Ramadan Offer: Win a Free Subscription with OSN!

We are super-excited to share this awesome giveaway with our very special Jeddah Blog readers.

Hold your breath and read on…

Have you ever wanted to have the freedom to watch what you like, when you like via 150 television channels?

OSN, the region’s leading entertainment network, is offering its customers the opportunity to enjoy 27 unmissable series for the whole family this Holy Month of Ramadan.

Click on the link below for a chance to WIN a 6 month subscription package with OSN, the Middle East’s leading entertainment network, in Ramadan.

Click here to enter the OSN

Competition

OSN’s new GeitItAll™ bundle offers ultimate access to all the best premium, not-to-miss Ramadan series, through OSN’s Plus HD Box that allows subscribers to record, pause and rewind live TV.

OSN’s extensive Ramadan line-up is also available on OSN Play and On Demand and will see the hugely popular Ottoman epic drama series Kösem Sultan, exclusive to OSN, starring award-winning actress, Nurgül Yesilçay.

Egyptian drama on OSN Ya Hala Al Oula HD also features an unbeatable line-up of talent that includes Karim Abdel Aziz in Al Zaybak; Ghada Abdel Razik in Ard Jaw and Donia Sameer Ghanem in Fi El Lala Land. Hayat Al-Fahd performs in gripping Gulf drama Rummana.

Showing on OSN’s Alfa package will be a collection of fantastic Ramadan series. The line-up includes El Hisab Yigma’a starring Yousra and Khalsana Be Shaiaka starring Ahmed Mekky. A glittering line up of stars come together in Li Aala Sie’r featuring Nelly Karim, Ahmed Fahmy and Zeina, while Amr Saad and Reham Hagag are the leading duo in Wada’ Amni. Not to be missed is Halawt El Donia starring Hind Sabry and Dafer Abdeen and Harbana Minha with Yasmine Abd El Aziz.

For the ART series, fans can catch Taim Hassan in Al Haiba as well as Qanadeel Al Oshaq featuring the ever glamorous Cyrine Abdel Nour and La Totfi Al Shams with the popular Amina Khalil.

With OSN Series Link, viewers can take control of their entertainment, ensuring they never miss a moment – recording the entire series in just two simple steps. For more information, visit:  GetItAll™ Bundle and OSN Play.

Saudi Comic Con from a Teen POV

By all accounts, the first ever Saudi Comic Con was a roaring success. The event was held over 3 days as part of an entertainment initiative by the Saudi General Authority for Entertainment, and according to the Arab News the event received a total of 20,000 visitors.

For some background and reviews of the Comic Convention, you can always do a quick web search. However Jeddah Blog decided to give you a different perspective. A teenage one.

Jeddah Blog spoke to 4 young teenagers, Musab Ali (13 years), Omar Dada (14 years), Ramis Faisal (14 years) and Hassan Khatri (14 years) who attended Saudi Comic Con on Day 1 and we asked them what they thought of the event.

From the left: Musab, Darth Vader, Ramis and Hassan.

According to Musab: “This was the best thing to happen in Saudi Arabia. The queue was long, but it was fast-moving. It looked small from the outside, but it was very big once we entered. There were lots of hi-tech gaming consoles, XBox One, computers and PS4s on every corner for people to play on. There was also a comedy show in the evening in Arabic.”

Musab went on to say, “Lots of people were dressed up in costumes. The Joker was clearly the most popular choice. Although we were given free drinks, which was great, there wasn’t a lot of variety of food to purchase, only snacks. Also, there wasn’t enough place to sit if we wanted to take a break. However, there was a VIP lounge for people who had VIP bands.”

When asked about his favourite part of Comic Con Musab said, “The best part was the fighting scene on stage between Thor, Loki, Iron Man, Ant Man and Captain America. The life size Transformer was amazing too.”

