After settling down with a book and coffee while waiting for my first flight to Dubai, I started reading about the history of this UAE state. From the pages of my guidebook, I came to learn that 1799 marks the date of the town’s first record. Further on, it mentioned that its museum was established …

Ever stumbled upon a website that excited or intrigued you? Below are some of my favorites, proving that there’s more to be experienced on the internet than Facebook and Wikipedia. 1) At www.43things.com asks “What do you want to do with your life? and lets you answer, 43 times. Each item on the list begins …

Had scholars sooner heard of the modern-day Atlantis, a 45-hecter resort on a man-made palm-shaped island, Plato’s theory of the sunken city that was dismissed as a myth would have been welcomed with open arms. Planning a trip to Dubai and planning a stay in its ‘underwater resort’ require two separate itineraries, each with its …

The Obamas first official appearance as first family-elect will be long remembered for many weighty historic reasons, but it could also signal another new beginning: An entirely different fashion sense in the White House. The Obama family took the stage in Chicago Tuesday night in color-coordinated outfits, all with touches of red or black. For …

Jewelry in Egypt has never been as true to its own cultural identity as it is today. Armenian and Italian jewelers once left a legacy of fine European taste and sensibility, causing a shift in the public’s focus away from local jewelry crafts deemed too simple or balady, a word which once referred to locals …

Very few people are aware that bridge is a sport; a sport with a coach, long training hours, seasonal competitions, and an established federation. Citing archaic notions of exclusivity, some blame it for being a gentleman’s sport and only for the aristocrats; others blame it on the absence of media coverage. Nevertheless, the emergence of …

It seems that Cairo wasn’t made for young toddlers, nor has any consideration for them at the moment, save for Playtime. Nestled in Degla, Maadi is a new project by three dynamic founding partners, catering to Cairene mothers who find it difficult to amuse their children in a productive and healthy manner. Playtime is the …

My feelings of love fill me with excitement and heal me from pain. I m open for intuitions, said an 11-year-old participant Thursday, during the opening of the second International Mind, Body and Spirit Festival of Sound, Light and Color. Organized by Suzanne Michell-Eagan, founder of Spirit of the Middle East, the festival theme revolves …

Stress disorders, phobias, depression and other psychological and physical disorders are sure to curb one’s lifestyle. And living in the bustling city of Cairo, it is safe to assume that you are subject to suffering one (or more) of the aforementioned ailments. A lifestyle makeover is in order and Amr El-Dessouky, an expert in Human …

Aqua Restaurant in the Four Seasons at Nile Plaza in Cairo is going French under the direction of Executive Chef Christophe Gillino. Unagi sea eel and foie gras with glazed soy and sweet gingered peach salsa, rich seafood bisquebouille with star anis, braised vegetables and ginger aïoli followed by a wild blueberry crème brûlée are …

Parents enrolling their children in schools nowadays will likely be told that the school follows the Montessori system. But do parents really understand what this system is and whether it’s better than the regular system? “Children are born with the same kind of rhythm in their body. (From birth onwards) they begin to create themselves, …

How can a food chain succeed without ever opening a restaurant where people can dine? That’s the challenge a group of young Egyptian entrepreneurs took on when they founded Sage Food, one of the first virtual food chains in the world serving only through delivery. Khalid Ragab, co-founder of Sage Foods, said the company’s goal …

CAIRO: With a marketing strategy that is “all about making a noise, Splash, the latest fashion chain invading the Egyptian market, managed to attract dozens of excited shoppers, media figures and Lebanese sensation Nicole Saba to its opening on Oct. 29. So far everything about Splash has been unique, starting with their choice of opening …

WASHINGTON: Time to update that old saying cold hands, warm heart. New research shows touching something warm can make you feel and act more warmly toward others. Whether someone is deemed to have a warm or cold personality makes a powerful first impression. That led Yale University scientists to wonder if physical warmth could promote …

Nintendo s Wii Music invites players to pick up their wireless remotes and strum, toot, bang and drum their way through improvisational jam sessions using more than 60 virtual instruments on which there can be no wrong notes, no mistakes. But soon after strolling into this supposed happy, feel-good musical world of personal interpretation, my …

