Your Local Bahraini Guide!
Bahrain’s Best Shawarma We search for the best!
HalaBahrain Magazine Magazine June 2009 - Volume 1 - Issue 12
Places to Go
Elham Arts Festival
Things to Do Events
We cover the 4 day event of music, poetry and art!
Tradition And much more! HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
1
Editorial
HalaBahrain Magazine
Hot.. Hot..
Lifestyle - Technology Entertainment - Events
Dear Readers, We don’t know what to make of last month; a whopping heatwave brought Bahrain to it’s knees, following by another sandstorm. That sort of ruined most outdoor events, and we wonder what to make of June, July and August! It’s that time of year to start planning your escapes, so we’ve put down a couple of suggestions for travel. And since the delayed effect of the global credit crunch is starting to hit Bahrain, we’ve run around Bahrain looking for Bahrain’s top Shawarma; food you can still enjoy without going broke. We’ve also covered last month’s Elham Festival which was a great coming-together of music, poetry, photography, and all sorts of other arts. Again, we would love to hear from you about anything; send us your emails with thoughts about the magazine, letters, ideas, and let us know what you’re thinking! Till next time,
©
The Team Editor-in-Chief Ammar Al-Aradi Creative Director Fardan Raffi Public Relations Amal Fareed
Copyright Information © All Rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Liability: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequence arising it. HalaBahrain is a fully registered online publication with the Bahrain Ministry of Information, under registration number EQHBH210
Ammar Al-Aradi Editor In-Chief
HalaBahrain is published monthly; to view the magazine, for a free subscription, or to download a copy, please visit www.halabahrain.com. For advertising and all enquiries, please contact admin@halabahrain.com
admin@halabahrain.com
www.HalaBahrain.com admin@halabahrain.com
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
2
Upcoming
News, Events & Happenings
As the summer sets in, most of Bahrain seems to grind to a halt. 40+ degree weather makes it a bit silly to go out, so most people hang out indoors. And you wondered why Bahrain has so many shopping malls! By mid-June, Bahrain City Center hits off with it’s summer sale, and if you want to bring the kids along, make sure to visit just after the 17th, when the mall hosts it’s Monster Creepy Crawlies exhibition; a magnified garden world where children can interact and enjoy a fun day full of education, while you go out and shop!
For party goers, the clubbing scene is up and buzzing, but if you’re looking for a little something special, check out models night at Aqua Fuego, or The Select Few’s Jalouse party at the Ritz. For those looking for music and arts in a calmer setting, be sure to check out the Fete de la Musique (French Music Day), where a concert is held to celebrate music in all its forms. For those interested in Arabic poetry, the Traditional Poetry Society is holding an evening with poets from Bahrain, Kuwait, and more. Finally, a quick prayer to wish that our National Team actually makes it to the World Cup next year! We have two qualifying games this month, with Bahrain vs Australia in Sydney on the 10th, and then vs Uzbekistan on the 17th here in Bahrain! Make sure to get down to the game to support the team, and hope to see them win the World Cup for 2010 (okay that’s a bit of a far stretch, but still, let’s hope they win!).
11 June National Karting Championship Location: Bahrain Int’l Circuit Timing: 6:00pm-9:30pm Contact: +973-17450000 Jalouse Location: Al Noor, Ritz Carlton Timing: 9:00pm-3:00am Contact: +973-17310407 info@theselectfew.com 12 June Models Night Location: Aqua Fuego Timing: 10:00pm-2:00am Contact: +973 - 36110200 modelsnightbahrain@hotmail.com 17 June Bahrain vs Uzbekistan Location: Bahrain National Stadium Creepy Crawlies & Summer Sale! Location: Bahrain City Center Timing: All Day 18 June Traditional Poetry Night Location: Culture Hall Timing: 8:00pm-10:00pm Contact: +973-17761000 salem_almanna3i@hotmail.com 19 June French Music Festival Location: Alliance Francais Timing: 4:00pm-10:00pm Contact: +973-17683295 info@afbahrain.com
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
3
Events
Elham Arts Festival
Elham hosted their 4-day arts festival on May 13-16, and brought arts to the people; covering everything from music, photography, painting, movie screenings and more, the festival was a great place to harness your creative skills. Based in the Bahrain Fort Museum, like-minded creative individuals gathered to produce all kinds of art. The activities featured everything form live painting, building a tower from just recycled materials, to improvised music sessions, and creating a magazine within 24 hours. A whole lot of fun for all involved, and a great way to spark out the creativity inside!
