LS Pick
Ferns 'n’ petals

This is a newly established flower shop situated in Dhanmondi 8 (beside Helvetia). This is surely not a unique business venture but it stands out because of its ambience and style. This store has an attitude of its own. With all those imported fresh flowers and flower arrangements, this new store is surely a fantastic display and sales centre.

Once inside the store, one won't be able to take off one's eyes from those beautiful fresh roses. They seem to be perfect for a candlelit dinner or to propose to someone. You can also brighten up someone's day by just giving a fresh rose from Ferns and Petals. Apart from roses they also have a good collection of imported flowers. There are also some dry flowers arrangements found in the store.

They have professional flowerpot and basket designers from abroad who do it really well. The blend of flower and fern make the arrangements look very stunning. The pricing starts from Taka 250 and goes up till Taka 450 depending on quantity and design. The quality of flowers is high in terms of freshness and colour. They make flower baskets, Ikebana and also take customised orders.

The shop also has a good range of ribbons. These ribbons will make any gift look pretty and decorative. The price again varies, depending on the quality and style. Each yard usually costs within Taka 10. The entire ribbon rack looks stunningly gorgeous. Those ribbons come in uncommon shapes, colours, designs and sizes.

Ferns and Petals have gift items such as candles, baskets, decoration pieces, scented sticks etc. All these are available at a reasonably affordable price. These items can easily be good options for gift items.

The shop is altogether a delightful shopping experience for the customers. They are attracting a lot of customers for their decorative outlet, which is here for sure to do well. They will help people to add some ultra excitement to their special moments. These new and different kinds of ventures are good signs that prove people have developed an aesthetic sense to brighten up lives for all.

By Bohemian Soul

The house is full of people, as a wedding ceremony is about to take place. Flowers and various other items have been used to decorate the house. The bride is upstairs with her friends and is getting ready for the occasion, while her relatives are downstairs eagerly anticipating the arrival of the groom. After a few minutes, the bride's mobile phone rings and on receiving the call, the groom says, "Rakhi, I have arrived". Immediately, the bride runs to the nearby veranda and yells at the top of her voice: "He has arrived, the groom has arrived".

Nowadays instead of the beating of drums or the honking of car horns, a mobile phone is used to inform the bride of the groom's arrival. It is perhaps fair to say that mobile phones have now become an indispensable part of our lives, as we cannot contemplate passing a single day without using one. However, some people use their mobile phones in such an insensitive manner that people get annoyed. In particular, it is extremely irritating when it rings in a public place. It gets even more infuriating if the user keeps on conversing endlessly at the top of his/her voice. We have to tolerate such incidents every single day of our lives, as the vast majority of mobile phone users are insensitive to the feelings of other people. I am highlighting a few incidents that we encounter on a regular basis:

1. At the waiting room of a Doctor's chamber, approximately 55-60 patients wait patiently to consult the Doctor. During this wait if somebody's mobile phone rings he/she forgets that patients are around him/her and carries on conversing merrily. Probably the person does this to kill time, but he/she must keep in mind that the other patients in the room get irritated as a result of his/her conversation.

2. In Dhaka city nowadays many people travel by bus. They probably are doing so because of the high fares of CNG scooters or due to the fact that rickshaws have been banned from plying on certain VIP roads. Although people are saving a considerable amount of money by taking the bus, they are doing so at the expense of their peace of mind. This is primarily because the vast majority of bus drivers drive recklessly. However, another reason is when the buses get stuck in traffic jams, some passengers use their mobile phones to have a business-related discussion. A few even have the audacity to carry out a romantic conversation! They all do so without caring about the inconvenience they are causing to their fellow passengers.

3. Even at a cinema hall while watching an engrossing movie, the ring of a mobile phone invariably disturbs us. This results in our losing interest in the movie being shown.

4. On the streets of Dhaka we see that people converse with their mobile phones while driving a car or even riding a motorcycle. Such irresponsible behaviour can lead to an accident at any time.

In this regard we do understand that sometimes it becomes absolutely imperative to make a phone call. However, we feel that by using the SMS (short message service) service, users of mobile phones will greatly reduce the inconvenience they cause to other people. In conclusion, we must all keep in mind that a mobile phone is not a symbol of status. Therefore, it is absolutely nonsensical to flaunt it in public places.

