LInkUp Addis October 2021

October 2021

ADDIS ABABA

29 "Every brand has a personality; it speaks and expresses itself in its way "

Melaku Beharu Advertising Visionary, Leader, and Entrepreneur

FollowUp

What’sUp

ReadUp

Senmarks' Addis Social Media Awards: Celebrating the power of creating & consuming relatable content

Capital Hotel & Spa: Relentlessly dedicated to your holistic wellness

Mental Health Awareness Month: Book recommendations for your mental wellbeing

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Editor’s Letter

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Followup

Brief

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Followup+

Linkup

Dressup Champagne Dreams

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Ushering in The Age of Social Media in Ethiopia: Senmarks' Social Media Awards

It’s abebayehosh, not abebayeshwey

Eatup Olive & Bread

29 Closeup

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Melaku Beharu

African Majesty

Capital Hotel and Spa

Linkup Info Dive

Advertising visionary, Leader, and Entrepreneur

43

Listenup PISTOLS AND WHISKEY

46

Whatsup

Readup

Not All Wounds Are Visible

12

Catchup The Glorious Revolution

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Thumbsup

41 Reelup

Movie Reviews

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Linkup

City Guide

Hello again everyone, and greetings from 2014 E.C. Hope all the resolutions and intentions you have set are well on track in the first month of the year. This month saw holiday related festivities and occasions across town, with the new year shortly followed by the finding of the cross hailing the coming of the Ethiopian spring season (‘tsedey’). The sun is shining brighter and nature is nearing full bloom, positive prospects of the future hopefully lift our spirits to inspire us to reach greater heights.

What an edition we have for you this month! An interview with the founder of one of the most influential advertising firms in town, a trusted review of one of the most renowned spa service providers and an exclusive coverage of the first Social Media awards in Ethiopia and more are in store. We had fun putting this issue together for you, and it gives us immense satisfaction to have you read us and follow up every month. Enjoy this read and the month of October itself.

Kidus Assefa Editor-in-Chief

Managing Director:

Photographers:

Thanks to:

Eyob Workineh eyob@linkupaddis.com

Abenezer Geleta Amanuel Asfaw Nathan Seyoum

Berry Advertising Capital Hotel & Spa Keste Damena Olive & Bread SenMarks Communication

Editor in chief: Kidus Assefa kiduslinkup@gmail.com Marketing Director: Mathias Aklilu mathias@linkupaddis.com Partnerships Director: Eyasu Abdella eyasu@linkupaddis.com

Contributors Alula Abadi Amanu Teriessa Ephrata Kibru Eyasu A. Ashenafi Haben Woldu Hasset Tsegabirhan Kidus Tamiru Nathan Seyoum Yegeta Tsegaye Telilla

Graphic Designer: Abenezer Samuel bensamuel189@gmail.com

Cover photo: Courtesty of Melaku Baheru

LinkUp Brief Amanu Teriessa

September 2021 Ethio-Jazz Thursdays The second episode of Ethio-Jazz Thursdays brought an experience that is just as good (if not better) as the first one. A personal favorite event of the month, this highly anticipated live jazz performance is only made better by the headlining fact that it is held at Hyatt Regency’s Metro: a venue that is as beautiful as it can get. This time around, we were not just wooed by the instrumental music played by Yizzac’s Experience and Eyu-Extreme’s DJing – we also had numerous guest vocalists that made the night even more memorable.

TGI Fridaze If a mild escape from techno and electronic music is what you’ve been seeking, it hardly gets better than TGI Fridaze. On the 17th of September 2021, Shega events held TGI Fridaze at its usual venue: Min Yitebes. Because the New Year vibes were drowning everyone’s minds, the caterers had to express that. Complimentary defo dabo and popcorn were passed around for anyone who wanted to partake. The adey abeba covering part of the stage and the dance floor, too, helped to keep the night in theme.

Arif Poetry Night The absence of the abundance of poetry events preCovid has been felt by the fans of such outings. That is why, I suppose, an unanticipated number of people showed up at BlueSpace to attend Arif Poetry Night on 22 September 2021. Hosted by the ever-so-charismatic live performer Edom, we got to see a myriad of passionate artists ranging from a middle-schooler who left our jaws gaping to poets whose reputation for being talented word-smiths preceded them. Interspersing the performers were songs being performed by a band and a few musicians.

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FollowUp

Ushering in The Age of Social Media in Ethiopia

Senmarks' Social Media Awards Yegeta Tsegaye Telila

S

Photo by: Nathan Seyoum

ocial media and its role in modern society is a controversial topic; that much is in no doubt. We all recognize that it is part of our lives, whether we like it or not. It has infiltrated how we have fun, how we communicate with each other, how we socialize, how we work, and much more. With this role, it has also brought to the forefront all the good, the bad, and the ugly that makes up humanity like any other landmark development. And just like fire or nuclear power or

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what have you, it can be a force for – you guessed it – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The first ever social media awards held in Ethiopia, hosted by Senmarks, a company dedicated to highlighting the work of social media influencers, was held on the 25th of September at Mosaic Hotel.

Social media influencers in various categories were awarded for their work in entertainment, photography, travel, and even beer drinking skills. The award show was spiced-

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I contend, however, that the awards set the precedent for all the beautiful things that social media has brought to our doorsteps.

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This is why the effort on the part of Senmarks should be lauded!

Photo by: Nathan Seyoum

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up by performances from some of the city’s rising acoustic and electronic music performers including Tsion, Joro Acoustics, Drommer, Mayojay, and Famous Naz.

Photo by: Nathan Seyoum

Like any tradition that is subjected to any kind of culture that is more geared towards the youth and disrupts existing modes of being, many might question the validity or even necessity of giving credibility to social media superstars. This is especially true in a country where many look askance on social media culture. I contend, however, that the awards set the precedent for all the beautiful things that social media has brought to our doorsteps.

Take travel and photography, for example. In previous times, the general public’s exposure to travel destinations and the wonder that every country has to offer were limited to the few magazines that focused on travel. There was not much diversity, and content that was provided to the public was dictated by profit, image, and agenda. Now, however, influencers like Aziz (instagram handle @ ethiopian.wildlife) are able to show 8 I Linkup Addis Ababa

us the marvel that is Ethiopia without having to adhere to editorial or any other standards.

The same can be said for photography. Gone are the days of having to prove to the subjective whims of editors at narrowly-tailored magazines that a photographer’s work deserves a platform to be validated; now, the audience decides.

That is the power of social media.

Even the negative aspects of social media are an expression of the power that human freedom has rather than an expression of social media itself. Events like the social media awards serve to show that it is within our own hands whether this tool is our rise or downfall.

All the people mentioned above and all the others that won an award or were nominated for an award have shown that social media is the liberator of young people.

In a world where economic systems are designed to ensure that arbitrary hierarchies remain the norm by controlling who hears our voices and when and where they can hear them, social media is the

disruptor. It allows young people like the Best Influencer Milu or the Best in Fashion Liylu or any of the other winners and nominees to make their mark on the social fabric and a living without having to compromise their passions or values. It allows audiences to consume and aspire to create content that they relate with. This is why the effort on the part of Senmarks should be lauded!

The fact that the company was able to successfully pull off an event that celebrated the success of those who are basically pioneers in Ethiopia’s rising social media culture, however, shows that we truly are in the middle of a revolution. A revolution in society where the youth no longer have to choose between being idle bystanders, plastic bags caught in the wind, or outcasts; we are now the creators and shapers of our own reality.

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It allows audiences to consume and aspire to create content that they relate with.

Photo by: Nathan Seyoum

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FollowUp+

It’s abebayehosh,

not abebayeshwey Yegeta Tsegaye Telila

I

’m sure I am not the only one to whom the holiday season of this year (well, the previous Ethiopian year) did not feel like the holiday season at all. That is to be expected really given the state of things both at home and globally. All the conflict around the world and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic made the previous two years pass by too quickly to even recognize them as years for most of us, let alone celebrate them.

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

This was evident in the end of year celebrations. Whether it was buhe or ashenda, the celebrations of the 12th month of the Ethiopi-

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an calendar seemed half-hearted.

I was expecting the same for the New Year’s Eve edition of Tech a Chill at Umoja House; a party like the others but not much to do by way of holiday spirit. Safe to say I was happy to be disappointed.

The moment I walked into Umoja, being greeted by Air-Wan’s deep tech sounds, I could sense something different. Maybe it was the typical holiday grass scattered all over the place, maybe it was the adey abeba laid out by the DJ booth, maybe it was my own mind playing tricks on me, but there was something in the air. This ‘something’ was present during the early

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Maybe it was the typical holiday grass scattered all over the place, maybe it was the adey abeba laid out by the DJ booth, maybe it was my own mind playing tricks on me, but there was something in the air.

