Bahrain This Month - May 2016 by Red House Marketing

SHOPPING MALLS | CAFĂ&#x2030;S AND CASUAL DINING | COSMETICS

YOUR GUIDE TO A GREAT WAY OF LIFE

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Interviews

- Arif Rahimi

New BIC board chairman

- Jack Melville

Legendary British artist

Game On!

Animania Bahrain 2016 Gaming Convention

Social Media Masters Forum Experts Share Secrets May 2016 ~ Vol. 20 ~ Issue 5

Arts

Culture

Clubs

Sports

Interviews

Lifestyle

Dining

Nightlife

socialmediamastersforum

Mitch Carson and Ernesto Verdugo

Entrepreneurial Secrets The Social Media Masters Forum is where world experts share their secrets on making social media work for you. Forum creators Mitch Carson and Ernesto Verdugo are both seasoned seminar promoters and speakers with combined experience of 45 years on stages around the world. Together they partnered, brainstormed and created the International Experts Forum to showcase incredible talent to the world. Mitch explains: “The International Experts Forum was created because we discovered there were multiple speakers and content providers with great ideas who had no reliable means to get their messages heard. This is a common problem speakers face around the world. “This forum was created to address the needs of speakers and to provide the community in Bahrain this experience.” He continues that noticing what separates world-class speakers and thought leaders from those who treat speaking as a hobby was easily www.bahrainthismonth.com

identified, and the forum is aimed at those interested in speaking full time. Speakers are provided a platform and they are guaranteed stages with quality audiences. They are provided inclusion in print media, radio interviews, television interviews and creation of a sizzle reel, professional branding photography and comprehensive training to perform well in front of the media. All these elements make for a comprehensive media kit that will forever brand them as professionals. Explaining how speakers attract an audience. Mitch says: “We give the attendees what they need and provide speakers to match. This is a win-win scenario. We provide great content inside short sessions of five minutes that are chock full of useful ideas and solutions. No more long and boring sessions which cause you to look at your Smart phones during a presentation. Consider this forum the cliffnotes version of full 90-minute speeches. Audience members get the meat of a presentation and no fluff is included.”

Many of the speakers are experts in social media communications and marketing but, though social media has become a great way to create an audience for thought leaders, the absence of human interaction has continued to create the evergreen category of live events. Since the beginning of time, orators and thought leaders have been well received by audiences and this still holds true today. Mitch concludes: “We are pack animals who thrive on human interaction. Video and YouTube have helped in creating more of a bond with viewers, but nothing replaces live events…and never will, we believe.” The first Social Media Masters Forum in Bahrain will include numerous presentations such as: Make Your Ideas Investment Worthy; Essential Steps to Overcome Burnout; Know Where You Are and Discover Where you Want to Go; How to Build a Solid Online Business That Pays You While You Sleep; How to Turn Your Pictures Into Profit With Instagram and many more. May 2016 A

socialmediamastersforum

Mitch Carson

Ernesto Verdugo

Ernesto is an author, entrepreneur, international public speaker, consultant, accelerated learning practitioner and Internet coach. He has worked with tens of thousands of individuals from over 110 nationalities in more than 50 different countries sharing his know-how in the fields of peak performance, business development and Internet marketing. Simply Google his name and you’ll find, amongst the over 1,460,000 results, he is listed as the 237th most travelled human being in the universe.

Dr Paul Maguire

Dr Maguire is known as ‘The Million Dollar Practice Maker’ for his ability to do just that. He is a true serial entrepreneur having built several million- and multimillion-dollar businesses in health care, real estate, gaming, consulting, licensing and speaking. As an events producer he has worked with top industry names, including Brian Tracy, Joel Bauer, Russell Granger and Les Brown. He has trained doctors and entrepreneurs in building their brand and business with astonishing results. Paul not only talks the talk, he walks the walk, having retired as a multimillionaire at just 39. Several of his clients have retired under Paul’s guidance.

Mitch is known as the Instant Celebrity Maker for his ability to position thought leaders so they maximise their authority, branding and reach. A best-selling author, his multi-media background ranges from pitching products on Home Shopping Network to infomercial sales and a syndicated radio show on CBS. He has counselled many of the legends of marketing in America, Canada, Australia and the UK and has been featured in, among others, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Los Angeles Times, Sydney Morning Herald. He has spoken to audiences across the world and his all-star list of clients includes Wells Fargo Bank, QVC, Home Depot and Walmart to name a few.

Nolan Paquette Jill Morgenthaler

Army colonel Jill Morgenthaler assists want-to-be leaders and have-to-be leaders to be the best leaders. A dynamic leader, who has commanded men and women from 17 countries, who has led during wartime and peacetime, and who ran homeland security for the State of Illinois, brings her expertise, excitement and energy to the stage. Colonel Jill turns her unique experiences into universal leadership lessons to help men and women lead better the very next day. Author of The Courage to Take Command: Leadership Lessons from a Military Trailblazer, Colonel Jill’s mission in life is to share tactics and techniques to leading successfully. B May 2016

Nolan is a young, energetic serial entrepreneur from Canada. Starting in high school in 2006, he discovered the fast-paced and rapidly growing world of e-commerce. Taking a particular interest in marketing and optimisation, he has spent the past decade honing his skills and building digital businesses in competitive markets. Over the past five years he’s acted as CMO for Mindable, which was recognised as one of the 500 fastest-growing tech companies in North America.

Elizabeth Olagunju

Elizabeth is a certified leadership/success coach. Her financial experience with major Fortune 500 companies, such as Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase, positions her with a wealth of knowledge, skills and practicality to propel thought leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals to discover tools for financial freedom. She has experienced the wisdom of great leaders such as Jack Canfield, Tony Robbins and Nido Abdo. Elizabeth has been featured in magazines such as Women of Distinction and on TV and radio and is an international bestselling author, with one of her self-help books selected by Amazon.com as one of the best books of 2014. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Perry Marshall

Perry is one of the world’s most expensive and sought-after business consultants. Clients seek his ability to integrate engineering, sales, mathematics, biology, art and psychology. He pioneered many best practices in paid search and wrote the world’s best-selling book on Web advertising, Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords. More recently, he’s turned 80/20 into a verb and his book 80/20 Sales & Marketing is mandatory in many growing companies. His works also include bestseller Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising, Evolution 2.0: Breaking the Deadlock Between Darwin and Design and Industrial Ethernet. He has shared the stage with Barbara Corcoran, Brian Tracy and Les Brown, and has consulted in 300-plus industries.

Katherine McIntosh

Katherine is an international speaker, facilitator, consultant and best-selling author. Known for her expertise in combining the body’s wisdom with business creation, she helps people grow and expand their businesses and consequently every area of their lives. Her straight-tothe-point methods help people from all over the world change the things they think they cannot change. Her clients range from sixand seven-figure entrepreneurs to actors, musicians and rock stars of all walks of life. Katherine believes if you have a vision, you also have all the wisdom and resources available to actualise that vision!

Dr Hilda Maldonado, MD

Anti-ageing specialist, Dr Maldonado has successfully restored physical and emotional balance to clients who had failed with all other approaches. For over 20 years, without drugs, pain or invasive procedures, patients have often felt the ageing process has been reversed. They experience massive energy, focus and vitality for the first time. Dr Maldonado is revealing her proven holistic approach and solutions to the world, through her new book, Holistic LifExtension.

Deedra Abboud

Deedra is an attorney, author, entrepreneur, world traveller and expert in the art and science of finding solutions, not fault – at work, at home and in the community. She serves as an enlightening resource on how to approach every challenge, problem and trial with a collective “How can we resolve this and move forward?” mentality through inspiring keynotes, interactive seminars, instructional videos and blogs. A frequent media resource, she has been profiled and quoted in print media as well as interviewed on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Brian Swan

Brian is known as the ‘Unstoppable Surfer’ of the ‘Unstoppable Family’. He went from a robotics engineer to multiple seven figures in Internet marketing, consulting, coaching, international public speaking and business development while travelling and surfing the world non-stop, from 2008, with his family. Along with his wife, the ‘Unstoppable Momma’, he has created the Freedom-Preneur Movement which has taught and trained tens of thousands of individuals to be free and live free anywhere around the world — in this online world. May 2016 C

socialmediamastersforum

Joel Bauer

Author and infotainer Joel Bauer has mentored more than 1,500 of the world’s highest-producing online/offline speakers and marketers, including Mark Victor Hanson, Eve Michaels, Robert Allen, Harry Dent and Jordon Belfort. He has been featured in Wired magazine, The Wall Street Journal and on ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN. Joel has been chosen to represent more than 40 companies which have included Motorola, IBM and INTEL. Though retired at 43, he loves empowering others through his hands-on experiential immersion seminars conducted internationally.

Roger Salam

Roger is a best-selling author, awardwinning speaker and social entrepreneur. Winner of the Thought Leader of the Year award from the National Bestsellers Association, he is listed in America’s Premier Experts directory. Former number one speaker and trainer with worldrenowned motivational speaker Tony Robbins, he is also the founder and chairman of International Mastermind Group and The Winners Circle and a US residential real estate investment expert.

Audra Hajj

Jill Fagan

Jill is the owner and founder of Silver Torch Press, a custom publishing company which focuses on self-improvement and business development books and magazines. Her niche is working with people in the advice business, meaning her clients make money off the advice they give. Doctors, attorneys, chiropractors, real estate investors, speakers, coaches, marketers and mentors have all used Jill’s services. Jill is also the managing editor of several magazines including Icon Advisor Magazine, the Brain Tap Journal, and the prestigious US Real Estate Journal and she was given TWC’s Breakout Publisher of the Year 2015 award. D May 2016

Audra M Hajj has earned a phenomenal reputation for her innovative concepts and savvy business approach. People who meet Audra instantly feel her drive, passion and energy. As CEO of Turboecart.com, a speaker and author, Audra has helped over 3,000 online businesses, including seven clients who have become millionaires. This year, she launches The Phoenix Business Cycle, a 12-month programme that provides branding, SEO, SMO, content writing, video creation and viral marketing methodologies that are proven to take businesses to new levels of success. She has just begun a 30-city tour.

David Fagan

David T Fagan is a columnist for the Beverly Hills Times magazine and the host of the California Cable TV show, The Hollywood Entrepreneur. He is also a bestselling author and a media-celebrated expert. He has been featured over 100 times including TV appearances on the Today Show with Matt Lauer, Fox & Friends, Your World with Neil Cavuto, Fox’s The Five, and What’s Happening Now to name a few. Most recently he won the award for Entrepreneur Educator of the Year from Infusionsoft. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Livia Caudell

Livia is a ‘conscious’ entrepreneur, visionary leader, international speaker and life coach who is on a mission to raise global consciousness by inspiring conscious business and living throughout the world. She has combined her passion for entrepreneurship, empowering people and her continuous study of developing herself to her highest potential to now create her newest company called Conscious Wealth Builders, which is a training, development and coaching company for people who are, or desire to become, conscious entrepreneurs, who are committed to developing themselves as conscious leaders and making a difference in the world!

Tom Moester

Tom is a business development director, coach, consultant and online business owner. He sets an example of how to find and live your purpose and inspires and helps other people to do the same. He has a wealth of experience in a wide range of fields and roles, ranging from government and consultancy to business development in a technology company, and covers Europe and Asia. As a passionate traveller and family man, he moved his family to Bali, where they created Villa Bloom and built an online business around the villa and their family — the ‘Dutch Nomad Family’.

Inge Hart

Dr Jay Goodbinder

Dr Jay Goodbinder is known for taking people with life-crippling diseases and helping them to restore their lives. His expertise is in functional endocrinology, biochemistry, physiology and epigenetics. He is a team doctor for the US Olympic weightlifting team and has worked with professional fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Each of his clients is given a structured individualised programme, with outstanding mentorship, to produce incredible health outcomes. He is now seeing patients from all over the world, changing the world one person at a time and helping all of them achieve their purpose in life. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Inge is known as the mum and founder of the Dutch Nomad Family. She is a leader by example on how to live a balanced life. Many have taken action for themselves, following her hands-on approach to integrating yoga, healthy food, quality time with family and earning an income into her daily life. She is a woman that acts on her dreams and travels the world. Inge built and owns Villa Bloom, a luxurious vacation rental in Bali. Her business and rental rate tripled by uniquely positioning the villa on social media.

Charlee Wins

Charlee Wins (Charles Nguyen), the Smarter Money Guy, is the author of three books on wealth, family finance and financial literacy. Founder of the Financial Empowerment Alliance, he also hosts the Smarter Money Show, showing families how to make, keep and grow their money. He has been featured on Little Saigon TV, Leading Experts TV and CU@USC Trojanvision TV. He empowers families with financial education, tools and resources to be debt free. His College Planning Mentor company helps families get from $USD25,000 to over $USD75,000 of free money for colleges in the US, regardless of income or assets. May 2016 E

socialmediamastersforum

Jocelyn Jones

Jocelyn is an Instagram marketing expert, international speaker and online marketing consultant. Accomplishments include: Co-owner and director of public relations for The Academy of Home Business, vice president of Empowered Marketing Solutions and being featured on ZNS TV and radio, Kiss FM and in The Bahamas Weekly. Her simple, easy-to-follow step-by-step formula shows how to use images and short videos on Instagram to connect and engage with your target audience and turn them into raving fans. Strategies can be implemented in as little as 15 minutes a day, allowing more time to do the things you love.

Di Downie

Di is known as The Innovative Business Creator. An author, entrepreneur and business owner, her transformative values process changes her clients from quiet achievers to influencers. Demonstrating a seven-figure turnover in her own event production business, her credibility is proven. She has coached and worked alongside million-dollar property developers, start-up manufacturers, people with jobs and business owners in Australia and America. Her skill with values and routines has created clarity of thought that has exploded their sales.

John Racine

Chana Wanichapun

Chana is best known for his professional work in personality sales and persuasion. With more than 15 years of experience in Fortune 500 companies plus coaching experience with many world-class business gurus, Chana has delivered powerful business, sales and persuasion programmes that help entrepreneurs to achieve their goals. As a coveted speaker and trainer, he has also been invited to speak at many top organisations, universities and business events. He has featured on radio and TV, and in newspapers and magazines, including Money Channel, GM, and Forbes. He is a CEO and founder of Ultimate Success Partner, the leading training and seminar company in Thailand. F May 2016

A trainer, entrepreneur, digital marketer and international speaker, John has worked and consulted with some of the most recognised names in the world, including The Disney Company, Marriott, Amazon, Subway, and Sheraton on strategies such as maximising revenue, streamlining operations and increasing profit. He uses modern marketing techniques, including social media, to expand presence and brand awareness while making it easy for any business to capture new prospects and leads effortlessly. He has previously been seen and heard on television and radio sharing his message.

Prince Sefa-Boakye

Prince is an entrepreneur, film producer, international public speaker, black/African consultant, law student and social media coach. His multimedia background ranges from broadcasting interviews with speakers like Drew Dudley and Dr Cornel West to giving political commentaries on UR Business Network. His know-how on social media marketing, optimisation, blogging and branding has helped countless business professionals to brand themselves and their businesses online with ease. He is currently studying digital and copyright law at Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts, and you can find his name on LinkedIn, Google, and YouTube with his new show What are Black People Like? www.bahrainthismonth.com

Virina Rohland

Virina is a holistic healer. With more than 26 years’ experience in a professional, selfdevelopment practice she now uses the ThetaHealing technique to directly address the subconscious mind to fix the “inner person software bugs, viruses and breakdowns”. The results often allow for miraculous instant healings and profound life changes. Her clients have often achieved fast, easy, permanent, lasting, effective life transformations in their health, wealth and relationships. She walks her talk and wrote about it in her newest bestselling book which is soon to be translated into Thai, Being An Overcomer.

Michael Rohland

Michael bought his first fixer-upper house at age 23 and, since then, has completed over 1,000 individual real estate transactions. At age 26 he executed his first owner-financing deal as the lender and has since owner-financed over 50 real estate transactions. He is an active mortgage note buyer and seller and the author of the bestselling book You Be The Bank, which shows how the average person can become a private lender. He now manages his own mortgage note hedge fund, Structured Annuity Solutions, LLC.

Patty Alfonso

Jean-Marc Berne

Jean-Marc is an author, voice trainer, public speaker and singer-songwriter. He is the voice-over coach of the animated series The Octonauts, which airs on The Disney Channel. He powers up people’s voices to project, command confidence and engage their audiences, generating more money for their respective businesses. He created a series of workshops that have made him one of New York’s top voice-over coaches. He’s voiced hundreds of multimedia commercials. He also narrated Pulitzer Prize and McArthur Genius Grant-winner Junot Díaz’s audiobook Negocios, and Nobel Literature Prize-winner Mario Vargas Llosa’s audiobook, La Fiesta Del Chivo. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Patty is an internationally acclaimed speaker, coach and business consultant. She is the author of the upcoming book Your Body as the Creation of Consciousness. As an Access Consciousness-certified facilitator she is known for her kind, caring, and joyful approach to facilitation. Her internationally acclaimed programmes inspire possibilities, create change and empower participants to be and choose more. As a business consultant, Patty has a gift for creating and expanding business. Over the last 10 years she has worked with various businesses, actualising their potential, streamlining their systems, increasing their sales and maximising their profits.

Jimena Cortes

Jimena is a marketing consultant specialising in LinkedIn lead generation, published author, international speaker and entrepreneur who is the founder of Wizard Media and Linked Blueprint. Wizard Media helps businesses leverage search engines and LinkedIn to get more clients. Jimena has taught over 4,000 people worldwide how to use LinkedIn to grow their business through her online course. She has helped several companies add an additional six figures to their bottom line by using her marketing strategies and has been mentioned on Inc.com, Entrepreneur.com and Forbes. May 2016 G

socialmediamastersforum

Rhonda Swan

Rhonda, also known as the ‘Unstoppable Momma’, is a personal branding and online strategist who helps online marketers, visionaries, experts, entrepreneurs and businesses communicate their brand message with power and precision across online and social media platforms. She consults with a wide range of clients — everyone from surgeons and small business owners to start-ups and brand managers. Rhonda is the founder of the FreedomPreneur Movement & Academy, providing access to ‘The 8 Pillars of Building an Online Business You Love’ and has been featured in the Huffington Post, Home Business Magazine, and Success Magazine. She is the author of Living the L.I.E. Lifestyle and Your Brand Is My Business.

Bonnie Bruderer

Bonnie is executive producer and creative mastermind for BONBON network, a collaborative, creative media agency that designs customised content on lifestyle, inspiration and entrepreneurship and distributes through television, radio, online channels and press campaigns.

Christian Semlitsch

Kelly Keenan Trumpbour

Kelly invests in early-stage companies and helps business owners understand what it takes to grow an idea into a business that investors will consider. Her portfolio company, See Jane Invest, has backed extraordinary women entrepreneurs. Kelly co-executive produced the documentary, She Started It, about female founders in Silicon Valley, New York, Paris and the Philippines. She has appeared on CNBC and Fox Business News, been featured in Fast Company,Tech Crunch, the Huffington Post and The Baltimore Sun, and has been an invited speaker at Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Brown University and University of California Berkley. H May 2016

Christian is known as an author and coach for people who are creating or reinventing their lives either from scratch or out of a life crisis. As a coach, master hypnotist, Chinese medicine doctor and world champion in Korean sword art, he is uniquely combining different methods, literally saving people’s lives or at least 10-20 years of suffering after divorce, job loss, burnout or trauma. He is the creator and founder of The SystEmpathic Process which he is teaching worldwide and online, guiding clients to transform their lives into a life by design, with tremendous success rates.

Nicky Jones

Nicky is known for her ability to transform lives as a personal development and spiritual coach, specialising in the fields of human consciousness, spirituality, selfempowerment, the law of attraction, mysticism and healing. She works with a range of clients through one-on-one, and group coaching, live and online workshops. Nicky has studied psychology and is certified in many healing modalities such as Reiki and Pranic Healing and has worked with the West Australian Department for Child Protection in a counselling and healing capacity. She has been a part of many health and lifestyle expos that have displayed the many sides of her talents. www.bahrainthismonth.com

re/IMAGINE YOUR SATURDAYS. Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay invites you to discover the perfect Saturday brunch at re/Asian Cuisine by Wolfgang Puck. Soak in the immersive views from the 50th floor and feast on mouthwatering Asian selections like Korean Fried Chicken Bao Buns, Wok Fried Shrimp Dumplings and Brisket Wontons for BD 19++. Every Saturday afternoon â&#x20AC;˘ 12:30PM - 3:30PM Reservations: +973 1711 5046 fourseasons.com/bahrain

design a n d technology.

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Bouton d’or necklace pink gold, carnelian, white mother-of-pearl and diamonds.

Haute Joaillerie, place Vendôme since 1906

BAHRAIN: Moda Mall +973 1 713 1122 www.vancleefarpels.com

Issue 225

Contents May 2016 COVER STORY 48-49 Making Dreams Come True

Titus Varghese, general manager of tech company Dream Makers, tells us it’s time to embrace new developments and use them to make our dreams reality.

HAPPENINGS

Bahrain This Month previews events happening around town during the month of May 2016: 24 Life’s

A Peach:

A fantastic production of Roald Dahl’s classic James and the Giant Peach comes to the Kingdom this month. 26

Spotlight on Tourism:

International Art Expo:

An array of activities announced to attract tourists for the second quarter of 2016. The ‘Summer Art’ exhibition at The Domain Hotel and Spa presents works from talented artists.

36 Game

On:

Bahrain’s premier animation and video games convention, Animania Bahrain 2016, returns. 38 La

Dolce Vita:

The sixth edition of the Grand Italian Charity Ball promises spectacular entertainment.

After Dark:

It’s Electrifying:

Boho Baha will host an evening of swing, electronic music and costumed fun. 46

Omarion on Stage:

MJ’s Bowling Lounge officially opens its doors with a high energy R&B event featuring Omarion.

INTERVIEWS New Man in the Driving Seat

A Reputation Built on Quality

New BIC board chairman Arif Rahimi talks about a lifelong fascination with cars and his pride in the circuit. Kooheji Jewellery general manager Waleed Kooheji shares the secret of the company’s success.

50 Bystander This month our Bystander pages recorded Gulf Air Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix, the 240th Independence Day celebrations of the United States of America, the 45th Bangladesh National Day celebration and a whole host of other happenings on the island.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Playing His Cards Well

Rising to New Heights

Citibank Credit Cards and Loans manager Anastasios Fragkopoulos on wise use of plastic. The new general manager of Seven Leisure Restaurant Management, Roger Nader, talks future plans.

Discover French Finesse

Renault general manager Raed Muti discusses his new role and plans for the brand.

Bridging the Gap

BTM touches base with Bahrain Art Across Borders’ co-founder Kaneka Subberwal.

Art and Icons

Legendary British artist Jack Melville chats with BTM. May 2016 3

Issue 225

Contents May 2016 FEATURES Shopping Malls:

62-67 Keep Calm and Shop On:

A special feature on what’s on offer from the best shopping and retail outlets in Bahrain.

Cosmetic Treatments in Bahrain: 68-77 Mirror Mirror on the Wall:

Look and feel your best as we cover the various cosmetic treatment services available as well as spas and salons across the Kingdom.

New in Bahrain: 78-85 Just Landed:

BTM addresses essential services for those new to the island and highlights new brands and offerings that have become available in recent months.

Cafes in Bahrain:

116-119 The Cup that Comforts:

116

BTM gives you the low down on the where to get the best cuppa on the island.

Motoring:

A Dynamic Driving Experience:

Putting the new Nissan Patrol to the test. 88

A Racy New Addition:

Al Haddad Motors launches the new Mercedes-Benz GLS in the Kingdom. 90 The

Future of Mobility Today:

The BMW Group celebrates its centenary under the motto THE NEXT 100 YEARS. 91 More

Powerful, Efficient and Intelligent:

BTM takes the new Audi A4 for a spin.

94 New Model Unveiled:

Toyota Bahrain revealed the 2016 Toyota Innova MPV at its showroom in Sitra.

105

Downtime:

Gadgets: The newest gizmos in town 100 Music: Top Tunes 101 Computer Games: The hot games of the month 102 Websites: The coolest sites on the web 103 Apps: Essential apps 104 Movies: New releases 98

Dining:

105

The Gold Standard:

Ankita Mamgain dines at renowned restaurant CUT by Wolfgang Puck and gets a crash course in ‘steakology’.

103

115

120

Table Hopping

Showcase:

What’s New: Must-have products 121-129 Marketplace: Latest products and services 120

Regulars:

120 www.bahrainthismonth.com

104

133 WIN WIN 134 Tarotscope 135 AD Index 136 Last Word

May 2016 5

THE TEAM

Bahrain This Month May 2016

Publisher and Chairman George F. Middleton Email: george@bahrainthismonth.com Editorial Director Liz O’Reilly Marketing & Electronic Media Director Deepa Siva Acting Editor Apple Sharma Contributor Charlie Holding

Spring is in the air this month, as we wind our weary way to the sizzling summer onslaught due in only a few weeks from now. But it’s still happening here in May,

Print Production Manager Sabu Sebastian

with events, parties, dining options and shopping festivals all before us.

Layout and Graphics Romeo San Miguel Photography Editor Mona Abdul Jabbar

In this issue, we feature the first interview with new BIC board chairman Arif Rahimi and discuss his new role at the home of motor sport in the Middle East. Also Bahrain Art-Across-Borders co-founder Kaneka Subberwal talks about her

Staff Photographers Subeesh Kumar N S, Ranjith Mohan

innovative art project’s development and we also speak to legendary and

Administration and Finance Samson Vaz, Marlyn Ragasa, Kadambari S

exhibition taking place at Bahrain Financial Harbour.

talented British artist Jack Melville, who arrives in Bahrain on May 4 for his

The only Lifestyle Magazine distributed with the GDN

Personnel Manager Bassem A. Al Khabbaz Media Sales Marise Prata Dos Santos, Randa Ghazi Howais Distribution Team CM Abdul Rahman, Gopal Arul Kumar Distributor Al Hilal Corporation

Our happenings section this month is packed full of activities highlighted by the 6th Grand Italian Charity Ball, that promises a spectacular evening of stylish entertainment. Magic shows presented by internationally acclaimed magician Joshua Jay are also likely to captivate audiences on the island. Animania Bahrain 2016, Bahrain’s premier animation and video games convention, makes a comeback once again this year and a special treat for youngsters comes in the form of a fantastic production of Roald Dahl’s classic James and the Giant Peach.

Photography Picture Arabia: andrew@picturearabia.com

Those of you looking for cultural activities need look no further than the Summer Art exhibition at the Domain Hotel and Spa and the Al A’ali Art Festival.

Printing Press Dar Akhbar Al Khaleej W.L.L., Bahrain

Meanwhile, the ‘B-Light’ Bahrain Light Festival brings the island to life this month; providing a great attraction for tourists and residents alike.

Published monthly by

Two more property shows are on the agenda again this month although their focus this time is on the Indian market. Meanwhile, Bahrain turns into a regional shopping centre this month with annual attractions, including the Bahrain Retail Fair, offering massive discounts on international fashion brands, and the Ramadan Shopping Exhibition providing value and incentives to visiting tourists

RED HOUSE MARKETING P.O. Box 20461, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: (+973) 17 813-777, Fax: (+973) 17 813-700 Email: info@redhousemarketing.com www.bahrainthismonth.com © Copyright Reserved 2005-2014 The concept, content, style and design of this publication remain the exclusive property of Red House Marketing (Jersey) Ltd. and must not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without prior written permission. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However, Red House Marketing cannot accept legal responsibility for any error or omission.

•

Views expressed in this magazine by journalists and writers are not necessarily those of the publishers of Bahrain This Month. Licensed by the Ministry of Information Publication Code: TA001 ISBN 1 899 348 09 3

1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION Bahrain: BD24

from across the causeway in particular as the entire region gears up for the Holy Month of Ramadan. Our consumer reports on shopping malls and ‘Café’s in Bahrain’ are just the icing on the cake in this vibrant and action-packed issue. So, soak up the sun, enjoy the weather, and welcome May with a spring in your step because we’ve got it all covered in “your guide to a great way of life!”

COVER Cover Picture:

Dream Makers George F. Middleton Publisher and Chairman

SHOPPING MALLS | CAFÉS AND CASUAL DINING | COSMETICS

YOUR GUIDE TO A GREAT WAY OF LIFE

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Interviews

Gulf and international subscriptions available on request.

- Arif Rahimi

New BIC board chairman

- Jack Melville

Bahrain This Month is a member of BPA Worldwide

Game On!

Animania Bahrain 2016 Gaming Convention

Social Media Masters Forum Experts Share Secrets May 2016 ~ Vol. 20 ~ Issue 5

Arts

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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Nightlife

May 2016 7

bystander

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 2nd place, Aldo Costa, Mercedes engineering director, Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, winner, & Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 3rd place

The 2016 Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix The 2016 Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix was held at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir. The awarding ceremony was presented by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, Maher Al Musallam, Gulf Air Acting CEO, HE Hisham Al Jowder, Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs, and Shaikh Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Motor Federation and Commission Internationale de Karting. The race was attended by top officials, celebrities, media and visitors from around the world. Nice Rosberg of Mercedes wins the race!

HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa

Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa & Arif Rahimi

Auf, Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa & Bobby Singh

8 May 2016

Shaikh Abdullah bin Isa Al Khalifa, HE Hisham Al Jowder & Maher Al Musallam

Action on the track

Latifa, Heba, Manal, Sally, Marium, Sarah, Aya, Mariam & Nada

Hisham, Ali, Jamal & Bader

Ratna & David

Karen, Nicole, Ian & Sophie

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Bianca, Naimah, Nadine, Lavinia & Michaela

Yasser Al Mannai, Shaikh Nawaf bin Nasser Al Thani, Mohammed Kooheji & Shaikh Hamed bin Faisal Al Thani

Moko

Dima, Sahar, Shahar Juma, Faisal Kanoo, Mazin Khoury, Sufian Almoayyed, Kyriako & Rula Khoury

Tony

Yasmeen & Lara

Franceso, Michele & Riccardo

Aziz, Ali, Almaiki, Jaber & Hamad

Saleem Kooheji, Salman Almahmid & Mohammed Kooheji

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa

Zubi & Kareena

Gregor, Graeme & Abdulrahman Al Zayani

HE Simon Martin & Sophie

Ashish, Sonali, Sonali & Vikas

Yasmina, Deema & Sophia

Mehtab, Anil & Rizwan

Maria, Ahmad, Guy & Toufic

Nouf, Mirei, Mahmood Kooheji, Nadine & Rima

HRH The Crown Prince & Subi

Beshara and Bashir

May 2016 9

bystander

Alessandro, HE Alberto Vecchi, Federico & Francesco

Jolyon Palmer, Sonu & Alok

Fatima, Noora, Mariam & Muneera

Safeya, Marina & Sumaya

Salma & Aya

Dinah, Jamilah & Claire

Eric Bouielle

Sara & Hasan

Liana, Yasmina, Sabrina, Alexa & Carolina

Carolina

10 May 2016

Alexa

Yasmeen

Younis & Anna

HE William Roebuck and Ann

Sara & Marwa

Thuria & Zain

Megan, Sarah, Robyn, Marcus & April

Tala, Hala & Tamara

Khadija, Bayan & Therese

Moe, Farah, Deema, Jordana & Mohammed

Danielle & Victoria

Megan, Robyn, Sarah, Marcus & April

Michi, Claudia & Eli

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Tom, Hana & Joslyn

240th USA Independence Day HE William Roebuck, American Ambassador, and his, wife, Ann, hosted a reception to commemorate the 240th Independence Day of the United States of America. The event was held aboard the USS carrier Harry Truman.

