Firstly swimming is finally over (well at lest for A) for the season. So we can have a bit of normality back. A took part in the ‘B’ Regionals a couple of weeks ago which resulted in 2 Gold medals, 1 Silver medal, 2 PB’s, 1 DQ, 1 A Regional qualifying time (RQT) and a 3rd place over all trophy! So overall it was a very good day, but meant we had to drag ourselves to training for another week, to prepare for the A’s the following weekend! So A had more medals to add to the football one she received the previous evening.

So we needed an early start (6.15) to drive to Ras Tanura (about an hour away) for A to swim in 2 races (well 3 including the relay). She was never going to get any medals or trophies from the A’s, but she did get 2 PB’s so it was reasonably, worthwhile! And as her coach told her “Apart from the nationals, it’s the biggest meet you can take part in Saudi Arabia”, so that bucked her up a bit! As it was late when we got back we just ordered from the restaurant.

On the Friday we took the kids to Burger Fuel – Max’s favourite place to eat – he was banging on the door wanting to get in, but as usual here, it didn’t open at 12.30 as stated, more like gone 1 o’clock. Absolute rubbish especially when prayer time is finishing just after 12 at the moment! Once they eventually opened, we had a little tantrum as they did not open the upstairs and that is where the TV and Xbox are located, as well as all the colouring pencils and pictures, so we had 2 very sulky children on our hands! After that we headed for our usual Friday afternoon lounge by the pool and home for dinner and a movie.

Saturday saw me attempting to make Max’s birthday cake and cookies to take to school, as well as present wrapping and printing off birthday cards (you don’t get birthday cards here, – well ToysRus had very few! - also the card my parents sent 3 months ago never turned up – I did warn them!) The first batch of Cornish Fairings I made, I left in the oven just a little too long, so they were rather well done! So I decided to make some chocolate chip cookies instead and found an easyish eggless recipe online, which turned out alright (thank goodness!) The actual cake turned out not too bad too (well for me anyway!) It was the marshmallow fondant icing that was the problem! My god, I am never making that again! I followed the recipe to the letter, but no matter how much I kneaded that bloody stuff it was still too flipping sticky! I tried all sorts to try make it soft and smooth.

I used loads of butter on my hands and the counter top. Didn’t work!

I put it in the fridge. Didn’t work!

I used loads and loads and loads of icing sugar! It worked a little bit, but there was icing sugar everywhere, on the cooker, on the floor in the draws, I was totally covered in it! By the time the kids came home, I was read to throw the cake out the window!!! The kids quietly got on with their home work, while I shouted all manner of things at the flipping icing. I finally managed to get the icing on the cake and put it together in a sort of ‘Red Samurai Power Ranger’ style and went for a shower to wash away all the icing sugar!

Once the home work was finished the kids decided it was safe to enter the kitchen, and viewed the finished cake!

And M’s reaction – “Where’s the mouth?”

I replied “There was no mouth on the pictures I used.”

To which, he went to his bedroom got his Red Samurai Power Ranger and said “Well this ones got a mouth!” Great!

So I gave him the option of the following

1. have a red power ranger cake with a mouth and risk the whole thing go out the window and no birthday cake; or
2. keep the cake as it is and definitely have a birthday cake.

Luckily he chose the latter!

Friday was M’s 5th Birthday, after a month (could possibly be more!) of waking up and asking “Is it my birthday today?” Followed by a mini tantrum with stamping feet when he was told “No”. The day was finally here. Off he ran to the sitting room, only for us to hear “Oh, there’s nothing there!” To which G replied “It’s not Christmas! You can have you presents once you have eaten your breakfast, brushed your teeth and have got dressed.” All which were done in record time!

So M opened his presents and was very happy with his Ben 10 toys, it was only only later he asked where the Lizard man from Spider-man was, which was the one thing we couldn’t get!

He happily went to the bus with some of his new Ben 10 figures for him and the other younger ones to play with, and the older kids sang Happy Birthday to him, which was very sweet, but he was totally embarressed.

