22

He’s a composer, filmmaker, director,

writer and organiser… meet Jean-pHilippe rieu

wHo recently composed an

ode to His maJesty, tHe sultan.

Front-runner

inside

Focus an indulgence called godiva!

42

PeoPletop cHef sHannon

Bennett sHares His recipe for

success and life.

38

an overview of round 3 of tHe ‘2009 nivea

for men endurance cHallenge’ in duBai;

you’ll see wHy go-karting makes for sucH wHolesome

family fun!

event

26

up Front

collectible

Preview - oer Golf

Art

Preview

event - regatta

travel

technology

sports

Gaming

Index

the last Word

8

18

34

32

20

44

58

62

66

68

72

74

introducing tHe mercedes gullwing’s

spiritual successor — tHe sls amg.

cArs

48

get your dose of sun, sea

and sHeesHa at tHe üBer-cool tcHetcHe café.

Food court

58

from tHe editor’s desk

WE ARE THE WORLDCopenhagen, December 2009

Japanese Prime Minister, H.E. Yukio Hatoyama: “If we cannot manage (to achieve a

deal) we will not have fulfilled our responsibilities as world leaders, which is a disgrace to

the world.”

Indian Prime Minister, H.E. Manmohan Singh: “Each one of us acknowledges that those

worst affected by climate change are the least responsible for it. Whatever emerges from

our negotiations must address this glaring injustice; injustice to the countries of Africa,

injustice to the least developed countries and injustice to the small island states whose

very survival as viable nations is in jeopardy.”

G20 London Summit, April 2009

The official communiqué issued at the close of the G20 London Summit:

“We face the greatest challenge to the world economy in modern times; a crisis which

has deepened since we last met, which affects the lives of women, men, and children

in every country, and which all countries must join together to resolve. A global crisis

requires a global solution.”

“We are determined not only to restore growth but to lay the foundation for a fair and

sustainable world economy. We recognise that the current crisis has a disproportionate

impact on the vulnerable in the poorest countries and recognise our collective

responsibility to mitigate the social impact of the crisis to minimise long-lasting damage

to global potential.”

The world economy and the world environment have much in common, don’t they? In

both cases it is a gross inequity; the impact is being and will be felt, for the most part, by

the already vulnerable and the countries already struggling to survive.

Everything that can be done needs to be done now, and not later. The world needs to

right itself quickly…

We need to learn from our mistakes. We need guarantees that they’ll never be repeated.

We need to stop thinking that it doesn’t really affect us. And looks like the year 2010 will

show us the way…

Happy New Year!

We’ll see you next month…

COVER IMAGECourtesy: Bait MuznaArtist - Tonny HolsbergenPhotographySatyadas C. Narayanan

CONCEPT & CREATIONPRIYA NAIRCONTENTDEEPA RAJANGHALIB ABDULLAH AL FORIFATMA AL ARAIMIMOHAMMED FAHMI RAJABSUSHMITA SARKHELART Art Director - SANDESH S. RANGNEKARDesigner - ALIYA AL WAHAIBIPRODUCTION HEADGOVINDRAJ RAMESHADVERTISING & MARKETINGGroup Advertising Manager - MIMI DEBAsst. Advertising Manager - RITUSr Media Executive - FAREEDA S AL BALUSHI

CORPORATEChief Executive - SANDEEP SEHGALExecutive Vice President - ALPANA ROYVice President - RAVI RAMAN

DISTRIBUTED WITH OER by

United Media Services LLCSignature is an OER presentation published monthly and released in the first week of every month. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher does not accept responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person or organisation acting or refraining as a result of material in this publication. Signature accepts no

responsibility for advertising content.

Correspondence should be addressed to Signature

United Media Services LLC, PO Box 3305, Ruwi, PC 112, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman,

Mobile +968 99849242 Fax +968 24707939

e-mail: signature@umsoman.com/reachsignature@gmail.com

An

PresentationCopyright © 2008 United Press & Publishing LLC

paying HomAGe Two outstanding Montblanc writing instruments — the Mahatma Gandhi Limited Edition 241 and the

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Edition 3000 — have been created to pay tribute to the wisdom, vision and boundless energy the indomitable Mahatma displayed as he struggled to free his beloved nation, India. The Memorial Edition, which is a limited edition of 3,000 pieces — both in fountain and rollerball pens

— signifies India’s multitudes that were devoted to Mahatma Gandhi. While, the distance of 241 miles that Mahatma Gandhi and his followers travelled by foot during the famous Salt March has inspired the Limited

Edition 241 fountain pen made in 750 solid white gold piston.

UPFRONT

8

It is inspired by the conflict between night and day in Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’. And, BeoTime from Bang & Olufsen is an alarm clock, visually unlike anything you have ever seen. Innovation grounded in clever functionality, its horizontal line and square panels relax the eye and you can place it on a table or hang it on the supplied magnetic wall fixture. This clever little thing comes with a built-in motion sensor and subtle automatic backlighting. And, you can choose to wake up to BeoTime’s discreet chime or the sound of your favourite TV programme, radio station, or piece of music.

The laTesT and ouT-of-The-ordinary…

clever little Thing

8

The laTesT and ouT-of-The-ordinary…

10

UPFRONT

discover CroaTiaHere’s a destination you might want to explore, and we know exactly where you can stay. For, the relatively undiscovered region of Croatia now has its first Five-Star luxury seaside Golf & Spa Resort: The Kempinski Hotel Adriatic. Located on the north-western coast of Istria, at a five-hour drive from Milan, Munich and Vienna, this modern, active seaside Golf & Spa Resort offers spacious accommodation with 186 rooms and suites with a warm, Mediterranean feel and atmosphere. All rooms have a balcony overlooking the sea or the green of the countryside and the golf course. And if you fall in love with the place and decide to stay back a while or want to buy a vacation home, you can choose from 20 luxury apartments and 22 outstanding stand-alone villas, in four different designs, which are available for sale on a freehold basis.

The Body Shop is all about fair trade and the ecology. And their new perfume for women, Love Etc... is made of materials that live up to that. The glass bottle is

recyclable; the carrier of the scent is Community Trade alcohol distilled from organic sugar cane in Ecuador. Its crisp white FSC-certified cardboard carton, fuchsia lining and kaleidoscope of brightly-coloured hearts are a refreshing change from the usual

Body Shop packaging. Created by well-known perfumer Dominique Ropion, the scent itself is very heavy and substantial with bergamot, jasmine heliotrope, lily of the valley

and sandalwood off the top, followed by vanilla and creamy musk.

tHe scent ofGreen

lipservice Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lipstick and Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lip Pencil are the latest additions to the brand’s renowned Double Wear make-up collection. While the Double Wear Stay-In-Place Lipstick is a sophisticated, long-wearing, ultra creamy lipstick that delivers long-wearing, satin-like, stay-true colour to lips, the Double Wear Stay-In-Place Lip Pencil is a technologically advanced lip pencil that glides on delivering a smooth, even line that won’t smudge or budge all day.

triple InDuLGenCe

Celebrate life’s rich tapestry with LaPrarie’s new collection of fragrances: Life Threads. Silver, Gold and Platinum, the

three exquisite fragrances within Life Threads, speak to the nuances of a woman’s life — one that can shimmer her

world into sensual Silver; one to drive success and go for the Gold; one that makes Platinum the power centre for her dreams. Together, Life Threads are a triple self-indulgence.

Simultaneously simple and luxurious, the clean architectural lines of the clear lucite bottles are softened by the

complexity of delicate threads woven throughout, giving each a distinct precious metal personality.

UPFRONT

fesTive feat

Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa set some records this

Christmas. A team of 24 talented and creative chefs greeted the festive season with the longest

Black Forest Yule Log in the country. Measuring a huge 36m

in length, the longest Black Forest Yule Log took 24 hours to create. Among its many ingredients, the delicious Yule Log was prepared

with 450 eggs, 90kg of sugar, 10kg of cookies, 5kg of strawberries and

40kg of cherries!

14

UPFRONT

exceptionally TImeLeSSKhimji’s Watches at Shatti Al Qurum present a fresh Limelight watch collection (for 2009) from Piaget’s Geneva jewellery atelier. Each Exceptional Limelight collection watch is known for being a serious haute joaillerie item of art. Given Piaget’s indispensable standards of beauty (and diamonds) the watches are interesting, original, and most importantly beautiful. Brilliant-cut diamonds cover every surface of the timepieces (as much as is possible), and materials like mother-of-pearl make up the watch dials. The cases and bracelets themselves are each done in 18k white gold.

16

The new Audi A5 Sportback has been introduced to Oman, by Wattayah Motors, as the third member of the A5 model family. Featuring an awe-inspiring design, practicality and a sporty character, its engines are as efficient as they are powerful. The launch engine for the Middle East will be a 211 bhp 2.0 TFSI, which delivers its power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. This five-door coupe is defined by elegant lines; it is 36mm lower than the A4

Sedan. With its short front overhang, long wheelbase, wide track and the four frameless doors with their slender window lines, it’s pretty much sporty elegance at its best.

sporty & eLeGAnT

pureLoVe

The house of Pure Gold presents a new jewellery collection called Pure Platinum, designed

especially for those who want to express their love in style. The signature line will initially

offer two types of rings — a duo band with 50 cents diamonds each, perfect for couples. The duo platinum bands represent bonds of eternal love. The ‘his and her’ ring set is priced at AED

5,999 (approximately Rials 628) only. The other offering from the Pure Platinum Collection is

a half carat certified diamond solitaire ring, set in platinum, which is priced at 3,999 AED

(approximately Rials 419) only.

UPFRONT

Hello extravagance!

COlleCTible

It is the most expensive

mobile phone in the world

and has a Guinness World

Records stamp certifying

so! The ‘Le Million’ Piece

Unique was introduced by

GoldVish, a Geneva-based

luxury communications goods

company, at the Millionaire

Fair in Cannes 2006. It was

purchased for 1 million euros

by a Russian businessman for

his wife.

So what makes this phone

such a tease? This ‘crown

jewel’ from the GoldVish

stable has been designed

by Emmanuel Gueit, who is

well-known for his work with

brands such as Audemars

Piguet and Harry Winston.

The handcrafted cell phone is

made of 18-carat white gold,

mounted with 120-carats of

VVS-1 graded diamonds and

has exclusive crocodile leather

inlays for the back available in

12 colours.

It is also equipped with the

latest in mobile technology,

such as worldwide GSM

coverage (Quad band), GPRS/

Edge Class 10 connectivity,

and Bluetooth technology.

Features include a photo/

video camera with optimised

(8x zoom, 2 mega pixel) CMOS

lens, MP3 player, Worldwide

FM radio receiver and PC

inter-changeable 2 Gb SD-

memory for songs, pictures,

movies.

The ‘Le Million’ was created

as an addition to GoldVish’s

‘Illusion’ collection and is only

available on special request.

