bazaar April 2014

April 2014 | Issue # 181 www.bazaar-magazine.com

PORS

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HARVEY N

NICHOLS

MARC J

JACOBS

TED B

足 GET IN ON THE ACT 足 SPRING SUMMER 2014 TED BA K ER .C O M

TED BAKER BLOG. COM

BAKER

TEL: 22270251

TEL: 22597860

TEL: 25309979

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Available in all H&M stores For further information visit us at hm.com Contact us on: 182-12-12

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CHEVR

ROLET

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I think April is probably my favorite month of the year here in Kuwait. All the national and religious holidays and breaks that interrupt the smooth flow of work, and make the months way too short are finally over, and one can focus on work without the distraction and dilemma of deciding whether to travel or not every time there is a long weekend. It’s always such an internal struggle, especially for us expats who live in Kuwait. Somehow we are programmed (brainwashed?) into thinking that every time there is a break, no matter how short, we need to book a flight, pack a bag, hop on a plane and head to Sharm, Dubai, Beirut, Oman, Goa, or some other exotic destination in the vicinity. Between finding the right destination, coming up with the money for the tickets and the actual trip, and then coming back to Kuwait exhausted, broke, and vaguely depressed (who wouldn’t be when you arrive home at midnight, and have to head to work the next day at 7 am while facing the inglorious traffic jams?). Another reason I love April in Kuwait is the amazing weather. It is perfect for sitting outside ‘al fresco’ and the number of options is overwhelming. Marina Crescent, Arabella, Souq Sharq, Al Arjan Strip in Al Beda, Menus and many other locations all have outdoor seating perfect for whiling away the day while sipping on a refreshing non-intoxicating beverage and planning the next trip.

The bazaar team...

Whoever says there is not much to do in Kuwait clearly hasn’t been here in early spring.

We are excited to introduce some of our features this month and with Earth Day coming up on April 22nd, the bazaar team doesn’t only talk the talk (or write the right) we walk the walk…and did so during a Beach Clean-up with K’s PATH one Friday last month.

You should also check out our other eco-friendly features including the stunning new Conscious Exclusive Collection from H&M featured on 100% recycled paper, easy on the eye, and the environment. You can even show our little, yet glorious, planet some more love by exploring its natural riches. We show you the way by taking you to Oman’s highest summit, Jebel Shams, and through Lebanon’s stunning hiking trails.

Sarah O. Wali

Don’t put this issue down without reading about acclaimed artist/photographer Hassan Hajjaj, the talent behind this month’s cover artwork. His creative and inspiring pieces showcase his fused background and embody the joyful, strong and independent spirit of Marrakesh’s women bikers. We get up close and personal with Kuwaiti Abdullah Boushahri, the multi award-winning documentary-filmmaker, helping Kuwait’s film industry grow locally and internationally. We also uncovered some really unique dining treasures this month. From the stylish café, Society, a trendy new eatery by the same people who brought us Café Supreme, to Torero in Arabella, that is serving up delicious Spanish tapas in a charming atmosphere that takes you straight to old Marbella town. For those of you who crave traditional Lebanese cuisine with a twist, then you must also check out our review of the classy and sophisticated Semsom.

Boss

Syndicates and Sources

Ahmed El-Adly

LA Times MCT International MIT Review Fast Company The Japan News Tribune Media Services USA Today Slate Washington Post Variety News Service

Operations Rebecca Sweetman

Business Development Ihab Mokalled

Design Padmini Chandrasekaran

Staff Writer/Social Media Yasmine El Charif

Printing

Staff Writer

British Industries for Printing and Packaging

Brook McClurg

Staff Writer/Online Media Staff Writer/Online Media

members of:

Amira Haroun

Communications Hala Y. Sharara

Editor A. Al-Duaij

Contributing Writers

w w w. b p aw w. c o m The views expressed in bazaar magazine are those of the respective contributors and not necessarily shared by the magazine or its staff (but sometimes they are).

No one likes to be dumped;

recycle me, please.

Ashraf Abdalla Ayman Nassar Bibi Al-Falah Craig Loomis Dr. Susannah J. Schuilenberg Heena Parkar Loaay Ahmed Mike Campbell Purva Grover Rita Makhoul Shabana Shaikh Yara Al Wazir Zainab Mirza

And lastly, join us in celebrating 50 years of that classic, legendary and iconic American car the Ford Mustang. Take a gander at their beautiful new 2015 Mustang. If this is anything to go by, and with their combination of style, performance and affordability we are looking forward to seeing what they can produce in the next half century.

Photographers

Happy cruising and happy reading!

Hassan Hajjaj

Padmini Chandrasekaran Sarah O. Wali

Cover

Ahmed El-Adly

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LACOSTE

INDEX APRIL '14

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84

WE CARE: K’S PATH KUWAIT

ABDULLAH BOUSHAHRI

THE LEGENDARY MUSTANG

SOCIETY

CHELSEA CLINTON

K’s PATH has been cleaning up Kuwait’s beaches for four years.

Their efforts have cleared around 17,000 kilograms of terrestrial marine waste through more than 70 clean-ups. Check out how the bazaar team gets their hands dirty with the group in a fun filled and rewarding Friday morning at the Sulaibakhat mangrove beach.

This month in up close and personal, we introduce a Kuwaiti filmmaker whose work has paved the way for Kuwaiti students to study cinema, opened doors to film festivals and put him on the filmmaker map as a visual effects specialist. From Miami to Kuwait, Abdullah Boushahri’s passion for storytelling is making a mark.

The legendary Mustang turns 50, and in this month’s bazaar goes cruising, we take you on the journey of one of the few cars to become a pop culture icon. See where the muscle car is today, and how it was able to become the newest member of the exclusive club – vehicles in production for 50 years.

London lovers, Paris fiends and Rome dreamers rejoice! Society

by Supreme is bringing all your favorite European classics to the Levels Food complex. Enjoy a real scone, savory mille feuille or fresh lasagna (they even make their own pasta!). Check out our review for some of bazaar’s favorite dishes.

Chelsea Clinton’s speech about global health blows the room away. Her pragmatic plans with the Clinton Foundation have created change-agents around the world that work for a better global tomorrow. In this month’s ‘night out with’, we take you to the US Chapter of the bazaar diwaniya, for a look at her visions for the future.

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GREEN STATS

THE ROAD TO JEBEL SHAMS

Earth day is coming up on April 22, and we partnered with en.v Kuwait to give you the most important statistics on the country’s biggest environmental issues. Find out how much waste we produce, what our ecological footstep is and how healthy our oceans are in this month’s infographic.

Five women from Kuwait’s latest women’s fitness center, Bfit Kuwait, and adventure guru Ali Husain, trek to Oman’s highest mountain. Read our in depth feature as we speak to the adventurers about the challenges they faced and how they prepared for the journey of a lifetime.

H&M Conscious Exclusive pg 73

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50

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25 YEARS OF BCBGMAXAZRIA

HASSAN HAJJAJ

BAZAAR GOES DINING

HIND SHOUFANI

H&M CONSCIOUS EXCLUSIVE

Our favorite brand that constantly delivers Bon Chic, Bon Genre (good style, good attitude) celebrates a quarter-century legacy of timeless femininity and accessible luxury. Get into the festive spirit and update your spring look with our top 25 picks from BCBCMAXAZRIA’s spring summer 2014 collection.

Acclaimed artist and photographer Hassan Hajjaj revisits bazaar’s cover and pages with yet another riveting series of portraits entitled Kesh Angels.

Check out our interview with the man of many talents, as he tells us more about the awesome bike culture enjoyed by the women of Marrakesh.

Indulge in a Spanish escapade to Marbella’s old town at Torero: Spanish restaurant and Churreria.

Take a break from those burgers and go for a hearty Paella prepared by one of Valencia’s most renowned Paella masters, or choose a coffee and a delectable chocolate churro prepared by one of Marbella’s best Churreros.

Get to know the incredibly talented Palestinian poet, producer and director Hind Shoufani as she discusses her latest film, Trip Along Exodus. Through her work in poetry and film, Hind dispels the stigmas that surround the modern Arab woman, and powerfully evokes a vision for a secular and free Palestine.

Every year, H&M constantly amazes by showing us how fashion can be sustainable. Our special conscious feature, printed on recycled paper, celebrates the launch of the latest H&M Conscious Exclusive Collection.

Don’t forget to also check out our interview with the Head of Fashion and Sustainability Communication at H&M, Catarina Midby.

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bazaar connect Freedom to find us

30,000 readers

With a bilingual audience of both English and Arabic, we cover everything from what’s on, to the bizarre. We print and distribute 10,000 copies of bazaar every month; each issue is read by an average of 3 people, giving us a total readership of over 30,000. bazaar is published every month (except August), delivered free of charge to a large subscriber database, and also distributed free of charge in all of the following locations: Cafés & Eateries

- Breadz - Burger Hub, Gulf Road - Café Supreme - Al Kout Mall, Al Bustan Mall, Al Safat Mall, Sheikh Saed Aviation Terminal - Cafe November, Kipco Tower, Shuwaikh Market - Casper & Gambini, Kuwait City, Marina Crescent - Chocolate Bar, Al Bida’a - Container 75, Jabriya - Crumbs, Shaab - Dunkin Donuts, Salem Al-Mubarak - Elevation Burger - Haagen Dazs - Souk Sharq, Eureka, Arraya - Jade Garden Restaurant, Gulf Hotel - Johnny Rockets- Opp. Salhiya Complex, - Marina, Salmiya, The Avenues, Alia & Ghalia Complex - Living Room Lounge - Opao - Organica Fish & Chips, Jabriya - P.Q. - The Palms, Marina Mall - November Bakery, Al-Tilal - Hilton Kuwait Resort, The Avenues - Prime & Toast - Al Bida’a, Seif Strip - Scoop-A-Cone - Egaila, Al Kout, Fahaheel - Someday Café - The Early Bird - Fahaheel, Jabriya - Upper Crust - The Village Starbucks Outlets: - Adeliya

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Airport Mall Al Mowasat Hospital Al Muhalab Al Shaya Head Office Al Zahra Aliya & Ghalia Complex Andalouse Coop AUK Bairaq Mall Baitak Tower Behbehani Complex Bida’a Complex BMW Showroom Daiya Co-op Dar Al Awadi Divonne, Abu Hasaniya Fashion Way Salmiya Hilton Resort Jabriya Jabriya Land Kaifan Khalifa Resort Kout Mall Marina Crescent Marina Mall Mishref NBK Nuzha Co-op Plaza Hawalli Rosa Castle Salhiya Salmiya, Salem Al-Mubarak Salwa Co-op Scientific Center Seif Hospital

members of: www.bpaww.com

-

Shaab Shamiya Co-op Sharq Co-op Sheikha Complex Sheikh Saed Al Abdullah Terminal Shuwaikh Zain Headquarters Souk Salmiya Souk Sharq The Avenues The Palms Hotel

Clinics & Hospitals

- Al Mubarakiya Dental Clinic - Egaila, Salmiya - Al Safat American Hospital - Boushahri Clinic - Dasman Diabetes Institute - Diet Care Center - International Clinic - Maidan Clinic - Fahaheel, Farwaniya, Hawalli, Sharq, Subah Al Salem - Kaizen - Salam Hospital - Seif Hospital - Soor Center - Taiba Clinic - The Cosmetic Surgery Clinic

Hotels & Health Clubs -

Al Corniche Club Crowne Plaza, Farwaniya Hilton Kuwait Resort & Spa Holiday Inn, Salmiya, Fawaniya Inspire Pure Fitness Pilates & More - Salmiya, Mahboula Spaloon

- The Palms Beach Hotel - The Yoga Center

Malls

Arraya - Haagen Dazs Marina Mall/Crescent - Casper & Gambini - Chocolate Bar - Johnny Rockets - P.Q. - Paul Souq Sharq - Starbucks - Haagen Dazs - Breadz The Avenues - Johnny Rockets - Paul - Starbucks Airport Mall - Starbucks Dar Al Awadi - I.O. Center Spoons - Chocolate Bar Salhiya Complex - Starbucks

Stand Alones

- Brush Salon - Dar Al Funoon - Gallery Tilal - Jacques Dessange Salon, Shaab - Kuwait Airport Business Class Lounges - Landmark - Al Rai café, Fahaheel, Salmiya - London Limos - N Style Nail Lounge - Pink Moon Boutique - Sultan Gallery - That AlSalasil Bookstore - Airport, Marina, Salhiya, The Avenues - THE One - TIES Center - TXP Window Tints

Schools & Universities -

American University of Kuwait Australian College Kuwait Boxhill College BSK - British School of Kuwait Universal American School

Kuwait University -

Starbucks Starbucks Starbucks Starbucks

Khaldiya Adeliya Jabriya Shuwaikh

- 4 Boutique - Alghanim Marine - Alghanim Showrooms - Safat Al Rai, Shuweikh, Sharq, Fahaheel - Beautylicious

bazaar magazine has been a member of BPA Worldwide since June 2010, ensuring complete transparency, verifying bazaar as an audited publication which distributes 10,000 copies on a monthly basis. To access our BPA report, please visit: www.bpaww.com or log onto our website www.bazaar-magazine.com for a downloadable pdf version.

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In addition to our monthly magazine, our free-access website gives us the ability to reach an even broader audience, with an average number of 28,000 unique visitors. Packed with our articles covering entertainment, art, local happenings, music, movies, fashion, interiors, health, and interviews with the people responsible for said genres, bazaar‘s website will not disappoint.

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We get even closer to our readers by taking advantage of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels on a daily basis. With more than 10,000 fans and followers, we love starting different conversations with our readers, sharing music, jokes, photos, competitions, and much more. Twitter gives us the ability to tweet live from the many fun and exciting events that we cover, giving our readers minute by minute coverage and commentary, and allowing us to follow the people and brands that we like too, of which there are so many.

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Too lazy to go pick up bazaar from your local café? Now you can browse through the complete physical magazine online via issuu.com. Featuring our indepth interviews, reviews, stellar photography, and the latest ads showcasing what’s hot in the market right now; you can browse through bazaar freely and securely, whether you're on your PC, laptop, Smartphone, or tablet.

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BCBG

what’s on?

CONTEMPORARY ART PLATFORM 50 YEARS OF PRINT MAKING Exhibition and Book Launch Exhibition dates: Opens April 23, 2014, 7pm-9pm.

Runs April 24 – June 23, 2014.

Project Conceived by: Hayfa Al Jishi Book Published by: Al Bareh Art Gallery - Bahrain Mohammad Omer Khalil is one of the most distinguished art practitioners of the Middle East.

He is a pioneer not only in print-making but also in abstract drawing and in wide ranges of paintings that interweave contemporary ideas through the use of classical techniques with ready-made and crass-objects. Born in Burri, Sudan in 1936, Mohammed Omar Khalil studied at the School of Fine and Applied Arts in Khartoum, and then at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. Since 1967, he has lived and worked in New York. His work has been showcased in important venues all over the world, including the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, Kunsthalle Darmstadt in Germany, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum, both in New York City.

Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) is located in Kuwait Industrial Shuwaikh Block 2, St. 28, Life Center. Ph 2492 5636.

WILLIAMS-SONOMA COOKING AND TECHNIQUE CLASSES Techniques Classes Date

Name of Class

4th April

Flavors of Morocco

11th April

Pie, Pie & More Pie

18th April

Spring Desserts

25th April

Pasta Pronto

Cooking Classes 2nd April

Thai Inspired Dinner

9th April

Asian Cuisine

16th April

Dinner in Florence

23rd April

Comforting Dinner Menu

30th April

French Inspired Weeknight Dinner

Description

Moroccan cuisine is rich in flavor, and is a blend of Arab, Berber, European and African influences.

They'll help you master the art of making perfect pastry and then they'll teach you how to prepare some winning pies A home-baked dessert is always a sweet surprise when you are entertaining and so they help you make several including Layered Lemon Curd Cake or Mixed Berry Tart.

Whether fresh or dried, stuffed or baked, sauced, in soup, steamed or stir-fried, pasta is one of the most welcome sights on the dinner table.

Thai food is known for its complex tastes and bright aromatics. In this class they will show you how to prepare simple yet bold-flavored recipes.

This class highlights Asian dishes that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes ideal for today's busy schedules.

The Florentines believe that foods taste best when their essential flavors are allowed to shine through. You'll learn to prepare dishes that reflect this philosophy in the most delicious way.

Designed to nourish both body and soul, these satisfying dishes are just right for enjoying dinner around the kitchen table with family and friends This French-inspired meal is easy to prepare and satisfying to eat. It's ideal for dinner with the family yet is impressive enough to serve to guests.

THE SULTAN GALLERY The Hidden Light of Objects BOOK READING by Mai Al-Nakib DATE: Wednesday, April 9, 2014; 7 - 9pm Kuwaiti writer Mai Al-Nakib will read from her recently published collection of loosely connected short stories, The Hidden Light of Objects (Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing 2014) at the Sultan Gallery. She will reflect on the process of writing what celebrated author A. Manette Ansay has described as “the most original first collection of short fiction I have read in years.” The reading will be followed by a book signing.

Mai Al-Nakib is an Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the Kuwait University. She is currently writing her first novel.

BOUSHAHRI ART GALLERY EXHIBITION: Artists for K’S PATH DATES: April 12 – 14, 2014 Kuwait’s leading artists are coming together to exhibit their artwork to raise proceeds for K’S PATH’s animals and their programs, in partnership with venue host Boushahri Art Gallery. Featured artists include Abdulla Al Awadi, Ali Al Hafez, Aziz Bawatneh, Bader Al Mansour, Denise Wood, Faisal Al Foiuzan, Fareed Abdal, Fatima Al Sabah, Hamad Al Saab, Jarrah Bader and Shurooq Amin.

Boushahri Gallery is located in Salmiya, Baghdad Street, Building 36. For more information please call: 2562 1119.

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STAGED IN KUWAIT PRESENTS: SHREK THE MUSICAL SHREK The Musical, the massive family show making its Middle East premiere at LIVE THEATER this summer. Tickets start at just 5KD if you book fast, and the best seats are 10KD. Last year, for Seussical The Musical, they ended the run with a waiting list of over 800 seats. This year they have less seats per show (to make seating more comfortable with better views of the stage) but more performances, and as they are hoping to fit everyone in – but you will need to book early!

Shows run May 29,30,31 and June 5,6,7, 2014 with evening and afternoon performances. Come enjoy the hit Broadway show, live on stage in Kuwait, with all your favorite characters from the Dreamworks animation. Tickets will sell out fast so don’t delay – book today!

For full details of show timings check out the Staged in Kuwait Box Office booking page now at: http://siktkts.com

+ 965 2530 9618

360 MALL, LEVEL 1

ELIETAHARI.COM

ELIE TAHARI

what’s trending As much as we work our hardest to give you one rocking print issue after the other, we’re socially active (or try our best to be, we are bazaar humans after all) and we love it!

Find us online: It makes our day when we see your tweets/mentions/likes/comments/shares about your favorite features and more. facebook.com/bazaarmagazine

what: stampyoface.com info: Love your face? Stamp it! editor’s note: It’s vain and silly, but we like it.

twitter.com/bazaartweets

pinterest.com/bazaarmagazine

what: @Salemudhaf info: Food guru extraordinaire editor’s note: His restaurant choices will make your DROOL!

instagram.com/bazaargram

what: @Danahsnails info: Nail artist and Kuwaiti blogger editor’s note: Original images - nail art tutorials available!

START READING! Scan to read full digital issue. what: @GreenYummies info: Organic, natural products - delivered! editor’s note: Perfect for the health conscious!

what: @TashJewelry info: Hip and elegant handmade silver/gold plated jewelry editor’s note: Straight from Cairo - now available in Kuwait!

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what: @Glare_kayaks info: Buy Kayaks directly from the supplier! editor’s note: Perfect for our long, LONG, summers!

what: @KuwaitBeaches info: A MOBILE beach clean-up unit! editor’s note: Awesome idea! Get involved and follow them.

what: @PurpleSunFlowersQ8 info: Locally made artisanal Nut Milks + other handmade products editor’s note: Delicious milks, and yummy recipes online!

FOLLOW US ON

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APRIL 30, 2014 K U WA I T

truth or dare

THE RIGHT PHILOSOPHY Abdulaziz Al-Najjar by bazaar staff

One might seem completely intimidated upon meeting fitness and calisthenics enthusiast Abdulaziz Al-Najjar, but upon striking up a casual conversation with the young entrepreneur, you’ll be completely dazzled by his charms.

Besides dedicating his time on working out to maintain his physique (he spent seven years practicing body building, and is now totally challenged by calisthenics), you will find this co-owner of the homegrown concept, Socrates Bakery, looking for ways to make his business more socially responsible. The bakery, which is currently operating in Hawalli with plans to open a second location, serves up delectable fatayer and other baked goodies. They came up with all of the recipes, and also boast of serving up the best spinach topped fatayer in town. He added, “We knew that everyone loved fatayer and pizza, but we didn’t wish to follow in the footsteps of bringing in yet another franchise to Kuwait. We wanted to become productive members in society, where we would create jobs for other people and encourage locals to simply buy from locals!”

Abdulaziz and his business partner were also keen on utilizing recycled and recyclable material for all of their packaging at Socrates Bakery. From the carton boxes to the brown paper bags, they worked with local and regional suppliers to ensure that they could give back to Kuwait in every way possible.

Abdulaziz further explained that choosing ecofriendly materials came as a natural decision, and he added that although we might not see enough awareness in the community about recycling, he feels that this perception is finally positively changing.

He also regularly promotes and encourages other youth projects through his personal and business Instagram accounts, in hopes of encouraging young people like himself to follow in his footsteps and open up a small business.

Abdulaziz acknowledges that owning and managing, let alone growing, a small business is never an easy task. He realizes that the focus of any business owner nowadays is concentrated on dealing with municipality and council legalities that are constantly changing, but he is not discouraged. One might find it easier to opt for many cost-cutting decisions, such as discarding the idea of recyclable and recycled packaging; Abdulaziz and his business partner are both determined and focused on bettering the business for a better Kuwait. He concludes, “If we are not able to set an example to other fellow business owners in the simplest of matters, such as the use of sustainable materials in our packaging, then we might as well give in to all types of corruption.”

How would your mother describe you in one word?

Generous.

How would you describe your mother in one word?

I can’t. My mother is the queen of all queens.

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What is the most insane question you’ve ever been asked?

Nothing in mind.

What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve done?

I once sat inside a shopping cart while shopping in a mall.

What is your theme song?

Nothing specific.

What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented? ‫جلمود‬ Where would you like to live? What is your dream retirement location?

In a quiet beach-house somewhere with beautiful weather all year round.

What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?

‘Success is to be the person who you want to be.’

What animal best describes the kind of partner you’d be interested in?

A Sloth.

What do you miss about your childhood?

Spontaneous laughter.

If you could change your name, what would

you change it to?

I don’t want to change it, I like my name!

Describe your handshake in one word?

Firm.

What is the toughest part of your character?

I don’t know.

Who is your favorite historical figure?

Socrates the Greek philosopher, naturally.

What in the world do you least desire?

Corruption.

What do you think is lacking in the world, which if there was more of would make the world a better place?

Common sense and taking responsibilities more seriously.

Why do you think most girls/guys like you?

My personality, as they say!

Finish this sentence: “Happiness is a thing called…”

Seeing your people happy.

Follow Abdulaziz on Instagram @desertjuice, and check out Socrates Bakery on Instagram @Socratesbakery.

RAYBAN

ray-ban.com

bazaar love/hate

OUR TOP 5 CONFLICTS ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA by bazaar staff

When most of us talk about spending time online, what we really mean is that we have been on one of our many social media pages, talking to friends, or just basically letting the world know how awesome we are via our witty repartee and latest picture of us standing in front of some place that others could only dream of going – #mylifeisbetterthanyours! According to a recent Business Insider report, Social media is now the top Internet activity: Americans on average spend at least 37 minutes daily on social media, a higher time-spend than any other major Internet activity, including email. For some of us, we are likely far higher than that. With that in mind, here are your top 5 love/hate conundrums for social media. #5 People won’t go away – This may be hard to believe for the young ones out there, but there was a time when you simply lost touch with people. You get different jobs, your interests change or maybe you just move, but sooner or later you stop talking. And, particularly in cases where perhaps these people aren’t the best of friends to begin with – this could be a very good thing. Today when this happens, the person never really goes away. Sure, perhaps they don’t call you, but you are still inundated with their 10 Facebook or Twitter posts a day. And some of them are watching your every move…creepy (Btw 30

– you look great this morning)! #4 The commodification of…everything! – So you love Instagram? Twitter? Facebook? Here it is, and for free, with no ads – just come check it out kiddos! Until you do of course, at which point they start selling off ad space like it’s a real estate on a race car, using all of your profile information they have amassed to sell you things in the process. Thank you, Internet! Suggested posts, recommended links, post-bumping, sponsored links – maybe we should take the built-in commercials down a notch. #3 Checking in places – So you checked in at the gym – we are all happy for you! And then you checked in at McDonalds, which makes me question your gym commitment. Then you checked in at “Mycoolpadbythesea” where apparently you are mayor, which makes me think you are needy.

And then you tweeted a pic of yourself driving down the road doing your makeup, which generally just makes me concerned for your safety. I love knowing what you are up to, truly, but allow me a little mystery here. Let me not know for 5 minutes – maybe I will check in as missing you! #2 Social media for business interests – OK, if you are trying to get the word out on your new Etsy craft business or future guacamole conglomerate, it makes sense that you are going to start out via the free advertising gift that

social media has become, but we are getting serious pitch-fatigue here! Between the trainers, the therapists, the foodies, the bands, your blog, your brother’s car shop, and mom’s charity work, we can’t take it anymore. Plus, and I’m just saying, but if you have asked everyone to like your page and they haven’t, stop asking – we didn’t forget, we’re foregoing! (P.S. Have I told you about my blog? Please like it!) #1 The Selfie – Oh…the selfie. Now that it is ubiquitous enough to be an art form. Let’s take a second to reflect on how it all happened.

Simply, we all like to look good in photos, and nobody knows what makes us look good in a picture like, uh…us! (What do you mean? This is my good side!). Still that doesn’t mean you always make good decisions when faced with our own photographic biographies. From duck lips, to Sparrow Face, Frog Face, Miley-tongue, horse-face, fish-lips, the Gervais-triple chin and the latest: Squinching—there are a lot of ways selfie styles go seriously wrong. This can’t really be us at our best, can it? (I would answer but I am stuck on permanent fish face after a selfie incident gone wrong).

Love/Hate is your monthly guide to the things that irk and entertain us in equal measure. Up next month Love/Hate: Being the Boss.

VERSACE

we care

CLEANING UP FOR KUWAIT Conserving Kuwait’s perishing marine ecology with K’s Path by bazaar staff

With summer just around the corner most of us have decided it’s time to hit the gym, buy that new swimsuit and stock up on tanning lotion. This year, the bazaar team decided that we would do something different, to help conserve what is left of Kuwait’s natural habitats, by teaming up with the Kuwait Society for the Protection of Animals and Their Habitat (K’s PATH) Marine Conservation team on a Friday morning clean-up at Sulaibakhat, dubbed the ‘mangrove beach’.

The beach off of Al-Hishan bay was darkened by an overcast sky, but the team was surprised at how clean it actually was. Sure, there were so many plastic remnants and white styrofoam littered across the brown sand, yet it was clear that K’s PATH volunteers had already done a tremendous amount of work.

Their teams have been working in this location since 2011. In December of that year, 25 volunteers from the American International School of Kuwait removed 2,000 KG of waste in four hours. Just a few months later the team had cleared most of the waste covering the vegetation, and shrubs were growing from the sand. It was then that they decided to continue their efforts on a weekly basis to preserve the naturally occurring mangrove trees by this lonesome beach and the fauna that live amongst it.

We arrived in our closed-toe shoes and long pants, garbage bags in hand and latex gloves. With hand sanitizers in our pockets and a stash of water and snacks on the table nearby, we were ready to help with the clean-up. Angelique Bhattacharjie, a K’s PATH Director of Programs greeted us with a wide smile, and an infectious energy. She stood beside a row of shovels, and a box of gardening tools and gloves as she gave us tips on what to pick up and how to handle the environment around us.

K’s PATH began in 2005 with the mission to provide services for domesticated and wild animals in Kuwait. They have an open door shelter that accepts any and every animal in to their care. Their facilities accepted more than 10,000 companion animals and have seen everything from hamsters to baboons and ferrets. With the help of more than 850 volunteers aged between 6 and 70 years old, hailing from more than 15 nations, the marine conservation group has done more than 70 clean-ups, and has removed more than 17,000 kilograms of waste. Most of that waste included plastic items washed up on the shore, bottle caps, broken-down Styrofoam bubbles, discarded juice cartons and even the odd piece of clothing. The saddening reality, however, comes with knowing that all of this washed up waste arrives from other beaches driven by the gulf’s currents, passing boats and unplanned waste management on the part 32

“

of nearby housing and other buildings.

We went down the sand dune, with our open trash bags. Bhattacharjie warned us to only pick up items that were obviously trash. Anything that had been integrated into the ecosystem, with leaves or brushes growing on it were to be left on the ground. We focused on picking up the remnants of reef-balls and buoys, mangled plastic with moss growing around it and any waste that would present itself as obtrusive to the mangroves and the naturally growing vegetation.

As we sifted through the sand and filled up our bags we heard singing coming from the other side of the beach. High school students from Al Bayan Bilingual School had joined the beach clean-up. For 17-year-old Jamal Khudur, this was an opportunity he had been waiting for.

“I’ve been very busy with school work,” the 11th grader told bazaar. “I had to try because everyone

said I should. I feel really tired, but it feels good.

There are very few marshes left here in Kuwait, I feel like let’s save at least one.”

By the end of our clean-up the bazaar team, tired but happy, took a rest on a bench made by one of the volunteers out of material found on the beach. At the end of the two-hour mission, it was a great morning that truly refreshed our faith in the volunteer community here in Kuwait.

Email volunteers@kspath.org to sign up for the K’sPATH Volunteer Orientation which is held the first Saturday of each month at the Wafra Shelter from 11 am to 1 pm. If you don’t have time to volunteer they are always on the look out for tools (rakes, spades etc.,) rubbish bags and gloves.Any donations are welcome. Contact them through their website at kspath.org or connect with them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @kspathq8.

‫أكثر رياضية‪.‬‬ ‫سرع‪ .‬أكثر جرأة‪.‬‬ ‫أذكى‪ .‬أ‬

‫‪AUDI‬‬

‫‪ Audi‬سيدان‬

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‫‪A3‬‬ ‫ممت لتتخطى ال‬ ‫لجديدة كليًا‪ ...‬ص‬ ‫‪ Audi A3‬سيدان ا‬ ‫ضورها الرياضي‪.‬‬ ‫يلها التي تعزز ح‬ ‫سبق عصرك مع‬ ‫ألكثر جرأة وتفاص‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ضل تصميمها ا‬ ‫‪ 180( 40‬حصانًا)‪.‬‬ ‫في فئتها بف‬ ‫‪TFSI quattro‬‬ ‫(‪ 180‬حصانًا) و‬ ‫صانًا)‪40 TFSI ،‬‬ ‫‪ 122( 30 TFSI‬ح‬ ‫كة فؤاد الغانم‬ ‫متوفرة مع محرك‬ ‫‪ w‬أو اتصل بشر‬ ‫‪w‬‬

‫الجديدة كليًا‪.‬‬

‫مألوف وتتفوق عل‬

‫ى جميع السيارات‬

KESH ANGELS The many lives of artist-photographer Hassan Hajjaj by bazaar staff

Between art, photography, design and music, acclaimed artist-photographer Hassan Hajjaj never ceases to amaze.

