Y Magazine #464, March 30, 2017

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The Spotlight is on you. So get ready to record your own music video & show the world your mettle. Whether you are a one-person-show, (you play and sing) or you are a member of a band (5–2 members), Kia is inviting you to record your music video and show us what you can do.

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nternet security is always high on our list at Y Magazine – from avoiding phishing and fake websites to protecting our identity and a whole host of other issues.

While the internet has completely transformed our lives, it is important to remember that it’s a highly insecure, unsafe world and not everybody’s intentions are honest.

In our cover story this week, Team Y looks at the latest online security issues we are dealing with in Oman and finds that we should be very worried about hackers and spyware here. It’s an interesting story and one that is a must read for anybody wanting to protect themselves online.

Elsewhere, we explore the traditional village of Al Hajar in Destination, take the Mercedes A 250 Sport out for a spin in First Drive and announce our Road Safety Pledge winners – and a big thank you to all who entered!

Have a wonderful 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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MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

03

contents

MAR 30 - APR 05 2017

Your Oman 06 Coffee With Y

Hans Nieuwenhuis 08 Voice Of Oman

Sayyida Mayya Al Said 10 News

Crime rate falls

in Oman 13 News

Tourism on the rise 14 Faces Of Oman

10

This Week

Features 22 Cover story

The dark side of the web 27 Ladies’ Day Out

Enter our Markaz Al

Bahja competition

16 Competition

Y’s Got Talent

28 Take the pledge

Our road safety winners

are revealed

18 This Week

BSM table-top sale

21 Movies

Don’t Kill It

22

15 Hyundai – Driven To Success

Farhan al Othmani

Cars and Adventures 32 Destination

Al Hajar 34 First Drive

Mercedes A 250 Sport 36 Postcard From

Chennai, India 38 Y-Fi

Slim pickings

21 Health and Beauty 40 Fashion

Summer fun 42 Beauty

Braidy bunch

Food and Drink 44 Food Feature

Let’s brunch 46 Taste Test

Texas Chicken

44

43 Health

Boost your immunity

38 40

NEXT ISSUE...

FEATURES / COFFEE WITH Y / NEWS / MOVIES / EVENTS / BEAUTY / DESTINATION / TRAVEL / FASHION / FIRST DRIVE

huis

ieuwen

Hans N

One of the world’s top opera directors says Oman has som e very promising classical stars in the making. Alvin Thomas m eets him n evening with an opera But the real

A

turning point in his life when he director is something I could was 14. Over the past three came when he turned 26 and wan ted decades, however, Hans has never have imagined in a been busy to get a mortgage and buy a house. million years but then again my tim talent-hunting for young opera sing e “Th ers. e ban k wan ted me to have a at Y has been full of surprises. And He has taught and directed at the stea San dy job.

So it was sug gest ed that I if meeting an opera director wasn’t Francisco Opera Merola and Adl work at the opera, which I though er enough, my interviewee also hap t was Fell ow Program, the Curtis Institute pens funny.” of to have received the Order of Ora Music in Philadelphia, Yale Univer nge- Funnily enough, Hans end sity ed up Nassau, conferred on him in 201 and Michigan University in the US, 2 being hired and went on to assist to by the then Queen Beatrix of the in nam e but a few. his first opera in 1975. By the end Netherlands for his work in opera, of Today, however, he is the general the first year, he had already assisted theatre and music. dire ctor of the Orfeo Foundation – an five of the most important director His name is Hans Nieuwenhuis, s institution that aims to assist opera and in international opera: Göt z Friedrich singers, and is now I am able to have a chat (thanks to in Oman to find our and Harry Kupfer from Ger many, John and hone future Om friend Nicole Bradbury-Becx) with ani and expatriate the Cox and David Pountney from man himself after his sojourn in the UK singers. “Most people who Oman and Lotfi Mansouri from want to join Iran. for the Voix Humaine opera – whi can send me clips and we invite them ch Soo n, however, Hans had his own he directed – at the Copacabana to join.” at the production – a comedy bas ed on the Grand Hyatt Muscat.

Explaining the hard work an ope legendary American actor, produc ra Our meeting point is a coffee out er, singer must undertake, Hans says let writer and stunt performer : “It’ s Buster at the Oman Avenues Mall, and like an Olympic sport. You cannot Kea ton , whi ch wen t on to bec ome straight away, I realise that Hans simply do it half way. You need to is successful. It was called The Old Mai go a very modest man. And dressed d thro ugh it and work incredibly hard to in and the Thi ef and was composed by the make it as black, the Amsterdam-born Han an opera singer. Seventeen s American-Italian composer Gian doesn’t look a day over 40, even tho or 18 is when you start to study for ugh Carlo Menotti. he tells me that he has passed 60! opera.”

“The real starting point for me was Talking about his early days, he says Hans’ institution currently assists : in 1980,” he says. “That was whe “I come from a large family of seve nI 20 students. Hans also only has good n made my debut in New York at the brothers and sisters. My grandfathe things to say about opera in Oman. r Bro oklyn Academy of Music and the was a very famous musician back “The first time I was here was thre Art Park Festival. It was an opera e home. My mother too was very mu by yea rs ago. His Majesty Sultan Qaboos sical composer Philip Glass, and it was so we were raised in a very musica has founded his own music school, l called the Satyagraha – and was bas background. As a child, I learnt to ed whi ch is incredible! play on a scene from the ancient epic of two instruments – the cello and pian “Th e conservatory is fantastic. I was o. Mahabharata,” he reveals.

But in a surprising turn of events, invited for a master class with Om Since then, Hans has directed mo ani Hans tells me about an aversion he re singers, chorus and instrumenta than lists , 104 ope ras. developed to opera. “My parents and I have to say that I am impress “Op ed era is a very exp ensi ve art were highly cultural, and they wou form. by the talent here. ld And unless it has something to say, drag me to see plays. When I was we “We haven’t set an exact date but shouldn’t spend so much money 14 – and now comes the big surp on it. we have set a fascinating pro rise cess for In my view, opera should talk abo – I was taken to an opera. I left in making opera a part of the culture the life, relationships, love, sadness ut here and all by integrating it with the intermission, and said that it was not loca l cult thes ure e thin gs human beings go through. here my art form. I thought it was bor itself. ing Opera is a very emotional art form and tacky.” .

“Op era is theatre, with music and “Music is the essential underHans then went on to study law at singing, and if you look at it in that stre am of opera. If an opera doesn’t the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam sense then there is a lot of opera . have interesting music, then it will in “During my time there, though, I Ara bia. There are just many variatio und oub ns. tedl y end up bad. I never had And I’m only started directing plays and televisio here to find and maybe n. any interest in opera, but I had a love help a few of these I don’t know how it happened but talents [of which he I for music. People who have sensitivi ended up in theatre. And in the pro ty accepts there are many] to rise cess for music will like opera; but to an not every international level.” of making money, I designed, wro te, ope ra.

Tha t’s wha t I want to say.” composed, directed and sometim es He adds that he has directed every Have you got a uniq even went on stage.” ue story to tell? Contact us to singer in the “dreadful” opera he saw have coffee with Y and be featured in Y Email: editor@y-oman.com

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Magazine.

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THE VOICE OF OMAN SAYYIDA MAYYA AL SAID ON THE PRESSURE OF PERFECTIONISM AND WHY WE SHOULD STOP

I

would really like for us to stop putting ourselves under so much pressure. The pressure of perfection! As a parent, my daughter is a little perfectionist; everything she does has to be perfect and that is definitely a trait she inherited from me, but boy do we suffer because of it!

If we have a look at the definition of a perfectionist, it is “a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection”. That sums us up perfectly. At one point, I used to be proud of this trait, but as the years have passed by, I have come to realise how much I have suffered because it.

The thing with perfectionism is that it has a cousin called fear of failure.

Fear of failure is really not that bad, but if you give it enough power it can ruin your life. Failing or making mistakes is something that we will all experience at some point in our lives. It may be a test, a relationship, however big or small the failure is, it is not the end of your life.

We tend to give it too much attention that we are afraid of trying, dare I say living?! A wise soul once said, “failure is the best teacher” because only when we fail do we know what we did wrong and we simply have to try it again differently until we succeed.

A final reminder, your mistakes, your failures, do not define who you are or determine your future. They only prove that you are a fighter. So as Dory the fish would say in Finding Nemo: “Just keep swimming.”

NEXT WEEK: IBRAHIM GAILANI 08

MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

correspondence REALITY CHECK NEEDED FOR SOCIAL MEDIA Dear Editor, Lured to social media – a reality check. It’s all about life but life in the context of social media!

It’s a kind of compulsion for people to reach for instruments like phones without a second thought. While WhatsApp and Facebook take up the personal time of families a lot, the mobile phone is the one that the little ones find the most attractive “toy” for them. They can see the world differently through its use.

The craze for smartphones and the obsession with social media are part of a social trend that cannot easily be stopped. They have already been embraced and are now part of contemporary life.

For those who are older, it has been surprising to learn of children using the calculator on their mobile phones to check their maths.

No one can be blamed but the trend of the new age is forming groups of friends on WhatsApp, and it’s not surprising to see people sitting in cars waiting for the next incomer to a particular chatroom.

The experience is that keeping WhatsApp and Facebook away for a while can definitely save time and energy, and by doing so one can realise the

DEBATE OF THE WEEK WE ASKED: Consumer inflation hit 2.38 per cent in February – is your salary keeping pace with the rising cost of living in the Sultanate?

D. VIJAY

Firstly, I would like to thank Y for raising this topic. For some time I have kept asking myself why there hasn’t been any rise in salaries when there is inflation, and why there was a regular raise in salaries when there was no inflation? If I am right, after 2010, every one of us started feeling the pinch of inflation. For example a

WRITE TO US AND YOU COULD WIN

value of time and never feel isolated. Instead, the individual can make time for something that is beneficial.

