CAIRO: Many found it pointless to celebrate Valentine’s Day, although Egypt – and other neighboring countries – is increasingly adopting this tradition year after year. “I only got to remember it when a friend of mine sent me a text message wishing me a happy Valentine’s Day, but I am surprised at the momentum it’s …

“Buying a car is emotional, said Chief Executive Officer of Chrysler Edward L. Cummins. This is the X-factor at play when people decide on which car to buy, which helps Chrysler set its marketing plan. In my case I didn’t have to buy the new KK Jeep Cherokee to get emotional about it; test driving …

Despite the popularity of Lebanese cuisine in Egypt, very few high-end good quality outlets are available. Enter the Four Seasons Hotel at the First Residence, which redefines the standards of Lebanese food at its new trendy restaurant Aura. Although the name Aura doesn’t immediately conjure up Middle Eastern images, the name perfectly matches the venue. …

The ancient walls of the royal home and fortress of Windsor Castle, where Queen Elizabeth was probably sipping a cup of English breakfast tea that very moment, were within eyeshot as we pulled over at the entrance of T5. As I looked at the gargantuan glass building on the left, I was struck by the …

You ve heard of fair trade coffee and ethical tea. Now, if cotton activists at London Fashion Week have their way, the time has come for organic underwear.Cotton, the fiber in many a couch, curtain and cardigan, is under fire this week for its industry s alleged connection to pesticide poisoning, child labor, environmental depletion …

Maktoob Research revealed that love is undeniably in the air, with 72 percent of the its survey’s respondents saying they consider themselves romantic, while 48 percent believe that Valentine’s Day has become too commercial For expressions of love, the best route to the heart of Middle Eastern residents is through flowers and gifts. Maktoob Research’s …

Acorn syrup, root broth or wild bird s eggs? At the outer limit of organic cooking, some of the world s most innovative chefs currently are into a primitive back-to-nature cuisine whipped up with quintessentially natural produce. The most radical proponents of the back-to-nature trend were a highlight of this week s annual Omnivore Food …

What can be better at the end of a long week then being reminded of the physical effects of Cairo’s soup-like pollution, and then being told that however gorgeous your external appearance is, your body may in fact be an enormous bundle of fat? This was the bleak message delivered to a group of journalists …

SAN FRANCISCO: California-based video game publisher Mastiff said Wednesday it has a deal with organizers of the famed Coney Island hot dog eating contest to cook-up a video game for gluttons. Mastiff bought a license from Major League Eating (MLE) and expects to market a virtual eating competition title in time for the organization s …

If you re sad and shopping, watch your wallet; a new study shows people s spending judgment goes out the window when they re down, especially if they re a bit self-absorbed. Study participants who watched a sadness-inducing video clip offered to pay nearly four times as much money to buy a water bottle than …

Walking down a narrow, winding, stone cobbled pathway, past some graffiti on a rolling steel door, my dinner partner and I found ourselves a cozy table for two on the sidewalk right across from a shiny red fire hydrant. We took our seat at the wooden bistro set underneath a wrought iron balcony with colorful …

What is heaven? What does it look like? What do you do there? In a monthly series of articles, the Daily News Egypt asks Egyptians from all walks of life what they expect of where they hope to spend eternity. Basma, 22, a recent graduate of English Literature, believes that everything she has ever wanted …

Check out Spring 2008 Baby Dior collection. Dress your children in a wardrobe of mouth-watering palette of colors, delectable textures, and volumes. John Galliano’s spirit is everywhere in this exclusive Baby Dior collection freely inspired by grown-up fashion wear enhanced with golden stoles and shimmering jewel details. The leopard print is revisited in pink for …

Many may argue that Valentine’s Day is too cliché and commercial, but don’t let them get you down. The day is a great excuse to celebrate love, and it’s up to you to get creative and put together something exciting and unique. Here are some ideas. Dressing up, staying in. Have you ever tried to …

Hana Elawadi didn’t plan on being a jewelry designer; she studied International Business. This whole enterprise was somewhat of an accident, albeit a very happy one. Elawadi used to take apart cheap jewelry so that she could tie and glue it back together in a way she found more pleasing to wear herself. She never …

Everyone enjoys a big screen when watching a movie, but in Egypt going to the cinema can sometimes be a bit chaotic – a baby cries in the background, one mobile keeps ringing, red laser dots on the screen and sometimes even loud commentary from a group of teenagers sitting behind you. Not to mention …

CAIRO: To further support Egypt’s growing small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) market, IBM recently launched new industry solutions for retail, manufacturing, banking, and enterprise planning specifically tailor-made to meet SMEs needs. “The SMEs market is [now] the most important market not only in Egypt but also across the region and worldwide. SMEs have specific needs that are …

Scientists in New Zealand and Japan have created a “tear-free onion using biotechnology to switch off the gene behind the enzyme that makes us cry, one of the leading researchers said Friday. The discovery could signal an end to one of cooking’s eternal puzzles: Why does cutting up a simple onion sting the eyes and …

ASpanish musical based on the diary of Anne Frank has split those charged with protecting the legacy of this young Holocaust victim, including her last living relative who is furious the story has been set to song. He and other critics say a format meant to entertain is unacceptable and will stray from the brutal …

On Tuesday, Japan launched a campaign to certify authentic Japanese food overseas, but insisted it was only promoting its cuisine rather than setting up a “sushi police. Promoters unveiled a logo that will identify “real Japanese restaurants overseas – a pair of chopsticks holding a cherry petal set in front of a red rising-sun flag. …

From Jan. 24 until 28, Al-Ahram Publishing Organization hosted its annual automotive exhibition at the Cairo International Conference Hall, showcasing a wide variety of international automobile names, along with a look at the latest new models, displayed for the first time in Egypt. Large crowds of visitors flocked to the exhibition as soon as it …

Imagine owning a car that you had designed yourself, without having to go through the trouble of actually making the thing. Consider choosing not just the color, but also the trim, interior fittings and little luxuries such as sound systems and navigational gadgets. The result might well be a vehicle in which you feel not …

In his new role as UN messenger of peace, George Clooney was playing himself.That was the easy part for the 46-year-old actor in a high-profile visit Thursday to the United Nations. The hard part was being unable to deliver his message at first.The affable and self-deprecating Clooney joked and shook hands, agreeing to have his …

At a time when most big cities are almost colonized with a Starbucks on every street corner, Egyptian coffee shops continue to try fending off competition from international coffee chains. The Costas and the Cilantros are a mere sprinkling in the coffee culture in Egypt compared to overwhelming mass of independent cafés. Which is why …

And Company is an island of tranquility on the once-tranquil island of Zamalek. Following the trend of lifestyle stores, the multi-story shop offers high-quality home furnishings and décor for the meticulous shopper. The store is clearly offering an aura more than any one particular item. Upon walking in, the customer is greeted to low-key music …

A 20-minute drive outside Cairo at Seasons Resort and Country Club (Kilometer 18 of the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road) is a gem of a restaurant, where you can finally get some decent fondue. The laidback club is built on eight acres of extended greenery, surprisingly with a view of the Giza Pyramids. During the day in …

In the mid of what used to be a barren dessert; Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, has been turned in the last 15 years into a green paradise and one of the best detestations in the world for golf lovers. In recent weeks, the city hosted its third annual Golf championship …