Fine art of DINING OUT!

Foodie Notes from Azure

Food Talk with Qureshis

Culinary Tourism for foodies

Simply scan this QR code with your smartphone and see the FACES website online

Issue 96, January 2015

Family Attitude Class Entertainment Success

Issue 96, January 2015

Founder / Essa Bin Mohammed Al Zedjali

Chairman & Editor-in-Chief / Mohammed Issa Al Zedjali

Chief Executive Officer / Ahmed Essa Al Zedjali

Business Director / Sophia Raman

Editorial Consultant / Suzy Fontes

Art Director / Pushpender K. Sharma

Head of Advertising & Marketing / Aziz K. Baker

Advertising / Avril D’souza

Operations / M.V.V. Sagar

Published By / Muscat Press &

Publishing House (SAoc)

PB 770, Pc 112, Ruwi, oman

Tel: +968 24 811953 . Fax: +968 24 813153

Printed At / Ruwi Modern Printers LLc

Tel: +968 24798157 / 24794167

Contact Telephone+968 24563382/24563385 Fascimile+968 24566014Email - Editorialeditor@facesoman.comEmail - Salessales@facesoman.comWebsitewww.facesoman.com

Copyright 2014 FACES / All material published remains the copyright of FACES. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publisher. FACES cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other material.

We are on Facebook! ‘FACES Magazine, Oman’

Fine art of DINING OUT!

Foodie Notes from Azure

Food Talk with Qureshis

Culinary Tourism for foodies

Simply scan this QR code with your smartphone and see the FACES website online

Issue 96, January 2015

In the daily work-office-work routine, when lunch is about grabbing a hurried sandwich/showarma at the neighbourhood coffee shop or picking fast food from the drive-through, eating out is a norm rather than an exception. With majority of the companies following a straight shift, in lieu of the previous double, most expatriate bachelors prefer to find a ‘mess’ closer to work or be content with a sandwich or two, which many coffee shops are even willing to deliver to the office. But with the eating out fad catching up, restaurants have devised ways to cater to foodies who want more than sandwiches for their lunch. Be it a leisurely business lunch or a quick buffet, restaurants in and around the capital are geared up to meet the increasing demands of diners from all walks of life.A spurt in the number of food outlets, both fine and casual, has also fuelled the dining out trend in the capital, with many an outlet requiring reservation to avoid disappointment. With weekend dinners becoming an eating out event in most households, the onus is on fine dining outlets to provide a sensorial experience to help patrons unwind and feel pampered in a soothing ambience. Moreover, diners today are savvy and know just what they want from their eating out experience.To capture this growing fad and celebrate the fine art of eating out, this issue of FAcES follows the dining out trail with articles and features dedicated to foodies. The cover story is a tribute to the role played by social media in encouraging even non-foodies to venture out and treat their palates. There’s more in every page...Bon appétit!

Editor’s Note

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feas

t ON

The lure of ‘Azure’

Frequent visitors to Mussanah’s most famous landmark, Millennium

Resort Mussanah (MRM), will need no introduction to its popular

eateries. With elaborate theme nights, perfectly juxtaposing the

buffet lunches, ‘day’s specials’ and a la carte menu, regulars know

just what to order to satiate their palate, while soaking in the natural

splendours of the resort. To cap this perfect symphony between food and nature, the Resort

has introduced an all new menu at the plush Azure restaurant, with the

charismatic new Executive Chef Matthew Fryar at the helm of affairs. It

has opened a new vista for foodies with a passion for all things nature

and a quest for gourmet dishes.Cocooned amidst the Gulf of Oman, the Hajar Mountains and the

Marina, the Resort, with its laidback dreamy aura, has endeared itself

to weekenders as well as frequent visitors; more so following the

opening up of the port. It has become the focal point for those regularly

plying between the capital and its precincts like Barka and Sohar,

which have fast turned into economic hubs with businesses moving

beyond the capital. Whether it is for a leisurely lunch, a stopover or a

relaxed weekend stay, the Resort, with its inherent charms and nature-

endowed soothers for the stressed souls, is definitely beckoning.

All that gratifies the senses is Azure at Millennium Resort Musannah

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16

cove

r S

TORY

A sudden spurt in the

number of food outlets

– both fine dining and

casual eateries – has

fuelled the eating out

trend in the capital

The Fine Art

Of Dining Out

If the confluence of restaurants in a place is any indication of the growing

‘dining out’ culture, then Muscat is all set to become a prime culinary

destination. With new, theme outlets peppering the established ones in and

around the capital, it is slowly turning into a haven for those with a penchant

for all things food. Be it the fast food outlets, coffee shops, small food joints or

the plush fine dining restaurants, foodies in the capital have more reason to follow

their palates.

Besides, there is a palpable shift in the concept of dining out, as many foodies are,

seemingly, driven to check out the cuisine at different outlets. It has taken food talk

to another level, with serious diners comparing food notes and discussing the pluses

and minuses of specific restaurants on the social media. This food savvy lot knows just

what to expect from different outlets and where to go when those unreasonable pangs for a

particular dish crops up.

Eating out is a social event for some, a necessity for many and a hedonistic foray for the

growing tribe of foodies. While socialising is known to get even the most fastidious

of diners to a restaurant, the ‘necessity’ factor is mainly linked to the ones who

loathe cooking or belong to the large tribe of forced

bachelors. It is, however, the growing foodie lot

that has helped spiral the dining out culture in

the capital. Thanks to increase in salaries and the

accruing disposable income, weekends, and even

weekdays, are all about dining out for many. It

has also fuelled a change in the eating habits of

discerning diners.

“Today’s diner is well aware; he/she is well travelled,”

affirms Mohammed Ashfaque Qureshi, of the famous

Qureshi brothers. He was in town recently for the

opening of ‘Qureshi - Bab Al Hind’ restaurant at

STREAM Faces 21.5x30 E.indd 2 1/26/15 10:26 AM

FACES Travel26 Explore oman

Welcome to the adventure-packed world of canyoning in oman as depicted by Dr. Khaled Abdul Malak in his recently launched book, ‘canyoning in oman – 12 Exceptional Wadis

58 Just Travel Food, the most defining facet of any holiday, is

all the more pronounced in ‘culinary tourism’

FACES Razzmatazz 10 Star Light Has Johnny Depp finally found his authentic

alter ego in his new film ‘Mortdecai’?

12 Razzle Dazzle Latest celebrity gossip from

the world of Hollywood

14 Tittle Tattle Heard through the grapevine...

FACES Digest 64 Movies & Books Reviews of upcoming movies and books

67 Gadget Notes Roundup of new gadgets in the market

FACES Style36 In The Luxe

Here’s what some of the world’s most expensive fine dining restaurants have to offer to satiate those pampered palates in an ambience to match

38 Look Good Get through the winter months with this beauty checklist

40 Style File Hit the right fashion notes with a designer

silk scarf or a woolly winter version

FACES Elements 52 Man Date

cook at home or eat out...? The dilemma of an expatriate bachelor

54 Relatively Speaking This Valentine’s Day, take stock of your love life and work out ways to reaffirm your feelings for your partner

56 At Home Find out how to create a formal dining experience at home

FACES Special46 Dining out Focus on Muscat’s fast changing eating out scene and the fine art of dining out in a five star restaurant

In This IssueContents

FACES Features16 cover Story Focus on the eating out trend in the

capital with inputs from bloggers and social media enthusiasts

22 In conversation Maxine Burden, author of the recently

released book, ‘Throw Down the Anchor, the Story of Muttrah Souq’, talks about her long tryst with oman

24 In The Spotlight check out the events lined up at the

ongoing Muscat Festival at Amerat and Naseem Park; Visit ‘Qureshi Bab Al Hind’, the new fine dining Indian restaurant at the Grand Hormuz

FACES Foodie30 Feast on Azure at Millennium Resort Mussanah,

has introduced an all new menu for foodies with a passion for all things nature and a quest for gourmet dishes

FACES Health34 Health check Read about World cancer Day, observed annually on February 4, which aims to save millions of preventable deaths each year

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Call 24794501 (5 Lines) or 97086924, today! | Diabetes: Protect our future.

30 X 21.5 CM.pdf 1 11/23/14 1:02 PM

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Malagasy Duo back at Park Inn’s Sama

Terrazza Unwind to the music of Malagasy Duo at Park Inn’s Sama Terrazza

rooftop lounge. Professional musicians, Thierry and Sandra, hail from an island like Madagascar; they have years of experience

in the music industry, having travelled and performed in hotels in the Middle East, Africa and Indian Ocean islands. They perform everyday from Saturday to Friday, except Thursday, and have an extensive repertoire of

popular songs in English, Italian, Spanish, French and others,

playing anything from jazz to current hits, old

classics, sizzling Latin music, soul, pop and their native style - tropical.

Say ‘Bye’ to dark circles

Dark shadows around the eyes annoying you? Making you look sick and tired…? Check out the

Kaya Dark Circle Reduction Therapy developed by dermatologists at Kaya Skin Clinic. Bridling their knowledge of advanced formulations, meso products and techniques, together with cues from the latest technology, Kaya offers a customised line of treatment that best suits your skin and your lifestyle. Oxygen-starved areas under the eyes are given a boost of carbon dioxide and, in response, the body feeds more oxygen into this zone. This technique is used in conjunction with various other services. Your dermatologist will analyse your skin and provide you with a treatment plan that combines meso products, skin care products and the latest in laser technology.

Consumers looking for fresh fare have a new destination, following the opening of SPAR; it is the first SPAR supermarket in the country. The 700Sqm SPAR facility

at Al Khuwair has a wide assortment of fresh produce, including fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, deli, bakery and food-to-go range from Kitsu. Customers can expect good value food and non-food products imported from different countries with friendly customer service that also includes free home delivery. The 250Sqm SPAR Express Format was also formally launched in South Al Ghubra, behind Al Asalah towers. SPAR is the world’s largest food retailer with 12,500 stores across 40 countries, meeting the needs of over 11 million consumers everyday.

‘Rossini’ at The Cave Fine dining Italian

cuisine is the latest culinary rage at The

Cave Complex, with the launch of Rossini, the new authentic Italian restaurant in the capital. Brought to Oman by Four Seasons Tourism LLC, Rossini offers guests the opportunity of a culinary journey that is quintessentially Italian – from signature Italian dishes to the hospitality. The menu, crafted by the experience executive chef, Luca Umbreto Voncini, features a wide selection of Italian classics, such as antipasti and risottos, steaks and seafood dishes, in addition to salads, soups and desserts that add to the diversity of the a la carte menu. The menu is well complemented by contemporary décor; the Rossini experience is spread to the stylish Cigar Lounge and the private dining area.

SPAR opens first supermarket in Oman

ROSSINI - The Cave Complex, DarsaitReservations: T: +968 24651066/78 • M: +968 98879220 E-mail: rossini@fourseasonsoman.comTimings: All Days 12 PM to 3 PM – 6 PM to 12 AM

ora apertonow open

www.fourseasonsoman.com

Now open Oman’s first and only Italian premier dining concept restaurant ROSSINI.Located at the Caves Complex, Oman’s most unique architecture marvel;

ROSSINI welcomes food connoisseurs to come experience an authentic Italian cuisine in a luxurious ambiance like non-other in town.

Come take a piece of Italy with you...

Now open Oman’s first and only Italian premier dining concept restaurant ROSSINI.Located at the Caves Complex, Oman’s most unique architecture marvel;

ROSSINI welcomes food connoisseurs to come experience an authentic Italian cuisine in a luxurious ambiance like non-other in town.

Come take a piece of Italy with you...

a piece of Italy in your plates

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8

China Mood at Al Bustan Palace, A

Ritz-Carlton Hotel

If you are looking to celebrate the Year of the Sheep with family and embrace the good fortune with friends and

colleagues, China Mood at Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel, is the place to be. China Mood is offering a special menu, inspired by the Ming Dynasty; it is available from February 19 to 28 and will include fine Chinese tea so that guests can share in the joyful ambience of Chinese New Year. In celebration of this significant event in the Chinese calendar, Al Bustan Palace invited government dignitaries, Ambassadors and heads of key corporations, last week, to rejoice the dawn of the Year of the Sheep and welcome a new year of good fortune. Guests attending the event were wowed by a series of Chinese cuisine and a festive, traditional 5 spices crispy duck, cooked in an elegant and oriental fare.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at The Bollywood, with a special V-day theme that includes red

and white heart-shaped balloons, romantic table settings, and dim lighting in the evening. To sweeten the deal, The Bollywood is also offering a complementary heart-shaped gajar-ka-halwa (a carrot-based sweet pudding)

to female diners’ visiting the restaurant on the day. And to ensure

that the memorable experience stays with you, the restaurant is presenting the

opportunity to have your photograph clicked behind a customised Valentine’s Day themed frame at the restaurant. All the photos will be uploaded on The Bollywood’s Facebook page, (https://www.facebook.com/thebollywoodoman). Guests who would like copies of their photos can leave a message on the page.

Valentine’s Day offer at The Bollywood

Cheesy Garlic Twist Pizza from Pizza Hut To make family time more special, Pizza Hut has launched the Cheesy

Garlic Twist pizza. Made with a unique ‘twisted’ crust stuffed with garlic-infused mozzarella cheese, Parmesan and melting garlic butter, and

loaded with your favourite toppings in the middle, Cheesy Garlic Twist is a finger-licking work of art. It combines the delicious pungency of garlic with soft bread, a thick, melted cheese filling and your desired pizza toppings. The new variety is available at all Pizza Hut outlets in Oman on dine-in, delivery and take-away; it is available in two sizes: medium and large. Diners can also order online at www.pizzahut.om.

‘Taste of Lebanon’ at SemsomGood news for connoisseurs of Lebanese cuisine. Semsom, offering

authentic Lebanese cuisine, has opened its new casual-dining haven at Muscat Grand Mall. Dubbed as the fastest growing company in Lebanon,

Semsom has successfully spread its flavours from its home country, Lebanon, to Jeddah, Kuwait, Riyadh, New York and now, for the first time, in Oman. Founded in 2008 by Christine Sfeir, one of Arabian Business’ ‘Top 100 Most Powerful Arab Women’ and managed by Ikhtiar Group in Oman, Semsom offers over 50 tantalising dishes to food lovers in the Sultanate. The sit-down restaurant with its welcoming interiors is a perfect place to enjoy a meal with family and friends.

parkinn.com/hotel-duqm

Adding Color to LifeSM

colourfulstays

Park Inn by Radisson Hotel & Residence Duqm features 73contemporary chalets and apartments with modern amenities likefree wireless high-speed internet access, on-site all dining at theOcean Restaurant, RBG Grill, gym, outdoor pool, meeting rooms,kids corner, tennis court and secure outdoor parking.

Park Inn by Radisson Hotel & Residence DuqmPO Box 29 PC 136 Wadi Say, Al Wusta, Duqm, Sultanate of OmanT: + 968 2208 5700 F: +968 2208 5750info.duqm@rezidorparkinn.com

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10

Johnny, Johnny…

Has Johnny Depp finally found his authentic alter ego in his new film ‘Mortdecai’?

“I’m drawn to eccentric characters, I always have been,” Depp told an entertainment magazine, recently. “I always felt like an outcast - virtually from birth. I’ve always felt a disconnect; I’ve had this sense of being an outsider for as long as I remember. I never felt like I fit in anywhere - particularly in high school where I have bad memories of teachers and other kids picking on me...I certainly wasn’t a jock and I was never part of any clique. It’s like the through-line of the characters I’ve played. There’s definitely a correlation among these people. They’re outsiders in some way. And I still feel it,” he admitted In addition to Mortdecai, Depp will also be seen later this year in Black Mass, based on the life of notorious American gangster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger. Talking about his most successful and perhaps most eccentric creation, Captain Jack, Depp who begins work on a fifth Pirates’ film in February, is quoted to have said, “I love Captain Jack! …I did these films originally for my kids and audiences seem to love the character so much that I feel I would be letting people down if I didn’t want to do another one. I guess I’m a glutton!” 51-year-old John Christopher ‘Johnny’ Depp II (born June 9, 1963) lives in Los Angeles with his fiancée Amber Heard, whom he first met while they were shooting ‘The Rum Diary’ (2011), in Puerto Rico. He has two children - Lily-Ros, 15, and Jack, 12, from his former marriage to Vanessa Paradis. In his spare time, Depp, whose teenage rock band once opened for Iggy Pop, likes to indulge his passion for the guitar by popping up on stage for impromptu performances, most recently with Marilyn Manson and several times in the past year with Aerosmith. It was the 1980s television series ‘21 Jump Street’ that set the show biz ball rolling for Depp, who has the ‘Golden Globe Award’ and ‘Screen Actors Guild Award’ for best actor in his awards kitty. He has since grown as one of

the world’s biggest movie stars; films featuring him have grossed over $3.1

billion at the United States box office and over $7.6 billion worldwide. But all that fame has not clouded his perception of life and living. As he says: “For me, being a man is being someone who has kept the child inside him. I think most

of us have long childhoods and adolescences and we are only really ‘men’ for a short period in middle age and then we are grandfathers for a long time. At least that’s what I hope is in store for me.”

From playing a variety of oddball and misfit characters for which he, seemingly, feels a natural affinity, to following in the footsteps of British comic legend Peter Sellers in his upcoming movie ‘Mortdecai’, Johnny Depp has done the whole gamut of eccentric characters. In this new film he plays the role of Charlie Mortdecai, a brash, blundering and baffled aristocrat

cum art dealer on the trail of a stolen painting, believed to contain the code to a bank vault filled with looted Nazi gold.

Depp’s canvas of colourful roles range from his Keith Richards-inspired Captain Jack (of the multi-billion dollar ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise) to channelling Hunter S. Thompson (in ‘Down and Out in Las Vegas’ and ‘The Rum Diary’) to his bizarre riff on Tonto in the disastrous remake of ‘The Lone Ranger’. Johnny has also played vampires (Dark Shadows), madmen (Don Juan Demarco), and a series of fairytale figures including The Mad Hatter, Willy Wonka and, most recently, The Wolf in the ‘Into the Woods’.

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Katy Perry’s friends are not happy with her reunion with John Mayer.

According to reports earlier this month, Katy, who has been single since her split with John Mayer over a year ago, is reportedly going into this full force and is ignoring her friends who are telling her to her careful. Katy is reportedly determined to give John a second chance and hopes it will last this time around.

Miranda Kerr reveals her diet

In a recent Instagram post, Selena Gomez shared a photo of herself and Zedd, a talented producer and DJ, with a message. ‘Missing la and this punk, just a little tonight,’ she captioned. ‘Shooting starts soon!!

Eeeeekkkk –Fundamentals of Caregiving.’ Shortly thereafter, Zedd shared a picture with the singer. “‘Oh hi derrling…’ – The Room #TheRoom #theRoom #THEroom #theROOM.” According to sources, the twosome is working on new music together, which easily explains recent photos of the two working in a music studio.

The Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked to a stunning TV reporter, following confirmation of his split

from Russian model Irina Shayk. Lucia Villalon is rumoured to be dating Cristiano Ronaldo after the pair were pictured celebrating the striker’s third Ballon d’Or win on their way back from Zurich. Speculation that Irina and Cristiano’s near-five year relationship was over first surfaced after Irina, 29, missed the glitzy ceremony following her decision to unfollow her ex on Twitter. It was reported that Ronaldo, 29, had dumped his model girlfriend after she refused to attend a birthday party he was organising for his mum Dolores.

Katy Perry reunites with John Mayer

Nancy Ajram at DSF

Miranda Kerr has revealed how she keeps her figure at its best. The mother-

of-one says she makes sure she’s allowed a few treats during the day, so it’s not all about cucumber, celery and lettuce. She explains: “I live by the philosophy of 80/20...meaning I eat healthily 80 per cent of the time and indulge 20 per cent of the time. For an everyday treat, I cook gluten-free muffins with blueberries and chia seeds. I enjoy so many superfoods such as noni juice, which is one of the key ingredients in my skincare line Kora Organics. I also make my own superfood smoothie with maca powder, acai powder, spirulina, cacao powder, coconut oil and chia seeds, which is alkalizing and nutrient dense.”

Nancy Ajram stunned audiences at the ongoing Dubai Shopping Festival along with Egyptian pop star Amr Diab.

Dressed in an elegant white Gucci gown, she sparkled and looked like a snow princess, as she wooed her fans with her looks and

her music. A large crowd packed into Dubai Media City Amphitheatre to see the duo perform.

Selena Gomez and Zedd

romancing on Instagram

Is Cristiano Ronaldo dating TV reporter

Lucia Villalon?

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14

“Those are my high school years. I am in no way

choosing indie movies to step away from it. There’s a through-line in all of my

projects... So, Twilight blew up, and I still look at it as being something that made me who I

am. And in no way am I distancing myself. I’m just trying to do cool stuff.”

- Kristen Stewart may have come a long way since starring in the Twilight series, but she insists that

she’s not trying to ‘distance herself’ from the franchise.

Tittle

a

“Things are really good. We

work together, and we talk all the time… We’re

still family.”- Kris Jenner shared the

family dynamics, as Bruce Jenner enjoyed a special night out with

all his daughters.

“It’s moving all the time. I can feel it kicking

now.”- Kate Middleton, who is

six months pregnant, said she doesn’t know if the world will soon

have a new prince or princess.

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14

“Watch out…another one’s getting

ready to conquer the world! #driven #diva2.”

- Christina Aguilera captioned the photo of her five-month old daughter

Summer in a hot pink dress and white frilled diaper in her

Instagram post.

15

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“It’s a mainstream movie, it’s not ‘a Latino

movie,’ but the truth is, as a producer, I’m very proud because in

retrospect, I just picked the best actor for the role.”

- Jennifer Lopez, who made an appearance on ‘Live! With Kelly & Michael’, promoted her

new film ‘The Boy Next Door’ and chatted about casting Ryan Guzman.

“Now that we are soon welcoming our

second child we want to help other children around the world

and also contribute to a long-lasting solution for getting children living in

extreme poverty the supplies they need to survive.”

- Shakira stated that in a statement, as she posed with her partner Gerard Pique and their son Milan, in honour of her ‘world baby

shower’ before the upcoming birth of their baby.

“I have always been very much a narrative-based

actor. I choose my projects very carefully. I call it the goose bump rule. If I’m reading a script and if I have a

physical reaction, then that’s usually the movie that I do. … For me, it’s always about

the story.”- Russell Crowe talks about his movie

selection at the premiere of his film ‘The Water Diviner’ held at Lotte Cinema,

in Seoul, South Korea.

“Only in the past five years have people

been telling me I’m attractive. Before then, I wasn’t

getting parts because people kept telling me I wasn’t pretty enough.”

- ‘A Most Violent Year’ actress Jessica Chastain, who poses on the cover of ‘Telegraph’ magazine’s latest issue,

said she wasn’t considered pretty for a long time.

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A sudden spurt in the number of food outlets – both fine dining and casual eateries – has fuelled the eating out trend in the capital

The Fine Art Of Dining Out

If the confluence of restaurants in a place is any indication of the growing ‘dining out’ culture, then Muscat is all set to become a prime culinary destination. With new, theme outlets peppering the established ones in and

around the capital, it is slowly turning into a haven for those with a penchant for all things food. Be it the fast food outlets, coffee shops, small food joints or

the plush fine dining restaurants, foodies in the capital have more reason to follow their palates.

Besides, there is a palpable shift in the concept of dining out, as many foodies are, seemingly, driven to check out the cuisine at different outlets. It has taken food talk

to another level, with serious diners comparing food notes and discussing the pluses and minuses of specific restaurants on the social media. This food savvy lot knows just

what to expect from different outlets and where to go when those unreasonable pangs for a particular dish crops up.

Eating out is a social event for some, a necessity for many and a hedonistic foray for the growing tribe of foodies. While socialising is known to get even the most fastidious of diners to a restaurant, the ‘necessity’ factor is mainly linked to the ones who

loathe cooking or belong to the large tribe of forced bachelors. It is, however, the growing foodie lot that has helped spiral the dining out culture in the capital. Thanks to increase in salaries and the accruing disposable income, weekends, and even weekdays, are all about dining out for many. It has also fuelled a change in the eating habits of

discerning diners. “Today’s diner is well aware; he/she is well travelled,”

affirms Mohammed Ashfaque Qureshi, of the famous Qureshi brothers. He was in town recently for the

opening of ‘Qureshi - Bab Al Hind’ restaurant at

17

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2015

Hormuz Grand. “You cannot fool diners anymore,” he states, pointing out that diners today know the authenticity of specific dishes and the ingredients used. “You cannot say we are in Oman and we cannot get, say, for example, Kaffir lime leaves or galangal or the lemongrass... You could fly it down in a few hours. And so, yes, it has made the consumer more aware, alert and knowledgeable…” he explains. A spurt in online food reviews from bloggers and even casual diners on social media sites have also, in a way, helped create a catalogue of outlets for diners to rely on. People are no more content with posting photographs of the places they visited, on their social media pages; they want to capture every little detail of their dining out experience too, whether it is on a holiday abroad or a brunch/lunch/dinner in one of the restaurants here. In the following article, we present food takes from popular food blogger Riyadh Al Balushi of ‘Omani Cuisine’ fame; established food photographer and blogger Bader Al Lawati; and Sami Al Salmi, the man behind the highly successful Facebook page, Oman Restaurant Review.

