Art Museums in the Middle East

I read an interesting article recently in The Sunday Times about the emerging art world in the Middle East.
Despite the major economic crisis hitting Dubai, the Gulf is now aiming to become an emerging artistic power between the East and the West. Oil-rich sheikhs are using their wealth to acquire something hard to price and buy: Culture.
Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai are spending $100bn into galleries and museums, to put their cities on the art world map and to attract local and international visitors.
Prestigious architects, such as IM Pei, Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel, Sir Norman Foster, Franck Gehry are using their knowledge and expertise to build grandiose structures with vast open spaces to display the most famous collections of the Louvre or the Guggenheim.

Museum of Islamic Art in Doha (by Pei)

Louvre in Abu Dhabi (by Nouvel)

Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi (by Gehry)

Performing Arts Centre in Abu Dhabi (by Hadid)

The point of these fantastic cultural projects is to change Western perceptions of Islam and Islam’s perception of the West.
Besides hosting exhibitions of the Western art, let’s hope the new museums will also help young artists of the Middle East such as Rokni Haerizadeh, Jeffar Khaldi or Sara Rahbar to reach international market.

Rockni Haerizadeh

Jeffar Khaldi

Sara Rahbar

After great modern buildings will modern art also grow in the desert? Let’s all hope so.

Frog.

F1 Grand Prix Singapore weekend

Best weekend ever! Full of fun, excitement, thrills and rock and roll. Singapore came alive this weekend hosting the only night race on a city circuit and the F1 Rocks concert with Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce and DJ Seb Fontaine (other nights included N.E.R.D, No Doubt, Simple Minds, ZZ Top …). We had Richard Branson, Travis, Backstreet Boys, Chaka Khan, Miss Singapore, Miss Russia and Miss New Zealand at the Paddock Club and apparently spotted around town Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson.

Since pictures speak louder than words:

“I gotta feeling, that tonight’s going to be a good night” with Black Eyed Peas

Beyonce and 5 costume changes (!) @F1 Rocks concert

On the tracks just before the race

Brawn Team: Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello, Ross Brawn

Frog looking mighty happy with the Force India pit babes!

In the pits with Red Bull

Frog and PZ countdown to the start of the race

And off they go!!!

Fascinating pit stop bird’s eye view

Lewis Hamilton after the checkered flag on his victory lap

Well done Singapore for such flawless organization and hospitality!

PZ & Frog.

Red Carpet Showdown at the Emmys

There’s always such a hullabaloo when it comes to the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscars, but let’s not forget the Emmys. With the rise of hot, famous Hollywood actors and actresses taking on TV roles, the time has come when the Emmys has just as much star powered attraction as any other award film festival. Some of my favourite TV series include Grey’s Anatomy, Entourage, Desperate Housewives, True Blood, The Tudors, Dexter, The Unit… Ok so the list goes on. So it’s no wonder that fashion designers throw their haute couture at these actresses, knowing that all eyes will be admiring them.

So here’s the Red Carpet showdown, vote for who you think is the Best Dressed:

Jamie Lynn Sigler, Entourage, wearing Donna Karan

Kate Walsh, Private Practice, wearing J.Mendel

Blake Lively, Gossip Girl, wearing Versace

Lindsay Price, Eastwick, wearing J.Mendel

Leighton Meester, Gossip Girl, wearing Bottega Veneta

Sandra Oh, Grey’s Anatomy, wearing Marchesa

Drew Barrymore wearing Monique Lhuillier

Cat Deely, So You Think You Can Dance?, wearing Alberta Ferretti

Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ghost Whisperer, wearing Max Azria

Hayden Panettiere, Heros, wearing J.Mendel

Alyson Hannigan, How I Met Your Mother, wearing Vera Wang

Christina Applegate, Samantha Who? wearing Basil Soda

Kim Kardashian wearing Ina Soltani

Katrina Bowden, 30 Rock, wearing Christian Siriano

Jessica Lowndes wearing Dolce & Gabbana

Apple designs – the ultracool

I see the future and it’s Apple…

Imagine the day where everything’s Apple. What a delight. As an Apple geek, I can only say I can’t wait to see what else these geniuses can bring out. After all, who didn’t notice the massive product placement Apple gadgets in HBO’s Entourage and other countless movies. The world is rocking to iPods, nanos, iTunes, shuffles, Macs, and of course the star – iPhone.

