PAPER MAGIC UAE QUILLER - Tempoplanet

FEBRUARY 2013 

THE FIRST MAGAZINE IN THE 

REGION TO USE MOBILE TAGGING 

THE WIDEST CIRCULATED YOUTH 

AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED 

MAGAZINE IN THE UAE 

PG 12 

PAPER MAGIC 

UAE QUILLER 

FARAH AL FARDH 

PLUS+ 

LOTSA DOSA 

MUSIC OBSESSION 

HEART, ART AND SOUL 

WHAT'S IN YOUR BAG

www.tempoplanet.com 

04 notes & cyberchatter 

05 uspace 

06 what’s hot 

08 tempo’s top 10 songs / on my ipod 

09 social meets 

10 my style blueprint 

11 music obsession 

12 cover story –paper magic 

14 city bites 

15 innovation competition: musahamiti 

16 youth talk 

17 people calendar 

19 doc in the house / remixing rumi 

20 heart, art and soul 

22 game hedz / tech talk 

23 trending 

24 moving forward 

26 the planetarians 

27 media 

28 what’s in your bag 

29 horoscope 

30 miss khulood 

12 

15 20 

Occasionally in life you come across those rare 

individuals who are not satisfied with following the 

tried and tested, but plunge themselves into risk 

and the totally new. 

Tempo this month celebrates three people who 

caught our eye, for their individuality, their vision 

and their courage. Henry Bennett is a restless 

soul; a performing artist and teacher who explores 

new dimensions in music and art. Farah Al Fardh 

is an Emirati who stumbled upon paper quilling, 

an esoteric European art form and has applied a 

creative energy into promoting it region-wide. 

Palestinian Mohammed Sawan is a talented rocker 

who wanted to start a band but, unable to attract 

the right people, decided to go it along anyway: the 

result is Obselion, a one man band with the sound 

of a full metal ensemble. 

Speaking of game-changers, I had the great 

fortune to meet a lot of inspiring entrepreneurs 

recently at the Booth-Booz conference on women’s 

entrepreneurship. Read about it in this issue. 

We salute those pioneers among us; and recognize 

their energy, passion and resiliency. 

Embrace your creative soul Abu Dhabi. 

Sana Bagersh 

Managing Editor 

bagersh@tempoplanet.com 

24 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Sana Bagersh 

FEATURES EDITOR 

Dr. Alma Kadragic 

EDITORIAL 

COORDINATOR 

Ajir Shujahi 

MARKETING 

DIRECTOR 

Manjul Abhishek 

DESIGN & LAYOUT 

Mark De Castro 

PHOTOGRAPHER 

Angeli Castillo 

DISTRIBUTION 

COORDINATOR 

Melaku Muluneh 

EDITORIAL 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Ahmed Samir 

Ali Suliman 

Azza El Masri 

Blakniss 

Dorian ‘Paul D’ Rogers 

Dr. DMS 

Nabeela Huda 

Saif Nasir 

Samarpan Chakraborty 

Sanah Chauhan 

Shahid Saeed 

Sharon Carvalho 

DESIGN BY } 

ADDRESS 

To reach editorial at Abu Dhabi Tempo email: editorial@tempoplanet.com. If you need to find out where you can pick up your 

copy call: 02 491 8624/25 or check out the list of Tempo distribution points on our website. 

NOTE TO ADVERTISERS 

Advertisers can request brand tagging with all advertisements. To reach advertising call: 02 491 8624/25, fax: 02 491 8626 

email: advertising@tempoplanet.com 

DISCLAIMER 

Tempo Magazine does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, the publisher cannot accept any 

responsibility for errors, mistakes and inaccuracies. The publisher reserves the rights of this product and no part of this 

publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher. 

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POST YOUR VIEWS AND COMMENTS ON OUR FACEBOOK AND TWITTER PAGES 

The cover story (Tempo’s January 

issue) on the UAE Rally Drivers was 

very inspiring for a race lover like 

me. 

– Jim Sebastian 

Love your work guys! Keep up the 

good job. 

– Mohammed Rashid 

Dean Hoke @deanhoke 

Very nice piece on Kate Grasell 

by @AbuDhabiTempo about Abu 

Dhabi Infant Massage Course she is 

conducting. 

Azza E @aetheawesome 

@AbuDhabiTempo's Jan issue is 

here! I reviewed@jodimeadows' 

INCARNATE: "a beautiful story that 

raises a thought-provoking question" 

#review 

Author Jodi Meadows’ response: 

“ Jodi Meadows @jodimeadows 

- @aetheawesome Thank you! :) 

@AbuDhabiTempo " 

Constance Van Horne 

@cmvanhorne 

Great @Tamakkan this evening 

looking forward to next month 

already! 

DO YOU HAVE A BIZ SUCH AS 

A COFFEE SHOP, CAFÉ, HOTEL 

ETC THAT CATERS TO THE 

TEMPO CROWD (THE COOL 

18-35, UPWARDLY MOBILE 

DEMOGRAPHIC)? IF SO, YOU 

MAY QUALIFY FOR A TEMPO 

STAND. CALL US ON 02 491 8624 

TO FIND OUT MORE! 

Tweet@abudhabitempo 

Like us on Facebook 

Theresa F Weber ‏@ 

TheresaFWeber 

@AbuDhabiTempo 

Can’t wait to read 

January issue and @ 

almakad's article on the 

beauty of Arab films 

#abudhabi . Your mag is 

a great resource! 

FUN FACT 

By Tony James 

No word in the 

English language 

rhymes with month, 

orange, silver, and 

purple. 

Guess ten words 

without rearranging 

any of its letters 

from the word 

“THEREIN” 

Answers: 

the, there, he, in, rein, her, here, ere, 

therein, herein. 

RESULT OF LAST 

MONTH’S VOTE: 

Tempo asked how did you 

welcome the New Year? 

68.0% 

32.0% 

0.0% 

0.0% 

1. 

2. 

3. 

WITH FAMILY 

WITH FRIENDS 

BY MYSELF 

AT WORK 

THIS MONTH’S 

QUESTION: 

If you could construct the 

perfect Valentine's date, 

what would be her/his 

overriding quality? 

Funny 

Intelligent 

Attractive 

TO VOTE 

GO TO 

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04 | www.tempoplanet.com


2013: 

YOUR HANDBOOK FOR LIVING A BETTER LIFE 

By Ali Suliman 

TALKING BOOKS 

By Azza El Masri 

TIME TRAVEL - KING ON KENNEDY 

11.22.63 

by Stephen King 

Hodder, 2012 

HEALTH 

• Drink plenty of water 

• Eat Breakfast like a king 

• Lunch like a prince 

• Dinner like a beggar 

LIVE WITH 3 E's: 

Energy, Enthusiasm & Empathy 

• Make time to pray, meditate — feed 

your soul. 

• Worry less, play more. 

• Read more books than you did in 

2012. 

• Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes 

each day. 

• Get enough sleep — you’ll need it. 

• Take a 10-30 minute walk daily and 

while you walk, smile. 

PERSONALITY 

• Don’t over-do things. Mind your 

limits. 

• Your energy is too precious — don’t 

waste it on gossip and envy; you 

already have what you need. 

• Dream more while you are awake. 

• Forget issues of the past. Don't 

remind your loved ones of their 

• 

• 

• 

mistakes. That will ruin your present. 

Life is too short to waste time hating 

anyone. Don't hate others. 

Realise that no one is in charge of your 

happiness except you. 

You don't have to win every argument. 

Agree to disagree (or being mistaken). 

SOCIETY 

• Call your family often. 

• Each day give something good to others. 

• Forgive everyone for everything. It will 

make you a better person. 

• Spend time with people over the age of 

70 & under the age of six —it will give you 

perspective. 

• Try to make at least three people smile each 

day. 

• Accept that what other people think of you 

is none of your business. 

LIFE 

• Do the right thing! 

• Know that however good or bad a situation 

is, it will change. 

• Present yourself well. 

• Make your inner most self happy, and you 

will be happy. 

Many attribute 

Stephen King to 

being the father of 

modern American 

horror literature, 

and inspiring an 

entire genre in 

books and movies. 

His book “11.22.63” 

is refreshingly 

different. This 

is not another horror novel, but his first 

foray into mainstream sci-fi: a book about 

time-travel. 

If you know your history, you’d know what 

11.22.63 stands for. It is a date that has 

changed the course of American history; on 

November twenty-two 1963 US President 

John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, 

Texas. 

King was just a teenager when it happened, 

but the memory of that time is indelibly 

etched in his mind, and his writing 

brilliantly describes his memories with 

poignant detail. You can smell the sweat, feel 

the depression, the prevalent racism, and the 

working-classmen’s hardships – as well as 

King’s eloquent pathos. 

