It was many years before my first trip to Morocco that I fell in love with the cut-metalwork lamps that are so emblematic of that country and - in myriad variations, as I have since discovered - the entire region from the Maghreb to India.
The obvious appeal is in their delicate form, redolent of Orientalist exoticism and beautiful even when not lit, but they truly come into their own after dark, when the light inside them (candle or electric) throws beautiful shadow patterns in all directions.
Here they have become an ubiquitous marker of Arabian-themed everything and thus, sadly, something of a cliché. So for me it was a special moment to come across this piece from the Lebanese brand Kafka Goes Pink - by way of Mimi Shakhashir (treasure-hunters extraordinaire that she and her partners at O'de Rose are, constantly unearthing new talent).
Fady Saliba, the creative brains behind the brand, harks back to age-old Levantine domestic craft traditions and gives them a clever twist to bring the designs bang up to date. He then hands them over to his select band of craftsmen - in this case, skilled metalworkers who cut and shape every piece by hand from fine sheets of copper.
The Syracuse lamp (which can sit on a table or the floor) is one of those pieces that seems to be distinctively of a place and time, and yet is timeless and can belong in any place, such is its beauty - and, especially, the beauty of the light and shadows it casts.
Syracuse lamp by Kafka Goes Pink, Dh780 at O'de Rose, Villa 999, Al Wasl Road, Umm Suqeim, Dubai; 04 348 7990
Rankings
ATP: 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 10,955 pts; 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 8,320; 3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 6,475 ( 1); 5. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 5,060 ( 1); 6. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 4,845 ( 1); 6. Roger Federer (SUI) 4,600 (-3); 7. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,110 ( 2); 8. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3,960; 9. John Isner (USA) 3,155 ( 1); 10. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3,140 (-3)
WTA: 1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7,030 pts ( 3); 2. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6,290 ( 4); 3. Simona Halep (ROM) 5,582 (-2); 4. Sloane Stephens (USA) 5,307 ( 1); 5. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,100 ( 3); 6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 4,965 (-4); 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,940; 8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,430 ( 1); 9. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3,566 (-6); 10. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,485 ( 1)
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
