BTM July 2012 9 Dear Readers, As we head into the second half of the year, July can best be described as a month of two halves. The first two to three weeks brings closure to the previous six months; the school year ends and the events calendar draws to a temporary close as we prepare for our summer vacations. There’s still plenty to do, though, as the summer festival concludes with a performance of one of best-known and loved shows of the last century [ITALS] The Sound of Music. Our shopping malls are also a hive of activity with special promotions and events, such as those at Al A’ali Shopping Complex, to keep us entertained and out of the heat. The last ten days of July sees the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan. It’s a time for reflection and spending time with our families and friends, and this year promises to be no different. I know of many people who are taking their holidays early so as to be able to spend Ramadan here in the Kingdom. Let’s hope this occasion affords an opportunity for us to put behind the issues of the past 18 months and to build a better future for ourselves. Our annual review of offerings from hotels and restaurants for breaking fast at Iftar and subsequent ghagba social gatherings indicates we have as much choice this year as in the past, despite the Holy Month falling right in the centre of summer. There’s also a round-up of Ramadan promotions available at local supermarkets. We celebrate with the French as they mark Bastille Day; the French ambassador to the Kingdom, Christian Testot is optimistic for Bahrain’s future, noting there are many positives that make our island an attractive place for business within the region. For those who’d like to use the summer to ‘trim-down’, Karim Arafah talks about what has motivated him to become a fitness fanatic. The number 13 might be unlucky for some, but that venerable institution, which we know simply as ‘JJ’s’, celebrates its 13th anniversary over the three days of July 11-13. So, whatever you do to combat the summer heat, here’s to continuing to enjoy the great way of life the Kingdom has to offer for all of its residents. Ramadan Kareem! The team Publisher and Chairman George F. Middleton Email: [email protected] Publishing Director David M. Robertson Editorial queries: [email protected] Editorial Consultant Dr. Paul Balles Assistant Editors Alison Coldridge Elma Bartholomew Staff Writer Maryam Toorani Contributors James Claire (dining) Bystander Editor Anil Ravi Shankar Print Production Manager Sabu Sebastian Layout and Graphics Dalal Al-Sabbagh, Romeo San Miguel, Rodolfo A. Reyes Jr. Staff Photographers Shankar Kunhambu, Subeesh Kumar N S Administration and Finance Samson Vaz, Marlyn Ragasa Personnel Manager Bassem A. Al Khabbaz Sales Manager Mayukh Majumdar Media Sales Marise Prata Dos Santos, Shani Davel Circulation Manager Fawaz Al Balooshi Distribution Team CM Abdul Rahman, Rafeeq Mohammed, Gopal Arul Kumar, Epegenio Tempra Jr. Distributor Al Hilal Corporation Photography Picture Arabia: [email protected] Printing Press Dar Akhbar Al Khaleej W.L.L., Bahrain Published monthly by Red House Marketing (Jersey) Ltd. P.O. Box 641, No. 1 Seaton Place St., Helier Jersey JE48JJ, Channel Islands, U.K. Red House Marketing P.O. Box 20461, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: (+973) 17 813-777, Fax: (+973) 17 813-700 Email: [email protected] www.bahrainthismonth.com © Copyright Reserved 2005 The concept, content, style and design of this publication remain the exclusive property of Red House Marketing (Jersey) Ltd. and must not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without prior written permission. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However, Red House Marketing cannot accept legal responsibility for any error or omission. • Views expressed in this magazine by journalists and writers are not necessarily those of the publishers of Bahrain This Month. Licensed by the Ministry of Information Publication Code: TA001 ISBN 1 899 348 09 3 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION Bahrain: BD24 Gulf and international subscriptions available on request. Bahrain This Month is a member of BPA Worldwide YOUR GUIDE TO A GREAT WAY OF LIFE BD 2.000 (SR 20) HAPPENINGS ~ DINING ~ ARTS SCENE ~ CLUBS & SPORTS ~ KIDS’ EVENTS ~ AFTER DARK ~ SAT TV July 2012 ~ Vol. 16 ~ Issue 7 www.bahrainthismonth.com Season of Giving Ramadan Kareem! www.bahrainthismonth.com Supermarkets | France in Bahrain | Bahrain Science Centre Featured This Month: July 2012 Bahrain This Month George F. Middleton Publisher and Chairman Cover Cover Picture: The distinctive Bahrain Science Centre sits pride of place at the entrance to Isa Town. Image: Shukri Photography www.facebook.com/bahrainthismonth Join us on Facebook If you are wondering what this image to the left is, or the one on the front cover, it’s a QR code. To find out how to use these, read page 148.
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