Perhaps, this is what makes

it the world’s most exclusive

phone as well. Not that one

needs any excuses to splurge

on an extravagance that is as

tempting as this one!

it’s a record Holding good looker, and so mucH more… goldvisH’s ‘le million’ piece unique is temptation at its Best!

18

C M Y CM

MY

CY

CMY K

Advertorial Signature 20.4x27.6.pdf 12/28/09 5:35:53 PM

20

PReVieW

In Full SwIng!

OER CEO Golf 2010

which will be

held on February 25, has all the

makings of an international golf

tournament, taking place as it is,

at the PGA-certified lush greens of

the Muscat Hills. Lavish hospitality,

powerful opportunities for high-

level networking, a great day of

fun away from the boardroom with

corporate captains and attractive

prizes, all mean that this is one not-

to-be-missed event!

OER CEO Golf, now in its sixth

year, attracts the cream of the

business world in Oman. These

professionals mean business as

they vie for top honours, while

golfers-to-be get a chance to

learn ‘the real game’ as they

experience first-hand why golf is

now an integral part of business

networking.

Fact is, OER CEO Golf remains

a premium event that offers the

corporate world an excellent

opportunity to network over a

round of golf. And the fun is

not limited to the greens, the

excitement carries on off the course

as well.

And this year, more importantly,

all the participants will be on the

greens of Muscat Hills to play an

intense 18-hole game. While the

pros try to score birdies as they

exchange light-hearted banter

and golf jokes and probably even

get down to business outside the

boardroom, the newbie-golfers’

aspirations will be boosted by some

invaluable tips from a teaching

pro. They can even square off in

an exclusive 4-hole round of golf.

With this session, we hope, golfing

enthusiasts would take that step

forward towards becoming pros

soon.

“Business and golf are natural

partners. OER CEO Golf is a

perfect meeting ground not just for

golf lovers but also for decision-

makers of top companies in Oman

to develop and strengthen business

relations,” says Sandeep Sehgal,

Chief Executive of United Media

Services, the publishers of Oman

Economic Review.

Come to tee off, watch the pros

in action or to learn; it’s going to

be a memorable event and day.

You wouldn’t want to miss it for

anything!

tHe countdown to tHe mucH-awaited oer ceo golf 2010 Has Begun! and tHe Big news tHis time around is tHat tHe event will Be

Held at tHe muscat Hills golf and country cluB — tHe first 18-Hole green course in

tHe country.

OER CEO Golf 2010 is

organised by Applause

Events, an event management

specialist in the Sultanate of

Oman. For more details call

Kush Gupta on 00968 99253729.

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22

FRONT-RUNNeR

Soul Symphony

a composer, filmmaker,

director, writer and organiser,

Jean-Philippe Rieu’s approach to

life is what makes him passion’s favourite child.

Deepa Rajan met him on his recent

visit to Oman.

23

The afternoon,

Jean-Philippe

Rieu was born

in Maastricht

(December 16,

1956) his father

was conducting

Mozart’s Figaro

in Amsterdam.

Born into a

family of six

children, Jean-

Philippe took

to music like a

fish takes to water. “When I was two I’d sit on my mother’s lap

and listen to all the symphonies and operas (His father, André

Rieu senior, conducted the Limburg Symphony Orchestra at the

time). We lived in the South of Holland, very close to the Belgian

border. As a little boy I began attending the conservatorium

nearby and also went to school side by side.” Jean-Philippe

officially started playing at the age of four-five. “I played

the piano and had also begun composing. For example, if

my father was conducting a Tchaikovsky composition, I was

making the opera scores and the piano scores. It was like a

second language to me…” he says. “Perhaps a first language,”

he adds as an afterthought with a smile.

Does that not make him a genius then? Jean-Philippe

vehemently disagrees. “I am no genius! I do not like that

word. It is all about the passion inside you. I just wanted to do

it. At my time, I couldn’t talk about it to my teachers, because

they thought it was impossible for a child to be doing the two

together. But, nevertheless, I did.”

By age 17, he had already conducted the Liege Philharmonic

Orchestra, performing his own compositions. “Everything in

my life has been an automatic process. When I finished my

secondary education, I was conducting my own scores. Later,

I was also assisting my father.” Jean-Philippe took courses

in piano, composition, musical theory and conducting at the

Liege and Maastricht Conservatorium. During that time he

was an Assistant Conductor and Répétiteur (a person who

acts as a coach for and directs rehearsals of singers, dancers,

etc., as in opera or ballet) with the opera houses of Leipzig and

“It’s always about the soul.

Everything should rise from

the soul.”

24

Berlin. “I also worked for the

Maastricht Conservatorium

as a Conductor and Main

Subject Teacher for 15 years.

I educated young people in

composition and I conducted

as well. I founded the

Opera school in the south of

Holland.” Shortly after the

world premiere of Leonard

Bernstein’s largest opera

‘The Quiet Place’ in Vienna,

he produced and conducted

this opera there. During this

period he also composed

contemporary, religious,

romantic and experimental

music which he conducted

personally.

Subsequently, Jean-Philippe

worked with his brother

André Rieu (world-renowned

violinist, conductor, and

composer best known for

creating an international

revival in waltz music with his

‘Johann Strauss Orchestra’).

for six years. With him he

composed and released

six CDs and produced and

directed twelve large music

films for television and DVD

that are distributed all over

the globe. Taking up direction

was born more out of the

urge to create more than

a technical film of music.

“Both my brother and I were

unhappy with the way such

movies were made. They were

often too technically shot, not

from the heart. So you have

20 or 25 cameras, if you have

a big production house and

you put everybody in the

camera. But what does it tell?

If someone is simply shooting

my nose and hands without

even capturing the essence

or the feeling attached to it,

FRONT-RUNNeR“I am no

genius! I do not like that word. It is all about the passion inside

you.”

25

Favourite composers and compositionsBach, Mozart and impressionists such as Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Also loves Don Giovanni and Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème.

Beyond musicReads a lot, loves painting, especially nature; Loves sitting by the fireplace.

it is just a frame. It has to

be beyond that. It has to be

about communicating the

reaction on the listener’s

face.” He adds, “It’s more

than words can say. So I

combined the musician and

the listener’s reactions and I

followed my instincts.”

Like all artists with a free

soul, Jean-Philippe was

tempted to venture out and

create something of his own,

independent of his brother.

Thus was born the Jean-

Philippe Rieu Media in 2004

and since then he has been

active as an independent

composer, filmmaker, director,

writer and organiser. And, he

dons each role with as much

ease as one changes clothes.

Driven by his soul, the Dutch

composer has always been

a staunch follower of his gut

instinct. It was this feeling that

led him to Magda, his wife of

23 years. “She was with my

youngest sister at school and

somehow I knew she was the

one for me. It was purely the

soul that brought us together.”

He asked her to marry him

when she was just 18 and

he was still finishing his

schooling at the conservatory.

He would write letters to her

every day. “In fact,” he says,

“all the love songs that I have

composed are for her.”

And it’s not just his wife, but

his three beautiful children

— Jean-Paul, Rose, and

Jerome — who are also his

highest motivation and also

the inspiration behind his

children’s book about a fairy

named ‘Marie’. “Our three

children are now 17, 15,

and 14 respectively. When

they were small I’d tell them

bedtime stories and ‘Marie’

would often feature in them.

Before we knew it, ‘Marie’

had become a part of our

family.” The book will be

released in Dutch and will

also be translated into many

other languages including

Spanish, French, Korean and

English (for the American

market). Jean-Philippe has

also compiled a music DVD

for the book. “You can listen

to it along with the story,” he

says, “I have manipulated the

illustrations to make it look

like a big concert.”

Whether it’s writing love

songs or story books, Jean-

Philippe is all about passion

and hunger to give the world

something more than just

music. And fuelled by this

very emotion and the added

encouragement provided

by the Dutch Ambassador

to the Sultanate, H.E. Stefan

van Wersch, Jean-Philippe

even composed an ode to

His Majesty, the Sultan. “His

Excellency Stefan introduced

me to Oman and the progress

that it has achieved in the 40

years under the leadership

of His Majesty, the Sultan. It

is exemplary how all this has

been achieved with peace,

harmony and hard work. That

inspired me to write an ode

to His Majesty, the Sultan for

leading the Renaissance.”

The composition is a prelude

to the National Anthem and a

fitting tribute to Oman and its

peaceful approach to life.

Of course, Jean-Philippe’s

own approach to life is almost

idealistic to a fault and

perhaps that is what makes

him passion’s favourite child

as well. He believes that love,

truth, openess and purity are

the most important driving

forces in one’s life and adds,

“Believe in yourself, trust your

own intuition, learn to look

your fears in the eye and no

matter what you do in life, it

should come from within.”

And, he quite drives the

point home when he adds:

“It’s always about the soul.

Everything should rise from

the soul.”

26

MotorCity is a development

based on a unique

automobile and motor

sport theme that includes

residential, business, sports

and leisure opportunities.

MotorCity is in fact ‘a city

within a city’ with five project

components that includes: the

Dubai Autodrome, the F1-X,

the Business Park MotorCity,

UPTOWN MotorCity and the

Green Community MotorCity.

It is developed over an area

The LocaTion Dubai Autodrome, MotorCity

of approximately 38mn. sq.ft.,

located on Emirates Road.

Officially inaugurated in

October 2004 when it hosted

the final round of the FIA GT

Championship, the Dubai

Autodrome is designed

to accommodate all types

of motorsport events from

world class to local. It is the

region’s first fully-integrated

motorsports facility.

The complex not only

includes an FIA sanctioned

5.39 km circuit, which offers

six different configurations

and supporting services (pit

garages, grandstand, race

administration, medical

centres, etc.), but also

incorporates a Race & Driving

School and a CIK approved

Karting Track.

This multi-purpose complex

also serves as an ideal setting

for concerts and corporate

events, whether conferences,

seminars, or motoring

exhibitions. Its race calendar

includes major races such as

the above mentioned FIA GT.

It also offers manufacturers

and racing teams a perfect

location for testing, prototype

development, vehicle

demonstrations, product

launches, driver training and

hot weather car research for

international manufacturers.

The True Test of Endurance

eVeNT

27

Go-Karting makes for a great family event and is just as competitive as any motorsport can get. Malcolm X Crasta joined the Signature team in Dubai to bring you an overview of Round 3 of the ‘2009 Nivea for Men Endurance Challenge’

The Track Outdoor Kartdrome

The 1.2km international

standard circuit at the

Kartdrome features 17 corners

to test drivers’ skills and a

tunnel and bridge to add

to the excitement. It can be

divided into two smaller

circuits of 720 metres and 525

metres each. This challenging

circuit offers maximum safety

to all drivers and spectators

and is equipped with a

complete set of flood lights to

offer perfect viewing for night-

time racing. During races,

24 pit garages are ready to

ensure that each team has

a private area for servicing.

