2024’s morning routine

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THE WEEK IN REVIEW

High-record yield on new CDs + Price hikes for public and private utilities and services

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and happy Friday. We hope that this work week and longer weekend make our start to 2024 a more positive and productive one…

… Speaking of productivity you should check out this week’s guide on morning routines… we did some research to boil down the main factors that can make or break a decent morning regimen— even if you consider yourself a night owl.

Enterprise Weekend comes out each Friday at 9:00am CLT. We’ll be back on Sunday at 6am with EnterpriseAM. Until then: Enjoy the weekend.

LAST WEEK IN 3 MINS-

ECONOMY-

#1- New year, new price hikes: We embraced the new year with a series of price hikes for public and private utilities and services. The laundry list of hikes includes:

16-26% increase in electricity bills;
10-16% increase in mobile services;
29-33% increase in ADSL services;
20% increase in Cairo Metro tickets;
10-25% increase in railway tickets;
New hikes for car registration fees.

To explain the rationale behind the price hikes, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly held a presser on Wednesday (watch, runtime: 33:45), breaking down the current state subsidy bill that jumped to EGP 342 bn for food and energy only from under EGP 100 bn in 2021.

PM is feeling optimistic: Madbouly predicts the economy will overcome the current crisis in 2025 despite the hit it took from the pandemic, the Ukraine war, and global inflation.

And we now have the first glance at the next fiscal year budget,you can read it in detail in our Thursday’s AM issue.

#2- Egypt’s non-oil private sector activity sees slight improvement in December,as selling price inflation softens, according to S&P Global's latest purchasing managers’ index (PMI) report out yesterday (pdf). The index reading rose to 48.5 from 48.4 in November to remain below the 50.0 mark that separates growth from contraction. The Egyptian non-oil private sector has now entered the fourth year of contraction, as December marks the 37th consecutive month that business activity has been in decline.

#3- Net foreign reserves inched higher again in December, reaching USD 35.22 bn from USD 35.17 bn in November, the Central Bank of Egypt said yesterday. The central bank added less than USD 50 mn to the stockpile during last month, marking the sixteenth consecutive month of (albeit marginal) increase.

BLACKOUT WATCH-

The power outages are expected to resume until at least 2Q 2024 with the country still needing to boost LNG exports, three official sources told Enterprise.

One silver lining is they might not last as long. A month from now we could see them last one hour instead of the grueling two, sources told us.

AND- outages are now limited to the hours of 11am to 5pm, following a slew of complaints, especially during the exam season, cabinet said on Tuesday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING NEXT WEEK-

New 27% yield CDs: Banque Misr (BM) and the National Bank of Egypt (NBE) — the nation’s two largest banks — have introduced record-high yield certificates of deposits (CDs) with yields up to 27%. Starting today, clients can buy the certificates online to be activated when banks back to work on Monday. Buyers have two types of CDs to choose from: one-time payment of 27% when their CDs mature in 12 months' time, or CDs with monthly interest payouts at a reduced 23.5% annualized rate. More details on the banks’ Facebook pages (here and here)

This comes as c. EGP 500 bn worth of CDs are set to mature starting today. State-owned BM and NBE introduced the one-year certificates in January 2023 with yields up to 25%, which will reach maturity starting today and for more than a month. The high-yield certificates are part of a wider plan by the Central Bank of Egypt to stamp down on inflation by reducing liquidity in the market.

ALSO-

Inflation: Capmas and the CBE will publish the latest inflation data on Wednesday, 10 January. .
Quarterly fuel prices review: The government’s fuel pricing committee is scheduled to meet this month to set prices for the first quarter of 2024.

AROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYS-

Nearly 100 killed in bomb attack in Iran: Two explosions have killed at least 95 peopleand injured 211 at a ceremony for the fourth anniversary of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani’s assassination by the US. The terror attack stands as the deadliest in the country since the Iranian Revolution of 1979. No group or nation has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Iranian parliamentarians have pointed the finger at Israel and Washington.

The death of Hamas’ second-in-command, Saleh al-Arouri, created a ripple effect across the international press. A Hezbollah spokesperson claims that Israel is behind the strike on the Hezbollah base in Dahieh that consisted of a drone and three rockets. Israel is yet to claim responsibility despite a US defense official also pointing the finger at the IDF, as well as a member of the Knesset from Netanyahu’s Likud party, Danny Danon, took to X to congratulate the IDF for killing al-Arouri.