In reality, when the television goes off during the evening hours to deal with the stress of studying for exams, the mobile appears to be the only option to see the world “live”.

So the question is: are we placing too much on social media at the expense of real life experience or is it just a distraction from the real joys, stresses and benefits of living every day?

Regards, Ramachandran Nair, Ruwi 5kg bag of rice, which was priced around RO1.6, started being sold at up to RO5. Today, everywhere, all we hear about is a hike in the price of importing commodities. The result of all the increases in prices on all imports will finally land on the head of the consumer in the form of retail price. So is it not the responsibility of the Government to take care of the public interest? So why does the Government not become involved and fix a Dearness Allowance every year, based on the rise in inflation that affects all employees, like in other countries? If this doesn’t happen then slowly people will start shifting their families back to their home country, which will result in reducing the purchasing power in the home country and in turn affect the economy as well.

GAUTAM GHOSH DASTIDAR

When my family and I came here in 2001, our total expenditure towards weekly provisions for a family including a child was just RO3. We used to spend exactly this amount as the supermarket at Ruwi Plaza area offered a 200 baisa gift coupon

Dinner for two at Le Jardin restaurant

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for every three rials of purchase. Then there was the fresh market at Wadi Kabir, which was incredibly economical! But that all is a far cry from what we have around these days! Now we need at least 10 times that

New Debate: How will the new ban on laptops in plane cabins on flights bound for the United States affect you – or will you enjoy not having to work during your trip?

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amount. Even the local bakery hiked their prices by 50 per cent on each product. The basic salary for everyone, irrespective of one’s collar-colour, needs, therefore, at least a raise of 2.5 per cent (rounded off to facilitate calculation)!

RODNEY WOODS

Salaries have certainly not kept pace with the rising cost of living in Oman, especially with the increases in the prices of groceries , school fees, rent, fuel, etc.

However, the situation is relatively far better than most countries in the region and the world over. To paper over this cost increase and inflation, one will need to look at ways to cut expenses like avoiding impulse shopping, eating out less frequently, and driving more fuel efficiently and so on.

SYED BOKHARI

Definitely, as consumer inflation hit 2.8 per cent during last month, and our salaries are not keeping pace with the rising cost of living in the Sultanate. Therefore, it is up to us to plan our aims and activities as per our resources, and avoid extravagances. One must keep in mind to cut the cloth according to the cloth. Or save money for a rainy day, or however you wish to express it. There is always brightness after darkness and the country has given us everything so we should adopt our standard of living as per circumstances.

MD JAKARIA was spotted with his favourite Y Magazine in Muscat

THIS IS YOUR SPOT! Just send us your picture with Y Magazine or pose with our photographer and we will publish it on this page

Send it to: info@y-oman.com

PARUL JAIN

It is said: “With money you are a dragon and without it a worm.” Salary is definitely not keeping pace with the current inflation. The price of all commodities has risen drastically. Even tomatoes, which used to cost somewhere near 150 baisas, now cost 550 baisas. The weekly bill till last year was nearly RO30 which has shot up to almost RO55. The cost of living has increased.

School expenses, fuel, house rent and household commodities are all digging their teeth into the common man’s pocket. People have somehow found ways to save some money for the future by having fewer outings and going in for limited shopping. But this is not the solution.

Salaries should be incremented in line with inflation so that the citizens can lead a happy life.

MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

09

YOUR

OMAN

NEWS

CRIME RATE IN OMAN FALLS BY 7.5 PER CENT

STRICT T FINES FOR LITTERING

he crime rate in Oman fell by a staggering 7.5 per cent in 2016 – a feat that can be attributed to the relentless efforts of the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and continual support from other law enforcement authorities and awareness campaigners.

At the annual Oman Public Prosecution (OPP) press briefing, held this week, Mohammed Said al Yahyaei, the Assistant Attorney General and Director-General of Muscat Public Prosecution, said the total number of criminal cases stood at 37,972 in 2016, down from the 41,072 convicted felony cases in 2015.

“Constant campaigns, awareness about stringent punishments and efforts by various sections of the society has helped in reducing crimes in the country by 7.5 per cent,” Al Yahyaei was quoted by local media as saying.

Meanwhile, Dr Ahmed bin Said al Shukaili, Assistant Attorney General and manager of the Attorney General Office, stated: “The Public Prosecution would like to confirm its actions are

within the norms set by the Royal orders of His Majesty and the parameters of the nation’s criminal procedures.”

However, he pointed that the number of murder cases had increased in Oman last year, when compared with 2015. According to Public Prosecution data, 27 murder cases were referred to the public prosecution last year, up from 23 in 2015.

“Nineteen of the cases were intentional murder, while four were connected to a misdemeanour case.

Two cases were premeditated murders and the remaining two were murders caused by beating,” Al Shukeili was quoted as saying.

Misdemeanour cases accounted for 90.9 per cent of all criminal prosecutions – an 8.8 per cent drop to 34,065 in 2016 from 37,332 in 2015). However, registered criminal cases rose by 6.8 per cent to 3,482 in 2016, compared with 3,260 in 2015.

According to the statistics revealed by the OPP, there were 8,673 cases of criminal activity in Muscat; 6,684 in the governorate of North al Batinah; 2,809 in Baushar and 5,481 in Salalah.

L

itterbugs, beware! You could be looking at a fine of up to RO1,000, if you are caught littering in the streets, wadis or even around fenced walls in the Sultanate.

Muscat Municipality announced the new list of fines earlier this week (Sunday, March 26) in its attempt to crack down on offenders and clean up the streets and other tourist locations.

The decision, however, was issued earlier this month (March 16), and the new fines will come to effect from April 15.

It has also been reported that the Municipality also double fines for repeat offenders. At present, the fines are marked at RO200 for the first two violations, following which it would be raised to RO500 if the offender is found to repeat the offence.

In the new rules, however, the Municipality has separately listed the types of violations and fines for establishments and individuals. As per the rule, people who are caught throwing litter in “open areas” and wadis will be fined RO1,000. They will also have to clean up the litter in 24 hours.

A Muscat Municipality spokesman was quoted by local media as saying: “There are fines for individuals and for establishments. The fines are categorised internally.

“Those who violate the law will have one day to remove the trash to designated areas,” the spokesman said, adding that the fines would be levied against the individuals who littered and not the businesses.

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MWASALAT GOES HI-TECH WITH WIFI-READY BUSES

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f you still aren’t sold on the idea of using the public transport system to get around town, maybe this will change your mind: Mwasalat, Oman’s national transport company, has started offering free internet services to all passengers.

The service was made available earlier this week (Tuesday, March 28) and is offered across the fleet of buses that operate on internal routes in Muscat; however, the company says WiFi will be provided to passengers travelling external routes to different governorates.

Mwasalat signed an agreement with telecom firm Omantel in December 2016 to offer passengers free internet access.

This plan also falls in line with Mwasalat’s goal to entice more passengers to avail its bus services, and also “improve the travelling experience”.

In an earlier interview with Y, Mwasalat’s engineering manager, Ken Jackson revealed the company’s plans to incorporate internet services in buses. He said: “As a part of our action plan, we will be introducing internet in all our buses… and it will be completely free of cost.

“Mwasalat is the GCC’s youngest bus fleet, and

we also aim to become the most technologically advanced bus company in the Middle East region.

In the process, you will be seeing more services being incorporated,” he added Travel smartcards and a completely revamped bus reservation system are also expected to be introduced soon.

GRAND AND GAELIC

GALLERY

DEPARTMENT OF obstetrics & GYNaecology

IT WAS ALL ABOUT HEALTHY ATHLETES AT STARCARE HOSPITAL IN SEEB THIS WEEK, WITH A HOST OF SPECIALISTS TALKING TO GAELIC FOOTBALL PLAYERS AND THEIR SUPPORT TEAM FROM THE OMAN GAA CLUB. TOPICS INCLUDED FITNESS, DIET AND NUTRITION, SPORTS INJURIES AND A MOTIVATIONAL SESSION. THE PLAYERS ALSO HAD THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED AND WEIGHED IN TO CHECK THEIR BMI AS THEY GEAR UP FOR A BIG TOURNAMENT NEXT MONTH. GOOD LUCK, GUYS!

MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

011

OMAN

MOTHER’S DAY AWARDS

YOUR

NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF Y’S MOTHER’S DAY COMPETITION! WE HELD A SPECIAL CEREMONY FOR THE WINNERS IN OUR OFFICE IN SEEB THIS WEEK. FIRST PRIZE WENT TO SUHA, 15, SECOND PRIZE WAS AWARDED TO HANAN, 11, AND THIRD PRIZE WAS WON BY FIVE-YEAROLD HANNAH. THANKS TO OUR GREAT SPONSOR PUCK FOR THEIR FABULOUS SUPPORT IN HELPING TO MAKE THIS POPULAR COMPETITION A FITTING TRIBUTE TO ALL THE MOTHERS OF OMAN! AND A HUGE THANKS TO ALL OF THE CHILDREN WHO ENTERED.

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GALLERY

OMAN TOURISM AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH

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man has become a hotspot for tourists from around the world, Muscat International Airport showed a growth rate of 14.7 per cent, with more than 3 million visitors exploring the country in 2016, which was higher than its counterparts in Doha (Hamad International according to a report that was this week issued by the Ministry of Airport) and Dubai (Dubai International Airport), which showed a growth Tourism (MoT). rate of 14 and 9.7 per cent, respectively.

The MoT report revealed that 3,042,695 tourists visited the Sultanate last year – a 16.2 per cent growth rate compared with 2015. The growth rate was reported to be highest (46.9 per cent) for passengers arriving via cruise ships, with a total of 217,153 tourists visiting the Sultanate via sea.

Meanwhile, the annual khareef season in Salalah attracted 652,986 tourists last year – a 26.8 per cent increase from that of previous years, while castles and forts across the country attracted 284,725 visitors, or a rise of 14.3 per cent.

