea • Second Cup • Starbucks • VLCC Wellness Sifah • Sifawy Boutique Hotel SQU • Diplomatic Club • College of Economics and

Political Science Students Banking Area • Reception/ Canteen Wadi Kabir • Al Maya Hypermarket • LuLu Hypermarket • Muscat Pharmacy • National Hospitality Institute • Pizza Hut • Shell Petrol Station Wattayah • Ahli Bank • Best cars • BLS International Services • Chevorlet/GM showroom • Ford Showroom • Hatat House • Honda Showroom • Hyundai showroom • Kia Showroom • Lexus Showroom • National Travel & Tourism • Passage To India Restaurant • Shell Petrol Station • Subaru showroom • Suzuki Showroom • Toyota Showroom The Wave • Almouj Golf • Costa Coffee • Oman Sail • Shakespeare & Co. • The Wave Head Office •

Other Regions Barka • Al Nahda Spa and Resort • LuLu Hypermarket Nizwa • University of Nizwa Sohar • Centrepoint (Splash) • Crowne Plaza • National Gift Markets • Ooredoo • Pizza Hut • Safeer Mall • Sohar Beach Hotel • Sohar Port and Freezone • Sohar University

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Postcards from

Y- F i

Outdoors

Cars

CARS AND ADVENTURES

STEP BY STEP

Nakhal Fort is an impressive structure and one of the most renowned in the Sultanate.

DEC 22 - 28 / ISSUE 450

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CARS AND OUTDOORS ADVENTURES

D E S T I N AT I O N P o s t c a r d s f r o m

Y- F i

Outdoors

Destination

NAKHAL FORT Shaquel al Balushi still finds one of the Sultanateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most imposing structures a sight to behold despite losing his footing 040

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Cars

akhal Fort has been hailed as one of the most prominent structures ever to be built in our country. Sometimes I feel that it is one of the many wonders that sets this country apart from our neighbours. And there’s no need to labour the point as Nakhal Fort is indeed one of the main points of interest for travellers visiting the country. However, after last week’s escapade into the crystallike wadi waters of Ain Al Thawara, I felt guilty for not stopping by Nakhal Fort. And it seemed only fair that I had to revisit Nakhal to show pictures of this beautiful fort – and perhaps even the region – for the last time this year. If you’ve followed my Destination stories for long, you would know that my last visit (which was also my first) to the fort was in May 2015, when I merely concentrated on the inside of the structure. And back then, I promised readers that I would be back to cover the exterior and the surrounding areas on another day. But little did I know that my “other day” would be a whole 19 months away. Still, better late than never, right? Joining me on my trip was Imran, who surprisingly had never been to the fort himself. I guess, when you’re out exploring the various corners of Oman, you tend to forget about the more renowned locations. Our drive towards the fort mostly consisted of some friendly ribbing of Imran for not visiting the fort. But, both of us were awestruck when it came into view. Its sheer size is captivating, to say the least. I could sense Imran’s excitement. He scurried off, without even waiting for me to grab my camera gear. But I soon traced his tracks and caught up with him. As I stated earlier, our main goal for the day was to capture the outside structure of the fort.

One impressive fact about Nakhal Fort is that the edifice is built into the surrounding rocks, which made taking pictures all the more difficult. One wrong step and I would have simply tumbled down into a pile of rubble. But standing outside the fort, all I could think about was how hard it must have been for our ancestors to have built it from scratch. That must be what sets us apart from them. I cannot even imagine how hard they would have had to work to balance their footing while carrying heavy tools and rocks. My decision to keep our adventure outside the fort didn’t go down too well with Imran because he still wanted to visit the inside. But after a few minutes of trekking, we were overlooking the village of Nakhal. Our efforts had paid off as we had wandered into the far corners of the fort – an area not many people dare to explore. But just as I was pondering why people don’t actually explore this part of the fort, I soon got an answer – and one that I had feared from the start. I lost my footing and went tumbling down the slope. Luckily my camera and gear were fine but my ankle was certainly a bit bruised. But, as they say: when you fall, you brush yourself off, dust yourself down and carry on. If I were to start complaining about my tumble, I cannot even begin to imagine the pains our forefathers would have had to endure while building the fort. And so, despite my mishap, Nakhal Fort is still one of my favourite spots to visit. I would certainly recommend a visit to see it. But I suggest you keep your interests within the fort to avoid any accidents. Oh, and by the way, Imran has still not gone inside, to date.