So I then had the rest of the day to sort stuff out and go to yoga, bliss! While I was at yoga I thought I would check at reception one last time to see if M’s birthday card had turned up. No birthday card but I had received a letter from HMRC asking me to fill in a Tax Return, god they will find you anywhere won’t they!

Once the children were home, it was homework again, we skyped with grandparents so they could wish M a happy birthday. G came home early so we headed to the pool where M had to have his swimming lesson first – not happy about that one – then he could try out his new pool toys (blow up jet ski, shark water gun and sinky toys). After the pool it was time for a quick change and then headed off to the restaurant for a birthday dinner.

Monday was a great day. Body Pump, a quick shower, reflexology appointment (giving not receiving :-( ) to which I was given tea and cheesecake before we started (a Mothers Day present, as it was Austrailian, American and South African Mothers Day the day before, the British one passed without note in our house!!!). We then ordered the buffet lunch from the restaurant to be delivered and got enough food for dinner as well (for SR25 (£4) you get one portion of soup and bread rolls, large salad, grilled fish with a mountain of rice and some veg (either courgette or okra, not quite sure, could have been both!), cake and fruit salad), I shall be ordering that more often! Then we just sat and gabbed until the school bus arrived, it was so nice not to have to drag the kids off the bus and into the house, get changed, grab swim bag and jump in the taxi to go to swimming! So we leisurely did home work, got tea sorted and watched a film. It was lovely! Apart from A coming home with her new shoes in bits! That’ll teach her to go shopping with her father on her own!!!

Tuesday was yoga again, and the thing Mrs Cory had me doing!!! Including rolling on to my side in the bow pose! After yoga I had two Indian Head Massages, with two new lovely ladies, who like our compound so much they wanted to move here!

As we now had to go new school shoes shopping that evening, the kids had an early tea so we could leave as soon as G got home. All in all it took an hour to drive there (M fell asleep!) walk to the Clarks shop (carrying M!), choose shoes (not that hard as they only had on shoe in a size 2! While I made sure the shoes fitted properly, (they weren’t quite up to Pogo’s standards, but not too bad, just not tight enough at the front, at least Jo has taught me well on how they should fit properly!) G and M went to the look in the shop opposite which ses fantastic bedroom furniture. M was very intersted in the racing car bed and chest of drawers that looked like a petrol pump!) , walk back to the car (with a screaming child, that said he was hungry!) and drive home. Collapse!

Wednesday was a shopping day, armed with my list, I headed to the mall to get 2 birthday presents, for 2 of the birthday parties that weekend, and party food, plates, cups etc for M’s party on the Friday. Some how managed it all, as well as getting it on the bus, and back home! While shopping I received a text from a friend who was in urgent need of an Indian Head Massage (her son was having a big sleepover that evening and she had little movement in her neck and shoulders!), so headed there after lunch.

That afternoon/evening saw the first party of the weekend, where by every child in the compound was invited! The kids enjoyed themselves, but G was his usual anti socials self and went home! He did come back later and had some food, but the took M home as was fed up of the party, after half an hour in the pool he’d had enough and wanted to get changed and just play with the ball he’d been given (as every child had been given a ball at the beginning of the party). I finally dragged A out of the pool at 7.20 to go home!

Thursday, I spent the morning making sausage rolls for M’s party, as well getting other stuff ready, after lunch it was time to take A to her friends party at Al Rashid Mall (I wasn’t looking forward to it as I got lost last time I went!). M also now needed some new trainers for P.E. as he was complaining the others were getting a little tight, and was looking forward to going to the funfair there. After walking into the party venue M was immediately dragging me out saying “I want to go get my trainers!” So I gave my apologies to the parents for just dumping A on them and left in search of sports shops. We came across Footlocker first, so had a look in there, not much of a range for a 5 year old and also pretty expensive £30+, so we left as M was picking up Polo shoes, saying “My Friends got these!” We eventually found Sketchers and found ones he liked that were not too expensive – £25, as I was paying I noticed some slip-on trainers, just what I’d been looking for some for years since my Merrell ones had finally given up the ghost several years before (well I did buy them pre children!) So much to M’s disgust as he wanted to go to the funfair, I started to try on some trainers myself, I settled on a pair of silver/grey ones. I then tired to talk M into going to get a drink before heading to the funfair but he was having none of it!

