Your Ideas in Print
Stop and Stare..
Bin Baz shares his pretty amazing journey of being the UAE’s most beloved entertainer
Modern Sensibility Winter looks from Armani Exchange
Stocking Fillers
Surprise your loved ones this Christmas
Latest Tech
Galaxy Tab S and Oppo Find 7 get under our microscope
Pulling your Weight Climb and get fit
Slavery in the 21st Century
TAKE ME I’M FREE one8one.com
Learn the truth and make a change
Beats on the Beach Get your updates Yasalam 2014
Mindful Living
How to live in the now
when all you really know about her is that you really like her.
facebook.com/gap
Our Wish for You Oprah Winfrey once said, “Cheers to the New Year as it is another chance for all of us to get it right.” With this thought in mind we have very thoughtfully created the December 2014 issue which is packed with incredible individuals who have shared their personal experiences with us, one of them being Abdul Aziz, aka, “Bin Baz” who is on our cover this month. We also have a feature written by Jacob Stenhouse about his experience of meeting with basketball legend Kareem Abdul Jabar at the Footlocker event at Dubai Mall. Another amazing individual featured this month is our food blogger Laila Al Farsi. She has a fulltime job as a dentist, and still manages to regularly update her food blog and create fun instructional YouTube cooking videos. You should also make sure to check out our top ten tips to make every-day more interesting by living more consciously in the now. We are excited to share with you, our experience at Adventure HQ, which was fun and very challenging. This 2015 our main wish is for all of you to try new things, make new things, learn, live, push yourself outside your comfort zone, enhance your skills, abilities and change the world. This New Year we wish for you to do things that you’ve never done before and even if you fail or make mistakes just keep going as everyone messes up every now and then. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, and don’t worry about being good enough, smart enough or perfect. As Nike would say it “Just Do It”. From all of us here at one8one magazine, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
BHARGAVI NAGRECHA Acting Editor(editor@one8one.net)
THE ONE AND ONLY ART BOUTIQUE Creativity is our core business. You can find Art materials and stationery, Art works from local artists, Furniture, Gifts and Home decorations, Home decorations made by local artisans, we host creative workshops and are available for Team building events or Birthday parties. At the moment the shop is completely Christmas! From Christmas Trees and Wreaths to Baubles in all kinds of colors, Christmas decorations ready to put in your home or make something yourself. The workshops are Christmas themed as well. No need to make an appointment to join a workshop. Price depends on materials and we serve a coffee to make it more fun! All items, from art materials to the home decorations, come from Europe. The Furniture is mostly Teak from Thailand. A shop where you can see that Interior Design and Art make the circle round. www.artistiquedubai.com www.facebook.com.com/artistiquedubai
1 Editor’s Letter 6-7 ’s up 8-9 Hitlist 10-11 Photography 12 Album Reviews 13 Movies 15 In Cinemas 16- 17 Gaming 18-23 Fashion Shoot: Armani Exchange 24-25 Stocking Fillers for Her 26-27 Stocking Fillers for Him 28-29 New Year's Eve: The Perfect Party Look 30-31 Tie the Knot 32-35 Cover Story: Bin Baz 36-37 WAJIB 38-39 New Technology 40-41 WIEF MOCAfest and Kareem Abdul Jabar 42-43 Beats on the Beach; Rita Ora and Tinashe 44-45 Musicians: Kicksound 46-47 Laila's Kitchen 48-49 Dining Out 50-51 Pull Yourself Up and Climb 52 Books 54-57 12 Years (and Still... A Slave) 58-59 Tools for Mindful Living 60-61 Astrology 62-63 News
’s up What When Where
5th Dubai International Parachuting Championship, Skydive Dubai, Dubai (Nov 26-Dec 7)
Tuney Loons #2 A Night of Comedy and Live Music, The Music Room, Dubai
Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, The Sevens Stadium, Dubai (Dec 4-6)
Dubai International Film Festival, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai (Dec 10-17)
The Nut Cracker, The Emirates Palace Auditorium, Abu Dhabi (Dec 15-16)
Creamfields Abu Dhabi 2014, du Forum, Abu Dhabi BBBC Worldwide’s Blue Planet In Concert , Corniche Breakwater, Abu Dhabi (Dec 12-13)
David Guetta, Atlantis, Dubai
Christmas
#DXBNYE, Meydan, Dubai
New Year's
We Run DXB, Downtown Dubai, Dubai
Know of something going on in town? Want to share? Write to us about it to mysay@one8one.com
December
UAE National Day
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Hitlist by bhargavi nagrecha
Music
Apps
1. Blank Space Taylor Swift
2. All About That Bass Meghan Trainor
3. Shake It Off Taylor Swift
4. Animals Maroon 5
5. Habits
Kayak (Android, iOS)
Evermeeting (iOS)
6. Take Me To Church
Kayak is a one of the most user friendly free app that lets you search for flights, hotels, and car rentals with the greatest of ease. Kayak also offer cheaper options to those who are flexible on their travel dates. The smartphone version of the app pales in comparison to the iPad version.
Schedule and organise your meetings with ease. The app includes useful additional features such as the ability to create notes, integrate with your calendars and share information with teammates. An invaluable app to anyone who leads a busy life.
Tove Lo
Hozier
7. Hot Boy
Bobby Shmurda
8. Bang Bang
Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
9. I'm Not The Only One Sam Smith
10. Jealous Nick Jonas
11. Don't
Ed Sheeran
12. Tuesday
I LOVE MAKONNEN ft. Drake
13. Love Me Harder
Ariana Grande & The Weeknd
14. I Don't
Big Sean ft. E-40
15. Don't Tell 'Em Jeremih ft. YG
16. Black Widow
Iggy Azalea ft. Rita Ora
17. No Type
Rae Sremmurd
18. Trumpets Jason Derulo
19. Waves
Mr. Probz
20. Stay With Me Sam Smith
Duolingo (Android, iOS)
RescueTime (Android)
Learning a new language doesn’t have to stressful – it’s actually a blast with Duolingo. By turning the learning process into a game, Duolingo helps you stay on track and pick up a second (or third) language quite easily.
Waste a lot of time on your Android device? RescueTime is your way to reclaim those moments. It tracks your usage time in each and every app and then shows you where you can cut down.
Insta
Blogs
YouTube
@sonyayu Sonya Yu is a food and restaurant photographer, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a youth, she was fortunate to be exposed to an exotic array of foods. Raised in a foodobsessed family, she has nurtured her simple love of food and her French bulldogs into a lively passion, translated into a photographic format.
Lingered Upon (lingeredupon.blogspot.ae) Alice Gao is a professional New York-based photographer who over the last three years has built up a steady presence in the food and lifestyle scene. Through her blog, Lingered Upon, Alice presents life in New York, her daily food and style inspiration, and she also takes amazing interior pictures of cafes and restaurant. Alice’s blog continues to inspire thousands with her photos of daily life.
Matthew Santoro Mathew Santoro is a Canadian YouTuber who is known for uploading videos with incredible facts to educate and entertain his viewers. His facts are either funny, horrific, interesting, or just plain strange. Mathew uploads new fact videos every Saturday on his channel.
@alaskafromscratch Maya’s family embarked on a new adventure when they moved from California to Alaska to restart their new life from scratch. Grocery stores, coffee shops and restaurants are all located pretty far away and are quite costly and hence she has started an Instagram account to showcase her experience trying out the unique regional cuisine while presenting viewers with serene nature snapshots from her family’s daily life, combined with fresh Alaskan seafood photos.
Suri’s Burn Book (surisburnbook.tumblr.com/ ) This is a sardonic blog written by Allie Hagan who tries to channel Suri Cruise, and what she would say about other kidswho-are-famous such as Angelina Jolie’s kids and Kim Kardashian’s daughter North West. The blog channels Suri while sharing tart comments about their clothes and general appearances. It is less meanspirited than it sounds, and surprisingly engaging even if you believe to have no interest in the subject matter.
Zoella280390 Zoe Suggs is a twenty four year old British fashion, beauty vlogger, writer, and internet personality. Zoella’s online video channels are filmed in her Brighton bedroom offering tips on anything from make-up to dealing with anxiety attacks. Her quirky, approachable style has made her a global sensation with over six million YouTube subscribers, and she is definitely one of our favourites.
DVD Picks
House of Cards: Season 2 Cast: Michael Kelly, Kevin Spacey Masterful, beguiling and charismatic, Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his equally ambitious wife Claire (Robin Wright) continue their ruthless rise to power in Season 2 of "House of Cards". Behind the curtain of power, ambition, love, greed and corruption in modern Washington D.C. the Underwoods must battle threats past and present to avoid losing everything. As new alliances form and old ones succumb to deception and betrayal, they will stop at nothing to ensure their ascendancy.
