Did You Ever Have A Burger with A Story? Now You Can!

September 6, 2019

In summer, Cairo witnesses a massive exodus of those who planned for a coastal hideaway. If you feel unlucky or left out, don’t. With the iconic Nile-Ritz Carlton you can get the whole summer experience from A to Z if you’re on a tight schedule and can’t leave your whole life in Cairo behind.

This month, we have our eyes on their hot new addition of American signature Burgers. Let’s discover together what you can do and what they have in mind!

The Great American Burger

We all know nothing beats burger. To be more specific, nothing beats an old school American burger. This is why The Nile Ritz-Carlton have dedicated this month to the launching of a burger series with an American signature right in the heart of Cairo.

To assure diversity, every month will be dedicated to a specific regional burger from each state. Starting with the classic New-York style burger and moving each month to original recipes from California, Oklahoma, Texas, and Hawaii…etc. To guarantee all the guests the full-on American experience.

Since the whole burger talk is so mouthwatering, let’s find out what to expect!

The All American Burger: If you’re a Juicy Lucy type of person, this one’s for you. This one is not from a specific state but rather made to meet all the states’ recipes. With freshly made split-top bakery-style bun, slices of tomatoes, crisp cap leaf lettuce, homemade burger sauce, sliced onions, bacon, topped with slices of Cheddar cheese. Served with French fries & coleslaw salad.

New York: If you’re looking for the classic New York burger, this is the way to go. The standard New York Burger is cut through with roasted mushrooms. Topped with a freshly baked burger bun, with the juiciest New York BBQ sauce, caramelized onions, Brie and bacon. Served with rustic fries & guacamole.

Texas: Into country style? Texas Burger is your buddy. Served on a bun that’s toasted until the perimeter gets a nice crunch to it, and piled high with lettuce, sliced tomatoes, pickles and raw onions. Mustard and mayonnaise go on the bun. Accompanied with Parmesan fries and corn on the cob.

Kentucky: For the fried chicken lovers, a freshly crispy chicken patty, topped with honey-mustard sauce, with apple coleslaw on top and a burger bun served with the delicious onion rings and house salad.

Louisiana: One for the fish devotees. Cajun battered fish fillet with easy tartar sauce and a pile of, Romaine lettuce and totally, burger bun and tomato marmalade. This Fish Sandwich is a great way to get the kids into eating more fish. Served with Tempura fries and tomato salad.

Chefs at the Nile-Ritz Carlton will be putting all efforts into delivering all those classic American buns but with spins of their own. If you’re not so much into beef burger you can find chicken and vegan, too!

Assuming that you’re not a burger fan, don’t be troubled there’s still a lot to do! The Nile-Ritz Carlton is sparing no expense this summer to offer you the summer experience you always wanted. Through nothing but the most luxurious features and activities.

Cool Down in the Pool Cabanas

You could now get as much sun as you need with their one of a kind pool cabanas. The Nile Ritz offers Olympic sized pools designed specifically to meet your lavish expectations with a captivating view of the Cairo Tower surrounded by landscapes of palm trees that will leave you feeling all tropical and breezy.

If you’re worried about the kids, they have got them covered too with the mini kids cabanas!

Lay back with the Aqua Pool Bar

Cool off with the aqua pool bar and restaurant, the hotel’s newest addition. Where you could forget all about the hustle of the city in a soothing atmosphere of tranquility. Spoil yourself with their amazing array of snacks, sandwiches and appetizers while enjoying your day pool session.

When it’s night time, sip on a refreshing beverage to get your energy back for a night full of hip beats dropped by the DJ and entertainment team.

Also, don’t forget to ask about their famous beer promotions!

Pamper Yourself with the Spa

If you’re looking to give your body, mind and soul a treat, the Nile Ritz Carlton spa is just the place. Take your time and choose from their wide range of spa offers; from their revitalizing sweet aroma of fresh strawberries and mangoes and their exfoliating session for younger more glowing skin to the Aloe Vera gel treatment in case of sunburns.

If you happen to fall in love with the spa, which we know you will, you could turn this into a routine through their many packages and never-ending offers! Between exclusive annual memberships and many offers on the spa, gym and pools; we guarantee you will become a regular guest in no time.

Wait no more, your perfect summer plan is ahead of you and it’s all in one place! What else could you possibly need?

Chili’s is looking for “Batal Masr Fel Burger” – THE BurGURU!