ONE UNIVERSE: 

THE FLOWER AND THE HUMAN 

By Samarpan Chakraborty 

A flower, an expression of a fulfilled tree 

The completeness of its life, a flower 

Its beauty is like the untapped competence of a human body 

Its blossoming is the celebration of human inclusiveness 

Its colour, its vibrancy, its life 

He looked at a flower and realized he is a flower 

Yet not blossomed, yet not complete 

I saw a tree and I saw me 

My life in harmony with the tree 

I closed my eyes and I saw 

The tree and me as one entity 

Since birth we were destined for this harmony 

She gave me life with every exhalation 

As I gave her mine 

For centuries half of you and me were living in a tree 

Being, breathing and blossoming within the tree 

And yet we go about exploiting what Mother Nature gave us 

Without a price, never considering it a loan, just for us 

Let us stop for a while and expand our senses, we see 

The tree as a part of you and also a part of me. 

The book 11.22.63 starts in 2011, with Jake 

Epping, an English teacher from Lisbon 

Falls, Maine, who has just come out from 

a bitter divorce and who is chosen for a 

dangerous mission: catch Lee Harvey Oswald 

and prevent the Kennedy assassination. And 

don’t mess up. 

Jake leaves behind the information era and 

his identity to go back to the times of soaring 

American industrialism, the Cold War, Elvis 

and the marriage ideal of the 1950s. This is 

where he meets Sadie, a high school librarian 

with a troubled past. But this is no romance 

novel, I assure you; Jake is on a quest and 

although his feelings for Sadie often make 

him reconsider his purpose, he never wavers. 

I devoured this book greedily, and (I 

confess) I abandoned chores and scholarly 

commitments. There are very rare books 

that hook you from the first sentence, but 

Stephen King is an expert in that. If you 

like big books (and I do mean big), and you 

like a good story then please embrace the 

genius of Stephen King and get his latest 

novel 11.22.63 now because King proves, yet 

again, to be one of the best storytellers of our 

generation! 

www.tempoplanet.com | 05

YOUR GUIDE TO THIS MONTHS’ HOTTEST EVENTS 


ABU DHABI ART HUB 

January 12 – February 7 

Venue: Abu Dhabi Art Hub 

Abu Dhabi 

A first-of-its-kind live and 

work art community for local 

and international artists today 

officially opened its doors, 

unveiling a robust events calendar 

and unique programs integrating 

art perspectives with the 

community. 

Details: 

www.adah.ae 

H.H. SHAIKH SULTAN 

BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN 

CAMEL’S FESTIVAL 

February 1 – February 15 

Sweihan Area, Al-Ain 

H.H. Shaikh. Sultan Bin Zayed 

Al Nahyan Festival for the 

traditional camel races, beauty 

contests and sloogi race in 

Sweihan city, have dedicated 

special shows for 'Asayel' 

(pedigree) and 'Majahim' (darkskinned) 

camels, and the wellknown 

and rare 'camel beauty 

contest'. The festival also has 

a traditional souq and a camel 

auction with various contests for 

traditional handicrafts. 

Details: 

www.abudhabi.ae 

GOURMET ABU DHABI 

February 5 – 20 

Venues: Across Abu Dhabi's finest 

dining restaurants 

Gourmet Abu Dhabi – the annual 

culinary festival which runs 

across 20 of Abu Dhabi’s leading 

restaurants from February 5-20 

features a masterful collection of 

the world’s leading masterchefs 

. On the sideline of the event is 

the 2013 Gourmet Stars Awards 

– an annual highlight of the UAE 

capital’s annual culinary festival. 

Thirty-nine finalists have been 

selected for the 10 hotly contested 

public accolades. 

Details: 

www.gourmetabudhabi.ae 

TRI YAS 

February 8 

Venue: Yas Marina Circuit 

Yas Island 

Tri Yas 2013 is the region’s only 

first day and night triathlon – 

swim legs will be in daylight in the 

Yas Marina, bike and run legs will 

take place under full flood lights 

on the Formula 1 track and on Yas 

Marina Circuit roads respectively. 

This follows the same race format 

as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways 

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Transition 

will be in the Formula 1 pits to 

provide a unique experience. 

Details: 

www.yasmarinacircuit.com 

YAS RACING SERIES 

February 14 

Venue: Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island 

Bring your own car out to a Yas Track Day and feel like a champion and 

push your vehicle’s limits on our highly advanced Formula 1 circuit. 

Maneuver the configurations of this sensational track and get familiar 

with its turns and corners. You will be based out of Support Pit’s airconditioned 

garages with qualified Yas Racing School instructors to give 

driving tips and light coaching. You can follow one of YMC pace cars 

for a few laps to get to know the circuit and the best routes through the 

corners. The half-day and full-day sessions allow you to test your skills 

and the performance of your car in a safe and controlled environment. 

Details: 

www.yasmarinacircuit.com 

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS 

February 24 – March 2 

Venue: National Theatre, Abu Dhabi 

Under the patronage of H.H Sheikha Reem Bint Ahmed Bint Hamdan Al 

Nahyan, the legendary live performance of Snow White and The Seven 

Dwarfs will be showcased at the National Theater in Abu Dhabi. This 

spectacular play uses the highest technical equipment that offers optical 

illusions, which have amazed audiences around the world. It expands the 

imagination of children by showing a different and exciting perspective 

of this legendary children’s tale. 

For more details, visit www.skyevent.ae 

06 | www.tempoplanet.com 

TO ADVERTISE IN THE WIDEST CIRCULATED YOUTH AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED MAGAZINE IN THE UAE, CALL: 02 491 8624

MUSIC 

View the #1 song in the UAE 

TEMPO’S MUSIC CHART LETS YOU DISCOVER THE LATEST TOP 10 SONGS 

IN THE EMIRATE, WHILE KEEPING EYE ON YOUR FAVOURITE ARTISTS. 

SUIT & TIE (FEAT JAY Z) 

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE 

LITTLE THINGS 

ONE DIRECTION 

I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE 

TAYLOR SWIFT 

DRINKING FROM THE BOTTLE 

(FEAT. TINIE TEMPAH) – CALVIN HARRIS 

DON’T STOP THE PARTY 

(FEAT. TJR) – PITBULL 

MY LIFE 

(FEAT. EMINEM & ADAM LEVINE) – 50 CENT 

HO HEY 

THE LUMINEERS 

IMPOSSIBLE 

JAMES ARTHUR 

DIAMONDS 

RIHANNA 

LOCKED OUT OF HEAVEN 

BRUNO MARS 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

HALA SALEH is a 20 year old student who can’t 

start her day without listening to music. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

Thrift Shop (feat. Wanz) – Macklemore and Ryan Lewis 

Everything Has Changed (feat. Ed Sheeran) – Taylor Swift 

If I Didn’t Know Better – The Civil Wars 

Mercy (feat. Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz) – Kanye West 

Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash 

The One That Got Away – Katy Perry 

Fortune Teller – Maroon 5 

Glad You Came – The Wanted 

Good Girl – Carrie Underwood 

Kezzabeh – Joe Ashkar 

1. 

Suit & Tie (feat. JAY Z) – Justin Timberlake 

1. 

Suit & Tie (feat. JAY Z) – Justin Timberlake 

2. 

I Knew You Were Trouble – Taylor Swift 

2. 

I Knew You Were Trouble – Taylor Swift 

3. 

Ho Hey – The Lumineers 

3. 

Drinking from the Bottle (feat. Tinie Tempah) – Calvin Harris 

4. 

Locked Out of Heaven – Bruno Mars 

4. 

Impossible – James Arthur 

5. 

Don’t You Worry Child (feat. John Martin) – Swedish House Mafia 

5. 

Don’t Stop the Party (feat. TJR) – Pitbull 

6. 

Don’t Stop the Party (feat. TJR) – Pitbull 

6. 

Kiss You – One Direction 

7. 

Beauty and a Beat (feat. Nicki Minaj) – Justin Bieber 

7. 

Locked Out of Heaven – Bruno Mars 

8. 

Home – Phillip Phillips 

8. 

Clown – Emeli Sande 

9. 

Daylight – Maroon 5 

9. 

My Life (feat. Eminem & Adam Levine) – 50 Cent 

10. 

Sweet Nothing (feat. Florence Welsh) – Calvin Harris 

10. 

Skyfall - Adele 

08 | www.tempoplanet.com TO ADVERTISE IN THE WIDEST CIRCULATED YOUTH AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED MAGAZINE IN THE UAE, CALL: 02 491 8624

In Abu Dhabi there’s a tight little group that is passionate about one 

thing: language! Meet ‘AD Speaks:’ a multinational community that 

promotes the idea of all languages, communication and friendships. 

THE MANTRA 

WE ALL WANT TO 

SPEAK. WE ALL WANT 

TO SHARE. WE ARE ALL 

WILLING TO LISTEN. 

THE LOCATION AND TIME: 

Roul’s Cafe at Central Market. They meet every Tuesday 

7-9 for the entire group. Sunday 10-12 for women only. 

THE IDEA: 

People from all over the world 

(Columbia, Syria, Canada, 

Russia, France, India, and so 

on) come together to learn the 

language you’d like to have, 

and have a good time while 

doing so. 

HAROL 

Arrived from Columbia 

without the knowledge, 

or understanding of the 

English language. He 

joined the AD speaks 

a while ago he can now 

speak the language with 

unquestionable ease – he 

can keep up with any 

conversation. 