Omani blogger Riyadh Al Balushi of Omani Cuisine* talks about his favourite restaurants and the changes he would like to see in the food map of the capital

“Muscat has a great variety of restaurants serving all sorts of cuisines. We have always had great Indian food, but there is also sushi, burger, and Thai restaurants in town, which are excellent. My favourite restaurants, though, are the Omani restaurants with a modern twist, such as Ubhar, Al Mandoos and Al Angham that offer food truly unique to our country. It is great to have international franchises appear in Oman; but it is more interesting to see original concepts not found anywhere else. “I think that the prices of restaurants in Muscat are diverse and can accommodate all budgets. The cheap Indian and Pakistani restaurants serve delicious food, and the service at high-end restaurants such as Al Angham is impeccable. However, Muscat tends to be an expensive city to go out and I think that the service at many expensive restaurants could be better for the price we pay.“We have gorgeous beaches and it would be nice if Muscat gets more restaurants like those at Oasis by the Sea that showcase the beauty of our beaches.”

OmaniCuisine

* Omani Cuisine is a blog that covers restaurants in Muscat; it has published over a 100 reviews since its launch in 2006.

Riyadh Al Balushi

cove

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ORY

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Photographer and blogger of ‘Freezing Omanis’ fame, Bader Al Lawati, who has taken a fancy to reviewing restaurants and photographing food in his popular blog www.badermania.wordpress.com, talks about his passion for food and the art of eating out

Food Trail

cove

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About the dining out trend“The growth in food culture has been very apparent, especially in the past five years. More restaurants and chains have been setting up shop here in Muscat and foodies around the capital don’t seem to have enough. I think the eating out habits of Omanis has aided the growth of food culture. We have not only grown in our passion for eating good food, but creating it! Through my dealings with restaurateurs as a food photographer, I quickly realised something - this isn’t just a business to them; it’s a passion that’s coming alive, and their personalities come out in their restaurants! On savvy diners“I’ve seen a big change… Muscat diners have become more complex and varied in their preferences than before. For many, good food alone is not enough; the places they eat need to have great service, along with an entertaining ambience. On theme restaurants“With diners becoming more and more complex, many aren’t satisfied with just great food. They want an experience now. Themed restaurants are quickly becoming a strongpoint in the entertainment industry in Oman, with many young people frequenting them. I have noticed that the last two years have widened the market and the demand for these restaurants has increased. This has forced restaurateurs to be creative and bring out their own flair to be different; this is where I see Omani entrepreneurs excel (like Khalid Al Suwaid of ‘Love at first bite’ and ‘Volare Pizzeria’).“Even the top restaurants have witnessed a growth in demand… And can you blame them? How can a food connoisseur resist a jazz themed night by the full moon in Oman’s most beautiful beaches? (The full moon dinner experience at Shangri La’s Barr Al Jisssah Resort & Spa)

Bader Al Lawati

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Favourites…“Another growing trend is the increase in the demand for authentic cuisine, due to which I’m able to re-live my time in Argentina and have the same Latin American food that I used to when I was there (At Rumba Lattina)! Other favorite cuisines of mine here are the authentic Japanese set menu at Tokyo Taro and Nepali momos, which are the cheapest and most exquisite of Muscat’s street food, at Everest Cafe in Ruwi. “With all these international delicacies a short drive away, I still have a soft spot for Omani food and it always hits me as a sudden craving at any point. “My other top picks are: African bbq at Safari roof top, Indian and Pakistani food joints (the smaller the better!) and amazing Italian food at both the Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa and the Grand Hyatt, Muscat.Foodie in Muscat“One of my favourite things about Muscat is the availability of different standards of good food - be it a hidden cafe in an alleyway or a guest Michelin star chef at a 5 star hotel. The key for me is to not be afraid of trying new things, keeping an open mind and trusting the staff recommendations, especially at the cheap and cheerful places. My favourite memory is going to a Nepalese cafe in Hamriya and asking the waiter to recommend something... That is how I stumbled on to my favourite dish (Momos)“Apart from keeping an open mind, I like to take opinions of other foodies on social media (and there are many of them); keeping up with the hotels on their social media channels is also my key for not missing the top tier food experiences.On pricing“I’ve always been a foodie and Oman offers better pricing than you would think... Comparable experiences I have had in Europe and Australia, at some five-star restaurants, would be significantly higher in cost. Creating experience“While there are many choices for international cuisine, we are still missing the lesser-known foods. One thing I think we do need is to provide experiences within the restaurants. This has been a trend in international markets for some years, where restaurants create a themed night to educate as well as provide a new experience of a dish or cuisine that may not be popular enough yet. I personally would love to see experiences like cheese-nights and learn-to-make-sushi nights!”

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Would you say the recent past has seen a growth in the eating out habits of people?Oh definitely! As lives are getting busier, people prefer hassle free restaurant meals without the hard work of cooking and cleaning up. With a sudden surge of at least 3-4 restaurants opening up every month, the average diner does get more out of his/her dining experience. Like the marvellous growth of the nation, the restaurant scene has also improved vastly from the one coffee shop and few restaurants; it has added to the eating out habits of people.What has helped spiral this growth?Things are very different today; the world is hungry for knowledge on different cultures and lifestyles. From this comes a thirst for different cuisines, flavours and experiences. People are ready to get adventurous. I believe the more locals and expats travel the world, more their needs for newer cuisines.Are diners today more savvy and demanding?Yes, having learned so much, you cannot pass off average cuisines as authentic. People now know the difference between commercial, authentic and tasty. They want a quality experience and are willing tospend for it, be it service, ambience or food.Do you think the new crop of themed restaurants have a large market?Anything new and innovative will always be favoured, if the originality and flavour remains, once the novelty wears off, then the restaurant or outlet becomes a staple in people’s life.As a foodie, what are the various cuisines you have tried in the capital and what has been your experience?Between the admins of ORR, there’s not many restaurants left to try! We have our current favourites and the oldies-but-goodies that never fail to comfort our soul. Cuisines we have tried and love are Thai, Malaysian, Egyptian, Syrian and Nepali. Our experiences are mostly great, with a few bad ones thrown in, but there’s nothing good customer service cannot fix. Cuisines missing are Bengali, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Latin

‘Foodies of Oman unite!’ reads the tagline of the Facebook page, ‘Oman Restaurant Review*’ (ORR), the brainchild of a couple of foodies, including Sami Al Salmi. In the following article, Sami, along with admins of the page, share their dining out experiences and talk about the changes needed in the food scene of the capital.

OmanRestaurant Review

Sami Al Salmi

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Cheesecake Factory, a proper fish and chip shop. There’s so much left to explore.Would you say food connoisseurs in the capital have the best of international food? Is there anything that is needed to complete the picture?No... We have a serious lack of authentic cuisines here; limited choices as well. Several authentic cuisines seem to be missing, while other cuisines seem to have been overdone greatly. However, things are changing. The average diner is more aware of what he/she wants, and he is more than willing to spend for it. I believe the next five years will see exponential growth of not only authentic cuisine, but also large chains.

Muscat has both small coffee shops as well as top international restaurants catering to foodies from all walks of life. How can a regular foodie make the best of both worlds?Don’t be afraid to try new foods at least once. Hole-in-the-wall places have some hidden gems and are a fabulous experience as well. What we do is generally keep the top restaurants as a special occasion thing and prefer to try smaller coffee shops and what they have to offer, more often.What is your take on the pricing in general?We believe pricing is pretty average in Oman. As long as we get a good value for money experience and can justify the spend, we are all for it.

6. In a good quality restaurant, the waiter removes the extra cutlery and crockery from the table. He also places the napkin on your lap. Exercise the basic act of courtesy like saying ‘Please’, ‘Excuse me’, and ‘Thank you’.7. The food should be served and eaten at the same time. It is polite to mention ‘Enjoy your meal’ if you have a big group. However, once the people next to you have received the food, it is ok to start.8. The outer cutleries should be used for starter while the inner cutleries are for the main course.9. Sometimes the waiter may come in the middle of each course to ask how the food tastes. Use this opportunity in case you are not happy with the meal. Restaurants actually want your feedback as it gives them the chance to set things right. 10. Food should be chewed with mouth closed and refrain from talking.11. If you require any assistance, just try to catch the waiter’s eye or raise your hand a bit.12. After the main course, the waiter is supposed to clear and crumb down the table and leave only what is needed for the dessert. Ask politely if there is any food that you wish to take away.13. In some restaurants, the bill comes in a discrete folder where you can place the money or a credit card. Even though, the service charge is mentioned in the bill, it is a good manner to leave a tip, which is generally between 5 percent and 10 percent of the total sum.14. While having dinner in a restaurant, it is impolite to use your mobile phone frequently. Excuse yourself from the table if you wish to take or make a call. 15. Maintain a good sitting posture and never slouch or rest your elbows on the table at all times.

www.otc.edu.om (Check these links for additional reading - http://www.etiquettescholar.com/etiquette_scholar/dining_etiquette.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/20/utensil-etiquette_n_6004682.html)

*ORR, which was started in August last year, has over 6,500 members. It has created a platform for diners to interact with restaurant owners/management and an avenue for foodies and diners to review restaurants. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/OmanRestaurantReview/)

for a successfulRestaurant ExperienceFind out how you can maximise your restaurant experience with easy to follow tips from Oman Tourism College

1. Think what kind of experience you are looking for before choosing a restaurant. You might just be treating the family for the weekly dinner, romantic dinner with a spouse, or get-together with friends.2. When dining along with children, it is advisable to check first if the restaurant has a kid’s play area, kid’s menu, or the kind of food available that your kids would eat. You may also need to know if the restaurant has a children policy. Children must be constantly reminded of their behaviour and table manners before they should be taken out for dining.3. Make a reservation to ensure that your table is ready when you arrive. Remember to mention if you are marking an occasion because some restaurants make an extra effort for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. Dress appropriately according to occasion and arrive on time. 4. Be considerate toward other guests in the restaurants. Don’t speak loudly because you’re not the only person in the room. You don’t need to yell across the table or across the room just to say hi to someone you know. Instead, walk up to their table to do so.5. While it is best to ask for clarification about any unfamiliar dish when ordering, be friendly and polite to the restaurant staff because they are enabling you to have a lovely experience. Don’t feel shy to ask the waiters what the dishes contain or any recommendation - that is part of their job. Also, mention early if you want the bill split in order to speed up the process later.

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Maxine Burden, author of the recently released book, ‘Throw Down the Anchor, the Story of Muttrah Souq’, talks about her long tryst with Oman and her penchant for travel

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As an author, r e s e a r c h e r , project leader

and a volunteer, Maxine Burden has

experienced Oman’s touristic bounties from close quarters. Her rich travel experience in Western Australia, mainly as a Cruise Specialist, providing specific cruise itineraries and organising guided tours, set the tone for her life in Oman, which has seen her donning several hats – from volunteering with the Centre for Omani Dress, a non-profit organisation committed to researching, collating and displaying Omani Traditional Dress in the museum at Mawaleh to writing ‘Throw Down the Anchor, the Story of Muttrah Souq’. Enamoured by the laidback lifestyle and the cultural confluence of Muttrah, she wrote ‘Throw Down the Anchor…’, which traces the story of the Souq, that has, over the years, become a must visit tourist destination. Her husband Philip, CEO of two GIS software companies, which has head office in Beirut, Lebanon, is an avid camper and bush-walker, having trekked many areas within Australia. In Oman, weekend camping is their favourite pastime.

Maxine Burden: Anchored in Oman

“His support has been amazing throughout the writing of my book, ‘Throw Down the Anchor…’,” she points out. But it wasn’t all easy. Her biggest challenge while writing the book was getting people to talk about their stories and following that with the actual writing and successfully launching the book. Reflecting on the challenges in her volunteering stint, she explains that the main concern at the Centre for Omani Dress is to have funds available

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The home I grew up in…Was a small town named Ridgley, on the North West coast of Tasmania, the small island across Bass Strait from Victoria, in Australia. When I was a child…I wanted to learn to play the piano. This I did and in my teenage years I was playing dance music, along with my brother on drums, for social events such as weddings, social dances and balls.The moment that changed me forever…Was a cruise I did with my Father to Japan and Hong Kong when I was 19. I have always wanted to travel ever since.My greatest inspiration… To live as long and as healthy as my 93 year old parents. If I could change one thing about myself… It would be to worry less, and to take things as they come.I dream of… A peaceful world with happy people instead of the horrifically dangerous, sick and polluted world we live in. We need good news, and there is good news out there! The problem

is the media thinks bad news is the way to go – I totally disagree. Happy smiling people can change the world.What I see when I look in the mirror… Today I see a person who has actually successfully written and launched a book on a very interesting and historical part of Muscat. My greatest regret… Is the distance that precludes me from spending regular time with my grandchildren. The time I do get is quality time and I am thankful for this.You may not know it but I’m no good at… Solving computer problems. You may not know it but I’m very good at… Cooking, according to my husband.If I have time to myself… I like to relax, quilt, read and walk. My house is… A villa in Qurum. One of my favourite haunt/holiday destinations is… Prince Christian Sound in Greenland, especially the amazing light display

Up Close & Personal with Maxine Burden

of the Aurora Borealis. One of my favourite weekend spots in Oman is… Wadi as Sahtan. A drive up the mountain takes you to the plateau on the way to Yassab, which overlooks the Bowl of Oman, with fantastic views on a clear day.I will not leave my house without… Water, camera, sunglasses, hat and moisturiserFive things I like about Oman… The people, especially their visionary leader - His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said; old villages; mountains; its culture; and the Muttrah Souq.On top of my wish/bucket list is… A visit Machu Pichu in Peru. My success mantra is… To always do the best I can. In 10 years’ time…I hope to be retired, living in a location with fantastic mountain, forest and sea views, and growing our own produce.

to continue the research of the traditional dress and the setup of the ‘Museum of Omani Dress’ in Mawalah.Having lived in Oman for a total of 11 years – 4 of which were in the early 1990s – the country has become a second home for Maxine. Tracing those initial days, she says, “I have many memorable moments. I love travelling in the interior, the mountains, seeing old villages, meeting people. The colours of the clothing worn by the women of the interior are amazing and so eye catching. Colour can lift your spirits and make one feel happier…”An inveterate traveller, she has been to some fascinating places like Alaska; the Arctic and Greenland; Grand Canyon; Zion National Park; Yosemite National Park in USA; Bavaria in Germany... Before returning back to Oman in 2007, she lived in the UAE – Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai. “Oman is a special place,” she quips. “When I first came in the early 1990’s, those first views of the stark majestic mountains said it all. I loved it right from touchdown at the International airport,” she adds.

Talking about her future plans, she says she wants to continue to see and learn more about Oman. “Travel within Oman and to other countries when the opportunity arises. Maybe talk with more Omanis about their history and culture…” she adds. Maxine has three children - the eldest daughter lives with her husband and children in Denver Colorado, USA; her son, also married, works for Hamersley Iron in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, as a manager in the heavy-duty plant machinery department; and the youngest daughter, who lost her partner in an accident, is bringing up their son, while working as a real estate property manager in Port Hedland, Western Australia

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‘Qureshi Bab Al Hind’, the new fine dining Indian restaurant at the Grand Hormuz is a must visit destination for connoisseurs of North Indian cuisine

Food Talk at Qureshi

advancements?” and answers it in the affirmative. The trick, he notes, is to get the correct c o m b i n a t i o n s , as the spices are varied. The earlier concept of associating certain places and countries for particular spices has slowly waned in the wake of globalisation and the realisation that there are various kinds and flavours of a particular spice - like the pepper, which, has at least 12 different varieties of flavours.The idea, however, is not to indulge in fusion cuisine out of desperation or in a quest to make a statement, he stresses. “It needs to complement each other,” he explains, pointing out how their use of lemongrass flavour to complement daal, without changing the main recipe.The new restaurant will cater to Omanis, Indians and other expatriates with a menu that is 100 percent North Indian and focusing on dum and peshawari kind of food. There is a thorough mix of flavours – old as well as subtle and mellowed ones. He is confident that diners will pick and chose and make their own favourites over time

Globally sourced ingredients blend seamlessly in

traditional dishes, to cater to savvy diners who are forever seeking that much more from their dining out experience. Be it the unheard of ‘Duck tikka’ or the unusual combination of lemongrass flavour in

daal, an array of tantalising dishes have endeared diners to their brand of cuisine that is both traditional and international.The reference here is to the newly opened Qureshi Bab Al Hind restaurant in Hormuz Grand, the vibrant new landmark of Seeb. Indian food lovers are guaranteed an authentic fare from the famed Qureshi masterchefs, who have made cooking an art form that has crossed the home frontiers to reach out to gourmets around the world. The Qureshi brand, which can be traced back to 200 years, has, at its helm today, the new generation of Qureshis, spearheading the expansion of the brand in their hometown India and the neighbouring UAE, among others. Now, with this exclusive brand making home at the plush new Hormuz Grand, foodies in the capital can look for an epicurean experience. Opened earlier this month, the fine dining restaurant, which is one of the only Indian specialty restaurant in a hotel here, is geared to pamper the palates of foodies from all walks of life. As Kapil Nayyar, Food & Beverage Outlet Manager, notes, the popularity of Qureshi cuisine is in the secret mixes they have perfected over the years. It has passed down from the Qureshi clan, who excel in the art of cooking Dum and Peshawari dishes, he explains.The soft opening was attended by three of the Qureshi brothers – Mohammed Ashfaque, Irfan and Imran; Imran Qureshi, will stay back to handle the kitchen. The local media got to savour some of the popular items on the menu and experience, first hand, the Qureshi style of cooking and presentation. Be it the cooling ‘Aam panna mojito’ and the starter platter of kebabs or an array of mains with the popular biryani leading the ensemble and the irresistible ‘shahi thukda’, diners are guaranteed a completely satiating meal that begins with the traditional hand wash at the table.Diners can expect a range of authentic dishes with a neat international twist in the use of ingredients. As Ashfaque points out, subtle changes are inevitable. “We cannot afford to be frozen in our thinking; one needs to be innovative,” he explains, pointing out the importance of using technology to one’s benefit.Elucidating the same with an example of olden cooking on open fire, he asks, “Do you think we can’t generate that old style of cooking with today’s technical Ja

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As the line up of Muscat Festival events get exciting, hop over to Amerat and Naseem Park to savour the best from the world of entertainment

‘OmanFascinates’

The grand fiesta called Muscat Festival 2015, which began earlier this month, with a host of cultural, entertainment and sporting events, is all set to cross the expected one million mark, as visitors from all walks of life

throng the main venues at Amerat and Naseem Park. As expected, the Jurrasic Park at the Nassem Park and a Snow Village at the Amerat Park, new additions to this year’s Festival, have proven to be major crowd pullers. The Jurassic Park, with 15 dynamic and static models showing different sizes of dinosaurs, accompanied by sound and light effects, has proven to be a winner. The Snow Village at Amerat Park, on the other hand, featuring snowy mountains, skiing corners and tracks that involve ice-carved models and animated cartoon characters, including polar bears, seals, penguins and sea lions, keeps attracting repeat visitors.In addition, the Amerat Park is also home to a Science City, which showcases innovations carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. There is an ongoing dates and honey exhibition from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the International Exhibition of Arts and Crafts is host to participants from China, India, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Morocco, Thailand, Tanzania and France, besides Oman. Besides the main venues, this year’s events are spread to the Seeb Beach, Al Madina Theatre, the Oman Cars Club, the Photography Association, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and the Cultural Club. Stand-up comedy, concerts by Omani artists, laser shows, international trade fair and a cricket match between India and Pakistan and electric games are all a part of the ‘Oman Fascinates’ extravaganza. Sporting events feature a maritime festival for traditional Omani vessels, a tattoo show, free style jumping, aircraft shows, aquatics (in coordination with the World Aquatics Association), hiking, cricket championship, camel racing and equestrian, modern triathlon race, various auto shows and aerobics. Water sports activities are being held in collaboration with the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) and in conjunction with Oman Sailing. Sailing and racing boats, laser shows, child aerobic show, camel and equestrian racing show, tent pegging show, Muscat Marathon, universities and colleges beach soccer, beach volleyball, various auto shows, basketball competitions and marine craft village are all adding to the grandeur of the event. The popular Tour of Oman cycling race, which is in its sixth edition, will be held from February 17-22 as part of the festival.With the Muscat Started in 1998, Muscat Festival has, over the years, proven to be the most awaited event in the local calendar; not to be missed this year as the Festival becomes biennial.

Opening hours:

Naseem and Amerat : 4-11 pm

Entrance cost:

Naseem: Adults (200 Bzs) Children (100 Bzs)

Amerat : Free of Cost

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If your experience of adventure is limited to a long trek on the beach/desert or watching your favourite movie star indulging in daredevilry

to save the planet, the very idea of canyoning might send shivers down your spine - weather notwithstanding. Hanging mid-air on a rope, as you gather your wits around you to control that loud palpitation and get oriented to your surroundings, isn’t an everyday task; not one that you could accomplish single-handedly, if you are a first-timer.But if you have the gumption to give it a try, are loaded with stamina and have a reliable guide/trainer charting the course, then you could, even if you are a novice, be on your way to savouring the incredibly fascinating beauty of the wadis of Oman, which have a magical allure that is at once beckoning as well as intimidating.

Trekking, jumping, abseiling, swimming, climbing…

welcome to the adventure-packed world of canyoning in Oman, as vividly depicted by

Dr. Khaled Abdul Malak in his recently launched book, ‘Canyoning in Oman – 12

Exceptional Wadis’

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Canyoning in Oman

As the ‘12 Exceptional Wadis’, captured by inveterate explorer and seasoned adventurer Dr. Khaled Abdul Malak in his book on ‘Canyoning in Oman’, demonstrates, majority of the outdoors enthusiasts have not come even close to experiencing the concept of adventure related to canyoning. “It is a relatively new activity/sport,” he admits, pointing out that the novelty factor is more pronounced in Oman, where, until the early 2000, only two canyons – Wadi Hawasina and Wadi Tiwi – were explored, that too partially.

Cover of Dr. Khaled Abdul Malak’s new book ‘Canyoning in Oman’

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Endowed with an unquenchable thirst for adventure, Dr. Khaled, Oral Surgeon at Harub Dental Surgery, took easily to canyoning, thanks to the early initiation from Patrick Cabiro and Nathalie Henriot, French professional climbing instructors, who he refers to as his climbing masters. The book, which took him over ten years to compile, includes his extensive trysts with wadis and canyons, including the first trip with the French climbers. According to him, although the objective of the book is to serve as a comprehensive reference for visitors and researchers, it is not restricted in its scope. “…Even if you do not do these kinds of activities, you can enjoy the pictorial beauty and dream about these places,” he quips. Having learnt to love nature and sports from his parents, while growing up in Lebanon, and later through his travels to other parts of the world, it was the sea that first beckoned him into the adventure arena. “I was a seaman – I do a lot of snorkelling, I love the sea,” he notes.Curiously, when he arrived in Oman in 1996, he was afraid of heights. It was thanks to the French climbing instructors that he garnered confidence to go on his first trip. “I enjoyed it,” he recalls and adds, reflectively: “Everyone can go; it is all about trusting the material you use. Every time I give a talk on the subject of adventure tourism, people ask me if I am crazy to do this stuff and I say ‘no, it is more dangerous in Oman to drive on the highway than go with me and do climbing or caving’. It is much safer, unless you are really unlucky...” Following his chance meeting with the climbing instructors and the first trip to Wadi Finns, he fell in love with canyons of Oman. “I think they are really stunning,” he muses, as he points out that since then he and his group of enthusiasts have opened many of them, which have been portrayed in his new book.

