HalaBahrain - April 2009

HalaBahrain Magazine | April 2009 1

HalaBahrainHalaBahrain MagazineMagazine

Your Local Bahraini Guide!

Apr 2009 - Volume 1 - Issue 10

Events & Events &

HappeningsHappenings We cover the Bahrain We cover the Bahrain

Car Show, fashion Car Show, fashion

events, and more!events, and more!

Yasmin Al HilliYasmin Al Hilli

We talk to the race driver,

football manager, agent

and much more!

Places to Go

Things to Do

Events

Tradition

And much more!


HalaBahrainHalaBahrain MagazineMagazine Lifestyle - Technology -

Entertainment - Events ©

Keeping Busy!Keeping Busy! Dear Readers,

What a crazy month it’s been. Everything from auto shows, to

events and parties, the Spring of Culture, torrential rain and

extreme dust storms! April looks set to be just as busy (with

hopefully less extreme weather changes).

This issue, we’ve covered quite a bit of what’s going on around

the country, and spent quite a bit of time at the BIC, with the

Bahrain Motor Show going on, and Speed Trip, a great event

with all proceeds going to charity, and will be spending more

time as F1 edges closer. We’ve also caught up with Fashion for

a Cause, which is another exciting event with a charitable

cause. Check out what we’ve covered in this months pages.

This issue we talk to Yasmin Al Hilli, a very inspiring personality

whose done a little bit of everything. Again, we would love to

hear from you about anything; send us your emails with

thoughts about the magazine, letters, ideas, and let us know

what you’re thinking!

Till next time,

Ammar Al-Aradi

Editor In-Chief

The Team

Editor-in-Chief

Ammar Al-Aradi

Creative Director

Fardan Raffi

Public Relations

Amal Fareed

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


International Garden Show

Location: Bahrain Exhibition Center

Contact: +973 - 17558826

News, Events News, Events

& Happenings& Happenings Obviously Formula One fever has taken

over the country, with F1 car images on ads

and posters around town, events related to

F1 taking place, people talking about it on

TV, radio, etc.. But that doesn’t mean that’s

all Bahrain is about this month! Nope, there’s a LOT going on, and as people from all over the world

fly in to our little island, the events and entertainment continue!

Lots of parties happening around the weekends, from the FTV and Nikki Beach parties on the 10th,

bringing you a dash of exclusivity and a touch of glamour too. We also have Kyau & Albert, rated on

the list of top DJ’s in the world, performing here on the 23rd. Numerous parties will be going on all

around Bahrain through different venues, clubs, so there’s quite a lot to do for the party-goer!

It’s not all music and dancing though; for those looking for something closer to nature, catch the

Garden Show at the Exhibition Center for an oasis of greenery. There’s also a Boat Show bringing

together top-of-the-line boats, yachts, jet-skis, along with watersports, shows and more! And if the sea

is your thing, make sure to check out (and maybe participate) at the Raft Race in Al Bander; it’s for a

good cause, all proceeds go towards various charities in Bahrain. Omid Djalili, the famous Persian

comic will bring laughs to the crowds on the 23rd, and Rage to the Extreme will bring together

rockers and metal-heads from around the gulf to one place to battle it out for the title of best band.

Definitely a lot to do this month!

17-19 April

Upcoming

21-25 April

Omid Djalili Live

Location: Crowne Plaza

Timing: 6:00pm-10:00pm

Contact: +973-17297040

[email protected]

23 April

Boat Show

Location: Amwaj Marina

Contact: +973-17533532

10 April

Nikki Beach Party

Location: Private Island - Ritz Carlton


Contact: +973-17310407

[email protected]

Raft Race

Location: Al Bander Resort

Email: +973-17584612

1 May

Kyau & Albert Live in Bahrain

Location: Mercure Grand Hotel

Contact: +973-39857359

30 April

Rage to the EXTREME

Location: The Palace

Timing: 4:00pm-2:00am

Contact: [email protected]

Fashion TV Casting

Location: Coral Beach Club


Contact: +973-36318893

[email protected]

24-26 April

Bahrain F1 Race 2009

Location: Bahrain Int’l Circuit

Email: +973-17450000



Got something to say? Anything specific you’d like to see in Got something to say? Anything specific you’d like to see in

the magazine? Or maybe you just love our magazine? Hate it? the magazine? Or maybe you just love our magazine? Hate it?