The collision of two planes at Tokyo Airport led to a conversation on Tuesday. 379 passengers and crew of the Japan Airlines flight managed to escape the flames that followed their collision with a coast guard aircraft in Haneda airport. However, the coast guard flight passengers were not as lucky — most of them perished as the plane was headed to Niigata airport to deliver aid to people suffering from the earthquake that struck the island nation on New Year’s Day.

Some of Jeffrey Epstein’s documents are now public. 40 of the 250 previously sealed records from the ongoing lawsuit against him were released on Wednesday, with more to come in the next few days.

☀️ THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND- Today will be a sunny day with a high of 22°C during the daytime and a low of 13°C at night. Tomorrow will give us more of the same, with the mercury peaking at 23°C during the day until it drops to a cool 13°C in the evening, according to our favorite weather app.

HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND-

Enter the improv world in 2024. Starting tomorrow Ramsi Lehner will be hosting a ten-class improv workshop to help you improve your public speaking skills, expand your range as an actor or performer, help you develop your standup comedy, or even just make you better at communication. The classes will take place every weekend on Fridays and Saturdays from 6:30pm to 10pm. Register here to claim a spot.

Practice your knitting and needling skills at a crochet workshop at the Monalisa ArtStudio. This three-hour course will be teaching you all the crooks and crannies from basic stitching shapes to making scarfs. The course will be taking place every Saturday and Wednesday until Wednesday, 28 February from 1 - 4pm. Check out their Facebook page for more information.

Heads up, football fans. Raz3 El Gomhoor — with YouTuber Marwan Serry and the gang — is at The Marquee tomorrow to host a two-and-a-half-hour in-depth discussion about the forthcoming football season, player transfers, and general analysis of all of your favorite leagues. Both platinum ticket tiers are sold out, but if you act fast, you can still snag yourself a gold. Reserve your spot here.

Small habits in the morning can give you a better-quality day

Start2024 right. It really is true — the morning does set the tone for the rest of your day. And giving some attention to creating a morning routine might make you manage your daily stressors, whether they are in human, non-human, or paw form, a lot better — is a great way to start your year.

Decision fatigue is a thing. Deciding on whether you need to shower or not, drinking tea or coffee, and wearing the white or blue shirt, will wear you out in the AM. But, once your morning routine is established, you remove a decision-making step (or four) from your day and save precious time and energy, while boosting happiness and decreasing stress as you can achieve even the smallest of tasks.

Don’t know where to start? We’re here to help you out with some pointers. Remember, we’re only human — sticking to habits that you can realistically incorporate into your life consistently will help you feel better about your day. Even if you can achieve just one thing — you are on the right track.

The holidays are a good time to begin. As counterintuitive as this may sound, if you are lucky enough to have just an easier, shorter working day, or a day or two off, using it to set up the pillars of your routine will help you set your pace for a few weeks or months … until the next longer holiday when you can reset and start again.

#1- We hate to say it, but your morning routine actually starts with your night routine.Sorry, night owls, but an early bedtime really does make all the difference.Setting a fixed bedtime and wake-up time helps set your circadian rhythm which improves your overall quality of sleep. Basically, your morning routine is most effective when paired with a good nighttime routine.

To do this, adjust your alarm for when to wake up and when to sleep. You should aim for at least seven hours of sleep — even if you intend to wake up at 4am — anything less is linked to poor health, says the Mayo Clinic. Not only that, you underperform at work and your health starts going down that slippery slope. It’s a tricky balance and we covered the nuances here.

That means that if you have to get up earlier, you need to go to bed earlier. This may seem self-explanatory, but sometimes we can get wrapped up in a late-night doom-scroll (more on that later) or stay up because…well, we are adults and no one is around to prod us into bed.

#2- Fight off the urge for morning coffee just for a little bit. Instead, try a glass of water as soon as you wake up. If you haven’t heard, water is kind of magical for your health. It regulates body temperature, lubricates your joints, and protects sensitive tissues. Overnight, your body naturally becomes dehydrated, so it’s important to replenish when you get up.

You’ll get a better complexion and improved cohesion: A glass of water in the morning can improve mental performance, and boost metabolism by up to 30%, all while keeping you looking pretty with improved skin.