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hours of the event, even when the venue was experiencing power issues. Every time the lights went out in the middle of a song, the way people were responding and then patiently waiting was proof that many wanted to bring in the new-year on a positive note.

Moreover, it also showed that we all wanted a return to some semblance of normalcy, to a time of seeing people as friends and not enemies.

After all, that is what electronic music is about. While many might think this is biased coming from a tech head like myself, the historical origins of house and techno music do the claim justice. Electronic music was forged in the flames of unity against hatred and division; its rhythms a rebellion against forces (whoever they may be) that seek to destroy the hope that the human spirit is founded upon.`

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

Tech a Chill on New Year’s Eve night embodied this same spirit.

The diversity of the line-up, from the deep tech sounds Air-Wan and

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Tera to ‘left field afro funk’ from ChillAkillas to the mashups from Babkim meant there was something for everyone in attendance.

So much so that when the final set ended, the audience was chanting for one more song; Babkim (who closed the event) ended up playing way more than one.

Moreover, the event can also be considered a landmark event for Tech a Chill. Like the first few editions of many events, Tech a Chill has been wobbly. Some editions were a huge success while others were below par. This was partly due to the experimental nature of the event; underground DJs, new event features, and many more were being tried out to see what fits and what Tech a Chill’s personality is going to look like going forward. The last two editions were a culmination of all that; the lineups were flawless and the venue was well-prepared, and the ambience was electric.

As such, this edition was in some ways a reassurance for the New Year and its prospects. Yes, things

are drastically changing. Yes, some of these changes have been negative. And yes, we do not know that the coming year is going to be any better. The only thing we can do is hope and use that hope as a tool to fight for chill vibes; hence why the traditional song is abebayehosh (I see you, flower) instead of the new one we’ve been hearing going around, abebayeshwey (have you seen a flower?).

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While many might think this is biased coming from a tech head like myself, the historical origins of house and techno music do the claim justice.

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CatchUp

The Glorious

Revolution Nathan Seyoum

H

Photo from:artsandculture.google.com

istory is vast and complicated to digest. It is hard to state a specific critical juncture that changed the face of the world as we know it.

For many, the innovative marvels that we see today are attributed and indebted to the Industrial Revolution, a technological breakthrough that began in 17th century England.

However, “thank you”s should be directed to another movement; One that is bloodless and political. It is the one that ignited everything and started spinning the wheel of the future. Even though the industrial revolution gave Britain the “Great” that precedes its name, the Glorious Revolution fathered the technological revolution that can be regarded as the most pivoting moment in Britain’s history and history at large.

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In 1583, a man named William went to the ruling monarch, Queen Elizabeth I, hoping to get a patent for a machine that mechanizes textile production for garment and clothing. His machine helped reduce hand knitting and weaving, which was the primary method to make garments. The “Stocking Frame,” as he called it, decreased the time and cost for textile manufacturing, thereby increasing efficiency and lead time in production. The Queen denied this patent citing the reason that her subjects would be out of work. But that was not the only reason. It seemed like a good idea for both the workers and the monarchy as it would eliminate endless hand knitting and focus workers to work in machine maintenance and op-

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The movement that ignited everything and started spinning the wheel of the future

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Photo from:artsandculture.google.com

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A new system was developed to tax land and not produce

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eration while the elite would see a boom in the textile economy with more outputs for less time. However, the response to the patent request was the epitome of the problem during imperial Britain.

Everything was tightly controlled and policed by the monarchy. Patents would be granted only if one was a friend or a close relative to the establishment. This was the way. And the British parliament had had enough of it.

Photo from:artsandculture.google.com

It was 1688 and King Charles ll had suffered a fatal stroke and a new monarch, his brother, had ascended to the throne. The protestant majority could not handle the fact that the new king, James ll, was a stubborn, uncooperative fellow, but also a Catholic. By the late 1600s, much of the populace of Protestant England was aghast. Of course, James II had been a vanguard of courage all his life fighting for his nation and for both the French and Spanish armies (as his mother was

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French). However, upon rising to the throne it felt as if James was embittered by Britain. He was thrown around by the establishment long before he became king. Nonetheless, his kingdom lasted only three years where the aftermath of his accession changed Britain and the world at large.

Back in the 8th century A.D., the British Parliament had just been formed and operated with landowners and clergymen from the small island. By the mid-1200s, the Parliament had gotten established but was still under the rulership of the monarchy. It served merely as a puppet of power. However, a century later, it began to expand, having the ear of Henry V in matters like taxation. Of course, Henry VII and VIII had embarked on a journey to make the country more pluralistic.

This included making changes to the parliament and the power it wields. The sword it drew on taxation was efficient; a new system

was developed to tax land and not produce.

By the time the Tudors (of Henry and Elizabeth) had no descendants to claim the throne the Stuart dynasty took to ruling Britain.

These monarchs had no intention to create a system that fits all. They instead helped the country by helping themselves. When King James ll came to power most of the English population was protestant. He put forth the Declaration of Indulgence whereby he disallowed the persecution of Catholics and cemented his disdain for Protestantism. Monopolies raged especially with the most lucrative of them all, the transatlantic slave trade, being granted only to the monarch through the Royal African Company, an establishment spearheaded by the king himself.

The country returned to its old self with the Stuarts warming their pockets.

Photo from:artsandculture.google.com

By this time, the Parliament was a cluster of mercantile elites and barons from all over the country. They had won under the stewardship of Oliver Cromwell in 1642 against the ruling incumbent Charles I. However, they were unorganized.

Cromwell had formed his dictatorship and all was lost. By the time of Cromwell’s death, James’ brother Charles ll was raging on, and the monarchy was still a force.

However, enough was enough.

James was not only tearing the country apart economically, but his loyalty to France disturbed a lot of them. The Whigs (parliamentarians) wrote a letter to William of Orange of Holland (Holland is a state in the Netherlands). They promised him the throne if he came and invaded the country and took the throne away from James ll. The plan was to keep William as a puppet monarch retaining much

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of the power in the parliament. The plan worked. James retreated to France, and William, along with his bride Mary, ascended to the throne.

For the next three centuries, Britain became unstoppable. She became the first country to marvel at the tides of technology while being the first superpower of land and sea. After James’ abdication, institutions became more public. The first modern bank, the National Bank of England, opened and started issuing banknotes. Patents were given left and right as new technologies emerged that the world had never seen. British merchants ruled the seas. Property rights became more secure and as the bill of rights was introduced. More and more people enjoyed the freedom of speech and political participation. The Glorious revolution made England what it is today – a historical mirror to our modern days.

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The Glorious revolution made England what it is today

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DressUp

Champagne

Dreams

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

A collaboration between African Mosaique and Keste Damena brings you a new pyjama line that is all about elegance and class. Smooth and breezy as a glass of champagne during a summer night, the’yre designed to bring comfort and style back and give your sleepovers, movie nights, girls’ nights, and everything in between a touch of dreaminess.

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@africanmosaique | @keste_damena

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

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@africanmosaique | @keste_damena

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

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@africanmosaique | @keste_damena

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

@africanmosaique | @keste_damena 20 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

@africanmosaique | @keste_damena 21 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

@africanmosaique | @keste_damena 22 I Linkup Addis Ababa

EatUp

Olive & Bread Ephratha Kibru

W

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

hen you’re searching for an authentic Italian restaurant in Addis, it is unlikely many of the city’s residents would turn their heads to Qebena. But Olive & Bread is looking to change that. Situated right in front of Sandford International School, this interesting little dining spot is hard to miss.

The brick walls and wooden window frames were reminiscent of classic Mediterranean architecture. They catch the eye of every passerby. A step inside revealed a sleek interior design that manages to make the place appear both spacious and cozy at the same time.

The ground floor was reserved for Olive & Bread’s café so, I made my way to the restaurant upstairs.

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After being seated, I was ready to begin my dining experience. To start things off, a Caesar Salad. The romaine lettuce and anchovies were fresh, the croutons were satisfyingly crunchy, and the Caesar dressing was all donned in and was deliciously creamy.

It did its job as an appetizer – I was more than ready to have my lunch. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long as the rest of the dishes arrived shortly after.

Olive & Bread’s special pizza was first in line. I noted the presentation before cutting myself a slice. The toppings, although not minimal, didn’t crowd the base. An important feature was the bona fide, thin-crusted Napoletana pizza. I took a bite and resisted the urge to moan. The crust was supple, the mozzarella delicate, the salami

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The crust was supple, the mozzarella delicate, the salami salty, the ricotta refreshing, and the arugula biting.