One of Oman’s favourite aqua destinations, Wadi Bani Khalid, continued its reign, attracting a total of 156,119 visitors, or 38.3 per cent more compared with 2015. This was followed by the turtle reserve at Ras Al Jinz with a 17.3 per cent increase to 36,070 visitors.

With a total of 162,499 tourists, however, the mountains of Jebel Akhdar recorded a nominal increase of 0.3 per cent for 2016.

The Ministry of Tourism said the increase in the number of visitors was due to the development of infrastructure, in addition to projects that “boost the tourist attractions’ potential of the Sultanate”.

More recently, Muscat International Airport was reported to have the highest rate of growth among all airports in the Middle East. The statistics were released by the Airports Council International (ACI), the global trade representative of the world’s airport authorities.

MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

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f

aces of

Oman

Welcome to Y’s weekly photo series that profiles the diverse characters who call the Sultanate home Name: Juhaina al Balushi Age: 24 From: Oman Occupation: Musician Passion: Swimming, painting

Photo: Shaquel al Balushi

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ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

DRIVEN TO

SUCCESS

With a degree in marketing from Majan College and a commercial pilot’s licence, Farhan al Othmani isn’t your average Omani businessman. His aim is to consolidate his family business, which includes jewellery making, property and construction. He is working to incorporate new-age technologies such as 3D printing in forthcoming building projects here in Oman Q: What drives you to success?

I have many dreams and ambitions that keep me going. One of these is to modernise Oman with new technologies. When I lived in Australia, I learnt that it is a country that believes in green energy (eco-friendly sources of energy), and I cannot think why, here in Oman, we aren’t adopting technologies such as reducing our carbon footprint. So my aim is to factor in details such as those I learnt from other places, and incorporate them in my country. I cannot rest until I achieve that. Moreover, I was once a young Omani graduate. I know the struggle one goes through to become successful professionally.

Therefore, I make it a personal mission to help and give every young Omani graduate a chance if they want to work with my company.

Q: Who or what has been your inspiration in your career?

There are many people who inspire me. But the one who inspires me the most is Thomas Edison. I know he is famous for creating the first electric lightbulb but it is the part where he came to be who he was despite his fight with dyslexia that inspires me.

Q: What is your biggest career success to date?

My greatest career success to date would be obtaining my commercial pilot’s licence and flying a light aircraft. It was a dream and a

as they are the younger generation. I am currently in my third stage, and I am doing my best to establish myself as an entrepreneur and someone who works for the benefit of Oman.

passion back then. Sadly, it is now restricted to being a hobby. However, I may be pursuing flying in the later stages of my life.

Q: What are your career goals?

I believe that there are four stages in an individual’s life. In Hindi they say, “Chaar din ki zindagi [the four days in a lifetime]’. On average, a person may live up to 60 years, and in my case, I think of splitting four stages of 15 years each. The first stage is when you work hard and study as a young student; the second half you study alongside work and become a professional; the third stage is when you start working under someone and then go on to achieve the goals you have set for yourself. The last stage is for relaxing and investing in the younger generation. They are the young blood and they have more knowledge,

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?

Ten years from now, I hope to be able to contribute to Oman’s economy and make it strong.

To make that happen, I would like to produce industrial products in Oman, as opposed to importing them from other countries. I believe that we must produce as many products as we can, and that is the goal I have set for myself in the coming years.

Q: What do you like about the Genesis?

I had never driven this car before, and I have to say that I am thoroughly surprised. I think it is very smooth and comfortable to drive – even on certain rough patches of road. I particularly like the metre reading, which shows the speed limits on each stretch of road. The Genesis also impresses me with its power and handling – it manages to take corners with ease and composure, while still seating its passengers in utter comfort. Add to that the noise isolation, and you’re left with a limousine that makes a mark for itself as one of the best sedans on the market today.

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Y IS ON THE HUNT FOR THE KING AND QUEEN OF COOL OF MUSCAT’S COLLEGE CAMPUSES. IMPRESS OUR JUDGES AND BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING A SHARE OF RO4,500 IN PRIZES

T

he entries are pouring in for our thrilling Y’s Got Talent competition – and with RO4,500 in prizes on the line, it’s no wonder!

So far, we’ve received a variety of entries from the likes of singers, dancers, musicians and poets – and as the countdown begins for the auditions, everybody is practising their routines to impress our judges!

Presented by Nestle, powered by Renault, and in association with VLCC, The Sultan Centre and Pizza Muscat, Y’s Got Talent aims to find the most talented university students in Muscat and reward them with exciting prizes.

“Our auditions for Y’s Got Talent are kicking off in April,” says Felicity Glover, the managing editor of Y Magazine. “And we are anticipating an even bigger turnout

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this year.” In the audition phase, which will be held throughout April, our talent-hunting MC and panel of judges will scour each of the participating colleges to assess applicants, based on their two minutes in the spotlight. Once the votes are in, one boy and one girl from each college will go forward to the Grand Finale and compete against winners from the other colleges taking part.

Whoever is named Mr Talented and Ms Talented from each college audition will receive each RO150 worth of vouchers for their efforts, as well as the chance to win even more in the Grand Finale.

The winners of each college audition will then face off against each other for the

glory of being crowned overall Mr and Ms Talented, as well as the opportunity to lay their hands on a cash prize of RO250 each plus RO200 worth of vouchers!

To register, go to Y’s website at www.yoman.com – but remember, you must attend one of the participating colleges.

THE WHAT’S ON GUIDE

BARGAINS GALORE

DANCE ON

MAR

31

Are you looking for a bargain? Then British School Muscat’s table-top sale is the place to be from 8am to 10am tomorrow. There will be a variety of items on offer, from clothes to household items and children’s toys. The sale is being held in the school’s undercover carpark in Madinat Sultan Qaboos. Children enter for free, while adults pay just 500 baisa. If you want to book a table – the cost is RO10 – but you will have to be quick; call Julie on 9922 3748.

MAR

31

If dance is your passion, then head to the City Amphitheatre in Qurum for the Minara International Dance Festival – 2017. Organised by Talent Hunters Oman, the action starts at 7.30pm and finishes at 10pm. A variety of talented dancers from more than 12 countries, including Oman, will be performing modern dance to classical and everything else in between. For details, search for Talent Hunters Oman on Facebook.

01

THIS

WEEK

WHAT TO DO. WHAT TO SEE. WHAT TO HEAR.

MARCH-APRIL Head to the Royal Opera House Muscat for a special family concert featuring the chamber orchestra I Solisti Veneti, performing The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi. The performance will also showcase the work of Shayma al Mughairy, who will be illustrating the seasons on stage with her incredible sand art. Ticket prices range from RO3 to RO30 per person and bookings can be made at www.rohmuscat.org.om.

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Sands of time

APR

ADMISSIONS NOW OPEN

2017 / 18

ENGAGE INSPIRE INNOVATE EDUCATE

AGS is a Bri�sh Interna�onal Preparatory and Senior School priding itself on the warmth of its welcome to pupils and parents from around the world. The mul�-na�onal community represented at AGS by children and their families, helps to create a learning environment which fosters a global understanding and apprecia�on for diversity and each other.

We are proud of our pupil’s high academic standards, and encourage them to achieve their best in all aspects of the curriculum. Academics are supported by a strong expressive arts specialist programme which is further fostered by our extensive extracurricular ac�vi�es, encouraging pupils to expand and explore their talents.

Essen�al values of caring, self-discipline, respect, humour, a love of learning and a sense of discovery are embedded in AGS life. These a�ributes are vitally important to a child’s overall personal and social development needed in today’s ever-changing global society.

T: +968 24423952 | E: registrar@agsmuscat.com

www.agsmuscat.com

Top

❶ Singapore

World’s Most Expensive Cities ❷ Hong Kong

Zurich ❸

020

Tokyo

Osaka

❹

❺

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Source: Economist Intelligence Unit's Worldwide Cost of Living Report 2017

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

CHIPS Back in the late 1970s, CHiPs was a cheerful and not that taxing show about two California Highway Patrol officers, for whom speeding tickets simply failed to provide enough job satisfaction.

This modern cinematic reboot has been refashioned as an action-comedy. In this, a rookie officer (Dax Shepard) is

Don’t Kill It You’ve got to hand it to Dolph Lundgren. While the careers of many of his 1980s peers now consist mainly of character parts or cameos (think Jean Claude Van Demme, Steven Seagal, Chuck Norris etc), Dolph is still the doyen of the ask-no-questions action flick, and can still get his name above the title.

In this, a demon has cut loose in a sleepy Mississippi town. It takes on fresh bodies and inhabits those who kill its previous host. Pretty soon, the town has scores of dismembered bodies all over the place.

But Jebediah Woodley (Lungren) is on the case and clearly up to the job, as he has crossed paths with the demon before.

When he teams up with feisty FBI agent Evelyn Pierce (Kristina Klebe), he

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 Jebediah Woodley in Don't Kill It? LAST WEEK'S WINNER Annu Walia

has to find a way of stopping the demon without killing it, hence the film title.

It’s easy to be dismissive about Dolph, but this is the type of role he does really well, and he is a dab hand at the comedic throwaway line. In fact, his bon mots are worthy of Roger Moore at his best, and provide some moments of mirth in this horror thriller.

And that’s what’s on offer here. There’s plenty of frenetic creepy, and bloodsplattering sequences (and one is very entertaining indeed) but interspersed with some moments of black humour and barbed wit that makes the film hard to dislike. Take it with the pinch of salt you will sprinkle on your savoury popcorn, and enjoy.

Review by Kevin McIndoe

TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN, just answer a question based on the week’s cinema reviews and send your answer to info@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

teamed up with a seasoned veteran (Michael Pena). But the new guy soon finds out his older colleague is actually an undercover federal agent out to nail some crooked cops.

Unfortunately, the action sequences are lacklustre, and the humour leans towards the lavatorial. It’s a shame the memory of such a popular TV show has been sullied.

