HalaBahrain, Sept 2009

HalaBahrain Magazine | September 2009 1

HalaBahrainHalaBahrain MagazineMagazine

Your Local Bahraini Guide!

September 2009 - Vol 2 - Issue 3

Well Done Well Done

Bahrain!Bahrain! One step closer to the One step closer to the

World Cup!World Cup!

The Legend of The Legend of

City CenterCity Center

We interview the smoothest

carpark attendant ever!

Places to Go

Things to Do

Events

Tradition

And much more!


HalaBahrainHalaBahrain MagazineMagazine Lifestyle - Technology -

Entertainment - Events ©

Eid Mubarak!Eid Mubarak! Dear Readers,

Well into Ramadan, and the shopping frenzy has started! Every

day of the week seems to be busy as families go out to shop for

Eid clothes, the coffee shops and tents get filled with people

enjoying the last few days, and Juffair and Adliya get filled with

cars cruising around with people having a good time!

It’s been a good Ramadan (minus the heat and humidity), and

it promises to be an exciting Eid, with a bunch of things going

on! This month we’re one step closer to the World Cup after our

game with Saudi (see inside), and we bring you one of the

quickest growing celebrities around; Gulzar Ahmed, the City

Center ‘Legend’. Doing his job while working in the hot sun, yet

still smiling and waving to everyone gives us all a sense of joy,

and something to think about before we complain next time

about sitting at an office in our cozy air conditioned office.

We’ve got a lot more; events around the Island, Gergaon, and

a bunch of other stuff. Again, we would love to hear from you;

send us your mail with thoughts about the

magazine, and you could win a prize!

Till next time,

Ammar Al-Aradi

Editor In-Chief [email protected]

The Team

Editor-in-Chief

Ammar Al-Aradi

Creative Director

Fardan Raffi

Public Relations

Mazen Madhloom

Copyright Information © All Rights reserved. This

publication may not be

reproduced or transmitted in

any form in whole or in part

without the written permission

of the publisher. Liability: While

every care has been taken in

the preparation of this

magazine, the publishers

cannot be held responsible for

the accuracy of the

information herein, or any

consequence arising it.

HalaBahrain is a fully registered

online publication with the

Bahrain Ministry of Information,

under registration number

EQHBH210

HalaBahrain is published

monthly; to view the magazine,

for a free subscription, or to

download a copy, please visit

www.halabahrain.com. For

advertising and all enquiries,

please contact

[email protected]

www.HalaBahrain.com

[email protected]

Editorial


News, Events News, Events

& Happenings& Happenings It’s been a little quiet in terms of events

this month, as is usual for Ramadan. Not

much besides, tents and coffee shops, and

lots of TV! There are the occasional Ghabgas

going on at most hotel tents, so check those

out, but for a special different one, be sure to pass by the BIBF Ghabga on the 14th. More than your

average buffet and gathering, it’s going to have a full showcase of talent, including the Bad Dream

Crew (breakdancers), The Mighty Jugglers, and much more! The AutoX is also going at the BIC, so for

all you motorheads out there, give it a visit for some high adrenaline action.

With Eid approaching, the number of events starts to increase! On the 22nd, we have the All in One

Comedy show, screening DVD’s of exclusive clips from some of the major comedy events in Bahrain,

as well as a number of live local acts. The Sufi Festival in La Fontaine brings back the world-famous

Omar Sarmini group, and for those looking to win prizes, check out Alwatan Quiz in City Center.

Rockers will get the chance to view the best of local bands in ReFlux, while those looking for softer

arts can witness the return of Elham after their summer break, with live acoustic blues, photography,

and artwork. Finally, for those who want to get away from it all with a good book, be sure to check

out the Book Fair at the Exhibition Center starting on the 30th of the month.