Pompeii
Snowpiercer
Cast: Kit Harington, Emily Browning, Kiefer Sutherland
Cast: Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton
In 79 A.D., Milo (Kit Harington), a slave turned gladiator, finds himself in a race against time to save his true love Cassia (Emily Browning), the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant who has been unwillingly betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator. As Mount Vesuvius erupts in a torrent of blazing lava, Milo must fight his way out of the arena in order to save his beloved as the once magnificent Pompeii crumbles around him.
In this sci-fi epic, a failed globalwarming experiment kills off most life on the planet. The final survivors board the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine. When cryptic messages incite the passengers to revolt, the train thrusts full-throttle towards disaster.
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Photography
Maxine Ransom
Want to see your photography in print? Submit your art at www.one8one.com We’d love to share your talent.
Tamanna
Ramya Iyer
Umair Mushtaq
Beandri Collinet
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Album Reviews by jacob stenhouse
Weezer Everything Will Be Alright in the End Let’s get into some progressive rock history first of all, Weezer was formed in 1992 in Los Angeles, and now this is their ninth album, ‘Everything Will Be Alright in the End.’ You may know the name from songs like ‘Island in the Sun’ and ‘Buddy Holly’. The album is a fresh re-take on the genre of rock and roll music and is quite plain and simple. The track ‘Da Vinci’ blends the contrast of soft humming with a crunchy chorus full of vocals and guitars. There is heavy, epic axe rifting influences on tracks like ‘The Wasteland’ and love filled melodies on ‘Go Away’, that plays out like a dialogue from hit TV show, ‘Saved By The Bell.’ We loved the versatility in the music, lyrics and feel which is expected from industry veterans such as Weezer, and their album certainly brings a fresh breath of air into the music industry.
Logic Under Pressure Time and time again the media has proved that an artist that comes from a tumultuous home situation can create brilliant music. The Maryland native makes good on the hype, turning it into an impressive major label debut called "Under Pressure”. The album is filed with music that recollects several painful memories while giving a contemporary tale from multiple perspectives. Sir Robert Bryson Hall II even sounds like future royalty, professionally known as Logic, the immensely talented Maryland MC has a lot of potential and his album is definitely one of the best rap releases of the year. In the self- titled track "Under Pressure”, Logic goes off on a rampage of pause-less rhymes, over an eerie vocally laced sample. Logic uses his experience to fuel his story, and the album comes out very personal. On the song ‘Nikki’, speaks about his nicotine addiction and he cleverly relates it to a woman. For any hip hop heads, it would be illogical to not pick up Under Pressure.
Lily and Madeline Fumes Not often do two voices seem to sync up together quite like folk-duo Lily Jurkiewicz and Madeleine Jurkiewicz, who just so happen to be sisters as well as band mates. Starting by uploading covers on YouTube, the Indianapolis-natives were found by a local producer who proposed to produce their first full length album ‘Fumes’. The LP is down tempo, reminiscent of a slow meander on a dirt road. The track ‘The Wolf is Free’ is a modern-day lullaby, tragic lyrically but with such smooth composition you can’t help but drift asleep to it. The duo show their flexibility on tracks like ‘Rabbit’, a flowery pop-rock piece with just a hint of acoustic twang. The album all in all is very steady and reflective of their country music influences. We hope for big things from the small town girls.
Movies
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Share your opinion on latest music and movie releases. Submit your reviews to mysay@one8one.com We’d love to share your ideas.
Big Hero 6 Big Hero 6 is a Disney animation flick that most of us have been waiting for quite some time now. Here is why: the plot is fantastic, two brothers have an exceptional talent for building robots. Within the movie we learn that one of the siblings have an exceptional idea of how robots should become human companions. If one manages to view Big Hero 6 with an eagle-eye, one would notice a rather great attention to detail on behalf of Disney, with things such as the names of the city and other minor details. Is it worth watching, many may ask? We confidently answer with a big "YES" coupled with some distinct repetitive nodding. We loved the graphics, the storyline, the ending, the new-age Disney approach to the scripts and, finally, the laughter that was experienced and heard throughout most part of the film. Big Hero 6 is funny and definitely worth a watch! Bravo to Disney for creating one of the best animated productions of the year.
Interstellar Interstellar is a big-budget science fiction movie about a simple tale of love and sacrifice, which turns edgy and breath-taking. The movie is definitely worth watching on IMAX if possible, due to Nolan using the best special effects technology which makes the entire experience amazing. Interstellar opens at an unspecified future date in America, when the world has fallen victim to famine caused by overpopulation and a disease that is killing crops and creating massive dust storms. The movie displays an uncanny knack for making complex physics accessible to laymen and of course there are times when the dialogues are vague but it does so in a believable manner as compared to other movies within the same genre. Interstellar limits the use of CGI, and relies on practical effects to craft a movie that gives it a more realist feel as compared to that of a video game. There are some tremendous action set pieces and the narrative that are wonderfully unpredictable. The movie is nearly three hours long, and definitely takes some chances with its ending, which seemed rushed and you will definitely leave the theatre with some unanswered questions. The movie has an incredible supporting cast, which includes Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine, but McConaughey represents the heart and soul of Interstellar. We can say without a doubt that Interstellar is one of the most unique and mesmerising movie of 2014, and worth a watch.
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In Cinema
The Signal Starring: Thwaites, Olivia Cooke, Beau Knapp Three college students on a road trip across the Southwest experience a detour: the tracking of a computer genius who has already hacked into MIT and exposed security faults. The trio find themselves drawn to an eerily isolated area and suddenly everything goes dark. When one of the students Nic regains consciousness, and he is in a waking nightmare.
Penguins of Madagascar Starring: Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights Super spy teams aren't born... they're hatched. Discover the secrets of the greatest and most hilarious covert birds in the global espionage biz: Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private. These elitists of the elite are joining forces with a chic undercover organisation, The North Wind. Led by handsome and husky Agent Classified and together, they must stop the villainous Dr. Octavius Brine, from destroying the world as we know it.
Happy Ending (Hindi)
Falcon Rising
Horrible Bosses 2
Starring: Michael Jai White, Neal McDonough, Laila Ali
Starring: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis
A former Marine by the name Chapman(Michael Jai White) travels to Brazil to hunt down the brutal Japanese mobsters who murdered his sister while on assignment. Chapman then flies down to Sao Paulo to track down her assailants, quickly entering the city's seedy underbelly and discovering a world of drugs, sex trade, corrupt cops, and organised crime that is battling for control.
Tired of always answering to others, Nick, Dale and Kurt go Yudi (Saif) has been blissfully into business for themselves. living it up with the fame, money and girls that came as After demonstrating the perks after the success of his prototype for an invention “...I just pourInto myhis heart first novel. idyllicout life called the Shower Buddy, the saytwo whatever I feel, comes rude curveballs: guys attract the attention of and Yudi finds himself bankrupt, and I study rap � Rex Hanson and his father, Bert. Bert invests in the trio's and also his publishers have To know more about just replaced him Hopsin with a visit: product, then cancels the myfunkvolume.com younger, more attractive order and steals their idea. writer Aanchal (Ileana). Now heavily in debt and with no legal recourse, Nick, Dale and Kurt decide to kidnap Rex and use the ransom money to pay off their loans.
Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Ileana, Kalki Koechlin
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Gaming
Velocity 2X (PS Vita, PS 4) “everything about this game shines, you can clearly feel the love and attention to detail the developers have devoted to this title”
Velocity 2X manages to take everything that has earned the original game several awards and add new features such as side-scrolling platform sections to the topdown, teleporting shooting action and several new features. The aim of Velocity 2X is to clear each level as quickly as possible whilst ensuring that you rescue any survivors and collect as much explosive Rekenium as possible. This sounds simple enough right? Think again! Each level of Velocity 2X is designed to perfection – with hidden areas, multiple docking bays for you to exit your ship, a vast array of enemies and multiple paths to explore. To earn maximum points from each level you must kill all enemies, smash all the glass that houses some of the survivors and collect Rekenium at each level and do all of this whilst racing against the clock. To achieve the coveted ‘perfect’ run of each level, you must ace all of the above objectives and do so without dying. This is definitely not a mission for the faint hearted, we often lost hours trying to achieve the top score in some of Velocity 2Xs levels, cursing and beating ourselves up because we would die right before we reached the end of a stage or because we left a sole survivor behind. Everything about this game shines, you can clearly feel the love and attention to detail that the developers have devoted to creating this title. The gameplay is fantastic, the mixture of shooting and plat-forming interlinks perfectly. The game is stunning, with bright colours, multiple explosions, beautiful artwork and lens flare effects that look fantastic on the PlayStation Vita’s glorious display. Velocity 2X certainly does feel like a true contender to that title and it is definitely one of the best games we have played this month.
Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition (PC, PS 3, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One) Minecraft, the product of a small development team out of Sweden, that has become a household name, making an appearance on nearly every platform on the market in some form or another. Though it may look primitive at a glance, your options in this virtual sandbox world are limited only by your imagination. Cobbling together a first home out of dirt and stone feels great; building a castle with a moat, a dining hall, and a working underground rail system feels even greater. That sense of creative progression, coupled with the inherent danger of exploring underground caverns full of monsters, makes Minecraft exciting, rewarding, tense, and one of gaming’s most expressive creative outlets. Right off the bat, what one will notice is that the graphics are intentionally bad, and newcomers will especially have that wall to traverse. To make matters more difficult, not much is explained to help players really get started without research, prior knowledge or heavy trial and error. No directions will be pointed for new players, as a map, a chest containing random starting items, and a completely unknown terrain will be the only guides. Putting all this together, returning to the very pixelated world of Minecraft gives a sense of naturalism that doesn't make sense since everything looks boxed and blotchy, but the more time spent in the game yields a new eye for what each block can do, simulating a reality that can only be found in-game. Within this game creepers are more invasive and frustrating than before, and they make even less sound than before, which results in random explosions and spontaneous deaths. Minecraft has been coined "Lego for Adults”, because reshaping a pristine landscape into new world using your own two hands while things try to kill you isn’t just an amazingly rewarding gaming experience, it’s a clever retelling of human history.
Just Dance 2015 (Wii U, PS 3, PS 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One) This year's edition of the Just Dance series lifts the game beyond its former releases thanks to its focus on treating players to various extras when they play more and integrating the online component so smoothly into the regular play. There will always be a tendency to jiggle the Wii Remote randomly in the hope of getting a good score, but that is the player's fault, not that of the game. Just Dance 2015 on Wii U is as close to perfection in the genre as possible, also allowing for extra points to be accrued by singing along via the GamePad's microphone for good measure. The neon-themed backdrops are even more full of life than ever before, with this year's update excelling, along with the silhouetted dancers who look amazing, upping the fun factor. Throw in a clear and easy-to-use interface and the ability to view actual video content of other gamers and experts dancing, and this is a right, royal feast for the eyes. There can be no complaints on the sound front, with all the hits played back in perfect quality, complete with rousing sound effects to cheer players on. The Just Dance series has been available for the last five years and with Ubisoft thankfully adding smoother online integration and making the karaoke element actually count towards the score now (using the GamePad microphone). Unlocking new songs, as well as alternative dances, or even just getting roped into online battles, start up Just Dance 2015 and the hours will fly by without realising.
Modern Sensibility clothes: Armani Exchange location: Hult International Business School art direction and edit: Anton Rodionov styling: Olga Lobanova photography: Slava Noor make-up: Izabela @prettiestbyizabela models: Maria Cigleova Victor Santos
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Stocking Fillers for Her by
olga lobanova
Surprise your mum, sister or best friend with one (two, three or more) of these fabulously creative ideas from our festive gifts guide.
Under AED 250 The Xplosives FORMULA X Nail Polish, Sephora, AED 50
Monroe & Me - Kiki, AED 89
C.Wonder, AED 150
Over AED 1000
Lulu Guinness, AED 1,545 at WWW.SIVVI.COM DSquared, AED 2,295
Self Portrait
AED 250 – 1000
Shiseido Sparkling Party Palette, AED 276
West LA, AED 525
Fashlink.com, AED 810
Arcadian Apparel, Prices Vary www.arcadianapparel.com
Darya London Valleydez, AED 740 H&M, AED 499
Mary Katrantzou Adidas Originals, AED 599
Crate&Barell, AED 259
C.Wonder, AED 495
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Stocking Fillers for Him by olga lobanova
Indulge the gentlemen in your life with our selection of the most trendy menswear, fresh accessories and efficacious beauty products.
Under AED 250
Hermes Shampoo, AED 149
Crate&Barell, AED 149
Pull&Bear, AED 75
H&M, AED 69
Fred Perry, AED 210
Over AED 1000
Alexander McQueen, AED 3,650
Y-3 Shopper, Boutique1, AED 1,050 Tumi Alpha Bravo Kingsville, AED 2,655
Bottega Veneta, AED 1,360
AED 250 – 1000
Puma SIVVI.com, AED 630 Zara, AED 275
Carrera Namshi.com, AED 502
Arcadian Apparel, Prices Vary www.arcadianapparel.com
Aqua Di Parma, AED 495
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New Year’s Eve: The Perfect Party Look! by olga lobanova
New Year’s Eve – aka the best excuse to dress up and try something new – is right around the corner. Often it comes with the last minute panic. Where am I going? What am I doing? Without a doubt the most important of all – what shall I wear? Here are 5 ideas how to solve the dreaded what-to-wear dilemma on your biggest party night of the year.
Sparkles and sequins
Like a flame
The perfect New Year’s Eve party dress should be bright and fun. Get your “dress to impress” look by wearing paillette tulle dress, paired with block heels and minimal accessories; and you’re ready to own the night.
What’s the party without a big hit of colour? Red is well-known as a mood motivator. It can boost confidence and make you feel more in control. For the full effect opt for true red – the more vibrant the better! Impress everyone at the New Year’s party wearing a red one-shoulder jumpsuit with gold jewellery and skyhigh sandals.
Try a tuxedo for a dress
Statement jewellery
Lace is timeless
There is no better way to stand out in a sea of fit and flare dresses than to wear something borrowed from the boys. Ever since Yves Saint Laurent introduced Le Smoking back in 1967, tuxedo has never gone out of fashion.
No matter how impeccably styled your outfit is, it is still not complete without something extra. Statement jewellery pieces, such as necklaces, luxe chains, vintage-inspired earrings and bold bracelets will give even a very simple dress a standout appeal.
From sweet short dresses to sensual gowns, fashion has fallen to lace. Nothing makes you look more feminine and delicate than a beautiful lace dress. The key is finding lace that looks luxurious even if the price tag says otherwise.
Go for a black or dark blue shades and wear it with matching trousers, heeled pumps and red lipstick.
This season most of the designers go for large gold jewellery designs. Choose one of the chunky pieces and wear it as the focal point of your outfit.
No matter what the dress style is, combine it with neutral coloured heels, a simple clutch, a bold statement bracelet, and most importantly, dont forget the attitude!
Photo credits: net-a-porter.com
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Tie the Knot by olga lobanova
Bow ties remind us of our grandfathers, but for some reason, when worn today, they look anything but old-fashioned. It's similar to a few years back, when guys started wearing cardigans again: instead of looking all old-school, they looked thoroughly trendy. The beauty of the bow tie is that it allows you to add your own individual spin to any outfit without loosing a sense of formality on special occasions, and is guaranteed to set you apart from a sea of guys wearing their staple skinny black tie. But what we also love about this daring accessory is that you can actually pull of wearing a bow tie with something a little more casual these days too. You’ll find that bow ties are no longer the shiny, silky versions, we are used to seeing, but instead they are crafted from interesting textures, fabrics and weaves. So whether they are made from wool, flannel, twill, jacquard, denim or even wood, bow ties are for the loudly fashionable man – who’s ready to wear a classic accessory in order to make a modern statement.
BoByMansouri
Beauties Drakes
Alexander McQueen
Velsvoir Penrose-London
Ted Baker
Emirati Instagram Sensation
Bin Baz
Cover Story Abdulaziz also known popularly as ‘Bin Baz’ is an active Emirati figure on social media networks, who is well known for creating satire and comedy videos in arabic. Bin Baz utilises Instagram, twitter and YouTube to shed light on socioeconomic issues of the Emirati society and presents such cases in comedywrapped videos.