Or just need someone to talk to? Whatever it is, let us know, Or just need someone to talk to? Whatever it is, let us know,

email us on: email us on: [email protected]@halabahrain.com

————

FROM: Jamal Zaman

SUBJECT: Very Nice

Just came across the mag,

and I must say it’s a really

creative concept, I read it at

work all the time since I’m

always infront of my PC and

don’t have time for regular

mags! Keep up the great

work guys!

Thanks Jamal, we’re not sure

how we feel about our mag

being a source of distraction

at your job.. Actually we do,

it’s great! Keep reading

while on the job (as long as

your boss doesn’t find out!)

————

FROM: Lamya

SUBJECT: Love it!

I love your magazine, and

the photography section

was very cool too! I always

have problems with photos

in dark areas, can you help?

We got a bunch of emails

stating how much they liked

that section, so not to worry!

We’ll try to grab Aziza to give

you all a photo tips section

every issue :) Watch for it

next month!

————

FROM: Silent Jedi

SUBJECT: Weather

The weather sucks. How do

you explain that?

Err. We don’t. Do you?

————

FROM: Moeen

SUBJECT: Cover

The Desert Rock cover was

amazing! Love how our flag

was all over the place!

Yeah, it was sort of epic!

Bahrain Flag & Chimera :)

————

FROM: Halle

SUBJECT: Spring of Culture

How come you didn’t put

anything up about the

Spring of Culture?

Well, Halle, every other

magazine and newspaper in

Bahrain seems to have that

covered, so we’d rather not

repeat what’s been said a

thousand times! Let them

cover the SOC, we’ll cover

everything else!

————

FROM: Wafa

SUBJECT: Chub :)

Chub :)

We seriously do get the

weirdest emails from people

sometimes.

————

FROM: Stevie Y

SUBJECT: Congrats

Congrats on the new mag!

We’ve been running for

almost a year now dude...

HalaBahrain MailHalaBahrain Mail Mail


BIC EventsBIC Events Want to be blown away? Speed Trip happens once a year and brings together

some of the craziest cars, exotics and much more in one place. And lucky us, this

year it took place at the BIC! The event, which runs over two days, sends invites

out to a number of VIP’s to attend and race their vehicles on track, with stunt

shows, music and entertainment in between. All proceeds from this exclusive

event are for charity, so a great event, for a great cause!

Not only that, but the Bahrain Motor Show took place on the 3rd & 4th of the

month, brining together everything from monster trucks, to classic cars, to racers,

to much more, all in a fully fledged family event. An amazing day out! If you

missed it, just make sure you don’t miss the Formula One race later this month!

Events


Events


Events




Events

RedBull Paper WingsRedBull Paper Wings RedBull have put together the paper wings

competition, in which people from all over the

world compete to create the best paper plane;

how far it flies, how long it stays in the air, the best design, etc. A fun day for all, and the winners compete

with the worlds best paper plane builders! And you thought paper planes weren’t serious business?


Events Fashion for a CauseFashion for a Cause Held at Sawani Restaurant, Fashion for a Cause was just that;

brining some of the hottest models sporting the latest fashions,

all in the name of raising money for charity! A great event with

a greater cause. After a night of catwalks, guests were

treated to a full dinner, DJ and more!



Totally Zained

After almost a year of

renovations, the new

Zain flagship store in

Seef is open! And it’s

more than just your

average store; infor-

mation, entertainment, a place to have a coffee and

bite, style your phone, and more! With an opening that

everyone in Seef noticed, the place is definitely worth a

visit!

