Spotlight

Simplify life

Here are some simple steps to simplify life learned from the masters of organising:

Clothes:
Blouses- Colour code your blouses from light to dark (of the same shade). Fold them and place them vertically inside a drawer one after the other so that they don't topple over or crease. Keep the blues, the reds, the pinks etc colour coded. For blouses that can only be worn with one specific sari, keep the border side up in the drawer so that you don't have to pull out each one to check the border.

Saris- sort your saris material-wise first and then colour code. Keep all the silks together, all the cottons together and so on. Once sorted material-wise, colour code keeping all the blues together, reds together and so on.
Salwar kameeezes- Like the saris, first group material-wise and then colour code. It is preferable to hang them rather than keep then stacked in a drawer so that they can all be seen at a time.

Cosmetics:
Lipsticks- Try to know the name of the shades you use. Then store your lipsticks upside down in a drawer so that you can see their names. It will be much easier to choose the one you want without opening and closing them all.

Nail polish- Whether stored in a container or on the vanity, always keep them upright and colour code them from light to dark.

Eye and lip liners- Keep all your eyeliners in a pen stand and your lip liners in a separate one. If they are the canister type ones, make sure they are kept upright. This applies to mascaras as well. If you have a large collection, buy a multi-compartment pen stand and keep according to colours.

Jewellery:
Always use multi-compartment and tight-lidded jewellery boxes to store jewellery. Keep all the gold pieces in a locked box. Keep all the silver pieces in a separate box either wrapped in tissue or covered in talcum powder so that they don't rub and blacken. Imitation and ornamental jewellery tends to discolour if kept exposed to light or air. Use zip lock bags or tissue paper to prevent exposure. Never stuff them into a cramped box. Pierce holes into pieces of cardboard and attach earrings.

Always keep chains separate - they tend to tangle. Use a
big ring-box to keep rings. Always keep silver polish handy to clean silver pieces and use an old toothbrush to clean them.

Miscellaneous:
Recipes and recipe books- While using a recipe in the kitchen, recipe-books tend to stain from the splitter-splatter. Always open the book to the chosen recipe and then insert the open book into a transparent zip lock bag or polythene bag so that it doesn't stain. Laminate recipes cut out of a magazine, punch holes and store in a binder or simple spiral bind them all into a recipe book of sorts.

Cards - Always put greeting cards into multi-pocket folders sorted occasion wise. Or buy a scrapbook and paste so that those memories never get lost.

By Tahiat-E-Mahboob

News flash

Nymphea celebrates its 4th anniversary

Advertising and event management agency Nymphea celebrated its 4th anniversary. To celebrate the occasion they organised a product presentation and cultural programme on July 26 at the British Council auditorium at Fuller road.

Nymphea was established in 1999. They wanted to bring about a change into the conventional concept of graphic design. To provide prompt and quality service within the range of customer's budgetary limits is one of their key objectives and according to the speakers at the programme 'they succeeded to do so'.

Raiqah Ripa Walie, Education promotion and marketing manager of the British Council, spoke on behalf of the British council, the first customer of Nymphea. Dr. Anupam Ray, first secretary, High commission of India, another patron of Nymphea also spoke on the occasion.
Among the others DP Barua, former Chief Editor and Managing Director of BSS and Professor Syad Manzoorul Islam, University of Dhaka was present at the occasion as guest. Enam Ahmed Chaudhury, Chairman (Minister of State), Privatisation Commission was present as the chief guest.

After the speeches, a documentary film named 'O Pakhi' about the extinction of guest birds in Chitolmari area was exhibited. The film revealed how human beings devour such timid creatures to extinction. The documentary film was directed by Mollah Sagar one of the young members of Nymphea.

Nymphea is run by a few young minds in association with some talented fine arts students. Nymphea specialises in graphic design, interior-exterior design, making documentary films and commercials for radio and television.

By Shahnaz Parveen

Check it out

Gaye halud embellishment

Honeymoons come after marriage and before that a gaye halud with all the traditional tidbits. Gaye halud is the most picturesque ceremony among all the formalities of a marriage. On the day of gaye halud the groom presents his bride and in laws with all the gifts and wedding clothes. It is a custom to decorate things in style. There was a time when the groom's party used to stuff these thingsin a suitcase. Those days are history now.
In-laws now judge aesthetic sense. In-laws are like bees. If you take a wrong step they are ready to sting you. It is like a game during marriage ceremonies. It is wise to hire someone professional, someone who will not let you down on your gaye halud. Such professionals were rare back in the suitcase days but now they are not.