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Ramis summarised the show saying, “I think it was a great experience, a large crowd, and very organised with a variety of stuff to do from trying out new games to buying exclusive merchandise. There were a lot of stalls and a show outside.”

The Boys: [L to R]  Hassan, Ramis, Musab and Omar.

“I thought Comic Con was an amazing experience,” enthused Omar. “It was very organised and full of people and many games to try out, as well as many events. There were also many stalls full of interesting merchandise.” 

Hassan getting some sage advice from Yoda.

Hassan was pleasantly surprised by the event. “The long-awaited Comic Con finally arrived in Jeddah. People were a little apprehensive and didn’t expect much for a first time in Saudi Arabia, but that wasn’t the case. There were lots of international companies selling merchandise that is pretty hard to find in Saudi Arabia or even in the Middle East.”

However, Hassan was disappointed not being able to attend the meet and greet with celebrities: “Unfortunately, not everyone had the chance to meet the guests as it was very expensive”.

Overall, it seems that the show was a great hit with teens as well as older attendees. The show, games and merchandise were of particular interest to this young group. Definitely a step in the right direction for Saudi entertainment and we can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Photo Credits: Hassan Khatri and Ramis Faisal

Kidzmamia: Entrepreneurship for Children

Kidzmamia was an event held last month by Elite Club Jeddah at Salt n Pepper Restaurant in an effort to foster entrepreneurial skills amongst children. The idea was for the kids to book stalls which were then set up and managed by the children themselves. A total of nineteen stalls were booked within two days. The children made banners and set up the food, drinks and games.

The purpose of the event was to boost self-confidence in the children, enhance their creativity, develop their skills of communication and social dealing, and create a sense of optimism, hard-work, and competitiveness. Their happy faces and heavy pockets at the end of the evening was an indication that they had indeed gained a great deal from the activity.

A charity box was also set up to encourage the children to think about those less fortunate than themselves.

If you were at the event, see if you can spot yourself in the slideshow below. Did you enjoy yourself? Leave a comment and let us know!

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by Saniya Owais

Click here for more information on Elite Club Jeddah.

Off-Broadway Show iLuminate™ Comes to Jeddah!

iLuminate™, the Off-Broadway smash spectacle is a visual feast. They wowed the USA with their groundbreaking light suits and innovative dance moves on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” where the dance-in-the-dark sensation was selected as one of the hit show’s top finalists after judge Piers Morgan called them “The Best New Act in America!”

You can get hold of your tickets here.

Firstly, a massive thank you to iLuminate™ for inviting Jeddah Blog to watch their show. As if it wasn’t enough to be invited, we were given VIP tickets and prime seating at the event. Special mention goes to Mohammed AlSayed from Katch who very smoothly sorted it all out for us.

A word about the organisers first. I have never, ever seen such an organised crew. We arrived in good time at the venue – the King Abdullah Sports Stadium. There were plenty of event members throughout, from the parking lot to the ticket booth, security and within the stadium itself. Each and every member of staff was so well-trained, so extremely polite and helpful – we were frankly amazed. Even during the interval, cleaners arrived to collect any loose rubbish. For daily show timings check here.

Now coming to the show itself. This is a highly charged, action packed show. There is dance, music and technology combined together with a great storyline. There are lots of ‘wow’ moments and the show succeeds in keeping your attention throughout.

The story revolves around Jacob, a shy young artist who discovers a magic paintbrush. He falls in love with a girl called Ali, but ends up having his magic brush stolen by the show’s villain Darius.

There are plenty of dance routines during this journey, two of my favourite being the Michael Jackson medley and the Bruno Mars song. The show even gets interactive with the audience when Jacob and friends have to crack the code to the portal and ask a little audience member to help them out. Other music featured in the show includes James Brown, Janet Jackson, Chris Brown, LMFAO, The Wanted and Sam Smith.

