Shop special

The Crafts Center

The Craft Centre is a tribal handicrafts shop run by an Australian NGO nestled in a house on the road behind Movenpick in Gulshan. This shop boasts a rich collection of tribal ware mainly done by the Murung tribe.

A tad bit expensive, the shop specialises in Murung wall hangings, cushion covers, artefacts, handmade paper stationary, bags and trinkets. The shop is nestled in a tranquil neighbourhood and is shielded away from the hustle bustle of traffic.

The Craft Centre aims at developing and aiding tribes and in doing so it is providing Dhaka city with yet another haunt for buying quality handicraft products. While it is no match for the handicrafts giants of the country, it is a niche-like diversion for people who are in search for a little more out of the way products.

Among the Craft Centre's unique products are the exquisite woven wall hangings done by the Murung tribe. But mind you, these have a pretty price tag attached to them too. The tribal wraps are also nice and the antique treasure chests are opulent as well.

Most quality products require a little bit of wallet digging but unique things are often hard to come by. So the next time you are in the neighbourhood, treat yourself with a visit to The Crafts Centre and decide for yourself if it's a treasure trove or not. Their address is- house- 31, road- 36, Gulshan-2.

By Tahiat-e-Mahboob

Muslin Mats
These mats are fine and delicate, not to forget extremely elegant. If you want some exquisite muslin mats for your home then pay a visit to the showrooms of Aarong. A set comprising 3 tablemats made from quality muslin will cost you tk.55. You can also find some attractive muslin napkins as well as fine hand embroidered napkin done dextrously, each set of muslin napkins is priced at tk.115.

Place mats knitted by hands
Commonly known as kurshi-kata, place mats done in awesome crocheting by pegs is wonderful to look at. They can change the air of your dining hall if placed at the centre of a round dining table. Knitted marvellously, each of these mats can be used to grace the centre table of your living room, your dressing table or your bedside desk. Each of these pleasant place mats will cost you tk.100 at any branch of Aarong.

New drink
Upper 10 is a relatively new drink in town that kids especially seem to like a lot. It is a bit low on fizz but is otherwise like most other lemon sodas. It is marketed by RC and is available all grocery shops. It comes in small cans as well as the large 2 liter PET bottles.

Towels
A day without a towel is hard to imagine; you need them in your shower, kitchen and dining room. Towels of varied colours and sizes are available at Government New Market, Dhaka. Most of these towels come from Thailand and are available in many of the general stores of New Market. The large bath towels will usually cost you between tk.250 and onwards. The kitchen towels with pleasing images of vegetables; fruits and flowers are priced within tk.40 to tk.60. Locally made towels are however, priced much lower. Mind you that a good bargaining skill can push the prices even lower. Besides, the footpath vendors of New Market also sell similar quality towels; you can get away with a cheap deal if you buy your towels from these vendors.

Writing Pads
Writing pads are really handy, you can use them to jot down important tasks of the day, class notes, important addresses, phone numbers and much more. Reporters often carry one such notebook whenever they go on an assignment. Cooks keep one in the kitchen to inscribe recipe of their favourite cuisine. You can keep one in your tote too. Notebooks and slip pads from Heart's are available in most of the stationers of Dhaka. Available in a wide range of sizes, these writing tablets will cost you between tk.8 and tk.35.

Pocket Tissues
Keep a pack in your pocket or purse and you won't search for one while sweating under the scorching sun. Pocket tissues are truly useful and will cost you around tk.5 only. Local companies like Fay, Touch and Bashundhara manufacture tissue papers in mini packs for the convenience of their consumers. These tissues are handy as well as low-priced. Pockets tissues are widely available at your nearby stores.

Cushion Covers
Want some fashionable cushion covers for your home? Then stop by the outlets of Aarong next time you go shopping. With eye catching block prints done on cotton fabric, these cushion covers are worth becoming a valuable element of your living room. At Aarong, you will also come across stylish cushion covers prepared from jeans. Prices of these beautiful cushion cases will usually vary between tk.75 and tk.187.

Popcorn delight
One of the simplest snacks to prepare is popcorn and children will just love it. You can buy the Indian Act 2 popcorn as well as several assorted local brand for prices between 10-35 taka. All you have to do is put it into the oven or heat in a closed pot. Watch out for it is also a snack that can make a huge mess.

Crayons for pass time
Children are sent to school so that parents can take a break. Unfortunately they have an affinity for falling ill at the most inopportune moments. It could be broken legs, sore throats or even fake coughs to bunk school and it means a restless child at home. Relatives and friends who want to pamper the child can buy Faber Castell crayons that are 40 taka for a small twelve piece box. Add some colouring books that have different foods, animals, shapes etc at around 35 taka that will keep the kid busy for a while so that the parent can take a breather.

By Wara Karim

 

 

Essentials Special

Don't hate me 'cause I'm lucky…
Your next-door neighbour Kuddus seems to have it made. Whatever he does, things just fall into place for him, and you're left wondering "What's he got that I ain't got?" Is it just plain dumb luck? Does he have a genie in a bottle somewhere that you don't know about? The truth is, 'lucky' people have a different approach to life. They plan, prepare, and work for their goals in a manner that helps them get it. Be it something career-oriented, or just self improvement, there are a few things you can incorporate into your lifestyle that'll boost your chances at success.

Take calculated risks
If you really want to reach the stars, you have to be willing to make the jump, but don't forget to pack a parachute. Lucky people know the difference between what is risky, and what is plain reckless. They do the math, and perform acts that seem daring, but are actually based on informed hunches with a clear sense of the probability of success. Don't be afraid to take risks, but make sure you know what you're doing before you take the plunge.

Turn problems into opportunities
When you come up against a problem, try to work your way around it, by looking for a different solution. John Grisham was a successful lawyer, who was gradually getting disenchanted by the legal system, and how it worked. He decided to channel his frustration into writing, and now he's a best-selling author.

Know when to back off
There's also a phrase called 'pushing your luck'. While it's good to be persistent, you should also know your limits. Unlucky people are often stubborn, refusing to change course or cut losses out of a misplaced ego, or just plain ignorance. As Kenny Rogers said in his song: "You have to know when to hold it, know when to fold it, know when to walk away, and know when to run."

Reach out to people
Networking is an important way of collecting know-how, or simply making important contacts. Talk to people; discuss ideas. You never know when you come across a great idea you could exploit, or pick up on tips you could use. Talking to different people will also give you the bigger picture.

Success = work
If you're a fan of Jeffrey Archer, and have read 'Kane and Abel' or 'The Prodigal Daughter', you'll know that all his principal characters shot into the limelight after years of hard work. A wise person I know speaks of the 'WWG' (Want, Work, Get) formula. When you want something, you work for it, and then you get it. It's that simple. After all, the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. Success isn't all about chance and circumstance; it's also about playing your cards right. A little intuition, a little persistence, a lot of effort, and a dash of optimism…those are the main ingredients you need.

!By Sabrina F Ahmad