Fiction Meets Reality: Riyadhi Cosplayer Saud Al Hazzani

A dash of passion and creativity brings fabrications to life.

Back in June 2011, Saud Al Hazzani went to his first event in Bahrain dressed up as Ace from One Piece – painting tennis balls, shorts and a hat to recreate the look. Interestingly, he won first place during the cosplay competition. From then, this Japanese anime enthusiast started to get calls from around the GCC and officially joined the cosplay community.

Fast forward to 2012, Al Hazzani went to his first comic con in the UAE dressed as Devil Jin from Tekken and stepped up his game with an impressive set of wings made out of real quill feathers designed to open up and close wowing people wherever he went.

When did you start watching anime?
Early teens, around middle school.

What’s your favorite anime/video game?
Berserk is my favorite anime, and The Witcher is my favorite video game.

Why do you do cosplay?
For the challenge and the love.dfgdfg

Who’s your favorite cosplayer?
Bill Doran who does cosplay and tutorials online.

Did you learn any new skills while practicing this art?
A lot, like coding, electricity and painting including socializing and making connections with the pop culture community. I even met my fiancé through cosplay.

What was your favorite event?
Fun Nation in Abu Dhabi was the most organized event I’ve went to, and IGN gives the biggest support to cosplayers with a SR 20,000 grand prize.

What do you think about cosplay in GCC? Would you like to see any changes?
Cosplay is definitely growing in the GCC, and would love to see some support for the cosplay community in Saudi.

How do you manage cosplaying with work and social life?
There is always free time if you’re willing to sacrifice some things like your social life. I once spent a whole month going back from work and working on a costume.

What’s your next step in this field?
I got nominated in the World Cosplay Summit in Japan 2017 which will air live in April.

Instagram: vegacosplay

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Different Strokes

Meet artists with some unconventional mediums.

Mashael Faqeeh

Known for her spectacular embroidery, all her followers were excited when she announced her new website. Faqeeh launched her sparkly website in June 2016 after quitting her job to pursue her own passion and work on her brand. Shortly after quitting, she started acquiring the skills to build her website on her own and sell handmade pieces that she sewed.

Wanting to get into fashion with pieces that aren’t manufactured but made with care, she decided to make a line of patches which got a lot of adoration even internationally! She already started working on her new line of 60 patches and 40 hoops, and we can’t wait to get our hands on them!

Not long before that, Fakeeq published a book called “Stitched” in March 2016, featuring a collection of short poems she wrote throughout her life. The book’s intent is to make people feel better. While juggling through that she was part of many galleries and collaborations including Tamashee, Nasiba Hafiz and Qoutna.

Fahad Al Siddiqi

Art is no stranger to Al Siddiqi. He’s been a painter since childhood, a pianist, a digital art enthusiast, and most recently a special effects makeup artist. At only 18 years old, he attracted a lot of attention with his unique art skills in practicing SFX and showcasing it in a unique way.

In 2013, he wanted to get over his fear of gore to be able to join the medical field, and instead of getting rid of his fear he got inspired to create it. Despite his struggle with the price, quality and availability of the tools needed to produce SFX, he managed to shine through the many young artists exploring this new field.

His latest project created captivating temporary tattoos that give the same effect as a freshly made one, providing pain and guilt free tattoos. Al Siddiqi does not stop here yet, he has his eyes set to join the movie industry and enhancing his SFX skills even more.

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Recipe to Feel Good in Riyadh

Got the summer blues? Stuck in Riyadh? You’re just bored and don’t know what to do? We have the remedy for all of the above! Get out of bed and into Riyadh’s best fixer-uppers.

Eat

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There is no denying that food is the number one choice to fix a bad mood. Riyadh’s food scene is overwhelming, there is always something new to try!

Find DR’s favorite picks here: DR’s Favorites: Best Of

Bike through Wadi Hanifa at sunrise

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One of Riyadh’s hidden gems is Wadi Hanifa just when the sun starts rising. Bike through Riyadh’s prettiest valley, it’s so big you probably won’t even cross anyone on the way.