Nanise Mohamed

September 5, 2019

If there is anything millennials agree on, it’s that we love our nostalgic moments. The 90s throwbacks are what we thrive on. Lucky for us, we live in a time where we can easily visit the places that give us the fuzzy nostalgic feelings and discover that they’re still as good as they were when we were kids.

One of the most nostalgic places for Egyptian millennials has to be Chili’s. Who can forget family time? The birthdays? The first dates? We didn’t even know it was possible to add flavored syrups on sodas till we got Chili’s in our lives.

Now that we got you feeling all warm and fuzzy, it’s time to depress you just a little bit and make you feel old. Chili’s will be turning 25 years old. Yes, you read that right!

Instead of leaving us to feel bad about getting old, Chili’s decided to actually give us a good celebration and let us relive our memories. How do you ask? By launching a competition that will make us forget that we’re actual adults with responsibilities, and let us enjoy being competitive kids again.

Being the first place to introduce the BIG MOUTH BURGERS to Egypt, Chili’s is now out with four new mouthwatering, juicy, melting 250 grams of beef love. And, of course, topped with Chili’s signature toppings. From spicy to the forever loved Nacho toppings.

Not only that, but Chili’s is also daring you to finish them all in an “All you can’t eat burger competition”.

Chili’s is launching a competition to find the new Chili’s BurGURU; or in other words, Chili’s is looking for “Batal Masr fel BURGER”.

Let us give you all the details for the “BurGURU” all you can eat competition!

The competition will take place at all the Chili’s branches and will be launched on the 7^th of September at Chili’s City Stars. Each other branch will be hosting the event every Saturday from September to October. Giving all you burger buddies the time to eat your way to the top!

Pick the nearest branch to your home and apply now through their Facebook page or through this link: https://ixdev.uk/crmform/fbfsh.php

Then, the folks at Chili’s will pick the ultimate champion of every Chili’s branch to be qualified to the last and final event. The champion will be crowned as Batal Masr Fel Burger “EL-BURGURU”!

With each branch having a winner, these winners can double up their scores by simply ordering one of the four new burgers, and posting its picture using the #nameburguru hashtag on Chili’s page.

Every burger counts!

You must be wondering by now, what will the lucky winners receive, right? We know we are!

The first Guru winner will win a whole free year of eating at Chili’s. But more importantly, a free vacation to Lebanon for two people.

The second place winner will win an iPhone X and the third, a PlayStation 4!

That’s not it, even the delivery contestants can win too! The more you order, the bigger your chance at winning.

You can order through Chili’s on 19002 or their delivery partner, Otlob. With that said, brace yourselves, and make sure to wear extra comfy pants and let the food be served!

Winners will be announced weekly, and the top winners of the competition at the end of the month.

The Art of Saying No: Just Don’t Do It

September 5, 2019

Our parents raised us to be polite. Hold on, wait. Okay, most of our parents raised us to be polite. That’s commendable and there’s nothing wrong with that. Right?

Well, too much of a good thing eventually goes sour, usually backfiring in your face.

Politeness can sometimes be a disease, especially when others use it against you.

How? Well…

You’ll Wear Yourself Out Trying To Please Others

In this day and age, we all like to pretend we’re way more chill than we actually are.

You know how it is. No one likes to be the most uptight person in the room. So, you offer favors you don’t want to actually do and things you’ll go way out of your comfort zone to make happen.

This Too Nice Syndrome is more common with women and girls, of course, because we’ve been drilled by society to be all-accommodating and friendly, even at our own expense. A lot of men face it, of course,

We need to understand that being assertive and setting rules will not make us uptight, less fun, or “grandparent-ish“. They’re not driving rules; they’re just limits we set down to be more comfortable.

“No” Isn’t A Swear Word

For some unfathomable reason, some people see the word “no” as something bad. Almost like a curse word you shouldn’t use around children.

Of course, no one will say this out loud because it’s ridiculous and “no” is a perfectly normal word, but the feeling remains. Refusing to do something for anyone is seen rude through many eyes.

So, how do you say no without hurting someone’s feelings? It’s actually very simple.

Do not care about that person’s feelings. Don’t misunderstand us, this isn’t an open invitation for rudeness and crass behavior.

It’s just that if a person is going to be this glum and affected by your refusal to do something just because you’re uncomfortable, or not in the mood, or just don’t want to do, then chances are they don’t really care about you.

If they did care about you as a friend, family member, or something more, then they would have a lick of common sense and won’t be upset.