Once again gracing our pages, and our April cover, with his inspired pieces, we are continuously surprised at what this Moroccan-born and London-based creative continuously delivers in terms of content and design.

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Renowned for being a man of many talents, Hajjaj explores his upbringing between London and Morocco effortlessly. We are captivated by his latest artistic-meets-cultural communiqué through the series “Kesh Angels” that highlights the biker culture of the women of Marrakesh, Morocco. Stemming from a tired perception of a country often frequented for glamorous photoshoots by international glossy magazines, he wished to shed an authentic light on the women that embody the spirit of the magical city—they are not overwhelmed by a macho-driven society, they are strong and independent. From cultural symbols to personal touches that perfect his frames, this ongoing series celebrates the streets of Marrakesh through vibrant colors, joyful spirits and a visual rhythm that entices the viewer to befriend the “Kesh Angels.”

Upon returning to London from his US debut in New York, Hassan looks to the future in diversifying his artistic mediums. His US interlude included solo shows in New York and Los Angeles, where his video work My Rock Stars Experimental, Volume I is on view at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art until July of this year.

Between his latest book signing event, By Hassan Hajjaj: Photography, Fashion, Film, Design by Rose Issa Projects and finalizing edits on his latest documentary film, we meet with the artist to learn more about the Kesh Angels.

Can you tell us more about the Kesh Angels’ series?

With regards to the Kesh Angels title, I played with words from ‘Hell’s Angels’, where ‘kesh’ is short for Marrakesh given that all of the women involved in the series are from Marrakesh. As Hell’s Angels also happens to be a brand name, I thought it fit perfectly with this body of work.

I’ve been shooting this story since the late 90s to highlight a phenomenon that already existed; I just added my flavor to the concept.

Is the series of photographs complete, or is it ongoing?

It is still going on, depending on how much time I spend in Marrakesh.

Your work, regardless of subject matter, regularly addresses a Middle Eastern obsession with designer labels and brand association. Can you elaborate on why you intentionally include this in your photographs?

I don’t think I always do that. For instance, with the Rock Stars series, you see people from different parts of the world. Perhaps in this series, and other similar ones, I did incorporate brand names as this is a facet of life that I grew up with and it’s a great way to communicate with viewers.

How did you build the frames of each image in the Kesh Angels’ series?

I tried to do this with lots of products that I can readily get, and use products that fit with the theme of my work and ideas. For instance, I used car paint as Kesh Angels is essentially a story about bikes, or Aicha tomato cans as Aicha was my mom’s name (May she rest in peace). All in all, I looked to create a frame that resembled a mosaic pattern, a characteristic that is truly Moroccan.

Do you have a favorite portrait out of the series? If so, which one is it and why?

Gang of Marrakesh is a favorite as this image is about swagger, fashion, textile, strength, freedom and normal people at the same time.

Where can we find the ‘Kesh Angels’ series?

Taymour Grahne gallery in New York and Rose Issa Gallery in London.

Are you still based between London and Marrakesh? If so, why do you choose this lifestyle?

Yes I still am, because they are both home and they both made what I am today in terms of my personality, career and art.

What else are you working on these days?

I’m currently in the middle of editing my 1st documentary about Karima, the henna girl, who has been present in my work throughout the last 15 years.

What’s next for Hassan Hajjaj?

To simply keep going.

For more information about Hassan Hajjaj, visit hassanhajjaj.blogspot.com, or find him on Facebook: Hassan Hajjaj. Images courtesy of Hassan Hajjaj.

Photographs of Hassan courtesy of Zahed Sultan and Meriem Houiguig.

Artworks: Left page: Nisrine Right page: (Top) M (Bottom) Rider Artworks by Hassan Hajjaj courtesy of Rose Issa Projects and Taymour Grahne Gallery.

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WHAT IS YOUR FONT SAYING? A designer’s perspective by bazaar staff

When half of your higher education is dedicated to Typography courses, you tend to hold fonts in higher regard than a normal person. Most people don’t look at a storefront and groan, “Ugh – Papyrus,” but even though not everyone is a designer, almost everyone uses fonts. So, what does your choice say? Here is a rundown of some commonly used (or misused) fonts and what they convey.

Comic Sans

“I don’t take myself seriously (in a bad way)” When we were thirteen and using MSN Messenger, it was cool to use Comic Sans to send messages. It is not cool now. Actually, it was never cool; we were sadly too naive to see it. Comic Sans was a font created specifically for use in children’s books and comic books. It’s become so widely used that it crops up in all sorts of inappropriate circumstances. For example, if you set a “DO NOT ENTER” sign in Comic Sans, I can guarantee that there is no way anyone is taking that message seriously – you might as well add a smiley face after it and invite people in for coffee. Thankfully many designers make it their mission to educate people on the horrors of using this ugly font, with amusing websites like comicsanscriminal.com. I’m aware that it’s now trendy to hate on Comic Sans – but I truly do hate it - it was actually painful for me to include it in this layout.

Other similar offenders: Chalkboard: Seriously, writing on a blackboard does not look like this.

Papyrus: The Ancient Egyptians wouldn’t even appreciate this obscenity.

Helvetica

“I’ve watched the documentary.”

Helvetica is a great font. They made a documentary about it and it was highly acclaimed. Yes, a documentary about a typeface was well reviewed! As the biggest typography nerd I know, I find Helvetica a little vanilla. Vanilla is safe and guaranteed to taste good. Helvetica should be where you start from – a nice fall-back option, especially for minimalist layouts – it jumps off the page in a simple, clear way. You can’t go wrong with Helvetica, but if you are open to it – I’ve got some cool options to trade in when you’re looking for some adventure: Non-Vanilla Sans Serif fonts: Gotham: this is the typeface that the Obama campaign uses for his logo – regardless of your feelings about the administration, you can’t deny that their branding has style. Pair Gotham with the serif face Perpetua and you have a sophisticated identity that people will remember. I think Gotham works better as a headline font, but can still look clean and sharp as body copy.

Gill Sans: A little elegance for your vanilla.

Franklin Gothic: the body copy in bazaar is set in this font, that’s why it looks so good and that is also why you love it.

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Times New Roman

“I take myself too seriously (and I’m boring)” Look, Times New Roman isn’t quite on the “please never ever use this” level that Comic Sans is on, but if you’re not writing an academic paper, a corporate letter or some quick notes that are not being presented for viewing, then I promise you, there are more interesting typefaces out there. Absolutely, submit your essays in Times New Roman – it is a legible, unobtrusive font that is meant for reading, but please don’t set your magazine articles, advertisement headlines and personalized notes to friends in this sad, bland lettering.

Serif fonts that do the same thing in a more stylish way:

Adobe Garamond, Bodoni, Caslon, Perpetua.

The sans-serif version of Times New Roman is Arial – default, no personality but standard. It was also Windows’ answer to Helvetica, which is code for ‘cheaper imitation’. Arial should be used on webpages and hardly anywhere else.

Impact

“I’m trying (but trying too hard)” If I see a poster that uses Impact, I smile a little. A non-designer is obviously attempting to make an impression – an impact, if you will – but doesn’t it hurt your eyes? It looks like it’s shouting at me and it’s not saying “Hey! Come look, this is awesome,” it’s saying: “YO! YOU. I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT YOU DON’T REALLY WANT TO HEAR.” If you need more dissuading - Impact is the font people use for internet memes - ick. So take it easy on the Impact – make a more lasting impression with condensed fonts like: Trade Gothic Condensed (bazaar headlines,) Univers and Futura.

Some other nice headline options are: Gotham (again), ITC Avante Garde and Century Gothic.

So, what have we learned (other than I am a judgmental type-ist)? Simple is better than crazy. Interesting is better than Default. And when in doubt, consult a graphic designer – there is a reason entire universities are dedicated to teaching design, we know what we’re doing. If you don’t have a designer on speed dial, google “fonts you should never use” there are several other judgmental type nerds out there who’ve written tons of handy dandy lists of advice.

NIKE

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arabs abroad

DANAH ABDAL - THE WELL-DESIGNED LIFE Interesting Arabs doing interesting things…elsewhere! by bazaar staff

Arabic Calligraphy workshop held at School of Visual Arts in New York Calligraphy is just one of the crafts Nagsha will feature in its series In this month’s column we feature designer Danah Abdal an artist at heart with a flair for all things communication and design-related. Born in Kuwait to a Kuwaiti father and Palestinian mother, she grew up as someone who embraced both of these cultures and loved the diversity that existed in her home environment. After graduating from high school she moved to East Lansing, Michigan where she completed a BA in Advertising and a BA in Studio Arts.

Upon moving back to Kuwait, she immediately joined The November Company where she was the inhouse Graphic Designer and Print Production Manager.

It was there that her passion for graphic design was fueled and found her working on projects throughout the Middle East, including work with brands in Lebanon, Oman and Jeddah. After three years working with November and freelancing, she decided to return to studies to further ground her in the design industry.

Since 2011 she has been part of the MFA Design program at The School of Visual Arts in New York City, where she is working on her thesis design product Nagsha, which is a cultural communications series based on individual workshops that combine traditional crafts from the Middle East with contemporary design. This combination of fine arts, communications, and now design, have shaped the essence of her work, a deft balance of both art and visual communication. We check in to hear all about her current project and what keeps her passionate about design.

What were the circumstances under which you left your home country?

Educational opportunities – I received a scholarship from Kuwait both for my undergrad and master’s degree.

Have you always wanted to live abroad?

I love to travel – so I always want to be abroad and experience everything out there.

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How long will you stay abroad?

After finishing school I will be working on some projects here in NYC. Mainly Nagsha, in hopes for the brand to pick up.

Where else have you lived?

Kuwait, Michigan, and New York City so far.

What is your favorite thing about where you live?

Living in New York so far has been mainly about being a student at The School of Visual Arts – but I would say the friends and connections I have made here are amazing. My program has a great international group of designers and it’s been great being a part of that.

What is the worst thing about where you live?

The city is fast and intense. The amount of productivity expected in this city is CRAZY, but I’m loving it while it lasts.

What do you miss most about home?

I love Kuwait – I would say I mainly miss the beach and my family.

What is your favorite part of what you do?

The fact that I enjoy doing it – it’s a lot of work – but it’s a lot of work that I want to be doing.

What are you working on currently?

Nagsha is really the main project for me at this time. However, I am always working on several things (freelance projects, etc.), but I will forever be a part of The November Company team.

What do you find most different about life inside and outside the Arab world?

What brought me to the U.S. was the educational opportunity. There are a lot of differences, however I really believe in being able to make the most of whatever context I’m in – there are pros and cons in every situation.

What do you find most different about work inside and outside the Arab world?

Work opportunities in The U.S. are huge –

especially in a city like New York, where TONS of people are always working on amazing things and it’s considered a design capital. There are just A LOT of opportunities here. Nevertheless, I’ve also been happy with work opportunities back in Kuwait, meeting amazing people working on amazing startups and great ideas.

Explain some differences in how you and your work have been received in different countries?

I can say that here, as a designer, I have more freedom in design decisions and can take more risks. Working with some clients in Kuwait (being a more conservative community) has constrained me at times. It is possible that ‘The Designer’ title maybe needs some time to become more trusted.

If you could take one thing from home and place it where you are, what would it be?

It would be the beautiful and rich culture we have, which through Nagsha I am trying to place in NYC through the lens of design.

How often do you return home?

I usually go home in the summertime, and sometimes in December.

Where will you eventually retire?

I would answer Kuwait, but I’m always open to new places to be…

Finish these sentences: In a year from now I will be…

Starting my own design studio and making space of some sort, perhaps in continuation of Nagsha.

When I die, I will…

Have swam in every ocean!

For more information on Danah Abdal and Nagsha, check out her website at www.danahabdal.com. You can reach her by email at nagsha@info.co or follow her on Instagram: @dabdal517 or @nagsha_.

ABS

EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY

by Bibi Al-Falah

There is no shortage of celebratory days in our yearly calendar that glorify certain people or emotions in life. Valentine’s Day brings a plethora of red and pink stuffed bears and cheesy cards to stores around the world, and Mother’s Day has us pre-booking flower bouquets two weeks in advance. Although we go to extraordinary heights to meet the expectations of appreciation on these days, it does not mean that the things we cherish should be forgotten otherwise. This applies to Earth Day just as much any other resource or person worth caring for. How can we make grand gestures towards respecting the earth as a whole once a year when we do not even respect the country we live in on a daily basis? I think that no matter where you are from, each person should make a conscious effort to respect the environment as well as the people in it.

Just as lifestyle and healthy eating is a practice, taking care of our natural resources is also a practice. This practice begins inside the home and extends outside of it and to the people in your life. Simple actions like turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth each day add up at the end and make a difference. Cleaning up the tissues in your living room and throwing them away encourages you to do so in every establishment or place you are in. Appreciating the earth should be expressed through daily actions; it should not be a yearly reminder of what we need to do.

Earth Day is not just about turning off the lights or planting a tree, it is about showing appreciation for all life around you, which includes the earth as well as every person walking on it that you come across. I have no respect for a person that will throw their trash away then turn around and be rude to another person. Likewise, you could be the kindest individual in the world but if you throw a water bottle outside the car window assuming another less fortunate individual will eventually pick it up, this is an act of disgrace. My aunt once witnessed such an incident and lowered her window to ask the driver one question (in Arabic): “Do you see your country as a piece of garbage so that you throw your garbage in it?!” That is exactly what littering insinuates.

When I see people littering it makes me want to explode, especially when things are thrown out of a car. You are eventually heading to a destination that will have a trash can, so why not wait those extra ten minutes and do that?

The worst incidents are when a parent does this, because their children will grow up thinking it is OK and following this horrible example.

If everyone in Kuwait did just one act toward bettering the earth by not leaving trash behind, 40

imagine what a difference it would make. The largest example of this is all the garbage we find on public beaches on the Gulf Road and out in the chalet areas. It is perfectly fine to have a barbecue and enjoy the fantastic weather, but don’t do it at the expense of the beauty around you! Nobody wants to see paper plates and empty Pepsi cans on a beach that is otherwise absolutely beautiful. It is small simple acts every day that add up and show true reverence towards

the ground we walk on.

To be honest, I don’t even know what day Earth Day is and I don’t think it matters because every day should be. We should clean up and throw things away every day, recycle when we have the chance to everyday, and be kind to others every day. This applies to any event that was worth naming a day after. Make every day Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and last but not least, Earth Day. Have a wonderful April everyone!

FRANKLIN MARSHALL

SPRING/SUMMER 2014 COLLECTION NOW AVAILABLE IN STORES

up close and personal

PAVING THE PATH TO FILM The incredible impact of Abdullah Boushahri’s storytelling on Kuwait cinema by bazaar staff

2009 – Abdullah shooting a Camco commercial Abdullah Boushahri stood in the corner of the conference room, anxious with anticipation.

It was the 20th annual National Union of Kuwait Students-USA conference, and his short documentary Kuwaiti Champion was about to be shown. He rested his chin on the space between his forefinger and thumb, and gazed out to the audience that had walked out on a major production film the day before. No one had seen the documentary, Boushahri shot and edited the whole thing on his own, and he had no idea how it would be received. It was his first of many moments of anticipation in the dark, waiting for his project to work its magic, and hoping the audience would be enchanted by it.

“I like to stand and watch the audience because in a dark room no one is forcing you to laugh, it’s just you and the movie,” he told bazaar. “I stand, as quiet as I can and try to listen to their whispering, to their laughter and their emotions and wonder, can I really move this guy? That moment where you feel that you’ve achieved moving a human emotion I think is very sophisticated and very pure.”

In 25 minutes the audience was taken on the 42

2009 – Abdullah (Right) and his business partner at Synq Studio incredible journey of Yousef Al-Saleh, a karate fighter, as he trained and fought his way to the US open, and the Kuwaiti filmmaker that captured every drop of sweat, tears and smile through the process. When the lights came on, Boushahri watched his brother and Al-Saleh embrace in a tearful hug, and 600 people in the audience stood up to give him his first standing ovation.

They crowded around the director to give their congratulations. They were moved by the idea of a Kuwaiti with a dream, and the guts to go for it.

He stayed up with them in the hotel lobby until daybreak and discussed parts, like the scene where Al-Saleh used the Kuwaiti flag to cover tears during a fight, and the journey, he as the filmmaker, shared with his subject. Yet, it was the cultural attaché of Kuwait, Dr. Mirza Hassan’s quick congratulations that stood out to him most. At the time, Boushahri was studying cinema and film at Florida Atlantic University, without a scholarship due to a restriction of Kuwaiti students to the traditional majors of science and engineering.

“Right after the screening he walks up to me, shakes my hand and says ‘I am very sure of how important cinema is right now. Congratulations

on this, I am going back to the office Monday and sending my recommendation to include cinema as an approved major.’ The next semester they had a scholarship for cinema,” said Boushahri.

His exceptional work showcases talent highlighted by the passion he holds for telling an incredible story, and an ode to his never ending search for the perfect plot. His first feature film Losing Ahmed, under his production company Beyond Dreams, started on the second leg of a British Airways flight from Miami to Kuwait. He struck up a conversation with two women headed to his homeland for a NGO project to assist Iraqi children disabled in the war. This trip was aimed at retrieving Ahmed, a young boy who had lost his sight and right arm in a bomb dropped by the US army and intended for terrorists. Boushahri’s story radar was on high alert, and with their permission began filming right there in the airplane. He traveled with them to the Iraqi border, met the young boy and captured the incredible friendship that became the first part of the film.

Less than a week later Boushahri was back on a plane headed to New York City with his new friend to film medical treatments to restore his eyesight,

2003 – Yousef and Abdullah on the way to the U.S Open from Miami to Maine and a prosthetic for his arm. During the flight he uncovered the NGO’s ulterior motives of making Ahmed a poster child to boost funds, and refused to give them his footage. When they arrived in JFK, he waited for hours in the arrivals hall for Ahmed to come out of immigration in vain. For the next year Boushahri searched for and tracked down Ahmed and his father in the small home the NGO had set them up in. The story reaches a climax as Boushahri drives through the snow searching for a home the blind Ahmed had described to him as between a church and a school.

Losing Ahmed won best documentary awards at both the Emirates Film Competition and the Golden Minbar Film Festival in Russia. Boushahri’s career has been peppered with firsts, first Kuwaiti filmmaker to enter the Emirate Film Competition, the Dubai International Film Festival and the Singapore Film Festival and first Kuwaiti to participate as a judge in the Dubai Film Festival to name a few. He has continued to evolve as a filmmaker, adding visual effects and animation to his resume with his company Synq Studios, a Miami based postproduction house that has worked on effects for films like Battle L.A, Resident Evil and Harry Potter,

and became the director behind the Burj Khalifa documentary Burj Dubai, a story of how to make the impossible possible.

Boushahri is not one to boast, nor will he give any sweeping eulogies on the importance of his work. This humble filmmaker focuses on telling good stories, and hopes the younger generation is propelled to do better when they see his successes.

Until then, he continues to travel around the world, depositing images and plot lines in his visual memory and searching for the next treasure of a story in the sea of human experiences.

bazaar questionnaire What do you most value in your friends?

Trust.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Success.

What is your greatest fear?

Loss of loved ones, especially family.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Ego. Which living person do you most admire?

My father, Abdulrasoul Salman.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Travel.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“Am not sure!”

What is it that you most dislike?

Negativity.

Which talent would you most like to have?

To speak many languages.

If you could have any job, what would it be?

Run a music academy.

What would you consider your greatest achievement?

Waking up very early in the morning.

What is your most treasured possession?

My family.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Dynamic.

Where would you most like to live?

Miami.

What are your favorite words to live by?

Never give up.

Connect with Abdullah Boushahri on Instagram @beyond305 or on Twitter @AbdulaBoushahri.

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KOON FITNESS

Be the best that you can be by bazaar staff

When friends Maryam Hamad AlHamad and Rawa Saud Jafar noticed a shortage of fitness wear that combined the features of comfort, fashion and affordability, they decided that Koon Fitness would be an ideal project that suited their needs, along with the demands of an ever-growing fitnessoriented market segment in Kuwait. Little did they know, however, that their passion for fitness and well-being would lead them into establishing a new socio-fit support hub that advocates movement, health, motivation and nutrition awareness toward a socially active lifestyle. Koon Fitness, a specialist boutique that carries an array of select fitness brands for men and women alike, physically and conceptually embodies everything that both Maryam and Rawa wish to see flourish in Kuwait.

Given the namesake Koon, that translates to the Arabic word for ‘Be’, they’re off to a great start in materializing their vision.

If you’re anything like these two avid gym-goers, you will love the selection at Koon Fitness. If you’re not, well, prepare to be motivated! Whether you’re looking to be more active or you simply want to jazz up your regular, boring gym gear, Koon Fitness will surely tick these categories and much more.

Getting to know Co-owners Rawa and Maryam left us wanting to head to the closest gym we can possibly locate. Soccer-loving Rawa, an employee in the investment field by day, told us that she was bored of what the local market has to offer in terms of fitness-wear that offers practical solutions to an active lifestyle. She said, “We have shirts that are perfect for working out, or simply lounging around. You can even wear our Yoga leggings out to dinner!” While Maryam, a nutrition specialist by day, also added, “It’s normal for people to order online, but finding the right fit when it comes to fitness gear is tricky. That’s why we’ve decided to bring items we normally travel abroad to purchase, to Kuwait.” As far as they are both concerned, they consider the gym as their haven. Between work and Koon Fitness, they find themselves at the gym on a regular basis leaving little or no time for idle ponderings, except for coming up with awesome ideas aimed at getting the local community moving.

According to Maryam and Rawa, Koon is all about communication and motivation, where Koon, or the concept of being, is about creating a collective push for positive physical and social activity. Koon delivers an ideology that they’ve coined as ‘SocioFitness’, geared towards communicating to people that they should always strive to be the best that they could be. Rawa added, “In the long run, we hope to be a part of, or even create, events and activities that foster a fit community. We just want people to get moving through different ways. In the meantime, our store offers the right tools and gear to make the process easier.” From their pre-launch 44

photo shoot that featured local athletes with real success stories, to having a fun handstand station at their official launch event to get their customers moving, Koon Fitness is setting a new standard for the local fitness community.

Upon visiting the boutique in Lilly Center, Shuwaikh, you’ll find a myriad of specialist fitness clothing brands. Compression brands Proskins, originally from the UK, and 2XU, an Australian brand, offer athletes a solution for stressed out muscles and joints during and post workouts.

Crossfit lovers will rejoice to see Trunx, the original Crossfit brand, available as well to cater for this ever-growing sporting activity in Kuwait. The reason behind choosing such brands is a result of Maryam and Rawa’s extensive research into the fitness

habits of the local community, as well as their online research. Other brands include Beyond Yoga (USA), Human Performance Engineering (UK), Lucas Hugh (UK), Lorna Jane (AUS), and Manduka (USA), and many more coming soon! Their choices of fitness apparel and gear stem from inspiration, as local athletes and their dedication continuously inspire Rawa and Maryam. Maryam said, “Their passion keeps us going in wanting to provide this community with a support system in the form of Koon Fitness.”

Koon Fitness is located in the mezzanine floor at Souq 15 inside Lilly Center in Shuwaikh’s Industrial Area. For more information, follow them on Instagram @KoonKwt email info@koonfitness.com or log on to www.koonfitness.com.

ADOLFO DOMINGUEZ

POCKET CLASSICS Miniature classic cars by bazaar staff

The people at Pocket Classics set out with a bold vision: to make the best toys in the world.

Though a lofty goal that would be hard to achieve for any company, it appears they have done just that. By producing a variety of bespoke toy cars that are as functionally real as it gets, the have created something that both children and adult car aficionados cannot help but get excited over.

Pocket Classics is a British company that sells half-sized, petrol engine classic cars that are suitable for both adults and children. Each car is designed by a British engineer and handmade to the customer’s specific request. So far, they have produced tributes to the Ferrari California, Aston Martin DB5, Jaguar XK120 and AC Cobra, among others. Each car is lovingly handmade and they can build your personalized car to any specification that you wish. These toys are 100 percent serviceable and virtually indestructible.

With composite bodies and chassis, they will literally last for generations. All the mechanicals are over-engineered to ensure durability.

With a current range of classic miniature cars that includes the Cobra, the GT and the Spirit, amongst others, there is enough variety for every car enthusiast. Each one is built to order over a 46

period of 3 months with whatever combination of exterior color (solid or metallic) and interior materials you wish. As a show of where British design meets American muscle, they constructed a tribute to Carroll Shelby’s masterpiece. In its petrol version, it comes with a 110cc 4-stroke aircooled petrol engine. With a top speed of up to 46 mph, it is safe to say this is not your grandparent’s toy car.

For those of you already worried about giving that sort of an engine capacity to a child, it should be noted that these engines could be power-limited upon request as well. With a Semiautomatic gearbox that gives you 3 speeds in forward and reverse, it will function as well as a real car. Additionally, it has 4-wheel independent suspension with coil-overs and twin front, and single rear hydraulic Brembo disc brakes. It also has an electric start, lights, horn and indicators.

Basically—it is a real and functioning car. This handcrafted toy is suitable for ages 10 all the way up to large adults.

The cars are fully serviceable without the need for major strip down. The body is bolted to the chassis in 12 places and consists of 10 separate parts, all GRP composite and a replaceable

exhaust silencer. The rear-mounted safety gas tank features an external pump. It also comes with an electronic 12-volt ignition/electric start. The exterior is painted in automotive Du Pont paint and can be finished in the buyer’s color of choice; they simply require a Du Pont color code. The floor is color impregnated black GRP. The bonnet and boot are opened using latch mechanisms in the cockpit.

Other cars are available to order, designed to your personal specification. You can choose the model, any exterior color (solid or metallic) and the interior materials. They were recently invited to the World Luxury Expo showcase, which features the world’s leading luxury brands over three days of exhibitions that display masterpieces of renowned international brands to highly discerning VIP guests from across the GCC. They also made a guest appearance at Abu Dhabi (Emirates Palace) in 2013 and are planning on providing a VIP experience in Riyadh, Jeddah, Bahrain, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Doha in 2014.

Please contact them for more information, prices and to order. Find all the information on these cars at www.pocketclassics.me. Images courtesy of Pocket Classics.

STRADIVARIUS

ASK

Aunty Yaz

Do you have a problem that needs solving? In need of some tough love or hard hitting life advice from a lovingly nagging know-it-all? Write to bazaar’s very own agony aunt, Aunty Yaz! Aunty Yaz can be found wandering the streets of Salmiya dishing out unsolicited life lessons to random passersby. If you’ve heard the gruff shout of “Tuck your shirt in, you slob!” or “Someone get me something to sit on,” or even overheard her incoherent ramblings, you have probably encountered her wrath before. While Aunty Yaz is neither a psychologist nor certified life coach, you would still be wise to address her as Aunty or Dr. Yaz.

Dear Aunty Yaz, My mommy always throws her bottles in the trash but in school I learned that we need to recycle. When I remind her she tells me to do my homework. What should I say to her to make her recycle?

From Sid Ah Sid, How refreshing it is to see someone who is unafraid to tell the world that they need my advice – no will to disguise your own name. Now pet, the first thing I want to tell you is that you should always ask a parent for permission to use your name in a publication – it is a dangerous world.

The second thing is Bravo! I have the perfect solution for your problem dearie. I once heard some wonderful advice from one of my many celeb friends: if your mom is reminding you to do your homework – retort with “Have you done yours?” It is everyone’s responsibility to recycle – even oldies like me and your mother. If she gives you any problems – just let me know – an autographed copy of the latest Aunty Yaz column will surely change her mind.

- Aunty Yaz Dear Aunty Yaz, I’m planning a vacation for this summer and I need your top 10 tips. GO!!

– Jet-setter Dear Jet-sweater, 1. Oxford dictionary states that a “Jet-setter” is a noun meaning: Wealthy and fashionable people who travel widely and frequently for pleasure.

But guessing from your question you’re neither wealthy, fashionable, nor a frequent flyer. So if I were you, I’d start making money and dressing better (take inspiration from my pictures, I’m fabulous) and work towards acquiring more stamps in your passport. Only then will you be able to use this title as loosely as you are right now.

2. You know that fancy phone you have on you? Here are a three apps that might be useful to you: Skyscanner, Trip Advisor, and Lonely Planet.

They’re super useful and I’m sure you’ll know how to use them.

3. I used to love going on a cruise with the bridge ladies. The food was always left out to grab and if you were lucky they would put on some crab racing. I always knew how to pick crabs on a cruise.

4. No one wants to see your white skin on the beach whilst you are working on your tan. The sun can reflect off your skin and get into my eyes. So make sure to fake it til you make it and get a spray tan. For the love of those of us beach beauties with natural glow.

5. Men: If you walk past the beach line in your speedos, they become underwear. Cover up.

6. Watch out for lavatories labelled as such but when you go inside the cubicle they are merely a smelly hole in the ground. I don’t squat dear.

Bonus tip..always pack a toilet roll in case of emergencies.

7. If you are going somewhere where they don’t speak English as a first language, learn these phrases: “Thank you”, “I’m sorry”, “2 sugars”, and, “Do you have these in a size 37”? (hint: the Lonely Planet app collection has a Phrasebook)

8. Don’t under any circumstances use the airplane lavatory while not wearing shoes. You know why...

9. A passport protector is the most useless item anyone can buy, ever.

Unless it’s Chanel or Mont Blanc.

10. Make sure to take one of those very original pics of your ugly feet on a lounger facing a pool. Who knows, you may even get a ‘like.’

P.S. Never tell me to “GO,” so please take a moment to feel flattered that I even responded to this.

– Aunty Yaz Dear Aunty Yaz, I am a huge advocate for the environment. For this reason I have not thrown away a single item for twenty years. My only problem is that I can’t seem to move around in my house. There are sweaters in my stove, magazines in my bathtub and at least seven kittens wandering around amongst the stacks of rubbish. The only thing I can reach is my computer and I have now been sitting in my desk chair for two weeks.

I need help.

– Drowning in Junk Dear Junkie, Your message is disconcerting in many ways. For one – you seem to recognize you need help, but you are also downplaying your total insanity.

SEVEN kittens lost in your house? Think of all of the millions of Buzzfeed users that just died when they read that. I may be stating the obvious here – but let me be explicit: You are a hoarder. There is nothing noble or environmentally conscious about never throwing anything away. If you don’t embrace recycling your magazines, donating your used clothing to charity and finding those poor animals forever homes – then you, along with your festering dump of a home will waste away to nothing.

I suppose there is one bright side in your message – access to your computer. Step 1: Send out a message for help – do hospitals have email these days? Step 2: Research hoarding – it is a serious condition and there are ways to treat it – this is really beyond my wide array of expertise. Step 3: Order some Talabat – you must be starving.

– Aunty Yaz Dear Aunty Yaz, Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I need a date, How about you?

- Your Secret Admirer.

Dear Secret Stalker, Roses are expensive, Violets die too, You are a desperate loser, I don’t want you.