Naam Shabana If you liked the 2015 Bollywood thriller Baby, then this is for you. It’s a prequel and explores the reasons why Ajay (Akshay Kumar) became a federal agent in the first place. A window on the world of the Indian intelligence service is opened, and that originality deserves our attention.

There is a third instalment of this series on the way too and it’s becoming clearer that Bollywood directors are now more adept at handling action-thrillers that are grittier and more cerebral than anything that has come before. The acting is not too shabby, either.

Long View THE GREAT FATHER Not everything is black and white in this world, and in this we have a nasty policeman Andrews Eapen (Arya) who has a run-in with David Nainan (Mammotty), a supposedly ruthless construction company boss but who is also a great dad. Despite that, family relationships are never easy, and David’s daughter Sneha (Michelle David) leads him on a merry dance, leaving her dad bemused at her modern attitude and behaviour.

Directed by Haneef Adeni. In Malayalam, with Arabic subtitles. Release date: April 13

MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

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DARK SIDE OF THE WE As the online security debate continues to rage around the world, Alvin Thomas looks at the risks closer to home and finds that residents of Oman need to stay vigilant to protect their identities, bank accounts and other personal details

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arch 9, 2017: a new video emerges on YouTube from user “Rick Wolnik”, featuring Amazon’s personal assistant, Alexa. In the video, the user, Rick, the owner of the device, proceeds to ask Alexa a series of questions.

He begins by asking Alexa what the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) is, and whether she (the device) is working in tandem with the agency to provide them with personal information.

Naturally, Alexa answers his questions and declines his allegations.

However, his next question brought into light a topic that is very much at large on today’s online security scene.

He asks: “Alexa, does Amazon cooperate with the CIA?” Alexa shuts down and refuses to answer his question. He then proceeds to ask the device a few more questions – most of which the device refuses to answer before again abruptly shutting down.

Following this, multiple users begin uploading their own interrogation videos of Alexa.

By March 10, these videos take the top spot on the popular thread-based media platform, Reddit, and other online platforms such as 4Chan.

Since then, however, Amazon has patched the device and the software is now designed to respond to such questions. Numerous experts have ridiculed the issue as nothing more than a conspiracy theory, saying it was caused by a “bug with the software”.

Y connected with Amazon’s online help team to get a clearer idea on what is going on.

They said: “We would like to inform you that the videos you see online are prior to our software glitch fix. We have patched the software, and will slowly be rolling out more fixes to provide you with a better online experience.”

However, Melanie, the operations manager of a leading cyber security firm in Oman, says that residents in the Sultanate shouldn’t be worried about spying by any international security agency via their devices. “It is not the governments and the security agencies that you have to worry about, but rather, the actual hackers and phishers who are out to steal your online identity, and essentially, track all your online movements,” she says.

“When we talk about the government agencies and various applications tracking you, there is no real validation from any trusted source. Any Tom, Dick and Harry can publish false information, which, in turn, leads to a lot of confusion.

“I personally believe that Amazon’s Alexa was glitching in the videos, and we shouldn’t be worried about it. I’ve been in the field for 14 years and I have heard a lot of allegations being raised against software developers, social media websites and government entities.

“One thing you and I have to remember is that when we sign up for a service like Facebook, we are obliged to respect their policies – even if you don’t read them. Things are very much the same when you install the Facebook application. When you install the app, you are providing Facebook with complete control over your personal information, contacts, email IDs, photos, videos, and what-not.

“That’s a choice you make. In my day, I have not seen Facebook release any form of malicious code that particularly steals your information and it is highly unlikely they [Facebook, Amazon and Google] are actually working with the CIA,” she laughs.

In a phone interview with Y, Shanker, a software engineer from McAfee in the US, agrees with Melanie, saying: “Hackers can originate from anywhere and everywhere.

Be afraid of the real demons that hide within your community, not of the people who can save and protect you. Recently we have been hearing that the FBI and the CIA are keeping a log on people. That’s utter nonsense.

“Most cases of hacking and online security attacks involve a criminal party – better known as hackers. This can be an individual or a group of individuals who can work towards securing your information.

“Be aware that there are actual entities that are willing to pay for your online information. Bank accounts, personal IDs, email IDs and work information are all of value to these hackers.”

According to Infosec Institute, a US-based security training company, China is the world leader in cyber-crime with more than 41 per cent of all cyber attacks originating from the country. China is also the largest user of the internet, with more than 640 million users.

In a report published in The New York Times concerning hackers in China, IT programmers allegedly received substantial support from the government.

For example, the Chinese Ministry of Education collaborates with Chinese universities

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023

for arranging hacking competitions to distinguish the best professionals in the field.

Shanker believes that hacking in Oman is not as prevalent as hacking in countries such as the US or India.

“We have not seen any instances of political hacking in Oman,” says the engineer.

“The US happens to be the major target of foreign cyber attacks. Here, we receive more than 22,000 internet-related complaints per month. The numbers only grow daily,” he adds.

The good news is that Oman was ranked third in the world for countries best prepared for cyberattacks, according to the 2015 Global Cybersecurity Index, coming behind the US and Canada. Oman shared third spot with Australia and Malaysia.

According to Oman’s Information Technology Authority’s (ITA) report, the Information Security Division thwarted 398,118 attacks against government portals, as well as 4,872,081 attacks directed at government networks in Oman in 2015.

The Oman National CERT, which was established in April 2010 to analyse online risks and security threats, also reportedly discovered and neutralised 5,932 “real and serious cyber security attacks” against Oman, as well as uncovered 298 damaging malwares on computers during that period.

I remember heading to a coffee outlet in a renowned mall in Oman, prior to my flight. And as always, I connected my laptop to the free WiFi that they provided.

This was to be the biggest mistake I had ever made, though According to Melanie, however, the leading kind of cyber-crime is data phishing from social media platforms (click-jacking, doxing, and pharming).

We contacted an Indian expatriate working with a leading international marketing firm in Oman, who had recently been hacked online. She was initially reluctant to share her story, but was willing to go on record if we promised her complete anonymity.

“It all started late in 2016, when I was on a business trip to Thailand,” she says. “I travel often, and I tend to be out of Oman for number of days at a stretch. During my trip, I usually carry my usual set of items: passport, two sets of phones (one for each SIM card), one laptop and a few flash drives for when I have to make presentations for my clients.

“I remember heading to a coffee outlet in a renowned mall in Oman, prior to my flight. And, as always, I connected my laptop to the free Wi-Fi that they provided. This was to be the biggest mistake I had ever made, though,” she says.

“I remember a pop-up in my browser, which asked me to update my Adobe Flash Player. Naturally, I clicked yes. After this, I noticed that my computer’s keyboard was completely unresponsive.

“A few minutes later, it came back to life, though. However, I remember seeing my Windows Defender application turned off. That’s when I first suspected that I was a victim to some form of malicious software – although I didn’t care much about it.

“I could never have imagined such a thing happening to me. Up until that point I had remained completely safe from such events,” she says.

However, she was running out of time and ignored the issue, and headed to Thailand for her trip. But it was only when she reached Thailand when she realised that she had not only been hacked but her online social media platforms were hijacked and her banking credentials locked after her bank noticed suspicious activity.

“It was the biggest shock of my life. My first clue was when I noticed weird links popping up on my Facebook wall, and then messages being typed out, and sent to friends by an unknown source.

“I completely freaked out when that happened. All my pictures and private messages were compromised. This wasn’t a case of revenge either. The messages that were sent from my account were malicious links that would have been affecting my friend’s profiles too,” she exclaims.

She says that many of her friends began contacting her asking her if she was still in contact with her account.

“After that, I changed my password using my mobile phone, and regained control of my Facebook.”

Later in the evening, however, she was “flabbergasted” to find that her bank had completely locked her online account, citing suspicious activity.

“My banking credentials were all saved in my laptop, and that would have been the entry point for these phishers. Moreover, I noticed a fake profile being created in my name on Facebook, too.

“This had escalated things beyond my control, and the very next thing I did was call up my colleague from the office back in Oman. He suggested that I report the profile to Facebook, and also alert the bank about the situation.

“I did just that, and I also reported the matter to the Oman CERT, the country’s cyber security agency,” she says, before adding that she had to completely restore her laptop system.

“I had lost all my files after I wiped my system electronically. But it was a small price to pay. Yes, my business trip was a disaster, with a lot of collateral damage due to my 024

MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

TIPS TO REMAIN SAFE ONLINE 1. Know the scams. Read articles and blogs, follow the news, and share it so you can learn about different kinds of scams and what you can do to avoid them and also help your friends.

2. Think before you click. Never click on links in messages from people you don’t know or vaguely know. These phishing emails have links that lead to websites that can lure you into giving personal information or download malware to your computer. You should even be wary with emails from people you do know if it looks or sounds suspicious. Hackers can create a malicious email that looks like it came from your best friend’s email account.

3. Safely peruse. Beware of phony websites. These sites may have an address that’s very similar to a legitimate site, but the page can have misspellings, bad grammar or low resolution images. However, scammers are getting better at replicating sites so make sure. If a site asks for personal information, double check the URL and make sure it’s not asking for information it shouldn’t be.

4. Shop safely. Don’t shop on a site unless it has the “https” and a padlock icon to the left or right of the URL. Also, protect yourself and use a credit card instead of a debit card while shopping online – a credit card company is more likely to reimburse you for fraudulent charges.

5. Kick-butt passwords. Do away with the “Fitguy1982” password and use an extremely uncrackable one like “9&4yiw2pyqx#”. Phrases are good too. Regularly change passwords and don’t use the same passwords for critical accounts.

6. Protect your info. Keep your guard up. Back up all of your data on your computer, smartphone and tablet in the event of loss, theft or a crash. Also, routinely check your various financial statements for questionable activity.

7. Watch your Wi-Fi connectivity. Protect your network by changing your router’s default settings and making sure you have the connection password-protected.

