Shop special

1 to 99 Shopping Mall

Do you think that most shops sell items at overpriced prices? Have unnecessarily costly items made your shopping experience bitter? If your answer to these questions is yes, then we are glad to inform you that there is now a shop that sells items at amazingly low prices.

As the name suggests, 1 to 99 Shopping Mall, sells all its items in the range of Tk 1 Tk 99. Yes, that is right, no item will cost you more than Tk 99! Are you wondering what kind of items they sell for such low prices? Well, you will be able to find: Clothes, Toys, Computer hardware, Kitchen utensils, Stationery, Electrical goods, Crockery, Cosmetics, Jewellery, Leather products, Toiletries, Sanitary fittings, Food items etc. Now that is an impressive list, right? You can bet your life it is!

The decor of the mall could have been better, though. The walls have been painted using a dull colour, and the floor has an unimaginative simple mosaic design. Moving around from one part of the shop to another is a bit difficult as the aisles are extremely narrow. Another negative point is that the shop is not air-conditioned, and so when the shop gets crowded, the conditions might get unpleasant.

Should you refrain from visiting the shop because of the above-mentioned negative aspects? In one word we would say: NO. This is because the bargains that you get from the shop are simply incredible. If you have to endure a drab environment for a few minutes in order to get some excellent deals, then you should definitely do so. Also, the employees of the shop are reasonably friendly, and so the shopping experience will not be totally devoid of positive aspects.

1 to 99 Shopping Mall currently has only one branch in Dhaka city and it is located in Uttara. It commenced business from 14 April 2004, and has already proved to be extremely popular with the residents of Uttara. This is clearly reflected from the numerous customers who visit the shop. In case you do not live in Uttara, the good news for you is that the shop plans to open branches in Gulshan and Dhanmondi after Eid-ul-Fitr. Till then, drive all the way to Uttara, and return home with items bought at amazingly low prices.

Address: House 1, Road 2, Sector 7, Uttara, Dhaka.

By Sayeed Mahmud Nizam

Ladies' belts
Want a piece of eye-catching belt to wear with jeans and top? If yes, then don't forget to pay a visit to Lavender. This fashionable store has a wide collection of chic belts waiting to adorn your waist. Embellished with leather, plastic beads, stones, chains and buckles, each piece is unique in its own way. These belts are sure to change your outlook in a jiffy. Price starts from as low as Tk.335 and mount as high as over Tk.1000. So if you want to rock a party with a trendy waist adornment, don't forget to pay a visit to Lavender.

Beautiful Hairpins
An exquisite hairpin can add elegance to your look. But then you have to have really long hair to use one of those stylish pins available at Lavender. Normally known as khopar kata, these pins are made from hard transparent plastic that look pleasing indeed. Some of these pins uphold attractive stonework and a classy look. Each of these pins will cost you around Tk.200 at Lavender. You can also purchase hairpins for regular use from the outlets of Almas Super Shop and Priyo.

Lavish Lip-Gloss
Lip-glosses are 'in'. They are cool and they bestow a sensual look on any woman. Available in a wide range of shades, lip-glosses from Personi are worth purchasing this season. If you don't like those coloured ones, then go for their natural shade. Dab lip-gloss over a matte lipstick and your lips will be set ready to draw others' attention. Lip-glosses from Personi are available in many of the stores of Rifles Square, Metro Shopping Mall, Rapa Plaza and others. Each lip-gloss from Personi will cost you about Tk.130.

Table Clocks
Table clocks turn out to be especially useful when you need to wake up early in the morning to rush for your college or your office. Those of us who love to sleep till noon particularly need to purchase a table clock and place it on the bedside table or behind our pillow. Table clocks have become very cheap these days, within Tk.100 to Tk.150 you can buy Chinese or Taiwanese table clocks from the watch stores of New Market. So get one to be punctual for your appointments and classes.

Terracotta Pots
Terracotta pots top the list of house decorating items. If you are a plant lover then terracotta pots are a must-have item for you. These pots vary by size and designs. Some of these pots are really eye-grabbing and hold up admirable artistry of Bangladeshi artisans. The street vendors of Dhanmondi sell terracotta pots of diverse colours and styles; some are quite large and look good if placed in one corner of living room. These large pots are principally used to put houseplants. You too can buy one such large earthen pot to embellish your home. The price of these pots usually start from Tk.150 and rise as high as a few hundreds, depending on quality and intricacy of designs.

RC in 500ml bottle
RC cola, lemon and upper10 are now available in small economy bottles of 500 ml. Each bottle will cost you Tk.15; the price is quite reasonable. And the greatest benefit of these small bottles is that you can carry them along with you wherever you go. Just place the bottle on your tote or college bags and drain the fizz whenever you are thirsty.

By Wara Karim

 

 

Essentials Special

Beating Shyness
Do you find yourself tongue-tied at parties? Does the idea of attending a social function make you break out in cold sweat? Did you miss out on making some great friends at work because you couldn't muster up the courage to speak to them? You're not the only one. Shyness is a very common problem, and a sad one, because it affects your ability to interact with people. The good news is, you can beat the problem. Here's how you can do it:

Role playing
Create a character, an 'un-shy' version of yourself. Envision what s/he would be like, to the smallest detail. Now, rehearse the role of the character, what s/he says, how s/he says it. Once you're familiar with the character, when in a social situation, pretend that you are that character. When you're role-playing, you're less self-conscious, because that isn't 'you' saying or doing those things; it's the character you created. As you interact more with people through the character, you gain in confidence, and soon, you'll feel comfortable being yourself, and won't need that character to help you network with other people. Scripting can also help you prepare for something important, like talking to your boss about a promotion, or meeting your child's schoolteacher.

Research
Do your homework. Before going to a social gathering, like a party for example, find out beforehand who's going to be there, and then a little about them, like their professions, or interests. This will help you break the ice with them, and give you something to talk about. This approach also works really well in business, if you know a little about the backgrounds of the people you're dealing with, you can be more in control of the conversation, and impress the persons too.

Body language
Shy people give out signals of aloofness without realising it, and this sometimes creates those moments of awkwardness when they are interacting with other people. Look at your posture, and see whether your body language gives off the 'shyness' vibes. There are six simple tricks to coming across as a good conversationalist. Firstly, smile. That makes you look friendly. Uncross those legs and arms, so that you look more comfortable. Lean forward, so that you look interested in what the other person has to say. Don't be afraid to make physical contact when necessary, like shaking hands. Make eye contact. This is really important, because you want to project your confidence.
Don't let your shyness stop you from enjoying social gatherings. Carry yourself with confidence, believe that you can, and you can kiss those awkward moments goodbye.

.!By Sabrina F Ahmad