Showcasing: Microsoft -Omani National Winners

I had the pleasure of meeting three young Omani women, who are representing Oman in a splendid fashion!

No! I am not talking about their dress sense.

These young Omani ladies have represented Oman in the IT field via competing in the Microsoft's Imagine Cup; the world’s premier competition for student technologists, developers and aspiring entrepreneurs to create innovative projects and ultimately bring those ideas to market.

Team Thrizers created an app known as ReadX, which helps dyslexic children learn and lets parents keep track of their progress. The app was good enough to win a national Imagine Cup, a Microsoft-sponsored student competition; that earned Asya Al Jabri and her friends--Marwa Al Habsi and Safa Al Mukhaini, both 22--a spot representing Oman in the International Imagine Cup in July in St. Petersburg, Russia.

It just filled my heart to the brim to see young Omani ladies representing Oman on an International level and bringing something worthy to the local community that would eventually enhance the learning abilities of dyslexic children. There confidence and passion for what they had achieved was evident when presenting. I must say that they are in a huge way a inspiration to Omani youth.

Students are eligible to register and compete in Imagine Cup by visiting http://www.imaginecup.com. A full list of competition categories is available at http://imaginecup.com/main/compete.

Local Happenings: Red Arrows in Oman

Whats in the air?

An aerobatic display which will be performed by the Red Arrows is set to light up the Omani skyline on the 13th Nov on Shatti Qurum Beach @3pm

The Red Arrows are internationally renowned as one of the world’s premier aerobatic teams. Also known as the “public face” of the Royal Air Force, the Red Arrows have actively promoted British interests and industry overseas since their formation in 1964.

The spectacular Red Arrows display is open to the general public who will be able to view the skilled pilots perform a series of dazzling stunts and the team’s distinctive red jets perform a series of precision formations and dynamic loops and rolls.

 

Local Happening: Gallery Sarah

In loving memory of Sarah White, Bait Al Zubair  Museum are opening a gallery dedicated to her life and work on 30th Oct @7:00pm

A little history of Bait Al Zubair (House of Al Zubair) which is a private museum that opened its carved wooden doors to the public in 1998. It is totally funded by its founders, the Zubair family. The museum displays the family’s collection of Omani artefacts, which is considered to be the finest that is privately owned. Link here to see the various exhibitions located in Bait Al Zubair.

Local Happenings: Mutrah Souq Treasure Hunt 2013

Riyam Park for 9:00 am Check-In

Saturday 9 November 2013,

From: 09h00 till 13h00

Organized by : Jill Stehlin

 

Each team of up to four people each will be given the same clues, designed to take them on an exploration of Mutrah Souq.

Clues will be in the form of riddles and can be solved in any sequence you wish. The answer to each question will either be an item to be collected, something to be photographed or an answer to be written on the Answer Sheet provided to your team. The team with the most correct answers wins.

 

Register online at Center for Omani Dress  or you can register at AlGazal Opticians in SABCO Commercial Centre (cash only!) Pass the word - the hunt is on!

 

click here for guideline for the event

 

FREE copy the maps Mutrah Souq: Uncovered and Mutrah Souq: At a Glance produced by the Centre for Omani Dress

Local Happenings: Sarah Bags

LADIES!!!!

 

"Sarahsbag is again exhibiting in Oman; each year we have the opportunity to have her collection twice exposed in Muscat, the first is her Autumn/Winter collection in November and the second is her Spring/Summer collection in May.

Her latest Celeste, African saga, Pixel and Arabesque collection will be displayed in the trunk show’s open house on Saturday November 9,2013 from 3pm to 7pm

 

Some of you might already know about these unique bags and accessories that are sold for a cause as they are executed by women in need and female prisoners. The designer, Sarah Beydoun launched her product in 2000 and became a famous designer for her concept. She sells her collection all over the world and many famous figures such as Queen Rania of Jordan, the French actress Catherine De Neuve and the Lebanese film director Nadine Labaki wear her bags and support her cause.

 

A catalogue with the whole collection will also be available for placing orders."

 

direct from email source Carla Khalil carlakhalil@hotmail.com

Weekday update

Morning

Its been a hectic and fun filled weekend what with various events happening all throughtout the weekend, and any other activity that you may have attended. There was Barney show, and the Pechackucha session, the opening of Party Fever plus the Hala biEid Festival which ended on the 25th Oct.

I bet that there was a lot more going on which I couldnt cover but I would like to always keep you up-to-date so email me on aishelaqtta [at] gmail [dot]com. If you keep me informed I can always make sure that the majority of the local community will get informed. Nothing is more powerful then the word of mouth, but that "power source" requires alot of out reach and this is the place to do just that.

Keep looking up at the AishElaqtta to find out about new upcoming events, and the various local talent that I enjoy showcasing within the page.


 

Local Enterprise: Crafty in Oman

I cant have a blog page showcasing local talent and happenings without mentioning my very own social page on Face book!

 

As creator of the page I couldn't have done much without the admin assistance of +Mayya Al Said +Tanya Lerdkasem [ Heart made by Tanya]. The idea for the page came after participating with Mayya at another exhibition. It got me thinking of the less appreciated handmade talents displaying their hard work and creativity against commercial products.