8. Install a firewall. A firewall is a great line of defence against cyberattacks.

9. Keep up to date. The best security software updates automatically to protect your computer.

Use the manufacturer’s latest security patches to make regular updates and make sure that you have the software set to do routine scans.

10. Use your noggin.You do not need to be a seasoned computer whiz to know that it’s not smart to open an attachment titled, “Claim Your Inheritance!” Using common sense while surfing the web can protect you from a hungry cyber-shark.

Parents must talk to their little ones when they suspect any suspicious behaviour because children are afraid of explaining such threats to their parents mistakes. I almost lost my job due to that fiasco,” she says. “An agent from Oman CERT quickly followed up, but I had already lost everything, and I decided to withdraw my complaint since I did not want to be involved in a legal altercation. However, I am very disappointed to see that Facebook has yet to take down that fake profile that was created.

“It isn’t active today but it has made all my images public. It is a complete breach of my privacy,” she adds.

She is sure that her hackers originated from Oman and accepts that it was her carelessness that eventually led to her downfall. Since the incident, she has also kept complete control over her four-year-old daughter’s online activities (even when she’s away on business trips), saying that “children are an easy prey to online predators”.

The Royal Oman Police (ROP) revealed last year that more children are falling victim to child predators on a daily basis. Statistics are scarce, but the ROP – in an interview with local media – revealed that a “large” number of online harassment cases involving adults targeting children in Oman through social media had been reported.

According to an unnamed ROP official, in certain cases, offenders asked some children to meet them to abuse them later. The official also went on to confirm that “rape cases have also been reported”.

“Parents must talk to their little ones when they suspect any suspicious behaviour because children are afraid of explaining such threats to their parents,” the official was reported as saying.

Research by Y has revealed that there is a host of applications that can be downloaded onto a child’s smartphone to keep a tab on his or her online activities, as well as whereabouts.

Among the top applications are Norton by Symantec, PhoneSheriff and ESET Parental Control. All applications provide the parent with adequate control over the websites that a child browses, the people he or she is in contact with, and firewalls for viruses.

As for adults, Ooredoo recently announced the availability of an individual cloud-based device security solution for all of its 138 million users. The new security service is designed to protect customers against viruses, dangerous files and harmful websites across their connected smart devices, fixed and business accounts. The security service will be provided by German security specialist Secucloud.

Talking about the partnership, Sheikh Saud bin Nasser al Thani, the CEO of Ooredoo Group, said: “In the era of the internet of things [IoT: the interconnection via the internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data], it’s essential to have protection that’s as powerful and easy to use as possible.

“For a long time now, people have had much more than just a single PC – they also have smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and several other internetenabled devices that need protection against internet-based attacks.

“It’s just not possible to protect each device individually – instead, efficient protection needs to be centralised and delivered from the cloud. We recognised this requirement some time ago and have developed the security service in partnership with Secucloud to protect our customers against increasing IoT-based threats.”

But the final word must go to Melanie, who learned about online security the hard way.“Today, we live in a world which is connected,” she says.

“And as we connect with more people, the risk of something wrong happening increases – it’s a natural phenomenon. More than 3.5 billion people use the internet today, and that’s 3.5 billion more people to protect.

“So let’s start by doing the obvious. Let’s learn to protect ourselves.”

MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

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here’s nothing better than a day out with your girlfriends and female relatives at Markaz Al Bahja Mall, where you can catch one of the latest blockbuster movies, enjoy lunch together and indulge in a spot of retail therapy.

And if you enter Markaz Al Bahja’s Ladies’ Day Out competition, you could find yourself spending a fun day out with 150 women at the mall on Saturday, April 22, where you will have exclusive access to all the latest make-up and skincare tips, special talks on diet, nutrition and weight loss, as well as 30 per cent discount vouchers and a free movie.

The competition will be running in Y Magazine every Thursday until April 20 and all you have to do is answer a different question each week.

This week’s question is:

How many retail stores are based in Markaz Al Bahja Mall?

Email your entry to editor@y-oman.com for your chance to be a part of this exclusive event no later than Monday, April 3. Sixty winners will be chosen from this week’s competition, while another 60 will be selected the following week and 30 for the final week. Good luck!

About Markaz Al Bahja Mall Markaz Al Bahja Shopping Mall, located on Al Mouj Street in Mawaleh, was developed to give Oman a mall of truly international standards. Spread over 34,000m², it consists of three floors of shopping and is a dream come true for shoppers.

Many global and well-known local brands can be found here, which makes for an unforgettable experience for the serious as well as the fun shopper.

MAR 16 - 22 / ISSUE 462

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WINNERS

o t s n o i t a l u Congrat r u o f o s r e n the win ! e g d e l P y t Road Safe

Y

Magazine was inundated with hundreds of entries by children who took our important Road Safety Pledge, making it a tough decision for our judges to choose the top three

entries.

Organised as part of the GCC’s recent Road Safety Week, Y Magazine’s campaign was aimed at helping children across the Sultanate to understand the importance of road safety – and to spread the message to their parents and extended family.

Presented by Panorama Mall and in association with Familia, our Road Safety Pledge is all about educating parents and children about the importance of safety on our roads, as well as wearing seatbelts.

And now, we can reveal our three winners!

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MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

“Y’s Road Safety Pledge campaign has been one of our most successful so far,” says Felicity Glover, the managing editor of Y Magazine.

“The quality of the entries and the innovative pledges by children were excellent. But we found that all of the entrants had one thing in common – and that is to be as safe as possible on our roads. It is very encouraging to see.”

The best three pledges are sharing a total cash prize of RO150, with RO75 going to the first prize winner, RO50 for second place and RO25 for third place. The winners will receive their prizes at a special ceremony and will be contacted by Y shortly.

A huge thanks to our sponsors – Panorama Mall and Familia – and to everybody who entered. And remember, stay safe on the roads and always wear a seatbelt!

Congratulations, Ishrat! Your pledge to always wear a seatbelt and to follow and respect the road rules means you have RO75 in cash!

FIRST PRIZE: ISHRAT, AGE 13

Well done, Fatima! Pledging to stop your mum from eating and using the phone while driving is very admirable. You win RO50!

LAWATIA, AGE 10 SECOND PRIZE: FATIMA YASIT AL

Great work, Muhammed. And you are right: life is too precious and never using your phone while driving is very important to stay safe on the roads. Enjoy your RO25 cash prize!

MMED THIRD PRIZE: MUHA

AL KHALIFA, AGE 14

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and Financial Studies • Dolphin Village • Modern College

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In Y-Fi this week, we look at some of the thinnest devices on the market today – P38

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CARS AND OUTDOORS ADVENTURES

D E S T I N AT I O N C a r s

P o s t c a r d s Fr o m

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Destination

AL HAJAR A LONE TRAVELLER IS NEVER LONELY AS IT’S THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE A PLACE SPECIAL, SAYS SHAQUEL AL BALUSHI

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world to adopt the system. It also happens to be one of the few places that still holds onto the ancient irrigation system.

That’s what Al Hajar is all about too: holding on to its traditions. While most of the houses here have now been renovated, I was still able to find some old structures that have been kept intact.

One particular structure was placed right next to a falaj. I am sure that the citizens could easily have renovated it but the fact that they left it all alone tells me that they really want to hold on to their culture rather than have it wiped off the face of the earth.

There is a lot of farms here, too. The people who live here can sustain themselves by cultivating their own crops. I couldn’t figure out what sort of crops they were growing, but I could tell that they were being watered by the aflaj in the area. Thanks to all this, the area is very green.

After a few hours of exploring, I decided to relax by one falaj. That was when I was approached by a few youngsters who wanted to sit down and have a chat with me. They were very warm, caring and well-spoken – a trait that many youngsters of today seem to have forgotten.

Scenery and landscape are decisive factors when it comes to the making of a tourist destination but Al Hajar is of those areas where it is the people that truly make the area inimitable and above all… unique.

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HOW TO GET THERE

TRAVEL GUIDE

f you ask me to take you on a trip to a destination – one that will sum up the whole of the Sultanate for you in one day – chances are that you and I will end up relaxing by the tranquil waters of Wadi Bani Khalid, watching the sun as it sets across the picturesque mountains that clad the horizon.

It is the most sought-after tourist destination in Oman, and if you recollect, I had only recently showed Wadi Bani Khalid to a few of my friends who had flown in from the US. But as I took a walk across the striking aflaj of Al Hajar, I failed to understand why I had headed to Wadi Bani Khalid and not here for my trip that week. After all, my aim was to show them the beauty and sanctity of what is essentially Oman.

Granted, Wadi Bani Khalid is scenic but Al Hajar is all of that, plus a generous sprinkling of traditional Omani hospitality.

My drive to Al Hajar took me a good 45 minutes in total. To get here, you have to take the road that leads to Quriyat. Once you hit that stretch of tarmac, just keep an eye out for the signboard that says “Al Hajar”.

I have been to Al Hajar before and every time, I take back home a good memory from my visit. Last time, I remember being caringly received by a lady who was happy to see me (and my friend, Imran) walk around her hometown exploring. Most people would have simply freaked out if they saw someone carrying heavy camera gear scouting their home turf. But that was not to be.

This time, however, I was travelling alone, and was mentally prepared for a solo journey.

Surprisingly (and thankfully), the people in this area are very caring, and a few of the guys even accompanied me for the duration of the trip.

The people in this area are predominantly from the “Wahaibi” tribe and have established themselves in this area for centuries now.

They are by far the most thoughtful and compassionate people I have ever met (and that’s high praise). They even greet you with a double handshake, and make sure to enquire about your well-being and that of your family. Admittedly, this process takes a lot of time but it is all a part of experiencing Omani culture.

Talking about Omani culture, I must point out that the aflaj here are a treat to behold. If you didn’t know, the falaj system (an ancient form of irrigation) was developed in the Middle East and Al Hajar is known as one of the first locations in the

Take Route 17 from Muscat and continue on the road for around 45 minutes. The village is signposted and you won’t need a 4x4 for this journey.