The audience are asked to put away their mobile phones as the glare can interfere with the show – I wish everyone had complied with that request. There were a few people who somehow continued to insist on using their phones despite repeated reminders. Kindly note, when you attend this show, for the sake of others’ enjoyment, please please put away your phones and savour the moment.

Lastly, I must make mention of the audience, which was energetic, responsive and highly entertained. People are starving for family entertainment here in Jeddah and I hope that iLuminate™ will be the first of many world class acts to perform here.

Watch ICFLIX on the New Apple TV and get 1 month’s FREE Streaming Access

Great news for ICFLIX subscribers who have the new Apple TV at home. ICFLIX, the Middle East and North Africa’s leading movie streaming service is now available on the Apple TV App Store, joining the great lineup of programming offered to customers.

Built from the ground up by an expert in-house team, the new ICFLIX app for the new Apple TV will allow users to sign up for the service.

“ICFLIX is all about convenience; being able to watch the entertainment you love whenever you want, at home or on the go. The new Apple TV is a great way for viewers to watch the best of Hollywood, Jazwood (Arabic) and Bollywood content. Whether you love movies, TV show, documentaries or kids animation, ICFLIX has something for everyone,” said Carlos Tibi, founder and CEO, ICFLIX

Available to download from the Apple TV App Store, the new app has been designed with a refreshed and simplified look for a more engaging user experience with enhanced search and navigation. The new interface also features sleek design elements optimized for the new Apple TV viewing experience, and will be the best way to watch ICFLIX’s vast library of content from any new Apple TV device wherever you are. 

Everything from the sign-in screen to the browsing experience has been taken into account to make it smoother, more responsive and overall easier to use. 

To celebrate the launch, ICFLIX will give Apple TV users one month of free unlimited streaming access to each person who downloaded the App here.

For more information about ICFLIX visit their website. You can follow ICFLIX on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

ICFLIX provides a value-for-money entertainment experience with many movies, TV series, documentaries and cartoons, available in high-definition and Dolby® Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound where available.

 – Sponsored article

STARZ Play: Your New Online Movies & Series Platform

Honestly it’s time for TV fans to say goodbye to their cable subscriptions and hello to solely streaming their entertainment. With new streaming platforms and VOD (Video On Demand) services, television programs are going to be more available, simple and convenient. STARZ Play is one of the new and powerful subscription video on demand services in the market right now (they have over 57 Million subscribers in the U.S).

Their new platform called Starz Play Arabia has recently been launched across 17 territories in the Middle East, beating Netflix to the punch in an area with a population estimated at 370 million and a young, highly wired demographic. Now let’s see what Starz Play can provide to us.

“Starz is very pleased with the launch of the world-class Starz Play Arabia partnership in the Middle East and North Africa,” says Chris Albrecht, Starz CEO. “This is the first time a STARZ-branded service has been launched outside of the United States.”

As you have probably noticed, everything is going the way of streaming these days, so to be sure to have good service you need to choose the right Platform, and Starz Play can feed your starving hunger. It’s super-hard to choose what to watch, because their original content is so different and provides some of the best shows and movies on TV today. Some of their shows like Power, Penny Dreadful, Humans and a lot more have the latest episodes at the same time as the U.S. Their service also includes a wide selection of movie content, licensed from Hollywood, including content from leading pay TV networks.

STARZ Play gives you maximum user control by letting you play, pause and rewind. You can stop watching a movie or show and resume it later, right from where you left off, whenever and wherever you want. STARZ Play uses the most advanced technology to provide you with a superb HD viewing experience. You can enjoy STARZ Play on any device: your PC or Mac as well as on numerous iOS and Android devices. STARZ Play will also be available on the leading Smart TVs and game consoles in the near future.

“STARZ PLAY Arabia has a unique opportunity to fill a market need and offer the growing Internet savvy population of the region the best in TV and movie content, at an affordable price point, and with high-value convenience and control,” explains President and Chief Operating Officer of Starz Play Arabia Maaz Sheikh. “We have aggregated a compelling collection of great original programming including STARZ Original series and movie content from around the world. Our content will be presented in a culturally sensitive way and will be a showcase technologically, with a strong consumer value proposition.”