They should be rather happy that you respect whatever-it-is that you have enough to set down boundaries because you want to be as comfortable as you can be in their presence.

If you’re still on the fence about this, think about it this way. Would you even think of trying to force this person to do something they’re uncomfortable with?

Chances are the answer is “no”. Actually, the answer should be “no” because if it isn’t, this is going to be another problem.

So, How Do You Actually Say No?

At this point, you might be convinced, but there’s still one problem. You know, saying no is a little hard when you’re trying to please someone. So, how do you do it?

Luckily, there are many ways to choose from.

You can try to put your refusal between two positive statements, so it doesn’t seem as horrible to your ears. Another thing you can do is make excuses, like you’re busy and or you have this really important thing you have to do.

There’s an even easier approach, though. Simply practice the word “no” out loud until it doesn’t feel weird or scary or foreign because it isn’t.

No, you can’t go out today and no, you don’t want to file important paperwork for so-and-so.

No, you will not because you don’t want to. That’s it; practice makes perfect.

Why Do Egyptian Men Fear Fashion Risks?

Nada Abd ElKader

September 5, 2019

We’d like to bet you remember the tarabeesh and the Charleston pants whenever you think of the 40’s and the 70’s. It’s a very real possibility, too. It’s kind of impossible to think of a certain time period and not remember its fashion. Mostly, because it’s impossible to remove fashion from our culture.

That’s, of course, until recently. See, in this decade men’s fashion can sometimes be described as conservative, boring, and not at all adventurous. Why? Well, because Egyptian men are now afraid of fashion.

Here’s Some Background Into Why Men Don’t Want to Dress Up

Anyone reading this will think that’s an odd question. Sure, there are people who wear some ugly, risky clothing out there, but that doesn’t mean everyone doesn’t know how to dress, right?

Well, to understand more, we have to take a deeper look into our society. So, let’s divide ourselves into three buyer categories: Gucci, your regular H&M, and local.

There’s a clearer picture now. Gucci buyers mix it up and so do the local buyers, the ones we dub as sarsageya. So, everything here centers around the H&M buyers. Yes, they’re holding the rope in the middle and that’s not really helping anyone.

The Egyptian Man’s Clothing Complex

The H&M buyers have an odd relationship with clothes. They think they’re the best dressed men out there.

No, they don’t have gelled hair and all their jackets are scorpion-less. Doing that, though, they blend in completely with their backgrounds and become totally unnoticeable.

To put it plainly, they look like they go to a 9 AM college class 24/7.

Sure, some people have their off-days. It’s natural. Everyone feels like clothes can be too much of a hassle.

That’s what we all feel, once or twice, but some people just use that as an excuse. You know, how bad can a hoodie and sweatpants combo be, the 40th time? Isn’t it better to be under-dressed than be over the top and have bangs that are dyed in that Messi-brown color?

Then there’s the ultimate excuse. You know the one. “Guys don’t care for how they look, that’s a girl’s attitude“.

Yes, Some Men Don’t Dress Up Because They’ll Be Called Feminine

Before men reading this suddenly pretend all men are progressive and have been so the entire time, let us just explain we know that fashion and being presentable isn’t just a girl thing.

However, these kinds of men exist, though, and you can’t pretend they don’t.

We all have Facebook. We all have old uncles and grandfathers who click their tongues in disapproval when they see a man with a ponytail or anything out of the “norm”.

They even have their catchphrases. “Man up, blend in“. You know, never be expressive because that might mean you’re feminine and somehow, that’s an insult.

“Men got used to the idea that fashion is more of a woman’s thing,” fashion blogger Mostafa Waheed tells us. “They’re afraid of what people like their friends, family or even work colleagues will think, so they express themselves in stuff other than fashion even if they’re interested.”

street style — Instagram: @mostafawaheed

Lessons We Can Learn From Street Fashion

Though you might not approve of this particular headline, yes, we’re sad to inform you there are lessons we can actually learn from the sarsageya.

No, we’re not telling you to copy them. You have to admire their courage, though, because it’s a little inspiring how much they don’t care about what others say.

Experimentation with clothes and colors is key to getting out of your comfort zone. Don’t hold back on buying or wearing something just because you don’t think you will pull it off.

Just wear it, no matter the consequences. If it turns out okay, then you have something new and exciting to wear. If it goes horribly, then you learned something new. You still won.

Don’t hold back on anything just because you’re afraid of the public’s judgement. That’s one of the things hindering us as a society.