Find more about Wadi Hanifa here: Wadi Hanifa Riyadhis Favorite Escapade

Pamper yourself
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You can’t get out of a spa without a smile on your face. The ultimate way to treat yourself, get a massage, facial, or even a manicure! You can’t go wrong with it.

Find DR’s favorite spas here: The Best Spas in Riyadh

Fly

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Some people prefer to have an adrenaline boost for a mood fixer, and DR’s favorite way is by flying a plane! Find out the pilot in you, you’ll even get to see Riyadh’s skyline, how exciting is that!

Find out more here: Sky High

Yoga

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Release all the negative energy and heal yourself physically and spiritually. Head to a gym with a yoga class and treat your body.

Discover the art scene

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If you haven’t noticed Riyadh’s growing art scene then you must live under a rock! New artist come out everyday with fresh ideas that’ll keep you asking for more. 

Discover more of Riyadh’s art here: The concept store we have always wanted

Play a game with friends and family

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Everything’s better when there is two… or more. Pick up your phone, and plan an activity!

Find activities in Riyadh here: Indoor Activities

Sit in and binge watch a tv show or a movie trilogy

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Aaah, the feeling of not doing anything productive. You cannot top that, and the best way to do its is by watching tv shows or movies! 

Find out DR’s way to have a movie night: How to create an awesome movie night

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How To Chase Away the Summer Boredom in Riyadh

During the scorching heat or Riyadh, people usually forget all their summer plans and stay in their air conditioned house. Worry not, friends! We have a list for you to get you back on your path for a fun summer!

Bowling

1 (2) summer article

A classic group game that you can play indoors and escape the heat! And it comes with a juice bar and food, perfect for post game hanging out.

Find out more here:  Family Fun at Strike Bowling Alley

Flying

2 (3) Summer activities

Women might not be able to drive a car, but they can fly a plane! Don’t worry guys, you can fly it, too. This is one experience every Riyadhi HAS to try.

Find out more here:  Flying Sky High

AlHamra Park At Night

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For a little outdoor activity, head to AlHamra park, have a picnic, let your children play, and catch the foodtrucks there.

Location

Find your way out of a locked room!

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Enjoy this brain stimulating game (yes, its cold inside) with family or friends, with different options, you can head to either breakout or the escape room.

Find out more here: Interactive Entertainment In The City

Food tour

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Find your favorite french fries, burger, or your favorite dish in Riyadh, visit the top restaurants and discover the one! Checkout some of our previous roundups to guide you through your adventure.

Find out more here: Shawarma-rama

Swimming

6 summer activities

Nothing like a dip in the pool on a hot summer day. You don’t have your own pool? Don’t worry, we have a variety of public pools you can get your hands (or whole body) on.

Find out more here: Where To Where To Swim In the city

Riyadh Tour Bus

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Take a tour around Riyadh and discover it from a tourist point of view, you just might find something new!

Find out more here: Alhokair Bus Tours

Snow City

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Winter is here, IN RIYADH! Have fun with all your family members, and you’ll even get to wear a jacket mid summer.

Find out more here: Snow City

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Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm, and people are exploring their communities in the quest to catch ’em all.

We’ve collected a pretty good list of tips and tricks to help you excel in Pokémon Go.

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The month of giving is upon is, and we have the perfect gifts for you to give away!

Yatooq

yatooq article ramadan gifts

What’s better to get your loved one than an arabic coffee machine on Ramadan? With the load of pre-iftar work they’ll have, they’ll probably kiss you for taking the burden of making arabic coffee from their shoulder. Plus, the aroma that the machines leaves in the house will instantly give them the caffeine dosage they need without breaking their fast!

Chopped Gift Basket

Chopped gift basket

All the Ramadan necessities in one basket. Customize your own with sambosa, kebba, marinated meat, vimto, and it even comes with a lantern!

Dessert

Dessert article

Nothing like a sugar dosage with arabic coffee after iftar, get your loved ones a box of chocolate, or even buy traditional dessert. Find our favorite kunafa place here.