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Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

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The brick walls and wooden window frames were reminiscent of classic Mediterranean architecture, and they caught the eye of every passerby.

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salty, the ricotta refreshing, and the arugula biting. I was in love. But all good things must come to an end and, before I knew it, the plate was clean. I had to move on.

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

I followed up the pizza with two pasta dishes- an alfredo and a pesto pasta. I twirled my fork in the alfredo and prepared to take a bite. The pasta lunga, although thin, was thicker than Spaghetti. I suspected it was Bucatini, which explained how the pasta could carry the heavy sauce, normally reserved for Fettuccini. I took a bite and reveled in the creaminess. The sauce did not come to play – it was as thick and rich as they come. The sheer amount of umami I tasted had me wondering if the chicken stock was added to the dish. The alfredo was also hosting to a slight spiciness. It came from the black pepper, which, if it were not freshly ground, wouldn’t have had such a bite. It was all in all a solid dish.

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The pesto would have a hard time matching up. Or so I thought because a single bite was enough to confirm that the green goodness could hold its own.

The pesto was fresh from the basil, nice and salty from the parmesan and spices, garlicky from, well, the garlic. And it was all tied together with the fantastic, high-grade, extra-virgin olive oil.

Finally, to finish up with the main course, I had the beef fillet with mushroom sauce. The tenderloin sat on a soft bed of mashed potatoes, surrounded by sauteed vegetables, and dressed in creamy salsa ai Funghi. The steak was predictably soft and yielding – the tenderloin cut is expensive for a reason.

Marinated in a variety of spices and cooked to a medium-well degree, it was safe to say this fillet was dancing with flavor.

The silky mashed potatoes tasted even more velvety with the mushroom sauce and I was happy to find the s a me f resh ly ground black pepper from the pasta alfredo. I was more than satisfied.

Now that I was done with my meal, Blen Getachew, the owner of Olive & Bread, sat down to have a little chat with me about her place. Having had the grand opening in May (de-

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

spite being open since March), Blen tells me she was pleasantly surprised with the reception. “I was a bit anxious but people seem to like what we offer,” she says. On the unique, Mediterranean-Esque design she notes, “I wanted to create something that looked different.

Something that looked modern, chic, yet at the same time [she gestures to the wall adorned with Ethiopian art as she says this] traditional.” I asked her how she came up with the name ‘Olive & Bread.’ She told me she was inspired by another Mediterranean restaurant.

“When I was living in New York, I had a favorite restaurant that went by the name ‘Fig & Olive,’ and I always loved how random it seemed.” She continues, “After moving back here and deciding to enter the culinary field, I had a hard time with the naming of this place.

I wanted to give it a Ge’ez name, but I never found the right word so, I settled on ‘Olive & Bread,’ which became our signature starter dish

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as well.” While still on the topic of Olive & Bread’s dishes, I asked Blen why she designed an Italian menu.

“Well,” she starts, “I love Italian food.

I think we all do. It is very universal.

If you ask anyone in the world what their favorite cuisine is, they will most likely answer with their own traditional dishes first and Italian cuisine second. So, keeping that in mind, I didn’t want to stir far from what people already found comfortable.” With that answer, it became rather obvious providing comfort was a core theme at Olive & Bread.

The environment invited customers to stay for hours, and the food sure kept them there.

With that, my affair with Olive & Bread was complete. This cozy little spot proved to be perfect for both dates and family outings. It is only safe to assume my farewell was more of a “See you soon” rather than “Goodbye.”

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I love Italian food. I think we all do.

It is very universal.

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Thumbsup Eyasu A. Ashenafi

Fashion Label DagmaRos Design DagmaRos Design is a startup company that is working on designing & fabricating exclusively cultural fashion clothes. Located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (specifically in the Fendika Cultural Center at Kazanchis), the founder and creative director of DagmaRos, Muluken Enquahone (Mule), has the company making royalty-based & creative cultural clothes in different sizes, colors & styles every 2-3 months. This is discounting the custom designs they make for customers. DagmaRos has professional packaging and sizing for their cultural clothes and since they aim to be a formidable clothing brand in Ethiopia and beyond, this is a definitive step in the right direction. Anyone looking to work or partner with DagmaRos won’t have trouble contacting them as they are available via Instagram, Whatsapp, Facebook, Telegram, Email, and even through their official website.

"Shine with fashionable cultural clothes."

@DagmaRos Design

DagmaRos Design by Mule

(Telegram & WhatsApp also):

+251924267186

dagmarosdesign @gmail.com

www. dagmarosdesign. com

Hair Care Product Curl Love It’s fun to wear my thick curly hair in an afro style until it becomes stiff and difficult to brush. At times, it feels like there aren't enough hair products in the world to make my stubborn hair softer and easier to comb, but after using curl love et's all-natural hair mask, I felt my hair loving me back and my curls hydrated more than ever.

Seeing a beautiful black afro hair image on the packaging made me feel like my African hair was finally being recognized by Curl Love. What’s even better is that this mask is locally made, smells great, and also allowed me to continue having fun with my hair while preventing dryness and breakage.

LinkUp Addis would like to give our appreciation to Sena for sharing her honest experiences with this product.

@curllove.et

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@Curl Love

+251930097858

curl.love.et@gmail.com

Burger Joint D’s Burgers D's Burger is the place to have an authentic gourmet burger. I had the spicy gouda cheese burger with jalapeños and it was so good thatI almost bit my fingers. Usually, I cannot compliment fries because they’re just potatoes, but, this is hands down the best fries I have ever eaten. The atmosphere, the service, as well as the food were all immaculate. You are never a step away from full or stuffed, you will always hit that perfect point of satisfaction. Delicious, satisfying and scrumptious how can you ask for anything better?

@ D’s Burgers

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+251 93 499 6661

Across Gibson academy at the intersection, Bole Medhanealem

CloseUp

Melaku Advertising Visionary, Leader Beharu and Entrepreneur.

Hasset Tsegabirhan Would you like to start by introducing yourself?

Photo by: Courtesy of Melaku Baheru

I’m Melaku. Let me begin with my favorite part. I was born and raised in the beautiful Harar. Starting from an early age, I grew up doing paintings, sculptures, and the likes.

I was a member of my school’s art club, and we worked on a lot of things there. That was my inspiration for joining the creative industry, be it in advertising and communication. My background is in Computer Science, but I dropped out of university and joined the design field -- Graphic Design, to be specific. Early on in my career, I did billboards and stuff.

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Actually, my first project was a print ad for Meta Beer in Selamta Magazine.

It was around '99, and they paid me 650 Birr. It was a lot at the time… the readers don’t need to know what I did with that money.

I appreciate innovation. In our community, we’re not used to doing things differently. There are always certain norms and expectations of how your life is supposed to pan out.

You go to college, graduate, get hired somewhere, marry and have kids, get old, then, hopefully, you retire and die.

But Melaku sees life differently. I'm

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The future of advertising needs to change.

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Photo by: Courtesy of Melaku Baheru

willing to do anything as long as it serves me to build a future. If I don’t believe it’s that useful, why would I tolerate it?

I started working when I was seven years old. My parents were business people, and they taught me how to use my time efficiently. I would learn for half the day and with the other half, I did what I needed to do, you know? Besides that, just because everyone is going one way, I don't find it necessary to do so. Even if it seems wrong, I stick to the path I believe will get me somewhere grand. So I quit school and started my own business.

I thought about where I wanted my company to be in 10 years and how to get it there. Looking at it now, I've accomplished some of those goals.

Either way, I am most interested in being innovative and creative. It’s the same with my clients as well.

It’s always, “How can we come up with new ideas?” We’re constantly checking ourselves for different perspectives. How could we grab the interest of our consumers if we are the same as the rest? Ingenuity is crucial.

Globally, 95% of brands have similar strategies and positioning. The 5% are the ones on top leading the way.

I want to find myself and my clients in the second group. That is Melaku.

Starting from the name, Berry is basically fruit, like strawberry, blueberry, even banana. It's as simple as that, we wanted to capture the concept of a seed. We wanted Berry's persona to represent a hardworking Ethiopian farmer. So if you ask me what or who Berry is, Berry is a diligent farmer who has a few seeds at most but has the vision to grow a forest. It is a very ambitious company. I believe that is the basis of our identity.

When it comes to our logo, the idea was to project fruitfulness and diversity. The flower-like shape represents the leaves of the five fruits in the berry family merged with the multiplication sign to further encapsulate the fruitfulness and growth concept. As for the color, well which one could we pick really?

I don’t believe a brand should be rigid; it should be flexible and adaptable.

A brand should not limit itself to a certain color, although, naturally, it needs an identifiable image. However, it should be able to communicate various contents at different times.

