MAGAZINE ISSUE No.
65 MAY 2015
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LIFESTYLE / PEOPLE / EVENTS / FASHION
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contents ISSUE 65, VOLUME 5, MAY 2015
78
BEAUTY
40
77. Top Music Charts 82. May Movie Releases
24. Wondrous Power of Silliness 26. Mindset And Habits 32. Is There A Car In Your Swimming Pool? 34. The Arab Fund For Social And Economic Development 38. A “Reporter At Large” 42. Making An Entrance 45. اكسب العميل 46. Pre-Assume 52. Travel And Tourism 60. Commitment Is The Key To Success
FASHION
FITNESS
58. PRP Are You Familiar With The Term? 94. Promoting Perfumes 96. Layla Harmony’s Guest
ENTERTAINMENT
95. The Style Code 110. CityPages Fashion Report 102. Photo Shoot
FEATURES 18. The 2015 Kuwait Grand Photography Contest 22. The Royal Birthday Party
54. Diabetes And Healthy Life Style
FOOD
64. Let’s Get Real With Nat 70. Nat’s Kitchen Tales. . . With Love
48
contents ISSUE 65, VOLUME 5, MAY 2015
72
HEALTH
48. Vitamin D Is Not A Vitamin, It’s A Hormone 56. Hypertension And The Eye 62. Boushahri Clinic Article 66. Sandos And Bader 68. Yoga In A Woman’s Life
INTERVIEW
40. Naser AlSanea 78. One-On-One With Kinda AlFaris 72. CityPages Power Couples
KIDS
129. Kids Pages
LITERATURE
84. Short Stories By Nadia AlHassan
TECHNOLOGY 88. Cool New Gadgets 90. Tech Updates & News
34
REGULARS 28. Meet The Entrepreneur With Tass Hassoun 76. In Permanent Pursuit of Perfection 85. Diary Of A Citizen Of The World 86. May Book Releases 87. Book Club 92. Adopt A Street Princess 100. City Guide 119. Events 124. Press 128. Homework For Grown Ups 130. Horoscopes
28
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MAGAZINE
From the Editor Dear Readers… The last few weeks have been strange as far as our climate is concerned. Heavy downpours of rain,
Dhari Al-Muhareb Editor-in-Chief
deafening thunderstorms and electrical lightning bolts have frequented our skies. Dare we allow ourselves to think that this capricious weather has come to an end? Even if this alien climate continues, fear not, for we have a host of features to keep you entertained in this May edition of CityPages.
Jameel Arif
General Manager & Editor
Eng. Homoud AlMuhareb Publishing Director
Gill Sherry
Our Executive Editor, Kinda Al-Faris, met with Omar Afuni and talked to the talented singer/songwriter about his musical journey to success. Our Group Editor, Gill Sherry, visited the Arab Fund headquarters in Shuwaikh and will amaze you with her discoveries; and we interviewed Chris and Karen Hebdon, a ‘Power Couple’ for whom life is a game of give and take. We will also keep you fit and healthy this month as we bring you vital Vitamin D information from Dr.
Group Editor
Kashif Rizvi and delicious but healthy recipes from ‘Nat’ to cook at home. Our weight-loss couple,
Kinda Al-Faris
Executive Editor
Muhammed Altaf
Sondos and Bader, up-date us on their ‘In it 2 win it’ challenge and we introduce you to two Mexican ‘foodies’ hungry for success with their healthy-eating Tacos. The results of the 2015 Kuwait Grand Photography Contest have been announced and we bring
Sr. Sales Manager
you details of the winners and their captivating photographs; definitely a feature not to be missed!
Claudia Farias
Special thanks also to our cover artist, Fatma Yousef Ahmed; a member of the Kuwait Art Association
Content Supervisor
and previous CityPages Woman of Substance, for her portrayal of Kuwait’s legendary singer, Abdullah Ruwaished.
Tanya Burns
Creative Director Graphic Designers
Mohammed Syed Khaled Al-Enezi
All this, plus more tips from our style coach Shaikha Jumaa, our regular fashion, travel, book and movie up-dates – and much, much more! Until next time..
Jameel Arif General Manager & Editor
jameelrf@citypageskuwait.com Published by:
COVER DESIGN BY: Fatma Yousef Ahmed Instagram @fatma_art
Reduce Waste Pass me along to a friend or recycle me after reading
DISCLAIMER
Extra care has been used to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this magazine. However, the publisher will not accept responsibility for errors and omissions in the publication. In addition, the views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Photos have been altered to comply with the Laws of Kuwait.
COPYRIGHTS
All rights reserved. No part of this publication including pictures, articles, artworks, and overall design may be reproduced, copied, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated in any language in any form or means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the written permission of the editor or the publisher. Copyright © May 2015
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MAGAZINE
The Team! #65
MAY 2015 Kinda Al Faris Executive Editor
Dear Readers, I hope that May is treating you well. It’s been a very hectic time for me as I prepare for the Gulf Leaders Summit taking place on the 11th and I am excited to be meeting Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia and keynote speaker at the summit.
ON THE COVER Kuwait's Legendary Singer Abdullah Ruwaished COVER DESIGN: Fatma Yousef Ahmed Instagram @fatma_art
I’ve had a crazy few months where I’ve been flitting between my job as the Chief Marketing Officer at Majesty Group, Consulting as the Head of Marketing and Media Committee for the Summit and as Executive Editor of CityPages. I absolutely need a break and am looking forward to my trips to Los Angeles, London, Mykonos and Lebanon all taking place soon. Still, I managed to meet and interview the talented Omar Afuni and what a lovely person he is! We are lucky to be able to have such talented people living amongst us in Kuwait. The magazine is yet again packed with interesting articles to keep you occupied wherever you may find us, and that is everywhere. But make sure you get your hands on us before we’re gone, as we fly off the shelves pretty fast these days!
Abdullah Y. Shams AlDeen Abdulaziz Al-Khamis Abdalla AlMuzaini Ali - DJ RAVEN ASAMA Perfumes BirthKuwait Dr. Nazia Nausheen Faisal Al-Dhofari Erika Habig John McArthur Julieta Altamiranda Layla Harmony Maha Al-Rashed
Photography Team Abdullah Hamadah Abdulaziz AlSoraya Abdulaziz AlShayaji Natalia Sitcai Othman AlMishaan Dalal AlDhughaishem
Nadia Al-Hassan Nada Soliman Nada Faris Nour Al-Zaabi Paul Tunbridge Sanaa Abdul Hamid Sandra Bakhamian Sherihan A. Hassabo Talah Alabdulaaly Tassnim Hassoun Zahra Taqi
Distribution Team V. Rajan S. V. Gopal
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Enjoy your month everyone and wish me luck!
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@citypageskuwait @citypageskuwait /Citypageskuwait citypageskuwait.com /citypagesmag /citypageskuwait 66973003
Sincerely Kinda Al Faris
MORE NEW CONTRIBUTORS
Are you a local writer or artist? If you're passionate about your work we want to showcase it, so get in touch and get involved in 2015:
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ﻣﺴﺎﺑﻘﺔ ﺍﻟﻜﻮﻳﺖ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﺮﻯ ﻟﻠﺘﺼﻮﻳﺮ Kuwait Grand Photography Contest
THE 2015 KUWAIT GRAND If you were lucky enough to see the display of photographs from this year’s Kuwait Grand Photography Contest, you’ll know what a difficult job the judges must have had selecting a winner! The winning and runner-up photographs were displayed at 360 Mall and Avenues Mall last month, treating shoppers and diners to a photographic exhibit of the highest quality. Zain were the main sponsor of the contest with the Platinum sponsors being Boubyan Bank, Kuwait Airways, Alrai Media Group, Ministry of Youth and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation. Under the patronage of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, represented by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed Al-Abduallah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, the contest invited entrants from GCC to submit their photographs under a variety of headings. SPORT: This provided limitless options due to the many different sports in existence. Pictures of crucial sporting moments were a favourite and images of audience reaction encouraged. ISLAMIC: The obvious choice was architectural but photographs of people were equally appropriate. WILDLIFE: Again, the possibilities were endless including under-water shots, birds in flight, wild animals and reptiles. PEOPLE: Every picture tells a story so this category was particularly poignant. Happy, sad, rich or poor; the photographers managed to tell a library of stories with their pictures. citypageskuwait.com
ﻣﺴﺎﺑﻘﺔ ﺍﻟﻜﻮﻳﺖ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﺮﻯ ﻟﻠﺘﺼﻮﻳﺮ Kuwait Grand Photography Contest
PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST LANDSCAPE: This category was one of particular beauty. From deserts, mountains, lakes and forests the images were gloriously striking. KUWAIT: A popular choice requiring photographers to capture the beauty of Kuwait and its culture. GENERAL: Entrants in this category were free to submit photographs of any subject not covered in the other categories. The rules of the contest were strict but necessary for a fair competition, particularly in light of the high cash prizes available. The winner of the GRAND Prize, for which the subject was THE ART OF LIGHT, received an impressive KWD 10,000. The total of the prizes was around KWD 65,000. The finalist’s photographs were breathtaking, each depicting the essence of their chosen category and each an inspiration to any would-be photographer. Congratulations to each prize winner on their magnificent shots. The contest was organized by Phoenix Services and chaired by its founder, Mr. Jassim Jassim. It is hoped the contest will be one of the most elite contents in the world. Looking at this year’s winners, it’s hard to imagine why that shouldn’t be the case. For more information about the contest, the judging panel, its partners and this year’s winners, visit www. kwtphotography.com. May, 2015
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LIST OF WINNERS FROM DIFFERENT CATEGORIES GRAND 1.KARIM SAHIB MOUHAISEN 2.YOUSEF MANSOUR ALQALLAF 3.SREERANJ SREEDHAR SREENDHAR
-UAE -KW -UAE
GENERAL 1.SHUAIB HISHAM KHATTAB 2.BANDAR EDREES SUGHAIER 3.MOHAMED ATEF ALWARDAN 4.MOUZAH BIN SABEEH ALFALASI 5.WAHEED AKHTAR AKHTAR
-UAE -KSA -UAE -UAE -UAE
ISLAMIC 1.MOUSA MOHAMED AKOUR 2.KHALED MOHAMED ALHMADI 3.ALI ABDULLAH ALMUBARAK 4.RAYED ABDULLAH ALMAKI 5.HUSSAIN ALI BUHLIGAH
-KSA -UAE -KSA -KSA -KSA
KUWAIT 1.NASSER JASSIM ALAMEERI 2.MAZEN SAMIR ENANI 3.ZINA HAYTHAM ALSANEI 4.SALEH AHMED ALRASHAID 5.ABDULAZIZ AHMED KANAAN
-KW -KW -KW -KW -KW
LANDSCAPE 1.SARAH HASSAN ALSAYEGH 2.MOHAMED FAHAD ALSULTAN 3.MOHAMED ABDULAZIZ ALQANDRI 4.ABDULLAH MOHAMED ALQANDRI 5.MOHAMED HUSAIN ALOMRAN
-KW -KW -KSA -KW -KSA
PEOPLE 1.ABDULLAH SAEED ALSAEED 2.MARYAM FAHAD ALMASHAAN 3.ABDULLAH JASSIM BUHINDI 4.HISHAM MOHAMED ALHUMAID 5.NASSER BADER ALHUMAIDI
-KSA -KW -KW -KSA -KW
SPORTS 1.HUSSAIN MAHMOUD ALSHAFAI 2.DAISAL KHALED HAMADAH 3.ALI KHALEEL ALZAIDI 4.SAAD AHMED ALFARHAN 5.AHMED ABDULLAH AKBAR
-QTR -KW -KW -KW -KW
WILD LIFE 1.MOHAMED ABBAS KHURSHEED 2.YAQOUB YOUSEF ALKANDARI 3.MOHAMED HUSAIN ALNASSER 4.ABDULAZIZ HABEEB ALSHIMALI 5.YOUSEF AHMED ALHABSHI
-KW -KW -KSA -KW -UAE
KUWAITI FAHAD MOHAMED ALAJMI
-KW May, 2015
A ROYAL BIRTHDAY PARTY
Gill Sherry Gill is a qualified insurance broker, working in the insurance sector in the UK for almost 30 years. Now a blogger and creative writer, she has joined CityPages as our Group Editor. Readers can look forward to Gill’s regular and varied contribution to the magazine.
It’s not every day you receive a personal invitation from the British Embassy Kuwait so I was thrilled and honored to be invited by Her Majesty’s Ambassador, Mr. Matthew Lodge, to attend a garden party to celebrate the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II on April 21st. The Embassy grounds were a perfect setting for this prestigious event which played host to over 500 guests. In the presence of the Guest of Honor, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, the Ambassador presented an articulate speech in both Arabic and English welcoming his guests and highlighting the close relationship between Great Britain and Kuwait and the ties which connect the two countries. Having wished Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II a happy birthday, he went on to wish the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge all the best with the upcoming birth of their second child and to congratulate the British Council in Kuwait on its Diamond anniversary. For those unaware of the Council’s excellent work, it was a great opportunity to learn of its role providing UK education, training and research programmes to Kuwaiti students and professionals. Plans to celebrate its 60th anniversary include a range of events and
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activities to engage with the Kuwaiti community and reflect the Council’s valuable work in Kuwait. I for one look forward to hearing more about it. With the formalities over, the guests from both the British and local community were free to enjoy the refreshments in the form of afternoon tea. It was a relaxed occasion with media personalities rubbing shoulders with dignitaries, business leaders and MPs. It was also a colourful affair with some ladies opting for hats with stylish suits and others sporting less formal but nonetheless, eye catching attire. The men looked equally impressive in their dazzling white dishdashas or pristine military uniforms, although the heat no doubt left them a little hot under the collar. Singing entertainment was provided by children from The English School and also music and vocal teacher Anna Karadimitrova, accompanied by the talented pianist, Harriet Bushman. The Royal Marines Corps of Drums, all the way from Plymouth, UK, provided the necessary pomp and ceremony and were a fitting tribute to honor the Queen’s 89th birthday. Any occasion which brings our nations together and recognises the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries is a worthy occasion indeed. Thank you Mr. Ambassador for giving us the opportunity to celebrate not just one reason to rejoice, but several.
The Wondrous Power of
SILLINESS
Paul Tunbridge A professional Facilities Manager from England, and with work experience across mainland Europe before arriving in Kuwait in 2007 Paul's interests include architecture and gardening as well as creative writing and the arts in general.
Growing up in Britain in the 1970s, I was treated to entertainment from some of the all-time great comedians. TV channels regularly still broadcast the silent black and white movies of past times, featuring slapstick humour from such famous names as Charlie Chaplin, the Keystone Kops, Laurel & Hardy and Buster Keaton who were amongst a lengthy list of early stars whose silly and exaggerated antics were almost guaranteed to make everyone laugh. The 1970s also witnessed growth in the number of ‘sitcoms’ or situation comedies – some of these were dark humour and some were quite subtle, but some of the most successful sitcoms were those that contained strong elements of exaggerated, daft or silly behaviour. citypageskuwait.com
1970s television also started to bring the world of standup comedy into our living rooms. Traditionally from the world of Old Time Music Hall Theatre, and then from the stages of Working Mens’ Clubs throughout the country, the skill of stand-up developed into something more slick for the masses, and through the years has matured into humour of many genres. One comic who became famous at this time was a certain Mr. Ken Dodd. With his wild hair, buck teeth and famous feather dusters, or ‘tickle sticks’, “Doddy” was the self-styled King of the Diddy Men. With his signature tune, Happiness, his traditional music-hall style act may seem dated to some modern audiences, but he still has legions of admirers. Now well into his eighties, this comedy veteran still plays 150 gigs a year,
around half the number he performed at the height of his 55-year career. And his brand of silly comedy still has his audiences rolling in the aisles! So why am I recounting this to you? You probably think that I’m indulging myself in reminiscence and, whilst that may in part be true, my tales of silliness are leading me to a serious point. Truth is, I read a wonderful story the other day and felt inspired to share it with you. Many of you will recall that when 'Superman' actor, Christopher Reeve, suffered an accident that left him a tetraplegic, he was initially in the depths of despair. His close friend, the late, great comedian Robin Williams, went to visit him in hospital. But he didn't just show up with flowers looking
shell shocked, which I think most of us would do in that situation. Instead, Robin Williams dressed up as an eccentric Russian doctor, in a zany outfit and with a strong accent. When Christopher Reeve realized it was his old friend playing a joke on him, he laughed for the first time since he was paralyzed and later wrote in his autobiography that was the moment he knew life would go on. I loved that story when I read it because it would be wonderful if, in our society, adults were encouraged to play, to joke and to clown around the same way in which our children are encouraged. Perhaps it’s the big kid inside me who knows how much joy (and hope) comes from tapping into that fun-loving part of ourselves. Or perhaps because I want to highlight to you that laughter kills stress,
boosts immunity and enhances creativity. Avid readers amongst you will likely remember that I have written previously about the loving family into which I was born. My father was a military officer, so could be very serious and command incredible respect. But he also had a silly side that made my sister and I laugh uncontrollably at times, even to this day when we remember the daft things he used to do to amuse us. Things like playing an imaginary piano at the dining table, playing the keyboard from left to right until he fell off the end of the table; and then there was the “Pig Pong” game that he bought for us to play one Christmas – a really silly but fun game based loosely on table tennis (or Ping Pong) where players use their rubber pig puffers to blow air under a lightweight ‘ball’ and send it over the net; a totally ridiculous game which had my entire family laughing out loud! I wonder if I still have the game in a packing case somewhere. But I think I’ve made my point. We all know only too well that life can get very serious. So, when was the last time you did something silly?!
May, 2015
Zahra Taqi Zahra is a Certified Professional Coach and the President of Milestones Coaching. She would love to hear back from you. So please feel free to drop her a line on her email: zahrataqi@gmail. com or find her on FB: http://www. facebook.com/MilestonesCoaching or twitter: @MilestonesCoach
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” ~ Jim Ryun Every day I work with people from around the world on their goals. I help them gain clarity over what goals they would like to set, how to work on these goals and how to achieve them. My work also requires tons of research on my part and lots of reading (which I absolutely enjoy and crave!). From all of that, I have learned that the road to success is achieved by two things: an individual’s mindset and that person’s habits. Your mindset is your attitude on what you choose to adopt. It is your attitude towards your goals and your attitude towards your success. When your mindset is optimistic, positive and resilient, you are already half way to achieving your goal. You cannot reach your goal if you do not believe in yourself or if you already believe that your goal is unachievable. Your mindset is what helps you deal with hurdles along the way. Someone with a positive mindset will see a specific hurdle at any given time as a stepping-stone; whereas someone with a negative mindset will see a hurdle as a roadblock. The difference between the two judgments is the way each individual perceives that hurdle.
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When you start off with a positive mindset, then your perception of adversity shifts dramatically. You begin to view adversity as a gift! Why would you see it as a gift? Because to you, it would be the perfect teaching moment; a chance to assess your action plan and your strategy. The adversity is a blessing from the universe that was put in your way to help you navigate and come up with better solutions! The flip side of a positive mindset is of course a negative mindset. When faced with the first hurdle, that person could simply give up; decide that it’s too hard to achieve their goal and that maybe this hurdle is a sign to move on to greener pastures. The positive one will surely go on to achieve great things in life; while the negative one most probably will not. While your mindset is extremely important (and it truly is), it is not the only thing that will help you get to where you want in life. You can be extremely optimistic and positive and believe that you have all the tools you need to achieve great things; however if you do not pair that with hard work you will never get anywhere. Your mindset on your success and achievement must be paired with your hard work and habits. You can have all the intention in the world, but without real initiative (daily actions and routines that move you forward), you are stuck in the land
AND
of wishes. If you do not know what a habit is then you cannot begin to acquire it, so here is what ‘habit’ means. A habit is something we do regularly without consciously thinking much about that specific action. It is an automatic mental and behavioral activity. Habits make it possible for us to do things without spending exorbitant mental effort. They make everyday life possible, for good or bad.
easier to achieve their goals of being fit or not.
To make it a little easier here is an example: Think about a fit person’s habits vs. an unfit person’s habits. A fit person would have set a specific time every week for exercise, probably plans ahead what he/she will eat, adheres to certain rules when it comes to nutrition and makes his/her healthy lifestyle a priority instead of a last minute thought. Now lets think of an unfit person’s habits: this person would not have made exercising a priority in his/her life, nutrition and health are not a by-product of conscious thinking but this person will probably grab whatever is available when hunger strikes making it easier to succumb to pangs of sugar cravings and unhealthy food. The difference between the two would be the habits they have adopted along the way. These decisions which could have been conscious decisions at some point gradually become a way of life, making it
2.Build good habits into your routine.
Habits are powerful. They bring about change one step at a time, and they help you ensure that these changes become part of your life. However, you are far more likely to reach your goal if you make your new habits part of your regular routine. Follow these steps to make good habits stick: 1.Identify what you want to achieve. 3.Reflect on your habits. 4.Develop self-discipline. 5.Get support. When you decide to establish new habits in your life, focus on one at a time. If you try to overhaul your entire schedule at once, you will likely get overwhelmed and quickly revert to old behaviors. This is true to everything, whether you are trying to build a new business or simply want to start going to the gym. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~ Aristotle May, 2015
Tass Hassoun meets Claudia and Narda - our two young entrepreneurs. Both proud Mexicans, the girls met in Kuwait in 2003. Discovering a shared love of their home country’s mouth watering food, they came up with the idea of opening a Mexican restaurant, and Solo Taco was born. Find out what inspired them to bring their favourite Mexican dishes to Kuwait.
NARDA
MEET THE
WITH TASS HASSOUN How did you both meet? What brought about starting a business together? Narda: We met many years ago. We came from the same town in Mexico (Tijuana Baja California). We had friends in common but we never met. I came to live in Kuwait in 1984. When Claudia was ready to move to Kuwait in 2003, people arranged for us to meet. In 2009, after a few years of friendship, a small business idea came to life and we started offering Mexican food catering services through a website in Kuwait. This was a home based business and was perfect for us as we could manage the business around our families. It was through this venture we got to know Amr Al Rifai (Solo Pizza). After a few years, when life and fate had it all organized, he offered us a small space next to his own. It was a difficult decision and a bit scary but eventually the place took off and at that moment, Solo Tacos' gestation process began. citypageskuwait.com
CLAUDIA
Tell the readers about your passion for food? Narda: We have always enjoyed good food. For me, food takes me to places I’ve been and moments I've enjoyed. People close to us, who have now departed, taught us how to enjoy life and preparing food is a part of that. Passion for something means striving to perfect it and to come up with ways to make it better. At Solo Tacos we have this passion, together with a desire for our food to give people a taste of what our home country is all about. Claudia: This is something that evolves as I grow older. I started cooking from a very young age. First is the passion I feel for good food and for cooking; then comes the feeling of fulfillment I feel whenever I feed people and the response I sense once they have eaten my food. Then, this passion turns into a responsibility towards the people who trust me. This is when the passion goes onto Solo Tacos. The "I" becomes the "we". This passion is the engine that starts everything; from selection of each one of the ingredients we use, the quality we seek and maintain, the way we cook and the way we present the food to our customers.
