Shop talk

Pokemon trading cards
Pokemon are tiny little creatures that scream and flash in bright colors and fight a lot of battles. I think. It's a Japanese anime that has captivated the children's imaginations worldwide and now it is set to take on parents' wallets. In most of the computer/CD stores you will find Pokemon trading cards. They come in packs of 9 or 11 cards each and cost 140-150 taka per pack. The cards depict characters and can be traded among friends for points. A total of 60 cards allow the owner to play games with others. Present this to any Pokemon fan and you are bound to become a favorite till the next time you give a gift.

Kid's learning
Chhuti is a multimedia CD for children. It is an effort of Focus Future Works. The second edition is in the market with more improved amusement. You can find it at IDB, Eastern Plaza and Ideas in Aziz Super Market, Shahbag. It contains rhymes, stories, educational tips with the aid of colorful graphics and music. It costs 200 taka.

Cat on a pedestal
Cats have to be the most intelligent creatures on earth. They sit around basically doing nothing while licking their paws and their owners go crazy for them. Cats pretty much resemble a stuffed toy for their lack of activity. Despite this owners (rather more like slaves) cater to the cats' every whim. If you love your cat so much and treat them like royalty you might also want to feed them like one. You can find canned or bagged cat food at Jans Supermarket in Banani. The cost is about 245 taka.

Peanut butter
Let's face it, there is nothing more heavenly than bread with dollops of peanut butter. It's the simplest and most tasty snack you can have while lazily lying down and dreaming of five course dinners. Of course the fun ends when you land the buttered side on your shirt while watching your favorite movie. You can get jars of peanut butter at Agora in Dhanmondi for 144 taka. There are two types available. There is the regular creamy butter that melts around you mouth and then there is the crunchy type for those who want to make a lot of noise while eating. You will find these just above the ice cream freezer.

Disposable dishes
You are having a party but hate to clean up afterwards? The solution comes in disposable paper plates and cups. The sets come in 20 pieces and the plates cost 60 taka while the cups are 55 taka per set. To make sure that the eating experience is not completely dulled by the low cost paper these come in simple but attractive designs. You can find these at Agora and are perfect for picnics in the coming winter season. You can even throw the plates around like a Frisbee when bored. Just make sure there is no food remaining on it.

Sparkly candles
No birthday wish is complete without someone blowing out the candles. You can find small sets of 20 candles at Rainbow within the range of 20-40 taka. They come with flared holders to prevent wax dripping onto the cake. If you want to literally add a little glitter to the occasion you can get the candles that sparkle when lit.
By Ehsanur Raza Ronny

Jordana's slim-stick lipstick
Jordana's slim-stick lipsticks are available in a wide range of shades to flatter your lips. Try out colors like Café and other tints of brown, which are simply grand in giving a luscious look to one's lips. Available at tk.200, these lipsticks are available in all the showrooms of Jordana cosmetics.

For the best fragrance
Many of us will certainly buy a bottle of our favourite perfume in the coming Eid. After all, what is a festival without a mind-blowing aroma ruling the air? With all other important expenses to attend to, though, we are often faced with a tight budget. But no worries, shops like Almas, Priyo, Prime Collection, Soma General Store have a wide collection of mini versions of celebrated perfume brands like Hugo Boss, Anais Anais, Davidoff, Ferrari etc available at tk.250 to tk.350. These perfumes sell out like hot cakes so, grab a bottle as fast as you can.

Classy bangles
Golden is the colour that seems to be catching many a woman's regard in recent times. As you browse the malls, your eyes will not miss a glimpse of those fashionable gold-coloured wrist accessories, which have dangling adornments. Feminine indeed! The prices vary tremendously from place to place. While the renowned stored might hike tk.100 for a pair, the small not-so-popular retailers of New Market and Gausia would be glad to sell each pair for tk.50.

For superb shoes
As the Ramadan is nearing, the Eid shopping spree looks to be engulfing us from all sides. A pair of shoes is a must-have item for a grand festival like the Eid. Although there are numerous shops to choose from, there are certain outlets which sell high quality smart shoes. Check out Cartier Shoes, situated on the second floor of Metro Shopping Mall. This particular store caters to those men and women, who have taste for choice shoes and slippers. You can, as a matter of fact, visit all the shoe stores of Metro Shopping Mall; most of the shops there retail fashionable footwear for both men and women. And as for women, you can purchase a pair of really cool slippers for around tk.600 from Metro Shopping Mall.

Party peepers
Jordana Bazaar at Metro Shopping Mall has a display of truly fashionable eye shadows from Avon. Available at tk.150, these boxes of eye colors will definitely enhance your eyes in the coming Eid. There are other products of Avon also gracing the shelves of Jordana Bazaar. So find some time to visit this store if you are really craving for a pair of dramatic eyes in the upcoming Eid.

Add drama to your eyes
Elle 18, the trusted Indian cosmetics brand has been marketing little bottles of liquid eyeliners under the slogan "be trendy." These cute little bottles are really economical and are obtainable at renowned stores like Almas, Priyo and many more. These tiny bottles are really adorable, and are available at only tk.50.

Coasters
All over the world, coasters are used for putting mugs, glass or cups on them. Coasters are of different sizes and shapes, to make it attractive to look at various visuals are now used on them. In Bangladesh, coasters are available in different shapes and sizes and are available in New Market, Mouchak Market, Gulshan Market etc. The price range of these coasters is Tk 15 to Tk 50.

By Wara Karim

 

 

Essentials

Price hike
It is the same case every year. Just before Ramadan, prices of all essential goods hike up. As always prices have already increased this year, to the extent that onions were selling at Tk.36 per kg. However the government this year intervened and it seems that the volatile market is beginning to stabilise. However it can all change and go up. Corrupt businessmen, responsible for this hike should be punished.

Wastage of electricity
The spirit of Islam is always against unnecessary usage of resources. In some of the cases we see just the opposite. During Ramadan all around Dhaka we see lighting in all major shopping centres. This is a complete waste of electricity. The country already has inadequate power supply. Owners of shopping malls should refrain from doing it. If necessary wastage of power like this should be restricted by law.

Warmth for the destitute
Ramadan just started and along with it, winter is approaching slowly. Obviously, you will be donating money to the destitute as Zakat. Some people prefer to donate clothes instead of money. Donating warm clothes instead of regular ones might help the poor more than you can think in this coming winter. Give them brands that last for more than one season.

Why don't you decide?
Who arranges the best Iftar party? It is like a competition every year. This competition takes place between families, the malik shamity or kallyan shamity. However, the most intense competition takes place amongst of our major political parties. It is always war between them even if it is about Iftar. Every year they spend a huge amount of money arranging grand Iftar parties, which is actually a grand wastage. Say no to Iftar parties this year and avoid unnecessary spending.

Stay healthy
Crunchy piazoo or chhola is the regular menu of Iftar. The most popular too. They do taste great. However, after long day fasting, these oily foods might give you stomachache. Instead of eating all the rich food in the Iftar, try soup, vegetable khichuri, fresh fruit or fruit juices and of course drink a lot of water.

By Shahnaz Parveen