It may speak red today and green tomorrow; I believe it needs that freedom. Thus, we didn’t opt to limit the visual aspect of our brand.

Could you explain your company Berry Advertising?

What is your company culture?

What kind of personality does Berry have?

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As a culture, 3 key traits make Berry who it is. First and foremost is creativity. I’m not necessarily talking about design rules and typography, but creativity in the most general sense. It could be seen in our dayto-day choices and overall mental processes; we believe life itself should be approached with a sense of wonder and imagination. Second, we invest in local stories. Sometimes, clients come to us with products from Nairobi or South Africa and tell us that’s what they want. We can never agree on such terms. If you want a brand the audience can relate to, it goes without stating that you need to focus on local creative concepts.

Here at Berry, we champion identity and value its influence in our line of work. Third, we don’t limit ourselves to our immediate environment.

Although I just said that we focus on local stories, we also want to increase our scope and go beyond our current station. For instance, our continent functions predominantly on Western communication principles. It's always Santa Clause for Christmas, even though each country has its own Christmas holiday icon, like Ababa Gena, in our case. It's puzzling why

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We should be able to say “this is Ethiopia, this is our brand, and these are our stories.

Photo by: Courtesy of Melaku Baheru

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we don't celebrate our own culture.

Even more so, we should aspire to take it to a global audience. We should be able to say "this is Ethiopia, this is our brand, and these are our stories."

To sum it up, creativity, investment in local stories, and taking those stories to the global scene are the key features that set us aside from other agencies, and perhaps values that they could learn from us as well.

What is your approach to building an effective team?

Mafi Mafi Photo by: Courtesy of Melaku Baheru

The first thing I look at is interest. We have a very diverse team structure.

Diverse in the sense that most of our team members come from various educational backgrounds. Some were medical doctors, laboratory technicians, college dropouts, etc.

When we recruit new talent, we are not necessarily concerned with whether they have studied Communication Marketing or if they are sketch artists and went to art school, or have learned branding from some university. As I’ve mentioned earlier, we look at their interest, potential, and openness towards growth and change. If they have a special affinity for visual arts, or they are interested in shining the light on local stories, or like coming up with crazy ideas, then they definitely have a place here.

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How crazy is… crazy?

Oh, especially crazy. The aim is to wow and make you stand on your feet. Otherwise, I find it hard to invest myself in a project, even harder to approve it. We have had presentation sessions where things got truly stupid and insane, but that's just how it is at Berry.

You are the founder and general manager of Berry Advertising, which has been in business for 9 years now.

That is a long time, especially in that field of work. As it stands today what do you think is your major role/ contribution to the company?

I do join in on the creative aspect of our projects. I personally love the process and probably have a much larger creative department than most agencies in town. But rather than leave all the work to them, I take part in the brainstorming sessions and concept development. Besides that, I oversee the daily operations of the company.

We have a department that manages our customer relationship and client service. In that area, I take some time to mentor and push the team. In my belief, my biggest potential yet is my ability to observe talent. There are a lot of kids with immense potential who haven’t had the opportunity to further explore their gifts. This place is their home. It doesn’t stop there as

well. After identifying them, it is my responsibility to mentor and help them grow. I want to go beyond my designated “place” as a manager.

I think it is generally known that Berry brings in a lot of incredibly talented people. But talent by itself is not enough. It only serves as capital for growth. They have to understand the industry on a global scale. It’s very important to broaden their horizon and keep them motivated. One of the ways we do this is by joining international competitions. We are probably the first internationally awarded agency in our country. Even if we don’t take part in the competitions, we still strive to create campaigns that could compete and possibly win an award.

It helps to maintain a high standard and ambition as a company, and I think it is my responsibility to promote that culture. I don’t want to just sit on a chair and sign papers all day.

Nonetheless, you are still the general manager. So, how do you summarize your management style?

Well, I am very attentive. I pay great attention to detail. It’s a major challenge for the kids. Content that would be released in other agencies might not get that chance here. It's

not because we don't want it to be seen and appreciated, but because we're gravely concerned with what it might lack. It's important to be critical of the hits and misses of our works.

Quality has to be assured every step of the way.

I’m also an ambitious manager. I think it’s in my nature; there has always been a fire within me. It has its own pros and cons. Sometimes you lose things, but at the same time you can maintain your growth to a certain extent, and you find yourself doing bigger things each time. This attitude goes well for the team. Instead of sticking to traditional ways of communication, we go to great lengths to be inventive and stay up-to-date. Technology is one of our greatest resources, but we will not be able to utilize it if we don’t push ourselves to think outside the box. For example, when beer ads got banned, we developed an app for Doppel Brown Beer where people can scan the billboards across the city and view the ads through augmented reality technology. There are several other campaigns and projects that we have already done and are planning to do. All this is because of

our ambitious spirit and willingness to go through uncharted territory.

I consider it to be an important management skill.

The other thing that comes to mind is enabling talent to shine. I don't want to avoid the work that may come with it. There are times when I surpass my hiring quota in a certain department because I believed in the potential of some people in that field. The result isn’t always immediate; it might take time to realize their full capacity. But I am patient, and I have a good eye to see what it is they want and can excel at.

I think these are the skills that are running the agency for me.

Would you consider yourself an artist?

No, not at all! I am not an artist. I’m an advertising person. This is a very important problem that needs to be set straight. There is a common misconception that advertising is all about the "ooh" and "ahh,” shiny, razzle-dazzle. That is not true.

Advertising is also not about the 30 seconds of airtime you get on

TV. A cinematographer cannot get up and do advertising. Advertising is the brand that a collection of experts create; it is a process of changing your consumer’s perception. When a client comes to us with a vision and a target audience, we don’t start with a camera and a cinematographer. First, we have to have an understanding of the brand and the consumer.

The person who does this is a strategist and researcher, and most people don't seem to consider this aspect of the process. The credit is always given to the photographer, celebrity, director, or artist -- the talent. But advertising spans from understanding to production. It demands various expertise in research, strategy, creative direction, production, media correspondence, trading, digitization, and so on. It is a team effort, but only a few people are appreciated. It is very disappointing.

I call myself an advertising man because I manage these processes entirely.

What inspires you to work hard continuously? Both as a company and a person.

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Photo by: Courtesy of Melaku Baheru

In my belief, my biggest potential yet is my ability to observe talent.

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Photo by: Courtesy of Melaku Baheru

For instance, as a company, there are several brands and agencies that we love and respect. We try to immerse ourselves in the global scene, so naturally, global companies such as TBWA, BBDO, Wieden+Kennedy, etc. serve as motivation. We look after those companies to become as big and as innovative so that our work can be seen by a larger audience and we could get the chance to work with bigger clients. Some brands are also inspiring to us. Of course, a brand is nothing without its leaders.

Whenever I come across visionary leaders like those of Tomocca and Zemen Bank, I realize that I have to push myself even further and have bigger goals.

Personally, one of the greatest things that inspire me to keep pushing ahead is the lack of opportunities.

When I’m not able to do the things I want, or whenever I notice certain gaps that need to be filled, I don’t exactly sit around and wait for things to change. Nowadays, it’s labeled as

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an entrepreneurial skill, but I think everyone has that urge, although not everyone puts it into action. So my inspiration comes from the need to be free -- free to make something of myself, to create and innovate.

Whenever I achieve something, I realize that I can do much more.

To wrap things up, is there anything you would like to say to our readers?

And what can we expect from Berry?

When anyone thinks of Ethiopian agencies, we want Berry to come to mind. The industry also needs to wake up and value the amount of innovation and creativity that goes into this line of work. Our community does not yet understand the potential of advertising. I wish there comes a generation that gives place for creativity and ideas; one that invests in branding our identity, our culture, our stories. Most advertisers stick to conventions, and they are failing to represent our country. We need

content that dares to challenge and explore our traditions.

Right now we are small, but as we grow, I believe we will be able to bridge the industry gaps. The future of advertising needs to change.

Info Dive

African

Majesty Hasset Tsegabirhan

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hile Africa at the moment appears to be one blurry cluster of developing nations, fans of history know that there was once a time when Africa was a land of multiple prosperous kings and kingdoms; Lands that stretch as far as the eyes can see, governed with wit, power, and an African spirit. So for the history buffs out there, here are a few of the most powerful and prestigious kingdoms Africa’s past has to offer.

1. Mansa Musa, Mali Recognized by many as the richest man of all time, Mansa Musa was a prolific military leader, and lavish spender. The king captured several cities, which extended his territory to modern-day Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad. It is important to remember that considering the sheer size of his territory, deeming him the richest would not be too far-fetched.

