Bahrain Confidential

Online edition at www.FashionArabia.net

101

Exclusive

Guide to Arabian life, luxury and fashion!

Issue

With Shaikh Salman, BIC CEO ‘Will Bahrain keep the Formula 1?’

Bahrain’s Forgotten Pleasures!

The Essential Guide To Flawless Skin

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Bahrain City Centre 17172325 Seef Mall 17583230

Contents

28 76 56

May 2011 • Issue 101

-------------------------------------------------------------36 Exclusive: Interview with the BIC’s Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa 44 Laureus Awards ... Changing the World One Playing Field At a Time 48 And You Said There’s Nothing To Do! 84 The Bahrain Confidential Makeover ---------------------------------------------------------------

People 40 54 58 106

Bahrain’s Very Own ‘Kaka’ Ameera Al-Kooheji’s Music and Lyrics Socialite Diaries Business in Brief

Opinion

94 E-Waste Management - Rehan Ahmed 128 Time Will Proceed - Mohammed Al Rasheed

Fashion and Shopping 24 34 52 62 60 61 63 72 74

Sheer Luxury Gadgets Rule!

At Your Service Tommy Hilfiger’s Menswear Collection A Gal’s Got to Shop ... ... And So Do Guys!

Don’t Forget the Kids Nine West’s Summer Collection Top Picks at Massimo Dutti

Beauty, Health & Well Being 78 80 82 90

Beauty Buzz Faces Beauty Week Skin Revealed with Dr Dean Cunha Gomes Health Updates

Juicy Pickings 8 10 12 14 18 20 98 112 113 127

Editor’s Letter Readers’ Letters Star News Not to Be Missed!

BC’s Hot List New in Town Society Pet Rescue: Looking for a Home!

Please Help with Tony ‘The Dogfather’s’ Appeal Horoscopes

Cars

110 A Taste of Superiority – The 2011 Renault Safrane 108 A Safe Bet for Porsche

Staying In and Going Out 114 116 117 118

Gastro Calendar Casual Dining at the Medzo Friday Treats At The Movenpick Nightlife Listings

Essential Listings

120 Recommended Restaurants, Nightspots, Essential Info,

Beauty Spots, Sports and Fitness, Clubs and Associations

Iconic

Pop Art

Freedom

Furniture Seef Mall Explored

BAHRAIN BAHRAIN CITY CENTER - SEEF MALL DUBAI MALL OF EMIRATES - DUBAI MALL - DUBAI FESTIVAL CITY DEIRA CITY CENTRE - DUBAI OUTLET MALL ABU DHABI ABU DHABI MALL OMAN MUSCAT CITY CENTRE

BAHRAIN SEEF MALL : 1662 7079 / BAHRAIN CITY CENTRE : 1662 7058 FACEBOOK TWITTER

EditL Online edition

rabia.net

at www.FashionA

101

Exclusive

hion! ury and fas abian life, lux Guide to Ar

20C11’est

Issue

Salman, With Shaikh BIC CEO keep the ‘Will Bahrain Formula 1?’

Cover Credits: Model: Laura Bale Fashion designer: KK Design by Khulood Khalaf Art Direction and Model Choreography: Kananu Arts Direction Photography: Armand Hough Full credits on page 71

rgotten Bahrain’s Fo Pleasures!

Guide The Essential in Sk To Flawless

BAHRAIN BD

2 KSA SR20 KUWAIT

KD2 OMAN

RO2 QATAR

Publishers: Editor in Chief: Editorial: Layout: Contributors

Dr. Mohd. Al Rasheed Rehan Ahmed Caroline Oversier Astra Henley Mikana G Zahra Zuhair

Proofreader

Karina Lazarraga

QR20 UAE DHS20

Nicholas & Rebecca Cooksey Rebecca Cooksey Karina Lazarraga, Katy Gillett, Jack Taylor Noel De Juan, Dhanraj S. Administration

Redia Castillo Nikesh Pola

Staff Photographer (The award winning) Habeed Palacel Armand Hough Sales Account Manager Basel Qabouq Sherif Zeen Jehan Mohamed

Distribution Distribution Executive Mohammed Yousif Muhammed Shareef P. Regional Sales-Point Distribution Bahrain: Jashanmals, Tel. +973 1722 5998

UAE: Jashanmals, Tel. +971 4341 9757

Online edition at www.FashionArabia.net

For Advertising Opportunities: Tel. +973 1782 2368 Email: sales@ArabianMagazines.com Published by:

A Division of C.G. Arabia W.L.L. P.O. Box 26810, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. Tel. +973 1782 2388, Fax. +973 1772 1722 Email: info@ArabianMagazines.com Website: www.ArabianMagazines.com Ministry of Information approval no. ISDN 99901-01-17-5 © Copyright 2008, C.G. Arabia W.L.L. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Printed at Dar Akhbar Al Khaleej, Bahrain.

Bahrain Confidential is a member of BPA Worldwide

Dear Readers,

Someone just turned the heat up in Bahrain and we can’t say we’re complaining. With summer comes stunning new fashion and funky accessories; you’ll find plenty of what’s out there, right here as we scoured the malls to make life easier for you. Altogether now ... aww!

It seems, thankfully, that our beautiful island is getting relatively back to normal. In an exclusive interview, BC spoke to BIC’s CEO Shaikh Salman who further cemented our belief and relief that life is indeed getting back on track (pardon the pun). Have a read as he tells us about their future plans and how Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit is actually a good thing for our kingdom.

In another sporty, exclusive interview we spoke to footballer Kaka!

Nooo, not the Brazilian legend but near enough! ‘Kaka,’ as Brazilian Caimmy Valim is nicknamed, plays right defence for the Muharraq Club’s team and we had a chat with him about Brazil, Bahrain and everything in between.

We have many more interesting people included in this issue too, including Ameera Al-Kooheji, a young Bahraini music producer, and David Nolan, a university student; and we bring light to Autism awareness.

People are starting to venture out again so we at BC thought we’d remind you that there is actually PLENTY to do in Bahrain! This includes everything that is new - it would surprise you how much there is! We’ve put together the ultimate guide of what to do in the run up to summer so no one can ever complain there is nothing to do again.

Balancing work and leisure can sometimes be hard, especially at BC as we’ve been so busy recently, particularly with the stunning fashion shoot - ‘Sub Rosa’ - of KK Design by Khulood Khalaf’s summer collection of abayas. With homemade hats, a stunning model and abayas to die for, we came up with something rather interesting to look at! We hope you agree....

Speaking of photo shoots ... find our latest makeover with the Tiwari family which had unfortunately been put on hold for months but has finally made it to print! Check out the results in our Beauty section as well as the taster of what’s yet to come with our rebranded makeover!

So we’ve touched on people, fashion and beauty but what about the mind? This month we have an article on the differences between coaching and mentoring and why we should think about investing in some sessions. In fact, some of the most successful people have a coach or mentor so it’s time you tapped into a thriving profession!

For the men, aside from the sporty interviews, we have pages of summer looks and fashion for you, along with car reviews, technology updates and best eats. Now no one can ever accuse this wonderful country of being boring and we’ve just proved it!

Happy reading readers. Until next time ...

The Confidential Team

Bahrain: Seef Mall, Manama, Tel: 17588188

www.marksandspencerme.com

Readers’ Letters

Dear Editor ...

Online edition at www.FashionArabia.net

101

Exclusive

Guide to Arabian life, luxury and fashion!

Issue

With Shaikh Salman, BIC CEO ‘Will Bahrain keep the Formula 1?’

The Essential Guide To Flawless Skin

BAHRAIN BD2 KSA SR20 KUWAIT KD2 OMAN RO2 QATAR QR20 UAE DHS20

Online edition at www.FashionArabia.net

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

100 Issue

Flawless

Skin?

It’s Possible

BAHRAIN BD1 KSA SR10 KUWAIT KD1 OMAN RO1 QATAR QR10 UAE DHS10

Online edition at www.FashionArabia.net

Guide to Arabian life, luxury and fashion!

2011C’est

info@ArabianMagazines.com You Just Keep Getting Better!

Bahrain’s Forgotten Pleasures!

Guide to Arabian life, luxury and fashion!

Many thanks to all of you who wrote in last month and apologies if your letter isn’t printed but we get so many. Remember our reply is meant to be humorous so if we offend you - grow up cry baby. Send your comments to

99 Issue

I’m not one to write in to a magazine etc, but I have to say well done Confidential – what an excellent issue you produced. I appreciate that there are publishing restrictions but you summed up the mood of the country beautifully and I really enjoyed the photo spreads and the feature ‘Should I stay or go?’ so much that I brought several copies and sent them back to the UK to shut my family back. You guys just seem to go from strength to strength – keep it up.

Kate ‘I’m staying’ Cook

Hi Kate, Cheers babe – your letter has made me want to introduce a ‘Best Letter’ award! We were all affected and as a magazine we couldn’t ignore the situation, but now it’s time to pick ourselves up, dust off the past and move on as we have no plans to move out either. So hopefully we will bump into you out partying at the weekend.

2011C’est

‘Eunique’

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Are you serious – if somebody is under a travel ban they can’t work? That just doesn’t make sense. How does somebody get themselves out of the situation that they’ve got themselves into? Fortunately Bahrain’s situation never got to the point where I thought, ‘I’m out of here’, but I like to think that I can leave whenever I want. So I would hope people’s embassies would step in and help those who couldn’t.

John

2011C’est

Mmmm – we’re not so sure there John as it seems most embassies always seem to be closed.

‘Eunique’

BAHRAIN BD1 KSA SR10 KUWAIT KD1 OMAN RO1 QATAR QR10 UAE DHS10

10 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Most Impressed!

Until recently I didn’t really pay too much attention to local magazines because the ones I picked up seemed to be full of advertorials, press releases or just not relevant. But I have to say Bahrain Confidential has proved me wrong. Like many others I had some free time on my hands last

month and picked up a copy for the first time – as I’m relatively new to the island. I read it from cover to cover and that was a first – but no longer – as I did the same with your April issue too. It’s obvious that you have a great team – so can I apply for a job?

Jacob Umm errr Jacob – you’ll help us out more by reading the magazine every month. Thanks though.

Hunger Pangs It was great to read the Block 338 review in your magazine last month. I’m a big foodie and love trying out new restaurants in Bahrain, but after I read the review in another magazine a few months back, my feelings about this new addition were rather tainted.

After reading your review I tried it out and loved it. Is there any chance I could do one of your reviews next time?

Mariam Sure thing Mariam – send your enquiry through to info@arabianmagazines.com and as long as you can string a few sentences together then we’re cool with you doing the hard work for us!

The Law of the Wild OMG the photo spread of the cheetahs and the impala were amazing. I didn’t believe it, so I actually googled to check it out for myself and it appears that it is true. I was so impressed by their behaviour that I made my cat Monster read it several times as he thinks nothing of catching and torturing a poor lizard or bird for fun. Sadly, I don’t think he learnt too much as I stepped on another of his casualties that evening – but hey ho, it shows that there’s hope out there.

Miriam Please don’t take this the wrong way Miriam but have you thought about seeking help?

Gossip

News

Check out what’s happening in the celebrity world ...

Kate and Who?!

When the story first broke about Matthew Bellamy (frontman of the band Muse) getting Kate Hudson pregnant, many people did not know who he was, or that they were even together. Now, Hudson has opened up about their love story.

She was watching Radiohead’s Thom Yorke with a guy from high school when they met. “We realised that we had met a few years earlier, in Australia. Then I got distracted and said, ‘I’ve got to find my friends.’ He just looked at me and said, ‘Come on, I’ll take care of you.’”

“That’s when I went, ‘Wait a minute, who are you?’”

Rebecca Black

Death to Rebecca Black?

Yes most people hate the Rebecca Black “Friday” tune but it seems some people have taken their animosity for the teen ‘singer’ too far. Police are investigating two death threats made recently again Black.

“In essence, the threats were related to getting the music off the internet or they were going to kill her,” a police spokesman said. “We can’t validate how serious they are, but we do take it seriously.”

Ben Stiller

Dolly Parton

“Men are no different than women as far as their hearts go. It’s just that women love to tell everything! :)”

Charlie Sheen

“In car with police escort in front and rear! Driving like someone’s about to deliver a baby!

Cop car lights #Spinning!”

12 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Peter Andre told one gossip magazine that “Elen [Rivas] and I never saw one another. I am so busy and so is Elen, and in my heart, I knew that the relationship was never going to step up to the next level. “ After dating for five months after his split from Katie Price, Pete and Elen parted ways in March. “We’re mates, and if we had stayed together that could have been ruined. We never argued and if the relationship had continued, we would have started to row. I’m a single man. This year is about having fun and lots of it. I’m not ready for a relationship and settling down and doing the love thing.” When he does find ‘the one’ however, Pete admits he’d “lay down on a carpet of nails for the person I love.” Ouch!

Celebs Admit to Being Bipolar

Celebrity Tweets: “It’s exciting the possibility for real change and growth in Haiti with the election of Mr. Martelly.”

Andre Splits Again

Kate and Matthew pre-baby bump

Following her stint at a private clinic, Catherine Zeta-Jones revealed that she has been struggling with bipolar disorder.

She reportedly said: “This is a disorder that affects millions of people and I am one of them. If my revelation of having bipolar II has encouraged one person to seek help, then it’s worth it.” Her admission did in fact cause 18-year-old LA, Disney actress Demi Lovato to open up to the public about her battle with bipolar disorder too.

“There were times when I was so manic, I was writing seven songs in one night and I’d be up until 5.30am. I feel like I am in control now where my whole life I wasn’t in control.” Kudos to both stars for bravery.

Halle’s Been Busy

While Halle reportedly spent the weekend smooching new fella Olivier Martinez, she has also been healing the rift between ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry and herself.

Since the two split last April, they’ve been locked in a public custody battle over their three-year-old daughter Nahla. But it seems the former couple have turned a corner and put any bad feeling behind them. The actress revealed: “When there’s a child involved, it’s a relief when you can resolve things in a good way. Our issues were never about fighting for her. We both know a child needs both her parents. But what I want to say about it is sometimes, as a couple, you reach an impasse. We needed a court and a judge to help us work out some of the delicate issues, and I’m so happy we’ve arrived at that place – because for her sake, this is the best way.”

Before the couple split

© GAP 2011

Your exciting new Gap store is now open LOCATED AT BAHRAIN CITY CENTRE MAIN ATRIUM, GROUND FLOOR gap.bh

d e s s i M What’s On

e b o t t o N

114 - 119 s e g a p o t n ghtlife tur i n & o r t s events, ga e r o m r o F

4th – 18th

Ella Prakash

‘Photo Synthesis’ Exhibit by Arthur D’ Souza

Wahooo’s New Opening Hours

There’ll be lots of splashing around with Wahooo’s resumed timings from Saturday to Wednesday 11am to 8pm, Thursdays and Fridays from 11am to 9pm and Ladies’ Night every Wednesday from 5pm to 10pm. Wahooo is located at Bahrain City Centre.

Opening at La Maison Jamsheer in Muharraq at 7pm, ‘Photo Synthesis’ is a new collection by Goan artist Arthur D’ Souza. Similar to the process of photosynthesis, in which green plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into nutrients and life, Arthur turns paper and photographs into energetic artworks that provide nourishment for mind and soul. Tel. +973 3962 3381 or email arthurthemonk@gmail.com or visit www.arthurdsouza.com

Bahrain City Centre Hosts ‘The City Walkers’

A free club which promotes fitness, The City Walkers hosted by Bahrain City Centre does not have any age limit or restrictions, and encourages everyone to come to the mall and exercise. The mall walk is supervised by a Fitness First personal trainer and is open three times a week on Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays from 9am to 10am.

Tel. +973 1717 7777 or visit www.bahraincitycentre.com

4th – 31st

‘Divine Intervention’ by Arthur D Souza

Collective Art Exhibition

by Ella Prakash

14 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Ongoing

Artist Ella Prakash is exhibiting some of her latest work in ‘A Collective Art Exhibition’ for figures, landscapes and flowers at the Ella Art Gallery in Adliya from 8.30am to 1pm and from 3.30pm to 7.30pm. Ella Art Gallery is located at Shop-2, Road no 2719, Adliya. Tel. +973 1729 2815 or 3907 3299 or visit www.ellagallery.com

8th May – 30th June Language, Music and Film at Alliance Française

Alliance Française is offering French courses for all ages and all levels from Beginners to Advanced from 8th May until 30 June 2011. The courses for adults take 32 hours at two hours twice a week for eight weeks. On 12th, Paris Conservatoire student Claude Bessmann will have a piano recital, playing ‘Ravel and Listz’. Two dates are set for ‘Ciné-club’ this month with movies, ‘Indigènes’ on 19th and ‘Le voyage en Arménie’ on 26th.

Tel. +973 1768 3295.

Seef Mall Summer Surprises

Exciting activities, group competitions, and valuable prizes await the whole family with Seef Mall’s Summer Surprises, a three month-long promotion which began last 21st April and runs until 15th July. There are raffle draws with 40 spectacular prizes given away each month, plus Seef Mall gift vouchers worth up to BD500, iPhone 4s and iPad 2s, Sony VAIOs, and other electronic and gaming items. One lucky shopper will also win the raffle’s overall grand prize: a Mercedes ML 350 2011.

Shoppers are entitled to one raffle ticket for every BD20 spent at any of Seef Mall’s outlets and for every night spent at Fraser Suites Seef. The monthly raffle is drawn on the middle of each month, while the grand draw will be on 18th July. Shoppers can redeem their receipts for raffle tickets at any of the mall’s Customer Services desks.

All Month until mid-June

Laughter Yoga, Pranayama and Art at Worldbeat

Every Tuesday mornings, join Rasila Savani and learn about Pranayama (Breath of Life), an ancient Indian yogic science of regulating and controlling of the breath which also enables a person to control the life force in their body. Course is BD5. World Beat Laughter Club will hold its monthly session on 21st May at 4.30pm. Laughter Yoga promotes good health, joy and world peace through laughter.

All are welcome, BD1 for adults, children free. For the whole month until mid-June, abstract painter Tonya Vollersten is exhibiting her latest body of work, ‘Abstract Zainah’ which consists of mixed media and monotypes for the month until mid-June.

Tel. +973 1761 2576 or visit at www.worldbeatfitness.com

What’s On

Royal Golf Club Events

I

f you’re golf-crazy, there are plenty of events going on at the Royal Golf Club. On 13th and 14th, join the Royal Golf Club Mixed Open for a chance to win two return flights to London. Every Saturday is Wee Monty Family Day at BD15 per adult and kids play free. Inclusive of green fee and hire clubs, tee times: from 10am to noontime.

On Mondays there’s the Ecco Stableford at 1pm and the NHSC Monday Madness Night Golf at 6.30pm.

Every Sunday and Wednesday morning there are ladies competitions starting at 8.30am.

There’s also ...

The Royal Country Club and Prego Pizzeria

Come on down to the Royal Country Club for exciting daily activities which include aqua aerobics, swimming and tennis tournaments, a poolside evening party and poolside family barbecues. For full details, visit the Royal Golf Club website, www.theroyalgolfclub.com or call Sarah Al Hamad, Health Club Consultant, on Tel. +973 3300 1261.

While there, grab a bite at the newly-opened Prego, the Royal Golf Club’s family pizzeria which is a big hit with club members and local residents.

Open from 5pm to 10pm daily, and order from a delicious variety of traditional and speciality pizzas for dining in or take away. For more information, visit www.theroyalgolfclub.com or call +973 1775 0777.

‘Sharp for Summer’ Package The Four-Week Junior Programme

Youngsters wishing to brush up their golf game or interested in beginning a lifetime’s enjoyment of the sport are invited to sign up for the latest Junior Programme at the Royal Golf Academy.

Starting on the weekend of 6th and 7th May, kids of all ages and abilities can enjoy a weekly hourlong group lesson with a PGA Professional at a cost of just BD40 for the four-week programme.

To reserve a space for the ‘FourWeek Junior Programme’ or to purchase your ‘Sharp for Summer’ package, contact Martin Robinson, Head PGA Teaching Professional on mobile +973 3994 5460 or email m.robinson@theroyalgolfclub.com

16 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Surprise your friends with your improved golf game with the ‘Sharp for Summer’ tuition package at the Royal Golf Academy. The package includes four one-hour lessons tailored to the areas needing improvement with the added bonus of a free half-hour putting lesson using Tomi putting analysis software. It costs just BD100 for Royal Golf Club Members and BD110 for non-members. All lessons must be completed by 30th June.

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Lifestyle The second Cartier ‘Travel with Style’ Concours showcased an extraordinary collection of India’s unique Classic Cars in March at The Polo Grounds, New Delhi. However, this year, to keep in vein with the mystique and excitement of a ‘true’ Concours, every car had to be in running order and make one circuit at the event, guaranteeing a truly wondrous spectacle.

Made in Heaven

Net-a-porter.com has announced an exclusive collaboration with MiH jeans, launching this month. With the Spring Summer 2011 runway shows awash with references to the seventies, this capsule collection is timed perfectly.

Cult denim label MiH (Made in Heaven) jeans delved into their archives; think wide-leg culottes, flared jeans, swing shirts, vintage tunics and button-down skirts in a palette of sheer dusty pink, Oxford blue, crisp white and fawn.

Net-a-porter.com

Travel in Style with Cartier

Warehouse

CREDIT: © Cartier 2011

BC’s Hot List What we think is hot in the fashion world.

Arabia’s Camel Milk Soap

Be Seasonal at Warehouse

The makers of Arabia’s first organic camel milk soap products have taken the project online with the launch of www.camelmilksoap.com.

“Few 100 per cent organic soaps exist on the market today and nothing can beat the unique properties of camel milk which is rich in anti-oxidants and alpha-hydroxy acids that offer unique anti-ageing properties reducing age spots and pigmentation while making the skin plump and smooth with less wrinkles,” commented Monal Zeidan, co-founder of camelmilksoap.com.

Warehouse’s Spring/Summer 2011 collection sees a season of many moods and inspirations, from decorative to minimal, neutrals to bold and brights, and flirty florals to wild safari styles. Warehouse is located in Debenhams in Bahrain City Centre.

Alberta Ferretti and Emma Watson

Les Voyages Extraordinaires

Pure Threads

Arabia’s Camel Milk Soap

Now online is the ecologic capsule collection designed by Alberta Ferretti and Emma Watson. This collection, made of ecologic material, is signed “Pure Threads

by Emma Watson and Alberta Ferretti” and is sold exclusively online at www.albertaferretti.com. Part of the proceeds will be donated to People Tree Foundation, an environmental non-profit organisation in charge of Fair Trading which Emma collaborates with. The packaging of the items will also be made of ecologic organic material.

18 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Krafla Necklace

Van Cleef & Arpels used Art Dubai, which took place in March, as a platform to debut Les Voyages Extraordinaires, a collection inspired by the works of the 19th century novelist Jules Verne. Based on four of Verne’s most famous works: Five Months in a Balloon, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and From Earth to the Moon. Van Cleef & Arpels is located in Moda Mall.

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Living

New in

Town

Gulf Air Flies to Milan and Geneva

Gulf Air has officially begun its services to the Italian city of Milan. Gulf Air CEO, Mr Samer Majali sees this as a means of opening new doors of tourism and trade as well as bringing opportunities to Bahrain and the Arabian Gulf. The airline has also begun scheduled direct flights to Geneva, its first destination in Switzerland. For further information visit www.gulfair.com

Bahrain Confidential lets you in the who, what, why and where!

Batelco Introduces SMS Chat

Milan inaugural flight

Rendezvous

Batelco Introduces SMS Chat

Batelco has launched SMS Chat giving users the facility to text message numerous friends simultaneously. By allowing users to create up to fifty groups, with up to five people in each group, customers will be able to keep in touch with friends, family and co-workers easily. The facility does not require a registration fee or monthly charges, instead individuals will be charged 50 fils for each text, regardless of the number of recipients. To start, simply send an SMS with ‘CHAT’ followed by the mobile numbers you’d like to include to 2000. For further information visit www.batelco.com

20 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Just opened in Bahrain City Centre last month, Rendezvous is the perfect place for a, well, rendezvous! Feel welcomed by the sleek, smart design and enjoy continental food and a huge array of desserts while sitting in a private booth.

Fancy a BIC wedding?

Bahrain International Circuit is giving you a chance to have a perfect and unforgettable wedding at their premises. Various wedding packages are now available according to your needs. Features include a buffet dinner, drinks, a dance floor, TV screens and even valet parking services. Live band and a DJ or traditional band arrangements can also be made. A one night stay at Al Areen Palace Desert Pool Villa is offered and transport can be provided upon request. To arrange, contact event planner Nahla Al Mahmood.

Tel. +973 1650 1021.

Living Salad Boutique

Salad Boutique Bahrain is located in the Adliya dining district. This relaxed and contemporary café is Bahrain’s first restaurant specialising in serving salads ‘as a main course’. The funky décor and iPad menus also add an edge and uniqueness to the concept. For more information Tel. +973 1774 9040.

Malja

Malja is the first creative community and open collaborative studio in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It will house an open space for young and innovative minds from various creative disciplines to engage and grow in an environment that nurtures and contributes to their creative and social skills. The Ministry of Culture is cooperating with Obai and Hill team, who are currently constructing the art centre, on hosting 50 artists every three to six months. For more information visit www.maljabahrain.com

REDTAG

REDTAG has brought out its summer 2011 homeware collection and it’s all about light and airiness. It is the introduction of white and off-white combined with your pastels and primary colours to create that whole new fresh look. REDTAG is located at Bahrain Mall.

Salad Boutique REDTAG

New Retailers Open

Bahrain City Centre has welcomed two new retailers - Ulla Popken, a female fashion brand, and Gymboree, a kid’s clothing store - to its diverse retail mix who have set up their first and only retail stores in the kingdom.

New Check-in Counter in Paris

Gulf Air’s new check-in facility at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Zone 4 will have dedicated counters for Falcon Gold passengers and Gold and Silver Frequent Flyer Program members, a drop-off counter for passengers already checked in online, as well as three separate counters for economy class passengers. The new facility will also offer faster and easier check-in for passengers of Gulf Air’s code share partner American Airlines, when they arrive from the US and travel on a Gulf Air flight via Paris.

For further information visit www.gulfair.com

22 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Bushido

Bushido

Bushido may not be new but it has certainly introduced fresh concepts.

Firstly it has a new indoor lounge area located next to the main dining area, as well as a new ‘island’ seating terrace that rests alongside the outdoor lagoon. Furthermore there is more lounge seating, a new menu and numerous promotions on offer. For more information Tel. +973 1758 3555.

Sheer Luxury Saint Honoré The Coloseo watch celebrates the original marriage of restrained steel and diamonds and fantastic colourful flowers and dials. Saint Honoré is located at Seef Mall.

Louis Vuitton

I

Louis Vuitton An enticing array of exotic designs captures the spirit of the new Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer accessories collection.

Louis Vuitton is located at Moda Mall.

Azal Yellow gold has made a sudden comeback in jewellery trends.

Find a piece that suits you best in the new Azal Spring/Summer jewellery collection. Azal is located at Al A’ali Mall.

Louis Vuitton

Azal

Azal

Net-a-Porter Net-a-Porter welcomes the new Spring/Summer bag collections for several brands including Alexander McQueen, Jerome Dreyfuss, Miu Miu, Diane Von Furstenberg and Marc by Marc Jacobs.

Visit www.net-a-porter.com

24 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Piaget

Want That!

Alexander McQueen

Piaget Piaget debuts its Limelight Garden Party featuring diamonds and emeralds embodying the fresh spring – like elegance of a garden party. Piaget is located at Moda Mall.

Piaget

Bvlgari

Bvlgari The new sunglasses collection from Bvlgari includes the limited edition pair inspired by the emerald earrings that Julianne Moore wore in Bvlgari’s advertising campaign. Bvlgari is located at Al A’ali Mall.

Sheer Luxury Hermès The Roulis Bag in alligator from Hermès will be available in stores from July-August 2011. When the Chaîne d’ancre link is invited into the world of leather goods, it becomes a slender clasp, underlining the extremely simple outline of this new city bag, available in precious or more casual leathers. Hermès is located at Moda Mall.

Home For The

For

Hermès

Versace

HIM Versace Versace men’s Spring/ Summer 2011 collection includes this silver metal necklace with black and silver pendant featuring the medusa logo.

Versace is located at Bahrain City Centre and Moda Mall.

TOD’S

Montblanc Montblanc is honouring Europe’s most impressive peak with the introduction of the “Tribute to Montblanc” Collection which not only features a unique interpretation of the iconic Meisterstück Writing Instrument in snow white is a selection of jewellery and leather pieces for both men and women.

Montblanc is available at Bahrain City Centre.

For

HIM Montblanc

26 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Versace Home The new Versace Home Collection was revealed during the Salone del Mobile in Milan last month. The new collection will be available starting from September 2011. Versace is located at Bahrain City Centre and Moda Mall.

TOD’S The Spring/Summer shoe collection from TOD’S features new styles including the new sporty ‘Competition’ leather shoe and classic leather sandals.

TOD’S is located at Moda Mall and Saks Fifth Avenue at Bahrain City Centre.

Tag Heuer

Tag Heuer New timepieces from Tag Heuer include the Formula 1 Lady Steel and Ceramic Chronograph watches which are bold yet far from flashy and understated yet sexy. Tag Heuer is located at Bahrain City Centre and Seef Mall.

If you want to be part of our online community and receive information every two weeks about the latest happenings in Bahrain including beauty, fashion, nightlife, events and more, email

info@ArabianMagazines.com to receive our bi-monthly newsletter.

ConfidentialArabia.com

Iconic

A young artist from overseas grabbed Bahrain Confidential’s attention when he sent us some visually intriguing pop art iconology.

28 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Rinat Shingareev

Pop Art

Art Space

Art Space Michael Jackson

“In this painting I wanted to honour the memory of the King of Pop - Michael Jackson and his album ‘Thriller’.”

“Madonna has always been and continues to remain number one in pop music. With my work I wanted to unite beauty and aggression.”