Weather

As if it wasn’t bad

enough last month, the

weather in March took on

all shapes and colors,

shifting from cold to hot,

clear to dusty, dry to humid,

all within the space of a few

days! People started getting

confused about whether or not to take their cars to the

carwash, others about what to wear when they go out, etc.

Four seasons in one month, where else but Bahrain? :)

News

Bahrain NewsBahrain News

Wanna Be a VIP?

The Select Few is a new

concept for party lovers

in Bahrain. Sign up and

become a member, and

get access to top of the

line, VIP member only

events! Not sure whether

out tiny island has enough people to uphold such a

London/Los Angeles type concept, but let’s watch and

see! The next event is the Nikki Beach party, held on the

Ritz Carlton private island. Should be fun, so see you

there!

Hope for Music!

It’s tough to find good

outlets for getting music in

Bahrain. Sure, we have a

few shops that sell

cassettes and CD’s, but

let’s be honest, who really

uses those anymore?

UrFilez is a new brand

bringing everyone the chance to get their music

anywhere, anytime, and even gives an opportunity

for local musicians to have their music pushed out

and distributed! Launching officially sometime in April,

this is something to watch out for!


Kyau & Albert

Watch out for the official F1 Pre-Party, on the 23rd

of April 2009! Kyau & Albert, rated as some of the

top DJ’s in the world, will be performing in Bahrain to

a huge crowd at Mercure Hotel. Don’t expect the

venue to be your average run-of-the-mill party. There’s

something special here which you’ll have to see for

yourself!

Organized by Beats4Life and Dallah Promotions, this

event is destined to be a sure hit! For info and tickets, call

+973-39957359, or +973-36695933.

News

Race Your Voice!

Although a small island, Bahrain

has a lot of talent, ranging

from musicians to many others.

Although support for these

artists is usually hard to come

by, the Bahrain International

Circuit is giving local musicians

a great opportunity to get their music heard!

Together along with BahrainTalent.com and UrFilez.com, the

BIC has offered musicians the chance to record a track for

this years Bahrain F1 race, based around this years’ theme

‘Where the Heart Is’. The tracks have been submitted and

are being shortlisted, with the final winner to be announced

soon! For more information, check out BahrainTalent.com


See Everyone in Bahrain!

And if it isn’t so obvious, you have to be at the F1 race!

Practically everyone in Bahrain can be seen there,

making for a great day out of waving hello to everyone.

Bound to help you work those muscles!

News

Why BIC?Why BIC?

Cosmopolitanism

For the race, Bahrain suddenly turns into a melting pot of

people from all over the

world! You can meet with

nationalities that you never

expected would ever arrive

in town, and with them they

bring stories and tales of a

faraway distant land (ahem.

Ed.)

Safer Drivers

We used to have a lot of crazy street racers out on

the roads, especially during late nights. Not so much

after the BIC opened; with a full list of activities for

adrenaline thrill-seekers,

such as drag racing,

burnout competitions,

stunt shows, circuit

races and more, these

people finally have a

safe environment to

channel their motor-oil

induced energy!

Now in it’s 6th year, the Bahrain F1 race has come a

long way! In turn, the race has done a lot for the

country, and has really moved things around Bahrain.

Here are a few reasons you should be proud to have

the BIC and F1 race here!

Events & Entertainment

The month leading up

to F1 in Bahrain is usually

full of events, celebrations,

offers, and much more!

The shops also have special

offers specifically for the race, so make sure your wallet is

loaded when you go out! Always something to do, so no

excuses about not having anything to do!


Visit the world of hidden

Bahraini Talents...

www.BahrainTalent.com


Although it is one of Bahrain's most important

historical sites, Bahrain Fort really doesn't get near

as much attention as it deserves. Although very

near to downtown Manama, the fort feels very

isolated from the hustle and bustle of the rest of

Bahrain.

The actual fort was built around the early 1500's, but

the whole site is an archaeological treasure; recent

excavation work has shown it to be composed of

layer over layer of settlements, the earliest dating

back to somewhere around 2300BC, when the area

was the capital of Dilmun (the ancient civilization that

existed on the island).