- Aunty Yaz

Send your questions to Aunty Yaz at auntyyaz@bazaar-magazine.com. Any advice given is strictly opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of bazaar. But it might—just sayin!

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RAV

bazaar goes dining

TORERO: SPANISH RESTAURANT AND CHURRERIA by bazaar staff

From Marbella’s old town, to the lively Arabella promenade in Al Bida’a filled with the latest restaurant concepts, visitors will surely be impressed with Torero, Spanish restaurant and Churreria. Amongst all of the food fads that have come to Kuwait, we were beyond elated when we finally came by something different. With an armor of expertly trained Spanish head chefs, along with Marbella’s most prized Churrero (that’s Spanish for master Churro maker), Torero offers a much-desired break from the many other burgerconcentrated and pizza-centric dining concepts.

After many annual visits to the Spanish town of Marbella, and an avid addiction for locally prepared churros, Torero general manager and owner Aljawhara S. Al Sabah decided to bring it upon herself to create a Spanish concept that recreates her culinary memories of the lovely timeless Orange square, better known as Plaza de los Naranjos.

Renowned for its narrow streets, charming flowered balconies and aromatic orange trees, Aljawhara made sure to recreate this atmosphere at Torero by building the dining area around a beautiful large orange tree that was flown in from Spain.

Accessible from both the upper and lower level promenades; you will find yourself immersed in a cozy and relaxing sanctuary. The walls at Torero are painted in a bright and sunny yellow color offset with bright blue wooden windows decorated with flowerpots to add an authentic touch to the dining ambience. The scintillating aromas coming from the kitchen then enliven your senses and the joyful little details that Aljawhara added pleases the eye.

Figurines of little toros (Spanish fighting bulls), matador hats and the sounds of the guitar will accompany the different stages of your Spanish feast from beginning to the very end.

As far as Spanish cuisine is concerned, tapas, also known as small plates, are always the best way to go when dining in a group. Move on to one of Torero’s Spit Roasts, or Al Espeto Malagueño, slowly barbecued cuts of beef, chicken or lamb on burning coals, a classic that hails from Malaga beach, or traditional Paellas. Don’t worry, we won’t spoil the desserts for you just yet!

We started off our Spanish expedition with a selection of tapas. The Pan tomato, toasted homemade bread with a refreshing and slightly zesty tomato dip, is offered based on the tradition of snacking between meals. One that we found ourselves more than happy to oblige, especially when mixed with the Ensalada De Queso De Cabra.

This imaginative goat’s cheese salad, with an avocado infused balsamic vinaigrette that makes it creamy, sweetened with the tart flavors of the cheese and made for an amazing topping to the homemade bread offered with the Pan tomato.

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We then sampled the roasted chicken and mushroom croquettes from Torero’s wide offering of Las Croquetas, these creamy and deliciously fried dumplings or rounded balls served with an addictive alioli sauce. For those wondering about alioli, it is an age-old Catalonian paste-like dipping sauce made from crushed garlic, olive oil, egg yolks, salt and pepper and lemon to taste.

The tapas continued to flow, as our Queso Frito (Fried creamy cubes of Brie cheese) arrived with sweetened tomato chutney. We could have sworn that we tasted berries, that’s how caramelized that tomato chutney was. We dove right into this expertly presented dish and savored the contrasting textures and how the chutney brought life to the fantastic cubes of simply fried Brie. This was followed by two

styles of their signature Patatas Bravas. For every potato lover, these diced, chunky and deep fried cubes with alioli and classic fiery brava tomato sauce are a pure delight! Going by the preparation of any Spanish food item, these patatas are richly flavored and full of warm spices, whether you opt for the classic version or the spiced chorizo and cheese option. Pair the potatoes with some Gambas Al Ajillo, baked shrimps in garlic oil and chili flakes, or Calamari A La Romana, battered and deep-fried flavorful calamari. Looking for a touch of fusion? Indulge your taste buds with the BBQ Costillas, featuring 24-hour marinated barbecued beef short ribs served in tortillas, alioli and tomato dip, and there you have it – mini sandwiches at a Spanish restaurant!

As soon as you think you’ve experienced Spanish cuisine, you must stop yourself and remember that the Paellas El Torero make for an incredible main event. The entire process of consuming this hearty meal is enjoyable, from the majestic presentation of the large pan, filled with the colors of freshly sourced vegetables, meats, or seafood, to the sharable trait of this mixed rich dish that simply brings people together. Paella options at Torero include chicken, vegetable, mixed seafood and for the adventurous, blackened rice or Arroz Negro, prepared with calamari and the original squid’s ink. We opted for the light seafood Paella, with calamari, seasonal hammour alongside a myriad of diced vegetables enhanced with original Valencian spices and saffron. A note about the Paella maker

at Torero: Aljawhara found herself commissioning the best Paella maker in Valencia, he is known to prepare at least ten Paellas at the same time! If you choose a vegetarian Paella, make sure that you also order the slow roasted lamb, or Palitilla De cordero, served with a choice of potato puree or gratin. Not only does the meat literally fall off the bone and melt in your mouth, you also receive a side of rustic honey to drizzle on the cuts of lamb.

This was yet another Andalucian tradition that we were extremely pleased to try.

Come dessert time, we were delighted to learn that both of the dessert options are chocolate-laden.

This not only makes us happy, it also makes us take a note to come even hungrier the next time we visit this establishment! Watch the incredible La Bomba

come to life in front of you. This dessert includes a chocolate cake, vanilla bean ice cream and what tasted like a dark chocolate and molasses infused structure, that when piping hot chocolate sauce is poured in, disintegrates into a heavenly texture. If you prefer the traditional churro, then know that Marbella’s best Churrero is on hand to deliver beautiful, flaky, hollowed swirls of pastry sprinkled with sugar. All you need to do is break it apart and dip it in more of their addictive chocolate sauce.

Torero Spanish Restaurant & Churreria is located in Arabella in Al Bida’a. For reservations and inquiries please call 9494 5904 and visit www.torerosrc.com for more information or follow them on Instagram @ToreroSRC. 51

bazaar music

SHAKIRA by Shakira This is the tenth studio album from multi-platinum, Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter, global recording artist and philanthropist Shakira, produced through Sony Music Entertainment/ RCA Records. It is her first English-language album since her eighth studio album She Wolf (2009). “Can’t Remember to Forget You” served as the lead single from Shakira features Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. It entered at number 28 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming her highest-debuting track in the U.S. Speaking about the album Shakira stated that during the recording process she realized that it was neither “thematic” or “conceptual” as she felt her earlier projects were, instead opining that its production “[helped] to pave a path for me of rediscovery.”

GHOST STORIES

by Coldplay

Ghost stories is the upcoming sixth studio album for Coldplay, a follow-up to 2011’s Mylo Xyloto arriving May 19th through Parlophone Records.

They took fans by surprise early last month with the left-field, ambient single,“Midnight”, which saw mostly positive response to the atmospheric track. Their second track released on iTunes, titled “Magic”, might just replace “Yellow” as one of their most-romantic songs. It is more mellow than songs like their arena-shaking “Viva La Vida” or Mylo Xyloto’s “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.” But, it fits nicely between singles like the aforementioned “Yellow” and their driving and soul-stirring “Fix You.”

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LIFE IMITATING LIFE

by Augustana

Life Imitating Life is the new studio album by Augustana, set for release 22nd April. Produced by John O’Mahony (Coldplay, Metric, Kashmir), the album flips the next page for Augustana. The Southern California group’s fourth full-length album and first for newly created label Washington Square sees singer, guitarist, and songwriter Dan Layus wholeheartedly embracing Augustana’s musical touchstones, while simultaneously progressing. His own journey proves central to these ten tracks, making for a passionate, poetic, and powerful story. Since starting while its members were in college, Augustana has built a remarkable history of their own. With 2005’s All The Stars and Boulevards, its follow-up Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt in 2008, and most recently Augustana cumulatively exceed sales of 500,000 albums.

MUPPETS MOST WANTED

by Various*

Enjoy the official soundtrack to Disney’s Muppets Most Wanted which takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid, and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by the World’s Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit. *Artists include Kermit, Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, Josh Groban, Tina Fey, Miss Piggy, Ty Burrell, Rocky Gervais, and Ray Liotta. The soundtrack includes multiple songs from the major musical numbers in the movie plus new original records by Oscar Award Winner Bret Mckenzie.

GIRL by Pharrell Williams Redefining cool for a new generation, Pharrell Williams is a creative force, using music, fashion, and design to express his distinctive style. From his beginnings as a teenage prodigy in Virginia Beach back in the early 90s, through enough hits to earn him Billboard’s Producer of the Decade in 2010, to his current status as multi-media superstar, Williams has never stopped creating. GIRL is Pharrell’s highly anticipated new album, and features the hit single, “Happy”, an international phenomenon and radio smash. “Happy” was first featured on Despicable Me 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). Having being nominated for an Oscar this year for Best Original Song, “Happy” has sold more than 2.3 million tracks worldwide, and has topped the chart in more than 175 countries.

MORNING PHASE

by Beck

”…one of his best: a tenderly stunning song cycle of languid, prairie-dusted psychedelia that recalls Beck’s reflective 2002 classic, Sea Change” --David Fricke, Rolling Stone. Morning Phase is true to its title: the beginning of yet another amazing chapter in Beck’s peerless career and catalogue. Featuring musicians who have backed him on many of his most acclaimed albums, as well as the current live shows widely hailed as the best of his career (Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Joey Waronker, Smokey Hormel, Roger Joseph Manning Jr., and Jason Falkner), Morning Phase harkens back to the stunning harmonies, song craft and staggering emotional impact of Beck’s most classic ballads, all the while surging forward with undeniable optimism.

source: www.amazon.com

MILLY

GROUND FLOOR, ARRAYA CENTER, AL SHUHADA STREET GATE, SHARQ TEL #22997739

THE BEST GAMING EXPERIENCE PART II Good looking and fast – the final steps to creating your own PC gaming rig

by Ashraf Abdalla

Welcome back geeks & gamers to the second part of my PC gaming rigs special.

We’ve got you set up with CPUs, motherboards, and memory in this basic guide for all first time PC gaming rig builders. This month I’ll take you through the rest of your gaming rig’s components, and give you a few pointers about monitors and about peripherals.

The single most important decision you’ll need to make is your graphics card, and where you should put the bulk your budget. You’re really spoilt for choice here as there’s a plethora of cards on the market at all price points. You can pick up a pretty useless card for KD 15-20 that won’t run more recent games, or you can spend an arm and a leg for a card that’s arguably as powerful as some of NASA’s supercomputers. Alternatively you can run dual cards, and potentially double the graphics power of your rig.

The decision between Nvidia and AMD graphics cards is more a matter of personal preference.

Both companies make great cards at similar performance levels and priced closely. Nvidia does tend to be a little pricier with a slight performance edge. Otherwise there’s very little separating them.

If money’s no object, go for a dual GPU top of the line card like the GTX 690 by Nvidia, or the Radeon HD 7990 by AMD. With either of these you’ll be able to run almost any game on the market at ridiculous resolutions, maxed out settings and enjoy high and stable frame rates in all your games. Or you could run a pair of GTX 780’s in SLI for some serious oomph. If your budget is more grounded in reality, 54

you should go for the best it can allow as both brands offer downgraded versions of their latest and greatest cards. Also the GTX 760 by Nvidia, and the HD 7950 by AMD would have no problem running any of the games out there vastly prettier than any console on the market could. Make sure you check the many performance comparison charts online before you make your choice.

The last two major components you need to get for your rig are your hard drives (HDDs) and power supply unit (PSU). HDD selection might seem quite simple, in this day and age there’s no excuse to not have a SSD (solid state drive) in your gaming rig. They still aren’t exactly cheap but if you’re on a budget get a small SSD as the bootable drive for your OS. If not I’d strongly recommend a larger SSD or a second one to install the games that you’ll be playing. Load times will improve dramatically, and game performance will be better, especially in open world games that stream a lot of data off your HDD. For your secondary HDDs always make sure they have a speed of 7200 rpm and a good buffer. This will guarantee that your HDDs, which are usually the slowest component of your computer, don’t become a performance bottleneck for your rig.

PSU selection should depend on what components you have in your CPU and your future expansion plans, there are a lot of power calculators available online that will help you determine how much wattage your rig will use. If you will be running a single graphics card rig, and not over clocking your CPU you should be ok with a 650W PSU. If you’re going for one of the high

end graphics cards, a dual card setup, or plan on adding a second card later, you’re going to need a good 750W or 800W PSU. Make sure the PSU you select is from a reputable brand, so reliability is never an issue.

One thing a lot of PC gamers don’t put too much thought into is the monitor, which can actually affect your experience significantly. Take two things into consideration: refresh rate and response time.

You want to make sure that you get a monitor with a high refresh rate (same as when selecting a TV for your console and home theater). The higher a refresh rate you get, the more frames your display can display a second, this way you make sure your graphics cards’ capabilities aren’t going to waste.

You also want a low as possible response time so that you don’t experience any ghosting or input lag in fast action games.

Peripherals such as your keyboard, mouse and speakers are things that you can compromise on initially. Make sure you invest in good ones when you can because they will make your gaming experience better. Razer’s accessories have always been some of the most highly regarded, but there are plenty of models by Corsair, Cooler Master and Thermal Take that are quite good as well.

One peripheral every PC gamer should own is Microsoft’s USB dongle for wireless Xbox 360 controllers. This will allow you to use any wireless Xbox 360 controller with your PC, which makes playing sports games like FIFA and single player centric games like Far Cry 3 and Outlast, an absolute joy.

JEEP

WEST ELM

Green is the new black by bazaar staff

Mid-Century Collection (bed, dresser and desk shown) - Starting from KD 199

Earth Day is coming up and living in a city can make it tricky to give back to our glorious planet.

But going green has never been easier with West Elm’s very own “Green” products. These unique West Elm products, made for sustainable and green living, are the perfect addition to any home.

They’ve set out to make a difference, delivered with style and a conscience to match. Responsibly sourced materials and organically grown cottons are what set West Elm apart from the rest.

Weighted back cushions on the Tillary Outdoor Collection create endless seating possibilities.

Built with sustainably harvested FSC certified wood, not only will this sofa keep you cozy all summer, but also help reduce your carbon footprint. Pair it perfectly with the Natural Tree Stump Side Table crafted brilliantly from naturally fallen cypress trees.

For a fun twist, cluster a few together and create your own one-of-a-kind coffee table.

Other green collections worth checking out are definitely the Jardine Outdoor Collection, the Stria Bed, Emmerson Collection, and the Mid-Century Collection. Each item is unique in its own accord, and gracefully designed to suit every taste and function.

What’s a bed without bedding? Or a room with no accessories? Dress up your home and bed with these key features to transform any room into a greener space. Make any bed instantly glamorous with West Elm’s signature bestseller, the Organic Cotton Pintuck bedding. Stitched in India and made from GOTS certified organically harvested cotton, it’s cloud-like and dreamy look gives the perfect excuse to stay in bed a little longer.

Nothing makes a room seem more “together” than a beautiful rug to accent your existing décor.

Handwoven in India, this beautifully textured Jute Boucle Rug is reversible, durable and full of personality.

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Modern Weave Storage Collection - Starting from KD 12.5

Tillary Outdoor Collection - KD 234 as shown

In the spirit of handcrafted works of art, West Elm’s Modern Weave Storage Collection is a star.

Tightly handwoven rattan peel and tea-stained to perfection, this durable storage collection with cutout handles is the ultimate answer to reorganizing your things.

Collaborating with Caribbean Craft, West Elm has worked with local artists in Port-au-Prince to create these beautifully handcrafted Papier-Mâché Animal Sculptures from Haiti. Entirely fashioned out of recycled materials, these animal sculptures introduce a wild element to your walls. Add them to your art collection and enjoy a clever and alluring take on the African safari theme.

West Elm has got something green for every

Papier-Mâché Animal Sculptures - Starting from KD 35

Emerson Dining Collection - Starting from KD 349

Jute Boucle Rug - Starting from KD 25

room in your house. So why not make your home green, and your friends greener this month? Shop West Elm’s green collection today and help save the planet. Two birds with one stone.

The “Green” collections can be found in West Elm at Grand Avenue – The Avenues. For inquiries and information, call 2228 3072. You can also log onto www.westelm.me or follow them on Instagram @westelmmena and like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WestElmMENA. If you’ve bought something green from West Elm, tag your images #westelmmena on Instagram for a chance to have your photo featured on their Instagram page in April!

(OBC)

THE ROAD TO

JEBEL SHAMS

Five women from Kuwait trek to Oman’s highest mountain by bazaar staff

Jebel Shams is believed to be the first point in Oman to greet the sunlight, and the last to bid its rays farewell. This majestic mountain that earned its namesake as the Sun Mountain boasts a staggering height of 3005 meters, or almost 10,000 ft. From the base of the rocky mountain at Wadi Nakhar, where the colors of the wide-spanning canyon shift throughout the day, and up until its arid summit, a group of five women from Kuwait alongside Kuwaiti guide and mountaineer, Ali Husain, decided to embark on the trip of a lifetime.

They explored hundreds of millions of years of geology, discovering esoteric paths only defined by faint markers, plenty of happy goats and rare eagle sightings along the way. Worlds from bygone eras blended with the new. From the ancient ruins of a Persian village, ingeniously constructed into the side of the mountain, to a modern day village inhabited by olive-skinned women with large piercing green eyes, dressed in colorful garb and selling excavated marble from nearby stone, and accessories made out of goat’s hair. This team from Kuwait even endured a vicious storm that surprised them as they camped in the bare outdoors on their second night, their sleeping bags serving as their only source of shelter. These remarkable women from Kuwait included Sabika Al Ayyar, Manal Al Mattar, Dalal AlSane, Heba Behbehani and Bfit Kuwait’s training supervisor Filipa Vicente.

Consider Sabika Al Ayyar as the instigator of 58

this entire trip. If it weren’t for Sabika’s decision to train at the women’s gym, Bfit Kuwait, before her first trip to Oman, owner and founder of Bfit Kuwait Dalal Al Qatami would never have found out about the endless adventures Oman has to offer, let alone assist Sabika with the help of expert trainer Filipa Vicente.

After returning from her first Oman adventure, Sabika craved more. She credits group leader and guide Ali Husain for her hunger for adventure and doing something completely different to what she knows. She explained, “His passion for discovery is contagious and he is able to lead in the most humble of ways. Ali even has a knack for grouping people together and analyzing every single person’s strength and what they would contribute to any given journey. I was so intrigued by the photos I saw on his Instagram account, all I knew then is that I needed to see these places with my very own eyes and experience something completely different.” She recounts her first two trips with utter amazement, from steep cliff walking and cave exploring, and when the opportunity came to actually climb the mighty Jebel Shams, Sabika’s trainer Filipa wanted in.

What started with an innocent desire to discover nature by one gym-goer quickly evolved into a group expedition sponsored by Bfit and led by Ali Husain in what Sabika considers as “[her] newfound addiction for adventure.”

In order for the group of women to effectively prepare for the arduous challenge ahead, Dalal Al Qatami met with her team of expert trainers at Bfit in order to organize an appropriate workout regimen. This is where the personalized service at Bfit truly comes into play, as Dalal took it upon herself to create a space that allowed for such a rare opportunity to take place. Located at Injazat Towier in Kuwait City, Bfit offers a bespoke personal training facility equipped with all of the modern amenities available in Kuwait.

All of their personal training services are tailored around each and every member’s needs, and the multinational staff is highly trained in various facets of health and fitness to make the approach at Bfit holistic at its core. After all, it is this precise style of service that Dalal sought at other gyms but failed to find, hence her desire to open a fitness center where a social connection and a sense of trust is built between the gym members and the trainers. She added, “I always wanted to built a community focused on getting active and bettering themselves as a collective group. The trip to Jebel Shams presented as the most ideal team building activity and I am so glad that I was able to assist these amazing ladies in any way possible.”

She even served as the main point of contact in Kuwait for Ali, where he would periodically update Dalal about the group’s progress between Base 1 and Base 2 during their journey.

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Filipa, who initially trained Sabika and went on to train and accompany the team to Oman’s highest mountain, was elated by the opportunity provided by Bfit Kuwait. She recounts that the preparation period lasted for about three months in total, covering a variety of endurance exercises such as walking and running, strength exercises to prepare the ladies for the challenging climb ahead and even Yoga. Even though Filipa was used to challenges, and loves outdoor activities like cycling, trekking and even hiking, she knew that the Oman trip was going to be different. Dalal Al-Sane, Manal Al Mattar and Heba Behbehani also underwent an intense training session every Saturday morning with Filipa. This complimentary session from Bfit was designed to ensure that the ladies were ready for the climb. For Manal, Jebel Shams came as the perfect chance for her to test her new sense of self, as she joined Bfit to regain her fitness level, which she had lost overtime. She added, “I immediately took the challenge without second thoughts. I had this drive inside me, I was weak at that point, and I wanted something to defy those weaknesses and challenge myself. We started the boot camp training back in January, aside from our personal training programs. I was dedicated, focused towards my goal and followed the plan.”

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For Heba Behbehani, she knew that the mental challenge would be even more daunting than any physical pain. She said, “We prepared physically, then we were confronted by things we never expected that completely opened us up to new experiences. So I decided to go with it, and see what would be thrown at us with an open mind.”

Then, the time for the actual journey came, and Ali delivered the team with an unabashed and completely down to earth experience. An avid adventurer, hiker and mountaineer, Ali has been actively pursuing the outdoors since the young age of 17. After living beween Colorado and Alaska in the US for ten years and also completing his studies, he returned to the region to work in the oil industry with a want to continue his passion for wild and untamed adventure. Moving around the region every 3 years, he began rediscovering the Middle East, particularly the naturally adventure-rich nation of Oman, in a completely new light. Upon visiting Oman a few times during his time in Abu Dhabi, he distinctly knew where his next move would be. He said, “As Arabs, we look toward the West for outdoors adventures.

The reality is that the Arab world, specifically Oman, offers a wealth of hidden jewels and opportunity for raw and undiscovered adventures in nature. We have the Rocky Mountains and the Alps right here in Oman and Yemen. Jebel Shams also overlooks the

majestic Wadi Nakhar, also known as Oman’s very own Grand Canyon.” A worthy point of note here is that Ali doesn’t work with tour operators, nor does he actively lead tours in Oman for commercial gain.

He leads the treks and climbs to share his passion for adventure, and to also educate the region about the wealth of experiences that the Middle East has to offer.

When Ali found out that he would be taking a group of five women from Kuwait for a climb to Jebel Shams, he wasn’t worried about their preconceived notions of what an outdoor adventure would be like, he was simply concerned for their safety. He remarked, “It was an eye opening opportunity, to see a group of ambitious women take on such a trip in such a short time. Jebel Shams is no easy feat. Consider the magnificent Burj Khalifa, and multiply that by three and half times. The trail is completely organic, with very few developed tracks. Sometimes, you even have to ‘figure’ out your way around Jebel Shams. A part of the Hajjar mountain range, Ali has been up to the several summits of Jebel Shams, and recounts every experience as entirely different from the one before it. “When I first decided to climb this mountain back in 2008, there were no markers. Today, you will never be alone on this mountain as many European and other Western

“It was an eye opening opportunity, to see a group of ambitious women take on such a trip in such a short time. Jebel Shams is no easy feat. Consider the magnificent Burj Khalifa, and multiply that by three and half times.�

- Ali Husain

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mountaineers flock to this location for its raw and untapped beauty. This last time with the girls, however, we faced a storm on our second night, and even though nobody slept, we just tried to stay inside our sleeping bags in order to stay warm!”

When hiking with Ali, expect to literally get back to the basics of life. Basic amenities will mean sleeping in and outside of tents and sometimes not even finding the right shelter to find rest. You’ll live on the land, meet the locals and go through a very humbling experience. Manal considers Ali as an inspiration. She said, “I call him the ‘Explorer’ of my life to come, he was the ‘chief in command’ of the whole trip. He inspired me to be what I know I could be. His actions certainly inspired us to dream more, learn more, and become more, he was a true leader.” Heba loved that the team actually experienced a scary storm together, stating that the entire experience brought them closer together. She added, “When the storm came and passed after we reached the summit, we all sat huddled together in a group and started sharing. I opened up to these people in a way like I never thought I would.”

Experiencing the summit at Jebel Shams was life changing for every team member. However, Dalal shocked the adventurers by later revealing that she considered quitting the rest of the climb approximately 1 km away from the summit. She described to us that she felt dizzy from the altitude 62

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and was in physical pain. She said, “In those quiet minutes I thought about the struggles of all the people I love and respect; I told myself, if they can do it, I could do it. Because of them, and for them, I mustered the energy to make it to the summit.

The beautiful and humbling experience had me speechless.” Manal, also bewildered, described the experience as overwhelming, happy, confusing, emotional and even stressful. “I was fighting my own self, will I make it or not?” One thing that remained consistent throughout the entire trip, however, is that the entire team supported one another from beginning to end. Whenever anyone would waver, they would see Sabika jokingly dispel their fear with laughter and Ali would playfully remind them that a yummy feast awaits them to celebrate their feat. After the summit, and the unexpected storm, the team left Jebel Shams victors with a newfound sense of inner power.

They finally returned to Kuwait enlightened, refreshed and mesmerized by their own capabilities.

Heba recounts that she never thought she would commit to anything like this, while Sabika knows deep down that she will return soon to Oman, in search of its beautiful hidden gems and bountiful adventures. Dalal pondered her might and said, “I am but a speck in the universe; nothing is as big as it seems.” Manal found a new outlook on life, and shared with us her revelation, “Unfortunately, as human beings, we tend to limit ourselves with

what we can, and what we can’t do, at any point in our lives. We tend to let things around us control us as setbacks. But having gone through this lifetime experience, I have reached a point where I am certain that I can do whatever it takes to accomplish a dream, a challenge, or a goal, with willpower, dedication and courage.” Manal, along with her companions, became reacquainted with their inner selves, learning and discovering that they could do the unexpected.

Living on the bare necessities is an experience that they all shared and the physical, mental and more importantly spiritual challenge that they collectively conquered is a memory that they will cherish forever. For Ali, he promised that hiking, and encountering the mighty Jebel Shams will form the start of an addiction for discovery and adventure. As far as the ladies from Bfit Kuwait are concerned, Mr. Husain delivered on this promise, as they are officially hooked and eager to plan their next adventure.

For more information about Bfit Kuwait, please follow them on Instagram @Bfit_Kw, call 2220 2055/6 or visit www.bfit-kw.com.

To get in touch with Ali Husain, please follow him on Instagram @Husaak, or email husaak@gmail.com. Stay tuned as we take you through more of Oman’s hidden jewels with Ali Husain in our upcoming May issue.

VOLVO

HIND SHOUFANI

The Palestinian poet, producer and director discusses her latest film, Trip Along Exodus by bazaar staff

Through her work in poetry, Palestinian author Hind Shoufani disputes today’s stigmas that surround the modern Arab woman. Her work in film direction and production portrays to the audience the lives of the Palestinian diaspora, seamlessly addressing a tumultuous past while evoking a vision for a secular and free Palestine.

Hind’s work may daunt, overwhelm or even impassion the viewer. Yet, at the end, the viewer is left with the truth.

Hind’s poetry is liberated and delivers an honest portrayal of human emotion. She is not afraid of darkness, violence or ugly truths and 64

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attributes this ability to DNA, telling bazaar that her family’s history in Palestinian politics is interwoven in every aspect of her work, “My parents were great storytellers, I grew up in a city where there was nothing to do but read books. I have a penchant for the dramatic, which is not surprising considering the history of our family in Palestine for the past 100 years, and therefore, when it was time to pick a major in college, my mom took one look at me, and said, why don’t you study theater, TV, film and radio? A small gleam lit up in my eye, and I have not looked back since.”

Today, Hind currently resides in Dubai and is an

established writer and published author, producer, director, translator and an editor.

Upon completing her BA in Radio/TV/Film Communication Arts from the Lebanese American University in 1999, she was awarded with the opportunity to become a FulBright scholar from Jordan to complete a Masters of Fine Arts from New York University in film writing and directing from the Tisch School for the Arts in 2002. Hind further earned a placement as a resident writer at the prestigious International Writing Program at Iowa University in 2011, also regarded as the best writing program in United States. By 2005,

TONI AND GUY

she had already written and directed a feature length fiction film, titled Carencia, in New York as well as a few dramatic shorts in the years before.

Her two main poetry publications, More Light Than Death Could Bear and the 300-page body of work, Inkstains on the Edge of Light, reveal her thoughts on Beirut, Dubai, Palestine and her time in the USA, love, loss, identity, lust and feminism. She’s extremely comfortable in a world where images and words reign supreme, even if trying to be a filmmaker can be painful at times.

Hind never received any poetry classes or training and she describes her relationship with poetry as one that is of “pure love and positivity.”

She also founded the ‘Poeticians’ collective in 2007, in an effort to bring together a group of multinational writers, readers, listeners and all lovers of the written word to share their works, thoughts, ambitions and fears with small audiences through regularly scheduled events.

The format in which the Poeticians is run is extremely elastic in nature, as the group has held events in Beirut and Dubai in a variety of languages. She also became the editor of the first anthology by the Poeticians collective entitled, Nowhere Near a Damn Rainbow, which includes the uncensored works of 31 poets based in the region. Most recently, Hind is working on her third poetry publication, and she recently completed editing Uncommon:Dubai, a new guidebook about the Gulf’s most glamorous city. Rather than delivering the over-stylized and overly hyped, Uncommon:Dubai portrays a more personalized look at the lives of the city’s multicultural inhabitants.

Hind’s most recent film, Trip Along Exodus, addresses the life of her father, Dr. Elias 66

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Shoufani, and speaks to a complex definition of the Palestinian resistance. He was a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, an academic writer and leftist intellectual who worked with Fateh (but was one of the leaders of the opposition to Arafat) for 20 years. In this art house feature-length documentary, Hind aims to reconcile the past with the present, exploring seventy years of politics through the eyes of her late father. Though both of Hind’s parents were Palestinian activists, she barely spent time with her father as a child. Still, she went on to present his personal history since 1948 and up until today, where he had a life in the US, a green card and an opportunity that he swiftly let go of to pursue a dream and create a revolution.

She goes further to question the resistance; sacrifice and what people endured, and continue to experience, to realize a dream amongst an armed struggle for Palestine. She explains, “As our region becomes much more religiously extremist, and jihad wars are being fought, I think it’s important to show how secular people also have a place in the struggle, and are no less patriotic and committed to their cause, and how religious politics will not help us.” At the same time, the notion of revolution is revived, as Hind depicts that no matter how extraordinary the Arab Spring might appear, the generations that preceded and overlap with ours lived and breathed for freedom. She adds, “I think it is very important to remind people here of the revolutionary spirit of our people. How we should not totally lose hope for our future. How, if an old man of 80 was still working on educating the masses and leaving behind a legacy to free Palestine, then we should also be working toward

the betterment of the region.”

Narrated by Hind in the English language, Trip Along Exodus is an Arabic film that illustrates how her father’s personal life was severely intertwined with politics. She depicts her courageous American mother, an activist at heart and an advocate of education in support of her husband’s cause, only to have both of their illusions of a secular, free Palestine shattered, and subsequently died at a young age in 1998. At the same time, the film is a private reflection that analyzes Hind’s earlier years as being brought up as more American than Arab, but more Palestinian that anything. She shows us how refugees, no matter where they hail from, are effectively the product of their parents, and not any society they might have grown up in.