Mohammed Al Kooheji, Capt Ryan B Scholl & Mohammed Kooheji

US Ambassador William Roebuck with dignitaries at the event

Vice Admiral Donegan & HE William Roebuck

Waleed, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Saud Al-Thani & Jaleel

HE Dr Mendis, Yousif Buzaboon, HE Alok Kumar Sinha & HE K M Mominur Rahman

Mohamed & Dahook

Sandra & Marco

12 May 2016

Juzer, Scott & Lana

Vito & Gina

HE Qi Zhenhong & Jin Qian

Ganniga, Jim & HE Vichai Varasirikul

Ian & Shannon

Khalid Zayani & Vice Admiral Donegan

HE Hatun Demirer & HE Kiyoshi Asako

Hossein & Maggie

Zee, Anna & Ebrahim

Luay & Qusay

Sarah & Mohammed

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Bangladesh 45th National Day HE Mominur Rahman, Bangladeshi Ambassador, hosted the 45th Independence and National Day of Bangladesh at The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel. The event was attended by dignitaries, embassy staff and invited guests. Dignitaries and guests at the event

HE Mohammed bin Youssef, Waheed Sayyar, HE Taha Abdulqader & HE Kadri Al Sayeh

Shanjida, Mehdi & HE Mominur Rahman

HE Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Saud Al-Thani & HE Abdullah bin Rashid bin Ali Al Mudailwi

Jean Paul & Mohammed

HE William Roebuck, Mohammed and HE Hatun Demirer

Alia & Samir

Sajeda, Eneiza, Shanjida & Mamta

Fatima, Sameera &Adel

14 May 2016

Preeti & K N Singh

Khalid & HE Ahmed Rachid Khattabi

Sayeed and Kai

Nasser & HE Alok Kumar Sinha

Suraiya & Jenny

Rowena & Omran

Nahid & Meherin

Mazen Al Umran & Khalid Ghozlani

Wararoj & Omruthai

Junghee, David & Ratna

Dr Rifat & Fariel

Vritti & Paresh

Ahmed & Lora

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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bystander

Wassan, Nadia & Dima

Arabian Woman Fashion Expo 2016 Leading real estate investment company, Bin Faqeeh was the proud diamond sponsor of the Arabian Woman Fashion Expo 2016 organised by Touches Events at Moda Mall. The event was held under the esteemed patronage of HH Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa. HH Shaikha Hessa at the ribbon-cutting ceremony

Mohammed, Mohammed & Fahad

Jessy & Vanessa

Jehan, Serene & Suha

Reem, Silin & Fatin

Nada & Ghada

Reymond, Nicholas & HE Mohammed Ali Siraj

Dr Mustafa Saeed

Charity Art Exhibition The Sovereign Art Foundation and The Royal Charity Organization held the opening ceremony of the 3rd Charity Art Exhibition 2016 at The Art Centre. The ceremony was held under the patronage of HE Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Undersecretary for Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs, Ministry of Interior, and the Honorary President of Bahrain Arts Society. Sophie, Lydia, HE Simon Martin & Aziza

Suha & Roxana Kamal

16 May 2016

Ellissa, Sasha & Simon

Shaikh Hesham & HE Vagif Garaev

Lina & Eleni

HE Ahmed Rachid Khattabi

Konstantinos

Said, Al Smoall & Momen

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Dr Khalid, Qays Zuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;bi & Ann

Delamo

Mary, HE William Roebuck, Abdul Hamid Kooheji

Abdulla Wallace

US Embassy Reception HE William Roebuck, American Ambassador, hosted a reception in honour of the US-Bahrain economic and commercial partnership at his residence in Saar. Pete Bartlett, Mohamed Al Khateeb, Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa, HE William Roebuck & Yousif Fakhro

Zpizza Opening American Chamber of Commerce in Bahrain (AmCham Bahrain) participated in the grand opening of Zpizza at Al Sultan Mall, Zayed Town. The opening was held in the presence of Timothy Pounds, deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Bahrain, Qays Zuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;bi, president of AmCham Bahrain, management, staff and invited guests. Timothy Pounds, Kubra, Alaa & Christian

Embassy Reception

Latifa & Nao

Nicole, Elham & Mary

Abdulrahim Abdulla Fitri & Ad

HE Kiyoshi Asako held a reception to commemorate Bahrainis who participated in Japanese government programmes, at his residence in Barbar. HE Kiyoshi Asako

Sarah, Amal & Latifa

Rio Haryanto Press Con The Indonesian embassy held a press conference for Rio Haryanto, the only driver from Asia to compete in the Formula One Grand Prix with the support of Manor Racing Team. Ayumi & Yuko

Nizar Kamal

HE Chilman Arisman, Rio Haryanto & Ratnawati Endah & Sisca

Hideki, Arimitsu, Mori & Hiroyuki

18 May 2016

Hilda, Nia & Aceng

Vera, Richard & Ratna

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Anoud Zayani

Hatim Dadabai, Deepak chopra & Qutub Dadabai

Deepak Chopra Bahrain Institute of Hospitality & Retail (BIHR) held a seminar by Deepak Chopra at the Crowne Plaza Bahrain. The event was attended by dignitaries, businessmen and other members of the corporate sector. Dr Chopra receives a gift of appreciation

Suzy Kanoo, Uzma Dadabai & Olivia Dadabai

Stephen & George

Farheen, Mamta Mohandas & Tara

Shaikha May Alofaisi, MP Roua Al Hayki & Afshan Dadabai

Dr Manal & Dr. Wadeeah

HE Alberto Vecchi, Abdulla Khalid Al Khalifa & HE Alfred Simms-Protz

Sandipan & Nigel Viegas

Hussain, Kamal, Dr Trus, Jasim, Ahmed, Yasser & Abbas

20 May 2016

Ebrahim Kooheji

Mitesh

Deepa & Apple

Safia & Solveing

Shanee

Jaya

Fai & Anne

Arees

HE Dato Ahmad Shahizan bin Abdulamad & HE Alfred Simms-Protz

Khulood & Rawwaf

www.bahrainthismonth.com

MAY

2016.

MANUSCRIPTS IN FOCUS

HAPPENINGS

When? Ongoing until May 4 Event? Exhibition Venue? Bahrain National Museum Arabic manuscripts reflect the splendor of Arab civilisation and its cultural achievements in the various fields of knowledge. In addition to translation and binding of foreign manuscripts, Arabs actively engaged in documenting their intellectual legacy which resulted in a vast repertoire that included hundreds of thousands of original and

reproduced books. The libraries of Bahrain, like those found in other Arab countries, contained prized collections of rare manuscripts. This exciting collection features some rare and exquisite illuminated manuscripts that are shown to the public for the first time. Call 17 298-718.

LABOUR DAY CELEBRATIONS When? May 1 Event? Celebration Venue? The Indian Club, Gudaibiya The Indian Club is hosting a Labour Day celebration in association with the Tamil community from 10am on May 1. The programme will include a wide range of sports, activities and hospitality. The event, which is expected to attract over 3,000 expatriate workers, will include lunch and dinner for everyone and a number of services and resources to support the workers including legal advice and medical check-ups. The Guest of Honour will be HE Dr Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, Minister of Labour, highlighting the importance of Labour Day and the longstanding relationship between Bahrain and the Indian expatriate community. In the evening singers and dancers will provide entertainment with a number of exciting multicultural performances from a wide range of local performers, including young dancers from the Tamil community, all aged between nine and 15 years. “Preparations are in full swing to give the expatriate workers a

relaxing and enjoyable day outside of their normal routine,” says Ashok Kumar T.S, the club’s general secretary. Call 36 260-060 or 17 253-157.

EYES FRONT When? May 4-8 Event? International Congress of the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) Venue? InterContinental Regency Hotel The MEACO Congress is the largest ophthalmic meeting in the Middle East and Africa region that attracts ophthalmologists, eye-care professionals and exhibiting companies from the region, as well as from Europe, America, Asia and Australia. The congress is under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa the Prime Minister of Bahrain. It is supported by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the University of Maryland School of Medicine – Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, the International Council of Ophthalmology and the Bahrain Ophthalmological Association. 22 May 2016

The event is expected to draw more than 4,000 attendees as well as over 500 speakers and 100 exhibitors. Call +971 43 116-300. www.bahrainthismonth.com

happenings

LIFE’S A PEACH This adaptation of the much-loved children’s classic comes to Bahrain. ENTERTAINMENT+

When? May 2-4 Event: Play Venue: Cultural Hall

24 May 2016

Roald Dahl’s classic James and the Giant Peach, adapted by David Wood, is set to delight adults and children of all ages when it comes to the Kingdom this month. The plot centres on an English orphan boy called James Henry Trotter, who enters a gigantic, magical peach and has a wild, surreal cross-world adventure with seven magically-altered garden bugs he meets along the way. The organising company, Entertainment+, is delighted to be bringing another world-class production from London’s West End to the doorsteps of Bahrain. David began writing as a student at Oxford University in the ‘60s. He created his first play for children in 1967 and has since written over 60 more. They are performed all over the world and include The Gingerbread Man (nine London seasons), The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See (six London seasons, co-written with Sheila Ruskin), The Selfish Shelfish, The See Saw Tree, Save the Human (from the story he wrote with cartoonist Tony Husband), and The Plotters of Cabbage Patch Corner. David’s stage adaptations of well-known books include Dick King-Smith’s Babe the Sheep Pig, Roald Dahl’s The BFG and The Witches. Both shows played long tours and two West End seasons. Also for the West End, David adapted and directed Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea. James and the Giant Peach will be directed by Bronagh Lagan. Originally from Northern Ireland, Bronagh moved to Liverpool to study a BA in Drama at John Moores. She

then went on to train as a physical theatre performer at Hope Street Ltd – this is where she developed her passion for directing. Kate has worked as a freelance set and costume designer for the past 12 years. Operating predominately in theatre, she has worked for the National Theatre, London’s West End, regional theatres all over the UK and has designed many touring and outdoor productions. Kate has also designed site-specific work, installations, bespoke costumes, events and music videos. She has some giant ideas for this production, which you won’t want to miss. The show is one hour 45 minutes, with a 15-minute interval. Tickets cost BD16, there is a special offer – four tickets for BD52 and a very special school deal is available for school bookings. The show runs at 8.45am and 11.30am on May 2, 8.45am, 11.30am and 5pm on May 3 and 10am on May 4. Tickets are sold at Alosra Supermarkets, and Havajava cafe inside Manazel. For further information, contact Entertainment+ at 39 616-858 or entertainmentplusint@gmail.com. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Celebrating the Art of Light

5 to 9 May 2016 Daily from 6pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11pm / Marina, Corniche The Bahrain Light Festival will be a unique feature event in Manama this May. This outdoor event showcases dynamic art installations as well as interactive and performance-based art displays by contemporary international and local artists. Located along the marina corniche boulevard, the installations create an mesmerizing array of art against the backdrop of Manamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city lights. Come and be dazzled with innovative light experiences and exciting entertainment at this first ever Bahrain Light Festival. For more information, visit: manamatourism2016.com @tourismbh

happenings

SPOTLIGHT ON TOURISM With the government announcing a plethora of events and activities to boost tourism, the Kingdom’s reputation as one of the leading tourist destinations will be cemented even further this summer. MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND TOURISM

Disney Live! Mickey’s Musical Festival

When? May-July Event? Various Venue? Various The much anticipated calendar of events for ‘Manama Gulf Capital of Tourism 2016’ was unveiled earlier this year, paving the way for a year-round schedule of activities and happenings to attract visitors and re-energise the tourism and hospitality sector. The initiative aims to strengthen the development of two-way tourism between the GCC countries and their people, as well as familiarising them with the historic cities and civilisations of the region. Manama was selected as the ‘Capital of Gulf Tourism’ following a decision made by the GCC Ministers of Tourism last year. This national initiative targets all segments of society including GCC nationals and residents by offering them a vibrant calendar of events throughout the year. They will enjoy various activities, which will highlight the Kingdom’s rich culture and heritage. The start of the New Year featured a line-up of engaging events including the Bahrain Gaming Experience in partnership with Sony, followed by the Food Festival, and for the first time in Bahrain, Disney Live! Mickey’s Musical Festival. The most 26 May 2016

recent happening was the Hurafuna Handicrafts Festival that took place in Manama last month. Following the successful and vibrant events of the first quarter, the second quarter of 2016 will also bring an array of activities that will continue to attract tourists to the Kingdom. The schedule will kick off with the ‘B-Light’ Bahrain Light Festival, from May 5 to May 9. This is an outdoor event that will light up the city with dynamic art installations as well as feature interactive and performance-based art displays and projections by local and international artists. The event will take place along the Marina Corniche Boulevard, located in Manama. In June, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) will decorate the streets and souqs during the holy month of Ramadan from June 7 to July 6, celebrating the festivities of the

month. The holy celebrations will be followed by Eid Al Fitr Festival from July 7 to July 14, taking place at various venues around the Kingdom. Visit www.manamatourism2016.com or follow BTEA across all social media channels on @tourismbh.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

happenings

INTERNATIONAL ART EXPO When? May 5-31 Event? Art show Venue? The Domain Hotel and Spa

The ‘Summer Art’ exhibition will present the paintings and sculptures of a number of talented European and Bahraini artists. Some of the artworks being displayed have been exhibited in prestigious museums such as Louvre Museum in Paris, Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna and others. The

exhibition is organised by Europe’s Art Gallery in collaboration with The Domain Hotel and Spa, and in partnership with The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova and the National Broadcasting TRM. Exhibiting artists include: Marian Sava – the multi award-winning, internationally known sculptor who immortalises in 3D the invisible vibrations present in the universe in all their aspects: acoustic, electric, magnetic. His works have been shown in more than 100 exhibitions including The Louvre, the European Parliament and the NORDIC Art Show in Copenhagen; painter Chris Saliba, who has also exhibited at The Louvre

as well as being featured in the art collections of many prestigious institutions; Elvira Cemortan-Volosin – a painter who has had more than 30 international exhibitions; painters Gheorghe Negru and Conny Famm; sculptor Grigore Sultan whose work has been featured in more than 20 international exhibitions and symposia; painter/portrait artist Alex Radulescu who pictures international celebrities such as Dake, 50 Cent and David Guetta; and artist Cezara Kolesnik whose whimsical works take us back to childhood. Europe’s Art Gallery aims to promote education and development and a portion of sales of these artworks will go to a local charity. Call 16 000-000.

MAGIC MOMENTS When? May 5, 6, 7 Event? Magic show Venue? The Rugby Club, The British Club and Words Bookstore Café

Internationally recognised magician Joshua Jay will be performing in the Kingdom at The Rugby Club on May 5, The British Club on May 6 and will host a magic workshop on May 7 at Words Bookstore Café. Talented Bahrain-based magician Nabeel Arshad Bera (AKA One With Magic) will also perform. Joshua Jay has been called magic’s Renaissance man by MAGIC Magazine: he is a performer, lecturer, author and photographer of all things mysterious. He has performed in over 50 countries, has VIP fans such as Bill Clinton and appears regularly on national television in the USA, most recently on Good Morning America and the Today Show.

His performance style is completely unique using ordinary, borrowed objects, causing them to twist, bend, appear and vanish at will. At only 17 years old Joshua Jay was crowned world champion for close-up magic at the World Magic Seminar, and he is now regarded as one of the leading creative forces in the magic world, who has written 13 books on the subject. The shows, which cost BD10 for members and BD14 for non-members, start at 8pm while the workshop costs BD15 and starts at 4pm. The events are sponsored by The Domain Hotel and Spa and Air France/KLM. Call 33 464-700 (Rugby Club), 17 728-245 (British Club), 17 690-790 (Words).

ON THE GRID When? May 6 Event? Motor racing Venue? BIC The Bahrain International Circuit hosts two exciting championships on May 6. For car fans there is the 2,000cc Challenge, the Gulf’s longestrunning racing series, in which road cars are put through their paces around the world-famous track. And motorcycle enthusiasts will also take to the track in the fifth round 28 May 2016

of the first Bahrain Superbike Championship, the latest addition to the track’s year-round calendar in which riders compete against each other and the clock on identical Ducati Paningale 899 sport bikes. The championship is made up of 12 races run over six months and follows the arrive-and-ride format in which racers lease a bike for the whole season giving them the chance to develop their skills without the hassle of parts, maintenance and tyres.

When? Ongoing-Throughout the Year Event? Bahrain Unlocked - Digital Photography Exhibition Venue? Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre E Call 17 171-107. When? Ongoing-Throughout the Year Event? Water Sports Activities Venue? The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa E Call the sports club on 17 586-612 or email rc.bahrz. events@ritzcarlton.com. When? Ongoing until May 4 Event? Exhibition Venue? Bahrain National Museum E Call 17 298-718. When? Ongoing-May 31 Event? Yama’at Argan Venue? Argan Village Enjoy a series of activities for three days, every weekend, such as live graffiti, an outdoor movie night, live cooking, an outdoor photography class and a market showcasing local products. Timings: 4pm-10pm. E Email nasreensharaf@gmail.com. When? Ongoing-May 31 Event? Paintings Exhibition: ‘Father and Son’ by Kamal Abdullah Ali Al Abdulla and Yaqoob Kamal Al Abdulla Venue? InTouch Gallery E Call 17 690-100. When? Ongoing-June 25 Event? Exhibition: Nowhere - Basher Alhroub Venue? La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art E Call 17 230-123, email info@ lafontaineartcentre.net or visit www.lafontaineartcentre.net. When? May 1 Event? Ladies carpentry workshop Venue? The Art House E Call 39 253-943. When? May 1 Event? Celebration Venue? The Indian Club E Call 17 253-157.

These two series give local talent a chance to showcase their skills on an affordable yet highly competitive platform. Call 17 450-000.

When? May 1 Event? Exhibition Venue? Al Riwaq Art Space Opening- Exhibition and reading- ‘The Notebooks of Vincent Van Gogh’, featuring artwork by Qassim Haddad, photography by Tufool Haddad and music by Mohamed Haddad. E Call 17-717-441. www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

French Embassy Cultural Event The French Embassy organised a family-oriented event at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq beach. The event was held in order to promote French products and lifestyle, as well as allow visitors to experience authentic French hospitality. Valerie, Jaleel Al Ansari, Aysha & HE Bernard RĂŠgnauld-Fabre

British Food Week Jawad Business Group held chef Alexandraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s special cooking class on British recipes, in celebration of British Food Week, at the Jawad Supermarket, Barbar. Alexandra, Sophie & Judith Jawad

Chrystelle & Dominique

Bermet, Rodolpho & Nataliia

Nosheen & Fareed

Shaikh Ahmed & Shaikh Salman

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Jawad Jawad & Haseen

Heba & Suzanne

May 2016 29

happenings

A MUSICAL AFFAIR When? May 6 Event? Musical Evening Venue? La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art Music lovers are in for a treat as La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art comes alive with the performance of a talented pianist and singer Fabio Tulo. Fabio is a graduate from The Conservatory of Alessandria with a degree in Piano, and has considerable experience in musical entertainment –

a talent suited for musical animation and dancing. Fabio performs a variety of musical genres from classical to the latest hits. He will be performing on May 6 at La Fontaine from 8pm. The tickets are priced at BD18, including dinner.

When? May 4 Event? Workshop Venue? Serenity Meditation, Yoga and Reiki Centre, Janabiya Three-hour workshop by Frances Irvine on working with your spirit guides. Runs from 6.30pm-9.30pm. Cost BD55. E Call 36 078-904.

Call 17 230-123, email info@lafontaineartcentre.net or visit www.lafontaineartcentre.net.

LEARN TO FLEX When? May 6 and 7 Event? Pilates workshops Venue? Equilibrium Fitness Centre If you have a good level of fitness and would like to learn more about Pilates, which is known to improve physical fitness and muscular strength, flexibility, balance, joint mobility, coordination and endurance, Equilibrium is running a series of classes over two days offering instruction on how to use the various accessories utilised in the discipline. On May 6, from 9am-noon, tackle working with stability balls which challenge core strength and stability. In the afternoon, from 1-4pm, experience working with rings which help develop neuromuscular coordination, strength, flexibility and balance. The morning class on May 7 is learning how to work with elastic bands which offer great versatility in

When? May 4-8 Event? International Congress of the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology Venue? Intercontinental Regency Hotel E Visit http://meaco2016.com.

developing and improving muscular endurance and strength, range of motion and flexibility. The afternoon class concentrates on learning about foam rollers which increase range of motion and decrease muscle soreness. They also promote flexibility, strength, fascia release and stability challenge. Prices are: BD30 for one course, BD55 for two courses, BD75 for three courses and BD80 for four courses. Call 17 250-227 or 36 999-250 or email info@equilibriumme.com.

30 May 2016

When? May 5 Event? Workshop Venue? Al Riwaq Art Space A Van Gogh Colour Studies workshop with Daniel Donnoly runs from 3-6pm. E Call 17 717-441.

When? May 5, 6, 7 Event? Magic show Venue? The Rugby Club, The British Club and Words BookstoreCafé E Call 33 464-700 (BRFC), 17 728-245 (British Club), 17 690-790 (Words).

When? May 8 Event? Movie Night: Immortal Beloved Venue? La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art letters as “immortal beloved.” As Schindler solves the mystery, a series of flashbacks reveals Beethoven’s transformation from a passionate young man to troubled musical genius. The film is directed by Bernard Rose and the music is composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, Gioachino Rossini and George Fenton. The screening starts at 8pm and tickets are priced at BD10, which can be used as credit at the restaurant on

When? May 5 Event? Lecture Venue? National Museum Nathalie Heinech, will give a talk about 'The Glory of Van Gogh' at 6.30pm. E Call 17 298-718.

When? May 5-31 Event? Art show Venue? The Domain Hotel and Spa E Call 16 000-000.

A BIOGRAPHICAL FILM SCREENING

Enjoy a relaxed evening in a spectacular setting as La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art hosts its monthly movie night with the screening of Immortal Beloved. This biographical film chronicles the life of infamous classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven and his painful struggle with hearing loss. Following Beethoven’s death in 1827, his assistant, Schindler, searches for an elusive woman referred to in the composer’s love

When? May 4 Event? Art Expo Venue? The Harbour Towers British artist Jack Melville’s Bahrain exhibition opens at 7pm in the “Art Space” in the reception of Bahrain Financial Harbour and runs for a month. E Email david@communionme.com.

the same evening. The restaurant starts serving from 6.30pm.

When? May 5-9 Event? Light festival Venue? Manama The Kingdom’s first sustainable Light Art Festival – the city will be lit up with light sculptures, projections and installations. E Visit www. manamatourism2016.com.

Call 17 230-123, email info@lafontaineartcentre.net or visit www.lafontaineartcentre.net. www.bahrainthismonth.com

happenings

GETTING CREATIVE When? May 8-9 Event? The GCC Creativity Conference Venue? InterContinental Regency Hotel Bahrain Under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of the Bahrain Athletics Federation, Ebtikar Society and Expressions Marketing Communications are organising the GCC Creativity Conference 2016 titled “innovating our future”. It will run for two days and feature activities that will highlight the need to develop a new generation of talented and influential leaders, and it will target topics of innovation and creativity in modern organisations. This year, the conference will focus on defining creativity and spotting talents in the workplace, and how to employ such talents in creating added-value to organisations to

When? May 6 Event? BSBK Round 5 Venue? Bahrain International Circuit E Call the BIC hotline 17 450-000 or visit www.bahraingp.com. When? May 6 Event? Musical Evening Venue? La Fontaine E Call 17 230-123.

increase their performance and profitability by producing unique goods and services. It will also focus on creating innovative solutions to cut operational costs, utilise talented human capital and set innovation strategies within modern enterprises. Call 17 744-898.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE When? May 9-12 Event? Workshop Venue? Oasis Training Center

Oasis Training Center in Bahrain will be running its flagship programme on May 9-10 (open to all) and 11-12 (ladies only). Tamkeen will fund Bahrainis for this programme. Facilitators will be coming from the UK. The Personal Power workshop is a highly engaging programme that will help you recognise the dormant forces within you to create the quality of life you desire and deserve. The Personal Leadership workshop is an intense and fun programme that will help you discover the forces that control virtually every decision you make. The programmes are run in partnership with Chartwell Learning & Development UK, and the women-only event aims to address the different challenges women face in areas of professional leadership. Customised for the GCC, Oasis states: “Our association with Lean In challenges us to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what we can do. Let’s work together to create a more equal world!” Reserve your place in advance as spaces are limited. Call 17 330-823. 32 May 2016

NETWORKING LUNCH When? May 11 Event? Lunch with speaker Venue? Diplomat Radisson Blu The BBBF (Bahrain British Business Forum) is holding its next networking function with guest speaker Brigadier Peter Sincock, MBE, chairman of the UK-based Bahrain Society. The society was founded in 1971, after the state of Bahrain became fully independent, a Treaty of Friendship with the United Kingdom replacing the Treaty of Protection which had defined relations between the two nations since the middle of the 19th century. Today the society has social and nonpolitical objectives which include promoting friendship and a close understanding between Bahrainis and British; providing a medium through which hospitality may be offered to Bahrainis when visiting the UK; offering help and guidance to young Bahrainis visiting the UK; and enabling former residents of Bahrain to keep in touch with each other. The BBBF is very honoured to receive 37 members of this society for the May 11 luncheon including Brigadier Sincock. Entry is BD12 for members and BD15 for non-members payable in advance or on the door and including a three-course lunch with beverages. Deadline for registration is May 9.

When? May 6 and 7 Event? Pilates workshops Venue? Equilibrium Fitness Centre E Call 17 250-227 or 36 999-250 or email info@equilibriumme.com. When? May 6 Event? Book Club Venue? Words Bookstore Café Monthly meeting of the Photobook Club Bahrain. An evening spent looking at photography books and talking about the stories. Bring a book you’d like to show others or just turn up and join in. E Call 17 690-790. When? May 6 Event? Yoga Workshop Venue? Octagon Fight Club Partner and acro yoga intro workshop. Open to all level yoga students as well as yogacurious individuals. No previous yoga or acro yoga experience required but a good fitness level is advised. Runs 10am-1pm. Cost BD20. E Call 33 939-638. When? May 6 Event? Series 2000cc Challenge Venue? BIC E Call 17 450-000. When? May 7 Event? Female Founder Middle East Venue? Amwaj Islands Female Founder workshop, focusing on empowering women entrepreneurs and freelancers. E Visit https://chnine.eventsmart.com. When? May 8 Event? Movie Night: Immortal Beloved Venue? La Fontaine E Call 17 230-123, or visit www.lafontaineartcentre.net. When? May 8-9 Event? The GCC Creativity Conference Venue? InterContinental Regency Hotel E Call 17 744-898.

Call 17 813-488. www.bahrainthismonth.com

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happenings

INDIAN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES When? May 12-14 Event? The Indian Property Show 2016 Venue? Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre The third Indian Property Show will take place with developers and marketers coming from all across the sub-continent to present their housing, retail and commercial construction and development projects. The event plans to project the vibrant Indian real estate market to regional investors and Indians living in the Kingdom. Last year’s event attracted more than 4,500 visitors and showcased 250 top-of-the-range projects from India’s top

When? May 9-12 Event? Power and leadership workshops Venue? Oasis Training Center E Call 17 330-823.

70 builders. This year’s show aims to build on that success with developments in areas such as Pune and Mumbai prominently featured. Call 33 337-777.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION When? May 12-14 Event? The Property Show Venue? Bahrain International Exhibition & Covention Centre The Property Show is back for round three this year, bringing investors and interested buyers hundreds of select property projects and multiple big-name developer brands to choose from. Having had a highly successful exhibition in 2015, with over 50 million bookings done by exhibitors, organiser Gallure Ideas & Insights brings the property market back to Indians and other interested buyers living in the GCC. The three-day event will provide a snapshot of the Indian property market as a whole, and promises numerous builders and developers to offer a wide spectrum of projects and properties in hand. The exhibition will also

When? May 12-14 Event? The Indian Property Show 2016 Venue? Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre E Call 33 337-777.

give insight into different investment options, financing sources consultations and answers to legal queries all under one roof. Call 77 100-097.

When? May 12-14 Event? Property Show Venue? Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre E Call 77 100-097. When? May 12-14 Event? Designer Fashion Exhibition Venue? To be Confirmed Bay Chic is offering the chance to shop for designer saris, anarkalis and lehengas. Event runs from 11.30am-9pm on Thursday and 11am-9pm on Friday and Saturday. E Call +91 9821 582-504.

When? May 13 Event? An evening with Ian Wright MBE Venue? The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa

34 May 2016

When? May 10 Event? Workshop Venue? Words Bookshop Café Music, Wellness and You workshop with music therapist Aksana Kavaliova-Moussi running from 10am-11.30am. Price BD15. E Call 17 690-790. When? May 11 Event? Lunch with speaker Venue? Diplomat Radisson Blu E Call 17 813-488.

A NIGHT WITH WRIGHT

The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa will host an evening with former Arsenal, Crystal Palace and England star Ian Wright, where he will share stories from his colourful football career. Between 1985 and 2000 Wright played professionally for seven different clubs appearing in 581 league games, scoring 387 goals and lifting the Premier League title, both major domestic trophies and the European Cup Winners Cup. He also earned 33 caps for the English national team. At Arsenal he was the top goal scorer for six seasons in a row. Since retiring from football he has become well known as a TV presenter on shows such as Friday Night’s All

When? May 9, 10, 16 Event? Bahrain Writers’ Circle Monthly Meeting Venue? Umami Restaurant, Adliya Get together for a literary evening and meet like-minded people, monthly meetings at 7.30pm. E Call 39 574-795.

Wright and Studio Live From Five and has commentated on football for BBC Sport. Tickets are BD30 each, which includes entry, a gourmet dinner, a prize giveaway and a sports memorabilia auction.

When? May 13 Event? Healing Workshop Venue? Elite Grand Hotel This workshop, with Julie Lomas, is the next stage of the understanding of the working of the chakra system. Priced BD70-130. E Call 17 594-575.

For more information and tickets, visit www.ssmena. com or call 34 552-161. www.bahrainthismonth.com

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happenings

GAME ON! A unique and exciting event for gaming and comic book fans returns to the Kingdom, bigger and better than ever. ANIMANIA BAHRAIN

When? May 13 Event? Animania Bahrain 2016 Venue? Bahrain International Circuit Gamers and comic book enthusiasts are in for a treat as Bahrain’s premier animation and video games convention, Animania Bahrain 2016, returns to the island on May 13 at the Bahrain International Circuit. The convention will have a regionally renowned video games section which will have gaming competitions and discussions between the gaming community in Bahrain and GCC. A large segment of the players are from GCC countries visiting the event to test and prove their gaming skills and interact with their fellow gamers in Bahrain. The other main attraction will be the cos-play display. The idea behind cosplay is for attendees to dress up as their favourite character from anime shows or video games and interact with other convention patrons. The event will host a competition for both individual and group cosplayers. Acts will be judged by a panel based on creativity, costume design and character mimicking abilities. 36 May 2016

The convention will also feature an art gallery. This section of the event will be a designated area to showcase the work of all the Bahraini artists that are involved in animation and video game drawings. The Middle East VGS/ DvLZStaTioN is the event partner for the event. The VGS team has one of the biggest YouTube channels in the Middle East. The team has managed to gather more than two million followers collectively and their aim is to increase gaming awareness in the Middle East. Other attractions of the convention include a vendors’ market where international and local merchants can set up stall, and sell their products that are related to the event’s theme. Various local talents will also be taking part in shows between segments of the convention, as well as games that any visitor can take part in. Organisers say they support entrepreneurs young and old by giving them space at the event where they can display their ideas to the crowd. The event is expected to run from 1pm until midnight and is suitable for families.