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Our team had the opportunity to speak with Bin Baz to learn more about him and his pretty epic journey as a popular Emirati Comedian and Instagram Sensation. Tell us a little bit about yourself? Well, my name is Abdul Aziz but people call me Bin Baz because I make fun comedic videos and they know me with this name and persona. When did you start to make these funny videos? I started making videos for about one year for fun and after that a while I noticed that people loved watching them. At the time I was traveling a lot and one time when I got back there were people who started taking pictures of me and asked to take pictures with them, I was so shocked when that happened to me. Soon after that people started recognising me and started interviewing me. What are your dreams? I used to play football for the last five to six years and I always thought I would become a professional football player but that didn’t end up happening. Towards the end of playing football I started making videos and I ended up loving it. Soon after it became my favourite hobby and pastime. Now I intend to take it to the next level, inshallah, so that I can become either an actor or work in a movie, let’s see what happens. What struggles did you face when trying to achieve your dream of becoming an entertainer? Firstly everyone was against me initially when I had first started because in the local community they are very strict so no one was accepting the idea of me making videos. Despite the taboo I started making my videos and I didn’t care what people thought about it, and then after a while people starting warming up to the idea of me making these videos and started accepting this. Now I am a little bit confused whether to continue or to stop making my videos; or be in advertisements or to continue YouTube. As you can see there are so many options available today and I find it to be very risky at this time for me to make a decision as I don’t want to lose my fans. The most important thing right now for me is moving onto the next level as that will be the make or break point in my life. What are the three things that you cannot live without? Only three things? (laughs) Well the first thing would have to be my iPhone as I have Instagram on it, the second will be football as I love the sport and lastly my family. What is your daily routine like? My daily routine consists of playing football and making videos for my fans and chilling out with my friends. I used to go out almost every single day with friends but now I rarely go out because if I go, I would like to have a clear mind and be happy to interact with my fans and be able to pose with them like how they would want. My life has become so strict now, it has become like that of a child (laughs). How did your family and friends react to your decision to make videos? To be honest they were all attacking me from everywhere, and no one supported me or stood by my side. All my friends and family left me alone, ignored me and created barriers and didn’t even call me. I was pretty much alone at this time, so the only thing I had was time to make videos, which is why I had created so many videos at this time. What motivated you to create videos during such a difficult time in your life? Well I like to believe that I have strong willpower, because if someone tells me ‘no’ I am okay with it, but I will still do what I want to do. I told myself that I will not get demotivated when people don’t support me as I have to try and do what I am visualising. So I just started making my videos and I kept going and going and after that it all turned around for me when people starting appreciating the videos and I gained popularity. But the point was to stay committed despite the lack of support.
Bin Baz's t-shirt: Zayed The Great, Arcadian Apparel Bin Baz Cover t-shirt: DXB 43, Arcadian Apparel
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What are your long term plans if you could have anything? Within five years I wish to be happy, because right now in this moment I have everything I could possibly want such as offers for endorsements, advertisements, and commercials. At this moment I have not signed on for anything as I don’t want to be tied down to contracts and legalities as I enjoy my freedom. I don’t like it when companies and people box me in and tell me I cannot do certain things and that I cannot work with other people, I just don’t like the restrictions. Right now I am free to do whatever I want and people love their freedom and that’s why people love me because I am so free to do my videos as and when I want. Tell us something about yourself that no one knows? I am very shy in real life and everyone seems to notice that when they first see me. They always think that I am this crazy, loud and fun person all the time because that’s how I behave in my videos, and that is only true whenever the camera is on. But when I am socialising with people I come across a little shy but then again I am only human (laughs). Do you get recognised a lot? How do you deal with stardom? At first everyone was wondering why people wanted to take pictures with me and who I was, and even I was wondering why I was receiving all this attention but after a while I got used to it. Initially I would get headaches from taking so many pictures, but after a while I got used to people getting excited to see me and it became habitual for me to start talking to them like I knew them for the last ten years. Once I got comfortable with all this stardom I eventually became relaxed and started socialising with my fans like I would with any of my friends and family. We laugh, talk, tease, have fun and take pictures and have a merry time. Where do you get your material from? I get the stories and inspirations from my daily life, so whenever something interesting happens to me or people around me such as my family or friends I just write the idea down on my IPhone. I then create a funny story which then becomes a video. So all of my material is very relatable and most of the people always tell me that they have gone through similar situations like how I have just shown. It feels nice that we can all laugh at funny things that happen to each other in our daily life. How do you deal with negative people or haters? I love all the negative people because they are also one of the reasons for what I am today and what I do. They too deserve love and respect and after I treat them with love and kindness, I like to believe that when they are alone they think about what they have done. They realise how they have behaved, and will change their mind-set and how they deal with other people in the future. Any advise to the youth of the UAE? I would like to tell everyone that when you are young it is very tempting to make fun of everything and everyone but it is important not to hurt anyone with your words when trying to be funny. If you want to be funny then talk about funny things in general, never get personal as that is very hurtful and people tend to hold onto these words and emotions and they can become depressed. I have noticed that people make fun of people just to be funny and to be loved by everyone but I don’t believe that this is the way to do it as this is not comedy. Do you have any idols? I have three main idols that I look up to and they are Mr Bean, Kevin Hart and Russell Peters. I love that they are so funny and they can make people laugh without even speaking. Just by looking at them people can become happy, I strive to become like them one day.
writing by
bhargavi nagrecha photos by slava Noor
“i have noticed that people make fun of people just to be funny and to be loved by everyone, but i dont believe that this is the way to do it, as this is not comedy�
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WAJIB: A GREEN INITIATIVE
Wajib is a non-profit “sustainopreneurship” initiative based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, founded and led by Faris Mersi, a student at Dubai American Academy. Through a dedicated core team, Wajib’s vision is to build a competitive forum in which teams of students aged fourteen to eighteen years of age can conceive and nurture their ideas for the green products of the future. By introducing the economically and socially critical fields of entrepreneurship and environmentalism and they can become the leaders of tomorrow. An expanding network of thirty two schools and their respective student representatives form the major backbone of Wajib. The competition itself consists of two distinct rounds; the first requiring participants to upload a video (2 minutes) onto YouTube and share it with Wajib's Facebook page (http:// www.facebook.com/wajibxb). Teams must propose an idea that will have an impact on one of five frontiers of sustainability and they are -Water, Food, Waste, Transportation and Energy. Ideas can range from the school-level (i.e. cafeteria waste/food compost system) to the national agenda; in all cases, it must be feasible. After a round of voting from the public; ten of the highest vote-receiving teams are invited to conduct a ten minute presentation in front of a panel consisting of corporate leaders and sustainability advocates. Three overall winners are selected based on the creativity, impact and costeffectiveness of their ideas and are subsequently rewarded over AED 30,000 for their projects We sat down with the initiative’s founder, Faris Mersi, who told us more about this project. What inspired the idea for Wajib? My grandfather sold vegetables in Lebanon, and he used to plant a tree for every fifth vegetable he sold. I realised that if my grandpa could do this, then I could too. The Wajib team (fellow students who are organising the competition with me) have the same mind-set. We see the need to empower students to bring about real change and Ryan, my teammate, often says that we’re front-runners of a “national metamorphosis in sustainopreneurship”. Yes, we are building our toolkit of skills at school, but it’s time to employ those skills. What is the project’s overarching vision? Wajib aims to empower students to drive the sustainability agenda forward in the community, bringing Dubai closer to being the world’s most sustainable city. How did you get so many reputable companies to support your initiative? In one word: cold-calls. We didn’t have the contacts to hasten the process but you play with the card you’re dealt. We had spend long nights finding the right companies that would support the cause and finally it has paid off. What difficulties did you face along the way? Well, finding the right sponsors was certainly a difficult task. While dealing with that, we needed to concurrently promote the competition through our student representatives and social media. In addition we were also tasked with preparations for our events, juggling these tasks, among other things, kept us busy. How difficult is it to maintain school work and Wajib simultaneously? I wouldn’t say it’s been easy. Our time-management skills have been challeged and bettered over time, however, we’re managing fairly well. What has been the student response so far? The student response has been unpredictably impressive. At the outset, we had only a few students contact us. As the registration deadline neared, hundreds of students from various schools across the UAE took to our website and registered or expressed their interest. This is a testament to the work that our thirty two student representatives have done. What are your plans for the future? Frankly, we just want to relish this experience. We’ve managed to setup a platform that will act as an enabler for impactful ideas. Our aim is to see the change materialise before we go back to the drawing board. writing by photos by
Shehryar Haris Ahmed M'ayyed
“wajib aims to empower students to drive the sustainability agenda forward in the community, bringing dubai closer to being the world's most sustainable city”
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New Technology
Overall Rating: Hardware – 7.5/10 Software – 7/10 Camera – 8/10 Overall –8/10
Oppo Find 7 Hardware Oppo Find 7 comes with squared-off corners, flat sides and plain black face, we also truly enjoyed the grip-ability and comfort in the gently curving (and removable!) backplate. Even though the overall construction of the device was crafted out of plastic, there is no issue of physical inadequacy or cheapness in the quality. Software The phone is basically an Android 4.3 along with Oppo’s OS called ColorOS, which FYI does bring a lot to the phone. The phone comes with the 3,000mAh battery along with your standard micro-SIM and microSD card slots. Camera The Oppo logo is engraved under the standard 13-megapixel camera and dual LED flash which are quite impressive. All that sits above the surprisingly solid speakers sitting low on the Find 7's rear cover. Verdict All in all this is a pretty standard yet efficient phone that comes with amazing speakers that literally come to life in a big way. Despite a couple of faults, it still stands tall as the company's finest mobile effort to date and Oppo die-hards shouldn't hesitate to pick one up.