She portrays herself, the little girl that wishes to know her father, through the film’s production by weaving in color and kitsch to tell sad stories in an almost playful presentation. The glitzy poet presents the film in a series of chapters in a book, where each conveys a different tonality, era and style, attributing this decision to her father, the writer.

As with all of Hind’s projects, Trip Along Exodus is essentially multi-layered and overflown with both the harsh and gentle realities of life. She doesn’t seek sympathy, yet gains empathy from those who perceive her emotionally charged work.

Trip Along Exodus is due to be completed this May.

For more information about Hind Shoufani, please visit www.hindshoufani.com. You can check out the Poeticians collective by visiting www.poeticians.com.

‘Trip Along Exodus’ DVD artwork by Zena ElKhalil.

Hind Shoufani’s photos by Karen Kalou.

BERSHKA

A EUROPEAN BISTRO IN KUWAIT Society redefines tradition by bazaar staff

Do you know the proper way to eat an English scone? If your answer is just lather it with a topping and take a bite, then you are in for a real treat with Society by Supreme. Forget the hard, tasteless scones that are impossible to butter, and cannot be saved with homemade jam. Instead we got an inside look on how to eat a proper scone from Stephen Moorby, Director of Operations and the chef behind Society’s concept.

“At Society we’ve taken elements of things that are trendy, but fashionable as well,” he said, “but we have been specific about some of the items, such as the scones. You cannot get a proper English scone and clotted cream in the Middle East. Even in Dubai you just can’t get it.”

Well, the bazaar team got a taste of the delicious tradition right here in Kuwait. Moorby introduced us to an unbelievably light and airy fruit scone served with butter, real clotted cream 68

and homemade jam. We split the scone, buttered the piece added jam and the clotted cream, and let the heavenly tastes explode in our mouths.

That is the kind of delicious tradition you can find at Society by Supreme. As soon as you walk-in you can feel the richness and dedication seeping from red couches, old prints of people sharing food from all walks of life framed in gold, black and white and chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings to give the perfect lounge feel.

It is time to get comfortable, and ready to enjoy a delicious meal.

Guests choose dining options from an innovated menu crossed with a magazine that Moorby calls a menuzine. It has all the same basic elements of a menu with mouthwatering pictures and detailed descriptions. However, you will also find uncommon knowledge about foods you eat all the time. Find out where the word ‘soup’ came

from, how the omelet originated and what it really means to have an English breakfast.

Yet amazing ambiance and entertainment (catch the World Cup this summer on one of their flat screen televisions or pick up a book from the library set along the left wall) are almost forgotten, once you begin to enjoy the incredible foods offered at Society.

The menu offers an exceptional breakfast menu that is sure to make a splash in Kuwait.

We tried the French toast made with two freshly baked brioche buns, baked with a sweet egg custard and served with fresh strawberries with cinnamon powdered sugar and your choice of maple or whipped cream.

For something more savory try the Full Monty breakfast baguette, a slice of beef bacon with mushroom omelette, grilled tomatoes and the homemade Lorne sausage. The sausage is a special recipe created by Moorby himself, to

mirror the Scottish tradition. His a la Kuwait version uses veal, beef and lamb instead of the traditional pork and beef, but slices them in the same square pieces as the original. Layer on your choice wholemeal or white baguettes, and you have a delicious breakfast sandwich that won’t weigh you down for the rest of the day.

If it’s too late in the day for breakfast, choose from incredible soups, salads, and mains that are bound to get your taste buds dancing and asking for more. From a quinoa salad that is simple, and void of typical overwhelming onion and garlic tastes to a variety of soups that are reminiscent of our Cafe Supreme favorites. We had the chance to try the delicious vegetable mille fuille, thinly sliced and toasted bread layered with slow roasted capsicums and tomatoes, lemon feta cream and topped with black olive tapenade that was an incredible blend of sour and sweet and an

amazing balance of crunchy and creamy.

But, let’s get down to the meat of the business.

Society has broken away from a tradition of marinating every type of chicken in the typical garlic, onion, parsley mix. Each dish is marinated to enhance the flavor, so that, for example, the popular Santa Fe Chicken salad in Cafe Supreme at Society features chicken with cajun spices instead of the traditional marinate. Yet, it is the tricolor chicken tikka that really pops. Each of the three flavors, a green coriander based, yellow saffron and a red tomato tikka is a burst of flavor that compliments the juicy and tender meat. For a little added dash try it with their hari ali or raita sauces for an extra kick.

When it comes to red meat, there is no skimping at Society. Every piece of red meat that is served at society is USDA Grade A Black Angus steak. They’ve kept to tradition on this one with three basic types

of steak: rib-eye, New York and tenderloin with your choice of sauces or flavored butter.

For dessert we were surprised at the delicious steamed cake served with caramel and vanilla sauces, the Eton Mess sundae with crême chantilly, meringue, fresh strawberries, raspberries and cherry sauces and the creme brûlée with a twist of ginger and chaat masala in the caramelized sugar.

There is so much more at Society that we have not even begun to discuss, enough to fill a menuzine! Pies, tarts, pizzas, pastas and burgers are all done to perfection at Society. So head over to Levels restaurant complex in Mahboula for a culinary experience you will never forget.

Society is now open in the Levels restaurant complex in Mahboula. Follow them on Instagram @societykwt.

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bazaar health

THE POWER OF GIVING BACK

by Dr. Susannah J. Schuilenberg

One of the very nice things about my position at the Soor Center is getting to be involved in the community with Kuwaitis who are passionate about their country, and determined to bring about beneficial change.

In the past I’ve spent some time on mental health awareness projects working with “the S.P. E.A.K.(Standing for Psychological Education and Awareness in Kuwait) girls” – Dalal and Alaa Al-Homaizi. Their determination to bring the issue of mental illness out into the open and de-stigmatize the experience of mental illness has been nothing less than astounding – and it’s working.

Most recently, I’ve been privileged to be a part of the Teddy Bear Hospital initiative spearheaded

by Dalal Al Ahmadi, along with the help of an amazing crew of volunteer Kuwait University medical students. Essentially, a mini “hospital” for teddy bears is set up to demystify the process of medical treatment. Dalal recounted to me how she’d had an encounter with the Teddy Bear Hospital in Halifax Nova Scotia when she was four, and she still clearly remembered the event, and how positive an impact it had on her perception of doctors and medicine (Clearly! She’s now a med student.)

The concept itself is well known globally, and to see it implemented here is exciting. I’m not the 70

only one who thinks this because the response was overwhelming. I got to see the controlled pandemonium at Mall 360 for myself on March 15th as the KU med students shepherded their little groups of children with teddy bears through the stations. The kids were absolutely fascinated by the stations; general exam, x-rays (“That’s what my hand looks like inside?!”), injections and blood donations, nutrition, and surgery. Oh, and the dentist. Let’s not forget the dentist and the opportunity for the kids to brush a dinosaur’s teeth. Brilliant.

My point is this. There are people passionate about this country, and they’re determined to contribute to the betterment of society and the country for no other reason than that they do love Kuwait. Change in any environment is difficult to implement and requires sustained and significant effort to achieve. To change a whole society’s perspective is a daunting and often unrewarding task, but someone must take the initiative to identify the need and come up with a plan to address that need. Kudos to everyone who’s involved in doing just that.

I personally know these particular girls – but I also know there are a lot more people determined to make a difference in whatever area they are

passionate about. There are ongoing projects to clean the beaches, remove garbage from Kuwait’s coral reefs, recycle plastic, find renewable energy sources, protect vulnerable children, care for animals, invest in the environment… and those are just the ones I can think of without effort.

Bravo! I love the way Kuwait parties in February, but I also appreciate the year round effort to make this country worth celebrating.

If you know someone passionate about making a difference in Kuwait, get with the program. Go join up. Add your hands, heart, and hope to the effort to brighten Kuwait’s future. And if you’re already involved, take a moment to thank whoever inspired you to action. Everyone appreciates hearing that what he or she is doing is having an impact.

To Dalal, Alaa and Dalal – y’all so rock. Thanks for letting me (and the Soor Center) have a small part in your big plans.

A Canadian psychologist traveling the world on a busman’s holiday, Dr. Susannah writes about anything that catches her attention. Bossy from birth, compassionate by choice, and funny by accident. You can visit: www.soorcenter.com or follow her on Twitter: @drsusannah.

VOLKSWAGEN

Loaay's Two Cents Got business problems or challenges at work? With his Two Cents page, Loaay Ahmed shares his expertise in strategic management consulting to help managers, employees and entrepreneurs thrive.

Q

A prospect called asking for an urgent quotation to be emailed to him on the day, as they had to make a decision on which provider to go with for their client’s business. After sending the quotation, we found out that they are newcomers to the market and played this game to know the competition prices and proposals. Is this a dirty or fair game to play?

What you shared with your competitor is nothing you wouldn’t give to any prospect or an existing client. You know that once a document leaves your office or outbox it’s not under your control anymore. Can you guarantee that none of your clients have already shared details of your business with a friend or a relative for one reason or another? Companies in Europe, North America and many other markets around the world share their vision, mission, strategic direction going forward, benefits, earnings per employee, and much more on different channels such as TV interviews, online and the press. So, as far as sensitivity of your operation is concerned, no harm or damage is done. It could’ve taken your competitor longer to obtain your documents indirectly, but it’s just a matter of time.

The annoying part is that you feel played – otherwise, you wouldn’t write about it. Yes, you were played. Dust it off and move on. What you should focus on is activities that make it extremely hard for your clients to consider any competitor. Whether or not their approach was ethical is debatable. Is it unethical if you want to open a restaurant and had dinner at a famous restaurant to check out their menu, quality of food and the look and feel of the place?

One could argue that it is because you concealed your identity and intentions. Business Intelligence units exist in many companies and it became a regular weapon used in corporate wars. Bottom line, while you can’t stop competitors from entering the market, you can improve your customers’ experience to retain them and sustain your business...and that’s just my two cents.

Q

Occasionally, I delegate certain tasks that require some technical know-how to one of my employees. Should I give broad guidelines on how to get it done and see how they handle it or should I encourage them to figure it out themselves so they can learn from the experience?

Orchestral musicians, Shaolin monks and the Marines, just to name a few, practice every day for long hours so that they’re ready when real performance is required. Imagine if an orchestra was given the notes for a new symphony that they’ve never rehearsed before and were told to ‘figure it out’. With all their acquired skills and talent they won’t perform collectively with great harmony. You wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving your car with a garage knowing that their staff is not technically trained but is encouraged to wing it. If you want to delegate tasks to your employees you want to give them hypothetical exercises, case studies and real projects (with support and coaching) 72

where they can learn and develop their own style and be prepared for bigger challenges.

There has to be a balance between allowing them to solve problems on their own and producing the results your organization seeks. To achieve this, first, give your employees all the technical skills they need. Having said that, know that you’ll never cover all the possibilities they may come across. Nevertheless, you want to get them ready as much as possible; the more they know the better prepared they are.

Second, any time you delegate a task you want to be crystal clear on the success criteria. For example, “I need you to introduce the new range to our top 20 customers by next week.” As long as they informed the chosen segment they did their job. You wouldn’t worry about how they’ll talk to your VIP group because you covered that during the training and coaching...and that’s just my two cents.

Q

We started a loyalty program where for every 10 purchases the customer would get the next one free. What we never expected was for most customers not to bring their cards with them when they shop. How hard is it to keep a small card in your wallet or purse? How can we turn the loyalty program around?

In the late 1990s, you had to wait in line at a crowded telecom branch to pay your bill. Telecom providers realized that customers delayed payments to avoid the negative experience. To solve this problem they launched promos where you could win prizes, points and/or cash for paying your bill on time. Offering incentives using one method – and an annoying one, mind you – didn’t work because the channel itself wasn’t worth the extra effort. Nowadays, you can pay through a mobile app, on the company’s website, a network of certified dealers, an automatic monthly credit or debit card deduction, or e-kiosks. With the variety of payment options the incentive became a lot more attractive.

Keeping a loyalty card in a customer’s wallet might not sound like a big deal to you, but things don’t have to be a big deal for someone not to do them. Small reasons matter as well. It could be that their wallets are already bulging like a supersized burger. It could be that they misplaced the card. It could be that they didn’t like its design. The point is not to force your customers to carry the card; the point is to give them a reason to stay with your business.

Limiting the way they can receive more value won’t generate more loyalty...and that’s just my two cents.

For Loaay Ahmed’s advice on business or work matters, send a short email to loaay@knightscapital.com. Regrettably, only the questions chosen for publishing will be answered.

Loaay Ahmed is a management adviser and strategic expert. To learn more about Loaay and his consulting service, strategic business therapy, visit www.knightscapital.com.

H&M

PRESENTS

THE CONSCIOUS EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION APRIL 10th

#HMConsciousExclusive

Kimono Dress KD 24.9 A kimono dress, with dramatic wide sleeves, volume in the top and skirt while fitted at the hips. Gold thread runs through the fabric to add shimmer to the repeated and mirrored embroidery print, made from a mix of Tencel and, mulberry silk.

A FASHIONABLE CONSCIOUS by bazaar staff

neck. A throw-on soft, loose jacket provides a modern take on the kimono, with no fastenings and wide, cropped sleeves.

Taking sustainable fashion to unprecedented territory, H&M releases not one, but two inspired collections that showcase the latest and greatest in sustainable style: The Conscious and Conscious Exclusive Collections. Both collections showcase two new innovative introductions: Organic leather from the Swedish leather supplier Tärnsjö and organic silk, and the designs created are awe-inspiring.

Recently seen on the red carpet, Penelope Cruz stole the scene at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, as the Academy Award winning actress wore a dazzling fitted flamenco-inspired, midnight blue ruffled gown designed by H&M and made out of more sustainable materials. Also seen wearing the Granada dress from H&M’s Conscious Exclusive Collection is the face of H&M’s Spring Summer 2014 campaign, Miranda Kerr, at the H&M Studio fashion show in Paris last February.

Her appearance in the stunning black gown proved to be a tantalizing tease, where we couldn’t wait until the collection officially launched in Kuwait to get our hands on that Granada dress. Raising the bar once more, we further see the amazing supermodel and actress Amber Valetta, known for her commitment to sustainability, as the face of the Conscious Collection campaign.

These appearances solidify one notion: sustainable fashion is continuously reimagined

with H&M’s Conscious Collections year after year.

CONSCIOUS COLLECTION SPRING 2014 Inspired by the glamour of the desert or Bedouin chic, H&M’s Conscious Collection for Spring 2014 features a series of key fashion pieces that take after nature, where sustainable materials are chosen throughout the collection.

We see a new logo introduced in the wash care labels of garments, CleverCare, that is aimed at providing customers with tips and motivation toward caring for clothes in a more sustainable manner. Silhouettes are created by voluminous shapes and draping. As summer approaches, we see the hand-drawn animal prints in shades of the desert sunset add a scintillating sense of heat.

Materials used in the Conscious Collection include organic cotton, recycled cotton, recycled polyester, hemp and Tencel.

The theme of volume continues with fluid, wide trousers that offer a new shape, a style that’s gathered at the waist before flowing straight down. Meanwhile, harem pants are fitted throughout the leg, with a tassel decoration at the waist. Key pieces include a bright orange dress that is longer at the back and made from Tencel with polyamide, and a loose-cut kaftan featuring a hand-drawn zebra print. Tunics also have volume, with multiple tassels hanging from cords at the

CONSCIOUS EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION SPRING 2014 For the Conscious Exclusive Collection, we see the innovative use of 100% organic silk and leather, further showcasing what can be done with more sustainable materials in both the clothing and accessories design arenas. H&M has designed the Conscious Exclusive Collection with input from Ever Manifesto, a sustainable fashion and design think tank that shares H&M’s commitment to a more sustainable future for fashion. We see Ever Manifesto appear in the Conscious Exclusive campaign together with Amber Valletta, the supermodel and actress known for her commitment to sustainability and also the face of the Conscious Collection Spring 2014 campaign. Materials used include organic leather and silk, organic cotton and recycled cotton, recycled polyester, Tencel and recycled plastic throughout the clothing and accessories collections.

One might wonder what organic leather and silk essentially means. Organic leather comes from cows bred for organic meat production on Swedish farms, while organic silk is cultivated in organic mulberry trees. The Conscious Exclusive Collection arrives as a limited edition range that is made with high-quality fabrics with dramatic and intricate details inspired by the art of flamenco and bohemia. Flamenco is a key inspiration, both for the ruffles on the gowns and the sharp tailoring.

A jacket made in bonded fabric has a structured shape, embroidery, embellishment in organic cotton, Tencel, antique metal and sequins. Dresses are also key, such as the A-line organic cotton lace dress that’s gathered at the neck before flowing out with great fluidity. There’s also an update on the flamenco recycled polyester dress with a fitted body that’s tied at the shoulder, and has expressive ruffles falling down from the hips. Bustier tops give shape and define an outfit, whether it’s a bustier in organic leather, or a dark navy organic cotton mix bustier decorated with grosgrain ribbons, with sheer georgette from the bust to the neck. Sharply tailored jackets are given added elegance with inserts of lace, an effect echoed in slim-cut trousers. Jumpsuits come both sleeveless and cut at the side to create a fluid top, or with a boned and embellished bustier.

Accessories include embellished mules, gypsy style drop earrings, large organic leather rose hairclips, and a small leather bag with a clean design and simple strap.

INTERVIEW WITH

CATARINA

MIDBY

Head of Fashion and Sustainability Communication at H&M

Speaking to us more about the Conscious Initiative is Catarina Midby, Head of Fashion and Sustainability Communication at H&M bazaar: How is this Conscious Collection different from previous collections, and what is the inspiration behind it?

CM: Greener materials are improving every season and we see great new fabrics every year in these collections. This season, the Conscious Collection is inspired by Bedouin Glamour, with the layering of floaty fine fabrics in earthy colors with accents of gold. bazaar: What types of materials are used in this new collection?

CM: We mainly incorporated recycled polyester, organic cotton and Tencel. bazaar: What are your favorite pieces from this collection?

CM: I love the entire collection, but one favorite is the pink/red tunic with tassels in recycled polyester. bazaar: How has H&M expanded the Conscious initiative over recent years?

CM: It’s a continuously growing initiative. See hm.com/conscious for all of our work toward attaining a more sustainable future in our business. bazaar: What’s next for H&M Conscious Collections?

CM: We are happy to have launched the first garments made with fibers recycled from our garment collecting initiative that we launched a few weeks ago. It will be exciting to see the next range and the fabrics that we would be able to make from our own garment/fabric collecting program.

H&M is to launch its new Conscious and Conscious Exclusive collections on April 10 in Kuwait. The collection is available at H&M The Avenues and Grand Avenue store. For more information visit hm.com For more on CleverCare check out clevercare.info, and evermanifesto.com for information regarding their collaboration with H&M. Selected pieces will also be sold in the area dedicated to Amber Valletta’s environmentally responsible initiative, Master & Muse, on yoox.com.

Dress KD 79 A dark navy organza jacquard dress, with a tone-on-tone pattern of roses woven into the fabric. Fitted in the body, the voluminous skirt is slightly shorter at the front, and is made from a mix of Tencel and polyamide.

Jacket KD 129 Rich in detail, this jacket is made from bonded fabric for a structured shape.

Organic cotton embroidery covers the body and sleeves, with antique metal and sequin embellishment. The shoulder pieces are separate, and are trimmed with beads of recycled plastic. It is made from a mix of Tencel, ramie and organic cotton.

Jumpsuit KD 24.9 A sleeveless jumpsuit which is fitted at the waist, then open at the side to create looseness at the top, with a deep V in both the front and back, made from 100% Tencel.

Dress KD 169 This lace dress has a T-shirt body and three voluminous layers of ruffled lace, which begin at the waist.

Underneath, layers of tulle increase the volume further. The lace is an organic cotton and polyamide mix.

Blouse KD 18.90 A frilled blouse made from 100% recycled polyester georgette, with frills at the sleeves and around the neck.

Trousers KD 39.9 Bonded trousers with detailed and rich decoration, embellishment and embroidery down each side. They are made from a mix of Tencel, ramie and organic cotton.

CONSCIOUS ACTIONS HIGHLIGHTS 2013 H&M’S 7 COMMITMENTS

Buy H&M Conscious, the earth will love you for it!

Find this label to KNOW that you’re shopping H&M’s Conscious Collection. The Conscious Collections are seasonally updated and will also be available throughout the year across H&M’s stores.

1

FASHION FOR CONSCIOUS CUSTOMERS

15.8% 100%

4 6

of H&M’s cotton comes from more sustainable sources

2

CHOOSE AND REWARD RESPONSIBLE PARTNERS FORTHE

LONGTERM

H&M is the 1st brand to sign the Accord for Building + Fire Safety in Bangladesh.

goal by 2020

894,975

less electricity use per H&M store sqm electricity from renewable energy goal is 100% European households have solar energy for 1 WHOLE YEAR from H&M’s solar photovoltaic panels.

USE NATURAL RESOURCES RESPONSIBLY

340 30,000 2,300

50%

MILLION LITERS of water SAVED in denim production. safety tests

hours of training on water impact from collaboration with WWF.

5 7

of H&M’s board members are women

UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human rights adopted.

workers in Bangladesh and India EDUCATED about their RIGHTS

BE CLIMATE SMART

14% 18% 145

3

BE ETHICAL

REDUCE,REUSE,RECYCLE

3,047 9.5 =

TONS of recycled clothing = about 15 million T-shirts.

MILLION PET bottles H&M recycled Polyester

100%

Recycled plastic carrier bags

STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES 1,000,000+

JOBS from H&M community.

193,000

PEOPLE with SAFE DRINKING WATER via H&M gift cards (BUY ONE NOW!)

3,555,687

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS – Dow Jones Sustainability Index – FTSE4Good – Global 100 List- H&M is the ONLY fashion brand on this list!

– World’s Most Ethical Companies – CDP’s Global 500 Climate Performance Leadership Index – Interbrand Global Green Brands – Rank a Brand – Most sustainable fashion retailer in the Netherlands

GARMENTS for charity. (RECYCLE OLD CLOTHES AT H&M)

Read more at: hm.com/conscious Or download the full report at: hm.com/consciousactions2013

THE ATHLETE’S FOOT

This service is only available at The Avenues Mall.

CHANGING THE FACE OF KUWAIT

by Yara AlWizir

There’s definitely a strong sense of national pride in Kuwait. Although Kuwait is one of the world’s largest oil producers, the environmental development that the country has faced over the past few years has been astounding. From the government’s ‘Tarsheed’ Campaign, which aimed to curb electricity and water wastage in households, to more grassroots initiatives started by corporations and young people across the country. Change is slow, but it’s coming along gradually.

Young people across the region are truly shaping the future – Kuwait’s youth take power into their own hands and showcase their entrepreneurial talent by starting their own projects and programs. Not only are these programs crucial to the environmental development of the country as a whole, they also give young people the chance to do something productive with their time. Built on a give-to-give principle, these programmes were created by individuals by building a sustainable foundation that would allow them to go on for years and years to come.

I Am Challenge Kuwait

En.V En.v is pioneering social enterprise in Kuwait by raising awareness for social responsibility.

Although its work touches countries across the Arab world, their concentration on Kuwait is heart-warming. Working from the ground up, En.V promotes social responsibility in both the general public, and in corporations. Their annual event, Reuse, brings together dozens of artists from across Kuwait to deliver an environmentally sustainable message to the public in the form of art. From working with photographers to mixed media artists, the art installations and pieces are absolutely stunning and meaningful. There are plenty of ways to get involved – signing up to their newsletter and following them on Facebook and Twitter are just some of the ways to stay up-to-date on environmental news in the region.

For more information visit: www.envearth.com.

I Am Challenge What’s one of the biggest waste producers in the country? Our love for clothes. There’s no doubt that our materialistic lifestyles have gotten the better end of our pockets, and of our earth. The ‘I Am Challenge’ aims to change this – by encouraging young people to give up their materialistic lifestyles by trading in their clothes for a standardised t-shirt that reads their name. The point? Appreciating what really matters in life, and challenging young people to stand up against social norms. The program runs for 3 months, or up to a year and can be started at any point. But it’s not all about t-shirts with this challenge; exhibitions throughout the year turn trash to treasure, creating laptop82

sleeves from old pillow cases. If you like getting your hands dirty, you can join them on one of their beach clean-ups too.

Get in touch through their page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/IAmChallengeKuwait.

Golden Triangle Initiative There are plenty of cities around the world that are being developed with a sustainable framework in mind. Kuwait, by many standards, is already developed, but not the outskirts. The Golden Triangle Initiative aims to develop one of Kuwait’s

harshest neighbourhoods from the ground up in a sustainable way. Focussing on Jleeb Al Shyoukh, a documentary was filmed by Nasser Al Barghash to highlight the possibilities, opportunities, and bureaucratic hurdles faced in the development of the five blocks that make the golden triangle. Put together, the documentary suggests a project that would cost 5.5 billion dinars, but create 5000 new jobs for small business owners. Best of all? It’ll create a new place to go in Kuwait.

You can find out more by searching for his Voice of Success video: on YouTube.

bazaar goes cruising

THE MUSTANG: A LEGEND TURNS 50 by bazaar staff

When you think of classic American cars, there is no vehicle on the road that has been more influential than the legendary Mustang. One of the very few automobiles to ever crossover from a mere vehicular presence to an outright pop culture icon in its own right, the Mustang has a lineage nearly as long as the Detroit plants they rolled out of. Now, the Ford Mustang is about to become the newest member of a very rare and exclusive club – vehicles in continuous production for 50 years.

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In its first 49 years, more than 9.2 million Mustangs have been produced and sold. In the process, the Mustang has gained a worldwide base of avid fans, including more than 5 million on Facebook, the most of any vehicle nameplate. The car’s unique combination of style, performance and affordability established an entirely new class of sporty cars, and Mustang has led the segment ever since. From the racetrack to the silver screen to the airwaves to the toy box, Mustang has become an enduring part of pop culture. It has made thousands of appearances in film, television, music and video games, and is the world’s most-liked vehicle on Facebook. For the first time ever, Ford will bring Mustang to customers in key parts of Europe and Asia.

Even it’s 50th birthday is gearing up to be the same one-of-a-kind event via the Mustang Countdown, an online video series Ford has produced to throw the spotlight on the legendary sports car and the culture that has formed around it all across the globe in preparation for its April, 17, 2014 birthday.

The series kicks off with – Where It All Started: The Mustang 1 Concept – and turning the clock back to the 1962 debut of the first concept car to wear the pony badge. From there, other episodes lift the lid on Ford’s exhaustive Mustang archives, Mustang toys, custom Mustangs and more – all featuring unique and often rare footage, exclusive new interviews and expert insight.

Subscribe to the Mustang Countdown playlist to never miss an episode.

When it comes to the latest incarnation of this classic car itself, they have modernized while staying true to some of its older features, all while making it more widely available than it has ever been offered before. The visceral look, sound and performance of the Mustang are all part of the reason it has become so iconic, and they have stayed true to these features. The clean-sheet design of both Mustang fastback and convertible evokes the essential character of the brand, retaining key design elements – including the long sculpted hood and short rear deck – with contemporary execution.

The Mustang is now available with three engines offering a broader power of choice – a more powerful 5.0-liter V8, a 3.7-liter V6 and an all-new fuel-efficient 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine as well.

In addition, Mustang sets new performance and dynamics benchmarks for the brand with world-class handling, more precise steering control and enhanced ride comfort.

Mustang purists will also notice a lower, wider stance with a reduction in roof height, and wider rear fenders and track, all which form to give it a sleeker look. Additionally, the return of the Mustang fastback—with its sleeker profile, enabled by more steeply sloped windshield and rear glass—is reason enough to have some of you out there giddy with anticipation, no doubt. There are also three-dimensional, tri-bar tail lamps with sequential turn signals and a contemporary execution of the signature shark-bite front fascia and trapezoidal

grille. Awesome. Additionally, Mustang convertible drivers will appreciate the standard multilayer insulated cloth top that gives the car a more upscale appearance and a quieter cabin. The new top lowers twice as fast as before, and has a sleeker profile when folded for open-air motoring.

The information and controls an active driver needs are all readily accessible in the aviation-inspired cockpit, which is executed with the highest degree of craftsmanship ever found in a Mustang. Large, clear instrumentation puts vehicle information right in front of the driver in the roomier cabin, while improved ergonomics and tactile switches and knobs provide better control. The added width and a new rear suspension contribute to improved shoulder and hip room for passengers, and a more usefully shaped trunk can accommodate two golf bags.

Mustang GT continues with the latest edition of the throaty 5.0-liter V8, now featuring an upgraded valve train and cylinder heads that yield more than 420 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque. A new intake manifold improves low-speed breathing for better fuel economy, idle stability and emissions.

The Mustang EcoBoost engine uses direct injection, variable cam timing and turbocharging to deliver plenty of usable performance and projected segmentleading fuel efficiency. A unique intake manifold and turbocharger housing enable it to deliver the performance Mustang drivers expect with output projected at more than 305 horsepower and 300 lb.-ft. of torque.

With at least 300 horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. of torque on tap from the standard 3.7-liter V6, even the most accessible Mustang delivers the performance customers expect. Drivers will appreciate smoother shifts from the updated manual gearbox, while a reworked automatic transmission features new steering wheel-mounted shift paddles for drivers who want the choice between convenience and control.

The all-new Mustang features a significant amount of innovative technologies providing drivers with enhanced information, control and connectivity when they want it. From Intelligent Access with push-button start to SYNC and MyKey in every Mustang built, plus available Track Apps, MyColor gauges and new Shaker Pro audio system, drivers will be able to customize their time behind the wheel. These finishing touches prove to be deft and modern additions to the classic look so many have come to love.

Auto-enthusiasts mark your calendar for an automotive birthday—April 17, 2014, marks the 50th—and lets all celebrate with a cruise down the Gulf Road!

For more information please contact Arabian Motors Group on 1828 828, visit their showrooms in Shuwaikh, Ahmadi or Jahra or visit their website www.ford.com.kw. continued on next page...

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Concept: The first Mustang – the 1962 Mustang I concept – is a two seat, mid-engine sports car. It establishes the classic “pony car” proportion: a long, sweeping hood, short rear deck and sharply sculpted flanks.

1964: Ford introduces the Mustang to the world at the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York, on April 17, 1964. It is named after the legendary P51 Mustang fighter plane from World War II. The price at launch: $2,368.

1965: The Shelby GT350 is introduced, with its 306-horsepower, 289-cid V-8.

1966: Mustang sales pass the 1 million mark in March.

1967: The 1967 Mustang gains consensus as the high water mark for pony car design in the 1960s. The 2+2 model goes from a semi-notchback to a sweeping full fastback roofline. The Shelby GT500 is introduced, powered by a hefty 428-cidV-8 that produces 355 horsepower.

1968: The 302-cid V-8 replaces the “289” midyear, and a medium-riser version of Ford’s premiere race engine, the 427-cid V-8 (rated at 390 horsepower), is offered as a $622 option. On April 1, the 428 Cobra Jet engine debuts as part of an option package aimed at enthusiasts.

1969: A “steed for every need” philosophy yields 11 different powertrain combinations.