So here below are some potential future Apple appearances from the fun to the outrageous – vote for which you’d love to see next. I know what I’d kill to see…

PZ.

Apple 3D glasses ?

iPod memory stick ?

iStick ?

Apple iCar ?

iRazor ?

Apple pad ?

Apple phone ?

i-dryer ?

Apple car?

iWatch ?

Macflat ?

Vision of Malaysia: Discover Lat!

Today we are celebrating Malaysia’s national day, known as Hari Merdeka  (Independence day), commemorating the independence of the country from British colonial rule on 31 August 1957.  So, I would like to share with you a unique artist, who has created through his work a true Malaysian identity and who is, for foreigners like myself, one of the best ways to discover and understand the Malaysian life and multi-racial society: cartoonist Lat.

Lat (real name Mohamed Nor Khalid) began his cartoonist career at 13 years old. His most famous comic book is ‘Kampung Boy’ (Village boy), where he describes his childhood in a typical Malaysian village. I love his style, black and white and the many little details you can notice in his drawings: The attitude of the villagers, the teeth and noses in their faces (typical of his style), the way they dress and the simple yet touching, nostalgic and funny stories. To be simple is the most difficult thing to achieve and Lat, in my opinion, achieves this perfectly. (My favourite mantra in life is KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid!)

Lat, in many ways, reminds me of French cartoonist Sempe, who with his many books is also the best way to discover the French life, our way of thinking and attitude, caught brilliantly in perfect drawings. Both Lat and Sempe use universal themes and manage with their unique talent to connect readers from all over the world.

For this special day in Malaysia, what better way to celebrate the unity of races, than to be transported to a Malaysian village of the 1950’s and follow the heartfelt stories of Lat. Trust me you won’t regret the journey.

Frog.

Lat’s book on Amazon.com: Click here.

Sempe’s book on Amazon.com: Click here.

Exclusif with CJ Mackintosh

CJ Mackintosh is one of the world’s most renowned and respected British DJs, having remixed and produced for the likes of Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, De La Soul, C+C Music Factory to name a few. Born in Paris but raised in London, he made a name for himself by winning the UK title in the DMC Mix Championship in 1987. He became the Resident DJ for legendary nightclub Ministry of Sound, spinning house/garage tracks and released several mixed albums in his name. You can still find him at Kinky Gerlinky, Pasha London and other hotspots. This man is a true music genius.

Frog&Princess: What is your favorite boutique/shop?

CJ: The answer to that question back in the day would have been numurous records shops but i don’t buy records anymore. I now just sit here in front of this computer on my fat arse and listen and download. Sad really…I miss them days. So the answer to the question is none now!

F&P: Your favorite hotel?

CJ: Never spend enough time in hotels to really appreciate them. Usually in and out. As long as it’s clean and the bed is comfortable and the shower works with power then I’m all good.

F&P:  Your favorite restaurant?

CJ: Kebab shop in Sydenham’s pretty good…

F&P: Where is your dream holiday destination? 

CJ: New Zealand

F&P: Your favourite activity? 

CJ: Anything but sitting in front of this computer on my fat arse downloading music and wasting time on Facebook!

F&P: What are you watching and listening to right now?

CJ: I was just listening to the Foo Fighters and was watching Lost but now need to wait for the next season…can’t wait.

F&P: Who or what inspires you?

CJ:  My 2 children always inspire me.

F&P: What do you not like?

CJ: Politics

F&P: What is your most recent extravagance?

CJ:  Selling my record collection on discogs. http://www.discogs.com/sell/list?seller=cjmackintosh

F&P: Who is the person to follow in the next few years?