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
4
Events
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
5
Events
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
6
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
7
Events
Elham Music Concert As part of the Elham Arts Festival, a music concert featuring some of the best local bands around was held. The performers included the well known La Movida, Na Der, The Tryout, Cody, Ala Ghawas and Silverlake. An amazing night at the Culture Hall, once again proving the amazing talent hidden in Bahrain!
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
8
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
9
Events
City Center Entertainment Summer is here! And with the heat comes the very attractive option of staying indoors! Not to worry though, City Center has you covered, and besides just the shopping and restaurants, they’ve got enough live performances to keep you entertained! This month, Kirr Deluxe kept crowds on their feet with their porcelain plate juggling, thrilling acts and comedy shows. And not a single plate was broken! Keep an eye out for a lot more this month too!
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
10
News
Bahrain News Hot…..
After a month of dust in April, the storm clears away and we get, heat! Lots of it! Yup, with everyone’s air conditioner pushed to the max, it still felt like we were living in a furnace. We were actually looking at 53 degrees during some afternoons, which is pretty close to the hottest temp ever recorded on earth which was 57 degrees. Uh oh.
Red Bull Music Academy Think you’ve got music skills? Are you a DJ, singer, producer, but feel you haven’t been given a real chance to show your skills? Well the RedBull Music Academy is now here in Bahrain! Apply now for a chance to get with the best in the World, and win a trip to the RBMA in London! For details on how to apply call the official Bahrain Rep Karim Miknas on 17717370, or check out BahrainTalent.com
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
11
Food
Bahrain’s Top Shawarma Yup, you read right! We’ve looked at some of the other friendly publications around Bahrain sporting competitions featuring Bahrain’s Top Whatever, and we felt a little jealous. So here, we bring you a similar sort of thing, but obviously more relevant to all of us since, come on, who doesn’t eat Shawarmas?
If you don’t already know what a Shawarma is, it’s Bahrain’s very own fast food, and it comes pretty cheap too! Armed with a research budget of BD10, the HalaBahrain team went looking for the best Shawarma out there... HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
12
Suraj
Food
Wildley popular on the corner of Adliya Road is ‘Wadi Al Siraj’ currently known just as Suraj. In operation for at least a good 20 years means anyone and everyone whose had a good shawarma actually knows this place, and their shawarmas are still some of the best valued out there. 300 fils for a meat sandwich still makes a lot of sense, although their food somehow isn’t as great as it used to be. Still good enough to satisfy a hungry stomach! Taste: 2 out of 5 (not as good as it used to be) Value: 4 out of 5 Location: 4 out of 5 (easily accessible, but parking is a headache sometimes, although they will come to your car and get your order while you drive around)
Lebanese Restaurant A classic well-known joint, hiding near Awal Cinema, the Lebanese Restaurant has weathered the years and is still as busy and popular as ever. Reason? A great Shawarma, and great service. Getting there isn’t the easiest task in the world, but the food sure is worth it! Taste: 4 out of 5 Value: 5 out of 5 (probably the cheapest around) Location: 1 out of 5 (just trying to get into the area is a nightmare) HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
13
Food
Al Catcoot Al Catcoot is another popular classic Shawarma restaurant. Known for being one of the very few Shawarma places still open when people stumble out of Adliya nightclubs at 2am, this place has earned itself a loyal customer base. Serving for years and years, Shawarmas aren’t the only thing they’ve mastered; they’ve also got amazing Lambchops, great juices, and an overall amazing menu. If you haven’t eaten here before, you’re definitely missing out!