New models added to the lineup include the 290-horsepower Boss 302, the 375-horsepower Boss 429, plus the Mustang Mach 1 and the Grande luxury model.

1970: A ram air “Shaker” hood scoop is offered on any Mustang equipped with a 351-cid or larger V-8.

1971: The biggest Mustangs ever – nearly a foot longer and some 600 pounds heavier than the originals – are introduced. The Boss 351, with its “Cleveland” block and Cobra Jet heads, debuts. The Mach 1 comes with a variety of powertrains, topped by the 429 Super Cobra Jet (SCJ).

1972: Styling is unchanged from 1971, and the only new model offering is the Sprint – a special red, white and blue exterior paint-and-tape package with coordinated interior.

1973: The 1973 model year is the last for the original Falcon-platform Mustang, and it’s also the last time a convertible version is offered for almost a full decade.

1974: The completely redesigned Mustang II is introduced. Compared with the outgoing 1973 model, the all-new Mustang II is 19 inches shorter and 490 pounds lighter. For the first time, there is no V-8 engine and no Mustang convertible.

1975: V-8 power returns to Mustang in the form of the 302 cubic-inch small-block.

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...continued from previous page

50 YEARS

1976: The Cobra II package joins the lineup, replete with nonfunctional hood scoop, racing stripes and front and rear spoilers.

1977: To appeal to convertible fans, fastback models now are available with T-Top removable glass panels.

1978: The new King Cobra model is the first Mustang to wear a “5.0” badge – the metric equivalent of 302 cubic inches, in the form of a decal affixed to its rearwardfacing hood scoop.

1979: The new “Fox” platform Mustang debuts with a sleek, “Euro” design. It is longer and taller – yet 200 pounds lighter – than Mustang II. 1980: The 302-cid V-8 engine is dropped and replaced by an economy-minded 119-horsepower, 255-cid derivative of the “Windsor” small-block V-8.

1981: The turbo four-cylinder is dropped from the Mustang engine lineup, and new emissions controls reduce the 255-cid V-8’s output to 115 horsepower.

1982: The Mustang GT returns after a 12-year absence. Also back is the 5.0-liter V-8, rated at 157 horsepower. Optional T-Tops return.

1983: After 10 years, Mustang again has a convertible model, complete with power top and a tempered glass back window.

1984: Ford’s Special Vehicle Operations creates the Mustang SVO, which features a turbocharged and intercooled 2.3-liter four-cylinder, bigger tires and brakes and a dual-wing rear spoiler.

1985: Mustang gets a revised 5.0-liter HO (high output) V-8 that makes 210 horsepower when mated to a manual transmission.

1986: Mustang’s V-8 trades its carburetor for new sequential multi-port fuel injection.

1987: Mustang undergoes a restyle and gains a new “aero” body.

1988: More than half of the 211,225 Mustangs sold for 1988 were powered by the 5.0-liter V-8.

1989: For Mustang’s 25th anniversary, all cars produced between April 17, 1989, and April 17, 1990, sport the familiar running horse on the dashboard with “25 Years” inscribed underneath.

1990: Mustang now sports a driver’s-side airbag as standard equipment.

1991: Entry-level Mustangs receive an improved 105-horsepower, twin-plug 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with distributor-less ignition.

1992: The stealthy Mustang LX 5.0 develops a cult following and outsells all other models combined.

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OF MUSTANG MILESTONES 1993: In the last year for the “Fox Body,” Ford’s new Special Vehicle Team (SVT) introduces the limited-production Mustang Cobra with subtle but distinctive styling cues and performance upgrades. A racing “Cobra R” model – with just 107 units built – sells out prior to production.

1994: For its 30th anniversary, Mustang is dramatically restyled to evoke the car’s heritage and performance tradition. Fully 1,330 of the vehicle’s 1,850 parts are changed.

1995: The venerable 5.0-liter V-8 spends its final model year in the Mustang.

SVT produces 250 Cobra R models powered by a 300-horsepower, 351 cid V-8.

1996: For the first time, Mustang GTs and SVT Mustang Cobras are equipped with Ford’s new 4.6-liter “modular” V-8 engine, which uses overhead cams to open the intake and exhaust valves.

1997: Ford’s Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS) becomes standard on all models.

1998: Output of the Mustang GT’s 4.6-liter V-8 increases to 225 horsepower.

1999: A redesign gives Mustang sharply creased lines and pronounced wheel arch flares, plus a new hood, grille, fascias and lamps.

2000: The third SVT Mustang Cobra R is produced. This version has a 385-horsepower, 5.4-liter DOHC V-8 and features the first six-speed manual transmission ever offered in a Mustang.

2001: Inspired by the 1968 Mustang 390 GT driven by Steve McQueen in the movie classic Bullitt, the Mustang Bullitt GT makes its debut.

2002: Mustang stands alone in the marketplace as its two closest competitors – the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird – end production.

2003: The Mustang Mach 1 model returns with a 305-horsepower V-8 engine and the signature ram-air “Shaker” hood scoop.

2004: Ford produces its 300 millionth car – a 004 Mustang GT convertible 40th anniversary edition. The 2004 Mustangs are the last cars built at Ford’s fabled Dearborn Assembly Plant, which had produced every model Mustang year since the car’s inception.

2005: Production of the all-new 2005 Ford Mustang begins in fall, 2004, at the AAI assembly plant in Flat Rock, Mich.

2006: A V-6 “Pony Package” debuts. Mustang GT models get 18-inch wheels.

Owners can configure instrument panel lighting in 125 different colors, an industry-first.

2007: A special “Warriors in Pink” Mustang is introduced to help raise funds

for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure breast cancer research. The SVTengineered Shelby GT500 is introduced.

2008: The 9 millionth Mustang – a GT convertible – is sold to an Iowa farmer.

2009: Ford Mustang’s 45th anniversary is celebrated on April 17, 2009, in Birmingham, Alabama.

2010: Mustang gets new, more muscular styling with features such as a power-dome hood and sequential turn signals.

2011: The 5.0 badge returns to Mustang with the introduction of the all-new 5.0-liter ‘Coyote’ V8.

2012: The best handling Mustang ever, the 2012 Boss 302 returns to the lineup for the first time in more than 40 years.

2013: At 662 horsepower, the supercharged 5.8-liter V8 in the 2013 Shelby GT500 is the most powerful production V8 in the world.

2014: Flat Rock Assembly Plant celebrates the production of 1 million Mustangs 2015.

2015: All-new Ford Mustang debuts.

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bazaar fitness

THE STRUGGLES OF MOTIVATION

by Mike Campbell

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind” - William James I have been wanting to write on this subject for some time now, but i wasn’t sure how to approach it. I guess i was also concerned that I wouldn’t really come across as sincere. I mean how can you truly motivate others if at times you question your own levels of motivation?

Humans are simple creatures. Yet how we perceive our place in the world can often be over thought. The burdens we place on ourselves on a daily basis can lead to failures. These small setbacks can add up and soon all we are doing is sabotaging our own dream.

I have no doubt there are countless books on how to motivate oneself in life, even in the field of sports and to a lesser extent the ‘gym’. Instagram is filled with ‘fitness’ accounts where everybody is a fitness model with a shredded six-pack and tips on how to get that ripped summer beach body.

However, it is not as easy as that, is it? Because if it was, we would all have it wouldn’t we?

See, the simple truth is that it really is that easy - I’m serious. OK then Mike, if it is so easy then where has that six-pack gone you had last summer? My answer is, it just wasn’t as important to me as other aspects of my life. Is that the truth?

I like to think so. In many ways i do believe this.

My position in the world has changed. Where I see myself and my priorities have shifted. Basically that means that in my current mode i don’t want to (not can’t) but don’t want to, commit the resources to achieving that six-pack. The key here is that if you want it, it has to be your priority.

I hear you thinking… you can say it. “I’ve been going to the gym, I’ve been eating well, I’ve been sleeping more”. But have you?

I’m just in the midst of an experiment that is half way completed. This is not unique. I picked two people, one is a friend and a client of mine, the other is a cousin of a friend and both had a similar goal, they simply wanted to fit their clothes better. Now that doesn’t mean lose “weight”. I’ll say it again, they wanted to fit their clothes better.

So, they had to show me every meal or drink they took on a daily basis - we used Whatsapp. If it was a poor food choice then i said no, find something else and suddenly the picture became clearer for them. Oh, I actually do tend to consume a lot of soda, up to four small cans a day in fact! Or I’m just eating because I’m bored, or because everyone else is. Oh, it is not unusual for me to go two days without eating any vegetables (note: both were very different, but they began to see the patterns 88

that had created in their lives). The challenge was to break these habits. Quite quickly they began to stop making the poor choices. But it is never that easy, is it? Well, yes it is; easy to say, harder to do, because soon comes the cravings, the “I’ve been eating well for three days now so let’s just have this poor food choice, or this sugar-filled drink”. When they wanted to “relapse” I simply asked them why they would want to do that, after all the hard work.

When asked what was the most important thing they had learnt in seven days, one of them replied “that a healthy lifestyle boosts my self-esteem, and now I feel like I’m making a change in my life and I’ve already seen the results, especially with my attitude toward everything.” By the way, after seven days all of their clothes were fitting better.

Honest effort is success, if you truly want it, you can achieve it!

Now I am lucky enough to know several athletes of reasonable calibre in Kuwait. I also grew up and worked alongside athletes at an international level.

I can tell you now that all of them at some stage didn’t think they were good enough, good enough to make it to the next level. Some didn’t even believe they were good enough to be at the level they were at.

Shadows exist, in our world and in our selves.

That doesn’t mean we allow them to blind us to our potential. Self-doubt is normal - I think healthy. But you have to believe in yourself. We all know that anything worth achieving is achieved through hard work and surrounding yourself by the right people at the right time. One of my athletes recently had a series of difficult events happen to them. To remain positive during this phase is a huge task.

But with the help of their friends and an incredible work ethic they made the best of the situation.

They realized the truth in a quote by John Wooden that states “do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do”.

To most of the problems in our own lives, we are the solution. Whether you are trying to fit into your favorite jeans or win the next competition. For humans to achieve all that is demanded of us then we must regard ourselves as greater than we believe.

Mike Campbell is the GM and Co Founder of Inspire Pure Fitness. For further information please email: info@inspirekw.com or jane@inspirekw.com or visit www.inspirekw.com.

SALSA

WHY THE LITTER?

by Zainab Mirza

The sea lies calm, a deep sapphire blue with no trace of the dull grey it was over the weekend.

Its waves traverse from afar to stretch out onto the sandy shore, dissipating into nothingness upon reaching it. But one notices another sea along with the Arabian Gulf—albeit not as appealing—that of garbage, the remnants of revelries of the night before. It disappears in the course of the morning as the municipality cleaners dispose of it, only to reappear a few hours later as though to taunt the beach that it can harbour no hope of staying clean because no one cares enough to keep it so.

I’ve seen some peculiar objects in the sea along with the usual plastic and paper: an upturned shopping trolley, a cooler, water guns… a friend has spotted an abandoned television set, a sheep carcass and half a yellow tanker washed ashore.

I’d love to know the story behind the TV. Littering is a despicable habit. Somehow, we’ve developed an attitude that projects “it’s cool not to care”. News flash buddy, you’re a fool not to care!

People, regardless of nationality, education or level of income seem to think it doesn’t matter if they throw their junk anywhere but here’s a thought; even if you have an army of servants at your beck and call, would you toss litter onto the floor of your home? Most wouldn’t. Then why treat the beaches any differently?

If you get up early enough on a Friday morning, you’re bound to see trash all along the coast. The waves at high tide wash up even more onto the 90

shore. Nothing is spared, not the beach, trees, promenade, grassy lawns or the benches. The tragedy is that the apathetic amongst us even dump leftover food and packaging upon the rocks, where they get lodged into crevices and are thus impossibly out of reach of a cleaner’s latex glove, eventually becoming breeding grounds for pests.

Even if there are dustbins in the vicinity, and empty ones at that, the beaches will be sprawling with bottles, cardboard boxes, take away fast food containers, plastic and paper bags and more.

When in season, wildflowers creep out of the rocks but it is nearly impossible to click a picture of them without including the surrounding waste.

Think about the consequences of a person’s inability to clean up after themselves upon the environment. We share the earth with millions of organisms; it’s estimated that three-fourths of these haven’t even been discovered yet.

Thousands of these are at risk because of our ignorance and indifference. Destruction of animal habitats and the near extinction of species may be brought about by poaching, deforestation, hunting for sport, industrialization, agriculture etc. Many of us are not responsible for these activities at an individual level, so let’s look at what we can be held accountable for. A million sea birds and hundreds of thousands of marine animals die globally every year because of either getting entangled in plastic waste or from ingesting it. We’re not leaving much

of a world for the generations to come.

How can we combat littering? Complaining about people’s habits isn’t going to get one anywhere.

Lead by example. Admonish friends and family that toss their rubbish out on the street. If you catch them in the act, make them pick up their trash and chuck it in a bin (which in all likeliness won’t be too far off). I’ve managed to get two friends and a colleague to change their habits the same way.

Keep a bag in the car for your garbage and toss it out altogether (into a trashcan!) at the end of the day. Make sure you clear up after a picnic at the beach; don’t leave an unsightly mess behind. Most importantly, teach children in your family or those you may come across that it is wrong to litter, for they are the future.

Whether it’s for a walk, run, bike ride, picnic, barbecue or even photography, the beaches are amongst the few places of solace in Kuwait where you can be at one with nature. It isn’t pleasant to have their beauty marred by tons of garbage thrown about carelessly. Keep in mind that these are public spaces you share not just with 3.5 million other people, but over 250 species of migratory birds and hundreds of species of diverse marine life.

There seems to be no reason why an educated, affluent and well-travelled populace would treat public beaches which can be pristine and beautiful as their personal landfill. This lack of civic sense frankly, makes no sense.

DODGE

a night out with...

CHELSEA CLINTON bazaar Diwaniya: U.S. Chapter by bazaar staff

So Chelsea Clinton walks into a room… and works it like a professional. There’s no joke there, just a bit of surprise. Recently, your bazaar correspondent checked in to see what the latest going-on’s were for the girl often best remembered for being in her awkward teen years while her father held—and struggled to hold onto—America’s highest office. First, a realization: if we are not seeing a future politician in the making, I will eat this months’ entire magazine: mark my words, Kuwait! Give it 20 years and we all shall see: she’s poised, she’s polished, she’s articulate to a point that would make you feel dumb, were she not also so inclusive in her tone. And to be honest, I wasn’t that interested in coming to hear her speak. Judging that I am one of a handful of guys in a group of 400+ girls, the room has all the makings of a feminist peprally. Her message however, in her role as part of the Clinton Foundation, was one of pure engagement and an active commitment toward creating changeagents for a better global tomorrow.

Over the past 12 years, the Clinton Foundation has built partnerships with great purpose among governments, businesses, NGOs, and individuals everywhere to strengthen health systems in developing countries, fight climate change, expand economic opportunity in Africa, Latin America and the United States, and help Americans live healthier lives. Additionally, Clinton Global Initiative members have made more than 2,800 Commitments to Action to improve more than 430 million lives in more than 180 countries. That is a hefty starting point for any organization, but seems more like preamble to greater change for this one.

In Chelsea’s role as Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation she focuses especially on the Foundation’s health programs, including the Clinton Health Access Initiative, which strengthens health care and access to lifesaving services in the developing world; the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which fights childhood obesity in the United States; and the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, which addresses preventable disease in the United States. She also established – and continues to lead – the Clinton Foundation Day of Action program, which identifies and organizes meaningful service opportunities for Foundation staff, friends, and partners and for the wider Foundation community.

The entire basis of the conversation tonight splits between a binary thought: things that inspire her, and things that anger her. In this case she begins with the latter and opts to talks about what she considers to be “unthinkable in our times,” most of which for her includes access to health care, primarily for the youth of the world.

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One primary focus at present for the foundation is working to eradicate childhood diarrhea as a cause of death by dehydration (not without a few small chuckles from a young-ish crowd, a point she again shrugs off with a tacit acknowledgment and moving on—like a champ). At the Clinton Foundation they are trying to fix this dehydration problem in two different ways: 1) by changing the market dynamics around hydration solutions and zinc supplements, which are the main ways to treat dehydration so that children do not die from it, and 2) by lowering vaccine prices.

They feel that they, using some of her father Bill Clinton’s previous successes as a model with antiviral medication, have proved they can change that market from a high price low volume structure to one that shifts to low price high volume, as they are things that everybody needs.

That’s a paradigm they have taken to scale in many other health commodities and are focused on recreating in this regard. As for the scale of the problem she notes that currently more than 750,000 kids every year die of complications from diarrhea.

Most places in the world that suffer from what is referred to as a “high diarrheal burden” either don’t have the resources to invest in fighting it, or the powers that be don’t seem to place enough emphasis on solutions at present. So she sees their work as the intermediary to help in this regard. This is a path that has proved successful for them many times over.

She says that they are open-sourced in what they do, so if you wanted to pitch getting something done with their organization, or work in conjunction with them to adopt a local model in your own community,

check with them. They have already partnered with people in Mexico, Indian Sub-Saharan Africa and many other places. Notably too is that their projects are always headed up locally by someone who is native to the country they are in. She finds that many of the problems with helping abroad is when there is not a respect for local context when trying to help, or when people try to apply a blueprint that may not otherwise fit. This is why local people are so important in this regard. So they partner with local governments as long as they are able to, and they leave when they are asked to leave.

As for how she goes about changing things, and encouraging words for those around her that are equally concerned, she says she has a simple metric: “First I figure out what makes me angry. Then I set about doing something about it.” For now, she is working to make immediate pragmatic changes via the Clinton Foundation, and working to inspire change agents through talks such as this one. As for what you can do to help, she says they always need volunteers (and especially ones who love analyzing data) who care about their initiatives around the world and cites “smart, motivated young people” as the way to do it. They have a year-round internship program, by the way, which accepts applicants three times a year. So for those of you looking for a way to get involved either locally or globally, find them online for ways to help. All in all, she is an inspiring speaker with a pragmatic plan for changing some of the many things that ail our modern global landscape.

Find them online at www.clintonfoundation.org.

“ BE A PART OF IT ”

NOW OPEN

SOCIETY

LOST WALLS The Art of Calligraffiti by bazaar staff

French/Tunisian artist eL Seed specializes in an art he calls ‘calligraffiti’; a blend of the historic art of Arabic calligraphy and the modern art of graffiti, it mixes street culture and Arabic history to poetic effect. The result is the beauty of written Arabic that we all love, mixed with the color and energy of modern feel and vitality. Born to Tunisian parents in the suburbs of Paris, eL Seed spent his formative years juggling different cultures, languages, and identities. Today eL Seed’s pieces have developed out of these two worlds colliding.

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Sparked by the reaction to his largest project to date, the minaret of the Jara mosque in his home town of Gabes, eL Seed decided to set out on a month long personal journey across his mother country painting ‘Lost Walls’ along the way. The resulting book provides a unique and rare insight into the world of calligraffiti and the Tunisian people.

On the four-week road trip, eL Seed painted 24 walls in total, spanning the entire country, “Sometimes two walls in a day,” he says. The

resulting book is a visual joy of landscape and lexicon alike with all the vibrant flare of graffiti.

We check in with eL Seed to see how he made it all happen.

Were the towns you visited in Tunisia planned beforehand?

I knew where I wanted to go but I’d never been to a lot of the places before. Nothing was planned beforehand, except for the house of my grandfather.

There were some places where we knew people already or knew someone who knew someone,

so we always had one contact at least when we arrived. Most of the time we went to small towns, where literally nothing happens and the people were completely confused as to why we were there. I would tell them there is something here of interest but perhaps you just don’t see it. One guy said, “Sometimes you need somebody else to tell you how beautiful you are” and I like this phrase.

What was the most inspirational place you visited on your four-week journey?

I don’t think there is one place in particular, as

each had its own story. I don’t want to distinguish between each city or town or the people that live there. The goal was to give a global image of Tunisia and show the depth and richness of Tunisia’s culture, people and traditions, and I believe I achieved this.

Who wrote the text in the book?

I wrote the text, and each text relates to the walls, the place itself and the people that I met there.

Some walls don’t have any stories they are just lost.

There was a wall on the road just abandoned in the

middle of nowhere and I stopped and painted on it, for no reason at all, just for the sheer beauty of it. It was unexpected. Not all walls need to have a meaning or a purpose for me to paint them.

Do you feel like you reconnected with your country through Lost Walls?

Yes, absolutely. I knew Tunisia, but through Lost Walls I discovered a lot of things I didn’t know. The goal at the beginning was to have other people discover Tunisia but it actually was me discovering it too. That was the cool part. continued on next previous page...

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People should spend more time discovering their own countries. The beauty of it and the things you can discover will amaze you.

What do you want people to get from this project?

I want people outside of Tunisia that have never been there, to go and visit and discover its beauty. This alone could have an economic impact on the country. I also want the Tunisian people to be proud of what they have. The book is ultimately a message of hope. I paint on a 96

...continued from previous page

wall and the people relate to it, and that is part of the joy of what I do.

How did the relationship with Jeffrey Deitch come about?

He presented a calligraffiti show in the early 80s in New York and I was part of the show revisiting this exhibition, 30 years later. The show was called Caligraffiti from 1984 – 2013 showcasing the new generation of artists and how the art of calligraffiti has been developed over the years. We didn’t meet at the show but I later met

him at the Conde Nast Traveler Awards where he came to show his support for my work. I asked him to write the preface for my first book, because he’s such an influential figure in the world of calligraffiti, and he was willing to do so.

The book, Lost Walls is scheduled for international release this month and will be available to purchase on Amazon. For more information please visit www.thelostwalls.com or follow eL Seed on Instagram @elseed.

EVINRUDE

WEST END KUWAIT JUBILEE

Interview with Jerome Monnat Jr., CEO of the West End Watch Company by bazaar staff

Last month, Yacob Behbehani Sons Company and Mr. Jerome Monnat Jr. CEO, of West End Watch Company hosted a chic fete to celebrate the diamond jubliee of the West End Watch Company for 75 years. With a strong presence in Kuwait led by the Behbehani family since 1938, the West End Watch Company commemorated this relationship by releasing a special edition range of watches entitled, “Kuwait”, inspired by the state of Kuwait and the special relationship that ties the heritage brand with Yacob Behbehani Sons Company.

The celebration included a short film about the West End Watch Company’s history in Kuwait, as well as a short movie that was viewed for the first time in Kuwait by the talented director Mr. Sadeq Behbehani entitled, The Carpet, where the West End watch, also produced in the 1950s made an appearance in the movie. Adding an artistic flair to the evening, a selection of paintings especially created for this occasion by the great artist Thuraya Al-Baqsami were auctioned. Before the festivities began, we managed to have a chat with Mr. Jerome Monnat Jr., to find out more about the West End Watch Company and the heritage brand’s relationship with Kuwait.

How long has the West End Watch Company been around, and when did you get involved with the company?

The West End Watch Company was founded in 1886, so the company has been around for more than 120 years. At one point in history, West End produced 1 million handcrafted mechanical watches.

My family took over the company 13 years ago with the aim of maintaining and celebrating this institution.

How did the West End Watch Company grow since it came to Kuwait?

Ever since Mr. Yacob Yousuf Behbehani purchased his first lot of West End watches in 1938, even before the oil era, the brand found a life long partner in the Middle East. After the oil era, this opened so many doors for West End. In 1946, he obtained the official representation of West End Watches for the State of Kuwait, the following years for several countries in the Middle East. Along with the dynamism and seriousness of Mr. Yacob Yousuf Behbehani, the sales soon started to boom. With nearly 1 million pieces distributed at the end of the 1970s, Mr. Yacob Yousuf Behbehani became one of the greatest watch agents in the world.

Essentially, Mr. Aqeel Yacob Behbehani’s father played an integral role, not only in the development of the West End Watch Company, yet also on the total growth of a huge part of the Swiss economy.

Even after his passing, the legacy of our brand lives on with the continued support of his son, Mr. Aqeel Yacob Behbehani. We are extremely proud to say that our partners, even throughout the war of 1990, never abandoned us, as the Behbehani 98

family was keen to continue working with us.

Can you tell us more about the West End Watch Company heritage?

From developing the first, attested mechanical waterproof watch in 1864, Alcide Droz & Sons advanced the company in 1886 by distributing their line of watches to the Indian market. Back then; the Indian market represented a part of the Greater British Empire, and West End Watch Co. produced its first wristwatches for the soldiers of the British Army in 1914, until the end of World War 1 in 1918.

Even the brand name was chosen because the most central part of the world back then was London, and West End represents the most stylish part of the capital of the British Empire.

The military design and tradition was one of the main reasons why the brand was very attractive to the late Mr. Yacob Yousuf Behbehani. The design of the mechanical watch, its dial, the welded metal corner details, and even the red hands of the watch are all elements that represented what a classic, yet durable, time piece should look like preluding the era of automatic watches that followed in the 1970s. Following the innovation of being the first brand to introduce the revolutionary anti-shock

system in 1936, The West End Watch Company still maintained its military legacy and sought-after designs and functions such as the ‘Day and Date’ aspect of the design.

How does the West End Watch Company look to the future?

When we study how the West End watch is passed through generations worldwide, we wish to garner this sentiment with younger generations.

For instance, in Tibet or Iran people still treasure West End watches worn by their grandfathers, and we see that here in Kuwait. We are hoping that with the launch of the “Kuwait” watch, along with the introduction of young designers commissioned by our company to create new lifestyle collections, we are very excited about the future.

Shop the West End Watch Company at Yacob Behbehani Boutique in Behbehani Complex (2240 3954) Baitak Tower (2225 7908) and Symphony Mall (2244 1614), as well as the Morad Behbehani Boutiques in Marina Mall (2224 4839), Al Kout Mall (2393 0338) and The Avenues Mall (2259 7727). For more information about Yacob Behbehani Sons Co., follow them on Instagram @Behbehani1938.

PINTXOS

bazaar movie night The latest from the big screen playing in cinemas across Kuwait in April

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

RIO 2

THE SPECTACULAR NOW

Release Date: April 3 Theaters: Grand Cinema and Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Cast: Chris Evans/Frank Grillo/Sebastian Stan

Release Date: April 10 Theaters: Grand Cinema and Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy Cast: Anne Hathaway/Rodrigo Santoro/Jesse Eisenberg

Release Date: April 17 Theaters: Grand Cinema Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance Cast: Miles Teller/Shailene Woodley/Kyle Chandler

Synopsis: Steve Rogers continues his journey as the super-powered American soldier who’s grasping to find his place in a modern world after being frozen in ice since WWII. In this sequel from Marvel Studios he battles a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier. Chris Evans returns to star, with Community and You, Me & Dupree director/ producer brothers Joe and Anthony Russo. Other well-known actors starring in this sequel include Scarlett Johansonn, Cobie Smulders, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie and Samuel L Jackson.

Synopsis: It’s a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel and their three kids in RIO 2, after they’re hurtled from that magical city to the wilds of the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in, he goes beak-to-beak with the vengeful Nigel, and meets the most fearsome adversary of all - his father-in-law. All of your favorite RIO characters are back, and they’re joined by the voices of Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars, Kristin Chenoweth and Rita Moreno. There are roughly 150 Spix’s Macaws that make up the giant “2” of the U.S. teaser poster which seems to loosely follow the real-life population of the species left in existence (most of which are kept in captivity all around of the world).

Synopsis: With sly humor and an intensity of feeling, The Spectacular Now (directed by James Ponsoldt) creates a vivid, three-dimensional portrait of youth confronting the funny, thrilling and perilous business of modern love and adulthood. This is the tale of Sutter Keely, a high school senior and effortless charmer, and of how he unexpectedly falls in love with “the good girl” Aimee Finecky. What starts as an unlikely romance becomes a sharp-eyed, straightup snapshot of the heady confusion and haunting passion of youth - one that doesn’t look for tidy truths. The film was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber ((500) Days Of Summer).

TRANSCENDENCE

SABOTAGE

THE HOUSE OF MAGIC 3D

Release Date: April 17 Theaters: Grand Cinema and Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi Cast: Johnny Depp/Rebecca Hall/Morgan Freeman

Release Date: April 17 Theaters: Cinescape Kuwait-wide Genre: Action, Crime, Drama Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger/Sam Worthington

Release Date: April 24 Theaters: Grand Cinema Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family Cast: Grant George

Synopsis: A terminally ill artificial intelligence researcher, Dr Will Caster strives to create a machine that possesses sentience and collective intelligence. Extremists who oppose technological advancement target him, but their actions drive him toward his goal. Caster also wants to become part of the new technology, and his wife Evelyn and his best friend Max Waters, also researchers, question the wisdom of this drive. Caster’s goal to acquire knowledge becomes one to acquire power, and he seems to be unstoppable. This sci-fi thriller is the directorial debut for Wally Pfister, a long-time cinematographer for Christopher Nolan.

Synopsis: In this crime drama, Arnold Schwarzenegger leads an elite DEA task force that takes on the world’s deadliest drug cartels. When the team successfully executes a high-stakes raid on a cartel safe house, they think their work is done - until, one-by-one, the team members mysteriously start to be eliminated. As the body count rises, everyone is a suspect. Directed by David Ayer, known for popular films, Training Day (2001) and The Fast and the Furious (2001), and written by Skip Woods, who is best known for his action flick Swordfish.

Synopsis: Thunder, an abandoned young cat seeking shelter from a storm, stumbles into the strangest house imaginable, owned by an old magician and inhabited by a dazzling array of automatons and gizmos. Not everyone welcomes the new addition to the troupe as Jack Rabbit and Maggie Mouse plot to evict Thunder. The situation gets worse when the magician lands in hospital and his scheming nephew sees his chance to cash in by selling the mansion. The young hero is determined to earn his place and so he enlists the help of some wacky magician’s assistants to protect his magical new home.

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For more details on movie timings and the cinema nearest you, visit: Cinescape: www.cinescape.com.kw or Facebook: Cinescape – Kuwait National Cinema Company, Grand Cinemas: kw.grandcinemas.com or Facebook: Grand Cinemas Kuwait.

CAMRY

TRADITIONAL AND BEYOND A taste of Lebanon with a Semsom twist by bazaar staff

Lebanese culture has permeated the Arab world with modernity, sophistication and class all at the same time. Time and again, this small Levant nation has amazed its neighbors by breaking the mold and seamlessly ushering in classics into today’s world with ease that the rest cannot help but appreciate. Now, Kuwait has a new restaurant to enjoy the best of Lebanon with the newest opening in the Arabella food complex, Semsom.

It all started with entrepreneur Christine Sfeir, the businesswoman that brought Dunkin Donuts to the Middle East and was named one of Arabian Business’s Most Powerful Arab Women of 2012.

She had the vision to spread the Lebanese way of life through a restaurant that truly captured 102

the essence of her homeland’s cooking.

Her goal was to make every one of her customers feel as if they just had dinner at their grandmother’s home. With a team of chefs and tasters they got to work revisiting recipes that had been passed down in their families for generations. The result, a menu that is both daring and traditional and bound to keep you coming back for more whether you’re in Lebanon, Saudi, Oman or Erbil and soon in Dubai and New York.

The first decision a diner has to make at Semsom is where to sit. The inside is decorated with gorgeous purple and yellow hues, with dark cherry wood furniture. Floor to ceiling windows give the restaurant a light and airy feel, and the modern décor blends old with new. Photos from

Lebanon line the walls above the bar, giving every spot in the restaurant a view of the best scenes from the country. We chose to sit outside on their large cushioned chairs, and enjoy the freshness of the outdoors.

