Cairo Shopping

There's no shortage of bookshops in Cairo, and Zamalek is home to many book-filled nooks and crannies. Some of these shops moonlight as venues for intimate concerts or regularly host speakers and authors. Yet Livres De France sets itself apart from local rivals by boasting a substantial portion of its stock, from law texts to children's books, in French. Located on the first floor of a building on Brazil Street across from the Spanish Embassy, you will have to spot a golden placard on the building's wall to locate this small Francophile haven. The bookshop takes up two large rooms of an apartment, but sliding bookshelves have allowed it to amass a greater stock than initially meets the eye. We first made our way to the English section, although we quickly found that English and French books were interspersed through a few of the shelves. In fact, we had a little difficulty orienting ourselves, as different sections or genres were not clearly separated or labelled. Several shelves were dedicated to regional books focusing on the Middle East and covered anything and everything from tourism and art to Egyptian literature. For those with an interest in the region, whether in English or French, this shop will certainly provide you with a wide array of literature. Livres De France also hosts a substantial number of Naguib Mahfouz's translated works in French. We were, however, disappointed to find that a majority of the books were plastic-wrapped and we were unable to indulge in any skimming. After roaming over to the sale section, we spotted a hard-back cover of Alaa El Aswany's Chicago, on sale for 80LE compared to 75LE for a paperback copy at neighbouring bookshops. A vast assortment of children's books was available in French, ranging from comics and story books to atlases and aviation. English Harry Potter books went for around 75LE each, while their French counterparts were quite a bit more expensive at 250LE. Another shelf was devoted to tutorial books in French which covered chemistry, grammar, math and physics, among other topics. Flanking the children's books was a shelf devoted to cookbooks, predominantly in French, and we spotted a tagine cookbook complete with a tagine set. We were perhaps most excited to rummage through their selection of posters and prints. Arabic calligraphy prints started at 60LE and beautiful coloured prints of plants and fruits by Pierre-Joseph Redoute went for 35LE. Old maps of Egypt dating to the 1500s and posters of old stamps were also available. On the other side of the room, various Oriental prints were going for 40LE, while beautiful printed Islamic geometric patterns went up to 280LE. A collection of decorated notebooks were on display at the shop's entrance. On the balcony, a table and chairs allows for a respite while enjoying a breeze overlooking a greener area of Zamalek. Although the abundance of plastic-wrap left us feeling that the place was a bit inaccessible, we were nonetheless impressed by the great collection of books focused on the Middle East. However, for those seeking English-language books across a variety of topics, this may not be the place to go.

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So you've decided you're a fashion designer; options on the Cairo shopping scene simpy aren't doing it for you and you've taken matters into your own hands. All is in place except one thing: the fabric. Where can one go in Cairo for fabric to make a dress? The answer is Salem in Mohandiseen. Located on Lebanon Street, Salem stocks endless amounts of fabrics and textiles suitable for any type of clothing you're looking to design. Making our way over on a weekday afternoon, on the hunt for fabric suitable for a dress, we were completely overwhelmed by the endless options once we stepped foot into the shop. We made our way to the silk section to begin, hoping to find something with a pattern. Words cannot describe the number of options peering at us from the shelves filled with rolled up fabrics. Taking up all the walls of the spacious establishment, the fabric sits side by side, or on top one another, on the shelves waiting to be picked. The staff at Salem are patient and attentive – two very important factors while on the hunt for the perfect material. They will eagerly pull out whichever tickles your fancy, and also aid you in holding it against you for a more telling view of what it would look like on. The quality of all fabrics is relatively high, however some are more luxurious than others and could carry high fashion names such as Christian Dior, costing up to 2000LE and higher per metre. A silk fabric with floral patterns went for 150LE per metre, while an orange one with apaisley-like patterns was priced at 190LE per metre. Embellished fabrics with sewn beads and other accessories are also available, but were a little pricier, ranging 400LE-700LE per metre. Salem also carries an extensive collection of chiffon in all sorts of solid colours; the more expensive natural type would be around 65LE per metre. Lace is also readily available in different textures and shades of whites, beiges and blues; a standard lace costs about 62LE per metre, while a French imported one stood at a whopping 500LE per metre. Most fabrics would require an under layer, which can be used on both its matte and shinier side, costing about 45LE per metre. Salem also carry simpler fabrics in both texture and pattern, such as plain or striped – good for men's wear – and these ranged about 165LE per metre. Searching for the right material is not an easy feat; you will feel confused, pressured and at some point, downright scared – what if it ends up looking hideous ? But take your time, indulge in the hunt, allow yourself to be carried away in the world of Salem and its friendly, accomodating staff, and you should be just fine.

