PARIS: Italian designer Valentino, who will retire this week after 45 years in business, has been called everything from the Sheik of Chic to King of the Red Carpet. A perfectionist with an unparalleled sense of fit and fabric, he has dressed royalty, first ladies and movie stars in his signature scarlet dresses and tasteful …

To celebrate the Chinese Year, Spice restaurant at Four Seasons Nile Plaza is preparing special New Year decorations and a mouth-watering eight-course menu for the festivities on Feb. 6. The Chinese New Year is traditionally celebrated with family gatherings and is a time of reunion and thanksgiving – the underlying message is peace and happiness. …

This place was supposed to be tranquil. All the brochures will tell you that Sharm El-Sheikh is all about chilling on the beach, sipping cool drinks and watching the sun go down over the mountains. And yet, here we are, us recent converts to motorsports, gripping the rail of the viewing platform as we cheer …

The Bedouin really enjoy playing with their fires. When bored during a rest break on a hike, they will gather a few twigs and dry bushes and happily burn them. The twigs are carefully laid out, the larger ones on top of the smaller ones, lighters are brought to bear and soon a plume of …

A new season-long tournament organized by Golf in Egypt – and sponsored by Vodafone – is a sign of the sport’s maturity in the country. Golfers in all the clubs will have a chance to play in more than 20 tournaments, all part of the Vodafone Golf Series, culminating in the Vodafone Golf Cup tournament …

Once you’ve bagged your duck, you’ll need a great recipe to cook your catch. Before we get started though there are a few myths about ducks we need to dispel. First of all ducks are not that fatty. The layer of fat insulating a duck dissolves in the cooking process. Pouring hot water to dissolve …

In a country that used to scoff at the idea of eating raw fish, the number of sushi addicts is growing faster than the number of outlets that can satisfy their cravings. Over the past year, Mori Sushi has become a favorite, and last week celebrated the opening of their Heliopolis branch on El Oruba …

Pantene, a leading worldwide brand for hair products, recently announced renowned Egyptian actress Mona Zaki as their new brand ambassador in the Middle East. During a press conference at the Four Seasons Nile Plaza Hotel, Mohamed Samir, vice president and general manager of Procter & Gamble, said Pantene’s mission is to make women shine in …

Fashion is on the move. While 2008 has just begun, the menswear preview collections currently showing on the Milan runway are all about how a guy should dress for the fall-winter 2008-2009.”Everybody is doing everything fast, Tomas Maier, creative director at Bottega Veneta, told The Associated Press after his much applauded show Sunday. “But it …

Scientists have discovered genetic information that helps explain how monarch butterflies find their way from Canada to winter nesting grounds in the mountains of Mexico.The study, published online Tuesday in the PLoS Biology Journal and the Public Library of Science, found that the butterflies biological clocks help them use the sun as a compass.Dr. Steven …

To get an extra 14 years of life, don t smoke, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and drink alcohol in moderation. That is according to a study published Monday in the Public Library of Science Medicine journal. After tracking more than 20,000 people aged 45 to 79 years in the United Kingdom …

Wedding season is quickly approaching and while planning a wedding can be a daunting task, it doesn’t need to be. Good organization and some research makes everything easier – even enjoyable. Since most girls start dreaming of their wedding dress from KG, we thought this would be the right place to start the planning process. …

Tucked away in a narrow street off Zamalek’s 26th of July Street, Barista café is not easy to find, but its deliciously invigorating coffee makes it well worth the search. Once inside the café, and past the obvious parking hassle, Barista doesn’t seem like much at first with only a couple of high chairs squeezed …

Would you like some Krispy Kream donuts for breakfast even though they are not available in the country you live in? Do you need to fly your elephant from India to New York? Did you ever dream of strutting down the red carpet at the Oscars? These requests may have once seemed inaccessible, but anything …

What is heaven? What does it look like? What do you do there? In a monthly series of articles, Daily News Egypt asks Egyptians from all walks of life what they expect of where they hope to spend eternity. Ashraf, a middle-aged bawwab (porter) who lives in the hallway of a large colonial-style building off …