On arrival at the funfair (next to the party venue, and yes we did get lost, but think I’ve sussed it now!) luckily, we bumped into a friend of M’s from school (and younger brother of A’s best friend at school). So then that was it, they went on every ride going (which surprised me as M is a bit of a wimp when it comes to rides! He loves them once he’s on but, just refuses to take the first step and get on!) His face was a classic on the rollercoaster, he would have never gone on there on his own or with his sister, but when it went round a rather fast curly bit for the first time I thought he was going to burst into tears, but by the fouth time round he had a big smile on his face! We finally managed to drag them off the rides with the promise of icecream, and managed to sit down.

After icecream the rides had shut for prayer so the boys entertained themselves by racing each other up and down a sort of long corridor, fighting, wrestling, boxing, my goodness they were being rough, but apparently they do it all the time at school!

Once the party had finished, we collected the girls and took them to a shop called Justice, where the sell very 80′s type clothes. So they could choose their outfits for ‘Dhahran’s Got Talent’ a school talent contest. They are singing ‘I knew you were trouble’ by Taylor Swift. I am sick of hearing it already and we have about 5 weeks to go! I don’t think they could have picked a harder song!

Then it was time to go home. I was hoping to have a good look round the mall seen as I have quite a few appointments the last 2 weeks. I was half way to a Marc Jacobs bag until I had to buy new school shoes, new school trainers, 2 birthday presents, party food, taxi rides, funfair rides and a talent show outfit. At least I managed to get a pair of trainers out of it! Oh well!

Friday hailed the day of M’s party. G and A went off to get the last few things we needed, while I got the last few bit of food ready for the party.

The party went well, although all M was interested in was presents! He was happy enough playing in the pool until friends started turning up with presents, then he just got changed and looked at his presents! All in all the parents had a good gab and the kids exhaused themselves in the pool, well except M, he just wanted to go home to play with his new toys after the food, so G took him home. Once I manage to extricate A from the pool she dissapeared off to a friends house to play, and I got home to find M playing with his new toys while watching Return of the Jedi. Good lad!

Well thar’s it for now, here’s hoping I earn enough soon for a Marc Jacobs bag!!!

The Friday afternoon ritual of the pool was observed, but it was bloody freezing, so I ended up wrapped in towels! After an hour I ended up going home to sort tea out and sent up the new printer, as I was too cold! The kids just sat in the Jacuzzi where it was nice and warm!

This week we’ve had the first full week of school, and it has been particularly cooler! I finally managed to get the kids school uniform, for the few items I bought (including jumpers and fleeces!), it cost a small fortune! Now we have finally got everything they need Amelia has now informed me that the whole school have written to the headmaster to ask for school uniform to be abolished! This is because the other two schools that share the site (both American) don’t wear uniforms. I think I may be writing to the headmaster myself!

I have finally got round to doing some exercise and started Body Pump. If you don’t know what it is, it’s sort of aerobics with weights! I’ve just done the one class so far and it wasn’t as bad as I expected, but my quads and biceps did ache for a couple of days after! Just after the class it was off for tea, cake and a girly chat with some of the other wives at a friend’s house, this lasted for about 2 and a half hours!

I have been kept busy this week with work from home, with the odd distraction, like going for morning walks round the compound with a friend and her dog or some the others to stop me seizing up after Body Pump!

On the weekend A had her first birthday party here it was being held at in the Al Rashid Mall. It’s the first time we’ve been to this mall. G was working so I had to organise a Taxi! Not very hard to do, just pick up the phone dial 0 for reception and ask for a taxi. Ten minutes later it was here and we were on the way to the mall (it cost me all of £4).

