Home   |  Issues  |  The Daily Star Home | Volume 1, Issue 36, Tuesday February 10, 2004

 

 

 

 

 

review

The week in review

Opening the newspaper following Eid was an intro to grim headlines. 251 people died in a stamped with 8 being our countrymen. Newspapers reported steps being taken by the Saudi government to arrest this regular occurrence in the city of Makkah. All these happen to be beautification projects and do not seem in any way related to preventing further deaths. Why do people run like crazy when they throw the stones at the pillars representing Satan? Are they afraid that Satan will come and bite them?

More depressing news included prices of cow hides being very low this Eid. The reason is that the mastaans and extortionists became hell bent on collecting the skins to sell at a low price to middlemen. Competition was so fierce that fights took place between rival hoodlums with one person being killed in Shantibagh. Seems the quadrupeds were not the only ones spilling their blood.

Other headlines included news of a launch crash on the 5th but at least this time there ws no sinking. 19 people were killed during the Eid holidays with robberies in Kawran bazaar and Bangabandhu Avenue. Start of the year takes place amid such grim news that it makes you wonder what the rest of the year will be like.
The only silver lining in the past week happens to be a recent development by European scientists. A new type of paint has been invented that helps to absorbs and neutralize nitrogen oxide from exhaust gases that causes smog and respiratory problems. Buildings painted with this coating will be able to absorb the gasses which will wash away and keep the air clean. The special paint is effective for 5 years and will be released next month. Just imagine what it could do for our country.
Eid hangover still continues. It is a good sign that people are still enjoying themselves but it is bad for the business community. Grocery shops have remained closed till two days after Eid. Automobile workshops are closed for a longer duration hence I am stuck with a malfunctioning car. Probably everyone is still lying in bed digesting the copious amounts of meat they ate. People, wake up!

By Ehsanur Raza Ronny


Style file

A splurge of spring?

It is back to the basics folks! Spring is coming back in full force and so is spring fashion. Runways are going wild under the constraint of creative minds and people are running helter skelter to make sure they don't commit a fashion suicide. But there is one surprising aspect to Spring fashion this time. In contradiction to the usual mild colours of spring, designers are choosing to go back to the basics and using solid, stark, striking earthen colours. The catwalks are seeing a splurge of black, white, grey, brown, beige, midnight blue, chocolate and the slight hint of peach, mauve, butterscotch, mint and orange to tease the senses and bring about a balance.

The motto for this season? K.I.S. Keep It Simple! Frills are in but in a dignified manner, while the cuts and fabrics are extremely feminine and very captivatingly encapsulating. Simplicity is the key word. Make up is being used in a unique way. While the lips are being painted glossy, the cheeks are experiencing a touch of both muted and matted rouge. Eyes are treated to a smoky haze bringing out the intensity in them and more often than not, the porcelain skin is left untainted.

But that's not all. Take care with your hair. Long hair is being tied back a severe look that leaves the femininity but takes out the girly-ness from the wardrobe. A bird's nest will not do. So all of you who have a tendency of leaving tendrils around those gorgeous faces forget it, it's a total no no! Ah! Now for the short hair. Time to be creative ladies. Time to put away the hair irons and take out the curlers and crimpers. Be creative but don't go wild.

And last but not the least fabric. Selecting the correct fabric is very important. Honestly, believe me, if looking good was worth all the pain some people go through then the world would be full of gorgeous people. Wear fabrics that let your skin breathe.

Wear chiffon, georgette, satin, and silk. If you can manage the cold, wear heavy cotton. A little synthetic is fine as long as you feel no clamminess. Leather might still be an option with the cool weather but use light weight leather or suede.
Spring is about making a new start. It is also about adopting a new look. Play with fabrics and colours. Mix and match or blend them harmoniously. The same goes for your make-up and hair. The simplistic look is much more becoming. You will have plenty of time to go wild in Fall. So what are you waiting for? Bring out the designer in you!

By Tahiat-E-Mahboob from New York


Check it out
Arysha

With all the different sorts of cuisine available nowadays, the restaurant Arysha definitely brings a new dimension to the already diverse culinary experience here in Dhaka. Arysha introduces the flavours of the Mediterranean, which is far different from the spicy south-eastern food. The restaurant serves authentic Lebanese cuisine, which has grown in popularity in the west mainly because of its health benefits. Lebanese cuisine focuses on herbs, spices and the freshness of ingredients. Like other Mediterranean cuisine, much of the Lebanese diet is dictated by the seasons.