ONLY make tacos (a real "taqueria") so why not keep it simple and call it what it is? SOLO TACOS = ONLY TACOS. We also love to listen to our customers and our menu has expanded to include, in addition to our signature tacos, bowls, burritos and desserts. We are constantly working to add items to the menu but always keeping in mind our core value which is the "TACO". Claudia: Solo Tacos is a concept that took shape as we progressed. First it was the tiny little place, a restriction of space and the character of the location. Narda wanted a "taqueria" and this place was ideal for this purpose. We partnered with Solo Pizza's Amr, therefore the name. Also, during our catering years we organized taco stands a number of times and it all seemed very "easy" to run and organize
What makes Solo Taco unique as a Mexican restaurant? Narda: We believe that Solo Tacos speaks for itself when it comes to uniqueness; the flavor, the ingredient combinations, freshness and overall feeling of being at home. Our location may be small in size but it is big in character. Where did the idea of Solo Taco come from? Claudia: You! Your response to our proposal. This only makes us Narda: After the gestation period began, we decided we would strive for more and to return more.
May, 2015
Who was your inspiration for cooking Mexican? And when did you learn? Claudia: Narda and I have very similar cultural backgrounds. We both come from the North of Mexico and share the region's gastronomic legacy. We both wanted to share this experience with the people in Kuwait. However, the recipes I have developed for Solo Tacos emerge from my own cooking experience, the love for my country and its gastronomy; an instinct that derives from my personal identity. Does your lifestyle as a healthy and fit person affect your menu choices? Are you planning to have healthy section maybe? Narda: For both of us, having healthy options was paramount in building our menu. For me, being healthy is not only exercising regularly but also, healthy eating is a big part of my lifestyle. I have been working with a nutritionist not to lose weight, but to maintain and structure my meals to give me the energy my body and mind need to be a mom and a business owner. Our menu gives me these options on a daily basis. We also don’t fry anything!! Not even our corn chips, which are baked and lightly salted. As we mentioned earlier, listening to our customers is highly important and most of them are very health conscious and a good number of them are personal trainers, coaches and nutritionists. Claudia: For me, rather than restricting the choices, my lifestyle enhances the choices. What I like to eat, is how I like to feed my customers. Solo Tacos menu is healthy all over. We offer fresh and clean ingredients, we make our own salsas. Naturally, corn tortillas are gluten free and we hand roll our flour tortillas. I feel in peace with the menu. What does the name “Narda” mean? Narda is an old Latin name. To be honest, I just learned it means “anointed” or “blessed”. What’s your favorite Mexican dish and what it is made of? Narda: There are so many but if I have to pick one it would be Tacos. Claudia: As Mexicans we are raised with corn tortillas. We eat them in almost every meal. I love homemade corn tortillas. The ingredients are basic: corn, lime, salt and water. That's it! Anything else is a plus.
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Away from work, how do you spend your free time in Kuwait? Narda: Most mornings I work out at the gym. I also spend time with my children in various activities. Some weekends are spent at the beach and participating in events whenever there is something of interest. Claudia: I have an active life in Kuwait. I like to exercise early. I dedicate a good part of the day to Solo Tacos on site and at home as well. I worked many years in fashion and part of me still refuses to leave that world. I give cutting and sewing classes at a friend's creative space here in Kuwait. I am also a mother of five grown-ups and I have the blessing of dedicating a full morning and afternoon every Monday to my precious grandson. What challenges do you forecast as entrepreneurs in the small business world in Kuwait? Narda: Aha!! Well, there are many challenges. Learning how to navigate legal requirements and responsibilities is a must even if you are a native. Then, there is the Human Resource part of the equation. To get the right people may take more than one hiring process for each position - be prepared for this. What most small business owners want in Kuwait is a more streamline process for transferring visas in order to hire people more effectively. There is a large workforce pool willing to do the work but they have no access to a proper visa. For this I mean being able to transfer in a fast and proper manner from a visa 20 (for domestic employees-house work only) to a visa 18 (private sector employees). Claudia: Ministry of Labour! Baladia! Ingredients consistency. Education is a big challenge. What I mean in terms of "education" is that we need to educate a lot of potential customers that don't appreciate the wonders of good Mexican food.
SOLO TACOS Tel. 22474748 Instagram: @solotacoskuwait
MEET THE
WITH TASS HASSOUN May, 2015
IS THERE A CAR IN YOUR SWIMMING POOL? Peregrine Spode
Dentally challenged. Still single.
Last month, you might recall, I left you with the tantalising prospect of finding out about the car that P. Spode uses to get around in, over which so many of you have been losing sleep. (Get to the point, already and stop boring citypageskuwait.com
them senseless. Ed) Oh, all right then. Today, I'd quite like to pick up on the same theme, providing a bit of continuity, seamlessness and what-not. Perhaps they might invite me to present the spiffy new version of Top Gear. Which reminds me, love 'em or hate 'em, there's something rather special about
CitroĂŤn 2CV's, or 'deudeuche', as the French say. Conceived after the second world war to motorise a French peasantry still using horses to plough their fields, its nine horsepower air-cooled engine could be maintained by a moderately competent blacksmith. CitroĂŤn made them for over forty years. Changing
gear with an umbrella handle, a walking stick for a handbrake and steering so comfortably vague that when one turned the wheel we lived in hope that something might happen and the enlarged bicycle wheels guided the front end into approximately the right direction. My mother bought me one for my twenty-first birthday. I had been, of course, legally able to drive for some time, but mamma rather thought that I was not to be trusted with advanced mechanical products until I was competent enough to shave without drawing blood. It had a sunroof, which was nice and let the rain in (air conditioning being open or closed) which was not. I spent the first few years of my driving career driving round rural Wales wrapped in waterproof clothing like an explorer in a monsoon. No doubt you all remember, as I do, the incomparable comic talent of Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther movies, as the masterfully inept, error-prone, absurdly self-important Inspector Clouseau of the S没ret茅. I well recall once owning a raincoat of very similar design to his. Do you remember the scene in the 1975 film, 'Return of the Pink Panther' where Clouseau in an orange 2CV van is chasing an English bad guy? He was improbably disguised as a French peasant, with a palpably false beard which made him look like a Mormon elder. The brakes fail, the walking stick handbrake comes off in his hand and is hurled out of the window. Wordlessly, he swerves down a narrow lane, through a hedge and entertains a family and their guests by parking the vehicle in their swimming pool. With massive dignity, he climbs out of the pool, bows to the open-mouthed assembly, and stalks away, remarking, perhaps superfluously, in the accent beloved of French caricature that 'there is a car in your swimming pool.' All of which brings me rather conveniently to the nub of the story today. Living in rural France, as one does, it's a far cry from glistening malls, air conditioned restaurants and the odd spot of sand. By 'rural' I mean that the nearest habitation is well over two kilometres away and going out for cigarettes is an enterprise requiring time, effort and planning. The original farmland on which my modest home was built over a hundred and fifty years ago, has given way to woodland and thorn bushes, which rather plays havoc with one's Ralph Lauren chinos and Italian loafers. It was decided therefore, that a bit of aggressive land reclamation was in order in order to construct a swimming pool. Not, I emphasise, to provide extra car parking space, but to help keep the old Spode musculature in limber, ensuring well-oiled service for years to come. Getting things done in rural France is like diplomatic maneuvering at the UN. Two years ago, I approached someone about leveling some ground to plant an orchard. Agreements
were made. Nothing happened. Then a day or so ago, two men turned up with a tractor and a plough at six in the morning, unannounced, and worked until sundown to complete the task. Minus three hours for lunch. It's like that here. Now, back to the pool. Were it simply a matter of digging a hole and filling it up with water, matters might have been dealt with more expeditiously. But, alas, no. The paperwork is just the beginning. One then has to find a man with equipment and expertise. An ex-paratrooper, skilled in the ways of the French artisan, came to the rescue. Men came, stared at the overgrown plot and with much arm-waving and gesticulation, appeared to have come to some kind of accord - unknown to me since the Southern accent is as thick as molasses and they might as well have been speaking Vietnamese. It appeared a plan of campaign had been agreed upon. Pastis was drunk and hands were shaken. Repeatedly. I thought it not unreasonable to assume that since all the participants seemed to have arrived at consensus - I believe the Americans call it 'negotiating to yes' - that work would begin immediately and people would be arriving with earthmoving machinery to dig holes and so forth. As days stretched into weeks, with no sign of activity, I do have to confess that my earlier optimism slowly evaporated. Spode fretted wordlessly. Having all but given up hope, one morning, again, curiously, at about six a.m., I was awoken by the sound of heavy machinery. I peered out of the window to be greeted with a cheery wave from a man the size of a garden shed who was making determined inroads into his task of removing a hundred cubic metres of earth from the ground with a mechanical shovel. I slithered into some clothes and he paused from his work long enough to convince me, with much arm-waving, that matters were well and truly in hand. The hole completed, it stood, forlornly bereft, for some time. Weeks, in fact. As spring rolled into summer, exactly the same procedure was repeated, this time with a truckload of cement, steel reinforced breeze blocks and my old friend the Garden Shed Man. He picked the breeze blocks up with forearms the size of truck inner tubes and within hours, had laid, poured, smiled genially, taken three hours for lunch and left before sundown. Miraculously, his colleague, a plasterer, appeared only a week later, after the concrete had dried, and set about creating the inner surface with the skill of a Cellini, fitting the pump, lights and pipework as he went. The woodworker came and fitted decking. My spirits rose. I filled the pool and returned to Paris, in the sure and certain hope that on my return, I should be able to disport myself with gay abandon in its crystalline waters. Returning after a long absence and removing the covers revealed, instead of iridescent clear
blue waters, a bilious pond in a remarkably unpleasant shade of bright green, opaque and oily. This was clearly not good. I consulted the oracle, the fountain of all wisdom, namely the Internet. There was much discussion about cause, effect and solution, some being contradictory. After silently and alternately cursing and praying, I reminded myself that I was a scientist. I'm supposed to be good at this sort of thing, but I have to confess, I was not aware that ownership and maintenance of a swimming pool required a degree in inorganic chemistry. As a child, I learned to swim at the local "baths" - probably so called because the cleansing effect of the bleach was more valuable to public health than the swimming lessons. The water was so inoculated against infection by massive doses of sodium hypochlorite that one's skin wrinkled in a heartbeat and placing one's face underwater risked complete and permanent exfoliation of the vitreous humour. In other words, step one, bleach. I had some, but not enough. A twenty-kilometre drive to the pool shop revealed a staggering array of chemical treatments, all sold in ten litre tubs. School chemistry involves careful measurement in milligrams and millilitres, with clean spatulas and spotless glassware. All that seemed to be required here was a medium sized shovel. There was an entire section devoted, optimistically, to something called PH. I assumed this was the agricultural version of the logarithm to base 10 of the hydrogen ion concentration, or pH, which I gathered was of some significance. I bought a pH tester, with a colour chart resembling nothing I had ever seen before; the pH values it tested were between 6.8 and 8.2, with an optimum of 7.2 to 7.6. The colour was off the scale. I calculated the requisite dose of pH (+) to decrease the acidity. After a heavy storm, I repeated the test, to find that it was now off the scale in the other direction. Well, you get the idea. Opening another huge tub of alkali, I despondently added some. Flocculation is a process whereby colloids come out of suspension to form flakes. In other words, the murky water contained micro-particles that were too fine to pass through the filter unless I bought another tub of overpriced stuff labelled "clarifying agent", which, the blurb told me helpfully, would restore my pool water to twinkling clarity. After, it said, I had thoroughly swept the bottom of the pool, which I couldn't see, with a brush. I felt like sitting in a corner and twitching a bit. Eventually, the happy ending arrived, the chemistry worked and iridescence was restored. I can now look forward to lazy conversations beside the pool, probably with myself, and I shall try very hard to avoid parking my car in it. May, 2015
THE ARAB FUND
for Social and Economic Development Gill Sherry
If you’ve never visited the Arab Fund Headquarters in Shuwaikh you’re missing a real treat. The design is as beautiful as it is practical with an impressive façade that’s not only eye catching but also cleverly protects the interior from Kuwait’s relentless sunrays. Every room, without exception, has the ‘Wow’ factor with harmonious shapes and patterns mirrored at every opportunity. After a two hour tour of this Middle Eastern masterpiece it was all I could do to tear myself away. I was astonished to learn that the building was designed by an economist, not an architect. The interior design is the brainchild of Abdul Latif Al-Hamad, General Manager and Chairman of the Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development. Entirely self-funded, this magnificent edifice took 43 months to complete. Temporarily halted by the Iraqi invasion, it eventually opened for business in 1994 and is now home to over 430 employees. My tour guide was Ziyad Raja M. Khalil whose official job description is ‘electrical engineer’. I suspect his duties extend way beyond what his business card would suggest. His knowledge is astounding, as is his passion for what to him, is obviously more than just an office. You’re not even inside the building before you’re blown away by the arresting design of the magnificent walnut hand carved doors. Each door weighs one ton and is made up of hundreds of individual pieces of wood, painstakingly constructed without the need for nails or glue, allowing each piece to expand in the heat without harming or distorting the doors. Beautiful Tunisian stonework frames the doors leaving visitors hungry for more of this extraordinary structure. Once inside, you’re greeted by a stunning Moroccan water wall with exquisite hand-crafted tiles, an imposing Samarkand Tree sculpture and a display of antiques to impress the most ardent of collectors. It’s difficult to know what to marvel at first. citypageskuwait.com
May, 2015
At the rear of the building, the library is protected by an intricately carved Arabesque screen made from 66,000 individual pieces of wood inset with 1300 pieces of glass. This allows light into the room without compromising the privacy. An elegant spiral staircase leads to the first floor, its elaborate parquet design mirrored by the ceiling pattern. A giant Moroccan chandelier hangs majestically overhead. Step into the Moroccan pre-function hall and you won’t want to leave. Everything from the marble pillars to the gypsum ceiling and the zellige mosaics will take your breath away. Every stitch, tile and ornament has been executed by hand and the beauty is demonstrated once again in the cedar, mahogany and ebony doors leading to the multi-functional conference hall. In here, once again you can only marvel at the splendor in front of you. The traditional octagonal star design is repeated throughout, appearing on the carpet, cherry wood tables and the Egyptian wooden suspending ceiling. Hand-woven wall hangings, designed by a Kuwaiti artist, not only represent Arab history and culture but also enhance the room’s acoustic system. The chairs are designed for maximum comfort and the tables can be cleverly folded and stored in a room no bigger than the average bathroom. A huge granite conference table dominates the Tunisian room which is adorned with arches, columns and decorative panels of wood and stone. It is crowned with a Moroccan cedar wood ceiling that leaves you gazing skyward in awe. The Damascene room serves as a VIP lounge and it’s easy to see why. Entirely Syrian in its décor no detail has been overlooked. From the marble fountain to the sparkling chandelier and the yellow, black and white stone walls, everything in this room shouts opulence. The floor is as shiny and smooth as glass and seating is designed and arranged to appreciate the full elegance of your surroundings. The Mamluk meeting room features a heavily carved ceiling and intricately inlaid table as well as panelled walls and built-in book cases. Modelled on 15th century Egypt, this rooms looks every inch the medieval grandeur intended. It’s easy to see why this is Zayid’s personal favourite. Amongst the traditional and the sumptuous lies an ultra-modern soundproof meeting room with a curved glass wall. The giant glass table is supported by marble pedestals sculpted by a Kuwaiti artist. Modern steel and leather chairs complete the look. The large reception room or ‘Diwaniya’ is an ideal space for visitors to gather. The carpet in citypageskuwait.com
here measures 96 square meters and the rich colours ensure a relaxing Eden in which to sit and appreciate this truly amazing enterprise. Of course, there’s also a Prayer Room; its intricate shrine the centre piece of this calm and tranquil setting; the Moroccan stained glass windows, a blaze of colour. The building is dominated by its central atrium. Light from the skylight and suspended glass wall bounces off every surface and ensures an ideal environment for the 66 year old Ficus trees. The towering Egyptian Mashrabiya, made up of 2.2 million pieces of beech wood, stands nine stories high and perfectly complements the Syrian fountain and marble floor. This is a perfect place to sit and enjoy refreshments and listen to songs from the resident birds. The attention to detail throughout the whole building is incredible; they really have thought of everything. There are no unsightly wires or power points; even the No Smoking sign is calligraphic. Regular rotation of the trees prevents them from leaning towards the light and growing at awkward angles and the sprinkler heads are disguised amongst the elaborate ceiling designs. Even the basement car park is spotless. The engineering brilliance and design expertise have earned this building the reputation as being one of the most acclaimed in the Middle East. Combining Arabic tradition with modern techniques and the shrewd investment of antiques, it truly is a sight to behold. But let’s not forget, the Fund has a job to do. As its title would suggest, its principal purpose is to grant loans to the financing of economic and social development projects in member states. It gives priority to interArab projects likely to promote cooperation and integration among member countries. It pays special attention to the least developed Arab countries and provides grants to support educational institutions, universities and professional and social associations. The Fund has also supported a number of Arab countries in countering the effects of natural disasters and wars. For further details on the Arab Fund’s activities or to arrange a tour of their innovative building, visit www.arabfund.org. Special thanks to Ziyad Raja M. Khalil for his assistance with this feature and his wonderful hospitality. May, 2015
A "REPORTER AT LARGE"
John McArthur John MacArthur was born in England, but has Celtic ancestry, so loves to sing. Abandoning his choral training, he sings songs of love and loss, owning several antique acoustic guitars. He has degrees in physics, chemistry and mathematics, has studied theology and business management, so, in fine nomadic tradition, he can call several universities home. After seven years in Kuwait, he 'retired' and laughs at himself every morning, commuting between his Paris island home and country house in rural France where he lives with his wife, a food writer and stylist, and, perhaps soon, a dog, should he be allowed one. Much to her dismay, he is thinking of taking up the mandolin. He has written for various publications worldwide on whatever happens to catch his imagination.
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In the digital age of the instant tweet, blog post or Facebook comment, the term ‘Reporter at Large’ sounds rather quaint, belonging to the then, not to the now. People used to read newsprint more, relying less on still or moving image. Front page events unfolded by telephone and word of mouth, sending a scramble of cub reporters in Homburg hats and Oxford bags to a newsworthy location, armed with a notebook and pencil. If they were lucky, they got there first, barraging witnesses, onlookers, bystanders and anyone else who happened to be there with the Big Questions: “What happened and how does it feel right now to be here?” Morris Markey was one such, first of all a newspaperman, hired by Harold Ross in New York in the early 1930's and given only one instruction: “Be honest at whatever cost.” He and other luminous talents made their bones at Harper's and the New Yorker, exploring what we would now call 'trending issues', the issues that drive national conversation, through long-form narrative journalism. Later, the themes shifted from front page news in favour of human interest stories. Markey was one of the first 'fly on the wall' journalists, writing along with others
under the banner headline of 'Reporter at Large'. Others followed. The iconic Joseph Mitchell wrote for the New Yorker magazine during the same period and his piece from August 1938, when the magazine cost a princely 15 cents was as a Reporter at Large telling the story of a former ship’s captain who had collected memorabilia from a lifetime at sea. The Captain housed his collection and himself in a basement just across the street from the Church of Paul the Apostle on the corner of Fifty-Ninth Street and Ninth Avenue in midtown Manhattan, calling it the "Museum for Intelligent People". It was this that caught my eye since I found myself thinking that there had to be some kind of selection procedure to stop stupid people getting in and it also suggested that every item displayed had a story to tell, if only someone were to tell it. The piece in the New Yorker was masterfully written and still stands tall; the museum, not so much, having gone the way of so many of New York City’s institutions; the building long since having been repurposed. Its most valuable exhibit was a collection of stuffed animals rented out to the movie industry for use when making jungle themed pictures. I imagined myself walking in to such a grandly titled cavern of wonders, fixing
a gentle, scholarly smile on my face while attempting to chronicle what it is like to be in a place where something curious and unusual is on display. All the back stories must have been there, the flights of fancy, the crackling spark of imagination; strangely curious artefacts on show, the sounds, even the weather outside or a creaky floorboard contributing to sensory experience. Evaluation and judgment come later but, for now, how does it feel to be there? I rather wonder, should the museum for intelligent people to reopen somewhere else, what it might contain and what kind of people would go and visit it. Exhibiting stuffed wild animals might not attune well to modern, faster paced tastes. A little passé perhaps, so, if not these, then, what? Almost everyone on the planet at one time or another must have seen or visited a Hard Rock Café, probably having bought a T shirt or coffee mug with the iconic symbol on it, plus the place where it was bought. Once upon a time, a guy called Eric Clapton liked to eat at a little place in London’s Piccadilly which had previously housed Rolls-Royce cars. It was an American diner, hence instantly popular, called the Hard Rock Café. The style was relaxed – ‘keeping it loose’ was the phrase (oh, how that dates me). Clapton, the high priest of the electric guitar, ate there so often that the owners were going to put up a plaque on the wall above his favorite chair. Instead, just for a laugh, the Great Man suggested hanging one of his guitars instead - just for the gear-heads –it was a red Fender Lead II. Nobody gave it much thought until a week later when another guitar arrived with a note from Pete Townshend of ‘The Who’ which read ‘Mine’s as good as his. Love, Pete.’ That went on the wall as well, and so, a legend was born, each of the over 70,000 pieces of rock memorabilia hanging on the walls of HRCs worldwide having been donated by someone famous. Yes, everyone knows where Kuwait’s used to be, with its iconic
waterside location, cupola, blue neon lighting and massive red letters, overlooking the sea. An annual classic car meet used to be staged in its car park. After nearly ten years, its doors closed, sadly, its glass pyramid razed and it joined the little museum on 59th Street in closure and obscurity. So, if you’re desperate for a HRC burger, you’re going to have to go to Bahrain to get one. Many, especially the nostalgic amongst us, will remember the internal décor. Garments in glass cases worn by iconic pop stars, battered guitars hanging on the walls and, most improbably a pink 50’s model car suspended from the ceiling. Every item had a history, a story to tell. Years ago, I once went there with a friend, who, in the kindest way possible, was a virtual idiot savant about rock music. He was able to do really strange things like recall quite an obscure concert in California in, say, 1986 by someoneorotherwhowasfamousonce and actually recite the set list in order, giving the makes and models of the guitars that were played. It was uncannily accurate, so precise it was weird. And yet, as a Reporter at Large he would’ve been outstanding. As he talked, you could almost smell the sweat, the leather of the performers’ jackets; he could talk for hours about the battered red Stratocaster which once belonged to so-and-so hanging on the wall next to Janis Joplin’s platinum album in the Hard Rock Café. Reporters should not be social engineers but such is the power of the media, they sometimes by default find themselves lifting a rising tide of public opinion. First and foremost, however, they are raconteurs and, let's be clear, not quite like normal people, voluntarily placing themselves in harm's way so that others may know the truth. They find themselves, frequently of their own choice, in strange, sometimes dangerous situations, in places where most of the rest of use choose not to set foot - gold standard journalism. They then translate a kaleidoscope of emotional and physical stimuli into a tapestry of words
to provide the rest of us with a vicariously rich sensation of having walked for a while in their shoes, releasing our own imagination to fill in the interstices, the dark gaps in the story. In November 1965, Joe Galloway, a twenty-three year old small-town reporter, found himself in Vietnam, pitched headlong into the first slice of big-time action experienced by the American forces where men rode into battle in helicopters for the first time. Vastly outnumbered, they fought off the North Vietnamese in the Ia Drang valley. Their commander was the legendary Col. Hal Moore, played by Mel Gibson in the movie 'We Were Soldiers' based on eyewitness reconstructions. The detail of his recall, the graphic description of warfare from a reporter who had never seen action, won multiple awards. I couldn't help asking myself, faced with crouching in a barely hollowed foxhole with malevolent machine gun fire ripping through the undergrowth at knee height; the man you were shouting at over the cacophony falling dead at your feet a moment later...how would I have seen and recorded it? Reporting
helps
us
to
make sense of events outside of our comfort zone. Twelve years ago, another survivor, later a reporter for ABC News, spoke of his experiences in the long grass of Ia Drang. He concluded that wars that seem just today may not seem so tomorrow. It took six dithering years to put together a half million strong fighting force in Vietnam; in the Gulf war, it took six determined months. Unless wars are fought in order to bring the bloodshed to an end, rapidly and efficiently, then squandering the lives of the young, the most precious commodity a nation possesses, for a half-hearted cause is insane. The fact is, democracies don't fight inconclusive wars for remote goals in distant places for very long. We do well to consider this, since some reporters, writing not from the safety of a midtown desk, instead from unspeakably dangerous and violent places, have, in our day, paid the ultimate price, just for being there. They have suffered at the hands of heedlessly brutal men for a cause for which the Geneva Convention has as little relevance as a gentlemanly game of bridge. We owe them our gratitude. May, 2015
Naser AlSanea Living On A Prayer
Please introduce yourself to our readers. I am Naser Alsanea, amateur designer and keen collector of precious stones and Misbah.
