Magical Marrakech

By Jacqueline Matthews

Somewhere in the foothills of the snowcapped Atlas Mountains, lies North Africa’s most energizing and breathtaking destination. The fourth largest city after Casablanca, Fes and Rabat, Marrakech has transformed itself from a hippy outpost -- into a vibrant hub of botanical gardens, upscale boutiques, deluxe hammams and gentrified riads. Yet it retains so much of its culture and history, attracting a mix of explorers and glitterati alike each year.

The Medina, which encompasses the historical part of the city, hijacks your senses with an amazing array of colours and smells as you weave your way through a narrow maze of souks, selling everything from traditional lanterns and embroidered slippers to handmade ceramics. In the main square, dancers, storytellers and snake charmers enchant passersby. 

From the outside, even the most discerning buildings hide exquisite interiors and experiences…

Royal Mansour is a unique retreat, nestled right within the ancient walls of Marrakech.  Meticulous design and pure Moroccan architecture make up the 53 private riads - each with their own private plunge pool, traditional Moroccan spa, mouth-watering restaurants and landscaped gardens.

From now until the end of the year, Royal Mansour offers newly weds the chance to immerse themselves in luxury, seclusion and romance of Marrakech with the Honeymoon Celebrations package.  This unique offer indulges couples with a four-night stay in a private riad, gastronomic adventures with celebrated French chef Yannick Alleno, spa treatments and outdoor adventures. 

Fabric Basics

By Jo Clary Maughan

When it comes to purchasing or custom making clothing you love to wear, fabric plays an important and vital role in the success or failure of a garment.  When you buy something in a fabric that is not right for your shape, usually it ends up as a write off as it can’t be altered or dyed to make it into something that you would be happy with.  There are some simple rules to follow when looking at the fabric garments are constructed of. 

Here are some helpful tips when looking for fabrics:

• Bulky and stiff fabrics are the most difficult to suit all body shapes.  They tend to be very straight fitting and make those with a curvy figure look like they are wearing a box.  Women with straighter figures with less waist definition wear these the best.
•  Chinese brocades (what most Cheongsams are made of) might look and feel fantastic but are very unforgiving, as they have no stretch.  Putting on or losing a few pounds will leave these either looking tight or bunching up in all the wrong places. If you have a bust and hips and really want a Cheongsam, it is best to have it custom made but do remember you need to stay at the same weight!
•  Shiny fabrics are reflective and add weight to any area that they are applied.  Sequined items are the most enlarging.  When it comes to evening wear, sheen is a better option than shine.
•  Textured, rough and nubbly fabrics will always add weight.  Smooth fabrics with no surface detail are slimming.
• Slimming fabrics are those that are dark in colour and have a matte surface, as they are not reflective.  Anything light in colour expands and dark colours will slim.

If you wish to learn more about fabric, how to purchase it and which suits you best, contact F3 to find out more and begin to create a wardrobe full of clothes that you love to wake up to in the morning.

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To find out more about F3’s beauty and shopping consultations, services and workshops, please log onto www.f-3.com.sg   to join us to learn what suit you the best and why.

Reflections on CIS by Alumni Angela Butler

By Tripti Kumar, Marketing and Communications Executive

We catch up with a Canadian International School alumni Angela Butler (class of 2012), who recounts her experiences and lessons learned at CIS, and how that has helped shaped her future.

Angela has just completed her freshman year at Lawrence University in Wisconsin, USA. Having made it to the Dean’s List after an academically rigorous first year, she continues to make her Alma Mater proud. Angela’s first days at CIS were at the tender age of three. She continued her education at CIS and graduated fifteen years later as Valedictorian of the Class of 2012. Angela continues to write eloquently as she pursues her Bachelor of Arts with majors in English and Journalism.

Her many fond memories over the years include highlights such as winning the Women’s Basketball Championships after a fierce season of competition, and performing at the Esplanade with a school band in front of a 1000-strong audience. The lessons she has learnt have been innumerable – the primary one being that you are nothing without the people that support you. From her basketball coach to encouraging teachers, Angela cites the intricate support system at CIS as a central contributor to her successes.

From an academic perspective, Angela attributes her recent Dean’s List achievement as a result of her time management, initiative and an open mind. Given her extensive extracurricular involvement during her time at CIS, Angela learnt early on that she needed to hone her time management skills in order to succeed both academically and otherwise. “I learnt how to have an open mind in the sense that I was willing to consider new and different ideas. My teachers helped me acquire that skill by initiating many discussions in classes. Whether we were discussing the significance of Holden Caulfield’s hunting cap or the benefits of the Treaty of Versailles, the many discussions that I was able to participate in over the years at CIS meant that I was always listening to these new ideas and opinions.”

More Young Women Get Tongue Cancer

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group® 

Did you know that more young women are increasingly developing tongue cancer, a condition which had previously been known to affect mostly men?

Recent data by the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCSS) has shown a three to fourfold growth in the number of tongue cancer cases among young women aged 35 to 55.

Some contributing factors to the changing trend:

• Female patients with tongue cancer may already have a higher genetic risk of the disease. This risk, combined with a previous short but sustained exposure to cigarettes (whether by smoking or inhaling second-hand smoke) may kick start the cancer
• Suspected (but unconfirmed) link with diet such as eating processed foods and cooked food with carcinogens.

Possible treatments for tongue cancer:

• Tongue cancer can be treated effectively, usually by removing part of the tongue, depending on the scale of the cancer
•  In cases where more than two thirds of the tongue is removed, patients may have difficulty speaking or swallowing. Reconstruction and speech therapy, along with radiotherapy and chemotherapy to fight the cancer is recommended.
• Early detection and swift treatment is important. Specialist Dental Group®’s team of experienced dental specialists provides dental assessments. Our specialists are also familiar with the oral implications of medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc.

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Specialist Dental Group® is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. For details, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883