Starz Play provides an immersive and unique viewing experience offering their subscribers the latest and most acclaimed movies and series as well as a wonderful selection of children’s and family programming exclusively for the Middle East and North Africa. It initially offers more than 3,000 movies and a wide selection of TV series that you can watch for $12.99/month (49SAR/Month). With a 30-day free trial and no monthly contractual obligations, viewers can enjoy watching their favorites programs without any commercial breaks or interruptions.

Now with Starz Play, you can watch fiercely entertaining originals as well as hit movies anywhere you go and anytime you want.

To know more about Starz Play you can visit their website.

– Sponsored article

Ride for Free with icflix and Uber

icflix and Uber have teamed up to offer their customers a great new promotion. icflix, the Middle East and North Africa’s leading Internet streaming service are rewarding first time subscribers by offering them a premium ride with Uber, the smartphone technology company that links riders to drivers within minutes, when they sign up to icflix.com.

The promotional offer launched just this week will entitle customers to 81.73 SAR off their first ride and will be valid until July 25^th 2015.

If you are a new Uber customer ordering your first ride using the Uber app, don’t fret. You can get a one-month icflix subscription for free.

Speaking about this great promotional offer, Carlos Tibi, founder and CEO says, “We like to think outside the box, and are always thinking of innovative ways to reward our customers. New Uber customers will have the chance to experience the service with the added benefit of enjoying movies and TV shows whilst on the move.”

“Technology and innovation sit at the heart of what we do, and something we very much have in common with icflix, especially when it comes to enhancing customer experience,” said Jambu Palaniappan, Regional General Manager for Middle East & Africa.

How Can I Access This Offer?

In case you wish to access this offer the following code must be entered while ordering:

► UBERUAE  for the UAE

► UBERKSA for the KSA

► UBERBAH for Bahrain

► UBERLEB for Lebanon

► UBERQAT for Qatar.

Enter this code when you sign up to icflix. If you are already a member, simply go to “Your account”, “Manage Subscription” and enter your promo code.

– Sponsored article

hellofood offers 24-hours premium access to icflix with every meal order

We at Jeddah Blog have used hellofood, the online food delivery service many times, and have never been disappointed. They are prompt, reliable, efficient, and even follow up online orders with a phone call confirming the order and an email afterwards inquiring about the level of service provided. Adding to all this, their service charge is very reasonable. If you haven’t tried them already, I recommend you do so very soon. When you do, leave a comment at the end of this blog post telling us about your experience.

Enjoying a delicious meal in front of a movie is something we all like, therefore the promotional offer that is currently available between Hellofood and icflix might interest the cinema lovers. 

In fact the Middle East and North Africa’s leading Internet streaming service, providing its viewers with access to Hollywood, Bollywood and Jazwood (Arabic) content has lately announced a strategic partnership with hellofood.

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Active in over 40 countries over 5 continents, hellofood have selected the best restaurants in Saudi Arabia, granting customers ordering food online, free unlimited 24-hour access to movies, TV series, documentaries and kids content on icflix.

“The premium access to icflix will give hellofood customers a chance to enjoy and experience the service,” said Carlos Tibi, CEO, icflix. “We want customers to enjoy the entertainment from the comfort of their own home.”

“hellofood represents a complement to icflix’s internet streaming service  and vice versa, enabling users to order food online from more than 500 restaurants and choose from a variety of movies and TV shows at the same time. All customers will benefit from the synergy of this partnership”, said Beschir Hussain, CEO  of Hellofood Middle East.

