Tempo April 2015

@tempoplanet
@tempoplanet
Abu Dhabi Tempo
April2015
Now circulating 45,000 copies!
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0566882042
A WORLD
OF OPPORTUNITIES
AWAITS YOU.02-4048523 | 056-6882042 | nyitad@nyit.edu
2 shoot your
short film
1
Competition: #PlsDontStealMyShow
Details inside and on www.thesmovies.com
Get Screened
on vox cinemas
3to upload go to
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www. tempoplanet.com 3
ADDRESS:
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DISCLAIMER:
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MEDIA LICENCE NO. 1/105866/24295
MANAGING EDITOR
Sana Bagersh
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Neil Bie
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Vinod Mohite
DESIGN & LAYOUT
Shuhaib Shihabudheen
Jilesh Pazhaya Purayil
DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR
Melaku Muluneh
TEMPO GROUP: CONTRIBUTORS:
Angeli Castillo
Christopher Joshua Benton
Dana Al Mazrouei
Dean Hoke
Donna Howarth
Dorian “Paul D” Rogers
Heather Long Vandevoorde
Kimberley Moultrie
Kinda Al Azem
Lana Nasser
Matthew Brace
Nancy Bercaw
Nisma Hamid
Omar Al Busaidy
Sana Ashraf
Shaheer Akbar
Shaikha Al Hosani
Shahid Saeed
WHAT’S INSIDE
Tomislav Buljubasic
Uwem Umana
Vaishnavi Varma
Vanessa Middleton
Vera Rosales
social
media
entertainment
voices &
opinions
04 Ed’s Note
05 Op Ed: Education/Notes &
Cyberchatter
games & tech
16 Game On!
17 Tech Talk
feature
story
11 Voices of Harmony
22 Celebrating the
Magic of Poetry
25 Support for Skating: Winning
Mother and Daughter Team
34 New Art: Nirina Ralanto
40 Nara Yi: Animation Artist
literature
32 Librarian’s Lounge/
Talking Books
33 Flash Fiction
innovation
36 Tamakkan:
Advancing Women and
Pushing Boundaries
fashion
18 MyStyle Blueprint:
Ayman Shash
19 Fancy Fashion:
Fayza and Sawal
20 Fashionably Late
cover story
23 Want to Make a Movie?
Make a Smovie!
photography
& travel
28 Phototripping
29 Shutterbug ADP
30 Travel
food &
wellness
26 Lean & Clean +
The Epicurean
06 Quest for the Quirky/Tweets
for Thought
07 Trending In Youtube
08 PresentingAbdulrahman Alajati
09 Instafame
10 Top 10 Songs in the UAE
12 In the Cinemas
ontents
38 I [ HEART] / Verbatim
39 Articulate Cafe
41 Time Capsule: Rand El Merhi
42 Youth Talk/Parental Guide
community
events
14 What’s Hot
15 What’s Cool/People Calendar

www. tempoplanet.com4
d’s
note
What exciting times we live in - culturally and creatively!
In this issue of Tempo you’ll learn about a few initiatives that are close to my heart - one is them is Women Achieve, an initiative that supports the advancement of
women in business. Women Achieve is an exciting charter developed by AmCham Abu Dhabi’s Women in Business committee to encourage organizations to adopt
seven principles that include giving women an opportunity to become senior executives, serve on board and receive quality training. Women Achieve continues to
be embraced by corporations and organizations, and this year’s anniversary singled out Northrop Grumman for its outstanding support of women. We encourage
organizations everywhere to adopt the noble principles of Women Achieve. You can find out more about Women Achieve at www.amchamabudhabi.org.
Another exciting initiative we share in this Tempo is the Abu Dhabi International Poetry Festival, an event we co-organized with the formidable Dorian Paul D and his
Rooftop Rhythms, as well as Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, the US Embassy and the Fatima Bint Hazza Foundation. It was a magical day where global icons of poetry such as
Patricia Smith, Kane Smego and G Yamazawa gave workshops, and performed poetry alongside our own local crop of rising stars. What an unforgettable cultural feast!
Through this Tempo issue we are absolutely delighted to usher the start of the fantastic Smovies, a short film competition developed by BrandMoxie, and hosted by
Vox Cinemas. The Smovies provides an opportunity for anyone to shoot their short film using a camera, phone, Ipad - anything! There are cash prizes, scholarships and
the opportunity to get your films shown across Vox Cinemas in the nation. Read about it in this issue and participate!
Spread kindness,
Sana Bagersh
Managing Editor
@sanabagersh
bagersh@tempoplanet.com
RantRave
RantRave
A quiet transformation is happening across Abu Dhabi emirate
as Onwani rolls out. This is the new addressing system by the
Department of Municipal Affairs that will see every building,
every home, receive a unique address. For longtime residents of
Abu Dhabi it is welcome progress. For new arrivals and visitors,
it is a valuable necessity.
The Color Run is one of those energetic annual events that you
anticipate with great relish. This year I decided to forgo the
registration privileges awarded to the media corps, and instead
registered, along with my kids, with the general public. What
an eye opener. I went to register twice to Yas Mall, waiting
in queues for hours, and then on the day of the run the paint
ran out, along with drinking water. It is a shame that such a
fun event is marred by disappointing organization. We look
forward to a better run next year.
Mushrif Park has finally opened, and the community vibe
is wonderful. It is perfect for gatherings, family outings and
children’s play. You’ll also see fresh produce at Ripe Market, and
the sale of cool arts and crafts by talented artists and artisans
such as one of the city’s best kept secrets, Ruth Burrows!
We decided to try the food at the newly opened Gusto
restaurant, in Ferrari World’s food pavilion. We were drawn
in by the specialty Italian look, the black and white photos,
the packaged gourmet jars of pesto and the like etc We tried
the linguine Arrabbiata and pizza Margherita, and both were
anything but gourmet. We hope this is an interim menu, and
that the real stuff is yet to come.
Let me hear from you.

POST YOUR VIEWS AND COMMENTS ON OUR FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM tweet@tempoplanet follow@tempoplanetlikeusonfacebook/abudhabitempo
TEMPO POLL OF THE MONTH
Which social media platform
do you love the most?
By Ellis Davidson
notes cyberchatterp ed EDUCATION
Dean Hoke is Principal and Co-Founder of
Edu-Alliance -an education consulting services
company based in Masdar City,
Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
BUYER BEWARE:
FAKE ONLINE DEGREES
How valuable is your
education? How
valuable is education to the
UAE? The answer to both?
Priceless.
In 2010, UAE Vision 2021 was launched
by H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime
Minister of the UAE. One of the six
national priorities was the development
of a first rate education system and a
transformation of the current education
system and teaching methods. This would
mean that students who completed their
higher education would be able to find
well paying jobs and be academically
prepared to accept management
responsibility and eventually, leadership
roles. In real terms, a college graduate
makes hundreds of thousands of dirhams
more than a high school graduate over
their lifetime.
The UAE higher education community
consists of over 100 institutions with
enrollment of 120,000 students consisting
of Emiratis and expats from over 100
countries.
During the past year there has been a
significant increase in advertising on
radio, TV and especially social media to
attend various colleges and universities.
Many of these adverts promote getting
your degree online. Online learning
for mature students can be an excellent
pathway, provided it comes from an
accredited institution and is academically
challenging. What is disturbing and
alarming are the ads which do not identify
the college but aggressively promote
getting your degree quickly, with little
additional study.
On January, a news release announced
the “Middle East Office of Academic
Regulation & Examination (MEOARE)
establishes institutional partnership
with leading organizations to support
the development, quality enhancement
and expansion of higher education
opportunities in the region”. The release
further stated that“MEOARE is an
entrusted and independent body, and
operates as a representative of the Gulf
Ministry of Higher Education”. In checking
the website at first blush it appeared to
be a legitimate organization, but then a
pop up chat window appeared with an
invitation to call. The organization would
provide a scholarship for only a “small” fee
on a credit card.
Quoting from an article in Al Fanar: “This
is just absolute rubbish,” says Badr Aboul-
Ela, the director of the Commission for
Academic Accreditation at the Ministry of
Education in the UAE. “There is no single
ministry for the entire Gulf region.”
The stories generated by The National
and Al Fanar pointed out these deceitful
practices which took money from
gullible people who thought it was a “real
degree” However The Ministry of Higher
Education would not attest the degree and
most employers would not accept the
degree as well.
Who’s affected by these scams? Just
about everyone. It hurts the person
who paid thousands of dirhams to get a
piece of paper that’s worth nothing. The
same person gained little or worse, no
new academic knowledge at all. It hurts
potential students who want to go back to
school but are unsure which institutions
are certified. It hurts accredited schools
who work hard to provide quality
programs. It also hurts employers who in
some cases did not do their due diligence,
and accepted the degree as equal to an
accredited institution.
What can be done?
First: As the person who is interested
in going back to college and getting
a degree make sure the school is
accepted by the UAE Commission of
Academic Accreditation.
Second: The local and federal
governments establish a Bureau
of Consumer Protection where
people can file complaints, has legal
authority to investigate and take
actions which can fine or shut down
such groups.
Third: Better policing or banning
by social media corporations like
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and
others. The best way to stop these
groups is to quit accepting these
fraudulent ads. Deprive them of
their advertising outlets and a major
revenue source.
Fourth: Remember the old phrase
“If it seems too good to be true it
probably is”. Don’t let yourself believe
you can get your degree with little
additional study or effort. Remember,
all you are doing is fooling yourself.
Facebook! Posts, videos, photos,
pages… It has everything! (30%)
Instagram! Who doesn’t like
pictures? (30%)
Twitter! Few words + hashtag =
fun! (30%)
Why choose one if I could have all
of them? (10%)
ON ANIME TO COSPLAY: KONICHIWA
UAE! ABU DHABI ANIME CLUB
I love how the UAE is slowly adapting
the culture of the Far East – anime is
something that could really teach people of
all ages a thing or two.
- Clare Tadashi
ON SPOTLIGHT: SINGER KENDA RAE
Inspiring! I would love to watch her on one
of her performances!
- Pat Kellene
ON CANINE AFFECTION: SOS FOR
EMIRATES DOGS
Nice to see a fellow dog-lover launch
something so noble! You could see and feel
the smiles of those dogs in the pictures.
- Sherlock Adkins
ON THE POWER OF FILMMAKING
Filmmaking is hard – it encompasses a
lot of do’s and don’ts especially here in
the UAE but that shouldn’t stop young
filmmakers like us who want to make a
mark in this industry!
- Ahmed Al Harib
ON QUEST FOR QUIRKY
I’ve been hearing about lifehacks for a
while now and these tips that Kim provided
would surely help out a lot in my
everyday life!
- Rogerio Lopez

quest for quirkyBy Kimberly Moultrie
@Friedwanderer
TWEETS FOR THOUGHT
HH Sheikh Mohammed
@HHShkMohd
His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum
To celebrate a teacher
anywhere is to celebrate
science and knowledge, a
brighter future, and the
promise of prosperity and
advancement.
Elissa
@elissakh
Intl. Lebanese artist,
winner of regional & global
entertainment awards.
The first sunlight to touch
your face is my whisper
to GOD to take care of you
and to make your
day pleasant.
Narendra Modi
@narendramodi
Prime Minister of India
Ours is a Government for
the poor, it is for solving
their problems & bringing a
positive change in
their lives.
will.i.am
@iamwill
American Rapper
and Songwriter
In life when one door
closes... there’s probably
keys nearby for the
bulldozer in the parking lot.
Dalai Lama
@DalaiLama
His Holiness the 14th
Dalai Lama.
Only tolerance and
patience can protect us
from the destructive effects
of anger and hatred.
Paulo Coelho
@paulocoelho
Writer
Love is what makes you
smile when you are tired.
Dwayne Johnson
@TheRock
American-Canadian actor
and former
professional wrestler
.. and one way or another,
I’m wakin’ you up and
we’re gettin’ after our goals.
Nancy Ajram
@NancyAjram
Lebanese singer and multi-
platinum recording artist
Face your destiny, look
forward and fear nothing!
@tempoplanet
social media
Do you have an insightful tweet? Tweet to us:
• Have a banana and water in the morning
• Sniff a piece of fruit (an apple or even
some peppermint)
• Eat like a king at breakfast, a prince at
lunch, pauper at dinner
• Tie a piece of ribbon around your waist
before going out for dinner…or tighten
your belt!
• Put a mirror in front of you as you eat…
this will make you more conscious!
• Fast every other day, this helps reset your
stomach for better digestion
• Eat a sandwich instead of a full-on meal
(without side dishes)
• Go Bento … only eat what you can fit
inside a bento box
• Occupy your mind by exercising,
chatting with a friend, getting involved in
volunteer work!
• DON’T FEEL GUILTY… ironically by
feeling guilty, you’ll eat more next time!
Tell us if any of this works… and please no
“see” food dieting!
We’ve all heard of them: South Beach Diet,
Atkins Diet, Grapefruit Diet, Low-Carb, Low-
Sugar, the list goes on. Packing on the pounds?
Well, apparently you can actually trick your
body into feeling full with these tips!
Weight Wonders
Tips from The Internet

trending in
APRIL VIRAL VIDEOS
Motorized Drift Trike and Blokart in 4k
Make use of your knees and legs for a ride of
your life – The Motorized Drift Trike!
Eagle-cam POV as it descends from Burj Khalifa
3 Year Old White Belt Reciting the
Student Creed
This young kid captured the hearts of
millions as she recited the Karate Student
Creed with her mentor!
Dog Saved by Bikers on a Highway
A dog jumped out of its owner’s car into the
highway – good thing these kind-hearted
bikers immediately handled the situation!
Wow, Incredible Folding Table!
Why Moms Get Nothing Done
Moms always seem to be busy but at the
end of the day you hear them say – “I got
nothing done today.” This video shows
one of the many reasons why.
My Place Between Them
Alex lived 7 years of his life with a
partially developed right arm. Watch
how The Collective Project and Robert
Downey Jr. change his life forever.
Milkshake - Let’s Get Married!
Marriage entails a lot of responsibilities
along the way. The Milkshake team
explains what happens to youth who get
married without knowing these things
through this funny video!
A breathtaking motion of the bird’s eye view
as Darshan, the Imperial Eagle, descends from
the Burj Khalifa!
The Collective Project: Robert Downey Jr.
Delivers a Real Bionic Arm
social media
Send us your viral videos! Connect with us at: Abu Dhabi Tempo (Page)
Folding tables have been around for some
time now, but this woodwork takes the
cake for having one complete with seats
and a set up time of 10 seconds!
The video tells a touching story of
“Abdullah”, a kid who has down syndrome
and how society slowly accepts him.
Viral videos sent in by
Tempo readers.