KHALED 

From Egypt. Learning 

French and English. 

He says AD Speak is a 

fabulous experience, and 

said it is one of the best 

experiences he had in 

Abu Dhabi. He teaches 

Arabic to others. 

THE ORGANIZERS: Patricia, Carol and Rosa 

HANAA 

From Syria says she’s 

had great help the group 

in learning English. 

She also hopes to learn 

Spanish and French. 

JANINE 

From Canada. Trying to learn the 

Arabic language said a challenge 

is to find and understand your 

own learning style. Her Arabic 

mentor commended her great 

ability in handling the language. 

Connecting: www.facebook.com/ADspeaks 


PHOTOGRAPHS BY: ANGELI CASTILLO 

SAM J. MACHIN 

29 } MUSICIAN 

FASHION STATEMENT: 

I heard Jess C Scott say “A fit, 

healthy body is the best fashion 

statement,” but that sounds like 

a lot of effort to me! So I just try 

to look at all the bands I grew up 

listening to, and then pick and 

choose the bits of style that I like. 

DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL 

STYLE IN LESS THAN 10 WORDS: 

Indie Rock, London, not Boy George. 

FAV BUY OF THE PAST MONTH: 

Probably my denim shirt from H&M. I was 

looking for ages for one the right colour and 

fit, and now and again H&M comes up with 

the goods. 

WHICH IS YOUR FAV STORE TO 

SHOP IN? 

I’d say Bershka, Pull & Bear, H&M, and 

Springfield is where I can usually find 

something to spend my money on! 

DOES THE UAE HAVE STYLE? 

Well, I suppose there is a tendency for 

quite a show-off kind of culture with all the 

money knocking about here, but now and 

again you do see some pretty ballsy outfits! 

DO YOU HAVE ANY FASHION 

PET HATES? 

I never quite see the point in people having 

those Chinese or Japanese symbols as 

tattoos, especially when they don’t speak 

or understand it! A lot of people in the UK 

have them these days, like for instance 

their children’s names or something, and 

naturally 99% of the people who see it will 

also not know what it means….so what’s 

the point?! 



MUSIC OBSESSION: 

MUSIC 

By Nabeela Huda 

THE MAGIC OF OBSELION 

It began back in 2006 when a young 

Mohammad Sawan found himself at 

his friend’s house listening to his friend 

playing the electric guitar. He was 

enthralled. Soon afterwards, a 23-yearold 

artist with an undying love for music 

emerged. 

Mohammad Sawan was born and raised in 

Abu Dhabi. After he graduated high school he 

applied for a job at Virgin Megastores to save 

up for college and music. Now he performs 

gigs around town, as the one-man band called 

Obselion. 

“ I had been trying to look for and reach new 

people to jam with and to start a new group. 

I couldn’t find anyone, so unfortunately, 

or fortunately, I had to do the entire thing 

on my own. Imagine a 5-piece band but one 

guy composing each instrument and writing 

everything! Beat by beat. Note by note. Word 

by word. What resulted was my Extended play 

(EP) “The Calm Fire”. I was lucky that a good 

friend of mine, Abbas Al Mossawi, agreed to 

help me and provide vocals since I’m not good at 

singing high notes like him. I thought to myself 

if there’s a chance to make this EP sound better 

why not go for it? And I was very happy with the 

final product. 

“ How I came up with the name ‘OBSELION’ is 

interesting. I spent a week trying to think of 

cool, catchy, and unique band names. I woke up 

one day and headed to the washroom to freshen 

up after a rough night and all that was screaming 

in my head was “OBSELION”. It didn’t make 

much sense to me but it sounded incredible! 

I googled the word and there was absolutely 

nothing about it, no definitions at all. So while 

brainstorming endlessly with my high school 

teacher, Mr. Wayne Brown, he exclaimed, “You 

know what, the right definition for Obselion is 

"Uncontrollably Devoted to Passion." And that 

stuck ! 

“ A high point for me was my participation in 

the talent-hunt, Yas Rock Factory that was held 

by Flash Entertainment. I won a spot and got 

the chance to play on the Flash Forum stage 

alongside several other great UAE bands from 

all genres on the same night 30 Seconds To Mars 

took performed. 

“ Thinking back, I believe that my English 

teacher from my last year of high school 

impacted me a lot. He himself is a musician 

and a music producer and he knows a lot about 

music. I was ecstatic to learn that he loved my EP 

especially the song “The Cure”. But early on I was 

inspired and entranced by my friend’s guitar 

strokes. I loved the energy. The first music my 

friend taught me was the intro to ‘In the End’ by 

Linkin Park. From that point on I loved music 

more than I ever thought I would. Since then my 

life has completely changed. 

“The Calm Fire contains six tracks and 

is 23 minutes long. Two of the tracks are 

instrumentals, a mix of dub step and post 

rock. And the other four tracks are just pure 

face-melting metal-core. A line from my song 

Dear Dreamer says” ‘I will never give up on my 

dreams. And I swear from what I feel, someday 

it will be real’. I say believe and achieve your 

dreams”. 

The Calm Fire is available online at 

www.obselion.bandcamp.com to 

download it for free. 

http://obselion.bandcamp.com/ 

track/the-calm-fire 


PAPER MAGIC 

UAE QUILLER, FARAH AL FARDH 

By Sanah Chauhan 

Although new to the Arab world, 

the art of paper quilling dates back 

centuries. What started off as a 

hobby for Italian and French nuns 

during the Renaissance is now an 

increasingly popular art form being 

practiced all over the world. This 

gentle art form involves rolling up 

strips of paper into shapes and designs 

that are used to decorate wedding 

invitations, birth announcements, 

greeting cards, scrapbook pages, and 

boxes and even art displays. 

At the vanguard of the paper quilling movement 

in the UAE is Farooha Humaid Al Fardh, 

the only Emirati paper quilling artist to be 

recognized both locally and internationally. 

Tempo caught up with her to learn more about 

this unique art. 

AN ARTISTIC DISCOVERY 

Farooha, 33, always had a passion for arts and 

crafts throughout her school life. She graduated 

in 2002 from Zayed University’s College of 

Communication and Media Sciences but was 

introduced to paper quilling in 2004 quite 

by accident… 


“That was when I twisted my ankle and was 

advised bed rest for a month. I had to find a 

way to pass my time. I came across a book called 

Paper Twirling on Amazon, which included 

everything from the instructions to the 

materials required for the craft.” 

She showed her artwork to her relatives, friends 

and colleagues, and they all encouraged her 

to develop her skills. Soon she started to sell 

her artwork through an online forum for UAE 

women. “The first of my artwork to be sold were 

in the shape of colourful sheep! And during the 

month of Ramadan, I sold 350 sheep! That was a 

great beginning for me.” 

FROM SHEEP TO STARDOM 

Her success with the sheep art resulted in many 

queries regarding in an online forum, and soon 

Farah began posting DIY Paper Quilling articles 

online to explain how to make basic shapes and 

designs. These articles spread word of mouth 

about the artform throughout the Arab world 

and was especially noticed by one of the forum 

members, who happened to be an employee at 

Sama Dubai TV. 

The Sama TV reporter invited Farah to present 

her artwork on a TV show called “Marasi” 

and soon after that Farah received a deluge of 

invitations from other channels. Farah was 

invited to channels like Rotana Khalijeya, Al 

Arabiya, Noor Dubai TV, Abu Dhabi TV, Al Ain 

TV, Dubai TV, Sharjah TV and Decision 

Makers TV. 

In January 2009 Farah launched the first ever 

Arabic/English website on the art of paper 

quilling. “I called the website “Farooha,” my 

nickname, and soon I was getting lots of traffic 

and inquiries.” In fact the website became so 

popular that it went on to win the Tamaiaz 

Award from Mawarid Finance in May 2009 in 

the presence of Sheikh Majed Bin Mohamed Al 

Maktoum. 

In 2009, Farah joined The Quilling Guild in 

the UK and was the first appointed regional 

representative from the UAE. She then joined 

the North American Quilling Guild, the Japan 

Quilling Guild in 2010 and the Dutch Quilling 

Guild in 2011. 

SPREADING THE WORD 

Farah’s endeavours to spread the art of quilling 

in the Arab world have been successful. After her 

television appearance on Sama Dubai TV, Farah 

was invited by Dubai Women’s Association 

to conduct quilling workshops. She also had 

a kiosk in Modhesh Fun City for two months

called “Al Fardh Crafts” where she sold many 

craft books and tools related to paper quilling. 

In a bid to promote quilling in schools Farah 

conducted workshops in Ras Al Khaimah for art 

teachers from different emirates to promote the 

art in their own classes. “In all the encounters 

where I demonstrated the art, people were seeing 

quilling for the first time. It was amazing to see 

how people reacted to my work.” 

In July 2009 Farah participated at the First Doll 

Exhibition at Dubai Festival City where she was 

the only Arab among 15 artists from around 

the world. Through this exhibition Farah 

started creating 3D figures or miniatures and 

introduced the first Emirati 3D figures. 