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His first book, ‘In search of the sublime, a journey through Oman’, explored four different terrains – wadis, caves, mountains and beaches. The new book is a visually descriptive volume on 12 wadis, which he explored during the last ten years. It includes details of the GPS points, distances, routes to get there, places where you can park the car, finishing points ot the trip, what time to start, what time to finish, how many hours you’d need to cross the wadi, kind of ropes you would need, the length of the ropes... It also provides inputs on wadis, where you may be required to spend the night owing to the complexity or the distance. Some wadis cannot be crossed in one day and you may have to continue the next day. The book (available at WH Smith and the Family Bookshop) also comes with a pocket guide containing waterproof cards specifying important details of individual wadis. Most of the wadis covered in the book are about two to two and a half hours from Muscat and many can be done in a day. There are still several more to do, he notes. He relies on Google Earth to study the region and zero in on a spot.

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Dr. Khaled Abdul Malak

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“I, generally, try to find green spots – green means water and water means human population…possibly abandoned villages. Then I look for access points by car and follow it by going to the field,” he explains. Each wadi takes several trips before it is fully explored. The first trip usually is about checking the wadi from top, followed by progressing it in phases from the bottom. “We try to reduce the unknown zones before we do the drop. There are surprises every time… Some wadis have us canyoning overnight too,” he adds.

Cautionary noticeAlthough ‘Canyoning in Oman…’ is meant to celebrate the rich natural bounties of Oman and reach everyone, its objective is not to goad people into taking up canyoning. Don’t go and try to do things unless you have knowledge of what you are doing, cautions Dr. Khaled, pointing out that it could become deadly. “It is a very high standard activity,” he observes. Explaining the pros and cons of canyoning, he states: “I am not a professional, I am a doctor and I do this for passion. You need to know how to deal with ropes... It is not something anyone can undertake.”One main cautionary notice to follow is to inform friends/family about the trip and the time required and when they should call for help. Add a couple of hours to the expected time, as delays are known to occur. “You wouldn’t want to unnecessarily raise alarm or create panic as there is no access to phones in most of the wadis,” he points out, explaining that accidents can happen. “Accidents will happen; you have to know how to get away. We have the experience and have the tools that we need to get out of problems,” he adds.Highlighting the importance of tools and experience, he narrates the events of a wadi crossing, which involved a cauldron that is generally dry in summer, but filled with water when there are rains. “The previous times when we did it, we went down with rope and managed to climb out of it, before continuing onward. On that particular day, we arrived there and found out that the wall, which was, otherwise, 4 or 5 metres climbing down and relatively easy to climb out, had become 11 metres following a dry spell. We were trapped in that hole, because, when you do canyoning, you cannot go back, you pull the ropes along. Fortunately, we had a drill and I could set up anchors to climb this 11-meter wall and get out. It took us about 5 hours to get out...but we managed to do it,” he explains. Rain is another factor that one must be alert to. Generally in Oman, there are two kinds of rains, observes Khaled. One that is predicted by the meteorology department and the other, the local rain, which is unpredictable and characterised by rains only in a particular area. Experience has shown him that such rains are mostly before mid-afternoon and so it is best to start early, he advises. “In case of local rains, you need to make calculations to be in a place that is wide enough to climb and hide and to shelter from the falling rocks. You have to protect yourself. Rains can be the most dangerous,” he cautions.

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Khaled’s guidelines for first timers- Never venture out on a trip by yourself.- Begin by exploring the wadi from the base.- Have knowledge of the climbing material.- Ensure fitness, even if you are only trekking. - Have the common sense to know where your limits are and what you can do.- Remember most wadis involve swimming too. - Orientation is important, as you could get lost and face difficulties finding your way out; if it gets dark and if you do not have enough food, it could prvoe to be a big problem. - Have the stamina to endure the tasks involved.- In any venture, time is very important. Check the time from the start and know when it gets dark. Keep two hours extra for return, as you might not find your way in the darkness. - Know when to stop.- Canyoning is a year-round activity, choose your wadi depending on the season.

Khaled’s FavouritesWadi Nakhr drop in Jabal Shams: “I wouldn’t say it was the best…perhaps, the craziest. Technically, it wasn’t very difficult, but not everyone can do it – you need to be physically strong. It is possibly one of the biggest freefalls...the drop is 385 metres and it took me about 50 minutes to abseil this.,” he states, reflectively. His advice: “You need to be mentally strong to do this. If you think you can’t, don’t do it. Unplug and say ‘this is fine and I can do it’. Second is the physical strength. The rope is almost 40kgs in weight and when you use this tool, which we call the descender, to slide on the rope, you should ensure that there is no tension on the descender. This means you have to pull the rope and at the same time release the descender to slide down. The first 100 metres was very difficult. After that the rope is lighter... “This one was a physical accomplishment.”Explaining about his other favourites, he says, “The other real joy I got was on my first real adventrure trip with the French climbers. They took me to Wadi Finns and I found a new chamber by chance; it was beginner’s luck. “The third one was the drop that I did with my daughter; it is also a drop that has never been done. It is 300 metres and we decided to name it KAMKAM, formed with the initials of the family – Khaled and Marta and Kevin and Mona. Adventure runs in the family. The whole family is into this crazy business...” he quips.

However, having said that, he clarifies that canyoning is possible if you are accompanying an experienced climber. A canyoning trip he undertook last month with 14 people had nearly half of them with zero experience. And, expectedly, everyone managed to complete it without getting hurt or panicking at the prospect of bouldering, climbing, swimming, sailing…While Khaled’s interests in canyoning has no business angles, he says he would be happy to become an advisor for those interested to run businesses related to it. He is an advocate of adventure tourism, for he believes it is all about clean tourism. “This is eco tourism; it is tourism where you will not destroy nature. I go everywhere and I meet wonderful people who love their land and feel proud of it. I think the authorities should help them to develop these kinds of activities,” he states.

Footnote: Whether you can or cannot do canyoning depends on your mental strength. It may be physically possible, but mentally it is up to you to know what your limits are.

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The lure of ‘Azure’

Frequent visitors to Mussanah’s most famous landmark, Millennium Resort Mussanah (MRM), will need no introduction to its popular eateries. With elaborate theme nights, perfectly juxtaposing the

buffet lunches, ‘day’s specials’ and a la carte menu, regulars know just what to order to satiate their palate, while soaking in the natural splendours of the resort. To cap this perfect symphony between food and nature, the Resort has introduced an all new menu at the plush Azure restaurant, with the charismatic new Executive Chef Matthew Fryar at the helm of affairs. It has opened a new vista for foodies with a passion for all things nature and a quest for gourmet dishes.Cocooned amidst the Gulf of Oman, the Hajar Mountains and the Marina, the Resort, with its laidback dreamy aura, has endeared itself to weekenders as well as frequent visitors; more so following the opening up of the port. It has become the focal point for those regularly plying between the capital and its precincts like Barka and Sohar, which have fast turned into economic hubs with businesses moving beyond the capital. Whether it is for a leisurely lunch, a stopover or a relaxed weekend stay, the Resort, with its inherent charms and nature-endowed soothers for the stressed souls, is definitely beckoning.

All that gratifies the senses is Azure at Millennium Resort Musannah

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Europe and Arabia infuse a zing in the menu, which is also packed with Far East Asian dishes and beach club items to cater to diners from all walks of life.The focus is on presentation, states Executive Chef Matthew Fryar, whose stress is on fresh food, be it in the new menu of Azure or those in other outlets of the Resort. Most of the items are sourced locally, he assures, adding: “We have moved from classic presentation to a modern style.”The extensive menu is packed with salads and fried and roasted items, ranging from samosas to grilled cheese. Diners looking for a quick bite can opt from the ‘Global Burger Go-Go’ with patties and burgers combined with salads; Little Munchies with chicken nuggets and French fries could work as well. The ‘Light Mains’ are packed with Nasi Goreng, fish and chips, Indian chicken tikka, Vietnamese chicken breast and Malay prawns among others. For pizza and pasta lovers, there is a choice of pizzas, pasta and spaghetti

bolognaise. There is a separate section Panini sandwiches – Cajun Chicken Panini, Grilled Vegetable Panini, Turkey Ham & Cheese Melt, Classic Cheese & Tomato and Steak Sandwich, are perfect for a hurried lunch or a light al fresco dining with the nature for company.Our luncheon was a leisurely affair with ‘Prawns Caesar salad’ acting as a perfect appetiser, with sliced eggs, cheese and salad padding the tiger prawns. This was followed by ‘Chicken tikka’, served with poppadum, mint chutney and onion salad. Authentic flavours and artistic presentations add to the experience of the leisurely lunch. The array of dessert platter – ‘Armonia Di Caramello’, with salted caramel and dark chocolate tart with caramelised nuts and raspberry compote; and ‘The Beach Club Fudge’, packed with double chocolate brownie, vanilla whipped cream and chocolate sauce set the tone for a perfect siesta in a nature clad ambience

Its location, about 90kms from Qurum, could seem dampening, especially with the traffic getting boisterous, following the shifting of the port to Sohar. The long lines of trucks and heavy vehicles during the mid-morning don’t make driving towards Musannah an attractive prospect; but if the destination is Millennium, the respite at the destination could make it worth your while. And if you do know the traffic pattern and the time schedules of heavy vehicles, your trip to MRM could be so much easier. It is a world away…with its quaint resort style easily complementing the azure sea in the background and the winter breeze adding to the mood. Our destination – Azure Restaurant – presented the perfect setting for a leisurely lunch with a hint of siesta. The live kitchen in the centre – manned by Azure chef Giuliano Lusco, and the circular glass paneled walls, with two-seater arrangements, offer a panoramic view of the mountains, the sea and the bay. With one end of the restaurant adjoining the Zayna Spa and the other leading to the swimming pool, the seating options are plenty, whether you are in for a quick lunch/dinner or a leisurely meal. Pegged to this elaborate arrangement is the pergola terrace, facing the beach area; it creates a perfect winter option.Nature beckoned us and we opted for al fresco dining. The weather was in tune with our mood and the late afternoon lunch stretched like the azure sea – calm and content. The easy combination of cuisines from

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Prawn Caesar Salad Ingredients (serves 4)l 12 prawns (3 prawns for each plate) - deveinedl 400gms romaine salad l 2 boiled eggs - slicedl 4 tbsp of bacon bites l 4 tbsp sliced parmesan cheesel 4 tbsp crunchy white bread - toastedl 4 tbsp Caesar dressing (4 teaspoons parmesan, 4 teaspoons mayonnaise, 8 pieces of anchovy, black pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice, little bit of mustard) Method1. For the crunchy white bread, take 2 or 3 slices of white bread for each plate, season with a bit of oil, garlic and salt, and then cut it in little pieces. Bake in the oven at 170 C° till golden2. For the bacon bites, take 2 or 3 slices of beef bacon for each plate, cut it in little pieces, fry in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil until they get crunchy and golden. 3. For the Caesar dressing, mix the entire ingredient in a blender, and blend till well combined.4. For the Caesar salad, put the romaine salad in a bowl, add the Caesar dressing, the crunchy white bread and the bacon bites; toss them all together and set aside in a plate.5. For the prawns, marinate all the prawns with olive oil, salt and black pepper and grill them for 10 minutes on the grill or till cooked to your liking.6. Place the salad in 4 serving plates then; add 3 cooked prawns on the top of each plate and serve, finishing with the sliced parmesan cheese & egg.

Scrumptious Weekend le

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Chef Matthew Fryar to add that zing in your weekend meal

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The Beach Club Fudge(Double chocolate brownie, vanilla whipped cream and chocolate sauce)

Ingredients (serves 4) l 120gms brown sugarl 100gms butterl 130gms chocolate darkl 20gms flourl 4 whole eggsl 10gms coco powderl 20gms walnutsl 20gms hazelnutsl 1 inch vanilla stick

Method1. In a non-reactive bowl, over a water bath, melt together the butter and chocolate.2. With your kitchen aid, whisk together the sugar and eggs till they turn light.3. In the same bowl, mix together the chocolate and sugar mixture; mix the flour, coco powder and nuts together and fold into the chocolate mixture.4. Place it on a baking tray and bake at180°c for about 20 minutes. 5. Check after 15 minutes with a wooden skewer to see if brownie is cooked (very carefully poke the skewer into the brownie and remove, if no liquid or cake is stuck to the skewer, it is ready).6. For the whipped cream, add 100ml of thick cream with 25gmd sugar and a drop of vanilla essence. Whip till a firm peak forms.7. Plate as per the picture or create your own look.

Chicken Tikka with mint chutney

Method1. Marinate the chicken legs with salt and ½ of the lemon juice,

and then set aside. In a bowl, mix the chat masala, yogurt,

mustard oil, other ½ of lemon juice, cumin powder, kasoori

methi and the ginger and garlic paste. Set aside for 10

minutes’.

2. Season the marinated chicken legs in this paste, and set aside

for other 10 minutes. Julienne the tomatoes and the onions or

chop them in small pieces and place them evenly on each

plate.

3. Grill the marinated chicken legs for 10 minutes or cook in the

oven at 200 C° for 7 to 8 minutes. In a blender, mix and blend

the coriander leaves, fresh mint, ginger, peeled garlic, lemon

juice, salt and the sugar for one minute; add the yogurt and

keep blending until the paste became creamy.

7. Serve with tomatoes and onions salad, and the mint chutney.

For the mint chutney (200 ml)l 100gms coriander leavesl 40gms fresh mintl 2.5cms fresh peeled gingerl 2 pieces of peeled garlicl 1 green chili l Juice of ½ lemonl ½ teaspoon sugarl ½ teaspoon saltl 50ml plain yogurt

Ingredients (serves 4)

For the chicken:l 24 pieces of chopped chicken legs, bone removed (6 pieces for each plate)l 1tsp salt l 1tbsp red chili polderl 1tbsp cumin polder l 1tbsp chatmasala l 1tbsp kasoori methi – dried fenugreek leaves l 2tbsp mustard oil l 2tbsp lemon juice l 4tsp plai yogurtl 2tsp ginger and garlic pastel 4 tomatoes l 4 onions

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Sesame SeedsMore than just the topping on a bun, sesame seeds are full of powerful disease-fighting phytonutrients. They are highly valued for their oil. Sesame seeds are packed with two unique sesame lignans (group of chemical compounds found in plants), which have great potential in reducing cholesterol. Regularly enjoying sesame seeds also lower blood pressure. The lignans help in fighting inflammation and hormone related diseases like breast cancer. Not only are sesame seeds a very good source of manganese and copper, but they are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber.How to consume: 1 to 2 tablespoon in any form, roasted or ground.

Sesame seeds taste best when roasted. They can be added to almost anything, including salads, stir fries, soups, desserts and baked goods. You could eat sesame seeds in the form of tahini, which is a part of hummus.Flax SeedsThey are high in dietary fibre and essential fatty acids ALA. The high fiber helps in healthy bowel function and prevents constipation and ALA is a powerful anti-inflammatory. The Phytoestrogens help to reduce the symptoms of PMS and menopause, and potentially reducing the risk of developing breast and prostate cancer. It lowers blood cholesterol levels and maintains HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) ratio.How to consume: Best is to eat them raw or slightly roasted - post meal - to promote digestion. For weight watchers it can be eaten as a snack before meal as it suppresses appetite

Love thy seeds

PartTwo

Seeds are available all year round and are priced very reasonably too. They are the secret behind the reduction in medical and grocery bills as well. So go grab a handful and enjoy them at leisure.

These small bundles of dense energy and nutrients should be a part of your daily diet, says Anu Bahl, Dietician and Clinical Nutritionist

and helps to lose weight. Can be added to any salad for that extra crunch.Pomegranate SeedsPomegranates are said to be nature’s power fruit. They are a rich source of antioxidants and phytochemicals (polyphenols) and, therefore, it helps to protect our body’s cells from free radicals, which can cause cancer and premature ageing.Pomegranate seeds are a good source of two essential vitamins C and K. A 100 grams portion of raw, edible seeds provides 18 to 20 percent of our daily Vitamin C and Vitamin K requirements with very less calorie addition. It is an excellent choice for weight watchers. How to consume: Pomegranate seeds can be consumed raw, in juice form or even dried form, which is used to add a tangy flavor to various recipes

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World Cancer Day 2015, observed annually on February 4, aims to save millions of preventable deaths each year by

raising awareness about the disease and urging governments and individuals around the world to take action

Cancer Alert

Why do some people get cancer and some don’t, even when their lifestyles are quite similar? According to medical experts, there are a number of different factors working together. However, one school of thought believes that worriers are more prone to cancer. A study involving over 60,000 people suggests that people prone to anxiety are more likely to get cancer. This observation, while focusing on psychological factors such as stress, anxiety and depression, overlooks behavioural factors, such as lack of self-care, poor diet and smoking.Over the years, research has demonstrated that emotions such as depression, anger and hostility make one more prone to illness and disease. Conversely, it has been shown that positive attitudes such as hope, optimism and happiness strengthens the immune system and protects one from disease.

Recent studies point to two personality

types that seem to make one either cancer-prone or cancer

resistant.

Cancers figure among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with approximately 14 million new cases and 8.2 million cancer related deaths in 2012, as per the Cancer Fact sheet

on the World Health Organisation website. This is expected to rise to 22 million within the next 2 decades.With such ominous figures, the World Cancer Day (an initiative of UICC - the Union for International Cancer Control), with the tagline ‘Not beyond us’ (for 2015), will take a positive and proactive approach to the fight against cancer, highlighting that solutions do exist across the continuum of cancer, and that they are within our reach. It will focus on four key areas:1. Choosing healthy lives2. Delivering early detection3. Achieving treatment for all4. Maximising quality of lifeThe main focus area is reflective of the fact that about 30 percent of cancer deaths are said to be due to the 5 leading behavioural and dietary risks

- high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use and alcohol use. Tobacco use is the most important risk factor for cancer, causing over 20 percent of global cancer deaths and about 70 percent of global lung cancer deaths.With so many potential causes of cancer, World Cancer Day’s focus on early detection, treatment for all and improving quality of life is bound to ensure a positive and proactive approach to fighting cancer. But the bigger question here is: what are the chances of anyone getting cancer?

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Cancer-Prone Personality Typesl Represses both positive and negative emotions.l Shows anger, resentment, or hostility towards others.l Takes on extra duties and responsibilities, even when they cause stress.l Reacts adversely to and does not cope well with life changes.l Is negative or pessimistic.l Becomes easily depressed or has feelings of hopelessness.l Worries often and excessively about others.l Feels the need for approval and to please others.

Cancer-Resistant Personality Typel Expresses emotions in a positive and constructive way.l Controls anger and resolves anger issues positively.l Knows when to say no.l Copes well with stress and feels in control of situations.l Is optimistic and hopeful.l Does not become easily depressed.l Seeks out and maintains social support networks.l Does not worry excessively.l Likes to please, but does not seek approval as an emotional crutch.

Mind over BodyStudies may have shown a link between behaviour and personality and the onset of and recovery from cancer, but as with everything else, there are always exceptions. While some of the most optimistic and positive people could get cancer, some of the angriest and most hostile could live to be 100, cancer-free. But when a cancer patient is told that his or her disease is terminal, those who adopt cancer-resistant traits tend to live longer because their newly acquired behaviours will automatically boost immunity.Mind-body techniques are said to assist in surviving cancers, at times even when doctors have given up hope. A patient’s coping style, behaviour and recovery strategy are critical factors in five-year survival rates. In addition, studies have shown that mortality is typically reduced for those who have a social support network, compared with those who are socially isolated. Combined with a recovery programme that includes stress management and relaxation techniques, relapses are said to be fewer.

Whether mind and body techniques work or not, some of the factors that could cause cancer are:1. Risky behaviour: Indulging in risky behaviour, like smoking or drinking too much, or eating a very unhealthy diet can have a real effect on your health. But some people get cancer even when they look after themselves really well, while others don’t.2. Genetic predisposition: Studies have shown that genetic make up makes it more likely that one will develop cancer. Some families have a much higher incidence of cancer than other families in the population. 3. Age: According to some doctors if all men lived long enough they would get prostate cancer

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AragawaSteak lovers…head to Aragawa in Tokyo. Aragawa is said to source its meat from purebred Tajima cattle raised in the Sanda region of Hyogo Prefecture, where only a few are selected for the designation of Sanda beef. The meat is flavoured only with salt and pepper, and cooked over Binch tan (white charcoal is a traditional charcoal of Japan) hardwood charcoal from the Wakayama Prefecture. Price: $425 (for a single steak)

Fine dining,you said?

Calling all connoisseurs of food… Check out what some of the world’s most expensive fine dining restaurants have to offer to satiate those pampered palates in an ambience to match.

Sublimotion Bewitching beaches are not the only reason why the world’s rich celebrities party in Ibiza; the new Sublimotion Restaurant has also upped its celebrity quotient. The restaurant, located in the Hard Rock Hotel in Playa de Bossa, allows for only 12 guests at a time. The exclusive venue offers a 20-course ‘gastro-sensory’ meal that is intended to ‘elicit an emotional experience’ and allow you to experience humour, pleasure, fear, reflection and nostalgia – all in one bite. Price: $2,078 (per person)

Kitcho It is all about tradition, with dishes including turtle soup, raw salmon slivers with lemon, and green tea at Kitcho, located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the most expensive Michelin-starred restaurant in the world; it was ranked number one on The Daily Meal’s most expensive restaurants list last year. Price: $600 (per person)

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Per Se A part of the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, Per Se is an elegant dining room overlooking Central Park in the Time Warner Center. It won a James Beard Award in 2011 for Outstanding Service and was named the sixth best restaurant in the world in this past year by Restaurant Magazine. Price $851 (per person)

UrasawaLocated in a shopping centre off Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, this restaurant comes across as a Japanese culinary shrine, with a sushi bar and just enough room for 10 diners. Interestingly there is no menu and the items change everyday. What is more, diners are presented nearly 30 courses of Kaiseki dishes (a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner) by Urasawa chef and owner Hiroyuki Urasawa. The formal meal is presented as a succession of small and meticulous dishes, each accentuating the natural flavours of seasonal ingredients, many flown from Japan. Price: $1,111 (per person)

Le MeuriceRestaurant Le Meurice at Hotel Le Meurice in Paris is designed to pamper all your senses - antique mirrors, crystal chandeliers, bronzes, marble and frescoes. Their tasting menu has on offer dishes like guinea fowl pie, lobster, potatoes ‘flavoured by the sea’ and some ‘chocolate from our factory’. Price: $470 (per person)

Plaza Athénée When Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse reopened his flagship Parisian Plaza Athenee on the prestigious Avenue Montaigne in Paris, he eliminated most of the meat items on the menu and instead focused on a largely produce-based organic menu. It now includes new dishes like black rice with shellfish and Anjou-grown quinoa, and Mediterranean fish with bulgur wheat. Price range: $475–$575 (per person)

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Cool and Beautiful

What began as a slight nip in the air has turned into a regular winter chill, with temperatures taking a big dip, especially in the evenings. Of course, no one is complaining, as most have welcomed the season

with the inevitable beach picnics and dinners in the parks… But what about your skin, which has to take the brunt of the dry spell?For many people, winter brings with it an uncomfortable dryness to the skin, especially on the face, hands and feet; a few may even have to contend with flaky and cracking skin. While the latter may require dermatological assistance to get through the winter months, a little dryness of the skin can be easily tackled with a few tried and tested methods.

1. Opt for face cleansers and soaps that have extra amounts of oils such as lanolin, cocoa butter or coconut oil.2. Moisturise your skin liberally. Find a moisturiser that is oil based, as it will help your skin retain more moisture.3. Do not forget the sunscreen with the change in the weather. Winter sun can also damage your skin.4. Use warm rather than hot water for baths and showers. Prolonged

exposure to hot water can remove natural oils that protect

your skin.5. Keep yourself hydrated. Remember that drinking water helps your skin and your overall health.6. For your feet, find lotions that contain petroleum jelly or glycerine; use exfoliants to get the dead skin off.7. Do not use harsh face peels,

masks or astringents that can strip natural oils from your skin.