Why did you choose the profession of Misbah designing? I chose it because it is related to our heritage in Kuwait and I wanted to look at it from a unique perspective to revive it again.
Where did you get your training for Misbah designing? Through YouTube and a variety of internet websites, I have taught myself and developed my designing senses with news skills and techniques.
Where do you get the beads and the other material for your Misbah? I travel myself so I make orders and get beads from Poland and Turkey.
How often do you introduce a new design? It depends on the customer requests. Whenever I receive new orders I get inspired and start to design new pieces.
So you get inspiration for new designs from your customers? I listen to the customers. They tell me the details they want to see in the Misbah and I turn the idea into new designs.
Do you export your designed Misbahs? Yes, I have a lot of customer in all GCC countries.
How is the response from the local market? Amazing. Kuwaiti people are in love with Misbah and they love to gift it to their family and friends. citypageskuwait.com
What are your favourite materials for Misbah? My favourite materials are amber stone, mistka and bakalait.
What makes good Misbah? The good quality of beads and the strong thread that connects the beads.
How much time does it take to produce a new Misbah from design until completion? Around two to three days.
Where do you sell your Misbahs? Through Instagram and my real shop.
How do you manage the delivery process to countries outside Kuwait? I use a logistic company, POSTAPLUS. They provide me with multiple delivery solutions.
How do you POSTAPLUS?
describe
your
experience
with
POSTAPLUS is my supporter in the delivery of my goods. They deliver my items to all GCC countries with reasonable prices and within a fine duration. Moreover, they deliver my goods safely and that’s a very critical point for my business.
What are your future plans? To open more shops and branches of my Al Sanea store.
What is your message for CityPages readers? Thanks for giving me the chance to be in the May issue - I hope you enjoy the interview!
May, 2015
MAKING AN ENTRANCE I can picture it now. The grand sweeping staircase in an elegant mansion takes centre stage as the room from which it climbs is filled with the presence and excited chit-chat of happy party-goers; a beautiful lady in an extravagant dress appears at the top of the staircase; the room falls silent as all eyes turn to look at her as she descends the stairs, soaking up her guests admiration with each step and basking in the glory. Now that’s what’s called making an entrance! If you want to explore that further, then I suggest you watch a recording of one of Cher’s live concert performances, or find a copy of the old movie “Hello Dolly”, and snuggle down on the comfiest sofa in your house with lots of cushions, some flickering candles and a fragrant incense burner, plus a big box of chocolates and treat yourself to an indulgent evening. Because in this article I am turning my attention to making an entrance in a different way.
Paul Tunbridge A professional Facilities Manager from England, and with work experience across mainland Europe before arriving in Kuwait in 2007 Paul's interests include architecture and gardening as well as creative writing and the arts in general.
I recently moved into a nice new apartment. Actually, the whole block is new and, as such, can feel a little stark while it awaits an injection of personality from its tenants to give the building some life. When I say ‘stark’ I don’t mean it in an unkind way because it’s actually quite stylistic in a modernist, cubist and minimalist fashion. But I like to think that my visitors feel welcomed before they even set foot through my front door so it’s important to me to create a warm and friendly visual impression. Similarly, when I visit friends in their homes, I receive a similar warm and welcoming feeling when their personalities are expressed even as I approach their front doors. After all, the way in which someone decorates their home can tell you quite a lot about the person or people that live there. Of course, in an apartment block the options to personalise space in common access areas can be quite limited. It is, after all is said and done, important not to damage the building structure by making permanent alterations beyond the interior décor, to adhere to tenancy regulations and to be respectful to other tenants who may not share quite the same taste. And so, in the interests of research, I wandered up and down the corridors of my building to see how my fellow tenants are providing a welcome. To be honest, I was bitterly disappointed that so few have made any effort at all beyond some excuses for doormats to wipe shoes on entry. Perhaps it’s because everyone is still in the early days of living here, though I tend to think it may more likely be lack of imagination or lack of any desire to share just a little bit of themselves with the outside world. Let me show you what I mean….
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Grey walls in all the corridors have a modern feel, injected with colour by 3D graphic installations, but without decoration the modern doors to each apartment are quite cold and uninviting. A quick and easy way to inject some life and vibrancy to the entry is to introduce a few flowers, plants and colourful pots. It’s a safe and simple option, yet very effective in lifting someone’s spirits as they approach the door. There’s a sense that whoever lives on the other side of the door is a warm and caring person and someone who cares about their environment.
Does the tenant really think that a cheap piece of orange ribbon and a mat that professes a welcome on one side (but a more eagerlyawaited “goodbye” on the other) are enough to balance against the mess of buggies, car seats and other toys, which would be better hidden away inside? So what about my own entrance? (I hear you ask). My intention, as soon as I had moved in, was to let my visitors know they’d be welcome as soon as they turn the corner to my little bit of corridor. What better way to do that, I thought, than to extend my home beyond the front door by placing a café table and chairs, implying that coffee is always on offer, some lanterns to give a welcome sparkle on dark evenings and a plant to soften the corner?
So far, so good. And if the folk responsible for these entrances are reading this, then thanks for helping to make my stroll around the building a little brighter and for restoring my faith after witnessing so many boring ones! But then there are always those who spoil things, who don’t much care about their surroundings and are not afraid to let that show. I came across a couple of entrances which, rather than projecting a warm welcome, were audibly screaming “keep away”.
As the old saying goes, “First Impressions Count”. Most of us want to create the right first impression although, at the end of the day, I guess it all boils down to personal taste, a willingness to share a bit of yourself and your personality with your visitors and a desire to let loose with a little creativity. Now ask yourself if you would feel happy, relaxed and welcome if you were to be approaching your own front door for the first time. Do you feel like Making an Entrance? May, 2015
Chill out with our new Iced Caramella. Give your day a sweet, luxurious lift.
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Nour AlZaabi Nour holds a Master in Business Administration and a Bachelor in Marketing and is a Member at The Kuwait Economic Society and British Council Entrepreneur Network in Kuwait. Stay tuned for her articles and features in the CityPages magazine.
اكسب العميل نعيش في عصر متطور وجديد وفي مجتمع يستقبل كل ما هو جديد .و بات العمل التجاري هدف كل شخص يرغب بأن يكون تاجر أوصاحب عمل حر .و بدأت المشاريع التجارية تتواجد وبسهولة في مواقع التواصل االجتماعي ،ومنهم من انتقل الفتتاح محالت تجارية بعد أن حصل على مدخول كبير من ارباح في مواقع التواصل االجتماعي .وعلى كل صاحب مشروع أن يتواصل بشكل دائم مع عمالئه ،فالعميل اليوم أصبح أكثر دراية و فهمًا للسوق وال يمكن خداعه .والتمسك بالعميل اليوم يوفر عليك الكثير من اساليب الدعاية واالعالن مدفوعة الثمن .فمن خالل عميل واحد راضي يمكنه أن يقوم بالتحدث مع اآلخرين عن منتجاتك والدفاع عنك كأنه هو صاحب هذا المشروع .أما ما حصل لي كان شيء مخالف تمامًا، ففي أحد األيام تواصلت من احدى المساريع الصغيرة وحددت موعد للحصول على الخدمة وهذه المرة األولى التي ألجأ فيها لطلب الخدمات من هذه المشاريع في منزلي من باب دعم .فبعد تأكيدي للموعد والتزامي بالجلوس في المنزل الستقبالهم ،تأخرت الخدمة فاستفسرت من صاحبة المشروع عن هذا التأخير ،فقالت بأن احدى الزبائن أخرتهم فتوجب االمر
May, 2015
التأخير علي مدة نصف ساعة .وبعد نصف ساعة لم يصل أحد ،فعاودت االستفسار ،فأجابت بأنهم في طريقهم إلي. و مرت ساعة كاملة تأخير عن موعدي األساسي ،وبعدها أخبرتني السيدة بأن التأخير حدث من عميلة موعدها يسبقني وعلي االنتظار ،فأخبرتها أنني لست مسؤولة عن تأخير غيري ،وان كان فعليهم إبالغي حتى يمكنني تدارك الموضوع على األقل ،فإن لم تحترم عميلة موعدكم عليكم على األقل احترام موعدي .ومرت ساعة ونصف عن موعدي المحدد ولم يصل أحد ،فأبلغت السيدة صاحبة المشروع أنني لن أستقبل أحدًا في هذا الوقت فاحترام الوقت والمواعيد عندي له قيمة عالية .اعتذرت السيدة أكثر من مرة ولكنها عذرها كان من العميلة ولم تتحمل هي سوء تصرفها وإدارتها للموضوع ،الى هنا أنهيت حديثي معها وحظرت رقمها ولن أتعامل معها أبدًا .ما أود توصيله هنا أنك إن كنت صاحب مشروع عليك أن تهتم بعميلك ألن إن أسأت معاملته سيقوم بنشر هذا الحديث السيء عنك وستكون هذه بمثابة دعاية تسويقية سلبية لك ،اهتم بعميلك واكسبه فستربح.
Assumptions are arrogant ideas that are taken to be true on the basis of probability; and nothing more.
Sherihan A. Hassabo Sherihan A. Hassabo is a passionate writer who started expressing her opinion about controversial subjects when she was 14. When she is not directing events, she likes to investigate the interesting relationships' controversy in our Eastern society. Every month, and from real life experience; Sherihan will share a story, an idea, opinion, or a simple advice for men and women to live happily ever after.
harshly exist.
I have been on the receiving end of many assumptions and experienced a real encounter which proves that they
A non-Khaleeji girl marrying a Khaleeji man comes with a lot of baggage. The rest-of-the-world’s reference point for this part of the world is limited to what they see in movies and from those who visit their countries in the high peak tourist season. From personal experience, I really wish I had kept a notebook to document the comments I received over the years for marrying a Kuwaiti – not to mention a camera to record the looks. One such comment I received was - “Why would you do this to yourself?” I would expect that if I had said “I’m done with this life, I’m committing suicide” but not when I was happily getting married. One of the most surprising facts for many is that my husband is not 20 years older than me and that I am not his 13th wife! With this case, comes a ready-made set of assumptions that people throw at you no matter what; you simply fit the criteria for this particular ‘set’. This unfair set of assumptions applying to a nonKhaleeji girl marring a Khaleeji man, includes the following:# He is a fat, old, ugly man. # She is a 16 year old poor girl.
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# He must be after her looks. # She must be after his money. # He will physically abuse her. # She will run away and kidnap his children. # He will cheat on her, treat her like a slave and divorce her within few months. # She will discover he is already married to 3 other women staying at the same house. Sounds like a TV drama, doesn’t it? That is exactly my point. These assumed ideas come from television. We elaborate on them until we declare them real and then deal accordingly. Drama, however, does convey part of the truth or at least, addresses a problem that exists in society. But at the end of the day, does this mean that this very particular problem applies to everyone in this society? My point is this - No doubt it is truly tempting to preassume. It is only natural too as you listen to a story that triggers a part of your memory where you have heard a similar story before. Because of the very similar details, your mind detects this one common factor on which you now consider yourself an expert and you start pointing fingers and unloading blame. The first lesson I learned in high school when I studied Philosophical Logic was that one of the biggest problems common in all human beings is generalization and inductive reasoning. Even this is ironic generalization!! Let’s fight these self-imposed assumptions. Let’s simply QUIT starting with a fact about a sample and ending up with a conclusion about a population.
May, 2015
VITAMIN D IS NOT A VITAMIN, IT’S A HORMONE! A CONVERSATION WITH DR KASHIF RIZVI Let us begin by discussing what Vitamin D really is. Vitamin D is actually not a vitamin, it is a hormone. That is the most important thing to remember. In general, Vitamins are trace elements that are needed in small amounts and sourced from food. For example, you can eat an orange and get your Vitamin C. Vitamin D however is unique because it is predominantly made inside the body, so its supply from external extraction i.e. food is not enough. It is simplistic to think it is one dimensional in its affect.
Is the Vitamin D deficiency a recent occurrence? If you look historically, even in the pre-industrial age, there was extensive deficiency of Vitamin D and people used to suffer from the condition of very weak and painfully deformed bones. This in smaller children was called Rickets and in adults, known as Osteomalacia. The problem was recognized and in the 1920s in the US there was a national drive that sought to increase the time children spent outside in the sun. With that and supplementation with the so called cod liver oil (which had Vitamin D) the severe deficiency went off radar for a few decades. Rickets and Osteomalacia subsided but the subtler features of Vitamin D deficiency other than bone health resurfaced again with the onset of industrial age when people began to spend more time indoors and a general feeling arose that the sun may damage their skin.
Dr Kashif Rizvi MD, FRCP, CCST (UK dual board certified) Consultant Physician & Endocrinologist Specialized British Medical Unit, Mazaya Clover Centre, 4th floor Former Director New Mowasat Hospital Diabetes & Medical Centre, Kuwait. Former Head of department of Endocrinology and Diabetes - Kettering, UK Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training) - UK Accredited Endocrinologist General Medical Council - UK Member of Royal College of Physicians (London - UK) Member of British Diabetes Association Member of British Endocrine Society Member of Association of British Clinical Diabetologists Author of Several Peer Reviewed Research Papers Tutor of Royal College of Physicians citypageskuwait.com
What is the prevalence of the deficiency in Kuwait? Why is it so widespread? It is difficult to collect exact data in Kuwait due to multiplicity of factors; but we have a unique set of circumstances here and in broader Middle East which act as a perfect storm for Vitamin D deficiency. It is not an exaggeration to say that the figures of Vitamin D deficiency in Kuwait will be nearing 100 percent. There are several good studies in Kuwait that depict this. In one study two groups of women were looked at, those who concealed their bodies and those who wore western clothes. Both groups were deficient in Vitamin D but the level of the deficiency was proportional to the degree of covering of the face and limbs. Other studies have looked at children and students in Kuwait and there appears to be a universal deficiency in whatever segment of population is analyzed. Even in countries like the US where the lifestyle is more outdoorsy, in the states away from the equator there is an 86 percent deficiency in the winter months which then improves to 60 percent in the summer months. There are certain clinical pointers which make one vulnerable to a Vitamin D deficiency. It is a fat soluble substance so in cases where people are overweight and carrying more fat in the body, the fat will absorb their Vitamin D and keep it is an unusable store. As a result, an overweight person will almost certainly be depleted in it. It is important to note then that in Kuwait we have one of the highest incidences of obesity in the world. Secondly, people with darker skin block the conversion of Vitamin D synthesis from cholesterol. It’s akin to wearing sun-block making it difficult to take in the required ultraviolet B rays from the sunshine. At least 10-15 minutes of face and limbs exposure to the sun is required to convert Vitamin D into its active form. In Kuwait, due to the harsh weather, on top of a general aversion to the sun, even windows are kept closed with the glass blocking the UVB rays. Additionally there are cultural and religious reasons to cover up the entire body including the face. Also there are special groups like pregnant mothers needing additional vitamins, small babies who require supplements due to low vitamin D in breast milk; but they are not aware due to lack of health education Hence, indoor life, obesity, darker skin, concealing the body and aversion to the sun all contribute to creating a Vitamin D deficiency and these would perhaps include virtually everyone in Kuwait.
What is the optimal amount of Vitamin D needed? The optimal range depends on which methodology is used and it should be more than 50 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) in the body (the American method). Some labs use nanomols per liter (nmols/l), which is ng/ ml x 2.5. Ideally, it (ng/ml) should be about 60 or 70, anything below 50 should be considered suboptimal and less than 20 significantly deficient.
What are the consequences of being Vitamin D deficient? If Vitamin D is severely low, it will affect bone health. One of the major functions of Vitamin D is to absorb calcium and help with the bone health and to deposit mineral upon its matrix of protein. May, 2015
A simpler way to understand its depletion perhaps would be to think of the bone screaming in the way of non-specific aches and pains. Particularly affecting long bones, joints and muscles where they join the bones via tendons. Additionally chronic fatigue, irritability and mood disturbances will occur, affecting sleep quality and even depression in some. When we speak of bone health today, we are not referring to Rickets or Osteomalacia because that is now rarely seen. Instead we mean aches and pains and more seriously even in young people, the lowering in the density of the bone. It will pre-dispose them to the silent disease of the bone, osteoporosis, which has no clinical symptom until the bone becomes vulnerable to fractures without trauma, the so-called fragility fractures. The incidence of osteoporosis is higher than that of Diabetes - one in two women and one in four men will have an osteoporotic fracture over 50 years of age. So in Kuwait it is very important to raise this awareness that along with the quality of life that is impaired with vitamin D depletion, there is a great threat to bone health.
What other problems Vitamin D deficiency is connected to?
If you go back in time to when tuberculosis was prevalent, people used to be sent to sunnier climates to get better. There is a lot of evidence now that Vitamin D will actually act as a treatment adjunct in tuberculosis and its prevention. In modern times, Vitamin D will protect against asthma. It has been found that there is a 6 percent less incidence of asthmatic attacks among children whose Vitamin D is normal. It also effectively protects against influenza. It is common for people to take a flu shot in the winter season but other scientists argue that influenza occurs mostly in the winter season because there is less Vitamin D. There are studies is California of people who have a decreased incidence of flu on getting vitamin D replacement. Then there is reduction in significant conditions like Type 1 Diabetes. There is a study in Finland that found that children who were treated with Vitamin D in their infancy will have more than 50 percent reduction in the incidence of Type 1 diabetes. Similar data is emerging in Multiple Sclerosis, a very serious debilitating illness, and Parkinson’s disease.
What about Type 2 Diabetes?
As mentioned at the outset, vitamin D is a hormone. It has receptors on every cell of the body. Its deficiency manifests everywhere in the body. In the bone health, in the immune system modulation, i.e. helping our body’s defenses against various infections like influenza and TB, and also enhancing our body’s responses against diseases caused by our own immune system like type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and asthma Data is emerging on the protective role vitamin D may play against heart disease, stroke and various cancers
Type 2 diabetes, in Kuwait, is almost always related with central obesity. With an increasing waistline and fat sponging your vitamin D you are also at risk for acquiring metabolic syndrome which is central weight gain, insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension, increased cholesterol, depletion of Vitamin D and reduced bone density. So we replace Vitamin D actively in everybody who has type 2 diabetes. They feel better and then they have more energy to alter their lifestyle to eat less and walk more in order to make everything else better in their syndrome. There is a recent study showing a link between forgetfulness and vitamin D deficiency in type 2 diabetics.
What is the ideal way of sourcing Vitamin D? How is it processed in the body?
So, when Vitamin D is declared a simple solution to a variety of problems, it is not an exaggeration?
When we get exposed to the sun, for ten-fifteen minutes, (face and limbs) it will create about 15 to 20,000 IU of Vitamin D in your body. The ultraviolet B rays of the sun will capture the Cholesterol under your skin and convert it into the precursor of Vitamin D. So, not getting enough Vitamin D maybe a risk factor for heart disease and high blood pressure due to accumulating unused cholesterol. Next the liver then converts it into Vitamin D3 (also called cholecalciferol) which is the store or the major portion of Vitamin D in the body. The liver also uses some Vitamin D (D2) coming from the diet. The final piece of this jigsaw is the kidney which will make its activated form called Calcitriol or 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. This absorbs calcium and also performs a lot of other functions as alluded earlier
Can diet provide enough Vitamin D? No. A person would have to eat a hundred eggs a day, six oil fish like salmon or sardines in a day to get enough Vitamin D which you can make with ten minutes of exposure to sunshine so sourcing Vitamin D only from food is improbable. There are some types of milks and cereals that are fortified with Vitamin D which is Vitamin D2, a slightly inferior form of Vitamin D, of plant origin. The dietary component is less than 10 percent; with more than 90 percent coming from the sun.
What are the benefits of Vitamin D? As mentioned Vitamin D receptors are found on every cell of the body – the nerve cells, brain cells, bone, heart, and blood vessels. For example, the converted Vitamin D will go to the nerve cell and protect the nerve cell; it will go to the immune system and enhance your immune system activity. citypageskuwait.com
Absolutely not! It will not be an exaggeration to suggest that people should become aware of their Vitamin D status because it is easy to check and replace. A person can take up to 1000-1200 units a day or a dose of 5000 units per week in tablet form. We normally replace it with an injection of 600,000 units every month for three to five months. This helps compliance, is cost effective, rapidly improves their symptoms and achieves target levels. Subsequently it could be maintained with tablets or periodic shots. Once people have received the injections, they can have a maintenance dose every few months to keep it in a normal range or supplement it orally with tablets.
Is there a national programme in place in Kuwait for Vitamin D? I am not aware of any such thing in Kuwait. In the US and Western countries, there are drives for this based on national programmes but I am not aware of anything in Kuwait. Here, it is difficult to collect data because there is a heterogeneous group of people. This makes it difficult to enact any one programme. Nonetheless, it is important to continually strive to raise awareness via discussions like these. We arrange regular public awareness seminars in this regard.
What areas of current research on Vitamin D are the most significant? A lot of research is taking place to determine its effect on high blood pressure and heart disease and on cancer prevention i.e. breast and colorectal. Recently there are many exciting studies showing vitamin D is important in regulating genes implicated in autism, in breast cancer, in more mundane but important issues of ear infections, respiratory
and gastric infections in young children. Consequently Leeds, a city in UK, is making vitamin D supplement available for free for all children under 4 years of age.
How does ageing factor in the absorption of Vitamin D? As a person gets older, they tend to be less active and less outdoorsy. They may also have weaker/thinner skin allowing reduced sun exposure. Additionally they may have co existing diseases and other deficiencies to manage as well. There is evidence of Vitamin D’s protective role in Alzheimer’s disease too.
Does the required amount differ from men, women and children?
and other products, mistakenly think they are getting Vitamin D when they are not. Secondly it is considered as a vitamin when it really is a hormone. A hormone is something which has effects on many systems of the body. So Vitamin D should be thought of as a hormone that must be replaced, rather than a trace element which ‘may’ be replaced. Thirdly, people’s unawareness about exposure to the sun is skewed. There was a study in Kuwait where people were found to be very aware of the dangers of exposure to sun but not aware of missing out on it. Also, sun-block will block the conversion of Vitamin D as well. Better to put it on the face and not on the limbs. There is no harm in being in the sun for a little while, that’s the message.
