What We Are Reading Today: Historia Patria by Carolyn P. Boyd

Fri, 2021-01-01 03:01 DUBAI: Beginning with the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in 1875 and ending with the death of General Francisco Franco in 1975, this book explores the intersection of education and nationalism in Spain. Based on a broad range of archival and published sources, including parliamentary and ministerial records, pedagogical treatises and journals, teachers’ manuals, memoirs, and a sample of over two hundred primary and...

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Where We Are Going Today: Adani Bar

Author:  Fri, 2021-01-01 02:19 Feeling nostalgic for the good old days of Al-Balad’s cozy, lively cafes and cafeterias? Adani Bar is a newly opened cafe that offers old town coziness but with a modern twist. Adani Bar specializes in Adani tea, the most popular variety in Yemen and a favorite among Saudis. The tea is made from black tea with condensed milk, sugar, cardamom pods and cloves, and is known for its sweetness, aroma and...

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Underground sounds: Alternative Arab artists

Author:  Thu, 2020-12-31 10:41 Postcards ‘The Good Soldier’ The Lebanese trio’s second studio album was one of the first releases of 2020, hitting the shelves in early January and ahead of several planned tours that were eventually called off for obvious reasons. The record was a prescient opener to a year that would not only see the world descend into pandemic pandemonium, but also the band’s hometown of Beirut — already crippled...

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Inside ‘Soul,’ Pixar’s new blockbuster

Author:  Thu, 2020-12-31 09:33 DUBAI: Everybody has a dream. “Soul,” the latest film from Disney’s beloved Pixar Animation Studios, is about a man who refuses to let even death get in the way of achieving his. His name is Joe Gardner, and he’s a middle-aged schoolteacher who wants nothing more than to become a professional jazz musician. It’s a film about the struggles and beauty of life, and the spirit inside of all of us yearning...

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THE BREAKDOWN: Lebanese artist Adlita Stephan — ‘Sifat Al-Daken’ (Attributes of the Obscure)

Thu, 2020-12-31 09:25 The Lebanese artist discusses her egg-shaped artwork, covered in Arabic writing, which is on show at Galerie Janine Rubeiz in Beirut until February 16, 2021. My medium has always been language — as a visual aspect but also as content: What is it able to create in the mind of the viewer? Repetition is a tool that’s always present in my work as it can be really overwhelming. This work is tied to the theme of my exhibition,...

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Enjoy the magic of the festive season with Scalini in Dubai

Wed, 2020-12-30 14:28 DUBAI: This Italian restaurant is located in Jumeirah, one of Dubai’s most famous areas, and offers a cozy vibe with delicious dishes. As soon as you take the elevator down to Scalini, you will walk into an outdoor area that feels like a backyard of a high-end Italian house. A big tree is situated in the middle of the courtyard and the tables are spread all around it, while the whole area is decorated with wooden accents,...

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Netflix Regency romp ‘Bridgerton’ big on style, small on substance

Author:  Wed, 2020-12-30 15:06 CHENNAI: It may seem such a dichotomy that while 19th century upper-class women in England were headstrong and knew exactly what they wanted, they hankered after men who could be good husbands and fathers. US romance author Julia Quinn’s eight bestselling novels, penned between 2000 and 2006, are all about England’s nobility and royalty as they lived in the 1800s, and Netflix and Shondaland’s new piece...

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Arabic-language remake of ‘Perfect Strangers’ assembles all-star cast

Wed, 2020-12-30 14:53 DUBAI: After numerous delays, the Arabic-language remake of the Italian hit “Perfect Strangers” is set to begin shooting in February, having assembled an all-star cast of some of the region’s brightest talent, including Oscar-nominee Nadine Labaki, Egyptian superstar Mona Zaki and “The Insult” star Adel Karam. “We realized we have a project that’s a gift to great actors. Great actors love to have characters like the ones...

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Enjoy the magic of the festive season with Scalini in Dubai

Wed, 2020-12-30 14:28 DUBAI: This Italian restaurant is located in Jumeirah, one of Dubai’s most famous areas, and offers a cozy vibe with delicious dishes. As soon as you take the elevator down to Scalini, you will walk into an outdoor area that feels like a backyard of a high-end Italian house. A big tree is situated in the middle of the courtyard and the tables are spread all around it, while the whole area is decorated with wooden accents,...

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Feel the love: 6 celebrities, influencers who got married in 2020

Author:  Wed, 2020-12-30 12:04 DUBAI: This year has been tough on everyone, but for these celebrities and influencers it was a start of a new chapter: Marriage.   Nadya Hasan  Nadya Hasanon got married to model Wiktor Gniewek. (Instagram) Dubai-based style icon Nadya Hasan tied the knot with her partner, model Wiktor Gniewek, in January, just before the strict COVID-19 regulations were imposed. Fouz Al-Fahad          View...

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Jennifer Lopez gets festive in Georges Hobeika design

Wed, 2020-12-30 11:55 DUBAI: US singer, actress and dancer Jennifer Lopez gave her fans a late Christmas present and an early New Year’s greeting this week.  The 51-year-old music sensation released a new music video titled “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” with US singer Stevie Mackey.  The star also appeared in 3-minute-clip wearing a festive ensemble by Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika.          View...

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