GPS coordinates: N23°39’51.68” E58°’51’71.75”

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FIRST DRIVE

CARS ADVENTURES

Photos: Shaquel al Balushi

A throwback to the glory days or simply a hatch with hubris?

Either way, it’s a treat for Y’s Alvin Thomas

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t’s hard to imagine that a car that was once known to hop on two wheels at the sight of a corner, has grown into what is arguably one of the hottest hot-hatchbacks to grace the automotive industry. But I guess that’s what being a veteran carmaker does to you: it gives you a chance to redeem yourself.

If you’re wondering what I am talking about, check out the A-Class’ moose test from 1997 on YouTube. Of course, it’s really not fair highlighting the bygone days – especially when I have the keys to the latest incarnation of the car. After all, there are two decades of separation between the two cars, and secondly, the A-Class holds on to nothing (and by nothing, I mean absolutely nothing) from its predecessors.

As a matter of fact, the only thing even closely reminiscent of the cars of old is its “A-Class” nameplate.

The newcomer – which (admittedly) isn’t a newcomer anymore (since it was released in 2013) – brought a host of new elements to the table. For starters, it quickly came to be known as one of the best-looking sports hatchbacks that money can buy – thereby treading on the Volkswagen Golf GTi and Ford Focus ST territory – while still managing to impress a wide range of motorists with its luxury tenor.

For 2017, however, the A-Class introduces a few changes to the exterior design that are designed to keep you away if you’re over the age of 40. This is definitely a car designed for millennials.

Don’t believe me? For starters, the A-Class is only available in the A 250 Sport trim and A45 AMG trim for now. The A 250 Sport trim that we have today comes complete with an aggressive front fascia,

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featuring a rather large ornamental “diamondencrusted” radiator grille, flared sporty bumpers with red lip accents and a generous 46cm set of alloys that hide a set of painted red brake calipers.

Move around to the side and you’re greeted with a vivacious bodyline that discreetly slopes upwards to meet the rear tail lamps. Meanwhile, the chiselled rear bumper encloses the chrome-tipped dual exhaust pipes.

The only real exterior differences between the 2013 and the 2017 variants are in the head and tail lamps – and only if you look real close.

Some changes, however, are more apparent on the inside. For starters, the steering wheel has been completely redesigned to keep in tone with Mercedes’ newer products (the C-, E- and S-Class), and there’s a new, larger screen that sits on the centre console.

The console remains the same, and has Mercedes’ trademark circular air conditioner vents, with red rings encompassing the circumference. There are also numerous buttons for the audio controls – which may or may not be useful – depending on who uses it.

The dashboard itself is finished in a carbon-fibreesque soft-touch plastic. There’s also plenty of softtouch spots around the doors, but the centre console is finished in hard plastic.

The A 250 Sport also comes with fairly comfortable sports bucket seats, which also provide excellent lumbar and thigh support during spirited driving, enveloping you within the seats as opposed to having you dance around from one corner to the other.

Mind you: they’re not as uncomfortable or restrictive as, say, the Recaro seats you can find in certain cars.

Space up front is excellent, while there’s adequate room in the back for two passengers. Leg room is amiss if the driver is over 182cm tall and must

have his or her seats all the way back. However, the sports seats make it a bit claustrophobic for rear-seat passengers because the rear windows are narrow and, more often than not, they’ll find themselves staring at the one-piece bucket seats in the front.

The A 250 Sport comes with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder pot-banger that’s good for a whole 211hp and a doughty 350Nm of torque (although I hear that the 2017 variant will be coming with 218hp). The powertrain is further coupled to Mercedes’ seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Destination

P o s t c a r d s Fr o m

The power is put down to the front wheels with much efficacy, spinning tyres only when the turbocharger spools up completely. Surprisingly, I couldn’t find much torque-steer (the phenomenon of a car pulling itself violently to one side during fast acceleration), during launch. In retrospect, the Ford Focus ST hauls itself to the left upon hard acceleration.

The A 250 Sport doesn’t feel mind-bogglingly quick, thanks to a rather silent cabin. But it is always best to keep an eye on the speedometer because the car is undoubtedly swift. The car takes off from a standstill smoothly, and will (reportedly) hit the 100kph mark in 6.6 seconds. However, I was only able to hit 100kph in about 7.5 seconds, thanks to the midday heat.

The high-pressure turbocharger takes a while to spool up – kicking in only after 2,500rpm – thus causing a falling in the sense of acceleration. It is smoother if you keep the car in automatic mode, but if you were to take control of the paddle shifters yourself, be prepared to keep the revolutions in the torque band to eke the most out of the engine.

As with most turbocharged cars, you can work around this by keeping the revolutions high, and the gears low, for that quick boost.

The gearshifts are noticeable and can get clunky at low speeds. But the shifts are lightning quick (especially upshifts).

Now let’s move on to the most impressive part of the A 250 Sport: the handling. The hatchback is incredibly easy to manoeuvre around tight corners and sharp bends thanks to its responsive steering.

The steering wheel itself is chunky and easy to grip, and you can alter the level of resistance from the steering depending on the modes (Sport, Normal, Eco and Individual). The former firms up the suspension, electrifies the gear shifts and improves throttle response.

In Sport mode, the car devours corners. Body roll is contained very well, but wind noise does creep in above 100kph.

The chassis is composed and stiff, which results in the car going on tripod-mode (fourth wheel lifts-off from the road during fast cornering), thus inducing liftoff oversteer (drifting due to the car’s

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Gaming

CARS

fourth wheel not contacting the road). I quickly saw myself taking corners at higher speeds than I normally would. I didn’t even need to switch off stability control to have fun in the car.

However, when I did eventually switch off the electronic nannies, I noticed that the car wasn’t particularly unsettled, maintaining its posture just like it did with all the safety systems switched on.

The brakes of the A 250 Sport are excellent. They’re extremely strong and have almost unnatural amounts of stopping power. The brake force is linear, though, and I found myself braking late and taking corners faster than I should.

At the end of the day, the A 250 Sport manages to sit atop the segment of hot-hatchbacks alongside its other rivals from Germany.

It’s fairly quick, extremely sporty to drive and above all, very composed in corners.

So am I impressed? Well, yes and no. Don’t get me wrong: the A 250 Sport is an utterly brilliant hot-hatchback but I happen to know that Mercedes-Benz has an even hotter 381hp A45 AMG in the showroom. And that’s the one I really want.

Mercedes-Benz A 250 Sport Specifications: Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged fourcylinder Transmission: Seven-speed dualclutch automatic Horsepower: 211hp Torque: 350Nm Top speed: 240kph Direct injection LED Xenon headlights 46cm alloy wheels Sunroof Multimedia screen Traction Control ABS and EBD Cruise control w/ Collision warning Attention assist Interior ambient-lighting pack Blind-spot monitoring Lane-keeping assist

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CARS ADVENTURES

1. A trip to the Government Museum is a must 2. A day trip to Unesco-listed historical town of Mahabalipuram 3. Visit the pedestrianised shopping streets like Pondy Bazaar or Ranganathan Street 4. Enjoy authentic, south Indian non-vegetarian food 5. Visit Mylapore, the old part of Chennai

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CHARMING CHENNAI

A colourful mix of old and new makes Chennai a city worth visiting.

Destination

Cars

Y-Fi

Gaming

POSTCARDS FROM

Christine Karan recommends

CHENNAI, INDIA T

he Taj Mahal, New Delhi, Jaipur, Bollywood, Mumbai, Goa... these are a few of the places that come to mind when India is mentioned.

But do you know about the city that is the country’s sixth largest and home to the world’s longest beach, and is often known as the “Detroit of India”?

It’s Chennai; formerly known as Madras, and the capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the eastern coast of India or historically on the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal, Chennai is a bustling metropolis with a unique, multifaceted character. Once hailed (and still is) as the epitome of Dravidian culture, Chennai has undergone a sea-change in recent years. It’s probably the only city in India in which tradition and modernity live in perfect harmony, side-by-side.

You can see centuries-old temples with intricately carved towers known for their architectural marvels or agraharams (alleys) with traditional houses.

People stroll about in their signature south-Indian attire of Veshti and the saree, and the traditional schools (still) teach the Vedas (the most ancient Hindu scriptures). Bharatanatyam, the Indian classical dance, originated here and is still taught at three major dance schools in the city.

Chennai is most definitely cosmopolitan. For all you shopaholics, there is a variety of malls - from compact to massive - that host many international brands; from fashion to food and coffee outlets. It is also a major IT and industrial hub, with international companies like IBM, Microsoft, Cisco and Verizon running operations here, as well as home-bred brands such as TCS, Infosys and Wipro. With companies such as Ford, Hyundai and Toyota producing cars and trucks in plants here, Chennai is also an automobile hub, hence the moniker ‘‘Detroit of India”. And lest we forget, Chennai is also known for its film studios, with more than 50 at the last count, which churn out movies from the dream factories in the area of Kodambakkam, collectively known as Kollywood.

For those who want to experience how the locals enjoy the simpler things in life, a walk on the world’s longest beach - The Marina Beach - is the answer. Thousands gather in the evenings to enjoy the sea breeze along with some homegrown snacks like flavoured peanuts, banana fritters or chilli fritters and vadas (fried doughnuts). Tamil Nadu is also known for its beautiful and still hand-woven silk sarees. Although the home of silk is Kanchivaram, a small town three hours’ drive from the city, Chennai boasts numerous stores and multi-level shops where you can buy the sarees, materials, shirts and most other traditional garments.

Chennai definitely has its own colour, feel and aura.

IN D IA N

CLASS IC A L D BHARA ANCE TANAT YAM

EACH M A R IN A B

My favourite place Whenever I want to get some local souvenirs or some cheap home décor items and personal accessories, my place to go would be Pondy Bazaar; a bustling market, with stalls selling street food, clothes and artefacts.

Highlights

Chennai boasts a vibrant arts and theatre scene. In December, the city comes alive with a host of performances from local and international artists and is something that must be experienced.