About ICFLIX

ICFLIX media FZ LLC was established in Dubai in 2012. The company provides its members with convenient access to . It is the first subscription-based online streaming service of its kind and offers movies, TV series, cartoons, and documentaries. The service is currently available on over 900 different mobile and fixed Internet enabled devices including PCs, Macs, smart phones, tablets, smart TVs and gaming consoles. Aside from its UAE headquarters, ICFLIX has offices in Morocco, Egypt and Czech Republic.

You can follow icflix via Twitter and Facebook.

About hellofood

hellofood is the leading global online food delivery marketplace and is active in more than 40 countries across five continents. For restaurants, hellofood promotes their visibility in a mobile and digital world, and provides up-to-date interfaces as technology evolves. For diners, hellofood provides the convenience of ordering food online and offers the widest culinary range to choose their favorite meal from, which can be done via the web or through the app. In the Middle East, hellofood is present in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon and Qatar. The group recently acquired UAE-based 24h and has raised more than 200 million USD to date.

– Sponsored article

Did You Miss Maisah Sobaihi’s One Woman Show?

Award winning Maisah Sobaihi returns once again to entertain us with her play Head Over Heels in Saudi Arabia at the Effat University. If you missed this talented lady’s past performances, then this is your chance to watch this exhilarating, fun and heart-warming play.

Click here to purchase tickets which will be on sale from the 15th of February. You can choose either the English or Arabic performance (details are below). If you’re still a little unsure then read our review of Head Over Heels here.

I, for one, will be looking forward to Maisah’s performance. If you decide to go, drop us a line and let us know your thoughts.

ICFLIX releases HIV, a first original production

ICFLIX [pronounced “I-see-flix”] has released the first of their original productions today to their global audience, exclusively on the online streaming service. The movie, entitled HIV, has been produced entirely in Egypt by a handpicked team of fresh, young talent from the region. In addition to the original version in Arabic the movie is also available with English and French subtitles, making it accessible to all audiences.

ICFLIX is the first subscription-based online streaming service of its kind and offers movies, TV series, cartoons, and documentaries. The service is currently available on over 900 different mobile and fixed Internet enabled devices including PCs, Macs, smart phones, tablets, smart TVs and gaming consoles.

HIV is the first of 12 original productions to be released by ICFLIX in the coming year. Each film will tackle a different topic with social relevance to audiences across the Middle East. The drama explores the social repercussions experienced by those infected with HIV through the eyes of a young man, Youssef. As he struggles to reclaim the life he once had, Youssef takes the audience on an emotional journey as he realizes the social stigma associated with the disease. Director Mohammad Adel, headed a team of talented young stars, including lead actor Mohammad Al Sharnouby and his love interest in the film, actress Alia Assaf.

Watch the trailer here:

The film can be viewed by ICFLIX subscribers on their website or any of the free apps, available for smartphones, smart TVs, tablets and soon, gaming consoles. Click here to go straight to the movie. ICFLIX provides its users with access to its Jazwood (Arabic), Hollywood and Bollywood content and kids’ cartoons and shows with an unlimited access, including the largest library of Arabic movies and shows available online. Additionally, subtitles and alternative audio options are available for a majority of the content, making it accessible for French, Arabic and English speakers. Aside from its UAE headquarters, ICFLIX has offices in Dubai, Cairo, Prague, Casablanca, Tunis and USA

– Sponsored article

CH Grand Tour Limited Edition Fragrance

The new Grand Tour limited edition fragrances for men and women by Carolina Herrera, will take you on a tropical journey through South America. Composed of aromatic scents of Brazilian citrus fruits, iris flowers and orange blossom, this mesmerising fragrance for women will allure everyone around you.

The male version is composed of vibrant incense, along with hints of deep mahogany and suede leather. Its black crocodile skin bottle is reminiscent of an old suitcase, designed for men who appreciate classic, vintage designs.

There is much more to this limited edition collection than meets the eye. Carolina Herrera is giving people the chance to enter an exciting competition! Users just need to access the CH Grand Tour homepage and they will be presented with two universes of the Grand Tour experience: the Grand Tour and the Blue Train.

