Thirty years ago, a trip to a tailoress or khayyata wasn't an uncommon thing. Back then many women also knew how to sew and stitch themselves and only used professional tailors for evening dresses and those for special occasions.
Although the (...)
Millions of people around the world were on the edge of their seats last week waiting for the long-anticipated debut of season seven of the US drama Game of Thrones, aka GOT, which aired on 16 July.
The phenomenal drama scored an astonishing 10.1 (...)
For years now — with Women's Prison in 2014, Under Control in 2015 and Free Fall in 2016 — the actress, ballerina and supermodel Nelly Karim has become a fixture of Ramadan TV. This year she stars in For the Highest Price, a dramatisation of marital (...)
Japan Foundation in Cairo
106 Qasr Al-Eni St, Cairo Centre building, Garden City, Tel 02 9719 2794/9431 2794
Wed 5 July, 7pm: A lecture that will include a live Skype interview with survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs who will share their (...)
Amir Taz Palace
27 Al-Syoufiya St, off Al-Salebiya St, Al-Khalifa district, Tel 02 2514 2581
Thurs 15, 9.30pm: An evening of poetry features a galaxy of poets followed by a concert enlivened by singer Rehab Metawaa.
Arab House for Poetry
Behind Al (...)
As an avid fan of Paranormal Activities-type horror, I've often regreted the dearth of such programmes in the Arab world. Produced in 2011, Doors of Fear starred Amr Waked as journalist Adam Yassin, whose specialty was folk tales of horror. Last (...)
Amir Taz Palace
27 Al-Syoufiya St, off Al-Salebiya St, Al-Khalifa district, Tel 02 2514 2581
Thurs 8, 9.30pm: An evening of poetry features a number of poets.
Tues 13, 9.30pm: “Creative Egypt,” a poetic salon introduces Poet Mohamed Bahgat.
Arab (...)
French Cultural Institute
Madrasset Al-Huquq Al Frinseya St, Mounira, Tel 02 2791 5800
Wed 31, 7pm: “Paying Hommage to Jean Rouch,” a round table discussion on renowned French anthropologist and cinema icon Jean Rouch marking the 100th anniversary (...)
“Marriage is like a watermelon — you never know what's hidden inside,” goes an old Egyptian saying, and it is true that we may get into marriages expecting they will last forever but somewhere down the line things begin to change and forever is no (...)
Alef Bookstores
132 Al-Merghany St, Heliopolis, Tel 02 2419 2396/ 0100 022 4004
Fri 19, 7pm: Doctor Ahmed Al-Khateeb will discuss everything related to children's health from newborn to teens.
Cairo Opera House
Gezira Exhibition Grounds, Tel 02 2737 (...)
Many people think that being a woman is synonymous with being feminine, but they couldn't be more wrong. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines femininity as “the quality or nature of the female sex” or “womanliness.” Yet, all human beings are born (...)
Traditionally, custody of children following a divorce was primarily given to the mother until the age of 15. After that the judge would ask the children if they wanted to stay with the same parent or go to the other one.
However, if the mother were (...)
“When I first joined the Egyptian Single Mothers (ESM) group, I assumed the other women I would meet would be like me. I thought being a divorced mother supporting a child would be a decision women like me might make. I couldn't have been more (...)
To complete the treat she was offering, in addition to coffee and chocolate, my friend provided music. “Who is that band playing in the background?” I asked her eagerly, “It's Khayal,” she explained: “Vision”. It was my first time ever to hear (...)
Over the last decade, hundreds of Islamists from all over the world fled their countries, notably to London; Egypt has often called on the British authorities to hand over extremists using the UK as a safe haven on the pretext of political asylum – (...)
“Do any of you know this guy,” one young woman asked. “I'm dating him,” she added. “I do. I'm married to him,” replied another young woman. Unfortunately, this was not a scene from a comedy movie, but rather a real-life situation played out on the (...)
The first school term is almost over, which is good news for students. They can sleep in, relax, go out, enjoy friends and family, travel, or do nothing at all. For parents (and their sanity), however, children need to be out experiencing new things (...)
In 2004, an American reality TV show gained a lot of buzz. The show was called “Bridezillas,” a portmanteau word made up of bride and the fictional beast Godzilla. As the name suggests, the show told the story of brides who turned into (...)
Koshari is one of Egypt's most famous national dishes. Although not Egyptian in origin, this vegetarian dish of rice and lentils with pasta, tomato sauce, chickpeas and fried onions has long been part of the country's history.
In an attempt to (...)
Long live my compatriots, the slugs of Zamalek.
This same Zamalek is a maze of a place;
Don't you dare think of setting foot there.
It endangers your life; it's your death and your ruin;
So if you want to describe their lives over there,
Just say (...)
We are approaching September, but instead of buying school supplies many people are still reaching for their tanning oil.
From early summer and all the way to the fall, beach-goers wait eagerly for the weekend to come, then pack their bags and hit (...)
“So have you heard about the church shooting? Isn't it sad? Who do you think is behind it?” I poured out my questions to a friend, who surprisingly seemed to have no clue what I was talking about. “What shooting? When,” she asked. I was nothing (...)
Christmas and New Year are synonymous with partying, drinking and reveling, but if you want a little less adrenalin and a lot more Zen then perhaps meditating your way into 2013 may be the way to go. Why not try listening to nature instead of loud (...)
Restaurant review:
Sugar rush
Salonaz Sami falls under the spell
I have always been a fan of Maadi. Although not a resident, I take it as my home away from home. The neighbourhood is not only one of the cleanest, greenest and quietest, but it's also (...)
What has happened to the old traditions that once distinguished Ramadan, asks Salonaz Sami
Wahawy ya wahawy, eyaha, wa kaman wahawy, eyaha�ê� these words, the lyrics of one of the holy month of Ramadan's most famous songs, were written by Hussein (...)