The fort itself was built by the Portuguese as a military

base, as they took over Bahrain to help protect their

trade routes between India, Africa and Europe.

Although quite eroded, you can still see and get an

idea of what the old settlements used to look like. The

view from the top of the fort is also a beauty and a bit

of a contrast, as one side faces old villages and

greenery, while the other looks at the fast rising towers

and developments of Manama.

Tradition

Bahrain FortBahrain Fort


Bahrain was labeled the Island of a Million Palm Trees

years ago, but nowadays you see most of it displaced

to make way for new buildings, towers and so on.

Visiting Bahrain Fort takes you right out of the urban

development and back to a simpler time, where the

surrounding villages are covered in lush greenery and

palm trees, while the houses are reminiscent of the

older days.

The fort is open to visitors between 8:00am and 8:00pm

throughout the week, and entrance is free.

Tradition


Growing up in Bahrain, it’s easy to get caught up

in the flow of things. The typical path for anyone

raised here is to go to school, go to college, and

then work one of a very specific set of jobs; these

are usually jobs in banking, healthcare, teaching,

law, engineering, etc. Very few actually take the

initiative to split from the regular path, and follow

their heart.

Yasmin Al Hilli is one of these people; not content

with following the regular path, she went out to

follow her passion for motor racing and sports,

and achieved much along the way. We caught

up with her for a quick chat to ask about what

she does, how she got there, and her inspirations.

Local Talent

Yasmin Al HilliYasmin Al Hilli


Local Talent

- So Yasmin, we hear you do a little bit of everything; motorsports,

events, sports, etc.. What is it that you do exactly?

Yeah, I suppose I am scattered! I have tried many different career

paths.. I started as a coach for under-17 boys (basketball), then got

into racing, I then dabbled in events and now have pretty much

settled into a sports management role.

- Not the usual path most people take! The majority here seem to

finish school, then end up working in a bank, hospital, etc. How did

you end up in motorsports?

It was never planned! I was always into cars, did a bit of help as a

marshal, and then decided that I wanted to race, so I did it!

- It’s great to see that initiative! You’re one of the very few, if not only,

females who’ve driven rally cars in this region. Why do you think there

aren’t more girls doing the same?

I think that’s because it’s a very expensive hobby! I had a very hard

time acquiring sponsorships at the time, until I proved myself, and

even then it was quite difficult. I opened the door for women to race,

but I’m very disappointed that hardly any followed in my path.


- True, let’s hope to see more as time goes by. So do you still race?

Unfortunately, I had a car accident preparing for the rally season, and hurt my back badly, so that put me out of the hot seat.

- That’s a shame. We’re sure that didn’t stop you from doing what you love though; what did you do next?

I went for my next love, football, and became an agent!

- Interesting! How did you get into that?

Well, I worked as general manager of West Riffa Club for a short period of time before leaving to do consultancy with Muharraq,

where I stayed for 3 seasons. During that time I got my license from FIFA, and through that became the first woman in the GCC to

be licensed by FIFA to be a players agent.


Local Talent

- Very inspiring. What are you doing with it now?

I now represent some of the of the top footballer players in the Gulf, and have done some consultancy work for some of the top teams

in the GCC region.

- Was it difficult getting into these fields and staying there? And what sort of challenges

prevent women in general from moving into these fields of work?

It was very difficult, as these fields are very male dominated (football, motor racing). I thank Muharraq Club for helping me to learn all

about the ins and outs of the game, administration, laws etc. If it wasn’t for some of the people there giving me some of their valuable

time, I don’t think I would be the person that I am today.

- So what are you involved with at the moment, besides sports?

At the moment I have no time for anything BUT football!

- It’s very inspiring to hear your story. What does the future hold for Yazzi?

I’m just an example that, if you have a dream, you can make it happen. Nothing is impossible if you put your heart into it! As for my

future, I’ll leave it to God - he has watched over me and taken good care, and I know that my future can only get a whole lot better!

- Lovely talking to you Yasmin, thanks for your time!

Thank you!

Documents

HalaBahrain - April 2009