The Grand Tour experience consists of an online game about a suitcase robbery, in order to win a special Carolina Herrera gift. Once the game is completed, the user needs to fill in their personal details, which will then direct them to a list of nearby Carolina Herrera stores where their gift can be collected.

The Blue Train contest involves purchasing a Carolina Herrera perfume in order to win a trip to South Africa. Users need to fill in an online form of their purchase details of the fragrance by entering an EAN code. People will then have the opportunity to visit the breathtaking cities of Pretoria and Cape Town, as well as enjoy a memorable safari.

Carolina Herrera always knows how to turn a simple product into an exciting adventure. So, hop on board the train and experience the imaginative world of Carolina Herrera’s Grand Tour.

– Sponsored article

Meena (Market) Bazaar

An upcoming opportunity for fun and shopping, and for home businesses to book their stalls and sell their wares.

Treasure Island Festival

A Jeddah Blog reader has sent in the below information about a festival taking place from the 2nd day of Eid until the 11th day of Eid.

Be sure to book your tickets now as seats are limited.

The Treasure Island Festival will include daily gifts and a lucky draw and a treasure hunt. There will be special surprise gifts for the first 50 passes. Activities include: jet ski, banana boat, desert bikes, segmented shopping arcade and a night to remember featuring national and international artists.

It sounds like a fun day to be enjoyed with your family and friends.

Contact 0563235353 for tickets.

3Km Speed Skating Race

Thanks to the International Community in Jeddah for letting us know about this event. An exciting 3 km speed skating race will be held at the following time and location:

Time : 4:30pm – 7pm

Date : Friday 20 June 2014

Location : North area of Aya Mall, Al Mohamadiah District. Google maps : 21.661177, 39.120895

Participation : Open for All. To participate in the race you need to register here.

Awards : Special Awards from SAMSUNG. Event Organized by : Top Sport Mr. Baddr Marzoug

For further details, visit their Facebook Event Page.

Fresh From Sundance

After its new deal last January with AMC/Sundance Channel Global to launch Sundance Channel HD in the Middle East and North Africa region. OSN comes again with interesting news, this time the channel will offer award-winning independent films that come straight from Sundance Film Festival and these exclusive films will be broadcasted every Friday night of June 2014 on Sundance Channel HD on OSN.

Sundance Channel is an American digital cable and satellite television network that is owned by AMC Networks.

SundanceTV is making and celebrating television as distinctive as the best independent films, It was founded by Robert Redford in the USA and is available in the Middle East for the first time on the OSN platform since January 2014.

 

The international division of AMC Networks had signed a deal to launch Sundance Channel HD in the Middle East and North Africa region, the regional version of the Sundance Film Festival-affiliated channel brings a new excitement to this part of the world.

The new channel, which celebrates independent feature films, world cinema, documentaries, short films, series and original programmes, is available both in the content’s original language and with Arabic subtitling and it is offering the brand’s trademark mix of independent films and TV series, many taken from the Sundance networks in the U.S.

Sundance Channel HD on OSN has announced an interesting program to be launched this month, the channel allow their viewers to see exclusively critically acclaimed films from Robert Redford’s Sundance Film Festival, award-­winning independent films  such as To Kill A Man, The Disobedient, “Liar’s Dice” and more classic films, fresh from the festivals.

You can watch acclaimed award-winning films every Friday night of June on Sundance channel only on OSN, from 6 to 27 June 2014 you can watch classic independent films from all eras from some of the biggest names in independent cinema, selected from Sundance Film Festival, the programming that Sundance Channel offers is not seen on other broadcasters and has wide appeal among adult audiences, Sundance Channel is available to OSN subscribers on the Platinum HD and Premier HD packages and movie buffs can access Sundance Channel HD’s award-winning content anytime, anywhere via OSN Play, the region’s first online TV viewing platform.

– Sponsored article