Putting Our Identities in the Mix

Let’s take a look at the people around us. Not literally around us. No, the ones in Algeria and Morocco and Sudan, among others.

They might seem not that different from us, but their street fashion scenes are vibrant and interesting and the tourists visiting actually love to dress similarly.

Meanwhile, the only fashion statement that is remotely interesting about us is the cliche Dahab pants.

Asking around, we actually found one guy who’d given some interesting input on this issue.

“I think the reason those guys dress better“, he’d said, “is that they’re in touch with their roots. They mix their heritage with the ready-made clothes. We just stick to the westernized items.”

Waheed thinks about it the other way around, though.

“You get used to your surroundings so those countries are more exposed to the European culture because they’re close,” he says. “So, they got used to what they see the most.”

So, What Should Men Do Now?

After all is said and done, many men might be wondering what they’re supposed to do now. It might seem like a hassle after such a lengthy conversation, but it’s actually quite the opposite.

“I advise them to dare themselves to try new styles“, Waheed tells us. “I don’t mean copy runway looks; I just mean they can simply choose items and style them their own way. You can be fashionable and comfortable at the same time.”

We have to say that we agree to this because it doesn’t get easier than this. We’re slowly growing more open to new ideas and opinions, so why can’t we accept fashion in the same way?

Yes, we know self-expression through clothing isn’t for everyone, but for the ones who want to, we’re on your side.

The 5 Actually Good Egyptian Romances You Need to Get On Board With

Nada Abd ElKader

September 5, 2019

The best thing about romance is that it’s a rich area to explore in entertainment. Sometimes the exploration goes a little off-plan, as we’d said before, but sometimes it just works out perfectly.

The end result is usually a few romantic gems to look on and aw about without feeling like enablers to horrible things. We’ve carefully selected those gems for you.

Abdelghafour and Fatma

Anyone who has ever had a TV or internet access knows about these two. And how could they not? Abdelghafour El-Bora’i and Fatma Koshary have had one of the most iconic love stories of all time.

Theirs was also one of the most straight forward stories we’d ever known and they worked out quite well, building each other into their new lives. That’s what it’s about, isn’t it?

Hussein and Layla

Although this story takes place a little over fifty years ago, El-Bab El-Maftouh remains one of the most inspiring movies out there. It’s all about a girl and her relationship with society, love, and new ideals.

This might sound the same as any other 60’s movie, but it’s not because it introduces Saleh Selim as Hussein, who starts something of a relationship with Layla.

This relationship is different, though, because Hussein respects Layla as a person who has a fully-functioning brain and her own personality.

He even encourages her to grow and evolve and we’re pretty sure that mindset was certainly progressive for its time. It makes the fact that Saleh Selim can’t act barely noticeable.

Khalaf and Samara

Okay, before you judge us for this, we know it’s unconventional. Especially considering that Khalaf is crushing on Abla the entire movie before vaguely ending up with Seyada, but hear us out.

They aren’t exactly official, but when Khalaf is in a time of need, he turns to Samara. They shared troubles together and he sort of becomes part of the family, if even for a while.

It’s cute, you can’t deny this and it could have developed into something even bigger.

We’re pretty sure that Medhat El-Adl thought so too, because that last shot of Samara looking at Khalaf before her part ends says a lot.

Bardaweel and Samiha Shabasheb

We bet you never thought that a relationship like this would get this kind of attention. Not for anything, specifically, except that both parts of the couple are criminals.

Samiha and Bardaweel aren’t cute in the way most couples are cute, but they’re refreshing. They’re both in tune with themselves and each other’s needs. There’s no more pretending.

If that’s not enough, there’s even the fact that Bardaweel broke crime syndicate rules to protect Samiha when he was told to kill her. That was easily one of the top shocking moments of Egyptian drama and in a good way.

Hassan and Reem

We know what you’re thinking. A teacher and a part-time thief, part-time foster father won’t be that good of a couple, but they are actually.

Reem and Hassan don’t only share the Good Girl and Bad Boy typical love story. They share more than that, like genuine emotion and support. They even care for little Nesma so much they bond over that too.

In fact, at one point in the movie, Reem discovers Hassan is a thief but doesn’t cringe or shy away from that. She actually helps him and supports him on his journey to being a better person.

At this point, you may be thinking these couples aren’t all that. There aren’t any major couple goals here, but there’s the potential. That’s more than we can say about half of our cinema.

Are People Using Their Hate For Turki Al-Sheikh To Justify Bullying?

