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Welcome to Y Magazine – your top

guide to the best of Oman every week.

Write to us at Y Magazine, SABCO Media, PO Box 3779, Ruwi 112, Sultanate of Oman.

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FO L L O W U S O N :

This year’s magical number is eight, as in it’s been eight years since Y Magazine was launched. It’s hard to believe that so much time has passed and so many fantastic stories written by our hardworking team.

Our goal is to make a positive difference – to keep our readers informed and up-to-date on a range of social issues, as well as bring you entertaining, insightful stories about this wonderful country we call home.

Over the past year, some of our highlights have ranged from lifting the lid on the pet shop industry to tackling some tough topics such as maid abuse, the taboo subject of mental illness and the illegal workers who live their lives on the edge and in limbo.

Last year also saw us bring you the second edition of our hugely popular Portrait By A Nation event, which marks the Sultanate’s National Day. Now a firm favourite on the country’s event calendar, we have even bigger plans for it in 2016.

But I have to say that many of our achievements over the past eight years could have not been done without you – our readers. And as we celebrate this important milestone in Y’s history, one of our aims is to thank you for all your support and positive feedback with a host of fabulous prizes. We hope you have enjoyed our competitions over the past eight days – and we look forward to another fantastic year as we continue to evolve and bring you all the best that Y has to offer.

Have a great week!

Fast forward

editor@y-oman.com

Want to read Y on the go? Scan our digital issue here:Download any QR reader from iTunes or Google Play to read Y on the go

EDITOR IN CHIEFSayyida Iman bint Hamad

bin Hamood Al Busaidi

MANAGING EDITORFelicity Glover

DEPUTY EDITOR

Kate Ginn

ART DIRECTOR Matthew Herbst

SUB-EDITOR Matt Blackwell

PHOTOGRAPHER Shaquel al Balushi

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

Feroz Khan

@ytabloid /ytabloid www.y-oman.com

/ymagazine

,

Team Y has been exploring beautiful Oman with family visiting from the

UK, had a wonderful time at Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa and celebrated yet another birthday this

week – happy birthday to Shaq!

THIS WEEK…

A huge thanks to all of our readers who have helped Y to celebrate its 8th anniversary this week. We’ve had a great time giving away a host of fabulous prizes – and hope you have enjoyed it, too. For a list of the winners, go to P24.

GOING UPROMANCE

As Valentine’s Day draws near, so too does our “Y We Are Soulmates”

competition. Are you and your partner Oman’s most perfectly matched

couple? Turn to P28 to find out all the details.

GOING DOWNSALARY SENTIMENT

A new study has found that workers around the GCC are less positive about

salary rises this year compared with 2015. And with the price of oil so low,

it’s no surprise!

C O M P E T I T I O N

Online: Visit y-oman.com for even more inspiration.

Smart device: Catch up with Y on the go by scanning the QR code below

Ways to get your Y fix

THE BAROMETER

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Yo u r O m a n06 Coffee With Deeba Kumar Vembu

08 Voice Of Oman Kate Ginn

10 News Airport Back On Track

13 Gallery U13 BSME Games

14 Gallery Snow Village/Frozen Princess

15 Hyundai – Driven To Success Ibrahim Al Jahwari

T h i s We e k

16 Movies The Hateful Eight

18 This Week Laugh With Russell

10

Fe at u r e s20 Y Turns 8 Celebrate With Us

24 Birthday Bonanza Win Great Prizes

28 Y We Are Soulmates Valentine’s Competition

C a r s a n d A d v e n t u r e s40 Destination Ain Ghala

42 Postcard From Chamonix Valley, France

44 Y-Fi Birthday On A Budget

46 Car Of The Week Kia Soul

44

1824

Fo o d a n d D r i n k31 Food Feature Head Start

32 Taste Test Chinese Garden

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FEATURES / COFFEE WITH DEEBA / NEWS / MOVIES / EVENTS / FOOD / DESTINATION / HEALTH / FASHION

NEXT ISSUE...

H e a l t h a n d B e a u t y34 Fashion Party Style

36 Beauty Big Beard

37 Health Power Up

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C a r s a n d A d v e n t u r e s40 Destination Ain Ghala

42 Postcard From Chamonix Valley, France

44 Y-Fi Birthday On A Budget

46 Car Of The Week Kia Soul

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On Y’s 8th birthday, Deeba Hasan meets Kumar Vembu, the deputy commercial manager at Saud Bahwan Group and a socialite, who won our competition to find Y Magazine’s biggest fan

You may have spotted him at several events around Muscat and even seen his picture on a number of occasions in Y Magazine, but I’m here to give

you the story of the man behind the myth. Kumar Vembu, 43, first came to Oman in

1997 and joined the Saud Bahwan Group, where he still works after joining the company 19 years ago. Originally from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Kumar says he is happy to be here in Oman because of the people and the “amazing opportunities” that are available to expatriates under the rule of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said.

Despite his work and family commitments, Kumar always finds time to be part of events and activities happening around town. “I am fond of socialising and networking with people,” he tells me. “My job allows me to network a lot and so it all expanded from there. I get invited to events and then I make 10 more connections there.”

Over the years, Kumar has been a regular on the Muscat social scene and has met some world renowned personalities, including former Indian president A P J Abdul Kalam, motivational speaker Nick Vujicic and one of Bollywood’s most popular actors, Amitabh Bachchan, to name but a few.

He recently took part in the performance of Turandot at the Royal Opera House Muscat, where he played three roles as an extra. He describes the experience as phenomenal. “I was amazed,” he says. “You normally see the Opera House from outside and are wowed by

it, but once you go backstage, it’s even better. Everything is world class and I had so much fun for the 15 days I was there.”

His marriage was arranged in India and took place in 2002. Kumar reveals that his wife is not as much of a social butterfly as he is and appreciates her privacy. “Although I take my wife out to events with me whenever I can, she is more of an introvert. But she does support me if I have to go to an event or do a fun activity.”

When asked how he makes time for all that he does, Kumar gives a very simple and logical reply. “I just try to stay focused, I plan my priorities and I think the support that I get from my company and my family is just amazing. Without that, I couldn’t do all that I do,” he says.

For Kumar, knocking on the cockpit door of the airplane he is flying on to ask for a tour and selfie with the pilot, or speaking to the captain of a cargo ship and taking a few snaps is just another day.

Although Kumar enjoys everything life throws at him, it has not always been a smooth path and one of the more difficult moments was having his daughter diagnosed with autism when she was very young. “We figured that out when she was less than three years old and at first it was so hard to accept the challenge,” he says. “But we did and took very good care of her. She is now 12 and undergoing treatment and hopefully will be okay soon.”

Kumar isn’t the kind of man to take things lying down and is proactive with matters he is passionate about. When he was unhappy with

the progress made by one of India’s largest real estate developers on one of his investments, he took up with issue with the Indian Embassy in Oman because he knew they would force action. “I knew if I contacted them [the real estate developer] personally, nothing would happen and so I approached the Indian embassy, who wrote a letter to the concerned government officials. Action was taken and we got our refund.”

Another thing about Kumar is that he has proved himself to be Y’s number one fan and eagerly anticipates each new issue every Thursday. “I love the Editor’s Letter, it’s crisp, clear and straightforward,” he says. “I like the Barometer where it says what’s going up and going down, and then I love reading Coffee With Deeba and all those amazing articles from Kate Ginn and Matt Blackwell. The Y-Fi and Destination sections are among my favourites too,” he says.

More recently, Kumar has added another string to his bow and taken up a project with a group of enthusiastic filmmakers. “We are making a short film for the Cannes Film Festival and I have been introduced to filmmaking through this,” he says.

By the end of the interview, I got the sense that Kumar is someone who is happy to try his hand at almost everything life has to offer and his final words confirmed my thoughts. “I want to be the jack of all trades,” he says. “And here’s wishing Y a very happy birthday!”

Have you got a unique story to tell or do you know someone who has? Contact us to have coffee with Deeba and be featured in Y Magazine. Email: editor@y-oman.com

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correspondenceCLEAN IT UP

THE VOICE OF OMAN KATE GINN REFLECTS ON HER Y JOURNEY

NEXT WEEK: MATT BLACKWELL

Celebrating our 8th birthday has led me to reflect on how far Y

Magazine and I have come. It seems only yesterday that I was stepping off the plane at Muscat Airport into a warm, balmy night and beginning a new adventure in a country that I had only visited once before.

That was three years ago, when the magazine was relaunching, and it’s been quite a journey for both of us. I have grown to love Oman and the opportunities that it’s given me, both personally and professionally, and Y has grown into the best magazine in the country, reflecting the full spectrum of life in the Sultanate, both good and bad.

There have, of course, been up and downs along the way but then, the best journeys are all about twists and turns, the unexpected, the surprising and the unknown.

I don’t regret making the move to Oman for a moment, even though it meant leaving my close family behind in the UK, an emotional wrench that all expats have to face, and starting a new life away from all that was familiar. Discovering this country and culture has been an experience I wouldn’t have missed for the world.

I have made some good friends who are like family to me now and our close-knit team at Y is always on hand for each other when times get a little tough.

Y and I have grown together and it’s been tremendous fun, hard work and eye-opening.

I’m looking forward to the next part of the adventure to see where it leads.

To the Editor,

Recently, my family and I went to visit a wadi at Al Khoudh and were full of expectations to see something spectacular. I’d been told by a friend who had spent time here in Oman that it was an absolute must to see these beautiful natural wonders you are graced with here in your wonderful country.

You can imagine upon entering the wadi our disgust that the entire place was scattered with rubbish; blue plastic carry bags, dumped building rubble, big black garbage bags filled with trash, plastic bottles,plates, food refuse, cups and toilet paper.

We drove further up the wadi and discovered more rubbish, then decided to park and walk. We did find an area of water, rocks and wild grass where we sat and took photographs – only to discover plastic bags floating in the meandering water. We did a quick clean-up here as we wanted some photos of the place, then it was straight back in the vehicle and off we went.

We were really disappointed at the general lack of respect for such a beautiful and natural area. The rubbish dumped and left there was truly a disgrace.

Is there a law in Oman to prosecute people for destroying a natural environment? Or is this acceptable behaviour to leave one’s rubbish when finished eating or picnicking?

It’s not just the leaving of the rubbish – it’s the knock-on effect further down the line where animals are caught up in the plastic or choking on the non-decomposing materials left carelessly about.

Oman is such a naturally beautiful country and having visited five times over the past couple of years, we have never seen such a disgraceful mess. Why oh why destroy it by dumping of rubbish?

Come on, Oman – take your rubbish with you and dispose of it responsibly!

Regards,Disgruntled Holidaymaker

SEND US YOUR letters, photos, news and views to info@y-oman.com / @ytabloid / /ytabloid. Impress us and the winning correspondent will receive a voucher for dinner at the Golden Tulip. Vouchers must be collected from Y’s Seeb offices in person only. For the rest of the terms and conditions see voucher.

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Dinner for two at Le Jardin restaurant

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J A N 2 8 - F E B 0 3 / I S S U E 4 0 5 0 9

with their pros and cons understood. Instead of banning, I would recommend protective gear.

KRISHNA SANALThey can be dangerous because balance is the key to using them and children have less balance than adults. A ban may not be practical though. Restrictions on the roads and pavements may be more efficient.

MERZIA VAJIDThe hoverboards in themselves are not a problem. They can be a very creative innovation if used wisely. However, hoverboards are usually used rashly by children, which results in injuries. I wouldn’t recommend banning, but I do think they should be used only with proper supervision. by parents.

DEBATE OF THE WEEK

WE ASKED: “Are hoverboards a dangerous toy for children and should they be banned in Oman? ”

SHARAN NAMBIRAJChildren will like all the games and toys they don’t know are dangerous. Many hoverboard injuries are directly to the head, so please avoid buying these wheels; our kids are our future.

SHIVRAJ DASYes, they are dangerous, but a good toy for kids. Parents should take care while their kids are out with them.

ANNUU SINGHYes, they are very dangerous. Kids use them on the roads, which is not good for anyone because sometimes you can lose your control or balance. In these cases, you can hurt yourself very badly, so it would be better for everyone if we stopped buying them for our kids.