shout out: social shapers
Tempo’s selection of people to follow on social media.
Presenting
Abdulrahman AlajatiBy Kinda Al Azem
When Abdulrahman Alajati
walks into the room, he
has the swagger of a social
media maven. His videos
and “vines,” can be seen
on YouTube, Facebook,
Instagram, etc, and his fan
following grows by the day.
From an early age Abdulrahman knew he
wanted to be an actor. He loved to mimic
people at school, “I used to observe the way
my teachers talk to students,and as soon as
I reached home I started to imitate them in
front of my family and friends.”
Abdulrahman caught on to the power of
social media as a way to spread his talent.
“Facebook helped me grow my talent and
attract an audience. I prefer Facebook over
than other social websites because its users
are of different nationalities and ages.”
The size of his 15000 strong fan base on
Facebook and Instagram doesn’t scare
Abdulrahman. Rather, he says it motivates
him to work harder. It also validates his
efforts, “I have a strong relationship with
my audience. I know what type of videos
they prefer to watch and I present many
characters to entertain them.”
Abdulrahman is convinced that fear comes
from lack of self-confidence, and he sees
social media as a force for good and bad.
Although social media brings people closer
and reduces the distance between them,
Abdulrahman says, “It is always better for
people, especially family,to communicate
face to face rather than through
the internet.”
Interestingly, fans now walk up to
Abdulrahman to take a photograph or
strike up a conversation with him. He
welcomes his new found fame, and stresses
the importance of knowing how to deal
with both positive and negative feedback.
“The way I react towards destructive
comments is by not giving them any
attention as I strongly believe they could
have a bad effect if I let myself respond to
them. As for the constructive criticism, it is
good to listen as they can hold important
messages on how to improve.”
Abdulrahman is fine-tuning his video
strategies, preferring to post on Facebook
as they are longer than Instagram videos
which can’t exceed 15 seconds. “The
viewing rate on my Facebook videos
reached up to 80,000 views.” But as a
successful Viner, he also recognizes that
shorter formats can attract a
different audience.
Abdulrahman says it is vital to recognize
where one’s talent lies. “It is important to
know the abilities you possess so you will
be creative and successful in what you
are doing.”
Facebook:‫االجاتي‬ ‫الرحمن‬ ‫عبد‬ Instagram: @
boodi_g
Are you a social media
shaper with more than 5000
followers or fans? Let us know
and we’ll feature you. Email to
editorial@tempoplanet.com
social media

@aidaalbusaidy
Wife to AJ & mother of 2 Dragons - Daeej&Zayed;
@amnaalblooshi
Amna Al Blooshi @Aillustrations (Graphic Design/Art).....
Regional Guest and Featured Artist of Middle East Film &
Comic Con 2015 .. 9-11 April 2015
@sincerelyjules
Creative Type | Dreamer. Believer. Achiever.
instafame
Put your thoughts against mine Cause the arsenal I
have’ll scar you for life!
It’s our chat bubble! #mydubai #letschat #socialmedia
#influencers
Take me back to yesterday and inside a hot air balloon.
@khalidalmahmood
Emirati Filmmaker with two eyes and an imagination,
looking for that extra ordinary beauty.
@Aflamnah
The First Crowdfunding Initiative dedicated to
the Arab World
@msamarz
Milli Samar Eternal Student...Culinary
Enthusiast...Fashionista
Edinburgh Station Another emerging theme is letters of the alphabet
#bigandbold @artdubai #cool #photography #instacool
Tea and scones...very British!
@layasmeen
Dubai is my lover...but I left my heart in Africa! A blessed
Travel & Photo Junkie.
@ali_kashwani
UAE, Sharjah, AUS
@remondoae
Remondo Alsaadi I’m a Designer, love drawing, food, Films,
programming, Anime & Manga~
No Entry. #RoadSign #Forbidden #BurjKhalifah
#Skyline #Construction
Hello there #babygroot #marvel #guardiansofthegalaxy
#MEFCC15
Something sweet~
#draw #drawing #sketch #sweet #cake
Tempo UAE (Group) TempoBeat (Group) Abu Dhabi Tempo (Page) @tempoplanet @tempoplanet
The Tempo team routinely trawls instagram in search of
creative talent. Should we discover you? Connect with us
on Instagram @tempoplanet.
social media

Abu Dhabi | Ajman | Dubai | Fujairah
Ras Al Khaimah | Sharjah | Umm Al Quwain
3 5 7 10
2 4 6 9
Wait On Me
> Rixton
She Knows
> Ne-yo Feat. Juicy J
Trouble
> Iggy Azalea Feat.
Jennifer Hudson
Earned It
> The Weeknd
I Want You to Know
> Zedd Feat. Selena Gomez
Somebody
> Natalie La Rose Feat. Jeremih
Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn
Remix)
> Omi
Wish You Were Mine
> Philip George
entertainment
Lyrics: “I’ll go the distance but not all of the
way, say what you mean to me and mean
what you say, I never wanna be your ex-man,
I’ll never make you feel ignored...”
Lyrics: “Cause she loves the attention, that she
gets when she moves, showing out with her
home girls, hypnotizing all the dudes...”
Lyrics: “Cuz you don’t wanna lose your ride to
the next guy, and baby trouble only makes for
a good time, so all the normal red flags
be a good sign...”
Lyrics: “You know our love would be tragic, so
you don’t pay it, don’t pay it no mind, we live
with no lies, you’re my favorite kind of night...”
Lyrics: “I want you to know that it’s our time,
you and me bleed the same light, I want you
to know that I’m all yours, you and me run
the same course...”
Lyrics: “Walking, everybody knows what’s
good, but some gonna hate, what’s new? We
just do our thing, no time to waste, always
playing cool...”
Lyrics: “No I don’t need a next one, mama loves
you too, she thinks I made the right selection,
now all that’s left to do, is just for me to pop
the question...”
Lyrics: “Oh cherie amour, pretty little one that
I adore, you’re the only girl my heart beats
for, how I wish that you were mine...”
1 8Stronger
> Clean Bandit
In It For Love
> Kris Fade Feat. Two Tone
Lyrics: “People tell me to be flawless, people tell
me not to let myself evolve, and I think I don’t
really get it, I think it’s all just a
peculiar game...”
Lyrics: “You ever heard of love at first sight?
No? You just might if the Jimmy Choo
fits right...”
tempo music

entertainment
Tempo: Wow, what a performance!
Who are Voices of Harmony?
Laura: Voices of Harmony is an all-women
barbershop group, composed of nearly
30 members, who sing a cappella style
(without the accompaniment of musical
instruments). Our name seems to best
describe what we do: use our voices to
create beautiful harmonies. Our musical
director, Liz Melzer chooses pieces that she
feels will best challenge us, but that are
excellent performance pieces as well.
Tempo: Tell us more about
barbershop music.
Laura: Barbershop music was traditionally
written for popular standards from the
jazz era from which improvised harmonies
were developed. This process is called
woodshedding. Each of the four distinctive
barbershop parts has its own role:
generally, the lead sings the melody, the
tenor harmonizes above the melody, the
bass sings the lowest harmonizing notes,
and the baritone completes the chord,
usually below the lead.
Tempo: What kind of music do
you perform?
Laura: We sing upbeat melodies and
ballads which include women’s barbershop
melodies, popular Christmas songs and
other songs that our director, Liz
Melzer chooses.
Tempo: What was your
biggest achievement?
Laura: We are the proud winners of
Choirfest Middle East 2014 “Most Dynamic
Choir of the Year Award” These contests
are very rewarding and educational, and
Voices of Harmony always feel elated but a
bit exhausted after they are finished with
the contest! As an important element of
these contests, we have participated in
workshops with famous a cappella groups
“The Swingle Singers” and “Cadence”.
Tempo: Where else have you performed?
Laura: We have an annual spring concert
called ‘Just Voices.’ We’ve performed at
National Day parties for the United States
Embassy, as well as at the Abu Dhabi
Theatre, the Officer’s Club, the Cultural
Foundation, the Emirates Palace Hotel,
VOICES OF HARMONY
On cue a group of around 30 women, all wearing black, stride across the hall and take their place
centre stage. They huddle together, lean forward, and turn their full focus on the director, who with a
flourish of her hand unleashes a sweet and harmonic extravaganza. Voices of Harmony belt out song after
song; from golden oldies and barbershop favourites to contemporary pop and even a bit of funk. Laura
Roberts, the group’s manager, explains their musical journey to Tempo…
Tempo: What if someone’s interested in
joining your group?
Laura: Voices of Harmony are auditioning
now for September membership, so if you’d
like to sign up for an audition, contact
us at harmonyinad@gmail.com. These
are friendly auditions we assure you! A
commitment to attend practices regularly is
required. Our members manage their time
and understand the commitment required.
Many of our members have day jobs and
some come straight from work. We meet
on Sundays at 7pm.
The membership fee for the first year is Dh
300 and then Dh 200 per year thereafter.
This covers the cost of equipment, music
and costumes.
By Neil Bie
the Crowne Plaza and at various business
luncheons and dinners. We’ve also
performed at hotel events, fundraisers, and
dinner parties.
Tempo: What are the challenges that
you’ve encountered?
Laura: Adding in extra practices and
scheduling time for choreography is
challenging but they result in more
polished performances. Our sectional
leaders take responsibility for getting their
sections up to speed and out of book.
Tempo: What’s has been the reaction of
your family and friends?
Laura: Our family and friends have been
supportive for years, coming to concerts
and helping with photos and venues as
well. We so appreciate their support.
Tempo: What are your future plans?
Laura: We’ll be performing at the Abu
Dhabi Theater on the breakwater in early
June at the annual ‘Just Voices’ concert,
which is produced by both VOH and Blue
Fever Jazz Ensemble. Aside from that,
we are hoping to get some of the all-girls
schools and universities to participate in
workshops with our all women’s group.
Connect with VOH on:
harmonyinad@gmail.com or via
their Facebook page:
“Voices of Harmony
Abu Dhabi”

now showing this month
our reviews
Tempo’s movie buffs came together and discovered this month’s latest flicks in the Gulf.
For contests, ticket giveaways and freebies, Like & Follow Tempo on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!
POWERED BY
in the cinemas
The Tempo team reviews on the latest films that
will be featured in the UAE movie screens this month!
The Cobbler
The Cobbler takes on the empathy clause
“living on someone else’s shoes” literally.
Adam Sandler plays the role of Max
Simkin, the fourth generation in the line of
shoemakers. After a long dragging backstory
that stretches up to 18 minutes, things start to
get more interesting. When he gets a pair of
shoes repaired on the machine handed down
to him over generations, Max unwittingly
tries them on, and gets the surprise of his
life - only then do the first few minutes of the
movie make sense.
Technically, the mix of usage of moving, still
and even handheld camera views give the
audience the integrated movie feel without
compromising on the quality of the video.
The background music cues were keyed in
just at the right moments without any abrupt
intros or ends. If you’ve seen Sandler in “Click”,
you’ll get to see the same feel and formula in
this movie: the fictitious “power” and its after
effects, the need to do good, and of course, the
ever clichéd father-son conflict. This tried-
and-tested technique might not generally be liked by movie-fanatics who are tired of
these clichés, but there are still some heartfelt moments in the movie to watch for. All in
all, The Cobbler is a nice movie for the family with lots of values to learn from and
scenes to enjoy.
May in the Summer
May in the Summer is a lovely story,
set in the Amman Jordan, that tells of a
Middle Eastern wedding’s effect on the
entire family - through the course of trials,
conflicts, and the emotional rollercoaster
ride from the perspective of the
bride-to-be. The more May kept herself
busy with all of the preparations together
with her sisters, the more she asked herself:
“Am I ready for this at all?”
Cherien Dabis plays the main character of
May, in a fully immersed performance that
takes the audience through a pendulum of
emotions. The subplots of the story give a
good feel of what it would have been like to
live in the shoes of May and her sisters. Save
for the abrupt background music entrances
and stops, the camera shares expansive
view of Amman - the establishments, the
desert, the sights. May in the Summer is
a touching tale of marriage, the dynamic
relationship of family, and the special
bond that exists between moms and daughters. A fresh film perspective of the Middle
East that is not about war and suffering, but about love and family. Beautiful score by
Kareem Roustom.
Follow #TempoReviews on Twitter for more.
Thriller Avengers: AGE OF ULTron
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Tempo Prediction:
When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant
peacekeeping programme, things go awry and it is up
to the Avengers to stop the villainous Ultron from
enacting his terrible plans.
Fun Fact: The trailer was viewed 34 million times in
the first 24 hours after it was released. This broke
the record that was previously held by Iron
Man 3 (2013).
Directed By: Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo
Furious 7
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Tempo Prediction:
Deckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto
and his family for the death of his brother.
Fun Fact: Body doubles, stunt doubles, and CGI were
used to complete the film following Paul Walker’s
death. Walker’s brothers Caleb Walker and Cody
Walker were among the doubles, and also provided
voiceover for the character Brian O’Connor.
Directed By: James Wan
Cast: Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson
The Culling
Genre: Thriller
Tempo Prediction:
A terrifying supernatural thriller in which a group
of college friends on a road trip find themselves
fighting off dark forces at a remote farmhouse
after a chance encounter with a strange little girl.
Fun Fact: Rustam manages to take every possible
cliché and turn it into a film that really isn’t very
character driven but that does have one very good
horror moment.
Directed by: Rustam Branaman
Cast: Jeremy Sumpter, Elizabeth Di Prinzio, Brett Davern
She’s Funny That Way
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Tempo Prediction:
A married Broadway director falls for a prostitute-
turned-actress and works to help her advance
her career.
Fun Fact: First feature Peter Bogdanovich has
directed in 12 years, since The Cat’s Meow (2001). He and
former wife, Louise Stratten share the
screenplay credit.
Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Imogen Poots, Quentin Tarantino
entertainment