Nada Abd ElKader

September 5, 2019

Turki Al-Sheikh never really helps himself. Whether he veers into the art or sports scene, he’s always doing something controversial and no one really agrees with him. No matter how much we might dislike the behavior, though, it will never justify the horrible behavior people have shown him online.

You might think we’re exaggerating, but honestly, wait until you see how bad things have gotten.

So, What Happened?

Although we’re still recovering from many sporting events, football fans haven’t really had any breaks.

Many recent changes have taken place, including the resignation of many EFA board members and the announcing of new players and coaches. The last of which is actually the reason everything happened the way it did.

After Al-Ahly hired Rene Weiler for their team manager, Turki Al-Sheikh found that a bit intriguing.

He then posted a video on his personal Facebook account, in which he said he’d dealt with the coach before and hinted at his long unemployment, among other things. Naturally this didn’t mix well with the crowds.

El-Shabab FC — Turki Al-Sheikh’s previous experience with the Swiss coach

Fan Reactions to the Extreme

Given Al-Sheikh’s reputation in Egyptian football, this video was not taken lightly by the fans. No, not just the Ahly fans. Apparently, this the first thing both Ahly and Zamalek fans have agreed on for a while.

Yes, Al-Sheikh may not be the pubic’s most beloved figure of all time. We can see why, given everything that happened. The reactions, though, are more than a little over the top.

You’ve seen the tweets now, but these are actually the lightest, most PG tweets that we could find. This isn’t just about expressing anger or unhappiness, it’s about bullying a person just because you can.

Acceptable Bullying

Sometimes social media has an odd effect on people, particularly the ones who keep an eye on the entertainment and sports worlds.

Those watchers feel like they’re entitled to say anything they want, no matter how offensive. To the point where those working in these fields are more than a little affected.

This doesn’t just lightly cross borders with bullying, it is bullying. This is what happens when you forget that you, as well as everyone else, are a human being whose choices and words can affect those around you.

We’re not saying you don’t have the right to express yourself, but we’re repeating that you shouldn’t cross limits.

Yes, you can be ticked off with Elwani over her comments, but you shouldn’t pin that down to her appearance or womanhood.

Yes, you can be ticked off with Al-Sheikh about the way he treats Egyptian sports fans online, but you shouldn’t turn that into a character-assassination.

Criticize the action, not the person. Even if you need to do the latter, don’t go into things that a person won’t be able to change immediately.

We Asked Single Women Why the Wedding Season Makes Them Nervous!

Aya Aboshady

September 5, 2019

Whether you’re in your mid 20s or even 30s and still single, then the wedding season might probably be giving you anxiety. We know how it is, seeing a million posts in one week all about your friends and acquaintances getting engaged and married.

It gets boring, but mostly it could get sad. And we’re here to tell you that you should really relax about it. Why? Because it’s fine. We could tell you it’ll happen to you one day. But, we don’t want to. Because, what if it doesn’t? It’s actually totally fine, if it doesn’t.

But before we give you our insight on why you should relax and worry about other stuff, we decided to talk to some of the single ladies who get nervous/sad about the wedding season:

“I don’t know, really. It’s just that now, I’m almost 24. And as much as I’d really like to deny it. I feel that if it doesn’t happen now, it won’t ever happen to me,” said Salma Ahmed, 23.

“I just keep seeing many Instagram Stories here and there, almost everyday now. And for the record, I’ve never been the type of person who even cared about finding ‘a partner’. But I’ve been finding myself checking all those posts about my friends getting engaged lately, and I can’t help but think that it’s too late for me now. I mean, if I want to get married by the age I’m 27 or even after that, I should be seeing someone now, and I’m not, so...” Anonymous, 22.

“I know the world shouldn’t revolve around something like that. And it never did, for me. But with the aggressive engagement wave I’ve been witnessing, especially with people close to me, I’m beginning to feel that thinking it’s not a big deal or pretending I’m not sad about it is just stupid,” Farida Khaled, 23.

And Now, Here’s What You Should Really Think About, Instead:

#1 Independence

Getting married at an early age is not healthy. While some people prefer it, most of us need to realize that it’s dangerous in the face of independence.

Getting support from a partner is cool. But as you grow into an adult, you need to be independent. And whether we like it or not, such a serious commitment at a young age gradually destroys any sense of independence.

Think about that every time you worry about not getting married early, or getting married at all.

#2 Finding Yourself

Why not take your 20s or even 30s to actually understand yourself? And find whatever it is that you love and do it? And as much as some would like to deny it, being committed to someone involuntarily becomes an obstacle in the way of actually understanding who you are.