Madonna

A

n artist and designer, Rinat Shingareev started his career in his native country Russia, where he completed a multitude of courses, from interior design to web design at a fine arts school.

“During this time I also displayed my work at several galleries.

Later on, I continued my education in Italy, where I finished with honours at the Fine Art Academy. From there I continued painting and exhibiting in group shows throughout Italy, Germany

and Austria. I have also appeared in many Italian magazines.”

Rinat has always been interested in art. “During my childhood I knew that art would be my reason for living. Before becoming a professional painter, I designed websites and even did some DJing but I soon realised that it was only through painting that I could truly express myself.

It was destined fate from when I first picked up a brush, as the saying goes, ‘what is meant for you won’t go by you.”

Bahrain Confidential was intrigue by Rinat’s oil paintings which depict famous figures, many in unique portrayals. “The

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 29

Art Space

US President Barack Obama

“This picture was painted two years ago. Both then and now, I look at him with much hope. I am sure that Obama will be able to fully realise his presidential program, and remain in history like the first astronaut on the moon.” main purpose of my art is to transmit the spirit of an epoch through the people who play large roles in various spheres of our society, from politics to showbiz. I represent the reality around me, just like Andy Warhol who told his era through portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.

“I do not choose my characters, they choose me. I need only to turn on the TV or open the morning newspaper. I am an observer that comments on everything that surrounds me, turning it into a mix of saturated colours, unusual situations and familiar personalities creating pop-art iconography.”

Oil painting is the perfect medium to convey Rinat’s art. “Light, colour and

30 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

shadow are very important in my paintings.

I try as much as possible to portray my characters realistically, focusing on their main features. I fill my work with bright colours and positive emotions and that is why oil is the ideal material for me to use.”

Bahrain Confidential asked Rinat what he would paint if requested to represent the current situation in Bahrain. “I don’t know what I would paint. But I’m sure I would use all of my effort to support each person in this difficult period. And by example, I would show that even one person can change the world.”

With success behind his belt, Rinat advises budding artists on how to approach painting. “Total concentration, a

love for art, a desire to change the world for the better and many years of intensive practice can lead to great results.”

“I would like to say to all Bahrain Confidential readers that you should always believe in yourselves and believe in your talent. Do not be afraid to take risks, to take the best from life so that one day you’ll be at the top.”

Rinat is currently writing his autobiography.

He also enjoys photography, fashion and music production.

Visit www.facebook.com/thebestartistalive or email: luxuryart@list.ru for more information.

Isabella Rossellini

Bvlgari

Alexa Chung

Eva Green

Fashion

French actress and ex-Bond girl Eva Green captivated onlookers in Paris when she attended the opening of her aunt’s photo exhibition in jewellery from Montblanc.

Isabella Rossellini carrying the Bvlgari Rosellini handbag.

Alexa Chung attended a Mulberry party in Seoul, South Korea in a Mulberry dress and her namesake Mulberry bag.

They Were

Wearing

Miranda Kerr attended the opening of the ‘Balenciaga and Spain’ exhibition at de Young Museum in a long-sleeved floor-length gown by Balenciaga.

Kristen Bell

Miranda Kerr

Claudia Schiffer

TOD’S D-Bag

Kristen Bell was spotted out with a stunning Louboutin clutch.

Louboutin

32 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Claudia Schiffer wore head to toe Yves Saint Laurent at the opening night of Le Comte Ory at New York’s Metropolitan Opera.

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Technology

What to Look For ...?

When looking to buy a new laptop the first thing you should do is identify the notebook’s processor. The quality of the processor will determine how frequent your PC freezes when you are multitasking or gaming. Samsung’s RF series notebooks has the best-in-class Intel Core i5 Processor 460M (2.66 GHz, 3 mb) so you will never have to worry about your notebook PC slowing down during your busy moments and can enjoy videos at the fastest speeds. You should also check the graphics processor’s type and volume. The RF series notebook is equipped with the latest nVIDIA GeForce GT330M graphics processor, which will make your 3D game or HD video experience shine. It is also important to pinpoint information about the graphics processor because it will ensure sufficient storage for saving all your personal photos and contents of your movie collection. Available at leading electronic outlets.

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Gadgets

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Part of Your Five a Day ...

The next generation of its magical device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading ebooks and much more has finally launched to the market. The Apple iPad 2 features an entirely new design that is 33 per cent thinner and up to 15 per cent lighter than the original iPad, while maintaining the same stunning 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD screen. iPad 2 features Apple’s new dual-core A5 processor for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics and now includes two cameras, a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime and Photo Booth, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video, bringing the innovative FaceTime feature to iPad users for the first time. Though it is thinner, lighter, faster and packed with new features, iPad 2 still delivers up to ten hours of battery life that users have come to expect. iPad 2 is available in black or white. www.apple.com

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The Fusion of Fashion and Function!

The MSI WindPad Tablet PC is the best anyone has seen yet! With its perfect curves and 2 gb RAM, this fabulous gadget outdoes every other tablet PC in style and performance, bringing together the perfect combination of Fashion and Function. What more could you want? This hot new piece of technology packs both 3G and Wi-Fi making the WWW at your fingertips everywhere you go. It does not just have the sleek, irresistible look but it is sure to please with models powered either with Android OS or Windows 7 OS. The choice is yours! Could you possibly want any more than that? Featuring two cameras, USB and HDMI ports, SD card reader and SIM card slot, this tablet promises to take you to a whole new level! So what are you waiting for?

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34 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

The amazing Dell Inspiron 5010 i3, featuring the best that technology has to offer invites you to join the stylish techno-revolution. Prepare to be blown away by Intel Core i3 processor and SRS Premium Sound. And that’s not all! This magnificent piece of technology also features a 15.6-inch widescreen HD display and is available in four beautiful colours.

Editorial

What’s Happening

@Zain Zain Goes e-Go

Zain is now offering customers three months of completely free e-Go mobile broadband services and the choice of opting for either the popular e-Go individual dongle or the Zain Fi device which allows up to five computers to link up to the internet. The offer gives customers three months free rental and even a free device of their choice – e-Go or Zain Fi – and packs in a punch with a value-added quota management style which allows customers to browse, download and chat freely since they will not be charged if their usage exceeds their threshold.

Zain Goes WiMAX

Last month in an exciting development that will put more broadband power into its customers’ hands, Zain announced its migration to the latest version of the nation-wide WiMAX network which offers a state-of-the-art technology to an increasingly technologically demanding userbase. Zainers can now look forward to higher thresholds and excellent value-for-money.

Zain Goes Tab

Zain is now supporting Zainers in their quest to get their hands on a Samsung Galaxy Tab, by giving customers exciting subsidies and instalment purchase plans for the popular Tab. Powered by Android Operating System 2.2 with 16GB and 32GB, the Samsung Galaxy brings together all of Samsung’s leading innovations to provide users with more capabilities while on the move.

Consumers are able to experience PC-like web-browsing and enjoy all forms of multimedia content on the perfectly sized seven-inch display, wherever they go.

Users will be able to continuously communicate via e-mail, voice and video call, SMS/MMS or social network with the optimised user interface.

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May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 35

Exclusive

Face To Face With Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa In March the Grand Prix was cancelled for the very first time in its history due to the civil unrest in Bahrain. Rebecca Cooksey sat down with Shaikh Salman, CEO of the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), to discuss this, along with the history of the BIC and their plans to move forward.

How have recent events affected your company?

Like every company, the last couple of months have not been normal so there has been a big question mark as nobody really knows what to expect. However we tried to keep everything as simple as possible. Ultimately, we’re an events company - we bring people together - so from that side it has been very difficult.

We have also been badly hit with sporting events too. The Bahrain Motor Federation (BMF) told us to stop all events so the situation could be evaluated. It started with postponing the GP2 race on 19th February, mainly for medical reasons as there were not enough ambulances and doctors to support the events. With any event we have to ensure that we can provide the whole package which obviously

incorporates the safety of drivers and fans too - so if we’re lacking in that particular area we’d rather not have the event.

I’m pleased to say however that things are starting to pick up. In fact I

“It was terrible. Everything had been right.

The ticket sales were so good and we were completely on par. Our ticket sales had already exceeded 2009 sales. So the day of the scheduled Grand Prix was very sad.” just sent an email to the BMF, following up on the situation. I have only read their response quickly but it looks as if the drag racing is already coming back. This is very encouraging.

Was there a lot of pressure from insurance companies to cancel events too?

No not at all. With the GP2 race, the timing wasn’t right. I think even drivers who were coming from abroad didn’t feel comfortable about being on a podium and celebrating when there were problems elsewhere in the country. But now we’re ready to start racing again and that’s all we want to do.

Singer Macy Gray and musician Eric Clapton meet on the grid before the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit on April 6, 2008 in Sakhir, Bahrain.

36 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Very supportive and they still are. It was obvious that we had more information about the situation than they did and Mr Ecclestone made it clear that any decision was going to be made by us.

The Formula One is the BIC’s biggest event and it was cancelled.

How supportive was the F1 committee?

We’ve been given until 1st May to make a decision on whether we will still run with F1 this year. As a kingdom it is the biggest event of the year and a very large revenue generator so it’s a serious question that we have to ask ourselves.

The biggest question on everyone’s lips right now is can it be rescheduled?

I don’t know! I really don’t have an answer to that. There are a lot of factors to consider. I always like to say it’s not just a circuit because it’s the Kingdom of Bahrain that hosts the Grand Prix. So this is not just a question that we as the BIC can answer as many other people are involved.

That’s why we need to get a collective answer but that’s how we’ve always operated and why we’ve got it right in the past because we agree all together.

It must have been really difficult to cancel F1 – how did you do it?

It was terrible. Everything had been right.

The ticket sales were so good and we were completely on par. Our ticket sales had already exceeded 2009 sales. So the day of the scheduled Grand Prix was very sad for the whole team as we’d been working on it from last August.

But we move on. I had to explain to our

Exclusive stakeholders what we were going to lose and if we could still re-coup some of those losses. We also took the decision to give ticket refunds to everyone even though I was told that we could keep it until the reschedule race. I didn’t want that and sent an email to everyone concerned explaining our decision and finished by saying ‘see you when we’re ready.’

Do you intend to make a huge event for the next race and bring in celebrities, etc?

It all depends on where we are as a country. We’ve lost a lot which is very sad. Financially, as a company, we don’t even know if we’ll get the same budget but there’s an opportunity to really put on a great show and to be honest we don’t need celebrities to do that but it’s part of what we do anyway. As a circuit we’ve been astounded by the amount of support we’ve received from private companies etc. because the country on a whole is better off with the Grand Prix; everyone benefits. It breaks my heart to see what we lost this year but we have to move on and I’m confident that whatever we have to do to get it back we will.

based here in Bahrain but race throughout the region. We have begun to see local drivers start to fight and battle it out with others to become the best driver in that specific championship in this region. We didn’t have that before and when we started in 2004 nobody in the region really knew anything about motorsports; people associated the Formula One with Ferrari cars. Although we’re at a basic level for now it will grow and everything else will follow. Remember we started from the top by hosting F1 first.

Recently we also just opened the new go-karting track at the circuit. We have needed this for a long time because it’s the base of racing; just about every top driver starts out go-karting. This will open up more career options for Bahrainis too, as if they’re not good enough to become a driver then they can always become the mechanics or assume other roles associated with

the sport. Bahrain now has a chance to produce a great driver and I’m seriously shocked at how good these kids are.

Every week I see new faces coming to the track and racing.

How does the BIC differ from the Yas Marina Circuit?

Quite a lot. People tend to forget we were the first country in the Gulf to bring motorsports and F1 to the region. I remember at the beginning we were quite heavily criticised and people asked if what we were doing was financially viable. We built our race track for USD150 million and Abu Dhabi’s cost USD1.3 billion – that’s a big difference. So they must’ve seen some financial gain to invest that much.

We also complement each other by hosting the Grand Prix.

We’re building

Do you think you’ll be able to reschedule the other events?

Yes … I think there was a period of uncertainty that has now past.

I see a lot of confidence coming back and that’s very encouraging because people are starting to go back to their normal lives. I think we went through a big learning process and with that, people are naturally a bit more cautious, but as a racing circuit our objective is to bring people together and allow them to enjoy themselves. We’re not about politics - for us it’s motorsports which is a beautiful sport with passion and all the right elements and messages.

So if we can make our fans and guests forget about their worries for a couple of hours by coming to an environment where they have a great time and leave with a smile on their face then we’ve achieved something and done our job.

So is Abu Dhabi going to steal our race?

Absolutely not! I just laugh when I hear that. We have a long term contract to host the Grand Prix. Abu Dhabi’s track has enabled motorsports to become even bigger in the region. For example, we have just held local championship races which wouldn’t have happened without a second track. We have started the Chevrolet Super Cars Championship and competed in Saudi, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. We also started the Porsche championships

Shaikh Salman, CEO of the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC)

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 37

Exclusive

motorsports in the region together.

Facility wise – they have invested more so have a bigger venue but as a race I think we do it better.

As mentioned previously it is the biggest event of the year for Bahrain – everybody benefits and with each year, more so. What people don’t understand is the role that we played in Abu Dhabi getting the race. We started the campaign; we know our market, our region. So when somebody asks ‘are you ready for another race in the region?’ We certainly weren’t going to say no as our relationship with Abu Dhabi is really close. I don’t understand why people claim that the Gulf can only have one track. If you look at Europe they have six or seven tracks within three hours driving distance of each other – it’s normal and acceptable. Why does it become an issue here when we just have two?

on Friday, be at the race on Saturday and technically be back at their desk for Monday. So, we targeted business people as they could afford to do this - as long as we could convince them that they could also do business here.

Thus, we worked with the Economic Development Board to create ‘Business-Friendly Bahrain.’

plenty here. What people also didn’t consider at the time was that within an hour’s journey there is Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait - there’s plenty of accommodation there too.

As the race became more popular our facilities grew to accommodate the demand. Every year we have new additions to the country to make the event even better.

“Absolutely not! I just laugh when I hear that. We have a long term contract to host the Grand Prix.”

Did you ever have doubts that you wouldn’t be able to generate enough interest from international fans?

When I was trying to market the first couple of Bahrain races it was initially difficult to imagine why somebody would jump on a plane and fly the distance to come here when they have Europe on their doorstep. But I realised somebody could leave work

38 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Now, seven years later, everyone is seeing the benefits that it has brought to every sector in Bahrain – from hospitality and tourism right through to the retail industry. Everyone benefits economically. We cannot physically host the World Cup or the Olympics because of our size but after those two, the F1 is the next most popular event to watch and I’m proud to say we host it and do very well.

Another criticism was, people said Bahrain didn’t have enough hotels to accommodate the race. I went to Silverstone and there’s no five-star hotel within half an hour, just bed and breakfasts. There are

So what’s the future for the BIC? As a circuit we will continue to build and get it right. I’m incredibly proud of what Bahrain has produced regarding the race and I just wish more people went to other events so they can see how well we do it. I’m absolutely confident that we will bounce back and be even more successful than the last one.

We’re also revaluating our corporate product and we will look at the BIC package too. The off-road course is getting upgraded and there is so much here that we’re not currently utilising which will change. There’s also a new website coming up.

For us as a circuit we are about creating memories and to me it’s the best part of the job. If people leave with a smile and want to come back – then we’ve achieved what we set out to do. You can’t change

Exclusive

what happens but at the same time you can’t let it hold you back. We have a brilliant team at the BIC and that’s the one thing people always comment on. You don’t get that everywhere.

We do it with passion and that reflects on Bahrain.

The human factor certainly makes us stand out from our neighbours

Last season’s line up of drivers

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 39

People

‘Kaka’

by Jack Taylor

Okay, so it wasn’t the much celebrated Kaka I was interviewing. After a weekend full of anticipation, nerves and hype it was confirmed that I wouldn’t be interviewing one of today’s most respected sporting stars. Tsk! 40 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

People

H

aving been a nervous wreck all weekend it was revealed that the Kaka I was interviewing wasn’t in fact Kaká, but Al Muharraq Football Club newbie 27-year-old Caimmy Valim nicknamed ‘Kaka’, but I was still pretty excited.

Dubbed the epithet ‘Kaka’ from a young age, Caimmy and I sat in Starbucks, talking about football, injuries and Bahrain. After a few interruptions by avid fans and a few hurdles over the language barrier, we went straight to the point.

His football talent was noticed by many – parents, teachers, friends and relatives spotted this sporting luminary from the first time his foot touched a ball. At the age of eight it became more and more noticeable that Caimmy had an underlying talent; and by the time he was 15 Caimmy was balancing school life along with his childhood dream of being a footballer.

This meant studying in the evenings while he practiced his sport throughout the day. His successes began to turn into reality when he started joining respected

clubs including America and Paraná Clube up until the age of 18; after which he was able to take football to a professional level when he joined the well-regarded Sociedade Esportiva Palmeira, also known as Pamleiras, one of the most popular, traditional and successful Brazilian clubs with almost 17 million supporters.

It was only a few years later though when Caimmy’s dreams came crashing down after an injury he sustained while playing a match. A fracture to his spine left Caimmy in hospital with little or no hope of recovery, and with his father’s own football career also crumbling due to a serious injury, hope was bleak! The doctor advised Caimmy and his family to put an end to the dream of being a professional footballer and to stop playing the sport. “I couldn’t though, I had to play football, football is my life and it’s what makes me happy,” said Caimmy. The only possible way to ever recover from the injury was to undergo two special and very dangerous operations which weren’t recommended by medical staff. Defying the doctor’s orders, Caimmy signed a disclaimer owning responsibility

“Defying the doctor’s orders, Caimmy signed a disclaimer owning responsibility if the operation was to go wrong.”

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 41

“Many of my team mates are very young so the grassroots programmes here are working. I think the quality of sport is sufficient and should be sustained.” if the operation was to go wrong. Luckily enough the operation was a success and two years later he found himself continuing on the road towards his dream.

Having only been in Bahrain for three months and has so far played for a total of three matches, Kaka plays right defence. His main task is to prevent opposition players crossing or cutting the ball back into the penalty area. The much-acclaimed Muhharaq Club has been champion of the Bahrain Premier league 31 times now and since Kaka’s amalgamation, they have jumped from fifth position to first. Certainly Kaka’s sign up isn’t down to this success, but the #11 player certainly praises the quality and structure of his team: “My team

42 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

‘Kaka’

People

is very good along with our coach too. He is a professional who makes me enjoy playing, so as a result I’m happy.”

With his fan base still quite manageable, Caimmy feels that his day-to-day life isn’t affected by being a footballer, “compared to Brazil, I get stopped there all the time, but I like it. I have only been in Bahrain a short while so the numbers are still quite small, but they’re increasing.”

The AC Milan fan honours the quality of football in Bahrain especially because it’s such a small country. When asked if Bahrain needs to improve the sport or grassroots initiatives he said, “the standard of football is good in Bahrain – the quality is very good for a small country.

Many of my team mates are very young so the grassroots programmes here are working. I think the quality of sport is sufficient and should be sustained.”

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People

Sebastian Vettel

Rafael Nadal

Andres Iniesta

Laureus,

Lionel Andrés Messi

Changing The World ...

One Playing Field At A Time The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi was home to the 2011 Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony.

The event provides a high profile focus for stars of the sporting world to come together to salute the finest sports performances of the year.

This year it was hosted by double Oscar winner Kevin Spacey.

The winners of the Laureus Awards were:

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Rafael Nadal Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Lindsey Vonn Laureus World Team of the Year: Spain World Cup Team Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year: Martin Kaymer Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Valentino Rossi Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Verena Bentele Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Kelly Slater Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award: Zinedine Zidane Laureus Spirit of Sport Award: European Ryder Cup Team Laureus Sport for Good Award: May El-Khalil

Bahrain Confidential was invited to attend this ever so glamorous night and mingle with the many sporting stars and pop and film celebrities who attended this event to show their support.

Manny Pacquiao

44 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Laureus World Sports Award

People

benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The two-day event enables sporting stars to further promote the foundation through various activities, workshops and interviews to create much needed awareness for this foundation.

The Laureus core concept is simple: To create global awards that recognise the achievements of today’s sports heroes; to bring sportspeople together - united in achievement but divided by sporting code and then, once that community is brought

safe’ and avoiding risks.

Another example is ‘Operation Breakthrough’. Operation Breakthrough is a project in Hong Kong, where sport is being used as a means of helping to fight crime and juvenile delinquency amongst low income and immigrant communities. It operates in partnership with the Hong Kong

“We cannot change the world overnight but we can start with one playing field at a time.”

Laureus Projects An example of the projects is the ‘Coaching for Hope’ in Mali. African nation Mali, whose borders reach deep into the middle of the Sahara Desert, currently ranks as the fifth least developed country in the world, with the lowest levels of adult literacy to be found anywhere on the planet.

The project works by training local coaches and youth workers to deliver HIV/ Aids and life skills education to vulnerable local youths, using football as the tool for delivering key messages. Young people involved with the project take part in a minimum of eight educational sessions that use football games to generate debates around key concepts such as healthy living, respecting one’s peers, self-belief, ‘playing

Police and the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union and aims to help youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds or families which provide little or no support by offering multiple sports such as rugby, boxing, football, contemporary dance, sailing and dragon boat racing which are not usually available to the average working class child in Hong Kong. They have either been arrested by the police for minor offences or have been identified by schools or social workers as being ‘at risk’.

This year’s winners Spain, the United States and Germany were the big winners at the 2011 Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony in Abu Dhabi as each country collected two prestigious Laureus Awards. The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognises sporting achievements, are the premier honours on the international sporting calendar. The winners, as voted by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury, are made up of 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time For more information on the Laureus Foundation and its different projects visit www.laureus.com

Pop star Ronan Keating sang at the event

Kobe Bryant

together, put their reach and the support and investment of Laureus’ Founding Patrons and Partners to work by supporting a message that can help social projects around the world who are using sport as a tool for social change.

Laureus is comprised of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Laureus World Sports Awards. Collectively, these three elements form the essence of Laureus, harnessing the power of sport to promote social change and celebrating sporting excellence. Since its inception, Laureus has raised over €40 million for projects which have helped to improve the lives of more than one-and-ahalf-million young people.

Founded in 2000 by Daimler and Richemont, the Foundation aims to tackle issues such as social exclusion, gun and gang violence, discrimination, community integration and cohesion, peace and reconciliation, education and health; celebrates the universal power of sport to bring people together as a force for good and uses the passion that sport inspires to effect social change across the globe.

According to Academy member Boris Becker, the secret and the strength of sport is that “it has its own rules, it knows no skin colour, no religion, no boundaries.”

Projects worldwide striving to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals are supported by the Global Foundation and a growing network of subsidiary National Foundations in Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and the United States.

There is much work to be done and as Academy member Nawal El Moutawakel said, “We cannot change the world overnight but we can start with one playing field at a time.”

Kevin Spacey hosting the event

T

he ceremony which was held on the evening of 7th February and broadcasted to a worldwide TV audience was in fact the glamorous end to a two-day event as the Laureus Foundation is more than just a glittering night where stars get together.

Proceeds from the awards directly

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 45

Books

Reads Summer

Get your hands on these hot hot summer bestsellers ....

Those in Peril by Wilbur Smith Hazel Bannock is the heir to the Bannock Oil Corp, one of the major oil producers with global reach.

While cruising in the Indian Ocean, Hazel’s private yacht is hijacked by pirates.

Hazel is not on board at the time, but her 19-year old daughter, Cayla, is kidnapped and held to ransom. The pirates demand a crippling twenty billion dollar ransom for her release. Complicated political and diplomatic considerations render the major powers incapable of intervening. Then Hazel is given evidence of the horrific torture which Cayla is being subjected to ...

44 Charles Street

by Danielle Steel Everything is falling to pieces for Francesca Thayer. Her beautiful old house is full of leaks and in need of total restoration. Then her relationship with Todd collapses and he moves out. As the owner of a struggling art gallery she can’t possibly manage the mortgage alone, so she is forced to do the one thing she never imagined she would: she advertises for lodgers. Over the course of one amazing, unforgettable, ultimately life-changing year, the house at 44 Charles Street fills with laughter, heartbreak, and, always, hope.

The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel It is summer in the land of the Zelandonii, and it is nearly time for the next Summer Meeting. Ayla finds it is time to strike a balance between being a mother to her daughter, Jonayla, and a loving mate to Jondalar, while pursuing the fascinating knowledge and power of the Zelandonii. Jean Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived tens of thousands of years ago. The terrain, dwelling places, longings, beliefs, creativity, and daily lives of her characters are as real to the reader as today’s news.

All titles are available at Jashanmal Bookstores at Seef Mall (1st Floor, new extension) and Bahrain City Centre (Ground Floor)

46 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Night Road by Kristin Hannah For 18 years, Jude Farraday has put her children’s needs above her own, and it shows – her twins, Mia and Zach – are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small, close-knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude.

Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. On a hot summer’s night her worst fears come true. One decision will change the course of their lives. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget … or the courage to forgive.

Grab Your Copy Now! The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

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Asian workers attacked

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Inaccurate media coverage

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Is it real?

Property Update

How recent events have affected Bahrain’s property prices

Spiderman He climbs Burj Khalifa and then talks to us

Silver

Will the price of this precious metal overtake gold?

Rebuilding Bahrain

Time to move forward and overcome sectarian and economic strife Bahrain BD2

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Travel

Escape to Spain’s most exciting town, Marbella

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d i a S u o Y YouinSgaid th d o n A N re’s Do! Lifestyle

! o D o T g n i h t There’s No

f months have seen o le up co t as p e es Th k in our social ac b ep st e g hu a ke ta us all be raking it in but lives. DVD shops may ir crazy now. So st we’re all getting a little e mix it up a bit w we think it’s high time ut a great guide p and get active. We’ve on in Bahrain g together of that’s goin e someone tim for everyone so next ing to do here th no s e’ er th s in la p m co their face! you can shove this in

Seef Express Although no one’s going to admit it, this is fun not just for the kids but for the whole family! Seef Mall have launched their all new indoor train - Seef Express. It looks like a toy town train and it ferries you from one end of the mall to the other in convenience and style.

The Bahrain International Circuit - Kart Zone Now features a host of new changes, including a brand new track layout, longer opening hours and faster karts!

The new and improved track is not only longer than the previous layout, measuring at 1,054 metres, but also includes more turns and straights, allowing for drivers to develop their racing ability and take their technical understanding to a higher level.

Tel. +973 1745 0000.

48 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Kids, Teens and Families Game District At Zain Experience stores, you will now find the perfect section for gamers offering comfy chairs in arm’s reach of controllers to a PS3, Xbox, Wii and Kinect. The section also sells games for reasonable prices and holds regular competitions where participants are in with the chance of winning a game!

Tel. +973 3630 1503.

Wahooo!

Recently reopened to the public, Wahooo! Waterpark Bahrain at Bahrain City Centre is ready for families to spend the day cooling off while splashing about in the first indoor-outdoor water park in the region. Enjoy thrilling rides and slides, as well as learn to surf on the full-size surfing machine.

Tel. +973 1717 3000.

Lost Paradise of Dilmun LPOD has recently opened its doors to the summer and with it has brought many new attractions. Firstly there’s a bumper boat game for kids in a newly constructed pool at the centre of the park. In the pool, there will also be new swimming lesson courses and scuba diving lessons. Moreover, there are five new private VIP cabanas which are perfect for families wanting privacy, along with closed-beach cabanas.

Tel. +973 1784 5196.

L’Atelier Art Lounge L’Atelier Art Lounge, opened originally in Country Mall and now in Seef Mall too, is a relaxing art studio for children, teens and even adults. It offers a lovely escape from the grind of shopping (perhaps the best place to drop hubby and kids off!) where you can enjoy painting on different objects in a wonderfully arty atmosphere.

Tel. +973 1759 9030.

Lifestyle

Health and Wellness

n i a r h a B l e t ofi S laq Thalassa Zal & Spa Sea The Night Out

InterContinental Regency Recently reopened and fully refurbished, the InterContinental Regency Bahrain is back bigger and better than ever before. This is the perfect night out as you can indulge in delicious cuisine from any one of their varied restaurants and then head on down to Downtown - a lounge offering food, drinks and contemporary live entertainment.

Tel. +973 1722 7777.

KLUB360° Situated on the ground level of the new Elite Crystal hotel in Juffair, KLUB360° opens this month. It is a nightclub for four days of the week and a lounge for three.

Aimed at a unique and sophisticated crowd, KLUB360° offers originality, captivation and everything Bahrain hasn’t already seen before.

Tel. +973 1736 0300.

Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa Set on a beautiful coastline, the Thalassa Sea & Spa at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Resort provides the best thalassotherapy and spa therapy with a highly trained team of professionals. The key treatments that compose thalassotherapy rely on the effects of sea plants, trace elements and sea air. It replenishes, re-mineralises and detoxifies your entire being and has longlasting effects.

Tel. +973 1763 6363.

The Day Out

InterContinental Regency Bahrain

Pearl Diving There aren’t many places in the world where you can go diving and come up with makings of jewellery. Bahrain is however renowned for its pearls. Unless you are an expert, opening the little beggars is a tricky business, but its’ great fun! Don’t think you’re going to unravel a huge one, or a pea size one for that matter. In some cases they are found but you will be proud of your little pebble-sized beauties.

Fantasia Beach Club A new multi-million dollar leisure facility has joined the shores of Zallaq offering Bahrain residents sun, sea and Miami-style partying. The Fantasia Beach Club is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offers great facilities, five-star dining outlets and much more.

Bus Tours Take advantage of someone else’s expertise showing you the beauty of Bahrain. From handicrafts to desert beauty you can explore Bahrain’s true history for a very cheap price.

Ghadeer Tours are running bus tours which last up to three hours for only BD18 per person or BD25 for private tours (minimum two person policy applies).

Tel. +973 3981 7997.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 49

n i a r h a i B k S f r u S Lifestyle

La Plage Beach Club Take a trip down towards the Bahrain International Circuit and instead of turning off, head straight on towards the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa. This new venue is the perfect retreat for a weekend away. Take advantage of the La Plage Beach Club, an elegant and modern facility, where you will get to enjoy a relaxing day on the beach or by the pool, or you can pick from a wide range of water sports.