Lowlights For a traveller from Muscat, Chennai can feel a bit crowded and chaotic. This should not really come as a surprise, as India is the world’s second-most populous country. But give yourself a day and meet the locals, try the local food, get on to the auto rickshaws and… you will “get used to it” or should I say “fall in love”.

Souvenirs The silk, sarees and other traditional garments make great souvenirs.

Getting there Oman Air flies directly from Muscat to Chennai.

Where to stay The city offers many accommodation choices from seven-star luxury hotels and beachfront

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resorts to bed and breakfasts to suit your budget.

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Destination

Cars

Gaming

Y-FI

THIN IS IN

THE TECH IN YOU

Alvin Thomas finds some devices that are so slick, even the sausage-fingered can use them YOGI Lenovo has been known for pumping out scores of affordable yet innovative laptops for years. And with the Yoga Book 2-in-1, they have done the same.

It’s dubbed the “world’s thinnest 2-in-1”, and it still manages to pack a 25cm (10.1-inch) full HD IPS display, an above-average Intel Atom x5-Z8550 processor running at 2.4GHz and 4Gigs of RAM. At 64GB, the in-built storage is on the lower side but you can expand it using a Micro SD card. This is definitely one of the best alternatives to a tablet computer (just don’t sneak it onto a flight to the US). Yours for RO294 from Lenovo.com

IPHONE 7 How much thinner can a phone really get? The answer is very. But here’s a quick reminder: as phones get thinner, they become much (much!) harder to use. For instance, the ultra-gorgeous curved screen on the S7 Edge is incredibly hard to use, and the 4.75mm-thin Vivo X5 Max will inevitably slide while in your hands. This means that you’re left with only one real contender: the Apple iPhone 7. Yes, it has already hit its half-life – meaning, the boffins at Apple already have a replacement on the cards. But the 7 is still a masterpiece in every way – call it the best of both worlds.

It comes with a 12cm screen and weighs only 138 grams. Apart from that, it’s got a brilliant 12MP rear camera and iOS10 out-of-the-box.

Yours for RO250 (32GB) from luluwebstore. com

ECHO The only reason this isn’t my pick for this week is because it is only available online and not easily through any store in Oman (at least to my knowledge). The Amazon Echo Dot is essentially a standalone device, which can replace the much-loved (and rather tall) Amazon Echo. Just like the latter, the Echo Dot is a hands-free, voice-controlled device that uses Alexa to play music, control smart home devices, research for quick information, read the news, set alarms and so on. Apart from that, it also comes with seven far-field microphones for hands-free control – even in noisy locations. This is the ideal alternative for anyone who wants to keep things on the minimal side. Yours for RO20 from amazon.com

SIGNATURE SERIES

EDITOR’S PICK

LET’S FACE IT: TELEVISIONS ARE BECOMING MORE ADVANCED BY THE DAY. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, 1080P WAS THE NORM; HOWEVER, TODAY, IT’S ALL ABOUT THAT 4K (3840 × 2160 PIXELS OR 2160P). AND LG, WITH THE SIGNATURE OLED W7, HAS STEPPED THINGS UP A NOTCH. THE COMPANY HAS PRODUCED ONE OF THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED OLED TVS IN THE MARKET, AND AT A FRACTION OF THE SIZE OF A REGULAR OLED TELEVISION. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WITH A FOOTPRINT OF 2.75MM, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINNEST TELEVISIONS IN THE WORLD! YOU ALSO GET PICTURE THAT IS DOLBY VISION VIDEO READY (PROVIDED YOU CAN FIND THE CONTENT), AND A DOLBY ATMOS SOUNDBAR UNDERNEATH THE SCREEN FOR SOME EXTRA BOOM. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PRODUCTS THAT HAS TO BE EXPERIENCED TO BE BELIEVED. YOURS FOR RO2,695 FROM LG.COM

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UNTIL DAWN: RUSH OF BLOOD

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here are three games that I have been waiting for an official release in Oman: 1) Gran Turismo Sport; 2) Friday the 13th: The Game and 3) Until Dawn: Rush of Blood. Sadly, the first two are yet to Info Box make their debut here but thankfully (and rather RUSH OF BLOOD surprisingly) the latter has made it to the shelves in Genre: FIRST-PERSON ACTION Oman.

SHOOTER Games whose names end with “blood” usually Developer: aren’t stacked at malls and gaming centres here.

SUPERMASSIVE GAMES But I did get my hands on the game and gave it a Platform: go this week. So does Rush of Blood stack up to my PLAYSTATION 4 high expectations from the game? Oh yeah, and then some.

For starters, it is VR (virtual reality)-ready, and it happens to be one of the most polished games currently available for purchase on the PlayStation VR platform. The PS VR headset itself is a delight – with excellent field of view and almost unmatchable levels of comfort – even during prolonged hours of gaming.

The graphics of the game are crisp and extremely well detailed, and there’s an almost eerie feeling to the settings. Throughout my time with the game, I felt like I was in an episode of Courage the Cowardly Dog, and the soundtrack and the graphics do a great job of making you believe you’re actually stranded in the town of Nowhere, Kansas (just like in the cartoon).

The gameplay is rather simple though: it’s a rail shooter in which you have to look around for enemies to eliminate. The VR headset genuinely makes for the game’s X factor, as the element of surprise can have you scanning your environment at all times, looking for targets to eliminate.

It isn’t particularly scary, though. You’ll find (as soon as you enter the game) that you’re dealing with masked clowns for villains and that you’ll also get a host of guns – double barrelled shotguns, pistols, etc – to blow your enemies’ brains out.

However, if there is one shortfall with this game, it is that you still have to make do with the PlayStation’s Dual Shock controller. I’m guessing that the game is PlayStation Move compatible too.

Apart from that, the game is excellent in every sense. The sound effects are realistic, the gun mechanics are outstanding and the VR experience is one that cannot be matched by any other game... yet.

App of the Week

SMOOTH OPERATORS Both you and I know that Android isn’t the most optimised operating system out there.

This means lagging phones, bugs in security and a painful experience overall. However, the folks from Lineage, have come up with a solution: a whole new operating system (yes! This isn’t really an app). The new OS will require you to flash your device – meaning – you will lose your warranty, but, if you are running an older device, this is your way forward. What it does is it gives you a skimmed-down version of the latest Android OS (7.1.1), and without the unnecessary bloatware. Yours for free from

forum.xda-developers.com

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HEALTH& BEAUTY

SUMMER BREEZE Muscat seems to be saying goodbye to the extended winter.

Now it’s time to welcome spring, and this week we recommend a few fun and fashionable accessories, like these chic sunglasses from Pennys.

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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 m Fro s you tine o is help w Chr o Foll

T t Ge

Get into full summer mode by styling your hair with these gorgeous and vibrant flower clips from H&M. From RO2

When the sun is out you definitely need to cover up outdoors. Caps? Dull, dull, dull. Why not glam it up with this hat that has some scintillating metallic detail?

Find it at ZARA, from RO18

In readiness for summer, it’s time to flaunt some bright colours like this Nancy neon cross body bag with fun tassels from Monsoon. It’s roomy, fashionable and a perfect summer accessory! From RO17

Bored with your old sun specs? Need something to enhance your eyewear elan?

Why not pick up these silver, doubleframed sunglasses from New Look? From RO4

Your summer dresses may be in pastel shades but your jewellery doesn’t have to be. We love these hot pink, heartshaped earrings from H&M, which make a perfect addition to your summer ensemble.

From RO8

Summer is all about being bright, glowing and vibrant so let your ensemble reflect that.

Add these pair of pearl slides from ZARA to your wardrobe and you’ll be good to go. From RO23

This bright, multi-coloured, block print scarf from H&M is the perfect summer accessory to wrap stylishly around your neck or your head.

From RO7

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HEALTH& BEAUTY

BEAUTY

Health Fashion

S’IL VOUS PLAIT Tie up your tresses with this nifty step-by-step guide, and braid your hair with confidence

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ou can add a romantic twist to the classic topknot, which will automatically transform your messy bun into an elegant look. Best of all, it’s easy to do!

Here, celebrity hair stylist Asgar Saboo shows you some easy steps to achieve this delicate hairstyle, even if your hair is not the longest or the most manageable.

Step 1

Before starting, plug in your curling iron and rotate. Thoroughly brush through your hair, ensuring it is completely smooth and tangle-free. Spray over with a heat protection spray at about an arm’s length distance. Your iron should be hot by now and ready to use.

Using sections sized as pictured, twirl your hair around the iron and hold for a moment, before letting it drop into delicate waves..

Step 2

Once your hair is nice and wavy, divide it by leaving two sections at

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the front, and tying the rest together at the back in a loose ponytail. Then twirl the ponytail around itself, fastening with a bobby pin that matches your hair colour.

Step 3

Proceed to braid the front parts of your hair into a traditional plait by dividing the hair into three sections and crossing these over each other, pulling each section together after every crossing. Once this is a complete plait, fasten it around the bun with a bobby pin. Repeat on the other side, pulling the end of this plait under the other, to create the illusion of one long braid going over your bun.

Step 4

Ensure that both plaits and the bun are secured with bobby pins. Then, carefully loosen some strands of hair at the front to create a face-framing effect ensuring that the braids do not look too tight.

Finish off with a light shower of hairspray.

Beauty

DEFENCE STRATEGY

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hether it’s battling the rampant germs of cold and flu season or maintaining wellness throughout the year, your immune system is your main line of defence. To feel good as often as possible – and recover quickly when you don’t – it’s important to keep your immune system strong.