SUJAL SHAHHoverboards are dangerous and the Government should ban their sale with immediate effect. I’ve seen two incidents where children fell down and injured their heads. God has given us two powerful legs; we have to use them.

REETA GANDHIHoverboards definitely look very adventurous, but should be carefully ridden,

HARRY THE CAT was spotted with his favourite Y Magazine in Al Mouj Muscat

New Debate:What is the best

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Tell us on Facebook or Twitter and be in with a chance of

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N E W SYOUR OMAN

A 71-year old Omani man, who was travelling to Bangkok, is the latest victim of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

virus, it was confirmed on Sunday. The man’s son, hotel staff and passengers on

the same plane have been quarantined for two weeks in Thailand, according to news reports. Up to 32 who may be at risk have been placed in isolation and more will also be put under observation.

According to Thai authorities, 40 people, including 22 passengers on the flight, two taxi drivers, four hotel staff and hospital staff, have

been deemed as high risk.Authorities are looking for a total of more

than 250 people who may have come into contact with the man.

The Omani victim tested positive for MERS after seeking medical treatment.

“The virus was detected in a 71-year-old Omani man travelling to Bangkok on Friday. After taking a taxi to a hotel, he was checked for the virus at a hospital and the MERS virus was found,” Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, Thailand’s health minister, was quoted as saying in a news conference.

In a later update, the man’s condition was

said to be improving, to the extent that he was sitting up and eating.

Thailand’s first MERS case was detected last year in a businessman from Oman who survived the disease. More than 170 people were quarantined that time.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest update on January 7 that it has been notified of 1,626 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS from 26 countries, and at least 586 related deaths. MERS is caused by a coronavirus from the same family as the one that triggered China’s deadly 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

THAILAND CONFIRMS ANOTHER OMANI MERS CASE

G a l l e r y I n t e r v i e w

After a series of delays and setbacks, the new RO1.85 billion Muscat International Airport is now set to open its doors to passengers by the

end of the year.The news this week from Dr Ahmed

al Futaisi, the Minister of Transport and Communications in Oman, that the highly anticipated project is finally almost ready for take-off will be met with a huge sigh of relief.

The city has long outgrown its current airport, built back in 1973.

The shell of the new airport and passenger terminals has been visible from adjacent roads for some time, but the deadline for the official opening kept moving. It now looks like the construction is back on track as the photo (right) from the Ministry of Transport and Communication’s Instagram page reveals with a sneak peak inside the building.

With more than 18,000 people working on the passenger terminal, about 86 per cent of the project has been completed, said Dr al Futaisi. He added that the ministry is doing its best to ensure completion of the whole airport on time.

Earlier, His Highness Sayyid Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, and members of the Council of Ministers, visited the new site in Seeb to review the progress of the work and its stages.

The new Muscat International Airport will have:

• Total capacity of passengers on opening: 12 millions annually

• Total capacity after development of other stages: 48 million annually

• A passenger terminal area of 580,000 square metres

• 118 booths for passport check-in • 82 counters for travel related procedures

run by Royal Oman Police (ROP). • Retail space of 12,000 square metres• Restaurants and dining lounges • Two big aircraft gates dedicated for planes

like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747• 10 luggage belts capable of handling more

than 5,200 bags per hour• Lounges for first and business class

passengers• Tourism information booth

* Meanwhile, Oman will be getting its first budget airline to compete with the big boys. Muscat National Development and Investment Company, Asas, has been awarded an air

services operator license by the Public Authority for Civil Aviation to set up a low-cost carrier.

As well as offering passengers options for travel, the new venture is expected to fuel economic growth underpinned by strong air traffic demand, which is expected to grow by 40 per cent by 2019.

According to latest data, air passenger traffic through Muscat International Airport, until the end of November 2015, increased by 17 per cent to 9,321,617 passengers, while it rose by 21 per cent at Salalah Airport, compared with the same period in 2014.

Khalid bin Hilal al Yahmadi, CEO of Asas, has said that as the national budget airline, it would provide access to economical and efficient means of transport and further advance the aviation sector in the Sultanate of Oman.

MUSCAT AIRPORT TO OPEN BY YEAR-END

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If you have a passion for horses or for horse riding in general, it’s time to saddle up as The Olympic Equestrian Training Centre (formerly known as the Sultan al Touqi

stable), a first of its kind in Oman, opens up in Al Falaij near Barka.

The centre was officially inaugurated on Tues (26) under the patronage of Her Highness Sayyida Dr Muna Bint Fahd Al Said. Other VIP guests were also present along with some horse riders.

“This is the first Olympic horse riding school

in the Gulf,” said Hamoud Sultan al Touqi, owner of the stable. “We have got qualified instructors and people from all over the Gulf can come and get trained here. Apart from people from the region, we have riders from Europe and United States too.”

Beautifully groomed horses and their smartly dressed riders were the major attraction at the official opening.

After the tour of the centre, an international show jumping friendly competition was held between nine countries: Oman, Iraq, Poland,

Germany, Syria, Jordan, Jamaica, Sudan and England.

The first participant in this competition was Sultan Hamoud al Touqi, the son of owner Hamoud. Sultan, now 23, has been riding from the age of six and is a fourth generation rider in his family.

As well as showjumping, he has competed in endurance races. He also won a silver medal at the first Youth Olympic games in 2010 in Singapore, and is now preparing for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.

N E W SG a l l e r y I n t e r v i e w

MUSCAT AIRPORT TO OPEN BY YEAR-END FIRST OLYMPIC HORSE RIDING CENTRE OPENED

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MUSCAT AIRPORT TO OPEN BY YEAR-END

Oman’s diverse wild and marine life are some of the reasons that tourists come flocking to the Sultanate each year. But some of the country’s turtles, which have come to symbolise the Oman’s unique appeal and bring eco tourists in, are teetering on the edge of extinction after a species of loggerhead sea turtles were placed on a critically endangered list, it was revealed this week in Muscat.

The step was taken after an assessment by a global network of sea turtle experts from the Marine Turtle Specialist Group was completed last year.

According to the assessment, the North West Indian Ocean Loggerhead subpopulation, which nests in Oman and Yemen, has been assessed as critically endangered, the highest threat category on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

According to the assessment, the North West Indian Ocean Loggerhead turtle population has declined by a staggering 80 per cent in the past three generations, and today faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Factors such as pollution, coastal construction and fishing have been blamed for dwindling turtle numbers, said the Environment Society of Oman (ESO).

An estimated 13,000 loggerhead females nest on Masirah Island annually, significantly down on the

30,000-40,000 noted before in scientific research around 20 years ago. Masirah Island hosts over 90 per cent of the North West Indian Ocean Loggerhead nests.

“The categorisation of the loggerhead subpopulation in Oman should serve as a wake-up call,” said Dana al Sarhani, ESO Board Member and PR in Charge.

“We must work together, and take individual responsibility or this species will become extinct if intensive efforts are not applied. Spreading awareness and reaching out to local community are key steps towards sustaining our marine ecosystems for this generation and future generations to come. We must always remember that healthy seas will save turtles.”

Juma al Arami, ESO’s Masirah field assistant said, “My team and I are dedicated to continue our efforts to engage with our community in Masirah on the importance of loggerhead turtles.”

ESO launched a campaign in 2008 to raise awareness on how individuals can make a difference in protecting the turtles.

YOUR OMAN

Who’s got a dream job?We are sure there are millions of people out there working in their dream job – but this particular one hasn’t yet been filled.

So what’s the gig?We have to say that it would be almost every childhood dream come true: Merlin Entertainment, the owner of the Legoland theme parks, is looking for 20 Lego builders.

Seriously? Can I apply?We don’t see why not.

Is there a catch?Well, according to the job ad, you need to have Lego building experience, as well as “design and build sturdy, accurate, complicated, safe and installable Lego models for a wide variety of Legoland attractions”.

You mean life-size models? Yep. Do you still want to apply?

It sounds very complicated! It sure does, but then again, it is for their theme parks and they’ve got a good reputation to uphold.

What other qualifications are they looking for?You also need good organisational and communication skills, while a good sense of humour is a “must”.

I’ve got that in spades!We are sure you do – but perhaps it’s better to stick to the Lego packs you can get from the likes of Toys R Us.

Don’t say: “I’m ready for a sea change.Do say: “Leave it to the experts!”

B i t e S i z e dOUR WEEKLY SLOT TAKES A LIGHTHEARTED

LOOK AT A NEWS ISSUE OF THE WEEK.

DREAM JOB

BSM

CELE

BRAT

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A W E E K I N P I C T U R E S

25 people die as storm Jonas batters the US east coast with massive snow storms shutting down New York and Washington DC, bringing the cities to a virtual standstill. The storm, dubbed “Snowzilla”, dumped up to four feet of snow in some areas, leading to flight cancellations and thousands of homes without power

HEADLINING STORIES FROM THE REGION AND BEYOND

Malaysia’s prime minister, Najib Razak, has been cleared of corruption in a long-running financial scandal. The country’s attorney-general’s office said that the RO262 million Najib received was a personal donation from Saudi Arabia’s royal family and not from a state-owned investment fund, as accusers had alleged. Najib has returned RO238 million

Europe’s open-door policy for migrants comes under scrutiny after the latest incident in which a 22-year-old asylum centre worker in Sweden is stabbed to death by a teenage asylum seeker. Germany has also seen several alleged attacks on women, including a string of gang assaults on New Year’s Eve in Cologne, putting pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel

Success for the three-man Crossing the Empty Quarter expedition team from Oman as they’re expected to arrive at their destination Doha on Weds (27) or today (28) after nearly 50 days and 1,000km trekking across the largest sand desert in the world. The team, an Englishman and two Omanis, are recreating the first crossing of the Rub Al Khali in 1930

G A L L E R YBS

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TEAMS FROM BRITISH

SCHOOL MUSCAT

PUT IN STRONG

PERFORMANCES IN

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CHAMPIONS OF THE

U13 BSME GAMES.

THE THREE-DAY

EVENT PITS 12 BRITISH

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G A L L E R YYOUR OMAN

FROZ

EN ON

ICE

VISITORS TO MUSCAT GRAND MALL ARE BEING GIVEN A DRAMATIC SHOW OF FROZEN PRINCESS THREE TIMES A DAY FROM 6PM. THE PERFORMANCES ARE BY PROFESSIONAL ICE SKATERS AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL JANUARY 29

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FUN ZONE IN QURUM HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO AN ICY WONDERLAND AS PART OF MUSCAT FESTIVAL CELEBRATIONS. THE SNOW VILLAGE IS OPEN 9AM-10PM DAILY UNTIL JANUARY 30

In association with Centennial

DRIVEN TOSUCCESS

THE CENTENNIAL HAS TRULY AMAZED ME

WITH ITS FINE DESIGN, LUXURIOUS INTERIOR FITTINGS

AND THOUGHTFUL COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE FEATURES

Q: What drives you to success?It’s my determination to succeed, and

constantly develop myself. I was in the United States for a month and attended a training session at Dale Carnegie and that enhanced my understanding of who I am. The desire to achieve my full potential for personal distinction is what drives me.

Q: What or who has been your inspiration in your career?

I would say Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is my first inspiration. I hope everyone can read about him and afterwards, they will realise why he is my inspiration. My other role models are my parents, starting with my mother. Both my parents taught me to never give up, to take responsibility for my actions and destiny and that nothing was impossible. I owe them my life.

Q: What is your biggest career success to date?

I would say the best is yet to come, but I think being the first and only Omani Dale Carnegie approved trainer is a huge thing in itself, and I am constantly looking to improve myself through the five drivers of success, which are: leadership, self confidence, improving attitude, knowledge and reducing stress.

Q: What are your career goals?I am not looking to get to a specific

position in the future, but I want to contribute to the overall success and development of the organisation. I would like to take on more responsibilities and contribute as much as I can to the nation through life coaching and developing the younger generation, who will be the drivers of this nation, and lead them to effective breakthroughs.

Q: Career-wise, where do you plan to be in 10 years’ time?

In 10 years’ time, I would like to see myself as a financially free, successful, humble leader in a well-established dynamic organisation. I would also like to be a recognised contributor to the growth of Oman. I wish to teach people how to fish, rather than provide the fish for them.

Q: What do you like about the Centennial, the premium series of Hyundai Motor Company?