Upcoming

All in One Comedy Show

Location: Bahrain Exhibition Center

Timing: 6:00pm-10:00pm

Contact: +973 - 39777122

[email protected]

Reflux Festival

Location: Bahrain Int’l Circuit

Contact: +973-39626949

[email protected]

11 September

CRC Ramadan Autocross

Location: Bahrain Int’l Circuit

Time: 8:30pm - 12:00am

Contact: +973-36969269

Elham 19

Location: Bahrain Fort Museum

Timing: 7:30pm-9:30pm

Contact: [email protected]

29 September

24 September

22 September

14 September

BIBF Ghabga

Location: Diplomat Radisson BLU

Contact: +973-38883380

[email protected]

Alwatan Quiz

Location: City Center Mall

Contact: +973 - 39333438

[email protected]

Sufi Festival

Location: La Fontaine

Contact: +973 - 17230123

Book Fair

Location: Bahrain Exhibition Center

Contact: +973 - 17558802

30 September - 9 October


Got something to say? Whatever it is, let us know, email us on: Got something to say? Whatever it is, let us know, email us on:

[email protected]. [email protected]. Best letter of the month wins a Best letter of the month wins a

brand new Apple iPod Nano! brand new Apple iPod Nano!

————

FROM: Ram

SUBJECT: Music Interviews

Great magazine! Would be

really cool if you could do

Bahraini musicians reviews!

We did a few in the past,

and more to come! For now,

check out our sister website,

www.BahrainTalent.com!

————

FROM: Jizzy

SUBJECT: Where’s the food!

We loved the food reviews!

Where did they go!?!?!

Haha, the food reviews

stopped during Ramadan!

No seriously we’ve got some

pretty cool reviews lined up

for the coming issues ;) Keep

your eyes open!

————

FROM: 7amood

SUBJECT: Sport Reviews

What happened to your

sport section?

It comes & goes depending

on what’s going on! Check

out this month’s coverage of

the Bahrain-Saudi games :)

————

FROM: Hedley

SUBJECT: New in Bahrain

I’m new on the island, and

came across the magazine;

love it! A great insight into

what’s going on around, we

only recommend making it a

little bit longer, because we

can’t seem to get enough!

Great work. Thanks! We’re actually close

to expanding out staffing,

and you may soon see more

pages in every issue!

————

FROM: Mr. & Mrs. James

SUBJECT: Nepal Review

Loved the Nepal review! Like

you said, not a place you’d

consider going to under

regular circumstances, but it

sounds great! Will really think

about it for our next get

away!

Watch out for the monkeys!

FROM: Hasan

SUBJECT: The story of a Ninja

A long time ago, I had an

iPod. I loved my iPod, but

one dark night, the leader of

the Nee Hau Shi Japanese

killer clan sent his Ninja

guardians to my house, to

take revenge on the shame

caused to him by my father

years ago after losing battle

under his sword. The Ninjas

snuck in under the darkness

of the night, attempted to

attack us, but I slid under the

shadows and attempted to

kill them using stealth tech-

niques once passed on to

me by my father. Sadly, the

ruckus caused a bit of a

mess, during which my iPod

was broken. HalaBahrain,

please help! I need a new

iPod! Send quick. Thanks.

Okay, if you were desperate

enough and put in the effort

to come up with that load of

bull, then I guess we can

probably give you an iPod...

HalaBahrain MailHalaBahrain Mail Mail

Win me!Win me!

Lette

r of th

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Lette

r of th

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onth


I Heart Vintage

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Yes they do! It’s been another crazy UrFilez

event at Seef Mall, with hidden talents from

all over Bahrain coming out to show the

island what they’ve got! There were

drummers, singers, break dancers, guitarists,

and much more.

Events

Bahrain Got Talent!Bahrain Got Talent!


After a week of nationwide email and SMS

voting, the winning award went to “The

Mighty Juggler”! Catch the videos of all of

the performances and keep an eye out on

UrFilez for the next talent show and more!

For more info check out www.UrFilez.com


Events

Drifting andDrifting and

AutoCross at BICAutoCross at BIC

Ramadan nights are not just about food and TV! Those

looking for gasoline related excitement were in for a

treat, as drifting and autocross took place at the BIC! If

you haven’t managed to pass by to get your share of

burning rubber, not to worry, the events are on during

selective nights till the end of Ramadan!


Events


We’ll never make it to the World Cup! Or

will we?

After a very tough match on Bahraini soil,

and a tie of 0-0 against Saudi, the Bahrain

team played their away match in Riyadh

to qualify for the World Cup in 2010. With a

very heated first half, resulting in a tie of

1-1, both teams fought ahead to score the

winning goal. Just a few minutes to the

whistle, Saudi managed to score the

winning goal, almost destroying Bahrain’s

dream of going to South Africa. Our boys

didn’t give up, however, and pushed on

till the last second, scoring their qualifying

goal just mere seconds before the referee

Sports

Well Done Bahrain!Well Done Bahrain!


blew the final whistle! The crowds went

crazy, the commentator went nuts, and the

crowds flooded out into the streets of

Bahrain to show their joy and happiness,

waving Bahraini flags out of their cars,

honking their horns, blasting victory songs

and dancing & prancing around!