The most important part of a Lebanese meal is the mezzas and the chefs at Semsom have perfected these simple dishes, then given them a twist. We started with the hummus dip. You can’t go wrong with the classic and its perfect creamy consistency, bursts of fresh tahina and hint of lime. Then, they gave it the Semsom twist with three different variations: olives and sesame, zaatar and sumac and, our personal favorite, cumin with parsley.

At Semsom, you can indulge in the Lebanese

love for eggplant with a delicious eggplant sweet and sour, made with raisins and sprinkled with sesame seeds. If you want the best of both the hummus and eggplant, then go back to the traditional with their baba ghannouj. Dip one of their perfectly rolled and cooked stuffed grape leaves, close your eyes and take a bite and you can imagine that you are sitting in an outdoor restaurant in Beit Mery overlooking Beirut.

You can also dive into new twists with their Mama Ghanoujeh, a variation of the classic that uses zucchini instead of eggplant, pureed with the hummus to give you a refreshing and delicious salad. What about savory osmalieh? At Semsom the thin dough strands are wrapped around a chicken, cheese or shrimp filling and fried to a crisp shell

surrounding a delicious blend of meat and spices.

All of the starters at Semsom lead to the main event, and where the party in your mouth really gets going. The restaurant offers saj (a flatbread) platters with marinated chicken and steak, a special chicken with coriander and garlic or a variation of grilled meats. You also have the choice of dough based oven baked dishes like kafta, lahm b’ajin and zaatar.

We decided to go for the meat during our visit with a traditional mixed grilled platter, and it was divine. The platter came with perfectly spiced kafta, juicy chicken tawouk and an incredible kebab that made our taste buds dance. Yet the crowning meat was the bobby veal (calves of milking cows) cuts that melted in our mouth like

butter with each bite.

Not ones to ever say no to dessert, we indulged in an amazing raha cheesecake, a thick filing made with Turkish delight and sandwiched between perfectly toasted osmalieh. The traditional ghazal, a Lebanese cotton candy, layered with ice cream has the perfect sweet rose water taste. Don’t forget the chocolatelayered osmalieh, rich with chocolate ice cream and cocoa syrup giving you a deeply satisfying end to your meal.

Semsom is located in Arabella in Al Bida’a. For more information please call 1888 848 visit their website at semsom.com or connect with them on Instagram @semsom.

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bazaar fiction

THE TEACHER’S WEEKEND REPORT

by Craig Loomis

Looking down, seeing an ant carrying two blades of grass, one greener and shorter than the other, and knowing that I am the only person in the world, in any world, seeing this, I can only wonder what it plans to do with blades of grass that are three, no four times longer than it is.

Food? Something for the nest? Do ants even have nests? Not only that, but maybe it isn’t an it? A he or she? Can a petite female ant carry something that large? In the universe of ants anything is possible. And of course, the ant, who is more brown than black, cares nothing for me, as it continues to drag the blades across what must only appear to it as a vast desert of concrete.

When I look to see where it’s headed, there is nothing like an ant home in sight, no crack in the cement, no bushes or flower bed—nothing that looks even remotely anty. In the middle of thinking about this—chin in hand--a woman in a blue dress comes up behind me, walks to the edge of the patio and yells out in what has to be Russian to her friend who is floating face up in the pool. But the face-up floater is not hearing so she places one high-heeled foot on the patio, dangerously close to the laboring ant, and uses a bigger, louder Russian voice, and when she does two things happen: the floater is startled out of floating and I see an errant red thread hanging from the hem of her blue dress. In a flurry of now sedate Russian, the two of them quickly agree on something because the blue dress woman with red thread dangling nods and goes back the way she came while the other returns to her floating.

Meanwhile, I have lost sight of the ant and when I look to see where it should be, there is nothing but dimpled concrete; looking farther, thinking wouldn’t it be something if it had progressed that far in only 30 seconds of Russian, I scan ahead, and sure enough there it is, a flash of twitching green. I can’t believe it has gotten that far that fast. Just then, leaning forward, squinting to get a better look, a gray-haired Grandpa with what can only be his grandson take their turn on the patio, strolling by, the little boy in the middle of asking, “OK, but, Grandpa, why do you take so long brushing your teeth?”

And Grandpa, without hesitation, as if this is not a new question, answers, “My teeth are more complicated than yours. Old people’s teeth are always that way, everybody knows that.” The grandson smiling up at him, as if to say, ‘Yes, that’s correct.’

When the two of them step closer to the pool’s edge, Grandpa takes his hands out of his pockets, and when he does the grandson now wonders, 104

“What time is it?”

Grandpa, looking down at his wrist as if there is a watch there when there isn’t, says, “2:30.”

The boy looking wide-eyed, even holding up a tiny hand to push back the sun, asking, “How did you do that?”

“What?”

“Tell me the time without a watch. How did you do that?”

Grandpa, sighing, whispers, “Practice.”

Meanwhile, the Russian floater is out of the pool and holding a towel that is far too small for any swimmer. All done at the pool’s edge, Grandpa with grandson turn as one and that is when I see something on the old man’s elbow – something like an extra piece of skin or meat hanging from his elbow. But that can’t be right. When he stoops to tell the grandson something about the concrete, bending and pointing, the whateveritis on his elbow flutters, and now I see it: a piece of leaf has found its way there, at his elbow, waving like somebody’s tiny toy banner. Still bending, pointing, talking to his grandson, who hasn’t stopped nodding, I expect the piece of leaf to fall away at any moment.

After all, how long can a leaf cling to old, wrinkled flesh? But it seems at home, minding its own business. And for the shortest moment, I think about calling out to Grandpa, warning him of a leaf that refuses to let go, but they are now done with their inspection of the concrete and make their way off the patio, turning right at the shrubbery.

The Russian floater, towel firmly around her neck,

standing arms akimbo, staring straight up into a bright blue sky. She is looking the wrong way to see a muffin-shaped cloud behind her, lingering as if freshly baked.

The next day, I tell them about what I saw Saturday at poolside, and they—having been taught to be polite when it comes to teachers and assorted old people— wait for me to finish, until, finally, Hussain, who has told me more than once, secretly, that he is not afraid of anything, raises his hand, asking, “Excuse me, sir, but why are you telling us this…this about ants and Russians and old people with leaves on their elbows? Is this important? Part of the lesson?

Some sort of special test material? Please sir, we need to know.”

I sigh, and the best I can do is say, “It is important, but rest assured, it is not the stuff of quizzes or examinations. But...” holding up an index finger, “but, later, much later, things like this will be the most important of all.”

In the first row, Fatemah looks up at me, regretfully, as if to whisper, It’s OK everybody makes mistakes. I understand, they don’t, I do. Hussain nods, as if he has caught me doing something all wrong, and now everybody knows. Hussain, who is not afraid of anything. I smile back at Fatemah, appreciating her loyalty.

Of course I understand completely; they are far too worried about grades and percentages, and memorizing facts and formulas to understand the importance of muffin-shaped clouds.

PUMA

LUPITA NYONG’O

A rising star, as long as her path is clear

by Betsy Sharkey

For anyone in Hollywood or the heartland who didn’t fall in love with Lupita Nyong’o’s talent after seeing her performance in best picture winner 12 Years a Slave, or was somehow unmoved by the supporting actress’ heartfelt acceptance speech — which will stand as one of Oscar’s most memorable moments — here are a few things to keep in mind when thinking about what comes next.

In the wake of Nyong’o’s Oscar win, there exists a brief moment in time where her future remains in flux, before her career — the long one I hope the talented newcomer will have — begins to snap into place. She has a very small part in the new Liam Neeson thriller Non-Stop, but after that her dance card seems relatively clear.

Although I hope many smart moves will be made on both sides of the negotiating table in the coming months, I realize mistakes will be made. But in the meantime, with the slate still clean and with the rising star still on the cusp, a few observations for your consideration: 1. The actress is a graduate of the Yale School 106

of Drama, which has a history of turning out wellhoned talent. The actors among the school’s alumni comprise an impressive list that includes Oscar nominee Angela Bassett, Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti and, ahem, 18-time Oscar nominee, three-time Oscar winner and new Twitter buster Meryl Streep.

2. Nyong’o is magnetic on screen. There is something so compelling about the way she carries herself when she is in front of a camera that makes her impossible to overlook. Take Non-Stop. In the new terror-in-the-skies box office hit, Nyong’o is barely there. Yet anytime the flight attendant she plays is in the frame, it’s nearly impossible to look away. Just a single, simple turn on the Oscar red carpet created a photo sensation. The camera officially loves her.

3. There is a fearlessness in the way Nyong’o goes at a performance that, given good choices, might make for an unstoppable career. That soulstirring quality was very much on display in 12 Year, but dramas allow for that. As the horribly abused

slave Patsey opposite a sadistic slave owner, chillingly portrayed by Michael Fassbender, the actress took the character to — and over — the emotional edge.

But for a more nuanced side of her talent check out the 2009 Kenyan miniseries Shuga (it’s partly subtitled). The stage is contemporary Kenya, with all the complexity of an evolving country and the generation that will shape it.

Nyong’o plays Ayira, a determined young woman navigating relationships, family and career. She is whip-smart, winning and wise beyond her years, and the performance showcases an entirely different side of Nyong’o. There is a dynamic way the actress exists within scenes that makes for fascinating watching — while she shares the space beautifully, she also controls it.

12 Years a Slave will always be a high point in the actress’ career. But like a certain other, ahem, Yale alumni, I am hopeful that Nyong’o’s Oscar-winning performance, as striking as it was, will be only the first of many defining ones in a very long streak.

MARRIAGE EXPLAINED

by Ayman Nassar

You spend your entire adolescent life a prisoner in your own mind, sharing it with mathematics, biology, chemistry etc. in hopes that you might get the grades you need to get into the university you chose where again you will be leasing space in your mind to other subjects, in preparation for what is to come.

After the education phase comes the application phase, whereby you take the knowledge that has been instilled into your brain and apply it in a professional manner i.e., getting a job. You start at the bottom and scrape, scratch and claw your way to the top, and just when you feel like you have life all figured out, where you are finally able to strike the balance between work and social life, between income and expense, between diet and cheat days, you meet her. And once again you find yourself heading toward unfamiliar territories on a journey that will last for the rest of your life.

Marriage.

As someone who is getting married this month (April 10 to be exact, provided no cold feet occur on either end!) the question of why do people chose marriage continues to discombobulate me.

Some say it is the ultimate act of love. I say a card from Hallmark attached to a nice gift is a pretty solid gesture as well!

Others say it is a duty. I say, so is your job but you do not stay there all day long!

Consider the following (comical, exaggerated i.e., pleasedonotshowthistoher!) thought process; from a male’s perspective; this person is going to be my responsibility! I have to buy them food, put a roof over their head, and buy them pretty clothes (and lots and lots of shoes). It is like I have adopted a child!

From a female’s perspective; I have to cook, clean, iron, wash for this person. Not to mention feed them and try to instill a little fashion sense into their primitive brain. It is like I have adopted a child!

However, the actual thought process should be, thank God I found you (as opposed to the instinctual why are you here?).

It is human nature to approach any new endeavor with trepidation and speculation.

How else do we deal with ambiguity? We make provisions; we try as much as possible, within our own (limited) understanding, to plan everything out. We delve into our experience and try to find the most acceptable scenario to incorporate when approaching the unknown.

No matter how many people you have spoken to, stories you have read, movies you have watched or scenarios you have dreamt up, nothing will ever prepare you for the real thing. A marriage is dynamic, always evolving and always based on the mindsets of the couple within. No two scenarios can be the same 100 percent. And that is OK. What most people fail to realize in marriage is 108

that the planning is now being done by two – and two heads are always better than one (unless they are on the same body, then maybe not so much).

For the first time in your life, you do not need to have all the answers! Think of it as taking an exam with someone sitting right beside you, discussing the questions with you and helping you reach the correct answer.

As they say, no two people are exactly the same and thus no two marriages are exactly the same.

You will never be able to plan a contingency for every curve-ball life decides to throw your way. The only thing you can do is trust that the person by your side will be there and that you will both get through it.

Spring is in the air and with it comes the bellowing winds of change. So go ahead, take that leap of faith into the waters of marriage. Even if you do not know how to swim, trust that your partner does (it may be prudent to ask them first!).

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WARD AL FUNOON

Visual Art exhibition by Students of AIS

by Shabana H. Shaikh

“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”

– Pablo Picasso On 11th March, four budding artists who were enrolled in the intensive International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBO DP) at the American International School of Kuwait (AIS) had the opening of their Visual Arts exhibition. This year’s exhibition was titled ‘Ward Al Funoon’, which translates to ‘Flower of Art’ in Arabic, and was the outcome of the students’ two-years of work, which once again, impressed everyone.

The Exhibition Aptly titled, the exhibition described the process of growth and development of each student. Whilst creating the pieces, the students – Ensaf Al Matrook, Hanan Abdullatif, Rozali Abouchakra and Yasmin Hdaib – were 112

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personally attached to the development of their conceptual ideas, which consequently led to an understanding of their own identity in a deeper way. The exhibition featured over 50 exciting and thought-provoking artworks, including drawings, paintings, sculptures, digital media and installations. Needless to say, the opening was a huge success with many VIPs attending to compliment and praise the students’ efforts.

But while the artworks reflected each artist capabilities, the themes chosen by the youngsters were anything but ‘flowery’ in context.

Greek philosopher, Aristotle, is quoted to have said: “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” The impact of social, personal and current political issues was evident throughout the students’ body of work. Their collective body of work expressed through mixed media their inner turmoil, social imagery, typical age-related issues and geo-political environment.

According to one visitor, Tammy Asad, some of the exhibited works were ‘quiet moving’.

“I must say that, Egypt, Silent Scream and Hypocrisy were the pieces that spoke to me. I actually got goose bumps when I was looking at them.”

The Artists The students evidently researched extensively and experimented with various form of art. In choosing a myriad of themes and media, each of them was seeking to express both their inner voice and view-points through art.

Ensaf Al Matrook searched for the reason behind her silence. In her own words, ‘she hid within herself for a long time in fear of being judged’. Art gave her a much needed outlet. Hanan Abdullatif is hugely influenced by controversial Kuwaiti artist, Shurooq Amin, and one look at her artwork will tell you as much.

Talking about her art, Hanan explained, “My

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work is divided into three sections: Political, moral social and personal reflection section. Not surprisingly, through my research, I found that the media had the greatest influence. It dictates human behavior; telling us how to look, talk and act, leading to conformity and loss of identity and originality.”

Rozali Abouchakra’s body of work, titled Passion, displayed strong views using layering mixed media ‘to emphasize the reality of emotional damage in a human being’. “The reason why my artworks are mainly large scale is because it has the greatest impact on the audience,’ wrote the young artist in her statement.

Yasmin Hdaib’s entire artwork was a series of ‘phases’ of her own experience through high school featured through water color, pastels and pencil drawings. “I also expressed this concept through colors to reflect emotions and chaos,” explained Yasmin, adding, “This course was a great challenge that really allowed me to overcome and explore many things in life and I’m proud of the results.”

IBO DP Program The IBO DP in Visual Arts is a rigorous twoyear investigation of art making, art criticism and art history. The exhibition has been an annual process ever since the program was authorized into AIS in 1996. Its main purpose is to showcase and celebrate the work of the senior students. During the course, students engage in conceptual thinking and structural analysis of their own work and the work of other artists.

They also work on developing their technical skills across a variety of media.

“I always encourage and engage my students in working outside of their comfort zone and prompt them to think deep and justify their artistic intentions. To create an artwork with a purpose, function and significance,” commented Angie Hani, the program’s Visual Arts teacher.

Stressing further the intensity of the program, Angie explained, “Our Diploma program is equivalent to first year university degree in Fine Arts.” As a result of the program’s constant emphasis on excellence, student who graduate DP Visual Arts program are thoroughly equipped for university level study, should they chose to pursue a career in arts. In fact, last year, AIS Visual Arts DP students were the top 5 percent of the world ranking.

On a side note, during our conversation I learned that Angie Hani was a ‘dedicated fan and collector’ of bazaar. She has collected every issue of the magazine since 1999! “Every month I pick three copies,” she said, excitedly, “One for my sister, one for AIS and one for myself!” There’s nothing better than being admired by an artist.

You can view the artworks or stay updated on Instagram @wardalfunoon.

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PICKLES

bazaar explores SELECT KUWAIT INTRODUCES THEIR SECOND ISSUE From the grand open spaces of Kuwait City, to the narrow-lined streets of suburbia, Kuwait has a unique approach to spaces. Some would say our space is finite, others would say it is simply a continuous expanse which must be developed. However you view space, Select is pleased to spotlight the talented designers who have filled up the humble spaces with creativity, beauty and intricate craft. Ranging from architects to interior and furniture designers, their second issue has searched high and low to find you the best of Kuwait’s established, as well as up-and-coming, talents in the field.

Welcome to their space. The book will be available for sale at Someday, Baking Tray, That Al Salasil, Gallery Tilal, Beccare (and more coming) or order via Whatsapp on 9775 2991 for home delivery.

Follow Select Kuwait for the latest news and updates: Instagram or Twitter @selectkw; or visit www.select-kw.com.

STELLA MCCARTNEY - HEART MEETS ELEGANCE Love was in the air of Stella McCartney’s presentation. The collection was dotted with hearts, a motif that would repeat itself over the range of clothes and accessories. McCartney wished to celebrate womanhood and the start of a new season. The color palette reflects this as it embraces the arrival of spring in pastels and jewel tones.

Stella McCartney is available at Al Ostoura Thuraya Mall. For more information call 2571 7277/67.

TAAL BIRYANI FESTIVAL Enjoy Kuwait’s spring with the splendid and finger licking Biryanis from Taal. Taal’s Biryani festival is the perfect place to quench your craving for the best Biryani available in town.

The rich aromatic flavors and fragrance of steaming hot Biryanis makes Taal the most delectable destination to satisfy your taste buds. The Biryani festival offers a wide range of mouthwatering specials with a fine mélange of non-vegetarian Biryanis as well as vegetarian Biryani. The non-vegetarian menu includes Keema Chicken Biryani, Chicken Kofta Biryani, Jaffrani Mutton Chop Biryani, and Tiger Prawn Biryani. Their vegetarian star Biryani is the Tarkari Biryani. All of their Biryanis are cooked using the best ingredients available with the finest Basmati Rice to give you mouthwatering aromas of exotic spices and flavors. So, give your taste buds a royal treat with a delectable variety of Biryani at Taals Biryani Festival.The festival runs April 1 – April 30, 2014.

Taal Restaurant is situated in Al Arjan Complex, Al Bid’a, Al Ta’awn Street. You can contact them on 22253142/22253143 or visit their website www.taalq8.com.

CHILLI BEANS PRESENTS NEW SIGNATURE COLLECTIONS Alexandre Herchcovitch, Isabela Capeto, Ronaldo Fraga and A Mulher do Padre are the names chosen by Chilli Beans for the launch of its new signature collections, with the Solar and Vista collections, and special watches. This is a very special collection with new references and inspirations. Ronaldo Fraga: For his products in the summer Signature Lines Collection, he found inspiration in the late 60s, early 70s and brings pieces with big, flexible frames, which can be used for sunglasses and prescription eyewear and vice versa – you just have to change the lenses. Herchcovitch: The partnership with this über designer started in 2010, and produced some of the most successful products of the chain. This new collection is inspired by navy fashion, with references to the sailors’ knot and imitations of ropes. Isabela Capeto: This carioca designer brings new products inspired by the universe of her personal accessories, such as bracelets and earrings, and by the decoration of her house-studio. A Mulher do Padre: Vinicius Campion, AMP’s chief designer, pays a tribute to the friendship between them and Chilli Beans’ CEOs – they used to be in the same rock band.

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FANTASY WORLD

THE OTHER LEBANON Lebanon offers hikers rare trails and unspoiled beauty

by Rita Makhoul

When people think of Lebanon, they usually think of wars and battles or plastic surgeries and an extravagant nightlife.

When I think of Lebanon, I think of the great outdoors and the beautiful scenery it provides that is unique to the Middle East.

I used to get into the car and just drive up into the mountains exploring the areas and discovering every region’s unique nature. Every curve offered a different scenic view, every town and village I’d pass by would have its own identity. I always ended up feeling serene during these drives.

How I got into hiking: Several years ago, a group of friends were going hiking and I tagged along. At first I was worried I would become shattered and not be able to complete the 6-hour hike. I rarely visit the gym or exercise. The thought of using a treadmill makes me feel like a gerbil running in a wheel inside a cage! To my surprise, not only did I complete the hike, I was so entranced by the views, the trails, the continuous change of the surrounding nature 118

that even when exhausted I continued on, wanting to see more.

Ever since that day, whenever I visit Lebanon, I make sure that a hiking trip is included in my itinerary. You would think that it would eventually get boring and that the hikes would start to resemble each other but up to this date I have been to over 50 hiking trails and each and every trail has been an exceptional experience and because each area has its own distinctive landscape that it is impossible to get bored. Even when I’ve hiked the same trail, it has delivered pleasant surprises. It seriously is not possible to get bored.

Why hike?

While on a hike, nothing beats the feeling I get when I stop, stand, look around and appreciate the

sensations I feel. For a moment, and just a mere moment, I sense what it truly means for my soul to be alive. My momentary existence in this ancient land is nothing but a measly instant for the land, but for me, that sensation will live with me for a lifetime.

I know, I know, I’m starting to sound like a spiritual nutcase but give me the chance to explain.

You see, in our hectic modern day lives, it is so easy to get busy doing all sorts of things and get stressed and drained. Most of the time, we forget why we even live the way we do. We forget why we are so busy living this fast paced life, feeling so relentless. We have become so dependent on material possessions and technology that we tend to forget the essentials.

Hiking is great physical exercise but it also

REALLY helps clear your head and reduces stress.

Moreover, you feel it instantly! It’s real. It gets you to step away from your desk, away from your computer, television, texting, and everything else that consumes your daily lives… and gives you the chance to experience the wilderness without Instagram filters.

Can you hike?

When my friends see pictures from my hiking trips they want to join, but are always worried, as I was before I completed my first hike, whether they can conquer it or not. Let me put it this way, if you can walk, you can hike a medium level trail. Medium level trails consist of uphill and downhill treks, and you may encounter some small climbs or be required to jump from one rock to another on top of a stream. It really is not as challenging as it sounds but if you are not comfortable with that, you can

start with an easy trail until you are comfortable.

Best of all, hiking is suitable for all ages!

What do you need to hike?

Good hiking shoes. Don’t get overwhelmed when you walk into a store and see all the different kind of hiking shoes. Find a pair of shoes that are suitable for all weather and terrain. The first time you wear your new shoes, your feet could hurt so wear them in once or twice before you go on a major hike.

Wear clothing suitable for the season. During the summer season, a tank top or t-shirt with comfortable pants, sunglasses and a hat is suitable. During the colder months, I like to wear layers; a cotton top, a fleece sweatshirt, a windproof vest, earmuffs of something similar, and a pair of sunglasses.

Get a light backpack so you carry 2 liters of water, healthy snacks, and a sandwich.

How to get started?

Never ever hike alone. Have you watched 127 hours?! Don’t do it. My suggestion is to find a hiking group you are comfortable with. Qualified guides who have been on the trails before organize hiking groups. It is the safest way to go. It also gives you a chance to meet others, some of which will be first-timers just like you and others who have been hiking for years.

My favorite hiking group is Born2Hike: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Born2hike/ Why hike in Lebanon?

Lebanon’s diverse nature consists of the Mediterranean sea, rugged mountain peaks, and green fertile valleys. An ancient land, Lebanon’s outdoors has a lot to offer. The pictures should speak for themselves.

Happy hiking!

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DIVA’S

Lunchtime revamped by bazaar staff

A new menu to go with the new look? Why not! Diva’s has gone all out by revamping their lunchtime menu. Upon perfecting breakfast, they’ve broken into the lunch zone with tantalizing new dishes along with their jazzed up classics. Working closely with French chef extraordinaire, Edward Gresser, Diva’s resident chef Wael Saab has created a spectacular array of delicious choices. Diva’s has started a food revolution with this fabulous upgrade. With a whole new image to portray their goals, Diva’s is building a brand for the future. Only serving the best, Diva’s has given us the opportunity to witness the evolution of food.

Overlooking the serene setting of the Arabian Gulf, the terrace of the Olympia Mall is a prime location for their second branch. Warm woods and a beautiful view compliment their latest lunchtime creations brilliantly. For those that would prefer a more enclosed space, Diva’s has delivered a sea of royal purple and subtle gold at their indoor seating option. Catering to every taste and requirement, their menu features only the freshest of ingredients and creative healthy options. High120

end quality ingredients are sourced and specially prepared for you to enjoy with every visit.

Dishes from all over inspire Diva’s selections making the cuisine truly international. For starters, you can always go a little wild and order an appetizer combo to share with your table or order your very own. The choices of salads are endless from either a simple side salad a la Greek, or the salad that has everything, the deliciously filling Niçoise. Craving a burger but too full to enjoy one of their full-sized burger choices? Not a problem!

Opt for their delicious mini beef or chicken burgers for your fix without the guilt. Or sink your teeth into one of their beautifully layered club sandwiches made with only the freshest ingredients available.

Everything they serve is locally sourced to ensure that you get the best. As for their beef, Diva’s has taken it a step further by bringing you the finest certified American Angus for your culinary pleasure. If after all of this you still find yourself indecisive about lunch, why not ask about the special of the day? With a different dish every time, Diva’s will certainly keep you on your toes. A refreshing drink to compliment your lunch

is always a good choice. Try one of their menu staples or go for the seasonally available fresh options. With summer inching closer, the cooling summer refreshers will start appearing on their menu to cool down even the hottest of days.

After lunch, why not sip on some relaxing green tea, black tea with mint, or an aromatic cup of coffee and enjoy the view a little longer. Even browse the menu a little for some desserts. Their freshly made fondant is a decadent chocoholic’s dream. Steaming and delicious, this dessert is one of their popular choices. If chocolate gooey goodness isn’t for you, then try their signature dessert dish, the Nancy crêpe. A classic favorite, the Nancy crêpe will tickle your taste buds and give you the perfect post-lunch sugar fix.

Diva’s Restaurant & Café is located on the top floor of the Olympia Mall off the Gulf Road and on Belajat Street (opposite BK). For more information call them on 2226 8644 (Olympia) or 180 9070 (Belajat), or follow them on Facebook: Diva’s Restaurant, on Instagram @divasq8, or on Twitter @divasolympia.

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bazaar apps The best for App-ril (See what we did there?)

BROAPP

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FLYING CYRUS

THREADLESS

Flying Cyrus is the latest Flappy Bird spinoff to reach the number-one spot in Apple’s App Store. Similar to the Fall Out Boy-themed Fall Out Bird, the game uses the same old tapping mechanics, though instead of a bird dodging pipes it sees a tongue-wagging defiant Miley Cyrus navigating sledgehammers and wrecking balls. Tap to flap your wings to fly and try to get 7 medals, from easy (green) to insanely hard (gold). It’s more ridiculous than the original, but just as addictive. The app is available for free on iOS and Android, but we must warn you that the accompanying ads are terribly annoying.

The design community Threadless rolled out its first app recently. The app is similar to the company’s web-based platform that crowd-sources design ideas from its global user base and eventually turns the most popular designs into products people can actually buy. With the iOS app, users can score designs for partner design challenges, get updates about upcoming design challenges, and shop their one-of-a-kind tees and other stuff.

Users can also practice their doodling and drawing for future design submissions or “Threadcam” their face, friend’s face or dog’s face onto classic Threadless designs. The free app is available for iPhone devices only.

FEEDLY

HOOTSUITE

There’s really going to be no middle ground here. Either you’re going to think this app is brilliant, or you’re going to think it’s stupid. It may seem like a joke but BroApp is a utility for guys who want to essentially outsource their relationships. Give BroApp your girlfriend’s digits and you can tell the app exactly where, when and how to text your significant other.

Texts such as “Hey babe, how was your day?” and ‘’Miss you :)” You can even add your own custom messages. It even has built-in safeguards to prevent them from finding out you have the app. The $1.99 app is available on Android with an iOS version coming “soon.”

Feedly is a great way to read the news from all of your favorite sites, RSS feeds, tumblr blogs, and YouTube channels. Instead of having to hunt down news, feedly aggregates the contents of the news sites and blogs you like and delivers them as a fast mobileoptimized experience. Browse the latest headlines in tech, news, business, gaming, photography, and YouTube, and they come out fast and as pocket-sized cards on your mobile. Easily save articles on your mobile or iPad, and share them with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Feedly also integrates with Pocket, Instapaper and Evernote. Available free for Android and iOS devices.

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Imagine an app to create a movie that includes every day for the rest of your life... For 3 years the developer recorded 1 second every day so as to never forget another day of his life ever again. The project had such a positive impact on his life that he passionately developed an App to make it easy for anyone else to do it too. The App accesses any videos recorded on your phone or you can record directly from the App. It has reminders so you never forget a day, and keeps multiple timelines, so you can have one for yourself and one for each of your kids. You can then post your compilations directly to your social networks or keep them privately on your phone if you do not want to share them. Available free for 30 days and for $0.99 to continue.

Hootsuite is a social media management system, which allows you to manage Twitter, Facebook and a number of other social media networks. It includes features like being able to shorten URL’s as well as schedule your tweets and Facebook posts for anytime, and from almost anywhere.

While Hootsuite may be a little much for a personal account, for businesses it’s perfect. In fact, it’s designed specifically for team collaboration. It also gives the user analytics capabilities in order to better streamline their use, meaning users can better interact with other users. Available free for up to 5 social network accounts for Android and iPhone users.

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AFTER THE BREAK

Get moving again at Dar Al-Shifa by bazaar staff

Your orthopedist places the x-ray on the lit screen in front of you. You can clearly see the cut in your tibia where half your shin is no longer connected to your foot. The doctor tells you that you don’t need surgery, but you will be off your leg for at least 4 months, if not more. For almost half a year, you are immobilized as you try to acclimate to you new single-legged life. Then, the day you have been waiting for, the cast is coming off.

“The doctors will say it’s completely healed,” said Dr. Sarafudheen Villan, specialist in physical and rehabilitation medicine at Dar Al-Shifa Hospital. “You are expecting the limbs and the joints will be perfect like before, because the doctor says it looks fine. You remove it and you find it is quite awkward.”

This, says Dr. Villan, is one of the many reasons you could be referred to the physiotherapy department and then the tough part really begins.

In the time that your leg was in a cast, your muscles were immobilized to ensure your bone heals properly, and you would have experienced muscle atrophy or muscle wasting. Within the first week of your limb’s recovery, the unused muscles decrease in size and ability. The only way to get it back to normal use is through extensive physical therapy and exercise.

At Dar Al-Shifa, Dr. Villan uses a holistic approach in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with this and other similar issues. Unlike other medical 124

conditions, rehabilitation will not work without the patient’s cooperation. There is no pill you can take to make that leg function normally again. Therefore, it is imperative to Dr. Villan that each patient is psychologically prepared for treatment, and does not face complications in his personal life and work that could hinder the recovery.