Because you’ll be too worried about and invested in the person you’re with, that you’ll forget to take care of yourself and actually explore it.

#3 Being able to do whatever you want

So many women, and people in general – want to travel the world, initiate a movement, work on a startup…etc. But again, being committed to a home, a husband or kids might stop you in your track.

#4 Excelling at Something

We do understand that there are so many married women who are killing it at their jobs, or even at being a mom. But our point is, because we live in “the male society” we’re living in, not every woman is able to manage and find the balance between her home and her career.

Sometimes the reasons are out of her control too, like her husband not being supportive for example.

The chances you excel at something when you get married and become committed to other important responsibilities are therefore low.

So again, every time you think the world should revolve around getting married and finding “The One“, remember that you could be hitting milestones instead.

#5 There’s more to life than just ‘marriage’ and ‘relationships’

Neither marriage nor relationships are happiness. If you think that every single person who has a partner is automatically happy, well, you’re mistaken.

Rather than spending your life trying to find “that idea of happiness” or being sad about not finding it, you could find a million other reasons to actually live.

Life has friendships to cherish, family to love, places to go and a dozen things to do. Be it a job, getting your masters degree, writing a book or maybe even finding whatever hobby in the world that makes you happy.

It doesn’t even have to be something major. It’s just that the whole idea of “marriage and relationships equaling being complete and content” needs to vanish, because it’s far from the truth.

Yes, there are happily married or in a relationship couples but that’s not everything there is to life. There’s A LOT more. And as hard as it seems, during the wedding season, we should really relax and focus on ourselves.

We should really quit thinking whether or not it’ll happen to us, because in the meantime we should really be worried about all the above instead. Don’t you agree?

Now tell us, why does the wedding season make you nervous? – if it does, of course –

Are School Supplies The Latest Scam in Egyptian Schools?

Nada Abd ElKader

September 4, 2019

School Supplies — source: Harameya Fi KG2

With the start of a new school year, we’re all getting ready to familiarize ourselves with the old routine. The hectic traffic, the tutor ads everywhere, and, of course, the parents’ annual complaints about the school supply list.

The last of these may not seem like much to complain about, but once you find out what it truly entails, well, you’ll understand.

Parents Versus Supplies

Even though we all know parents aren’t having it with supplies, we may not get it. Why not just buy your child the few school supplies they need?

Well, the problem here is that those supplies aren’t really a “few” and some items are actually a little bizarre for a kid to own. Case in point, the few examples presented here.

Supply lists like these are very demanding, with some schools even asking for specific brands to ensure you’re getting them exactly what they want.

For what, exactly? We can’t really be sure, but then again the schools are pretty adamant about elementary school kids needing sketches Fine Arts students use, so maybe they see a point we don’t so far.

Sometimes, supply lists are a bit vague, but even if you end up understanding what the list wants, you’re in for a shock.

Sometimes, most of these supplies may not be used anyway and, in some cases, you will receive them again at the end of the school year.

Either way, you’ll always be thinking if that shopping trip before school was a part of real life or just a surreal dream you’ve once had.

Parents, Don’t Be Discouraged

Although the supply list circle seems like a situation where you’re not going to win either way, there’s still a way to beat the system. Not substantially, but enough to feel like you won a small victory.

You can always try websites, like Faggala, to save time, energy, and (sometimes) money.

This way, you’ll ensure both good supplies and you won’t spend all of the week leading to school scrambling all over yourself trying to find good items and good deals.

Schools exaggerate a lot with their supply list, as we all see, and that will change one day, hopefully.

Sure, they may want the best for the kids but maybe a compromise between them and the parents will pave a better road for the future. At least, this way we’ll all know that this isn’t just a scam, as some parents generally think.

For the time being, though, we’ll deal with it and we’ll purge everything through humor. The all-Egyptian way.

Will Nicotine Vaping Kill You? Turns Out It Might and We Asked People About It!

Aya Aboshady

September 4, 2019

For a couple of weeks now, news has been going around about the harmful – and possibly fatal – effects of the “Electronic Cigarette” commonly known as the Vape.

On August 24th, an American citizen has reportedly died as a result of vaping. At least, that’s what they attributed the death to. Saying that it was caused by a very dangerous respiratory system disease.

However, it was discovered that the THC found in the man’s vape is what triggered the disease which eventually led to lung failure.