Share your opinion on the latest tech products. Submit your reviews on mysay@one8one.com We'd love to share your ideas.
Overall Rating: Hardware – 8/10 Software – 6/10 Camera – 8/10 Overall – 7/10
Samsung Galaxy Tab S Hardware The Galaxy Tab S is basically a blown-up version of the Galaxy S5 that is available in "Dazzling White" and "Titanium Bronze". The Tab S has a plastic rear lid with a grid of dots on the back, and though the plastic might not be as premium-feeling as metal, it's basically immune to both scratches and fingerprints, meaning it continues to look pristine much longer than you'd otherwise expect it to. Ergonomically it has blunt edges, flat back and soft-touch finish on the rear that makes it comfortable to hold. At 6.6mm thick, the two Galaxy Tab S tablets are skinnier than both the iPad Air and the iPad mini with Retina display. Software The Galaxy Tab S runs on Android 4.4 KitKat, you'll of course get various other features you wouldn't find on a stock Android device. These include the usuals, like S Voice; Multi Window Mode, for viewing two apps side by side; and Samsung's Milk Music service, which until recently has been available for phones only. You'll find older Samsung features like Smart stay, Smart rotation and Smart pause, but they're not in the forefront as before. Camera Both Galaxy Tab S 's have an 8-megapixel rear camera and LED flash, along with a lower-res, 2.1-megapixel shooter around front. The colour reproduction is good, and the camera is quick to focus as you line up your shot, the low-light shots are grainy, but then that is to be expected from a tablet camera. Verdict The Samsung Galaxy Tab S is really good, with a long battery life, a stunning screen and an especially thin and light design. It has earned its place as our new favourite Android tablet.
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WIEF MOCAfest
The 7th MOCA (Marketplace of Creative Arts) fest was a beautifully designed event. It is the arts & culture festival of WIEF (World Islamic Economic Forum) which is in its 10th year. The MOCA fest is an international fest that gives a global platform to emerging artists and creative individuals. The MOCA fest was held at the gorgeous Mina A’Salam Hotel and the displays ranged from fine arts to performing arts making the arena vibrant and dynamic. One could mingle around with the likes of Tasneem Chopra, Alia Khan, Peter Sanders and so many more. There was activity in every corner of the arena. Several wonderful pieces of art were displayed with their respective artists who were kind enough to speak to attendees about them. The MOCA fest also housed the Lona Fournier-Tombs, a mural artist from Canada who was working on a live installation for all the three days. Adding rhythm to the arena were musicians from different parts of the world. The event was filled with a variety of talks and discussions held by esteemed panellists of global recognition. All in all there was never a dull moment at the MOCA fest Dubai, and it was definitely an event to remember. by Svati Kilani
“there was activity in every corner of the arena. several wonderful pieces of art were displayed with their respective artists.”
Kareem Abdul Jabar visits Dubai If you look up the definition of 'polymath' in the dictionary, don’t be surprised if a picture of Kareem Abdul Jabar’s face pops up. If any readers are looking for a role model that thrives on the belief of “not limiting yourself,” there is no better role model than Kareem Abdul Jabar. Through twenty seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, Jabar accomplished everything imaginable in the scope of the National Basketball Association. He is to this day the NBA’s All Time Leading Scorer, has won six NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVPs and was an NBA All Star for every season of his twenty year career except one. The man from Harlem was known for his thick goggles worn during games and a lofty ‘sky-hook’ that schooled would be defenders with ease. With a talent of rebounding, scoring and blocking shots, Abdul Jabar in all of his 7’2” height was a force to be reckoned with. This month in a joint effort from MENA Events and Foot Locker, Kareem Abdul Jabar was hosted at the Footlocker Store in Dubai Mall. Several lucky winners of the contest were able to get up close and personal with the legend, and talk about basketball or even ask for advice, and Jabar was more than willing to accommodate everyone, with the patience and seniority that seemingly comes naturally with age. Kareem Abdul Jabar visited the UAE on a pressing matter, and that is to raise awareness on diabetes. With the spirit of greatness that Kareem carried with him, definitely inspired us to not settle. Kareem could have easily been content of being the best basketball player of all time. However, he ventured into acting, directing, writing books and is the cultural ambassador of the United States. The spirit of greatness lives on through his legend, and to accomplish greatness, we may have some big shoes to fill, literally and figuratively. by jacob stenhouse
Share your opinion on the latest events around the UAE. Submit your reviews on mysay@one8one.com We'd love to share your ideas.
Beats on the Beach; Rita Ora and Tinashe
Yasalam - the amazing concert season at the capital featured massive super stars who were to perform to the eager crowds at the Abu Dhabi Corniche and du Arena on Yas Island this year. This time around our laserlike focus was aimed at Rita Ora and the newcomer Tinashe, whose debut album Aquarius literally shot through the roof when it came out in October. Did we enjoy the shows? Definitely! Do we have something extra to tell? Of course! Beats on the Beach was held at the Abu Dhabi Corniche on November 22nd and we could barely hold ourselves from excitement when we found out that Tinashe and Rita Ora would be performing on the same day at the same venue. We made sure to shine our shoes a week in advance, got the needed gear ready and took off to the Capital a few hours before the event was scheduled to even start. Tinashe was first to go on stage and, oh boy, did she bring the house down; while her setlist mainly featured the songs off Aquarius, she did include a few covers of some gold old hip hop by Tupac and others. Apart from having an amazing voice, Tinashe brought down incredible choreography and it did not end there. We've caught up with Tinashe for a little chat: What is the inspiration behind the album? Well the album you know is really just written about what I am going through with the time in my life that was created right now, which is being young, being a woman in the entertainment industry and just working really hard. That’s basically where it came from. What do you do before you go on stage? How do you pump yourself up? I usually just like to spend time with people that I vibe with like my friends, or play some music, just relax and drink some tea. Is this your first time here in the UAE? This is my first time here, I am having a great trip so far. Everybody has been really sweet, fun, and shown a lot of love. What is the weirdest food that you have eaten? The weirdest food that I have ever eaten is probably cow tongue. I think that was pretty weird. Did you like it? No (laughs) it was really rough and it felt like jerky. Next up was Rita Ora; sporting a turquoise hairdo, this pop firecracker got the crowds jumping in seconds to her tracks like RIP and Radioactive. In addition to her chart topping repertoire, Rita payed an homage to Bob Marley and even treated the crowd with a totally new track which is to be included in her new album that comes out in a few months' time. In short, she was great; one could see her eyes sparkling from the energy she had to share with every single one of us in the crowd. In the end we left exhausted from all the dancing and being totally overwhelmed by these incredibly talented artists who delivered a perfect blend of RNB, Urban and pop culture of today. Here is to the Yasalam 2015. Anton Rodionov Karina Ananenkova
writing by photos by
Kicksound Kicksound is a hard rock trio based in Dubai, and after almost a year of recording they have finally released their much awaited debut EP on 14 November 2014. The band is comprised of singer and guitarist Olly Ephgrave, drummer Branislav Trkulja, and bassist Gabriel Matute. Earlier this year Kicksound impressed a panel of industry judges, winning won the ‘Best English language Artist award’ at the Zippo Encore Arabia Awards, a competition for original music in the Middle East. Kicksound was also a part of the Gulf Bike Week at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre which was held on October 30th and was also part of the Beats on the Beach which was held at Abu Dhabi this November. Our team had the opportunity to speak with Oliver Ephgrave, vocalist and guitarist of Kicksound. When and how did the band Kicksound start? Kicksound was formed in 2011 by Branislav Trkulja, the current drummer and myself. Back then we had a different bassist, Gabriel Matute, but he left the following year due to work commitments. For the last six months or so we’ve had Will Skidmore on bass – he also sings harmony vocals, which really adds a whole new layer to our original songs. What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighbourhood or town? My oldest musical memory was playing air guitar like a maniac to Eric Clapton’s ‘Layla’, with my younger brother. We must have been about six or seven years old, and we used to pester our dad to put it on the record player, every couple of days. It used to drive him nuts, as the song is over seven minutes long!
What was the first song the band learned to play together? The initial line-up of Kicksound first got together in a rehearsal room at Thomsun Music in Ibn Battuta Mall. We jammed a few cover songs – like ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ – just to get to know each other, but we immediate decided to play original songs. Were you'll influenced by old records and tapes? Which ones? All three of us in Kicksound love to play rock, and we all grew up listening to the likes of Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden and Metallica. My first ever record was a tape of Dire Straits Money for Nothing. I wouldn’t say they are a massive influence to me now, but I was certainly inspired to become a better guitarist by listening to Mark Knopfler. What type of music do you’ll like to play? We all enjoy playing classic rock as well as 90’s grunge music such as Soundgarden, Foo Fighters and Rage Against the Machine, as well as classic rock and metal. We also like to include a mixture of fastpaced punk and groove-based heavy riffing into our music.