The Centennial has truly amazed me with its fine design, luxurious interior fittings and thoughtful comfort and convenience features. It has a peppy engine, driving is a delight and it feels remarkably stable, even during high-speed cornering. The rich fitments and the bundle of safety technology complete the sophistication. This car holds pleasant surprises at every step.

ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

J A N 2 8 - F E B 0 3 / I S S U E 4 0 5 0 1 5

Contact: Movie enquiries 24607360

AMERICAN HERO

In a refreshing take on the superhero genre that has become so popular over recent years, American Hero is all about Melvin (Stephen Dorff), a man who uses his telekinetic powers to get up to no good until a brush with death brings on a change of heart, as he decides to use his powers to fight crime rather than commit it.

Bollywatch

Dirty Granpda

As his wedding approaches, straight-laced Jason Kelly (Zac Effron) is tricked into driving to Florida to celebrate spring break by his grandpa, Dick (Robert De Niro). From epic parties to romancing girls more than half his age, Dick is on a mission to

The Hateful Eight

MOVIES MOVIESprove that you’re only as old as you feel. While the concept is amusing in theory, the film goes for quantity over quality with its jokes, some of which hit the mark, while others fall a bit flat. Full of stereotypical characters, Dirty Grandpa is not going to make film history, but it will make you smile once or twice.

Our Brand is Crisis

Sandra Bullock goes to war, but not as you expect it. Here, she stars as Jane Bodine, a political consultant, and the war she is fighting is one of words against an old rival (Billy Bob Thornton) as they go head-to-head behind two opposing South American presidential candidates. While the film may lack bite in some areas, passing up ripe opportunities for satirical critique, what it does provide is a refreshingly strong female character, free from any romantic entanglements or dependence on men. It’s a performance that could put the 51-year-old actress in contention for another Oscar nomination.

SAALA KHADOOS

This sports drama stars R Madhavan as a former boxer who quit due to disillusionment with the sport’s underlying politics. In order to fulfil his dreams, he becomes coach to a 17-year-old female protégée (real life boxer, Ritika Singh), who has aspirations of her own. Saala Khadoos is a Hindi-Tamil bilingual film.

It seems that director Quentin Tarantino has developed something of a fondness for Westerns. Following on from 2012’s Django Unchained, his eighth film takes place on the other side of the Civil War and focuses on eight strangers thrown together through circumstance, forced to bed down together in an American frontier town in the face of severe weather.

One of the unsavoury group is fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who is in the custody of John “The Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell). When it becomes known that there is a cash reward for her capture, the

dynamics between the eight changes as alliances are forged and broken and trust remains thin on the ground.

As ever, Tarantino masterfully cranks up the tension, with the film playing out like a cross between an Agatha Christie novel and John Carpenter’s The Thing when it becomes obvious that one of the group is not who they say they are.

Talkative, blood stained and editorially ill-disciplined, The Hateful Eight has all the hallmarks of a Tarantino classic, with beautiful cinematography and a score to match.

Review by Matt Blackwell

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J A N 2 8 - F E B 0 3 / I S S U E 4 0 50 1 8

Weekend Escape

THIS WEEKJ A N - F E B

WHAT TO DO.

WHAT TO SEE.

WHAT TO HEAR.

T H E W H AT ’ S O N G U I D E

Leave the city for a fun weekend escape to the Millennium Resort Mussanah with members of InterNations Oman. A delicious dinner, followed by a night of partying will top the agenda on day one. The following day includes plenty of time for breakfast, relaxation by the pool and beach and the option to enjoy the fantastic spa facilities at the resort. Basic members pay RO35, whereas Albatross members enter for RO30. The trip includes lots of surprises. For details, visit internations.org

05 - 06FEB

BARGAIN BOOKS

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If you’re an avid reader, then you won’t want to miss out on the chance to grab a bargain at the Big Book Sale. being held at the Let’s Read bookshop in Al Qurum Complex between 10am and 1pm. There will be up to 50 per cent discount on hundreds of books for both adults and children, meaning that you could pick up a great read from just 500 baisa. For more information, email letsreadoman@gmail.com or call 9931 4230.

30 Jan Laugh with Russell

Everyone’s talking about it, and you definitely don’t want to miss Russell Peters live on stage in Oman. The comedian is stopping off in Muscat as part of his 2016 world tour, Almost Famous, much to the delight of his fans here. It’s happening at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa from 8pm. Ticket prices range from RO25 to RO75 and can be bought at OUA retail (Madinat Qaboos), the Mitsubishi showroom (Azaiba) and Mackenzies Cafe & Deli (Madinat Qaboos). Visit aliveentertainment.me for details.

Featuring both Maqam treasures and modern melodies, artists from Iraq will celebrate their country’s rich musical heritage in a special concert. Traditional Maqam will be performed by Hussein al Adhami and the modern songs by Baidar al Basri. It’s happening at the Royal Opera House Muscat from 7pm, ticket prices start from RO5. For more details and booking, log on to rohmuscat.org.om

Music from Iraq

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G a l l e r y M o v i e s

If you’re an avid reader, then you won’t want to miss out on the chance to grab a bargain at the Big Book Sale. being held at the Let’s Read bookshop in Al Qurum Complex between 10am and 1pm. There will be up to 50 per cent discount on hundreds of books for both adults and children, meaning that you could pick up a great read from just 500 baisa. For more information, email letsreadoman@gmail.com or call 9931 4230.

Join the party with the legendary Bollywood remixer DJ Akbar Sami, who will be live in Muscat at On The Rocks Restaurant and Lounge, next to the Golden Tulip Seeb Hotel from 9pm til late. The opening set will be played by DJ Pulse Muscat. You can expect a night filled with a range of Bollywood music including desi, bhangra and other commercial hits. It’s RO10 per person and ladies enter for free before 11pm. For more information and reservations, call 9798 3333 and for VIP tables and private sections, call 9429 9782.

05Feb

BOLLYWOOD NIGHT WITH AKBAR SAMI

Tuesday is usually a quiet night, but something exceptional occurred last week at the Royal Opera House Muscat, which will stay in popular memory for a long time. The orchestra of the Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa, launched into the Russian first-half of the evening’s

programme with a stirring rendition of Procession from Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mlada. And then from stage left entered the imposing figure of the Siberian baritone, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, winner of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World in 1989 against Bryn Terfel, and silence fell.

He chose to open with Anton Rubinstein’s Demon’s Aria and then we knew: we were in the presence of one of the best singers in the world. Superlatives abound to describe Dmitri’s voice, but I could sum it up by saying he sounds as good as he looks. And he looks stunning. The second song, from his signature repertoire of Tchaikovsky, was Tomsky’s Ballade from The Queen of Spades and here, the intense depth and lyricism of his bass-baritone shone.

The following Aleko’s Cavatina was lush and warm, rich in romantic swells and expansive, and for me the peak of the first half. Hvorostovsky is celebrated for his incredible breath control and, according to his close friend, Renée Fleming, running four phrases into one in an impressive show of enormous reserves of breath.

What was unusual about this concert, however, was that while we are used to hearing tenor soloists perform arias from the operatic repertoire in a one-man show, to listen to a baritone for a whole evening is a little like eating roast beef with no trimmings. The songs are necessarily dark, serious, foreboding or melancholy as the baritone role is usually a villain or anti-hero. Dmitri’s technique carries that weight superbly, but after each aria came a charismatic smile that would light up the stage. And here a suggestion: if he comes to Muscat again, could he please bring a female voice to contrast and compliment his own and even provide the opportunity for a duet or two? I personally missed the help of subtitles to give the gist of each song – and other enthusiasts expressed similar disapointment in an otherwise first-class presentation.

The second half was devoted to Italian opera, focusing on his legato-based approach to Verdi, concluding with the long, dramatic and probably the most difficult Rigoletto’s Aria. Each time Dmitri re-appeared, he entered at a run with a slide across the stage like a teenager, despite the sophistication of his singing, stage presence and dress!

The orchestra, under Hvorostovsky’s close friend and collaborator, the eminent American conductor Constantine Orbelian, was expanded to 82 members since their visit at the weekend to support the opera Lucia di Lammermoor and were arranged in an unusual format, with second fiddles on the right, presumably to provide a better sound balance. The focused hush in the auditorium during each song was broken by resounding applause, whistles and “bravos” in between, but his encores came as a delightful surprise, even to the considerable number of Russians in the audience. The well-known Russian gypsy folk song Ochi Chornye (Black Eyes) was guaranteed to bring the house down, and together with the Italian orchestra, beguiled us into thinking we were in Moscow for a brief encounter with the most beautiful baritone voice in the world.

For details of forthcoming performances, go to rohmuscat.org.om

DMITRI HVOROSTOVSKYGeorgina Benison is captivated by the voice of a Russian great

Explor

e Read

ing

02Feb

Experience some real snow and other fun ice activities at the Snow Village happening at Fun Zone in Qurum from 9am to 10pm daily. Bring your little ones along and play in the snow with them, walk around the snow park and experience a cold snap in the desert. For details, search “Snow Village {Free Entry}” on Facebook.

SNOW VILLAGE

JAN 30

UNTIL

Join the members of the Women’s Guild in Oman Book Club at a friendly and insightful discussion on the book Life After Life by Kate Atkinson at Gloria Jean’s Coffees at The Walk in Al Mouj Muscat from 7.30pm. To register, email Ayshe on aysheismail@gmail.com. For more information, just search for WGO Book Club on Facebook.

As we celebrate our 8th birthday, we look at the top eight things we love about living in the Sultanate

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YEAR-ROUND GOOD WEATHER Okay, so we all moan about the long, hot summers that seem to drag on for months on end, but would we have it any other way? Having almost guaranteed sunshine every day of the year means you can make all sorts of plans and never worry about play being rained off.

NATURE ON YOUR DOORSTEPIf adventure is your thing, Oman has all you could possibly wish for – and then a bit more. Little more than an hour’s drive outside Muscat will find you in some stunning locations, from atmospheric mountains to stunning wadis with turquoise blue water.

FRIENDLY PEOPLE If there are friendlier people than Omanis on this planet, we are yet to meet them. Often willing to put everything on hold at the drop of a hat to help anyone in need – even total strangers – Omanis are always on hand with a warm, welcoming smile.

SAFE AND SOUNDWhether you’re walking the streets in the evening or have forgotten to lock your front door when quickly nipping out to the shops, you can rest assured that you will be free from harm in the Sultanate of Oman. It’s hard to put it into words, but there is just an indescribable feeling of safety here.

LIFE’S A BEACH They say life is better at the beach and Oman has no shortage of coastline. When it all gets too much and you need to feel the sand between your toes and hear the soothing sound of waves, the beach is never more than 30 minutes away, no matter where you live in the capital.

STRONG CURRENCY The current strength of the Omani rial, coupled with tax-free earnings, make the Sultanate an attractive working prospect for anyone. Those sending money home often get an agreeable rate against their own currency and are able to support families through their hard work.

HERITAGE AND CULTUREOman has a unique culture that can be traced back hundreds of years and all you need to do is stop by at a fort or castle for a fascinating glimpse into the past. Nizwa and Bahla Forts make for a good starting point, but you can just as easily pull up at any restored building you see on your travels.

MULTICULTURALISMWith expats making up more than 40 per cent of the population, according to latest figures, the country is a cultural melting pot with people from all over the world lending their expertise to the development of the nation. Within months of arriving in Oman you are likely to have picked up friends from every continent – perhaps not Antarctica, though.

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MEET TEAM

8 Y

Fac

ts:

ROLE: MANAGING EDITOR Nickname: My childhood nickname was Flash or Flashy because I loved running. Of course, I’ve grown out of it, but I still have a cousin who uses it and then apologises!Worst habit: Worrying, but then all mums do!My top experience in Oman: Women’s desert weekend with The Guide Oman. It was an empowering experience that I shared with my daughter and made us both realise that we are capable of many wonderful things – especially together. The movie character I would like to play: Karen Blixen in Out of Africa because I love her spirit, strength and sense of adventure.