Get through the winter months with this beauty checklist

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lifestyle mantra

HOW can Men Get intO a WinteR caRe MODe WitHOUt cReatinG a FUss aBOUt tHe cHaPPeD liPs anD scaly scalP?

chapped lips, skin breakouts, dry scalp…are all winter eventualities, unless you are blessed with great skin. there are innumerable products

in the market for every type of skin and managing a few winter irritations should not be a problem. But if you detest the idea of shopping for skincare products and are wary of using your partner’s creams and lotions, try some home products or follow these simple beauty hacks to beat the winter setbacks.1. if you are on the verge of getting a huge pimple, simply rub some calamine lotion onto the area, as it will help to dry up the cystic acne.2. if you have popped the pimple and if the area has become red and irritated before a big date or meeting, rub some redness-reducing eye drops on the area; it contains tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride, which helps get rid of redness fast. 3. if your face is puffy from a holiday party, wake up a little earlier than usual and put a cold pack over your eyes for 5-10 minutes. Buying specially designed eye masks, which can be kept in the fridge or freezer, will also helps.4. if winter tends to make your face look haggard, because of all the dead skin cells, scrub your face with an exfoliant. combine a teaspoon of baking soda with water and massage it into skin before rinsing off with warm water; follow it with a moisturiser.5. if your lips get really chapped in the winter despite using a balm, precede it by massaging a mixture of some olive oil (or honey) with sugar and rinse it off with warm water.

Winter CAreBy Sophia Raman

Beauty checklist for the season

For dry and rough skin: your skin needs a regular exfoliation, even

a few times a week to get rid of dead, dry skin. check out the ‘Vanilla absolute scrub’, a

vegan-friendly scrub that is made with shea butter and sugar, which makes it an ideal moisturiser without

harming your sensitive skin (metropolissoap.com).Dry skin could also do with some oils. the neutrogena Body

Oil, which was first introduced in 1966, contains emollient sesame formula; it has a slightly sweet scent and is very versatile. you could directly apply it on dry skin, splash it liberally while showering or pour it into your bath for mega moisture (neutrogena.com).For chapped lips: Glossier Balm Dotcom is an all-purpose skin-care balm that is packed with emollient cupuacu fruit extract and castor seed oil. simply dab it on chapped lips to relieve dryness or dot it on cheekbones for an instant healthy glow (glossier.com).But if you are looking for more than a balm, give sugar Baby Gift set a try. this set comes with an exfoliator to scrub off dead skin along with two different lip treatments - a tinted balm with sPF and a high-shine gloss - to fight flaky lips and moisturise for up to 6 hours (sephora.com).For chapped hands & dry cuticles: this one is perfect if you believe in the magic of argan oil, which is especially great for dry skin on hands. tree Hut Renewing Hand cream feels super light and non-sticky, but is heavy enough to instantly relieve cracked cuticles and dry, chapped skin (walmart.com).For dry, dull hair: summer or winter, washing your hair everyday can dry it out by stripping natural oils from the strands and scalp. it can become more pronounced during winter. Overcome this by using alterna cleanse extend translucent Dry shampoo, which lets you wash only on alternate days while giving extra texture to your hair (sephora.com). But if it is extra moisture that you want to trap in your strands, check out L’Oreal Mythic Oil. a note of caution though: a few drops will make your hair sleek and shiny; but too much too close to the roots will leave strands greasy (amazon.com).

For dry, frizzy hair: For those who are endowed with thick or curly hair, winter demands special treatment, especially with the conditioner. the Dove Damage therapy intensive Repair Daily treatment conditioner intense Damage could do the magic. this extra-moisturising version contains keratin for a super sleek finish and does

the job of a hair masque in the time of a regular daily conditioner (walgreens.com).

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LeWhen Scarves

Hit the right fashion notes with a designer silk scarf or a woolly winter version

Scarf, one of the most versatile fashion accessory, is known to add panache to even the simplest of outfits, turning the wearer into a confident hipster. Be it one of those all-weather designer silk scarves or the very wintry woolly ensemble, it can breathe a chic note on any outfit.

And with winter chills giving an extra edge to this chic item of clothing, it is certainly the season of scarves.While the trendy silk scarves are known to give that edge to celebrities - with Audrey Hepburn’s headscarf making it ultra chic - scarves of all kinds, designs and shapes have retained their hold on fashion trends over the years. The only

elements that have, probably, changed in the style quotient are the colours, designs and, of course, the many ways to wear them. From a simple wrap around the neck to stylishly

tied knots, the trick, as fashionistas have learnt, is all about wearing the scarf with an eye for the details and the overall appearance you want to project.

Depending on the season and the changes in the weather, you could opt for flannel, wool or fleece scarves during winter and cotton or silk during warm days. But whether you pick a wool scarf or a silk/chiffon one, what matters is how you wear it. Even if your intention of draping the scarf is to keep warm, remember the objective is to add glamour to your outfit. Make sure that the material you choose does not irritate your skin since the skin around your neck can be sensitive. Interestingly, the new trend of wrapping the scarf around the handbag is also

known to add oomph to the overall look and add an element of attitude to the appearance.

Fashi nStatements

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Scarf Trendsfor 2015

Animal Print Scarf: When in doubt go for animal prints…more so this winter, as scarves in dark coloured animal prints have hit the trend counter.

Floral Print Scarf: According to trend watchers, scarves designed in floral prints are going to be the most in demand this year. The best bets are the ones in bright and dark colours.

Knitted Scarf: Apt for this season is a knitted scarf, which is believed to be the trendiest item of 2015. Although knitted scarves are not limited by design and colour, black or brown knitted ones are ideal for this season.

Lace Scarf: Laces, it appears, will never go out of style, even when the reference is to

scarves. Formal events and parties demand an element of glamour, which can come easily with

lace scarves that are available in a variety of styles and colours.

Plaid Scarf: This has been an all time favourite of many a fashionista. Style gurus believe that plaid scarves are the most appropriate ones to wear at casual events. Plaid scarves in red, black and brown are the rage this season.

Polka Dot Scarf: It is easy to feel stylish in polka dot scarves, which are

available in a variety of colours and with dots varying in sizes. If you are undecided, pick a white and black polka dot scarf. Other choices could be red scarf in white polka dot and polka dot scarf with stripes.

Striped Scarf: Get an instant cool look with a striped scarf. Black and white stripe design is befitting the cool winter; you could also pick scarves in dark colours with bold stripes.

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That...Kn tBring the best out of your scarf and take your overall appearance one notch higher by tying that scarf right. - If you are wearing a short scarf, drape it around your neck, keeping the left side slightly shorter. Cross the right side over and tie a knot without pulling the right side all the way through. Now, pull the draped out portion over the knot, making it look

like a half bow.- If it is a pashmina scarf, fold it in half and position the centre at the front of your neck with the ends draped over the back. Now crisscross the ends and bring them over to the front of your neck. Tie a loose knot at the front and tuck it underneath the wrapped portion of the pashmina with the upper layer loose. Flatten the ends over the chest and gently pull down the top layer to cover the knot, giving it a loose turtleneck look.- If the scarf is long, fold it in half, creating a fold at one end and two loose ends. Drape the middle of the scarf around your neck with two ends on the left side and a loop on the right side – each facing forward. Slip the two loose ends through the loop and tighten.

Here are some ways to go about perfecting that knot:Half-bow scarf: Loop the scarf around your neck and tie it like

you would your shoelaces. Then, take one side of the scarf and make a loop, as if you were only tying one side of the bow on your shoes. Take the longer section of the scarf and wrap it in front; follow it by taking it behind the entire scarf, next to your neck.

Scarf bow: Wrap the scarf (a longer one) around your neck,

making sure that both ends are even. Then, tie

the scarf just as you would tie any bow.

Scarf braid: This may look complicated, but all that you need

to do to achieve this is double up the scarf and wrap

it around your neck, with the non-folded end slightly longer than the folded end. Then, take one end and

thread it through the loop, rotate the loop, and then thread through the other end.

Quick toss: Place the scarf over the shoulder in such a way that one end is slightly longer than the other end. Loop the longer

end over your neck, without taking it fully around. The scarf should hang from the back.

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esque It wIth Ale

PrESENTING ALE AL ZEDJALI’S TAKE ON LOOKING FASHIONABLy ‘PrESENTABLE’ WHILE DINING OuT

If there’s one thing I loath, it’s the people who put off dinner plans

for the weekend because they feel the need to look

presentable every time they visit a restaurant.

I get that and I apply that…but

I think people need to alter

their views on ‘presentable’.

What you wear for work is more than fitting for a night out... Feel it’s too plain? Accessorise it up! Take off your suit jacket, let down you hair, put on a more festive pair of shoes and change your make up. And, all this can be done in the car. Actually, you don’t need to go through the stress of changing your entire makeup palette; go from the nude lips you have for work to a pop of red for dinner! Keep a chic scarf or jacket in your car and tie it around your neck (or on your head if you rock a hijab) and you are ready for a night out. This isn’t as big a problem for guys, but I think we can do the same… I’m obviously not talking about makeup, but if you wear white slippers for work, change it to a more attractive colour for dinner and match it with your kumma! Those who wear suits have nothing to worry about either - untuck the shirt, take off the jacket and unhook the first button (keep it classy but comfortable).

LeT’S TaLK aBouT eaTing ouT!

Neck rosette: Take a skinny scarf and wrap it around your neck. Twist the scarf until it starts to curl. Now wrap the scarf around itself and tuck in the ends.

Simple slipknot: Double up your scarf and wrap it around the back of your neck. Now slip both ends of the

scarf into the loop.

Layered knot: Take both ends of the scarf and tie them together. Then open the loop and put it around your neck.

Muffler scarf: Take one end of a wide scarf and place it on your shoulder. Then take one corner from the other end and make a little knot on one shoulder. Leave the last corner free to give the triangle look.

Fake knot: Tie a loop at one end of your scarf and leave it loose. Slip the other end of the scarf into the loop and tighten it to suit your needs.

Ale Al Zadjali is a 21 year-old award-winning fashion designer; he is the brain behind the ‘Esque By Ale’ line of clothing

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Regular foodies may need no introduction to the fine art of dining out, but the uninitiated could take a hint or two from the following pages

Dine Out…In StyleD

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Muscat: Food capital of Oman

Whether Muscat needs more authentic restaurants and sensorial dining experiences or not, weekenders, looking

for specific dining experiences, have a fair share of food destinations to frequent within the capital. Depending on the budget, preferences of the palate and the mood, food outlets in Muscat are well equipped to cater to a wide array of food lovers, including strict vegetarians.While some areas in the capital are fast turning into food zones, like the busy MBD area and the Shatti Al Qurum, areas in and around the CBD have their own set of food outlets, some of which have sustained over the years, catering to specific needs of the people in the area. Besides, with most of the outlets in The Cave Complex becoming operational, it has provided a new dimension to fine dining. Food courts in the malls too have penetrated the food market, providing foodies with several options, ranging from fast food to exclusive restaurants. And there are those uber exclusive in-house restaurants in plush star hotels around the capital, which have created special experiences to meet the demands of the discerning foodies.With social media becoming the point of reference for most users, dining out woes and delights have found new platforms, which have helped restaurants stand on their guard with services offered and fare promised. It has helped demonstrate the likes and dislikes of people, providing avenues for restaurateurs to gear up their act and meet the ever-growing demands of the diners

From small roadside coffee shops and unpretentious food outlets, to upscale restaurants and food courts in shopping malls, Muscat has come a long way from its unimpressive foodie days

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Deciphering menus at some of the fine dining restaurants is like decoding cryptic clues in a puzzle

If you are a nouveau foodie, but are inclined to pamper your palate all the way through, take a deep breath, relax and remember the trick is in asking right questions; even if the

restaurant in question is one of those uber expensive ones (may be more so, if you want to avoid disappointment). Although menuspeak differs, depending on the place and cuisine featured, there are some words and phrases that are universal in helping you make informed guesses about the dishes. According to a regular foodie, one of the most basic lines of inquiry is asking servers what their favourite dishes are, and what dishes the chef considers specialties of the house. Of course, you need to remember what items you are allergic to or are not really fond of. With menus becoming complex, quick choice of dishes has become a thing of the past. This is more so in high-end restaurants, where you are likely to find a variety of menus within the menu. Traditional a la carte menus, on the other hand, are easy to sort out, where dishes for each course are listed and priced individually.

Tasting menuOne easy way of going about it is opting for a tasting menu, also called a menu degustation, wherein you trade choice for variety. Instead of separately ordering appetiser, mains and dessert, a tasting menu will offer the option of five or more smaller courses, depending on the restaurant. It may be apt, if it is your first time in a particular restaurant, to discern its culinary leaning. These tasting menus are designed to present a perfect feel of the restaurant kitchen and chef.

A la Carte Vs prix-fixeCheck if the restaurant you are patronising offers ‘prix-fixe’ (‘fixed price’) menu, where you are given a couple of choices from which to select for each course. This, as the name suggests, is fixed price, which might also include a charge for service but does not, usually, include beverages. Some restaurants, however, may make exceptions to the items, by substituting one or more if you are drawn to some items on the à la carte menu.

The fee factorAccording to Linguistics professor Dan Jurafsky, who spent months analysing 6,500 menus (650,000 dishes), ranging from Michelin-starred restaurants to cheap roadside diners, restaurants with longer, more complicated words in their menu descriptions would cost patrons more, while cheap outlets would opt for generic words such as ‘tasty’ and ‘hearty’. His study found that it was not so much the length of the menu description that was important, as was the words within it. Although less expensive restaurants too had rambling descriptions, they used easy-to-understand words, unlike the expensive ones, which tended to be more to-the-point but with more obscure and lengthy culinary terms. He calculated that a menu with longer words would cost 18 cents (11p) more for every extra letter within them, on average.

Turning Tables

Check out the random five words used by an average restaurant against the ones used by a gourmet one:1. Tasty 1. Angolotti (a type of pasta)2. Juicy 2. Assiette (meaning ‘plate of’ or ‘dish of’)3. Rich 3. Medjool Dates (from North Africa)4. Crisp 4. Nougatine Cassolette (covered with chocolate)5. Fresh 5. Manjari chocolate (from Madagascar)

For healthy diners: Words to look for on menus

Words to Avoid Words to orderGlazed RoastedCrispy BakedMelted BroiledSmothered RubbedBreaded SearedCreamy GrilledHoney-dipped SteamedCrusted Sautéed Gooey SpicedCheesy SeasonedWhile placing an order, remember…- Soups are often heavier with creams than the vegetables they are supposed to contain. To find the right one, look up in the menu for a mention of a balancing effect, like a mix of tart yogurt, a drizzle of strong herby oil and/or a dollop of sweet, briny caviar. - If the salad menu specifies the source of its ingredients, you can be assured of fresh fare. - Starters, which come with many parts, tend to come across as a hastily constructed hodgepodge. - If opting for fish in the main course, pick for one that is served with a minimum of flash – whole roasted fish is a better bet

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Dressed to Dine

Pick your outfit depending on your dining out destination, advice style gurus

Most five-star restaurants follow formal dress codes, but if there is none, it is best to err on the side of dressing up. Although the trend today is to follow a more relaxed

dress policy, in comparison to the earlier years, it is preferable to stick to the established practices, as fine dining is much more than a mere act of eating. It is a sensorial experience. Seen in that context, it is imperative that the outfit befits the occasion. Like the ‘jacket-require’ dictum for men, which demonstrates an element of formality. While many might opt for a suit, a less formal blazer or sports coat with shirt and slacks are perfect too. The objective should be to look presentable…and that means no sandals or sports wear with t-shirts, even if there isn’t any explicit dress code.Women are expected to dress elegantly in a five-star restaurant. This could mean a cocktail dress, heels and a jacket, or even a wrap. Accessories like jewellery and a clutch could do the trick.Food outlets that recommend a dress code are looking to give their patrons a memorable experience. It is, probably, a desire to make the guests experience the restaurant ambience in totality; but as a patron, a dining out event, will give you time to unwind from the everyday chores and enjoy the experience. As a frequent diner noted, to be a part of any culinary experience, you must look the part and must dress to dine.

Here are five dining out dress codes to help you get going: Casual: Although a casual dress code signifies an openness; the expectations are far from casual when you are dining in a fine dining restaurant. The casual dress code refers to clothing that is comfortable, yet polished. It is more in tune with the

golfing attire. As fashionistas point out, light colours, especially bold patterns, are more casual than darks and blacks; collared shirts are standard for most fine diners, while collarless shirts are only acceptable when casual wear is recommended.

Business Casual: A business casual outfit is one that earns you a polished-yet-comfortable look. Generally, business casual means dressing professionally, looking relaxed, yet neat and pulled together. For women, business casual clothes may include suits, collared shirts, knee-length skirts and tailored dresses. Remember, revealing clothes are not

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apt for a place of business nor for a business-casual-type setting. Men could combine a collared shirt and dress pants or trousers, such as khakis, tucked into a belt.

Casual Elegant: Restaurants recommending casual elegant clothes mainly want guests to slip into dressed-up versions of their casual attire. While men could look casual elegant in a dark suit or a button down with trousers and completed by a sport coat, women should opt for formal pant outfits or a snazzy black dress, complemented by an evening wrap or clutch bag. Turtlenecks, darker coloured outfits and leather shoes are also universally accepted as casual elegant supplements for both men and women.

Formal: Although strictly formal attire is rare, it is best to opt for special dresses and tuxedos when recommended. The formal standard demands guests to dine in their best wear - women in exquisite dresses and men in suits. If it is a black tie affair, men will be

required to wear tuxedos and women cocktail or long dresses. A white tie invitation, on the other hand, is more formal than black tie and requires men to go all the way with white tie, vest and shirt and women to wear long gowns.

Jacket Required: Usually restaurants calling for 'jackets required' will expect both men and women to be dressed accordingly with formal wear, with gentlemen going the extra mile by wearing a matching jacket.

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Top Restaurant Trends for 2015 Like fashion, food items too are known to follow the global trends to meet the demands of connoisseurs

2015 will see the continuation of some old trends but will usher some fresh concepts that are reflective of the new generation, says a food research firm.1. Meals will increasingly become staged items, in obeisance to the social media – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, as restaurants realise the power of customers in generating social media buzz in real time. 2. The year will see menus becoming shorter and the dining rooms getting smaller, as technology takes over.3. The focus will shift to ‘fast casual’ (where customers prefer to eat at slightly higher quality chains, instead of the regular fast food), with traditional fast food and fine dining markets finding it hard to offer newer, alternative forms of food service. 4. Another trend in casual dining for the year is what is called as ‘fast fine’ dining, which refers to upscale outlets that offer fast food with better ingredients and less of a conveyor belt atmosphere.5. From Japanese sushi to Americanised Chinese food, the concept of ‘Asian food’, will shift to Korean and Vietnamese food. 6. Watch out for bitter flavours as customers get into a ‘bitter is better’ mood. This would mean inclusion of deeper chocolates and darker coffees in the restaurant menus.

7. It will be beverage time, with restaurants gearing up to make beverages their main act, instead of a sideshow. New beverages are bound to crop up as restaurants get into the act of creating new mixes. 8. As healthy eating gains precedence, with customers following personalised diets, menus will be tailored with specific choices. The year will see restaurants displaying pick-and-choose options to meet the demands of customers from all walks of life, whether they are following the paleo diet or eating only vegan.9. Local food is the key word of the year, as everyone is, seemingly, going all local. This would appease customers who want everything local - from house-purified water to regional seafood to locally manufactured products. 10. It’s time to cater to Generation Z, who are now making their own decisions about where they go out to eat. As restaurants begin to appeal to this new kind of customer, there will be a shift towards high-tech service, louder music, moving visuals and heightened experiences. Top 20 Food Trends1. Locally sourced meats and seafood2. Locally grown produce3. Environmental sustainability4. Healthful kids’ meals5. Natural ingredients/minimally processed food6. New cuts of meat 7. Hyper-local sourcing 8. Sustainable seafood9. Food waste reduction/management

10. Farm/estate branded items11. Non-wheat noodles/pasta 12. Gluten-free cuisine13. Ancient grains 14. Whole grain items in kids’ meals15. Non-traditional fish 16. Ethnic-inspired breakfast items17. Nutrition18. House-made/artisan ice cream19. Fruit/vegetable kids’ side items20. Artisan cheesesTrends in Appetizers1. Vegetarian appetisers2. House-cured meats/charcuterie (cold cooked meats)3. Ethnic/street food-inspired appetisers4. Seafood charcuterie5. Amuse-bouche/ bite-size appetizersTrends in Breakfast/Brunch1. Ethnic-inspired breakfast items 2. Traditional ethnic breakfast items 3. Egg white omelettes/sandwiches4. Prix fixe brunches5. Breakfast burritosTrends in Dessert1. House-made/artisan ice cream2. Bite-size/mini-desserts3. Savory desserts4. Hybrid desserts5. Smoked dessertTrends in Culinary Themes1. Environmental sustainability2. Natural ingredients / minimally processed food3. Hyper-local sourcing 4 Food waste reduction/management5. Gluten-free cuisine

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Expatriate single men, especially in this part of the world, are known to pick the

‘eating out’ option when confronted with the task of ‘cooking’ at home. The latter comes with a list of chores, beginning from grocery shopping to cleaning up after eating. Not forgetting the delicate art of cooking everyday meals…‘Why bother’, would be an easy excuse, considering that most independent food outlets run a monthly mess, catering to the large tribe of single men (and women) who are wary of cooking or even contemplating the task of entering the kitchen. Whether one opts for a three-meal

Calling all men...why cook at home when eating out is so much simpler and easier?

Eating OutVs

Cooking At Home

service or only lunch and dinner, the restaurants in the capital are known to tailor their services according to the needs of their patrons, with takeaway option also pegged on to it.Eating out is, seemingly, the most feasible option. All that it takes from you is a walk or a drive to the restaurant of your choice. And, if you prefer to have it in the familiar confines of your home, you could arrange a home delivery service or have someone pick it up for you. The ease and comfort that eating out

assures is undeniable. But what about your health…? Can regular eating out ensure right nutrition and weight? Won’t you get tired of the same menu, the set breakfast-lunch-dinner items? And the cost…?Cooking, even if it is only about fixing a sandwich or boiling noodles, is about understanding the logistics involved. Seen from a bachelor’s point of view, it involves…- Making a checklist of ingredients required to fill the kitchen shelves and shopping for the same- Stocking the fridge with essential

items- Having a supply of cooking utensils and other tablewareJa

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Having said that though, cooking isn’t really a fun task when you realise that you are the lone benefactor of your efforts. It is best when there are at least two people to share in the food; it also minimises the prospect of eating leftovers, which is inevitable when cooking for one. Sourcing the ingredients for smaller portions is also a challenge as most supermarkets have items packed in bigger sizes. Most of the offers/deals are available only in larger packages and that means more spending if you are looking for smaller packs, or wasting, since most of these items come with short expiration date. Added to this is the time and energy needed to prep and cook the meal, wash the utensils and plates, scrub pans, store leftovers and clean the kitchen.While these arguments do not resolve the dilemma – eating out or cooking – it could, probably, inspire you to cook an occasional meal and overcome the ennui of eating the same restaurant

Complement your meat dish with mashed potatoes and salad.Ingredients for mashed potatoes:- 4 potatoes (medium sized, cut into cubes)- Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, creole and Italian seasoning)- Half-cup milk - 1/3 stick butter - Sour Cream (or cream cheese) about 4oz.

food everyday. Of course, alternating the restaurants or simply making the food outlet choice randomly could spice up the meal times, but the economical benefit from opting for a mess service is lost. If you have an inkling that you could get into the ‘cooking’ mode during the weekends or even on a regular basis, check out some easy to put together recipes, which do not require you to stock up on the ingredients required to cook.

Breakfast1. The easiest breakfast items are eggs. If you feel you aren’t equipped to fry a simple bull’s-eye or an elaborate omelette, simply boil it. Eggs have longer shelf life and you can store them in your fridge easily.2. Oatmeal is another easy choice. All that it requires from you is boil water, add in the required oatmeal, stir it and take it off the stove. You can spruce it up with fruits and nuts.

Mashed Potatoes and Salad

Method:1. Cut the potatoes into cubes and boil it until it is cooked and strain the water.2. Add the butter to the hot pot and toss the potatoes back in. Mix well.3. Mash them with a fork or cooking spoon, or put it in a mixer.4. Add the milk and sour cream and mix well.5. Add your seasonings, a little at a time; taste to see if it is fine.6. Continue to mix well and add more milk (to thin) or sour cream (to thicken).

Ingredients for Salad:- Bag of pre-mixed salad (mixed green)- Strawberries (sliced thin and small)- Candied Pecans- Feta cheese- Raspberry dressing (or your choice)Method:Mix it all together in a bowl and serve with dressing

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3. Another option would be a bowl of yoghurt with some chopped fruits.4. Ensure that your kitchen is stocked with some cereal bars and the fridge with some fresh fruits.

Lunch1. The easiest bachelor meal, if you are at work, is a quick pack of noodles. The ones that come ready in containers require you to only add hot water.2. If you like the idea of baked beans, put a can in the microwave and top it with a bit of Dijon mustard.