TRAVEL GUIDE

HOW TO GET THERE From Muscat, head towards Barka via the Muscat Expressway. When you reach Route 13 take the exit to Nakhal Road and continue driving until you reach the fort.

GPS location: N23°22’33.4” E57°49’39.1”

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CARS AND ADVENTURES

TOP FIVE THINGS TO DO: 1. Hit one of the mountain tops for skiing or simply enjoy the stunning scenery from one of the many look-out points 2. Enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride from Pontresina through dense alpine woods for a Narnia-like experience 3. Go for a stroll along the lake of St. Moritz and capture the picturesque views of Mount Corvatsch 4. Visit the local restaurants and shops. My recommendation is definitely Hauser for its delicious food and chocolates 5. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got some extra francs to burn, hit the high street where Chanel, Asprey, Bottega Veneta and HermĂ¨s are at your service.

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ON A HIGH

Head to the snowy peaks surrounding upmarket St. Moritz for a panoramic view of the valley and beyond.

Destination

Outdoors

Y-Fi

Cars

POSTCARDS FROM

Christine Karan recommends

ST. MORITZ, SWITZERLAND C

hic, sophisticated and stunning, the Swiss resort of St. Moritz has been attracting the rich and famous (and others) for more than a century for its crisp, sunny weather in summer, stunning snow-covered peaks in winter and its modern, alpine lifestyle. At 1,850 metres above sea level, St. Moritz has been credited with starting the concept of “Winter Tourism” over a century ago. Here, world-class ski runs and upmarket hotels have hosted stars such as Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. And with top-class restaurants that can satisfy the gourmet demands of connoisseurs, St. Moritz is truly a haven for those who want to spend a few days in style. Nestling within the southern slopes of the Swiss Alps, St. Moritz is about three-and-a-half hours by a scenic train ride from Zurich, via several bridges and tunnels including the famous Albula tunnel. St. Moritz also served as a location for part of the 1969 James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service starring George Lazenby and Diana Rigg, regarded by many film critics as one of the finest in the celebrated movie franchise. Though some prefer St. Moritz as a summer getaway, most come during winter, not just for skiing but also to take part in winter sports like the traditional Cresta run, winter polo, skating and White Turf events (horseracing) over the frozen lake. For skiers who love to break the “snow carpet” and carve out their first tracks, the mountains Corviglia, Corvatsch, Diavolezza and Zuoz offer pistes of varying degrees. If you aren’t a skier, don’t worry; take one of the cable cars or gondolas to the top and simply enjoy breathtaking scenery from the terraces over a steaming cup of Swiss hot chocolate. Summer offers a pleasant climate although it can get a tad chilly as the temperature hovers around 18 to 21 0C. To get there, you can fly with Oman Air directly to Zurich International Airport. From there you can catch a train, from underneath the terminal’s airport, to St. Moritz (there are two per hour). The journey takes between three and four hours. You may book tickets online on the SBB website.

My favourite place

CABLE CAR T D IA V O L O EZZ A ST. M O R IT Z

T E D IN Z R E FL E C S T . M OR IT THE LAKE

The Diavolezza. I’m not a skier but experiencing first-hand just how –19°C feels amid shimmering sunlight is beyond words. Standing on a terrace with a hot chocolate in one hand, a camera in the other, pure chill winds brushing through my hair while my knee-high boots are embedded in snow and bright sunlight hitting my face – goggles are a must in this weather to protect your eyes – it’s an incredibly spectacular view of the dazzling glaciers and the peaks that surround St. Moritz! This place is also aptly named: Diavolezza means “She-Devil”! For someone from Muscat, standing on top of a mountain at 3,300 metres is like being on top of the world.