Felicity Glover

Role: Art DirectorNickname: Mac Man because I’m always fixing friends’ MacBooks and sorting their IT problems out.Worst habit: As a Libran, I find it tough to make decisions, which can lead to procrastination.My top experience in Oman: A desert trip with Team Y and Mitsubishi. I enjoyed cruising over those beautiful dunes, including the hair-raising moments, but what an excellent experience as a whole.The movie character I would like to play: Peter Quill, played by Chris Pratt, in Guardians of the Galaxy for his sense of humour, his adventurous nature, and just being cool (he also loves 80s mix tapes as much as I do).

Matthew Herbst

Role: Deputy Editor Nickname: Kitty Kat – when I was younger some friends called me Katie, which became Kitty and then Kitty Kat.Worst habit: Interrupting people talking. It’s usually because I’m bursting with excitement to say something!My top experience in Oman: Seeing four blue whales on a recent trip from Marina Bandar Rowdha with my dad, who was visiting from the UK. I’ve seen whales before, but not this close up. One swam right up to the boat and flipped its tail before disappearing under the waves.The movie character I would like to play: Joy Mangano, the creator of the Miracle Mop, played by Jennifer Lawrence in the new film Joy. I loved Joy’s tenacity and the fact she refused to give up on her dreams.

Kate Ginn

Role: ReporterNickname: Deebs or Dee. There is no real reason; people just give me all sorts of nicknames.Worst habit: Turning off the four or five alarms I set for the morning, and going back to sleep.My top experience in Oman: I grew up here, so there have been too many to count, but I cherish every happy moment that I spend in the company of my friends and family.The movie character I would like to play: Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) from The Hunger Games, she is emotional but determined.

Deeba Hasan

Role: PhotographerNickname: Shaq.Worst habit: I’m afraid I’m another nail biter. My family always shouts at me, but I can’t help it!My top experience in Oman: When I was seven years old I handed the 50 baisa chocolate and drink I had just bought to a labourer taking shelter beneath a tree. He didn’t even say thank you, but to me, his eyes said everything. This experience inspired me to become a giver and has stayed with me to this day.The movie character I would like to play: Superman. I used to do parkour and have always been a fan of defying gravity. To have the ability to fly would be amazing.

Shaquel al BalushiRole: Sub EditorNickname: Flashy. My dad very nearly gave me the middle name “Flash” and ever since I found out I adopted it unofficially.Worst Habit: Biting my nails. I tried to stop (once, when I was 14), but I can’t!My top experience in Oman: Driving a number of Porsches through the mountains from Muscat to Sifah. It was great to get the top down on these sports cars and really see what they were capable of.The movie character I would like to play: Rusty Ryan from the Ocean’s films (played by Brad Pitt). He’s just so effortlessly cool.

Matt Blackwell

A whole lot of hard work goes into making sure your copy of Y is ready on the stands each Thursday. Here, we introduce you to the people responsible for bringing your favourite magazine to life

J A N 2 8 - 0 3 F E B / I S S U E 4 0 50 2 2

THE STORY OF 405 issues published

35,000 copies printed each week

11,600Facebook likes

14,175,000 copies printed in total

HOW TO CONNECT WITH Y AND ENJOY OUR GREAT CONTENT:

8 Y

Fac

ts:

Did you know that…

Our managing editor, Felicity, moved from Copenhagen, Denmark, in May 2014 to join Y. Our deputy, Kate, is currently the longest-serving member of Y, having joined the magazine in December 2012.

The editorial team has six members: Felicity, Kate, Matt H, Matt B, Shaq and Deeba, while ad sales is headed by Feroz Khan and includes Abhudit Greene, Ankur Gupta and Soham Khimani.

Y is a truly international team who come from a variety of countries, including Australia, the UK, South Africa, Oman and India.

To tell the two Matts apart, Matt B is called Flashy and Matt H is called, well, Matt!

Our distribution points have hit nearly 300 and you can find us as far afield as Yiti and Nizwa.

Each day, we receive hundreds of emails and press releases, many of which are invitations to press conferences and other events not only in the Sultanate, but also around the GCC and beyond.

We held our first ever event in Salalah in 2015 – our hugely popular Portrait By A Nation competition that celebrates Oman’s National Day.

COVERS THEN AND NOW

Top 8 ground-breaking stories over the past year

Y lifts the lid on Oman’s unregulated pet shop industry

Y tackles the taboo subject of mental illness in Oman

Y fights back against maid abuse

Y rejoices as Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said arrives home

Y puts road safety back in the spotlight

Y investigates illegal workers in the Sultanate

Y launches its second annual Portrait By A Nation competition to celebrate Oman’s historic 45th National Day

Y warns that Oman is facing an obesity time bomb

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TO CELEBRATE TURNING 8, WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING A WEEK-LONG GIVEAWAY, WHICH

CULMINATES TODAY WITH OUR STAR PRIZE

CELE

BRAT

ION

S

It’s been quite a build-up to our birthday celebrations. To mark the occasion, we wanted to give some gifts to you, our readers, as a thank you for your amazing support over the past eight years.For the past seven days, we’ve been offering a host of goodies in an online prize bonanza like no other. Among the treats up for grabs have been a Huawei smartphone, dinner for two at Rumba Lattina, Horizon Fitness gym memberships and a wonderful two-night stay at the luxurious five-star Salalah Rotana Resort.

We were inundated with thousands of entries across our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms.

We’ve reached the final day and the prize has just got a whole lot bigger. For our last giveaway, we’ve got a Panasonic 43-inch LED TV, courtesy of Oman Marketing and Services Company, to be won.

And as an extra bonus to our incredible readers, we’ve got two more high-end Huawei smartphones on offer as prizes. See right for details on how to enter. Good luck!

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Pair of tickets to VIP Lounge at City Cinema in Panorama Mall in Muscat

Winner: Tawkir Arif

2 x RO100 shopping vouchers for Markaz Al Bahja mall

Winners: Yvonne Davidson and Adeeba Fatima

8 x Entertainer Oman AppsWinners: Lea Chilton, Yasmeen Sund,

Patrick Fernandez, Formoso Savio, Rafi Subhna, Lamiyah Alabri, Sara

Amjad and Saud Asghar

Dinner for two at Rumba Lattina restaurant in the Cave complex, Muscat

Winner: Shafaq Asad

2 x one-year memberships at Horizon Fitness Oman

Winners: Thouseefanp and Moirjamestagram

Huawei Y3 smartphoneWinner: Ian Inoncillo

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Two-night stay for two including breakfast at the Salalah Rotana Resort

Winner: At the time of going to press, we hadn’t chosen the winner yet.

GRAND PRIZE43-inch Panasonic LED TV

For a chance to win this prize, go to Y’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

J A N 2 8 - 0 3 F E B / I S S U E 4 0 50 24

0 2 5

TO CELEBRATE TURNING 8, WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING A WEEK-LONG GIVEAWAY, WHICH

CULMINATES TODAY WITH OUR STAR PRIZEIt’s been quite a build-up to our birthday celebrations. To mark

the occasion, we wanted to give some gifts to you, our readers, as a thank you for your amazing support over the past eight years.For the past seven days, we’ve been offering a host of goodies in an online prize bonanza like no other. Among the treats up for grabs have been a Huawei smartphone, dinner for two at Rumba Lattina, Horizon Fitness gym memberships and a wonderful two-night stay at the luxurious five-star Salalah Rotana Resort.

We were inundated with thousands of entries across our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms.

We’ve reached the final day and the prize has just got a whole lot bigger. For our last giveaway, we’ve got a Panasonic 43-inch LED TV, courtesy of Oman Marketing and Services Company, to be won.

And as an extra bonus to our incredible readers, we’ve got two more high-end Huawei smartphones on offer as prizes. See right for details on how to enter. Good luck!

We’re feeling in such a generous mood that we’ve decided to offer another couple of prizes to give

more people a chance to win and help us celebrate our 8th birthday.

We’ve got two super cool, high-end Huawei smartphones up for grabs.

To be in with a chance of being one of our lucky two winners, simply head to any of our social media platforms and answer a simple question. You have until Sunday January 31 to get your entry in. Good

luck!HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

No birthday is complete without cake and thanks to Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, we have this amazing creation to celebrate our big day. Designed

by Al Bustan’s talented pastry chef, the delicious cake in the shape of the letter Y is the perfect way

for Team Y to enjoy today in style.

P.S. The winner of our competition to be interviewed for

our Coffee With Deeba page was Kumar Vembu. Turn to P6 to read Kumar’s interview with Deeba.

E X T R A P R I Z E S !

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After months of searching for the king and

queen of cool in Muscat, Y’s Coolest Fresher

came down to a tense and dramatic Grand

Finale. Ladies and gentlemen, meet our winners

In Association withPresents

Over recent weeks, we’ve been trawling 10 colleges around the city in search of Muscat’s most talented first-year students and after some gruelling auditions, it all came down to a Grand Finale, held last week.

Once the talents had been put on show, from singing and dancing to beat boxing and poetry recitals, the judges had a hard task on their hands to narrow it down to just one male and one female.

With the votes in, Sohaib Ahmed Mustafa al Bohy (pictured left), a 19-year-old student from Middle East College (MEC), took the crown of Mr Coolest Fresher for his rapping abilities, while Laila al Busaidi (pictured right, top), a 20-year-old student from GUtech, claimed the title of Miss Coolest Fresher for her stunning rendition of Adele’s Someone Like You.

Despite his friends believing in him from the start, Sohaib reveals that he had his doubts, after only managing an hour of practice prior to his initial audition. “My friends had confidence in me and said that I would win, but I couldn’t believe that I had won, I was obviously very happy.

“It was amazing to see new people and such wonderful talent, it was a brilliant experience.”

Sohaib has been singing and rapping for six years, but this was the first time he had taken part in a talent contest of this scale. “I took part in smaller competitions, but they were not like this, this is my first big competition, and I am glad to have won it,” he tells Y.

Laila’s cover of Adele’s smash hit earned her a standing ovation from the judges and rapturous applause from the audience. Talking to Y, she says it was her first time participating in such a contest. “It’s my first big competition and I think I got so much more confident after winning the title. I wasn’t sure if I would win because I didn’t perform to my expectations. It was such a great experience and this just helped me believe in myself,” she says.

Laila doesn’t want to commercialise her success after winning the title, but will instead continue to sing for her own enjoyment. “I don’t intend on being a famous singer, but I want to sing as a hobby because I really enjoy singing; it makes me feel very good.” She says she has her family to thank for her talent; her father used to sing and her sister has an equally impressive voice.

She is saving the RO250 cash prize and will perhaps use it to travel abroad someday. “I want to thank each and every friend of mine for encouraging me at the finals, it really helped me with my confidence levels,” she says.

Running in tandem with the talent hunt was a catwalk competition in which we were simultaneously looking for Muscat’s male and femal Fashion Icons. Sporting a grey jacket, black trousers and a dark-blue bow tie, Hasnain Zafar, 21 (pictured right, middle), was named the Splash Male Fashion Icon after wowing judges with his unique style.

The award was a surprise for Hasnain, who says he had mixed emotions after winning. “It was something completely unexpected. I was overwhelmed with the response and it felt amazing. We all were there together and I think everyone did a great job,” he says.

Hasnain says he selected his clothes, deciding on a formal look for the finale. Suffice to say, he impressed everyone with his geek chic.

“It was my first time walking the runway at the auditions in college,” he reveals. “It was just another day for me and I hadn’t even registered for the competition, but a friend of mine got me in, so I wasn’t mentally prepared. I was just there to encourage my friends who were taking part. Little did I know that at the end of it, I would be chosen.”

On the back of his win, Hasnain says he would like to look into a part-time modelling career as a new challenge in addition to his computer science major at MEC. “My friend has hooked me up with a company for a photoshoot and I will see how that goes, if there are modeling offers on my way, I will be happy taking those as well.”

Claiming the title for the girls was 20-year-old Yuri Nicole Barrios

(pictured below), a student at the National Hospitality Institute. She was understandably delighted to be chosen as the winner. “I was so happy, and my friends and family were extremely overjoyed and proud of my achievement,” she says.

Although she has always wanted to become a model, this was Yuri’s first experience on the catwalk. “I’ve never done this before, which is why my parents didn’t even expect me to take part in such a competition. I was not expecting to win; I was just there to have fun and it just happened for me,” she smiles.

After winning the award, Yuri intends to use it as a platform to get into modeling professionally. “I really enjoy modelling and now that I have won an award, I think I want to make a career out of it. I enjoyed the competition a lot, it was such a fabulous experience meeting so many new and wonderful people.”