Tel. +973 1763 6363.

Art and Culture

Bahrain Writers Circle Perhaps not a full day out, but an interesting afternoon or evening is certainly up for grabs at a Bahrain Writers’ Circle (BWC) meeting. Aimed at amateur and professional writers, the BWC gathers to interact, network and enjoy talks by qualified speakers on a variety of writing related subjects.

Email: bahrainwritersclub@gmail.com Art Galleries It would take you a whole day or even more to tour all the art galleries Bahrain has to offer. The newest of the bunch is the Opera Gallery located at the Harbour Mall. Meander through new exhibitions every month and witness the enormous talent that Bahrain has to offer.

Bahraini Cinema Club: Tel. +973 1772 5959 The Culture Vultures: Email: culturevulturesbahrain@gmail.com Elham Arts Group: Visit www.elham-bahrain.net

Bahrain Surf Ski Club Lovers of surf skiing, an ever increasingly popular sport, have formed a club in Bahrain: The Bahrain Surf Ski Club. In case you didn’t know, a surf ski is similar to a kayak and surf skiing is one of the best and fastest growing ocean sports.

If you want to get involved email: bahrainsurfski@gmail.com

Bulthama A two-hour boat ride north of Manama, just near the unspoilt coral reefs and where the water is clear you will find Bulthama.

When the water is calm you might be lucky enough to see turtles and dolphins, maybe even a whale shark.

The Renovated Souq Many of us were sceptical but the renovated portion of the souq has taken us all by surprise. Perfectly combining the traditional with the contemporary, this new shopping centre has a plethora of shops, market stalls and little eateries for you to lazily wander through before heading into the wider, older souq.

Weekend

Break Marina Club For an island, Bahrain distinctly lacks in beach fun!

But hold your breath, because the Marina Club location just off Al Fateh Highway on the Diplomat corniche is here to save the day with its small but perfectly formed patch of sand, sun beds, and jet skis for hire. If the sea isn’t your thing then you can always mingle around the pool - ideal for family fun.

Tel. +973 1729 1527.

50 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

The K Hotel A brand new four-star hotel has opened up in Juffair: The K Hotel. It comprises 237 rooms and suites and five food and beverage outlets. Take advantage of packages, including the special room opening package which includes free breakfast, free airport transfer, free internet and more.

Tel. +973 1736 0000.

Lifestyle Al Dar North The latest addition on Al Dar Islands is Al Dar North, a small exclusive cluster of six beach chalets. The chalets have a private beach with a patio to enjoy it from, and all rooms are fitted with AC, flat screen TV and a dock for your iPod. Free Wi-Fi is also available.

Tel. +973 1770 4600.

Hawar Cocooned in the lap of the largest of Hawar Islands and away from the city’s din, Hawar offers you the rare luxury of being one with nature. Located 20 kilometers southeast of the mainland of Bahrain, the resort is a one-hour exciting boat ride away. Offering commanding sea views, all 60 spacious guest rooms, suites and villas come with the most modern indulgence and comfort.

Tel. +973 1753 2272.

A Few

Classics Muharraq Heritage Trail A labyrinth of alleys and courtyards in Muharraq leads you through some of Bahrain’s most important heritage buildings, the sum of which is to become a World Heritage Site.

Al Areen Wildlife Park

Al Areen Wildlife Park The Al Areen Wildlife Park is perfect for families and animal lovers to explore at leisure. The wildlife sanctuary was initially built to protect rare Arabian species including the oryx, adax and reem gazelle but today hundreds of other animals and bird species reside there happily.

Tel. +973 1783 6116.

National Museum of Bahrain The largest and oldest museum in Bahrain, the National Museum possesses a rich collection of Bahrain’s ancient archaeological artefacts acquired since 1988, and covers 6,000 years of the country’s history. There is also an art gallery which often exhibits local and international artists.

Tel. +973 1729 2977.

Al Fateh Mosque One of the largest mosques in the world, the Al Fateh Mosque, located in Juffair, is a great place to visit with guests or just as an afternoon out in order to better understand local traditions and culture. You can also visit the National Library which is just next door. Remember to dress modestly.

Al Fateh Mosque

n i a r h a B rt o FMuseum Bahrain Fort Museum The Bahrain Fort is a UNESCO Heritage Site and a beautiful place to be at sunset. The Bahrain Fort Museum was inaugurated in 2008 very close to the ancient fort and allows visitors to identify five major eras of archaeological findings. You can also enjoy a meal in the tranquil cafe.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 51

At Your Service

Helping Keep Bahrain In Shape

Catherine Kerr

C

atherine Kerr has always worked within the health and fitness arena since she specialised in leisure management at university. After studying a Bachelor of Science, Masters and Diploma, she went on to train personal trainers, become a ski instructor and tennis coach, then set up her own personal training company in London.

Consequently, she was offered a great opportunity in the Middle East that “I just could not pass up,” she admitted to Bahrain Confidential. From training the royal family of Saudi Arabia, she moved to Bahrain three years ago and here she helps the kingdom stay in shape as an independent sports massage therapist, master personal trainer and nutritional advisor. “From the comfort of peoples’ own homes and gyms, I design a personal programme with them so we can reach their goals together.” This could be anything from weight loss and getting fitter, to training for a triathlon or marathon. It includes activities such as cardio, running, spinning, kick boxing, interval training, weights, core stability, aqua aerobics - to name a few - and keeping a thorough ‘food diary’. “Sometimes people say they barely eat and exercise but they aren’t losing anything. This isn’t possible unless you have a problem with your thyroid, so the food diary helps us identify the culprit(s).” During a free initial consultation, Catherine will measure a client and then check their fitness levels with aerobics and strength tests. This will tell her what needs to be done and then after a certain amount of time, she will redo these tests to see how far they have come. “It’s a great way to encourage people - by getting them to beat their own records.” The main thing to remember, Catherine says, is that exercising and getting healthy should be enjoyable. “My ethos is that exercise and healthy eating is life changing. I don’t believe in fad diets; the tips you learn with me should be incorporated into your daily life and will allow you to live a fuller and healthier life. You must do it because you want to more than because you need to.”

For more information contact Catherine Kerr on Tel. +973 3989 7701 or email: c.j.kerr@talk21.com

Autism:

Raising Awareness

R

eaching out to support autistic children, VIVA, through its corporate social responsibility programme, “VIVA Jusoor,” launched a campaign which aims to raise awareness about the disorder through various media channels and fundraising as well as building bridges between segments of society in order to provide specialist educational support for autistic children from needy families. Autism is a disorder affecting the brain and hence a child’s ability to adapt and communicate with the outside world.

It evolves negatively over time if not addressed at a young age. The disorder appears during the first three years of the child’s life and lasts a lifetime. It has been proven through research that intensive training programmes are crucial in reaching practical results leading to a life of more independence and productivity. Autism is one of three diseases of concern to the United Nations because of its global repercussions and the amount of effects on communities it has. The rapid speed of the disorder’s spread in the world and the importance of early screening and education to reduce the factors require major public awareness. One in every 150 children has autism, 90 per cent of those do not receive proper education and 75 per cent are bullied by peers. VIVA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ibrahim Al-Omar commented on the campaign saying: “The programme is designed to enable members of the community with special needs to build bridges between them and the community through sustainable programs creating limitless opportunities. There is no cure yet, but there is always hope.” VIVA opened the door for its customers to take part in supporting the education of autistic children via SMS text messaging with donations deposited to Alia School for Early Intervention for the education of needy children with autism. The campaign will last for two months and started on World Autism Awareness Day, which took place on 2nd April. To contribute with BD1, VIVA customers can send the number “1” via SMS to the number 88143. Customers can donate up to BD10 a month.

52 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

At Your Service

Sing Your Heart Out

E

ver since their first concert in December 1972, when twenty five singers, under the baton of Keith Bickle sang Christmas Carols and Part One of Handel’s Messiah at the British Council Theatre, the Manama Singers has become a tight-knit group that now consists of over 100 dedicated members. With over 30 years of experience, the group sing and continue to sing, in a variety of venues around the island. These have included the three churches and the Cathedral, the old Awali Theatre, the BAPCO, British and Dilmun Clubs, the former Gulf Technical College, the Hilton, Regency and Diplomat Hotels and St Christopher’s School. With capital sponsors including Gulf Air and the Crowne Plaza Bahrain, the group continue to perform for a variety of causes and occasions. Recently, the Manama Singers in a bid to help Tony Waters, generally known as ‘The Dogfather’, who runs an animal home for abandoned cats and dogs, conducted a performance that followed the theme of all things animalistic. ‘Animal Magic’ included a variety of songs that all followed an animal theme. Since Tony has been faced with eviction the ‘Animal Magic’ performance has raised BD1,000 which has benefited Tony immensely.

To join the multicultural group of enthusiastic and committed singers from all walks of life, go along to the choir rehearsals held every Tuesday at 7.30pm at St Christopher’s Cathedral (opposite Police Fort).

Mike Franklin

Tony Waters a.k.a.

‘Tony The Dogfather’

For more information on the Manama Singers please call Erika on: +973 3982 5409 and to contact or donate to Tony please contact +973 3962 9889.

Mövenpick’s Summer Wedding Packages

T

he big day is nigh. You are all happy and excited and you want to make your wedding truly memorable .... Then you realise there are a gazillion things that need to be organised: the attires, cake, reception, flowers, and all the other important details of a wedding ceremony. By the end of it all, you’re totally exhausted and might lose track about what’s really important in a wedding - the union of souls between two people. The Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain’s experienced team have got all these in mind and want to help you create a perfect wedding. Whether it’s a large or intimate occasion you plan to have, their ‘Summer Wedding’ Gold and Diamond packages offered from June until September, includes selections for a ‘Celebration Dinner buffet, free flowing beverages, a dedicated banquet manager and hostess, use of Al Murjan Ballroom including set-up and venue rental, complimentary use of the gym and infinity pool and a free overnight stay for the bride and groom in a Suite including breakfast the following day, plus a complimentary meal voucher for two persons valid for three months, a wedding cake and fresh floral arrangements.

The Gold Package is priced at BD10++ on weekdays and BD12++ on weekends; whilst the Diamond Package is offered at BD12++ on weekdays and BD14++ on weekends. The rates are quoted per person and require a minimum booking for 200 guests. For more details, Tel. +973 1746 0000.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 53

Real Lives

Ameera Al-Kooheji’s

Music And Lyrics

This 26-year-old Bahraini music producer talks about music, life and all the beauty that binds it all together.

A

meera Al-Kooheji’s work can best be described as honest; filled with humaninterest songs that are inspired by her personal encounters. She studied Communication Arts at the American University in Lebanon for three years but on her last year there, she came back to Bahrain and switched her major and obtained a degree in business. “I figured that if I can’t pursue a singing career

then I can at least do the next best thing which was to direct and produce video clips and movies. In my third year, my parents asked me to change my major to a more realistic one, so I returned to Bahrain, started work and graduated from NYIT with a Bachelors in International Business.”

She started working on electronic dance music, “but I’d say that my own music falls in the ‘alternative’ genre, although I try not to restrain myself to a specific type. I like to experiment but keep my words and notes honest and expressive of what I feel.”

Passionate about music

Photographs by: Aziza Salman

Ameera Al-Kooheji

54 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

“There is beauty in everything, and life in general inspires me.”

even from a young age, Ameera tells us how it all started for her back in August 2008. “Something changed in me. It was a period of self-awakening. I was so involved with my corporate job and my side business - a tailoring shop. I was doing very well but I just couldn’t seem to find happiness or self-fulfilment.

I realised that what I really wanted to do was to work in music and I would never be satisfied until I tried it. My whole life I was afraid of trying or admitting to my parents what I really wanted because I was so afraid of theirs and society’s reaction, but I somehow gathered the courage to stand up for my beliefs. So I packed my bags, quit my job and left for New York – not knowing anything or anyone there. I met so many musicians and producers and I started working with many of them, spending a lot of time behind the microphone and training myself. After a couple of months, I got involved with production. From there a lot of doors opened; I worked as a DJ in my own show and was signed under a Canadian label,” recounts Ameera. After collaborating with producers, she felt she needed more musical freedom to produce and sing what she wanted so she chose to work independently. “I stopped the ‘DJing’ and took my career further by opening a production house for voice-overs and music production, meanwhile doing my own music.”

Writing music mostly in English, her inspiration is borne from within and around her: “I am inspired by the imperfections in life and everything around me. I notice the little things that I was once too busy to notice. There is beauty in everything and life in general inspires me.”

She’s currently working on producing music for corporate clients and doing some TV work too via her own production studio. As for her own music, she has a few collaborations in the ‘trance’ genre coming soon. She’s also just released two new songs that are now available on iTunes and on her personal website.

For budding young artists, she says: “Forget fame. Be good at what you do and enjoy every second of it.”

For more information about Ameera’s work, visit www.ameeraali.com

Leewan

Al Khor Advertorial

Introducing Authentic

Leewan General Manager Abeer Abdulrahman, Al Areen Palace and Spa General Manager Salvatore, HE Italian Ambassador Enrico Padula and his wife Milena Padula

T

Khaleeji Cuisine

he Leewan Al Khor restaurant recently opened its first branch at the Lagoon, Amwaj Islands. The restaurant offers authentic homemade Khaleeji (Gulf) cuisine to residents and visitors of Amwaj Islands.

The two-storey restaurant has a capacity for more than 70 people and offers a variety of Gulf foods, in addition to seafood, grills and desserts. The interior was designed with old Bahraini style in mind, and maintains a high standard of service.

The restaurant management said this is the first of several branches it intends to launch in the future within the Gulf region. The location within

the Lagoon in Amwaj Islands was chosen based on the potential this new development has, as well as the growing number of residents within the islands themselves.

According to Abeer A Rahman, Leewan’s General Manager: “The timing of opening such a restaurant is great now that Bahrain is back to normal and everyone wants to enjoy their time. We all have a duty to help the tourism sector and prove that Bahrain will always be the best destination in the region.”

For more information contact Leewan Al Khor restaurant on +973 1601 0666.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 55

Shopping Exterior of the KRB in Seef Mall Extension

Seef Mall Explored Khaleda Rajab Khaleda Rajab Couture is a new boutique that has opened in the new extension of Seef Mall.

This homes some of the latest collections and the brand’s, expansion of KRC Kids, Khaleda Rajab Haute Couture Home, KRC Accessories and Khaleda Rajab Shoes and Handbags. The latest Spring Summer line highlights lots of chiffons and silks with a touch of urban vintage.

The Bahrain Confidential team and Co scoured Seef Mall to find some worthwhile shopping boutiques.

Chain metal necklace which adds vintage to your outfit instantly

Interior of the KRB in Seef Mall Extension

BD96

Electric Blue Cocktail Dress with haute shoulder pads

BD170 Electric Blue Cocktail Dress with haute shoulder pads

BD180

BD170

Chunky studded leather belt - pièce de résistance

Interior of Laura Ashley store in Seef Mall Extension

Laura Ashley

The Welsh fashion designer and businesswoman is now a household name on the strength of her work as a designer and manufacturer of a range of colourful fabrics for clothes and home furnishings, which started with a simple scarf.

BD32.4

Cushion

Exterior of Laura Ashley store in Seef Mall Extension

BD10 Stack and bead bracelet

Floral print silhouette dress

BD69

BD27.7 BD126

Forbury Stripe Cranbury curtains

Animal print handbag with purple highlights

BD1400 56 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Winchester Purple Pin Stripe Sofa

BD28.3 Ashling Round Cushion

Shopping Exterior of H&M store in Seef Mall

BD7.9 Polo

H&M

BD9.9 Shirt

The Swedish retail-clothing company, is well known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children, located over two floors in Seef Mall.

BD10.9 Trousers

Interior of H&M store in Seef Mall

Jacket

BD113.8

Karen Millen Karen Millen is an Icelandic-owned women’s designer clothing brand, specialising in tailoring, coats and eveningwear. The brand produces two main collections and two transitional collections each season. Karen Millen is located at Seef Mall.

Exterior of Karen Millen store in Seef Mall

Interior of Karen Millen store in Seef Mall

Handbag

BD68.3 Skirt

BD100.8

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 57

People

The

Socialite Diaries Bahrain Confidential manages to track down the elite of Bahrain to find out just what they are up to.

Where did you last shop?

I do my shopping at different places; I’m the type of girl who can go shopping anytime, anywhere, but my favourite brand is Karen Millen. I was just there last night and I can’t get enough of it! All my outfits are from there and I am so addicted to classy dresses.

I always wanted to look like Jacqueline Kennedy.

What are you driving?

I’ve been driving my BMW 5

58 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Last week I found a lovely lipstick which was red and I don’t fancy red that much but this lipstick from M.A.C is absolutely awesome. It’s called ‘Russian Red.’ I also received some perfume from my eldest brother which is very smooth and feminine called ‘Miss Charming’ by Juliette Hasa Gun.

Dashti Sumaya Sumaya is wearing a dress from Karen Millen

Communications and Brand Manager at the Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain

Diaries Socialite series since 2006 when I first bought it and I still find it so classy and luxurious. I found out that only beautiful girls drive such a car. BMW must be lucky to sell cars for chicks!

What is the newest product in your handbag?

Where are you off to this month?

I’ll be travelling to Dubai, attending the Arabian Travel Market exhibition and I’m so excited to meet the rest of my colleagues.

What is your current favourite dining spot?

I have so many places that I totally adore. I like to go to the Royal Golf Club, Muay Thai at the Ritz-Carlton, and of course my number one spot is the brunch at the Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain. I also love Zuma at DIFC Dubai. I went last time I was there and I wish they would open a branch here ...

What have you been gossiping about?

I usually don’t gossip to be honest, unless it’s related to money or food hahaha! But the latest gossip is all about the pool memberships at the Mövenpick hotel; I just can’t wait to get lots of members to experience our pool and the newly designed terrace.

Available at www.aspiga.com.

Quote promotion code ‘bahrain’

Shopping

Koton

BD35.8

All for BD27 each

Koton

Tsavo

The Hakim Yildrim Collection is now available at Koton.

Koton is located at Seef Mall and Bahrain City Centre.

Komaza

Bibi Zanzibar

is available at

Koton

A Gal’s Got To Shop ...

Dorothy Perkins

www.aspiga.com

Pretty or glam, minimal or exotic, draped or cinched, Dorothy Perkins gives nostalgic fashion a millennium edge for Spring/Summer 2011.

Dorothy Perkins is located in Bahrain City Centre.

Dorothy Perkins

aspiga

BD25.5

BD25

Reiss

Reiss

As Reiss embarks on its fourth decade, its new collection focuses on the seventies for a modern take on icons of the era such as Anjelica Huston and Brooke Shields.

Reiss is located at Bahrain City Centre.

Dorothy Perkins

BD12 BD39

Oasis

BD159

Coast

BD15.3 Reiss

BD230.2

This season marks the launch of the capsule ‘Heritage Collection’ in which 15 of Coast’s most iconic pieces and footwear styles make a return. Coast is located at Bahrain City Centre.

Coast

Oasis

Trendy, light and colourful scarves are featured in Oasis’ new Spring/ Summer collection.

Prices may vary. For other products, prices are available on request.

60 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Shopping Paul Smith

This season, Reiss introduces jackets that are surface-treated to create a crisp, modern feel whilst functionality is central throughout all pieces with detachable hoods and rucksack detailing. Reiss is at Bahrain City Centre.

Paul Smith

Reiss

Reiss

BD25.6

Paul Smith

BD46.2

Add some colour to your step with the new Spring/ Summer collection from Paul Smith.

Paul Smith is located in Bahrain City Centre.

... And Reiss

adidas’ Official UEFA Match Ball

So Do

Guys!

BD43 adidas has just unveiled the official match ball for the UEFA Champions League Final Wembley 2011 design inspired by the host city, London. The adidas ‘Finale London’ was unveiled at Wembley stadium

by Salomon Kalou of Chelsea FC and Samir Nasri of Arsenal FC. Now available at all adidas Sports Performance stores across the GCC.

Jean Paul Gaultier

River Island

BD12.5

River Island

River Island

BD19.5

With a sharp focus on comfort, style and mass appeal, River Island presents a cohesive and upbeat collection for the modern man this Spring/ Summer 2011.

River Island is at Bahrain City Centre.

Jean Paul Gaultier

is located at Al A ’ali Mall.

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring/Summer 2011 “Romantic, rock ‘n’ roll, tight stretch fishnets and big boots,” is how Gaultier describes his newest collection for men this Spring/Summer. The collections’ pleats can be worn by any size, and adapts to different body shapes.

Jean Paul Gaultier

adidas

Prices may vary and some are available upon request.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 61

Shopping

Tommy Hilfiger Menswear collection re-imagines

Maddox Chambray Shirt / Light Indigo Brooklyn Fine Stripe Short / Kennedy Pink Hudson Stripe Scarf / Cosmo Turquoise / Kennedy Pink / Multi Fabric Braided Belt Casual / Snow White Chino 1B / Brown

Randy Jacket / Midnight Lovel Stripe V-neck Sweater / Classic White / Venice Blue Boston Country Worn Trousers / Country Worn Red Teddy Check Scarf / Multi Elvio Multi Belt / Multi Chino 1B / Brown

College Polo / Ithaca Blue Duncan Cargo Short Sander Flower / Kennedy Pink Elvio Multi Stripe Belt / Midnight / Scarlet Red Chino 1B / Brown

preppy staples, injecting them with

new energy and style

Neels Shawl Cardigan / Snow White Rollins Stripe CF1 / Classic White / Multi Mercer Chino Cotton Fine Stripe / Midnight Multi Elvio Multi Stripe Belt / Midnight / Scarlet Red

62 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Baseball Jacket / Scarlet Classic Cable Sweater / Riverside Blue New North Stripe Shirt / Purple Sand / Classic White Teddy Check B-Trunk / Dutch Navy Men’s sunglasses TH 1040 / S OX2-08 / Matt Ruthenium / Blue White Red Chino 1B / Brown

Breuer Blazer 221826/120 / Navy Anthony DC Shirt 072144 000 H10 / Oxford Blue H-Bob-W Pantalon 221915/120 / Navy Teddy Check Tie / Winer y Plum / Multi Silk Pocket Square / Red / Navy Watch TH1053 / Brown Alexander 3A / Dark Brown

Norbert Polo LS / Riverside Blue Parker Check Shirt CF2 / Warhol Green / Multi Brooklyn Fine Stripe Short / Scarlet Red / Multi Men’s sunglasses TH 1040/S OX6-ED / Matt Brown / Cream Brown Blue Elvio Multi Belt / Multi Spectator Oxfords / White / Navy

Arthur Cardigan / Warhol Green Heath Check Shirt / Scarlet Red / Dutch Navy / Warhol Green David Cargo Pant / Surf Tan Geraldo Stripe Belt / Ecru / Midnight Watch TH1053 / Black Alexander 2B / Orange

Tommy Hilfiger caters for men, women and kids. The stores are located at Bahrain City Centre, Tel. 1662 7047 and Seef Mall, Tel. 1758 1533.

Shopping

Geoxe at

A fashionable array of shoes are available for children and babies for Spring/Summer 2011 at Geox.

Geox is located at Bahrain City Centre.

Geox

Little girls are pretty in pink at Mamas and Papas. Pastel pinks and vibrant blues make up one of the key collections for Spring/Summer 2011.

Mamas and Papas is located at Bahrain City Centre.

Don’t Forget The

New Look

The Summer 2011 New Look collection for kids is fashionable, colourful and playful - everything kids look for in clothes!

New Look is located at Bahrain City Centre.

BD7.9

Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer

New Look

Mamas and Papas

Kids!

BD4.5

New Look

In continuing support of Japan and the Pacific nations affected by the tsunami, Sanrio and TY have teamed up to offer this very special ‘I♥Japan’ Hello Kitty Beanie Baby.

The specially designed limited edition Hello Kitty Beanie Baby is dressed as a nurse and will be available worldwide this month.

The Hello Kitty store is located at Bahrain City Centre.

Mamas and Papas

Geox

Hello Kitty

Mamas and Papas

Bahrain City Centre

Mamas and Papas

is availabl

Mamas and Papas

Mamas and Papas

Geox

BD3.5 New Look

BD8.5 New Look

Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer kidswear summer collection is in store now. All that is on trend for adults is also available for kids at every family’s favourite shop.

Marks & Spencer is located at Seef Mall.

Prices may vary. For other products, prices are available on request.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 63

Shopping

Bvlgari Sunglasses

for Spring/Summer 2011

Bono, singer of the Irish rock band U2 performs on stage during the 360° Tour at Ciudad de La Plata stadium in La Plata, Argentina on 2nd April, 2011. He wore a pair of custom-made Bulgari sunglasses with matte black frame and grey lenses.

Black acetate sunglasses with monete decor

Limited Edition black mother of pearl acetate sunglasses with emerald crystal

Brown chevron acetate sunglasses with Leoni motif

Black shading to grey acetate sunglasses with ruby crystal

Black acetate sunglasses with enamel Parentesi motif

BD170

BD317

BD135

BD130

Brown shading to blue acetate sunglasses with cabochon cut blue sapphire, emerald and amethyst glass stones

BD170

BD190

BD140 Dark Havana acetate sunglasses with caochon cut topaz, blue sapphire and emerald glass stones

Bvlgari is located in Al Aa’li Mall.

64 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

FashionA nArabia. ionArabi ionArabi Unique, award-winning Arabian Magazines now online ... Enjoy! .FashionArabia.net Online edition at www

BAHRAIN BD2 KSA

SR20 KUWAIT KD

Flawless

?e insibl SkPos It’s

2 OMAN RO2 QATAR

QR20 UAE DHS20

• ٢٠١١ ‫أﺑﺮﻳﻞ‬ Issue 71 • April 11

20C11’est

-The Arabian Review

٧١ ‫اﻟﻌﺪد‬

GulfInsider

BAHRAIN

BAHRAIN

Issue 75

Bahrain

Asian workers attacked

Bahrain

Rebuilding Bahrain

‫ﻃﺮﻳﻖ اﻟﻮﺣﺪة‬ ‫ﻓﻲ‬

#

‫رﻳﺎل ﺳﻌﻮدي‬ ١٠

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‫اﻗﺔ اﻟﻤﺎﺿﻲ‬ ‫ﻳﺪﻣﺞ ﻋﺮ‬ ‫ﺑﺤﺪاﺛﺔ اﻟﺤﺎﺿﺮ‬

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...UniteBH

‫ د‬١٠ ‫ﻄـــﺮي‬ ‫رﻳــﺎل ﻗ‬

‘Eunique’

Inaccurate media coverage

Dubai

Is it real?

‫راﻫــﻢ إﻣﺎراﺗﻴﺔ‬

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Issue

The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

Gulf Financial Insider

fashion! n life, luxury and Guide to Arabia

100

‫ﻗﻄﺔ ﻫﻮﻟﻴ‬ ‫ﻋﻦ ا�ﺿﻮاء‬

Time to move forward and overcome sectarian and economic strife Bahrain BD2

KSA SR20

Kuwait KD1.75

Oman RO2

Qatar QR20

UAE DHS20

www.FashionArabia.net You can now read our magazines virtually at www.FashionArabia.net for free at the beginning of every month! Join our other 50,000 online readers and catch the latest articles, events, photographs and fantastic competitions that are being featured in any one of our three titles;

Do you want more? Well then visit: www.ConfidentialArabia.com and peruse our online newsletter every two weeks and get even more up-to-date news on fashion, beauty, celebrity gossip, what to do and special offers. If you would like to promote your services or talent email info@ArabianMagazines.com and you could be featured in our next newsletter or title.

Sub Rosa Fashion

‘Sub rosa’ is a Latin phrase meaning ‘under the rose,’ which in English denotes secrecy or confidentiality. The KK Design by Khulood Khalaf summer collection of abayas is called ‘The Floral Legend’ and encapsulates the modesty of a traditional Arabian lady with the bold nature of modern times.

66 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Fashion

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 67

Fashion

68 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Fashion

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 69

Fashion

70 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Fashion

Fashion designer: KK Design by Khulood Khalaf, Tel. +973 3651 5824.

Art Direction and Model Choreography: Kananu Arts Direction

Hats designed and crafted by: Juni Capulong

Hair: Diva Beauty Salon Make-up: Samar Al Hiddi Photography: Armand Hough, www.iamfotografie.com Model: Laura Bale

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 71

Fashion

Nine West presents its latest collection this summer ...

72 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Fashion

Nine West Stores are located at Bahrain City Centre, Tel. 1662 7077, Seef Mall, Tel. 1662 7038, Bahrain Mall, Tel. 1662 7418 and Marina Mall, Tel. 1662 7086.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 73

Shopping

Massimo

Dutti

Total dedication, top quality materials and a clever mix of textures and styles are the keystones of the Massimo Dutti world and reflected in all its collections. See below some items that caught our eye this month ...

BD39

BD47

BD32

BD27

BD17

BD17

BD12

BD16

BD25

BD49

74 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

BD39

BD25

BD17

Massimo Dutti is located in Bahrain City Centre and Seef Mall.

Arabian Translation Service ... get a free quote on language translation The Arabian Translation Service provides accurate Arabic to English and English to Arabic translation services that are completed on time and are competitively priced.

Based on your requirements, we assign your project to one of several experts trained for specific translation needs of technical documents, websites, certificates, transcripts, medical records, legal documents, general correspondence and any other document type. s "AHRAIN BASED WE MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE TO YOU HOURS A DAY AND DAYS A WEEK 7E realise that your time is valuable so we do our best to provide accurate, high speed solutions.

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Living

Everything you need to make a home

Freedom

Furniture Classic French Provincial Themes Most shades of blue are perfect for the bedroom because they promote relaxation. It provides a calming environment that can help to sooth stress and enhance better sleeping patterns.

Freedom Furniture have got some clever decorating ideas for your home that can instantly uplift a room. They provide smart solutions for whether you’re choosing the right rug, updating your home with colour, setting up a home-office, or looking for some smart storage concepts.