Taste: 5 out of 5 (Great Shawarmas, and if you’re feeling really hungry, go for a malghoom!) Value: 4 out of 5 Location: 4 out of 5 (again, accessible in the center of Adliya, but parking can be a headache because there’s always two or three cars out infront ordering!)
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
14
Iskenderoon
Food
The Turks have always been great at food; Iskenderoon is just further proof that you can’t go wrong with their restaurants. Away from the regular Lebanese bread, Iskenderoon’s Shawarmas are heavier and meatier than usual, and are so good they usually run out by 9:30pm. Meaning that if you want some, get there early! No worries though, even if they do run out, you’ve got a menu full of lots of other great types of food to choose from!
Tarbouche
Taste: 5 out of 5 Value: 4 out of 5 Location: 3 out of 5 (just on the edge of Exhibition Road, near McDonalds. Weekends are a headache to get it and out)
Hidden away in the City Center (the original one deep in Manama Souq, not the new one), Tarbouche supposedly serves up a pretty good shawarma, and actually a good lunch buffet if you’re interested. We weren’t impressed with the taste however; too many mixed spices and herbs lost the taste of the actual sandwich. Taste: 2 out of 5 Value: 3 out of 5 Location: 2 out of 5 (Try and find parking in the middle of Manama Souq without pulling your hair out)
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
15
Shawarma Xpress
Food
Turning a very authentic experience into your regular modern fast food joint type venture is Shawarma Xpress. This has allowed it to go everywhere from popular streets to shopping malls. The taste is a little fake though, with new weird sauces for each Shawarma you order; everything from Chinese to Mexican, which isn’t really what Shawarmas are all about. Taste: 3 out of 5 Value: 3 out of 5 Location: 5 out of 5 (anywhere and everywhere!)
BurgerLand Definite addiction, although their sandwiches are tiny! This means your average person can probably finish 3 or 4 in one sitting easily. Easily one of the best tasting here, and we vote for the restaurant to be called ShawarmaLand instead. For a bonus try their hummus. Taste: 5 out of 5 Value: 2 out of 5 (400 fils? For that tiny thing?!) Location: 4 out of 5 (Adliya, Muharraq, Riffa, Budiya. It’s always nearby!)
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
16
Food
AND THE WINNER IS: Catcoot! With a great location, open hours enough to satisfy your late night cravings, and a great sandwich, Catcoot is Bahrain’s Top Shawarma place! Grab a malghoom sandwich and a mix banana-mango juice and you’re all set!
Shawarma’s aren’t loved in Bahrain only! Check out pix of Shawarma lovers from around the world: (The Suraj Boys not too impressed with our final choice)
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
17
Dubai
Travel
Although everyone’s screaming of doom and gloom and the recent market crash and how it’s affected Dubai, that’s actually a good thing for all you travelers. With so many people leaving Dubai, traffic is actually normal now, hotels a lot cheaper, and prices of everything else reasonable! Your average hotel is about half the price it was a year ago, and most 5 star hotels at about a third of the cost! And with budget airfare from Al Jazeera, Bahrain Air etc, you can easily sort out a trip to Dubai without spending too much. True, the weather isn’t much cooler than it is here, but they’ve got more air conditioned malls than you can shake a stick at, skiing and snowing to get away from the heat, and not-ashumid nights so going out during the evenings is actually a possibility.
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
18
Travel
Where to go in Dubai? Well, anywhere from the massive Dubai Mall (make sure you remember where you parked, otherwise it’s going to be a long search), swimming with dolphins in Atlantis, skiing in Ski Dubai; Emirates Mall, or taking a nice walk down, err, The Walk in Jumeriah. Sure, it’s a slump, but Dubai isn’t going to run out of things to do anytime soon, so if you just want a quick weekend getaway, it’s a definite choice!