By Sultana Yasmin
Translated by Sayeed Mahmud Nizam

My experience with parlours is not very interesting. As it is 'the most intrinsic part of a woman's life', as placed by my very close friend Mrittika and more because of her constant bellowing that I ought to get myself presentable as a 'woman', I reluctantly pay a monthly visit to the parlour. Now, her view of being a woman, or better say 'to look like a woman' is no less than being able to look something like 'the woman of today', i.e. the serial women- 'Kkusum, Kumud, Kali, Kashish, Prerna, Parvati...the list is endless. I tried to get Mrittika out of this serial mania by pointing her to 'Jassi'. "It seems I am a look alike of Jassi. Well Mri, what do you think?" I was caught totally off guard by her response "That what I am trying to tell you Saair! Now look. Jassi is bound to have her looks changed. When Jassi gets a new look, the world must find you in that look. As you have just mentioned the fact that you're a look alike of Jassi!"

I was dumfounded, but the matter did not end there. Mrittika then added after a pause, "You see, the problem, is you're only a look-alike of Jassi, but the brains; you'd definitely be wanting those." I was about to give Mri a piece of my mind, but she pointed to the resolution chart posted on my door. One of the many points said, "I won't rush into conclusions (contusions!) without judging Mrittika's words." It seemed that Mrittika had become very careful about all her steps; what should I call it? "Careful calculation and timely usage of the serial sequences" maybe!

I had initially started this piece with the notion of saying something about parlours; actually my few experiences with parlours. It seems that, as every woman's life starts and ends with the soaps i.e. the foaming serials, my article also contains a bit of that, which proves I'm a woman after all!

Jokes apart, the fact that I'm a woman was most pitifully delivered by a young child (precocious I must say) of seven years. At the parlour, (of course!) I was trying to read a piece by Richa (aah Star Mag! They keep this with the Stardust and Filmfares!) and trying not to eye the two ladies lying in front of me with their faces painted with a mashed thing, the colour (no offence!) very similar to a waste product. Now the above-mentioned child supplied me with the information that the 'goo' like substance was actually honey and "all these mohila…don't you think having honey all over your face makes you sticky?" I just nodded. "Then they are going to apply banana and also grapes and orange juice and ... and ... I forgot. But they put all these fruits ... hee, hee, hee!"

I didn't laugh. The chatterbox continued. "And, they have to keep their eyes shut with cucumber slices. A full face of fruit fiesta wouldn't you call these 'mohila' so?"

I didn't find this one funny either. Actually I had begun to see myself painted with those stuff. In my mind's eyes, I was there propped up on the couch with a cushion between the shoulder blades. The lock of hair over my forehead held back by a headband. And then the long vigorous massage with herbal oil which looked like black tar and smelt like onion with a pinch of cinnamon. Then my face being brushed with the paste of fruit fiesta. A flock of fruit flies bugging over and then last but not the least, the chatty kid pouring her last message into my ears "So you are another 'mohila' after all!"

My 'day mare' was snapped by a sharp shriek. A girl of five was having her ear pierced. The right one was done and now she was running all over the place with her mother on her tail and the parlour girls all trying their best to soothe her, calm her. "Jiboneo Korbo Naa", followed by another loud cry. A parlour girl with a gun-like thing, which was the piercer which worked as a punch cum stapler machine, she was grinning "Do it once only, dear.' You won't need it ever again!" The chatterbox was at my side. She fought back "Why, you must have your nose pierced at your wedding -- all the 'mohila's do so!"

This piece of knowledge struck like a lightning. One of my many reasons for not getting married includes this one. "For beautification, my dear, for beautification" Mrittika always says. Well for the sake of Venus, I think I won't get bothered by the fruit flies, but to have my nose pierced, that's a total no! I remember I had roamed about with a thread-ring dangling from one ear and the other one unpierced for a pretty long time. Then it too, was pierced and it had to be done in my sleep. Enough for nightmares to last till my teens.

I had returned from the parlour that day 'unbeautified'. Mrittika seems so much at a loss. "What will I do with you?" sort of look on her face. Then after a while she came up with a saucer. "And what's this?" I enquired. "A home made face pack. It has banana, honey, cucumber, rose water..."

Looks like I really have to run away. It doesn't seem very feasible to live in a 'home made parlour'. All those 'fruit flies nightmares'!

By Saair