Musicians
How do you handle mistakes during a performance? The best thing to do is not to make a face or draw attention to the fact you made a mistake. Every band member – even in famous bands – will make small mistakes, no matter how much they practise. When, not if, it happens, it’s best to keep calm and slip back into the groove of the band as soon as possible. You’ll find that a lot of mistakes will go unnoticed by the audience, especially if you act nonchalantly and keep calm.
How often and for how long do you practice? Not enough! Personally, I should be practising every day on guitar and vocals but there just aren’t enough hours in the day. As a band we’re currently rehearsing twice a week. What do you’ll do in your spare time? Music is actually what we do in our spare time! We all have day jobs – I’m an editor, Will has his own media company and Bran is a 3D Designer. The time we get outside of work is devoted to family life, practising or performing our music. What are you currently listening to? Our EP! We just got the CDs back from the printer and it’s very satisfying to get the physical product after a year of hard work. We can’t wait to share it with everyone.
by
bhargavi Nagrecha
For more info and news on the band check out their website at: http://www.kicksoundband.com/
What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous? Just play more and more in front of people – it will get easier and less nervewracking with more live experience. I used to get extremely nervous, especially about singing, but once you have a few gigs under your belt then you can actually enjoy the experience of performing and get a real buzz from it.
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Laila’s Kitchen by
bhargavi Nagrecha This month we have a multi-talented individual by the name Laila Al Farsi, who is not only a professional Dentist, food blogger but also has a YouTube channel dedicated to demonstrating recipes. Laila believes that “Cooking is an art, and that it is not just about creating a mouth-watering item that that is appealing to the eye but also tasty. In Laila's Kitchen all of her recipes are easy and simple to follow. Plus on the bright side you can also see the entire process through her YouTube videos which make it all the more interesting and fun to follow. Our team had the opportunity to speak with this beautiful, young and talented woman whom we adore and learnt so much from.
What or whom inspired you to start food blogging? Before becoming a food blogger I used to enjoy food photography and food styling, and had the habit of taking photos of the food I cooked. I remember posting pictures on my social media account, due to which most of my friends would ask me for the recipes of the food I just cooked. Hence I started blogging my recipes so that I could share them with everybody in one place. What or who are your cooking inspirations? My mother has always been an inspiration to me, and she has introduced me to the family recipes, secrets and ingredients. I started learning from her back when I was eleven years old, I remember we used to cook together in the kitchen, and those are some of my fondest memories. What is your favourite cuisine and why? Middle Eastern cuisine is my favourite because of it diversity yet homogeneous taste. It is rich in colours, nutrients and aroma. What’s your biggest failure ever in the kitchen? I don't believe in the word "failure" in the kitchen. Many of the wellknown food items we cook and bake today such as chocolate chips cookies and apple pie were accidentally discovered in the kitchen because of kitchen mistakes. You can always fix anything that goes wrong in the kitchen and perhaps come up with a better result than what you were expecting.
“i dont believe in the word failure in the kitchen. many of the well known dishes we eat today such as a chocolate chip cookies were accidentally discovered due to mistakes”
What ingredients would you bring on a desert island with you? You can only pick three! I would pick the three essential ingredients that are usually found either separately or all together in every food we consume, salt, sugar and oil.
Recipes by Laila
Grilled Chicken Breast 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 cup yogurt 2 tbsp. tomato paste 2 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. All berries juice (berries cocktail juice) 1 garlic clove (crushed) 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. white pepper 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/2 tsp. coriander powder 1-2 tbsp. dried oregano 1. Mix the yogurt with the tomato paste, lemon and berry juice in a bowl. 2. Add the garlic, salt, coriander powder, white pepper, black pepper and dried oregano to the bowl and mix them well. 3. Cut each chicken breast into two thinner slices using a sharp knife. 4. Make three marks on each piece with a small sharp knife to guarantee the flavour reaching deep into the chicken breasts. 5. Soak the breasts in the marinade and put them in the refrigerator for at least five hours or overnight. 6. Grill the chicken breasts on medium high heat for 10-15 minutes or until done. 7. Serve hot.
Fattoush Salad 6 cups chopped lettuce 3 diced cucumbers 3 diced radishes 2 diced tomatoes 2 cups watercress 2 cups fresh mint 1 tbsp. sumac 1 whole toasted pita bread Dressing: 1 garlic clove (crushed) 2 tbsp. lemon juice 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp. salt 1. Cut the pita bread into squares and toast it in a 200 degree celsius oven for one minute. 2. Chop all of the ingredients and add it to a large bowl. 3. Mix the dressing ingredients and drizzle it over the salad. 4. Add the sumac, the toasted pita bread squares and toss the salad well. 5. Serve immediately.
Follow Nabeela's blog at: http://lailaskitchen.blogspot.ae
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Dining Out by
Bhargavi Nagrecha
Khan Murjan Souk Khan Murjan Souk located at the Wafi Mall plays homage to the original souk that was once bustling with life in fourteenth century Baghdad, The restaurant is decorated with authentic artisanal craftsmanship brought in directly from Turkey, Egypt, Syria and Morocco. Our team went there for lunch and we started out with fresh tabbouleh salad, flavourful fattoush salad, creamy hummus, zesty baba-ghanoush, tangy Wara’ Enab (stuffed vine leaves) and sizzling Muhammara (hot pepper dip). We thoroughly enjoyed the starters and also liked the indoor- outdoor feel to the restaurant which had a water-wheel and musicians filling the restaurant with relaxing Arabic tunes. Freshly baked breads were accompanied with tender grilled meat on charcoal beds, along with a crunchy kebbeh, and crispy cheese sticks that were delicious. The verdict: Beautifully picturesque authenticity to detail when designing the restaurant and flavourful food. We would highly recommend the restaurant to anyone who would like to experience and taste Arabic food at its finest and best. Cost: AED 150 for 2 poeple Location: Wafi Mall
Share your opinion on the best restaurants in the UAE. Submit your reviews to mysay@one8one.com. We'd love to share your ideas.
Wagamama We had heard so much about the UK based franchise, Wagamama that we just had to try it, and so our journey began when we arrived at the JBR branch in Al Fattan Towers. We were greeted by the polite staff who seated us promptly, the ambiance was lively, yet the interiors was casual and down to earth. We were quite hungry so we decided to order at once, and asked the waitress for suggestions who were quite helpful based on our group’s dietary requirements. So with the staff's suggestions in mind we ordered the Saien Soba and the Chillimen Chicken. The Saien Soba is a hearty bowl of vegetable soup and whole wheat noodles with an abundance of vibrant seasonal vegetables like asparagus, bean sprouts, red onions, courgettes, mushroom and mangetout with fried tofu garnished with lovely crispy spring onions. It was extremely satisfying dish and all the flavours were very well balanced, in addition it came with a big wooden soup spoon which made it whole lot more fun to eat. The Chillimen Chicken looked delightful! Stir-fried chicken with courgettes, red onions, peppers, mushrooms and mangetout atop soba noodles in a rich spicy sweet chillimen sauce, the dish was practically bursting with flavour! The generous portion sizes left us feeling completely satisfied, and even though we were full, we were tempted to try the mouth-watering dessert selections. We ordered the Chocolate Mousse Cake and the Crème Brulee, the mousse cake had a soft banana center and a crisp chocolate base, and was drizzled with an intense toffee sauce. It felt and tasted heavenly. The crème brulee had a crispy caramelised top and was served with vanilla ice cream which was infused with ginger and lemongrass that brought it a beautiful zing. The verdict: Amazing food, generous portion sizes, great value for money, outstanding service. The perfect recipe for a great evening with friends and loved ones. Cost: AED 100 for 2 people Location: Al Fattan Towers, JBR & Crown Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Road
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Pull Yourself Up and Climb by
Bhargavi Nagrecha
Our team had the opportunity to experience the rock climbing wall at one of the ultimate outdoor superstore Adventure HQ located at the Times Square Mall on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. The store provides high quality equipment for a wide range of outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking, diving, camping, hiking, cycling and so much more. The Adventure HQ team was very friendly, considerate and helpful while explaining the dangers related to the activity and helped us wear the safety harness and introduced us to the set-up. They also very meticulously explained all the important guidelines and rules to be followed by the participants.