Highlights

Winter is the best time to visit St. Moritz. The town is a picture-perfect postcard with trees, chalets and rooftops all resplendent in a pastel-blue hue. With many sports events here and in the surrounding villages, the area is abuzz with life and activity.

Lowlights

The temperature during winter months can drop to a freezing -17°C, so rugging up is very important. During such harsh conditions, certain mountain top observatory decks, cable car rides and ski routes may be closed. Also, St. Moritz is not for the budget-conscious. It is truly a luxurious and a spectacular destination, and you get what you pay for.

Souvenirs Apart from the usual magnets and key chains, the must take-homes are the mountain cheeses or those fromages from the Engadine region that offer a mild and nutty taste. And don’t forget to pack some truffles or chocolates from a chocolatier. Where to stay Though St. Moritz is home to uber-chic hotels and chalets, it does have a few boutique B&Bs and apartments. However, if choosing to stay away from the crowd, there are several Swiss-style apartments in nearby picturesque villages such as Silvaplana, Pontresina or Celerina.

A SCE N IC M O V IL L A U N T A IN GE CO VERED IN S N O W

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-FI

Outdoors

D e s t i n at i o n

Y-FI

PLAY TIME

THE TECH IN YOU

Alvin Thomas sits down for some serious gaming to find the best consoles on the market today FUTURE CLASSIC It’s quite astonishing how the Nintendo Wii U has been on the market for almost four years now but has almost gone unnoticed since its release. The reason? More powerful and interactive consoles from Sony and Microsoft. The truth, however, is that, the Wii U is an excellent console for families and even causal gamers. It is also reverse compatible meaning you can use older remotes to play games on the Wii U. But the finest feature on the console must be the amazing handheld gamepad, which offers portability. This, along with the fact that Nintendo will soon cease production of the device means it’s on its way to becoming a future classic like the NES or even the Nintendo Gameboy. You can buy the Wii U from all leading gaming stores, for around RO120.

WEAR IT Sony answered the prayers of millions of gamers worldwide when they announced their plans for a virtual reality headset solely for gaming. Three years later – and a lot of speculation later – the VR headset finally made its way onto the market as an accessory to the PS4 console. It is expected to be compatible with a range of games, including Batman and even Gran Turismo 7. The PS VR tracks the movement of your head and uses the PlayStation Camera, in combination with your regular PS4 controller or PlayStation Move motion controls, to present the VR experience. It is currently only bundled along with a PS4 console but should be made a standalone product soon. Yours for a hefty RO154.

S FOR SUPERCHARGED There’s no denying: the Xbox has fallen victim to the PlayStation since its inception in 2001 solely because… well… Sony did it first (in 1994). Despite that, the Xbox One S is an absolute gem of a machine with tonnes of storage (2 terrabytes), 4K resolution support (but no 4K gaming) and now comes with a slimmer and compact footprint. The Xbox One S also comes with excellent internals and a spec sheet that will put most gaming computers to shame. Yours from RO158 at Lulu Hypermarket.