Above the pit garage are

several multi-purpose rooms,

including a timing room and

a race control room equipped

with CCTV cameras covering

every corner of the track.

The state-of-the-art facility

hosts Arrive & Drive sessions

daily while also providing

kart owners the opportunity

to practice on the track. The

venue also hosts rounds

of the DAMC Karting

Championship, the Nivea for

Men Endurance Challenge

24 Hour races and the Middle

East Karting Cup.

The True Test of Endurance

28

The karTs Sodi RX7/390cc

The Karts used at this event

were provided by the

organisers themselves and

were distributed to the teams

through a ballot. To keep the

playing field even, all karts

were of the same variety —

Sodi RX7.

Sodikart is one of the leading

kart-producing companies

in the world. When their

activity is at its peak, 30-40

karts are manufactured in its

production unit every day and

annual production reaches

at least 4,000 chassis. Europe

remains the largest export

market for Sodikart, although

its karts regularly reach over

40 countries in the world,

thanks to a considerable

presence in Asia, North

America, the Emirates and

also Africa. Sodikarts are

among the best choice for a

rental track as they offer top

levels of quality, durability and

drivability.

The fruit of many years of

research, the SODI RX7 paves

the way for a new generation

of rental karts. Boasting a

unique design supported

by major technological

innovations in this market

such as the shock absorbent

integral protection and

shaft steering; SODI RX7 is

revolutionising the market

and allows an extraordinarily

economic operation and

provides unmatched

reliability and a novel system

for seating and pedals

arrangements.

The Karts used for the race

were powered by a single

390cc Honda 4-Stroke engine

producing 13.5 BHP. They

were even equipped with

hydraulic brakes, adjustable

and padded seats, adjustable

pedals, full rear axle

protection, nose cone and

side pods to ensure the safety

and comfort for all drivers

throughout the race.

eVeNT

29

The sPorT 24 hours Endurance Go-Karting

Irrespective of your age

and gender, or whether it

is a family fun day out or a

corporate or team building

event, Karting is a perfect

motorsport option. It is this

freedom that makes it the

perfect family sport where

everyone can participate.

In fact, the Kartdrome in

Dubai offers Arrive & Drive

sessions for anyone above

the age of seven. Karting

is also considered to be the

stepping stone for anyone

determined to enter the

world of serious motorsports.

It can prepare the driver for

high-speed wheel-to-wheel

racing by helping develop

quick reflexes, precision

car control, and decision-

making skills. In addition, it

brings an awareness of the

various parameters that can

be altered to try to improve

the competitiveness of the

kart that also exist in other

forms of motor racing. Many

notable Formula 1 race

drivers started their careers

racing karts, namely Michael

Schumacher, Ayrton Senna,

Alain Prost, Fernando Alonso,

Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis

Hamilton.

As the name implies, the

endurance race lasts an

entire 24 hours. But it may

not necessarily last that long

always; endurance races

can range anywhere from 30

minutes to 24 hours or maybe

even longer. In these races,

the winner is the team that

completes the most number of

laps before the end of the time

limit. It is a test of fitness, skill,

pit strategy, consistency and

teamwork rather than all-out

speed.

30

There were 26 teams

from around the world

participating, facing rain

and a slippery track; the

drivers were in for the most

challenging leg of the three

races so far. This was not until

later in the race though and

the qualifications and start

benefitted from a dry track

and relatively cool weather.

The good initial racing

conditions saw South African

female karting champion

Fabian Lanz make history

by becoming the first female

driver ever to win pole

position for the start of the

Nivea for Men 24 Hours.

With the teams, accompanied

by family and friends,

preparing for the upcoming

24 hours in the pits, the race

began at 2pm on December

11. Unfortunately for Lanz,

her lead didn’t last long,

a bad start saw her fall

from the leading position

in the early stages. This

allowed Team Grohe to

pull out a narrow lead over

Bahraini team Batelco and

championship leaders NFM

Professionals. While early

indications are that these

four teams would battle it out

throughout the following 24

hours, the beginning of what

ended up being the highest

rainfall of the year, rendered

the track wet and slippery

posing a major challenge

for all drivers. Throughout

The race The 2009 Nivea for Men EnduranceChallenge ‘Round 3’

eVeNT

31

the race a battle waged

for the lead between the

NFM Professionals, Batelco

and Team Grohe who led

for much of the early hours

of the race after striking

an early lead. Only eight

hours into the race, the NFM

Professionals managed

to pull away from Batelco

and had started to breathe

down the necks of the race

leaders Team Grohe. Soon,

both teams were constantly

exchanging the lead before

NFM professionals’ superior

tactics saw them edge out

their competitor all the way

till the chequered flag. Team

Grohe came in second ahead

of Les Frangins Falcetta, a

great result for the debutant

team, and Batelco.

Our own team, Team

‘Signature’, had effectively

retired from 24hrs karting

seven years ago but decided

to come out of retirement for

this race. Unfortunately, they

had a slightly disappointing

qualification being placed on

the grid at the 20th position.

Despite this, they put up quite

a fight and managed to pull

up two places before the end

of the race coming in at a

respectable 18th. They shared

their pit with ‘gourmet gulf’

(the only other Omani team)

with whom they had duelled

for the duration of the race

and eventually came out one

position ahead.

Following the race a special

award for outstanding

performance during the 24

hour race went to Fabian

Lanz for her exceptional

qualification lap. Victory for

NFM Professionals in the final

of the three 2009 Nivea for

Men Endurance Challenge

races netted them the overall

Championship, with Ocean

Rubber second and Tracktalk

Speedsters third. Forum

Racing won the Nivea from

Men Corporate Challenge

Championship with Multiplex

Racing coming in second and

Repton Racing third.

The Drivers of

Team Signature

Raed Dawood - (helped manage the team)

Mitesh Khimji

Andreas Petre

Tarik Al Said

Fareed Hinai

Rishi Khimji

From Left to Right

32

Be it drawing people, landscapes

and caricatures or fusing glass

to make Omani masks, or

playing musical instruments,

Tonny Holsbergen infuses new life into everything she puts

her heart and art into, discovers

Deepa Rajan

ART

art with the big ‘A’

34

“I love people. I do not create

still lifes or landscapes

without painting people in

it. It is always a challenge

for the artist to catch the

movement and the character

of the people, not to mention

the expression on people’s

faces when they see the exact

likeness of their image,” says

Tonny Holsbergen, a well-

known portrait artist. Born

in 1952 in the Netherlands,

Tonny grew up near a zoo

and often spent her time

there, drawing the apes

and lions. Her romance with

‘balance’ and ‘perspective’

began at the early age of

five “As a child I always

carried a sketch book with me

wherever I went.”

So it was only natural that

she went on to study art at

the Gerrit Rietveld Academy

and Government Academy

for Fine Arts in Amsterdam

for seven years. It was here

that she learnt to appreciate

the human form and perhaps

realised that portraits were

her calling. You can easily

see that being able to achieve

the exact likeness of the

person is a challenge that

Tonny thrives on. “I always

manage to get the exact

likeness in the end,” she

says and explains, “If I were

to make a portrait of you for

ART

“Life is movement and I always tell my students to focus on that as well.”

35

instance, I see you differently

than you see yourself in the

mirror. And, you’ll be able

to see what I see, only if you

view yourself with a mirror

in front of and behind you. I

catch what you cannot see

and give your portrait that

character. In the end it is

always the real you,” she

says smiling sagaciously.

As an artist is she not tempted

to try her own interpretation?

“Of course, I am,” she admits.

But then, how does she

convince her subject? “When

I am doing a portrait my way

and it is half-done, I usually

call the person who has

commissioned it and show it

to him/her and explain what I

have done so far. The choice

is theirs, of course, to decide

whether they’d rather stick to

what they want or do it my

way.”

So, given all this hard work,

is there a creative process

that keeps her going? “I

really cannot define it. It is

a way of life. It is just like

breathing to me. Be it a street

or a bunch of people, I am

always making compositions

in my head without even

knowing it. It’s almost like

I have a lens fitted inside

me,” she says. And what

about the challenges,

assuming there are any?

36

“For me it is still being able to catch the

movement. Life is movement and I always

tell my students to focus on that as well.

When you are painting a model that is

moving, more often than not you have to

rely on your mental image of the model

and his/her movement and that is not an

easy thing to do, given that the object is

forever in motion.” Something that, she

says, French Impressionists mastered: A

quick and special eye for detail. “Also, it

is always interesting to see how French

Impressionists such as Manet, Monet

and Degas (to name just a few) have

played with the light to transform simple

images into something magnificent and

awe-inspiring.” Among contemporary

artists, she admires the works of Bacon,

but as “a figurative artist herself,” it is the

impressionists that provide Tonny with the

much required inspiration. Tonny, who lives

across from the Rembrandt House, also

finds that his works prove to be a wonderful

lesson, especially his etchings.

It is still a learning process for Tonny, who

is a teacher and has conducted workshops

and held exhibitions across the world

including Oman, which holds a special

place in her heart. Her current exhibition

‘Faces of Oman’ on at the Bait Muzna

Gallery is proof enough of that.

Tonny first visited Oman in 2001 as a tourist

with her husband. She camped out under

the desert sky, met the Bedouins and was

really fascinated with their way of life. “I

loved everything about the desert. I listened

to the sounds of the desert and wanted to

start drawing immediately.” Every scene

moved her so much that she wanted to

“Be it a street or a bunch of people, I am always making compositions in my head without even knowing it.”

ART

37

capture an essence of the

Bedouin lifestyle and the

desert in her paintings and

that is how ‘Faces of Oman’

was brought to life.

Each painting is a

representation of the

myriad hues of the desert;

a reflection, perhaps, of

Tonny’s dynamic personality

itself, that is quite contrary

to that of an artist’s who

is often seen as a recluse.

Tonny is somewhat of an

entertainer as well and has

been working as a cartoonist

at business and wedding

parties and seminars. She

can make your caricature

in under four minutes, she

claims. “When I am doing my

art with the big ‘A’, I am often

closeted between the four

walls. I began working as a

caricature artist 15 years ago

and began to enjoy it. It only

helps me improve my skills

and I also make contacts for

my bigger art. I kill two birds

with one stone,” she chuckles.

Be it drawing people,

landscapes and caricatures

or fusing glass to make

Omani masks, or playing

musical instruments such

as the Hurdy-Gurdy (that

her father makes), the

Northumberland Smallpipes

or the traditional Swedish

Nyckelharpa, Tonny infuses

new life into everything she

puts her heart into. “Life”, she

says, “is too short and you

have to grab every moment.

One minute spent without

laughing is akin to not being

alive.” Perhaps, it is this

very joie de vivre that makes

Tonny a true artist and her

paintings true works of art.

“I love people. I do

not create still lifes or

landscapes without painting

people in it.”

