Gap has been making a killing selling chambray shirts, wrote one New York fashion blogger. The new shirts that have been spotted in New York, Milan and Paris on men, women, children and even celebrity Mary-Kate Olsen. It’s true; Gap’s various chambray shirts are the hottest transition item for summer, especially as we start moving …

The anti-immigration mayor of a northern Italian city has barred Muslim women from wearing the controversial body-concealing swimsuit known as a burqini, a report said Wednesday. Women wearing the garment made up of a veil, a tunic and loose leggings face a fine of ?500 ($700) if spotted at swimming pools or riversides in the …

You ve posed for a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower, checked out the Mona Lisa at the Louvre and walked to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. If you think you ve done it all in Paris, don t worry, there are plenty of off-the-beaten-path adventures for your return. Away from landmarks, …

Living in Heliopolis is considered to be, by my friends, some sort of punishment for a previous life of sin. Far from downtown, far from my office, and far from them all, I struggle to find outings and good dining venues on my side of town. But no more, I think I’ve found something close …

Media group Future announced Thursday it has teamed up with videogame publisher Blizzard Entertainment to launch an official magazine about the hugely popular videogame World of Warcraft. Future said the subscription-only World of Warcraft: The Magazine will be a quarterly publication and will launch simultaneously this weekend in English, French, German and Spanish. Future, in …

As my first Ramadan fasting approaches, one thing has been heavy on my mind. It’s not how to survive the long days without food or drink, but no, it’s from the answer I receive when I asked everyone what to expect from the challenge with the unanimous reply: I should expect to gain weight. I …

As green concerns permeate the economy, one of the world s top trend-setting boutiques is offering environmentally-friendly rubbish bags alongside designer sneakers and cutting-edge club wear. Designed by Japan s Kenjiro Sano, the non-polluting 45-liter bags are on sale at 10 for ?8 ($11) at Colette s, one of the world s first and most …

Scientists have discovered a gene that helps a mother and daughter stay alert on about six hours sleep a night, two hours less than the rest of their family needs. It s believed to be a very rare mutation, not an excuse for the rest of us who stay up too late. But the finding, …

It’s edgy. Rough. Exciting. And it’ll make for a hell of a vacation. Make a leap down the Arabian Peninsula and visit Sanaa, Yemen for a weekend. Bet you it’ll change your perspective. The flight into the country is worth the price. A gentle Saudi coastline gives way to the jagged mountains of west Yemen. …

The official Champs Elysees website this summer is offering virtual travelers what it says is a technologically groundbreaking walk along one of the world s most celebrated avenues. Though not quite the real thing, the as-if-you-were-there trek along the almost two-kilometer (one mile) long boulevard allows visitors to ChampsElysees.org to wander from one end to …

Do you use your kids names? Your pet s? Your favorite color? We all use some dumb passwords that are too easy to guess. Worse, we use the same ones for lots of websites. So if one site gets compromised, or an employee there is dishonest, someone could start trying out that password on other …

Heart attack survivors who eat chocolate two or more times per week cut their risk of dying from heart disease about threefold compared to those who never touch the stuff, scientists have reported. Smaller quantities confer less protection, but are still better than none, according to the study, which appears in the September issue of …

French chef Philippe Faur believes his delicacies are more than just desserts. He dares to make savory ice cream. His caviar, foie gras and Roquefort flavors accompany dishes at his restaurant and inspire menus at a range of highly-regarded establishments elsewhere in France. I began making savory ice creams in 2002, just to see how …

Stones are the epitome of solidity, immobility and lifelessness, yet in the Darb El-Ahmar district of Cairo, stones are alive with the memories of those who took part in the bloody drama of Egypt’s medieval era. All were eager to leave behind their mark on stones, buildings and streets, telling a story of passion, rivalries, …

The once ironclad axiom that the wealthier a nation the lower its birthrate is reversed when countries pass a certain threshold of development, according to a study released Wednesday. Most of the two dozen nations that have passed this tipping point – including Australia, Sweden, France, the United States and Britain – are enjoying modest …