PRO GAMER

EDITOR’S PICK

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET’S WELCOME THE ALL-NEW PS4 PRO TO THE ARENA. CODENAMED THE “NEO”, THE SONY PS4 PRO IS TRULY THE VERY BEST OF WHAT YOU CAN PURCHASE TODAY AND IS A MUST-HAVE IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR SOME NEXT-LEVEL HARDCORE GAMING PERFORMANCE FROM A CONSOLE. WHILE THE PS4 PRO IS MERELY AN UPDATED VERSION OF ITS PREDECESSOR, IT STILL COMES WITH IMPROVED HARDWARE, COMPLETE WITH AN UPGRADED GPU (GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNIT) AND AN OVERCLOCKED CPU CLOCK, MEANING IT’S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY SLICK. ALL THE EXISTING GAMES SHOULD WORK WITH THE PS4 PRO IN 4K AND SOME WILL ALSO SHOW AN INCREASE IN PERFORMANCE. THIS AMAZING GADGET IS ALL YOURS FOR A HEFTY RO160 FROM ALL LEADING GAMING STORES IN OMAN.

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RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER

s consoles continue to raise the bar in computing power, it seems only right to compare two of the world’s greatest gaming consoles: the original PlayStation and the recently-launched PlayStation4 Pro. To do that, however, I’ve had to find a game series that spans two decades. And fitting into that very criteria is Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. First launched in 1996, I still remember playing the original game on the PlayStation. Even with its jarred graphics and tacky gaming engine, it was always a delight and definitely spooky – thanks to its dark-themed streets and houses. Despite its lack of graphical finesse, it was still one of the most advanced games of its time, too. Apart from that, the storyline was quite complex: it followed Lara Croft’s expedition into various picturesque locations to recover a mysterious artefact called the Scion, which was buried under the desert in New Mexico after a nuclear test went wrong. The animation was truly mind-blowing considering how premature our graphic processing technology was. Earlier models of the PlayStation took minutes to process certain cut-scenes, leading to a great deal of lag and potential crashes. But there’s no denying that despite its shortcomings, it was sensational. Fast forward to today, and I’ve got my hands on the latest – Rise of the Tomb Raider – the 17th game in the series. Eidos Interactive (through subsidiary wing Crystal Dynamics) is still the developer of the game so everything (the interface and even the commentary) is similar. Of course, there is much improvement in terms of gameplay and graphical interface, thanks to the amazing graphics processor of the PlayStation4. However, it is the overlying storyline and the intricate attention to detail that links the two games together. Just like its predecessor, the game follows on survival and combat but the players can now use Croft to explore surrounding areas too – something that was necessary in the earlier editions but let down by tacky graphics. In the new game, the storyline takes Croft into Siberia, where she has to singlehandedly fight paramilitary forces to “find the source for immortality” before her enemies do. Of course, she is also smarter now so you can create bespoke weapons using elements found in your surroundings. The new Tomb Raider game is miles more sophisticated than its predecessor. But this is the underlying fact: 1996 or 2016, Lara Croft is still the ultimate female protagonist to walk the face of the virtual world. And the cut-throat action scenes are good enough to give you goosebumps. Review by Alvin Thomas

2016

App of the Week

VUE IT Are you fed up with Netflix and your satellite TV company? Don’t worry. PlayStation is here to the rescue – again! PlayStation Vue is an application that allows you to access television services through your PS4 console. You can access channels such as ESPN, CNN, FOX and more using the app. Vue should be installed on your PS4 as standard for free but accessing channels may require additional payments.

1996

JULY DEC 22 03 - 28 09 / ISSUE 450 327

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CARS AND ADVENTURES

Destination

Postcards from

FIRST DRIVE

Outdoors

The latest incarnation of a luxury brand takes it to even higher levels of performance, finds Alvin Thomas