TO ADVERTISE YOUR EVENT AND BE INCLUDED IN OUR ISSUE, CONTACT US AT: or e-mail editorial@tempoplanet.com+971 2 491 8624
events
TheSpaceAD
Mayssa Karaa
APR 2
Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi
Mayssa Karaa will enchant audiences with her powerful,
haunting vocals and her remarkable capacity to move
across musical genres, with a repertoire ranging from
classical Arabic to contemporary rock fusion. The unique
tone of her voice, combined with her versatility in more
than five languages, including English and Arabic, form an
exciting musical bridge between East and West.
Info: http://abudhabievents.ae
Scan Here:
Robbie Williams Live Concert
APR 26
du Arena, Abu Dhabi
March 2015 will see Robbie Williams embark on his brand
new “Let Me Entertain You Tour”. Opening in Madrid on
25 March and heading to Abu Dhabi on Sunday 26 April,
at the du Arena on Yas Island, Robbie will be visiting
several cities he has never played before. The “Let Me
Entertain You Tour” will be a journey through Robbie’s
extensive catalogue of hits.
Info: tickets.robbiewilliams.com
Scan Here:
Springtime Festival @ Yas Marina
APR 04
Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi
Yas Marina will put on a celebration of all things “cute &
fluffy” at the Springtime Festival @ Yas Marina, with a
variety of activities including pony rides, petting zoo, eggs
hunt, arts and crafts, a large Spring Market, and seven
delicious restaurants to choose from. The festival is aimed
at the whole family at springtime.
Info: http://www.yasmarina.ae
Scan Here:
Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2015
APR 21 - APR 23
Abu Dhabi National Exhibition
Centre, Abu Dhabi
The event unites local, regional and international real
estate professionals under one roof providing all attendees
a platform to meet governmental authorities, developers,
consultants, architects, designers, investors and other real
estate professionals at the same time. In addition to the
exhibition, Cityscape Abu Dhabi will also host a series of
networking events.
Info: http://www.cityscapeabudhabi.com/
Scan Here:
your guide to this month’s sizzling events
World Art Dubai
APR 08 - APR 11
Dubai World Trade Centre
Dubai’s newest public art fair, World Art Dubai
is designed to bring together global and regional
accessible artists and galleries, and introduce them
to the international community here in Dubai. A
unique fusion of art, education and entertainment, the
debut of World Art Dubai reflects the city’s growing
positioning as a leading culture and arts hub.
Info: http://www.worldartdubai.com/
Scan Here:

Cinema at The Space
Mondays & Thursdays | 7:30PM
A series of film screenings that aims to encourage the
increasingly active conversation among filmmakers,
supporters, patrons and enthusiasts across Abu Dhabi,
who are central to the exciting growth of the local
film culture. For more info visit the facebook.com/
theSpaceAD
Oil Painting Workshop
Thursdays | 6PM-8PM
Learn the beautiful and effective technique of oil
painting with palette knives. This beginner’s class will
take you through the step-by-step process of creating
your own masterpiece to take home with you!
Sign up: farah@brownbook.me
Ikebana
April 6 | 10:30AM – 12:30PM
Learn the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging
Ikebana, which uses empty space and asymmetrical
forms to highlight the elegant lines of natural
materials. The course follows the official curriculum of
Obara School of Ikebana Japan, including the official
certificate. RSVP at ikebaname@gmail.com
Artful Room
April 6 – 9 | 10AM – 12PM
Kids will learn how to create decorative items for their
own rooms, all with materials recycled from everyday
life. Registration before April 4th:
artfulroom@gmail.com

THE TALK OF THE TOWN
events
Angeli Castillo
apr
apr
apr15 17
17
apr apr19 20
suliman okar
UAE Jet Ski Race (Heat 3)
@ Abu Dhabi Corniche-
BreakWater, Abu Dhabi
GETEX 2015 @ Dubai
World Trade Centre
The Third GCC Corporate
Social Responsibility
Conference 2015 @ The
St.Regis Abu Dhabi
• Syrian
• Editor + Production Coordinator
Motto: Smile because God is watching
International Pillow Fight Day 2015
APR 04 | Abu Dhabi Art Hub
Celebrate International Pillow Fight Day with your friends by
enjoying pillow pounding. Bring a soft pillow and indulge in some
‘’Pillow Fighting’’ fun at the Abu Dhabi Art Hub’s 3rd annual
friendly tussle. All participants will be taken on a guided tour of the
Art Hub after the fun fight. Minimum age is 10 years.
Info: http://www.adah.ae/
Middle East Film and Comic Con 2015
APR 09 - 11 | Dubai World
Trade Centre
Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC) is one of the region’s
largest pop cultural festivals. It brings together celebrities, artists,
music, art and exhibitors from across the globe. The MEFCC’s
focus is comics, film and gaming entertainment and pop culture.
Info: http://www.mefcc.com/
WEDDEX - Al Ain Wedding Show
APR 27 - MAY 02 | Al Ain
Convention Centre
The 11th edition of the Al Ain Wedding Show exhibits and
displays all products related to weddings all under one roof. The
show features ladies’ and mens’ wear, abaya, lingerie, wedding
gowns, evening footwear, beauty products, beauty salons,
jewellers, bride accessories, Arabian oud, perfumes, furniture
and furnishings. The event is organized by Al Bader Exhibition
Organizers in Al Ain.
Info: http://www.baderuae.com/weddex/exhibition.htm
Orchestra Accademia Teatro
alla Scala - APR 28 | Emirates Palace,
Abu Dhabi
Milan’s highly acclaimed Scala Academy orchestra comes to
Abu Dhabi with one of today’s top young conductors, Mikhail
Tatarnikov, music director of the legendary Mikhailovsky Theatre
in St. Petersburg, Russia. On the programme for their first Abu
Dhabi Classics season concert are Schumann’s fantastic Piano
Concerto in A minor performed with French piano star David
Fray and Tchaikovski’s Symphony No. 4, which like no other
piece of the late 19th century expresses the struggle of human
aspirations in an increasingly deceiving reality.
Info: http://abudhabievents.ae

game on!
games & tech
Project CARS
Platform: PC, Wii U, PS4, Xbox One
Status: Releasing in April 2015
Ever wondered what it was to have a career in the Karting world? With Project CARS now
you could experience and enjoy all of its aspects on whichever motorsport specialization
you would like to enter! GT, Open-Wheel, Le Mans, Rally, Touring Cars, the list just goes
on and on as there are numerous fields and roles in the realm of professional racing. Play
with a friend as your co-driver or against them as you build and manage your own team
to compete against theirs. With user-generated content also added into the mix, Project
CARS enables the gamer and racer in you to really dive into the full package of a racing
simulation – this game is something that hardcore racing enthusiasts shouldn’t miss out on!
Etrian Mystery Dungeon
Platform: 3DS
While RPG fans might already be used to the turn-based combat that Etrian Mystery
Dungeon offers, this game requires strategic positioning (think Final Fantasy Tactics)
for you to get through the dungeon with maximum rewards and loots. Players who are
accustomed to the franchise will be familiar with the classes such as Runemaster and
Landsknecht as they customize each character with their own Etrian-style skill trees.
Take up to four party members to course through dungeons filled with traps, puzzles and
monsters as you train them and get the much-awaited prize at the end! So for those who
are eager to traverse the Mystery Dungeons, the small village of Aslarga welcomes you as
an adventurer searching for fame and fortune. May the odds be with you!
Titan Souls
Platform: PS4, Vita
Don’t let the simplified graphics fool you: combine the one-boss-focused game Shadow
of the Colossus with the one-fault-and-you’re-dead challenge of Dark Souls. The result
is the game above: Titan Souls. Players will find themselves in challenging chasms,
dangerous dungeons and seemingly unbeatable bosses as they go through several stages
as a lone adventurer who just wants to find his way out of this realm. Bosses have their
own weak spot that you have to determine and no, you don’t have to aim for any prizes
here – no character upgrades are available which makes the game more skill-oriented
instead of the usual finish level>get upgrade gimmick that most games had for years
now. One of the best effects in the game is that each time you die, the music, the camera
focus – everything just stops, leaving you time to think of the best strategy to avoid
such a demise from happening again. Gamers who love a hardcore challenge will find
themselves grinding hours at this game to master it!
Telepath Tactics
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
When gamers hear the word “Tactics”, the first thing that might come to mind is “Final
Fantasy Tactics” with its intricate class system and turn-based battles. Telepath Tactics
takes those two elements further by taking in more features from recent tactics games
like Disgaea and Fire Emblem to create a game that will have you sit for hours training all
your units to perfection. While you’re given the usual swordsman-archer-mage-healer
classes, it has other interesting characters like the cavalries who’re able to dash in and
out of the combat area in an instant. While other RPG games allow a “revive” feature,
Telepath Tactics takes that away and has the “Permanent Death” feature, forcing gamers
to always be on their feet to take care of all their units or else they will lose them for
good. What’s great is that you don’t have to play this game on your own – if you have a
gang of five buddies to play with you, you could go on a cooperative campaign and beat
the living daylights out of the bosses. So if you’re up to the challenge of a tactics game,
this one’s up for grabs.
April 2015 Gamer Picks
A Scan of Cool Games Arriving this month

tech talkShahid Saeed / @shahidsaeed
Talker for the Non-Techies
games & tech
Top of the tech deck
BITS AND BYTES
SAMSUNG GALAXY UNPACKED 2015
Galaxy S6 & Galaxy S6 Edge
Samsung has finally unveiled its long-awaited and much-
rumoured flagship smartphone. Well, two smartphones to
be exact. Joining the standard Galaxy S6 is the Galaxy S6
Edge that features a dual-curve display.5.1-inch 2,560×1,440
Super AMOLED display with a pixel density of 577 ppi,
ExynosOctacore processor, and whole lot of other features.
The Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge feature a fast
charge function that gives you four hours of usage from a
10-minute charge.
The Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge also allow wireless
charging that support WPC and PMA standards, as well
as offering support for Qi-enabled chargers.Apart from a
larger f1.9 aperture front and rear camera – which should
dramatically enhance low-light performance – Samsung has
worked on making the camera faster to access.
Samsung claims that you can launch the camera in 0.7
seconds whether you are using the smartphone or whether
it is locked. With the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge
Samsung has moved away from plastic, to adopt a seamless,
full metal and glass construction.
Commercial drones are
already a reality!
The fast-growing global drone market
did not sit back to wait for government
policy to rein in its unabashed growth.
The industry has poured a lot of
investment and effort into opening up
this new technology and hardware. A
growing ecosystem of drone software and
hardware vendors is already catering to
a long list of clients across a broad range
of industries, including agriculture, land
management, energy, and construction.
Many of the vendors are small private
companies and startups — although large
defense-focused companies and industrial
conglomerates are beginning to invest in
drone technology too.
Apple Watch prices and
apps revealed
By now you would have heard the news: Apple’s
smartwatch collection will range in price from $349 to
$17,000, depending on the metals they are made from and
the straps they are bought with. The larger 42mm (1.7in)
models of the Watch will cost about $50 more than the
38mm (1.5in) versions in the lower-priced ranges. Apple
also revealed that the devices are due to go on sale on 24
April. Rivals’ smartwatches have only seen limited sales to
date. A press event held in San Francisco held few surprises
about the wearable tech beyond the fact that the mid-
range stainless steel edition would start at $549 and go up
to $1,099 in the US. There had been speculation that Apple
would seek a bigger price gap between the model and the
basic aluminum-based Sport-branded version - something
that would have restricted its appeal. Apple’s website lists a
total of 38 models, which might pose a challenge to how it
markets them.
Galaxy S6 Edge Galaxy S6
Do you have a story to tell? A special cause? A new idea? Are you trying to help the community?
We want to hear from you. editorial@tempoplanet.com or at Facebook: Abu Dhabi Tempo

fashion
PHOTOGRAPHER:
Angeli Castillo
Ayman Shash
Are you a style maven? Join ‘‘Tempo UAE’’ Facebook
Group. Send us your photo and contact details and we
can arrange a photoshoot
Age: 25
Profession: Engineer
Nationality: Yemen
Fashion statement: Dress to impress
Personal style: Neat and tidy, with a touch
of insanity
Recent fave buy: Nike ACG sneakers
Fave stores:Sacoor, Zara, Foot Locker, Armani
Xchange, Aldo and Abu Waleed
Does the UAE have style? Definitely, as a
multicultural country with so many brands, UAE
citizens have the opportunity to adopt new styles
and even make them their own.
Any fashion pet hates? Overpriced designer
shops like Christian Audigier and Versace who
make things that are only worn in fashion shows
and art exhibitions.