Whenever friends come to visit me from abroad, we usually head over to the Four Seasons Nile Plaza for some reason or another. How can we resist? The city’s premier luxury brand store Beymen is there, as is a lovely spa filled with all sorts of wonderful treatments, and some of the city’s best dining …

LONDON – International cancer experts have moved tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation into the top cancer risk category deeming both to be definite causes of cancer. For years, scientists have described tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation as probable carcinogens. A new analysis of about 20 studies concludes the risk of skin cancer jumps by 75 …

In the blistering heat of a Cairo summer, it often seems easiest to hide inside, avoiding the omnipresent heat wave. But, there are some things done best in the midst of summer. An outdoor movie and ice cream immediately come to mind. A trip to out Heliopolis to the outdoor Cinema Normandy and two delicious …

The gowns are cut low in the front, slashing down to the navel, or low in the back, swooping below the waist, inset with delicate see-through fabric. They couldn t be further from the modest dress generally worn by women in the Arab world. Yet these fashions come from Lebanon, a tiny Arab country of …

The Pink Powder Room, a small Zamalek boutique on 26 Shagaret El Dor Street with pink awnings outside and two window displays, houses what Egypt is so famous for abroad: great Egyptian lounge wear products. It was the idea of Sarah Makiya, a young woman who saw a niche in the market that was being …

A light illuminates the nondescript building that is Makan, or ‘Place’ in English. The small, modest sign on the side is unimpressive when compared to the experience that waits inside, one of the most entertaining and culturally engaging night spots one can while away a hot summer night in Cairo. Just a short walk from …

When you first meet Amina Ghali, she is somewhat reserved and demure. The daughter of acclaimed jewelry designer Azza Fahmy, Ghali is an artist in her own right. Having recently launched her second Fashion line for the Azza Fahmy brand, the collection reflects her versatility as a designer, all the while creating pieces that – …

LOS ANGELES: Headstrong Bella is in love with a vampire. Zoey has a crescent moon seared onto her forehead, the mark of a fledgling bloodsucker. Sixteen-year-old Ever can hear people s thoughts. Calliope is, reluctantly, Death s daughter. All are modern female heroes written by women, read by women and not only obsessed over by …

El-Abd is no doubt a strong contender, but equally undeniable is the array of other top bakeries of all variety across the city. One mustn’t assume that El-Abd – the crowded, ice-cream serving bakery on Talaat Harb that has become a mainstay of Cairo’s citizens shopping or running errands downtown – is the only one …

Scott Hintz needed more miles with American Airlines to book a free trip to Morocco this spring, and he had several thousand miles from another carrier that he thought might be just the ticket. The San Francisco travel executive went online, found a willing trader for his Alaska Airlines miles and made a swpicklee ap. …

For years, the Nile Hilton graced the corniche and stood conspicuously in the heart of downtown Cairo. Renamed The Nile Hotel, it has been under the watchful managerial eye of the Ritz-Carlton since the company’s take over in January. The hotel will close operations by the end of the year to undergo drastic renovations over …

Young children take an extra three minutes to fall asleep for every hour of the day that was spent physically inactive, New Zealand researchers said on Thursday. University of Auckland specialists investigated sleep patterns among 519 seven-year-olds, monitoring them with a gadget attached to their waist that can tell from a child s movements whether …

A nutritious but calorie-restricted diet can increase life expectancy and reduce the risk of age-related diseases, including cancer, according to research published in the journal Science Thursday. The study, conducted over 20 years on dozens of rhesus macaque monkeys, provides new insight into the way the phenomenon works and its potential implications for humans, according …

There is no other flavor I love more than lemongrass, and second to that is chocolate, so to combine the two in one meal is simply divine. Lai Thai at the Four Seasons First Residence has cuisine so authentic, an evening dining is a surrealist experience of absolute disconnect from the city. On Sundays, for …

Ok, so everybody’s heading to the north coast this summer. But you? You’re tired of the same faces at all the same parties in Marina or the overcrowded beaches in Marsa Matrouh. You still want the Mediterranean breeze, just not the usual crowds. What are you going to do? Head to Beirut. Finally the “Paris …