76 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Living

The Zed Desk The popular Zed Desk has been re-vamped with a slick brushed nickel-plated finish frame and graphite glass tops.

The extensive array of components makes it a very affordable and flexible home office solution.

Domino Sofa Range

Domino Sofa Range

Unmistakably modern and elegant,the very popular Domino sofa range is available in luxurious leather and fabulous fabric, with a selection of your choice of colours.

Que occasional range with gorgeous marble top and brushed nickel plated steel, entertainment units in same range in white high gloss. Also, get these colourful home accessories: Jenka embroidered cushions, Gable stripe cushions, Plaza rug with subtle textured stripe in lustrous wool/ artsilk and Alpha industrial looking table lamp in chromed metal with articulated arm, floor light in same range.

You’ ll definitely want to come home with Freedom Furniture’s simple but beautifullydesigned pieces.

Freedom Furniture is located on the first floor of Bahrain City Centre. Tel. +973 1717 9393.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 77

B Beauty

Beauty

Buzz

Pure Colour Wild Violet Makeup Collection

The Wild Violet Pure Colour Collection is a dynamic collection of high-performance make-up products with a burst of enthusiastic colour by Estée Lauder Creative Make-up Director Tom Pecheux.

In this intensely vivacious collection, lips delight in shades of electric orange, brazen cherry and violet plum, eyes are smoldering in muted neutrals with wisps of purple for maximum depth and attention while nails are rich and smokey in a modern charcoal.

• Lipstick - Price ranges from BD10 – BD16++ • Pure Colour Five Colour • Eyeshadow Palette in Wild Violet BD25 • Pure Colour Eyeshadow in Sugar Cube BD18 • Pure Colour Eyeshadow in Untamed Violet BD18 • Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil in Untamed Violet BD8.5

BD29

BD19

Available for a limited time at Estée Lauder counters starting this month.

Clarins Extra Firming

Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanning BD15

Clarins launches Instant Tanning Skin Perfecting progressive tan, designed to give you a unique beauty with or without sunshine by illuminating your face with acacia micro pearls. Caramel extracts ensure perfect results, with a creamy texture and a wonderful fragrance of peach and almond. Clarins is available at all Faces outlets.

Clarins Extra Firming body lotion promises to preserve the skin’s natural elasticity with organic lemon thyme extract, preventing loss of skin firmness. Extracts of Centella, Bocoa and Vu Sua serve all skin types with a rich texture offering the comforts of shea butter, hazelnut and jojoba oils.

Take care of your body deliciously!

Clarins is available at all Faces outlets.

Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm by Clinique

Sculptured Glow

A set of two compact powders composed of a light shade and a darker one. These two magic shades are designed to reshape the face using the light and shadow contrast.

Using the dark shade in hollow areas reduces the size of the face, while the light shade can be applied to emphasise and highlight prominent features.

The super-nourishing balm is loaded with mango and shea butters. Just what dry, delicate lips need to feel comfortably soft and smooth. Available in eight natural-looking lip tints in all, each with a subtle sheen.

BD10.5

Prices may vary. For other products, prices are available on request and available at all leading cosmetic outlets.

78 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Beauty La Prairie’s Cellular Radiance Emulsion SPF 30

BD193

A gossamer-light, skinbrightening, moisturereplenishing lotion with a high level of SPF protection and multiple anti-ageing benefits, Cellular Radiance Emulsion SPF 30 is designed to help restore youthful luster and vitality to mid-life skin.

BD47

Life Threads

Life Threads Sheer Gold and Sheer Ruby are presented in clean-cut geometric bottles sculpted of transparent Lucite and wrapped with strands of golden ribbon or a garland of ruby-red stones. Both are inspired combinations of visual and olfactive wizardry.

Sublimage La Crème

Infinitely silky and exquisitely fine, Sublimage La Crème melts into the skin leaving a beautiful velvety finish. Its rich texture is sheer, easily absorbed and luxuriously creamy.

Chanel Lifting Firming Day Fluid SPF 15

BD156

Rouge Coco Shine

This is ideal for those who want oil-free skin. The texture that is more fluid than cream but still offers shaping and lifting sensations with the same moisturising action and firm skin effect, without the Shea butter.

The lipstick range pays a tribute to Coco Chanel with shades including Initial Success, Boy and Liberte. Each lipstick consists of a blend of wax and plant-based phytosterol which melt into the skin and Hydratender complex, which lasts for up to eight hours.

BD61

BD17

BD40.5

Hydra Beauty

Studies conducted with Hydra Beauty Serum showed skin hydrated down to its core, no matter what the skin profile or climatic conditions. After four weeks of usage, skin is intensely hydrated, perfectly soft and velvety. Hydra Beauty Serum also protects the skin preventing the formation of malondialdehyde, induced by ultraviolet radiation.

A Photo of Coco Chanel

Products available at all Faces outlets and at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bahrain City Centre.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 79

Beauty

s e c a F Beauty Week

Sporty Beauty

Step into the Faces Beauty Festival on 1st to 15th May and discover your beauty style as well as a bevy of gifts to suit your every impulse!

Receive any of these gifts for every purchase of BD30

Are you a Sporty Beauty? Do you love being outdoors and exercising?

Are you the kind of girl that prefers lighter make-up? Perhaps a hint of gloss, blush and a simple sweep of mascara? Faces have the perfect, natural look for you.

And what does your fragrance say about you? They have a multitude of light, fresh fragrances to match your active lifestyle. Fragrances like Lacoste’s Joy of Pink, the vibrant new fragrance with delightfully uplifting scents of grapefruit and blue curacao invoke contagious feelings of joy and excitement.

80 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Exclusive to Faces, the Lacoste white and fuschia trimmed duffle bag is perfect for today’s modern woman in the fast moving world.

Whether you are packing for a weekend break or playing sports, the practical, yet fashionable and youthful styled bag is yours free when any large size of the Lacoste Female fragrance range is purchased (excludes Eau De Lacoste fragrance).

worth of any Clarins products.

Exclusively at Faces, a Lady Million clutch is yours with the purchase of a Lady Million 80ml fragrance.

These and other gifts from international brands await you at the Beauty Festival, so hurry into Faces from 1st to 15th May. Offers valid while supplies last and you don’t want to miss out on them!

Faces is located at Seef Mall, Dana Mall, Country Mall and Riffa Mall.

Exclusively at Faces, the hippest grey CK Hobo Bag with canvas detailing is yours free with the purchase of any CK large fragrance.

Trendy Beauty

Glam Beauty

Exclusively at Faces, a lady-like Givenchy creamcoloured handbag is yours free with any Givenchy purchase of BD60 or more.

Are you more of a Classic Beauty?

Do you aspire to always look elegant?

Perhaps pearls and that little black dress are more your style. Who better to fulfill your beauty needs than Givenchy, the symbol of elegance and grace. From rich and luxurious make-up palettes to timeless fragrance such as eaudemoiselle, a feminine, delicate and sophisticated floral musky scent, Givenchy epitomises the modern yet classic beauty.

Classic Beauty

Beauty

Are you a Glamorous Beauty? Is every day filled with parties, events and a lifestyle that a diva would envy? Would you never be caught without your Dior compact and Chanel lipstick, the icons of true glamour? Dramatic eyes and lips to go with your dramatic life, let the beauty experts at Faces create the perfect look for you for that special event. And a fashionista has to have her signature scent, so of course what could be more appropriate than Lady Million from Paco Rabanne. Lady Million lives the high life and makes no excuses for it. The fragrance is a fresh woody floral with notes of orange blossom, raspberry, jasmine and gardenia. The bottle is shaped in a befitting diamond shape, the perfect indulgence for any jetsetter!

Are you someone who goes against the norm to express your individuality? Do you seek out the different, the artistic? Are you a Trendy Beauty? Does your make-up make a statement with bold colour palettes and vibrant shades? Faces have the perfect looks from unique and niche brands like MAKE UP FOR Ever, Smashbox, and Benefit, with striking eye shadows and bright, mouthwatering lip colours!

And of course your fragrance should be as unique as you! CK One Summer, the newest offering from the CK One line embodies a joyful and dynamic composition, with good mood, vitality and energy boosts of fruit cocktail, pear, and lemon zest housed in a sun-kissed bright orange flacon.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 81

Skin Revealed ‌

Beauty

82 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Bahrain Confidential teams up with Dr Dean Cunha Gomes from the Royal Bahrain Hospital. Every month he’ll address questions about skin conditions that affect you, and what suitable treatments there are available.

If you have any skin or body concerns that you think Dr Gomes can help you with please email your question to info@ArabianMagazines.com

Beauty Can stretch marks be removed?

Stretch marks are caused by breakdown of elastic fibres in the dermis due to excessive stretch of the skin (postpregnancy, weight gain, rapid muscle enlargement). In the early phases of development of stretch marks, they are red in colour (which lasts for three to four months) and can be treated successfully using Fraxel Laser and mesotherapy. Later on, once they become white in colour the effect of treatment is much less, giving a poorer aesthetic outcome. Numerous creams are available in the market which have poor results when used for old stretch marks.

I have pigmentation on the forehead and face – is there an easy way to reduce them?

There are many reasons for pigmentation on the face, but the most concerning are those conditions causing a brownish or black pigmentation over the forehead, cheeks, around the mouth and over the nose. This could occur due to hormonal changes (post-pregnancy), genetic influences, post-drug treatment, and post-inflammation among other causes. This condition, called melasma, is not an easy condition to treat, as recurrences are very common.

Treatment includes the judicious use of creams, Fraxel Dual laser (Solta Medical) and certain injectable formulations. The creams have to be applied as a program, so that synthesis and transport of melanin to the upper layers of the skin are reduced.

They also include light peeling agents along with those that bleach the skin and reduce inflammation of the skin. The Fraxel Dual laser has a very effective laser system for this condition. The Thulium laser (1924 nm wavelength) can cover large areas and is superficial (0.2 mm in depth). It is very effective for pigment blemishes on the skin. It is preferable to do three sessions, one month apart, at low settings for this condition. Post-Fraxel treatment includes the use of creams with sunscreen which is of immense importance.

results however, there is also a minimum of two weeks down time and a chance of complications. For patients who have ‘heavy faces’ with a lot of skin sag and loose skin, the MACS Facelift [Minimal Access Cranial Suspension] is very popular, as the extent of surgery is much less and the aesthetic outcome is good.

This is a short scar face lift which gives a good result. Those who wouldn’t like any down time, scarring, bruising and risks of complications, a non-invasive method of skin tightening for face, neck, forehead and eyelid is available. Thermage (Solta medical) with the upgraded new CPT [Comfort Pulsed Technology] hand piece for the face can produce a good level of skin tightening using radio frequency energy. It causes remodeling of the collagen and thereby produces tightening of the skin evident by smoothening of the jowls, lifting of cheeks, neck, brows and tightening of the eyelid skin. The effects of

Cellulite (orange peel effect of the skin) is most common over the thighs and buttocks, accentuated by hormonal changes and when there is excessive body fat and fluid. Reduction of fat by liposuction reduces cellulite in patients who have excessive fat. To improve the appearance, further non-invasive methods like Thermage and Vella Smooth Pro/ Vella shape machines give good results.

The Vella Smooth Pro machine, combines the use of suction, rollers, infra-red light, and radio frequency energy to tighten the fibrous septa between the compartments of the fat and tighten the overlying skin by targeting the collagen layer in the skin.

Four to six sessions are required for a good result.

Can laser treatment remove my moles – if not what can without causing scars?

Moles in most cases involve the full thickness of skin. Therefore their removal would involve an excision, especially so when a mole has changed in its character.

Excision of moles do result in a scar, which we as plastic surgeons try to hide within the normal folds or creases of the skin. Those who have a keloidal tendency need special treatments to prevent unsightly scars.

Please check your moles for changes in size, shape, colour, thickness, bleeding and irritation. Those with numerous moles can come in for a mole survey which is done on a six-monthly basis to define those which have changed in character.

Moles can change to cancerous growths which would need more extensive surgery.

“The vast majority of patients start Botox treatment in their mid 30s.”

How do I prevent pigmentation?

The most important method of prevention of pigmentation is to regularly use UV A and UV B blocking agents. We need to apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 to 50 at least 15 minutes before leaving the house. It needs to be reapplied after 90 to 120 minutes if one is in the strong sun and or repeating an application before leaving work in the afternoon. All patients who are on the cream program or have had aesthetic treatments for the skin need to use sunscreen as part of the postprocedure protocol. The advice of an aesthetic consultant is imperative.

the Thermage are seen typically in about four weeks and continuously improve until six months. Its effects last for one to two years. Different tips are used for skin tightening of the abdominal area, thighs and hands.

In your opinion do day and night creams actually work?

Day and night creams work by improving texture and pigment problems. Their effects are slow but the constituents of the formulation have to be tailored to each patient, depending on skin type, sun exposure and the underlying skin condition. Many such creams are available over-the-counter. However, patients are advised to use these creams with great caution as detrimental effects can occur if used unsupervised.

I don’t believe over-the-counter cellulite treatment works. In your opinion what does work?

It seems that young women who don’t have wrinkles are using Botox – what exactly does it do and when is the best age for having it done?

Wrinkles which are seen without animation are termed static wrinkles. While those which are evident upon muscle movement are termed dynamic wrinkles. The former are treated by fillers while the latter are treated by Botox. If lines and wrinkles are not evident then there is no indication for Botox. I would not advise Botox before 22 to 25 years of age. Even those in their mid 20s would probably require Botox very sparingly in the area between the eyebrows. The vast majority of patients start Botox treatment in their mid 30s. It has a great rejuvenating potential, though the effects are temporary. It is typically done two or three times in the year.

Botox is not advised during pregnancy or during the period of breastfeeding. Other indications for Botox include migrainous headaches and excessive sweating in the armpits (hyperhydrosis) For further information or consultations, you may contact Dr Dean Cunha Gomes, Consultant Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon at the Royal Bahrain Hospital.

Tel. +973 1724 6857, 1724 6939, 8000 1090 or visit www.royalbahrainhospital.com

Instead of having a full facelift are there any other alternatives?

A full facelift is very effective for patients aged 55 to 65, who have sagging skin with numerous wrinkles. For patients between 40 to 55 years old, a facelift can give good

Dr Dean Cunha Gomes May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 83

Beauty

The Makeover When Neetu Dora originally got in touch with us about our makeover competition, it was to be a special Mother’s Day treat for her and four-year-old daughter Aanvi. Unfortunately weeks of instability followed forcing us to delay the results and encouraging us to get husband Sameer involved too. Both mum and dad are training managers and have been living in Bahrain for three years. Here’s how they got on ....

Victoria Dance

My Gym Keeping Aanvi active and involved was one of our main concerns and so we contacted our friends at My Gym Children’s Fitness Centre. My Gym have created an extraordinary programme with facilities devised to help children from six weeks to thirteen years of age develop physically, cognitively and emotionally. They hold structured, age-appropriate weekly classes which incorporate music, dance, relays, games, special rides, gymnastics, sports and other original activities. My Gym extended a free month’s membership, which included a class a week, for little Aanvi and family to enjoy together. Aanvi also ended up taking a good friend - they’re both members now!

My Gym have a special offer on classes and parties throughout may so don’t miss out!

Contact My Gym on +973 1756 6566 or visit www.my-gym.com

My Gym

Aanvi striking a proper ballerina pose

Victoria Dance In our initial meeting, Neetu let slip that Aanvi loves to dance.

So, we immediately got in touch with Victoria Shaban, principal of Victoria Dance Performing Arts and Dance Studio at Bodyline. Victoria Dance offers all kinds of dance lessons and plenty of other activities to kids aged three to 18. Aanvi went for her first ballet lesson, kitted out in perfect ballerina attire, and loved it. She was consequently offered a month’s free membership, which she renewed once it had expired. Watch this space for prima donna Aanvi Tiwari ...

For more information on Victoria Dance, contact Tel. +973 1779 3932.

Marafie Clinic

Neetu during her hair removal session

84 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Aanvi with her class at My Gym

Sameer and Aanvi

Marafie Clinic Neetu had expressed interest in hair removal so we quickly got in touch with Ms Hanann Marafie at Marafie Skin and Laser Clinic. The clinic, which is located in the Seef District, is equipped with the most advanced laser machines for hair removal, non-ablative facial rejuvenation and resurfacing, as well as laser treatment for broken veins. Neetu was given two free sessions of hair removal and will be returning shortly for more in order to complete the process. For more information contact Marafie Skin and Laser Clinic on Tel. +973 1758 5373.

Th

Beauty

Neetu enjoys her spa treatments

InterContinental Regency Hotel Bahrain As soon as time permitted, Neetu and Sameer were whisked away to the spa at the InterContinental Regency Hotel Bahrain for a soothing chocolate massage; much needed after all the cancellations and postponements! While chocolate may be a dieter’s worst enemy, when it comes to massages chocolate remarkably helps you lose weight! It is also well known for its antiageing properties when applied to the skin, as well as its moisturising effects. Moreover, its pure aroma triggers the release of chemicals in the brain that produces a euphoric sensation and also has a calming effect which reduces stress and releases muscles for a younger, relaxed appearance, decreasing stretch marks, fine lines and wrinkles.

For more information contact the InterContinental Regency Hotel Bahrain on Tel. +973 1722 7777.

Felda Cut and Style

Neetu before the shoot

Aanvi before the shoot

InterContinental Regency Hotel Bahrain Shopping!

We headed straight to Marks and Spencer at Seef Mall to get all the outfits for our all-important photo shoot. Perfect for a family makeover!

Fashion designer, stylist and art director of Kananu Arts Direction, who was in charge of styling the family, first visited their wardrobe to get an idea of what they usually wear and then advised on what colours and cuts suit them best. In Marks and Spencer, they all chose three looks each, sticking to a theme of glamour.

Neetu had admitted that much of the time she’s either dressing for work, in her national dress, or just jeans and tops. Juni immediately decided it was time to inject a bit of allure into their lives.

Turn over to see the results!

Marks and Spencer at Seef Mall

Felda Cut and Style Pre-photo shoot we sent Neetu and Aanvi off to Felda del Prado at Felda Cut and Style who took care of the hair styling and make-up looks for the day.

Felda decided upon a relaxed up do for Neetu and gorgeous ringlets for Aanvi.

Both looks added the perfect amount of glamour to our already sophisticated outfits. Felda Cut and Style is a full service salon in Bahrain that provides clients with high quality hair, nail and beauty care. Contact Felda Cut and Style on Tel. +973 1722 4077.

The Makeover Fashion stylist advising Neetu on shoes

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 85

The Outcome

Beauty

Sameer

Neetu

Aanvi

The TIWARI FAMILY

86 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Beauty

All shoes, clothes and accessories: Marks and Spencer, Seef Mall Photography: Armand Hough (www.iamfotografie.com) Creative Director: Kananu Arts Direction

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 87

Beauty

A Brand New Look for a Brand New You Many of you may already know of our makeover but you definitely don’t know about our all new makeover with a fabulously fresh new team!

F

ashion feeds on the imagination of the wearer.

For all those who are scared to be one’s self, it creates a boundary that not only hinders self improvement, but also in reaching your career potentials.

Haven’t you wondered why designers produce collections that are out of this world?

Or even unwearable? It’s to manifest an illusion where the buyer can join in the dream and the fantasy, thus subliminally living a life of confidence and gaiety.

At Bahrain Confidential, we have a group of professionals we like to call the ‘Makeover Masters’, who will present to you ultimate and indispensable advice, with the aim of making you the most beautiful person you can ever be.

These pages will be filled with hundreds of insider tips, tricks, application how-to’s and short cuts from professionals and trusted experts in the fields of plastic surgery, dental care, health and nutrition, hair and beauty, wardrobe styling, and even life coaching.

Whether you are single, married, in need of a career boost, a total change in your lifestyle, or just want to be a better person, our panel of experts will lead you to your goal.

Meet The Team: Cosmetic Surgeon - Dr Dean Cunha Gomes - The Royal Bahrain Hospital Hair and Beauty Guru - Felda del Prado Dental Practitioners - Dr Oommen George, Dr Rajesh Radharkrishnan, Dr Rajeswariav - The Royal Bahrain Hospital Nutritionist and Personal Trainer - Catherine Kerr Fashion Stylist and Makeover Master - Kananu Arts Direction

Call us a life saver or your new best friend; we will go in deep starting with your wardrobe; analysing your high points and your weaknesses, recommending what’s in and what’s out. Then we look at you internally, in your mind and yes… inside your mouth to check your teeth. We will also check on your diet and suggest what will make you healthier, plus recommend and implement a daily exercise regimen into your life. If there are physical difficulties that you can’t quite get over, we will enhance and advise you on how to overcome this dilemma. This is magic waiting to happen!

Our one-on-one consultations will be private and ensure a personal connection with our participants. The treatments will be scheduled according to an individual’s time frame; we know that convenience and practical scheduling is as important as the cure.

Style setting, morale boosting, self-discovery, and much more … all important elements that will lead you to a new and better you.

A gift from the experts that only Bahrain Confidential can provide.

So don’t hesitate in applying for this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Get yourself a new look, a new disposition and a new best friend … a person’s that’s truly happy and feels liberated – you! Only a few of us can say that they have done their best to make themselves a better person, or tried to improve where they can. This is an opportunity that offers absolutely free access to experts who will change your life forever.

This is only the beginning from the Makeover Masters …

All participants should email competition@ArabianMagazines.com with the subject: ‘Makeover Competition’; giving your name and contact details, explaining why you want the makeover and letting us know your favourite section of the magazine.

All details are confidential and for internal purposes only.

88 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

American Mission Hospital

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CZjgdad\n £ 6jY^dad\n $ HeZZX] I]ZgVen £ 9ZgbVidad\n £ :Vg! CdhZ I]gdVi :CI £ <ZcZgVa! AVeVgdhXde^X @Zn]daZ Hjg\Zgn £ De]i]Vabdad\n £ Dgi]deZY^Xh £ E]nh^di]ZgVen £ EV^c BVcV\ZbZci £ 8dbegZ]Zch^kZ! ^c"]djhZ AVWdgVidgn HZgk^XZh £ E]VgbVXn HZgk^XZh £ M"gVn \ZcZgVa! heZX^Va bVbbd\gVe]n £ JaigVhdjcY £ 7gZVhi 8a^c^X £ 8]Zhi 8a^c^X £ 9^VWZiZh 8a^c^X £ =neZgiZch^dc 8a^c^X £ HeZX^Va^in 8a^c^Xh [dg 8VgY^dad\n! Ejab^cdad\n!

CZjgdad\n <VhigdZciZgdad\n £ LZaa LdbVc =ZVai] HXgZZc^c\ £ LZaa 7VWn 8a^c^X £ Hbd`^c\ 8ZhhVi^dc 8a^c^X £ BZciVa =ZVai] 8a^c^X £ HaZZe HijYn 8ZciZg

Since 1903 American Mission Hospital has been caring for the community of Bahrain.

Building from our heritage for your future!

P.O. Box 1 Manama, Bahrain Website: www.amh.org.bh E-mail: info@amh.org.bh Direct dial appointments: 1724 8110 or 1724 8121 Saar Medical and Dental Center Tel: +973 1779 0025 Fax: +973 1779 0052

Health

Health

Updates Breastfeeding Intelligence?

Numerous studies have shown that breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from infections and are somewhat healthier. However, researchers have begun to look at the much debated effect of breastfeeding more broadly, to discover that it can lead to better intelligence in children. The most comprehensive study on breastfeeding has shown that breastfeeding does continue to have an effect on a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mental ability right through secondary school. Tests have shown that intelligence is increased by breastfeeding for just the first four weeks of an infantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and IQ levels can increase up to three or five points. The subject is still under research and scientists have come up with two possible explanations for the effect of breastfeeding on a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intelligence. One theory is that breast milk contains long chain fatty acids that help in the development of the brain whilst another theory states that breastfeeding improves the bond between mother and child.

Sneezing Fits!

Do you find yourself sneezing after a meal or even after a few bites of a meal? Well, some people do and it can be quite embarrassing.

This sneezing can last up to five minutes after a meal and one can go on sneezing at least 20 times. So what is going on? A person who sneezes so much after a meal is most likely suffering from postprandial (after eating) or prandial (during eating) rhinorrhea (runny nose). In this condition, the nose produces mucus in response to eating in much the same way the stomach produces digestive juices.

In some cases, this type of sneezing may be because of sensitivity to sugar or fat. Post-prandial rhinorrhea is also thought to be caused by an allergic reaction to pesticides and an immune response to chitin, a substance found in many foods. So what can be done? In the case of an allergy, doctors recommend going on a simple non fatty, non sugary diet of non-sugary cereal with rice milk, poached egg on toast, baked fish or chicken and steamed vegetables. Applying Vaseline on the nostrils and drinking plenty of water is also thought to be of some help. Science has produced over-thecounter antihistamines and steroid nasal spray as well. Ayurveda might also be recommended.

90 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Health Irregular Exercise is Bad for You!

Exercise has been known to be good for an individual because it decreases risks of heart disease, leaving one much healthier. However, recent research has shown that spikes in physical activity can have the opposite effect. Sudden spikes in physical activity may in fact, trigger heart attacks and bring about cardiac arrest. There is an increased risk for individuals who are unhealthy but a small risk applies to even the healthiest individual. Scientists have discovered that “episodic activity” was associated with more than two and a half times increased risk of heart attack and SCD (Sudden Cardiac Arrest). A regular indulgence of physical exercise and activity however, will offset the increased risk by almost half for each additional week it was carried out and is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and related mortality. Researchers have suggested that the risk of heart disease can be modified with “habitual physical activity”.

What is Hypnobirthing?

Women have always had trouble with labour pain and to complicate matters further, sometimes pain relief cannot be provided to them even if they wanted it. On the other hand some women decide to bear the pain without the help of drugs because they are more eager about natural childbirth.

Often times, they realise too late that the pain is just too much to bear and by then, they couldn’t be given any. So what can be done? Research has discovered a process called hypnobirthing that doctors hope might just help solve the problem. Hypnobirthing has gotten doctors asking themselves whether intense labour pain can be avoided or is triggered by fear and tension. The idea that pain during labour is a result of anxiety and can be eliminated with relaxation is an old one. Hypnobirth induces a deep sense of relaxation. In other words, women will experience contractions as surges and not as pain, making it easier to fight. Although this method of childbirth does not promise to guarantee a pain-free birth, doctors are certain it will help the body cope better. Relaxation during pregnancy leads to an even and rhythmic breathing which ensure a plentiful supply of oxygen to the brain. This stimulates the production of oxytocin and endorphins, stabling blood pressure and conserving more energy.

Are You Balding?

Male pattern baldness is pretty common today and most men have their confidence seriously affected by it. One-third of all men aged over 40 suffer from some degree of baldness, depending on genes and blood flow to the scalp. This natural thinning of the hair can be solved easily in a number of different ways. Back in the day, men would do a comb over, growing one long strand and combing it over the top of their head. After that, they took to shaving all of it off. Today however, technology provides more options to deal with the problem of balding. Over-the-counter topical preparations are common as are hair transplants. However, there are also less extreme options such as getting a decent haircut or getting a scalp massage to help the healthy growth of the hair that is still there!

A toppik may also be used. These are synthetic hair fibres that can be dusted out of a tin and will naturally stick onto the scalp through static electricity until the next hair wash. One may also consider scalp make-up. Doctors recommend eating more fish, fowl, eggs and low-fat cottage cheese as well.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 91

Lifestyle

Coaching and

Mentoring Uncovered

by Kevin Craig CPCC, CEO Craig Consultants and Dr Clare Beckett-McInroy Ed.D, Coach

There are occasions when personally or professionally we need a hand to ensure we are heading in the right direction. But more than that, we may also need the type of sustained provisions and ‘push’ and ‘pull’ that enable us to see our vision fulfilled.

O

ften we hear the words coaching and mentoring being thrown about when people talk about developing, learning and resolving issues or challenges.

However, there are many misconceptions out there and the objective of this article is to clarify some key differences.

So, you have an issue to solve related to your personal and/or professional development. Your next step is to decide what you need and where to find it. One problem is that in today’s fast paced world we often take whatever learning we can get our hands on without really understanding which one is right for you and/or your organisation.

Professional coaching and mentoring certainly is available in Bahrain in many manifestations. To this end, we will enable you to understand both what you can do for yourself in reality and how you can ensure you are getting value for money

“One problem is that in today’s fast paced world we often take whatever learning we can get our hands on ...”

92 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

together with what to look for when selecting a coach or mentor.

So, what’s the difference between coaching and mentoring?

The Differences

It is not surprising that the words coaching and mentoring are used interchangeably as both enable people to become more effective. Unlike counselling which addresses underlying issues and tries to ‘heal’ the root cause of a problem, coaching and mentoring are more focused on results and enabling people to be and work more effectively. Successful people engage in coaching; we are all familiar with the term coach in relation to sport and public speaking. The same principles apply to the coaching of senior executives and leaders right through to students and stay-at-home parents. The skills required by coaches and mentors are similar; they facilitate action and are performanceoriented. In short, where mentors usually advise, coaches enable.

Lifestyle

Situation

Coaching

Mentoring

I can’t find a job



I am not managing my work-life balance effectively



I want to establish my own business





I am not utilising my skills and knowledge





I can’t delegate





I am new to a job and need some help





I need to do some political navigation





My organisation wants to increase its productivity





I need to learn new skills





I can’t handle my in-laws



My life is in transition





I am challenged by numerous roles





My life is currently hard and difficult





I want more money



I want my time for myself



My children are too demanding for me



I need to develop my relationships with others





My team needs to align





Coaching Uncovered

Whether you are looking at personal, business, executive or organisational coaching, clients come to coaches for a multitude of reasons. Not yet fully understanding the nuances of coaching levels, experience and credentials, many clients choose a coach based on their expertise in non-coaching areas. Many clients say they want a coach to share any experience and/or knowledge that could minimise mistakes, accelerate learning and overall progress – this is NOT the role of an effective coach. In reality, a different perspective can enable us to question our own rationale for our decision making. Furthermore, quick fix solutions, even if they are imparted by experts, are generally not sustained. Coaching focuses on behavioural change resulting in short, medium and long-term benefits.