Arysha boasts a very experienced head executive chef in Ahmad Mustafa Hammoud, who has worked at different hotels around the world. We can therefore predict that the quality of the restaurant shall be maintained.

The restaurant, just like authentic Lebanese cuisine revolves around the principle of 'mezze', where small portions of food are provided, much like appetizers. A typical Lebanese table would have mezze as starters followed by a main course. The restaurant also provides desserts such as Turkish delight and Baklava.

So, if you want to dine out in style and try out a totally new type of cuisine be sure to try out Arysha. The restaurant is located at 26 Circular Road, Gulshan-I.


Recipes

Chicken Salad Wakkei

Ingredients:
Boneless Chicken- 50 gm, Grapes- 4 pcs, Peeled oranges- 8 pcs, Apple 2 tbsp. Spring onions- 1 tbsp. Salad cream- 1 tbsp. Mayonnaise- 2 tbsp. Salt and pepper Mustard L.P sauce

Method:
(a). Firstly, the chicken has to be prepared. The method is quite simple and easy to carry out at home. Marinate the chicken with some mustard, pepper and L.P sauce for 10 minutes. After marinating, put the chicken into the oven until the chicken is well roasted. For those of you who don't have an oven, place the chicken into a non-stick fry pan and roll it over quite a few times under low temperatures. Again, wait until the chicken is well done. After preparing the roasted chicken, let it cool off and then slice into small pieces.

(b). Put the fruits and the spring onions into a mixing bowl along with the sliced chicken. Toss the salad and add the salad cream, salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Toss it again. Garnish it as you may wish.

By Executive Chef Linus Rozario Tapan, Dhaka Sheraton Hotel

 

 

Tips

Diet tips:

The purpose of going on a diet is to reduce weight yet remain healthy. Since the age-old cliché says that Health is Wealth, we must work towards accumulating more of this wealth to live longer, and to live in a good shape.

Before running after a diet program, there are a few things, which if you keep in mind would enable you put a stronger check on your eating. If you keep your eyes open and try to follow the tips cited below, it's guaranteed that you would eat less and thus, weigh less.

Whenever you plan to shed your fat, remember to eat less of oily foodstuffs. Avoid greasy foods, which are highly rich in cholesterol.

Try to consume water-rich foods. Opt for juicy fruits; fresh fruit juices and plenty of water.

No matter when you hear the groan of appetite from your guts, quickly drink a glass of water. Sometimes we mistake an overwhelming thirst for hunger. After drinking a glass of water wait for around 20 minutes, and if you still feel hungry then eat.

Soups are really healthy. So when you go on a diet choose to have soups in your diet list, however avoid creamy soups.

Before sitting on your chair in the dining table, decide on how much your are going to eat. And try your best not to surpass the level you have set for yourself.

In order to reduce your craving for food; eat some fresh fruits 20 minutes before your meal.

If you are going to a restaurant, decide ahead of time what you are going to eat. And stick to the decision.

Teach yourself to like healthy foods and dislike unhealthy ones.

Last of all, write a list of reasons stating why you want to lose weight. Review the list of purposes and refresh it once a week; reviewing the list will make you feel more motivated to eat less of unhealthy food and lose weight.

These simple recommendations will turn out to be splendidly useful only if you follow them sincerely. Don't live to eat. But eat to live a better life.

By Wara Karim


Hanging Out

Chinese restaurants

Has anyone ever thought of making use of the warmly lit restaurants of Dhaka City that serve Chinese dishes (although the original ingredients of these cuisine are manipulated to satisfy the bangalee tongue) as spots for hanging out? Maybe on those special days when you draw your monthly salary check or your dad gives you your monthly pocket allowance, you can take one or two of your special friends to a Chinese restaurant and have a lip smacking lunch among thick, yummy Thai soup, salad, fried rice, chowmein, sweet sour prawn and so much more. Treats at these Chinese restaurants are quite expensive, so it will be better if you share the total bill among all the members of your crowd.

Unlike the fast food outlets, these restaurants don't hold up a boisterous setting. Besides, we have just celebrated the Eid ul Azha and feasted on hot dishes of beef and mutton. So let's bid a big good bye to red meat for a while and bring a change to our diet. A visit to these Chinese restaurants will grant you a great opportunity to feast on some delicious vegetable, chicken and fish cuisine for a change; your tongue will also be relieved from the spicy flavour of beef and mutton curries that we gobbled down for days at a row.

So if you can seize a few hours from your daily schedule this week, then take your friends or family to a dimly lit, cosily decorated Chinese restaurant for a dinner and enjoy the less spicy dishes that these restaurants have to offer.


By Wara Karim



 
 

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