CJ:You can be a follower of me on my blog if you want! http://cjmackintosh.blogspot.com/

Thank you CJ for your participation! Find out who is our next… 

July 14th – French Touch

Today we celebrate France’s National Day, July 14th and though we may be far from France, we decided to kick it off with a first ever in Malaysia. Yes indeed, Frog and PZ transformed into radio deejays by presenting a 2-hour radio special for the first time in Malaysia dedicated to all things French. We selected 30 of our favorite latest French hits ruling the airwaves in Paris as well as our Top 15 things you might not know about the French. And boy was it a blast!

We were initially nervous and it was quite bizarre to hear our voices. (Tell me who likes the sound of their voice on an answering machine??!)  We had to sound natural, speak slowly, and pronounce properly.

So the end result, we were pleased that we pulled it off (some people even said we sounded like pros!).  We wanted to bring a little France to Malaisie and share the many French songs, that although Malaysians wouldn’t understand the lyrics, they would share the same appreciation that music is ultimately universal.

Some of the French Artists on our show:

Anggun

Carla Bruni (Sarkozy)

Christophe Mae

Jenifer

Thank you to the French Ambassador H.E. Marc Barety and to singer and friend Anggun who dropped their voices on our show.

→ If you didn’t have a chance to catch the show, don’t fret as the podcast is available: Capital FM Podcast

A l’annee prochaine!

PZ & Frog.

Exclusive with Jose Levy

José Lévy - a Parisian with many talents, Jose Lévy is a designer in fashion, furniture, home furnishings, art, decorative objects… He created his own men’s fashion label, José Lévy à Paris; he collaborates with big names like Holland & Holland, Nina Ricci, Cacharel and Emanuel Ungaro. In addition, Lévy designs bed linen with Garnier Thiebaut, curtains for Robert Le Heros, decorative objects with Deshoulières and the list goes on. As if that’s not enough, he also launched his collection of scented candles and designed fragrance packaging for Nickel, men’s skincare. He is now marking his name in art and design with an exhibition at the Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin. This man is a true artist, establishing his vision on any form that he can find to express himself.

Frog&Princess: What is your favorite boutique/shop?

José Lévy: John Derian,  6 East 2nd Street NY 

F&P: Your favorite hotel?

JL: Auberge du Tingaro, between Marrakech and  Essaouira, Morocco

F&P:  Your favorite restaurant?

JL: Waly Fay in Paris and Woseley in London

F&P: Where is your dream holiday destination? 

JL: Anywhere in the sun, for two and in love

F&P: Your favourite activity? 

JL: Working

F&P: What are you watching and listening to right now?

JL:  France Inter (radio) and the Genius of my i-Tunes

F&P: Who or what inspires you?

JL: What surprises me

F&P: What do you not like?

JL: Stupidity added with self-importance

F&P: What is your most recent extravagance?

JL: Starting Entree Payante

F&P: Who is the person to follow in the next few years?

JL: Barack and one-self

Merci Jose for your participation! Find out who is our next…

Easy PZ Saving Tips!

We need to find ways to defy this depressing credit crunch, so who best to call, than the one who likes to splurge, shop, browse and eat out? Yes folks, PZ to the rescue!

Here, the first part in a series, I’ll share some fun and even silly ways to save your mullah and yet splurge on a budget.

1. 1. Can’t afford your favourite Chanel no 5 fragrance? Well, those sales assistants are ready at hand to spritz you with the latest perfume in the malls, or you can spritz secretly in the beauty corner.

2. Love to read loads of books? Obvious port of call would then be join the local library or swap books with those cute tiny second-hand bookstores. Just don’t give your worn-out 1980s Barbara Cartlands for the latest chick lit because seriously, that’s not fair.

3. According to my sister, our family motto is “never buy retail”. So follow this tip and always negotiate for a lower price. Given that Yves Saint Laurent might not look at you kindly, but if you are shopping at YSL then you don’t need to read this post!