By drinking coffee early you’ll also crash early — the midday slump spares no one.Your cortisol levels are naturally higher for the first couple of hours after you wake up anyway, so you should feel more alert. The best practice would be to try delaying your cup of joe by 90 minutes or so, and it will kick in later in the day to keep you feeling awake.

#3- There’s a reason for that big morning stretch. Our bodies instinctively seek out that movement because they crave activity after being sedentary for so long. Morning exercise is a great way to give our bodies what they want and move into an active state from resting. According to the Mayo Clinic,daily exercisers are more likely to have more energy and a more positive outlook compared to those who don’t.

Now we know that that’s easier said than done… so maybe just try a few stretches as soon as you wake up. Gentle bed yoga is an option as it can increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain and improve alertness.

#4- Stop hitting snooze. All it does is make you groggier and less ready for the day. This will definitely take some getting used to, but it’s for the better, we promise. Those extra minutes don’t grant you productive sleep. If anything it’s interrupted sleep that makes you more tired, saysAarthi Ram, a neurologist specializing in sleep medicine at Houston Methodist.

If you’re feeling the need to delay getting out of bed, evaluate why that is. If it’s because you need more rest, adjust your sleep schedule to go to bed earlier. If it’s because the tasks of the day seem daunting, then try to start your day with an activity or two that brings you peace or happiness (meditation, cooking breakfast, taking a walk, listening to your favorite song, etc.)

Set future you up for success. Try writing out a to-do list the night before to eliminate a step for the next day and be more intentional with your energy. Or, to make your life a little easier, prepare everything you need for the next day: Put out the clothes you want to wear, pack the lunch you’ll take to work, and chop up the veggies you’ll add to your morning omelet.

#5-Put. The. Phone. Down. If the very first thing you do is reach for your phone, that first dose of dopamine comes from likes, scrolling, or texting and your brain will be wired to crave that same kind of rush for the rest of the day.

Scrolling is a passive activity, says Erin Engle, a licensed clinical psychologist at Columbia University, that holds you back from being productive.Just hold off for a while, you can do it — we believe in you.

#6- A cold shower…or just a quick whoosh before you run out of the shower — don’t worry, you won’t get hypothermia, but you will be doing your mind and body a great service. This ‘James Bond’ shower revives your lymphatic system and will rewire your brain to wakefulness. And did we mention that it gives your skin and hair a fantastic glow? Don’t dismiss it until you try it out.

#7- Saving the best, and most difficult for last: Make whatever you choose from this list a routine. Remember, you don’t need to cover everything above — don’t be too hard on yourself if you miss a day or sleep in, just make sure to get back on track. Over time, these actions will become a staple that you won’t have to think about doing, like brushing your teeth.

Ferrari will make you fall in love with the red-hot racing cars + Feast like a king at Kasr El Kababgy

? AT THE MOVIES-

Ferrari (trailer: runtime 2:27) brings a balanced narrative of action and drama in the life of Enzo Ferrari, thanks to the performance of Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz, and, of course, Michael Mann, in the director’s chair. The film is based on the 1991 book Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine by Brock Yates.

It's 1957…despite the appearance of success, Enzo is facing a quagmire. There is pressure at work as his company and passion are under threat and he is losing more money than making it. His relationship with his wife, Laura (the captivating Penelope Cruz) is strained after the loss of their son, Alfredo, while he tries to spend time with his lover/mistress Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley), and their son Piero.

The acting is commendable — Adam Driver immerses himself in the character of Enzo Ferrari. The actor switches on his Method acting and truly embodies El Commendatore, not just physically, but his mannerisms, his stone-faced demeanor, and his passion for the company that he built. Penelope Cruz is enchanting as Laura Ferrari: Look for moments of complete silence as Cruz extends her character’s message simply through her eyes and expressions. Try to control your nerves when she catches wind of Ferrari’s affair and pursues Lina.

Then there are the cars and the races. To push out the competition and perhaps score a partner to pump money into Ferrari, Enzo is advised to participate in the Mille Miglia, a historical race in Italy to drive for 1k miles. The cinematography in this segment of the film is spectacular, the Ferrari red, the blue of the Italian sky, and the treacherous route that leads to moments of tragedy can only be the work of Michael Mann.