Fancy Fashion
by Fayza and SawalBy Heather Long Vandevoorde, Ph.D.
Ever since I moved here
four years ago I have been
admiring the many dress
shops all over town. I have
lived in seven countries,
traveled to many more, and
have never seen so many
sequins as I have here. My
daughters and I can’t resist
deciding which dress would
look best on which of us at
each window. So it was with
great pleasure that I sat down
with Fayza Hussein, owner
of Privato Haute Couture in
Khalidiya, and her Turkish
designer for ten years, Sawal
Orcun, to learn more about
what goes on inside
those shops.
Here’s what Fayza shared with me…
“I love business in general and am not
complete without it. I started at the age
of eight in Egypt. Every day after school,
I would go to my grandfather’s business
and learn as much as I could. My husband
is busy with his law practice, so I started
two restaurants and a wedding and event
catering company called Hamood Popular
Restaurant for Wedding Services and
Outside Catering. Then, eight years ago, I
decided to delve into dresses and abayas.
I love beautiful things, so why not make
them? My daughter is in fifth grade and is
anxious to open her first store too.
“There are two wedding seasons here,
December – March and June-July. Most
local ladies will average 10 weddings per
season. What is unique about the UAE is
that it is not fashionable to re-wear our
dresses. Each dress is worn to only one
event, and then it is passed along to a
relative or friend. I send mine to family in
Egypt. So the market’s need for dresses is
always there.
“From start to finish it usually takes about
two weeks to custom-make a dress. We
have 13 full-time tailors. Beads are hand-
sewn to the garments. The finest fabrics
are used. Sawal is very talented in creating
dresses to compliment each woman’s ideas
and figure.
“About half of our sales are abayas and
the other half are dresses. Remember, the
dresses cost more than abayas. And we
make special abayas to be worn over the
dresses as well. We also make jalabiyas,
the dresses ladies wear under their abayas.
They can be casual or more formal for
evenings at friends’ houses.”
I asked Sawal why their abayas weren’t
just black, like other shops…
“When I moved here from Turkey fifteen
years ago, my first boss told me to make
abayas. I had never designed them before,
so I didn’t know they should be all black.
“I started to incorporate colours and
creative styles. And you know what?
Ladies bought them. Considering the
average lady has about 35 abayas in her
closet, and changes them over regularly,
a little variety is what they want. Ms.
Hussein was one of my customers. She
liked my designs so much that she hired me
when she opened her shop.
“Earth tone colours, such as blue and beige,
with the black are very popular. We are
also seeing kimono-style closures which
can be left open, or closed, and big pockets,
called busht. Pockets are something new to
abayas.”

fashionably late
By Christopher Joshua Benton / Instagram: @maxfirepower
The Mine may be an art
gallery but it’s also got
major fashion credentials.
Situated in a cavernous
warehouse at the edge of
Dubai’s spunky art district
Al Quoz, The Mine is a multi-
disciplinary art space that
moonlights as a place where
fashion meets community.
Since opening two years
ago, the gallery has hosted a
handful of fashion pop-ups,
boutiques, photo shoots, and
fashion installations. Tempo
talked to The Mine founder
Sanaz Askari about the tight
relationship between art and
fashion, and discovered that
when it comes to the future
of getting dressed in the Gulf,
it’s the artists that are leading
the way.
“The Mine doesn’t just act as a gallery but
as a platform for design, music, film, and
events. At The Mine, we take chances,”
Askari explained.
Visit The Mine on any given day and
you’ll see a well-heeled set; cool artists,
downtown hipsters, and bohemian
Jumeriah Janes, stylishly dressed in
low-slung harem pants, paint-splattered
hightops, and other avant-garde wares. But
The Mine’s fashion cred extends beyond
people-watching and into its
monthly programming.
“When people ask me if this is a gallery I
say no, this is a space,” Askari said.
The Mine has mastered the art of
collaboration. When Parisian brand The
Kooples launched in the Middle East for
the first time, they chose The Mine to host
their opening dinner. In the past three
months, the gallery has organized a live art
installation at the Dubai boutique Mahani,
two weekend pop-up boutiques, and hosted
the debut screening for a street style film
about Dubai with Sole DXB. Recently The
Mine presented an exhibition by Toronto
designer Leyla Kashani, consisting of
womenswear handsomely handcrafted from vintage embroidered
Persian textiles.
As a showcase for local emerging designers, The Mine is a great venue,
exposing the newest Dubai talent to the world. Their latest pop-up shop,
called Homegrown Dubai, features a handful of UAE brands including
rainbow-hued surfwear from Seakiss, punchy swimwear from
Shaymartian, upcycled accessories from Stash, and quirky, technicolor
womenswear from Dinz, among others.
“The Mine is a talent support system. We work
in a non-conformist way,” Askari said.
Mining the Gap: Between
Art and Fashion
The Mine hosts pop-up boutiques
several times a year
The Mine is about
community as much as it
is about art
Affordable art lines the walls of the space
The Mine recycles pallets and furniture giving the space
a rustic sustainable vibe
UAE-produced scarves from graphic designer Racha Elabbas
An installation of vividly-printed beachwear from
Dubai-based swimwear line Shaymartian
Iranian-Canadian Sanaz Alskari is the founder of The Mine
The Mine is a multi-disciplinary space for art music and community
fashion

Abu Dhabi International
Poetry Festival:
Celebrating the Magic of Words!
Creativity and the magic of
the spoken word permeated
the halls of the Paris-Sorbonne
University as the inaugural
Abu Dhabi International
Poetry Festival debuted in
the capital, with an exciting
day of open mic sessions,
workshops and performances
by international and locally
based poet luminaries. The
event, organized by Rooftop
Rhythms, BrandMoxie and the
Paris Sorbonne University, was
held in partnership with the US
Embassy and Fatima Bint Hazza
Cultural Foundation.
Featured Poets:
• Patricia Smith
• G Yamazawa
• Kane Smego
• Zeina Hashem Beck
Organizers:
• BrandMoxie
• Rooftop Rhythms
• Paris-Sorbonne
University
Partners:
• U.S. Embassy
• Fatima Bint Hazza
Cultural Foundation
• Tempo Magazine
• The FLEX
• Abu Dhabi Festival
Event Hosts:
• Mom’s Guide Abu Dhabi
• Lamatna
• Art House Speaks
• Beit Al Oud
Music Academy
Open Mics. People of all ages joined in for the open mic sessions in three languages – Arabic, French and English.
Workshops. From free-ranging flow of words to the moving words of poetry giants such as Patricia Smith, Kane Smego, G Yamazawa
and Zeina Hashem Beck. The audience laughed, teared up, and imbibed the incredible energy of poetry, at the hands of poetry masters
and local rising stars.
Art and Music. Taking a quick break from the spoken word, participants also enjoyed Oud and expressed their creative
thoughts on canvas.
The Abu Dhabi International
Watch the interview
on Sky News Arabia here:

cover story
Want to make a movie?
Make a smovie!
THE SMOVIES VOX CINEMAS
COMPETITION: Ad entitled
“Please Don’t Steal My Show”
#PlsDontStealMyshow
The competition starts in April. If
necessary, the winning teams will be
invited back to refine the ad with VOX
Cinemas input towards creating three
ads for the campaign with different
messages. Each ad will play on all
screens across all VOX Cinemas in the
UAE for at least three months.
OBJECTIVE:
To create awareness about cinema
etiquette (talking loudly, speaking on
the phone and making noise).
MOOD/ TREATMENT:
- Use humour to communicate
this message
-The message should be communicated
from the other cinema goer’s POV
(whose movie experience is ruined)
-The ad should create empathy among
those who either consciously or sub-
consciously ruin someone’s
movie experience
-The ad should NOT be an instruction
guide on how to behave in the cinema

AD DURATION:
30 secs minimum. 45 secs maximum.

SPECS:
-1998 x 1080 Pixels
- High Definition
- 16:9 Aspect Ratio

The Smovies is a platform that provides filmmakers an opportunity to shoot their own
films, and supports them by providing them a platform for the films to be viewed.
The Smovies have three competition seasons:
1. The Vox Category. April to June. “Please don’t steal my show”.
(See Vox Cinemas competition above)
2. The Narrative Category. July to September. “The Message.”
3. I Love UAE. October – December. Celebrating the UAE.
While you may start planning and working on The Narrative and I Love UAE categories,
right now we are accepting only entries for the Vox Competition. See www.thesmovies.
com for more details on this.
PRIZES:
•    The winning team will receive
AED 10,000 cash prize, courtesy of
VOX Cinemas
•   2nd
Runner Up will receive 20 VOX
GOLD Gift Vouchers
(worth AED 2,400)
•   3rd
Runner Up will receive 10 4DX
Vouchers (worth AED 1,250)
•   The winning team needs to create 4
commercials for the same campaign
(different messages in each)
•   Each of the four commercials will
play across all VOX Cinemas for 3
months each
•   Credits for the winning team will
be allowed in the commercial for
not more than 2 seconds
•    Last frame of the commercial
should have the closing frame,
which can be downloaded from
www.thesmovies.com, under the
menu “Competition” and then
“Closing frame”.
•    VOX Cinema venues are available
for shoot during off trading hours:
2 AM – 9 AM.
shoot your
short film
1
Competition: #PlsDontStealMyShow.
to upload go to
www.thesmovies.com
2 Get Screened
on vox cinemas
3
Are you a budding filmmaker? Have you always wanted
to make your own short film? Then read on.
You are invited to make a ‘Smovie’ – “What’s a smovie?” you ask.
A ‘smovie’ is a short movie… ‘s’ for ‘short’ + ‘movie’… get that? The
cool thing is The Smovies – www.thesmovies.com invites anyone to
shoot a short film using anything available. This could a camera, a
phone camera, Ipad…anything. How easy is that?
There are three seasons of competitions. Competition 1 is The Vox
Cinemas category which kicks off on April 1. See the details for
the competition below. Winners will receive cash prizes and the
opportunity to have their films showcased on Vox Cinemas across
the country. Amazing or what?
So jot down some ideas, call a friend or two, get your camera ready
and shoot! Become a Smovie Star!
If you have questions, send them to info@thesmovies.com
Contact details for cinema
venues booking:
Mr. Mounir Dada
Marketing Executive
VOX Cinemas
Telephone: +971 (4) 6010500
Direct: +971 (4) 6010520
Email address:
mounir.dada@voxcinemas.com

SUPPORT FOR SKATING:
Winning Mother and Daughter Team
By Heather Long Vandevoorde, Ph.D.
Tempo: How are you promoting women
in sport?
Roquiya: Personally, through the UAE Ice
Sport Federation, I am trying to raise the
profile of figure skating, which has a lot
of female participation in the country. I
want to encourage more girls to join the
sport. And then Zahra and I as a team
are proud to work with her sponsor, the
Sheika Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports
Academy. Sheika Fatima Bint Mubarak,
the Mother of our Nation, believes that
all roads should be cleared for women to
participate in sport. Together, we want
to tear down the barriers for young girls,
covered and uncovered alike, to participate
and excel in sport.
Tempo: To what extent do you push
Zahra to excel?
Roquiya: Not at all. From an early age it
was apparent she had potential as well as
the internal drive to do well. While her
friends were at the mall shopping, she
chose to stay at home, shaking the house as
she practiced her jumps. I never forced her.
All I have done is support her in any way
I can so she can follow her passion. I have
been with her through countless hours
of training, falls, injuries and especially
when she was faced with people criticizing
her for dreaming big. Her father is also
extremely supportive.
Tempo: What is it like to be the mother
of an Olympic hopeful?
Roquiya: One word: BUSY. I am managing
her life in order to protect her and leave
her free to train and study. We travel
to competitions in Europe several times
per year. Here at home, she is in high
demand for interviews, speaking events
and documentaries. Add to that the
training she does on and off ice daily and
her pursuit of a university degree, and
you have two tired ladies! But we take our
work seriously. As the first-ever covered
competitor on the world stage of figure
skating, we realize how important Zahra’s
role is as an ambassador to the sport as well
as to our religion and culture. Whether at
home or abroad, she is in the spotlight and
tries to be a good example for those that
will follow her. We never take it lightly.
Tempo: How do you have time for
anything else?
Roquiya: I make time. Right now I am
heading the organizing committee for
Abu Dhabi’s first-ever International
Skating Union (ISU, the governing body
for the Olympics) competition. The FBMA
Trophy will take place at the ice rink at
Zayed Sports City, April 3 and 4. Skaters
from more than ten countries, including
five Emirati skaters, will participate in this
top-level competition. Admission is free
for the public to come watch. The skaters
here will be contenders for Olympic
competitions, whether in 2018 or the 2022
games. It is an honour for Abu Dhabi to
be a host city and we plan to make it an
annual event.
Tempo: Do you have other children?
Roquiya: Zahra is my middle child. I
have an older son, Ahmed, a newlywed
who’s just about to leave for his national
service, and a younger son, Ali, who is in
the middle of his national service. The
national service has matured Ali and
enhanced his self-discipline. I’m very
proud of my boys and their dedication to
serve the country.
Looking into the eyes of
mother and daughter,
Roquiya Cochran and Zahra
Lari, you see the same
competitive resolve. Zahra
is the UAE’s own figure
skating Olympic hopeful,
while Roquiya is both her
mentor, and also figure
skating manager for the UAE
Ice Sport Federation. Tempo
caught up with them to talk
about the sport and their
support of women in sport.
Tempo: Roquiya, where did your interest
in sports come from?
Roquiya: I grew up in Sylva, North
Carolina, a small town in the southern
United States. Sports were very popular
there. I played basketball, volleyball and
was a cheerleader. I also played a little bit
of American football. Yes, I was a woman
playing a men’s sport!
Tempo: How did you end up
in Abu Dhabi?
Roquiya: I moved here 26 years ago when
met and married Fadhel Lari - the best
decision I ever made! I became a UAE
national five years later.
Gilles Vandevoorde Photography