Aside from his wealth, the king was also well known for his strategic moves and intelligent decisions in commerce. His leadership led the Mali kingdom to become one of the wealthiest empires in the world.

This was fuelled not only by him and his team's expertise but also by the production of gold, salt, agriculture, and dynamic trading commodities.

Mansa Musa’s real name was Musa Keita, but he adopted Mansa, which means ''King of Kings'' or 'Emperor’, owing to his great achievements. He was the 10th emperor of this kingdom and he ruled between A.D 1306 and 1332 A.D.

2. Oba Oduduwa, Oyo Empire, Nigeria Oduduwa was the ruler of the Oyo Empire in 700 A.D. Perhaps, the one thing that sets him aside from almost all African Kings is that in the Yoruba culture, he is recognized as a primordial god.

And while it is still small "g" god, that is not a claim most kings can make. Aside from his bold claims, Oba was perhaps nothing more than a good strategist. He came from the lower Nigerian region and conquered many existing settlements to develop Yorubaland.

Oduduwa had 16 children. Before his death, he sent each one of them to his conquered territories to rule them autonomously. This led to the founding of the Ila, Oragun, Owu, Ketu, Sabe, Popo, and Oyo kingdoms, which constituted the Yoruba dynasty family line. All moves can be considered excellent strategies. Down to the fact that the number of children he had match the number of his territories.

Makes you think.

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3. Endubis, Axum, Ethiopia Endubis lived from 270-300 CE. During this time, he was famed for conquering Nubia, also known as the Kingdom of ancient Meroe. He controlled the horn of Africa across Eritrea and the Red Sea, and into the Arabian plateau. Aside from his territorial prowess, Endubis was so powerful when it came to trading with other nations. Fun fact, Endubis was the first to mint coins of gold, silver, and bronze, complete with the king's face and motto.

4. Amenhotep III, Egypt Known famously as ''Amenhotep the Magnificent'', Amenhotep came to power when he was 12 years old and was one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs in the 18th dynasty. Under his leadership, the country enjoyed stability, wealth, and peace. Moreover, Egypt established a notable influence on diplomacy and foreign policy.

Aside from fair rule, the list of architectural accomplishments is long for this infamous king, and was known to put up several monuments and buildings. He constructed a man-made lake outside his palace to honor his wife, Queen Tiye. Amenhotep is among the few kings who shared power with their Queen equally to rule the land together. Amenhotep and Tiye ruled together for 38 years.

5. Oba Ewuare, Benin Affectionately referred to as, Ewuare the Great, father of the Yoruba race, Oba ruled the Benin Empire as its first king from 1440 -1473. He was also one of the first warrior kings of the West African region. He was known to conquer 201 of the surrounding towns and villages along with his son, Oba Ozolua. A man who eventually became his successor, Oba Ozula established foreign trade in Benin, built lavish palaces, and created various strategic policies that favored their rulership. While that is true, Oba was also a king which, during his rule, had a liking and interest in the arts. As a result, Benin experienced a boom in the arts during his reign, and several cultural traditions and festivals were instituted.

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What'sUp

Capital Hotel and Spa Amanu Teriessa

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or years now, Capital Hotel has been listed among the best hotels the city has to offer. Ranging from extravagant dinner parties to incomparably great buffets, time spent there is always met with complete satisfaction. For those who had frequented its gym and spas, the effect of the closure of these services for upwards of a year due to the pandemic has been deeply felt. The news of the return of their gym is only made better by the fact that the fourteen million birr worth revamp they undertook during their time off actually paid off. If the new system and even newer equipment aren’t worth our look in this section, hardly anything is.

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

At the entrances of the gym and swimming pool, when greeted with

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gate systems that use facial recognition (and fingerprint recognition) that actually do what they are supposed to, one already feels the effects of the hotel’s investment in excellence. The gates only give access to those who have gym memberships or work there, but after having bought a membership package, you are not even allowed to enter the gym area on the first day. The trainer assigned to you ushers you to a room where you undergo an extensive interview about your current physical and mental state as well as what your goal is when you joined the gym – this is on top of the information about your body that you had already given on a form you filled while registering.

Once through with that, a myriad of

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Equipped with a fully functional AI system, the treadmills are capable of completely taking over the responsibilities of a trainer.

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The mere act of entering the cave-like structure that houses these services is cathartic and relaxing in and of itself.

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

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Never have I ever seen anything resembling this level of dedication to each customer.

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

physical tests ensue where they accurately identify body weight, lean muscle weight, body water proportion, bone weight, etc.; all this is as an attempt to fine-tune the fitness regimen the instructors are going to make you follow, be it for weight loss/gain, cardio-vascular fitness or athletic training.

Once done with the Pre-Exercise Evaluation section, the member immediately begins with the training. The gym floor has four zones: the cardiovascular training equipment, the resistance weight machines, the part for the free weight lifters, and an enclosed area for group exercises. The machinery populating the cardio-vascular training area is shockingly state of the art. Equipped with a fully functional AI system, the treadmills are capable of completely taking over the responsibilities of a trainer. A user has the option to create a password-protected personal account linked with smartphones where his/her progress is fully monitored by the machines. The treadmills

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also come with a shock registering mechanism to minimize the bad effects of the pressure generated by running on a flat surface on the lower joints. If treadmills are not what interest the user, they can easily switch to bikes or arc trainers, which are so well-designed that they are capable of exerting the same stresses on the body the treadmills are preferred for. There are also specially designed machines that are capable of adhering to the special physical needs required by people who are obese.

The two floors right above the gym floor are dedicated entirely to the spa. While the second floor is for men, the third is for women.

The spa package includes a barber for the men’s and a beauty salon complete with care for nails, hair, and facials; steam and sauna services; massage rooms; waiting and refreshment areas. The mere act of entering the cave-like structure that houses these services is cathartic and relaxing in and of itself. Darkly lit, high hanging walls with soft re-

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laxing music in the background and fountains which look almost ethereal is the kind of environment waiting for any who enters this ultimate recreation cove.

Every professional that is employed in the gym/swimming pool areas wanted to get across one thing above all else: it is all about wellness. The services they provide, they wanted to make sure we understood, aren’t just about improving someone physically. “We take the idea of keeping the quality of the many facets of the term ‘wellness’ very seriously,” says Instructor Kenzu Mubarak. “The four pillars of exercises, for instance, which are Education, Changing, Maintaining, and Safe Zone, are very focused on by each of our very qualified trainers. And it is exactly this that makes, I fully believe, Capital Hotel’s services unique in the city.

Never have I ever seen anything resembling this level of dedication to each customer.”

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Reel Up

Kidus Tamiru

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wo selfish, dimwitted men fight for the affection of their ex-girlfriend so she might take one of them to live abroad with her. Ah, I how I missed terrible Ethiopian films. Barely audible echoic dialog, super high contrast color grading, goofy soundtrack choices, out-of-focus camera, and that was all literally in the opening shot. They couldn’t be worse than this if they tried.

Like most lazy drivel that bombards our screens, this is a slapstick comedy. The movie is just the two rivals trying to one-up each other with unrealistic and uninspired pranks that barely got a chuckle out of the viewers. The reason why the characters are fighting is moot and the main “appeal” of the film is supposed to be watching grownass men acting goofy. The chase scenes in particular are unbearably repetitive. And to top it all off, the film adds an extra layer of stupidity by taking itself too seriously with pompous, preachy dialog thrown in here and there.

I’ve also noticed a terrible Ethiopian film trope that has become a mainstay of our films: the cute, wise-beyond-their-age children’s characters. It has become child exploitation at this point. I guess a few years ago, a film with a smart-mouth child made some money and now no child is safe from being cast in these embarrassing works of garbage. The smart-aleck kid is officially an

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obligatory Ethiopian film character, along with the street-smart lead, the dimwitted comic relief, the wise old man, and the hot girl in the skin-tight dress. Input that shit into an AI and you can generate infinite Ethiopian scripts.

As for this movie’s script, it’s a new kind of terrible. It starts at the bottom of the barrel and every minute; it slowly digs even further. In addition to having a total of zero jokes, it doesn’t even establish characters and their relationships. If executed intentionally, that kind of slow reveal of characters could work, but nothing is intentional in this movie.

What’s even more surprising about these movies is that the writers and directors are usually “experienced” but every release feels like a shitty debut. In fact, considering the uncanny similarities between all our films, it could very well be written by one terminally-untalented person. I wish that was the case. At least then we can pinpoint the cause of our shitty film industry to one simple, solvable problem.