“The immune system is the part of the body that monitors both internal and external environments,” says Dr Chris Oswald, an American nutrition specialist and chiropractor based in Wisconsin. “It's important to understand that both too much immune response and too little immune response, including inflammation, is not good, so maintaining that happy medium is the name of the game.” To achieve that “happy medium”, Dr Oswald recommends incorporating five simple steps into your daily routine:

HEALTH

Fashion

Our immune system can often let us down, resulting in illness and loss of sleep. Here are five tips for staying alert and feeling great

Eat fermented and unprocessed foods as Nordic Naturals Nordic Flora Probiotic Daily is The body’s microbiome health has a huge impact on the immune system, says Dr Oswald. The microbiome is the collection of microorganisms that inhabit the intestinal tract, creating a mini-ecosystem.

“Every bite of food we eat impacts microbiome balance so it is important to eat foods that promote its health,” he says. “I like fermented foods, and foods that are minimally processed or are as close to their form in nature as possible. When the wrong foods are eaten, certain microbiota can “gain strength” and offset the health promoting benefits of other more beneficial organisms.”

He adds that dietary fibre is also very important to maintaining the health of the microbiome.

Additionally, foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA and EPA help boost the immune system.

a great foundational health strategy for everyone,” says Dr Oswald.

Move your body

“Higher levels of fitness are definitely associated with improved immune function,” says Dr Oswald.

He recommends high intensity interval training (HIIT), where you alternate short periods of intense exercise with brief rest periods.

“I like people to choose any activity they like and have a nice, gentle five-minute warm-up followed by up to six 100 per cent work intervals for 30 seconds with 60 seconds of rest,” he says. “Once complete with the circuit, a five-minute cool-down completes your workout in 19 minutes or less.”

Embrace mindfulness and meditate

According to Dr Oswald, chronic stress has an effect on the immune system, which can potentially “Sleep is the time when our bodies repair and Use supplements to support digestive inhibit your resistance to illness. One easy way to rejuvenate so it is something not to be taken health combat stress is to try to meditate every day. lightly,” says Dr Oswald. “Generally speaking, the “The digestive tract is a barrier to the outside “Meditation is a very powerful option, and I older we are the less sleep we need, but for adults world that selectively allows molecules to pass firmly believe that everybody should find some seven to nine hours is usually the sweet spot.” through,” says Dr Oswald. This is why a healthy way of increasing mindfulness,” he says. “It is A good way to know if you are sleeping well is gut is a big part of overall health. It filters out the important to remember that meditation is different if you fall asleep within 30 minutes of lying down bad while keeping in the good. for everyone.” and you can wake at approximately the same time Eating plenty of probiotics in foods like yoghurt Meditation can consist of sitting quietly with eyes every day without an alarm clock. and kefir helps maintain digestive health but it can closed, staring at a flame, walking in the woods, etc.

“It is also very important to maintain regular be difficult for the average person to get enough Try something that feels right for you that allows hours as our body’s circadian rhythms do not like to make an impact. “Supporting digestive health you to relax and be mindful of the present. to be disrupted,” he adds. with a comprehensive probiotic supplement such * BPT

Support natural sleep cycles

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FOOD DRINK

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Trend

New Restaurant

Reviews BRUNCH TIME

Forget breakfast and lunch – let’s have brunch! Try these fun recipes to mix it up the next time you have friends over.

A BETTER BRUNCH H

Focus on quality ingredients for a simply delicious meal

osting an elegant brunch is easy when you build a menu around exceptional ingredients. Your dishes don’t have to be overly complicated; simple dishes are perfect for the occasion when you let stand-out flavours steal the show.

Brunch calls for a combination of light and savoury fare, and an ingredient like Jarlsberg Cheese lets you go either way. Best known for its classic wedge, this nutty, mild cheese is also available sliced

Spinach and Sundried Tomato Quiche Recipe courtesy of Jarlsberg Cheese Servings: 6

To make pie dough: Heat the oven to 190C

Method: § Mix butter and flour in a food Pie Dough: processor or by hand until the mixture § 3/4 cup butter has a granular consistency. Add water § 1 cup white flour and knead into dough. Let chill for 30 § 2 tbsp water minutes. Roll out the dough and fit Filling: into a 25cm pie pan. With a fork, make § 1 cup fresh spinach holes in the dough and bake for 15 § 1 red onion, cut into rings minutes. § butter To make filling: Heat oven to 180C § 1 cup milk § In a frying pan, fry the onion and § 4 eggs spinach with butter then scoop the § salt, to taste mixture into a quiche base. Whisk § pepper, to taste together the eggs, milk, salt and § 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, pepper, and pour over the spinach sliced and onion. Top with olives, sundried § 1/4 cup olives tomatoes and cheese. § 1 cup shredded Jarlsberg Cheese Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Ingredients:

and shredded – perfect for adding a distinctive taste to nearly any indulgent dish you can imagine.

Quiche is a brunch staple, and no variation of this classic is complete without cheese – in this case, a rich, creamy layering of Jarlsberg’s unmistakeable flavour does the trick. Other brunch options include spicy tater tot breakfast muffins. Explore more recipes for a simply elegant brunch at jarlsberg.com. – Family Features

Spicy Tater Tot Breakfast Muffins Recipe courtesy of Chef George Duran Servings: 12

Method: § Place three tater tots into each muffin cup and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a small spoon or fork to gently Ingredients: press down on tater tots to form the base and § Nonstick cooking spray sides of each muffin. § 36 frozen tater tots § Sprinkle two cups of Jarlsberg cheese § 2 cups grated Jarlsberg equally over tater tots and bake for 10 Cheese, divided minutes. § 8 large eggs § 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds § Beat the eggs in a large bowl and add the jalapeno, red pepper, heavy cream, salt and and veins removed and pepper. finely chopped §

Remove tater tots from the oven and pour § 1/2 red pepper, finely the egg mixture into the cups. Top evenly chopped with the remaining grated cheese and bake § 2 tbsp heavy cream for 10 minutes. § 1/2 tsp salt §

Remove each muffin and allow to cool § 1/8 tsp ground pepper for five minutes on a cooling rack before § finely chopped parsley, garnishing with parsley and serving. for garnish Heat the oven to 200C. Tip: For a non-spicy alternative, replace Spray 12-cup muffin tin jalapeno with the same amount of green bell with nonstick spray. peppers.

MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

045

&

FOOD DRINK

Tr e n d

New Restaurant

REVIEWS

get d u B ndly frie Info Box

TEXAS CHICKEN

Al Khuwair Tel: 2429 8875 Meal (for two) and drinks for three: RO7.14

DO MESS WITH TEXAS

Verdict : 7/10 SERVICE 5/10 FOOD 7/10 AMBIENCE A great eatery but some selections could be improved.

Y Magazine reviews anonymously and pays for its meals

WHILE YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, NISHAD PADIYARATH FINDS TEXAS CHICKEN OFFERS A BIT OF A MIXED BAG FOR HIM AND HIS FRIENDS

W

ho doesn’t love a good burger?

When my friends talk about burgers, I try to get in on the conversation simply because I get to know where to find the best one in Muscat. This time, our discussion was about the newly opened Texas Chicken restaurant in Al Khuwair.

With the weekend coming to an end, my friends and I decided to visit Texas Chicken for a Saturday dinner. Located in the heart of Al Khuwair (right next to the McDonalds and the Shell petrol station), Texas Chicken is a no-frills place. The restaurant, like any other fast-food outlet, has no surprises in store, in every sense of the word. Its clientele consists of both Omanis and expats, and Texas Chicken has a 65-year-old history as a leading fast-food joint.

The menu looks impressive on the prominent screen put up inside the restaurant. There is the Crunchy Big Meal, Tex Wrap Meal, Mega Spicy Meal, Mexicana Meal, Chicken Crunch Meal and more. For me, a burger should always be greasy and cheese-laden, with flavoursome condiments topped with a spicy sauce. The bun should be soft

046

MAR 30 - APR 05 / ISSUE 464

punch and had the right amount of sweetness.

“I must say this is the best of the bunch,” said my friend with a smile.

OVERALL, IT WAS NOT A GREAT The cheesecake, which was topped with DINING EXPERIENCE FOR US. strawberries, was on the dry side but delectable.

TEXAS CHICKEN NEEDS TO REVISE “This is not the best cheesecake you can get in ITS PRICING IF IT WANTS TO town but is just fine,” said my friend, who likes to STAND OUT... think of himself as a cheesecake aficionado.

Overall, it was not a great dining experience for us. Texas Chicken needs to revise its pricing if it yet firm so that it does not crumble. And I also wants to stand out against other competitors in the need a side of crispy, salty fries. market.

I ordered a Star Box that contained a chicken A note on the bill says: “We love to hear your burger, two chicken strips (if you are not a chicken comments. Take a brief online survey and get free strips fan, you can go for a one-piece chicken TEX Supreme sandwich with purchase of any instead), fries and a small Fanta. As most burger meal.” We will surely do that. joints are fond of adding colour and texture to their burgers with lettuce and cabbage, I asked the server to limit these in mine. While one friend Do you have a favourite restaurant that you’d like to see ordered a Mega Spicy meal that was RO2 (and reviewed? Let Y know at editor@y-oman.com contained a chicken burger sandwich with fries) another asked for just Mozzarella sticks with BBQ sauce (he is not a fan of burgers). We also asked for extra water, a passion fruit mojito and a cheesecake. All together, the price was just over RO7 with tax.

In less than 10 minutes, our burgers arrived and I was disappointed to see that the burger in my Star Box meal was smaller in size than I was expecting.

“We can get a good chicken burger meal at McDonalds for RO2 or less,” said my friend who clearly was not over-enthralled by his Mozzarella sticks. “Even these Mozzarella sticks are too salty and the cheese is overly,” he said, a little deflated.

My burger was scrumptious and hot when I bit into it. Although it was juicy, the condiments and sauces were slightly disappointing. The two chicken strips were salty but OK. My Fanta was simply, a Fanta. My friend, who was relishing his Mega Spicy meal, said that, apart from the fact that his burger was a bit small, it was rather too salty.

“The chicken sandwich is small in size. It doesn’t look like a mega meal, as they say. The meat is a bit chewy too,” he said between mouthfuls.

However, the passion fruit mojito packed a

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