Quran

Quran Ramadan gifts

Muslims from all around the world try to read the whole Quran during this holy month, make the process prettier and get them a Quran they’ll be excited to read from, get a customized one from Sumou Gifts

Sabha

Sabha ramadan gifts

Keep a sabha in their hands for istighfar with a pretty stone! Customize your own from Dimoda

Miswak

Miswak- Ramadan gifts

Fight off the bad breath of fasting by using a miswak, help with the insecurity that they have with getting them a miswak from any mini mart or go fancy and get them THIS Miswak: This is a tooth brush

Oud

Oud Ramadan gifts

Go all out and get and get luxurious arabian perfumes, something to wear during Eid or special Ramadan occasions. Oud has a special place in Islam and all Arabs around the world, find a wide varitey in AlDakheel Oud

 

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Saudi Guide to Netflix and Astaghfirullah

Make it halal

Filter the movies and TV shows to have an awkward-free movie night with the family and follow these steps.
Manage Profiles > Pick the profile you want to edit > Allowed TV shows and Movies > Choose the preference you like.

Shortcuts:

Follow these PC shortcuts to manouver like a pro

Full screen
F will give you full screen, Esc will exit the fullscreen.

Play and pause
Space button (Obvs).

Fast forward and rewind
Shift + Right Arrow will fast-forward; Shift + Left Arrow will rewind

Mute the video
Press the letter M

Don’t know what to watch?

Use Netflix Roulette to get a random movie/tv show currently in Netflix, and you can add filters to get your prefered category! Hurrah!

Too messy?

Download chrome extension Netflix Enhancer to organize your queues and filter out all the movies/shows you don’t want to show. You can download it here

Hack Netflix

What better way to know what’s new on netflix than hacking? (Because its the only way) Get the lists of new shows and movies from hackingnetflix.com

Use your phone as a Netflix remote

You can stream Netflix from your phone from all these following devices as long as you have the app downloaded and are connected to the same WiFi. A small TV icon will show on the top right of the mobile Netflix app that enables you to stream it. Do you have any of these?

  • Smart TV
  • Chrome Cast
  • Apple TV
  • Playstation

Then what are you waiting for? Stream away on big TV screens and projectors for your ultimate movie night!

Watch your shows with your friends from home

Are your friends living abroad? You have driver problems? No worries, you can watch the same movie/show with any friend using a Chrome extension called Showgoers.

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Sky High – Pilot Training in Saudi Arabia

pilot training in saudi arabia

Pilot training in saudi arabia. A flight adventure at Light and Space Aviation.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? YES, and you can fly it!

You gotta admit, flying an airplane looks pretty cool but you get confused as soon as you see all those switches and buttons. Land and Space Aviation gives you the unique experience of flying a plane, the only thing you’ll need to fly is a little courage. Whether you’re looking to just try out flying or get a license, it’s the place to go. Pilot training in saudi arabia, Built under the Saudi Ultralight Aviation Federation, 750 pilots have graduated from this school, both male and female with different licenses including light sport, fixed wing, microlight and more.

So, what can you do as a completely clueless pilot wannabe?

Co-pilot a plane with one of the qualified trainers from the first try. Yup. You’re ready to get on a plane, push some buttons and make it fly. If you liked it so much, you can take more courses and after completing the required number of hours, you can call yourself a pilot!

pilot training in saudi arabia

Meet Captain Fahad – Founder

Certification

American and British Associations for ultralight aviation.

First Flight

2001, with an Italian trainer in Riyadh.

Biggest Challenge

When my colleague and the cofounder passed away. The community had turned against me and asked me to stop, keeping in mind that the percentage of aviation accidents in Saudi Arabia is considered the lowest compared to other countries.

pilot training in saudi arabia

Meet Captain Islam – Instructor

Certification

Egypt Aviation Academy

How did you know about LNSA?

“I heard about the price they were offering to give licenses and I had to check the place out, so I flew all the way from Egypt, drove to the middle of nowhere, and ended up with a job.”

Read more about: 10 Free Online Courses You Should Take This Summer

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Meet Sara AlSheikh – Trainee

Which plane are you training on?