In 2010, she conducted a workshop at Zayed 

University, which was part of the “Refresh” 

Festival and in the same year also participated 

in the RAK Economic Department creativity 

and talent exhibition. Farah was especially 

thrilled when she was asked to participate in the 

UAE’s 40th UAE National Day, and where she 

organized a quilling demonstration. 

She says her next step is to start teaching classes 

formally. “ There are a lot of art enthusiasts 

who are looking for new creative options to 

explore.” She adds: “I know that all it takes is to 

get people started as quilling is very addictive. 

It’s like that commercial for Pringles: Once You 

Pop, You Can't Stop. I want everyone to try it and 

experience the joy that it brings.” 


PRESENTS 

LOTSA DOSA 

By Nabeela Huda 

ARE YOU IN SEARCH OF A DISTINCTIVE 

INDIAN CUISINE? THEN YOU SHOULD 

TRY THE ‘DOSA,’ THE FERMENTED RICE 

BEAUTY THAT IS THE STAPLE FOOD OF 

THE SOUTH INDIANS, AND THAT IS SIMPLE 

YET DELECTABLY VERSATILE. HERE’S A 

QUICK GUIDE: 

WHERE: SANGEETHA 

WHAT: Masala Dosa 

BUILD: Perfectly round Indian 

crepes with two dips: coconut 

mint and coconut chili. 

COMMENT: Searching for 

a rich, authentic experience I 

went to check out Sangeetha on 

very busy Electra Street. What I 

found was the most unaffected 

Indian experience ever! The 

double floored small space and 

the servers dressed in culturally 

resonant apparel reminded me 

of the Indian ferry sailors of 

the 90’s. Within 10 minutes my 

order arrived. It was served in 

a large circular hot aluminium 

plate. If I could have Masala Dosa 

for the rest of my life, it would 

need to be exactly like this! It was 

incomparable fermented rice, 

and it came with a mushy filling 

of mashed potato and coconut 

mint dip to die for. 

RECOMMENDATION: 

Great food at a bargain price 

- you can eat enough to feed a 

nation! 

RATING: 

WHERE: ARAB UDUPI 

RESTAURANT 

WHAT: Masala Dosa 

BUILD: Paper-thin Masala 

Dosa with a choice of dips and 

‘aloodaal’ (lentil and potato 

mixture) 

COMMENT: One of the oldest 

Indian restaurants in the UAE, 

Arab Udupi still leads the South 

Indian pack. My order of masala 

dosa when it reached my table 

was a sight to see! Spanning an 

entire arm’s length (kid you 

not), it was an impressive sight. 

I loved it, not only because of 

its value-for-money to size-ofdinner-plate 

ratio (literally), 

but in terms of taste as well! I 

enjoyed the flakes that tore off 

the bread, the dips that were of 

consistent thickness, and texture 

of the dosa. 


A little more expensive then 

Sangeetha, but one taste of it and 

you will regret not having tried 

it earlier! 

RATING: 

WHERE: ARYAAS 

RESTAURANT 

WHAT: Aryaas Special Dosa 

BUILD: Vibrant conical 

beauties in every colour 

COMMENT: Located in 

Karama, Dubai, Aryaas offers 

an extensive menu of dosas, 

uttapams (Indian pancakes), and 

idlis (rice cakes) using authentic 

ingredients of rice flour, lentils 

or semolina. This popular 

restaurant is a treat to the mouth 

and to the wallet. Their gorgeous 

dosa came in multiple colours 

(green, yellow and orange!) along 

with a wonderfully pungent 

‘sambar’ chutney of coriander, 

coconut and tomato. The dosas 

were a delight to eat, with juices 

dripping everywhere. 


Make sure to lick the last bit 

of sauce from your fingertips 

because the chutneys are far too 

precious to waste! 

RATING: 

WHERE: FOODLANDS 

WHAT: Rava Dosa 

BUILD: Buttery thicker and 

crispier, with aachar (pickles). 

COMMENT: Foodlands on 

Airport Road in Abu Dhabi and 

Salahuddin Road in Dubai, is 

a pleasing family restaurant 

that offers a variety of Indian 

cuisines (as well as some that are 

Persian and Chinese). In search 

of the mighty dosa, I couldn’t 

wait to try out their version. 

What I was served were rava 

dosas that were very buttery, hot, 

soft and waiting for your teeth 

to sink into them. Thicker than 

most regular dosas, these were 

also somehow crispier but just 

perfect with the accompanying 

seasoned squishy potatoes. 

RECOMMENDATION: If 

you’re going to binge, the taste 

makes the ghee factor worth it. 

RATING: 


INNOVATION COMPETITION: 

MUSAHAMATI FOR YOUTH 

By Ajir Shujahi 

Musahamati is a competition launched 

by the Abu Dhabi Awards aimed at 

promoting innovation among youth 

in Abu Dhabi. Khaled Al Falasi, 

Senior Strategic Communication 

Officer at Executive Affairs presented 

Musahamati at Tamakkan, and Tempo 

caught up with him to find out more 

about this exciting initiative... 

KHALED, TELL US ABOUT 

MUSAHAMATI. 

Musahamati, meaning ‘My Contribution’ in 

Arabic, encourages the youth in Abu Dhabi to 

identify an issue within the community and 

provide a creative solution that will make a 

positive change. Recognizing that youth are an 

integral part of our community and the Emirate 

of Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Awards launched 

the initiative ‘Musahamati’ as a competition is 

open to citizens and residents, between 16-23 

years old. 

WHAT ARE ITS OBJECTIVES? 

The initiative has been designed to encourage a 

sense of social responsibility amongst the youth 

in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. We aim to promote 

creative thinking and community solutions by 

showcasing participants and winners as local 

innovators and role models. Also, we hope to 

instill the Abu Dhabi Awards values of giving, 

selflessness, commitment and inspiration. 

HOW DOES IT WORK? 

Well, first you need to apply. Participants choose 

a category and then define a specific issue that 

they aim to resolve and results they intend to 

achieve. The categories are: Environmental 

Preservation & Awareness; Culture & Heritage; 

Technology & Innovation; Healthy Lifestyle 

and Social Responsibility. Submissions are 

only made via an entry form available on www. 

musahamati.ae. 

Then, if you’re selected, you must attend 

the Shortlisted Workshop: the shortlisted 

submissions are invited to a workshop, where 

they will be offered advice from experts. 

The third step is final proposal submission 

from shortlisted participants:participants 

have threeweeks tosubmit final proposals. 

Then, you will have to provide the final 

presentations:shortlisted participants present 

proposals to the judging committee. Finally, the 

winner will be announced! Initial support will be 

provided to bring the idea to life. 

WHAT CRITERIA DOES THE 

APPLICANT HAVE TO FULFILL? 

Good question! All submissions will be judged 

against the following criteria: how achievable 

they are – practical, meets community needs. 

How sustainable – efficiently maintained over 

a sustained period; offers the potential for 

a lasting effect; not a one-off initiative. Is it 

original, inspirational? Ideas must be unique and 

motivational for members of the community. 

Research is very important: you will need to 

provide sufficient qualitative and quantitative 

analysis and research to support the idea. 

Another question to ask yourself is: is my idea 

scale-able? That is, is it flexible and adaptable? 

Can it be reproduced elsewhere? Cost-efficiency, 

too, should be considered: submissions that 

demonstrate low cost and high benefits are 

preferred. 

WATCH THE EXCITING VIDEO 

CAMPAIGN DESIGNED BY BRANDMOXIE 

Be sure to send in your submissions before 

the deadline which is February 23. 

Follow @musahamati and 

#musahamati 


TECHNOLOGICALLY 

AFFECTED DEATHS 

By Ahmed Samir 

ENLIGHTENMENT: 

STANDING YOUR GROUND 

By Saif Nasir 

Not much goes untold these days. So much of our lives 

is broadcast to everyone we know electronically: who we 

know and become “friends” with, who we’ve met, where we 

went, and what happened. We’re witnessing the death— 

or at least, farthest possible truncation — of enquiry and 

privacy; the former dying because we rarely have to ask 

to know something (we can find nearly anything about 

someone on their profiles), the latter seeing its demise 

in the phenomenon of the internet-sharing of 

nearly everything! 

Why do we feel the compulsion to share everything online? Is it 

arrogance, and we think everyone inhabiting our social-pages wants 

–or, worse still– deserves to know? Or is it a latent god-complex 

and we’re aching to delineate every facet of our existence to our 

“followers”? The name “follower” connotes a certain subservience, 

doesn’t it? Are we really looking to share our mind’s contents by 

tweeting, or are we all secretly looking to build our deserved fanbase? 

Unabashed self-advertisers, the lot of us! 

People will always try to enforce thoughts and opinions on 

you, thinking they know all there is to know about you, 

and all that can be done in response to a life’s situation 

facing you. 

Maybe it’s their dumb human propensity to proclaim themselves 

infallible, but it is your responsibility to stand your ground firmly, 

and not let others’ opinions shake your confidence. Those around 

you will try to change you, but it’s your (our) collective job to fight 

back if we truly truly believe in the actions we take. 