38

CoCoa Beans & the Legend of a Lady

each creation from the house of godiva Chocolatier, Official Supplier to the Royal Court of Belgium, offers you a nibble at its history, almost as rich, deep, and sensuous as the chocolate itself…

FOCUS

Marquise de Sévigné,

a French writer and

lady of fashion, once

wrote in a letter: “If you

are not feeling well,

if you have not slept,

chocolate will revive

you. But you have no

chocolate! I think of that

again and again! My

dear, how will you ever manage?” That was in 1677 and today

we still pose the same question: Can one manage without

chocolate! And it still remains purely rhetoric…

Chocolate is truly the ultimate indulgence and that experience

is taken up many, many notches when it is a Godiva.

Created in 1926 in Brussels by Pierre Draps Senior, Godiva

Chocolatier, Official Supplier to the Royal Court of Belgium,

Godiva has become one of the most prestigious chocolate

brands in the world.

But where did all this begin? The Draps family began their

chocolate and sweet-making workshop in the Brussels of the

1920s. Their ‘pralines’— typically Belgian, filled chocolates

39

40

FOCUS

—were made for the larger

shops, which in those

days were regarded to be

frequented only by those

au courant (we suspect had

Marquise de Sévigné been

alive, she would have made a

worthy customer!).

At the age of fourteen,

Joseph Draps (Pierre Draps’

eldest son) joined the family

business and found his

‘calling’ for chocolate and

the business. Thus was born

Godiva, an obvious reference

to the legend of Lady Godiva.

And legend has it that when

Lady Godiva, wife of Lord

Leofric, protested against

the taxation of his subjects

he struck a bargain with

her. He asked Lady Godiva

to ride through the streets of

Coventry, “clad in naught

but her long tresses”, and

if the population remained

in shuttered buildings, their

tax burden would be lifted.

The following morning she

made her famous ride, the

citizens graciously stayed

inside and Leofric kept his

word and reduced the taxes.

Lady Godiva won the hearts

of many. Her passion, purity,

sensuality, style and boldness

is in essence what a box of

Godiva chocolates aims to

offer chocolate-hungry souls.

The crest of Lady Godiva

has quite naturally found

its place amongst the gold

and splendour of the Grand

Place in Brussels, a huge

backdrop against which

Godiva opened one of their

most prestigious shops.

Success was not too far off.

Godiva expanded throughout

Belgium. And soon the first

shops were opening abroad

— in the Rue Saint-Honoré

in Paris in 1958. More shops

in the United Kingdom,

Germany, Italy and other

countries followed. Godiva

made its American debut in

1966, at one of the country’s

most elegant department

stores — Wanamaker’s in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

And in 1972, the first Godiva

boutique in the US opened

on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

The first Godiva chocolates

became available in Japan in

the well-known Nihonbashi

Mitsukoshi Department Store

in central Tokyo, also in 1972.

Today, Godiva Chocolatier

owns and operates more

than 450 boutiques and shops

worldwide where consumers

with good taste can find a

comprehensive selection of

Godiva offerings. Godiva

products are also available

at finer department and

specialty stores.

Additionally, the company

issues six seasonal mail-order

catalogues a year in North

America and accepts phone

and internet orders. From

New York to Paris to Tokyo to

Muscat, Godiva brings the

best of Belgium to the world.

Through the years, standards

have been maintained

as diligently as Draps’

recipes have been guarded.

Careful attention to quality

is apparent even in the

exquisite European-style

gold ballotins (traditional

packaging for fresh chocolate

assortments. The concept

and the name are Belgian

in origin) and handcrafted

seasonal packaging that have

earned Godiva a reputation

for design excellence.

So how is this extravagance

crafted? An art nonetheless,

Godiva uses two production

methods to manufacture the

various sizes and shapes of

chocolates — enrobing and

shell-moulding. Enrobing

involves coating a formed

centre, like rich caramel, with

smooth, melted chocolate,

while the shell-moulding

process begins with a mould

composed of intricately

designed ‘impressions’ to

create delectable confections

easily recognised as ‘Godiva.’

Each cavity is filled with

melted, tempered chocolate.

The mould is inverted and

most of the chocolate runs

out. It is then cooled, which

solidifies the remaining

chocolate, forming a ‘shell’.

The shell is filled with a

centre, allowing enough

space for a thin layer of

melted chocolate to be

layered over the filling. After

cooling, the chocolates are

released from the mould.

Godiva also produces some

exquisite symmetrical shell-

moulded confections by

‘book-molding’ two identical

filled moulds together. The

now famous Heart, Walnut,

Chestnut and the Scallop

shapes are all book-moulded.

More than 80 different

chocolate creations ranging

from pralines (the Belgian

name for the filled chocolate

shell), ganaches (extremely

smooth filling obtained by

mixing full cream brought to

the boil, which is added to

the chocolate and stirred until

a smooth paste is obtained.)

and caramels, fresh creams,

marzipans (a mixture of

peeled almonds and white

sugar), fondant creams and

fruit pastes, truffles, carrés

and chocolate bars; each

mouthful gives you a sense

of the Godiva legend — rich,

deep and sensuous.

While each recipe is almost

always guarded with the

zeal of a protective father,

the secret, we feel, lies in the

exclusive ingredients and

the fine art of chocolate-

making. As Thierry Muret,

Master Chocolatier at Godiva

Chocolatier says, “Truly fine

chocolates have several

characteristics in common:

they are always fresh, contain

high quality ingredients like

premium cocoa beans and

dairy butter, are usually less

sweet and feature unusual

textures and natural flavours.

41

A Truffle SToryThe Godiva Truffes Légendaires Collection showcases the rich heritage of Godiva truffles, beginning with the first truffle made by Chocolatier Joseph Draps in 1946. Draps was committed to finding the perfect ingredients, scarce after World War II, to make this ultra rich and indulgent truffle for his loyal consumers. The result? The Création Truffe Chocolat, featuring rich dark chocolate cream enrobed in dark chocolate and rolled in cocoa powder, which introduced a new level of luxury in chocolate. For the next 60 years, each Godiva truffle created has echoed Draps’ commitment to redefining the chocolate experience through the use of different shapes, inspirations and flavours.

Consequently, their taste

differs greatly from less

expensive chocolates, which

tend to use artificial flavours

and preservatives to achieve

a longer shelf-life.”

Be it the choice of cocoa

beans, the fresh fruits and

dried nuts, the degree of

torrefaction, the fineness of the

milling...Everything conspires

to give the chocolate an aura

almost as mystical as the

legend that is Lady Godiva.

The Portuguese poet

Fernando Pessoa once

remarked: “Look, there’s no

metaphysics on earth like

chocolates.” That definitely

stands true in the case of a

‘Godiva’.

42

shannon Bennett of the ‘Vue’ at al Bustan, is really not your regular ‘Celebrity Chef’. He simply serves up the best with a dishy smile on the side, says Deepa Rajan.

PEOPLE

Top Chef

43

The only critic who

can take on this

‘enfant terrible’

of Australian

haute cuisine is

his five-year-old daughter!

For Shannon Bennett, who

beat Australia’s top chefs in

an open competition in his

teens, talks turkey when it

comes to his job and has more

than once made his critics eat

their words with his culinary

accomplishments.

Shannon has worked in

some of Europe’s toughest

kitchens, including those of

Marco Pierre White, John

Burton Race and the Roux

brothers — Albert and Michel.

The 35-year-old Chef today

runs the award-winning ‘Vue

de Monde’ restaurant, two

‘Café Vues’ and ‘Bistro Vue’ in

Melbourne, Australia.

Shannon, who was in Muscat

recently to help design a

Christmas menu for his ‘Vue’

at the Al Bustan Palace

InterContinental, spoke to

Signature on his recipe for

success and life. Let’s start this

very interesting story at the

very beginning…

“I want to be a Chef.”Shannon’s Irish mother came

to Australia as a backpacker

where she met and fell in love

with his dad. Growing up in

West Meadows, a very poor

part of Melbourne, Shannon

says he didn’t really come

from a foodie background.

“I’ve got a brother — he’s a

pilot and he’s a very good

cook too. My dad has no idea

how to cook. He makes ‘Benny

Burgers’, which are pieces of

charcoal in between bread.

My mum is quite a good cook

though but it’s not something

we grew up with.”

His biggest influences

growing up were his uncles

(especially his Uncle Tom who

lived in the UK), who were all

self-employed and had lives

of their own. “I started to fall

in love with food when I went

to stay in London with my

Uncle Tom, who was the Lead

Guitarist for a band called

‘The Londoners’. After he

retired, he opened a couple of

gastro pubs. We’d visit these

Michelin Star restaurants, and

he had this amazing 22-year-

old Italian girlfriend when

he was in his late 40’s, so I

remember thinking, ‘I want to

be a Chef’, as it all seemed so

exciting. I just fell in love with

the lifestyle. I had no idea how

to cook. But, from then on it

was all I wanted to do.”

Well-known author Paulo

Coelho says in his book ‘The

Alchemist’, “When you want

something, all the universe

conspires in helping you to

achieve it.” Perhaps that also

explains why Shannon, who

was a bit of rebel in school (he

went to Melbourne’s Penleigh

and Essendon Grammar

School), got thrown into a

Home Economics class! “I was

the first male student there

and I loved the class! It was

one of the subjects I excelled

in because I really loved

cooking.” Of course, he gives

credit to his Home Economics

Teacher Mrs. Malcolm, who

first recognised his culinary

aptitude and helped him hone

his skills.

“You know when somethIng’s rIght!”“Hard work and passion,”

says Shannon, “are all one

needs to set one’s course to

success.” Well that, and his

love for food, got him

an apprenticeship at the

Grand Hyatt Melbourne and

he went on to work in a two

Michelin Star Restaurant

for John Burton Race. And

that opened the doors to his

childhood hero Marco Pierre

White’s kitchen.

“I had been unsuccessfully

trying to get into Marco’s

kitchen for a long time, but

little did I know that working

for Race would be my ticket

to any kitchen in Europe,

including Marco’s. I worked

with him for two and half

years and then with the Roux

Brothers — I did a pastry

apprenticeship for Albert

Roux.” He also worked at the

Hotel De Paris in Monaco for

Alain Ducasse before heading

back to Australia (courtesy an

ex-girlfriend who wanted to

live in Australia).

Fortunately, says Shannon he

couldn’t get a job anywhere.

“No one knew the Chefs

I had worked for and so I

decided instead to start my

own restaurant. I looked for

the cheapest restaurant I

could find, in a place called

Carlton. That’s where it all

really began for me. In my

case, it was something that

‘you just know’. You know

when something’s right! From

there I gradually grew and

today I own three cafés, a

bistro and the main restaurant

‘Vue De Monde’.” Quite a

long way from his first job at

McDonalds, which he lied to

get! Shannon laughs as he

recalls how at the time all he

wanted to do was save up for

a surf trip to Bali, “And it was

more about the freedom that

money could give you, so I

doctored my birth certificate

to get the job. But I was really

good at what I did.”