The party venue wasn’t that difficult to find as the taxi dropped us at gate 5, as per the invitation instructions and we just had to go to the 3^rd floor, which the kids spotted straight away as it has an even bigger funfair than the Mall of Dhahran up there! (I never mentioned the enormous Go Kart track in the basement!) The hard part is negotiating the rest of the mall; I found it totally impossible to find my way around it! Nothing seemed to make sense! We just seemed to be walking round in circles all the time, in one small bit of the mall. We just could not find our way out to the other sections of the mall; it drove me up the wall!!! After about half an hour of going round in circles, we eventually found the shop the birthday girl’s mum had suggested we look for a present. We then attempted to look for a shop selling cards and wrapping paper, but gave up! There doesn’t seem to be any over here (unlike in the UK!!!!) Under normal circumstances I should have been in heaven but I was no longer in the mood to shop!

The party was at a pottery painting cafe and as M was the same age as the girl’s little brother and his best friend, who happened to be in M’s class, he was invited to the party too. This was good and bad. It kept him occupied and saved me money (in the shops and the funfair!) but meant I couldn’t have a mooch around the shops. Although after 2 hours of party games, magic tricks, painting a pottery iguana, food and face painting, M was getting fed up. My cue to drag him round the shops! As it’s the biggest mall in Saudi it has just about everything in it, from Tiffany & Co to Topshop, Marc Jacobs to M & S, Bulgavari to BHS. Most have sales on at the moment, so managed to get M a couple of things in Next including some navy trousers for school. As well as a sneaky look at the 40% of hand bags in Marc Jacobs (some quite nice ones for about £250, but not sure G would go for it, then again it would make up for my 2 Christmas presents – a book and a rolling pin!) We then had to find our way through the maze back to the funfair bit, but yet again couldn’t find the way out of the mall within the mall, that we seemed to be in! After 10 minutes I spotted a shop I hadn’t seen on my many circuits and headed for it, this then lead us in the right direction! Once again M spotted the funfair so we knew we were in the right area, just had to negotiate the escalators! Unfortunately unlike at home you cannot just keep walking round to head up or down the escalators, here if you go up an escalator you would think the one on the other side would take you up to the next floor, it doesn’t, it comes down from the floor above and the next up escalator is half a mile walk! (Slight exaggeration there, but after wandering around for what seemed like forever I really couldn’t be bothered!) Anyway we eventually got back to the party venue; A was now one of the very few left! We said our thank yous and goodbyes and headed on out, we then had tears from M who now wanted to go to the funfair!

All I wanted to do was hunt round body shop and a couple of places I’d spotted to look for carrier oils, but no luck, (but have been given a few pointers where I may be able to get some) and head home. I rang the taxi driver back to come and pick us up, he said fine I’ll pick you up at gate 5. Could we find Gate 5? No! We wandered around for 15 minutes; we found signs for gates 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 & 9 not a bloody hint of where Gate 5 was! In the end I had to ring the driver back and tell him to come to Gate 1 as we couldn’t find gate 5! I was so glad when we got home; I just wanted a nice cuppa! A G’n’T would have been much preferred!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/burqababes#p/a/u/0/KLZc8UPf-TI

©Sacha Orloff - New extension Al Rashid Mall April 2011 - Khobar

This is an exciting new venture, which Sacha Orloff consulted for Four Corner Entreprises – Saudi Arabia

With the luxury retail sector in Middle East growing leaps and bounds, Mr. Fawzi Al-Kadi, CEO of Four Corner Enterprises, takes a bite of the fresh apple and shares his views.

With a bird eye’s view on the luxury retail sector in the Middle East, and with good reason of course, Mr Fawzi Al Kadi, CEO, Four Corners Enterprises, sees it shining and how. “I believe the economic growth in the past five years has changed the retail market in theMiddle Eastand especially the GCC. High per capita disposable incomes means higher consumer purchasing power, which means a noticeable growth in local SMEs. Established firms have also diversified their operations into a more lean structure within the retail sector,” he shares. As per Mr Al-Kadi, the Saudi retail market is set to grow by 12 per cent annually in the next five years – that’s the fastest growing market behind China!