This idea of influence branches out and reaches far, and to many 

areas. In the end, they all intertwine and lead back to the same point: 

don’t let the outside world change your opinion of who you are, how 

you act, what you do, what you believe in, the decisions you make, 

and so on. 

And it’s impacting conversation, too! The real world kind of 

conversation (distinction for in-person, face-to-face conversation). 

Instead of actively participating in it – listening, assimilating what 

I’m told, replying accordingly – when, say, I’m told a story about 

something that happened earlier, I’m reduced to replying with, “I 

know, you already tweeted about it” – or – “Yeah, you posted pictures 

of it on Facebook,” or some other equally abominable variation of the 

same. There — the practice of revealing, in-conversation storytelling 

is dead, too! 

The modern human finds himself in a state of uber-connectedness 

never before experienced by any of his hierarchal kin. Seconds 

after you think of that witty remark and tweeting it, someone half 

the world away would be chuckling at it, and your visit to that new 

restaurant, they know about that too, along with your relationship 

status, and, much to 

the indignation of the 

thoughtful few who 

remember them, your 

birthday as well. It’s 

a violent deluge of 

personal information 

unfolding itself for 

whoever wishes to be 

informed (calling all 

stalkers!), and you 

have to wonder if it’s 

good for so much to 

be bandied around 

like cheap candy. 

For the time being, though, this information explosion is staying, 

and it’s clear, too: unless I decide to be a hermit and revoke every 

concession to technology, I won’t have my privacy back. Well, there’s 

an idea… 

It is your life to live. The choices you make might be faulty, but 

they are your choices that you made of your free will, and that is 

something every person has, and that is ultimately how you will 

learn; that is how you will become better as a person. You live 

and learn, as they say. So recognize that to be human is to make 

mistakes. 

Countless times in my writing, painting, life, people would not give 

me advice, but would rather try to forcibly make me do what is in 

their minds as they are convinced that this is the best thing to do. 

Very often I forget that it is within my capability to refute and deny 

them what they want. 

They will push. Just push back harder. Keep in mind that I am not 

advocating disobedience; we all need to listen to our elders, and we 

have to listen to the words and guidance of others. Consider them. 

If you feel like the option presented is a better one, then follow 

through and act on it. Think things through, always. Don’t let others 

cause you to be confused or in the dark, because that’ll be nothing 

more than a catalyst to have you make regrettable decisions. As 

Victor Hugo said, “The soul in darkness sins, but the real sinner is 

he who caused the darkness.” 



FEB 

Snow White and the 

Seven Dwarves 

@ Abu Dhabi 

National Theatres 

Dubai Polo 

Club Series 

@ Dubai Polo & 

Equesterian Club 

Figure it out 

@ Dubai Festival 

Centre 

Jan 14 –Feb 27 

Short & Sweet 

Workshops Dubai 

@ Dubai 

Yas Drifts Night 

@ Yas Marina 

Circuit 

24 25 26 27 

Nada 

28 

Micheal Jackson 

History Show II 

featuring Kenny 

Wizz @ Souk 

MadinatJumeirah 

Child actress 

and love, Dakota 

Fanning’s birthday 

Dubai Duty Free 

Tennis Championship 

@ The Aviation Club 

ME Tech 

@ Madinat Jumeirah 

Barbados beauty 

Rihanna’s Birthday 

Meydan Race Nights 

@ Nad Al Sheba 

Barry Hilton in Stand- 

Up Chameleon 

@ Souk 

MadinatJumeirah 

17 18 19 20 21 22 

Arjun Suria 

23 

Camel Festival 

@ Sweihan Area 

1-15 

MEFMA Annual 

Conference 

@ The Address, 

Dubai Marina 

Lovable Rachel from 

friend’s, Jennifer 

Aniston’s Birthday 

Les Contradictions 

de la Vie 

@ The Mojo Gallery 

Jan 14- Feb 28 

Valentines Day 

Dubai Jazz Festival 

@ Dubai Festival City 

14-22 

Call for Artists 

@ Arsh Art Gallery 

N.B. 

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 

Omega Dubai Desert 

Classic 

@ Emirates Gulf Club 

Al Ain Fun Fair 

@ ADNEC 

Convention Centre 

Al Ain 

Gourmet Abu Dhabi 

@ Abu Dhabi 

5-20 

Abu Dhabi Art Hub 

@ Abu Dhabi 

UAE Wooden 

Powerboat 

Championship 

@ Break Water, 

Abu Dhabi 

5th Emirates Classic 

Car Festival 

@ Emaar Boulevard 

3 4 5 6 7 8 

Alessandro Lauria 

Yas Track Day 

@ Yas Marina Circuit 

9 

Wild Wadi’s Swim 

@ Burj Al Arab 

Columbian sensation 

Shakira’s Birthday 

my january to do list my january eco pledge 

1 

2

doc in the house 

Dr. DMS | A doc from the Bronx 

remixing rumi 

Dorian ‘Paul D’ Rogers 

"YOU LOOK FINE, 

WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?" 

AND “DOES THIS HURT?” 

A POET’S TWIST ON THE ANCIENT CLASSICS OF 

RUMI. PAUL D’ TAKES A CLASSIC POEM AND 

REMIXES IT TO GIVE IT A CONTEMPORARY SPIN. 

The Breeze At Dawn 

by Rumi 

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. 

Don't go back to sleep. 

You must ask for what you really want. 


People are going back and forth across the doors 

where the two worlds touch. 

The door is round and open. 


The Pillow that Became You 

by Dorian "Paul D" Rogers 

Do you think that everyone manifests pain the same way? How can you 

tell if a person is in pain when they’re not screaming or actually telling 

you? These are in fact, legitimate questions that every doctor faces and 

that many researchers try to answer. It is a genuine medical conundrum 

and causes a lot of stress to everyone involved, including doctors. 

You would think it was straightforward, but the more one looks into 

it, the murkier the facts become. Does gender make a difference? As a 

child, I always assumed that girls were “sissies,” because they would cry 

with a little rough play. Did they cry because they were hurt? Or because 

they were annoyed? Fast forward a few years and women are now often 

praised for their high pain “threshold”. I often hear “It’s not as bad as 

childbirth,” (or other such similar references to child birth) with giving 

birth presented as the most painful human experience. 

How about cultural expressions of pain? I have seen some cultures 

screaming “whoop, whoop”, while slapping the top of their heads during 

minor procedures, while others remain calm and collected. We often 

credit more flamboyant cultures with low thresholds, and histrionic 

behavior, but I wonder if it’s not so much about the level of pain, but 

rather the expression of it. 

Then, there are the traumas: the awake gunshot victims, amputees, burn 

victims etc, who at times surprise us with their calm presentation. Are 

they in pain? Hell yeah! Folks describe them as “being in shock”. But why 

are they so calm? Occasionally staff assumes they are comfortable and 

thus give them nothing. 

So how do we tackle this problem? Usually using an incredibly stupid 

question: “on a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst pain you can 

imagine for example being stung by killer bees and set on fire at the same 

time, what do you rate your pain as?” Amazing advancement in science! 

You can even safely try it at home. Believe it or not, that’s what hospitals 

are starting to do everywhere. Obviously it’s flawed, right? Sure, but that 

is all we’ve got. Medicine is an art. I hope that it will never be reduced 

to the pathetic checklists that are being served to us in plentiful supply 

these days. If you could do this at home, then I’d be out of a job... 

You consist of downy feather. 

Became a fifth of your original size 

and just a fraction of your weight. 

You've lost all the melanin that hued you, 

Now you're neutral and lily white. 

More plump. 

Less personal. 

More silent treatments. 

Less arguments. 

You make me want to go back to sleep. 

This is my gradual way of letting you go. 

The white flag over tea and cookies. 

There were too many gunshots before. 

Artillery shells carpeted the bedroom floor. 

There are no true winners in war. 

It was the fighting that killed us. 

I hold you tightly nightly, daily if my schedule allows. 

Lovers wonder why I don't cuddle with them, 

or share intense stares. 

They swoon if I don't spoon, 

flip over on their backs and roll their eyes like dice. 

Maybe I'd be more sensual in bed if you were hidden. 

Too big for the dresser drawer. 

I could tuck you under cover and blanket 

and make love over the sheets like the heartless do. 

You've made me a celibate wreck. 

I'm officially single but unofficially still yours. 

Your remain my singular regret. 

Maybe it's better this way. 

Ages have past and now your scent has aged on my bed sheets. 

Smells of crushed rose and trampled intentions. 

I mention you as small talk on road trips and airplane rides 

when travelers ask why I brought you along. 

I want to go back to sleep. 

Let me wean with this baby bottle. 

Let me fast with cloth and cushion like the children do. 

Stay inanimate for me just a little while longer 

so I can heal in absentia 

of the woman that is probably way over me. 


HEART, ART 

AND SOUL: 

MUSIC HENRY BENNETT 

By Ajir Shujahi 

Henry Bennett, a 27-year-old 

performer and teacher in Abu 

Dhabi, fits the profile of the 

impassioned artist who is bursting 

with a need to express himself 

artistically, and to find recognition 

for his unique and refreshing 

performances. Born in Liverpool 

to English/ Iris parentage, Henry 

went to cathedral school in Oxford 

and studied music at university 

in London. Tempo caught up 

with him to learn about his latest 

artistic forays... 