Did you know that rock climbing helps to build strength of mind, body and spirit, Adventure HQ’s climbing facility is quite remarkable along with several different levels of endurance for individuals with more advance experience as well. Once you start of as a beginner you will be asked to follow the same colour of the rock you are assigned to initially when climbing the wall. We loved how it was fun and complex. Perhaps with time and practice one can expect to get better. We found rock climbing to be an amazing sport as it is fun, challenging and you can definitely work up a sweat as you would have to use your entire body to help you. It is such an amazing way to get a quick fix of adrenaline and explore all the places you never knew could have muscles. The Adventure HQ's Adventure Zone at the Times Square Mall is comprised of the 'Climbing Pinnacle' which is around 9.1 metres and the 'Cable Climb' which is present above the entrance of the mall and serves as an obstacle course. Both these activities are designed to challenge your adventurous skills and push you to get out of your comfort zone. The price for thirty minutes is AED 50/ person on weekdays which is quite affordable and a great way to get started. We would highly recommend you to put this to the test and try it out for yourselves. For more info login at: www.adventurehq.ae
“we found rock climbing to be an amazing sport as it is fun, challenging and you can definitely work up a sweat"
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Books by
Bhargavi nagrecha
Dark Places Author: Gillian Flynn Libby Day, the protagonist was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satanic Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” Libby had survived—and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later she has become a hardened, selfish young woman with no friends or family. Since the tragedy, her life has been paid for by donations of well-wishers, but, with that fund now empty, Libby must find a way to make money. Her search leads her to The Kill Club, a secret society of people obsessed with the details of notorious murders. As Libby tries to gather artefacts to sell to The Kill Club for a fee. The members of the Kill Club members believe that Libby’s brother Ben is innocent and hence Libby is forced to re-examine the events of the night of the murder. As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started—on the run from a killer. Though Libby is drawn into the club's pseudoinvestigation to make a quick buck she soons starts to realise what exactly she saw—or didn't see—the night of the tragedy. We loved how Flynn fluidly moves between cynical present-day Libby and the hours leading up to the murders through the eyes of her family members. When the truth emerges, it's so twisted that even the most astute readers won't have predicted it as it will take you to Dark Places. A winter must read!
I’ll Give You the Sun Author: Jandy Nelson Just like its cover, Jandy Nelson's novel is an intense, prismatic explosion of colour. Twins Noah (a boy) and Jude (a girl) are inseparable until misunderstandings, jealousies, and a major loss rip them apart. Both are talented artists, and creating art plays a major role in their stories. Nelson unravels the twins’ stories in long chapters that alternate between their perspectives. The twins’ artistic passions and viewpoints suffuse their distinctive voices; Noah tends toward wild, dramatic overstatements, and Jude’s world is wrapped up in her late grandmother’s quirky superstitions and new agey obsessions. The book shows us how beautiful and messy love can truly be and what it truly means to live. Nelson explores the love between the two siblings perfectly and readers will root for them to fall in love with their respective partners and mend their relationship. ‘I'll Give You The Sun’ is an unforgettable, heart-breaking novel that will hit readers with so many emotions and will leave them felling breathless. Nelson's writing style is extremely unique and it took us a bit of time to get used to it. You can expect to laugh, smile and cry along with Noah and Jude. This book is one to be treasured for life.
Share your opinion on the best book that you have read recently. Submit your reviews on mysay@one8one.com We'd love to share your ideas.
12 Years (and Still) ...a Slave by
Anora Sandhu, Jana Dames, Tamara Metwally
It’s been a year since ’12 Years a Slave’ was released in the UAE, and the powerful drama was certainly deserving of ‘Best Picture’ at the 2014 Academy Awards. Lupita Nyong’o and Chiwetel Ejiofor acted fiercely and viscerally to tap into a more haunting part of themselves, depicting authentically the time period affiliated with the horrors of slavery. The movie struck a chord with all its viewers, and we were all left with a sense of moral lightness, priding ourselves on the fact that in darker times we would have taken a stand for the condemned. Yet would you still fight for them today, if you were exposed to their human suffering?
During director, Steve McQueen’s acceptance speech he dedicated his motion picture to the many people that are still suffering from beings slaves in the 21st Century. Steve quotes: “Everyone deserves not just to survive, but to live. This is the most important legacy of Solomon Northup. I dedicate this award to all the people who have endured slavery, and the 21 million people who still suffer slavery today.” Although the figure stands closer to thirty million today, it is much harder to come to terms with the fact that in this century slavery perpetuates on a much larger scale than even in Solomon Northup’s time. More slaves exist today than in all of human history combined, it has been a hundred and fifty years since abolition in the US and almost thirty years since every country on the planet decided to outlaw the practice of slavery, yet modern-day slaves still undergo deep cruelty in the dregs of almost every country in the world, even in the most advanced democracies like the US and EU.
The average age of a slave is shockingly ‘twelve years’ old. However, don’t be imagining cotton-shirted figures torn from their homeland and auctioned in large public spaces, as slaves these days are significantly different to those of the 19th Century. Today’s average slave might not be chained up, but will still suffer completely inhumane and unacceptable living and working conditions. Today’s slavery isn’t about race, as it occurs on a global scale, but rather in the shadows of ‘reputable’ establishments. These slaves can be forced labourers, working in factories or in construction sites; human trafficking victims, completely degraded and defiled for more sinister purposes; or stuck in ‘bonded labour’ in homes or in the agricultural sector, where the poor are often deceived into signing a ‘contract’ that essentially binds them to years of unpaid work. They are all around us, even if their presence and voice is not palpable in this consumerist and capitalist society. Slaves today are cheap and disposable, as there is a large “supply” of socially and economically vulnerable people for lawbreakers to exploit for their own profit. What enrages us is how thirty million people can slip through the law each year? Who can possibly be ‘owning’ so many people? The simplest and most shocking answer is: we all do. “Made in a Free World” has an incredible ‘slavery footprint’ app (http://slaveryfootprint.org) and it gives you a quantifiable answer as to how many slaves work for you? Make sure to try it out; it really gives you an insight into your role in “promoting” slavery. Perhaps you don’t cause it directly but as a consumer you indirectly ‘own’ slaves who work to produce the things you use on a daily basis. Rather than feeling guilty for the way in which we have collectively created a demand for slave labour, we should aim to be ‘ethical shoppers’, in a nation where shopping is a common pastime.
There are some great high-street brands out there that genuinely care about the conditions for their workers, such as Cadbury, Microsoft and Zara. We should praise these companies, for giving us the opportunity to enjoy products without making us feel guilty about how it was produced. It is important that you do your research on brands that aren’t a good example as we don’t want to name and shame but http://www.free2work.org/ has some suggestions on which companies might be setting up a bad reputation for their human resources departments. This holiday season (even if you don’t celebrate Christmas) buy your friends and family ‘ethical’ gifts that are completely slave-free. Instead of writing letters to Santa, write them to the brands on http://chainstorereaction.com/ to create a ripple of change for producers and consumers alike. We have the power to initiate a radical change and make a difference in our global society. If we start making ethical choices, companies will react appropriately to target us as ‘ethical shoppers’, and their policies will become more transparent which will force them to focus on human rights. Everything is down to us – the new generation of consumers and decision-makers. Follow ‘The A21 Campaign’ on Facebook; it is a truly inspiring modern-day abolition movement that has contributed to the rescue of countless human trafficking victims and slaves. Let’s inform UAE citizens of this little-known human tragedy and the solution that is in our hands. https://www.facebook.com/pages/A21/194115677277113
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Tools for Mindful Living by
shivani Nagrecha
Do you ever feel like life is boring, uninteresting and mundane and that time is beginning to lose all meaning? Do you feel exhausted doing the same thing every day, every week, every year? Unfortunately, it is true for most of us, as not all of us can lead the exciting life of a 007 agent undergoing an exhilarating spy missions in beautiful cities around the world. We can however make the most of our lives.
Here are a few ways to make everyday a bit more interesting:
Spend Time With the People You Love
This is a key to enjoying your life. Make it a point to spend time with your loved ones daily and you’ll enjoy every day a lot more.
Live in the NOW
Give It Your All
Reliving the wonderful memories or worrying about the future isn’t going to get you anywhere. Try and make the best of the time you have now instead of wasting it away daydreaming about what was or could be.
No matter what you’re doing, cooking, working etc. do it whole heartedly and have fun with it. When you’re fully into what you’re doing, you won’t even realise time passing by.
Be Grateful
At one point in our lives the person/job/object may have been the most exciting thing but now you’re used to it and it has lost its spark. Don’t take things for granted and try to appreciate what you have because you never know when you may lose it.
Mix It Up
Do what you are doing, differently! Take a different route to work, eat at a different restaurant, try a new form of exercise. Sometimes, just tweaking a routine can make a huge difference. Be mindful and follow these tips and you’ll see how every day is a lot more interesting than you perceived it to be.