Dinner 1. An elaborate dinner is all about planning well. If pasta is on the day’s menu, you could cook extra and freeze the rest in the freezer.2. You could also marinade your meat items and freeze them in separate ziplock bags.3. Salads do not require any cooking skill. Simply chop the veggies of your choice and serve.

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Happily-ever-after may be a fairy tale concept, but if you believe you need to strike a safe balance between the ebbs and flows, check out the following tips from relationship gurus:

Get adventurousAccording to some studies, indulging in adventurous activities with your partner can produce an adrenaline rush and an aroused state of mind, which can easily transfer excitement back into

your relationship. You could, probably, get on one of those gigantic roller-coaster rides at the ongoing Muscat Festival or go on an adventurous cross-country drive together. For, excitement experienced mutually can bring the tingles back. The idea should be to pretend you are on your first date, advice experts.

Exercise together If riding a rollercoaster isn’t your thing; jump on the exercise bandwagon with your partner. This is known to trigger the release of similar kind of chemical in your brain. It could be a jog in the park or a workout at the gym, sharing that heightened physical experience is said to instill some new energy into the relationship and even boost the libido.Work at itThere is no one formula or a magic spell that can make a relationship work. Take time out to assess and analyse how you can make it work. Research has shown

This Valentine’s Day, take stock of your love life and work out ways to reaffirm your feelings for your partner

L VEEbb and Flow of

Love is on an eternal ebb-and-flow mode, yo-yoing from the ‘I love you forever’ days to the moody ‘get out of my life/leave me alone’ ones to the ‘can’t do without you’ phases. Love has a way of giving ‘constancy’ a run for

its money with its unending waves of ebbs and flows… As if it is playing a game of peek-a-boo to see if it can withstand the emotional sways. Some relationships are known to flail in the ebb phase, unable to find a source for ‘flow’; while others, seemingly, thrive in the emotion, encountering only brief episodes of ebb. But there is no denying those, at times inexplicable, ebbs and flows of love, whether it is brought on by age or stress. As Daniel Jones explains in his book ‘Love Illuminated’, we spend our youth asking ‘How do I find love?’ and midlife, asking ‘How do I get it back?’

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MIND & BODY

HAppIneSS TIpS FRoM RoMA FeRnAnDeS, CLInICAL pSYCHoLogIST AT WHISpeRS oF SeRenITYToday, as we struggle to be happy, we are fighting not only with ourselves but also with the world to find happiness. Happiness requires changing negative habits to positive ones. This may not be easy, but with dedication one can achieve anything they have been seeking.

Stop over thinking: We over analyse and dissect every issue in our life, which makes us anxious all the time. We have to learn to slow down and put into prospective our priorities. This will cut down a lot of the struggles in our mind. Build relationships: We give the people in our lives a lot of power over us. We need people in our life to add value rather than to take away our energy. It is, therefore, necessary to surround ourselves with positive people and distance from people who may cause harm, either emotionally or physically.Thankfulness: Being thankful for what we have and appreciating the small things is what adds an immense amount of value in our lives. Keeping a journal of things that make us happy can be an excellent way of training the mind to think positively.Exercise: This does not only mean physical workout, but it also includes exercise for the mind. Regular meditation, activities to de-stress and counselling are some of the ways we can detox the mind from the baggage we add on everyday. only a healthy mind and a healthy body in sync gives us a person that is healthy in the complete sense.

(roma.fernandes@whispers-of-serenity.com)

My STruGGlE To BE Happy

that expecting a fairy tale relationship is a prescription for disappointment. The onus is on both of you to actively keep the marriage happy, and one of the ways to go about it is to follow the tried and tested dictum: ‘Don’t fix the bad, increase the good’. For research has also shown that trying to change your partner doesn’t work.Future talkKeep the communication lines alive; talk about and plan for the future. This could include plans for moving to a new city, having kids, or purchasing a home together. Do not limit yourself with your fantasies for the future, as it could get both of you thinking of the possibilities. reveal your dreams whether your partner knows about your dreams of learning or doing something or not, bring it up in your conversations. explain how you plan on achieving that goal and get your partner involved in it. Some mutual admiration is bound to crop up…Competition helpsAgreed…you and your partner are

a team. But that is no reason to take away all the mystery and excitement from your life. Think of silly ways to get competitive with each other; it may be a game that you both love to play or you could simply challenge each other with a DIY task.

Quiz timeof course you know everything there is to know about your partner, but a little prodding will surprise you to learn that there are things you still do not know. Yes, there are always things you could be learning from each other, so look online for some relationship quizzes or stay up quizzing each other on

some most r a n d o m

things you could think of.Think positiveWhen all else fails, simply think positive. Just thinking that your partner is way better than he/she really is can foster a longer and better

relationship, say experts. go on; start thinking…

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E Fine DiningAt Home

From the lighting and the upholstery to the music and the table setting, fine dining restaurants know just how to woo their patrons even before they have tucked into the gourmet meal. Attention to

little details on the table only enhances the essence of being pampered on an epicurean level. Recreating this ambience, right at home, may seem like a difficult proposition for a party, but if it is a small get together, or, better still, a romantic dinner, a few props and a formal table setting could do the trick. Find out how, with a few simple steps, you could turn your dining experience at home on par with one in a five star restaurant. It would be a fitting finale to your scrumptious home cooked food or even a takeout from your favourite restaurant. For a good lunch/dinner is as much about presentation as it is about good appetite.

Want to create a formal dining experience at home?

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The Placemat or ChargerA formal table setting demands a placemat or a charger (charger plates or service plates are larger plates used during full course dinners; they are not used to serve food). Although some formal settings include both – placemat and charger – it is easier and convenient to keep one or the other.Plates & BowlsOne of the important elements of a formal dining experience in a restaurant is the set up of the table for the entire meal, even before guests take their seats. This means that the dinner plate stays on the table during the meal, placed beneath the soup bowl or salad plate (whichever is served as the first course). Remember that most formal dinner plates are 10 to 12 inches in diameter, while salad plates are available in many sizes - however, it should not be less than 7 inches in diameter. And, if you are going with the current trends, your dinnerware does not have to match; mix up the colours and materials to create a strong contrast between each layer.Forks, Knives & SpoonsA general rule of thumb is to arrange silverware to work inward as the meal progresses. For example, if your dinner starts with salad, place the salad fork to the outer left, with the dinner fork closest to the plate. But if there’s no salad on the menu, do not make space for it on the table.Remember that the knives and spoons belong on the right. The knife should be closest to the plate, blade facing in, and, if there is soup on the menu, the spoon should be on the outside.

Bread Plate & Butter KnifeIf you do not want to make the dining table look crowded, you could, probably, avoid the bread plate, or, alternately, opt for one that is small enough to fit comfortably (4 to 6 inches in diameter). Place the butter knife on top of this plate, with the blade facing in.GlasswarePlace glassware above the knife and fork. Keep the water glass innermost, with the beverage glass directly to its right. NapkinMost restaurants have mastered artistic ways of folding napkins. You could, of course, learn one online, but simply placing it on the left of the fork or placing on top of the plate will also do.Dessert BowlIf dessert is on the menu of the meal, place it directly above the dinner plate, with the fork closest to the plate and pointed to the right. The spoon should be parallel, but facing the opposite direction. When it’s time for the dessert, ensure that the table is cleared, except for the dessert utensils and the water glass.Footnote: A formal dinner is all about spending time together, away from all the personal tasks. To make it all the more intimate, switch off the television, get your guests to switch off their mobile phones and put on some soothing music. Even a family dinner, planned on a formal scale, could infuse warmth into the relationship and provide space and time for the members to indulge in casual conversation

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Just

TRA

VEL Holidays abroad are all about food…

whether you indulge your palate with exotic street food or tuck in to fine cuisine, food is the most defining facet of any holiday – dedicated ‘culinary tourism’ ,or otherwise

‘Food tourism’, ‘tasting tourism’ or ‘culinary tourism’ refers to trips made to destinations where the local food and beverages are the main motivating factors for travel. International Culinary Tourism Association defines culinary

tourism as ‘the pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences’. Interestingly, there are people whose sole motive behind travelling the world is to sample and experience authentic international cuisines.Tourism and gastronomyAccording to reports, travel based on gastronomic experiences is fast growing. It is estimated that one million international culinary tourists travel each year. A study by the International Culinary Tourism Association found that, on average, food travellers spend around $1,200 per trip, with over one-third (36 percent or $425) of their travel budget going towards food-related activities. Serious food travellers, however, are said to spend around 50 percent of their overall travel budget on food-related activities. And, generally speaking, gastronomic tourists tend to be couples that have above-average income; they are mostly professionals in the 30 to 50-year age bracket.

Tourism on a Platter

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French and Mediterranean-inspired dishes more prevalent than traditional Spanish fare. Catalan cuisine features a unique combination of ingredients such as red meat and fish; poultry and fruit; and sausage with white beans. Each dish is unique, original and utterly impossible to put down.New York, USThis famous city is endowed with an exciting food scene that attracts tourists from all walks of life.

It has over 10,000 restaurants and gastronomes can find every kind of cuisine imaginable and for every budget. With unlimited options, you could go on a food jaunt around the world without even leaving the city. Melbourne, AustraliaWhether you want to sample the spicy Wagyu beef tartare, the chilli-baked mussels from Cumulus or the sweet ‘laneway’ dining, Melbourne boasts an impressive food scene. This popularity is credited to chefs who have established their network there - like Frank Camorra of the MoVida empire and Andrew McConnell of Cumulus, who turned laneway (alleys) dining into a more sophisticated experience.

Marrakech, Morocco Marrakesh, in the Southwest by the Atlas Mountains, draws its expertise from the culinary influences of France, Africa and the Middle East. Food stalls within the old city walls offer a fare of kefta and merguez. For more fancier dining, chose Bô-Zin, outside the city walls, and enjoy the Moroccan tagine.

London, UKIt is thanks to celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsey, who have popularised the restaurant scene in London, that foodies throng to this city. Specialty gourmet shops like the Fortnum & Mason and Paxton & Whitfield still flourish. Tourists can choose from afternoon tea, Indian curries and classic pub fare like shepherd’s pie.Montreal, CanadaPopular for its French cuisine, Montreal, however, has become famous for its imaginative Carte du jours (menu card of the day) from more than 80 countries. You could opt to dine at any one of the city’s 5,000 restaurants or visit the meandering local markets for some of the culinary treasures of the Montreal chefs. Look out for Montreal-style bagel topped with cream cheese or a smoked meat sandwich - local treats.Bombay, IndiaBe it the street food, popularly referred to as chaat (like pani puri and vada pav), or the world-famous butter chicken in one of the fine restaurants, Bombay is a foodie’s delight if you know just where to eat. Its cuisine boasts influences from a variety of cultures – from mutton dhansak, to the mutton Frankie sandwiches. Street food is a must try.Bangkok & Phuket, ThailandIf you are looking for food adventures, check out the street food in these cities. Although Thai food is traditionally on the spicy side, it has a very special flavour to it, be it in their noodle dishes, rice items or the seafood. It projects a profusion of exotic flavours and fragrances, which have made it a must visit food destination. Try out the local dishes such as chicken and coconut soup, red and green curries and spicy beef salad. Tokyo, JapanIt is considered by many as one of the world’s capitals of dining, with the official registered restaurants in the city numbering 160,000. Although some of the traditional local dishes may not suit the palates of a new tourist, regulars recommend the local dishes as a must try. Paris, FranceParis has a wide array of fine dining restaurants, but regular foodies would know that there is nothing better than the Parisian patisserie. The real Paris food experience is all about giving in to temptation and enjoying the delicious pastries

Frequent travellers love the idea of returning to familiar destinations to enjoy all the tried and tested dishes or even travel to new places to experience exotic cuisine. Gastronomy has, indeed, become a significant feature of a well-planned tourism experience. With every destination boasting its own specialties, which have crept into the culture of the land, there is no dearth of culinary tourism options for dedicated tourists. Whether it is risotto or fegato in Italy; pastrami sandwiches in New York; mezze in Lebanon or Turkey; ceviche in Mexico; sushi in Japan; tapas in Spain…travellers have become discerning and know just what to order where, and what to seek for when it comes to street food.Check out some of the exciting culinary destinations around the world:Barcelona, SpainThe last five years have attracted more tourists to this Spanish city, thanks to its culinary influences. For example, Catalan influence is discernible in both its culture and cuisine with

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Personal Excellence training for Berger employees

Omantel partners with Inmarsat

To improve on-the-job performance of the employees as well as enhance personal traits, Berger Paints organised a training programme for all its Omani employees. A total of 20 participants took part in the

Personal Excellence programme that was conducted in Arabic and received a certificate on successfully completing the course. The programme incorporated a comprehensive approach and practical training of key concepts that would help the employee to grow – professionally as well as personally. The importance of effective communication, prioritisation, time management, problem solving capability and dealing with co-workers and seniors were some other topics that were covered. The two-day training was held at Khimji Training Institute at Azaiba by experienced trainers adept at enhancing performance.

Omantel has announced its partnership with Inmarsat, which owns and operates three global constellations of 12 satellites flying in

geosynchronous orbit to provide Omantel corporate customers with high quality communication solutions and added value services using satellites. Commenting on this partnership, Ali Bakhit Kashoob, Senior Manager, Product Development Corporate at Omantel said “Our partnership with Inmarsat International will enable us to offer advanced and reliable seamless voice, broadband data and IP communications solutions across the globe to our corporate customers operating in areas that are not covered by terrestrial networks.” Omantel Business Unit provides advanced communication solutions that meet the needs of the different public and private customers.

Reflecting on an eventful and prosperous year, Muscat Grand Mall has

announced that 2014 witnessed an impressive growth in footfall figures, with the mall also welcoming 15 new global brands during the year. Now

boasting a total of 142 outlets within the mall complex and a unique collection of apparel brands, the Mall has steadily become one of the most popularly visited destinations in downtown Muscat. Commenting on MGM’s journey through the past year, Hassan Jaboub, General Manager of Muscat Grand Mall said, “Given the range of exciting events and campaigns held throughout the year, we also witnessed an overwhelming record footfall of over nine million visitors to the mall. Furthermore, the mall expansion project has gathered momentum and will further add to the choice and selection for Muscat shoppers, for 2015 we are looking forward to a very exciting year, indeed!”

MGM’ssuccess story

Majid Al Futtaim, a leading retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East and North Africa, has announced that

international entertainment icons Tom & Jerry will make their Oman debut at City Centre Muscat and City Centre Qurum to create great moments for everyone, every day, during Muscat Festival. From January 31st till February 8th, visitors to City Centre Qurum will enjoy live shows daily from the cartoon world’s best-loved cat and mouse duo, including meet-and-greet opportunities. During the same week, City Centre Muscat will host a Tom & Jerry cheese maze activity, with participants hunting through a dedicated zone and earning a certificate afterward, alongside children’s art activities.

Tom & Jerry debut in Oman at Muscat

Festival 2015

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Educative presentation on diabetes management

Dr. Binu. P. Pillai, Endocrinologist at Apollo Sugar, Ruwi, conducted a power point educative presentation on Diabetes, with doctors of Royal Guard of Oman Hospital, earlier this month.

Dr. Binu elaborated on various aspects of diabetes management and emerging treatment modalities; he used case studies in diabetes to highlight some of the common mistakes in diabetes management. He reminded that one shouldn’t always get over fascinated with new drugs, forgetting the time-tested old ones. Dr. Binu emphasised the importance of advising patients about regular exercise and reminded that an annual detailed complications checkup should be done in all patients with type 2 diabetes. The meeting was attended by all RGO doctors and an interaction with the audience followed the meeting.

National Bank of Oman (NBO) has announced the appointment of Salma Salim Said Al Jaaidi as its new Chief Risk Officer. The

appointment of an Omani female as a Chief Risk Officer is a first in Oman’s banking industry. This announcement is part and parcel of the Bank’s succession plan for senior executives and commitment to supporting Omani talent and empowering women to take up senior leadership roles in the Bank. With a career spanning over 29 years with various leading financial institutions, Ms. Salma Al Jaaidi, an MBA holder, joined National Bank of Oman in 2003 and has led various divisions within the Bank’s Risk Management Group and most recently served as the Deputy

Chief Risk Officer. NBO has been on a transformational journey to achieve its vision: To be the Bank of Choice.

Saraya Bandar Jissah emerged as the winner of three prestigious awards at the International Property Awards

ceremony held recently in Dubai. Proving itself as a developer of world-class status, Saraya Bandar Jissah was crowned the ‘Best International Mixed-use Development’ in the global category as well as ‘Five Star award for New Hotel Construction and Design category’ and ‘Five Star award for Mixed-use Development category’ in Oman. A host of Arabia’s finest developers, architects, interior designers and real estate agents gathered for the glittering awards ceremony held at the Joharah Ballroom, Madinat Jumeirah Hotel in Dubai. Entries were received from companies in 12 countries across Arabia and winning entrants were presented with either a ‘Highly Commended’ or ‘5-Star’ award.

NBO appoints first female Omani Chief

Risk Officer

InterContinental Muscat and Bait Al Muzna join hands

InterContinental Muscat and Bait Al Muzna have joined hands to promote Omani Artists to the Hotel guests as part of the IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) ‘In the

Know’ initiative. The initiative is about how the Hotel can connect to their well-travelled guests to things that make Oman as a destination special. The Hotel has introduced Enaam Ahmed Al Lawati as the first Omani Artist. Enaam is one of Oman’s prominent and award winning artist, who has exhibited her work internationally. This ongoing ‘In the Know’ initiative will continue for the rest of the year where other Omani Artists will have an opportunity to introduce their work. The Hotel’s Club Floor lounge is displaying various arts from the Omani Artists.

Saraya Bandar Jissah wins Global Award

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Geely Emgrand has hit record again with sales amounting to 19,008 units, of which the domestic sales reached 17,069 units, up 34.2 percent year-on-year. As the

flagship model of Geely, Emgrand enjoys the most impressive performance among indigenous cars. Its sales in the past 5 years since its launch amounted to 600,000 units, showing the vigour and competitiveness of self-owned brands. According to the statistics, the sales volume of the new Emgrand has risen to 17,952 units in September and reached 19,008 units in October from the 10,572 units in July, enjoying a monthly growth of over 30 percent. Emgrand not only remains the sales champion, but also becomes the only self-owned brand among the 10 best-sold vehicles in October. In Oman, Towell Auto Centre (TAC) is the sole distributor of Geely Emgrand range.

General Automotive Company, official distributor of Mitsubishi Vehicles in Oman, is giving customers an exclusive opportunity to choose from an enviable range of select Mitsubishi vehicles with special offers and cash gifts. Valid until February 27 – this offer applies to all 2014 MY Lancer Fortis, Lancer EX, ASX,

Pajero, Pajero Sport and Outlander models. As part of the offer, each of these models will be available with six years unlimited mileage warranty, six years roadside assistance and free registration. Select models will

also be available free insurance for one year, free 2-year/30,000km-service package and special cash gift offers of up to RO500.

Al Jenaibi International Automobiles has achieved its best-ever annual sales result with a 38 percent increase in sales over

the previous year. Oman was the second biggest growth market for BMW Group in the Middle East. The highest number of vehicles sold in one year by any premium luxury automotive manufacturer in the Sultanate, 2014 was an important milestone for the BMW Group importer and a direct result of its ongoing commitment to the BMW and MINI brands. Al Jenaibi International Automobiles has the largest infrastructure for sales and service in Oman with plans to expand its facilities to include a best-in-class new showroom and after-sales facility for further improvements to customer service and the overall purchase experience.

Geely Emgrand sets 2014 sales record

Mitsubishi’s winter bonanza offer

BMW Group sales for 2014 in Oman

Audi Oman is inviting bookings for their latest arrival, the dynamic new S3 sedan, which will be available in the Sultanate for the first time early this year. The new S3 Sedan expands upon

the already sporty character of the A3 sedan, adding specific features that underscore the high-performance characteristics for which the Audi S model range is known. With a starting price of just RO 15,500, the S3 is equipped with features such as MMI navigation plus, a panoramic sunroof, parking aid front and rear with rear view camera, 3-spoke multifunction steering wheel, a Bang & Olufsen sound system and a comfort key.

Audi Oman announces pre-bookings for the all-new S3

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More Hyundai Accent cars added to Al Maskry rent-a-car fleet

Al Maskry rent-a-car, a leading rent-a-car operator in Muscat has added more Hyundai Accent cars to their existing fleet. A key handover ceremony was held recently to mark the delivery of the new cars and Sheikh Amur Sulaiman Said Al Maskry, Managing Director of Al Maskry received the keys of the new Hyundai

cars from the representatives of OTE Group, the exclusive dealer of Hyundai range of vehicles in Oman. Hyundai has a strong presence in the passenger vehicles category in Oman with its wide range of Sedans and SUVs both in various trim variants. Every Hyundai vehicle has features, which add value and keep Hyundai ahead of the competition. Undoubtedly Hyundai is fast becoming the most loved brand in Oman.

Mazda Oman to hand Mazda2s cars

to 14 football clubsMazda Oman, committed to supporting football, is making every effort to promote this game across all levels. One such step is to hand over Mazda2 cars to the 14 football teams that will be playing in the upcoming Mazda Professional Cup competition. The top 14 teams in the country will compete for the Mazda Professional Cup and the final match will be played on January 29th. Mazda Oman has always linked itself closely with the game and supported it across various levels. TAC is the sole distributor of Mazda range in Oman and makes owning a Mazda extra pleasant with its efficient after sales service and quick response time.

The new Touareg arrives in Oman

Volkswagen Oman, represented by Wattayah Motors, today announced the new Touareg is now available in Oman, with prices starting from RO17,999. Unveiled at the SUV world premiere in Beijing in 2014, the new Touareg, has been redesigned to offer customers new front and rear designs, new technical features

and a wide range of colours and interiors. Touareg is one of the world‘s most successful premium-class SUVs. The 2015-generation can be identified by the new front and rear designs and by its new colours. In terms of technology, all V6 and V8 models now come equipped with an automatic post-collision braking system (helps prevent a secondary collision in case of an accident), bi-xenon headlights and a coasting function..

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CHARTTOPPERSCHART

TRENDING N

OWTOPPERS

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

Movies Books Gadget Riddle Web World Horoscope Trivia Books GadgetChill Out

DirectorPaul Tibbitt

1. Uptown Funk -Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars

2. Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran

3. Blank Space - Taylor Swift

4. Take Me To Church - Hozier

5. Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

6. Lips Are Movin - Meghan Trainor

7. Sugar - Maroon 5

8. I’m Not The Only One - Sam Smith

9. Hold You Down - DJ Khaled

10. Elastic Heart - Sia

Movie Review

SpongeBob goes on a quest to discover a stolen recipe that

takes him to human world, where he tangles with a pirate

‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water’ is an animated/live action adventure comedy film, based on the Nickelodeon television series SpongeBob SquarePants created by Stephen Hillenburg. A sequel to the 2004 animated film The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, it stars the regular television cast (Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke,Rodger Bumpass, Clancy Brown, Carolyn Lawrence and Mr. Lawrence), who are returning to reprise their respective roles from the series and the previous film, with Antonio Banderas and Slash. The film revolves around Burger-Beard, a pirate in search of the final page of a magical book that makes any evil plan he writes in it come true, which, as the movie narrates, happens to be the krabby patty secret formula. When his search is completed and the formula is missing, the entire city of Bikini Bottom is in danger. SpongeBob, Patrick, and the gang need to go on a quest that takes them to the surface. In order to get back the recipe and save their city, the gang must retrieve the book and transform themselves into superheroes.

CastTom Kenny

Bill FagerbakkeRodger Bumpass

Clancy BrownCarolyn Lawrence

Mr. LawrenceAntonio Banderas

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Leaving Time Author: Jodi Picoult Teenager Jenna Metcalf was just three years old when her mother disappeared from an elephant sanctuary. Ten years later, she takes up the search for her mother, Alice, by studying Alice’s decade-old journals on grieving elephants. The research itself is fascinat-ing, but Jenna cannot find her mother on her own. By enlisting the help of a for-merly famous - now infamous - psychic, as well as a down-and-out private detec-tive whose career went south during the botched investigation of Alice’s disap-pearance, Jenna forms a sort of new family to help her in her quest.

Movies Books Gadget Riddle Web World Horoscope Trivia Books Gadget

Edge of Eternity (The Century Trilogy, Book 3) Author: Ken FollettKen Follett’s Century Trilogy follows the fortunes of five intertwined families - American, German, Russian, English and Welsh - as they make their way through the twentieth century. ‘Edge of Eternity’, the finale of the Century Trilogy, covers one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the 1960s through the 1980s, encompassing civil rights, assassinations, Vietnam, the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolution - and rock and roll. The characters in the book find their lives inextricably entangled as they add their personal stories and insight to the most defining events of the 20th century.