THC is short for Tetrahydrocannabinol; and the chemical definition for it is: a crystalline compound that is the main active ingredient of cannabis.

When this piece news spread around, people started panicking but quickly calmed down after learning about the whole “He added weed” thing.

Doctors commenting about the incident said they’re positive vapes containing weed and dangerous substances, in general, are fatal. But they weren’t so sure of the Nicotine ones.

Well, unfortunately, you might really have to still worry even if it’s a nicotine mixed vape. Because, just a couple of days ago, a girl with the name Simah Herman literally almost died.

She also wants to start a “No Vaping Campaign“, which you’ve probably heard about after seeing her post on many of your friends’ Instagram stories this week.

And that’s according to her own words:

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As Herman said, vapes have always been advertised as the healthier alternative to smoking. And unfortunately, some people took this statement and abused it.

Many young people are now moving towards vapes, because they’re still living in the illusion of it being free of any health hazards. They refuse hearing anything about the possibility of it being life threatening or fatal.

However, we decided to get some vapers’ insights on the topic and ask them whether or not they really do think it’s fatal, in light of what happened to Herman:

“I personally don’t think any of the claims are true. I do understand there has been a fatal case and another that almost died. However, the first was because of drugs, not the vape itself. And the second could be because of an already-existing lung disease; we’ll never know for sure. That being said, I can’t say I wasn’t a bit scared since we don’t really know what effects it really has on the human body. Especially on the long run. So I’ve taken the decision to quit; I just don’t know when yet.” – Vaper Assem Mohamed, 24.

“I think it has its risks, especially long term risks, which we don’t know of yet. I don’t think it’s as bad as cigarettes. So for cigarette smokers, it’s worth the risk. For non smokers who do it for fun, I think that’s stupid. The current cases, however, all seem like individual cases and I’m not convinced to quit it just yet. Will take the risk rather than go back to smoking 2 or 3 packs a day.” Vaper Raghda El-Sayed, 28.

“I’ve been vaping for three years. Honestly, there are different lines where one could get his vape’s liquid. I always prefer the American made, because I could never be sure whether or not it was inspected if it’s made in Egypt. I also use something called ‘Salt Nicotine’ which lets you add whatever amount of Nicotine you want without it affecting you, because it’s supposed to naturally decrease the concentration.” – Vaper Ahmed Mostafa.

Mostafa used to be a heavy smoker and ever since he switched to vape, his breathing patterns got better and unlike before, he can run or do any type of exercise without suffering the consequences.

“The girl who almost died could just have either used an expired liquid or messed up the percentage of the Nicotine she added in there,” Mostafa added.

So, long story short, according to almost all vapers; it’s not about the vape itself as much as it’s about the way you use it and add and mix the percentages of liquids and Nicotine.

Nevertheless, they all also confirmed that they’ll never be 100% positive whether or not the vape itself could internally be doing anything to their bodies. But, according to them, it’s better than the cigarettes, at least.

On the other hand, the way we see it after Herman proved the possibility of death that could come with smoking “the Nicotine Vapes“, we think all of us should be cautious from now on.

We do understand that just like smoking regular cigarettes, quitting ain’t easy. And we also get the whole “we’re not certain about the vape fatality” and “At least, I’m not a heavy smoker anymore” thing.

But even if we aren’t sure, why risk it at all? Why stay convinced that it’s actually healthy when there’s a big possibility it’s not?

All we’re saying is we should start thinking more about what we consume and what it could to us. And if you guys think smoking kills so you stick to its alternative, think again because it might kill too.

The Joy of Cooking: An Interview with Food Writer & Menu Consultant Soha Darwish

Identity magazine

September 4, 2019

On our 14^th anniversary, Identity is celebrating one of its phenomenal writers, Soha Darwish. Darwish has always taken up challenges. Her move to the UK 15 years ago engaged her fully in family life.

Harbouring a passion for food, Soha continued to nurture her family along with her most cherished pastime, cooking. Her life in cosmopolitan London, a world renowned city for its culinary and gastronomy arts, served the aspiring cook’s talents well.

While writing down recipes, another pleasurable hobby emerged; it was food writing and creating menus, which later on urged her to obtain a diploma in food journalism.

Darwish collaborated successfully with branding companies on several F&B projects including menu revamps and copywriting, as well as content writing for social media and websites, and also she joined the Identity family. We sat down with Soha to hear all about her career and how she went after her dreams.

Take us through your journey, how did you career kick off?