Fixed wing.

How many hours does it require?

Twenty-five hours. I finished five so far.

Thoughts so far

“The service is really great. It’s fun and not that hard, and I don’t even know how to drive a car!”

If you want to know more about pilot training cost in saudi arabia, please call this number

Mob: +966-550100010
Instagram: lsa.sa
Location: Banban

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Shawarma-Rama

By Norah Alwalan and Duha AlHosainy

A roundup of Riyadh’s favorite meaty treat.

There is much debate about the “perfect” or “best” shawarma. We did not dare go after that daunting and, in my opinion, almost impossible mission. Instead, we decided to rate different popular shawarma restaurants based on a criteria. We also ordered the most popular order at each restaurant, according to the staff.

Rating is out of 10 based on flavor, quality of the bread, and overall happiness.

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Shawarmer

Price: SR 22
Order: 3arabo
Flavor: 3
Bread: 6
Overall Happiness: 3.5

“Unfortunately, it was lacking in flavor and the too oily”

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Alajmi

Price: SR 6
Order: Classic shawarma with lemon and tahina
Flavor: 8
Bread: 6
Overall Happiness: 8

 “The tanginess of the lemon is what makes this shawarma. And you can’t get any more old-school than Alajmi!”

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Mama Noura

Price: SR 4
Order: Chicken shawarma
Flavor: 7.5
Bread: 6.5
Overall Happiness: 6

 “Messy, small, and absolutely delicious”

Alshaya-open

Shaya

Price: SR 5
Order: Chicken shawarma
Flavor: 5
Bread: 8
Overall Happiness: 6

 “Waay too bready. More meat and less bread would’ve made it much better.”

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AlSunbula

Price: SR 4
Order: Malaki
Flavor: 2.5
Bread: 5.5
Overall Happiness: 2

 “This gave me trust issues.”

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Farrouj AlShifa

Price: SR 3
Order: Chicken shawarma
Flavor: 0
Bread: -2.5
Overall Happiness: -17.5

 “Mob good.”

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AlSaj AlThahabi

Price: SR 4
Order: Chicken shawarma
Flavor: 7.5
Bread: 7.5
Overall Happiness: 7.5

“The classic shawarma.”

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Eating Exotic Fruits the Right way

Anything with the word Exotic sparks instant curiosity. I don’t know about you, but I can’t live without fruits, and introducing new flavors to my palettes has become a hobby. Imagine seeing new colors for the first time, that’s how you’ll feel with the new flavours exotic fruits will introduce to you, so go on and eat away!

Dragon Fruit

Photo Credits: Mikcanavan|Flickr

Photo Credits: Mikcanavan|Flickr

No, its not called dragon fruit because it looks like a dragon egg, it just resembles dragon scales. That still makes it the coolest looking exotic fruit there is! People usually say that it tastes bland, but I have the trick to pump out all its unusual flavors to surprise your taste buds. Sprinkle some sugar (preferably Stevia sugar subtitute) and enjoy.

Benefits:
  • Helps prevent cancer
  • Lower blood sugar level and blood pressure
  • Strengthens immune system and bones

Passion Fruit

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Photo Credits: ladyandpups.com

The most known exotic fruit, the passion fruit is sweet with a hint of a citrus flavor. Its usually cut in half then the seeds scooped out and eaten. I promise you, the taste will please you.

Benefits:
  • Helps manage weight
  • Fights cancer
  • Treats insomnia

Rambutan

Photo Credits: listovative.com

Benefits:
  • Treating common illnesses
  • Hydrates the skin
  • Boosts energy

Custard Apple

Photo Credits: opentour.com.hk

Photo Credits: opentour.com.hk

Benefits:
  • Promotes healthy growth during pregnancy
  • Prevents asthma
  • Reduce cholestorol

Mangosteen

Photo Credits: hbxian.itrademarket.com

Photo Credits: listovative.com

Benefits:
  • Used in treating Alzheimer
  • Reduces cholesterol
  • Treats common skin problems

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