“Two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same moment in time,” explains El Commendatore, but in the film, he defies physics by navigating both personal and professional pressures and emerges from them, tainted, but victorious.

You can watch the film at Vox Cinemas.

? FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

Mira wants to save the world one project at a time: She has brought together an unexpected ensemble that goes about planting crops wherever they act and they’re called Birnam Wood.

While their activities may not be exactly legal, their intentions are noble as they are able to turn abandoned plots and backyards into green little havens. But as the group’s ambitions grow, so do the obstacles in their way: When they set their sights on an impromptu farm created from a landslide, so does Robert Lemoine.

The man is the ultimate eccentric, ultra-wealthy capitalist: He is eyeing the New Zealand plot to build himself a bunker to ensure his survival once the world comes to a close — or so he claims. When Mira manages to strike a deal with him, we are left to wonder about Lemoine’s true intentions and their impact on Birnam Wood.

This novel is categorized into several genres and is impressive on so many levels — cited as an ecological novel, a comedy, and will keep readers turning the page, even the New York Times had plenty of praise for the volume. Cotton, one of the youngest Booker Prize winners knows what it takes to write an engaging tale that will speak to our day and age.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Eleanor Catton’s third novel is available at Diwan Bookstore.

? HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

When in doubt, go to Kasr El Kababgy…this restaurant is an experience, with a kitschy design alluding to a sense of grandeur (large black-palace-like building, golden lions at every corner) which may seem off-putting until you see the lines of folks waiting outside to get in or pick-up their meals to enjoy their food at home.

They serve one of the best traditional Egyptian meals in the city…from the most basic dish to their most complex, you can expect to close your eyes and let the flavor sink into your palate. They are organized, clean, and eager to serve.

Their meats are the belle of the ball: Fettah, kebab, rozmaamar (rice with milk cooked in a clay pot with some form of meat or poultry) — all the dishes have ample servings of meat, chicken, or pigeon — and are heavy on the ghee. You’ll note that they serve their food to you on plastic dishes but only so that they can quickly pack it for you as they are certain you won’t be able to finish your meal.

They serve food and spectacle…which makes it ideal for taking your non-Egyptian friends or business clients. Here the concept is to give all patrons the royal experience, plush chairs, plenty of ventilation, hearty food, and quick service. And they cater to Instagrammable/TikTok content, the food’s arrangement is appetizing and then there is the drum roll every time a plate of molokhia is served…

…which can be the caveat to this experience. The venue can get quite noisy and busy — especially since the children’s play area is inside the ‘palace’. They do try to lower the volume on the giant TV screen indoors, but sometimes it does not help, as they are still parading every plate of molokhia served.

PRO TIP- Kasr El Kababgy pulls quite a crowd, so book in advance or go before 3pm. Also, they have two locations in New Cairo and Sheikh Zayed, so you will find parking spots. They don’t deliver but they do have a pick-up service (and a small coffee kiosk outside to serve the waiting patrons).

? Per person: EGP 750 - EGP 900

? Outdoor seating: No

?Smoking/shisha: Yes

? Alcohol: No

? Accessibility friendly: Yes

Subpar Pool is an easy, breezy game to play on mobile or PC

Let’s be real: Sometimes we just wanna take a break from RPGs and just kick back with a simple and fun arcade game. Subpar Pool is a little physics puzzler that’s a cross between pool and minigolf. It’s convenient in every sense of the word — You can play it on your desktop or your phone, for three minutes or three hours. For those of us with little self-control and a lot of time to kill over the weekends, this has proven to be a dangerous game.

The idea is simple: Pocket the billiards. Sink the balls on pool tables that come in all shapes and sizes before you run out of shots or lives. Figure out the trajectories and vectors that come with a classic game of pool, but with a minigolf-esque obstacle course layout.

It’s straightforward, but not basic… you have your standard pockets, ones that open and close, portals, and little sushi conveyor belts to make your job just a little more complicated. As you play, you unlock trick shots that open up a world of challenges to fulfill. Rebounds, long shots, posthumous shots (pocketing a ball after you’ve pocketed yourself), multiple sinks with one shot…there’s a wealth of mechanical achievements to unlock.