Peanut Butter Crunch Apples Ingredients . 6 Granny Smith apples . 6 wooden sticks . 1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels . 2 tablespoons water . 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract . 3 cups chopped peanut-butter-filled sandwich cookies . 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped . 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped 1. Insert wooden sticks 3/4 …

Young jewelry designer May Heggy had always loved working with beads, but unlike many of her colleagues and competitors, she discards the “ever since I was a little girl I ve had this talent mantra. Heggy had decided early on that she’ll study jewelry design first before venturing into the business. “You can’t pursue a …

From ancient Egyptian ceremonial incense to pungent Mesopotamian ointments and lotions dating back to medieval France, a newly re-opened French museum traces perfume s lesser-known past. “The history of perfume is not only that of the industry linked to fashion or luxury, in which France has become the main player, said the curator of the …

As every westerner knows, one of the joys in coming to Egypt is the bartering. You know that the “genuine statue from the time of Ramses III that the shop owner is selling you was in fact made last month in a nearby shop. Plus the story that said statue has been handed down through …

Being a lover of sushi, I couldn’t turn down an invitation to the stupendous Fairmont Towers Hotel’s Fuze Bar, where a sushi bar is set up every Monday and Friday. As I entered the hotel and followed the directions to Fuze, I was stunned by the hotel’s architectural design. In addition to the comfortable lounges …

People who gobble down their food and eat until they feel full are three times more likely to get fat compared with people who eat slowly and modestly. So say Japanese researchers in a study that suggests shifting patterns of behavior, driven by the advent of fast food and cheap food, are widely to blame …

It’s safe to say that we’ve all had at least one horrible haircut, dye job, perm or all of the above during our lifetimes. Since I moved to Cairo, however, despite the availability of high quality salons and the above average know-how of local hairdressers, beauty salon disasters have occurred with disturbing frequency. I will …

The brainchild of Wadi Environmental Science Centre (WESC) and the Egyptian Desert Pioneers Society (EDPS) the “Characters of Egypt festival (Oct. 29-31) is a three-day extravaganza celebrating the cultural heritage of tribes from seven desert areas of Egypt: Siwa and Farafra from the Western Desert, North and South Sinai, Nubia, and the Eastern and Southern …

GENEVA: The simple act of washing hands could save thousands of children s lives every day, mostly in Asia and Africa, the United Nations said on Tuesday, the eve of the first Global Hand-Washing Day. An estimated 5,000 children die daily from diarrhea, but half of those deaths could be prevented if they washed their …

A quite haven on the second floor of the JW Marriot, Mandera Spa welcomes visitors ready to be pampered. From my hotel room I searched through the spa booklet for the perfect relaxing treatment. The variety was great and ranged from three-day sessions of massages, baths, facials and cuisines to simple one hour treatments. I …

WASHINGTON: Drink a milkshake and the pleasure center in your brain gets a hit of happy – unless you re overweight. It sounds counterintuitive. But scientists who watched young women savor milkshakes inside a brain scanner concluded that when the brain doesn t sense enough gratification from food, people may overeat to compensate. The small …

Whether you are looking for a new hobby or shopping for the perfect gift for a loved one, Handmade is the place for you. In addition to its unique merchandise, the shop caters to the artistic amongst us with by offering a range of tools and materials and classes. Basically, the boutique caters to all …

1- “Whose School? Children will read a book about schools, and every child will draw a picture of the best thing they like in their schools.Friday Oct. 24Time: 5-7 pm 2- “We plant a seed Children will read a book that gives them knowledge about different kinds of seeds and plants. Each child will then …

Japan s Sharp Corp. on Wednesday launched what it billed as the world s first liquid crystal display television with a built-in next-generation Blu-ray DVD recorder. The latest in Sharp s Aquos line of televisions will hit the market in late November with prices between 170,000 and 500,000 yen ($1,680 and $4,950). At a time …

WASHINGTON: Like Christmas season, the Halloween season seems to get longer every year. My local grocery store starts selling Halloween candy the day after Labor Day, and costumes have been on display at the mall for more than a month now. And if you work on Wall Street, you ve experienced more terror in the …