lean and cleanBy Donna Howarth
@cleaneatuae
the epicureanBy Lana Nasser
Instagram: @l4n4n
“Mr. Beck is ready to see you
now,” announced the maître
d of Heinz Beck’s 3 Michelin
star restaurant, with a beaming
smile on his face. I immediately
cancelled the tea and scones I
had ordered. To calm my nerves
I took in the sweeping views of
the sea from the open-air terrace
of the Waldorf Astoria in Dubai.
As I was chaperoned inside
Social, I couldn’t help but feel a
sense of awe and anticipation
brought on by its spaciousness,
the crispy white tablecloths, the
abundance of light filtering in
from floor to ceiling windows,
and the complete transparency
of the glass divide separating the
kitchen from the dining room.
Mr. Beck came out of the spotless steel-clad
kitchen in his chef whites, black frames and
his arm extended to shake my hand. It was
with that same comfortable confidence that
he answered every question I threw at him.
Heinz Beck is a man with his own mind, and
ahead of his time; he believes diners look for
emotions from their culinary experience.
Knowing that, right after my interview, I
booked for dinner the next day.
What is it about Mediterranean cuisine
that attracts you the most? And does your
background lend flavour to your
cuisine as well?
My way of cooking is healthy cooking
with Mediterranean flavors with a strong
focus on Italy. I don’t call it Italian because
then you would have to focus on one of the
regions and the regions are so different. For
example, if you look at Sicily, the cuisine is
influenced by Arabic cooking with couscous
in the cuisine, and the North is influenced
by Austria. So Mediterranean spreads out
the influence.
No it doesn’t, I went to culinary school in
Germany and learnt a lot of techniques but
all these techniques have changed in the
Food trucks rolled into town
from the UK as part of the
Abu Dhabi StreetFeast
Festival 2015.
One of these trucks was a converted, bright
yellow, 1973 Bedford CF Van(British Ice
Cream Van)– lovingly referred to as Archie,
The Cheese Truck. I made contact with the
owner, Mathew, via Twitter and promised I
would visit Archie on the Corniche
in Abu Dhabi.
After a few tweets were exchanged,
Mathew revealed that the food trucks were
in desperate need of help as they had been
overwhelmed with the public response and
asked if I was able to arrange a
group of volunteers.
By using my CleanEatUAE Facebook page,
I quickly arranged a group of ‘Clean Eaters’
to help The Cheese Truck and other trucks
prepare food during their three days stay on
the Corniche.
I was privileged to volunteer during one
of the shifts and had a fantastic afternoon
working behind the scenes in a temporary
kitchen area, away from the trucks. My job
was to make Cheddar cheese sandwiches
with red onions. My fellow volunteers were
preparing Stilton, Rocket and onion chutney
sandwiches. All to be toasted, lovingly, on
a grill, inside Archie. The Cheese Truck had
a constant line of people waiting to sample
a traditional British home comfort food,
so the pressure was on to prepare as many
sandwiches as possible! I managed to find
the time to taste the Goats Cheese Toastie
– such a creamy cheese complimented by
walnuts and toasted, rustic bread –(supplied
by La Brioche), beautiful!
The other truck I became involved with was
The Roadery who offered a Wagyu Braco
(British taco!) with salsa and fresh herbs – for
a small appetizer it was jam-packed with
flavour. Their truck was an old converted,
1979 Renault Estafette Van managed by a
father and son from London. A couple of
other volunteers had the job of rolling out
the Bracos for the Wagyu to sit in – quite an
arduous task I might add. Even so, they did it
with a smile.
last ten years. Now we are using modern
techniques, such as dry freezing, high
speed centrifuge for dividing the liquids,
and Gastrovac for rotovappeur.
What are your thoughts and feelings
about organic produce and products?
I believe in organic produce but our
environment is so polluted, with increasing
contamination of air, water and soil so you
can’t guarantee that it’s totally organic.
But when I choose organic at least I know
the person producing it has a little less
poison in it. With the world destroyed
like this you can never get 100% organic.
It’s also more expensive because there is
so much more work that goes in it. There
are, however, farmers’ markets in Italy
where the produce is easy accessible to all
and cheaper than the supermarkets. It’s all
about how you want to reprioritize your
spending to eat better.
How long did it take you to earn three
Michelin stars?
I earned the three stars over 10 years.
Before going to Italy, I was going to end my
cooking career and take over the family
business. But after one weekend in Italy,
I loved it so much I never went back to
take over the business. Everyone said I
couldn’t get two stars because I didn’t own
the restaurant but I did and with the third
star it was a great feeling because I wasn’t
expecting it.
How do you keep your menus fresh
and innovative?
I don’t run after food trends. I’ve always
done it my way, I run behind research and
then I do my dishes. If you try them you
will see that they are different.
What do you think people look for the
most during a dining experience?
People look for emotions and emotions
don’t lie. They want food that brings
out emotions in them. It brings me great
pleasure to make a difference in someone’s
life through my food; they don’t have to
understand what they’re eating, they
just have to appreciate it. I always tell the
waiters not to tell the guests a fairy tale;
they don’t have to know how the food is
cooked, only that when they have the meal,
it tastes different. A good host knows about
his guests’ worries before they are
aware of them.
The atmosphere during the festival
was fantastic and it was uplifting to
be surrounded by fellow Brits and for
us expats to be given a taste of what’s
happening in the Street Food scene back in
the UK.
It would be amazing if the trucks came
back next year and perhaps the Abu
Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority can
arrange for other European food trucks to
visit Abu Dhabi to allow us all to taste the
culinary delights from different cultures
and countries.
Heinz Beck:
In the Company of a Food Star
Archie, The Cheese Truck:
Street Feast Festival
This month’s recipe is in keeping with the
Roadery’sWagyu Braco –
Grass-fed, New Zealand Wagyu Kebabs
with Spicy Tomato Salsa – Serves 2
4 Wagyu Kebabs (100% Grass-fed from
Firstlight Foods, Mushriff Mall)
Cook to your preference with a little
coconut oil (if needed). Allow to rest
Spicy Tomato Salsa
6 Organic Tomatoes, chopped (Try to use
local i.e. Al Ain)
½ chopped onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 freshly squeezed lime
Fresh chili to taste
Pinch of salt
1-heapedtablespoon fresh, chopped
coriander.
Mix the above ingredients together and
serve alongside the Kebabs. You could
always make a side of Quinoa, brown
rice or even Cauliflower Rice. I was more
than happy to eat this on its own. (The
Wagyu needs no fanfare!!)
Suitable for Clean Eaters&Paleo’s – enjoy!!!!
3 Michelin Star Chef Heinz Beck
and Lana Nasser
(From L-R) Ulugbek Hudayarov, Donna Howarth, and Haroutioun Derderian
Wagyu kebab with tomato salsaAmuse Bouche

phototripping By Shahid Saeed
Conceptual Photography
(Self Portraits)
Conceptual photography is a type of photography that illustrates an idea. However, the term Conceptual Photography derives from Conceptual Art, a movement of the late
1960s. Today the term is used to describe either a methodology or a genre.As a methodology, conceptual photography is a type of photography that is staged to represent an
idea. The ‘concept’ is both preconceived and, if successful, understandable in the completed image. It is most often seen in advertising and illustration where the picture may
reiterate a headline or catchphrase that accompanies it. PHOTOGRAPHER: Anum Khan | LOCATION: Sharjah - UAE
SETTING: Manual Mode
CAMERA MODEL: Canon 600D
F-STOP/APERTURE: f2.8
ISO: 400
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/800sec
ISO: 400
ISO: 200
ISO: 400
ISO: 400
ISO: 400
photography

shutterbug ABU DHABI PHOTOGRAPHERS
THE CHALLENGE:Outdoor Portrait Lighting (Using Natural Light and Flash)
photography
Group Photo
NOTE: ADP organized an outdoor portrait lighting workshop. The learnings focused on use of
natural and artificial light with reflectors, on and off-camera flash, diffusion panel and other
fundamentals. The photos below are some of the results.
ABOUT: The Abu Dhabi Photographers is a group, managed by BrandMoxie, of photography
enthusiasts who meet regularly to capture beautiful shots and to share knowledge
and experiences.
Paola
Paola
Sasikumar S
Portrait Shoot
Zahid Iqbal Vlada Gorbounova

travelby Matthew Brace
Communications Advisor
KAYAKING WITH THE
YAS DOLPHINS
“You’ve come on a good day,” said the man at the
Noukhada base on Yas Beach. “We’ve seen three
dolphins here this morning so keep your
eyes open.”
With much excitement, we pushed off from the beach, hopped into our Extreme 420
sea kayaks and paddled out into the channel. The water was flat and calm and a light
breeze kept us cool as we headed north, floating up the coast of Yas Island by the golf
course. To our left was one of the few local islands open to the public. We lingered in
the shallows, watching the gulls and curlews foraging along the shoreline.
Suddenly, my eagle-eyed wife spotted a shimmer out in the middle of the channel and
then a flash of reflected sunlight. A fin! We almost broke the Olympic paddling record
as we sped across the water to meet the dolphins.
We’re aware of the international ruling on how close you can get to marine wildlife so
we hung back when we reached them, not wanting to disturb their Friday morning
swim. We manoeuvred behind them and cruised south, following them as they
rode the current.
The Noukhada man was right: there were three dolphins – two large and one small.
For the most amazing half-hour we floated effortlessly with our new dolphin friends
on calm water and under clear skies. It was the perfect antidote to the pressures of the
working week.
The details
Noukhada rents sea kayaks, small sailboats, windsurfers and stand-up paddleboards
from its base on Yas Beach. Book in advance and for 2 hours or more and you get the
entry fee to Yas Beach waived, so you can chill out on the beach afterwards for free. If
you’re a beginner, you can also join a guided kayak tour.
http://noukhada.ae/rentals/; call 02 558 1889 I WISH …
NORTHERN
LIGHTS
One of the most life-changing holidays is seeing
the famous Northern Lights, the amazing multi-
coloured dancing display in the skies above the
Arctic, which are created when solar flare energy
hits the Earth.
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience but seeing the lights is difficult so research is essential;
you need the right location, weather and solar activity… and some very warm clothes.
How: www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast and free apps such as Aurora asuch as
visiticeland.com, www.visitnorway.com, visitsweden.com, visitfinland.com and https://
www.travelalaska.com/will help you research the trip.
Where: Inside the Arctic Circle. Top spots are Tromso in northern Norway, Arctic Finland,
Arctic Sweden, Iceland’s north coast and Alaska.
When: Winter, preferably when High pressure systems are more frequent in your chosen
destination (these usually bring clearer skies).
© Copyright Noukhada, 2014
© Copyright Noukhada, 2014

@sanaalikespie
by Sana Ashraf
TALKING BOOKS LIBRARIANS’ LOUNGE By Vanessa Middleton
“Looking for Alaska” by
John Green
Miles, a new student at a boarding school, meets
Alaska who helps him seek ‘the Great Perhaps’.
Alaska’s adventurous, self-destructive, and
prankster attitude fascinates Miles, until he finds
himself falling for her.
Revolutionary
stories sometimes
come in the form of
utopian fiction. And one
masterpiece that has
stood the test of time is
the Brave New World
by Aldous Huxley,
which was written in
1931! It is a compelling
depiction of the future,
and the perspective he
shares is transformative
and elevating.
Huxley paints the picture of a world
which replaces human ambition
with placid happiness, freedom
from suffering, and a surrender
of character for the sake of “social
stability”. Often people compare it to
Nineteen Eighty-Four.
The Brave New World depicts a
future in which civilisation is the
master. It portrays a world where no one is left to feel sad. Everyone is constantly
happy, and emotions are continuously elevated by the intake of ‘soma’ – a drug that
instantly provides a feeling of ease and comfort. In the ‘new world’, countries and
nations compete for the production of test-tube babies per year - the concept of a
family, biological parents, frightens them. People are produced in hierarchies from
birth: there are Alphas (being the highest) then Betas, Deltas, Gammas and so on.
Throughout the novel, Huxley does not focus on the development of his characters as
much as he explores ideas. The book begins with a tour of students in the ‘Hatchery
and Conditioning Centre’ in which genetically engineered babies are produced then
brainwashed, hypnotized, and conditioned throughout their childhood. Due to this
conditioning, babies are taught to hate books and nature for the sake of the system’s
motto: Community, Identity, Stability - such that “one believes things because one has
been conditioned to believe them.”
Later, John - a savage from New Mexico – is brought to the new world and is
challenged with civilisation. He criticises the notions of the ‘brave new world’ by
saying“But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want
freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.”
The novel is packed with details of theories and ideas that leave the reader
dumbfounded. It is captivating in the way it offers new concepts from two remotely
different perspectives. It challenges the notion of a ‘perfect world’ and much of its
predictions are frightening because it was written almost a century ago. A must-read
novel, and very timely given the changes that are already occurring around us.
Book Recommendation:
Brave New World by
Aldous Huxley
Driving Innovation through
Knowledge Cultivation
The UAE has designated 2015 as the Year of Innovation. Since libraries play a critical
role in the development of knowledge innovation, more and more of these libraries
are integrating MakerSpace platforms within the new service delivery models. The
MakerSpace trend in libraries has demonstrated practical applications of cultivating
creativity and innovation. It is described by Intel as, “the recent way of tech-inspired,
do-it-yourself (DIY) innovation, whereby the participant uses tools, knowledge and
other resources to create new products.” The Library is becoming the innovation
space that facilitates users’ ability to bring together knowledge, tools and resources to
produce innovative solutions and products. Most libraries have increasingly invested
in more information technology solutions, tools, learning spaces and much more to
help stimulate creativity and knowledge production. As books and other research
resources become increasingly available in digital formats – IT solutions are required
to access the vast amounts of data which were once housed on a shelf – but are now
available online, and are accessible anywhere, anytime. Dr. Easa Mohammed Bastaki,
former CEO of Internet Fund and President of University of Dubai, recently outlined
the roadmap to a culture of innovation during his keynote address at the 21st Annual
Conference & Exhibition of Special Libraries Association Arabian Gulf Chapter;
he noted that education and libraries are critical to the success of developing an
innovative society within UAE.
Patents are the outcomes of innovative and creative thinking to solve practical
challenges. Without extensive patent and scholarly research about the previous or
related scientific work already done in the field, the researcher is at a loss to determine
whether his/her idea is a new solution or idea. Abu Dhabi Technology Development
Committee (TDC) has partnered with librarians in the past to deliver workshops to
enlighten the scholarly community about details on intellectual property and the
vital technical assistance provided by their office. Recently, a UAEU faculty member,
Professor Ahmed Hussein, and his team discovered how date pits could be used to
cure microbial bacteria in the gut of poultry and livestock. Another faculty member
from Petroleum Institute, Dr. Saeed Alhassan Alkhazraji discovered a device to collect
water from atmospheric moisture. I am sure their discoveries would not be possible
unless they reviewed and consulted vast amounts of scholarly publications and
patents related to their discoveries. So innovation is happening in UAE underpinned
by research support and resources provided by librarians, knowledge workers within
libraries and information centers. Overall libraries will continue to drive innovation
and contribute to the development of the economy, improve social and cultural aspects
of the community as well.
Get creative, be inspired, visit your library today and innovate!
Learn more MakerSpace here: http://www.makerspace.com/