Having being in the retail business since 1990s, Mr Al-Kadi’s company, FFK Enterprises, started with the automotive industry. He operates The Land Rover Center – the largest independent Land Rover dealership in GCC, catering to HNIs in the ever-growing MENA region. The company is also the exclusive importer of Arden Automobilbau with stocks of Hamann, Kahn Design, Overfinch and more. Mr Al-Kadi is set to take the Middle Eastretail scenario by a storm with his next venture, Four Corners Enterprises – which we discussed later after gaining a little understanding of the Middle East luxury market.

Just one push

Talking about the driving growth factors in the Middle East luxury retail sector, Mr Al-Kadi pointed out that per capita income has to be supplemented by availability of luxury brands. Not all international luxury brands were available in all countries. But today, most of the major brands have not one, but several branches in a city!

Another important issue is the designs and product offerings. Years ago, many collections, in fashion for example, were not suitable for the area. The result? Many luxury brand re-sellers were reluctant to bring in a wider range of that season’s collection. Few names captured the lion’s share in the luxury market with consumers only fixated on a couple of brands. Today, these very sophisticated consumers, who were young five years ago, are now job holders with money to spend. “These consumers have a drive to purchase luxury products and are not driven by what the luxury brands dictate. They have a mind of their own,” says Mr Al-Kadi.

Different ball game

Always the ones with the ball in their court, Mr Al-Kadi does not undermine today’s consumers and points them out to be rather sophisticated and demanding. A noticeable expansion in promotion and advertising will aid retailers in reaching out to the correct targets.

But he also cautions against head-to-toe walking advertisements! Due to the consumers’ higher sophistication levels, Mr Al-Kadi observes that for them it is all about fitting the brand into their own style rather than fitting themselves into the brand’s image. Luxury is becoming more of a personal touch rather than draping yourself with the brand’s logo. Commercializing the products for such a class of consumers isn’t the key. “Not everything expensive is necessarily good. When you see affluent buyers flip clothing inside out, to check the stitching for example, you know that the purchasing mentality is different now,” he observes.

Although Mr Al-Kadi doesn’t see much difference between consumers in Middle East as compared to across the globe, he does make a point – “I think shoppers here are a bit more loyal when it comes to certain brands and quality of service. That’s why you see more brands going belly-up when their level of service goes down. I also think they are picky when it comes to styles and personal touches.”.

The current unrest inMiddle Eastmight have some implications on the region’s luxury consumer behaviour. Luxury brand managers are keenly watching the market and sensing, or hoping to see, an increase in luxury purchases once the middle class in free from oppression. Mr Al-Kadi also agrees, but attaches a side note as well. “I think the industry will only grow when there is an inflow of new consumers. I think it’s more about the socio-economic situation in the luxury segment rather than the way people are governed. The results, however, will not be felt immediately due to the fact that most of these areas are in need for basic personal goods before moving into the luxury segment. But I do see it happening,” he says.

Quick comparison

Broadly comparing theMiddle Eastand the rest of the globe, Mr Al-Kadi believes that the mall culture offers a complete shopping experience vis a vis a street experience. “I believe each offers a different experience. A short stroll in Dubai Mall’s fashion avenue surrounds you with every brand worth visiting – so doesNew Bond Street or Sloane Street.  But there’s something about malls that’s different. It’s a bit more intimate with a lot less pressure to buy,” he says.

Customer service is major issue pointed by Mr Al-Kadi, and correctly may I add. Remember the times that you have been x-rayed by the salesperson in a luxury brand store? Add to that frowning security guards, and the salesperson’s utter trauma if you do not purchase THE most expensive item in the store. According to Mr Al-Kadi, “It seems that unless you are rude, or immediately aim for the most expensive item in the store, there’s no one home – not even a distant smile!” Unpleasant, isn’t it? There is a difference in customer service among major brands all around the globe, and he is attempting to understand it so as to present a perfect answer to the luxury consumers of the world – Four Corners Enterprises.

