Spotlight

Stone 'N' String

A slew of events has passed us by; birthdays, anniversaries, and now Eid is finally knocking on our doors. Men, it is time yet again to buy a loved one a very special gift. Translate that as jewellery, forever and always, a woman's best friend! For the ladies, shopping for your other halves or your kids may certainly feel good, but buying a piece of jewellery for yourselves can be equally fun. For Eid, if you don't want heavy, over the top jewellery such as those worn at weddings, then saunter over to Stone 'N' String for simpler yet elegant and chic ones that can be worn with everyday wear.

Stone 'N' String, a Srilankan franchise, is a brand name that represents a certain level of craftsmanship with classic designs. The co-owners of Stone 'N' String in Gulshan (35 Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan 1) are Kudsia Moyeen and Sania Mahmood, and the branch was opened on October, 2003. All the jewellery is brought from Srilanka, and designs are replaced with new ones almost every month. Moyeen mentions |hat they try to house a variety of designs, keeping in mind tha| certain styles coordinate better with our ethnic wear.

The store has a wide range of sets embellished with {emi-precious stones, though those in precious stone{ such as Sapphire, Ruby, and Emmrald may also be found. The base metal for all the pieces is Copper Alloy on which 22KT Gold plating or rhodium plating has been done. Semi precious stones include Turquoise, Sandstone, Howlyte dyed (glazed blue in colour), Garnet, Carnelian (blood orange), Jade, Coral, Tiger-Eye, Black Onyx, Rhodanyte (dark pink) and Lapis Lazuli among others. Crystals include coloured ones, as well as the more expensive Swarovsky. Designs range from modern and stylish, to classic elegance. An example of the latter is a disk-shaped, Crystal encrusted locket, with an onion pink ribbon or sash that is reminiscent of a particular style in the 70's. Others on display include an intricately designed Oxidised Copper Alloy necklace set with Crystal stones, a dyed Pearl necklace with Crystal beads, and a Crystal necklace with Meena work. There are Sandstone necklaces with Copper and Crystal work, freshwater Pearls, and combinations of precious and semi-precious stones such as Onyx and Ruby, Garnet and Crystal, Pearl and Ruby, and so on. A good example of modern design includes the lasso sets, available in Gold plating as well as the antique Oold finish. The small Crystal earrings and the Coral range are quite popular. Some Coral stones are shaped into roses and made into lovely earrings and pendants, some with a combination of small leaves carved out of Jade. Bracelets in Silver Sterling, others in rhodium plating and encrusted with Crystal are also on display. The store is not wholly limited to women. Men's kurta buttons and cufflinks in Silver Sterling (some fashioned with stones) are also available.

Unlike other jewellery stores, all pieces such as pendants, earrings, necklaces and so on are sold separately if one does not desire to purchase an entire set. The prices of pendants range from Tk780 to Tk10265. Sets are Tk375 to Tk39000. Rings set in crystal are Tk290 to Tk2000. The prices of rings set in stone range from Tk740 to Tk2000. The kurta buttons cost Tk1610, and the cufflinks range from Tk685 to Tk2500.

At Stone 'N' String, one can be certain of the fact that all things bought are genuine. All semi-precious and precio}s stone pieces come with a guarantee card, along with instructions on how to take care of the jewellery purchased.

Therefore, if you were planning to add a touch of subtle sophistication to your Eid wear, Stone 'N' String jewellery would be an ideal candidate.

By Rubaiyat Khan

Shop talk

Eid Cards
Greeting loved ones with Eid cards are popular among young and old alike. The tradition has been there for quite some time now and is gaining new momentum every year. A lot of gift shops and handicraft stores have made eye-catching cards for thm upcoming Eid. At the outlets of Archies and Hallmark, you will come across a really broad range of Eid cards whose prices will usually range from tk.30 to tk.75 and sometimes much higher. If you are looking forward to giving some handmade Eid cards to your loved ones this year, then check out Aarong, Prabartana, Jatra etc. At these handiwork shops, prices of cards will usually vary from tk.20 and above.

Jewellery at Shahrukh's
If you are planning to buy some off-track terra-cotta jewellery this Eid, pay a visi~ to Shahrukh's located at Metro Shopping Mall. \heir terra-cotta jewellery is multi-coloured and upholds some unique patterns. And those of you who have a passion for earthen ornaments, this would be your ideal store. Prices will range from tk.40 to over tk.150 depending on the intricacy of the designs.

For a pair of dramatic eyes
Eid is not too far away, and you surely want to get an attractive make over on the big day. Lining eyes beautifully is one of the 'in' make-up tricks of this season. If you can properly line your eyes with quality eyeliner, you can be rest assured that you'll be turning some heads. At stores like Almas, Priyo, Prime Collection and other stores of Dhanmondi and Gulshan, you will find a wide variety of eyeliners of different brands and shades. While Maybelline and L'Oreal will generally cost you o~er tk.300, brands like Lakmé, Elle18 and Jordana are likely to be within tk.150. So check out the popular malls in the city and grab a bottle of quality eyeliner for a pair of dramatic eyes this Eid.