Pure Coaching

Coaching is defined by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) the accrediting body for coaches internationally as: “… an ongoing partnership that helps individuals and/or groups produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives and … deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life” Pure coaching is where you are held as naturally creative, resourceful and whole and the coach enables you to determine

the best path forward for yourself. You can apply this process to other areas of your life and the repertoire of developed skills will enable you to creatively develop your own solutions in future situations, reducing dependency. In its simplest form, the coach assists the client to: • Clarify the agenda • Identify options • Choose paths • Create a plan and stick to it • Raise your awareness • Connect you with your underlying values and strengths • Make conscious choices • Find out what truly inspires you • Achieve extraordinarily meaningful outcomes.

“Coaching not only focuses on the ‘doing’, but more importantly, your ‘being’ as it is your ‘being’ that achieves your ‘doing’”.

Kevin Craig (CPCC, ACC, ORSC) – Executive, Organisational Coach and CEO

Mentoring

In mentoring, it is recognised that the mentor is the one who has specific knowledge, skills and experience relevant to your needs. Some see mentors as older, wiser, more experienced people providing a helping hand to their mentees.

Mentoring can be weaved into an ongoing coaching relationship, on an “as needed basis” without disempowering you or

“A different perspective can enable us to question our own rationale for our decision making.”

fostering a dependency. In other words, any knowledge you might share is held lightly and shared without attachment so you do not devolve into merely “advice giving”. You get the information or facts that you need to accelerate your progress and are left to make your own decisions.

At all times you should retain ownership of the issue and decide what, if any of the mentoring, to accept and apply.

Mentoring can be a very powerful and natural addition to your understanding of common challenges you face. For example, if you happen to be someone who has started a number of businesses, and know all the pitfalls and shortcuts, knows what works and what doesn’t, you could definitely save yourself a lot of suffering and time. Mentoring involves the transfer or sharing of skills and knowledge from an authority. It can be done formally or informally. In fact, we often act in a mentoring capacity without even being aware of it whilst talking to a friend or colleague!

What are the benefits?

When can you benefit from coaching or mentoring?

Coaching

Mentoring

• Increase in consciousness and awareness of self • Development of life skills • Enable swift action • Increases confidences • Increases flexibility • Develops conscious, informed action • Provides balance and choice • Clarification of values • Identification of limiting beliefs • Self fulfillment

• Increased job performance and satisfaction • Development of specific job skills • Ability to navigation of organisation politics • Improving prioritising and time management skills • Provides feedback • Professional sounding board

Selecting a Coach or Mentor

When you know you want to seek out a coach or mentor ensure you are obtaining the services of an appropriate, professional, qualified and experienced person. With regard to coaching, when choosing a coach, make sure you do your research as there are many people practicing that call themselves ‘coaches’, however, they may have limited training, accreditation and/or experience which can be detrimental to you. Your coach should be accredited by the International Coaching Federation and hold the relevant certification and qualifications – ask to see them!

The Last Word ...

So, we challenge you to take action and engage with either a coach or mentor (or both) so that you can achieve your full potential For more information contact Kevin Craig on kevin@craigconsultants.com or Dr Clare Beckett-McInroy on clare@beckett-mcinroy.com To find certified coaches visit www.coachfederation.org/find-a-coach.

For more information on mentoring visit www.emccouncil.org

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 93

Opinion

E-Waste Management

Eng. Rehan Ahmed

E

Bahrain Confidential’s resident environmentalist Rehan Ahmed discusses why it’s important to properly take care of electronic devices long after they’ve served their purpose.

lectronic waste or e-waste are loosely discarded, surplus, used, obsolete, or broken electrical or electronic devices such as computers, monitors, peripherals, laptops, printers, audio and stereo equipment, VCRs and DVD players, video cameras, telephones, cellular phones, pagers, digital photo and other wireless devices, fax and copy machines, video game, refrigerators and toys etc.

In recent years, advances in consumer electronics have spurred economic growth; changing the way and the speed in which we communicate and get information and entertainment.

This phenomenon has given rise to a new environmental hazard in the form of e-waste generation.

The e-waste epidemic grows at three times the rate of municipal waste, making up to three per cent of known waste stream. It is estimated that nearly 75 per cent of old electronics are still in storage, because of the uncertainty of how to manage the materials consuming space and becoming more obsolete and less valuable with time.

UNEP figures show the worldwide total for e-waste generation could be 50 million tons per year. The US alone generates around three million tons of e-waste a year or around 400 million electronic items per year, while China produces about 2.3 million tons.

Modern electronics contain up to 60 different elements. Electronic items that are considered to be hazardous include TV (LCD and plasma) and computer monitors that contain cathode ray tubes, LCD desktop monitors, laptop computers with LCD displays, portable DVD players with LCD screens etc.

Toxic chemicals in electronics products can leach into the land over time or are released into the atmosphere. When the

and indium. If we recycle one million mobile phones, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 1,368 cars off the road for a year.

In developed countries, e-waste processing usually first involves dismantling the equipment into various parts (metal frames, power supplies, circuit boards, plastics), often by hand. The advantages of this process are a person’s ability to recognise and save working and repairable parts, including chips, transistors, RAMs, etc. The disadvantage is that the labour is cheapest in countries with the lowest health and safety standards.

We need to adopt smart new technologies and mechanisms which, combined with national and international policies, can transform waste into assets, creating new businesses with decent green jobs. Thus, the e-challenge can be turned into an e-opportunity. In the process, countries can help cut pollution linked with mining and manufacturing and with the disposal of old devices.

Source reduction is the least expensive and most effective way to manage e-waste. It is recommended that electronics are to be used and reused for the full life span of the device, after which it can eventually be recycled.

Recycling should be undertaken if the item cannot be economically repaired. Recycling raw materials from end-of-life electronics is the most effective solution to the growing e-waste problem.

It is suggested that we establish e-waste management centres of excellence, building on existing organisations working in the area of recycling and waste management

“Developing countries now face a serious challenge with rising environmental damage and health problems due to e-waste dumping and recycling.”

94 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

electronic components are illegally disposed and crushed in landfills, the lead is released into the environment. Computer or television displays (CRTs) contain an average of six pounds of lead each.

Lead is very toxic to humans and can cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems, blood system and kidneys.

Lead accumulates in the environment, with highly acute and chronic toxic effects on plants, animals and microorganisms.

Other hazardous materials used in other electronic devices include cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PVC plastic and brominated flame retardant. Studies have proved that the heavy metals in a mobile phone are capable of contaminating 600,000 litres of water.

Developing countries now face a serious challenge with rising environmental damage and health problems due to e-waste dumping and recycling. In addition to curbing health problems, boosting e-waste recycling rates have the potential to generate decent employment, cut greenhouse gas emissions and recover a wide range of valuable metals including silver, gold, palladium, copper

Rehan Ahmed is a Senior Environmental Specialist, Directorate of Environmental Control, Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife, Bahrain (Email: rehan900@gmail.com)

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Barcelona: Big, Brave, Beautiful

C

atalonia’s capital has a definite Mediterranean feel and my first impression is to describe it as a feast for all the senses.

The restructuring of the city for the 1992 Olympic Games has made it a highly sought after location on Continental Europe for living, vacationing and business.

Five million people live in the busy Barcelona metropolitan area with 1.7 million living in Barcelona city itself.

It is the fourth richest city by GDP in the European Union and is the fourth most visited after London, Paris and Rome. So, you may ask, how has Barcelona achieved these impressive statistics? Well, join me on a journey and I will show you.

Our first point of contact was when we alighted from the airport coach at Plaça Catalunya in the city’s historical centre. One is immediately struck by the vibrancy, atmosphere and noise of this incredibly alive concentration of humanity. A quick stroll down the famous La Rambla walking street brought us to Le Meridien Hotel - right in the middle of the city - which was to be our home for the next two days. Following a quick, super-efficient check-in, we were straight back out to savour and participate in the sights and sounds of La Rambla. This street has it all; cafés, bars, restaurants, shops and of course

the famous living statues which are basically street performers and mime artists who dress as statues and stand motionless for hours in the hope of receiving gratuities from the myriad of passing tourists.

Like any self-respecting Mediterranean city, Barcelona has a local café culture where the beautiful people sit and talk, watching other beautiful people, and where time seems to be of little importance.

According to my resident friend, Zurich café in Plaça Catalunya is the ultimate people watching spot and judging by the designer-sunglass-adorned crowds sitting at the pavement tables, I can believe it. However, we have more important things to do.

Barcelona has such a bewildering range of striking architecture and worldclass museums that, on a first visit, even the most organised visitor can only hope to scratch the surface. If the city’s heritage is your preference, then visit the galleries of Miro, Tapies and Picasso, or the Museum of Contemporary Art. Older treasures like the famous collection of Romanesque art can be seen in the National Museum of Art. The city has had a long and intense love affair with architecture and a Barcelona trip would be incomplete without a mini Gaudi tour. Antony Gaudi is probably the most famous of

“One is immediately struck by the vibrancy, atmosphere and noise of this incredibly alive concentration of humanity.”

96 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Barcelona is steeped in history, heritage and culture. BC contributor Bill Daly takes us on a trip around the Spanish city.

A view of Barcelona

Travel

Travel

One of Barcelona’s famous living statues

refreshments are needed. New Catalan cuisine and tapas bars tempt the taste buds but beware that the main problem is to tear yourself away and get walking again!

Barcelona is not only about culture, history and heritage (and food) though.

The city boasts some of the best shopping in Europe with everything ranging from t-shirt vendors to all of the top-of-the-range designer outlets.

For slightly less intellectually demanding entertainment, there is the Barcelona Aquarium, which is considered to be one of the finest in the world, or the aqua park, and the zoo. Or you can see Barcelona from a whole different perspective if you take a boat trip around the harbour or a cable car ride across the bay.

Moreover of course, one can never forget that we are at the home of one of the most famous football clubs in the world - FC Barcelona.

Her worldwide legion of devoted

Barcelona’s architects and he has left an incredible legacy on the the city with his weird, wonderful and cheeky designs. Many of his works have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The most awe-inspiring of these is the ‘Sagrada Familia’, also referred to as Gaudi’s cathedral.

Construction started on this wonderful building in 1882 and is scheduled to be completed in 2026 with all construction costs being privately funded. The

“New Catalan cuisine and tapas bars tempt the taste buds but beware that the main problem is to tear yourself away and get walking again!” architectural genius’ remains are entombed within this magnificent structure. It is definitely a sight not to be missed.

All of the sights and points of interest in Barcelona can be visited by various means including guided walking tours or hop-on hop-off double-decker bus tours. If you feel energetic enough, I would recommend seeing the sights on foot as you tend to get more close and personal with the heart of the action. Fortunately, cafés and restaurants are never more than a few feet away when a sit down and

fans has made the FC Barcelona Stadium the most visited tourist attraction in town.

The last two days of the trip were spent in the spectacular and ultra-cool W Hotel.

‘Wow, Whatever, Whenever’ are the reputed reasons why it’s called The W. I would certainly have to agree with the ‘wow’ factor, particularly with regards to the

bedrooms, all of which incidentally have a view of the beaches. I have to say, the beaches are what impresses me most about Barcelona. For a city of this size and beauty, it is absolutely amazing that the entire city stretches along the 4.5 km beach with access at any point, for anybody. In fact it was declared the best beach city in the world by National Geographic and the best urban beach in the world by Discovery Channel, and well-deserved titles they are.

Perfectly complementing Barcelona’s beach life is its Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, humid winters, although it can get quite chilly in the evenings during November, December and January. Even in winter, during Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art

the daytime, blue skies generally prevail so it can be a pleasant destination all year round.

So, if you’re thinking of heading that way, Barcelona airport can be reached from most cities in Europe and in our case we flew in from Amsterdam having connected with KLM from Bahrain

Gaudi’s architecture

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 97

Society

Society

Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Bahrain’s Got Talent

Bahrain’s Got Talent held a grand event at the Bayan School last 8th April to showcase the kingdom’s various talents, as part of the school’s ‘Community, Action, Service’ project. Proceeds from the event were donated to the Bahraini Association for Mental Retardation.

Tala Zubari

Mariam and Yara

Amal, Ameena, Faisal and Abdulwahab Al Hawaj

Alaa and Mariam

Zainab and Fatima

Mohammed, Hussain and Khalid

Fajer Rawan Bader and Ebrahim

Osama, Mohammed and Nasser

Leewan Alkhor Restaurant Leewan Alkhor restaurant, which serves authentic Arabian cuisine, had their soft opening at the Amwaj Lagoon on 19th April.

Nader, Salvatore, Isa Ahmed, Abeer Abdulrahman and Noora

Amal Shaheen and Mariyam

Tala Zubari

98 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Amal Shaheen and Mariyam

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Mariyam Fakhroo Art Exhibition

Renowned artist Mariyam Fakhroo staged an exhibition of her works at the Art Centre last 11th April.

Marianne and Ayman

Hussain Ali, Dr Talat and Adnan Ahmed

Fouad and Ali

Aysha and Faikha

Jassim, Renihal and Febin

Mohammed Khalid and Mariyam Ali Bin Yoysif Fakhroo

Bahraini-French Business Club

The Bahraini-French Business Club hosted a Business Luncheon at The K Hotel in Juffair on 11th April.

Ashraf and Adel Fakhroo

Philippe, Laurence and Jean Luc

Pascal, Shalini and Jeanette

Philippe and Jassim

Jano Mouwad and Sadiq Dawani

Rim Joseph, Khalid Turk, Roger, Mohammed Al Khaja and Raed Al Samahiji

Nuriel

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 99

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

The Boxtones at Sherlock Holmes

The Boxtones Band wowed the crowd with their performance at the Sherlock Holmes Bar at the Crowne Plaza Hotel last 7th April.

Katy and Faisal

Nuomi, Angela and Hazel

Doss, Anita and Faiez

Jules and Jo

Sarah, Martin and Samantha

Andy, Lib, Algie and Stu

Una and Kathy

Leigh, Noor, Chris and Gail

Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain BBQ for Employees

In its continuous engagement to provide its employees a fun and enjoyable workplace, Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain management organised an employees’ gathering at the newly designed BBQ area, at the hotel last 16th April.

General Manager Mr Heinz Krahenbuel, gives a speech

Mr Salman Al Mahmeed, the owner’s representitive gives a speech

100 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Fransesco and Chef Holger

Mr Krahenbuel with the employees

May and Mohammed

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

The Al Safir Hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stephen Daniel and Wife Sandraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wedding Anniversary

Stephen and Sandra Daniel recently celebrated their wedding anniversary with their daughters Candice and Clarissa and friends at their residence.

With Clement, Anne and Glenysen

With Sam, Meena and Kids

Anne, Meena, Shahnaz, Sandra, Gagan and Shobha

Stephen and Sandra

With Sharmila, Rebecca and Rachel

Stephen and Sandra with Vikram and Gagan

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 101

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Gymboree Grand Opening Party

Gymboree, a well known kids brand from the US, has just opened up in Bahrain City Centre on the second floor. There is a variety of kidswear and accessories for children up to 12 years old for affordable prices.

102 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Rendezvous Restaurant Launch

Rendezvous Restaurant officially opened at the City Centre last month with guests from the media and other VIPs. Ali Al Jassim

Radia, Sunil and Jehan

Yashvinder and Joyti

Angela, Valentina, Sandra and Abner

Chowdhery, Sunil, J.S. Rawat and Rashu

Betty and Noemi

Spring Bazaar

was held on 18th April at Choco Love.

Rochelle and Jennifer

Blessy and Samar

Martha, Lisa and Tessa

Helen and Carla

Victoria

Rose, Charean, Renante, Javie, Edgar, Aries and Gary

Eva, Randa and Nadia

Ayline and Dana

Laura and Sophie

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 103

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Toastmasters

Four to seven Clubs held their Area Toastmasters Speech Competition at the TAKA TAK Meeting Hall last 8th April.

Sumit, Jitewdra and Tanvir

Meera

Ashok Kumar and Imtiaz Ahmed

J Elango and S Subburaj

Murtaza Moti, Kapil Batra and Sanjay Gupta

Salwa Siddique, Abubakkar and S Sathis Kumar

McDonalds Price Giving at Ramli Mall

On the 14th April McDonalds announced the winners of the Big Mac Competition.

McDonalds Management and staff

Reggie, Qassim, Ednee, Abdulla Fakhro (Director), Ghanim Mohammed, Mohsin Ijaz, Ali El Hajj (General Manager), Rick and Ahmed Abulnabi.

104 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Society Latest society photos at www.FashionArabia.net

Friday Brunch K Hotel

Bahrain saw the launch of the newest brunch in town, ‘The K Hotel’s Friday Brunch’ held last 1st April at Klouds Restaurant.

Anthony, Scofar and Jay

Saeed Jaffer and Mohammed

Dave, Michael and Bill

David Wales, Stephen, Dena and Dive Wagstaff

Natasha and Nikolai Maile and Alan

Matthew, Keeton, Stacey and Cj

Cristalyn and Lani

Anjali Fisha Radia, Sunil andand Jehan

Scott Radia, SunilJoe andand Jehan

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 105

Business

Business in Brief

Zain Bahrain’s E-Waste Campaign Hits 300-plus Mark

Zain Bahrain has proven that the people of Bahrain are increasingly environmentfriendly and will go the extra mile with a partner who can lead the way. The company launched Bahrain’s first-ever Zain National Mobile Phone and E-Waste Recycling Campaign just last month and has already collected over 300 old, unusable and broken handsets for safe and environmentally friendly recycling.

Those who drop off their unwanted handsets can enter a raffle draw to win a new handset. Four winners have since been rewarded with a brand-new BlackBerry Torch phone each.

The Mövenpick Sustainability Team

Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain Sustainability Drive 2011 The Mövenpick Sustainability Team has painted the UCO Parents Care Centre in Muharraq last 17th February. Open since 1995 in Muharraq, it aims to enable elderly citizens to spend their time in recreational and educational programs. The purpose of the drive is to implement a closer relationship and cooperation with public and private institutions working in the field of the elderly. The Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain has been a supporter of the institution since 2005.

Bahrain Polytechnic to Publish Research Paper

Dr Damien Comiskey, a member of Bahrain Polytechnic’s academic staff, will have his most recent research paper ‘Predicting the external formation of a bone fracture callus: an optimisation approach’ published by an internationallyrenowned science journal published in Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering. The awardwinning Dr Comiskey explored the complex process of bone fracture healing via a computational simulation model in his latest work. His previous study on the influence of mechanical stimulus on the formation of bone healing tissues earned him the Young Engineers Best Research Paper Prize Award in 2010 in Ireland.

Gulf Air

Gulf Air Achieves Major Milestone in Aircraft Safety and Airworthiness Control Gulf Air has been awarded the coveted ‘Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation’ (CAMO) approval from Bahrain Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) after reaching a major milestone in its aircraft safety and airworthiness control. The approval is considered as one of the first of its kind issued by the BCAA for a local company in Bahrain and the region. Gulf Air is also being recognised for its in-house capability to achieve and maintain high standards for its fleet.

106 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Dr Dermot Brabazon(left) from Dublin City University handing Dr Damien the Young Engineers Best Research Paper Prize Award 2010 at the Institute of Engineers in Dublin, Ireland.

Business Unique: BMW M GmbH Develops World’s Fastest Pickup

Following the BMW M3 Coupé, BMW M3 Convertible and BMW M3 Sedan, a fourth body variant of this globally successful highperformance sports car is about to cause a stir. Under the strictest secrecy, the world’s first high-performance BMW M GmbH pickup has been created at the BMW M GmbH development centre. The sportiest example by far in this vehicle category, the BMW M3 Pickup unveiled last month will fire up the imaginations of all motorists with a deep appreciation of top performance matched by a keen practical twist.

Sakana Contributes Zakat to Al Sanabel Orphans Care Bahrain-based Sakana Holistic Housing Solutions, the Islamic mortgage finance provider contributed BD5,000 Zakat to Al Sanabel Orphans Sakana’s Vice Chairman, Mr Abdul Hakim Al Mutawa presented the cheque to Care on behalf of Mr Yousif Abdulla Uqab its shareholders.

Sakana’s Vice Chairman, Mr Abdul Hakim Al Mutawa presented the cheque to Mr Yousif Abdulla Uqab Member, of the Board of Trustees and Head of Public Relations and Financial Resources of Al Sanabel Orphans Care.

eGovt Holds Two-Day Explanatory Workshop

The eGovernment Authority recently held a two-day explanatory workshop for government employees in relation to the Bahrain Excellence Award 2011, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Two-Day Explanatory Workshop Technology, which aimed to introduce the participation process, its rules and criteria, as well as to encourage various government involvement. Almost 50 employees from more than 24 governmental entities in the Kingdom of Bahrain have participated in this workshop. Furthermore, a brief was presented by Grand Thorton, the Award Knowledge Partner about the participating methods and instructions on how to apply according to set standards.

Baytik Industrial Oasis (BIO) at the Banker Middle East Awards 2011

KFH’s Baytik Industrial Oasis Wins CPI Award

Kuwait Finance House – Bahrain (KFHBahrain) has received the Best Islamic Investment Product Award for its pioneering project – Baytik Industrial Oasis (BIO) at the Banker Middle East Awards 2011 organised by CPI Financial. The prestigious accolade was presented during a gala ceremony held at the Emirates Towers Hotel in Dubai on 23rd March 2011. The CPI Awards is recognised around the world as one of the most distinguished Awards Programmes in the financial industry.

Riffa Views

Riffa Views welcomed over 40 representatives from the country’s top banks earlier last month. Greeted by Yasser Abdulrahman Al-Raee, Managing Director of Riffa Views, the delegation was taken on a guided tour of the golf residential community, the Colin Montgomerie Golf Course and were given a private viewing of the development’s latest initiative - the Harmony of Nature villa – a five bedroom premier home complete with soft furnishings, home appliances and landscaping. Ms Karla Solano, Riffa Views’ Marketing and PR Manager, highlighted the project’s latest progress including the recent completion of the first community garden, the Oasis Garden, and the milestone - 60 per cent of sold villas handed over to homeowners. In addition to the project’s recent achievements, Solano emphasised that work on Riffa Views has continued to progress despite the recent challenging environment.

Children at the Riffa Views Oasis Garden

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 107

Cars

Porsche A Safe Bet For

O

ne thing that might not always be your main priority when choosing a car initially is its reliability. This is usually distracted by the speed, style, interior and nifty gadgets that each car now possesses.

So feel rest assured that when choosing a Porshe 911 that it’s actually one of the most reliable cars on the road according to the prestigious US market research institute J.D. Power and Associates.

For sports car enthusiasts, the award shows that the quality of the Porsche 911 is more than cosmetic.

High-performance cars often emphasise style and horsepower over durability, leaving owners with auto-repair bills that match their speeding tickets.

The 911 may still encourage a heavy foot on the pedal, but it won’t have owners pulling into the repair shop after every spirited sprint down the highway.

The research stated that the 911 model line is the most reliable vehicle. This

108 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

A car’s reliability might not be your first concern, but when the repair bills come in you will start to regret making the expensive choice. With Porsche that isn’t the case.

was the conclusion of the current VDS (Vehicle Dependability Study 2011) which analysed vehicles registered between September 2007 and February 2008.

More than 43,700 American car owners were involved in the poll. Not only has Porsche claimed a milestone in car safety,

“These results confirm our rigorous focus on the very highest quality throughout the entire process chain. At Porsche we are never satisfied with our achievements.

Traditionally we have always striven to become even better. Because we take a very sporty view of quality as well,” said Dr Stefan Knirsch, Director Corporate Quality.

Bahrain Porsche Centre is in high spirits with the news.

“Porsche being awarded the most reliable car just proves that it has what it takes to combine luxury, sports and reliability all in one package,” said Porsche Centre Bahrain Business Development Manager Firas Barbir. He continued to say that “Although in our market 60 per cent of our sales is Cayenne, we should never forget where it all started: our flagship, – the 911”

“Porsche being awarded the most reliable car just proves that it has what it takes to combine luxury, sports and reliability all in one package.” they were also voted as the best German car manufacturer.

At the same time there was high praise for production quality: In their study in the VDS 2011, the market researchers – referring to the long-term quality of the vehicles produced there – found the main Porsche plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen to be the best car factory in the world.

For more information please contact the Porsche Centre Bahrain on Tel. +973 1745 9911.

Cars

A Taste Of

Superiority

by Katy Gillett

Bahrain Confidential lives, breathes and sleeps luxury, so when an exclusive and sophisticated saloon came on the market we wanted to drive it too!

I

have to say that I’m not particularly a saloon gal, but after just ten minutes driving around in the 2011 Renault Safrane, I was a convert.

Renault’s luxury saloon is the latest incarnation of the Safrane, which was a success in its last guise, when it was launched in 2008, selling 2,624 units in the GCC. In fact it was built with the Middle East climate in mind.

Renault GCC Managing Director Mustansir Lakdawala said, “The Safrane is an ideal model for our customers. Owners in the region have exacting standards for cars, looking for something that will stand up to the rigours of the climate, while offering exceptional comfort and luxury, and a powerful engine for effortless motoring often on less than ideal roads, all wrapped up in a stylish saloon body. The new Renault Safrane meets all these criteria.”

Never a truer word said. Aside from its stylish body and sophisticated look, the first thing you notice on driving is how smooth and silent it is. The entire concept is comfort and in that, the car certainly does its job. I felt relaxed, contented and at ease while cruising around the island (yes even on the Bahraini roads!). You could almost

110 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

say it was akin to chilling in a relaxed and well-appointed private business lounge!

I’m not even going to mention the fabulously spacious leg room ....

Everything about the new Safrane screams luxury, from the relaxing, air purifying Samsung Super Plasma ioniser, to the Arkamys and Bose sound system.

Equipped with a V6 engine and automatic gearbox, it is manufactured at the Renault

reliability and efficiency offer outstanding safety performance, with a spec including ABS, emergency brake assist, ESC, adaptive airbags, twin side-impact sensors, a tyre pressure monitoring system and bi-xenon cornering headlights.

The new Safrane is very much the embodiment of the Renault baseline, ‘Drive the Change’, where Renault has strived to maximise the experience the car delivers to its occupants. Declan McCluskey, General Manager of Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons said: “The latest innovative technology has been implemented to deliver an experience, not just to the driver but to all occupants of the new Safrane.”

When it was initially brought out, the Renault Safrane was an executive car designed and built by the French manufacturer Renault from 1992 to 2000. Throughout its lifespan it remained the most expensive and most luxurious Renault available and although it has been surpassed since then, its exclusivity and superiority shine through, making it ideal for any driver with taste. I would certainly have another go!

“Aside from its stylish body and sophisticated look, the first thing you notice on driving is how smooth and silent it is.”

Samsung Motors Busan plant in South Korea. The dashboard presents an easyto-use system and innovative controls, and you have any button you may need with you on the steering wheel as well.

As for safety, all of Renault’s leading safety features are included with the new Safrane, with technical solutions developed within the framework of the Renault-Nissan Alliance integral to the saloon. Solutions acclaimed for their

The new Renault Safrane is available for a test drive at Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons, Sitra showroom. For more information contact Tel. +973 1773 2732.

Budget Car and Van Rental offer a wide range of cars, with a choice of sizes and styles to suit your leisure or corporate car hire requirements.

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Pets

Home!

At Bahrain Confidential we try our best to reunite lost animals with their families or find new homes for abandoned pets.

Looking for a

Ant

Blade

Bruce

Coby

Patch

Harvey

Mittens

Mutley

Nikki

Pepsi

Attention!

BSPCA Animals

The BSPCA is now enforcing a policy of neutering all male dogs and cats. The BSPCA’s policy also ensures that all female dogs and cats that are adopted MUST be neutered, the cost of which is incorporated into their pricing structure.

From Tony ‘The Dogfather’

Interested in adopting?

Visit the BSPCA in Saar, near St Christopher’s School or see www.bspca.org for directions. Open for viewings Monday to Saturday, 9am to 1pm. Tel. +973 1759 1231.

Betty

Porky

Priscilla One Blue Eye (left to right) E.T., Caspa, Rolly Poly and Fugly

Interested in adopting?

Call Tony ‘The Dogfather’ Waters on Tel. +973 3962 9889 or visit www.dogfatherbahrain.com

112 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Foxy

Do you have animal concerns? Need a vet?

Call Dr Nonie Coutts on Tel. +973 1724 5515.

Appeal

PLEASE HELP!

T

ony Waters aka ‘Tony the Dogfather’ has run a rescue and rehabilitation centre in Bahrain for the last ten years. Now with over 200 rescued animals it was time to relocate as his current location has been sold which obviously put him in a very difficult and distressing situation.

Thankfully Tony has found a new home for himself and the animals in Saar, and hopefully will begin building work on the AC kennels from the 1st May. It now means that his needs have changed slightly. Obviously the food and money donations are still very important to him and very gratefully received but now Tony needs a different kind of help as well: Sponsors to rebuild the kennels: Any building company who gives help will have their company name advertised on the newly built kennel block and in the media.

Building materials: breeze blocks,

metal doors, wood, cement, sand, roofing, tiles, porta-cabins.

Labour: masons, carpenters, labourers, electricians, plumbers.

Transport: to move existing reusable materials and new building materials.

Temporary storage space: for the furniture from the furniture shop.

When asked how he felt, Tony said, “I do re-home to the right families but only after the animals have been rehabilitated. The long term residents, old, damaged or special needs animals stay for the rest of their lives all in air-conditioned kennels.”

Anyone who can help should contact Tony on Tel. +973 3962 9889 or email at tony.dogfather@gmail.com or visit www.dogfatherbahrain.com Thank you in anticipation.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 113

Gastro Bushido Business Lunch

Gastro

Calendar The latest and tastiest places to go!

The Confidential gastro guide reveals the best places to eat every month.