Of course, the event

couldn’t have taken place without our

sponsors, each of whom were happy with the reception

the competition was given by the freshers of Muscat.

“It was one of the only competitions driven by us and it was something very

unique that highlighted the talent of the first-year students in Oman. It was a very exciting journey

for us,” says Anand Verma from Splash, the competition’s presenting sponsor.

Y’s Coolest Fresher was powered by the Ford Figo, which allowed the funky new car to connect with the youth of the city.

“Y’s Coolest Fresher unearthed some wonderful young talent in Oman. The contest created a buzz and excitement in colleges and left them yearning for more,” says a Ford spokesman.

“The Y team worked very hard to make it happen and we were happy to be associated with the event.”

Suaad Aal Thani from NESCAFE

3 in 1,

the contest’s

associate sponsor thought the

competition was a brilliant idea. “I think it was such an

amazing competition and well organised. The concept in general was wonderful and we want to support it year after year,” she says.

Who will be crowned the future king of queen of cool in

Muscat? We’ll have to wait another year to find out.

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“Y” WE ARE SOULMATES

WIN A SHARE OF PRIZES WORTH RO850!

Associate Sponsors

Presents

A r e y o u r e a d y t o d e c l a r e y o u r l o v e t o y o u r p a r t n e r ?

W e’ r e o n t h e h u n t f o r t h e m o s t p e r f e c t l y m a t c h e d p a i r s i n o u r

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J A N 2 8 - 0 3 F E B / I S S U E 4 0 50 2 8

Are you more in love with your partner than ever? Do you think

that you know your loved one inside out? Well, here’s your chance to prove it as

Y brings back its popular “Y We Are Soulmates” competition to find the

best couples in Oman.If you’ve still got the spark, then we

want to hear from you as we call for contestants. You’ve got just over a week to register your entry and be in with a chance of sharing prizes worth RO850.

We’ve already received dozens of entries, but only 10 will be chosen to go forward to our live quiz show.

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve just got together or have been married for 50 years; the most important thing is that you’ve got the right recipe for love and all the ingredients for a long life together.

Presented by Mitsubishi Motors and in association with Manara Global Investment, Panorama Mall, and Golden Tulip Seeb Hotel, “Y We Are Soulmates” will see doting

couples go head-to-head against other contestants to

test their compatibility in front of an audience.

Our 10 finalists will answer a series of ques-

tions about their spouses to prove how well they know

each other in a challenge where a wrong answer could

spell trouble! If you think you know your husband or wife well, this is your

chance to prove it in the most romantic of ways – and win

some suitably dreamy prizes. The winning couple will get RO500 worth of

prizes, with the two runners-up

winning RO250

and RO100 worth of rewards.In our first two seasons, we found some very well

matched couples and we’re expecting this year to be even better.

“We’ve been inundated with couples wanting to prove their

love for each other and as we count down to our live event, we’re finding it dif-ficult to select our final-ists,” says Felicity Glover, Y’s managing editor.

“But there is still time to enter if you feel that

you are Oman’s number one couple.”

For a chance to become one of our 10 contestants in the live final at Panorama Mall on February 13, simply tell us in 50 words or less who is your

soulmate and why. Send your answer to editor@y-oman.com by

February 8.We’ll choose the best answers

and invite these couples to be part of our exciting and fun

final to find out if they really are soulmates and select the

winners.Good luck and we

look forward to your entry!

J A N 2 8 - 0 3 F E B / I S S U E 4 0 5 0 2 9

FOOD

DRINKAND

T r e n d N e w R e s t a u r a n t R e v i e w s

GET STARTEDStarters are

important and a simple hummus can be the perfect way to get a meal under

way.

J A N 2 8 - 0 3 F E B / I S S U E 4 0 50 3 0

Aubergine Rolls with Puck Cream Cheese SpreadThese rolls have a creamy cheese filling with the extra crunch of crushed walnuts and the freshness of coriander

Ingredients:§1 Puck White Cream Cheese Spread §3 aubergines, sliced lengthwise into thin slices §2 whole tomatoes, diced §1 handful coriander, chopped§1 handful walnuts, roughly ground §Garlic, ground to taste §Olive oil, to taste§1 pinch salt §1 pinch black pepper

Instructions§Preheat the oven to 180°C.§Brush both sides of the aubergine slices with olive oil and place on a baking tray.§Sprinkle salt and pepper and bake for about eight minutes.§Meanwhile, mix Puck Cream Cheese Spread, walnuts and coriander together in a bowl.§Place the mixture on one end of the eggplant slice, place a tomato slice on top, and roll forward, covering the mix with the aubergine slice.§Place the aubergine rolls on a serving platter, and top with chopped walnuts and coriander.

They say the starter for a dinner is an introduction to what’s to come, so it’s important to begin as you mean to go on. Which means serving up a memorable beginning to set the bar high and impress your diners.

There are lots of easy and sophisticated starters that are quick and easy to prepare, giving you more time to concentrate on the main event. Look out for seasonal food, such as pomegranates from the slopes of Jebel Akhdar (starts around September), to give your first course a local flavour.

Smart soups and simple salads are a good idea and can be made beforehand, meaning less stress in the kitchen on the day.

Try out this recipe for a great starter using aubergine, guaranteed to get your guests’ taste buds tingling. Next week, we’ll look at the main course. Happy cooking!

Set the tone for your meals with a tasty opening course to leave your guests wanting more

H E A D START

J A N 2 8 - F E B 0 3 / I S S U E 4 0 50 3 2

You know how sometimes you just have a craving for a certain kind of food and can’t rest until your yearning has been satisfied? Well that was me over the

weekend. The cuisine in question? Chinese.I’ve not yet discovered my go-to Chinese

restaurant in Muscat and so took to some research to find and test another contender for the title. Chinese Garden was a name that popped up a few times and given its convenient location in Al Khuwair between Al Zawawi Mosque and City Seasons Hotel Muscat, I figured it was worth a shot.

Nothing but a small sign marks the restaurant from the outside and the big red door was closed, giving no hint of what lay behind it. Somewhat sheepishly pushing it open, I peered into the dimly lit interior and it was like being transported into the heart of China, right here in Muscat.

Bordering on the kitsch, the décor includes just about every Chinese cliché or stereotype you could imagine, from red drapes, hangings, lanterns and artificial flowers through to a fish tank that I didn’t investigate fully, but wouldn’t have been at all surprised if it contained koi carp. The soft musical soundtrack – played on bamboo pipes and gently plucked string instruments – also had a suitably oriental feel. Okay, so as far as ambience and setting the scene for a Far Eastern experience goes, Chinese Garden certainly hits the nail on the head.

The menu offers your fairly standard Chinese fare, from beef in oyster sauce to chicken chow mein, but to its credit, Chinese Garden does offer a wide selection, with sub headings including chicken, beef, lamb, prawns, lobster, crab, squid, fish, duck and vegetables.

We opted to start with a classic sweet corn soup with chicken and thread prawns, deciding to select our mains after the appetisers were done. The soup was first to arrive and it was suitably thick and hearty, with a strong taste of sweet corn

and small strips of pulled chicken here and there. So far so good, but the delay on the arrival of our second starter was starting to cause concern.

A good five minutes later, my prawns appeared at the table. This may not sound long, but when one person is eating on their own, it can seem an eternity. Covered in a light threaded batter, it was hard to count the exact amount, but I think there were around six large and meaty prawns, served with a warm dipping sauce that offered hints of sweetness as well as slight spice kick.

With my visit to Chinese Garden coinciding with the 151st birthday of Wilbur Scoville, the man responsible for creating a scale for the hotness for chilis, I felt it was only right to opt for something spicy when the time came to

reassess the menu for mains. I’m a sucker for duck and as soon as my eyes wandered down to that part of the menu, my choice was all but made. Duck in hot garlic sauce was the dish for me, which my dining partner, partially defeated by a combination of soup and the size of those prawns, opted to share, along with a small portion of Garden special fried rice.

Unfortunately, our plates from the first course were not cleared until the mains arrived, forcing our waiter to do a fair bit of crockery juggling as he attempted to both serve and clear at the same time, but he seemed up to the task and soon retreated back to the kitchen with full hands.

There were no frills with the presentation. The meal was served in a deep bowl and the duck was a strange amalgamation of on the bone and breast. As a small bird, scraping duck from the bone can be a fiddly process, but ironically this yielded the best meat, with the chunks of breast seemingly a little overcooked, making them a tad stringy. The sauce hinted at spice, but the addition of a few fresh chilis from the condiment selection helped to boost this to my liking.

With around three quarters of the dish gone, I put my knife and fork down out of sheer boredom more than anything – a few vegetables, even just some onions may have been nice to mix up the taste and texture.

Chinese restaurants are not often famed for their desserts and so we quickly paid the bill – a modest RO10.3 – before heading off into the night.

According to its menu, Chinese Garden opened in the 1990s, which means they must be doing something right to have survived this long. As far as I’m concerned, however, I think it’s fair to say that my search for a favourite Chinese restaurant in the capital continues. Do you have a favourite restaurant that you’d like to see reviewed? Let Y know at editor@y-oman.com

T r e n d N e w R e s t a u r a n tFOOD

DRINKAND R E V I E W S

LITTLE CHINA IN MUSCAT

Info BoxCHINESE GARDEN

Al Khuwair StreetTel: 2448 9414

Opening Hours: Daily from 12pm-12am

Dinner and drinks for two: RO10.3

Verdict :Service: 6 /10

Food: 6 /10Ambience 8 /10

Good ambience, but food is average.

Y Magazine reviews anonymously and pays for its meals

THE OFFERINGS AT CHINESE GARDEN MAY BE FAR EASTERN, BUT THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE IS MORE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, FINDS MATT BLACKWELL

CASUAL

DINING

J A N 2 8 - 0 3 F E B / I S S U E 4 0 50 3 4

Get The Look

From the high end to the high street,

Felicity Glover helps you to get the look

HEALTH&BEAUTY

H e a l t h B e a u t y FA S H I O N

TIME TO CELEBRATETeam Y loves a good

party, especially when we are celebrating the eighth

anniversary of Oman’s favourite magazine! So this

week, we thought it would be fun to bring you some party

looks, such as this striking outfit from Vera Mont.

J A N 2 8 - 0 3 F E B / I S S U E 4 0 50 3 4

Get The Look

From the high end to the high street,

Felicity Glover helps you to get the look

Orange is one of the hottest colours for spring and Debenhams’ Butterfly dress by Matthew Williamson will keep you bang on trend this season. From RO82.3

This cute lace overlay clutch bag from Accessorize is perfect for smart phones, which you’ll need for all those party selfies. From RO17.5

Add a touch of height and style to your party outfit in these New Look silver laser-cut heels. From RO15.3

Round out your look with this fun Oliver Bonas Ekkon angular bar necklace (available in March). From RO14.2

You can’t go wrong in classic black, such as this M&S Limited Edition evening dress with a modern twist. From RO13.7

This embellished light blue maxi dress from River Island is sure to add sparkle to any party. From RO65.9

1. Parties are a great excuse to glam yourself up and have fun, whether it’s in classic black or one of the season’s hottest colours, such as orange. 2. Know your style – and heel limits! High heels can be a killer on the dance floor, so keep it real and save your feet at the same time. 3. Sparkling accessories are perfect for a party – and don’t forget, your dress can also light up a room with embellishments.HOW TO WEAR

J A N 2 8 - 0 3 F E B / I S S U E 4 0 5 0 3 5

Hair transplants, which offer a permanent solution to hair loss and balding, have been in vogue for a while now, but there’s another

trend in town and it seems to be catching the attention of most men, especially those of Arab origin – a beard transplant.

Having a full beard is viewed as having a valuable asset and a sign of masculinity. Unfortunately, not every man has been blessed with the ability to grow one.

Most men who find it hard to grow full facial hair are now opting for a beard transplant, which is becoming as popular as scalp hair transplants. According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery 2015 Practice Census Results, in 2014, 89.1 per cent of hair transplant procedures targetted the scalp area and 10.9 percent of procedures targeted non-scalp areas of the body – including eyebrow (5.5 per cent), face/moustache/beard (3.7 per cent) and eyelash (0.6 per cent) areas. The face/moustache/beard transplant showed a dramatic increase from 1.5 per cent in 2012.