So could Bahrain really be headed for the

World Cup? It’s a pretty big possibility! Our

next game with New Zealand is on the 10th

of October, so be ready to support the

team! Go Bahrain!


Tradition GergaoonGergaoon It’s our very own version of Trick or

Treating! 15 nights into Ramadan, the

children dress up in colorful traditional

clothes, and go around from house to

house in the neighborhood, singing the

traditional Gergaoon songs, in return for

sweets, nuts and all sorts of goodies. The

houses gleam with decorations and lights,

as the neighborhoods light up with the

sounds of singing children. We’ve captured

some of the Gergaoon moments from all

around Bahrain (mainly from Muharraq &

Manama). Enjoy!


Tradition


As a tribute to the month of Ramadan, where the

traits of modesty, patience, and humbleness

should naturally come about, we bring you a

short interview with Gulzar Ahmed, who has come

to be called “The Legend of City Center” almost

overnight. Gulzar himself works at the far end of

the City Center carpark, guiding drivers out of the

lot; while this may not seem like the most fun or

exciting job in the world, one thing stands out as

you pass by him; his smile. No matter whether he

performs his job late at night, or out in the hot sun

during the day, Gulzar smiles to every passenger,

waving a hello as they pass by.

With the popularity of City Center over the past

year, and with his prime location at the exit, many

have come across him, and through this many

have been enchanted by his smile, his friendly

attitude, and his graciousness. This is why, shortly

after a fan of Gulzar established a group for him

on the popular social networking site, Facebook,

Local

The Power of The Power of

a Smilea Smile


Local

it became evident how many people were really fans of his smile. Within mere days, the members of this

group had hit the thousands, and multiple other groups, photographs and videos were springing up all

over the internet.

The reason? A simple smile, a simple wave. Gulzar had managed to brighten up the days of many, who

may have been brought down by the stresses of life, whatever they may be. We passed by Gulzar to find

out a little more about him, and to try and figure out the secret behind his wonderful smile.

So, Gulzar, our very own Bahrain celebrity!

Where are you originally from, and what were

you doing before you came to Bahrain?

I’m originally from Pakistan, where I recently

retired as a Corporal in the Pakistan Army

Military Police. I came to Bahrain last August to

work with a firm that provides security services.

Do you know that you’ve become quite a

celebrity around Bahrain?

I haven’t really noticed. I see many people

smiling and waving, but that’s generally how

everyone is around here, very friendly.


Local

So what’s the secret of your smile?

Well, no matter what, everyone should do what

they’re doing with a smile. I work here to support my

family back in Pakistan (Gulzar has a wife and three

children back home), and do my job with them in

mind. No job is too small if it supports your lifestyle

adequately. One should do everything with a smile,

and look good while doing it!

And yes, Gulzar’s gliding movements as he guides

the cars out of the mall have earned him the nick-

name ‘Mr Smooth’. Check out the YouTube video or

the videos up on the Facebook group just incase you

haven’t been fortunate enough to catch him in

person.

City Center GM, Derek Rossel mentioned that the

management have already recognized his efforts,

and awarded him a number of times for his strong

work ethics. So there you have it; pure inspiration for

all of us, and another reason to keep a smile on your

face every day!


Lost in the Middle East

The new mixtape By DJ Outlaw Get it Now

www.djoutlaw.com


Upcoming

FashionairesFashionaires Bahrain is moving up the social ladder and the birth of Fashionaires

Middle East brings yet another international concept to the local

market. The events created will be focused around fashion and

luxury and will range from art-gallery events, nightlife parties, never-

before-seen photoshoots, store launches, brand launches and much

more.

"Our philosophy is that we are not cutting edge, we cut the edge.

That being said, we are happy to have Fashionaires Middle East

launching in Bahrain in October. This is an exciting step for us and

amazing things are going to be happening with Fashionaires in 2010.

The team keeps on getting better and we love it," said the CEO of

Fashionaires, London.

Keep an eye for it over the coming few months!


HalaBahrainHalaBahrain MagazineMagazine

HalaBahrain, Sept 2009

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