Thus came Crafty in Oman (CiO) a social page on Face book that works as a gathering point for all homemade-handmade crafts and projects. The page also functions as a resource for the members in finding materials, local exhibition, connecting with others who share the same crafting skills and a selling/buying point for displayed projects.

Members register on the page, and share their craft project on the page, which allows other in the local community to know about and at times inspire others to start their creative juices flowing. We currently stand at over 1090+ members after only being in existence for slightly over a year.

We have conducted a few craft fairs for the group, and our members participate in various other local crafts and exhibition. We understand the hard work and dedication taken to produce something unique and creative, so CiO offers a specific targeted fairs in appreciation of handmade crafts and products, thus we do not allow commercially made items to share the same space in our events.

Look us up on Face book if you have a flare for making handmade crafts, we have various projects and work being displayed from crochet, knitting, sewing, clay, pottery, mosaic, wood work, handmade jewellery, quilling and many more.

The Week article written by Emma Abdulaal, June 27, 2012
 

Show casing: Reem Al Shaikh

I have always wanted to learn to be a decent photographer, and i had started down that line but then with my kids and commitments it sort of just faded.

In this post I would like to showcase a mom with a passion for photography, Reem Al Shaikh  has gone a step beyond and dedicated her time to technical and shooting of still life. I have personally had a photo shoot with Reem, and truthfully I believed that there was not even one decent shot that she could have taken what with my kids not cooperating and getting distracted at the drop of a hat. She shocked me beyond words when i got not only one but around 20-something pictures and with the right tweaking looked astounding. At one point i couldn't believe that those children she portrayed in the pictures were mine.

Exaggerated you say?

Well seeing is believing and I invite you to link to her web-page and just browse through her portfolio of dream-like captured moments.

 

Local Happenings: NBO Golf Classic

I have been hearing about this event on the radio, with not real coverage in newspapers and the like so decided to share the info on NBO Golf Classic, from the 24th till 27th of October, 2013.

Where legends are made

The intriguing this to me is that my cousin Azzan Al Rumhy; Omani National Team will be participating at the event. I would've loved to attend just to show my support.

The whole event comprises of 84 Challenge Tour players who will compete between Thursday 24th and Sunday 27th October and join 30 participants invited by the National Bank of Oman – up to ten of whom may be amateurs ­for a total field of 114 players. Blog link

Another impressive aspect is that the television coverage of the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic will showcase Oman globally to a totally new audience of golfers and tourists, with more than 100 hours of coverage across 49 worldwide territories, reaching a potential 250 million homes.

I've attached the schedule and location for those of you who may want to attend:

 

Entrance to the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic 2013 is FREE

 

Show casing: Taraneem Design

Sumaiya Al-Ghaithi, who gave up a gratifying position as the CEO of the Nursing Council to open up her own interior design company, Taraneem Design.

 After her high school graduation, at Hafsa bint Omar School in Nizwa, where she graduated with honours, she was awarded a scholarship to study nursing at the Villanova University in Philadelphia, USA, where she graduated and proceeded with her Master’s degree at the same university, gaining her Master’s degree in 2000.

The company designs furniture, lighting and kitchen design, plans and elevations and also bring in fabrics, wallpaper and other materials from Europe.  Suma says that best kind of project is when she can be given an empty canvas and she can get to do the whole thing from A to Z.

 

 

 

Local Happenings: Barney

If you haven't heard about it already then you must be living under a rock or simply don't listen to the radio Barney's Let's Go!. For those of you with children if you little tyke hasn't already switched on the water works, then consider yourself warned.

My daughter heard the news ad of the event, and begged me to go. I was adamant not to attend due to two things:

1. I consider it a punishment
2. It would require me to purchase 6 tickets!

Well for those of you interested in taking your little ones here is the info. (also click on link above for web site)

 

 

Show casing: Zumba it with Asya

Asya Al Lamki, a lecturer at the Institute of Health Sciences who moonlights as a certified Zumba instructor.

As certified Omani female Zumba instructor Asya bring a combination of health and fun into her work out. She isn’t really a gym going person, but her drive to spread awareness about health and fitness through Zumba is her motivation to keep doing what she is passionate about. The whole concept of Zumba is that you actually don’t think your exercising, but it truth you are dancing and getting a work out at the same time.

I have witnessed Asya in action on various occasions and if you’re willing to give it a try or just to see what all the hype is about then you need to attend her special Women’s Day Zumba event on Thursday, 24th Oct @7:30pm at The Champ in Al Khuwair (located behind the Redtag and Masjid Zawawi)

 

Local Happenings: Fete Du Cinema D'animation

If your looking for something different happening in the local scene check The Omani French Center are presenting a cinema animation showing 3 cartoons from the 29-31St October which will be screened at 6pm.
Fete Du Cinema D'animation



Venue: 207, Al Inshirah St,
Madinat Sultan Qaboos

Tel: 25697579
Entrance is Free

Marhaba!

Friends of mine suggested that I create a blog introducing the new and happening activities that I encounter or know about that are happening on a local level. So keep following if you would like to see updates of events, upcoming designers, local fashion bloggers and anything that tickles my fancy in Oman.

If your interested to be featured within my blog simply drop me an email on driyami[at] gmail [dot]com.

Enjoy