Anisa Vrabac, head of the hair transplant department at Dubai Cosmetic Surgery clinic, agrees that the numbers of men trickling into the clinic for this hairy procedure has more than doubled in the last couple of years. “This is because men in and outside the UAE have realised that they can have a full beard that is natural and permanent.”

Facial hair transplants are not only for those with a non-existent beard. “There are men who tend to have a patchy beard, which according to them is more embarrassing and frustrating than having none at all,” adds Anisa. “This makes one choose between going without a beard completely and having a full one once and for all through the beard transplant.”

Other reasons men want to beef up the beard include covering up trauma or acne scars, the need to look more mature or younger and wanting to copy the style of favourite celebrities.

Facial hair loss, says Anisa, is normally caused by a number of issues, with hormonal imbalance being at the top. “Others include genetics, nutritional imbalance, trauma and underlying health issues.”

In the Arab world, explains Anisa, full facial hair is mostly associated with masculinity and it is more a part of their heritage. “This particular reason explains

why a bigger portion of our clients at Dubai Cosmetic Surgery clinic seeking a beard transplant are of Arab origin from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and other surrounding countries in the region. Having a thick and prominent beard also gives a man a higher status symbol. “Traditionally it is a sign of virility and strength,” she says.

The procedure is very similar to that of scalp hair transplants, only this time the hairs are being transplanted to the face.

“We start by extracting hair follicles from a donor area, which is usually at the back of your head because this is where the hair is at its thickest. A method known as FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) is used, whereby grafts are harvested one by one. FUE is more preferable because it’s less invasive with a shorter downtime,” says Anisa.

Depending on the size of the area, whether it’s the moustache or goatee or any other area, the number can range anywhere from 500 grafts for the moustache

to 1,500 grafts for the goatee and up to 3,000 grafts for a full beard. A beard hair transplant can take anywhere from two hours to eight hours depending on the number of grafts to be transplanted.

The transplanted hair, according to Anisa, grows just like normal beard hair. “It is permanent and natural-looking, and after the final results which take six to 12 months to show, the person can shave, style and even colour without any worry.”

The cost of a beard transplant at Dubai Cosmetic Surgery clinic starts from AED15,000 (RO1,572) upwards, depending on the number of grafts needed.

J A N 2 8 - F E B 0 3 / I S S U E 4 0 50 3 6

S C A N O U R Q R C O D E S

W I T H A N Y Q R R E A D E R A P P

B E A U T Y H e a l t h F a s h i o nHEALTH&BEAUTY

The latest cosmetic fad in the GCC for men is a facial hair transplant

BIG BEARD

B e a u t y H E A LT H F a s h i o n

J A N 2 8 - F E B 0 3 / I S S U E 4 0 5 0 3 7

If the idea of diving into a new year already has you feeling more exhausted than invigorated, it may be time to introduce some new strategies to help keep you on track.

Proper exercise, balanced nutrition and quality rest can make it easier to adapt when life demands you give a little bit more. Everyone’s life demands are different. Some may be looking to push through a late night workout or make it to the office for an early meeting, while others are looking to enjoy an outing to the park with their kids at the end of the day.

And perhaps like Team Y, you’ve been overdosing on carbohydrates (we’ve been overdoing the cake this week for our birthday celebrations) and need to give your body a rest.

These tips will help fuel, inspire and accomplish whatever your personal “one more” is.

Begin with a bang. With a busy day ahead, it can be tempting to rush out the door and skip breakfast. However, countless studies have shown this first meal of the day is extremely important. Skipping out on a balanced breakfast can drag you down all day, both mentally and physically. Being hungry later in the day may also make you more likely to overeat or nibble on high-calorie snacks. For those mornings when you’re crunched for time, grab a protein-rich ready-to-drink shake or sandwich with egg, cheese and lean meat to give yourself sustained energy for the rest of the day.

Work in a workout. In addition to helping ward off disease and manage your weight, regular exercise helps lift your mood by stimulating feel-

good chemicals in the brain and boosts energy by helping your body work more efficiently. A combination of aerobic or cardio activity (walking, jogging or running) and muscle-strengthening activity (lifting weights, resistance training or yoga) is the winning formula. After your workout, refuel with a rich and creamy Premier Protein Shake, available in Chocolate, Vanilla and Strawberries and Cream, with 30 grams of protein, only 160 calories and just 1g of sugar.

Power with protein. Your body gets energy from three main sources: carbohydrates, fat and protein. Protein plays a major role in repairing damaged cells, tissues and muscle. Good sources of protein include meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts

and vegetables, but the best sources deliver lots of protein without a lot of fat, carbs and sugar. A protein-based snack is a good way to recharge during the day. Premier Protein 30-gram bars and Fibre Bars are smart, easy and gluten-free options that are available in an array of flavours to provide sustained energy with fibre, calcium and protein to help curb hunger.

Keep up on sleep. Quality sleep – and an adequate amount of it – is critical to your overall wellbeing. While you’re sleeping, your body is hard at work healing and repairing from the day, as well as regulating your hormonal balance and protecting your immune system. At the same time, your brain is also recharging to help your mental function, including learning aptitude, problem solving and emotional health. Most adults need an average of seven to nine hours of sleep for optimal performance.

Visit premierprotein.com to learn how you can get the sustained energy to help you accomplish “one more” thing each day.

* Family Features

If you’re already finding it a struggle to keep your New Year

resolutions, give your health a kickstart with a new regime

POWER UPPOWER UP

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GRAB IT BEFORE IT’S GONE

GET YOUR FREE COPY OF Y AT THE FOLLOWING DISTRIBUTION POINTS…Capital RegionAzaiba• Amara

Dermatology Clinic• Audi showroom• Bentley showroom• Costa Coffee• Al Fair• Jaguar Showroom • Jeep Showroom• Al Maha Petrol

Station• Mazda showroom• McDonald’s• Mitsubishi

Showroom• Oman Arab Bank• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Peugeot

Showroom• Range Rover

Showroom• Sayarti Auto Care• Shell Select• Skoda Showroom• The Sultan Center• Volkswagen

showroom• Volvo Showroom• Yamaha ShowroomBawshar• College of Banking

and Financial Studies

• Dolphin Village• Modern College

of Business and Science

• Muscat College• Muscat Private

Hospital (Emergency and Outpatients)

• Oman Medical College

CBD• Al Maya

Hypermarket• Alizz Islamic Bank• Bahwan Travel

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Chartered Bank• Woodlands

RestaurantDarsait• Indian Social Club• Khimji’s Mart

• KIMS Oman Hospital

• LuLu Hypermarket• Muscat Bakery• Shell Petrol StationAl Falaj/Rex Road• Al Falaj Hotel• Badr Al Samaa

Hospital• Golden Oryx

Restaurant• Kamat Restaurant • Toshiba ShowroomGhala • National Mineral

WaterGhubra• Al Hayat

International Hospital

• Al Maya Hypermarket

• Bank of Beirut• Costa Coffee• Crêpe Café• GMC Showroom• LuLu Hypermarket• Moka & More • Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Park Inn• Porsche Showroom• Al Raffah Hospital• Stationery Hut• The Chedi MuscatAl Hail• Burger King• Caledonian College

of Engineering• Markaz Al Bahja

Mall• McDonald’s• Omantel• Starcare HospitalAl Khoudh• Al Fair• Badr Al Samaa

Hospital• Pizza HutAl Khuwair• Badr Al Samaa

Hospital• Bait Al Reem Mall• Caffè Vergnano • Centrepoint

(Splash)• Diplomatic Club• Grand Hyatt

Muscat • Harley-Davidson

Showroom• HSBC • KFC• Khimji’s Mart• Khimji’s Watches• KM Trading• Landmark Group

• McDonald’s• Muscat Bakery• Oman Bowling

Center• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Oman United

Insurance• Omran• Pizza Hut• Radisson Blu• Shell Petrol Station• TGI Friday’s • The Great Kabab

Factory• The Tikka Place• Zahara Travel• Zakher MallMabela• Gulf College OmanMawalah• Chili’s Restaurant• Costa Coffee• Al Makan Café• The Noodle House• Starbucks• Tim Hortons• VLCC WellnessMBD• Bank Dhofar• Centrepoint

(Splash)• Khimji’s Mart• NBO• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Pizza Hut• Pizza Muscat• Shell Petrol StationMGM• Caribou Coffee• Gloria Jean’s

Coffees• Just Falafel • Ooredoo• Paul • Tim HortonsAl Mina• Bait Al Baranda • Bait Al Zubair MQ• Al Fair• Arab Open

University• British Council • Costa Coffee• D’Arcy’s Kitchen• Hana’s Slimming &

Skincare Centre• Kargeen Caffe• KFC• MacKenzies Café

& Deli• Mood Café• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Papa John’s Pizza

• Pizza Hut• Saharz Beauty

Salon• StarbucksAl Murtafa’a• Bank Muscat• KFC• Muscat Hills Golf &

Country ClubMuscat International Airport• Caribou Coffee• Majan Lounge• Plaza Premium

LoungeMussanah• Millennium ResortMuttrah• Shell Petrol StationQantab• Al Bustan Palace • Marina Bandar Al

Rowdha• Oman Dive Center• Shangri-La Qurum• Al Araimi Complex• Balance Health &

Fitness • Bank Nizwa• BMW showroom • Burger King• Chili’s Restaurant• Crowne Plaza • Finland Eye Center• Fun Zone• Gloria Jean’s

Coffees• The Jungle

Restaurant• Left Bank• McDonald’s• Mercedes-Benz

Showroom• Mumtaz Mahal

Restaurant• Nandos• Nissan Showroom• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Pizza Hut• Qurum

Commercial Complex

• Ras Al Hamra Club• SABCO Centre• Second Cup• Starbucks• The Sultan Center• Tche Tche Café Rusayl• Knowledge Oasis

Muscat -1• Knowledge Oasis

Muscat -2• Knowledge Oasis

Muscat -3

• Knowledge Oasis Muscat -4 (ITA)

• Middle East College

• Omantel• Waljat College of

Applied Sciences Ruwi• Apollo Medical

Centre• Kamat Restaurant • KFC• Khimji’s Mega

Store – Swarovski Showroom

• Khimji’s Watches • KM Trading• Oman Air• Oman UAE

Exchange• Oman Trading

Establishment • Saravana BhavanSarooj• Al Fair• Al Masa Mall• City Cinema • Ayana Spa• Cosmeclic• Emirates Medical

Center• McDonald’s• Shell Petrol Station• VLCC WellnessSawadi• Al Sawadi Beach

ResortSeeb• Golden Tulip Hotel• McDonald’sShatti Al Qurum• Bareeq Al Shatti

Complex• Caribou Coffee• D’Arcy’s Kitchen• German Eye

Centre• The Indus

Restaurant• InterContinental

Hotel Muscat• Jawharat Al Shatti

Complex• Kaya Skin Clinic• Muscat Eye Laser

Center• Oasis By The Sea• Second Cup • Starbucks• VLCC WellnessSifah• Sifawy Boutique

HotelSQU• Diplomatic Club• College of

Economics and

Political Science• Students Banking

Area• Reception/

CanteenWadi Kabir• Al Maya

Hypermarket• LuLu Hypermarket• Muscat Pharmacy • National

Hospitality Institute

• Pizza Hut • Shell Petrol StationWattayah• Ahli Bank• Best cars• BLS International

Services• Chevorlet/GM

showroom• Ford Showroom• Hatat House• Honda Showroom • Hyundai

showroom• Kia Showroom • Lexus Showroom• National Travel &

Tourism • Passage To India

Restaurant• Shell Petrol Station• Subaru showroom• Suzuki Showroom• Toyota ShowroomThe Wave• Almouj Golf • Costa Coffee• Oman Sail • Shakespeare & Co.• The Wave Head

Office

Other RegionsBarka• Al Nahda Spa and

Resort• LuLu HypermarketNizwa• University of

NizwaSohar• Centrepoint

(Splash)• Crowne Plaza• National Gift

Markets• Ooredoo• Pizza Hut• Safeer Mall• Sohar Beach Hotel• Sohar Port and

Freezone• Sohar University

FO L L O W U S O N : @ytabloid /ytabloid www.y-oman.com /ytabloid ymagazine /ymagazine

J A N 2 8 - 0 3 F E B / I S S U E 4 0 5 0 3 9

P o s t c a r d s f r o m Y - F i

CARS ANDADVENTURES

ESCAPE FROM THE CITYDid you know that

Muscat had its own hot spring?