ZAYED UNIVERSITY’S AL KHARAREEF STORYTELLING CLUB
was created to enrich the legacy of the Emirati storytelling tradition
and contribute to the revival of this important cultural heritage
within the United Arab Emirates.
Last year, the Club in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music &
Arts Foundation launched an Emirati cultural literacy project titled
the Story Mile, a collection of 48 original fables and folktales, written by students
from the Academic Bridge Program, illustrated by the College of Arts and Creative
Enterprise majors and translated by ZOWD volunteers into the language of its
characters, Emirati dialect.
The Story Mile tales, which are the first of a three volume series, were recently
published as a book in English and titled “Tales from the Emirates” in Arabic. The
stories not only share the storytelling tradition of the Emirates, but have also
introduced other key aspects of Emirati culture and are creating new footprints in
the sands of the cultural landscape of the UAE.
FLASH FICTION IS A STYLE OF FICTIONAL LITERATURE CHARACTERIZED BY
BREVITY; WITH THE STANDARD BEING A STORY OF UNDER 1000 WORDS. SEND US
YOUR STORIES TO: editorial@tempoplanet.com
OsteenBy Uwem Umana
literature
Shaikha and Bshayer said goodbye to their sisters, Maryam and
Azza. Three years later, they returned and the sisters decided to
give a party to celebrate. Shaikha said, “We need to choose a special
location that no one has used before.
Mohammed, their cousin, suggested a campsite he’d visited. “It’s a private island
inside the mangroves,” he said. The girls agreed and began inviting all their friends to,
‘The Mangrove Masquerade’.
Suddenly, they heard a voice and saw the trees rustling. Mohammed checked but
didn’t find anything. They started to imagine what it could be.
Maryam said, “It’s really big, with a huge mouth and a giant earring.”
Bshayer said, “It’s very tall with long hair.”
Shaika said, “It has large eyes, long hands and a hairy body.” Then they all
went to bed.
The next morning, the girls left to prepare for the party. Mohammed brought
beverages and music, while the girls decorated the trees. When the party was
over, Shaikha suggested they clean up all the litter, but Maryam refused. Shaikha
reluctantly left the mangroves covered in trash, because no one wanted to stay and
help her clean.
That night, Shaikha couldn’t sleep. Something was moving in her room, suddenly
she saw a strange person and screamed. Everybody in the house ran directly to her
and later laughed saying it was just her imagination. The following day, Maryam told
Shaikha she was right; there was a monster in the house - a bald man with cat eyes,
a long, pointy nose, and really long toes. Maryam went to speak to the others and
then screamed. The sisters ran to her, but found she had disappeared. They searched
everywhere but without success, that was the last time they saw their sister Maryam.
Azza knew the monster was Fatouh, the guardian of the mangroves. He had tried to
warn Shaikha to return to the island to clean up after the party, but no one believed
her. Now one sister had paid for the destruction of the area with her life. The sisters
were devastated by Maryam’s loss and regretted not listening to Shaikha’s advice to
take care of the mangroves.
“Shaikha
reluctantly left
the mangroves
covered in
trash.”
Dana Naser Mohamed Mataar Abu Nemr Al Mazrouei
One of the targets given
to Osteen was to replace
inappropriate vocabulary
(insert vulgar words here)
with inoffensive words like
“sugar”. Osteen was literarily
struggling with his new
target. Sometimes he would
remember it, sometimes he
would lose the
plot completely.
It was very odd to meet somebody at work
being put in the special needs register. In
order to support him, that needed
to be done.
Osteen was a very likeable fellow
especially amongst the women folks. He
was a very smooth talker and stalker as
well. His belly looked like four months old
pregnancy and he smoked like a chimney.
He was single and quaffed a lot. He loved
partying and had oodles of cash to spend
on himself. He was such a good cook and
could entertain you with a constant flow
of conversation 24/7. This is what most of
the ladies prefer in a man – a single guy
without any weight.
Osteen loved the company of good women,
they fell for him and he made himself fall
for them. He was always on one case
or the other.
By some chance we were posted to the
same work site. He is very ICT literate and
could do some few stunts with the machine
which made our line manager find him of
high utility value. What would take most
people ages to figure out, it took him couple
of seconds. I am also aware that he wrote
and developed softwares before, on how to
hack into websites and people’s data bases.
He was jailed for two years and released
from prison in 2006 for offences related to
hacking into his previous company’s data
base and stealing data.
Being in the same work site meant we had
to work along as team mates. This was ok
with me. We strung along quite nicely
and we worked well. But if you were not
careful you would get infected by his bad
language. Incidentally I was the one to
oversee that he met his targets on a day
to day basis. This made me and him to
form some sort of alliance that I find hard
to explain. A kind of bond that when the
person is around you are ok and when the
person is not around you don’t
miss him or her.
One time he requested me to do him a
favour. It was to take him to the airport
to fetch his girlfriend who was visiting
from the UK. I asked him “so you have a
girlfriend, why do you mess around with
all these ladies?” He replied “I am a
ladies man”.
Osteen always reminded me of the
character Whit in ‘Of Mice and Men’. Whit
was a very rare character. He had such
a sense of pride, dignity and integrity.
Though he was a farm hand, he would
always dress very impeccably after work
and set down and read and keep himself
very busy with scholarly matters. Even on
Sundays when there is no work, he would
wake up and after his breakfast, have a
bath and dress up with a neck tie, sit down
and read a book.
On the said date I arrived Osteen’s
apartment on time. He came out wearing
a nice suit and smelling very nice. You
would think that he was going to receive
the Queen of Spain. I thought within
myself ‘this guy means business’. Which
girl would not go crazy seeing a guy attach
such importance to coming to fetch her
from the airport like she was an important
dignitary. Of course she is, that is the
message the guy is giving. Not quite fifteen
minutes afterwards, Osteen came out from
the arrival hall to inform me that the flight
has been delayed for five hours and he
would hang around till the flight arrived.
He thanked me ever so much and
bade me goodbye.
At work, the next day I asked him how
the previous day went. He told me it was a
fiasco. “Why?”
“Janet arrived with her ten year
old daughter”
“So, what’s wrong with that? Things can
always be maneuvered, couldn’t they?”
“No, no no! That little daughter of hers is a
er r erm…”
The Mangrove Masquerade
by Shaikha Hassan Abbas Mohamed Al Hosani

A New Alphabet and a
New Art: Nirina RalantoBy Neil Bie
It takes a fresh eye and a
unique creative perspective
to do what artist Nirina
Ralanto is doing. Nirina
molds language and letters
into a unique alphabet
that is as creative as it is
unconventional. Nirina shares
her inspiration with Tempo…
“I am half from France and half from
Madagascar. My mixed origin makes me
deeply aware of the diversity in the world
so I have always been always inspired by
different and divergent points of view, and
the necessity to reconcile the opposites and
reinvent harmony within our world.
“Art has always been in my life. I was born
to be an artist, this a calling that I felt since
I was a child and I was very lucky that my
parents naturally introduced me to all the
arts – singing, dancing, playing instruments,
and acting! Painting is the only art that
I didn’t discover through school. I am an
autodidact in this field...
“About calligraphy, I have always been
passionate in handwriting and learning
new alphabets. I learned Ancient Greek
in high school, copied and adapted the
Gothic style of old manuscripts, Egyptian
hieroglyphs, Chinese ideograms or
cuneiform writings. Then on August 2010
when I moved to Abu Dhabi to teach at
Sorbonne on Reem Island, my attraction
for the Arabic calligraphy became clear.
“I simply take the pen or the paintbrush
and go with the flow. This is an automatic
writing and what is very joyful for me
is that I don’t know what I write. Once
again, it looks like Arabic but it is not
Arabic. It is made of different shapes
inspired by many alphabets: Arabic,
Latin, Greek, Tibetan, Bengali, Hindi,
Devanagari, Thai, Gothic, Cyrillic,
Maya, etc...
“I called it ‘Our New Alphabet’ because it
is not only mine, it is ours: it aims to open
the dialog and interpretation of the diverse
points of view. And since none of us have
the actual translation... nobody is right,
nobody is wrong, everybody has the right
to express how he/she feels and there
is only room for dialog, listening skills,
acceptance and curiosity towards the
other point of view. “Our New Alphabet” is
ultimately a place for otherness.
“People generally ask “what does it say” to
which I respond “I don’t know”. After that
comes an array of responses like people
smiling, asking further questions to even
a point where they asked if I was making
fun of them! Some of them mention that
they could read some half words but still
isn’t sure! All these reactions make me
happy because I have a feeling I really talk
to people’s heart, beyond words.
“I love the Spanish painter Salvador Dali
and the Belgian René Magritte. They both
are painters from the surrealist movement,
from different styles of course, but
both passionate about the link between
representation and expression,
objects and words.
Nirina devotes time in creating art on
small notebooks to big canvases

Nirina’s message to aspiring artists:
Go back to the Child in you
Find your Inner Voice
Be aligned with yourself
Be Grateful for every little thing
Express everything you have in
your Heart
Your life will be your art
Your art will be your life.
“In my new full-time artist life, I feel very
grateful for having a free and flexible
schedule! In the morning: meditation,
yoga, breakfast (of course!), sun salutations,
write, paint then as the hours pass by, it’s
already time for lunch! In the afternoon
there are different options – meet friends
and talk to them regarding collaborations
in the arts, edit the new episode of my web
series called “My weekend with Mémé”,
paint again, or work with my brother on a
script – these creative activities I do either
while listening to music or being in total
silence. In the evening it is about sleep! I
really recharge my creative batteries while
sleeping and dreaming.
“About cinema: My brother and I are
finalizing our newest version of a feature
film, a French comedy based on the “My
weekend with Mémé” webseries and
our grandmother character. We are now
trying to produce this movie in France.
“About my exhibition: I already sold some
paintings exhibited at French Alliance
and I hope that more will be sold because
20% of the proceeds will be donated to
women labourers in Mussafah. When the
exhibition stops, an old student of mine
from Sorbonne, passionate about art, will
take care of the paintings and maybe
organize the next event”.
Connect with Nirina: http://nirinaralanto.blogspot.com/ or @nirinaralanto
New Rosetta Stone 2
New Alphabet 21
New Rosetta Stone 1New Alphabet 22