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Largely ignoring the current economic climate, most of us can't help but indulge in the mammoth, air-conditioned malls of Cairo to feed an apparent retail therapy addiction. Still in the process of being completed, Sun City Mall in Heliopolis is often first choice when looking for a day out with the entire family. Its bright red and blue exterior, as well as the gigantic, luminated 'Sun City' sign, certainly help the enormous mall to stand out whilst creating a sleek feel.As if the traffic in Cairo wasn't bad enough, despite the car park being four floors, there's always a slight queue backed up in the road. Once you're inside, the parking is both perfectly adequate and reasonable, costing 5LE for the first hour and 3LE for every hour after. The ticket is a small yellow coin – be careful not to lose it, otherwise you'll face a fine of 75LE! Once you've navigated your way up the moving walkways you'll find yourself surrounded by just about every type of shop you may need; men's, women's and children's clothes, accessories, jewellery, home stores, computer shops and restaurants can be found at Sun City Mall. Not to mention Fun Kingdom on the third floor – recreational park of sorts, complete with a jungle-themed adventure playground for little ones, bumper cars, and an arcade. There's also a huge Carrefour on site, one of Egypt's favourite supermarkets. Like most food courts in Egypt, all the fast food giants have set-up shop on the ground floor, including KFC, Hardees and, of course, McDonald's. There are also plenty of coffee and dessert places dotted about; Costa Coffee, German franchise Einstein Kaffee, Cinnabon and Carvel Ice-cream being just a few. Those fancying a more leisurely meal can find a number of sit down restaurants, namely the famous Lebanese eatery, Abou El Sid, a more commercial Chili's, big burger joint Kook's and Bigg's or Makani, amongst others.  Sun City is also home to the five-star boutique hotel, the Gabriel, which not only has a pool side bar and nightclub on the roof, creatively named Roof Bar, it also boasts Salt, a sophisticated French restaurant. In the mall itself, Cavallini also offer a slightly more upmarket meal and cocktails after 10pm. Check the Cairo 360 events calendar to stay up-to-date on both clubs' regular events.   There's a real mix of clothing and shoe shops at Sun City, for both men and women; international chains such as H&M, Gap, Monsoon, Aldo, Nine West, Payless and Clarks all have a definite presence, whilst local stores such as Seventy Cotton, Cellini and Plan B Clothing still manage to hold their own. Sports shops come in the form of well-known Puma, Nike and Adidas stores. Children needn't feel left out either; Mothercare, Pumpkin Patch and Okaidi should take care of most mothering needs, as well as providing a wide range of children's clothing and toys.   When furnishing or redecorating a home, White House and i-House appear to be popular destinations, particularly as they are both fairly large, stretching across the size of several shops. Also, head to 2b Computers, and Ra'a for all your computing needs. From sunglasses to scarves, jewellery to watches, the number of shimmering outlets in this mall is never-ending. Grand Optics and C&Co are sure places to find the latest designer glasses. La Voile, Tie Shop and Accessorize are great if you're looking for a perfect addition to complete an outfit, whilst Damas and various other watch and jewellery shops will be more than happy to kit you out with a decent, albeit pricey, bit of bling. For perfumes, make-up and toiletries alike, Mazaya are likely to stock what you're looking for. Alternatively, there's even a pharmacy located on the first floor. Even if shopping's not your thing, the Royal Rennaissance Cinema is conveniently situated inside the mall, just outside the car park entrance – you don't even need to look at the shops! For information on the films and their screening times, check out Cairo 360's cinema listings. Sun City is still a work in progress but is expanding rapidly. Despite the fifth floor being the most under-developed, the other four floors are packed out with various chains and independent brands, some better known than others. Sun City offers customers the whole package, bringing together entertainment, dining, nightlife, clothes and food shopping, all under one roof.