The Newtonian physics makes sense, the clicking and clacking of the billiards are satisfying, and because the game is so simple, even with the graphics, there’s never any lag or sticky images, even on your phone. The premise is a no-brainer, yes, but sometimes that’s exactly what you need to unwind and take a rest from all the complicated mechanics of open worlds, crafting, and strategy.

Did we mention our favorite bit about it being available on your phone’s app store? You won’t believe this but once you buy the game, there are no in-app purchases, and no ads to interrupt your game — even between lives or levels. This is a given for PC and console games, but it’s been a while since we’ve been able to enjoy an app store game this way. It almost brings tears to our eyes.

⌛ Hours of gameplay: Variable.

? Price: USD 9.99 on PC and Nintendo Switch, and USD 4.99 for Android and iPhone.

? Platforms: Steam for PC, Nintendo Switch, and Android and iOS App Stores.

If you want a lighter take on history check The Alarmist

The Alarmist is a comedic and informative podcast hosted by Rebecca Delgado Smith, a writer and, um, a comedian. It explores historical events, especially calamities, assigns blame or responsibility for those events (but we wouldn’t take her word for it every time), and outlines the consequences of these disasters. The podcast has staying power — it kicked off in 2019 and now has over 450 episodes in its tally.

The podcast delves into a wide range of events from different eras and regions: From The Sinking of the Titanic to The Death of Cleopatra to The Berlin Wall and The Downfall of WeWork.

The Joan Crawford and BetteDavis Feud is a recent intriguing episode that will appeal to fans of Hollywood gossip:Rebecca discusses the infamous rivalry between the Hollywood leading ladies Joan Crawford and Bette Davis with the actor Emily Pendergast, exploring whether it was as fierce as it seemed, or merely exaggerated propaganda created by Hollywood tabloids.

Smith maintains a light-hearted and humorous approach while discussing complex topics. She is usually joined by a guest or two including journalists, actors, writers, historians, and fact-checkers.

Episodes mainly start with a concise introduction that sets the stage for the main historical event or disaster being discussed, followed by Rebecca’s engaging conversations with her guests. Some episodes have follow-ups or sequels with a shorter duration that are released after the main episode, which is called “Aftermath.”

WHERE TO LISTEN - You can listen to The Alarmist on Anghami, Spotify, Apple podcasts, and Google podcasts.

THE ENTERPRISE ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

JANUARY

5 January (Friday): Raz3 ElGomhoorlive show at The Marquee.

5-6 January (Friday- Saturday): SubZero Survival hiking trip at Mount Sinai at St. Catherine.

5 January-2 February (Friday-Friday): Intro to Improv with Ramsi Lehner.

6 January-28 February (Saturday-Wednesday): Crochet courses at Monalisa Art Studio.

7 January (Sunday): Coptic Christmas.

7 January (Sunday): Asatza Concert Part 3: Medhat Saleh at the Cairo Opera House.

11 January (Thursday): Ahl El Fan Movie Night at Qahrawya.

13 January (Saturday): Saad ElOud concert at Cairo Jazz Club.

19 January (Friday): Amr Selim Live in Concert at the Cairo Opera House.

25 January (Thursday): Revolution Day.

26 January-6 February (Friday-Tuesday): Cairo International Book Fair.

FEBRUARY

1-4 February (Thursday-Sunday): Fujifilm Egypt Festival at Consoleya.

21-22 February (Wednesday-Thursday): Omar KhairatHafliti concert at the Cairo Opera House.

MARCH

1 March (Friday): Cairo Half Marathon by Cairo Runners.

11-12 March (Monday-Tuesday): Creative Industry Summit.

APRIL

9 April (Tuesday): Eid El Fitr (TBC).

25 April (Thursday): National holiday in observance of Sinai Liberation Day (TBC).

MAY

1 May (Wednesday): National holiday in observance of Labor Day (TBC).

5 May (Sunday): Coptic Easter.

6 May (Monday): Sham El Nessim (TBC).

JUNE

15-19 June (Saturday-Wednesday): Eid El Adha (TBC).

30 June (Sunday): June 30 Revolution Day (TBC).

JULY

7 July (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Islamic New Year (TBC).

23 July (Tuesday): Revolution Day (TBC).

SEPTEMBER

15 September (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (TBC).

OCTOBER

6 October (Sunday): Armed Forces Day.

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

2023: The inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Q1 2024: Opening of the newly developed Pyramids Plateau in Giza.

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