INTRODUCE HENRY TO US. 

I am a singer, pianist and cellist and enjoy 

all kinds of experiments with sound and the 

immersive arts. I hate television but love 

French cinema. I play football once a week 

and like climbing mountains in remote parts 

of the world. I love meeting new people. I am 

easily overwhelmed with emotions and prone 

to bursting into tears over the most basic 

expressions of humanity. 

IS IT TRUE THAT YOU LEFT HOME 

AT THE AGE OF EIGHT TO PURSUE 

MUSIC? 

Yes, I left home at eight to pursue a singing 

scholarship - my parents let me make the 

decision myself! The first major hurdle was 

overcoming my homesickness. I cried myself 

to sleep every night for two weeks and had to 

be separated from the other children because 

I was keeping them awake at night. After my 

tears had dried, nothing seemed quite the same 

ever again. Leaving home was one of the hardest 

things that ever happened to me but I haven't 

looked back since! I like to constantly challenge 

myself - all the career related obstacles that have 

come my way have been of my own making. I 

believe that the biggest test is always getting to 

know yourself. 

WHO OR WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF 

YOUR INSPIRATION? 

I'm greatly inspired by the imagination and 

inventive scope of children. There's nothing 

more heartwarming than hearing the sound 

of a baby giggling, or conversely as disturbing 

as a child's screams in the night time. I deeply 

admire truly independent thinkers for being 

themselves. A personal hero of mine is the 

composer Oliver Messiaen who had a rare 

neurological condition called synaesthesia 

which caused crossover between his senses. 

He literally saw colours in music and devised 

a system of composition which adhered to his 

unique spectral understanding. 

His music conjures up a bizarre new world of 

uniform abstraction; it's an alien landscape 

with laws unto itself. He was a devoted man 

who was fascinated and enthralled with nature, 

spending many hours notating bird-song in 

his garden. He was famous for his incredible 

improvisations on the church organ and was the 

first to incorporate electronic sounds into the 

symphony.

HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE AS 

TEACHER BEEN? 

Wonderful so far. It's been rewarding from a 

personal and emotional perspective and also 

in relation to my development as a musician. 

I find the teacher-student relationship to be 

symbiotic. You both learn a great deal from 

the experience. I always see a little of myself 

in my students and have greatly enjoyed 

having the opportunity to meet people like 

me from all over the world. It was fascinating 

to live and work with non-english speaking 

university students in Central China. Much 

faster than I imagined it possible, we found 

ways to communicate in a way that transcended 

language. Music truly is a universal dialect. 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RECENT 

PROJECT IN MANARAT AL 

SAADIYAT. 

On January 16th I debuted my project 'Recycled 

Rhythms' at Manarat al Saadiyat. It is an 

interactive musical experience which I installed 

as part of 'Eco-scape' in association with the 

Ministry of Culture's Eco-future exhibition. 

I collected donations of hundreds of empty 

bottles, cans, coat hangers, old pots and pans, 

cutlery, bottle tops, bits of piping, old tools and 

much more which were used by kids to build 

their own musical instruments. We recorded 

the sounds and overlaid them to create an 

improvised soundscape- it was really cool! I'm 

now looking forward to taking the project on 

tour and into schools. 

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF 

IN FIVE YEARS? 

In five years I'll be 32 which seem pretty old, 

so I should probably have written my first 

second and third symphonies by then! I will 

continue to explore new parts of the world 

but hope to settle on a concrete aesthetic 

which will define my work. I am constantly 

developing ideas about new ways to make 

music and have yet to find an identity which 

caters to all of my creative needs. Perhaps 

I will become the first 'king of all trades'! 

I'm now contemplating taking masters in 

opera. Who knows what the future holds? 

Whatever it is it will be fun I am sure. 

WHAT DO YOU 

SAY TO ASPIRING 

MUSICIANS AND 

READERS? 

I would like to make an 

appeal to young musicians 

and Tempo readers to 

become more active in the 

community. There are so 

many ways to revitalize 

your life by being more 

creative. Turn off your 

television. Turn off your 

computer. Go to an art 

gallery. Start a band. Take 

singing lessons. Make a 

collage. Join a choir. Write 

poetry. Tell stories. Invent 

plays. These experiences 

can change the way we 

see the world for the 

better. They open our 

horizons and broaden our 

understanding of life. 

If you are a school or art house and 

are interested in hosting Henry’s 

Recycled Rhythm event please contact 

rhythmsrecycled@gmail.com 


game hedz 

Blakniss | Original game head from Atari to XBox! 

tech talk 

Shahid Saeed | Talker for the Non-Techies 

DEAD SPACE 3 

Dead Space 3 is out and you should be playing in the dark and shivering with fear. 

We played the demo before the game came out and immediately had reservations 

about weapons customization. I didn't need customized weapons in the first two - 

why would I need them now? That, and it seemed to be way more time consuming 

and complex than it needed to be. I think lots of gamers are going to pass up the 

bench customization and just go for existing blueprints. 

The other downer was a strong feeling of deja vu. Yes different enemies, yes a new 

environment but - meh. So what? That said, the demo was only a very, very, very 

small peak into the game - and developers never give away any important stuff in 

demos. So, maybe the post mortem will be far more positive. 

MSI NETBOOK 

U180 N2600 

MSI U180 a 10.1-inch 

netbook powered by 

Intel’s Cedar Trail 

platform is pretty 

much what you would 

expect from a small 

and lightweight 

netbook. 

It has LED backlit 

1024X600 screen, 

packs with Intel’s 

Atom N2600 dual-core Processor, GMA 3650 graphics, up to 2 GB of 

DDR3 RAM, 320 GB of Hard Disk Drive and so much more. 

This pretty versatile device is priced at AED 999 at various Carrefour 

stores across UAE. 

LENOVO IDEAPAD 

S400NOTEBOOK 

Lenovo IdeaPad S400 a premium 

looking with its metallic 

exterior notebook is powered 

by Intel’s 3rd generation Intel 

Core i5 1.7 Ghz CPU, 14-inch 

HD widescreen (1366X768) 

LED Display running on Intel 

HD Graphics 4000, 4GB DDR3 

RAM, 500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 

3 USB ports, and other features. 

It is also loaded with Microsoft 

Windows 8. 

MARK OF THE NINJA 

If you haven't found this little gem on XBox Arcade, give it a whirl. With graphics 

in a very Samurai Jack kind of style, the story is intriguing and the game play 

tons of fun in this sideways scroller. You have your customary upgrades with 

an imaginative choice of weapons and distraction items from darts that cause 

hallucinations to a portable box you can hide in when necessary. 

A Ninja fighting to protect the integrity of his clan; you are sent on a suicide 

mission that comes with twists, turns and a couple surprises. It's a stealth game no 

doubt, but you can always let the blades fly if you are so inclined. The game tends 

to reward stealthy movement and stealthy kills. 

Pick it up for 1200 MS points. 

MY FAV APP } USER: ATA UR REHMAN SHEIKH 

AWQAF UAE: 

The General Authority and Islamic Affairs 

and Endowments of United Arab Emirates has 

launched its Mobile Application which offers a 

broad range of services, including Adan alerts, 

Fatwa questions and answers, mosque locator, 

Qibla directions, as well as information on hajj 

and umrah. 

You can also download Friday sermons, books and publications. 

The app is available for free download on iPhone, iPod Touch, 

Android and Blackberry Smartphones. 

The S400 is priced at AED 2299 

at Carrefour UAE with a free bundle comprising :Touchmate Tablet, 

Touchmate Mouse and Touchmate headset. 

NEWS & GOSSIP 

US$ 100 CHARGE FOR SENDING A MESSAGE TO 

MARK ZUCKERBERG?? 

Sending a message to Facebook founder Zuckerberg carries a $100 

price tag, according to Mashable. That’s also what it costs to message 

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandburg, CFO David Ebersman, and several 

other Facebook members. 

A Facebook representative told CNN that they are testing some 

extreme price points as a spam filtering mechanism. The messaging fee 

is one of several new revenue streams Facebook is testing. 

WINDOWS MESSENGER TURNING OFF 

Starting from 15 March 2013 is the cut off date set by Microsoft to get 

everyone using Windows Messenger to migrate to Skype. 

In November 2012 Microsoft made the announcement that they will 

be switching off Live Messenger 

in early 2013 but they gave no 

specific date at the time. To help 

people migrate before March 15 

Microsoft had provided a way to 

talk and swap contacts between 

Messenger and it has added 

an upgrade button to replace 

messenger with Skype. 

Follow me on 

@shahidaasi 



WHAT’S COOL, FUNNY AND QUIRKY ON THE NET 

The Tube 

DRIVE THRU INVISIBLE DRIVER PRANK 

Sit back and don’t hurt yourself laughing at people freaking out to a ghost driving a 

car through a drive-thru! 