RevivalAuthor: Stephen King In a small New England town, over half a century ago, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond based on a secret obsession. When tragedy strikes the Jacobs family, the preacher curses God, mocks all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town. In his mid-thirties, Jamie meets Charles Jacobs again, with profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil’s devis-ing, and Jamie discovers that revival has many meanings.

Upcoming Releases Seventh Son Ben Barnes, Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Kit Harington, Alicia VikanderJohn Gregory, who is a seventh son of a seventh son and also the local spook, has protected the country from witches, boggarts, ghouls and all manner of things that go bump in the night. However John is not young anymore, and has been seeking an apprentice to carry on his trade. Most have failed to survive. The last hope is a young farmer’s son named Thomas Ward. Will he survive the training to become the spook that so many others couldn’t? Should he trust the girl with pointy shoes? How can Thomas stand a chance against Mother Malkin, the most dangerous witch in the county?

Jupiter Ascending Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean, Douglas BoothJupiter Jones was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning toilets and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine, a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along - her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos.

Book Review

Fifty Shades of

Grey Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Rita Ora, Luke Grimes

When Anastasia Steele, a literature student, goes to interview the wealthy Christian Grey, as a favor to her roommate

Kate Kavanagh, she encounters a brilliant and intimidating man. The innocent and naive Ana finds herself desperate to get close to him. Not able to resist Ana’s beauty and independent spirit, Christian Grey admits he wants her too, but in his own terms. Ana hesitates as she discovers the singular tastes of Christian Grey,

who despite the embellishments of success, is consumed by the need to control

everything.

CastTom Kenny

Bill FagerbakkeRodger Bumpass

Clancy BrownCarolyn Lawrence

Mr. LawrenceAntonio Banderas

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Leaving Time Author: Jodi Picoult Teenager Jenna Metcalf was just three years old when her mother disappeared from an elephant sanctuary. Ten years later, she takes up the search for her mother, Alice, by studying Alice’s decade-old journals on grieving elephants. The research itself is fascinat-ing, but Jenna cannot find her mother on her own. By enlisting the help of a for-merly famous - now infamous - psychic, as well as a down-and-out private detec-tive whose career went south during the botched investigation of Alice’s disap-pearance, Jenna forms a sort of new family to help her in her quest.

Movies Books Gadget Riddle Web World Horoscope Trivia Books Gadget

Edge of Eternity (The Century Trilogy, Book 3) Author: Ken FollettKen Follett’s Century Trilogy follows the fortunes of five intertwined families - American, German, Russian, English and Welsh - as they make their way through the twentieth century. ‘Edge of Eternity’, the finale of the Century Trilogy, covers one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the 1960s through the 1980s, encompassing civil rights, assassinations, Vietnam, the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolution - and rock and roll. The characters in the book find their lives inextricably entangled as they add their personal stories and insight to the most defining events of the 20th century.

RevivalAuthor: Stephen King In a small New England town, over half a century ago, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond based on a secret obsession. When tragedy strikes the Jacobs family, the preacher curses God, mocks all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town. In his mid-thirties, Jamie meets Charles Jacobs again, with profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil’s devis-ing, and Jamie discovers that revival has many meanings.

Upcoming Releases Seventh Son Ben Barnes, Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Kit Harington, Alicia VikanderJohn Gregory, who is a seventh son of a seventh son and also the local spook, has protected the country from witches, boggarts, ghouls and all manner of things that go bump in the night. However John is not young anymore, and has been seeking an apprentice to carry on his trade. Most have failed to survive. The last hope is a young farmer’s son named Thomas Ward. Will he survive the training to become the spook that so many others couldn’t? Should he trust the girl with pointy shoes? How can Thomas stand a chance against Mother Malkin, the most dangerous witch in the county?

Jupiter Ascending Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean, Douglas BoothJupiter Jones was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning toilets and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine, a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along - her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos.

Book Review

Fifty Shades of

Grey Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Rita Ora, Luke Grimes

When Anastasia Steele, a literature student, goes to interview the wealthy Christian Grey, as a favor to her roommate

Kate Kavanagh, she encounters a brilliant and intimidating man. The innocent and naive Ana finds herself desperate to get close to him. Not able to resist Ana’s beauty and independent spirit, Christian Grey admits he wants her too, but in his own terms. Ana hesitates as she discovers the singular tastes of Christian Grey,

who despite the embellishments of success, is consumed by the need to control

everything.

CastTom Kenny

Bill FagerbakkeRodger Bumpass

Clancy BrownCarolyn Lawrence

Mr. LawrenceAntonio Banderas

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Movies Books Gadget Riddle Web World Horoscope Trivia Books GadgetChill Out

Riddle TimeWhy did the boy sprinkle sugar on his pillow before he went to sleep?

Did you hear about the painter who was hospitalised?

Why did the robber take a bath?

Why did the boy tiptoe past the medicine cabinet?

What goes up when the rain comes down?

Riddle Time Answers (December 2014)

1What did the fish say when he swam into the wall?

Answer: Dam!

2Why don’t skeletons fight each other? Answer: They don’t have the guts.

3What streets do ghosts haunt? Answer: Dead ends!

4What did the penny say to the other penny? Answer: We make perfect cents.

5 Why did the man with one hand cross the road? Answer: To get to the second hand shop.

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Apps to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions

Web

Wor

ld

Agree, keeping New Year’s resolution isn’t an easy task and most give up even before the first month of the new year winds to a close. While there is no doubt that monitoring progress towards a goal helps stay motivated, the availability of apps is bound to make it all the more easier. If health and fitness is on your agenda, check out ‘MyFitnessPal’, which is available for free via the Web or as a free smartphone app. It is a popular diet and fitness tracker. You can also use it to monitor your fitness by entering

workout details manually or using one of the compatible apps to connect to a Fitbit or other fitness tracking devices.

If you constantly find yourself multi-tasking on your smartphone and are looking to save time, download ‘Workflow’. It automates tasks across different apps, streamlining what would normally take a lot of swiping, to a few taps. Another app, ‘Hours’, will help you find out how much time you actually spend working towards your goals. When you move onto a new task, launch the app and tap the name of the project. ‘Hours’ makes

it easy to find out the cumulative time you spend on each, and a timeline gives you a good sense of how you have spent your day. And if your resolution involves reading more books or staying in touch with friends or family, check out ‘Joe’s Goals’. Decide on your goals, determine how you will reach them and then track your progress with the site’s calendar and diary tools. Also try ‘Lift’, which uses Jerry Seinfeld’s productivity secret to help you reach your goals. In this approach, you log how often you perform a key behavior, and commit yourself to stick to the routine until you reach the overall goal.

Whether you made a New Year’s resolution or not, check out the apps below to get into a resolution mode

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Movies Books Gadget Riddle Web World Horoscope Trivia Books Gadget

Gadget Notes

FUNBites

FUNBites

Fishing No one in this town

could catch any fish except this one man. The game warden asked

him how he did it and the man decided to take the

warden fishing the next day...

Once they got to the middle of the lake the man

took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and threw it in the water. After the explosion the fish started floating to the top of the water. The man took out a net and started picking up the fish.

The game warden told him that this was illegal. The man took out another stick of dynamite and lit it. He then handed it to the game warden and said ‘are you going to fish or talk?’

Doctor, doctor…Doctor, Doctor, I swallowed a bone.Are you choking?No, I really did!

Doctor, Doctor I think I need glasses.You certainly do, Sir, this is

a fish and chip shop!

Doctor, Doctor my son has swallowed my pen, what should I do?Use a pencil till I get there.

Doctor, Doctor I think I’m a bell?Take these and if it doesn’t help, give me a ring!

Doctor, Doctor I think I’m suffering from Deja Vu!…..Didn’t I see you yesterday?

Doctor, Doctor I’ve got wind! Can you give me something?Yes - here’s a kite!

Doctor, how do I stop my nose from running?Stick your foot out and trip it up!

HERO4 GoPro

When GoPro went public this year, it proved, with

HERO4 GoPro, that a company that perfected

the art of recording high-flying exploits could thrive. With

improved resolution, upgraded audio systems, and time lapse capabilities for ultra low-light scenes at night, the HERO4 promises to make videos from the extreme (base jumping, surfing) to the pleasantly mundane (what the world looks like to your dog) even better. It is available in silver and black editions at $399 and $499, respectively.

DJI Phantom Vision+ Launched early last year, this DJI quadcopter retains the simple style that has made their drones so popular, but adds 4K video capability — and the ability to transmit the HD video wirelessly to an on-the-ground device. A new ground-facing camera also allows Inspire 1 to fly steadily to keep the video footage clean. The DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ pushes the video boundaries. Priced at about $1,200, the device is expensive, but it is known for its exceptional flight capabilities and powerful camera.

This smart kit, launched sometime in September last year, is just what a gadget guru would have prescribed

for a family. Be it to alert you when your kids get home from school or to brew your coffee before you wake up, this kit promises to be the invisible aide that you have always wanted. This $200 kit from SmartThings connects inanimate objects in your house to your phone. You could use it to attach sensors to your home and programme smart objects from locks to crockpots.

Top 4 gadgets of 2014Top 4 gadgets of 2014

SmartThings Starter Kit

Jawbone UP3

Re l e a s e d sometime in N ove m b e r

2014, it is a n advanced activity tracker, packed with state-of-the-ar t sensors that give you the full picture of your heart. It is intended to turn you into a super fit athlete or a brutally efficient cyborg, who operates by data alone. From telling you how many minutes of REM sleep you got last night or finding the difference between your heart rate while resting and during a workout to checking how hydrated you are or how many calories you burnt on your last run, Jawbone UP3 has all the right answers. The $179 wearable fits on your wrist and comes in black and silver.

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Movies Books Gadget Riddle Web World Horoscope Trivia Books Gadget

Gadget Notes

FUNBites

FUNBites

Fishing No one in this town

could catch any fish except this one man. The game warden asked

him how he did it and the man decided to take the

warden fishing the next day...

Once they got to the middle of the lake the man

took out a stick of dynamite, lit it, and threw it in the water. After the explosion the fish started floating to the top of the water. The man took out a net and started picking up the fish.

The game warden told him that this was illegal. The man took out another stick of dynamite and lit it. He then handed it to the game warden and said ‘are you going to fish or talk?’

Doctor, doctor…Doctor, Doctor, I swallowed a bone.Are you choking?No, I really did!

Doctor, Doctor I think I need glasses.You certainly do, Sir, this is

a fish and chip shop!

Doctor, Doctor my son has swallowed my pen, what should I do?Use a pencil till I get there.

Doctor, Doctor I think I’m a bell?Take these and if it doesn’t help, give me a ring!

Doctor, Doctor I think I’m suffering from Deja Vu!…..Didn’t I see you yesterday?

Doctor, Doctor I’ve got wind! Can you give me something?Yes - here’s a kite!

Doctor, how do I stop my nose from running?Stick your foot out and trip it up!

HERO4 GoPro

When GoPro went public this year, it proved, with

HERO4 GoPro, that a company that perfected

the art of recording high-flying exploits could thrive. With

improved resolution, upgraded audio systems, and time lapse capabilities for ultra low-light scenes at night, the HERO4 promises to make videos from the extreme (base jumping, surfing) to the pleasantly mundane (what the world looks like to your dog) even better. It is available in silver and black editions at $399 and $499, respectively.

DJI Phantom Vision+ Launched early last year, this DJI quadcopter retains the simple style that has made their drones so popular, but adds 4K video capability — and the ability to transmit the HD video wirelessly to an on-the-ground device. A new ground-facing camera also allows Inspire 1 to fly steadily to keep the video footage clean. The DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ pushes the video boundaries. Priced at about $1,200, the device is expensive, but it is known for its exceptional flight capabilities and powerful camera.

This smart kit, launched sometime in September last year, is just what a gadget guru would have prescribed

for a family. Be it to alert you when your kids get home from school or to brew your coffee before you wake up, this kit promises to be the invisible aide that you have always wanted. This $200 kit from SmartThings connects inanimate objects in your house to your phone. You could use it to attach sensors to your home and programme smart objects from locks to crockpots.

Top 4 gadgets of 2014Top 4 gadgets of 2014

SmartThings Starter Kit

Jawbone UP3

Re l e a s e d sometime in N ove m b e r

2014, it is a n advanced activity tracker, packed with state-of-the-ar t sensors that give you the full picture of your heart. It is intended to turn you into a super fit athlete or a brutally efficient cyborg, who operates by data alone. From telling you how many minutes of REM sleep you got last night or finding the difference between your heart rate while resting and during a workout to checking how hydrated you are or how many calories you burnt on your last run, Jawbone UP3 has all the right answers. The $179 wearable fits on your wrist and comes in black and silver.

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Movies Books Gadget Riddle Web World Horoscope Trivia Books GadgetChill OutAries February 2015 may not be an easy month for you. There seems to be some family problems on the horizon. Aries loves his/her family, but sometimes Aries can be a bit too head strong, and act more like a bull in a china shop if there is a problem. You really need to try to control your temper during February. You might suffer from stress a little bit this month, so you need to try to focus on your health. Love will not feature greatly during the month of February.

Taurus Don’t be surprised if February brings you a fair share of health problems. You may feel tired, but will not be in a state of mind to rest. Be a little bit careful at work. Make sure your colleagues at work are not using you to further their own career. If you are a married Taurus, or in a long-term relationship, you might have to deal with some tensions. Your partner will seem anxious, and you need to take some time out to deal with what is bothering him/her.

Gemini You are in for a lot of pleasant surprises and opportunities during February. You should try to make the most of them and capitalise on them for the future. Be prepared to work a bit harder to achieve some of the opportunities presented to you. If you are interested in making plans for the future, now is a good time to do so. You need to make some serious changes to your lifestyle and start to feel healthier.

Cancer Expect work to dominate your life this month. This applies to all people born under this sign. Even if you are not in employment, there will be numerous tasks for you to complete. There is a strong focus on home, so it could mean that you have home repairs piling up and other matters associated to the home, which you need to deal with. If you are working, or have your own business, you need to be prepared to spend many hours at work. If you are married you need to get your family onboard.

Leo When it comes to work, there could be a good chance of promotion for you, or some kind of recognition. Don’t let it go to your head; you like to be the leader but sometimes it is better to lead from the side lines until a really good opportunity arises. Love will be a very important factor in your

AQUARIUS(January 22 to February 19)Something is bothering you and you might start the month of February feeling a bit lonely. You will crave for extra attention and companionship, but will also have some feelings of insecurity. Get a hold on yourself; take a good look at yourself and retrospect. Perhaps the limelight is already strongly focused on you, and you need to perhaps spend more time thinking about others. Also watch your language during February. There could be some problems with how you approach others at work or in your business, and you really need to be aware of this.

your own health as well. You often forget to look after your own health, but if you don’t pay attention to your own health, you cannot help others.

Virgo You will more than likely find that February will be one of the busiest months during 2015, and you may even feel like your feet don’t touch the ground. There will be a lot of career opportunities for you, and you may even find that you will start climbing up the career once again after a bit of a quiet time. If you are a business owner, work will be flowing in during this month. Take advantage of all the new contacts you will make during this month as they can help to support your business in the future.

Libra During February you can expect to be in great demand at work, and you may find everybody would like your help. That is absolutely fine, but make sure you get something out of it as well. At the end of the day you would like acknowledgement for your achievements. Compensation can come to you in monetary terms, or in the way of a promotion with a better salary packaged attached. At home you will feel like redecorating.

Sagittarius You often expect people to do as you tell them, but this needs to change during February. For once, you need to listen and adjust not only to people but to your surroundings as well. You are not always aware what is going on in your surroundings, but now might be a good idea to change your attitude and become more aware. You need to keep an eye on for new property projects near-by, and consider how they can influence the value of your property in years to come.

Scorpio You are preoccupied with work. This has been going on for a long time, many years actually, and you don’t seem to be able to get yourself out of this lifestyle. The only problem is that your home life may suffer from your work rate, and you really do need to stop neglecting your family. Try to have some time off from work, and spend time with your family. You do need to watch your health as well. It would be a good idea to keep an eye on your diet

Capricorn You may feel a bit stressed, and perhaps even anxious during February. Things at work seem to be getting on your nerves, and you are bringing your problems home with you. This is not a good thing, and you need to be aware. The best way forward will be to speak up for yourself, and tell people how you feel about things. If you are a married Capricorn, your family will need some attention as well. Your diet needs to see some drastic changes.

FUTURESCOPE February 2015

Ed Sheeran February 17, 1991Edward Christopher ‘Ed’ Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Hebden Bridge and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he moved to London in 2008 to pursue a musical career. In early 2011, Sheeran released an independent extended play, ‘No. 5 Collaborations Project’, which caught the attention of both Elton John and Jamie Foxx. His debut album, +, containing the singles ‘The A Team’ and ‘Lego House’, was certified quintuple platinum in the UK. In 2012, he won two Brit Awards for Best British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act. ‘The A Team’ won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. In 2014 he was nominated for Best New Artist at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.

life during February. You may even meet someone really special, but Leos do have a tendency to overwhelm their love interests. Your health is good but don’t push yourself too much.

Pisces You do have a tendency to want to help and look after others. This is not a bad thing but sometimes you overdo it. During February someone close to you will be experiencing some health problems and, while you want to help, you need to make sure you look after

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Was the loose pet alligator eating neighbourhood cats?

An 8-foot alligator was found next to the carcasses of two cats in the backyard of a suburban Los Angeles home where the reptile had been living illegally since the 1970s. Animal control officers armed with a search warrant discovered the alligator, estimated to be about 40 years old, in a closed box with the cat remains at the home in Van Nuys, Los Angeles Animal Services Commander Mark Salazar said. Salazar said Animal Services was conducting a full criminal investigation and called on any residents in the area who have lost small pets at ‘any time over the last 40 years’ to contact the department. Keeping wild animals without a permit is illegal in Los Angeles.

Fleeing suspect drives straight into prison parking lot Police in Ohio got more than what they wanted when a Michigan man drove away from a traffic stop, smashed through a gate and landed right in a prison parking lot. Jason Davis of Monroe, Michigan, was arrested after he drove around the outside of the Toledo Correctional Institution and then back into parking lot. Court records show that the charges against him include vandalism of government property, drug possession and failing to use his turn signal.

Justin Jedlica, the self-styled ‘Human Ken Doll’, who has had more than 190 cosmetic procedures in his Quixotic quest to become ‘100 percent plastic’, says he risked going blind during a recent surgery. The goal of the extreme operation was to get rid of veins in his forehead. Jedlica, who claims to have spent more than $220,000 on plastic surgery, also had implants sown into his back during his recent operation. He says he’s looking to get quadriceps and calf muscle implants within the next few years, too.

Obsessed with ‘My Little Pony’ Meet Rob Harrison, a grown man so obsessed with My Little Pony that he has spent thousands feeding his unusual passion. Rob, an IT consultant, is part of a legion of male fans around the world in love with the animation - a group so large they even have their own nickname ‘bronies’. He loves watching characters such as Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy and Applejack cantering across his screen every week. The main attraction in his living room includes memorabilia such as soft toys, full-sized costumes that he wears to conventions and card games.

Movies Books Gadget Riddle Web World Horoscope Trivia Books Gadget

Weird News

l The practice of dining in is thought to have formally begun in 16th-century England, in monasteries and universities.

l According to some records, militaries held formal dinners as far back as the Roman Legions.

l The Vikings held formal ceremonies to honour and celebrate battles and heroes.

l During the 18th century, the British Army incorporated the practice of formal dining into their regimental mess system; the mess night or ‘Dining in’ became a tradition in all British regiments.

l Americans held mess nights in the 18th and 19th century, but the tradition waned after the Civil War.

l During World War II, the custom was revived in the U.S. military, initially in the US Army Air Forces 8th Air Force, which was based in Britain.

l The concept of selling food for profit goes back to ancient civilizations, including ancient Rome and China, where street vendors sold bread to people in cities.

l It was the French Revolution that led to the invention of fine dining. Chefs employed by the by noble households, found themselves out of a job after the death of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette and decided to open up their own establishments and offer prix fixe meals to the masses.

l The world’s oldest restaurant is in Spain. Botin Restaurant in Madrid, Spain is the world’s oldest operating restaurant, which has been in business since 1725. However, there are other restaurants that claim to be older than Botin, including Stiftskeller St. Peter in Salzburg, Austria, open since 803, and Zum Franziskaner in Stockholm, Sweden, open since 1421.

Facts about restaurants &

eating out

Human Ken Doll wants to become ‘100 percent plastic’

69

Janu

ary

2015

Was the loose pet alligator eating neighbourhood cats?

An 8-foot alligator was found next to the carcasses of two cats in the backyard of a suburban Los Angeles home where the reptile had been living illegally since the 1970s. Animal control officers armed with a search warrant discovered the alligator, estimated to be about 40 years old, in a closed box with the cat remains at the home in Van Nuys, Los Angeles Animal Services Commander Mark Salazar said. Salazar said Animal Services was conducting a full criminal investigation and called on any residents in the area who have lost small pets at ‘any time over the last 40 years’ to contact the department. Keeping wild animals without a permit is illegal in Los Angeles.

Fleeing suspect drives straight into prison parking lot Police in Ohio got more than what they wanted when a Michigan man drove away from a traffic stop, smashed through a gate and landed right in a prison parking lot. Jason Davis of Monroe, Michigan, was arrested after he drove around the outside of the Toledo Correctional Institution and then back into parking lot. Court records show that the charges against him include vandalism of government property, drug possession and failing to use his turn signal.

Justin Jedlica, the self-styled ‘Human Ken Doll’, who has had more than 190 cosmetic procedures in his Quixotic quest to become ‘100 percent plastic’, says he risked going blind during a recent surgery. The goal of the extreme operation was to get rid of veins in his forehead. Jedlica, who claims to have spent more than $220,000 on plastic surgery, also had implants sown into his back during his recent operation. He says he’s looking to get quadriceps and calf muscle implants within the next few years, too.

Obsessed with ‘My Little Pony’ Meet Rob Harrison, a grown man so obsessed with My Little Pony that he has spent thousands feeding his unusual passion. Rob, an IT consultant, is part of a legion of male fans around the world in love with the animation - a group so large they even have their own nickname ‘bronies’. He loves watching characters such as Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy and Applejack cantering across his screen every week. The main attraction in his living room includes memorabilia such as soft toys, full-sized costumes that he wears to conventions and card games.

Movies Books Gadget Riddle Web World Horoscope Trivia Books Gadget

Weird News

l The practice of dining in is thought to have formally begun in 16th-century England, in monasteries and universities.

l According to some records, militaries held formal dinners as far back as the Roman Legions.

l The Vikings held formal ceremonies to honour and celebrate battles and heroes.

l During the 18th century, the British Army incorporated the practice of formal dining into their regimental mess system; the mess night or ‘Dining in’ became a tradition in all British regiments.

l Americans held mess nights in the 18th and 19th century, but the tradition waned after the Civil War.

l During World War II, the custom was revived in the U.S. military, initially in the US Army Air Forces 8th Air Force, which was based in Britain.

l The concept of selling food for profit goes back to ancient civilizations, including ancient Rome and China, where street vendors sold bread to people in cities.

l It was the French Revolution that led to the invention of fine dining. Chefs employed by the by noble households, found themselves out of a job after the death of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette and decided to open up their own establishments and offer prix fixe meals to the masses.

l The world’s oldest restaurant is in Spain. Botin Restaurant in Madrid, Spain is the world’s oldest operating restaurant, which has been in business since 1725. However, there are other restaurants that claim to be older than Botin, including Stiftskeller St. Peter in Salzburg, Austria, open since 803, and Zum Franziskaner in Stockholm, Sweden, open since 1421.