Motorola recently unveiled the new RAZR2 V8 Luxury Edition at a fashion show held in Dubai’s Burj Al Arab Hotel. The new RAZR2 Luxury Edition fits perfectly with the latest haute couture and is sure to entice the in vogue consumer. The signature RAZR2 form factor has been redesigned with the most luxurious materials: bathed …

Tucked away in suburbia, is a gem of a restaurant: Saffron. Part of the club house at El Gezira compound, the restaurant sports an outdoor terrace overlooking the pool, plus a cozy restaurant and bar. It’s fast becoming a hub for Friday family lunches that are drawn to Sixth of October city by the relaxed …

For the third consecutive year, El Gouna resort was abuzz with anticipation of New Year’s Eve. Revelers began the celebration a few days prior to the big night and the party lingered on for a couple of days. Party guru Ahmed El Ganzoury (a.k.a Ganz, and now labeling his events as ByGanz) was throwing his …

The “Virtual Concierge is one of the many unique services the Cairo Marriott offers its guests. The “Marriott’s at your service program focuses on the total guest experience from reservation to check-out. As management knows, the hotel experience begins before the guest arrives and it is comforting to know that someone is thinking of their …

Too busy to take shirts to the cleaners or shop for Christmas presents, high-flying Americans have spawned an industry to absolve themselves of everyday chores. Enter the lifestyle manager. In (Washington) DC people are extremely busy and they have no time for anything, so there was an obvious need for a service like this, said …

Is Western media persuading young girls everywhere to be reckless? Has the fight for female empowerment swung wildly into a lost territory of irresponsibility and extreme behavior as the world waits for the next ridiculous media frenzy surrounding Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan? In her highly-acclaimed book, “Prude: How the Sex Obsessed Culture Damages Girls …

once upon a time, Coco Chanel said that fashion comes and goes, but style lasts forever. The motto is more relevant than ever today. Fashion, like the modern world we live in, has become a little bit of everything. What makes a trend fashionable is the way you put it together plus the elusive X …

The development of Egypt’s coastal holiday destinations continued apace in 2007, making the country’s most pristine locations ever more accessible to larger numbers of tourists, both Egyptian and foreign.Right across the North Coast and all along the mainland Red Sea Coast, new hotels, villas and resorts sprung up at a phenomenal rate while existing destinations …

A city can never have too many eating-out options, and the flurry of restaurant openings in Cairo in 2007 was welcomed by one and all. From Latin flair to Indian fare, here are five of the last year’s most notable additions to Cairo’s dining scene. El-Mojito, Downtown: This rooftop bar/restaurant on the Nile Hilton offers …

The Egyptian art scene is going strong, with Cairo carving a niche for itself on the global art map. Local artists are busily creating, and international ones are making time to drop by for an exhibit. The amount of successful art work in 2007 is abundant, but what defines this year is the creative navigations …

Frankly, being a young Bedouin (especially if you are male) is a tiresome business. Before you are six months old you must endure several rituals, most of which – come to think of it – all of which are extremely discomforting and probably illegal in most countries. While the mountains and deserts of southern Sinai …

As the holidays draw near, everyone is looking forward to ringing in the New Year in style. This year, Grand Hyatt Cairo is bringing the famous French band Charley’s Angels to celebrate the end of the year with a bang. For a relaxing evening, head to the main lobby s Bar & Delice where you …

Tarragon, paprika, basil, garlic. These are just a few of the spices that were being tossed into the mouthwatering platters by participants of Amr Helmy Designs’ Cooking Competition in Maadi. Lovers of fine food made their way through the different kitchen displays to get a taste of the action as four teams battled it out …

1. Coming in at number one is the IPod touch. You can choose between 8 GB and 16 GB ($269 and $360, respectively). Featuring a sleek 3.5 inches touch screen with Wi-Fi web browsing, you can spend your time watching movies online while you sit in traffic. 2. A year after its release, the Wii …