If you own a Bedouin guesthouse (as we do), then you are faced with the need to update and improve it. Our kitchen needs upgrading so I chat with Saleh my Bedouin guesthouse manager about what to do. I say we need a new design, a check-list of what we need, a plan of action …

Divorce. Bullies. Foster care. There are books for children on just about every tough subject these days. But mommy s plastic surgery?A Florida plastic surgeon has written about just that in “My Beautiful Mommy, a picture book due out April 28 that tries to calm the fears of kids with parents getting tummy tucks, breast …

Several mid-size cars have made strides in protecting motorists in side crashes through standard air bags and improved designs, the insurance industry reports.Crash test results released Thursday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave top scores in front-end and side-impact crashes to the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura, Dodge Avenger, Nissan Altima, Infiniti G35 …

In the wave of international hotel chains opening across Egypt, Located on the Soma Bay Peninsula Kempinski Hotel is the first of the acclaimed chain slated to open this summer. The hotel features impressive landscaping including waterfalls, lagoons and pools that cover seven hectares of the 17.6-hectare site. The property also has its own 400m …

MTI Automotive, Egypt s sole importer of Jaguar, announced it will debut Jaguar s newest sports saloon, the Jaguar XF. The all-new Jaguar XF, which will be placed in the luxury mid-size segment, is set to arrive in Egyptian showrooms by early May. Egyptian motorists will now get to experience the car that has already …

“One of my favorite wedding invitations was a wall calendar with the date of the wedding highlighted and a big arrow pointing to the day saying ‘Don’t Miss It’, says Sara Ali, an advertising account executive who’s been invited to her fair share of weddings. A few years ago I remember receiving a big colorful …

For the fourth year running, Global Consultants put together yet another impressive fair packed with every tiny detail one might need to get married. On the opening night alone more then 3,000 guests attended the event, and the organizers expect between 10,000-15,000 guests this year. The three-day event opened its doors on Wednesday evening at …

So you’ve met “the one , you’re madly in love and decided to be together forever. He proposes, you accept and before they both know it, the date for the big day is already set. This is the Eureka moment when the couple suddenly find themselves back in the real world faced with a bundle …

Blogging is a phenomenon that has given people around the world a space to speak their mind freely, on a variety of issues. The newest site on the local blogging scene is one that is purely a social utility for Egypt’s young high society. Hate it or love it, sheer curiosity drives a lot of …

Our guide led our party to a table shaded by a canopy of thick foliage of the tropical rainforest. Sounds of the parrots chirping and the chest-pounding gorillas calling out to their mates intermingled with the island music. Thunder crashed and flashes of lightening peeked through the foliage. An Anaconda hissed in the bushes nearby. …

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts have signed a management agreement for a five-star holiday resort in Ain El Sokhna with the owning company Galalah Company for Touristic Investments SAE. The official opening date is scheduled for June 2008. The Mövenpick Resort El Sokhna is to be an integral part of the 62 acre El Ein Resort …

H & M, Hennes & Mauritz, the international fashion retailer, will soon be available to eager fashionistas in Cairo. The store will open on June 5 in the new extension of CityStars mall. The expansion of the trendy high street brand into the Egyptian market is a result of H&M’s partnership with M.H. Alshaya, one …

Barbara Tigresse never thought that a three-week trip to Cairo would change her life as much as it did. Almost a year and a half after her first visit to Egypt, the Switzerland native packed up all of her belongings in the German-French speaking part of the country and moved to the city of a …

Colored nails made a comeback last winter and they were mostly dark, complementing the winter’s gloomy shades of grey and black. But spring is here, and it’s time for a brighter, fresher look. To kick away those winter blues and put a spring in your step for the upcoming season, The N Bar hand and …

India offers a range of culinary delights which are as varied as the land itself. In a bid to familiarize members of the cultural center, as well as non-members, with Indian cuisine, the Maulana Azad Center for Indian Culture at the Indian embassy will host eight Indian cooking classes covering different delicacies. The sessions will …

Most of us are forever in search of excellence and quality when we enter a commercial space, and of something to pull at our heartstrings and say “take me home or “come back to visit me. Such is Oum El Dounia: a cajole, a rhapsody, a subtle cascade of genius. One can write volumes about …

Know how a whiff of certain odors can take you back in time, either to a great memory or bad one? It turns out emotion plays an even bigger role with the nose, and that your sense of smell actually can sharpen when something bad happens. Northwestern University researchers proved the surprising connection by giving …

Sick of the same ol’ recipes? A unique new approach to traditional Arabic dishes is one of Fatafeet s newly produced shows Gedid Fi Gedid. Fatafeet is the first 24-hour TV Channel in the Middle East set up in cooperation with Food Network-USA to cater to audiences with a sincere passion for food. Egyptian-Canadian Chef …

Entering Eudreiana, the new florists tucked away on Zamalek side street Ahmed Sabry, is a cure for stress relief. A mere glance at the array of lilies, mums and roses lined on the white washed walls in fresh bunches sends your grime streaked cares asunder, and the torturous Al-Gala mini-bus port, where you were standing …

To many of us, the desert is synonymous with barrenness, heat and discomfort. While it does not offer the same comforts as your air-conditioned living room, the desert can be quite fun. Driving in Cairo is stressful, to say the least, and no doubt we have all longed to drive in an open highway, with …

Over 20 years ago, after aving spent weeks searching for an apartment in Maadi, we were delighted when we found one, not only with lifts but with a large patio and a view. Looking west across the Nile, which was itself invisible, we could see the Giza Pyramids, at least the two largest, and with …

Falafel, according to the Wikipedia definition, “is a fried ball or patty made from spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas. It is a popular form of fast food in the Middle East, where it is also served as a mezza (snack or tapas). Falafel is also the name of a restaurant at the Ramses Hilton, which, …

Summer’s almost here, bringing with it that scorching midday sun. It’s becoming almost painful to do anything or go anywhere in the heat, but still we are tied to our 9 to 5 schedules, it’s almost impossible to move around the city – or should I say pressure cooker?Taxis are a practical mode of transportation; …

Do not go where the path may lead you, go instead where there is no path and make a trail, reads a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson on the homepage of InVision Tours, which sums up their ideology beautifully. InVision Tours is not your typical travel agency. The company offers ecotourism and adventure tourism for …

Creating a perfect town, filled with luxury hotels and residences, unique architecture and top of the range services and leisure facilities that are able to withstand the test of time and maintain perfect standards – this once sounded like a distant dream. However, Orascom Hotels and Development (OHD) has made this fantasy a reality, creating …

P. G. Woodhouse, a master of English sarcasm and wit once said, “Golf is like measles, it should be caught early. This is the challenge behind breeding great Egyptian golfers and ensuring a strong future for the sport in the country. The truth is that Egyptian players are not the bread and butter of golf …

“We have to be the change that we want to make in this crowded city, says Cairo-native and avid cyclist Ismail Marmoush. The kind of individuals that like to make things happen by being proactive and motivated, Marmoush along with Ahmed Hamzawy and Chitra Kaylani are the co-founders of Cairo Cycler’s Club, a Cairo-based cycling …

As everyone knows the desert is hot. Very hot. So hot in fact you can sleep in your new pajamas under the stars and dream warm dreams of riding camels and lush oases. This is true if you go during the summer. Go during the winter and you will sleep, and then carry on sleeping …

As Easter holidays are approaching fast – Western Easter is this weekend, while the Eastern Easter is just a month away – plans are underway to ensure guests have a memorable stay at the Four Seasons Alexandria, with a number of activities in store for both adults and children. Kala – the ocean-view Mediterranean restaurant …