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Functioning as both a bookshop and a publishing house, the people at Cairo's Al-Balsam definitely know their stuff when it comes to books. However, this is a shop which is looking ahead for 'the next generation', and has made its name through specialising in literature for young adults and children. The shop has the look of a Swiss ski lodge with wooden floors and a curved staircase leading to the English language section, rendering a very inviting and cosy atmosphere. The shop even features a 'book nook' where eager customers can curl up with any book that takes their fancy. The entire outfit is geared primarily towards children; next to a wall adorned with glittery finger paintings, sits a cluster of mini chairs around a mini table, where Al-Balsam hosts storytelling and creative events for children. Although we were not allowed to enjoy these delightful features, Al-Balsam caters for the more mature reader too. Despite the fashion in Cairo for bookshelves piled high with self-help books, Al-Balsam manages to keep it literary and has a good selection of fiction, beside the obligatory stack of 'Men are from Mars…' copies. We found classics, best sellers, and a few niche surprises such as Film in the Middle East and North Africa by Josef Gugler, all for reasonable prices, starting at as little as 30LE for a copy of Pride and Prejudice. We got the recently released The Time Keeper (143LE) by Mitch Albom from there, and The Casual Vacancy from J.K. Rowling was also well stocked. However, most of the books were paperback and if you're looking for something hot off the press, it's doubtful you'll be able to find it here. As for the kids section, all the weird and wonderful stories which belong to the magical world of children's literature were to be found in the shop. Al-Balsam's own publishing house produces a range of children's books in Arabic and English which include Eric Carle's beloved tales for around 18LE, or nonfiction works for school-aged children, which form a 'Learning and Discovery' range, also supplied to schools and libraries in Cairo. All the books are perfect for their target readership, as they come brightly illustrated and sturdily bound. For young adults, Vampiric fiction abounds, or there's Teach your Granny How to Text for those interested in changing the world. The shop's staff are obviously bookworms themselves and visitors to the shop can rely on their recommendations for a good read. Both staff and stock in the shop are polyglot and there is a good balance struck between English and Arabic language books of all varieties, plus a corner dedicated to German language children's books. Non-fiction books in cookery, politics and sports are also available, while their supply of dictionaries and language kits range from My first Dictionary (120LE) to an 'Interactive Japanese Course' (200LE). However, as is the curse of many of Cairo's bookshops, there was little in the way of Arabic language guides. Al-Balsam runs events and activities for readers of all ages in both English and Arabic, so whether you're into learning the alphabet and pop-up story books, or discussing the minutia of your latest read with others, a trip to Al-Balsam bookshop is sure to ignite a passion for reading, at any age.

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While browsing the eclectic shops in Degla, Maadi – on the lookout for nearby Bio Shop – we suddenly found ourselves distracted by a set of rather large wooden giraffes and horses placed outside a peculiur shop; taking only a moment to contemplate, we quickly stepped further into its almost underground space to see what other interesting items it might have in store. Diwan Abaza is more like a workshop-come-shop; home accessories and knick knacks create a pleasing clutter and there are so many items that it's difficult to absorb all at once. At first glance, it is obvious that the merchandise is raw, aged, original and largely handcrafted. Owner and artist, Mohamed Abaza, enjoys working with natural materials and prefers to create pieces that are environmentally friendly and have character because of their age and a past history. For example, he collects old newspaper articles, cinema and train tickets, and stamps, then turns them into pretty postcards or envelopes – to which are attached an easy 3LE price tag. Abaza visits Alexandria weekly to teach art classes to children and this is where he finds most of his wooden treasures. Special items include a choice of lovely old wooden doors (4000LE) and frames that have thick, worn engravings. Wooden panels with cut-out patterns (385LE) can also be found and, hanging by the window, are a couple of wooden horses (950LE) that originally belonged to a Ferris wheel. There are several wooden children's toys as well; a horse built on wheels goes for about 85LE, while a small wooden chest ranges at around 225LE.  A large round wooden table comes with a pretty inlay done using coloured nails and costs somewhere around 8000LE while a reasonably sized sofa was priced at about 3000LE. There are several other items that can be found at Diwan Abaza that may not be handcrafted, but express the artist's appreciation for times gone by and the quality that comes with age. Radios for around 2000LE are avadate back to the 1930s. One can also find wooden flutes, old bottles, mini origami boats, patterned matchboxes and clothes pegs, not to mention a bunch old-school locks and a jewellery section. Abaza's atelier is a great place to go for a gift or if you're looking for an authentic, alternative way to decorate your house. All the work is simple, yet heartfelt and has been likened to what the Chinese call 'mingei' – meaning the Art of the People. Sticking to basics and creating one-of-a-kind pieces at very reasonable prices, while highlighting Egyptian culture through his use of traditional motifs, Diwan Abaza is definitely a hidden treasure in Maadi and we're glad we came across it.

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