TAMAKKAN
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION PLATFORM
Women Achieve, an exciting initiative aimed at advancing women in business, celebrated its second anniversary at an event hosted by Tamakkan. The AmCham Abu Dhabi
“Women Achieve” platform invited all of the 37 signatories of the charter to an evening of inspiration and celebration. AmCham’s The Women in Business Committee introduced
the success stories of each of the signatories, highlighting the progress within the organisations that help advance the principles of Women Achieve. At the event, Northrop
Grumman was awarded the title of 2015 Women Achieve Champion for their significant contribution to women’s advancement.
innovation
2015 Women Achieve Champion: Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman was chosen for its outstanding work in
promoting STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
to women, particularly Emirati women. “The Innovation Challenge,”
which is open to both male a female engineering students, allows
students access to mentors from Northrop Grumman.
Northrop Grumman was awarded as the 2015 Women Achieve Champion
(From L-R) Gillian Arnott, Business Development Manager, Northrop Grumman, Theresa F. Weber,
Executive Director, AmCham Abu Dhabi and Sana Bagersh, Chair, AmCham Abu Dhabi Women in
Business Committee.
The Women Achieve principles:
1. Provide a professional organizational environment conducive to the
advancement of women.
2. Encourage women to grow through training, shadowing, coaching,
and mentorship programs.
3. Consider female candidates for new opportunities.
4. Support female rising stars in their efforts to move into leadership positions.
5. Encourage women to serve on boards of different organizations.
6. Offer fair remuneration to female employees.
7. Promote internship to female candidates.
Advancing Women and Pushing Boundaries
Tamakkan hosts AmCham’s Women Achieve Anniversary
Theresa Weber
Executive Director, American
Chamber of Commerce
“AmCham Abu Dhabi is very pleased to be
celebrating the two year anniversary of the
Women Achieve initiative. We have over 35
signatories to date including Boeing, Exxon
Mobil, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, GE, Al
Noor Hospital, Lockheed Martin, Northrop
Grumman and many others. Our list of
companies interested in signing grows by the
day. We are proud that this initiative is making
a difference.”
Sana Bagersh
Chair, Women in Business Committee,
American Chamber of Commerce
“It is because of the leadership and vision of HH
Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak that the women
of the UAE today stand strong and enabled.
We are able to celebrate women’s achievement
today because of her commitment to the
progress of women in the UAE. When the
Women in Business committee came up with
Women Achieve we knew we couldn’t change
the world, but we also knew that maybe a
powerful idea could help facilitate the way to
positive change.”
Elias B. Sayah
President & CEO, Sayah Engineering
“At my office, 90% of our engineers are women.
A woman is the greatest creation on earth and
no matter how much we pay women for all
that they do in the office and life, we aren’t
paying them enough.”
Hessa AlBahli
Compliance Manager at
Mubadala GE Capital
“Today, Mubadala GE Capital offers career
development programs for promising leaders
with equal opportunity to females and I was
thankfully and very proudly the result of
such an initiative and I am now the first UAE
National to hold Compliance Manager position
in GE Capital.”
Fay Gabriel
Owner, Regal International Projects
Development and Facilities Services Consultant
“Women’s duty to inspire other women and
empower them. If we don’t work for ourselves,
we can not get a place under the sun.”
Robert Harward
Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin UAE
“Lockheed Martin, the largest defense
company in the world in the United States
at least, is a company of 112,000. 80,000
engineers, a large portion of them, women
and the fact that our CEO and president is a
woman, Marillyn Hewson. It’s a testament
that we’re in a competitive global market – we
don’t care about gender, color or nationality,
we need those people who can get
the job done.”
Rick Schwanthaler
Vice President, Louis Berger
“Developing cross-gender leadership is good
for business. We look forward to contributing
to this phenomenon and helping to contribute
to its future success.”

Vanessa Middleton
Library Head, Petroleum Institute
“We have over 500 beautiful drop-dead
gorgeous women who wear their abayas
with style and class but they know how to
do those calculations better and faster than
most guys on our campus. I’m always proud
of them because they’re beautiful, they’re
talented and they have this can-do attitude.”
Dr. Amina El Saleh
Hospital Director, Al Noor Hospital
“I joined Al Noor for the first time in 1986 as a
clinical nurse and made my way up through
the career development proved myself at
work and gained the trust of my patients and
management.”
Dana Salloum
Manager - Government, Industry and
Community Engagement at
Boeing Middle East
“In our internship program that we launched,
11 out of 15 were women. We’re very proud of
the young Emirati women – these women were
the best of the best interns that we had on a
global scale not just by their own nationality;
they competed with everybody else.”
Caroline Metcalf
Infrastructure Area Manager for
Shaheen, Bechtel
“We want to continue to increase the
awareness in the outside world about
women’s involvement and engagement in
engineering and construction to erode the
perceptions of what women should and
shouldn’t do and what women can and cannot
do especially for the younger generations.”
Anna Heystek
Managing Director, BOTH
Management Consultancy
“As a company helping set up other companies
and taking care of all of the headache, I’m
proud to say that BOTH Management is run
by 70% women for seven years now.”
Brenda Regan
General Manager, Escape Events
“The Women’s Heritage Walk took place in
honour of the UAE women who made this
140 kilometre journey twice a year. The
30 women who participated walked in the
footsteps of their ancestors who helped sculpt
this country.”
Qaiser Anis
Managing Partner, Alliot Hadi Shahid
“We depend on women and their dedication
and trustworthiness – 30% in both our offices
in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are women and in the
coming years, we’ll progress more on that.”
Be sure to attend the next Tamakkan seminar entitled: “The Secret of Franchising and the Opportunity to Scale Up” to be held at the Al Mamoura
Auditorium on the 21st of April! Register now at info@tamakkan.info and join our Facebook GROUP “Tamakkan”.Go to www.tamakkan.com for updates.
Heather Smith
Hospital Administrator, Brightpoint
Women’s Hospital
“We make great strides to make sure that when
women come to us, there is no waiting time
for them. When you get a group of women
together, things can get really empowering.
We’re women taking care of women.”
Jules Lewis
Founder, Mountain High
“I founded and started the business called
Mountain High to encourage and inspire more
women and men to explore the capabilities of
their mind and their body in this incredible
planet that we live on.”
Gillian Arnott
Business Development Manager,
Northrop Grumman
“One of our big achievements here in the UAE
is that we run a program with the Higher
Colleges of Technology called Innovation
Challenge, an HCT mentorship program where
mentors come from the US to help students to
build unmanned aerial vehicles to have them
fly autonomously.”
WHAT IS TAMAKKAN?
It is a knowledge-sharing platform established in 2009 by BrandMoxie, a leading marketing agency, to nurture entrepreneurship,
innovation and leadership. Tamakkan organizes monthly seminars by presenters on business, innovation and social enterprises. The
event is held at Al Mamoura Auditorium. Tamakkan is held under the patronage of Fatima bint Hazza Cultural Foundation (FBHCF),
and is supported by Aldar.
Kerstin Ehmann
First Officer Rotary Wing Pilot,
Falcon Aviation
“I always had the dream to fly one day. My
husband who’s a pilot as well supported that
dream along with my great and unforgettable
surprise, Captain Mahmoud, General
Manager for Falcon Aviation who said that
he’s gonna support me for further training.’’
Henrik R. Mulvad
Managing Director, Accenture
“Diversity plays a big role in high performance
companies. There’s much more women on the
boards and top positions in companies. But of
course they were also women coming from
different backgrounds, ages and education.”
The Women in Business Committee:

Be the “Loose Change” You Want to See in the World
Life and its Challenges
@omaralbusaidy
By Nancy Bercaw | @nancybercaw
i [heart]
Iwas feeling pretty blue after a
pink-city fiasco.
Then yesterday, there was a
misinterpretation snafu at work — not
worth mentioning in detail. I found myself
suffering from a bad case of expatitus
volatilus: sudden weepiness, excessive
sleeping, and wishing to be tele-transported
home but conflicted by a commitment
made to host country and company.
Sometimes the only option is just to trudge
ahead through your muck, and wait for
clarity to come. At least that’s what I
decided to do today. Trudge.
I got a cab quickly this morning. Well, I
almost didn’t get it because the light was
on, which indicates the cab has a fare. But
the driver stopped next to me and ushered
me inside. He was a convivial fellow, from
Uganda. We chatted about East Africa for a
minute or two before he realized his meter
was still on from the last passenger. He
turned the meter off, then turned I back on.
“What’s going to happen?” I asked him.
“I will have to pay the difference,” he said, a
bit dejected.
“How much is it?”
“Three dirham,” he said. (That’s $1, roughly
a full day’s wages in his home country.)
So we trudged along together, both feeling
the weight of our own troubles.
About half-way to work, a message
came on the driver’s little monitor
screen. Here’s what it said: YOU HAVE
CUSTOMER COMPLAIN. PLEASE COME
IMMEDIATELY TO TAXI OFFICE. IF YOU
AREN’T HERE IN 20 MINUTES, YOUR
FARE MACHINE WILL
TURN OFF/FROZEN.
Both the driver and I read and reread the
message. Finally, I said, “What does
it mean?”
“Not good. I will have to pay fine,”
he answered.
We sat in silence the rest of the way to my
work. (Only 10 minutes in case you were
worried.) I sensed his weighted worry. Not
only is he down 3 dirham for forgetting
to turn off the meter, he’s now in for even
more since a customer complained about
his service.
I’ve ridden in about 200 cabs since moving
here. And I’ve had some crazy, scary rides,
as well as drivers who have asked me some
very inappropriate questions — yet I’ve
never lodged a complaint. This morning’s
driver was exceptional: kind, courteous,
safe and sweet. Plus, his car was spotless. A
good driver, and guy! Who could complain
about him? I thought about how someone
had complained about my work the
previous day. Sometimes the good guys get
a bad rap from people who
misread a situation.
I felt badly for us both. More so for him.
We arrived at Khalifa University, the mood
in the car very low. My fare was 19 dirham.
“Here’s 22 dirham,” I told him. “I will cover
those three dirham for you.”
He smiled, and thanked me.
“Now,” I said, “Give me the phone number of
your company, and I will call them and tell
them how amazing you are.”
He wrote the phone number down, as well
as his id number.
I called that company before walking into
my office. I raved about the good service
of my driver, the cleanliness of his car, his
safety and professionalism. The man on the
other end said that it would be noted in my
driver’s files.
Instead of trudging into my cubible, I
strode to my desk. Because no matter
what happens between 9-5, my real life’s
work is to find a way to lift someone up
ESPECIALLY when I have been
let down by others.
Nancy
verbatim: omar al busaidy
JUST READ IT at Amazon here!
JustReadit!12
JustReadit!13
Be creAtive,
independent,
committed,
focused,
AmBitious,
A thinker,
A proBlem-solver
Whether starting a business or not, you need to
be creative in life. You will come across dodgy
situations which can only be conquered through
creativity. You might need to sweet-talk yourself,
you might need to pretend and you might need
to get someone to help you out.
to be independent and live independently, so
that when life hits you hard you’re ready for it!
Always prepare yourself
JustReadit!12
JustReadit!13
Be creAtive,
independent,
committed,
focused,
AmBitious,
A thinker,
A proBlem-solver
Whether starting a business or not, you need to
be creative in life. You will come across dodgy
situations which can only be conquered through
creativity. You might need to sweet-talk yourself,
you might need to pretend and you might need
to get someone to help you out.
to be independent and live independently, so
that when life hits you hard you’re ready for it!
Always prepare yourself
Coming face to face with challenges is inevitable in all
walks of life. The question is not about the severity of the
problem but how you deal with it. A lot of times we feel
there’s a road block to a difficult situation and that there’s no
way out of it. But remember that the Almighty will not close
one door before He opens another and it’s our duty to look
for it. We have to be quick on our toes, swift to response and
lift our spirits up. While writing this, I had a train of thought
that ran through my mind on how every challenge I faced was
more complicated than the one before. At first I would always
wonder when this circumstance would end, but now I look
back and think, “wow! I’m stronger than ever and I’m more
prepared for the times ahead than I could ever be”. I now have
the opportunity to inform others on how to react to the
same situation and maybe make a joke or two about them.
Excerpted from Omar al Busaidy’s book “Just Read It” available
through Amazon.
”
”

By Dorian “Paul D” Rogers/@pauldTHERIPY
Dorian ‘Paul D’ Rogers is a regular Tempo contributor and award-winning poet.articulate cafe
CULTURE AND ARTS:
PUTTING ABU DHABI ON THE MAP
Isat down with Lizz Totten,
Culture and Arts Editor for
Time Out Abu Dhabi to have
coffee while discussing all
things culture in the
capital city.
Paul D: Where are you from originally
and how long have you been in the UAE?
Lizz: I am originally from New Jersey
in the US. I have been in Abu Dhabi for
almost two years.
Paul D: How long have you been writing?
Lizz: I have been writing since I could
write. Ask my mother. I wrote, bound and
illustrated tiny books ever since I was
six years old. I have always loved that
serendipitous moment in writing when
you land dead center into a storyline you
weren’t even aiming at.
Paul D: Me too! I’ve been wiring on a
concept for a novel for years and have
experienced that feeling as well. When did
you first know you were interested in arts
and culture?
Lizz: I have also been painting since I
was four years old. It was inevitable. I am
very visual. I was also fortunate enough
to grow up right in between two cities
(New York City and Philadelphia) with two
intellectually and artistically nurturing
parents who recognized my talents and my
interests early on and let me choose my
path. How about you?
Paul D: Art runs in my family, but I was
always overshadowed by my sister when
it came to visual art as she is a prolific
painter and graphic designer. I got wise
quick and started writing instead. What’s
your favourite genre of art? Performance?
Music? Visual?
Lizz: Visual because it’s what I know, but
I am so drawn to music. I never heard its
call when I was young. I appreciate it, and I
would love to learn an instrument now, if
I had the time. I guess I feel the same way
about performance art, but I was too shy
for the stage when I was younger.
Paul D: So you are also an artist?
Lizz: Yes, I am an oil painter. I have taught
art and consider myself more of a mixed
media artist these days when I am not
writing.
Paul D: The arts scene in Abu Dhabi has
blossomed in the past few years. Have you
noticed an influx in cultural events?
Lizz: Well, it has been in full blossom
for the two years that I have been here,
so I am not sure I can comment on the
transformation prior to that. But, I can say
that I feel always as if I am on the verge
of something here. Abu Dhabi is such an
amazing city full of so many inspired and
inspiring people. I never want to miss
anything because there is something
happening all the time. People talk and
talk about Dubai, but I think Abu Dhabi is
this sleeping giant. Once it fully awakens
culturally, it will be unstoppable.
Paul D: How would you compare Abu
Dhabi’s cultural scene with that of Dubai’s?
Lizz: I am probably not informed enough
to comment on Dubai because Abu Dhabi
is my beat. Initially, I wondered if there
would be enough content in this city’s
art scene to fuel a weekly Arts & Culture
section. Now, I find myself prioritizing Arts
& Culture events because I cannot cover
them all. Like Dubai, Abu Dhabi doesn’t
do anything half-way. But unlike Dubai,
Abu Dhabi prioritizes its cultural scene.
Abu Dhabi wants to be a great city full of
art and culture. I think it’s not way off to
compare Abu Dhabi to a San Francisco and
Dubai to Las Vegas. They are just going in
different directions.
When people (from Dubai or elsewhere)
say that Abu Dhabi is too conservative, too
sleepy, there is not enough going on down
here for them, I tell them they have clearly
not been down here in a long time.
Paul D: What’s your favourite cultural
event in the city?
Lizz: Well that depends on what you
are after. I love Abu Dhabi Festival for
the performance art and the eclectic
assortment of musicians they bring in from
all over the world. I love the Abu Dhabi
Art Festival for all things visual and then
I love all the heritage festivals run by TCA
Abu Dhabi. They remind me where I am.
Sometimes, it’s easy to forget you are not
in any anonymous big city of the world.
The frequent heritage festivals stop me in
my tracks and take me on a journey back.
I love that. It’s a nice reminder. This is why
many of us travel, to feel as if we are a part
of something exotic and foreign, to learn
and grow.
Paul D: What do you think Abu Dhabi’s
new initiatives like the Guggenheim and
Louvre will impact the cultural scene?
Lizz: Again, I keep going back to putting
Abu Dhabi on the map. Not long ago when
the prospect of us moving here was on the
table, no one around had ever heard of
Abu Dhabi (about eight years ago). They
thought we made it up. Some had heard of
Dubai because Dubai has been selling itself
for some time. Sleepy Abu Dhabi has been
lying in wait for the right moment, and
the moment is now. It is so exciting to live
and work in the capital at the moment. We
moved here partially for the lure of having
these two institutions in our back yard.
And the prospect of them finally opening
gives me chills. The architecture of the two
museums alone is exciting, let alone the
artwork they will ultimately house.
Paul D: That’s great! Help me out. Can you
be the first to find the bill and pay for it?