Ain Ghala and the surrounding area is ripe for exploring.

TOO LATE? DON’T WORRY. GET Y INSTANTLY ONLINE USING YOUR MOBILE DEVICES & PCVisit www.y-oman.com/current-issue/

No downloading required

GRAB IT BEFORE IT’S GONE

GET YOUR FREE COPY OF Y AT THE FOLLOWING DISTRIBUTION POINTS…Capital RegionAzaiba• Amara

Dermatology Clinic• Audi showroom• Bentley showroom• Costa Coffee• Al Fair• Jaguar Showroom • Jeep Showroom• Al Maha Petrol

Station• Mazda showroom• McDonald’s• Mitsubishi

Showroom• Oman Arab Bank• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Peugeot

Showroom• Range Rover

Showroom• Sayarti Auto Care• Shell Select• Skoda Showroom• The Sultan Center• Volkswagen

showroom• Volvo Showroom• Yamaha ShowroomBawshar• College of Banking

and Financial Studies

• Dolphin Village• Modern College

of Business and Science

• Muscat College• Muscat Private

Hospital (Emergency and Outpatients)

• Oman Medical College

CBD• Al Maya

Hypermarket• Alizz Islamic Bank• Bahwan Travel

Agencies• Bank Sohar• Copper Chimney

Restaurant• Costa Coffee• HSBC• Lama Polyclinic• NBO• Oman Arab Bank• Standard

Chartered Bank• Woodlands

RestaurantDarsait• Indian Social Club• Khimji’s Mart

• KIMS Oman Hospital

• LuLu Hypermarket• Muscat Bakery• Shell Petrol StationAl Falaj/Rex Road• Al Falaj Hotel• Badr Al Samaa

Hospital• Golden Oryx

Restaurant• Kamat Restaurant • Toshiba ShowroomGhala • National Mineral

WaterGhubra• Al Hayat

International Hospital

• Al Maya Hypermarket

• Bank of Beirut• Costa Coffee• Crêpe Café• GMC Showroom• LuLu Hypermarket• Moka & More • Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Park Inn• Porsche Showroom• Al Raffah Hospital• Stationery Hut• The Chedi MuscatAl Hail• Burger King• Caledonian College

of Engineering• Markaz Al Bahja

Mall• McDonald’s• Omantel• Starcare HospitalAl Khoudh• Al Fair• Badr Al Samaa

Hospital• Pizza HutAl Khuwair• Badr Al Samaa

Hospital• Bait Al Reem Mall• Caffè Vergnano • Centrepoint

(Splash)• Diplomatic Club• Grand Hyatt

Muscat • Harley-Davidson

Showroom• HSBC • KFC• Khimji’s Mart• Khimji’s Watches• KM Trading• Landmark Group

• McDonald’s• Muscat Bakery• Oman Bowling

Center• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Oman United

Insurance• Omran• Pizza Hut• Radisson Blu• Shell Petrol Station• TGI Friday’s • The Great Kabab

Factory• The Tikka Place• Zahara Travel• Zakher MallMabela• Gulf College OmanMawalah• Chili’s Restaurant• Costa Coffee• Al Makan Café• The Noodle House• Starbucks• Tim Hortons• VLCC WellnessMBD• Bank Dhofar• Centrepoint

(Splash)• Khimji’s Mart• NBO• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Pizza Hut• Pizza Muscat• Shell Petrol StationMGM• Caribou Coffee• Gloria Jean’s

Coffees• Just Falafel • Ooredoo• Paul • Tim HortonsAl Mina• Bait Al Baranda • Bait Al Zubair MQ• Al Fair• Arab Open

University• British Council • Costa Coffee• D’Arcy’s Kitchen• Hana’s Slimming &

Skincare Centre• Kargeen Caffe• KFC• MacKenzies Café

& Deli• Mood Café• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Papa John’s Pizza

• Pizza Hut• Saharz Beauty

Salon• StarbucksAl Murtafa’a• Bank Muscat• KFC• Muscat Hills Golf &

Country ClubMuscat International Airport• Caribou Coffee• Majan Lounge• Plaza Premium

LoungeMussanah• Millennium ResortMuttrah• Shell Petrol StationQantab• Al Bustan Palace • Marina Bandar Al

Rowdha• Oman Dive Center• Shangri-La Qurum• Al Araimi Complex• Balance Health &

Fitness • Bank Nizwa• BMW showroom • Burger King• Chili’s Restaurant• Crowne Plaza • Finland Eye Center• Fun Zone• Gloria Jean’s

Coffees• The Jungle

Restaurant• Left Bank• McDonald’s• Mercedes-Benz

Showroom• Mumtaz Mahal

Restaurant• Nandos• Nissan Showroom• Oman Oil Petrol

Station• Pizza Hut• Qurum

Commercial Complex

• Ras Al Hamra Club• SABCO Centre• Second Cup• Starbucks• The Sultan Center• Tche Tche Café Rusayl• Knowledge Oasis

Muscat -1• Knowledge Oasis

Muscat -2• Knowledge Oasis

Muscat -3

• Knowledge Oasis Muscat -4 (ITA)

• Middle East College

• Omantel• Waljat College of

Applied Sciences Ruwi• Apollo Medical

Centre• Kamat Restaurant • KFC• Khimji’s Mega

Store – Swarovski Showroom

• Khimji’s Watches • KM Trading• Oman Air• Oman UAE

Exchange• Oman Trading

Establishment • Saravana BhavanSarooj• Al Fair• Al Masa Mall• City Cinema • Ayana Spa• Cosmeclic• Emirates Medical

Center• McDonald’s• Shell Petrol Station• VLCC WellnessSawadi• Al Sawadi Beach

ResortSeeb• Golden Tulip Hotel• McDonald’sShatti Al Qurum• Bareeq Al Shatti

Complex• Caribou Coffee• D’Arcy’s Kitchen• German Eye

Centre• The Indus

Restaurant• InterContinental

Hotel Muscat• Jawharat Al Shatti

Complex• Kaya Skin Clinic• Muscat Eye Laser

Center• Oasis By The Sea• Second Cup • Starbucks• VLCC WellnessSifah• Sifawy Boutique

HotelSQU• Diplomatic Club• College of

Economics and

Political Science• Students Banking

Area• Reception/

CanteenWadi Kabir• Al Maya

Hypermarket• LuLu Hypermarket• Muscat Pharmacy • National

Hospitality Institute

• Pizza Hut • Shell Petrol StationWattayah• Ahli Bank• Best cars• BLS International

Services• Chevorlet/GM

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NizwaSohar• Centrepoint

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Freezone• Sohar University

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CARS ANDOUTDOORS

D E S T I N A T I O N P o s t c a r d s f r o m Y - F i CARS ANDADVENTURES

Destination

AIN GHALAHot springs and hallowed ground, Shaquel al Balushi finds it

all and more waiting for him at Ain Ghala

AIN GHALA

After a string of Destinations exploring wadis, beaches and forts, I felt it was high time to

discover – or rather rediscover – a natural spring.

The one I had in mind was Ain Ghala, which, as you can tell by the name, is within Muscat’s city limits and offers a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of urban life.

I remember going to the spring when we were kids, but that must have been at least 25 years ago.

Before we arrived, I tried to cast my mind back to when I last visited Ain Ghala (also known as Ayn Hamam as Sakhinah) with my family many years back, but found the memory to be a little blurry.

This blurriness extended to the spring’s exact location and so my friend and I spent a good while driving around in circles before we finally stumbled across a sign that pointed us in the right direction.

Prior to this, we kept hitting dead ends and with the internet not working on my phone, I couldn’t even bring up Google Maps to guide us on our way.

The track that leads there is extremely narrow and only has room for one car at a time. When you do get there though, everything widens out and there is plenty of parking. It wasn’t that busy when we arrived, with just a few passersby going about their business.

Looking around, the memories began to come back and I soon realised that a lot had changed. Everything seems more developed now, but this is not necessarily a negative thing. The spring now opens out into a wide pool and while the water was originally used to irrigate the surrounding palms for farming, there is now a purpose-built building in which you can dip your toes in the warm water and feel the soothing effect.

There is definitely more organisation, as if the authorities have realised the value of this location and invested some money into making it an attractive place to visit, but sadly one thing that is lacking somewhat is the actual water.

Don’t get me wrong. There is

water, but the falaj that runs down from the mountain is almost dry.

Normally in a falaj you can see the water flowing, but here it is like a slow trickle. You can hear the sound of running water and just about see it with the naked eye, but my camera wasn’t really able to pick up the tiny details.

Another new addition is a shaded area for seating just across from the spring pool. Ain Ghala is very pleasant at this time of year, its close proximity to the mountains provide a constant gentle breeze and it’s a great place to sit and have lunch. I spotted a few families doing this and they looked relieved to be away from the noise of Muscat, relaxing in the peace and quiet with no one bothering them.

I think that Ain Ghala will be a good place to visit for another month or two before the temperatures get too hot again. We arrived in the afternoon and easily managed to kill a couple of hours there.

After investigating the spring thoroughly we took to scouting out the surrounding location and came across a few goats, along with the dried, twisted trunks of fallen trees.

I also noticed there was a steady stream of people laboriously making their way up one of the nearby mountains. After overhearing a

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Travel along Bawshar Street, turning right on to Way 61 before you reach Dolphin Village. Follow this road until it forks, head left and take the immediate right. This road should lead you all the way to the spring.

GPS location of Ain Ghala: N23° 31’ 45.293” E58° 23’ 0.547”

T R AV E L G U I D E

conversation one family was having nearby, I learned that the spot at the top of the mountain is said to be the burial site of one of Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) grandsons, although this was the first of I’d heard of the story and I’ve lived in Oman all my life.

Whether it is true or not, I plan to challenge myself to climb this steep mountain someday soon, just for the sense of accomplishment it will give me more than anything.

HOW TO GET THERE

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TOP FIVE THINGS TO DO:1) Take the Aiguille du Midi cable car and ski or board down La

Vallée Blanche if you’re brave enough

2) Taste the traditional Savoyard delights of the Alpine Markets

3) Paraglide the Mont Blanc Massif skyline

4) Visit La Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice), France’s largest glacier, and

explore the Grotte de la Mer de Glace

5) Organise a Mont Blanc guided walk or trek

ALPINE BEAUTYMont Blanc is the

highest mountain in the Alps and a prominent sight from France’s Chamonix valley.

CARS ANDADVENTURES

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P O S T C A R D S F R O M

My favourite placeThe Aiguille du Midi is the highest accessible point of the Mont Blanc glacier, and sister to Mont Blanc itself. After a cable car ride, you’ll find yourself at 3,777m and a little extra lift will take you up to 3,842m. Here, you will be presented with a vista not only of the Mont Blanc Massif in all its stunning beauty, but of France, Italy and Switzerland. At the top, there is a restaurant serving local cuisine to reenergise after having your senses stolen by the views, as well as a museum-style information point. And for the daring, the wonder doesn’t stop here. One of the new additions over recent years is a glass platform just waiting for you to walk on. Needless to say, it’s not one for the faint of heart. Standing among the clouds and staring at the snowy skyline doesn’t come cheap – a return ride in the cable car is around RO24 per adult – but it’s worth every baisa. There is, however, the option for a single ride, at RO20 per adult. Of course, this comes with the expectation that you will make your own way down, skiing or snowboarding an off-piste route known to winter sports fanatics as “La Vallée Blanche”. This exhilarating 20km-long run has vertical descents in parts, making it a challenge for any adrenaline junky. Many local tour operators arrange guided descents down La Vallée Blanche and while it is possible to go it alone, some travel insurance policies won’t cover accidents off-piste when unaccompanied, so be sure to check it out first.