The American government’s recommendation is 400 IU for a child, 800 for an adult and 1200 for a breast feeding woman. But if you get exposed to the sun for fifteen minutes, you make 20,000 IU. This is a big difference. So exposure to the sun is key to life, it creates happiness, vitality and energy. Pregnant and breast feeding women need more Vitamin D. Guidelines suggest up to 1200 IU a day but we give a larger dose because we want to normalize the Vitamin D to above 50 ng/ml. All the evidence points that if it is kept above this level, the symptoms disappear. People feel tremendously better.
How would replacing Vitamin D levels impact healthcare costs?
Why is exposure to the early morning sun always recommended?
We, here at Mazaya Clover centre, are practicing internal medicine, endocrinology, metabolic medicine, bone disease and managing Diabetes in an evidenced based international protocol driven methodology and modeled like a UK centre with a multidisciplinary team approach.
That is because the sun is not harsh in the morning or evenings. So in places like Kuwait, although it is available around the year, we need to exercise precaution against sunburn and especially protect our face. It would be better to utilize the sun away from the hotter hours of 11 until 3 and to keep ourselves hydrated.
Is there a possibility of excess Vitamin D levels leading to toxicity? Like every supplement or every therapeutic intervention, there is a possibility of intoxication, but that is very unusual. A person would
I don’t know the answer to that because it is impossible to calculate. There are so many effects from it that the simple replacement itself can act as a pivotal part of preventative medicine. If a country was aware of its deficiency and takes steps to replace it, there will be innumerable direct and indirect costs saving from it.
Tell us about your centre.
We treat a lot of people in our centre for Vitamin D deficiency, with assessment of various parameters including bone density and make a program for the replacement. I am not aware of a single patient who has failed to turn up for their treatment schedule. That really tells you that they must feel better. For anything else, people sometimes cancel or reschedule things. But for Vitamin D replacement, they seldom reschedule - the proof is in the results.
have to take an exceedingly large amount for a long period of time which would create too much calcium in the body and lead to hypervitaminosis. It’s rare in medical practice. At the same time, one has to guard against over-replacement which is a theoretical possibility. You can get it checked easily; it is a one-off test. But I have hardly ever seen, in my clinical practice in Kuwait, anybody whose vitamin D is normal let alone above normal.
What are the most commonly held misperceptions of Vitamin D? People often confuse Vitamin D with Calcium. They drink milk, eat cheese and think that they will get Vitamin D. Although some milk is fortified with Vitamin D, it cannot supply you with the required amount. Calcium and Vitamin D are two different substances and people, when they eat poultry May, 2015
TRAVEL & TOURISM
Aigerim Rahmet Born in Kazakhstan, lived in Prague, Czech Republic for more than 10 years, graduated with a HND in Business and BA(hons) in International Management from Teesside University, Aigerim Rahmet is an Assistant Spa Manager at Six Senses Spa. She earned an MBA in Hospitality Management from one of the top hospitality schools-Les Roches International school of Hotel Management and an MAS degree from Les Roches Gruyère University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland. Follow Aigerim on Instagram at: @a_rahmet & @divineq8
Travelling around the globe has thankfully become more affordable and people don’t just travel for business but for relaxation and leisure too. I love to travel and explore different countries and cultures, sample their hotels and cuisine and meet the local people. Since the summer season is approaching, I would like to share some tips to help you understand and get to know foreign cultures, traditions and beliefs. Why should you travel ? •To explore and appreciate different cultures and lifestyles. •To meet new people and share experiences. •To engage and educate yourself. •To take a break from everday stress and explore something new and refreshing. Some travelling tips: •Discovering new places is exciting and relaxing and keeps you occupied during your free time. A travel agency or internet search can help you with information. Local newspapers and magazines often have special offers and travelling tips too. •Take a dictionary with you to help learn the language
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around you or use a language app on your smart phone. It is usually appreciated if you can say simple things like ‘Thank you' and 'Hello' in the native tongue. •Choose the best hotel according to your needs and budget. After a long day exploring a new city you will need a comfortable and cozy place to relax and prepare for your next adventure. •There is a wide variety of hotels in every city, from luxury five star hotels, small cozy boutique hotels or budget hotels with good service and comfort. Choose the right one according to your needs. •Look before you leave – whether you are at the airport, in a café or returning a hire car, always check to make sure you haven’t left anything behind. •Don’t forget to take out travel insurance. It sounds obvious but lots of people don’t bother and end up losing a lot of money when things go wrong. It’s important to protect yourself. To conclude, travelling is one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself. From the obvious fun involved, travelling can transform you on so many levels. It provides happiness and satisfaction long after the trip is over. Enjoy your summer travelling!
DIABETES & HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Sanaa Abdul Hamid Sanaa holds Masters of Clinical Dietetics from University of Queensland, Australia and is a Clinical dietitian and a Certified Yoga Teacher. She is currently working as Consulting Clinical Dietitian Diabetes and Medical Unit (SBMU) Mazaya,Clover Centre, Jabriya Sanaa is also a blogger and very active on Instagram. Read more from Sanaa at: Blog: www.balancewithsanaa.com, Instagram: @Sanaa_dietitian
Diabetes or Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease, which occurs when blood glucose (sugar) levels are raised due to lack or low production of insulin or trouble with your body detecting insulin (insulin resistance). There are two major classes of diabetes, “Type 1 diabetes” and “Type 2 diabetes”.
What is Type 2 diabetes? Type 2 Diabetes is often described as a ' lifestyle disease' as it is common in people who are overweight or obese and in those who are less active. It is also called "Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes" (NIDD) and it is the most common form of diabetes affecting 85% to 90% of all people. Even though it is mostly common among mature adults (over 40 years), younger people are also now being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes due to the rise in overweight and obesity rates.
What happens if you have Type 2 Diabetes? A healthy person's pancreas produces enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels within the normal range after a meal. In Type 2 diabetes, the cells of the pancreas do not produce enough insulin for the body's needs or your body is unable to use the insulin well. This causes the blood sugar levels to remain at a high level and if untreated causes health complications.
10 Steps you can take to manage diabetes 1.Eat regular meals. If you skip meals you then tend to overeat at your next meal and you are likely to consume excess carbohydrates than what your body’s insulin can handle at one sitting. citypageskuwait.com
2.Educate yourself on the different types of carbohydrates and understand the difference between the ‘good’ carbs and ‘bad’ carbs as well as appropriate portions to eat at each meal. International guidelines recommend all people with diabetes to be assessed by a registered dietitian/ diabetes educator to improve health outcome. 3.If you are overweight or obese, try to lose some weight. Losing even 5 % to 10% of your total body weight helps improve your blood sugar levels, blood pressure and blood cholesterol. 4.Foods/drinks such as lollies, chocolates, cakes, biscuits, soft drink, cordial and juices should be limited. These foods are low in nutrients and high in calories and sugar making them poor choices for diabetes and weight management. 5.Reduce fat intake by choosing low fat or reduced fat products. Limit deep fried and battered foods, pastries, cakes, biscuits and take-away food. Choose lean meats and remove all visible fat. 6.Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day. Find an activity that you enjoy and aim for 30 minutes of physical activity each day. 7.Do your HbA1C test every 3 months. This test tells you how your blood glucose control has been over the past 2 to 3 months, not just over the last day or hour. It tells you how well your diabetes management plan is working over time. 8.Be consistent with taking medications prescribed by the physicians. 9.Follow up with your endocrinologist and dietitian in a timely manner. You receive support and feedback on how well you are managing your diabetes. Adjustment to your current management plan can be if required. 10.Meditate and stay stress free.
May, 2015
HYPERTENSION & THE EYE
Natalie Rose Choonoo Natalie is an optometrist and contact lens specialist at International Optique. She has a Bachelor of Optometry from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal South Africa. For more information contact International Optique. Tel: 25714007 – 97234753, www. intoptic.com – info@intoptic.com, Instagram: @intoptique
A recent article in the Arab Times suggests that 25% of the Kuwaiti population has hypertension. Since hypertension is the main cause of heart disease, it is important that we tackle this condition in some minor detail from an optometry perspective. Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure. Basically, hypertension is a condition where the blood pressure is elevated in the arteries. The normal level for blood pressure is below 120/80, where 120 represents the systolic measurement (peak pressure in the arteries) and 80 represents the diastolic measurement (minimum pressure in the arteries). Blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 is called pre-hypertension; this denotes increased risk of hypertension. Blood pressure of 140/90 or above is considered as hypertension. Unfortunately, high blood pressure has very few symptomatic indicators and many people remain undiagnosed until a visit to the doctor. However, a few symptoms may include headaches, dizzy spells, ankle swelling, nose bleeds and shortness of breath. High blood pressure, like diabetes, can damage the blood vessels of the retina. This damage is called hypertensive retinopathy. There are no symptoms of hypertensive retinopathy. It is normally diagnosed during a routine eye test, preferably with your ophthalmologist. However, rare indicators are present after your blood pressure has been persistently high over a prolonged period. Some indicators for you to note: •double vision accompanied by extreme headaches •blurred vision •bursting of a blood vessel on the conjunctiva i.e. the white part of the eye •eye swelling
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When your blood pressure is too high, the retina's blood vessel walls may thicken. This may result in narrowing of the vessels, which then restricts blood from reaching the retina. In some cases, the retina becomes swollen and so does the macula, which is the most central point of the retina. When these blood vessel walls thicken, fluid trickles out in the form of blood or protein. A hemorrhage is formed when blood trickles out of the vessels. Likewise, when protein seeps out of these blood vessels, unwanted ill-defined spots on the retina appear in a whitish to yellowish color. The above can be extensively diagnosed by your ophthalmologist during a dilated fundus exam. The ophthalmologist will instill drops into the eye to get a wider field of view to assess any narrowing of the blood vessels or any fluid leakage. When the ophthalmologist suspects an extreme case he/she may conduct a fluorescein angiography. At this test a dye is injected into your arm which provides the doctor with an overview of any troublesome blood vessels under a more fluorescent imaging. Simple lifestyle changes can possibly prevent hypertensive retinopathy. Some to consider are as follows: •Faithfully take your blood pressure medication as recommended by your doctor. •Keep your blood pressure under control by reaching and stabilizing at your optimal weight according to your body mass index. •Adhere to a proper eating plan as recommended by a doctor. A diet rich in fruit and vegetables is best suited. •Exercise regularly as this stimulates blood flow overall. •Reduce salt intake. •If you are a smoker, consider steps to aid you in quitting this habit. •Limiting caffeine beverages also aids in the maintenance of an optimal blood pressure reading. •Regularly follow-up with your doctor or self monitor your blood pressure diligently.
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- Sharq
- Kuwait City
- Sharq
- Fahaheel May, 2015intoptique International Optique
PRP ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM?
Dr. Nazia Nausheen Dr. Nazia Nausheen is a certified medical doctor. She also holds a Masters Degree in Business, Specializing in Sales and Marketing. Readers should look forward to her regular articles on women health and other general health related issues.
Every now and then the beauty industry throws us a wild card - a new strange way to turn back time or to momentarily stop the clock. One such treatment that's growing in popularity is PRP injections. Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP for short, was introduced to improve wound healing. Laying a coating of this over an open wound will rapidly induce healing of the wound, reducing the time it takes to clear. In recent years it has been introduced, very successfully, in the skin industry where it is used to improve skin texture, lines and wrinkles. By placing it into the deeper skin layer, fibroblasts and other cells can be stimulated to perform a more youthful function. Delicate areas like undereye skin and necks can show dramatic improvement. Lines like those around upper lips can also improve and the general texture and turgor of the skin will improve.
What Is PRP?
Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, takes a fraction of your own blood which is then drawn off, spun down and reapplied or injected to create improved tissue health. Platelets are very small cells in your blood that are involved in the clotting process. As they organize in the clot they release a number of enzymes to promote healing and tissue responses including attracting stem cells to repair the damaged area. When used in injured or sun-and time-damaged tissue they can induce a remodeling of the tissue to a healthier and younger state.
Who Will Benefit From PRP?
Anyone with an open wound or injury, especially one taking time to heal, will benefit. The wound will improve speedily with PRP. Also anyone who is using cosmetic treatments for lines, wrinkles, poor skin conditions and general skin reconditioning. These can be improved with PRP. Anyone who has had problems tolerating products for these sorts of procedures will be encouraged by the fact they are using purely their own cells and tissues. The citypageskuwait.com
most dramatic results so far have been with wrinkles and areas such as under-eyes, necks and dĂŠcolletage. It is not designed to replace surgery for loose skin where procedures such as blepharoplasties etc. would be more appropriate.
How Many Treatments Are Required? With wounds and injuries one treatment of platelet rich plasma may be enough. For more cosmetic procedures, usually three treatments will be required. Platelet rich plasma is instilled on three occasions usually a month apart.
How Quickly Does The Result Show? For those people aware of their skin texture and structure they may be aware within a week of some early changes. But this is a gradual process with changes continuing to show for three to six months after the treatment with the PRP. For a cosmetic application it would be best to wait for three months or so after the third treatment session of PRP before making a judgement on the outcome. And some will be achieving further changes for another three to six months after the last treatment.
How Long Does It Last? At the moment the effect seems to last about two years. Obviously there will be variations from one person to the next. Initially it was felt the effects and length of benefit would be better in younger patients with younger cells to work with. But with platelet rich plasma therapy, as with non-ablative laser treatments, effects can be very good in more mature people too.
Are There Side Effects? Because it uses your own natural platelets there is no risk of allergic reaction. There will be some shortlasting pinkness or redness of the skin following injection of the platelet rich plasma. Bruising is also a possibility as a needle is used to place the PRP into the skin. This may take a week or so to resolve.
May, 2015
IS THE KEY TO Maha AlRashed
SUCCESS
Maha AlRashed is a CHEK Certified Exercise Coach and a regular contributor for CityPages magazine.
Almost six months ago, I wrote an article about people’s New Year resolutions, staying fit being the most popular. So stop for a minute and think about how far you have advanced from the moment you decided you were going to be more fit. In my work, the biggest issue I find is lack of commitment. I believe that in order to succeed in whatever it is you are doing, you need to be able to commit wholeheartedly to that goal. Goals are not achieved by sitting around and waiting for things to happen. They are achieved by going after them and not stopping until you have reached them. In the fitness industry, it is always a battle with clients who want quick results. We want to do it right but sometimes we lose the battle to the surgeons or doctors or fad diets. Sometimes however, we win the battle because a slow and steady process usually has a long lasting result. Thankfully, citypageskuwait.com
the fitness industry has made it very easy for people to jump on the fitness bandwagon. They have created different forms of exercise for every personality. If you are the kind of person who needs a personal trainer to motivate you, there are personal trainers everywhere who can tailor make a program for your specific needs. If you are a person who prefers to exercise in a large group, there are plenty of group fitness classes providing options to suit your needs. Finally, if you don’t like the gym at all and just want to move, there are dance classes, boot camps and many more options for you too! Even yoga is provided at specific serene studios or even outdoors if that’s what you like to do! So what’s your excuse now? Make that commitment and get healthy!
May, 2015
Baghdad Street – Building 38 same as Boushahri Seema Pharmacy, Opposite Suleiman Al-Luhaib Mosque - Tel : 1888877
www.boushahricp.com
Boushahri_clinic
Dr Mohammed Shamsah - MBBS, FRCPC Consultant in Pain Management Fellowship in chronic pain Fellowship in Critical Care Medicine Fellowship in Echocardiography
PAIN MANAGEMENT
Why are doctors who specialize in pain management often Anaesthesiologists? Anaesthesiologists’ responsibilities are to safely maintain vital functions of the body and to relieve pain. Many of the techniques they use to make operations painless can be used to relieve other types of pain. After medical school many of today’s anaesthesiologists go on to study pain management during their four years of anaesthesiology residency. Many still receive even more post-graduate education to become pain management specialists. With this education, they are able to work with other physicians, nurses and therapists to tailor a pain management program to effectively treat individual patients.
What is the difference between acute pain and chronic pain? Acute pain is pain of a short, limited duration. It is actually the result of an injury, surgery or illness. Acute pain often goes away with the healing process. Chronic pain continues for longer than three months, despite the healing of the injury.
Can pain management physicians find the cause of my pain? citypageskuwait.com
Pain specialists are able to help diagnose the source of pain and treat it. They will conduct a physical examination and review your medical records and analyze your description of pain. Sometimes supplemental diagnostic studies can be helpful to pinpoint the source of pain. These tests include questionnaires, x-rays, skin temperature monitoring and local anaesthetic tests.
Are there any psychological effects of chronic pain? Yes, chronic pain may cause feelings of anger, sadness, hopelessness and even despair. It can alter one’s personality, disrupt sleep, interfere with work and relationships and even have an effect on other family members. A treatment program, including psychological support, may be what is needed to manage chronic pain
What is Epidural Space? This space lies inside the spine between the inner surfaces of the bones of the spinal canal and the membrane covering the spinal cord.
What is Epidural Steroid Injection? Certain Steroid drugs (drugs related to
cortisone) possess strong anti inflammatory properties. When injected around the irritated nerve, disc, or ligament, these drugs stop inflammation and relieve pain. To place this medicine as close as possible to the site of the inflammation, it is often injected into the region of the spine called the epidural space. This type of injection treatment is typically used if oral medications and more conservative therapies have not been successful.
Who is a good candidate for an Epidural Injection? In some patients, irritation on pressure occurs on an individual spinal nerve. This irritation can cause pain and numbness or tingling in the head, neck, arms, legs or buttocks, depending on the level of spinal nerve involvement. Patients with a recent onset of pain may respond better than those with longstanding pain. Also, patients with pain due to nerve irritation affecting a leg or arm often experience greater relief of their symptoms than individuals with only back pain.
Baghdad Street – Building 38 same as Boushahri Seema Pharmacy, Opposite Suleiman Al-Luhaib Mosque - Tel : 1888877
www.boushahricp.com
Boushahri_clinic
Let’s Get Real… with Nat Hello readers. It is with joy and sheer excitement that I introduce my new segment to you this month. A few key traits about me… 1 I am in love with food; every aspect of it. Looking at it, cooking it, reading about it, talking about it, exploring it, experimenting with it and of course, the best part… eating it! Which in essence, makes me a bona fide foodie - no shame there! 2. I am a trained Executive Chef but only practiced my trade for about six months before I decided to pursue a career in fashion. 3. I work in the sometimes cruel, yet mostly fabulous (but oh so judgmental) fashion industry, which can be torture, given the first two points of this story! I moved to Kuwait in 2005. At that time I weighed, give or take, about 55kg. I could fit into size 25 jeans… yep… that is the truth! Now don’t get me wrong, I have always enjoyed food, but before I moved here I lived in Dubai - the land of temptation. There, I would socialize about four nights a week. I also worked out like a maniac. As every socialite knows, when you combine all that fun and then add lots of dancing, as well as a daily two hour gym session six days a week, you could pretty much eat as much as you want! However, don’t be fooled, it is about what you eat… Kuwait grows on you… and oh boy, how it did… or rather how I did!!!! By mid 2013 I reached my heaviest weight ever, 78kg, which is a lot for someone who used to be considered petite. I am an emotional eater, so when I am sad I binge - on sugar; copious amounts of sugary delights from sour candies to chocolate to cakes. During that time I had many, many sad moments. Eventually it dawned on me, when I saw pictures of myself, I was disgusted and ashamed. How could I allow this to happen? I was morbidly obese according to all of the health tests I did. citypageskuwait.com
I joined a gym and slowly started to cut out some of the bad food. I even had a personal trainer. A few months into my new regime I started seeing results, but it wasn’t enough. I joined boot-camp and got stronger but I wasn’t losing enough weight. I was still having to buy bigger sizes and believe me, when you travel around the world to fashion shows and see models looking amazing in everything they wear, it eventually starts to affect your confidence - no matter how strong you are. Then, just over a year ago something happened. LOVE; or should I say rekindled love? He introduced me to THE REAL MEAL REVOLUTION. www.therealmealrevolution.com Check it out! I cut out all forms of processed sugar, all forms of grains and cut down my fruit intake to green apples and berries only in limited quantities. I increased my intake of healthy animal fats, including tree nuts. I only cook with butter, olive oil or virgin coconut oil and have a healthy, hearty breakfast of eggs with avocado or full fat greek yoghurt with grain-free granola and berries. I drink mainly water, but also have coffee, tea and coconut water from time to time. I have a “spike” day every 15 days but don’t deviate off my eating plan too much. Essentially, I follow a Low Carb, High Fat eating plan, maintaining a daily carb intake of less than 25grams, whereby I consume 20% protein, 50% healthy fats and 30% vegetables per meal, I eat twice a day and hardly snack. Green vegetables must become your best friend - and guess what? HEALTHY FATS DO NOT MAKE YOU FAT. It actually helps to burn bad fats!! This is not a joke!! My new lifestyle started nine months ago and I am happy to report that I have lost 13kg, two dress sizes and I feel amazing. I am alert, awake and my chronic migraines have disappeared. This lifestyle change has many benefits for anyone who would like to feel healthier and who wants to keep the weight off. I look forward to sharing my ongoing Real Food Journey with you.
Grilled Shrimp with Red Thai Chili & Cauli-rice
Ingredients: Grilled Shrimp with Red Thai Chili
•1kg fresh shrimps –medium/large, cleaned (I remove the heads but leave shell on) •10 whole Thai red chilies – roughly chopped with seeds •6 cloves garlic •1 tbsp ground cumin •100 grams butter •2 tbsp honey •3 fresh limes •Chopped fresh coriander •Himalayan salt to taste
Directions:
•Mix garlic, butter, cumin and salt together to form a paste. Microwave for 30 seconds or until butter has melted. •Cover shrimps in mixture and add chilies. •Marinate for 30 mins to 1 hour in refrigerator. •Leave out for 20 minutes to reach room temperature. •Heat wok or deep dish pan on stove top and add shrimp to very hot pan. •Flash fry for about 5-7 minutes. •Drizzle honey over cooked shrimps and toss lightly. •Add chopped coriander right before serving with some fresh lime wedges.
Ingredients: Cauli-rice
Cauliflower will become your best friend throughout this new lifestyle. It is so versatile and can substitute many high carb dishes with a healthy alternative, such as rice, mashed potatoes and even pizza dough. Yes, you don’t have to give up pizza or cheese, just cut out the carbs!! LIFE!