The tickets are available at Stick House Bahrain – Seef Mall, Euphoria – Seef Mall, Second Cup Coffee – Amwaj and Juffair branches, Ice games – Jidali, Starshine games – Hidd and Riffa, Elite gaming – Gosi Mall and online at www.cazasouq.com. Pre-sale tickets are available from the various outlets, priced at BD5, and BD7 at the gate on the day of the event. Pre-sale price for

VIP tickets is BD25 and BD30 on the day. All VIP ticket holders will enter a draw for a chance to win a PS4 premium bundle. Premium gift bag contains a gaming T-shirt, comics, key chain, Minecraft sunglasses, VIP parking, VIP lounge access, snacks and beverages as well as a VIP food voucher. Call 34 301-991.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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DESIGNER DUDS When? May 14 Event? Designer Day Sale Venue? BSPCA Thrift Shop Get your eyes on the prize and look out for some cut-price designer gear as the BSPCA Thrift Shop hosts its May Designer Day Sale. Items will be on offer from the likes of Ralph Lauren, See by Chloe, LK Bennett, Paul Smith, Tods, Baby Dior and many others. Only the best ladies’ and gents’ clothes, handbags and shoes are selected for the Designer Day sales and items must either still have

the tags on or be as good as new to make the cut! In addition, there will be a dedicated room featuring beautiful sterling and costume silver jewellery, accessories and gift items. The Thrift Shop is the main source of income of the BSPCA and all funds go towards caring for the animals at the Animal Welfare Centre and the free CNVR programmes for compound cats and stray dogs. So it’s designer shopping that’s good for both your

When? May 13 Event? Professional Course Venue? Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa The New Concept of Alignment, Bleaching & Bonding – a certification handson course for dentists by Dr Gun Norrel from Sweden. E Call +971 4 361-6174.

wallet and your conscience. The shop’s at 6 Busheiri Gardens, Budaiya, and the sale runs from 1-5pm. Call 17 593-479.

LA DOLCE VITA When? May 20 Event? Charity Ball Venue? The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa The Grand Italian Charity Ball, now in its sixth edition, will take place at 7.30pm on May 20. As well as a traditional Italian menu there will be entertainment by an incredible company of professional dancers, Campagnia Artemis Danza, from Parma, Italy, who recreate the magical atmosphere of a night at the Opera. Previous years’ events have included extravagantly costumed ladies and even a real-live prince, so expect a night to remember.

Social Media Club Bahrain will be running the fourth Social Media Masters Forum 2016 (SMMF) in association with Applied Science University. The forum will combine international experts from from the USA, Canada, Mexico, Thailand, the UK, and Bahrain who will be sharing their success secrets with the 250plu participants. Presentations will include: Five Steps To Six Figures With LinkedIn; How to Turn Your Pictures Into Profits With Instagram; The Money Matrix And How This Affects Your Bottom Line; How To Build a Solid Online Business That Pays You While You Sleep; The Way of a Conscious Entrepreneur: Leading From the Heart; Essential Steps to Overcome Burnout; Three Secrets to Power Up Your Voice; An Introduction to Black Entrepreneurship; How To Utilise Mass Media To Tell 38 May 2016

When? May 15 Event? Talk Venue? Al Riwaq Art Space Balqees Fakhro will present Van Gogh and PostImpressionism at 6.30pm. E Call 17 717-441. When? May 17 Event? Leadership conference Venue? Crowne Plaza Hotel E Call 17 552-878.

Tickets are priced BD40. To book contact cristina@ fantechi.it or simonetta.pancaldi@gmail.com.

FOLLOW THE LEADER When? May 21-22 Event? The Social Media Masters Forum 2016 Venue? Applied Science University, Sitra

When? May 14 Event? Designer day dale Venue? Busheiri Gardens, Budaiya E Call 17 593-479.

Your Story; The Single Most AllEncompassing Leadership Trait; What Your Body Knows About Growing Your Business; and Three Steps To Abundance. SMMF 2016 is a Ali Sabkar, founder and president of Social Media Club Bahrain practical and interactive business forum built for the public audience, Integrate social media into your life to communicate with the different levels of the community for your business and social life. To register, please contact: info@socialmediamasters. me or Call 36 145-666.

When? May 18-19 Event? Forum Venue? Gulf Convention Centre Gulf Education Future Technology Forum, a gathering of education and technology personalities to discuss and exchange insights on the importance of technology. E Call 17 717-200. When? May 19 Event? Movie Venue? Al Riwaq Art Space Movie screening- Vincent & Theo. E Call 17 717-441. When? May 19 Event? Musical performance Venue? The French School of Bahrain E Call 33 059-040. When? May 20 Event? Charity Ball Venue? The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa E Call 7 531-666.

Call 36 145-666 or email info@socialmediamasters.me to register. www.bahrainthismonth.com

happenings

ART DEFINING CULTURE Combine your love of shopping and art as a spectacular art exhibition returns at one of the popular shopping destinations on the island. AL AALI SHOPPING COMPLEX

When?May 18-21

Event?Al Aali Art Festival 2016

Venue? Al Aali Shopping Complex International and local artists will come together to showcase their work at the much anticipated Al Aali Art Fest 2016, from May 18-21, to be held at the Al Aali Shopping Complex. The objective of the festival is to provide an open forum showcasing various forms of artistic talent within Bahrain and from the region, while at the same time creating a common meeting ground for the exchange of ideas and interaction between artists and the community. The festival, now in its fifth year, will showcase work by talented Bahraini artists, embassies, schools and universities as well as various art forms, from free-style painting to calligraphy work, sculpture, food, fashion and design. In addition, the festival will also feature workshops and live performances by sand artist Shamya Al Mughairy, of Arabs got Talent fame, along with performances by speed calligraphers Anass and Zorg. Shayma Al Mughairy is a 17-year-old Omani sand artist, currently based in the UAE and is one of the few GCC nationals known for her sand art skills. She draws pictures, from portraits to detailed stories, and creates pieces of art using just a light box, sand and her fingers. She has performed for HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and hopes to go to South Korea to represent Oman at the Yeosu World Expo. Speed calligraphers Anaas and Zorg, also of Arabs Got Talent fame, wowed the judges with their skillful live art, by combining their individual pieces of expertly drawn calligraphy to form a whole image. Spearheading the Art for a Cause concept, the Al Aali Art Festival has received an overwhelming response to its charity drives over the years. Proceeds from the sale of art during the festival have been used to support organisations such as the Palm Association, Aisha Yateem Centre, Bahrain Society for Children with Behavioural and Communication Difficulties and the Dreams Society. This year, the festival has entered into an association with Sneha, a centre for children with special needs and a flagship project of the Indian Ladies Association.

Shamya Al Mughairy

40 May 2016

Call 17 007-270 or 17 581-000, visit www.alaaliartfest.com or follow it on Facebook and Instagram. www.bahrainthismonth.com

happenings

MUSIC LESSONS When? May 19 Event? Musical performance Venue? The French School of Bahrain Get ready for a touch of High School Musical or Glee as French School students take to the stage for their Musical 2016 Show which tells the story of a group of schoolchildren who are auditioning for a new school musical. Think trials and tribulations, teen angst and loads of good music from the likes of Bruno Mars, Eurhythmics and One Direction. And the finale is sure to be an uplifting song and dance. Entry is BD5 at the door and all are welcome.

SHOPPING EXTRAVAGANZA When? May 26-28 Event? Shopping festival Venue? Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre

When? May 21 Event? Junior Theatre Workshop Venue? British Club The Drama Section of the British Club is running monthly theatre workshops for children and teenagers aged seven-14 years. The workshop will look at different aspects of theatre and will end with a 15-minute performance. E Call 17 728-245.

Call 33 059-040.

ELLA ON SHOW When? May 26-29 Event? Art expo Venue? Ella Art Gallery.

When? May 21 Event? Workshop Venue? Al Riwaq Art Space Daniel Donnoly presents a Van Gogh Craft-making Kid’s workshop from 3-6pm. E Call 17 717-441. When? May 21 Event? Ladies Carpentry Workshop Venue? The Art House Learn to make your own Arabic bench plus funky house signs. BD40 per person, inclusive. E Call 39 253-943. When? May 26-28 Event? Shopping festival Venue? Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre E Call 17 877-999.

Get ready for the fourth annual Bahrain Retail Fair, organised by Albayan Media Group and running over three days. The exhibition and shopping festival, an annual attraction, will offer discounts of up to 90 per cent on leading retail brands, including international fashion brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and Cavalli. Electronic brands that will have their stalls set up include Samsung, LG and Phillips, along with many others. The fair will offer excellent incentives for retailers, distributors, manufacturers and wholesalers, not to mention consumers and the general public. Over 40,000 people from Bahrain and elsewhere are expected to attend, with the promise of huge discounts and services that the whole family can enjoy. Call 17 877-999. 42 May 2016

Ella Prakash will be displaying 20 selected pieces of her work in acrylic, broadly defined by ethereal figures, geometric lines and shapes. Ella is an Indian artist born and brought up in Bahrain, who aspires to create a contemplative journey for the viewer. The painting series starts with ‘In Search of my Soul’ and slowly progresses through various images, expressing each emotion that is vital in reaching the final stage ‘Found my Soul’. The artist says the paintings are the result of her personal journey and she aims to give the viewer a greater understanding of how women pass through different stages in life in order to complete the quest for inner self. Timings: 11am-7pm.

When? May 26-29 Event? Art expo Venue? Ella Art Gallery. E Call 17 292-815. When? May 27-28 Event? Shopping exhibition Venue? Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre E Call 36 966-636. When? May 27-28 Event? Musical Concerts Venue? The British Club Musical group Manama Singers presents a trio of concerts. Friday, May 28, at 4pm the kids will love Disney Favourites, priced BD6. And both evenings, at 6.30pm, Swing Into Summer features the golden greats of the swing era, priced BD7. Tickets will soon be available at Alosra Saar and Amwaj, The Bookcase, Words Bookstore Café and the British Club. E Call 17 728-245.

Call 17 292-815. www.bahrainthismonth.com

IFTAR Come together with family and friends throughout the Holy month of Ramadan and enjoy our delicious traditional Arabic Iftar dishes at Al Fanar rooftop Ballroom at BD16 net per person.

‫اﻹﻓـﻄــﺎر‬ ‫ و متﺘﻊ‬،‫اﺟﺘﻤﻊ ﻣﻊ ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺘﻚ ﻃﻮال ﺷﻬﺮ رﻣﻀﺎن اﳌﺒﺎرك‬ ‫ﺑﺈﻃﻼﻟﺔ ﻣﻤﻴﺰة ﰲ ﻗﺎﻋﺔ اﻟﻔﻨﺎر ﺣﻴﺚ أﺷﻬﻰ أﻃﺒﺎق‬ ‫ب‬.‫د‬١٦ ‫اﻹﻓﻄﺎر اﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴﺪﻳﺔ اﻟﻠﺬﻳﺬة و ذﻟﻚ ﺑﺘﻜﻠﻔﺔ‬ .‫ﻟﻠﺸﺨﺺ اﻟﻮاﺣﺪ‬

GHABGA Experience an authentic Arabian night at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Ghabga, with classic set menus. Served at Kontiki restaurant and terrace, overlooking the garden and pool.

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happenings

RAMADAN PREVIEW When? May 27-28 Event? Shopping exhibition Venue? Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre To break you into the spirit of the Holy Month, Global brings you a two day exhibition of all things Ramadan in The Ramadan Shopping Exhibition. The expo will feature stalls focusing on food, spices and Bahraini coffee, and on fashion wear to cover all the events in the Holy Month, including the latest designs from jalabiya dresses to abayas. Charity will not be left out, and the two-day event shines a light on the tradition of donating during Ramadan. There will be a Children’s Corner with a host of activities to keep the little ones delighted and occupied, with games and henna stalls. There will also be a Restaurant Corner, which will offer mouth-watering food on both days, thus providing a perfect day out the whole family can enjoy. The two day exhibition will be held in the week before the Holy Month begins, from 11am-10pm on both days.

KIDS ON THE BLOCK When? May 31 Event? Art workshop Venue? The Art House, Al Muqsha In its own words, “The Art House is a place where all aspects of art is touched. Relax, create and socialise. We have something for all! All crafters and artists welcome.” Whether it’s to create your own masterpiece, activities for the children, a special gift for someone or

Call 36 966-636.

learning a new art form, it offers something for one and all. Regular workshops are hosted throughout the month where both kids and adults have the chance to learn something new. Among the many offerings this month is a kids’ block printing workshop at which little ones can learn a skill while having some artistic fun. Call 39 253-943.

SOCIALLY SAVVY When? June 1-2 Event? Third Edition of Global PR Summit Venue? Ritz Carlton Hotel & Spa Public relations and communications experts from global corporations including Google, MasterCard, Nissan, STC, P&G and Cruises Lines International, will be present at the third edition of the Global PR Summit Middle East. The two-day event kicks off with a keynote on reputation management by Mary Jo Jacobi, one of the world’s leading PR experts and former VP communications at BP America, Royal Dutch Shell, HSBC and Lehman Brothers. Delegates will also be able to hear from experts on digital PR, strategic PR and crisis communications. With top-notch speakers and insightful interactive discussions, the third Global PR Summit will offer the opportunity to achieve a deeper understanding of today’s ever-changing PR trends and provide a natural support structure that will help stretch the PR knowledge. For information on registration and pricing visit the event’s official website: http://www.thepworld.com/pevents/event/123/global-pr-summit-3-bahrain. 44 May 2016

Mary Jo Jacobi

www.bahrainthismonth.com

afterdark happenings

IT’S ELECTRIFYING!

When? May 6 Event? Boho Baha night Venue? Al Thuraya, InterContinental Regency Hotel Boho Baha is hosting an evening of swing, electronic music, and costumed fun with a carefully curated line-up of the best local talent, alongside what is arguably the world’s

FIRE IN THE BAY When? May 6 Event? DJ performance Venue? Coral Bay Coral Bay promises another smashing party with one of the all-time favourite DJs from the most successful band on the circuit at the moment that has been touring the globe under the banner “Peace is The Mission” with hits like Lean On, Light It Up, Powerful and Watch Out For This among many other floor fillers. Coral Bay proudly brings in DJ Walshy Fire of Major Lazer exclusively for one night only with support from Bahrain’s own favourite spinners DJs Fawaz Swif, Outlaw and Cossta. Expect an evening of awesome music and fun round the pool and on the beach to make the most of the summer weather. Tickets are for BD15 for gents, free for ladies. Call 34 178-814 / 36 950-077.

greatest electric swing act, The Electric Swing Circus (ESC). They’ll be performing a high-energy live show of music from their first album and a few numbers from their, as of yet, unreleased new album. During the event there’ll also be a mask/costume contest, and a swing dance contest. It’s Boho Baha, so expect elaborate sets that will dazzle and amaze audiences and an enchanting night of fantastic music, stellar sights and astounding live performances. The Electric Swing Circus is a six-piece fusion of saucy ‘20s swing and stomping electro beats. With an explosive sound that reverberates back through time and their own unique style of swing, the ESC always brings the party! They’ll be supported by gypsy jazz live act The Hot Club of Bahrain and DJs Captain Tea and White Rabbits. Tickets pre-sale BD20, on the door BD25. Call 39 922-234 / 36 356-014.

BRING YOUR BATHERS When? May 6 Event? Pool Party Venue? Mansouri Mansions Summer is upon us and Mansouri Mansions is launching its new pool area with a mega DJ party featuring double sets from Andy Collins, playing commercial and floor fillers; SubN4ation, playing deep house and future house; Jimmy Seddon, playing tech house and funky house; Lisa Rippin, playing commercial house and UK garage classics; and Ambassador, making his Bahrain debut, playing progressive and club classics. The poolside action runs from 10am-10pm and the event’s co-hosted by Tramps which will host an after party. Entry BD5. Call 17 716-999.

BEATS ON THE BEACH

www.bahrainthismonth.com

When? May 5 Event? May Seisiun Venue? Maguires Irish Bar, Adliya Bahrain Irish Society’s monthly jam session. Bring an instrument and play or just enjoy the craic. Free pint for anyone who sings and 10 per cent discount for society members. E Call 17 716-999. When? May 5 Event? Loco Barcelona Venue? La Vinoteca Barcelona A night of deep house grooves and techno from DJs Dust Frequency, Derek John and DJette Arp. E Call 17 007-808. When? May 5 Event? Rida and Ellisar Live Venue? Coral Bay Star performer Rida and belly dancer Ellisar will be pleasing the crowds at Coral Bay. E Call 34 178-814 / 36 950-077. When? May 6 Event? Battle of the Bands Final Venue? Hardrock Café After several heats, the chosen few go head-to-head to take the Battle of the Bands title. Head down to Exhibition Road and support your favourites. E Call 17 291-569 / 36 156-374. When? May 6 Event? Electro Swing Masquerade Venue? Al Thuraya, InterContinental Regency Hotel E Call 39 922-234 / 36 356-014.

When? May 6 Event? Beach Music Festival Venue? Novotel Al Dana Resort Beat Beach Music Festival returns with another event to remember. This time it’s a magical journey into the future with stage sets by V3 Designs, LED, fire dancers and more. The Beat Beach Future Edition will have two dance floors and a massive line-up of DJs. On the main stage DJs will be playing your favourite tunes from hip hop and R&B to EDM while the Glass Room will have underground house and techno. The line-up features DJs Jackson, VJMP3, Riddler, Westside, Swing, Montanna, Mysterioo Arif, Fawazoo, Ricardo M, Sami Dee, Ahmed Zainal, Yusuf Slais and

When? May 5 Event? Sub Zero with Sally Potterton Venue? Meisei Electric neon violinist Sally Potterton performs at Meisei’s ice bar. E Call 17 007-770.

When? May 6 Event? DJ Walshy Fire Live Venue? Coral Bay E Call 34 178-814 / 36 950-077. When? May 6 Event? Pool Party Venue? Mansouri Mansions E Call 17 716-999.

Ali Bakhtiar. Pre-sale tickets BD10, on the door ladies BD10, men BD15. Call 66 302-112 / 66 331-366 / 17 298-008.

When? May 6 Event? Beach Music Festival Venue? Novotel Al Dana Resort E Call 66 302-112 / 66 331-366 / 17 298-008. May 2016 45

afterdark happenings

OMARION ON STAGE When? May 12 Event? Grand Opening Party Venue? MJ’s Bowling Lounge, Garden Plaza, Budaiya In a highly-anticipated event, MJ’s officially opens its doors with a high energy R&B event featuring Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, dancer and actor, Omarion, on his debut visit to the island. Resident DJ Arwin will also be on the decks to make sure the evening goes with a swing. Omarion is best known as lead singer of boy band B2K who achieved success with singles such as Bump, Bump, Bump, which reached number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. MJ’s Bowling Lounge has generated a lot

PARTY ROCKER IN THE HOUSE When? May 19 Event? 8ky 6lu Live Venue? Klub 360 8ky 6lu is an American rapper, singer, record producer, DJ and dancer best known as one half of the musical duo LMFAO, along with his paternal uncle Redfoo. The duo are known for international hits such as Sexy and I Know It and Party Rock Anthem which topped the charts in more than 10 countries, including France, the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Ireland and Australia. LMFAO went on hiatus after their initial success but 8ky 6lu, real name Skyler Austen Gordy, has remained active on the music scene working with various other artists. His live performances are always great fun and, having missed the chance to visit the island previously when the band was scheduled to perform at Formula One, this onenight-only event will be a treat for fans. Tickets are priced at BD20 for ladies, BD30 for men, members and regulars BD25. Call 66 664-447.

of excitement among bowling enthusiasts and provides an affordable yet sophisticated gaming environment. It also has top-of-the-range karaoke facilities and a separate recording studio. A five-star gourmet restaurant, served by a range of elite international chefs, is also situated inside the venue, along with a separate café serving the finest beverages and light bites around. Tickets for the opening night are priced at BD15 for women and BD20 for men and are available at various venues including Yara Beauty Lounge in Amwaj, Burgerland and Virgin Megastore. Call 34 162-600 / 36 591-078.

FATMAN FUN When? May 26 Event? Live music performance Venue? Ibrida Club, Ramee Grand Hotel Fatman Scoop is an American hype man, hip hop promoter and radio personality whose musical career has spanned 15 years. He’s famed for his on-stage rough, raw loud voice and is known for the song Be Faithful which was nominated for a Grammy award and went to number one in the United Kingdom and Ireland in late 2003 and top five in Australia. He also has his own relationship show/podcast and appeared in the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother in 2015. Featured on tracks with everyone from Timbaland to David Guetta and from Bob Sinclar to Kat Deluna, his musical pedigree needs no introduction and this promises to be a night to remember for hip hop fans. Call 17 111-999 / 36 897-378.

Cirque Le Soir returns to Bushido to help celebrate the Samurai favourite’s seventh anniversary. Famed for its international DJs, top mixologists and dazzling circus decor the daring entertainment house offers a new insight into the world’s club scene. Cirque Le Soir’s incredible circus 46 May 2016

atmosphere makes it incomparable to any other night club experience. Guests are treated to live world-class circus performances and unparalleled music provided by international DJs playing multiple genres; eclectic and experimental sounds to stimulate your senses and push the boundaries of entertainment and get the audience revelling in a clubbing experience like you have never experienced before. Dress code is glamorous fantasy with a

When? May 12 Event? Grand Opening Party Venue? MJ’s Bowling Lounge E Call 34 162-600 / 35 591-078. When? May 19 Event? 8ky 6lu Appearance Venue? Klub 360 E Call 66 664-447. When? May 19 Event? The B Side Live Venue? Polo Gastropub This talented trio entertain with acoustic music and much banter. E Call 17 725-000. When? May 20 Event? Make Music Bahrain Venue? Novotel Al Dana Resort In the spirit of the French “Fête de la Musique”, Make Music Bahrain is a one daymusic festival, open to professional and amateur local or foreign musicians. Artists and musicians are performing for free, to show off their skills and talents. Running 4pm-10pm. Admission free. E Call 17 298-008. When? May 23 Event? Jazz performance Venue? Upstairs Downstairs French jazz artists the Laurent de Wilde Trio from Paris take to the stage. Tickets BD18 plus government levy. E Call 17 713-093. When? May 26 Event? Fat Man Scoop Live Venue? Ibrida E Call 17 111-999 / 36 897-378.

ROLL UP, ROLL UP When? May 27 Event? Anniversary Party Venue? Bushido

When? May 12 Event? BG Harmony Live & Acoustic Venue? Polo Gastropub Another fab live set from these Polo regulars beginning at 9pm. E Call 17 725-000.

When? May 27 Event? Cirque Le Soir Anniversary Party Venue? Bushido E Call 17 583-555.

circus twist. Entry ladies free before 10pm, BD10 after, men BD15. Call 17 583-555. www.bahrainthismonth.com

INTERVIEWS

MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE LIZ O’REILLY Love it or hate it, technology is most definitely here to stay. Titus Varghese, general manager of tech company Dream Makers, tells us it’s time to embrace new developments and use them to make our dreams reality.

ALSO THIS MONTH: 52 PLAYING HIS CARDS WELL 56 DISCOVER FRENCH FINESSE

Titus Varghese

itus has been working in web development for 20 years having initially gone into the field when he graduated from university and took advantage of the dot com boom. By 2002 he was looking to further develop himself and initially considered working with one of the tech giants in India but Titus says: “We took a proper look at what was being done in the industry and decided, why look to work for someone else when we can make our own dream come true with our own company – and that company will be about making other people’s dreams come true, that’s where we came up with the name. “Basically, people have ideas for businesses but they don’t know what to do with them, that’s where we come in. If you have an idea, these days you need to act on it quickly before someone else does. For example, a man came to see us a few of years ago with an idea for an online food delivery business in Bahrain. It was a great idea but, at the time, he wasn’t ready to proceed and, before long, Talabat was launched in Bahrain.” Kuwait-based parent company Talabat was sold in 2015 for USD170 million! 48 May 2016

Dream Makers started in India in 2002 and, in 2004 brought the concept to Bahrain beginning with website design, development and management and later moving into mobile apps, graphics, branding and complete end-to-end

business solutions. Titus continues: “The way we work is that someone will come to us with an online business idea, we will develop it through building the online presence and optimising traffic and

Dream Makers Project 1

Al Zayani Investment Dream Makers built an intranet portal to maintain consumer / corporate loan data and reporting to BENEFIT Company. The portal helps the accountant across all the divisions to input the customer and vehicle deal details and update the day-to-day activities such as cheque clearance or bounce, legal, reschedule and write-off. They can also generate the different reports and analyse the history of the particular customer and, at the same time, the system will help to generate LAD files automatically and report to BENEFIT Company as per CBB regulations. www.bahrainthismonth.com

provide all of the logistical planning needed to establish a global presence by hiring and training of resources including setting communication infrastructure, project methodologies, and then transfer to an employee the knowledge we have gained through working with the originator and their business, and that staffer will go to work as part of the business to manage the web side of things. “And one of the big things that makes us different from other companies working in this field is that, once we have done the development, we hand the client the source codes and they own it so they can make any changes necessary in the future. With a lot of other companies, the developer holds the source code and if the software used goes out of date and needs to be changed, the client will be charged an extra fee to get the access to their own web applications” Prestigious clients include Shaikh Nasser’s Triple Crown Initiative, Bahrain Airport Services and the Abdulrahman Kanoo School, for which the company has produced comprehensive website solutions. However Titus points out: “We’re not just a website development company. There is so much more intelligent stuff that can be done online. For example one of our clients is Bahrain Airport Services which has thousands of employees, we’ve developed web applications allowing them to have their own portal where they can log in and communicate. However, another part of that system allows online booking for the Dilmun Lounge at the Bahrain Airport, which can become very busy. “We don’t just do standard e-commerce, which is mostly about payment through websites. We’re involved in enhanced e-commerce. For example if you are on a client’s website and in the process of buying something but then, when you get to check-out, you change your mind, we capture the data to show at which point that decision was made. “Your browsing data is sent to analytics which uses the information to suggest reasons you have decided not to proceed with a purchase, for example you may have found the price too high if you were intending to buy multiple items, this can then suggest a solution to the issue such as the introduction of a discount coupon at the point of purchase.” So basically Dream Makers is not just about making the small businessperson’s dreams come true but can also play with the big boys increasing online engagement, building market share and taking care of the technical backroom business too. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Dream Makers Project 2

Projects Frendzovfrendz / Dubai FrendzOVFrendz provides an online platform which facilitates meeting new people and discovering new venues in the UAE, through casual dining at exciting new and staple restaurants in the region. Each dinner, always set in an attractive venue, is an exclusive event. Membership is very much limited to friends of friends. This automatically filters quality and background – you can only join if referred by another existing member. Events take place on both weekdays and weekends in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. An opportunity to mingle, discover new venues, sample top dishes and socialise; expand your business and social circles, make new friends and step out of your comfort zone! The web application allows the administrator to pre-arrange a menu of bites keeping in mind dietary requirements already filled in by the members for a fixed price per head and paid for online by attendees a minimum of 48 hours prior to the event. Email invitation, RSVP and other features are included. Members can recommend a friend to sign up, every recommendation requires at least one referral from an existing member. Those who confirm and make a payment are reserved a seat, once the booked amount is reached, no further bookings are accepted. If you pay in advance for a dinner and are not able to make it, the money will be saved for a future event. If you confirm attendance to an event and do not turn up you receive a black point, once you receive three black points you will be removed from the group for three months. Illicit and inappropriate behaviour will lead to automatic disqualification and cancellation of membership. Attendees cannot sign up for events back-to-back. A mix it up is necessary to ensure attendees don’t always meet the same people. Dream Makers Project 3

Bahrain Pharma Dream Makers was involved in development of a complete ecommerce web portal for one of the largest pharma companies in Bahrain. The team was involved in developing a content management system, job portals to enable online recruitment and did the medicine packaging design and branding which is now out in the medical stores. May 2016 49

interview

NEW MAN IN THE DRIVING SEAT LIZ O’REILLY New BIC board chairman Arif Rahimi talks to Liz O’Reilly about a lifelong fascination with cars and his pride in the circuit and the team.

ince its launch in 2004, Bahrain International Circuit has been known as the ‘Home of Motor Sport in the Middle East’. It runs around 400 events a year and employs around 140 permanent staff, with a huge number of extras who come in during F1. Arif says: “We have a list of people who come in just for the big race and there are a huge number of Bahrainis involved who are keen to be part of the race, to help host and represent their country. “From the CEO down, most of the employees are Bahraini. There were expats employed at the start until we could gain the experience ourselves but we have taken that on board and the team is now mostly Bahraini. Our team is very well thought of within the racing sector; in fact, our marshals, who are actually responsible for running the race, are going to Baku in Azerbaijan to run the new race there for the next two years. Then they will hand over once the Baku team has gained experience. They’ve also been to India to help with that race.” Having been a board member for several years, Arif is delighted to take over the chairman’s role. He says: “My original background was in accountancy and consulting for major global firms and my first experience of coming to the track was when it was being developed, as it was a client of the financial firm I was then working with. I never expected to return one day as chairman of the board. 50 May 2016

Arif Rahimi

“It is a great honour and a significant responsibility to be offered such a position. Notwithstanding the fact that I am a huge motorsports fan, the BIC is at a very exciting time in its evolution. We have, yet again, just experienced the thrill of the F1 night race in Bahrain, which has helped to completely change the perception of the BIC since we started it. We have real momentum and it is fantastic to be a part of that.” And of his own enthusiasm for all things motoring he adds: “I’ve always been into cars. People who knew me even as a teenager would tell you I was always working on cars. I’m half mechanic. My family also love to come to the circuit and I’m hoping to take my five-year-old son to the karting track soon – it’s one of the best in the world.” He admits he’s even taken his own car for a spin round the circuit, saying it would be impossible not to be tempted with the track right outside his office window. Asked about regional competition from Abu Dhabi and the possibility of a further race being developed in Kuwait, Arif is confident of Bahrain’s position. He says: “We are a very different race to Abu Dhabi – we’re the only desert race and there’s the big gap between the races. We’re at the beginning of the season, Abu Dhabi is at the end, which means that, with that race, the competition can be

already decided. Whereas for us, at the beginning of the season, it’s interesting to see new developments both in the cars and the race regulations. And, of course, at the beginning of the season there is everything to play for so it’s a really interesting race to watch to see how the drivers are shaping up. “With regards to any other race in the Middle East, we can only really speculate on how that might be different from either Bahrain or Abu Dhabi. So it isn’t really our place to discuss that when we have no idea what the race would look like.” And, of future plans for the BIC, though Arif did mention an exciting development we’re not allowed to reveal just yet, he says: “Well, as I am only a few weeks into the role, and the hosting of F1 has taken up much of my time recently, it is perhaps too early to talk about plans in any detail. Suffice to say that the BIC has made outstanding progress in establishing itself as the Home of Motorsport in the Middle East over the last 12 years and we want to continue that momentum.” Finally, in recognition of the hard work undertaken on the 2016 race, Arif took this opportunity to say “On behalf of the board, we extend our sincere thanks to the BIC team, the marshals, the volunteers and everyone else who contributed to the success of the 2016 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. “ www.bahrainthismonth.com

A REPUTATION BUILT ON QUALITY LIZ O’REILLY As one of the island’s favourite fine jewellery brands opens its latest outlet, BTM speaks with general manager Waleed Kooheji to learn the secret of the company’s success.

residing over the opening of Kooheji Jewellery’s third store in Bahrain, at Moda Mall, Waleed Kooheji signifies the brand’s ethos welcoming family, VIP guests and suppliers with a quiet charm. The store’s main brands include Damaso, Arzano, Gionvanni Ferraris and Tirisi, and representatives of each of them were on hand at the opening to support the family-run business. Waleed says: “The business was started by my father Abdullah and uncle, Abdul Wahed Kooheji, back in 1952 and we have grown over the years in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. This is our third store in Bahrain and, by the end of the year, we will open our ninth outlet. “The customers are what make our brand special, they trust us. To buy jewellery, you have to trust, it’s not easy to buy from someone you don’t know because it is a lot of money. We have a lot of customers with whom we have a personal relationship built over many years. “Our staff also play a big role, they are loyal and very well trained in knowing how to deal with our customers. “And it’s also down to our suppliers, with whom we work very closely. For example, we have been working with the Arzano brand since around 1980 and the owner is here to celebrate this opening with us.” Confirming the close relationship, Mr Riyaz of Arzano says: “The Koohejis were friends of my father, so I have known them since I was a teenager. They are excellent people to do business with and I would say we are almost like family, we have been friends a long time.” www.bahrainthismonth.com

Waleed Kooheji

Julian Rotstein, who along with his wife Natascha Zuchouwski is the owner and designer of the Tirisi brand, was also keen to pay tribute to the family. He says: “I deal with the very highest level fine jewellery buyers from the four corners of the earth and I would say the Koohejis are the best to deal with, I say that from my heart. They are special, their culture, their friendliness. “We are here several times a year to train the staff in our products and Kooheji is our exclusive distributor in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and I am very happy with our relationship. We have been with them since the beginning of the Tirisi brand six years ago and I can honestly say, I believe it is a company that’s contracted to greatness. You can see the regard in which they are held by the fact that their suppliers have flown in to celebrate this opening with them.” The new boutique-themed branch has a different aesthetic to the other outlets and aims to enhance the customer experience with a combination of traditional craftsmanship and technological innovation.