Tempo: How would you describe your
artistic style?
Nara: Haha, that’s a difficult question. I
just know that it’s far from any existing
‘classical’ styles.
Tempo: What motivates you?
Nara: I’m not sure. I think it’s the fact that
I want to get into an art university and in
order to do that I need to practice, practice
and practice.
Tempo: How did your parents react when
you decided to go for IB art?
Nara: They didn’t really have any
reaction at all. We didn’t know what we
were getting ourselves into. Halfway
through after noticing me struggling with
the work load and stress, they wanted me
to drop IB art - and truthfully so did I. Their
reaction towards IB art became worse as
time passed. At one point it was so bad that
they were offering me to change schools to
an art focused school. So, I guess that was
their form of supporting me.
Tempo: How has art helped you define
your identity?
Nara: Well, it definitely changed my
schedule as I spend all my weekends,
holidays doing art so I’m well known
among my friends as the stay-at-home one.
In school, I’m the artsy-kid and heck; I’m
even going to go to an art school to find a
career in the art area.
Tempo: What medium do you
work with?
Nara: Photoshop, pencils, water colours,
clay and good looking models.
Tempo: What is your creative process?
Nara: I get inspired by... boredom and the
guilt of wasting time doing nothing. My
creative process is:
1. I have an idea.
2. I look for references.
3. I look for pictures of models.
4. I save a bunch of those pictures.
5. I drool over the models.
6. I pick up a pencil and a paper.
7. I turn on Dr. Phil.
8. I draw.
9. I finish.
10. I Instagram it.
Tempo: How can we connect with you?
Nara: Instagram: https://instagram.com/
nararoar/
society6: http://society6.com/narayi
NARA YI:
ASPIRING
ANIMATION
ARTIST
By Vaishnavi Varma
Nara Yi plans to create
realistic looking
dinosaurs for Jurassic
Park. An IB art student
at American Community
School, her artwork is
displayed in the school’s
hallways. She spoke to
Tempo about the future…
Tempo: How did you get into art?
Nara: Well, I didn’t want to do art at
all; it was something I never had in mind.
But one day, after a couple of art classes,
I realised that I was getting pretty good
grades easily. Yeah, it was from then on
that I recognized that I have potential in
this area.
Tempo: What was your first art like?
Nara: My very first art began with
Pokémon and manga. Then after a long
time, I got hooked on fashion. I thought that
I’d do fashion but that never happened. I
then found interest in Pacific Rim monsters,
visual effects and concept design more than
anything now and so currently I’m focusing
on animations and working on illustrations.
Tempo: Do you have a project you’re
proud of?
Nara: Proud? Pfft. How funny. Most times
I am never proud of anything. (Laughs) I
wouldn’t call my small sketches ‘projects’.
To me they are nothing more than doodles
and scraps. As you can see, they’re mostly
guys. I tend to draw guys more than girls.
Honestly, other than the fact that it’s 80%
guys and 19% creatures, which are two
of my favourite things (to draw), every
drawing is just a drawing - nothing more
nothing less… just a scribble on a paper.
Tempo: What do you want to do in
the future?
Nara: I’m into visual effects and
animations. I’d like to make Jurassic Park
movies with realistic looking dinosaurs.
I have made two Rotoscope videos and
they’ve been pretty successful. I’m now
working on another small animation piece.
[Brian Puspos ||
All of Me - John Legend
Rotoscope animation
and
Studio 13 - Super Moon
Tempo: Who inspires you?
Nara: They would have to be: Simon Lee,
Toolkit04, Guillermo del Toro and Steven
Spielberg.
Tempo: What are you currently
working on?
Nara: I actually have a lot of requests
waiting in line to be drawn. I started a little
‘free-portrait’ thing and now I have about
11 to 12 people waiting for their pictures to
be drawn.
Tempo: What are your goals?
Nara: Get into university. Work my butt
off. Grab any opportunity I’m given and
work some more.

LIFE MUSIC FOOD TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGELI CASTILLOABOUT ME
Your most valued possession
My laptop, it is attached to me.
Where we can find you most?
Any place that has a calm atmosphere, or
at my studio.
One thing you cannot live without?
CAFFEINE!
Who inspires you the most?
People in general, I find inspiration in
everyone around me whether I know
them or not.
Five things you need for survival?
Caffeine, laptop, camera, phone and my
wallet. Basically the items I have on me all
the time!
Car you would like to own?
It used to be the Mercedes S Class Coupe,
but now it’s the new Mercedes AMG GTS.
I’m in love with it!
Your idea of peace?
The beach and a hammock. Swimming
when the sun is up and bonfire while
watching the starts at night.
Your goal in life?
To become a well-known designer and
photographer, as well as to open my own
events company.
Items you keep on buying even though
you have plenty of them?
Nail polish: I am trying to collect every
shade of every colour. And art supplies: I
can’t get enough of them
Craziest thing you have ever done?
Went on a camping trip to a remote area
and disconnected totally from the world.
An early memory?
Manually developing my first film and
printing the images in a dark room.
If your life were a book, what
would it be called…?
Disastrous Rollercoaster
If you could wake up tomorrow in
someone else’s body, it would be…?
Beyonce!
Music you would want played at your
funeral?
Bryan Adams/Celine Dion.
Current Last SONG syndrome (LSS)?
Cheerleader by OMI.
Favourite hangout?
Anywhere outdoors with Friends.
Current Last SONG syndrome (LSS)?
Jeff Buckley - everybody wants you.
Favourite hangout?
My bedroom.
If today were your last day- where would
you rush to go?
The beach!
Motto:
Idea of a perfect weekend?
A relaxing day with family and a fun day
with friends.
Recent place you travelled to…?
Lebanon with the family to visit my
relatives and my hometown.
If you were on death row, what would
your last meal be?
For appetizer: dynamite shrimp from
P.F.Chang, Mushroom Miso soup from
Sumo, and Cucumber Crab salad from
Scuzzi. For the main dish: Sushi and more
sushi from both Sumo and Scuzzi, burgers
from Elevation Burger and Teppinyaki
from Samurai.
And dessert?
Everything off the menu of Dip and Dip,
and every kind of cheesecake from The
Cheesecake Factory.
Name: Rand El Merhi
Age: 22
Profession: Graphics designer + photographer
Nationality: Palestinian Lebanese
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We know what we are,
but know not what
we may be - William
Shakespeare
Do you want to be featured in Time
Capsule? Email us at
editorial@tempoplanet.com

By Heather Long Vandevoorde, Ph.D./@hvdvoorde
parental guide
By Nisma Hamid/@nismahamid/ Instagram: nismahamid
Ah! The notorious spring break:
the holiday that has spawned
classrooms of excited adolescents,
and justified the drive of many
worried parents… and inspired
handfuls of laughable, cringe-
worthy movies (Spring Breakers,
From Justin to Kelly, and Spring
Break Shark Attack, just to name
a few – my advice: don’t watch
them!). This two-week-long break
is often known as the “Easter
Holiday”. However, this does not
mean that it cannot be productive,
or full of fun and function.
Students, especially, see the holidays as a
time to lay off work and catch up on some,
usually well-deserved R&R. Although that
may not be wrong, there are things one
can do during those two weeks that they
can be proud of, or even things that can
benefit them in the not-too-distant future.
Any break should not be seen as a get-out-
of-jail-free card for neglecting schoolwork
and studies, especially if you’re like me
and are enrolled in a system that compiles
the curriculum of two academic years.
Reallocating at least an hour a day away
from Keeping Up With The Kardashians
to keeping up with your studies is worth
the sacrifice in the long run. Besides you
can always record the episode and watch
Kourtney and Lord Disick some other time.
Not only should you dedicate some time
to your schoolwork, but you should also
invest in your health. The great thing
about spring break in the UAE is that the
weather is as close to perfect for just about
anything as it can get in a city in the middle
of the Middle Eastern desert; not too hot
like UAE’s scorching summer holidays or
too cold (for us desert folk anyway) like its
winter wonderland. This is the best time
for outdoor activities. Go out, be active, go
swimming, play tennis, or jog! Compared
to the rest of the year, spring break should
be a break from the air-conditioned indoor
setting we are so accustomed to and a
chance to take some risks and try new
outdoorsy experiences.
Finally, some of the most rewarding things
about the spring break, especially for high
school and university students are the
opportunities for volunteering, jobs, and
internships. Seeing as the timing of this
particular holiday is not set in stone, with
the only criteria being that it is around the
time of Easter, many companies are still
open during spring break, with many of
their employees working. This means that
the chance to do your part to help your
community, spruce up your university
applications, or meet your independent
study requirements, is abundant.
So don’t just sit there surfing the web
all break! Stay in and do some work, get
out and be active, or get a job! You’ve got
nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain.
Mom’s worst nightmare: the
kids have outgrown the
wonderful day camps offered in
the UAE. And they do not want
to be seen in public with you
anymore. They have two weeks
of spring break. What the heck
do you do with them now? They
want to hang out with their
friends, “duh, Mom.”
When are they old enough to branch out
on their own to engage in activities, to
spring loose and break free? Should we
allow them to go to malls, attraction parks
and movies alone?
I’ve spoken to moms and heard the
full range of opinions. The consensus
is that 12 is the cutoff point for local
activities. Most seem to feel their kids
are resourceful early on. Mom Kara said,
“Letting them go out on their own with
friends is character building, and makes
them feel independent.” I agree, but with
conditions. I am fine with my two girls
having adventures with friends as long
as the two of them go together (they have
most of the same friends anyway), have
their fully-charged phones at all times, and
I am in the same area. I will stay at the mall
or see another movie while they are with
their friends. I do not see those conditions
changing until they are at least 16.
Not everyone agrees though. Bilna says,
“As a mom, I always feel unsafe. There’s
no guarantee even when I’m next to them,
but at least if I am with them I’m fully
accountable.” Her kids are by her side.
For many schools and sports teams, spring
break is the time for trips abroad. This is
a bigger issue: when can your kids travel
without you? How do you decide? The
controversy between moms heats up when
this question is posed.
Gabby, 16, was not allowed to go on a class
trip to Italy this year. Her mom explained,
“Gabby is very naïve and a group of teens
traveling together seems like a pretty
big target.”
Maureen sees it more practically. “I went
to Europe with a group in high school and
felt that the younger kids in the group did
not appreciate what they were seeing.
They need to be a certain age, say 14, so
they can absorb the experience fully.”
Devi disagrees. “When our kids travel
with us they have few opportunities
to learn responsibility because we do
everything for them. My kids can travel
with a supervised group that does not
include me at age 12.”
Karen’s daughters started traveling with
school at age 13. “But what is right for
one family may not be right for all. Mine
really want to go which reassures me they
won’t be calling me crying every night to
come home.”
Another Karen recalls, “I read an article
about a man whose daughter was killed
while backpacking. Asked if he regretted
letting her go, he surprisingly said no, that
he would never stand in the way of his
kid’s dreams.”
Axelle believes, “It is a parent’s role to let
kids spread their wings when they are
ready. Of course we worry sick until they
are home safe, but we can’t get in
their way.”
The majority of moms agreed and the
advice seems to be to give kids the skills
they need and then stand back and let
them go have a terrific experience without
you. I’ll let mine go when they have the
opportunity. But I’ll keep the box of tissues
close by knowing that they will take my
heart with them.

Tempo April 2015

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