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
19
Turkey
Travel
Definitely an underrated tourist attraction, Turkey’s beauty doesn’t really come out to light much. In Bahrain, the most we get to see of it is posters hung up on the walls of Turkish restaurants, and on those recently popular Turkish TV shows. Turkey has a lot to offer, with everything from green forests and golden sandy beaches, to natural waterfalls and snow topped mountains. It’s location is quite unique; influences from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East have given the country a unique flavor, with something to please everyone.
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
20
Travel
In certain areas of Turkey, you can actually go skiing early in the morning, and come back and lay down by the beach in the afternoon, during the same day. Nuts eh? But that’s not all; if you like sailing, Turkey offers you a great chance to go out there and face the seas. Or maybe you’re into history and want to discover secrets from the past? Yup, all there. A great place to visit, coupled with ridiculously amazing food, makes this a popular tourist destination. A word of advice though; it’s advisable to learn a few words of Turkish before going; besides hotels and major tourist areas, English is not commonly spoken. So make sure you learn the basics, otherwise you might have problems when you really need to go and want to ask for directions to the nearest toilet!
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
21
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
22
HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
23
A Public Service Message; Drugs Drugs addiction is the spectre that enters homes and destroys the happiness of any family. It is the faster and the shorter way to death. Drug addiction is one of the most serious social problems of our time around the world and there are many reasons that push towards the addiction. The most important ones are being distant from religion, bad companions, and over-spoiling children or neglecting them. Some signs that an individual may have drug addiction: 1- The person wants to be alone more than usual. He or she spends inordinate amounts of time isolated from the rest of the family. Excessive need for privacy; keeps door locked or closed, won't let people in. 2- Drop in school or work performance; skips or is late to school or work. 3- Receiving telephone calls at odd hours and using some strange and suspicious vocabulary. 4- Neglect of religious duties like prayers. 5- Increase or decrease in appetite; changes in eating habits, unexplained weight loss or gain. 6- Cycles of excessive sleep. 7- Violent temper or bizarre behaviour. 8- Unexplained need for money; can't explain where money goes; stealing. 9- Abnormally slow movements, speech or reaction time, confusion and disorientation. HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
24
If you find that there a drug addict in your family, be calm: 1- When dealing with a drug addict, we should act in a very wise and tranquil way away from cruelty, violence or intimidation. 2- We should be very secretive. 3- Choose the appropriate time to speak to the addict and give him the chance to express his feeling, then start advising him. 4- A lot of drug addicts lose their battle against despair, so try your best to renew their hopes in life. 5- Search for the reasons behind the addiction wither social or psychological and try to tackle them. 6- Never give money to the drug addict. 7- The family members should understand the nature of the drug-addiction treatment and how to deal with the addict. 8- Ex drug-addicts can be very helpful in the treatment. 9- Reward the patient and encourage him whenever he/she achieves any improvement. 10- When treated, the patient should be welcomed and accepted by all of his family members. 11- It’s very important to follow up and keep an aye on the patient to spot the emergence of any negative signs or indicators that show any relapse. In conclusion, I’d like to send a call to the international community to appeal to every State that is not a member of the International Drug Control Conventions to ask them to implement its provisions, and to provide a financial assistance to those countries that are countries suffering from problems related to drug trafficking across their borders. I’d like also to appeal to all ministries, governmental and private bodies to adopt a vision of an comprehensive and integrated strategy to combat drug addiction and to coordinate to produce films and programs to address this phenomenon on television, radio and Internet sites. I also wound like to appeal to the clerks to spread the awareness of the dangers of drugs among people. I can not help but pay tribute to and thank all the police officers and workers in the Ministry of the Interior for their great effort to address and prevent the entry of drugs into our beloved kingdom. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Anonymous Addicts Community for their great efforts in helping addicts. Mohammed Sadiq Msadiq.70@gmail.com HalaBahrain Magazine | June 2009
25