Ayesha Nijamuddin is one such person who started with her sister's wedding and now her little effort to decorate gaye halud has become her profession and addiction. She gives a different blend to the simple dalaa and coolas using ribbons, dried flowers and fresh flowers. Spray paint on the dalaa makes the decoration more vibrant. She even uses glass jars sometimes.

She takes orders at her house. It is better to give her at least 10 to 12 days. Price varies depending on designs, size, quantity and other requirements of the customer. One set of gaye halud dalaa decoration will not cost more than Tk 20, 000.

Her address is 41, Gazi Bhaban, Naya Paltan and e-mail ayesha_nizam@hotmail.com.

By Shahnaz Parveen

A true taste of Asia

Tommy Miah

Gosht Masala
Ingredients
750 gms lamb, lean (or mutton)
250 gms lamb fat
2 tsp. cayenne
2 tsp. fennel seed
1 tsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. coriander powder
2 tsp. Kashmiri garam masala
1/2 C. yoghurt
2 Tbs. ghii
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 C. khoya
1 C. milk
2 tsp. pepper, black
4 cardamoms

Method
Chop the meat, fat, cayenne, fennel, ginger, coriander, and 1 tsp. garam masala with a food processor. Keep chopping, adding a little yoghurt and ghee, until the meat is a smooth paste.
Form into balls 1.5-2 inches in diameter.
Heat remaining ghii in a pan. Add sugar, khoya, yoghurt, garam masala, and salt to taste.
Pour in the milk, add the koftas, and simmer until the liquid
evaporates and the koftas are very tender.

Tips

Honeymoon
packing tips

Beach essentials are always the same anywhere in the world- sarongs , sunglasses with UV protection, hats, bandanas,shorts, flip-flops, towels, deodorant and oil-free hydrating sun block.

Take a lightweight jacket or stole if you are going to cooler places.

Keep the make up simple- waterproof mascara and a lip balm usually works best. Make sure your nails are perfectly manicured.
A good pair of bronze coloured high heeled sandal that go well along with any formal wear.

Take one to two gaudy saree or salwar kameez which may have zardosi or any heavy embroidery work to give you that newly wedded look

Also make sure to take tweezers,a razor , an epilator anything that will keep your body hair free.

Take also skin care products like anti dryness protective mousse, a good body scrub, moisturizer and sun block lotion.
Also don't forget to take your favourite fragrance that can do wonders in your special trip.

For your hubby, wrinkle free shirts are a must
He should also take both formal and casual wears such as a good pair of denim jeans that can be well teamed off with a black are a white shirt.

Sunglasses ,when the days become real scorchers
Medicines such as painkillers and anti- acid tablets for indigestion.
And of course your passport and travellers's cheque the thoughts of which you can almost forget in the overall excitement.

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Hanging Out

A family joint

Pavilion offers you various types of lip licking kebabs - grill (starting at Tk. 40 but varies with size), shwarma (Tk. 35 all kinds), tandoori (starting at Tk.110), shik (Tk 70 per shik), chaap (starting at Tk 35 and not going over Tk. 45) and many more special items. It also offers fast food, soups and Chinese dishes at reasonable prices, and "SET MENU"'s (from Tk. 75 onwards) with a variety of choices including Bangla food on alternate days.

The place has a wonderful family atmosphere and your kids will definitely have a fun-filled time at the attractive children's corner, with both indoor and outdoor playing areas. Not only does it have a familial ambience, but it also has provisions for arranging parties, functions, office conferences and catering services.

One of the main props they have equipped the place with, is a cosy outdoor barbecue area. The small yet comfy area consists of thatched sitting areas with log seats. The whole barbecue set-up promises a pleasant night out.

It is located at the heart of Gulshan on Gulshan Avenue in-between Gulshan one and two, beside One Bank and Agora. It is usually open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and is reopened from 5 p.m. and closes at 10 p.m.
Upon entering Pavilion, or even looking at it from outside, a potential customer may be unwilling to enter the food joint since honestly, the outward appearance is very unimpressive (but it is important to remember that it is a new place). The first sitting room displays no taste in furniture or ambience. The so-called gift shop is not very providing either. But the second room and the outdoor extension change the initial scepticism with which the customer may enter. All that is dull is not dead! This is one place that deserves not to be taken at face value because you can be assured that you will not regret giving it a chance.

By Sarah Zermin Huq