“I set a goal to wIn that award.”According to Shannon, “Any

job you do when you’re young

helps you discipline yourself

for a bigger one in the future.”

To him, his apprenticeships

meant the most because they

taught him the tricks of the

trade and why not, for it’s his

determination and training

that have won his ‘Vue de

Monde’ a plethora of awards,

including the Three Hats

from The Age Good Food

Guide 2009 and Three Stars

from the Australian Gourmet

Traveller. “One of my most

memorable experiences has

been winning the Restaurant

of the Year Award from the

Australian Gourmet Traveller.

An omAni Vue ‘Vue’ opened in January 2009. Shannon chose Oman because he thought it was something of an adventure. “I just loved the fact that it was quiet and it was unpredictable. It took me three months after first coming here to decide. But, once I decided, that was it. I love this place and I want to see more local young Chefs. It would be a fantastic thing to say that a local Chef is running our operations here. For now, the reception we have had here has been great! Josh (the Head Chef) is really doing a great job!”

44

I set a goal to win that Award,

a very difficult one at that and

we won. We were the first

ones in Melbourne to win it,

that too two years in a row!”

“there’s enough ConfIdenCe In me now…”History was made, but for

Shannon it’s still all about the

food. To him it’s interesting

to discover the history of the

dish or knowing where the

ingredients are coming from.

He also encourages the use

of locally-grown ingredients

while cooking. “Vue at Al

Bustan has its own tiny

garden, where they grow

herbs and other vegetables

and they also use the local

produce such as fish. We

are going to experiment

with driftwood plates and

frankincense burning… try

and tell a whole story, you

know.”

According to Shannon, food

has evolved tremendously

given that there is a lot more

technology now to help one

cook, “It has helped fine

tune our food/methods and

make it a lot simpler and in

many ways easier. When I

first started, I tried too hard

and wanted to impress the

diner in one plate. Now it’s not

about that. There’s enough

confidence in me now, not

to worry about pleasing the

customers — the customers

will please themselves. As

long as I’m happy with the

dish there’s a good chance the

customer will also be happy

with it.”

“lIfe Is short, do all of It as quICklY as You Can.”But naturally, his customers

are a happy lot, but what

about his family? Shannon

has two beautiful children

— daughter Phoenix (born

in December 2005) and son

Hendrix (born in April 2008

and named after Jimi Hendrix,

one of the most important and

influential musicians from

the 60s) — with his actor wife,

Madeleine West. “I met my

wife through Jamie Oliver,

who was in Australia at the

time conducting the first

‘Good Food’ show. At our first

meeting, I criticised Vegans

without knowing she was one.

She ate quail without saying

a word and it was only six

months later that she told me

about it. She actually thought

I was pretty intimidating,” he

laughs. He is supportive of

his wife Madeleine’s growing

career as an actor and wants

HiS bookS: Are a product of his passion for travelling. He calls it, “a good little hobby”. His ‘My Vue: Modern French Cookery’, and ‘My French Vue: Bistro Cooking at Home’ are inspired by his love for French cuisine. His latest is a foodies’ guide to Paris (‘Shannon Bennett’s Paris’), a city that continues to inspire him every time he visits it. So much so that he picks a restaurant and works there for free and anonymously.

fAVouriTe diSH of HiS creATion: His now famous Five-Minute Bouillabaisse.

fAVouriTe cuiSine: Indian and Japanese

THree people He’d like To cook for: “Barrack Obama, Marco Pierre White, and my wife, of course.”

THree plAceS To eAT: La Maurice and the Bistro at Hotel Bristol, Paris; a huge fan of Thomas Keller; and loves the fresh fish served at Hanabishi, Melbourne.

PEOPLE

to be with her every step of

the way. “She stood by me

when the going was tough

and I owe a lot to her.”

A surfer at heart like any true

Down Under man, Shannon

also believes in the work-life

balance. “I have worked

very hard. My working hours

are around 80 hours a week.

I’m working on getting that

down to 60 hours and a

four-day week and spending

more time with my family,

especially the children who

are growing up pretty fast.”

So is he training his children

in the culinary arts as well?

“Naturally… my daughter

loves helping me out in the

kitchen. She is also quite a

critic (the toughest one he

may have encountered yet!).

She is getting very fussy

now… ‘Blah’ is her favourite

word. I am waiting to see how

her tastes evolve.”

Grounded firmly in his role

as a family man, with goals to

re-invent the ‘Vue de Monde’

and put it on the world

gastronomy map, Shannon

says, “Life is short, do all of

it as quickly as you can.” In

10 years from now, Shannon

sees himself, “Hopefully

still enjoying cooking, having

my own farm and winery for

my hotel.”

At one glance, it might be

easy to peg Shannon as your

regular ‘Celebrity Chef’ with

an attitude to match, but this

Irish-Australian Chef with

surfer-good looks is anything

but that. All you need to do is

sit at his table, get him to serve

up his signature dish/meal

along with his dishy smile

and your ‘vue’ about food is

changed for life!

46

Superyachts, Megayachts

and More!The Abu Dhabi Yacht Show

being held next month promises to be the one of

the biggest events in the Middle East in 2010.

Get ready and set sail for Abu

Dhabi. A three-day event,

from February 25-27, will see

the Capital of the U.A.E. play

host to some of the biggest

names in the global yachting

industry and this is where the

most spectacular super- and

mega-yachts plying the seas,

will be berthing. We’re talking

about the second edition of

the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show

(ADYS) which is one of the

most exclusive and eagerly-

awaited annual events on the

international yachting, and

the region’s, social calendar.

The event, being held under

the patronage of His Highness

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed

Bin Al Nayhan, Crown Prince

of Abu Dhabi and Deputy

Supreme Commander of

the UAE Armed Forces,

will further reinforce Abu

Dhabi’s growing reputation

as a world-class yachting

destination.

More than 25 of the world’s

most outstanding and

spectacular yachts, ranging

in size from 30m to over 100m

will be at the show. From

‘Silver Zwei’, the world’s

longest all-aluminium

yacht at 73m, the slick 48m

Walter Franchini-designed

‘Ellix Too’ or the elegant

‘Trident’ — a 65m testament

to the marriage of form and

function, to the impressive

beach house inspired 58m

‘M/Y Outback’, there’s a toy for

everyone at the ADYS being

held at the Yas Marina.

Located on Yas Island, home

to the spectacular Formula

One Etihad Airways Abu

PREVIEW

47

Dhabi Grand Prix circuit,

the Marina’s dedicated

superyacht dock, as well

as its sporting and leisure

marine facilities, make it an

unparalleled setting for the

second edition of ADYS. This

is where the world’s leading

yachting companies and

luxury lifestyle brands will

parade their latest products

against the backdrop of

the stunning vessels and

around the show’s first-

class restaurant and lounge

facilities.

And that’s not all... Also

attend the Gulf Superyacht

Forum — a two-day exclusive

and interactive meeting of

superyacht business leaders,

who seek to expand their

understanding of the Gulf

region, specifically its clients,

culture and the developing

maritime infrastructure. Or,

you can simply head down to

the Quayside, and take a look

at the moored superyachts at

the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show

receptions in the evenings of

both February 25 and 26.

The social highlight of the

yachting extravaganza is

the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show

Gala Dinner on February 24.

The black-tie/national dress

gala dinner will feature a

number of activities that will

guarantee a memorable

evening, with all event

proceeds going to charity.

The Abu Dhabi Yacht Show

promises to be one of the

biggest events in the Middle

East with world class vessels,

world captains of the industry,

Middle Eastern royalty and

the Gulf’s most famous faces

all on the same platform.

Where else would you rather

be in February?

(Signature iS a media

partner of the event)

48

FOOD COURT

SheeSha Special

49

the tChetChe Café is the latest addition to oman’s ever increasing dining options. This über cool café cum restaurant has its own unique style and is set to change oman’s café culture completely says Sushmita Sarkel.

The TCHETCHE Café, already a popular name in Dubai,

Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Jeddah and Sharm El-Sheik, finally

set up shop in Oman in November and has seen an

overwhelming response since Day One. And we have

to say this — TCHETCHE adds even more spice to the

already zesty roster of restaurants at the Shari‘ Al Hub

(a.k.a. the ‘Love Street’)!

Ever since winter arrived in Oman, the whole area has

been humming with a newfound energy. As the Sun sets,

the beach and streets begin buzzing with life, making

TCHETCHE the ideal place to unwind with friends and

family in comfortable yet stimulating surroundings.

To offer you some details…The TCHETCHE Café chain

was established in the mid-1990s in Amman, giving rise

to a unique café culture where people could enjoy their

Sheesha as well as a selection of international cuisine.

Despite being in the business for more than a decade,

TCHETCHE preserves its panache and its international

repute for casual yet trendy dining.

Heading back to the TCHETCHE Café at the Shari‘ Al

Hub; it’s a chic yet unpretentious place with a soothing

ambience and great food. With a wide range of delightful

dishes and beverages on the menu, you are sort of spoilt

for choice. The Café is open from 9.00 am right until

50

midnight, seven days a week,

365 days a year. If you’re

looking for a quick bite in the

morning you’ll find lots to

choose from. From omelettes

(cheese, classic, Mexican,

Spanish), pancakes, French

toast, waffles and crepes to

the more traditional Zatar

and Cheese Focaccia, there’s

something for everyone.

As for the rest of the day,

you can enjoy equally

delicious fare. From light

bites like Chicken Crunch,

Buffalo Tenders and Chicken

Quesadillas to regular

favourites like the Hot

Dog, Tuna Sandwich and

Swiss & Mushroom Burger,

TCHETCHE serves up a list

of culinary hits. Entrées like

Beef Escalope Al Funghi,

Fish & Chips, Grilled

Salmon, Shrimp Fettuccine,

Spaghetti Bolognese and

Mozzarella Alla Forno are

other delectable options. You

could also choose healthy

salads, which include Greek

Salad, Rucola Salad, Tuna

Salad, Halloumi Salad and

Chef Salad among others.

The Café also serves 12

inch pizzas that are baked

in wood-fire ovens like they

are meant to be. Choose

from well known ones

like Margherita, Salami

and Barbeque as well as

TCHETCHE’s ever popular

House Pizza that’s topped

with grilled chicken, beef

fillet, fresh tomatoes, rucola

leaves and parmesan.

TCHETCHE does some

very good desserts as well.

The luxurious indulgences

include Chocolate Mousse,

Apple Pie, Blueberry

Cheesecake and the TCHE

Special. The Ice Cream Soda,

Honey Scoop, Ice Cream

Sundae, Chocolate Land and

Hawaiian Mix are ice cream-

based desserts that are also

great on taste.