Look Around
We often fail to observe the beauty around us even in the things we see every day! Try to really observe your surroundings instead of “looking”. Notice and appreciate the beauty around you and you may even find something new you were completely oblivious to.
Do What You Love
Make time to do the things you love . If you aren’t working a job that is aligned with your passion, it is very unlikely that you will feel fulfilled or truly happy with your life. You’ll find yourself tired at the end of every day waiting for the weekend but this is not the way to live. Listen to your heart and do what you love. You’ll find that every day is a lot more fulfilling.
Astrology
December 2014
60
Sagittarius 22 November- 21 December As the Zodiac's Hunter Goddess, you were born on a quest for wisdom and the universal truths. You’re the eternal student, and your mind is endlessly curious, thirsting to know the why and how of any subject that fascinates you. You are fiercely independent, you thrive as an entrepreneur or a consultant or in a job that allows room for endless creativity. You simply must be passionate about the work you do; anything less would be deadly to your pioneering spirit. Mobility and variety are essential. You're the sign of the traveller, collecting experiences, knowledge, and friends from every part of the globe.
ARIES
TAURUS
GEMINI
CANCER
This will be a power period for your career or role as leader or caregiver. You are ready and willing to perform, and will be more ambitious than usual. You will be amore energised about pursuing your goals. People may recognise you as a leader or a pioneer this month, and you will possess a competent and take-charge attitude. It's a super powerful month for kicking bad habits and addictions.
December is a month in which the focus shifts considerably away from your personal concerns and towards the needs of your close relationships and partnerships. Cooperating seems like the best option in terms of overall happiness and success. There may be times when a partnership or relationship will be tested this month, and you may have to face certain realities and take mature action.
This is a strong month for focusing on any health, fitness, and self-care habits or programs. Events and circumstances this month tend to point you in the direction of taking better care of yourself. Saturn's emphasis on the body this month can suggest that paying more attention to the body can balance out mind and body health. It's also a time for becoming more structured in your work and daily routines.
There is a strong focus on your creative side this month. There can be important realisations and increased awareness of, and frustration with situations that have prevented you from enjoying yourself or expressing yourself spontaneously. Your social life is changing, and emotions surrounding friendships are strong. You're more likely to actively create and shape your life than to simply let others make decisions for you.
LEO
VIRGO
LIBRA
SCORPIO
There continues to be a strong focus on your home and family life, as well as your support system this month. Old family problems might resurface in need of attention, mature action, and leadership. A career or reputation matter can emerge which can cause confusion about boundaries with others. While there are yet quite a few details to sort out, you'll be clearer on what you have and what you need, as well as what you are able to provide for yourself.
This month, there can be a lot coming in, many things to do, and a generally quick pace. Your sign is known to be detail-oriented, but this month you will be so busy that it will be easy to miss important information. You may need to face the reality of certain projects and interests which could involve taking a hard look at your daily activities and deciding what might be bringing you down or preventing you from growing.
This is a good month for taking care of business, tending to practical affairs, and devoting some time to finances. You may need to get serious about money. There can be a wake-up call, of sorts, that pushes you to make important changes, but avoid snap decisions, even if you're feeling a lot of pressure. Be diligent, mature, and cautious. Delays or apparent slowdowns are possible, so don’t feel overwhelmed.
While it's your month to shine, and it is also a time when you may need to get serious, or might be asked to prove yourself. Manage that pressure well, and it's a strong month for personal influence, general vitality, and happiness. Make sure to share your ideas, and put efforts into mental pursuits. Watch for a tendency to react too quickly when firing back an email or text, or making a quick judgment.
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
The first few weeks of December can be a rather private, contemplative, and possibly withdrawn time for you, as you could be dealing with a lot behind the scenes, and possibly some challenges you've chosen to keep under wraps. Events can be such that you seek and get closure on various matters. You're likely to be doing a lot of "tidying" on an emotional and spiritual level. You could be dealing with personal limitations stemming from your serviceoriented responsibilities to others.
There can be a pressing need to reassess some of your long-term goals this month. Reality checks are required to manage new information that will be shed on the more impractical elements of your current plans. There could also be issues with friends, associates, or group associations that involve limitations or life lessons. There may be the need to do some level of conforming in order to benefit from others' input. You must learn to let go of judgment when picking up information.
There can be some slowdowns, reality checks, or break in momentum occurring in your professional life, but it's also a time when you can really get back on track and organised. While things may not be moving forward very quickly, you will gain important ground in less obvious ways, such as by gaining respect from people you work for and with or developing new skills that will benefit you in the future. As the time progresses, you become increasingly interested in fulfilling happiness goals.
There is much activity in your sector of beliefs, adventure, and ideals this month and you are encouraged to bring more of the world into your personal life. You could be enjoying new interests and thinking about your plans in a big-picture way. This is a good time for work on structuring your leisure time. Take every opportunity you can to learn new skills or develop your current ones. There could be strong focus on training, learning, and connecting which will play a crucial role this December.
20 March- 19 April
22 July- 22 August
22 November- 21 December
19 April- 20 May
22 August- 22 September
21 December- 20 January
20 May- 21 June
22 September- 23 October
20 January- 18 February
21 June- 22 July
23 October- 22 November
19 February- 20 March
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News
H.E. Sheikh Nahyan Inaugurates NYUAD Conference on the Legacies of Sports Events in the UAE H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth, and Community Development and Chairman of the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare today inaugurated the conference on the Legacies of Sports Events titled Embracing Sports in the UAE: Building Domestically, Expanding Globally. Hosted by NYUAD and in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the two-day conference featured top athletes, government officials, and sports business professionals from the UAE and around the globe. Over the last five years, the UAE has hosted several global elite sports events, bolstering the country's domestic success and enhancing its international identity. In the coming years, the UAE will continue to augment domestic sports participation and infrastructure, engage international fans, and expand media coverage while navigating critical challenges that include gender equality and injury-related health risks.
Emirates Foundation Celebrates Exemplary Youth and Pays Tribute to Donors Exceptional, young Emiratis efforts contributed to the success of the Emirates Foundation’s 2014 programmes, were honoured during the Foundation’s annual Recognition Day Ceremony this November. The inaugural winners of the award, were Mashaal AlMarzooqi and Saeed Al Nazari from United Arab Emirates, for their project “Factory of Dreams” and were allocated an incubation grant of AED 100,000. The project is about an on-line network, which will make it possible for youth with limited income to set up and run projects and businesses in education, agriculture, hunting, water and sewerage and women empowerment. Second place-went to Maha Al Otaibi from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for her project “Waterproof Hearing Aid” and she was awarded an incubation grant of AED 70,000. The project uses nanotechnology to create waterproof hearing aids. The innovative device will open the way for special needs people with the hearing difficulties to maintain exercise routines, ensuring that their hearing aid will not be damaged by the salty water. Coming in third place, was Zakeyah Al Sada from Kingdom of Bahrain for her project "Health Food Programme System for School Students Lunch Box” that received an incubation grant of AED 50,000. The project aims to offer students healthy lunches as an alternative to highly processed meals often found in school cafeterias.
Sila Connection 2014: University Students across Abu Dhabi Collaborate to Develop Green Solutions University students based in Abu Dhabi will be collaborating this month to develop innovative solutions for green schools. Students will be challenged to create a school that fosters a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources, and money. These solutions were presented at the third annual Sila Connection 2014 conference that took place at NYU Abu Dhabi. The winning team would receive USD $5,000 to implement their solution in the American Community School of Abu Dhabi. Sila Connection is the first conference that brings university students together across Abu Dhabi. This year’s selective group of participants represent Abu Dhabi University, Higher Colleges of Technology, Khalifa University, NYU Abu Dhabi, Petroleum Institute, UniversitÊ Paris Sorbonne Abu Dhabi (UPSAD), and Zayed University. Participants will be afforded expert guidance, support, and mentorship from leaders in the field of environmental sustainability in the United Arab Emirates.
Autism Awareness Campaign launched at Ajman University of Science and Technology Community Services Department at Ajman University of Science and Technology organised an awareness campaign for Autism. This provided an ideal platform for students to learn more about the prevailing cause of Autism and the means to help them. DAC provides education, therapies, home based program, pre-vocational training, assessment and diagnostic services, information and resources, awareness programs, training and research opportunities. DAC also elaborated on the early signs of Autism and how to detect them, she also streamlined the key factors that play an important role in early intervention for curing this ailment, and through irreversible its effects can be minimised for the patient to be able to live a normal life. Technology, research and practice have dramatically changed the outlook of diagnosis, assessment and treatment for Autism. Anyone who is directly or indirectly in contact with someone who deals with Autism can be a part of the community by being aware of the syndrome and assisting the affected families by social integration.
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