Waleed adds: “We are always making sure to offer our clients a multifaceted brand experience through carefully selected pieces, exquisite craftsmanship and partnerships with the world’s most renowned designers of exceptional jewellery. We wanted to present these pieces in the best light in an environment that fosters the curious mind and creates excitement to encompass the whole experience to more than just an exchange of merchandise but to see the true beauty of each creation in a comfortable atmosphere that reflects the same and is equally inspiring. We invite everyone to come and share this experience with us.” May 2016 51

interview

Anastasios Fragkopoulos

PLAYING HIS CARDS WELL BEHNAZ SANJANA

Credit Cards and Loans manager Anastasios Fragkopoulos highlights the many advantages of Citibank’s credit cards and tells us how to use one wisely.

passion for languages and politics led the young Greek national, Anastasios Fragkopoulos, to study French and Italian, and earn a masters degree in diplomacy. His qualifications landed him some interesting jobs in the UK, Europe and the USA. His next stop was Bahrain, purely for matters of the heart; his wife is Bahraini, he says, beaming. He grabbed the opportunity of project manager that Citibank Bahrain offered him, and has moved roles in his five years with Citibank, with his main forte being credit cards. “Citibank is a market leader in credit cards. I ensure that we have a successful product and our portfolio keeps growing, and that customers are happy with the overall credit card facility,” he says. In Bahrain, Citibank customers can choose amongst Citilife and PremierMiles cards, depending upon their lifestyle and needs. “Citilife is a lifestyle card for people who like to earn points to shop more, whereas the 52 May 2016

PremierMiles card rewards travellers with airline miles,” says Anastasios. “Citibank also offers an affinity card with Emirates that is specifically beneficial to loyal Emirates travellers.” Anastasios says the PremierMiles card is probably the most comprehensive card in the region. “Currently, with over 11 international airlines and three hotel groups to which points or miles can be transferred, it really is the best choice for frequent travellers.” Amongst the many advantages of having a Citibank credit card is that customers reap tangible rewards month on month. “It is important for us to reward our customers based on their usage, rather than a raffle draw that is a once in a lifetime chance,” he says. With mounting credit card debts and travel bans often the topic of debate, Anastasios tells us simple, effective ways to use a credit card responsibly. “I pay everything with my credit cards. I get the benefit of rewards from it,

which I use to travel,” he reveals. He emphasises that card users should know the terms and conditions of their credit cards well, and make timely payments. “It’s important to know when you have to pay your bill, and make at least the minimum payment due on time, so that you don’t have to pay late payment charges in addition to the payable finance charges,” he explains. “This way, your credit score won’t be affected negatively either. “Also, I wouldn’t use cards for cash, unless in an extreme emergency. When you use a credit card to withdraw money from the ATM, a high interest rate kicks in immediately, till the day you repay the bank,” he warns. He advocates having a contingency fund set aside to pay off your debts in unfortunate scenarios, like loss of a job, and using your credit card sensibly to avoid any surprises when you see your bill. Visit www.citibank.com/bahrain. www.bahrainthismonth.com

interview

Roger Nader

RISING TO NEW HEIGHTS SHAUN VAZ The new general manager of this renowned restaurant management company speaks to BTM about his plans for its popular restaurants and life on the island.

aving steered the ship of operations in Bahrain whilst still based in Dubai, new general manager of Seven Leisure Restaurant Management, Roger Nader is no stranger to the island, and has a clear idea in which direction he wishes to sail ahead. Shuttling back and forth for a considerable amount of time before being relocated to Bahrain, Roger is well aware of the differences between the two countries. Regardless, he finds that life in Bahrain is not much different, and has been made to feel very welcome upon his arrival. “I have been here for just four months and I already know a lot of people! They constantly call me, welcoming me to Bahrain and to Seven Leisure; it’s nice, it makes me feel at home,” he says, with a big smile on his face. He draws inspiration from his father, an executive chef in Lebanon, from where he hails. “I owe my love for food and the kitchen to him,” says Roger, who started his career as a steward 17 years go, moving on to manage 54 May 2016

restaurants for bigwigs like The Hilton, Rotana and Mövenpick. Roger is a self-confessed workaholic and rarely finds the time to unwind, having to oversee all of Seven Leisure’s outlets in the country, including JJ’s Irish Pub, Camelot and Tarboush Express. He entrusts the operation of his restaurants to the managers and staff, and credits them for their smooth running. This, he says, allows him to channel his time and efforts more constructively. He actively tries to avoid visiting the restaurants he manages. “My wife tells me she prefers not to dine at any of my restaurants, as I’ll be working more than I’ll be enjoying,” he says, laughing. But he does realise the importance of a balance between personal and professional life, and spends most of his free time with his family. When asked about any plans for development at Coral Bay where he is based, he reveals that they have already implemented 50 per cent of their strategy, having begun work on operations

in Bahrain well ahead of his arrival in the country. The C Hotel, Bahrain’s first and only floating five-star boutique hotel, has yet to receive an official opening, but is already completely booked. He spoke about the new La Taverna Sul Mare, a resurrection of the renowned, original La Taverna, and explains that they have retained the original furniture, table linen and layout. “We have even hired the same chef, so the guests who have been to the earlier restaurant will recognise these elements and feel nostalgic,” he says. Roger has the look of a proud father when he refers to Samak, the recently opened fine dining restaurant at Coral Bay, having been actively involved in the setting up of the venue. “This restaurant is our baby, it’s a unique place. It offers Lebanese, Thai, Mediterranean cuisines and sushi as well. It’s all seafood based,” he says. With some new plans in place and some still to be implemented, Roger is keen for his restaurants to discover new horizons. www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Jasim Zayani & Mohammed Dadabhai

Good France Gala Dinner HE Bernard Regnauld-Fabre, French Ambassador, hosted a Good France dinner at the French embassy residence. This initiative was launched by Laurent-Fabius, former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with Alain Ducasse, three-starred Michelin chef. The event’s dinner was prepared by chef Jean-Pierre Renaud from Al Bander hotel and the interior was adorned with luxurious pieces from Tanagra. Mohammed Akkaoui, George Middleton, HE Bernard Regnauld-Fabre, Patrick Chalhoub, Akram Miknas & HE Dhafer Al Umran

Restaurant Menu Launch

Pierre, Faith & Nataliia

Sheraton Bahrain Hotel held a media launch for the new menu of Golestan Restaurant.

Raj, Gayatri, Rama, Hussain, Cristalyn, Thomas, Ashish & Yahya

Suprio, Edwin & Abdullatif

Whiter, healthier teeth for life. HX9332/04 Philips Sonicare Diamond CareAirFloss rechargeable toothbrush • Intuitive pressure sensor alerts you while brushing too hard • Timers to help encourage thorough brushing • Removes up to 7x more plaque • Clinically proven to improve gum health in two weeks 2-years warranty

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www.bahrainthismonth.com

May 2016 55

interview

Raed Muti

DISCOVER FRENCH FINESSE

The new man at the helm of this magnifique marque in the Kingdom talks to BTM about his new role and plans for the brand.

ollowing his recent appointment as general manger of Renault in Bahrain, Raed Muti is a man on a mission. His goal is to ensure customers on the island realise what countless drivers in Europe already know – Renault is a major player. With 20 years in the automotive industry under his belt, there’s no denying his capability to bring out the best in a dealership or his fondness of a challenge. With the goal of taking the company forward, Raed says that changing old mentalities is the key to success. “I’ve been in the automotive industry in Bahrain for seven years so I know where the brand stands from the outside, but being involved from the inside is much different,” he explains. “The brand’s reputation isn’t as well known in the Middle East as it is in Europe – I aim to change that. “Renualt is a great brand but people just don’t 56 May 2016

know it yet. It’s the number one brand in France and is among the top brands in Europe. With the great range of vehicles, competitive prices, packages and a strong warranty programme, I’m sure customers will be impressed.” Renault recently made headlines around the world when it announced its triumphant return to Formula One racing. “If a manufacturer can produce a Formula One car, it clearly has the technology and capability to make an impressive range of vehicles,” Raed says. “Technology definitely trickles down, so the knowledge and durability is there.” Building on the momentum of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, Raed reveals there are plans in the pipeline to build a new state-ofthe-art facility purely for Renault in Bahrain. “It’s not just going to be a place to display the cars,” he says. “We want it to be a one-stopshop that reflects French culture and helps customers find out more about the brand. It will

be very modern and stylish, very French!” The showroom is pegged to open by August, just in time for people returning from their summer vacations. “We want to time it with the launch of two exciting models, which I will keep as a surprise, but watch this space,” Raed says. When it comes to the Bahrain market, Raed says customers in the Kingdom are more savvy than most. He explains: “Bahraini customers are more aware of their requirements and know exactly what they need from a car. They look for best value for money and enjoy having great specifications.” Raed encourages potential customers to test drive the vehicles and welcomes all types of feedback. He says: “This is very important and is how the brand will become stronger, it will help us to improve our product and services.” The brand is going in a new direction and with a new man at the helm, change is in the air. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Bon Apetite

Ramada Bahrain is owned and operated by TIC, under franchise from Ramada from Ramada Worldwide Inc.

YOU DO YOUR THING. LEAVE THE REST TO US.*

www.ramadabahrain.com | +973 17742000

The French Bistro concept is now available in Le Jardin, the main restaurant and served for lunch and dinner, the opening time is daily from 06:00hrs to 24:00hrs midnight.

Great Value

interview

BRIDGING THE GAP APPLE SHARMA Bahrain Art Across Borders (BAAB) is a major new arts initiative designed to showcase Bahraini art for a global audience. BTM touched base with BAAB’s co-founder Kaneka Subberwal.

project of Art Select, BAAB is a firstof-its-kind initiative and the brainchild of visionary Indian entrepreneur Kaneka Subberwal. Kaneka’s journey with art began over a decade ago after a phase in textile designing. “I started collecting art only to realise there were lots of sellers until an artwork was sold. But the question was, who was there for a buyer post the sale?” she says. “That’s when I created my company Art Select. Our journey began when most ended; we worked on building relationships, platforms, bridges through the medium of art.” Kaneka first arrived to Bahrain in 2008 and was completely smitten by its solid simplicity, conservative essence backed by very forward thinking. She was captured by the plethora of talent in Bahrain and moved her business from Dubai in 2010. One of her exhibits in London, in 2014, showcased two works of Bahraini artist Jamal Abdul Rahim that drew immense appreciation and inquisitiveness about the artist’s origin. “Every time, I proudly mentioned Bahrain,” she says. “That was a turning point for me; this gap had to be bridged but it needed to be done in the correct format. To understand the tradition of Bahrain, the culture that dates back decades and which shows on the reflection of each Bahraini in every aspect of their being, it was first important for people to experience Bahrain. We had to bring the world to Bahrain.” Last year, Kaneka launched ArtBahrain, which had an overwhelming response with the participation of 17 countries, 22 galleries, 26 artists and many visitors, the highlight being the success of the Bahraini artists. “It was now time for chapter two, us as Bahrain to cross borders and embed our footprint globally,” she says. “But 58 May 2016

Kaneka Subberwal

Ebrahim Busaad

Shaikha Marwa Al Khalifa

I could not do all this by myself and I cannot thank Tamkeen enough for helping us to create this platform; this initiative which will enable us to represent ourselves all over the world, to grow, establish and enhance our strengths.” BAAB’s first exhibit will be held in London in the last week of May, with a launch event at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. The theme for this year is “The essence of Bahrain” where each artist through his work establishes a connection to his /her island. It is planned as the first in a series of annual international exhibitions showcasing Bahrain’s most talented artists. Seventeen artists have been selected, ranging from veterans like Ebrahim Busaad or Balqees Fakhro, to calligrapher Taiba Faraj, as well as an important group of women artists such as Nabeela Al Khayer and Mariam Fakhro. The selection also gives new exposure to four

Omar Al Rashid

‘artists to watch’ – Noof Ahmed Alriffai, Shaikha Lulwa Al Khalifa, Shaikha Marwa Al Khalifa and Amina Al Abbasi. “It’s an honour to be selected as one of 17 Bahraini artists to exhibit in London and I look forward to taking part in the line-up of events,” says Shaikha Marwa. Looking to the future, Kaneka says, “We hope BAAB will be bi-annual, we will be showcasing 15-17 different artists each time. It is a journey; we will take small but firm steps from exhibits to participation in fairs and biennales in the years to come. Our aim is to take our art to the world and bring the world to us.” Although not an artist herself, Kaneka’s taste in art is rich and diverse. “I usually gravitate towards classic contemporary artists like Chugtai, Jamil Naqsh, Sliman Mansur and Nja Mhadaoui, but I do have a side that is Andy Warhol.” www.bahrainthismonth.com

MARKETING STRATEGY DESIGN

interview

Jack Melville

Jack’s favourite picture

Jack in action

ART AND ICONS LIZ O’REILLY

British artist Jack Melville visits the island this month for an exhibition in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Bahraini-British relations – he took time out from packing to answer a few questions.

ave you been to Bahrain before or is this your first visit and how long will you be here? I have never been to Bahrain or anywhere in the Middle East before but I am so looking forward to being there for the 12 days. To enjoy the culture and the people. What made you decide to get involved with the anniversary celebrations? It was suggested to me that the celebrations would be an opportunity to promote my particular brand of art. I am also interested in all cultures and thought the experience would be beneficial for all parties. You’re well known for producing striking images of iconic figures – have you ever painted (or otherwise pictured) anyone from the Arab world and if so who? No I haven’t as yet but have been requested to paint an Arab dignitary while I am there, as yet I have no idea who that will be. But again I am very honoured to have been asked to do so. Is there anyone or anything, such as some of Bahrain’s landmarks, that you’re keen to see and perhaps picture while you’re here? I want to see as much as possible in the time I’m there and experience the culture and the people. I am so looking forward to the trip although it seems I will be busy giving workshops to schools and painting. Phew! 60 May 2016

You’ve previously said that, on embarking on your career in art, you decided not to make things easy for yourself – is this something you still stick to even though you have since embraced more traditional methods? I embark on each individual image with a new vision of how it will be seen. Each drawing is extracted from my eye, brain and through my hand, none of which is easy. I have always been able to draw but the body and mind has to be together to produce a piece otherwise it is not even worth attempting. I could spend an evening having dinner with someone, stare at their face, be incredibly interested in everything they say, and the next day, be able to remember all kinds of things they had told me. But, if I were to see that person on the street I’d have no idea that I’d ever seen them before in my life. But I can remember things that are flat, which is why I use photography as the source for the paintings. With photography, I can memorise a face. Painting is the perfect medium and photography is the perfect source, because they have already translated three dimensions into something flat. I can just affect the translation. Some of your early work was created using a pretty eclectic mix of tools such as an eraser on a power drill – how did that work and how did you come up with the idea? The idea of using power tools on a painting

simply came to me when doing some DIY. I saw how controlled the blending of colour and tone could be and produce a finish that was both exact and random. Controlled and irrational. If you had to pick a favourite piece from all your productions, which would it be and why? That’s easy it would be the portrait of my daughter Ellie. Obviously I am biased but when I was first presented to her at her birth she had a look in her eyes that conveyed, “I’m so glad to be here and full of life”. She still has that look in her eyes to this day. This was painted a couple of months ago and hopefully captures my love for her. Have any of the people you’ve pictured given any feedback on your images? Yes quite a few. The portrait is the beating force of my work, and many are the iconic image of the artists portrayed. Wilko Johnson once said to me: “I guess I’m getting more famous as a model than as a guitarist…Your portrait of me has made me famous again.” What are you currently working on and what’s coming next? The next big event is the possibility of an exhibition in Hong Kong at the Jockey Club at the end of the year. As I live in Ibiza, I am constantly being commissioned to produce portraits of famous people out here, Robert Plant and Maxi Jazz amongst that number. www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Jacob & Dain

Deidra, Maryann, Jo & Heather

Debbie & Melissa

RVIS Art Exhibit Riffa Views International School held its first IB Art Exhibition at its campus. Kristine Emerson & Alanood Al Khalifa

Seafood Night

Bryan & Neha

Dr Kurt Nordness & Alanood Al Khalifa

Joseph & Sarah

The Westin Hotel Bahrain held a seafood night at Baharat restaurant.

Hany, Zee, Haitham, Said & Sanjeewa

Nina, Brett, Zee & Nataliia

Sammie

Respiratory drug delivery

Be inspired Philips Respironics solutions catalog www.bahrainthismonth.com

May 2016 61

shoppingmalls

Moda Mall

Keep Calm and Shop On! Shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist, they say and we couldn’t agree more. Whether you’re looking to pep yourself up a little or simply feel the urge to indulge, retail therapy is the best remedy. Summer is just around the corner and nothing can drag us away from the cool climes of our homes, unless it means going to another ‘cool’ place – the shopping mall! Even those who don’t particularly like to shop are drawn towards this favourite activity, if for nothing else then to entertain themselves with the various activities that the malls offer. And our little island has more than its share of malls, from family-centered ones to those offering a luxurious shopping pleasure. We have rounded up some of the popular malls for you to check out for those cool summer bargains. Dragon Mall This brand new Chinese trading hub has created a huge buzz amongst wholesale and retail bargain hunters on the island, proving it has something for everyone. Dragon Mall, located in Diyar Al Muharraq, has an Oriental feel and is a haven for Chinese products. 62 May 2016

In the three months since its opening to locals and visitors across the GCC, it has achieved a tremendous footfall, offering multiple products. The mall sells everything from electronics, to textiles, ladies’ and children’s fashion, home furnishings, kitchenware, building materials, machinery and hardware. It also has a reasonable share of Bahraini tenants and has become a convenient spot to source wholesale goods for businesses from neighbouring countries. Call 32 296-366. Galleria Mall Strategically located on the Shaikh Isa Bin Salman highway, Galleria is a boutique strip mall concept with expansive glass facades, beautiful landscapes, tree-lined walkways and water features, all of which harmoniously combine to bring alive a destination as unique as this. It is the first-of-its-kind in the Kingdom where multiple shops and stores open to wide outdoor spaces for families to gather and unwind. The mall houses the ever-popular Lulu Hypermarket and the first Tim Hortons coffee shop on the island. It also boasts a great lineup of well known brands like Skechers,

Lifestyle Adidas, Olympia Sports, Waffelmister, Innovation Themes and Sparadise Salon. Call 77 353-535. Al Aali Shopping Complex A firm favourite of the elite in Bahrain, this plush mall is located in the business district of Seef, offering the crème de la crème of the Kingdom’s shoppers a plethora of luxury labels. A high-end shopping destination, the 52,000sq/m complex offers glamorous fashion and lavish brands such as Armani Jeans, Roberto Cavalli, Red Valentino, Moschino, Zagliani, Missoni, Links of London, Kate Spade, Bally, Jimmy Choo and more. With a unique architectural design, the mall features a central atrium which extends into the contemporary Saraya wing housing home furnishing stores, gifts, pearls and a spa as well as a traditional souq-style wing, Tawaweesh, which has traditional perfume shops, souvenirs, eateries, sweets, jewellery and clothing. Additionally, the Al Aali Boulevard comprises a number of multi-cuisine restaurants and cafes. Call 17 581-000. MODA Mall Strategically located at the Bahrain World Trade Center, MODA Mall is an exciting shopping venue for discerning clientele. With the largest luxury brand portfolio of international designers, it has over 80 fashion labels on offer including Hermes, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, and the country’s largest fine jewellery portfolio, including renowned jewellers such as Bulgari, De Beers, Chopard and more. The mall also offers an array of fine dining restaurants. Call 13 323-332. www.bahrainthismonth.com

City Centre Bahrain This mall is always buzzing, at any time of day, every day of the week. This is not surprising, considering the enormous variety of shopping and dining options it provides. Besides retail therapy and top-notch dining, islanders can indulge in recreation and entertainment at the Cineco cinema complex, Wahooo! Waterpark and Magic Planet, the play zone for kids across all ages. Call 17 177-777. Seef Mall Seef Mall is a complete shopping and leisure destination for the entire family, with three locations across the Kingdom – Seef, Muharraq and Isa Town. With over 370 outlets, it caters to a variety of lifestyles including world-class retail, fashion and jewellery brands. The mall will be launching offers and promotions during May and June, and an event during Ramadan. Call 77 911-111. Bahrain Financial Harbour Located between and connecting both of the Harbour Towers is Harbour Gate which is the main thoroughfare and the Harbour’s focal point. Here you will find coffee shops, restaurants, a convenience store, a variety of business support uses and the Bahrain Bourse. Bahrain Investors’ Centre (BIC), the one-stopshop for all investor requirements and a single window system for incorporation of new companies, has taken 3,700sq/m of space and is expected to commence operations mid 2016. Call 17 102-600. Bahrain Mall The mall’s ethnic fortress-like red brick façade captures the legendary culture of Bahrain. Catch the excitement of world-class shopping recreated in a traditional ambience that reflects the Arabian heritage. The mall is the ultimate family shopping experience in the heart of Bahrain’s retail district, with over 120 international brands, Bahrain’s first hypermarket, Geant, a food court with numerous outlets and exciting events all year round. Call 17 558-101. Dana Mall This mall is a hot favourite when it comes to all-round family fun. Dana Mall is a mix of exclusive retail shopping and casual dining outlets. The in-house entertainment theme park keeps clients of all ages entertained and the cinema complex here is one of the biggest, www.bahrainthismonth.com

Seef Mall Muharraq

top-quality movie venues in the region, boasting 21 screens. Call 17 558-500. Yateem Centre An oldie, but a goodie; Yateem Centre’s location in Manama souq is its biggest selling point. Bahrain’s first air-conditioned commercial centre, the individual shops with their unique character give this mall a charm of its own. A special offer from June to September will give customers a chance to win three cars, with double raffle tickets for shoppers from 1pm to 3.30pm. The mall’s facilities feature popular eateries, newly renovated bathrooms and two hours of free parking. Call 17 215-615. Enma Mall Framed by Riffa’s skyline, the contemporary Enma Mall contrasts beautifully with the traditional landmarks of Riffa Fort and the Clock Tower. Located alongside a wide range of community facilities and at the epicentre of Riffa, Enma Mall is more than just a shopping experience for customers. With all the great facilities, visitors will be encouraged to return again and again. Call 16 556-600. Ramli Mall With the aim of providing the ultimate shopping experience, Ramli Mall offers anything and

Galleria Mall

everything including an enormous Lulu Hypermarket. The food court can seat 1,400 guests and the mall’s amusement arcade comes complete with rides, video games and even a soft play area. Call 17 646-600. Al Raya Mall This three storey mall, in the heart of the affluent Al Fateh area of Juffair, sets new standards of excellence in architecture and interior design, creating a tranquil retail space for the perfect shopping experience. Just moments away from residential pockets, hotels, entertainment venues and the best fine dining, this spacious, modern venue offers a welcome escape from the summer heat and a world of choice when it comes to shopping or relaxation with friends or family. Call 17 281-228. Juffair Mall is the newest entrant in the popular expat area of Juffair, and houses a renowned hypermarket and countless food and retail options to choose from. It’s impossible to be anywhere on the island without a mall in your vicinity. Bahrain’s retail experience is further enriched with shopping centres like Hidd Mall, Riffa Mall, Marina Mall, Oasis Mall and The Lagoon at Amwaj. Wherever you are, whatever your choice, there’s a mall for every need waiting to be explored, with further openings planned. So get out there and start shopping!

Yateem Centre

May 2016 63

shoppingmalls

CHINAMEX

A Taste of China The brand new Chinese trading hub in Bahrain has created a buzz amongst wholesale and retail bargain hunters on the island, proving it has something for everyone.

64 May 2016

Befitting its name, Dragon City is a shopper’s paradise that reclines like a friendly beast over a massive 54,000sq/m of the man-made marvel that is Diyar Al Muharraq. The main entrance to the mall is comparable to one of the imperial doorways of Beijing’s Forbidden City, and inside, the dragon-scaled ceiling, bright red lanterns and strains of music from the Far East give a distinctly Oriental feel to the wide, well-lit corridors. In the three months since Dragon Mall has flung open its doors to islanders and visitors across the GCC, it has achieved an average footfall of 50,000 over the weekends and a respectable 15,000 on weekdays. The beauty of this shopping experiences lies in the fact that the outlets here are not your run-of-the-mill retail brands that have mushroomed all over Bahrain.

The mall’s spacious corridors are lined with retailers and wholesalers of the very latest Chinese products; be it in the realm of electronics, textiles, ladies’ and children’s fashion or home furnishings and kitchenware, building materials and machinery or hardware. The mall has a reasonable share of Bahraini tenants as well. It is little wonder then that this has become a convenient and cost-effective hub for businesses from neighbouring Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman to source wholesale goods from. This shopping centre prides itself on having an extensive array of outlets that are bound to be a hit with locals and expats alike. There are many shops selling unique children’s toys and gizmos that are not easily found with regular retailers. Women are spoilt for choice with innumerable outlets, big and small, offering household knickknacks, textiles, linen and accessories galore. Dragon City especially proves to be the ultimate shopping destination for those in the process of setting up a new home, or renovating their existing one. The number of relevant shops that line the labyrinths of the arcade make it a playground for designers and decorators. Wallpaper, ceramics, bathroom fixtures, granites, furniture and soft furnishings, light fittings – you name it, it’s all there. There are quite a few interesting outdoor home accessories available as well. Characteristic elements like rattan seating and elegantly carved sandstone lampshades make for interesting additions to gardens and porticos. There is a whole section of the mall that has tools and gear for the DIY handyman, as well as heavy machinery and related paraphernalia for industrial use. In addition to the convenient food court that the mall houses, there is a themed fine-dining area in the pipeline, which will offer casual and fine-dining eateries with a distinctive Far Eastern flavour. All in all, Dragon City is set to be a landmark where consumers, traders and tourists can say Ni Hao (hello) to great selection for Hen Hao (very good) value. Call 32 296-366.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

F1 parties at Coral Bay Seven Leisure held back-to-back spectacular nights of F1 parties at Coral Bay.

Mo, Siyana, Jordan & Dani DJ Sasha

Andy, Anke, Laura & Rico

Prasad, Alam, Hasitha, Siyana, Sajewa & Nena

Hussain, Karim, Ranjit & Luqman

Shiva

Club Luxury

Daniel, Sari, Merui & Harri

Maria, Fabil, Lisa, Betty, Jacqueline & Rico

Shifting Gears

Mia & Shawq

Mo, Anna & Alona

Samya, Kuki & Fathi

Kate, Tamer & Alex

Mohammed, Ahmed, Ali & Abdulrahman

66 May 2016

Suraya & Nabila

Antonio, Tanya, Nicola & Jetson

Siyana & Tom

Steven, Paril & Stasha

Miled & VJ MP3

Maria, Rachael, Vic & Alex

Lemaitre, Salem & Uli

www.bahrainthismonth.com

18 - 21 MAY 2016 ART | MUSIC | FASHION

w w w. a l a a l i a r t f e s t . c o m

LIVE PERFORMANCES: ANASS DOU & ZORG - Speed Calligraphers from Morocco - Arabs Got Talent Fame SHAYMA AL MUGHAIRY - Sand Artist from Oman - Arabs Got Talent Fame

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N C A L L 1 7 0 0 7 2 7 0

cosmetictreatmentsfeature

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Very often your first impression is a lasting one. It is hence prudent to always look your very best; whether at work or play. To feel good, it is imperative to look good. When you are happy with your body, it reflects in your work, home and social life. It is often observed that people who see themselves in a positive light are more confident, see success in their career and are popular amongst their peers. Studies have claimed that people who come across as attractive and presentable are also more successful when it comes to business. This does not undermine intelligence and efficiency; traits which are as important as being well groomed. But it is a human tendency to want to look good; it is a characteristic of an intelligent mind. In an age where even the ‘au natural’ look requires some serious effort, there are myriad options at hand to look your best and feel more self assured every day. Bahrain Specialist Hospital has a state-ofthe art plastic and cosmetic surgery department, where specialists make aesthetic changes to enhance their patients’ looks. Surgical procedures include that of the face; like face and neck lifts, rhinoplasty (nose 68 May 2016

correction) and dimple creation. Liposuction, augmentation, grafting or dermabrasion are done to improve the look of the body and skin. Popular non-surgical methods include botox, fillers, chemical peels and microdermabrasion for skin smoothening. The German Skin Care Centre has the solution to skin issues for both men and women. The skin care experts here provide dermaceutical creams specifically formulated as per the customer’s needs. This centre has successfully solved stubborn skin problems like acne scars, pigmentation, cellulite, stretch marks, ageing skin and enlarged pores. The added advantage is that their potions are free of emulsifiers, preservatives, mineral oil, perfumes and parabens. For something that is purely relaxing and allows you to unwind from the demands of daily life, try a good spa treatment at the Movenpick Hotel Bahrain’s Rimal Spa. This European style spa offers holistic non-invasive treatments using London’s Harley Street skin care products and CACI non-surgical face and body lift machines. Customers are treated to Voya marine products and signature treatments that use seashells and provide a truly unique spa experience. This line of treatments adopts

green practices and uses halal-certified organic products. One’s smile is often the most noticed of all the facial features. The dental experts at Al Mansoorie Dental Centre can give you a perfect smile with its range of procedures for minor issues like cavities or yellowed teeth, to major ones like restoring worn teeth, altering the length of teeth or reshaping misshapen teeth. A better smile can dramatically improve your looks to make you feel more confident than ever. Joz Salon and Spa, one of the oldest salons in Bahrain, offers a wide range of beauty services for the skin, hair, nails and body. At Joz, you are in the hands of the best trained stylists, colourists and beauticians. The spa team is comprised of expert aestheticians, technicians and massage therapists who understand the relationship between physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. The salon and spa uses internationally acclaimed products to ensure the best results. So to be well groomed and presentable at all times, you know where to head to. Avail of the fantastic range of options available on the island to be the best that you can be. After all, it is one life we live. www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Waleed Kooheji

Liz, Mustafa Kooheji & Marise

Store Opening Kooheji Jewellery inaugurated its new store at Moda Mall. The ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Mahmood, Abdulaziz, Mohammed, Salim & Arif

Shadi, Mustafa, Ahmed, Julian, Natasha, Marcello, Arif, Waleed, Zuhair, Mohammed, Lucia & Alberto

x 94

Farrell International Co. W.L.L.

