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What's happening in and around Oman this March

Easy sipping

With its offering of international blends, soft lighting and cozy interiors, Barista had taken cities across India by storm a few years ago. Now, it is hoping to recreate its success in Oman, with the opening of its first outlet here, in association with the Ajit Khimji Group’s food and beverage department. Apart from a host of espressos and lattés, coolers, snacks and desserts will also be on offer. The highlight of this coffee outlet will be the Barista House Blend – the chain’s signature coffee.

“Our outlet is designed to deliver the warmth, friendliness and hospitality that is the hallmark of traditional Italian coffee houses,” said Partha Dattagupta, CEO, Barista Coffee Company Limited. Started in February 2000, the company has 160 outlets in India and abroad, including the UAE. “This is our first outlet in the sultanate. But we are looking at opening more outlets in the coming years, especially in Sohar and Salalah,” he added.

Looking for leopards

In what could be one of the most important finds of the year, the second leg of the Shell Oman co-sponsored Biosphere Expeditions Survey has discovered evidence of the Arabian Leopards’ presence in the Musandam region.

Following inconclusive evidence of the endangered big cat during last year’s expedition, the 2007 leg uncovered fresh leopard tracks, which were less than 24 hours old.

Hadi Hakmani, field biologist for the Diwan of Royal Court, Peter Schutte, Oman expedition leader for Biosphere Expeditions and Irshad Moosa al Lawati, the managing director, Shell Oman Marketing Company, were present at the announcement, where Abdul Wahid al Farsi, external affairs manager, Shell Oman Marketing Company, described the latest expedition as blazing a trail for ecotourism here.

It is uncertain how many leopards inhabit Musandam. The expedition also discovered evidence of red foxes. Although the expedition has established that Musandam still offers a suitable habitat for Arabian Leopards and its prey species, a combination of new roads, development and severe drought over the past ten years has threatened the habitat.

The theatre of business

Chanakyashastra will be staged at the Hotel InterContinental Muscat on March 29. The play highlights the leadership practices of Chanakya (350-283 BC), the greatest known kingmaker, strategist and prime minister to the first Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta (340-293 BC) of India. It is based on corporate setting and aims to underline valuable teachings for future leaders.

Jaguar on a Budget

Long the privy of aristocrats, you wouldn’t normally associate premium automaker Jaguar with the word ‘budget.’ All that changes as MHD, the dealer of the car, notches up another point in its relationship with Budget Rent A Car, delivering Jaguar S Type vehicles in a special lease deal.

As David Aziz, the director of MHD’s automotive division, said, “Luxury certainly cannot become more affordable than this. Jaguar is one of the most luxurious automotive brands on the road today and more and more people can now experience these beautiful cars.” Budget Rent A Car would be renting out their new Jaguars for an amount of RO59 per day for a one day rental and RO49 per day for rentals of one week and more. Look up The Guide on page 95 for contact details.

Sea thunder

After trailblazing its way into the wilderness, newly formed tour company Desert Thunder is creating waves with its sea adventures. There are three different craft that offer you everything from adrenaline soaked joyrides in a large orange inflatable to leisurely cruises down the Quriyat coast to big stakes game fishing.

The Jinan al Bahr yacht has a maximum capacity of 25 passengers and has ten berths in five double air conditioned cabins. Al Tayf will get you into the big game – this 55ft luxurious yacht has a maximum capacity of 20 passengers. But the most visceral experience can be had on Sea Thunder, a ten metre rigid hull inflatable boat that operates dolphin watching and coastal tours of Muscat several times a day.

COMEX 2007

COMEX will be held from March 26-30 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre. The exhibition showcases latest technologies in IT, telecom and technology companies and services from the public and private sectors. The business section will be open from March 26-29 from 10am to 1pm and 5-9:30pm, while the shopper’s section will be open from March 26-30 from 10am-10 pm on all days except Friday. On Friday the timings are 4:30-10 pm. Over 100 international and regional exhibitors will participate in the exhibition.

Time trials

Oman Cycling Club is to organise 'Time Trials' covering a distance of 40km and 'Century Ride' covering a distance of 100 miles up to March 2007. The club also plans to hold a cycling rally to scale the Jebel Akhdar in mid-February for a distance of 25km.

The truth about mesotherapy

You can now try mesotherapy here in Muscat, thanks to Dr Rajesh Gawai, a plastic and cosmetic surgeon. Mesotherapy can be used for facelifts, dissolving fat and all types of pain. The effects usually last from six months to a year and each session costs between RO30-RO50. "We offer a 90-100 per cent guarantee although smokers, diabetics and HIV patients should not undergo permanent treatment."

Apart from mesotherapy, Dr Rajesh offers face beautifying surgeries, hair transplants for men and women, facial scar removal, blepharoplasty, lip augmentation, rhinoplasty, liposuction and abdominoplasty. For more details contact Dr Rajesh on 24 695535.

Mesotherapy (from Greek mesos or ‘middle,’ and therapy from Greek therapeia, ‘to treat medically’) is a non-surgical cosmetic medicine treatment. Mesotherapy employs the technique of multiple injections of pharmaceutical and homeopathic medications, plant extracts, vitamins and other ingredients into the subcutaneous fat. Injections are purported to target adipose fat cells, apparently by inducing rupture and cell death among adipocytes.

Dr. Michel Pistor (1924-2003) performed clinical research and founded the field of mesotherapy. Multinational research in intradermal therapy culminated with Pistor's work from 1948 to 1952 in human mesotherapy treatments. The French press coined the term ‘mesotherapy’ in 1958. The French Academy of Medicine recognised Mesotherapy as a Specialty of Medicine in 1987. Popular throughout European countries and South America, mesotherapy is practiced by approximately 18,000 physicians worldwide.

However, there have been critics of this treatment, who argue that mesotherapy lacks enough of scientific study to be proven.