AMAZING BURJ KHALIFA FIREWORKS 2012 

Missed out the chance to watch fireworks live front of the largest tower in the 

world? Don’t worry, head out to youtube! 

PEP GUARDIOLA REFUSES TO SHAKE HANDS 

Ouch! The Spanish football player refuses common courtesy with the Portuguese 

heartthrob? That must have hurt… 

UAE VS. IRAQ, ARABIAN GULF CUP 2013 

For those who have missed the finals of Gulf Cup 2013, watch all goals and full 

highlights where the team UAE lifts the Gulf Cup 2013 

Blogwatch 

Twitter Tweeps 

A dedicated women magazine 

that deals with topic such as 

Arabic cuisine, beauty, gardens, 

pregnancy and so on. 

Follow Us 

A fun loving and inspiring author 

with a huge fan following. 

@abudhabitempo 

Like Us 

www.emaratiya.com 

facebook page 

@AlexanderMcNabb 


Sana Bagersh addresses the conference 

MOVING FORWARD: 

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AND THE FUTURE OF MENA 

By Alma Kadragic (@almakad) | Photos by Christina Fernandes 

An Arab woman in this region has 

three men who influence her life, said 

Sana Bagersh (@Bagersh) to women 

attending the “Women Entrepreneurs 

in MENA” in Dubai last month: her 

father, brother, and husband. Bagersh 

spoke at the conference organised by 

Chicago Booth and Booz and Co to 

explore issues relating to women’s 

economic empowerment, and to 

specifically address ‘The Third Billion’ 

– the number of women entering the 

workforce in the next decade. 

Bagersh said these three individuals impact a 

woman in three ways: what she studies, if and 

where she works, and how she is funded in case 

she becomes an entrepreneur. She said that 

government policy has great transformational 

impact in favour of women. She said the 

latest UAE Cabinet Decision for the inclusion 

of women in company and organizational 

boards has a strong trickle-down influence to 

three distinct audiences: it sends a message to 

women – validating them and their efforts; it 

lets fathers/ brothers/ husbands know that such 

change is sanctioned by the government and is 

great for nation building, and three, it sends a 

message to employers that women are worthy of 

these leadership positions. 

“In my case,” Bagersh said, “my father let me go 

to university in the US, my brothers supported 

me, and at this time in my life, I count on my 

husband for being there for me personally and 

professionally. Bagersh is the managing editor 

of Tempo, CEO of BrandMoxie and founder of 

Tamakkan, a leading entrepreneurship support 

network. 

Four years ago New York Times journalist 

Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) and his wife 

Sheryl Wu Dunn (@WuDunn) published “Half 

the Sky,” a book about how empowering women 

is the key to helping individuals, families, 

and ultimately entire societies improve their 

standard of living. 

That kind of thinking was behind the 

conference organized by Booz & Company 

and the alumni of the University of Chicago 

Booth School of Business. The starting point 

was the Third Billion Index created by Booz & 

Company to link data from a number of sources 

to identify the national environment for women 

at work around the world. 

Figures for 128 countries ranked them in 

categories such as “At the Starting Gate,” 

“Taking the Right Steps,” and “On the Path to 

Success.” No MENA country was beyond “the 

Starting Gate.” The UAE is number 109 of 128 

countries in empowering women; India is 115; 

Saudi Arabia is 123; Finland is at the top. 

In the next ten years one billion women – the 

third billion - are expected to join the world’s 

24 | www.tempoplanet.com TO ADVERTISE IN THE WIDEST CIRCULATED YOUTH AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED MAGAZINE IN THE UAE, CALL: 02 491 8624

Dr. Leila Hoteit addresses the conference 

A member of the audience asks a question 

Sana Bagersh chatting with delegates 

workforce. Many of them will start their own 

businesses, but it won’t be easy. 

Dr. Leila Hoteit, Principal, Booz & Company, 

listed four challenges that women make it 

difficult for working women and entrepreneurs 

alike: 

• Becoming acknowledged as more than only 

caregivers 

• Recognizing importance of investing 

in women’s future – education, health 

services, day care for children 

• Thinking small – only microfinance 

available, not larger loans 

• Lack of gender-specific data so that status 

of women can be separated from general 

categories 

Governments can help by providing 

women with: 

• Education 

• Equal pay for equal work 

• Maternity leave 

• Paternity leave 

• Childcare 

• Support to entrepreneurs 

All of this is most important in the GCC, 

according to Dr. Hoteit, because women here are 

three times more likely to be unemployed than 

men. 

During coffee breaks when she wasn’t on 

stage, Bagersh was pelted with questions from 

participants who wanted to ask questions more 

privately. 

Everyone at the conference seemed to agree 

that there is much work to be done to empower 

women in MENA and thereby help combat 

unemployment and social problems. 



THE PLANETARIANS 

THE POWER OF THE 

DATE PALM UNLOCKED: 

ENVIRONMENTAL POLUTION AND WATER SOURCE 

By Tempo Research Dept 

DATE PALM TREES ARE 

EVERYWHERE AROUND 

US. THEY ARE INTRINSIC 

TO THE HISTORY OF THIS 

REGION AND ARE KNOWN 

FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE 

GIVING PROPERTIES. IN 

THE PAST EVERY PART 

OF THE PALM HAD A 

TANGIBLE USE FOR 

PROVIDING SHELTER 

AND SUSTENANCE. 

Yet during the process of date farming large 

amounts of waste product are generated from 

the trees. In fact, an estimated 180,000 tons of 

date palm leaves are generated annually by date 

palm plantations in the Middle East and also 

North Africa. 

Innovative research from Sultan Qaboos 

University could hold the answer. SQU 

researchers have found a new way of putting 

palm tree waste to good use. They have 

discovered that extracts from palm date leaves 

are effective in removing chemicals from the 

water released from medical institutions, like 

hospitals and clinics. 

SQU researchers are piloting the use of a 

treatment plant for use as a natural way to 

treat the contaminated water. To render 

waste-water sterile before it is released into the 

sewers system, chemists use dehydrated carbon 

derived from the waste date palm leaves to aid 

in the filtration process. 

The process involves extracting the carbon 

from the leaves using sulfuric acid at 170°C 

through a process known as carbonization. 

Carbon produced in this manner removes the 

pharmaceutical chemicals as well as heavy 

metals making the water safe for irrigation. 

SQU principal researcher El-Said El-Shafey 

explained that this method of removing the 

chemicals from water was developed over more 

than a decade of research. Although the team 

was also successful in producing dehydrated 

carbon from other kinds of agricultural waste, 

El Shafey said that the date palm leaves have 

been more effective than other forms of 

agricultural waste. 

The findings of SQU are a significant step 

in curbing environmental pollution in 

treatment plants all over the world. The use of 

dehydrated carbon from agricultural waste can 

also help solve the problem of dwindling water 

supplies by changing treated waste-water into 

potable water. 


media 

Dr. Alma Kadragic 

NEW TRENDS: 

PUBLISHING DIY 

By Alma Kadragic (@almakad) 

At some point around the late 

1970s when I joined the team 

producing news for Good 

Morning America at ABC News, 

I became aware of a colleague 

named Terry Irving. 

I was based in New York, and he was in 

Washington DC, but news was produced in 

both places, and we talked on the phone and 

intercoms as we rushed to meet deadlines at 7:01 

and 7:31 and again at 8:01 and 8:31, and later 

if news broke while GMA was on the air on the 

west coast (3 hours behind east coast NY and 

DC). In time we worked together on big events 

like elections and presidential trips. Then I was 

sent to London and in 1983 to Warsaw as bureau 

chief. In 1990 I left ABC News and broadcasting 

to start my own PR agency. 

Committed to Washington DC, Terry went from 

ABC to FOX, MSNBC, some dotcoms, some 

consulting, and eventually CNN. By 2010 he 

was out of TV news and looking for something 

different. Overseas and after I was no longer at 

ABC, we lost touch. If it weren’t for a Facebook 

group called ABCeniors, we might still be out 

of touch. A year or so ago, I started following 

ABCeniors and saw that Terry often posted news 

tidbits about people we had worked with and 

chapters from the books he’s been writing. 

Terry is also on Twitter (@terryirving) and that’s 

how we now communicate, although we use 

email too. What I like is that he’s writing about 

what he knows and doing it very well. One of 

the books he’s writing is “Courier,” a thriller 

about a motorcycle rider who picks up film shot 

by professional crews for a major TV network 

bureau in Washington DC. That was Terry’s first 

job with news, and he is an expert on motorcycle 

riding, something I never knew about. 

He turns out to relish the roads and highways 

of the US capital. The courier gets chased by 

baddies and has to figure out how to bypass 

traffic and get the film – which has to be 

developed and edited – to the news studio in 

time for the evening news broadcast. “Courier” 

is set in late 1972 when President Richard Nixon 

had been re-elected and after the robbery at the 

Watergate apartments that didn’t seem like a 

big story but culminated in the resignation of 

Nixon in 1974. It’s also when the city is enduring 

the big dig for the future metro system –part of 

the story as well. 