German Skin Care Centre SKIN CARE MADE IN GERMANY over 12 years in Bahrain, over 12 years in Bahrain, over 12 Kamila

Treatments for Acne, scars, wrinkle, pigmentation, ageing, large pores, stretch marks, cellulite, fat reduction, body forming, permanent hair removal, spider veins, tired eyes/legs, …

Mommsen held a fun fancy dress Nina’s Party Nina party at her residence in Riffa Views. Anna

Abbas, Brett, Nina & Ali

Microdermabrasio, Hydrofacial, Mesotherapy, IPL, Body forming, Cavitation, Lymphatic, Lipolaser, Fat-Away-Method, Fruit Acid, Radiofrequency, High frequency, Ultrasonic, LED, Infrared light, dermaceutical tailor made Crème “For Me” Crèmes free of preservation, emulsifiers, mineral oils, paraben, perfume, alcohol

www.beauty-manama.com Trevor & Anna

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Chichi, Nina & Abdula

 177 22 696

May 2016 69

cosmetictreatmentsfeature BAHRAIN SPECIALIST HOSPITAL

The Aesthetic Cut For anybody in need of reconstructive or cosmetic surgery, the experienced and highly skilled surgeon, Dr Salil Bharadwaj waves his artful wand. The terms plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are often mistaken to be one and the same. Plastic surgery focuses on repairing defects to reconstruct a normal body appearance or function. It addresses anomalies due to birth defects, accidents, injuries, burns and disease. Cosmetic surgery, on the other hand, has got to do more with improving the patient’s looks and enhancing targeted features of the body. Dr Salil Bharadwaj is a plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery consultant at Bahrain Specialist Hospital with an impressive array of qualifications, publications and over 15 years of surgical experience. He is a highly specialised surgeon in surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures as well as with reconstructive and general plastic surgery. “The term ‘plastic’ in plastic surgery is derived from the Greek word plastikos, which means to mould or form and I see my work to be similar to that of a sculptor,” he says. When asked about what interested him about plastic surgery, the veteran surgeon says that it is the aspect of skillful art that his line of specialisation demands that really intrigues him. “Another aspect is seeing the patient’s boost in confidence post-surgery. That in itself is

Sang, Selvi & Vidhi

Dr Salil Bharadwaj

hugely rewarding for me,” he adds. Dr Bharadwaj is known to have a refreshing ‘step-by-step’ approach that puts patients at ease. He offers treatment solutions that are best suited to the patient, taking into consideration any concerns the patient may have, and understands the delicacies involved in his line of work. Call 17 812-000.

Buffy, Ehab & Colleen

Kerstin & Nawar

Hed Kandi party Bushido hosted Hed Kandi: featuring DJ Eibhlin DJ Eibhlin Jacqueline & Marieta

Tom, Lizette, Jen & Michelle

70 May 2016

Melody & Ben

Moneezeh, Ali, Zoya, Omar, Khadija & Awais

Ashkan, Paulina & Thomas

Karla, Rita & Sarine

www.bahrainthismonth.com

cosmetictreatmentsfeature

JOZ SALON & SPA

Longer Locks If you’ve always wanted long, thick hair but never managed to grow it, a great way to play magic with your locks is to opt for extensions. Most women have dreamt of glamorous long hair, but not all are graced with it naturally. An easy way to get the look you’ve always wanted and bring out your inner hottie is to go for extensions. A lot of women imagine themselves with longer, thicker hair – that’s why hair extensions are so popular, and not just in Hollywood. Women the world over have realised that it is possible to take your current look and give it a lift and have any style you desire, well at least for a few months, anyhow. However, there are some important things you need to know before you decide to get hair extensions. Joz Salon & Spa brings you the facts about this popular trend and gives you tips on how to wear it. • Extensions don’t only add length.You can choose to add volume instead (or in addition to length), which is perfect for fine, limp or thinning hair. • Turn that bob into a mane! If your existing hair is as little as three-inches long, you can get extensions, although the extent of your transformation may be limited if your hair is very short. 72 May 2016

• Extensions can be braided in, glued in, woven in, or, if you only need a follicular boost for a special event, clipped in. • You can also add highlights or colour. With shades ranging from mild to wild, add vibrant hues to your hair with the use of extensions. • The process isn’t painful, so it shouldn’t hurt at all. What to Look For A hairstyle can make or break your look. Hence, there are some important questions to ask when selecting extensions: • What are the extensions made from – are they

synthetic or 100 per cent natural human hair? Human hair is more expensive than synthetic counterparts. • How will the extensions be applied and removed? • Can you choose from a variety of weights? “You can play with the colour or length and fill in spots that need it more than others – it’s a more accurate way to get the desired look,” says a salon stylist.

Call 17 369-133, 16 031-120 or 17 756-449. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Making you & your hair shine.

JOZ Salon & Spa Contact for Appointment : Awali : 1775 6449 | Juffair : 1736 9133 |

Amwaj : 1603 1120

bystander

Dr Spyridon, HE Dr A Saj U Mendis & KN Singh

Tanvi, Maria, Therasa & Tatyana

Corporate Gathering The Domain Hotel and Spa held a corporate gathering at TXOKO Sky Lounge. Frank & Nasser

DJ Ramos

Manal & Salman

Hillary & Michelle

Bino & Reneesh

Nowrroz, Manal & Yasmeen

Survita & Mona

Wendy, Hubertus & Diana

Breakfast Buffet The Domain Hotel and Spa held a breakfast buffet created by master chef Rukmal at Le Sauvage. Tanvi, Marise, Frank, Pearlyn & Ankita

Chef Nishantha, chef Rukmal & chef Rajakaruna

Elana, Youlia & Maria

F1 Welcome Party The Domain Hotel and Spa held a VIP Bahrain F1 welcome party at Domain PrivĂŠ. Shaikh Khalid & Frank

Sudair

Andrews & Tatiana

Nicole & India

Peter, Maria x & Salman

Major Lazer F1 Party Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa held a grand prix pre-opening party featuring Jillionaire of Major Lazer at Ibrida. Jillionaire

74 May 2016

Don & Raj

Christina & Kay

Moe & Anna

Shannon & Mohamed

Ahmed & Jae

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Abu Qasim Shirazi & Shaikh Hamed Al Khalifa

Porsche 911 Launch

Behbehani Brothers launched the new 911 at the Porsche Centre Bahrain, Sitra. Management and staff at the launch

Colin Sattar & Mohamed Janahi

BTM magazine-(94x125mm).pdf

Hussain, Mohammed, Abu Qasim Shirazi & Abbas

Craig & steve

4/25/16

5:04 PM

Moosa, Rula & Tawfeeq

CACI (Computer Aided Cosmetology Instrument) is a product that uses electrical pulses which stimulates muscles. The CACI Quantum redefines facial muscles, reduces wrinkles and tones body muscles. CACI is a preferred product for Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Jennifer Aniston.

Celebrity Appearance

Ramee Rose Hotel held a party featuring DJ Lia Lisse from Minsk, Belarus, at Club XS.

Book your appointment to try CACI today +973 17460051/52

Ankush, DJ Lia Lisse, Ashish & DJ Chunk

Dee & Jay

Movenpick Hotels Bahrain MovenpickBH

Mรถvenpick Hotel Bahrain P.O.Box 24009, Muharraq Town, Kingdom of Bahrain Phone +973 17 460 000, Fax +973 17 460 001 hotel.bahrain.spa@movenpick.com www.movenpick.com/bahrain

www.movenpick.com

CMY

Eden, Candy, Ann, Frank, Meena, Stamp & Bobby

Non Surgical Solutions Sweets, Lucy & Aldredo

www.bahrainthismonth.com

CACI.

Asraf, Sukaina & Sandeep

May 2016 75

bystander

George Middleton, Eman Marhoon, Ameera Ismail, Mariam Zeiman, Sami Hijris & Moanes Al Mardi

Al Hawaj Mother’s Day Event Al Hawaj held a Mother’s Day event to wrap up its “I Love My Mom” campaign, in partnership with Credimax at Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay. The event was attended by Shaikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa, HE Shaikh Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, Minister of Labour and Social Development, HE Saleh bin Isa Bin Hindi, King’s Adviser for Youth Affairs and Sports, dignitaries, businessmen, media and invited guests.

HE Kadri Al Sayeh

Yous

Salah Essa bin Hindi

Kammees Al Mukla

Shaikha Marwa & Shaikha Hind

Shakir, HE Hatun Demirer, Munira bin Hindi, Abdulwahab Al Hawaj & Yousuf Mohamed

Shaikh Sattar

Jawad Al Hawaj

Ahmed & Abdul Lateef

Faisal, Hussain, Abdulwahab, Amal & Yousif

BAIC Car Launch Motorcity launched the all-new SUV X65 from BAIC at Bushido Restaurant and Lounge. Management and staff at the launch

Waleed Kanoo, Mark & Bijan

76 May 2016

Sooraj, James, Chandran & Salman

Lindy & Dina

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Infiniti Launch Y K Almoayyed & Sons launched the new 2016 Infiniti QX50 at City Centre Bahrain. Mazen Al Umran

SKAL Meeting

Management and guests at the launch

SKAL International Bahrain held its annual general meeting at Kontiki restaurant, The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel. Garfield, Hisham, Hameed, Mohammed, Mohamed, Jano, Fuad, Abdullah & Abdulaziz

Dragon City Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Event Dragon City held a kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; activities event at its premises in Diyar Al Muharraq. Fahad & Abdul Aziz

Hessa & Dana

Jabbar, Monica, Patel & Bhagyshree

Zoraiz & Rohail

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Abdulrahman & Khalifa

Jainy & Jenet

Ahmed

May 2016 77

newinbahrain

Just Landed With the transient nature of Bahrain’s expat population, people are always coming and going. At the same time, the island’s popularity as a destination for new businesses and new product offerings means there’s always something new in the market. New in Bahrain addresses essential services for those new to the island and also highlights those new brands and offerings that have become available in recent months. If you’ve just landed and are settling here with your kids, one of the first concerns will be schooling. The British School, St Christopher’s, Nadeen School and many others offer a British curriculum education. There is also a good range of international schools and countryspecific institutions such as The Indian School and the Lycee Francaise. And for those planning to learn the language, Berlitz has a great range of courses. Finding a new home is also extremely important and you’ll see a range of properties on offer on websites such as bahrainpropertyworld.com and propertyfinder. bh – most will be advertised through agents who’ll be able to arrange viewings and help negotiate with landlords. You will very quickly realise that it’s almost impossible to live in Bahrain without a vehicle, particularly during the scorching summer months. Our extensive monthly motoring pages bring you the latest offerings from the island’s wide range of car dealers many of whom, such as Kanoo Pre-owned Vehicles, also have used 78 May 2016

car divisions and offer services to protect new vehicles from the harsh climate. For shopping, from groceries to fashion, new arrivals will find the island extremely well served from trading giants such as Lulu Hypermarket and Macromart to the everpresent cold stores, which are in every neighbourhood and will usually even deliver to your door. Home appliances can be found in supermarkets and specialist retailers such as Extra and at international brand representatives such as Yousif bin Yousif Fakhro where you’ll find the very latest in electrical goods from Europe and worldwide. There is also a huge selection of malls in virtually every corner of the island; you’ll find more details about them in this month’s special malls feature. One of Bahrain’s favourite pass times, alongside shopping, is eating. From coffee shops to fine-dining establishments, there is something to suit just about every taste and pocket. In Saar, check out the dining complex at Al Markh opposite Saar Cinema, and Riffa has a selection of restaurants, including Lanterns and Nu Asia, at a new dining development close to Riffa Views. Adliya’s ever popular Block 338 presents a huge variety of dining options from the upscale Zoe to good honest comfort food at Upstairs Downstairs and, of course, Bahraini fast food at Shawarma Alley. Juffair is also home to a varied selection of eateries such as Ric’s Kountry Kitchen for all-American favourites, Healthy Calorie for dine-in and takeaway

goodness and a wide range of fast food at American Alley. The malls also provide great dining options such as Tim Hortons, which has just opened at the new Galleria Mall, as do the island’s many hotels. Recently opened at the Ramee Rose, in Juffair, is Time Café and the Atiram Premier Hotel, one of Juffair’s newest accommodation options, is home to Italian eatery Oregano. For a whole selection of dining options check out our sister publication, The Bahrain Hotel & Restaurant Guide at www.thebhrg.com. For entertainment, you will find cinemas, water parks, galleries and nightclubs aplently. There are various clubs and societies, very popular with expats, such as The British Club, The Country Club, Bahrain Rugby Football Club, The Indian Club and Alliance Francaise. Or try something completely different at Gravity Indoor Skydiving, where you can literally learn to fly! www.bahrainthismonth.com

newinbahrain YUSIF BIN YUSIF FAKHRO

Plunge Into the Style of Good Cooking Two leading family companies have joined to launch a new range of products. Paolo Bertazzoni, CEO of Bertazzoni – a family company based in Emilia Romagna, which has been making cooking appliances for more than 130 years – has launched a new range of Bertazzoni La Germania household cooking appliances in partnership with Yusif bin Yusif Fakhro – also a leading family company and distributor of home appliances in Bahrain. Bertazzoni La Germania proposes three different styles of products to match and complement any style ideas for any kind of kitchen set: Americana for a transatlantic spirit, Futura for modern simplicity and the latest line Prima to be contemporary classic. “We are pleased to launch the new range of Bertazzoni La Germania, a load of cuttingedge technology and captivating design that position our brand even closer to the users”, says Paolo. “We are excited to see the new line of cookers launch first here in Bahrain as a stepping stone for the region,” says Yusuf Fakhro, managing director of Yusif bin Yusif Fakhro. “We have been working with the La Germania brand for a long time and are confident that this new range will be well sought after in Bahrain. With the innovative new features, the product will be well received.” The company introduces in all series its radical new technology platform, called A-tec,

bringing together market-leading engineering, materials, manufacturing and design techniques into a new generation of advanced cookers. A-tec improves all aspects of food preparation in your home, from making the morning coffee to preparing dinner for a large family or friends, saving on energy. A-tec is first introduced on full-size Bertazzoni La Germania 90x60 single-oven cookers across Prima, Futura and Americana lines. They can be configured for built-in kitchens, fitting perfectly between furniture. Square-top models ensure a clean finish edge to the counter. New adjustable feet allow an exact fit with the countertop height. Insulation allows the cooker to be in direct contact with cabinet furniture. A-tec cookers have been developed to bring real advantages to your home and introduce new significant worktop and oven features. The worktop shows a new structure and design with an increased usable surface, which is one of the biggest on the market. It ensures more flexibility when cooking: bigger pots can be used at the same time with easier handling and moving – even extra-large cooking pots will fit. Large worktops are available in 12 different layouts to suit different cooking habits, of which five are totally new; all of them guarantee better performance and energy saving. The new cookers by Bertazzoni La Germania guarantee the best control of the cooking process: worktop knobs are positioned on the right side of the control bar, while oven knobs are placed on the left. Besides knobs, the appliance is equipped with five other different

cooking controls: thermometers, touch LED programmers, analogue clocks, end of cooking minute minders. The most significant new development concerns the ovens. With their 142-litre capacity, Bertazzoni La Germania’s gas ovens are the largest on the market and give the possibility to cook bigger meals. The high performance electric oven, available either in an extra-large version or high-energy efficiency model, features up to 11 cooking functions. All cooker sizes now have new full-glass oven doors, providing better insulation, easy cleaning and smart good looks. Call 17 408-111, or email info@yyfakhro.com.

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www.bahrainthismonth.com

B E R T A Z Z O N I L A G E R M A N I A . F O R G E D B E A U T Y.

bertazzoni.com

Website: yyfakhro.com, email: info@yyfakhro.com P.O. Box 214, Manama, Bahrain, Tel: +973 17408111, Fax: +973 17406080

newinbahrain

Dignitaries and management at the opening of the new Juffair branch

LULU HYPERMARKET

New Summer Shopping Treat Whether its everyday shopping or holiday treats, this retail group offers excellent variety, quality and two new hypermarkets this summer.

One of the Kingdom’s favourite shopping destinations, Lulu Hypermarket is more accessible that before this summer, with new hypermarkets in Juffair, at Juffair Mall, and in Zinj, at the Galleria Mall. The retail giant now has six shopping destinations in the Kingdom and offers the widest range of products for your shopping pleasure. Whether you’re doing your family shop for groceries and organic produce or renewing your seasonal wardrobe or even updating your smartphone, Lulu is the destination for you. This summer, Lulu has updated its fashion collection with an all-new fashion department in its Galleria Mall outlet. Here you will find an exclusive collection of Indian designer ethnic wear with a varied collection of traditional silk and cotton sarees to choose from. In addition, there are also trendy new collections for spring-summer 2016. International fashion made available at affordable prices is the company’s motto. So, look forward to chic interpretations of runway trends that’ll surely turn up the heat in your wardrobe with up-to-the-minute apparel and accessories. Feminine Chic Stay cool this summer with Lulu’s floaty fashions which translate the trends of the fashion capitals around the world into ready-wear prêt at affordable prices. The flattering cuts are suited to all body shapes and the competitive pricing ensures the pieces fit all budgets. Men’s style The men’s collection has a wide range of well-known labels and reflects the best of this season’s stylesheet such as slim-fit shirts and an emphasis on linen and linen mixes. The fresh colour palette keeps the

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temperatures low as does the light fabrics used in the designs. There is a whole new collection of cool T-shirts, shirts, shorts and trousers. Kids’ fashion The little ones are in for a treat as well. Their collection carries vibrant hues that keep things bright and cheerful. The fabrics are easy to wear and manage and the clothes are designed with comfort as a top priority. In the fashion section, Lulu also has a new and vibrant range of footwear, from formal shoes and festive sandals to a wide range of sports shoes and ladies’ footwear. Even big brands such as Sketchers are available at great special prices. Specials Watch out for special promotions for Ramadan and Eid that will make shopping at Lulu even more attractive. Lulu has made it a point to fill its aisles with new healthy eating trends – organic foods, low-fat and low-sugar alternatives and the freshest fruit and veg. In fact, the famous Lulu Mango Festival will be celebrated in May with over 101 varieties of the king of all fruits displayed for your eating pleasure. Why not present a hand-picked basket of different mangoes to your friends or enjoy a mango picnic on a summer weekend with Lulu’s mangoes? So, enjoy a spot of retail therapy at the Lulu Hypermarket closest to you! Call 17 553-555 (Dana Mall), 17 773-355 (East Riffa), 17 646-455 (Ramli Mall), 17 465-599 (Hidd), 17 555-588 (Juffair), 17 172-727 (Galleria Mall). www.bahrainthismonth.com

GRAVITY INDOOR SKYDIVING

I Believe I Can Fly This unique facility offers visitors the chance to experience human body flight without the need to board a plane or wear a parachute. Gravity Indoor Skydiving has developed a loyal following since opening its doors to the public last year. The facility, located just south of Bahrain International Circuit, boasts the world’s tallest glass indoor skydiving wind tunnel enabling visitors to ‘fly’ at high wind speeds in a unique and safe, indoor environment. The thrilling activity is suitable for both firsttime fliers and professionals, young and old alike. Gravity provides all your flight equipment, full safety brief and training before moving to the tunnel in the capable hands of a qualified instructor who will guide your flight. Also, unlike regular skydiving, indoor skydiving allows those as young as four years old to take part and it has even been known for people over 100 years old to fly in a tunnel. Non-fliers can watch the excitement unfold while enjoying a snack at Gravity’s modern café

AT BAHRAIN'S FIRST INDOOR SKYDIVING www.bahrainthismonth.com

or visit the shop to purchase a lasting memento. Commercial and marketing manager, Zoe Edwards, says: “The price varies depending on which package you want to do. Our basic RUSH package gives you the same free-fall time as 2.4 skydives from 13,000ft! From birthday parties to corporate events we can accommodate your every need. You should allow for approximately one hour and 30 minutes to complete the experience.” Gravity has 10 instructors, all of whom have gone through a rigorous training course to ensure your safety. Zoe adds: “Every Tuesday evening from 4pm we offer a flight club for under 16s only. All members of flight club are treated to a Gravity logbook, Gravity T-shirt, coached flying session with our instructors and meal deal in the cafeteria. We also provide ladies-only evenings on the final Wednesday of each month.” Call 13 100-000 or visit https://booking. gravitybah.com/en/booking.

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newinbahrain

MACROMART

An All-round Shopping Experience For top quality consumables and household products that meet international standards, this store is one of your best bets. Since it first opened its doors in Riffa in 2013, and then Saar in 2014, Macromart has become a name synonymous with excellence in the region. Part of an international group that has operations in 25 countries, it is the supermarket of choice for islanders, thanks to its consistently high standards of quality and service. Macromart spells ultimate convenience for shoppers, providing them with everything under one roof. It stocks products from around the world, at extremely competitive prices. There is a wide range of international foods, fresh produce, bakery products, Indian and Chinese take-away food and a lot more at hand here. This means that the household shopping needs of busy families can be met at one go, in one place, thus saving precious time and energy to do more in life. The store has a dedicated pre-packed salad counter with an extensive range of farm fresh salads to choose from. The fresh produce aisles are a burst of colour; always stocked with the best natural produce. Customers are also spoilt for choice with the wide variety of cheese, fresh fish and meat available. Premarinated meats are also available. The Riffa branch of Macromart is famous for its fully equipped in-house bakery and Food to Go, where customers can pick up fresh-from84 May 2016

the-oven breads and savouries as well as cakes and pastries. The in-house bakery also offers a wide range of tangy, mouthwatering Indian snacks such as samosa, pani puri, chana chaat, bhel puri, ragda patties, sev puri, dhahi bhalla, pappadi chaat, aaloo vada, mirchi vada, vada paav etc. This superstore goes beyond the regular domestic necessities of a home with its wellstocked household department, where customers can find everything from cutlery and crockery to do-it-yourself kits. The electronic department is where you can pick up the latest computer games, tablets, DVDs and much more. A wide range of stylish luggage for your next holiday is also available. The garments section boasts some of the most trusted names including VIP, Live- In, Dare and many more. Ladies will find the latest styles on the racks, whether it is formal or casual wear, and a host of accessories to match. The

menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selection houses all that a man could need in his wardrobe â&#x20AC;&#x201C; classy formal wear, smart casual wear, basics as well as accessories such as belts, ties and socks. Shopping at Macromart is always a breeze, thanks to the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spacious aisles that can accommodate numerous trolleys at one time, as well as multiple checkout counters, ensuring that queues move quickly. The store regularly offers special discounts, promotions and deals on products, giving patrons the best value on their purchases. This retailer also puts special emphasis on customer service. The friendly and helpful attendants are ever ready to assist with finding a product, or placing an order for one that may not be available in-store at the time, making shopping at Macromart a pleasant experience. Call Macromart Saar 17 225-818 or Macromart Riffa 17 650-075. www.bahrainthismonth.com

ATIRAM PREMIER HOTEL

Dining, Entertainment and More

From state-of-the-art facilities to world-class dining and entertainment outlets, you’ll find it all at one of Juffair’s newest hotels.

Premier BTM Ad 125mm x 191mm.psd.pdf

With 105 tastefully designed and spacious rooms and suites, and located just 10 minutes from Bahrain International Airport, Atiram Premier Hotel is the ideal option for a short or long stay in the heart of town. Alongside 90 deluxe rooms, the property boasts five junior suites, five executive suites and five Premier family suites all well equipped to make your visit a comfortable and memorable one. Choose Oregano Italian restaurant on the sixth floor for traditional, old country favourites served up in elegant surroundings and accompanied by live jazz music. Or, if you fancy catching an evening of 1 3/23/16 2:36 PM sporting action with your pals, head to

Wembley, the hotel’s welcoming sports bar. Located on the fourth floor it’s a comfortable spot to wind down that’s filled with state-of-theart audio-visual equipment. For evening entertainment Cavallo Club is fast establishing itself on the island’s nightlife scene as a premier venue to dance away to the beats of DJ Kartoon from Australia. Atiram Premier Hotel’s other facilities include a well-equipped gym and spa, swimming pool, sauna, steam room, free high-speed internet, a business centre, banquet hall, free covered car park, car rental and concierge service. Its central location offers easy access to Al Fateh Mosque, the National Museum, American Alley’s casual dining restaurants and the island’s premier fine-dining district, Adliya’s Block 338. King Fahad Saudi Causeway is also a short drive away along the fast highway. Call 17 811-811.

CMY

www.bahrainthismonth.com

May 2016 85

MOTORING

A DYNAMIC DRIVING EXPERIENCE This bulking SUV offers drivers an unforgettable ride whatever the landscape.

he new Nissan Patrol is a rugged offroad machine dubbed ‘the hero of allterrain’. It is big, strong and unrelenting – exactly what you need in the Kingdom. It boasts an aggressive front grille pattern with chrome, 20-inch machining cut alloy wheels, LED headlamps with daytime running light and pop-up headlamp washer with LED rear combination lamp and roof rails add to the features. Once you climb aboard, and climb you do, you get a great vantage point of the road and everything else. The cabin is as cavernous as it is luxurious. Leather trim, chrome finishes, steering wheel-mounted controls and memory adjustable seats are just some of the highlights. The infotainment system is controlled via a touch-screen display in the centre stack. There is a third generation Around View Monitor with parking assist display and Back-up Collision Intervention which alerts the driver when a 86 May 2016

moving object is detected behind the vehicle when in reverse mode. The camera offers a range of angles of the car from the side, behind, in front and on top, which is particularly handy when you’re trying to manoeuvre a gargantuan car weighing around three tons. There is comfortably room for seven people and enough on-board gadgets and gizmos to keep everyone busy. It takes some getting used to when driving this model. Spatial awareness is key but luckily the Patrol boasts an array of sensors which let you know if you’re too close to anything. Usually while driving in Bahrain, you have to fight and claw for every inch of space on the road – not in this car. It has such presence that when you indicate, other drivers actually give way for a change. There are a number of different driving modes, so you can adapt to your surroundings.

ALSO THIS MONTH: 90 THE NEXT 100 YEARS 96 PREPARE TO BE AMAZED!

Many people would be genuinely amazed at the capability this SUV offers. It’s not just a car that looks pretty, it was built to perform in the harshest environments. When you hit the highway and have space to put your foot down, this vehicle does not disappoint. Even with all that weight, it still barrels along smoothly and confidently. It’s actually difficult to gauge your speed without glancing at the speedometer because the ride is so steady and comfortable, a testament to the powerful V8, which made light work of moving this huge SUV. As an added bonus, there is a cool box in the cabin to make sure your favourite beverage stays chilled during the summer months. For details, contact YK Almoayyed, Nissan’s dealer in Bahrain. Call 17 732-732, visit the showroom or www. nissanbahrain.com. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Ernesto Verdugo

Mitch Carson

Rhonda Swan

Perry Marshall

Bonnie Bruderer

Joel Bauer

For the 1st Time in Bahrain

40 International Experts

SHARE THEIR

ENTREPRENEURIAL

SECRETS WITH YOU

Date: 21st May Place: ASU, Sitra Experts From USA, Canada, Mexico, Thailand, UK, & Bahrain are visiting Bahrain on May 21, 2016. Topics covered include: How to Make Money With Linkedin, Profits With Instagram, Turn Your Health Into Wealth, Leadership, Human Resources, How To Travel The World & Profit While You Sleep, How To Make Money Online, Insights Into The Most Profitable Business On The Planet.

Featured presentations to be delivered during the event: • 5 Steps To 6 Figures With LinkedIn • How To Use Periscope For Fun and Profits • How to Turn Your Pictures Into Profit With Instagram • Make Your Ideas Investment Worthy • The Art and Science of Finding Solutions – Are You a Solutions Oriented Leader? • 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More • Why Skills Are Cheap and Passion Is Priceless • The Money Matrix And How This Affects Your Bottom Line • How To Build a Solid Online Business That Pays You While You Sleep • How To Create a Mastermind And Uncover The Hidden Profits

• The Way of a Conscious Entrepreneur: Leading From the Heart • Essential Steps to Overcome Burnout • 3 Secrets to Power Up Your Voice • An Introduction to Black Entrepreneurship • Everyone Has a Story… How To Utilize Mass Media To Tell Your Story • The Single-Most, All-Encompassing Leadership Trait • What Your Body Knows About Growing Your Business • Know Where You Are And Discover Where You Want To Go • Three Steps To Abundance • A High Heels Paradox. “A Taste of Modern Needs And Values.” • Mastering the Art Of Living Practical

To register, please contact: info@socialmediamasters.me or Call: +973 36145666.

Ali Sabkar

President Social Media Club MENA

motoring

AL HADDAD MOTORS

A Racy New Addition

This new model was launched in style during the Gulf Air Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix.