1.5/10 Directed By: Bezuayehu Melese Starring: Kassahun Fisseha, Engidasew Habte, Makbel Henok

In summary, do not watch this film, unless you’re a film student and want to learn exactly what not to do. If you want to watch something, the Eyayu Fungus play is back in theatres. I hear that’s a lot better.

Kidus Tamiru

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his film introduces Shang-Chi, a trained assassin running from his past, as he must confront his father, the leader of the Ten Rings Organization. This is the 25th film of the MCU universe. (Coincidentally, the 25th James Bond film is coming out next week as well.) Boy, have we come a long way? It’s amazing how a bankrupt comic book company left with only the superheroes that no company would buy off managed to make such a successful cinematic universe out of them. What makes their universe even more impressive, and the envy of all other studios in Hollywood, is how consistent all of their movies are. You very rarely see the writers’ or directors’ unique vision in a Marvel film. And that applies to this movie as well.

As with most Marvel films, this is entertaining but ultimately forgettable. It applies the same, unmistakable MCU formula that is becoming a little too repetitive at this point. But as with all the better Marvel releases, it adds a unique genre to the mix to keep it fresh. In this case, it’s a Chinese Kung Fu film meets Black Panther sort of thing. It’s been a while since a proper Kung Fu film had a major release (not all-around action like the John Wick series, but straightup karate with no guns). The fight choreography was great and I’d say the best part of the movie. The fight scenes are long and relentless. Other than that, expect the expected. The plot is the typical family drama that is becoming the Marvel signature, but it still has enough heart to be interesting.

The cast is great, especially the lead and the villain. The comic relief is comic. But a minor surprising turn in this film was that the male and female

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lead characters start out as just friends and they’re still…just friends by the end.

This could be the first truly platonic male/ female friendship with no sexual tension or intention I’ve seen in a Hollywood film. As for the ending, like literally all Marvel films, it ends with a big and mushy CGI fight with colors and explosions everywhere. They really gotta cut that shit out.

As for the box office, Marvel undoubtedly had high hopes of releasing this movie in the largest theatrical market of the world, China. Most of the movie is set in China, the cast is almost entirely Chinese and it also has a lot of “beauty shots” of the place, especially Macau, sort of like advertising. With all this in place, Marvel was guaranteed box office success, even during a pandemic. But turns out, the main lead, Simu Liu, had called China

7.5/10 Directed By: Dustin Daniel Cretton Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang

a third-world country back in 2017 and China did not like that very much.

They’ve banned films for way less.

Even though this movie didn’t fail at the box office at all, it still performed way less than expected.

So overall, if you’re a fan of the MCU and plan to follow it or if you like Kung Fu movies, then you should definitely watch this film.

ListenUp

Pistols and

Whiskey Alula Abadi

W

hen one hears the term ‘Dark Country’, they might imagine something along the lines of a nation in turmoil or a place of suffering. Folks very rarely associate the term to music. Now this isn’t a result of mass ignorance or misinformation but rather a concept that comes from a place of pure logic. Country music, as most people know it, is a genre associated with happiness, love, and a general elevating atmosphere. And while that may be true, there are hundreds of country songs out there that weave a different tale. While the genre is deeply rooted in country music itself, Dark Country speaks of the human condition, struggle, and the up-downs of this life – songs about murder, crime, and the ways of the old west where men rode free and where justice only came in the form of vengeance. So for those times when you feel down or just want to travel back to a time of pistols and whiskey, here are a few songs that you might want to look out for.

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Man Comes Around: Johnny Cash “And I heard as it were, the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, ‘Come and See’ and I saw, and behold… a white horse.”

No melody, no strings, just the above line from the Book of Revelations, delivered over a crackling recording. That is the first thing you hear in this song. Now there aren’t that many songs that open with a bible verse about the four horse men of the apocalypse, and there is good reason for that. It is a time of absolute horror, and the closest we’ll ever come to hell on earth. But legends don’t really do conformism, and so Johnny Cash not only decided to open with a bible verse but also to develop on the idea of the end and Judgment Day throughout this song. According to Johnny himself, he wrote three dozen pages of lyrics trying to weed out the perfect words for this homage to his faith. Because while the apocalypse is the end of flesh, it is not the end of soul; Johnny tries to preach of a path. A choice you make before it’s too late. The Book of Revelation is full of beautiful and terrifying descriptions and symbols. Johnny cash delivers, through his poetic prowess, a message that is clear… “Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers, one hundred million angels singing…” or “Hear the voice from the midst of the four beasts and face the pale horse.”

Ghost Riders in the Sky: Stan Jones Written by Stan Jones in the late 1940s, Ghost Riders in the Sky is a song purely about the life and struggles of the cowboys in the old west. That is not to say you can’t enjoy this song if you’re not a cow boy but rather to say that it’s the perfect medium to travel a long ways back and hear the stories of adventure and danger in the old west. Stan Jones does a beautifully poetic job to deliver a thrilling tale with lyrics like, “…Cowboy change your ways today, or with us you will ride, trying to catch the devils herd, across these endless skies.”

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Whiskey Lullaby: Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss A song that is truly dark and candid, Whiskey Lullaby tales a tale of a war vet coming back home only to find his wife cozying up with another man. The vet in return decides to walk away and drown his sorrows in drink…

His pain was great, and he did die. This causes his wife great regret and remorse and she too dies with a bottle in her hand. This is a song of loss, love, addiction, trust, betrayal, duty, and a level of honesty that isn’t for those with an artless heart.

Far From Any Road: The Handsome Family In term of pure transporting power, nothing comes close to this classic by the Handsome Family. Far From Any Road is among the very rare songs ever produced that has a perfect balance of melody and lyrics. One must come before the other, but every now and then you come across a song like this which makes it seem as though melody and lyrics were born at the same moment. Every line, every word is designed to draw the listener in – words like “…From the dusty mesa, her looming shadow grows, hidden in the branches of the poison creosote, she twines her spines up slowly, towards the boiling sun, and when I touched her skin, my finger ran with blood.” This level of intensity is delivered on the very first lines of this song. There is a strong story-telling component that is never delivered directly, subtle and subliminal communications of an all-consuming love with a powerful woman match perfectly with the blue grass and folk elements of this masterpiece.

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ReadUp

Not all wounds are

VISIBLE Haben Woldu

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ccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), October is Mental Health Awareness Month! Having good mental health is more than just the absence of illness. Rather, it's a state of overall well-being. Just as we take care of our bodies with physical exercise and nutrition, our mental well-being must be looked after too.

We all know to keep a car going, we have to fill it with gas, check the oil and water regularly. But how often do we take the time to reflect on whether we are giving ourselves what we need to flourish and live well?

I hope my book recommendations will help you prioritize your mental well-being, practice self-care and self-love, and love on individuals going through mental health challenges. I hope that these books guide you towards mental well-being, help you find joy, and most importantly, help you find peace within your heart.

1. Year of Yes

by Shonda Rhimes Best for: Practicing Self-love Let this sink in for a moment: Do you know that the longest relationship you'll ever have is with yourself? That is why practicing self-love is so important!!!!!! Shonda Rhimes, famous for bringing us the TV drama "Grey's Anatomy," spent a year saying yes to everything that scared her. In her memoir, she shares her experiences in that year and how it helped her love and live her truest self. It was a surprisingly good book about confronting your fears and being more open to new experiences.

YES, YES, YES! To all that scares us, to all our fears, to all new experiences.

Musical Pairing: “Yeah” by Usher is a fun song that would be a perfect accompaniment to this fun read by Shonda Rhimes. This song is the jam of all jams and is still relevant almost 20 years after its release. Lil Jon and Usher are two artists who live out their fears and inspire all of us to do the same.

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2. Tiny Beautiful Things

by Cheryl Strayed Best for: Getting through tough times When we're going through hard times, there are lots of coping mechanisms we can turn to—funny movies, dessert, music, chocolate, and of course, my all-time favorite...books. In that spirit, my ultimate favorite book to recommend for getting through hard times is "Tiny Beautiful Things." It has brought me comfort and solace as it is packed with wisdom and humor, insights and perspectives, and a spirit and language that soothes the soul. It is a book I love, and I share it with you in the hopes that should you need it, it might bring you comfort the way it has done for me countless times. This book has seen me through so many hardships, breakups, life-changing decisions, and moments when I felt so alone in the world. This book reminds us that we are all human and at our core, we are more similar than different. It is comforting to know that we are not alone in the choices, struggles, and daily challenges we face.

May we find Tiny, Beautiful things all around us to get us through the bad days and the hard times!!!

Musical Pairing: Who doesn't love the legendary Luther Vandross? I love his music for its ability to make me feel everything deeply. My all-time favorite has to be “The Power of Love” for its ability to give me peace, to make me feel loved, and feel joy in my soul. There is no greater gift than love, and it is perhaps the only thing that sees us through hard times, making this song a great pairing with my book choice.

3. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and it's all small Stuff

by Richard Carlson Best for: Dealing with Anxiety In my 20's, I was always rushing from one thing to the next. All the small things in life or of life caused me anxiety. A good friend recommended this book, knowing the path I was taking will only lead me to exhaustion and frustration. This book showed me the art of not letting little things in life drive me crazy and ways to calm down amid an overwhelming, incredibly hurried, and stressful life. It is human nature to magnify everything. This book truly puts things in perspective and helps you shift your mindset.

When you look at things as small, your mind shifts, and the heaviness that leads to anxiety evaporates.

The author's suggestions and advice are still some of my favorite mottos to live by today: 1."Think of your problems as potential teachers," 2."Do one thing at a time" 3. “Live in the present moment” All great things come in small packages!!!

Musical Pairing: The British rock band “Coldplay” is so underrated in my opinion. You would not think that rock music can be soothing and perfect for shaking off anxiety but their music will change your mind. “Adventure of A Lifetime” is a song that I find myself blasting when I want to shake off feelings of anxiety or find myself stressed and overwhelmed.

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4. Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find-and Keep-Love

by Amir Levine Best for: Navigating relationships The premise of the book is that your childhood and any experiences you have afterward with intimate relationships lead to certain attachment patterns. Depending on your childhood or adult relationships, you fall into two categories: either you're securely attached or anxiously or avoidantly attached.

This book has helped me to understand what it is I struggle with, and to know that I'm hardly alone. It has also helped to identify my behaviors and realize when I'm overanalyzing and overthinking things to the point of self-sabotaging when good things come my way without intending to. What I love the most about this book is that it helps you acknowledge your attachment patterns, without making you feel like something is wrong with you. These attachment styles come from the cards we are dealt in life.

I have to admit, I am attached to Attached :-) Musical Pairing: “Back in the Day” by Ahmed is a song that is a nostalgic remembrance of childhood from an adult perspective. I love this song for its ability to transport people to a time when life was simple and free with no adult responsibility. Adulting is hard and bumpy! We all need good music and good books to get through those bumps.

5. Grief is the Thing with Feathers

by Max Porter Best for: Coping with Grief

I love this book! For starters, there is the title, referring to a favorite poem by one of my favorite authors Emily Dickinson, "‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers".Then there is the endearing story of a grieving writer and father of two young boys, who are coming to terms with the death of his wife while writing a book. This book is the personification of magic in a book filled with metaphors, poignant words, prose, and poetry. The story shifts between three points of view( Dad, Boys, Crow) and is arranged in three sections.

If you're looking for a book about grief that will make you sad but also not sad with beautiful lines but overall leave you feeling like your soul is mending with hope, this book is a must read!!!

Musical Pairing: “Draw me Close to you” by Katina is a gospel song that has helped through so many losses. Whether you are a believer or not, this song is about being enveloped in all-encompassing and unconditional love.

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City Guide

Hotels in Addis Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa

Ethiopian Skylight Hotel Location: Taytu Street

Location: Meskel Square Contact No: +251 11 517 1234 Website: www.hyatt.com Star:

Email: reservation@ ethiopianskylighthotel.com Contact No: +251 11 6818181 or +251 11 6176389 Star:

Hilton Hotel: Addis Ababa

Best Western Hotel

Location: Minilik II Street Contact No: +251 11 517 0000 Website: addisababa.hilton.com Star:

Location: Namibia Street (Next to Edna Mall) Contact No: +251 11 667 1414 Website: www. bwplusaddisababa.com Star:

Intercontinental Hotel Location: Kazanchis Contact No: +251 11 518 0444 Website: http://intercontinentaladdis. com/

Location: Africa Street Contact No: +251 11 639 3131 Website: https://www. ramadaaddis.com/

Star:

Star:

Golden Tulip

Capital Hotel and Spa

Location: Bole Road Contact No: +251 116 18 33 33 Website: https://addisababa.goldentulip.com/

Location: Haile G/silassie Avenue Contact No: +251 116 19 2000 Website: https://capitalhotelandspa. com/ Star:

Star:

Sheraton Addis: Luxury Collection Location: Taytu Street Contact No: +251 11 517 1717 Website: https://www. marriott.com/hotels/travel/ addlc-sheraton-addis-aluxury-collection-hotel-addisababa/ Star:

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Ramada Hotel

Sapphire Addis Location: Namibia Street Contact No: +251 639 3907 Website: https://www. sapphireaddishotel.com/ Star:

Cafe & Pastries Tomocca

Your choices for the best Ethiopian Coffee Experience

Cascara Coffee & Cocktails

Location: Namibia Street (Next to Bole Medhanialem), Piassa Across Eliana Hotel

Location: Meskel Square (Inside Hyatt Regency)

Contact No: +251 93 007 8086

Contact No: +251 11 517 1234

Closes at: 8:00PM

Closes at: 12:00AM

Customer Rating: 4.8/5

Customer Rating: 5.0/5

Garden of Coffee

Bilos Cafe & Pastry

Location: Namibia Street

Location: Next to Millennium Hall

Contact No: +251 93 036 2308

Contact No: +251 93 003 3177

Closes at: 9:00PM

Closes at: 8:30PM

Customer Rating: 4.6/5

Customer Rating: 4.4/5

Chaka Coffee

Bake and Brew Location: Bole, infront of Tele next to Rungo liquor store

Location: Africa Avenue Contact No: +251 91 120 2888 Closes at: 9:00PM Customer Rating: 4.4/5

Closes at: 8:00PM Website: bakeandbrewaddis.com Customer Rating: 4.3/5

Tryst Addis

YA Coffee Roasters

Location: Olympia (on the way from Dembel City Center to Bambis)

Location: CMC Road, Next to Gesund Cardiac Hospital

Contact No: +251 94 406 1818

Contact No: +251 92 795 7171

Closes at: 7:00PM

Closes at: -

Customer Rating: 4.4/5

Customer Rating: 4.9/5

Dumerso Coffee

Feresula Coffee

Location: South Africa Street (Bisrate Gabriel)

Location: Africa Street

Contact No: +251 320 3973

Contact No: +251 96 641 1151 Closes at: 6:00pm

Closes at: 8:30PM

Customer Rating: 5.0/5

Customer Rating: 4.8/5

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Contact No: +251 11 835 9698 +251 91 015 1248

Coworking Spaces

Affordable spaces for startups looking for spaces to work and for business people in Addis for a short or long-term stay

iceaddis

Blue Space

Location: Bole, Near Hayat Hospital, Zewdu Bldg. 5th floor

Location: Namibia Street, Grace Plaza 4th Floor, near Atlas Hotel

Contact: www.iceaddis.com contact@iceaddis.com +251 11 667 4804

Contact: www.bluespace.work info@bluspace.work

Services: High speed wifi, standing desks, been bags, printer, scanner, projector, microphone, kitchen, free parking

Services: High speed wifi, working desks, printer, scanner, projector, relax zone, kitchen Starting Rates : 350ETB/day

Starting Rates : 380ETB/day

Abro Coworking Space

Xhub Addis Location: Cameroon Street, Morning Star Mall 5th Floor Contact: http://xhubaddis.com/ working/ info@xhubaddis.com +251 91 170 1361

Location: Namibia Street

Services: Wifi, free photocopy/ print (30 pages)

Services: Wifi, photocopy/print, desk, chair

Contact: https://abro-co-workingspace.business.site/ +251 911 11 0742

Starting Rates : 250ETB/day

Restaurants

Starting Rates : 250ETB/day

If you are thinking to explore international and cultural cuisine Addis has to offer, here are a few you may consider.

