Back to my colleague Ghada Abd El-Kader, lovelies, who was right there in the middle of the Marie-Louis and BTM fashion show last Saturday at the Mohamed Ali Palace, Shubra. Held under the auspices of Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni, it featured the exhilarating 2006 line, Abd El-Kader tells me. And who should be on the catwalk but model-turned-actress Dalia El-Beheiri together with the gorgeous Amina Shelbaya, both intimate friends of mine, Abd El-Kader. Black and white reign supreme, apparently, with green, yellow-to-orange and blue thrown in for good measure. Chiffon, linen, cotton and silk: it all drew on Sinai and Upper Egypt heritage to deliver its very own bite. Rich, luxurious and appropriately fashionable, then. And once again I wasn't there to see it, dears. photos: Ghada Abd El-Kader Not to say that the Cairo Opera House's weekly Cultural Salon -- hosting my very wonderful friend comedy superstar Adel Imam -- was any less of a delight, honey bunnies. In the presence of my good friend television anchor Soheir Shalabi and many a distinguished loved one, in fact, it was an absolute gift. Conducted by Osama Heikal -- and a suaver journalist I have never met -- the open discussion revolved around art politics and society. Imam referred to an old favourite about Muslim fundamentalists -- an example of work that contributed to social awareness without compromising artistic integrity -- or laughter, dears -- which he spread around uninterruptedly. Complimented on his latest, Imaret Yacobian (The Yacobian Building) -- which, featured in the Berlin Film Festival, has yet to be locally released, Imam announced that he is shooting a film about theft before being presented with an honorary award from Opera House Director Abdel-Moneim Kamel. My beauty-queen friends actresses Elham Shahine, Laila Elwi and Hanan Turk inaugurated a new romance, dears, Kalam Fel Hob (Love talk), directed by my very good friend Ali Edris which, let me assure you now, will set the cat among the pigeons across the beloved industry. They did so by attending the special screening premiere. Oh what a delight that was. Now here's something to get the cutesy instincts going. On Tuesday the very first Mother and Baby Fair in Egypt closed at the Semiramis Hotel, Cairo. It was all about fun and quality, and read ages zero to 10. Toys, games, even parental tip seminars and all, except what you take home, for free. It was a nice chance to catch up with my favourite pediatrician, Mohamed Refaat of Nile FM radio, who gave a talk on finding a common language with children. For all those mothers to be out there, start communicating right after birth. Thankfully it wasn't until the conference had wrapped up that the fair opened, which allowed me to spend as much time with the closing ceremony Mother's Day party honouree, my very good actress friend Ragaa El-Geddawi. Now here were some recreational competitions, dear. Sorry, Abd El-Kader: this really was for mothers, you know. Now now, my little ones. Japan en la corazon, no? The very important Minister and Deputy Chief of the Mission at the Embassy of Japan in Egypt Juichi Takahara, got together with the no less important Director of the Archaeological Mission of the Middle Eastern Culture Centre in Japan Mustuo Kawadoko to sign a contract. It may not have been interesting if not for the $82,148 grant clause, which provides for the construction of an exhibition hall to house all those stray monuments excavated in Sinai over the last 20 years. Hail the rising sun. Gilbert Kaplan, Gilbert Kaplan, Gilbert Kaplan. Thank you, Opera House, for giving me the chance to meet this gorgeous interpreter of Mahler 's Resurrection. This was on Monday, dears, and it was a conference I attended with my friends the head of the Opera Media Office Mohamed Hosni, and Cairo Conservatoire flautist Inas Abdel-Dayem meaning I could speak to him. Such an American, I have to say, I had never in my life met. He has led some 50 orchestras, authored The Mahler Album, an illustrated biography and received endless awards. This Saturday, dears, Kaplan will conduct a Main Hall concert of -- surprise, surprise -- Mahler 's Resurrection. It starts at 8pm. But, dears, will I be there by 7!