Ingredients:
•1 large cauliflower, cut into florets •1 medium size onion of your liking chopped finely (I prefer the white onion as it is a bit sweet and adds flavor) •4 cloves of garlic, minced •100 grams butter •Himalayan salt and black pepper for seasoning
Directions:
•Mince your cauliflower florets in food processor until it looks like rice. I use the pulse button. •Sautee your onion and garlic in butter then add the minced cauliflower and toss for about 3-5 minutes. •Season with salt and pepper to taste (I also add some dried mixed Italian herbs). •Your “rice” is ready to serve. May, 2015
Welcome back to the weight-loss journey of our two friends Sondos & Bader. How have they fared in their ‘In it 2 win it’ campaign since last month? Ten days have passed since the last ‘In it 2 win it’ episode and the competition between Sondos and Bader is as strong as ever. No drastic body changes are visible given the short time that has past, but our weight loss couple are still competing to see who sticks to their diet the best. The ending of the last episode signified the beginning; the fridge was cleaned out and stocked with healthy food, the home gym cleaned and polished and our couple’s weight recorded. In this episode, Bader and Sondos decide to test their level of athleticism; and what better way, you guessed it, than to compete head to head. Such an event requires the expertise and experience of a coach who knows how to test and assess both Bader and Sondos based on their current level of fitness. Ali Al Daihan, head coach and founder of Thunder Team, was more than happy to push (and break) Bader and Sondos to their limits. So, on beautiful Saturday during January in Kuwait, the couple (accompanied by their Director Yousif Al Manea and cameraman Hassan Kamal), headed to Marina Beach to meet coach Ali for their Fit Test. Whilst the director and cameraman set up their equipment, Coach Ali asked both Sondos and Bader about their fitness history. A brisk run, followed by stretching, set the stage for all the hard work that was to come. Easy is not in Coach Ali’s vocabulary, but that’s not to say he isn’t concerned about safety; he would stop either one if he saw signs of fatigue or poor form. citypageskuwait.com
Bader and Sondos pushed their way through runs, jumps and lifts; each losing their breath and shedding tears and sweat. Sondos had an emotional moment which she says was a ‘reality check’ to how much strength, endurance and stamina she lacks; but she still kept at it until the end, throwing ever punch like a champ. Although the exhausting workout was finished, Coach Ali apparently wasn’t and he ordered the couple to finish strong by ending with a killer abdominal exercise. The feeling of completing a workout brought back a familiar feeling to Bader and a welcome one to Sondos. The benchmark was documented and now both know where they stand - which is something they couldn’t do properly for a few days after the killer workout! Check out episode 2 ‘The Fit Test’ on the YouTube channel ‘In it 2 Win It’ and stay tuned for what is to come.
May, 2015
YOGA IN A WOMAN’S LIFE Most of us have heard of yoga and probably know someone who practices it. Although yoga has been around for more than five centuries, it has recently become one of the fastest growing health trends. An estimated 15-20 million Americans currently practice some form of yoga, most of them women (a 2012 survey by Yoga Journal found only 18% of yoga practitioners in the US are men). So what is the attraction? If you asked people leaving a yoga class, they would probably respond that yoga reduces their stress, makes them feel able to cope with life, helps them to sleep better and it feels great! A new study in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, proposes that yoga achieves its benefits by “facilitating self-regulation”. Basically, the ability to calm yourself down when you’re upset and cheer yourself up when you’re down – and isn’t that a skill we all can benefit from?
Benefits of Yoga
Rebecca Al-Mutairi Clinical Instructor, Physical Therapist, Prenatal Yoga Instructor
BirthKuwait is a non-profit organization operating as part of The Voluntary Health Association. For more information, visit their website: www.birthkuwait.com or Instagram: @birthkuwait
citypageskuwait.com
Yoga stretches all the soft tissues of the body including muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia (the sheath that covers the muscles). In one study, participants improved flexibility by up to 35% after only eight weeks of yoga. Most forms of yoga include deepening and slowing the breath which is known to stimulate the relaxation response in the body (the opposite of the adrenaline boost that comes with the stress response).
Yoga is known to lower levels of some hormone neurotransmitters (such as dopamine), create a feeling of calm and well-being and may boost oxytocin, the hormone that’s associated with feeling relaxed and bonded to others. Yoga also slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure - a great benefit for anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Yoga was a key part of the heart disease program designed by Dean Ornish, MD, which was the first program to partly reverse heart disease through lifestyle and diet changes rather than surgery. Studies indicate a possible anti-oxidant effect of yoga, decreased cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as increased immune system function. A recent study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine confirms that yoga improves overall sexual function in women. These results were obtained after participants practiced only 3 months of yoga and, interestingly, women over 45 showed more improvement than their younger counterparts. Other possible reasons for yoga’s popularity include reducing depression and pain from chronic conditions such as arthritis, low back pain and migraine headaches. People with asthma and diabetes have also reported increased quality of life as a result of practicing yoga.
What is Yoga?
While there are many forms of yoga (and different variations seem to be added to the list almost daily),
the changes pregnancy brings to the body and bond with their infant. Classes can be a great way for expecting women to meet and connect with others who share the same concerns and emotions that pregnancy can bring. It is wise for a pregnant woman to check with their doctor before starting any exercise program.
Yoga for the Older Woman
A recent study, published in The Lancet Oncology (led by Dean Ornish, MD) showed scientific proof of the connection between lifestyle and aging. The study found that “healthy lifestyle changes, including eating a plant-based diet, getting moderate exercise and engaging in stress management interventions such as yoga and meditation, may actually reverse the aging process”. What seems clear is that stress takes its toll on the health, quality of life and lifespan of women. As a woman ages, the risk factor for osteoporosis increases. A recent study by the University of California, found that one-hour yoga sessions twice a week for 12 weeks actually increased the height of the participants as well as improving their scores on tests that measured walking parameters and balance. Participants reported the yoga reduced pain, improved breathing and increased feelings of well-being. Age can also bring many chronic medical conditions such as asthma, back pain and arthritis. Yoga has been shown to relieve the symptoms of these conditions. A pilot study in which women with metastatic breast cancer participated in only eight weekly yoga sessions, found that the women reported significantly less pain and felt more relaxed and energetic. Another study of menopausal women who participated in yoga classes, showed improvement in energy and mood as well as less physical and sexual discomfort and reduced stress and anxiety.
Yoga and Islam
most yoga practices consist of a number of “asanas” or body positions combined with breathing in a rhythmic manner. One common goal of yoga is body awareness that can be achieved by uniting the breath and the body through movement and balance in poses. Many types of yoga also incorporate some type of meditation or relaxation, particularly at the end of the class.
Prenatal Yoga
What about yoga during pregnancy? The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) advises that almost all women with uncomplicated pregnancies can benefit from exercise and recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise a day. Prenatal yoga is an excellent choice for any healthy pregnant woman to use in order to prepare herself physically and emotionally for childbirth. Practicing prenatal yoga daily for one hour has been shown to decrease pre-term labor, intrauterine growth retardation, and pregnancyinduced hypertension as compared to walking for a half hour twice a day throughout pregnancy. This doesn’t mean that pregnant women should not walk for exercise – ideally the healthy pregnant woman will practice prenatal yoga in combination with regular walking. Arguably the most important documented benefit of prenatal yoga is the reduction of maternal stress. Increased prenatal stress levels have been associated with an increased risk for spontaneous abortion, prematurity, fetal malformations and unplanned C-sections. As mentioned previously, the thing that separates yoga from other exercise is the integration of postures and movement with the breath. Deep abdominal breathing is commonly taught in prenatal yoga classes and has been proved to physiologically trigger feelings of deep relaxation and well-being as well as improving the quality of sleep. These same breathing techniques are also suitable to be used during labor. Yoga prepares a woman’s body for labor by improving muscle strength and increasing flexibility. This can help the woman feel in control and believe in her body’s ability to give birth. Physical poses and movements can also relieve pain, especially low back and pelvic pain so common in pregnancy. A typical prenatal yoga class will include a combination of gentle physical stretching, strengthening and balance moves and postures, mental centering and breath awareness. Classes aim to emphasize techniques to help women ease their labor, increase acceptance of
The Islamic form of prayer has, for over fourteen centuries, provided Muslims with some of the same (and even superior) benefits. Many of the prayer postures are similar to classic yoga postures. Physical, mental and spiritual benefits are available for Muslims five times a day as they perform the prayer and recite Qur’an with awareness. Of course, there are many yoga positions not found in the Islamic prayer, but research shows that people can benefit from even a simplified version of yoga consisting of only five to seven positions. Hospitals are starting to offer gentle forms of yoga tailored to the needs of their populations as scientific evidence reveals more about the valuable benefits of such programs.
A Great Lifestyle Choice
Yoga is generally low-impact and safe “when practiced appropriately under the guidance of a well-trained instructor,” according to the website of the National Institutes of Health. Almost all yoga poses and movements can be adapted to work well for everyone of all ages and sizes, even those confined to a wheelchair. There are many videos available online showing short yoga sessions designed to be done while seated in an office workspace. A recent study showed that even 15 minutes of chair-based yoga postures or guided meditation in the office workspace can improve several physiological and psychological markers of stress. It’s clear from the evidence that practicing yoga can be an effective way to combat stress and improve quality of life in all stages of a woman’s life.
May, 2015
POLAND
Stop counting calories if you wish to indulge in Polish cuisine. Meals are very hearty and often include lots of cream, eggs and cheese. Pierogi is traditional Polish dish of small white dumplings, larger than ravioli, filled with either sauerkraut, mushrooms, cheese, potatoes or with fruit. Since sauerkraut is an acquired taste, I always opt for the cheese and potato ones at dinner parties. Feel free to experiment by adding chopped mushrooms or even minced meat to your fillings.
Natalie Van Rooyen
PIEROGI (POLISH DUMPLINGS)
PACZKI (POLISH DONUTS)
INGREDIENTS: (DUMPLINGS) •4 ½ cups all-purpose flour •2 teaspoons salt •2 tablespoons butter, melted •2 cups sour cream •2 eggs •1 egg yolk •2 tablespoons vegetable oil (FILLING) •8 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed •1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese •2 tablespoons processed cheese sauce •salt and pepper to taste
INGREDIENTS: •1 ½ cups warm milk (no warmer than 110 degrees) •2 packages active dry yeast (remember to proof yeast before you begin) •½ cup sugar •100 grams room-temperature butter •1 large room-temperature egg •3 large room-temperature egg yolks •1 tablespoon vanilla essence •1 teaspoon salt •4 ½ to 5 cups all-purpose flour •1 litre oil for deep frying •Confectioner's sugar (optional) •Fruit jam or vanilla custard for filling (you can also use Nutella or chocolate pudding)
METHOD: 1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, sour cream, eggs, egg yolk and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour until well blended. 2. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave to stand for 15 to 20 minutes. 3. Place potatoes into a saucepan and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to the boil and cook until tender (about 15 minutes). 4. Drain and mash with shredded cheese and cheese sauce while still hot. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. 5. Separate the pierogi dough into two balls. Roll out one piece at a time on a lightly floured surface until it is thin enough to work with, but not too thin so that it tears. 6. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter or a glass. Brush a little water around the edges of the circles and spoon some filling into the center. 7. Fold the circles over into half-circles and press to seal the edges. 8. This recipe makes about 60 pierogies so if you are planning to cook only a few, place left over pierogies on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to freezer storage bags or containers. 9. To cook pierogies: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop pierogies in one at a time. They are ready when they float to the top. Do not boil for too long or they will be soggy! Remove with a slotted spoon. 10. The final touch: Sauté butter with minced garlic and rosemary and pan fry pierogies till golden brown on each side. 11. Serve plain or with sour cream, crispy beef bacon bits or even slices of grilled meat, or simply with green salad. Enjoy!
citypageskuwait.com
PS: Pierogies are best cooked from frozen to prevent them from opening up during the boiling process. The best potatoes to use are RUSSETS and try to use a heavy rolling pin to roll out the dough.
METHOD: 1.Add yeast to warm milk, stir to dissolve and set aside. In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla essence and salt until well-incorporated. 2.Still using the paddle attachment, add 4½ cups flour alternately with the milk-yeast mixture and beat for 5 or more minutes by machine (longer by hand) until smooth. The dough will be very slack. If too soft, add remaining ½ cup flour, but no more. 3.Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, anything from 1 to 2 ½ hours. Punch down and let rise again. 4.Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Pat or roll to ½ inch thickness. Cut rounds with 3 inch biscuit cutter. Remove scraps, and re-roll and re-cut. Cover and let rounds rise until doubled in size, 30 minutes or longer. 5.Heat oil to 180 degrees celsius in large pot. Place pączki top-side down (the dry side) in the oil a few at a time and fry 2 to 3 minutes or until bottom is golden brown. Flip them over and fry for another 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure the oil doesn't get too hot so the exterior doesn't brown before the interior is done. Test a cool one to make sure it's cooked through. Adjust cooking time and oil heat accordingly. 6.Drain pączki on paper towels and let cool. Poke a hole in the side of the pączki and, using a pastry bag, squeeze in a dollop of the filling of choice. Then dust the filled pączki with the sugar or make a glaze using sugar and some lime juice and sprinkle over paczki. 7.Paczki don’t keep well so consume on the same day!
May, 2015
COUPLES 2015
MEET THIS MONTH’S POWER COUPLE
CHRIS AND KAREN HEBDON
Chris is the Country Manager for ‘The One’ furnishing group in Kuwait. He is an experienced leader and has managed several successful store openings and expansions in the UK. He was also instrumental in establishing an online delivery and food service with a top UK retailer and has contributed to several major changes to corporate strategy. Karen was raised in Scotland where she began her career in retail. She ran her own successful online Bridal accessories company whilst also broadening her horizons into the world of education. Karen is currently Center Director for the Genius Brain and FasTracKids Centers in Discovery Mall here in Kuwait. Together, Chris and Karen possess a wealth of managerial and directorial experience making them an ideal choice for a CityPages Power Couple. Please tell us about your academic backgrounds:
the UK she worked full time, ran her own business and brought up our two children.
Chris:I was educated in the UK to A Level standard. I completed a Business Improvement Course at Manchester Business School (part of Manchester University) and I hold FDQ in Meat Fish and Produce.
Karen:Chris is very dynamic and has boundless energy which he puts into whatever project he is working on. He is very innovative and creative and constantly comes up with new ideas. His energy affects others around him and makes them more productive and willing to achieve. He is highly respected by those who work with him. He is tenacious and driven.
Karen:Standard UK education, then commenced on the retail ladder whilst simultaneously completing courses in Human Resource, Business Management and Financial Awareness.
How and where did the two of you meet? Chris:We were both working for the same company and met at a training course. Karen:Our paths crossed through work and it was an instant attraction.
As a professional, what are the qualities you admire in your spouse? Chris:Karen has great drive and determination to get the job done and deliver great results. She is a ‘people person’ and can motivate and encourage co-workers and help employees to achieve their objectives. She has drive and determination and is highly ambitious along with it. She has a strong willingness to learn and is always open to new ideas. A great multi-tasker; in citypageskuwait.com
Where do you concur and where do you differ from each other? Chris:For a start she drinks endless tea and I don't like tea. I love fish and she hates it. We both have a similar sense of humour and a passion to enjoy life. Of course we both share the love for our children and family life is important to both of us, hence why we moved to Kuwait Karen:We both share a similar outlook on life. We are firm believers of travelling broadening the mind and we share the wish to expose our children to as many different cultures as possible. We share a passion for music (albeit sometimes different styles!) good food, cooking and exercise. Where we differ - Chris does not get as stressed as me; I tend to get uptight about the little things in life whereas he will remain the calm sensible one. I love nothing better than to spend time reading novel after novel, whereas he is more drawn to technology.
COUPLES 2015
May, 2015
citypageskuwait.com
How do you handle a worklife balance and challenges in a dynamic work environment? Karen:It’s difficult but it’s all down to good planning. Life is all about challenge and challenge is good for the mind and body. Without challenges we would become complacent in work and home. Every weekend we sit and plan for the week ahead taking into account work commitments, family commitments and health commitments, ensuring we strike the right balance. It’s not always easy and sometimes we have to sacrifice what is important to ensure there is always one of us here for the children in the evening. Chris:It is largely down to planning and having a clear vision on what you want out of life. I focus heavily on goals. I’m driven by my priorities in life and if you have priorities in both work and home, dividing time between the two helps set a clear balance in life. My career is important but without my family my career would be meaningless, so I structure my day and week around this.
When do you spend time with each other? How do you unwind?
Chris:Weekends are our time and family time. We love to spend time with our children at the park or at the beach. Breakfast out with the family is a weekend theme. Thursday, Friday and Saturday meal times are golden to us, as it’s usually the only time we eat together as a family - no iPads, no phones - only us with real conversation. Karen:Yes, weekends are definitely family time. Whatever we do at the weekends, whether it’s playing at the beach, watching TV or even grocery shopping, this is an enjoyable part of the week. Our children are our world and it helps us to unwind just by spending time with them. The hugs, the kisses, the time is precious.
What is the best gift you have received from each other? Karen:Our children for sure (oh and the Jimmy Choos) make my life complete. Chris:Absolutely our children and also my partner who shares the same passion for life as me; this makes our life fun from day to day.
Any
memorable
holidays?
Karen:Where do we start? We have passion for travel so have many memorable holidays. Our wedding in Sri Lanka stands out for obvious reasons. Chris:Yes, obviously the magical moments of our wedding in Sri Lanka, followed by the serene calm of the Maldives, then the unspoilt beauty of Lombok, the wild side of Bangkok and the magic of Disney to name but a few.
One would imagine that both of you probably discuss business issues a lot at home too. Does that happen? Karen:Yes, on a daily basis when we finally sit down to eat late at night together and unwind from the day’s events. Chris:One of the beauties of our relationship is we share experiences and compare how we would individually deal with the circumstances and give each other fresh perspectives.
How are household responsibilities divided? Who is the boss at home? Karen:We both share responsibility in the house. I get the children up and dressed for school. In the evening Chris is chief child carer and sorts homework and bedtime. Who is the boss? Hahaha! We both like to think we are which makes it exciting. Chris:I am the boss in the kitchen and Karen is the boss with the children. Although we both share a passion for food I am the main cook and love to cook and experiment. Similarly we both share the same passion for the children but she gives in to them less than me!!
How do you manage your time together? Do you have any time left over for your marriage at all? Karen:Obviously there is a time when the kids are finally in bed for the night, when we can discuss anything we need to. We run together every morning once the children are on the school bus. I believe continuous laughter is the key and we share our humour. Chris:We have lots of time for our marriage as the things we enjoy and share a passion for are a part of our marriage. The time we have with our children or the time we spend together is equally as important. The important thing is talking and we love to talk!!
What have been your most challenging moments in life? Karen:When we lost our first son to illness when he was three days old. This was one of the darkest periods of our lives. If we hadn't had such a strong bond with each other in our relationship we would never have got through it how we did. This made us appreciate life more and to cherish the time we have with others.
Chris:Obviously this was also for me the most challenging time. However also moving to Kuwait for six months before Karen and the children joined me was challenging also. It made me appreciate them even more and realise how important to me they are. It’s these events in life that make you reflect why you do the things you do.
How do you motivate each other during tough times at work? Karen:By talking it through with each other using our humour and sometimes giving the other person a reality check. A situation can become so much clearer once talked through with a supportive partner. Chris:Our sense of humour allow us to see a lighter side of life even in the tougher circumstances and we always help and support each other.
Who’s your inspiration professionally? Chris:My father taught me what hard work was. A work colleague, Pat Faye, was a great mentor to me in my work life and personal life. I also admire entrepreneurs such as Duncan Bannatyne, James Caan and most recently, Thomas Lundgren, our company owner . All show a real ‘go out there and do it’ attitude. Karen:Richard Branson. Even at the height of his success he is down to earth, realistic and genuinely takes an interest in humanity and mankind.
What have you learnt from each other? Joint- Life is a game of give and take - she takes it all and he gives it!
Do you have any common interests or hobbies? Joint-As previously mentioned, travel, exercise and music are all passions we share, along with time with our close circle of friends.
Tell us about your children. How have they changed your life? Joint-Our children have brought new meaning to our lives. They help us to slow down a little and take time to appreciate the world around us. Seeing the world through their eyes opens up new horizons and allows us to be children again. They help educate us and make us re-think the reasons why we do things. We enjoy watching them grow and change and feel truly blessed by them. They both have very different personalities and it’s a joy to see parts of us in them.
How do you feel being selected as one of the CityPages Power Couples? Chris I feel very honoured. When I look at us as a couple I don't think of us as anything special, I merely think of us as a happy and contented couple just getting on living their lives. To be featured feels very special. Karen:Truly amazed and honoured. It makes me feel even more grateful for what we have. May, 2015
FOOD FOR THOUGHT Am I the only person in Kuwait who likes their food hot? I don’t mean spicy-hot, I mean steamyhot; straight from the oven so it’s bubbling or sizzling and teasing your senses before you’ve even tasted it. Surely that’s how food is supposed to be served; so the mere smell and sight of it makes your mouth water – not on a cold plate without so much as a token waft of steam. It’s not difficult is it? Maybe if restaurants spent more time training their staff on kitchen efficiency instead of having them repeat “Hi Sir, Hi Ma’am” every thirty seconds, the quality of the food may actually improve. I don’t think it’s too much to ask. Having worked in catering myself for almost ten years, I feel entitled to complain. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that food will stay hotter for longer if it’s served on a hot plate. It doesn’t have to be finger-blistering hot, just warm enough to take the chill off to avoid the food temperature plummeting as soon as it hits the plate. I always enjoy watching food being prepared, so restaurants with an open kitchen are my favourite. In theory, the straight-from-kitchen-to-table scenario is a winner. Unfortunately, more often than not, having watched the chef chop, toss, sauté and season, I’m then forced to watch my food go from hot to warm to cold as it sits under an inadequate heat lamp waiting for someone to deliver it to my table. Where are the waiters? Busy saying “Hi Sir, Hi Ma’am” at the front door, that’s where. Surely they don’t think someone is going to scald their tongue on the soup. They needn’t worry; once it leaves the kitchen (in a cold bowl) the race is on between the customer and the air conditioning to see who can get to it first. Nine times out of ten the AC wins – turning it from a vegetable soup to a vichyssoise in a matter of seconds. But it’s not just the temperature of the food that’s an issue. What’s the point of advertising ‘starters’ and ‘mains’ on the menu if they’re all going to be served at the same time? If I’m still eating my appetizer when the main course arrives, it’s going to be frosty by the time I’m ready to eat it. The whole point of ordering a starter is to snack on a small, light treat before enjoying a more substantial main course. It’s not supposed to accompany your main meal; it’s a starter not a side-dish. “Hi Sir, Hi Ma’am”. It’s funny how the staff are nowhere to be found when you’re waiting for your once-hot food to be delivered to your table, but once you’ve eaten your meal they’re snatching your plate away before you’ve even finished chewing. In many countries, mine included, it’s considered rude to clear someone’s plate until every diner has finished eating. Try telling that to the suddenly overeager staff who are fighting to remove your empty plate. And where is that good old-fashioned quality, initiative? If you tell one member of staff to leave the plates until the whole table has finished, why do you then have to repeat the instruction to the next six waiters who try to swipe your plate? Surely it’s not difficult for them to communicate with each other and say “Don’t clear table 10 until they’ve all finished eating”. Instead, we end up playing tug-of-war with our plates until they finally get the message. “Hi Sir, Hi Ma’am”. And don’t get me started on the coffee! After hours of training on how to take orders, operate the till and serve the coffee, why do they still get it wrong? Americano with hot skimmed milk on the side; it’s not difficult. So why is it that more often than not the milk is cold, full-fat or already in the coffee? Come on guys, sort it out. Let’s have less of the greeting and more of the heating. citypageskuwait.com
DJ Raven
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May, 2015
&
Omar Afuni I have always said that Kuwait is full of untapped talent. Omar Afuni is one of those gems in the rough who has been honing his talent as a singer for years. Recently, during the host of music showcase events that have been taking place in Kuwait, Omar has been performing to large crowds of music lovers thirsty for live performances. The time is ripe for guys like Omar who have a large cult following so we had to meet this man whose awesome voice has been rocking Kuwait! citypageskuwait.com
Please introduce yourself to our readers. My name is Omar Afuni. I’m a singer, songwriter and music producer. I’ve been actively pursuing music since 2007. I have released two albums of original work and I’m best known for my songs ‘Resurrect Me’ and ‘Music Therapy’ (which have been on rotation on the radio) and also for my covers of popular songs on my YouTube channel.
When did you first start singing? How did you discover your talent? I started singing when I was 8 years old. I didn’t know I could sing at the time, I just knew that I loved it and that it made me happier than anything else.