88 May 2016

After many years of innovating, developing and meticulously examining every detail, the revolutionary new GLS is considered the ‘S-Class’ among SUVs. A new, dynamic exterior and revised, luxurious interior clearly underscore the impressive character of the GLS. With this new facelift, the designers have adapted the full-sized luxury SUV to the current Mercedes-Benz design idiom. On the exterior, the focus has been placed on redesigning the front end, while the rear has been modernised primarily in the area of the bumper and taillights. The three rows of seats have room for seven. The interior has leather, wood and options including an air ionising system. All the models have all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Safety technologies include crosswind assist, collision-prevention assist and brake assist. “We are very excited to launch Mercedes-Benz GLS in the Kingdom,” says Graeme Newport, general manager of Al Haddad Motors. “The revised interior and the spaciousness highlight the first-class standards of the GLS. All three-seat rows offer ample

elbow and headroom. Classic comfort values such as the seat row spacing or shoulder room are among the traditional strengths of the model series. “With its diverse adjustment options, the centre seat row enables a high degree of flexibility in the interior, including a cargo position for optimum use of the luggage compartment. With a volume of 680 to 2,300 litres, the GLS clearly surpasses the amount of space offered by other SUVs.” Key features include a full luxury leather interior, 21-inch wheels, 360 degree camera, Apple Carplay, COMAND Online, Electric folding 3rd row seats and Rear DVD Entertainment. The new GLS promises all-round safety and the exciting feature ‘Dynamic Select’ which will let the driver select different driving modes depending on relative terrains. Resisting the temptation to drive a Mercedes-Benz is near impossible. Call Al Haddad Motors at 17 785-454 for a testdrive today. www.bahrainthismonth.com

motoring

EURO MOTORS

The Future of Mobility, Today! This iconic marque is celebrating its centenary this year and is already looking forward to the next 100 years. The BMW Group is celebrating its centenary under the motto THE NEXT 100 YEARS. Throughout its history, the company’s image has been defined by a future focus and pioneering action – all made possible by its employees. “At the BMW Group, we are always on a quest for the best solution. It’s part of our DNA,” says Harald Krüger, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG. “It’s also the spirit of our collaborations, a recurring theme that permeates our corporate and leadership culture.” Three qualities in particular set the BMW Group apart: the capacity to learn and adapt; technological innovation; and a sense of responsibility toward society. “We have demonstrated on many occasions throughout our history that we are capable of learning fast and taking bold steps,” Krüger says. Against this background, the BMW Group’s centenary celebrations are set to focus primarily on what lies ahead and explore how individual mobility might develop over the coming decades. To answer this question, the group has 90 May 2016

generated a futuristic scenario with a clear vision: premium mobility will be completely effortless, comprehensively available and tailored to every customer’s individual preferences. At the moment, the world is on the verge of realising automated driving; in the nottoo-distant future the majority of cars will probably be completely self-driving and travel the streets of cities inhabited by far more people than today. In the future, one thing will be in ever-shorter supply: time. But connectivity will become increasingly commonplace, and technologies will learn to learn from people. “Future mobility will connect every area of people’s lives. And that’s where we see new opportunities for premium mobility,” Krüger says. The BMW Group has now made its vision for the future a reality – with the BMW VISION NEXT 100. This vehicle combines coupé-type sportiness with the dynamic elegance of a sedan – but rather than being an anonymous transport machine, it is a highly customised vehicle that is perfectly tailored to suit the driver’s changing needs. “If, as a designer, you are able to imagine something, there’s a good chance it could one

day become reality,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group design. “So, our objective with the BMW VISION NEXT 100 was to develop a future scenario that people would engage with.” After its world debut, the BMW VISION NEXT 100 went on a symbolic world tour entitled Iconic Impulses. From September 9-11, the BMW Festival – THE NEXT 100 YEARS – will welcome fans from all over the world. It will take place in the Munich Olympic Park, including the Olympic Stadium and Hall. The BMW Museum and BMW Welt will also be involved, as will the entire area around the iconic ‘four-cylinder’ headquarters building. To round off the centenary year, there will be a special publication consisting of 13 volumes. This will outline the history of the company and discuss key future topics. The books will contain a mix of essays, reports, studies and expert interviews. They will reflect the diversity of the BMW Group and its BMW, MINI, RollsRoyce and BMW Motorrad brands. To mark its centenary, the BMW Group is also enhancing its commitment to social responsibility. Call 17 750-750. www.bahrainthismonth.com

AUDI

More Powerful, Efficient and Intelligent

The latest offering from this reputed German automaker packs plenty of punch and is sure to delight driving enthusiasts across the Kingdom. When it comes to innovation, Audi is a marque that is famous for setting the standard. It comes as no surprise then that the new-generation A4 has been redeveloped, setting even higher benchmarks for its class. Its elegant design blends with an innovative control concept and lightweight construction meets new, efficient drivetrain solutions. The new A4 is also ahead of its peers in terms of infotainment and assistance systems, awarded a top safety score of five stars by the European consortium Euro NCAP. This is a good looking model, no question. It has sleek curves, striking lines and it was recently crowned best mid-sized car of 2016 in a poll of 115,239 readers of the German magazine, Auto Motor Und Sport. The A4 boasts an even more comprehensive list of standard equipment than its predecessor. It includes xenon headlights, keyless go, a Bluetooth interface, Audi drive select and a seven-inch MMI colour display. In www.bahrainthismonth.com

addition, the luxury sedan has the best drag coefficient in its class at 0.23 and impressively low CO2 emissions. A new generation of four-cylinder TFSI engines, with newly developed combustion methods, sets benchmarks in terms of fuel consumption, emissions and performance. Their power output has increased significantly and ranges from 150bhp to 252bhp, but fuel consumption has been reduced by up to 21 per cent. Three different TFSI models are on offer in the Middle East: 35 TFSI with 150bhp (1.4 engine), 40 TFSI with 190bhp (2.0 engine) and the top-of-the-range engine 45 TFSI with 252bhp (2.0 engine). Besides being incredibly fun and rewarding to

drive, the new model offers an abundance of intelligent technologies, the use of which is even more intuitive with the new Audi MMI display and control concept. Technological highlights of the new A4 include the Audi virtual cockpit, the Audi Matrix LED headlights, the Audi smartphone interface, the Bang & Olufsen Sound System with 3D sound, the Audi phone box with wireless charging, the head-up display and new driver assistance systems like the parking assist, rear cross-traffic assist, exit warning, collision avoidance assist, turn assist and the Audi pre-sense systems. The MMI control concept in the centre console is a newly designed feature and acts as the main control element. The top-end infotainment system, MMI Navigation plus with MMI touch and a large 8.3-inch monitor, has a touchpad in the rotary controller to zoom in and out and to enter characters. The entire MMI control logic is similar to that of a smartphone and includes an intelligent free-text search function. This is a car you have to drive yourself to fully appreciate. Call 17 459-933. May 2016 91

motoring BAHRAIN COMMERCIAL SERVICES CO. WLL

Keep Things Running Smoothly

This leading lubricant manufacturer aims to ensure its customers get the best from their vehicles and machines.

92 May 2016

PETRONAS Lubricants International (PLI) is the global lubricants manufacturing and marketing arm of PETRONAS, national oil corporation of Malaysia. Fully established in 2008, PLI is the union of two respectable lubricant and functional fluids companies – FL Selenia and PETRONAS’ own Lubricant Unit. With over 100 years of lubricant expertise within the business and 20 years of experience in Formula One racing through sponsorship and product development, PLI has successfully established its leadership in lubricants technology and now markets a full range of high-quality automotive and industrial lubricant products in over 90 markets globally including Bahrain in the Middle East. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, PETRONAS Lubricants International is currently ranked among the top global lubricants companies. The business is supported by over 40 blending and filling plants worldwide through a combination of company-owned and third-party toll blending arrangements, including the strategically important blending facility in the Middle East, to support PETRONAS Lubricants’ growth aspirations in this important region. As the title sponsor and technical partner to the MERCEDES AMG, PETRONAS Formula One team, PLI is the principal technical resource behind the design and development of fuel and lubricants for the team and plays a fundamental role in contributing towards the team’s performance.

PETRONAS provides custom designed fluid solutions through PETRONAS Fluid Technology Solutions– an intelligent approach to fluid requirements that maximises performance through tailor-made product offerings and expert services, which has helped power the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team to success through winning the 2014 and 2015 World Constructors’ Title for Mercedes-Benz and securing three Driver’s Championship awards for Lewis Hamilton. PETRONAS Lubricants offers a complete range of products which includes automotive engine and industrial lubricants as well as a range of greases. Its flagship product within the passenger vehicle sector is PETRONAS SYNTIUM. Bred on the track for optimum performance on the road. The PETRONAS Syntium range is the result of advanced research and development carried out by PLI as the official technology partner to the Mercedes GP PETRONAS Formula One Team. It meets the most stringent industry standards and is designed to take on the most challenging terrains and driving conditions. The new PETRONAS Syntium with CoolTech is now available in three ranges: semisynthetic PETRONAS SYNTIUM 800, fully synthetic PETRONAS Syntium 3000 and fully synthetic PETRONAS Syntium 7000. On the industrial side of the business, PETRONAS has developed a wide range of lubricants to cater for various key industries including general manufacturing, marine, steel, metals, construction, chemicals and plastics and packaging. To complement the industrial product range there is also a complete grease product portfolio ranging from multipurpose greases through to fully synthetic products that can deal with the extreme pressures and temperatures found across a range of equipment. PETRONAS industrial lubricants are of the highest quality and come at very competitive prices to ensure savings for the business. PETRONAS Lubricants global relationship with Case New Holland also gives it critical experience in developing and marketing a range of lubricants and ancillary products for agriculture and off road equipment. For more information on the range of products visit www.pli-petronas.com. Bahrain Commercial Services Co. WLL is the authorised distributor for PETRONAS Lubricants in the Kingdom. Call 33 500-064 or 32 294-237 for product information and details. www.bahrainthismonth.com

motoring E.K. KANOO

New Model Unveiled

This multipurpose vehicle (MPV) aims to excite with its impressive array of features.

94 May 2016

Toyota Bahrain revealed the 2016 Toyota Innova MPV during a special event at the showroom in Sitra, attended by Ebrahim K. Kanoo’s top management and Toyota officials. The new Innova, which can comfortably seat up to seven passengers, combines the essence of an MPV with the tough, emotional elements of an SUV to introduce the ultimate family vehicle. The global model debuted in 2004 and, over the years, its versatility, impressive performance and excellent value have earned customers and admirers the world over. Hiroki Nakajima, executive chief engineer of the Innova, says: “The new Innova’s design direction grew from my insights into the expectations of customers who desired not only its high functionality but also a stylish vehicle as well. I am confident that this ground-breaking image will satisfy customers who are looking for something special. Its appeal is best expressed through its positioning statement: The MPV designed for multi performance. Innova has always remained true to its purpose as an MPV – delivering a spacious and comfortable journey regardless of the road or weather. We also took Innova’s quality, durability and reliability philosophy to a new level with this latest model.”

The new Innova’s exterior is carefully designed with SUV elements. The sculpted body is both stylish and impressive, aiming for a visual effect that makes the tyres look bigger. Subtle aerodynamic effects and more emotional colours also enhance the exterior. The wide, spacious interior puts emphasis on all the seats while also creating a silhouette unique to a high-quality MPV. Silver and wood grain-patterned ornamentation are boldly placed throughout the cabin to exude luxury and elegance befitting a premium vehicle. A 4.2-inch TFT colour display allows the driver to access a multitude of vehicle information, important warnings and in-car entertainment. It displays content like driving information, idling-stop time, Eco-Drive indicator (Eco Judge/Eco Wallet), navigation display function and audio operation function. The new Innova also has a six-speaker specialised audio equaliser to achieve low-distortion playback at low range and a clear playback at middle to high range. Various storage compartments have been made available to provide practical storage options for both family and business use. The centre console tray of the second-row seats features a USB/minijack to connect and store smartphones and portable music players in an upright position. In addition to the tray, a DC-12V power outlet is integrated in the back of the centre console box. The Innova comes with a new air-conditioning unit that helps maintain a cool interior. The new Innova is available with a 2.7-litre fourcylinder petrol engine which produces 164bhp. The engine is mated to a six-speed transmission that delivers enhanced fuel economy and driving performance. The Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution prevents the tyres from locking during braking and allows for measured brake-force distribution between the front and rear wheels according to the vehicle condition. High-tensile strength steel sheets and supplementary materials are also widely used throughout the body structure to help reduce passenger injuries and impact-absorbing materials throughout the cabin further contribute to occupant protection. The new Innova is also available with a full-colour display. The Rear View Monitor System ensures peace of mind when reverse parking. The vehicle further adds an advanced Pedestrian Protection Performance system, including Supplemental Restraint System airbags for the front seats along with a knee airbag for the driver. Call 17 730-730 or visit toyota.com.bh. www.bahrainthismonth.com

/AnimaniaBahrain @Animania_Events www.Animaniaevents.com

Activities

Gaming Tournaments

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motoring MOTORCITY

Prepare to be Amazed! This model combines superior performance and stylish design to provide customers with an exclusive driving experience. Motorcity, the distributor of BAIC in Bahrain, has unveiled the new BAIC X65, the first urban SUV for the brand, based on SAAB technology. Since the acquisition of core intellectual property of Nordic luxury brand SAAB in 2009, BAIC has successfully applied the SAAB experience into the development of this urban SUVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core parts, supplier management system, production manufacturing system and quality control system. The X65 therefore offers leading technology with firstclass performance and security configuration to meet consumer demand for a high-performance SUV. Apart from remarkable performance, the X65 also inherited the SAAB safety concept and design criteria of the European luxury brand, ensuring that the entire trip is hassle free. The X65 body comprises 64 per cent high-strength steel, bringing the maximum tensile rigidity to 1,500MPA, and at the same time is also equipped with integrated punch-formed doors, providing superior safety and protection. The infotainment console is fitted with an eight-inch TFT touch screen which features radio, Bluetooth, GPS navigation, USB, Aux and iPod connectivity. The built-in four-channel power amplifier provides a powerful in-car entertainment system. Starting at only BD72 per month the BAIC X65 offers exceptional fuel efficiency with consumption of 13 kilometres per litre. BAIC is one of the top four largest automotive groups in China with more than a 56-year history and made its world debut at the Dubai Motor Show in 2013. Call 17 621-162 or visit motorcity.com.bh. For more information or to book a test drive visit the Motorcity Sanad showroom.

96 May 2016

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motoringnews&launches

Customer Satisfaction Award Renault Bahrain has been awarded the company’s Customer Satisfaction Award for 2015, in recognition of its outstanding performance in achieving key standards and performance for last year. This award is given to those dealerships that meet the standards that has been set by Renault in service operations based on customer integration, customer comfort and ambience, work quality, pricing, process management and the dealership ambience. This stands as testament to the commitment of both Renault Bahrain and Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons to their customers - to ensure that every Renault owner in the Kingdom of Bahrain receives nothing but the best in service and quality.

Seen at the presentation; Mohammed Almoayyed, director, Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons receives the award from Novo Giles, Renault After-Sales Zone manager, GCC Region, in the presence of Jacob John, parts manager, Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons, S. Sreekumar, senior service manager, Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons and Prabhudev, Renault service manager, Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons

Striking SUV Arrives

This new mean machine is already turning heads thanks to its seek proportions and Italian finesse. The Maserati Levante marks a turning point in the brand’s history – its first step into the competitive SUV segment. The Levante name was inspired by a warm, Mediterranean wind that can change from mild to gale force in an instant, mirroring the character of the first Maserati SUV. It enables the company to access the largest luxury segment in the world and contributes to creating the most complete product lineup in Maserati’s history. The Levante is based on the evolution of www.bahrainthismonth.com

the sedan platform, designed exclusively by Maserati. The car chassis has been specifically developed to offer unique on-road drivability and competitive offroad capability, with day-to-day comfort and practicality. The Levante’s design is distinctive and attractive, embracing the most valuable aesthetic elements of Italian style. Its design brings a new concept to the SUV world, combining spaciousness and coupé lines while achieving the best aerodynamic efficiency in its segment. The Levante is equipped with the latest evolution of the Maserati three-litre V6 engines, globally acclaimed for their unique Maserati signature sound and exceptional performance. The petrol Maserati V6 engine with latest GDI and twin turbo is available in two versions: the top of the range 430bhp and the exciting 350bhp. Maserati Levante adopts the eightspeed automatic ZF gearbox that provides seamless comfort and fast gear shifting, depending on the selected drive mode.

Experience the Thrill With a number of exciting design changes, these models are set to delight drivers in the Kingdom. Lexus Bahrain is offering the full range of Lexus turbocharged models which include RC, GS, NX and IS at the Lexus showroom in Sitra. These models are designed to express the new Lexus direction of ‘fun to drive’ and to firmly improve driving performance and fuel economy. Featuring a breakthrough combination of a water-cooled cylinder head, integrated exhaust manifold and twin scroll turbocharger, the Lexus turbo engine delivers fast throttle response, performance and high torque at low engine revs. With innovative direct fuel injection technology for both fuel economy and instantaneous torque, the Lexus turbo engine delivers rapid acceleration with its eight-speed Sport Direct Shift transmission. Turbo engines are usually associated with ‘turbo lag’, an image of having a poor response. However, Lexus has overcome this issue and the turbo engines provide an excellent response with plentiful torque from low speeds. The full range of Lexus turbo-charged models feature a harmonious pairing of style, power and acceleration, now available at the Lexus showroom in Sitra. Call 17 737-737 or visit lexus.com.bh.

Best in Class The latest offering from this leading brand has been named as Best Mid-sized SUV in the prestigious Middle East Car of the Year (MECOTY) awards. The new 2016 Ford Explorer scooped the award, which was judged by a panel of 12 ‘motoring minds’ from the Gulf Cooperation Council and Levant countries. The Middle East Car of the Year is the biggest, most coveted award of the regional automotive industry. “We are pleased with this recognition for the 2016 Ford Explorer,” says Thierry Sabbagh, managing director of Ford Middle East. “Explorer set the standard for Sport Utility Vehicles when it was first introduced in the ‘90s, and it continues to build on its heritage as the mid-sized SUV leader with outstanding Built Ford Tough capability, technology, convenience and comfort.” According to industry numbers, in 2015, Explorer led its segment in the GCC with a 40 per cent share, and continues to top its category through Q1 of 2016. May 2016 97

gadgets BTM brings you the latest gadgets to push your technological buttons.

For more gadgets scan the code.

LG Gram The world’s lightest laptop, available in shades of white and gold, and two models which come in at 14 inches and 15.6 inches.The LG Gram provides high performance in an ultra-portable design, weighing less than a kilogram due to its carbon-magnesium body and half-inch thin frame. It supports all connectivity standards, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with extra ports for USB 3.0, a micro-USB, micro-SD slot and an HDMI port. Available from LG Electronics and Batelco.

Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock This gadget allows you to charge your Apple Watch either flat with an open bracelet or by laying it on its side, which will also activate alarm mode. The dock uses the same inductive connector for charging, so it’s compatible with both 38mm and 42mm models. Available from Sharaf DG.

98 May 2016

VSUN Phones VSUN smartphones are now available in the Kingdom. Models include ‘Race’ and ‘Touch’, which are powered by the most advanced Android technology yet and a 1.3GHz Quadcore processor. Features include a high-definition five-inch IPS 2.5D Curve Display screen, a 13MP Auto Focus Sony Exmors back camera and a 5MP front camera, Ultra Snapshot, Live Photomode, Dual SIM facility, and Gesture and Voice Capture. Available from Ashrafs.

In-Car DVR Vehicle Accident Camera To protect you on the dangerous roads of the Kingdom, this frontfacing, high-definition DVR and crash camera with a 120-degree viewing angle and digital zoom will make sure all possible accidents are captured on its LCD display. It records sound and video in full HD and has GPS, GPS logging, Google Maps and a speedometer. Available from Sharaf DG. www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Social Gathering Shantharam Shetty hosted a social lunch at Ramee Rose Hotel. The Shetty family and invited guests

Caroline & Andrew

Trib Fest

Karina & Alzanne

Keivon, Detthy & Jhon

Trib Fest, Bahrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular open-air music festival, took place at the Bahrain Rugby Football Club. Beverley

Gabrielle & Klara

Tala, Aoire & Clarissa

Stephen & Jo

Dima, Kat, Trel & Fatty

Ramy, Juliet, Imad & Rihem

Seafood Night

Nada, Hamza, Fahad, Tia, Ragda & Sania

Siana, Ella, Atharv & Uddhav

The Westin Hotel Bahrain held a seafood night at Baharat restaurant.

Hany, Zee, Haitham, Said & Sanjeewa

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Nina, Brett, Zee & Nataliia

Sammie

May 2016 99

music

Deftones – Gore Verdict: A sparkling and innovative return for the boundary-pushing group.

What’s the story?

The eighth studio album by the American alternative metal band, Gore is the result of intense recording sessions after a substantial break while frontman Chino Moreno toured with his side project Crosses. The band struggled with creative differences at first, but ultimately noted the collaborative nature of the album and considered the tension between differences of musical styles to be a positive upon completion.

Worth a listen?

The American legends have hit another career peak with Gore, marked by some new directions and layered atmospherics that explore the different shades between the extremes. The album provides enough moments of pummelling savagery to balance

the fragility that the band can often tease, and this is no more apparent than on standout track Prayers/Triangles, which switches between the soft rhythms of guitarist Stephen Carpenter and bassist Sergio Vega, and the pounding heart of drummer Abe Cunningham. Vocalist

Moreno’s screech, angelic and demonic all at once, crashes in as he howls about a “godless demon” and the “force divine”. Gore is a triumphant reminder of the band’s everevolving sound and their continuing ability to push the boundaries of metal.

Shorts

Ace Frehley – Origins, Vol. 1

Weezer – The White Album

J Dilla – The Diary

Coming 15 years after he played his last show with Kiss, Origins, Vol. 1 is Ace Frehley’s first ‘all covers’ album, although some of these songs are rightfully his and are re-imaginings of the glam king’s classics. Ex-bandmate Paul Stanley’s spirited appearance on Fire and Water proves there are no sour grapes between the Spaceman and the Starman as Ace responds with one of his greatest guitar solos; and with guests such as Slash dropping by to help out, this is a fun and effortless listen.

For their 10th album, Weezer don a modern sheen that skilfully avoids desperation, whilst paying homage to their iconic debut album. Lead singer Rivers Cuomo went to the extreme for this outing, such as setting up a profile on the dating app Tinder and using his encounters as research for song ideas to supplement the observations he had whiling away afternoons in Santa Monica and Venice Beach. Drums and guitars thunder, harmonies cascade, and there are surprises that add colour without being showy. Weezer flirts with past and present, happily taking cues from forefathers, but The White Album winds up existing in a fantasy world that’s entirely the band’s own creation.

It’s taken nearly 15 years and much legal wrangling for this album by Detroit producer J Dilla, who died in 2006, to see the light of day. Having built his reputation with beats for artists such as A Tribe Called Quest and The Roots, Dilla took the unusual step of recruiting others to produce his major label debut so he could devote more energy to rapping. As a vocalist, The Diary shows him to be agile and often abrasive – anger against US law enforcement is a common theme – but somewhat lacking in imaginative range, falling back on standard jibes and brags. And while producers serve him well here, it’s clear that Dilla expressed himself best through his own beats.

100 May 2016

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games

Games review Game: Ratchet & Clank Verdict: A beautiful and fun re-imagining of a classic. Rating: ***** What is it?

In celebration of the release of the upcoming Ratchet & Clank movie, this adventure re-imagines the original Ratchet & Clank video game on PlayStation 4 with a fresh new HD graphic engine and updated gameplay features that pay homage to the classic. The story sees you saving the galaxy as Ratchet, a wrench-wielding Lombax, with your robot buddy Clank, in this actionadventure with a multitude of crazy weapons. Following events of both the original game and the feature film, this game shares the film’s vision of Ratchet’s origin story for both new players and Ratchet fans to enjoy.

Gameplay

Though the game is a re-imagining of the 2002 classic, it has a variety of gameplay elements drawn from different entries in the series. These include features like strafing, weapon and health upgrades, and the inclusion of gadgets and guns that came after the first game.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

It also features new additions to the arsenal, which are hugely satisfying and fun to use. For example, the Pixelizer, which, as the name suggests, turns enemies into an 8-bit appearance, is a delight to use, as is the wisecracking Mr Zurkon, whom you can summon to blast away enemies while delivering a slew of cheesy ‘80s action clichés. Weapons level up as you use them, which rewards your specific play-style in a meaningful way, and makes you want to go back to old locations and try to beat levels with other components of your arsenal.

Set three years after the events of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Nathan Drake has presumably left the world of fortune-hunting behind. However, it doesn’t take long for adventure to come calling when Drake’s brother, Sam, resurfaces seeking his help to save his own life and offering an adventure Drake can’t resist. On the hunt for Captain Henry Avery’s long-lost treasure, Sam and Drake set off to find Libertalia, the pirate utopia deep in the forests of Madagascar. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End takes players on a journey around the globe, through jungle isles, urban cities and snow-capped peaks on the search for Avery’s fortune. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst is a first-person action-adventure game in which players take control of Faith Connors as she progresses through a futuristic city called Glass. Similar to the original game, players traverse the city using aspects of urban exploration and parkour movements to complete missions and evade enemies or knock them off their feet. Players can also make use of environmental objects such as zip-lines and ledges, and equipment to travel across buildings.

Graphics

The game, more than any other, brings Disney Pixar to life. No other game series blends the magic formula of colourful worlds, expressive characters, and nuanced jokes that could be appreciated differently by fans of all ages. The lighting, the character models and the vistas are among the most impressive ever realised. Subtle touches, like the way light bounces off the reflective surface of a spaceship, or how characters fidget with their gadgets and clothes, paints a wonderful animated picture.

DOOM

The Union Aerospace Corporation’s massive research facility on Mars is overwhelmed by fierce and powerful demons, and only one person stands between their world and ours. As the lone Doom Marine, you’ve been activated to do one thing: kill them all. The iconic shooter series lives on with the fourth installment of the popular FPS franchise, and this iteration features single-player and multiplayer modes, as well as an advanced SnapMap stage design feature for fast and comprehensive stage creation that can be quickly shared online with other Doom players. 101 May 2016

websites

VERDICT: Fun and informative resource to help you take shortcuts in your daily life.

BBQ Dinner Party Golden Tulip Bahrain Hotel hosted a BBQ Dinner Party for its loyal bookers. Abdul Rahman, Nancy, Khalid Hussain & Adel Burshid

Site: www.lifehacker.com Rating:**** What is it?

Lifehacker is a hub of productivity tips, tricks, and downloads. It’s basically an archive of all the information that would be incredibly useful to know, but nobody ever really teaches you. Aside from productivity, it also covers topics such as money-saving tips and clever uses for household items etc. May & Maria

Tess, Aqeel & Jennifer

The Good:

Lifehacker is a very diverse site. You will find a variety of subjects, tutorials, videos, and other stuff that you may find in other places, but not in such a collection as this. You can find news and technology also mixed in with walkthroughs and great photos. The inventions and tips to bypass strict and accepted conventions are riveting, amusing and will change the way you go about daily life.

Sadia & Shahnaz

John, Prem & Ashwathy

The Bad:

There’s so much content on the website that it can be hard to find posts on specific topics. There is an index, but it doesn’t work nearly as well as it should, and the introduction to the top-performing posts and tips could be much more detailed.

www.mentalfloss.com

Loida & Johana

Jeff, Mario & Aldos

George & Biyo

Vince & Mani

Benny, Anette, Binah & Kaye

102 May 2016

Mental Floss is a super-addictive online magazine with articles covering a really wide range of topics. Its pieces are well written, well researched, and usually on topics that don’t get a lot of airtime. Best of all is the ‘Big Questions’ section, which tackles weirdly intriguing questions like why shells sound like the ocean and why yawns are contagious. Readers can even submit their own big questions after they’ve spent hours getting lost in seas of facts.

https://haveibeenpwned.com/ Have I Been Pwned? collects the email addresses and usernames exposed by various high-profile hacks to let you know if your personal data has been compromised. Simply enter an email address or username you commonly use and the site will cross-check it against recent data breaches, telling you which companies leaked your data and which types of data have been leaked. www.bahrainthismonth.com

apps

Apps Review BTM brings you the low-down on the latest and greatest apps on the market.

What is it?

Filteract is a photo-editing app that allows photographers to selectively apply filters onto images. If you are looking for a standalone app that lets you be selective about how to apply your filters, then Filteract could be worth a look.

The Good:

Filteract has a simple and clean design that tries to stay out of the way so you can focus on the photographs at hand. The app has a dark theme, as most photo-editor apps do, which places the emphasis on your images for each screen section. The icons for each tool are pretty straightforward and recognisable, so there isn’t much of a learning curve here. The filters at the bottom give you a preview of what your image would look like, which means less guesswork and faster results. The app is responsive and renders filters quickly on images, which is always a good thing. Overall, Filteract’s minimalistic design makes it easy to get your photos in, edit them with a few taps and pinches, and then be on your way to share your creations.

The Bad:

App: Filteract Rating:**** Verdict: A useful and easy-to-use image-editing app with a wide variety of features.

Since the app is free, it will stamp a watermark on all of your images before it saves. It’s a bit too large and obtrusive, since it features the logo and is always at the bottom right corner. To remove it, you’ll have to pay for an in-app purchase, as you will for some premium features.

App: HealthPIE

App: Letterboxd

For someone who falls sick often, keeping track of your new medicines and making sure you have them on time can be a problem. Whether it’s a chronic illness where you need to have the same medicines daily or you’re on a new schedule of pills once a month, it can be very hard to keep track. That’s where the HealthPIE app comes in. When you start using it, HealthPIE asks you to set up your reminders, and you can do this either by uploading a scanned image of your prescription, or snapping a picture of it. You can then set up reminders based on the prescription, so that you get a notification every time you need to have a pill. In the app, you can look at the different records and the different reminders you have set up.

Letterboxd is a social network for film lovers. If you consider yourself a big fan of movies and want to socialise with other like-minded individuals, then this app is the place for you. It allows users to keep track of what they’ve seen, what they want to see, and what others think of certain titles. Features include a search tab that lets you find films, reviews, lists, and people by keywords, or you can browse through movies by what is considered most popular, highest rated, most anticipated, or opening soon.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

May 2016 103

movies

Isa

VERDICT:

Film: 10 Cloverfield Lane Rating: *****

Layan Carnival Bin Faqeeh held a carnival in celebration of the launch of Layan at Durrat Marina. Melanie, May, Juna & Jenny

Nawaf

Thrilling gem packed with tension and atmosphere.

Directed By: Dan Trachtenberg Starring: John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr

The Plot:

Alaa & Nadia

Natalia, Anna & Alena

10 Cloverfield Lane is a spiritual, but not direct, sequel to cult hit Cloverfield. A minimalist effort mostly consisting of just three leads locked in an underground basement, the film opens with Michelle (Winstead) driving away from her fiancé Ben after an argument. She gets distracted by his persistent frantic phone calls, which leads her to get involved in a sudden and disorienting car accident. Upon awakening, she finds herself the captive of a hulking figure, Howard (Goodman), in his makeshift bunker. Howard claims there’s been an ‘attack’ which has left the air outside poisonous, but fortunately Michelle and Howard’s neighbour Emmett (Gallagher Jr) are safe thanks to the years he’s spent in preparation for such an occasion. The youngsters must learn to accept (or rally against) their captor-turnedprotector as they slowly realise that their tiny shelter is actually the most dangerous place of all.

Worth Watching? Khalifa, Dana & Aiona

Akshay & Shazia

Purva & Karam

A triumph in direction and intrigue from start to finish. The story unnerves and excites in equal measure, and, while the original film focused on the terrors of rampaging beasts with sharp teeth and even sharper claws, this movie shows that humans are the most frightening beasts of all.

Ahmed, Ebrahim & Abdulla

Captain America: Civil War

104 April 2016

Ali, Hussain & Turki

Maria & Eugine

Yonis, Ali & Mameem

Ali & Yasser

Captain America: Civil War picks up where Avengers: Age of Ultron left off, as Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain.