Having lived in London, a gastronomy city renowned for its culinary arts, for 10 years prior to my move to the UAE, has definitely served the aspiring cook in me well. But unexpectedly, another pleasurable hobby has emerged from writing down my recipes – food writing and creating menus, surprising myself with a rich vocabulary for describing flavours, textures and aromas. After that, a persistent urge has arisen to pursue a career in this path, which has driven me to obtain a diploma in food journalism from the UK. Afterwards, I collaborated successfully with reputable branding companies and restaurants on several F&B projects including menu developing and copywriting, as well as content writing for social media and websites. Then came the journalism part which gives me great pleasure, as I feel most connected with my readers showing and sharing sides of my personality.

What is your favorite cuisine? How many different types of cuisines can you cook?

This is a tough one! I enjoy many cuisines but if I must narrow it down, I would say Japanese (not only sushi) and Italian. I love the clean fresh flavours of the Japanese cuisine with its highly meticulous standards and techniques. Also, good authentic Italian food simply puts a smile on my face with its lush ingredients and home cooking style but I have to highlight that I only enjoy it when the best quality ingredients are used just like in an authentic restaurant in the heart of Tuscany or Amalfi coast -immeasurable pleasure!

To be honest, I can comfortably cook any dish I like in any cuisine. That doesn’t sound very humble, does it? But if you’re passionate about food and cooking this comes very naturally. Cooking for me is almost a meditation practice which helps me to clear my thoughts and distress.

Did London’s culinary art affect your style in cooking?

It did, big time! On TV there, programs are either about properties or food. I was mesmerised by the various cuisines, food knowledge and language used in describing flavours and textures; it was like music to my ears. I just fell in love with the vocabulary the likes of Nigella Lawson, Antonio Carluccio and Rick Stein used. In addition to, London’s unique dining scene, accessibility to diverse cuisines and its great wealth of ingredients; all helped my cooking style to evolve over the years.

Give us examples on projects you worked on and what are your current ones?

I consider myself fortunate to start my career with collaborating with the reputable Branding agency ‘Brandbees’ on several projects in Egypt e.g Fresh Food Market and Battaw restaurant. After that, I undertook more menu projects in the UAE and Lebanon. I’m currently working with Sodic on developing and writing the menus for all food outlets in their new impressive sports club ‘Club S’; it’s a huge honour to be part of this big project, exciting! In addition to my journalism work, where I regularly contribute in Identity magazine plus freelancing in other magazines in the UAE like Fig Jam and Yalla Abu Dhabi.

What’s the importance of a good menu?

I’ve always believed that reading through a good menu should be equally exciting as savouring the chef’s signature dishes. However, we often find the menu disappointing and not in line with the efforts spent in either the interiors or executing those dishes. It may be the design, lack of accuracy in food description or linguistic mistakes; all of which could really compromise the menu. With a good menu in hand, diners can visualise their food choices enabling them to get an idea of what to expect leading to less turned back dishes to the kitchen, hence happy customers and staff. So, it can affect the entire service flow and the general mood, all down to investing in a good menu that fits and complements the restaurant atmosphere.

Should a chef have educational backgrounds from culinary schools and institutions, or can they just depend on their talent and knowledge?

Talent and passion are the foundation of a good chef, but I believe we are living in highly competitive times and the dining scene is thriving. So, in order to keep up they need to learn and grasp a lot of techniques and evolving concepts. Therefore, culinary schools and institution are also essential and crucial to stand out.

What do you do to stay on current trends?

I always keep a list with new restaurants coming up and the existing ones with good reviews where I live or in countries I plan to visit. Also, I have to say that the UAE is a very attractive place for world famous restaurants to venture out here and I’m really privileged to be in this exciting part of the world. Watching good food shows and programs is also really important, like The Chef’s table, Street Food and Master Chef UK.

What’s the biggest dream you want to achieve in your career?

My biggest dream is to connect and reach as many food lovers as I can; this is my ultimate goal. I started with my food articles then my blog either on Facebook: A Food Writer and Menu Consultant or Instagram @soha_darwish_foodwriter_menus, where I share my published articles/recipes, menu projects and interesting food knowledge/tips. I also would like to be able to do that visually through TV shows in which I can share my original recipes and talk about cooking and food from a cultural perspective. Finally, maybe at some point write a cookbook sharing my career journey, food knowledge and recipes. There is still so much more to accomplish but I’m happy with the steps I managed to take while looking after my family and nurturing them.

We thank Soha for such an inspiring interview and we wish her all the best in her career.

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