Who or what inspired your love for music? I was definitely inspired by the work of other musicians. I’ve loved music for what it is since my childhood, but it's the way that the music of artists I look up to helped me overcome my troubles and find a sanctuary that really cemented my love for music. I hope I can do for others what my favorite artists have done for me through their music.
Have you written any songs that aim to inspire others? Absolutely! My latest album 'Soundproof' was created with that in mind. It's not easy having big ambitions or being different and I wanted to create an album that would inspire people to be themselves, to follow their goals, listen to their instincts and celebrate their uniqueness. I get quite a few messages from people who tell me that a certain song helped them get through certain circumstances and that, for me, is the most rewarding part of what I do.
When you are writing a song, do you follow any type of “writing technique”? Not at all. I don't write songs just for the sake of writing them. I usually write songs when I’m in a state of strong emotion. My emotions and thoughts drive me to write my songs and it usually takes 10 to 20 minutes to complete one depending on how passionate I am about the topic I’m writing about.
May, 2015
Do you have a specific producer or songwriter that you prefer to work with? I actually haven’t had the opportunity to work with a producer. All my work thus far was completely created singlehandedly. I write my lyrics, compose my melodies, produce my songs and mix and master the end product. I’ve been a oneman show when it comes to creating my music. However, I’d love to work with Max Martin, Linda Perry, William Orbit and Guy Chambers to name a few. A man can dream!
Where have you performed so far? I have performed at several venues in the UK and the Middle East. I recently started performing in Kuwait and the response has been incredible every time.
Where else would you like to perform? All over the world! I'd love for my music to reach as many people as possible.
Do you play any instruments? Yes, I play the keyboard.
How much time did your latest album 'Soundproof' take to complete? I worked on it for two and a half years between Kuwait and London.
What type of songs have you included on this album? The songs on this album are mainly pop music. There are quite a few powerhouse electronic dance numbers. I really wanted people to have fun while listening to the album and feel empowered by its lyrics.
Tell us about your first music video? My first music video was for the song 'Music Therapy'. It was edited and directed by the brilliant Kuwaiti filmmaker Mohammad Al Saeed. We shot the video in London over the course of two days while we were both studying there doing our Master's degrees in our respective fields. It was a great experience that introduced us to passionate individuals like ourselves who were kind enough to participate in the video for free. Special thanks go to the dancers, the filming crew citypageskuwait.com
and the make-up artists who all made this What is next to come from video possible. Omar? Well, I will be spending the summer How far has YouTube helped locked away in a recording studio, that's you in your career? for sure! I am currently working on a new It has helped me a lot. It's the main album which I have already completed reason why I have people in the USA and writing. I can't wait to share my new all over Europe listening to my work and songs with the world; it's been a while! supporting me. YouTube has been an Where is your album available to buy? incredible asset to me. Both of my albums are available to download for free at my website www. Do you have any specific goals omarsings.com. They are also available set for yourself? on streaming services such as Anghami I have way too many! But I guess my only for those who are fans of streaming and goal, which is the root of all my other on iTunes for people who would like to goals, is to be happy and just live one day support me further. at a time; just work hard and hope that it all pays off one day.
Your message for your fans and our readers: Thank you to all the wonderful people who have supported me by downloading my music, attending one of my shows or sending me love on social media. I am truly grateful to you and I hope I will make you proud with all that I have in store for the future!
What message would you like to give us at CityPages? I would like to say a big 'thank you' for giving me the opportunity to reach your readers and for being so kind and supportive of me. Keep up the great work! Catch Omar on his various Social Media Links: Official Website: www.omarsings.com Facebook: fb.com/o.afuni Instagram: @omarafuni Twitter: @omarafuni YouTube: youtube.com/omarafuni
May, 2015
MAY Movie Releases PITCH PERFECT
SPY
TOMORROWLAND
THE CONNECTION
INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 3
Director: Elizabeth Banks
Director: Director: Paul Guillermo Feig del Toro
Director: Brad Bird
Director: Director:Cedric James Jimenez Wan
Director: Leigh Whannell
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson,
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Morena Baccarin, Jude Law, Allison Janney
Starring: George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy, Thomas Robinson, Britt Robertson, Kathryn Hahn
Starring: Jean Dujardin, Gilles Lellouche
Starring: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Lin Shaye, Hayley Kiyoko, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson
Brittany Snow, Elizabeth Banks, Alexis Knapp, Hailee Steinfeld Genres: Comedy, Musical, Sequel, Music
Genres: Comedy
Genres: Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
Genres: Crime, Thriller
Genres: Horror, Suspense, Sequel
Synopsis: A sequel to the 2012 musical
Synopsis:
Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency’s most dangerous missions. But when her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster.
Synopsis: The film is about a teenage girl
Synopsis: Tells the story of real-life
Synopsis: The newest chapter in the
THE D TRAIN
EVERY SECRET THING
SAINT LAURENT
AREA 51
comedy that follows Fat Amy and Beca through their senior year at Barden University.
BARELY LETHAL
Director: Kyle Newman
(Casey Newton), a genius middle-aged man (Frank Walker), and a pre-pubescent girl robot (Raffey Cassidy) who attempts to get to and unravel what happened to Tomorrowland, which exists in an alternative dimension, in order to save the world
Marseilles magistrate Pierre Michel (Jean Dujardin) and his relentless crusade to dismantle the most notorious drug smuggling operation in history: the French Connection. In his crosshairs is charismatic and wealthy kingpin, Gatean "Tany" Zampa (Gilles Lellouche), who runs the largest underground heroin trade into the States. Though the fearless and tenacious Michel, aided by a task force of elite cops, will stop at nothing--including boldly orchestrated drug raids, devastating arrests, and exacting interrogations--to ensure the crime ring's demise, Zampa's "La French" always seems one step ahead. As La French mounts its retaliation, Michel will be forced to make the most difficult decision of his life: to continue waging his war, or ensure his family's safety, before it's too late.
Director: Andrew Mogel, Jarrad Paul
Director: Nicole Holofcener
Starring: James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jack Black, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Denise Williamson
Starring: Diane Lane, Dakota
Genres: Comedy
Genres: Comedy
Genres: Drama, Mystery
Genres: Drama, Biography
Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller, Horror, SciFi.
Synopsis: Weary of her life as a teenage
Synopsis: All his life, Dan Landsman (Jack
Synopsis: Detective Nancy Porter (Elizabeth Banks) is still haunted by her failure to save the life of a missing child from the hands of two young girls. Eight years later, another child goes missing in the same town just days after Ronnie and Alice (Dakota Fanning and newcomer Danielle Macdonald), the two girls convicted of the former crime, were released from juvenile detention. Porter and her partner (Nate Parker) must race against the clock to prevent history from repeating itself. But as they begin to investigate the girls and their families, especially Alice's protective mother (Diane Lane), they unearth a web of secrets and deceptions that calls everything into question.
Synopsis: As one of history's greatest
Synopsis: The film follows Reid, who has
Starring: Jessica Alba, Hailee Steinfeld, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie King, Steve-O, Dan Fogler
Special Ops Agent, ‘Megan’ (Hailee Steinfeld) fakes her own death and enrolls in a suburban high school. Hoping to live the life of a “normal” teenager, she discovers that being popular, dating, and fitting in isn’t as easy as she thought. Complicating matters is ‘Victoria’ (Jessica Alba), her former handler and current nemesis, who enlists rival teen Special Agent ‘Heather’ (Sophie Turner) to go undercover at her high school and capture her. Academy Award® nominee Samuel L. Jackson portrays Megan’s mentor, ‘Hardman.’
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Black) has never been the cool guy. That’s about to change – if he can convince Oliver Lawless (Marsden), the most popular guy from his high school who’s now the face of a national Banana Boat ad campaign, to show up with him to their class reunion. A man on a mission, Dan travels from Pittsburgh to LA and spins a web of lies to recruit Lawless. But he gets more than he bargains for as the unpredictable Lawless proceeds to take over his home, career, and entire life.
Fanning, Danielle Macdonald, Elizabeth Banks, Nate Parker, Common
Director: Bertrand Bonello
terrifying horror series is written and directed by franchise co-creator Leigh Whannell. This chilling prequel, set before the haunting of the Lambert family, reveals how gifted psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) reluctantly agrees to use her ability to contact the dead in order to help a teenage girl (Stefanie Scott) who has been targeted by a dangerous supernatural entity.
Starring: Gaspard Ulliel, Jeremie Renier, Louis Garrel, Lea Seydoux, Amira Casar, Aymeline Valade
fashion designers entered a decade of freedom, neither came out of it in one piece.
Director: Oren Peli Starring: Roy Abramsohn, Sandra Staggs, Jelena Nik
always been obsessed with UFOs. While on a weekend trip to Vegas, he convinces two friends to join him on a mission to break into Area 51, where they find terrifying proof of alien presence.
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Director:Gil James Wan Director: Kenan
Director: Jacob Tierney
Starring: Jared Harris, Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Catlett, Nicholas Braun
Starring: Sonja Bennett, James Caan, Danny Trejo, Paul Campbell
Genres: Horror, Suspense, Thriller
Genres: Drama, Comedy
Synopsis: Described as a revisionist take
Synopsis: When Ruth ruins a baby shower
BRAVETOWN
SAN ANDREAS 3D
on the classic horror film in which a family struggling to make ends meet relocates to an outdated suburban home and is confronted by an angry spirit who kidnaps their youngest daughter and challenges them to band together to rescue her from the clutches of evil.
Director: Daniel Duran Starring: Josh Duhamel, Maria Bello, Laura Dern, Tom Everett Scott, Lucas Till, Jae Head
with her drunken, juvenile antics, her old high school cronies, who are all mothers now, promptly de-friend her. But when she is later mistakenly thought to be "with child," she is inexplicably welcomed back into the group. Ruth plans on coming clean, but when her dad has a heart attack and tells her that the only thing keeping him alive is the promise of grandkids, Ruth decides to continue to fake the pregnancy. Things get even more complicated when Ruth falls in love with her new boss, who seems to wants nothing more than to raise her unborn child as his own. Can she get out of this without losing her job, friends, respect of her family, and the new love of her life?
Director: Brad Peyton Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Art Parkinson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Will Yun Lee, Ioan Gruffudd
Genres: Drama, Music
Genres: Action, 3D, Disaster
Synopsis: Josh Harvest, a hardened New
Synopsis:
York City teen from a broken home - and quietly one of the country's top dance club DJs and remixers - is sentenced to counseling for a minor drug infraction, along with an extended stay with his estranged father, who lives in a small town in North Dakota. He is slow to warm to his new environment, a town best-known for sending its young off to war, many of whom never return. But when Josh is asked to help out the last-place dance team as they vie for the state competition title, his rough exterior begins to soften. As his relationships emerge with both the team's captain, Mary, and his therapist, each of whom have lost someone special to war, it forces all three to begin to face and heal their pasts.
Set after a devastating earthquake hits California a a rugged rescue helicopter pilot makes a perilous trip across the state to rescue his estranged daughter. facebook.com/pearlassist
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Nadia AlHassan Nadia Al-Hassan is a student in Ireland, studying Journalism. She is passionate about writing stories and poetry. Nadia loves helping people with her stories. She believes that words are beautiful and powerful.
“We are not right for each other” Farah whispered to her best friend.
hard but I think we always knew in our hearts that we weren’t right for each other”.
It wasn’t easy growing up in a society where people were pressured into getting married and having children. Although marriage is truly a blessing and a beautiful gift, in her heart, Farah knew that marrying her husband was a mistake for them both.
They both sat in silence for hours. As they weren’t happy, they knew the right thing to do was part, but it was hard.
“What do you mean?” Farah’s best friend asked with concern. “We aren’t happy. We’re constantly fighting and we just don’t enjoy each other’s company. We both like different things, we both have different goals and as a married couple we aren’t helping each other grow the way married couples are meant to” she said with an ache in her heart. Farah and her husband had been married for two years and although they had tried to make it work as much as they could, their marriage was falling apart they were falling apart. “You need to talk to him” Farah’s best friend said as she gave her a tight hug to try to comfort her. “What will people think though if we do decide to part?” Farah said as her eyes filled with tears. That night, Farah’s husband came home and saw the look of worry on her face. He knew in his heart that they were miserable. He sat down next to her and they both looked at each other with pain and exhaustion. “Faisal, it isn’t working,” she said. He took her hand and squeezed it and said “I know. We haven’t been happy together. You’re a beautiful person inside and out and I know we both have tried citypageskuwait.com
“Everyone is going to talk about us” Farah whispered. “Let them talk, Farah. There’s nothing to talk about. We tried to make things work for two years and we both knew in our hearts that we weren’t happy. You deserve to be happy and so do I Farah. We both deserve it” he said. Farah knew he was right. It was time they both found happiness and they knew as long as they were with each other, they would never find that happiness. “We are going to let each other go because we respect each other and love each other enough” she said. He gave her a hug and said “Exactly. Chase your dreams and do what you always wanted to do. One day you will find someone who’s going to make you the happiest woman in the world”. It was time they both lived their lives the way they always wanted to live it. It was time they let go of all the misery. “We just weren’t right for each other, but that’s okay. It happens sometimes and we shouldn’t feel bad about it because it’s part of life. We learn and move on” he said as he planted a kiss on her forehead. It was time they started a new journey and to realise it was time to stop being afraid of change.
ZEN I T I C A F O Y DIAR LD R O W E H T F O (DCW)
Hanging Ties
Recently I did some thing I have never done before. I trave another country to led to visit people I have no t seen for 15 years. of my friends were Lots concerned. “Aren’t you worried?” they “They don’t know wh as ke d. o you are and you do n’t know who they they are complete are, strangers to you”. Despite the fact th true, I was reassured at this is to know that our so since I was young. uls have been conn ected This trip was short bu t it was one of the mo st emotionally and ph experiences of my life ysically draining . When I arrived I wa s very nervous but didn’t feel like stran surprisingly, they gers at all. They we re like old family fri regularly for the pa ends that I have seen st 15 years, althoug h maybe a little old now had families of er and wiser. Some their own. During this emotion al journey, I learned that these people we own family many ye re guests of my ars ago. Now they we re returning the ge and looking after me sture of hospitality . These invisible hang ing ties with peop le from your past They help you unde are very important rstand more about . yourself; to figure ou present and also he t your past and your lp to define your fut ure. They helped me my family. learn more about I ask myself if it is possible for people to feel so close to yo your own flesh and u, when they are no blood. After this tri t p, I do think it is po is thicker than water ssible. They say blo but true friendship od s and hanging ties ca Look into your past n be just as thick. and search for thos e people who once to you as a child. Tr meant something y to get in touch no w, not through socia meeting. Travel to th l media but actual em, meet them, get to know them and str zone. Believe me, it etch your comfort will not be a disappo inting experience. On will be deeply rewar the contrary, it ding because your child self remembe of love and purity fro rs the true emotion m these people and s your child self know s best.
May, 2015
MAY Book Releases A God in Ruins
Luckiest Girl Alive
In Life After Life Ursula Todd lived through the turbulent events of the last century again and again. In A God in Ruins, Atkinson turns her focus on Ursula’s beloved younger brother Teddy – would-be poet, RAF bomber pilot, husband and father – as he navigates the perils and progress of the 20th century. For all Teddy endures in battle, his greatest challenge will be to face living in a future he never expected to have.
As a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School, Ani FaNelli endured a shocking, public humiliation that left her desperate to reinvent herself. Now, with a glamorous job, expensive wardrobe, and handsome blue blood fiancé, she’s this close to living the perfect life she’s worked so hard to achieve.
Kate Atkinson
When to Rob a Bank
Leave Your Mark:
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the landmark book Freakonomics comes this curated collection from the most readable economics blog in the universe. It’s the perfect solution for the millions of readers who love all things Freakonomics. Surprising and erudite, eloquent and witty, When to Rob a Bank demonstrates the brilliance that has made the Freakonomics guys an international sensation, with more than 7 million books sold in 40 languages, and 150 million downloads of their Freakonomics Radio podcast.
Aliza Licht is a social media superstar. A global fashion communications executive, she is the voice behind the wildly popular @DKNY PR GIRL twitter feed that now boasts over half a million followers. Known for her chatty and intimate tone, she has also become beloved for her top-notch career advice and her enthusiasm for mentoring. Thousands of online conversations have led to many a coffee, mentoring strangers. But who can have coffee with everyone who asks? LEAVE YOUR MARK is her way of grabbing that coffee.
Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
Land Your Dream Job. Kill It in Your Career. Rock Social Media. Aliza Licht
I Regret Nothing: A Memoir
Monkeys, Myths, and Molecules:
Sure Jen has made mistakes. She spent all her money from a high-paying job on shoes, clothes, and spa treatments. She then carried a Prada bag to the unemployment office. She wrote a whole memoir about dieting… but didn’t lose weight. She embarked on a quest for cultural enlightenment that only cemented her love for John Hughes movies and Kraft American Singles. She tried to embrace everything Martha Stewart, while living with a menagerie of rescue cats and dogs. (Glitter…everywhere.)
A bold, original, moving book that will inspire fanatical devotion and ignite debate. The internet is a powerful beast when it comes to science; the answer to any query you may have is just a few keystrokes away. But when there are multiple answers from various sources, how do we know what information is reliable? In Monkeys, Myths, and Molecules, bestselling author Dr. Joe Schwarcz takes a critical look at how facts are misconstrued in the media. He debunks the myths surrounding canned food, artificial dyes, SPF, homeopathy, cancer, chemicals, and much more.
Jen Lancaster
Born Survivors Wendy Holden
The Nazis murdered their husbands but concentration camp prisoners Priska, Rachel, and Anka would not let evil take their unborn children too—a remarkable true story that will appeal to readers of The Lost and The Nazi Officer’s Wife, Born Survivors celebrates three mothers who defied death to give their children life.
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Jessica Knoll
Separating Fact from Fiction, and the Science of Everyday Life Joe Schwarcz
My Time in the Affair
Stylo Fantome
I made a conscious decision to cheat on my husband. Now, before you judge me, hear my story. Hear how much I'm like you, how similar my thoughts are to your own. Yes, I'm a horrible person. Yes, I've done horrible things. Yes, I don't deserve forgiveness. Yes, bad things happened because of my actions. But I'm willing to bet I've done things that maybe, just maybe, you have thought of doing. Maybe, just maybe, you're not as innocent as you'd like to think.
BOOK CLUB
LOVE & MISADVENTURE
Love & Misadventure (2013) is a cute little poetry book written by international poet and exhibiting artist Lang Leav. Lang is a recipient of The Qantas Spirit of Youth Award and was later granted a coveted Churchill Fellowship. Her fashion label Akina has achieved critical and commercial success, stocked in key boutiques around Australia and later in cutting edge Harajuku, Japan. She has completed shows in several cities including Santa Monica for the renowned Copro gallery; who have worked with artists such as Mark Ryden and Audrey Kawasaki. Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully conceived, the book will take you on a rollercoaster ride through the ill-fated love affairs —from the initial butterflies through the soaring heights to the devastating drop. And, in the end, the message is one of hope. The journey from love to heartbreak to finding love again is personal yet universal. Lang Leav's haunting poetry speaks to the soul of anyone who is on the journey of love. She has an unnerving ability to see inside the hearts and minds of all of us. Her talent for translating complex emotions with astonishing simplicity has won her a cult following of devoted fans from all over the world. Her work simply yet beautifully expresses the
complexities of love and loss. The book is divided in three sections; Misadventure: “Xs And Os Love is a game of tic-tac-toe, constantly waiting, for the next x or o.” The Circus of Sorrow: “In Two Parts You come and go so easily, your life is as you knew – while mine is split in two. How I envy so the half of me, who lived before love’s due, who was yet to know of you.”
Nada Soliman Meet Nada, our team member is simply a book savvy. Every month Nada picks her favourite book and shares with you its review. Please feel free to contact Nada to discuss your opinion or ask her opinion on your favourite book or author. nada.soliman@citypageskuwait.com
Love: “Soul Mates I don’t know how you are so familiar to me- or why it feels less like I am getting to know you and more as though I am remembering who you are. How every smile, every whisper brings me closer to the impossible conclusion that I have known you before, I have loved you before – in another time, a different place – some other existence.” May, 2015
to add to your wishlist Some things are just ... better.
BIOLITE NANOGRID Okay, so you won’t see us camping too often, but this is the kind of light we’d take with us if we did. This palm-sized, battery-powered light can run for three days straight, or hook two or more torches together to illuminate your campsite for 22 hours. Once you’re bathed in light, you can even use the device’s built-in battery to charge up your phone or GoPro – now that’s what we call camping.
PARROT POT The Parrot Pot could be the hero that your plants have been waiting for. You tell it what’s been planted via the app. Sensors then monitor moisture levels in the soil and release water from a reservoir when it’s too dry. Detectors tell you how much fertiliser is present in the soil and the current temperature. And there’s even a sunlight sensor that tells you to move the pot if it’s not getting enough rays.
ANOVA PRECISION COOKER To cook meat perfectly, professional chefs tend to cheat. Their secret is a sousvide machine: a water bath that lets you cook vacuum-packed food slowly and precisely. Usually, this kind of cooking requires a big machine, but Anova’s precision cooker simply drops into a cooking pot and is controlled via an app that practically takes over the cooking, letting you put your feet up.
EERO With more and more home appliances getting fitted with Wi-Fi connections, your internet router is becoming as important as your fuse board. Yet most routers are about as user-friendly as a bouncer at 3am. Eero looks to change this with a simple Wi-Fi system that lets you grow your network by adding more boxes. Best of all, it can even self-diagnose problems and repair itself. Nifty. citypageskuwait.com
DEVIALET SILVER PHANTOM
LUNA
You can now add bedding to the list of things that come with Wi-Fi. Sensors in the Luna mattress topper use your heart rate, movement and breathing rate to wake you at your least groggy. It’ll even learn what time you head to bed each night and it warms the sheets before you get in. It splits the bed into two zones, so each person can select their own temperature.
It’s only slightly bigger than a football, but the Silver Phantom sound system can pump out 3,000W. Roughly speaking, that’s almost enough power to produce 125dB – the level at which your ears hurt. It uses what Devialet describes as “cybernetic sound” to get the most out of your digital music through software and hardware, meaning that the sound system can be digitally upgraded over time.
PIXIE POINTS If you’re always losing the TV remote, your keys or wallet, then Bluetooth tags can help you find them in a hurry. These Pixie tags create a location network, triangulating off one another to give your phone a precise location for each tag. It uses this data to superimpose an image of the tag onto your smartphone’s camera view, so you can easily scan your home to find the elusive object.
RUNCIBLE If your smartphone does too much for your liking, then the Runcible might be perfect for you. It is the world’s first circular, wooden smartphone and is made for those hoping for a quieter life. It comes with a browser, maps and a compass, but not much else. The idea is to remove the urge to peek at your social media feeds. The creators say it’ll be upgradeable, so it might be the only phone you’ll ever need.
DAVID WAHL IKEA LAMP
LINX IAS
Most new Android smartphones include an option to charge wirelessly. These chargers usually look like small mats and create magnetic fields that transmit energy to your phone. Ikea has had the bright idea to start incorporating these mats into their furniture so you can simply drop your phone onto them to start charging. The range includes this adjustable lamp.
NFL players typically endure blows similar to those experienced in a car crash. The majority of these don’t cause permanent damage, but there’s no system to look out for dangerous hits. Linx IAS uses tech normally used to test bulletproof vests to monitor head impacts in contact sports. The sensor, which slots into a headband, flashes red after a serious impact and can be synced with a smartphone. May, 2015
Who will join waxy Steve Jobs?