X-Men: Apocalypse

Since the dawn of civilisation, Apocalypse was worshipped as a god. He was the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, using the powers of other mutants to become immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto, to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. Raven, with the help of Professor X, must lead a team of young X-Men to stop him. www.bahrainthismonth.com

DINING

THE GOLD STANDARD ANKITA MAMGAIN This restaurant has managed to remain the talk of the town ever since it opened over a year ago and continues to woo anyone who walks in through its doors.

wonder if Wolfgang Puck thought about the word-play field day he would give journalists while naming this restaurant. “A cut above”, “making the cut”, “a fine cut” – well cutting to the chase, Hollywood’s favourite chef’s swanky steakhouse is an homage to some of the best meats you can find on the planet. Bahrain happens to be one of the lucky destinations to have received a slice (or shall we say cut?) of Wolfgang’s gastronomic genius. Housed in the magnificent environs of Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, CUT by Wolfgang Puck is a space that exudes quintessential Hollywood glamour. If the unapologetic aplomb of Jack Nicholson, George Clooney’s panache and the grooviness of John Travolta could somehow combine and have a restaurant equivalent, CUT would be it. The ambience is minimal, but the devil is in the details – from the luxurious leather placemats to elegant crystal ware and rich mahogany and rosewood panelling, offset brilliantly by the French windows that offer a fantastic view. The contemporary, star-like chandeliers set the mood with just the right light while their reflection on the glass windows www.bahrainthismonth.com

gives the illusion of brilliant fireworks against the glistening Bahrain Bay waters and the Manama skyline. We were swiftly greeted by our waiter who, after presenting the menu, showed us various cuts of meat; each different in texture and marbling but all promising extraordinary deliciousness. Soon after, we were offered a selection of homemade breads with herb butter. The restaurant had a vegetarian in the house – my husband, and as it turned out, in CUT a non meat-eater can indeed have a good time. For starters I had the outstanding Big Eye Tuna Tartar and my husband enjoyed a luscious asparagus risotto. We also shared the absolutely sublime heirloom apple and endive salad. For mains, I opted for a tasting of New York Sirloin, which included the USDA Prime, Australian Angus and Japanese pure-bred Wagyu. This was a really good choice, as after my crash course in ‘steakology’ a few minutes earlier, I wanted to see how exactly each meat differed in taste. Perfectly seasoned and cooked, I thought the US and Australian meats had a robust flavour and were very succulent, until I had had a bite of the Japanese pure-

ALSO THIS MONTH: 106 A SCRUMPTIOUS START 110 A TASTE OF FRANCE

bred Wagyu and was blown away with its meltin-the-mouth texture and unbelievable juiciness. My husband tucked into fresh Italian burrata along with a side of mac and cheese and creamy spinach with organic egg. We washed this down with two remarkable cocktails – Rolling Fog over Mt Fuji and Help! Save the Bees. Keeping us company were The Doors, Foo Fighters, The White Stripes and The Rolling Stones among many other greats. It’s hard to believe someone actually complained about the music. Dear islanders, some things are just for the greater good of humanity and must prevail. Much like the desserts that followed – baked Alaska and chocolate soufflé which instantly made the world a happier place. These three courses, punctuated by some parmesan bread sticks, delicious amuse-bouche and a cheese plate, left us in bliss, though close to bursting. This was a superlative dining experience that’ll be extremely hard to surpass. Right from the crisply dressed staff to the ambience and the haute cuisine on offer, CUT by Wolfgang Puck cuts a pretty picture for itself in the Kingdom’s fine dining district. May 2015 105

dining THE DOMAIN HOTEL AND SPA

A Scrumptious Start

Giving your day a delicious head start, this five-star boutique hotel takes the idea ‘breakfast like a king’ to a whole new level. The Domain Hotel and Spa, located in the heart of the Diplomatic Area has many surprises in store for you this month. Be it a breakfast meeting or your quest for a leisurely break alone, the luxurious tower property offers a scrumptious morning meal that will surely prepare you well for the day ahead. Promising to be Bahrain’s Best Breakfast, the eclectic menu is perfect for all tastes and appetites. From the selection of eggs, homemade breads and varieties of cheese to fresh juices, smoothies, regional delights, cold cuts and much more, it’s an endless spread, right at the start of the day. Even if it is sushi you fancy first thing in the morning, you can find it here. Served at Level 34, this meal is packed with all the power-house nutrients that’ll keep you going all day, and comes with a healthy serving of some of the most breathtaking views of the city. Chef Rukmal’s finesse is all over the menu, elevating humble regulars to gourmet standard and giving you a taste of the good life first thing in the morning. The breakfast is priced at BD10++ and is available from 6.30am to 10am daily. 106 May 2016

In addition to the new breakfast, The Domain has launched an express lunch at its Japanese restaurant on Level 35, Imari. This is an excellent way to sample authentic cuisine presented in well crafted bento boxes that provide a quick and delicious meal. Starting from BD6, this treat can satisfy a variety of appetites and palates. Movie buffs on the island have a special experience to look forward to. Every other Tuesday, The Domain will host movie nights at its quirky Art Deco-esque Sky Lounge, Domain Privé at Level 36. Celebrate the classics at this wonderful venue with some of the most unparalleled views of the city and great food and beverages too. It is at this venue that the hotel also hosts its Sky High high tea. The glamorous property will also play host to Summer Art @ The Domain from May 5 to May 31. The display will present paintings and sculptures from a number of talented European and Bahraini artists. Some of the works being displayed have been exhibited in prestigious museums such as The Louvre in Paris. This exhibition is organised in association with UNESCO and Europe’s Art and is something the hotel management is really excited about. Call 16 000-000. www.bahrainthismonth.com

dining MAKI

Time for Temaki! This Japanese fusion favourite serves up traditional bites with a twist. Perfectly wrapped in a seaweed sheet there lies a host of sumptuous ingredients sure to make any gourmand’s mouth water such as healthful brown rice combined with mildly spiced salmon, cool avocado, chilli oil and ikura (salmon roe). Together they make up the Oliver Temaki, named after the co-founder of the Maki concept. “When Maki was founded by my brother and myself, we set out to modify traditional Japanese cuisine in ways that enhanced the taste in a ‘pleasurable’ manner as far as the palate is concerned,” says Amer Zeitoun, co-founder. Hence, came a range of unusual fusion ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil, foie gras, wild thyme, balsamic vinegar and filo. “We also took extra special care to incorporate healthful ingredients such as brown rice, quinoa and the aforementioned extra virgin olive oil,” he adds. The temaki (hand-roll) concept is an age-old notion of a seaweed sheet, filled with sushi rice and

seafood; typically salmon, white fish or tuna. The sheet is rolled into a temaki and handed to the guest – it’s the Japanese take on the sandwich. Maki took the concept and kicked it up a few notches by introducing the namesake Oliver Temaki. Another star on the menu is the revolutionary Fusion Temaki which substitutes the traditional seaweed sheet with a soya wrap and the rice with delicious healthful vegetables such as lettuce, avocado, carrots and cucumber, while adding an extra taste dimension of shrimp tempura and Maki’s special sauce. The same temaki comes in a clever sharing version that includes four mini temakis called Fusion Shots. These beautifully presented ‘mini’ temakis have been on every Maki fan’s wish list for years and are expected to remain for years to come! You can now enjoy these delicate treats, and many more, at Maki Bahrain, Bahrain World Trade Center, West Tower, adjacent to Moda Mall, King Faisal Highway.

Fusion Temaki

Call 17 522-733 or 36 999-102 or e-mail maki.bahrain@olivermaki.com.

Oliver Temaki

Vargees Kurian & Yousuf Ali

124th Lulu Hypermarket LuLu Group International opened its 124th outlet at Galleria, Zinj, Bahrain. The new hypermarket was inaugurated by HE Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain, in the presence of HE Zayed Al Zayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce & Tourism, Saifee Rupawala, Lulu Group CEO, Yousuf Ali, Lulu Group managing director, dignitaries and other top officials. Dignitaries at the ribbon-cutting ceremony

Juzer

108 May 2016

Vineeth & Rahul

Ronnie, Nanda & Jeff

Shibu & Praveen

Salim, Ashraf & Saifee

www.bahrainthismonth.com

dining

Le Jardin

RAMADA BAHRAIN

A Taste of France One of the island’s classic hotels is introducing a new bistro concept at its favourite restaurant.

The new food offering

Exchange English Pub

110 May 2016

Ramada Bahrain sits proudly in the heart of Adliya and now plans to bring a taste of France to the area’s wide-ranging culinary offering. From May 1, the property’s popular Le Jardin restaurant with be relaunched as a French Bistro with a delicious speciality menu catered in typical French style with welcoming and professional staff to help you make your choice. The well thought-out selection has been researched and developed by executive chef Biju and covers various regions and flavours of France. From the classic French onion soup, Coq au Vin and Crepe Suzette to rillettes au saumon, sole meuniere and entrecote Bordelaise, classic Gallic dishes abound and the prices mean the new Le Jardin menu offers not only great taste but also great value. The new menu is available in Le Jardin restaurant and, on request, it can also be enjoyed in the Exchange English Pub, at Oasis Pool Bar and for room service as well. Ramada Bahrain offers a home away from home with a convenient location just 15 minutes from Bahrain International Airport and 25 minutes from King Fahad Saudi Causeway. Its 119 tastefully appointed and spacious rooms and four junior suites have Restonic ComfortCare beds to ensure a great night’s sleep. In-room amenities include free wireless internet, tea and coffee making facilities, iron and ironing board, personal safe and a choice of international television channels. As well as a mini-gym, pool and massage centre, the hotel also has banquet facilities to cater for cocktail parties, medium-sized corporate gatherings, executive meetings and interviews. Alongside its successful restaurant and bars, Ramada Bahrain also offers a popular outside catering service. Call 17 742-000. www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

15 REASONS TO BE HAPPY InterNations Event

InterNations Manama held a spring event at the Royal Golf Club.

Selen, Hanan, Ali, Soner & Melek

Irmina & Bedar

Serene, Devid & Sureangi

Ashley & Ocean

Lian, Jerard & Glenda

Only at Lanterns Restaurant

F1 Nights

Buffet, Live Music, Friendly Atmosphere

The Ritz Carlton Hotel Bahrain held an F1 night celebration at Trader Vic’s.

Call for Reservations and Details:

Emma, Georgia, Stephanie, Nicki & Windy

BUDAIYA

Tel: 17590591 BUFFET: FRIDAY/SAT (LUNCH) 12PM–3PM MONDAY/THURSDAY/FRIDAY (DINNER) 7PM–11PM RIFFA

Layal & Sameer

Mohammed & Farah

Maxwell

Tel:77366333, 77366600 BUFFET: FRIDAY/SAT (LUNCH) 12PM–3PM THURSDAY/FRIDAY (DINNER) 7PM–11PM

JUFFAIR

Tel: 17666517 / 17224417 DURRAT

Tel: 77770004 / 77771114

ADLIYA

Tel: 17246777 / 17250999 BUFFET: FRIDAY/SAT (LUNCH) 12PM–3PM THURSDAY/FRIDAY (DINNER) 7PM–11PM Catherine & Andy

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Julie & Adam

Lanterns Restaurants in the business of making friends and families happy since 1987.

Richard

May 2016 111

dining UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS

A Jazzy Visitor This Adliya venue is preparing to welcome yet another superb musical talent. The month of May is upon us and the time seems to be flying by, but Upstairs Downstairs remains an icon in the Bahrain dining scene for great food, music and ambiance. This month, in collaboration with the French Embassy and Alliance Francaise, the venue presents the Laurent de Wilde trio straight from Paris. Renowned jazz pianist, composer and writer Laurent will be accompanied by Bruno Rousselet on bass and Philippe Soirat on drums for a one-night-only performance on May 23, which is not to be missed. Tickets are BD18 + 10 per cent government levy, which includes a light two-course meal. Having recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, Upstairs Downstairs is a wellestablished favourite on the island’s dining scene known for its comfort food and welcoming atmosphere. You’ll feel a buzz as you walk through the door into a spacious interior decorated in the style of an English country house, which gives visitors the sense of being at a private party hosted by a friend, while at the same time enjoying top of the range music. There’s a special lunch offer every day except Friday of a 10 per cent discount on food and beverages. Lunchtime opening is from 11.30am to 3pm and it’s the ideal place for a relaxed business meeting or a midweek get together. And at the weekend, soak up a great night out with the renowned Up and Down Full English Breakfast every Friday and Saturday from 8am to noon – you’ll not find a better one on the island. Upstairs Downstairs Restaurant – a taste of something quite distinctive. Call 17 713-093.

bystander

Lena, Sandeep & Amal

Time Café Opening

DJ Jabu

Ramee Rose Hotel opened its newest restaurant, Time Café.

The cake-cutting ceremony

Alfred

Santosh, Anna, Katrina & Sheela

Dhayanada, Mala, Nisha, Jayasree, Sneha, Veena, Vijay, Asha, Rama, Leandra, Shane & Bharat

112 May 2016

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Kitchen held a brunch event Bossy Kitchen Bossy at its outlet in Reem Centre, Riffa. Shaikh Mohammed & Ahmad Jamsheer

Omar & Hamad

Shaikh Nasser & Shaikh Hamad

Aysha

Emran

Symphonies of the Self Red Bull Music Academy, in collaboration with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, organised a concert at the Cultural Hall. The concert featured the Bahrain Orchestra, Henrik Schwarz, Bugge Wesseltoft, Hasan Hujairi, Cosmo & Ajrass Band, who all performed works of the late Bahraini composer, Majeed Marhoon. The Bahrain Orchestra perfoming

Fody & Maggie

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Elie, Dahna & Huda

Tarik & Nadia

Susana, Wafa & Khulood

May 2016 113

dining DIPLOMAT RADISSON BLU HOTEL, RESIDENCE & SPA

Ramadan Delights This timeless hotel property invites guests to savour exotic Middle Eastern flavours to best appreciate the essence of the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the special time of year to reflect, give and forgive. Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa is the best at blending the contemporary with the conventional, to bring family and friends closer during this Holy Month. After a day of fasting, what better way to reward yourself than to gather around an Iftar table with those dear to you? Indulge in a one-of-a-kind Iftar experience at Al Fanar, the only rooftop Iftar venue on the island. Breaking your fast surrounded by Manamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic skyline and city lights makes the experience all the more sweet. Al Fanar offers you delicious Arabic Iftar dishes, fresh dates, refreshing juices and so much more, at BD16 per person,to replenish your

body and spirit. Round off your dining experience with traditional Arabic sweets, a delightful assortment of continental desserts and a selection of exotic fruits. Children under six dine for free. If you are in the mood for more feasting, the night is always young at Kontiki restaurant and poolside terrace that offers a lavish Ghabga menu. The friendly service and exquisite delicacies are what make Ghabga nights at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa so popular. This venue is also most suitable for private groups and corporates to enjoy the flavours of Ramadan. The hotel provides delicious traditional dishes from a richly varied set menu in a magical Arabian atmosphere to make your Ghabga a memorable one. Call 17 525-270, 39 945-208 or visit Bqt. diplomat@radissonblu.com.

Fraser Day Fraser Suites celebrated the 18th anniversary of Fraser Hospitality at its premises in the Diplomatic Area. Members of staff during the anniversary celebration

Ferrari Press Con Euromotors held a Ferrari 488 Spider press conference at the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq beach.

Nawaf Al Zayani

114 May 2016

Marco Sambaldi & Giulio Zauner

Paul & Navin

www.bahrainthismonth.com

tablehopping

LABOUR OF LOVE

What started as a food stall in Adliya’s Market 338 in 2012, has now grown into a double-storied restaurant with a signature character and cuisine of its own. Mohammed Al Khalifa and Aysha Al Araifi make up the passionate husband-and-wife team behind Bossy Kitchen, a quirky eatery in Riffa, that’s creating quite a stir with its unique vibe and menu. A reflection of the eclectic social fabric of the island, the restaurant takes all-time classics and gives them an interesting twist, resulting in truly remarkable dishes. A trip to the restaurant feels like visiting an aunt who’s too eager to feed you; so you may be full to bursting but can’t resist what’s on the table. And the good news is, everything is really healthy and made in-house from scratch. Some of the ‘must try’ dishes are the pumpkin and spinach lasagne, cauliflower salad and pistachio crusted salmon. The Nutella French Toast is to die for! And if driving to Riffa is all that’s keeping you from trying out this food, remember you can have it delivered to your doorstep as well. Call 33 397-433.

SUCCULENT SATURDAYS Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay invites Asian food lovers to sample the new Dim Sum Saturday Brunch, a culinary symphony of re/Asian Cuisine’s signature dishes according to the latest seasonal offerings. The beautifully curated menu offers more than 20 scrumptious items such as wonton soup with fresh prawn dumplings, wok fried shrimp dumplings, Peking duck rolls, wild mushroom-filled vegetable dumplings, Korean fried bao buns and short rib and brisket wontons. Beside a vast selection of fried rice and handmade noodles, the brunch menu excels in lavish desserts too. The coconut cream, the caramel-instilled chocolate fondant or the Chinese donuts with mandarin jam are just a few of the many examples created to impress all sweet toothed brunchers. Wolfgang Puck’s signature modern take on traditional Asian cuisine is reflected at re/Asian Cuisine and provides a re-evolution of what the master chef has been passionate about for the majority of his career. Call: 17 115-046.

YEAR-ROUND OUTDOOR DINING

www.bahrainthismonth.com

When? Fridays Event? French Night Venue? La Mosaique, Crowne Plaza A new theme night featuring authentic French food and fabulous dishes on the buffet for BD14.550. E Call 17 531-122. When? Throughout May Event? Business lunch Venue? Imari, the Domain Hotel and Spa Express business lunch with authentic Japanese bento boxes. Runs Monday-Friday, priced from BD6. E Call 16 000-000. When? Throughout May Event? Birthday promotion Venue? Rasoi and Ruka, Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa Treat a friend to dinner for their birthday and get their meal and cake free. Minimum two adults. E Call 17 111-999. When? Throughout May Event? Food promotion Venue? Bushido The mysterious white asparagus will be available on the menu throughout May. E Call 17 583-555. When? May 5 Event? Cinco de Mayo Party Venue? Ric’s Kountry Kitchen Big selection of Mexican food and drinks for BD14 from 6pm-10pm. The DJ will also be playing Latino tunes. E Call 17 725-550.

DINE WITH WOLFGANG Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck is back in town! The kitchen maestro is on his second visit to the island and is inviting guests to join him for a traditional American barbecue party on the lawn at Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay on May 4 at 7pm. Savour an array of quality meats and seafood, grilled to perfection by the world-renowned restaurateur and chef himself. Tickets are BD65++ including unlimited beverages. And on May 6, chef Wolfgang will host the traditional Friday brunch offering a selection of delicious homemade comfort food at his flagship CUT restaurant from 12.30pm-3.30pm. Brunch is priced at BD29. Call 17 115-044.

When? Wednesdays Event? Steak night Venue? Links, Royal Golf Club Dine in on the signature steak stone and get 40 per cent off from 7pm-10pm. E Call 17 751-262.

If you want to eat outside but can’t stand the heat, Lanterns Restaurant & Lounge in Adliya is the first restaurant in Bahrain to introduce outdoor chilled-water air conditioning that drops the temperatures by 15 degrees – making it one of the coolest spots in town. “Our Garden Lounge is cool no matter the season or how high temperatures soar. You won’t believe it until you experience it!” says spokeswoman Elita Kapur. The restaurant, which can seat around 100, also offers a diverse ‘Bistro Garden’ menu that includes tantalising appetisers from duck roll, crab Rangoon and chicken tenders to fried brie and fish and chips. “Our bar bites are very popular in the garden. They are an ideal accompaniment to your drinks, no matter how big or small your appetite may be,” adds Elita. Call 17 246-777.

When? May 12-20 Event? Broadway Nights Venue? Trader Vic’s Acrobats and showgirls make dining fun with a series of performances at the outdoor restaurant. E Call 17 586-555. When? May 20 Event? Grape pairing dinner Venue? La Med, Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Each month the sommelier introduces a special grape list. This month, the evening will be a French grape lesson and tasting paired with a lavish set menu. Price BD38++. E Call 17 586-499. May 2016 115

cafésinbahrain

The Cup that Comforts

They say you can’t buy happiness, but you can get yourself coffee and cakes; and that’s pretty close. Whether it is catching up with old friends or mulling the afternoon away in deep thought, a café is the go-to place. Luckily, Bahrain is dotted with several great establishments, all of which welcome islanders with a cool ambiance and warm hospitality. It was the Middle East that was the cradle of coffee consumption, over six centuries ago. Although the quintessential Arabic coffee houses, referred to as ghahwas, are hard to come by in the more urban pockets of Bahrain, the idea still evokes images of a bygone era. Men seated on high wooden benches furnished with typical red and black, geometricallydesigned upholstery would debate on matters political, social and financial, all the while taking comfort from their steaming beverage. The erstwhile cafés served as a means to keep abreast of current affairs and the local gossip, probably with shisha bubbling away in the corner and a board game on the table. These ‘hubs’ not only served to circulate little tidbits of information, but were often the source of the grapevine. Today, this customary practice has evolved 116 May 2016

into modern-day cafés with high and low seating, air-conditioned interiors and baristas serving up varieties of the brew from all over the world, accompanied by a variety of light bites to munch on. Over the last decade popular cafés, big and small, have sprouted in the suburbs of Saar, Riffa and Budaiya making a break out from the stronghold of the eat-streets of Juffair and Adliya. Petalo Café Boutique in Riffa encourages families and friends to share a bite over a comforting cup of coffee, and is a great place for a leisurely meal. For a unique twist, Petalo offers a hearty Bahraini breakfast served as a mezze.

In keeping with the healthy trend, Delilah’s at Saar and Amwaj offers a host of summer coolers, besides a strong brew. Its smoothies with natural produce are choc full with antioxidants and vitamins. This café uses the best of ingredients which are prepared with the utmost love and care. For the sweet tooth, a selection of gluten-free desserts are available. The Seattle-born Starbucks is one of the best known coffeehouse chains in the world, with thousands of outlets spread around the planet. With summer around the corner, the brand introduces the Cold Brew, its latest cold coffee innovation, available for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa. For something out of the ordinary, try the Monkey Cookies at Cake Boutique at Seef Corner. This popular café guarantees you’ll be hooked on them forever. And nearby Kasbah Restaurant and Lounge offers a full range of great food and a Bahraini breakfast served as mezze. The tradition of serving coffee as a gesture of hospitality still continues today and Bahrain’s hotel establishments house cafés that are favourites in their own right. Tea Garden, the coffee shop at the Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa in Seef affords a bright and comfortable ambiance and some very creative desserts to accompany your cuppa. Those looking to beat the heat can opt for the vanilla, chocolate or rasberry Latino. Also in Seef, the Swiss-Belhotel is home to the secluded Cafeccino, which serves quality Swiss coffee and an à la carte choice of highquality roasts and single origins such as the famous Blue Mountain Coffee. Sit on the terrace to watch the city fly by. If you find yourself in need of respite on the bustling roads of Manama’s central business district, head to the Espressamente Illy Café at the Sheraton Bahrain Hotel. Caffé Greco, found here, is a double Illy espresso, chilled and shaken with ice and liquid sugar — a perfect dose of caffeine this summer. La Patisserie at the lobby level of Ramee Rose in Juffair serves a selection of the finest teas and coffee brews, juices and delicious delicacies such as English scones, fruit tarts, éclairs, sandwiches and burgers. With well-established cafés going strong and new ones sprouting up all over the island, there is really no dearth of places for you to kick-start your mornings, beat the afternoon slump or let go of the day’s stress in the evenings. www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Mohammed & Khalid

Blandin, Mr & Mrs Da Costa

Cyril

Laurent & Jean Manuel

Raija, Minna & Soile

Lionel

VIP Pre-race Party The Four Seasons Hotel hosted a VIP pre-race F1 party by its Azure pool. Mohammed, Veronika & Deepa

MONKEY COOKIES

Emily & Adeline

Felicia & Hiba

Taj & Nabila

Mwai & Ligia

Janith & Anuki

original cookies Classic chocolate chip cookies with a little Monkey twist.

Monkey MALLOW S’more Monkey Cookies with Hershey and Marshmallow toppings.

Seef Corner, Cake Boutique @monkeycookiesbah CALL NOW 17552253 / 36008868

www.bahrainthismonth.com

May 2016 117

cafésinbahrain

KASBAH RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE

Modernesque Middle Eastern Flair This café-lounge invites guests to embark on a journey of authentic flavours by way of its alluring interiors and top notch food and beverages.

118 May 2016

The word Kasbah has, over the years, created images of the exotic, like fascinating stories of yore and far distant lands that were discovered by intrepid voyagers; places that celebrated the allure of spices and remained etched in memory as enchanting, mysterious and magical! On the same lines, the ambiance at Kasbah Restaurant and Lounge extols the virtues of a culture that spans a thousand years, yet exudes a contemporary vibe. In keeping with the charming atmosphere of traditional Arabic coffee shops, Kasbah’s personality is reflected in its modern Arabesque décor with its bold colours and seating that befits a king. It’s the perfect place that offers a great ambiance, superb food and a retreat to unwind with friends for that ideal day or evening out. Choose from international and classic Middle Eastern cuisine to satiate your palate at Kasbah Restaurant and Lounge. The finest ingredients are cooked using traditional methods for food that is par excellence. Mix business and pleasure with the daily cyclic set business lunch or take a food tour around the world from the all-day à la carte menu. Early birds can feast on an exquisite Bahraini breakfast. The Kasbah Mixed Grill Platter and Smoky Grilled King Prawns have been an instant hit with one and all. Guests also swear by the ‘make it your way’ penne pesto with shrimps and other protein add-ons. Complementing the fine cuisine is a selection of beverages ranging from juices, smoothies and mocktails to exotic tea and coffee blends. One of the highlights not to be missed is the Chai Kadak, a creamy and fragrant spiced tea.

The Pom Pom Tini, which is fresh juice of pomegranate blended with mint, lime, orange and cranberries is a popular summer cooler, as are the Strawberry Margarita and the Vie de Pommes, an instantly refreshing blend of apple juice, hazelnut syrup and a secret dip. Coffee Toffee Frappe, which is a delectable beverage laced with rich toffee caramel, and the Chocoholic Shake are proven crowd pleasers. For the health conscious, there is a wide range of fresh, wholesome juices to choose from. What would a traditional Arabic coffee shop experience be without the time-honoured shisha? Soak in the ambiance with one of the many flavours from Kasbah’s extensive shisha menu. The Kasbah Watermelon Special, Kasbah Gold, Juicy Redline and special shishas with unique fruit heads are bestsellers that will not disappoint. The adventurous will be pleasantly surprised with a mix and match of the various flavours. The experts at Kasbah also concoct special blends of shishas, giving this joint an edge over the others. Whether you wish to dine-in or just enjoy a shisha, one thing is certain; Kasbah Restaurant and Lounge, situated in Seef district’s Platinum Tower, is the perfect place to chill in the company of friends or colleagues, by day or night. It opens from 8am to 2am every day, and a non-smoking section is also available. Call 77 202-121 or visit www.kasbahbahrain.com or follow Kasbah on Facebook: @kasbahbahrain, Instagram: #kasbah.bahrain and Twitter: @kasbahbahrain. www.bahrainthismonth.com

PETALO CAFÉ BOUTIQUE

Tasty Tradition This new arrival in Riffa offers Arabian hospitality at its best. Essential to cooking in the Arabian Peninsula is the concept of hospitality and generosity. Meals are generally large family affairs with much sharing and a great deal of warmth over the dinner table. Petalo Café Boutique continues this tradition by making meals for sharing between family and friends. A good breakfast is the best way to start the day and Petalo takes this to heart offering Le Petit Dejeuner Oriental or the Bahraini traditional breakfast, re-imagined by the boutique café’s awesome chefs as a mezze. Fast establishing itself as a quaint and cozy place to go for tea or culinary masterpieces, the venue has a wide range of bestsellers and is constantly coming up with new creations. Attention to detail has become its trademark and the food is always exceptional. Petalo’s baked salmon ensures a burst of delicious flavours from the first forkful while the signature steak is melt-in-the-mouth tender, topped with exquisite gravy and served with crunchy fries. The seafood grill platter is pleasing to the senses and will tickle your palate with the blend of flavours and the house specialty, the rack of lamb, is divine. Succulent, tender and tasty, it is a dining experience not to be missed. Petalo Café Boutique is an excellent haven bordering casual to fine dining which deserves multiple trips as the food, service and atmosphere

are consistently excellent. This is a great place for a quiet, unhurried meal with professional, attentive service and a wide array of impeccable culinary masterpieces. Simply irresistible. Call 13 666-631 or 37 100-007.

A Celebration of Culinary Delights Family, Food & Friends says it all when it comes to Petalo Cafe Boutique. This boutique style restaurant has become the town’s social hub and place to be when it comes to bondings and celebrations. We welcome you to explore our perfect for any occasion menu.

For private functions, outside catering, designed cakes, or simply table reservations for dine-in, please call 13 666 631 or 3710 0007. Visit our Facebook Page; Petalo Cafe Boutique or our Instagram; petalocafeboutique in addition to our SnapChat. For online orders, please visit our page at Talabat.com or Pikadot.com or call 13 666 631 for home deliveries. Doors open from 0900Hrs - 2300Hrs (weekdays) and 0800Hrs - 0030Hrs (weekends & public holidays) www.bahrainthismonth.com

May 2016 119

Celebrating Spring Lolaandgrace, the innovative, on trend and affordable fashion jewellery brand by Swarovski, invites you to discover its new Spring Summer collection. Captured in the #makethemoment claim, lolaandgrace’s attitude is a willingness to enjoy every moment with confidence and joie de vivre, to express your multiple moods and actively seize the world. Sometimes, gracefully, breaking the rules. Available at all A La Mode outlets.

A Glittering Beauty On-trend, versatile and infused with a touch of glamour, Swarovski unveils its first automatic watch for women, Crystalline Hours. With a hint of '40s watch inspiration, this delicate and elegant piece can instantly upgrade a casual outfit or complement a luxurious evening with its signature sparkle. Available at Seef Mall and City Centre Bahrain

Get Summer Ready

A Lacoste first, these sunglasses with floating frames, will have you summer ready in no time. Sporting rectangular lenses in an innovative, wearable design, the frame is fabricated utilising a new injection moulding technique that allows them to float. The L816S Floatable is available in blue, green, black and yellow. Available at Lacoste in Seef Mall and City Centre Bahrain. 120 May 2016

What’s New Edited by Apple Sharma

Legend in a Bottle The iconic perfume of an emblematic name is here: Mercedes-Benz Man. This new timeless, sophisticated fragrance belongs to the aromatic, woody and fruity family, with cedar leaf, geranium and pear notes blended with ambrette seeds, and a deep woody trail of palisander rosewood complemented by oak moss. It’s alluring, addictive and unique. Available in Al Hawaj and other leading perfume shops.

A Wild Fragrance A fragrance for both men and women, and inspired by the limitless jungle, ck one summer is a wet, refreshing and rebellious adventure. Lime mojito and juicy guava open to a wilderness of lush vibrant greens, dripping with exotic freshness and cool cedarwood at the dry down. Available at all major perfume outlets. www.bahrainthismonth.com

marketplace

ASIA JEWELLERS

Keeping Up With the Times Renowned for its classical and refined timepieces of exceptional value, this Swiss watch manufacturer’s new Horological Smartwatch showcases precision at its best. Swiss watch manufacturer Frederique Constant Geneve presents an exclusive preview of its 2016 novelties with a new model of Horological Smartwatch, powered by MotionX. With the introduction of five new in-house calibre and the launch of the MotionX-powered Horological Smartwatch, 2015 was an important year for Frederique Constant, in which it shipped over 16,000 timepieces, more than any other Swiss watch manufacture. The brand now has a deep insight of its user profiles as well as the type of functionality that is bestliked, which it will use as a basis for future development. In 2016, Frederique Constant will progressively introduce new and unexpected functionalities to the current Horological Smartwatch module and introduce at least one new calibre in the second half of this year, including an appealing one for ladies. The brand has presented an updated version of its innovative Horological Smartwatch, which, in addition to its activity and sleep monitoring functions, also has a worldtimer function – a clear invitation for globetrotters to travel. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Conceived to meet the needs of long-distance travellers, the new worldtimer function is essential for those who regularly roam the planet. They can check their home time, whilst keeping track of current time wherever they are. Every time the watch synchronises with the user’s smartphone, the date and time are adjusted, giving complete control over time zone changes. Once an additional time zone has been selected, three pressures of the pusher will display the time in another part of the world on the analogue dial of the watch, making it a breeze to keep track of local time. The new functionality can also be added to previous models of the Horological Smartwatch by simply updating the MotionX-365 app. Blending modern and classic, this new model is crafted by hand from fine materials and comes with a promise of longevity, with a 42mm highly-polished rose gold-plated steel case and a captivating navy blue dial that features applied indexes and roman numerals. A convex sapphire crystal protects the delightfully crafted dial. The watch is waterproof up to 50 metres and finished with a stunning blue alligator leather strap. The Horological Smartwatch is built with the MMT-285 calibre, and powered by Fullpower’s end-to-end MotionX technology platform, with a battery life that will keep your timepiece

running for up to two and a half years before the need for replacement. By combining technology and its watchmaking tradition, the Frederique Constant Horological Smartwatch takes luxury and simplicity to a new level. Offering hours, minutes and date, the “smart” aspect of this watch comes from its ability to accurately track your activity and sleep patterns. The smaller dial, at six o’clock on the watch face, shows the percentage of your activity or sleep against your goal in real-time. This data is also displayed in the attractive MotionX-365 app, available for iOS and Android, with simple and easy-to-understand graphics to highlight how much one has moved and slept during the day, week or month. The MotionX high-accuracy end-to-end solution that includes firmware, applications and cloud infrastructure includes more than 110 patents and encapsulates seven years of research and development by a Silicon Valley technology leader. Once again, Frederique Constant has proven, with this new Horological Smartwatch, that passion and innovation can proudly integrate alongside maturity, age and beauty. Frederique Constant timepieces are available in Bahrain at Asia Jewellers. Call 17 535-344 or visit www.asiajewellers.com. May 2016 121

marketplace ASIA JEWELLERS

A Joyful Harmony Bouton d’or necklace and ring: yellow gold, diamonds, onyx, chrysoprase

Bouton d’or necklace, pendant, earrings, ring and bracelet: pink gold, diamonds, carnelian, mother-of-pearl

Inspired by its rich heritage, this renowned maison unveils a brand-new jewellery collection that blends tradition and modernity.