His main goal, he says, is to restore movement and normal body functions patients may have lost due to injuries like the one described, surgery, an illness or a disability. The majority of patients he sees come in with muscular skeletal issues such as hip or knee replacement, broken bones, post operative or post trauma issues. Once he has completed his investigation, his first focus is pain management.

“Unless the patient cooperates, we can’t do much,” said Dr. Villan. “If they continue to complain of pain during the sessions, we can’t do much. So the first thing we have to do is control the pain, then we address the disabilities.”

Even with pain medication, patients are likely to experience some type of pain or discomfort during the rehabilitation process. Patients need to be aware that to get better they have to set themselves on a path that requires willpower, discipline, perseverance and an incredible amount of patience. The first exercises will be difficult, painful and extremely uncomfortable. Yet, the harder one works, the easier the exercises will get.

Dar Al-Shifa uses some of the most advanced

machines in the field to help build up a patient’s muscle strength and flexibility. One such machine is the REPEX table, a state-of-the-art continuous passive motion machine for people with back pain. The patient lies face down on the table and it automatically and passively exercises the lower back to its full available range of motion. The table does all the work, so that there is no additional tension and strain on the muscle.

Along with exercises and massage at the hospital, Dr. Villan also prescribes the patient with at-home exercises that need to be done throughout the day. He likens this recovery process to a gym regimen. Just as a frequent gym-goer will increase muscle mass much quicker than someone who only works out a couple times a week, so goes the recovery process for most of the conditions they see at Dar Al-Shifa’s physiotherapy department.

At the end of the process, Dr. Villan and his team want to see their patients comfortable in their lives, and able to function normally with little to no impairment from an injury. Yet, it isn’t he that makes such a decision, it is the patient and their perseverance that becomes the most important factor in the healing process.

To contact Dar Al-Shifa call 1802 555, visit their website at daralshifa.com or connect with them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @daralshifa.

LOVE

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bazaar a la mode CONSTRUCTION AND LIGHTNESS FOR A FRESH AND PLAYFUL SPRING AT COS There’s playful construction and a youthful air at COS for spring/summer ‘14, with bold shapes and soft colors creating a collection that’s both fresh and dynamic. Fabrics tell the story of each garment, whether it be iridescent silk nylons or the perfect papery white poplin. The sea is an inspiration throughout, from the translucent surface to the sci-fi world of the deep. Jolts of color and decisive cutting techniques help define a wardrobe of pieces that are as wearable as they are optimistic.

For women, shape is key. Whether voluminous, like a cocooning burgundy dress with caped sleeves or subtle, such as the racer cut armholes that gives a sporty feeling to tops and dresses. Elegant ideas are made contemporary, such as a bustier dress with a square cut skirt that has hidden pockets for a touch of insouciance.

Simplicity of style comes from a ripple effect T-shirt dress with kimono sleeves, to a crisp white poplin shirt with engineered sleeves. Sheer layers add lightness, such as the sheer nylon skirt that falls from a white cotton poplin top on a two-layered dress, or the versatile sheer collarless shirt, worn under tops or over vests. Meanwhile an A-line denim dress, with a white ribbed cotton neckline, is a simple yet effective solution dress.

A third dimension of the garments is explored through cut. From the pale lavender dress with 3D pleats and hidden pockets, to the white trousers with a 3D side pleat, or the silk cotton skirt with a wave drape at the waist. Fabric also gives extra dimensionality, whether it be the futuristic double-woven silk nylon of a sleeveless dress, the 3D texture of a knit dress with rounded sleeves, or the pleasing density of a the technical cotton used in a pale lavender coat.

For men, petrol tonic wool mohair gives a single-breasted blazer and tailored trousers with nylon webbing side tabs for extra utility - both sheen and density of color. The same webbing is used as a trim on short-sleeved white cotton poplin shirts and long-sleeve cotton jersey tops. The shirt is reduced to its simplest state with a tunic that has hidden buttons at the shoulder, while a papery poplin short-sleeved shirt has its collar removed for absolute clarity.

For more information visit cosstores.com

TED BAKER SS14 - GET IN ON THE ACT Fashion’s foremost enigmatic showman, Ted Baker, has set the stage for an eye-popping collection of stylish thrills and frills this SS14. Memorable moments of beauty appear alongside mesmerising, irreverent style to amaze and astound, in equal measure. Ted’s sumptuous womenswear collection puts on a show this SS14 with striking prints, strong silhouettes and intoxicating colors. Theatrical tones and sorbet shades, including pink, lilac, lemon and mint, are paired with metallic highlights to create a stylish allure. Botanical beauty provides a focus on prints, with Ted’s ‘Rose on Canvas’, ‘Symmetrical Orchid’ and ‘Sugar Sweet Floral’ prints flourishing across clothing and accessories. Modernised through color and texture, tailoring features boucle and subtle metallic fabrics, whilst cocoon coats, blazers and cropped jackets are draped effortlessly over the shoulder. Fluid feminine fabrics and cleverly placed pleats and tucks on dresses take a lead role, whilst free flowing dresses and tops twinkle with jewels, adding glamour and charm to the collection. In contrast, clean lines and structured silhouettes also make an appearance, including colour block dresses, minimal detailing and biker styling adding an edge to jackets and coats. Neon continues to make a statement with Ted’s ‘Electric Dreams’ floral print featuring fluorescent flashes.

Statement pieces include a lime neoprene dress and a neon yellow knit, teamed with neon yellow bomber jacket and nude leather shorts. After all, it’s not enough to know how to look the part…you have to know how to turn heads.Ted’s menswear collection, meanwhile, is full of flamboyant polish and panache, offering vibrant colors, original prints and thrilling threads. Stripes, spots, geos and checks appear throughout, whether worn head to toe or as subtle details on clothing and accessories. A pink and white linen stripe blazer conjures up an image of a quintessential English seaside gent, while the geometric floral designs of Turkish tiles provide inspiration for statement printed shirts and accessories.

Jackets feature distinctive debonair touches including smarter tortoiseshell and mother of pearl buttons, and shirts have wider, button down collars. For a more casual look, unlined unstructured blazers relax in soft linens and cottons, teamed with plain or micro check chino trousers and shorts. Harrington and bomber-style jackets continue the stress free vibe, and wardrobe staples such as polos, t-shirts and lightweight knits appear across a palette of punchy tones. So get in on the act with Ted this SS14, and enjoy a spectacularly fashionable collection that will take your breath away.

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NINA RICCI An ode to femininity Nina Ricci’s collection is a tribute to the feminine charm. Designer Peter Copping infused a splash of bright colors into the collection, heralding the new season in great style.

Fairytale gowns embellished with ruffles, diaphanous lace and smart clutches paved the way for a modern princess.

Nina Ricci is available in Al Ostoura Thuraya Mall. For more information call 2571 7277/67.

G-STAR RAW FOR SPRING/SUMMER 2014 While the new G-Star RAW campaign concept for Spring/Summer 2014 is not revealed as yet, the key denim looks for the season are now known. The Type C features in the campaign for both men and women. The latest and most unrestrained cut in the G-Star 3D denim line, the Type C is constructed with an extremely tapered fit and elongated rear pockets. Women will be able to create a nonchalant feminine look by combining the light aged Type C with chic, white tops and a long, blue workwear jacket. In addition to the dynamic color interplay, the distressed and destroyed denim contradicts beautifully with soft, clean tops. For men, a shiny nylon overshirt is paired with the Type C to create fresh contrast. Or for an extremely lowered look, the Tacoma XL Long shirt is combined with the low-crotched Type C. Since releasing the world’s first 3D denim in 1996, G-Star has continuously reinvented denim construction. Like the G-Star Elwood, Arc and A-Crotch, the Type C is a product of both extensive development and G-Star’s belief in the unlimited possibilities of denim.

THE RETROSPECTIVE RANGE This season, G-Star RAW celebrates its 25th anniversary with a premium denim range: LUMBER PANT – Authentic denim workwear, since 1994. The Lumber is inspired by an early miner’s pant that would have been worn over trousers as protection. Workwear inspired details such as a cinch-back and enlarged back pockets are prominent in the design.

FAEROES – Functional workwear, since 1995. Inspired by a carpenter’s pant and translated in denim, the Faeroes is built to be tough and long wearing.

G-STAR ELWOOD – The birth of 3D denim, since 1996. The G-Star Elwood was created

by G-Star head designer Pierre Morisset in 1996. The design is inspired by the weathered pants of a passing motorcyclist. With this very first 3D denim design, G-Star mapped out a new way of thinking about denim.

US FIRST – Modern luxury, since 1996. G-Star designed the US First in raw denim as a modern take on classic 5-pocket denim design.

PREMIUM FABRICS – 25 years of washes. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, G-Star reintroduces Streaky Red Listing - a re-release of the very first G-Star premium denim fabric.

25OZ DENIM - To celebrate its 25th anniversary, G-Star has woven an exclusive 25oz– raw denim. The fabric is a technical wonder due to the difficulty of producing denim over 19oz.

OASIS SPRING/SUMMER - TWO THOUSAND AND FOURTEEN Be charmed by pattern, prints and pretty pops of colour at Oasis this Spring/Summer 2014.

Say goodbye matchy-matchy and hello matchy-patchy this season! Contrast patterns and reversible sister print separates herald an exciting new head-to-toe patched rather than matched look. From flat florals, bold botanicals and tropical palms to marble effects, tribal motifs, graphic monochrome designs and snakeskin jacquards, Spring/Summer 2014 sees a plethora of prints and patterns.

Luxurious fabrics are in abundance, with pretty satin skips sitting alongside textured suede separates, laser cut leather and beautiful broderie anglaise. Spring/Summer 2014 is the season of the skirt. From mini to maxi to skater, styles are varied, but with none more modern than the new take on pencil, A-line and midi styles, available in rich jacquards, soft denims and structured leathers. And if the skirt is the hero of the season then the cropped top surely is the heroine. Paired together with new skirt styles in demure, almost ladylike lengths, the cropped top gives a modern, sportlike feel to the trend.The sugar rush continues with ice cream flavors from pistachio to lemon to peach offering a tasty highlight. Pastel shades contrast with accents of sunny chartreuse, chilli red, delftware blues, burnt oranges and monochromatic black and white.

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DANA GHAREEB TALKS NUTRITION AND FOOD SAFETY Safe Food, Safe Family by bazaar staff

As the nationwide, “Safe Food, Safe Family” campaign reaches its final stages, we were amazed by what this non-profit community initiative led by Al Yasra Foods managed to accomplish in such a short period of time. Aimed at engaging the community in a conversation about food safety, weekly events were held at various hotspots across Kuwait.

From weekly ‘Food Safety Week’ events held at different hypermarkets or cooperatives filled with interactive tips and tricks, barbecue cookouts that encouraged and educated beach goers about barbecuing safety, seminars at school for pre-schoolers right up to high school children to having a ‘DIY Detergent Booth’ at an organic market to teach people how to make their own safe and organic detergent, the initiative has been well executed to ensure that awareness is 128

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raised throughout different facets of Kuwait’s society. bazaar caught up with campaign ambassador and seasoned nutritionist, Dana Ghareeb, to find out more.

Tell us about yourself Dana, when did you first become interested in nutrition and food safety?

My journey began in high school, when I had horrible eating habits and would fall sick all the time. That’s when I decided that it was time to make a change and I started my foray into the world of healthy eating. I felt healthier, more energized and more positive as a whole, and my mother, who is also a very health-conscious individual, encouraged me to share my new healthy outlook with others. That’s when I decided to pursue nutrition as my career path, thus completing my degree and masters in that field.

What’s your biggest concern as a nutritionist

based in Kuwait?

The main concern I have regarding food safety is that people are unaware that it starts at home. They are quick to point fingers at the cooperatives, supermarkets and food distributors, but take no ownership when it comes to proper food handling procedures. For example, I see people placing their groceries in the trunk of their car in Kuwait. The weather is way too hot in this region for food items to be left in the trunk; they have to actually be left in the backseat where air conditioning is circulating. Also, most people have no idea that their eggs should be kept on the shelves of their fridge and not on the door.

The constant opening and closing of the fridge door causes the temperature to fluctuate and eggs cannot withstand this constant change of temperature. This, and other risky food safety

REVEALER

behaviors are the primary reason Al Yasra Foods started the initiative “Safe Food, Safe Family”.

Spill the food safety beans, what is this all about?

We’ve all heard of food poisoning, and many of us have experienced it. However, most of us assume that we have no role in preventing food poisoning. The most common misconception is that food poisoning can only occur as a result of spoilt, rotten, or expired food items. The reality is that anyone who handles food can be the cause behind food poisoning unless they are fully aware of the right food safety measures that should be taken to prevent it.

What are some food safety measures that must be implemented inside the home?

There are four food safety principles that everyone should live by and they are: Cook, Clean, Chill and Separate. These principles actually start before you even bring food into the home, and start from the point of purchase at the co-op or supermarket and they don’t end until you’ve had your last bite.

Cook: Cook food to its proper temperature and use a thermometer to make sure this actually happens.

Clean: Remember to wash your hands for 20 seconds before and after handling any food, this also encompasses washing fruits and vegetables as well as cleaning all kitchen surfaces.

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Chill: Chilling food items is vital, so remember to set your freezer at -18 degrees Celsius and your fridge at 5 degrees Celsius.

Separate: Use separate chopping boards for meat, poultry, seafood, fruits and vegetables and dairy. Also, remember to separate these items in your grocery cart and in shopping bags.

Following these four major principles will help reduce the cases of food poisoning that stem from home. Our website: www.safefoodsafefamily.org houses all of our important food safety information in five different languages - English, Arabic, Hindi, Tagalog and Malayalam.

Can you give us some examples that demonstrate how we easily jeopardize our food consumption on a daily basis without noticing?

There are so many ways in which food is jeopardized at home in Kuwait. One of the most frequent ways food is jeopardized is when people don’t directly head home from the co-operative or supermarket. They tend to pick up the kids and run all their errands before heading back, which means certain frozen items have been left outside of the freezer for over two hours. This is a huge mistake, as by then bacteria would have multiplied on your food item. Additionally, you see people using the same chopping board for raw foods like poultry, and then using the same chopping board to chop up their ready-to-eat vegetables! The list

goes on and on, and I think the main denominator in all of them is just the lack of education on what food safety actually is, and how one can practice it.

What is the next step for the ‘Safe Food, Safe Family’ campaign?

Al Yasra Foods has taken the first step in education and awareness when it comes to food safety. We have taken up the role in being catalysts when it comes to reducing food poisoning cases in Kuwait, but ultimately we need the commitment from the consumers, authorities and other companies in truly realizing our vision.

What’s next for Dana Ghareeb?

To continue promoting health, wellness, and food safety in Kuwait and this will be evident in the next stages of our initiative “Safe Food, Safe Family”. We started off targeting consumers in the home, but our goal is a lot broader. We not only want to target families, but restaurants, and manufacturers. We believe that any entity or individual should implement food safety best practices with any relation to food, and we hope that this initiative will start shining a bright light on an issue that hasn’t had much traction in Kuwait before.

For more information, you can visit their website: safefoodsafefamily.org and follow the initiative on Instagram @safefoodsafefamily.

KITIKO

big boys toys Because grown men still need to play

TEMPEL ELECTRONIC WORK BENCH

RUBBER BAND MACHINE GUN

SMEG FIAT 500 REFRIGERATOR

Modeled after 19th-Century writing desks (remember those?) this workbench features 26 drawers for storage and a spacious worktop.

The piece can be unfolded to reveal a working area at the top with a capability of a high-tech working environment with a built-in computer, sound system and soldering station plus a unique lighted planetarium locking mechanism.

Every detail has been carefully processed and adapted to fit with the traditional look but retain the modern usability by Swedish based designer and craftsman, Love Hulten.

Next time you engage in an office rubber band warfare, pull out the Rubber Band Machine Gun and make everyone surrender. This crazy contraption is capable of firing 672 rubber bands in an impressive 48 seconds! The all-wooden, fully-automatic machine gun includes 16 barrels capable of holding multiple bands each, and a fully automatic trigger mechanism activated by a small electric engine, fed by 5 AA batteries. This bad boy can fire rubber bands at a rate of 14 shots per second at a range of over 26 feet! Also included is a fast charging device, allowing you to charge the weapon in a few minutes.

The classic Fiat 500’s size may be too small for many in Kuwait, but turning the tiny 2-door into a working fridge is a great idea and one that came from the creative minds at SMEG, a modern Italian appliance maker. Now that’s what you call recycling. Using only the front end of the car, they put a 100-liter capacity fridge under the hood. You can opt for the SMEG500 in classic red, green or white. KD 2,000 gets you this pretty impressive conversation piece, which also features working headlights, three removable bottle holders, a removable glass shelf, and an energy rating of A+.

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BANDIT9 EVE MOTORCYCLE

DUB BOX VW-STYLE CAMPER TRAILER

GORUCK 20L GYM BAG

Straddling the line between usable product and art, the Bandit9 Eve Motorcycle is among the most beautiful two-wheelers we’ve ever seen.

Outfitted in nearly all chrome — pretty much everything is chrome, save for the handle grip, tires, the engine, carburetor, footrests, and cattle skin leather seat — this sleek ride is based on a 1967 Honda SS (the first Japanese bike ever imported to Vietnam), can be built with engines ranging from 90-125cc, and is absolutely guaranteed to draw as much attention as any bike you’ve ever ridden. EVE Concept will cost you KD 1,300 and will be perfect for an artsy, retro-futuristic ride that you will probably obsess over keeping nice and shiny.

The Dub Box has everything that’s awesome about a classic Volkswagen camper bus minus the miniscule engine. Ditching that and turning it into a trailer makes it much more roadworthy while still retaining its charms as a classic cabin.

The trailers are not made from old busses but made entirely of fiberglass and Custom-built to order in Oregon. The standard model comes with a ten year body leak guarantee and is fitted with a retro style fridge, CD player with personal MP3 player with charger and dock, stereo speakers, and LED lighting, amongst other things. It’s not just about occasional holidays on the road either, this is a lifestyle choice, and we think you’ll love it.

This compact, American-made gym bag is on the smaller side and is perfect for workout gear, clothes, shoes and towels, or a few daytrip supplies. However, because it’s made of doublelayered 1000D Cordura, the same military-grade and water-resistant material that Goruck uses for its rucksacks, and strength tested over 400lbs, you could literally use it to haul bricks.

Backed up with a lifetime guarantee and made in 20L and 38L capacities and a variety of colors, it even includes 2 X 3 inch Velcro on the front allowing you to customize the kit bag with the patch of your choice.

www.uncrate.com

www.werd.com

www.werd.com

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THAT AL SALASIL

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bazaar checks it out INGIE PARIS SPRING SUMMER 2014 COLLECTION - IMPRESSIONISM EMBRACES FASHION The Châteaux of the Loire Valley and the Impressionist landscapes of the French country side form Ingie’s story telling plateau for the Spring Summer 2014 Collection. Immersed in fields of spreading flowers, her muse resides in the private surroundings of her petit Château. Upon morning light, INGIE’s empress strolls among the luscious gardens of the Château de Chambord. Holding her lilac silk skirt she gazes at the lake waters.

We see glimpses of her wearing an ivory gazart long dress in blooming floral motifs, a gorgeous tweed coat that forms back into pleats of shades of rose gold and an ivory tweed ensemble resembling a bouquet of camomiles. Dressing for her Petit Trianon tea parties she swaps between elegant lime pastel and cotton candy knitwear. She fashions feminine short dresses that are perfect for her daily activities. Voluminous layers as soft as a bite from a rose macaroon are juxtaposed with the crispness of white broderie anglaise. The look is aristocratic and novel. Inside her Château she throws lavish parties and always knows how to dress for the occasion. She dazzles her special guests in a romantic and glamorous straight line lace flower-patterned black dress. In her ethereal realm, her wardrobe is overflowing with shimmering colors to compliment her fairy-tale lifestyle. As the doors of the castle open she invites us to embrace her magic world…

Renowned fashion icon Ingie Chalhoub’s eponymous label, INGIE Paris, epitomises craftsmanship, elegance and sophistication. Every collection is a mix of French flair, glamorous cuts and painstaking attention to detail. The instantaneous success of the first INGIE Paris capsule collection of glamorous dresses in 2009 ensured the evolution of the label, now encompassing a complete offer of every covetable piece a fashionforward stylista would need, from evening gowns, to cocktail dresses, to daywear ensembles and knitwear pieces. The label’s trademarks include intricate detailing with shining sequins to delicate embroideries and dazzling embellishments showing off its couture heritage, whilst only the most luxurious of carefully sourced fabrics like Duchess satin, organza brocades, gleaming lame and tactile velvets ensure sensual yet always sophisticated silhouettes.

INGIE Paris is available at: INGIE Paris, Prestige, The Avenues (2220 0655), or Etoile “La boutique”, The Avenues (222 00524). For a unique online luxury experience you can visit www.ingie-paris.com, or follow them on Facebook: INGIE Paris or Pinterest @ingieparis.

LABEL.M THICKENING SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER beau-tique cosmetics international has the pleasure of announcing the arrival of label.m Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner, designed to enhance both hair thickness, density, volume and abundance. These products are paraben free and help protect against damage containing the exclusive Enviroshield Complex and powerful antioxidants, offering visible thickness along with a weightless yet lasting volume and lift from the very first use. The Shampoo and Conditioner work to improve the look of fullness. Both contain label.m’s NRG Complex and Time-Release technology that help enhance the benefits with prolonged use. label.m Thickening Shampoo gently cleanses whilst infusing hair with weightless volume for long-lasting body and lift. This shampoo helps achieve long-lasting weightless volume from root-to-tip and instantly gives visible thickness to any hair type. label.m Thickening Conditioner hydrates and nourishes whilst infusing hair with weightless volume for long-lasting body and lift. This volume-building conditioner expertly detangles, moisturises and plumps each strand from the inside out for instantly visible thickness and weightless density. The duo works best when used with label.m Thickening Cream and Volume Foam. label.m Thickening Cream actively swells hair to a luxe new dimension while protecting the hair against heat styling and UV rays. label.m Volume Foam is a lightweight foam dedicated to volumizing fine hair and its non-greasy liquid formula helps to boost hair without weighing it down.

For more information please call beau-tique cosmetics international on: 2225 1285 ROYALE HAYAT HOSPITAL CROWNED “THE BEST HOSPITAL IN KUWAIT” FOR THE 4TH YEAR Royale Hayat Hospital won first place in the Healthcare Category for the fourth year in a row in the Service Hero Awards. Service Hero is the Arab World’s only 100% consumer-driven customer satisfaction index.

Their voting platform empowers consumers to rate the service quality of places they have visited and tried.

“Winning “First Place Award” and being voted as best hospital in Kuwait, is a testament to our dedication to providing superior patient care throughout Kuwait and the region,” said Dr. Bader Alzaid Altraiji, Deputy CEO. Dr. Bader added, “This award doesn’t only honor organizations making a significant impact on the quality of health care, but it also boosts our energy to further excel, develop and expand to provide more medical advancement, enhanced technology, specialties, departments, qualifications, and maintain our international standards in safety, which is one of the most vital factors in our medical services.”Since launching in 2006, Royale Hayat promised and delivered the safest, most modern and highest quality of medical care and services to the Kuwaiti society in an environment of compassion, comfort and care.

For more information about Royale Hayat Hospital phone 2536 0000, visit www.royalehayat.com or follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @royalehayat 136

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DARK CHOCOLATE PROVEN TO HAVE HEALTH BENEFITS

by Monte Morin

For years, chocolate lovers have remained blissfully unaware of the precise reason bittersweet dark chocolate seems to improve cardiovascular health. At least until, now that is.

Last month researchers at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Dallas said they had solved the confection conundrum: Specific chocolate-loving microbes in the gut convert an otherwise indigestible portion of the candy into anti-inflammatory compounds, they said.

Using a series of modified test tubes to simulate humans’ gurgling guts, researchers exposed several forms of cocoa powder to digestive juices and enzymes, and then to bacteria found in fecal samples. What they found was that after cocoa was “digested,” long molecules called polyphenolic polymers remained within the gastrointestinal, or GI, tract. The molecules are too large to cross the walls of the gut and be used as nutrients, according to researcher John Finley, a professor of food science and biochemistry at 138

Louisiana State University. “They do nothing for us except travel down the GI tract after we consume them,” Finley said. That is until they encounter some of the many microbes that inhabit the human colon, particularly Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria, researchers said. “These little guys say, ‘Hey — there’s something in there that I can use,’ and they start to break it down,” Finley said. The smaller molecules that result from this fermentation can travel through the gut wall and be used by the body, researchers said.

“These materials are anti-inflammatory and they serve to prevent or delay the onset of some forms of cardiovascular disease that are associated with inflammation,” Finley said. A number of shortterm studies conducted in recent years have suggested that dark chocolate can cause blood vessels to dilate, and thus lower blood pressure, although this is not the case with white chocolate and milk chocolate. It has been unclear exactly why this happens, but researchers had focused on the

effects of anti-oxidant flavanols, such as catechin and epicatechin. Finley said these were among the compounds that were poorly digested, yet acted upon by gut microbes. The other substance that was fermented was dietary fiber, which makes up about 30 percent of cocoa powder. He said that the amount of cocoa powder that appeared to produce beneficial effects was about two tablespoons a day.

One of the issues involving dark chocolate, Finley said, was the amount of sugar and fat that chocolate candy contained. He said you could avoid those substances by putting cocoa powder on oatmeal, as he does. He said it was possible that the beneficial compounds contained within cocoa powder might one day be processed into pill form, and noted that Mars Inc., the maker of M&M candy, was partially funding research into that possibility.

Finely said he wasn’t very excited by this prospect.

“I would rather eat a big old chocolate cookie or a cup of cocoa than . . . take a pill,” he said.

MAS

bazaar books Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures. ~ Jessamyn West

TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE

ONE MORE THING

DIRTY DADDY

EAT THE YOLKS

DIVERGENT

by Solomon Northup

by B.J. Novak

by Bob Saget

by Liz Wolfe

by Veronica Roth

Twelve Years a Slave (1853) is a memoir and slave narrative

by Solomon Northup, as told to and edited by David Wilson.

Northup, a black man who was born free in New York, details his kidnapping and subsequent sale into slavery.

After having being kept for 12 years in Louisiana by various masters, Northup was able to write to friends and family in New York, who were able to secure his release. Northup’s account provides extensive details on the slave markets in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans, as well as describing at length cotton cultivation on major plantations in Louisiana.

Northup’s book sold 30,000 copies, making it a bestseller in its own right. After several editions, the book fell into obscurity for nearly 100 years, until it was re-discovered in the early 1960s when two historians researched and retraced his journey and coedited a historically annotated version that was published in 1968. The memoir has been adapted and produced as the 1984 movie Solomon Northup’s Odyssey and the 2013 Academy Award-winning film 12 Years a Slave.

B.J. Novak’s One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories is an endlessly entertaining, surprisingly sensitive, and startlingly original debut that signals the arrival of a brilliant new voice in fiction. A boy wins a $100,000 prize in a box of Frosted Flakes—only to discover that claiming the winnings might unravel his family. A woman sets out to seduce motivational speaker Tony Robbins—turning for help to the famed motivator himself. One More Thing has at its heart the most human of phenomena: love, fear, hope, ambition, and the inner stirring for the one elusive element just that might make a person complete. Across a dazzling range of subjects, themes and narrative voices, the many pieces in this collection are like nothing else, but they have one thing in common: they share the playful humor, deep heart, sharp eye, and altogether electrifying spirit of a writer with a fierce devotion to the entertainment of the reader. The author B.J. Novak is also a known writer, producer and actor with credits including The Office and Saving Mr.Banks.

Millions of viewers know and love Bob Saget from his role as the sweetly neurotic father on the smash hit Full House, and as the charming wisecracking host of America’s Funniest Home Videos. And then there are the legions of fans who can’t get enough of his scatological, out-of-his-mind stand-up routines, comedy specials, and outrageously profane performances in such shows as HBO’s Entourage . In his bold and wildly entertaining publishing debut, Dirty Daddy: The Chronicles Of A Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian, he continues to embrace his dark side. Bob believes there’s a time and a place for filth.

From his never-before-heard stories of what really went on behind the scenes of two of the most successful family shows of all times, to his tales of legendary friends and colleagues like Richard Pryor, Saget opens up about some of his personal experiences with life and death, his career, and his reputation for sick humor—all with his highly original blend of silliness, vulgarity, humor and heart, and all framed by a man who loves being funny above all else.

We live in an era of health hype and nutrition propaganda, and we’re suffering for it. Decades of avoiding egg yolks, choosing margarine over butter, and replacing the real foods of our ancestors with low-fat, processed, packaged substitutes have left us with an obesity epidemic, ever-rising rates of chronic disease, and, above all, total confusion about what to eat and why. This is a tragedy of misinformation, food industry shenanigans, and cheap calories disguised as health food. It turns out that everything we’ve been told about how to eat is wrong.

In Eat the Yolks, Liz Wolfe debunks all these myths and more, revealing what’s behind the lies and bringing the truth about fat, cholesterol, protein, and carbs to light. With wit and grace, Wolfe makes a compelling argument for a diet based on Paleo foods.

She uncovers the shocking lies we’ve been told about fat, cholesterol, protein, carbs, and calories and brings us the truth about which foods are healthy—and which foods are really harming us.

This is the first book in the hugely successful Divergent trilogy by debut YA author Veronica Roth and has been adapted and recently released as a film. Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue. On an appointed day of every year, all 16-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives.

For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is— she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and alongside her fellow initiates undergoes extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences.

But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

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source: www.amazon.com

LABEL M

bazaar around town THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT FROM BATH & BODY WORKS - VELVET SUGAR Prepare yourself for the perfect pleasure. This holiday, Bath and Body Works introduces the most irresistible gift of the season – Velvet Sugar, an addictive new fragrance that takes gourmand to a whole new level. “We continue to see a huge trend in gourmand fragrances. Using luxurious, delectable ingredients, we were inspired to create a modern, sophisticated take on gourmand that is completely new territory for us.” explains Bath & Body Works President of Brand Development and Merchandising Camille McDonald. A sophisticated blend of delicious and indulgent notes, at the heart of Velvet Sugar is the Red Velvet Accord -- a hint of whipped cocoa, blended with vanilla orchid and three types of sparkling sugar. This beautiful accord is balanced by a playful introduction of Golden Plum, Pink Jasmine and Wild Strawberries and laced with Sugared Musk and Creamy Sandalwood for touch of sensuality.

In describing their creation, Givaudan Perfumers Marypierre Julien and Adriana Medina said, “We were inspired to capture the ultimate in fragrance addiction. Each fragrance note was selected to convey a sensual experience that would leave the wearer indulgently savoring every moment.”

Presented in chic packaging that comes with its own ready-made bow, this fragrance creates the ultimate must-have gift, perfect for the holiday season.

Available now at Bath & Body Works.

ARGANA BLOOMS IN BIDAA’ Argana Resorts & Hotels organized a flower bazaar on Saturday 15th March to celebrate the start of spring in Kuwait, as well as the International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day. The bazaar started at 10 am and continued until 9 pm, and was attended by a large number of people as well as local press and media.