من سينضم إلى تمثال ستيف جوبز الشمعي؟
Madame Tussaud names 10 nominees in technology to join Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg as a wax figure. Here are the nominees: 1- Elon Musk: CEO of Tesla Motors.
مرشحين في مجال التكنولوجيا ليصبح أحدهم10 متحف مدام توسو أعلن عن أسماء : هذه هي األسماء المرشحة.تمثاال شمعيًا وينضم إلى تمثال ستيف جوبز ومارك زكربرغ . الرئيس التنفيذي لشركة السيارات الكهربائية تسال: إلن مسك-١
2- Frank Oppenheimer: Exploration.
. مستكشف: فرانك أوبنهايمر-٢
3- Jane Metcalfe: Wired Magazine Co-Founder. 4- Steve Wozniak: Apple’s Co-Founder.
. أحد مؤسسي مجلة وايرد الشهيرة: جين ميتكالف-٣
5- Marc Benioff: CEO of salesforce.com
. أحد مؤسسي شركة أبل: ستيف ووزنياك-٤
6- George Lucas: Founder of Lucasfilm.
. الرئيس التنفيذي لشركة سليز فورس:مارك بينيوف-٥
7- Larry Page: Co-Founder and CEO of Google.
. مؤسس لوكاس فيلم لإلنتاج السينمائي: جورج لوكاس-٦
8- Sheryl Sandberg: COO of Facebook.
. آحد المؤسسين والرئيس التنفيذي لشركة قوقل: الري بيج-٧
9- Marissa Mayer: CEO of Yahoo! 10- Edwin Catmull: President of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. You can vote by scanning the QR-Code.
. الرئيس التنفيذي لشركة ياهوو: ماريسا ماير-٩ . رئيس استوديوهات بيكسار وديزني: إدوين كاتمل-١٠
Yousif AlSaeed Yousif holds a BSc. in Information Technology & Computing Degree and is a Teacher and Software Developer. He loves sharing the latest technology news and gadgets with people. Yousif believes that behind everything in the tech-world is a great story. He spends most of his time reading technology blogs and self development.
Saad Almseikan A burger lover who works as a Computer Technician during the day. Saad has a curious mind that likes to discover everything new that's related to computers, hardware, gadgets and technology. You'll most probably find him holding a burger while playing with a new gadget. He is 27 years old, loves Mixed Martial Arts. Music is what keeps him going especially Rock & Roll.
citypageskuwait.com
. المدير التشغيلي في فيسبوك: شيرل ساندبرغ-٨
5 million dollars just to hold a smartphone?! Yes, it’s true. Daniel Craig (or Mr. James Bond) will get a 5 million dollar fee just to be photographed holding his new smartphone. This phone could be Sony’s upcoming Xperia Z4 but the director, Mr. Sam Mendes says “James Bond only uses the best but Sony is not the best”. The Xperia T appeared in Skyfall but we’re not sure why it wouldn’t be the Z4.
Microsoft Office for iOS and Android has exceeded 100 million downloads. It launched in June 2013 but required a subscription. A year later, Microsoft boosted downloads by making the app free. The numbers aren’t surprising; it proves that Office is highly demanded across multiple platforms. Microsoft revealed that it has 12.4 million costumers paying to access office365.
Nokia will return! Nokia wasn’t completely sold to Microsoft – only the phone business was sold. Now rumors suggest that the Finnish company may return and sell phones. Nokia is currently restricted from using the “Nokia” brand on phones until Q4, 2016. Rumors also claim Nokia has a plan related to projects of virtual reality to compete with Samsung and Facebook.
Apple Watch and scratch resistance. Apple introduced a new type of glass specified to the entry-level model called Ion-X Glass. Unfortunately, it’s not as solid as sapphire crystal. The difference between Ion-X Glass and sapphire crystal becomes apparent when using sandpaper. The Ion-X glass does hold up to objects like keys, knives and steel wool. The sapphire crystal, which is not available in the Apple watch, is the second hardest material on the planet.
May, 2015
ADOPT A STREET PRINCESS @ADOPT_A_STREET_PRINCESS
Our Vision: To provide the street dogs of Kuwait with a better life, and give them the love, respect, and a home they deserve. We are planning to open a shelter soon and also working on finding a local sponsor to open a small emergency hospital in Kuwait.
What is “Adopt a Street Princess�? Adopt a street princess is a campaign dedicated to improving the wellbeing of street dogs in Kuwait, whilst managing their population size and preventing the spread of diseases in Kuwait. Since its inception, the program has been active in many ways, addressing the said critical issues facing society. Adopt a street princess approaches these issues with immense hope, creating a strong impact on the welfare of both animals and peoples of Kuwait.
F
FOSTER - You can provide a temporary loving home for a dog awaiting adoption, helping them build their confidence to come back into society.
A
ADOPT - Open your home to a homeless dog and you will be saving a life, while adding love and laughter to your home.
V
VOLUNTEER - We are always looking for volunteers to transport, clean and be involved in community awareness programmes. Any hour of free time can be utilised well for the programme and animals.
Tiffany - 3 months, medium size dog
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Britty - 7 month puppy
Minni - 7 month puppy
Photos by: Witold Wilczynski
Get involved!
May, 2015
PROMOTING PERFUMES ASAMA Perfumes The creative method gave ASAMA Perfumes the time and the opportunity to craft fragrances while working with the highest quality ingredients in a bottle and using Arabic and Western scents as a unique concept point for the fragrances. They welcome your comments at PR@ ASAMAPerfumes.com Follow them on Instagram and Twitter: @ASAMAPerfumes
Perfume advertisements do not just sell a product, they also sell a lifestyle. In his 1987 article ‘Marketing Fragrances: Advertising & the Production of Commodity Signs”, Robert Goldman focused on theory, culture and society in relation to the success of scent. Consumers want to feel that perfume can give them the qualities they need, or provide access to the luxurious lifestyles they desire. Perfume advertising has consistently reflected images of love, happiness, romance and magic. In perfume advertising, the social divisions are commoditized to create the illusion that consumers have a relationship with the perfume. For example, the commoditization of age, nationality and sexuality, posits the consumption of perfume as a means to youthfulness, freedom and happiness. Most women would like to have their own scent; many celebrities have launched their own perfumes including Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and Paris Hilton. Perfume can create a feeling of power just as clothes can. The worldwide advertisements of perfume in women’s magazines aim to illustrate how women can feel and what they can achieve when they wear a certain scent. However, not all women have the same tastes and interests. A successful ad campaign depends on how effectively the perfume is portrayed. Compare, for example, sporty women and high class conservative women. Their taste in perfume would almost certainly differ, as would that of a teenager and a 50 year old woman. Advertisers must use a variety of tactics to sell women’s perfume in order to appeal to the different styles and identities of women.
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Advertising can focus on relationships or social indicators: masculinity, femininity, race, ethnicity, age or ability. Thus, advertising takes its cues from society at large and sells these images back to us in an effort to create an image consumers can relate to. In this game of advertising and sales, consumers play the larger field and advertising is a specific channel that expresses verbal and visual messages on how products should be transferred into consumer’s lives. Advertising exists in a number of different ways such as via television, billboards and magazine ads; all of which exist with the single target of selling a product. Nowadays, many perfume ad campaigns focus on simplicity. The ad campaigns for Clinique’s perfume is a good example of this. They carried out a survey of teenagers, based on their fragrance “Happy”. The marketing material showed a girl wearing a sleeveless turtleneck jumper. The picture gave the impression she was smiling but actually, half of her face was hidden behind the turtleneck. The strap-line said “Clinique happy”. Although it was a simple advertisement, it was highly effective when featured in a teen magazine. The girl in the ad was young looking, so readers could relate to her and the image she portrayed. For older women, it encouraged a young, fresh feeling, making them feel 10 years younger. Another Clinique perfume is called “Simply”. When featured in Cosmopolitan magazine, it explained nothing about the scent, just the name. The image was a bottle of the perfume place on top of a table with a woman’s fingertips lingering on top of the bottle. This ad didn’t even show a woman’s face, but appealed to women worldwide who believed it represented a simple lifestyle.
VALUE YOURSELF
My experiences working for two years as a personal shopper since 2013 have made me realize that females always need more outfits to wear. They need to look good and feel great every day with the least amount of effort! As a style coach, I help my clients get from A (where they are now) to B (where they want to be) with a smile. To achieve this, I will help you become comfortable with this new image of yourself; the idea being that when you have a clear picture of what you want, you will have a much better chance of achieving it. As a style coach, I use simple but effective techniques that a client can put to use every day. For example, one of the tools I use helps a client visualize herself as she truly wants to be; to see what she would see, hear what she would hear and feel how good she would feel. To help with this I use the Wheel of Life. Sometimes you need someone to advise you or to show you where to start from to reach your destination. Everyone needs to start from somewhere. The Wheel of Life is one of the most helpful tools for getting started and changing the negative things which bother you, into positive things. It helps you to focus on the positive areas of your life which will give you more energy every day. It also helps you identify where to start from. It is important to identify this starting point and to realize exactly what you want to focus on in your life. Use it every month to see what you achieved and congratulate yourself on your progress. After using it you will understand how to value yourself and, being conscious of your body shape, start to think how you would like to look from the outside. I will tell you more about this technique in my next article.
May, 2015
Layla Harmony's Guest
THE FAMOUS INTERNATIONAL MODEL
LILLY GALICHI
At Layla Harmony Beauty Centre. Lilly Galichi, the fashion and beauty queen famous for her ‘Lilly Lashes’ and often referred to as a ‘Persian Barbie’ dropped in at the Layla Harmony Beauty Centre recently to take advantage of their luxurious treatments. “Lilly had the most incredible and relaxing day in our spa. She pampered herself with a gorgeous royal Moroccan bath and aromatherapy body massage; body and soul relaxation within a wonderfully intimate ambience. During her visit and upon her request, Layla Harmony had the pleasure of applying LILLY GALICHI’s make-up and styling her hair; a treat for both our special guest and our stylists!” But Lilly is no slouch. Before deciding on a career in fashion and beauty she originally studied law. No doubt the stylists at Layla Harmony were found guilty of spoiling the glamorous model.
Layla Harmony Beauty Centre is located at: Block 8 Street 8 House 82 Al-Shaab
For appointments call 22656011, 22656022 or 22565155. citypageskuwait.com
May, 2015
Photographer: Faisal AlBisher
citypageskuwait.com
Photographer: Faisal AlBisher
May, 2015
Photographer: Faisal AlBisher
Greece
Greece is a country in Southern Europe, on the southernmost tip of the Balkan Peninsula, with extensive coastlines and islands in the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean Seas. It has an ancient culture that has had a significant influence on the arts, language, philosophy, politics, and sports of western society. Furthermore it's a geographically appealing place to visit, with a mountainous mainland and idyllic island beaches.
Delphi Ruins
Where to Stay
Acclaimed as the center of the Earth and Universe, Delphi has always been a place of historic and spiritual significance. The ‘navel of the world' where the omniscient Oracle was to be advised blends harmoniously with the magnificent landscape and it surely is an absolute must destination for any history lover.
Poseidonion Grand Hotel
Here’s your chance to live like a wealthy dame or gent in the roaring ‘20s. This venerable old hotel has been totally renovated and every inch, from the chic rooms to the gracious lobby bar and luxurious pool, drips with luxury. Oh, and it also has two of the island’s best restaurants.
Things to do Santorini Architecture
Santorini is an idyllic destination to inhale heavenly bliss. Perched on the cliffs of a volcanic caldera (crater) it stuns with picturesque views of typically Cycladic white-washed homes and bluedomed churches.
Where to Dine
Perivolas Hotel
1800
This is one of Greece’s most renowned hotels and features beautiful rooms with vaulted ceilings, individual terraces and kitchenettes. Breakfast, of rare quality, is included. There’s a wellness studio, bar and restaurant, and infinity pool.
Acropolis
Yperia Hotel
Built in the style of a traditional island estate, these modern rooms have warm, artsy touches, handmade wood and iron furnishings, big bathrooms and excellent sea views. The pool overlooks the ocean and the hotel is just a block from the beach.
The Acropolis is the most important ancient site in the Western world. Crowned by the Parthenon, it stands sentinel over Athens, visible from almost everywhere within the city. Its monuments of Pentelic marble gleam white in the midday sun and gradually take on a honey hue as the sun sinks, while at night they stand brilliantly illuminated above the city. A glimpse of this magnificent sight cannot fail to exalt your spirit.
Varoulko
Levantis Epidaurus Theater
Atrium Hotel
Traditional architecture and modern touches make this hillside perch the best in its class. Rooms are low-key elegant, with basin sinks and private balconies. Amenities include sauna, children’s pool, billiards, ping-pong and a lavish breakfast buffet to start the day.
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At least a glance at the Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus is as obligatory as at least an attempt to climb the Acropolis. But the odds are high that once you see one of the purest masterpieces of Greek architecture - a healing and cultural center dating from the 4th century and dedicated to the god of medicine - you'll feel like doing everything but leaving, especially on being struck by the ancient splendor of the Theater.
Bon voyage!
BY: SANDRA BAKHAMIAN
May, 2015
citypageskuwait.com
Model: ANNA - @anna_q8enjoy Photographer: Claude Stephan - @claudestephanphotography Directed by: Jameel Arif - @jameelarif Clothes & Accessories: MOSAIC Kuwair - Salhiya M1 @mosaickuwait Makeup, Nails, and Hair: LAYLA HARMONY - @laylaharmony Location: MARINA WALK May, 2015
TOP: D. EFECT SKIRT: NEGARIN BAG: PICARD LOCATION: Prime & Toast Restaurant - Marina Walk @primetoast
TOP: D. EFECT SKIRT: NEGARIN BAG: PICARD LOCATION: Prime & Toast Restaurant - Marina Walk @primetoast May, 2015
T-SHIRT: LUXURY FASHION SKIRT: REJINA PYO
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DRESS: D. EFECT ACCESSORIES: NUOVO BORGO May, 2015
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TOP: REJINA PYO SKIRT: REJINA PYO ACCESSORIES: AV MAX ACCESSORIES May, 2015
CityPages Fashion Report Julieta Altamiranda Julieta Altamiranda is a talented fashion designer on the rise. She was born and raised in Argentina. During her adolescence she started developing her artistic vision while living in The United States and in the capital of fashion (Italy). Eventually her love for sketching and for creative artistic expressions led her to study a career in fashion in one of the main institutions of her home country. From then on, she has been developing her own collections. Once having moved to Kuwait she has collaborated with one of the main Kuwaiti fashion companies designing several collections. Additionally she has participated in designing competitions where she has been awarded with multiple prizes. Her great devotion for the world of fashion keeps her constantly engaged in exciting new projects.
As Kuwait’s weather gets hotter and hotter each day and our mood starts to blaze we must share with you the secrets that will give your daily outfits an up-to-the-minute twist.
The sunny season will fascinate your sight and soul with the new trends for the picnic days and calm nights.
RED IS IN THE AIR From the catwalks to the streets, no-one is shy about the new "it" color. It’s the color of life and it’s all about passion; and the best part of it is, it looks great on every skin color!!! So prepare yourself to be completely noticed and rock the spring with this bright vivid color.
NEEDED LAYER The sleeveless blazer/long vest is a garment that, up until now, only real fashion lovers could appreciate. Remember, it works as a complementary layer to your outfit giving you a creative air that you will love and totally respect. citypageskuwait.com
GET INSPIRED… THE FESTIVAL SEASON Coachella, the worldwide famous Californian music festival, has been a great inspiration for designers and fashionistas for the last few years. The 2015 festival, held in April, was no exception and as well as being a fun feast it also worked as a big fashion parade. Celebrities and general attendants managed to make our jaws drop with their unquestionably creative boho styles mostly consisting of tunics, long gipsy skirts and free spirit tops.
Complete the look: To show off your inner modern gipsy, spirit floral crowns, trendy shades and braided hair work to perfection. Ethnic makeup, necklaces and lots of friendship bracelets will also help you achieve that desired boho vibe that’s so in right now. So don’t wait any longer - hit the streets in this superb beatnik mode!! May, 2015
WHAT’S IN… THE STATEMENT CLUTCH
Chiara Ferragni matched her blue eyes to this fab clutch from Sylvia Toledano.
Anna dello Russo wearing Sophia Webster.
This snail clutch by Kate Spade is to die for!
Chiara Ferragni seems to love Sylvia Toledano clutches and who can blame her?
Blake Lively wearing a Yellow Stingray clutch.
Cheer up any plain look with this season’s must have accessory: The hip clutch. It’s the stylish and funky bag that will add a special touch to your look and give you a really unique feel. You’ll see plenty of girls rocking this tiny, hard and undeniably eye catching case this season and it’s no surprise as it can give a super fun and unimaginable twist to any outfit. Check out our favorite ones!!
Mamooshka Marylin by Judith Leiber.
Ceramic bunny bag by Andres Gallardo citypageskuwait.com
Swarovski camel by Judith Leiber
Imperial eyes clutch by Anya Hindmarch
Picnic lemon bag by Dolce & Gabbana
Grapefruit clutch by Nasty Gal
Embellished clutch by Accessorize
Raibow bag by Valentino
Gold croissant by Charlotte Olympia
PUMA introduces the Ferrari Premium Collection in Kuwait
Capsule Range of Sport Infused Lifestyle Products Celebrates 10 Years of Partnership
LUNA Collection Korloff Paris creations inspired by travel experiences Inspired by the endless personalities of the moon Design reflects the characteristics of the moon.
May, 2015
Splash enters a ‘Brave New World’ Spring Summer ’15 fashion show
MAGIC OF NATURE Spring 2015
PANDORA presents a celebration of new beginnings. The captivating moments and messengers of springtime – their awakenings and transformations – are immortalized and illuminated in hand-finished jewellery, which infuses precious memories with renewed promise.
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TORY BURCH FALL 2015
May, 2015
SPRING/SUMMER 2015 WOMENSWEAR COLLECTION
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Coffee is the
NEW DESSERT
INTRODUCING OUR NEW
Tiramisu Blended CUPCAKE
May, 2015
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At The Showcasing Of ORIS New Collection By Behbehani Group At Al Hamra Luxury Centre
At thePpening Of Zahra Al Ali - Solo Exhibition At Kuwait Arts Association
Celebrating The Birthday Of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II hosted by the British Ambassador HE Matthew Lodge.
May, 2015
From Artists For K's PATH 2015 At Boushahri Gallery
From The #HayLive3 Event At Arab Open University
At The Special Dinner Hosted By Ooredoo Kuwait For The Light Expo
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From The Dream Expo At 360 Mall
At The Al Fareej Expo
At the Fight Fat 3 Campaign At Avenues Mall
May, 2015
From The Abaya PopUp Expo At The Grand Avenues By Wadha AlSanad
At The New York Stye "TEA PARTY" by @milly_gulf
At The Reopening Of River Island Flagship Store At Avenues
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At the Tik Tok Event – To Celebrate Time With Mubarak
From The Winners Awarding Ceremony For The Kuwait Grand Photography Contest 2015
May, 2015
First College in Kuwait to Introduce Ellucian PowerCampus
FROM THE PRESS Gulf Bank wins ‘Best Retail Bank in Kuwait’ for Second Consecutive Year and ‘Best Retail Customer Service Bank in Kuwait’ Awards from International Finance Magazine
Gulf Bank announced today that it has been awarded the ‘Best Retail Bank in Kuwait’ and the ‘Best Retail Customer Service Bank in Kuwait’ awards from International Finance Magazine (IFM), one of the world’s leading financial publications with a readership in over 200 countries. Winners were chosen by a panel of industry experts drawn from international ratings agencies and some of the world’s leading financial centers. The International Finance Magazine Awards exist to recognize and honor individuals and organizations that make a significant difference and add value, and while delivering the highest standards of innovation and performance. Vikram Issar, General Manager, Consumer Banking at Gulf Bank said: “We are honored to receive these two important awards. Winning the Best Retail Bank in Kuwait for the second consecutive year from IFM, as well as being recognized as the Best Retail Customer Service Bank in Kuwait are testaments to the commitment and dedication of the whole Gulf Bank team to excellent customer service, as well as the Bank’s ability to offer exceptional products which are tailored to the specific needs of the market.
citypageskuwait.com
MEGlobal awards GUST Business Administration students at the 3rd Annual Case Writing Competition
Algonquin College of Kuwait, the recently launched Middle East branch campus of Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology in Canada, has partnered with Ellucian to become the first institute in Kuwait to implement the Ellucian PowerCampus solution. PowerCampus allows institutions to efficiently and cost-effectively manage admission needs and simplifies and organizes a number of administrative procedures. Since the introduction of PowerCampus, Algonquin College has been able to set up their online admissions and achieve their enrolment target. Additionally, the system supports registrations, calendaring, and transcript activities for all students. Algonquin College’s Chairman, Mr. Saud Jafar, stated, “We wanted to find the right technology to handle the processes of enrolment, communication plans, and the management of vital administrative tasks. We strive to use the best technology to support our students and invest in measures that make learning easily accessible. Ellucian PowerCampus allows us to support and streamline administrative responsibilities and helps students perform tasks more effectively.” “We are very excited about the partnership between Ellucian and Algonquin College as they open their doors to students in 2015. The College understands the importance of technology for students and the running of their institution, and has implemented solutions that not only benefit learners, but help to cement its presence in the region as innovative and forward thinking,” Ellucian’s Vice President of MEA, Mathew Boice, said. “With Kuwait and the rest of the GCC continuing to expand their education offerings, institutions are turning to technology to support their development needs.” PowerCampus allows institutions to efficiently and cost-effectively manage admission needs and simplifies and organizes a number of administrative procedures. Additionally, it creates and shares analytics-based network reports related to institutional performance, helping colleges and universities monitor their progress and goals.
Held for the third year in-a-row, the competition required participants to provide strategic business solutions to real-world challenges and opportunities facing MEGlobal from an ethical, marketing, financial and managerial standpoint. Participating teams were briefed by MEGlobal top executives from Dubai who were able to clearly illustrate and outline the current issues and potential opportunities at the company during the launch of the competition early this year. Students in turn were required to execute their own investigative case work by interviewing MEGlobal management, staff, and third party experts to formulate the best solution forward for their chosen case. MEGlobal President and CEO, Dr. Ramesh Ramachandran, said: “This competition allows business students to apply theories and frameworks into real-life operational challenges which in turn gives them a new perspective into the corporate world. This is the third consecutive year in which we sponsored this competition, and we are continually impressed by the strategic thinking, detailed analysis and creative solutions of the cases by all teams, specifically the finalists who are here today. On behalf of our management team, I would like to congratulate all participants present here today and I have full confidence that you will be an asset to the corporate world here in Kuwait and the rest of the world.”
Brand Ambassador Abhishek Bachchan opens OMEGA Boutique in 360 Mall of Kuwait Starbucks Welcomes the Summer with the Mocha Coconut Frappuccino
NEXT REOPENS STORE AT 1st AVENUES, THE AVENUES
NISSAN JUKE HITS RECORD SALES
British retailer Next is pleased to announce the reopening of its largest store in Kuwait after a major refurbishment at 1st Avenues, The Avenues. The refurbished store has a contemporary look and feel providing an enhanced shopping experience for its customers. The Next store now dedicates a larger area to children’s wear, including a section committed to footwear. Both women’s and men’s wear include new shoe rooms, along with a staple of casual and formal wear ranges. This is the third Next store to be recently upgraded in Kuwait, with Mishref Co-Op and Awtad Centre stores reopening last month after extensive refurbishment programs.