Sundays

Churrasco Night at Silk’s, (Mövenpick) Brazilian style of dining with a focus on meat, including Caiphirinia drinks from 7pm to 11pm at BD16.9++ Sunday Roast and Quiz Night at JJ’s. From 6pm till 10pm, ladies enjoy unlimited beverages for just BD4.

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant, (Crowne Plaza) From 12pm to 4pm. BD8.5++ (3 courses); BD6.950++ (2 courses).

The Meat Room at La Mosaique (Crowne Plaza) Serving Angus certified beef, fresh and succulent –choose any cut you like and have it cooked to perfection on the grill in front of you.

Mondays

Seafood Night at Silk’s (Mövenpick) Prices starting at BD16.9++; BD22++ inclusive of unlimited beverages. From 7pm to 11pm.

Sushi Night at Cocoon Lounge. Unwind and relax in the chilled surroundings of Cocoon Lounge whilst sampling one of eight fresh, sumptuous platters of sushi plus unlimited selected beverages. From 7pm to 11pm at BD12 per person.

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant, (Crowne Plaza) From 12pm to 4pm. BD8.5++ (3 courses); BD6.950++ (2 courses).

The Meat Room at La Mosaique (Crowne Plaza) Serving Angus certified beef, fresh and succulent – choose any cut you like and have it cooked to perfection on the grill in front of you.

Selections

Selections at InterContinental Regency Bahrain offers a plethora of international cuisines, in an

114 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

engaging new environment. Planned around business executives, as well as the leisure lunchers, authentic cuisines from Europe, Asia and the Middle East are now set to fulfill your gastronomic cravings. Open daily from 6.30 am to 11.30pm.

Special: Network, socialise, and feast every day during lunch. Choose a soup, salad and a dessert for BD6++ or spoil yourself with a full buffet for BD11++. For bookings or more info please call Tel. +973 1720 8308.

Tuesdays

Seafood Night at La Mosaique (Crowne Plaza) BD16++ all you can eat! From 7pm.

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant, (Crowne Plaza) From 12pm to 4pm. BD8.5++ (3 courses); BD6.950++ (2 courses).

Seafood Night at Waves (Crowne Plaza) Enjoy all you can eat fresh seafood and salad starters cooked live by the chef according to your taste.

BD16++

Bushido Business Lunch

Bushido continues their award-winning business lunch special throughout the month. Take advantage of good quality Japanese food in the heart of Seef. Bushido has decided to develop new

formulas to cater quick lunches at affordable price.

3-style formula for a 1-hour lunch: Rolls&Sushi - starting BD8 - rolls with sushi or sashimi, miso soup, steamed rice, salad and fresh cut fruits.

Bento Box - starting BD9 - sashimi, grilled fish or chicken, salad, tempura and miso soup.

Teppanyaki - starting BD10 - poultry, beef or seafood set, with fried rice, miso soup, salad and fresh cut fruits.

All packages come with iced green tea!

Wednesdays

‘A Taste of Italy Night’ at Silk’s (Mövenpick) Fresh pasta and aromatic pizza baked in the oven for BD12.5 and BD18.2 inclusive of drinks. From 7pm to 11pm.

Prime Rib Night at Links Restaurant and Lounge (Royal Golf Club) Visitors pay BD12 and club members pay BD10.8. From 6pm.

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant, (Crowne Plaza) From 12pm to 4pm. BD8.5++ (3 courses); BD6.950++ (2 courses).

Seafood Fiesta at the Golden Tulip Bahrain. From 7pm to 11pm. BD15.5++ Inclusive of house wine and beer with live entertainment.

The Meat Room at La Mosaique (Crowne Plaza) Serving Angus-certified beef, fresh and succulent – choose any cut you like – and have it cooked to perfection on the grill in front of you.

Please be aware that timings and offers are likely to change. It is advised to call up in advance.

Gastro BBQ Night at Casa Bar (Mercure Hotel) Tel. +973 1758 4400

Thursdays

Sizzling Steak Night at Silk’s (Mövenpick) From BD18.2++ Seafood Night at La Mosaique (Crowne Plaza) BD16++ all you can eat! From 7pm.

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant, (Crowne Plaza) From 12pm to 4pm. BD8.5++ (3 courses); BD6.950++ (2 courses).

Seafood Night at Waves (Crowne Plaza) Enjoy all you can eat fresh seafood and salad starters cooked live by the chef according to your taste.

BD 16++ Arabian Night at Mercure Hotel. Enjoy live belly dancing and Arabic music along with dinner and soft beverages for BD12+

Carvery Feast at Links Lounge and Restaurant (Royal Golf Club). Enjoy a carvery buffet with all the trimmings for BD13 (club members); BD15 (visitors) and BD8.5 (for children under 12). From 12pm to 4pm. Crèche available for younger children at BD3 per child per hour.

Wok Me at the Pool, pool side terrace (Mövenpick), an Asian dish wok-fried by the chef at BD4.400. From 12pm to 4pm.

The Meat Room, La Mosaique (Crowne Plaza) Serving Angus-certified beef, fresh and succulent –choose any cut you like – and have it cooked to perfection on the grill in front of you.

The K Hotel restaurants

Fridays

entertainment with dishes starting at BD18++ Opens from 8pm to 2am.

Brunch and Bubbles

Saturdays

(Advisory: Brunches may change due to current events)

Everyday

The Diplomat Blu Brunch (The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel Residence and Spa) available at BD22 net (military personnel and Saudi Aramco BD20 net); from 11.30am to 3pm.

Tel. +973 3994 5208.

La Mediterranee (The Ritz-Carlton) available at BD19++. Tel. 1758 0000.

Rimal (Al Areen Palace and Spa) available at BD16++ (soft drinks), BD20++ (selected beverages), BD32++ (unlimited drinks).

Tel. 1784 5000.

La Brasserie (Elite Resort and Spa) at BD6.500++.

Tel. 3668 2178.

Zytoun (Novotel Al Dana Resort) available at BD18++. Tel. 1729 8008.

Brazil Lounge (Adliya) eat and drink as much as you wish for BD15.800. Tel. 1782 6686.

Al Waha (Gulf Hotel) available at BD21.2 net.

Tel. 1771 3000.

Golden Tulip available at BD17.5++ inclusive of selected beverages. Tel. 1753 5000.

AB FAB Brunch (Crowne Plaza) available at BD17.950++. Tel. 1753 1122.

Elite Seef Residence available at BD15 for unlimited food and drink. Tel. 3885 7122 or 3963 5502.

Le Jardin (Ramada Hotel) available at BD9.2.

Tel. 1774 2000.

Ric’s Country Kitchen (Juffair) available at BD15.

Tel. 1772 5550.

MUJU Jazzy Brunch (Dragon Hotel Resort) available at BD25 net. From 12pm to 5pm.

Tel. 1603 9800 Classic Roast Carvery (Links, Royal Golf Club) available at BD15 (kids under twelve, BD8.5); from 12pm to 3pm. Tel. 1775 0777.

Lebanese Grill at the Pool, poolside terrace (Mövenpick) A selection of delicious Lebanese grill with tender grilled shish tawouk, kofta, lamb chops and beef tikka - served the Lebanese way. BD6 per plate from 12pm to 4pm.

Kids Eat For Free at Links Lounge and Restaurant (Royal Golf Club) - for every adult main course ordered at lunchtime, children under 12 can order a dish from the kids’ menu for free. From 11am to 3pm.

Business Lunch at Waves Seafood Restaurant, (Crowne Plaza) From 12pm-4pm. BD8.5++ (3 courses); BD6.950++ (2 courses).

The Meat Room, La Mosaique (Crowne Plaza) serving Angus-certified beef, fresh and succulent – choose any cut you like – and have it cooked to perfection on the grill in front of you.

Block 338 (Adliya), Happy Hour! Choose 3 Tapas plates for BD5 and buy one get one free on all drinks. From 4pm to 7pm. Tel. +973 1771 0338.

Zytoun (Novotel Al Dana Resort) - Take charge of your pizza and pasta dishes every night at live stations at Zytoun Restaurant. Prices start from BD2.5++ La Perle (Novotel Al Dana Resort) - Buffet available everyday for BD12; ‘Seafood Nights’ with fresh seafood display combined with buffet dinner for BD9.9++ (weekdays) and BD12.5 (weekend).

Closed on Sundays.

Al Yacout (Novotel) - Authentic Moroccan food, elegant atmosphere, beach views and live

La Brasserie (Elite Resort and Spa) available at BD6.5++. Tel. 1731 3333.

Mövenpick Brunch available at BD23.200++ per person plus unlimited selected beverages; from 12.30pm to 4pm. Tel. 1746 0007.

The K Hotel restaurants

Kloud’s restaurant converts into a Steak House during the evening with a selection of steaks including certified Angus beef, rib eye, rump and aged sirloin. Open 24 hours.

Asian style Mo Kan restaurant offers Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian and Thai cuisine. Its signature dish is Dim Sum with Sake and Teas as signature beverages. Open from 12pm to 4pm then 7pm to 11.30pm. The Terrazza Bistro, located next to the swimming pool serves a wide range of fresh salads, pasta, light sandwiches, snacks and other Mediterranean specialties. Open from 11am to 12pm. Tel. 1736 0000.

Seafood Dinners at Mövenpick

Every Monday, Silk’s restaurant offers a lavish seafood buffet filled with oysters, sushi, sashimi, mussels, lobsters, shrimps, a seafood wok station and much more for BD16.9++ per person. Also available is the ‘seafood night plus package’ for BD22++ with unlimited beverages. Tel. 1746 0000.

Dinner starts at 7pm.

If you want to see your event listed …

Listings need to be received by Bahrain Confidential on the 15th of every month at the very latest.

Gastro and nightlife listings are updated every month through our mailing list. If you would like to be included or if you have a one-off event you would like to be featured contact: Jack@ArabianMagazines.com

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 115

Medzo Dining Out

Casual Dining At The

Torta gelato

Antipasto Della Casa

You think of Italy and it’s impossible not to imagine delicious Italian food.

Bahrain Confidential couldn’t wait to experience what the latest Italian restaurant in town had to offer ....

T

he Intercontinental Regency Bahrain is focused on delighting every guest with the Medzo restaurant’s delectable Italian cuisine, in a relaxed home-like atmosphere.

With a contemporary feel, the first thing you notice at Medzo is the atmosphere. The restaurant is very tastefully decorated and although we were there for lunch, the decor and lighting can surely make for a romantic night or a place for friends or business.

The music wasn’t too loud and the wait staff was very friendly, attentive and competent.

First off, we were served a basket of warm Italian breads which we dipped in ‘Montina’, a homemade chef special made of mint and olive oil.

Then it was on to a host of starters or antipastis: Caprese, which are slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, served with roma tomatoes

Salmone All Aceto Balsamico

116 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

and basil leaves; Torre Di Melanzane Alla Parmigiano – slices of eggplant baked in tomato sauce, topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese; and Antipasto Della Casa, a huge platter of cured meat and cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke heart and some salad.

The hungry lot that we were, we decided to try the entrées: Salmone All Aceto Balsamico, which had just the right seasoned Cajun-spiced salmon filet served on a bed of leeks (which we thought was a fresh approach) drizzled with some balsamic vinegar; Quattro Stagione Pizza prepared on a thin crust with fresh mozzarella, and served with a variety of sausages, olives, spinach and mushrooms; and Scallopine Di Pollo which are chicken breast with white wine and fresh rosemary and black olives.

There was certainly enough food – everything we tried was scrumptious, and the servings were a good size too.

The service that we received was truly wonderful. We had ordered a bottle of wine – this and water were topped up continuously during our meal. The staff waited for a decent interval before asking us if we wanted dessert. Of course you know the answer to that – there is always room for some sweet indulgence. We recommend the classic Italian torta gelato, or the torta di ciocolato or even better, the heavenly tiramisu.

The Medzo is a real gem. Absolutely great service and even more exceptional food.

Buon appetito!

Ideal for business lunches, Medzo now offers a special BD6.9++ promotion which includes a choice for an appetiser and pasta or pizza. For more information or to book a reservation, Tel. +973 1722 7777.

Dining Out

Friday Treats

At The Mövenpick

The hotel’s famed Friday brunch is now more delectable than ever.

F

ancy sushi for lunch but your friends prefer a good old grub – roast with all the trimmings or steaks with all the regular sides, oh, and not to forget the bubbly of course. Well, if you can’t get everyone to agree, the Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain’s Friday Brunch selections simply solves your dilemma.

All of the hotel’s food and beverage outlets (Silk’s, Flamingo and The Gallery) pull out all the stops to make sure you experience all of their regular nightly promotions. It means you get a taste of each of their Steak Night, Seafood Night and ‘A Taste of Italy’ all in one setting. If steaks are your thing, choose from their selection of Certified Angus beef in prime cuts of rib eye, rump and aged sirloins – all charcoalgrilled to perfection that goes with a wide

selection of international antipasti, salads and vegetables. For seafood lovers, there’s great sushi plus a fresh selection chosen daily by the chef. Grilled or wok-fried with your choice of ingredients, pick and choose from slipper lobsters, tiger prawns, squid, hammour and red snapper. Say ‘Bongiorno’ to Italian classics like fresh pasta, or savour traditional Italian breads, sweets, coffees and beverages. To top it off, make sure you sample the various wines and cheese too! For those with a sweet tooth, meander through The Gallery – the hotel lounge where they serve an array of mouthwatering and oh

so scrumptious desserts. And ... there’s no shortage of fun things to do for kids while you while away the afternoon with friends and family – there’s henna and face painting, balloon making and various arts and crafts.

Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain’s Family Brunch is on every Friday, 12.30pm to 4pm for only BD23.2++ per person. It’s 50 per cent off for children from six to twelve years, and less than six years eat for free. Advanced booking is a must. For reservations, Tel. +973 1746 0000.

Stir it Up with

Bahrain Confidential

gets behind the bar to concoct some drinks to tease your palette!

Bahrain Confidential!

Pure Piña Colada Ingredients:

Decent Daiquiri Ingredients:

 6 oz of pineapple juice  2 oz of coconut cream  1 cup of crushed ice Clean Cosmopolitan

 1 can of pineapple chunks (in juice)  1 bag of frozen strawberries  2 tbsp of caster sugar  2 limes, juiced  Fresh strawberries to garnish

Mix all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and pour!

(optional)

Puree pineapple, frozen strawberries, sugar, and lime juice in a blender until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with fresh strawberries and serve.

Clean Cosmopolitan Ingredients:

 3 oz of tonic water  1 oz of lime juice  1 oz of cranberry juice  ½ oz of orange juice Shake all the ingredients and then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a slice of lime or lemon.

Pure Piña Colada

Virgin Mary Ingredients:

 4 oz of tomato juice  Squeeze of lemon or lime juice  Squeeze of Worcestershire sauce

 2 drops of Tabasco sauce  Pinch of salt  Stalk of celery Throw all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and then pour into a tall or funky looking glass. Add some crushed ice and the celery stalk to garnish.

Virgin Mary

Decent Daiquiri

NB: You know how to spice these up if you are so inclined, so follow our guidelines, mix in some droplets of ethanol and you may just have a party on your hands.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 117

Nightlife

The Night so Bright

Never Looked

Dance as though

no one is looking ...

La Bellevue Lounge (Novotel) - Happy Hours 7pm to 9pm. Drink all you can, all bar items with 20% discount. Enjoy live piano music.

Monday

Rock Bottom Café (Ramee International) - Buy 2 bullfrogs, get one free.

Envy (Palace Hotel) - Thai night - Free buffet, raffle draw and 1 free drink for ladies.

Cocoon Lounge (Juffair) - BD12 per person for a sushi platter and unlimited selected beverages from 7pm to 11pm.

Enigma (Windsor Tower) - Tequila shots BD1.

Happy hour between 4pm to 9pm get 20% off all drinks. 3 free drinks for ladies.

Harvesters (Crowne Plaza) - Ladies Night and ladies drink for free (selected drinks only).

Tabu (Adhari Hotel) - Free margaritas for ladies.

Warblers (Baisan Hotel) - Two free drinks and food buffet from 7pm onwards. Unlimited free drinks for ladies.

Shift 7 (Elite Resort and Spa) - Happy hour 3pm to 7.30pm, 20% off all drinks. Buy 4 bottles of Fosters and get 1 free.

JJ’s (Adliya) - Microphone madness karaoke starts at 9pm.

Fiddler’s Green (Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel Residence and Spa) - Open 12pm to 1am. Live music available.

Tuesday

Aqua (Days Inn) - Free drinks for ladies.

Casa Bar (Mercure Grand) - Ladies’ night, free entrance and a free drink.

Camelot (Adliya) - Happy Hour from 4pm to 9pm and wine tasting 7pm to 10pm for BD7.

Enigma (Windsor Tower) - All beers BD2 and ladies receive 2 free drinks. Happy hour between 4pm to 9pm with 20% off all drinks.

Envy (Palace Hotel) - Buy One Get One Free.

Shift 7 (Elite Resort and Spa) - Happy hour 3pm to 7.30pm, 20% off all drinks. Buy 4 bottles of Fosters and get 1 free.

JJ’s (Adliya) - Dance the night away with DJ Dwayne and enjoy the best tracks of the ‘90s. Plus it’s Ladies’ Night (BD4 for unlimited house drinks).

Harvesters (Crowne Plaza) - 2 for 1 on all cocktails.

La Bellevue Bar (Novotel) - Learn Salsa for free from 7pm, with special happy hours.

Warbler (Baisan Hotel) - Unlimited free drinks for ladies.

Fiddler’s Green (Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel Residence and Spa) - Open 12pm to 1am. Live music available.

DJ Natalie Brogan (Natalie B)

Wednesday, 25th May

The Lipstick Lounge presents Natalie B (UK, Dubai) Playing soulful House, deep funky Tech and a little Electro, Natalie B is one of the hottest DJs to take up residency in the UAE.

Sunday

Harvesters (Crowne Plaza) - FBI Night discounted drinks and hoteliers get 50% discount on food and drink.

Casa Bar (Mercure Grand) - 1 free drink and a musical duo performance.

Envy (Palace Hotel) - Dance Fever - the best Hip Hop Dancers show! Free entrance for all from 9pm to 11pm; Happy hour from 9pm to 11pm, selected drinks BD1.

Enigma (Windsor Tower) - Buy a Sol beer bucket and get 1 beer free. Happy hour from 4pm to 9pm,

118 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Wednesday get 20% off all drinks. 3 free drinks for ladies.

Brazil Lounge (Adliya) - Ladies drink free from 7pm to 11pm.

JJ’s (Adliya) - Sunday Roast and Quiz Night plus ladies enjoy unlimited beverages for just BD4.

Shift 7 (Elite Resort and Spa) - 2 free drinks for ladies, happy hour 3pm to 7.30pm 20% off all drinks. Buy 4 bottles of Fosters and get 1 free.

Warbler (Baisan Hotel) - Unlimited free drinks for ladies.

Fiddler’s Green (Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel Residence and Spa) - Open 12pm to 1am. Live music available.

Enigma (Windsor Tower) - Happy hour between 4pm and 9pm, 20% off all drinks also bullfrogs are buy 1 get 1 free.

Cocoon Lounge (Best Western) - Bringing you the best in international and local DJs. Complimentary cocktails and free entry for the ladies!

JJ’s (Adliya) - Weekend Warm U-Free drinks for ladies for BD4.

Harvesters (Crowne Plaza) - 4-pint Pitcher Night - Quench your thirst with a pitcher of Heineken, Amstel Light or Budweiser for only BD6.5++.

Shift 7 (Elite Resort and Spa) - Happy hour 3pm to 7.30pm 20% off all drinks. Buy 4 bottles of Fosters and get 1 free.

Jims (Adliya) - 3 free drinks for ladies.

Warbler (Baisan Hotel) - Unlimited free drinks for ladies.

Envy (Palace Hotel) - Tropical Beach Club Party.

A fun twist on a traditional Luau theme with Polynesian flair.

Fiddler’s Green (Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel Residence and Spa) - Open 12pm to 1am Live music available.

Thursday

Bushido (Seef District) ‘Thursdays’ at Bushido, from 10pm.

Cocoon Lounge (Best Western Hotel) ‘Fabulous!’ the exclusive R’n’B night with special guest Urban DJ! Ladies raise your glasses for free bubbly all night long.

Enigma (Windsor Tower) - Happy hour from 4pm to 9pm, 20% off all drinks. Unlimited drinks BD12.

Fiddlers Green (Diplomat Radisson Blu) Unlimited free drinks for ladies.

JJ’s (Adliya) - The BIG night out! Special bar promotions.

Shift 7 (Elite Resort and Spa) - Happy hour 3pm to 7.30pm, 20% off all drinks. Buy 4 bottles of Fosters and get 1 free.

Friday

Enigma (Windsor Tower) - Happy hour from 4pm to 9pm, 20% off all drinks.

Cocoon Lounge (Best Western) - Bringing you the best in international and local DJs. Complimentary cocktails and free entry for the Ladies!

Camelot (Adliya) - Unlimited Sangria from 4pm to 8pm.

Shift 7 (Elite Resort and Spa) - 2 free drinks for ladies, happy hour 3pm to 7.30pm 20% off all drinks. Buy 4 bottles of Fosters and get 1 free.

Harvesters (Crowne Plaza) - Ladies and Jammers Night - Jam with the band while the ladies have 2 free drinks.

Warbler (Baisan Hotel) - Unlimited free drinks for ladies.

Fiddler’s Green (Diplomat Radisson Blu) - Ladies’ night - girls drink for free! Open 12pm to 2am. Live music available.

Saturday

Enigma (Windsor Tower) - Happy hour from 4pm to 9pm, 20% off all drinks. 3 free drinks for ladies.

Envy (Palace Hotel) - Thai Night, free Thai buffet, free entrance for ladies plus one selected free drink.

JJ’s (Adliya) - Sports during the day; Ladies’ night BD4.

Shift 7 (Elite Resort and Spa) - Happy hour 3pm to 7.30pm, 20% off all drinks. Buy 4 bottles of Fosters and get 1 free.

Harvesters (Crowne Plaza) - 2 for 1 on all cocktails.

La Bellevue Bar (Novotel) - Learn Salsa for free from 7pm, with special happy hours.

Warbler (Baisan Hotel) - Unlimited free drinks for ladies.

MUJU (Dragon Resort, Amwaj) The MUJU Deck transforms into a relaxing chill-out venue with resident DJ Dave Hayes playing a variety of eclectic music. A special Sundowner Sessions Menu will be serving all the popular sundowner cocktails we love from 4pm to 9pm.

Fiddler’s Green (Diplomat Radisson Blu) - Open 12pm to 1am. Live music available.

At the Golden Tulip Bahrain Boules, French game of petanque, every Monday night from 7pm to 11pm “No entrance Fee” for details contact Tel. +973 1752 3570 or email: recreation@goldentulipbahrain.com

C. Club Sports Bar at the Golden Tulip Bahrain Every Tuesday’s - The Great Gatsby Buy one, get one free classic cocktail.

Every Thursdays - Ladies’ Night - Free flow bubbly and cocktails.

The C. Club is now a Non-Smoking Venue.

For more information Tel. +973 1752 3535.

ChrisBpercussion by Jhtpho

Nightlife

Royal Golf Club Every night enjoy happy hour between 5pm and 7pm at Links Lounge and Restaurant at the Royal Golf Club Bahrain. Enjoy fantastic discounts every day on selected beverages. COMING SOON: The opening of the new restaurant Prego; tempting pizzas baked in a wood oven. Dine in or takeaway.

For more information please contact Tel. +973 1775 0777.

KLUB360º

Wednesdays @ Chill with fresh funk, seductive soul, tribal and smooth dance jazz.

Thursdays @ Blast. Let your hair down, dance and party hard with commercial pop charts, 80’s 90’s and mainstream dance. Ladies FREE on Thursdays too!

Fridays @ Style are club dance nights with classic club mixes, techy tinged and quality house from resident DJ and guest DJs worldwide.

Saturdays @ Sync purely Classic R&B. Open Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays as a lounge bar as well as for private hire. Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays from 6pm until late. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6pm until 2am (club nights start at 9pm).

For more information please visit www.KLUB360.com email 360@KLUB360.com or Tel. +973 1736 0300/3336 0300.

Cocoon Lounge This Month Wednesday 4th May Ladies’ Night with Chad Phunk (Immaculate Touch, Abu Dhabi) Head of the Immaculate Touch pool parties in Abu Dhabi, Chad blends a funky and soulful mix of Electro Dirty House!!

Chad Phunkglass Wednesday 11th May Ladies’ Night with Chris B (Percussion, Fresh UK) Chris B at the age of 22 has toured to all four corners of the globe providing sensational beats for a string of superstar DJs including Roger Sanchez, Basement Jaxx, Chris Lake, Mauro Picotto, ATFC, Danny Rampling and many many more.

Friday 13th May Ladies Night presents Casa D’Costa Label Launch!

Marking the first official Casa D’Costa Beatport Record Release, indulge in a storming set of upfront tech house.

Wednesday 25th May The Lipstick Lounge presents Natalie B (UK,Dubai) Playing soulful House, deep funky Tech & a little Electro, Natalie B is one of the hottest DJ’s to take up a residency in the UAE.

New!!

Hotel Diva is a brand new hotel in Juffair. It opened its doors to the public on 1st April 2011. Located next to the Pars International Hotel and The Marriot Residence. It’s home to the sports bar Kicks – so get your dancing shoes ready for a night to remember and a venue you’ll want to visit again and again.

Corners Sports Bar is a brand new addition at the Dragon Hotel and Resort on Amwaj island. Already open Corners is an English bar that thrives on supplying good quality British food and drink. Good food, good cheer, good times at Amwaj.

Tel. +973 1603 1111.

KLUB360º located in The Elite Crystal Hotel, behind California Hotel and opposite The K Hotel main entrance is the freshest, newest and undeniably by far the most sophisticated nightclub in Bahrain, but with a twist! Their gorgeous Face Control Host and Manageress will be on the doors most nights welcoming you, but that does not necessarily mean you will get in – firstly they expect you to look good which means you need to dress to impress and have zero attitudes! Tel. +973 1736 0300.

A little bit of advice for you …

Even though we try our best to be 100 per cent accurate, unfortunately sometimes offers change, get discontinued and in some cases for unforeseen reasons the venue may be closed. We recommend that you double check with the establishment listed to see if the details are correct. You can usually find all the contact details in our ‘Nightspots’ directory page. Further research was done by Susan Cook.

If you want to see your event listed …

Listings need to be received by Bahrain Confidential on the 15th of every month at the very latest.

Gastro and nightlife listings are updated every month through our mailing list. if you would like to be included in our mailing list or if you have a one-off event you would like to be featured, please contact: Jack@ArabianMagazines.com

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 119

Listings

Recommended Restaurants Chinese China Garden Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 With a chilled out resonance and deep, comfy chairs this place has the convivial atmosphere of a friend’s house only with better service.

Hong Kong Adliya, Tel. 1772 8700 The myriad dishes are served in abundance and are all delicately and lovingly flavoured. The soft steamed dumplings are magnificent, the sizzling seafood is cooked to perfection, and the beef with black mushrooms and bamboo shoots deserves plaudits beyond Bahrain.

Soie Sheraton, Tel. 1753 3533 Chinese and Asian specialities in sophisticated and elegant Oriental surroundings.

Indian Nirvana The Ritz-Carlton, Tel. 1758 0000 Nirvana is one of the best looking curry houses in the region and has a ‘secret’ dining booth for the lovers out there.

International Fusions Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 The food and wine list will keep you coming back to Fusions. Try the beautifully tender grilled sirloin with boldly flavoured ginger mash and a selection of roasted vegetables.

Links Restaurant The Royal Golf Club, Tel. 1775 0777 Links, located on the mezzanine floor of the Club House, is a large, brasserie-style restaurant/ lounge open to all visitors to the Royal Golf Club. Features include a cocktail bar, an outdoor terrace and floor to ceiling picture windows offering patrons spectacular views across the golf courses.

Silk’s Mövenpick Hotel, Tel. 1746 0000 With cuisine inspired by the four continents of the Silk Route, the food on offer here is eclectic and varied all cooked in front of you in open kitchens around the restaurant.

Waves Crowne Plaza Hotel, Tel. 1753 1122 A popular lunchtime retreat, picking your fish and eating it is the order of the day, and the catch is as varied as it is complete. And the nutty, honey-combed chocolate fudge delight will finish you off nicely.

Al Safir Sheraton Bahrain Hotel, Tel. 1753 3533 Al Safir does a bustling buffet trade with people partial to Lebanese mezzeh. For a more refined palette, their a la carte menu offers a range of simpler, more delicate bites.

Le Jardin Ramada Bahrain, Tel. 1774 2000 Fully renovated with a new look - ‘Bigger, Better, Brighter’.

The Gallery Mövenpick Hotel, Tel. 1746 0000 Picturesque pool and lagoon views.

La Méditerranée The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Tel. 1758 0000 Asian, French, Mediterranean and International cuisine.

Le Bistro InterContinental Regency, Tel. 1722 7777 Main restaurant situated above the lobby with International buffet lunch daily.

Olivos Brasserie The Diplomat Radisson Blu, Tel. 1752 2124 This Mediterranean brasserie offers superb food in a relaxed atmosphere. In buffet style you can enjoy a super breakfast, sumptuous lunch and delicious dinner.

Japanese Sato Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 The food here is good. Order well and you will be rewarded with your favourite dishes done very well indeed.

Steakhouses Plums

American

Middle Eastern

The Ritz-Carlton, Tel. 1758 0000 Great steaks served in a suave and subtle room of dark polished wood, low-lighting and a curious mural adorning a wall.

Ric’s Kountry Kitchen

Kosebası

The Butcher Shop & Grill

Juffair, Tel. 1772 5550 Specialising in good ol’ fashioned home-cooked American chow, Ric’s does a mean burger, excellent chilli and a mouth watering Jambalaya.

Its American breakfasts are legendary.

