The editor
My favourite story this issue RAMADAN 101 I don’t know whether it’s the festive spirit that gets to me all the time, but I absolutely LOVE Ramadan. I can’t wait to hit all the Iftar and Sohour tents around town; the city will definitely be buzzing this month! Check out our guide inside that will keep your social calendar busy.
First times.… Dina Kabbani Editor
dina@factlive.com
I
t’s weird how one experiences new things all the time. You think you’ve been everywhere, done everything and then BAM you’re hit in the face with a new experience! For me that came exactly one month ago: I moved to Qatar. Yes it’s been a whirlwind of activity, packing up my life from one place and setting it up in another. But I have to admit I love the feeling of discovering new things for the first time. I’m now living an on going slew of firsts; first time to hold an actual falcon, swim in the Gulf sea and visit more malls in one day than I have my entire life! Who exactly is the new Editor of FACT? A somewhat talented being, known to be always on time, has a problem with people who aren’t, is an overbearing perfectionist with an OCD cleaning problem, and has a bunch of ideas that need to be put down on paper! So with that out of the way, let me jump into our July issue packed with everything you need to know about this awesome month. If you’ve already spotted it around town (it really is hard not to with that canary yellow) the new Hop on Hop off bus is the 6
FACT JUly
capital’s first touring bus of its kind. Finally you can see what Doha is all about with the new cool funky ride that visits all the mustsee spots in town (see pages 8 & 9). Whether its your first Ramadan or not, we’ve got you covered with our ultimate guide to the holy month in Ramadan 101 (see pages 26 to 32). We’ve tried our best to round up the must-know tid-bits as well as the best Iftars, Sohours and cultural events about town to keep you all well entertained. And with it being the month of giving, our ‘Lend a Hand’ feature (pages 22 & 23) will show you just how you can help out and give back to the community.
News from the FACT Penthouse Have we got a treat for you! Joining us all the way from England is new FACT Bahrain Editor Shabana Adam. An avid foodie and travel junkie; Shabana is the perfect new addition to our crazy FACT family. Welcome on board Shabs!
Image of the Month
On another note, we delve into the world of fashion with a look at one of the region’s budding young designers, this time all the way from Egypt (pages 56 to 59). Don’t forget to also check out our favourite monthly trends (pages 60 to 63). Ramadan Kareem everyone! PS: Please do drop me a line at dina@ factlive.com and let me know if you’ve experienced anything for the first time recently.
I loved writing about the talented Amina Khalil whose use of traditional material is an awesome way of representing Middle Eastern culture in modern day fashion on page 56.