TCHETCHE’s signature

pre-packaged, flavoured

Sheesha (also known

as mu’assil) is one of its

main attractions. The Café

offers a variety of Sheesha

flavours like Apple Mint,

Cherry, Lemon Mint, Grape,

Strawberry, Apple Apple,

Tche Tche and Liquorice.

Couple your Sheesha with

some speciality coffee, tea,

smoothies or fruit drinks and

you have yourself the perfect

accompaniments for a fun

evening.

The Café has something of

a retro chic feel and is the

ideal place to host casual

business lunches. The

trademark red and brown

interiors and faux stone walls

paint a pretty, welcoming

picture. The patio is also

a nice way to enjoy the

wonderful weather Muscat’s

been experiencing lately.

However, one of the best

features of this restaurant is

undoubtedly, the view across

the street — of the sea. One

can spend many a blissful

hour simply taking in the

sight and sound of the waves

over a cup of coffee or tea.

Come nightfall and the view,

although completely different

is just as entertaining what

with families and youngsters

flocking to the beach with

their guitars and Arabic

drums.

Most Sheesha cafés cater to

adults; however, TCHETCHE

has created a menu and an

ambience that even children

enjoy. And that’s what makes

it a hot spot for families as

well.

So if you’ve not dropped

by, what we’re saying is,

expect breathtaking views

and a terrific vibe generated

by chic clientele who are

looking at spending a fun,

laidback evening, enjoying

some Sheesha, good food

and beverages. Be it an

intimate dinner for two or an

evening out with friends and/

or colleagues, TCHETCHE

satisfies your appetite as well

as your senses.

FOOD COURT

51

52

Set Sail Fun, thrills and some serious sailing! That is what the Muscat Khasab Bank of Beirut Chairman’s Cup 2009 was all about…

EVENT

53

The Sultanate’s connection with the sea

stretches back many centuries when

Omani sailors using mast and sail,

pioneered sea routes to the cities of the

ancient world. With her pivotal position

at the crossroads of shipping routes that

linked the Arabian Gulf to India, the Red

Sea and East Africa and her knowledge

of shipbuilding, Oman became the first

non-European country to extend its influence to Africa where it

remained for hundreds of years, due mainly to her ships/dhows.

From the legendary ‘Fatah Al-Khyr’ (triumph of the good) to the

Omani warship ‘The Sultanah’ that anchored in the New York

harbour in 1840, Oman has been known for its rich seafaring

tradition. So it is but natural that present-day Oman becomes

a major hub of sailing activities courtesy the first-ever sailing

regatta held at Marina Bandar Al Rowdha.

The event, which only confirmed the Sultanate’s firm standing

on the international maritime map, began with a two-day event

that saw Muscat’s water sports enthusiasts put their sailing skills

to the test, in 21 short, professionally-organised races around

buoys near the marina. Twenty teams competed in Dinghy

and Hobie Cat races with the winners enjoying some fantastic

prizes and of course the prestige of being the first winners in this

annual event .

But the biggest race of them all was for the Bank of Beirut

Chairman’s Cup, which involved eight crews from Oman and

Dubai, setting off from Muscat and sailing their way to Khasab in

Musandam. After three days at sea, the crews of Al Uqab, Susan

Margaret and Musandam won the IRC, Rally and Multihull

Classes. And, the lucky winners shared a generous cash prize

of US $55,000, donated by the Bank of Beirut. Team Uqab, from

the Royal Navy of Oman, was the overall winner and lifted the

Chairman’s Cup for 2009.

The success of the event only goes to prove that the coast of

Oman is a great playground for enthusiastic sailors from across

the world. According to Saleem Q. Al Zawawi, Chairman of

Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, “Sailing has been a major hobby for

both Omanis and expatriates and the Regatta’s aim has been to

put some of that enthusiasm and excitement back into the sport

and who knows, encourage a new generation of national sailing

champions!”

Signature looks forward to greeting champion sailors and more

at the Muscat Khasab Bank of Beirut Chairman’s Cup 2010!

54

Tradition + Evolutionary = Revolutionary!

TRAVEL

55

With over 16 signature restaurants, a theatre, pools, room for more

than 6,000 guests and activities that appeal to a wide variety of cruisers, the Oasis of the Seas is more a city than an

ocean liner.OOver the years, cruising has emerged as the fastest-growing

segment of the travel industry, which has seen several

innovations and trends. But nothing comes close to the next big

thing, which literally dwarfs all other offerings —- right from the

size of the ship to the flawless security checks, the Oasis of the

Seas does things in true style.

The majestic size and scale of the ship is truly overwhelming;

16 decks loom above and dominate the skyline like a giant

skyscraper, visible from afar as you approach its home port of

Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Tipping the scales at over 225, 300

tonnes, the Oasis is more than 35 per cent larger than anything

cruising the oceans today and can carry 6, 296 passengers at its

maximum capacity.

This makes you wonder how these many people will be

ushered on and off the ship in a timely manner. And the

solution is: the world’s largest cruise terminal. The new US $75

million Port Everglades terminal in Fort Lauderdale; expanded

to more than three times its original size, it has 90 counters

designed to check-in guests in 15 minutes or less.

During the smooth and swift check-in, guests are handed their

set sail pass — a photo identity card which is a virtual pass to

all exciting activities and eateries onboard. That not only makes

the entire voyage cashless but it also tracks the guests aboard.

Once on the liner, the sense of scale quickly shrinks, because of

the warm and intimate décor, carefully organised and distinct

onboard ‘neighbourhood’, areas with well-appointed offerings

and a distinctive ambience to boot.

56

Central Park: InnovatIon at Its bestAmong the ‘neighbourhoods’,

Central Park is certainly

the most innovative and

imaginative, bursting

with trees and subtropical

wonders. This 107-mtr-long

garden is the first living park

on a cruise ship. It is a wholly

inviting area with open

space that is dotted with lush,

tropical ground, pathways

and dining and retail options

as well, which includes the

first branded leatherwear

shop at sea.

The other attraction here is

the restaurant — 150 Central

Park, managed by Keriann

Von Raesfeld. Chef Keriann is

trained in both culinary arts

and in baking and pastry-

making. Not only is she the

first American to win several

competitions, she has also

been the first woman to win

some very prestigious titles.

Alongside is Boardwalk,

an area inspired by Coney

Island. This is a lively,

entertainment area for the

family with a carousel, an

AquaTheater, novelty shops,

a candy store, a Johnny

Rockets for burgers, a 1950s-

style ice cream parlour, a

donut shop and the Seafood

Shack, all overlooked by

rooms with balconies.

rooms wIth a vIewThe rooms do offer you the

ultimate in luxury. The re-

designed cabins, fine-tuned

after extensive consumer

research, offer more space,

functionality and storage

areas and an expanded

bathroom space as well. But

what the Oasis offers the best

is perhaps a revolution in

cruise ship design — rooms

that open on to fresh air and

sunlight and greenery!

Overlooking the rooms is the

Royal Promenade that holds

the Rising Tide Bar, and spans

the three decks to Central

Park, above. This is the

activity zone, which includes

the pub, a pizzeria, two cafés,

Boleros (for Latin dancing), a

karaoke bar and seven retail

outlets.

TRAVEL

57

Yet another neighbourhood,

Vitality at Sea Spa and

Fitness Centre, houses a

thermal suite, three couples

massage suites, individual

treatment rooms, a dedicated

spa for teens and kids, a café,

plus ample fitness facilities.

The nightlife neighbourhood,

Entertainment Place, includes

a jazz club, a comedy club,

the dance club Blaze, Casino

Royale, a gaming museum

and the elegant Opal

Theatre. This 1,300-seat venue

stages the Tony Award-

Among the ‘neighbourhoods’, Central Park is certainly the most innovative and imaginative, bursting with trees and subtropical wonders.

winning Broadway musical,

‘Hairspray’.

Retail therapy and multiple

shopping experiences

are provided at the Royal

Promenade which has an ice-

show, a wave rider machine

for some surfing experience, a

rock wall and much more.

The Oasis has also cleverly

created ‘youth-only’ zones

allowing parents to enjoy

their time. It sprawls across

more than 28,700 sq.ft. and

is home to the Adventure

Ocean programme, featuring

the Royal Caribbean’s first

nursery for infants and

toddlers (six months and

older), new common play

areas, including a family

workshop for pursuits like

scrapbooking, a science lab,

a children’s theatre and more.

The teen spaces are

here, adjacent to a large

outdoor deck.

FIne dInIng: mInus sky-hIgh PrICesMultiple dining options ensure

that you never eat in the same

place twice. Some of Oasis’

eateries either have a la carte

pricing or a cover charge,

ranging anywhere from 2-3

Rials a head at burger-and-

shake emporium Johnny

Rockets to about 14-15 Rials

for an elegant eight-course

tasting menu at 150 Central

Park. But there are enough

complimentary options

available throughout.

Interactive touch screens in

the hallways help you find

where you’re going — a task

that’s surprisingly intuitive

thanks to the neighbourhood

layout. You also get real time

head counts in the 20-plus

restaurants, letting you know

which ones have the shortest

waiting periods.

“We didn’t say we wanted it

to be all new and different,”

says Richard Fain, Chairman

and CEO of Royal Caribbean

Cruises Ltd, about the Oasis

concept. “We planned

one-third revolutionary,

one-third evolutionary and

one-third traditional. The

combination of all these

seems revolutionary.”

And it’s true; the Oasis does

carry over some concepts

from the Freedom- and

Voyager-class ships, such as

the Royal Promenade. Here

though, it’s twice as wide, and

the skylights let in sunshine

from the Central Park

overhead, giving a whole

new sense of spaciousness.

It is these specialties and a

wise mix of revolutionary,

evolutionary and traditional

cruising comforts that leave

one with a profound desire to

re-experience the Oasis one

more time.

58

A Legend RebornWay back in 1954 Mercedes unveiled a car — the 300SL or the ‘Gullwing’ as it was called — that would soon become a legend and one of the most sought-after cars today. Now, 56 years down the line, Malcolm X Crasta feasts his eyes upon its spiritual successor — the SLS AMG…

CARS

59

a hIstorICal masterPIeCeThe 300SL’s story started

with the New York Mercedes

distributor Max Hoffman,

who suggested to the

DBAG (Daimler-Benz AG)

management in Stuttgart

that a street version of the

300SL would be a commercial

success, especially in

America. The racing W194

300SL was built around a

tubular chassis to offset its

relatively underpowered

carburetted engine. Internally

numbered W198, the fuel-

injected road version

was loosely based on the

company’s highly successful

competition-only sports

car of 1952, the somewhat

less powerful carburetted

Mercedes-Benz 300SL, and

was designed by DBAG’s

Chief Developing Engineer,

Rudolf Uhlenhaut.