Italian

Bahrain City Centre, Tel. 1717 2322 www.kosebasi.com Kosebası (pronounced koshe-bashi) serves traditional Turkish mezes and main dishes true to original Southern Anatolian recipes. The centerpieces of the restaurant are a lovely ornated oven and an open charcoal grill.

Mondo Restaurant

Al Fanar Supper Club

The Diplomat Radisson Blu, Tel. 1753 1666 The goat’s cheese and rocket pizza is probably the best in Bahrain. A funky, friendly Italian place, just like momma used to make it.

Primavera The Ritz-Carlton, Tel. 1758 0000 Authentic Italian dishes abound on a menu featuring some truly incredible home made pastas. The portions are generous and service is sharp.

La Pergola Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 Traditional and contemporary Italian specialities with Italian music.

Diplomat Radisson Blu, Tel. 1753 1666 An International cabaret show with a traditional Arabic theme. Friday offers a fusion breakfast and lunch featuring live cooking stations, unlimited bubbly, live band and raffle draws.

Zahle Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 Zahle extols the virtues of simplicity. The food here is as honest as the day is long and all the better for it. And the presentation of the food is something else with the shish kebab served on a golden box complete with burning coals. There is a live band and a belly dancer to keep you entertained whilst eating.

Bahrain City Centre, Tel. 1717 2323 Serves a wide variety of steaks as well as salads, burgers and seafood dishes. Integrated into the restaurant is also a fully functioning retail butchery, which enables customers to choose a specific cut and size or buy meats for their home requirements.

Thai Royal Thai Seafood Restaurant Gulf Hotel, Tel. 1771 3000 Colonial stateliness and Asian adornment is the order of the day with high ceilings, great white pillars and multiple levels to accommodate private alcoves; it’s a grand and gracious setting.

Choose ostrich, just because you can.

Muay Thai Quick Meal Restaurant Juffair Next to The Pizza Company Thai Food, Tel. 7704 0454 Sat-Wed 11am-3pm, 6pm-12am, Thu-Fri 11am-3pm; 6pm-1.30am.

Seafood Le Perle Novotel Al Dana Resort, Tel. 1729 8008 This restaurant is pretty with gorgeous views of the sea and the city, its romance sweetly compliments its seafood menu that serves local specialities as well as more internationally renowned fare. The service is attentive without being intrusive and it has an inventive wine list.

Asian Kontiki Restaurant The Diplomat Radisson Blu, Tel. 1753 1666 Enjoy authentic dishes from Asia and the South Pacific for lunch and dinner. Or head over to the Kontiki Pool bar from 10am to 11pm.

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Café Café T

The Royal Golf Club, Tel. 1775 0777 Café T serves a selection of burgers, salads, fresh and ready-made sandwiches, fruit juices, milkshakes and frozen drinks. With an outdoor terrace seating up to 30 people and relaxing background music, Café T is the perfect place to meet up for a chat with friends.

PAUL Bakery & Restaurant Bahrain City Centre, Tel. 1717 2321 Seef Mall, Tel. 1758 0073 www.paul.fr Since the founding of the first small PAUL bakery in Lille back in 1889, the passion for authentic bread making has been passed on through generations. - and relax in PAUL’s unique ‘rusticchic’ ambience.

To be included, email: info@ArabianMagazines.com or call +973 1782 2368

Listings

Restaurant Listings American Applebee’s Bahrain Mall, Sanabis (1755 5834) Open Sun-Thu, 11am-mid-night, Fri –Sat, 11am - 1am. Average BD10.

Bennigan’s Al Safir Hotel, Juffair (1781 3750) Open Sun-Wed, 11am-1.30am; Thu and Sat, 9am-1.30am; Fri, 11am-2am. Average BD18.

Brasa de Brazil Seef Mall, Seef District (1758 2225) Open daily, noon-11pm. Average BD10.

Chilli’s Seef Mall/Bahrain City Centre, Seef District (1758 1221/1717 9794) Open daily, noon-midnight. N.B.: BCC opening times apply. Average BD20.

Hard Rock Café Exhibition Road, Hoora (1729 1569) Open daily, 8am-1am. Average BD10.

Café A Lounge Adliya, Behind Monsoon (1771 0041) Open daily, 11am-2am. Average BD15.

Al Bindaira Adliya (1774 4066) Open Mon-Thu, 10.30am-12.30am, Fri, 1pm-1am. Average BD12.

Albareh Art Café Adliya, Behind the Carlton Hotel (1771 3535) Open daily, 8.30am-11pm. Average BD5.

Al Riwaq Café Adliya, Block 338 (1771 7441) Open daily 10am-9pm. Average BD5 Café Lilou Adliya, Block 338 (1771 4440) Open Sat-Thu 8am-11pm; Fri 10am-11.30pm.

Average BD10.

Candles Coffee Adliya, Behind Fudruckers (1771 4844) Open Sun-Thu 9am-1am; Fri 5pm-1am, Average BD12.

Caramel Cyprus Gardens, Budaiya (1779 7087) Open daily, 8.30am-midnight. Average BD5.

Café Ceramique Al A’ali Mall, Seef District Open daily, 9am-11pm; Fri-Sat 9am-midnight.

Average BD8.

Coco’s Adliya, Block 338 (1771 6512) Open daily 10am-midnight. Average BD10.

Columbus Café Bahrain City Centre, Seef District (1717 2324) Open daily, 8am-midnight. Average BD7.

Crepe Café Palm Square, Budaiya Highway (7711 5566) Open Sun-Wed, 8am-midnight. Thu-Sat 8am-1pm. Average BD6.

Deli France Jawad Dome, Budaiya (1769 6031) Open Sun-Thu, 8am-10pm; Fri-Sat, 8am-11pm.

Average BD9.

Dome Café Juffair, near American Base (1781 0180) Open 24 hours. Average BD15.

Friend’s Club Adliya, 54 Bani Otbah Avenue (1771 3732) Open Sat-Wed, 10am-midnight; Thu-Fri, 10am-1am. Average BD8.

Gloria Jean’s Bahrain City Centre, Seef District (1717 9262) Open Sat-Wed, 9am-10.30pm; Thu-Fri, 9am-midnight. Average BD8.

House of Coffee Muharraq, Sheikh Ebrahim Centre (3662 9968) Open daily 9am-9pm, Average BD6.

La Maison du Café Adliya (1771 7524) Open daily 8am-2am. Average BD12.

La Ventana At the moment La Ventana is currently undergoing renovation – check this space over the coming months to find out where the new café is located and our opinion!

Chocolatiers Godiva Seef Mall, Seef District (1758 0699) Open 10am-10pm.

Hotel Chocolat Bahrain City Centre, Seef District (1717 9779) Open Sun-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-midnight.

La Papillon Manama, near Dairy Queen (1725 5542) Open daily 9.30am-9pm.

Le Chocolat Seef, Seef District Open daily 7.30am-midnight. Average BD10.

Lovely Memories Mahooz (1772 2533) Open daily 10am-10pm.

Macaron Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa (17636418) Open daily from 8am – 8pm

Maya La Chocolaterie Seef Mall (1758 3368) Open daily, Sun-Thursday 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-12am.

Maya Chocolat Seef Mall, Seef District Open Sun-Wed, 10am-11pm; Fri-Sat, 10am-midnight. Average BD15.

Patchi Manama, near Dairy Queen (1725 0501) Open daily 9.30am-9pm.

Med Café Adliya, near Carlton Hotel (1771 3088) Open daily 11am-1am. Average BD10.

RAWASI Chocola Mahooz, near Qatar Embassy Open daily 9am-1.30pm; 4pm-9pm.

Fri open from 4pm-9pm.

Motorox Café Budaiya Highway (1759 2583) Open daily from noon-midnight. Average BD12.

Palm Café Qal’at Al Bahrain Museum (1732 2549) Open daily 9.30am-7.30pm. Average BD6.

Patisserie Valerie MODA Mall, Diplomatic Area Open daily 7.30am-9pm.

Skyw@alk Café Marriott Executive Apartments, Juffair Open daily 6.30am-11.30pm. Average BD12.

Tea Club The Lagoon, Amwaj Islands Open daily 12pm – midnight. Average BD8.

Tilly’s Jawad Dome, Budaiya Open daily 8.30am-9.30pm Veranda Adliya, Nr HSBC bank and Adhari (1771 5868) Open daily 9.am-1am. Average BD8 Waterlemon Al A’ali Shopping Complex, Seef District (1758 1785) Open daily, 10am-11pm. Average BD6.

Chinese Beijing Chinese Adliya, Block 338 (1771 7969) Open daily, 11.30-3pm, 6pm-midnight.

Average BD15.

First Chinese Adliya (1771 3603) Open noon-3.30pm, 6pm-midnight.

Average BD18.

Foli Um Al Hassam (1772 2199) Open noon-3pm, 6.30pm-11.30pm.

Average BD18.

Ken Lo’s Memories of China Adliya (1771 7080) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight.

Average BD50.

Salvia Budaiya, Budaiya Highway Open daily 9am-1.30pm; 4pm-9pm.

Fri open from 4pm-9pm.

East Asian Baan Saeng Thai Sh Isa Avenue, Adliya Open daily 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-midnight.

Bali Orchid Nr Omar Khayyam Hotel, Gudaibiya (1718 0424) Open daily noon-midnight. Average BD7 BamBu Adliya (1771 4424) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm. Average BD28 Captain Cove’s Behind Mass Computer, Gudaibiya (3975 8989) Open daily noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight.

Average BD5 Hash House Adliya, Block 338 (1771 5094) Open daily 11am-midnight. Average BD15 Honey’s Souq (1774 9222) Open Sun-Wed 10am-5.30am, Fri-Sat, 24hrs.

Mamy Soup Exhibition Road, behind the CPR building (3919 5343) Open daily 11am-11pm Monsoon Adliya, near Ferrari Centre (1774 9222) Open Sat-Thu noon-2.30pm, 7pm-11pm; Fri 7pm-11pm. Average BD15.

Nu Asia Seef, near Al A’ali Shopping Complex (1758 7171) Open daily noon-midnight. Average BD15.

Pong’s Off Exhibition Road, Behind CPR Office (1753 0800) Open daily 11am-4am.

Thai Chi Bahrain City Centre, Seef (1717 9747) Open daily noon-midnight.

Magic Wok American Alley, Juffair (1769 4105) Open daily 8am-11pm.

Thai Express Jawad Dome, Budaiya (1769 3595) Open daily 10am-11.30pm

Memories Bahrain City Centre, Seef District (1717 8646) Open Sat-Wed 11am-11pm; Thu-Fri 11am-midnight. Average BD12.

Thailand Block 338, Adliya (1771 7040) Open daily 6.30pm-11.30pm, Average BD15.

French Camelot Block 338, Adliya (1771 7745) Open daily noon-midnight Average BD30.

L’Avenue Seef District (1756 7212) Open daily 12.30pm-3.30pm, 7.30pm-11pm Mezzaluna Adliya (1774 2999) Open daily Sun-Wed 7pm-11pm; Thu-Sat 7pm-11.30pm Average BD46.

Indian Aachi’s Chettinand Kitchen Near the Indian Club, Gudaibiya (1723 3110) Open daily 10.30am-3.30pm, 5.30pm-11.30pm.

Akbar Ramada Palace Hotel (1729 6660) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-12.30am.

Average BD16.

Asha’s Bahrain City Centre, Seef (1717 7008) Open daily 11am-noon.

Clay Oven Adliya (1771 7008) Open daily 11.30am-3pm, 6.30pm-11.30pm Average BD14.

Copper Chimney Al Hambra Hotel (1772 8699) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight.

Average DB10.

Lanterns Budaiya Highway (1759 0591) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight.

Average BD15.

Moti Mahal Juffair (1782 5333) Open daily noon-midnight Average BD15.

Mumbai Spice Bahrain Mall, Sanabis Open daily 10am-10pm Sangeetha Opp Inidian Club, Gudaibiya (1727 2768) Open daily 7.30am-3pm, 5.30pm-11pm Spices Crowne Plaza Bahrain, Diplomatic Area (1753 1122) Open daily noon-11pm Average BD25.

Takatak Nr Awal Cinema, Gudaibiya (1725 4848) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm The Great Kebab Factory Jawad Dome, Budaiya (1769 0629) Open daily noon-3pm, 6.30pm-midnight International Al Waha Restaurant Gulf Hotel, Adliya (1774 6425) Open 24 hours Al Wasmeyah Restaurant Golden Tulip Hotel, Diplomatic Area (1753 5000) Open 24hours Block 338 Adliya (1771 0338) Open every evening from noon-2am Café Sayah Delmon International Hotel (1722 4000) Open 24 hours Downtown Lounge InterContinental Hotel (1720 8308) Open daily from 5pm to 2 am

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Listings

Restaurant Listings La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Arts Ras Ruman (1771 3000) Open daily 9am-10.30pm. Closed Monday.

Average BD20.

Nino’s Al Aali Shopping Complex, Seef (1756 6555) Open daily 11am-11.30pm.

Average BD7.

Muju Restaurant and Lounge Dragon Hotel and Resort, Amwaj (1603 9800) Open daily, 24 hours

Oliveto Block 338, Adliya (1771 6747) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight.

Average BD30.

Nando’s Juffair (1782 5100) Open 11am-2am Rendezvous Seef Mall, Seef (1758 7708) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm Rimal Al Areen Palace and Spa (1784 5000) Open daily 6.30am-11pm Average BD40.

Saraya Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa (17636410) Open from 6.30am-10.30am (Up to 11:00 am on weekends); 12.30pm-3.30pm; 7.pm-10.30pm.

Breakfast 6.30 am.

Selections InterContinental Hotel (1720 8308) Open daily from 6.30 am to 11.30 pm Tapas Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa (17636412) Open daily 11.30am–3:30pm; 7pm – 1am Teatro Dana Mall (1755 8555) Sat-Wed 1pm-4.30pm, 6.30pm-midnight; Thu-Fri 1pm-11.30pm Average BD19.

Upstairs Downstairs Adliya (1771 3093) Open daily 7am-11am, noon-3am, 7pm-midnight Average BD20.

Yamin Jana Mediterranean Seafront Lounge Dragon Hotel and Resort, Amwaj (1603 3800) Open daily from 2pm onwards Zoe Block 338, Adliya (1771 6400) Open Sat-Tue noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight; Wed-Fri noon-3pm, 7pm-2am.

Average BD50.

Zytoun Novotel Al Dana Resort (1729 8008) Open daily 6.30am-midnight.

Average BD16.

Italian Caffe Spasso New Zinj (1782 2274) Open daily 8.30am till late Café Italia Adliya (1774 4774) Open daily noon-3.30pm, 7pm-11.30pm.

Average BD35.

Fiamma Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa (17636414) Open Thu-Sat 12:30pm–3:30pm; 7pm – 11:30pm La Taverna City Centre Hotel, Gold City (1722 9979) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight.

Average BD18.

Medzo InterContinental Hotel (1720 8308) Open daily for lunch and dinner Mino’s Adliya (1774 4777) Open daily 11am-12.30am.

Average BD15.

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Pizzeria Café Italia Seef Mall (1758 2823) Open daily 11am-11pm.

Average BD12.

Roma Um Al Hassam (1772 5885) Open daily noon-2.30pm, 7pm-11.30pm.

Average BD30.

Romano Macaroni Grill Juffair (1772 3818) Japanese Bushido Seef (1758 3555) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-2am.

Average BD35 Fuji Sushi Bar Sheza Tower Hotel (1753 3336) Open daily 12.30pm-midnight.

Average BD25.

Hajisushi American Ally, Juffair (1772 5638) Open daily 11am-11pm.

Kei Golden Tulip Hotel (1753 5000) Open daily 12.30pm-3pm, 7.30pm-11pm.

Average BD12-30.

Maki MODA Mall (1752 2733) Open daily noon-midnight Average BD40.

Mirai Adliya (1771 3113) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm.

Average BD40.

Sumo Sushi and Bento American Alley, Juffair (1771 8090) Open daily noon-midnight.

Sushi 101 New Zinj (1782 2274) Open Sat-Thu noon-3pm, 6pm till late; Fri 1pm-4pm, 7pm till late.

Sushi Ko Adliya (1771 6619) Open Sat-Wed 6.30pm-11pm; Thu 6.30pm-midnight.

Average BD11.

Al Arisha Um Al Hassan (1772 5414) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight

Average BD12 Takht-e Jamsheed Gulf Hotel, Adliya (1774 6431) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm

Al Arz Ramada Palace Hotel (1729 6660) Open 7pm-midnight

Tarbouche City Centre Hotel, Gold City (1722 9979) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight

Al Fanar Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa (1753 1666) Open Mon-Sat 9.30pm-2am

Wafi Gourmet Bahrain City Centre (1779 999) Open daily 9am-12.30am

Al Hamra Delmon International Hotel (1722 4000) Open 24 hours Al Mukhayam Ramada Palace Hotel Open daily 8pm-1am Al Shama Windsor Tower Hotel (1729 7000) Open daily 9pm-2am Al Yacout Novotel Al Dana Resort, Muharraq (1729 8008) Open daily 8pm-2am Amwaj Dajla Iraqi Mirador Hotel, Manama (1729 8008) Open daily 8pm-2am Anatolia Turkish Restaurant Cyprus Garden, Budaiya (1769 0601) Open daily noon-11pm Carla’s Cyprus Garden, Sehla (1769 7687) Open daily noon-midnight Dar Al Tajine Phoenicia Tower Hotel, Hoora (1731 1167) Open daily 6pm-6pm Golestan Sheraton Bahrain Hotel (1753 3533) Open Sun-Fri 12.30pm-2.30pm, 7.30pm-11.30pm.

Average BD12

Yas-e Isfahani Seef Mall (1758 1151) Open daily 10am-10pm.

Average BD16.

Polynesian Trader Vic’s Ritz Carlton Hotel and Spa, Seef (1758 6555) Open daily 7pm-midnight Average BD20.

Seafood Fareast Seafood Market Ramee International Hotel, Juffair (1772 7230) Open daily 12.30pm-11.30pm.

Average BD16.

Fish Market Al Bander Hotel and Resort (1770 1201) Open daily 12.30pm-11.30pm Average BD25.

La Marine Bugerland Building, Budaiya (1759 5777) Open daily 1pm-midnight La Mer Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa (17636411) Open daily 7pm – 11.30 pm Sheza Seafood Market Sheza Tower Hotel, Diplomatic Area (1753 3336) Open daily 12.30pm-midnight Totally Fish Bahrain City Centre, Seef (1717 9757) Open daily noon-midnight

Isfahani Hoora (1755 0567) Open daily noon-midnight Average BD20

Steakhouse Brazil Adliya (1782 6686) Open daily noon-3pm, 6pm-11pm.

Khan Al Marjan Al Safir Hotel Hotel (1782 7999) Open daily 9.30pm-2am

L’lle Al Areen Palace and Spa (1784 5000) Open every evening, 6pm-11pm

L’Sultan L’Hotel, Seef (1756 7222) Open daily noon-midnight

Legendz Steakhouse InterContinental Hotel (1720 8308) Open daily for lunch and dinner

Laialy Zaman Nr Funland, Fateh Corniche (1729 3097) Open daily 11am-4am

Le Relais de Venise Son Entrecote L’Hotel, Seef (1756 7222) Open daily 12.30pm-3.30pm, 7pm-11.30pm.

Average BD40.

Yo Sushi Al Aali Shopping Complex, Seef (1758 3373) Open Sat-Wed noon-midnight; Thu-Fri noon-2am Average BD20.

Marmaris Avenue 28, Sanabis (1755 5909) Open daily 11am-midnight

Mexican Casa Mexicana Adliya (1771 5521) Open daily noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight.

Average BD18.

Maseelee Gulf Pearl Hotel, Souq (1721 0647) Open daily 5am-9.30pm

Sizzlers Restaurant Mansouri Mansions Hotel (1771 6999) 24 hours. Average 10.

Mono Lebanese Budaiya Highway (1755 5262) Open daily noon-midnight

The Meat Co Block 338 (1774 2080) Open Sat-Wed 12.30pm-3.30pm, 7pm-11.30pm; Thu-Fri 12.30pm-midnight Average BD50.

Margarita Mexicana Gulf Hotel, Adliya (1774 6462) Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm Senior Paco’s Adliya (1774 6462) Open daily noon-3pm, 6.30pm-midnight.

Average BD18.

Middle Eastern Al Abraaj Budaiya (1759 5656) Open daily noon-midnight

Parsian Adliya (1781 1511) Open daily 12.30pm-3.30pm, 7.30pm-midnight.

Average BD14 Persian Garden Seef (1758 600) Open noon-11pm Rayes Fateh Corniche (1731 2700) Open daily noon-12.30am

Ponderose Steakhouse Manama and Seef (1756 7222) Open 11am-11pm.

Listings

Nightspots Le Bellevue Novotel Al Dana Resort Tel. 1729 8008

Off the beaten track, Le Bellevue rewards you for having made the decision to do something different by providing a laidback haven for a quiet drink with stunning views of the city. Weather permitting, the terrace opens up and you can enjoy a cocktail in the open air. An unassuming place that is both welcoming and unobtrusive.

Burlington Club The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa, Tel. 1758 0000

“A gentleman’s club is his retreat,” someone once must have said, and the Burlington is it but in Bahrain. Whilst not an exclusively male domain, it comes replete with a very Gentleman’s club feel.

With deep leather sofas, mahogany everywhere and bookshelves, it is authentic without ever being stuffy. Enjoy Havana cigars and from the cellar sip premium malts, cognacs and vintage wines.

Cosmos Ramee International Tel. 1772 7230

Fiddlers’ Green The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel Residence & Spa Tel. 1753 1666

The best Irish pub on the island, Fiddlers Green is open all week from 12pm to 1am unless it’s a Thursday when it’s open until 2am! Enjoy drinks, pub grub and live music from the Boxtones.

Flamingo Bar Mövenpick Hotel Tel. 1746 0000

Ideal if you have a few hours to kill before your flight leaves or a friend arrives but this is more than just an alternative to the departure lounge.

This bar is chic, with a walk-in wine cellar, black marbled bar and floor-to-ceiling windows that give stunning views over the lagoon. Every Tuesday is Ladies Night allowing you to prepare for Thursday’s ultimate party zone.

The Harvester Crowne Plaza Hotel Tel. 1753 1122

It is all about the music here. They Harvester boasts one of the best live bands on the island who would probably do well in Europe or the States. The do great renditions of other people’s popular songs. Love to hear them do their own.

You can also get a camel burger here. It’s good.

It’s Trendy Ramee International Tel. 1772 7230

The thing with Its Trendy is that once have passed the slightly pretentious name and huge wooden door, it’s great inside, with low level lighting, interesting design and the music played at a respectful volume. Drinks are expertly mixed and there is a good selection of bar snacks and main meals. They will even connect a laptop for you, so you can check your emails with a drink in your hand. Perfect.

Al Areen Palace and Spa Crowne Plaza Diplomat Radisson Blu Gulf Mövenpick The Ritz-Carlton Sheraton Golden Tulip

Burger King

1784 5000 1753 1122 1753 1666 1771 3000 1746 0000 1758 0000 1753 3533 1753 5000

Premier Four-Star Hotels Elite Elite Suites Hotel Elite Grande Elite Resort and Spa Elite Seef Hotel and Residence Novotel Ramada Ramee International Al Safir

Possibly this place is one for the boys. It’s not seedy but it is jam-packed with retro arcade machines and pinball tables. It’s also a sports bar with big screens everywhere showing live footage of current worldwide sports events. Go there with him if you are an avid sports fan with a fetish for 80’s gaming.

Trader Vic’s The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa, Tel. 1758 0000

Tel. 1717 2323 (Bahrain City Centre)

Kosebasi

Trader Vic’s exudes Polynesian flavours through every pore of its being. It just works. From the myriad different vessels used to transport your rum based cocktail between bar and table, to the dark wood and fancy decorations, Trader Vic’s just gets it right. And it’s fun. The glass wall at the back of the bar gives great views of the garden and it is easy to get lost here. Recommended.

For more of the same but with VIP Kudos, try Mai Tai. (Free) membership required.

Tel. 1717 2322 (Bahrain City Centre)

Paul Café

Rock Bottom Cafe Ramee International Tel. 1772 7230

Situated at the bottom of a popular street in Juffair, past every conceivable fast food joint, The Rock Bottom Café is just somewhere where people go.

It is a lively place that provides everything you need for a great night out: music, room for dancing, a well stocked bar and a good atmosphere with an accomplished live band and great DJ music.

Sherlock Holmes Gulf Hotel Tel. 1771 3000

From the name, it comes as no surprise that the effect being striven for here is that of the quintessential London pub. The pub has recently been completely refurbished and in doing so has gained in comfort and finesse. There are still huge arm chairs and a British styled bar, but there is more light too, meaning that you can actually see who you are talking too. A nice place for a drink at any time of day or night.

Sky Bar The Diplomat Radisson Blu Tel. 1753 1666

The Sky Bar without question has the best views in town. The atmosphere is Bluesy and easy going and from way up here, the world looks so far away and so small that how could anything bother you?

Warbler Baisan International Hotel Tel. 1729 0600

This is one of the biggest bars in Bahrain and also one of the busiest. A great venue for watching sports, especially football, meaning that on weekends it is often filled with British expats, drinking beer and scoffing the excellent burgers whilst biting their fingers as their team triumphs or crashes out at the last.

Wrangler’s Best Western Hotel Tel. 1782 7600

During the day and early evening Wranglers’ dark and empty bar has a charm all its own and it is easy to imagine that you are in small town USA. The food is good and during the day the service is swift. It is at night however that Wranglers comes alive. On weekend nights, the dance floor that looked of an adequate size earlier on, looks tiny in comparison to the number of people bumping and grinding to R’n’B and hip hop.

The Polo Lounge The Palace Hotel Tel. 1772 5000

(The Palace) Pub with wide-screen TV showing European and local football games live till late.

The Great Kebab Factory

Hakisushi

Exhibitions Ave.

1731 1511

The Jawad Dome

Seef Mall

1758 1300

Magic Wok

Bahrain Mall

1755 3750

Juffair

1772 7250

Quiznos

Juffair

1782 7014

The Jawad Dome

1769 4105

Manama

1721 2920

Arad

1746 5770

Chili’s

1769 0629

Camilles Sidewalk Café

Diplomatic Area

1753 2684

Juffair

1772 5638

Seef Mall

1758 1221

Diplomatic Area

1753 3808

Salmabad

1714 0106

Juffair

1772 3918

Exhibition Road

1729 6047

Tubli

1778 5184

City Centre

1717 9794

Lulu Hyper Market Riffa

1749 1452

Delifrance

1782 7600 1755 8888 1756 5888 1731 3333 1758 3388 1729 8008 1774 2000 1772 7230 1782 7999

Tracks Crowne Plaza Hotel Tel. 1753 1122

Jawad Business Group Restaurant Locations

Hotel & Resorts Five-Star Hotels

AZADEA GROUP OF RESTAURANTS Butcher Shop and Grill

Tel. 1717 2324 (Bahrain City Centre)

Enigma Windsor Tower Hotel Tel. 1729 7000

Sitting at the bar at the Exchange, you are in a large square room with a stage at one end upon which the band is belting out all your favourite tunes. The thing about the Exchange is that the house band is actually very good and with the relaxed vibe, it makes for a convivial venue, for pre- and postdinner drinks. With its proximity to the restaurant district of Adliya, this is not a bad place at all.

This is your classic hotel bar. Perfectly amenable, certainly comfortable, its downtown location makes it an ideal pre dinner watering hole. Its square bar is peppered with high rotating stools and there are low tables and big wide chairs that are dangerously comfortable. With attentive staff, a good selection of beers and an extensive cocktail menu, this is the perfect hangout for those in search of a sophisticated drink.

Columbus Café

Essentially a pool hall/sports bar, Cosmos is a great place to go and shoot some pool. If you are there on your own, and if they are not too busy, the waitresses will give you a game. But be warned, you will lose. The music is varied and at a comfortable volume. The food is good too but be aware: portions are huge.

The Exchange Ramada Hotel Tel. 1774 2000

So kick back, get comfortable and call for one more for the road.

Tel. 1717 2321 (Bahrain City Centre) Tel. 973 1758 0073 (Seef Mall)

Typhoon Gulf Hotel Tel. 1771 3000

Known to some as ‘the garden’, Typhoon is the perfect mix of relaxation and refinery. With a large decked area backing onto the koi filled pond, and surrounded by palms and plants, sitting in the outside space sometimes feels as though you are in your own garden but with table service. The inside space is also comfortably appointed and both areas are great for enjoying one of the many varied house cocktails.

During the war, the Germans used the Enigma cipher machine to send messages the British could not understand. It was the capture of an Enigma machine that allowed the Boffins at Bletchley Park to decipher the code and start making serious in-roads into the Nazi war machine. And so, in this spirit, Enigma may strike you as something of an anomaly initially but as the drinks flow, you’ll come round to its way of thinking.

An Nada Sheraton Hotel Tel. 1753 3533

The Jawad Dome

1769 3581

DQ Grill & Chill

Romano’s Macaroni Grill

Papa John’s Pizza Juffair

1772 5453

Juffair

3947 9627

Manama

1721 5145

Lulu Hyper Market, Riffa

1749 1731

Seef Mall

1758 1516

Hotel Chocolat

Marina Mall

1725 3010

Bahrain City Centre

Salmaniya

1727 3494

Bahrain Mall

1755 6115

Costa Coffee

Juffair

1781 3529

Patisserie Valerie

Manama

1721 3930

Moda Mall

Justapasta Bahrain Mall

Thai Express 1755 4091

Barsha’a Building, opp.

