Check it out

Dressy dale in this summer

It’s summer time. The raging sun is frying us like barbecued kebabs. In this blistering heat, nothing less than a cool breeze will satisfy us. Fashion house Dressy Dale introduces their summer collection which will enable trendy women to encounter the summer in style. Light colours like blue, pink, purple, grey, and white, which will divert heat, are in prominence in this collection. Simplicity is at the core of the collection. The collection will be available in UAE complex, Banani and Ambala complex, Dhanmondi galleries of Dressy dale from 2nd May.

Dress up your summer at Mayasir

What's been the one thing that everyone's been grumbling about? That's right…the heat… Summer is here in all its glory, with the sun shooting death-rays at us, and the sky like molten lead overhead. Well, if you want to battle the heat, you have to have the right armour. Cotton dresses should be heading your summer shopping list this season, and if they are, then Mayasir should be your destination. They have a super collection of comfy cotton wear to help you keep your cool.

The women's line contains summer suits, kurtis, blouses and saris. For the men there are punjabis, short kurtis, suits and summer shirts. Children can look forward to two and three-pieces. The styles are sharp and classic, the colours soft and light. All the items are in cotton, and embellished with fine embroidery. To complete the picture, Mayasir is also introducing jewellery, leather, and other fashion accessories for the summer

So head over to all the Mayasir outlets and check them out…or miss out.

LS Desk

Free makeover

It's only for two days and its a chance of a lifetime. Free personal grooming and make-up workshop on 14th and 15th of this month, from 10am to 5pm, at Farzana Shakil's Hair and Beauty for ladies only. In the workshop Farzana Shakil will reveal some of her tricks and traits of grooming. If you don't want to miss this chance enroll immediately for limited seats at house 3/A, Road 28, Dhanmondi Dhaka.

-LS Desk

Tips

A few handy tips

A few kitchen tips and tricks can save a lot of time and reduce the unpleasant hassle of keeping things fresh and sparkling.

Potatoes start to bud if you stow them in your kitchen for long. However, if you place an apple in your bag of potatoes, you can prevent them from budding.

Eggshells tend to crack when we boil them. Did you know, though, that adding a pinch of salt to the water in which we are boiling eggs could prevent them from cracking?

To remove those unpleasant burn-marks of scorched food from your metal pans and pots, simply add a drop or two of dishwashing soap and enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Heat it on the stove and you will see those stubborn stains coming off very easily.

Sometimes some things leave us unmindful during cooking and we tend to over-salt a dish. If you ever do that then just drop in a slice of peeled potato in the curry as this would absorb any extra salt present in the dish.

To determine whether an egg is fresh or not, put them in a bowl full of water. If the egg submerges then it is fresh but if it floats on the water then it must be rotten.

Potatoes will take food stains off of your hands. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
Ants, ants everywhere...Well but they are said to never cross a chalkline. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor. Chalks are available in many of the general stores of Dhaka. You can easily obtain a packet for only tk.10 or so.

By Wara Karim

Diary of a food obsessed person
By Sam Q

Name: SAM A.H.Q
Weight: 105 kg
Age: let's not get into that
Martial status: married
Children: One great son

I really get uptight when I hear friends saying "Boy, he is 90 kg! He is going to die." So I wonder, where does that leave me? Dead? Anyway today was a good day. I exercised for a full 40 minutes, ate sensibly and am basically feeling proud of myself. If I can only pass the night without snacking, I am home free.
I made a deal with my son today, I will put away 20tk, daily, for him if he can make me do 50 sit-ups and 50 stomach crunches after my workout.
My husband said that I'm his fat old lady, so what does that make him? A thin old guy who talks too much.

Comment of the day: "Hey sis, you are looking ‘normal’ fat today. From behind, still abnormally fat but up front.... normal fat."
Sigh...whatever works for you, sis.

healthy recipe for the day:
Ingredients: 1 fish fillet (1 kg)
2 tbsp chopped garlic
4 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
2 tsp white paper
2 tbsp olive oil
*If you do not want it this healthy, substitute the olive oil with 4 oz of butter. The transformation of taste is tremendous.
Method: Make a good paste of the garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil\butter marinate the fish for 30 min in the paste. Grill the fish for 10 min or put the fish in a roasting pan and put it in the oven till both sides are golden brown.
Till next week.... Live life to the fullest and enjoy

Hanging Out

JU campus, a place akin to paradise

Last week we visited the DU campus to bring about some changes in our routine. The following week we went to the JU campus. It might not be a regular hangout for Dhaka dwellers but this place certainly deserves a visit every once in a while. It is almost the next best place to heaven.

It is an hour ride from the city. Transportation mode other than your family car can be Premium AC bus, BRTC city link service, or for a cheaper option, try the local buses from Gulistan.

You will feel the crisp air in your lungs even before you enter the area. Once you’re in, the greenery will overwhelm you. You will realise what a concrete jungle Dhaka is. We suggest you stroll around the campus on foot. Take off your shoes, walk on the gentle grass and tingle your senses. Place yourself beside any one of the lakes and indulge in its splendour. Prolong your stay there. The campus has several lakes. Most beautiful among them is the one beside twin dormitories, Jahanara Imam Hall and Pritilota Hall. Some of the guest birds forgot to fly back home and can be seen in this lake. Listen to their chattering, watch them looking for food under the water. If you go behind the building of Statistics Department, the lake is even more picturesque.

If you feel thirsty for a cup of tea, Shupari tola is a nice place. There are several tin shed tea stalls. Sit on one of the benches under the shades of shupari trees (betel nut) and sip your tea lazily.

When you are recharged, let your exploration begin in full swing. You would not want to miss a nice quite stroll on the streets around the M. H. hall. It is simply grand around there. The entire campus is adorned with Krishnochura trees in full bloom. If you follow the road that leads to VC's bungalow and walk towards the Prantik gate, Krishnochura, Jaarul and a variety of other trees will dazzle you. The campus is the habitat of a few exotic birds. If you are lucky enough then you might get a chance to glance at one of them.

By this time you might feel hungry. The best place to have lunch is Bot tola, opposite Bhashani Hall. The place is usually packed during noon and sometimes it becomes difficult to get a little space inside one of these tin shed restaurants. Their bhorta is a must try. With steamy bhaat, they serve vegetable, fish curies, chicken and beef. Lunch is also served at the central cafeteria. In Prantik and the Dairy farm gate, there some more tin shed restaurants. In here you will get a chance to cool yourself with soft drinks and ice cream. In all of these places, the food is amazingly cheap.

Evening makes the campus even more appealing and if you can coincide your visit with a full moon then it will definitely be a memorable outing.

In our brief description of the campus we have used words like linger or lazily. Well, it is a place where you can spend the day languidly forgetting all the hassles of the city life. It might feel hot and sweaty during this time of the year but the endurance of this minor pain is worth it.

By Shahnaz Parveen