The 300SL’s body was mainly

steel, except for the aluminium

hood, doors and trunk lid. It

could also be ordered with

an all-aluminium outer skin

at tremendous added cost,

saving 80 kg. The metal

skeleton saved weight

while still providing a high

level of strength. Its unique

architecture gave birth to

the model’s distinctive gull-

wing doors (hence the name

Gullwing), as part of the

chassis passed through what

would be the lower half of a

standard door. Even with the

upward opening doors, the

300SL had an unusually high

sill, making entry and exit

from the car’s cockpit quite

60

problematic. To combat this,

a steering wheel with a tilt-

away column was added to

improve driver access.

Though the Gullwing was

fitted with Mercedes’ then

existing 3.0l 6-cylinder, it now

included a Bosch mechanical

direct fuel injection system

that gave it almost double the

power of the original 115 hp

carburetted version. While

not the first fuel-injected car,

it was the first to inject fuel

directly into the cylinders.

This innovation allowed a top

speed of up to 260 km/h (161

mph) depending on gear ratio

and drag, making the 300SL

the fastest production car of

its time.

More than 80 per cent of the

vehicle’s total production of

approximately 1400 units was

sold in the US, making the

‘Gullwing’ the first Mercedes-

Benz which sold in bulk

outside its home market and

confirming the validity of

Hoffman’s suggestion. It is

also credited for changing the

company’s image in America

from a manufacturer of solid,

but staid, automobiles to that

of a producer of sporty cars.

Today, the 300SL is considered

one of the most collectible

Mercedes-Benz models of all

time, with prices reaching

well past the US $700,000

mark. In fact a pair of 300SLs

for sale in 2009 was offered

at over US $1.3M from the

Foxwood Collection.

the sPIrItual suCCessorDeveloped as a replacement

for the McLaren Mercedes

SLR and the first car to be

designed in-house by AMG

themselves, the all new SLS

is claimed to be the spiritual

successor to the now iconic

‘Gullwing’. One look and

it is easy to see why. The

distinctive styling of the

SLS AMG reinterprets the

breathtaking lines of the 300

SL. With the bonnet which

measures just under two

metres, the low greenhouse

positioned well to the rear

and the short rear end with

an extendable aerofoil are

just as powerful a reminder of

the superlative performance

as is the long wheelbase,

the wide track and the large

wheels. If any doubts still

remain about its design roots,

the gull-wing doors should

soon erase them. The doors

are not alone in rekindling

memories of the Mercedes-

Benz 300 SL; the hallmark

wide radiator grille with the

large Mercedes star and the

wing-shaped cross fins are a

throwback to the front-end of

the sports car legend.

totally state-oF-the-artWhile its design may be a

throwback to the old legend,

there is nothing old about the

technology under the skin of

the SLS. The newly developed

body shell comprises an

aluminium spaceframe. This

exclusive design combines

intelligent lightweight design

with outstanding strength —

thus delivering superlative

driving dynamics. The

space frame is 45 per cent

aluminium profiles, 31 per

cent aluminium panelling, 20

per cent cast aluminium and

four per cent steel and weighs

just 241 kilograms.

While, unlike the 300SL, it

cannot stake its claim to the

title of the fastest production

car, it is definitely no slouch.

At its heart sits a powerful

naturally aspirated eight-

cylinder engine with dry

sump lubrication. The AMG

6.3-litre V8 produces 571 hp

at 6,800 rpm and develops

a maximum torque of 650

Nm at 4,750 rpm. Combined

with a DIN kerb weight of

1620 kilograms, the SLS

accelerates from 0 to 100

km/h in 3.8 seconds and has

an electronically limited top

speed of 317 km/h.

The AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine

delivers its power to the

rear axle via a dual-clutch

transmission permanently

connected to the engine

housing via a torque tube. A

carbon shaft rotates at engine

speed inside the torque

tube. Power transfer is via

the new AMG SPEEDSHIFT

CARS

61

INTERVIEW

DCT seven-speed sports

transmission. This dual-clutch

transmission boasts fast gear

changes with no interruption

of tractive force and offers

four driving modes while the

mechanical differential lock

guarantees optimum traction.

avIatIon derIved InterIorWhen the gull-wing doors of

the SLS gently pivot upwards,

the eye is drawn to a wide,

wing-shaped dashboard

— a clear reference to the

aviation-based design. The

four prominent air vents

resemble the engines of a

jet aircraft, while the centre

console is in the style of a

jet’s operating console and

the shape of the E-SELECT

shift lever recalls the thrust

control of a jet. These are

perfectly complemented by

the concave interior panels of

the swing-wing doors, whose

high waistlines make for an

authentic cockpit feeling.

Finished in galvanised

Silver Shadow, the

instrument cluster has two

dial instruments with white

backlighting and an upshift

indicator using seven LEDs.

The silver dials have red

needles and a 360 km/h

speedometer scale. As a

central feature of the cockpit,

the multimedia system

COMAND APS with its 7-inch

screen is integrated between

the two centre air vents. The

modern short-stroke control

keys require an operating

force of only four newtons. All

keys and switches are coated

in Softtouch paint, which

creates a silky sheen and a

pleasant feel. To add to the

authentic racing car touch,

the performance steering

wheel has a diameter of only

365 millimetres. Furthermore

it has a flattened lower

section and an oval cross-

section for outstanding

vehicle control. The shift

paddles and lower insert are

of metal.

PerFormanCe at a PrICeSuch performance and

exclusivity will not come

cheap. In Europe the SLS

will sell at Euros 149,000 with

the retail launch expected

in Spring 2010. Thanks to a

diverse range of optional

extras, the ‘Gullwing’ model

can be enhanced to suit

any personal taste albeit

at a price. Some of these

options are the AMG ceramic

composite high-performance

braking system: Euros 9500

net, AMG performance

suspension: Euros 1200 net,

AMG sports bucket seats:

Euros 3300 net, AMG carbon-

fibre engine compartment

cover: Euros 4000 net, ‘AMG

alubeam silver’ paint finish:

Euros 10,000 net, Bang &

Olufsen BeoSound AMG

surround sound system: Euros

5,900 net and a lot more. All

the prices mentioned are

net values so it is expected

that prospective buyers are

bound to pay quite a bit

more. But for those willing

to pay for quality, they will

be purchasing, what could

possibly be, one of the best

cars of 2010!

62

Of Things TO COme…

TECHNOLOGY

63

At this year’s Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) conference in Boston, the Fluid Interfaces Group at MIT’s Media Lab unveiled the latest prototype of ‘Sixth Sense’, a wearable, gesture-driven computing platform that can continually augment the physical world with digital information. Presenting ‘Sixth Sense’ and the genius of Pranav Mistry…

In as little as a year from

now, you may be able to turn

any physical surface — wall,

table-top, paper or even your

palm — into a touchscreen

and surf the Net, check your

mail, shoot pictures, play

music, stream video and so

on, simply by making some

signs in the air with your

fingers.

No, this is not a grab from

‘Minority Report’, but a

technological reality ready

for a release that could

finally free us from the

confines of gadgetry and

turn every object around

us into a computer. ‘Sixth

Sense’, a technology created

at the Media Lab of the

Massachusetts Institute of

Technology (MIT), principally

by Pranav Mistry, holds

the promise of turning our

lives around like few other

innovations in human history.

At 28, the Palanpur-born

(India) Mistry, is by no means

a Silicon Valley stereotype —

an academically rebellious

college dropout designing

life- changing ideas out of a

rundown garage. He is, quite

to the contrary, a regular

scholar: erudite-looking,

hard-working, brilliant, but

very much part of a system

— the world’s most rigorous

system, if one might add, for

intellectual adventurism.

Mistry is a Research Assistant

and a PhD candidate at the

MIT Media Lab and he holds

a Master of Media Arts and

Sciences (MIT) and Master

of Design (IIT, Mumbai,

India) other than a degree in

Computer Engineering.

But regular or not, his

brainchild is poised to

fundamentally change the

way our brains interact with

electronic intelligence and

thereby fire an additional

and thus far largely fictional

human faculty — the ‘Sixth

Sense’. It is like Tom Cruise

in ‘Minority Report’ pulling

information out of a wall with

his fingers —only now it is

all real!

In its prototype form,

demonstrated recently by

Mistry’s PhD guide, Pattie

Maes, ‘Sixth Sense’ is a

garland of basic tools — a

camera, a projector and a

mirror — to be slung around

your neck, backed by a

smartphone in your pocket.

Put simply, this is how it

works. The camera around

your neck tracks and films

your physical gestures and

transmits this information to

a smartphone, loaded with a

software developed by Mistry

that processes the video

information and triggers

appropriate actions, which

can then be displayed by the

projector on any surface.

For example, if you want to

check your mail then simply

draw an @ in the air. The

camera captures this action

and transmits the information

to the smartphone which

deciphers the data and logs

into your email account.

The projector can now

display your email pages

on any surface you choose.

Similarly, if you want to

shoot someone’s picture then

simply frame his face with

your fingers. Or, if you want

to check the time then draw

a circle in the air to view a

digital clock on your palm,

wrist or even a friend’s back!

The idea is that ‘Sixth

Sense’ tries to determine

not only what someone is

interacting with but also how

he is interacting with it. The

software searches the Internet

for information relevant to

the situation and then the

projector takes over. Says

Mistry, “You can turn any

surface around you into an

interactive surface. Let’s say

I’m in a bookstore, and I’m

holding a book. ‘Sixth Sense’

will recognise that, and will

go up to Amazon. Then, it

will display online reviews

of that book, and prices, right

on the cover of the book I’m

holding.” Amazing stuff!

Mistry notes that the system

is customisable as well: if

you don’t want Amazon

reviews, you could choose

instead to find out what the

New York Times thinks of it.

He also says that brick and

mortar bookstores might

decide to provide their own

information to the device,

which would mean that a

customer would not have to

necessarily go online to find

more information. Dr Maes

sums it all up: “The system

constantly tries figuring out

what’s around you, and what

you’re trying to do. It has to

recognise the images you

see, track your gestures, and

then relate it all to relevant

information at the same

time.”

The possibilities of such

a system are obviously

limitless. You could for

example, watch a video

version of a news story you

are reading in a newspaper

right there on the paper!

The basic point is that

to access and enjoy the

world of information and

entertainment you will no

longer have to pull out a

battery of gadgets. ‘Sixth

Sense’ turns the whole

world around you into a

digital device popping with

operating system interfaces,

web browsers, digital

cameras, music players, book

readers, game stations, word

processors...and so on.

In more than the figurative

sense, this indeed is then

the sign of things to come.

A future when touchscreen

gadgets like iPhones and

iPods (currently the golden

standard for user experience)

will become extinct. The

question is are you ready for

the new sensation?

66

Golf has been in the news for

all the wrong reasons lately.

But, trust Omega and a few

talented ladies to put that

right!

The Omega Dubai Ladies

Masters, one of the leading

international women’s golfing

events, saw the world’s top

female golf pros compete for

the championship title and for

the total prize money of Euros

500,000 (approx US $ 720,000).