Airport, Muharraq

1751 0182

1733 9509

The Jawad Dome

1769 3595

Tilly’s The Jawad Dome

1769 1358

1717 9723

Al A’ali Mall

1758 2229

Adliya

1774 9299

Yateem Centre

1721 5182

Marina Mall

1723 0109

Bahrain City Centre

1717 9790

Seef Mall Extension

1758 0139

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 123

Listings

Sports, Fitness and Kids Fitness/Aerobics/Spinning

Meditation/Yoga

Al Safir Fitness First The Regency The Diplomat Radisson Blu Curves (Budaiya) Ez Fit Sports Complex Image Spa & Leisure (Sheraton Hotel) The Health Club (Gulf Hotel) Nautilus (Crown Plaza) Sports Club & Spa, Ritz-Carlton Al Gosaibi Gym Ghassan’s Gym (mat and private classes available) La Fontaine Centre World Beat Fitness Centre

Art of Living 3988 8760 Dessange 1771 3999 (Yoga classes offered several times a week) Bahrain Meditation Centre Bahrain 1779 5961 (Wellness Resort) Saturdays and Wednesdays. 7pm to 8.30pm, Mixed yoga classes. Sundays and Tuesdays (Ladies Only), 10am to12pm Bayoga Centre 1772 5027 Daily yoga classes, relaxing yoga and meditation for beginners and advanced students.

World Beat Fitness Centre 1761 2576 The Diplomat Radisson Blu 1753 1666 Anubhaa Sharma anurays@yahoo.co.in

1781 3815 1332 2200 1722 7777 1753 1666 1769 1496 1769 2378 1752 4570 1771 3000 1753 0764 1758 9380 1729 3221 1769 5911 1723 0123 1761 2576

Badminton Bapco Club Telgu Kala Samithi The Indian Club

1775 3666 1727 6300 1725 3157

Basketball EZ Fit Sports Complex Bahrain Basketball Association

Bowling Al Bander Hotel & Resort Awali Bowling Centre Bahrain Bowling Association Bapco Club Funland Centre

Cricket EZ Fit Sports Complex Bahrain Rugby Football Club SLC Grounds, Riffa Thursdays, Training 3pm to 5pm

1769 2378 1769 5809 1727 6134

Bahrain Cycling Association

1765 0079

Dance Bahrain Ballet Centre Indian Institute for Performing Arts Latin Dance Bahrain Sampaguita Club Sayaw Unlimited Dance Club Victoria Dance Centre World Beat Fitness Centre Profiles Fitness Centre Pineapple

1769 3232 1723 1717 3967 6349 3910 6589 3982 7096 3987 6215 1761 2576 1772 7766 1771 2000

Football Al Ahli Sports Club Al Hala Sports Club Bahrain Rugby Club British Club Dilmun Club EZ Fit Sports Complex

1727 7712 1734 2182 1769 5809 1772 8245 1769 2986 1769 2378

Golf Awali Club Royal Golf Club

Go Karting/Racing Rally Town BIC Silver go-Karts (Tubli) Gulf Speed One (Seef)

1753 1165 1745 0000 1778 0011 3944 4137

Ice Skating Funland Centre

1769 5809

Bahrain Snooker Association Jimmy’s Snooker and Billiards Club

1782 5301 1771 6147

Squash Bahrain Badminton and Squash Federation The Country Club Al Bander Resort Nautilus (Crowne Plaza) The Diplomat Radisson Blu

1729 2662 1759 3593 1770 1201 1753 0764 1753 1666

Awali Riding Club 1775 6525 Saturdays to Thursdays, 7am to 7pm.

Fridays 7am to 6pm. Desert rides.

Qualified instructors

Bahrain Riding School 1769 0448 Daily rides 4pm to 6pm Dilmun Club 1769 2986 Sundays to Thursdays. 8am to 11am and 3pm to 7.30pm Shakhoora Riding School 1759 1103 Sundays to Thursdays, 8am to 12noon, 3.30pm to 7pm The Country Club 1759 3593 Fridays Horse riding in paddock, 1pm to 4pm Twin Palms Riding Centre 1759 1668

Swimming Lessons British Club Dilmun Club Ritz Carlton Sports Club The Diplomat Radisson Blu

1772 8245 1769 2986 1758 0001 1753 1666

Watersports 1775 6770 1775 0777

Bahrain Sailing School Coral Beach Club The Marina Club The Sailing Club The Yacht Club Aquatique - Organised pearl diving Al Bander Resort Bahrain Swimming Association Dilmun Club

1731 0252 1721 2700 1729 1527 1783 6078 1770 0677 1727 1780 1770 1201 1768 0867 1769 0926

Martial Arts Japan Karate Association 3944 9628/3667 2204 Profiles Fitness Centre (Boxing for ladies) 1772 7766 Zen-Do 1761 1909 Bahrain Karate Centre 3947 7709 Goju Karate Club 3965 9510 World Beat Fitness Centre 1761 2576 Bahrain Karate-do Academy 3665 7059

Bahrain Tennis Club 1772 9561 The British Club 1722 8245 The Country Club 1759 3593 Dilmun Club 1769 2986 Gulf Hotel 1771 3000 Marina Club 1729 1527 The Diplomat Radisson Blu 1753 1666 Bahrain Tennis Club 1772 9561/1772 9756 Filipino Club Tennis Group 3952 7587

Football Arsenal Soccer School

124 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

1756 6566 1769 2378 1761 2576 1759 2096

Libraries Awali Library (BAPCO, Awali) British Club (Times vary) Iqra’s Children’s Library Muharraq)

1775 3666 1772 8245 1732 0955

Music Lessons Bahrain Music Institute Kindermusik Bahrain Room to Rock

1772 1999 1761 3144/3925 6904 1761 1785

Play Centres Chakazoolu Indoor Theme Park www.danamall.net Chaoss Funland Centre (bowling, ice skating, pool) www.funlandcentre.com Mad Science Magic Island, www.seefmall.net My Gym, Softplay at Dilmun Club Lost Paradise of Dilmun Waterpark www.lpodwaterpark.com

1755 8500 1759 2096 1729 2313

1759 1136 1758 2898 1756 6566 1769 0926 1784 5100

Play Groups Chaoss, Off Budaiya Highway 1759 2096 Kindermusik 3925 6904/1761 3144 Ajyaal Montessori Pre-School Mini Storytellers, British School 3912 9585 (4 to 7 year olds) Musical Babies, Nadeen School 1772 8886 My Gym, Seef District 1756 6566 Rhymes & Chimes, Dilmun Club 3929 6848 Soft Play, Off Budaiya Highway 3965 3678 Sticky Fingers, Bahrain Rugby Club 3932 6349 Storytellers, British School 3912 9585 (7 to 11 year olds) Tots & Toddlers Group, 1772 8245 The British Club Wriggly Readers, British School 3912 9585 (for pre-schoolers) www.mumsinbahrain.net

1756 1615

Al Areen Wildlife Park Adhari Park

1783 6116 1740 7300

North of the Shaikh Isa Bin Sulman Highway Fun for all ages, includes a sports camp, groovy town, discovery village and indoor entertainment Children’s Health Academy of Specialised Sports

Chaoss

1759 2096 Swimming, gymnastics, dance and Taekwon-Do for children and teenagers.

Dolphin Park Corniche next to Marina Club One hour marine mammal show.

1729 3109

Funland

1729 2313

Corniche next to Marina Club Bowling and Ice Skating everyday.

Hawar Island

1731 1770 Day trips to Hawar Island, boats depart from Ad Dur Jetty at 10am daily

Kid’s Kingdom Corniche, next to the Hawar reservation office A small outdoor playground. Good fun for young children. Open until late.

Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park

1784 5100

Open daily except Tuesday, 10am to 6pm (Thursday til 5pm)

Magic Island Seef Mall Over 120 different games and attractions and Bahrain’s only indoor Roller Blade Arena.

Playland 1774 2266/1762 0999 Above Fuddruckers in Adliya An indoor centre full of games.

Each ride costs 100 fils. Tokens available.

Soft Play 3965 3678 Future Shape Dance Studio, Garden City Every Monday and Wednesday from 9.30am to 11.30am Children under the age of six months attend for free. www.softplaybahrain.com Studio Ceramics

1759 9026 Budaiya Highway Pottery painting and more.

Open 9.30am to 6pm Sunday to Thursday, or by appointment. Birthday parties and private group bookings possible.

Water Garden Salmaniya 1726 2034 Near Dairy Queen roundabout A semi-filled lake with paddleboats and birds.

School & Nurseries Wahooo! Waterpark Bahrain 1717 3000 Bahrain City Centre Opening Hours: Saturday to Tuesday: 11am to 8pm Wednesday: 11am to 10pm (Ladies Night 5pm to 10pm) Thursday and Friday: 11am to 9 PM

Things to know The Tourist Department

Tennis 1729 2313

3600 1777

My Gym, www.my-gym.com EZ Fit World Beat Fitness Centre Chaoss

Horse Riding

Cycling

Film-making workshops

Kids Gyms/Gymnastics

Snooker 1770 1201 1775 3666 1782 2077 1775 3666 1729 2313

Drama

American Express Bahrain Rugby Football Thursdays 5pm for girls.

1769 5809 Riffa Views Netball League 3630 6946

American Express Bahrain Rugby Football

Where To Go

Paint In Space 1762 6232 Chaoss 1759 2096 Dar Albareh 1771 3535/3906 9016 Celebrations 1759 5791 Bahrain Art Society 1759 0551 Indian Institute for Performing Arts 1723 1717 The Studio 3975 4863 Studio Ceramics 1759 9026 Things to Do 1759 0409

Netball

Rugby 1769 2378 1774 1010

Creative Kids Art Classes

(Tel. 1721 1717) is located in the gate to Manama’s souq, Bab al-Bahrain, on the ground floor next to the tourist shop, Times: 8am to 12 and 4.30pm to 6pm, closed on Friday.

Currency The Bahrain Dinar (BD) is pegged to the US dollar at the rate of US$1=BD0.377 - in other words a dinar is worth about $2.65. It is a convertible currency with no restrictions on its import or export. Tip: the Saudi Riyal (SR) is also accepted

in shops for purchases at an exchange rate of BD1=SR10 (less in hotels) and you may be given Saudi money as change.

Business Hours Friday is the Islamic equivalent of the Christian Sunday. The weekend falls on a Friday and a Saturday. Most shopping malls and commercial centres are generally open seven days a week.

Listings Schools American Curriculum

Clubs & Associations

Other Private Schools

Al Hekma International Tel. 1762 0820/1762 3999 Modern Knowledge Schools Tel. 1772 7712 Riffa Views International School Tel. 1656 5000 The Bahrain School Tel. 1762 0820

Al Noor International School Tel. 1773 6773 Ecole Francaise de Bahrain Tel. 1732 3770 Ibn Khuldoon National School Tel. 1778 0661 Shaikha Hessa Girls’ School Tel. 1775 6111

British Curriculum

Special Needs

Al Mahd Day Boarding Tel. 1779 2422 British School Tel. 1761 0920 Budaiya Preschool Tel. 1779 1491 Dilmun School (elementary) Tel. 1771 3483 KG Kids Tel. 1766 3556 St Christopher’s School Tel. 1778 8108 Sacred Heart School Tel. 1768 4367 Talent International and The Infant School Tel. 1725 2346/1777 0078

Disabled Sports Federation Tel. 1778 9191 Hope Institute Tel. 1768 0815/1768 0500 R.I.A. Institute Tel. 1771 6871 The Children’s Academy Tel. 1761 3234 UCO Parents Care Centre Tel. 1767 7717

Art Societies

Charitable Organisations

Taxis

Taxis are easily available in the capital, Manama, and have meters but be sure to make the driver use the meter. 99% of drivers won’t switch on the meter and will try to charge you double the legal fare. Beware!

Al Dana Nursery Tel. 1725 3541 Dana Pre-school, Riffa Tel. 1777 0180 Lilliput, Budaiya Tel. 1769 4947

Confidential Tip: BD1 per five minutes in the cab is the most you should pay for an un-metered journey. If traveling from the airport or busy taxi rank, add BD2/after midnight add BD1 to the total e.g. a 10 minute drive from the airport after midnight should cost you no more than BD5 (BD2 + BD2 + BD1= BD5). Taxis do use meters and companies may use similar rates.

Avoiding Offence

Generally speaking, very short skirts and tight midriff tops are frowned upon in public, although acceptable by hotel pools, in private clubs and on the beach. If visiting a mosque, cover the body well (women should ensure that arms and legs and hair are fully covered). Shoes should always be left outside the entrance.

Essential Info 24-Hour Pharmacies Jaffer Pharmacy Tel. 1729 1039 18, Tarfah bin Al Abid Avenue, Manama 319 Nasser Pharmacy Tel. 1774 0900 63-B, Qadisiya Avenue, Manama 332 Awal Pharmacy Tel. 1777 2023 30 Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Avenue, East Riffa 901 (Check the Gulf Daily News for other chemists.)

Courier & Express Delivery Most international express parcel and courier companies have offices in Manama, and include:

Tel. 1734 9199 Tel. 1772 3636

Car Hire An International Driving Permit (IDP) is required to drive in Bahrain except for visitors from Gulf Cooperation Council states, U.S.A., Canada, countries in the European Union, Australia and New Zealand. The offices of car-hire companies are easily encountered at the airport. Recommended principal rental firms include:

Tel. 1753 4100

Tel. 1723 1156

Tel. 1771 3181

Embassies & Consulates Embassies generally open from 8am to 1pm from Saturday to Wednesday and some Arab embassies also open on Thursday. Many embassies have a number of staff on call outside these hours for emergencies.

Algeria 1771 3669 Bangladesh 1771 4717 China 1772 3800 Denmark 1772 5119 Egypt 1772 0005 France 1729 8660 Germany 1753 0210 India 1771 2785 Iran 1772 2400 Iraq 1774 1472 Italy 1725 2424 Japan 1771 6565 Jordan 1729 1109 Kuwait 1753 4040

Lebanon Malaysia Morocco Netherlands Oman Pakistan Palestine Philippines Portugal Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Switzerland Syria Trade Mission of Taiwan Thailand Tunisia Turkey UAE UK UN Info Centre USA

1778 6994 1756 4551 1774 0566 1759 1568 1729 3663 1724 4113 1727 6099 1725 0990 1753 6709 1772 2922 1772 5222 1753 7722 1753 1166 1772 2484 1729 2578 1727 4142 1771 4149 1753 3448 1771 0333 1757 4100 1731 1676 1724 2700

Flight Information Airline offices are normally open from 8am to 12.30pm and from 3pm to around 5pm, Saturday till Wednesday.

Flight Info 1733 9339 Air India 1729 6444 British Airways 1758 7777 Cathay Pacific 1722 6226 Emirates 1758 8700 Gulf Air 1733 5777 Jet Airways 1722 7114 KLM 1722 9747 Kuwait Airways 1722 3300 Lufthansa 1782 8762 PIA 1722 3808 Qatar Airways 1721 2202 Saudi Airlines 1721 1550

999 1725 3447 1779 0025 1781 2000 1782 8282 1728 8888

Telephone Helpline Intl. calls via operator Directory enquiries Directory enquiries - Intl.

Other phone enquiries Speaking clock

Alia for Early Intervention 1773 0960 Bahrain Cancer Society 3960 3489/1723 3080 Bahrain Charity Society 1729 3363 Bahrain Disabled Sports Committee 1778 9191 Bahrain Human Rights Society 1753 1822 Bahrain Red Crescent Society 1729 3171 Friendship Society for the Blind 1762 4496 Hope Institute for the Handicapped 1768 0815 Islamic Enlightenment Society 1772 0053 Lions Club of Bahrain 3908 0097 Manama Rotary Club 3939 4522 Migrant Workers Protection Society 3946 5378 Overseas Workers Welfare Admin.

1721 3825 Palm Association 1779 0826/3964 3211 Riffa Cultural and Charity Society 1777 5444 Think Pink 3907 6717 BSPCA 1759 1231/1759 3479

Gallery/Crafts Al Riwaq Art Space 1771 7441 Al Jasra Handicrafts Centre 1761 1900 Art Lounge 1758 0522 Traditional crafts including palm weaving, pottery and woodwork.

Bahrain Arts Society 1759 0551 Thursdays drawing and painting for Children, 18 hours @ BD25, 10am to 12pm Saturdays and Mondays drawing and Painting for adults, 18 hours @ BD30, 3pm to 7pm.

Bahrain Pottery Society 1778 6898 Clay pottery, ceramic and painting lessons - Saturdays and Mondays, 5pm.

Crafts Centre Gallery and Workshop 1756 8032 Arabic calligraphy Caravan Galleries 3996 5853 Kerala Arts and Cultural Association 3963 9319 The Studio

3975 4863 Pottery painting and more for adults and children, open 9.30am to 6pm Sunday to Thursday or by appointment.

Birthday parties and private group bookings possible.

Shaikh Ibrahim Cultural 3940 2302/1732 2549 and Research Centre

“Help” 24-Hour Helpline for Distressed Alcoholics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous

Speech & Drama Bahrain Cinema Club Dilmun Amateur Dramatics Society Folk Poetry Society Manama Theatre Club Manama Toastmasters Club

1772 5959 1769 0926 1776 1000 1777 6489 3965 5676

Ladies Clubs American Association of Bahrain 1756 4170 American Women’s Association 1775 6075 Australian Association of Bahrain 3910 1348 Awali Ladies Association 1767 8947 Bahrain Business Women’s Society 1772 1188 Bahrain Garden Club 1772 7625 Bahrain Women Society 1782 6777 Bahrain Young Ladies Society 1727 3508 BYLS-Toastmasters Club 1762 6237 Get together for Ladies 3917 4247/3902 7892 Indian Ladies Association 3980 5372 International Ladies Group 1772 9128 Madinat Hamad Women Society 3964 3396 Contact person Amal 3987 8758 Pakistani Women’s Association 1771 0944 Second Sunday Newcomers 3927 0413/3641 1368

Language Schools Al Quran Translation 1764 5156 Bait Al Taleem 1764 3199 Berlitz 1782 7847 British Council 1726 1555 Carousel 3967 3635 Lingua English Saturdays. Mondays and Wednesdays. English Language Classes, 4.30pm to 6pm, 4pm to 5.30pm.

English Language Centre 1770 0040

Social Clubs Alliance Française 1768 3295 Assamese Community 3909 1959 Awali Caledonian Society 3636 6458 Bahrain Caledonian Society 3944 0658 Bahrain Hash House Harriers 1786 2620 Bahrain Irish Society info@bahrainirishsociety.com Bahrain Kannada Sangha 1727 1257 Bahrain Round Table 3960 8568 Bahrain Welsh Society 1772 7127 Balouch Club 1729 2231 British Club 1772 8245 ext. 32 Bhatia Mitra Mandal 3960 1789 Country Club 1759 3593 Dilmun Club 1769 0926 Filipino Club 1726 2143 Indian Club 1725 3157 Karnataka Social Club 1725 4257 Pakistan Club 1725 8520 Pakistan Association 3941 5200 Royal Society of St. George 3972 6329 Saar Cultural & Sports Club 1779 0335 Shree Nayrana Cultural Society 1725 5517 Shri Gujarati Samaj 3962 4285 Sri Lanka Club 1727 6134 Wisdom Home Society 1772 7575

Al Andalus Park, Bahrain

3960 7219 3968 7190

Darts Balouch Club Sri Lanka Club

1729 2231 1729 7878

Chess Bahrain Chess Federation

151 181 191 100 140

3987 3357 1753 0020 1753 3558

1724 2641 1727 1157

Bridge Bahrain Bridge Club Bahrain Bridge Committee

Hospitals & Clinics Emergency American Mission Hospital (AMH) Saar Medical & Dental Clinic (AMH) Bahrain Specialist Hospital Ibn Al-Nafees Hospital Salmaniya Hospital

Scrabble Bahrain Scrabble League Bahrain Kannada Sangha Saturdays. 6.30pm.

Elham 1771 7441 La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art 1723 0123 The Bahrain Contemporary Art Society 1772 8046

Things to know

Nurseries and Creches

Animal Welfare Al Ahli Animal Centre 1762 2102/3965 4343 BSPCA 1759 1231 Delmon Kennels & Training 3971 7609 Jassim Veterinary Centre (Sugaya) 1723 1242 Modern Animal Health Centre (Budaiya) 1759 0908 Nonie Coutts Surgery, (Manama and Saar) 1724 5515 Pet Arabia 1759 2288 Saar Kennels 1779 2064

1725 2133

Photography Awali Photo Society Bahrain Arts Society

1776 4468 3966 7751

Photography by Raffy Dulay

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 125

Funny News

Just For

Laughs

First a Horse, Then a Cow A 15-year-old girl from southern

Some funny stuff that made the Confidential team giggle this month ...

Let Me Out! Firefighters in Bristol, UK, had to be

called to rescue a man from inside a clothes recycling skip after an apparent attempt to steal garments from it. Upon being confronted by security staff, the man fled, abandoning his partner inside the metal container. The 28-year-old man had to be cut free by emergency services, who removed the roof of the bin to get him out. A police statement said: “One man had climbed into the bins and was seen to remove items and hand them to the man outside.”

Germany denied a horse from her parents has turned to a cow to fulfil her riding dreams. Hours of training, cajoling and tons of treats have resulted in Luna the cow able to jump over makeshift hurdles of beer crates and painted logs.

What is a 710 knob?

A few days ago I was having some work done at my local garage.

A blonde came in and asked for a seven-hundred-ten knob. We all looked at each other and another customer asked, “What is a seven-hundred-ten knob?” She replied, “You know, the little piece in the middle of the engine. I have lost it and need a new one.”

She replied that she did not know exactly what it was, but this piece had always been there. The mechanic gave her a piece of paper and a pen and asked her to draw what the piece looked like. She drew a circle and in the middle of it wrote 710. He then took her over to another car which had its hood up and asked, ‘Is there a 710 on this car?’ She pointed and said, “Of course, it’s right there.” If you’re not sure what a 710 knob is, see right.

Gladys Burrill

Age is but a Number Gladys Burrill, 92, nicknamed

“the Gladyator”, power-walked and jogged the length of a 26.2mile route in nine hours and 53 minutes to become the oldest person in the world to complete a marathon. The Guinness World Records have finally confirmed her accomplishment and the Hawaii House of Representatives have honoured her with a certificate and lei at a special ceremony.

Offloaded!

A car engine, a dead cow and a bag of sand and sea water are amongst the strangest items that

air passengers have tried to check in on flights. One lady even turned up at a JFK airport check-in desk with family members carrying her bath. It wasn’t even wrapped or packaged. Check-in staff were also presented with a giant wheel of cheese and a tarantula hidden in a lady’s coat. Other passengers have tried to check in a bag of cutlery stolen from a previous flight. For those who couldn’t quite let go of their holiday, there was a couple who fell in love on the island of Grenada and decided to try and check in a bag full of sand, sea and water as a memory from the island.

126 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

Lifestyle

Horoscopes Discover your Native American Astrology Symbol

Renowned British astrologist Astra Henley reveals the secrets of the stars exclusively to Bahrain Confidential’s readers every month.

Taurus – Beaver 20 April – 20 May

Take it slowly and steadily with your finances and they will see some improvements. Don’t be afraid to take a fresh, new approach to your finances. Don’t stop dreaming; dreams can become a reality. Pay no attention to discouragement but listen to what’s being told.

Eventually you shall find your way.

Gemini - Deer

21 May - 20 June

If you’re feeling stressed out, this might be a great time to start thinking about taking a holiday. If you’ve been thinking about it for a while, maybe you should put it into action.

Remember not to go over the top with your vacation though. Just a little time off would do you some good. Financially, thriftiness will be necessary.

Cancer - Woodpecker 21 June - 21 July

You have love in your heart but who is it for? Think about it! Be patient and don’t be disheartened.

Happiness will last for a few weeks so make the most of it. Be careful with your finances. They can go just as easily as they can come. You might see some good news coming your way, an investment, perhaps.

Leo - Salmon

22 July - 21 August

Summer is almost here and it would be advisable to enjoy all the energy the sun sends you and make the most of it. Don’t let others take advantage of you; it shall only lead to your ruin. It’s your life, stand your ground! Your financial decisions are sure to make you stronger so don’t be disappointed if they don’t give you the expected result.

Virgo - Brown Bear

22 August - 21 September

You are at your strongest this month. Prepare yourself for opportunities and don’t hesitate to take a chance. Love might be on the way for you.

Open your eyes and turn every corner in your path. If you already have love, this is the time to strengthen it. There will also be an unexpected turn in your financial partnership; whether it will be positive or negative, only you can determine.

Libra - Crow

22 September - 22 October

Sensitivity and creativity are already in your nature. The question is what will you find with those qualities? Strengthen your artistic skills and keep an open mind. Perhaps it’s time to cure your heart. Prepare yourself for the unexpected. Think of how much you value yourself and opportunities will come your way.

Scorpio - Snake

23 October - 22 November

You seem to be attracted toward the mountains or forests. Maybe you should take some time off. You need to be re-energised and it might do you some good to be around nature. Nature will take you to places you never knew existed. Open your heart. Seize your opportunities and keep your purpose in mind especially when others may lose themselves.

Sagittarius - Owl

23 November - 21 December

Perhaps there is a change of employment coming your way, maybe even a promotion? New doors shall be left open for you and new friends will make their way into your life. This kind of change might give you a good result. Your financial situation will see some change too and a speedy one, it will be. An exciting voyage is waiting for you.

Capricorn - Goose

22 December - 19 January

If you’re a little discouraged, you shouldn’t be. Good things will come out of your experiences. Try not to get too caught up in what others tell you and listen for some unexpected good news which might be heading your way. Financially be straightforward, and don’t be afraid to take on a new approach to matters.

Emerald - May’s Birthstone

Aquarius - Otter

20 January - 18 February This month, take time for yourself. Plan what you want to do in the near future, perhaps a holiday? Get yourself some rest and start thinking about all the benefits you’ve been blessed with.

You might get lucky with finances but there might also be some turbulence towards the end of the month.

Pisces - Wolf

19 February - 20 March

It would be a good time to re-explore you relationships especially those with whom you have had some enmity. Let bygones be bygones and leave the past where it is.

With spring, your heart will be refreshed and there will be space for forgiveness.

Listen to your instincts and prepare yourself for everything.

Aries - Falcon

21 March - 19 April

Interior contemplation might just do you some good this time of year. Don’t let your stress get to you. Take a moment to yourself, breathe, relax and re-evaluate the situation. Be careful about your decisions, think them through. A little carelessness can lead to disastrous results at this point. Your personality is your best asset.

May 2011 | Bahrain Confidential | 127

Opinion

Personal views from KSA

Time Will

by Mohammed T. Al Rasheed

Proceed

deusvolt@hotmail.com

H

ave you ever heard the Latin phrase ‘acta est fabula’?

The meaning is easy enough. ‘Acta’ is, of course, act and ‘fabula’ means finished. So the ‘act is finished’ is the translation. It was more of a proverb until the highly gifted French author Rabelais made it his last words before dying: “la farce est jouee”. Being French, he surely would have known what a ‘farce’ was.

The act, farce, play, call it what you will, is literally over. What was viable yesterday in our niche of the world is not possible today. Anyone who denies this fact is practicing an exercise in futility.

I want to go even further, play around with the words of Plotinus, the ancient philosopher, and say with him that no visible ‘system’ is justified by its practices.

The question for us today, having understood those facts, is, ‘who can ride the tide and survive and who will hunker down in a mud house built on decades of termite-infested mounds and resist the dialectics of history?’ This is the Arab world after all, and we are known not to forget blood feuds, blood spilled, and blood boiling. Our history is replete with such episodes. Therefore, it behooves us to be very careful in spilling that blood.

I do not claim to be the voice of sanity in this limited space (God knows we all need plenty of it before we write or speak), but someone should say something that is semi-sane at least. That, on the face of it, should be easy enough, but with all the problems concomitant with writing these days, one should use code.

Code in literature, of course, is symbolism or parables, or anything attaining to the thin veil of neutrality. That, again, is a

128 | Bahrain Confidential | May 2011

No matter how hard you fight it, time will proceed and changes will occur. Mohammed Al Rasheed shares his thoughts on the subject.

fallacy. Therefore, we turn to history. That should be safe enough.

Royalty in this world do not want to be told anything. Presidents in this part of the world, who think themselves royalty, are even worse. Let me then tell a story about Queen Victoria who is long dead and the royalty who inherited her throne are more open to discourse.

During the Suffrage Movement (votes for women), she was ‘not amused.’ The fact that she was a woman herself and ruled over an empire (not like the present one who does not command anything beyond her shores if even that) did not persuade her that what rights she had

and some violence came after her death.

The point is that the sense of irony was lost on a lady who knew herself only in the third person. Then again, she was on the throne for more than the Libyan leader could claim. Not to mention the fact that she was indeed the Queen of Africa and many more places in reality and not false impression.

At the end of the day, change came.

I don’t know if she turned in her grave when she saw a female PM elected (not appointed or through birth) to a position much more powerful than what her descendent occupies. But I should think the point is moot as it is.

Women in the now defunct and shrunken Victorian Realm are happier, better off, equal to men and even better than most of them. For all her political madness, Margaret Thatcher easily eclipses any Prime Minister of that country who came after her. Take that for proof if one is needed.

Needless to belabour the point: when change is in the air on such a scale, grievances are legitimate and warranted, people are out declaring their demands (Suffragettes went on hunger strikes and chained themselves to government doors), and no one can stop the tide. You can try to delay it, but it will not stop. Time has a way of leaving things behind. And there is no need to remind anyone that Time is remorselessly egalitarian: when it wants to leave something or someone behind, it does not look to title, ancestry or even birth status. Just ask Louis XVI, Nicholas II, and even sweet little Marie Antoinette, who, by the way, never said “Let them eat cake!” n

“I do not claim to be the voice of sanity in this limited space, but someone should say something that is semi-sane at least.” should be extended in limited form at least to those of her gender. She was set in her mind and fought tooth and nail against her fellow females to keep them under ‘control.’ While she spoke of herself in the third person, she denied other women in her kingdom the right to speak in the first. Here’s what she said in 1870 concerning the issue.

“This mad, wicked Folly of Women’s Rights ... [is] a subject which makes the Queen so furious that she cannot contain herself.”

She had to contain herself though some violent and bloody reactions did follow as the movement progressed some of it witnessed by Victoria herself

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