On "Who the hell was that?"

I've had my fair share of working in show business. I spent a good couple of years working with renowned Film/TV/music clips/commercials director Tarek Al Ariyan. It was fun working for him. I was involved in the production of at least 3 video clips and actually modeled in one that i think never made the airwaves.

Last night while walking around Mall of the Emirates, I spotted the director, his wife -Syrian Diva Asala Nasri- and her younger brother.

Me: Mr. Tarek, Hi.
TA: Hi!
Me: Do you remember me sir? Its me, moryarti.
TA: I am sorry, please remind me again?
Me: I worked in your production company back in Cairo.. worked on Amr Diab, Assi El Hillani and Hisham Abbas clips. You got me in that Saudi guy's music clip because he didn't want to pay for a male model.
TA (laughing): Oh right right ... yes. How are you? you live here?
Me: Yes... oh.. by the way, this is my wife/

Mrs. M says hi to Tarek, Asala and her brother.

TA: So where do you work now?
Me: I am working in technology now .. left this whole show-business business back in Cairo

Odd moment of silence hits - time for the exit queue.

Me: Its nice seeing you again sir.... (turning around to Asala Nasri) ....and its a pleasure to meet you in person Madam Nasri.
Asala: Likewise.


We walked away.


Wife: Do you think he remembered you?
Me: He. has. no. clue.

Wafi Heist Video

Like everyone who has an email in the UAE today, I received the URL of the mobile phone video that captured the Wafi heist in progress.

See it here. Another Video here as well

I don't know what to say. I am in total shock, really.

Some friends were supposed to go there last night, but changed their minds at the last minute. Thank god they did.

From the video, I can clearly see that the robbers:
Are very organised (In uniform - all dressed in black and masked).
Targeted Graff. One of the most, if not THE most, exclusive jewellery outlet in the mall. I bet they must've had scouts that checkout out the place many times.
It was done late Sunday evening; traffic is light, both inside and outside. Making it a clean in-and-out.
Influenced by Hollywood (Ronin): notice the make of the Audis - exact models that were used in the heist movie.
In the Gulf News story, it says that the cars were set on fire. So, they must've had replacement cars. Also, one car had an Abu Dhabi car plate and the other was without any.

AND ... they were frigging armed.

When I first read the story headline, I thought they must have used real-looking toy guns; but you can hear the live gunfire in the video.

This heist had the potential of going really really really bad. There are no news of any life casualties, lets hope there are not.