A changing scene

A part of Four Corners Enterprises, Mr Al-Kadi’s latest baby, called Abbellire, is a soon to be launched chain of high-end boutiques which will change the way luxury shopping is perceived. The first store will be located in Al Rashid Mall, Saudi Arabia, whose Fashion Avenue is the most prestigious in the area and carries names like Cartier, Versace, Pal Zileri, Alviero Martini, RobertoCavalli, and more.

Confidently enough, Mr Al-Kadi credits his clients and hopes that they will change the scene of luxury shopping while he can simply provide a platform. “We are betting on the sophistication levels of potential buyers. We are trying to do the opposite of what all the big names are doing or not doing. We are not here to impress our clients with decorations or uniformed sales staff – but believe that luxury and intimate, personalized service go hand in hand,” he explained. He aims to concentrate on quality, fashionable names that do not have enough exposure in theMiddle East, but should. Thus they partner with names that are still dedicated to style and workmanship, and not necessarily scale.

Interestingly, Four Corners came into existence after Mr Al-Kadi and his brother Fahad followed their wives during their shopping trips. What do they notice? Extreme emotions with regard to the level of service they were offered at a store. Taking from their women’s comments, the idea of their boutique was formed. “Why weren’t they happy even after buying an expensive product? Why were they ignored? Who do they think they are? High-paying customers are hard to find. Competing stores are lined up left and right. All these were questions raised after almost every stop. To me, these questions provided their own answers instantly. Feedback from friends and friends of friends cemented the idea immediately,” he says.

Slow, but steady

Mr Al-Kadi assures that several fashion houses will be carried in their first phase. Quality names, such as Maria Grachvogel, Anne Valerie Hash, Britta von Basedow, Kinder Aggugini, Emilio de la Morena, Harry Halim, Charles Anastase and Sophia Kokosalaki are a few names that will be available from the opening day. The boutique will not only cater to RTW clients, but offer a distinctive mix that includes lingerie, shirts and shoes. Aruna Seth, Alessio Spinelli, The Shirt Company, Fleur of England, will all be there.

 “These names were handpicked. Most importantly, they are fresh and classic at the same time. There’s something about them that makes me envy women and the choices of products they have. If I can offer our clients a complete stop for their high-end needs I’ll be a happy man!” he says excitedly.

Apart from the first store in Al Rashid mall, the initial phase will be slow. “Dictating what’s in demand and what’s not is the client’s job while we just want to concentrate on brand equity,” he points. Emphasing that they are a stage for the brands and a show for their clients, their aim is to re-package only. “Once that is established, we plan to move into two other major cities inSaudi Arabia-Riyadhand Jeddah. Although purchasing power in these cities overshadows other cities in the area, the plan is to offer our services to the rest of the Gulf soon after.”

by Karishma Parkash for LuxuryFacts- Editor Soumya Jain –   www.luxuryfact.com 

Read more on
http://www.luxuryfacts.com/index.php/pages/1680/1587

Thankfully, someone wise thought about expanding the local palate by introducing oriental cuisine through Fushi, a “trendy Japanese culinary boutique” in the Al Rashid Mall.   Ever since it opened a little more than a year ago, we have been frequenting this place on special occasions, such as my recent 4th anniversary celebration here in the Kingdom. 

The price of each order is slightly more expensive compared to other restaurants in this area (i.e. around SR60 (USD16) per plate).  However, I believe that it is money well spent – and my whole family can attest to that!  Anyway, I just wanted to share with you some photographs of what we ate the other night. Pardon the poor quality of the photos since these were just taken using my phone.

(Clockwise: Assorted Sushi and Sashimi Platter, Hammour with Coconut Milk, Fushi Logo, Hammour with Macadamia Nuts, Orange Chicken and Ebi Tempura)