Int
I think I must have picked the wrong day to start writing my monthly intro to the magazine. It was Jan 25th which, for us Egyptians, is a day of very mixed emotions and bittersweet memories. And when I woke up that morning and turned on the news, Venezuela was in flames, a lot of boat refugees had drowned overnight, and Emiliano Sala’s (the famous football player) plane had gone missing over the Channel, and all the so called economics experts were warning us all about an upcoming recession, so I quickly turned off the TV to escape from the depressing news, and rushed out of the house to my neighborhood Starbucks to grab a quick coffee before hitting the office. I love my neighborhood Starbucks, since everyone who works there knows me, they all know my drink, know my kids, and know most of my friends. Over the years we’ve become pretty close and I like to think that we’re coffee mates (pun intended).
The bazaar team...
I am thankful for the familiar, for the constants in life. It’s a blessing to live in a country where resilience and the ability to find stability have always been woven into the fabric of society. It’s what keeps us going, every single day. This month we celebrate National and Liberation day. The long weekend is great, but we should remember why the days are holidays and be grateful for everyone who has helped keep that possible. These feelings inspired our trip to Mubarakiya, which you can read about this month. We wanted to revisit a Kuwait in our memories. The old souk and neighboring blocks have stayed faithful to their roots and history. Yet the area has also found a way to grow beyond being a historical space and to remain alive, living, breathing and ever-changing.
Design
But, as much as I enjoy the familiarity, novelty is exciting and exhilarating. This issue, we have an amazing lifestyle shoot of the new brands that are coming to Harvey Nichols. It’s a gateway to rediscover yourself and reinventing your look. Photoshoots are always going to feel new, no matter how many times you have seen the creatives work their magic, and we are always enthusiastic about bringing more of them to you.
Editor
While the Kuwait Towers might be the furthest thing from new, the just-opened Amimoto restaurant is the latest hotspot for Japanese cuisine. The authentic Japanese experience in the heart of Kuwait is the perfect reflection of the local zeitgeist. Respecting tradition and heritage while constantly evolving and moving forward into the world. We have also tackled issues that are on the more serious side. Ascia, entrepreneur, public figure and social media superstar opened up to us about the upcoming season of Sadeem and the issue of cyber-bullying. Her tips are useful and valid for everyone. Speaking of fearless women, our Up Close and Personal candidate this month can help you confront your demons head on. Certified Life Coach and creative Samar AlMutawa tells us how she helps people explore life outside their comfort zone. It’s sometimes easy to forget that we all make a direct impact on the world we live in, whether on the people we share the planet with, or the planet itself. Re-Use, the latest exhibition at the Scientific explores sustainability and tackles pollution in an accessible and interactive way, and we hope that more people take concrete steps in the direction of a less polluting lifestyle. Finally make sure you check out our travel piece on the amazing Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara. You’ve still got time to book for the long weekend coming up! Happy reading! Ahmed El-Adly
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Boss Ahmed El-Adly
Operations Tim Burns
Business Development Ihab Mokalled
Content Manager Yasmine El Charif
Mixed Media Solutions Jennifer Cádiz Ahmed Al-Ashab
Staff Writer/Online Media Hallah Danbouh Yasmin Gamal
Online Producer/Project Manager Umika Pidaparthy
Communications Hala Y. Sharara Alia Al Duaij
Contributing Writers Aidha Badr Ayman Nassar Barry Rodrigues Deepa Pant George Tarabay Nejoud Al Yagout Dr. Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg
Contributing Photographers
members of:
Caroline Ericson
Syndicates & Sources Baraka Bits Fast Company Kingdome.co LA Times MCT International Newsweek
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).
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No one likes to be dumped;
recycle me, please.