Nissan’s recently facelifted sub-compact crossover, the Nissan Juke, is recording staggeringly buoyant sales throughout the GCC countries. Since launching the FY14 model of the Nissan Juke, Nissan has recorded average sales of 294 units per month between April 2014 and January 2015. In less than two months since the upgraded vehicle became available in the showrooms in February 2015, regional sales jumped to 668 vehicles per month, an increase of 127 per cent. Nissan also revealed that the total number of Nissan Juke vehicles sold in February-March hit 1,336 with March witnessing the popular urban crossover record its best-ever GCC-wide monthly sales of 855 units. The year-on-year increase versus Financial Year 2013 is 42 per cent for the region. The Nissan Juke was unveiled to the regional public at a special launch event party in February under the theme of ‘Take a Stand’ and designed to make the Juke stand out for its target audience, the urban creatives. Nissan created the event in line with the crossover’s ethos, supporting freedom of expression and creativity. They did this by putting on a full show with DJs and experiential areas dedicated to the Juke’s three core areas of innovation – its design, performance and technology. The launch event created such a high level of awareness of the new Juke in the region that it has been directly linked to the surge in sales experienced.
OMEGA brand ambassador, the renowned Bollywood actor/producer Abhishek Bachchan, visited Kuwait city along with OMEGA’s Vice President and Head of International Sales, Raynald Aeschlimann. They participated in the official opening of Morad Yousuf Behbehani’s third mono-brand OMEGA boutique at 360 Mall. The GCC market is an important segment for OMEGA and the Kuwaiti watch connoisseurs contribute significantly to the success of the industry in the region. The Kuwait retail market has long been a favourite for manufacturers of upscale watches and high-end jewellery who have firmly set their sights on this oilrich Northern Gulf state. The Kuwaitis have a tradition and appreciation for luxury goods and have helped spur the growing interest in prestige watch brands. Abhishek Bachchan and Raynald Aeschlimann were joined by Ali Morad Behbehani, President of Morad Yousuf Behbehani Group and H. E. Etienne Thévoz, Swiss Ambassador to Kuwait for the ribbon-cutting ceremony while the guests were welcomed with canapés and cocktails. The evening was attended by OMEGA collectors and fans members of the Behbehani family, watch connoisseurs, and special guests including ambassadors and other foreign dignitaries. Among them were the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, Sunil Jain. Abhishek Bachchan reiterated his commitment to OMEGA and spoke highly of the brand’s superior designs legacy and its passion for the sophisticated craft of watchmaking. Mr. Bachchan said, “I am pleased to know that OMEGA has added one more boutique to its locations for Kuwaiti watch-lovers. The discerning Kuwaiti watch-buyer will benefit greatly from the offerings at the new OMEGA boutique at 360 Mall”. Raynald Aeschlimann added, “We are very happy to extend the number of boutiques in Kuwait with the opening of the new one at the 360 Mall. Kuwaiti shoppers are well acquainted with some of the best brands in the world and we are looking forward to sharing our full range of products with them in this true `house of OMEGA’.”
Starbucks marks the start of the warm summer season with the launch of its all new Frappuccino drink, the Mocha Coconut Frappuccino. Customers can indulge in the flavour of smooth mocha with coconut, topped with whipped cream, mocha drizzle and crunchy coconut flakes. Not only can customers quench that hot summer thirst, but they can do so with the flavour of sweet mocha. Rana Shaheen, Starbucks regional communications and CSR manager for the MENA region, said, “Starbucks aims to be an integral part of each customer’s daily routine, and that is why perfecting their beverage of choice is so important. But what is also important is always offering a beverage that will not only make their day special, but give a special flavour to their seasons as well. With the new Mocha Coconut Frappuccino, we celebrate the start of the summer season with our customers, and we can’t wait for them to try it”. Our customers can also enjoy for the first time ever the refreshing taste of iced tea infused with fresh fruit flavours. The two flavours available are Mixed Berry Green tea, which is iced tea infused with a medley of berry notes, sweetened, and hand-shaken with ice; and the Peach White Tea, which is iced tea infused with a balanced fusion of mellow white tea, and herbal peach tea, also sweetened and hand shaken with ice. Don’t forget to pass by the nearest Starbucks store and celebrate the start of this great summer season.
May, 2015
FROM THE PRESS
Brought to you by Raad Marketing Company, Abdul Aziz Saud Al-Babtain Group of Companies Kuwait Introduces for the first time: Annabel Karmel Food Group and Disney World group
360 MALL’s Food Lounge to be transformed to surpass customer expectations
Junior at Centrepoint Launches the all new Colorful and Endearing 'Juniors' Nursery Furniture Range
Making sure that your child’s earliest memories are cheerful and treasured is not just a joy of parenting, but a responsibility too. Junior's new range of nursery furniture from its exclusive inhouse ‘Juniors’ brand are designed to help you build those memories for your child. The ‘Juniors’ nursery furniture range has been scientifically developed to offer the safest solutions for children, providing them with extra care in their growing years. The collection includes tough, sturdy and innovative products such as the designer Devon travel cot, Metro Baby Stroller, Oscar Five Speed Electronic Swing, Circus Baby Walker, and much more. For the assurance of young parents, Juniors trademark advantages of reliability and convenience are built into each product. Products are available in six colorful and endearing themes such as Red Henna, Retro Triangle, Lily Leopard, Butterfly World, Perfect Nature and Flying Elephant. Each theme packs a wide selection of items to ensure children love the new additions to their room. ‘Juniors’ - the largest private label brand in Centrepoint available at Juniors across the clothing, nursery, furniture, toys and essentials categories - is widely recognized for its offerings of premium quality, fashionable designs, and value for money. The limited edition childfriendly, secure and stylish furniture selection is available across all Centrepoint- Junior's outlets throughout Kuwait.
citypageskuwait.com
flydubai named ‘Best Regional Airline serving the Middle East’ at the 2015 Business Traveller Middle East Awards 360 MALL, Kuwait’s iconic shopping mall owned by Tamdeen Shopping Centers, is to completely transform its existing food court on the 3rd level to provide an enhanced F&B offering to surpass customer expectations and create a new international dining destination for the country. The redevelopment of the Food Lounge, valued at a massive KD 2 million, will take place in three phases so that food outlets remain operational for mall customers to enjoy their dining experience at existing outlets. Shavak Srivastava Board Member, Tamdeen Shopping Centers Company, said: “Customers in Kuwait are discerning and have great expectations for their dining experience, be it casual or gourmet dining. We have researched our mall’s customer preferences, studied them in depth and are now ready to redefine the entire food lounge to make it ‘the place to dine in’ in Kuwait.” After the redevelopment, the total F&B area will increase to about 2,600 sqm including dedicated and common seating with the number of outlets increasing to 26. The new F&B experience will see the number of gourmet restaurants double to six; two brand new cafes and 18 casual dining outlets. The total gross leasable area of the F&B outlets within the redefined Food Lounge will be 1,900 sqm. Some of the major features in the remodeling will be a new garden-themed court with lush vertical gardens and a 10-meter waterfall. A simulated sky ceiling will provide diners with a natural outdoor feel. The area will also provide garden and water views with abundant Alfresco dining with organic finishes.
Dubai-based flydubai was named ‘Best Regional Airline serving the Middle East’ at the 2015 Business Traveller Middle East Awards held in Dubai on 03 May. Voted by readers of the magazine, the distinction reflects how flydubai’s expanding network, evolving business model, new fleet and commitment to serving underserved markets has been acknowledged by passengers in just five years. flydubai's Business Class, which was launched in October 2013, is available across the flydubai network and a recent passenger survey found that 86% of Business Class passengers would recommend flydubai. Business Class passengers enjoy a more comfortable and personal travel experience with priority checkin, lounge access, a comfortable Italian leather seat, dedicated cabin service and cuisine from an internationally inspired menu. Jeyhun Efendi, Senior Vice President Commercial (UAE, Middle East, Europe, CIS) at flydubai, represented flydubai at the Award ceremony. Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, flydubai, is pictured with the award.
Presented by Raad Marketing Company, a part of Al-Babtain Group of Companies together with the collaboration of Mandarin National Group, a press conference was held for the launch of a new range of healthy snacks for children under the name of "Annabel Karmel" and “Disney Food Group” for the first time in Kuwait. Attended by Annabel Karmel herself, a British best-selling author and international specialist in organic nourishment for infants, the conference highlighted the inspiration and success behind her new line of products. The conference was held in the presence of Mrs. Noor Saud Babtain, General Manager at Raad Company Mr. Ayman Kamal, the Kuwait community, and senior representatives from the National Mandarin Group Company all of which have worked closely with Karmel in bringing her line of healthy Disney-inspired snacks to the State of Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt and her entire range of products titled "Annabel Karmel." Mrs. Noor Saud Al-Babtain, remarked: "We are delighted to be hosting today's food specialist in child and infant health, as well as an international British writer, Annabel Karmel. We at Al-Babtain Group are keen to provide the Kuwaiti market with new and especially healthy food products, as it is important to raise our generations with healthy lifestyle habits and choices, all the while educating them on how to maintain proper food intake and a balanced diet throughout all stages of their lives. In addition to “Annabel Karmel food group”, we are also offering Disney World Food Group, which we are confident will receive the approbation of Kuwaiti families as well children and babies."
OUTLANDISH 22nd May 2015 #outlandishlive
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May, 2015
HOMEWORK FOR GROWN UPS EVERYTHING YOU LEARNED AT SCHOOL... BUT CAN YOU REMEMBER? General Knowledge Quiz 1.Teriyaki is a Japanese: Martial art; Intelligence service; Cooking method; or Cartoon hero? 2. In 2015 artist Oscar Santillan controversially removed and exhibited the top inch of: Buckingham Palace; Scafell Pike; The Eiffel Tower; or Donald Trump's hair?
Test Your Vocabulary Once again the main problem was killing time. In this sentence, problem means:
1. trouble
3. What dance/music/style name is thought derived from the Spanish word ('with the colour of flame') for the wading bird Phoenicopterus?
2. effect
4. A cairn, a traditional trail marker for walkers/explorers, of simple or grand design, is basically a: Shack; Pile of stones; Wooden cross; or Hanging lantern?
4. purpose
3. judgment
5. Prince Charles' private letters to government ministers, made public by the UK Supreme Court in 2015, are known as the '(What?) memos', due to his handwriting style: Black spider; Blue tooth; Purple haze; or Green onions?
The meaning of the Greek word pr贸blema meant "to put forth," which is different from the meaning of problem today, but it reminds you that any problem becomes easier to solve once you have defined it. A math problem is easier once you have the numbers in front of you: that's why word problems can be so difficult. Problem can also be an adjective in rare cases. Once you were a problem child, but now you spend your time listening to everyone else's problems.
6. Contralto refers to a singing voice/range equating to: Highest Male; Lowest Male; Highest Female; or Lowest Female?
If you are facing something that will be difficult to handle, you have a problem on your hands. A problem is a roadblock in a situation, something that sets up a conflict and forces you to find a resolution.
8. The areca nut (often with betel leaf), a popular stimulant in Asia, is traditionally prepared for: Chewing; Smoking; Drinking; or Sniffing? 9.'Ol' Blue Eyes' is the nickname of: Lord Byron; Frank Sinatra; Al Capone; or Napoleon Bonaparte? 10. The Italian word 'scuderia' typically referring to a motor racing team, eg Scuderia Ferrari, means: Stable; Able; Fable; or Label? 11. The ball-shaped roots of a more popular salad vegetable, Bergers White Ball, Ibis, Kojak, and Snow White are what? 12. Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Chad, Niger, Mali and Ethiopia are the largest nations in the world without a: Railway system; Coastline; Poisonous snake; or National currency? 13. What is the correct order of this essential rule for aircraft pilots: Communicate, Aviate, Navigate?
ANSWER: 1.In this question, problem is a noun that means a source of difficulty.
7. Name Warren Buffett's investment corporation, which he bought in 1964, ostensibly to sack its boss who had made him angry?
10-digit Number
10 1. Find a 10-digit number where the first digit is how many zeros in the number, the second digit is how many 1s in the number etc. until the tenth digit which is how many 9s in the number.
14. The eponymous cannabis brand launched in 2015 by a famous country music singer is: Willie's Reserve; Garth's Ganja; Dollydope; or Shaniah's Shtash? 15. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, who first appeared in Detective Comics No27 in May 1939?
18. Susy, a portmanteau abbreviation for a fundamental yet increasingly elusive particle physics theory is in full 'Super (What?)': System; Symmetry; Sympathy; or Syllabub? 19. The Ryman Auditorium (also called the Union Gospel Tabernacle) is the home of what major music institution? 20. The position of the Arctic Circle was/is determined by: Sea ice; Sun visibility; Temperature; or Unclaimed territory? ANSWERS:1.Cooking method (grilled fish/meat with sweetened soy sauce glaze), 2. Scafell Pike (England's highest mountain), 3. Flamenco (based on 'flamengo', Spanish for flamingo - the other suggested meaning, 'Flemish', is a somewhat less appealing origin), 4. Pile of stones, 5. Black spider, 6. Lowest Female, 7. Berkshire Hathaway (Buffett tells that buying it was a big mistake - that he took control when actually seeking to sell his minority holding, but instead bought a controlling interest after its CEO Seabury Stanton allegedly reduced the price he'd agreed to pay Buffett for his shares, by about 1%), 8. Chewing (also called the betel nut because it's wrapped in a betel leaf, although it's a drupe not a nut - its use is associated with various health risks - in India the nut and leaf products are called paan),9. Frank Sinatra, 10. Stable, 11. Celeriac (the root of certain celery species), 12. Coastline, 13. Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, 14. Willie's Reserve (by Willie Nelson), 15. Batman, 16. 2 square metres (i.e., half of a 2m x 2m square - an isosceles triangle has two equal sides, which in combination with the right-angle means the triangle must be half of a square), 17. Middle-Age Man In Lycra, 18. Symmetry, 19. The Grand Ole Opry (Nashville, Tennessee, USA), 20. Sun visibility
citypageskuwait.com
JUMBLED WORDS C A D Y E N O O Z E R I X E P e P a r s i n N E E B O G ANSWERS: DECAY, OZONE, EXPIRE, SPRAIN, BEGONE
17. The modern lifestyle acronym MAMIL, which relates to the growth in fitness products and especially cycling, stands for what?
ANSWERS: 6210001000
16. What is the area of an isosceles right-angled triangle whose short sides are 2 metres each?
KIDS PAGES MENTAL MATHS TEST 1. What number is10 less than 1000? 2. Find the difference between 1 ¾ and 3. 3. What number is equal to (9 x 6) + 3? 4. By how many m is 1405m greater than 1km? 5. 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 6. Ali measures 142cm in height. By how many cm is he taller than 1m? 7. Which of these numbers will divide by 5 without a remainder? 23, 40, 17, 34, 53 8. How many g in ½ kg? 9. (8 x1) + 5 =? 10. 1/5 of 35 =? 9. 13, 10. 7
ANSWERS:1. 990, 2. 1 ¼ , 3. 57, 4. 405m, 5. 16, 6. 42cm, 7. 40, 8. 500g,
FUN RIDDLES
1. What building has the most stories? 2. How many apples grow on a tree? 3. A man was sitting on his couch and searching for the English Channel. How did he find it? 4. A king, queen, and two twins all lay in a large room. How are there no adults in the room?
FUN FACTS ABOUT BRAIN 1. The human brain is like a powerful computer that stores our memory and controls how we as humans think and react. It has evolved over time and features some incredibly intricate parts that scientists still struggle to understand. 2. Your brain controls your body movements by sending messages to the muscles via nerves. Nerves are attached to the spinal cord which is connected to the brain 3. Nerves are made of neurons, neurons work in a similar way to electrical signals – by sending messages around the human body 4. The neurons in the brain make enough electricity to generate a low-watt light bulb. 5. The neurons are joined by tiny pathways or roads. When you do something a lot – like ride your bike – the pathways in your brain that send messages about bike riding are strengthened. This is sort of like a walking path that you walk on every day. 6. If you don’t do something very often, the pathways become weak. Imagine an old pathway filled with grass and weeds. Practice really does make perfect because it strengthens neural pathways. If you’re not good at math, start practicing. Chances are you’ll get better. 7. Your brain sends more messages everyday than all the phones in the world. Now that’s a lot of texting! 8. Messages can fly from the nerves in your body to your brain at more than 150 mph. Whew! 9. Exercising can make you smarter. When you exercise, blood flow to the brain is increased. Your brain also releases hormones that can help you learn. So, get moving to get smarter.
JUMBLED WORDS 1 . D N I R G 2 . P T O R X E 3 . A U L U S 4 . R K E M A T 5 . V E O R C 6 . H C R A E S 7 . E N I C S C E 8 . T I I G D 9 . O R U N A D 1 0 . B M E R U N 1 1 . R I PA L 1 2 . A L S C S
= = = = = = = = = = = =
5. Which is correct “The yolk of the egg is white” or “The egg yolk 1. GRIND, 2. EXPORT, 3. USUAL, 4. MARKET, 5. COVER, 6. SEARCH, 7. SCIENCE, 8. DIGIT, 9. AROUND, 10. NUMBER, 11. APRIL, 12. CLASS ANSWERS:
is white"?
May, 2015
ANSWERS: 1. A library, 2. All apples grow on trees, 3. Probably a map, it is between England and France, 4. They're all beds! 5. Neither, egg yolks are yellow.
MAY HOROSCOPES What's more important - business or pleasure? - during the May 3 Scorpio Full Moon? When the star of greenbacks, Venus, swims into the financial waters of Cancer on May 7 you have your answer but terms may seem non-negotiable. The week of May 17 brings compromise with the New Moon in deal-maker Taurus lending aid. Mercury retrogrades begins within nine hours of this lunation, and although the deal seems murky you are willing to take that chance for something you still feel is uncertain, but so necessary. The Sun moves into silver-tongued Gemini on May 21 and compromise is acknowledged as a better answer than continually resisting change.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
The more you do for others around the May 3 Full Moon, the more you'll gain later. Someone might come to you then needing help or a big favor. If you have the time and resources, do what you can. If your answer is no, you can say it with compassion. The May 17 New Moon boosts your income and earnings, but it might also boost your urge to splurge. Give money the attention it deserves and you can manage very well. Be exceptionally sharp and smart on May 27. Save any special problem to be solved around this time.
No matter how busy work or the social scene gets, nothing can compete with the pleasures of just being home. Recharge your emotional batteries at the May 3 Full Moon and be fresh and strong for whatever the world tosses your way. Be sharp at work after the May 17 New Moon and perhaps create a great opportunity. Take more responsibility and win support. If interested in a change in job or career, you might be able to make a move now. Memorial Day weekend is big but not crazy-big fun. You can feel rich and responsible at the same time.
TAURUS
VIRGO
(April 20 - May 20)
(August 23 - September 22)
Love is looking for you around the May 3 Full Moon. If not looking yourself, you can try to hide, but it won't help much. Be polite and know that passions will wane in a few days. Any new affair begun now could only be a glorious flash that fizzles. Nothing will be too hard for you around the May 17 New Moon. Figure out what you want to work on and then jump in and finish it. You have energy and motivation like never before. Starting May 25, question an old idea or fashion preference and prepare to be surprised.
SAGITTARIUS
Early in the month get back in touch with some friends who may have been absent lately. It's possible that one of them could contact you first, around the May 3 Full Moon. Make what time you can without abandoning all of your own plans. You may crave a major escape or getaway in the middle of the month, around the New Moon on May 17. Just clearing your head and having some quiet time may be all of the break you need. May 30 could be emotionally rocky, but you won't make any rash decisions. If you want downtime, take it.
(November 22 - December 21)
You don't have to tell everybody everything, and saying less could make you feel better. The May 3 Full Moon is busy, but it encourages discretion. Draw closer to your trusted friends and learn some of their secrets. Tie up a million little loose ends in the week of the May 17 New Moon and make daily life simpler and easier than you may believe possible. Daily routine is rarely glamorous, but it will be when you do it. The weekend of May 23 is a lucky, fun time with possibly big social plans. Mercury is retrograde now, so maybe skip any deep personal discussions.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
Go out and have some serious fun in the first week of May. Meet some new people and make some new friends. You don't need to be intimate right away. The May 3 Full Moon encourages you to be more sociable. A big temptation or gamble could catch your eye around the May 17 New Moon. You aren't usually attracted to big risks, but this time you have the energy and passion to do more. Consider what it's worth to try. On the weekend of May 23 get some serious work done and then have some seriously wonderful fun!
GEMINI
LIBRA
AQUARIUS
(May 21 - June 20)
(September 23 - October 22)
(January 20 - February 18)
Take care of yourself and don't be lured into anybody else's madness as the month starts. The May 3 Full Moon is busy and exciting, but don't take anything personally. Be safe and healthy and get a lot done. At the May 17 New Moon take a beloved project out of the closet and work on what's near and dear to your heart. You need no one's approval - in fact, no one else needs to know. The Sun enters Gemini on May 21 and the rest of the month is yours. Mercury is retrograde now, so take your time with any new plans.
Money looks better than usual during the first week. See if you can save a bit more and plump up your financial cushion. People around you may be spending more, especially on the weekend of the May 3 Full Moon, but you don't have to follow their example. Someone else's concerns may try to run roughshod over yours in the week of the May 17 New Moon. Help if you can and be grateful the problems aren't yours. On May 29 end your workweek peacefully despite any last-minute complications. If others are off balance or upset, your cool stability will automatically calm things.
In the first week work hard and have it feel like fun. Even if you aren't thoroughly enjoying yourself, employers and co-workers will want to give you more opportunities. You can get ahead under the May 3 Full Moon. You could put the finishing touches on something big and beautiful at home around the May 17 New Moon. If a project or problem has been lingering and defying you, you now have the fire and energy to take care of it. On May 29 you can see through the shock value of something and decide what it's really worth to you.
CANCER
SCORPIO
PISCES
(June 21 - July 22)
(October 23 - November 21)
(February 19 - March 20)
You can have just as much fun doing your own thing as you can in a big group out in public. It can cost less, too. If friends are going to a big concert on the weekend of the May 3 Full Moon and the music isn't your favorite, it's OK to give it a pass. Surround yourself with all your favorite people and have a great time around the May 17 New Moon. Don't sit alone staring at the walls. Your friends won't permit it. Heal an old hurt or simply make yourself and someone else happier on May 27. citypageskuwait.com
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
Are you happy with your love life? The May 3 New Moon is tailored to please your heart. Pick and choose everything now - the restaurant, movie, or partner who goes with you. People want to make you happy. The tug of romance is strong with the May 17 New Moon and you may find yourself admiring and be attracted to all sorts of people. Find someone special or just enjoy a lot of high-quality people-watching. Emotions could run high on the weekend of May 30, and clear thinking may be hard to come by. Lay low and be good to yourself.
Tackle a big issue or problem in the first few days of the month. You could make a big discovery or learn an important life lesson. The May 3 Full Moon wants you to be intellectually bold. Get curious about life, the universe, and everything after the May 17 New Moon. Let friends introduce you to cool new places and pleasures. Don't get too scattered or hyper, but have fun and indulge a lot of minor desires. People want to be agreeable and make you happy on May 30. Romance warms up and someone new or surprising could get infatuated with you.
*All the Illustrations on this page are done by: Sandra Bakhamian @SandraBakhamian and are Copyrighted
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