Facts about restaurants &

eating out

Human Ken Doll wants to become ‘100 percent plastic’

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AirlinesFlight information ....................... 24519456Aeroflot ....................................... 24704455 Ahlan Lounge ............................. 24519088Air Arabia ................................... 24700828Air France ................................... 24562153Air India ...................................... 24762111Air Maldives ............................... 24566046Air New Zealand ......................... 24700326Bangladesh Airlines .................... 24701128 British Airways ............................ 24568777Cathay Pacific ............................. 24789818Continental Airlines .................... 24816565Egypt Air .................................... 24794113Emirates Airlines ........................ 24404444Ethiopia Airlines ......................... 24660314Gulf Air .......................24703222, 80072424Iran Aseman ............................... 24660313 Japan Airlines ............................. 24704455Jet Airways ..................24787248/24787246Kenya Airways ............................ 24660317 KLM Royal Dutch Airlines ........... 24566737Kuwait Airways ........................... 24701262Lufthansa..................................... 24796692Malaysian Airlines ...................... 24560796Middle East Airlines ................... 24796680Oman Air .................................... 24531111Pakistan International Airlines ..................... .................................................. 24792471Qatar Airways ............................ 24771900Qantas ........................................ 24559941Royal Jordanian ........................... 24796693Saudi Arabian Airlines ................ 24789485Shaheen Air International ........... 24817021 Singapore Airlines ...................... 24791233Sri Lankan Airlines ..................... 24784545Swiss International Air Lines ...... 24796692Syrian Airlines ............................ 24797567Thai Airways ............................... 24705934Turkish Airways ................ 24703033/ 2778

CinemaCity Cinema Ruwi ................. 2456 7664/68City Cinema Al Shatti ........... 2456 7664/68 City Cinema MGM ................ 2456 7664/68City Cinema Sohar ............... 2456 7664/68Star Cinema ................................ 24791641Markaz Al Bahja .......................... 24540855VOX Cinemas - MCC...................22344444

BeautyAl Lilac Beauty Center ................ 24483994 Al Nahda Resort and Spa, Barka ................ 26883710 Ayana Spa ................................... 24693435 Beauty Centre ............................. 24697585 Beauty Today .............................. 24568991 Chi Spa, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort - and Spa ....................................... 24776666 Daksha’s Salon ............................ 24562596 Emirates Medical Center ............ 24604540 Essence Spa ................................ 24603225Europe Beauty Centre & Health .................Club, CBD ................................... 24797813 Europe Beauty Centre & Spa ....................Wadi Kabir .................................. 24815805 Grand Spa ................................... 24695766 Grand Spa (Bareeq Al Shatti) ..................... .................................................. 95588880 Hana’s Slimming & Skincare ....... 24697270Holistic Skin & Hair Care ............ 24601134Hollywood Beauty Centre ........... 24568292 Kaya Skin Clinic ................ 24601700/4300 Kottakal Arya Vaidya Sala ........... 24701555 Manal Beautician ........................ 24479655 Muscat Beauty Salon ................... 24562541 Muscat Slimming Centre ............ 24565687 Nadia Beauty Salon ..................... 24689777 Nails Spa ..................................... 24699440 Raz Hair and Beauty Salon .......... 24692219Saharz Beauty Centre ................................ ................................24695151 / 24696161Signature .................................... 24490282Sri Sri Ayurveda Clinic .............................. ..................................24480874, 92800793 The Chedi, The Spa .................... 24524400 Tips & Toes Nails Spa .................. 24603969 The Spa Bar for Men ................... 24698681 Touch & Glow Beauty .................. 24791979 VLCC .......................................... 24695157Perry's Saloon ............................. 24538539

EmergencyHospitalsAl Nahdha Hospital ..................... 24837800 Khoula Hospital........................... 24560455Muscat Private Hospital .............. 24583600 Royal Hospital ............................. 24599000Al Raffah Hospital .................. 98294371/70KIMS Oman Hospital ................... 24760100

Electricity Muscat / Muttrah ........................ 24714300 Ruwi ............................................ 24701821Salalah ........................................ 23219188

WaterGeneral Enquiries ..............................1442Muttrah ...................................... 24795775Salalah ....................................... 23290222

AirlinesEmergencyCinemaBeautyHealth ClubsHotel & Hotel ApartmentsRetailSportsTravel & Tour OperatorsEat Out

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Oman on your fingertips

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Hotel & Hotel ApartmentsMuscat RegionAl Bustan Palace Hotel ................ 24799666 Al Bahjah Hotel ........................... 24424400Al-Khuwayr Hotel Apts ............... 24478171Al Madina Holiday Inn ................ 24596400Al Fanar Hotel ............................. 24712385 Al Falaj Hotel .............................. 24702311Azaiba Hotel Apartments ........................... ................................24490979 / 99424470Beach Hotel ................................ 24696601Bowshar Hotel ............................. 24491105Coral Hotel Muscat ..................... 24692121 Crowne Plaza Muscat .................. 24660660 Golden Tulip Seeb ...................... 24510300Grand Hyatt Muscat .................... 24641234Haffa House Hotel ....................... 24707207 Holiday Inn Muscat ..................... 24487123InterContinental Muscat ............. 24680000Best Western Hotel ..................... 24692121Majan Continental Hotel ............. 24592900Marina Hotel ............................... 24711711Mina Hotel .................................. 24711828Muttrah Hotel .............................. 24798401Nuzha Hotel Apts ........................ 24789199Oman Dive Center ...................... 24824240Park Inn ...................................... 24507888Qurm Beach House Hotel ........... 24564070Radisson Blu Hotel Muscat .......... 24487777Ramada Qurm Beach .................. 24603555Ramee Guestline Hotel ............... 24564443Ramee Dream Resort .................. 24453399Ruwi Hotel .................................. 24704244Safeer Hotel Suites ...................... 24691200Qurum Beach Resort Hotel ......... 24605945Shangri La’s Barr Al JissahResort -and Spa .....................24776666, 800708102The Chedi Muscat....................... 24524400

Al DhakliyaNizwa Hotel ................................. 25431616Al Jabal Al Akhdar Hotel ............. 25410500Adam Motel ................................ 25434975 Al Diyar Hotel ............................. 25412402Bader Aslam Motel ..................... 25435007Bahla Hotel ................................. 25420211Matan Motel ................................ 99062641 Majan Guest House..................... 25431910Tanoof Guest House .................... 25411601 Al BatinahAl Nahda Resort & Spa .............................. ............................... 26883710/ 992RELAXAl Sawadi Beach Resort .............. 26795545Sohar Beach Hotel ...................... 26841111Al Wadi Hotel .............................. 26840058Al Suwaiq Hotel .......................... 26862241Green Oasis Motel ...................... 26846442Ghurnata Hotel Apartments........ 26844539

Al SharqiyaAl Ashkara .................................. 25566266 Al Qabil Resthouse ..................... 25581243 Al Raha Tourism Camp ............... 99343851Al Sharqiya Gardens ................... 99332264Al Sharqiya Sands Hotel ............. 99205112 Al Wasil Camp ............................ 99332264 Desert Safaris ............................. 25593232 Golden Sands Camp ................... 99445092Ibra Hotel .................................... 25571873Mahoot Hotel .............................. 25504401 Marsa Sur Hotel Apartments ....... 25540784Masirah Motel ............................. 25504401 Ras Al Hadd Beach Hotel ........... 25542031

MusandamMillennium Resort ...................... 26871555Khasab Hotel .............................. 26730267 Qada Hotel ................................. 26731664Isra Hotel Apartments ................. 26730562

Al WustaGhaftain Rest House ................... 99485881Ghaba Rest House ...................... 99358639Haima Motel ............................... 23436061Qatbit Motel ................................ 99085686

DhofarHilton Hotel Salalah .................... 23211234Crowne Plaza Resort Salalah ...... 23235333Haffa House Hotel Salalah ........... 23295444Al Hanna Hotel ............................ 23290274Al Jabal Hotel .............................. 23210611Al Mazyuna Hotel........................ 23293340Al Nassr Hotel ............................. 23294815Al Saada Tourism Complex ........ 23225250Bamasir Hotel ............................. 23293340Darbat Hotel ............................... 23295877Dhofar Tourist Hotel.................... 23282300Redan Hotel ................................ 23292255Salalah Beach Hotel Apts ............ 23235999Salalah Hotel ............................... 23295332Samahram Hotel Apts ................. 23295444Thumrit Tourist Hotel .................. 23279371

Al DhahiraAl Buraimi Hotel.......................... 25652010Abha Hotel .................................. 25654700Al Aeilat Hotel Apts .................... 25654330Al Baraka Oasis Hotel Apts ......... 25650955Al Dhahira Hotel ......................... 25650492Al Masah Hotel ........................... 25653007Al Raha Hotel Apts ...................... 24701898Al Sharq House Hotel Apts ......... 24702399Hamasa Hotel.............................. 25651200Ibri Oasis Hotel........................... 25489955Nafahat Al Burami Hotel Flats ..... 25654777

Health ClubsAl Falaj Health Club ........................24702311 Al Majan Hotel ................................24592900 Al Qurum Resort .............................24605945 Adam’s Fitness Center ....................24684989 Balance Health & Fitness ...............24564132Bodylines, Al Sawadi ......................26795545Body Speak ......................................24765578 Crowne Plaza ...................................24660660Fitbody Gym ....................................24601970 Fontana Club Radisson Blu ...........24487777Future Health Club .........................24600030Grand Hyatt Club Olympus ...........24641234Golden Tulip ....................................24510300Hammer Gym .................................24483399 Horizon Fitness Center ..................24571337 InterContinental Muscat ...............24680000 Muscat Holiday Inn ........................24487123 Samaa Health Club .........................24694892Qurum Beach Resort Hotel ...........24605945Crowne Plaza Salalah .....................23235333 Hilton Salalah ..................................23211234Sohar Beach Resort.........................26841111Sky Club, Park Inn ..........................24507888

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SportsBasketballOman Basketball Association .... 24796780

BoatingCapital are Yacht club ................. 24737712 Desert Thunder........................... 95555153Grand Hyatt Boat House ............. 24641234 Gulf Leisure ................................ 99819005Marina Bander Al Rowdha .......... 24737288 Ocean Boats Diving and Sea Tours ............ .................................................. 92645889 Rawabi Desert Adventures ......... 95201107

BowlingAl Masa Bowling ......................... 24693991 Oman Bowling Centre ................ 24480747 Seeb Novotel .............................. 24510300

ClassesAl Falaj Hotel (Martial Arts, Tennis, ...........Swimming).................................. 24702311 Grand Hyatt Muscat (Aerobics, Ballet, -Salsa, Yoga for women) ............... 24641234InterContinental Muscat (Fitness workouts, Aqua Aerobics, Spin, Pilates+) ... 24680000

CricketOman Cricket Club .................... 24703142

CyclingMuscat Cycling ........................... 98453580

Diving & SnorkelingAl Sawadi Beach Resort .............. 26795545 Blu Zone Watersports .................. 24737293 Desert Adventures ...................... 95201107 Desert Thunder........................... 95555153 Dimaniyat Diving ........................ 24795545Global Scuba .............................. 99317518Gulf Leisure ................................ 24693561Musandam Extra Divers.............. 99877957 Muscat Divers ............................. 99355671Muscat Diving and Adventure Cente ......... .................................................. 24485663Ocean Boats Diving and Sea Tours ........... .................................................. 92645889 Oman Dive Center ...................... 24824240 Sub Aqua Dive Centre Salalah .... 92471073

Golf Almouj Golf Club ........................ 22005990Ghala Valley Golf Club ............... 24591248 Muscat Hills Golf Club ................ 24510065

HikingDesert Thunder........................... 95555153Muscat Diving and Adventure Center ....... 24485663Rawabi Desert Adventures ......... 95201107

Horse RidingAl Sawadi Beach Resort .............. 26795545Al Sawahil Horse Riding ............. 95177557Desert Thunder........................... 95555153 Qurum Equestrian School........... 99832199

Ice SportsIce Skating Centre ...................... 24489492

Jet SkiingAl Sawadi Beach Resort .............. 26795545

KayakingAl Sawadi Beach Resort .............. 26795545 Muscat Diving and Adventure Center ...... .................................................. 24485663Rob Gardner ............................... 99239658 Oman Dive Center ...................... 24824240

Motor SportsBikers Oman ............................... 99556430 Harley Davidson Owners Group ............... .................................................. 99310853Oman Automobile Association ................. .................................................. 24510239

Rock ClimbingMuscat Diving and Adventure -Center ........................................ 24485663Rob Gardner ............................... 99239658

RugbyMuscat Rugby Club .................... 24604890

RunningMuscat Road Runners ................. 24692903

SailingCastaways Sailing Club ............. 24594613 Desert Thunder........................... 95555153

Sport FishingDesert Thunder........................... 95555153Grand Hyatt Boathouse ............... 24641234 Gulf Leisure ................................ 99819006 Muscat Diving and Adventure Center ...... .................................................. 24485663 Oman Dive Center ...................... 24824240 Marina Bandar Al Rowdha .......... 24737288 Rawabi Desert Adventures ......... 95201107 Water World Marine ................... 24737438

SquashAl Falaj Hotel .............................. 24702311 Al Sawadi .................................... 26795545 Crowne Plaza Muscat .................. 24660660 Grand Hyatt Muscat .................... 24641234

TennisOman Tennis Association ........... 24751902

RetailAl Araimi Complex ..................... 24566180 Al Khamis Plaza .......................... 24562791Al Harthy Complex ..................... 24564481Al Wadi Commercial Centre ...................... .................................................. 24564782Alasfoor Plaza ............................. 24564686Capital Commercial Complex (CCC) ...... .................................................. 24567338 Jawaharat A’Shatti Complex ....... 24692113 Khimji Megastore........................ 24708075 Markaz Al Bahja .......................... 24540222 Sabco Center .............................. 24562761

CentrepointAl Khuwair ..................96473101, 24601569Fahad Plaza, Ruwi ....................... 96725845Muscat City Centre .................................... ..................................96473113, 24558063 Sohar .......................................... 95119656 Salalah ........................................ 23289260

Muscat City CentreMuscat City Centre (Mall) .......... 24558888 Bata (Footwear) ........................... 24558855Emax (Electronics) ..................... 24558062Home Centre .............................. 24558063Max (Fashion) ........................ 24558981/82Origem (Fashion)........................ 92648542Oysho (Fashion) .......................... 24558865Rado (Watches) ........... 9776492, 92247101Salsa (Fashion) ............................ 24558631 Sunglass Hut ............................... 24558869Zara (Fashion) ............................. 24558887Zara Home .................................. 24558869

Muscat Grand MallMuscat Grand Mall ..................... 22000000

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Travel & Tour OperatorsABC Tourism ............................. 244582663 Adonis Oman Travel & Tours 24693371 Advantage Travel & Tours ........... 95220095 Airborne Travels ......................... 24479295 Al Azure Tours .......................... 244565745 Amazing Arabia ..........24701454/99310005Al Ahlam Tours ......................... 244892612Al Areesh Wahiba Camp ............ 99317107Al Daleel Tours ........................... 23296503Al Ghadeer ................................. 99325441Al Ghubayra ............................... 24812874Al Haditha ................................... 24603587Al Hashar Tourism & Travels ....... 24836100 Al Hasn Araimi Travel ................. 24799966 Al Maskry Tourism & Travels ...... 24595241Al Naheem .................................. 24478192Al Noor ....................................... 99318822 Al-Qandeel Travel & Tourism ..... 24643877Al Raha Tourism Camp ............... 99343851Al Sawson ................................... 24485637Arabian Sands Tour Services ...... 24785027Arabian Sea Safaris..................... 24693223Arabian Trails ............................. 24475437 Arise Travel and Tour ................. 24605825 AST Tours ....................24571311, 23298085Bahwan Travel Agencies ............. 24797405Choice Holidays ......................24660364/7Desert Discovery ........................ 24493232 Desert Thunder........................... 95555153Eihab Travels .............................. 24683900Elite Travel & Tourism ................. 24485020Empty Quarter Tours .................. 99387654Ena Tourism ................................ 23298500Global Tours ............................... 24484156 Golden Oryx Tours ..................... 24489853Gulf Leisure ................................ 24693561 Gulf Ventures .............................. 24559985 Kanoo Travel ............................... 24700249

Khasab Travel and Tours ............................ 26730464Kurban Tours & Travel ................ 24699886 Mark Tours .................................. 24782727Marmul Travel and Tours ............ 24482868Majan Travel ............................... 24785728Mezoon Travel ............................ 24796680Midland Tourism ......................... 24566524Moon Travels ............................. 24793551Nahar Tourism Oasis .................. 99387654National Travels & Tourism (NTT) .............. 24660376Nomad Tours .............................. 95495240 Nomadic Adventures and Tours................. 99336273NTT Tours............................... 24660378/70OTTB ........................................... 24789845Oasis Tours .................24499922, 99440441Oman Geo Tours ......................... 24600914 Oman Discovery ......................... 24706424Oman National Transport ........... 24490046 Oman World Tourism .................. 99252680Orient Holidays .......................... 24478902OUA Travel ................................. 24559900Premier Tours ............................. 99222620 Rawabi Desert Adventures ......... 95201107Remal Al Sharqiya Tourism ......... 24544525Rusayl Travel .............................. 24510012Salalah City Services .................. 23299663Salalah Tourism........................... 23292289 Sama Al Wasil Tourism Village ................... 99604004Shanfari Travel and Tours ........... 27602710Sumahram Falcon ....................... 95774166 Sun and Sand Tours .................... 99373928Sunny Day Tours, Travel & Adventure ........ 24490055Steps Travel and Tourism ............ 24488891 Tour Oman .................................. 24799966United Tours ............................... 24787448Zahara Tours ............................... 24400844

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Travel & Tour OperatorsABC Tourism ............................. 244582663 Adonis Oman Travel & Tours 24693371 Advantage Travel & Tours ........... 95220095 Airborne Travels ......................... 24479295 Al Azure Tours .......................... 244565745 Amazing Arabia ..........24701454/99310005Al Ahlam Tours ......................... 244892612Al Areesh Wahiba Camp ............ 99317107Al Daleel Tours ........................... 23296503Al Ghadeer ................................. 99325441Al Ghubayra ............................... 24812874Al Haditha ................................... 24603587Al Hashar Tourism & Travels ....... 24836100 Al Hasn Araimi Travel ................. 24799966 Al Maskry Tourism & Travels ...... 24595241Al Naheem .................................. 24478192Al Noor ....................................... 99318822 Al-Qandeel Travel & Tourism ..... 24643877Al Raha Tourism Camp ............... 99343851Al Sawson ................................... 24485637Arabian Sands Tour Services ...... 24785027Arabian Sea Safaris..................... 24693223Arabian Trails ............................. 24475437 Arise Travel and Tour ................. 24605825 AST Tours ....................24571311, 23298085Bahwan Travel Agencies ............. 24797405Choice Holidays ......................24660364/7Desert Discovery ........................ 24493232 Desert Thunder........................... 95555153Eihab Travels .............................. 24683900Elite Travel & Tourism ................. 24485020Empty Quarter Tours .................. 99387654Ena Tourism ................................ 23298500Global Tours ............................... 24484156 Golden Oryx Tours ..................... 24489853Gulf Leisure ................................ 24693561 Gulf Ventures .............................. 24559985 Kanoo Travel ............................... 24700249

Khasab Travel and Tours ............................ 26730464Kurban Tours & Travel ................ 24699886 Mark Tours .................................. 24782727Marmul Travel and Tours ............ 24482868Majan Travel ............................... 24785728Mezoon Travel ............................ 24796680Midland Tourism ......................... 24566524Moon Travels ............................. 24793551Nahar Tourism Oasis .................. 99387654National Travels & Tourism (NTT) .............. 24660376Nomad Tours .............................. 95495240 Nomadic Adventures and Tours................. 99336273NTT Tours............................... 24660378/70OTTB ........................................... 24789845Oasis Tours .................24499922, 99440441Oman Geo Tours ......................... 24600914 Oman Discovery ......................... 24706424Oman National Transport ........... 24490046 Oman World Tourism .................. 99252680Orient Holidays .......................... 24478902OUA Travel ................................. 24559900Premier Tours ............................. 99222620 Rawabi Desert Adventures ......... 95201107Remal Al Sharqiya Tourism ......... 24544525Rusayl Travel .............................. 24510012Salalah City Services .................. 23299663Salalah Tourism........................... 23292289 Sama Al Wasil Tourism Village ................... 99604004Shanfari Travel and Tours ........... 27602710Sumahram Falcon ....................... 95774166 Sun and Sand Tours .................... 99373928Sunny Day Tours, Travel & Adventure ........ 24490055Steps Travel and Tourism ............ 24488891 Tour Oman .................................. 24799966United Tours ............................... 24787448Zahara Tours ............................... 24400844

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ArabianAl Deyar ...........................................24603553Next to Shatti Plaza

Al Khanjar ........................................24795545Al Sawadi Beach Resort

Al Istanbuli ......................................24480900Next to Rawasco, Al Khuwair

Al Reef Al Lebnani ..........................24485775Al Khuwair, Opp Safeer Bld

Al Tanoor .........................................24776540Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Al Zafran ..........................................26841111Sohar Beach Hotel

Arab WorldAl Ghubrah ......................................24491734Ruwi High St. ...................................24798119

AutomaticAl Khuwair .......................................24487200Azaiba...............................................24499981 Bareeq Al Shatti ...............................24605735Qurum ..............................................24561500 Seeb ..................................................24424343

Beirut Restaurant ............................24568411Near Qurum Roundabout

Bin AteeqAl Khuwair .......................................24478225CBD ..................................................24702727

Camilia Restaurant and Cafe .........24706663CBD Irani House ......................................24698098Al Khoud ..........................................24545741Azaiba ..............................................24491921Jabal Lebnan....................................24698098Al Noor Plaza, Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos Al Jood Restaurant .........................24472630Al Khuwair

Kababji ............................................24488846Al Khuwair Kargeen CaféAL Harthy Complex ........................24560531Centrepoint .................................... 24694048MQ Complex ...................................24692269

Samar .............................................992RELAXAl Nahda Resort & Spa Samat (Iranian food) MQ .....................................................99 889394Qurum ................................................24605515

Shahrazad ........................................24776565Al Husn Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa Shiraz................................................24660660Crowne Plaza Hotel

TarbooshOpp Sabco Centre ...........................24565673Al Ghubrah ......................................24498553

The Arabian Courtyard .................24524400The Chedi Muscat

The Khanjar Omani Cuisine ..........24795545Al Sawadi Beach Resort

Turkish House .................................24488071Al Khuwair

Ubhar ...............................................24565689Bareeq Al Shatti

Wadi Hadramout RestaurantAl Khuwair ......................................24475282

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Cafe’sAl Ahli Cafe ................................ 24424400Al Bahjah Hotel

Al Falaj Coffee Shop ................... 24702311Al Falaj Hotel

Al Fursan ................................... 24603555 Ramada Beach Hotel

Al Maha ...................................... 24487123Muscat Holiday Inn

Al Makan Café Muscat City Centre ..................... 24545311 Shatti Al Qurum .......................... 24404200

Al Mas ......................................... 24491105Bowsher Hotel Deluxe

Atrium Tea Lounge ..................... 24764000 Al Bustan Palace

Barista ......................................... 24571531Sabco Centre

Cafe Barbera .............................. 24603505Near Shatti Cinema, Shatti Al Qurum

Café Capuccino .......................... 24564443Ramee Guestline Hotel

Café Ceramique ......................... 24566617Al Araimi Complex, Qurum

Café de Lotus .............................. 24560439Al Khamis Plaza

Café G Patisserie ........................ 99531999Madinat as Sultan Qaboos

Café Samaharam......................... 24707207Haffa House Hotel

Café Torque ................................ 24500773 Azaiba

Café Unique ................................ 96684686 Ruwi

Café Vergnano 1882.................... 24692370Madinat as Sultan Qaboos

Caribou Coffee ........................... 24694473Bareeq Al Shatti

Casa de Cafe .............................. 24499565Midan Hotel Suites

Colombian Aroma Cafe .............. 24693131Bareeq Al Shatti

Coffee Republic ........................ 244703739 Qurum City Centre

Costa CoffeeSeeb Intnl Airport ....................... 24519734MQ .............................................. 24692858Muscat City Center ..................... 24535895Oasis by the Sea ......................... 24605574Alasfoor Plaza ............................. 24571236Lulu Bowsher .............................. 24503861Bareeq Al Shatti .......................... 24692699 MBD ............................................ 24793169

Chado Tea Lounge ..................... 24500773 Oasis By The Sea

D’Arcy’s KitchenJawaharat A Shatti ....................... 24600234 MQ .............................................. 24699119

Glacier CaféMarkaz Al Bahja ......................... 24540200Zakher Mall ................................ 24540391

Gloria Jean's Coffees .................. 24662940Fun Zone, Qurum,MGM ........................................... 22009295

Golden Bean Café ..................... 96969645Al Araimi Complex, Qurum

Grind Floor ................................. 24487777Radisson Blu

Le Mermaid Café ........................ 24602327Near Grand Hyatt Muscat

Majlis al Shams ........................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat

Mokha Cafe ................................ 24641234Grand Hyatt Muscat

Mokha Cafe ................................ 24776666Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Mood Café Madinat Plaza ............................. 92125639 Markaz Al Bahja .......................... 24538752

Patisserie .................................... 24479344Risail Complex, Seeb

Petit Café .................................... 24603555Ramada Beach Hotel

Pink Berry ................................... 24558113Muscat City Centre

Pooldeck ..................................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat

Richoux cafe .............................. 22005165Opera Galleria Ground Floor

Rumours Cafe ............................. 24692121Coral Hotel Muscat

Second CupCCC, Qurm ................................. 24566616 Shatti Al-Qurum .......................... 24699951 Bareeq Al Shatti .......................... 24697776

Sirj Tea Lounge ........................... 24641234Grand Hyatt Muscat

Shalashil Café ............................ 24498008 Star Hotel Apartments, Ghubra

StarbucksErnst and Young bldg ................. 24567644Jawaharat A’Shatti ....................... 24601457Muscat City Centre ..................... 24558861MQ .............................................. 24699367 Borders, Muscat City Centre ....... 24558636Qurum City Centre ..................... 24470588

Surf Cafe ..................................... 24776666Al Waha Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Sidewalk Cafe and Deli .............. 24563058CCC, Qurm

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Cafe’sAl Ahli Cafe ................................ 24424400Al Bahjah Hotel

Al Falaj Coffee Shop ................... 24702311Al Falaj Hotel

Al Fursan ................................... 24603555 Ramada Beach Hotel

Al Maha ...................................... 24487123Muscat Holiday Inn

Al Makan Café Muscat City Centre ..................... 24545311 Shatti Al Qurum .......................... 24404200

Al Mas ......................................... 24491105Bowsher Hotel Deluxe

Atrium Tea Lounge ..................... 24764000 Al Bustan Palace

Barista ......................................... 24571531Sabco Centre

Cafe Barbera .............................. 24603505Near Shatti Cinema, Shatti Al Qurum

Café Capuccino .......................... 24564443Ramee Guestline Hotel

Café Ceramique ......................... 24566617Al Araimi Complex, Qurum

Café de Lotus .............................. 24560439Al Khamis Plaza

Café G Patisserie ........................ 99531999Madinat as Sultan Qaboos

Café Samaharam......................... 24707207Haffa House Hotel

Café Torque ................................ 24500773 Azaiba

Café Unique ................................ 96684686 Ruwi

Café Vergnano 1882.................... 24692370Madinat as Sultan Qaboos

Caribou Coffee ........................... 24694473Bareeq Al Shatti

Casa de Cafe .............................. 24499565Midan Hotel Suites

Colombian Aroma Cafe .............. 24693131Bareeq Al Shatti

Coffee Republic ........................ 244703739 Qurum City Centre

Costa CoffeeSeeb Intnl Airport ....................... 24519734MQ .............................................. 24692858Muscat City Center ..................... 24535895Oasis by the Sea ......................... 24605574Alasfoor Plaza ............................. 24571236Lulu Bowsher .............................. 24503861Bareeq Al Shatti .......................... 24692699 MBD ............................................ 24793169

Chado Tea Lounge ..................... 24500773 Oasis By The Sea

D’Arcy’s KitchenJawaharat A Shatti ....................... 24600234 MQ .............................................. 24699119

Glacier CaféMarkaz Al Bahja ......................... 24540200Zakher Mall ................................ 24540391

Gloria Jean's Coffees .................. 24662940Fun Zone, Qurum,MGM ........................................... 22009295

Golden Bean Café ..................... 96969645Al Araimi Complex, Qurum

Grind Floor ................................. 24487777Radisson Blu

Le Mermaid Café ........................ 24602327Near Grand Hyatt Muscat

Majlis al Shams ........................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat

Mokha Cafe ................................ 24641234Grand Hyatt Muscat

Mokha Cafe ................................ 24776666Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Mood Café Madinat Plaza ............................. 92125639 Markaz Al Bahja .......................... 24538752

Patisserie .................................... 24479344Risail Complex, Seeb

Petit Café .................................... 24603555Ramada Beach Hotel

Pink Berry ................................... 24558113Muscat City Centre

Pooldeck ..................................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat

Richoux cafe .............................. 22005165Opera Galleria Ground Floor

Rumours Cafe ............................. 24692121Coral Hotel Muscat

Second CupCCC, Qurm ................................. 24566616 Shatti Al-Qurum .......................... 24699951 Bareeq Al Shatti .......................... 24697776

Sirj Tea Lounge ........................... 24641234Grand Hyatt Muscat

Shalashil Café ............................ 24498008 Star Hotel Apartments, Ghubra

StarbucksErnst and Young bldg ................. 24567644Jawaharat A’Shatti ....................... 24601457Muscat City Centre ..................... 24558861MQ .............................................. 24699367 Borders, Muscat City Centre ....... 24558636Qurum City Centre ..................... 24470588

Surf Cafe ..................................... 24776666Al Waha Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Sidewalk Cafe and Deli .............. 24563058CCC, Qurm

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Far EasternBamboo Kitchen ......................... 96969645 Al Araimi Complex, Qurum

China Mood ................................ 24764000 Al Bustan Palace InterContinental - Muscat

China Town ................................. 24567974 CCC, Qurm, MBD

Chinese Durbar .......................... 24486688Al Khuwair

Chinese Garden ......................... 24489414Al Khuwair, Near Ice Skating Rink

Chinese Palace ........................... 99563368Al Wadi Commercial Centre

Pal Meera .................................... 24692368 Shatti Al Qurum

Golden Dragon ........................... 24697374 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos

Golden Oryx .............................. 24702266Rex Road

Jade Garden................................ 24605945Al Qurm Resort

Lai Thai ....................................... 98025189Al Khuwair

Magic WokMuscat City Centre ..................... 24537118Qurum City Centre ..................... 24470596

Mamasan .................................... 24210452

Marjan Rest. and Pool Bar ........... 24641234 Grand Hyatt Muscat

Meji’s Aroy Thai .......................... 99839595 Shatti Al Qurum

Narjeel ........................................ 24560606 Asas Oman Hotel Apartments

Palayok ....................................... 24797290Ruwi High Street, opp. OC CentreAl Khuwair

Shang Thai ................................. 24483083 Al Khuwair slip road

Silk Route Chinese & Thai........... 24696967Al Noor Plaza, Madinat As Sultan Qaboos

Royal China ............................... 24571339 Shatti Al Qurum

Hot Pot & Grills ........................... 24404291Bareeq Al Shatti

Thai Basil .................................... 24499565Midan Hotel Suites, Ghubrah

The Noodle House ...................... 24558377 Muscat City Centre

Tokyo Taro .................................. 24702311 Al Falaj Hotel

Wasabi Sushi............................... 24699490 Bareeq Al Shatti

Fast FoodChickingMarkaz Al Bahja .......................... 24540200 Muscat City Centre ..................... 24489575

Cold Stone Creamery ................................ 24470614, 95202436 Qurum City Centre

Coral Express ............................. 24540200Markaz Al Bahja

Dairy QueenJawaharat A’Shatti ....................... 24693031Lulu, Ghubrah ............................. 24504504Seeb Intnl Airport ....................... 24519468

DQ Grill & Chill .......................... 24693031Jawaharat A’Shatti

Domino’s Pizza ............................ 24479111Al Khuwair

Dunkin’ DonutsGhala .......................................... 96177967 MQ .............................................. 96177967 Shatti Cinema ............................. 96177967

Gourmet Burger Kitchen............. 24558065 Muscat City Centre

Il Gelato Di Bruno ....................... 95275987 Oasis By the Sea

Hardees ...................................... 24477774Al Khuwair, Wattyah, Al Khoud, City Centre One number for all the four stores

Hot and Crispy ........................... 24699524 Al Masa Mall, Sarooj

Just Falafel ................................... 22009922Muscat Grand Mall

KFC ............................................. 24477777One number for all the 21 stores Ruwi, Qurum, Al Khuwair, MCC, QCC, Lulu Ghubra and Darsait, Near Airport, Azaiba Roundabout

McDonald’sAl Khuwair .................................. 24482046As Sarooj ..................................24691033/4Muscat City Center ..................... 24545773Book Roundabout ....................... 24421119Qurm Behind CCC ..................... 24565798

Papa John’s PizzaLulu, Ghubrah ............................. 24501111MQ .............................................. 24697220Qurum ........................................ 24571100Muscat Intl Airport ...................... 24519468Ruwi ............................................ 24793153Al Khoudh ................................... 24546516PenguinGhubrah ..................................... 24493963Seeb ............................................ 24422004Sultan Qaboos University ........... 24413144 Pizza Inn Ruwi ............................................ 24784555 Al Araimi Compex, Qurum ......... 24566661

Pizza MuscatAl Khuwair .................................. 24483393Al Harthy Complex ..................... 24565618MBD ............................................ 24817715

Pizza Hut ..................................... 24822500 Wadi Kabir, MBD, Rex Road, Qurum, CCC, QCC, MSQ, Al Khuwair, Ghala, Bowsher, Ghoubra, Airport, Al Khoud, Mawallah, Mabella, Barka

SubwayOman Oil, Qurum Jabal .............. 24666704Al Khuwair .................................. 24593963 Al Masa Mall ............................... 24604664CCC ............................................ 24560327MQ .............................................. 24694774Muscat City Centre ..................... 24558080

Wally’sMarkaz Al Bahja .......................... 24540200Al Masa Mall ............................... 24543154Al Khuwair .................................. 24502929

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Indian Aaryans ..................................... 24702311 Al Falaj Hotel

Ananthapuri .............................. 24706226 Opp. Muscat Municipality, Darsait

Annapoorna ............................... 24810396 MBD

Biryani House ............................. 24488478Al Khuwayr

The Bollywood ............................ 24565653Qurm, Behind CCC

Copper Chimney ........................ 24780207CBD

Curry House ............................... 24564033 Wattayah

Mullapanthal ............................... 95267540Ruwi

Chowpatty .................................. 24488829Al Khuwair

Daawat ........................................ 24787980Ruwi

Divine ......................................... 24705070Ruwi

Dosteen Restaurant ..................... 24622850 Seeb

Happy Village ............................. 24564995Qurum

Horizon Restaurant ..................... 24798252Ruwi

Hot Pot Restaurant...................... 24700691 Near Khimji’s Mart, Darsait

KamatAl Khuwair .................................. 24479243Ruwi ............................................ 24783300

Keranadu .................................... 24564443Ramee Guestline Hotel

Khana Khazana............................ 24813466 Ruwi

Khyber ........................................ 24781901 CBD

Koliwada .................................... 99421778MBD

Kumkum...................................... 24714114Muttrah

Lazeez ........................................992RELAXAl Nahda Resort & Spa

It’s Mirchi ................................... 24564443Ramee Guestline Hotel

Mumtaz Mahal ............................ 24605907Qurum

Mughlai Zaika ............................. 24568200Wattayah

Omar Al Khayyam Restaurant ....................Ruwi ..........................24703035/ 24707082 Al Khoudh ..................24535001/ 24539718

Passage To India ......................... 24568480Behind Hatat House

Princess ...................................... 24482213 Al Khuwair

Punjabi Dhaba ............................ 24787755Darsait

Puranmal ...................24707172 / 24706969CBD

Sagar .......................................... 24794114Ruwi

Saravanaa Bhavan ................ 24704502 / 07Near Ruwi Roundabout

Spicy Village ..............................................Al Khuwair .................................. 24475518Rusayl ........................................ 24510120 Nizwa ......................................... 25431694 Sohar ......................................... 24843238 Sur ............................................. 25544594 Customer Care ............... 800spicy (77429)

Sayujya Restaurant ...................... 24816909MBD

Swagath Veg Restaurant .............. 24707676Ruwi

The Indus Restaurant .................. 22022888Opera Gallaria - Shatti Al Qurum

Taj Samarkhand Restaurant ........ 24582040Muscat Oasis Residence, Bowsher

Tawa Magic ................................ 24703300 CBD

The Great Kabab Factory ............ 24478373 Al Khuwair

The Taj ........................................ 26795545Al Sawadi Beach Resort

Woodlands .................................. 24700192MBD, Ruwi

ItalianCapri Court ................................ 24776666 Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Come Prima ................................ 24660660Crowne Plaza Hotel Muscat

Mediterranean Grill.................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat O Sole Mio .................................. 24487777Radisson Blu - MuscatTrattoria ...................................... 24210451

Pane Caldo ................................. 24698697Jawaharat A’Shatti Complex

Pizza Express .............................. 24696169Oasis By The Sea, Shatti Al-Qurum Tuscany....................................... 24641234Grand Hyatt Muscat

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Indian Aaryans ..................................... 24702311 Al Falaj Hotel

Ananthapuri .............................. 24706226 Opp. Muscat Municipality, Darsait

Annapoorna ............................... 24810396 MBD

Biryani House ............................. 24488478Al Khuwayr

The Bollywood ............................ 24565653Qurm, Behind CCC

Copper Chimney ........................ 24780207CBD

Curry House ............................... 24564033 Wattayah

Mullapanthal ............................... 95267540Ruwi

Chowpatty .................................. 24488829Al Khuwair

Daawat ........................................ 24787980Ruwi

Divine ......................................... 24705070Ruwi

Dosteen Restaurant ..................... 24622850 Seeb

Happy Village ............................. 24564995Qurum

Horizon Restaurant ..................... 24798252Ruwi

Hot Pot Restaurant...................... 24700691 Near Khimji’s Mart, Darsait

KamatAl Khuwair .................................. 24479243Ruwi ............................................ 24783300

Keranadu .................................... 24564443Ramee Guestline Hotel

Khana Khazana............................ 24813466 Ruwi

Khyber ........................................ 24781901 CBD

Koliwada .................................... 99421778MBD

Kumkum...................................... 24714114Muttrah

Lazeez ........................................992RELAXAl Nahda Resort & Spa

It’s Mirchi ................................... 24564443Ramee Guestline Hotel

Mumtaz Mahal ............................ 24605907Qurum

Mughlai Zaika ............................. 24568200Wattayah

Omar Al Khayyam Restaurant ....................Ruwi ..........................24703035/ 24707082 Al Khoudh ..................24535001/ 24539718

Passage To India ......................... 24568480Behind Hatat House

Princess ...................................... 24482213 Al Khuwair

Punjabi Dhaba ............................ 24787755Darsait

Puranmal ...................24707172 / 24706969CBD

Sagar .......................................... 24794114Ruwi

Saravanaa Bhavan ................ 24704502 / 07Near Ruwi Roundabout

Spicy Village ..............................................Al Khuwair .................................. 24475518Rusayl ........................................ 24510120 Nizwa ......................................... 25431694 Sohar ......................................... 24843238 Sur ............................................. 25544594 Customer Care ............... 800spicy (77429)

Sayujya Restaurant ...................... 24816909MBD

Swagath Veg Restaurant .............. 24707676Ruwi

The Indus Restaurant .................. 22022888Opera Gallaria - Shatti Al Qurum

Taj Samarkhand Restaurant ........ 24582040Muscat Oasis Residence, Bowsher

Tawa Magic ................................ 24703300 CBD

The Great Kabab Factory ............ 24478373 Al Khuwair

The Taj ........................................ 26795545Al Sawadi Beach Resort

Woodlands .................................. 24700192MBD, Ruwi

ItalianCapri Court ................................ 24776666 Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Come Prima ................................ 24660660Crowne Plaza Hotel Muscat

Mediterranean Grill.................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat O Sole Mio .................................. 24487777Radisson Blu - MuscatTrattoria ...................................... 24210451

Pane Caldo ................................. 24698697Jawaharat A’Shatti Complex

Pizza Express .............................. 24696169Oasis By The Sea, Shatti Al-Qurum Tuscany....................................... 24641234Grand Hyatt Muscat

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InternationalAl Bandar Lounge ....................... 24776666Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Al Aktham ................................... 24489292Al Khuwair, behind OIB

A’Rifaak ...................................... 92558842Al Khoud, Main Street

AlExandria .................................. 24561611Qurum, next to Sabco Center

Al Khiran Terrace Restaurant .....................Al Bustan Palace ......................... 24764000

Al Waha Lounge ......................... 24776666Al Waha Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Assira Pool Bar ............................ 24776666Al Waha Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Bait Al Bahar ............................... 24776666Al Waha Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Beach Pavilion Restaurant and Bar Al Bustan Palace ......................... 24764000

B+F Roadside Diner................... 24698836 Bareeq Al Shatti

Blue Marlin ................................. 24737940Marina bander Al Rowdha

BreadTalk.................................... 24603033Bareeq Al Shatti

Bread and Co .............................. 24698379Oasis By The Sea, Shatti Al-Qurum

Buffet Restaurant ......................... 24697967Bareeq Al Shatti

Chilli’sMuscat City Center .................... 24558815Qurum City Center .................... 24470700

Circles ........................................ 24776666Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Class Room ................................. 24813141National Hospitality Institute, Wadi Kabir

Coral Reef Cafe .......................... 26795545 Al Sawadi Beach Resort

Coffee Shop ................................ 24702311Al Falaj Hotel

Four Seasons ............................... 24707207Haffa House Hotel

Golden SpoonAl Khuwair .................................. 24482263Seeb Souq ................................... 24424204

Hamburger Nation ...................... 24558077 Muscat City Centre

iFoods ......................................... 2412111418 November St, near Sultan Centre, Azaiba Japengo....................................... 92892868 Qurum

Jean’s Grill .................................. 24567666 Sultan Center

Jungle ......................................... 24561600 Qurum Rose Garden

Khaboura Cafe ............................ 24592900Majan Hotel

Khalab .......................................992RELAX Al Nahda Resort & Spa

La Brassiere ............................... 2471 3707Muttrah

La Mer ........................................ 95038487Shatti Al Qurum

Left Bank ..................................... 24693699Below Mumtaz Mahal restaurant, Qurum

Le Jardin ...................................... 24510300Golden Tulip Seeb

Love At First Bite ......................... 24601737Shatti Al Qurum

Musandam Café .......................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat

Musandam Restaurant ................ 26730267 Khasab Hotel

Nando’s ....................................... 24561818Opp CCCMuscat City Centre

Neptune Bar ................................ 24795545 Al Sawadi Beach Resort

Nouras Al Shatti .......................... 24603555 Ramada Beach Hotel

Odyssey ...................................... 24824240Oman Dive Centre, Bandar Jissa

Olivos.......................................... 24487777 Radisson Blu

Retro ........................................... 24571339 Shatti AL Qurum

RBG Grill .................................... 24507888 Park Inn Muscat

Samba ......................................... 24776666 Al Waha Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Slider Station .............................. 24698990Oasis By The Sea, Shatti Al QurumStomach ...................................... 24692486Jawaharat A’Shatti ComplexSultanah ...................................... 24776666Al Husn Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

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9 Sundowner’s Beach Bar............... 26795545Al Sawadi Beach Resort

TGIF ............................................ 24488899Al Khuwair, City Seasons Hotel

The Beach Restaurant ................. 24524400The Chedi Muscat

The Chedi Pool Cabana .............. 24524400The Chedi Muscat

The Crepe Cafe .......................... 24558530Muscat City Centre

The Serai Pool Cabana ............... 24524400The Chedi Muscat

The Restaurant ............................ 24524400The Chedi Muscat

The Coffee Shop ......................... 24704244 Ruwi Hotel

Tinello ......................................... 24502570The Treasurebox Hotel

Trader Vic’s ................................. 24680000InterContinental Muscat

Tropicana .................................... 24660660Crowne Plaza Hotel Muscat

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MediterraneanBellapais .................................... 24521100Risail Complex

Mediterranean Grill ................. 246803000 InterContinental Muscat

Tapas & Sablah ........................... 24776666 Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Tomato ........................................ 24680000InterContinental Muscat

MexicanPavo Real .................................... 24602603MQ

Senor Pico ................................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat

Pubs & LoungeAl Ghazal .................................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat

Al Jizzi Lounge ............................ 26841111Sohar Beach Hotel

Al Marrah Pub ............................ 24424404 Al Bahjah Hotel

Barrio Fiesta ............................... 24592900Majan Hotel

Churchill’s Pub............................ 24487123 Muscat Holiday Inn

Club Bar ..................................... 24704244Ruwi Hotel

Club Safari .................................. 24602327Grand Hyatt Muscat

Copacabana ............................... 24641234Grand Hyatt Muscat

Duke’s Bar ................................... 24660660Crowne Plaza

Feeney’s Irish Pub ....................... 99262821Al Qurum Resort

Habana Cafe ............................... 24602327 Grand Hyatt Muscat

John Barry Bar ............................. 24641234 Grand Hyatt

Layalina Bar ................................ 24487123 Muscat Holiday Inn

Le Pub ......................................... 24702311Al Falaj Hotel

Long Bar and Xyro ...................... 24776666 Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah

Nirvana ......................24781901/ 97015530CBD

O'Malleys .................................... 24487777 Radisson Blu

Periwinkle’s Pub ......................... 26795545Al Sawadi Beach Resort

Piano Lounge .............................. 26776666Al Bander Hotel, Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah

Rock Bottom Cafe’ ...................... 24564443 Ramee Guestline Hotel

Sama Terazza ............................. 24507888 Park Inn Muscat

Sports Bar ................................... 24487123 Muscat Holiday Inn

The Hut ....................................... 26795545 Al Sawadi Beach Resort

The Lazy Lizard ........................... 24487777 Radisson Blu

The Wahiba ................................. 26795545Al Sawadi Beach Resort

Steak & GrillGrill House ................................. 24603660 Grand Hyatt

Just Grilled.................................. 24601290Oasis By The Sea, Shatti Al Qurum

Kobe’s Sizzlers .........24563220 / 24564092GBM Building, Qurum

The Safari Rooftop Grill .............24641234, .................................................. 24641114 Grand Hyatt Muscat

Please mail us the details editor@facesoman.comorcall us on: + 968 24563382/24563385For a Quick Entry!

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A list of restaurant and eateries, to match your tastes

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79

Janu

ary

2015

MediterraneanBellapais .................................... 24521100Risail Complex

Mediterranean Grill ................. 246803000 InterContinental Muscat

Tapas & Sablah ........................... 24776666 Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa

Tomato ........................................ 24680000InterContinental Muscat

MexicanPavo Real .................................... 24602603MQ

Senor Pico ................................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat

Pubs & LoungeAl Ghazal .................................... 24680000InterContinental Muscat

Al Jizzi Lounge ............................ 26841111Sohar Beach Hotel

Al Marrah Pub ............................ 24424404 Al Bahjah Hotel

Barrio Fiesta ............................... 24592900Majan Hotel

Churchill’s Pub............................ 24487123 Muscat Holiday Inn

Club Bar ..................................... 24704244Ruwi Hotel

Club Safari .................................. 24602327Grand Hyatt Muscat

Copacabana ............................... 24641234Grand Hyatt Muscat

Duke’s Bar ................................... 24660660Crowne Plaza

Feeney’s Irish Pub ....................... 99262821Al Qurum Resort

Habana Cafe ............................... 24602327 Grand Hyatt Muscat

John Barry Bar ............................. 24641234 Grand Hyatt

Layalina Bar ................................ 24487123 Muscat Holiday Inn

Le Pub ......................................... 24702311Al Falaj Hotel

Long Bar and Xyro ...................... 24776666 Al Bandar Hotel, Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah

Nirvana ......................24781901/ 97015530CBD

O'Malleys .................................... 24487777 Radisson Blu

Periwinkle’s Pub ......................... 26795545Al Sawadi Beach Resort

Piano Lounge .............................. 26776666Al Bander Hotel, Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah

Rock Bottom Cafe’ ...................... 24564443 Ramee Guestline Hotel

Sama Terazza ............................. 24507888 Park Inn Muscat

Sports Bar ................................... 24487123 Muscat Holiday Inn

The Hut ....................................... 26795545 Al Sawadi Beach Resort

The Lazy Lizard ........................... 24487777 Radisson Blu

The Wahiba ................................. 26795545Al Sawadi Beach Resort

Steak & GrillGrill House ................................. 24603660 Grand Hyatt

Just Grilled.................................. 24601290Oasis By The Sea, Shatti Al Qurum

Kobe’s Sizzlers .........24563220 / 24564092GBM Building, Qurum

The Safari Rooftop Grill .............24641234, .................................................. 24641114 Grand Hyatt Muscat

Please mail us the details editor@facesoman.comorcall us on: + 968 24563382/24563385For a Quick Entry!

Is your enterprise

missing in ourlists?

A list of restaurant and eateries, to match your tastes

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