The Dubai Ladies Masters,

now known as the Omega

Dubai Ladies Masters, is a

professional golf tournament

on the Ladies European Tour

(LET) that was played for the

first time in October 2006. Its

total prize money makes it

the fourth richest on the LET,

after the Evian Masters. It is

played on the Majlis Course

at the Emirates Golf Club,

which also hosts the Dubai

Desert Classic on the men’s

European Tour.

The tournament has

showcased players of the

calibre and reputation of

Annika Sorenstam (who won

the title consecutively in 2006

and 2007), Laura Davies,

With total prize money of approximately US $720,000, the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters is

the fourth richest tournament on the Ladies European Tour.

SpORTS

The Perfect Line of

Play

67

Michelle Wie, In-Kyung

Kim, Karrie Webb, Catriona

Matthew, Christina Kim and

Natalie Gulbis, making it the

most popular ladies golf event

on Dubai’s sporting calendar.

And the 2009 edition of the

event was ever better! It

featured one of the strongest

fields outside a major with a

whopping 12 Solheim Cup

players, including 10 from

Europe, who played in the

biennial clash between the

top women professionals from

the US and Europe in 2009,

joining a slew of other leading

golfers in what turned out to

be a tough battle for honours

at the Majlis Course.

Promoted and organised by

Golf in DUBAi, the tournament

had players from 25 countries

represented in the 108-player

field. Sweden had the largest

contingent with 16 players,

followed closely by England

who had 15 entries.

But, it was 21-year-old South

Korean In-Kyung Kim who

claimed the victory by three

strokes. The champion

also got to keep an Omega

Constellation made in 18K

gold and engraved with

28 diamonds. It was a fight

fought to the finish with

American Michelle Wie

challenging In-Kyung stroke

for stroke. A strong finish to a

round of 68 saw Kim win with

a four-round total of 18-under-

par 270 at the season-ending

tournament on the Ladies

European Tour. Wie, who

was playing in her first Dubai

Ladies Masters, has enjoyed

her year as a professional

golfer in 2009.

She has been an Omega

Brand Ambassador since 2005

and Omega has been golf’s

ambassador for as long as the

brand’s history itself.

It is one of the few watch

brands in the world with a

tradition that can compete

with that of golf. Founded

in 1848, 12 years before the

first-ever British Open took

place at the Prestwick Golf

Club near Glasgow, Omega’s

involvement in international

golf has included tour and

tournament sponsorship as

well as official timekeeping.

In 2007, the brand became the

title sponsor of the World Cup

of Golf. Founded in 1953, the

World Cup is the oldest and

most prestigious global golf

team event, which invites two-

man teams from 28 leading

golfing nations to compete

for the title. Under Omega’s

sponsorship, the World Cup

will be played at Mission Hills

in China, the world’s largest

golf complex, through 2018.

The brand also serves as

title sponsor for some of the

world’s leading tournaments

including the European

Masters, and the Dubai Desert

Classic. In 2009, the Omega

European Masters tournament

in Crans-Montana,

Switzerland was the first

event ever to be co-sanctioned

by the European and

Asian Tours.

And, now Omega is

associated with the Dubai

Ladies Masters; one can

say that the world’s most

prestigious watch brand has

hit a hole in one, yet again!

Lush Green It is said to be the first grass golf course in the Middle East. The 36-hole Majlis Course is today considered a favourite among world’s top golfers. Carved from the desert, the Majlis Course — with its lush fairways and large quick greens — uses the natural terrain of the land to provide a formidable test of golf. And like all great courses, the Majlis Course boasts of a great finishing hole in its 18th hole. At just under 550 yards, this hole is a 90-degree dog-leg left, leaving big hitters to imagine a drive that cuts off the corner, setting up the chance to go for the green in two. The final hole’s double green is bordered by a lake, in which have drowned hopes of many a victory. And among the many famous victims, is the now infamous world no.1 Tiger Woods. Seemingly on his way to a victory in the 2001 Dubai Desert Classic, Woods punched his third shot into the lake allowing a grateful Thomas Bjorn — his playing partner — to see out the hole and win the magnificent Desert Classic trophy.

68

The Diablo series is now a cerTifieD classic anD iT is a legenD among Dungeon crawlers ThaT is yeT To be beaTen. a number of Diablo creaTors have now joineD hanDs once again To bring you a game worThy of your expecTaTions wiTh ‘TorchlighT’.

Firstly, we have to warn you that if

you are going to indulge yourself in

the world of Torchlight be prepared

to have a huge chunk of your time

wasted playing this game and even

more so if you are a fan of the genre.

This is because the game is simply

that addictive and you will find it

hard to put down. At its core, it uses

a tried-and-true formula — you

point and click your way through

sprawling dungeons, kill monsters

and collect loot and save the world

from destruction along the way. The

gameplay itself is very similar to that

of Diablo right down to the inventory

set-up, character interaction and

even sound effects and music. While

this may make it seem like a Diablo

clone with very pleasing graphics,

and even we would be hard-pressed

to say it isn’t, there certainly is more

to the game than meets the eye. The

developers have made some very

simple yet innovative changes that

make this game hold its own ground.

Firstly, there are only three characters

to choose from and each with its

own set of three differing branches

of disciplines, a.k.a. skill trees.

Impressively, every skill seems

perfectly balanced and none are

interconnected giving you, the

player, free reign when it comes to

customising your character, so long

as your character level allows it.

Then there is your pet, your faithful

Play Time! Torchlight —

There’s more to this game than meets

the eye…Uncharted 2:

Among Thieves — One of the best-

looking games on the PS3!

Reviews by Malcolm X. Crasta.

Torchlight

companion that is always by your

side. Not only does your pet help

you in combat and provide you with

additional inventory space but it is

also capable of going back to town

and selling useless loot for you,

saving you unnecessary backtracking

and in turn keeps the game moving

forward.

About the only significant flaw that we

can think of is the total absence of the

multiplayer option which would have

been a great addition to such a well

thought out game. But while human

company would have been welcome

you are never truly alone in the game.

You always have your pet with you and

you fight alongside other companions

along the way. And looking on the

bright side, you don’t have to worry

about sharing your loot if you are

alone.

On its own, Torchlight is already a

highly recommended title but you

could factor in the 35 beautifully

randomised floors to hack through

(not including the additional floors

you access through various portals

throughout the game), the recently

made available game editor and

creator and the rather large online

community of modders, and you end

up with a game that has tremendous

replay value. Available for download

at a budget price of just US $20,

Torchlight is tremendous value for

money. And at the very least, it will

keep you busy till Diablo 3 hits store

shelves sometime next year.

Play Time! GAMING

70

Uncharted 2pop ‘uncharTeD 2: among Thieves’ inTo your ps3 anD geT reaDy for The mosT cinemaTic gameplay experiences you have ever wiTnesseD on any console… ever!.

When Uncharted: Drakes Fortune was first

released on the PS3 it was by far one of the

best-looking games on the console and had

some amazing gameplay to boot but at the

same time it faced a number of criticisms.

And it seems that the guys at Naughty

Dog have been listening and Uncharted

2: Among Thieves manages to trump its

predecessor in every conceivable way.

One of the biggest criticisms that the

first game faced was its short, eight-hour

campaign, primarily because the game

was so good that people just wanted more.

This has been addressed in the sequel in

more ways than one. Firstly, like the first

GAMING

71

game, the main story is divided

into 26 chapters with numerous

checkpoints but this time around it

is several hours longer and to add to

its replayability, it even has several

multiplayer modes to mess around

with, once you are done with the

main campaign. And this isn’t any

tacked on multiplayer component

either, it is by far, one of the best and

most addictive multiplayer games

available on the PS3 to date.

The main campaign story itself isn’t

really original but it is so beautifully

directed and features such amazing

acting that you just won’t care. The

characters themselves banter back

and forth so realistically, throughout

the course of the game, that you will

uncover a majority of the backstory

and their backgrounds through these

‘chats’ alone. The remainder of the

story is told through wonderfully

directed cutscenes scattered

throughout the game. And the

characters themselves feel so realistic

that it is hard not to get immersed into

the experience. The story also features

some of the best pacing we have ever

seen, with the game pushing you from

one incredible set piece sequence to

the next, with barely any downtime in

between. Unfortunately, this comes at

the cost of freedom. To keep the game

moving forward and the pacing intact,

the game forces you down a linear

path with barely any room to explore,

but on the bright side there is barely

any backtracking to be done and the

game itself is so engaging that you

never really miss the freedom.

As we mentioned before, when

Uncharted was first launched on the

PS3, it was one of the best-looking

games on the PS3. What we didn’t

mention is that at the time the game

only utilised about 30 per cent of

the PS3’s power. The developers

have long since mastered the illusive

hardware of the console and the game

now utilises the entire 100 per cent

of the console’s computing power,

and it shows. And Uncharted 2 is by

a long way the best-looking game

we have ever seen on any console!

The character models, the animation

quality and the attention to detail are

simply astounding! The way the snow

moves around his feet, the quality of

textures used, the incredible shadow

and lighting effects, the way in which

Drake interacts with the environment

such as shielding himself from a

heat source, the way he stumbles

realistically as he pulls off a daring

jump; the list just goes on and don’t

even get us started on the incredible

set piece moments that you play

through in the game. Factor in the

incredible surround sound and spot-

on camera controls and you are in for

one heck of a cinematic experience.

Simply put, if you have a PS3 it will

be a crime if you miss out on the

‘Uncharted 2’ experience!

Books yOU MUST READ, music yOU MUST TUNE IN TO AND

movies yOU MUST SEE…

INDEX

72

Books• Committed—ElizabethGilbert• TheSwanThieves—ElizabethKostova• IAmOzzy—OzzyOsbourne• SweetLittleLies—LaurenConrad• BigGirl:ANovel—DanielleSteel• HouseRules:ANovel—JodiPicoult• Freedom—DanielSuarez• Impact—DouglasPreston• IronRiver—T.JeffersonParker• Noah’sCompass—AnneTyler

movies• Gamer[Blu-ray]• NightsinRodanthe[Blu-ray]• NoReservations[Blu-ray]• P.S.ILoveYou[Blu-ray]• Departures[DVD]• WhipIt[DVD]• ThisIsIt[DVD]• LittleAshes[DVD]• You’reaGoodMan,CharlieBrown[DVD]• KingLear[DVD]

music• LongWayfromHome—KatharineMcPhee[CD]• ChopinCompleteEdition—VariousArtists[CD–Boxset]• JoshGroban—JoshGroban[CD-SpecialEdition]• OneHitWonders[CD-Boxset]• Raymondv.Raymond—Usher[CD]• HitsofBond...JamesBond[CD-Karaoke]• RealSoundofChicago—VariousArtists[Vinyl]• RollingStones(Ogv)—RollingStones[Vinyl]• AllforYou(Ogv)—DianaKrall[Vinyl]• ChasingPiratesRemixEP—NorahJones[Vinyl-EP]