HighlightsIf the sight of a bright blue sky punctuated with snow-capped peaks isn’t enough, then the summer spectacle of paragliders soaring above will really give this scene the “wow” factor. Take a seat down in the valley, sipping strong black coffee and breakfasting on croissants or pain au chocolat in a traditional French boulangerie and just enjoy the wondrous skyline. If you want to really feel part of the view, then consider trying out the paragliding yourself. Paragliding is a wonderful way to not only witness brilliance, but also to feel like you’re flying. Many operators offer paragliding where you can fly tandem with an instructor or solo for the more experienced.

LowlightsOne of the delights of staying in Chamonix is not feeling restricted to the same shops, restaurants, ski slopes or trekking routes. For me, each morning held an element of spontaneity as I awoke wondering whether to visit Les Bossons, Le Tour or Les Praz. All these options are made possible with the help of a convenient bus service. But for many, “holiday” means being able to relax in an environment where all the action, activities and amenities are within a close vicinity. For those who want everything just a stone’s throw away, this may not be your destination of choice.

SouvenirsEach resort in the valley holds its own market throughout the week, but if you only make it to one, make sure it’s the market in Chamonix Town. The traditional agriculture of the area is predominantly based on dairy farming, which lends itself to some spectacular (if a little smelly) Savoyard cheeses being showcased on market day: Reblochon, Tomme, Morbier and Beaufort are regional specials that are the key ingredient in alpine dishes like raclette and tartiflette. Alongside the cheese, French pain et patisseries, fruits and vegetables and some non-consumables are also available at Chamonix markets.

Where to stayThe breadth of accommodation on offer can make choosing where to rest your head a little daunting. Yet because the Chamonix valley is tailored to an array of needs and desires, ask yourself: What kind of holiday are you after?’ For family breaks, Les Houches has charm for children, whilst the hamlet of Argentière is catered more to those with a taste for traditional 19th-century architecture and baroque churches. As the valley’s capital, Chamonix Town is the busiest place to stay. It offers restaurants and nightlife, along with a selection of self-catered accommodation and upmarket hotels. Thanks to the fantastic free bus service that runs between the resorts, valley-venturing has never been so easy and you’ll never feel restricted to the village or town that you choose to stay in.

CHAMONIX VALLEY Nichola Holgate-Smith recommends,

As a n a v i d ( a n d s l i g h t l y o b s e s s e d ) s k i e r , t h e w o r d s “ A l p i n e t o w n ” a n d “ s n o w - t o p p e d m o u n t a i n s ” a r e s y n o n y m o u s w i t h p e r f e c t i o n , b u t w i t h a c t i v i t i e s t h a t c a t e r fo r a l l t a s t e s , C h a m o n i x g o e s f a r

b e y o n d t h a t . T h e C h a m o n i x v a l l e y s t r e t c h e s t h r o u g h Fr a n c e t o w a r d s t h e S w i s s b o r d e r , f r o m S e r v o z t o V a l l o r c i n e , w i t h a n a w e - i n s p i r i n g b a c k d r o p o f t h e h i g h e s t m o u n t a i n r a n g e i n E u r o p e . T h e v a l l e y h o s t s f i v e k e y r e s o r t s , w h i c h s h o u l d a l l b e v i s i t e d a s p a r t o f t h e C h a m o n i x e x p e r i e n c e , b u t t h e c e n t r e , C h a m o n i x T o w n , i s a r e a l g e m . I t e n c a p s u l a t e s Fr e n c h S a v o y a r d c h a r m w i t h a c t i o n - p a c k e d e n e r g y a n d m a d e i t s n a m e a s t h e w o r l d c a p i t a l fo r m o u n t a i n e e r i n g b e fo r e b e c o m i n g w e l l - k n o w n a r o u n d t h e w o r l d fo r i t s d o w n h i l l s k i s l o p e s . AIGUILLE DU MIDI

BREATHTAKING ALPINE VIEWS

CABLE CAR RIDES INTO THE MOUNTAINS

D e s t i n a t i o n Y - F i C a r s

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-FIT H E T E C H I N Y O U

Y - F IP o s t c a r d s F r o m D e s t i n a t i o n

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EDITO

R’S PI

CK

STAYING AFLOATTECHNOLOGY IS GREAT, BUT IT CAN OFTEN RUN INTO TROUBLE WHEN YOU ADD WATER TO THE MIX. HOWEVER, THOSE FEARS CAN BE A THING OF THE PAST WITH A FUNKY FLOATING BLUETOOTH SPEAKER. DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FOUR HOURS OF PLAYBACK AND COMPATIBLE WITH ALL BLUETOOTH DEVICES, NOT ONLY IS THIS SPEAKER IDEAL FOR A BIT OF A BATH TIME JAM, IT’S THE PERFECT COMPANION FOR DAY TRIPS TO ANY OF OMAN’S WADIS AND BEACHES. AVAILABLE AT FINDMEAGIFT.CO.UK FROM RO10.86.

HANDYMAN

Is one of your friends or loved ones a DIY fiend? If so, the chances are they’ll appreciate this 6-in-1 Multi Tool Pen as a gift. Billed as the ultimate gadget pen, it features four different types of ruler, a touchscreen stylus, spirit level and screwdriver, as well as its everyday role as a ballpoint pen. Okay, so it’s a grenade launcher short of being James Bond-worthy, but still, it’s pretty nifty don’t you think? Available at thepresentfinder.co.uk from RO5.42.

As Y Magazine turns eight years old, there is a celebratory feel in the air. Matt Blackwell brings you the best budget birthday gifts for the techie in your life

HEAD INTO THE FUTUREVirtual reality is tipped to be big this year and you could be ahead of the trend with this Immerse Virtual Reality Headset. Just download various virtual reality apps or 3D movies and videos and you’ll soon be fully absorbed in the audio visual experience. You can test drive a car or lose yourself in a game without ever leaving the comfort of your home. The adjustable holder fits most smartphones (not the iPhone 6 Plus, though) and the headset is lightweight, wireless and completely portable. Available at thepresentfinder.co.uk from RO16.27.

STAY COOL

Keeping cool can be a challenge in the Sultanate, but now you can do it in style and have the added bonus of never being late for a meeting again with this USB LED Clock Fan. You can bend and twist it any way you want thanks to its flexible metal neck and the blades are made from soft PVC, so you needn’t worry about injuring yourself or others. Available at amazon.com from RO5.39.

BIRTHDAY ON A BUDGET

J U LY 0 3 - 0 9 / I S S U E 3 2 7 0 4 5J A N 2 8 - F E B 0 3 / I S S U E 4 0 5 0 4 5

App of the Week

GIFT PLANWith this handy app you’ll never miss a birthday or be stuck for present inspiration again. Gift Plan has it all covered, and more, thanks to a chronological list of upcoming events, colour coded occasions, shopping lists, customisable recipient profiles, an ideas tab and notifications well in advance of any given event. This is planning polished to perfection. From 38 baisa for iOS users.

SONGBIRD

Now you needn’t keep your singing to the shower thanks to the iRig Voice. This microphone will plug straight into your smartphone or tablet and give you the kind of control usually reserved for producers in studios. Tinker with everything from pitch to EQ as you perfect your voice and move one step closer to that dream record deal. Available at findmeagift.co.uk from RO13.58.

Remember what life was like before digital photography, when we actually had physical copies of our favourite photographs? In case you have any cherished pictures lying around the house, the Photo to iPad Scanning Dock is the perfect way to preserve them forever, converting treasured photos to crisp jpeg files in as little as 12 seconds, all while charging your iPad. The scanning dock has a lightning connector, meaning it is also compatible with the iPhone 5 onwards. Available at hammacher.com from RO46.2.

NEW PHOTO TO IPAD SCANNING DOCK

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

This is no mere stylish time keeping device. What you’re actually looking at is a fully functional Spy Camera Watch. Perfect for any budding secret agents, this watch allows you to go deep undercover, taking photos as well as recording video and audio. It comes with 4GB of internal memory and all your evidence can be downloaded to a PC or Mac. Available at findmeagift.co.uk from RO38.

BIRTHDAY ON A BUDGET

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For a car that makes you stand out from the motoring crowd, the Kia Soul will do the job with style, discovers Kate Ginn

Sometimes you can judge a car by how it makes you feel. Driving the Kia Soul, I had a huge grin on my face

almost permanently and felt a little elated. That’s the key selling point for me.

Some cars make you feel more important, sophisticated or mature; the Soul makes you feel happy. This happiness was apparently contagious. As I drove the car around Muscat, I seemed to be spreading joy with me, with smiles and even a thumbs-up from fellow drivers and a pedestrian waving at me along Qurum’s Beach Road.

Most of this has to be down to how the Soul looks. Futuristic styling married with the cute factor and a touch of sophistication have produced an eye-catching package. It’s also incredibly charming. One of my colleagues, Matt Blackwell, pronounced the Soul as “girly” and I do see where he’s coming from. The Soul seems to have been created to appeal to women drivers, although to be fair, I’ve seen plenty of men behind the wheel around the city as well.

Two-tone paint options, reminiscent of the Mini, give it a retro look and a chance for individualism, while the SUV-type styling with a chunky body and smart alloy wheels ensure that you get noticed, whether in the urban jungle or in Oman’s great outdoors. My test car, bright red with a black roof, certainly wasn’t the shy and retiring type.

Already a hit with car buyers, the all-new Soul has been invigorated and refined – inside and out – with cutting-edge technologies and

enhanced performance, so I was eager to put it through its paces.

Waiting to take the car at the Kia showroom in Wattayah, I bumped into a couple, Mark and Rebecca, who had just taken the Soul out for a test with their two daughters and were enthusiastically singing its praises, particularly the space and air conditioning.

They certainly weren’t exaggerating the powers of the AC. Even on the second setting it was blasting out cold air like an Arctic wind. Omani summers in the Soul would be a (very chilled) breeze.

I was also impressed with how deceptively roomy it is. From the outside it seems almost small, but inside there’s acres of leg and headroom for drivers and passengers. It’s like Doctor Who’s Tardis – once you’re inside, it’s absolutely cavernous. However, the boot space, although adequate, was smaller than I expected.

No complaints about the interior, though. Well thought out, with everything positioned nicely in reach of the driver, it’s comfortable and quite classy. The screen and infotainment system was easy to understand and I paired my iPhone with ease, allowing Adele’s soaring voice from her new song When We Were Young to fill the cabin. You can also connect your phone via USB, but Bluetooth was hassle-free. Controls for most functions are on the sporty steering wheel.

A new feature, the Flex Steer system, allows for three different driving modes – Comfort, Normal and Sport – and I found the first one the best. With all modes, I found the steering to be a little

heavier than expected. That aside, the Kia Soul is so easy to drive. It didn’t take long for me to familiarise myself with the layout and feel at home.

The Soul’s 1.6 engine is a little slow to respond and the acceleration wasn’t as sharp as I’d hoped, although once we got going, it held its own and was great fun to drive. But then, this car is not about speed but style, functionality and practicality.

To test performance, I took the Soul up the twisting road leading from Bawshar to Amerat. Switching to manual gear changing put me in control and we coped with the climb and sharp turns without any problems, pausing to take a photograph of the amazing panorama of Muscat and the sand dunes of Bawshar below.

Afterwards, we headed to Qurum beach and a pose along Beach Road, where we got several horn honks from other drivers and the cheery wave from a man and woman pushing their baby in a pram.

Later, visiting a nearby mall, the front and rear parking sensors were much appreciated. I was also pleasantly surprised and impressed that a rear-view camera came with the car, as it was unexpected at this price range. This is a common feature of the Kia, with many models very well stocked with technology and gadgets.

The whole afternoon with the Soul was a joy. And the price, which currently comes with cash-back deals or other promotions, is guaranteed to put a big smile on your face as well.

Sporty, SUV-like styling Striking two-tone colour options HID headlamps Rear combination lights Hi-tech audio system Reversing camera Front and rear parking sensors Vehicle Stability Management Drive, passenger, side and curtain airbags Brake Assist System Flex Steer Alloy wheels

They say: “More stylish than ever”

We say: “Fun and funky”

Kia SoulSpecifications:

Engine: Gamma 1.6 mpiTransmission: 6-speed

automaticHorsepower: 130

Price: RO6,975 for EX with option of cash gifts up to RO700 or insurance and

60,000km sevice

CARS ANDADVENTURES

C A R SD e s t i n a t i o n Y - F i

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