ehicle engineers are a strange breed; a group of highly competitive folks vying to become the best in the world. And in pursuit of glory, a lot of them seem to push boundaries that were once deemed impossible. For instance, there’s Newton’s second law of motion: the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the magnitude of force and inversely proportional to the mass of the object. This in car terms means that an SUV, which is big in size, shouldn’t be as quick and nimble as, let’s say, a sports car. But for years now, the Germans with their Beemers (BMWs) and Porsches have tried their hand at defying physics with their super-fast and nimble SUVs. And there’s no denying that they’re actually quite good at it. But classifying them as thoroughbred full-size SUVs isn’t fair: a handful of them compromise interior space, ride comfort and even off-road capabilities, all in pursuit of speed. However, there’s something vastly different about the Range Rover Sport SVR. Upon first glance, and in its “Fuji White” finish, it does look fairly similar to a standard Range Rover Sport. But upon careful inspection, I realise that the SVR – the hotter version of an already brisk SUV – actually gets aggressive bumpers that delete the LED fog lamps in favour of larger intakes to cool the engine, larger vents in the fenders, humungous 45cm sports wheels, blue Brembo-brake calipers, quad-exhausts and a few subtle “SVR” badges around the exterior. However, things start to make a little more sense

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once you jump into the SUV. For instance, the regular comfort seats have been exchanged for large, white leather-wrapped, racing-style bucket seats. Moreover, SVR embroidered elements and real carbon-fibre trim pieces take up much of an otherwise familiar cabin. The interior, despite its sports frills, is still a very nice place to be. Of course, the sports seats means you’re trading in the ride comfort of the standard Sport in favour of a slightly harsher ride (but it is still comfortable). You also get Range Rover’s classic thick-rimmed steering wheel and small gear-shifter, which is quite reminiscent of the beautiful British sports cars of yesteryear. But the similarities end there: unlike any British sports car from the 20th century, this British-marquee SUV comes with a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine upfront, breathing out an almost unearthly 550hp and 680Nm of raw torque. The initial tip in acceleration from a standstill is gut-wrenching because a nice chunk of the torque lies within the 2500rpm range. I could even push the car from 0-100kph in a mere 5.2 seconds (although given the right conditions it should break the 5-second mark). That’s quicker than most sports cars of today! The steering is extremely responsive and does provide a fair amount of feedback. So, you do feel confident enough to push the vehicle into corners. It also firms up when you put the car in “Dynamic” mode. Then, it is so well-tuned, you will probably find yourself pushing the vehicles around corners at speeds you usually don’t push normal cars around at. The SVR handles well for a vehicle that tips the scales at 2.2 tonnes. Given the right set of skills, you

Y- F i C A R S

Range Rover Sport SVR Specifications: Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8 Transmission: Eight-speed automatic Horsepower: 550hp Torque: 680Nm Four-wheel drive ABS and Driveline Traction Control Panoramic glass roof 19-speaker Meridian Surround Sound System 14-way power seats w/ memory function Active Exhaust system

could actually powerslide the SVR. But pushing the vehicle with the traction control on does reveal a slight hint of understeer, which is characteristic of front-engine cars with active four-wheel-drive systems and wide tyres. Mind you, the understeer isn’t as drastic as that of some of its rivals from Germany, though, and lifting off the throttle should bring the car back into line. The large Brembo brakes are excellent, too. However, they do require a little getting used to, especially due to the way they retard speed. Get it wrong and you’ll find yourself stopping way before your mark. They really are that powerful! But, the party-piece of the SUV has to be the “Active Exhaust” system. A simple push of the button opens up a set of valves in the exhaust to reveal the true identity of the SUV. I actually found myself driving with the exhausts on full blast. They even crackle and pop like those of a sports coupe. It’s all very soulful. It’s almost like the car has a heart of its own. Creating the Range Rover Sport SVR has to be one of Land Rover’s greatest achievements to date. And credit has to go to the guys at the “Special Vehicle Operations” department at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) who have tinkered around with an already capable SUV (and maybe even pushed the laws of physics) to create what they have, today. In my eyes, Range Rovers have always been the pioneers of SUVs: they are extremely illustrious off-road and just as capable on-road. But with the SVR, they’ve gone one step further. They’ve created a vehicle that can go off-road, prowl around the streets, and when the time comes, ace race tracks. This has to be the best all-rounder of all-time. I wouldn’t mind going as far as saying that this is the best SUV that I have ever driven. I’ve really fallen in love with the SVR and I desperately want one.

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