Assembling the open-work plate on the pendant

Assembling pastilles for the earrings

122 May 2016

Van Cleef & Arpels presents its latest collection with a rounded, graphic design: Bouton d’or. Diamonds, gold, mother-of-pearl and hard stones come together in bold creations, born out of a unique expertise. From the choice of materials to the intricately assembled motifs, each piece reflects the virtuosity of Van Cleef & Arpels. The Bouton d’or collection gives pride of place tothe curved lines of a jewellery motif called Paillette, created by the maisonin the late 1930s. Reinterpreted today, it lends itself to multiple plays ofassociations, volume and colours, producing a style that is both graphic andfeminine. Adorned with a diamond at their centres, these concave or convexelements are repeated to compose a necklace that hugs the neckline, a subtlyasymmetric bracelet, earrings that seem to dance with each movement of thebody, a three-dimensional ring and a generous pendant. Characterised by bold associations of materials, the collection is made up of two sets of five pieces. Gently reflecting the light, pink gold magnifies the delicate overtones of mother-of-pearl and the warm hue of carnelian, a symbol of life. With their glittering centres, the motifs spread out across different levels, in triple rows or joyful circles.

In a more contrasted pairing, yellow gold accentuates the encounter between the rich, deep black colour of onyx and chrysoprase, whose springlike green suffuses the creations with a luminous vitality. Fringed with discretely mobile pastilles, two pieces combine rounded curves with the geometric purity of the lozenge, to adorn a finger or give shape to a pendant that can be transformed into a clip. The Bouton d’or collection, which is as notable for its meticulous choice of materials as it is for its delicately matched motifs, expresses the excellence of Van Cleef & Arpels. For the hard stones, the maison has been particularly attentive to the homogeneity and vivacity of their colour, luminosity and depth. The mother-of-pearl used by Van Cleef & Arpels offers a regular surface and lustre of the highest quality, while its diamonds are selected according to the maison’s standards of excellence: D, E or F for colour, IF and VVS for clarity. They thus enhance the beauty of materials that have been hand-polished to magnify their radiance. To ensure the complete harmony of each piece, the pastilles are carefully matched for colour, as well as for the opacity and overtones of their materials. When brought together to form a necklace, bracelet or ring, they compose a perfect symphony of jewellery. Creating the Bouton d’or collection called for an exceptional degree of precision, meticulousness and technical skill. Once the various gold pieces have been shaped by hand, they undergo successive polishing – a particularly delicate process for the concave and convex pastilles. The glitter of the precious metal must be revealed, while carefully preserving the form of the motif. To ensure the pieces’ suppleness and flexibility, these motifs are carefully attached together; the process calls for a precise and agile hand, since hundreds of components – up to 1,000 in the case of a necklace – must be joined together. The end result is then carefully examined to guarantee that it meets the maison’s stringent criteria for quality and finish. The collection is available in Bahrain at Asia Jewellers. Call 17 131-122 or visit www. asiajewellers.com. www.bahrainthismonth.com

FARHAT INTERNATIONAL TOURS & TRAVEL WLL

Happily Ever After The summer holidays will be here before you know it, so start planning the vacation of a lifetime with the professional expertise of this reputed destination management agency. Disneyland Paris is the place where you’ll feel like you’re in a beautiful dream right from the moment you arrive. With countless attractions, entertainment and amazement in store, a family trip to Disneyland Paris is an experience that will be cherished for life. Experience a surreal ‘once upon a time’ world

in the five enchanting lands of Disneyland Park; each one with its own unique fairytale setting. It is a magical adventure, where classic attractions, exciting encounters with Disney characters and colourful shows bring your imagination alive. Walt Disney Studios Park is all about ‘Lights! Camera! Action!’. Pop behind the scenes of movies to celebrate all things silver screen. The whole family can bask in the spotlight, as dazzling stories and action-packed attractions take centre stage.

Staying at one of the Disney Hotels is guaranteed to exceed your expectations, as guests get exclusive Extra Magic Hours to spend more time at the Disney Parks. The hotels’ exclusive, top quality services, available round the clock, will ensure your trip is magical from start to end. With a choice of over 50 restaurants across Disneyland Paris, you’ll find everything from great food on the go to lavish, laidback dinners. Farhat International Tours & Travel WLL is the appointed agent for Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line in Bahrain. Book a free personal consultation with one of its tour consultants to start planning the best holiday of your life. Call 17 216-411 or email disney@farhattours.com.

Rajat, Demira, Dilip, Sanchita, Sohail, Chitra & Sonu

Wedding Reception Sanchita Thaker & Sohail Jain held their wedding reception at the Gulf Hotel. Sanchita, Asha Thaker & Sohail

Sneha, Hiten & Jawad Al-Hawaj

Tawfiq Almoayed, Sohail, Sanchita, Sunita, Amal Almoayed, Mazen Al Umran & Bob

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Demira, Chitra, Nirmala & Sanchita

Khalid Almoayed & Khalid Kanoo

Bina & Rajiv

May 2016 123

marketplace NATURALIZER

Spring in your Step For the Spring/Summer 2016 season this brand has once again elevated style and comfort by seeking inspiration from the modern woman. The latest offerings from Naturalizer incorporate contemporary trends, fine detailing and, above all, comfort with lines focussed on two major fashion stories. The designs are based on the principles of quality, innovation through technology and feminine styles that cater to modern women who are knowledgeable about fashion, but insist on comfort and versatility.

Ethno Mix

Carena Taupe

Dade Metallic

Davenport Red

Dynamic Blue

This trend features an overall multicultural spirit. Casual styles elevated through the use of modern materials such as decorative weaves and elastic leathers. With this trend Naturalizer seeks to combine sport and culture, creating fun, playful styles to express colour and

Galant Printed

unique floral prints. The mule and ballerina are updated with ghillie lacing and distinctive detailing. Colours to look out for in this trend are flame red and maize yellow, as well as tonal combinations; turquoise, cobalt and green or red, coral and magenta.

Modern Prep

Bonita Gold

Henny Gold

Lanna Silver

Michelle Floral

The brand continues to evolve the modern look, approaching this trend with clean styling with a fun pop. Modern Prep takes on styles from 1960s and ‘70s, but redefines them with modern shapes such as Oxfords, sling back sandals and sneakers. Menswear styling is still very prevalent this season,

Selma Tan

we will see great new styles in modern shapes to match the “boy meets girl” look. There is a clear emphasis on embracing the softer side with a quiet yet happy palette of bold mid tones with warm neutrals such as taupe, nude, ivory, white, light blues and coral pink.

Bag A New Look

Korra Mink

Adder Dusty Pink

Griffin Mink

Droopy Navy

Peppa Tan

Naturalizer also offers a great range of bags which are bang on trend with this season’s take on the classic boxy shape. Coming in the latest muted tones and featuring the classic drop fob, you’ll hit the style high notes with one of these on your arm. Call City Centre Bahrain - 16 686-213, Seef Mall - 16 686-223 and Seef Mall Muharraq - 16 639-430. 124 May 2016

www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Holi Bash 2016 Sphere Events & Urban Dhaba organised Bahrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest colour festival event in celebration of Holi at the Lost Paradise of Dilmun. DJ Bobby B, DJ Pearlyn & DJ Shadow

Ashish, Ritu & friends

DJ Shadow

Rohit

De Beers Meet & Greet AJM Kooheji Group held a press meeting with Francois Delage, De Beers CEO, at the De Beers Diamond Jewellers store in Moda Mall. Mitesh, Neil, Harjit, Pooja, Pearlyn, Guraz & DJ Bobby B

Mohammed Kooheji & Francois Delage

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Open from Saturday to Thursday from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm May 2016 125

marketplace

WESTIN BAHRAIN CITY CENTRE

Wellness on the Go In the true essence of hospitality, this upscale hotel brand has initiated a wellbeing movement to make guests feel their best.

126 May 2016

The Westin offers its guests more than just a room with a view. Its hotels across the globe have specially designed programmes, with guests’ wellbeing in mind. In keeping with this philosophy, the Westin Bahrain City Centre aims to enrich every element of guests’ stays, to leave them feeling better than when they arrived. The Westin’s Heavenly Bed has lulled millions of guests into deep, restful sleep while winning accolades as an industry-leading innovation. The hotel has designed every detail of the Heavenly Bed to promote superior slumber – from the crisp, white, 250–thread-count sheets to the down duvets, plush pillows and custom pillow-top mattresses. Guests can also make the most of the Heavenly bath, White Tea amenities and the Sleep Well in-room dining menu to unwind after a busy day. The Heavenly Spa features elegant treatment rooms with designated male and female zones, as well as the beautifully appointed couples’ spa suite, and boasts the largest Turkish Hammam on the island. Grab some well-deserved me time with relaxing massages, nourishing wraps, invigorating scrubs and soothing facials that are carried out by experienced therapists, as you surrender to rest and renewal. Created in consultation with doctors and nutritionists, the hotel’s SuperFoodsRx menu cultivates ‘food synergy’; the pairing of certain foods to increase their nutritional value, to fuel you with energy you need to meet the challenges of your day. Give yourself a nourishing start to the day with the breakfast at the Mezzanine Lounge, with superfoods

like grapefruit, forest berries, chia fruit smoothies, egg white omelettes on demand, smoked salmon or muesli topped with mineral-rich seeds and nuts. For a lighter meal alternative, the lounge also offers a wide range of salads, sandwiches and snacks, made using fresh wholesome ingredients. Fresh by the Juicery offers freshly-pressed single fruit and blended juices, as well as smoothies. SuperfoodsRx items can be found in meeting breaks to give you the focused energy you need to work at your best, as well as on the in-room dining menu. Guests will soon be treated to a new dining concept at the Westin Bahrain City Centre, which will be open later this year. The modern WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio is equipped with state-of-the-art cardio machines, strength training equipment and weights. Take advantage of the gym’s Gear Lending Program to pack light and stay fit while you globetrot. After an energising workout, take a refreshing swim in the outdoor pool, or nourish your body with a great selection of post-workout meals. Have some fun at the Wahooo! Waterpark adjacent to the hotel, where surfing lessons for all levels and ages are available. Stay productive and organised with Westin clutterfree meetings. Streamlined stations provide all the elements for a successful meeting. Energy-efficient light bulbs, double-sided notepads and water pitchers in lieu of bottled water, help eliminate waste and reduce consumption as you connect with colleagues around the table or across the globe. Call 17 171-000. www.bahrainthismonth.com

bystander

Ahmed & Yasmin

Staff Party Majestic Arjaan by Rotana held its annual colleagues party with Back to School as the theme. Event commitee

Sameh & Jessa

Youth Project Hamra Alam hosted The Youth Project showcasing performances by talented young Bahrainis at Mashq Space, Budaiya. Aneisha, Amanda, Sudha & Nicholas

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Bashayer, Anushka, Mai, Hamoodi, Hasooni & Haman

Jannah & Hamra

Sarah

May 2016 127

marketplace MOHAMMED FAKHROO & BROS.

Breathe Easier, Sleep More Naturally This provider offers a number of products to ensure you get a good night’s sleep. Philips Respironics, a global leader in the sleep and respiratory markets, brings out solutions in sleep therapy and respiratory care. Sleep apnoea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. This can lead to many serious conditions such as heart ailments and lack of concentration. You may have sleep apnoea if you snore loudly and you feel tired even after a full night’s sleep. Since there are less visible symptoms, people may not realise they have a condition. For those living with sleep apnoea, Philips Respironics sleep apnoea therapy devices are an effective way to adopt sleep apnoea therapy for the long term. These innovations support recovery and chronic care at home and connect extended-care teams seamlessly, to give healthcare partners and patients the confidence and peace of mind that they’re always getting the care they need.

Sami the seal

Elegance

In respiratory care, Philips has drug delivery solutions including nebulisers, ventilators designed for hospitals and homes, portable oxygen therapy options, full-face masks, compressors and a full range of solutions to

help people with respiratory problems. Philips appointed Mohammed Fakhroo & Bros as the exclusive agent for selling and servicing these products in the Kingdom. Call 17 253-529.

Zeina, Amira, Mohammed & Sebahat

Beat Diabetes Raft Race The Rotary Club of Sulmaniya organised a raft race to raise awareness about diabetes, a major disease in the Gulf. The race had many participants from prominent businesses in Bahrain and was held at Al Bander Resort and Spa. Participants at the race

Fareed, Roya & Mazen Al Umran

128 May 2016

Salman Al Mahmeed & Mariam

Hassan, Seema, Andrew & Mansoor

Abiram, Mahadev, Shiva & Vijaya

Joanna & Andrew

www.bahrainthismonth.com

marketplace business bites

Ramada City Centre Opens The newest addition to the Wyndham group, Ramada City Centre Manama, has opened its doors in Seef offering 140 rooms and suites. The hotel’s key charm is the Middle Eastern-themed Reem Al Bawadi Restaurant and Cafe, famous for its authentic Middle Eastern cuisine and humble hospitality. Guests can enjoy traditional shisha on the restaurant’s outdoor terrace. The hotel has a rooftop swimming pool with barbecue area and is also equipped with a fully-fledged gymnasium and a health club and spa for a relaxing massage or pampering treatment. For meetings, training, conferences or social occasions, the hotel’s function rooms Oryx and Bulbul can seat between 20 and 200 guests.

Entrepreneurial Mentorship Programme

Japanese Scholarship Announced Bahrain’s Japanese embassy is inviting students hoping to study at Japanese universities as postgraduate research students to apply for its MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Scholarship for 2017. The scholarship benefits include air fees between Japan and Bahrain, tuition fees and a monthly allowance. Applicants for research places must have been born on or after April 2, 1982, and also must have completed or will complete 16 years of school education, 18 years in certain fields. Students can opt to study for either two years from April 2017 or a year and a half from October 2017 – including six months of Japanese language study. Guidelines and required documents can be downloaded at URL: http://www.bh. emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/scholarship2017.htm.

Investing in Energy Tamkeen and the Mowgli Foundation partnered to launch an entrepreneurial mentoring programme in the form of a four-day kickstart workshop, aimed at supporting and empowering local entrepreneurs, strengthening their leadership capabilities and maximising the potential of their businesses to expand. The workshop marks the beginning of a pioneering mentoring programme launched by Tamkeen, which has recently been accredited by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and the Mowgli Mentoring Programme. The mentoring relationships formed will provide entrepreneurs access to business and life mentorship for an entire year. “Tamkeen works continuously to support Bahrainis throughout all stages of development. As part of this, it is extremely important to provide Bahraini businesses with advisory and consultancy needed during their development to ensure that they can achieve further growth to themselves and to Bahrain’s economy,” says Tamkeen’s chief executive Dr Ebrahim Janahi. www.bahrainthismonth.com

Nogaholding, the investment and business development arm of the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA), announced a USD570 million multi-bank financing agreement with a consortium of national and international banks. The deal, a five-year contract, is nogaholding’s first venture into the financial markets for investment which will be used to support a number of large-scale oil and gas projects in the Kingdom, and marks the beginning of several strategically important growth projects by nogaholdings for Bahrain’s energy sector. Over and above this deal, nogaholdings has expansion plans worth in excess of USD7 billion in the works which include key development projects, namely the BAPCO Modernisation Programme, the LNG Import Terminal and the Bahrain Gas Plant Project.

For more business bites scan the code.

May 2016 129

Other Events

bystander

EK Kanoo launched the all-new 2016 Toyota Innova at the Toyota showroom in Sitra.

AJM Kooheji Group has announced the launch of LG gram, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lightest laptop in Bahrain, in partnership with Batelco.

Bahrain India Society held its annual general meeting at the Elite Resort & Spa.

St Christopherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School hosted the 2nd Annual Bahrain Google Summit at its campus in Saar.

The Indian Ladies Association (ILA) held a charity event, Nazakat-e-Hind, under the patronage of HH Shaikha Thajba bint Salman Al Khalifa.

Alliance Francaise Bahrain held an art exhibition featuring French designers, Virginie and Nathaly, at Jamsheer House, Muharraq.

Sabre held a travel and tourism industry media panel under the patronage of Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa.

The Palace Boutique Hotel competed in the Spartan Race at the Bahrain International Endurance Village.

130 May 2016

Nepresso Bahrain welcomed Nepresso MEAC country business manager, Etienne Benet, on his visit to Bahrain.

Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority held a press conference launching Brand Bahrain at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.

The Bahrain-Japan Business and Friendship Society (BJBFS) presented a token of appreciation to HE Kiyoshi Asako, Japanese Ambassador, at Kanoo Guest House.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

Faces

bystander

Coral Bay welcomes dancers to its Saturday Kizomba class.

A dinner was held at the US embassy welcoming Professor Bret Lott to Bahrain. Tom, Zakiya, Joslyn, Issam, Eileen, Professor Bret Lott, HE William Roebuck, Rohini, Tim, Loona, Ahmed & Rashid.

The creative and talented Ali Al-Dosari hosted a dinner at his residence. Brett, Annie, Iris, George, Ali, Nina & Manfred.

Sameera & Adel supporting the marine environment.

Cicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restaurant featured chef Pietro Parisiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature menu. Francis, chef Pietro & Ali Al Zayani

www.bahrainthismonth.com

May 2016 131

Other Events

bystander

Apparel Group awarded winners of The Little Masters Art Competition, at a ceremony held at The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place. City Centre Bahrain.

RIA hosted its first ever garden party in the presence of HE Simon Martin, British Ambassador, and his wife, Sophie.

Berlitz Bahrain held a cooking class in Italian and Spanish languages at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq.

Dr Ambedkar International Mission hosted the 125th Birth Anniverssry celebration of Dr B R Ambedkar at the Elite Grand Hotel.

YK Almoayyed & Sons launched its new state-of-the-art Heavy Equipment Service Centre in Sitra.

McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s held an international kids show at its branch in Arad.

132 May 2016

Gama Hotel Management held an exclusive preview of S Hotel.

The Malaysian Embassy inaugurated the opening of EDUTEX with Malaysian universities participating in the exhibition.

The K Hotel held a Go Green activity at Marina Beach.

Euromotors revealed the new Maserati Levante at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain.

www.bahrainthismonth.com

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4. May 2016 133

tarotscope

TAURUS

Apr 21 – May 20 You are currently involved in one of the most exciting periods of your life to date and you should ensure that you soak up everything because much of it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Those of you travelling may meet someone new who grabs your interest on a romantic level but you need to be cautious and take into account your circumstances before going forward with anything. New surroundings can cloud people’s judgement, so assess whatever happens within the context of your situation. Card of the Month — The Six Of Pentacles For a detailed, personalised Tarotscope reading, contact Raphael by email: raphael@tarotscope.org.uk

GEMINI May 21 – June 20 It’s been a pretty disappointing time for you as far as relationships go but there is finally light at the end of the tunnel; just don’t rush matters this time around. Your sign is a giving and enthusiastic one but sometimes you get carried away and this can be disconcerting for someone who doesn’t know you that well. Resist the urge to run before you can walk and you may have a rewarding experience here that will grow throughout 2016. Card of the Month — The Five Of Pentacles

CANCER June 21 – July 20 A current relationship has reached its course and the new love you were seeking to pursue has been dragging his or her heels to such an extent that you are now feeling most disheartened. However, good things are predicted for you in 2016, especially as a new career you have been waiting on finally kicks off. All you need to have here is a little faith and that will get you through any challenges - current or yet to come. Card of the Month — The Emperor 134 May 2016

LEO July 21 – August 21 The time for being afraid of taking a chance has to be put behind you Leo if you are ever to make any headway in your life and attain the success you crave – both at work and in a relationship. Where career is concerned, you need to learn to speak your mind and the ideal opportunity will present itself to you in the second week of this month, so, don’t run from the chance to make your mark. Miss out and you will have to wait a hell of a long time before you do so again. Card of the Month — The King Of Pentacles

VIRGO August 22 – September 21 You know that there are things in life that you desire and you also know that as a person you are quite capable of getting them. What you don’t seem to accept is that in all ventures, there is bound to be risk and for your more patient sign, risk is not always something you like to toy with. If you gamble – be it on love, career or even travel – then I see you moving in a positive fashion towards your goals. On the health front what you should be watching is your diet ,since not eating well will start to demonstrate itself physically in you by the end of the year. Card of the Month — The Three Of Pentacles

LIBRA September 22 – October 21 For many Librans May is going to be a great time in matters of the heart as a new potential romance waits for you on the horizon. As we all know, where your sign in particular is concerned, when the heart is satisfied then everything seems okay. This is a lesson you will quickly learn after a night out around the 19th sees you introduced to someone who you find yourself almost instantly attracted to. Fortunately, you will later discover that the feeling is mutual. Card of the Month — The Nine Of Cups

SCORPIO October 22 – November 21 It’s been a time of constant upheaval for you and there is no question that you will be feeling drained and in need of some rest and recuperation this month. If you have the chance to get away then take it because you are running on empty and need some time to relax. In fact I’d go as far as to say make the time or you could end up regretting it later. For too long now you have put other people’s interests before your own and now is the time to change that. Card of the Month — The Fool

SAGITTARIUS November 22 – December 21 The world will seem a much better place this month and you will discover things about your inner self that were previously smothered by your concerns. On the relationship front you will find love and romance hitting an all-time high as you get closer and closer to what can only be described as your true soul mate. On the work front, you will pursue a completely different career path and much success will be the reward for the hard work you put in now. Card of the Month — The Four Of Cups www.bahrainthismonth.com

advertisers index CAPRICORN December 22 – January 21 There’s a new challenge for you to deal with but it won’t be quite as bad as it initially seems. Sometimes you can build things up in your head to be a lot worse and this has more to do with your own personal outlook than anything else. Try and look on the bright side a little. It can be quite enlightening you know! On the work front, a job offer should make it to you before the month is out,but don’t leave it for too long to make a decision. Card of the Month — The Two Of Wands

AQUARIUS January 22 – February 20 There are going to be a few inevitable changes in your life over the coming months but you should resist any fears that may rise within you because ultimately the outcome will be favourable. Sometime around the middle of the month there is a suggestion of a change of property so you may find yourself moving in due course. If you do consider a new home just make sure you check things out thoroughly before putting in any offer. Card of the Month — The Queen Of Cups

PISCES February 21 – March 20 May will open for you in an optimistic fashion and the outcome will be one of over confidence that could lead to serious problems before the month is out. A job offer you may have recently accepted will see you accepting a post – that although well paid – could be not only much harder than you had anticipated but also with a company who are much more unstable than you first realised. So, don’t go out on any spending spree before you are settled! Card of the Month — The Page Of Pentacles

ARIES March 21 – April 20 It’s been a series of ups and downs for you lately and nothing has been more draining than your recent legal negotiations. Fortunately these are now over and you can re-focus and get your mind back on what matters in your life again. Financially you could get an offer to develop your career that will in turn provide you with the personal satisfaction you have been seeking as well as putting some monetary reward in your pocket. Card of the Month — The Knight Of Cups

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FAMOUS TAURUS THIS MONTH

Fashion & Footwear Call it Spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 The Children’s Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Financial Institutions Citibank N.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Home & Furnishing Phoenicia Decor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Yusif Bin Yusif Fakhro (Germania) . . . 81

Hotels & Serviced Residences Chic & Unique Hotel Group:The Domain Bahrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39, 107 Movenpick Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Premier Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Ramada Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Ramee Rose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127, 131 Starwood Hotels (Le Meridien) . . . . . 27 The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel . . . 43 The Four Seasons Hotel . . . . . . . . . . IFC

Jewellery & Watches Asia Jewellers (Panerai) . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Asia Jewellers (Van Cleef & Arpels) . 2 Sharif Group (Roberto Cavalli) . . . . . . 13

Medical & Dental Services Al-Mansoori Dental Centre . . . . . . . . 77 Bahrain Specialist Hospital . . . . . . . . 71 Farrell International Co. (German Skin Care Centre) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Motoring Al Haddad Motors (Mercedes) . . . . . . . IBC EK. Kanoo (Motor City:Ssangyong) . . . . . 37 EK. Kanoo (Toyota) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Euro Motors (BMW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC

JAC Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons (Nissan) . . . . . . . 23

Others Al A’Ali Shopping Complex . . . . . . . . . 67 Al Ghalia Co. (Dessange) . . . . . . . . . . 19 Al Hilal Group:Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Animania Bahrain 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Berlitz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Chinamex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Dream Makers . . . . . . . . . . . Front Cover Entertainment Plus (James & The Gian Peach) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Farhat International Tours & Travel . 29 GCC Creativity Conference . . . . . . . . .47 Gravity Indoor Skydiving . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Joz Salon & Spa (Toni&Guy Hairdressing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Juffair Fitness Center . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Lulu Hypermarket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Mega Mart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Mitch Carson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Mohammed Fakhroo & Bros (Philips) . 55, 61 Pegasus Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Primedia International . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Seven Leisure (Coral Bay) . . . . . . . . . 35

Restaurants & Cafés Casa Mexicana Restaurant . . . . . . . 113 Maki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Monkey Cookies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Petalo Cafe Boutique . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 The Lanterns Restaurant & Lounge 111 Upstairs Downstairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

BTM retail sales outlets BAHRAIN THIS MONTH, your guide to a great way of life, is available at the following selected outlets:

● 24 Hours Market, all outlets ● Al Hilal Bookshops, all outlets ● Al Jazira Supermarket, all outlets ● Alosra Supermarket, Saar ● Bab al Bahrain Souvenir Shop ● BooksPlus, all outlets ● Burhama Cold Store ● Classic Shop, Bab Al Bahrain ● Elite Supermarket, Hoora ● Supermarket, Awali ● Jawad Supermarket, all outlets ● Jim’s Restaurant ● Mega Mart, all outlets

● Miami Cold Store, Adliya ● Midway Supermarket, all outlets ● Park Supermarket, Mahooz ● Other leading Cold Stores and

News Stands

All Gulf Daily News home subscribers receive a complimentary copy of BTM. You can also subscribe directly by visiting www.bahrainthismonth.com For subscription enquiries and back issues of BTM, call 17 813-777.

Photos Copies of most pictures depicted in this publication (and some which aren’t) are available from National Photo Services, Gudaibiya 17 742-955. May 2016 135

lastword `JK Rowling

Old Man’s Rant GEG HOPKINS A couple of worrying earthquakes, a Fly Dubai plane crash and the Oscars. It was a boring month for the Marxist media after the preceding months of plenty when Paris and Belgium were under attack and it’s everyone else’s fault. Headline news; ‘U2 Cancels Paris Concert’. Thankful for small mercies in such heinous times, ‘Paris Had Suffered Enough’ without that prat Bono adding his little red book 136 May 2016

philosophy. Bored out of their pseudo bolshie Trotsky wits, Chris Rock almost lit the media up for the most innocuous and inane of remarks but rumour is he’s black and underprivileged and one of their luvvie boys anyway, so tread carefully. Other than that, we are led to believe that no one in Europe, UK or USA, made not even one racist remark, nor did we hear of a migrant being shot, so it was very quiet all round and utopia reigns. What mosques burning in Sweden are you talking about or the massive brawls between Syrians

and Afghanis breaking out everywhere? How dare you suggest that our fair and balanced media are selective and manipulative with what they report? Then the ‘Panama Papers’ upheaval. Someone you know or you know someone that knows someone who has an offshore stash and so what! This palaver is nothing more than a rather pathetic grab at any little thing to create division and champion this sea of so-called underprivileged. It is the hypocrisy of the polarised Left condemning dosh stashed abroad which they feel they should have, having done nothing for it. Who wouldn’t invest tax free if they could? It’s a bit like asking a native if they have ever been car jacked at gun point in South Africa. Maybe not, but they will know someone who knows someone who knows someone who has been. Those that have avoided tax will probably list a couple of million reasons why they did it anyway. One strong motive might be that If you have a few bob to spare, why should you be forced to plough it back into a heavily laden immigrant society or warped socialist ideology which constantly hands out unending payments to the mind-set who believe they are entitled to it just because you have money and they don’t! Dole hacks and breeders whose numbers increase by the coefficient of the number of men in the neighbourhood every nine months. It is a dilemma, because the same politicians and party members think in parallel, having absolutely no compunction about spending ‘someone else’s’ money in order to court those masses purely to feed their ego and the subsequent vote and membership to the ‘Leg Over Club’. Eventually this growing blob will even overpower the offshore banks as the coefficient becomes so large that times ‘X’ equals an ever increasing minus figure. Who the hell cares about what’s innocently in Panama? Get to the source of the funds if laundering;

do something constructive and beneficial to law and order, not hit dudes who are just looking for a nifty savings account which the bloated socialists demand ‘give me – me – me’. Yes, it is all very selective! One must ask the question; if luvvie J K Rowling had parked a few of her billions in an offshore tax haven of which she might well have, would the public chastise her? Of course not since she is worshipped by millions of ‘strange’ people who derive phenomenal pleasure from incomprehensible fairy tales. Among this odd bunch there is an army of seat sniffers competing to furnish her (pun) with even more millions just to buy the chair she apparently sat on while writing the Harry Potter series. Why else? Would the same number of enthusiasts buy David Cameron’s office chair? No! But exactly what is the difference? What a score Cameron was for Corbyn, known to those close as Richard Head. ‘Gottcha’! Not really, but his victim speaks with an undetectable English dialect delivered grammatically perfect, so he must be bad. Sure, the Oxbridge lot deserve all they get when they lodge together like Illuminati gravity, but sometimes they are obliviously innocent. Besides, who actually likes David Cameron? The likes of the Huffington Post or New York Times would protect Obama and his endearing treacle oozing weaknesses even if he was a Mafia hit man laundering zillions. It seems to be only Britain’s ridiculously bitter crony filled pseudo intellectual media who loathe anything entrepreneurial and realistic. To read Geg’s full rant, scan the code.

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Leader. Ship. The new GLS. Make the best of every ground.

Al Haddad Motors, Kingdom of Bahrain, Tel: (+973) 17785454 marketing@alhaddad-mercedesbenz.com, www.bahrain.mercedesbenzme.com