Prayers caps, Essence and shurma
For the men out there, buying a new prayer cap, essence, shurma or Tasbi is an integral part of Ramadan and Eid. If you are planning to buy the above mentioned items this Ramadan, pay a stop at Baitul Mukarram, New Market, Kakrail mosque and Farmgate. At these places, a small bottle of essence will cost you from tk.50 to a few hundreds. The bottles of Arabian essence will cost you much higher but they are worth buying because the aroma will linger on you for hours. Prayer caps will cost you between tk.25 and tk.50. Actually prices will depend a lot on your ability to haggle with the shopkeepers.

By Wara Karim

Diary of a Food Obsessed Person

Dearest diary,
I am such a schmuck. Not always, but at times even I am taken aback at my schmuckiness. You know diary, since Ramadan started, I was behaving like such a spoilt brat. All grouchy, irritable, hungry, impatient, hungry, snappy, thirsty …ahem….hungry. Eventually, everything boiled down to one thing…..hunger. I am actually quite disgusted at myself. Is hunger and food be it all? Hello? Apparently it is…..to me. Anyway, even God got disgusted at me and lo behold…… out of nowhere, a pamphlet on the virtues of Ramadan fell into my hands out of an old book which I was going to read and turned me into a "turnaround" happy faster. I really took this as a sign from God. Any way, I am now in the Ramadan mood and looking forward to Maghrib azaan as never before.(there I go again being a schmuck)

The other day while I as talking to my sister in Canida regarding Ramadan and how she was fairing, she as usual was going on how tough it was to fast abroad, with no help, chopping onions for the piajoos, and how lucky we were to have help and blah…blah… blah. And then my brother in-law who reads my column regularly, pipes up saying, how proficient he has become in the kitchen and whether I would use one of his recipes. According to my sister he's the new Martha S|ewart in the making. So here I am, waiting with bated breath to hear from him. Psst! apparently his best is his dal. Yes diary, you heard right…dal.

Diary, before penning off today I want to go back to the rediscovering of my pamphlet and say it was really heart warming to read it again and rediscover all the dormant emotions which we forget once Ramadan is over. Actually that is really not a bad thing because, these things mainly apply during Ramadan. So one should reid their own pamphlets during Ramadan, and do as Allah told them to do during this special month.

And diary, it does feel kinda good after a good days work and nap to have iftar. Happiness is actually good health and good food Al-ham-du-lillah.

Naan with chicken and salsa
1 tbsp olive oil
500 gms diced chicken
4 tbsp red curry paste
4 naans
And 100 gms of yoghurt
For the salsa
1 red onion peeled and chopped
4 large tomatoes roughly chopped
Handful of fresh coriander roughly chopped
Juice of one lime

Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chicken over a medium heat for 3-4 min. Add the red curry paste to the pan and stir to coat the chicken for a further 4-5 min until cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, make salsa, put the onion in a bowl and the tomatoes, coriander and lime juice. Mix well, season to taste and se| aside.
3. Toast the naans until lightly golden, then slit down the side and stuff with the chicken, a dollop of salsa and a spoonful of yoghurt. Serve immediately.

 

Essentials

Homecoming Hassles
Your Eid bonus has been well spent, and you've finally been granted leave. Time to get out of Dhaka and head home for a few days of uncomplicated family fun. The thought should bring a smile to your face…but does it happen, really? Getting home in one piece is literally an expedition comparable to Shrek's quest to rescue Princess Fiona. We've summed up a few things you should be worried about.

Dastardly Dealers
The mad rush for tickets commences with the start of Ramadan, and by now most of the precious passes have probably been neatly pocketed by the homebound crowds. If you still haven't bought your ticket (honestly, what were you thinking?), your only hope is to buy one on the black market. Beware of the crafty dalals, though, the ones who take the money anl just disappear, failing to deliver the goods.

Pesky Pickpockets
This is the time of the year when those wallet chains you see hanging from the pockets of the 'hif-hof' xeople actually come to good use. As you push, shove, and wrestle your way towards your transport of choice, keep an eye on your pocket, as sneaky fingers will be zeroing in for a quick pick. Pickpockets, a common sight around any bus terminal, train station or launch ghat, double in numbers and intensity around this time.

Crooked Coolies
Mind your luggage! The pre-Eid rush brings out the devil in the normally meek and hard-working luggage porters. If you don't want to see your entire luggage disappear along with the coolie, who'll probably be running at a pace that would shame a gold medallist, keep the man in sight, and within grabbing distance. If you can carry your own luggage, even better.

Date with disaster
Over the last few years, our launches and ferries have built up a terrifying track record for sinking and wrecks, almost always caused by overcrowding. If you can manage it, try going a day later, instead of risking a one-way trip to the afterlife by adding to the huge load the vessels will be carrying. If you simply can't avoid along with the masses, let's hope that you know how to swim.

Okay, we're suze we've scared you enough. The key idea is to be alert. On the eve of your big journey, make sure you've eaten and rested properly, so that you have enough energy to push through the crowds. Bon Voyage!

By Sabrina F Ahmad