“This bazaar is part of our annual social responsibility plan. We love to encourage individual efforts and to support small businesses as they encourage young entrepreneurs to continue their efforts and work.” said Fatin Zebib, CSR manager at Argana. Zebib noted that Argana aims to continue holding similar events and encouraging such projects by giving them an opportunity to display their work in a key and vibrant area like Bidaa. She added: “We’re always encouraging projects that support greening and helping the environment. It is one of our main goals at Argana to do so.” The businesses that participated in the bazaar were: Au Nom de La Rose, All About Flora, Lily Fleurs, M Flowers, Home & Garden Nurseries, Spring Flowers, Al-Shaheen Nurseries, and Gloriosa Boutique.

FRANKLIN&MARSHALL Franklin&Marshall was part of the KuMSA Talks that were held in Kuwait University’s Faculty of Medicine on 20th of March where they had four speakers, namely- Andrew Henderson who is a world Champion Freestyle football player, Chris Douggs - world base-jumping Champion, Dr Naif Al Mutawa - Creator of the 99 Comic book and Amer Zahr - a comedian.

The talks’ emphasis was on inspiring the youth to follow their dreams and face all obstacles that they come across in life. The speakers each stated examples in their life where they faced a horrible tragedy but with the help of a lot of courage came out of it to become the best and to achieve their goals, to finally reach where they are right now.

Andrew Henderson –World Freestyle Football Champion performed at the Avenues on 19th March for Franklin&Marshall sporting an outfit from their new Spring collection.

He started his performance from in front of Dean and Deluca and moved to enter the store while playing football and performing tricks simultaneously.

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DODGE CHARGER PURSUIT GOES INTO DUTY WITH THE KUWAIT MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR Al Mulla & Behbehani Motor Co. (MBMC), the sole distributor of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Mopar in Kuwait, has just delivered a large fleet of Dodge Chargers to the Ministry of Interior in Kuwait - the vehicles will be put into duty by the Police and Traffic departments. “Designed and engineered to be the safest high-performance police vehicle, the Dodge Charger Pursuit offers those who protect and serve us with the best pursuit-rated sedans in the business,” said Maher Abu Shaaban, Assistant General Manager of MBMC. “Dodge Charger Pursuit highlights the segment’s best combination of world-class technology, safety, acceleration, braking, handling and dynamics.” With superior ride and handling, the Dodge Charger Pursuit features Chrysler Group’s secondgeneration large car rear-wheel-drive architecture with performance-tuned suspension, load-leveling NIVOMAT shocks, heavy-duty anti-lock vented-disc brakes (ABS), front- and rear-stabilizer bars, 18-inch performance tires on steel wheels and two-mode police-specific Electronic Stability Control (ESC). Developed with the guidance of the brand’s Police Advisory Board, the Dodge Charger Pursuit features a mobile-command interior with unique features, including a Vehicle Systems Interface Module for easy equipment integration, heavy-duty police-grade front seats and column-mounted shifter with Auto Stick. The Dodge Charger Pursuit is proving a major hit with security forces around the world.

PORSCHE - SPECIAL EDITION CAYENNE WITH EXTENDED STANDARD EQUIPMENT Porsche Centre Kuwait welcomes arrival of Cayenne Platinum Edition The Cayenne V6 model range has been further refined and is now available as a Platinum Edition at Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company. The exclusive series sees the Cayenne and Cayenne Diesel Platinum Edition models boast unique exterior design features in Platinum Silver and a wider range of standard equipment. Comprising many of the most requested customisation options as standard, the new Cayenne Platinum Edition models accentuate the attractiveness of Porsche’s luxury SUV even further, whereas the enriched equipment range is especially designed to increase comfort and safety. Standard features of the new Cayenne Platinum Edition models include Tiptronic S transmission, Bi-Xenon headlights, Power Steering Plus, ParkAssist (front and rear), as well as privacy glazing in the rear. The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) also comes as standard and includes a navigation module. The Cayenne Platinum Edition with its 3.6-litre V6 engine offers an output of 300 hp. Featuring a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine, the Cayenne Diesel Platinum Edition delivers 245 hp.

The new Cayenne Platinum Edition models are now available at Porsche Centre Kuwait.

‫نور كلينك تتعاون مع الفنانة نور الغندور‬ ‫ الفيديو التصويري األول‬- ‫أطلقت نور كلينك – العيادة المتكاملة إلحتياجات المرأة والعائلة‬ ‫ والذي سوف يتم عرضه على جميع شاشات السينما وعلى‬،‫بالتعاون مع الفنانة الشابة نور الغندور‬ ‫ و قد أعرب السيد فواز علي‬.‫شبكات التواصل اإلجتماعي مثل ( اإلنستغرام واليوتيوب وغيرها‬ ‫ عن مدى سعادته بالتعاون مع الفنانة نور الغندور لتكون‬- ‫ الرئيس التنفيذي نور كلينك‬- ‫األسد‬ ‫ والجدير بالذكر أن «نور كلينك» تتمثل خدماتها في‬.‫الوجه الفني ألول تصوير فيديو لنور كلينك‬ ‫ النساء والوالدة وعيادة‬،‫ عالج الخصوبة‬،‫ الليزر والتجميل‬،‫قسم الجلدية والتناسلية وزراعة الشعر‬ ‫ وتقوم «نور كلينك» باختيار وتعيين الطاقم الطبي باإلرتكاز على‬،‫األسنان المتعددة الخدمات‬ ‫ وكذلك األجهزة المنتقاة‬،‫معايير ومقاييس طبيه عالية وذلك لضمان جودة الخدمة الطبية المقدمة‬ ‫ الليزر ونحت الجسم والتي تعد من أحدث األجهزة والتقنيات من نوعها‬،‫لعمل العمليات مثل السونار‬ ‫ وتهدف «نور كلينك» إلى تقديم أفضل خدمه طبيه مهنيه وتقنيه عالية‬.‫في سوق األجهزة الطبية‬ 23845951/2 :‫ لإلستفسار والحجز‬.‫وأسعار تنافسيه تسمح للجميع باإلستفادة من خدماتها‬

SIRBB CIRCUIT NOW OPEN TO PUBLIC Following the success of its soft launch in October - where hundreds of people attended to witness some of the largest car, motorbike, and drifting parades seen in Kuwait – SIRBB Circuit finally opens its gates for public bookings and walk-ins. In the few months since its launch, SIRBB Circuit has become Kuwait’s premier motorsports destination and gathering point, and the center to most major motor-related events and activities. SIRBB Circuit is the GCC’s newest karting facility, built on modern, state-of-the-art grounds. A truly unique spot in Kuwait, SIRBB Circuit lies at the heart of motor city in Shuwaikh Industrial, right next to the Historical Vintage & Classic Cars Museum and opposite Alghanim Motors – at the intersection of the Jahra and Airport Roads. Under the auspices and generous support of His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al Mohamad Al Sabah, SIRBB Circuit is hoping to become the new hub for automobile enthusiasts and thrill-seekers, and to celebrate all things motor, with a host of experiences already in motion like karting, drift rides and the exclusive Ariel Atom. With more surprises to be rolled out over the course of the year, SIRBB Circuit is a place where Kuwaitis and expats alike can finally live their love for motorsports, right here in their hometown.

For more information and bookings, visit www.sirbbcircuit.com.

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THE PERFECT PIZZA BOX The search goes on

by Adele Peters

Scott Wiener’s giant collection of pizza delivery boxes includes a reusable container that can be returned for cleaning and a box that turns into a set of disposable plates.

Stashed inside closets in his Brooklyn apartment, Scott Wiener has exactly 652 pizza boxes. It’s the Guinness World Record for pizza box collections, and proof of Wiener’s bigger pizza obsession – he also runs a company that takes people on pizzeria tours of New York, writes a blog on pizza, and recently published a book about pizza boxes. “Everything I do is pizza-related,” Wiener says.

What makes the perfect pizza box? Though most are still a simple cardboard square, Weiner says a few innovators have tried to solve some of the design’s basic flaws. “Boxes are notoriously bad at impacting the flavor of a pizza,” he explains.

“Normally you get a pizza in a box, you lift open the box, and the box has trapped so much steam that the pizza is gross and soggy.”

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One smarter box, from New York’s Eataly, uses a reflective aluminum lining to keep pizza hot, while 17 vents let steam escape. But Wiener says the best design he’s seen so far actually comes from Mumbai, India, where a corrugated box manufacturer created the VENTiT, a box that flips around the usual way of making a box: The wavy middle part of the cardboard is stamped with holes before it’s connected with the other layers, creating a series of vents that perfectly handle steam.

Other designs aim for a more sustainable box, like the Green Box, which transforms into a set of disposable plates and a new box for leftovers.

Another, called the Hybrid Pizza Box, is a reusable container that customers can return to their local pizzeria for cleaning, so it never ends up in the trash.

The trick, Wiener says, is coming up with design that doesn’t make manufacturing more expensive.

“That’s why the Green Box is awesome--it doesn’t increase the price of the box,” he says. “It’s sort

of a no-brainer.”

Though Wiener is interested in these structural innovations, most of the boxes in his collection just have a standard design with an interesting print.

The entire collection started on a trip to Israel, when he discovered a yellow-and-blue printed box that looked completely different than anything he’d seen in New York City. “The printing is the fun part,” he says.

“What makes an image interesting is its context. When you’re in an art gallery looking at paintings you sort of have a level of expectation that the art is the final product. In a pizzeria the art is a means to an end,” he explains. “When I find boxes that are more than just placeholders, that’s when I get really excited.”

His book, Viva La Pizza!: The Art of the Pizza Box, details more of the designs, and 12 of the best boxes from his collection are currently on display at a gallery in Brooklyn.

MONSTARIAM

THESE MALLS ARE MADE FOR WALKING

by Purva Grover

A heart that shops is a happy heart, and a heart that walks and shops is both a healthy and happy heart. Have you enrolled yourself in the newest and hottest fitness fad, mall walking?

In this part of the world no one expects us to be walking enthusiasts. Our walking tracks are mostly defined by the distance between the driveway and our doorstep. The sun is always out and hence we aren’t seen much outside. Of course occasionally we run by the beach, jog in the neighborhood park or even walk down to pick up the dry cleaning, but that’s about it. We are not questioned on our walking habits because indoors is where we belong, absolutely during the summer and mostly during the winter too. So, you can imagine my reaction when I received a message from my friends asking me to join them for a walk at mid noon. Further, the message said that if I wished I could slip into my latest designer number and bring my credit card along too. And yes, I had to come wearing my walking shoes and meet them at the ground floor of the mall. Clueless and curious, I 146

joined them and was told that we were going mall walking, a form of exercise in which people walk or jog through the long corridors of shopping malls.

The mall was fairly empty, which gave us enough space to walk, talk and window shop. I also learnt that in the West, malls open their doors early for walkers, in fact in many places one can even register for mall fitness programs and indulge in mall walking and ‘mallxercise’. While the concept was developed in the U.S. to motivate people to walk indoors during cold days, I observed how well it works for us as well. A friend mentioned how, each time she visits the mall, she spends three to four hours just walking from one favorite store to another. Now, isn’t this a lovely way to walk and shop sans the guilt? I for a fact, loved plugging in my iPod and walking in the empty corridors, and after two laps when I felt de-motivated, took a break to window-admire a few desirable things. It also warmed my heart to see many old men and women walking slowly in the corridors, and they told me that they liked the mall better than the community

park because it was cleaner and had washrooms at a handshake distance. It was indeed quite interesting to see walking shoes peeping from under the abayas and flared pants. I made a note, next time I’d go wearing track pants and encourage others to join me. And when it was finally time to stop, we made a wise choice of ordering a glass of fruit juice at the food court. We had just enrolled ourselves in a fitness program that was absolutely free and fun, and we were spoilt by enough healthy food choices too. We loved chatting as we walked, and realized that just one round of a mall was enough to lose calories and move the limbs. Before we left, we promised to walk down The Avenues, Kuwait’s largest mall, one day but for that we need to build mall walking stamina.

Would I go mall walking again? Definitely yes, especially because this walking track is open 24/7. No sweat stains, no dirty walking tracks and no weather constraints; mall walking is a fitness choice that is centered on our concerns, curiosities and comforts.

SUNRISE

bazaar techno Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. ~ Arthur C. Clarke

AEROBULL

SAMSUNG GEAR 2 SMARTWATCH

EYELOCK MYRIS

A slobbering waddling bulldog doesn’t exactly conjure up images of audio excellence—unless you define ‘audio excellence’ as that wheezing, panting thing most of them do. But this little guy is different. The AeroBull from Jarre Technologies brings you all the blue collar charm of a bulldog with the audio quality of a top-notch Bluetooth speaker. This unique speaker features a 5.25inch subwoofer, dual 2.25-inch satellites, 100W of total power, an iPod/iPhone dock, Bluetooth for wireless streaming, NFC, and a line-in for other audio sources. But the best part? It looks like a dog wearing sunglasses — and that will match anything.

You missed out on the original Galaxy Gear, and the Samsung Gear Fit is just a little too fitnessfocused for you. What to do? Grab a Samsung Gear 2 Smartwatch instead. Powered by Samsung’s Tizen platform, this second-gen wearable features a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED screen, a 1 GHz dual-core processor, a 2 MP camera, 4GB of internal memory, Bluetooth 4.0, an accelerometer, gyroscope, and heart rate monitor, the ability to answer calls, give you text, email, and app notifications, control your phone’s media player, and serve as a watch. Oh, and lest we forget, an IR-blaster for serving as a remote control — because taking your phone out is just too much hassle.

When it comes to unique passcodes, it doesn’t get much more secure that an eye scan. Thanks to EyeLock’s Myris, you’ll be able to create super complex passwords that you won’t have to remember -- using a USB-powered add-on to authenticate your identity instead. When using the gadget to unlock the item of choice, Myris completes its scan in less than a second. In terms of security, the peripheral supports AES 256-bit encryption while working with Windows, Mac OS X and Chrome OS to lock down things like email, online banking, internet VPNs, workstations and more. Myris is about the size of a makeup compact and we’re told the price tag will be under KD 85.

www.uncrate.com

www.uncrate.com

www.engadget.com

FIN RING

LYNX SMART GRILL

ARMATIX FIREARM SMART SYSTEM

Smart glasses! Smart watches! Smart… rings?

No more losing the TV remote control, this new technology promises to put the device in the palm of your hand, or rather, on your finger. “Fin” is a smart ring you wear on your thumb, transforming your whole palm into a gesture interface, and allowing you to control your entire digital world. “Fin” by RHL Vision, is Bluetooth enabled and can connect to multiple devices including smartphones, smart TV’s, cars, and home automation devices. They doubled their funding goal on crowd-funding site, Indegogo, so I am sure you will see this gadget in the stores very soon.

Take the guesswork out of your grilling with the Lynx Smart Grill. This voice-activated wonder automatically cooks your food based on your commands, linking to an online database to determine ideal cooking time and temperature for each ingredient, going so far as to tell you where on the grill to place everything to ensure that everything’s done at the same time. Even better, it can send you text notifications when your food’s ready, so you’re free to entertain/drink a beverage while it takes care of the cooking. For additional security and peace of mind, the Smart Grill shuts off if it does not hear instructions for 30 minutes. The only downside? It’s not coming out until 2015.

It’s like something out a Bond movie — a gun that will only fire for one specific person. The Armatix Firearm Smart System makes it a reality. This unique system pairs an .22 calibre iP1 pistol with the iW1 RFID watch, making it so that only someone wearing the watch can fire the weapon. The gun automatically deactivates when it loses contact with the watch, and the watch itself lets you enter a pin code to release the safety, adding yet another measure of security. After all, when it comes to firearms, you can’t be too careful.

www.blessthisstuff.com

www.uncrate.com

www.dudeiwantthat.com

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STARBUCKS

bazaar investigates AN EXQUISITE FURNITURE STORE OPENS ITS DOORS IN KUWAIT Madame Mantis, the exquisite concept furniture store which specializes in bringing uniquely designed pieces of furniture, accents, fashion accessories, and jewelry, from designers around the world, recently announced its grand opening in Al Mutawaa Mall located in Shuwaikh Industrial area, on February 15th, 2014. The store includes a wide range of continuously changing collections from contemporary and modern designs to classic and vintage styles delivered by the most talented well-known and emerging designers from the US, Canada, Europe, Sweden, Netherlands, London, Italy, Spain and Germany. During the grand opening, customers, artists and designers had the opportunity to discover the carefully curated new collection of home accessories, furniture, fashion accessories, in addition to a breathtakingly unique and limited edition of 10 to 12 creatively designed masterpieces from Europe, the US and other countries, such as the One-of-a-kind “Head Trip Sculpture” by Kelly Wearstler, adorned with various crystals and gems in jewelry bezel settings, and hand-troweled Venetian plaster. Other outstanding items include the beautifully-painted “White Lies Table” marble table by Nick Ross, and the prickly “Silkie Sculpture” by Jennifer Maestre, made entirely from colored pencil ends and inspired from the fascinating sea urchins. The store supports stylish living, with excellent quality and outstanding craftsmanship with every detail designed by young emerging designers from Kuwait and all over the world. Therefore, Madame Mantis’ main objective today is to endorse and encourage young local designers to grow their brands locally and internationally. Madame Mantis is a concept created by Nasser Abdulrahman Al Eisa, a designer, and Abdulrahman Barrak Al Babtain, a businessman, who felt that a new perspective in art and design should be brought to Kuwait and the Middle East. Introducing a completely new concept in furniture design, Madame Mantis embodies an inspiring vision of the future, present and past, with its uniquely designed masterpieces reflecting not only the designer’s unique artistry but also an innovative, sophisticated lifestyle.

STARBUCKS CELEBRATES THE LAUNCH OF ORIGIN ESPRESSO Marking the start of a wonderful spring season, Starbucks celebrated the launch of the all new Starbucks Origin Espresso, a concept that brings coffee lovers a choice of espresso in their favorite Starbucks beverages.

Starbucks introduced the Guatemala Antigua as the first choice of Origin Espresso: a premium, medium roast, Latin American coffee, hand selected by Starbucks’ master brewers offering customers the ultimate coffee taste experience.

With the introduction of the Origin Espresso concept, customers can anticipate different Origin Espresso choices throughout the year, helping them discover exciting new coffees from around the world.

The Guatemala Antigua comes from a small number of farms in the Antigua Valley in southern Guatemala, an area widely regarded as a region growing some of the world’s finest coffees. It is an elegant, complex coffee that offers great depth; its refined acidity is balanced with a subtle cocoa powder texture and soft spice flavours making it a luxurious alternative for Starbucks’ customers. Espresso lovers’ favourite drink is smoother with a softer taste, giving them a more elegant experience!

VERSACE WOMEN SPRING/SUMMER 2014 21st Century Versace – New ease, rock energy, effortless luxury.

The richness of Versace meets the attitude of the street, creating a fresh reality by day, and a powerful statement at night. Denim and leather jackets are the new blazer, while raffia skirts have liberating volume. Bands of elastic create structure in skirts, and cling to the body in shorts and tops. Cutaway waistcoats give freedom and a looser contrast. The T-shirt is redefined as a luxury item, especially in Versace floral prints. Heavy metal T-shirt prints imagine that Versace is on its 2014 world tour. The Versace hook-and-eye fastens blousons, and provocatively holds together slashes in jackets and dresses that reveal the body beneath. Triangles of metal mesh give the effect of bandanas at the neck. There’s also a metal mesh T-shirt dress, and metal mesh falls from a gown like a scarf. A new bag – The Palazzo – is totally unstructured, and can be rolled up and held in the hand. Platform sandals have bands of elastic as straps. “I wanted everything to be effortless, with the attitude of the street. This is a real woman. A luxury woman. A Versace woman.” Donatella Versace.

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Having Become a Member of The Association of International Property Professionals MAS INTERNATIONAL IS AMONG THE MOST TRUSTED REAL ESTATE MARKETING COMPANIES IN THE WORLD MAS International has recently become a member of the Association of International Property professionals (AIPP). Based in the British capital, London, AIPP is an international non-profit and independent association that adopts a set of strict and accurate standards designed to enhance and develop the transactions related to the purchase of international real estates, and applies the best practices related to real estate activities in the international markets as reflected by the fact these AIPP member companies are viewed with the highest confidence. By joining AIPP, MAS International became one of the most trusted real estate marketing companies worldwide.

Commenting on this event, MAS marketing manager, Abdullah Al-Shehab, said that MAS International is now one of the few companies in Kuwait and the region that enjoys the confidence of AIPP whose membership can be gained only after a long series of procedures required by the Association administration.

Al-Shehab added that, although the company’s long experience in the field of real estate marketing were key factors for being admitted to membership, the fact remains that AIPP assigns particular importance to the practices adopted by the company’s management with a view to enhance customer confidence in its performance, and its earnest willingness to identify the needs of its customers and keep them informed of all developments related to the relevant projects.

Al-Shehab went on to say that the objectives for which the AIPP was established and which are translated in real life in the adoption of the concept of “clear management

systems” and “strict procedures”, that help investors in their search for credible professional companies, are in line with the strategy that MAS International has adopted since its establishment. These aim at taking all measures that increases customer confidence. This step, he explained, is of vital importance in terms of its timing which coincides with the launching by the company of an ambitious plan for expanding toward foreign markets in search for new opportunities. The company, he said, has a large customer base of 16,000 customers in 10 different countries, and its investments are diversified and spread in various geographical areas and countries.

“As real estate investment in the international market is rapidly increasing at the global level, given the wide diversity of customer needs, such as leisure, study abroad, and the ever growing need to invest in safe markets”, he said, “rapid geopolitical developments worldwide underline the sensitivity of real estate investment and the degree of care that should be exercised in undertaking it”. He emphasized that, all things considered, customers need to deal only with companies that have a high degree of credibility and trustworthiness. “This is what MAS International has always insisted upon as the foundation of its success through the adoption of precautionary measures in facing any potential political or economic risks. We achieve this through a comprehensive audit of any projects before offering them to our customers. More important, we only market projects that are developed by reputable and leading companies”.

For more information contact them on 1820 111 or 2246 9300 or visit their website www.mas.net.kw.

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ABSTRACT CREATION

A discussion with Kuwait-based artist Anil Kumar Panicker

by Heena Parkar

“The Creator is the source of all beauty - Through the work of my fingers I am trying to depict that beauty,” says a painter. He recreates using precise strokes and angles, vivid color mixtures and soothing textures to capture minute details. A mere imitation of this vast universe, he admits, on a comparably minute canvas - a mastermind undoubtedly. His triumph lies in all that the illustration conveys: a moment, a story or simply grandeur. As an artist experimenting with bold drawing techniques, Anil Kumar Panicker displays strong inclination toward abstract, realistic and portrait painting. He also excels in water-color painting and sketches.

“Though often people demand portraits, I prefer abstract because it allows me to play with images, and colors. There is always an idea. Whether clear or vague, I have a thought which evolves into a picture. It’s either an idea put into being or a blur scene in my mind that develops as I progress.

I mainly use rich, bright and lifelike colors and I generally showcase Arabic and Indian traditions and customs,” explains Anil.

He worked his skills around scenic and contemporary art until the idea to recreate the very beginning of life grasped his attention. It was just a matter of time before he channeled all his energy into understanding the concept and created a set of seven remarkable pieces based on this theme.

The Creation, as Anil says, is the best he could deliver so far. It was inspired from the description of ‘creation of universe’ as mentioned in the Bible. The paintings were named accordingly - The Beginning, Fruitless Earth, Deep Darkness, Blueprint, First Light, The Separation, and The First Day. “It took me more than four years to complete the whole group. The paintings present color patterns which change from basic black and white in the The Beginning to a colorful The First Day. When I read on the subject it seemed easy, but executing the idea was a challenge. It was something different and very difficult. Each painting had to be unique as well as present a sense of connection to the rest,” describes Anil.

Apart from Kuwait, he has worked and exhibited his paintings in UAE and Oman, and is planning for another in Kuwait later this year. “Sometimes, I think it’s a little late, but I still try to make the best of all resources I have to display and present my art, here as well as abroad.”

“I always wanted to focus entirely on painting, but I never really got a chance. However, now that I have quit everything else, I can concentrate on it. As far as I can recall, being a painter was a steady dream. There isn’t a specific age or time I remember where I learned to paint. It feels like it was always there,” says Anil.

To follow Anil and his paintings, visit his website: www.anathothart.com.

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Horizon

Royal Passion

SOOR CENTER

THE HOT SAUCE FAD

A Korean sauce should be next to hit your plate

by Ken Otterbourg

Steven Kim’s modest hot sauce empire started innocently enough, at a garden party in the summer of 2010. Kim was cooking Korean food for a few friends at his house in suburban Virginia. There were seafood pancakes, Koreanstyle ribs, a little kimchi and, off to the side, a pair of squeeze bottles of a dipping sauce that Kim had adapted from his mom’s recipe. He took a Sharpie and wrote “KimKim” on them.

The party was written up in a local magazine, complete with a photo of the sauce in the bottles.

Kim’s buddies wanted the sauce, so he made a few batches. They wanted more, so he made more. On it went until 2012, when he found a bottler who said that for $5,000, Kim could get half a production run, which is 150 cases, which at 12 bottles a case is 1,800 bottles, which is a lot of sauce.

Kim wasn’t worried. “It was $5,000, and the worst-case scenario was that I’d have a lot of sauce to give away,” he said. He was right to be confident.

In early April 2012, a week after the bottling run, Kim submitted his sauce to the Specialty Food Association, which for two years had relocated its annual summer Fancy Food Show to Washington from New York. Three months later, Kim and his bottling partner, Ashman Manufacturing in Virginia, won the association’s gold medal for innovation in the cooking sauce category.

The first run sold out, and since then, Kim, 46, has been spreading the word about his sauce and 154

in the process has helped to bring Korean cooking into the spotlight. It has even become a staple at the hipster cafes across the U.S. Koreans and those who know Korean food will recognize KimKim as a version of ssamjang, the all-purpose dipping sauce that is a constant presence at meals. It’s a taste that is hard to pin down. It’s not blisteringly hot, like Sriracha. But it’s also not sweet (or tomato-based), like ketchup, or as salty as hoisin sauce. It sort of hovers in a force field among all of them. KimKim has umami, that savory taste that is hard to describe but makes our mouths water. The key ingredient is fermented pepper paste, made from sun-dried Korean chilies; other ingredients include fermented soy paste, vinegar, sesame seeds and sugar.

Kim now sells about 2,000 bottles a month, and he likes the part-time aspect of it, with no intention of quitting his day job and becoming a full-time sauce king. That said, he and Ashman Manufacturing are developing a marinade and barbecue sauce as well, with the hopes of landing a national distribution deal at some point. It’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t happen, Kim said. “Everything after those first 1,500 cases has been icing.”

Speaking of hot sauces, the Sriracha shortage scare of 2013 turned out not to be the Srirachapocalypse that fans of the Huy Fong (a.k.a. “rooster”) chili sauce had feared. Despite the averted crisis, we decided to hedge our bets and sample a

few other varieties of Asian hot sauces from local stores, including Steven Kim’s KimKim sauce — which, let’s put it out there, is not pretending to be a Sriracha usurper.

Fortified with water and saltines, sauces were rated for flavor and level of heat, using a rating scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the best). Here’s how they ranked, in order of preference.

• Huy Fong Sriracha Chili Sauce (17 ounces).

Average score: 3.8. Comments: “tangy, hints of garlic”; “pleasant!”; “very strong aroma, offputting”; “fruity”; “bland, comparatively.”

• Sriraja Panich Chilli Sauce (8.8 ounces). 3.4.

“Mild at first, pleasant aftertaste”; “classic tasting”; “spicy but not painful”; “a tad musty, but sourness is good, too”; “little sweet, fruity.”

• KimKim Korean Hot Sauce (16 ounces). 3.2.

“Heavy sesame-oil taste”; “more spicy complexity than heat”; “touch of sweet smoke, tastes handmade”; “a little tangy, sort of Asian-soy flavor.”

• Kikkoman Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (10.6 ounces). 2.8. “Too hot for me — I taste nothing”; “fermented flavors, a little funk. Complex”; “not much aroma!”; “icky — barbecue-ish.”

• Kim Tu Thap Sriracha Chili Sauce (28 ounces) 2.2. “Pretty darn hot”; “very ugly color, neon orange, unnatural”; “like it’s gone off”; “strong, not entirely positive smell.”

• Thai Taste Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (15.23 ounces): 1.4. “Cardboardy, thin, bad syrupy consistency”; “meh”; “kinda fishy”; “a little vegetal.”

HYPOXI

bazaar scopes what’s your sign?

TAURUS APR 20 – MAY 20

You will be called on for advice by a younger work associate. Be fair and truthful and you will help this person a great deal. In matters of the heart, a look to the past helps you make a decision for today. A Cancer friend does something to surprise you. Travel plans need some attention.

GEMINI MAY 21 – JUN 21

SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 – DEC 21

An opportunity for career advancement comes mid-month. Think twice before jumping at something you know nothing about. News of a breakup will come out of nowhere. Even if you’re disappointed, you won’t be surprised. Be honest in a love relationship.

CAPRICORN DEC 22 – JAN 19

April does not begin well for you, but an exciting event half way through the month will re-energize you and leave you feeling great. You will realize that working with others is better than having others work against you. This will bring in growth in your career as well as in your status and public image.

What seemed like a hopeless situation will take a positive turn. You’ll have something more to look forward to. If a new romance is what you’re looking for, this could be a promising month. Keep an eye out for a charming Leo. Health concerns prove unwarranted.

CANCER JUN 22 – JULY 22

AQUARIUS JAN 20 – FEB 18

During April progress will continue both on a personal, as well as a professional front. In the second half of the month you will have to focus on family matters, as someone close to you may be traveling or moving away. Avoid unnecessary resentment against family members and realize this will be in their best interest.

LEO JUL 23 – AUG 22

April is the month for you to tap into your creative side. You will find this will improve your mood.

Involve your friends and family and they will also enjoy the changes in you. Also there will be developments with regard to children in your life.

Go with the flow and enjoy!

Learn how to say “no,” Aquarius. There is nothing wrong with being nice, but being too nice is as good as inviting others to take advantage of you. Take charge and you’ll gain respect. Anticipation of an upcoming event may give you some anxiety. Seek meditation as a way to relax.

PISCES FEB 19 – MAR 20

Don’t let self-doubt get the better of you as success is near. You just have to hold on to your confidence in order to get it. Understanding is the key to happiness in a love relationship. Being a good listener is more important than you realize.

Virgo plays a big role this month.

ARIES

MAR 21 – APR 19

The month will start slow, however things will turn around mid-month and you will see a revival in energy and activity level. Feelings of anger and aggression may create some hassles for you, but by the end of the month you will be in control of things. Don’t worry, those people affected will forgive you. Watch for road-rage!

VIRGO AUG 23 – SEP 22

This is a great month to get into long-term investments. Trust your gut and you will reap the rewards in the future. Also, this is the month to get checked if there are any health scares which are worrying you, as they will very shortly be sorted out.

LIBRA SEP 23 – OCT 22

Avoid taking sides in a family fight this month, unless you like playing with fire. Even the most diplomatic Libran could get burned. An old friend may resurface when you least expect it. An Aries will come to you for advice. Use common sense when making financial decisions.

SCORPIO OCT 23 – NOV 22

Be supportive of a loved one who is going through some changes. Being a good listener is key. An unexpected windfall will make an upcoming trip more enjoyable and you’ll have something special to look forward to. Keep business and pleasure very separate this month.

source: : www.foreverhoroscopes.com 156

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