4. Happy hour! Ok, so this happens even if we are in a bullish market, but do we really pay attention to places with happy hour? Time to do so, but please do avoid rolling drunk to a dinner or worse – drink and drive! Happy hour means stay happy, not get roaring pissed.

5. Redeem those credit card points and flick through that catalogue. With free points, you can get all sorts of fun and funky stuff. I even got a Le Coq bag and mini-booklights (for those 3am insomniac nights).  Someone I knew even redeemed a 50inch plasma TV! Yes, check those points now and cash it in.

6. Save money by getting your own recession bible by Victor Loh “Upsides in a Downturn” that tells you ways in surviving a recession.

7. Walk or bike to work. Yes it’s cheaper and you get fitter – those with large tank-size SUVs are just gas guzzling and emitting out so much carbon, it’s embarrassing. Remember, size is not important people!

8. If you don’t want it, don’t just throw it, Ebay it. Yes, there are weird and wonderful people out there willing to buy your crap. Some even ready to collect and buy used luxury shopping bags. Whoever heard of such nonsense?! But apparently after you’ve dented your wallet in Dior, you can then sell the Dior shopping bag onwards to some saddo…

So look forward to my next installment for fun ways to crack the credit crunch! And do leave me some ideas, so I can add them with your name.

PZ.

10 things I love about KL

To complete one of my posts 10 Things about Paris to remember and to celebrate my 1 month anniversary living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (ok it is not much but for a frog used to his Camembert, Reblochon and the cold weather of Paris, it’s quite a feat!) I have listed my top 10 things that I already love about KL and that you might not know:

1- The hot weather! Even when it rains, having constant hot weather is fabulous. Don’t listen to people who say that you need seasons. They have obviously never lived in a warm country. I simply can’t stand winter and having sunshine everyday is heaven.

2- The total absence of dogs. Fabulous! As a former Parisian, I hate the tiny yappy ones that poo all over the French pavements. Well, so far in KL I haven’t seen any pet dogs, probably due to Islam that considers dogs impure. I am all for that! Enough of dog crap all over the place!

3- The fried garlic smell in the air just before lunchtime and dinnertime. If you don’t like garlic, avoid Asia! Thin sliced fried garlic is in every street, every dish and every breath of my wife… It is just to die for!

4- The passion of Malaysians for food. From a true Frenchman, I am telling you we are waaaayyyy behind. Malaysians eat all the time (minimum 5 times a day) and talk about the next meal they will have whilst eating a big plate of nasi goreng. Yum!

5- Purple Proton. For those who don’t know, Malaysia has 3 national cars: Proton, Perodua and Naza. Just try, it is worth the drive! In Paris, tour operators organise for tourists city excursions in the mythic, old 2cv. I’m thinking of doing the same here in funky Purple Protons!

Prime Minister of Malaysia

6- Colourful Batik shirts worn by the ministers and officials. I adore it! It brightens up so much the politicians and daily news. I wish President Sarkozy could appear on TV in a Tahitian ‘Thomas Magnum’ shirt. It will surely boost his popularity!

7- The Petronas Towers. Ok, it sounds very touristy, but the vision of the towers illuminated at night is amazing. I can enjoy the show every night from my balcony and I am still not bored.

8- My condominium pool!  It is part of the hot weather package: Having the possibility to swim every morning is priceless for a European city boy.

9- Monkeys: KL-ites will probably kill me, because they are considered as the pigeons of Asian Cities, but it is great to see monkeys jumping around in the high, green trees of busy KL Centre.

10- Kaya and teh tarik: For those who haven’t tried, it is a must! Kaya is the super sweet local coconut jam to put on toast or to eat in puffs (equivalent of Nutella). Teh tarik is a super sweet beverage you get everywhere, at every function as well, it is tea mixed with condensed milk. Better train an hour on a treadmill after one glass of teh tarik, but it is absolutely delicious!

Frog. (soon on diet!!)