Italian restaurants

Agnese Restaurant

Mama Mia Italian Restaurant

Location: Old Airport Contact: +251 98 048 3824

Castelli Italian Restaurant

Location: Piassa, Mahatama-Gandhi Street, in front of Mohamud Music Shop Contact: +251 11 557 1757

Location: Next to Mele Zenawi Foundation, DAR Sahara Street Contact: +251 92 900 2218

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Bella Pizza & Pasta

Location: Bole Medhanialem, Near Abyssinia Mall Contact: +251 94 141 5422

Gusto Restaurant

Dok Restaurant

Location: Churchill Road, Tracon Tower 3rd Floor Contact: +251 934 49 7861

Location: Next to Bole Medhane Alem Church on Cameroon Street between Zemen Bank &Abyssinia Bank Contact: +25195 399 2126 Working Hours: Mon - Sun: 08:00 am - 12:00 pm Website: www.dokrestaurantaddis. com/ Email: dokrestaurant1@gmail.com

Ethiopian Cultural restaurants

Yod Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant

Desalech Kitfo

Location: Carl Square, Sar Bet Contact: +2516612985 Known for: Ethiopian food, cultural performances

Location: Africa Avenue, behind Skylight Hotel Contact: +251 91 123 1859 Known for: Ethiopian traditional kitfo (minced meat)

Dashen Traditional Restaurant

Totot

Location: DAR Sahara Street, Near Swedish Community School Contact: +251 91 120 1723 Known for: Cozy atmosphere, cultural performances

Location: Africa Avenue Contact: +251 646 0718 Known for: Ring Road, on the way to Gerji, in front of Anbessa Garage

Fendika Cultural Center

2000 Habesha Cultural Restaurant

Location: Kazanchis Contact: +251 91 154 7577 Known for: Exceptional jazz and Ethiopian Azmaris

Location: Namibia St. Contact: +251 91 151 2590 Known for: on the way to Atlas, in front of Romie Burger Website: 2000habesha.com

Middle Eastern & Mediterranean restaurants

Bait Al Mandi

Istanbul Restaurant

Location: Mickey Leland/ EU Street Contact: +251 91 151 8903 Known for: Middle Eastern Mediterranean Cuisine

Location: Cameroon Street, across Ukranian Embassy Contact: +251 910 17 4728 Known for: Turkish cuisine

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The Kitchen

Location: Meskel Square, Inside Hyatt Regency Contact: +251 11 517 1234 Known for: Mediterranean Cuisine

Aladdin Restaurant

Location: Off Bole Road, near Japanese Embassy Residence Contact: +251 11 6614109 Known for: Arabian Cuisine

Marketing Companies in Addis Proofit Marketing Solutions Location: Cameroon Street, Gulf Aziz Building, 2nd Floor Contact No: +251 953 42 77 97 info@proofit.com

251 Communications Location: Gabon Street, Aster Plaza, 3rd Floor Contact No: +251 116 63 0182 info@251communications.com https://251communications.com

Zeleman Communications Location: Africa Avenue, Snap Plaza, Snap Plaza, 10th floor Contact No: +251 116 63 2800 info@zeleman.com htttps://zeleman.com

Berry Advertising Location: Cameroon Street, Gulf Aziz Building, 3rd Floor Contact No: +251 930 07 8086 www.berryethiopia.com

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Ttree Advertising Location: Cape Verde Street, KT Building, 3rd Floor Contact No: +251 118 21 2112 info@ttreeadvertising.com ttreeadvertising.com

Spotlight Ethiopia Location: Africa Avenue, DH Geda Tower, 7th Floor Contact No: +251 913 98 6445 https://spotlightplc.com

Cactus Communications Location: Africa Avenue, Bedesta Building, 4th floor Contact No: +251 115 54 4901 info@cactusethiopia.com http:// cactusethiopia.com/

Eternal Media & Communication Location: Gabon Street, Aster Plaza Contact No: +251 114 70 3039 info@eternalmedia.com https://eternal-media.com

Parks & Museums in Addis Zoma Museum Location: Mekanisa, Near Abo Church Contact No: https://www. zomamuseum.org/ Feature: Landscaping, gardens, antique shop

Addis Ababa Museum Location: Meskel Square Contact No: http://www. addisababa.gov.et/de/web/guest/ museums#3 Feature: Museum, Restaurant, Panoramic View of Meskel Square

Unity Park

African Unbound

Location: Inside Ethiopian National Palace

Location: Off Churchill Road (On the way to National Palace)

Contact No: Unitypark.et

Contact No: https:// africaunboundmuseum.com/

Feature: Historical palaces, Zoo, cultural museum, restaurants

Feature: African Arts

Entoto Park Location: Entoto Hills Contact No: Feature: Bicycle and track, reading benches, camping site, restaurants, panoramic view of Addis Ababa

Leather shops in Addis Kuncho Design Website: https://www. kunchodesign.com/ Contact: kunchodesign@gmail.com +251 96 799 5384

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The leather industry in Addis is thriving with countless local and international leather lines. Here are a few.

Undkǝn- Made in Ethiopia Website: http://www.undken.com/ Contact: +251 912 75 2524

Meron Addis Ababa

Zaaf Collection

Website: https://www. meronaddisababa.com/

Website: https://www. zaafcollection.com/

Contact: info@meronaddisababa.com +251 911 12 2108

Contact: +251 910 14 9965

Electronics stores HEY Online market Known for: Phones, computers, cameras and other electronic devices retail Location: Bole Medehanealem, Hidmona Bulding Ground floor #12

Ramanet Computer Solutions Known for: electronics retail, accessories, maintenance Location: Bole Road DH Geda Tower G Floor, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and DH Geda Mezanine floor Office #2

Contact No: +251 95 396 4175

Contact No: +251 92 234 3536, +251 91 121 3566

Bino Tech Store

Yonas Mobile

Known for: electronics retail, accessories, maintenance

Known for: mobile maintenance and Unlocking service provider in Ethiopia. loaded with dedicated mobile engineers.

Location: Bole Medehanealem, Berhane Adere Building 1st floor #119floor #12 Contact No: +251 91 181 1446

Location: Awlo Buisness center First floor office #102 Contact No: +251 91 191 1111

Medical Centers Washington Medical Center Location: Bole, In front of Rwanda Embassy Contact No: +251939515151/+251939525252

Addis Cardiac Hospital Location: Bole Ring Road in front of Ethiopian Airlines Head Quarters Contact No: +25116634720/40/41 Email: info@addiscardiac.com

Email: frontdesk@wmcethiopia.com

Nordic Medical Centre (NMC) Location: Around Rwanda Embassy, in front of Tizeze hotel Contact No: 8901 or +251929105653 Email: reception@ nordicmedicalcentre.com

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Bethzatha General Hospital Location: Next to Addis Ababa Stadium Contact No: 7477 or +251115514141

MCM General Hospital

Landmark General Hospital

Location: Wereda 14, Gerji, Bole Sub-City

Location: Mozambique St, Kirkos Subcity Contact No: +251115525463

Contact No: (Ethiopia) +251116292963 (S.Korea) +82269309555

Email: contact@landmarkhospital.et

Email: msmcmet@gmail.com

Droga Physiotherapy Specialty Clinic Bole Branch: Next to Japan Embassy Contact No: +251116687006 +251974959595 Email: info@drogaphysiotherapy.com

Cinemas Vamdas Entertainment Location: Megenagna, next to Panorama hotel Contact No: +251910878248 +251118678098

Edna Mall Location: In front of Bole Medhanealem Church Contact No: +251116616278 (Cinema Reservation) | +251116616880 (Cinema Head) Email: www.ednamall.com

Gast Cinema Location: CMC, in front of St. Michael Church Contact No: +251930113388 Email: www.cinema.gastmall.com

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Alem Cinema Location: Africa Avenue Contact No: +251986959595 Website: www.alemcinema.com

Century Cinema Location: Gurd Shola Contact No: +251987202020 Website: www.centurymalladdis.com

Ride Hailing Apps ZayRide

Seregela

Location: Bole Mafi Mall #602, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Location: Merkeb Plaza, 5th Floor, Bole, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Call Center: 6303 Telephone: +251 116 721 052 Website: www.zayride.com/ Email: info@zayride.com

Call Center: 7878 Telephone: +251 11 557 3640/43/44 Website: www.seregelagroup.com/ services/ Email: hello@seregelagroup.com

Ride

Feres

Location: Shekinah Bldg 4th floor, Bole, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Location: Getu Commercial Business Center, Airport Road, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Call Center: 8294 Website: www.ride8294.com Email: Support@ride8294.com

(All Women Drivers)

Telephone: +25190 704 0404 Call Center: 6090 Website: www.feres.et Email: info@feres.et

Catch Location: 301, Beza Building, Bole Sub City Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Telephone: +251 94 406 7050

Apartments La villa Apartments Location: Around Urael Church, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Telephone: +251 97 289 8989

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Red Door Apartments Location: Wello sefer Ethio-China friendship road, KADCO Group No.2 Building 1st floor Line Number: +251 11 443 0597 Phone number: +251 98 396 9696 3640/43/44 Email: info@Reddoor.et

Zen Apartments

Noah Real Estate

Location: Olympia/KasanchisKirkos Wereda01 House Nb 200 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Location: Abyssinia Plaza, 12th Floor in Bole Right beside Bole Medhanialem Church

Telephone: +251 980 193313 +251 91 140 2093 Website: http://www. zenapartmentsaddis.com/ Email: zenaparts@gmail.com

Telephone: 6100 +25194 911 1111 Website: http://www. noahrealestateplc.com/