The first two chapters of “Courier” are available 

on line: See www.terryirving.blogspot.comfor 

an idea of the book’s flavor. When I read them, I 

emailed Terry that the story was good. In return 

he sent me the full manuscript of “Courier” and 

asked me to write a review. I started reading 

about 6 pm and finished three and a half hours 

later. Then I wrote the review: go to the Facebook 

page for “Courier”: http://www.facebook.com/ 

terryirvingcourier and scroll down quite a while. 

What happens next? Terry has a deal with 

Createspace which is part of Amazon. For 

USD 2500 he gets “editing, proofing, a book 

cover, a choice of interior formatting options, 

and all the technical bits (ISBN number and 

Library of Congress listing, etc).” That includes 

distribution on www.amazon.com and Amazon. 

com.uk plus five other retail channels and 25 

copies for friends. 

FOR USD 2500 HE 

GETS “EDITING, 

PROOFING, A 

BOOK COVER, 

A CHOICE OF 

INTERIOR 

FORMATTING 

OPTIONS... 

Terry adds, “the print process 

is, of course, FREE. It's free 

because they don't print the 

book until someone orders 

it. Welcome to the Brave New 

World of Print On Demand.” 

None of this prevents a 

publisher from contracting 

to publish copies of the book 

in the normal way. Terry hopes that will happen 

soon. Meanwhile, he’s already written most of 

the next book about courier Rick Putnam and 

his friends. It’s called “Warrior.” 

He’s also written the e-book “The Unemployed 

Guy’s Guide to Unemployment”: see it at 

http://unemployedguysguide.blogspot.com/ 

and started a new blog for seasoned journalists 

whose careers have always been in writing but 

who now want to dip a toe into self-publishing: 

www.getmerewrite.me. 

I know some people who have self-published, 

but they’ve done one book and stopped. Terry is 

more interesting because he’s going about it in 

an organized manner testing the limits of social 

media to promote his work. I hope he succeeds. 

He may be a role model for some of us. 



ABU DHABI EDITION 

RITA GHWAYEEN 

Jordanian, age: 23 

INTERIOR DESIGNER 

wallet - splash 

body spray - bench 

earrings - splash 

lip balm - hnm 

necklace - pierre cardin 

perfume - chanel 

pencil - all prints 

Images by 

ANGELI CASTILLO 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

To view more, please visit 

angelicastillophotography.wordpress.com 


horoscope 

FILE 219: CHAOS 

Client Archives 2012 

COMPANY} AQUAJOURNEY VERANTA 

PRODUCT} SOLARPOWERED GOGGLES 

DATE} 20 DAYS TO PRODUCT LAUNCH 

Did we receive the box samples? 

We did, but the packaging doesn’t…..um, fit 

What??! 

The goggles don’t fit, sir 

Why? 

We couldn’t get the blister packs… 

Why not? 

The artwork wasn’t ready 

Why didn’t you ask Arun? 

He told me to speak to Anna 

What did Anna say? 

Anna’s left to renew her visa 

And Dana? 

On maternity leave 

So let’s get the blister packs! 

But we’ve already ordered the boxes 

How many…? 

Thirty thousand… no, sixty thousand, I think 

Tell Peter to call the supplier 

Peter’s been moved to sales 

Well contact China now 

They’re closed for the Chinese New Year 

Call BrandMoxie! 

Sir? 

GET ME BRANDMOXIE NOW!!!! 

BrandMoxie 

When all hell breaks loose 

ADVERTISING•STRATEGY•PR•CHAOS CONTAINMENT 

TEL: 02 491 8624/25 • FAX: 02 491 8626 

www.brandmoxie.com 

ARIES: Your forceful manner makes waves in the workplace. Keep your 

opinions to yourself this month and you will be a lot happier from 9 a.m. 

to 5 p.m. Your personal life blossoms when an old friend comes back into 

your life later in the month. Leo and Sagittarius play important roles. 

TAURUS: Your strong, steady nature will keep you calm during a 

tumultuous month at work. You won’t fall prey to co-workers’ worries. 

However, it’s a different story when it comes to romance. An evening 

with that special someone will allow you to open up and let your 

emotions show. 

GEMINI: You’ll feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster when 

it comes to family this month. Relatives will be spending a lot of time 

with you and sharing their true feelings. Don’t hold your emotions in. 

Venting them will help bring you back to an even keel. Look to friends 

for relaxation. 

CANCER: Bask in the glory at work this month as you successfully 

complete a difficult project. Your superiors will be impressed. Your social 

life improves and your phone won’t stop ringing. Friends you haven’t 

heard from in quite a long time will be in touch. Taurus and Gemini are 

involved. 

LEO: Your outgoing personality is a hit with superiors at work. They 

need someone to go after the heavy hitters and it very well could be 

you. Your loyalty to a good friend could put you in a difficult situation 

this month. Don’t lose someone close to you just because you’re feeling 

impetuous. 

VIRGO: Even though it may be hard for you, you’re going to have to sit 

still when it comes to a family event this month. Let relatives make the 

plans and only give your input if asked. It all will work out for the best. 

A friend will look to you for advice later in the month. Try not to be 

judgmental. 

LIBRA: Don’t let work get you down this month. It’s only a job; so many 

more important things go on after 5 p.m. Romance blossoms later in 

the month. You’ll be swept off your feet when you least expect it by 

someone whom you never thought could interest you. Gemini and Aries 

are involved. 

SCORPIO: You know who you are and what you can do, so don’t be a 

showoff at work early in the month. It can make you look foolish in front 

of your boss. Family matters are of prime importance this month. Show 

loved ones how much you care — even if they do drive you crazy at times. 

SAGITTARIUS: Don’t let a mistake at work get you down late in the 

month. Just explain yourself and correct the error. You don’t lie well, so 

don’t try it. Your family ties grow stronger this month. As for romance, 

you’re riding a wave of excitement. Enjoy it and start thinking about the 

future. 

CAPRICORN: Keep your shoulder to the wheel at work this month. Don’t 

let petty arguments among co-workers distract you. A close friend will 

need your help. Give him or her support. However, stand your ground 

when he or she makes a ludicrous request. You’ll be thanked for it later. 

AQUARIUS: Don’t be a follower at work this month. Now’s your chance 

to take the lead and show everyone what you’re capable of. A loved one 

will seem aloof this month, but don’t overreact. He or she just needs to 

be alone for a little while. Respect his or her wishes. You’ll be close again 

soon. 

PISCES: Life is your stage this month — make your mark wherever you 

go. However, don’t let your satiric nature go overboard. Remember to 

respect other people’s feelings. Show compassion to a friend in need later 

in the month. He or she is counting on you for advice. 

TO ADVERTISE IN THE WIDEST CIRCULATED YOUTH AND COMMUNITY 

FOCUSED MAGAZINE IN THE UAE, CALL: 02 491 8624 


MISS KHULOOD: 

FOOD 

By Sharon Carvalho 

K’S COOKIE SHOP 

Khulood Al Mehairi is the face 

behind K’s Cookie Shop, a cool new 

retail concept that offers cookies 

with culinary pizzazz and a personal 

touch. Tempo visited Khulood at her 

cute shop on Muroor Road to sample 

her yummy cookies and to see what 

makes her tick. 

When you meet Khulood you see that she is 

the perfect embodiment of a young, successful 

and ambitious Emirati woman who is following 

her dreams. At the mere age of 25, Khulood 

is currently working on getting a master’s in 

business administration, while also managing 

her very own business. The Abu Dhabi native 

Khulood has a degree in Communications 

and Media Sciences from Zayed University 

and enjoys cooking, reading, travelling and 

photography. 

Khulood realised her passion for baking in 2010 

and starting baking on a small scale from home: 

“I loved baking, and I’d make batches of cookies, 

experimenting with different ingredients, and 

constantly fine tuning the flavours”. 

Then in 2011 she opened her own store so she 

could sell her cookies. “If you come to my store 

you’ll find 13 different cookie varieties, but 

apart from these I like to constantly come up 

with new ones - usually personalised cookies 

for special occasions such as National Day and 

Christmas.” 

Khulood says the main inspiration behind the 

cookies is her sisters who have encouraged her 

right from the start. “I saw cupcakes that come 

decorated in different flavours and designs and 

so I decided to try to do something along the 

same lines but for cookies.” 

What’s even more interesting are the unique 

names that she has for each flavour; names such 

as “Almond Avalanche”, “Pistachio Punch”, 

“Mocha Metropolis” and “Chocolate Chic”. 

Speaking about the challenges she faced 

Khulood said understanding and complying 

with government regulations was one of the 

biggest initial stumbling blocks. “It’s not easy 

starting your own business, and it is especially 

hard establishing something from scratch.” But 

even though it was a bumpy start, Khulood says 

she is now building a steady client of fans who 

love her cookies. “All I wish is for my business 

to flourish and I want people to recognize and 

support the shop as a local brand”. 

Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is: “Dream, 

dream, dream and then take action. Do things 

with a twist. You can freak out inside but you 

should never show it! Just go out and do it.”

PAPER MAGIC UAE QUILLER - Tempoplanet

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